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Gregory has upgraded his corral/chute working facility, significantly improving cattle handling at the farm. He has purchased and installed commercial quality heavy duty chutes, panels and cages as well as improving the ground base with gravel so that cattle … View >>
Steve has added a sheep handling facility to his existing corral system to improve the care of animals and ultimately increase production. The handling system includes a semi-circular crowding area, chute panels, a turntable to restrain individual animals, a … View >>
Danny Thomason, D&D Farm Packing Shed, Delivery Trailer, Row Cover Grant Award: $3,000 Danny is retrofitting a tobacco barn into a packing shed to help speed up boxing of vegetables before it travels to TRACTOR Food and Farms, which distributes … View >>
Keith has improved his sweet sorghum operation by adding an extension to an existing building to house his juice press, create a storage room and expand the cooking shed to include hot water. The new addition, which is a … View >>
Cedar and Ben are diversifying their vegetable enterprise with the addition of meat sheep. They have purchased 12 ewes and will purchase one ram and begin breeding in late summer. They are constructing a secure shed and paddocks for … View >>
Gerald has added 1.5 acres of Honey Select sweet corn and Hernandez and Bouregard sweet potatoes, using raised bed plastic mulching methods. The improved methods have increased his sweet potato production by 35 percent. He has also installed drip … View >>
Lisa and Brandon Higgins, C-Saw Hill Farm Solar Hot Water Dairy and Cheese Plant Grant Award: $6,000 Lisa and Brandon have installed a solar hot water system as part of their new dairy, where they plan to milk approximately 10 … View >>
Chauncey Barber, Ruff B Farm Barber Boys’ Beef Grant Award: $3,000 Responding to an untapped market for freezer beef in Polk County, Chauncey is developing a portion of his existing hay and cattle farm to better accommodate steers and heifers. … View >>
Abby and Zach Jones, Twisted Ridge Farms Blackberries and Raspberries Grant Award: $6,000 As part of a larger plan to expand and diversify Twisted Ridge Farms, Abby and Zach are adding blackberries and raspberries to their farm, which currently has … View >>
Josh is transitioning his cattle farm to the Strip Grazing method with the purchase of solar-powered electric fencing to divide his pasture and hay field into sections. Cattle stay in four to five-acre strips at a time and are … View >>
John and Megan Pressley, Pressley Hollow Farm Truffle Orchard Grant Award: $6,000 John and Megan are diversifying their third generation family farm with the addition of a one-acre truffle orchard. They prepared the site, amended the soil, installed an irrigation … View >>
Zack and Jen have added cold storage units to their pastured poultry operation, which they expect will double farm revenue. They are maximizing batch sizes and can now afford to travel from Andrews to the Foothills Pilot Plant in Marion. … View >>
Ryan Higgs, Blue Ridge Apiaries Nuc Production Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 Ryan is expanding the production of nucleus colonies, or “nucs,” to supply his own replacement colonies, cut down on swarming, as well as sell surplus nucs to other beekeepers … View >>
Marie is establishing an ecologically sustainable pasture hog system with the aim of demonstrating a financially viable model to other hog producers. She is constructing a hoophouse for hogs to farrow and house in winter months, portable field sheds, a … View >>
Warren is increasing the number of calves for market with the purchase of electrical fencing for pasture management as well as materials for improved livestock handling. He is dividing nine acres into paddocks to permit controlled grazing and hence improve … View >>
Neal and Ava have constructed a dedicated space on their farm for storing and marketing freezer beef to individuals and eventually restaurants. Their aim is to display a professional and sanitary image, “one that shows customers we are committed to … View >>