Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2011 15:38:41 -0400
From: Al Cooke
Subject: Annual Chatham County Farm/Industry Tour
We still have a few openings for the Annual Chatham County Farm/Industry Tour. If you would like to join the tour from Siler City, Pittsboro, or Fearrington, please contact our office (919.542.8202) on Monday to arrange for ticket purchase.
Chatham County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension invites you to join our annual Farm & Industry Tour on October 12, 2011. Participants will tour on comfortable county buses or vans and may board in Siler City at the Siler Crossing Shopping Center behind McDonalds, in Pittsboro in front of the Chatham County Agriculture Building, or at Fearrington Village at the Gathering Place. The tour will leave pick up points at 8:30 a.m. and return by 4:30 p.m. The $15 fee includes transportation, lunch featuring locally produced food, and visits to four agricultural operations. To reserve a place on the tour, purchase tickets from the Chatham County Center of NC Cooperative Extension in person or by calling at 919-542-8202 no later than October 7. Space is limited.
Included on this year’s tour are Arbor Enterprises, Inc., Hickory Mountain Farm, Manco Dairy Farm, and the Orchid Gallery.
Arbor Enterprises, Inc. is a full service landscape contracting company operating out of Pittsboro. Established in 1991 by Paige Moody, Registered Landscape Contractor, Arbor sets standards in residential landscape design, installation, and renovation. In recent years the company has diversified by adding expert staff capable of creating stone retaining walls, ponds, patios, and walkways as well as consultation in commercial irrigation, lighting, and tree removal.
Hickory Mountain Farm is a diverse and integrated operation featuring livestock and vegetables. Keenan McDonald in partnership with Dallas Hurley of Country Farm & Home Supply operates the farm from two locations. The tour will visit the Elmer Keck Road site to see vegetable crops, Hereford/Angus beef cattle, and egg producing Welsh Harlequin ducks. Participants will learn how a cow pasture was transformed into a market garden that supplies produce for farmers’ markets, restaurants, community supported agriculture (CSA), and wholesale to on-line farmers’ market Bella Bean Organics.
Manco Dairy Farm, Inc is a dairy cattle and milk production farm operated by Lynn Mann and his son Jesse in Pittsboro. Established by the Mann family in 1947, the farm grows all its feed stock. Corn and small grains support feeding a herd of about 100 registered Holsteins. The corn when chopped and fermented as silage may be stored for several years with little loss of nutrients. Lynn Mann has received awards for his breeding work.
The Orchid Gallery is a family-owned business which has been growing orchids from their greenhouses in east Pittsboro since 1993. In addition to retail and wholesale sales of hundreds of various forms and colors, they offer orchid rentals for businesses and special events, expertly designed orchid arrangements, repotting services, and the service of maintaining orchids for customers who prefer not to have the worry of how to rebloom their plants. Currently the greenhouses contain approximately 20,000 orchids, 8,000 of which belong to customers.
For many participants, this tour is an annual ritual that they repeat year after year. Purchase tickets early to assure yourself a place.
North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran’s status. In addition, the two Universities welcome all person without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.
Persons with disabilities and persons with limited English proficiency may request accommodations to participate by contacting Sam Groce, County Extension Director at 919.542.8202 or <mailto:sam_> or in person at the County Extension Office at least 15 days prior to the event.”
Al Cooke
Extension Agent, Horticulture
Chatham County Center, N.C. Cooperative Extension
PO Box 279, Pittsboro, NC 27312
919.542-8202; Fax 919.542.8246
<mailto:al_>
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/staff/acooke/home.html