LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — Moore County Archivist Christine Pyrdom will speak at the next Moore County Historical Society meeting, which takes place on Sunday, June 8 at 2 p.m. at the Masonic Lodge. The topic will be the Tennessee Century Farms Program. Moore County boasts 13 century farms including Pyrdom’s Choice Farm.

Century farms are a statewide initiative that honors and documents farms owned by the same family for at least 100 years. Established in 1975 by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture as part of the nation’s bicentennial celebration, the program has been administered since 1985 by the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University.

The program aims to recognize the dedication and contributions of families who have maintained continuous ownership and agricultural production on their land for a century or more. It also serves as a documentary effort, collecting and interpreting the agrarian history and culture of the state.

Notable examples are the Craig Family Farm in Perry County, which was established in 1871 by Tapp Craig, a formerly enslaved person. It is the first Black-owned and operated farm in Perry County. Also Bedford County’s Spencer Eakin Farm was founded in 1842 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Eligibility requirements include continuous family ownership, minimum acreage, minimum agricultural production, and a least one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.

Pyrdom will talk about those farms as well as answer questions about the criteria for having a farm registered as a century farm.

For further information contact Michael Northcutt at mbncutt@yahoo.com or phone 931-434-5797 or George Stone a georgestone@cafes.net or phone 931-581-2621. You can also learn more at the Tennessee Century Farms Facebook page or website. •

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