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.
- “Inside the flower judge’s mind,” Raleigh News & Observer: The State Fair is just around the corner, and this is the year you’ve decided to show off your gardening prowess at the Flower and Garden Show. Find out what the judges are seeking at a free workshop at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 19 at the Flower Show Building at the State Fairgrounds. The workshop’s goal is to help first-time entrants understand the entry and judging process. For more information about the workshop, contact Erv Evans at 404-2527.
- “Raleigh concert and food promote N.C. agriculture,” WRAL: North Carolina’s effort to boost sales of crops grown or food processed in the state is raising its profile with a celebration of country music in the big city. The Got to Be NC Ag Jam on Saturday means 10 hours of country and Southern rock at Raleigh’s main outdoor pavilion. …
- “Livestock tradition thrives at Mountain State Fair,” Asheville Citizen-Times: The Mickey family is keeping animal-raising traditions alive on its farm in Mars Hill, but the origin of this tradition is quite untraditional. That’s because the family’s three daughters – Mary Beth, 21; Brianna, 18; and Grace, 13 – didn’t inherit these traditions from their parents; the girls are the ones who introduced them. “They know more about the goats than I do,” Steve Mickey said about his daughters. …
- “To Market, To Market: Newer stores put emphasis on fresh, locally grown produce and products,” Winston-Salem Journal: As farmers markets proliferate and interest in local food increases, the idea of a farmers market is changing. Stores that sell local foods aren’t new. Deirdre and Damien Johns added Sweet Pea’s Fresh Market to their Briar Patch garden shop on South Stratford Road about three years ago. They sell all-local produce, breads and cheeses, and a few nonlocal prepared foods. …
- “North Carolina Agriculture Hits High,” WITN-TV: North Carolina’s agriculture business hit the $3 billion dollar mark for exports, for the first time ever. One part of North Carolina’s economy that’s working hard is agriculture. New data shows North Carolina cracked the $3 billion mark for exporting agriculture products for the first time ever. The state exported $3.1 billion worth in 2008, which officials say is a 51 percent increase over the year before. North Carolina ranked 13Th in the country for export value in agricultural products. The state remains the largest tobacco exporter in the country, and tobacco is the biggest item exported from here. …