Larry and Rena Jarvis have been married for just over 15 years. The couple live in Cottondale, Alabama on completely self-sufficient property. Both of them grew up in Upstate New York and were close friends throughout childhood. Larry and Rena went their separate ways in life, Rena joining the Army and Larry becoming a firefighter in New York. After being apart from each other for over 25 years, the pair reconnected on social media. The two kept in touch for a couple years before realizing that they were living in the same state, North Carolina. Both casualties of failed marriages connected about their childhood and life experiences since. They started dating and eventually would get married.
They have adapted their lives to living off the land that they own and nothing more. The Jarvis’ raise chickens, ducks and geese on their property. They do various things with the animals but they mainly use them for food and to sell as food. Breeding the animals is a part of this process but only to produce more food. The Jarvis’ also have two greenhouses on their property where they grow various types of mint, and other natural spices as well as vegetables like eggplant, potatoes and tomatoes. The Jarvis’ house was even built self-sufficiently, or at least part of it was. Their main common room was built as an add-on by Larry, but the coolest part is that he insulated it with straw from their property.
Larry and Rena make their living by selling their prepackaged livestock at local Farmers Markets. Their primary location is at the Rivermarket in Tuscaloosa where at least one of them, if not both, attend every Saturday year round. In the past they have had stands in Birmingham and at the previous student run market that was held on the front lawn of the Episcopal church on Hackberry Lane. The couple divides the workload up amongst themselves. Larry de-feathers, beheads and packages the livestock while Rena makes homemade jams and other baked goods. In addition to their food products, Larry also does woodworking in his free time. During the holiday period, after Halloween all the way to New years according to the couple, Larry will carve wooden Christmas trees, snowmen and various ornaments. Rena makes homemade lamps as well, like the ones made out of out the Mason jars in the photos.
Larry and Rena are homegrown people who love to interact with the community. Larry occasionally teaches woodworking classes at the Tuscaloosa and Cottondale community centers when he has free time. The Jarvis’ are a pair of old-fashioned people, but that’s what makes them unique. It’s hard to find salt of the Earth people like them anymore, but if you are still looking for people like them, look no further than Cottondale, Alabama.
Alex Lange 