Cumberland County, N.C. – The closing day of the 2025 Small Farms Week was sweeter than honey. Or at least as sweet.
About 90 participants journeyed to Secret Garden Bees honey farm in Linden, N.C., which is owned by 2024 Small Farmers of the Year co-winners Jim Hartman and his wife, Christi. Guests were greeted with biscuits – fresh from a wood-burning stove – with honey and jelly, and welcoming remarks from the N.C. Cooperative Extension and U.S. Department of Agriculture officials.
In its 39th year, Small Farms Week is a weeklong celebration of small farmers organized by N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University’s Cooperative Extension. It offers educational forums, speakers, networking opportunities and, of course, food.
Bellies full and properly welcomed, those attending then toured the newly opened 40-by-40 building where the Hartmans extract, process and pack their honey – and some from other farmers who sell to them.
Dr. McKinnie presents Jim Hartman with a clock to mark his successful year as N.C. Small Farmer of the Year. “Your reign may be one year, but the recognition of being N.C. Small Farmer of the Year will last forever,” McKinnie said.
“You know, I’m amazed at how the Lord works in my life,” said Hartman, a U.S. Army veteran of the Iraq War. “We just got this building operational the second week of March, … and four days after we got it operational, Fresh Market dropped its biggest order I’ve ever had in my entire time. There’s zero chance I could have gotten it done out of (our previous) building.”
The guests then traveled to the Cumberland County Cooperative Extension Auditorium for lunch and a recognition program. They received a surprise performance by the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division Chorus.
Lisa Childers, director of the Cumberland County Cooperative Extension, also highlighted Soldiers to Agriculture, a five-week program designed for active-duty military soldiers nearing the end of their service, was well as veterans and their spouses. It offers an introduction to the career possibilities in agriculture with training inside and outside of the classroom.
In remarks at the luncheon, M. Ray McKinnie, Ph.D., associate dean and administrator of Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T, noted that this time of year is known as March Madness for the college basketball championship battle.
“But I want to change it and say that I think during this particular week of the year … it's March Goodness,” he said. “We think about the contributions that the state’s small farmers make, and it's our way of standing in appreciation to them.”
McKinnie presented Hartman with a clock as token of appreciation. “You have been a stellar representation of what it means to be a small farmer and we appreciate you,” McKinnie told Hartman.
