Agricultural Heritage

Traditional Heritage

Chatham County has long been shaped, culturally, environmentally, and economically, by its strong agricultural heritage. Dairy and beef cattle farms are responsible for the preservation of open space and a strong work ethic in Chatham’s rural community; as the leading producer of poultry in North Carolina, Chatham County’s agricultural sector provides a source of economic development for farming and non-farming families alike. Events like Silk Hope’s Old Fashioned Farmer Days provide an important cultural link to Chatham County’s agricultural past and connect new and old residents to Chatham County’s charming rural character.

Epicenter of Sustainable Agriculture

With a growing number of farms, Chatham County is also gaining a reputation as an epicenter of innovative and sustainable agricultural practices. Many of Chatham County’s young farmers gain hands-on experience while pursuing Central Carolina’s Sustainable Agriculture degree, the only curriculum program in North Carolina to teach environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially just agricultural methods. Consumers throughout Chatham County benefit from the bounty of local food and can support local farmers by shopping at weekly farmers’ markets in Pittsboro, Fearrington Village, and Siler City.

Chatham County is home to one of North Carolina’s only Sustainable Agriculture Extension Agents, as well as the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, which offers organic certification services and runs a bi-annual tour of local sustainable farms. The Rural Advancement Foundation International and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy are also headquartered in Chatham County, where they provide hands-on expertise in diversifying agricultural operations for environmental and economic sustainability.

Agricultural Entrepreneurship

Agricultural entrepreneurs are flocking to Chatham County to start their value-added businesses. Chatham County is home to two wineries, which draw tourists from all over the state with their award winning North Carolina wines. Other entrepreneurial value-added agricultural businesses, such as Southern Supreme Gourmet Specialties and Kerala Curry, take advantage of niche markets as a part of the growing food processing cluster in Chatham County. Together, value-added small businesses, sustainable local farms, and multi-generational family farms form an evolving agricultural sector that contributes to Chatham County’s reputation as a center of innovation and creativity.