Sarten is new director - Our CO-OP

January 2013
Sarten is
new director
SPECIAL ANNUAL MEETING EDITION
• Highlights • Updates • Photos • And more
Also inside
Junior Market Hog Exhibitors to benefit
from new Co-op penning system - p. 5
Best friends take top spots in national
endurance horse riding event - p.8
Martin Police Department K-9 teams
help keep their community safe - p. 10
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contents
January 2013
Cover Story
17 Special annual meeting coverage
David Sarten of Sevierville is the newest director on Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s nine-member
board. His election is among the highlights of TFC’s 2012 annual meeting Nov. 25 and 26 at the
Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville. Special coverage on pages 17-25 includes fiscal year-end reports, selection of the new board chairman and vice chairman, tribute to outgoing chairman Wayne
Brown, introduction of TFC’s new Certified Director Program, presentation of funds from our 4-H/
FFA Case knife sales, and announcement of the James B. Walker Cooperative Spirit award winner.
ON THE COVER: At his family farm in Sevierville, David Sarten stands in front of a cantilevered barn that dates back to the
early 1800s. David raises beef cattle and hay with brothers Eric and Joe on 250 owned and leased acres.
— Photos by Chris Villines
News and features
5
8 10
28
33
Co-op builds new pens for junior hog show
Metal fabrication plant will have new equipment ready for the Jan. 23 competition.
8
Stride for stride
Best friends Erin Champion and Morgan Watson win national endurance horse riding event.
A nose for crime
Martin Police Department K-9 teams help keep the community safe from illegal activities.
Staying sharp
A hidden log cabin launches a remarkable hobby for talented craftsman Joe Stout of Granville.
TDA reinstates grain indemnity assessment
Starting March 1, producers pay 1 cent per bushel on soybeans and half cent on other crops.
TenneScene
28
In every issue
4 As I Was Saying
Jerry Kirk makes good on his pledge to visit
Oak Ridge’s atomic energy museum.
4 Our Country Churches
Russellville United Methodist Church in
Hamblen County.
13 New at Co-op
Learn about three new products available
at your hometown store.
A thin layer of snow creates a beautiful wintry scene across the Hawkins County countryside. —Photo by Chris Villines
14 Neighborly Advice
Checking soil’s status, preventing scours.
30 What’s cookin’?
Warm up winter with chili recipes.
34 Every Farmer Has A Story
Meet Hunter Grills of Newbern, a young
farmer whose priorities are firmly planted.
January 2013
3
As I Was Saying
It’s no secret: Oak Ridge museum is great!
I
n my column a year ago this month, I resolved that before new year 2012
ended I would visit two Tennessee attractions I had never seen before —
the “world’s tallest treehouse” at Crossville and the American Museum of
Atomic Energy in Oak Ridge.
Well, as with so many resolutions I’ve made in the past, pure procrastination
kept me from succeeding in 2012. In this case, though, it’s really not all my
fault. I didn’t have a full year to check off one of the two items on my resolution
to-see list.
According to the Crossville Chronicle, the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s
Jerry Kirk
Office in early September ordered the treehouse shut down because “the buildContributing Editor
ing presents an imminent safety hazard to the public.”
Also known as “The Minister’s Treehouse,” the towering 10-story, all-wood structure was constructed by Horace Burgess, who is widely quoted as saying, “... the Spirit of God said, ‘If you build
Me a treehouse, I’ll never let you run out of material.”
Reports indicate that Mr. Burgess is considering his options in the matter. The closing, by the
way, has caused a clamor among some folks from across the country who have visited the treehouse
and would like to see it reopened. As for me, I’ll just wait and see.
Meanwhile, the other attraction I said I wanted to visit in 2012 — the amazing American Museum of Atomic Energy (AMSE) in Oak Ridge — is still going strong, drawing visitors from all over
the world. It’s definitely something Tennesseans should make a point to see. Jane and I, along with
good buddies Glenn and Pat Warner, were there on Aug. 3, and we all want to go back. It’s one of
the most fascinating places I’ve visited. Born and raised in East Tennessee, some 70 miles from Oak
Ridge, I was only 3 in 1942 when Oak Ridge was built, along with Los Alamos in New Mexico and
Hanford in Washington state, to secretly produce the world’s first atomic weapons.
It still boggles my mind that a city whose population would quickly soar to 75,000 people could
be built in rural East Tennessee — in secret! The museum explores both the history behind the
town and the science that led to its creation.
Among our group’s favorite displays was an original 574-square-foot “flat-top” house that’s typical
of what so many World War II-era Oak Ridge residents lived in. It’s a two-bedroom prefabricated
box that arrived in three sections by truck.
“One of these houses could be assembled and ready to go in 30 minutes,” said personable and
knowledgeable Lissa Clarke, the museum’s public information officer who showed our group and
other visitors through the flat-top. “Sometimes, so many of these were being assembled so fast that
children who left their homes in the morning to go to school didn’t recognize their neighborhood
when they came home.”
Other permanent exhibits at the museum include Exploration Station, a popular area that offers
self-directed activities that explore light and color, sound, problem-solving, static electricity, robotics, vision, and more. We especially liked “The Story of Oak Ridge,” a panorama of historical photographs, documents and artifacts.
The American Museum of Science and Energy is located at 300 S. Tulane Ave. in Oak Ridge. It’s
easy to find, parking is plentiful, and the staff is super nice. A trip would be a great family outing.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is
$5 for adults, $4 for those 65 and older, $3 for children 6 through 17, and free for children 5 and
under. For more information, call 865-576-3200 or visit amse.org.
Our Country Churches
4
January 2013
Published by Tennessee Farmers
Cooperative in the interest of better
farming through cooperation and improved
technology, and to connect the Co-op
community through shared experiences,
common values, and rural heritage.
Editor: Allison Morgan
[email protected]
Assistant Editor: Mark E. Johnson
[email protected]
Communications Specialist: Chris Villines
[email protected]
Contributing Editor: Jerry Kirk
[email protected]
Senior Graphic Designer: Shane Read
[email protected]
Graphic Designer: Jason Barns
[email protected]
Layout & Production Coordinator:
Travis Merriman
[email protected]
Editorial Assistant: Polly Campbell
[email protected]
Advertising Information: Keith Harrison
615-793-8585, [email protected]
The Tennessee Cooperator is distributed
free to patrons of member Co-ops. Since
each Co-op maintains its own mailing list,
requests for subscriptions must be made
through the local Co-op. When
reporting an address change, please
include the mailing label from a past
issue and send to the following address:
Tennessee Cooperator
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative
P.O. Box 3003
LaVergne, TN 37086
Phone: (615) 793-8339
E-mail: [email protected]
Guest Subscriptions:
Guest subscriptions are available for
$12.95 per year by sending a check
or money order to Tennessee Farmers
Cooperative at the above address.
TFC’s website:
www.ourcoop.com
Find us on Facebook & Twitter:
www.facebook.com/
TennesseeFarmersCooperative
www.twitter.com/TNFarmers
TFC Board of Directors:
Chairman — Donald Jernigan,
Christiana, Zone 2
Vice Chairman — Kenneth Nixon,
Carthage, Zone 2
Larry Paul Harris, Wildersville, Zone 1
Amos Huey, Kenton, Zone 1
Richard Jameson, Brownsville, Zone 1
Clint Callicott, Only, Zone 2
Johnny Brady, Riceville, Zone 3
David Sarten, Sevierville, Zone 3
George Smartt, McMinnville, Zone 3
Chief Executive Officer ­­— Bart Krisle
NOTICE: This publication is for
informational purposes only. Tennessee
Farmers Cooperative, its affiliates,
subsidiaries, and member Co-ops are not
responsible for any damages or claims
that may result from a reader’s use of this
information, including but not limited to
actual, punitive, consequential, or economic
damages. Tennessee Farmers Cooperative
makes no warranties or representations, either
express or implied, including warranties of
merchantability or fitness of any product/
material for a particular purpose. Each
article, document, advertisement, or other
information is provided “AS IS” and without
warranty of any kind. Tennessee Farmers
Cooperative reserves the right to alter,
correct, or otherwise change any part or
portion of this publication, including articles
and advertisements, without detriment to
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, its affiliates,
subsidiaries, or member cooperatives.
Russellville United Methodist
Church in Hamblen County
Russellville United Methodist Church has a
well-established ministry in Hamblen County
dating back nearly 180 years. Its first building
was constructed of logs in 1825, and the current
brick building dates to 1859. Its basement was
used for a school for 15 years, and the church
also served as a Civil War hospital. In 1996,
the church built an educational facility and
purchased additional property for parking space.
The pastor is the Rev. Betty Shirley.
— Submitted by Mary Ann Rush
January 2013
Volume 54, Number 1
213th in a series to show where our rural Co-op friends worship
®
Co-op builds new pens for junior hog show
New equipment to be in place for Jan. 23 event
By Claire Sellers; photo by
Allison Morgan
W
hen Tennessee Junior
Market Hog Show
exhibitors arrive later
this month for their competition at Middle Tennessee State
University in Murfreesboro,
they will find a brand-new penning system designed to help
the event flow smoothly.
Workers at Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s metal fabrication plant in LaVergne are in the
process of building this one-ofa-kind system, which will allow
the hogs to be moved in and out
of the show ring much more efficiently, says Phyllis Ferguson,
executive vice president of the
Tennessee Pork Producers Association (TPPA) and one of the
event’s organizers.
“With the continued increase in the number of hogs
and youth participating in the
show, there was a need to add a
special gate system to facilitate
the logistics of entry and exit in
the ring,” says Ferguson. “We
knew Co-op had the resources
to help us build this system,
and we’re excited to see those
plans take shape.”
The system will be constructed with 16 pens, each
divided into two 6-foot-by-6foot stalls with a 3-foot walkthrough gate, allowing 32 hogs
to be contained at one time.
The pens will be connected in a
row along one side of the show
arena of MTSU’s Tennessee
Livestock Center.
TFC’s Hardware Department
and metal fabrication plant employees collaborated to customdesign the system after show
organizers described their needs
and gave them a basic drawing
and photo of a similar setup.
“We are proud to be able
to contribute to programs
that encourage youth activities in agriculture,” says TFC
Hardware Department product
manager Jeffrey Wilkerson.
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Metal Fabrication Plant worker Richard Swann
bends a frame for one of the insert gates that will be part of a new, custom-built
penning system for the state Junior Market Hog Show in Murfreesboro.
“We enjoy being able to build
something that can be used for
years to come and help keep
these programs going strong.”
Along with TFC, other sponsors contributing to the cost of
the equipment are the Tennessee Department of Agriculture,
Farm Credit Services of MidAmerica, Tennessee Livestock
Producers (an affiliate of the
Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation), and TPPA.
The system will be used for
the first time on Wednesday,
Jan. 23, when 236 youth from
30 counties exhibit the 435
hogs they’ve entered in the
state show, which begins at
8 a.m. inside the Tennessee
Livestock Center on the MTSU
campus. A pork industry trade
show will also be held at the
facility the same day.
(See Hogs, page 7)
News briefs
Horticultural Expo planned Jan. 24-26
Farmers and other interested participants are expected to roll
into Nashville this month for the Tennessee Horticultural Expo,
which is planned for Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 24-26, at
the Nashville Airport Marriott.
The expo will offer educational sessions, networking opportunities, a trade show, and association meetings for members
of the Tennessee Agritourism Conference, Tennessee Farm
Winegrowers Alliance, Tennessee Farmers Market Association
and Agritourism, Tennessee Flower Growers Association, and
Tennessee Fruit and Vegetable Association.
More details, including a tentative agenda and registration
information, are available online at www.tnthe.com.
Master Nursery Program offered online
Through the new Tennessee Master Nursery Program, nursery crop growers have the chance to gain insight into how to
enhance their operations and improve their sustainability.
This program, led by the University of Tennessee Institute
of Agriculture, consists of six weekly training sessions featuring
a number of international experts in various aspects of nursery production. UT received a crop specialty grant of $47,000
from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) to help
fund the program. For producers who successfully complete the
course, TDA offers 50-percent cost-share for eligible projects
through the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program.
The Tennessee Master Nursery Program will be offered online through the website tnmasternursery.com this summer.
For more information, contact Amy Fulcher at 865-974-7152
or by email at [email protected].
January 2013
5
6
January 2013
Hogs
(continued from page 5)
The Junior Market Hog
Show follows TPPA’s annual
meeting, which is to be held
Tuesday, Jan. 22, at the Doubletree Hotel in Murfreesboro.
At 3 p.m., Lou Nave, executive
director of the Farm Animal
Care Coalition of Tennessee,
will share an update on the
organization’s current activities
at the state level. The TPPA
business meeting will follow,
with agenda items including a review of the 2012 Pork
Checkoff financial statement
and programs, discussion on
Pork Checkoff activities for
2013, and election of the
TPPA Executive Committee.
All Tennessee pork producers
who pay into the checkoff are
invited to attend.
Later that evening, the
popular “Taste of Elegance”
event will feature area chefs
competing with their newly
created pork entreés. The winner is invited to participate in
the National Taste of Elegance
experience at the Napa Valley
Culinary Institute in California.
This pork promotion highlights
new ways for chefs to include
pork cuts on the menus of
America’s restaurants. The
reception for invited guests
begins at 5:30 p.m.
For more information on
these activities, call TPPA at
615-274-6533 or email
[email protected].
Farmers asked to
provide data for
agriculture census
It’s time again for the Census of Agriculture, which is
conducted every five years by
the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS).
Census forms were mailed in
late December to collect data
for the 2012 calendar year.
Completed forms are due by
Feb. 4, 2013. After receiving a
form, producers can fill out the
census online via a secure website, www.agcensus.usda.gov,
or fill out the form and mail it
back. Respondents are guaranteed by law that their information will be kept confidential.
Federal law requires every
farmer and rancher, regardless
of the size or type of operation,
to participate in the census,
which is a complete count of
all U.S. farms and ranches and
the people who operate them.
It looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics,
production practices, income,
expenditures, and other topics.
Those who serve farmers
and rural communities – from
federal, state, and local governments to agribusinesses
and trade associations – use
this data in their planning and
policy efforts. To the general
public, the census provides a
snapshot of how much farming
has changed over the years.
For census purposes, a
farm is defined as any place
from which $1,000 or more of
agricultural products were produced and sold during the year.
For more information, visit
www.agcensus.usda.gov or call
1-888-424-7828.
January 2013
7
By Chris Villines
Aboard their half-brother Arabian horses, Morgan Watson, right, and Erin Champion raise their hands triumphantly as they cross the finish line first and second,
respectively, at the American Endurance Ride Council National Championship 50-mile ride Sept. 22 at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. The two inseparable friends,
sophomores at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, employed a disciplined training regimen to prepare for this top national event. — Photo by Becky Pearman
Best friends Erin Champion and Morgan Watson achieve their goal of winning the
nation’s most prestigious endurance horse riding event
W
atching them giggle,
finish one another’s
sentences, and
plan what they’re going to do
together next, it’s easy to see
that Erin Champion and Morgan Watson enjoy each other’s
company.
The two sophomore agricultural education students
at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville have been
best friends since sixth grade
and now live together in their
hometown of Clinton.
Clinton l
“During the summers
before college, it wasn’t a
question of whether they were
going to be together,” says Erin’s mother, Monnie. “It was
whether they were going to be
at our house or at Morgan’s
house. We consider Morgan
to be like our daughter, and
the Watsons consider Erin to
be one of theirs. Our families
are very close.”
But a house and a college
major aren’t all that Morgan,
8
January 2013
19, and Erin, 20, share these
days. Both avid horsewomen
are also champions in what
is arguably the Super Bowl of
U.S. endurance horse rides.
This past September,
Morgan and Erin were the top
two competitors in an elite
field of 96 horse-and-rider
teams at the American Endurance Ride Council National
Championships at the scenic
Biltmore Estate in Asheville,
N.C. Morgan edged Erin by a
single second as both crossed
the finish line of the 50-mile
competition in a ride time of
4 hours, 8 minutes. It was
a “dream come true” for the
pair, who started competing
together in endurance events
in 2006. They even ride Arabian horses that are 6-year-old
half-brothers — Morgan’s My
Lords Elisha (aka Bentley)
and Erin’s My Lords Solomon
(Kimbo).
“Our goal for the year was
to win the national championship,” says Erin, who is also a
pole-vaulter on UTs track and
field team. “We weren’t going
to settle for anything less.”
Erin was introduced to
endurance-riding in 2005 by
fellow Clinton resident and
longtime endurance competitor
Teresa Johnston. In turn, Erin
introduced the sport to Morgan. For the past two years, the
friends have been juggling their
schoolwork while training six
days a week at Morgan’s family
farm for the Biltmore ride and
others. With Teresa’s encouragement, they also spent three
weeks this past summer at the
Iowa farm of fellow endurancerider Roxie Welling to hone
their skills and strategies for
the championship.
The plan they devised was to
treat the first five miles of the
ride as a speed race with the
horses running their hardest to
separate themselves from the
pack. Morgan says that using
this all-out approach helped
them get “way ahead” early on.
“The first loop of the ride
was 15 miles … really flat and
easy,” says Morgan. “We got out
in front, and our horses stayed
together the entire time. That’s
the way we trained them, and
they perform better that way.”
After working with Morgan and Erin and seeing their
determination, both Teresa and
Roxie say it was no surprise to
receive the news that their star
pupils had won.
“Even though they’re so
young and were competing
against people who’ve been
doing endurance forever, I had
such confidence in the girls
that I never doubted they were
going to win,” says Roxie, a former Knoxville resident. “Watching them when they were at
my farm, I could tell that they
are such great horsewomen.
They’re absolutely fearless,
yet at the same time they’re
very compassionate with their
horses and have a really good
intuition of when to draw the
line and back off, which is very
important in endurance.”
Teresa adds that it’s impossible for those not closely
connected with the sport to
comprehend how much work
went into the pair’s accomplishment.
“They had been training
these horses six days a week
for a couple of years to get to
ABOVE: Morgan, left, and Erin share a laugh with Anderson Farmers Cooperative sales associate
Travis Dawson during one of their recent visits to the Co-op, where they buy Winner’s Cup Endurance
1010 feed, animal health items, and other horse supplies. RIGHT: The friends now have their sights set
on qualifying for the World Equestrian Games, which will be held in France in 2014.
that elite level,” she says. “It’s
an intense sport, and Morgan
and Erin are naturally good,
unbelievable riders who know
how to properly care for their
horses.”
Erin says the high level of
conditioning and training in
preparation for the Biltmore
ride paid off as Bentley and
Kimbo were able to breeze
through the veterinary exams
that are required at various
intervals.
“When you come in to vetcheck, you can’t go back out
again until your horse’s heart
rate comes down to 64 [beats
per minute],” explains Erin.
“You can pass people once you
come in if your horses recover
faster. That helped us all day
because our horses were in
such good shape that they did
recover faster.”
Erin and Morgan say it’s also
important to keep their equine
athletes properly hydrated and
fed. To give them the right
combination of nutrients and
energy needed for this demanding sport, the champion riders
make sure their horses have an
ample supply of Co-op Winner’s
Cup Endurance 1010 (#303)
on hand. They purchase the
Endurance, along with animal
health needs, tack, and other
horse supplies, from Anderson
Farmers Cooperative in Clinton.
“We really like the Endurance a lot,” says Morgan. “As
much as our horses run, it’s
sometimes hard to keep weight
on them. But the Endurance
works, and they really like eat-
ing it. It gives them the energy
they need.”
With its combination of high
fat and some starch, Endurance 1010 is the ideal “fuel” for
horses that compete in endurance events, says Tennessee
Farmers Cooperative equine
specialist Kim Smith.
“Endurance 1010 contains whole and crimped oats,
cracked corn, exposed beet
pulp, and an exclusive mini-pellet that contains the required
vitamin and mineral supplementation,” Kim says. “It contains at least 10 percent crude
fat to make it more calorically
dense, which means you will
feed fewer pounds. And feeding
fewer pounds is better for the
horse’s digestive system.”
The horses’ sound physical
condition enabled Morgan and
Erin to distance themselves
from the field of other riders. All
that was left in doubt was which
would gallop home in first.
“In other rides we’ve finished
together, we would always decide who would finish ahead of
the other based on which horse
performed better that day,” says
Erin. “But we really couldn’t
do that with this one since it
was the national championship. We came to the finishing
course and were galloping side
by side. Finally, we looked at
each other, said, ‘1, 2, 3, go!’
and took off. We raced each
other all the way to the end. It
was incredible.”
To Morgan and Erin, it
wasn’t a case of winning and
losing. This was a team victory,
achieved through days, months,
and years of disciplined preparation.
“In the summers during
middle school and high school,
these girls would be up by
8 a.m. and on their horses until
dark,” says Morgan’s father, Jeff
Watson. “Normally, the ones
who win the national championship are riding $80,000
horses. I think we gave $1,500
for Morgan’s horse, and Erin’s
was around $1,300. They pretty
much proved that you don’t
have to have a lot of money to
win at this sport. I think that’s
a bigger deal than actually winning it.”
Not surprisingly, when the
realization of what they had
just accomplished hit them,
the emotions of the two best
friends bubbled over.
“When we crossed the finish
line and finally got the horses
stopped, we rode up beside
each other and just started
hugging and crying,” Morgan
says. “Our moms were hugging
and crying, too.
“In our minds, we won first
place. We both won that day.”
For more information about
the American Endurance Ride
Conference, visit the organization’s website, www.aerc.org.
To learn more about Co-op
equine feeds, visit with the professionals at your local Co-op.
Erin cares for her horse, My Lord’s Solomon (Kimbo), before a training ride. In addition
to her success as a horsewoman, Erin is a past state high school record-holder in the
pole-vault and is a current member of the UT track and field team.
January 2013
9
Story and photos by Allison Morgan
In an example of a training exercise, Martin Police Department’s Marty McClure demonstrates how his K-9 partner, Fido, can “sniff out” explosive materials, which, in this
case, are hidden behind the wheel of a car in the parking lot of Weakley Farmers Cooperative. The 3-year-old golden retriever is skilled in finding “any explosive known to
man,” McClure says, as well as firearms and ammunition. The pair are an important crime-fighting tool for Weakley County and surrounding communities.
T
hey don’t wear uniforms,
drive patrol cars, carry
guns, or make arrests,
but they’re two of the most important members of the Martin
Police Department force.
They’re K-9 officers Fido
and Sam “O,” and they’re
helping to keep the community
safe from illegal activities and
dangerous situations. Fido,
a 3-year-old golden retriever,
specializes in detecting explosives, while Sam “O,” a 3-yearold black Labrador, is the
department’s narcotics canine.
l Martin
Together, these dogs and
their human handlers are
powerful crime-fighting teams
in Weakley County and the surrounding area.
“In a small town like Martin,
where we’re in between major
cities, it’s important to have
these assets here rather than
have to wait to bring in dogs
from someplace like Memphis
10
January 2013
or Nashville,” says Patrol Officer Marty McClure, Fido’s
handler. “With the threat of
bombings, school shootings,
and drugs more and more of a
present danger these days, it’s a
great resource to have.”
Trained, tested, and tough at
their jobs, these dogs use their
keen sense of smell — 50 times
more sensitive than a human’s
— to detect specific airborne
odors. Sam “O” is trained to
find marijuana, methamphetamines, cocaine, and heroin,
while Fido can track down
guns, ammunition, and “any
explosive known to man,” says
McClure. These dogs can find
something imperceptible to the
officer and are especially beneficial in situations where a human would have to search every
inch of a vehicle or building, a
potentially hazardous task.
But the dogs don’t know
they have a dangerous job; for
them, it’s all fun and games.
In their training, they learn
to link certain smells to their
favorite toy. For both Fido and
Sam “O”, the chance to chase
a ball is the only reward they
want for sniffing out a stash of
drugs, sweeping a building for
bombs, or helping to investigate
a murder scene.
“They don’t care about the
odor; they just want the ball,”
says McClure. “That’s their
mentality. They try as hard as
they can to find something for
you so they can have their play
time.”
A 15-year member of the
Martin Police Department,
McClure has been handling
explosive-detecting canines for
more than 10 years. He was
teamed up with Fido after his
previous K-9 officer, a yellow
Lab named Rugby, was “retired” three years ago. Rugby
now has a comfortable life as
a pet at McClure’s home, a
customary practice since these
dogs and their handlers develop
such a strong relationship while
working together.
“I was raised on a small
farm and worked on a dairy
all through high school, so I
was comfortable working with
animals,” says McClure. “I’d
trained dogs to herd pigs and
cattle and hunt. But it’s been
really neat to work with the K-9
dogs. Working in partnership
with these animals, you get to
know each other well enough
that you really are a team and
know what each other is thinking. That’s what is so impressive.”
McClure’s counterpart,
Patrol Officer Karl Jackson, is
fairly new to Martin but not to
K-9 units. He’s handled narcotics dogs for more than 10 years
in Union City and with the
Tennessee Drug Task Force before joining the Martin Police
Department two years ago. He’s
the second handler of Sam “O,”
taking over those duties about
three months ago from an officer who left the force.
While his dog is mainly
working for the chance to play
with his favorite tennis ball,
Jackson says his ultimate goal
is to get drugs off the street.
“If criminals are selling dope
or endangering the lives of
good citizens, then I want them
in jail,” says Jackson. “This K-9
is another tool for us to utilize
in doing that. I like to see him
get that positive alert and know
he’s done good, because then
you know you’ve done your job
in training.”
Though they have friendly,
playful personalities, both dogs
know when to get serious about
their work. No fancy technique
is involved — they just follow
basic commands like “heel,”
“search,” “sit,” and “stay.” The
catch is that these commands
are in German, which the dogs
learned during their initial
training in Europe. Fido originated in Czechoslovakia and
Sam “O” in Germany.
“Most police dogs come
from Europe, where breeding
standards are very strict and
there are huge, well-known
and respected operations that
raise and train these dogs,”
says McClure. “Before a dog
even comes to the U.S., it has
already gone through rigorous
training and passed all kinds of
certifications and standards. It’s
a lot easier for us to learn a few
German words than for them to
be retrained in English.”
When the dogs find what
they’re sniffing for, they let
their handlers know by giving
the alert signal. Both of the
Martin K-9 dogs demonstrate
“passive” alerts, Jackson explains. That means they will sit
near the hiding place and wait
for their reward, unlike “aggressive” dogs that frantically paw
at the location.
“When he [Sam ‘O’] sits and
stares,” Jackson says, “I know
he’s found something.”
The dogs live, work, and play
with their handlers, who are
responsible for feeding and caring for them as well as training
them to keep their skills fresh.
When they’re not using the
dogs in the line of duty, both
McClure and Jackson work
as patrol officers, with Fido
and Sam “O” riding along. In
each squad car, two-thirds of
the backseat is outfitted with
a special K-9 compartment
(the other third is reserved for
prisoners).
Fortunately, Fido doesn’t get
much work in this area — 12
to 15 calls each year, McClure
says. Recently, the pair have
helped find gun shell casings at
the scene of a Tennessee Highway Patrol interstate shootout,
searched for a gun during
a murder investigation, and
checked for explosive devices
at the nearby Benton County
Courthouse, which was among
some 30 other sites across the
state targeted with phony bomb
threats the same day.
“We’ve been able to help
with shooting investigations,
but we’ve never found active
explosives, and that’s OK,” says
McClure. “No one is complaining that we’re not using Fido
enough!”
On the other hand, Sam “O”
has been routinely involved in
drug searches of vehicles and
buildings. Most of the time,
he works during traffic stops
where drug possession is suspected, says Jackson, but Sam
“O” is also called on to help
keep local schools and factories
drug-free.
No matter what they’re
asked to do, the officers say
their high-energy dogs need
quality nutrition to keep them
healthy, active, and performing at their peak. That’s why
the police department relies on
Weakley Farmers Cooperative’s
Pro-Pet Super Premium Dog
Food for their canine partners.
“When these dogs are
searching, they are working so
hard it’s like they’re running,”
explains McClure. “They’re
breathing in and out more than
usual so they can try to catch
the odor. Pro-Pet is a top-qual-
LEFT: McClure and Fido have been teamed up for nearly three years after the
officer’s previous K-9, Rugby, was retired. He is now the McClure family’s pet.
RIGHT: A veteran of K-9 programs in Union City and the Tennessee Drug Task
Force, Patrol Officer Karl Jackson joined the Martin force two years ago and has
been “partnered” with the department’s narcotics dog, Sam “O” for a few months.
ity feed that has all the protein
and fat content along with the
nutrients the dogs need. And
as you can see, they’re not fat.
They may be thick, but not fat.”
The Martin Police Department is a longtime customer of
Weakley Farmers Co-op, where
they also purchase other pet
supplies such as kennels, dog
boxes, doghouses, and animal
health items. The officers say
the convenience of having
everything they need — plus
expert advice — in a locally
owned business is a huge advantage.
“We like being able to get
everything in one place,” says
Jackson. “Plus, we like the fact
that the Co-op is local. We’re
all about serving the community, and so is the Co-op.”
Ultimately, both officers say,
the K-9 program is extremely
important in protecting their
town and the surrounding communities. Not only do Fido and
Sam “O” help stop illegal activities and get offenders off the
street, but their very presence
can also be a powerful deterrent to would-be criminals.
“We can’t guard against everything, but we can definitely
keep things as safe as possible,”
says McClure. “If someone is
looking at committing a crime
in this area, they will hopefully
think twice about it. With these
dogs, we are much stronger in
defending our community.”
LEFT: With a tennis ball ready to be thrown as a reward, Jackson demonstrates how Sam “O” can quickly and easily find drugs
during an exterior vehicle search. When they’ve found what they’re looking for, both of the Martin K-9s give their handlers a
“passive” alert signal by sitting and staring at the hiding place. RIGHT: Weakley Farmers Co-op’s Marty Townes carries out a bag
of Pro-Pet Premium Dog Food to place in Jackson’s patrol car. The Martin Police Department purchases the dog food and other
supplies from the Co-op, and the officers say the nutrition in Pro-Pet gives their dogs the energy they need to work at their best.
January 2013
11
Farmers market ‘boot camps’ planned for producers
Farmers market “boot
camps” will be offered in
February and March to help
vendors better understand how
to market their produce and
farm-based products.
The University of Tennessee
Institute of Agriculture and the
Tennessee Department of Agriculture are offering day-long
sessions scheduled at these
locations:
• Bolivar, Feb.11
• Dresden, Feb. 12
• Cookeville, Feb. 18
• Spring Hill, Feb. 19
• Knoxville, March 4
• Kingsport, March 5
More drought
help available
through NRCS
In response to ongoing effects of this summer’s drought,
Tennessee has received
$778,044 in additional funding to help crop and livestock
producers through the Natural
Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS).
The funds are available for
the Environmental Quality
Incentives Program (EQIP) to
provide financial and technical
assistance in applying conservation practices that reduce the
impact of drought and improve
soil health and productivity. The
deadline for signing up for this
additional drought assistance is
Jan. 18.
Officials say this extra funding will allow NRCS to address
a backlog in applications from
the previous drought assistance
signup as well as accept new applications from producers interested in applying selected conservation practices to address
drought, including prescribed
grazing, livestock watering facilities, and water conservation
practices. Producers can also
apply for financial assistance to
re-install conservation practices
that failed due to drought.
Producers and landowners are encouraged to visit the
NRCS website at www.nrcs.
usda.gov or stop by their local
NRCS office to find out if they
are eligible for this new funding.
12
January 2013
Each of these “boot camps”
is designed to help vendors
understand marketing techniques that can help make
booths more profitable. The
boot camps will include presentations and discussions on
effective signage, understanding and connecting with the
customers, and the subtle message involved through word and
wardrobe choices.
Additional discussions will
center on understanding sales
tax requirements and exemptions, expanding sales through
market-wide electronic payments, and insurance applications and limitations.
Workshops will also allow time
for attendees to interact with
participants and speakers.
At each site, the workshop
will start with registration at
9 a.m., followed by educational
sessions at 9:30 a.m. Each
will end at 2:30 p.m. Preregistration is required at least
five days in advance of the
workshop. Please pre-register
by contacting Nancy Austin at
[email protected].
More information is available online at ag.tennessee.
edu/cpa or by calling 931-4862777.
New at Co-op
®
Martin's
FLEE Aerosol
Martin’s FLEE Aerosol with
Fipronil kills fleas and ticks
on pets. FLEE is first to offer
the aerosol form of Fipronil,
the same ingredient as the
popular Frontline products,
labeled for both dogs and
cats. One treatment with
this fast-acting,
waterproof,
and long-lasting
topical flea
spray lasts up to
four weeks and
stops existing
problems while
preventing new infestations. FLEE features a quiet applicator
that can be sprayed from any angle, even upside down.
It dries fast with no lasting smell or oily spot. FLEE is conveniently offered in either a 12.3-ounce can (#680036), which
contains 18 treatments for cats or dogs up to 15 pounds, or a
6.5-ounce can (#6800328) that contains 10 treatments.
Lucas Ethanol
Fuel Conditioner
Lucas Safeguard™ Ethanol Fuel Conditioner with
Stabilizers was developed to specifically address
issues related to ethanol-based fuels, including
E-10, E-15, E-85, pure ethanol, and any mixtures in
between, including gasoline. This fuel conditioner
is completely soluble in all ethanol fuels and will
not harm filters. It contains effective additives to
prevent rust and corrosion associated with the use
of ethanol fuels.
#64025
Dynacharge DY-1420
Battery Charger
This Dynacharge DY-1420 economy wheel
charger features 140-ampere engine start,
55-ampere boost charge, 20-ampere rapid
charge, and 2-ampere slow charge. The
unit includes 6-foot input cord and output
leads, steel clamps, and charge meter.
January 2013
13
Neighborly Advice
Crops
Checked your savings account lately?
C
onsider
how
production
agriculture
has changed
over the past
50 years —
equipment,
Andy Ulmer
labor, yields,
TFC Agronomist
technology,
and the world population farmers have to feed. How we work
with the knowledge and experience we have gained through
the years is what decides the
success of the American farmer
and the success within our own
operations.
Just when you think you have
something figured out, things
change. The 2012 season has
reminded each of us that wellintended plans fall prey to the
hand you are dealt. Knowing
and understanding that things
like this happen, how do we
address 2013? First of all, have
14
January 2013
you checked your savings account lately?
In the case of crop production, soil is considered your
“savings account.” We add crop
nutrients to replace what we
take out, resulting in a positive
account balance. Historically,
we have put much, if not most,
of our faith in a simple soil test.
New technologies now allow
us to have several options. We
must learn to look at the whole
picture and consider things like
plant physiology and nutrient
uptake when making a “savings
withdrawal.” Below is a list of
the services that will be available and used in 2013 to check
your soil’s account balance:
•Soil-Sampling
•Tissue-Testing
•Crop Removal Ratings
•Variable-Rate Technology
•R7 Tool
•Grain Sample Removal
Rating
•Yield Data Research
While all of these are great
tools, none is the perfect answer when used alone. Here’s
an example from 2012: Fertilizer was applied according to soil
test, and the corn crop received
little to no rain the first several
weeks of its life. Did we put
money in our savings account?
Yes, we did. Were you able
to withdraw it? No. Sometimes the bank is closed due
to weather. We may not be
able to withdraw those muchneeded nutrients from the soil
due to many factors — not only
weather but also soil compaction, physiology of that particular plant, or even plant variety.
Embracing the tools listed
here and learning to use them
in harmony will only work if
we are ready to react to what
they tell us. Just like humans,
plants need nutrients for normal growth at specific times. It
would do very little good for a
40-year-old to take high doses
of a particular vitamin that he
really needed as a toddler. At
his age, the damage or lack of
growth has already occurred;
both time and opportunity
are lost. The same holds true
for our crops. We should be
performing regular checkups in
case our crop has a deficiency.
The difference is that a human
normally has 80 or more years
to complete the life cycle, while
our crops have 100 days. Every
day counts, our reaction time
counts, and furthermore, every
bushel counts.
I am proud to say that our
Co-op system is second to none
when it comes to utilizing soil
tests, but we must remember
that there are other ways to
check your “savings account
balance.” Helping you reach
your crop’s full potential is our
goal.
Contact your local Co-op
agronomist for more information on these and other services.
Neighborly Advice
Cattle
Prevention best option to limit ‘scours’
A
s many
farmers
are in the
midst of
winter calving season,
neonatal
Dr. Kevin Cox, DVM diarrhea —
or “scours”
TFC Staff
— will soon
Veterinarian
become a
concern. This condition has
a myriad of different causes
that can range from very mild
diarrhea to severe, possibly
fatal episodes. Management
and care of the brood cow is
as important — if not more
— than that of the newborn
calf when neonatal diarrhea is
concerned. Certainly proper
nutrition status of the cow is
critical because a well-fed cow
always has a better opportunity
to produce milk well than a
poorly fed one. Cows that milk
well and provide offspring with
strong colostrum have calves
with stronger immune systems
and are much less likely to be
attacked by one of these diarrhea diseases.
Cleanliness and hygiene are
also very important in helping
control calf diarrhea. Keeping
feeding areas as free of manure
and excessive mud as possible
will help control contamination
of the cow’s udder with dirt and
manure that can easily transmit
the common pathogens of diarrhea to the calf.
Common causes of neonatal diarrhea include E. coli,
rotavirus, corona virus, and
C. perfringens type C. All of
these can cause diarrhea in the
first days of life up to about
1-2 months of age. The two
viral diseases (rota and corona
viruses) are less often fatal and
are somewhat self-limiting. The
other two are bacterial and are
much more severe, often ending in death of the calf.
The main problem is dehydration. Calves lose fluid in the
diarrhea and often don’t feel
well enough to nurse or drink,
so they become dehydrated.
Electrolyte supplementation
is critical since many important electrolytes are lost in the
diarrhea. Antibiotics are almost
always recommended since it
is difficult to distinguish the
cause. Even if the diarrhea is
caused by a virus, antibiotics
can be effective against secondary bacterial invaders.
Since treatment can be frustrating and sometimes unsuccessful, prevention may be the
best answer. The cow, again, is
the target here. There are many
commercially available vaccines
that can be given to the cow be-
fore she calves to enable her to
make strong colostrum against
these diseases, helping the calf
protect himself from the diarrhea diseases. These vaccines
come in a variety of combinations covering one or more of
the earlier-mentioned diseases.
It is important to note that
these vaccines are labeled to be
given to cows that are pregnant shortly before they calve.
Depending on the vaccine,
they may have to be given more
than once during that interval.
While that may seem inconvenient, the vaccines are quite
effective and can help prevent
the loss of baby calves.
If calf diarrhea is a serious
problem in your herd, contact
your local Co-op to get help
with a vaccine protocol that
could limit — and hopefully
eliminate — neonatal diarrhea
problems in your calves.
January 2013
15
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16
January 2013
2 0 1 2
AN N U AL
I N
MEETI N G
R EVI EW
January 2013
17
2012 Annual Meeting
Growth is among ‘all that matters’ to Co-op
TFC leaders focus on expanding business, evolving opportunities during 2012 annual meeting
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Chief Executive Officer Bart Krisle addresses attendees of TFC’s annual meeting Nov. 26 at
Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville. Krisle reported on a year that saw TFC’s consolidated sales
reach a record $814 million but urged attendees to concentrate on “all that matters,” the theme of the meeting.
By Allison Morgan; photos by
Mark E. Johnson and Chris Villines
G
rowth, heritage, family,
knowledge, productivity, legacy, cooperation,
and faith.
Those words were often
referenced in keeping with the
theme, “All That Matters,” during Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s 2012 annual meeting
on Sunday and Monday, Nov.
25 and 26, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention
Center in Nashville.
“Not only do those concepts
reflect the values and purposes
of our cooperative system, but
they also describe the farmers,
customers, and rural communities we serve,” said Bart Krisle,
TFC’s chief executive officer,
during his message to the more
than 800 directors, managers, employees, and guests in
attendance. “In today’s hectic,
fast-paced world, many times
we focus on unimportant issues
rather than the things that truly
matter to our health, happiness, and success.”
18
January 2013
When it came to reporting on TFC’s 2012 fiscal year,
which ended July 31, both
Krisle and Board Chairman
Wayne Brown focused on
“growth” as one of the factors
that mattered most in the cooperative’s financial performance.
TFC’s consolidated sales
reached a record $814 million,
an increase of more than $104
million or 14.6 percent over
last year, with a net margin
after taxes of $19.3 million.
“Granted, those figures include higher commodity prices,
but they also reflect an increase
in units sold in most areas of
our business,” said Krisle. “All
of TFC’s operating departments were profitable in fiscal
year 2012, and total patronage
returned to our members and
associate members was $20 million — $11.7 million in cash.”
Krisle said this year’s financials illustrate how TFC is
carrying out concepts from its
“success strategy” developed
by the board and senior staff
in 2008. Again, “growth” is
among the four points in this
strategy, which also includes
delivering value, leadership
development, and leading the
federated cooperative system
development.
“Growth drives many of the
decisions we make,” said Krisle.
“From introducing innovative products and programs, to
partnering with like-minded
companies, to looking for ways
to expand volume in our feed
mills, to targeting new customers in the farm and home market, TFC is continually pushing
forward with our Co-op system’s future in mind.”
In his chairman’s address,
Brown used a familiar analogy to stress that “growth and
change go hand-in-hand.”
“What happens when something grows?” asked Brown,
who produces tobacco, corn,
soybeans, and hay on some
1,250 acres in Greene County.
“It changes, doesn’t it? A tobacco transplant looks different
after being in the ground for a
month. If our Co-op is going
to survive in today’s world, it’s
going to have to grow.”
While admitting that he is
a “pretty conservative fellow,”
Brown said he also realizes that
change is necessary for the
Co-op system to compete in the
increasingly challenging marketplace. However, he insisted
that the responsibility to implement those changes begins at
the local level.
“Each of us here should
take a close, honest look at our
Co-ops and determine which
processes need to be updated,
which ones are OK as they are,
what should be discontinued,
and what should be added,”
said Brown. “This is not a time
for complacency.”
In listing significant events
that occurred in 2012, both
Brown and Krisle discussed
GreenPoint Ag, a new joint
venture with Winfield Solutions
that makes TFC part-owner of
45 agronomy stores in the Mississippi Delta region and Missouri Bootheel. Finalized on
Dec. 3, GreenPoint Ag encompasses TFC’s 11 ADI Agronomy
retail stores and Winfield’s 34
Retail Agronomy Solutions
locations.
The TFC leaders also mentioned Mid-South Farmers Cooperative’s current conversion
to an all-agronomy business
model and the opening of four
new Stockdale’s stores in West
Tennessee to serve the livestock
and consumer business in that
territory.
“Both of these are profitgenerating opportunities for
TFC, which benefits the entire
system,” said Krisle. “GreenPoint will help us grow in our
core agronomy business while
Stockdale’s helps us capture
more of the farm and home
market. These moves protect
the total equity that our farmers have in their cooperative,
provide a return on that investment, and grow the business
for their benefit.”
Following the CEO and
chairman’s addresses, TFC’s
three operations officers —
Bruce Baird, Consumer Prod-
ucts Division; Pat Whidden,
Animal Nutrition Division; and
Ray Damron, Ag Input Division
— gave updates from their respective areas of the business.
Included in their reports were
these and other highlights:
Consumer Products
• TFC’s Home, Lawn,
Specialty (HLS) Department
recorded net earnings of $1.2
million, which represents an
increase of almost 10% from
the previous year. Growth categories included home heating,
gift items, plastic film, lawn
and garden plants and crop
protectants, and clothing. Baird
reported that interest in home
gardening runs high, and more
members are expanding into
rural lifestyle categories.
• The Tires, Batteries, Accessories Department recorded
a sales increase of more than
$1 million, representing its best
results since 2006 and exceeding budget by 11 percent.
Sales were up in all major
categories except for batteries,
with the bulk of the increase
attributed to tire sales.
• Fuel gallons ended the year
at 38.4 million, up more than
2.6 million gallons over 2011.
• Stockdale’s ended the
year with an operational loss of
$88,000. Covington remains
the most profitable of the three
existing stores, Baird reported,
with an operating net income
of more than 9 percent for fis-
cal year 2012. The new West
Tennessee stores will be modeled after this location. Bowling Green completed its first
full year of operation in 2012
and is on track to meet the goal
of being profitable in the third
year of business, he added,
while plans are in place to
“right-size” the store in Hixson
to get its operating costs in line
with the business potential in
the Chattanooga area.
Animal Nutrition
• Co-op manufactured feed
tons decreased 5 percent from
2011, mainly due to last year’s
unusually warm and snow-free
winter and decreasing cattle
numbers. TFC’s animal health
business felt similar effects of
the general economy yet “held
its own,” Whidden reported.
• Co-op poultry feed lines
were improved with new
product names and packaging
and updated formulations that
fit the needs of modern poultry production, including the
trend toward home-based food
production.
• During fiscal year 2012,
the ProTrition® line of proprietary bagged feed products was
designed and ready to enter
into commerce. These TFCmanufactured feeds will be
marketed as a premium brand
outside the Co-op system, initially in a group of Southeastern states ranging from Louisiana to the Carolinas.
• The division’s feed and
animal health specialists became certified by the American
Registry of Professional Animal
Scientists. To maintain the
certification, these individuals
will participate in continuing
education and put their knowledge to work for customers.
Ag Input
• The Crop Protection
Department had positive sales
growth in all areas, including fungicides, insecticides,
and herbicides. This was the
second full year for TFC’s
crop protection supply agreement with Winfield Solutions,
and the size and scope of the
company’s portfolio of products
and services offer many advantages to our cooperative system,
Damron said.
• Systemwide, member
Co-ops and ADI moved nearly
627,000 tons of crop nutrients
in 2012, a 28,000-ton increase
over last year.
• Sales of Winfield’s Croplan
and partner brand corn sales
increased more than 30 percent
in 2012 to 90,000 units, and
Croplan soybean sales were also
up, reaching 210,000 units.
• TFC and member Co-op
employees, along with hundreds of growers, used Winfield’s new R7 tool, a high-tech
agronomic tool to help in
making better-informed seed
decisions. Introduced in the
fall of 2012, the R7 tool is a
Tennessee FFA President Stephen
McBride continues TFC’s tradition of
starting the annual meeting with the
recitation of the FFA creed.
web-based satellite field imagery program that utilizes more
than 20 years of data, including
infrared plant images, soil type
data and field maps.
• In 2011, the Hardware
Department once again benefited from the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program,
which since 2005 has provided
producers with cost-share
funds to upgrade their cattle
equipment and infrastructure.
TFC’s metal fabrication plant
also continues to be an integral
part of the cooperative’s sales
volume and introduced several new products, including a
new sheep/goat round bale hay
cradle feeder and a barbed wire
unroller for ATVs and tractors.
(See Matters, page 20)
LEFT: Monday’s business session opened with an inspirational and patriotic talk by Lt. Col. Steve Russell, former commander of the U.S. Army battalion that was involved
in the 2003 capture of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. RIGHT: Inside the annual meeting trade show, which kicked off activities on Sunday, Nov. 25, Valley Farmers
Cooperative director Robert Watson, right, shares a story with Washington Farmers Cooperative director David Saylor. The exhibits in this area featured the “All That
Matters” theme graphics and spotlighted TFC’s product and service departments as well as affiliated organizations.
January 2013
19
2012 Annual Meeting
Betty Coning, left, wife of Foothills Farmers Cooperative director Albert Coning,
looks over the answers to a quiz question at the Tennessee 4-H Foundation booth.
Standing with Betty is Tennessee 4-H Congress Governor Claire Garrell of Marshall
County, who served as the booth’s hostess.
Matters
(continued from page 19)
All of these product divisions, along with several TFC
service departments and affiliated organizations, were also
represented in a trade show
that kicked off annual meeting
activities on Sunday, Nov. 25.
The exhibit area also featured
“All That Matters”-themed displays that complemented TFC’s
latest annual brochure and depicted ways that TFC is serving
production ag, farm and home
markets, and communities with
“Solutions, Employees, and
Success.”
Morning, afternoon sessions
offer education, inspiration
Monday’s meeting kicked
off with a “Leadership Breakfast” for member Co-op board
presidents and managers.
Hosted by Brown, the breakfast
program featured Dan Kelley,
board chairman and president
of GROWMARK, Inc., an agricultural and energy cooperative
that operates throughout the
Midwestern U.S. and parts of
Canada. His message centered
around the all-important responsibilities of cooperative directors, and Kelley also shared
details about Growmark’s Certified Director Program, which
is similar to the one launched
by TFC last year (see related
story, page 23).
Following the breakfast,
all attendees and guests were
20
January 2013
invited to the first meeting
session featuring Lt. Col. Steve
Russell, a key player in the U.S.
military’s hunt and capture of
Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
As commander of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment,
4th Infantry Division, Russell
and his troops spent more than
six months living in Hussein’s
hometown of Tikrit, where the
notorious dictator was being
hidden and protected by a
network of family members and
“bodyguards.”
In a spellbinding account
that he also documents in his
book, “We Got Him! A Memoir
of the Hunt and Capture of
Saddam Hussein,” Russell described for the annual meeting
audience how his unit helped
chip away at this protective
shell until the manhunt ended
successfully with Hussein’s
capture on Dec. 13, 2003.
With the meeting’s “All
That Matters” theme, Russell’s
patriotic presentation was a fitting way to set the stage for the
business sessions that followed.
“We have a responsibility,
I believe, to serve God and
country and to give of our
talents and efforts to preserve
our freedom,” said Russell as
he encouraged the farmers to
persevere through good times
and bad. “As you face the wind
and look toward the future, you
will always have the cynics and
the critics. Ignore them, keep
the faith, and never quit.”
Inspiration of a different sort
was delivered by the afternoon’s
featured guest speaker, Walter
Bond, a former National Basketball Association (NBA) player
who told an improbable but true
story of achieving his dream
despite what he described as a
“natural lack of talent.” Though
he wasn’t drafted by an NBA
team after graduating from
the University of Minnesota
in 1991, Bond managed to get
himself signed to the roster of
the Dallas Mavericks the following year and actually started a
few games as a rookie.
Using his never-quit story
as an example, Bond encouraged his audience to “give every
day your very best effort” and
remove the negative influences
prevalent in American culture.
“If you want to be successful, cut off the news,” Bond
said. “If there is a recession,
how do you know? You hear it
on the news. I don’t know if
there is a recession or not, but
if there is, I have decided not to
participate.”
In an unusual yet logical
comparison, he also told the
cooperative leaders they needed
to be more like the Girl Scouts
of America, whom he described
as the “most successful salespeople in the world.”
“Do you know why they’re so
successful?” Bond asked. “Because we know them, we like
them, and we trust them.
I challenge you to go back to
your Co-ops and make sure
every farmer in your county
knows you, likes you, and trusts
you! If you do that, this time
next year, I guarantee you that
you will be more successful.”
Laughs at brunch, banquet
While Co-op leaders were
involved in the business sessions, their spouses and guests
were treated to an entertaining program at the annual
ladies’ brunch at the hotel.
Hosted by Virginia Brown,
wife of TFC Board Chairman
Wayne Brown, the brunch
also featured entertainment by
Southern humorist and North
Carolina native Bobbie Staten.
After the brunch, many of
the ladies visited the recently
reopened Opry Mills mall to do
some Christmas shopping.
The meeting concluded
Monday night with the annual
membership banquet during
which a $25,000 donation —
proceeds from sales of Co-op’s
2012 Case 4-H/FFA pocketknife — was presented to
leaders of the two state youth
organizations. The funds were
split equally between 4-H and
FFA. Jerry Kirk, retired manager of TFC’s Communications
Department and former editor
of the Tennessee Cooperator,
was also honored with the
LEFT: Ladies’ brunch speaker Bobbie Staten,
a Southern humorist and author from North
Carolina, kept attendees smiling with many
tales from her colorful life, including her
hilarious demonstration of the frustration
of putting on pantyhose. ABOVE: Brunch
attendees Judy Redden, left, and Crystal
Whiteaker, both of Claiborne County, laugh
at one of Staten’s stories.
ABOVE: During Monday night’s banquet, Houston magician
Scott Wells employed his wife and assistant, Kathy, and TFC
Regional Manager Paul Binkley for a mind-boggling trick.
RIGHT: Motivational speaker and former Dallas Mavericks NBA
player Walter Bond implored Co-op directors and employees
to remove the negative influences in their lives and make sure
that business associates “know you, like you, and trust you.”
James B. Walker Cooperative
Spirit Award. The banquet’s
featured entertainment was
magician Scott Wells, who specializes in “up-close” illusions
and comical tricks. Several audience members even became
“assistants” in his memorable
performance.
Afterward, TFC Zone 2
director Kenneth Nixon made a
special presentation to Brown
as outgoing board chairman,
praising his contributions to
the Co-op system and giving
him a plaque of appreciation.
Brown’s seven-year term as
director ended with the annual
meeting, and David Sarten of
Sevierville was elected to fill
that position for a three-year
term.
“Wayne pledged to do his
best when he was elected to
the board in 2005, and he
has certainly been true to his
word,” said Nixon. “Insightful
and driven, Wayne has sought
and supported initiatives that
he believes will move our system forward in serving farmermembers and other folks who
choose to trade with us. We
wish our East Tennessee friend
and Co-op colleague the best
of everything in the future and
thank him for all he has done
— and will continue to do —
in advancing the cooperative
cause.”
(See related annual meeting
stories on pages 22-25.
For more meeting photos, visit
us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TennesseeFarmers
Cooperative and click on
“Photos.”)
Thank you, Mr. Brown
When Greene County native Wayne Brown was elected to a
seven-year term on Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s board of
directors in 2005, he said he wanted to contribute to the Co-op
system that had served him so well through the years.
He put it this way: “Co-op has played a large role in the success of our farm, and serving as a TFC director will give me the
opportunity to give back to the Co-op system.”
Well, Mr. Brown, whose term on the board ended Monday,
Nov. 26, with TFC’s 2012 annual meeting in Nashville, gave
plenty to the Co-op cause during his tenure: time, effort, expertise, dedication, leadership. A stellar job as chairman of the
board in his final year capped off his service.
In addressing the membership on the final day of the annual
meeting, Mr. Brown admitted that speaking before hundreds of
people in a huge Opryland Hotel ballroom wasn’t his favorite
thing to do. But when he stepped to the podium to deliver his
chairman’s message, he nailed it with a moving and motivational
presentation that drove home some powerful points.
Tackling topics like growth, change, and commitment, Mr.
Brown said, “Co-op has an extremely strong foundation built on
67 years of heritage, and that is something to be proud of. But
there has to be more than a foundation … we have to also focus
on what we’re going to build if we expect to survive in this competitive marketplace.”
All in all, the annual meeting was a busy time for both Chairman Brown and his wife, Virginia. Case in point: As he was
addressing the
Monday morning
business session,
she was serving as
the gracious mistress of ceremonies
at a special ladies’
brunch elsewhere
in the hotel.
At the gala
membership banquet that evening,
the Browns were
joined by son Ben
and his family from
Valdosta, Ga. —
Before the 2012 TFC annual membership banquet,
wife Jennifer and
Wayne Brown is joined by members of his family. From
left are Brown; his wife, Virginia; their granddaughter,
their children,
Hallie, 8; son Ben holding his son, Jackson, 11 months;
Hallie, 8; Audrey
and daughter-in-law Jennifer.
Pearl, 7; and Jackson Lowell, 11 months. Daughter Amy Brown McGuire and her
family, meanwhile, stayed home at Fort Bragg, N.C., awaiting the
birth of their second child — the Browns’ fifth grandchild.
We’re happy to report that Hazel Ruth McGuire arrived —
healthy and happy — on Saturday, Dec. 15.
— Jerry Kirk
January 2013
21
2012 Annual Meeting
Zone 3 delegates elect Sevier
County’s Sarten to TFC board
David Sarten, a Sevier
County beef cattle and hay
producer, has been elected to
a three-year term on the ninemember Tennessee Farmers
Cooperative Board of Directors,
succeeding outgoing Chairman
Wayne Brown of Chuckey.
Sarten, 54, was elected
Nov. 26 during TFC’s annual
meeting in Nashville. He was
chosen by Zone 3 delegates and
his election was ratified by the
membership. Incumbents Larry
Paul Harris of Wildersville and
Clint Callicott of Only were
re-elected as Zone 1 and Zone 2
directors, respectively.
Besides backgrounding
steers, maintaining a small cow/
calf operation, and producing
hay with brothers Eric and Joe
on 250 owned and leased acres
in Sevierville, Sarten runs Covewood Construction, a business
he established in 1988 that specializes in custom home-building. A third-generation farmer,
Sarten is a 36-year member of
Sevier Farmers Cooperative and
followed his father, James, on
the Co-op’s board in 2008. He
is currently serving his second
term, which will end in 2014.
“With my involvement on Sevier Farmers board and its building committee, I felt like I could
have a positive effect for Tennessee Farmers Cooperative,” says
Sarten of his decision to run for
the position. “I’m hopeful that
the knowledge I’ve gained on the
farm and as a small businessman for the past 25 years has
prepared me for this new role.
I’m honored to be part of an
organization like the Co-op.”
TFC Regional Manager
Ronnie Millsaps says that
Sarten’s knowledge and experience in both agriculture and
construction were instrumental
to Sevier’s $3 million redesign
and expansion completed in
September 2011. Millsaps adds
that he believes the enthusiastic, forward-thinking approach
Sarten has demonstrated on the
local Co-op level will benefit
TFC as well.
“David has a passion for
agriculture and for the Co-op,”
says Millsaps. “The leadership
he’s provided during the Co-op’s
building process and in other
areas has been tremendous. He
is one of the most ethical people
you will ever meet and has all of
the values and qualities that you
look for in a TFC director.”
Though admitting it will take
a while to “get my feet wet,”
Sarten says he is excited about
interacting and sharing ideas
with his fellow TFC directors.
“I told them that I hope they
can tolerate me,” Sarten says
with a laugh. “Seriously, though,
they are a very cordial group
who have the Co-op system on a
good path. I’m looking forward
to making a contribution and
helping encourage good relationships that are beneficial to
the business in the long term.”
Sarten and his wife, Susan,
have been married for 32 years.
The couple has one son, Jairus,
a senior majoring in mechanical
engineering at the University
of Tennessee in Knoxville. The
family attends Middle Creek
United Methodist Church in Pi-
Sevierville’s David Sarten, here with his
wife, Susan, was elected by TFC
delegates to represent Zone 3 on the
cooperative’s board. Sarten is also on
the board of Sevier Farmers Co-op.
geon Forge where David serves
as lay leader and teaches an
adult Sunday School class. He
is a lifelong resident of Sevier
County and a 1976 graduate of
Sevier County High School.
In addition to his Co-op service, the new TFC director has
also been board chairman of the
Sevier County Public Library
System and a former volunteer
rescue squad EMT. His hobbies
include working draft horses,
hiking, camping, and “old harp”
singing, a style of shape note
music that features four-part
a capella harmonies.
Jernigan is chairman, Nixon vice chair
Co-op members have new
leadership with the election of
Donald Jernigan from Christiana
as chairman of Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s board of directors. Carthage’s Kenneth Nixon
moves into the vice chairman’s
position vacated by Jernigan.
The officers — both representing Zone 2 — were elected by
fellow TFC directors at a reorganizational session of the board
Nov. 26 during the cooperative’s
annual meeting in Nashville.
“Anytime you’re elected to a
position as important as this one,
it’s humbling,” says Jernigan,
who raises beef cattle, chickens,
and hay on about 700 acres in
Christiana. “I’m grateful to my
fellow board members for having
the confidence to put me in this
office and to the local directors
who elected me to the board.”
Jernigan, a 43-year member of Rutherford Farmers
Cooperative and a graduate of
22
January 2013
Middle Tennessee State University, worked in the Rutherford County School System for
more than 32 years. He served
as an elementary and junior
high teacher and principal at
Buchanan Elementary School,
Thurman Francis Junior High
School, and Smyrna Middle
School before retiring to farm
full time in 1999. Jernigan and
his wife of 46 years, Peggy, have
a daughter, Tamera, four grandchildren — Kelsey, 24; Rylee,
20; Devin, 20; and Nolan, 14
— and two great-grandchildren,
Aunestie, 2, and Emerie, 1.
Nixon is no stranger to either
TFC’s board of directors or its
officer positions. This year, he
surpasses the late Tom Hitch
with most combined years of
service on the board with 27,
and this will mark his third stint
as vice chairman. He was first
elected to TFC’s eight-member
board in 1986, finishing that
seven-year term in 1992 after
serving as both vice chairman
and chairman. Twice, from
1992 to 1998, TFC directors
elected Nixon to three-year
terms as the board’s only public
director. In 1999, delegates
returned him to office for another seven-year term as thenDistrict 5 representative.
“Things change over time,
and the board has to continue
to be forward-thinking,” says
Nixon, who raises burley tobacco, row crops, and beef cattle.
“There’s no question that we
have to grow the business — if
you sit still, somebody else will
pass you by. But we have to
make sure to grow profitably.”
Nixon and his wife, Linda,
an antique dealer and certified appraiser, have three
children — Mike, Stacy, and
Joey — and four grandchildren
— David, 23; Ryan, 17; Dylan,
12; and Tristan, 11.
Donald Jernigan of Christiana serves as
chairman of the TFC board for 2013.
Kenneth Nixon of Carthage is now vice
chairman of TFC’s board.
Certified directors
recognized at
business luncheon
a Certified Director indicates
“ ecoming
publicly to the Co-op’s members who
B
elected you that you’ll do the best you can
to keep their cooperative financially sound and
capable of meeting their needs in the future.”
Those were the words of Tennessee Farmers
Cooperative Customer Relations Officer Jim McWherter as he explained TFC’s Certified Director
Program in a speech delivered during the business luncheon at the cooperative’s 2012 annual meeting Nov. 26 in
Nashville. McWherter
congratulated the 152
member directors and
nine TFC directors who
became Certified Directors during 2012, and
also reported that 100
percent of the directors
on 18 member boards —
as well as TFC’s board
— achieved the certification and were considered
“Certified Boards.”
The program, which
Tennessee Farmers
completed its inaugural Cooperative Customer
year this month, reRelations Officer Jim
quires a minimum level McWherter discusses the
Certified Director Program
of individual continuing during Co-op’s annual
meeting Nov. 25-26.
education each year
along with other essential best-business practices
for directors. There are 14 qualifications totaling 40 points in the program, and a director must
earn at least 34 in a calendar year to be certified and maintain the certification. McWherter,
acknowledging that many directors were already
participating in continuing education, stressed
the importance of keeping up with “changing
times” in the agriculture industry.
“A couple of weeks ago, we asked a group of
member employees for their vision of agriculture
in 2022, and how our cooperative system would
have to adapt to meet those needs,” he said. “We
got some interesting answers and one unanimous
prediction: Things will be different.”
McWherter explained that the objective of the
Certified Director Program is to raise awareness
at Co-ops across the state of the importance of
having “actively engaged” directors.
“By this, I mean those who attend board meetings, evaluate and develop their general manager,
discuss the future needs of their membership, and
understand that they must support and provide
leadership for their Co-op to be successful,” said
McWherter. “I believe this certification program
will encourage actively engaged directors. We
want you to be reminded annually that your job
is important, and we congratulate everyone who
achieved the certification in its inaugural year.”
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative congratulates 152 member directors and
nine TFC directors who completed the Certified Director Program in 2012.
Eighteen member Co-op boards had 100-percent participation as well.
Certified Directors
Fred Adams
Russell Adkins
Jim Alley
John Alsup
Steve Alsup
Wes Aymett
Ross Bagwell
Rudy Bailey
Stephen Bailey
Steve Baltz
Jeff Batey
David Beasley
Billy Benefield
Brad Black
Scott Blair
Tom Bobo
Johnny Brady
Jim Bratton
Wayne Brown
Malcolm Buchanan
Gary Bush
Gerald Caldwell
Clint Callicott
Frank Campbell
Frank Capps
Doyle Cardin
Jason Cherry
Rusty Chilcutt
Richard Choate
Eddie Clanton
David Clark
Albert Coning
Tim Criswell
Phil Dawson
Charlie Denton
David Dockery
Jerry Dyer
Tony Eldridge
Jeremy Fowler
Keith Fowler
Jeffery Franks
Dan Fugate
Larry Garrett
Jason Garrett
Clinton Gilbreath
Randal Graff
Matt Hadley
Jason Haley
Gary Hall
Isabel Hall
Kenny Hamilton
Andy Harris
Larry Paul Harris
Joel Haynes
Mike Henry
Jeff Hill
Gerry Hilliard
Michael Hix
Jeff Hockaday
Kim Holden
Brad Holt
James Horner
Jeremy Howard
Broadus Hubbs
Amos Huey
John Huff
Warren Hurst
Richard Jameson
Phillip Jenkins
Donald Jernigan
James Steve Joiner
Donald Jordan
Scott Kelley
Clay Kelley
Ricky Kelly
Jerry King
James King
Scott Knox
Richard Lafever
Jerry Lay
David Matlock
Doug Maynord
Tom McCall
John McConnell
Jackie McCrary
David McDaniel
Charles McFall
Morgan McHenry
David McNabb
Gem Mitchell
Phillip Moore
Kenneth Moore
John Moser
Billy Moss
Ross Nash
Pal Neal
Kenneth Nixon
Benny Noland
Kevin Norris
Scotty Ogg
John Pearson
Jim Phillips
Terry Poston
Danny Powell
Roger Radel
Jerry Ray
Don Reagan
Barry Redmond
Larry Rice
Barry Ricketts
Johnnie Ricketts
Ben Rigby
Bobby Riley
Mark Roach
Ralph Robbins
Dale Robins
Ron Robertson
David Sarten
John Satterwhite Jr.
Gary Shelton
Randy Simpkins
George Smartt
Brad Smith
Kerry Smith
Roger Smith
Ray Sneed
Steve Snodderly
Mark Spradlin
Rodney Stanfield
Wayne Stewart
Patrick Stout
Ed Strasser
Edwin D. Summitt
Bill Sumrow
Coy Taylor
Robert Tinker
Brad Tinsley
Larry Tittsworth
Edwin Tritt
Glyn Underwood
Jimmy Underwood
Danny Waits
Dale Walker
Pamela Walker
David Wall
Ron Wallace
Clint Welker
Bryan Wells
Curtis Wells
Keith Wilder
Guy Williams
Justin Williams
Wade Williams
Joe Willis
Clyde Woods
Stephen Worley
James Yarbro
Terry Young
Casey Youngerman
Mike Zavels
Certified Boards
Bedford Moore Farmers Co-op
Davidson Farmers Co-op
Dickson Farmers Co-op
Fentress Farmers Co-op
First Farmers Co-op
Foothills Farmers Co-op
Hardin Farmers Co-op
Knox Farmers Co-op
Maury Farmers Co-op
Mid-South Farmers Co-op
Montgomery Farmers Co-op
Putnam Farmers Co-op
Robertson Cheatham Farmers Co-op
Rutherford Farmers Co-op
Sevier Farmers Co-op
Tipton Farmers Co-op
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative
Weakley Farmers Co-op
Wilson Farmers Co-op
January 2013
23
2012 Annual Meeting
Giving Co-op its voice for 40 years
TFC communicator Jerry Kirk is 2012 Cooperative Spirit Award Winner
By Allison Morgan
E
very year since 1999, Tennessee Farmers Cooperative has presented its
highest honor — the James B.
Walker Cooperative Spirit Award
— to an individual whose contributions have had a positive and
enduring impact on Tennessee’s
farmers, our state’s agriculture,
and our cooperative system.
For each of the 13 previous
awards, retired TFC Communications Department manager
and Tennessee Cooperator
editor Jerry Kirk has eagerly put
together the presentation that
announces the winners and celebrates their lives, careers, and
accomplishments.
This year, however, it is
Jerry’s turn to be honored.
That’s because the 2012
winner of the James B. Walker
Cooperative Spirit Award is
Jerry Kirk himself, who has
been giving Co-op its voice for
more than 40 years now. Readers received the first Jerry-edited
edition of TFC’s membership
publication in early 1973, and
even today — nearly 12 years
after he officially retired — Jerry
still writes his heartfelt “As I
Was Saying” column and other
articles on a part-time basis.
“If you ask anyone in our
organization about Jerry Kirk,
they would have nothing but
great things to say,” said TFC
Customer Relations Officer
Jim McWherter in presenting
Jerry with the award Nov. 26
at TFC’s annual membership
banquet in Nashville. “Over the
years, Jerry has chosen not to
be in the limelight, but he has
made other people look good
and TFC’s communications look
good. He is very deserving of
this recognition.”
As he accepted the award,
Jerry said he was surprised and
humbled to be included among
the other well-respected recipients of this prestigious honor.
“Having written the scripts
for the 13 preceding Walker
Award winners, I know how
24
January 2013
Jerry Kirk, retired Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Communications Department
manager, is the 2012 recipient of the James B. Walker Cooperative Spirit Award.
Family members on hand to see him receive the award Nov. 26 at TFC’s annual
meeting banquet are, from left, wife Jane, daughter-in-law Anna, granddaughter
Sloan, and son Chris. — Photo by Mark E. Johnson
much loyalty and heartfelt love
for Co-op in Tennessee guided
them through their careers,”
said Jerry. “Happily, I share
those sentiments with them.”
Jerry was raised in the small
Hamblen County town of
Whitesburg, where he was born
April 6, 1939, to Wright and
Lochiel Kirk. Though they didn’t
have a farm, the family had
enough property for a couple
of hogs and milk cows, a large
garden, and a small, pampered
patch of burley that Jerry says
was “the best tobacco in that
part of the country.” Wright was
a member of Hamblen Farmers
Co-op, where he purchased feed,
tires, and other supplies.
In Whitesburg, Jerry and
his family worshiped in the
second-oldest Baptist Church in
Tennessee, and he and his older
brother, Wayne, attended school
in the same building from first
through 12th grades. Jerry was
active in 4-H and even attended
the 1956 National 4-H Congress in Chicago as state winner
in entomology.
“I loved living in Whitesburg,”
says Jerry. “Everybody knew
everybody. We went to church
together; we went to school
together; we played together. It
was a good way to grow up.”
Graduating from Whitesburg
High School in 1957 among the
largest class in its history — 42
students — Jerry spent a year
at nearby Lincoln Memorial
University in Harrogate before
transferring to the University of
Tennessee at Knoxville to major
in journalism.
Graduating in June 1961,
Jerry landed his first full-time
job as a reporter for the Bristol
Virginia-Tennessean newspaper, but within a few months
received a military draft notice.
He chose to enlist in the Air
Force and spent four years as an
information specialist assigned
to Air Defense Command Headquarters in Colorado Springs.
Following his discharge in
November 1965, Jerry returned
to Tennessee and resumed his
newspaper career in Fayetteville and Morristown. In 1969,
he was hired as informational
representative for the Tennessee
Department of Agriculture in
Nashville, where he edited the
department’s monthly Market
Bulletin and Biennual Report
among other duties.
His experience in newspapers
and agriculture would mesh a
few years later when Jerry joined
TFC’s Advertising Department
as editor of the Cooperator.
He was essentially a “one-man
show,” covering the entire state
and serving as editor, writer and
photographer. Co-op immediately felt like “home,” Jerry says,
mainly because of the people he
worked with — from TFC leaders to member managers and
fieldmen and even the Co-op
customers themselves.
“Everyone was patient and
encouraging as I learned my
way around,” says Jerry. “It was
a welcoming feeling that I’d
never had before, anywhere.”
From the start, Jerry wanted
the Cooperator to be “something
everybody in the state would
enjoy.” He made a conscious effort to feature as many different
farmers and Co-ops as possible,
spotlight all types of agricultural
operations, and find entertaining
stories about places and events
in Tennessee. He also instituted
several recurring features that
became highly popular with the
audience, such as the “Courthouse Gallery” series, “Our
Country Churches,” and “What’s
cookin’?” recipe column.
In October 1986, Jerry’s
Co-op career took a quick
detour when he left TFC to
become editor of the Tennessee Magazine, the membership
magazine of the Tennessee
Electric Cooperative Association. TFC’s leaders, however,
worked out an arrangement that
allowed him to return to TFC
each month to edit the Cooperator. By this time, the department had a competent staff of
journalists, Jerry says, which
allowed him to do that.
In 1989, as Advertising
Department Manager Cleston
Parris neared retirement, Jerry
returned to TFC permanently
and took over that position on
Sept. 27, 1990. One of his
first, long-awaited moves was to
change the department’s name
from “Advertising” to “Communications” to better reflect
the varied work and expanded
responsibilities of the staff.
Jerry managed Communications and edited the Cooperator
for another decade, building on
the reputation for quality that
he had fostered from the start.
He officially retired April 30,
2001, passing the editor’s torch
to Allison Morgan, whom he
had hired in 1996 as a communications specialist.
“One of the reasons the Cooperator has been so successful
through the years is the pride
Jerry takes in its production,”
said Allison. “He always makes
sure it is accurate, thorough,
clear, and effective. If it takes
one more edit, one more quote,
one more phone call to check
the facts, or one more hour
to make sure things are done
correctly, Jerry goes the extra
mile and encourages everyone
around him to do the same.”
Retirement has given Jerry
more time to spend with his devoted wife of 38 years, the former Jane Downing of Pikeville.
Their only child, son Chris, has
followed in his father’s footsteps by earning a journalism
degree from UT Knoxville and
now works as associate editor
of the Tennessee Magazine – the
same electric co-op publication
Jerry once edited. Chris and his
wife, Anna, have a 2½-year-old
daughter, Sloan, and are expecting baby Caroline in January.
In a testament to his commitment to Co-op — even after
retirement — Jerry continues to
work for TFC during Cooperator deadlines and other busy
production times in addition
to planning the annual Co-op
retirees’ reunion.
“Four decades of writing
about Tennessee’s best and
dedicated farmers are treasured
bonuses of my Co-op career,”
said Jerry. “To be involved in
work that I love so much is a
real blessing.”
The award program honoring
Jerry can be viewed on TFC’s
YouTube channel at http://bit.ly/
JerryKirk.
Jerry edits the proof pages of the Cooperator from the early 1980s. In his more
than 40 years with TFC, Jerry has seen production methods shift from black-andwhite photos, typewriters, and manually “pasting up” pages to digital cameras,
computerized word processing, and desktop publishing.
Donations from 4-H/FFA Case knife sales top $225,000
Story and photo by Chris Villines
T
ennessee Farmers
Cooperative has presented the state 4-H and
FFA foundations with $25,000
— profit from the sale of a
limited-edition Case pocketknife
released in fall 2012.
With the latest donation,
a total of $225,000 has been
awarded over the past 12 years
as a part of Co-op’s longstanding support of 4-H and FFA in
Tennessee. The proceeds are
split equally between the two
state organizations with each
receiving $12,500 in 2012.
Checks for this year’s proceeds were presented Nov. 26
at TFC’s annual meeting in
Nashville by officers of the regional Co-op manager groups:
Andrew Baisley, manager of
Cumberland Farmers Cooperative; Barry Branum, manager
of Obion Farmers Cooperative; Keith Farmer, manager of
Maury Farmers Cooperative;
and Brian Julian, manager of
Hawkins Farmers Cooperative.
Joining them for the presentation was Nickie Vincent,
manager of TFC’s Home, Lawn,
Specialty Department, and
Maury Ford, vice president of
Tennessee 4-H Congress Governor Claire Garrell and state FFA President Stephen
McBride, in front center, accept a ceremonial $25,000 check for their organizations
during TFC’s annual meeting Nov. 26. The proceeds from Co-op’s 2012 commemorative
Case knife sales were split equally between state 4-H and FFA. Presenting the check
are, front from left, Maury Ford, vice president of sales operations with Case Cutlery,
and Nickie Vincent, TFC Home, Lawn, Specialty Department manager. In back are
officers of the regional Co-op manager groups, from left, Andrew Baisley, Cumberland
Farmers Co-op; Brian Julian, Hawkins; Keith Farmer, Maury; and Barry Branum, Obion.
sales operations with W.R. Case
& Sons Cutlery Company, an active partner and supporter of the
program since its inception.
“At Case, we understand and
appreciate the rural values and
traditions of this program and
the monies that it generates
for two great youth organizations,” said Ford. “We applaud
4-H and FFA for recruiting and
developing the future leaders of
our country and the ag industry.
Through this great program, we
believe Case and Co-op are helping to secure a great tomorrow.”
Current Tennessee 4-H
Congress Governor Claire Garrell of Petersburg and state FFA
President Stephen McBride of
Beechgrove accepted the checks
for their organizations.
“On behalf of the 300,000
Tennessee 4-H members, we say
thank you to Co-op for your financial support, your encouragement, and for helping to change
the lives of these young people,”
said Garrell, a sophomore at
Cornersville High School. “Our
state has the largest 4-H program in the country, and it is
because of people like you.”
McBride, a sophomore agricultural communications major
at the University of Tennessee at
Martin, shared FFA’s appreciation as well as his own personal
experiences of receiving a 4-H/
FFA knife each year.
“For the past 11 years, the
knives produced for the Co-op
by Case Cutlery Company have
been one of my favorite Christmas presents,” McBride said.
“Every year, I look forward to
getting one of those beautiful
knives. It’s been a big part of my
life growing up, and your generosity is important now to me
and the 13,000 other members
of FFA across this state. Thank
you for believing in our youth.”
The 2012 commemorative
Case knife is a perfect complement to the collection’s previous edtions. It has Tru-Sharp
surgical steel blades and peachseed jigged Kentucky Bluegrass
handles. The distinctive FFA and
4-H logos are deeply engraved
on the nickel silver bolsters and
the historic Case “Bomb Shield.”
The logos are also engraved on
the knife’s pen blade and the
banner “Support 4-H and FFA
2012” on the clip blade.
No more of this particular
knife will be produced, but check
with your local Co-op to see if it
still has some in stock if you’re
interested in purchasing one.
January 2013
25
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative is proud to salute the
recipients of the 2012-13
Co-op Scholarships.
These young people represent
the best and the brightest
in the future of Tennessee
agriculture, and many of the
recipients are already making
valuable contributions to
our cooperative system as
employees of local Co-ops and
even as full-time farmers.
Since 1995, TFC has offered
32 scholarships — each
worth $1,500 — to qualified
agriculture students at four
state universities: UT Knoxville, UT Martin, Tennessee
Tech, and Middle Tennessee
State University.
Syrena Flowers
Jackson
middle tennessee state university
Holly Baggett
Fayetteville
Lindsay Baker
McEwen
Bradley Coppinger
Woodbury
Victoria Harrison
Limestone
Kara Lane
Manchester
tennessee technological university
Katie Clark
Cookeville
Katie Dickson
Lebanon
Amanda Gann
Cookeville
Joshua Shoulders
Pleasant Shade
Westlee Walker
Speedwell
university of tennessee at martin
Radford McDavid
Troy
Heath McLean
Newbern
Orren Ogg
Martin
Grant Saum
Ramer
Mason Wortham
Martin
university of tennessee at knoxville
Sarah Beaty
Cleveland
In keeping with our valued
heritage of supporting the
youth of Tennessee agriculture,
Co-op encourages high school
seniors to visit with their guidance counselors and college
students to ask their advisors
about our yearly scholarships.
Applicants must be from
families of Co-op members
and satisfy the requirements
set up by TFC’s scholarship
committee. For more information, call Joe Huffine at (615)
793-8351 or e-mail him at
[email protected].
26
January 2013
Kelsey Brantley
Bean Station
Erin Brinkley
Jonesborough
Jennie Clark
Elizabethton
Kendra Flynn
Rockford
Jonathan Harrison
Watertown
Aaron Helms
Taft
Alyssa Helms
Old Hickory
Taylor Jennings
Tazewell
Margaret LaFlamme
Lewisburg
Jessica Linkous
Surgoinsville
Sarah Manor
Maryville
Billy Rochelle
Nunelly
Tracy Taylor
Mercer
Jessie Tipton
Limestone
Kathleen Wilson
Mountain City
For more information, see us online at www.ourcoop.com.
“My beef checkoff can
help raise consumer confidence in beef.”
in
Ronnie Yearg
“Simply put, our beef checkoff promotes safe, nutritious beef.
All beef producers invest in the checkoff — so folks like you and
me decide how to allocate these dollars to keep our product topof-mind with consumers,” says Ronnie Yeargin, a cow-calf and
stocker producer from Greenfield, Tenn.
The checkoff is working to build demand for beef by educating
consumers about beef’s role in healthful diets.
My beef checkoff…reaching consumers with the benefits of beef.
Ronnie Yeargin
Yeargin Farms
Greenfield, Tenn.
Hear more from Ronnie at MyBeefCheckoff.com
or scan this QR code
Funded by the Beef Checkoff.
January 2013
27
A hidden log cabin launches a remarkable
hobby for Granville’s Joe Stout
Story and photos by Mark E. Johnson
Retired businessman and beef producer Joe Stout has spent roughly six hours a day for the past 30 years in his shop — a “rat’s nest,” he calls it — making exquisite
hunting knives, display boxes, and scabbards. At 79, Joe has no plans of stopping, although health problems have “slowed him down a little.”
O
ne thing leads to another, right?
Joe Stout’s “one thing”
was a dilapidated barn on his
500-acre Putnam County farm.
In the late 1970s, he decided
the old structure needed to
come down. It was an eyesore
and hadn’t been used in decades. But before starting the
demolition process, Joe, then a
beef producer and manufacturing manager for U.S. Industries
in Cookeville, decided to give
the interior of the barn one last
look.
Granville
l
“It was a large barn that
contained a really big corn crib,”
recalls the 79-year-old Putnam
Farmers Cooperative member.
“Before I tore it down, I got to
looking closely at the corn crib
and realized that it was actually a log cabin! Someone had
removed the chimney, boarded
up the windows, and built a barn
around it.”
Deciding to do some detective work, Joe was shocked by
what he found. After speaking
to a previous owner of the land
28
January 2013
where the structure was located,
he determined that the barn
dated to before the Civil War.
And the cabin inside?
“It was pre-Revolution
— probably built in the mid1700s,” he says. “It was likely
the home of some of the earliest settlers around here.”
Further inspection showed
that the cabin logs were made
of nearly extinct American
chestnut. As a “closet” craftsman who had tinkered with
woodworking for most of his
life, Joe saw an opportunity.
“The cabin had been sheltered from the elements for a
long time,” he says. “I knew
I couldn’t just get rid of those
logs — that wood was too
pretty. So I hired a friend who
owned a portable sawmill to
cut the logs into lumber. We
counted more than 200 rings in
some of the logs, which would
date them at around 500 years
old. This inspired me, and I
started fiddling with making
decorative boxes out of the
lumber.”
Out of the distinctive wormy
chestnut, he began crafting
elegant, jewelry-box-sized containers that people could “put
An avid deer hunter, Joe says it was natural that he gravitated toward making
“buckskinners” like this one. Each knife takes approximately 12 hours to craft,
with the box requiring the same amount of time. He sells the sets for $135-$200,
depending on the materials he uses.
most anything in,” some with
scroll-type lid handles and others made like miniature trunks.
As Joe’s skill in creating boxes
increased, he landed on the
idea of making an item to go
inside. An avid outdoorsman
and hunter, he had a natural
interest in knives and had made
a few in the past “just to see if
I could.” In the early ’80s, he
set out to pair his cabin-wood
boxes with skinning and hunting knives made at an equally
high level of craftsmanship.
“It’s not easy,” he says. “It’s
mostly a matter of trial and error and patience. You’ve got to
go slow because you’re working
with a sharp piece of steel. I’ve
cut myself dozens of times and
messed up plenty of knives.”
Using high-quality steel and
brass and a variety of handle
materials, Joe began turning
out one-of-a-kind cutlery with
custom wooden display cases
and homemade leather scabbards. Over the years, wordof-mouth advertising resulted
in a modest but steady stream
of customers. His knife-andbox sets have ended up in
California, Washington state,
Michigan, and even London
and Sweden. In 2009, Joe
was featured on an episode of
Nashville Public Television’s
Jerry Stout, left — son of Joe and his wife of 56 years, Sue — caught the “crafting bug” some 30 years
ago when he began making birdhouses and whimsical, clay-pot characters he calls “potheads.”
Joe figures he’s made more than 500 knife-and-box sets. He
describes the hobby as “fun and productive.”
“Tennessee Crossroads,” which
generated more interest in his
knives.
“The ‘Crossroads’ piece was
great, and I got a lot of calls,
but I’ve never done this as a
money-making venture,” says
Joe. “I just really enjoy going
out to the shop and working on
these things. It probably takes
around 12 hours each to make
a box and knife. The scabbards
don’t take that long. All added
up, I’m not making minimum
wage on them, but that’s OK.
I’d rather be making knives
than just about anything else.”
He begins the process by
using a marker to draw a knife’s
shape on a strip of high-quality steel he purchases from a
wholesale market in Nashville.
Using a combination of sanders, Joe shapes the steel until
it resembles a traditional knife
shape, after which he attaches
it to a handle he fashions from
bone or antler. A longtime
deer-hunter, Joe has supplied
many of the antlers himself.
“Cow and horse bone also
makes beautiful handles,” he
says. “You can use a little dye
to make the bone a golden
yellow, which is very attractive. Early on, I tried to make
handles with the cabin wood,
but the worm holes made it
almost impossible to cut the
material thin enough.”
He attaches the handle
material to
the blade with
brass bolsters
or “jaws” and
finishes the
Many of Joe’s display boxes are made from the logs of an
steel with
18th-century cabin he found on his property.
a polishing
few more, and that turned into
belt. Joe stamps his name into
some other folk-art pieces, and
the steel before turning his
the next thing you know, I was
attention to the accompanying
box, which he fits with a felt or selling at craft fairs.”
A few years later, Jerry says,
velvet “bed” to nestle the knife.
he began using clay pots to
After building some 500
create whimsical characters
knife-and-box sets, his supply
he named “Potheads.” Soon,
of cabin wood has dwindled to
he was selling dozens of them
two small boards. He expects
at festivals and in area gallerto have enough left to make
ies. Today, Jerry creates a wide
around 10 boxes.
“I regret not keeping more of variety of folk art and owns an
online T-shirt design company.
those logs,” he admits. “I just
“I guess that birdhouse dare
didn’t realize what a treasure I
was a good thing,” says Joe with
had at the time.”
a laugh. “I just wanted [Jerry]
Joe’s creative knack has also
found its way into the next gen- to have a hobby, and he went
and made a career out of it!”
eration of Stouts. Jerry Stout
Joe adds that he’s happy to
— son of Joe and his wife of
56 years, Sue — discovered his keep his knife-making activities
artistic “calling” as a result of a at a hobby level, although he
often logs full-time hours at his
challenge from his dad.
craft. He doesn’t farm any“One day back in the early
more, forced to sell his cattle
’80s — when I was just a teendue to health problems and inager — Dad dared me to make
juries related to a 4-wheeler aca birdhouse,” says Jerry with a
cident some 10 years ago, but
laugh. “I had never done an
Joe still makes the short walk
artistic thing in my life up ’til
to his shop — a “rat’s nest,” he
then, but I wasn’t going to let
calls it — almost every mornhim get the better of me, so I
went out to the shop and made ing.
“I made my first knife back
one. I’m sure it wasn’t pretty; I
in
1954,
when I was 19,” says
had no idea what I was doing.
Joe. “It wasn’t much of a knife,
But it was fun, so I made a
With only two planks of his original
cabin wood left, Joe guesses he’s got
about 10 boxes-worth of lumber.
Joe, shaping raw steel in the initial
stages, says he’ll keep making knives
“as long as I’m able to stand up.”
but it sparked an interest in
me. I gave it to one of my
grandsons just the other day
— it survived all these years.
Hopefully my new knives will
survive another 50 years, too.”
To learn more about Joe’s
hunting knives and boxes, contact him at 931-858-2593 or
[email protected].
January 2013
29
What’s Cookin’?
Heated
competition
Reader recipes create a virtual chili cookoff
A
mong chili enthusiasts, there’s nothing mild
about the debate over who serves the best
bowl. That’s why heated competitions can
be found all across the U.S., pitting chili-cooking
fanatics against each other for fame and fortune —
well, for bragging rights, at least. Just consider this
month’s “What’s cookin’?” column as Co-op’s own
virtual version of a “chili cookoff.”
As our readers’ submissions demonstrate, chili recipes are just as
varied as the ingredients they include — from spice mixtures to the
types of meat. Some have beans; some do not. Some are served
with pasta or rice, while others are good enough in a bowl alone.
But they all make the perfect meal to help warm up a winter’s day.
Our “cookoff” winner, Jeana Owens of Cumberland Gap, calls on
a city just a bit to the north for her favorite chili recipe. This “Cincinnati Chili” earns her Cook-of-the-Month honors for January.
“This is an unusual, no-bean chili that is served over spaghetti
noodles,” says Jeana. “The combination of cinnamon, cloves, and
unsweetened chocolate give it a different twist than traditional chili.”
Other recipes featured are Brewski Chili, Chili Soup, Chili with
Potatoes, Slow Cooker White Chili, Chunky Chipotle Pork Chili,
Chili Stew, and Sausage Chili.
Enjoy!
Served over spaghetti, this no-bean “Cincinnati Chili” has an unusual flavor that
comes from ingredients like unsweetened chocolate, cinnamon, and cloves. The
recipe comes from Jeana Owens of Cumberland Gap, our Cook-of-the-Month for
January.
— Photo by Mark E. Johnson, food styling by Allison Morgan
Clip, save, and serve
Cincinnati Chili
January 2013 winning recipe
What you will need:
Directions:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until
tender, about six minutes.
Add beef, in batches if necessary, and cook,
breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned.
Add chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, allspice,
cloves, bay leaf, chocolate, beef broth, tomato
sauce, cider vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Stir to
mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low;
cover and simmer 11⁄2 hours,
stirring occasionally.
Refrigerate overnight
for best results. To serve,
remove the bay leaf and
reheat gently over medium heat. Serve over hot,
drained spaghetti. Top with
shredded Cheddar cheese.
•
•
•
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1
⁄2 cup chopped onion
2 pounds ground beef
1
⁄4 cup chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1
⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
1
⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 bay leaf
1
⁄2 (1-ounce) square unsweetened
chocolate
2 (10.5-ounce) cans beef broth
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1
⁄4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1
⁄4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 box spaghetti, cooked according to
package directions
Jeana Owens, Cumberland Gap, Claiborne Farmers Cooperative
30
January 2013
Brewski Chili
1 pound ground beef (75%
to 85% lean)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can light red kidney beans,
drained and rinsed
1 can dark red kidney beans,
drained and rinsed
1 can chili beans with sauce
1 can diced, stewed tomatoes
1 medium-large jalapeño
pepper, seeds removed,
chopped
1 tablespoon sorghum
6-12 ounces beer
1 tablespoon chili powder
1
⁄2 teaspoon salt or to taste
A few dashes of Tabasco
sauce, to taste
Flour or cornstarch to
thicken, if desired
Brown and break up ground
beef with chopped onions in
frying pan; drain grease. Put
mixture in a slow cooker. Add
beans, tomatoes, pepper, sorghum, beer (the alcohol burns
off in cooking), and seasonings; stir well and cook on
low-medium for two to three
hours, depending on cooker.
Stir occasionally and sample,
adding salt or Tabasco to taste.
Before serving, thicken with
cornstarch, if desired.
Serve in cup or bowl with
your favorite garnishes (crackers, sour cream, shredded
cheese, or chopped onion) or
pour a little on a hot dog for a
great chili dog!
Gary Gustafson
Lexington
First Farmers Cooperative
T
Chili Soup
1 large onion, chopped
1
⁄2 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped celery and
leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
11⁄2 pounds ground beef
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh lemon
juice
2 (15-ounce) cans chili hot
beans
In large pot, cook onion,
pepper, and celery in oil until
translucent. Add beef and brown.
Pureé tomatoes in blender; add to
meat. Add remaining ingredients;
cook slowly for two hours.
Yield: 21⁄2 quarts.
Barbara Troxler
Normandy
Bedford Moore
Farmers Cooperative
T
Chili with Potatoes
6 medium potatoes, peeled
and cut into small chunks
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
11⁄2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cans dark red kidney
beans, drained
2 packages mild chili seasoning mix
2 quarts tomato juice
Place potatoes and butter or
margarine in a saucepan; add water and cook until tender. Drain
water; set aside to cool.
Brown ground beef and onion
in skillet until done; drain. Place
into a large pot and add kidney beans, chili seasoning, and
tomato juice; heat until boiling.
Stir in potatoes. Reduce heat and
simmer for about 15 minutes.
Brenda Conatser
Jamestown
Fentress Farmers Cooperative
T
Slow Cooker
White Chili
5 cups chopped, cooked
chicken
3 (15-ounce) cans Great
Northern beans, drained
1 (32-ounce) box chicken
broth
1 (16-ounce) jar mild salsa
1 (8-ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese with
peppers, cubed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Garnishes, if desired:
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Chopped jalapeños
Corn chips
In a 6-quart electric slow
cooker, combine chicken, beans,
broth, salsa, cheese, and cumin.
Cover and cook on high for 3
hours, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; simmer 2 hours,
stirring occasionally.
Garnish with Cheddar cheese,
sour cream, and jalapeños, if desired. Serve with corn chips.
Shirley L. Revis
Clarksville
Montgomery Farmers Cooperative
T
Chunky Chipotle
Pork Chili
1 medium green pepper,
chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
sauce, finely chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) can red beans,
rinsed and drained
1 cup beef broth
1
⁄2 cup salsa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cups cubed cooked pork
1
⁄4 cup sour cream
In a large saucepan, sauté
green pepper, onion, and chipotle
pepper in oil until tender. Add
garlic; sauté 1 minute longer.
Add beans, broth, salsa,
cumin, and chili powder. Bring
to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer,
uncovered, for 10 minutes or
until thickened. Add pork; heat
through. Serve with sour cream.
Mildred H. Edwards
Lebanon
Wilson Farmers Cooperative
T
Chili Stew
1 large bone-in chicken
breast, boiled
2 pounds ground beef,
browned
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium jalapeño peppers,
diced, optional
1 medium bell pepper, diced
1 (15-ounce) can chili beans
1 (15-ounce) can pork and
beans
1 (15-ounce) can chili with
beans
1 (15-ounce) can chili without beans
1 (15-ounce can mixed
vegetables
1 (15-ounce) can wholekernel corn
1 (15-ounce) can diced
tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (8-ounce) can tomato paste
11⁄2 tablespoons chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil chicken; remove from
bone, reserving broth. Brown
beef with onions and peppers (do
not drain).
In a large pot, combine beans,
chili, vegetables, and tomato
sauce and paste. Add chicken
and beef, chili powder, salt, and
pepper. Add 2 cups reserved
chicken broth and enough water
to make the mixture “soupy.”
Cook on low to medium heat
until hot; simmer about 1 hour,
stirring occasionally to prevent
sticking to bottom of the pan.
Linda Bain
Bethel Springs
Mid-South Farmers Cooperative
T
Sausage Chili
1 pound package sausage
1 pound ground beef or
venison
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper,
chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1
⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 (15-ounce) cans hot chili
beans
3 (14-ounce) cans tomatoes
Brown sausage, beef, or venison with onion and pepper in a
large skillet; drain. Place in large
pan; add garlic and chili powder. Stir in beans and tomatoes.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 25
minutes. Serve with cornbread.
Yield: Eight to 10 servings.
Louise Burns
Henderson
First Farmers Cooperative
Facebook exclusive!
We receive so many great recipes
each month, we can’t print them
all! But visit us on Facebook for
more recipes available only to fans of
our page. Visit www.facebook.com/
TennesseeFarmersCooperative and click
on “Notes” to get the recipes.
Summon spring
with green peas
When March rolls around, it’s time
to start thinking spring — and nothing
embodies the sweet, light, green-ness of
the season quite like the simple, perfect
pea. Fresh peas won’t be in your garden or market for a while yet, but frozen or canned varieties will do until homegrown versions are available.
Share your favorite recipes using green peas for our March “What’s
Cookin’?” column. The person submitting the best recipe will be named
Cook-of-the-Month and receive $10. Others sending recipes chosen for
publication will receive $5.
Monday, Jan. 28, is the deadline for your pea recipes.
Don’t forget: Only recipes with complete, easy-to-follow instructions
will be considered for publication. Several recipes are disqualified each
month because they do not contain all the information needed to prepare
the dishes successfully. Recipes featured in “What’s cookin’?” are not independently tested, so we must depend on the accuracy of the cooks sending
them. Always use safe food-handling, preparation, and cooking procedures.
Send entries to: Recipes, Tennessee Cooperator, P.O. Box 3003,
LaVergne, TN 37086. You can submit more than one recipe in the same
envelope. You can also e-mail them to: [email protected]. Be
sure to include your name, address, telephone number, and the Co-op
with which you do business. Recipes that appear in the “What’s cookin’?”
column will also be published on our website at www.ourcoop.com.
January 2013
31
32
January 2013
TDA reinstates grain indemnity assessment
Starting March 1, producers to pay 1 cent per bushel on soybeans, half cent on other crops
As a result of changes to
state law, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture will
reactivate a 1-cent-per-bushel
assessment on soybeans and
a half-cent-per-bushel assessment on all other grains beginning March 1, 2013.
Purpose of the assessment
is to increase the balance of
the Tennessee Grain Indem-
nity Fund, which was created
by state law in 1989 to provide
financial protection for grain
producers against the failure of
grain dealers and warehouses.
The law was amended in 2011
to increase the fund’s minimum
balance from $3 million to
$10 million due to the significant increase in the market
value of grains.
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“The new provisions place a
responsibility on the commissioner of agriculture to reactivate the assessment in order
to maintain an adequate fund
balance,” said Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Julius
Johnson. “Given the fund’s low
balance and today’s high-value
grain market, I’m authorizing
the assessment to comply with
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12-SFP-0175_GrainBin_TennCoop.indd 1
state law and to ensure that
Tennessee grain producers are
protected.”
The assessment on all grain
will continue until the fund
reaches the new $10 million
minimum balance as required
by the newly amended law.
Tennessee producer organizations sought these changes
due to the higher market
prices of grain. All grain
producers who participate in
the program can file a claim
to recover losses in the event
of a grain dealer or warehouse
failure, depending on circumstances. The new law caps any
one individual’s claim to no
more than 31⁄3 percent of the
fund balance.
Grain producers can request to opt out and receive
a refund within 90 days of an
assessment, but they forfeit
protection under the program.
Producers who previously
opted out can be reinstated
but must pay back assessments
with interest.
The law also requires that
all grain storage facilities and
grain dealers comply with
bonding and insurance requirements. Warehousemen
and dealers must be licensed
with TDA, and the required
surety is based on volume and
license classification. TDA
monitors highly speculative
positioning by handlers, conducts an annual inspection of
records, and may seize assets
of failed handlers and take
other actions to protect the
interest of producers.
Since the fund’s establishment, nearly $1 million has
been paid in claims to 76
Tennessee producers. In 2011,
Tennessee farmers produced
a combined 2.3 million acres
of corn, soybeans and wheat
valued at nearly $1.3 billion.
Soybeans are the state’s leading crop, generating $461.3
million in farm cash receipts
last year.
For more information about
the Tennessee Grain Indemnity Fund, contact TDA’s
Regulatory Services Division at
615-837-5150 or visit online
at www.tn.gov/agriculture.
12/13/12 6:09 PM
January 2013
33
Every Farmer Has A Story Hunter Grills
Story and photos by Allison Morgan
‘Faith, family, freedom’
Young farmer Hunter Grills has his priorities firmly planted
H
unter Grills planted his
future at age 16.
That’s when he grew
his first crop of soybeans — 40
acres — and solidified his career
path as a full-time farmer.
Less than a decade later,
while many other 25-year-olds
are still trying to figure out what
to do with their lives, Hunter
has established a successful farming operation, bought
rental property and his own
house, and built a reputation as
a young agricultural leader.
“I look at everything as an
investment,” says Hunter, who
raises corn, soybeans, and wheat
with his father, Jack, and older
brother, Rusty, on the family farm
in Dyer County. “If I can start
early and get on the right track,
then I think those investments
will pay off in the long run.”
l Newbern
This business-minded philosophy has followed Hunter from
childhood. He was dealing in
the stock market at age 12 and
put a retirement plan in place at
19. He bought a duplex at age
20 and two triplexes at 23 and
rents out those eight apartments
on a monthly basis.
“Growing up, there were two
things that I wanted to do: farm
and have rental property,” says
Hunter, a member of Gibson
Farmers Cooperative. “Again, I
saw it as a good investment. The
best part is having money coming in every month because with
farming, you don’t.”
And now, after all these
financial investments, Hunter is
taking time to invest in himself.
He is participating in the 2013
American Soybean Association/
DuPont Young Leader Program,
a challenging leadership development experience that involves
producers from 21 states and
Canada. Hunter is the only
farmer from Tennessee selected
for this prestigious program,
which offers three phases of edu-
34
January 2013
cational sessions and networking
opportunities to help participants
become better growers and advocates for agriculture.
“I try to do anything I can
to further my education,” says
Hunter. “We need more young
leaders in agriculture today.
There just aren’t many people
my age getting into farming.”
Sunday School, and preach every
now and then, and that’s really
important to me.
“Then my family. There’s
nothing like being able to go to
work every day with my dad and
my brother and see my mom on
a daily basis as well. When you
get to do that, it’s not necessarily
a job; it’s a way of life.
Hunter Grills, second from right, is carrying on a family farming tradition that’s at
least seven generations deep. Together, he and his father, Jack, right, and older
brother, Rusty, farm some 2,000 acres of corn, soybeans, and wheat near Newbern.
The Young Leader Program
targets soybean farmers who are
“innovative, global-thinking, and
looking to make their mark in
agriculture.” That description
fits Hunter perfectly, says Jimmy
Gaylord, manager of Gibson
Farmers Cooperative’s Newbern
branch, who encouraged Hunter
to submit the application.
“They were looking for a good
example of youth, a full-time
farmer who was active in the
community and had an interest
in being more involved in the agricultural industry,” says Jimmy.
“I thought Hunter was a good
candidate, and we were proud
when he was chosen.”
During the first four-day seminar in late November, Hunter
was asked to formally introduce
himself to the group. He says he
knew exactly which words to use:
“faith, family, and freedom.”
“I told them that what defines
me, first of all, is my faith,” says
Hunter. “I’m thankful for the
blessings the Lord has given me.
I’m active in my church, teach
“And then my freedom. My
granddaddy [A.J. Grills] was a
World War II vet and got shot
in Okinawa. He had a Purple
Heart and a Bronze Star and still
had some of the shrapnel in him
when he passed away eight years
ago. So love of country has always been near and dear to me.”
Hunter’s farming tradition
comes from his grandfather, too,
and several grandfathers before
him. The Grills’ farm in Newbern dates to the early 1800s
and maybe longer, says Hunter,
and agriculture is pretty much all
the family has ever known.
“I guess you could technically say I started farming about
9 months before I was born,”
laughs Hunter. “That’s what
we’ve always done. I’m at least
a seventh-generation farmer —
maybe even eighth-generation.
I’m actually researching now just
see how far back our farm goes.”
He and his three siblings
— Rusty, older sister Jodi, and
younger brother Cody — were
homeschooled by their mother,
Ann, giving Hunter even more
time to be immersed in the family’s agricultural lifestyle.
“That was an extra benefit I
had on the farm, and I was able
to learn a lot of things that I
wouldn’t have in public school,”
says Hunter. “I guess you’d say I
had a hands-on education, and I
wouldn’t take anything for it.”
As for higher education,
Hunter chose to cultivate his career instead. He started farming
full time right after completing
high school and doesn’t apologize for not attending college. It
just wasn’t for him, he says.
“College was something I
heavily considered, but it wasn’t
the best option,” says Hunter. “I
was able to excel in my business
because I put all my time toward
that — getting more ground,
buying the rental property. Don’t
get me wrong — college is great.
It just wasn’t the answer for me.”
Today, Hunter, Rusty, and
Jack collectively farm some
2,000 acres, sharing land and
equipment but each maintaining
independent operations. Cody
also helps out when he’s not
working on his bachelor’s degree
from East Tennessee State University or at his job as an X-ray
technologist at the local hospital.
“I have my own Co-op account, I buy my own inputs, I
have my own financing,” explains
Hunter. “But we work together
and help each other with whatever needs to be done.”
When he walks out his door to
work each morning, surrounded
by a loving family and a farming
legacy many generations deep,
Hunter says he has no doubt that
he’s “doing the right thing.”
“In Genesis 2:15, God told
Adam to keep and dress the
garden,” says Hunter. “That’s
what we as farmers get to do,
and it’s one of the greatest jobs a
man could have. Not only am I
working with my family, but I’m
also doing something that I love,
keeping the land God has given
us, and feeding the world. I can’t
think of anything I’d rather do.”
Even at the young age of 25, Hunter is already
well established in his farming operation,
having planted his first crop “on his own” at
16. He’s also a rental property owner. Now, the
Gibson Farmers Cooperative member is taking
time for personal development and agricultural
advocacy by participating in the 2013 American
Soybean Association/DuPont Young Leader
Program as the only Tennessean among 21
other farmers from across the U.S. and Canada.
January 2013
35