Drive the back roads of Williamson County in any direction, and you won’t have to go far to see acres and acres of corn and beans out your window. For two centuries, this has been an agricultural community, and it still is.
Most of the year, that means farmers markets can be found across the county—from Franklin to Fairview and out to Nolensville. But the granddaddy of them all is every Saturday morning at The Factory at Franklin. Upwards of 100 vendors gather under and around the big pavilion at 8 a.m. for the Franklin Farmers Market, with everything from fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, baked goods and unique items like steel-cut oats and specialty milled flours. A range of locally handmade sundries, plant starts, crafts, and imported seafood are on offer as well, plus food trucks with hot biscuits, breakfast burritos and old-fashioned doughnuts.
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Around The Factory campus, dozens of other shops and restaurants are open, along with the new Carousel of Dreams and its hand-carved menagerie of animals for families to ride.
In the Franklin area, a number of great markets happen during the week: Westhaven and Leiper’s Fork on Wednesday evenings and Berry Farms on Fridays, for instance. Plus, old-school stands like Reed’s Produce and Garden Center on Fourth Avenue North next to Bicentennial Park, and Williams Produce Market on Highway 96 West are both within easy walking distance of downtown Franklin.
But the coolest aspect of our modern agricultural era is the pop-up farm stands that dot the Williamson County countryside. Some are established producers focused primarily on the restaurant industry, but still offer goods for consumers at weekend markets and maintain an on-site farm store once or twice a week.
Many others are small family farms that have a walk-up, honor-system business built around a seasonal abundance of what they’re already growing and making for their own use. If you like exploring, these are worth seeking out…you never know what you might find!
One of those places is Saint Somewhere Farm on Pinewood Road, out towards Fairview. From sunup to sundown, Wednesdays through Sundays, step into this little stand for rainbow farm eggs, small flower bouquets, and other cute finds.
Mangrum’s Farmstand west of Franklin focuses on fresh herbs and essential oils, potpourris, natural bug sprays, lavender bundles, and more. Right next door on Hargrove Road, you’ll find the Honeysuckle Farmstand! Here, expect to see sweet treats, canned and pickled vegetables, salsa and chow chow. Both are open seven days a week and restock on Fridays.
You could spend a day discovering Logan’s Farmstand for jams, jellies and baked goods, the Fiber, Feather and Fur Farm for peaches, elderberry products, kombucha and wildflower honey, the Pick-up Spot for things like sun-dried tomatoes, citrus sugars and homemade skin care products sold from an old pickup-truck bed, and Roseleigh for sourdough starter and handcrafted extracts.
If it’s local meats you’re after, then you’re in luck. Bear Creek Farm in Thompson’s Station is legendary for its beef and pork products, from steaks to sausage. Their farm store is open from 2-5 p.m. on Wednesdays, and you can also find them at the Franklin Farmers Market on Saturdays. In Leiper’s Fork, Semler Cattle Company is raising Wagyu beef, with a farm store featuring prime cuts, tallow products and more. It’s open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, when they also serve lunch from the grill.
P.S. You might even see some zebras out there!
These are real farmers, dedicated to producing wholesome food and products from the land—not only for themselves, but for all of us. Agriculture is part of our legacy and our future. Get out and support these folks, and you’ll discover a big part of Williamson County’s story.
