Blackberry Farm - Surely Heaven on Earth

 The Main House used for breakfast and lunch service

Veranda off the Main House- love that table built around the trees.

 Morning Mist

Boat House- perfect for reading a book or enjoying a cocktail. 

 One of many bridges on the 4200 acres.

Main House Sitting Room - dressed as an old country manor home with fabulous antiques.

Main House Dining Room used for breakfast and lunch

The Barn - used for dinner and houses the wine cellar and demonstration kitchen.

Blackberry Farm's picture of the Barn's main dining room.

Dining room china designed from drawings by John Coykendall,

the Blackberry Farm master gardener.

Sitting area in the demonstration kitchen in the barn.

Demonstration and teaching kitchen in the Barn.

Love this sitting area in the Barn.

Entrance to the Barn dining room - simple and elegant.

Miniature strawberries being grown for desserts and garnishing.  Lovely!

Mr. John Coykendall, grinding corn for cornmeal.

The Garden Shed- so quaint!

Reverend Taylor Heirloom butter beans

Hollyhocks, typically grown in the old south to identify and hide  the outhouse!

Flats of basil and mizuna microgreens being ground for the kitchen.

Wild ramps being prepared for pickling

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Blackberry Farm Cheese Cave- their blue cheese is divine. 

 You can order their food products on line.

Chef Dustin Busby, the Larder House manager.

Lunch that Chef Busby prepared for us.- poached farm egg on a bed of caramelized onion and carrot puree, with quinoa cooked in ham hock liquid, sauteed wild greens and country ham.

A sampling of entrees for the evening meal.

 Blackberry Farm cocktail in process being developed for the summer months.

I just happened to be on the veranda during the photo shoot!

Shaved cucumber strips around a seared tuna salad- absolutely divine!

Notice those herbs on top - mizuna - purple mustard greens in micro green stage- peppery taste and very very good!  I will definitely grow some!

Eggs gathered from the free range chickens on the farm.



Breakfast offering at Blackberry Farm.

Italian Truffle Dogs-Lagotto Romagnolos- used to sniff for truffles on the property.-

They raise and sell these gorgeous dogs.

The Fly Fishing Shop - how cute is that!!

Inside the fly shop- ready for lunch with a Blackberry Farm boxed gourmet lunch.

Mr. RTH fly fished every day - all day! His version of heaven on earth!

One of many places to relax. Love those burlap monogrammed pillows.

 On the front porch of our Holly Glade Cottage.

Just relax!

We are just returning from Blackberry Farm, a glorious place in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains in east Tennessee. Southern hospitality at its finest - Blackberry Farms employees are the nicest group of people, so accommodating to every little request.  The views were intoxicating and the food was habit forming - you just could not get enough. Every course was a work of art served in an old barn that was found in Pennsylvania and re-assembled here.  Suzanne Kasler, an Atlanta designer, magically transformed the space into an inspirational masterpiece.   4200 acres are at your finger tips to explore, hike, fly fish, horseback ride or just simply rock away your time on the Main House's veranda. My favorite time was spent with John Curkendall, the farm's master gardener and the Larder House manager, Dustin Busby.  After spending time with Mr. Curkendall in the garden and learning about how to grow and harvest basil and mizuna microgreens, lamb's quarter,  heirloom tomatoes and butter beans, we joined Dustin in the demonstration kitchen to prepare our lunch with vegetables just harvested from the garden.  Dustin taught us to proper cook and season quinoa, caramelize onions and carrots, make fresh ricotta cheese, and properly poach an egg.  We were able to tour the larder house and see local wild ramps being prepared for pickling. As the larder manager, Dustin also is in charge of the sheep and free range chickens that roam on the property.  After lunch we went back to the garden for more local stories and information of the life of a master gardener with Mr.Coykendall.   This magical place makes you reflect on life and realize that it is the simple things that matter most. I guess I really am a county girl!  If you ever get the chance, this is a dream place to visit.