For a weekend at the bucolic Blackberry Farm in Tennessee, fill your bag with comfortable yet stylish clothing that can stand a day in the fields.

When packing for a weekend stay at the bucolic Blackberry Farm, a pastoral 4,200-acre estate in the Great Smoky Mountains, bring comfortable yet stylish clothing that can stand to be outdoors in the field, veggie patch or pasture.

Victoria Knit Jumper by People Tree
A comfy sweater is a must-have on any casual getaway. This cream-colored one, by British label People Tree has a great, loose fit that scores some serious fashion points too. It’s Fair Trade certified and hand knitted in Nepal from 55% cotton and 45% banana tree fiber.
Approx. $138, People Tree

Ripegoods Lucky Horseshoe Necklace
A lucky charm to wear around your neck that is more than appropriate for a farm. This handcrafted gold fill horseshoe necklace comes in two different sizes, both hammered and brushed to a matte finish and affixed to an oxidized sterling silver chain. Committed to sustainability, Ripegoods mother and daughter design team, Kathie and Lindsey Fieldman, use recycled and reclaimed metals to craft their pieces.
$58, Ripegoods

The Lost Coast Overnight by Heather Heron
Pack all your stuff in this rustic yet stylish weekender bag by California-based designer Heather Heron. Made from recycled vintage military fabrics and dolled up with some patchwork, each bag is unique and will hold everything you need for the weekend.
$640, Heather Heron

The Vegetable Wash Skinny Jean
A good pair of jeans are practically a requirement for spending time on a farm. These vegetable wash jeans from Kaight are perfect for a day in the veggie patch. Each pair is handwoven in Romania, and absolutely unique. Customers can find out how by entering a special code located on the inside seam.
$165, Kaight

Castor Fishtail Parka by Nudie Jeans Co
This classic fishtail parka was made for the boys, but that does not mean us girls can’t wear it. Made from cotton twill with a detachable lining, drawstring detailing and lots of pockets, it’s perfect for a weekend in the countryside. Swedish brand Nudie Jeans Co has made a long-term commitment to sustainability and developed special techniques for dyeing and distressing their clothing that are not harmful to the environment.
$599, Nudie Jeans Co

Mod. 2 Scarf by Beryll
You gotta throw some plaid in there when you’re going to a farm, and this scarf is the perfect way to do that. Made by LA-based company Beryll, whose motto is “handcrafted by good people, worn by good people,” it will keep you warm through many chilly summer eves and will only look better with age.
$148, Juno & Jove

Aiglentine Natural Rubber Boots
Farms tend to get muddy, so bringing a pair of rubber boots along is probably a good idea. French company Aigle has been making rubber boots since 1853. They are all still handcrafted in France, from high quality natural rubber. These are great boots that will last you for a very long time, they’re also washable and fast-drying.
$218, Aigle

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A gourmet slow food paradise in the Smoky Mountains.

In the misty foothills of eastern Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Farm is a delightful and unusual hotel offering a gastro-luxe farm-to-table experience, with southern hospitality.

This being Earth Month, we’ve been reflecting on various ways we’re bringing nature into our homes, for example with micro-sized sexy urban gardens. This rural hotel/farm is at the other end of that scale, a vast 4,200 acre estate with a range of animals including sheep, which produce milk (for cheese), wool and meat; pigs, for sausages and pork; and hens (free-range, naturally), for their eggs. The animals also regenerate the pasture, fertilize, control pests and consume waste products from the farm’s food production.

The gardeners produce heirloom varieties (organically developed over generations, un-genetically-modified) of fruit and vegetables, such as apples, beans and carrots, while wild mushrooms are foraged from the woodlands. They even have black truffles – perfect with fresh eggs for breakfast.

Foodies will truly find heaven, care of the artisans of the farmstead as well as the gardeners. The farm has its own bee-keeper, for instance, and cheese-maker, butcher, plus a preservationist who makes jams, pickles and preserves. There’s a cooking school with celebrity chef guests, as well as a packed program of other food and wine events.

Accommodation is either in a beautiful private house and cottages, or guestrooms in the guesthouse: all is comfortable and classic, with four-poster beds, low-key prints or chintz in muted tones. All rooms and houses have fireplaces, high-speed internet, and integrated surround-sound systems. As well as the outdoor pool, with mountain views, there’s the spa with a wet treatment room offering the latest technology, such as various high-pressure water therapies; yoga classes are also available. Croquet, wildflower hikes and horse-and-carriage rides are other low-impact activities designed to get you in tune with nature, without harming it.

Rates from $345 excluding tax (two night minimum).

Photos: Blackberry Farm

Places & Spaces is a travel guide that will inspire you to carve out a vacation on your calendar. All of the gorgeous locations and accommodations in our guide share our concern for the environment. From tent glamping to lavish built environments, fair warning, you’ll feel compelled to pack your suitcase.

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America runs on coal. It creates half of our electricity. And the unclean technology producing this source may be killing our children, grandchildren and the future unborn, not to mention our natural environment.

Is the fed sensing the urgency to limit the damage from this source we depend upon?

Not according to three environmental groups looking for clean coal technology. They are planning to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for being blatantly lax in limiting toxic discharges from power plants that threaten the health of local communities exposed daily to the pollutants.

According to Planet Shifter, the federal government is 26 years behind setting restrictions on the discharges which contaminate ground and surface waters and threaten aquatic life. Apparently, the EPA should have limited coal ash discharges to meet its own requirements for annual environmental reviews.

Back in December when a coal ash spill occurred at the Tennessee Kingston Fossil Plant, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson promised to issue regulations by the end of the year for nearly 600 coal plants with on-site coal ash storage ponds or landfills.

But the three groups planning to sue: the Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club and the Environmental Integrity Project argue “the EPA need to stop kicking the can down the road and set a date for the regulation.”

There is evidence that these coal plants discharge millions of pounds of toxic pollutants every year. According to the report, in  Kingston, alone, more than 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash spilled from a coal-ash holding pond last December when a earthen wall ruptured. The ash contains elevated levels of arsenic, selenium and lead, among other toxic substances.

In a 60 Minutes investigation on harmful waste by-products from coal, it was revealed that the tremendous amount we burn for electricity every year generates 130 million tons of waste. They even interviewed coal barons who have become rich off coal, who admitted being responsible for those smoke stacks that pump out 100-million tons of carbon dioxide every year.

Most of the waste emitted from power stations  is coal ash which is dangerous to humans and other living things. Environmental scientists tell us that the concentrations of mercury, arsenic, lead and other toxic metals are considerably higher in coal ash than in ordinary soil.

When properly disposed of  in dry, lined impoundments, coal ash is considered to be safe. But observers say it is often dumped into wet ponds (nearly 500 of them in the U.S.)  and in those cases the ash could pose health risks to the nearby communities.

Images: Tennessee Valley Authority, Earth Observatory, NASA

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