Saturday, January 16, 2021
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30.9° |
Jan 16's Weather Clear HI: 39.6 LOW: 27.1 Full Forecast (powered by Dark Sky) |
Free Daily Headlines
EDNEYVILLE — Promoting the “farmer-facing parts of USDA,” U.S. Agriculture Undersecretary Bill Northey visited apple and tomato growers from Henderson County and Christmas tree growers from Fraser fir country and watched a farm machine cleanly harvest bluegrass sod from a field on Gilliam Road. Read Story »
Tags: farming | apple farming | Christmas trees | Fred Pittillo
When he was 26 years old, Josiah Johnson aimed to marry Belle Whitt, the 18-year-old daughter of a well-to-do general store owner from Marshall. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Kirby Johnson | packing houses | Josiah Johnson | Johnson family
Don't miss this week's Hendersonville Lightning. Read Story »
Tags: farming | History | Hendersonville Lightning | Flavor 1st | local authors | Josiah Johnson
In support of the Biden-Harris campaign, former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack joined former members of Congress from North Carolina in a virtual roundtable this week to discuss the revitalization of agriculture and economic aid for rural areas in the state. Read Story »
Tags: farming | 2020 presidential election | Trump Mills River visit
Social media has been blowing up this week after a Hendersonville physician posted a YouTube video that ripped President Trump’s visit to a Mills River farm and suggested that migrant farmworkers, not the "captains of agribusiness," do the work that feeds America. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Scott Donaldson | farm labor | migrant workers
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will visit a large commercial vegetable grower in Mills River to highlight the agency's Farmers to Families Food Box Program. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Flavor 1st | Kirby Johnson
While we are sad to watch our seniors age out of 4-H, and some of them move away, we are excited for their new opportunities and we are confident that they will have bright futures! Read Story »
Tags: farming | youth | 4-H of Henderson County | Denise Sherrill
J. Noland Ramsey, a retired schoolteacher and principal and longtime cattleman, has been elected 2020-2021 chairman of the national Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching. Read Story »
Tags: farming | AgHC | Noland Ramsey
Little kids, older retirees and many folks in between turned out Saturday for the annual Farm City Day, a celebration of Henderson County's agricultural heritage. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Festivals | Farm City Day
A father-and-son team who bulldozed their apple orchard and replaced it with blackberry vines was honored Saturday as the Farm City Day Farmers of the Year at the annual celebration of Henderson County's agriculture heritage at Jackson Park. Read Story »
Tags: farming | berry farming | Farm City Day
MILLS RIVER — Brevard-based Gaia Herbs, which has grown from a $2,000 startup in the Boston suburbs to a $50 million supplier of herbal supplements, announced Wednesday that it would expand its operations in Mills River, creating 30 new jobs and investing $12.2 million at a new facility in Broadpointe Industrial Park for offices, production and warehousing. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Broadpointe Industrial Park | manufacturing jobs | Gaia Herbs | organic farming | herbs
MILLS RIVER —Michael R. "Mike" Corn, who manages the historic Jersey dairy herd that Biltmore Estate owner George Vanderbilt brought to Asheville from New York in the late 19th century, was inducted into the Western North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame during the WNC Communities' 28th annual ceremony at the Mountain Horticulture Crops Research & Extension Center. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Biltmore Estate | dairy farms | George Vanderbilt
Almost 40 years later, North Carolina Sen. Chuck Edwards received his Future Farmers of America jacket.FFA is backed by the Farm Bureau, and Dana farmer Danny McConnell serves as president of the Henderson County Farm Bureau branch. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Dana | Chuck Edwards | Danny McConnell
Alan Ward stooped to point a finger at the lower part of a merlot grape vine. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards | Alan Ward | Marvin Owings
Henderson County's farm-promoting agency has appealed to Duke Energy to consider other options before running overhead transmission lines that the farm community says would devalue land, threaten agricultural production and harm a growing agri-tourism industry. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Duke Energy transmission line
MILLS RIVER — They’re most often red, sometimes green, sometimes yellow. Sweet and juicy, they're grown in Henderson County and shipped up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Flavor 1st | Kirby Johnson
Mark Williams, the executive director of the farm-promoting nonprofit Agribusiness Henderson County (AgHC), will have a seat at the table when state leaders explore ways to expand the agriculture industry and create jobs. Read Story »
Tags: farming | AgHC | Mark Williams
FLAT ROCK — The Flat Rock Farmers Market will kick off the season on Thursday. Read Story »
MILLS RIVER — With the turn of frozen ground, Henderson County, Mills River, Hendersonville and agribusiness leaders marked the beginning of construction of an international plant grafting operation that will bring 125 jobs and help farmers grow higher quality fruit and vegetables at a higher yield. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Mills River | Bert Lemkes | Mark Williams | Agribusiness Henderson County
FLETCHER – Henderson County entrants took top honors in showing turkeys, sheep and hogs last week during the 2014 N.C. Mountain State Fair. Read Story »
Tags: farming
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging farmers to have their corn tested for aflatoxin to prevent contamination of feed and food. Read Story »
Tags: farming
A global partnership's decision to locate a plant-grafting operation in Mills River was described today as a "monumental" recruitment coup and a "day to remember" for the business of farming in Henderson County and Western North Carolina. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Mills River
The federal government has designated a new wine grape-growing area that includes two counties in southwestern North Carolina. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Henderson County wine industry | viticulture
The Mills River Partnership is sponsoring "Mills River Day" from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 1, at North River Farms (3333 North Mills River Road). Read Story »
Tags: farming | Mills River
MILLS RIVER — The fertile French Broad Valley of Mills River accounts for about half of Henderson County's $800 million agribusiness economy and about 4,000 jobs, Mark Williams, executive director of Ag-HC, told the Mills River Town Council. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Mills River | Mills River Town Board
Looking for a great way to produce fruits and nuts in the yard or garden? Read Story »
Tags: farming | ECO | non-profit organizations
Van Wingerden's Holiday Open House on Sunday showed hundreds of visitors the greenhouse operation's signature Christmas poinsettia. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Van Wingerden Greenhouses | Mark Williams | Kelly Cantrell | Southern Market Fresh
Panelists at a forum on immigration reform said the nation's immigration policy is irrevocably broken and needs to be fixed for economic and moral reasons. Read Story »
Tags: immigration | farming | apple farming | green industries | Bert Lemkes | Mark Williams | Agribusiness Henderson County
DANA — Like his father before him, Larry Stepp Sr. raised apples, keeping at it until back trouble made it impossible to drive a tractor. Read Story »
Tags: farming
Father-and-son farmers who have converted their farm from apple production to berries, asparagus and greenhouse flowers were named Farmers of the Year last weekend during Farm City Day. Read Story »
Tags: farming
Farmers using new ideas for crops can apply for grants that reward diversifying. Read Story »
Tags: farming
Although Henderson County is one of 13 North Carolina counties included in a disaster declaration because of rain damage to crops, any aid beyond low-interest loans is uncertain, the county's farm-business advocate said. Read Story »
Tags: farming | 2013 rainfall | Mark Williams | Agribusiness Henderson County
Q. I heard that we are getting another roundabout. Where is that one going? Read Story »
Tags: farming | Howard Gap | NCDOT | Ingles | transportation | Ask Matt | Howard Gap Road project
The N.C. Legislature has overridden Gov. Pat McCrory's veto of a bill that Henderson County farmers would help ensure an adequate supply of labor to pick this season's bumper crop of apples. Read Story »
Tags: farming | apple farming
On a visit to Hendersonville Monday to ride in the parade that honors the apple, Gov. Pat McCrory defended his veto of a bill that apple growers say they need to ensure an adequate supply of harvest labor. Read Story »
Tags: immigration | farming | apple farming | Gov. Pat McCrory
The General Assembly likely has the votes to override Gov. Pat McCrory's veto of a bill that Henderson County farmers strongly support as a stopgap fix to ensure an adequate labor supply, local legislators said. Read Story »
Tags: immigration | farming | 2013 rainfall
Need locally grown tomatoes for supper? Want to know which apples are now ripe? Want to buy locally ground sausage or a T-bone steak? Read Story »
Tags: farming | AgHC | Mark Williams
Farmers began harvesting the 2013 apple crop last week. If they have trouble getting help, they can thank Gov. Pat McCrory. Read Story »
Tags: farming | Hendersonville Lightning | Lightning editorials | 2013 rainfall
MILLS RIVER — U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows told farmers whose crops have been wiped out by heavy rain and flooding that he has explored what kind of relief is available even as politics stalls the farm bill renewal. Read Story »
Tags: farming | U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows | Flavor 1st | Kirby Johnson | 2013 rainfall
The deluge of rain this summer has caused widespread damage to Henderson County crops, delayed construction work and put campgrounds underwater. Read Story »
Tags: farming | apple farming | Marvin Owings | 2013 rainfall
The area is far exceeding the normal rainfall totals. Henderson County has already received more than the usual amount of rain for a whole year, records show. Read Story »
Tags: Weather | farming | 2013 rainfall
A hard steady overnight rain caused flooding of low-lying areas and caused the National Weather Service to issue a flood warning for Transylvania County and flood watch for all of Western North Carolina. Read Story »
Tags: Weather | farming | 2013 rainfall
People can learn how to raise chickens in their yard next week. Read Story »
Tags: farming | ECO | Gardening | Biz611 | sustainability
Apple, peach, grape and berry growers will be watching the thermometer tonight. Forecasters predicted lows in the mid 30s in Henderson County but a freeze warning issued by the National Weather Service extended to the county's western and northern boundary. Read Story »
Tags: Weather | farming | apple farming
A new program from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is encouraging chefs to dig into locally grown products this summer. Read Story »
Tags: farming | restaurants
The French Broad River at Blantyre reached moderate flood stage and was expected to peak at 19.5 feet around 10 tonight before dropping.. Read Story »
MILLS RIVER — At the stops on a farm tour, workers toiled in the background. Read Story »
Tags: immigration | farming | Van Wingerden Greenhouses | Jason Davis | North River Farms | Flavor 1st | Kirby Johnson
MILLS RIVER — A carpet of red, yellow, purple, blue, pink and green spread in every direction as far as Mark Meadows could see. A cold rain pelted the roof but in a few weeks' time, the plants and flowers under 37 acres of greenhouse roof will be in big stores and smaller nurseries up to 350 miles from their Mills River birthplace. Read Story »
Tags: farming | apple farming | U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows | green industries | Van Wingerden Greenhouses | Bert Lemkes
Henderson County agencies and nonprofit conservation groups are eligible to apply for farmland preservation grants funded through the state's settlement of a lawsuit against the Tennessee Valley Authority over air pollution from coal plants. Read Story »
Tags: farming | TVA | farmland preservation | NC Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler
DANA — Farmers know that when the cold sets in, the worst companion is a calm still night. Read Story »
Tags: farming | apple farming
Awaiting U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan's arrival in Hendersonville last week, Mark Williams, the county's Agribusiness Development director, received an email that perfectly supported the message he and other farming advocates wanted Hagan to hear. Read Story »
Tags: immigration | farming | apple farming
Kerrie Roach has begun work as Henderson County's Agriculture Extension agent for commercial and consumer horticulture. Read Story »
During a local campaign forum PEP executive Larry Rogers told business leaders that state Rep. Chuck McGrady "ranked last of the Republicans relative to the business community." Read Story »
Tags: Chuck McGrady | farming | business | PEP | industry | NC Legislature