March Events

Upcoming Workshops and Events

Eastern NC Farm Succession School

Thursday, March 6, 2025
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
N.C. Cooperative Extension - Lenoir County Center
1791 North Carolina 11
Kinston, NC, 28504

Transitions are vulnerable times for farms and failing to plan for farm transitions can leave farms at risk of forced sales due to family conflict or nursing home recovery costs. Join us for the NC Farm Succession School to learn more about common challenges that farmers and landowners face when transitioning the farm to the next generation — and strategies to overcome these. The workshop will provide information and resources that farmers and landowners can use to help navigate farm transitions.

Register here!

Vegetable Production and Pest Management - Small Farm Boot Camp

March 13, 2025
5:30 - 8:00 pm
301 East Center Street
Lexington, NC 27292
Admission: $15

Are you interested in growing vegetables for local markets? Or perhaps you already grow veggies, but could use some expert information and ideas for pest management? The fourth installment of Small Farm Bootcamp will cover vegetable production for small farmers, and then move into a discussion of managing pests on your farm.

Get tickets here!

Cultivating A Legacy with Jolene Brown

Thursday, March 20, 2025 8:30 AM  
Friday, March 21, 2025 12:00 PM
Rowan Community Center
1935 Jake Alexander Boulevard West
Salisbury, NC, 28147

N.C. Cooperative Extension, Rowan County

This conference offers valuable insights and guidance for families looking to navigate the complexities of business ownership, farm transitions, and long-term financial planning.

Get tickets

Western NC Farm Succession School

March 27, 2025
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
WNC Regional Livestock Center
474 Stock Drive
Canton, NC, 28716

NC State Extension

Transitions are vulnerable times for farms and failing to plan for farm transitions can leave farms at risk of forced sales due to family conflict or nursing home recovery costs. Join us for the NC Farm Succession School to learn more about common challenges that farmers and landowners face when transitioning the farm to the next generation — and strategies to overcome these. The workshop will provide information and resources that farmers and landowners can use to help navigate farm transitions.

Register here!

Season Extension - Small Farm Boot Camp

March 27, 2025
5:30 - 8:00 pm
301 East Center Street
Lexington, NC 27292
Admission: $15
 

Have you ever driven by a farm and seen a hoop house and wondered how they are used? Protected agriculture is the key to growing high quality produce year round - lettuce in the winter, greens in the spring, healthy tomatoes all summer, and root crops in the fall. Learn about the different ways to extend the growing season with high tunnels, greenhouses, and row covers.

Get tickets here!

Sticky Sweets & Eats - Honey Edition

Honey is Back!

By: Samantha Snyder

We are so excited that Sunflower Hill Farm’s local honey is once again available!

Raw honey is a versatile, delicious, and shelf-stable superfood that everyone should have in their pantry. It contains antioxidants, has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, can potentially provide cardiovascular protection, and much more. Battling illness this season? Treat a sore throat with a teaspoon of honey in warm water with lemon, or in your favorite herbal tea.

HONEY RECIPES

Sunflower Hill’s honey has a spectacular, unique flavor, and is an excellent addition to home-cooked dishes. Try mixing it with Ashe County butter - honey butter makes the best topping for biscuits, cornbread, or Rabble and Rise sourdough (or pancakes). Make honey glazed chicken using Crossings chicken breasts. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a lovely honey cake. For a new dip, try spicy honey sriracha sauce!

Ribs

We have two different types of ribs available - pork from Klymer Ridge, and wagyu from Rocky Forge. For the pork, try oven baked fall-off-the-bone ribs with homemade sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. For the beef, try easy baked ribs in a rich, red wine based sauce. Serve with coleslaw, cornbread muffins, collard greens…or your own favorite fixin’!

Snacks

As you go about your day, it’s important to keep your body fueled, no matter how busy you are. Keep a bag of vanilla nut trio granola from Rabble and Rise with you for a quick snack. This granola uses sourdough starter as a binder, which means less sweetener and more probiotics in each batch! Peanut butter protein balls from SandyCreek Farm will satisfy your sweet tooth and provide you with a boost. Say goodbye to being “hangry” with these treats!

**** REMINDER: BLUE TOTES ****

Your orders are delivered in insulated blue totes - please bring these back (to any of the five pickup points, during any of their business hours). We re-use these bags in an effort to practice sustainability while keeping your food fresh!

The Piedmont Fresh shopping window is OPEN until Monday at 11:59 pm. Don’t forget to finalize your order when you finish filling your cart, and sign up for SMS alerts (on our home page) for reminders on when the cart opens and closes. 

Say ~ Cheese!

Savory Pairings: Gouda Cheese, delicious treats, & Gourmet Meats

By: Samantha Snyder

New Cheeses Now Available!

Thanks to SandyCreek Farm, try new mouthwatering Ashe County Cheeses!

HOOP CHEESE

Experience a southern classic - authentic Carolina hoop cheese. Ashe County uses their traditional recipe and old world techniques to make this rich and creamy cheese. Try it in nostalgic mac and cheese, or get adventurous with an apple cheese casserole.

CHEDDAR AND GOUDA

If you are of the opinion that “cheddar is better,” you’ll love Ashe County Mountain Cheddar. Try it sharp, or opt for the super sharp version, which is aged for five years! Treat yourself to the perfect brunch with a bacon cheddar quiche, or bring a jalapeño popper potato casserole to your next party.

Gouda cheese effortlessly elevates any dish. For a fun finger food, make apple gouda pigs in a blanket. Warm up on rainy winter days with smoked pepper and gouda soup. Put a slice on your wagyu burger for melt-in-your-mouth results!

DINNER FOR TWO

Valentine’s Day may be over, but any day is a good day to treat your partner to a delicious dinner at home. Keep things spicy with Brick Chicken using a whole chicken from Sunflower Hill Farm - shred and freeze the leftover meat for easy tacos on busy days, and use the bones for homemade bone broth. Prepare steak with mushroom cream sauce using Klymer Ridge sirloin. Country Hearth sourdough from Rabble and Rise makes an excellent side to any meal. And of course, finish it all off with something sweet - perhaps a ChocFulls cookie stack!

The Piedmont Fresh shopping window is OPEN until Monday at 11:59 pm. Don’t forget to finalize your order when you finish filling your cart, and sign up for SMS alerts (on our home page) for reminders on when the cart opens and closes.

Happy shopping!