We have been living at Quail Run Farm with our two young sons since we purchased the property in 2022. When we did, we became the third family to work the land here in Lookout Valley. While both our families’ roots are here in Tennessee, we actually met 4,000 miles away at Oxford University while doing our PhDs. So it felt like a moment of Godly serendipity to find the perfect farm only an hour west of Joe’s tiny hometown of Etowah when we moved to Tennessee in 2021. 

​

We consider it an honor and responsibility to restore the working farm back to the bustling production it knew for decades, especially since it feels like a continuation of the family legacy – there are generations of dairy, crop and beef farmers in Joe’s history and tree nurseries and dairy farms in Rachel’s. Passing on this family legacy of farming to our children and sharing it with other families is a calling that we feel God has for our lives. Like most callings, it is rarely easy but always worth it. 

​

While Joe can often be found herding cattle on horseback (a throwback to his 4-H days) and Rachel working with the chickens or gardens (responsibilities she’s known since childhood), we both have full time jobs and rely on a farm manager to run most day-to-day work on the farm. Our farm manager is supported by a community of individuals who want to exchange work for an unrivaled education in the art and science of modern farming and live on this very special piece of land. 

​

Our ultimate goal is to build a multi-animal, multi-crop regenerative farm with a small orchard and garden that can both sustain our family and create a platform that we can share with others. We are passionate about selling our healthy, high-quality products locally. And we see the farm as a great way to bring people together and keep them grounded in nature.