Amy BeVille, Proprietor

In this photo Amy is making a delivery in her Mini Cooper "truck"; she was able to transport 17 plug trays or 3,400 plants!

Our Business

Youngs Mill Farm has been helping organic farmers grow their farms for seven years by providing quality plugs and outstanding service.  We strive to support local agriculture as we focus on sustainable and organic production for vegetable crop production.

Melanie Hernandez and Beth Ruman, Organic Consultants

The founders of Youngs Mill Farm, Melanie Hernandez and Beth Ruman, are staying on as consultants.  They spent several weeks working alongside Amy during the transition of ownership and operation of Youngs Mill Farm. They will return in the spring of 2012 to continue the transfer of knowledge and best practices for Youngs Mill to continue its significant work in organic plug growing, continuing to serve farmers and retail customers.

Sharon Holcombe, Transplant Specialist

Sharon has worked at Youngs Mill Farm for three years.  She transplants plugs to four inch pots to prepare them for our retail customers.  Sharon has her own organic farm and has recently planted strawberries for her spring garden.

Becky Elder, Data Entry

Amy's daughter, Becky Elder, is a data entry whizz!  She types 100 words a minute and helps with customer service. She is the mother of a toy schnauzer named Bear and is a singer/songwriter. She is holding two Havanese puppies here!

Patti Bonagurio, Seeding Specialist

Patti has worked at Youngs Mill Farm for two years and is clearly our Seeding expert.  She can mix soil, fill plug trays, and get them expertly and quickly seeded.  Like all Youngs Mill workers, she is versatile and works in other areas as needed.

About Amy

In September 2011, Youngs Mill Farm was purchased by Amy BeVille.  Amy is a dynamic and detail oriented business woman who has had success in a number of careers.  She is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee.  She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky and received her Master of Divinity from Lexington Theological Seminary.  Amy is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). 

Amy lived in the Austin, Texas area for 18 years, where she and her former husband raised their children.  She pastored several churches during that period of time.  At the advent of the recovery following Hurricane Katrina, Amy led the efforts for Central Texas, assisting some 15,000 families in relocation and/or return to New Orleans.  She is a co-founder of nationally recognized National Disaster Interfaiths Network.

Amy has been employed by FEMA as a Voluntary Agency Liaison Specialist, working in Alaska, Kentucky, Mississippi, Texas, and Maryland.

In January of 2011 she moved to Georgia where she had a home and three greenhouses.  As she was working her greenhouses, an opportunity to join with Youngs Mill Farm became a reality.  With a unique transition process that involved hands-on training, Amy became the proud owner of Youngs Mill Farm.  Founders Melanie Hernandez and Beth Ruman will stay on as consultants as the farm continues the good work of serving the organic growing community.

A return to farming represents a return to Amy's roots.  Her grandfather, Doug BeVille, Sr., had a farm on Signal Mountain where they raised chickens, grew corn, tomatoes and more, and managed a small apple orchard.  Mr. BeVille was a well-known butcher who had a market on Vine Street in Chattanooga; his wife, Dora Cornes BeVille, baked the breads and pies for the market.  Amy's father, Doug BeVille, Jr., butchered on weekends with his father and helped make deliveries.

Amy's matriarchal roots come from Appalachia.  Her mother, Barbara Huff Beville, grew up in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  When Barbara was five years old her mother became concerned because they couldn't find her anywhere; Barbara was found in the barn milking the family cow.  Hard to imagine those days in Gatlinburg now! 

Barbara's grandfather, "Andy" Huff, built the first hotel in Gatlinburg, The Mountain View Hotel.  He was well-known by farmers from whom he purchased local produce for the hotel's kitchen.  He always paid them extra for the good food... and when the Great Depression hit, the farmers, in turn, always had food for Andy Huff.

Living off the land and giving back is a long tradition in Amy's family, and one she is happy to be actively and intentionally part of once again.

Chris Elder, Organic Consultant

Amy's son, Chris Elder, is an organic farmer and gardener - in Bellingham, Washington, where he oversees several urban gardens, raises hogs and backyard chickens.  He is a founder of a nonprofit, Belingham Urban Gardening Syndicate or BUGS. Chris has his undergraduate degree in Biology and Geology, and is currently working on his Masters Degree in Organic Farming Systems and Nutrient Management from Washington State University.  Chris serves as a consultant to Youngs Mill Farm and visits several times yearly.

Jim Huff, Farm Worker and Organic Consultant

Amy's uncle, Jim Huff, of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is an organic farmer.  He managed a 200 acre organic farm in Pennsylvania, and now assists at Youngs Mill Farm, living at the farm during the growing season.  He also does organic farm consulting.



Josh Warren, Transportation

Josh Warren, Amy's son-in-law and Becky's husband, has taken an active role in farm life by serving as our ace delivery driver!  Josh is the only "transport specialist" I know who has a Master's degree in Tuba performance!  Josh is a professional Music Copier (WarrenMusicCopying.com) and will be joining the army in January.  He will serve our country as a musician, playing in a military band.