Lee and Dottie Fahrner went to Greenville, North Carolina, with the Northern Neck Bus Farm Tour from July 30- Aug. 2.

Roy Thagard, extension agent for Greenville County, was the tour guide on July 1 for a delightful tour of Simply Natural Creamery. This farm features all Jersey cattle and guests were treated to a taste of simply delicious ice cream.

After lunch, Mr. Thagard took the Fahrners to a sweet potato farm, named Ham Produce Company, which raises some 4,000 acres of sweet potatoes. He predicted that 90,000 acres of sweet potatoes would be grown in North Carolina this year.

The Fahrners then toured Covington Vodka Distillery, which uses fermented sweet potatoes.

On Aug. 1, Al Cochran, extension agent, met the Fahrners at Carolina Country Fresh, a produce market selling fresh vegetables produced on the Robinson family farm. They have diversified their farm in order to sustain three generations.

They toured the Hardy Peanut Buying Station and Keel Bros. Farms where they raise some 800 acres of flu-cured tobacco. They toured a textile factory and saw cotton in the raw all the way to the making of thread.

On Aug. 2, the morning was filled with farm tours in Martin County where probably a thousand or more farmers were gathered for viewing numerous test fields using various seeds, fertilizers and herbicides, with extension agents explaining best planting, harvesting and other suggestions. There were many vendors present from seed companies to fertilizer companies, to all types of equipment companies, to high-tech accessories, each with exhibits and free gifts. The Northern Neck Bus Tour was organized by Sam Johnson, a retired extension agent for Westmoreland County.

Audrey Robinson is the Raines Tavern correspondent.