Full Spectrum Farms celebrates purchase of land
After seven years of planning, fundraising and searching, Full Spectrum Farms has moved to land it purchased in Cullowhee.
“It’s a dream come true,” said Jean Alvarez, an organization founder and member of the board of directors. “We have worked so hard to get this land.”
The new property is in the Wayehutta community and encompasses more than 30 acres of pasture, creek front and timbered land. Organizers have worked toward the goal of purchasing land since the nonprofit’s founding. This Fall, an anonymous donation of over $400,000. finally allowed the purchase, a milestone in the organization’s development. The Ward family, who previously owned and farmed the land, has gone out of the cattle business and likes the new vision for their old farm. “I think this will be an asset for the community, the county and to the residents of Western North Carolina” said former owner Larry Ward.
Founded in 2002, Full Spectrum Farms is dedicated to serving adults with autism in Jackson, Haywood, Buncombe, Swain, Transylvania, Macon, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Henderson and Madison counties. Full Spectrum Farms’ goal is to provide a farm community where adults with autism can live and work in a healthy, enriching environment and gain lifelong learning and living skills. Plans also call for the farm to house several cottage industries.
“Now the real work begins,” Alvarez said. “We hope to expand our pottery and woodworking and farming activities to provide more jobs for our farmers. We must raise funds for our new office and our town center, and for remodeling the barn and equipping the workspaces with farm, pottery and woodworking equipment.”
Such working and learning endeavors provide an opportunity for people with autism to help support their communities and themselves, and organizers hope the economic impact will benefit Jackson County.
Interim Director Jane Coburn states that “Not only will the farm provide training and jobs for people with autism, we hope that we will provide some great small business services to the community. We are planning to grow large amounts of garden vegetables for the public and for local restaurants, we hope to produce Switchgrass pellets for fuel and will expand our pottery and woodworking business as we continue to grow”. Most of all stated Coburn “We give promise and hope for parents of children with Autism, this farm has endless possibilities.”
2009 marked the second year that Full Spectrum Farms’ “farmers” worked on borrowed land located on Little Savannah Road in Cullowhee to grow vegetables, which they sold to individuals and local restaurants. The organization has expanded its pottery business to include a retail store, located adjacent to the Internet Café in Dillsboro. The farm is now organizing a program that will allow individuals to buy and sell their seeds and bulbs. The seed and bulb exchange program includes the history of the plants, where they came from, who brought them into this part of the country, how long they have been in the family and their yield.
Autism Spectrum Disorder refers to a group of developmental disabilities that affects an individual’s ability to understand what he or she sees, hears and otherwise senses. It is a brain difference that affects communication, social interaction and behavior. Individuals with ASD typically have difficulty understanding verbal and nonverbal communication and learning appropriate ways of relating to other people, objects and events.
Next on the agenda for Full Spectrum Farms will be land clearing, barn remodeling, house remodeling and as money becomes available to construct a central building that will be called the “Town Center”. Board Member Norman West has helped Full Spectrum Farms with his 30 years experience in the construction business. “We have a house that can serve as interim office space, we have a barn that will serve not only as a barn but also a business opportunity. We hope to reconstruct the barn to serve as a social venue that people can rent for family reunions, weddings or any large gatherings. Our Town Center will be a 4000 sf , two story, multi-purpose building with 4 offices, kitchen facilities and large meeting room. We hope this building will become the hub of autism resources for the 11 western counties in North Carolina.
For more information about Full Spectrum Farms, call (828) 293-2521 or (828) 293-5678.
INSTALLING A NEW SIGN at the newly purchased land for Full Spectrum Farms are Jean Alverez and Margaret Oren. Both founders and board members of Full Spectrum Farms since 2002, they celebrate the purchase of 30 acres of land in Wayehutta community in Cullowhee. Dedicated to making the lives of adults with autism more meaningful, Full Spectrum Farms endeavors to employ clients in several cottage industries, giving new opportunities where none existed before.
In observance of Autism Awareness Month, Full Spectrum Farms has broken ground on its vegetable and flower garden. The ribbon cutting and garden workday was held on Saturday, April 10, at the garden site located at 4554 Little Savannah Road in Cullowhee, NC. Future farmers will be able to gain valuable experience in preparing, planting, cultivating and harvesting the garden. Crops will include corn, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, green beans, squash, snow peas and flowers. The farmers will also take the harvested vegetables to the local farmers market and have the opportunity to interact with the community and raise some income for themselves and Full Spectrum Farms.
