The Land Trust for Tennessee hosted the second annual Southeast Summertime Social on Saturday, June 26th at 6:30 p.m. at Bendabout Farm, the historic Johnston family farm in Cleveland Tennessee. In addition to raising critical funds for the preservation of precious Tennessee land, this event increases awareness of the need for land protection in Southeast Tennessee and beyond, and promotes increased community involvement in The Land Trust for Tennessee’s land conservation efforts. To date, The Land Trust for Tennessee has preserved 51,585 acres of land (168 properties in 47 counties). Now an annual event, the Southeast Summertime Social has become one of the Southeast Region’s favorite nights of laid-back, summertime fun. In 2009, the event attracted more than 300 supporters and attendees.
Set against the beautiful backdrop of Bendabout Farm, the Southeast Summertime Social began the evening with a social hour filled with bluegrass tunes from the Mountain Music Folk School, passed hors d’oeuvres featuring local food artisans such as Benton’s Smokehouse, Niedlov’s Bakery, and Sweetwater Valley Farm, and, of course, signature summertime cocktails.
This year’s Social continued to exercise The Land Trust’s commitment to local farms in the Southeast Region by partnering with Rob Gentry and the Blue Plate Restaurant to provide a delicious and locally sourced dinner for guests. Served family-style, Rob brought a farm-fresh, classic menu of Springer Mountain Farms chicken, grilled on-site, squash casserole, heirloom tomatoes, cream corn, and cornbread muffins to the evening that was fabulous! After dinner, the cool down began with more socializing and the best ice cream station in town. Continued bluegrass from the Mountain Music School closed the night and was another fantastic summertime evening—and, it’s all benefited the land that we love.
