Jenkins, Harrison

Harrison Jenkins is a fourth-generation farmer in Iredell County, part of a 100-year farming family legacy. Harrison attended NC State University where he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Agriculture Education. He and his wife Taylor, alongside his parents and sister, operate Westward Farms which is a diverse operation consisting of field crops, commercial poultry houses, and specialty livestock. Growing up, Harrison was always involved with the farming operation and always knew that he wanted to continue his involvement in agriculture. In 2014-2015, Harrison served as a State FFA Officer for North Carolina. He is currently an agriculture teacher at Statesville High School where he is able to share his passion for agriculture to students who have little to no experience with the industry.

Harrison’s family farm began as a dairy farm, purchased and grown by his great-grandfather. Though the dairy farm is no longer in operation, the operation has diversified and expanded throughout the years through poultry houses and field crops. Since graduating college, Harrison has worked with his father to incorporate new and innovative aspects of farming, including bagging and selling deer corn, an independent spraying program, GPS assisted equipment, and new accounting and record keeping systems. Harrison’s goal is to continue growing the family farm by implementing new technologies and techniques, all in the hopes of cultivating a further sustainable operation that will be passed down for another four generations and more.