Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Randall Gifford, Greenshine Farms Operation Paper Pot Grant Award: $3,000 Greenshine Farms purchased a specialty piece of equipment called a Paper Pot Transplanter. Rather than having to pop out plant starts by hand and place into pre-dug holes, this Japanese … View >>
Sebastiaan Zijp, The Farmer’s Hands Teaching and Event Shelter Grant Award: $3,000 With the addition of a new educational shelter, The Farmer’s Hands has the capacity to increase attendance and expand their agritourism events. This basic shelter with electricity is … View >>
Nathan Buchanan, Wildbud Natives Shade Tunnel Project Grant Award: $3,000 Nathan has expanded his current native plants nursery operation with the addition of a 14′ x 50′ shade tunnel. He also purchased growing supplies to use in the expansion. The … View >>
Andrea Van Gunst, Grassroots Farm and Dairy Grade A Sheep Dairy Grant Award: $6,000 Grassroots Farm and Dairy has built a small scale Grade A sheep dairy. With a 2015 WNC AgOptions grant, they purchased all the necessary milking and … View >>
Pamela C. Zimmerman, Zimmerman’s Berry Farm Wood Fired, Value Added Processing Grant Award: $6,000 Pamela has eliminated most of the electricity costs associated with making homemade preserves with the installation of a wood cook stove. She makes jam out of … View >>
Joe Evans, Paper Crane Farm Crop Diversification: Specialty Cut Flowers Grant Award: $6,000 Joe has diversified his successful five-acre vegetable farm with the addition of a half-acre of cut flowers. To achieve this level of production, he has increased the … View >>
Kathleen and Kevin Lane, Homemade In Marshall Dairy Parlor Upgrade Grant Award: $6,000 Kate and Kevin improved their milking routine with the addition of an enclosed milk room within their existing parlor. The new milk room houses a stainless steel … View >>
Catherine Guthrie Bennett, Doubletree Farm Sorghum Syrup Expansion Grant Award: $3,000 Cathy purchased equipment to streamline her sorghum syrup processing with the goal of increasing her production to 500 gallons per season. Cathy purchased a new wagon to store larger … View >>
Graham and Wendy Brugh, Dry Ridge Farm Beef Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 Graham and Wendy have added 10 beef cattle to their current eight-cow herd. They also currently farm 100 hogs, 2,000 meat chickens, 90 lambs and a 700 laying … View >>
Rachel Kinard, Just Ripe Farm Soil Improvement and Root Crop Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 Rachel has purchased a specialty tillage implement called an articulating spader that promotes higher root crop yields. Spaders prepare garden beds for planting in a gentle … View >>
Robin Reeves Singleton, Reeves Home Place Farm WhiskeyPigs Branded Meat Grant Award: $6,000 Robin is developing a brand called “WhiskyPigs,” antibiotic and hormone-free meat from free-range animals that are fed whiskey mash from Troy & Sons at the Asheville Distilling … View >>
Ernest and Kim Ramsey, Jewel Hill Farms Hay/Haylage Operation Grant Award: $6,000 Ernest and Kim have established a new source of farm revenue on their diverse farm and have decreased the cost of feeding hay to their farm animals. They … View >>
Andrea and Tim have diversified their two acre vegetable operation with a sheep dairy, building a small-scale dairy parlor. They plan to grow the flock of 13 to 100 milking ewes during the next seven years, and have moved … View >>
Stephen and Dawn have completed the construction of a gristmill with the purchase of milling and packaging equipment. They are enhancing the agritourism side of their business, attracting customers to participate in grinding corn, as well as selling the … View >>
Joe purchased a specialty tillage implement, called an articulating spader, that has enabled him to expand his root crop production to boost winter sales. This expansion allows him to farm full-time rather than seek off-season temporary work. Spaders prepare … View >>
Phillip is adding a multi-functional processing house that serves as a centerpiece to the farm and is leading to increased product diversity and revenue. The building (under construction) will provide space for processing and storing medicinal herbs, fresh produce, … View >>