There are plenty of things worth getting out of the house for: a good cup of coffee, a great sale, maybe the promise of tacos. But for Amy Elrite, the perfect excuse to hit the country roads was a little more wholesome… and considerably more likely to come with fresh eggs.
When Elrite opened The Pick-Up Spot Farmstand in Williamson County two years ago, she knew of only three other farmstands in the area. She loved having her own stand, but she also loved visiting the others. Every stop had its own personality, its own products and, usually, its own story.
And that's when she had a thought: Why should visitors stop at just one? Elrite grabbed a pen and drew a simple map of farmstands around Leiper's Fork. She also started a Facebook group called Farmstand Finds by Leiper's Fork, hoping to connect the people running these little roadside businesses with the people eager to find them.
“The idea was simple: when someone came to my stand, I wanted them to know there were other wonderful little stands just down the road worth visiting, too,” she says. In other words, no farmstand left behind.
That hand-drawn map, however, had a greater sense of adventure than anyone expected. As more farmstands popped up and more people started looking for them, the map grew beyond Leiper's Fork, then beyond Williamson County, then Tennessee. Before long, a local idea had turned into Local Farmstand Finds, a nationwide website helping people locate those charming, often tucked-away stands that can be easy to miss if you're traveling too fast.
And people, it turns out, are happy to slow down. The website has become an unexpected tool for agritourism, giving visitors another reason to trade the interstate for the backroads. Families visiting Williamson County can add farmstands to their itineraries, while locals can pull up the map when they travel and find farmstands in other parts of Tennessee and across the country.
“A stop at a farmstand becomes part of the trip itself,” Elrite says. It's easy to see why. A farmstand detour might mean fresh produce, warm sourdough, a bouquet of flowers, homemade jam, or something you didn't know you needed until you saw it sitting on a shelf in a little red barn.
Here at home, Local Farmstand Finds now features official Williamson County and Leiper's Fork Farmstand Trails, giving residents and visitors an ongoing excuse to explore. No need to wait for a special one-day event. Just gas up the car and see where the road (and the map) takes you.
As the idea expanded, Elrite also realized the people behind the farmstands needed a place to connect. Many are farmers, bakers, gardeners, homesteaders, and makers running small businesses from the end of a driveway or a tiny shed on their property. That inspired the American Farmstand Association, an organization created to support, connect, and promote the people making this little slice of local commerce possible.
Then came the Farmstand Crawls, which essentially turn an ordinary Saturday afternoon into a treasure hunt with better snacks.
Guests travel from stand to stand, discovering local products with plenty of surprises along the way. “The best part is getting to meet the people who grew, baked, or made what they're bringing home,” Elrite says.
The next adventure is the Carters Creek Fall Farmstand Crawl on Oct. 25, featuring stands on and near Carters Creek Pike.
Then, when the fall leaves give way to twinkle lights, Elrite is taking the concept into the holiday season with Cocoa & Country Roads, running Nov. 28 through Dec. 13 in Williamson County and at participating farmstands nationwide. The two-week event encourages shoppers to skip at least some of the big-box madness and find gifts, holiday treats and seasonal goodies from local makers, bakers and farmers instead.
It may even give seasonal farmstands a reason to stay open a little longer, offering everything from holiday baking and handmade gifts to cocoa, winter products and festive experiences.
Not bad for an idea that started with a simple hand-drawn map. And if you happen to come home with a loaf of sourdough, a dozen eggs, and three jars of jam you absolutely did not plan to buy, well, that's just part of the journey.
Find the nationwide farmstand map, official trails, and upcoming events at LocalFarmstandFinds.com.
A Few Farmstands to Visit
The Little Farmhouse On Henpeck
2340 Henpeck Lane, Franklin TN
Open everyday from sun up to sundown
@thelittlefarmhouseonhenpeck
Mangrums Farmstand
5320 Hargrove Rd. Franklin, TN
8am-8pm
@mangrums_farmstand
The Pick-Up Spot Farmstand
5890 Davis Hollow Rd, Franklin
always open
@the_pick_up_spot
Meadowbrook Farm 1850
3514 Baer Creek Rd., Franklin
Monday through Friday 10: 30 to 5 and Saturdays 11 to 4.
@meadowbrookharvest1850
Rose Leigh Farm
7534 Pinewood Rd, Primm Springs
Open daily, early until sunset
@roseleighfarm