North Corner Haven believes that time outdoors is more than a way to connect with nature—it is moreso a way to connect with others. Since 1972, the Dooley Family has been cultivating their farmland which, today, has become North Corner Haven itself. It’s a fully operational farm, with over 600 acres of hardwood forest, pastures, and ponds. Their lifestyle mirrors those of the early colonial settlers of the Carolinas: a symbiotic relationship with the land, both feeding it and being fed by it. It’s an agrarian respite from modern day—a place where people still collect their own eggs for breakfast, catch fish straight from the pond, and go riding along the farm road.
It was in 2015, after hosting an engagement party for a family friend, that the Dooley family began to dream about opening up North Corner Haven to the public for a variety of other events. Their vision was to allow people to come take a peek into their holistic lifestyle, while providing guests with food grown right from the farm’s own soil. Thus far, North Corner’s team has hosted events such as small corporate meetings, team retreats, company anniversary parties, and now, weddings. They recently renovated their barn alongside the help of interior designer Barrie Benson, Meyer-Greeson-Paullin Benson, Barringer Construction, Laurie Durden Garden Design, and Showalter Construction.
At 4,000 square feet, the updated barn has air conditioning, heating, ADA accessible restrooms, a sound system, and lighting. Sliding doors provide a smooth transition into the other nearby spaces, such as the courtyard, event lawn, farm house porch, and the verdant backdrop of the surrounding landscape.
An event at North Corner Haven is, truly, all about bringing the indoors out. Perhaps give clay shooting a shot at their state-of-the-art Five Stand, a solar-powered facility tucked within the leafy forests. Or, try out angling for bass and bream in the ponds with help from one of the team’s fishing guides. Additionally, you can take a tour of the farm and experience first-hand how the farm’s produce is grown and tended. Meanwhile, you may get to visit with some of the friendly farm animals. Amidst your day, you can indulge in some of the farm’s homegrown food for yourself with the team’s boxed lunches or buffets, served outside alongside whatever activities you’re exploring.
No matter what type of event you decide to host, the North Corner Haven team focuses on making planning and coordinating simple. They’re careful to assist in selecting vendor partners, menu, transportation and timeline, promising a smooth, unstressful planning process. Their wedding packages include a variety of services, such as their bar packages, a four season events space, a selection of décor and event supplies, and an attentive staff for your event. Their attention detail allows your event to be less about the behind-the-scenes planning, and more about enjoying a time that is supposed to be intimate and special.
Additionally, sustainability is behind every element of North Corner Haven’s operations. The farm implements a permaculture design, which allows a maximally-efficient management of water on the land. Also, the farm works through a system of animal rotation, allowing their Berkshire pigs to till and distribute fresh soil for their gardens. The farm continuously uses reclaimed and recycled materials. Their crops are never exposed to sprays or chemical fertilizers, so their produce, such as their muscadine grapes and mulberries, are fresh and all-natural. As a whole, their goal is to, over time, develop an ecosystem that sustains itself with minimal intervention while producing rich, healthy food.
Visits to the farm are by appointment only, but in early November 2018, North Corner Haven will be holding an open house for those interested in viewing the space for future events. It’s, obviously, quite a bit different from your average event space; it’s a celebration of the hospitable charms of the South—a nod to the historic roots of Carolina agriculture. Whether you’re looking to reconnect with the outdoors, or disconnect from the busyness of the modern world, North Corner Haven is an opportunity to relax the way people did decades ago—putting a pause on the clutter and noise and taking time to remember the things that really, truly matter.
