WNC Communities held the 32nd annual Western North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the WNC Agricultural Center — Davis Event Center in Fletcher. Longtime farmer, innovator and farmland preservation advocate Jeff Darnell was inducted at this year’s luncheon.
Each year, the WNC Ag Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose leadership, innovation and dedication have advanced agriculture and agribusiness throughout the region while preserving its rich agricultural heritage for future generations.
Beginning with just one acre in his mother’s backyard in Franklin, Jeff built what would become one of Western North Carolina’s most recognized and influential farming operations. Although he did not come from a farming family, he pursued agriculture through education, mentorship, determination and hands-on experience, funding his college education through scholarships while farming weekends and summers. After graduating with honors from Hiwassee College in 1979, he established Darnell Farms in Bryson City and grew the operation to more than 300 acres by the mid-1990s.
