Williamson Farm Program

, and ample rural areas all contribute to the state’s history as an agricultural powerhouse. But farmers face a multitude of challenges, including extreme weather and the rising cost of land and equipment. Agricultural land in the Triangle region is being lost at an alarming rate: according to the American Farmland Trust, by the year 2040, North Carolina will rank second in the nation for the most farmland lost to development.

TLC’s innovative Williamson Farm Program is tackling these issues and helping to advance a core part of TLC’s mission: supporting local farms. This program provides beginning farmers with access to farmland at the Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve, as well as shared use of equipment and infrastructure including a tractor and the Agriculture Pavilion. Based at the Williamson Preserve in Wake and Johnston counties, the program mitigates barriers to entry for new farmers, allowing them to devote more time to growing their business, supporting the local economy, and providing food to the community.

120 acres at the Williamson Preserve are designated for the program, and five farms are currently operating at the preserve: Reclamation FARMacy, Horn and Wren Teaching Farm, Karen Community Farm, Project Pando (the nonprofit arm of Leaf and Limb), Farm of Zebulon, and Broadwell Farms.

Their operations are varied: the Karen Community Farm provides land and resources for Karen refugees to grow Asian vegetables and flowers, while Project Pando is growing thousands of native tree seedlings and cultivating forests to advance its mission of creating free access to native trees. TLC staff work closely with the farmers on all aspects of their operations, from sharing equipment to providing training on sustainable agriculture practices.