Biffle Potts Farm in Hampshire named Century Farm of the Year: 'Preserve its legacy'

The Biffle Potts Farm in Hampshire was recognized as Maury County Century Farm of the Year at the annual Farm Breakfast, hosted by Maury County Chamber & Economic Alliance.

The beef and once tobacco farm, established in 1859, is run by Melissa Potts and her husband Darrell, on almost 400 acres. Inheriting 125 acres from Melissa Potts' stepfather James Ed ("Mr. Ed") Biffle in 1993, over the years, the couple added 256 acres on which to raise their beef cattle. The Potts are also longtime owners of United Country Realty & Auction in Columbia.

Biffle and Potts' mother, Audrey, married in 1990 when Biffle was 75, and he died in 1994.

Biffle served in World War II in the 1st Calvary, farming one handed all of his life because he had a severe injury. He did bulldozer work and owned one of the first combines in the community, Melissa Potts said.

"He combined crops for other farmers. He, of course never had any crops himself," she said.

Audrey and Ed Biffle traveled to many World War II sites in later life, and "they loved Mule Day", Melissa Potts said.

"It's all about the land," Melissa Potts said to hundreds of guests at the annual Farm Breakfast at the Ridley 4-H Center in Columbia.

"Our dream is to keep this farm in tact and preserve its legacy," she said.

Melissa Potts also said they are also giving row crops a try this year. However, her true passion and favorite place on the farm is the small goat sanctuary, the Potts began when approximately a dozen goats from a nearby farm needed a new home. Now the herd has grown to 34 goats.

Sen. Joey Hensley read a proclamation approved by the Tennessee General Assembly declaring the farm a Century Farm and along with Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, presented it to the couple.

"There's something about the dirt, getting your hands messy, watering something and watching it grow, and holding a baby calf in your hands," Cepicky said. "Whenever we pass these resolutions, these resolutions are numbered and one day your great grandchildren can go up to the archives and look it up."

Ag industry shrinks over the decades

Keynote speaker Tennessee Farm Bureau President Eric Mayberry, originally of Humphreys County, spoke about the state of farming in Tennessee, an industry that is top in the state but has overall shrunk over the decades.

Founded in 1921, Farm Bureau was established after its founders recognized a need to come together to advocate for farmers and the industry.

"Sometimes life is just better in blue jeans and cotton T-shirts," Mayberry said.

He shared statistics that show farming is on some levels a shrinking industry.

In 1916, the U.S. was comprised of 32.5 million farmers, or a third of the nation's population, Mayberry said. Fast forward to today, there are 4 million farms left, or 1.4% of the population in the U.S., according to recent statistics.

"It doesn't look like a lot, and it's not. A lot who don't understand agriculture, don't realize that 1.4% produce the food for all the rest in the world," Mayberry said.

"Every farmer in the United States feeds himself and 172 other people in this country and around the world. ... It's a testament to the American farmer and speaks to the dedication of a farmer."

He also shared statistics show that most Americans, or 70% to 80%, trust farmers, a percentage that exceeds many elected officials and leaders.

"Find a way to preserve farmland because at the end of the day, they aren't making more of it," Mayberry said.

Maury County agriculture facts:

Number of Farms: 1,442Land in Farms: 209,805 acresAverage Farm Size: 145 acresTotal Value of Ag Products: $50,538,000Avg. Value of Products per Farm: $35,047

Contribution to the Maury County economy:

Direct Agricultural Output est. $309 millionEconomic Impact est. $475.9 millionAg Generated Jobs est. 2,734

Data compiled by Maury Alliance

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Biffle Potts Farm in Hampshire named Century Farm of the Year: 'Preserve its legacy'