North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents 2001 Annual State Meeting Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, Asheville June 26-28, 2001

Taproot Dairy and Mountain Organic Materials

Contact Tony McGaha for additional information.

Come visit one of North Carolina's finest dairies - Taproot Farms. Milking over 1,000 Holsteins in a double 20-parallel Boumatic parlor built in late 1999. Individual cow identification and computerized weigh meters complement this parlor set up as state-of-the-art technology. This third generation dairy farm grows over 1,700 acres of corn for silage, 250 acres of hay and double crops corn with small grain. Bradley, Bill, Tim Johnston and Mike Corn - owners.

We will also visit Mountain Organic Materials which began in 1998. Keith Warren, President, began this concept with the combining of two waste products - wooden pallets from WNC Pallet and dairy waste from Crowell Dairy Farms. Today, the business manufactures over 1,000 yards per month from composting bins of different soil amendments. They sell primarily to landscapers, contractors, nurseries and homeowners. They are also participating in research trials at the Mountain Horticulture Research and Extension Center (Fletcher) with Dr. Jim Rideout.