How It All Started

FOCUS:
Help families understand “Food is grown by Farmers.”
WHY:
Families make memories with hands-on Agriculture experiences.
MISSION:
Become friendly Ambassadors for Agriculture.
Donnell Roots Run Deep
I am a farmer’s daughter, a farmer’s wife and a farmer’s mother. I have lived on a farm all of my life.
Today families are 2-3 generations removed from times when every family had a milk cow, a garden and perhaps some crop. Some children think chocolate milk comes from a brown cow. They can’t recognize a goat from a pig! These concerns caused me to begin field trips on our farm. I shared my dream with my husband, Billy Donnell. He was a farmer from the day he was born and shared my belief that farmers have to tell their story!
My McCallum family is among the first Madison County, TN pioneers. I grew up 8 miles from where I now live. In 1835 John Donnell moved his family to the Donnell original 500 acres where the old family graveyard is now located.
Our farm is designated a TN Century farm because it has been farmed continuously for 100+ years by the Donnell family. The mules that pulled the plows were stabled in large Mule barns where our two sons later fed and groomed their registered Angus show heifers. It became my dream to restore that barn so school children could experience the glory of one of these historical structures!
With the restored Donnell barn and borrowed animals Donnell Century Farm Adventure was born. Andrew, our youngest son later joined me and expended my field trip dream to include seasonal Festivals with over 30 fun attractions and delicious food locations. We continue producing Corn, Soybeans, All-Natural Angus, Pork, Pumpkins and now Sunflowers.
Rose Ann McCallum Donnell
Today, the Donnell Farm produces registered Angus cattle, cotton, soybean, corn, and hay. Donnell Century Farm All-Natural Angus Beef is sold in the Farm Market and by ½ or whole animal. at the Century old production methods have been merged with GPS, artificial insemination, ultrasound, and no-till farming.
From Farm Gate to Dinner Plate!
It is with a hopeful heart we present a look at agriculture as it was and as it is today. We invite you to our place where you can celebrate your agricultural past. A time when EVERYONE grew what they ate!