| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 08:38:45 AM
Hi All...
Ok, here's a question, not sure where to post, but it's not exactly a "farm of my own" so I thought I'd get some advice here, maybe?
Ok: so, there is a huge potential "project" that would involve me getting involved with the community of Rocky Mount, North Carolina. I can't get into specifics but involves organic markets, helping small farmers, the community and much more.
The problem is (and I am using a phrase that several people have used when discussing the possibilities) is that it is too far from the major areas of Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Durham, and the the folks in that area would not take a shine to "city folks" trying to get them to go/grow organic, doing "newfangled" things, etc....and that the people who might be interested are too far away.
Further, Rocky Mount is undergoing a depression and can't attract folks to it's downtown area.
Anyone know about Rocky Mount and have any advice? Anyone know about Nash county? Can you tell me what it's like in Raleigh, Durham, Rocky Mount, etc? What's the community and the farming situation like? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!! 
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View my work:
www.bigtownfarmer.com
www.pumpkinpatchparlor.etsy.com
And Blogs:
agriculture: www.bigtownfarmer.blogspot.com
art: www.queenofcrows.blogspot.com
animals: www.big-luv.blogspot.com |
| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| mkmomus |
Posted - Mar 19 2008 : 4:27:45 PM
Ellyn,
I would love it! Met you once at your Borders book signing here!! If you have time, let's set something up.
Merle |
| EllynAnne |
Posted - Mar 19 2008 : 2:18:14 PM
Merle, I'm coming to Greensboro in April. Perhaps we'll meet up!
ea
Tie One On...an apron, of course!
www.apronmemories.com |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Mar 18 2008 : 9:24:37 PM
OMG guys, you are killing me!! My sides hurt from too much laughing. Actually, I was raised in North Florida part time, which is considered the south (it's the Panhandle, before anyone goes jumping on me about how "Florida is not the south"!) and so I get the "hey, y'all" and "fixin" references! Oh dear...well, it should be an INTERESTING trip. I'll definitely keep you posted, and thanks for all the information, legit, funny, and otherwise! :D
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View my work:
www.bigtownfarmer.com
www.pumpkinpatchparlor.etsy.com
And Blogs:
agriculture: www.bigtownfarmer.blogspot.com
art: www.queenofcrows.blogspot.com
animals: www.big-luv.blogspot.com |
| mkmomus |
Posted - Mar 18 2008 : 4:26:21 PM
Ellyn,
Since we are giving Zan tips on NC, a friend (born and bred in NC) sent me this today. Maybe you guys (opps I mean y'all) will enjoy it. I have been here for 10 years now; still a Yankee but they can tolerate me now!! I do love sweet tea and the state of NC!!
What Jeff Foxworthy has to say about people in North Carolina:
If someone in a Home Depot store offers you
assistance and they don't work there,
you may live in North Carolina .
If you are 'fixin' to go anywhere or do anything,
you may live in North Carolina! .
If you've worn shorts on Christmas day,
you may live in North Carolina .
If you've had a telephone conversation with
a wrong number, you may live in North Carolina .
If 'vacation' means going to the Outer
Banks for a week, you may live in North Carolina .
If you install security alarms on your
house and garage, but leave both unlocked,
you may live in North Carolina .
If you carry jumper cables in your car and
your wife knows how to use them,
you may live in North Carolina .
If the speed limit on the highway is 55,
you're going 70 and everybody is passing
you, may live in North Carolina .
If you find 60 degrees 'a little chilly', you
may live in North Carolina .
If you take time off work to watch
basketball in March, you may live in
North Carolina .
If you know for certain that Charlotte
is not really the capital, you may live
in North Carolina .
If you know the names of any NASCAR
drivers besides Dale Earnhardt Jr or Jeff
Gordon, you may live in North Carolina .
If you think iced tea only comes pre-
sweetened, you may live in North Carolina .
If you know two or more people named
'Trey', you may live in North Carolina .
If you can name more than two hurricanes
that you lived through (with pride), you
may live in North Carolina .
If you think that all Yankee college students
should move back home upon graduation,
you may live in North Carolina .
If you actually understand these jokes, and
share them with your friends, you definitely
live in North Carolina .
|
| EllynAnne |
Posted - Mar 18 2008 : 3:52:04 PM
Your visit this week-end:
1. Hey! is the standard North Carolina greeting. A very regional identifier. Hey! is not hay.
2. Y'all can be singular or plural. All y'all is singularly plural. Hey! How y'all doin'? is a singular or plural greeting and if so inquired upon, do reply!
3. As the new Yankee (ha!) in town, let your darling self shine through by slowing down to the pace of smaller town America. Embrace mosey, toodle, stroll, and shashay. Where you're headed and may transplant, there's no running to catch a subway, no jostling to get a cab in the rain, no pizza by the slice.
4. I think you will be surprised at the welcome the community will extend. Remember, you are bringing energy, talent and hope to a place that could use all three!
5. Hush puppies and North Carolina barbecue are haute cuisine.
Here's the link to the Greensboro Farmers' Market:
Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market - LocalHarvest
The Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market is one of the oldest markets in NC, dating back to 1874. It is an indoor facility and is open year round on Saturdays, ...
www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/M11861 - 45k
and this tidbit of info I found very interestin:
NCDA&CS - Marketing Division - Piedmont Triad Tarmers Market
The Piedmont Triad Farmers Market is one of five Farmers Markets owned by the STATE OF NORTH ... Triad NC.net · Greensboro Area Convention & Visitors Bureau ...
www.ncagr.com/markets/facilit/farmark/triad/
A decent bagel outside New York is not easily found in the south. But the good news is, a good biscuit is one of the south's specialties!
You are going to have the very best time. I have no doubt you'll be told time and again Y'all come back now, ya heah?
xxea
Tie One On...an apron, of course!
www.apronmemories.com |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Mar 18 2008 : 06:04:29 AM
Yay! Merle solved the mystery! It surely was, Merle. Thanks for that :)
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Mar 18 2008 : 12:01:38 AM
Merle...thank you! THis is great information. I am so humbled that everyone is taking the time to help, I so appreciate it!
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View my work:
www.bigtownfarmer.com
www.pumpkinpatchparlor.etsy.com
And Blogs:
agriculture: www.bigtownfarmer.blogspot.com
art: www.queenofcrows.blogspot.com
animals: www.big-luv.blogspot.com |
| mkmomus |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 8:55:44 PM
Zan,
Raleigh has a hugh farmers market that is year round. NC has state run farmers markets that are a good size and then of course there are local ones. I am in Greensboro but you do mean Greenville. Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill are all kind of one big place. There is a little distace between them, but I am from NY and it is not much. There are quite a few colleges in this area. The biggest being NC State in Raleigh, UNC at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill of course and Duke in Durham. I know that State and Duke both have a pretty good size environmental programs and of course those people are all into this. I don't know about Chapel Hill. My son graduated in environmental from State and is graduate school at Duke, so I know a little about them. Many college kids are into that so that could be a good thing. I also know that the Research Triangle Park (in Durham) has meny people from other countries, as does Raleigh. I do not know if people from other countries look for organic or not. I know that many of the people that way are affulent and have no trouble spending the higher price for these things. WE have some great Public TV here and I rememeber a story on a show called Our State. It was about an ice cream shop that was out in the country in that area. It used to be dairy farm and they chaged to ice cream to stay in business I think.They made some crazy flavors and I think it was all natural. That place was really jumping in the warm months. I guess that shows that people are willing to drive out a little to get what they want.
Let me tell you something I have noticed out here in Greensboro (about 90 minutes from Raleigh and 60 minutes from Durham, 2 hours from Rocky Mount). I can never find organic seedlings. I don't know if I miss them or they are not here. People down here love to garden, so that may be something to think about as well.
Jonni- was it Pilot Mt? That is by Mt Airy and kind of flat on top. I have a great print of a painting of it I bought at a local craft show.
Good Luck
Merle |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 8:19:17 PM
Hey, EllynAnne...I didn't realize you were EllynAnne Geisel...ok, now I bow down to you!! Ha! If I adopt you, can you make me aprons every day? Ok, well, I had to ask :D
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View my work:
www.bigtownfarmer.com
www.pumpkinpatchparlor.etsy.com
And Blogs:
agriculture: www.bigtownfarmer.blogspot.com
art: www.queenofcrows.blogspot.com
animals: www.big-luv.blogspot.com |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 8:16:00 PM
Hey EllynAnne! Thanks for the good info. Actually, I know that Rocky Mount has a farmer's market, but it's limited...starting in April and usually on Sat/Sun only from 8am-1pm. Which I guess makes sense since it's near a rural community and several people grow stuff in their gardens. Is the farmer's market in Greensboro open yet? I'd love to go when I am down there. Could you let me know where it is?
We plan to visit before hand for sure, the first visit being this coming weekend, and I definitely understand that we are the "new guys" and want to tread lightly and respect the people and the area. I am curious to learn what goes on there and help people and learn from them, too. Any other advice is great. Thanks EA! :D
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View my work:
www.bigtownfarmer.com
www.pumpkinpatchparlor.etsy.com
And Blogs:
agriculture: www.bigtownfarmer.blogspot.com
art: www.queenofcrows.blogspot.com
animals: www.big-luv.blogspot.com |
| EllynAnne |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 5:31:00 PM
Hey! I'm from Greensboro and I had to google Rocky Mount to get a sense of where it's located. While it's only 40 miles from Raleigh/Durham, the cultural distance may be a lot greater. By this, I am not making a judgment as to the community's willingness to accept what you're offering with a Hallelujah chorus, but rather that you didn't first transplant and become a part of Rocky Mount before launching. Taking things slower could be to your advantage, also. Even visiting on a regular basis might be a way to segue, to become a familiar face and a person with a good intention.
Greensboro has an indoor farmers market every Saturday and Sunday, and it's jammed with shoppers. Perhaps you could check on where the closest market is to Rocky Mount. And if there isn't one, then that's even better! The Chamber of Commerce will welcome your inquiries - they may be very interested in your plan to the point of providing you incentives.
Good luck with this!
ea
Tie One On...an apron, of course!
www.apronmemories.com
|
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 4:52:43 PM
Hey Guys! Wow, this is all good advice. Shoot, I wanna go over to Mt. Airy now. No, Rocky Mount is sort of between (or is it within?) Nash and Edgecombe counties, and is surrounded by Chapel Hill, Raleigh/Durham and also Greenville (or is it Greenboro...ugg!) and all of those are about 40 mins away.
My only worry is that this "little" project won't work. Ok, the story: a friend of a friend purchased the old Coca Cola Bottling plant-28000sq/ft of it and the acre lot its on, and wanted to start a green market or something similar that would include the farmer's and bakers, etc of the area, to try to vitalize the downtown area, which is in a slump, though the preservation society in the area is now working to restore the buildings. Because it's sort of far from the larger cities, this guys wasn't sure if a green market was feasible. My friend basically recommended ME for the job because I am "organizational"...which, while this is true, does NOT make me an expert at green markets. But I'm excited at the prospect.
I've researched the area, but the guy wanted me to go down there this weekend. I've spoken with the agriculture extension office, I noticed there are colleges and an art center nearby. I have enough organizational skill and have interviewed enough farmer's markets for the magazine to figure AT LEAST that much out, but I don't think you can predict how people will feel about something (especially from a crazy city girl) to predict it's success.
Which is why I was askin' the question....hmmm....
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View my work:
www.bigtownfarmer.com
www.pumpkinpatchparlor.etsy.com
And Blogs:
agriculture: www.bigtownfarmer.blogspot.com
art: www.queenofcrows.blogspot.com
animals: www.big-luv.blogspot.com |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 4:08:50 PM
Girl - not to worry! Hope you feel better soon!
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 4:06:47 PM
Whew, I'm glad, Jeannie--I'm feeling sick today (stomach virus) and I'm trying to wean myself off coffee so lord only knows what inflection I have or what I say :) I'm glad I didn't offend, for sure :)
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 4:05:29 PM
Maybe I'm totally confused then...maybe we were near Mt. Airy??? The mountains were bald on top--and I can't for the life of me remember the cabins we stayed in...they were referenced in Country Living one season (the Editor owned them) and I thought that would be a neat getaway..But, you know, this was my first marriage and I've (tried) to forget a lot about that...maybe I'd forgotten where we were, too. I know it was in the mountains of NC and it was small and RURAL (where the cabins were). The town didn't have much shakin', either and I remember thinking that it was really pretty. We stayed there and then drove to Winston Salem to visit a friend of mine who taught at the School for creative and performing arts there, all the way down through NC to visit his army buddies at Fort Bragg. What a honeymoon!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 4:03:44 PM
Oh no, Jonni! Not at all! When we post, it is so easy to misunderstand sometimes, but I always think you are just the sweetest in everything you say! Please forgive me for saying things wrong! I have notice when I post stuff, it does indeed sound stuffy, and I am not really stuffy. (I hope!)
The whole United States is so "one" now, that the terms rural and others may be incorrect terms. Rocky Mount and Mt. Airy are really beautiful and have so much wonderful history.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
| Peanut |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 3:58:29 PM
Mt. Airy is in western NC - very near the Virginia border, near Carroll County. Rocky Mount is much further east.
I've actually never heard anyone refer to Rocky Mount as rural - that's a new one on me! (Then again, my county only has one stoplight, so whadda I know?)
My new blog! http://thecottonwife.wordpress.com/
"What is a farm but a mute gospel?"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
|
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 3:47:34 PM
Glad to know, Jennifer--is that town nearby out of curiosity? I remember someone mentioning to me about that while we were there...
Jeannie, were you responding to what I said? I meant the landscape was rural...not the people--I really hope you didn't misunderstand me...
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| Peanut |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 2:32:35 PM
Jonni, Mayberry was modelled after Mt. Airy, NC [/AndyGriffithgeek].
My new blog! http://thecottonwife.wordpress.com/
"What is a farm but a mute gospel?"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
|
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 2:25:51 PM
I have found in all the areas of North Carolina I have visited - and that is a quite a few - people are open to good ideas and very intelligent and savvy even if they are "rural" as some folks put it. They want the best for everyone and they work hard. But with all good sense, they are skeptical to folks coming in with projects from "away". It has happened before. So your project would probably have to include a time of becoming familiar with the area and making friends, proving you have their best interests at heart, and giving them the opportunity to share their knowledge, too, which is usually quite impressive. Sounds reasonable, right? You mention that part of your project would be doing this very thing, and so it may be helpful to everyone as time goes on. Good luck and work hard and be real.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 1:31:51 PM
Zan, I think this is the town where I spent my honeymoon--we stayed in cabins at the foot of a bald top mountain (Rocky Mount)...if I'm not mistaken, it's not much over the border from Tennessee, and it was very rural. I think the town was where Andy Griffith was modelled after or from. If I'm correct, it was darling, but not much to support economically--this has been several years, but I doubt much has changed. I remember the streets closing up by 5:00 or so, and charmingly, there was no big box retail or restaurants. I'm sure there's a Walmart. We happened upon a sign driving down the road that read "music today" and it was this great gathering of old timers who played bluegrass and mountain music, and we were welcomed with open arms. VERY cool!!!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
| miss wilma |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 1:26:47 PM
Zan, are you planning to move there,The people I have met in NC have all been very nice,Have you checked out other areas to do this, I know this area would love for something organic it be here.If you could get close enough to a larger ares to deliver to the buyers that might work also, anyway I hope you find something, Miss Wilma
Farm Girl #96
http://www.picturetrail.com/misswilmasplace
http://misswilma.blogspot.com/ |
| Farmtopia |
Posted - Mar 17 2008 : 1:11:04 PM
Yikes, well I see the subject got bounced way down the list because everyone has such fun going on...maybe I'll try to post this elsewhere :D
~*~Dream all you dreamers~*~
View my work:
www.bigtownfarmer.com
www.pumpkinpatchparlor.etsy.com
And Blogs:
agriculture: www.bigtownfarmer.blogspot.com
art: www.queenofcrows.blogspot.com
animals: www.big-luv.blogspot.com |
|
|
