Hardin Brothers Landscaping

Serving Amber Ranches and the greater Bakersville, NC area since 2019

About the Caretakers of Amber Ranches

Hardin Brothers Landscaping

My name is Josh Hardin and I am the owner of Hardin Brothers Landscaping. My brother Ben Hardin also helps me out with our small business. Our landscaping and outdoor work experience began at an early age, under the leadership of our Granddaddy, Lawrence Hughes, who grew up on Broad Branch Road and eventually became the caretaker of Amber Ranches Housing Development in Buladean, NC.

Our ancestors were the original white settlers of northern Mitchell County (Red Hill to Buladean). Some of them settled up Broad Branch (creek) in what is now called the Buladean community. Our ancestors owned and lived off the land that is now called Amber Ranches. We still own property below Amber Ranches, but our last family members to own property in modern-day Amber Ranches sold their land off in the early 1970s.

Due to my Granddaddy’s close friendship with the developers of Amber Ranches, and the fact that our family used to own the land in the development, the developers contracted him to take care of the grounds of Amber Ranches. His hard work ethic, outdoor work experience and knowledge about the local community also helped him to attain this contract with Amber Ranches.

All through our high school and college days, we worked under our Granddaddy Hughes, who was responsible for maintaining all the roads, roadsides and commons areas of Amber Ranches.

Granddaddy and I

Working in tobacco

Granddaddy mowing above Doc’s Place at Roan High Preserve

When our Granddaddy died of cancer in 2016, our Uncle Henry Street was then contracted to keep up Amber Ranches. Just like our Granddaddy, our Uncle Henry had a hard work ethic, outdoor work experience, and a good knowledge of the local community. Our Uncle took care of Amber Ranches until early 2019, when a track-hoe accident cost him his life. It was after his death, that we were contracted to take care of Amber Ranches.

I started my small landscaping and outdoor maintenance business in 2019. Due to working for so many years under by Granddaddy and valuing his line of work, I was honored to take on the contract job of maintaining the grounds of Amber Ranches.

The land of Amber Ranches and the people that have lived there over the years mean a lot to our family. We hope to continue taking care of this development for as long as we can. I am very hopeful about the future direction of Amber Ranches and will do everything in my power to improve this development.