The production manager provides consultation to farmers regarding planting, harvesting and postharvest handling through farm visits and regular farmer contact. This position also recruits and trains new farmers and performs a quality control function for NROG. This position reports to the chief operating officer. Requesting a Bachelor in Agriculture, Business or related field plus two years of experience in farm management, agriculture or agri business. Proficient in Word, Excel, and email.

• Meet annually with each farmer to develop an annual farm production plan.

• Assist farmers in managing planting schedules in accordance with individual production plans.

• Provide consultation to farmers on harvest methods, post-harvest handling, and crop specifications for specialty markets.

• Recruit new farmers through various outreach methods.

• Develop, implement and manage a plan for collecting information on quantities of crops available for harvest and sale.

• Manage farm bills and oversee farmer billing

• Develop, implement and manage the quality control plan for NROG .

• Assist in various weekly operations: loading trucks, receiving product, and managing warehouse staff as needed. 

• Coordinate bulk ordering for farmers.

• Write and organize a product specification manual.

Provide a resume with references available upon request.

Contact Caleb Crowell at [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2013 

CONTACT: Amanda Taylor, Agriculture Agent NC Cooperative Extension Service (828) 757-1290; e-mail: [email protected] 

Extension to Host 

Tomato Grafting Workshop 

LENOIR – The Caldwell Extension Service will host a tomato grafting workshop on Friday, December 6 from 12:30 to 4:30 pm at the Caldwell County Public Library in Lenoir. 

This workshop is designed for operators of small farms, greenhouse operators interested in a new market, and market gardeners who want to take their production to the next level. In this hands-on session, participants will learn the basics of grafting, including why grafting is important and how to graft successfully. Participants will have the opportunity to practice grafting under the direction of experienced personnel from the Department of Plant Pathology at North Carolina State University. An update on grafting research at North Carolina State University will also be provided. 

Space is limited. Pre-registration is required, and the cost is $5 per person. For more information on this program, please contact Amanda Taylor by calling 828.757.1290 or e-mailing [email protected] 

WNC Agricultural Options’ 10th annual grant cycle is underway. With funding from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, WNC AgOptions will award a total of $153,000 to diversifying farmers in western North Carolina in 2014. Farmers have until December 13 to submit an application for a $3,000 or $6,000 grant. 

“The 2014 funding cycle will represent a decade of service to our agricultural industry through farmer grants, educational seminars and technical assistance,” said Ross Young, Madison County Extension Director and WNC AgOptions steering committee leader. ”Since 2004, more than 350 farmer grants and several community grants have been awarded. We are extremely grateful to the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission as the sole funder of this program since its inception.”

Applications for the 2014 grant cycle are available at www.wncagoptions.org and at local Cooperative Extension Centers. Interested applicants should contact their local Extension Agents by November 1 to notify them that they intend to apply. Extension Agents work closely with the recipients throughout the grant cycle, giving them moral support and answering questions.

WNC AgOptions welcomes four more counties to its now 22-county/unit coverage area: Burke, Caldwell, Cleveland and Rutherford. Other eligible counties are: Avery, Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey counties as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. 

The administrator of WNC AgOptions is WNC Communities, a non-profit organization that has been improving agriculture in the region since 1947. WNC Communities provides a unique forum for leaders in western North Carolina to carry out innovative programs to improve the quality of life for rural communities and to enhance the agriculture economy.

Watauga Campus  
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10/3-10/17.
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm  
$16.00 (includes textbook)



This 10-hour short course is designed to introduce the basics of beekeeping to persons interested in hobby beekeeping.  Topics to be covered include races of bees, basic beehive and frame construction and placement, and beekeeping tools.  We will also discuss installing bees, hive management, diseases and treatment, and briefly discuss honey production.

Call 828-263-5378 for information.  CCC&TI Corporate and Continuing Education

Released: Sept. 3, 2013
Contact: Candace Pollock
SSARE PR Coordinator
[email protected]
770-412-4786

GRIFFIN, Georgia -- Calls for Proposals for the 2013 Producer Grants, intended for farmers/ranchers and farmer/rancher organizations throughout the Southern region, are now available from the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SSARE) program.

Proposal submission deadline is November 18, 2013. Announcement of funded grants will take place in late February 2014.

Producer Grants are used to conduct sustainable agriculture research projects that solve agricultural production challenges farmers face and to develop information on what works and what doesn’t so that other farmers and ranchers facing those same challenges can benefit from the results of the funded project.

Producer grants are not designed to pay a farmer to farm; buy livestock, equipment, or land; make permanent farm improvements or support private enterprises through capital investments.  Southern SARE Producer Grants are research grants, designed to take some of the financial risk away from trying a solution.

Projects may be funded for up to two years for a project maximum of $10,000 for an individual producer or $15,000 for a producer organization. Producer organizations should be comprised primarily of farmers/ranchers and must have a majority farmer representation on their governing board.

For detailed information on how to apply for a Producer Grant, download the current Producer Grant Call for Proposals.

The Producer Grant Call for Proposals includes application information, use of funds, proposal submission instructions, and contact information. Be sure to carefully follow the information in the Call for Proposals when submitting your proposal. Failure to follow the submission guidelines may result in your proposal being rejected.

For more information about Southern SARE, visit http://www.southernsare.org.

Announcement published by the Southern Region of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. Funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Southern SARE operates under cooperative agreements with the University of Georgia, Fort Valley State University, and the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture to offer competitive grants to advance sustainable agriculture in America's Southern region.

Karma Krew is a yoga based non-profit organization whose mission is to mobilize the collective energy of the yoga community to expand the practice beyond the walls of the studios and into the hearts of our communities. This is accomplished through a national network of yoga studios, teachers and students committed to community based social activism through volunteerism, karma yoga retreats and trainings. 
Learn more about Karma Krew here. 

Details:

When:  Sunday, August 25th
meet in courthouse parking lot on Water Street at 12:30pm to carpool/caravan
the caravan should return to parking lot no later than 5 pm
or
meet at the Springhouse Farm at 1pm (please rsvp either way)

Where:  Karma Krew Farm Work Day at Springhouse Farm in Valley Crusis

What:  We'll start the afternoon with a short, multi-level yoga session
followed by farm chores that Springhouse may need help with

How:  Wear sturdy shoes and clothing you don't mind getting dirty and
bring sunscreen and a waterbottle.

Please respond to [email protected] if you plan to attend and include any questions you may have.