The Observer News Enterprise in Newton (outside Hickory, in Catawba County) has an interesting interview with a farmer who's a fan of the planned Carolina Thread Trail.
Stanly Stewart, who's been a grain farmer for 35 years, says some farmers worry that a trail near or on their land would bring litter and vagrants.
But Stewart says, public trails aren't the big threat to farmers: "The major threat to farming is unbridled development,” he said. He's right. Suburban sprawl and even rural sprawl are eating away at this region's last farmland – ironic in an era when so many people are rediscovering the importance of locally grown foods and meat.
He has experience that proves his point. Stewart’s family owns land around Murray’s Mill, the article reports. It says, "They decided to build trails around the land for people to enjoy the property. Since the area was opened to the public, the amount of trash has greatly decreased. Stewart attributes the decrease to the public’s renewed interest in the land around the trails.
“When you light up an area, the dark goes away,” he said."
The Thread Trail is a plan for a connecting network of trails throughout the Charlotte region. Each community gets to plan where the trails would go. No land would be taken by eminent domain. In Charlotte, a small portion runs alongside Little Sugar Creek, through Freedom Park. Someday, if all goes well, you could walk from uptown Charlotte to South Carolina, or to Crowders and Kings Mountain.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A farmer praises the Thread Trail
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7 comments:
Yea, who needs more open spaces? Only liberal states are concerned about nature and sissy stuff like that. Only granola chomping, hippie freaks want to walk.
We need more subdivisions and Walmarts. I want more Waffle Houses and neighborhoods without those socialistic sidewalks.
Gosh, folks, my young grandaughter just got to ride her horse on her first trail. Our area is being covered by sub-divisions and she has had fewer and fewer places to ride. Now she and her friend hope to ride for miles without fences or cars scaring their horses. She is so excited about the Carolina Thread Trail she can't wait and her brother who is an Eagle Scout has been working for a year on part of the trail. Folks, my family has been in the Carolinas for generations dirt farming and I am so happy my grandchildren have a way to see the land and lakes like I did years ago...quiet, peaceful and without houses and fences.
I despise short sighted people.
Hmmm...I smell a socialist agenda here somewhere...somebody needs to get Glen Beck on this. Why, are we going to just sit back and continue collecting our unemployment checks while the socialists are stealing America right out from under our noses? The real America is a place where people like Beck (a high school drop out, recovering alcoholic, former stand-up comedian) can become seriously regarded as a scholar of American history and politics - not to mention oracle of truth and wisdom for millions of educated, thinking Americans - all in a span of just a few short years.
Interesting idea. I was thinking of something like this a few years ago as a way to create biking/hiking trails connecting each of the lower 48 states similar to the way the intercoastal waterway links the eastern seaboard states.
As a person who leans conservatively, this is a worthwhile endeavor. When I was contemplating my idea mentioned above, I was thinking what a great way to bicycle across the US without having to worry about traffic.
Its why I like Rails to Trails. In the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt, we need to do more conservation.
Hopefully, each community can agree on how to connetc the trails.
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