080 MONTGOMERY COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 20, 2006
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

131-Year-Old J & J Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)—The J & J Farm in Montgomery County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP), which is located on the MTSU campus.
Located in the southeast corner of Montgomery County, the farm was founded by Hannah Buckanan “H. B.” Wall in 1875. On 50 acres, and he his wife, Margaret Elizabeth Proctor Wall, raised tobacco, fruit, swine, hay and cattle. The couple had 14 children.
After H. B.’s death, Margaret reared her children as well as several nieces and nephews, 23 in all. She also oversaw the building of a house (circa, 1896) from trees milled on the farm. Described as a woman of great fortitude, the family recalls that she continued farm work as long as she was able, even milking from a wheelchair in later years.
The next owners of the farm were sons Sidney and H. B. Wall. During their ownership, the farm produced swine, hay, tobacco, corn, cattle and sheep. Sidney and wife Lottie had six children; H. B. and Hattie had three.
In 1960, the grandson of the founders, John Robert Wall, acquired the land. Over the years, John has made some improvements to the farm by building a new house and being the first residence with running water on the farm.
Today, John—along with his son, Johnny Wayne—work the land, raising cattle, swine, corn and hay. Four generations of the Wall family, including the owner, Johnny Wayne and wife Beverly, and their children and grandchildren, make their home on the farm that was established by the Wall ancestors more than 130 years ago.
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA
provides a metal outdoor sign noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee. There are more than 1000 Century Farms across the state and all 95 counties are represented.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins says, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request an interview with the owners of this farm, please contact the Center for Historic Preservation at 615-898-2947.