Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission

2021 Recipient: McNeilly Enterprises

Julia Austin, McNeilly Enterprises Enhancing Capacity with Multi-purpose Facility Grant Award: $6,000 The owners of McNeilly Enterprises are constructing a 20-foot by 25-foot multipurpose building. They have purchased a commercial honey extractor and other equipment and supplies to facilitate processing … View >>

2021 Recipient: Pressley Farms

Adam Pressley, Pressley Farms Strawberry Production Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 The Pressley family started growing strawberries in 2015 with 500 plugs, ramping up their crop to about 3,500 plants on 0.17 acres by 2019. For the 2021-2022 season, they have … View >>

2021 Recipient: Raspberry Fields

Stacy Fields, Raspberry Fields Agritourism Improvements to the Farm Grant Award: $6,000 After building materials costs rose steeply in early 2021, Stacy determined she would not be able to complete her proposed project, which was installing a commercial kitchen in … View >>

2021 Recipient: Ochre Hill Farms

Abbegail King, Ochre Hill Farms Expansion Project Grant Award: $6,000 Several years ago, Abbegail and her family bought land that has been farmed since the founding of Jackson County with the goal of returning it to being a full-time working … View >>

2020 Recipient: Mardet Family Farms

Linda Laine, Mardet Family Farm LLC Infrastructure for Vegetable Production Grant Award: $6,000 Linda added critical irrigation infrastructure to her farm, which consists of two separate parcels of land totaling 23 acres. Previously, a one-acre parcel had a well, but … View >>

2020 Recipient: Rhodes Berry Farm

Dalton Rhodes, Rhodes Berry Farm Make Blackberries Local Again Grant Award: $6,000 Currently, Rhodes Berry Farm sells their entire product to a national broker who markets in the midwest and northeast of the US. Research has shown that the farm … View >>

2019 Recipient: Skydance Farm

Danielle Crocker & Jason Willis, “Pick Dee’s Berries” at Skydance Farm Agritourism Infrastructure for “U-Pick” Berry Farm Grant Award: $6,000 To enhance their “U-Pick” berry operation and create a destination agritourism site, Danielle and Jason added needed infrastructure to support … View >>

2018 Recipient: Crookneck Farms

Brad Bumgardner, Crookneck Farms Packing and Cooling Center Grant Award: $6,000 To reduce losses, increase quality, extend the shelf life of their berries and reach new markets, Crookneck Farms has added a desperately needed cooling facility. The facility has satisfied … View >>

2018 Recipient: Countryside Berries

Theresa Jaynes, Countryside Berries Muscadine Project Grant Award: $6,000 With the goal of doubling farm sales in two years, Countryside Berries has diversified their u-pick berry farm with the addition of muscadines. This season, they have planted 48 muscadine plants … View >>

2018 Recipient: His Harvest Farms

Dakota Youngblood, His Harvest Farms Irrigation System Grant Award: $4,000 Dakota has added an irrigation system for his current vegetable production and future and future blackberry plantings. He purchased and installed a pump, stainless steel sand filters, piping and drip … View >>