GOLD HILL — It’s been a long time since Troy Reavis was able to play guitar. Neuropathy has denied him that joy for several years now, but thanks to his farm, he’s still able to provide Gold Hill with the music he loves.

Reavis’ farm is just down St. Stephens Church Road from the Historic Gold Hill village. Every fall, he opens the farm to visitors to soak up some sounds and spend time with their neighbors.

Reavis said on Saturday that his condition stemmed from exposure to Agent Orange that he incurred while serving in the Vietnam War. He recently underwent a partial amputation of his foot and continues to have other debilitating health problems, but he doesn’t let that stop the music.

“I can’t play anymore, but I thought I could still help sponsor it,” Reavis said. “That is what I started doing. I put up my farm here, and we started having bluegrass festivals.”

Many of the bands on tap Saturday were former playmates of Reavis’.

“They are all great people,” Reavis said.

Saturday’s slate was headlined by Denton native singer Caroline Owens, who performed with Caroline Owens & New Company, as well as The Grass Strings, Fairfield Bluegrass and the Brothers of Bluegrass and Paw.

“I have known Troy for five or six years now,” Owens said. “(Bluegrass on the Farm) was just something that we started doing.”

Owens has performed for the festival every year since it got started. She said her favorite part of the event is the people.

“Getting to do a free event for the local community is what it’s about for me,” Owens said.

Vivian Hopkins is the president of the North Carolina Bluegrass Association president and the Historic Gold Hill and Mines Foundation vice president. She said that the festival operates on a donation basis.

“The whole festival benefits Troy here and what he tries to do on the farm,” Hopkins said. “He loves to do this and provide stuff like this for the community.

“The donations that come in help Troy pay the bands for coming. When you have a band like this, and they are three, four or five hours from the performance venue, there are costs incurred. It benefits the farm and helps him do this again next year.”

Reavis added, “I don’t raise money. Every dime that comes in, I pay the musicians, and it all goes back into the thing.”

According to Hopkins, the festival is just Reavis’ way of keeping the show going.

“He has a love for community, and he loves bluegrass music,” Hopkins said. “He has played guitar for a long time, but with his neuropathy, it has been so hard for him.”

As the saying goes, it takes a village.

“We got the best people in Gold Hill for bluegrass that has ever been,” Reavis said. “This is a great village right here, and they have been taking care of me.”