Historic Mayfield Farm – 693 acres, Athens, McMinn County
– 2007 donated easement

Truly a community icon, the Historic Mayfield Farm has been in the Mayfield family since 1820 and served as the birthplace of the Mayfield Dairy in Athens.  Scottie Mayfield, his wife Lisa, and their three children – Charles, Michael, and Mariah – considered a variety of options before deciding that the heritage and history of the farm should be forever preserved.  The gently rolling East Tennessee hills of the landscape are currently being farmed by Michael as the Mayfield Farm and Nursery; in addition to a growing specialty crop business, Michael started an agritourism operation to educate kids of all ages about food and farming by offering a fun day at the farm.  The Historic Mayfield Farm contains a large section of the Oostanaula Creek; significant wildlife habitat and prime agricultural soils; and several stands of trees in varying stages of cultivation.  In addition to fulfilling their family wishes for the farm, the Mayfield’s have preserved a treasured legacy for the Athens community and the agricultural heritage of our great state of Tennessee.

Historic Webb Farm – 68 acres, Reliance, Polk County
 – 2008 Farm and Ranchland Protection Program easement

Marking our first easement in Polk County, the protection of the Historic Webb Farm in 2008 forever preserves the viewshed for the thousands of recreational visitors each year who begin their float down the State Scenic Hiwassee River at the Webb Brothers General Store.  The farm is a community landmark and a Tennessee Century Farm, designated as such since it’s remained in the same family in agricultural production, since 1880.  The Historic Webb met the stringent criteria for qualification in the USDA’s Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, as a high-priority farm for conservation through their easement purchase program.  Over 90% of the soils on the property are classified as prime for agriculture, and Harold Webb raises cattle and row crops as generations before and after him will, along the banks of the incomparable Hiwassee River and the edge of the Cherokee National Forest. 

Click to read the article in Tennessee Farm and Home 

Bill Brock Farm – 47 acres, McDonald, Bradley County
 – 2008 easement donation

Mr. Bill Brock resides on a lovely, mostly wooded piece of land in McDonald, Tennessee – a rural community that lies directly between the growing cities of Chattanooga and Cleveland.  Concerned about encroaching sprawl, Bill made the decision to secure his farm against subdivision and development and leave it available for future generations to enjoy as open space and wildlife habitat.  The farm is on Brock Road, signifying the legacy of the Brock family in McDonald, and has been in Bill’s family since 1913.  The farm includes a barn that Bill and his brother built themselves decades ago, and Bill enjoys walking through the woods along Dry Creek and appreciating the wildlife and wildflowers that are abundant on the land.

Merrie J Farm – 393 acres, Ocoee, Polk County
 – 2008 easement donation

Dr. David Darden and his wife, Jan, enjoy the stunning views from their home of the Cherokee National Forest, with Big Frog Mountain on prominent display.  In addition to his duties as the Chief Medical Officer for Polk County, Dr. Darden has cultivated stands of trees for years on the property, and was named the “Tennessee Tree Farmer of the Year” in 1987.  Originally part of the Cloud Farm that contains the Historic Winston Cloud House, the Darden’s purchased the farm from Mrs. Pearl Cloud and promised her that they would never turn the property over for development.  True to their word, David and Jan have now forever ensured that the Cherokee National Forest; the Parksville Lake recreation areas; and the YMCA’s Camp Ocoee will all be buffered by their protected farm.  In addition to the importance of buffering other protected lands, the farm features sections of Cookson Creek and Gray’s Branch Creek, in the Ocoee River watershed.

Kilpatrick Springs Farm – 625 acres, Sweetwater, Monroe County
 – 2009 easement donation

In the Kilpatrick Family since 1870, this lovely farm is highly visible from State Scenic Highway 68, traveled by thousands each year heading from the town of Sweetwater to the tourist attraction of the Lost Sea.  In addition to being a unique Tennessee landscape for visitors to appreciate, the springhouse on the Kilpatrick Spring for which the farm is named is a community landmark.  Many a wedding has been held near the spring, the former source of water for many that flows into Sweetwater Creek, now an impaired waterway in Tennessee.  Along with protecting this critical watershed from further damage, the protections offered by the conservation easement that the Harsh Family signed with The Land Trust preserves the historic legacy of this working farm and the abundant wildlife in the 400+ acres of woods along Black Oak Ridge.

Pikeville Spring Farm – 54 acres, Pikeville, Bledsoe County
 – 2009 easement donation

Our first easement in Bledsoe County protects a truly special landmark – the original spring that was the source of water for the City of Pikeville.  Feeding into the lovely but endangered Sequatchie River, whose lazy curves form the eastern border of the property, Pikeville Spring may someday become a public park but will never become a residential, commercial, or industrial development.  Mr. Ronny Swafford, a native of Bledsoe County, purchased the property in 2004 with the intent to perhaps add to the existing development in the City of Pikeville that the farm borders.  However, the specialness of the land – perfect for farming with nearly 100% prime agricultural soils; teeming with aquatic and woodland wildlife; and boasting spectacular views of the escarpments of Walden Ridge and the Cumberland Plateau – led him to thinking about permanently protecting the farm instead, and providing a natural area that residents and visitors alike can appreciate around this historic spring.

Kinzalow Property/Graysville Mountain
 – 3,282 acres, Graysville, Rhea and Hamilton County
 – 2009 easement donation and fee simple purchase by the State of Tennessee

The stunning views from the bluff lines of Graysville Mountain, along the escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau, are now a treasure that belongs to all Tennesseans as part of the Cumberland Trail State Park.  The Land Trust for Tennessee worked with the landowner, Mr. Richard Kinzalow, to create a conservation easement that would permanently conserve nearly 2,200 acres of land in Rhea County; and facilitated the subsequent purchase of that property as well as a 1,095 acre piece in Hamilton County by the State of Tennessee.  Featuring incredibly bio-diverse cove ecosystems; breathtaking river gorges with pristine swimming holes; and soon to feature over 11 miles of the Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail; this magnificent landscape epitomizes the mission of The Land Trust, to conserve the unique character of Tennessee’s natural and historic landscape.