Tag Archives: corn

Peak Season for Local Farm Food

Hot market, but oh-so-cool local farm food. It’s the peak season for the best of summer veggies and that made it worth the while to brave the nasty heat last Saturday and come out to the market. The FFM looked like a foodie’s dream come true – tomatoes of all varieties, sweet corn on the cob, bell peppers, onions, potatoes, okra, blueberries, blackberries, carrots, green beans, peaches – you name it and it was there. The very best in fresh food straight from Tennessee farms.

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Squash and tomatoes from Allenbrook Farm

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New arrival of Tennessee Corn from Kirkview Farm

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Farm Fresh produce from Colbert Farm

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Fresh picked squash and zucchini from Sturbridge Farm

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Beautiful Okra from Colbert Farm

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Fresh picked Blueberries from Blue Honey Farm

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Sweet peaches from Kirkview Farm

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Bountiful CSA’s from Delvin Farms

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Fresh farm produce from Beaverdam Creek Farm

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Peas and lima’s from Kirkview Farm

Even though it was a hot, sweltering kind of day last Saturday, everyone seemed to be handling the heat with no problem. Lots of smiles and lots of people at the FFM, so naturally we had to take some photos. Did we catch you smiling? Take a look at the market’s big photo gallery and find out!

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Loving a farm Sunflower

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Found the perfect 2 tomatoes I like!

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Hank resupplying organic potatoes

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Karen’s wonderful tasting Tomato Pie from Norton Family Farm

Tomatoes large and small, red or yellow, heirloom or standard varieties – it really is tomato season at the market. We love tomatoes and the different recipes you can use them in, like the tomato pies that Norton Farm had this past Saturday. A ripe juicy tomato straight from the garden is the ultimate summer treat and that’s why we celebrate the tomato. July 26th, join in the fun at the Franklin Farmers Market TomatoFest. Our friends from Amerigo know a thing or two about tomatoes and they’ll be demonstrating the different ways to use tomatoes in delicious recipes. There will be heirloom tomatoes to sample, demos on seed saving and a fun kids’ area too. It’s all happening July 26th – TomatoFest at the FFM!

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Juicy just picked red tomatoes from Colbert Farm

Beautiful Spring Day visits Farmers Market

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Vegetable plant starts from Paradise Produce

Allegedly, there is no “perfect” day. But this past Saturday came pretty close to being one a perfect farmers market day. It was a sunny, warm t-shirts and shorts kind of day and there was plenty of good food all around the market. One of the things that make the Franklin Farmers Market a good place to go on any day in the spring is to see what’s new – what’s growing on the farms, what springtime veggies are ready to enjoy. The bright colors of flowers were popping up all over the market, with bedding plants for people to take home and increase that curb appeal. There were the veggie “starter” plants grown by the farmers for those of you that like to do a little back yard gardening. It was a good weekend to grill out too and many of you were getting the best in beef, chicken and pork from our farmers to enjoy. Lots of smiling faces all around as everyone just got outside and enjoyed the day!

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Herbs and Veggie starters from Earth Advocate Research Farm

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Ferns and other hanging baskets from Purple Tree Farm

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Home baked cookies from Dozen

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Fresh Farm Eggs have brilliant yellow yolks and more flavor

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Yum, an Elle’s Donut Fan

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Custom made miniatures by Phillip

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Hand made soaps from Totty’s Bend Goat Farm

Of course, some of you were kind of pushing the season on Saturday, expecting to find such goodies as corn and tomatoes at the market. After all, you’ve see corn showing up in the produce section of the grocery. We’re anxious for corn, tomatoes and other summer goodies to be ripe too, but it’s not the time of the year to find those veggies at the market.

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Fresh picked lettuce mix from Norton Family Farm

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Fresh green onions from Pilgrims Produce

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Beaverdam Creek Farm CSA, sign up today for your farm CSA!

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Newly grown veggies from Kirkview Farm

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Sweet carrots and lettuces from Norton Family Farm

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Hand crafted knives by Antler

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Custom made barn wood signs from Tom the Furniture Guy

And while the weather plays a big role in when crops are ready to harvest, you can get a good idea of when your favorite fresh food will be at the market by stopping at the FFM’s Info Booth at the front of the market and getting what we call the “cheat sheet”. It’s a handy little chart that gives you an idea of when the peak season is for summer produce in Tennessee.

All in all, it was a great Saturday at the market. Lots of smiling faces all around as everyone just got outside and enjoyed day! See for yourself with a visit to our market photo gallery.

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It was all smiles on Saturday with clear blue skies and lots of sunshine as this young Franklin family stops for a quick picture

Watermelon Festival Brings Fun and Games for Kids!

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Teddy Pennington shows off his spitting skills.

One, two, three….spit! Who knew that spitting seeds could be an athletic event? That’s what happened at the Franklin Farmers Market this past Saturday at the 2nd annual Watermelon Festival.  Contestants lined up to show off their spitting ability with watermelon seeds and claim the coveted Seed-Spitting Championship title. The winner was Casey Walker, who put the kids to shame with her athletic spitting ability. However, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place contestants were winners too.

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The winners took home sweet  juicy watermelons

All of them went home with a delicious sweet watermelon. Watermelon was definitely the star of the market, with delicious watermelon slices to munch on while walking around the market.

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A big crowd at the Watermelon Festival!

As we’ve said before, it’s the high season at the market, with summer produce at its peak. Lots of people walking around with big bags filled with peppers and tomatoes; lettuce, potatoes, onions, corn, purple hull peas and much more.

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Tasty, ripe bell peppers at the market

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Sweet corn from the King Family Farm

And it was a record-setting hot August day for the Franklin Farmers Market too. Over 3,000 people came to the market’s Watermelon Festival! We are very grateful for your support of local farms and local food.

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Local artisan Tom The Furniture Guy shows his wares

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There is always music at the Franklin Farmers Market

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Munching on yummy treats from Ellie’s Doughnuts

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Watermelon seed bean bag toss at the festival

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How fast can you eat a watermelon slice without using your hands?

The highlight of the day though was the fastest watermelon eating contest. Contestants quickly munched and slurped down watermelon slices with their hands behind their back.

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Max wins the top prize

It was a very close call, but in the end, Max Atlas took home the championship along with his first place winnings – a big CSA box of produce from Delvin Farms, honey from Johnson’s Honey Farm, sweet preserves from the Norton Family Farm, chess pie from Geraldine’s Pies, fresh yummy doughnuts from Ellie’s Doughnuts, a bar of goat soap from Tottys Bend Goat Farm and of course, a delicious watermelon!

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First place winner Max and his brothers hold up the contest prizes

And if you were at the market for the watermelon festival, you may now be a star on the market website! Click here and check out the photos of market day fun in our photo gallery. Lots of photos snapped, lots of smiling faces. Proof that when all was said and done, it was a great day at the Franklin Farmers Market for everyone!

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Evie, a student at the Growing Kids Garden

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A juicy watermelon makes everyone smile!

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The Franklin Farmers Market Watermelon Festival is proudly sponsored by the Williamson Herald and Southern Exposure Magazine

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Picking out the perfect watermelon

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Slicing watermelon to munch at the market

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Juicy, slurping fun at the watermelon eating contest

Large Crop of Tennessee Melons Now at the Franklin Farmers Market

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Farm Fresh Cumbers and Tomatoes from See Sun Vu Farm

It’s been a strange summer. Here we are in August, which is typically a dry and very hot month. But we’ve had plenty of rain and lows in the 50’s. Weird weather indeed, but on the flip side, it’s been good for the veggies. Right now, the Franklin Farmers Market is loaded with lots of great vegetables. You should have seen the pile of peppers at the Gardner’s Grove booth!

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Multi-Colored Peppers from Gardener Grove Farm

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Over 30 different varieties of Tomatoes

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Beautiful Egg Plant  coming in for 2013 from See Sun Vu Farm

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A Great Summer for Cantaloupe from Kirkview Farm

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This Mom teaching her son about  Delvin Farms CSA fresh veggies

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This year Watermelons are HUGE from Tim of Colbert Farm

And tomatoes were everywhere. Mr. Cecil’s tomatoes were hot items this past Saturday, along with green beans from the Colbert Farm and corn from the King Family Farm. Chicken for the grill was the big thing from River Cottage Farm. The Delvin Farm had cantaloupes that were huge (and sweet!) and of course, several of the farms had delicious watermelons.

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So Very Fresh Green Beans from Kirkview Farm

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Beautiful Potatoes and Melons from Colbert Farm

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Fried Green Tomatoes anyone from Bloomsbury Farm

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Beautiful Apples from Kirkview Farm

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Wonderful Plums and Peaches from Kirkview Farm

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Watermelon Festival is Next Weekend!

Speaking of watermelons, the market’s big Watermelon Festival is coming up this Saturday (August 24th) and it’s a big juicy day of fun for everyone. Besides delicious slices of watermelon to munch on, there are games and face painting for the kids, weird watermelon carvings and the two contests you don’t want to miss – the watermelon seed spitting challenge and the fastest watermelon eating competition.

The excitement is building, as you can see in this short youtube video from one of the potential competitors in the watermelon eating contest:

The seed spitting contest takes place at 10am, while the watermelon eating contest is at 11:30. If you’re up to the challenge, come by the market’s info booth Saturday morning to register. Don’t miss the Franklin Farmers Market Watermelon Festival, presented by the Williamson Herald and Southern Exposure Magazine!

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Fresh Goat Cheese to Sample from Noble Springs Dairy Farm

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Lots of Tomatoes from Rocky Glade Farm

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Golden Melons from Beaverdam Creek Farm

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Truck loads of Sweet Corn selling out fast from the King Family Farm

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Fresh made mini Quiche from Jones Mill Farm

Tomato lovers buy up Tennessee Farm Tomatoes Quickly

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The FFM’s “Growing Kids” gardening students love tomatoes too!

Tomato lovers, rejoice! It truly is tomato season at the Franklin Farmers market. Old favorites, like Bradleys and Big Boys are plentiful now, along with beautiful heirloom tomatoes and colorful cherry tomatoes too.

The market really is a tomato lover’s heaven. For proof of that, don’t miss our celebration of the tomato… TomatoFest!

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Jones Mill Farm Heirloom Tomatoes

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Norton Family Farm Cherry Tomatoes, oh so sweet!

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J.R. and Judy of Jones Mill Farm putting out more Heirloom Tomatoes

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So many nice ripe and juicy farm fresh tomatoes to choose from

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Cherry Tomatoes and Blackberries all around the Market

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A crisp 62 degrees brought out so many Foodies!

On July 27th, tomatoes rule the roost at the Franklin Farmers Market with chef demos from Amerigo Italian Restaurant, tomato squashing and seed saving, yummy samples and the Totally Terrific Tomat-Oh! contest.

Mark your calendars now. You don’t want to miss it.

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The Market was buzzing with the first crop of Tennessee Silver Queen Corn

And while we love our tomatoes dearly, corn was the king of the day this past Saturday as the first crop of Silver Queen corn arrived at the Franklin Farmers Market. It was snatched up so fast, that it was almost as if the farmers were handing out free money. The King Farm and the Gracy Farm sold out quickly and the other farms soon were out of the sweet kernels too. But if you missed out, no problem. There’ll be even more delicious corn next Saturday at the market.

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Market customers helped themselves to fresh corn from the back of pickup trucks

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All gone, sold out in just 2 hours

And a sweet treat made its’ first appearance at the market too. Pilgrim’s Produce farm has yummy watermelons. The “Yellow Doll” watermelons went fast, but more watermelons will be back at the market next Saturday.

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We are blessed to have such wonderful Farmers!  Lucy’s Kitchen visiting with Pilgrims Produce

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Just picked Organic Apples from Delvin Farms

All in all, it was a great market. Lots of families roaming around, enjoying the fresh air and fresh food. A lot of new residents to Franklin stop by too, paying their first visit to the market. And our farmers enjoyed the day as much as you did. Thanks for your support of the Franklin Farmers Market!

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Fresh farm grown Blueberries and Blueberry Syrup made just Friday night before Saturday market

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A great year of nice Tennessee weather delivering wonderful CSA’s from Delvin Farms

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So many farm fresh veggies to choose from

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Another Chef picking up farm fresh cherry tomatoes?

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A happy market visitor finding fresh apples and a sunflower

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This smile says it all…A great week of farm fresh food ahead

Farmers Bring Fresh Green Beans, Squash, Cucumbers, Blueberries, Peppers, Onions and More to Market

You know it’s going to be a good day when you spy the first of the blueberries at the market. They were the early variety, tasty and juicy. Those blueberries didn’t last long though, but that’s okay.

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Deb ringing in the Start of a wonderful Market Day

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Lot’s of new visitors and vacationers enjoying the day

The market was full of delicious food last Saturday. Green beans and new potatoes, along with cauliflower, beets and other fresh produce were plentiful. A lot of good farm eggs were snapped up too, along with tender steaks for the grill. Yummy breads, desserts and honey…. It was a food paradise!

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Fresh Flowers to Fresh Veggies at the market

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Lucy’s Kitchen always has Breakfast Treats ready

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First Cucumbers of Summer

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Where’s my Olive Oil and Outdoor Grill?

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Absolutely Beautiful Potatoes

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The new Franklin Farmers Market Recipe Book has wonderful Recipes from our Famers!

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We still have Strawberries…but not for long!

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Ellie’s Fresh Made Old Fashion Donuts

But sometimes you can’t find the vegetable you really want at the market. A lot of questions were asked Saturday about when would tomatoes show up at market; why weren’t there any watermelons and where was the corn? Georgia and Alabama produce typically is ripe and ready about two weeks before it is in Tennessee. The further south a farm is, the quicker the garden grows. Plus this year, we had a wet and cool spring, so some produce is running a little later than usual. But you need to be familiar with the seasonality of produce and fruit grown in Tennessee. Tomatoes typically are not ripe and plentiful until July. It’s the same thing with corn and watermelons are at their best in July and August too. Next Saturday, stop by the Market Information booth and pick up a free copy of Local Table. It’s a great guide to food and farming in Middle Tennessee, and it also has a big seasonality chart so you can get a better idea of when your favorite veggies and fruits are ripe and at market.

Speaking of tomatoes, nothing says summer like a deliciously ripe tomato. And we’re not talking about those tomatoes that are shipped in from other states or countries. We crave real tomatoes; the locally grown tomatoes. So when those first Middle Tennessee tomatoes are ripe and ready, it’s time to celebrate. And we’re going to do just that with our salute to tomatoes. Don’t miss the Franklin Farmers Market’s TomatoFest, July 27th. Fresh tomatoes are the stars of the show. Enjoy samples of delicious heirloom tomatoes. Watch cooking demos of Chef Steven from Amerigo. Learn seed-saving techniques and take part in the ugly tomato contest. It’s a tomato lover’s heaven… TomatoFest at the Franklin Farmers Market!

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New Fresh Peppers

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Lovely Green Onions

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The clean smell of Lavender was in the Air

Hatcher Dairy Farm on NBC Today Show with Al Roker!

Did you get to see the Hatcher Family on the NBC Today Show yesterday morning? If you missed Al Roker of the Today Show broadcasting from the Hatcher Family Dairy Farm in College Grove, Tennessee, here are a few links to coverage of the show broadcast from the Hatcher Family Dairy.  What great weather for a special NBC Today Show segment with Al Roker direct from the Hatcher Family Farm!

Charlie Hatcher told me last week how excited they were that Sharon had entered a contest called “Wake Up With Al” 2 weeks ago.  After entering Hatcher Family Dairy online into the “Wake Up With Al” contest Sharon Hatcher received a phone call within a few hours asking them to be available for an interview.  From there, Charlie says it all happened so fast.  Congrats to the Hatcher Family on representing Middle Tennessee and Tennessee Farmers so well!  We are all so proud to have Hatcher Family Dairy as part of the Franklin Farmers Market!

Real Farmers!   Real Food!   Real Good!

Video of The Today Show broadcast


Watch it at Today.com

Charlie Hatcher Shares the Experience

Related Links

If you find any more footage from the Today Show segment “Wake Up With Al”, please email us and we will add it here.