The Conservancy was given the 269-acre J. Logan and Elinor Moore Irvin Nature Preserve as a bequest in 2007 with the provision that it not be open to the general public. Today the Preserve supports four benefits of conservation—it filters water and provides wildlife habitat and, with the help of two other nonprofits, it also connects people to nature and supports a farm.

Transplanting Traditions Community Farm (TTCF), one of the nonprofit partners, began in 2010 on 1 acre and 28 participants and has grown to almost 8 acres with 56 farmers and their families. TTCF helps Karen refugees from Burma to grow and sell their own food at the local farmers market, to local restaurants and through a Community Supported Agriculture program.

The farmers bring a wealth of agricultural knowledge and skills, but farming is drastically different in North Carolina. TTCF provides weekly farming and business workshops as well as programs for teens and young children that focus on leadership development and communication skills, nature, nutrition and cooking and physical activity.