Gaining Ground Farm got its name from two sources: owner Anne Grier’s maiden name, Gaines, and the soil-building philosophy adopted by she and her husband, Aaron Grier. Anne and Aaron were both involved in farming before they met. Anne had been growing produce for market for eight years, and Aaron was the livestock production manager on Mulberry Gap Farm in Marshall. Together, the Griers are now able to provide locally grown produce and meat for our tables.

Anne manages the farm, producing vegetables, strawberries, culinary herbs and cut flowers on three acres in Swannanoa. Onions, leeks and garlic are some of their favorite crops, and Anne enjoys flowers for the holiday markets. Heirloom vegetables also make up a large part of the farm’s food mix. Anne appreciates heirlooms for their genetic diversity and because they offer food security. (Next year’s crop is ensured by letting some of the best plants produce seed to be harvested for use the following year.)

In addition to working as a full-time carpenter and keeping the farm machinery in running order, Aaron tends to the meat production. Aaron became involved in livestock production as a student at Warren Wilson College. He then spent four years managing the livestock operation at Mulberry Gap Farm. Anne and Aaron utilize green pastures, fresh air, and sunshine to produce grass-fed beef and pastured-pork on 40 acres in Leicester. They even have a heritage breed of cattle, Red Devons. Similar to the diminishing diversity of seeds, many traditional livestock breeds are also disappearing. Prior to the large scale, feedlot meat production that’s currently prevalent in the United States, most small farms raised livestock to meet the needs of their families and communities. Just like heirloom tomatoes feature treasured qualities that are non-existent in grocery-store tomatoes, heritage livestock represent centuries of genetic selection for certain traits sought by farmers.

All the livestock on Gaining Ground Farm is free of hormones and antibiotics, and their pork and beef are available at area tailgate markets. The vegetables, fruit and flowers are raised using organic methods. And, soil building and good pasture management are a priority. Anne maintains soil fertility mainly with cover crops, sometimes enriching with manure. The animals are rotated from pasture to pasture, naturally fertilizing their own territory.

Farming is more than a job for the Griers, it’s a way of life. And, according to Anne, she “enjoys everything about it.”

The goods of Gaining Ground Farm can be found at the French Broad Food Co-op Tailgate Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays and at the North Asheville Tailgate Market (near UNCA) on Saturdays.

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