Tottys Bend Soap Farm: Stop #8 on the Arts & Ag Tour of Hickman County

Friendly Goat at Tottys Bend Soap Farm

Tottys Bend Soap Farm will be joining the the Arts and Ag Tour on Friday and Saturday, for the fifth year in a row, as stop number 8 on the tour map. There you can see firsthand how owners Nate and Vanessa Davis raise their goats and make a variety of skin care products from their goat milk. The Davis’ moved to Hickman County from Atlanta, GA in the summer of 2006. The couple was immediately drawn to the idea of raising dairy goats for milk and cheese. Soon they had a small, productive herd of registered Nubian goats. Neither Nate nor Vanessa had any experience with goats or farming of any kind. They relied on advice from experienced goat farmers and did much of their early learning through trial and error.

Tottys Bend Goat Milk Soap

In 2010, with a few years of goat farming under their belts, the couple decided to experiment with making goat milk soap. At first they gave their handmade soap to friends and family but soon they began selling their goat milk soaps at the Centerville Marketplace, a shop on the square in Historic Downtown Centerville, just a few miles from their farm. This was the perfect place for the Davis’ to try out different styles and scents of soap on local shoppers. Within the year, the Davis’ created what has become their signature goat milk soap, a four ounce rectangular bar embellished with a decorative Celtic pattern. It was in the fall of 2010 that Nate and Vanessa Davis founded Tottys Bend Soap Farm.

Goat Milk Soaps hand made by Nate and Vanessa.

The following year, Tottys Bend Soaps hit the shelves in several Tennessee Whole Foods stores. While the exposure at Whole Foods has been a blessing to the small company, the Davis’ agree their favorite venue is still Centerville Marketplace for its local charm and loyal customers. They also enjoy setting up a booth and selling their products directly to their customers during the Arts & Ag Tour. “There is nothing more rewarding than to talk to our customers in person. At the Arts & Ag Tour we can share our story and talk about our handmade goat milk soaps. People love to meet our goats, and learn about the nourishing benefits of goat milk, and the natural ingredients that go into our products,” says Nate. In addition to their goat milk soap bars, Tottys Bend Soap Farm also offers handmade goat milk lotions, shaving soaps, talc-free body powder and all natural lip balm. “We make over 25 different scents from recipes that are gentle on sensitive skin,” says Vanessa.

Goat Milking Demonstration

Goat expert Pam Hethcote from Possum Hollow Farm and owner of Star Brite Goat milk Soaps and Lotions will also be there with her handmade items. She and the Davis’ longtime friendship developed from their mutual love of raising dairy goats. “We goat people stick together!” says Hethcote. Brenda Estes, another fellow goat farmer, will also be onsite doing milking demonstrations. Early visitors are invited to milk one of Brenda’s dairy goats. Goat cheese and fresh goat milk samples will also be available to visitors of Tottys Bend Soap Farm during the Arts & Ag Tour.

JoAnne’s Creations will be set up with her beautiful handcrafted jewelry and fabric creations as well as homemade jams and sweets.

See www.TottysBendSoaps.com  or go to Tottys Bend Farm on Facebook for more information about Tottys Bend Soap Farm.

Toyzini Gallery – Stop #15 on the 2016 Arts & Ag Tour of Hickman County

Toyzini at work in his gallery in Lyles, TN

Toyzini Galleries features a wide array of artistic exhibits, ranging from work by outsider or self-taught artists to work by both local and national artists in a variety of mediums. The gallery is run by Hickman County native Randy Toy, also known as The Great Toyzini, a local outsider artist who has been an exhibit designer for Cheekwood Fine Arts Museum and Brooks Museum in Memphis and has been showing his own artwork as well as the work of others for over 40 years. He was involved with the first Arts and Ag, originally held in the basement of the Old Courthouse on the Historic Centerville Square, and has participated in the event, either as a vendor or a stop on the map for the past five years.

As one of the early participants in the Arts and Ag festival, Toyzini has witnessed the growth of the artistic and agricultural community surrounding the annual event. According to him, this growth is “only natural” given the amount of rural beauty and talent present in Hickman County. At Toyzini Galleries, the focus is on making connections between artists and vendors, and for many of the vendors showing at the gallery, Arts and Ag provides such an opportunity.

Toyzini Art Gallery, Hickman County, TN

Toyzini Art Gallery,  Hickman County, TN

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This year, Toyzini Galleries will present the following artistic lineup:

• Dr. Dale Sworts, a veterinarian known locally as the Medicine Man, will be displaying his paintings, many of which feature some of his patients.
• Rose Littrell, a nationally recognized sculptor who has created works for both the Wild Horse Saloon and Opryland Theme Park, will have one of her works on-site for the festival.
• Brenda Dawson, local author of Running for Home, will have her book available at the gallery.
• Terri Tucker, an amazing self-taught artist, will show her photo-realistic sketches.
• Guest artist, Rand Lane, a well-known artist, who makes the southern folk art circuits with his paintings.
• Guest speaker, Joyce Day will be giving a talk on collecting outsider art at 5 p.m. on the 27th and 11 a.m. on the 28th; she will also bring some pieces from her collection, as well as her original drawings.
• Emily Naff, photographer, will be introducing her new series titled “The New American Gothic,” a look at the modern organic farmer in Hickman County.
• Lauly Arts, created by multi-talented artist Claudia Reis from Berlin, Germany, will return to Arts and Ag with jewelry, paintings, bags, and found-object art.
• Denny Adcock, a woodworker and photographer will exhibit examples of both at the gallery.
• Lois Lewis will display her unique and beautiful, hand-painted pottery.
• Penny Stafford, a sculptor known for the textured surfaces of the pots she creates, will present a sampling of her work.
• Ben Lankford, an outsider artist whose work has been exhibited all over the southern United States.
• Clinton Toy, a woodworker and painter, will show handmade bird houses and carved fish along with his colorful two dimensional works.
• Tatum Creek Crochet, made by Cofie Toy, will feature crocheted market bags, baskets, and dishcloths.
• Antonia Meadors will exhibit her series of out-of-this-world lizard paintings.
• Austin Toy, Hickman County’s premier rap artist will have his latest CD available for sale.
• Wonderful festival food by Gloria McCord will be available from her cart on-site.

Toyzini Galleries is located at 5603 Hwy. 100, Lyles, TN 37098 and is stop number 15 on the Arts and Ag map. Further information on each of the above artists will be available at their respective booths during Arts and Ag.

Paintings by Antonia Meadors on display at Toyzini Gallery.

Denny Adcock at Toyzini Gallery

New American Gothic: Lewis Acres

Sunny Side of the Street by Toyzini

CALL TO ARTISTS, MUSICIANS & FARMERS

The Fifth Annual Arts & Ag Tour is coming up May 27th and 28th!

If you are interested in participating as an artist, crafter, musician, or as a farm on this back roads tour through Hickman County, please contact us at 931-628-0215 or email us at artsandagtour@gmail.com. More info and applications available to download and print from the link below. 

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity! Participate on Friday or Saturday or both days. Stay tuned on Facebook, too!

2016_ArtsandAg_APPLICATION

 

Grinders Switch Winery, ArtsandAgTour2015, Hickman County, TN

Pinewood, ArtsandAgTour2015, Hickman County, TN

Heritage Reclaimed Farm, ArtsandAgTour2015, Hickman County, TN

Denny Adcock at Toyzini Gallery, ArtsandAgTour2015, Hickman County, TN

Duck River Rose, ArtsandAgTour2015, Hickman County, TN

 

 

 

Call to Farmers, Artisans and Musicians for the 2015 Hickman County Arts & Ag Tour

With Spring just around the corner, Arts & Ag is gearing up for the Fourth Annual Arts & Ag Tour of Hickman County which will be Memorial Day Weekend Friday, May 22 and Saturday, May 23, 2015. We are now accepting applications for farms, artisans, and musicians who would like to showcase their talents and their wares on the 2015 Arts & Ag Tour Map. Community Centers and local non-profit organizations are also welcome. Applications are attached here but they can also be picked up at Wild Duck Soup Emporium, 105 S. Public Square, Centerville, TN  37033 (931 729 0690) or downloaded here.

Applications must be submitted to Antonia Meadors at Wild Duck Soup Emporium along with the entry fee of $35 cash on or before March 15, 2014. From March 16th until April 15th, the fee is $45. Receipts will be provided.NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER APRIL 15th.. The fee is waived for non-profits who submit their application in by March 15th, and for musicians who are willing to perform at a site – a display to promote yourself and sell your cds is encouraged. Space on the map is limited and there is a selection process so please submit your completed application as soon as you can.

Harvest Market Vendors!!

Just a few weeks away, our Harvest Market Vendors are working hard to have plenty of their home-grown and handmade products for you to enjoy! Here is a list of some of the 32 vendors and friendly faces you will find on October 18th!!
Claudie Mae’s Farm – petting zoo with ponies and Carl the Llama as well as farm raised pork and sausage
Mama’s Naturals – jewelry and clay bookmarks

Droplette Jewelry – healing salve and herbal tea blends

Jo Neace Krause Art – Fine art

Possum Hollow Farm – goat milk products and petting goats

JP Creatives – handmade picture frames and Xmas ornaments

Adventure Jewelry – handmade jewelry

Dale’s Barn Wood Imaginations – handmade benches, bookshelves, tables, etc.

Back to the Roots Farm – fall produce 

Woodchips and Sawdust – woodworking and hand-painted saw blades

Clara’s Kitchen – fried pies, canned goods, bread, etc.

Joanne’s Creations – Jewelry, sewing, baked and canned goods

Terra Bambino – organic baby bedding and unique gifts

Pinewood Farms – farm produce

Beaverdam Creek Farm – farm meats and produce

Woodworks – hand-made wooden boxes and other items

Holt Farming Company – information about herd-sharing dairy farm

Sheri Bulla Loofah’s and Wreaths — Bulla Farm–local grapevine wreaths and home-grown loofah

Woodworks–hand-made woodworked items

Glenda Lovell Art – prints and notecards or original artwork

LuLu’s – seasonal sweets and hot beverages

Four Directions to Health – chair massage

Sunnyside Farms–farm and herbal products

Natural Herbal Healing – herbal products

A & W Enterprises, LLC – custom handmade pens and woodcrafts

Barefoot Farmgirl – honey, hand knitted items, and skin care

Reclaimed Heritage Farm – fry bread, bakery and other farm produce

Totty’s Bend Goat Soap – goat milk soap and lotion

Hickman County Garden Club – plants

Grinders Switch Foundation

Council on Aging 

Clay Harris Theater

Hickman Health Council – kids activities and health info

Sunnyside Farm – herbal sprays, and culinary herb mixes

Bonnie’s Beads  – handmade beaded jewelry

Carl’s Calls – hand-made duck, deer, and turkey calls

Chef Sara Horowitz – gourmet BBQ and good eats!

And so much more!!! 

We can’t wait to see you!!

 

Arts & Ag Harvest Market – October 18th at Grinder’s Switch Winery

 

 

Arts & Ag Harvest Market 2014

Bringing the back roads Tour into a “one-stop” marketplace for Holiday shopping

‘Tis the season when crisp autumn air rejuvenates the spirit, multi-colored leaves light up the forests, and nature’s waning harvest reminds us to start stocking up for the winter ahead. The creators of the Arts & Ag Tour invite you to come celebrate the bounties of the season at the Arts & Ag Harvest Market, on Saturday, October 18^th from 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Featuring some of the county’s best homegrown farm goods, arts and crafts, music, and award-winning wine, this outdoor market will set up on the picturesque grounds of the Grinder’s Switch Winery just off Highway 50 West in Centerville, Tennessee and offer a great opportunity to get a head start on your holiday shopping.

Inside the Winery’s cozy, hand built log cabin, owners Gail and Joey Chessor welcome visitors to free tastings of their Tennessee wines. With selections from sweet to dry, there is something for every palette. Their four estate grown wines are named after old trains (inspired by the local train history of Grinder’s Switch) and each feature a classic locomotive on the label. Also inside the log cabin is a gift shop with wine related gifts, cheeses, snacks, and some local crafts. Learn more about Grinder’s Switch Winery and their many offerings at gswinery.com.

In addition to shopping the Harvest Market, visitors can savor smoked barbeque and tasty fixin’s (delicious washed down with a crisp glass of Dixiana, the Winery’s newest dry white) while listening to live music by Brown’s Giftshop Revival Band and many more! . Stop by the Arts & Ag information booth for information about what they do and why they do it, or just to say, “Hello!”

Stay posted for vendor spotlights and new details about the Harvest Market by subscribing to the blog at artsandagtour.wordpress.com, and “like” Arts & Ag Tour on Facebook. You can also visit Wild Duck Soup Emporium, the Unofficial Arts & Ag Headquarters, at 105 South Public Square in Centerville, or call 931 729 0690.

Mark your calendars now for October 18^th – you will not want to miss the Arts & Ag Harvest Market!

 

Carl the Llama, Wilbur the Pig, Pony Rides, Crafts and More at Stop #18

Don’t miss Claudie Mae’s Farm, located in the Shipp’s Bend area! With farm animals, food, and crafts for sale it is fun for the entire family. Kids love the pony rides and farm animals, especially “Wilbur” the adorable mini pot belly pig, and “Carl” the coolest llama ever!

Claudie Mae’s will be doing an educational piece for the kids at 11am and 4pm both Friday and Saturday. Learn about the animals and what their jobs are on the farm. At 2pm on Friday and Saturday Miss Minnie Pearl will make an appearance – after all – she was born and raised right across the way in Grinders Switch. Hotdogs will be on sale for lunch each day. Two artists will be featured at the farm: A and W Enterprises, selling handmade pens and other wood crafts. Amas Veritas, selling natural soaps, lotions, and shaving products.

Claudie Mae’s specializes in Birthday Parties, but when they aren’t partying they open the farm up to share with kids and adults! Sign up for drawings throughout the day on Friday and Saturday. The Grand Prize will be a FREE two hour birthday party at the farm. Come by and put your name in the hat! Claudie Mae can’t wait to see you there on May 23rd and 24th from 10 am -6pm.

Visit their website at claudiemaes.com and like them on facebook!

Totally off-the-grid Solar Homestead at Stop #24

Evermore Farm was purchased by George and Sarie Beckett in 2006. A tree farm of 193 acres this was to be the couple’s future retirement home. Although anxious to begin building right away it was in 2011 that the couple was able to start building their vision.

The home and has been built entirely with all “green” building techniques. It has a striking large wooden barn populated with 12,500 watts of solar panels that power this completely off-the-grid homestead. With the nearest electrical line being ¾ mile away, besides powering the home and farm, the solar normally found in panels also charge a Chevy Volt electric car, a Duffy electric boat, and George’s small fleet of powerful, all electric garden tractors that are used to do the majority of jobs on the farm. State of the art, super-efficient appliances provide the home with all the modern comforts you would expect in a modern home. Mini-split heat pumps provide air conditioning and heat from the solar array supplemented by an outdoor wood fired boiler in the winter time. A bank of 24 large batteries located in the basement of the home store the power needed when the sun is not shining.

The home itself was designed from the ground up to not only be extremely energy efficient, but every detail of the home was planned with earth friendly materials from the start. From zero VOC paint to carpeting made from recycled milk cartons and doors filled with pressed wheat it is an ecologists dream! The architecture of the home was uniquely designed to take advantage of passive energy savings and is super eco-friendly insulated to maintain a lovely interior environment free from all the chemicals normally found in modern construction. Light reflecting shingles, radiant barriers in the attic, even the chalking and glue used in the home was environmentally friendly. The list goes on and on! They are also avid recyclers with a recycling station that covers an entire wall of their garage!

The Beckett’s life style includes eco-friendly soaps, shampoos and house-hold cleaning liquids along with organic cotton sheets, towels, and even much of the clothing they wear is made from organic materials. They eat healthy, farm-to-table, organic fruits, vegetables and meats either from their own farm or from that of the many neighbors in Hickman County who run organic enterprises of their own. They raise their own chickens for eggs and meat and have an extensive garden today. Plans are to add pigs, fish and an orchard/vineyard in the next couple of years.

Finally, the Beckett’s are hosting a number of gospel concerts on their farm this summer including The Red Roots, the Double Country Tour, and Hew Haw’s LuLu Roman! This is a must see stop on the Arts and Ag tour.

Join us for Eco Ag March 3rd

Arts & Ag invites you to join us for our third annual Eco Ag seminar Monday, March 3rd, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at LuLu’s Roadhouse 1726 Highway 100, Centerville TN, 37033.

Eco Ag is a FREE opportunity for our community to learn about the sustainable methods used by many local farmers right here in Hickman County. We’ll hear from a panel of farmers from all over Hickman County who farm using sustainable methods. They produce a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grass fed beef and lamb, honey, soaps, yarn, etc. We will sample their products and learn what, how and why they have chosen to farm the way they do.

Contact Wild Duck Soup Emporium for more details and if you would like to participate on the panel CALL 931.729.0690. OR email us at artsandagtour@gmail.com.

Come See our Tree at the Festival of Trees This Weekend!

Arts & Ag is very excited to invite you to come see our tree at the inaugural event, “Festival of Trees” coming up December 6th, 7th and 8th, hosted by the Hickman Co. Ag Pavilion! Plenty of details about the event are described below, but for now, we can’t wait to share some of the many things we’ve been working on in preparation to display a tree suitable to the Arts & Ag mission.

The Arts & Ag tree is selected and going home!

When we first said, “Yes, Arts & Ag should be a part of the Festival of Trees!,” we didn’t actually have a tree with which to work. We looked around for an artificial tree to acquire inexpensively, but as we sought, we began to think how wonderful it would it be to showcase a live tree. “How wonderfully green,” we thought — a live tree, acquired locally, could be planted and live on after the event, and grow! We inquired to GroWild of Fairview where they graciously gave us a tour of their grounds and where we fell in love with a Juniperus virginiana ‘Brodie’. Although not a traditional Christmas tree, ‘Brodie’ is an evergreen indigenous to Tennessee and carries a conical shape. It currently stands about 10 feet tall in its pot and will get as tall as 25 feet with a spread of 6-8 feet, once mature. We purchased our tree and brought it home to Hickman County – it’s pictured here ready to be tied and loaded up. GroWild is an impressive place, we recommend a visit, but an appointment is needed. Visit their website here: http://www.growildinc.com

Of course, the Arts & Ag tree would have to feature handmade ornaments so what better reason to have an Ornament Party? We pulled out boxes, bags and bins from our craft artilleries; we glued, trimmed, glittered, wrapped, strung and crafted bunches of wonderful ornaments while drinking homemade eggnog and listening to Christmas carols. We made a huge mess and had huge fun doing so! Some ornaments to be featured on our tree have been created and donated by local artists and participants of Arts & Ag events.

‘T’was late November and all through the house were visions of glitter, glue and ornaments scattered throughout…”

There are still some odds and ends being pulled together, but we wanted to share a sneak preview. This is just a sampling – we can’t reveal everything – you’ll have to come see for yourself how it looks once it’s all together. Come visit the Festival of Trees—it’s going to be magical! Keep scrolling down for event details.

Vintage Vegetables

Farm Animals

Dried Harvest Veggies

Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!

Artistry, Hands-on, DIY

Watercolor Ornaments

Ornament by The Great Toyzini

CREATE. GROW. SHARE.

Trees of Sheet Music

Wild Duck Soup

Ornament by Joanne Sadoski made of Harvest Market postcards

Fondue Vintage Homewares mini “lamp” ornaments

Festival of Trees:“Where the Treetops Glisten and Children Listen…”
December 6th, 7th, and 8th from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. each evening
Hickman County Ag Pavilion & Fairgrounds
979 Grinder’s Switch Road, Centerville TN 37033

Wander through a winter wonderland of more than fifteen theme trees exquisitely decorated by local organizations, groups and businesses of Hickman County, displayed under the pavilion of Ms. Mable’s Back Porch. Visitors can “vote” for their favorite tree by making a small donation to the tree. Inside the Wash Shouse building will be the Unique Boutique featuring about a dozen vendors with freshly baked goodies, specialty food, crafts and gift items such as holiday ornaments, wreaths, jewelry, scarves, quilted items and more.

Each evening at 8 p.m., Mary Beth Pruett will read from “Christmas at Grinder’s Switch” and tell stories about her great aunt, Minnie Pearl. Also featured each evening will be a live nativity, carolers, and pictures with Santa!

Admission is $5 per carload. So, load up the kiddos, grandparents and your neighbors, too – this will be a wonderfully fun and festive family event!