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!
Tobacco is a heritage crop that’s been grown in our state for over 400 years. Although farms have diversified in many ways through the years, tobacco remains an important crop on many North Carolina farms, including Gray Rock Farms in Timberlake. As a seventh-generation family farm, Gray Rock Farm is not only keeping the history of tobacco alive but helps the industry flourish through their crops each year.
In 1816, the original farm and homeplace for Gray Rock Farms was purchased by Andrew Gray in Person County. “In those early days, farming was simply about providing for your family,” said John R. Gray, owner and sixth-generation farmer. “My great-great-great-grandfather, Andrew Gray, primarily grew corn and wheat to feed his pigs.” The earliest documentation of tobacco being grown at Gray Rock Farms dates back to 1887. From then until now, the family has continued to expand their tobacco operation as well as diversify their farm by producing soybeans, wheat and raising beef cattle. This year, the family planted 260 acres of flue-cured tobacco. “While tobacco continues to be the most important part of our operation, we’ve learned that successful farming means being willing to adapt,” said Shawn T. Whitt, John’s son-in-law. “We’re always looking for ways to improve, whether that’s investing in more efficient equipment, trying new crops, or embracing new practices that help our farm remain strong for generations to come.” The farm is currently operating under the sixth and seventh generation, with the eighth generation helping on the farm when they are not at elementary school.
Farming, especially tobacco farming, is a year-round commitment, with work being done to prepare for the season all year long. “One of the biggest misconceptions about farming is that we plant a crop, watch it grow, harvest it and then take the winter off, but in reality, our tobacco season actually begins in the winter,” John said. “We start by pulling soil samples and sending them to a lab, so we know exactly what our fields need before the season begins.” Once the soil sample results are obtained, the family prepares the greenhouse by cleaning and laying fresh plastic. The greenhouse is then seeded in early February and the waiting process for germination begins. “Once those tiny seedlings begin to emerge, they require constant attention,” John said. “We monitor for disease, manage temperatures, apply fertilizer when needed, and eventually begin mowing the plants, up to every other day, to encourage health.” While the plants are growing in the greenhouse, the fields are also being prepared with lime and fertilizer, and cultivated, so that the beds are ready when it comes time for the plants to be transferred to the field.
Planting day at Gray Rock Farms is always exciting for the family because it’s when the months of preparation finally come together. “Not only do we have to ensure that everything on our end is ready for planting, but we also have to cooperate with the weather,” Shawn said. “Young tobacco plants are especially vulnerable, so we’re constantly watching the forecast and making decisions about when to plant, when to pause, and when to keep going to give those plants the best possible start.” Once the crop is in the ground, John and his family get to work caring for their other crops while constantly scouting the tobacco. “As the plants grow, we cultivate, apply Crop Protection Agencies (CPAs), such as fungicides and pesticides to create the healthiest environment possible, and lay by the crop applying fertilizer as needed,” John said. When the tobacco begins to flower, it’s time to top the plants by removing the flower, allowing the plant to focus its energy on producing larger, high-quality leaves instead of seeds.
Tobacco harvest typically begins late summer, but the whole crop isn’t harvested at one time. “We start with the bottom leaves and work our way up the plant over three or four separate harvests as each layer reaches maturity,” said Joni G. Whitt, Shawn’s wife and seventh-generation farmer. “Timing is everything because several fields can become ready at the same time. If you wait too long, you can lose both the quality and the weight of the crop.” After harvest, the tobacco leaves spend ten days in the flue-cured barns on-site at Gray Rock Farms where the temperature and humidity are carefully adjusted each day. During this process, the green leaves slowly transform into the golden leaf tobacco that our state is known for. After curing, the tobacco is bailed and sold to international dealers and contracted buyers where it is used in the production of tobacco products for markets around the world. “While our role ends at growing a high-quality crop, we take great pride in producing it responsibly and to the highest standards,” Shawn said. “Like many North Carolina tobacco farmers, our focus is on caring for the land, growing the best crop that we can, and continuing a farming tradition that has supported our family for generations.”
Although growing tobacco has many challenges, like cost of production and mitigating factors such as weather and changing markets, the family at Gray Rock Farms wouldn’t change anything for the life they live and the heritage they preserve on the farm. “Tobacco has always had an enormous influence on North Carolina’s history, economy, culture and agriculture, but for those of us who farm, it means something even more personal,” Joni said. “For generations, it has been the crop that made it possible for family farms like ours to survive. While we grow other crops and raise livestock, tobacco has often been the foundation that allowed us to keep farming year after year.” As a Bicentennial Farm, the history, hard work, sacrifice and determination of family generations can be felt on the farm and through the crops produced each year. In looking back at the farm’s history, it’s easy to recognize and honor past generations as well as see how far the farm has come since its inception in 1816. “For our family and other farm families in North Carolina, tobacco isn’t just an important crop, but it’s the reason our farm is still here today. It has allowed us to continue a way of life that has been passed down through generations,” John said. “It represents more than a commodity. It represents opportunity, sacrifice, and perseverance. It tells the story of early mornings, long days, and families working side by side with the hope of leaving something better for the next generation.”
For aspiring young farmers, Shawn encourages working hard, staying humble, and maintaining an attitude of constant learning. “Every season will teach you something if you’re willing to listen,” he said. “Respect the generations that came before you, but don’t be afraid to embrace new ideas and new technology that can make your farm stronger. Most importantly, remember that farming is about more than raising a crop, it’s about caring for the land, supporting your family, and leaving something meaningful for the next generation.” In the years to come, Gray Rock Farms hopes to continue growing the generations on their farm and furthering their family legacy of farming in our state.
We are so proud of all that Gray Rock Farms is doing to preserve the history of tobacco in our state as well as advance the industry through their crops each year. Preserving a family farm for over 200 years is something to be proud of and we are honored to have them as part of our Bicentennial Farm Family Program. Many challenges have been faced and countless sacrifices made through the centuries that make Gray Rock Farms the thriving farm that it is today. “Some of my favorite memories here are the simple ones – like our kids riding the tractor with us, looking over and seeing their smiles when they help feed the cows, just as I did with my dad John, and watching them experience the same farm that has been home to generations before them,” Joni said. “Those moments remind us why we do it. We’re not just growing crops – we’re raising our family here. We’re teaching our children the value of hard work, faith, and stewardship, while passing along traditions that have been part of our family for more than 200 years. In the end, those moments make every long day and every sacrifice worth it.” Join us in thanking John and his family in the comments for all that they continue to do for our state’s agriculture industry!