How does the Harnett County Farmers Market Alleviate Unemployment in a Tobacco-Related Sector:
A permanent, county-managed farmers’ market is at the heart of the current shift into higher value crops and more diversified farms. Several farmers who are supportive of this market are leading this shift and supporting present and past tobacco farmers while they do so. Here are a few case studies of former tobacco farmers doing just that.- Johnson’s Pumpkins- Many of the farms that once grew tobacco are now producing strawberries in different areas of Harnett County. Strawberries are a high value crop that has worked well for many former tobacco growers. Other former tobacco growers are producing field-grown vegetables on a large scale while others are producing tomatoes, cucumbers, and plants in greenhouses. Johnson’s Pumpkins is a retired tobacco grower family that grows vegetables and pumpkins on a fairly large scale (Johnson's Pumpkins Facebook Page).
- The Scoop- Jeff Johnson is a former tobacco grower who operates The Scoop at Willow Farms. Jeff, his wife, and his daughter are all employed at the farm. They have transitioned from tobacco to agritourism that highlights agricultural education, animals, and ice cream. They currently have plans to source fruit locally to add into their ice cream. They hope to continue growing the business so they can support an ice cream cart at a local farmers’ market (Welcome To The Scoop).
- R&B Farms, Honeycutt Farms, and Wimberly Hay and Cattle- Each of these operations produces meat that is processed and sold locally. R&B Farms offers poultry, beef, and pork; Honeycutt Farms produces beef; and Wimberly Hay and Cattle also produces beef. These farms are examples of the newer midsize growers that are developing in Harnett County. These farms often rely on former tobacco growers as employees or figures of support in their network. These farms, especially R&B Farms, sell at farmers’ markets in neighboring counties.
- McLean Farms- This former tobacco farm is a prime example of a midsize farm that focuses on ice cream, agritourism, and wholesale, field-grown vegetables such as Korean peppers and Asian cabbage. They currently employ the widow of a former tobacco farmer to help manage the farm store. McLean Farms has also been a partner in developing our value-added market for crops such as field peas; they also support the development of a county-managed farmers’ market, as they are currently selling in markets outside of Harnett County.
the Veteran’s Farm of North Carolina, CATHIS Farm, and Sauer Family Farm- These veteran owned and operated farms are leading examples of diversified farms making use of land that was historically in tobacco and row crops. The Veteran’s Farm is a nonprofit developed to support veterans exiting the military who want to farm; they currently manage livestock, greenhouses, and vegetable fields. CATHIS Farm produces pasture pork, beef, and chicken that is processed and sold directly from the farm and sold at farmers’ markets in neighboring counties. Sauer Family Farm also produces pasture meat. These farms keep historic ag lands in production, create new agricultural jobs, and are ideal vendors for a county-managed farmers’ market.
