NCDA&CS Accepting Applications For Specialty Crop Block Grants

Feb 24, 2016

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is accepting proposals for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The purpose of this program is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the marketplace.

The program is managed by the NCDA&CS and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the 2014 farm bill. In 2015, the NCDA&CS awarded more than $1 million to fund 13 projects across the state.

The program will accept grant applications ranging from $20,000 to $200,000 from nonprofit organizations, commodity associations, state and local government agencies, colleges and universities. Grants are not available for projects that directly benefit or provide a profit to a single organization, institution or individual.

Eligible projects must involve fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, culinary herbs and spices, medicinal plants, nursery, floriculture or horticulture crops. Funding is also available for projects aimed at developing local and regional food systems and improving food access.

Source: ncagr.gov

Video: Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Getting closer to planting season means one thing… it’s time to get EVERYTHING ready.

Today didn’t go exactly as planned—we thought we’d be hauling potatoes again, but instead we spent the day digging equipment out of the cellar, hooking up the grain drill, and getting tractors ready to roll. With wheat planting just around the corner, every piece of equipment matters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a normal day without a few problems… dead batteries, hydraulic issues, and a truck tire that absolutely refused to cooperate. We tried everything—jump packs, bead bazooka, ratchet straps… and eventually had to bring out the “big guns” just to get things moving again.

But that’s farm life—adapt, fix, and keep moving forward.

We’re getting close to go-time. Wheat seed is coming soon, and planting season is right around the corner