• By Mary Jac Brennan
• Posted Thursday, February 7, 2019

Small Farms Week

Small farms make a major contribution to the state’s $84 billion agriculture industry, but that’s not all. They support public health by providing fresh, local food, and they help protect the environment through their careful stewardship of natural resources.

Sponsored by Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T, the 33rd annual Small Farms Week begins March 26 in Robeson County – home of the 2019 Farmer of the Year – where the highlights include a panel discussion with master farmers and a tour of local farms. The event continues March 26-28 on the N.C. A&T campus with educational workshops on hemp production, season extension, and disaster preparedness, demonstrations, a farm tour and a March 27 luncheon where the 2019 Farmer of the Year will be announced.

To register for Small Farms Week 2019 please complete the online registration form which can be found at the Small Farms Week Website at this internet address https://www.ncat.edu/caes/sfw/index.html

Registration is now open!! Registration is $30; however, this fee is waived for NC small farmers. A limited number of scholarships are available to support NC small farmer’s participation in campus events on March 26-27. This year we are offering two (2) nights lodging! The deadline to apply for a scholarship is March 4. Small Farmers will be offered the opportunity to apply for a scholarship at the same time they register for the conference; granted registration is done no later than March 4, 2019. After March 4, the registration system will not offer the opportunity to apply for a scholarship; so please register by March 4 if you plan to apply for a small farmer scholarship.

This is an opportunity to visit a farm, to attend educational programming on hemp production, disaster preparedness, and season extension, to tour the University farm and see research and demonstrations designed to help small farms. Come experience the mission of one of the state’s Land Grant University and see how we are bringing the University to the people through Cooperative Extension.