LEE COUNTY, N.C. — While many people flock to the North Carolina State Fair for the fried food and entertainment, one of the main purposes of the fair is to educate fairgoers about the connection between farming and food. 

The state fair started in 1853, and has turned into the largest 11-day event in North Carolina. The fair is managed by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to showcase the states' agriculture, agribuisness, arts and culture. 

For the second year, 11 farm families across the state are being honored for their dedication to the state's number one industry, agriculture, being named Farm Family of the Day. 

Gross Farms in Sanford is one of those being recognized. 

John Gross and his wife, Tina, run the farm with their four children. 

"We get along pretty good. It's not like a job. Family farming is what it is, you’re working with your family every day and I really enjoy it," John Gross said. 

The fifth-generation family farm started as a tobacco farm more than 100 years ago. John Gross said if his grandparents and great-grandparents could see how far farming has come today, they would be shocked. 

“They’d be in disbelief, just shake their heads," said John Gross. He started farming with his dad in high school in the 1980s. 

“Farming's all I ever really wanted to do," John Gross said.

He started out with a 43-acre farm that he purchased from his grandfather. Today, his farm has grown into more than 1,200 acres. 

“It’s come a long way in the 38 years I’ve been doing it. We can check the barns on our phone now," John Gross said. 

Over the years, he has seen how the industry has changed. They diversified their farm in 2000 to include more agrotourism, adding "you pick" pumpkins and strawberries. In 2002, his siblings helped open their 10-acre corn maze. 

“We had to change because we weren’t making anything the old ways,” said John Gross. 

As more development comes with more people moving into the area, John Gross worries about the future of the farmland. 

“Farm land is getting few and far between around here. We got so much development going on. My two boys, they want to farm, my future son-in-law, and they gonna have to change the way they do business and lean more towards the agrotourism,” John Gross said. 

The Farm Family of the Day is sponsored by Tractor Supply Co. 

The 2022 N.C. Farm Families are as follows:

• Thursday, Oct. 13: Double S Farms, Lexington

• Friday, Oct. 14: Gross Farms, Sanford

• Saturday, Oct. 15: Springhouse Farm, Vilas

• Sunday, Oct. 16: Lindale Organic Dairy, Snow Camp

• Monday, Oct. 17: Juniper Creek Farm, Raleigh

• Tuesday, Oct. 18: Miller Farms, Gates

• Wednesday, Oct. 19: Roberts Farm, Denton

• Thursday, Oct. 20: Deal Family Farm, Franklin

• Friday, Oct. 21: Smith’s Family Fun Farm, Hillsborough

• Saturday, Oct. 22: Hearn Pecan Farm, Charlotte

• Sunday, Oct. 23: Pace Family Farm, Clayton