Buncombe County, NC- The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s
(SAHC) Farmland Preservation Initiative grows with the addition of
Claxton Farm to 3,000 acres of SAHC-protected working farmland. SAHC
has partnered with landowners Porter and Martha Ann Claxton to
permanently conserve 480 acres of their 550-acre property through a
working lands conservation easement.
“SAHC has been talking with the family for almost three years about
options for placing their farm under conservation,” said Carl
Silverstein, Executive Director of SAHC, “Claxton Farm is a landmark, a
place that’s visited and enjoyed by many people. This easement assures
that it will be there to be enjoyed for future generations.”
Claxton Farm holds the largest intact breeding herd of registered
Polled Herefords (beef cattle) in western North Carolina and is one of
the best examples in the area of a modern, viable farming enterprise.
The farm incorporates traditional farming including cattle and hay
productions along with cutting edge agri-tourism. Weddings and other
special events are held frequently at Claxton Farm. The events venue
boasts 360 degrees of unobstructed mountain views which draw over
11,000 visitors each year. A diverse assortment of livestock such as
ILR registered llamas, AMHA registered miniature horses, camels,
donkeys and sheep attracts school groups from the surrounding
communities.
“We want to share our farm and enjoy having people come visit to
see the animals, walk the trails and share their special occasions,”
said Martha Ann Claxton. “There is a location on the farm, a spot in
nature, we like to share where you don’t see any other buildings just
mountain sides and pastures with animals grazing on the hillsides.”
Located in the Brittain Mountain region of Buncombe County’s Flat Creek
Township, Claxton Farm rests in an area designated by the Buncombe
County Land Conservation Advisory Board (BCLCAB) as a high priority for
protection efforts. This is the first project of the BCLCAB in the
northern part of Buncombe County. The property is near 418 acres of
conservation easements held by SAHC and is also adjacent to the
1,900-acre YoungLife tract.
The conservation easement was appraised at six million dollars, and the
Claxton family donated 84% of the easement value. The Buncombe County
Land Conservation Program provided a $769,000 grant to cover the
purchase price and transaction costs. Commissioner of Agriculture,
Steve Troxler, and the North Carolina Agricultural Development and
Farmland Preservation Trust Fund awarded a $200,000 state grant to SAHC
to match the county’s contribution to the purchase price.
“This is a major gift to the community from the Claxton family,” said
Albert Sneed, Chair of the BCLCAB. “The mountain sides and mountain
tops are there for everyone to see and this land provides great habitat
for wildlife. Claxton Farm is an important piece of property because
there are not many pieces of land that large left in the area. This is
a positive first step to protecting more land in Buncombe County.”
The property contains working farmland, a variety of healthy forest
types ranging in age from 30 to over 100 years old, significant
wildlife habitat and 13,950 feet of tributaries of Flat Creek as well
as portions of the creek itself. Flat Creek is a tributary of the
French Broad River. The tract also boasts a rich diversity of native
plant species and encompasses its own watershed. Claxton Farm also
includes a prominent ridgeline that can be seen from Interstate 26
where it intersects Flat Creek at Exit 17.
Beginning with 60 acres in 1976, the Claxtons converted the farm from
commercial cattle to a registered Polled Hereford operation certified
and accredited by the state of North Carolina and the United States
Department of Agriculture. The cattle operation has Beef Quality
Assurance certification which ensures safe beef products through the
implementation of proper management techniques and humane animal
treatment. The Claxtons have partnered extensively with the Buncombe
County Soil and Water District to implement a number of Best Management
Practices on their farm, and in 2000 Claxton Farm was given the River
Friendly Award for their effort in improving water quality in the Upper
French Broad Watershed.
The farm has made headlines recently with the loss of its historic
tobacco barn which burned to the ground in November after 14 years of
hosting events and over 80 years of standing on the site. Plans are
underway to rebuild the barn with its completion projected for April
2010. The new building will be constructed using timber harvested from
the farm.
“The Claxtons have made an enormous contribution towards preserving
Buncombe County’s rural character and natural heritage,” said William
Hamilton, SAHC Farmland Program Director. “The farm is a beloved scenic
landmark in the community and incorporates sound and sustainable
farming techniques that preserve the integrity of the land, water and
rural community. The Claxtons have a keen understanding of the value in
protecting our state’s working landscapes, especially given the rapid
rate of development and loss of farmland in recent decades.”
SAHC is a non-profit, charitable organization whose mission is to
protect the world’s oldest mountains for the benefit of present and
future generations. The land trust works with individuals and local
communities to identify, preserve and manage the region’s important
lands. This year SAHC and its 1,500 members will reach the milestone of
protecting 50,000 acres throughout the mountain region, including key
sites adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, along the
Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Highlands of Roan and in the Sandy Mush
farming community. The SAHC headquarters are in Asheville. To learn
more about SAHC and how to join the effort to protect the future of the
southern mountains visit www.appalachian.org.
