When you bite into a juicy, perfectly ripe peach from a North Carolina farm this summer, you’re tasting decades of careful research, trial and error and dedicated work. Much of that work has been centered at the Sandhills Research Station in the Windblow community, tucked into the southeast corner of Montgomery County, near the Moore … Read more
If you’ve ever asked a peach grower what their favorite variety is, you might not get a simple answer. “It’s what I’m picking that day,” says Dr. Mike Parker, peach expert and professor in N.C. State’s Department of Horticultural Science. That’s not just a clever response. It’s the reality of peach season. From late spring … Read more
Although North Carolina is in the middle of winter, some of your favorite summer fruits are getting attention on farms across the state. No, that’s not a reference to chocolate-covered strawberries you may have for Valentine’s Day. (If that’s a treat for you this February, your strawberries are likely coming from Florida or California unless … Read more
In celebration of National Farmers Market Week we’ve worked with NCDA&CS Marketing Division’s dietician, Freda Butner, to bring you healthy and delicious seasonal recipes that use plenty of ingredients bountiful at farmers markets across the state. Check out her blog below for a perfect way to turn blueberries and peaches into the perfect accompaniment to … Read more
With a long, wet winter and now Easter behind us, field work and land preparation for the 2021 crop is in full swing. With the soils drying out over the past week, many acres have been tilled and/or burndown herbicides have been applied to row crop acres. There are still low-lying and/or poorly drained areas … Read more
Every Friday on social media, we post a Farm Feature Friday showcasing one of our dedicated North Carolina farmers. Jan and Art Williams, of Kalawi Farms, are two of those farmers. The #FarmFeatureFriday campaign will run for an entire year on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Be sure to tune in each Friday afternoon … Read more
We’re sharing a sweet dish that is a famous N.C. recipe that might help in this heat wave. Wendy Perry, Culinary Adverturist and Home Economist, has passed along this recipe and a few tips on how to make it. “You may be familiar with the infamous Atlantic Beach Pie,” said Wendy. “Now you can get … Read more
Rain continues to be a challenge this growing season according to N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ regional agronomists. Regional agronomists located across the state work individually with farmers to help troubleshoot problems and increase crop production. They are the department’s crop advisors. Regional agronomists work with individual farmers to provide guidance on crop … Read more
Summertime may be winding down but there’s still time to enjoy juicy and delicious NC peaches. August is National Peach Month and a great time to find creative ways to use peaches while they are still available. Below is a recipe by Wendy Perry, a North Carolina food blogger and culinary adventurist, that incorporates peaches … Read more
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. “In Orange County, a millennial farm boy follows in his father’s footsteps.” Durham Herald-Sun: “Hello?” Jonah Sykes said, answering his cellphone on Wednesday. “Yeah. mmhm, yeah. I’d like to talk. … Read more
