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Agricultural Trail

Places to Visit

Among the hundreds of sites large and small where visitors can experience the rich agricultural heritage of the North Carolina mountains, a number reflect a specific time or place in the region's history.

Carl Sandburg Home—Flat Rock, NC. Not only was Sandburg a man of letters, he also became a gentleman farmer on his North Carolina homestead, where his wife raised prize goats.

Cradle of Forestry—Brevard, NC. Truly the birthplace of modern forestry management, the Cradle includes an interpretive exhibit about the founding of the first forestry school in America.

Historic Johnson Farm—Hendersonville, NC. On this late 19th century tobacco farm now owned and operated by the Henderson County Public Schools, visitors have the opportunity to experience a disappearing lifestyle—the family farm.

John C. Campbell Folk School Garden—Brasstown, NC. A one-acre "homestead garden" boasts heirloom peppers and tomatoes and other vegetables grown from seeds exchanged by neighbors, as was the custom in pioneer times.

Mountain Farm Museum—Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Cherokee, NC. Demonstrations by volunteers in period costume illustrate farm life in pioneer times.

North Carolina Arboretum—Asheville, NC. This lush and diverse 426-acre garden was a vision of renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The grounds are laced with trails for both hiking and biking through incredible gardens.

Kituwah Corn Maze—Kituwah, NC. Visitors can walk the Tribal Seal of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians and in the center of the maze view a seven-sided tower honoring the seven clans of the tribe.

Miller Century Farm—West Jefferson, NC. This fifth-generation farm is a snapshot of the agricultural heritage of the North Carolina mountains, and today produces prize-winning vegetables.

Orchard at Altapass—Spruce Pine, NC. More than 3,000 old-variety apple trees are only part of the charm of a visit to this historic orchard, which today offers visitors a taste and tales of days gone by.

Other Places to Visit

Many farm families have opened their doors and land to visitors seeking an authentic rural experience, even if only for a day or two. Some offer Bed & Breakfast-style accommodations while others go a bit further and allow visitors to actually do some of the farm chores.

Visitors can choose from a great variety of farm and countryside attractions and experiences – hay rides, petting farms, corn mazes, pick-your-own fruits and vegetables, cut-your-own Christmas trees, vineyard tours and wine tastings, bird watching, fishing, hunting, and camping on farm land, pumpkin patches, horseback riding, even home-cooked meals from the garden.

HandMade in America's guidebook Farms, Gardens & Countryside Trails of Western North Carolina is an excellent resource for visitors wishing to experience the agricultural traditions of the North Carolina mountains.

The Local Food Guide, published in print and online by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), leads visitors to family farms, farmers' tailgate markets, u-pick farms, apple orchards, and bed & breakfasts in Western North Carolina that sell locally grown farm products. The guide is free and available throughout the region.