Giant watermelons, watermelon royalty and free slices of the summertime fruit – what’s not to love about Watermelon Day Thursday at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh. Activities including a giant watermelon contest, visits by the N.C. Watermelon Queen Emory New and the National Watermelon Queen Bethany Barfield, live music and face painting will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the market’s event center located between the farmers building and the retail building.
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Summertime is made for day trips, annual vacations and adventures. Whether you are looking for a new outdoor experience, local foods or a quiet break in the country, you can find plenty of farms across the state offering summer agritourism activities for guests. Visitors will find pick-your-own fruit and flowers, farm tours and camps, festivals, workshops and farmers markets. Following is a selection of experiences offered at North Carolina farms through late summer.
Consumers can look for a new Got to Be NC logo with the official roll-out of the latest branding campaign by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Marketing Division.
Residents and visitors looking for farms that offer outdoor experiences and local food will have plenty of options as many farms across the state offer special summer events for guests. Visitors will find festivals, pick-your-own berries and flowers, farm tours and camps, picnics, workshops, farmers markets and Father’s Day events. Following is a selection of experiences offered at North Carolina farms through early summer.
The Got to Be NC program, in partnership with its musical ambassador and local singer-songwriter Paige King Johnson, is creating a voice competition called NC Ag Star to help promote agriculture with young people. The competition is open to anyone 13 to 22 years old. The winner will receive a prize package including a professional songwriting session, a song recorded and produced by a top Nashville studio producer and training from industry professionals.
The artwork of 13 elementary school students will be featured in the 2022-2023 North Carolina Farm to School calendar. This is the 11th year for the calendar, which features daily agricultural facts and highlights the N.C. Farm to School program and agriculture’s role in food production.
RALEIGH – Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler today named Peter Thornton of Cary as the new director of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Marketing Division. Thornton replaces Joe Sanderson, who retired in March after 34 years with the department.
With the arrival of spring and warmer weather, strawberry farms are opening for shoppers and, undoubtedly, strawberry lovers are ready for local berries. “Growers have done a good job protecting the crop from recent cool temperatures and because of their hard work, this year’s strawberry crop looks to be plentiful,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “In fact, some fields are opening up for pick-your-own guests this weekend.”
RALEIGH – Visitors can shop to their heart’s delight as the annual Fall Craft Fair returns to the State Farmers Market Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This popular and free event features over 100 vendors offering local products and handmade items for sale just in time for the holidays.
Residents and visitors looking for farms that offer outdoor experiences and local food will have plenty of options this spring as farms across the state open their gates to welcome guests.There are a variety of activities to choose from including workshops, Easter egg hunts, strawberry and flower picking, Mother’s Day events, farm stands and farmers markets. Following is a selection of experiences offered at North Carolina farms through Memorial Day.