In January 2011 the WNC Agricultural Options program awarded six community groups and 47 farmers grants totaling $326,000 to assist them in farm diversification and joint marketing and distribution efforts.
Three of the individual awardees received $9,000 grants, 25 received $6,000 and 19 received $3,000. Community groups received varying amounts totaling $92,000. Projects increase the economic sustainability of farm businesses as well as provide demonstration to other transitioning farmers.
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County: Award; Farm/ Group; Recipient Name; Project
Agri-Tourism
Yancey: $6000; Green Toe Ground; Nicole DelCogliano; Fine Dining on the Farm — GO >>
Beef
Jackson: $3000; Noland Farm Place; David Noland; Improving Genetics and Structure — GO >>
Madison: $3000; Horse Collar Farm; Shannon Roberts; Value Added Cattle — GO >>
Mitchell: $3000; Byrd Charolais; Mark Byrd; Creep Feeder — GO >>
Watauga: $6000; North Fork Farm; Jimmy and Sheila Greene;
Meat CSA and Marketing Project — GO >>
Bees
Buncombe: $6000; Green Goddess Farm & Apiary; Joan and Carl Chesick;
Heckuva Honey House — GO >>
Graham: $3000; Anderson Creek Apiary; Jeff Mansker; Honey House and Extractor — GO >>
Macon: $6000; Rabbit Creek Bee Company; Tim and Annie Burrell;
Nuc Production for Natural Beekeeping — GO >>
Berries
Avery: $6000; Tucker Hollow Farms; Grady Bob Johnson, Jr.; Berries and Honey — GO >>
Henderson: $6000; Stepp’s Plants Etc.; Larry Stepp Jr.; Berry Irrigation Project — GO >>
Madison: $3000; Let It Grow Organic Gardens; Frank Teneralli;
Blackberry Production as a Means to Diversify Farm Income — GO >>
Watauga: $3000; Sunny Side Farm; Todd Nolt; Raspberries — GO >>
Haywood: $3000; King Harvest Farm; Steve and Terry King;
Raspberry and Vegetable Expansion — GO >>
Community
Central Mountains: $19,000; Mill Spring Agricultural Development Center/Friends of Agriculture;
Lynn Sprague; Polk Fresh Trade Post Project — GO >>
Far West: $20,000; Mountain Cattle Alliance; L.T. Ward;
Improving Marketability of WNC Livestock — GO >>
Far West: $17,000; Southern Appalachian Family Farms (SAFF); Judy Johnson;
SAFF Start-Up and Marketing Plan — GO >>
Far West: $13,000; Jackson County Christmas Tree Association; Charles Fowler;
Market Expansion for Christmas Tree Growers — GO >>
High Country: $18,000; Watauga County Farmers Market; David Sengel;
Site Analysis & Capacity-Building for WCFM — GO >>
High Country: $5,000; Avery County Farmers Tailgate Marketing Association; Kyle Kitchin;
Community Advertising and Educational Campaign — GO >>
Dairy
Madison: $9000; Davis Farm; Steven Davis; Dairy Barn (cattle) — GO >>
Goats
Madison: $3000; Hay Pritty Alpines/Crow Valley Farm; Cassandra Lewis; Dairy Goat Parlor — GO >>
Madison: $6000; Appleberry Cove Farm and School; Sue Mickey; Pure Dairy Goat Pet Milk — GO >>
Transylvania: $6000; Wells Farm; Ronald and Cheryl Searcy; Treatment Facility — GO >>
Watauga: $6000; Norris Meat Goats; Ryan Norris; Goat Leasing/ Meat Goats — GO >>
Mushrooms
Buncombe: $3000; B.M.S. Enterprises; William Metes; Shiitake Mushroom Smokehouse — GO >>
Buncombe: $6000; Emma Farms; Leslie Sigmon; Indoor Oyster Mushroom Production — GO >>
Ornamentals
Macon: $6000; Oconee Bell Farms; Jodie and Jeff Zahner;
Expanding Production of Oconee Bells — GO >>
Poultry
Avery: $6000; Trosly Farm; Amos and Kaci Nidiffer; Value Added Poultry Processing Equipment — GO >>
Buncombe: $6000; Headwaters of Poverty Farm; Thomas Shepherd, Jr.; Specialty Poultry — GO >>
Henderson: $3000; Deerwood Nursery and Farms; Rick and Karen Jordan;
Produce and Poultry Cooler — GO >>
Jackson: $3000; Balsam Gardens; Steven Beltram;
Pasture Raised Poultry Processing Equipment — GO >>
Polk: $6000; Smith’s Sweet Grass Farm; Randy and Megan Smith;
All Natural Pastured Poultry Project — GO >>
Swain: $6000; Sleepy Hollow Farm; Mike and Joan Glover; Heritage Birds — GO >>
Specialty
Jackson: $6000; Ty-Lyn Plantation; Joni and John Wavra; Truffle Project — GO >>
McDowell: $6000; Mountain Spring Garden; Bao Yang;
Bamboo Shoot Product Testing and Processing Approval — GO >>
Mitchell: $3000; Conley Ranch; Mark Conley; Farming Hops — GO >>
Value-Added
Cherokee Reservation: $3000; Traditional Delicacies; Mary Thompson;
Traditional Cherokee Delicacies — GO >>
Vegetables
Buncombe: $6000; Craggy View Farm; Loretta Ball; Farm Stand — GO >>
Buncombe: $3000; Jasperwood Farm; Anthony Cole; Production of Colored Bell Peppers — GO >>
Cherokee: $9000; Davis Farms; Timothy Davis; Translicer for Greens — GO >>
Haywood: $6000; Ray Chambers Farm; Ray Chambers; Refrigeration Transportation — GO >>
Haywood: $3000; –; Herman Garrison; Clean Farm — GO >>
Madison: $3000; Fork Mountain Farm; Thomas and Margaret Charles;
Winter Squash Curing Shed with Temperature Control — GO >>
Watauga: $3000; Watauga River Farms; Charles Church; Vegetable Expansion — GO >>
Watauga: $3000; Sunshine Cove Farm; Jill Nicklaw; Microgreens — GO >>
Yancey: $6000; Bryant Farms; Billy Bryant; Produce Expansion — GO >>
Yancey: $3000; Wiebe Farmin’; Ryan Wiebe; Well Establishment/
Drip Irrigation/Fertigation — GO >>
Cherokee: $6000; H2O Farm; Katie Erwin and Edward Marx;
Underbench Heating & Hydroponic Vegetable Irrigation Systems — GO >>
Vineyard
Buncombe: $9000; Addison Farms Vineyard; Eddie and Jeff Frisbee;
Vineyard and Winery Expansion — GO >>
Cherokee: $6000; Nottely River Valley Vineyards; Stephen Thompson;
Wine Tasting Room, Pavilion — GO >>
Madison: $6000; Jewel of the Blue Ridge Consulting & Vineyards; Chuck and Jeannie Blethen;
Greenhouse & Vineyard — GO >>
McDowell: $6000; DeMariano Vineyard; Mario and Michael DeLuca;
Wine Production from Grapes — GO >>
Watauga: $3000; Hattie Hill Vineyard; Robert Johnson; Harvest Aid — GO >>