 |
| ||||||
Text Size 
• Email • Printer Friendly
|
Tuesday, September 02, 2008 10:40 AM Farming in city limits By Eddie Fitzgerald Daily Times Staff Writer Although Wilson is a fast growing city with commercial and new housing developments popping up everywhere, in between the buildings there are still remnants of the city's past in small urban plots where a few farmers continue growing tobacco, corn and sweet potatoes. Two "urban farms" that look like they might be overrun by residential development are still producing tobacco and corn deep in the city limits. A tobacco patch can be found nestled between the golf driving range and a suburb off Downing Street. Behind it, at the end of Cameron Drive, is a sweet potato field. A small corn field thrives next to Tilghman Road across from the Fike High School football field and between a car wash and apartment complex. Across from Forest Hills swimming pool and surrounding subdivision on Forest Hills Road is another large sweet potato field. Norman Harrell, agriculture extension agent, said there are several farm plots within the city limits, and they can present some challenges to farmers. "Today, farm equipment is very large, and it is certainly challenging to maneuver this equipment in and around highly populated areas," Harrell said. But it is worth it to farmers as development and a growing population encroaches on rural areas, Harrell said. "Land is certainly a very precious resource," he said. "With all the development, we've had a lot of land go out of production. We have to have land available to grow these crops. The greatest limiting factor in agriculture in Wilson is development. It is kind of the nature of the beast we have to deal with. We get more populated as more people keep moving in. But once we have lost the land, it will never be returned." Walter Earle, Wilson County agriculture extension director, said the extension service is planning a workshop on Wilson County farmland preservation at the Agricultural Center Oct. 7 at 5 p.m., to discuss the growing concern of farmland being lost to development. Linwood Vick, of Vick Farms, oversees about 75 acres of sweet potatoes behind the Brian Center on Downing Street. The land has been in production for more than 20 years, some seasons yielding tobacco and some years cotton, he said. The Vicks own more cropland surrounded by suburbs off Forest Hills Road. "We will keep farming in the city limits as long as the land is not developed," Vick said. "Once they pour concrete on it, that's it. When development was strong here a couple of years ago, we were losing farmland fast." Although the Vicks farm in three counties, growing crops in the city comes with some unique problems, he said. "Every year the traffic gets worse," Vick said. At harvest time, Vick said they wait until the traffic is slack before they bring in the combines or tractors. Another drawback to city planting is people driving four-wheel off-road vehicles across the fields, and others "gleaning" the sweet potato field during harvest without asking permission, Vick said. "It is really against the law," he said. "It is stealing and trespassing. We try to keep people from trespassing. That is the biggest problem." Rodger Lentz, Wilson city planner, said farming operations are allowed in all districts of the city limits and he has never received any complaints about farmers growing crops inside the city limits or extra-territorial jurisdiction. There are strict regulations on keeping livestock in the city, he said. "It is not unusual for residents in a neighborhood to be next to farms when the city is expanding out," Lentz said. "Some areas are a little newer so you probably have some neighborhoods on the edge of town close to farms." Lentz said Wilson was trying to grow in a "compact way" to put less pressure on agriculture. "We are trying to keep expansion near the urban services that are already in place," Lentz said. "Certainly we need farmland." Lentz said Wilson needs to continue growing but he would like to see more "infield" growth, utilizing areas in the city like vacant lots or abandoned areas. eddie@wilsontimes.com | 265-7820 |
| Add Comment: | |  | | (All comments must be approved) |
| View Comments: | | | | (0 comments) |
Most Popular
 |
 |
 |
