Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
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 >>
Tyler is constructing a 60-foot by 26-foot greenhouse to grow out micropropagated plants for sale. He is expanding upon his successful 2013 WNC AgOptions project for which he used tissue culture to propagate rare and endangered native species and … View >>
Susan is adding a 30-foot by 96-foot heated greenhouse specifically for growing vegetable and herb transplants in organic potting soils with organic fertilizer and pest control methods. The separate greenhouse prevents cross-contamination with conventionally raised nursery crops. Purchases include a … View >>
Kim Van Winkle, Van Winkle Farm/Johnson Branch Farms Shiitake and Goldenseal Production Grant Award: $6,000 Kim is reintroducing farming to a dormant property with winter greenhouse shiitake mushroom production and the wild cultivation of goldenseal. She is constructing a solar … View >>
Rachelle Clark, Nantahala Farms and Nursery Hydroponic Plant Production and Greenhouse Growing Grant Award: $6,000 With the addition of a greenhouse, Rachelle is producing vegetable starts for her fields as well as fresh produce, strawberries, herbs and flowers to customers … View >>
Katie Erwin and Edward Marx H20 Farm Grant Award: $6,000 — Greenhouse Heating & Irrigation Systems H20 Farm, a hydroponic greenhouse operation that grows vegetables in winter months, is adding an under-bench heating system, hot water storage tank and propane … View >>
Jodie and Jeff Zahner Oconee Bell Farms Grant Award: $6,000 — Oconee Bells The Zahners are expanding greenhouse space for propagating and first-year growing of the rare native evergreen groundcover Shortia galacifolia, commonly known as Oconee Bells. It is in … View >>
Chuck & Jeannie Blethen Jewel of the Blue Ridge Consulting & Vineyard Grant Award: $6,000 — Greenhouse & Vineyard Expansion The Blethens are building a propagation greenhouse, which will be used to grow their own muscadine rootsock for sale to … View >>
Jill Warwick Nicklaw Sunshine Cove Farm Grant Award: $3,000 — Microgreen Production Jill is building a greenhouse for her microgreen operation to accommodate the market demand. She is also expanding to include pea shoots, basil mixes, and petite fava shoots. … View >>
Chuck Marsh and Debbie Lienhart: Useful Plants Nursery Propagation Facility Grant Award: $6,000 Useful Plants Nursery specializes in growing food and medicinal plants for local and regional markets, including fruit and nut trees, berry bushes and herbaceous perennials. With this … View >>
Danny & Kathryn McConnell: McConnell Farms, Inc. Strawberry Disease Management with 21st Century Greenhouse Design Grant Award: $6,000 The McConnells are building a specialty screened greenhouse that allows for second generation and virtually disease-free plants to be supplied to commercial … View >>
Ellis & Barbara Aycock, Sundance Farm Groundbreaking Organic Farming – Grant Award: $6,000 The Aycocks are semi-retired from off-farm work, and have raised livestock since 1987 and fruits and vegetables since 2006. They are one of very few commercial organic … View >>
Susan Mallard & Viki Nofke, Blue Heron Farm Culinary Herb Project – Grant Award: $6,000 Susan Mallard (CoOwner) & Viki Nofke (Farm Manager) Blue Heron Farm has produced fruits, vegetables and herbs since 1986 and been members and co-founders of … View >>
Rayenelle Ritchie, Wilson Farms Greenhouses and Farm Store Expansion – Grant Award: $6,000 “The kids are helping out – they like working in the greenhouse. And it’s given us a wider customer base. When people come to the farm for … View >>
Philip Moore Organic Greenhouse Tomatoes – Grant Award: $3,000 “Having assistance with the initial start-up costs enabled us to get the business off the ground much more quickly and allowed us to experiment with different aspects of organic vegetable production. … View >>
Nancy Odell, Geowild Mountain Native Plants – Grant Award: $3,000 “Without the grant, this wouldn’t have been possible. The project would have gone on hold – without having the funds to buy the actual structure.” ~ Nancy Odell Nancy, who … View >>