Rarely does a family’s passion so perfectly align with what the community around it needs like at McCulley’s Amazin’ Acres in Sparta, Tennessee.
For generations, the McCulleys have worked the land, and for more than two decades of that span, they’ve given the citizens of White County and beyond family fun each year through Amazin’ Acres.
I sat down with Daniel McCulley (son of owners Karen and Jimmy McCulley) to discuss the history of the farm and what visitors can expect from Amazin’ Acres in 2025.
“This is a family farm, it really is. In just a couple more years, we will become a Tennessee Century Farm, meaning that this land has been in our family and been a working farm for almost 100 years. We used to dairy farm until 1999 when the dairy business became really rough and forced us to diversify. At that point, we moved to the pumpkin patch, corn maze, and strawberries, and we’ve continued to grow the agro-tourism side of our farm since.” He added, “With this in mind, we work hard to make sure people have a place where they can bring their families, have a good farm experience, and like our slogan says, ‘Make Unforgettable Memories.’”
Beyond a new logo and a catchy slogan, Amazin’ Acres is changing in a variety of other ways. I asked Daniel to pull back the curtain on what the farm will offer this year.
He stated, “The biggest thing we did was pave the walkway back to the activities section. This will make it so much easier for strollers, those with mobility issues, and just people walking the farm in general. They will now have a better walkway even on days when it has rained or is raining.” He elaborated, “We’re also adding a combine slide, the gravity wagon basketball station, paintball guns, and more – we’re trying to keep creating new activities every year. At the market (Farm Market), we will be selling our merchandise with our new logo on it – t-shirts, hats, stuffed animals, and more. We will also sell jams and jellies, salsa, and offer a food menu in the fall and spring from the kitchen that will include: BBQ nachos, fries, burgers, hot dogs, mini donuts (added this year), ice cream, slushies, and a variety of other items depending on the season and weather.”
In this vein, the family is looking to grow even further by making the farm more than just a fall destination. Instead, they want Amazin’ Acres to serve as the perfect fit for any family-friendly occasion, entertaining the community throughout the year.
“We’re really looking to host more corporate events, which is why we’ve added a second pavilion to give more space to visitors. This includes school groups, birthday parties, business gatherings – pretty much any event that needs a fun, family atmosphere.” Daniel continued, “We’re also trying to offer something for families the entire year round. We started with the Easter egg hunt, and we’re doing strawberry picking in the spring, along with ‘Farm Adventure’ days, where we open up all our activities. This year, we did the Strawberry Festival, which was a lot of fun. We’ll also have our sunflowers and zinnias, the corn maze, our pumpkin patch each fall, and at Thanksgiving, we’ll start selling our Christmas trees. This year we’ll have Virginia pines and pines ranging in height from 6’ to 10’ for ‘choose and cut.’ Visitors can come out and pick their tree(s), and we will have the saws for them to cut those trees down with. We’ll shake them out, bail them, and make sure they’re ready to take home. It’s a lot of fun. Our own kids have really enjoyed it, and so do the families that come out and experience it for themselves.”
While Christmas trees, pumpkins, and sunflowers are a hit with visitors, the real draw is the massive corn maze featured annually at Amazin’ Acres. And, this year, the McCulleys have partnered with a nationwide collective to create a special maze inspired by country music superstar Laney Wilson, adding yet another exciting change to the farm in 2025.
Even as a frequent visitor to Amazin’ Acres, I am blown away by everything new happening there. From a playpen that features a floor made from 800 bushels of corn, to outdoor bowling, and a slew of activities too numerous to mention, the growth (and effort it took to achieve it) is obvious when walking the grounds.
As we sat on the front porch of the Farm Market to finish our chat, Daniel pointed out his home, and those of his parents and brother Tyler, along with the acreage that largely makes up their lives, doing so with obvious pride. The McCulleys don’t just own Amazin’ Acres, they live it. Each day, whether visitors roam or the farm is empty, they toil together, so families across the Upper Cumberland can find respite, joy, and connectedness on their farm. We encourage every reader to visit Amazin’ Acres this fall, and we truly consider it an honor to feature this incredible family as the first cover of Sparta Lifestyle Magazine.
– by Andrew Buckner, photos by Abby Weeden
