Keith Sexton is a retired Methodist minister who wants to grow crops to help feed his community. Joy Hopkins is the CFO of a tech company who dreams of growing her own food and teaching others to do the same. Bryan and Llana Barron are Hollywood actors and producers who got tired of the city and the smog and moved to North Carolina to homestead.

They come from diverse backgrounds and have disparate goals, but they have something important in common: They all dream of farming but know little to nothing about the economics of running one.

“We started this because we love it,” Llana Barron said. “But we also don't want to lose our house or not be able to put food on the table because of the dream. There has to be something coming back from it or else it just is not sustainable.”

NC State Extension helps aspiring or transitioning growers realize their dream through NC Farm School, a program focused on the economic feasibility of farming.

NC Farm School teaches participants how to assess their land and set reasonable goals. Students learn about financial projections and marketing strategies, about record keeping and budgeting concepts.

“We are not a skills program; we don't teach people how to plant tomatoes or how to put up fences,” said Derek Washburn, an Extension expert in agricultural and resource management and director of NC Farm School. “We help them put together a business plan with the idea of a feasibility focus.”

Students gain a practical understanding of the economics of farming and how to create a viable strategic plan, giving them the best chance for success and equipping them to become farmers and entrepreneurs who can add resiliency to local food systems.

“Everyone who comes into farm school sees themselves as part of a community, and they're looking to benefit their community,” Washburn said. “That could be homesteading. They want to be self-sufficient and teach others how to do that. Others want to sell food as a way to benefit their community. Ultimately, feeding people is the goal, whether it’s your family or others.”

Initial guidance comes from Washburn, who makes sure the students have realistic expectations when they start the course.

“We start with basic assessments of how much land you have, the soil type, the topography, the access, what utilities do you need?” he said. “The basic feasibility questions are, can I grow it? What's my yield? Can I produce it for less than what I can sell it for? You’ve got to know what all the inputs are and what they cost. Who is going to be your customer? What price can you expect?”

The retired minister, the CFO and the Hollywood couple were among the three dozen or so participants in the 2026 North Carolina Farm School Central cohort.

Over eight sessions from March to June they received in-class instruction from Washburn and other NC State Extension experts at facilities in Durham, Orange, Alamance and Guilford counties. They learned from successful farmers — including NC Farm School alumni — during on-farm visits.

“They get a broad perspective of the region and the kinds of farms that make it successful, as well as meeting Extension agents from different counties,” Washburn said. “It gives them a better understanding of how integral Cooperative Extension is in North Carolina, and what a big deal it is that people have access to something like this.”

Like most Extension programs, NC Farm School began with an observed need. About 14 years ago Amy-Lynn Albertson, director of Extension’s center in Rowan County, noticed a trend among people interested in farming but who were unsure of how to start. Conversations with other agents confirmed they were hearing the same thing.

Albertson reached out to Extension associate Gary Bullen, an expert in agricultural and resource economics. They developed a program to help new farmers make sound business decisions.

“It was a grassroots initiative from Extension agents,” Washburn said. “The feasibility of farming was something Gary had been working on for probably 30 years of his career. He and Amy formulated a program to give people knowledge to help them succeed.”

The program officially launched in 2013, with Bullen as the director. Washburn became a program assistant in the first year and took charge when Bullen retired.

Cohorts of up to three dozen students convene a couple of times a year in rotating regions across North Carolina. Some want to grow fruits and vegetables. Others are interested in poultry and livestock, beekeeping, and specialty crops like medicinal herbs and mushrooms. They range from people who want to grow microgreens in their garage to those with dozens of acres they want to put into production.

“On average, most people are in the middle, with between five and 30 acres,” Washburn said.

No matter the acreage or the aims, all participants receive the same experience.

“We spend a half day in the classroom, and then we go out into the field and visit local farms,” Washburn said. “For people who don't know what a successful local farm looks like, this gives them an opportunity to see something that works, and why it works.”

Washburn is present at each session, teaching modules, introducing speakers, interjecting and answering questions. He is brutally honest with the students. He doesn’t sugarcoat anything.

Small-scale farming is challenging. Entering into even a hobby farm without a clear-eyed understanding of input costs and profit margins, the uncertainty of weather and crop yields, and the availability of markets can mean economic disaster. He jokingly refers to himself as the dream crusher.

“When people come through NC Farm School, they see how difficult it is to be a local farmer and what kind of devotion it takes,” Washburn said. “They are exposed to what the real risk is, and that's very important. Being in business is risky. And if you're a farmer, you add a lot of environmental risks that many other businesses don't have.”

Success can mean a graduating class going into farming with a clear understanding of the risks and rewards, and a business plan that will guide them toward their goals.

It can also mean deciding not to pursue farming.

“That is a success story too,” Washburn said. “Even if they're not starting a farm, they come away with a deeper appreciation for what it takes to be in local agriculture.”

Tracy Zukowski, who is starting a farm in Bladen County with her husband, appreciated the straight talk.

“It doesn't give me pause,” she said. “We know it's not a quick get-rich scheme. It's time and effort and work. All we want is to give back to our community and make sure that we can pay all the bills and be happy. In the long term, it's going to give us a better quality of life.”

The instructors are primarily Extension experts. One morning in the classroom for the Central cohort included talks from Ashley Troth, agriculture and horticulture agent in Durham County; Alex Kissinger, livestock agent in Orange County; and Marcus Williams, food crops agent in Guilford County, along with Dustin Brewer, natural resources coordinator for the Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District.

“We talk a lot about sustainability in agriculture, but we don't talk enough about economic sustainability,” Kissinger said. “The things we're discussing today — capital loss, capital gains, how to buy equipment — is a big piece of it. And down the line, it transforms into site visits with their county [Extension] agents. It starts them off on a better foot whether they want it to be a hobby or grow it into a sustainable business.”

The speakers dispense practical advice. Kissinger talked about tractor and equipment decisions. Not everyone needs a tractor, he said. Renting might be an option for a one-time use to plough a small field. Used might be more sensible than new. But be sure to get one that is adequate to the job.

That’s advice Keith Sexton, the retired minister, would have liked to receive before launching a community garden in Granville County.

“I wish I'd had Farm School before I bought my tractor,” he said. “Now I have an investment that depreciates that I can't recoup and I need eight to 10 more horsepower to do everything I want to do. I didn't know to ask that question.”

Sexton began growing crops on church property about eight years ago, employing sustainable agriculture practices he learned at community college.

In March 2025 he purchased 27 acres near Oxford to launch Restoring the Soul Farm. In addition to giving away food to neighbors and nonprofits, produce will be available for sale with proceeds going back into the farm.

“This year the goal is to give half away, sell half, and build a market,” Sexton said. “I'm trying to learn how to be profitable so I can expand the farm.”

Sexton had a business background before becoming a pastor. He knew about profit and loss. But he didn’t know how to translate that to a farm. That’s why he sought out NC Farm School.

“I’m thinking about how to spend my time,” he said. “Do tomatoes make more money for the hours I put in versus green peppers versus squash? In November and December, I'll be buying seed and amendments based on what's the most profitable product.”

As a CFO, Hopkins also has an extensive background in business. In fact, it was that background that pushed her toward farming. Working with data centers and thinking about a future dominated by artificial intelligence prompted a desire to do something more organic.

“I have a 12-year-old son,” she said. “We began talking about how do we create something, learn a skill that may be useful? And how do we teach that to other people? My son found a video about a gentleman in Israel who created a small farm where he has a survival garden. He said, ‘Mom, this is going to be a big thing. Why don't we teach other middle schoolers and families how to grow their food for the year?’”

Hopkins and her son turned their idea into a plan — grow fruits and vegetables on 5 to 30 acres and teach others through summer camps and educational programming. They turned to NC Farm School for the knowledge to implement the plan.

“I signed up for Farm School to understand who else is doing this and how they are doing it, and to get some tactical advice about how we can get started with this kind of crazy idea,” she said. “We want to have a diversified garden that you could survive on for a year. I'm building a plan using the Farm School tools to determine what our production system is going to be for every season. A big wake-up call for us was realizing this is not something that happens in a year or two. It's really like a three-to-seven-year investment.”

Hollywood loves to repurpose old shows, and Bryan and Llana Barron’s story can seem like a remake of Green Acres.

Like Oliver Wendell Douglas in the classic 1960s-era sitcom, Bryan and Llana were eager to leave the city behind, move to the country and experience farm living. The impetus was the wildfires that devastated the Los Angeles area in January 2025.

“We were living in an apartment in the Hollywood Hills and the fires were all around us,” Llana said. “That was it. We started packing our bags. I was like, ‘I need nature. I need clean air, and I need to be working in the soil.’ We looked for a property that had a good amount of land and we found an acre and a half in Guilford County.”

There are some key differences between the fictional Douglases and the real-life Barrons. For one thing, both husband and wife were excited about seeking cleaner air and returning to agricultural roots. And unlike the hapless Mr. Douglas, they soon figured out how to make the most of their farm.

After arriving in Guilford County, the Barrons quickly realized that NC State Extension was an indispensable resource. Expert advice from local agents helped them learn how to grow corn, pumpkins and cucumbers, and how to raise chickens.

Although they continue to pursue acting opportunities they wanted to transition from a hobby farm to a money-making operation. They purchased a six‑acre farm in Graham with plans to add a goat dairy.

They needed help with learning how to scale up, and turned to NC Farm School.

“The business side of it is the big question mark for us,” Llana Barron said. “The dream is not to get rich. It's about sustaining the farm-life dream. We want to put food on the table and live an honest living.”

The Barrons found information and inspiration during a visit to Jireh Family Farm, run by NC Farm School alumni Immanuel and Valarie Jarvis.

Immanuel and Valarie began with a small homestead on their Durham County property and discovered a love for farming and satisfaction in contributing to the local food supply. The farm began with selling eggs. They now offer chickens, pork, beef and goats at their on-site store.

“It's really interesting to see this,” Llana said. “We're both going, ‘Can we do this? Do we do that?’”

As NC Farm School graduates, whatever decision they make will be grounded in sound business principles and economic realities. They will understand the challenges and risks. They will be ready to play their part in building more resilient local food systems.