Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
Kate and Fairman Jayne, Sandy Mush Herb Nursery Farm Visit Improvements Grant Award: $8,000 The Sandy Mush Herb Nursery is diversifying their production model to increase on-farm sales and agritourism experiences to complement their traditional mail-order market. The Jaynes plan … View >>
Danielle Crocker & Jason Willis, “Pick Dee’s Berries” at Skydance Farm Roadside Market Farm Store Grant Award: $6,000 Danielle and Jason are building a 20-foot by 24-foot wooden structure with a metal roof that will serve as roadside farm store … 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 >>
James Swofford, The Chef’s Farmer Old North Farm Grant Award: $6,000 Having operated a successful farming business since 2012, James grows one acre of specialty ingredients for chefs and supplies boutique heirloom produce, culinary herbs, edible flowers and foraged ingredients … View >>
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 >>
Randy and Megan Smith, Smith’s Sweet Grass Farm Grass-Fed Beef, Cattle Handling Equipment Grant Award: $6,000 Randy and Megan are transitioning from conventional cattle grazing to Managed Intensive Grazing (MIG). The goal of MIG is to constantly rotate the cattle … View >>
Andrew Jones of Clay County is growing his goat operation by building shelter, constructing fencing and renovating pasture. The land in Fires Creek where he farms has been in his family’s hands for four generations, and now he resides there … View >>
Edgar Wood, co-owner of Wood Farm in Cherokee County, is a corn, soybean, and pumpkin grower who is diversifying his farm with grass-finished beef cattle. He is renovating his pasture and establishing facilities to raise the cattle. A portion of … View >>
Matt Rhea, owner of Cold Mountain Trout Company in Haywood County, is attracting visitors to his farm by constructing a demonstration stream, fishing area, hiking trail and picnic tables. He is also creating educational opportunities, especially for school children. The … View >>
Thomas Miller of Swain County is raising rare heritage breeds of hogs to sell naturally grown pork. He is renovating his barn, fencing and pasture with the grant. The costs involved in construction would have prohibited him from starting the … View >>
During the last few years, Vera Guise purchased land that used to be in her family’s hands and turned it into Appalachian Homestead, a non-profit organization and educational farm. With the grant funds, she is establishing a demonstration field of … View >>
Mitchell County trout producer, Alex Glover, was funded through the WNC Ag Options Program to promote and expand Little Switzerland Trout Farm. After the dry spell this summer, low water levels, inadequate water flow and high temperatures were too difficult … View >>
Agri-Tourism Judith Hansen and Tom Hare of Briar Rose Farm, a diverse 160 acre old mountain farm in Madison County, have used the WNC Ag Options Grant to expand their agri-tourism operation to include a nature trail for farm guests … View >>
Agri-Tourism Ted Farmer was born on the same farm where he currently lives and works raising Fraser Fir Christmas Trees. Ted’s father before him moved to their family farm in Avery County over 90 years ago. Ted’s great interest in … View >>
J. Bryan will expand an adjacent 2 acres into a parking area to offer better traffic flow to the farm during the peak harvest season. The grant will be used to cover some of the labor and material costs … View >>