Nestled along a two-lane country road deep in Vale, North Carolina, sits a lush farm filled with rows of corn, grain bins and cattle. A beautiful and peaceful 760 acres, Wyant Farm feels tucked far away from Charlotte, one of the fastest-growing cities in the Southeast, yet only an hour away.

Established in 1860, Wyant Farm is run by Jerry and Linda Wyant, their sons Tommy and David and their wives, and six grandchildren. The farm has grown considerably over the years in acreage, and with the recent expansion of Spectrum broadband to the property in 2024, the farm is ready to grow in the digital age.

"With broadband service, we can continue to expand all of our technologies," said Jerry, who was named North Carolina Farmer of the Year in 2023. "We can use automatic watering systems at the barn for our cattle and irrigation water on our pastures at the touch of a button. I am so excited for the future and how we can grow."

How a North Carolina Farm Evolved

Life on the farm looked a lot different in the 1800's when Jerry's great-grandfather bought the land and began farming. Back then, a shovel was used to dig ditches for water runoff, a job now performed by large machinery. Tractors were pulled by horses in the open air, and each row of corn was planted one-by-one with a tiller. Today, fifth-generation farmer Tommy Wyant can plant up to 30 rows at a time from the air-conditioned cab of his tractor.

The town of Vale is one of the many previously underserved rural communities Spectrum is connecting to broadband through the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, as well as state and local programs like North Carolina's GREAT Grant Program.

Spectrum crews finished the buildout in Vale well ahead of schedule and, after working through the fall, connected Wyant Farm this past January – just in time for the spring planting season.

Since being connected, the Wyant family has been learning about new technological advances in farming equipment. They plan to purchase new software for their grain storage bin with a 24-hour wireless monitoring system. The software will enable the family to remotely track their grain storage to make informed decisions. Grain storage management is a round-the-clock job that requires someone to check on the bins every three hours, even in the middle of the night. Soon, that task will be done automatically and the Wyants will get real-time alerts if there are any issues. Reliable broadband also enabled Jerry's granddaughter to post on Facebook, introducing the family to social media marketing and online sales capabilities.

"We've been selling a lot of beef now, whereas before we'd make two sales every six months," said Jerry. "Now we are sold out through the summer. It's just great."

A Future on Solid Ground

From the 1800's to the present day, the Wyant Farm has required dedication of all family members, and Jerry's dream is to keep the farm in the family. With the availability of high-speed internet, he believes its legacy will continue.

"The future of agriculture is promising," said Jerry. "I think the children will always have some sort of a role here, and I hope they decide to take it over, keep it going and be the sixth generation to run the farm."

More information about Spectrum's commitment to expanding broadband access can be found here.