West Virginia University Extension Women in Agriculture is excited to announce the winners of its inaugural business pitch competition during the 2025 Women in Agriculture Conference , with the winners being awarded a total of $8,000 in seed money to jumpstart their project.
Leading up to the event, participants were required to submit a 5-minute business pitch video. Out of many high-quality entries, 12 women-owned businesses were selected, with six of them advancing to the finals of the competition.
Semi-finalists and finalists were given five to 10 minutes to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges who ranked each speaker on the creativity of their ideas, the strength of their business plan, and their passion for grassroots and community agriculture.
1st Place - $3,000: Keyara Frederick | Chef Ke Keyara Frederick was chosen as this year’s winner with her business, Chef Ke, which offers catering services and farm-to-table dinners in the Charleston, West Virginia area. Keyara plans to use her prize money to boost agriculture education, combat food deserts in her area and continue offering year-round dinners in minority communities made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
2nd Place* - $2,500: Jen Schleyer | Middle Mountain Farmstead Jen Schleyer was awarded $2,000 for pitching her business, Middle Mountain Farmstead. Between 2023 and 2025, the size of Middle Mountain’s poultry operation increased by more than 400%. With the help of this growth and extra funds, Jen aims to offer residents, farmers markets and restaurants in her area consistent access to locally sourced poultry.
Jen was also awarded an additional $500 for being a People’s Choice award finalist.
3rd Place - $1,000: Felicia Pannell | Unity Sisters Farm Felicia Pannell, owner of Unity Sisters Farm, was awarded $1,000 for her pitch focusing on agricultural education in Charleston, West Virginia. With the help of her prize money, Felicia will help address a lack of food and farm knowledge in her community through hands-on “Adopt-a-Bee" and “Adopt-a-Chicken” programs.
4th Place - $500: Natasha Zoe | JarHead Kitchen Natasha Zoe earned fourth place for her pitch of JarHead Kitchen, an FDA-inspected co-pack that turns produce from local farmers into shelf-stable goods that can be sold on store shelves and across state lines.
5th Place - $500: Jennifer Gilkerson | Sunset Berry Farm Jennifer Gilkerson was awarded $500 to help fund an irrigated and flood resistant community garden and adventure park at Sunset Berry Farm in Monroe County. Gilkerson also plans to help support new farmers who don’t have access to their own land, equipment or farming knowledge through a SEED (Supporting Entrepreneurs and Economic Development) Starter program.
6th Place - $500: Carol Webb | Jean’s Fresh Flowers Carol Webb finished in sixth place for her pitch to create a mobile farm market and learning lab that can bring fresh vegetables, flowers and agricultural know-how directly to businesses and community members.
Honorable mentions to our semi-finalists: Galadriel Hunt* (The Hunt Seedling Apple), Ruth Bland* (Bland's Home & Farm Service), Stacey Rawlings (Rawlings Farm), Marsha Waybright (Laurel Fork Farm), Trenda Howell (Double H Farms) and Dakota Saunders (Honey Do Produce).
(*) Indicates People’s Choice award winners.
Held at the Stonewall Resort Hotel, this year’s Women in Agriculture Conference also featured several tours that offered an up-close view of successful agri-businesses in north central West Virginia. Whether it’s bull riding in Harrison County or roasting Colombian coffee in Linn, attendees learned from a wide variety of producers who demonstrate the true scope of what is possible in the Mountain State.
WVU Extension Women in Agriculture congratulates the winners of this year’s competition and encourages all participants to compete again in next year's business pitch competition!
If you want to learn more about WVU Extension, visit extension.wvu.edu or follow WVU Extension on Facebook and Instagram.
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sg/11/06/25
MEDIA CONTACT: Sam Gorski
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