An AgStory that started with Family, Fun and Ducks

潮水粮食 is a small family and farmer-owned specialty grain producer in Oriental, 北卡罗莱纳. The farm was founded by Tommy Wheeler and Al Sprull, who were both born and raised in 北卡罗莱纳 and also fellow members of a local duck hunting club. The two friends started out with just three acres of land and a dream to achieve massive growth. Wheeler and Sprull are proud to call 北卡罗莱纳 home and have achieved much success at 潮水粮食. Not only is their company highly successful, but they get to do what they love every day at 潮水粮食.

潮水粮食 is the first and only 北卡罗莱纳 rice farm, which has allowed them to grow and mill Carolina Gold Rice, their flagship product. They offer GMO-Free white and brown rice as well as middlins or rice grits, rice hulls and a specialty long-grain variety of Carolina Gold Rice called Santee Gold. 潮水粮食 is centrally located and supports all areas in 北卡罗莱纳. They sell to both retail and wholesale customers, and consumers can find the producers’ products in local restaurants, grocery stores and many other retail outlets.

Carolina Gold Rice is the heirloom “grand-daddy” rice that has expanded all across the United States from as far south as Augusta, Georgia to as far north as the Tidewater region of Virginia. 潮水粮食 grows a genuine product and strives to produce it the same way they did centuries ago. The grain grows more than five feet tall and is very complicated to produce. In the words of Wheeler, “If you can grow this rice, you can grow anything.” This theory is what makes 潮水粮食 so special: they are willing to grow and process crops that require a lot of skill and hard work to achieve.

潮水粮食 is the first farm in the world to grow the award-winning Santee Gold long-grain rice variety, which dates all the way back to 1685 when rice was the number one crop in 北卡罗莱纳. 然而, after the Industrial Revolution, rice production in 北卡罗莱纳 began to fade away until 潮水粮食 brought it back.

潮水粮食 plants the seeds dry in April and floods the rice plantation at the end of May all the way through August. They prepare to harvest the rice at the end of August before hurricane season, and the Carolina Gold Rice drying process can take weeks after harvest.

潮水粮食 has goals of their Carolina Gold Rice being served and sold in every county of 北卡罗莱纳. So far, they are almost halfway there, selling and serving in about 50 counties in 北卡罗莱纳. They distribute their products through e-commerce and retail stores throughout the United States from 1 cup to 30 pound buckets. 潮水粮食 has a big focus on the authenticity of their company and they attribute this to their success. It’s important to them to share the story about Carolina Gold Rice, 他们的水质, 事情过去是怎样的, and how things can be now so people can understand where their food comes from. They also understand that people today are more health conscious and aware of what they put in their bodies, which is another reason for their customers to know how they operate.

As much as Wheeler takes pride in his authentic Carolina Gold Rice, what he enjoys most about 潮水粮食 is his friends and family. He wakes up every day and works hard for people in the generations to come. He loves that he gets the opportunity to provide a legacy that will live far beyond his time on earth.

AgCarolina is proud to be a vital partner for 潮水粮食.

“对我们来说, AgCarolina is not a bank or lender, but a friend that always has our back no matter the situation,惠勒说。. “They have been there every step of the way. They provide us with a product that would be impossible to go without.”

潮水粮食 also appreciates that they are in constant and honest communication with AgCarolina. AgCarolina is involved in all of what 潮水粮食 does and is a huge help with the milling, 种子生长, 农业, 生产, 粮食存储, 发票, packing and distribution processes through their financial support.