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University
of Tennessee Special Program in Rural Development
A Tailored Study Tour for Participants from Central
Europe
September 8—20, 2002
Sponsored by the Cochran Fellowship Program of
the U.S. Department of Agriculture
IPANR conducted a tailored study tour on rural development for
four participants from Central Europe. Participating Fellows came
from Slovakia, Croatia, and Hungary. The program was
comprised of a combination of interactive classroom presentations,
consultations and field experiences designed to provide the participants
with an understanding of rural development and entrepreneurial activities
in East Tennessee. The program was based in Knoxville with extensive
field trips in the region, including visits to Scott, Campbell,
Grainger, Anderson and Loudon Counties.
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Sunday—Sept. 8 Participants arrive in Knoxville.
Driving tour of the University of Tennessee campus
and Knoxville surroundings. Welcome Reception at the home of Dr. and Mrs.
Robert Orr.
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Monday—Sept. 9
Morning: Welcome to the University of Tennessee.
Orientation, introduction to the program, Appalachian region.
Afternoon: Orientation to region (continued): visit to Norris,
Tennessee and Norris Dam, the first dam constructed in the
Tennessee Valley Authority system, and the nearby Appalachian
Folk Museum. |
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Tuesday—Sept.
10
Morning: Participants share their experiences, challenges
with each other. Presentation by Agricultural
Development Center. Lunch at University Club.
Afternoon: Participants’ presentations (continued).
Introduction to Wednesday's field trip to Scott
County, TN and McCreary Co, Kentucky. |
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Wednesday— Sept. 11 Morning: Depart for Oneida,
Tennessee and points north! Full day field trip for
observation and discussion of USDA’s Rural Development
Program, including the Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
Visit small businessman who owns rustic resort. Also,
discussion of adult education opportunities through community
college system in the US. Accompanied by and program arranged
by Dr. Barefield. Overnight stay. |
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| Thursday—Sept. 12
Morning: Visit
Tennessee Mountain Women’s Exchange, Jellico, Tenn.
Meet with Wanda Perkins, Director, and friends.
Afternoon: Return to Knoxville. Research via the World Wide
Web--a hands-on session at the Agriculture/Vet Med. Library
with Margaret Mellinger. |
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Friday—Sept. 13
Morning: Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Townsend and Cades Cove. Meet with National Park Service staff
and with Herb Handley, Blount Co. Chamber of Commerce, at
Townsend Visitors Center.
Afternoon: Visit Maple Leaf Lodge, Townsend, on the return
to Knoxville for a tour and discussion. |
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Saturday—Sept. 14
Morning: Tennessee Valley Fair—Chilhowee Park, shopping
with Margaret, our student assistant, at WalMart.
Evening: Arrive at Richard Davis home to begin dinner preparation.
Everyone cooks! |
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Sunday—Sept. 15
Morning: Laundry with Margaret.
Afternoon: Visit Maple Lane Farm, site of the Corn Maize (Maze)
with Richard Davis. Meet with Bob Schmidt, owner, about rural
tourism and entrepreneurship. |
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Monday—Sept. 16
Morning: Depart with Dr. Orr for Gatlinburg,TN, a
gateway town to the Smoky Mountains National Park
Craft Trail.
Afternoon: Visit the Apple Barn, an agro-tourism enterprise
based upon an apple orchard and marketing of apple products
in Sevierville, TN. Tour provided personally by Mr. Bill
Kirkpatrick, the owner. Shop at Five Oaks Outlet Malls.
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Tuesday—Sept.
17 Morning: Visit the Small Business Development Center.
Meet with Director Ms. Teri Brahams:
Visit Honeyberry Farm, Knoxville, which makes patented
honey jelly products, and is owned by two sisters, Connie Ford
and Brenda Hubbell.
Afternoon: Visit Smoky Mountains Gateway Regional Center--a
cautionary tale in how local and state government can spend
lots of money on a beautiful center which almost no one visits.
Location, location, location.
Evening: Party time at Cotton Eyed Joe’s country dance
palace with Rich and Margaret. |
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Wednesday—Sept. 18
Morning: Tour Clinch-Powell Community Kitchens, Hancock
County, TN. Mr. Greg Golden, kitchen manager. Meet with representative
of a local farmers’ co-op, Bill Kornrich. Lunch at Aunt Bea's, Sneedville, TN
Afternoon: Marketing vegetables as a specialty, “name
brand” item: the case of Grainger County Tomatoes. Visit
farm stand and tomato fields. Ritter Farm. |
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Thursday
–Sept. 19
Morning:
Visit Sweetwater Valley Farm Dairy and cheese-making operation.
Tour facilities. The growth of “Agrotourism.”
Sweetwater Valley Farm. Visit Tennessee Valley Winery.
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Friday—Sept. 20
Morning: Check out of hotel. Summing up discussion--what
we’ve seen in East Tennessee. Program evaluation.
Noon: Certificate luncheon at the University Club. Depart
Knoxville. |
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