Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 37
PHOTO COURTESY OF JANET PETERSON
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAT VIBERT
Cloud 9 Farm
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CLOUD 9 FARM
Cloud 9 Farm
Fletcher, N.C.
828-628-1758
cloud9relaxation.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERI POWERS
The tagline, "beds, berries, trees, beef and honeybees plus a whole
lot of peace and quiet" sums up life at Cloud 9 Farm.
Located on 200 acres in Fletcher, N.C., the farm has been in
the Peterson family since the 1970s. Retired schoolteacher and
second-generation farmer Janet Peterson transformed the farm
from a secluded u-pick blueberry patch into a working farm with
chickens, cattle, bees and a vegetable patch. She called it Cloud
9 because that's how her parents felt when they retired to the
pastoral setting.
"I made a commitment to be a steward of the land and keep
what we had without selling it to developers," Peterson explains.
In 2004, Peterson added on-farm accommodations. Most of
the overnight guests are families who want their children to experience life on the farm.
While some mini-farmhands are surprised by the realities of
farming - one little girl told Peterson it was "gross" that she ate
things out of the ground - others are eager to pitch in with chores
ranging from planting potatoes and tending the beehives to collecting eggs. As for the most popular activities on the farm,
Peterson believes it's a toss-up between interacting with the animals and sampling farm fresh foods.
"In the past, people grew up with chickens and big gardens
outside the back door but we don't have that anymore," Peterson
says. "Agritourism is becoming more popular because people want
to get in touch with where their food comes from."
Peterson is patient with children who come to the farm with
lots of questions and a few reservations about digging in the dirt
or reaching into nesting boxes to search for eggs. She's also passionate about her role as the caretaker of the land.
"It's a true farm experience on a conservation farm," Peterson
says. "I want this farm to be a showcase for what is possible when
we don't just use the land, we take care of it."
From top left: Cattle in the pastures provide a beautiful backdrop at
Cloud 9 Farm. Feeding the cows, helping with the hens and learning
how honey is made are favorite activities at the farm.
JULY/AUGUST 2014 | 37
http://www.cloud9relaxation.com
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014
Table of Contents
Print to Mobile
From the Editor
From the Farm
Festivals & Events
The Hike
Creature Feature
Mountain Report
Country Roads
Potomac Highlands Adventures
Get Up Early! Great Farm Vacations
Saving Mabry Mill
Photo Essay: Mountain Skies
Signature Mountain Dishes
Waterfront Living
Mountain Garden
Cabin in the Woods: Canaan Resort
Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Table of Contents
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 4
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Print to Mobile
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - From the Editor
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 7
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - From the Farm
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 9
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Festivals & Events
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 11
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 12
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 13
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 14
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 15
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - The Hike
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 17
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Creature Feature
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Mountain Report
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Country Roads
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 21
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 22
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 23
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Potomac Highlands Adventures
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 25
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 26
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 27
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 28
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 29
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 30
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 31
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 32
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 33
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Get Up Early! Great Farm Vacations
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 35
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 36
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 37
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Saving Mabry Mill
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 39
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 40
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 41
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Photo Essay: Mountain Skies
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 43
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 44
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 45
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Signature Mountain Dishes
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 47
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 48
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 49
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 50
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 51
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 52
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 53
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Waterfront Living
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 55
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 56
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 57
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 58
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 59
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 60
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 61
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 62
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 63
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 64
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 65
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 66
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 67
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 68
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 69
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 70
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 71
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 72
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Mountain Garden
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 74
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 75
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 76
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 77
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Cabin in the Woods: Canaan Resort
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 79
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 80
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - 81
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2014 - Cover4
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