A version of the following article appeared in the Thursday, July 30, 2026 edition of Charlotte in Motion, a biweekly newsletter focused on growth published by The Charlotte Ledger and WFAE.
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How McLawland Farms cultivates community in east Charlotte
Jason McLawhorn is pictured at McLawland Farms, about 20 minutes outside uptown on Charlotte’s eastside. (Photo by Cooper Hall/The Charlotte Ledger)
by Cooper Hall
In the face of rapid residential development and few amenities, McLawland Farms LLC is hoping to become an east Charlotte community hub.
Jason McLawhorn and Larry Land opened McLawland Farms, 20 minutes outside of uptown, in 2018 as a you-pick berry farm. Now, the farm has grown to offer you-pick blueberries, flowers and figs, in addition to hosting events like Mother’s Day brunch, educational classes and more under their outdoor pavilion. The farm also functions as a venue for weddings and corporate events, with three places to stay overnight onsite.
“I want the farm, as we continue to really cement ourselves in this community, to be that third space for people, to give people a chance to come out to have a place where they can be,” McLawhorn said.
The pavilion on the farm overlooks a field of flowers and functions as a space to host large events. In the future, McLawhorn said he envisions it as a space where people can come to hang out or work.
On Wednesdays in April, May, September and October, McLawhorn and Land switch their McLawland Farms signs out for ones that say East Charlotte Farmers’ Market.
This market is one of the big ways McLawland Farms helps to cultivate community on the eastside. It is held in their pavilion every Wednesday from 3 to 6:30 p.m.
With exclusively local vendors, the event is non-compete, meaning no two people are selling the same goods. McLawhorn said their vendors are usually familiar faces for repeat customers.
“A lot of the public really wants consistency when they come out. They want to see the same faces every time they’re here. They want to get to know the people that are making their bread or growing their vegetables,” he said.
On the fourth Wednesday of each month, the vendors grow to include crafters, featuring goods like jewelry, clothes and art. Some markets also include a food truck.
The market gathers an average of 100 people each week, and McLawhorn said they had an extremely successful April and May this year, serving around 2,000 customers over nine Wednesdays.
At the Earth Day edition of the farmers’ market this year, the farm added a food truck and beer vendor, and tortoises and alpacas, leading to over 250 visitors coming through the market.
The market has grown rapidly since McLawland Farms started it in the spring of 2025, swelling from just six vendors to 10 to 20 today.
McLawhorn said he thinks the event fills a need for east Charlotte.
“People are just looking for that. They’re looking for something local. There is nothing like it in this part of Charlotte,” he said.