Good news for melon growers

BOGUE - After the summer has passed and the last Bogue Sound watermelon of the season has been eaten, Carteret County farmer Billy Guthrie will have a new project on his mind.

Two grants totaling $400,000 have been approved that will help fund a facility that will help the Bogue Sound Watermelon Growers Association and potentially many others within the area's farming community.

"The opportunity is awesome for what it can do for farmers in this area," said Guthrie, who serves as president of the organization.

Initial plans call for a building in the vicinity of Guthrie's farm in Bogue and will serve as a central location at which the members of the BSWGA can sort, grade and store melons until they are loaded up for distribution.

"With 15 to 20 farmers growing watermelons, one centralized location is needed," said Ray Harris, director of the Carteret County Cooperative Extension.

Members of the farmers cooperative come from Carteret, Onslow and Jones counties. As the demand for Bogue Sound watermelons grows, even more farmers are needed to increase production.

"It's a good problem to have, but we need to find additional growers," Harris said.

The Bogue Sound Watermelon Growers Association has seen early success in promoting their product and is shipping out more and more of the melons with each season.

In 2006, the cooperative shipped 19 tractor-trailer loads of melons. The number increased to 48 last year and more than 100 truckloads have already been pre-sold this year.

Having a central location for all the activity will be a benefit to the BSWGA but other uses are also envisioned for the facility.

"Hopefully we can spin into other produce," Harris said.

With refrigeration and ice-making equipment, crops such as cantaloupes could also be stored for distribution.

And there's also the possibility of other groups benefiting, such as Carteret Catch, a nonprofit organization that is expanding demand of locally caught seafood.

The facility could also support activities such as farmers' markets.

But first it must be built.

"We hope to get started in September and maybe get it in place by December or January," Harris said.

With the support of the Carteret County Cooperative Extension, the Carteret County Economic Development Council and a grant sponsorship from Carteret County, the project recently received two major grants.

The North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center awarded a $300,000 economic innovation grant in February. Last month, the N.C. Department of Agriculture announced the award of $100,000 from the Agricultural Development & Farmland Preservation Trust Fund.

Contact Carteret County reporter Jannette Pippin at jpippin@freedomenc.com or 252-808-2275. Visit www.jdnews.com to comment on this report.