Julian Milling Company
Julian
Since 1895, generations of Randolph and Guilford county farmers have hauled grain to the Julian Milling Company to be ground into feed. In the store, you’ll still find freshly milled feed, plus seeds and plenty of resident cats. Bird lovers can grab bags of Beardo’s Birdseed — these days, the shop’s most popular product — handcrafted by third-generation General Manager Eric Horney, better known as “Beardo” on account of his notable facial hair.
(336) 685-4433
Farmville Hardware
Farmville
Its red-and-white-checkered exterior was restored in 2019, but this 79-year-old store’s role in downtown Farmville — for decades, a major tobacco hub in eastern North Carolina — has never diminished. Inside, necessities for the home, farm, and family, from compost to jam, stretch from wall to wall.
(252) 753-1100
Bell’s Seed Store
Fayetteville
Founded in 1919, Bell’s is one of the oldest family-owned businesses in Fayetteville, and it continues to serve as a friendly one-stop shop for all things lawn and garden. Manager Jeff Thomson — who gives gardening advice under the self-assigned nickname, “The Bloomin’ Idiot” — can talk you through the rustic seed wall, where varieties are sold by the ounce. Meanwhile, Miss Kitty, the store cat, can accompany you through the vibrant plant nursery…