French Broad River Valley Focus Area
Sandy Mush Game Lands 67 Acres added
Snelson Farm provides public access on the Madison County side of the game lands. Photo by Courtland White, CNPA
When Donna McMahon and her sister Debbie inherited 67 acres in Madison County, NC, they faced a dilemma common to families with deep roots in the Appalachian mountains – to sell or not to sell. Their father, George Donald “Don” Snelson, passed away in 2019, leaving behind a lovely rural farm and a family in whom he had inspired a deep appreciation for nature and outdoor recreation. A retired Director of Parks & Recreation of Buncombe County, Don enjoyed gardening, feeding the birds, and just being outdoors. He spent many years raising cattle on the farm he had inherited from his own father, who once owned a dairy operation. The farm on Ramsey Snelson Road rolls over open pastures with distant mountain views, mature trees, and streams that flow into the French Broad River, less than a mile away. Donna and Debbie knew that the property was special, and much sought-after as a parcel for development. Wrapped on three
sides by the Sandy Mush Game Lands, it was also a prime piece of real estate for public lands. Soon, brazen callers began plaguing the sisters, asking if they were ready to sell.
was prepared to manage, the sisters sought a conservation solution with Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC).
“I was hesitant to even pick up the phone if I didn’t know who was calling,” said Donna. “We didn’t want it to be developed; we wanted to make sure that it would be conserved and remain in a natural state, as much as possible.”
“Dad started raising cattle on that farm in 2000, when he inherited it from our grandad,” remembers Donna. “The cattle were basically pets to him; he loved them just like children. We probably had about 40 or so cattle, and a horse and donkey. We tried managing the cattle for a couple years after he passed away, but it just wasn’t practical. We found homes for them all, but we still didn’t want to sell the land for development. It had been in our family for a long time as a farm.”
View from Ramsey Snelson Road, photo by Courtland White
Seeking a way to honor their family’s love of the land, and to find a solution for owning a farm that neither of them
16 | View from the Highlands 2023 Vol. 2 | Land Protection Updates
