Out in Jupiter Farm sounds much farther away than it really is. Just outside of Weaverville, the farm is home to Ann and Trish Hord-Heatherley. The farmland has been in Trish’s family for over 100 years. Her grandfather built the house in 1924; her mother was born in the bedroom upstairs. Some of her fondest childhood memories are of time spent on the farm with her grandparents. After Trish’s grandparents passed away, the house sat empty for more than 40 years, but she always dreamed of giving the house and land a new life. Ann and Trish began that process in 2008 with renovations to the house. A few years later, they moved onto the property and, when they added goats and chickens, the farm was complete.
Ann’s unique work utilizes materials from the land on which she lives and the animals that she cares for. Her cloth figures are inspired by photographs of women and children from the early 20th century. Clothing for the figures is simple and suggestive of women’s clothing from Appalachia and the rural South. Ann hand-dyes her fabrics and often incorporates vintage textiles in her work. She is enchanted when she sees a spirit emerge from a lapful of raw materials.
Visitors to Out in Jupiter Farm can see the whole farm experience. The chickens are layers. The angora goats produce mohair. Some of the fleeces from the farm are processed at a small mill; some they wash, card, and spin by hand. The choicest locks become hair for Ann’s dolls. Available for purchase are mohair fleeces, roving, and yarn, all products of the farm’s goats. Ann dyes much of the yarn, sometimes using botanicals grown on the farm.
Open by Appointment
