The Real FarmVille

Amanda Byrd (left) and her son, Jackson, spend a little time picking vegetables at The Greenbrier Farm.
The Greenbrier

August 1, 2010

By Athena Perez, Special to Together, Anything's Possible

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va.—Earlier this week, the wives and children of PGA TOUR players went to the Greenbrier Farm. It was a great day in what has been a pretty unique week. The farm is amazing and massive, and most of the food grown on the farm is used in the restaurants at The Greenbrier. But a lot of the food harvested there is also donated to worthwhile causes. The idea was for us to pick vegetables from the farm that would then go to local food banks and churches.

So all of us, young and old, dug in and got our hands dirty. We picked tomatoes, zucchinis, peppers. Whatever we could get our hands on, they wanted us to pick, and so that’s what we did. One unique aspect of this activity is that the PGA TOUR Wives Association has never actually gone to a farm to gather food. It was a surprisingly fun activity, and we filled basket upon basket with vegetables. I loved it, and it was clear that everybody else who participated loved it too—especially the kids, who were having so much fun.

Brian and Kimberly Gay’s daughter Makinley gave up what many kids would consider a much more “fun” day to be on the farm. Earlier in the week, Kimberly had set up a day of horse riding for her daughter. But once Makinley heard everyone was going to the farm, she told her mom she wanted to pick vegetables with the other kids instead. It seemed everybody caught the vision of what we were trying to accomplish.

The PGA TOUR Wives Association tries to make a difference in the cities where our husbands play. Usually it’s the PTWA board that goes in to a tournament city and speaks to the tournament director or coordinator. We then decide what sort of activity will be best and work with organizations that parallel our mission, which is geared toward helping women and children. Another unique aspect of the Greenbrier Classic, especially as a first-year event, is that this tournament organized its own charity day at the farm for us to attend. We just showed up and went to work.

 We had children in strollers all the way up to Amanda DiMarco, the daughter of Chris and Amy DiMarco, who is 12. But it didn’t matter the age. All the kids were helping, and it was a sight to be seen. Wherever we were on the farm, there were rows and rows and rows of plants with vegetables on them, all waiting to be picked. We started with tomatoes and moved to corn and green beans and pumpkins. Then it was banana peppers and these gargantuan zucchinis that were larger than the kids. And the cabbages were as big as basketballs.

When I was young, like many children, I didn’t like vegetables. I wouldn’t eat them. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown to love vegetables, and you should have seen us. We were eating tomatoes off the vine, beans from the stalk, and corn on the cob (my mother would be so proud!). All the plants are organic, so we could taste what we were picking. I can still picture Jonathan and Amanda Byrd’s son, Jackson, who turned 4 this week, eating corn right off the stalk. No wonder he was smiling.

Yes, it was hot, and yes, we got dirty. But I couldn’t complain. It was for an awesome cause. We knew what we were doing is for other people. Frankly, we are so blessed as families with husbands who play golf professionally, so I feel like we have to give back. We have an obligation to give back. I know it sounds cheesy, but all these communities do so much for us as PGA TOUR families that it’s not much for us to spend a morning at a farm picking vegetables that will help feed people.

I was middle-class growing up in Washington. We were never without food, or shelter or clothes on our back. And I thank God for that. But as I was picking tomatoes and corn, I couldn’t help imagine what it would be like as a child to have to worry whether I would be getting dinner or not. Unfortunately, that is a reality for too many kids. Then I thought about Blessings in a Backpack, the organization we support that provides food for children on the weekends. These are kids whose families qualify for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program who get school lunches but might not have a lot to eat at home otherwise. When I was learning about Blessings in a Backpack, I found out that kids often show up to the nurse's office at school on Monday with stomach aches, not knowing it is caused by hunger. I couldn’t comprehend that, but I want it to stop. Maybe what we did this week doesn’t directly help Blessings in a Backpack, but the food we picked is going to feed people, and I thank Jim Justice, the owner of The Greenbrier, the Greenbrier Classic and everyone else who helped organized this opportunity for us.

It feels so good to know you’re helping those who need help, those who can’t fend for themselves. It was a unique day for the rest of the wives and me, and I couldn’t have put my time to better use.

 Editor’s Note: The author is married to PGA TOUR player Pat Perez. The couple will celebrate its second anniversary in December.