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Throughout its long history Williams Island has been a rich agricultural resource-from Mississippian Indian villagers to the organic farmers and cattlemen of today.
Story by Deborah Petticord
Photography by Matt Dunmore and Warren McLelland Aerial Photography
 Outdoor enthusiasts rave about Williams Island. One of many designated Blueways campsites, its popular location at the mouth of the Tennessee River Gorge creates an ideal location from which to launch or end a paddling excursion because of its serenity, natural beauty and proximity to the heart of the city. The campsite offers miles of day hiking for stretching the legs. Carved out by a receding glacier eons ago and surrounded by the Tennessee River its rich fields and misty wetlands are home to a broad variety of wildlife including frogs, reptiles, birds, raccoons, coyotes and deer.
"It's big enough to get lost in, but not for long," says Philip Grimes, executive director of Outdoor Chattanooga, the organization designated to plan and manage recreation programs and Blueways campsites along the river. "It's the best place to begin to experience the River Gorge and it's amazing how many local people haven't had the experience."
Building Leadership and a Connection to the Land
 Aside from an interesting mix of wildlife, there are cattle, too. One hundred fifty head of mixed-Angus cattle graze on 200 acres of fenced pasture at the south side of the island. A 180-acre hayfield produces the hay they need through the winter. The CLC Cattle Company owns the cattle and has a lease arrangement with the Tennessee River Gorge Trust, the overseer of Williams Island and the entire Gorge. CLC annually plants 10 acres of corn for silage and practices rotation grazing throughout the year, according to Steve Clark, one of the principal partners.
Paddlers passing through might also see chickens and sheep further north on the island where a stoic young team of organic farmers is working. Kelsey Keener, Noah Bresler and Ryan Power are involved in a project led by Baylor science teacher, Larry Roberts. Roberts leased 20 acres of land from TRGT last summer and began looking for energetic young farmers to sponsor. Baylor School also benefits as seniors in the leadership capstone project have participated in building floating docks and platforms needed to access the island from the Baylor side. The Williams Island Farm is located on the island directly across from Baylor School and will produce high quality fresh vegetables, eggs, cheeses and mushrooms. The project is affiliated with an international movement called Community Supported Agriculture, a program that makes use of soil science, fertility and crop plans to produce excellent locally grown foods for community members who buy shares for a 24-week season. In this region the season will run from mid-May through the end of October. By investing in the growing season, community participants share the risk with the farmer, but they also share the surplus. Community Supported Agriculture programs help connect people with the land that produces their food. The farming methods the Williams Island Farm team will use involve no synthetic chemical additives to the soil and rely on a diversity of crops and animals to achieve the healthiest soil possible for growing. The approach is currently referred to as agroecological and the team recently completed the Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems in Santa Cruz, California.
"We have less than two percent of the U.S. population in farming," says Ryan Power. "There are more people in jail than that." Families who are shareholders in CSA are encouraged to tour the farm to get a better understanding of the processes that bring food to the table and to understand the role food freshness plays in good health. The health of the land and health of the animals are the most important considerations in the design of the crop plans and grazing systems. No antibiotics or growth hormones are used. The Williams Island Farm will be raising traditional and heritage breeds of cattle, goats, chickens and turkeys that may be at risk of extinction. The Farm will cultivate several varieties of heirloom fruits and vegetables. Kelsey Keener, son of Bill and Miriam Keener, owners of Sequatchie Cove Farms, has been farming all his life. His family's farm supplies many of Chattanooga's finest restaurants with fresh produce and meat. Keener is excited about raising unusual breeds like the Devonshire cattle they will have on the island.
More traditional Angus cattle have been sent over on a barge by the CLC Cattle Company. Owners Ron Carper, Rick Lowery and Steve Clark have worked closely with the Hamilton County Soil Conservation District to develop a layout for the ranching endeavor that has included sewing a fescue, orchard grass and clover mixture for pasture on the land they are working.
"They have been so helpful to us in getting started on the island," says Steve Clark. The HCSCD assisted with a farm plan to set up rotational grazing and help reestablish grasses where row crops, specifically soybeans, had been. The company has also applied for and received a number of grants. An important one through the USDA farm bill was for the 5,000 feet of perimeter and cross fencing it took to create at least five paddocks to rotate the livestock on, for the prevention of overgrazing. HCSCD Project Coordinator Shorty Baty is pleased with the company's progress so far.
"They've been wonderful to work with," says Baty. "They were excited, but they had to be patient because the USDA's EQEP program takes time-working through all the different requirements and issues." The Hamilton County Soil Conservation District recently presented the 2007 Conservation Farmer Award to CLC.
Agribusiness to Co-exist With Recreation
Philip Grimes looks forward to a lively summer with plenty of activities in the Chattanooga area and in the Tennessee River Gorge, specifically. Simple Adirondack shelters are being built for campers at the Williams Island campsite this summer, although the Blueways campsites are classified as wilderness sites, with no potable water and no privies. Issuing permits to recreational visitors helps control the recreational use and gives out-of-town guests the information they need to make their experience a pleasant one.
Most of the paddlers making use of the Blueways program drive in from Atlanta, Birmingham and Knoxville, seeking their adventure weekend. Outdoor Chattanooga helps them plan for a two-night excursion.
"These are people that like to leave from Greenway Farm, spend the night on MacLellan Island and maybe get lunch or dinner in Chattanooga," says Grimes. The next day from the campsite on the northeast quadrant of the island, they will paddle for roughly four hours, on down to Williams Island where they will make camp. The Pot Point campsite is four more hours downstream and from there it is only an hour to the takeout at Raccoon Mountain, completing their beautiful trip through the Gorge. The Raccoon Mountain takeout is a safe TVA-monitored location for parking the car that visitors appreciate at the end of their journey. Philip Grimes adds, "It's a great way to see the Gorge."
To apply for a permit to camp on Williams Island or other Blueways campsites call 643-6888. For information on Community Supported Agriculture and Williams Island Farm contact Noah Bresler at WilliamsIslandFarm@gmail.com or check for postings at GreenLife Grocery in Chattanooga.
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