North Carolina Farmland Secured for Next Generation Farmers

In one of the fastest-growing regions of North Carolina, farmland is disappearing at an alarming pace — thousands of acres lost each year to development. That’s why The Conservation Fund launched its Carolina Farms Fund program, which recently stepped in to secure a 96-acre property 30 miles southeast of Charlotte.  

Rather than seeing this land paved over, The Conservation Fund quickly acquired and protected the property — ensuring it will remain a productive farm and a source of fresh, local food. Today, the land is being transitioned to Boy and Girl Farm, one of the region’s most respected mid-scale vegetable operations known for growing dozens of varieties of produce for farmers’ markets, restaurants, and regional distributors.  

With this new acreage, Boy and Girl Farm will expand production, add orchards and berry fields, and welcome the community through educational programs and on-farm experiences. But none of that would be possible without first securing the land — a critical step made possible through The Conservation Fund’s innovative Farms Fund model, which helps secure at-risk farmland and provide an affordable path to ownership for the next generation of farmers.  

This project is about more than one farm. It’s about strengthening local food systems, supporting farmers, and conserving at-risk agricultural land in a region where development pressure is intense. By acting quickly when it mattered most, we’ve turned a vulnerable property into a lasting community asset — one that will feed families, support local economies, and keep working lands working.  

The Carolina Farms Fund work is made possible in part by the generous support of JPMorgan Chase Foundation. Every protected acre is a reminder that conservation isn’t just about protecting landscapes — it’s also about investing in people, communities, and the future of American agriculture.