The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) is a non-profit land trust that protects land across ten counties in the Southern Appalachians — from the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the Highlands of Roan. SAHC conserves the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty and places for all people to enjoy outdoor recreation in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. You may have enjoyed or seen SAHC-protected lands when hiking along the Appalachian Trail or driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

SAHC’s Community Farm encompasses over 140 acres of historic farmland. Located just 9.5 miles/20 minutes from downtown Asheville, it is nestled into the foothills of the rural Alexander community. The property models innovative projects combining environmental stewardship with productive agriculture. Here, we have restored 3,000 feet of a French Broad River contributory, created a program to support beginning farmers in growing their farm businesses, and established space for environmental education.

There are two spring heads on the property; the water flows into the French Broad River less than a mile away. To make sure that the water is clean and the creek ecosystems are healthy, we created a 100-foot buffer on either side of restored streams on the farm. This keeps livestock from eroding the riverbanks and protects a 25-acre habitat for wildlife to thrive!

Absolutely!  However, Community Farm tours are given by appointment only.

Prior to requesting a tour, please confirm that our site fee and venue policies are a good fit for your vision, guest list, and budget.

Request a Visit

We hope to see you soon, but we ask you kindly not to visit without an appointment.

We have a variety of packages and prices, which range from 2-hour elopements to weekend weddings for up to 150 people. Please visit our weddings page for more detail.

We are located at 180 Mag Sluder Rd in Alexander NC. We are 9.5 miles north of downtown Asheville NC, tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Asheville Airport is our closest airport.

We can accommodate up to 40 vehicles. We do strongly recommend group transportation to keep potentially tipsy drivers from getting behind the wheel.

The indoor facility and attached deck are accessible via a ramp from the gravel parking area. The patio is accessible via a gravel/grass pathway. You may drive up to the ceremony site; however, the ceremony location is an uneven grassy surface. Please let us know your needs — we are happy to work with you!

You will have access to the farm venue space from 12 pm to 10:00 pm for your wedding and reception. Vendors are also to arrive after 12 pm. All amplified music must end at 10 pm. There is a 60 minute grace period after that for guest departure and cleanup. All decorations, rentals, etc. must be removed from the property by 11:00 pm. A typical wedding schedule begins with vendor and wedding party arriving at 12 pm, then guest arrival and ceremony at 4 pm, followed by a cocktail hour, reception, and dancing until 10 pm.

We require certain professional vendors to ensure your day is perfect!  These vendors include a variety of coordination/event management companies and Classic Event Rental. All other professional vendors are your choice.

You may choose from our list, or choose your own – in all cases, the caterer must be a licensed and insured business and able to provide full-service staffing until close.

We allow beer, wine, and champagne at The Community Farm.  A “Limited Special Occasion Permit” through the NC ABC Commission is required for spirituous (hard) liquor. We require a licensed and insured bartender to serve throughout the entirety of the event. The last hour of each event is just beer and wine allowed.

Yes, we do require couples to obtain a certificate of insurance with an endorsement provided to SAHC Community Farm 30 days prior to the event. More specific information is provided in the Rental Agreement.  You can purchase event insurance through your personal insurance agent or online at www.eventhelper.com. You are not required to have event insurance for elopements and parties under 25 guests.

Any send-off favors such as rice, confetti, birdseed, silly string, sky lanterns, fireworks, etc. are not allowed during events. No helium balloons are allowed outside the buildings. Decorations may not be hung with tape, glue, nails, or screws in the Community Farm house, education building, or on trees. Removable command strips, masking tape, painters tape, ribbon, and rope may be used. All decorations must be removed without leaving damage.

Here in the Appalachian mountains, we welcome all music! DJs or bands must provide all the sound equipment and extension cords. No amplified music is allowed after 10:00 pm.

You are not required to have a tent, but we highly recommend it. The outdoor venue space is beautiful, but weather in the mountains can be unpredictable. We suggest a tent rental to ensure that your event is protected from rain and/or other inclement weather. Classic Event Rental provides tents for the Community Farm venue space.

Yes, to ensure a smooth, non-stressful day you are required to use one of our preferred licensed and insured “Day-of” Planners.  The planner must be present for the ceremony, reception, and walkthrough prior to the wedding day. The planner must carry their own insurance and have a current website for their business. You are not required to have a “Day-of” coordinator for elopements.

Yes! We have a gorgeous 2-bedroom, 2-bath farmhouse on site which is available to you for an additional charge. The farmhouse will accommodate seven overnight guests. All wedding decorations, rentals and events remnants must be cleaned up and cleared off the property by 11:30 pm on the day of the wedding. Check out is at 11 am the following day.

No, camping is not allowed at this time.

We know that your dog is part of the family, and we welcome wedding couples to include their canine companion(s) on their special day. However, because of the sensitive nature of habitat and agriculture at the farm, we do request that only the wedding couple bring their dog(s). Service companions are always welcome. Dogs must be well behaved, leashed, and cleaned up after.