Thanks to NC Farm Bureau, and the Mt. Mitchell Community Fund, N.C. Cooperative Extension of Yancey County now has shared use equipment available for rent, that might prove beneficial to those that are in the process of recovering from
Tropical Storm Helene.
NC Farm Bureau recently donated the funds to purchase a 155 New Holland Box Manure Spreader. This machine will be available for farmers needing to spread aged mulch, compost, or manure on to fields that were damaged by Tropical Storm Helene. It will be available from N.C. Cooperative Extension of Yancey County for $10/day for in county producers, and $25/day farmers in adjoining counties. Farmers from outside of Yancey County will only be eligible for 1 day rentals. In addition, producers will be required to put down a $50 deposit. This deposit will be returned once the equipment is returned within reasonable condition, and by the return date.
Mt Mitchell Community Fund recently donated the funds needed to purchase a 2 Ton Bulk Sidespreader. This spreader will greatly benefit producers applying mixes of biochar and compost/mulch in an effort to restore soils to production that were impacted by TS Helene. It will also benefit producers that wish to apply bulk agricultural lime on their farms. Bulk agricultural lime comes much cheaper than palletized or bagged lime. This piece of equipment will only be available for Yancey County farmers. It will be available for $10/day, with a required $50 deposit. The deposit will be returned when the piece of equipment is returned by the agreed upon return date, has been cleaned, and it is returned in working condition.
Rental fees collected through this program will go toward maintenance expenses required to maintain the equipment. These fees will be subject to change in relation to the cost of maintaining the equipment. Both of these pieces of equipment are now available. We are currently actively looking for funding to purchase additional pieces of rental equipment to be made available in the future.
If you have any questions about the N.C. Cooperative Extension of Yancey County Shared Use Equipment program, please contact David Davis (david_davis@ncsu.edu), or call N.C. Cooperative Extension of Yancey County at (828) 682-6186.
