Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund
Forest Products: Nuts, Mushrooms, Wood Crafts & Maple Syrup
2012 Project
Hoophouse vertical inter-cropping with Oyster Mushrooms
Ms Leight is utilizing an old hoop-house frame and re-designing the structure to accommodate traditional in-ground crops as well as suspended oyster mushroom medium. Her grant funds will go to the materials and substrate for this production design and allow for the high value mushroom crop to increase her profit while maximizing the space she has available in a traditional high-tunnel hoop-house. The hanging bags of mushroom medium will absorb and thrive on the excess moisture trapped in the typically unused hoop-house space.
Silvopasture in the Sandhills
Mr. Smith is a young farmer in his second year of production on his family land. His project involves utilizing partially cleared land for a combination of fruit and nut tree production and livestock pasture. In order to establish the mixed-use production model he’s created, he will use grant funds to dig a well for irrigation and build fencing to both keep the livestock in and the deer out. He and his wife plan to raise chickens, turkeys, goats and sheep, and intensively graze the animals in the same land as the newly established fruit and nut trees.
2011 Projects:
Maple Syrup / Molasses (Sugar Tree’s Finest)
Chad’s father planted 120 sugar maple trees two decades ago in hopes that his family would eventually be able to make maple syrup. Grant funds will allow Chad to construct a sugaring house for the processing of syrup, as well as using the facility molasses boilings. Look for their products in the Ashe County region under the name “Sugar Tree’s Finest.”
Spray-to-go
David’s pecan business has grown tremendously in the last two years, but the cost of spraying equipment is prohibitive for a small orchard owner to purchase. Grant funds will allow him to obtain the equipment he needs to protect his trees from destructive pests. He will also offer custom spraying services to area small pecan producers.
Year-Round Cultivation of Shiitake Mushrooms
Steve is a shiitake mushroom farmer who will be building a small facility where he can raise shiitake mushrooms year round. This grant will be used to wire and update facility to house indoor shiitake mushrooms.
2010 Projects:
Growing mushrooms with geothermal energy
Charles will turn the basements of his tobacco barns into geothermal-powered mushroom growing chambers. These will double his production of shitake and Portobello mushrooms without excessive heating and cooling bills. (Information: 919-323-7587)
Expanding Maple Syrup Production
Doug is an Ashe County farmer that has harvested maple syrup from his mountain land for the past four years. His project is for the taps and gravity fed tanks to expand his production, tapping 500 trees and supplying enough syrup for the Ashe County market. (Information: 919-323-7587)
Adding Value to Raw Peanuts in Duplin County
Swinson uses freshly grown peanuts to create candy products. He plans to purchase equipment that will allow him to expand production with popcorn, caramel, and peanut products. (Information: 919-545-4847)
2009
Timber Woodworking Workshop
Gary has been a full-time farmer and part-time carpenter in the off-season his entire life. He came to RAFI with the understanding of farmers’ need to come up with new potential income streams, and used his experience to make the case that it could be done through fine woodworking. Gary believed that there were enough people who could appreciate custom built furniture and cabinets that there could be a market for his products. He also thought that he could have something to offer other farmers who wanted to make use of their farm timber, but without the know-how and equipment or space to do it. His project idea was to build a workshop out of an old quail house with all the necessary tools and space to allow him to teach farmers how to add value to the timber they brought in. Gary said that he has developed a list of farmers from around Rockingham County and southern Virginia who are interested in participating. When I visited him he was pouring the concrete for the expansion of the building, and it was finished in early May. He will start workshops as soon as the harvest season ends. (information: 919-621-0534)
2007
Bee Nutty
This project combines an existing bee keeping business with a new pecan shelling operation creating a greater appeal for both farm products. The grant allowed for the purchase of equipment for the pecan shelling operation. (information: 919-621-0534)
2005
2004
2003