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John T. Edge transforms Faulkner's land into a Southern writers' retreat

From fried chicken to Faulkner's fields, Edge's journey redefines Southern heritage. Now, he's cultivating the next wave of storytellers on hallowed Mississippi soil.

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2 min read
The image shows a paper with a map of the United States of America, depicting the Civil War...
The image shows a paper with a map of the United States of America, depicting the Civil War campaigns of 1861. The map is detailed, showing the various cities, rivers, and other geographical features of the country. The text on the paper provides further information about the campaigns, such as the names of the cities and the dates of the campaigns.

John T. Edge transforms Faulkner's land into a Southern writers' retreat

John T. Edge has spent decades exploring the American South through its food and culture. His work spans cookbooks, documentaries, and journalism, covering everything from fried chicken to the Mississippi hot tamale trail. Now, he is turning his focus to a new project—a writers' retreat on land once farmed by William Faulkner.

His latest memoir, House of Smoke: A Southerner Goes Searching for Home, digs into his own family's complicated past. The book follows a career that has made him a leading voice in Southern foodways, though not without controversy. Edge grew up in a historic farmhouse filled with Civil War relics, the former home of a U.S. senator and his son, a Confederate general. This setting shaped his early fascination with Southern history and storytelling. By the early 2000s, he had become director of the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA), a role that would define his influence on the region's culinary identity.

Under his leadership, the SFA organised annual Taste of the South events at Blackberry Farm starting in 2004. These gatherings highlighted Southern chefs, winemakers, and traditions, such as those of legendary ham curer Allan Benton. The events helped turn Blackberry Farm into a cultural hub and elevated the SFA into the nation's top food-focused documentary nonprofit. In 2013, the organisation honoured chef Sean Brock, further cementing its reputation.

Beyond the SFA, Edge hosted the TV show True South and contributed to outlets like the New York Times, Gourmet, and NPR's Weekend All Things Considered. His writing often examined overlooked food traditions, from Atlanta's multicultural Buford Highway to the deep roots of fried chicken. Yet in 2020, he stepped down from the SFA after critics accused him of not equally promoting women and minority chefs.

Now, Edge leads a new project at the University of Mississippi. He is transforming an old mule farm—once called an 'agricultural theater' by William Faulkner—into Greenfield Farm, a residential writers' retreat. The goal is to nurture the next generation of Southern storytellers and draw creative talent back to Mississippi. Edge's career has moved from documenting Southern food to shaping its future through mentorship and preservation. Greenfield Farm will serve as a space for writers, while his memoir offers a personal look at the region's layered history. His work continues to bridge the South's past with its evolving cultural landscape.

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