All About Us

DSC03987.JPG

We seek to be as sustainable as possible in our production of local food.  We believe sustainable and organic are not synonymous terms. Our Two Sides Farm is Certified Organic, and we use only OMRI and NOP listed materials on our farms. However, there are other things about our farm that makes us more sustainable as opposed to organic. 

We:

• Do not use plasticulture (big rows of plastic) on our farms.
   
• We reuse our cell-packs/transplant trays for several years to reduce the waste stream from our greenhouse transplant operation.
   
• We do most everything by hand in our 7 acres of production.  Although we have a tractor, we used it for a total of 33.7 hours last season.
   
• We harvest in re-usable containers and recycle produce boxes donated from local business's such as the West Village Market and Deli.
   
• Nearly 85% of our harvest is delivered without any packaging.  It is distributed to our CSA members who help us reduce our "packaging footprint" by bringing their own bags/baskets/boxes to our pick-ups.
   
• We give away or donate 5-10% of our yearly production (plants, seeds, produce)  to visitors of the farm, school groups, and charitable organizations such as the Society of St. Andrew and Manna Food Bank. 

Our Farms

• Green Hill Urban Farm, West Asheville
  
  Green Hill Urban Farm consists of four bio-diverse acres conveniently located in West Asheville overlooking Patton Ave. We showcase a variety of sustainable methodologies and techniques throughout our display gardens, berry patches, orchards, and nurseries. Green Hill Urban farm will be active in the sustainable production of approximately seven acres for the 2011 growing season in three counties of Western NC.  Our rainwater supplied certified organic greenhouse anchors the seedling operation which produces close to 10,000 plants a year for all of our horticulture and agriculture operations.  We host our CSA pick-up at Green Hill Wednesdays from 4-7pm.  Additionally, we offer surplus production to various market outlets throughout the growing season.  We also donate 5-10% of our yearly harvest to the needy via organizations like the Society of St Andrew and Manna Food Bank. 
   
• Two Sides Farm, Mars Hill 
  
  Through our leasing the Two Sides Farm in Mars Hill since 2008 we have been able to greatly increase the quantity of produce we provide to our community.  A tobacco farm for almost 70 years, we helped the owners Bob Lackey and Dr. Doris Gordon to achieve Certified Status there in 2009.  This component of our farm collective provides the space to grow large scale vegetable plots to supply our Community Supported Agriculture program. 
   
• Burrell Mountain Properties, Brevard
  
  Home to our eco-tourism outings for mushrooms, waterfalls, wild plants, etc. (more to come in 2011!)