Mill Spring Agricultural Development Center
Primary Contact: Lynn Sprague
Grant Award: $19,000 — Polk Fresh Trade Post Project
The “Friends of Agriculture” farm group is making a functional retail space, distribution center and cooperative space for strengthening their agricultural economic impact in the WNC community. The group is renovating a donated former school building for use as an Agricultural Center, which is where the PolkFresh TradePost will be located.
Grant contributions cover labor and materials to build out the physical space for the year-round retail farm store and agri-tourism information hub, as well as a distribution center and cooperative buying service. PolkFresh, Appalachian-Grown certified products and other local and sustainable, fresh, value-added and artisan goods will be available at the store.
The distribution center has the potential to become the largest distribution hub in WNC, capable of serving Spartanburg, Greenville, Charlotte, and Atlanta, and becoming the southern connection to Polk, Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania, Jackson, and Madison counties.
Contact the Local Extension Agent