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Edwards Family Farms NC Cold Storage Expansion Grant Award: $10,000 Edwards Family Farms started in 2019 and has grown to an annual production of over 800 meat chickens, 10-20 hogs, five beef cattle, and eggs from over 50 laying hens. They … View >>
The Henderstead Mobile Sheep Handling System Grant Award: $10,000 The Henderstead is a first-generation, veteran-owned family farm in Rutherford County raising pasture-based sheep and hogs. After transitioning to full-time farming in 2023, the farm has quickly expanded to 39 acres … View >>
Catherine and Rick Topel, Smoky Mountain Mangalitsa, LLC Mobile Food Unit Trailer for Farm Use Grant Award: $8,000 As COVID hit in 2020, Catherine was unable to sell hog carcasses to restaurants. Even after pivoting to retail sales, business remained … View >>
Catherine & Rick Topel, Smoky Mountain Mangalitsa, LLC Walk-In Freezer Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 With success supplying quality whole hog specialty breed (Mangalitsa) carcasses to restaurants, the Topel’s are moving to retail sales of their pork and lard products. In … View >>
Sara Martin and Dustin Cornelison, Two Trees Farm / Sustainabillies, LLC Livestock Pasture and Barn Grant Award: $3,000 Sara and Dustin plan have installed fencing to create a new pasture, purchased a livestock guardian animal and built a barn suitable … View >>
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 >>
Nicole and Aaron Bradley, Colfax Creek Farm Walk-in Freezer Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 With the help of a 2017 AgOptions grant, Colfax Creek Farm has been very successful in the past few years and has expanded to supply eight restaurants, … View >>
Dave Walker, Daffodil Spring Farm Scaling Up Pastured Pig Farm Grant Award: $3,000 With the goal of finishing 20-25 pigs a year and supplying 3-5 farms with 20-25 quality piglets a year, Dave is developing strategies to make the business … View >>
Jeff C. Phillips, Pine Row Farm Farm Store Grant Award: $6,000 With the help of a 2018 WNC AgOptions grant to boost their heritage hog operation, the Phillips were able to successfully expand their pork products. Since demand for their … View >>
Danny and Krista Lambert, Lambert Farms Wood Chips and Manure Composting Grant Award: $6,000 The Lamberts are employing a wood chip/manure composting system on their farm to support the production of sustainably raised grass-fed beef, pastured chickens, pastured pork and … View >>
Sophia Annette Ensley, Double 00 Farm Breed Preservation and Increased Production Grant Award: $3,000 Double 00 Farm has increased the size of their Large Black Hogs herd, a threatened breed of foraging hog that produces a micro-marbled meat. Their grant … View >>
Jeff C. Phillips, Pine Row Farm Pasture Raised Heritage Hogs Grant Award: $6,000 As hogs are making a comeback in Graham County, Pine Row Farm used their grant to expand their pastured heritage hog operation. By using a rotating pasture … View >>
Aaron and Nicole Bradley, Bradley Farms Pastured Pig Feeding System Grant Award: $6,000 Aaron and Nicole purchased a Feed Train mobile grain bin with a gasoline powered hydraulic auger to feed their 70 pastured pigs. Mechanizing the feeding of their … View >>
Michael Joe Holt, Jr., Holt Livestock Breeding and Feeding Facility for Show Pig Production Grant Award: $6,000 Michael is expanding his pork and show pig operation by constructing a facility to house sows year-round. Both pork and show pig markets … View >>
Marie is establishing an ecologically sustainable pasture hog system with the aim of demonstrating a financially viable model to other hog producers. She is constructing a hoophouse for hogs to farrow and house in winter months, portable field sheds, … View >>
Michael and Casey Lance, Calee’s Coops Diversification Project: On-Farm Feed Grant Award: $6,000 The Lances are purchasing three-ton grain bins for on-farm storage of bulk feed, reducing transportation costs of buying 50 pound bags from a hardware store to feed … View >>