Big South Fork Seeking Farmers Interested in Leasing Hay Fields

Date: March 28, 2014
Contact: Tom Blount, 423-569-9778
Contact: Dave Carney, 423-569-9778

The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area has over twenty fields at seven locations in both Tennessee and Kentucky that need to be maintained as open grass fields.  The park is making some of those fields available for hay production.  The fields are managed by the park for a variety of purposes including protecting historic landscapes, maintaining open areas for wildlife and native plants and for hunting.

Farmers who sign up for this opportunity may be required to lime their fields, depending on soil conditions.  Fields will need to be cut at least once a year for up to five years.  The National Park Service will require a narrow conservation buffer to be left unharvested around the field edge and wet areas for wildlife habitat.  For information about specific fields and the permitting process, contact Letitia Neal at [phone].