From Farm to Community:

HOP Energizes WNC's Rural Economy

Exploring the transformative impact of the Healthy Opportunities Pilot on food, farms, and families

The Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP) program helps grow the rural Western North Carolina (WNC) economy across the 18 counties we serve. All but two counties in the region have farmers participating in HOP, providing members across WNC with healthier, locally grown food choices while also supporting small farms, ranches, tailgate markets, farm stands, individual growers, and other local food businesses. In addition, the WNC HOP network purchases fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meat, and other food from more than 100 other farms across the state.

333,488
Healthy Food Boxes Distributed
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264,574
Healthy Meals Served
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18
WNC Counties Supported
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35,464
Food and Vegetable Prescriptions Delivered
$25.6 M
Dollars Reinvested
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411
WNC Farms and Growers
(March 2022 – June 2025)
two women picking out vegetables
exchange of vegetables at the Big Ivy Community Center
vegetables in containers

HOP Grows Rural Economies

WNC’s HOP Network of Farms

16 counties in the region have farms participating in the HOP network. Half of those counties have at least 10 farms – 411 total – serving community members and positively impacting the economy in their communities.

map infographic of economic impact farms

Avery County

  • Andy’s Produce Farm
  • Appalachian Farms, LLC
  • Avery Farms
  • Haw Mountain Nursery & Vegetables
  • Elaine Oils
  • Johnson Brothers Nursery
  • Narrow Way Farms
  • Pine Grove Farms
  • Roan Highland Farm

Buncombe County

  • Abundant Acres
  • Alta Vista Farm
  • Andersen Organics
  • Asheville City Market
  • Asheville Farmstead School
  • Asheville Farmers Market
  • Asheville Microgreens
  • Aubrey Wells Beef
  • B and L Organic
  • Balsam Gardens
  • Bear Necessities Farm
  • Bellyful Plants Nursery
  • Black Earth Farm
  • Black Mountain Tailgate Market
  • Black Trumpet Farm
  • Blazing Star Farms
  • Brank Farm
  • Broad River Farms
  • Burt Mountain Farm
  • Crane Farms
  • Dare Vegan Cheese
  • Dillingham Family Farm
  • Dirt Breath Farm
  • Dr. King’s Farms
  • Earthfare
  • East Asheville Tailgate Market
  • Enka-Candler Farmers Market
  • Estrada Farms
  • Farside Farms
  • Fiddler’s Green Farm
  • Fiddlesticks Farm
  • Flying Cloud Farm
  • Freedom Farmstead
  • Full Moon Farm
  • Full Sun Farm
  • Gaining Ground Farm
  • Gladheart Farm
  • Golden Foo Dog Mushrooms LLC
  • Good Wheel Farm
  • Hickory Nut Gap
  • High Country Nursery
  • Hominy Valley Organic Farm
  • Ivy Creek Family Farm
  • J and J Farm
  • Jolly Growin’
  • Junebug Organics
  • Justin Brogan
  • Leatherwood Family Farms
  • Little Farm Black Mountain
  • Meadow Cove Farm
  • Mountain Foods
  • Myseanica Family Farm LLLP
  • North Asheville Tailgate Market
  • Olivette Farm
  • Phillips Farm
  • Psycho Chicken Eco Farm
  • R Rainbow Ridge Gardens Farm
  • Rainbow Path Wellness, LLC
  • Rayburn Farm
  • Recovery Ventures
  • Red Scout Farm
  • Revival-Garden-Design-Studio
  • River Arts District Farmers Market
  • Riverview Farms
  • Rocky Hollow
  • Serious Dog Farm
  • ShipShape Farmer & Chef
  • Sonny Brothers Farm
  • Southside Community Farmers Market
  • Sprout Culture
  • Terramonga Farm
  • Thatcher Farm
  • Walker Town Farm
  • Warren Willson College Farm
  • Weaverville Tailgate Market
  • West Asheville Tailgate Market
  • Whispersholler Farms, LLC
  • Wicked Fresh Gardens
  • Wilder Kin Beekeeping
  • Wild Salmon Co
  • Wildwood Herbal /Brank Farm
  • Woogie Foods, LLC
  • WNC Farmers Market

“With HOP, we have been able to have a consistent sales outlet for our farms. We invested approximately a million dollars into our small farms each year. We were sustaining a healthy model with 22 living wage employees for the first time in 13 years. We feel this approach created the perfect harmony – delivering the highest quality nutrition to community members while simultaneously investing in the small family farms that sustain our local food ecosystem.”

– Mother Earth Food, Buncombe County

Burke County

  • Danielle Dee Crocker
  • Highlands Family Farm
  • J&J Farms
  • J4 Cattle Co
  • Silver Creek Acres
  • Smallholding Farm
  • Temple Hill Farm

“The [HOP] program didn’t just benefit our bottom line—it gave our 18-year-old son a reason to believe in the future of farming. He recently stepped into the leadership role on our farm, determined to carry on our family’s legacy. HOP helped make that future feel real and viable. The stability provided through selling to the HOP program helped make that possible.”

– Huffman Farms, Burke County

Clay County

  • Dora Cove Farm
  • John C Campbell Folk School
  • SMM Farms
  • Still Waters Landing

Cherokee County

  • Adam Farms

“Supporting the HOP program has been incredibly meaningful for our business — both in terms of community connection and purpose. It allows us to directly give back to local families in need by doing what we do best: providing quality meat. Beyond just business, we’ve built relationships with families who may not have otherwise walked through our doors, and over time, some of those families have returned as paying customers when their situations improved. It’s also brought our team a great sense of pride, knowing our work has real impact beyond the counter.”

– Adam Farms, Cherokee County

Haywood County

  • Always Love Garden
  • Beane’s Greens
  • Bumble Holler Farm
  • Christopher Farms
  • Duckett’s Produce
  • Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market
  • K&B Orchards
  • KT Orchard and Apiary
  • La Mexicanita
  • Lanning Road Farm
  • Lott Farm & Apiary
  • Our Fiddlehead Farm
  • Outlaw Acres Farm, LLC
  • The Owl
  • Presnell’s Produce and More
  • Shady Brook Farm
  • Smoky Mountain Mushrooms
  • Sunburst Trout Farms
  • The Ten Acre Garden
  • Two Stone Farm
  • Two Trees Farm
  • Walnut Farms
  • White Oak Farm
  • Winter Greens Farm LLC
  • Winter Star Family Farm LLC
  • Wright-Way Nursery

“Participating in the HOP program has been rewarding in many ways. Customers personally told us this was life changing for them, whereas previously there weren’t options for them to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables because they weren’t affordable. We heard stories of people’s health being so much better because of cleaner eating and others who were so grateful to receive help. This program was extremely beneficial to this community and a true loss.”

– Christopher Farms, Haywood County

Henderson County

  • 4 DC Farm
  • Apple Wedge Packers
  • Bearwallow Valley Farms
  • Bee-utiful Farm and Garden
  • Blue Meadow Farms
  • Blue Mountain Distributors LLC
  • Brittain Farms
  • Broom’s Blooms
  • Brown Family Farms
  • Cane Creek Valley Farm
  • Circle L Farms
  • Creasman Farms
  • Flavor First
  • Grandads Farm
  • Green Mtn. Farms
  • Grow Adaptive Gardens
  • Hendersonville Co-op
  • Hendersonville Farmers Market
  • Hilltop Farm
  • Holly Spring Farm
  • John’s Berry Patch and Farm
  • Johnson Family Farm
  • Johnson Family Farms
  • Little Bees Knees
  • Lively Orchard
  • Lyda & Sons Orchard
  • Mcfarlan Bakery
  • Mills River Farm Market
  • Moss Farms
  • Nellie Bee Farm
  • Old Quarry Mushrooms
  • Pilot Mountain Pears
  • Raspberry Fields
  • Rhodes Berry Farm
  • Riverview Farming Company
  • Rock Creek
  • Sofia Naturals
  • Stepp’s Nursery
  • Stump Farms
  • Terra Lingua Growers LLC
  • Tierra Fertil Coop LLC
  • Tiny Bridge Farm
  • Tortilleria Molina
  • Velvet Morning Farm
  • Wild Goods

“We already did our crop planning – everything’s planted. To see our farm go from barely recovering to thriving and then have the HOP outlets dry up is very scary. We do not have as many marketing outlets in WNC to absorb market loss and pivot easily. The economy is already suffering post-Helene … The devastation is still very present every day.”

– Tiny Bridge Farm, Henderson County

Jackson County

  • Chris Smith Nursery
  • Chrysalis Earth Farm
  • Holly Cove Farms
  • Honey Mountain Bee Farm
  • Idle Acres Farm
  • JAAR Farms
  • Jackson County Farmers Market
  • Lupe Foods
  • Neal Johnson Organics
  • Ochre Hill Farms
  • Olde Rootz Farm
  • Richland Balsam Farm
  • Shelton Farms
  • Smith’s Nursery
  • Sunny Brook Farm

Macon County

  • Copeland Farms
  • Dutchmen Farms
  • H & H Farms
  • John W. Mitchell Farms
  • Midnight Revival
  • Three Barn Farms
  • Yellow Mountain Gardens

“We are a small family farm that relies on the support of our community to bring quality produce to our area.  The HOP program helped us reach a wider customer base and we loved providing freshly grown produce to those who may not always have access to it.”

– H & H Farms, Macon County

Madison County

  • Cutshall Farm
  • Dry Ridge Farm
  • Farm & Sparrow
  • The Forest Farmacy
  • Fox Farms
  • Greenshine Farms
  • Hamburg Holler Farm
  • Hickory Nut Gap Farm
  • Highgate Farm
  • Jewel Hill Farms
  • Lisenbee Farm
  • Long Valley Eco-Biotic Farm
  • Mars Hill Farmers and Artisans Market
  • Moonlit Harvest LLC
  • NDC Farm
  • New Roots Market Garden
  • Noah Family Farm
  • Oak Holler Farm
  • Rand Gifford
  • Rare Bird Farm
  • Root Bottom Farm
  • Serotonin Ferments
  • Seven Seeds Farm
  • Sugar Hollow Farm
  • TJ’s Market
  • Twin Flower Botanicals
  • Well Seasoned Table

“At this point, HOP funding going away is like an existential crisis for us. Approximately 80% of our farm income comes through TRACTOR, Bounty and Soul, and Equal Plates Project [HOP vendors]. Markets are either not financially viable, or they won’t let small farms in. Since the pandemic, restaurant sales have slumped. HOP has saved us.”

– Fiddler’s Green Farm, Madison County

McDowell County

  • Abigail Farms
  • Berrybranch Farm
  • Bradford Farm
  • Camp Grier
  • Cotton Ridge Farm
  • Cove Creek Nursery
  • Edwards Family Farm
  • Golden Crust
  • Hawks Creek Farm
  • Irma’s Produce
  • Joe Sumpter
  • Karina Clough
  • Karpos Farm
  • Kathy Church
  • Kathy Robinson
  • Lee’s One Fortune Farm
  • Lester McClure
  • Maddox Hill
  • Miller’s Family Farm
  • Montford Cove Farm
  • Mother Earth Food
  • NC Farmers of the Foothills
  • Ol’ Turtle Farm
  • Old North Acres
  • Patricia Tomas
  • Purple Buffalo Farm
  • Red Hill Farm
  • Roaming Buffalo
  • Sadie Jo Farm
  • Sweet Betsey Farm
  • Ten Mile Farm
  • TendWell Farm
  • Tim Keller
  • Tomas Farm
  • Treadway-Smith Farms
  • Thomas Farms LLC
  • Wild East Farm

“Beyond the economic impact, participating in the HOP program ensured we maintained alignment with our belief that everyone deserves access to food that grows where they live. Everyone deserves access to high-integrity, nutritious, fresh food.”

– Wild East Farm, McDowell County

Mitchell County

  • Austin Family Farms
  • Bennett’s Bounty Family Farm
  • Carpenter Farms
  • Chestnut Mountain Farm
  • The Complete Feast Farm
  • Conley Farm
  • Fork Mountain Farm
  • Foxfire Fields
  • Freedom Farmstead
  • G&H Farms
  • Harrell Hill Farms
  • Harty Farm
  • Jackie’s…Naturally
  • Mitchell HS FFA
  • Oak Moon Creamery
  • Peterson Farm
  • Plumb Art & Farm
  • Poplar Creek LLC
  • Redhill Farm
  • Roan Mountain Charolais
  • Ronnie Sparks Farm
  • Self Farms
  • Sink Hole Creek Farms
  • Smoky Meadow Farm
  • Stoubach Farms
  • Thomas Phillips
  • TRACTOR
  • Whitson Farms

“Each week we’re doing about $20,000 in farmer sales for the HOP program. News that the HOP program could end spread fast. The first reaction was to be fearful because we have farmers with products already in the ground.”

– TRACTOR Food & Farms, Mitchell County

Polk County

  • B&B Enterprises
  • Bruce Nelon
  • Charlene’s Garden
  • Looking Glass Creamery
  • Saluda Grade Farm
  • Sylvan Farm
  • TK Family Farm
  • Triple Blue Farm

“Share Thy Bread would order between 18-24 bushels of apples for HOP participants, which for our small operation is a considerable weekly order. Ending this program will make it much harder for us to reach the same local markets. This program is extremely impactful to small farms in our area, allowing farmers to have a guaranteed outlet and provide fresh, nutritious food to the local community.”

– TK Family Farm, Polk County

Rutherford County

  • A Way of Life Farm
  • Antler Valley Farm
  • Bill Hendley
  • Birchfield Farm
  • Brentwood Farm
  • Colfax Creek Farm
  • Double G Farm
  • Encompass Farm
  • Heirloom Annie Farms
  • Seven Oaks Farm

“Through HOP, my family farm has supplied over 30,000 pounds of pork and 15,000 pounds of chicken in the past three years. This has allowed us to grow our production from 20 pigs per year to 120 pigs per year and has helped keep approximately $465,000 in our local economy.”

– Brentwood Farm, Rutherford County

Swain County

  • Backwoods Bakery
  • Barker Farms
  • Darnell Farms
  • DB Pumpkins
  • Mountain Fresh Produce
  • Sleepy Hollow Farm

“Before HOP, we laid people off in the winter. Now, because of weekly packing, deliveries, and coordination with WNC Lighthouse [a HOP service provider], we’ve been able to offer stable employment and benefits — a rare thing in seasonal agriculture. Our team has taken pride in knowing the work they do helps families, grandparents, and neighbors eat better, live better, and stay out of the hospital.”

– Darnell Farms, Swain County

Transylvania County

  • Barry Farms
  • Bee. Honey+Hive
  • Bracken Mountain Bakery
  • Clem’s Organic Gardens LLC
  • Freedom Farmstead

“Through our partnership with HOP, we have sold a remarkable volume of produce that goes directly toward feeding our neighbors in need.  The consistency of sales and ease of logistics makes HOP a valuable asset to our farm, and the effectiveness of their operation makes them a valuable asset to our local community.”

– Clem’s Organic Gardens, Transylvania County

Yancey County

  • Aardvark Farm
  • A.B. Mauk Farm
  • Arthur Morgan School
  • Bee Log Farm & Nursery
  • Blevins Fam
  • Brookwell Farms
  • Browns Creek Garden
  • Bryant Family Farms
  • Bubba & Honey Farm
  • Common Ground Farm
  • Cooper’s Farm
  • Crabtree Creekside Farm
  • D and D Farm
  • Davis Farms
  • Dig In!
  • dirt-pig farm
  • The Dude Farm
  • Edward Geouge
  • Edwards Farms
  • Five Pine Farm
  • Goldfinch Gardens
  • Green Toe Ground
  • Half Pint Farm
  • Hensley Brother Farm
  • Hermit’s Hollow Farm
  • Hillbilly Honey
  • Hughes Farm
  • Jack’s Creek Henterprises
  • Laws Farm
  • Locally Good Farm
  • Lucas Homestead
  • Lucky Leaf Farm
  • McCurry Farms
  • Me & My Buds
  • Milo Acres
  • Mt. Mitchell Produce
  • Myco Mill
  • Nathan Patch
  • Natural Mystic
  • Open Ridge Farm
  • Pennyroller Farm
  • Pensacola Farms
  • Perennial Dream
  • Pink Boot Farms, LLC
  • Rhodarmer Creek Farm
  • Riddle – Edwards Farm
  • Riddle Farms
  • Robert McCurry Farm
  • Shady Lane Farm
  • Silk Purse Farm
  • Soil Shine Farm
  • South Face Honey
  • Sun Seeker Farm
  • Wiebe Farm
  • Wilson Family Farms
  • Wilson Farms
  • Wonderland Ridge Farm
  • Wyatt Town River Oak Farm
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