Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Chuck Marsh and Debbie Lienhart: Useful Plants Nursery Propagation Facility Grant Award: $6,000 Useful Plants Nursery specializes in growing food and medicinal plants for local and regional markets, including fruit and nut trees, berry bushes and herbaceous perennials. With this … View >>
Michael Porterfield: Gladheart Farms Produce Processing-Packing Facility Grant Award: $6,000 Gladheart Farms is building a packing and processing facility for farm produce, which will include a canning area and walk-in cooler for product storage. This new facility will improve food … View >>
Frank & Jeanette Wilson Hominy Valley Farms – Land and Cattle The Loca-Motive: A New Meat Market Opportunity Grant Award: $9,000 The Wilsons are opening a market stand for local meat at the WNC Farmers Market at Asheville. They are … View >>
Van Burnette Hop and Blueberry Production – Grant Award: $6,000 “Just applying for the grant was the best thing I could have done. I learned so much — the cost, the activities, just narrowing what I wanted to do with … View >>
Walter & Wendy Harrill, Imladris Farm The Bunny Barn – Grant Award: $6,000 The Harrills are full-time farmers, who have grown berries since 2000 to process gourmet jam to sell at open-air markets, festivals, online, groceries, restaurants and gift shops … View >>
Susan Mallard & Viki Nofke, Blue Heron Farm Culinary Herb Project – Grant Award: $6,000 Susan Mallard (CoOwner) & Viki Nofke (Farm Manager) Blue Heron Farm has produced fruits, vegetables and herbs since 1986 and been members and co-founders of … View >>
Neal & Ava Morgan Creating non-corn-based feed for beef cattle – Grant Award: $3,000 Neal is a third-generation farmer and has raised black angus beef cattle and alfalfa hay since 1984. He grew tobacco prior to 1994, and then leased … View >>
Janet Shisler Peterson, Cloud 9 Farm Sustainable Sawmilling – $9,000 “This WNC AgOptions project gives me the support for making a business plan with follow through. The grant will enable me to maintain a healthy forest, focus on the sustainability … View >>
Rayenelle Ritchie, Wilson Farms Greenhouses and Farm Store Expansion – Grant Award: $6,000 “The kids are helping out – they like working in the greenhouse. And it’s given us a wider customer base. When people come to the farm for … View >>
Debra Roberts Miss Bee Haven’s Ballard Branch Bee Yard – Grant Award: $3,000 Debra is a fourth-year beekeeper, following a non-chemical natural beekeeping approach. With the award, Debra plans to expand her current bee yard from five hives to ten … View >>
Anne Gaines Grier is selling produce year-round by growing winter crops, such as onions, leeks and garlic, with the help of her grant. She purchased tractor and field equipment and propagation materials crucial for a year-round operation. Anne sells to … View >>
Annie Perkinson, co-owner of Flying Cloud Farm in Buncombe County, is using the shared-use commercial equipment of Blue Ridge Food Ventures, an initiative of the Advantage West Economic Development Group, to process her strawberries, tomatoes and peppers into jams, juice … View >>
Brad Martin of Buncombe County is developing an 8-acre hay field into the main growing site for his new nursery business, Southeastern Natives. He is constructing a greenhouse, cold frame, shade house and irrigation system. Buncombe County Contact the … View >>
Agri-Tourism Amy and Jamie Ager, owners of Spring House Meats, are using the WNC Ag Options grant to diversify their farm by adding a corn maze for agri-tourism and offering educational programming to local youth and student groups in … View >>
Agri-Tourism Joel Mowrey was awarded the WNC Ag Options Grant to help him purchase and construct a 3,000 sq. ft. year-round greenhouse production space in Buncombe County. The Mowrey’s will use the greenhouse for the wholesale and retail production … View >>
Justin Dillingham is an 8th generation farmer. Rather than plant tobacco this year, Justin decided to use the WNC Ag Options grant to invest in Kathadin sheep in hopes that this new income opportunity will allow him to farm full-time … View >>