PEBBLES STEWART FROM ROCK SMITH FARM CHECKS IN 7/9/26

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:08

And joining us this morning is the owner of Rocksmith Farm. It's Pebble Stewart. Good morning. Good morning. How are you doing? Good. Well, first of all, uh, you know, we I just heard that your father had passed away recently. I'm so sorry. I want to give you our condolences because uh I mean I know he was such a major pillar in the community, and so many people know him. And I mean, I've just always been told about this ranch and uh this farm. And I lived around the corner for a a bunch of years, and I was always loved that area because of your family farm.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

Well, thank you very much. I get that quite often. I have a lot of people tell me they have moved far specifically for that.

SPEAKER_02 0:50

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

My daughter counts the horses every day we go by.

SPEAKER_02 0:57

And um, you have um uh one of our friends uh kept kept her horse Dixie there, and I I shot a Conway Ford. Yes, and I shot a Conway Ford commercial riding your parking lot on Dixie.

SPEAKER_03 1:13

I remember that.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

Okay, well um so I'm so sorry to hear about your father, and now we're hearing about uh what's happening on Forest Brook Road. Um I just found your page on Facebook and I saw the video you took, and I didn't even know that was going on because I haven't driven down there lately. So they're making it a five-lane road and they started all the construction. So give us a little uh background on your family farm, the um Rocksmith farm, and let tell us um, you know, the the role your family has had in this community. Give us a little background, please.

SPEAKER_01 1:50

Well, actually, I'll start way back. My great grandfather ran a pony ride at the Gay Dolphin um park.

SPEAKER_02 1:55

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_01 1:56

And so that is where my dad developed his love of horses. And so um we were actually I am fifty-two years old, and um until I was about four or five years old, we were we're Broadway at the beaches. You know, well because that was that was all um horse community there. There were several barns between um 29th Avenue and 10th Avenue there.

SPEAKER_03 2:18

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 2:18

So as um as the development kept happening in that area, my family purchased the land on Forest Brook and I would say approximately 79.

SPEAKER_03 2:27

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

And then um started construction on everything around eighty or eighty-one. So we have been in that location and that was actually one piece of property there. So where what you think road is, which everybody always talks about the name because it's named after a horse, was actually a dirt road that we had on our property. Okay. Um, and in about eighty-five, the county asked for access to that, and then to the back of that was just a dirt pile. An international paper owned all the land around it. So it was um strongly suggested, it was basically like they were gonna use that road anyway. So that the county took over what you think road in about eighty-five.

unknown 3:11

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:12

And before that it was actually called Maggie Lane, because it was not it was not a road. We just kind of um I mean it was it was definitely a dirt road. And so, um, you know, as then they put in, you know, Hunter's Ridge came first. And they said, um, you know, so that so that kind of increased through there. And I guess Hunter's Ridge at that point was already in the works, but we were not informed of that. Then the schools come back there and they go to my dad and they tell him that we are gonna make Panther Parkway for the schools. They are not gonna use your your road for um school traffic. Because we uh you know, it's really hard. You know, we we have animals on both sides of the road and I cannot tell you how many animals have died because you know they're you they don't know if there's a road there, you know, just to cross them back and forth. So, um so you know, it's been paved, you know, the schools have been there. I mean, that's probably been at least twenty-five years now. Um but as our population has grown, it's it's like a major highway between my two between the two sides there. Um and so with this, it's just been really disheartening that they're taking more of that land at this point. So when you say between me in on the front.

SPEAKER_02 4:26

Yeah, so just explain to us because you know, uh many of us do not have experience with eminent domain. So how much land do you have there and how much are they taking? How does that process work? Were you offered to literally sell a piece of it, or do they take it and just give you the m- How's it work?

SPEAKER_01 4:46

Well, um, how how this worked was and I I can't actually because I don't I wasn't prepared to talk to you this morning. I can't tell you the exact acreage on that. That's fine. I can tell you they took two acres. And what they did was they had someone come through the road. Yes, they had someone come through and um they basically say, you know, they're putting in a road. Um, they negotiate a little bit with you, tell you what they're um paying for um the other properties. And you know, you really don't well, there is no choice. Eminent domain, they are going to put the road in. You're going to lose your land, no matter if you if you you can agree with them, you could act you know, you could sue 'em. Um, but if you look back in case history, any time that we have anything like that, and we looked at doing that, but there was um, you know, they have the right for public, you know, to expansion for the the state came and they they sent someone, they actually they certainly weren't a local person or you know, and they do that on purpose, I'm sure. And they evaluate what they think your farm is worth.

SPEAKER_03 5:49

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 5:50

And your land. And everyone went through that that lives on Forest Before. And so they individually went to each property owner um on that road and negotiated with them. So we were paid for it. We were, but we didn't have an option. Right. And that is where I've, you know, feel so strongly because um, you know, there's certain things you can't buy. You know, money certainly can't buy happiness and wealth isn't always measured in dollars. And I can't tell you how um unsettling it is because people uh there's a thirty-five mile per hour sign there. Can you I mean, can you imagine like walking your doll having the what can we have to go back and forth across the street? It is too dangerous. I don't even let people now. It has really affected my business because I can't even let people cross the road there.

SPEAKER_02 6:34

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 6:35

I'm afraid to go to the mailbox. You know, and in the last two weeks there have been three wrecks right in front of my farm. Really? One of them ran into my fence. Um What is going on there?

SPEAKER_02 6:46

Why are people driving so fast?

SPEAKER_01 6:48

Well, I think they get to the end. They're either do they either come through McCormick and they come through that light and they're just flying, or either they're coming at the end, because it's just kind of a long road if you live back in in Hunter's Ridge. So by the time they get to where my farm is, you know, they've really increased their speed to get to where they're going. Or try to make that red light.

SPEAKER_02 7:06

I remember those little guinea hens running across the street all the time, and I've I've I've actually literally followed someone who seemingly ran them over on purpose. I was so angry. I was so angry. And uh like you said, there are so many creatures that you know, animals that have been crossing it's it is so dangerous there because they turn that corner and they are going fast, you know.

SPEAKER_01 7:32

Right. We've always had that problem, but in the last three months I have gone from about twenty five of those guinea fowls to four. What? That's yes. So it has just it's you know, it's just increasingly and I you know, I just in the government. Well no, I'll tell you, I've tried to reach out to the SE DOT head in our area and she has not responded to me. I've sent her three emails, tried to call her. Who's that person? I don't have her name right in front of you. Yeah, yeah, that's okay. How can we help you? How can we help you? I would love, and I did I will have to say, I will have to give that the county representative there, Mikey Mash. He did my daughter sent a wonderful letter to him and on our behalf. And um he did respond to that. And what what I had asked for was to have a crossing where I can safely get back and forth across.

SPEAKER_03 8:27

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

I would really like to have a permanent speed sign, like they have at Market Common. Mm-hmm. And I'd like the speed limit lowered a little because honestly, 35 means forty-five, which actually means fifty-five. Um so, um in the big picture of life. And he did respond, and there is they put it down the road, they did put a temporary speed sign up last week. But I do think that was in relation to the wrecks that had happened. I mean, someone lost their life, I think, two days ago, right there on the end of McCormick.

SPEAKER_02 8:57

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

So, um, and then we had a another gentleman, I think it was um week before that. I mean, he like I said, he w he went he went through my fence.

unknown 9:09

Jeez.

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Yeah, you know just and you know, just disheartening to what to see what's going on around us. And the poor people up from me, I mean, yesterday and when you go through there, I mean, I saw one older man sitting there just about crying as they're I mean, they're about four feet from his front door.

SPEAKER_02 9:26

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 9:27

Which direction is that towards? That would be towards 501 from my farm.

SPEAKER_00 9:32

Pebbles, that was the question I had as I watched the process and the clearing, and I know you're staying at tuned. It is because I live in that area as well. I live off McCormick. And and I'm watching, it's like they keep getting so close to these people's front steps. How are they actually going to justify even keeping that home there? Have you heard or any are anybody you know, are they selling the entire property? Are they moving? I mean, how can you how can you have a road literally four feet?

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Absolutely not. They only paid those people for what they need. They did not offer to buy their home a whole home. They they they did not do that. I know that for a fact. So that they are stuck with that at this point.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

And how do you sell a house like that? How do you even sleep at night knowing you're that close?

SPEAKER_01 10:14

They couldn't even park their cars yesterday in their driveway. Wow. Um and I another thing, well, the way that they're doing this, and I know that it's contracted out, and I did go speak to the gentleman when they came through my through my through mine. But um, you know, they there's no warning. Like they just kind of came through. Like there was a few things you like you knew the land was purchased, but like I still had a few things that I would have moved before I knew they were coming, and they just kind of really came and just bulldozed through it.

SPEAKER_03 10:41

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

With without so they didn't say, Hey, we're gonna be here tomorrow. We're and it means there was no notice at all on anything.

SPEAKER_00 10:47

I I noticed that how far back was it? Was it maybe a year and a half ago? You guys already started to move the fence back in preparation for this, did you not?

SPEAKER_01 10:54

Yes. I was really proactive on it and um and also my d my dad had been sick, and so we knew that we you know, I I needed his guidance on what we were doing, so we went ahead and and did the fence um just about as soon as the procurement happened, um with that. Um, because we just didn't know, but if I'll tell you I this would have been devastating because I mean you just thought they'd have a warning. Because I was told even about six months ago that this could take up to three years. And when they've come when they're coming through, when they're bulldozing, they're taking every tree. I mean, there's there's some oaks that have been there for years and years.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

So God forbid you touch an oak anywhere without their permission. If they won't even give you permission on removing it.

SPEAKER_01 11:43

They they definitely because I know they were extremely upset about their oak tree. And I and ours, because you know that and if you think about the shade that it provides for me for those horses and the noise barrier that it gives me from the road, I mean that's completely gone. And then they're coming through. And if you look, if you live um on McCormick, you can see then. I mean, d they really I mean, there's so much trash, they didn't really clean it up. I mean, it looks awful right now. Um, I go out there and pick trash up. Um you know, and I even thought about having somebody come through to clean up what they've done because I don't you know know how long it's gonna be because when they're pulling up the debris, the the from the trees and everything, they're not it's not like it's a clean um they're leaving a lot of stuff.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

I I noticed that as well. It is very it seems to me, just as a layman term, I don't know, sloppy. Sloppy work.

SPEAKER_01 12:35

Very sloppy. Very sloppy. And it completely to me, you know, I've always taken so much pride and we have always even when the state did it, I always maintain those ditches in the front that weren't mine, the ones on the side, but you know, this is impossible to do right now.

SPEAKER_02 12:49

Right. Well, I'm so sorry you're going through this and everybody is going through this, and when we heard they're gonna put a five lane highway uh highway, basically, right, boulevard, whatever it's gonna be, we all said, How is that gonna work? How how how is that possible? 'Cause it doesn't seem like there's enough room in especially in some places, like we're talking about now.

SPEAKER_00 13:12

I mean, you're gonna have to take the entire Dollar General parking lot, just for example.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

Right. Right. And instead of doing that, they're taking the other side. So where those um townhomes are, yes, they're going over, you know, it's just it is it's devastating. I can't tell you how what emotional turmoil I've gone through in the last month. Um, you know, sleepless nights, and then you know, like I said, and it has been disheartening to reach out to DOT because that is now a state road. It is not a county road, is what I was told on mine on the what you think side. Um, to try and, you know, not to get any response. You know, I just feel like you know, you're you're just a lone man that, you know, just really not cared about. And as a longtime resident, that just really it just it devastates you. It really does.

SPEAKER_00 13:57

It almost feels like they ignore you hoping you'll go away, and that's you're right. That's truly like you have no choice.

SPEAKER_02 14:03

That's it.

SPEAKER_01 14:04

Right. Take it. And it does, it does make me think, you know, after all this lot longevity, when you look around and I see what's happening, it does make me think about it makes me think about selling because I don't like looking at it. Um, I will say I probably I will never do that in my lifetime. I can almost a hundred percent say that. But um, you know, it it's it's it is that disheartening. And it has affected my business because what we do is we board horses. Who wants to board a horse when you've got um you know all this going on around you? And horses everybody so much.

SPEAKER_02 14:34

You know, they're so fragile with their emotional state sometimes, horses and all that noise and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 14:41

Well, can you imagine when you don't get any kind of warning and they come down with those bulldogs and uh you know they you can't explain to a horse what's happening there. I mean that I mean I had pure panic for a day at least until they got used to it.

unknown 14:54

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 14:54

And if not, you know, we wouldn't have had some you know, certain horses out during that period of time.

SPEAKER_02 14:59

Right. Well, Pebbles, is there like, you know, I asked you before, but I'm just wondering, I mean, it feels like there's nothing we can do.

SPEAKER_01 15:14

Please think about you know, because that's mostly when I have the worst problem is the school traffic.

SPEAKER_03 15:19

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

Um, and then anytime you ride by there's like, please just think there's animals that will go back and forth. You know, um, and I can't stop that because you know, I've got peacocks, you know, of course the horses are contained. But you know, you just never know. And things happen from time to time. Okay, get you know, things where cows get out. It just, you know, it's just it's frightening. It is very frightening if people would just sort of just give us the courtesy to please slow down if you want us to stay there, you know, because you know, just um it's hard for us to do what we do, and it's hard for us to do it with the traffic. And I had like I had to go from one side to the other and I'm I'm really like I'm driving and I'm somebody was bumping their horn at me the other day, you know, and thinking, like, I'm going as fast as I can go.

SPEAKER_02 16:03

And I'm I'm you know, um so it's yeah, it sounds like they need s a a cop to sit there a little bit, a little while and nail a few people and then everyone starts to behave for a while and then bring them back every few.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

It goes right back and then it goes right back. I can honestly say that. And and I can tell you in the last few years about how many times they've they've they've worked the road, you know, for for speeding. But I mean but and it hasn't been many, but there's been a few days they've done it. And it does slow them down for a day or two, but there needs to be something or it needs to be kind of considered into the I would love to be considered into now that I'm having to deal with the school into the school zone. But I've you know, I'd like to have at least that much courtesy um on that road. But um we'll see. So I I'm not giving up. Um my daughter actually works in the State House and she has been a a wonderful asset to help me with just trying to get our legislators um, you know, to to pay attention to me. Um and again I'll say Mikey Mash did return the call. Okay. And he put for him to get the um the portable sign put up. Um but um so I think that I just would really like to have something permanent.

SPEAKER_03 17:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

Where I where I feel at ease and I don't feel at ease at all right now.

SPEAKER_02 17:16

Well, Pebbles, um, you know, uh you you've spoken to a lot of people today, so hopefully they've they will heed your call for slowing down and being vocal if they live in that community. It's really about everyone's safety. I mean most people don't want to run over animals. Um I I can't say all, but most people don't. And I think that um if everyone's a little bit more aware and spreads the word and uh finds you on Facebook and share your story. I mean it's uh really it's wonderful to be able to speak with you. Um I know that that you know your family has been has such a legacy here. So thank you so much for joining us and sharing your story. Hopefully we can help you with that.

SPEAKER_01 18:00

Um I appreciate allowing me to say that. And I appreciate you very much and and thank you very much for caring.

SPEAKER_02 18:06

Oh, my pleasure. All right. Well, take care and we'll be back.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

Thanks. All right, thank you so much.