Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Renea Winchester, Butterfly Cove Botanicals Medicinal Herb Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 In the wake of the COVID crisis, many people became first-time gardeners and the demand for seeds skyrocketed. There was also an increased demand for medicinal herbs, particularly elderberry … View >>
Jordan Michael Smith, Two Girls Honey Company Commercial Conversion and Equipment Upgrades Grant Award: $6,000 Using his 2018 AgOptions grant to expand from 18 to 36 colonies, Jordan has since grown to over 47 production hives, investing profits from the … View >>
Jordan Michael Smith, Two Girls Honey Company Apiary Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 In order to meet the demand for honey in Swain County, Jordan has expanded his current operation to 18 colonies. The expansion of the colonies required the addition … View >>
Patrick Jeremy Breedlove, Breedlove Family Farms Goat Handling Equipment Grant Award: $6,000 Patrick has purchased a 45-foot goat handling system that is capable of working at least 250 head of goat, since he plans to expand his 174 Myotonic goat … View >>
Linda Ann Davis Goat Milk Soap-Making Workshop Grant Award: $3,000 Linda is constructing a workshop dedicated to the production of goat milk soap. The insulated 10-foot by 12-foot wood frame structure consolidates all phases of the soap making operation, including … View >>
Patrick Jeremy Breedlove, Breedlove Farms Poultry and Game Birds Grant Award: $3,000 To meet customer demand, Patrick expanded his poultry venture. He produces game birds, laying hens and meat chickens for sale to hunting clubs and poultry growers. Patrick … View >>
Patrick Jeremy Breedlove, Breedlove Farms Myotonic Goats Grant Award: $6,000 Patrick is expanding and improving his unique goat farm, which is the only Myotonic Goat farm in North Carolina that actively participates in the USDA Scrapie “Free” Flock Certification Program. … View >>
Kim Van Winkle, Van Winkle Farm/Johnson Branch Farms Shiitake and Goldenseal Production Grant Award: $6,000 Kim is reintroducing farming to a dormant property with winter greenhouse shiitake mushroom production and the wild cultivation of goldenseal. She is constructing a solar … View >>
Krista Rashell Robb, Balltown Bee Farm Pizza Love! Mobile Pizza-making Oven for Value-added Products Grant Award: $6,000 Krista is purchasing a mobile wood-fired pizza unit to supply markets, festivals, private catering and other regional events with “homegrown” pizza and other … View >>
Kevin and Shelley King Axios Farms Grant Award: $6,000—Axios Apiary Kevin and Shelley are establishing a full operational apiary and a mobile pollination trailer. They plan to transport bees to farms in the WNC region to help successfully pollinate crops. … View >>
Mike and Joan Glover Sleepy Hollow Farm Grant Award: $6,000 — Heritage Birds The Glovers are purchasing heritage breeds (Buckeyes and Partridge Chanteclers) that are on the near extinct list and are hatching their own chicks, using a new incubator. … View >>
Quinton Ellison & Kelley Penn: Balltown Bee Farm Rabbitry for Commercial Meat Purposes Grant Award: $6,000 Quinton and Kelley are expanding their current rabbitry into ten does, using New Zealand Whites. This expansion allows them to produce an average of … View >>
Jim Frady MaiLee’s Mountain Mushroom Expansion – Grant Award: $3,000 “This grant project has been a blessing, not only for me, but also for my kids and my business partners’ kids who have been out here working together as a … View >>
Mike Glover Sleepy Hollow Farm Greenhouse – Grant Award: $3,000 “The grant allowed me to get the greenhouse to start plants earlier. The growing season here, especially for gourds, is limited. Sometimes 2-3 weeks really makes a difference. Growing the … View >>
Kelley Penn and Quinton Ellison, owners of Balltown Bee Farm in Swain County, are raising naturally mite resistant honeybees to sell to beekeepers in the local area. With the grant, they expanded their apiary to 50 hives and purchased the … View >>
Thomas Miller of Swain County is raising rare heritage breeds of hogs to sell naturally grown pork. He is renovating his barn, fencing and pasture with the grant. The costs involved in construction would have prohibited him from starting the … View >>