Kemper Barkhurst
Owner of Bluefly Farms in Peralta, New Mexico
Bluefly Farms’ herbal sparkling waters are infused with real herbs grown with love in Peralta, New Mexico. In addition to fragrant culinary herbs used in its popular canned beverages, the farm also grows a variety of plant starts and other agricultural bounty in the historic floodplain of the Rio Grande in Southern Tiwa territory. Their flowers, including vibrant indigo plants, are prized natural dyes used by local weavers.
“We are grateful every day for the opportunity to live on, care for, and learn from this land,” says Bluefly Farms owner, farmer, and DreamSpring client Kemper Barkhurst. “From the migrating birds, to the sun rising over the Manzanos, to the fog settling on the fields, we are in love with this place.”
When the pandemic hit, a forgivable $2,494 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from DreamSpring ensured that Kemper could keep growing on the farmland he took years to cultivate. Today, Bluefly Farms products are available at more than 50 retail and restaurant locations throughout New Mexico, plus growers’ markets and pop-up events at local fiber arts centers.