Made in the High Country 2018

AEV

High Country Timberframe

Evinrude BRP

Sexton Farms INDUSTRY • CRAFTSMEN • INNOVATORS • ENTREPRENEURS

2018

A SPECIAL PUBLICATION OF

MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

2 - Mountain Times Publications

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Goodnight Brothers 70 years of old-fashioned consistency

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Goodnight brings up to 280,000 pounds of pork a week to dry cure, with trucks bringing them in 40,000 pounds at a time. Hams are rotated through winter, spring, summer and fall environment rooms.

SPECIALIZING IN THE ART OF DRY CURING HAMS SINCE 1948

Goodnight Brothers products are locally produced in the High Country, but did you know our various products can be found in retail stores, food service distribution locations and restaurants across the state?

Nothing beats a classic and our signature country ham is just that! You can find a variety of our Dan’l Boone Inn Country Ham locally in Lowes Foods and Harris Teeter of Boone, as well as in numerous Dollar Tree retailers across the state.

Switch things up with our newest product, Goodnight’s Dry Cured Hickory Smoked Thick Cut Bacon. This can be found locally at Lowes Foods of Boone as well as through many food service distributors and various restaurants in the state for your enjoyment.

Snack on with Goodnight Brothers Pork Skins, now available in multiple Circle K convenience stores throughout Watauga and Avery Counties, as well as in the Triad area! Available in Barbeque, Original, Hot & Spicy, and Sweet Mild BBQ, you’re sure to find a flavor you’ll love!

Goodnight Brothers • 372 Industrial Park Drive • Boone, NC 28607 800-828-4934 • www.goodnightbrothers.com facebook.com/goodnightbrotherscountryham @GoodnightBrothers

n eastern Boone at 372 Industrial Drive sits the headquarters and processing plant for Goodnight Brothers, which has been dry-curing hams in the High Country since 1948.

“Proud to be a family company, we haven’t sold out and don’t plan on selling out,” said Bill Goodnight, who is second in command to his cousin, Jim Goodnight.

“Being an established business with the tradition we have is a great thing,” said Tony Snow, sales manager at Goodnight Brothers.

Founded by the five Goodnight Brothers, the company has grown in an operation with currently about 120 employees.

Goodnight brings up to 280,000 pounds of pork per week to dry cure, with trucks bringing them in 40,000 pounds at a time.

Hams are rotated through winter, spring, summer (which at 90 degrees, gives the hams a golden glaze) and fall environment rooms. The four seasons, which naturally takes a calendar year, can now be done in 72-90 days.

“We bring Mother Nature inside,” Snow said.

The hams are hung on wooden racks, which can hold about 100 each.

“We’re one of the few USDA-inspected facilities to still allow wood in their facility,” Snow said.

After being dry-cured, hams are put through a labor-intensive process which starts with deboning. Snow says Goodnight debones about 2,000 hams a day.

The hams are then pressed, put in the freezer, pressed again, then sliced, bagged, run through a metal detector an sent to shipping. The process sees scores of people operate on a belt-line in harmony to make sure each product is up to Goodnight standards.

Goodnight products are sent to chains such as Hard-

ee’s, Bojangles, Wendy’s, Chik-fil-a, Shoney’s, retail outlets such as Dollar Tree and various grocery store chains. Goodnight ships across the United States, but has a main footprint in the southeast from Maryland to northern Florida and going into Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi.

The dry-cured country ham is Goodnight’s “bread and butter” as Snow calls it.

“One of the things Bill (Goodnight) and I have tried to do is educate consumers on country ham,” Snow said.

“It’s a tradition of the past and not many people are getting into country ham. We want to make sure the country ham industry will stick around for a while, educating people on the different uses of country ham.”

Goodnight is also looking to diversify as it moves into its eighth decade.

“Our success will depend upon product diversification,” Goodnight said.

Different types of products offered includes an all-natural country ham, snack sticks, different types of bacon and pork skins.

“We’ve built such a brand recognition that people are asking for other products,” Snow said.

“We’re constantly trying to improve, which doesn’t necessarily mean sell more cases, but it means building upon the foundation we already have and make it better as well,” Snow explained.

“It’s some of the best quality, competitive prices and we

pride ourselves on customer service.”

In the future, both Snow and Goodnight said they’re looking into more automation in the factory, with Goodnight also mentioning keeping employee pay going up.

“What Goodnight Brothers offers that maybe some other people can’t is consistency; a Monday through Friday job, 40 hours a week, sometimes longer in the holidays,” Snow said. “I’ve been here for 18 years and that’s what they continue to build upon. It’s a great place to work, and they’ve treated me exceptionally.

“I worked here during college, started putting up boxes and over time worked my way up.”

Goodnight also started in the “ham house,” as he called it, back in the 1980s, which was located on Howard Street in downtown Boone.

“The High Country is a great place to live and raise kids,” Goodnight said.

Operating a business out of the High Country is a challenge, but rewarding,.

“It’s a challenge everyday to keep the volume there for your employees,” Goodnight said. “It’s nice to get up and come in and have something you enjoy doing.

Goodnight is a sponsor of the Appalachian State Sustainable Development and the Appalachian Summer Festival.

“We give back to the community as much as we can,” Goodnight said.

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

Mountain Times Publications -

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United Chemi-Con

World-class supplier of capacitors and varistors

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or more than 60 years, the capacitor manufacturing facility located along New River’s gently flowing North Fork in northwestern Ashe County has been an anchor for the area’s economy. Identified for the past 26 of those years as United Chemi-Con (UCC), the local plant began in 1953 as Sprague Electric Company and has employed several thousand high country residents over the years.

UCCs parent company, Nippon Chemi-Con, is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and is the largest aluminum capacitor manufacturer in the world with manufacturing and sales locations in the U.S., Europe and Southeast Asia. With 152 dedicated and highly skilled employees, the Ashe County facility designs, manufactures and distributes its premium capacitors all over the world.

UCC is not only about remarkable products, it is about local people and the high country. Our philosophy is to support the local community through donations of time and money to a wide range of organizations in which our employees participate and from which they and their families benefit.

Both the company and its employees actively participate in many worthy projects evidenced by twice being awarded the Ashe County Business/Industry Volunteer of the Year Award as well as the Governor’s Community and Economic Development Award.

United Chemi-Con wishes to sincerely thank our outstanding employees for their dedication and excellent service for these many years. Their exceptional effort and performance demonstrates the awesome capabilities of the High Country workforce.

BENEFITS We are committed to providing our employees with high quality and cost effective health plans. We offer medical/dental/basic life insurance/supplemental life insurance for employee and spouse/short and long term disability. We also have a flex spending plan, and a 401K plan with company match up to 3 percent of salary.

Our in-house nurse, scheduled one day a week is not only benefit to the company, but to our employees.

Our Mission is to be a world class supplier of capacitors and varistors recognized by our customers for Quality, Service and Innovation.

185 McNeil Rd. | Warrensville, NC 28643 | 336.384.2551

4 - Mountain Times Publications

MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Elephant Structures Local business, manufacturing, investment and community

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PHOTO SUBMITTED Elephant Structures services, delivers and installs: Our metal building varieties include carports, garages, barns, and extra-wide steel buildings. Each style is unique: Our carports can be outfitted with any number of walls, while garages are fully enclosed. Custom metal barns are equipped with lean-tos and are perfect for agricultural use, as well as additional parking or storage. Finally, our clear span, extra wide metal buildings are perfect for large-scale building needs.

ommy Sofield is many things. A family man, businessman, real estate developer and community leader who works hard to give back to Boone and the High Country as often as he can.

Today he owns and operates a manufacturing plant that produces buildings for Elephant Structures, a carport, garage, and metal building construction company found online at www.carport.com.

These buildings can vary from a backyard open carport to a 60-feet wide clear span commercial metal building. Elephant Structures now services, delivers, and installs metal building nation wide. Other companies managed here in Boone are US Safe Room (www.ussaferoom.com) which manufacturers safe room, gun safe, and storm shelters; and Sofield, which also developed a specialized engineered steel building manufactured for either temporary or permanent storage facilities for hazardous material storage. This provides small businesses, Fortune 500, and Fortune 100 companies complaint chemical storage solutions, and this continues today as US Hazmat Rentals (www.ushazmatrentals.com).

Although not native to Boone, Sofield has lived here for 47 years — ever since attending and graduating from Appalachian State University, and is now known as a local.

After growing up in Virginia Beach, Va., he attended Appalachian from 1971-1975 on a football scholarship and was a captain of the football team in 1975. He currently resides in Boone with his wife, Debbie. They have two daughters, one son, and have been blessed with five grandsons and two granddaughters.

Committed to the community, Tommy is an active member of Mount Vernon Baptist Church where he served as chairman on the board of the financing committee and continues to support the University to this day by serving on the various boards including the Athletics Feasibility Committee Board of Visitors. He’s also a board member of the Watauga County Economic Development Council, and on the Board of Directors with First Citizens Bank. This leadership has proven successful for multiple businesses he’s started here in the high county, hiring hundreds of locals over the years and producing many products right here in the High Country.

Sofield moved to Boone to attend App State in ‘71, a year later during his sophomore year, he opened his first local business a restaurant named Yogi’s Sub Shop in downtown Boone. He successfully ran this restaurant until it sold 14 years later when he founded a steel building manufacturing company in 1985. Sofield has been able to

grow and replicate his success expanding into new industries and creating various companies over the years — all in the High Country.

“As an entrepreneur, I have always focused on what makes economies thrive– local businesses,” he said. “For over 30 years I have owned and operated businesses and developed real estate here in the High Country, and I hope to continue to give back to the community who has supported me in doing so.”

His real estate experience now spans over 25 years – having developed and currently own commercial properties for Tractor Supply, shopping centers, student housing and apartments throughout the Boone area.

“My experience in real estate development has provided many insights to project planning, cost management, and urban development throughout the High Country,” Sofield said. “My experience in business development and serving on local committees pushed me to expand my community involvement further by starting a micro-venture fund that supports business development in our community.

The High Country Impact Fund invests in local, start-up companies that will bring strong, high-quality jobs to the region. The key purpose of this fund is to create a more dynamic and sustainable local economy, that supports emerging markets and expansive job growth throughout the region. As an entrepreneur and local business owner, I am keenly aware of the significance of local businesses in economic development for a community. Local, start-up companies are the economic bedrock of our communities. In partnership with the Angel Capital Group, the High Country Impact Fund is designed to support various local businesses throughout the High Country region, providing a local presence of $1 million to support dynamic and progressive, local economic growth to the region.” You can learn more about the High Country Impact Fund at www.highcountryimpactfund.com or by calling (828) 278-9306.

In addition to this, his roles on various local committees, donating the Sofield Indoor Practice Facility on Appalachian State campus and supporting many of our local charitable nonprofits, Sofield is running for Watauga County Commissioner for District 5 this November. He hopes to give back, further putting to use his business experience, real estate and infrastructure development, along with his local leadership to make Watauga County an even better place to live. His goal is to bring together the town, county residents and the university for a win-win-win for all residents and visitors to the area alike.

MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Mountain Times Publications -

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High Country Timber & Gallery Woodworking Co. Nationally successful timber frame company has roots in Boone

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oone is a small town, so for a local business to leave a national footprint is an impressive accomplishment.

High Country Timberframe & Gallery Woodworking Co. has done just that by becoming experts in the craft of timber frame design and construction.

The company was established in Boone in 1997, and is a licensed general contractor in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, but has work throughout the United States including at the New York Botanical Gardens, The Dawes Arboretum and Japanese Garden in Newark, Ohio and the Sarah P. Duke Gardens on the campus of Duke University, just to name a few.

High Country Timber-

frame is co-owned by Tom Owens and Pete Jankowski, who met in 1994 while working for other carpenters in the area. Constantly striving for challenging projects, the duo thought that starting their own business would let them continue seeking the thrill on a more permanent basis. “(Pete) and I always preferred the more intricate aspects to your more standard construction,” said Owens. “We enjoy the challenge and we’ll continue doing this as long as there’s a demand for it.”

Along with timber frame work, the company provides a variety of services, including general contractor services, custom home design, traditional Japanese post and beam, architect, builder and homeowner collaborations, additions

and remodeling, structural insulated panels and studio furniture by commission.

It’s the company’s mission to design and incorporate elements that fit into individual lifestyles while providing maximum value with each finished product.

“Our projects are not inexpensive, so those that hire us know the quality of work they’re going to get,” said Owens. “It’s our moral responsibility as carpenters to dedicate our efforts to achieving the highest quality work possible. For our company, the High Country has been an incredible source of talented, artistic, creative and capable craftspeople.”

Whether a client has a clear picture of what they’d like, or they are just beginning to consider possibilities, High Country

Timberframe helps bring ideas to life.

And those ideas are always fresh. ...

“We recently completed a design/build project that we believe to be the only certified Energy Star 3 and NC Green Built home in Watauga, Avery and Ashe,” said Jankowski.

Aside from the business side of High Country Timberframe, the company is very much involved in the community, particularly the Watauga County Special Olympics, OASIS and the Watauga County Farmers Market.

“This is just a wonderful community. The quality of life here is hard to beat,” said Owens.

High Country Timberframe is located in a 25,000-square-foot facility in Boone.

High Performance Homebuilding ◦ SIP Construction ◦ Timber Frame Construction ◦ ShopBuilt High Performance Wall Systems

Timber Frame Design and Engineering ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦

Timber Trusses Entryways Porches & Gazebos Porte Cochere’s

828.264.8971 www.highcountrytimberframe.com Licensed General Contractor - NC, SC, VA

PHOTO SUBMITTED Along with timber frame work, High Country Timberframe provides a variety of services, including general contractor services, custom home design and more.

MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

6 - Mountain Times Publications

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Global Manufacturing Delivering peace of mind, convenience and value

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ince 1987, Global Manufacturing Services Inc. in West Jefferson has produced printed circuit boards and LED boards on a contract basis for bigname companies all around the world. The company was founded by Arlie Keith, who now works as a consultant and advisor to Andria Robbins, the current CEO and president, who also happens to be Keith’s daughter.

In the past year, Global Manufacturing has made changes to become more efficient and produce more product. New production equipment has increased the production speed and capacity by 50 percent, allowing the company to hire more people in the High Country to keep up

PHOTO SUBMITTED New equipment has increased production speed and capacity at Global Manufacturing.

with demand and to stay ahead.

The community involvement from Robbins and Global Manufacturing has also been on the rise.

Global Manufacturing had

a team participating in this year’s Ashe County Relay for Life, which business development manager Bobby Caddell said is just a part of Robbins’ community involvement commitments.

“She’s made a point to have our company be more involved with the community that supports us,” Caddell said. “Andria wants to help the future by promoting what we do to young people, while at the same time continuing to work with LED technology and setting us up for a brighter future.”

Robbins is on the board of directors for the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, where among other initiatives, she is assisting in the development of the Leadership Ashe Program.

The program connects diverse community leaders and gives them an opportunity to gain a better understanding of the impact that each segment (Gov-

ernment, Tourism, Agriculture, Industrial, Technology, Environmental, Health, and Human Services) has on the people and the economy of the County.

She is also the chairwoman for the Business and Community Development Committee of Ashe County which promotes business development and connects entrepreneurs with seasoned business professionals and access to capital. As the chairwoman, she also works with the local High School’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Program promoting the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills of the youth in the community. Each school year students get

to tour businesses in the area and learn about new technologies and business practices. The STEM program exposes students to the real world and allows them to make informed career path choices. Global Manufacturing opens its’ doors to these students several times a year.

With products that end up in devices such as soundboards, electronic door openers, heating and air units and the multitude of LED uses, Global Manufacturing has their footprint all over the country. Continued growth over the past decade is proving that what Robbins and the company are doing is working, while having benefits in many ways.

Keep up with all the local news, obituaries, community events, and sports.

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828.733.2448

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

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VOTED BEST PLACE TO WORK 8 YEARS IN A ROW

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MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

8 - Mountain Times Publications

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

American Emergency Vehicles

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merican Emergency Vehicles has been producing quality emergency vehicles in Jefferson since 1991 — and business has been driving forward ever since.

“The future is very, very bright for us. We have plans to double our current output in the coming years using our new facilities,” Jeff Williamson, assistant controller at AEV, said.

Currently AEV produces, on average, 26 new vehicles per week, or one every four hours. The company recently acquired new property and has plans to move its operation into a new facility in the coming years.

“Right now we only have our remount/refit center at our new facility, but the move has started to begin,” Jeff Dreyer, AEV’s director of manufacturing said.

Produces jobs and quality products

PHOTO BY LEE SANDERLIN AEV’s Keith Norris stands by a graphics printing machine. The graphics will be applied to a completed ambulance.

AEV’s remount center allows it to take in old emergency vehicles and completely refit them so that they may return to service.

“Currently we do about four of those a week,” Dreyer said.

The new facility, at the former site of Gates manu-

facturing, underwent a $2.5 million renovation before it opened. With such strong ties to the county, AEV used primarily local contractors in its renovation of the facility into its new refurbishing plant.

“Other than really specialized contractors, we

Proud to be

Part of the High Country

BRP US, Inc. 1211 Greenwood Road Spruce Pine, NC 28777 828.766.1100 | www.brp.com © 2018 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). Evinrude, E-TEC and G2 are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates.

tried to keep everything as in-county as possible as another way of giving back to the community,” Williamson said.

AEV doesn’t just hire local contractors, they have more than 500 employees, with a majority from Ashe County.

“Being from such a small place, we have had two to three generations of family working for us. Some of them have been here for 20 years,” Williamson said.

AEV seeks to be an employer that the community can count on to have jobs.

The company also works with local high schools and vocational teachers to teach students and to let them know that they have choices when they graduate, “We want the kids to know that we are an option, that they don’t necessarily have to leave the county or leave home to find work,” Dreyer said.

Both AEV and its employees are involved with local charities as well. AEV has a charity payroll deduction

that allows employees to designate an amount of money to come out of their check to be donated to charity. At the end of the year, AEV matches the total amount of money donated by employees and then lets the employees vote on five charities that will receive the donations.

In 2017, the company raised $37,000 through the program. Dreyer said he expects the company to raise “at least as much, if not more, this year.”

AEV is just as dedicated to its products as they are the community and employees. More than 1/4 of all ambulances on the road today were made by AEV, according to Williamson.

“This is a lifesaving business that we’re in,” Dreyer said. “There is so much passion for the work we do here.”

AEV’s parent company, REV Group, became a publicly traded stock on the NASDAQ in March 2017.

“Being publicly traded just shows how much of

a good job we are able to do here,” said Williamson.

“Being publicly traded, it gives us leverage in negotiating with our vendors.”

AEV is also one of four companies owned by REV group to have an after-market parts distribution center. That center services the entire Eastern U.S., according to Williamson.

The distribution center is in the old Leviton building, down the hill from AEV’s Gates facility. The company spent nearly $2 million renovating the building, once again using local contractors for nearly all of it. The facility opened in January 2017.

“The parts distribution center, the new facility, our current facility, all of this shows just how much we can accomplish and just how much potential for growth we have,” Williamson said. “When customers come, or other businesses come, they might think this is just a little backwoods country town, but there is so much opportunity for growth here.”

BRP US, Inc. Powering through for pleasure or work

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roducing aluminum components for Evinrude outboard engines and other products since the mid1980s, BRP/Evinrude’s lost-foam casting facility in Spruce Pine, N.C., is a unique, but little-known part of the High Country’s manufacturing environment.

Evinrude has been building its American brand of outboard motors for boats since 1907. Founded by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wis., Evinrude outboards deliver two-stroke direct-injected engines ranging from 25 to 300 horsepower. The direct-injection process improves fuel efficiency, oil usage, noise levels and maintenance needs — all vital components for a engine engaged on pleasure or work crafts.

And, always at the forefront of outboard engine technology, the Evinrude E-TEC was the first outboard engine technology to earn U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency’s Clean Air Excellence Award, in 2004.

The Evinrude name is also one famously recognized. In the 1977 Disney movie “The Rescuers,” Evinrude was the name of one of the characters responsible for propelling a rescue boat. And, James Bond fans will note the Evinrude name in multiple water scenes.

Today, Ole Evinrude’s name is found not only on many outboard engines, but also in the presentation of the Ole Evinrude Award given by the N.Y. Boat Show. This award is presented in recognition of an individuals contributions to the growth of recreational boating.

To find out more about Evinrude engines and how they can enhance your boating experience, visit BRP US, Inc., at 1211 Greenwood Road, Spruce Pine, call at (828) 766-1100 or visit www.brp.com.

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

Mountain Times Publications -

9

Cornett Deal Farm Has been providing family fun for decades

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hristmas Trees are a staple of the High Country. The iconic farms can be found dotted throughout the landscape. The Cornett Deal Christmas Tree Farm has nearly spent nearly four decades raising Fraser Fir Christmas trees.

“We want to teach our children to appreciate the land and preserve it for future generations,” Diane Cornett Deal said.

Under the vision of family patriarch Clint Cornett, the family entered the tree business in 1979, when he planted his first field of Fraser firs. The business as it is known today was established in 1986 when Cornett Deal purchased the farm.

Cornett’s legacy is carried on today by Cornett Deal and Clint’s son, Dale Cornett, who was recognized in 2008 for environmental stewardship and was named Christmas Tree Grower of the Year by the Watauga County Christmas Tree Association in 2009.

While Dale’s farms operate as a wholesale tree business, Diane’s farm operates as a choose-and-cut operation that attracts hundreds of visitors each year.

Children and adults alike have enjoyed annual trips to the farm for decades.The trip has become a tradition for many families, and they are greeted like family at the farm.

“We’ve been coming here for over 20 years,” one guest said in a review.

Look Look what

PHOTO SUBMITTED Rows upon rows of trees line the hill at Cornett Deal Christmas Tree Farm in Vilas.

“Visiting here is like going home. Diane remembers us by name and always greets us with a big hug.

Even though we now live in Eastern Virginia, we make the trip each year and would never dream of getting our tree anywhere else. The ride out is amazing and she even shared her cider recipe with us.

This is where you make lifelong memories and we are so thrilled now to share this with our daughter.”

Just as the customers appreciate the hospitality of the farm’s owners, the staff at Cornett Deal cares a great deal for its customers, especially the ones who return year after year.

“They are the reason we keep doing this — the families that keep doing this year after year,” Cornett

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Deal said. “They brought their children and now their children are bringing their children.”

Adding to the charm of the traditional chooseand-cut experience, guests can also enjoy hayrides to any of the farm’s five tree fields, as well as a visit to the farm’s gift shop, which is stocked with handmade wreaths and local crafts, and plans to have covered horse-drawn wagon rides as well.

Adjacent to the Tennessee state line, the Cornett Deal Christmas Tree Farm is located in Vilas, a short drive from Boone.

Opening day for the farm will be open Nov. 17, the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving. The farm operates from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and

Sundays through Dec. 16.

The farm will be open on Black Friday. Cornett Deal noted that due to a tree

shortage, the farm may be closing early this year and tree shoppers should call ahead.

Bring your family to choose and cut your very own Fraser Fir at our delightful Cornett Deal Christmas Tree Farm.

Find out about these and more in your local paper!

Participate in Democracy.

Read your Public Notices.

This year Cornett Deal’s vacation cabin, called Songbird Cabin, is available for rent.

2015

2016

2017

2018

Family owned & operated Christmas Tree farm -specializing & selling both choose & cut and wholesale Christmas Trees Featuring top quality Fraser Fir trees & wreaths.

Give us a call to schedule your own choose and cut day!

828-964-6322 Call 264-6397 to Subscribe

142 Tannenbaum Lane, Vilas, NC 28692

www.cdtreefarm.com

MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

10 - Mountain Times Publications

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Go Postal Putting the spotlight on local organizations

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Go Postal in Boone offers shipping, printing supplies and more.

o Postal in Boone knows what it means to be creative and involved with the community.

The business, located in Boone’s New Market Center, offers a variety of products including signs, banners, business cards, flyers, posters and shipping — great ways for local residents and businesses to get noticed.

A trip around Boone is like a tour of Go Postal’s work. In fact, store manager Chris Kirby, who has more than 15 years in the printing and signage business, says that’s one of the reasons he’s so passionate about his work.

“Being able to ride around town and see things that you’ve designed, worked on with your hands and created is why I love this work,” Kirby said.

A significant portion of ASU’s printing needs are handled by Go Postal in Boone.

“The College of Arts and Sciences has worked with Go Postal on a number of projects from print materials, to signs, banners, swag items and more,” said Ellen Burnette, communications liaison for the College of Arts and Sciences. “They have always delivered the same level of consistent service and quality products with an incredibly helpful staff.”

Go Postal also created banners for Watauga High School’s championships, High Country Soccer Association, Boone’s Symphony in the Park and Woolly Worm Festival signage.

Chick-Fil-A’s van sports Go Postal decals, and they’ve done similar work for local businesses Sensible Build and Triple T Plumbing.

Both Kirby and owner Christy Gottfried are excited about Go Postal in Boone’s potential for growth, increasing community involvement and new products they plan to offer in the future.

Gottfried has more than 20 years of self employment experience and became full owner of Go Postal in August 2016.

“We are always working on options for small batch runs of innovative products for local organizations and businesses,” Gottfried said.

Go Postal offers shipping via FedEx, UPS and the United States Postal Service, along with a plethora of boxes and packing materials, and can ship almost anything to any domestic and international location.

Visit Go Postal in Boone in New Market Center or email them at orders@gopostalprinting.com.

your job | your life your home | your newspaper Subscribe Today! (828) 264-1881

MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Mountain Times Publications -

11

Sexton Christmas Tree Farm Provides a family experience

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hen driving through the mountains of the High Country, one will often find lines of Fraser Fir Christmas trees extending for acres.

According to the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, North Carolina has approximately 1,300 growers producing Fraser Fir Christmas trees on an estimated 40,000 acres, most of which are in the High Country.

The Sexton family, owners of Sexton Christmas Tree Farm and Frosty’s Choose and Cut, has been growing Christmas trees since 1960, according to co-owner Matthew Sexton.

“We love doing Christmas trees and providing that for people during Christmas,” Sexton said. “There’s nothing like seeing a family getting together, coming out in the field and picking Christmas trees out for their home.”

Frosty’s Choose and Cut, located at 2152 Beaver Creek School Road in West Jefferson, offers a 45-acre farm with all kinds of Fraser Fir trees, according to Sexton. Trees range from 5 feet to 12 feet tall. Frosty’s also has a fire pit to roast marshmallows and make s’mores.

Frosty’s also brands a piece of the stump as a souvenir for families who participate in the choose and cut festivities. The stump souvenir doubles as a tree ornament. The business also offers custom wreaths, other ornaments, live music on the weekends and

more. Frosty’s Choose and Cut opens to the public Friday, Nov. 16.

Before the winter season comes, Sexton Christmas Tree Farm is hosting a Corn Maze and Pumpkin Festival opening Friday, Sept.

28. This will be the third year the farm has held the festival.

“We just keep doing it for the community,” Sexton said. “It’s a lot of fun to see everyone come out and take some time off, especially in the fall, when it’s so pretty. A lot our visitors are from out of town, and they love coming to Ashe County and seeing the pretty scenery. It’s one of the best places to be.”

The corn maze stretches five acres, and the festival offers food, drinks, inflatables, knockerball, a paintball-shooting gallery, face painting, pick-your-own pumpkins, live music on Saturdays and Sundays, a hay ride, a hay-bale maze for young children, a fire pit, cornhole, frisbee putt-putt and more.

There is a fee for general admission, as well as an activity pass that allows access to most of the activities included at the festival.

“It’s more of a festival than a corn maze,” Sexton said. “It’s a place for people to go Saturday and Sunday to hang out and take a load off.

Whether it be an autumn celebration or a Christmas centerpiece for households across the state, Sexton Christmas Tree Farm provides an opportunity for experiences with family and friends to be made in the High Country.

PHOTO SUBMITTED Christmas trees from Sexton Christmas Tree Farm line the mountainside in the High Country.

Leviton provides the most comprehensive range of solutions to meet the needs of today’s residential, commercial and industrial buildings. Leveraging more than a century of experience, Leviton helps customers create sustainable, intelligent environments through its electrical wiring devices, network and data center connectivity solutions, and lighting energy management systems. From switches and receptacles, to daylight harvesting controls, networking systems, and equipment for charging electric vehicles, Leviton solutions help customers achieve savings in energy, time and cost, all while enhancing safety.

336.846.3246 618 S. Jefferson Avenue • West Jefferson, NC 28694 PHOTO SUBMITTED Before its time for Christmas Trees, Sexton has fall offerings.

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MADE IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

12 - Mountain Times Publications

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Opening Day Nov. 17 Open Barn Dec. 2 Fridays 3-6 PM Saturdays 9 AM-6 PM Sundays 12-6PM

OPENING SEPTEMBER 28th Fridays 3 PM - Dusk Saturdays 10 AM - Dusk Sundays 12 PM - Dusk Every Weekend Thru October 31st

BUILD YOUR OWN WREATH OPEN ALL DAY ON BLACK FRIDAY

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Hiking, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Biking, Canoeing, and Relaxing are just a few of the things that will keep you busy in this area.

Located Just 5 Mins. From Downtown W. Jefferson 2152 Beaver Creek School Rd. • West Jefferson, NC • 1.800.238.8733 • Local: 336.246.8494