East Tennessee Farmers Bring Locally Grown Products to the Kitchen

©Journal Communications/Jeff Adkins

In East Tennessee, every great meal starts at the farm. With generations of farming history, Blount County yields the high-quality ingredients found in local restaurants and family kitchens. From ancestral black Japanese Wagyu cattle to Scottish Highland cattle and heritage pigs, East Tennessee’s producers are stepping up their game across the food scene. 

©Journal Communications/Jeff Adkins

Harvesting Heritage 

Half Pint Farm is proud to showcase the variety of produce that East Tennessee has to offer, while creating a fun and educational environment to help cultivate a better understanding of agriculture. What started as a personal farm for the Carrington family developed into a business they wished to share with others. 

“Our goal is to create a place where people can reconnect with agriculture, learn something new, and leave with an appreciation for the work and care that goes into local farming,” says Melissa Carrington, owner of Half Pint Farm. 

©Journal Communications/Jeff Adkins

The farm is home to a herd of Scottish Highland cattle, Black Angus cattle, heritage pigs and other farm animals that visitors can learn about in a relaxed environment. In addition to the animals, Half Pint Farm produces a range of small-batch products made on the farm, including jams and jellies, hot sauces, spice blends and pickles. These homegrown products showcase the diversity of East Tennessee agriculture that can be enjoyed at home. Knowing where the products come from can make the experience even more meaningful for consumers. 

“I believe local farms play an important role in building a stronger food community,” Carrington says. “We give people the opportunity to purchase products directly from the farmer who grew or made them, creating transparency and trust that can sometimes be missing in larger food systems.” 

For Carrington and family, the farm is a labor of love that allows them to share their products with a supportive community while educating people about where their food comes from. Whether interacting with Highland cattle or enjoying a meal made with products from the farm, small farms like these bring a richness of experience and high-quality food to the community. 

Smoky Mountain Cattle Co.

Guardians of the Grassland 

Scattered over acres of farmland outside of Maryville, a unique breed of cattle roams among the woods and creeks. Matt Vick, owner and operator of Smoky Mountain Cattle Co., picked the black Japanese Wagyu cow as his breed of choice for his premium, tender and flavorful meat products. The land where his herd grazes was former farmland that was in danger of being developed before the Vicks purchased it in 2019. 

“It’s important to us to keep this land and bring it back to agriculture,” Vick says. 

Equally important to Vick is maintaining the land for the future by using regenerative agriculture practices on the farm. As a rule, Vick never sprays pesticides or herbicides, never gives his cattle steroids and only gives them antibiotics in case of illness. Vick employs rotational grazing and “mob grazing” methods that allow the diverse range of white clover, fescue, timothy grass and wild radishes to thrive. 

In recent years, Vick has witnessed the return of northern bobwhite to his property – a species whose populations have declined dramatically across its range – along with deer, wild turkeys, a bald eagle, great blue herons and otters that thrive alongside the cattle. 

©Journal Communications/Jeff Adkins

Vick’s care for the land extends to Smoky Mountain Cattle Co.’s delivery methods. Their fresh cuts are delivered within a small radius and sold at the Market Square Farmers Market in Knoxville, keeping the product hyperlocal. Blount County’s rich agricultural history means that more people in the area are driven to support and appreciate their local producers. 

“People remember growing up and being able to go to their grandparents’ farm or having a garden in their own backyard,” Vick says. “And I think that drives a lot of people to go to the farmers market and buy things locally.” 

Smoky Mountain Cattle Co. allows people to enjoy a restaurant-quality experience of quality meat in the comfort of their homes, bringing a piece of East Tennessee to the table. 

“Food is how my family’s always shown love,” Vick says. “To be able to love people by providing them with food – there’s fulfillment in that for me.”