It’s a Wholistic Approach to Community; 

Truly A HOMESTEAD FOR ALL.

Imagine a neighborhood where fresh food security is woven into the very fabric of daily life. This is the essence of an agrihood: a residential community intentionally designed around a working farm or agricultural space, shifting the focus from amenities like golf courses to a direct connection with the land and sustainable living. These communities prioritize health, wellness, and environmental stewardship, blending the charm of rural life with modern convenience, allowing people to live whole, fulfilling lives.

Farmside at Brightwood is a comprehensive approach to community food sovereignty, local job creation, and innovative economic models. The community structure is designed so it's easy to get in where you fit in, offering a place and purpose for everyone.

Community Food Sovereignty

Farmside integrates a working farm and fosters food sovereignty by placing residents in control of their food sources through a co-op farm share model. Residents are not just consumers; they are stakeholders. They gain reliable, local access to nutritious, seasonal produce through programs like community-supported agriculture (CSA), on-site markets, and personal garden plots. This model shortens the food supply chain, reduces the carbon footprint, and builds a resilient system for the community.

Broad Economic Impact and Shared Equity

The agrihood model provides benefits to stakeholders and surrounding communities by generating jobs and supporting a strong local economy. The initiative connects modern living with the "real skills our forefathers had", emphasizing hands-on learning and practical agricultural expertise.

Farmside takes this a step further: residents earn equity in their homes while also sharing in the economic productivity of the farm through the co-op structure. As the farm prospers, residents benefit financially, aligning personal prosperity with the community's success.

This approach is validated by existing communities, such as the award-winning Olivette Riverside Community & Farm in Asheville, North Carolina. Olivette features a four-season organic farm where residents can purchase shares and actively participate in farm activities, demonstrating how integrated agriculture fosters a strong sense of community and connection to the land in a successful, real-world application.

Job creation extends beyond just tilling the soil to a variety of related industries, ensuring a role for diverse skill sets:

• Farming and Animal Care: On-farm roles for managers, crop workers, and specialists in animal care and husbandry.

• Logistics and Transport: Personnel to move produce efficiently from the farm to on-site markets and local vendors.

• Marketing and Sales: Professionals needed for marketing and managing sales channels.

• Packaging and Manufacturing: Jobs in grading, sorting, packaging, and small-scale manufacturing or distillation of farm-sourced items.

This holistic approach keeps food dollars within the community, helps individuals learn valuable skills in sustainable agriculture, and fosters a culture of self-reliance, responsibility and shared prosperity FOR ALL.

It is about nurturing human nature, fostering a strong sense of belonging— creating a healthier, more connected, self-reliant, and economically robust way of life for everyone involved.

STATUS: LVL 2 Site PLAN STAMPED AND APPROVED BY DURHAM COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT

we plan to salvage the half a century old Maple, walnut and oak from the barn and use as much as possible in the new structure!