What's REALLY going on around here?! (Cookeville, Monterey: vacation, organic, advertise)

[hiknapster]

AKM4: All I really need are Grainger County tomatoes and PBS! You are right!

Ridgerunner: My mom is really excited about Jamestown's anniversary. I guess there are articles about it in National Geographic and Time. I've been to Jamestown twice. I love that area!

[akm4]

It IS a big deal. We have visited Colonial Williamsburg, (one of my top ten favorite places in the world), the last 2 Octobers and they have been promoting the Jamestown Celebration very well.

[northcountrygirl]

As this thread originaly started to talk about the kind of people who live in Tennessee I just wanted to tell you about my recent experience with just one of them. I mentioned a little while back that I am working with a girl who is working up here but lives in Nashville. We have become friends. She just invited me to come down with her to go to Fan Fair. She's flying down with me driving me around because I don't know my way and letting me stay with her at her house so I can afford to come. She has an incredible kind and big heart and would do anything for her friends. It has been my pleasure to meet other Tennesseans on this forum who have both PM'd with me and exchanged e-mails and now they are all my friends. I think that says everything about people from Tennessee. Just had to share. I have to move to Tennessee now because that's where all my friends and my heart is.

[hiknapster]

I am so glad that you will be able to attend Fan Fair!

[northcountrygirl]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I am so glad that you will be able to attend Fan Fair!

Thanks! Me too. I can't tell you how excited I am. This is an amazing opportunity for me. Which is my point. If it weren't for my friend from Nashville I would never be able to come.

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by northcountrygirl

Thanks! Me too. I can't tell you how excited I am. This is an amazing opportunity for me. Which is my point. If it weren't for my friend from Nashville I would never be able to come.

Have you already bought your ticket to the show? I had a discount code; but I'd have to look and see if it's still good.

BTW, the official name now is the CMA Music Festival.

Oh. And enjoy your visit to Nashville.

[happyappy]

Kitty Cat and JMT,

We took the drive on Hwy-70 into Cookeville today. And then we went out to MMKM Family Produce Market.

Wow! Triple WOW!!! Every time I think I’ve seen the most beautiful pastoral scenes in my life, we go around a curve and there’s a topper.

We bought some of the best tasting groceries I’ve ever had the pleasure of consuming! I ate half of a half of a wheel (?) of Colby cheese before my wife grabbed it out of my hands—while she was driving! But when I got home, I really got into it with the blueberry butter and the Amish roll butter, and the peach jam, and . . . Anyway, tomorrow we’re going to have asparagus and peaches-and-cream corn and scalloped potatoes with LOTS of Vidalia onion and . . . I’m getting hungry again and I don’t see how that can be.

A lot of the product there is made by Troyer. Remembering back when I used to raise draft horses (Shires), I recall that there was a large Amish family with the name Troyer spread across Indiana and Ohio. They farmed extensively with draft horses and also raised and sold some exceptionally good draft horses (Belgians). I’ll have to go online and find out if there is any connection.

So, to both Kitty Cat and JMT, thank you for your recommendations and for helping to make this one heck of a fun day!

[northcountrygirl]

Originally Posted by alleycat

Have you already bought your ticket to the show? I had a discount code; but I'd have to look and see if it's still good.

BTW, the official name now is the CMA Music Festival.

Oh. And enjoy your visit to Nashville.

No I haven't had a chance yet. This just happened. I appreciate the offer. Thanks for correcting me on the name and your well wishes. I'm going to be thrilled to be just standing in Nashville. I didn't get to see it except to drive past it coming from the airport. If you live around Nashville it probably dosen't mean much but to me standing on the sidewalk will be a thrill

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by northcountrygirl

No I haven't had a chance yet. This just happened. I appreciate the offer. Thanks for correcting me on the name and your well wishes. I'm going to be thrilled to be just standing in Nashville. I didn't get to see it except to drive past it coming from the airport. If you live around Nashville it probably dosen't mean much but to me standing on the sidewalk will be a thrill

I'm thinking the discount code to use is "titans" because it was sent to people who have season tickets to the Tennessee Titans. I'm not sure however; it'll be Monday before I can check because the e-mail is on my office computer.

[mbmouse]

I had something happen to me yesterday afternoon that I just have to share with all of you that really tells about the people here in East TN and "What is really going on around here"
I stopped to buy some veggies at a little stand this man in town has by my bank. Well, it's not really a stand, more of a table set up at the back of the two pick up trucks he has parked there. He drives to N.C. and S.C. once a week to get the produce then sells it there from his truck. Anyway I walked up to the table, didn't see any green peppers out, that is what I mainly stopped for, along with tomatoes and cucumbers . I said "Hello, how are you today, yada yada yada...Do you have any green peppers today" He put up his index finger and said" Boy do I have a special on peppers today just for you" He grabbed a plastic bag, turned to the back of the truck, reached in a box and put about 10 peppers in the bag turned to me and handed me the bag, said "there ya go, hows that for a special today" It was very obvious he did not intend to charge me for these (I have stopped here several times, I knew it) I looked up at him and said, "really?" He said rather offended, "Didn't I just hand you that bag and say there ya go?" He was a little miffed. I knew I would offend him further if I even attempted to offer to pay him. I did giggle, say thank you and asked if was ok if I purchased some cucumbers and tomatoes? He said sure, what would you like? I got my several tomatoes and cucumbers, he weighed them and charged me $2.50. I did not have exact change, I gave him $3.00 and his eyes dared me to tell him to keep the change as he reached in his pocket and handed me the $0.50. This is true Southerner right here. I knew if I said more than "Thank you" or tried to give him money, I would have offended him. Would he have given me, or anyone else the peppers if they had walked up and asked for a hand out?( not that I ever would) NO, but that it was I came for, for some reason he felt they were not fit enough to charge me for them (they are great peppers by the way!) he had his reason and I knew better than to ask that reason.
Now most people would see this person as a "grumpy old man" if you just looked at him or talked to him for a few minutes, but I know he is a true southern gentleman. Will I bring him something special the next time I stop by to buy my produce, some yummy homemade dish or treat, you bet, will either of us say a word about the free peppers? No. Do I feel obligated to give him something now? No. It is just the Southern Way.