ThesundipsinandoutofthecloudsaboveDogwoodNurseryFarm,makinganalreadynippydayfeelevencooler.Recentrainshaveturnedpartsofthefarmintoabog.Theguineahensarerunningwild,all90pigsandhogshavetobefed,andthemobilechickentractorneedstoberotatedagain. AndNelsonJamescouldn’tbehappier. NelsonandMaryJamesofPenderCountyarethisyear’sSmallFarmersoftheYear,sohonoredbyTheCooperativeExtensionProgramatA&Tforenthusiasticallydelvingintonichemarkets,fortheircommunityoutreachandfortheirwilling-nesstotrynewtechniquesandapproachesontheir20acresofDogwoodNurseryFarm. James,62,alanky,laid-backthirdgenerationfarmer,wasborntothiscareer.OnabriskFebruarydaythathasJameslay-eredforthecold,fromhisther-malstohiscoveralls,heoffersthis

theoryofhisrelationshiptotheland. “IsayI’mgoingtochange,”saysJames,whoisfeedinghispasturedDurochogsfromoneofhisfarm’sfourpastures.“Idon’tmeantokeepdoingthiseveryyear.ButthenthespringcomesandI’mrightbackinthefieldturninggroundagain.I’mjustlikethatalcoholic;Igorightbacktoit.” MaryJamesmighthavebeenabletohelpherhusbandquit—back,shesays,when“IthoughtIwastoocute”tofarm.Thesedays,sheistoobusytendinghergardens,herhens,turkeys,rab-bits,theheiferandthebulltotrytotalkherhusbandoutofanything. “Whenapersonloveswhattheydo,itshows,”saysMaryJameswho,withherhusband,foundedN.C.WillingWorkers,thecooperativethathelpsotherlimitedresourcefarmersnavigatesustainableagricultureandmar-ketingpractices.

TheSmallFarmeroftheYearAwardrecognizestheintrepidcouplefor—amongotherthings—theircreativeandinnovativefarm-productionmethods,includ-ingpasturedpoultry,pesticide-freeproductionandthedesignoftheirownmobilechickentractor,whichhelpschickensroostandfeed,whilethelandissimultaneouslybeingfertilizedbychickendroppings.ExtensionstaffworkedwiththeJamesonthosefarmenterprises,aswellaswiththeirventuresgrow-ingmushroomsonlogs,develop-ingafarmWebsiteandjoiningfarm-marketorganizations. “Theyhaveworkedthought-fullyandcreativelytokeeptheirfamilyfarmandtobeagoodexampleofsuccesstoallsmallfarmers,”saysJamesHartsfield,theCooperativeExtensionareaagentforSampson,DuplinandpartsofPenderCounty,whonominatedthecouple. NelsonJameshandlesthedemandingherdof90pigs,someusedforbreeding,theotherssoldformeat.MaryJamestendstheotheranimalsandalsogrowsromainelettuce,carrotsandcabbagetrans-plantedfromhergreenhousetothefields.Shealsogrowsloofah,mushrooms,eggplant,garlic,watermelon,onions,tomatoesandseveralotherassortedvegetables,herbsandfruits.ShehaslearnedbyworkinginCommunitySupportedAgricultureorganiza-tions,cooperatives,andwithretailcustomersthatincludeafour-starrestaurantinWilmingtonandwithWholeFoods,howtomeetthe

demandsofthemarketplace. “Nichemarketingiswhatit’sallabout,”NelsonJamessays.“That’swhatsmallfarmingisgoingtocometo:apick-a-packhereandapick-a-packthere.Youjustcannothaveonethingandsurvive.” NelsonJamesretiredfouryearsagoafter39yearsasacar-penteratCampLejeuneMarineCorpsBase;MaryJamesleftthelocalschoolsystemadecadeagoafterworkingasareadingtutorandcoordinatorofparentvolun-teers.Yet,thecouplefarmedtheentirespanoftheirotherjobs,havingtaughttheirsixchildrenandnowtheirfivegrandchildrenalongtheway. Duringtheirmostprofit-ableyearsoffarminganacreoftobaccotheJamesestimatemaking$500to$1,200ayear;In2007,sinceworkingwithExtension,theJames’made$13,000justonnichemarketing.MaryJamessaysit’sgreattoseemorefruitfromtheirhardandsteadylabors.Theaddi-tionalincomealsohasmeaningforNelsonJames,whohasamoreearthyperspective. “It’sawholelotbetterthanwhenyouhadtocroptobaccoalldayintherain,”saysNelsonJames.“Withthisnichemarketingyoucanatleastcomeoutoftherain.”

Preparing. Finding. Implementing solutions.

• AgriculturalResearchProgramhelpingtolaunchN.C.truffleindustry

• CooperativeExtensionhasninenewlong-rangegoals

inside

onthe move North Carolina A&T State University

School of Agriculture and

Environmental Sciences

Newsletter

April 2008 • Vol. VII, No. 2

Pender County couple wins 2008 Gilmer L. and Clara Y. Dudley Small Farmer of the Year AwardNelson and Mary James

TheNorthCarolinaBiotechnologyCenterishelpingSAES’seffortstostartafungalbiotechnologycompanyinNorthCarolinawitha$100,000grantforresearchontrufflecultivation.Theprojectwillbeled

byDr.OmonIsikhuemhenofSAES,withcollaborationfromscientistsatMycorrhizaBiotech,aBurlingtoncompanythatpro-videssoil,truffleandmycorrhizamonitor-ingservices. TheSAEShasbeenthedrivingforcebehindstartingtheshiitakemushroom

industryinNorthCarolina,andisnowbranchingoutintoothermushroomvariet-ies,includingtruffles. Trufflesbelongtoagroupoffilamen-tousmycorhizalfungithatgrowontherootsofhosttrees.Whentheymature,theyproducegolf-ballsizetubersthataredugupforuseingourmetcuisine.Thethree-yearprojectwilldevelopandperfectthetech-nologyforinoculatingpecanandloblollypinewithtwospeciesoftruffle,andtesttheresultsbymonitoringtheDNAofthetruf-flesintherootsoftheplantsinthenurseryandinthefield. MostoftherecentexcitementaroundtrufflefarminginNorthCarolinasur-roundsthehighlylucrative—butalsohighlyrisky—blacktruffle,whichisnativetoEurope.Theyareusuallycultivatedonhazelnuttrees,butcanbedifficulttogrow

inthesoutheast,evenwithsubstantialsoilamendments.However,thereisalsoamar-ketfortwolessexpensivetrufflevarietiesthatareeasiertogrowbecausetheythriveinnativesoilsonpecanandloblollypine,Isikhuemhensaid.Thesevarietiescanpro-videseveraladvantagestogrowerswhoareinterestedinhavinganalternativesourceofincomewhileminimizingrisk,heexplained. BothpecanandloblollypinearealreadycommerciallyimportanttreesinNorthCarolinaandtheSoutheast.Furthermore,mycorrhizaserveasnaturalbiofertilizers,scavengingnutrientsfromawidezone,extendingtherootzoneofthehostplantandimprovingitsvalueandvigor.Trufflescouldalsoaidtheenviron-mentbyprovidinganincentiveforland-ownerstoplantandmaintaintrees.

onthemoveNC Biotech Center supporting SAES research

Preparing. Finding. Implementing solutions.

Dr.M.RayMcKinnie,chiefadmin-istratorforTheCooperativeExtensionProgramatA&T,summedupanoverhauloftheorga-nization’s

long-rangeplan,anextensivenewsetofmarketingtoolsandastreamlinedreportingsystembyobservingthattheonlymissingingredientsarenowthe“heat,energyandsynergyneededtomoveforward.” McKinnie’swrapupatthreeregionalExtensionmeetingsputthefin-ishingtouchesontheunveilingofanewframeworkforeducationalprogramdevelopmentthatwillbesupportedbyupdatedorganizationalmarketing.Anewreportingsystemwillensurethatprogrammingimpactsareinlinewithorganizationalgoals,andorganizedforat-a-glanceaccessbystakeholdersaswellasone-stop-shoppingforExtensionspecialists,agentsandparaprofessionalscompilingtheimpactsoftheirwork.

Thenewmarketingtools,long-rangeplangoalsandreportingsystemaretheresultsofyearsofworkbyanumberoftaskforces,departmentsandindividuals.GuidanceandinputfromadvisorygroupsandpartneragenciesalsoplayedamajorroleinN.C.CooperativeExtension’s“RoadmapforChange.” Extension’sninenewlong-rangeplangoalsare: 1.EnvironmentalStewardshipand

NaturalResourcesManagement 2.Sustainable,ProfitableandSafe

Plant,AnimalandFoodSystems 3.YouthandAdultsAchieve

EducationalSuccess 4.HealthyWeightandChronic

DiseasePrevention 5.LifeSkillsandParenting 6.EnergyConservationand

Alternatives 7.Community,Leaderand

VolunteerDevelopment 9.EmergencyandDisaster

Preparedness GuidanceforcountyExtensioncenterstofollowinusingthenewmar-ketingmaterialsaswellasthematerialsthemselvesarenowavailableonline(www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/resources).Thenewelectronicreportingsystemthatwillreplaceandintegratecurrentimpactcollectionsystemswitha“one-stopportal”waslaunchedthedayafteritwasintroducedatthethirdandfinalregionalExtensionconference.

Nelson and Mary James — the 2008 Gilmer L. and Clara Y. Dudley Small Farmers of the Year — have been succeeding in small-scale agriculture with niche marketing and an extensively diverse production mix. The Dogwood Nursery Farm marketing angles include Community Supported Agriculture and a Web site. Its yields include pastured pork and poultry, mushrooms, eggplant, herbs, fruits … and a 38-year marriage.

Dr. Isikhuemhen

Cooperative Extension premiers new game plan for serving citizens of North Carolina

Dr. McKinnie

A&T’s largest classroom, the 490-acre University farm, now has an all-new and completely befitting Web presence at http://www.ag.ncat.edu/farm/index.html. The farm facilities listing undoubtedly has some surprises, even for those who haven’t ventured out McConnell Road in two or three years. The facilities lineup now includes: • A Beef Cattle Unit that mirrors the small-

scale grass-fed beef cattle operation that is typical in North Carolina.

• A Dairy Research Unit (built in 2006), that is set up to demonstrate the pasture-based system of dairy farming — a popular solution for small-scale dairy farmers in North Carolina who are seeking to lower their overhead.

• An Equine Unit that makes the SAES a player in North Carolina’s $700 million horse industries.

• A Horticulture Unit that serves as a labora-tory for students learning about horticul-ture, natural resources conservation, soil science, biological engineering, landscape architecture.

• A Poultry Research Unit (constructed in 2004) where research into alternatives to antibiotics, breed improvement, production issues and poultry pathogens is now under way.

• A Small Ruminant Research Unit, tailored to the needs of students and North Carolina’s fastest growing livestock industry: meat goat production.

• A Swine Research Unit with infrastructure improvements that have made it possible for the unit to now accommodate more than 200 sows

• Eight “Discover Agriculture” stations, where elementary school children on educational tours of the farm get an introduction to environmental education, nutrition and insects, as well as plants, seeds and insects.

The University Farm

________________ Nonprofit Org.________________

US Postage Paid________________ Permit No. 202 ________________

Greensboro, NC________________

onthe moveNorth Carolina A&T State University School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences NewsletterProduced by the Agricultural Communications and Technology Unit

Dr. Stanley F. Battle, ChancellorDr. Alton Thompson, Dean, School of Agriculture and Environmental SciencesDr. M. Ray McKinnie, Associate Dean, Administrator, The Cooperative Extension ProgramDr. Carolyn Turner, Associate Dean, Agricultural Research StationDr. Donald McDowell, Associate Dean, Academic ProgramsDr. Willie T. Ellis Jr., Associate Dean, Administration

North Carolina A&T State University is a land-grant high research activity institution and AA/EEO employer.

Send change of address and correspondence to: on the move NewsletterEditor AgriculturalResearchProgram CHMooreAgriculturalResearchStation Greensboro,NC27411

7,000 copies of this public document were printed on recycled paper at a cost of $879.14 or $0.13 per copy.

Distributed in furtherance of the acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Employment and program opportunities are open to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. North Carolina A&T State University, North Carolina State University, US Department of Agriculture and local governments cooperating.

www.ag.ncat.edu

•InstallationofStanleyF.Battle,Ph.D.,asthe11thChancellorofNorthCarolinaA&TStateUniversity:Friday,April25,CorbettSportsCenter,1:30p.m.ChecktheA&Twebsiteatwww.ncat.eduforafullscheduleofinstallationactivities.

•SAESStudentAwardsBanquetforthe2007-08AcademicYear:Friday,April25,MemorialStudentUnionBuilding,7p.m.

Dr.VelmaSpeight-Buford,chairoftheUniversity’sboardoftrustees,andDr.AltonThompson,deanofA&T’sSchoolofAgricultureandEnvironmentalScience,atthe2007SAESStudentAwardsBanquet.

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