Catawba County, NC – The Farm Day Getaway Bus Tour will take place on May 4th from 11am – 6pm. On this tour throughout Catawba County we hope to highlight the importance of farmland preservation and to introduce you to several farmers who have chosen Catawba County to buy land and farm with the desire to feed people and keep their land productive. We will meet in Conover and visit the Conover Farmers Market to help them celebrate their opening day. The Conover Farmers Market is an important market for customers on the eastern part of Catawba County and for many newer farmers just entering the scene. It’s a great place to find local meat, eggs, vegetables, bread, jams and jellies, pickles, plants and much more.
We’ll then head to Catawba to visit DeFarm on Blueberry Hill, a shitake and blueberry farm owned by retired detectives Gail and Glenn DeTample, who started their farm to keep them active when they retired. Without any prior farming experience, they’ve built up a successful farm business and are currently getting ready to expand.
Our next stop will be True Cut Ranch in Claremont which is one of our newest farms using regenerative practices to help build up their soil, reduce inputs and increase productivity. Melissa and Frank Falcone will introduce you to their herds of grass fed cattle, pasture raised pigs and the chicken school bus.
Our final stop will be at Raising Roots Farm in Hickory where Brandon and Jennifer Berry have been raising Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs and involved in breeding programs to help them better acclimate to North Carolina conditions. The Gloucestershire Old Spot breed is revered in England as a naturally lean pork and the only pork the royal family will eat. You’ll also visit their Craft Butchery where they sell their pork products as well as other locally sourced meats and North Carolina products.
After the tour, we’ll enjoy dinner in their newest expansion, The Old Spot, a restaurant serving BBQ and sides with 22 beers on tap. Raising Roots is also the location for the Eat, Drink and Be Local Farm Feast that will take place this year on June 29th, tickets available through SimpleTix.
As we travel between farms, NC Cooperative Extension we will share with you some of the history of farming in Catawba County and watch several short videos introducing you to some of the members of the Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Group who will share their stories of how they are continuing their family farms. At each stop we will enjoy snacks and small plates sourced from local farms and prepared by April Vigardt who teaches the Local Food Cooking Class at NC Cooperative Extension- Catawba Center. All snacks and dinner are included in the $45 ticket price. Tickets can be purchased at https://catawba.ces.ncsu.edu/2024/04/the-farm-day-getaway-bus-tour-may-4th-11am-6pm/. Call 828-465-8240 for more information.
