Exclusively funded by the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission
KT, KT’s Orchard and Apiary KT’s Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar Grant Award: $6,000 One of the unfortunate aspects of producing commercial fruit for sale is amount of loss experienced from fruit that cannot be sold – size, shape, imperfections, etc. … View >>
Tyler Hunsader, Jeter Mountain Farm Juice (Cider) Operations Grant Award: $6,000 Jeter Mountain Farm has diversified their farm with the opening of a new 30 acre U-pick apple operation in 2020. From research done the past three years at multiple … View >>
Paul & Anna Littman, Ivy Creek Family Farm Caterpillar Tunnels Grant Award: $6,000 After many years of successful growing in permanent hoop houses, the Littmans experienced mineral and salt build up in their hoop house soils, which required remediation. In … View >>
Lucas Ramsey and Russell Norman, Plow Boys Crop Production The Hereford Project Grant Award: $6,000 Plow Boys Crop Production has diversified the farm with the addition of a cow-calf operation. Grant funds were used to purchase 10 bred Hereford cows, … View >>
Jordan Michael Smith, Two Girls Honey Company Commercial Conversion and Equipment Upgrades Grant Award: $6,000 Using his 2018 AgOptions grant to expand from 18 to 36 colonies, Jordan has since grown to over 47 production hives, investing profits from the … View >>
Harold and Nancy Long, Long Family Farms and Gallery Mushroom and Medicinal Extracts and Oils Grant Award: $3,000 Harold and Nancy will be diversifying their farm business with the addition of a mushroom and medicinal plant dehydration and extraction operation. … View >>
Ryan and Launi Higgs, Blue Ridge Apiaries Value-Added Diversification with Session Mead Production Grant Award: $6,000 Before starting their successful small-scale apiary that now supplies 12% of the total North Carolina honey crop, the Higgs were employees of the largest … View >>
Gregory Miller, 3M Livestock Diversifying to Goats and Sheep Grant Award: $6,000 In order to diversify his cow/calf operation, Greg put up field fencing and removed the barbed wire to introduce goats and sheep to his herd. Since not all … View >>
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 >>
Stephen John Leatherwood, Leatherwood Family Farms Walk-In Freezer Grant Award: $6,000 Stephen has successfully diversified his successful vegetable operation with the addition of freezer beef. In response to customer demand for beef and to add a commodity to increase profit … View >>
Warren, Diana and Clint Cabe, Blue Ribbon Farms Stone Grist Mill Grant Award: $6,000 With the long-term goal of diversifying his farm to remain viable, Warren used past WNC AgOptions grants to improve his cattle operation and develop a niche … View >>
Karen and Bob Binns, Parker-Binns Vineyard Increasing Wine Production and Diversification Grant Award: $6,000 To accommodate an expansion of their winery and to diversify into producing cider, Parker-Binns Vineyard has added a new production building to their existing successful winery. … View >>
Keith Allison, Alt Hill and Verdant Pastures Small Fruit Diversification Grant Award: $6,000 Looking to diversify his farm and bring new sources of income, Keith has added a variety of berries to his farm. He planted 1,000 strawberry plants, 200 … View >>
Jordan Michael Smith, Two Girls Honey Company Apiary Expansion Grant Award: $6,000 In order to meet the demand for honey in Swain County, Jordan has expanded his current operation to 18 colonies. The expansion of the colonies required the addition … View >>
Rodney Wise, Mountain Hollow Mushroom Operation Grant Award: $6,000 Rodney has diversified his medicinal herb farm with native and exotic mushrooms. He is growing brown oyster, elm oyster, pearl oyster and maitake mushrooms, taking the next steps to becoming a … View >>
Joe Evans, Paper Crane Farm Crop Diversification: Specialty Cut Flowers Grant Award: $6,000 Joe has diversified his successful five-acre vegetable farm with the addition of a half-acre of cut flowers. To achieve this level of production, he has increased the … View >>