It seems a paradox that a man hailing from the Volunteer State of Tennessee would sacrifice the "changing of the leaves" in the mountains in and around Knoxville during October to volunteer at the Washington Parish Fair. But that is exactly what John Coykendall has been doing for the past 34 years.
Each October he travels to Franklinton and spends a week in the Ben's Ford Kitchen cooking on the wood stove. He meets and greets all who come through his post, answering questions about the stove and how cooking in the 1800's was unlike that of today.
He also listens. As he listens, he keeps a journal of the stories visitors tell him of how the kitchen reminds them of childhoods spent at similar tables possibly belonging to grandparents. He keeps a journal not only of words but of hand-drawn sketches of people, plants, and seeds that those he meets describe or share with him.
Mr. John is an historian at heart. Despite only spending a short time in Washington Parish each year, he has written volumes in his personal journals on the history of the parish, its food, and its people.
Mile Branch is a living history of the early settlers of the area. When asked why this resonates with him, he points out that many of the pioneers of the Florida Parishes were from his "neck of the woods" in Tennessee and North Carolina and neighboring states.
"In some ways we have a lot of kinship," Mr. John explains. There is a common thread of history and heritage that he finds appealing to study.
John Coykendall met his first link to Washington Parish in 1973 at art school in Sarasota, Florida. Jennifer Vise Stites, daughter of the late Calvin and Rose Vise and one of nine children, was John's classmate. The two became instant friends, and it was from her that he heard about the World's Largest Free Fair held each October in her hometown.
Fast forward to 1987 and John made his first visit to Washington Parish, stayed with the Vise family in their rambling home on Highway 10, and experienced the fair with the eyes of a "first-timer." He was immediately taken by the sights and sounds he experienced, but it was the Mile Branch Pioneer Settlement that most touched him.
Don't be mistaken --- he loves the entire fair. His favorite exhibits are the agricultural products such as the homegrown pumpkins. He has a long-standing friendship with former County Agent Henry Harrison and the two have put their heads together often discussing the agricultural aspect of the fair. In the beginning, that was the purpose of the fair. It might seem ironic to locals that someone who lives 600 plus miles away easily recognizes this fact.
As an artist, he always visits the art building and the youth art as well. Mr. John also enjoys the corn mill and visiting with Dale Graves as well as Louis Corkern and his crackling cooking in the settlement.
However, he is a lover of the fair. He enjoys the Cajun cuisine that the food booths offer and he can be found listening to music at Down by the Branch or at the Main Stage. When asked what his worst experience at the fair has been, he stated, "I'm still looking for it."
Mr. John is the Master Gardener at Blackberry Farms in Walland, Tennessee, a short distance from the Smoky Mountains.
Walland is just down the road from Townsend and a picturesque area without the commercial trappings of nearby Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. He oversees growing all the fruits and vegetables used by the chefs at Blackberry Farm. Many of the items he produces are from seeds he brought back from Washington Parish.
Mr. John is also a "seed collector." As he talks about his collection of seeds, he becomes excited. He has large freezers at home full of seeds, and it seems as if his mission is to make sure no seed ever "dies out."
As a seed preservationist and conservationist, he is associated with the "Seed Savers Exchange" in Decorah, Iowa. Their mission is to steward America's culturally diverse and endangered garden and food crop legacy for present and future generations. The Exchange educates and connects people through collecting, regenerating, and sharing heirloom seeds, plants, and stories.
One of the first seeds he brought with him from Washington Parish is the Red River pea which dates back to 1840. For years he was on a mission to find a sample of the "unknown pea of Washington Parish." No one seemed to know where it came from and what it was called, thus it became the "unknown pea."
Mr. John credits Gus Magee with introducing him to Dan Seal, who at the time was 87 years old and farmed in the Varnado area. He had the elusive pea. Now, there are seeds for the "unknown pea" in Mr. John's freezer all descended from a medicine vial of seeds Mr. Dan gave him. His passion for making sure such seeds are not lost seems to be a strong one.
It is difficult to determine Mr. John's age simply by looking at him, but he is proud of his 80 years of living close to the land. In conversation with him, he sprinkles in the names of some of Washington Parish's best. He mentions Mr. Arlie O'Bryant, Mrs. Leatha Robert Toney, and Mr. Sheldon Lang. He is thankful he has his journals of their stories and interactions so that they live on through him. He and his wife Ashley Valentine look forward each year to making their annual pilgrimage to Washington Parish. Calvin and Rose Vise are gone now, but he still finds "room at the inn" with Keith and Suzannah Fussell as he did with Keith's parents before.
Many fairgoers simply pass by Mile Branch Settlement on their way to the exciting sights and sounds of the Midway or to see one of the many acts on stage. Most do not realize that the heart and soul of the fair is on display in the cabins of the parish's earliest pioneers.
It is important that fairgoers are reminded of the fair's and the area's beginnings, and this is on display thanks to the many Mile Branch Volunteers. Note here that Mr. John recognizes the great need for volunteers as the "old-timers" are gradually passing away.
If one only takes a short time to find the Ben's Ford Kitchen, tucked behind the Jones Cabin, there will be Mr. John. He will usually be cooking on the woodburning stove what he terms as stew or soup, always containing lots of vegetables. There he will not only tell stories, but he listens to them as well. He is easy to recognize with his black leather journal in hand and his friendly demeanor.
But, if for no other reason, it is highly recommended to go in search of the Tennessee volunteer whose mission is to save seeds and traditions, one Washington Parish Free Fair at a time, and tell him “thank you”.
