Podcasts about hickory nut gap farm

Don sits down with Owner and CEO of Hickory Nut Gap farm Jamie Ager to dive into the impacts Trump policies are having on the farming community. The Trump administration axed two pandemic-era programs that earmarked millions of dollars for schools and food banks to buy locally grown fruits and vegetables. Consider the implications… Yes, Hickory Nut Gap Farm will be hurt by this move… But so too will underprivileged kids. It's not hyperbole to say children will go hungry because of this Project 2025 fantasy. Tune in for a conversation you won't want to miss! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jamie Ager builds community through agriculture as a fourth-generation farmer from Hickory Nut Gap Farm. We go deep into Hickory Nut Gap's dedicated drive towards regenerative farming and ethical treatment of animals to produce high-quality foods. We shed light on farming's significant role in climate change, highlighting the importance of diversified farming methods in transforming the food system. The conversation also encourages listeners to appreciate the contributions made by local ranchers, farmers, and growers within the food and beverage industry.   Further, this episode suggests exploring the topic of regenerative farming more with Jamie Ager and refers to the episode Stop Plowing and Save the World With Regenerative Agriculture with Dr. Allen Williams here   This podcast is available on all platforms.   00:05 Introduction to the North Carolina Food and Beverage Podcast 00:48 The Hosts' Passion for Ethically Raised Animals and Regenerative Farming 01:02 Guest Introduction: Jamie Ager from Hickory Nut Gap Farm 02:27 The History and Evolution of Hickory Nut Gap Farm 07:08 The Impact of Education and Sustainable Agriculture on Farming Practices 15:29 The Challenges and Rewards of Grass Fed Beef Production 26:47 The Role of Regenerative Farming in Addressing Climate Change 29:15 The Vision of Hickory Nut Gap: A Community Partner Model 30:26 Stakeholder Capitalism and the Food System 30:49 The Paradox of Success in Capitalism 31:22 The Impact of Capitalism on Sales 33:39 The Role of Big Corporations in the Food Industry 34:44 The Importance of Local Food Sources 37:44 The Challenges of the Meat Business 38:16 The Importance of Education in Changing Food Systems 38:41 The Need for Paradigm Shifts in the Food Industry 43:14 The Impact of Amazon's Acquisition of Whole Foods 50:07 The Challenges and Opportunities of Grass-Fed Beef 52:45 The Future of Regenerative Farming 57:08 The Role of Processing Plants in the Meat Industry 59:34 The Potential of Grass-Fed Beef in the Food Industry 01:04:25 Conclusion: The Need for Change in the Food System Listen to our previous episode on Subscribe to their YouTube page HERE On the mic this week: @trujillo.media @weisswine Join our Facebook family: @NCFandBPod Follow us on Instagram: @ncfbpod Support our Sponsors: Welcome SYSCO as our Title Sponsor!! Drink better coffee - get Carrboro Coffee Roasters Here Enjoy Duke's Mayo - It's Got Twang!

AC and Kyle chat with Jamie Ager of Hickory Nut Gap Farm. Jamie shares his family's history in farming and tells us the journey of Hickory Nut Gap's transformation from a single family farm to a regional regenerative meat brand aggregating products from farms all across the Southeast. Links: Hickory Nut Gap Jamie's LinkedIn Follow Kyle and AC on LinkedIn

While interviewing Asher Wright, the Overseer and Managing Operator of Hickory Nut Gap Farm, FSI students Sierra D., Emily C., Larkin M., Jacie D., and Kai J. inform the audience on the severity of climate change and how transitioning into regenerative agriculture is the way to go to achieve a sustainable ecosystem and environment! Audio Technician: Jacie D. Editor: Larkin M. Interviewers & Facilitators & Scribes: Sierra D., Emily C.

Jamie Ager is a fourth-generation farmer at Hickory Nut Gap Farm. In partnership with his wife, Amy, they built Hickory Nut Gap into a well-established regional brand and created a destination that welcomes visitors to learn about regenerative agriculture.  The farm currently raises organic cattle, pasture raised hogs and poultry, as well as a variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition to the farming production, the Agers built and oversee the on-farm store and butcher shop. Jamie discusses the story of Hickory Nut Gap and how the are focused on scaling regeneratively raised meat. We discuss labeling, meat processing and supply chain, building a brand, and much more. Tune in! Show Notes: https://themodernacre.com/214

It happened. Election day came and went. Some races resulted in big changes or flipped seats. In North Carolina's 115th District, Rep. John Ager won reelection, but the Republicans will maintain their majority in the State House of Representatives.In this follow-up interview, Ager speaks with Kat Johnson about where he and the NC Democratic Party go from here. They also discuss how messaging impacted the 2020 campaign in Western North Carolina, the ‘Cannabis Caucus' and its work on legalizing medical marijuana and deregulating hemp farming, and what can be done to increase access to land and money for new farmers.Have a question you want answered? Email us at question@heritageradionetwork.orgThis project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.

All eyes are on election day. While the presidential election is dominating the headlines, down ballot races have the potential to transform state legislatures, county commissions, and city councils across the country.In this episode, we focus on a state-level race in a district that includes a mix of urban and rural communities. John Ager serves in the North Carolina General Assembly, representing the 115th district in the state House of Representatives since 2015. He serves on the Agriculture Committee and comes from a farming background (his family owns and operates Hickory Nut Gap Farm). Rep. Ager speaks to Kat Johnson about this strange campaign season, his vision for agriculture and climate policy in North Carolina, and why a Democratic majority in the state's House of Representatives would create an opportunity for him to push for the changes he envisions.This is part one of our conversation with Rep. Ager. Part two will be recorded and air after the election on November 3rd.Have a question you want answered? Email us at question@heritageradionetwork.orgThis project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.

With fall approaching, many are wondering if farm-based activities like apple picking and corn mazes are safe. Kat Johnson speaks to Caylin Sanders of EscapeMaker and Jamie Ager of Hickory Nut Gap about the impacts that Covid-19 has had on farms – particularly those who rely on agritourism to stay in business.Agritourism is broadly defined as any activity that brings visitors to a farm. If you've ever shopped from a farm stand, toured a winery, or picked your own berries, then you are an agri-tourist. Most farms use agritourism for supplemental income – but some farms located near urban areas increasingly rely on visitors for significant revenue. Another big question looming is can agritourism help farms survive Covid-19? Both Sanders and Ager share thoughts on what the future may hold.For further resources on how to stay safe while visiting farms this year, see guidelines released by Massachusetts and Maryland.Have a question you want answered? Email us at question@heritageradionetwork.orgThis project is funded in part by a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act. This program is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.The Big Food Question is powered by Simplecast.

Jamie Ager’s family has been stewarding the land that is now Hickory Nut Gap Farm in the mountains of Western North Carolina since 1916. In this episode, he talks to host Lisa Held about his family’s legacy of supporting a thriving farm economy in the region and how he’s carrying on the tradition with Hickory Nut Gap Meats, a company that now aggregates pasture-based meats from multiple farms in the area.Image courtesy of Hickory Nut Gap Farm.The Farm Report is powered by Simplecast.  

Hickory Nut Gap began with a love story in 1916 when newlyweds Elizabeth and Jim McClure purchased the farm property. Four generations later, Elizabeth and Jim’s great grandson, Jamie Ager and his wife Amy, embarked on a mission to share the family farm experience with the world and develop a sustainable farming model. Today, Hickory Nut Gap is a proud leader in 100% grass fed and grass finished beef, pasture-raised pork, and pasture-raised chicken. They work with over 50 farmers in the southeast and are spearheading the regenerative agriculture movement by using a pasture-based farming model.For more information, visit hickorynutgap.com.

In this episode:- Kristy Kay of Express Employment - Jamie Ager of Hickory Nut Gap Farm - Martha Combs from Regus of AshevilleSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/Mittan)

Welcome to The Leading Voices in Food Podcast, an educational series produced by the World Food Policy Center at Duke University. I'm Deborah Hill. You're listening to a segment in our Voice of Farming series. Hickory Nut Gap Farm is nestled in Buncombe County in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The farm lies on what was once a through road for drovers taking their animals to the markets in the foothills. The farm itself began in 1916 when Jim and Elizabeth McClure settled here after their honeymoon. And 102 years later, their descendants continued to be stewards of the land. In the early morning hours at the Hickory Nut Gap Farm store, a rustic converted farm building in Fairview, North Carolina, meat cutters and culinary craftsmen turnout bratwurst, Italian sausage, blueberry breakfast sausage, and more to fill the deli display. Banks of freezers display an astonishing variety of cuts of pasture-raised beef, pork and chicken. The store itself is a story of relationships and partnerships, and it's a testament to the way Jamie and Amy Agar now run the family business. Couples and young families come to stock up on meats, and also to enjoy a day in the country. Some order lunch and coffee in the cafe area, introduce their young children to farm animals, and explore the open barns. The store features local products, ranging from North Carolina wine and cheese, to locally made jewelry, soaps, books and jams. Jamie and Amy Agar, and their extended family, co-own the Hickory Nut Gap Farm business, and the brand Hickory Nut Gap Meats. Both are graduates of Warren Wilson College, and the couple took over running the farm in 2006 with a vision to achieve environmental sustainability through regenerative grazing. What began as a dream is now a thriving business built on relationships, environmental stewardship, and no small amount of courage. We have Hickory Nut Gap Farm. That's my family farm out in Fairview, North Carolina. Then we have Hickory Nut Gap Meats, which is a separate company that is an aggregator of pasture-based livestock for the market. Then we have a holding company that just kind of manages the business behind the scenes for both companies. And so, that's essentially our structure. And our staff, currently, we have, in the meat side of the business, we have a director of operations, a director of sales, a director of marketing, and we have a director of finance. As well as myself. And I'm sort of CEO, COO. And then my wife, Amy who, we've been doing this together for 19 years, is an advisor and a participant in a intimate way with all pieces of the business. And so, that's essentially our executive staff. Then we have a warehouse team that consists of four to five people, managing inventory as it comes in from the meat processing plant from that side. And then the other piece of our executive team is Sam Dobson, which is on the supply chain side. And Sam manages all the farmer relationships, as well as runs the organic dairy farm in Iredell County. And so, that's essentially the team on the wholesale side of the company. On the farm side, we have a general manager of our little farm store out in Fairview, which is a little retail shop that does quite a bit of deli. We have a butcher case. You can come out there, we're open seven days a week, most of the year. People come out, enjoy lunch, learn about agriculture. We have some baby chicks, and some piglets, and things like that for folks to see. Then I also just recently hired Asher Wright, who's our farm manager at the farm there. And our farm in Fairview, we really want to be sort of understanding of how we can be a farm where people can come touch and feel agriculture, but also be a working farm that's raising pasture-raised hogs, raising certified organic grass-fed beef, and that type of thing. My family's been involved in agriculture for over a hundred years. I grew up farming and really interested in the whole dynamic of land, and farming, and animals, and how it all works together. And so, whenever I came back to the farm and Fairview here in Western North Carolina... I had a degree in environmental studies with a concentration in sustainable agriculture, and had been introduced to a lot of the concepts like rotational grazing, and pasture management, and also the market opportunity for antibiotic free pasture-based agricultural systems. And so, we started direct marketing off the farm back in 2000. And then I ended up taking an Ag Leadership class through NC State back in 2006. It was the College of Ag and Life Sciences, Ag Leadership Development Program run by Dr. Collins. In that program, I learned a lot about where we sit in a business sense from an agricultural standpoint in the agriculture industry. In addition to that, I met a great farmer in Iredell County, North Carolina. Sam Dobson. We quickly became good friends. Being a family farm 20 minutes from downtown Asheville, North Carolina, was kind of the perfect storm to develop a market for these systems. Basically, Sam and I teamed up and just started to pay attention to supply. From a customer standpoint, the important customers that are out there, our Earth Fare and Whole Foods, and those type folks, that were looking for local beef and pork. And so, we just slowly but surely built the supply chain out from there. Really, I'm a relationships person. I enjoy getting to know farmers and paying attention to systems and making sure it all works right. Over time, it just kind of kept growing, and growing, and growing. At this point, we do have a larger organization that is very entrepreneurial. It feels a lot like a startup still. I call it a 19-year-old startup, but that's kind of what it's been the whole time. It speaks to the challenge of the agriculture industry in just how scaled everything is at this point, how difficult to bring product to market is, the supply chain pieces are. There're so many big, daunting tasks to change the food system, which is essentially the business we've ended up in. Jamie is a leader in the grass-fed beef movement, also called regenerative agriculture, a holistic approach to raising grazing animals that benefits the environment, the animals themselves, and produces healthier meat to eat. It's a business model in sharp contrast with conventional beef production methods criticized for greenhouse gas production. And it challenges the idea that low cost meat is what we should value over anything else. Grass-fed beef is a real different production paradigm because it's not built on the industry model, which is essentially been driving efficiency for the past 80 years. Efficiency was the only real winner in agriculture because the consumer out there was only willing to purchase the cheapest product. With grass-fed beef, what we're doing is really focusing on the interaction between cows, or herbivores in general, whether that's sheep, cows, whatever grazing livestock we're talking about, and they've taken that grazing animal and paying attention to grazing management to a level where there's now science behind it that shows that we're sequestering a lot of carbon in the soils through good grazing management. There's a paradigm out there that says that beef is not good for the environment. Well, we've got a production model here that sequesters carbon through good grazing management that utilizes the animal's manure and tendency to trample grasses that ultimately builds carbon in the soils by building organic matter. And so, to me that's a really big shift from the narrative out there. At the end of the day, there's more and more folks looking for climate solutions in agriculture. And for me, I was, as a young man, pretty frustrated by the paradigm that the environmental movement had, which was essentially people that are on the land, land managers, farmers, loggers, those types, are bad and they need to be regulated. That's essentially the paradigm that we ended up with from an environmental standpoint. But I grew up on a farm... What happens in that paradigm, to me as somebody that grew up on a farm and sees it every day, is you end up with city lawyers making decisions about how farmers should be farming their land. That disconnect is never helpful. To me, if we can build a company that really is focused on a solutions-oriented model, where we do pay attention to the environment. We don't pretend like we have all the answers, but we're earnest in our effort to try to make things better. We are, ultimately, on a journey with consumers, and paying attention to organizations like the Savory Institute, or NRCS, that are doing interesting things that help the environment build biodiversity. Create a real synergy between agriculture and the environment. To me, that is what we all need to be paying attention to. At the end of the day, a market-based solution is going to be a real driver of the innovation that's required. And so, in big round numbers, that's my thought process. But in the short term, why it's more expensive is it's a decentralized model. You're putting animals back on pasture, which is not as efficient as having them all concentrated in one place where it's easy to load them out. It's also a small industry. So, the processing efficiencies that we have versus the larger packers is just a massive difference in scale. The segregation required, it all carries costs once that animal is killed and put on a rail. The inefficiencies from that point forward, I would say, are the majority of the cost driver in the supply chain. We're essentially in the de-manufacturing business. We take one item, like a pig or a cow, and we've turned that into 50 items. We have to go to the market with all 50 items in an even based utilization of that whole carcass, effectively. Basically, that's the real challenge, is how do we do that effectively on a consistent basis in a low-margin industry? And paying farmers quite a bit more. So, we can't dump any product in the commodity chains supply to build a company that has a consistent supply chain in agriculture. Your supply chain isn't just sort of a factory-based model. It really is relationships. To us, that is something we've put a lot of time and energy, and invested in. Especially in this pasture-based model, where it's not just sort of a low cost, highly efficient paradigm like the bigger confined animal feeding operations are. And so, our production models are still developing. We don't have one set way that we're supplying this stuff. It's a learning curve on everybody's side. That supply chain takes a lot of relationships and a lot of focus as we develop that out. Then, in addition to that, we're paying farmers significantly more in commodity prices. Yeah, it's a lonely place to be in this paradigm shifting model, from an entrepreneurial sense, because there's very few models out there to follow. And so, we end up in situations where you start handling a lot of meat, and it gets expensive, and you build a lot of inventory. There's just no other businesses out there to follow. We end up having to wing it to some degree. That can feel scary. I'd say that's the biggest cantankerous challenge, is really just being... Everybody says this industry is ripe for growth. I firmly believe that we're in a good place long-term. But the day-to-day, week-to-week challenges of cashflow and business management can kind of make it hard. As somebody that's been in direct marketing business for a long time, I know that business well. It's an okay model if you want to sell at local tailgate markets and be a participant in the sort of hyper-local part of this movement. But I think that what this movement really needs is brands that they can sell into that are going to continue to scale the industry. And so, the markets is ripening. We feel like we're in an exciting place and we really want to see these changes in the long-term from a future-oriented standpoint. I think that the only constant is change. Really paying attention to models that are going to be impactful is part of the job of an entrepreneur. At the end of the day, all farmers are entrepreneurs. One of the biggest challenges we have as farmers is that we, even the really big ones, we're all pretty small businesses when it comes down to it. To me, agriculture has suffered from that paradigm to some degree because we're not very well organized. We all end up fighting with each other over land or market share or whatever. That's just the inevitable result of a bunch of small folks that are making it work, sort of scrapping along, like we all do as farmers. And so, just continue to find ways to build partnerships and bridges and move the industry forward. Thank you for listening. If you would like to subscribe to The Leading Voices in Food Podcast series, you can do so at Google Play, Stitcher, Radio Public, or Apple Podcasts, or by visiting our website at the Duke World Food Policy Center. This is Deborah Hill.

This podcast is about Hickory Nut Gap Farm, and how it's being affected by climate change. We talked to Walker Sides, the farm manager. We learned about the extreme weather events he has experienced through working there for 10 years. He has noticed many changes, and this podcast discusses them. Listen to find out more.

Join host Kristy Kay as she interviews folks from two Asheville businesses about their success and future plans.   First is Dig Local a company that connects Asheville residents and visitors to what is happening at any given moment using a website and an app to keep you connected where-ever you are currently. https://www.diglocal.com   2nd is Hickory Nut Gap Farm. Hickory Nut Gap Farm is a serene 90 acres nestled in Fairview, NC. This land has been in our family for five generations.  Jamie and Amy Ager have been raising beef cattle, pigs, poultry, and apples at Hickory Nut Gap since 2000. https://www.hickorynutgapfarm.com

North Carolina State Representative John Ager joins us for Hemp Wednesdays at THE BLOCK off Biltmore. Hemp is soon to be the new cash crop for the Southern States. Raleigh’s Tyler Cromartie, Hendo’s Chris Power, and Dark Matter’s Tommy Green chat it up with Hickory Nut Gap Farm’s John Ager about the current status of North Carolina hemp legalization in episode #0044.

Immerse yourself in the fields and barnyards of Western North Carolina farms on ASAP's Farm Tour June 25 and 26. Visit Fairview farms like Cane Creek Creamery, Flying Cloud Farm, and Hickory Nut Gap Farm. They're all a short drive from Asheville and have acres of fields and pasture to explore. Wander through the u-pick flower fields, meet baby chicks, and feast on a farm-fresh lunch made with local ingredients. Find out more about these farms and many others, plus learn how to buy passes at www.asapconnections.org

Bass Hyatt raises cattle at the Hyatt homeplace in Brasstown, N.C. His multi-generational farm has adapted its farming techniques to meet consumer demand for beef that’s fed grass instead of grain. About 15 years ago, Hyatt met Jamie and Amy Ager of Hickory Nut Gap Farm. They partner with farmers like Hyatt to meet their wholesale demand for grassfed beef. Connecting with the Agers offers Hyatt a market for his beef so he can turn his focus to sustainable production and breeding cattle that thrive on grass. Find out more about local partnerships that further the food system at www.asapconnections.org

Ryan lives in Asheville, NC and has spent past 2 years working at Hickory Nut Gap Farm where production was focused on grass-fed beef, pastured poultry and hogs, organic fruits, mushrooms, and asparagus. Ryan has also been working the past 3 years as an organic farm inspector, which he is now pursuing as a full time job. He is involved with the Young Farmer and Rancher program through the Farm Bureau. Ryan recently competed in a “discussion meet” that each state YF&R group holds annually, with the winners from each state moving on the compete at the national competition. There 2 other YF&R competitions that are available to all young farmers (under 35) in every state in the union. Ryan is also involved with A Growing Culture, an organization dedicated to empowering the sustainable agriculture movement by highlighting traditional and alternative farm practices used throughout the world. This program has been brought to you by Hearst Ranch. “I think that in the past ten or fifteen years, farmers across the board- big or small- are seeing that diversification is essential to the success of their businesses.” [17:00] — Ryan Sitler on Greenhorn Radio