From our fertile soils bursts a colorful bounty. With hard work and a tender touch, farmers across the state provide us with the sweet taste of summer.
watermelon
14 Homegrown Fruit Festivals
Celebrate a bounty of berries, melons, peaches, figs, muscadines, and apples at fun North Carolina festivals from mountains to coast.
A Day in the Life of a North Carolina Fruit & Vegetable Farmer
In the fields of their century-old family farm in Rowan County, the Patterson brothers continue tending the land they love — and sharing its bounty.
Fruits of Our Labor
From apples in the mountains to peaches in the Sandhills to blueberries on the Coastal Plain, there’s a bounty of North Carolina-grown fruit to enjoy.
8 Home Canning Recipes from the Our State Archives
From a 1951 recipe for watermelon rind pickles to a contemporary chowchow, these preserves are timeless — and delicious.
Working for the Weekend
Labor Day stirs memories of first jobs and inspires end-of-summer celebrations.
Cool Down with 8 Delicious Lemonade Recipes
This summer, when life gives you lemons, make a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade.
Make Your Own Luck with 24 Green Recipes
Don’t just wear green for good luck — eat it, too! Get a little green on your plate with these dishes.
Red, White, & Blueberries: Our Favorite Summer Fruits
Every heart beats true for the red, white, and blue — fruits! Deeply rooted in North Carolina soil, our favorite summer sweets offer an unmistakable taste of place. And lucky for us, they’re ripe and ready for the Fourth of July.