Danielle Hutchison, Beacon Village Farm, LLC
Farm Store
Grant Award: $8,000
Danielle farms 200 acres of organic vegetables and is the only certified organic wholesale produce operation in McDowell County. She sells primarily to wholesale brokers, retail operations and box stores. In order to market her crops on a retail scale, allowing for the greatest return on their products, she will be building a 40′ x 40′ building to sell and distribute produce and value-added products from her farm.
The retail store will create an outlet to sell products that otherwise would not meet USDA Grade A standard, but remain perfectly edible. In addition, they will be able to sell a more diverse crop list, including added value canned goods, organic asparagus, strawberries, blueberries, and flowers, all of which are not viable enterprises on a wholesale level, but work perfectly for small retail.
The addition of this brick and mortar retail space will provide the community with more fresh, healthy, safe food and added value products. She hopes to maximize and diversify their land and crop enterprises in order to generate more income and create additional economic sustainability for the farm.
Contact the Local Extension Agent