In February 2020 the WNC Agricultural Options program awarded 40 farm businesses a total of $216,000 in grants to assist in farm diversification and expansion.
Eight of the farm businesses received $3,000 and 32 received $6,000. The N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission is the exclusive financial supporter of WNC AgOptions, which aims to build sustainable farming communities in the mountain region by providing resources directly to farmers.
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County — Award; Project Name; Farm
Agritourism
Graham — Grant Award: $6,000; Farm Store; Jeff C. Phillips, Pine Row Farm
Beekeeping
Cherokee — Grant Award: $6,000; Russian Honey Bee Expansion Project; Mitch and Darlene Myers, D & M Apiaries
Jackson — Grant Award: $3,000; Updates for Increased Production; David Massengill, D & R Bee Farm
Swain — Grant Award: $6,000; Apiary Expansion; Jordan Michael Smith, Two Girls Honey Company
Yancey — Grant Award: $6,000; The Local Honey Bee Project; Michelle Mejia, Moral Bees
Cattle & Beef
Avery — Grant Award: $6,000; The Hereford Project; Plow Boys Crop Production
Cherokee — Grant Award: $6,000; Commodity Barn; Ricky Stiles, Appalachian Foothills Farm, LLC
Watauga — Grant Award: $6,000; Cattle Business; Roy Bledsoe, Longview Farm
Watauga — Grant Award: $3,000; Cattle Handling Facilities Enhancements; William Dennis Braswell, Braswell Farms
Equipment & Supplies
Buncombe — Grant Award: $6,000; Caterpillar Tunnels; Paul & Anna Littman, Ivy Creek Family Farm
Buncombe — Grant Award: $6,000; Dump Trailer for Spent Brewer’s Grain; Scott Brown, Ridgetop Farm
EBCI — Grant Award: $6,000; Soil Spader for Sustainable Management and Soil Health; John Dugan and David Anderson, Dugan Farms
Jackson — Grant Award: $3,000; Greenhouse Light Extension; Brent and Beth Hall, Shake Rag Plant Ranch
Madison — Grant Award: $6,000; Expanding Production of Most Profitable Crops; Danielle Keeter & Mark McDonagh, Mighty Gnome Market Garden
McDowell — Grant Award: $6,000; Rice Harvester; Chue and Tou Lee, Lee’s One Fortune Farm
Rutherford — Grant Award: $6,000; Walk-in Freezer Expansion; Nicole and Aaron Bradley, Colfax Creek Farm
Watauga — Grant Award: $3,000; Paperpot Transplanter; Kara Dodson and Jacob Crigler, Full Moon Farm
Watauga — Grant Award: $6,000; Permanent Bed System/ Cut Flower Production Expansion; Amy Fiedler, Springhouse Farm
Expansion
Cleveland — Grant Award: $6,000; Full Hands Farm; James Swofford, The Chef’s Farmer
Haywood — Grant Award: $6,000; Nursery Expansion; Sarah Coury and Ben Pick, Saturnia Farm
Henderson — Grant Award: $6,000; Value-added Acidified Food Kitchen; Randy and Carolyn Edmundson, Edmundson Produce Farm
Henderson — Grant Award: $6,000; Juice (Cider) Operations; Tyler Hunsader, Jeter Mountain Farm
Macon — Grant Award: $6,000; Dahlia Flower Plugs and Soil Amendments; Daniel and Lori Cabe, The Flower Company
Polk — Grant Award: $6,000; Heirloom Cider Apple Orchard; Adolph, Matthew and Lucas Atkins, Atkins Orchard
Greenhouse
Burke — Grant Award: $6,000; Greenhouse Improvements; Jerry Causby, Causby Greenhouse
Caldwell — Grant Award: $6,000; Greenhouse and Transplanter Upgrades; Heather Bryant and Kris Gupton, High Country Herbs
Livestock
Clay — Grant Award: $6,000; Bulk Feed Storage; Larry and Brandon Lee, Lee Farms
Haywood — Grant Award: $3,000; Feed Bin for Lamb Operation; Gerald Rathbone
Mitchell — Grant Award: $3,000; Sheep/Goat Handling Equipment; Joseph Paul Miller, Caorach Farm LLC
Watauga — Grant Award: $3,000; Scaling Up Pastured Pig Farm; Dave Walker, Daffodil Spring Farm
Processing & Production
Avery — Grant Award: $3,000; Upgrades to Production Facility; Avery Hughes, High Country Fungi
Buncombe — Grant Award: $6,000; Drying and Packing; Michael and Lauren Rayburn, Rayburn Farm
Buncombe — Grant Award: $6,000; Mushroom Grow Domes; Natalie Gerardot, Myco Rhizing, LLC
Buncombe — Grant Award: $6,000; Walk-In Floral Cooler; Niki Irving, Flourish Flower Farm
Cleveland — Grant Award: $6,000; Infrastructure for Vegetable Production; Linda Laine, Mardet Family Farm LLC
Haywood — Grant Award: $6,000; KT’s Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar; KT’s Orchard and Apiary
Henderson — Grant Award: $6,000; Make Blackberries Local Again; Dalton Rhodes, Rhodes Berry Farm
Macon — Grant Award: $6,000; Handling Facility for Spent Brewers Grain; Todd Seagle, Seagle Livestock
McDowell — Grant Award: $6,000; Packing Shed; Anna and Wesley Sleight, Sleight Family Farm
Watauga — Grant Award: $3,000; Wash, Pack and Storage Facility; Casy Jordaan, Mountainwise Farm