[384]STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES MONROE COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES MONROE COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Harrison Dairy Farm Becomes County’s 11th Designated Century Farm

(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Harrison Dairy Farm in Monroe County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, announced Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1901, William Harden Harrison and his brother-in-law, John P. Simpson, purchased 180 acres near Loudon. The family, including William’s wife, Fannie, and Effie ,who was married to John, raised cattle and horses and grew corn and wheat. In 1907, William bought out his brother-in-law’s half interest and became the sole owner of the property. Under his ownership, the farm produced the same crops and livestock as before.
The third owner of the farm was Mark H. Harrison, the only child of William and Fannie, who acquired the land in 1943. Along with his wife, Mary B. Harrison, they established a dairy business, constructing a bottling plant and a barn for the milk cows. In addition to dairy cattle, Mark raised sheep, corn, wheat, hay and alfalfa. The couple had three children: Charles T., William B. and Joe James Harrison.
“The dairy industry, once a primary part of the state’s economy, has steadily decreased in recent years,” Hankins said. “Fortunately, some families—such as the Harrison family—continue the tradition of dairy farming, and the counties in east and southeast Tennessee lead the state in milk cows and dairy products.”
In 1967, Charles Harrison obtained the property. Charles and wife Mary are the parents of Steve T., John M., C. Paul and Amy (Harrison) Hinton. The family continued the dairy business and built a new milking barn in 1968, where the Harrisons milked more than 120 cows.
On March 23, 2000, Steve T. Harrison, the great-grandson of the founder, became the owner of the land. Steve married Beverly B. Harrison; their three children are Mark, Bo and Rebecca. Today, Steve works the land with his sons and the farm currently produces dairy cattle, corn wheat and hay.
Hankins said that the family reports that in 2004, a new dairy barn was built and that they now milk more than 700 cows. In addition to the new barn, the farm has many historic structures, including two barns that were built around 1870 and a farmhouse that was constructed in 1901. The barns are currently being used for storage and the house continues to be used as a residence.
“The Harrison Dairy Farm is the 11th Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in Monroe County,” Hankins noted.
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 CHP 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 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.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “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 interview the farm’s owners or request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.