In
1951, E.J. Whitmire bought a 200-acre tract in Cherokee County,
NC with the goal of starting a cattle farm. Over the years,
he bought a few acres from one neighbor and a few more from
another, eventually assembling what is now over 1000 acres
of pasture and forest known as Ridgefield Farm. With an abiding
love and deep respect for the land, he labored to turn rough
and rocky mountain ground into smooth and productive pastures
that would nourish his growing herd of cattle. His personal
credo was, “This land belongs to my people. Some of
them are living, some of them are dead; most of them are yet
to be born.”
In 1994 E.J. received
the Environmental Stewardship Award from the National Cattlemen’s
Association for his strong land-use ethic of managing the
land so that it is productive for its human inhabitants but
ensures that the wildlife thrives as well. When E.J. died
in 1998, operation of the farm and management of the land
was turned over to the children who all agreed that it was
important for the conservation legacy to continue at Ridgefield
Farm. This entails, in part, leaving abundant forests for
cover, creating open space for feeding grounds, and keeping
manmade structures to a minimum.
“We’ve
all sacrificed to varying degrees to extinguish development
rights so that we can preserve our parents’ legacy and
protect our mountains,” said Steve Whitmire. “My
dad spent every penny and every hour he had on this farm and
my mother sacrificed every day to raise us kids, so we felt
it was important to honor their wishes by continuing to use
this land as they did. Now, I have to work hard to make this
place successful so my sons can continue the farming enterprise.”
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Today,
Ridgefield Farm is certainly a working farm with a herd of
275 beef cows. “This cattle farm is very actively-managed.
It has to be profitable or we will change our course so that
it can continue as a working farm,” said Steve. Steve’s
sons, John and Whit are both planning their future around
the farm.
To ensure
that the land will remain available as a farm after he and
his immediate family are gone, Steve donated a conservation
easement on 695 acres of Ridgefield Farm to LTLT (The Land
Trust for the Little Tennessee). This agreement allows for
continued farming and forest management but limits subdivision
and intense development. A working farm easement is one of
several conservation tools available to landowners who want
to ensure that their wishes for their land will be respected
forever, no matter who owns the land after them.
Lewis
Penland, LTLT board member and longtime Whitmire family friend,
grew up working on Ridgefield Farm under the guidance of E.J.
“The work was never easy, the hours were long, and the
lessons were many. When E.J. purchased the original farm,
it was not in the pristine state that it is now; the land
was eroded, the creeks had junk cars and household trash in
them. He believed it was more effective to lead by example
than to preach, so he hired people to help him clean it up
and, soon, those people began to clean up the creeks on their
own farms. Those who worked with him were handed down valuable
lessons that have served us all well.”
In addition
to conserving Ridgefield Farm, the Whitmire family also decided
to protect another 175 acres of mostly forested land, known
as Poorhouse Mountain. The extended family agreed to severely
restrict the activities and construction that would be allowed.
“We felt it was important to keep the trees, wildlife
habitat, and open space,” said Genevieve Whitmire Burda,
who lives in Mars Hill, NC. “They provide us with the
clean air and water, and quality of life that draws people
to the mountains of Western North Carolina. Our family is
concerned that the beauty of this region will lead to large
scale development and destroy the very qualities that attract
people to the area. Our neighbors are all very happy that
we have chosen not to develop our land. Many of them have
thanked us for not destroying their view. Additionally we
have had big concerns with steep slope development occurring
in Western North Carolina and we wanted to ensure the slopes
of Poorhouse Mountain would never be developed.”
Genevieve,
who is on the Board of Trustees at Western Carolina University
(WCU) is happy that the protected parcels of land continue
to be used as a field laboratory by the school’s forestry
department, as they have been since her father’s time.
Led by Dr. Peter Bates, WCU’s forestry students practice
sustainable-forestry techniques and experiment with growing
strategies in this long-term outdoor laboratory. “Growing
trees is a slow business. It’s great to have the opportunity
to observe the same forestland over the years, so we can see
which practices are the most successful,” Bates said.
Selling
the farm at development prices would have been more financially
beneficial to the family but they felt that it was more important
to preserve the legacy that was handed down to them. By protecting
Ridgefield Farm and Poorhouse Mountain, the Whitmire family
feels that they have honored their parents’ wishes and
have also provided their neighbors with open spaces and forested
mountains to enjoy forever. They hope that their actions will
inspire others to do the same.
For more
information about conserving your land, please contact LTLT
at 828-524-2711, email staylor@ltlt.org. |
