Going Local-Sunrise Acres

 

Right near the heart of Lincolnton,

I mean, literally minutes away from downtown,

locals can find farm fresh eggs for sale.

This sign led me to Sunrise Acres,

a regenerative farm,

where I met a kindred spirit in Lynn, the chicken keeper,

among her many other jobs.

We have chooks, but there are times when

we don't have enough eggs, and so I choose to 

support other chicken tenders, rather than buy from the store.

What a great discovery this farm is!

Lynn and her family manage about 12 acres

and a collection of animals,

including chickens, cows, guinea fowl and horses.

When the property was first acquired,

cows and sheep were used to clear several pastures

that were full of unwanted brush.

What a great way of using livestock to work the land.

Over 40 chooks are able to free range safely all day,

with the assistance of electric fencing and

several guard animals.

There is a large shaded area under the trees

for added comfort in the summer months.

The overflowing veg beds contain much of the family's food sources.

Cucumbers, green beans, melons, onions,

pumpkins and tomatoes are some of the main crops grown here.

There are also several types of fruit trees and bushes to

contribute to the family's harvest basket.

I couldn't help but notice that the elderberry bush 

was fully loaded and ready for picking.

Lynn is well versed in food preservation skills,

and I shared an elderberry syrup recipe with her.

This family is quite self-sufficient,

as most of their dietary needs are fulfilled on the farm.

On the day that I visited, the onions were curing 

underneath the cover of a nearby outbuilding.

When asked about her method of growing, 

Lynn shared something she learned over time.

Growing onions in raised beds has given her the best results,

as drainage is vital to the bulbs.

She has also been trimming the greens down to the shortest stem

about halfway through the growing process.

These two factors have helped her have the best onion harvest.

Garden Protector

The property is dotted with metal raised beds

filled with flowers.  Lynn enjoys making arrangements

to bring indoors.

The pollinators are everywhere!

Her colorful zinnias are especially stunning!

Cows use rotational grazing to enhance the soil,

keep parasite pressure low, and improve the pasture

for the next rotational move.

Keeping the livestock moving is better for the animals,

and strengthens the structure of the soil.

One of the magical sights I got to see

were these guinea eggs.

They had been left in a nest beneath this bush.

Guineas are one of the best defenses against pest pressure,

especially ticks!

As time allows, the family continues to work on their landscape.

This beautiful grass has been used to keep soil from

being lost on this area where a slope begins.

Using what they have on the property to deal with challenges

is one of the basics of homesteading.

And why I felt so comfortable with Lynn.

She and I have a similar mindset when it comes 

to homesteading and I felt a connection to her

the very first time I bought eggs from her.

It feels good to support folks who are good stewards

of their land and the animals that dwell there.

Here's more information about this wonderful place.

Going Local-Garden Neighbors

Recently, neighbors who live about 10 minutes away

started a garden group on our local community app.

It's been so much fun to participate in the conversations.

As you may know, gardeners are always happy to share

their tips, tricks and design ideas with others.

They were kind enough to allow me to have a tour of

what's growing in their beautiful garden.

Welcome to Tammy and Stephen's backyard oasis.

These folks relocated to our area after having lived

in both New Jersey and South Carolina.

They are diving into gardening with both feet!

Their beautiful beds are filled with all sorts of goodies

that will allow them to be quite self-sufficient.

Among the jewels you'll find planted are

carrots, green beans, lettuce, peppers (from bell to Carolina Reapers),

squash, Swiss chard, tomatoes, and a host of herbs.

The raised beds were a recent project, and they also include

a complete irrigation system with a timer for ease of watering.

One unique fact about this particular garden is that

the residents on this block have access to a nearby stand of bamboo.

Tammy and Stephen have created a number of vertical frames

out of this free resource.

The patio hosts a number of herbs used for cooking.

This family does a lot of homemade meals,

and having the herbs right outside the back door

makes it convenient to add a little spice to their daily fare.

It was fun to meet up with another family who has caught

the gardening bug.

No doubt they will have a bountiful harvest!

Going Local-Metrolina Trial Garden Open House

 Last week, the Master Gardeners were invited

to a unique event in a nearby town.

The annual Trial Garden Open House

at Metrolina Greenhouses

allowed us (and hundreds of other folks),

to participate in choosing our favorite plants

from an array of annuals, perennials, hanging baskets

and combination displays.

Metrolina is one of the largest greenhouse and growing

operations with two locations spanning over 1,000 acres of total property.

The company was started in 1972 on an acre of land,

and has grown to become one of the biggest suppliers

to Home Depot, Lowe's and Walmart.

You can find out more here.

Although I've lived in the Piedmont for several years,

this was the first time I had heard about this opportunity.

With over 3 acres of plants to choose from,

it was a challenge to pick out our favorites in 4 categories:

1.  Favorite combination planter

2.  Favorite geranium

3.  Favorite hanging basket

4.  Overall favorite.

Several large demonstration gardens were featured,

like this pollinator bed.

There were separate areas for sun or shade loving plants,

hanging baskets and annuals, perennials and 2nd year perennials.

The displays were wonderful for gathering ideas.

So many gorgeous flowers, yes,

but various textures as well.

There were many plants I could identify,

but others that I had never seen before.

It was a real eye-opener.

This salvia was a bee magnet!

It was a fabulous morning for sister and I 

to spend some quality time together.

Here, she is putting her flag into her 

choice for favorite hanging basket.

Afterwards, we went for lunch AND ice cream!

I can't wait for her to retire!

A gentleman from Proven Winners was in a booth,

showing off one of their latest projects.

This planting pot looks like plastic,

but it is actually plant-based.

The whole kit-and-kaboodle can be planted,

or it can be composted and will decompose on its own.

Everyone who attended was gifted a petunia

planted in one of these pots.

It was a bit of walking, 

but we were able to take our time.

What an enjoyable experience.

One I hope we can repeat annually.

Have you ever been to a trial garden event?

Going Local-Cotton Ginning Days

 

A couple of months ago,

we ventured out to a local event.

(I'm a little behind on posting this because of technical difficulties.)

The Cotton Ginning Days Festival was held

in a nearby town and is an annual event.

Cotton is still one of the main crops grown here

in the Piedmont of North Carolina.

Here's a great article on cotton's importance in our state.

The Cotton Ginning Days Festival is held on the 2nd weekend in October each year.

This fair is a joint effort between the Gastonia Parks and Rec Department,

and the Gaston Agriculture, Mechanical, & Textile Restoration Association (GAMTRA).

There were many antique machines on display.

They are maintained by their owners

and are kept in working order.

Old time skills are featured in some of the buildings.

These two gentlemen were forging in the ironworks shed.

This festival is a celebration of the way things were done in the 1900's.

A pioneer village is on display,

with original buildings.

Of course, no heritage festival would be complete

without tractors.

These workhorses were the key to successful farming.

They are still admired by many,

but their only work now is showing off in the tractor parade.

One of our favorite parts of the festival

was the flea market area.

This so reminded us of our beloved 

Florida Flywheelers back in Central Florida,

that we visited several times a year.

Look at this handy cart.

Wouldn't it be fun to ride around the neighborhood on this?

And would you look at this sled?

I was so tempted to get it,

even though I'm fairly sure

I'd break something using it.

The icing on the cake was this cute lil' coffee bar.

What a perfect way to spend the morning,

and a cup of joe made it even better.

This is one festival we plan on revisiting next year.

Going Local-The Bradford Market

 

A couple of weeks ago,

sister and I ventured to a new

"off-the-beaten path" place.

Another friend had mentioned it in passing,

but it sounded right up our alley,

so we decided to visit.

It turned out to be only minutes

from sister's home in Concord.

The Bradford Market has been in business

for over 100 years.

They proudly carry only local products

of the highest quality.

This includes homemade items from local artisans,

farmers and small businesses.

This building, which houses the bookstore,

is a cabin that surely must have seen many changes.

Shelves of books,

as well as locally made soaps, lotions and

other toiletry items were found

in this quaint little lodge.

On the day we visited,

the weather was quite lovely,

but couldn't you just imagine a roaring fire

warming customers as they perused titles?

The grounds are also home to a beautiful

garden, where one can stroll,

or enjoy a meal at one of the picnic tables.

A plan has been made to return when spring flowers

will be bursting forth with fresh blossoms.

We picked up a few plants from the nursery section

of the market.

There were so many unique items on display,

and sister and I both agree that we want

to return again and again

to support this local business.

The produce looked amazingly fresh 

and the bread and sweets had us drooling.

Another fabulous find

here in Central North Carolina.

It was wonderful to be able to venture out again

after several years of restricted outings.

And getting to spend the day with one of my favorite people,

what a blessing.

Going Local-Two Shelby Museums

 

 Greetings!

It's been a while since we've featured some local attractions.

But then, it's been some time since we've gone anywhere.

With the last two years keeping us mostly home,

it felt good to get out and about again.

We headed to Shelby,

which is just southeast of our location,

to visit a couple of museums we've been wanting to visit.

 

 

The first place we stopped was the

International Lineman Museum.

 

This museum is dedicated to 

"Preserving the history of lineman

and the electrical utility industry".

There were rooms of equipment from all over the country.

 What an amazing display of materials they own.

We were totally mesmerized with the vintage pieces of apparatus.

 

 

Along with all of the equipment,

were displays explaining the job of a lineman,

including information about many of the hazards of the job.

A plaque out front honors those who have perished on the job.

 There were so many wonderful antiques,

and I couldn't help but think about

how some of these items could be repurposed for other uses.

With a little tweaking,

this would make a swanky chandelier.

 

The other museum that we've wanted to visit for ages, 

is the Earl Scruggs Center, right in the heart of Shelby.

Earl Scruggs, for those of you who may not know,

was one of the pioneers of bluegrass music.

His unique style of playing the banjo

has been replicated by many musicians.

 

The museum offers a self-guided tour,

including many interactive displays.

A gift shop where tickets can be purchased 

sits at the entrance,

and I couldn't help but treat myself

to a pair of banjo earrings!

After our tours, 

Big K and I found a great lil' bistro

and got some food to take home for lunch.

All in all, 

it was a fun morning and it felt great to be able to discover

such wonderful places,

just a hop, skip and a jump away.

 

More Going Local Posts:

 Asheville

 Catawba County Firefighter Museum

 Vending Machine Museum