August 8, 2025

A Tiny Fish, a Big Story: a Preview for Sunday

We've got a big story coming.

Writer:
Words by
David Cook
Photographer:
Photography by
Sarah Unger

Food as a verb thanks

Pruett's

for sponsoring this series

This morning, we're sending a special preview for Sunday's story.

Months in the making, it follows a team of local scientists as they work to save one of the most endangered fish in the US.

It's a minnow called the Laurel Dace.

And it's only found in one place on Earth.

Right here in east Tennessee.

Walden's Ridge, specifically.

In the race to save the Laurel Dace, some other precious things were discovered.

Like community. Resilient community.

What impacts the fish impacts the rest of us, too.

Our story began this spring, when we brainstormed with our friends from Thrive Regional Partnership about the land behind the land. Food as a Verb spotlights agriculture, but what of the larger land-water-scape behind the farms?

This led us on a search for this very tiny fish and the larger ways it impacts all of us. From Spring City to the caves beneath our feet, our Sunday feature presents a beautiful and vulnerable look at a fish whose population numbers so low, you can count them by hand.

A few things to remember:

  • The plural of fish is ... fish. Right? Well, sort of.

"The plural of fish is 'fish' if all individuals are the same species [but] 'fishes' if the individuals represent two or more species," said Dr. Bernie Kuhajda, aquatic conservation biologist with the Tennessee Aquarium.

Outside the science community, nobody really says 'fishes', though, so for the sake of familiarity, we used the plural "fish" throughout.

  • There's some confusion on whether Walden's Ridge is actually called Walden Ridge.

We've seen both. The Tennessee Encyclopedia uses Walden Ridge, while this history suggests Walling's Ridge, the original name, shifted to Walden's Ridge.

In our story, we're sticking again with the familiar: Walden's Ridge.

And this story?

It is one of our very favorites.

At one point, Sarah and I were deep in the Walden's Ridge woods with Bernie and his team, siene-netting for Laurel Dace.

Viola. They found one.

Holding in our hands one of the most vulnerable and endangered creatures in the US? It was unforgettable - both the awe, humility, vulnerability and ... joy.

Perhaps we'll say more about this later.

We're honored to publish this story for you, Food as a Verb community. We're planning a related event, too, in September. More soon.

Until then, have a wonderful Friday and Saturday.

We'll see you Sunday with a big story about a tiny fish.

Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in partnering with us? Email: david@foodasaverb.com

This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.

food as a verb thanks our sustaining partner:

food as a verb thanks our story sponsor:

Pruett's

X

keep reading

August 20, 2025
read more
August 18, 2025
read more

This morning, we're sending a special preview for Sunday's story.

Months in the making, it follows a team of local scientists as they work to save one of the most endangered fish in the US.

It's a minnow called the Laurel Dace.

And it's only found in one place on Earth.

Right here in east Tennessee.

Walden's Ridge, specifically.

In the race to save the Laurel Dace, some other precious things were discovered.

Like community. Resilient community.

What impacts the fish impacts the rest of us, too.

Our story began this spring, when we brainstormed with our friends from Thrive Regional Partnership about the land behind the land. Food as a Verb spotlights agriculture, but what of the larger land-water-scape behind the farms?

This led us on a search for this very tiny fish and the larger ways it impacts all of us. From Spring City to the caves beneath our feet, our Sunday feature presents a beautiful and vulnerable look at a fish whose population numbers so low, you can count them by hand.

A few things to remember:

  • The plural of fish is ... fish. Right? Well, sort of.

"The plural of fish is 'fish' if all individuals are the same species [but] 'fishes' if the individuals represent two or more species," said Dr. Bernie Kuhajda, aquatic conservation biologist with the Tennessee Aquarium.

Outside the science community, nobody really says 'fishes', though, so for the sake of familiarity, we used the plural "fish" throughout.

  • There's some confusion on whether Walden's Ridge is actually called Walden Ridge.

We've seen both. The Tennessee Encyclopedia uses Walden Ridge, while this history suggests Walling's Ridge, the original name, shifted to Walden's Ridge.

In our story, we're sticking again with the familiar: Walden's Ridge.

And this story?

It is one of our very favorites.

At one point, Sarah and I were deep in the Walden's Ridge woods with Bernie and his team, siene-netting for Laurel Dace.

Viola. They found one.

Holding in our hands one of the most vulnerable and endangered creatures in the US? It was unforgettable - both the awe, humility, vulnerability and ... joy.

Perhaps we'll say more about this later.

We're honored to publish this story for you, Food as a Verb community. We're planning a related event, too, in September. More soon.

Until then, have a wonderful Friday and Saturday.

We'll see you Sunday with a big story about a tiny fish.

Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in partnering with us? Email: david@foodasaverb.com

This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.

Food as a verb thanks our story sponsor:

Food as a Verb Thanks our sustaining partner:

Food as a verb thanks our story sponsor:

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August 20, 2025
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August 17, 2025
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August 17, 2025
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Regional Farmers' Markets

Brainerd Farmers' Market
Saturday, 10am - noon
Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Ave, Chattanooga, TN
Chattanooga Market
Sunday, 11am - 4pm
1820 Carter Street
Dunlap Farmers' Market
Every Saturday morning, spring through fall, from 9am to 1pm central.
Harris Park, 91 Walnut St., Dunlap, TN
Fresh Mess Market
Every Thursday, 3pm - 6pm, beg. June 6 - Oct. 3
Harton Park, Monteagle, TN. (Rain location: Monteagle Fire Hall.)
Hixson Community Farmers' Market
Saturday, 9.30am - 12.30pm with a free pancake breakfast every third Saturday
7514 Hixson Pike
Main Street Farmers' Market
Wednesday, 4 - 6pm
Corner of W. 20th and Chestnut St., near Finley Stadium
Ooltewah Farmers' Market
The Ooltewah Nursery, Thursday, 3 - 6pm
5829 Main Street Ooltewah, TN 37363
Rabbit Valley Farmers' Market
Saturdays, 9am to 1pm, mid-May to mid-October.
96 Depot Street Ringgold, GA 30736
South Cumberland Farmers' Market
Tuesdays from 4:15 to 6:00 p.m. (central.) Order online by Monday 10 am (central.)
Sewanee Community Center (behind the Sewanee Market on Ball Park Rd.)
Walker County Farmers' Market - Sat
Saturday, 9 am - 1 pm
Downtown Lafayette, Georgia
Walker County Farmers' Market - Wed
Wednesday, 2 - 5 pm
Rock Spring Ag. Center