The backroads, the old buildings, homes, barns, and churches. History.
You are invited to travel the backroads with me!
I feel sad to see the speed of the disappearing landscape all around us.
Even sadder to discover some who were born and raised here, in this small country town of Lynnville, TN, and could not answer my questions.
But I digress!
I go for the history that I know, the joy of getting there, and the food!
The town has a rich RR heritage.
Soda Pop Junction is housed in a fabulous old building (1860). Its beginning served as a drugstore and saloon, under the same roof!
Soda Pop Junction was born in 1998. Their award-winning hamburgers( local beef) and milkshakes keep folks coming from all around the globe.
In the last blog update, I teased you with our new purpose for Sage Hill Gardens.
After 23+ years of growing food, producing a product, and holding many productive events.
In the background, the question always lurked: when and how will it come to an end?
Downsizing is a term/act that has not served us/me well.
Shutting it all down and going off to play for my remaining years was akin to making a square peg fit into a round hole. Never going to happen!
So, the path we have chosen, or the one that chose us, serves to keep us involved with the same thought we started with. (care for the land, meet our needs, and give something back)
while eliminating the daily demands of hard, physical work.
In essence, this decision rewards the elements of nature that made all the past years successful.
**Our focus will be on the Monarch butterfly, Honeybees, Toads, and Dragonflies.
I look forward to having you all join us in the “fun” and educational purpose.
The first draft of Sage Hill Farms began as an idea while I hiked Pisgah Mountain in North Carolina in 1999.
Over the next four years, doodle paper stock, no doubt, was the highest the market had ever seen!
I worked through every possible scenario on paper.
With two retirements to get through, my idea had a small chance of becoming reality. Until one day, it all fell into place.
In 2003, we found ourselves in Lincoln County, Tennessee, via hubby’s AT&T transfer.
(It would not have been my first choice, but it was close to my home grounds, and so be it.)
The first garden stake was planted in late August 2003.
Sage Hill Farms was a successful, commercial herb grower/producer until the end of 2018.
All commercial activity was retired, and the name was changed to Sage Hill Gardens.
(We revamped into private food growers and teaching others how to do the same.)
With each passing year from 2018 to 2025, production has been less and less, by design and life demands.
I find it only fitting to put all those years to rest on the birthday of Sage Hill.
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But wait———-Sage Hill is not going to sleep forever. A short nap and she will be back with a new purpose and lots of passion!
This new venture came to me in a discussion about selling and opting for a smaller home and grounds.
That idea got no traction!
In the next blog post, I will introduce you to our new purpose. Stay tuned!
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Meanwhile, I’d like to share one of Tennessee’s State Parks that inspired us to plant Native grasses 15 years ago.
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Henry Horton State Park.
We were there on Tuesday, the renovations are amazing, and more to be done.
A portion of the grounds, including the golf course, has been planted with native grasses for wildlife, attracting beautiful birds and butterflies.
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The grasses at Sage Hill are exceptional!
Today, while cleaning a wildflower spot, we discovered 3 offshoots about 3 feet high-exciting!
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Hohenwald is a city in and the county seat of Lewis County, Tennessee.
The name “Hohenwald” derives from German meaning “High Forest.”
The town was founded in 1878 and later merged with a town named “New Switzerland” to the south. New Switzerland was founded in 1894 by Swiss immigrants in conjunction with the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway.
Hohenwald is also the home of the Elephant Sanctuary, the largest natural-habitat sanctuary for elephants in the United States.
The 13 elephants that call this amazing place home live a peaceful beautifully cared for life and dine like royal elephants should.
On 3,000 acres of elephant proof surroundings, with a Warming barn to protect them from the cold in winter and a staff dedicted to making life comfortable, healthy and fun.
I am in awe of and came away profoundly touched by the history and the many traits that man and the elephant share. So much to know!
If you choose to visit, be aware you view them in real time on video in their natural habitat, doing their daily routine, unaware they are being watched.
It is not a zoo like setting. It is their sanctuary, a place to live out their life with dignity and security. ( the two oldest are 67 and 69 years.)
One hour and 30 minutes west of Sage Hill. (Driving the back roads can add miles and minutes to any trip, but the rewards are worthy!)
The Rockhouse Coffee Company serves up some tasty fare and great, no junk drinks.
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The best Chamber folks I’ve ever met, really into the job, friendly, informaative and actively open to ways of bringing more attention to their town.
They have the October Fest each year to celebrate the German heritage of the town.
We had a great conversation about the October Fest in Cullman, Alabama (another city with German Founders) she plans to visit and perhaps find some comman ground for cross promot.
I hope so.
One probably does not think of the mountains when Pizza is on their mind.
However, one has never had pizza at the Mountain Goat Market, if that applies!
Locally sourced produce.
Fresh-baked breads.
Homemade desserts.
Drinks without all the nasty stuff, and a crew that works in harmony.
No long waits and never a disappointment on any level.
From Sage Hill, up the mountain to Sewannee, TN ( University of the South), on to Monteagle is about an hour.
The drive is a exciting as the food. A winding mountain road that is pure pleasure to drive.
If you haven’t been— go.
If you are not close by, make a road trip!
One can cover many miles and cross many county lines, all while soaking up the serenity of “the backroads.”
The winding curves, ridges, dips, coves, and hollows are all minutes away from some quaint little town with a rich and interesting history.
Lynchburg was our first stop. (1801)
The home to Jack Daniels Whiskey. A long and winding history that has survived the test of time.(1866) The first registered distillery within the US.
(for many years now, owned by the Brown and Forman group.)
I have, for many years admired the way it was preserved, and on the face of it, most won’t notice until it’s too late, but change is happening and it isn’t pretty.
But for now, go, soak up the charm, and if you are hungry, look around, choices are plentiful. It’s all as good as the next one. You can’t make a bad choice!
We opted for Southern Perks, one of 2 best coffee choices around and too many great foods to list. (not your average coffee shop!) Five stars+!
Miss Mary BoBo’s, began in 1908 when Miss Mary assumed ownership of the historic Salmon Hotel.(built in the 1820s) It was built over a natural spring.
Miss Mary ran the boarding house until her death in 1983.One month shy of her 102nd birthday!
It sits on the National Register of Historic Places and was visited by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1940.
Lodge Cast iron cookware is Headquartered in South Pittsburg, TN, just a few curves and ridges away…happy to have them in Lynchburg also. (my favorite)
Always a surprise as to who one will run into in Lynchburg…this trip it was LSU fans and other Louisiana wanderers ! (nice tour bus)
The courthouse…love old courthouses! The craftsmanship is beyond words.
A few favorite spots.
On to the next stop, Tullahoma, TN., quaint with a commercial face that often overrides the treasure of uniqueness. ( chartered in 1852)
A major military history-worthy of the read.
Here you can find Aldi, Ollies, the best of medical resources (for what it’s worth) Arnold AF Base and…The Celtic Cup…(a jewel among the stones of Coffee Houses!)
By this time I was tired and happy to take my celtic Cup and let the man behind Sage Hill Gardens do the driving!
(he thinks he is a better driver, depends on who you ask! Well, he did train under a badge, so maybe??? )
Life is good, generous, and worthy of the road time! ( no matter who drives!)
The man behind Sage Hill gardens-hates FB and the camera?? a tough life…for him!Lovely old house, beautifully restored inside and out.
When I allow my mind to return to my childhood, and stay for dinner, the kitchen gets interesting.
My Mother’s table-
Pinto beans, Fried Green Tomatoes, Whipped Potatoes, (straight from the ground) Cornbread in a black iron skillet, and a toss-up on dessert, anything from Apple pie, Peach pie, Blackberry cobbler, Coconut cake, Carmel cake, Raisin cake…mercy, and we were all skinny as rails.
The Table at Sage Hill-
Red Beans, Brown Rice, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Real French bread.
Blueberry Muffins with Lemon glaze.
I believe we still qualify for some level of skinny!
I love traveling down Memory Lane.
Pass the butter (the real stuff) please and thank you!
The pounding on the front door began just at sunrise.
No matter how many covers I pulled over my head it simply would not go away!
Down the stairs, opened the door and she came flooding in like rushing water through a broken levy.
The miracle we know as Sunshine!
Twenty minutes, that first cup of Sunday morning coffee, a chapter in a good book…fuel for the day.
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If you have an interest this book is a powerful lesson in history, faith, and women who paved the way.
121 brief biographies of women who lived from the first century right into the present.
Names we know and names we have never heard, women born of high wealth and women born to poverty and obscurity.
Queens and peasants, noblewomen, and serving maids, all are outstanding servants in their devotion to Jesus Christ.
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Copyright 1959 by Edith Deen
I have not been off of these grounds since May!
At least to no destination that was blog worthy or fitting.
With planting time, then harvest and preserving, family stuff, and honestly…the state of our country right now makes it hard to think “fun stuff!”
All work and no play is not a good thing!
So, today I put on my touring shoes and hit the road, my destination was…whatever, wherever gets my attention.
I didn’t get far up the road when it hit me…I was starving!
Well, if you know what is happening in our small town of Petersburg, then you know, it is hard to drive through and not stop in to see Miss Jean.
So I did! Soups, sandwiches, and fabulous desserts, everything has that special edge…gourmet! Kinda has a Reto feel, but mostly clean, cool, and yummy!
I then spent almost 2 hours in great conversation with one of the shop owners/antiques (for real).
We discovered a lot of common ground, (beyond antiques) it was time beautifully spent.
I am delighted to see this little town coming to life again, it has an amazing history…more to see, do, and share as time passes…
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