Bluestem Hollow, Greenback, Tennessee

S10:E12. 03/25/2023 Bluestem Hollow, Greenback, Tennessee

Today we are setting the table with a farm visit. We visit with a farmer, garden manager, farm manager, and Chef from Bluestem Hollow, located in Greenback, TN. They also operate a downtown Knoxville urban farm - The Old City Gardens on Depot Ave. On the Greenback farm, they raise grassland beef, chickens for pastured eggs, and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables, along with a lovely event venue. Chef Robert Allen (formerly of Citico’s) is on property. He creates elevated farm-to-table meals on the farm for baby showers, weddings, and corporate events, and he also heads the catering program. Today, we focus on their CSA program that they are signing people up for now and hope to have all shares sold by early April.

We also hear from Lois Caughron, known as the last woman out of the cove, meaning Cades Cove of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This used to be her and her late husband Kermit Cughron’s home. Lois and her daughter reminisce about Kermit, his love for honey bees, honey, and saving cucumber seed.

Links:

Bluestem Hollow: https://www.bluestemhollow.com/aboutcsa

For more information on Lois and Kermit Caughron: http://www.cadescovepreservation.com/

Emi Sunshine (sang our theme song when she was 9 years old): https://www.instagram.com/theemisunshine/reels/

Chris Burger, Karri Garvey and Brenna Wright of Bluestem Hollow, Greenback, TN. Photo: Amy Campbell.

Chef Robert Allen of Bluestem Hollow, Greenback, TN. Photo: Amy Campbell.

Pumpkin Pie and news of an Old-Fashioned Country Fair

S9:E33. 09/24/2022

Pumpkin Pie and the Blue Ribbon Country Fair, Townsend, TN

Pumpkin Pie and news of an Old-Fashioned Country Fair, the Blue Ribbon Country Fair, is taking place Saturday, September 24th from 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. at the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, Townsend, TN.

Our guests are James Gann, a music teacher in Walland, Tennessee. With a specific type of pumpkin he grows and a description of his prize-winning pumpkin pie that won a ribbon at the Blue Ribbon Country Fair in 2019. Haylee Donahue, an East, TN resident. She’ll share her recipe for a gluten-free, dairy-free pumpkin pie and describes how she processes her pie pumpkin (see her recipe below). And In Fred Sauceman’s Pot Luck Radio series New York Times best-selling Novelist Adriana Trigiani shares autumn memories of growing up in Big Stone Gap, VA, and a little story involving the late actress Elizabeth Taylor.

Links:

Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center: https://www.gsmheritagecenter.org/

Adriana Trigiani: https://adrianatrigiani.com/

Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman

Emi Sunshine (sings our theme song): https://theemisunshine.com/

Recipe from Haylee Donahue’s gluten free, dairy free pumpkin pie: (Makes a double batch)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 12 ounces of coconut milk for dairy free pie. Or, instead of the coconut milk, use 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk instead if you do not mind dairy.
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 deep dish pie shells (Haylee used the gluten free pie shells from the grocery store)

Directions:

Mix together sugar, salt, spice, and eggs in a bowl.

Add pumpkin puree and almond milk.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes

Musical Educator, Vocalist, Pumpkin grower and prize-winning Pumpkin Pie maker James Gann. Photo: Amy Campbell.

Haylee Donahue with her pie pumpkin. Photo: Amy Campbell.

Iva Spoon Wilde who for many years demonstrated open hearth cooking at the Blue Ribbon Country Fair holds one of her blue ribbons for her canned green beans, at the Blue Ribbon Country Fair 2019. Photo: Amy Campbell.

Farm to Feast and She Diggs Farm in Harden Valley of Knoxville, Tennessee

S9:E26. 07/23,07/2022 Today we are sitting around the table and visiting with a family and farm and how this family uses their skills to farm, cook, and host elevated meals for private events and, on occasion, community dinners. We visit with Farm to Feast founders Chef Jeff Jorgensen, event planner Jessica Jorgensen, and Jeff’s sister Heather Fulghum, ecology teacher, farmer, and founder of She Diggs Farm, located in the Hardin Valley area of Knoxville, TN. Heather grows the food, Jeff uses it to provide farm-inspired dinners using seasonal ingredients, and Jessica uses her hospitality and event planning background to create elegant feasts on the family farm. Links: Farm to Feast: https://www.farmtofeastknox.com/ She Diggs Farm: https://www.instagram.com/shediggsfarm/?hl=en Emi Sunshine (sings our theme song): https://theemisunshine.com/