2025 Mortgage Lifter Challenge

At Lost Creek Farm, we live for West Virginia food with a story behind it. Here’s a tale we adore about one of our favorite tomatoes. In the 1930s, a backyard gardener in Logan County developed a big, sweet, reddish-pink tomato with superior flavor. M.C. “Charlie” Byles –– by trade, a mechanic who repaired coal-truck radiators –– sold starter plants for this new variety, which were immediately in high demand. He was so successful that he quickly paid for his new house from plant sales alone. This juicy, now-famous, heirloom slicer became known around the world as Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter Tomato.  

Since we’re building some very necessary (but very expensive) facilities at the farm, we drew inspiration from Mr. Byles and his cherished tomatoes to launch a fun new competition to support our ongoing construction efforts: The 2025 Mortgage Lifter Challenge! There’s plenty of information below, but the here’s the gist: Sign up as a team leader, build your team, and start fundraising on your own dedicated team page (click to see an example). When your team reaches certain levels, you’ll unlock exciting rewards. If your team raises the most by the end of the year, your team wins the grand prize: the coveted Mortgage Lifter Trophy and an epic private event more special than anything we’ve ever hosted at Lost Creek Farm!

Are you up for the challenge? We hope you’ll consider being a team leader and recruiting a squad. Teams can join at any time!

  • Let us know you’re in!
    Simply fill out the form below to let us know if you’re up for the challenge! We’ll follow up with more specific details and materials you and your team will need to get started. When you sign up, you’ll get to pick an heirloom tomato from our garden as your team name! You could be the Hillbillies, Mountain Princesses, Cortese Slicers, Bloody Butchers, or Homer Fike’s Yellow Oxhearts, just to name a few possibilities. Names are offered up on a first-come, first-served basis, so don’t delay!

    Build the team and get started!
    There’s no minimum or maximum team size, although some of our prizes max out at 20 participants. We’ll set up a dedicated page for your team’s donations and keep you updated on your team’s standings! 

    How you raise cash is entirely up to you!
    Whether your team solicits a few high-impact donations, or many small contributions, every bit counts toward your total! How you raise cash is totally up to you. A small party at your house, emailing all of your buddies––fair game! Pretty please, just don’t do anything illegal or unethical! As the team leader, your job is to motivate folks, build momentum, and keep the team on track in the standings. 

    Finally, win the most epic dinner party ever hosted at Lost Creek Farm! The team that raises the most by December 31, 2025 wins the coveted Mortgage Lifter Trophy and a truly epic private dinner, with wine pairings and lots of surprises, for up to 40 guests in 2026.

  • The team that raises the most by December 31 wins the coveted Mortgage Lifter Trophy and an epic private dinner event for 40 guests. But check out these additional perks you can unlock and win along the way!

    When your team raises $5,000…
    Get some early momentum! If your team raises $5,000, everyone on your team gets one of our original block-print posters for the 2025 Farm & Forage Supper Club. The poster features Mike’s hand-carved, hand-printed artwork inspired by Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes.

    When your team raises $20,000…
    Now we’re cooking! We’ll send you up to 20 Lost Creek Farm aprons from our friends at Hedley & Bennett––the most iconic apron makers in the business! Outfit your team with the same swag you’ll see our crew wearing this year in the Lost Creek Farm kitchen!

    A halftime challenge pizza party…
    It’s a prize of pies! The leading team on August 1––roughly halfway to the finish line––wins a gourmet party for up to 20 guests featuring our craft neapolitan pizzas, a selection of fine wines, and some of our favorite small-bite starters and desserts.

    Additionally, keep your eyes open for some flash challenges we’ll announce as surprises to keep our teams engaged!


  • We’re currently under construction for an expanded kitchen and culinary classroom that will improve our on-farm experience and boost our work around West Virginia food heritage. Construction prices have skyrocketed in recent years, and they’re not coming down anytime soon. In 2023, we launched a crowdfunding campaign to help us offset some of the sky-high expenses associated with this necessary project. By helping us pay down our sizeable construction loan, the Mortgage Lifter Challenge gives stability to us and our hardworking staff, and allows us to focus on the important community work that’s always been the heart of Lost Creek Farm.

Let us know you’re up for the challenge!

Please fill out the inquiry form below to let us know you’re up for the Mortgage Lifter Challenge! Participation in the Mortgage Lifter Challenge is anonymous. Your name and contact information will not be shared by us, although you’re welcome to announce your participation if you choose to do so!