East Tennessee farms are celebrating fall harvest in full swing. Let the Quilt Trail be your guide to the regional calendar of events. Our neighborhood farmers are working hard to bring customers the brightest and freshest produce and quality local goods of the season. Cultural heritage, music, arts, quilts, crafts, and traditional ways, are being demonstrated for you every weekend from now until Thanksgiving. After dark venture out to one of the region’s famed haunted and spooky farm tours or corn mazes. The sweet & crisp autumnal air is calling you! Breathe deeply and support our local farms, artists, and artisans….
See this in seasonal Calendar form
Carter County — QT
Beck Mountain Corn Maze & Entertainment Barn. Fall fun time at Beck Mountain! Pumpkins, gourds, kids rodeo hay bale roping, rare white miniature donkeys with new babies in the Beck petting zoo. The Farm store and corn maze will be open from the last weekend in September through the whole month of October. But if you wait until the sun sets…every Friday and Saturday night the ghosts and ghouls come out! Haunted maze begins Saturday Sept. 29 and runs every Fri. and Sat. in October. A special weekday Halloween night treat (Wednesday Oct. 31) – the Haunted Maze will be open that evening too. Beck Mountain is available for hosting weddings and events year round in their heated barn—with a dance floor and several catering options. www.BeckMountainCornMaze.com, 110 Corn Maze Ln. Elizabethton, TN 37643
Carter County Chamber of Commerce. The downtown Chamber of Commerce building is on the Quilt Trail too. Carter County Tourism Director Annika Hampton welcomes folks to enjoy the seasonal events through beautiful Carter County! Sycamore Shoals18th Annual Quilt Show is Thursday, Friday & Saturday, October 4, 5, 6 8:00 am – 4:30 pm; Sunday, October 7 1 pm – 4:30 pm. This four-day exhibition, sponsored by the Sycamore Shoals Stitchers, features a show and demonstrations by local quilters. The Roan Mountain State Park Miller Homestead has live music concert and events throughout the fall. The Miller Autumn Harvest Festival is October 13: a demonstration of old-time skills with homemade treats, and various crafts (call 423-772-0190). As the winter holidays near, stayed tuned for downtown Elizabethton’s cherished annual Lighting of the Frasier Fir. www.TourCarterCounty.com website has fresh new look.
Greene County — QT
Woods-Gift Farm. Woods-Gifts Farm Store has homemade – Handmade! – crafts and treats for the upcoming holidays. Call to stop by the Farm store Monday-Saturday (423) 234-5532. You’ll find 40-some flavors of jams and jellies, including sugar-free spreads, all made on site in small batches from family recipes. Mrs. Peters has new handstitched cloth hats for the whole family, 18 designs, fancy and plain hats. Mr. Peters offers his handcarved elegant walking staffs and canes with decorative handles. Stay tuned for craft workshops and shows in the spring. (423) 234-5532. 13705 Horton Hwy, Greeneville, TN 37745.
Walnut Ridge Llama Farm. Return of the Spooky Llamas! Spooky Llamas is a “family friendly”, spooky and funny (“not gory”, emphasizes farm owner Jerry Ayers), rush of fall events on the farm. It runs September 21 through Saturday Oct. 20. Every Spooky Llama night hosts a different local storyteller. Plus there will be a Cherokee encampment on the farm for the first 2 weekends in October with Cherokee storytellers and guided tomahawk target practice. See their full calendar of events at http://spookyllamas.com Continuing into November weekends there will be hayrides and storytelling. The Walnut Ridge Annual Christmas event with a new adorable baby camel will be on the Saturday before Christmas. 1345 Chuckey Hwy, Chuckey TN 37641 www.WalnutRidgeLlamas.com
James-Ben Studio and Gallery Art Center. Come and enjoy the works of 150 Tennessee artists and artisans at James-Ben Studio & Gallery Art Center. Known as a “destination gallery” and recognized as one of the top acclaimed galleries in the Southern Appalachians, the studio itself is worth a trip to historic downtown Greeneville. This fall (thru October 31) the gallery’s ART at NPAC exhibition featured artist is North Carolina-based painter Jan Adams. Adams’ works, “The Painted Prayer”, are spiritually grounded in the healing practice of creating art to express spiritual insight and experience. The Gallery’s newest presentation format, the Artist’s Showcase, specializes in a larger display of original works by a single artist. Currently, award winner Bob George’s original watercolor or oil wildflower portraits are scheduled thru September. “Greenescapes,” Wanda Rahm’s acrylic landscapes of Greene County will be the next Artist’s Showcase. As we near colder weather look out for The Artisan’s Cooking School, holiday oriented gift-making classes, hot mulled cider, offerings of our fifth-generation Christmas Plum Puddings plus other fun and inspiring events every weekend starting November 2. You can keep up to date with all of the gallery’s offerings at their website and on Facebook. But the best thing to do is visit! Director James-Ben Stockton prides his gallery on being “a welcome change from stuffy galleries” where you can enjoy a wide variety of arts in a low key and comfortable setting. They are open 7 days-a-week commencing “Black Friday through Christmas Eve. http://www.james-ben.com 129 N. Main St Greeneville, TN 37743.
Still Hollow Farm. The Still Hollow Annual Fall Fair is Saturday October 13, 10am-5pm celebrating local harvest and arts of the region. Fall produce, and vendors and artisans selling unique “backporch” finds. The Farmers Wife Shop, located in the farm’s old granary, is open during the week now and will be open all through winter for holiday finds. The shop sells local goods and its unique garden iron sculptures. Stayed turned for the Dec 17th Christmas Open House seasonal sale. Still Hollow is a nationally recognized Century Farm – now on the National Register of Historical Landmarks! It is open for booking 2013 weddings and events. www.StillHollowFarm.com
Southerland Farm. Something for everyone at the Southerland Farm’s 6th Annual Fall Fest (Friday, Saturday, Sunday October 5, 6, 7). September and October weekends the farm is are open for fishing, as well as hayrides, and fall flowers, pumpkins, gourds, and decorative items. 1390 Birdwell Mill Rd. Greeneville, TN 37743
Farm operator Gwyn Southerland is also available to bring Fall to You. Gwyn will create a custom fall display for your business, event, or at any site that needs a bit of seasonal color and creativity. Call 423-552-8469.
Myers Pumpkin Patch. Myers is proud to have been the 1st Corn Maze in northeast TN. The farm is open with fall delights: thousands of pumpkins and gourds, colorful Indian corn, dried gourds for crafts and birdhouses. Myers even has hand painted quilt mural gourds for sale! Everything sold at Myers was grown on-site at the farm. The Haunted Corn Maze, 24 acres of “fright-filled adventure” will be Friday and Saturday nights, the last weekend Sept. through October. Myers Farm is open for booking weddings and other events at their Farm House.3415 Gap Creek Rd. Bulls Gap, TN 37711 http://MyersPumpkinPatch.com/
Unicoi County — QT
Scott Farms. Strawberry season was fantastic this year. Now Scotts continues to have fresh produce for you – the Produce Cooler at 650 Scott Rd, Unicoi, will have farm-fresh tomatoes until the end of October or first freeze. Next summer keep your eyes out for the Scott family’s latest enterprise: Scott Unaka Mountain Blueberries. As the weather turns favorable (send us a prayer!) mountain blueberries will be for sale around town and hopefully as U-Pick. 650 Scott Rd. Unicoi, TN 37692. http://www.ScottFarmsTN.com/
Double D Roost Campground – The Double D “Double Irish” mural is displayed at the campground. Even if you are not a camper, you should visit—the creek that runs through the grounds is stocked with trout are is open to the public for fishing, picnicking, day use. Not just for campers! Remember that children and seniors can trout fish without a license. The campground is a great place to camp to enjoy the Erwin Apple Festival (October 5 & 6). Double D Roost has full hook up camping as well as tent sites; the bath and shower houses with hot water remain open until freezing weather. 3333 Temple Hill Rd. Erwin, TN 37650
Unicoi Heritage Museum – One of our region’s wonderful specialized and intimate museums. Check out their Clinchfield Railroad museum (containing the original blueprint plans and equipment from the Clinchfield railroad), and the 3-floor Heritage Museum, which boats an amazing array of historic Blue Ridge Pottery. The Unicoi Heritage Museum will be open during the Erwin Apple Festival (October 5 & 6) and is otherwise open 7 days a week in the afternoons, 1pm-5pm. Next to the Fish Hatchery, 529 Federal Hatchery Rd. Erwin, TN 37650
Washington County — QT
K&K Bee Farm. Local honey and fragrant wax available at the Kingsport Farmers Market or you can visit the on-site farm store for more sweet products and bee keeping supplies. Starting your own home hive is a growing hobby as people discover how rewarding it can be—and it is important as our native bee populations suffer mysterious decline. The farm store can supply you with the right bee keeping equipment in time to start a new hive next spring. Stop by to chat with the bee experts Ken and Kathy. 207 Paul Saylor Rd. Jonesborough, TN 37659
Tennessee Quilts. Our region’s local quilting supply store. October’s quilting workshop Oct 9-13th hosts Joan Wolfram, an internationally known instructor. Joan will teach “Light up your Quilts” (2-day); and “Adventures in Design” (3-day). Visit the TennesseeQuilts.com website and blog for up-to-date news, patterns, and fabrics. Plus their online store has over 8,000 items: traditional and contemporary fabrics, notions, ribbons, kits, books, as well as a diverse selection of quilts ready to grace your home. 114 Boone St. downtown Jonesborough, TN 37659. http://TennesseeQuilts.com/
Larry Thompson U-Pick Farm Summer is still going strong at Larry Thompson Farm! From now until frost come out and U-Pick several varieties of tomatoes, green beans, shell beans, green peppers, okra. Can’t-be-beat prices by the 5-gallon bucket. You don’t get much fresher! It’s also time for fall pumpkins, gourds, and winter squashes. Produce is also available pre-picked and ready to purchase at the farm store—cucumbers, eggplants, squash, and potatoes, all from the farm. After frost the farm store will still be open to sell fall season produce. www.LarryThompsonFarm.com is kept up to date with availability. Off Highway 107, 236 Charlie Carson Rd. Jonesborough, TN 37659
Sullivan County — QT
Exchange Place. www.ExchangePlace.info. 4812 Orebank Rd, Kingsport, TN 37664
The Exchange Place Fall Folks Arts Festival is Sept 29 & 30. Admission only $1.00! Expect animals, vendors, demonstrators, bakers, and kettle corn makers! Brunswick stew and apple butter kettles cooking over an open fire, and music will sound through out the grounds. Many heritage craftspeople will be demonstrating the “necessities of the 1850’s” so many fun activities from ropemaking to soapmaking.
Witches Wynd. Oct 26 & 27 @ 8:00 pm. With its shadowy corners of ancient log buildings, the Exchange Place after dark is the perfect chilling atmosphere for spooky storytelling. Guests will assemble at the barn and be lead in smaller groups by a lantern-bearing host on a storytelling journey through the grounds. Autumn weather in Tennessee can be cool enough to bundle up and windy enough to enhance the evening’s hair raising experience.
Look to the website for more details on the December 1st Christmas in the Country crafts and activities event, 10-4:00; Yule Log Ceremony at 4:00 pm.
Netherland Inn. 2144 Netherland Inn Rd. Kingsport, TN www.NetherlandInn.com
If you have never visited this historic Kingsport treasure, visit during the Fall Quilt Show! Oct. 5, 6, 7. Netherland Inn and historic Boat Yard is the newest addition to the Quilt Trail In fact, the quilt mural will be mounted coinciding with the fall quilt show. Showcase of quilts, historic, traditional, and contemporary through out the main Inn and the Bank Barn museums. Transportation museum will also be open. There will be quilting demonstrations and hearty country fare (soup beans, potato soup, cornbread). If you have a quilt you would like to show, bring it to the Inn (Lilac Lane off Netherland Inn Rd, Kingsport) on Wednesday October 3 9am-1pm;5pm-7pm.
Fall Quilt Show Dates and Times: Oct. 5 – 12pm-5pm; Oct 6 – 10am-5pm; Oct 7 – 1pm-5pm. Admission to the museums and the quilt show is $5.
Yancey Tavern. A privately owned residence originally built in 1779 on the first wagon road in the state, Yancey Tavern has been fully restored and saved from demolition. The home is open for booking by appointment for churches and groups dedicated to historic preservation, patriotism. 423-323-5742. 6290 Chestnut Ridge Rd Blountville, TN