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Tobacco Communities Reinvestment Fund

Grains, Hops & Sorghum

2011 Projects:

Small Scale Grain Raising

Snow Creek Family Organics has been growing produce for ten years, and with grant funds they are adding a line of grain products. Mathura will grow corn, wheat and beans, some of which will be milled into flour, while much of it will be puffed using a grain puffer and sold as a healthy, unsweetened cereal.  http://www.localharvest.org/snow-creek-family-organics-M9713

Cedar Ridge Hop Farm

Ben is setting out to determine the feasibility of hops production in Yadkin County. Grant funds will allow Ben to plant one acre of trellised hops, testing the viability of Cascade, Willamete, Pearl and Nugget varieties. If successful, he plans to sell to Foothills Brewery in Winston Salem as well as home-brewers statewide. Follow his progress at: cedarridgehops.com   

Local Syrup: Reviving and Improving Sugar Sorghum Production

Okfuskee Farm and Partners will be raising cane to strip and produce traditional sorghum syrup for sale at local festivals, and to experiment with the production of sorghum flour as a gluten free alternative. This grant will be used to purchase a rebuilt Sorghum cane press and other supplies and materials.

Retail Sales on Farm Commodities

William Proctor will be using a seed cleaner to clean seeds such as Abruzzi rye and oats to direct sell to customers for planting. The grant will be used to purchase a seed cleaner, seed bin, and sewing machine for bagged seeds.

2010 Projects:

Flavored Roasted Dry Soybeans,
Gaster will purchase equipment to commercially produce a healthy and flavorful snack made from soybeans, a commodity normally grown for its oil and meal resources.  This is the only company in the area manufacturing this particular product.  (Information:  919-259-4101)

Small-scale Sustainable Production Model for NC
Edible Earthscapes has developed a small-scale, low impact, grain production model to utilize low value farmlands not suitable for vegetable production.  The inspiration for this project came from the eleven years Oatis spent in Japan.  (Information:  919-259-4101)

Portable Feed Mill
Haines plans to offer a portable feed mill that will serve organic animal husbandry in North Carolina, by providing a local source of bagged wheat/corn organic feed.  This provides a secondary market for wheat/corn that does not meet flour milling quality standards. (Information: 919-545-4847)

Chufa Storage Facility
The Lassiter’s will build a storage facility that will lengthen the marketing season for chufa, a birch grass with a peanut-like underground nut.  The product is sold in 10, 25, and 50 pound bags and buckets as seed for people interested in creating wildlife plots. (Information: 919-545-4847)

Cane/Molasses Production
Hedgepeth is teaching high school students about the process of growing and making molasses/sorghum, a natural sweetener.   He is buying equipment for harvesting the cane and anticipates that farmers with interest in growing sorghum will form a co-operative. (Information: 919-545-4847)

Past Projects:

2007

Hay Storage
This project allows Mr. Griffen to market hay to small-scale cattle producers and horse owners who are unable to purchase large quantities due to a lack of storage.  There is an increasing demand for this service in Jones County as land is increasingly subdivided, and more “horse” farms spring up.  Mr. Griffen used the grant funds to purchase and re-locate an unused broiler house where he is storing hay. (information: 919-621-0534)

2005

L&S Grain Producers, Inc. Feed to Farm
Duplin County
This project seeks to provide certified organic corn for feed to alternative livestock producers. Mr. Shaw and Ms. Ammons will use grant funds for production costs for organic corn production, which they will market to members of the Twin Rivers Farm Cooperative who produce pastured swine. Currently, there is very little organic grain production in North Carolina necessitating organic livestock producers to import grain from the Mid-west.

2003

Swamp Fox Mill
Columbus County
Mr. Worley is installing a mill to process organic corn, wheat, and soybeans to market to natural foods grocery stores. By doing his own processing, he and his neighbors will get more value out of their crops. The project will improve the employment conditions for his current employees and could have widespread benefit to other local farmers.

1998

Improved Profits through Hay Production
Johnston County

This project seeks to take advantage of the growing market for horse and other livestock hay in the area. Johnston County has a growing population of hobby livestock farms. The project will convert unused chicken houses for storage.

Operation Grain Storage
Johnston County

This project will add value to his soybean and grain crops by producing and storing seed for market. he has six years experience growing soybean seed for companies and predicts that other farmers can change from conventional production and marketing to higher value seed production. This project will demonstrate methods of production, harvesting, variety selection, adaptation of existing storage facilities and direct sales.