The Land in Kingston Springs, Tennessee is a unique agricultural cooperative concept that was created by Leslie Mortimer Wallace, Steve Orchard and Malvin Mortimer beginning in 2017. The idea came from experiences Wallace had as a child in Sheffield, England and in her travels around the world working in the music business for 20 years.
When Wallace was growing up, going to a garden center was usually a day trip with afternoon tea, a gift shop, music and a whole experience beyond just buying plants.
“That has always sort of been my dream,” Wallace told Cheatham County Chamber of Commerce President Misty Keenan in a video in August of 2020. “To …bring that full circle to where I lay boots now. But, I needed help because I didn’t have the greenest thumb. So, I connected with an awesome gentleman named Matt Pilcher. He and his wife run Thrive Garden Center [at The Land] …We have a great partnership in agriculture.”
Radical Plant Company is also located in a building at The Land. Owner Chloe Barrett is all about bulbs and plant propagation. While Thrive sells plants retail, Radical Plant Company is mainly a wholesale operation.
Both Pilcher and Barrett are passionate about what they do. They and their staff are willing to take the time to talk with customers one on one to help them solve a gardening problem or help plan gardening beds. They will special order plants and hold plants until a customer is ready to build their dream bed come spring.
During the pandemic they began carrying more indoor plants, and now that business is booming.
“Everyone watches HGTV…everyone watches ‘Fixer Upper’ and everyone sees that beautiful fig leafed tree that Johanna puts in every room…,” added Wallace. “Matt said they were really a thing of the 70s, but they are coming back. So, if you have a green thumb or need a new hobby, you can learn a lot and do a lot of growing indoors. And you can have ‘Fixer Upper’ on in the background.”
Sharing the property is also The Greenhouse Schoolhouse. They are a homeschool cooperative that offers a nature-based curriculum to homeschooled children from preschool through eighth grade two days a week. Classes are taught by parent volunteers.
“Our goal is to come alongside you and your family as you embark on this homeschooling journey,” says their website, “to help expand your child’s knowledge of the world around them through immersing them in nature throughout their day….”
Old England Rock Walls and Roots Food Forest also share the space. “I have been rebuilding the dry-stone walls of my native South Yorkshire and Derbyshire for over 15 years now, ” says owner Martin Beevers on his website. “It began out of idle curiosity. Then after several years gaining professional qualifications with the Dry-Stone Walling Association of Great Britain, [it] developed into a major life changing passion. A passion I have brought with me from the green fields of Northern England to the stunningly beautiful State of Tennessee. A region I have fallen in love with. And in Middle Tennessee, an area that boasts its own historical traditions of Dry-Stack walls.”
“One of our greatest visions for Roots Food Forest is seeing families coming together to get their hands in the dirt and experience self-sustainability, together,” says their Facebook page. Over time community members have worked together to make the dream of this community garden come to life.
Slowly Wallace is seeing her original dream come true. The Land is becoming a partnership with events, workshops, agriculture educational programs and community activities. In the fall they have live Frasier fir tree sales and their Winter Wonderland with hot chocolate, a bonfire, music and craft markets. In the Spring and Summer, they have you-pick berries. At various times they also have food trucks.
Speaking of food – one of their newest ventures is The Yorkshire Farm Deli. It is a farm to table café that offers a seasonal menu of sandwiches, salads, soups and English tea. They will be reopening after the Christmas and New Year holiday on January 14. They will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
Part café, part old fashioned tearoom and part bakery, this restaurant blends some of the best bits of a British pub with standard tearoom fare. Everything is fresh and healthy. They offer vegetarian and gluten free items.
If you have never had marmite or bubble and squeak, this is the place to come. English tea is served with traditional scones, thinly sliced cucumber toast or one can go all out and have a piece of Terry’s [OMG] chocolate and orange cake. It tastes just like its namesake chocolate ball candy in the shape of an orange. Except maybe better.
They definitely have fun with their food. In the fall they made loaves of bread look like pumpkins. When berries are ripe, they make strawberry cake and chocolate raspberry cake. TDF!
“A lot of effort has been put into developing The Land to be of service to the local community and those who venture further afield,” said one reviewer. “It is ever evolving with the view of what will benefit the user. It is run with passion and quality service from all the services available on The Land..and it is quirky!”
