11 minute read

Centerville Farmers Market

AUGUST EVENTS

2-6

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7

13-15

13-15

14

16-21

21

25-4

27

27-28

SEP 2 TULLAHOMA ART CAMP

60TH BELFAST LIONS CLUB HORSE SHOW

GOOD FRIENDS MUSIC FEST - MANCHESTER

PEGGY BURTON'S SOUTH JACKSON GOES COUNTY AT SOUTH JACKSON CIVIC CENTER

39TH ANNUAL DAVID CROCKETT DAYS

GRAPE JAM MUSIC SERIES AT BEANS CREEK WINERY IN MANCHESTER, TN

LAWRENCE COUNTY FAIR

SLAWBURGER FESTIVAL IN FAYETTEVILLE, TN

TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE NATIONAL CELEBRATION IN SHELBYVILLE, TN

CELEBRATION CITY REGION CAR CLUB CRUISE-IN ON THE SQUARE IN SHELBYVILLE

COMMUNITY YARD SALE IN WARTRACE

BONNAROO MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

In Centerville, Tennessee, the farmer’s market festivities Farmers Market at River Park is celebrating its 16th year of operation this season by adding an option to visit the market in the afternoon and into the evening on Thursdays, making it more accessible to those who work from 9 to 5.

Between 24 vendors, shoppers will find in-season fruits and veggies, eggs, honey, flowers, baked goods, jams and jellies, and locally made crafts like handmade picture frames from J P Creatives.

This year, organizer Tammy Stone approved of a fun, new booth that will be occupied by @Horseshoebendfarmwines - The newest winery in Hickman County specializes in fruit wines made from locally grown fruits and sells a particularly unique tomato wine that they swear pairs well with pizza and pasta.

If you find yourself in the area, stop by the Farmer’s Market at River Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Farmer’s markets are the perfect way to support the local makers and farmers here in Nashville’s Big Back Yard!

Nashville's Big Back Yard is a natural watershed region anchored by 100 miles of the Natchez Trace Parkway and made up of 12 connected communities with populations under 5,000 people. Come for a visit or live a lifetime with us.

Celebrate the birthday of the "King of the Wild Frontier"

The 39th Annual David Crockett Days will be held on August 13-15th this year at David Crockett State Park in Lawrence County, TN.

Longhunters (and their families) from throughout the region set up camp to demonstrate the lifestyle and skills of the period and hold muzzleloader, tomahawkthrowing, and fire-starting competitions. They camp in primitive tents, dress in clothing of the era, and talk with the public about the time period. There are demonstrations and workshops to teach visitors "how it used to be" on the frontier. Visitors are welcome at the campsites because Longhunters love to educate others about their favorite era. Come experience the history here first hand in Nashville's Big Back Yard!

For more information about Crockett Days, contact Jim Cozart at 931-242-001 or email crockett _ club@hotmail.com.

Mark Collie Honored by the State of Tennessee's music pathways program

Congratulations to American country music artist Mark Collie for his well deserved honor of a new “Tennessee Music Pathways” marker in his hometown of Waynesboro, Tenn. The unveiling took place at the Courthouse Lawn, by the Wayne County Walk of Stars.

The Chamber Board of Directors presented Collie with a plaque replica of the Tennessee Music Pathways guitar pick, naming him “Person of Distinction” for Wayne County and declaring July 3, 2021, “Mark Collie Day. ”

“I am deeply humbled by today, but none of us would be here today if it weren’t for our hard-working mama working that grocery store. Thank you, Wayne County, ” -Mark Collie

Mark’s long career of worldwide success, philanthropic deeds and unending creative talent make us beyond proud to call him one of our own here in Nashville’s Big Back Yard.

Gobbler Springs Distillery combines Irish tradition, Kentucky heritage and Tennessee spirit to handcraft artisan whiskey

By: Elena Cawley When you visit Gobbler Springs Distillery, in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, you’ll find artisan whiskey and an unforgettable experience, taking you on a trip back in time. Licensed to produce alcohol in 2017, Gobbler Springs Distillery now operates the first legal still in Lawrence County since 1821, when David Crockett’s distillery was swept away in a flood, said John Michael Hatcher, proprietor and master distiller of Gobbler Springs Distillery. Hatcher is a fourth-generation distiller, and his Irish roots go back to his great-grandfather. Hatcher has blended Irish and American whiskey distilling traditions with rustic methods and modern science to handcraft small batches of artisan whiskey. Gobbler Springs Distillery is located on 400 acres of beautiful farmland bordered by the Buffalo River. The area is rich with natural limestone springs and is ideal for making small-batch artisan spirits, said Hatcher.

“I am a fourth-generation distiller born in Glasgow, Kentucky, ” Hatcher said.

“My Irish roots reach back to my great-grandfather, John Michael Toomey. I grew up in Smiths Grove, Kentucky. I married my high school sweetheart, Linda, in 1983. We have two sons, Joshua and Benjamin. We have lived in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee, since 1985. ”

Teddy, their goldendoodle, is the unofficial mascot of Gobbler Springs Distillery, often greeting visitors.

“Making whiskey is a generations-old family tradition on my mother’s side of the family, ” Hatcher said.

In 1821, Hatcher’s great-grandfather, a young child orphaned by the Irish Potato Famine, emigrated from Cork County, Ireland. He landed in Lexington Courthouse, Virginia, where he learned the craft of distilling spirits in the Irish tradition. As a young man, he moved to Kentucky and operated his own distillery near the community of Summer Shade. Hatcher’s grandfather, Robert, worked as a young man in the family distillery, until it was shut down, said Hatcher.

“The Toomey family distillery was permanently shut down by Prohibition, ” Hatcher said. “Growing up in Smiths Grove, Kentucky, I heard tales of the Toomey still, and of nearby moonshiners. I remember stories about stills smashed in government raids, and of a grumpy great-grandmother, whose daily cup of moonshine spirits improved her disposition. My father, Eulas, was the child tasked to cross the field to fetch the medicinal elixir from Maxie, the owner of the area’s largest still. My mother, Mary Toomey Hatcher, taught me the family art of fermentation, including wine and beer making. ”

Hatcher became interested in chemistry at an early age, mixing chemicals in a photography lab in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

“I am a former adjunct professor of photography, publisher, and commercial freelance photographer, ” Hatcher said.

Family history of distilling and chemistry knowledge resulted in creating hand-crafted artisan spirits, including Gobbler Springs Tennessee Sweet Mash Whiskey, Premium Vodka, Distilled Gin, and 1821 Sweet Mash Shine.

Visit the distillery to hear stories about the Toomey still and David Crockett’s distillery. Washed by the floods of 1821, David Crockett’s old distillery is long gone, but the fertile soil, abundant land and clean water that attracted him to Lawrence County remain, and these natural resources inspired the Gobbler Springs Distillery to begin distilling small-batch artisan whiskey.

Gobbler Springs Distillery is located at 866 Gobbler Springs Lane, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. The distillery is open for tours by appointment. Text 931-300-3753 for requests. Visit gobblerspringsdistillery.com for more information.

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LEARN ABOUT THE HERITAGE OF TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE, WARTRACE’S HISTORY AT THE TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE NATIONAL MUSEUM

By: Elena Cawley

Known as the cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse, Wartrace, Tennessee, invites you to learn about the town’s history and experience shopping and dining in the area. The Tennessee Walking Horse National Museum preserves the history of the Tennessee Walking Horse. When you visit the museum, you will find artifacts, documents and photographs revealing the heritage of the Tennessee Walking Horse and the pride of the town, where the history began.

Frances Bates, president of Tennessee Walking Horse National Museum, encourages visitors to stop by the museum, where they will learn how the Tennessee Walking Horse was developed.

“The horse has been around for ages, but what we did in Wartrace, which is known as the cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse, was develop the horse into the ride we wanted. We were looking for a smooth, long-stride, comfortable ride that people could use as a farm horse, as a horse that took your wagon to church on Sundays and to buy groceries on Saturdays. We got the best mares that rode like we wanted, with a long, even, smooth ride, and we bred them to stallions that had a long, even, smooth ride. And we have developed at this point a wonderful riding horse. ”

The museum opened its doors in Wartrace 11 years ago, according to Bates. “There had been a museum in three or four different locations before, but this is the home, this is where everything started, ” Bates said. “It started back in 1891, when a horse, named Black Allan, was purchased and brought here and when the Breeders’ Association (was established). They traced everything back to Black Allan and a couple other mares and stallions, and they were all from this area. So the area was designated the cradle of the Tennessee walking horse. ”

Allan F-1 was the designation given to Black Allan by the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' Association when it began its registry in 1935. He was recognized as the "greatest contribution to the breed, among all known stallions. " When you visit the Tennessee Walking Horse National Museum, you will see pictures and artifacts that will bring the history to life.

“We have a lot of history here, ” Bates said.

“We can explain the history, show you pictures and videos. We will tell you about the Town of Wartrace, the Walking Horse Hotel, which is not open at this time, but it was the center and the attraction. People would come with their horses and gather at the hotel, and would pack a picnic lunch, and would ride up through the woods and through the hills and down in the valleys and have a picnic. Then they would pack everything up and come back to the hotel. Wartrace has a rich history, from the Tennessee Walking Horse to Civil War history because of the railroad. It’s just a neat little town. Several years ago, I was sitting in the rocking chair, and we had a farmers’ market, and there was a rooster that kept crowing. In a few minutes, I heard a siren coming down the road and when the siren started, a dog started howling, and then a train started coming. Where else on earth can you hear all this and enjoy it? You can enjoy the sounds of the train and the chickens and the dog howling – it’s just wonderful to think you are in a small town like this and it has stayed like this. ”

Enjoy visiting the museum and listen to the sounds of Wartrace when you explore the town’s shops and cafes. Have an unforgettable and authentic experience in Wartrace.

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Tennessee Whiskey, Wines, & Brews

9 Distilleries, 9 Wineries, 6 Breweries, and several specialty locations!

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