Months before his term expires as Tennessee Governor, Gov. Bill Lee and First Lady Maria made a stop Monday afternoon to the farm of Lillard and Luke Stratton, which grows tomatoes sold at many of the region’s Food City supermarkets.

Gov. Lee said that he and the First Lady have visited 80 of the state’s 95 counties in his almost two terms as governor.

He said that the Stratton Farm was a special stop for both.

“Several months ago, Maria and I decided that we would go to every county in Tennessee during the year America celebrated 250 years,” Lee said. “We decided we wanted to as we celebrated the greatness of America, to go to every single county in Tennessee where we celebrate something iconic about that community that has contributed to the greatness of this state, which I think is the greatest state in the country.”

Lee said that when he was campaigning for Governor, he went to the Tomato Festival in Rutledge.

“I had no idea what I was doing 10 years ago when we did that event,” he said. “I always connected Grainger County with tomatoes, as I should. When we set this trip up, I said, ‘Let’s find a really great tomato farm in this county.’” Lee said that he has done ‘America 250’ stops on courthouse squares, state parks, Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, century farms before coming to the Stratton Farm.

“Sometimes we’ve had big crowds and sometimes we’ve had family crowds,” Lee said. “The point is for us, number one, to celebrate what makes Tennessee unique. Certainly, multigenerational families that have contributed to the agriculture industry in the state.

“The biggest driver of industry in Tennessee is agriculture,” he said. “Ag drives our economy.”

Lee said that his family business was cattle farming.

“We know how important this is that our agricultural industry be supported,” he said. “Maria and I say ‘Thank You’ to the people who have given us the honor of being in this position the last eight years. It’s been quite a ride. One that I did not know from when I went to the first Tomato Festival what I was getting into. It’s been a huge honor to be here.

“We are really fortunate to be Tennesseans,” Lee said. “We live in the best state in the country.

Lee credited principles, values, the way of life as among the top reasons he is proud to be from Tennessee.

“It’s just different more than anywhere else,” Lee said. “My goodness, this is a beautiful part of Tennessee.

Lee and his party came to the Stratton Farm from New Tazewell where he had attended a similar event.

“You all are fortunate to live in this community,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know what it would be like to live here. If you’ve lived here your entire life, you are blessed for that.”

The Stratton Family have been tomato farmers for decades. In fact, Lillard, Luke and the entire Stratton family raise many crops of tomatoes a year, first starting in November in their greenhouses and expanding to tomatoes and other vegetables throughout the summer. Their signature tomatoes will be available for summer harvest. They also sell many vegetables to K-VA-T Food Stores, better known as Food City throughout Kentucky, East Tennessee, Southwestern Virginia, Alabama and Georgia.

“Every now and then, we should set aside the things we disagree on or the things that aren’t just right or just perfect and remind ourselves that it is true that we live in the greatest country in the world. We should stop and say it out loud and remind ourselves that we’re a very blessed people to live in America. We’re the most blessed Americans to live in Tennessee,” Lee said.

America 250 is a huge national celebration going on that will be culminated on July 4 at the White House and really in towns all across the country.