today’s farming
GAINING GROUND FARM
Gaining Ground Farm is owned by our son Aaron and his wife Anne. They also own a house site within the farm and have built their own home. Their herd of Red Devon cattle, chickens and ducks are pastured here. They farm 4 acres next to and across the stream from the Yesterday Spaces parking field, as part of their organic vegetable fields and their greenhouses. They also own and farm an additional 6 acres just down the road, and lease 10 acres of the farm adjoining it. (As you drive to here New Leicester Highway, you’ll turn onto Old Leicester, and then left onto Sluder Branch Road. There you’ll see quite a large amount of land on the left side being farmed by Gaining Ground Farm, just before you reach Yesterday Spaces.)
Over 50 varieties of vegetables are grown by Gaining Ground Farm. They deliver to some of Asheville’s finest restaurants, including Rhubarb, Cucina 24, Table and more. They sell at Wednesday's River Arts District Tailgate Market and at the Saturday morning North Asheville Tailgate Market at UNCA, and they have a limited membership CSA. You can also buy their produce right here on the farm! The Gaining Ground farm stand is a small white and green building at the far end of our parking field.
KEEPING IT LOCAL: Local produce is fresher, more nutritious, tastier and right for our planet and our people especially our growing children.
THE FIELDS
Growing is a continual learning process. There are always some things that grow a little better here or there on a farm and it takes observation and time to figure out. Crops are rotated to rest and renew portions of the farm, and nutritious cover crops are planted and then tilled back into the soil at maturity. Some of the cover crops can really be quite beautiful in addition to their nitrogen fixing potential for the soil. We miss the beautiful patch of red clover when it is tilled under. Some are quite delicious such as the Austrian peas whose pea-tasting leaf and vine is great in salads. Enough untilled land adjacent to the fields is left to accommodate the friendly and beneficial insects. A good productive field depends on the interaction of seed, land structure, nutrients, water, insects, and yes, people, making good, informed, responsible decisions.
THE WATER
A well was drilled that serves that side of the farm. We were lucky in being able to find good water at just over 100 feet deep with the well producing 20 gallons/minute. This allows the use of drip irrigation to water crops with safe clean water on a routine and regular basis.
THE honey bees
Anne keeps several hives to provide pollination to the vegetable crops and for honey. The bees have done well - they are multiplying and Anne has caught multiple swarms to create additional hives.
INSECT CONTROL AND FERTILIZATION
Natural insecticides are used if at all. Fertilization is done mainly with cover crops. Kelp, fish emulsion, bone meal and composted manure to some degree are also used.
The Market GArden Protocol
*No potentially harmful chemicals are used
*Good clean water is used for irrigation and for washing the produce
*Vegetables are picked at their most tender and nutritious time.
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA)
Community Supported Agriculture is a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from the farmer. The basics of a CSA are that a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products such as eggs may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. This arrangement creates several rewards for both the farmer and the consumer.
ADVANTAGES FOR FARMERS
Receive payment early in the season, allowing farmers to buy seeds etc. for planting.
Have an opportunity to get to know the people who eat the food they grow and what they like.
ADVANTAGES FOR CONSUMERS
Eat pesticide free ultra-fresh food with all the flavor and vitamin benefits.
Exposure to new vegetables and new ways of cooking.
Usually get to visit the farm at least once a season.
Find that kids typically favor food from “their” farm & eat veggies they’ve never been known to eat before.
Develop a relationship with the farmer who grows their food & receive an education on how food is grown.
Added bonus….Anne does a wonderful write up on their site each week of what is in the CSA with information about it, how to store it, plus recipe/s for preparing it.
