Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
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 >>
Darren Orr, Orr’s Bee Supply Apiary Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 Orr Bee Supply has expanded their apiary by 20 hives in order to offer organically raised and treated honeybees for local customers at more competitive prices. This expansion lets them … 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 >>