Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission

2021 Recipient: Jackson Farm

Marc Jackson, Jackson Farm Cattle Working and Feeding Facility Grant Award: $6,000 To facilitate the success of a rotational grazing system he is initiating in partnership with a Tennessee grower, Marc is building a working and loading facility where his … View >>

2020 Recipient: Caorach Farm

Joseph Paul Miller, Caorach Farm LLC Sheep/Goat Handling Equipment Grant Award: $3,000 A young and up-and-coming farmer, Paul has been operating his sheep business for about a year. As he is looking to increase the herd, it has become clear … View >>

2019 Recipient: Tater Hill Farm

Linda Shell and Terry Moffitt, Tater Hill Farm Tater Washer Grant Award: $3,000 As their potato business has grown throughout the years, Tater Hill Farm moved from hand washing to renting a washing machine located a local food distribution center. … View >>

2018 Recipient: Mayland Mushrooms

Matthew Mazzuckelli, Mayland Mushrooms Laboratory and Grow Room Renovation/Expansion Grant Award: $3,000 Matthew has expanded his current mushroom operation by renovating his current grow room and laboratory. In essence, he has switched spaces – converting his larger space into the … View >>

2018 Recipient: Jackie’s…Naturally

Jackie Wall, Jackie’s… Naturally Facilities Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 Jackie has converted an existing outbuilding into a crop specific indoor growing space for organic microgreens. The interior was gutted and rebuilt to meet the specific conditions to grow microgreens and … View >>

2017 Recipient: Mountain Hollow

Rodney Wise, Mountain Hollow Mushroom Operation Grant Award: $6,000 Rodney has diversified his medicinal herb farm with native and exotic mushrooms. He is growing brown oyster, elm oyster, pearl oyster and maitake mushrooms, taking the next steps to becoming a … View >>

2016 Recipient: Altapass Orchard

Starli McDowell, Altapass Orchard Serving the Good Stuff Lunch Wagon Grant Award: $6,000 Altapass Orchard, a 280-acre historic farm on the Blue Ridge Parkway that provides apple sales, tours, trails and events to the public, has built a food service … View >>

2016 Recipient: Buck’s Tree Farm

Rodney Buchanan, Buck’s Tree Farm Alternative Fraser Fir Transplant Production Method Grant Award: $6,000 Rodney is producing Fraser Fir transplants for his Christmas tree farm, growing them in containers instead of using the traditional lineout bed method to deter root … View >>

2014 Recipient: Tater Hill Farm

Linda and her brother Terry Moffitt have expanded their sugar snap pea crop, added 100 blueberry bushes and constructed protective fencing around three fields to safeguard their high value crops from wildlife damage. They sell directly off the farm, at … View >>

2013 Recipient: Whitson Farms

Gerald C. Whitson, Whitson Farms Cold Storage Grant Award: $3,000 Gerald is adding a cold storage unit for his potato crop, decreasing the amount of fuel and transport time as well as overall hours required to process the product. The … View >>

2011 Recipient: Mark Conley

Mark Conley Conley Ranch Grant Award: $3,000 — Diversifying to Hops Farming Mark is diversifying his small-scale cattle operation with 450 hop plants to supply area microbreweries and home brewers with a locally grown product to use in beer production. … View >>

2011 Recipient: Mark Byrd

Mark Byrd Byrd Charolais Grant Award: $3,000 — Mobile Creep Feeder With the purchase of a three-ton Apache creep feeder, Mark expects an increase of as much as 100 lbs. per calf in a six-month growing season. The large holding … View >>