The Young Farmer of the Day program is a new addition to the Got To Be N.C. Festival. The program, sponsored by Farm Credit, recognizes three young farmers who work hard everyday to impact our state’s agriculture industry & blaze the trail for a strong future. Individuals either nominated themselves or were nominated by members of the community. One young farmer will be recognized each day of the Got To Be N.C. Festival, taking place May 20-22, 2022 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds!
Andrews Tree Farm & Nursery in Sparta has been providing high-quality Christmas trees to the community since 1993. Seth & Lidjea Andrews originally started the business by solely focusing on Christmas trees. However, throughout its 29 years of operation, the family farm has expanded to also offer pumpkins, corn, potatoes and cabbage. Currently operating on its second generation, Andrews Tree Farm & Nursery continues to grow and strengthen its roots through Landon Andrews.
Landon, Seth & Lidjea’s son, grew up immersed in agriculture and always had a part on the family farm. “From the time I was able to ride on my dad’s lap, I was riding with him in the tractor and planting trees around the farm,” he said. “If I wasn’t working with my dad, then I was at home with my motorized John Deere tractor and trailer ‘farming’ around the house and helping my mother in the garden.”
Landon was fascinated by agriculture from the moment he first stepped into the field, a passion that continues to motivate him today. In fact, he was so devoted to agriculture that he was given grown up farm responsibilities at a young age. “The last day of my second grade year of elementary school, my father picked me up and we went straight to the field,” Landon said. “He put me in the tractor and had me planting pumpkin seeds by myself and I’ve been farming ever since.”
Although he is still in school, Landon works daily on the farm with his family to help them manage and grow their current product offerings. Not only does he love being outdoors, but he also enjoys the variety of skills that he acquires through working on the farm. “On top of planting and growing trees and produce, I have learned to weld, work on vehicles and operate heavy equipment through my responsibilities on the farm,” he said. “It requires a lot of problem solving and can sometimes be stressful, but working in agriculture can also be very rewarding and enjoyable.”
He is honored this year to be chosen as a Young Farmer of the Day at the Got To Be N.C. Festival because it gives him a platform to educate his peers and community members on the importance of agriculture and viability of a career path in the industry. “I feel that it is important to highlight the work that young people are already doing in agriculture to encourage others to get involved,” he said. “I want to highlight the many benefits and opportunities that working in agriculture can present to my peers and youth in my community in hopes that they become interested.”
Landon is attending N.C. State University this fall where he plans to study Agriculture Business Management. Upon graduation, he plans to return home to Alleghany County and apply the knowledge he learned to the family farm and other agricultural endeavors across the community. Eventually he would like to pass on the family farm to his future children and keep the legacy going and roots growing deep. “I want to teach my children one day the values of hard work and perseverance that my father taught me on this farm,” he said, “and then let the legacy continue with them.” Join us in thanking Landon for all of his hard work and recognizing him as our Young Farmer of the Day!
