Below is a summary of local interest stories that have recently been highlighted on the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ In the Field Blog. Please feel free to use any of this content in your publications or contact us if you have any additional questions.
Eastern:
(Greene) Small Snow Hill farmer has built his business through direct local sales of collards, heirloom variety sweet potatoes and greens
At 79 years old with a lifetime of farming experience to his name, James Shackleford of Snow Hill well understands the challenges of being a small farmer and making a living from the land. This year, he’s watching his input costs even more closely as he makes plans to put another crop in the ground. “It’s a challenge now farming. Every year it gets more challenging. With fuel, fertilizer (costs going up), I don’t know how long it will be worth it for me this year,” Shackleford said. “Fertilizer is up $5 a bag from what I bought in the fall. You are going to have to increase your costs to cover your costs.” …
(Pamlico) IMPEC Grant helps Fulcher’s Seafood move forward
As agriculture continues to grow and expand across North Carolina, small independent meat processors have become a vital part of meeting the growing demand for food both at home and across the nation. That’s where the Improving Meat Production Efficiency and Capacity grant program comes in. Created in September 2020 to help independent processors deal with booms in business created by situations like COVID, IMPEC is a highly flexible program which allows grantees to pinpoint the specific areas in which they can best use the funding. Take, for instance, Fulcher’s Seafood in Alliance. Chrissy Fulcher Cahoon, Vice-President, has a long family history in the business. …
(New Hanover) The bridge between N.C. Ag and the World
The North Carolina Port of Wilmington is an important place for the agriculture industry of North Carolina due to the amount of imports and exports it moves each year. In fact, roughly 1,000 transactions of products, both ag and non-ag related, come through the port each day. The port provides many opportunities for farmers to export their products overseas, including sweet potatoes, produce, tobacco, lumber and meat products. “If you think about the range of agriculture products in North Carolina, there is probably an export opportunity for virtually all of them,” said Tom Guthrie, Director of Key Accounts and Commercial Development for the Port of Wilmington. “Agriculture is vital to the economy of North Carolina and we are proud to be the bridge that connects our state’s number one industry with the rest of the world.” …
(Robeson) Powers Strawberries: Six generations of community centered agriculture in Lumberton
Powers Strawberries and Farm Market in Lumberton has been a staple in the community for six generations. For over 30 years, the Powers family grew tobacco on the farm until 2011 when they switched gears to focus on other commodities. Although today they are most well-known for their strawberries, the family also produces a variety of row crops and other produce, including sweet potatoes, squash, watermelons, cucumbers, peas and turnips. “We are a family owned produce farm in Robeson County,” said Amy Powers. “And we pride ourselves not only on providing fresh products for the local community, but also on educating them about farming and agriculture through on-farm events throughout the year.” ...
(Sampson) “Ag”vocating for the Industry at Williams Produce Farm
For over 100 years, the Williams family has been growing a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables on their farm in Autryville. From watermelons, cantaloupe and strawberries to sweet potatoes, butternut squash and bell peppers, this family provides many locally grown and raised products to their customers through their on-site produce market. Leah Williams has been working on the farm for as long as she can remember and developed a passion for the industry that has helped shape her career on the family farm.
Piedmont:
(Guilford) Bradford Pear Bounty program a success
It started with a simple question: how do we get rid of those Bradford Pears?
A simple premise, but complicated in execution. So when Dr. Kelly Oten of N.C. State University Extension began looking at ways to start reducing the numbers of the invasive tree species in North Carolina, she took inspiration from a program in our southern neighbor – a Bradford Pear “bounty” program which would invite landowners to uproot and bring in their Bradford Pear trees to be replaced with other native species. …
(Stanly) Twin sisters win scholarships for livestock showing and dedication to ag
Each year, the N.C. State Fair Livestock Scholarship program awards a number of college students $2,000 for higher education expenses. Another student, or in this case two students, receives a $2,500 scholarship from the Farm Credit Association of North Carolina. These scholarships are open to students who have previously competed in the livestock shows at the N.C. State Fair, regardless of final show placement. The 2022 winners were recognized recently including this year's Farm Credit Association scholarship winners, twin sisters, Mattie and Marcie Harward. …
(Stokes) IMPEC program gives processors flexibility
By the time a piece of meat hits your plate, it has gone through a long journey.
From the farm to the processing plant to the grocery store and everything in between, meat production is a complicated process which requires up-to-date infrastructure at every stage. That’s why in April 2021, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services launched the third phase of the Increasing Meat Production, Efficiency and Capacity grant program, which supports the meat and seafood industry by providing funding to small-scale processing facilities across the state. ...
Western:
(Alleghany) Research station aims to provide world’s best Fraser firs
Like any other farmers, Christmas trees growers in western North Carolina are always looking for ways to grow more and better product. One challenge to that effort is a root rot that’s affecting swaths of Christmas trees, particularly the Fraser fir that’s the preferred and predominant Christmas tree variety in North Carolina (Arguably, Fraser firs are also preferred across the nation or at least the Eastern half of the country). The name is Phytophthora root rot, and it’s caused by fungus-like organisms in the genus Phytophthora. That may sound fancy or complicated, but the bottom line is that these organisms sometimes called “water-molds” can cause significant damage to Fraser firs. …
(Avery) Roots run deep at Andrews Tree Farm & Nursery
Andrews Tree Farm & Nursery in Sparta has been providing high-quality Christmas trees to the community since 1993. Seth & Lidjea Andrews originally started the business by solely focusing on Christmas trees. However, throughout its 29 years of operation, the family farm has expanded to also offer pumpkins, corn, potatoes and cabbage. Currently operating on its second generation, Andrews Tree Farm & Nursery continues to grow and strengthen its roots through Landon Andrews. ...
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