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.
- “Getting Small: Future Bright for Small Farming,” WGHP: This may sound like a contradiction in terms, but small farming is bigger than ever in the Piedmont. Thursday, North Carolina A&T State University held its annual Small Farms Field Day. It’s a chance for people interested in using their green thumbs to talk with the experts. From spotlighting new plant varieties to showing what to look for in buying a goat, A&T researchers and farmers shared their insights on how to maximize a small farmer’s land. …
- “Company recalls alfalfa sprouts in N.C., S.C.,” News & Observer: A South Carolina company is recalling its alfalfa sprouts sold at Food Lion stores in North and South Carolina after tests revealed the presence of a potentially harmful organism. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture said Wednesday it found Listeria monocytogenes in routine testing of samples of the sprouts from Solar Farms Inc. The alfalfa sprouts were sold in the Carolinas in 4-ounce containers with the code “Sell By:072209.” …
- “Peaches have their own local niche,” Richmond County Daily Journal: Many of the peaches that are rolling in across Richmond County are named after the local places where they grow. And they’re going fast. …Take the Windblow variety – developed in 1972 at the Sandhills Research Station and named after the Windblow crossroads at the northern end of the county – which is less than a mile away from Bynum’s Farm and Nursery where they’re selling fast. “Windblows and Contenders are the Cadillacs of peaches,” said Owner/Operator Danny Bynum. …
- “Homegrown education: School program teaches gardening skills,” Fayetteville Observer: Eight-year-old Jares McGill never tasted an eggplant, but he’s willing to give it a try. Not just any eggplant, though. He prefers the one he picked Tuesday morning from the garden at Aberdeen Elementary School. … Jares is one of hundreds of young people participating in the Communities in Schools FirstSchool Gardens program of Moore County. …
- “Menu vies for N.C.’s best,” Greensboro News & Record: Recently, three Triad restaurants were chosen by The Goodness Grows in North Carolina Program and Our State magazine as finalists in the Best Dish in North Carolina Restaurant Competition. Restaurants that enter the statewide competition, which recognizes efforts to incorporate North Carolina products and ingredients into their meals, must feature and promote a special menu for four consecutive weeks. …
- “AgCarolina receives grant to help train N.C. farmers,” Greenville Daily Reflector: AgCarolina Financial has received a grant to cover tuition and make a new e-learning financial and business management course available to North Carolina farm families. The curriculum includes training geared toward business plan development, financial planning, budgeting and other money matters essential to a farm’s success. … The e-learning program targets young, beginning, small and minority farmers throughout the 34-county area served by AgCarolina. …