Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Wood Hall Young, III, Hall’s Hill Farm Greenhouse Expansion and Season Extension Grant Award: $3,000 To remain a sustainable operation, Hall’s Hill Farm will now be able to double CSA memberships by creatively utilizing a non-traditional hoop house for 12-month … View >>
Paula and Dale Boles, JB Farms Aquaponics Greenhouses Grant Award: $6,000 Paula and Dale are continuing a project they started with a 2016 WNC AgOptions grant, converting their 500-foot former poultry house into an aquaponics greenhouse. After ending their 13-year … View >>
John and James Carroll, Big John’s Hydro Farm Back-Up Electricity and Mini-Fogger Grant Award: $6,000 John and his father James added a back-up generator to their existing 3,600-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse to deter crop loss during power outages. They are also … View >>
Randy and Carolyn are doubling their seedling production with the construction of a new greenhouse.They are building a 20-foot by 60-foot greenhouse and installing heat, fans, and an 8-foot by 8-foot germination chamber. This project allows them to produce … View >>
Paula and Dale Boles, JB Farms Aquaponics Greenhouses Grant Award: $6,000 After raising broiler chickens for 13 years, Paula and Dale are ending their contract with poultry companies and converting their chicken houses to aquaponics greenhouses, growing tilapia and a … View >>
James is diversifying away from commercial poultry by expanding vegetable production on his farm with the addition of an unheated greenhouse, called a high tunnel. He also plans to grow his own transplants in a section of the tunnel, … View >>
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 >>