Highland Maya style farming on the crest of a Georgia Mountain

This dilapidated old mountain house was devoid of landscaping, so I enclosed the front with a fieldstone wall. Many of those volcanic rocks weigh 100 – 300 pounds! I created a “hidden garden” within the enclosure by planting a ring of Native azaleas and rhododendron. Then I interconnected the sections of the property with flagstone pathways and terraces, which mimic the Appalachian Trail.

Six years later much of the shrubbery in the front is 6-8 feet tall, because of the fertility of this volcanic ash soil. As you can see, I have complete privacy at the front facade, even though the house is only 70 feet (21.3 m) from the road.

by Richard L. Thornton, Architect & City Planner

A little over six years ago, this was the only house in North Georgia that I could afford. Where I was currently living near Dahlonega had gotten so pricy that most people couldn’t afford a mobile home on a one acre lot! This house had deteriorated considerably while on the market 3 1/2 years. Potential buyers could not get a loan because seven large trees were leaning toward it.

Big trees are not a problem for a 110 feet tall tree crane!

I had to find this property myself. The Feds tell me that my realtor was contacted by the Habersham Sheriff’s Department and told that I was gay, so I should be directed to the designated gay neighborhood within the City of Clarkesville. This would make it a lot more easy for them to maintain their constitutionally-mandated duty to maintain 24/7 surveillance on all known educated newcomers with IQ’s over 75, libruls and free-thinkers, as lawfully identified by the District Attorney’s Office. Of course, I still had to pay a commission, because I borrowed the realtor’s MLS book to find it. No, I am not kidding!

I am not a homosexual and in fact, being Creek Indian, I am quite a bit more athletic, taller and macho than most of the white law enforcement officers in Northeast Georgia. Reality is not relevant in our current politicized America, however.

Finding a place to grow fruits and vegetables

The property runs southward about 1800 feet (549 m) but much of that is a steep, heavily-forested, 100 feet deep ravine. This ravine is a wildlife habitat, designated by the National Wildlife Foundation. The terrain is rugged and contains many stone outcrops. It was an impossible place to grow anything, but trees.

The only portion of the property with enough sunshine for cultivation is immediately east of the house, but is still a steep mountain slope. Over the past six years, I have personally excavated a series of terraces and ramps, plus constructed masonry retaining walls for fruit bushes, vegetables and herbs. I use the Maya-Georgia Creek Indian soil enhancement techniques, commonly known as bio-char. Below are recent photos of the Magic Garden Terrace Complex.

There are two more lower terraces, not visible in this photo.

View from my bedroom window. There is a blueberry orchard on the left.

Recently completed rampway enables me to use a 48″wide handcart.

View from my driveway

Another view from the bedroom, showing the lower terraces.

The ravine is ablaze with color during late October and early November.