SAHC’s Farmer Incubator program adds two new farms

As Hayley Steinhardt wrote in the early 2014 article “Mountains of Home,” about the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy,  “Through community outings and partnerships with local businesses, the organization aims to inspire residents to connect with the land and learn more about what there is to preserve and why.”

One of those programs is SAHC’s Farmer Incubator Program, which “provides low-cost access to land and resources for new or expanding agricultural operations and is aimed at helping the next generation of farmers fill the gap left as aging farmers retire.” And the two newest participants are Second Spring Market Garden and Pineywoods, a heritage breed cattle operation.

Here’s the full release from SAHC:

New and beginning farms get assistance in Farmer Incubator Program

Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s Community Farm welcomes two new farm ventures

Asheville, NC – The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) has welcomed two new farm operations to its Community Farm in Alexander, NC as part of the land trust’s new Farmer Incubator Program. The program provides low-cost access to land and resources for new or expanding agricultural operations and is aimed at helping the next generation of farmers fill the gap left as aging farmers retire. New participants in the program include Second Spring Market Garden and a heritage breed Pineywoods cattle operation.

“Land access is one of the biggest challenges facing young farmers — especially in an area like Asheville, where relatively flat, inexpensive acreage is hard to come by,” said Matt Coffay of Second Spring Market Garden. “We spent several months looking for land. When we found the Community Farm, we knew we’d finally landed at the right spot.  The folks at SAHC are assisting us with building the infrastructure we need in order to farm effectively on a small scale.  We’ve also been given access to land at a rate that’s affordable for us. Without the Farmer Incubator Program, we’d probably still be looking for farmland.”

Second Spring Market Garden is the first vegetable farm operation in SAHC’s new program. They grow a variety of vegetables using organic methods and efficient four-season production with greenhouses on SAHC’s Community Farm. Second Spring is now taking orders for full-year Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares.

“We’re really excited to offer the first 52-week fresh vegetable CSA in Asheville,” added Coffay “We believe that local food only really works if it’s available every week of the year. It also makes an enormous difference for us when people pay for their share at the beginning of the year, when expenses are high and income is low.”

Also participating in the Farmer Incubator Program is Gina Raicovich, who is raising a herd of Pineywoods cattle, a resilient but threatened heritage breed once used throughout the Southeast.

“My lease at the SAHC Community Farm is allowing me to access land close to downtown Asheville so that I can easily grow a small herd while I continue to work full time and look for a more permanent land base for my operation,” said Raicovich.  “Ideally I’ll grow my operation to a profitable size before it’s time to leave the farm and shoulder a mortgage on my own land.”

The new Farmer Incubator Program was introduced last year, and continues to accept applicants on a rolling basis. Funding for the successful launch of SAHC’s Farmer Incubator program has been provided by the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Southern SARE, US Department of Agriculture, and New Belgium Brewing Company.

About Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy: Since 1974, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has conserved over 68,000 acres of unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland and scenic beauty of the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee for the benefit of present and future generations. SAHC accepted the donation of the 103-acre Community Farm property in 2010, and since that time has pursued multiple projects on the tract, creating a 1.5-mile Discovery Trail, restoring streams, and reforesting shortleaf pine, as well as establishing the Farmer Incubator Program. They offer guided, educational tours and volunteer days at the farm. For more information, visit www.appalachian.org.

About Second Spring Market Garden: Second Spring Market Garden is a small farm modeled on the market gardens of 19th century France. As a four-season farm, they aim to produce high quality, fresh, healthy local food throughout the year using minimal fossil fuel inputs. 52-week Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares are available now. Members are encouraged to pay for CSA shares early in the year, as this provides critical seed and supply funds for the spring/summer growing season. Second Spring is also willing to work out payment plans for members who can’t afford the entire amount up front. For more information or to sign up for the CSA, visit www.secondspringfarm.com or http://www.facebook.com/secondspringfarm.

 

About Gina Raicovich and her herd of Pineywoods Cattle: Gina Raicovich started and managed the 60-acre educational University Farm at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN, and is now branching out in her own agricultural venture. Late last year, she brought her herd of Pineywoods cattle to SAHC’s Community Farm in Alexander, NC. Pineywoods cattle are a threatened heritage breed that thrives in hot, humid climates and can graze on lower quality forage. Originating in Spain, Pineywoods cattle were once used across the Southeast, but now only around 1,000 remain. Gina’s agricultural operation will involve breeding of Pineywoods cattle and grass-finishing for market (selling yearling heifers and grass-fed beef), utilizing 26 acres of pasture on the Community Farm with rotational grazing.