On his regenerative farm in North Carolina, Tim Craver has always been a self-proclaimed numbers guy. “Don’t just tell me it works, show me it works, and I’ll implement it on my farm.” That’s why when he saw that his soil was changing, he took matters into his own hands and enrolled in a BioMADE-funded nanobiotechnology course at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
Craver, retired U.S. Army Green Beret, learned about the course through the Veteran's Farm of North Carolina and jumped at the opportunity to learn more about the soil on his farm. “If it has to do with soil, I’m interested,” he said. Throughout the course, Craver was interested in looking at the micro level: the microbes in his soil, increasing photosynthesis efficiency, and improving crop yields without the use of chemicals.
Craver appreciates that the courses use deeper science to support what many regenerative farmers already feel to be true – that there’s a better way to farm. “By giving the lab what they need to research our soil, we can put these ideas into practice, improve farming, and improve the environment.”
Craver is raising his three young daughters on the farm and hopes to spark an interest in biomanufacturing and engineering in them. “It’s so important to expose the younger generation to this work. The future for our kids and our country is in this soil, right now. We have to take care of it.”