From the middle of Iredell County, Statesville, on down through Troutman and Mooresville, the character of Iredell County is defined by small cities, small towns, small farms, and Lake Norman. Above Statesville, Iredell County becomes something very different.
Last Friday afternoon, I accompanied Elizabeth Barnhardt, our Realtor Association Director of Government Affairs, on a brief tour of the northern part of our county so that she could see the very different life and priorities of the residents of that area, the better to understand the issues that our local government has to address in overseeing the needs of such a diverse county. Yes, we have retail, industry and racing as major players, but in 2008, Iredell County had the largest number of dairy farms, 56 (mostly family operated), and the highest milk production in North Carolina. The second highest number of dairy farms was only 20. So, you can imagine the differences in perspective of the various property owners across the length of the county. This makes for some interesting dilemmas for the county commissioners.
Elizabeth, a Charlotte native, was visibly impressed with the beauty of the rolling countryside filled with grassy pastures and cows of various breeds. We rolled through the communities of Turnersburg, Harmony, Houstonville, Eagle Mills, Union Grove, and Love Valley (which is a whole ‘nuther story) and by acres of farmland that underscored the point that this is “the country”, where people live who want open space and plenty of it. Lots of people in our area don’t know what beautiful land is just up the road. You just need to get off of the interstate highway to see it and appreciate it.
