Farm Profile: Runion farm

working farm & research site for flood recovery

A Farm’s Commitment to Sustainability and Growth

Nestled in the rolling countryside, Will Runion’s family-owned farm is charting a new course in both environmental stewardship and rural hospitality. 

The farm is a 625-acre peninsula, surrounded on three sides by the Nolichucky River making it some of the most fertile rich floodplain. The soil in Washington County. The Runions run Angus cattle and cut hay on the pasture lands, and Will Runion served on the board of the Appalachian Producers Cooperative but had started to make plans for a campground and event venue on the banks of the river. During 2024, sites and service hooks ups were installed and design plans were underway.

During the height of Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters, most of the acreage was under water and the waters came almost to the front stoop of the house.

The campground was completely wiped away.

A lot is needed to be rebuilt and the Runions have been hard at work this year.

We featured them in our short film on recovery: see YouTube footage of Will talking about rebuilding.

Over the past year, the farm has been the site of an ambitious soil and streambank stabilization project, designed to halt erosion, protect vital water resources, and restore wildlife habitat along the Nolichucky River in Limestone, TN that lines the 625-acre property.

Research and restoration efforts led by UT Extension Institute of Agriculture have laid over several research plots designed to mesaure which seeds and nutrient aids work faster to germinate in the sand and silt.

ARC&D, TN Division of Forestry and Nolichucky Outdoor Recreation Alliance are proud partners. The results are already taking root. Native plants and grasses are now establishing where the riverbank was once a hollowed-out crater, and the river flows clear, supporting a renewed abundance of fish and birds.

Now, the benefits extend beyond conservation. The Bent Venue + Lodging is set to move the campground plans to higher ground, looking up at the surrounding mountains. The improved landscape offers campers serene waterfront sites, shaded by young trees and serenaded by birdsong. Their guests will experience firsthand the beauty of a thriving ecosystem. This project stands as a testament to how working farms can blend sustainable practices with rural tourism as they forge their farm in resilience.

Follow their progress at: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Bent-Venue-Lodging-100095296777147/