Small farmers from across the state are in the spotlight as N.C. A&T State University celebrates the 38th annual Small Farms Week. This year’s theme is “New Paths to Profits,” and small farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs will be able to take part in a variety of workshops and educational programs, panel discussions and tours at the N.C. A&T University Farm Pavilion in Greensboro as part of the weeklong week paying tribute to small farmers.
On Tuesday, Mar. 26, Small Farms Week will focus on education for small farmers that cover topics ranging from small-scale animal production, plant production, natural resource management and to adapting to climate changes that could bring more droughts, severe storms and intense summer heat.
A goal of Small Farms week is to showcase and support limited-resource, small-scale, part-time, and alternative-enterprise farmers who provide their communities with fresh produce and locally sourced products.
“The agriculture landscape is changing,” stated Fletcher Barber, Ed. D., this year’s chair of Small Farms Week. Barber also is the Extension Service’s small farms recruiter and said in a press statement that consumers are interested in exploring multicultural food traditions and new niche products. “That interest offers opportunities for our farmers,” Barber said.
A highlight of the weeklong activities occurs Wednesday when the 2024 Small Farmer of the Year will be named.
Activities kicked off Monday in Wayne County, home to 2023 Small Farmers of the Year J & J Produce.
Since 2019, sisters Jeannette Martin Horn and Joyce Martin Bowden have grown a wide variety of produce – including green beans, mustard and turnip greens, squash, onions, tomatoes, pecans and their signature field peas – on 100 acres of their Century Farm. The sisters’ ancestor, a soldier in the 135th U.S. Colored Infantry, bought the land after the regiment was “mustered out” in 1865, making their land a Century Farm.
“The Martin sisters are a perfect example of the heart and soul of farming in North Carolina,” said M. Ray McKinnie, Ph.D., Extension administrator and associate dean in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. “Their land has been in the family for more than 150 years, and they not only grow, they give back to their community by hosting groups and encouraging them to learn about agriculture and farming.
“Our 2024 Small Farmer of the Year, whoever that may be, will exemplify these same characteristics that make family farms so important to our agricultural economy,” he added.
Thursday, Mar. 28 and Friday, Mar. 29 will offer more educational sessions and demonstrations, emanating from the university or other organizations within North Carolina that highlight farming best practices, research results or student-led agricultural and environmental activities benefitting small farmers.
“Our goal is to help small farmers make the most of new markets and crops while adopting sustainable practices that protect their land and their ability to adapt as our climate becomes more variable.”
Check here during the week for updates: www.itzy.io/sfw2024