Ponytail Ag Campaign Heads to Western NC for Final Stop
The Ponytail Ag campaign will make their final stop in Western NC’s Hendersonville, Mills River, Fairview, Grassy Creek and Zionville. Along the way we’ll chat with many inspiring females within the agriculture industry in an effort to promote their innovations and highlight the multiple opportunities for women in the realm of ag.
November 18
Margaret Bloomquist of N.C. State Alternative Crops & Organics
Mills River, NC
On our first stop we’ll be chatting with Margaret Bloomquist of the N.C. State Alternative Crops & Organics program. Bloomquist is responsible for medicinal herb, forest farming, Chinese herb, broccoli breeding trials, industrial hemp, and organic and biodynamic studies. We’ll be interviewing her about her research on creating an all natural dye with purple carrots.
November 19
Christen & Bryson Nix of Apple Wedge Farms
Hendersonville, NC
Sisters Christen and Bryson Nix are apple farmers at Apple Wedge Farms, a fifth-generation family owned apple packing business and the largest apple packer and distributor in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Their mountain grown apples, including ginger gold, gala, pink lady and stayman, are sold to grocery stores or made into their beloved fresh apple cider.
Amy Ager of Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Fairview, NC
Hickory Nut Gap Farm specializes in pasture-raised pork and chicken and 100% grass fed beef. Their meats are available at a variety of grocery stores, restaurants and universities within the Southeast, as well as at their on-site restaurant, which also features many other NC products on its brunch and lunch menus. Amy Ager is the owner of the farm and for the past 19 years she has worked in marketing, staffing, accounting and retail management. In 2015 she launched Hickory Nut Gap Farm’s events and catering departments.
Melissa Paton of Carolina Land & Lakes and Holly Whiteside of Against the Grain Farm
Zionville, NC
Melissa Paton of Carolina Land & Lakes, a non-profit conservation and development organization, helped Holly Whiteside and Against the Grain farm, which specializes in biodynamic and organic produce and GMO-free meats, secure a machine to make wood pellets. The pellets are used on Holly’s farm to heat up a high tunnel in the winter that grows lettuces, spinach and more.
November 20
Carrie McClain of Hart-T-Tree Farm
Grassy Creek, NC
Hart-T-Tree Farm has been growing stunning Fraser Firs in the Blue Ridge Mountains since 1986. The farm was started by her parents, Kathy and John Chefas. John began selling Christmas trees when he was in grade school in Chicago. Their trees are of premium quality and are thoroughly maintained and cared for using reasonable farming practices.