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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

CoastLine: Red Beard Farms, Frustrated with Local Farm Markets, Collaborates with Farmers on Co-op

Red Beard Farms

A study recently published in the first issue of the scientific journal, The Lancet Planetary Health, concludes that large and small farms will be needed to meet the global demand for food, which is estimated to require a 70 percent boost in production by the 2050s.That study says small farms are essential in low- and middle-income countries, while surpluses from larger farms can help with scarcity hotspots.  The study also highlights the need for crop and livestock diversity. 

Morgan Milne is the owner and operator of a small farm; you may have seen Red Beard Farms credited on Wilmington menus as the source of the produce on your plate.Milne started his operation in  Castle Hayne in New Hanover County and ultimately moved to Willard – which is in Pender County.And he is with us today to talk about what it’s like to be a small farmer, how he wound up growing crops when he started out college life as a pre-med student, and why he says local farmers markets need more public support. 

 

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Rachel hosts and produces CoastLine, an award-winning hourlong conversation featuring artists, humanitarians, scholars, and innovators in North Carolina. The show airs Wednesdays at noon and Sundays at 4 pm on 91.3 FM WHQR Public Media. It's also available as a podcast; just search CoastLine WHQR. You can reach her at rachellh@whqr.org.