Piedmont Conservation Council is part of a partnership initiated by Elon University, Guilford County Open Space Commission, and Guilford County Soil & Water Conservation District to develop a farm incubator at the Hines Chapel Preserve, a 450 acre nature preserve owned by Guilford County and managed by the Open Space Program. The idea was originally laid out in the 2020 Guilford Farmland Protection Plan as a means to encourage new farm business development and develop a support network for these vulnerable ventures. After the initial approach to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners seeking permission to pursue implementation of the project, PCC was charged with further organizing the effort and returning with a feasibility study to present for BOC approval. PCC applied for and was awarded a technical assistance grant from the Center for Environmental Farming Systems to assist with the design, development, and implementation of a farm incubator in 2012. During 2012-2013 PCC made great strides in development and planning by utilizing the CEFS technical assistance grant and organizing stakeholders.
The Kickoff Meeting focused on the concept of farm incubation, visioning (see Hines Chapel Vision Mandala) and project objectives, asset mapping, and development of a steering committee for Hines Chapel Incubator Farm (HCIF). The HCIF Steering Committee began meeting monthly at Elon University in January 2013 to implement a plan for developing a feasibility
As part of the process to gain formal approval to develop a lease for the property, members of the steering committee presented the project to the Open Space Commission at their June 25, 2013 meeting and successfully gained their support. On August 13, 2013 the steering committee gained the support of the Guilford Parks & Recreation Commission as well, and in January 2014 the Guilford County Board of Commissioners agreed to develop a lease with PCC to begin an incubator farm on portions of the Hines Chapel Preserve. Early plans are to utilize a small 7.5 acre of the Preserve as a startup location for incubating new farm businesses, until the project achieves long-term financial stability (see below).
Read the full report here: Developing a Strategic Plan for a Regional Incubator Farm.
For more information on incubator farms, please visit some of the following links:
Center for Environmental Farming Systems: NC Incubator Farm Profiles
New Entry: National Incubator Farm Training Initiative
Lowcountry Local First: Dirt Works Incubator Farm
Intervale Center: FARMS Program
YES Magazine: Farmer Startups? How Incubators are Helping Small, Sustainable Farms Take Off