6 minute read
OUR TRADITIONS
MEET A FARMER:
Dana Yo rk
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Dana York’s family farm has been around longer than Tennessee has been a state. Since 1778, and now in its 10th generation as Grand Oak Farm, Dana continues with tradition while inspiring and providing space for new farmers with hopes of restoring Northeast Tennessee’s longstanding reputation with local agriculture. Dana grew up moving around the country with her family as an “army brat,” but her summers were spent in Tennessee with her grandparents. “I retired with 34 years of service from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and returned to my family farm in 2013, Dana said. “When I retired, I started a consulting company called Green Earth Connection, and currently work with Appalachian Resource Conservation & Development Council to teach Beginning Farmer Courses.” Dana’s passion for the agriculture industry is evident in her work, as she currently maintains 130 acres of Grand Oak Farm, as well as an incubation section for young farmers. She recently graduated a couple that were vegetable producers, and now hosts a veteran farmer who raises hair sheep. Since Dana runs the majority of Grand Oak’s organic vegetable and flower operation, most of the produce is sold wholesale to local restaurants and florists. She also donates to local area banks. “Our farm was a revolutionary land grant to Shadrack Hale and the original farm was 1,000 acres. My grandson Oliver, is the 10th generation to live on the farm, which has been in many enterprises over the years including homesteading, tobacco, mule, pork and dairy production.” Dana said. “In the last three years, it has also become an incubator farm where young farmers without land come and use my equipment and land until they can build up enough capital to purchase their own farm.” Farming is not for the faint of heart, or considered easy. Dana recalls 200 dairies in her community when she was a child, that number has now shrunk to less than five. In many cases, the cost of today’s inputs has tripled, with the producer receiving very little of the money in rising food costs. Other factors include loss of land to urbanization and the price of land for new farms, among other startup costs. “Many children do not wish to continue the tradition due to the hardships their parents may have faced,” Dana said. “However, farmers are some of the most satisfied individuals I know. Joy of seasons, planting of crops, watching the birth of livestock, and the satisfaction of your hard work resulting in good food that is locally available to the area can far outweigh the hardships.”
GET TO KNOW YOUR FARMERS AND SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM Supporting local agriculture systems help maintain an entire ecosystem from root to the dinner table. Purchasing food grown by someone you know is a great way to get started. Local farming also provides green space for wildlife and maintains water quality that comes from conservation provided by farming. It also helps with carbon sequestration through the woodlands, and green cover provided by farming practices.
MORE ABOUT APPALACHIAN RESOURCE CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ARCD provides awareness about Northeast Tennessee’s farming communities, as well as education assistance to beginning farmers. The nonprofit organization creates a community of those who are new to farming, promotes those who have been farming for many years, provides planning assistance for land, and preservation of farms for the future. ARCD oversees a variety of programs including Farm Fresh Appalachia, Field School, Build It Up East TN, Appalachian Quilt Trail, and a variety of conservation efforts. Find out more at arcd.org.
Outdoors, like a Local
See how Kate and Katelyn, spend the day in search of new ways to enjoy the Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee. Follow along as they fly through the trees on the adventure course & zip-line at Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium in Kingsport, find a new overlook with views of Johnson City and Jonesborough at Buffalo Mountain Park in Johnson City and end by the fire at MeadowView Conference Resort with a story how the Original Long Island Iced Tea was created in Kingsport
Tennessee’s Oldest Town
PLAN YOUR TRIP
TENNESSEE’S OLDEST TOWN Jonesborough
The Storytelling Capital
In Jonesborough, you can feel the fabric of stories deeply woven through drinks crafted and recipes overflowing with Tennessee tradition and along brick sidewalks rich with stories from the past. You’ll experience Southern hospitality that most believe has been forgotten and warm welcomes that remind you of home.
Catch Live Music
While in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, your visit to Historic Jonesborough wouldn’t be complete without attending our Music on the Square weekly concert series. Grab a lawn chair or a blanket and enjoy live music with the townscape of downtown Jonesborough as the setting. Music on the Square features a variety of music each Friday evening, May through September. If you are lucky enough to be in town on a Sunday, spend your afternoon trying local craft beer and foods while catching live music at Main Street Brews and Tunes June through September. Uncover History and Heritage
Jonesborough’s well-preserved Main Street will take you on a beautiful journey through the past. One of the best ways to experience Jonesborough is by taking a town tour with our preservation society, the Heritage Alliance. Your tour guide, dressed in period clothing, will escort you through the streets of Jonesborough sharing little-known facts and the story of the town from past to present. Also, be sure to pay a visit to the Chester Inn Museum, which chronicles the history of Jonesborough from its inception in 1779 to the present.
Locally Grown and Brewed
If you have a hankering for some local food then be sure to visit the Boone Street Market which has grown from the success of the Jonesborough Farmers Market and only sells items grown or produced within 100 miles from Jonesborough. They also offer monthly 100 Mile Dinners and host the elegant, Farm to Table Dinner annually. In Jonesborough, you’ll find locally brewed coffee, beer, and liquor. The Corner Cup offers a variety of beverages including some of the best brewed coffees in the region served in a delightful setting. Depot Street Brewing delivers a variety of fresh, hand-crafted, small brews using the finest ingredients for the discerning beer lover. Stop in for spirits created using age-old recipes, distillation methods and the finest, locally grown corn and barley at Tennessee Hills Distillery.
Shop Local
For over 200 years, Jonesborough merchants have taken pride in offering exclusive goods from around the world. That tradition continues today with each quaint shop housed in picturesque historic buildings on Main Street continuing to share that story.
Experience Storytelling
The National Storytelling Festival rolls into town each autumn with tellers and visitors from all over creating the experience of a lifetime. There’s a certain magic about the National Storytelling Festival, a magic that shuts off smartphones and holds folks spellbound for one weekend. The festival may only come once a year, but storytelling has a forever home in Jonesborough with the Storytelling Live! Series, Jonesborough Storytellers Guild, and StoryTown Radio Show. You’re invited to visit Jonesborough and see where Tennessee’s story began.
All about Jonesborough: Visit Jonesborough.com for more information and the events calendar.
