Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Edwards Farms Cornmeal/Grits Processing Facility Grant Award: $10,000 This project will build a dedicated 24′ x 20′ post-harvest facility to handle drying, storage, grinding, packaging, and distribution of the farm’s Jimmy Red corn products. The new structure will replace the current … View >>
River Raine Cattle Cattle Working/Management Project Grant Award: $10,000 River Rain Cattle proposes to install a permanent working facility that includes a squeeze chute with headgate, palpation cage, livestock scale, concrete pad, improved ground cover, and a covered working area. Reconfigured … View >>
Shady Lane Farm Farm Improvement through Upgraded Equipment Grant Award: $10,000 David Duncan has operated his family’s apple orchard in Yancey County his entire life, supplying a loyal customer base that returns year after year. As the only commercial orchard in … View >>
Soil Shine Farm & Ferments Elderberry Processing Kitchen Grant Award: $10,000 This project will help the farm build an on-farm kitchen and install a walk-in cooler to process its growing elderberry crop into shelf-stable value-added products and to continue its … View >>
Sun Seeker Farm Strengthening Farm Viability and Profitability Through Season Extension Grant Award: $10,000 Sun Seeker Farm will use its AgOptions grant to install a gothic-style high tunnel with roll-up sides to extend the growing season, improve flower quality, and … View >>
Sweet Branch Farm & Forest Wash and Pack Facility & Harvest Equipment Grant Award: $10,000 This project will add a dedicated wash-and-pack facility and a mechanized harvester to expand vegetable and flower production and improve postharvest efficiency. The 8′ x 20′ … View >>
Wyatt Town River Oak Farms Mobile Beef Cattle Handling Equipment Grant Award: $10,000 This project will fund a mobile cattle working facility equipped with a headgate, palpation cage, livestock scale, and portable corral system. Managing a herd of 37 cows across … View >>
Brian Tingley, Seven Seeds Farm Improved Soil & Increased Production with BCS Walk-Behind Tractor Grant Award: $8,000 Seven Seeds Farm, an intensively cropped, 1-acre organic market garden, previously relied on leased equipment, including a BCS walk-behind tractor, which required additional … View >>
Billy Bryant, Bryant Farms Packing Shed Grant Award: $8,000 Billy has completed his packing shed including the concrete pad, construction block, electrical, framing, and metal doors. At the advice of the Carolina Farm Stewards Association Local Food Safety Coordinator, Billy … View >>
Michelle Mejia, Moral Bees The Local Honey Bee Project Grant Award: $6,000 Michelle’s grant let her expand queen production, honey, bee products and bee colonies to consumers and other beekeepers. Michelle has developed an innovative system to overwinter locally bred … View >>
John Pearson, Pink Boot Farms Goat Barn Renovation/Milking Operation Grant Award: $6,000 John and Lynn Pearson’s farm project is to add goat milk, butter, and aged goat cheese production to the farm. To accomplish this goal, they renovated a 150 … View >>
Stephanie Poetter, Locally Good Farm Vinegar Production Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 To increase production to meet demand of locally produced apple-cider vinegar, Locally Good Farm expanded their vinegar production facility and started a ¼ acre orchard. Until they received the … View >>
Chris and Amy Deyton, Green Mountain Farms Mechanization for Reducing Labor and Increasing Safety Grant Award: $6,000 Chris and Amy purchased a front end loader for their tractor to aid in the expansion of their cattle, goat and vegetable farm. … View >>
John Andrew Austin, Austin Family Dairy Farm Waste Management/Manure Spreader Grant Award: $6,000 Andrew is purchasing a manure spreader to assist with waste management on his dairy farm. The manure spreader allows him to fertilize 30 acres of pasture and … View >>
Dietrich Blum, Blooming Branch Farm Bulk Substrate Steam Pasteurizer for Mushroom Production Grant Award: $6,000 Dietrich is building a bulk substrate steam pasteurizer that allows him to produce wholesale quantities of oyster mushrooms as well as fruiting columns and fruiting … View >>
James Moore Edwards, Edwards Farm Grass-Fed Cattle Grant Award: $6,000 James is diversifying his vegetable operation with grass-fed cattle. He purchased seven calves to pasture on 16 acres. He feeds them on grass until autumn before slaughtering them for sale … View >>