Each week we’ll round up the latest N.C. agricultural headlines from newspapers across the state and country, as well as excerpts from the stories. Click on the links to go straight to each paper’s full story.
- “‘Five Farms’ a documentary capsule of a world few know,” Durham Herald-Sun: “My granddaddy was a sharecropper. So I’m fourth generation farmer. Out of his 125 grandchildren, I’m the only farmer in the crowd. I’ve never wanted to leave the farm.” — Eddie Wise, farmer in Nash County, N.C., from “Five Farms.” In the first segment of a new audio documentary, Nash County, N.C., farmer Eddie Wise tells of how he left the farm when he was younger to join the Army because he did not want to work for white landowners as his grandfather and father had. … Listeners get a “word picture,” complete with the sounds of hogs, of what it’s like to raise hogs for food. …
- “Survey Says: Farmers Are Not The Water “Hogs” In NC,” WFMY-TV: North Carolina farmers use but a fraction of the water consumed in the state each day, according to the first-ever statewide survey of agricultural water use. Among water users withdrawing at least 10,000 gallons a day, farmers accounted for about 1 percent of all withdrawals, the survey showed. “Up until now, basic water use information for agriculture was limited in most areas of the state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Our survey found that farmers withdrew an extremely small portion of the water used in North Carolina on a daily basis. While farmers might be watering hogs – or cattle or crops – they aren’t hogging the water.” …
- “N.C. State Fair concert lineup features area talent,” WRAL: Three North Carolina natives will take the stage during the 2009 State Fair. They are part of 11 nights of entertainment featuring contemporary Christian, country and R&B concerts in Dorton Arena. Youngsville’s Jason Michael Carroll kicks off the concert series on Thursday, Oct. 15, and will perform songs from his newest CD, “Growing Up is Getting Old,” along with his chart-topping hits “Livin’ our Love Song” and “I Can Sleep When I‘m Dead.” …
- “NC legislators compete in milk-chugging contest,” WCNC-TV: Got milk? Several North Carolina legislators had plenty as they competed in a milk-chugging contest for charity. The state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said the Wednesday contest at the Legislative Building aimed to raise awareness about North Carolina’s dairy industry. …
- “New strawberry operation brings helpful advice,” Southeast Farm Press: “I didn’t know you could get fertilizer blended for a small-scale operation like mine. This idea alone saved me a good bit of money and helped me avoid a lot of headaches, but Mitchell’s help didn’t stop there.” Hal Gurley’s farm sits along a back road in Rolesville, N.C. His eight acres are devoted primarily to cabbage and collards. Recently, however, he’s turned to something new -strawberries – and in the process he received some personal, site-specific, agronomic advice. …