BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Bless This Barn - 12/24/09 06:32 AM
This is horse country and this sign hanging in a neighbor's barn says it all! Here, too, is a poem I included in the December issue of the Spruce Creek Trail Association newsletter which also...says it all.

I am grateful to live in such a close, supportive equestrian community, looking forward to Christmas dinner with good friends. I am grateful to have two calm, dependable trail horses to ride in the company of such diverse, interesting people...horses bring us together here.
Why do I like horses? I reckon I must be mad.
My mother wasn’t horsey, and neither was … (4 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Christmas In A Small Community - 12/22/09 08:14 AM
I went into the courthouse yesterday to research a deed and to ask the Tax Assessor a question. On a raw December day when the light changes at 1pm and it feels dark and dreary, the courthouse corridors are ablaze with Christmas lights and decorated doorways. Each office is filled with baked goods and Christmas candy.
This is what life in a small town with a close-knit community is like. It makes me glad to live here, and proud of Jamestown, Tennessee.
There's alot more here than the trail riding in Big South Park National Park which, admittedly, is pretty fabulous. … (10 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: More Here Than Meets The Eye - 12/13/09 06:07 AM
It's a little-known fact that the Department of the Interior conducts a competition each year to determine which state has the best system of state parks. The Big South Fork National Park or, more accurately, The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, is well known among outdoorsmen and visitors to The Cumberland Plateau but there's a lot more here than meets the eye! With four exceptional state parks with a 30-minute drive of the Big South Fork itself, it's no surprise that Tennessee was awarded the honors in 2007.
The Alvin C. York Historic Park in Pall Mall includes … (42 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: This Piece of Land Is A Little Jewel! - 12/12/09 10:39 AM
LOOKING FOR LAND? LOOK AT THIS! Terrain in this part of Tennessee is described as "rolling" and some of it is definately more rolling than others. The Big South Fork National Park is a destination for trail riders and is, in fact, called "The Trail Riding Capital of the Southeast" because it boasts the best trail riding east of the Mississippi. The closer you are to trails or trailheads, the more desirable horse property becomes because horse properties that are right on trails are like beachfront! Sometimes where it is is as important as what it is.
With this piece, you … (4 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Oh, Throw Me In That Briar Patch! - 12/10/09 08:22 AM
When was the last time the agency you work for offered to pay for shoeing your horse?! When, in fact, was that ever a WORK-RELATED expense?!
Here at Big South Fork in Jamestown, Tennessee, horse properties are a way of life for realtors and alot of would-be buyers want to ride the trails here to get a feel for the area. I bought a second horse last year to be my "real estate" horse," a Tennessee Walker that I could count on to provide a safe and smooth ride. But, it's been a less-than-stellar year in terms of closings and commissions … (6 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Eye Of The Needle - 12/09/09 08:40 AM
The Big South Fork National Park is renowned for its dramatic and rugged scenery, enjoyed by hikers, mountain bikers, trail riders, kayakers and all outdoor enthusiasts. The "Eye Of The Needle" is a rock formation not seen by the casual passerby which makes it that much more special for those few who get there.
It can be accessed from several points but is probably most familiar to riders camping at Zenith Horse Campground or Honey Creek Horse Campground in Allardt. Trails are well marked and maps are available.  When you arrive, you'll come to a clearing with a picket line stretching … (6 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Having The Right Tool For The Job - 12/07/09 08:35 AM
These are my new shoes. You people in metropolitan areas are probably cringing because they're so ugly it almost hurts to look at them and you probably wouldn't be caught dead wearing them in public. But...they are the right tool for the job!
I just got a new listing this past weekend and, when I go into someone's house to list or to show, I always wear shoes that I can slip off at the door, as a courtesy to the homeowner. In this instance, I could slip them right back on and go out to walk the land with the … (6 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Fun With An Old Frame - 12/06/09 08:29 AM
I found this fabulous picture frame in a closet in my late mother-in-law's summer cottage at Mere Point in Brunswick, Maine. In it was a picture of a stern-looking gentleman with big whiskers, in the style of the day, but no one had a clue whose picture it was.
That being the case, my sense of whimsy demanded that I dispatch that old boy and replace him with a picture of my cat, Rags, who had the same frown and the same whiskers. I took Rags' photo to a photo studio and had it printed in sepia.
This picture has hung … (13 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Eat Your Hearts Out, You Yankees! - 12/05/09 10:59 AM
Well, we had our first "winter weather advisory" of the season here at the Big South Fork in Jamestown, Tennessee and you Yankees can eat your hearts out. We had an overnight snowfall so it looked like Winter Wonderland this morning....which it was!
This part of Tennessee is known for its mild winters so we can enjoy all of the beauty with none of the drawbacks....like seven loooong months of it, having the snowblower serviced, keeping a bag of "Ice Melt" by the back door, rotating your snow tires, trying to prevent ice dams from forming on the roof. How do … (12 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: What A Beautiful Blue Roan! - 12/04/09 08:52 AM
Horses are often bred for color and, like everything else, certain colors become a "hot" item.
Several years ago, it was the Spotted Saddle Horse, a gaited horse with the coloring of what people think of as a "paint" or a "pinto," that is, black and white or brown and white. They were a novelty at first and now it is more common than not to encounter them on the trail.
Then it was Buckskin and several dilute colors such as Champagne, Cremello and Perlino, while Palominos never fall from favor and are eternally popular.
Now it's Blue Roan. A horse … (2 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Multi-Use Trails For A Myriad Of Outdoor Activities - 12/03/09 06:07 AM
The Big South Fork National Park in Jamestown, Tennessee is so renowned for riding trails that it is often called "The Trail Riding Capital Of The Southeast," but many are actually designated as multi-use trails.
The park encompasses 125,000 acres, straddling the Kentucky/Tennessee border and offers a variety of trails, intended for a variety of activities. Hikers, in particular, enjoy the many trails designated for their use and it is common to encounter hiking clubs, families and even llama trekkers. The Big South Fork has about 400 miles of trail overall — 130 miles for hiking, and about 160 miles of … (6 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: Casting A Long Shadow - 12/02/09 07:21 AM
Here in Big South Fork National Park, late fall days are usually mild enough for trail riding. In fact, it is common here to ride right through the winter, with many days in the 50's and some in the 60's.
At this time of year, it is not the temperature that is a concern but the waning daylight which changes at about 1pm from a yellow morning light to a blue afternoon light. Riders need to plan their route to arrive back by about 3:30 as darkness falls early.
For those who are unfamiliar with the area or the distances they … (8 comments)

BIG SOUTH FORK TENNESSEE: The Beautiful Bradford Pear Tree - 12/01/09 05:36 AM
While most pear trees are grown for their fruit, the Bradford Pear is grown for its shape. Although it is hardy in Zones 4-9, that is, it should thrive in most areas of the country, I had never seen it until I came to Tennessee.
It has a very distinctive shape, pyramidal when the tree is immature and oval when mature. It is remarkably uniform; the reason is that it was cloned from a single tree. It is noted for its rapid growth, often at the rate of two feet per year, until it reaches its full height of 30-50 feet. … (14 comments)

 
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Leslie Helm/Real Estate For Trail Riders

Jamestown, TN

More about me…

Tennessee Recreational Properties

Address: 515 Trailhead Lane, Jamestown, TN, 38556

Office Phone: (866) 731-7268

Cell Phone: (931) 704-3407

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I live minutes from the Cumberland Trailhead into Big South Fork National Park, in Spruce Creek Acres, an equestrian community that abuts the park itself. Horses are a major part of daily life here and this is a very active, supportive horse-oriented community. It is a gift to work as a realtor here, listing horse properties and selling horse properties to horse people! We joke that I've probably done more real estate on horseback than off! If you want to "live where you love to ride," let me help you find YOUR Big South Fork horse property .


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