The Village of Hampshire Tennessee

06/23/2026

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✅ IMPORTANT UPDATE ON STATUS OF CPWS LOANS

1) The State Funding Board deferred the vote to deliberate more on the loans to CPWS yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon, we asked for a “pause” from the State Local Development Funding Board on behalf of all of the citizens of Maury County before Columbia Power and Water amasses a cumulative debt (including that state loan) of over $500 million dollars for their current project that will fall completely on the rate payers of Maury County.

We don’t believe more deliberation is too much to ask for what could amount to a billion dollar question for the people of Maury County.

Our request was not “against” anything. I appreciate what CPWS has done over the years and still do for the people of Maury County. They are Maury County, too.

However, our request was “for” all of the people of Maury County, to make sure that what is proposed is the best possible solution for getting more water to Maury County before we take on a huge 30 year debt.

I urged the Board to wait for the feasibility studies that are currently being conducted by the Governor’s Duck River Water Planning Partnership. That Partnership has been looking for the best possible solutions for almost two years. The preliminary reports of those studies are expected to be released to the DRWPP in September.

I also believe the Board was in total agreement with my comments that the future of water in Tennessee is true Regionalization. The Duck River Utility Commission is a great example.

True Regionalization works on economies of scale. The Duck River Utility Commission’s primary job is to treat and supply drinking water to communities in Coffee County and the surrounding area and sells treated water to them. They have the cheapest water in the state of Tennessee. That should be the model across the State for all Tennesseans. I know of several water utilities in our surrounding counties who are very interested in forming a Commission with Maury County much like the DRUC.

The Board understands that there are currently “water wars” across the State. Many of the water utilities are competing for water and rate payers instead of communicating and collaborating for the good of their customers. In that competition and battle for control, the losers are the people of the State of Tennessee.

There was also a letter sent to the Funding Board that they received right before the meeting. The Board referenced that letter in making their decision.
The letter was signed by Senator Joey Hensley, Representative Kip Capley, Representative Scott Cepicky, Representative Todd Warner, Representative Clay Doggett, Representative Chris Todd, County Commissioners: Kathey Grodi, Gabe Howard, Chairman Danny Grooms, Pam Huffman, Eric Previti, Patti Hollingsworth, Kevin Markham, Scott Sumners and Cindy Hestla.
The letter was also signed by Chris Morris, Jason Gilliam and City Councilman Charlie Huffman.

The vote was to defer to their next meeting on July 27th.

This is a pivotal time. Water is a basic need that matters to everyone. How we move forward makes a huge difference not only to Maury County but across the entire State. The water issue does not stop at the boundaries of a City or a County. We are all in this together and clean water and fairness to all rate payers for our future is paramount.

06/11/2026

Maury county is hosting four local meetings next week for residents to give feedback about what we would like to see our communities look like in the future. These discussions will help inform the Comprehensive Land Use Policy that is currently being developed. Let's get involved and tell them to Stop the Sprawl Y'all!

06/08/2026

We are so looking forward to this next Saturday! Grab the family & come spend the evening with us! Highland Realm Blueberry Farm Drew Pieratt Matt DePoister Steve Brown Songs Bobby Ray

06/05/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Agricultural and Environmental Attorney Dustin Kittle Joins Tennessee Land & Liberty

COLUMBIA, Tenn. — Tennessee Land & Liberty has announced that agricultural and environmental attorney Dustin Kittle will join the organization as it expands its conservation, stewardship, and public-engagement efforts across Tennessee.

Kittle, a rancher and longtime public-interest advocate, has spent nearly two decades practicing law in matters involving complex litigation, environmental harm, infrastructure disputes, governmental accountability, and public-interest advocacy. In recent years, he has become increasingly known for representing farmers, ranchers, rural landowners, and public-interest clients in matters affecting agricultural continuity, land use, water resources, and rural communities.

The announcement follows the recent launch of Tennessee Land & Liberty, a nonprofit conservation and public-interest initiative focused on preserving rural landscapes, agricultural heritage, water resources, and community continuity through principled stewardship, responsible planning, transparency, and lawful governance.

According to research highlighted by the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, nearly 300 acres of farmland are lost each day across the state, placing Tennessee among the three states facing the greatest farmland-loss pressures in the nation as rapid growth increasingly reshapes rural communities.

Kittle said his decision to become involved with the organization was driven by growing concern over farmland fragmentation, infrastructure strain, water-resource pressures, and the long-term challenges confronting rural communities throughout Tennessee.

“Across the state, people are watching landscapes and communities that existed for generations change almost overnight,” Kittle said. “But I also believe people are increasingly recognizing that thoughtful stewardship and responsible growth can still coexist. I am optimistic about what this organization can accomplish because communities across Tennessee care deeply about preserving the land, water, and rural character that make this state unique, and I look forward to helping ensure that future generations inherit the same landscapes, water resources, and rural communities that have shaped Tennessee for generations.”

Alongside his legal practice, Kittle operates his Snow Creek farm in Santa Fe, Tennessee, where he raises Clydesdale horses and registered cattle and sheep as part of a broader commitment to agricultural continuity, livestock preservation, and land stewardship.

Teresa Sparks, a founding organizer of Tennessee Land & Liberty, said Kittle’s background gives the organization a perspective that is relatively uncommon within emerging conservation efforts.

“Dustin brings not only a deep connection to agricultural communities, but also years of experience involving litigation, infrastructure disputes, and complex public-interest matters,” Sparks said. “That combination provides a practical understanding of how conservation issues, development pressures, property rights, and institutional decision-making intersect in the real world.”

The organization noted that communities across Tennessee increasingly face mounting pressure from large-scale and infrastructure-intensive development, including rapid suburban expansion, industrial growth corridors, warehouse and logistics expansion, and utility-intensive projects such as data centers.

Kittle emphasized that the organization’s focus is not opposition to growth itself, but encouraging thoughtful development that respects infrastructure limitations, water resources, agricultural continuity, and the long-term character of communities.

“There is a growing recognition that once working farmland and rural landscapes are permanently fragmented, they are extraordinarily difficult to restore,” Kittle said. “The choices being made today will shape what remains for future generations, and Tennessee Land & Liberty intends to be a constructive voice in that conversation for years to come.”

Additional conservation initiatives, partnerships, and statewide public-engagement efforts are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

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About Tennessee Land & Liberty

Tennessee Land & Liberty is a nonprofit conservation and public-interest organization dedicated to preserving rural landscapes, agricultural heritage, water resources, and community continuity through principled stewardship, transparency, responsible planning, and lawful governance.

06/01/2026

THE GREAT DIVIDE || Dustin Kittle

~ For Tennessee Land & Liberty

———

The defining divide of our time is not political.

It is the divide between those who protect and those who extract.

Protectors understand that not everything of value can be measured by dollars and cents.

The protector plants a tree, though its shade they may never sit beneath.

The protector conserves the land, though they may never plow its soil.

The protector builds communities, institutions, and traditions for the benefit of generations they may never know.

Protectors understand that they are not owners so much as caretakers; the temporary custodians of something that is larger than themselves.

The extractors see the world differently.

To the extractor, our land and water have become commodities.

Our communities are their marketplaces.

And everything has a price, with nearly every action justified by the promise of a return.

For far too long, that extractive mindset has held the advantage.

It has been rewarded, if not celebrated, and its consequences now surround us:

Our farmland is disappearing.

Our water resources have grown scarce.

Communities have lost their character.

Places that once held a unique identity have become indistinguishable from everywhere else.

And yet, despite the seeming inevitability of it all, a choice still remains.

Will we extract what has been entrusted to us and leave the future to sort through the remains?

Or will we choose to protect, to conserve, and to steward what makes this place so special?

In the State of Tennessee, today we chart a different course.

Not alone, but TOGETHER.

Together, we can accomplish far more than any of us could achieve on our own.

And we do this in the hope of a better future; not just for ourselves, but for those who come after.

That is the purpose of Tennessee Land & Liberty.

05/28/2026

Please support my important cause!

05/19/2026

We need you!!

Its that time of year again and we need help picking our delicious blueberries at the Highland Realm Blueberry Farm!! We accept all kinds of workers-daily, weekly, part time, summer job, or even just a few hours here and there. If you are interested please text or email us now! We need help starting THIS WEEK!!!

05/01/2026

Looking for owner of this sweet dog that was found on Cathey's Creek between Goodman Lane and Biffle Lane. Please contact https://www.facebook.com/chuckdownsjr

04/24/2026

Chicken is in stock!!

All natural pasture raised non-GMO fed

Breast
Tenders
Thighs
Legs
Quarters
Wings
Whole birds
Feet
Stock starter bags (feet & necks)

Farm store this week;
Thursday 2-4
Friday 2-4
Saturday 10-2

Available to members only!

Not a member yet? Email us! [email protected]

Membership Benefits
-One time $5 Membership fee
-No buying commitments
-Access to all of our products- all natural pasture raised non-GMO fed raw dairy, eggs, chicken, pork & beef in our farm store or farmers market booth
-First access to bundles & new products
-Access to our Private Members page where we post what's in stock each week

✌️❤️👩‍🌾👨‍🌾🐔🌾

04/22/2026

Join us for Vineyard Sessions this Saturday from 12–6 at Natchez Hills Vineyard!

🎶 Live music by Lydia Rae from 2–6
🍴 Books, Squils, Gills & Clucks serving up the good stuff from 12–6
🍷 Wine, beer, wine slushies + non-alcoholic options available

We’re planning to soak it all in out on the patio—if the weather has other plans, we’ve got you covered and will move the party inside the event hall!

Grab your friends, kiddos, and even your pup and come spend the afternoon with us 🤍