history of the working farm

THE FARM

This farm was owned for well over 100 years by the Sluder family. It was primarily a dairy farm, but they also grew crops including tobacco. It was originally almost twice its size and included another approximately 50 acres adjacent to us on Sluder Branch Road.

We found the farm Thanksgiving weekend of 2005 and were able to purchase 69 acres in March of 2006 from a descendant who had inherited the land. It came rich in history and is now called Sluder Branch Farm. Our event venue is Yesterday Spaces. The acreage included the old dairy barn and the tobacco barn. In September of 2007 we were able to purchase the original 1911 farmhouse and an additional 2.6 acres of land surrounding it.

Although farming in this area remains a strong tradition, Western North Carolina lost 679 farms and 115,447 acres of farmland between 2002 and 2007. We are very excited to be able to keep this land as a working farm.

THE LAND

The farm includes about 13 acres of bottomland that is excellent for growing crops. There are close to 8 acres of forest that was in a timber management program and roughly 50 acres of rolling hills and meadows that are excellent for grazing. A bold stream called Sluder Branch runs west to east through the bottomland of the farm. There is a second stream running north to south that empties into it. Sluder Branch in turn runs into Newfound Creek just down the road. The farm is in the Newfound Watershed District.

THE HISTORIC CARRIAGE ROAD

Just adjacent to the new event barn is part of the narrow road used years ago by people to the northeast of this farm for travel on into Leicester. The trees bordering this old road mark each side of its course. It is beautiful, quite magical, and an experience. It now serves as the Wedding Path to the Ceremony Field for guests and the wedding party.

the challenges

THE PASTURES

When we purchased this property the pastures were overgrown and in very poor shape. With our son Aaron’s help and guidance, a good deal of time was spent bush hogging through brush and small trees that were initially higher than the tractor. Some “scrub” trees such as scrub pine and dead or dying trees were removed. Then, with the help of soil analysis, appropriate lime was added to bring the pH to an acceptable range. Commercial fertilizer is never added. Instead cover cropping, rotation of crops and appropriate grazing plans are counted on to build and maintain fertility.

We have run several miles of no-climb woven wire fence attached to driven 6-8 inch treated pine posts around the entire perimeter of the farm. This is of course to keep the resident animals in but also to keep uninvited “visitors” out. We were told that there was a new bill being considered requiring that organic produce farms be fenced to reduce the risk of contamination from an outside source.

Aaron, who finished college at Warren Wilson and spent three years on the farm crew while in school and another three years redoing a farm in Madison County, was invaluable in restoring the pastures to where we are now and in our planning and in getting good help from former Warren Wilson students with building our solid fences. We have gotten lots of compliments on our fences from surrounding farmers.

THE BOTTOMLAND

When we purchased the farm we found that the bottom land needed some work and some rest so we began working with the land to bring it back to a more natural and sustainable state. Aaron sub-soiled and surface-tilled and planted winter rye, Sudan grass, and clover and cover cropped with Austrian peas and then tilled them into the ground. The land was allowed to sit for nearly three years without planting any farm or garden crops to allow the prior chemicals to escape and/or break down.

THE STREAMS

We are part of the Newfound Creek Watershed Clean Water Initiative. We did two separate cost sharing projects on the farm with Buncombe County Soil and Water. We installed automatic waterers and then fenced to keep all the livestock out of the streams. This type of project can have a huge impact on water quality. A large rain garden area was also built in cooperation with Buncombe County Soil and Water. This retention pond or rain garden is designed to contain any runoff from our new barn and barn site and is one more way to protect our streams.