By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher
ELORA, Tenn. — Whether you’ve lived in Southern Middle Tennessee you whole life or recently moved here, one of the highlights of each spring is the appearance of the Dennison Family Farm Little Red Houses in places like Decherd and Fayetteville because it means that homegrown strawberries have arrived for the season.
Bright red, and naturally sweet, the locally-grown gems are the perfect nature’s candy.
Each September, members of the Dennison family plant row upon row of strawberries with the promise of a spring bounty on their third generation farm located in nearby Elora.
And strawberry farming isn’t particularly easy. Each winter they doggedly protect the fragile strawberry plants from extreme temperatures and harsh freezes. If they lose the crown of the plant, it won’t produce yummy strawberries in the spring. They use row covers and sprinklers to protect the blooms. This sometimes means hours upon hours of time outside in the fields in frigid temperatures.
The farm’s run by a sister and brother duo. Wayve and Frank Dennison now run the farm their parents, Don and Genora, bought in the 1960s in an area known as “The Switch” due to its proximity to the old L&N Railroad.
They manage timberland and plant over 50 acres of fruit and vegetables each season. In addition their regionally-famous strawberries, they also grow cantaloupes, corn, eggplants, peppers, squash, tomatoes, pumpkins and a host of other fresh-from-the-farm items. You can find out what in season by calling their Veggie Line at 931-937-8162. They also host a Farm Market at 98 Milner Switch Road but you’ll need to text them at 770-722-6348 for an appointment. It’s open Monday through Saturday.
Fresh strawberries are sold at their Little Red House located at 2285 Decherd Boulevard in front of Four Seasons in Decherd, the River Oaks Shopping Center in Fayetteville, and Riddle Plaza in Madison, Alabama.
Dennison strawberries are as limited as they are delicious. The season ends when the berries run out. If you want to keep up with where they make deliveries on a daily basis, be sure to follow them on Facebook by clicking here. •
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