ETOWAH, N.C. — Just outside of Hendersonville, a company called Bright Farms is producing local produce for grocery stores throughout North Carolina. 

“Your beet greens or your lettuce, they’re coming all the way from California or Arizona,” said Bright Farms production manager, Charles Gagne. “They’ve been on a truck for five days, and then they get to your store and sit there for a week or two.” 

Gagne said they harvest, pack and ship their produce all in the same day to cut down on the amount of time vegetables sit untouched. He said they are looking to provide healthier options for people shopping in North Carolina grocery stores.  

The new facility does not use pesticides, and Gagne said they are using less water than conventional agriculture.

“It’s really beyond what I could imagine I’d get to do everyday as a kid,” Gagne said.