About the Farmer

Larry and Lynn Bauer were looking for a place to put down roots.  In 2006, following Larry’s retirement from a career in the Marines, the Bauers faced the wide-open question of where life would take them next.  Originally from Wisconsin and Atlanta respectively, Larry and Lynn looked forward to landing in one place after military life had kept them on the move for years.

                “Right about that time, I was taking my oldest son to a DeLorean car show in Pigeon Forge,” Larry remembered.  “I was coming through Bristol, and the sky opened up and the clouds parted and we saw a big ray of light and it just hit us—why not here?”

                The Bauers bought some land six miles north of town and created Fern Valley Farm, which primarily functions as an educational site.

                “It is a working farm—we’ve got animals to care for every day,” Larry said.  “But we do consider ourselves to be in the agritourism business.  We keep the animals for the purposes of demonstration, to give an example of how a farm works.”

                Fern Valley Farm offers programs for both children and adults throughout the year.  A popular summer program invites children to learn about and help care for the farm’s animals, which include an alpaca, a horse, a pig, chickens, sheep, goats, turkeys, and ducks.  Participants also make their own lunches from farm-fresh ingredients. 

                “We want kids to see that food doesn’t actually come from the grocery store.  It starts on a farm somewhere,” Larry said.  “And we also want them to have a hand in the work involved, and to show how more hands make light work.  They see the process from start to finish, including washing their own dishes at the end.”

                “I remember one mother came to pick up her daughter right when the kids were doing a bug program.,” he said.  “We’d talked to them about good bugs and bad bugs, and built these little bug boxes so they could try to catch junebugs.  And she was watching her daughter, and said how good it was to see a ten-year-old out in a field trying to catch a junebug instead of sitting inside in front of the TV.”

                The Bauers also host field trips, visit schools through their “Travelling Chicken” program, and offer farm tours including hayrides and crafts.  For adults, there are cooking and canning classes, and farm-to-table suppers featuring the talents of local chefs.  The farm has also hosted weddings.

                Since the Bauers’ mission is primarily educational, they also rely on neighboring farmers for much of their produce.  Each Saturday, Larry is happy to connect with the farming community at the State Street Farmers Market, where he sells home-canned products like jams and salsas.   

                Fall favorites include pear honey, pear preserves with brandy, and cinnamon plum jam, all sourced from local farmers.  The salsa features tomatoes grown on a farm adjacent to Fern Valley, and the Bauers also can local blackberries and strawberries when in season. 

                “There are a lot of farmers markets around, but Bristol is our town, and we decided that Bristol would be our market, too,” Larry said.  “This is a great group of people providing great products.”

                “When I retired, we could’ve gone anywhere in the world,” Larry said.  “But we chose here, and I’m so glad we did.”

                Find Fern Valley Farm products and many other local foods at the State Street Farmers Market, located at 810 State Street in Bristol, Saturdays from 7-11:30 a.m.  For more information, visit www.statestreetfarmersmarket.com.  Fern Valley Farm hosts their 2nd Annual Fall Festival on October 15th from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., featuring haywagon rides, old fashioned games, food, crafts, and visits with the animals.  Contact lynnbauer0413@gmail.com or 276-696-0046.

Article and photo by Paige Campbell