Defending the South Toe Field

Hi, my name is Jada Cash and I am raising funds on behalf of my neighbors Paul and Marian in our fight to keep Dollar General off of Rte. 80.
I have lived in the South Toe area of Yancey County in these beautiful western North Carolina mountains for the past 16 years. My community needs your help and I am personally reaching out to you all to ask for your assistance now. I live along Hwy 80 South, just southeast of Burnsville proper, in a beautiful rural area embraced by the pristine South Toe River, the towering Black Mountains, beautiful pastures and farms, the Pisgah National Forest, and incredible friends and neighbors. This little highway provides easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway and is designated as the scenic byway to Mount Mitchell State Park, site of the highest peak east of the Mississippi. The area is known for its dark skies. The Black Mountains shelter us from the lights of the nearest towns. Even a crescent moon casts a bright shadow, and when the moon is not out, the Milky Way is always visible. This windy two-lane highway wanders by neighborhoods with lovely homes, churches, small schools, local campgrounds, wildlife, and numerous hiking trails. Many artists and crafts people live in the area, contributing to its unique community. I am grateful for the local farmers here who sell their fresh produce to our neighbors and to local farmers' markets and restaurants. The small local businesses provide essential products and jobs, and the local owners are always willing to make special orders. I did not move out here for fancy stores or chain businesses. I wanted to be out in the country while also being in a community with others. I have been blessed by many wonderful friendships and support systems that are closely connected. There are incredibly special people out here in this part of the world. I want to introduce you to a pair of them, my nearby South Toe neighbors and dear friends, Paul Eisenhauer and Marian Post. I want to share with you how Marian and Paul are preserving the beauty of South Toe to the benefit of us all and how and why they can use our help.

 

When Dollar General came to the valley looking to build a store 7 miles from the nearest of the two other nearby Dollar General stores, many in the community were opposed and began organizing to keep Dollar General out. The land Dollar General most recently wanted is 2.59 acres of pristine farmland on the corner of Hwy 80 South and Upper White Oak Road. In the past it has been horse pasture and a hay field, but for at least ten years it has lain fallow, making it an ideal site for organic farming. Dollar General negotiated with the land owners and they agreed on a price of $150,000 (approximately three times its assessed tax value). The owners of this field decided to pause the land sale for a short period of time to consider potential local buyers who could match Dollar General’s offer. Organized neighbors tried to find local agricultural non-profits that needed land. Still, even with many generous community pledges of financial support, the inflated commercial price for this small acreage snuffed out any hope of the field being saved from being turned into a paved Dollar General parking lot. Due to the narrow window of time before contract signing, Paul and Marian stepped in and offered to buy the land to stop the sale to Dollar General.

They are a retired married couple who moved to the area five and a half years ago to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of mountain life and be part of the strong community in South Toe. They are good stewards of their property, planting gardens with native species, fixing up their older home, supporting and hosting their neighbors, and regularly picking up unfortunate roadside litter along nearby Hwy 80 South. They are very active members of this community. Marian, an occupational therapist, worked in the nearby elementary schools until her recent retirement. She volunteers at the local therapeutic riding center. She is a Master Gardener who is always willing to be of support to others. Paul, a retired professor, is a master woodworker and a Toe River Arts Council member. His shop is part of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Craft Trail.

Life seemed idyllic until Dollar General started trying to buy land for commercial development directly across the road from their property, gardens, and studio on Upper White Oak Road.

Marian said, “Paving over that beautiful pasture and wetland for a store, parking lot, with bright security lighting would create an eyesore and road congestion. It would destroy the habitat for all the native species that live there.” She and Paul dreaded the thought of the bright lights that would be on 24/7, ruining the dark sky. And they feared the traffic, noise, trash and rise in crime that always seems to accompany Dollar General stores.

To buy the property over Dollar General’s large commercial offer, Marian and Paul took out loans and dug deep into their retirement savings, which were supposed to provide planned income during their senior years. Interest and taxes (retirement income and property) will also be added stressors to the high price of the land purchase. They are looking for help so that their sacrifice will not be more than they can bear. They will be collaborating with community members as they try to determine the best use for the property in the future (such as a community garden or bird sanctuary). I am so very grateful for their huge undertaking to keep this area of South Toe beautiful and preserve that lovely field and its habitat. I definitely plan to donate some monetary help when I can. I know my small individual contributions will not amount to a significant amount. I am asking you to please contribute some funds to help them and to please share this with as many people as possible. I do know that all donations will add up to help Marian and Paul, our neighbors, our neighborhood, our rural highway, our township, our piece of the world in a very big way. Thank you so much for reading and for your consideration. Let’s do some more good in this world.

Big Love, Jada