[487] Coffee County Farm Joins Rank of State's Century Farms Program

For Release: June 1, 2011
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947


COFFEE COUNTY FARM JOINS RANK OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM

Claude Anderson Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)— The Claude Anderson Farm, located in Coffee 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 at MTSU.
The Century Farms Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have owned and kept family land in continuous agricultural production for at least 100 years.
Just a few years into the 20th century, Samuel Anderson purchased 100 acres of farmland for $1,050 in the Noah community of Coffee County. From 1905, he raised corn, hay, cattle, hogs, sheep and poultry on his farm. His first wife was named Laura and his second wife was Mae Ferrell, and Samuel was the father of 13 children.
Claude Anderson, a grandson of Samuel Anderson, inherited the family farm in 1952. He raises hay and cattle on his 100 acres, much as his grandfather did. He and his wife, Marie, are the parents of five children: Robert Lee, Mary Ellen, Ronnie, Tony and Sarah. The farm continues to be a center of family life, with as many as 100 people present for the various family get-togethers, birthdays and holidays. Other traditional activities that the Andersons take part in, along with family and neighbors, are hog killing and molasses making. Other members of the Anderson family, who came into this area in the late 1700s, have been actively involved in agriculture. Claude Anderson’s first cousin, Austin Anderson, who also is a grandson of Samuel Anderson, was a county 4-H leader for many years and served on the county’s Agriculture Committee. He also was Coffee County Farm Bureau president for 20 years.
Claude Anderson, the second owner of the family farm, is actively involved in managing and operating the land that he has worked for almost 60 years. The Claude Anderson Farm is the 11th certified Century Farm in Coffee County.

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.
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit www.tncenturyfarms.org. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132 or 615-898-2947.

• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owner or request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP at 615-898-2947.



Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. In September 2011, MTSU will celebrate its 100th year anniversary with special events and activities throughout the year kicked off by a Blue-Tie Centennial Gala on Friday, Sept. 9.