Farm mentoring program slated for Aug. 2

There’s good news for those with farming interests searching for mentoring on how to successfully grow an agricultural business.

The Eastern North Carolina Farmers Collaborative is offering a Mentor Farmer Training Program for Small Farmers on Friday, Aug. 2 at the James Family Farm in Jamesville.

The program is a hands-on event for farmers to learn about sustainable farming techniques. The event is being promoted by the Martin County N.C. Extension service and registration is available online on the Extension site.

The planned program covers a variety of topics throughout the six-hour course. There is a list of guest speakers presenting their farming and agricultural knowledge.

Malcolm James of the James Family Farm, Cecil Coleman of Coleman Family Farms and Scott Smith will discuss soil sampling, soil preparation and sustainability.

James will discuss using the different types of mulch, while Coleman will focus on liquid nutrient injection into drip lines and Smith will present an overview on soil sampling, soil health and amendments.

The Eastern North Carolina Farmer’s Collaborative is a project developed by Berry Hines Sr. His efforts work to enhance programs to develop profitable and sustainable farm business opportunities for socially disadvantaged veterans, beginning farmers and ranchers in North Carolina. This event is one of many presented by the organization.

“These socially disadvantaged producers are faced with challenges that limit their productivity in the farming business. The Eastern North Carolina Farmer Collaborative collaborates with stakeholders to address these needs by providing outreach, training, and technical assistance within their project areas,” said Hines.

The goal is to increase farm income and improve the quality of life of participating farmers and ranchers. Hines maintains that increased prosperity also increases prosperity in the community.

Berry also serves on the Board of Governance for the Feast Down East food hub project that connects farmers with outlets for their products. That includes wholesale sales to restaurants and grocery stores, mobile farmers markets and other community partners.

In the first half of 2024 the Feast Down East Food Hub has over $32,000 in sales and has sold almost 10,000 pounds of product.

The Mentor Farming Program begins at 8:30 a.m. registration. The event is free and includes lunch. The James Family Farm is located at 1939 Free Union Road in Jamesville.