[170]STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES DICKSON COUNTY FARM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 22, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES DICKSON COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
100-Year-Old Rocky Top Farm is County’s 19th Century Farm, Hankins Reports

(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Rocky Top Farm in Dickson County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus. Just 100 years ago this month on Oct. 14, 1908, Ezekiel “Zeke” Hickerson Buckner founded the Rocky Top Farm in the Mt. Zion community. Married to Kate McCurdy Buckner, they had eight children: Clemmie, Eldon, Eugene, William, Kathlene, Henry, McCurdy and Roy.
On a farm of nearly 100 acres the family raised beef cattle, mules, pigs, chickens and horses. In addition, they grew dark fired tobacco, corn, hay and wheat. According to the family’s records, Zeke owned a “beautiful, large black stud horse and a jack” that were used for breeding purposes. Many local farmers brought their mares to the farm.
Although Zeke raised horses and mules for his own use, he sold mules at the yearly Mule Day in Columbia. The farm also served as a community hog-killing place. With the first really cold weather, farm families from the area would arrive and help each other process the hogs. The farm was also known for making apple cider. Zeke bought a cider mill and many members of the community would bring wagonloads of apples to grind and press into apple juice and some of the fruit would be processed for vinegar.
The second generation to own the farm was Ezekiel and Kate’s youngest child, Roy. He and his wife Virginia Weems Buckner had three children: Jeanette B. Yates, Roy Philip Buckner and Jerry W. Buckner. Under Roy’s ownership, the farm business continued with horses, mules, pigs and apple cider. Additionally, Roy purchased two adjoining farms and raised and cured both burley- and dark-fired tobacco. He also continued to grow corn, hay and wheat. Roy and Virginia had the house wired for electricity and added a modern kitchen.
On April 8, 2008, Roy Buckner, at age 92, divided the original farm between his two sons, Phil and Jerry. The sons and their families live on the farm today. And aside from managing the farm, Phil served as the manager of Dickson Farmers Co-op in Dickson for 32 years while his wife, Sandy Herndon Buckner, taught school in Vanleer, Tenn.
Both Phil and Sandy retired in 2005. They have three sons, Chris, Ben and Sam, and seven grandchildren. Currently, Phil and Sandy raise beef cattle, Bobwhite quail and both setter and pointer hunting dogs on their farm, which they have renamed “Seven Maples.” They also grow hay and truck patch gardens for Farmers Market produce.
Meanwhile, Jerry teaches in Nashville and he and Bonnie Dawson Buckner have two children and three grandchildren. The Buckners continue to use a handmade cider press and Sandy reports they made between 150-175 gallons this year.
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 denoting 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 for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.