Future uncertain as farm in transmission line path

By Mark Schmerling

photodocmark@gmail.com

 

In 1901, Aaron Bradley’s great-great-grandfather began farming a few miles outside Saluda. That family farm continued operating and producing food for the local population. Recently, Aaron’s grandparents, Dean and Pat Bradley, who had taken over the farm from Dean’s parents, have passed the baton, so to speak, to Aaron and his wife Nicole.

Aaron and Nicole’s future of farming is currently uncertain as one of the routes for Duke Energy’s modernization plan calls for transmission lines to literally run straight through the farm.

Aaron recently helped organizer and was a speaker at a Saluda resident meeting against Duke’s plans.

“My great, great grandfather settled there for the same reasons why we never left,” said Aaron at the meeting.

Aaron said there are families in Saluda who have worked so hard for so long to preserve their land and keep it in their family, “then you have a company like Duke Power that can come in and say, ‘it’s ours now, we’re buying it.’”

“And it’s not right,” said Aaron.

Most recently, Dean and Pat had raised grass-fed Angus beef, while a troop of goats kept invasive plant species in check. The goats remain, performing the same service.

 

Under Aaron and Nicole Bradley, the beef cattle are still there. On the same farm are pasture-raised broiler chickens and pigs. All the livestock are anti-biotic and hormone free, and free ranging.

 

Aaron mentioned what many local residents realize, that so many individuals have become detached from the land and from the production of what they eat.

 

In a frenetic, disconnected world, Aaron and Nicole have set a simple goal: “To bring back a family environment, so visitors can see a better way of doing things.”

 

Theirs will be “the way it’s supposed to be,” voiced Nicole.

 

“Today, they call it ‘farming,’ ” Aaron echoed. “In the ‘40s, they called it ‘living.’”

 

The original Bradleys raised an apple orchard, some trees of which remain. Aaron and Nicole plan to re-establish that, and raise organic apples and possibly other organic fruit.

 

Bradley Farms (Mountain Valley Farm under Dean and Pat) is located on Howard Gap Road, about three miles more or less east of Saluda (going toward the steep downhill on Howard Gap Road and toward Tryon).

 

Aaron mentioned that Dean and Pat “want someone else to do the heavy lifting.”

 

“In 1901, my great-great-grandfather settled here,” Aaron Bradley remarked, about the land that has been a big part of their lives and their livelihood. “When you have emotional ties somewhere, that’s a driving force.” Their livelihood may be threatened, says Aaron, who notes that Duke Energy’s proposed transmission line route #5 crosses directly over the middle of their farm, adding that they would have to shut the farm down if the line were to be built over their house and acreage.

“If this was the best scenario for this community and these transmission lines needed to be here, we would suck it up and they would go where they go,” Aaron said at Saluda’s citizen-organized meeting, “but the facts are the facts….this project is not in our best interest, and I think everybody, by showing up tonight, understands that.”

A combination of study and personal experience has taught Aaron that one livestock type can take what it needs from the land, while rotating other types (like cattle, chickens and pigs) can provide what each needs, while replenishing the land in a sustainable manner.

 

“You look at land as a person,” Aaron explained, noting that both must be addressed holistically for optimal health. He explained that biodiversity is created by a “mutual symbiotic relationship” among species using that land.

 

As a fifth-generation farmer on that land, Aaron understands that “the sixth generation won’t have the opportunities if we’re not good stewards of the land.”

 

Currently, the 160-acre property features some 35 head of Angus cattle (a cow/calf operation plus steers), 100-200 broiler chickens, and some 40-60 pigs. While cattle grazed peacefully in the pasture, the pigs in particular, appeared not only contented, but pleased to be in an outdoor setting.

 

Concerns over a possible influx of avian influenza have not escaped Aaron’s and Nicole’s radar. Aaron noted that most such infections are passed along from migrating wild birds, and that their cycle of raising chickens would probably not coincide with the upcoming migration, much of which does not occur in this area.

 

“We give the animal the best life we possibly can,” Aaron remarked, “with extremely low stress from beginning to end. We try to treat our animals so well that we’re jealous of how good they have it.”

 

He noted that they model many of their practices after those of Joel Salatin, a producer of chemical-free beef and other stock of beef on his Polyface Farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Salatin is also an author.

 

Aaron Bradley estimates that given the quantity of the Bradleys’ land, “We could run 300 head of cattle, but it wouldn’t be sustainable. We never want to outgrow our ethics.” He explained that they intend to stay within the “tipping point” of sustainability. Some of the land is managed for sustainable timber production, also producing firewood for heating, and wood for various structural needs.

 

Currently beef and pork from Bradley Farms is processed in the Rutherfordton area, while chickens are processed on the farm.

 

Aaron and Nicole sell their meats at the Flat Rock, Saluda and Columbus tailgate markets. They are also available at the Farm Store at the Mill Spring Agricultural Center.

 

Even with that, and given the fact that Aaron is a full-time firefighter in Hendersonville, and Nicole teaches at Saluda Elementary School, the couple has more plans.

 

They especially want involvement with the general public—including a possible u-pick fruit operation, connections with local events, farm tours and other on-farm activities. Nicole might coordinate a camp on the farm.

 

“We’d like to do more events here,” Aaron stated. “We’re excited about that.”

 

After raising their production modestly, the couple plans to make infrastructure changes to better suit their ongoing operations.

 

The practice of utilizing all by-products (such as composting waste products and plant material) to benefit another part of the farm, reflects their philosophy, of trying to not let anything go to waste, according to Aaron.

 

Regarding the slowly decreasing, but ongoing use of antibiotics on some farms, especially large operations, Aaron Bradley promised, “We’re going to put our animals in an environment where they don’t need antibiotics.”

 

Though the chickens are able to roam the pasture and eats seeds and insects by day, they have nearby structural protection from predators and the elements.

 

Advantages felt by Aaron and Nicole are many.

 

Aaron noted that one of the good things about living and working in this area is, “You deal with some really good people. My grandparents (Dean and Pat), parents (Jeff and Melia Bradley) and my uncle (Chris Bradley) giving us this opportunity, is our biggest blessing. If I can work half as hard as they have, surely I’ll accomplish something.”

 

Farming, especially by strict ethical standards, and even more so, while working elsewhere, takes a great deal of energy and commitment.

 

“You need to be a workaholic,” Aaron advised. “We love it. We really do.”

 

It’s work, but, Aaron added, “It’s fun. It’ll be a learning experience.”