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.
- “Making Family Farms Profitable,” Parade Magazine: In 1959, the U.S. was home to 4.1 million farms. Today, there are just 2.2 million. Some 40% of American farmers are 55 or older, and young people aren’t exactly lining up to replace them. But a new program in North Carolina hopes to make farming a viable career option once again. Rutherford County, N.C., has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. Yet some 6,000 families own between 5 and 20 acres of land, and chefs in nearby Charlotte, N.C., are in need of fresh produce for their restaurants. …
- “Small farms getting big,” News & Observer: On a dark winter morning in Orange County, David Heeks was out in the chill and drizzle checking his crops. “I’ve got a fresh crop of radishes over here,” he said, drawing back a fabric cover to reveal a lush, wide row of bright-green leaves. Reaching down to the red soil, he drew up a stout red and white root. “This,” he said, “I’ll be taking to market this Saturday. You’d be hard-pressed to find anybody else that’s bringing a fresh radish, a new crop.” A few days later and a few miles away in Durham County, Kathryn Spann and David Krabbe broke ground for the milking barn and cheesemaking room at their goat farm. “I have a very strong vision of a renaissance of farming in Durham,” Spann said. Last week in Wake County, Soil and Water Conservation Director Dale Threatt-Taylor was starting work on a proposal to promote farming and preserve farmland. …
- “Master Gardener – Test your soil to get ready for planting,” Wilmington Star: Now is the time to begin preparing for spring planting by bringing soil samples to your local Cooperative Extension Office for testing. Soil testing can help you save money in your lawn, garden and landscape and grow healthier plants by telling you which nutrients are already in your soil and which ones you need to add with fertilizers. In addition, soil testing is a free service for North Carolina residents, provided by the N.C. Department of Agriculture. …
- “N.C. and Va. push to add 50,000 acres along parkway,” Charlotte Observer: Sens. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., and Richard Burr, R-N.C., will join their Virginia counterparts in seeking federal money to buy up to 50,000 acres along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The parkway, begun as a public works project during the Great Depression, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. It runs 469 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. Nearly 20 million visitors a year drive it. Park supporters have grown increasingly concerned in recent years that mountain-top vacation homes and other development are obscuring views from the historic road. Hagan and Burr said Tuesday that they and Virginia Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner will seek $75 million over five years to buy high-priority land around the parkway. …
- “Grant providing drought plan for farmers,” NBC-17: RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina farmers are getting a little help now to prepare for any future problems with droughts. Thursday, the state’s Department of Agriculture announced a $100,000 grant from The Altria Group to study water usage and plan ahead for keeping crops healthy. “What the drought of 2007-2009 so rudely reminded us is that water is precious,” said Cecil Settle, Executive Director of the N.C. Foundation for Soil & Water Conservation. “Water supply is essential.” Ag department experts say a lot of people think farms use a lot more water than anyone else, but they actually only take up about one percent of the state’s demand.