The Spruce Creek equestrian community is located at the west entrance to Big South Fork National Park, almost equidistant between Jamestown and Oneida, Tennessee so Spruce Creek residents will travel to one town or the other, depending on the nature of their errands. To get to Oneida, you head east on State Highway 297, also called "Leatherwood Ford Road." If you've never been there before, you'll likely ask directions to wherever you're going and the answer will likely be, "When Third tees into Alberta Street, you'll see a palm tree straight ahead..." A WHAT?? Tennessee is temperate, not tropical, so that just doesn't make any sense! But there is indeed a palm tree there on the corner, complete with coconuts. It's fake and as unlikely a landmark as that is, it sure gets the job done be... 03/18/2010

Big South Fork is horse country and most of the local realtors advertise themselves as "Equestrian Specialists" or say that they are "Specializing in Equine Properties." In this case, actions speak louder than words because buyers who are looking at horse properties are going to ask LOTS of questions, especially if they are unfamiliar with the area, so they need a realtor who not only lists horse properties but who knows horses and who can answer those questions. Buyers are turning information over in their minds, assessing what it would be like to live here. When you have developed a support system and have an established routine, it's hard to give up those you've come to rely on and start all over with a new vet, a new farrier, a new hay guy etc. etc. One of the most frequent question... 03/15/2010

Equestrian developments near the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area offer a range of properties for new owners and their horses, but many of them are wooded.  At Nichol Creek Farms the Lots are larger and are not wooded.  Pasture is at a premium in this area. Finding a property already cleared and grassed is a high priority for horse owners.  And to be five miles from Jamestown shopping, 5 miles from a trailhead at Big South Fork(185 miles of trail) and only 10 miles from the hugely popular East Fork Stables (130 miles of trail) is what so many call "a trail rider's dream."    Trails in Nichol Creek are not extensive, but are a good "work" for your horse. They wander through the woods, along some bluffs and cross a pretty little stream...which happens to be Nichol Creek. ... 03/14/2010

We at Tennessee Recreational Properties mainly list and sell horse properties since the Big South Fork is such a destination for trail riders. That means that we need to know our stuff, to be thoroughly familiar with the locations of various trailheads and where properties are located relative to trails in the national park. And we are…because WE RIDE! I was recently given a map of the trails in an equestrian community that I was not familiar with, so I made it a point to go and ride the Ridge Top trails in order to provide first-hand information to customers and clients. The trail was beautifully maintained and very well marked. It was obvious that Ridge Top residents had had a recent "trail work day" because the trail markers were newly painted, making it very easy to follow the map a... 03/11/2010

It is always a cat and mouse game in Real Estate.  List price - offer - counter offer - counter-counter, counter-counter-counter...and on and on.  Who will blink first. When a seller has a $$$ figure in mind based on his own interpretation of the market and the attributes of the parcel he is selling, there is no way you can disuade him from its worth.  Luckily, I recently was a buyers' agent in this situation and no matter what the current real estate market portends or the fact that his Lot actually had some downsides there was no "meeting in the middle."  Well all that means for me is that I now I take the buyer to other opportunities.  The listing agent, however did alot of the heavy lifting without any appreciation from the seller AND he was out a hefty commission that "might have b... 03/11/2010

As curb appeal goes, it doesn't get any better than this. This stately home is not on the market but imagine if it was....is this not a realtors' dream of "curb appeal?!" It's on State Highway 297 in Oneida, Tennessee. I go Oneida, through the gorge,  from Jamestown, Tennessee about every five weeks or so to buy horse feed at a little local grain mill and, every time I pass this gate, the lovely landscaping catches my eye. It is symmetrical on both sides, with three tall evergreens creating an "allee," leading you in to the drive and several smaller varieties creating visual interest against the brick. For information about Big South Fork real estate or horse properties in Jamestown, Tennessee, go to www.trailridersrealestate.com 03/08/2010

Big South Fork National Park is a destination for trail riders from all over the east coast, and with good reason. The trails are wonderful and there are a number of horse campgrounds in proximity to the park that offer accommodations for visitors. Many riders plan their vacation well in advance because the campgrounds are booked on the best weekends, of course. Each campground has its own character and the best way to decide if you want to commit is to go to Horse Trail Directory (http://www.horsetraildirectory.com)and click on a particular state...in this case, Tennessee...and read the reviews of what other campers have found appealing or objectionable. In the hospitality industry, there's bound to be the odd malcontent who will always find something to complain about but, scroll thro... 03/07/2010

During the 1970’s and 80's, there was a wildcat boom in this part of middle Tennessee to tap the natural gas and oil found in the subsurface shale deposits in this area. Within a decade or two, the wells petered out and drill sites were abandoned but it's possible that, if there was an untenable rise in the cost of gas or a problem with supply and demand, “borderline” wells could be scrutinized with new eyes. Many properties here in the Big South Fork area have a well that supplies natural gas for household use. Purchasing a property with oil or gas on it or the potential to re-open such a well could be a boon to the owner…or not….depending on WHO OWNS THE MINERAL RIGHTS. In many cases, the mineral rights will have been sold or assigned. This information is contained in the deed and wou... 03/03/2010

When you're trail riding through the Big South Fork National Park here in Jamestown, Tennessee, you will very often see pipes sticking up at odd angles….so many pipes in so many places that you wonder what they are…or were…or why they're there. They are natural gas wellheads. Unlike oil wells, a natural gas wellhead is a series of valves that direct the gas down the appropriate gas pipe line to a tank where it is accumulated and held for pickup. During the 1970’s and 80's, there was a wildcat boom to tap the natural gas and oil found in the subsurface shale deposits in this area. Within a decade or two, though, the wells petered out and drill sites were abandoned, or their owners declared bankruptcy. Private sub-surface rights within national parks, forests and refuges have proven probl... 03/02/2010

One of the things I like about living out here by the Big South Fork in Jamestown, Tennessee is the little family businesses you find, off the beaten track, tucked away here and there. Jeff's Glass is one of those. Last year, I bought a wooden crate at The World's Longest Yard Sale. It's a lettuce crate from California and it has an attractive red label in very good condition. I wanted to stand it on end and set a piece of glass in it to protect the label, so I got the street address for the local glass place and put it in my GPS. Good thing, because Tulip Avenue is…well…easy to find once you know where it is! Jeff Choate was born in Indiana but his parents are from Jamestown and the family moved back here in the late 60's. He was hired at a glass shop 25 years ago, where he learned his... 02/25/2010

Best Friends Sanctuary is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping animals in Jamestown, Tennessee and surrounding Fentress County, an area that has no shelter or county-run "dog pound." Most of the animals have been abandoned in rural areas and there is a tremendous need for this service. Best Friends rescue program is designed to help cats and dogs who are homeless find permanent homes. They are taken in by volunteers who provide foster care until they can be adopted locally or transported to a no-kill shelter out of state. They have placed all of the animals that have been sent but Best Friends must specialize in puppies and dogs that meet the shelter's adoption criteria or this effort would not be successful. In 2009, Best Friends transported 850 dogs to their "no kill" sister ... 02/22/2010

How many times have I driven past this old barn and not even seen it? The light conditions must have been just right last week, late in the afternoon on a rainy-ish day. It had been fairly warm but the thermometer suddenly plunged, with fog forming due to the difference in the temperature of the ground and the temperature of the air. Suddenly, there it was, just begging to be photographed. It's here at the Big South Fork, between Oneida and Jamestown, Tennessee. This is the kind of lovely old barn that defines "country living," replaced in so many places with utilitarian metal buildings that change the landscape forever. It's almost an echo of the past, still in the present! For information about Big South Fork real estate or horse properties in Jamestown, Tennessee, go to www.trailrid... 02/20/2010

We at Tennessee Recreational Properties planned to "launch" our new webpage on March 1st, to coincide with a full-page ad in The Trail Rider magazine, due out at about that time. We've had several long "brainstorming" sessions and we know two things....what we want and what we don't want! We've scrutinized other ads and other websites and we KNOW that we don't want to do what everyone else is doing. We don't follow the herd, so we won't be blatting about building your dream house on that perfect horse property. And we won't have any fake-looking barnboard siding, no barbed wire, no Western brands. Nope, none of that because it's been done. And done again. And again. We're sleek and elegant, with our understated black background. And simple. We know our stuff so we don't have to get your... 02/18/2010

The Big South Fork National Park here in Jamestown, Tennessee has become increasingly popular as a destination for trail riders from all over the eastern half of the country…with good reason! Depending on where you come from, though, you may not know about "going through the gorge" to get here! Big South Fork is rugged country, which is part of its allure. The directions you download from Mapquest or the instructions you receive from your GPS will not tell you that, if you are coming from the east, through Oneida, you will be descending 600 feet into the gorge on a narrow road that has a 13% grade. A series of switchbacks will bring you down to the point where you cross the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River at Leatherwood Ford and up the other side toward Jamestown. It's not danger... 02/14/2010

  Winters are mild in Tennessee...they are, really! Except for THIS winter! These pictures were taken yesterday, on Saturday, February 13th, an hour apart. The ground is saturated and water seeps through these rocks at Pickett State Park, forming fabulous icicles as the temperature hovers in the low 30's during this unseasonal cold spell. But it's time to be thinking about spring, according to the calendar...and that's what this poor lilac bush is doing! For information about Big South Fork real estate or horse properties in Jamestown, Tennessee, go to www.trailridersrealestate.com 02/13/2010

Here in Jamestown, Tennessee, realtors' ads (mine included) say, "mild winters, low property tax, low cost of living…." It's TRUE, all of it! This is a very rural county so there aren't a lot of places to spend money and your dollar goes a long way. It's horse country so how about this: you don't need to register your horse trailer if you stay inside the state of Tennessee, so that's free. There's so much wonderful riding here that you won't need to go anywhere else! It's $49 bucks annually to register your vehicle, an even $50 if you contribute a dollar to the organ donor program. Are you thinking about how much you'd be saving if you lived here? How about a haircut? My husband pays $6 for a haircut and $2 for a beard trim; with a $2 tip, that's a ten dollar bill. As for me, I couldn't... 02/11/2010

Winters are generally mild in Tennessee, and short, so I thought that cold snap which...um..."blanketed" the country a few weeks ago was essentially the depths of our winter. When I lived in Vermont, my horses were blanketed five or six months of the year. In the bad old days, turnout rugs were made of canvas with a felted wool lining and they took FOREVER to dry! It was necessary to have two for each horse; one to wear and one to throw over the treadmill to dry (which is probably the best use my former treadmill was ever put to!) Technology changed and blankets became waterproof and breathable so my horses wore them like a second skin all winter and never needed to take them off. Since I still have the blankets, the horses here might as well be comfortable so they wore their heavyweigh... 02/11/2010

When buyers come here to Jamestown, Tennessee to look at horse properties near the Big South Fork National Park, they may see as many as 10 or 12 properties in a day. It all starts to run together, no matter how good your notes, and it's hard to remember what you saw where. On a cold, raw, rainy day, I decided to sit down and modify the standard checklist that realtors often provide to help their customers analyze the properties that they have seen. There are three columns; the first identifies the evaluation item. The second rates it on a scale of 1-10 and the third provides a space for comments. The Big South Fork is a destination for trail riders so the first thing a buyer would want to consider is LOCATION and PROXIMITY TO TRAILS. The next consideration is whether the property has S... 02/10/2010

Surprising enough, the demographic in the equestrian communities near Big South Fork National Park are people in their 50's, 60's and 70's, for the most part. Fit, active people who spend a lot of hours in the saddle but…let's face it….that's a lot of arthritic hips, knees and ankles. An old injury has rendered my left knee so weak it won't support my weight as I attempt to mount from the ground and I have to use a mounting block. I have a lightweight plastic mounting block with a wide, sturdy base, designed for just that purpose, one at home and in my trailer so mounting up and riding off is no problem. But what happens at the lunch break or when we dismount to tie up at hitching rails so we can walk out to one of the many scenic overlooks in Big South Fork? I lived for a very brief ti... 02/08/2010

Realtors can sometimes get attached to (or farm) one or two favorite equestrian communities in Big South Fork country.  After all, that way you know everything about the properties, who is selling what and what sold for how much. But to serve our clients we want to offer buyers a broad range of possible properties that may suit their needs.  Tennessee Recreational Properties (TRP) is taking the GLOBAL approach.  When you come to Fentress County, The Trail Riding Capital of the East, looking for a potential retirement or vacation home, you want to know all there is to know about the area.  What you don't normally get from local realtors is that BROAD picture.  How can buyers find their particular piece in the puzzle if they don't understand the whole puzzle?  At TRP, we are painting the ... 02/06/2010