Whisper Mountain’s Organic Community Garden

Posted on: July 16, 2008 by Whisper Mountain

According to the American Heritage Dictionary online the words “Conserve” and
“preserve” mean to protect from loss or harm; to maintain in safety from injury, peril or harm; to keep in perfect or unaltered condition, unchanged or intact; to use carefully or sparingly to avoid waste, to keep constant through physical, chemical or evolutionary changes.

At Whisper Mountain, the development and design of our small community of Western North Carolina properties has been a labor of love dedicated to the creation of a lifestyle that makes conservation and preservation a major priority. Our goal has been to not only build an exceptional community of North Carolina mountain homes but also to engage our residents with ways to actively support:

• land conservation
• wildlife preservation
• forest preservation
• conservation of natural resources
• preservation of open space

The Community Garden: A Vision of Mountain Heritage Merged with Green Living

The Whisper Mountain organic community garden sits on the site of what was once a historic farm with an old apple orchard, tobacco barn and a spring-fed stream with views of the adjoining farming valley and long range views of the Black Mountains. Built on the lowest elevation found on the Whisper Mountain property, at 2600 feet, the garden space gets optimal sun exposure and has a longer growing season than the higher elevation homesites. The garden site was also once home to the oldest standing structure in Madison County. So we believe by preserving the old Tobacco barn, the scattered apple trees, the spring and streams still found on the property we also preserve a piece of Appalachian mountain history.

Whisper Mountain residents will be given their own individual plots to maintain at the garden, similar to European-style allotment gardens. There will be restrictions against the use of any inorganic pesticides and standards for the quality of seeds planted in the garden. It has been decades since the garden property was farmed or the land disturbed so the soil is rich, fertile and ripe for planting. We hope to see a wide variety of flowers, fruits and vegetables grown each year to help residents live a more sustainable lifestyle that is in harmony with the land.

Appalachian Mountain Plants Found in the Mountains of North Carolina

Choosing the plants, vegetables and flowers that will grow in the community garden will be based on the land conservation goals of the Whisper Mountain community. A focus on native species, heirloom seeds and high quality starters will help residents reap a beautiful, healthy and delicious harvest. Below are some resources for residents who want to explore gardening on land in Western North Carolina.

Garden Asheville
A social network of the Asheville Citizen Times-local gardeners come together.

The Asheville Botanical Gardens
Visit to learn more about local plants

The North Carolina Arboretum
Offers a variety of botanical and garden classes to help anyone interested in understanding Appalachian mountain plants and the Appalachian mountain climate.

The Intersection of Appalachian Mountain Heritage and Green Living

Posted on: March 31, 2008 by Whisper Mountain

The history of the settlers of Madison County in North Carolina includes the Sandy Mush towns, Trust and Luck, a short distance down from Whisper Mountain. Generations of rural Appalachian families have been living on the land in Trust and Luck since the time of the Civil War, and even before this, in post Revolutionary Times. Like many Appalachian farm families, the natives are characterized with incredible endurance, disciplined work ethics, ingenuity, a commitment to individual freedom, and a loyalty towards kin and neighbors. The Appalachian Mountain farmer’s history traces the history of the United States from its infancy through contemporary times. A lifestyle of self-sufficiency and knowledge of how to best utilize the resources on the land are some of the most admirable traits of the Appalachian farmer.

Recycling Buildings and Materials: A Way of Life in the Appalachian Mountains

For the Appalachian mountain farmer and his family, a reliance on natural land resources was intrinsically tied to their survival. They have utilized the techniques of recycling whole buildings, or the materials that were part of the building, for generations. Because the communities of Trust and Luck are isolated — with huge mountains bordering either side — there was time and expense attached to importing building materials to the community. So, recycling became a way to economize and utilize all of the resources that were at their disposal. This meant that if one building was torn down, there were usually eager hands there to collect the materials for another project.

The Practice of Recycling and Reuse: The Re-Birth of a Sorghum Mill

One example of recycling and reuse was demonstrated by Bob Buzzerd and Larry Cook. Their experience was documented by Stephen Cain, in 1998: http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/oralhistory/SMC/cain_stephen_molasses.htm Buzzerd and Cook, both natives of the Sandy Mush area, resurrected an 1812 molasses sorghum mill and put a mule and a mare in service to operate it. Together they cultivated crops of sorghum grass and then harvested the molasses from the crops with a mule and horse drawn mill. Their operation was imperfect. During their first crop, some beavers discovered the sorghum and harvested it on their own. And one sorghum crop was less than expected due to drought. Yet, their persistence and ability to re-learn old ways proved valuable, and their sorghum mill serves as a colorful example of recycling and reusing materials.

How Does Whisper Mountain Preserve Settlers Heritage?

At Whisper Mountain, the preservation of historic sites and buildings was a priority during inception of the project. The land, and many of the structures on it, are a permanent reminder of Appalachian mountain tradition and culture. The creators of Whisper Mountain have avidly preserved historic camps, passes, and trails on the mountain during all phases of the project, in order to honor the contribution the early settlers have made. View a map of Whisper Mountain for a visual overview of the open space that has been preserved. It is a all tied to the settler’s heritage and history http://whispermountainnc.com/wm/index.html. For a more detailed description of the sites on Whisper Mountain, click on the trails link, or, better yet, call: 877-689-2626 to schedule a tour of the mountain and some of the homes and home sites on Whisper Mountain.