Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Harold Paxton, Colonial Acres Nursery Building a Covered Nursery Potting Shed Grant Award: $8,000 Harold will pay for materials and labor to cover his 2,500 square-foot work area with a greenhouse-style roof. The elevated design will enable trucks to unload … View >>
Clement Swift, Clem’s Organic Gardens Cold Storage for Crop Diversification and Expansion Grant Award: $8,000 Clem plans to scale up production at his farm this year with the addition of a leased parcel that will increase his growing area by … View >>
Rye Speciale, Cantrell Creek Trout Farm Onsite Solid and Liquid Composting System Grant Award: $8,000 Cantrell Creek Trout Farm plans to use the AgOptions grant to upgrade the existing composting facility at the farm. The current system, which was built … View >>
Dale Robertson, The Farm at Gwynn Valley Produce Packing Shed Grant Award: $3,000 Dale’s farm supplies over 70% of all food consumed at the Gwynn Valley camp program. In order to mitigate the risk of foodborne illness from produce grown … View >>
Clement Swift, Clem’s Organic Gardens Machinery for Storage Vegetable Production Grant Award: $6,000 To assist with the expansion high demand organic root vegetables, including a unique variety of potato marketed as the “Appalachian Gold,” Clem purchased two pieces of specialty … View >>
Paige Witherington and Justin Dansby, Pitch Pine Farm Root Vegetable Harvesting Equipment Grant Award: $6,000 From farm analyses of their root vegetable production, it was identified that over ¾ of Pitch Pine Farm’s time is spent harvesting. The purchase of … View >>
Rye and Cyndi Speciale, Cantrell Creek Trout Farm, LLC On-Site Hatchery Grant Award: $6,000 Rye and Cyndi have opened an on-site hatchery to produce fry and fingerlings for their operation and the growing bait market in WNC and surrounding states. … View >>
Mark McCall, McCall Farm Produce POS System Grant Award: $6,000 McCall Farm has purchased and installed a point of sales (POS) system for their farm store. This fully integrated system includes produce scales, a cash register, a credit card processor … View >>
Clement Swift, Clem’s Organic Gardens Top-Lift Carrot and Beet Harvester Grant Award: $6,000 Clem has purchased a unique piece of specialty harvesting equipment—a Scott Viner Top-Lift Carrot/Beet Harvester. This tractor-drawn implement undercuts a row of root crops, lifts them out … View >>
Curtis and Susan Burnside, Sospiro Ranch Goat Kidding and Handling Barn Grant Award: $6,000 Curtis has constructed a goat kidding and handling barn with enough space to perform artificial insemination (AI) to enhance the genetics of the animals. With a … View >>
Allen Frost, Cosmo Farm Poultry Processing Building Grant Award: $6,000 Allen has constructed a dedicated poultry processing building to expand his non-GMO pasture-raised broiler operation. With the new building, he can process more birds in less time and during inclement … View >>
Curtis Burnside, Sospiro Ranch Rabbit Processing Facility Grant Award: $6,000 Curtis and Susan have built a FDA-compliant processing facility to prepare meat rabbits to sell to Asheville area restaurants. The 18-foot by 12-foot building allows for on-site slaughter, dressing, packing, … View >>
Paige Witherington and Justin Dansby, Pitch Pine Farm Mechanical Cultivation Grant Award: $6,000 Paige and Justin purchased a vintage cultivating tractor and equipment to create a raised bed system in their fields, helping solve water drainage issues and creating an … View >>
Paige Witherington and Justin Dansby, Pitch Pine Farm Season Extension Grant Award: $6,000 Paige and Justin are creating optimal growing conditions for their vegetables as well as lengthening their growing season with the addition of a permanent high tunnel. The … View >>
Natalya Gryson, Still Hill Dressage Expanding Horse Sales Using Management-Intensive Grazing Grant Award: $6,000 Natalya is increasing profitability of her venture to train and sell horses by transitioning to Management-Intensive Grazing. Moving her horses out of the barn and … View >>
Dale added a high tunnel to his innovative educational farm that provides fresh produce, beef and eggs to campers and staff. The farm currently provides 70 percent of all food consumed at the camp, which feeds more than 325 … View >>