Innovative Partnership Celebrates Container Farming Success with Ribbon-Cutting Event
Warsaw, NC – July 29, 2024 – Four County EMC, James Sprunt Community College (JSCC), North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, Duplin County, and The North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund celebrated the success of the "Box to Bowl" smart farm container with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 29, 2024. This event highlighted the project's impact on sustainable agriculture and local food production.
The smart farm container, aptly named “Box to Bowl,” arrived in March 2024, launching an initiative towards sustainable agriculture. Operations began in April 2024. The project has already produced its first harvest and started educational classes, promoting local food security and agricultural education. Katlyn Foy, an experienced agricultural educator, leads the Hydroponics – Growing Without Soil course at JSCC. The farm operates through three stages: Nursery, Growing, and Harvest, producing crops up to seven times faster than traditional methods.
Held at the JSCC WestPark Campus in Warsaw, the ceremony featured speakers including Bryan Miller, Duplin County Manager; Dr. Connors, Mayor of Warsaw; Dr. Jay Carraway, JSCC President; Don Gatton, CEO of Four County Electric Membership Cooperative; Mark Harrell from the NC Tobacco Trust Fund; NC Representative Jimmy Dixon; Senator Brent Jackson; and Renee Sutton, JSCC Chief of Staff.
This initiative, supported by a grant from the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund and contributions from Four County EMC, North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, JSCC, and Duplin County, is a true partnership and represents the future of farming in Duplin County and beyond.
For more information on the "Box to Bowl" project, visit fourcty.org. For details on classes, contact James Sprunt Community College.
Contact:
Greg Sager
Four County EMC
Phone: 910-791-1882
Email: gregsager@fourcty.org
Meagan Turner
133 James Sprunt Drive
Kenansville, NC 28349
Phone: 910-275-6124
Email: mturner@jamessprunt.edu
