Winter 2011 Tennessee Home & Farm

Home & Farm Tenne sse e

tnhomeandfarm.com Winter 2011

Decking the Halls Tennessee is a haven for holly plants

Photo Contest See the prize-winning photos inside and online

wooden wonders

Growing popularity of log homes builds on beauty and benefits tnfarmbureau.org

Published for the 656,268 family members of the Tennessee Farm Bureau

Home & Farm Ten n e ssee

An official publication of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation © 2010 TFBF Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation tnfarmbureau.org

Editor Pettus Read circulation manager Stacey Warner Board of directors President Lacy Upchurch, Vice President Danny Rochelle Directors at large Jeff Aiken, Charles Hancock, Catherine Via district directors Malcolm Burchfiel, James Haskew, Eric Mayberry, Dan Hancock, David Mitchell state fb women’s chairman Jane May Advisory directors Dr. Joseph DiPietro, State YF&R Chairman Mark Klepper Chief administrative officer Julius Johnson treasurer Wayne Harris Comptroller Tim Dodd

Managing Editor Jessy Yancey

Editor’s note

The New tnhomeandfarm.com With this issue, we’d like to announce the brand spankin’ new version of tnhomeandfarm.com. We redesigned our website with the goal of helping you, the reader, easily find anything that interests you. Want to know how Bea Farmer makes her grand-prize-winning chicken and dumplings? Now you can watch the video right on the same page as the recipe, and then click to read more about our Down-Home Dumpling Cook-Off, or link to other recipes that call for chicken.

The redesigned site has a new category, Agriculture, to showcase all our farm-related posts. You’ll also see new features, including the Store, where you can buy the dumpling cookbook or Read All About It for Christmas gifts, and the Online Library, where you can read past issues of this magazine as well as our online-only cookbooks and travel guides.

So, what are you waiting for? Check it out, and let us know what you think! And while you’re at it, the Tennessee Farm Bureau has a new site too – read more about it on page 38, or visit tnfarmbureau.org.

Copy Editors Lisa Battles, Joyce Caruthers, Jill Wyatt

Jessy Yancey, managing editor thaf@jnlcom.com

Contributing Writers Melissa Burniston, Carol Cowan, Rebecca Denton, Jammie Graves, Susan Hamilton, Tiffany Howard, Anthony Kimbrough, Karen Schwartzman, Cassandra M. Vanhooser, Jessica Walker Creative Director Keith Harris Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto Media Technology Director Christina Carden Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier

At a Glance/A sampling of destinations in this issue

Senior Graphic Designer Laura Gallagher

4/Red Boiling Springs

Proofreading Manager Raven Petty Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf

5/Franklin

Ad Traffic Assistant Patricia Moisan

1/Oak Ridge

Web Content Managers John Hood, Kim Madlom Web Design Director Franco Scaramuzza Web Designer Leigh Guarin Media Technology Analysts Chandra Bradshaw, Yamel Hall, Alison Hunter, Marcus Snyder Integrated Media Manager Robin Robertson Chairman Greg Thurman President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman Executive Vice President Ray Langen Sr. V.P./SALES Todd Potter, Carla Thurman sr. V.P./operations Casey Hester V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester V.p./external communications Teree Caruthers V.P./custom publishing Kim Newsom Holmberg v.p./content operations Natasha Lorens controller Chris Dudley Advertising sales Manager, Custom division Tori Hughes

3/Memphis

2/Decherd

1/ Stroll through the Elmore Holly Collection at the University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge page 33 2/ Order the brisket at Larry’s Bar-B-Q at the Wagon in Decherd (and don’t forget the mustard slaw!) page 31 3 / See where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and other legends bought their clothes at Lansky Brothers in Memphis page 6 4 / Enjoy true Southern hospitality – and Southern cooking – at the historic hotels of Red Boiling Springs page 40 5 / Try the chevre and other cheeses made by the young goat farmers at Noble Springs Dairy in Franklin page 7

Distribution DIRECTOR Gary Smith Custom/Travel Sales Support Rachael Goldsberry office manager Shelly Grissom receptionist Linda Bishop Tennessee Home & Farm is produced for the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation by Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080.

All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reprduced in whole or in part without written consent.

Member

Association of Magazine Media Member

Custom Content Council Please recycle this magazine

2 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

Tennessee Home & Farm (USPS No. 022-305) Issued quarterly by the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, 147 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia, TN 38401, (931) 388-7872. Periodical permit paid at Columbia, TN, and additional entry offices.

Postmaster Send address corrections to: Tennessee Home & Farm Executive Offices, P.O. Box 313, Columbia, TN 38402-0313.

Subscribe or change address Contact your county Farm Bureau office. TH&F is included in your $25 Farm Bureau annual dues; no other purchase necessary.

Advertising Policy For advertising information, contact Robin Robertson, (800) 333-8842, ext. 227, or by e-mail at rrobertson@jnlcom.com.

All advertising accepted is subject to publisher’s approval. Advertisers must assume all liability for their advertising content. Publisher and sponsor maintain the right to cancel advertising for nonpayment or reader complaint about service or product. Publisher does not accept political or alcoholic beverage ads, nor does publisher prescreen or guarantee advertiser service or products. Publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised in Tennessee Home & Farm.

tnfarmbureau.org

Table of Contents Features 8 / Wooden Wonders

Growing popularity of log homes builds on beauty and benefits

12 / Artistry in Ice

Executive chef carves out a cool side business

14 / Happy Accident

Photo contest winners happen when you least expect them

24 / Four Ways With Turkey You’ll never get tired of turkey with these flavorful solutions for holiday leftovers

40 / Soak Up the Serenity

A healing sense of tranquility still flows in Red Boiling Springs

8

12 32

Departments 5 / Read All About It HD TV must stand for high-debt television

6 / Short Rows

Find fabrics at Crossville’s Short Sheet

30 / Country Classics

Homemade candy makes a great gift

31/ Restaurant Review

Larry’s Bar-B-Q at the Wagon

32 / Gardening

Tennessee is a haven for holly plants

35 / Farmside Chat

24

Meet Hilda Ashe

37/ To Good Health

Plan for long-term care

38 / Farm Bureau Almanac Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation has a new website

44/ Events & Festivals

Things to do, places to see

48 / View From the Back Porch Winter wonderlands make it worth venturing out into frigid weather

On the Cover Photo by J. Kyle Keener, Janet and Grady Wilson’s log home tnhomeandfarm.com

Home&Farm 3

tnhomeandfarm.com FOOD

Tr avel

Home & Garden

Agriculture

TN Living

From Our Readers History Lessons When I saw the cannon on the current issue [Fall 2010] I got really excited. I could not wait to turn to the page and read “If These Trails Could Talk.” I am into the Civil War and love touring the battlefields. The pictures to go along with this article were outstanding. I hope this article will reach into the minds of others and get them interested in our history as well.

Thank you for making me happy!

Todd Coombs, Winchester I don’t think I’d refer to Shiloh and Stones River as “skirmishes.”

Sam McGowan, via the website Editor’s note: Sorry we missed this; we agree these battles were much more serious than skirmishes. Thanks for the feedback!

Explore our new site!

Go online to start surfing our redesigned website. We’ll be regularly updating the site with new stories and recipes, so check back often!

Forever 4-H We asked:

Online Library Home & Farm Tenne sse e

tnhomeandfarm.com Winter 2010

Photo Finishes

Contest winners capture picture-perfect moments

sweet occUPation

Read past issues and new online-only magazines

Thanksgiving Cookbook

simply

Summer A COLLECTION OF REFRESHING SUMMER RECIPES

Bristol candy maker puts an unusual twist on a holiday treat see ViDeo online

Thanksgiving snow & tell

Frosty memories of yesteryear brighten today’s warm-weather winters

tnfarmbureau.org

Published for the 646,240 family members of the Tennessee Farm Bureau

Connect with us online!

Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/tnhomeandfarm

Sponsored by Tennessee Farm Fresh

4-H is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

What is your favorite 4-H memory?

My favorite memories are from the four summers several of us teenagers from three counties spent as camp counselors. Great friendships were formed over those four years. Now we have tons of pictures to help us reflect, and whenever we see one another it’s as if no time has passed.

Cyndi Bandy Vickers, via Facebook Editor’s note: Our Facebook page, facebook.com/tnhomeandfarm, often features a question for our readers.

Find us on the social network, and your response could be featured in the next issue of this magazine!

Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/tnhomeandfarm Visit us on YouTube at youtube.com/tnhomeandfarm Share with us on Flickr at flickr.com/groups/scenictn Sign up for the e-mail newsletter at tnhomeandfarm.com

4 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

Questions, comments and story ideas can be sent to: Jessy Yancey, 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, or e-mail us at thaf@jnlcom.com. tnfarmbureau.org

Read All About It

Uncle Sid Goes HD HD TV must stand for high-debt television

I

t was your typical Tennessee early winter afternoon when I pulled in the long gravel driveway of Uncle Sid and Aunt Sadie’s farm. The hills behind their house were showing the signs that winter had arrived with leafless trees forming chorus lines of skeleton shapes against dark clouds hanging near the couple’s house.

Uncle Sid’s house was sporting something new on the white-frame home’s roof. Located just at the roof’s edge and on the overhang was a brand new satellite dish that sort of looked out of place due to the yesteryear look of the rest of the house. I knew they had been using an antenna ever since television arrived back in the 1950s, and the last time I made a visit they were still using the first color TV that had ever been seen in these parts. Evidently, something had changed, and Uncle Sid and Aunt Sadie were now experiencing digital HD television-watching.

Aunt Sadie met me at the front door, wiping her hands on her apron as usual, and led me to the back portion of their house where the old couple spends most of their time. There, sitting in the family room in his cane back rocker was Uncle Sid watching “The Price Is Right” on a huge flat-screen TV. The thing was so large that I felt like I had “come on down” and was one of the contestants in the studio.

After exchanging pleasantries, Uncle Sid directed his attention to the program, and I took my seat on the sofa beside him. I knew this was one of his and Aunt Sadie’s favorite programs, so I waited for a commercial to find out what was going on. As soon as the show went from spinning wheels and screaming prices to a commode-cleaning commercial, I had to ask: “When did you get the new TV?” Now looking my way, Uncle Sid began to explain. “The old Sylvania finally bit the dust the other night,” he said, “and I went in the tnhomeandfarm.com

next day to Fred’s Furniture and talked to your cousin Pierce about a new set. He sold me this high-debt TV, which most folks call HD. He suggested I should also get satellite channels since my antenna is a thing of the past, so I signed up for that and now get over 150 channels. And you know, ain’t none of them worth watching.”

“What do you watch?” I asked.

“The same things we always did,” said the old man. “We started going through the channels once this thing got all set up, and I’ve never seen anything like it. People just don’t have any scruples anymore!”

“Like what?” I just had to ask.

He rolled his eyes and said, “You got these folks who have been lost for years, and everybody votes to see who gets kicked off an island I wouldn’t have been on in the first place. Just don’t make sense if you ask me.

Plus, all these shows where folks think they can sing and they couldn’t carry a tune in a milk bucket is not my idea of entertainment.

Why don’t they just put the good ones on to begin with and let those others go back home to a day job?”

I could see cousin Pierce had sold Uncle Sid more than what he really needed or understood, but it was good to hear common sense for a change. Uncle Sid had always called things the way he saw them, and his review of TV shows was pretty much on my way of thinking.

“This high-debt TV really makes ball games enjoyable, and Andy and Barney seem like they are right here in the room with you,” Uncle Sid went on to say. “But that other stuff just gives me an opportunity to read the paper and this week’s Sunday school lesson, which is good enough for me.”

It’s hard to beat Andy and Barney since high-debt TV has arrived at Uncle Sid’s.

About the Author Pettus L. Read is editor of the Tennessee Farm Bureau News and director of communications for the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation.

Read More About It Read has collected his favorite columns into a book titled Read All About It. Part of the proceeds of the book sales go to Tennessee 4-H and Tennessee FFA programs.

Buy a copy online at tnhomeandfarm.com/ store.

Home&Farm 5

Photo Courtesy of the Bernard J. Lansky Collection

Short Rows

3

2

4

1/ It’s a Wrap

2 / Fabric Fun

Save money this holiday season by creating your own gift wrapping materials. This can be a do-it-yourself project, or you can let your kids in on the fun, too.

One idea is to put your hands in finger paint, then place them on white craft paper, creating a fun, unique pattern for your wrapping paper.

You can also make your own gift tags. First, cut shapes of mittens out of construction paper, then stitch them together using a sewing machine.

Complete the project by punching a hole through the bottom of the mittens and tying a ribbon.

Put the finishing touches on your gift by tying on a bow made from household items such as yarn, rickrack or thread.

Looking to spruce up your home this season? Follow the lead of many established designers and decorators with a visit to Short Sheet Fabric.

Owned by Scott Howard, the original store in Crossville features one of the largest selections of home interior fabrics in the state. The shop is housed in an old eight-room school building, with each of the rooms filled with a variety of materials, including cotton prints, upholstery and multipurpose fabrics. Decorative sheers and trims are available as well.

In addition, the Crossville location offers two independent businesses on-site for customer convenience, assisting with design, re-upholstery and custom creations.

6 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

Short Sheet Fabric locations can also be found in Sweetwater and Bristol.

Learn more at www.shortsheet.com.

3 / Fit for the King Celebrate Elvis’ Jan. 8 birthday in style by shopping at Lansky Brothers, located in downtown Memphis in the lobby of The Peabody Hotel.

Supplying Memphis with the latest fashions for more than 50 years, this clothier dressed Elvis in the famous gold lamé jacket he wore for his memorable, hip-swiveling performance on the Ed Sullivan Show. The shop also provided many of the flashy clothes he wore early in his career.

While Lansky Brothers still offers vintage-inspired clothing fit for the King, customers can also find men’s tnfarmbureau.org

TN FARM FRESH

sportswear, contemporary denim for men and women, and a gift shop.

Besides Elvis, others who have sported Lansky Brothers’ clothing include Johnny Cash, Isaac Hayes, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison.

4 / All Aboard!

Chugging into Nashville this winter is the 17th Annual Christmas Toy Train Show, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11.

The event, which is open to the public, will be held at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds in the Agricultural Building and will feature viewable operating layouts of all sizes, new and used trains from major manufacturers available for purchase, as well as train parts and railroad objects.

Attendees can enjoy a toy train and collectible show, railroad memorabilia, and a train show and sale. Kids can also register to win a Lionel train set.

Sponsored by the Music City Chapter Train Collectors Association, admission to the show is $7. Children 12 years old and under are free.

5/ A True Volunteer The Tennessee Association of Museums recognized Ann EllingtonWagner as the Museum Volunteer of the Year for her work with the Preemie Evergreen project at the Tennessee Agricultural Museum.

Ellington-Wagner, daughter of Gov. and Mrs. Buford Ellington, worked with the Baptist Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to decorate and display an evergreen tree at the museum with items for premature infants and their families.

Over eight months, she organized 26 volunteers, who spent almost 3,000 hours creating 434 small garments to keep premature babies warm.

To learn about more volunteer opportunities at the Tennessee Agricultural Museum, call (615) 8375197 or visit www.tnagmuseum.org. tnhomeandfarm.com

TN FARM FRESH

Goat Cheese: A Noble Profession Goats have been a part of Dustin Noble’s life for as long as he can remember; he was raised on goat’s milk due to his brother’s dairy allergy.

Years later, when Dustin was in middle school, he wanted to start showing animals. During the decision-making process, Dustin’s father remembered the good times they had raising goats in their earlier years and suggested Dustin give that a try. Dustin did just that, raising and showing goats throughout middle school, high school and even college.

While raising and selling breeding stock across the country, Dustin started attending national goat shows. It was during a goat show in Iowa that Dustin met his future wife, Justyne, who has been involved with goats for her whole life as well. Originally from Kansas, Justyne moved to Tennessee to receive her education and to be with Dustin. Of course, she brought some of her goats along with her.

The Nobles had talked about turning their love of raising goats into a product they could offer directly to consumers. Business planning began in 2007, and in August 2009, Noble Springs Dairy opened for business. Today, the Nobles milk about 50 goats on their Franklin, Tenn., farm and offer a variety of goat cheeses, which can be found in 20 restaurants, stores and farmers markets in the greater Nashville area. Their goat cheese (or chevre, if you will) includes flavors such as garlic herb, cherry berry, sun-dried tomato and basil, Santa Fe, peppercorn and more. They also offer chevre logs, feta, cheddar and Gouda.

If you are wondering what goes well with goat cheese, Dustin and Justyne have a few suggestions: put it on pizzas, add it to salads, stir-fry it with chicken and veggies, spread it on sandwiches or just dip crackers in it.

Find out where to buy the cheese or schedule a farm tour, which are by appointment only, at www.noblespringsdairy.com or (615) 481-9546.

– Tiffany Howard, Tennessee Farm Fresh coordinator See More online

Tennessee Farm Fresh helps farmers market directly to consumers. Visit www.tnfarmfresh.com to learn about the program and other local products.

Home&Farm 7

Tennessee Living

8 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Home & Garden

Growing popularity of log homes builds on beauty and benefits

Story by Carol cowan Photography by J. Kyle Keener

W

hen folklore legend and lumberjack Paul Bunyan explored the American frontier, he may not have known the impact his occupation would have on Tennessee’s housing market. An upward trend in log homes in Tennessee indicates that residents of the Volunteer State are paying attention to the beauty – and benefits – of a log home.

Dr. Adam Taylor is an assistant professor and forest products extension specialist in Forestry, Wildlife & Fisheries at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

According to Taylor, many people choose a log home because there is something aesthetic they like about it. With a log home, the wood is visible, contributing to a rugged image or lifestyle.

“Part of the image is the rustic frontier, the get-away-from-it-all. Log homes fit with that,” Taylor says.

A wood specialist, Taylor points out that

tnhomeandfarm.com

wood is definitely an environmentally friendly building material. “It is durable, affordable, plentiful and renewable,” he says, noting that almost all homes are built with wood, but people go back to log homes because of the spirit they represent. “There is a pretty sizable industry in the state of Tennessee,” Taylor says. “We are kind of the center of the log home industry.”

A leading manufacturer in the log home industry nationwide, Honest Abe Log Homes Inc., headquartered in Moss, has operated in Tennessee for three decades. Joshua Beasley, spokesman for the company, believes that many Tennesseans choose log homes because they are connected to tradition.

“We are proud of our heritage and connected to our natural surroundings, whether that be the timber-filled mountains of East Tennessee or the beautiful farming country in the western part of the state,” Beasley says. “Being connected to one’s heritage and enjoying nature is what log-home living is all about.”

Five Advantages Offered by Log Homes • Logs are a renewable resource.

• Log homes are long lasting.

• Log homes can withstand extreme weather.

• Log walls go up fast.

• Thermal mass makes log homes easier to heat and cool.

Source: National Association of Home Builders Log Home Council

Home&Farm 9

Home & Garden Tennessee-based Honest Abe also provides a local connection for log homeowners, who frequently research the market for years before building a log home. For many, says Beasley, owning a log home is a lifelong dream.

That was just the case with Janet and Grady Wilson, who have enjoyed their log home in Crossville for three years. The Wilsons decided years ago that owning a log home would be a dream come true. Janet Wilson said they chose Honest Abe because of the Tennessee connection. “We thought that it would be good to get someone local,” she says. “They were absolutely tremendous.”

According to Beasley, a log home built of Eastern white pine, a fastgrowing, naturally sustainable pine, is more energy efficient than conventional homes. “Most log home owners can attest to that experience, and they tell their friends and neighbors,” he says.

And the neighbors are clearly enjoying the Wilsons’ log home. The first fall they were in the house, more than 300 people came by for a local tour of homes.

But Wilson most loves her home when it is filled with family. She and her husband have two children and eight grandchildren; when they all come home for the holidays, there’s room for everyone. She also notes that her son and daughter were in on the design and decoration of the home, which features an outdoor feel – even inside. “It’s just so welcoming,” she says of the logs, the use of glass and the fireplaces in the house. “It’s very, very nice.”

Wilson believes her family loves it there as well. “When they come here, they don’t worry about going anywhere else,” she says.

Janet and Grady Wilson moved into their log home in Crossville three years ago.

Their grandchildren liken it to staying at a resort when they visit for the holidays.

10 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Visit a Log Home No plans to move into a log home of your own? You can visit one of the largest log homes in the country right here in Tennessee. The Fontanel, a 27,000-square-foot, 18-room mansion, is the former home of country music mega-star Barbara Mandrell. Located only minutes from Nashville in Whites Creek, the mansion and grounds recently opened as an events venue and tourist destination.

The current owners have merged their personal collections of country music memorabilia with artifacts contributed by Mandrell and other country music stars.

The Fontanel Mansion and Farm is open for tours seven days a week, as well as for weddings and private events. Guests also can enjoy The Farm House Restaurant at Fontanel, which offers locally produced foods and has plans for a communitysupported agriculture experience.

The Trails at Fontanel, free to use with a pass from the Visitor’s Center, are open from 9 a.m. to dusk and offer more than two miles of scenic natural beauty for hikers and bikers. Pets on leashes are also welcome.

The Woods at Fontanel is a stateof-the-art outdoor venue with a 2,500-person capacity for concerts and events.

For more information about the Fontanel, call (615) 256-5699 or visit www.fontanelmansion.com.

tnhomeandfarm.com

Home&Farm 11

Tennessee Living

Executive chef carves out a cool side business

12 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Story by Rebecca Denton Photography by j. kyle keener

fter a 12-hour day as executive chef at the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University, Matt Simonds will often drive to his home in LaVergne, grab a chainsaw and head to the walk-in freezer in his basement.

In the 15-degree cooler, he’ll carve intricate shapes out of 310-pound blocks of ice – sometimes for nine or 10 hours straight.

“Sometimes I’ll carve through the night,” he says. “Or I’ll carve on my days off.”

This determination – and occasional sleep deprivation – is all part of the niche side business he has carved in ice.

Frozen Assets Through his Nashville company, Specialty Ice Carvings, Simonds can recreate a corporate logo (and just about anything else) in a sculpture. One of his most popular and progressive ice sculptures is a luge – an ice slide through which someone pours a drink and catches it at the bottom in a glass.

“I did one for a bar mitzvah, and it went like wildfire after that party,” he says. “It’s the number-one piece that I do, hands-down. They’re a lot of fun, and they get people involved.”

Simonds has created so many ice luges, he can make one in about 40 minutes. A typical ice sculpture takes about two hours, while a 2,000-pound ice bar could take 10 or 12 hours.

He views the ice work as a spin-off of his training as an executive chef – a blend of artistic creation, presentation and oldfashioned hard work. “If it wasn’t for being a chef, I wouldn’t have gotten into ice,” he says. “They go hand in hand.”

Breaking the Ice A native of Hawaii, Simonds started his culinary career through an apprenticeship program at The Greenbrier, a luxury resort and hotel in West Virginia. The art of ice carving caught his eye, and a fellow chef taught him the basics. Soon he was in ice-carving competitions, which led to a month-long internship with Mark Daukas, an international ice-carving champion and innovator in the field.

Simonds wasn’t a natural at ice carving.

It took a lot of practice. “When I first started, tnhomeandfarm.com

I couldn’t draw a stick figure to save my life,” he says. “I had no artistic ability whatsoever.

It’s more patience than anything, and learning to use the tools. You start picking up on movement and flow and symmetry.

You learn something new every day.”

King of Cool Simonds bounced around as a chef to jobs in different states, all while competing in ice-carving championships throughout the country and running an ice-carving business on the side. He moved to Tennessee in 1990 and became involved in the National Ice Carving Association, which began hosting ice-carving competitions in Nashville.

In 1992, he won $18,000 in competitions and landed the Tennessee state title seven years in a row. Simonds has finished second in the nationals, and he served as a judge in 2002.

Now 44 years old with a family – including his wife, Lynn, of 21 years, and their four children – Simonds rarely competes. Instead, he spends his spare time carving motorcycles, corporate logos, surfers, swans, hearts, snowmen, mermaids, horses – and just about anything else someone wants made of ice.

He donates many of his ice sculptures to charity events, and he does demonstrations for churches and other groups by request.

Most of Simonds’ business comes through word of mouth, and his reputation has secured some major clients, including Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center. He creates all the ice sculptures for Gaylord Opryland, except for the holiday ICE exhibit.

Vincent Dreffs, director of catering for Gaylord Opryland, says ice sculptures are often used as marketing tools to display company logos or sponsors, and as intricate, interactive décor – from ice vases for fresh flowers to cold buffet tables.

“I believe guests are always going to be infatuated with items that take them to the unknown,” Dreffs says. “We know we are getting the forefront of the industry when Matt is involved in an ice presentation.”

Simonds keeps pricing simple, charging $300 for most single-block carvings in the Nashville area. For more information, visit www.specialtyicecarvings.com.

How He Does It Simonds can design a sculpture from something as simple as a logo, drawing or photograph.

He makes his own 310pound blocks of ice with two ice machines at his Rutherford County home.

He uses an electric chainsaw, die grinders and hand-sanders to shape the ice inside one walk-in freezer, and a second freezer is used to store the ice.

“When you carve in the freezer, every cut stays, and you can make the piece perfect,” he says.

Simonds makes a design template using newsprint and an opaque projector. He draws the design within the ice block and freezes the paper to the ice. Then he cuts the design with a chainsaw and refines it with other tools.

“Believe it or not, I sweat up a storm in the freezer,” says Simonds, whose typical carving gear includes snow boots, sweatpants, ski suit, gloves and a hooded jacket.

Home&Farm 13

TFBF’s Annual Photo Contest

14 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Happy

Accident Prize-winning photos happen when you least expect them Story by Karen Schwartzman

J

Story by Karen Schwartzman

Grand Prize Jimmy Ramsey Blountville Sullivan County Farm Bureau

tnhomeandfarm.com

immy Ramsey wasn’t expecting to snap anything extraordinary when he wandered the Appalachian Quilt Trail this past January. He was simply taking his mother along on one of his photo hunts, on a different part of the trail that usually didn’t produce his favorite pictures. He certainly wasn’t expecting to shoot the winner of the 15th annual Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation Photo Contest.

“It was a happy accident,” Ramsey says.

This self-proclaimed happy accident involved an old barn-turned-winery, a Nikon D90 and a perfect patch of sky with a little rustic appeal for added effect.

“It just had character. The color and texture of the barn, and the sky behind it just made the whole thing pop,” Ramsey says. A month later, he stumbled across the photo contest, and today he’s the grand prize winner.

Ramsey picked up photography as a hobby two years ago and has been snapping pictures ever since. He spends five days a week either shooting or working on photos, though he isn’t a professional. Ramsey never took classes or received any formal training; he taught himself all the tricks.

“It’s my passion,” he says.

There was plenty of passion to go around this year, and with more than 1,800 photos submitted, this proved to be the contest’s biggest year. Winners were chosen in three categories – Childhood Memories, Rural Living and Tennessee Barns – by a team at Journal Communications in Franklin, the publisher of this magazine.

The following photos were selected as winners, along with a number of pictures worthy of honorable mention, which you can see in slideshows at tnhomeandfarm.com.

Don’t lose focus – the 2011 photo contest will be begin again in our Spring issue, which will include an entry form and all the information you need.

Home&Farm 15

TFBF’s Annual Photo Contest/Childhood Memories

Second Place Jennifer Demay Hartsville Trousdale County Farm Bureau

16 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

Third Place

First Place

Amanda Peden Bon Aqua Hickman County Farm Bureau

Shannon Cherry Red Boiling Springs Clay County Farm Bureau tnfarmbureau.org

tnhomeandfarm.com

Home&Farm 17

TFBF’s Annual Photo Contest/Rural Living

First Place Rachael Mitchell Ardmore Lincoln County Farm Bureau

18 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Second Place Dana Parmenter Ripley Lauderdale County Farm Bureau

Third Place Wayne Ashburn Cookeville Putnam County Farm Bureau

tnhomeandfarm.com

Home&Farm 19

TFBF’s Annual Photo Contest/Tennessee Barns

First Place Gary Pope Chattanooga Hamilton County Farm Bureau

20 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Second Place Tina Franklin Chattanooga Hamilton County Farm Bureau

Third Place Julie Walker Bulls Gap Greene County Farm Bureau tnhomeandfarm.com

Home&Farm 21

22 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

tnhomeandfarm.com

Home&Farm 23

Tennessee Living

24 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Food

Ways With

Turkey You’ll never get tired of turkey with these flavorful solutions for holiday leftovers

Story by jessica walker Photography by jeffrey s. otto food styling by kristen winston catering

E

ven when the holidays are over, the house guests are gone and your fine China is put away, food often remains left behind – particularly that huge turkey you thought your family and friends could somehow manage to eat in its entirety.

Packed away in the refrigerator or the freezer, your leftover meat is typically destined to stay there, taking up precious space, until eventually deemed unfit to eat and thrown away; because, really, how many turkey sandwiches can one consume?

However, your delicious holiday turkey leftovers do not have to go to waste; in fact, you can create fun, tasty dishes that are a far cry from a simple sandwich.

If you’re craving a warm, savory meal, try out the turkey pot pie, perfect for dinnertime. tnhomeandfarm.com

An unusual breakfast idea is turkey hash, where you sauté the bird with potatoes and top it with a fried egg. Or, if something a bit lighter appeals to you, create a more inspired sandwich, using toasted turkey, Brie, green apple and red onion.

For another spin on the traditional sandwich, try a hot brown. These open-faced sandwiches, made with creamy, rich béchamel sauce, are anything but typical.

Eat these decadent creations with a fork, and savor each bite of warm, melted cheesy goodness.

Are you hungry yet? Not to worry – we’ve provided detailed recipes on the following pages so you can make the most of your holiday leftovers, too. This leaves you with only one problem: What are you going to do with all of that empty fridge space?

Thanksgiving Cookbook We’ve compiled our favorite Thanksgiving recipes in an online-only digital cookbook, which you can find in the Online Library at tnhomeandfarm.com.

Home&Farm 25

Food

Turkey Hash 1½ p ounds medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes 7 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 medium onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 cup cooked turkey, diced 4 large eggs, optional Put potatoes in large pot and cover with cold water. Simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 15-20 minutes.

While potatoes are cooling, melt 6 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the onions and peppers until soft and golden brown, 8-10 minutes.

Add potatoes, turkey, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 15 minutes.

Optional: Fry eggs in remaining tablespoon of butter and serve on top of hash.

Toasted Turkey and Brie Sandwiches 8 slices sourdough bread, toasted 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard ½ pound cooked turkey breast, sliced 8 green apple, thinly sliced crosswise ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced 4 slices Brie cheese ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Preheat broiler. Arrange sourdough slices on a baking sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard over each of 4 halves; top each with ½ cup turkey, two apple slices and one-fourth of onion. Divide cheese evenly among the remaining 4 halves. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and turkey is warm. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly on turkey halves. Top each turkey half with a cheese sourdough half.

If you’re not a fan of Brie or don’t have any available, this recipe works well with any kind of soft cheese.

26 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Turkey Pot Pie

Hot Brown

1½ p ounds cooked turkey, shredded

12 ounces turkey breast, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 slices toasted thick-sliced white bread

2½ cups turkey or chicken broth

4 slices tomato

1 bouillon cube

8 slices bacon, cooked and drained

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup yellow onion, chopped 6 tablespoons cup flour 2 tablespoons cup heavy cream 1 cup carrots, medium diced and blanched for 2 minutes 2 cups frozen peas, green beans or corn 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced 2 9-inch deep-dish pie crusts In a small saucepan, dissolve bouillon cube in broth.

In a large pot, melt the butter and sauté the onions over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, until translucent.

Add the flour and cook over low heat. Stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture to the sauce.

Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. And 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper and heavy cream. Add the turkey, all of the vegetables and the parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a baking dish, and put the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Bake 1 pie crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and pour mixture in. Cover with top crust, seal edges and trim excess dough. Brush with egg wash and cut three slits in top. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 375 degrees. tnhomeandfarm.com

Béchamel sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour / cup cream

34

2 cups whole milk 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and white pepper to taste Heat butter and add flour. Whisk and slowly cook for 5 minutes. Whisk in cream and milk, and stir until heated. Whisk in cheese until melted. Season with salt and white pepper. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Sauce should be very thick.

Place toast in an oven-safe dish. Top with turkey and tomatoes. Cover well with sauce. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Garnish with bacon.

Home&Farm 27

Identity Theft Restoration & Consultation Services

Enterprise Auto Rental

Choice Hotels

Save 20%

when you call (800) 258-2847 or go to www.choicehotels.com and provide corporate ID# 00800606.

• Included with your Tennessee Farm Bureau membership • Consultation and restoration services • If you have been a victim of ID theft, call (877) 329-3911

*You must be an active member of the Tennessee Farm Bureau for a minimum of 60 days to be eligible. Membership eligibility and offer subject to change without notice. *Advance reservations required, discount only honored through website and number listed. Blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.

Save 10%

(800) 736-8222 Corporate ID#56MFARM Pin#TEN www.enterprise.com

*Prices will reflect your member-only discount.

Posted Internet rates and 1-800 rates may differ.

Farm Bureau Bank Auto Loan Refinancing

Refinance your automobile loan and save!

• Save up to $1,365 in interest on a 60-month vehicle loan** • Special Farm Bureau member rates*

American Cellular

Activate a new line of service with American Cellular to receive your one time credit of $25 on your monthly bill • This offer is in addition to any current in-store promotions • Offer available only by calling (888) 653-8323 or visiting an American Cellular retail location

• Up to 100% financing

• Find the store nearest you by visiting www.americancellular.net

• Call (866) 645-8123 or visit farmbureaubank.com/tfbf to apply today

• No location near you? Phones shipped directly to your door for FREE

For a more complete list of benefits, visit www.tnfarmbureau.org/ memberbenefits or visit the TN Farm Bureau Member Benefits Facebook page.

By visiting our page you will be able to stay informed on new benefits, hear what other members have to say about these products and services, and will be eligible for give-a-ways from our affiliate partners. Prizes will include Choice Hotels vouchers, Enterprise car rentals, Farm Bureau apparel and much more.

Been hesitant to join the world of Facebook? There is no better time than now!

Looking for information on these benefits? *Some restrictions apply based on the make and model of vehicle offered as collateral. Loans are subject to credit approval. Rates and financing options are limited to certain model years and are subject to change without notice. Finance charges accrue from origination date of the loan. **Savings comparison based on a financed 60-month new vehicle loan as of June 24, 2010. Rates are subject to change without notice. To qualify for Farm Bureau Bank’s lowest loan annual percentage rates, members must have excellent credit and sign up for automatic payments. Additional discounts also apply when purchasing one or more vehicle protection plans. National average for 60-month new auto loans is 6.92% APR as quoted by Bankrate.com. Banking services provided by Farm Bureau Bank, FSB. Farm Bureau Bank, FSB is a service to member institution that provides banking services to Farm Bureau members. Services are not available in AL, IL, MI, MO, MS, OH or WY and may not be available in some counties or parishes. Farm Bureau, FB and the FB National Logo are registered service marks owned by the American Farm Bureau Federation and are used under license by FB BanCorp and its subsidiaries, including Farm Bureau Bank FSB. FB BanCorp is an independent entity and the AFBF does not own, is not owned by, and is not under common ownership with FB BanCorp or its affiliated entities.

*Offer applies to new activations only.

25% discount on accessories for upgrades.

See store for details.

Toll-Free: (877) 363-9100 Visit us online at www.tnfarmbureau.org/ memberbenefits *Offers subject to change without notice.

Country Classics

Slow-Cooked Sweets Homemade candy makes the perfect present

T

Hungry for additional classic Southern recipes? Check out Country Classics Volume II, published by the Farm Bureau Women. Copies of the cookbook are available for $17 each, including shipping and handling, from county Farm Bureau offices, or by calling the Tennessee Farm Bureau home office at (931) 388-7872, ext. 2217.

30 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

recipes because I want everyone to gather in the kitchen and make their own memories.”

– Cassandra M. Vanhooser

Double Chocolate Nut Clusters 2 pounds white chocolate almond bark, broken into small pieces 1 pound dark chocolate almond bark, broken into small pieces 1 4-ounce bar German chocolate 1 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 32-ounce container dry roasted peanuts, lightly salted 1 16-ounce container whole almonds 1 teaspoon almond flavoring Turn slow cooker on high and add the first six ingredients. Cook for 45 minutes (don’t peek or stir). Reduce heat to low and cook one hour, stirring until all chocolate is melted. Add almond flavoring.

Put into miniature Christmas muffin liners.

Store in an airtight container or place on trays for holiday gifts. Yields approximately 75 pieces.

Jeffrey S. Otto

Want More?

hink of her as Santa’s kitchen elf.

For more than 35 years, Anne Throneberry has been the face of Christmas for the Duck River Electric Membership Corporation headquartered in Shelbyville.

In November each year, the home economist develops and presents a popular holiday foods program in each of the counties the DREMC serves. Participants take home tons of decorating ideas, as well as a recipe book with more than 100 recipes that Throneberry spends a full year developing and testing.

Cooking has been a lifelong passion for this Rutherford County native. Throneberry learned to cook at her grandmother’s elbow in the tiny community of Rockvale.

“My grandmother Farris had 10 boys, and I loved cooking with her,” Throneberry muses.

“My grandfather had a country sawmill, and she cooked lunch for them every day.”

From Rockvale, Throneberry went on to major in home economics at the University of Tennessee and taught school for a few years before joining the DREMC as a home energy specialist. Over the years, she has developed hundreds of recipes for co-op members. She even wrote and published two cookbooks of her own that are currently out of print. “I sold every copy I ever had,” she notes.

Quick to share credit, Throneberry says her husband, Randy, often brings home recipes for her to test and further serves as a “very supportive taste tester.” To get ideas for additional recipes, she consults family and friends, as well as the more than 500 cookbooks she has collected over the years.

Though she retired from the DREMC in 2009, Throneberry’s former supervisors insist that she continue her holiday program. She agreed for two reasons – people still love the program, and she still loves Christmas.

“It’s just a part of who I am,” Throneberry says. “I have a Christmas tree in every room, even the bathroom! I pass along my ideas and

tnfarmbureau.org

Staff Photos

Restaurant Review

Pig Out in Decherd Family recipes spice up the menu at Larry’s Bar-B-Q

W

e live in a cookie-cutter world where even small towns feature a list of fastfood joints and chain retailers as long as your arm. So it’s a relief when you chance upon a restaurant with a little personality.

In Decherd, a small town in southern Tennessee, that place is Larry’s Bar-B-Q at the Wagon.

The concrete pink pig with ‘Larry’s’ painted in bright colors on the side is the first clue that you are in for a treat. Long ribbons of smoke curling above the smoker in front of the restaurant are your second.

Sandwiched between a Shell station and a strip mall, this establishment is a cross between a country barbecue joint and a cozy café. The prefab building owner Tammy Keese bought from the high school is painted green with white shutters. There’s a friendly patio on the front where guests can watch the cook fire the barbecue, watch TV and check e-mail, or, on Fridays, hang out and listen to live music.

Inside, family pictures, antique cooking utensils and numerous pictures of pigs cover the walls. There’s only room for five bistro-style tables. Customers place their orders at the halfdoor that opens straight into the kitchen.

Larry’s Bar-B-Q was started by Keese’s dad and has been in business since 1971, but the location on Decherd Highway has just celebrated its second anniversary. Keese still serves lots of tnhomeandfarm.com

old-timers who were friends of Larry’s.

“This is their place,” she says. “They can come and relax, find someone who’ll speak to them and give them a smile.”

Still, most come for the food. Smoked meats anchor the menu, and you can’t go wrong with any of the selections. Cook Billy Hendon adds a gentle touch to the Boston butt, beef brisket, pork spareribs and chicken he tends.

All the sides are made in-house, many with recipes that remain family secrets.

“Daddy never shared his recipes,” Keese says.

“I still keep them in a lockbox at the bank.”

Only a handful of relatives have ever made the slaw and barbecue sauce. The mustardvinegar-sugar “poolroom slaw” recipe comes from Keese’s great-grandmother Emma Fraley and resembles a chow-chow relish. It’s the perfect complement to the pulled pork and slaw dogs. The tomato-based barbecue sauce starts sweet but finishes with some heat.

Other offerings include baked beans, potato salad, Italian green beans and turnip greens.

There’s also a list of homemade pies and cookies that will make your mouth water.

“I don’t even have a freezer right now,” Keese says. “We make everything fresh.

I’d rather say, ‘We sold out,’ than serve you something that is not fresh.”

– Cassandra M. Vanhooser

The Dish on Larry’s Bar-B-Q In each issue, we feature one of Tennessee’s tasty eateries, and you can find a collection of our favorite restaurants in the Food section of tnhomeandfarm.com.

As always, please call ahead before traveling long distances.

Larry’s Bar-B-Q at the Wagon is located at 1941 Decherd Blvd. in Decherd. Their phone number is (931) 9679163, and hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday. (They’re closed Sundays and Mondays.) Plate dinners with two sides range from $5.25 for pork to $8.25 for ribs.

Home&Farm 31

Gardening

Decking the Halls Tennessee is a haven for holly plants

C

About the Author Dr. Sue Hamilton is director of the University of Tennessee Gardens and a member of the faculty of the UT Department of Plant Sciences. The gardens are a project of the UT Institute of Agriculture AgResearch program, with locations in Knoxville and Jackson: http://utgardens. tennessee.edu.

32 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

an you imagine the holidays without holly? The bright red berries and shiny green, needlepoint leaves are found on wrapping paper and greeting cards, and fresh boughs grace front doors and fireplace mantles.

Decorating with holly is an ancient custom.

The Druids believed that holly was sacred because it remained green all winter, and the Celtic people of Northern Europe decorated their homes with holly during the winter solstice, or Yule. The Chinese used holly to adorn temple courts and large halls during their New Year’s festivals in February. Holly was also used by the Romans during the Festival of Saturn to honor the Roman god of sowing and husbandry.

To meet the modern day demand for holiday decorating, orchards harvest as much as 3,000 pounds of holly per acre! Cut holly branches will last for weeks even out of water. To dress up your empty outside containers, stick in a few branches of holly and evergreen trimmings.

The holly family is huge, with hundreds of selections existing for almost every landscape situation. They make popular landscape plants because they are easy to grow. They can be deciduous or evergreen; small (18”) or large (over 50’); and colors are abundant. There are green forms, blue forms and forms with variegated foliage. Berries can be red, orange, yellow or black. Leaves may be small and spineless or large and armed. Their shape can vary, too, from columnar to rounded or weeping. They are used as stand-alone trees, in foundation plantings or hedges, and in mass plantings.

Most hollies are dioecious – male and female plants are required for cross pollination and

berry production. Plant a male within 30’ to 40’ of females to ensure good fertilization and berry set. Hollies prefer to grow in moist, well-drained, acidic soils. Most do well in partial-shade to full-sun, but check with your local nursery for the particular requirements of the cultivars you select. To learn more about hollies and their characteristics, check out the website for the Holly Society of America, www.hollysocam.org.

The evergreen holly recognized as a U.S. favorite, with green leaves and red berries, is the English holly (Ilex aquifolium). In the South this plant is slow growing and benefits from partial to full-shade rather than direct sun.

Both green and variegated selections are available. I like the green-leaved selections ‘Boulder Creek’, ‘Larry Peter’s’, ‘Cilata Major’ and ‘Beacon’.

Among the evergreen American holly (I. opaca) worth noting is ‘Old Heavy Berry’ (lots of fruit, as you can guess). ‘Croonenburg’ is unusual in that it bears both female and male blooms on the same plant, thus it may bear red fruit without a separate pollinator.

‘Steward’s Silver Crown’ is a popular variegated selection that bears red fruit.

Not every holly is an evergreen. Both Ilex decidua and Ilex verticillata have foliage that turns yellow and drops in the fall leaving branches loaded throughout the winter with bright red berries. Selections include ‘Warren Red’, ‘Council Fire’, ‘Winter Red’ and ‘Red Sprite’. The Holly Society of America chose ‘Red Sprite’ as the 2010 ‘Holly of the Year’ to encourage the use of this fantastic deciduous holly in the landscape.

So how about you? Will you deck your halls and landscape with boughs of holly this season? tnfarmbureau.org

Haven for Holly See hollies en masse at the University of Tennessee Arboretum in Oak Ridge. The Elmore Holly Collection at the UT Arboretum is a research and display garden of more than 200 cultivars of the genus Ilex. Visitors are welcome to stroll, at no charge, through the expansive collection inspired by the late Harold Elmore, past president of the UT Arboretum Society as well as the Holly Society of America. Mr. Elmore was world renowned for his holly expertise and was frequently referred to as “Mr. Holly.� The Elmore Holly Collection is recognized by the Holly Society of America as an Official Holly Arboretum. For more information, visit http:// forestry.tennessee.edu/elmorecollection.htm.

tnhomeandfarm.com

Home&Farm 33

34 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Farmside Chat

Meet Hilda Ashe Hay farmer and Farm Bureau county president

W

omen have always been mainstays on farms across the country. If not out in the fields, they are behind the scenes making sure everything else runs smoothly. But more often than not, farm women are right there next to the men, in addition to all their other chores on the farm. McNairy County farmer Hilda Ashe is no different.

“I grew up on a farm – my dad and brothers were farmers.

When I got out of school, I married a farmer. So it’s always been a part of my life,” Ashe says.

The Ashe farm consists of 50 acres of pasture, 20 acres of hay, 18 cows and a bull. Ashe says her brother and his family are instrumental in helping run the farm, where they bale 4,000-5,000 square bales of hay for the horse industry and their own use each year.

Agriculture is not a 9-5 job. How do you accomplish all that needs doing?

Farming takes a special person; you either have it or you don’t. I love what I do. It’s been a way of life in this country since the beginning, and it’s something we have to protect and continue to pursue in the future. There’s nothing like the thrill of seeing a calf being born and grow up. Letting it go to the market to see how it compares to others is a different kind of thrill. And it always brings a sense of accomplishment to see that wagon load of corn or the bale of hay come out of the field.

Then Eddie passed away, and at a time like that, you just don’t know what you’re going to do, but I did know I just didn’t want to pick up and sell everything. We let it rock along that year, and my brother came over and helped. We just sort of got through that first year with the good Lord’s help. By the next year we started making plans on what we needed to do and how to do it.

There aren’t many female leaders in the ag industry, and you are one of the few Farm Bureau county presidents in the state. How does that feel?

I feel very honored to have a position of leadership in my county. I kind of just fell into it, really. My husband was on the board, and when he passed away I asked if I could have his spot. After four or five years, the president passed away, and they elected me president at that time. It’s just amazing – I’ve learned so much in my position, both on the county and state level. And you learn to listen as much – or more – than you speak.

– Melissa Burniston

Were you always interested in farming?

After Eddie and I got married, I wasn’t involved in the day-to-day farming operation. He was a row crop farmer at the time. When he got a public job, we cut back to the hay we have today and started dealing with the cows. That’s when I got involved, and our three girls got into FFA and showing cows and horses. tnhomeandfarm.com

Antony Boshier

What is your message to the non-farm public?

Farmers feed the nation. The food you eat, all of it, comes from some type of farm, even when you can’t readily see the connection. We grow the hay that feeds the cows that are sold to market and eventually come back on our plates. And we care for our animals. We check them every day, feed and water them every day. They are there for a purpose, to be sold, but even though it’s our livelihood, we still care for them as if they were our own pets.

Home&Farm 35

17th Annual Christmas Toy Train Show SPONSORED BY: MUSIC CITY CHAPTER TRAIN COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION

WHERE: TENNESSEE STATE FAIRGROUNDS AGRICULTURAL BUILDING, Nashville, TN. (Wedgewood exit on I-65 S.) Plenty of free parking available.

WHEN: SAT. DECEMBER 11, 2010 The show is open to the general public.

Opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m.

ADMISSION: $7.00 per person — children 12 and under are FREE! SPECIAL DRAWING OF LIONEL TRAIN SETS — FOR CHILDREN ONLY! Trains will be available for children to play with and experience! Watch actual operating layouts of all sizes in action!

COME AND FIND: Train parts, train objects, trains to operate, train books, collectable trains, new electric trains, refurbished trains.

Our student/soldiers complete online courses in Iraq, Afghanistan and wherever they are around the world.

Apply previous college credit to flexible degree programs for working adults!

You’ve come to a place where students with jobs, family and full-time responsibilities are the rule, not the exception.

Every day, ETSU’s professional advisors and faculty in Cross-Disciplinary Studies successfully serve the needs of busy adult students just like you.

Start building your future today by finishing your degree!

Bachelor of General Studies • Bachelor of Applied Science Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies – all online!

Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies – all online!

MORE CONVENIENT THAN EVER BEFORE! EVENING, OFF-CAMPUS AND 400+ INTERNET CLASSES!

36 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

East Tennessee State University Cross-Disciplinary Studies Call or e-mail: Jordan Swingle (423) 439-4223 swingle@etsu.edu www.etsu.edu/finish

tnfarmbureau.org

To Good Health

Sharing and Caring Plan for long-term care long before you need it

S

he simply would not have it any other way, and no amount of persuasion by anyone would have changed her mind.

The result: She gave the rest of her best years to him, leaving little left for herself when his body finally joined his mind and departed this earth.

Mama Brightwell was a strong lady. Strong at home, work, church and even at play with her four grandchildren, one of whom was me.

She squeezed everything out of life you possibly could, and still had a lot to give when life decided to take something back.

What it took, very slowly at first, was Daddo’s mind. The retired railroad lineman had switched roles with his only bride in their middle ages; he stayed home as housekeeper and chef as she hit the road becoming one of Stanley’s top salespersons nationwide. (I loved counting cash from those pink envelopes after a home party with Mama, where she wowed everyone with the finest in brooms, degreasers and Germ-trol, which I can still hear her explaining how great it worked on a bumblebee sting, too! She was right.)

Mama had retired from full-time sales when the disease began to rob Daddo not just of his mind, but also his strength and coordination.

She was still strong in every way, poised to enjoy the retired life she had earned. But Mama made another decision, which was really no decision at all for her – she would stay at his side, tend to all his needs in their own home, until the end. She did exactly that, for a full dozen years. The physical and emotional toll it took on Mama meant she gave the gift of the rest of her life to Daddo.

I don’t know how Mama managed to afford tnhomeandfarm.com

the help that she occasionally turned to during those days, and that was then. Experts today tell us if the growth rate of the last 20 years continues, long-term care costs will triple in the next 20 years.

“And it’s easy to think we won’t need longterm care, especially if we think of long-term care as nursing-home care,” explains Phyllis Shelton, a long-term care consultant. “The reality is that most people will never be in a nursing home as less than 15 percent of long-term care happens there. Most extended care is at home.”

Mama’s story, at least in that respect, is the norm and not the exception. That’s why Shelton stresses baby boomers must not ignore long-term care planning now – when they are younger and still working and benefit from the most affordable rates. Many families who did plan for their long-term care needs, she says, contend long-term care insurance was the only thing that kept their loved one out of a nursing home by providing money to pay for caregivers at home.

We at the Farm Bureau believe this is such an important matter that we’ve provided an exclusive discounted offer for qualified members who have wondered about the affordability of long-term care insurance. Call (866) 808-2077, email LTC@trh.com or visit trh.com and click on Long Term Care Coverage.

Someone will answer your questions about a simple cash product that will pay benefits directly to you, the policyholder, instead of to a provider. In other words, you will make the decision how, where and from whom your care will be delivered when you need it. That is, for me, a Mama Brightwell kind of decision.

About the Author Anthony Kimbrough is vice president of marketing and government relations for TRH Health Plans. His e-mail is akimbrough@trh.com.

For more information about TRH Health Plans, call (877) 874-8323 or visit www.trh.com.

Home&Farm 37

Æ

ß Farm Bureau almanac How does the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation work for you? By offering a variety of programs and services exclusively benefiting you, its members. Learn about even more Farm Bureau programs at www.tnfarmbureau.org.

∑

Farm Bureau Launches New Website The Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation is proud to announce the launch of its new website. The site, tnfarmbureau.org, has been updated to help users easily access information about everything from a calendar of ag events to farm news and resources, as well as fun features such as testing your farm knowledge on an ag facts quiz.

read news, watch videos, view photo galleries and more.

Do you enjoy reading Farm Bureau News? Now it’s also available online as a digital version of the newspaper, where you can flip through the pages without having to download it. You can also find past issues of the publication.

almanac

One new aspect of the site is that each of the Farm Bureau programs, such as Farm Bureau Women and Ag in the Classroom, will now have their own pages where you can 38 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

The Member Benefits section has been upgraded to help you take full advantage of all the great deals and discounts you receive just for being a Farm Bureau member.

The site also lets you listen to new and past episodes of the Home & Farm radio podcast, as well as

watch videos produced by the Tennessee Farm Bureau’s awardwinning communications team.

See something you like? Send it to your friends with the click of a mouse button.

Share tools are a prominent part of the website, making it easy for you to send a post to Facebook or sign up for an RSS feed, which will notify you every time a section is updated. If you’re a little wary of social media but want to learn more, the site also includes educational information and tips for Farm Bureau consumers regarding best practices for use of social media. tnfarmbureau.org

Æ

How To Deter Burglars I hate to be the fellow that bears bad news, especially when Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, but there has probably been someone out there that has driven by and considered burglarizing your home or another home near you. It seems like the number of robberies go up every year about this time, while the Christmas presents are under the tree and statistics show that when the economy worsens burglaries go up. While we can’t stop a thief from being a thief, the good news is that there are some things that can be done to deter the thief from choosing your home as the target.

Here are 5 simple tips for

protecting your home and property.

1. Make your house look occupied while you are away by leaving lights on, a car parked in the driveway, and stopping mail and newspaper deliveries.

2. Trim your landscaping and be sure your exterior is well lit.

Don’t provide thieves a good place to hide.

3. Lock your doors and hide your spare key (not under the doormat or over the door). Burglars often walk through an unlocked door or use the homeowner’s key to enter the home.

4. Keep windows covered in the garage and storage shed. Thieves are much more likely to break in if they can see items of value.

5. Have a monitored home security system installed. Home security systems offer protection for fire and burglary while providing peace of mind when away.

Another great idea is the addition of a Farm Bureau Property Protection reward sign to your landscaping. This sign alerts those who pass by that as a Farm Bureau member, TFBF will pay a $1000 reward for the arrest and felony conviction of person(s) who commit theft, vandalism or arson to your property. You never know, the little 6” x 9” reward sign in the flower bed might just be enough to get the bad guys to move on to the next house. Best of all, the Property Protection Reward is included in with your $25 membership and the signs are available at your local Farm Bureau office.

– Bryan Wright TFBF members receive special discounts on ADT home security systems and monitoring exclusively through Power Link LLC (1-877-832-6701).

Æ tnhomeandfarm.com

Home&Farm 39

Clockwise from top: Common areas of The Donoho Hotel; the front porch of the Thomas House, a family-style meal at Armour’s Red Boiling Springs Hotel.

40 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Travel

Soak Up the

Serenity A healing sense of tranquility still flows in Red Boiling Springs

Story by Rebecca Denton Photography by antony boshier

Y

ears ago, a steady stream of travelers flowed to the town of Red Boiling Springs in search of miracles.

This scenic valley – about 75 miles northeast of Nashville, in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains – became famous for its natural mineral waters, which were said to cure everything from rheumatism to diabetes.

In its 1920s heyday, Red Boiling Springs was home to numerous boarding houses and 11 majestic hotels with bath houses, pools, bowling alleys and dance halls. Many hotels added annexes and cottages to accommodate the growing influx of guests who came in search of the healing waters.

“They had a casino, a lake, an amusement park and big bands – even Tommy Dorsey came here,” says Debra Emery, co-owner of Armour’s Red Boiling Springs Hotel. “It was almost like a small Las Vegas.”

Red Boiling Springs’ bustling resort era evaporated in the 1940s after World War II, tnhomeandfarm.com

when modern medicine, transportation and recreational activities ushered folks in different directions. The rural town of about 1,000 people is much quieter these days, but the three remaining historic hotels – Thomas House Bed & Breakfast, Armour’s Red Boiling Springs Hotel and The Donoho Hotel – offer a peaceful glimpse of the town’s resort history.

One hotel still offers mineral baths, while the others regularly feature live entertainment.

Antique stores, a pottery shop, a motorcycle museum, the public library and covered bridges are within walking distance, and other attractions – including a couple of hot spots for barbecue – are just a short drive away.

If You Go: The Thomas House www.thomashousehotel.com (615) 699-3006 The Donoho Hotel www.thedonohohotel.com (800) 799-1705 Armour’s Red Boiling Springs Hotel www.armourshotel.com (615) 699-2180

Thomas House Bed & Breakfast Built in 1890 and renovated in the 1920s, the 22,000-square-foot Thomas House Bed & Breakfast (formerly the Cloyd Hotel) is the town’s oldest. With Victorian architecture and furnishings, and wraparound porches Home&Farm 41

Best of AlAskA tour & Cruise

with Great alaska state Fair Visit 14 days from $2,499* per person (add $299 tax & port charges)

Departs August 23, 2011 Fly to Anchorage, travel to Denali, visiting a local Musk Ox Farm and Botanical Gardens. Enjoy a Tundra Wildlife Tour before heading back to Anchorage via rail. Here you’ll visit the State Fair and Iditarod Headquarters. Then onto Seward before boarding Holland America’s “Zaandam” for a seven-night cruise on the inside passage and Glacier Bay, with stops in Haines, Juneau and Ketchikan. From Vancouver, transfer to Seattle for overnight and city tour.

Call for low-cost airfare prices. Space is very limited and will sell out fast! $100 deposits are due now to reserve your tour.

For information, reservations and full itinerary, call:

YMT VACATIONS

(800) 888-8204 42 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

tnfarmbureau.org

Travel with rocking chairs, it’s a popular place for weddings, rehearsal dinners and other gatherings.

But the hotel’s main attraction is its dinner theater, which presents shows two weekends a month throughout the year (except January).

“It’s been very successful for us, and our prices are reasonable – $25 for dinner and a play,” owner Evelyn Thomas Cole says.

The Thomas House is also known for its ghosts.

Since being featured on the A&E television show Paranormal State, curious travelers from across the country and abroad, including Japan, Switzerland, Scotland and England, have traveled here to catch a glimpse of a ghost.

“We’ve all seen things here,” says Cole, who bought the hotel in 1993 with her late husband, Roy Cole, and now runs it with her family. “We didn’t tell it for years, because you never know how people will react to things like that. But people started telling us what they were seeing.”

The Thomas House’s hearty Southern meals, served family-style, are another popular attraction. A lunch buffet is served on Sundays

between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with no reservations required.

The Donoho Hotel Built in 1914, The Donoho Hotel is a plantation-style Southern estate that has evolved into a full-service bedand-breakfast. Steeped in history, this elegant home with turn-of-thecentury architecture offers wraparound porches on two stories, rocking chairs, slow-turning fans and an abundance of antiques.

President Woodrow Wilson spent the night here in 1916 on his way to Washington, D.C., from Clarksville, where his parents once lived, says Robert Stroop, who owns the hotel with his wife, Pauline.

A bonus for history buffs: The original registry with Wilson’s signature is on-site and can be seen by request.

The Donoho is home to a modern entertainment center that hosts live music every Saturday night and can accommodate up to 400 people. With its stately front porch, gazebo and pristine grounds – and the option of a horse-drawn carriage – the hotel has hosted a growing number of outdoor weddings and receptions in

How It All Started Red Boiling Springs (originally called Salt Lick Creek) first became famous in the 1800s for its mineral waters. An early settler named Shepherd Kirby claimed the water cured his infected eyes, and talk of his miraculous healing in the sulfur water spread fast. Before long, travelers began to arrive seeking cures for all sorts of ailments.

Settlers soon noticed the water sometimes had a red tint, and it looked as if it were boiling. So in 1847, the town was named Red Boiling Springs. The springs were never hot, however. “Boiling” refers to the water’s appearance.

Five kinds of mineral water – each with different concentrations of hydrogen sulfide gas, including one with no mineral traces at all – can be found in Red Boiling Springs. These five kinds of mineral waters are said to be found collectively like this only in Red Boiling Springs and a small village in Germany.

The water table has dropped through the years, and mineral water doesn’t flow in the open creek. But visitors can still sample mineral water from some private wells, including two wells on the property of The Donoho Hotel.

Nestle Waters North America Inc. began bottling the mineral-free water from Red Boiling Springs in 2004.

Source: Robert Stroop, owner of The Donoho Hotel, and Where the Healing Waters Flow, a DVD produced by Navigation Advertising. tnhomeandfarm.com

addition to church groups, tour groups, corporate conferences and other special events.

Family-style country meals, the friendly nature of people in town and old-fashioned solitude keep visitors coming back, Stroop says.

“We’ve had several doctors who like to get away for two or three days and just read,” he says. “It’s beautiful on the porch, or under the 100-year-old shade trees. People are the world’s best around here, and you have the ability to almost hibernate – to get out of the fast pace for awhile, with this beautiful scenery around you.”

Armour’s Red Boiling Springs Hotel Built in 1924, Armour’s Red Boiling Springs Hotel offers the only mineral bathhouse in Red Boiling Springs – and it’s also the only mineral bathhouse known to be operating in Tennessee. The bathhouse features two claw-foot bathtubs, a steam room and massages with a certified massage therapist by appointment.

The 26-bedroom historic hotel (14 of which are open to guests) includes a dining room that seats up to 80 people. Owned and operated

by Dennis and Debra Emery, with help from Debra’s family, the home offers plenty of diversions aimed at slowing down: large porches with porch swings and rocking chairs, a small library full of books, a letterwriting table with pens and stationery, a hammock, a fire pit, board games, and classic games such as horseshoes and badminton.

“We usually have a puzzle going in the dining room, and everyone comes along and works on it,” says Debra Emery. “I want everyone to feel like they’re at home – except they don’t have to wash dishes.”

Visitors will also find hearty, homemade, family-style meals here, along with some modern touches such as wireless Internet access.

Home&Farm 43

Events & Festivals

Carolers entertain passersby during Dickens of a Christmas, which takes place Dec. 11-12 in historic downtown Franklin.

Tennessee Events & Festivals This listing includes a selection of events of statewide interest scheduled in December, January and February as provided to Tennessee Home & Farm by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

To include your local events in our listing, please contact them at (615) 741-7994 or jamielynn.thompson@tn.gov. Due to space constraints, we are unable to include all of the events provided, but additional information and events can be found online through the department’s Web site, www.tnvacation.com.

Events are subject to date change or cancellation; please call the contact listed before traveling long distances to attend.

DECEMBER Sewanee Senior Center Christmas Bazaar – Nov. 29-Dec. 3, Sewanee

Senior Center, Sewanee

Christmas bazaar for all! Lunch served at noon, reservation suggested. CONTACT: 931-598-0774, radelo50yahoo.com

Clarksville Trees of Christmas –

Dec. 1-17, Smith-Trahern Mansion, Clarksville

Constructed in 1858 before the Civil War, the home reflects the transition between Greek Revival and Italianate styles, which were so popular at that time. Twenty Christmas trees will be decorated and on display throughout the historic mansion. CONTACT: Barbara Brown, 931-801-0822, clarksville.tn.us

44 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

Carols in the City – Dec. 3, Historic

Downtown Cleveland

Main street Cleveland lights the community Christmas tree on the Courthouse Square and welcomes Santa Claus. The crowd then walks to the historic downtown churches for a musical presentation on the steps of each church. CONTACT: 423-472-6587, mainstreetcleveland.com

Christmas at the Carter Mansion –

Dec. 3-4, Elizabethton

Spend the evening in this 18th-century home on the frontier, featuring the beautiful interior craftsmanship decorated for Christmas in the style of 1780s. Costumed interpreters, candlelight, refreshments and music highlight the evening. CONTACT: Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area, 423-543-5808

A Candlelight Christmas – Dec. 3-4 & 10-11, Rocky Mount Museum, Piney Flats A visit to Rocky Mount Living History Museum provides a glimpse back to an earlier time.

Music, dancing, decorations and sacred tales will all be part of your experience. CONTACT: 888-538-1791, rockymountmuseum.com

Christmas on the Mountain –

Dec. 3-5, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Pikeville

A weekend of Yuletide fun, Christmas carols and gifts for the little ones. Activities for children and adults alike include traditional Christmas decorating, tea parties and a three-day mountain craft show. Don’t be surprised if Saint Nick drops by. CONTACT: 423-881-5708, tnstateparks.com

Christmas in Our Town – Dec. 4,

Liberty Square, Sparta

Refreshments, entertainment, carolers, music and more. CONTACT: 931-836-3552, sparta-chamber.net

18 th-Century Christmas at Old Fort Loudoun – Dec. 4, Fort

Loudoun State Historic Park, Vonore This 18th-century Christmas will have actors in authentic costumes. CONTACT: 423-884-6217, fortloudoun.com

Adopt a Tree at Warriors’ Path State Park – Dec. 4, Kingsport

Come help plant our future woodlands. For every tree you plant in the park, you get to tnfarmbureau.org

take one home to plant. CONTACT: 423-239-6786, http://state.tn.us/environment/ parks/WarriorsPath

4th Annual Elves Holiday Workshop – Dec. 4, Livingston

Features Christmas crafts, shows and food.

CONTACT: 931-823-5475, overtonco.com

Merry Tuba Christmas – Dec. 4,

Harriman

Tuba and euphonium players of all ages gather to pay tribute to composers who have embraced these instruments. Tuba and euphonium players of all ages and levels of ability are encouraged to participate.

CONTACT: 865-882-3446, tubachristmas.com

Christmas in the Country – Dec. 4, Exchange Place, Kingsport

Fresh mountain greenery and wreaths, baked goods and crafts. Ends with a traditional Yule Log Ceremony on an 1800s living history farm.

CONTACT: 423-288-6071, exchangeplace.info

Old-Fashioned Christmas – Dec. 4,

Centennial Park, Dayton

The event features the Christmas Arts Showcase, where artists and crafters open their downtown shops and demonstrate their

creative process. Features food, pictures with Santa, Christmas parade, and caroling at the historic courthouse after the parade.

CONTACT: 423-775-0361, mainstreetdayton.org

33rd Annual Progressive Dinner – Dec. 4-5, Jonesborough Offers an elegant multi-course dinner and tour of the finest historic homes in Tennessee’s oldest town. Reservations required. CONTACT: 423-753-9580, heritageall.org

Christmas by the River – Dec. 4,

Savannah

See Savannah bedecked in all its Christmas splendor. Luminary-lit historic district, children’s activities, Victorian Tea Party, carriage rides, wine tasting, art exhibit, music and more. CONTACT: 800-552-3866, tourhardincounty.org

Winter Chili Festival – Dec. 4, Jamestown

Participants compete in a chili cook-off.

Events include music, pictures with Santa, giveaways and more. Proceeds go to the Fentress County Children’s Center.

CONTACT: 931-879-9948, bigsouthfork.org

Yulefest: A 1780 Christmas –

Dec. 4, Historic Mansker’s Station Frontier Life Center, Goodlettsville

Welcome the holiday season with lively music and entertainment in 1780s fashion.

Tour the Bowen Plantation House and Mansker’s Station. Hear the reading of the Christmas Story and special music.

CONTACT: 615-859-3678, manskersstation.org

Oaklands Candlelight Tour of Homes – Dec. 4, Murfreesboro

Tour of Homes features beautiful and historic private homes and the graceful Oaklands Historic House Museum. Stops along the our will be festively adorned historical homes and churches. Additionally, the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, Murfreesboro Camp #33 will present living history demonstrations on the lawn of the mansion. CONTACT: 615-893-0022, oaklandsmuseum.org

12th Annual Confederate Christmas Ball – Dec. 4, Memorial

Building, Columbia

Step back in time and fill your dance card as you swirl on the floor to authentic reels, promenades and waltzes popular during the 1860s. On-site dance instructions, string band and light refreshments. CONTACT: Tammy Hatcher, 931-698-3876 tnhomeandfarm.com

Home&Farm 45

Rockwood Annual Christmas Tour of Homes – Dec. 4-5, Rockwood

Tour historic homes and buildings decorated for the holidays. Includes caroling, holiday food, historic character portrayals and Civil War re-enactments.

CONTACT: 865-354-2877, rockwood2000.com

Santa Excursion Train – Dec. 4-5 &

11-12, Oak Ridge

Who needs a sleigh? Catch a ride with Santa Claus on the Secret City Excursion Train. CONTACT: 865-241-2140, southernappalachia.railway.museum

19th-century Cherokee Christmas –

Dec. 5, Red Clay State Historic Park, Cleveland

This event features live history presentations, Cherokee arts & crafts demonstration, storytelling and Christmas carols. Red Clay State Historic Park is the last eastern council grounds for the Cherokee Nation. CONTACT: 423-479-0339, mainstreetcleveland.com

Candlelight Tour of Homes –

Dec. 5, Macon County

Candlelight Tour sponsored by the United Women of Macon County. CONTACT: Linda Tucker, 615-666-2094, maconcountytn.com

North Pole Excursion Train With Santa – Dec. 5 & 11, Tennessee

edibles common to that time period.

CONTACT: 423-257-2167, tnstateparks.com

Come join Santa on this wintertime train ride to Lebanon. CONTACT: 615-244-9001, tcry.org

Dec. 11, Historic Downtown Loudon

Central Railway Museum, Nashville

Old-Fashioned Christmas at the Birthplace – Dec. 9, Cordell Hull Birthplace & State Historic Park, Byrdstown

Celebrate the holidays the way they were enjoyed in the late 19th century, the time period in which former Secretary of State Cordell Hull lived in this rural area on the edge of the Cumberland Plateau. CONTACT: Cordell Hull Birthplace & State Historic Park, 931-864-3247, friendsofcordellhull.org

Oaklands Home School Holiday Tour – Dec. 9, Oaklands Historic House Museum, Murfreesboro

This Victorian Holiday Christmas Tour includes a tour of the mansion decorated for the holidays and customs from the 1800s.

Reservations are required. CONTACT: 615-893-0022, oaklandsmuseum.org

Christmas in the Park –

Dec. 10-11, Pickwick Landing State Park, Pickwick Dam

Features a vendors market, light displays, carriage rides and Santa. CONTACT: 731-925-2363

Community Christmas Choir –

Dec. 10-11, Chapman’s Chapel Nazarene Church, Pelham

The eighth annual Christmas cantata, “The Christmas Song” will be presented at 7 p.m. each evening. The choir, comprised of singers from several different area churches, will help you celebrate the season. CONTACT: 931-467-3491

Christmas at Historic Rugby – Dec. 11, Rugby

Visit beautifully decorated historic homes to bring an old-fashioned Christmas to life.

Features classical music, caroling, hot wassail and a four-course Victorian dinner at the Harrow Road Café. Reservations required for dinner.

CONTACT: 423-628-2441, historicrugby.org

Spirits of Christmas Past –

Dec. 11, Grandpa’s House on Ritter Farm, Red Boiling Springs

Storytelling with International Toastmaster Karen Davis and guests. CONTACT: 615699-2738, grandpas-house.com

Crockett Christmas – Dec. 11, Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park, Limestone The birthplace cabin will be decorated in pioneer spirit. Traditional music will be provided along with hot wassail and

46 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

Christmas in Olde Loudon –

Step back in time at historic Loudon with games, food, parade and fun for the entire family. CONTACT: Lynda Randolph, 865-458-9020, lyricloudon.com

Candlelight Christmas Tour at Fort Southwest Point – Dec. 11, Kingston

Experience the sights, sounds and flavors of the 18th century. People will be dressed in authentic period clothing, and the event includes bagpipes serenades, and a nighttime firing of the cannon. CONTACT: Mike Woody, 865-376-3641, southwestpoint.com

Christmas in the Valley – Dec. 11, Sgt. Alvin C. York Historic Site, Pall Mall

Annual holiday celebration in Sgt. York’s hometown of Pall Mall. Events will be held at the York General Store and the York home, and includes a visit from Santa, choir singing and lantern walk. CONTACT: 931-347-2664, www.sgtyork.org

At Home With Santa – Dec. 11,

Jonesborough

Enjoy visits with Santa, games, crafts and carriage rides. A Santa Mart is available with volunteers to help children buy and wrap surprise gifts for family members.

CONTACT: 866-401-4223, historicjonesborough.com

17th Annual Christmas Toy Train Show – Dec. 11, Tennessee State Fairgrounds, Nashville

Show opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m.

Children 12 and under get in free. Find train parts, trains to operate, train books and much more. CONTACT: 615-758-6003

Dickens of a Christmas –

Dec. 11-12, Franklin

A Victorian-themed Christmas with more than 200 costumed characters re-enacting the work of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Victorian crafts, food, horse-drawn carriages, carolers and Scrooge. CONTACT: 615-591-8500, historicfranklin.com

Historic Harriman Christmas Tour – Dec. 11-12, Harriman

Come visit the town that Temperance built!

Tour decorated Victorian homes and historical buildings. CONTACT: Donna Demyanovich, 865-882-9230, cornstalkheights.com

Granville Country Christmas –

Dec. 11-12, Granville Museum & Sutton General Store, Granville

Features Christmas music, antique toy show, tnfarmbureau.org

Festival of Trees, Christmas tree lighting, a Taste of Christmas, Santa and more.

CONTACT: 931-653-4511

Holiday Tour of Homes – Dec. 12, Jonesborough

Tour elegantly decorated homes and churches throughout the historic district. CONTACT: Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center, 423-753-1010, historicjonesborough.com

Santa’s Last Blast – Dec. 17,

Downtown Paris

One of the last chances for youngsters to visit with Santa. Craft booths, Christmas stories and hot chocolate, live music and more provide holiday fun for the whole family. CONTACT: 731-642-9271, visitdowntownparis.com

Happy 116th Birthday Shiloh –

Dec. 29, Shiloh

A birthday celebration to commemorate the establishment of the Shiloh National Military Park. CONTACT: 731-925-8181, tourhardincounty.org

Saddle Up! Celebration –

beauty, and cultural traditions of Townsend, Cades Cove, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Activities include illustrated talks, tours, history hikes, music and dance, and more.

CONTACT: Jeanie Hilten, 865-448-6134, smokymountainfestivals.org

Feb. 25-26, Pigeon Forge

Celebration of the American West featuring cowboy musicians and poets in concert, Cowboy Symphony, chuck wagon cook-off and more. CONTACT: 800-251-9100, mypigeonforge. com/saddleup

Dogwood Arts Festival House & Garden Show – Feb. 11-13, Knoxville

37th Annual Houston Museum Antiques Show – Feb. 25-27,

The show is the largest house and garden show in Tennessee for the do-it-yourselfer and the gardening enthusiast. CONTACT: 865-637-4561, dogwoodarts.com

Chattanooga

Exhibitors have antiques, exotic plants and garden accessories for sale. CONTACT: 423267-7176, thehoustonmuseum.com

Antique Appraisal Fair & Show –

East Tennessee Young Musicians Bluegrass Contest – Feb. 26,

Feb. 19, Greeneville

The Antique Appraisal Fair offers local and regional antique dealers showcasing and selling treasures and six certified appraisers assessing the value of antiques brought in by the public.

CONTACT: 423-638-4111, visitgreenevilletn.com

Hawkins Elementary School, Rogersville

Young musicians perform with other musicians. The contest is open to musicians ages 18 and under. CONTACT: Patricia Humbert, 423-272-1961, rogersvillefiddle.com

Serving All of Middle Tennessee

JANUARY Nashville Boat & Sportshow –

Jan. 6-11, Nashville Convention Center, Nashville

View, board and buy hundreds of boats and recreational vehicles, plus specials on the latest marine accessories and electronics.

Show includes activities for the entire family. CONTACT: nashvilleboatshow.com

Storm Damage Restoration Toll-free: (877) 288-9977 www.willowworkstn.com

Elvis Presley’s Birthday Celebration – Jan. 7-10, Memphis

From live entertainment at Graceland Plaza along with a gospel celebration to a symphonic performance by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Elvis Presley’s famous tunes will be music to your ears during this birthday celebration. CONTACT: 800-238-2000, elvis.com

Wilderness Wildlife Week™ –

Jan. 8-15, Pigeon Forge

Wilderness Wildlife Week, the ultimate Smoky Mountain experience, is a series of activities that connect Pigeon Forge visitors with the wide, wonderful world of the great outdoors. CONTACT: 865-429-7350, mypigeonforge.com/wildlife

United States Postal Service

13. Publication Title

1. Publication Title

2. Publication Number

0 2 2

Tennessee Home & Farm 4. Issue Frequency

_

3. Filing Date

3 0

5

5. Number of Issues Published Annually

4

Quarterly

7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not printer) (Street, city, county, state, and ZIP+4)

September 2010 6. Annual Subscription Price

8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not printer)

15. a.

Pettus Read 931-388-7872

Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, 147 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia, TN 38401 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor (Do not leave blank) Publisher (Name and complete mailing address)

Pettus Read, 147 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia, TN 38401 Editor (Name and complete mailing address)

Total Number of Copies (Net press run)

Paid In-County Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541 b. Paid and/or (2) (Include advertiser's proof and exchange copies) Requested Circulation (3) Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Non-USPS Paid Distribution

d.

Free Distribution

by Mail (Samples, compliment ary, and other free)

g.

Pettus Read, 147 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia, TN 38401

h.

10. Owner (Do not leave blank. If the publication is owned by a corporation, give the name and address of the corporation immediately followed by the names and addresses of all stockholders owning or holding 1 percent or more of the total amount of stock. If not owned by a corporation, give the names and addresses of the individual owners. If owned by a partnership or other unincorporated firm, give its name and address as well as those of each individual owner. If the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, give its name and address.)

Complete Mailing Address

147 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia, TN 38401

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

653,893

657,989

645,313

649,412

645,313

649,412

(4) Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation [Sum of 15b. (1), (2),(3),and (4)]

f.

Managing Editor (Name and complete mailing address)

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

Paid/Requested Outside-County Mail Subscriptions Stated on (1) Form 3541. (Include advertiser's proof and exchange copies)

(1) Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541 (2) In-County as Stated on Form 3541 (3) Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS

e. Free Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means)

Pettus Read, 147 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia, TN 38401

Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation

September 2010 (Fall)

Extent and Nature of Circulation

included in member dues Contact Person Telephone

147 Bear Creek Pike, Columbia, TN 38401

Full Name

14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below

Tennessee Home & Farm

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation

i.

Total Free Distribution (Sum of 15d. and 15e.)

Total Distribution (Sum of 15c. and 15f) Copies not Distributed Total (Sum of 15g. and h.)

j. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (15c. divided by 15g. times 100)

780

777

7350

7350

8130

8127

653,443

657,539

450

450

653,893

657,989

99

99

16. Publication of Statement of Ownership Dec. 2010 (Winter) issue of this publication.

Publication required. Will be printed in the ________________________

Publication not required.

17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner

Date

09/27/2010

Editor

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonme nt) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

FEBRUARY Winter Heritage Festival in the Smokies – Feb. 3-6, Townsend

A celebration of the human history, natural tnhomeandfarm.com

11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities. If none, check box Full Name

Instructions to Publishers None Complete Mailing Address

12. Tax Status (For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates) (Check one) The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months Has Changed During Preceding 12 Months (Publisher must submit explanation of change with this statement) PS Form 3526, October 1999

(See Instructions on Reverse)

1.

Complete and file one copy of this form with your postmaster annually on or before October 1. Keep a copy of the completed form for your records.

2.

In cases where the stockholder or security holder is a trustee, include in items 10 and 11 the name of the person or corporation for whom the trustee is acting. Also include the names and addresses of individuals who are stockholders who own or hold 1 percent or more of the total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities of the publishing corporation. In item 11, if none, check the box. Use blank sheets if more space is required.

3.

Be sure to furnish all circulation information called for in item 15. Free circulation must be shown in items 15d, e, and f.

4.

Item 15h., Copies not Distributed, must include (1) newsstand copies originally stated on Form 3541, and returned to the publisher, (2) estimated returns from news agents, and (3), copies for office use, leftovers, spoiled, and all other copies not distributed.

5.

If the publication had Periodicals authorization as a general or requester publication, this Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation must be published; it must be printed in any issue in October or, if the publication is not published during October, the first issue printed after October.

6.

7.

In item 16, indicate the date of the issue in which this Statement of Ownership will be published.

Item 17 must be signed.

Failure to file or publish a statement of ownership may lead to suspension of Periodicals authorization.

PS Form 3526, October 1999 (Reverse)

Home&Farm 47

View From the Back Porch

Scenes in the Snow Winter wonderlands make it worth venturing outside About the Author

I

have often heard about winter wonderlands in songs and from family members who live in the deep North, but last year I was able to experience this magic for myself here in the South.

I enjoy venturing out into foul weather when other photographers might choose to stay in.

The preparation time and effort has always produced many rewards.

During the second week of January 2009, a weeklong spell of subfreezing temperatures gripped the Southeast. Along with the cold came a soft blanket of snow that we Tennesseans do not often experience. Anxious to explore an area that friends had told me about, I bundled up against the 16-degree weather and began my journey.

I drove in the bitter cold for an hour and half to reach Tellico, a small town at the edge of Cherokee National Forest in East Tennessee.

A short drive out of town, I briefly rode on the Cherohala Skyway and then took a long, slow

Jammie Graves

Jammie Graves is a self-taught photographer with a degree in Engineering Design Technology. He covers the Loudon County and surrounding area with a special love of nature, sports and automotive photography. In 2007, he received a Tennessee Press Association award for sports photography in a twice-weekly published newspaper, the Loudon News Herald.

48 Home&Farm |Winter 2011

drive up a snow-covered narrow, two-lane Park Service road to my planned destination – Bald River Falls.

Once there, I made my way across the bridge and down the side of the hill to my favorite spot next to the water’s edge. I took in the sights and sounds of this majestic 100-foot, mostly frozen waterfall while preparing myself and my gear to photograph this spectacle.

When the sun rose through the trees, the magic began. Light traced through the tall pines along the creek bed, creating strong contrasts and light paths. The pines, silhouetted by the sun,sheltered the snowcovered falls from the ensuing harsh overhead light. I considered this Act 1 of a play without a script that would unfold naturally in front of me. I waited patiently for light to move to spots where I envisioned images to create while I braced against the elements.

The cold weather presented many challenges both personally and with my equipment. I had to limit the exposure of my hands on my camera dials to keep from getting frostbite.

I kept the camera in my coat when not shooting to keep the battery warm and my camera’s digital systems functioning.

After a couple of hours photographing this waterfall and sharing a rare sight with only three other fellow photographers, I ventured further up the snow-covered road to the Baby Falls, which are only 8 feet tall but have a stair-step series of falls below them. The pools of water created seemed to almost seamlessly blend into the mountain side.

As I finished collecting memories of the frozen falls, the snow began to melt on the roadways, and the crowds began to arrive.

This is a very popular spot since the falls are only a few feet away from the main bridge.

I finished my journey that day by driving back down to Tellico and wandering through the handful of shops in the town square. The day was magical and might never happen again, but if it does, I will certainly return to collect more memories. tnfarmbureau.org