Hickory Nut Gap Farm and the National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) have joined together to celebrate all those interested in pursuing a career in agriculture.
On Thursday, September 26th from 5 pm to 9 pm, all new and future farmers are invited to spend the evening enjoying a buffet of farm-raised bbq, drinks, and fellowship. To start the evening, attendees will enjoy a guided square dancing icebreaker, followed by live music by Bull Moose Party and finally an update from the NYFC on their tireless efforts on Capitol Hill lobbying for young farmers.
“With the average age of farm owners in the U.S. approaching 60 and all of the food-related challenges ahead of us in the coming decades, it can often feel hopeless and daunting to be involved with agriculture in the 21st century. But the truth is, there is hope. There are more and more young and beginning farmers joining our food system every day — but with such a decentralized form of production, these young farmers often don’t have many options to connect with each other, network, and feel encouraged,” says Hickory Nut Gap farm director, Asher Wright. “Here at HNG we have a great event space and kitchen with the capacity to host an event, and so we are very excited to welcome the next generation of producers to our farm to connect with each other and be assured that nobody is alone in this industry.”
Representatives from Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC), NC State Extension/NC FarmLink, Organic Growers School, and ASAP will be present to show their support for new and young farmers and share what they can do to help. There will also be several guest speakers, information booths, and networking opportunities throughout the fun and entertaining evening.
A special thank you to the gracious sponsors who have allowed this evening to be free to attend for any new farmer: Carolina Farm Credit, NC Choices, Whole Foods Market, the McClure Fund and Farm Bureau.
“Building community through agriculture is our mission at Hickory Nut Gap and we are passionate about creating markets to support farmers and preserve the agricultural lifestyle” noted Amy Ager, Co-Founder and Owner of Hickory Nut Gap farm. “Hosting an event to inspire and enjoy each others company is an exciting way to do just that!”
