Current Farm Opportunities

F10

FARM ACCESS OPPORTUNITY FORTNER FARM. Located in the edge of Alexander/Wilkes/Caldwell Counties in the Brushy Mountains, 2.5 miles west of NC Highway 16 N, 7 miles south of NC Highway 18 S. Twenty minutes travel to Taylorsville, Wilkesboros, Lenoir. Forty-five minutes travel to Hickory, Boone & Statesville; one hour travel to Winston- Salem. Good access along public paved road with internal access by soil/gravel farm roads to all fields and equipment storage. Two equipment sheds, new barn under construction, overhead irrigation system on-site, drip easily developed. Perennial creek divides three bottom land fields, small offline pond. Graveled greenhouse pad in place, 100 X 30 feet, single phase electric in place, water plumbed to pad. Approximately six acres in three bottomland fields, one acre greenhouse pad & pond. Approximately three acres of upland fields and two acres set white pine. Three bottomland fields sowed with winter and summer cover crop, mowed and turned under. Upland fields were being prepped for grape and apple plantings. Room for fourteen 120 foot rows spaced 15 foot centers. Back hollow used for garden and wildlife plot. Two front fields were leased for corn planting in 2008, sprayed once with pre-emergent and commercial fertilizer application made. In my estimation, the three bottomland fields could be developed for rotational grazing and vegetable/small fruit production. No grazing fence or deer fence in place, but will be required. I have farmed these fields for 35 years. Excellent soils, loose loam, not rocky, plenty of organic matter from yearly cover crop. Nearby saw mills and chicken farms offer ready supplies of compost materials. There are six roadside fruit and vegetable stores within 10 miles. Crops in demand are cantaloupe, watermelon, a variety of vegetables, and ornamentals including cut flowers and old varieties grafted apple trees. Small fruit: blueberry, raspberry and blackberry perform well but would require chiller/cooler and trellising.