(CHARLOTTE) -- A Wilkes County maker and supplier of beekeeping equipment has been named Business North Carolina's 2009 Small Business of The Year. Brushy Mountain Bee Farm Inc. in Moravian Falls opened for business in 1977.

The company projects 2009 sales of $6.7 million. This is up 24% from last year. Burshy Mountain is owned and operated by Steve and Sandy Forrest. Brushy Mountain's sales have grown in all but one of its 32 years, according to Steve Forrest. The company added on-line sales two years ago.

For more information on Brushy Mountain's honor and the other small businesses that were runners-up, go to BusinessNC.com.