[011] STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES GILES COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 8 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES GILES COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Gooch Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 29

(MURFREESBORO)—The Gooch Farm in Giles 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, which is located on the MTSU campus.
Founder William B. Gooch, who was married to Alice Roland Gooch, purchased 35 acres south of Pulaski in 1884. The couple’s children were Walter, Claud, Hattie, Georgie, Clarence and Arch. The family raised their food and made their living from the farm, which supported dairy cattle, pigs and chickens, as well as corn, cotton and hay. Then, in 1909, William purchased and additional 31 acres adjacent to his farm.
In 1943, Walter Gooch became the second-generation owner of the property, which—by this time—had increased to 116 acres. He and his wife, Alma May Kerr Gooch, had three children. During their ownership, the family cultivated corn, wheat, cotton and hay. They also raised Poland China pigs, dairy cattle and chickens.
William F. Gooch, the grandson of the founders, and his wife, Alice Bass Gooch, acquired the property from Alma Gooch in 1965. Alice reports that her husband was “born, lived and died on the farm.” In addition to his farming duties, William served as vice president of the First National Bank for 30 years, from 1972 to 2002, where he was the farm appraiser.
Following William’s death in a farming accident, Alice, along with their daughters, Sheila Gooch Price and Angela Gooch Mayes, continued to own and operate the family farm.
Currently, Alice’s son-in-law and Sheila’s husband, Tommy Price, works the land. The family produces a wide variety of crops, including corn, grain sorghum, cotton, wheat and hay. In addition, they raise Black Angus beef cattle, dairy cattle and Poland China pigs.
A frame house that was built in 1883 is maintained by the family as a reminder of the long history of this farm.
“The Gooch Farm is the 29th Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in Giles County,” Hankins confirmed.

About the Century Farms Program

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.


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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 a jpeg of the property, including one of the property’s home built in 1883, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.