February 2025 - 16

GROWER PROFILE
North Carolina
Farms
From dreams to a deep-rooted endeavor
BY GABRIELLE RIPPEL
M
itchell Donahue may have started North Carolina
Farms as a hobby business selling ferns out of a
homemade greenhouse, but now it's blossomed
into an unstoppable force selling wholesale plant starters
to greenhouses and garden centers. Today, Donahue's
two eldest sons, Mick and Brad Donahue, share the
responsibility of running the family enterprise together -
one handling the business side while the other oversees
planting production.
While Brad grew up with North Carolina Farms, he
wasn't set on his career path despite double majoring in
agriculture education and horticulture at North Carolina
State University. He considered the prospect of teaching
after graduation, but his time spent driving back and forth
from college to the family farm to work in the greenhouse
solidified his decision.
" I was going to NC State and then coming home every
weekend and working at the greenhouse. I enjoyed it that
16 FEBRUARY 2025 GPNMAG.COM
Family-run North Carolina Farms is owned by brothers Mick and
Brad Donahue. All photos by Rachel Donahue.
much that I drove [up to] three hours, " Brad said. " By my
junior year, I realized, yeah, that's what I wanted to do. "
Mick and Brad work alongside their sister-turnedoffice
manager, Karen Bland, to manage a year-round
team of roughly 30 employees, and an additional 40 to
50 seasonal staff members. However, the entire Donahue
family pitches in when they can - from their " semiretired "
parents, to the siblings and their spouses - by
creating the annual catalogue, hosting a marketing course
for customers or maintaining payroll and bookkeeping.
Everybody has found the thing they are great at,
establishing a strong team to carry the load when needed.

http://www.GPNMAG.COM

February 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2025

Table of Contents
Editor's Report
2025 California Spring Trials | Turn over a new leaf
CEA | Regulating crops in a controlled space
Grower Profile | North Carolina Farms
Variety Information | Poinsettia Variety Day 2024
Plant Health | Poinsettia protection
Technology | Taking control
Dr. Bugs | Life cycles of insect and mite pests
Technically Speaking | Getting the most out of energy and shade curtains
Culture Report | Heliopsis 'Burning Hearts'
Forty Under 40 Perspectives | A day in the life of plant protection
Product Marketplace
Classifieds/Ad Index
February 2025 - 1
February 2025 - 2
February 2025 - Table of Contents
February 2025 - Editor's Report
February 2025 - 5
February 2025 - 6
February 2025 - 7
February 2025 - 2025 California Spring Trials | Turn over a new leaf
February 2025 - 9
February 2025 - 10
February 2025 - 11
February 2025 - CEA | Regulating crops in a controlled space
February 2025 - 13
February 2025 - 14
February 2025 - 15
February 2025 - Grower Profile | North Carolina Farms
February 2025 - 17
February 2025 - 18
February 2025 - 19
February 2025 - 20
February 2025 - 21
February 2025 - 22
February 2025 - 23
February 2025 - Variety Information | Poinsettia Variety Day 2024
February 2025 - 25
February 2025 - 26
February 2025 - 27
February 2025 - 28
February 2025 - 29
February 2025 - Plant Health | Poinsettia protection
February 2025 - 31
February 2025 - 32
February 2025 - 33
February 2025 - Technology | Taking control
February 2025 - 35
February 2025 - 36
February 2025 - 37
February 2025 - Dr. Bugs | Life cycles of insect and mite pests
February 2025 - 39
February 2025 - Technically Speaking | Getting the most out of energy and shade curtains
February 2025 - 41
February 2025 - Culture Report | Heliopsis 'Burning Hearts'
February 2025 - 43
February 2025 - Forty Under 40 Perspectives | A day in the life of plant protection
February 2025 - 45
February 2025 - Product Marketplace
February 2025 - 47
February 2025 - 48
February 2025 - 49
February 2025 - Classifieds/Ad Index
February 2025 - 51
February 2025 - 52
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/new-varieties-digital-guide-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/2024-guide-to-cannabis-production
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/new-varieties-digital-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/2023-guide-to-hemp-production
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/2023-guide-to-cannabis-production
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/gpn-new-varieties-digital-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/cannabisguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/hempguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/newvarieties-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/cannabisguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/hempguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/newvarieties-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/californiaspringtrials-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/cannabisguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/hempguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/californiaspringtrials-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/undercontrol-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2019
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