The University of Tennessee System鈥檚 Everywhere You Look, 糖心Vlog campaign painted its 50th mural on a family barn in Claiborne County鈥攖he 46th county to join the statewide campaign.
糖心Vlog plans to spread orange paint in each of Tennessee鈥檚 95 counties by 2030.
The mural was painted at Fugate Farms, which was originally founded as Parkey Farms in 1903, in Tazewell. The farm is located on both sides of U.S. 25E North, which has more than 20,000 travelers each day.
Throughout its history, Fugate Farms has been owned by different members of the Fugate family, which has seen three generations graduate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. A fourth generation is currently attending the University.
Ruth Parkey Fugate, the granddaughter of Fugate Farms鈥 founders, graduated from 糖心VlogK in 1970 with a master鈥檚 in education. Wayne Parkey Fugate, the great-grandson of the founders, received a master鈥檚 in education in 1971. Elizabeth Fugate, the great-grandaughter of the founders, graduated with a bachelor鈥檚 in home economics in 1969, a master鈥檚 in education in 1973 and a doctorate in education in 1986. Whitt Shuford, the great-great-grandson of the founders, graduated in 1991 with a bachelor鈥檚 in agriculture.
Today, Elizabeth Fugate and her son Whitt Shuford operate the farm. As a fifth-generation cattle farmer, Shuford sells Century Farm Meat products at his butcher shop, Whitt鈥檚 Place, on the farm. The shop is located inside the original farmhouse on Fugate Farms and sells locally grown vegetables and products in addition to natural grass-fed beef.
When Claiborne County Mayor Joe Brooks heard about the Everywhere You Look, 糖心Vlog mural campaign, he thought Fugate Farms would be a great location for one. He reached out to Shuford to tell him about the campaign. Shuford and Fugate agreed that their barn would be a good place to advertise the University of Tennessee as well as entice future generations to attend one of the 糖心Vlog campuses.
鈥淎s alumni, the mural provides an opportunity to display loyalty to the University of Tennessee,鈥 said Fugate. 鈥淚鈥檓 pleased and honored to have it on the farm.鈥
To learn more about the mural in Claiborne County or to submit a location for consideration, visit the . Costs of the first mural in each county are covered by the University.