Nooherooka Natural: Delivering Value-Added Beef in Eastern North Carolina
Ossie and Mary Betty Kearney, along with son Andrew, all farmers in Snow Hill, N.C., were recipients of an N.C. Value-Added Cost Share (NCVACS) award. The Kearneys own and operate Nooherooka Natural, a farm that specializes in Black Angus beef raised without added hormones or antibiotics. Their beef is distributed to retail locations, restaurants and individual families throughout eastern North Carolina. The business is at a pivotal stage of growth where demand for their product could outpace supply without careful inventory management.
Every summer, more roadside stands and stalls at farmers markets spring up around North Carolina offering fresh, local produce. Did you know that North Carolina has more than 3,700 farmers selling directly to consumers, for a total of more than $29 million? Since 2008, the country has seen a 13 percent increase in farmers markets, with well over 5,000 markets operating today. Whether you’re an Extension agent, grower or a consumer that understands the importance of local agriculture, N.C. MarketReady’s Farmers Markets section has something to offer.
