Not your average farm

09 Nov Not your average farm

Visiting Ozburn Hollow Farm in Arrington, Tennessee was like taking a long weekend out of town, even though it’s only about 25 miles from our house to this historic property. When Elaine Ozburn told me the driveway was a mile long, she wasn’t kidding!

The long driveway ambles through the 600 acre farm that’s been in the same family for more than 200 years and 8 generations of Ozburns.

I’ve seen a lot of stunning properties in Tennessee, but this one is not only majestic, but also protected from ever being developed by the Land Trust for Tennessee. It was established in 1999 by a group of visionary citizens dedicated to protecting private and public landscapes like this forever. That’s comforting to owners Perry and Elaine Ozburn who call this home.

In 1976, the young couple built their house and they joke that it’s been under construction ever since! The photo above shows the house they live in, but they’ve continued to add new features including a beautiful arbor covered walkway to a newer poolhouse that could be a year ’round home too.

That’s the poolhouse on the left.

The Ozburn’s home is a lovely and understated elegant farmhouse full of antiques collected by Elaine over the years.

A large stone fireplace is the focal point in the master bedroom and what’s so impressive is that Perry and Elaine picked up all of the limestone from the property themselves for this wall! They are not afraid of physical labor.

Much of the art throughout their home comes from Elaine’s mother, Mildred Jarrett. She’s a prolific painter who studied under Anton Weiss. ( I’m going to insist she let me feature her soon!)

Besides the art and antiques is an 1859 piano made of rosewood that they’ve had restored.

It used to be in the original log house on the farm where Perry’s father was born and raised. If these walls could talk!

The original cabin has been built back to the way it was before. There’s also a smoke house, spring house and cellar close by that add to the charm.

All the stone used in these buildings has come from the farm itself and Perry along with his trusted companion, Henry, gave me a guided tour on their 4 wheeler to see some of the trails Perry’s strategically cut out for the best views.

Perry had so many stories of how this land was used generations ago for growing crops, and of course, soldiers were encamped here during the civil war. Artifacts have been discovered through the years that are a window to the past.

While Perry and Elaine have devoted much of their 44 years of married life to this land and raising their family, they’ve also had very busy lives off this land. Perry ran the well known logistics company his father started, Ozburn Hessey, for many years. After keeping horses for a long time, Elaine turned her passion for English antiques into a business, selling her imported goods at Winchester Antique Mall in Franklin. Many of them are scattered throughout their farmhouse and in the beautiful poolhouse!

Such a hospitable couple willing to open their home to share their love of this beautiful sanctuary that will be left the way it is for generations to come, thanks to the Land Trust for Tennessee. This landscape is protected forever, and that’s a long time.

I need to thank the owner of Winchester Antiques, Kim Tuzzio, for suggesting I feature the Ozburn farm on the blog. And of course, Elaine and Perry took a lot of time to share some of the farm’s history and I appreciate it so much.

If you haven’t shopped with Elaine at Winchester Antiques, here are a few photos from her booth that’s full of antiques from her annual trips to England. And there are many other lovely booths to check out too.

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