Eco Friendly Real Estate Blog: December 2011

2012- Looking Ahead  - Supply and Demand
For real estate professionals and our clients, keeping an eye on real estate market trends and how the industry may function in the future can be a  key to success today…and into the future. “We have a limited amount of resources available and more and more people using them up. If we want our future generations to enjoy the same standard of living we've experienced, we need to take action, “ reports the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

NAR suggests a great place start the process is with green building. Whether that means new green construction or an energy efficient (green)  remodel, participating in looking ahead in terms of  sustainability certainly has benefits. “Buildings consume 14% of potable water, 40% of raw materials, and 39% of energy in the United States alone (according to the US Green Building Council). That's 15 trillion gallons of water and 3 billion tons of raw materials each year.”  ( NAR.)

But what about the “appeal” of a “smart”  home?  Here’s a video you may find of interest. http://www.greenresourcecouncil.org/green_videos.cfm

On a personal note: Calculate your carbon footprint here.
http://www.greenresourcecouncil.org/find_your_carbon_footprint.cfm

Asheville Homes on the Land For Sale
Asheville Real Estate Journal

Western North Carolina’s first settlers helped to shape the farms, farming and settlement patterns of the Asheville Appalachian mountain region that people in the Carolinas carry on to this day, as detailed in Parts 1 and 2 of this series. After reading the previous posts, you may find that you are curious about the

availability of sustainable farms and farmland real estate in the Asheville area…especially sincea few of your favorite photos in the slideshow may depict farms and farmland for sale within easy driving distance of Asheville.   

What to Expect: Look for undisturbed (natural) landscapes with coves and ranges from level to rolling to hilly to mountainous with exceptional views. Expect streams on these acreages. Some farms and farmland offer improvements such as fencing and barns.

You may even be so lucky as to find farms and land with an old (sustainable) barn made of American Chestnut!!

This is an uncommon expectation as, sadly, that hardwood timber tree is susceptible to chestnut blight. According to Wikipedia,    “ … 25 percent of the trees in the Appalachian Mountains were American Chestnut. The number of large surviving American Chestnut trees over 60 centimeters (24 in) in diameter within the tree's former range is [now] probably fewer than 100.”

When relocating to Asheville be sure to see a fine old chestnut barn…In the meantime, here is a bit of information on farms and farmland for sale as seen in the slideshow. 

 

Price  Range: $ 210,000 to $ 10M
Acreage: 40 to 745
Mountain Views: Yes
Stream: Yes
Level Building Sites: Yes
Drive Time to Asheville: 10 to 40 minutes 

©The Eco-Steward Asheville 2011. Farms and  Land  For Sale -

Home on the Land
Asheville Real Estate Journal 

Sustainable Farming -Asheville Though the Generations- Early settlers in the Carolinas, my “far-grandparents” being among them, borrowed agricultural practices from the Native Americans. They incorporated them into their own farming practices  creating a sustainable way of life that included orchards and vegetable gardens. (see Part 1 for details). Those first settlers helped to shape the farms, farming and settlement patterns of the southern Appalachian mountain region people in the Carolinas carry on to this day.  

Here is a slideshow that takes you on a tour of tour of family farms and farmlands in the Asheville, NC area and brings you to visit some of our tailgate (farmers’) markets. You may not be able to guess which of the photos is one of my all-time favorites…but I’d love to know what you’d guess…

 

*****

Home And Land- Asheville Yesterday and Today-  (1)

Home on the Land
Asheville Real Estate Journal

Interested in preserving  farmlands and mountain landscapes? Perhaps your interest, like ours is inherited.  Our ancestors arrived in the Carolinas in the 1770s, when English, German, Scottish, Irish, French, Welsh, and Africans began the work-intensive struggle to settle upon the Land. They came first to the coastal areas of the Carolinas. Later, they migrated inland and then to the mountains of Western North Carolina.

 Today we, following in their footsteps, and with the help of their good-stewardship of the Land , now still have the opportunity to make our Home on the Land in the beautiful hills and valleys that surround AshevilleNC.  ...   See slideshow 

Tending the Land-Yesterday and Today-
Sustainable Farming Practices Handed Down Though the Generations

Early settlers, my “far-grandparents” being among them, borrowed agricultural practices from the Native Americans incorporating them into their own farming practices. The Carolina’s colonial settlers set to work creating a sustainable way of life that included orchards and vegetable gardens as this letter from one of our ancestors reveals:

 

“The garden is delightful. The fruit trees and flowering shrubs form a pleasant variety. We have green peas almost fit to eat and as fine lettuce as you ever saw. The mocking birds surround us evening and morning. The weather is mild and the vegetable world progressing to perfection. We have in the same orchard apples, pears, peaches, apricots, nectarines, plums of various kinds, figs, pomegranate and oranges. And we have strawberries which measure three inches around."    ~General Nathaneal Greene

 Those first settlers helped to shape the farms, farming and settlement patterns of the southern Appalachian mountain region people in the Carolinas carry on to this day.  So, as I said, our dedication to sustainable farmlands and mountain landscapes may be inherited…. 

Resources:
Slideshow
Asheville Farms and Farmlands for Sale

© The Eco-Steward Asheville 2011. Home And Land- Asheville Yesterday and Today-  

KENILWORTH Part 2 

In exploring Kenilworth, one of Asheville's sustainable neighborhoods, the following quotation may be one of its most descriptive references …

 “Because of its hill-and-gully topography, you’d be hard pressed to find a square corner anywhere in Kenilworth, one of Asheville’s most historic and beautiful neighborhoods

. These same odd bends and oblique intersections have fostered a creative community of great range and imagination, and the public is being invited to find out for itself.”   
 

 ~ The Kenilworth Artists Association  

SEE for yourself in this slideshow. 
Interested in homes in Kenilworth?

FYI: Here are a few current real estate tidbits -  

Homes Available: 22
Price Range: $118,000 ( a tiny cottage) to $649,000.
Average Price Range: $285,000.  

Fascinating: Green Builders Take Note!-An almost acre parcel, mostly flat and  zoned RS-8. Imagine a village of small footprint HealthyBuilt Homes here. There is lovely southern exposure with views and this property actually backs up to the Rathburn Wellness Center. http://www.rathbuncenter.org/

In a medical profession? You might love the idea of being able to walk or bike to work as this property is less than half-a-mile from Asheville’s top-rated Mission Hospitals.

Kenilworth is a sustainable neighborhood with LED  lighitng and a creative outlook where a community of neighborly folks can be found.  

GO here for Part 1 details and a slideshow of Kenilworth

 

(c)Kenilworth- Asheville Sustainable Real Estate , janarrin, 12/2011

 

The following  may be one of the most descriptive references to a favorite Asheville community, Kenilworth.

 “Because of its hill-and-gully topography, you’d be hard pressed to find a square corner anywhere in Kenilworth, one of Asheville’s most historic and beautiful neighborhoods.

These same odd bends and oblique intersections have fostered a creative community of great range and imagination, and the public is being invited to find out for itself.” 
                                                        

         ~ The Kenilworth Artists Association

We are fond of Kenilworth, one of Asheville’s oldest neighborhoods, for its walkable, tree-lined streets, the gardens present almost everywhere, it seems and the mix of 1920s bungalows and new Green-Built homes.  It is not surprising that over forty artists live in the four square mile neighborhood just five minutes from downtown Asheville.

Kenilworth displays rolling hills and ravines and lots of old trees sure to inspire creative expression. And the “HUGE” park and playground kept me taking photos of happy visitors for a long time.  (see slideshow)  As I walked around the Kenilworth neighborhood I also found an alluring assortment of homes with unique architectural details...and a New Twist!  

Asheville- Kenilworth LED Street Lights! “Dark Sky” Standards

And exciting to  know: The  City of Asheville, first in the nation to implement an innovative financial model where energy savings pay for streetlight investment, has this year  replaced traditional bulbs upgrading to LED bulbs in Kenilworth.   Back in 2008, a lighting ordinance passed which ensures all municipal streetlights adhere to “Dark Sky” standards.

***** ***** (c) KENILWORTH Asheville Historic Neighborhood Has New Twist 12/2011

 

In Parts 1 and 2 of Asheville's Organic Growers' School you may have found some good and/or useful information . In Part 3 here, I’m letting the pictures do the talking.  The photos in this slideshow can take you to a land where stewardship is in progress and the harvests are wonderful. Hope you enjoy the show…and please let me know what you think…

Views of Asheville’s Amazing Acreages

 

The  2012 Organic Growers School Conference    is coming up in Asheville in just a few months. (see details below)   It is all aboutgathering folks together to talk and learn about organic agriculture and sustainable living in the Asheville NC and Southern Appalachian region.

Since 1993, the vision  of a group of farmers and extension specialists to create a mutually supportive network of thriving communities and prosperous farmers throughout  our area has been unfolding.

Since then, farmers, gardeners, educators, students, consumers, and chefs have gathered linking together farm incubators and farmland preservation initiatives, making sustainable food systems a priority….

 Of possible interest to you- the link library, below - supporters of the Organic Growers School Conference.

NOTE: … if you are ready for an upbeat feeling… these links can bring a smile to your face!  

Appalachian Seeds Farm & Nursery
http://www.ncagr.gov/ncproducts/ShowSite.asp?ID=100458

BioBusiness Center and Laboratory at ABTech
http://www1.abtech.edu/category/department/bionetwork-biobusiness-center-laboratory

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association
http://carolinafarmstewards.org/

Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine
http://www.chestnutherbs.com/

Fifth Season Gardening Company & McGeary Organics
http://mcgearyorganics.com/locations/3-north-carolina/14-fifth-season-gardening-company.html

Firestorm Cafe & Books
http://www.firestormcafe.com/

High Mowing Organic Seeds
http://www.highmowingseeds.com/

Red Moon Herbs
http://www.redmoonherbs.com/

Reems Creek Nursery & Landscaping
http://www.reemscreek.com/ 

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
http://www.southernexposure.com/

Useful Plants Nursery
http://www.usefulplants.org/ 

Let me know what you think!

http://sfc.smallfarmcentral.com/dynamic_content/uploadfiles/212/Schedule%20Only.pdf

 

“One of the best things about winter time is all the dreaming you get to do about your next growing season. Let us help get your juices flowing with the release of the 2012 Organic Growers School Conference class schedule, and the opening of registration for our 19th annual event, scheduled for March 3-4, 2012. Get started using any of the links below. Happy Holidays green thumbs!”

 

Download the Class Schedule

FAQ on the Conference

Kids Program Schedule

Download a printable Registration Form

In our Asheville garden this morning, I got to pondering possibilities. The garden is resting right now, but  I am  already thinking about what we will plant this coming growing season. I’m also wondering about the soil…sure would like to connect with other veggie-growers…. Oh Wait a Minute!! I can! The  2012 Organic Growers School Conference is coming up in just a few months. (see details below) 

The Organic Growers School   is all about gathering folks together to talk and learn about organic agriculture and sustainable living in the Asheville NC and Southern Appalachian region. Since 1993, the vision  of a group of farmers and extension specialists to create a mutually supportive network of thriving communities and prosperous farmers throughout  our area has been unfolding. Since then, farmers, gardeners, educators, students, consumers, and chefs have gathered from over 17 states and Canada.

Loving the LAND as we do here at the Eco-Steward Real Estate Firm,  we are excited about their vision to link to farm incubators and farmland preservation initiatives, and to gain influence on a regional level to make sustainable food systems a priority….” 

“One of the best things about winter time is all the dreaming you get to do about your next growing season," they report.

 

" Let us help get your juices flowing with the release of the 2012 Organic Growers School Conference class schedule, and the opening of registration for our 19th annual event, scheduled for March 3-4, 2012. Get started using any of the links below. Happy Holidays green thumbs!”

 

Download the Class Schedule

FAQ on the Conference

Kids Program Schedule

Download a printable Registration Form

USA- Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)  

 

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) was established by Congress way back in 1935, before many of us were born. It was a soil conservation service back then, but has expanded to become “a conservation leader for all natural resources, ensuring private lands are conserved, restored, and more resilient to environmental challenges, like climate change.”

 

“Our goal is not just a sustainable, nutritious, abundant food supply, but also thriving ecosystems that support a diversity of life. In the next century, NRCS will not only continue to tackle familiar challenges like ensuring clean water and healthy soil, but will also rise to meet new issues, such as clean air, clean energy, climate change, and new technology,” says - Chief Dave White

Today, NRCS  assists landowners (70% of land in the USA is privately owned)  through conservation planning and assistance designed to benefit the soil, water, air, plants, and animals that result in productive lands and healthy ecosystems. It’s a big job!  As an example, here’s press release I received the other day:

4407 Bland Road

Raleigh, NC 27609

www.nc.nrcs.usda.gov                                            Release No. 0050.11

                                               

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                  Contact: Stuart A. Lee

Date: December 09, 2011                                                                                 Phone:   919.873.2107

 

Subject: USDA is Seeking Applications for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

Raleigh, NC (Dec. 09, 2011) – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking applicants for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). CSP is a voluntary conservation program that encourages producers who manage natural resources on their farm to address additional conservation activities; and to improve, maintain, and manage existing conservation activities. 

Funding for CSP is anticipated to be available soon.  Farmers can submit applications for CSP anytime throughout the year, and signed application are not binding. However, NRCS will begin ranking all signed CSP applications for available funding on January 13, 2012. Applications are ranked based on greatest environmental benefit.  For an application to be considered for ranking all land and producer eligibility requirements must have been met. 

Through CSP, NRCS will provide financial and technical assistance to eligible producers to conserve and enhance soil, water, air and related natural resources on their land. Eligible lands include cropland, improved pastureland, nonindustrial private forest lands, agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe, and other private agricultural land (including cropped woodland, marshes, and agricultural land used for the production of livestock) on which resource concerns related to agricultural production could be addressed.

The entire agricultural operation must be enrolled and must include all agricultural land that will be under the applicant's control for the term of the proposed contract.

CSP offers participants two possible types of payments:

1. Annual payment for installing and adopting additional activities, and improving, maintaining, and managing existing activities; and
2. Supplemental payment for the adoption of resource-conserving crop rotations.

Farmers should visit their local USDA Service Center today to apply for available funding for Farm Bill programs and initiatives; locations are listed on-line at http://offices.usda.gov or in the phone book under Federal Government, U.S. Department of Agriculture. General program information is available on the NRCS North Carolina website at www.nc.nrcs.usda.gov.  The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.