Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Nikki Sentelle Denson, River Bottom Bounty Farm Tunneling Tomatoes Grant Award: $8,000 Having recently taken over the family farm from her father who suddenly passed away in 2021, Nikki will add a high tunnel with an irrigation system to grow … View >>
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 This year Clem has increased his farmed acreage by 60% and he is on track to double his revenue from last year. He also constructed … View >>
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 in the … 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 >>
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 >>
Cantrell Creek Trout Farm, LLC On-Site Hatchery Grant Award: $6,000 Cantrell Creek Trout Farm has opened an on-site hatchery to produce fry and fingerlings for their operation and the growing bait market in WNC and surrounding states. They used an … 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 >>