SALISBURY — Three local farms have plans to expand with the assistance of three Next Step grants handed out by the Bread Riot, a local nonprofit aimed at supporting small farms and providing access to locally-grown foods.

The farms awarded the grants, which board member Brian Pfaff said totaled approximately $13,000, were Downing Farms, Jones Family Acres and Farmer’s Daughter Organics.

The Next Step grant is annually awarded to farms throughout Rowan County who are hoping to expand their operations.

The awards were handed out at the Salisbury Rowan Farmers’ Market on Saturday, where all three of the family-ran farms sell their products.

Tim Downing is part of the duo that runs Downing Farm along with his wife Jill Downing. The two started their farm, based on Kluttz Road, as a small-scale operation while they were working as teachers. Once they both retired, however, Downing said that the two began to expand their farm and worked to provide food to more of the community. 

Downing said that they plan on using the grant funding to expand their greenhouse area.

“Bread Riot also provides fresh produce throughout the school year, which is primarily winter month. So there’s a lot of fresh produce that goes to school lunch programs, goes to low-income senior centers. And Bread Riot is in search of that kind of produce which is generally greenhouse-grown produce for those winter months. So for us it’s been a real win-win,” said Downing.

Jerrad Jones of Jones Family Acres, based on Golden Lane, said they received the Next Step grant in order to add an electrical perimeter fence in order to assist with rotational grazing, where livestock is rotated around a set of divided pastures.

“Currently, we do a lot of rotational grazing but it’s a pretty intense effort the way we have it set it up right now using temporary lines, having to move portable energizers, batteries, ground rods, all that stuff. So by making that easier we’ll be able to rotate them more often and intensify that rotational grazing, which is going to help the bio ecosystems, the grass growth, the fertilization, the fly control and all that,” said Jones.

Jones Family Acres moved to Rowan County back in April of 2021, when Jones, his wife Sara and their three children moved down from Wisconsin to chase the warmer weather. Since then, the family has focused on raising Highland and Hereford cattle, Berkshire and Heritage hogs and poultry utilizing sustainable methods.

Brittany Chester of Farmer’s Daughter Organics said that she applied for the grant because the farm was having issues with insect control on their produce.

“We’ve got a lot of insect pressure, and we noticed that there are these small cat tunnels and you can put insect netting over it. It was a really cool opportunity to cover a lot of beds at one time, so we put in for a grant for that,” said Chester.

For the Chester family, farming in Rowan County runs in their DNA. Chester said that she and her husband Jason began with her father back in 2014, when he ran an organic operation.

“That’s how we started to grow organically certified produce, and then, unfortunately, he lost the dairy. We thought he was going to lose that property that we were utilizing, so we had to move everything and it was kind of a big setback. So we took a big break, had two kids, and when one was little Jason said, ‘hey I want to get back to doing it,’” said Chester.

All three farms are among the many local farms that have worked with Bread Riot in the past, cooperating on programs or fundraisers.

“Originally, the farmer’s market was just getting going and Bread Riot was getting going at the same time. Bread Riot, I’d say half of our mission would also be to support the farmers, which is why we pay them the full price for their stuff. We don’t ask for anything for nothing. We’re trying to support them and help them grow more so we can do more with them,” said Pfaff.

Bread Riot works closely with the school system, with President Dottie Hoy saying that the school system identifies five or six locations where Bread Riot can go to and hand out produce to families in need. The organization also started a mobile market in the past few years at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.

“We will purchase food here on Saturday at farmers’ prices and then go down and redistribute at the prices of those who need it. It’s basically take what you need and give what you can. It’s a very respectful process and we enjoy doing it,” said Pfaff.

In June and July of this year, Bread Riot will be setting up another mobile market at Moore’s Chapel AME Zion Church in the West End neighborhood, Hoy said.

Bread Riot will be holding their large annual fundraiser on September 7 at New Sarum Brewing. Pfaff said that the event will feature local music, local food, a 50-50 raffle and free kids’ activities.