FALL IS an exciting time around these parts. Its arrival brings a sense of warmth, comfort, and joy, with many things to look forward to during the season.
High school and college football are gearing up. Fans don their lucky hats and shirts, excited to participate in the ritual of Friday Night Lights.
There is also a much-welcomed coolness to the air that signals one of Mother Nature’s biggest shows of the year with the changing of the leaves. Red, orange, and yellow leaves create picturesque landscapes around every corner.
Another exciting aspect of the fall season is Halloween. Folks are making plans for creativity with costumes and decorating their houses accordingly. They also have a few haunted places to check out with friends and family.
Fall is also a great time to explore the great outdoors. The season creates a breathtaking backdrop for a scenic hike or bike ride. Camping during this time of the year is also an experience, with cooler temperatures and fewer crowds.
But one of the best things about the fall season is the annual visit to the pumpkin patch. It is the quintessential fall activity that is fun for all ages. For the last 18 years, Grandaddy’s Farm has offered families a chance to get into the spirit of the harvest season while creating lifelong memories with friends and family.
Since 1951, Grandaddy’s Farm has been a family-owned business run by the Dixon family. The farming tradition has been passed down from generation to generation, starting with Charles Dixon and his wife working tirelessly on the land while raising their four children. Despite working full time at a hardware store in Decherd, Charles never gave up on his passion for farming.
Years later, the farm is a family operation with Charles’s grandson, Steve, and wife, Karen, along with their two sons, Andrew and Philip Dixon, following proudly in his footsteps. Andrew and Philip say they are proud fourth-generation farmers who work side by side with their dad daily. The family farm has over 2,000 acres in Franklin and Moore Counties, with a significant portion of the acreage being rented property.
“We have a wholesale straw operation and raise several cattle as well,” said farm co-owner Andrew Dixon. “We also grow soybeans, corn, and wheat. Diverting our farm operation has allowed us to handle more households living off the farm.”
While the farm has been a working farm for 65 years for the Dixon family, 18 years ago, the family decided to open it to the public.
Andrew explained that “going into agritourism was another way to keep the farm viable for the future.”
“It goes back to when we were kids and working on the farm,” added Andrew. “The cornstalk bundles we sold wholesale to fruit stands and farmers markets. That was the way my siblings and I made money. When I was about to graduate, Dad began to look at how we could stay on the farm if we wanted to. Someone had given us the idea to make it a place where folks could visit, and we just put the idea into motion.”
Because it was his great-grandfather’s farm, Andrew said they knew they had to name it after him.
“This is my great-grandfather’s farm. He died four years before we opened. We always called it Granddaddy’s Farm, so the name just stuck with it,” he said.
Today, the farm offers hayrides, a corn maze, slides of all shapes and sizes, games, pig races, a u-pick pumpkin patch, an apple orchard, and more.
Andrew said that over the years, the farm has added new attractions to encourage visitors of all ages to enjoy the fun on the farm.
“Each year, the farm has built on itself, and we just keep adding more and more,” he said. “We try to add things that allow parents to play with their kids. They (parents) are paying customers, and we want them to have a great time and as much fun as the kids are having. We listen to our employees and customers to continue improving the farm.”
Their mission is to share the joy of farming, agriculture, and agritourism with their community. The Dixon brothers are passionate about preserving their family’s legacy and making lasting memories for visitors to the farm. Their love of agriculture and dedication to their craft makes it easy to carry on the tradition started by Charles over 70 years ago.
“I’m excited for my son. He’ll be 2 this fall, and I am excited for him to be able to play and enjoy the farm himself,” said Andrew. “We love to see everyone enjoying it. My dad has always joked that he enjoys seeing the kids crying when they leave because he knows they’re having a good time.”
The farm is open from mid-September through October and is located at 454 Highland Ridge Rd. in Estill Springs. Plan your visit at grandaddysfarm.com. GN
