I didn’t sleep well last night. Two years ago, while performing a controlled burn, we had the wind pick up in the evening, and our fire threatened to get away from us. I will never forget it. Though we contained the blaze, the memory is a reminder, a warning, of how quickly a controlled burn can move. I know the area we prepared and am grateful that the state is helping us this year.
We were under a frost advisory last night. Every step I took this morning made a satisfying crunch underfoot. As I returned from my morning hike, I stopped to talk with my farm manager, Harold. He explained the rifle shot I had heard earlier this morning. Harold had shot two coyotes that have been sneaking…
Sunday is a rest day, so we are ready for an exciting river outing. Today we drove around the Catoosa Wildlife area to paddle Clear Creek of the Obed River. This is a beautiful stretch of river that is the only federally protected waterway in the state of Tennessee. The water quality lives up to…
I am excited about the burn that Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will do on Coal Creek next week. We carried out these burns ourselves for years, but having the pros involved reduces the stress factor. I hid a key for the fire crews to access the farm when they arrived. Dr. Dwayne Estes recently discovered…
I’ve been looking forward to today for weeks. In addition to being a steward for Coal Creek Farm, since I moved to TN I have become an avid whitewater canoeist. Canoeing is a sport that’s origins trace back to the native peoples who farmed this land for centuries. Coal Creek, Whites Creek and Powder Creek…
It’s Sunday, so it’s time to go paddling. We headed out to paddle one of my favorite local rivers. We are fortunate that we live so close to the Catoosa Wildlife Area and have the skills to navigate down the Daddy’s Creek Canyon. This beautiful and exciting whitewater river is less than 30 minutes from…
This morning I woke up and looked out over Coal Creek Farm and saw nothing. This isn’t true; I saw a beautiful expanse of whitish gray. At the top of the mountain where my farmhouse is, we were totally enveloped in the clouds. It’s amazing to go from being able to see the Smokie Mountains…