Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Brent Ward, Wards Farm Cattle Handling System Grant Award: $3,000 Brent is improving the safety and efficiency of his cattle farm by adding a handling system, including a covered and fenced separation area. This dedicated space allows Brent to better … View >>
Shannonrae and Rickie Mathes, Sh-Nanny-Gans Targeted and Rotational Grazing for Goats Grant Award: $6,000 Shannonrae and Rickie are transitioning 58 acres of Fraser Firs into pasture for Boer meat goats, currently in 19 acres. The goats are rented to landowners … View >>
Michael Joe Holt, Jr., Holt Livestock Breeding and Feeding Facility for Show Pig Production Grant Award: $6,000 Michael is expanding his pork and show pig operation by constructing a facility to house sows year-round. Both pork and show pig markets … View >>
Anthony Cole, Jasperwood Farm Winter Squash Curing Facility Grant Award: $3,000 Anthony is building on the success of a 2010 WNC AgOptions project by improving the storage and curing of pumpkins and winter squash. He has constructed a passive solar … View >>
Dwayne and Christy Reeves, Rolling Ridge Farm Cattle Handling System Grant Award: $6,000 Dwayne and Christy are enhancing the quality of their Black Angus cattle by improving stress and safety conditions at their Leicester farm with the addition of a … View >>
Debbie and Terry Perry, Perry’s Berry’s Cold Storage and Processing of Blueberries Grant Award: $6,000 Debbie and Terry have grown their consumer market by at least 30 percent with increases to blueberry shelf life. They purchased an air-forced refrigerator, which … View >>
James is diversifying away from commercial poultry by expanding vegetable production on his farm with the addition of an unheated greenhouse, called a high tunnel. He also plans to grow his own transplants in a section of the tunnel, allowing … View >>
Jon Miller, Miller Farms Kress Plastic Finger Weeder Grant Award: $6,000 Jon is enhancing weed control methods on his 50-acre USDA Certified Organic vegetable farm with the purchase of a unique tool, the KRESS plastic finger weeder. The innovative tractor … View >>
Salvador Moreno, SMM Farms Produce Washing System Grant Award: $6,000 Salvador is significantly cutting production costs on his 50-acre vegetable farm with the purchase of a washer and grader to clean and sort harvested produce. With this equipment, which helps … View >>
Stacey and Alex are growing native plants and forest food crops using permaculture methods, revitalizing compacted soils on forest edges at Stacey’s family farm. Crops include Jerusalem artichokes, American hazelnuts, pawpaws, Rabbiteye blueberries, American groundnuts and King Stropharia mushrooms. … View >>
Jessica responded to customer demand for value-added products by creating three new product lines: cut-comb honey, spun honey and pollen. She purchased specialized equipment to harvest, process and market these products. Cut-comb honey is a piece of honey filled … View >>
Danny Barrett, Ten Acre Garden Pick-Your-Own Berry Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 Danny has added pick-your-own raspberry and strawberry plants to his existing 10-acre vegetable and fruit farm. He aims to create a unique agri-tourism experience for his customers. “Ideally, each … View >>
Wallace E. Souther III, Hoopers Creek Botanicals Plants Production Upgrade Grant Award: $6,000 Wallace has boosted Hoopers Creek Botanicals’ production capacity by securing a dependable water source and planting more seeds and transplants. A large expense of the project was … View >>
Steven has expanded Balsam Gardens’ vegetable production in a big way, while also transitioning to USDA Certified Organic to sell to large volume buyers and distributors. Steven has scaled up from 5 to 15 acres. The entire project costs … View >>
Bryan Bumgarner, Bumgarner Farms Feed Facility Grant Award: $6,000 Bryan has built a facility to process cattle and hog feed, which he produces for his own livestock as well as sells to other farms and livestock feed stores. The fully … View >>
Jim Ledford, 4 L Livestock Transition to Managed-Intensive Grazing Grant Award: $6,000 Jim is transitioning his cattle operation to year-round Managed-Intensive Grazing, the next step in becoming a profitable and sustainable business. He is purchasing and installing a fencing system, … View >>