Downing Farms TN

05/19/2026

05/19/2026

I got the Georgia Belle peach trees, about 5ft high and in 3 gal pots in late July of '24. After up-potting to 10gal nursery pots they rode out the remainder of the season in my hi-tunnel while I decided where to put them in the ground for good. Put them in the ground roughly Beginning of April last year. They are now pushing 8ft and have a solid flush of fruit that will definitely be eating size. I've never seen trees that young produce like this with such little time in the ground. That's the power of farm-made NATURAL inputs.

At the time of planting of course I dug a 30gal hole, lined with soil inoculated with IMO3, topped with mushroom compost and worm castings. To push steady and rapid growth, Fish Amino Acid has been the main feed, while I supplemented with Fermented Plant Juice made from all the tender green twigs and leaves from pruning last year, and as blooms set I shifted that to Fermented Fruit Juice made from blooms and immature peaches collected from both and another local mature specimen from a friend.
I feel like it's worth noting that those two inputs weren't exactly "FPJ & FFJ" as per the KNF book, but rather anaerobic fermentation in the style of Jadam Liquid Fertilizer.
LAB and JHS (made with native plants) have kept any pests or pathogens at bay without a hiccup thus far.

04/21/2026

🐣 🐓🥚How I Integrated My Chick Flock Without Chaos (and barely any drama)🥚🐓🐣

I don’t say this lightly…
This was the smoothest flock integration I’ve ever done—or even heard of.

No blood.
No panic.
Just one minor “chest puff situation” (and it wasn’t even Roscoe 😂).

So here’s exactly what I did, in case it helps somebody else:

🌿 1. Let them see each other first
Before anyone shared space, they already knew each other existed. Chickens take that seriously.

🌿 2. Built an “aviary vibe” instead of a plain coop
I added real tree branches at different heights so nobody felt trapped.
More like a playground… less like a boxing ring.

🌿 3. Gave them distractions (VERY important)
Bugs, grass, things to scratch.
Busy chickens don’t bully—they forage.

🌿 4. Waited until the chicks were confident
Not tiny babies, not awkward teenagers—right in that bold, curious stage.

🌿 5. Let them work it out (within reason)
A little posturing is normal. That’s how chickens talk.
I only step in if someone’s getting truly picked on.

—

🐛 Best moment of the day:
One of the babies caught a HUGE caterpillar and ran around screaming with it like a prize.

The others chased her.
There were bug muggings.
Absolute mayhem.

And honestly… that’s when I knew they were officially a flock.

—

🐓 Real talk:
Most integrations fail because they’re rushed, cramped, or boring.

If you give chickens:
✔ space
✔ structure
✔ stimulation

They’ll build their own social order better than we ever could.

—

This isn’t just a farm… it’s a living laboratory.
And today the chickens passed their test.

🌻
Downing Farms TN
Backwoods raised. Hand gathered. No shortcuts.

04/18/2026

DowningFarmsTN presents:
"You have got to be kidding me" part 2

04/12/2026

Local pasture raised, free range, all naturally fed chicken eggs for sale!

“Barnyard basic brown” chicken eggs:
— $5/ doz

“Rainbow boutique” (blue, green, speckled) Americana eggs:
— $8/ doz

04/12/2026

🥚🌻 Farm fresh eggs available 🌻🥚

Pasture raised, naturally fed, and gathered daily right here in Franklin.

These come from happy, free-ranging hens—and you can taste it.

✨ Rainbow shells
✨ Deep golden yolks
✨ Real flavor

$8 / dozen
📍 Franklin / Leiper’s Fork

Farm store pickup by appointment
Message me to claim—limited daily supply 💚

Backwoods raised. Hand gathered. No shortcuts.
🌻🐣🥚🍳🐓🚜🌱

03/28/2026

Miss Abby is the BEST goat mama💚🌻💚

03/26/2026

Hey — quick heads up, I’m doing a small fresh batch of microgreens this week (sunflower, pea shoots, radish).

These are grown right here at the farm — as always, naturally grown. no synthetics, harvested fresh.

I’ve got a limited number of trays coming ready in about 7–10 days.

If you want to reserve some, I can do:
$5 small clamshell
$10 large
or full tray for $20–25
Just let me know what you want and I’ll set it aside! 💚🌻💚

12/09/2025

Attn all Franklin Tennessee Area Friends & Neighbors, Leiper’s Fork, TN, Fernvale, Tn, Fairview TN, and Westhaven Community - Franklin, TN fellow citizens!

Please keep an eye and an ear out for our Buttercup who moseyed off on her own mid day on December 2. She knows her name and is very docile but is likely very frightened and lost. Please contact any of us here at Downing Farms TN, Big East Fork Valley and/ or Center for Sustainable Stewardship with any and all leads! 🙏🙏🙏