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"Nathan Turner Visits Tennessee's Blackberry Farm\nNathan Turner visits the celebrated Blackberry Farm and enjoys a few days of incredible eating, outdoor recreation, and more eating\nThe drive from Atlanta gave me a chance to sample Tennessee barbecue. (Full Service BBQ in Maryville is highly recommended.)\nUpon arrival at Blackberry Farm, we were taken to our cottage, dubbed the Lodge, via golf cart.\nAfter a quick unpack and tour of our cozy new digs I was eager to explore, so we hit the nearest path, which led us to the pond and boathouse.\nOf course we had to go for a spin!\nFarther down the Holston river, which is famous for its fly-fishing, was the fishing cabin Grey Drake, where we quickly signed up for some lessons the next day.\nI grew up fishing but had never attempted fly-fishing. After a 30-minute crash course, here I am\u2014loving it!\nAnd yes, I caught one! A beautiful rainbow trout.\nLater we discovered there were a seemingly endless number of hiking trails\u2014Blackberry is adjoined by 5,000 acres of private wilderness that guests can access. We picked a route and headed up into the hills.\nOn our way to the trails we passed the chapel. It's so Little House on the Prairie!\nBlackberry is renowned for its cuisine. Owner Sam Beall attended the California Culinary Academy and worked for Thomas Keller at the French Laundry. The property's restaurant, the Barn, also regularly brings in guest chefs and has quite the impressive seasonal menu. And, being in the South, you dress for dinner.\nI love the rustic chic of the menus and tabletop decor.\nCharcuterie. All house-made, with an amazing venison salumi.\nI savored the best sweetbreads I've ever had (left), while Eric enjoyed the Painted Hill Beef Tenderloin with potato puree and trumpet mushrooms.\nThe sommelier took me to the restaurant's wine cellar, which boasts more than 160,000 bottles.\nOn our way back to our cabin, we came upon a roaring campfire\u2014with help-yourself s'mores kits. Pinch me, I'm dreaming!\nSince dinner was so spectacular, the next day I had to investigate the gardens, where the kitchen gets its ingredients, and the garden shed. It's the definition of farm-to-table.\nWho knew there were so many varieties of corn and beans?\nJohn Coykendall, who helps oversee Blackberry's farming and is incredibly knowledgeable about Tennessee's heirloom seeds and agricultural history, giving me the lay of the land.\nMy salad from last night started here!\nSorry, I couldn't resist a cuddle break.\nAnd if the lambs weren't cute enough, Blackberry raises its own Romagnolo puppies\u2014Italian truffle-searching dogs!\nEric and I both wanted to go horseback riding, so we booked a guided ride at the stables. This is Toby, Eric's buddy for the next couple of hours.\nI love a tack room!\nEric is a beginner and I grew up around horses, so he was paired with the gentle Toby and I rode Bramble, who was both sweet and stubborn. Eric said we were a perfect fit.\nAfter a beautiful ride around the farm, it was time for breakfast. Oatmeal souffl\u00E9: I've got to make this at home. . . . Incredible.\nShooting, yet another outdoor activity! Mind you, it is insanely relaxing here\u2014it's the kind of place one can do as little or as much as one likes. I'm just doing a lot! We went to Blackberry's shooting range, which offers skeet, trap, sporting clays, and more and is about a 20-minute drive from the property.\nKeith Reeves was our instructor and was so helpful. The facility, like everything at Blackberry, is top-notch and stunningly beautiful. I'm like a kid with a video game . . . one more turn, one more!\nBlackberry, you got under my skin and in my soul. Maybe it's because my dad's family is originally from Tennessee and I've always dreamed of Southern living. Maybe it's because you fed me like a king or gave me access to 10,000 acres of some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen. I am definitely coming back. Until then, I'll be dreaming of my return."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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