I recently had the wonderful opportunity of visiting Wilson Family Farms of Powell, TN.

Owners Wayne and JoAnn Wilson grow and sell a variety of fresh vegetables and cut flowers using natural and sustainable farming practices.

I first met JoAnn while she was working in the corporate world as a colleague of my mother. In 1999 she walked away from the office world to the rural world and began a home garden on their hilly property in Tennessee. A few years later her hobby grew into a market gardening business, selling her produce at the local farmers market. I ran into JoAnn there and became a loyal customer immediately, not because she used to work with my mom but because she grew haricot vert, a french fillet bean. The fact she had beautiful bouquets of fresh flowers didn’t hurt either.

I had been visiting our farmers market for a few years, it wasn’t much to write home about. A handful of vendors selling the same potatoes, tomatoes, corn and string beans week after week. The produce was all high quality and good tasting,but if I missed market day it wasn’t that big of a deal. Joann was the first in my recollection to start offering some “specialty produce.” Since then our market has grown and is a delight to visit, with many more vendors, an increased variety and many more heirloom varieties.  

In 2004 JoAnn’s husband Wayne had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Unable to  meet the demands of running his mechanic business,in 2006 their gardening business became their main income. JoAnn and Wayne are the perfect compliment to each other and it is evident when you visit their farm. She is very intelligent and has a mind for business, he is a resourceful and innovative thinker, and they are both hard working and devoted.

Over the years they have transformed their sloping property into terraced fields, in order to grow high quality, produce. Although not certified organic, the Wilsons practice natural, sustainable, and conservative farming techniques.

The Wilsons main objective is to provide the highest quality, best tasting produce in the most economical way possible while preserving the integrity of the land. They are continually learning both formally at conferences such as SAWG and informally such as a new way of supporting tomato plants with twine suspended from the top of the high tunnel, which they learned from a fellow grower.

Some of the observations I made while visiting their farm:

When a new crop of leeks required planting leek transplants 3 inches deep and 4 inches apart, he fashioned a stick with a sharp end and a piece of metal branching off, at that depth, with another sharp end in order to help JoAnn with the planting. It is not easy for him to squat down, but this way he could prepare the holes and Joann could plant the seeds.  

Because some seeds are so tiny, spacing properly would be near impossible, growing instructions indicate thinning out seedlings. Not Wayne, he made himself a tiny two pronged fork to separate out each of the seedling so they each become a plant. The photos you see of seedlings,is twice the amount of trays Wayne divided out, to grow these healthy tomato plants he will sell to home gardeners in the community.

     

As I approached their farm I was amazed by the biggest leaf pile I had ever seen. I was a bit confused since there were only a dozen or so trees within view. Greeted by their border collie, Oreo I forgot all about the pile. Later as Wayne joined JoAnn and I as we toured the farm, he pointed out four piles, each one smaller, finer and darker. A few years ago they partnered with a local landscaping business, offering them a place to dump their customers fall leaves free of charge,. In return the Wilson gain free compost. Since the piles are so large, typical compost feeding and turning would be nearly impossible. the Wilsons are thrifty and patient so the leaves sit four years, decomposing into a rich compost.

When I asked them about eating locally and organically and whether or not they thought that their diet had an affect on his disease; Wayne replied “I’ll let you decide, I was diagnosed three and a half years ago and I haven’t been back to the doctor since.”

Wilson Family Farms produce can be found at East Tennessee F.A.R.M markets in the Knoxville area. This season at the market the Wilson will be offering, lettuces, swiss chard, leeks, garlic, masai green beans, french green beans, heirloom tomatoes such as cherokee purple,brandywine and mortgage lifter to name a few.

Be sure to stop in and say hey, tell them you read about them here.