(MURFREESBORO) It looks as if growth is bringing more change to the Heart of Tennessee. The land around The Grove At Williamson Place and ultimately the farm there are being eyed as locations for future roads.
Local agricultural leader John L Batey started this project five and a half years ago to allow today's residents an opportunity to experience life on a farm and to see what was one of the major factors in this county's history.
The Batey Farm's FaceBook site notes that this family's desire in creating The Grove at Williamson Place along with the adjacent farm, was "to preserve and revitalize that farm in hopes that it would renew a sense of community engagement and the importance of agriculture in our daily lives."
Population growth and an increasing demand on this city's infrastructure is creating other demands on that property.
Batey talked about recent news from the City of Murfreesboro addressing the need to improve public safety in that vicinity and improve travel in the Medical Center Parkway area.
He said, "While our family certainly cringes at the thought of losing green space to a development, we do understand and respect the fact that improvements have to be made moving into the future."
He commented, "We thank the city for working with us and not against us during our time of farming on this property. However, in light of recent events and a change in management, we are no longer business partners with the land owners at The Grove, our dreams are being changed. We continue to solely farm the land behind the Grove, but have no action, nor can we take any, when it comes to preserving the Grove, the farm and that immediate area."
The Batey family's desire to share the history of agriculture in Rutherford County goes back over a considerable period of time. Products from their family farm in the Blackman Community have long been available in area stores. In addition, Wilbur the pig brought worldwide attention to Murfreesboro with the popular movie "Charlotte's Web". In fact, after Wilbur retired, he spent his final years on the Batey Farm.
WGNS was there to celebrate Wilbur's birthday in the summer of 2018 with a milkshake from Reeves-Sain Drugstore. The legendary swine passed away due to cancer early in the new year (2019).
The Batey's have also given this community an opportunity to experience picking berries and enjoying beautiful sunflowers in the fields around The Grove. In addition, The Grove at Williamson Place was becoming a primary event location.
John L. Batey concluded, "Batey Farms has been and will continue to be all that our community enjoys about agriculture and bringing diverse opportunities for families to enjoy. As always, your heartfelt appreciation means everything to us as a family and provides the fuel needed to make our farm and community a better place to live. We look forward to many new and exciting things to share with you at our family farm located at 5331 Baker Road in the Blackman Community."
John L. Batey was on the WGNS Action Line Thursday morning (11/14/2019)...check this website's PODCAST section and listen to that broadcast.
