Hogeye Bottomlands Scenic, fertile Sandy Mush Farmland

This property is part of the beautiful landscape of Sandy Mush. Photo by Courtland White, CNPA

In Sandy Mush, scenic views of fertile bottomland, rolling pastures, and distant mountain ridges create a stunning backdrop for those who work the land. Thanks to your support, another tract of farmland has been preserved, adding to a network of protected agricultural lands and wildlife corridors throughout Sandy Mush. Farmers Aubrey and Rieta Wells graze cattle and produce hay on the 88-acre Hogeye Bottomlands — now permanently protected through a conservation easement.

Sections of Sandy Mush Creek and Hogeye Branch run through the tract, which contains prime soils (a designation for soils of national importance) as well as soils of statewide and local importance. Found along waterways and formed over long periods of time, these soils are important agricultural resources — and relatively rare in mountainous areas. Both Aubrey and Rieta grew up in families with long farming traditions and wanted to see this farmland protected for future generations.

“We’d like to see the Sandy Mush area stay as undeveloped as possible,” shares Aubrey.

Aubrey and Rieta Wells ran the last dairy in Sandy Mush. They now use the Hogeye Bottomlands for Black Angus cattle.

Photo by Jorja Smith, CNPA

Family History of Farming

Aubrey and Rieta Wells met through their shared family experience in farming. “Farming is all we’ve ever known,” says Aubrey. He says his family has been farming for many generations. “Both my father and Rieta’s father were in dairy. That’s how we met.” They purchased farmland in Sandy Mush from Aubrey’s father in 1980, starting their own dairy and working it together. They began leasing the Hogeye Bottomlands property in 1996 to add land for hay production and grazing pasture for their herd. Both their home farm and the Hogeye Bottomlands tract were used for dairy production until April 2019, when they transitioned to Black Angus cattle.

“We had worked the dairy for a lifetime,” says Aubrey. “I’ve been around dairy for more than 60 years and decided to try something new.”

However, Aubrey emphasizes that he has not retired, and has no plans for retiring. He says, “I just changed occupations — from dairy farming to Angus cattle. I’m going to keep farming till I can’t do it any more. I enjoy the cattle, and I love being outside — it’s all I’ve ever done.”

Aubrey and Rieta are glad that the Hogeye Bottomlands tract has been permanently protected for farming. Although their children have gone into different careers, they say “It’s good to know the land won’t ever be developed, and that it will always be here for agricultural use.”

Protecting Farmland for Water Quality and Habitat

Located in the French Broad Watershed, the Hogeye Bottomlands property includes portions of Hogeye Branch, Sandy Mush Creek, and their tributaries. Sandy Mush Creek is a direct tributary of the French Broad River, so protecting this land helps protect tributary streams of the French Broad River from sedimentation and other types of pollution.

Eastern box turtle on the property

“With financial and technical support from Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation District, the landowners enrolled in the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Western North Carolina Stream and Water Quality Initiative to restore portions of Sandy Mush Creek that run through the protected property,” says SAHC Farmland Protection Director Jess Laggis. “Exclusion fencing prevents cattle from accessing the main stem of Sandy Mush Creek, Hogeye Branch, and some tributaries. Drinking water for cattle is pumped from a well to off-stream, frost-free watering tanks.”

“Roughly a third of the tract is wooded, and the forest, pastureland, and riparian corridors offer habitat for a diversity of wildlife,” continues Jess. “Riparian vegetation — vegetated areas along Sandy Mush Creek and its tributaries — are important for water resources. The roots of riparian trees and shrubs help hold stream banks in place, preventing erosion. Riparian vegetation also traps sediment and pollutants, helping keep the water clean. More than 1.5 miles of stream corridor (which includes intermittent and perennial streams) occurs on the property.”

Farmland Preservation is a Collective Effort

Protection of this land was made possible by a grant from the USDA Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easements (a program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service), a grant from Buncombe County, generous private philanthropists, contribution from the landowners, and support of SAHC members.

Thank you for protecting productive, scenic farmland and streams!

The Hogeye Bottomlands property contains forested habitat, stream corridors, fertile soils, and open pasture.

Photo by Courtland White, CNPA

Partner Perspective: Buncombe Soil and Water Conservation

Partners in farmland preservation make a difference by working together to secure agricultural resources. We appreciate Buncombe County for supporting farmland preservation. Ariel Zijp, Soil Conservationist/Farmland Preservation with Buncombe Soil and Water Conservation District, facilitated relationship-building with the landowners in this project as the county worked on additional farmland protection with the Wells.

“Buncombe County recently protected 84 acres of farmland at Aubrey and Rieta’s homeplace and farm headquarters and we feel so grateful to have been part of this joint project to protect their entire farm operation,” says Ariel. “Buncombe Soil and Water has a long-standing relationship in the county helping farmers improve their conservation practices, and we have built a strong foundation of trust within this community. Through this, we have been able to introduce farmers to the idea of conservation and create trusting relationships with SAHC. We are able to protect more property by strategizing through the land trust/Soil & Water partnership, taking into account the requirements and objectives of our different programs. The Aubrey and Rieta Wells conservation project is a perfect example of how this partnership can work.”