{"id":14799,"date":"2021-03-22T17:06:19","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T21:06:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/?page_id=14799"},"modified":"2021-04-09T20:47:45","modified_gmt":"2021-04-10T00:47:45","slug":"blue-economy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/current-issue\/spring-2021\/blue-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Economy"},"content":{"rendered":"
Above: Henderson County is the largest producer of N.C. apples and a major tourist attraction. Photo courtesy Hendersonville Farmers Market<\/em><\/p>\n Jane Harrison interviews Aaron Corn<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n I\u2019m a strong believer in learning from others\u2019 experiences, and in the case of my work, learning from communities and industries beyond the coast. As a faculty member in North Carolina State University\u2019s Agricultural and Environmental Economics Department, I have the privilege of teaching \u2014 and gaining insight from \u2014 my students. One of their assignments is to develop an economic investment proposal for a North Carolina community. Many of them choose the place they\u2019re from, and often an industry they intimately know.<\/p>\n The following Q&A arose from a proposal by agribusiness major Aaron Corn, who grew up working in the apple industry in western North Carolina and who has plans to continue that work after graduation. His entrepreneurial aspirations are not too different than those of folks working in the seafood industry and, in particular, the oyster aquaculture sector where I focus some of my time as North Carolina Sea Grant\u2019s coastal economics specialist.<\/p>\n Sea Grant: Tell me about where you\u2019re from and its economic history.<\/span><\/strong> From the 18th to the early 20th century, the area relied heavily on agriculture \u2014 specifically apples and other fruits. Henderson County was also early to attract tourists. Large planters from the South Carolina low country would come here to escape the heat and insects.<\/p>\n In the 1920s and 30s, with the Great Depression in full swing, many people moved to western North Carolina in search of employment and began farming. That started the boom in roadside stands, which helped Henderson County become synonymous with apples and other fruits. These people took a large gamble on the area, and it panned out in the end. Tourism is still seen today and continues to be an integral part of the economy.<\/p>\nBlue Economy<\/span><\/em><\/h1>\n
\nAaron Corn:<\/strong> I\u2019m from Henderson County. It was founded in 1838 and got its start with agriculture. In the 18th century, William and Eleanor Mills first settled in Fruitland, where Mr. Mills planted hundreds of fruit trees every year. His neighbors soon followed suit, founding what would one day be a multimillion-dollar industry.<\/p>\n