I am excited to share more information on a new app that is perfect for exploring North Carolina and supporting local farmers and businesses! The Visit NC Farms app is a great way to find farms and activities that are nearby or along the way if you’re taking a road trip across the state! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using this app to find new places to stop on my trips as I am working my way through my North Carolina 100 County Tour!
3 Itineraries to Explore North Carolina Farms & Dine Locally
Explore Warren County & Dine Locally with I’m Fixin’ To
Take a day trip to Warren County, NC! It’s located in the Piedmont region, a little over an hour from Raleigh. Here are suggestions for the perfect day trip!
First stop, visit a variety of local farmers and artisans at the Warren County Growers’ Association Farmers Market. You’ll find fresh produce, meat, homemade soaps, eggs, fresh cut flowers, handmade crafts, jellies, jams, and homemade baked goods!
When cantaloupes are in season, you *must* stop in Ridgeway to get the best Ridgeway cantaloupes.
Stop in Norlina for a wine tasting at Seven Springs Farms and Vineyards. Located in Norlina, this vineyard is family owned and operated on a property that features 7 naturally created springs. Enjoy time on the farm with a glass of wine!
Take a short drive into Warrenton to enjoy dinner at Robinson Ferry Restaurant & Spirits. Try the fried green tomatoes to start, which are served with pimento cheese and corn relish. You can’t go wrong with a deluxe burger and the shrimp and grits!
Finish your trip with dessert from Chilly Chicken Creamery, with seasonal flavors such as Ridgeway Cantaloupe Sorbet and Apple Butter Ice Cream, made with local apples from Bender Farms in Warren County. Pair the Apple Butter Ice Cream with oatmeal raisin cookies for an ice cream sandwich.
Explore Halifax County and Dine Locally with I’m Fixin’ To
Halifax County is my home county, where my grandfather was a North Carolina farmer himself. Here is the perfect itinerary for exploring the area’s agriculture.
If you’re traveling from the Triangle, be sure to stop at Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts in Enfield. This facility is family owned and operated for over 50 years. The cajun peanuts are delicious!
Head to the Roanoke Valley Farmers Market, which offers fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, eggs and meats, local honey, ornamental plants, local artisan products and many other things.
Stop at Windy Acres Farm for fresh produce right from the fields. This family owned farm has been around for over 50 years and sells fruits and vegetables.
Finish your trip with supper at the Hen and the Hog in historic Halifax. The restaurant serves delicious meals featuring produce from local vendors and farms, including the Roanoke Valley Farmers Market and Windy Acres Farm.
Explore Surry & Yadkin Counties and Dine Locally with I’m Fixin’ To
Don’t sleep on the Western NC wineries and vineyards. The Yadkin Valley Wine Trail offers quite the experience just a short drive from the Triangle or Triad.
Enon Meadows Farm is an all-natural farm featuring seasonal vegetables, fruits, and herbs on a family-run farm.
Take a drive to River Ridge Farm, a family owned and operated farm for 5 generations. Bring your own clippers and snip flowers for your own bouquets.
Purple Alpaca is a 33 acre sustainable alpaca farm with farm classes, alpaca tours, apple orchards, vegetable garden, plus a farm and coffee shop. There are also 5 “glampsites” if you opt to stay on the property. Plus you get to enjoy a cup of coffee while watching the alpacas graze!
Grassy Creek Vineyard is an idyllic wine destination located in a historic dairy barn of the famous Klondike Farm. The wine tasting room is in a converted horse stable and offers cabins on the property, plus walking trails on the former dairy farm. It’s a wonderful spot to spend an afternoon trying North Carolina wines!
Old North State Winery features grapes grown both on 10 acres in eastern North Carolina plus 18 acres in Mt. Airy by Ben Webb. In order to help support the local economy in Mt. Airy, Ben opened the tasting room and restaurant in an old hardware store in downtown Mt. Airy. The restaurant features Chef’s Table Experiences featuring courses prepared with only the best local produce and paired with wine from Old North State’s wine cellar and international wines. Enjoy a special evening with Head Chef, Chris Wishart, as he creates, plates, and presents a one-of-a-kind dining experience!
Learn more about the Visit NC Farms app and two of the featured businesses on the app from the feature on WRAL Out and About.
Thank you to the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for sponsoring this post on the best North Carolina farms to visit! As always, all opinions are my own.
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