/blog/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 15:01:50 +0000 Blueberry Season Begins http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/blueberry-season-begins/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/blueberry-season-begins/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/blueberry-season-begins/ Mon, 09 Jun 2025 09:00:00 -0400


Great news, blueberry season is here in Johnston County with some farms offering u-pick blueberries and many more with fresh blueberries for sale! Early June is normally the beginning of blueberry

]]> Where Piles of Dirt Become Dreams Realized: Hand Picked Nursery http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/where-piles-of-dirt-become-dreams-realized-hand-picked-nursery/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/where-piles-of-dirt-become-dreams-realized-hand-picked-nursery/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/where-piles-of-dirt-become-dreams-realized-hand-picked-nursery/ Fri, 28 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0400


Hand Picked Nursery is a veteran-owned, family-operated business that offers a wide selection of plants and flowers. Now located on 25 acres in the McGee Crossroads community near Benson, I sat down

]]> Find Fresh Local Flowers to Fill Your Home http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/find-fresh-local-flowers-to-fill-your-home/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/find-fresh-local-flowers-to-fill-your-home/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/find-fresh-local-flowers-to-fill-your-home/ Fri, 15 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0400


Fresh flowers offer a nice, homey touch to any room. But, traditional floral arrangements can often come at a price. In Johnston County, many farms have sprung up to meet the demand of fresh flowers.

]]> 911±¬ΑΟ Grows Promotes Strawberries http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/joco-grows-promotes-strawberry-season/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/joco-grows-promotes-strawberry-season/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/joco-grows-promotes-strawberry-season/ Fri, 01 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0400


The 911±¬ΑΟ in partnership with the NC Cooperative Extension Johnston County Center, and the 911±¬ΑΟ Grows Agriculture Steering Committee, is working to bridge the gap between

]]> Perfect Day for Strawberries http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/a-perfect-day-for-strawberry-picking-at-smiths-nursery/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/a-perfect-day-for-strawberry-picking-at-smiths-nursery/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/a-perfect-day-for-strawberry-picking-at-smiths-nursery/ Thu, 27 May 2021 13:00:00 -0400

A Perfect Day for Strawberry Picking
at Smith’s Nursery


Thank you to JaMeka Ramnath for sharing with us her family's recent visit to Smith's in Benson; we hope you enjoy this guest blog. Be sure to

]]> Blueberries & Summer Fun http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/blueberries-and-summer-fun/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/blueberries-and-summer-fun/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/blueberries-and-summer-fun/ Fri, 26 Jun 2020 08:00:00 -0400


In terms of U.S. fruit consumption, blueberries rank only second to strawberries in popularity. Blueberries are repeatedly ranked in the U.S. diet as having one of the highest antioxidant capacities

]]> Strawberry Season at Smith's Nursery - Video Blog http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/strawberry-season-at-smiths-nursery-video-blog/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/strawberry-season-at-smiths-nursery-video-blog/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/strawberry-season-at-smiths-nursery-video-blog/ Wed, 08 Apr 2020 13:00:00 -0400


The Visitors Bureau worked with a local company, Matthew Telford Films, to produce a short video about the fun and flavor found in picking your own strawberries straight from the field during the

]]> Blueberry Picking While You Can http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/blueberry-picking-while-you-can/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/blueberry-picking-while-you-can/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/blueberry-picking-while-you-can/ Fri, 16 Jun 2017 14:00:00 -0400

Farmers will tell you, and there are plenty in Johnston County, that some harvests are better than others. When you live off the land you understand the ebb and flow of circumstances throughout the

]]> Growing a Grape Legacy and Fermenting a Future http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/growing-a-grape-legacy-and-fermenting-a-future/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/growing-a-grape-legacy-and-fermenting-a-future/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/growing-a-grape-legacy-and-fermenting-a-future/ Fri, 09 Oct 2015 15:00:00 -0400


If you have been following the Meet the Makers blog series, then you'll know that I have endeavored to sit down with Johnston County's great makers in some of the fastest growing industries in the

]]> Bursting with Blueberries http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/bursting-with-blueberries/ http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/bursting-with-blueberries/#comments http://www.johnstoncountync.org/blog/post/bursting-with-blueberries/ Fri, 05 Jun 2015 11:00:00 -0400

Blueberries are a versatile fruit. You can pop them into your mouth like popcorn, bake them into anything, simmer them down to a condiment, or even freeze them for an extra refreshing kick on those

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