Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
D and J Trees Soil Amendments to Reduce the Effects of Phytophthora Root Rot on Fraser Firs Grant Award: $10,000 D and J Trees grows Fraser Firs, which are susceptible to root rot caused by Phytophthora. Jack will use his grant … View >>
Black Trumpet Farm Enhanced Cold Storage for Improved Post-Harvest Quality in Gourmet Mushrooms Grant Award: $10,000 Black Trumpet Farm currently produces 800 pounds of gourmet mushrooms each week. Their indoor cultivation facility was designed to produce 1,000 pounds weekly, a scale … View >>
Blazing Star Flowers Heated Propagation Greenhouse Grant Award: $10,000 Blazing Star Flowers specializes in high-quality, sustainably grown cut flowers and plant starts, sold through diverse outlets including farmers markets, plant sales, a flower CSA, special-event floral design, and workshops. After six … View >>
Biome Botanicals Enhancing Efficiency and Profitability through Diversification Grant Award: $10,000 Since 2020, Biome Botanicals has been producing medicinal herbs on ¼-acre of land and selling to Asheville Tea Company as well as small local herbalists. The demand for these products … View >>
Ivy Creek Family Farm Cooling for the Present and Future Grant Award: $10,000 Ivy Creek Family Farm sells vegetables through several tailgate markets, their farmstand, and to wholesale customers. In Anna’s years of farming experience, spring and warm temperatures have been … View >>
Mountain Woodlands LLC Quality Forage Production Grant Award: $10,000 As one of only two licensed dairies remaining in Buncombe County, Bart’s ability to produce consistent, high-quality forage directly affects the long-term sustainability of his business and contribution to the local … View >>
Myco Rhizing Apiary Upgrade Grant Award: $10,000 Myco Rhizing sells mushrooms and honey at their farmstand, as well as weekly markets and festivals. This year, they will upgrade their apiary with all horizontal Layens hives, making honey harvesting easier while providing … View >>
Ortiz Cattle & Co. Covered Working & Feed Cattle Barn Grant Award: $10,000 Amy and her husband Ignacio raise Holstein steers for beef, selling them to stockyards and individual buyers once they reach 600 pounds. To increase the safety and … View >>
Sisk Family Farm Cattle Handling Improvements Grant Award: $10,000 The Sisk family farm is nearly 200 years old. After previously operating as a dairy, the farm now produces beef cattle and vegetables. They sell cattle at auctions and also direct-to-consumer beef, … View >>
Valleytown Farm Square Bale Improvement Grant Award: $10,000 Valleytown Farm supplies square hay bales to a niche market made up of horse and small animal owners. Their business has grown over the past few years from 450 bales on six acres … View >>
Moore Natural Farm Expand to Commercial Hay Production and Improve Forage Quality Grant Award: $10,000 In October 2025, Moore Natural Farm sold their beef cattle herd to improve time management and reduce operating costs. After years of producing hay for on-farm … View >>
Brindle & Brown Apiary, LLC Honey Extraction & Processing Upgrades Grant Award: $10,000 Joshua currently sells pure raw honey and value-added honey and beeswax products through partnerships with local retail shops and directly to consumers at the Foothills Farmers’ Market … View >>
Scism Farm Cattle Diversification Grant Award: $10,000 Scism Farm has been a large-scale producer of commodity crops such as soybeans, corn, and wheat since the late 1980s. They have also produced 360,000 turkeys per year since then. With the help of … View >>
Stoney Hollow Farm High Tunnel Fruit Production Grant Award: $10,000 Drosophila Suzukii is an invasive fruit fly pest that damages soft fruit. Due to losses from this pest, Stoney Hollow Farm curtailed growing blackberries and blueberries and instead expanded their vegetable … View >>
Always Love Gardens Propagation House Grant Award: $10,000 Always Love Gardens sells organic, sustainably grown produce at both Haywood County farmers markets and the Smoky Mountain Harvest Hub. Over the past four years, Tim has learned that transplanting rather than direct … View >>
Danny Hyatt Farms Cattle Working Squeeze Chute Grant Award: $10,000 As a member of the Mountain Cattle Alliance (MCA), Danny sells preconditioned calves through the WNC Regional Livestock Center. Preconditioning produces healthier, more consistent calves in size and weight, enabling them … View >>