Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Gary and Abigail Steiner, Bee-utiful Farm and Garden Greenhouse Upgrade and Expansion Grant Award: $8,000 With the ultimate goal of moving to full-time farming, the Steiners have upgraded an existing 5-year-old greenhouse with more plant growing space in order to … View >>
Mitch and Darlene Myers, D & M Apiaries Apiary Expansion and Equipment Upgrade Grant Award: $6,000 A 2020 AgOptions grant allowed D&M to expand its stock of mite-resistant Russian honey bees at its main apiary in Cherokee County, prompting Darlene … View >>
KT, KT’s Orchard and Apiary Apple Sorting and Packing Project: Upgrading Farm Efficiency Grant Award: $6,000 Having already purchased a used apple sorter from a neighboring county’s N.C. Cooperative Extension Center, KT will be converting an existing barn into an … View >>
Sébastien Brun, Brulé Farms LLC Tuber Melanosporum or Black Winter Perigord Truffle Orchard Grant Award: $6,000 Leveraging knowledge gleaned from multiple truffle-growing workshops in France, Western North Carolina and both online and in person with the National Truffle Growers Association, … View >>
Karen and Ed Speer, Sweet Betsy Farm Season Extension and Irrigation for Specialty Peppers and Vegetables Grant Award: $6,000 To address a lack of availability of plant starts and problems with irrigation, erosion and fungal diseases that have negatively impacted … View >>
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 >>
Christa Kelley, Land of Milk and Honey Apiary Expansion and Increased Efficiency Grant Award: $6,000 Christa will be expanding the farm’s hives by 50%, adding eight colonies to their current apiary of 16 hives. With the expansion, honey production is … View >>
Mitch and Darlene Myers, D & M Apiaries Russian Honey Bee Expansion Program Grant Award: $6,000 Mitch and Darlene have expanded their Russian honeybee apiary in order to increase production of bees, honey and queens. The goal is to have … View >>
KT, KT’s Orchard and Apiary KT’s Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar Grant Award: $6,000 One of the unfortunate aspects of producing commercial fruit for sale is amount of loss experienced from fruit that cannot be sold – size, shape, imperfections, etc. … View >>
David Massengill, D & R Bee Farm Updates for Increased Production Grant Award: $3,000 To increase pollination services and honey production, as well as provide a resource to the beekeeping community in Jackson County, David will be making necessary upgrades … 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 >>
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 >>
Ryan and Launi Higgs, Blue Ridge Apiaries Value-Added Diversification with Session Mead Production Grant Award: $6,000 Before starting their successful small-scale apiary that now supplies 12% of the total North Carolina honey crop, the Higgs were employees of the largest … View >>
Gary and Abigail Steiner, Bee-utiful Farm and Garden Honey House Grant Award: $6,000 The Steiners are building a 28′ x 32′ structure on their property to serve as a honey house. The new honey house will provide a space for … View >>
Cameron Brock Johnson, Beekeeper Inc. Bee Hive Transportation Upgrade Grant Award: $6,000 Cameron will be upgrading his capacity for transporting beehives used for pollination services throughout North Carolina by purchasing a vehicle large enough to accommodate the hauling of 100+ … View >>
Sharren L. Mikell, Mikell’s Farm Honey Honey Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 Building on a successful 2015 grant to expand the business, Sharry and Doug continue to grow their operation in order to produce more honey to meet growing demand and … View >>