A few weeks ago my daughters and I were invited by Janice of JanicePerson (blog), who works for Monsanto, to visit Batey Farms which is about 40 miles just outside of Nashville, TN. Part of one of the farms is located directly across the street from one of my favorite shopping centers and I’d always wondered they grew.
Janice and I “cheesin” inside the Batey Farms store.
Batey Farms is an 8th generation family owned and operated hog, row crop, and hay farm that prides itself on being noble stewards of the land and animals that they have the pleasure to care for.
Since 1807 dating back to a Revolutionary war land grant, their farm has been in production agriculture. They have continued to grow and take advantage of new technologies that date back to running water and electricity to new age GPS, field mapping, data collection and variable rate seed, fertilizer and chemical placement to ensure that they are doing all that they can to provide a secure and safe environment for our animals, our family and for all those around us!
I’m pretty sure in another life my youngest daughter lived in the wilderness. There is no other explanation for why that child loves to be outdoors so much. I am not an outdoorsy person and as soon as we got out the car at the farm she took off running like the wild child she is. She explored the entire farm and even had a chance to sit in a tractor and get an up close look at what soybeans look like still in the field.
While we were on the farm we got a chance to learn a lot about the crops they grow. This particular farms grows wheat, soybeans, blueberries and strawberries. They also have a farm where they raise pigs. Wilbur is a pig that the family has raised for over 9 1/2 years and he was H U G E!
Before our tour of the farm ended we were treated to grilled pork bacon burgers, orzo with cherry tomatoes & black olives and this AMAZING bean salad with green beans, sweet corn, kidney beans and just the perfect amount of red onion. I went back for seconds of that! Janice was also nice enough to treat us to a few treats from the store. I picked up a pound of uncured bacon and two packs of the pork bacon burgers.
The farm store is located in a 200 year old cabin that welcomes you with the smell of cedar and old times gone by as you browse to find offerings from many different local family farms. To compliment all of their yummy pork products, they offer Hatcher Family dairy products, Sweetwater Valley Cheeses, local honey, Nashville Jam Company jams and sauces, Granny’s eggs (eggs raised free range even before it was cool!) and fresh in season produce raised just outside the front door! The store is open Fridays from 2-6pm and Saturdays from 9-1pm. Be sure to ask to visit Wilbur too!
I can’t wait to go back and visit the store and stock up some more of their local products. Also during the spring/summer we plan to visit and pick fresh strawberries. Heck I might even feel a bit domesticated and make something! And the best part is that my daughter had a blast (teenager was not as impressed LOL) and said she can’t wait to go back and visit. Here are a few more pictures from our visit!
Mo must have climbed up and down this rock pile about 10 times!
Have you been to a farm before? What was your best memory and what type of farm did you visit?
So much fun meeting your girls and letting the little one run wild! It’s a pretty awesome job I have at Monsanto that I get to connect people to the origins of their food!
Janice I always have a new appreciation for food after trips to farms. <3
What a fun day and I love how you two have connected!
Sara the blogging world has introduced me to so many amazing people all over the world! I need to join you next on some of your trips!