Discovering NC Agriculture is a social media series focusing on N.C. grown, raised, caught, and made commodities. Originally started in 2025, this series has been renewed to run for another year! Tune in each month to see how an N.C. commodity is grown, harvested, packed for consumer use and more. Learn nutritional value, find fun recipes to try, hear from local chefs who use that product, and other unique commodity facts throughout the series. We look forward to helping you better understand some of our N.C. commodities and how they impact your everyday lives!
Wheat has been grown on farms across our state for many years, but that doesn’t diminish its importance on the farm today. First-generation farmer Will Brinkley, owner of Double S Farm in Lexington, has always seen wheat as a valuable crop to our state’s agriculture industry and is honored to continue its legacy on his farm.
Will Brinkley grew up surrounded by agriculture but not immersed in it. “My father worked for R.J. Reynolds for many years, so we knew a lot about agriculture but didn’t operate a family farm,” he said. “However, from the time I first rode a tractor, I’ve known that I wanted to be a farmer.” In 2009, Will and his wife, Madison, established Double S Farm on family land with corn as their first crop. “We started off with three acres of corn and a one row planter,” Will said. Today, they farm several hundred acres of land, producing corn, wheat and soybeans each year. “We started growing wheat in 2019 as a solid rotational crop for our corn and soybeans,” Will said. “It’s a very versatile crop that is relatively easy to produce.” Double S Farms produces fifty acres of wheat each year that is used in a variety of ways throughout the community.
Wheat is planted each winter after corn is harvested at Double S Farms. “As soon as our corn is harvested, we start preparing the field for wheat planting,” Will said. “Through the winter, the seed grows in the field until around February when we start applying fungicides and herbicides to encourage health and further growth.” Like many other crops grown across our state, wheat is directly impacted by the weather each year. According to Will, the snow this year was good for his wheat crop because it provided nitrogen and insulation. If our state receives too much rain, however, it can lessen the quality of the wheat harvest in June. “The requirement for wheat quality has gone up through the years,” he said. “Typically, wheat is broken down into two categories, milling wheat and feed wheat. The difference between the two is quality and market price.” Milling wheat is used for flour production, which requires the best quality grain possible, and sells for a higher price at market. Feed wheat, however, is lower quality grain that is often used for animal feed and is sold for a lower market price.
All wheat is harvested at Double S Farm in June with a combine. “Depending on the year, we either allow the combine to blow straw and chaff onto the ground during harvest or we don’t,” Will said. “It depends on if we plan to bale and sell wheat straw that year or not.” Once the wheat is harvested, it is sold on the farm to interested customers. “We have a farm stand on-site that is open 365 days a year,” Will said. “I have customers come purchase our wheat for a variety of reasons, including animal feed, bread making and grain merchants who use it for milling and brewing.” The farm stand is operated by Will and his wife, Madison. If they are not on-site at the time of arrival, there is an honor system in place for customers to purchase what they need and leave the money in a secure location. “I am really proud of our wheat because it’s something that people use, whether in their food or for their animals,” Will said. “It’s rewarding to know that it helps people across the state care for their families.”
Although Will takes a lot of pride in producing wheat, he does face challenges with the crop each year, including the weather. “The weather plays a big factor when it comes to the end result of our wheat crop because it can make or break the market price we get for the majority,” he said. “Harvest time is also our busiest time of year on the farm, so it can get quite hectic trying to get everything done.” Even with the challenges, Will is proud to grow wheat on his farm and enjoys the flexibility and versatility it brings to the farm. “Our wheat breaks up the season and gives us something to harvest in June, before our corn and soybeans,” he said. “There is also a high demand for wheat in our area, so it’s beneficial to us as well as our customers. I wouldn’t change growing it for anything else.”
For anyone interested in growing wheat on their farm, Will recommends starting small and growing into it. “Wheat is not a crop that’s going to make or break you, so start small and figure out if you like it,” he said. “If you do, grow a little more each year and find what works best for you.” We are so proud of Will and his family for all that they do to further the wheat industry in our state. If you find yourself near Lexington, be sure to stop by the farm and talk with Will and Madison, as well as purchase some of their products at the farm stand. “We love meeting and talking with customers at the farm,” Will said. “It gives us a chance to educate people on farming, where their food comes from, and so much more.” Also be sure to check Will out on TikTok, where he has become quite the phenomenon for his hilarious farm videos, educational content and more! #NCAgriculture
