Already this year has been an unusual one. We had our first heat wave in March, and we got cold in late April. Most of the year has been amply wet, pushing back our planting times and leading to this start date, one week later than usual. Let’s not forget the ongoing distraction of the…
While is wasn’t as well attended as the first dinner, the food was second to none! So many good, homemade foods, just trying a little of everything required an elastic waistband. The hardest part was having to play a set on such a full belly. Those who know me know I’m into wild foods, and…
I stumbled on this blog called Portrait of a Farm, and found an interview with Jeff from last fall. I hope these guys don’t mind me posting their work on our site. Trav and Kacy did a nice job. Thanks guys! –Alan Wednesday, September 15, 2010 Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee: Jeff Poppen, Long Hungry Creek…
I found some youtube videos of Crazy. Enjoy!
Written by Jeff Poppen Tuesday, April 26, 2011 The light green of spring usually brightens me up, but I must admit to a sadness. Among other things, my friend “Crazy Owl” died. You may have met him, gray old fellow with a long beard. He was born in 1927, a long time ago. His family…
Crazy died at 8:10am on Monday, April 4th, 2011, after announcing his impending death about 10 days prior. Jeff offered to take him to hospital, and Crazy promptly refused, which didn’t surprise anyone. His knowledge of plants and Chinese herbal medicine, and his subsequent generosity and desire to help people, is a real loss. Many…
The Kirbytown community, made up of the neighbors surrounding the location for the industrial chicken operation we’ve been contesting, threw a fund raiser on April 8th to help study the impact of living near these complexes that house 40,000 chickens at a time. With free range birds from Wedge Oak Farms in Lebanon as the…
WCTE, public broadcasting in Cookeville produces a show called Live Green Tennessee. According to their website, their goal is “talking with our local Farmers, Gardeners, and Neighbors about how our agricultural heritage and local wisdom can help all of us lead greener, more prosperous and healthy lives.” They aired a segment on the Produce Place…
Tennessean Newspaper Mar. 20, 2011 Written by Anne Paine RED BOILING SPRINGS, Tenn. — Jeff Poppen’s chickens followed him as he carried a bucket of grain across one of his organic fields at Long Hungry Creek Farm last week. Above them, atop a steep hill just behind Poppen’s fruit and vegetable gardens, stood a pile…
Written 10/28/10 Dad had a table at the end of the driveway where we offered vegetables for sale. A shoebox collected the money that folk would leave when they go their corn, beans or whatever. It was the honor system. When questioned about people taking without paying, Dad just shrugged his shoulders and said they…
I spoke of this video in a previous post. This is the best view most of us will ever get inside one of these operations. While I am confident this was filmed in a brand new, spotless clean chicken house, it does reveal many of the practices which seem to make this industry more of…
This time we met at the Justice Center in Lafayette. We would like to thank them for allowing us to use their facilities for this meeting. Our keynote speaker, A.T. Terry, had to cancel due to a family emergency. A.T. spoke at our last meeting too. An agricultural economist who was a contract farmer for…
We met at 6pm at Lafayette Jr High School. Heavy rains and wind were called for, and weather broadcasters around middle TN were recommending that people don’t leave their homes. Several local championship sporting events were canceled for fear of extreme weather. With all that, its hard to say whether the attendance was affected by…
In anticipation of the public meeting this week, we invited channel 2 to come out and interview Jeff. They aired a short segment on Monday evening. Sorry about the ad before the story, it’s out of my control.
On Feb. 7, Jeff proposed a resolution to the Macon County Commissioners meeting This is what the Macon County Times printed about the resolution: Jeff Poppen, also known as the “Barefoot Farmer”, was given permission by [Mayor Shelby] Linville to speak to commissioners Monday night. Poppen raised concerns about a proposed chicken house that is…
We are starting a non-profit (501 c-3) to raise money for our legal and PR battles. We need someone to run this organization, with the primary responsibility being the collection of and accounting for donations. We also need a PR team, and while there will surely be room for inexperienced people with a desire to…
In order for Lundy Russell (the neighbor building the chicken houses) to build a functioning CAFO, he must get a water permit from TDEC (TN Department of Energy & Conservation). This step in the process gave us the opportunity to weigh in with a state official- Paul Davis. By requesting this permit be categorized as…