Yellowbird Hill is a farm in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, that sells some of its products in downtown Knoxville’s farmers market. This business came to life around the year 2021 by the hands of Renee Smith. From Kentucky, Smith is the farmer and operator of Yellowbird Hill. She planted the company’s first flower bed and neutered it daily. Erin O’Tool, the co-owner of Yellowbird Hill, spoke on the initial steps of success for the business.
“By the next year after increasing the garden to 1,800 square feet and adding a greenhouse, we were in business, and by the summer (Smith) was able to quit her job and work the farm full time,” O’Tool said.
Little did Smith know that as soon as she planted that first plant bed, that “was the spark, as she dreamt of doing it every day as her job,” O’Tool said.
While tending to the initial garden bed on the farm, Smith was surrounded by large gatherings of goldfinches which later inspired part of the company name “yellowbird.”
As for the idea of the “hill” part of the name, the farm is built on a mound. This creates some complications for the crops’ ability to grow in a safe environment. Further, the hill produces an immense amount of sunlight and a plethora of wind for the agricultural products. O’Tool spoke on the weather’s impact on the plants.
“This can be a challenge, as while many plants like full sun, they also like to have some protection from trees and hedges,” O’Tool said. “That also helps with the wind.”
The type of field products depends on each season in Tennessee. Additionally, this business concentrates on Tennessee’s hardy annual and summer annuals. According toThompson and Morgan, a hardy annual is “a plant that goes through its entire life-cycle in one season and which can be sown outside in the open garden in spring where it is to flower.”
“The hardy annuals are typically planted in the fall and include snapdragons, Campanella, larkspur and others,” O’Tool said.
According to Missouri Botanical Gardening, summer annuals are plants that thrive in hot weather and generate seeds before their time of wilting. Some plants grown during this period at Yellowbird Hill are sunflowers and zinnias.
The business has several other crops such as food products. According to the Yellowbird Hill website, these include greens like broccoli and kale as well as carrots and peppers.
The root of this business is solely based on regenerative farming. This distinctive style of farming benefits the earth as it aligns with its natural processes.
Yellowbird Hill concentrates on no-till farming. This technique prioritizes the business’s main goal of sustainable food practices which prioritize organic materials. O’Tool spoke in more detail about how he uses regenerative farming at Yellowbird Hill.
“This is focused on soil health with a strong microbial and fungal diversity first to feed the plants,” O’Tool said. “Less soil disturbance and heavy carbon inputs such as compost and leaving roots of previous plants in the ground feeds these systems.”
For Smith, working with Yellowbird Hill is important to her, as she enjoys witnessing the transformation of a seed blooming into a flower and the satisfaction of knowing that their crops feed people.
As for O’Tool, he takes pride in the value of regenerative agriculture that yields self- sufficiency.
“Our focus is to create a self-sustained life free of debt and stress,” O’Tool said. “We live in a converted school bus (a Skoolie) and have a goal of increasing the amount of our own food we grow ourselves each year.”
Part of the success of this business derives from capturing lively photos of what this farm brings to life. In addition to being a farmer and operator of Yellowbird Hill, Smith is also a photographer for this farm and has been for more than 20 years.
Just like Tennessee’s uncontrollable weather, her editing style is very relaxed. She shoots whatever the environment’s mood is and what the weather chooses to radiate. Smith spoke more on her image enhancement strategy.
“My goal is to photograph something the way it feels to me,” Smith said.
This business makes a commitment to keep our planet clean. Yet, the employees are not the only ones capable of supporting a healthier lifestyle.
Further, there are opportunities to volunteer at these farms. While participating hands on, you can learn more about this style of farming and practice their techniques at home. Another option is to donate to farmers who work diligently to provide for us and our planet.
