– Every Farmer has a Eddie and Gary Gilbert –
Local flavor in Lowland
Gilbert brothers rely on direct marketing venture to keep diversified Hamblen County family farm thriving
Story and photos by Glen Liford
– Every Farmer has a Story with Eddie and Gary Gilbert –
Local flavor in Lowland
Gilbert brothers rely on direct marketing venture to keep diversified Hamblen County family farm thriving
Story and photos by Glen Liford
Most brothers share childhood memories or a knack for arguing, but Eddie and Gary Gilbert also share a different kind of bond: selling sweet corn and premium pork. Together they offer the most popular dinner plate options in the Lowland community.
In addition to growing 540 acres of soybeans and 450 acres of corn, the Gilberts, members of Smoky Mountain Farmers Cooperative, have developed a niche farm enterprise. They are focusing on selling flavorful, homegrown farm products directly to consumers from their farm near Morristown in Hamblen County, skillfully adapting to the changes that keep reshaping agriculture.
Customers come from near and far to purchase the Gilberts’ country sausage, pork chops, ribs, and sweet corn. The family believes that their farm products stand out for distinctive flavor and exceptional quality, similar to respected farm brands like Grainger County Tomatoes or Vidalia Onions.
“We want them to think of “Lowland Corn” when they think of our farm,” says Eddie.
The brothers grew more than 17 acres of the delicious crop this year, selling it entirely through a farmstand on their property. Customers could choose to buy the ears by the dozen, or for a premium, have the corn shucked and silked, ready to take home to eat or preserve for later use.
“People want to know where their food is coming from,” says Gary. “They want freshness, and they want to buy it locally. Shoppers are looking for someone they can trust, like the farmers in their communities.”
Eddie began farming with his father, James, after high school in 1973. He later formed a partnership with Gary and their brother, Sam, around 1980. After Sam died in 2016, Sam’s wife, Tracy, became a partner. Gary’s sons Bradley and Tyler work in the business, along with Sam’s son, Clinton. Wives and nieces and nephews pitch in, too. Over the years, the farm has remained a family operation and the Gilberts are committed to keeping the tradition alive.
“In high school, we plowed tobacco with a mule. Now we spray corn with a drone. We used to talk about how things had changed in my dad’s time, but now it’s [during] our lifetimes.” — Eddie, left, and Gary Gilbert
Eddie’s son, Ben, operates his own agritourism venture and grows pumpkins and other produce, while working full-time as an agronomist for GreenPoint Ag, the joint venture company partially owned by Tennessee Farmers Cooperative.
Gilbert Farms started as a dairy operation by their father in the 1940s, and has sustained multiple generations of the Gilbert family. The family added other pursuits to the dairy focus, including tobacco, hay, row crops, backgrounding steers, and a farrow-to-finish hog business, marketing some 1,200 hogs annually. They exited the dairy business in 2022 due mainly to the lack of labor assistance.
“We miss the cows, but we don’t miss the work,” says Gary.
Likewise, the Gilberts stopped growing tobacco after the buyout and adjusted their swine focus after their main Knoxville processor closed. They now sell 250 to 300 butcher pigs annually and work with a nearby USDA-inspected and certified processor to produce their own pork products. They worked closely with the processing staff to develop the sausage flavor that they all agreed on for taste and consistency, offering both hot and mild versions.
The pork products are sold year-round and are popular with their neighbors. Through word of mouth, they have developed an extensive network of customers in the local Hispanic community and with Russian and Ukrainian buyers from Knoxville and Asheville, N.C. They also work with local grocery markets and country stores to sell the products. These efforts keep the farm prospering and the family busy.
“Gary and I now just mostly do what we’re told,” Eddie jokes, as he reflected on another successful season in late July. The last of the sweet corn crop was sold in early August, and the Gilberts shared a heartfelt appreciation to all of their customers on their Facebook page.
“This year was especially exciting because our sweet corn didnʼt just feed our local community — it traveled across the country! We had corn heading to states including Arizona, Michigan, Indiana, and New York, just to name a few. Itʼs amazing to see how far a little piece of our farm has reached.”
Alyvia Sneed, left, feeds ears of corn through the silking machine while Meg Turner waits on the cleaned ear to come through the machine. The Gilberts offer customers the convenience of paying a premium for shucked and silked orders or simply buying corn in the shuck if they prefer.
Story by Glen Liford,
Contact gliford@ourcoop.com