Each week we round up the latest N.C. agricultural headlines from news outlets across the state and country, as well as excerpts from the stories. Click on the links to go straight to the full story.
- “Free birds: Snow Hill farm raises turkeys that are ‘beyond organic,” Jacksonville News: This Thanksgiving, some area residents will be eating a different kind of turkey, one that is pasture raised without any additives. Genell Pridgen, co-owner of Rainbow Meadows Farms in Snow Hill, said she works with her parents Jeff and Sandra Garner to run the farm. She said the farm is in its 10th generation of ownership, with its roots going back to 1746. She said the farm is technically not an organic farm because it’s not certified. She characterized the farm as being “beyond organic.” “We do not treat our animals with any hormones or antibiotic, and they are free-range,” she said. “They are able to be outside, flap their wings and fly around. They get to be turkeys.” …
- “NCDA&CS Helps Consumers Find & Care For Fresh Christmas Trees,” Perishable News: North Carolina’s 2013 Christmas tree crop promises to be one of the best in recent years, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “There was plenty of rain this year, which helped Christmas tree growers across the state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Consumers can find locally grown Christmas trees at choose-and-cut farms, tree lots and farmers markets across the state.” …
- “Christmas tree presentation turns to politics,” Hendersonville Times: Congressman Mark Meadows got a special Christmas delivery Monday, one that gave him the opportunity to talk farming, flooding and the Farm Bill. Rodney Buchanan, a Mitchell County tree grower and president of the N.C. Christmas Tree Association, and its executive director, Jennifer Greene, drove down from Bakersville to present Meadows with a 6-foot-tall Fraser fir for his local congressional office. …
- “Moonshine and more – ABC stores sell N.C. liquors,” Wilmington Star News: Distillery owner Scott Maitland spent Thursday evening preaching the virtues of handmade, small batch North Carolina-made liquors to a group of about 30 New Hanover County Alcohol Beverage Control employees. The spirits speak for themselves. You can make a world class, local and organic spirit,” said Maitland, who owns Top of the Hill distillery in Chapel Hill. Maitland was premiering his new vodka, gin and wheat whiskey to ABC employees at a product knowledge event designed to help them promote and sell local liquors. …
- “Asheville’s Adam Hayes takes top honors at Competition Dining series,” Asheville Citizen Times News: Adam Hayes, chef of the Red Stag Grill at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Biltmore Village, continues to make news. This year, he hosted a dinner at the vaunted James Beard House in New York City. And, on Friday, Hayes and his team won the Final Fire battle, part of the Competition Dining Series, presented by Got To Be NC products. From a press release: Chef Adam Hayes’ Red Stag Grill team from Asheville edged out Winston-Salem’s Noble’s Grille team led by Chef John Bobby. At each series battle, chefs are required to use one (or two) featured NC products in each of their courses. Last night’s featured products included Black Winter Périgord truffles and truffle honey from Keep Your Fork Farm in King, NC. Each chef team prepared three courses using both truffle products for 170 diners in a sold-out ballroom at the Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel. …
- “Attention shoppers: NC stores could be overcharging you,” WRAL: Every year, hundreds of stores across North Carolina overcharge customers for their purchases, according to data from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. State inspectors do random checks to make sure the prices on shelves match what rings up at the register, but the WRAL Investigates team found that shoppers still need to pay attention when they check out. …
- “Students learn where food comes from, thank famers,” Hendersonville Times: Mills River Elementary third-grader Kayla Lee dug into her special Thanksgiving-themed lunch Thursday afternoon, surrounded by fellow students and parents who gathered at the school for a “Thanks to Farmers” event. The group feasted on turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, baked apples and pumpkin pie. “It’s really good,” Kayla said. “I love pumpkin pie. That’s my favorite kind of pie.” The event was organized by K-5 teacher Mandi Fletcher in partnership with the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. ASAP, headquartered in Asheville, works with schools in the region to help them source more cafeteria food locally and teach students about where their food comes from as part of its “Farm to School” program. …