In February 2022 the WNC Agricultural Options program awarded 39 farm businesses a total of $304,000 in grants to assist in farm diversification and expansion.

Two of the farm businesses received $4,000 and 37 received $8,000. The N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission is the financial supporter of WNC AgOptions; which aims to build sustainable farming communities in the mountain region by providing resources directly to farmers.

Select a Topic to View the Results

 

County — Award; Farm; Project Name

Agritourism

Buncombe — $8,000; Burley Stick Farm; Nicolette Irving; Farm Stand

Buncombe — $8,000; The Neverending Flower Farm; Loretta Ball; Bathroom and Farm Store

Graham — $8,000; Stoney Hollow Farm; Scott Boxberger; Equipment and Expansion Project

Haywood — $4,000; Two Trees Farm/Sustainabillies LLC.; Sara Martin and Dustin Cornelison; Welcoming Back the Public to Two Trees Farm

Henderson — $8,000; Raspberry Fields; Stacy Fields; Kitchen

Macon — $8,000; Great Blue Farms, LLC; Regina McCord; Seed to Bloom to Bouquet

Madison — $8,000; The Farm Connection, LLC; Alyson Wade; Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Gardens; Video Marketing; and Risk Mitigation

 

Berries/Apples/Fruit

Macon — $8,000; Deal Family Farm; Charles “Butch” and Pat Deal; High Pressure Boom-Type Sprayer for Vegetables & Fruit

Henderson — $8,000; Jeter Mountain Farm LLC; Tyler Hunsader; Canner for Hard/Carbonated Cider Operation

Henderson — $8,000; Raspberry Fields; Stacy Fields; Kitchen

Polk — $8,000; TK Family Farm, LLC; Jon Klimstra; Apple Cold Storage Facility

 

Building

Avery — $8,000; Ollis Farms; Elaine Ollis; Feedlot Facility

Avery — $8,000; Stines Farm; Justin Stines; Improvements to Cattle Handling Facility

Buncombe — $8,000; Burley Stick Farm; Morgan Metcalf; Walk-In Freezer and Packing Facility

Buncombe — $8,000; The Neverending Flower Farm; Loretta Ball; Bathroom and Farm Store

Burke — $8,000; J4 Cattle Company; Robin Jackson; J4 Beef and Provisions

Caldwell — $8,000; Hedge Family Farm; Sara and Mike Hedge; Wash-Pack Facility Farm Expansion

Haywood — $8,000; Cold Mountain Angus Beef; Lucas Sorrells; Portable Chute and Working Facility

Haywood — $8,000; Smoky Mountain Mangalitsa; Catherine Topel; Mobile Food Unit Trailer -Farm Use

Henderson — $8,000; Raspberry Fields; Stacy Fields; Kitchen

Madison — $8,000; Blue Winter Farm; Sharon Marler and Christopher Scott Brazil; Farm Diversification and Upgrades

Madison — $8,000; Our Friendly Allies; Kelsey Green; The Processing Facility Project

Mitchell — $4,000; Forbes Farms; Jonathan Forbes; Cattle Weighing System

Polk — $8,000; TK Family Farm, LLC; Jon Klimstra; Apple Cold Storage Facility

Transylvania — $8,000; Colonial Acres Nursery; Harold Paxton; Building a covered nursery potting shed

Transylvania — $8,000; Cantrell Creek Trout Farm; Onsite Solid and Liquid Composting System

Watauga — $8,000; Shipley Farms, LLC; Bob Shipley; Livestock Handling Barn

 

Cattle/Beef

Avery — $8,000; Ollis Farms; Elaine Ollis; Feedlot Facility

Avery — $8,000; Stines Farm; Justin Stines; Improvements to Cattle Handling Facility

Buncombe — $8,000; Burley Stick Farm; Morgan Metcalf; Walk-In Freezer and Packing Facility

Buncombe — $8,000; Hawks Nest Farm; Gerald Strickland; Cattle Handling Equipment

Buncombe — $8,000; Pinnacle View Farm; Andrew Rogers; Fence Line Feeding System

Burke — $8,000; J4 Cattle Company; Robin Jackson; J4 Beef and Provisions

Haywood — $8,000; Cold Mountain Angus Beef; Lucas Sorrells; Portable Chute and Working Facility

Madison — $8,000; Blue Winter Farm; Sharon Marler and Christopher Scott Brazil; Farm Diversification and Upgrades

Mitchell — $4,000; Forbes Farms; Jonathan Forbes; Cattle Weighing System

Watauga — $8,000; Browns Farm Ridge; Alexandra and Daniel Brown; Total Mixed Ration for Local Beef Production

 

Equipment/Supplies

Buncombe — $8,000; Black Trumpet Farm; Gwendolyn Casebeer; Mushroom Production

Buncombe — $8,000; Blazing Star Flowers; Suzanne Nolter; Multi-Use Canopy Structure

Buncombe — $8,000; Pinnacle View Farm; Andrew Rogers; Fence Line Feeding System

Buncombe — $8,000; Hawks Nest Farm; Gerald Strickland; Cattle Handling Equipment

Caldwell — $8,000; Hedge Family Farm; Sara and Mike Hedge; Wash-Pack Facility Farm Expansion

Cleveland — $8,000; Circle C Farm; Jody Black; Reducing Sweet Potato Harvest Losses

Graham — $8,000; Stoney Hollow Farm; Scott Boxberger; Equipment and Expansion Project

Haywood — $4,000; Two Trees Farm/Sustainabillies LLC; Sara Martin and Dustin Cornelison; Welcoming Back the Public to Two Trees Farm

Henderson — $8,000; Jeter Mountain Farm LLC; Tyler Hunsader; Canner for Hard/Carbonated Cider Operation

Jackson — $8,000; Ray’s Florist and Greenhouse; Ray Nations; Greenhouse Solar Panels

Macon — $8,000; Deal Family Farm; Charles “Butch” and Pat Deal; High Pressure Boom-Type Sprayer for Vegetables & Fruit

Macon — $8,000; Great Blue Farms, LLC; Regina McCord; Seed to Bloom to Bouquet

Madison — $8,000; Blue Winter Farm; Sharon Marler and Christopher Scott Brazil; Farm Diversification and Upgrades

Madison — $8,000; Greenshine Farms; Rand Gifford; Operation 10x

McDowell — $8,000; Keller Farm; Timothy Keller; Goat Expansion

Mitchell — $4,000; Forbes Farms; Jonathan Forbes; Cattle Weighing System

Transylvania — $8,000; Clem’s Organic Gardens; Clement Swift; Cold Storage for Crop Diversification and Expansion

Transylvania — $8,000; Cantrell Creek Trout Farm; Onsite Solid and Liquid Composting System

Watauga — $8,000; Browns Farm Ridge; Alexandra and Daniel Brown; Total Mixed Ration for Local Beef Production

Watauga — $8,000; Fire From the Mountain; Dorene Jankowski; Outdoor Walk-in Freezer

 

Expansion

Buncombe — $8,000; Mountain Meadows Nursery; Michael Balogh; Nursery Expansion

Caldwell — $8,000; Hedge Family Farm; Sara and Mike Hedge; Wash-Pack Facility Farm Expansion

Graham — $8,000; Stoney Hollow Farm; Scott Boxberger; Equipment and Expansion Project

Haywood — $8,000; Smoky Mountain Mangalitsa; Catherine Topel; Mobile Food Unit Trailer -Farm Use

Henderson — $8,000; Bee-utiful Farm and Garden; Gary and Abigail Steiner; Greenhouse Upgrade and Expansion

Macon — $8,000; Great Blue Farms, LLC; Regina McCord; Seed to Bloom to Bouquet

Madison — $8,000; Blue Winter Farm; Sharon Marler and Christopher Scott Brazil; Farm Diversification and Upgrades

Madison — $8,000; Our Friendly Allies; Kelsey Green; The Processing Facility Project

Madison — $8,000; The Farm Connection, LLC; Alyson Wade; Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Gardens; Video Marketing; and Risk Mitigation

McDowell — $8,000; Keller Farm; Timothy Keller; Goat Expansion

Rutherford — $8,000; Moss & Thistle Farm; Sarah Lasswell; WNC Grown Willow for Sustainable Caskets

Transylvania — $8,000; Clem’s Organic Gardens; Clement Swift; Cold Storage for Crop Diversification and Expansion

 

Farm Stand/Store

Buncombe — $8,000; The Neverending Flower Farm; Loretta Ball; Bathroom and Farm Store

Buncombe — $8,000; Burley Stick Farm; Nicolette Irving; Farm Stand

Burke — $8,000; J4 Cattle Company; Robin Jackson; J4 Beef and Provisions

 

Flowers

Buncombe — $8,000; Blazing Star Flowers; Suzanne Nolter; Multi-Use Canopy Structure

Macon — $8,000; Great Blue Farms, LLC; Regina McCord; Seed to Bloom to Bouquet

 

Ginseng

 

Greenhouse

Buncombe — $8,000; Mountain Meadows Nursery; Michael Balogh; Nursery Expansion

Henderson — $8,000; Bee-utiful Farm and Garden; Gary and Abigail Steiner; Greenhouse Upgrade and Expansion

Jackson — $8,000; Ray’s Florist and Greenhouse; Ray Nations; Greenhouse Solar Panels

Macon — $8,000; Great Blue Farms, LLC; Regina McCord; Seed to Bloom to Bouquet

Polk — $8,000; Hillside Farm; Dave Lesuer; Hydroponic Tomato Greenhouse

Rutherford — $8,000; Seven Oaks Farm; Erica Fernbach and Karl Brandstaetter; Caterpillar Tunnels for Increased Vegetable Production

Rutherford — $8,000; Moss & Thistle Farm; Sarah Lasswell; WNC Grown Willow for Sustainable Caskets

 

Livestock

Haywood — $8,000; Smoky Mountain Mangalitsa; Catherine Topel; Mobile Food Unit Trailer -Farm Use

McDowell — $8,000; Keller Farm; Timothy Keller; Goat Expansion

Watauga — $8,000; Shipley Farms, LLC; Bob Shipley; Livestock Handling Barn

 

Mushrooms

Buncombe — $8,000; Black Trumpet Farm; Gwendolyn Casebeer; Mushroom Production

 

Processing/Production

Buncombe — $8,000; Black Trumpet Farm; Gwendolyn Casebeer; Mushroom Production

Buncombe — $8,000; Burley Stick Farm; Morgan Metcalf; Walk-In Freezer and Packing Facility

Caldwell — $8,000; Hedge Family Farm; Sara and Mike Hedge; Wash-Pack Facility Farm Expansion

Henderson — $8,000; Raspberry Fields; Stacy Fields; Kitchen

Henderson — $8,000; Jeter Mountain Farm LLC; Tyler Hunsader; Canner for Hard/Carbonated Cider Operation

Madison — $8,000; Greenshine Farms; Rand Gifford; Operation 10x

Madison — $8,000; Our Friendly Allies; Kelsey Green; The Processing Facility Project

 

Solar

Macon — $8,000; Great Blue Farms, LLC; Regina McCord; Seed to Bloom to Bouquet

Jackson — $8,000; Ray’s Florist and Greenhouse; Ray Nations; Greenhouse Solar Panels

 

Vegetables

Caldwell — $8,000; Hedge Family Farm; Sara and Mike Hedge; Wash-Pack Facility Farm Expansion

Cleveland — $8,000; Circle C Farm; Jody Black; Reducing Sweet Potato Harvest Losses

Macon — $8,000; Deal Family Farm; Charles “Butch” and Pat Deal; High Pressure Boom-Type Sprayer for Vegetables & Fruit

Madison — $8,000; Our Friendly Allies; Kelsey Green; The Processing Facility Project

Polk — $8,000; Hillside Farm; Dave Lesuer; Hydroponic Tomato Greenhouse

Rutherford — $8,000; Seven Oaks Farm; Erica Fernbach and Karl Brandstaetter; Caterpillar Tunnels for Increased Vegetable Production

Transylvania — $8,000; Colonial Acres Nursery; Harold Paxton; Building a covered nursery potting shed