Berry farm benefits from experimental late founder and visionary new owner
Photo by Clay Nations Photography
The “you-pick” Thomas Berry Farm in Cullowhee was established nearly half a century ago by late agricultural extension agent Pelham Thomas, a math professor and mandolin player with a scientific streak. The two-acre farm is on the scenic Tuckasegee River, about a mile from Western Carolina University in the Great Smoky Mountains, where Thomas taught. Today the farm is owned and operated by Western North Carolina native Cindy Anthony, who’s expanding the operation thanks to Thomas’s early successful planting strategies.
How did you get into farming?
I grew up on a dairy farm where the work was from the early hours until late. That farm’s still in our family, and farming is really important to me. Somebody has to grow our food. But with all the development we are losing so many farms and farmers, and we need farming communities — even if they are just little micro farms.
Did you know Pelham Thomas?
I went to church with him, and we used to talk a lot at church about blueberry farming. He died not long ago at the age of 98, and when the farm was sold by his children, I had the opportunity to purchase it. They were really happy that I was going to keep it as a blueberry farm.
Photo by Clay Nations Photography
You’re continuing his community legacy.
Yes, it’s still a pick-your-own farm and a lot of people who visit have been picking blueberries here for generations. It’s really cool when they say, “My mom and dad brought me here.” Now they’re bringing their children here to pick and taking pictures that show the generations. Payments for coming to pick are also still on the honor system, like they’ve always been. … Generations are probably even picking from the very same bushes.
How many bushes do you have?
About 450 — and I have room to grow three times as many, so every year I’m planting more.
How big are the largest ones?
The biggest bushes are about six feet tall and probably at least that wide or wider. They’re like trees. Last year we got about 25 pounds of berries off each one, and because we didn’t have a late frost, we’ll probably have a bumper crop this year.
But you’re right on the river, so what was the impact from Hurricane Helene?
We were very fortunate. It flooded the lower three rows, but then it receded quickly, and the rest of the farm didn’t see any damage.
Even in the best of times, though, farming is a challenge.
Farming is hard, and I also have a full-time job. I can’t do it all by myself. Whatever little I make [from the berries] goes back into it. It has an irrigation system from a long time ago, but it’s broken in a lot of places and the pump has to be replaced to get water from the river. I have to build it back up little by little. Most of the work is weeding and mowing and pruning; it’s a lot to keep up with.
So how do you manage it all?
I have some people to help with weeding and mowing, but I can’t hire out everything There’s lots of maintenance and I do most of it on weekends, especially in the summer with weedeating and things like that. Pruning usually happens in January and February, removing deadwood and making the berries more accessible.
This is my fourth season. I leased it the first year before I bought it, and learned a lot from the NC State University website and YouTube. But I’m still in the learning curve.
It probably helps that the bushes have been long established …
A lot of them are 45 years old. The root systems of blueberries are usually pretty shallow, but these are awesome. They’ve been here so long they are really deep and extensive, so they can withstand more drought.
“Highbush” blueberries are more common in the mountains. But Pelham Thomas was able to cultivate the larger “Rabbiteye” variety.
Blueberries tend to be region-specific, and our Rabbiteyes are a little unusual for the NC mountains. Historically they are found further south or east, but [Thomas] was familiar with them because he grew up in Alabama, and was also interested in science. Since we’re in a valley, they are somewhat better protected [than at a typical mountain farm].
The“you-pick” season at Thomas Berry Farm (78 Medallion Drive, Cullowhee) typically starts in early July and runs through mid August. Payments are made on the honor system; the farm accepts cash, card, and Venmo. To learn more, visit Thomas Berry Farm on Facebook, call 828-200-1656, or e-mail cindyannoka@icloud.com.