Growing Forward, NoraBeth Carpenter

July 2023 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter
NoraBeth Carpenter
Women’s Leadership Committee, District 2

Having grown up on her family’s farm and being a lifelong Farm Bureau member, NoraBeth Carpenter strives every day to educate her community and family about the importance of agriculture.

Carpenter was inspired by watching her grandfather, father and uncles build their family legacy on the farm. In 2009, NoraBeth married her husband, Buck, and left her hometown, Lee, Florida, while he served in the Air Force. After a few years, the Carpenters returned to Madison County where they established their roots and began to build their farm. In 2019, Carpenter left her job at the local library to focus full time on the farm and to homeschool their three children. Currently, they farm perennial peanut and a variety of grains.

While her family has always been a member of Farm Bureau, NoraBeth and her husband began their involvement in the Young Farmers & Ranchers program after getting married. Buck was appointed as the county chair and NoraBeth became involved in the Women’s Leadership Program. She currently serves on the State Women’s Leadership Committee as the District 2 representative.

Being involved in Farm Bureau allows NoraBeth the opportunity to continue spreading the word of agriculture, which she does through educating the next generation. Carpenter is proud of her involvement with Ag in the Classroom events and her county’s Ag Day celebration, which take place each year in May.

“By educating students and getting agriculture in front of them, my hope is for them to continue to appreciate the industry that sustains us,” said Carpenter.

Carpenter’s involvement in her community and her dedication to teaching her children about agriculture is a model example of growing forward.

”As a Florida farmer, growing forward is essential when raising a family, as they truly are the future of the farm,” said Carpenter. “My husband and I are working diligently to blaze a trail for them to follow and to set the example through faith. Our goal growing forward is to create a legacy for our children to follow in faith so that when the sun sets on our time they can continue growing forward in a new day.”

NoraBeth strives to live by words of scripture every day, specifically Proverbs 31:17-18 & 31:23-28.

“She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard, she girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.”… “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”

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