'Williamson farm is a special place': Family agritourism blends with development off I-24
Editors note: This is the first of a two-part story that focuses on the Williamson Family Farm. Part two will focus on road plans by the farm to improve traffic safety of Medical Center Parkway, Asbury Lane and Wilkinson Pike.
The Williamson Family Farm seeks to preserve its rural charm by thriving commercial developments off Murfreesboro Medical Center Parkway.
The 240-acre farm's agritourism business that's also off Interstate 24 continues to book weddings, corporate events and festivals, including a Pecan Fest Nov. 4 and Holiday Market Nov. 25.
Founded as a dairy farm with commodity crops in 1953 by the late Bascom and Mitsue Williamson, the agritourism business now has grandson John Mark Williamson overseeing operations. The third-generation farmer seeks to grow 9,000 organic apple trees and other fruits and vegetables on fields near all the apartments, restaurants, hotels, banks, gas stations and other commercial developments.
"Grandfather passed away in 2004," said Williamson, the operations manager for the family business. "He milked his last cow in 1988."
The farm adds to the "quality of life" for residents, including many within walking distance of nearby apartments and homes, Williamson said.
Much of the development near the Williamson property in what city officials such as Murfreesboro Mayor Shane McFarland call their Gateway area is on former farmland. This includes The Avenue Murfreesboro shopping center, Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center, the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce building and the new Clari Park mixed commercial and residential project with plans for 300 apartments, 38 single family detached homes, and a range of 182 to 282 townhouses.
"I think everyone recognizes that the Williamson farm is a special place inside an active place," McFarland said.
The dairy farmers' children, Mark Williamson and Toni Turner, grew up on the property. Mark, his wife, Alice, and Toni decided to preserve the farm and start the agritourism business in 2016 with the initial name, The Grove at Williamson Place. The former name honors the pecan grove that continues to grow tall trees planted long ago near the barns.
The Williamson Family Farm blends with a city goal from the 2035 Compressive Plan crafted by consultant Aaron Tuley and others with Kendig Keast Collaborative based in Sugar Land, Texas.
"Having these agricultural areas illustrates and is emblematic of the city's heritage," Tuley said in 2016.
What's ahead for Clari Park? What's ahead for Clari Park? Mixed-use development offers place 'to live, work and play'
November festivals scheduled for Williamson Family Farm
Pecan Fest noon to 8 p.m. Nov. 4 (Saturday): event includes Best Pecan Pie Contest, Little Miss Pecan Festival, hayrides, s'mores by the fire, live music, craft vendors, food trucks, face painter and bounce house
Holiday Market 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 25 (Saturday): Event will include craft vendors, photos with Santa, s'mores by the fire, food trucks and Christmas music playing through sound system
For more information, visit the Williamson Family Farm website: https://williamsonfamilyfarm.com/
Williamson Family Farm part of historical Blackman community
The farm has acres of space for outdoor and tented activities for weddings, other social gatherings or corporate events for up to 2,500 guests.
Williamson Family Farm touts offering a 5-acre private events campus with two renovated indoor barn spaces, a modern commercial kitchen and four private suites. The farm also can accommodate 2,500 guests for outdoor- and tented activities for weddings, social gatherings or corporate events.
Some people have confused the property as being Batey Farms, which previously had a partnership on farming the property and promoting tourism, such as offering an annual strawberry field for picking. The Batey Farms captured local attention with a large field of blooming sunflowers that led to multiple photos being shared on Facebook.
The historic John L. Batey farm is actually about 5 miles to the northwest in the Blackman community on the other side of I-24. Batey's family farm was founded in 1807 and sits on both sides of Baker Road near Blackman Road.
The Williamson Family Farm is historically part of the Blackman community even though the property is by what the Murfreesboro government calls its Gateway area along Medical Center Parkway. The parkway area also includes Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital; Murfreesboro Medical Clinic; Vanderbilt Children's Surgery and Clinics; the Fountains at Gateway commercial, office and condos development; and the planned Notes Live amphitheater and restaurant project.
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Williamson Family Farm rebrands name for agritourism business
The renovated barns on the farm have served as spaces for many events, including a former location for the annual Blackman Barbecue.
The farm has attracted political events, including a forum for Murfreesboro City Council candidates in 2018. Former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen also used the farm in 2018 to discuss immigration policy with clergy leaders and interview with reporters when he campaigned as a Democrat for a U.S. Senate seat against the Republican winner, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood.
More: Immigrants 'are not criminals' pastor tells Bredesen at Murfreesboro event
Williamson Family Farm has plans to develop a 40-acre festival grounds with a "Festival Amphitheater" for live music, food stands, drink stations and farm-related activities, such as hayrides.
Another plan involves regenerative organic agriculture that goes beyond certified organic farming, said John Mark Williamson, a 2021 North Carolina State graduate who majored in animal science and agribusiness.
The farm that includes a greenhouse will avoid pesticides or synthetic chemicals sprayed on the crops. Organic farming is healthier for the crops and soils, and healthier for the people eating the food, John Mark said.
The new farming efforts include the planting of 3,000 apple trees with plans for an additional 6,000 coming in the spring.
The founders' grandson also intends to provide agricultural education for students on school field trips, such as from nearby Blackman High. Many students are unaware that food comes from farms, so he wants to provide them with demonstrations and hands on activities. This could include planting sunflowers and taking sunflower seeds home.
Another goal will be providing agricultural internships for high school and college students, John Mark said.
Long-traffic plan: Farmland at The Grove could be split by new road
Grandson seeks to honor founding dairy farmers
John Mark hopes to honor a grandfather who grew up in the rural Milton community on the far northeast side of Rutherford County.
Bascom Williamson oversaw agriculture efforts to grow rice in Japan and Southeast Asia as a World War II U.S. Army veteran serving under Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
The grandfather met his wife, Mitsue, while in Japan where she worked at a hotel before the couple bought their dairy farm in 1953.
"He wanted to make sure the world had rice and the kids of Rutherford County had milk," John Mark said.
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Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription for all dnj.com stories.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Williamson Family Farm keeps agritourism by Murfreesboro developments
