About Us

Starting out

The farm was purchased in 1990, and it has carried our family name ever since. The following 2 years were spent making renovations to the home on the property to bring it up to livable condition. The home was built in 1810 and is one of the oldest homes in Loudon County. The initial ventures of Milne Farm were corn, wheat, and cattle. Chasing the cows through town quickly became tiresome, and the cattle business went by the wayside. That same year, the grain bins were erected to expand our grain operations. About 3 months after we got the bins up, the local Co-Op stopped buying grain, and the two-hour drive to the next closest buyer was too much to undertake. So began our search for other options to pursue on such a bountiful piece of land.

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The Fresh Fruit Venture

The first block of grapes was set in 1998. Varieties consisting of Concord, Niagra, Catawba and Steuben made up the first 200 vines. Two rows of seedless grapes were planted for our family to enjoy, but this only yielded a hard lesson about bird control and where not to plant seedless grapes. “Pick Your Own Grapes” opened in 2006 and eventually expanded into a large planting of blackberries as well. Muscadines were later added and enjoyed thoroughly. Finally, 1,700 vines of Chambourcin were added, expanding the vineyard to 5 acres and culminating in a significant uptick in workload.

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Where we are today

While owning and operating a vineyard may seem appealing, the amount of work involved is often underestimated. As the 3 children we raised on the Milne Farm began to disappear off to college, the work soon became overwhelming. The vineyard operation has scaled back over time, and fields that were used for grape rows have transitioned back to hay production. We currently produce quality square bales that are used mostly for horses. Our family had a tree farm in the late 70’s so we decided to transition to Christmas trees, and that is the direction Milne Farm is going today. White Pine and Norway Spruce are both being raised currently, and planting is increasing yearly. We have also played host to a number of events throughout the years. The farm has a plethora of beautiful spots for weddings and is expanding its presence as an event venue around Knoxville.

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Where we are going

Milne Farm is constantly looking for ways to improve as an operational farm and an event venue. Thanks to the work of Allen Savory and Gabe Brown, the farm is pursuing a future in Regenerative Agriculture. This practice leads to healthier soil and production of nutrient-dense crops that rotate over time. We are committed to a future of Regenerative Agriculture that keeps the property pristine for decades to come.To learn more about Regenerative Agriculture and the specifics of what we are working on, please follow the link below.

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