Werness Farm

Nestled into the bucolic hills of northern Durham County, North Carolina, the tranquil Werness Farm watches the ebb and flow of the nearby Little River. The land here at the center of the county’s “horse country” has been farmed for centuries, but cultural changes sparked by the expansion of nearby Durham are rapidly changing not only the demographics of this area, but also the services these communities provide.

As the formerly rural area transforms into exurbs, progressive new-comers to the area are purchasing fallow farms and exploring the land’s capacity to generate revenue through the development of eco-tourism and intentional communities that echo the Back to the Land movement.

The 11 acre Werness Farm is an example of this trend: land at the brink of succession being transformed into a community capitalizing on existing farm infrastructure to generate tourism and agriculture products. However, rather than focus on a single crop, the Werness Farm seeks to provide a diversity of products and tourism experiences that respond to the diversity of microclimates on the property.

The pond presents an opportunity to create a place of contemplation, recreation, and spiritual nourishment as well as a resource for producing fowl and irrigating crops that helps close the resource loop on the Werness Farm.

Furthermore, developing the Werness Farm began by prioritizing permaculture principles as a foundation for masterplanning and, ultimately, marketing of products, services, and experiences. Through careful environmental analysis, and guided by permaculture principles, the masterplan for the Werness Farm balances client interests with appropriate and sustainable commercial expressions of the farm’s many microclimates.

Exisiting Conditions

The Werness Farm as experienced before masterplanning exercises begin. The 11 acre farm with vestiges of its previous agricultural identity that include a farm and guest house, vegetable garden, stables and chicken coop, pasture, and irrigation pond.

Soil Territories

Identification of soils on the property that are appropriate for various commercial expressions (such as pasture or vegetable and small fruit production) based on capacity to store water, inherent fertility, and likelihood of erosion.

Shade Patterns

Instances of full sun, full shade, and the spectrum between are mapped to help identify ideal locations for plant productivity and comfortable conditions for livestock.

Stormwater Flow

Water movement through the property is recorded to identify where water-intensive features, such as vegetable production, orchards, and raising fowl are appropriate, as well as to identify areas where over or under-saturation of soils may pose challenges to the farmers.

Prevailing Wind Flow

Visualization of prevailing winds, as well as seasonal winds experienced during hurricane season, help to identify differences in influence wind may have on proposed elements through both mechanical pressures and temperature fluctuations.

Zone Map

Based on permaculture planning practices, a Zone Map identifies intensity of human activity similar to a heat map. Proposed elements can be organized in relation to their reliance on human intervention so that intensive elements (like an annual vegetable garden) are placed close to human activity and infrastructure. For example, elements in Zone One are managed daily, Zone Three once per month, and Zone Five are rarely touched so that nature may take its course.

Site Analysis

Combining each layer of environmental analysis, the character of the landscape is visualized. Informed decisions can then be made about the most appropriate location of desired elements, as well as possibilities of landscape expression that haven’t yet been imagined.

Conceptual Design

The Werness Farm as an expression of client wishes and unexpected ideas generated during the site analysis.