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FLETCHER — Great North Carolina barbecue starts with the people who raise it, cook it and support it. From farmers raising quality pork to pitmasters tending the fire for hours, whole hog barbecue brings together agriculture, tradition and community. 

The Got to Be NC Whole Hog Barbecue Cookoff, featuring 11 competitive cooking teams, returns to the N.C. Mountain State Fair Saturday, Sept. 12. The contest celebrates every part of the farm-to-table  connection, and serves up some good barbecue for a good cause along the way.

Pack the car and head for the mountains Saturday, Sept. 12, as the 2026 High Country Farm Tour gives visitors a firsthand look at the farms, farmers and agricultural businesses that make Watauga County a special place to grow, raise and enjoy local food.

Six farms and one winery will welcome visitors of all ages for a day of exploring High Country agriculture. Guests can meet farm animals, explore vegetable and flower farms, visit a working vineyard and learn firsthand how local food is grown and produced.