May 2015 - Our CO-OP

May 2015
Go with
the grain
With help from the
Tennessee Ag Enhancement Program,
row-crop producer Dereck Layne
adds on-farm storage facility,
increases efficiency of his operation
Also inside
New herbicide-tolerant technology
available for cotton producers - p. 5
Metro Nashville Park Police Mounted
Patrol serves from the saddle - p. 20
Year-round mineral program pays off
for Savannah cattle farmers - p. 26
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contents
May 2015
Cover Story
with the grain
12 Go
The 2015 application period for the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement
Program is coming up June 1-7, and many farmers will be requesting cost-share
funds for grain storage facilities. That’s exactly what Dereck Layne did last year,
installing a 15,000-bushel Sukup grain bin with assistance from the popular state
program. Dereck, who purchased the bin from Rutherford Farmers Cooperative,
raises 500 acres of corn, soybeans, and wheat on his Chapel Hill farm.
ON THE COVER: Dereck Layne says his new grain bin is the best investment he’s made in his farming
operation, which he runs in addition to being a full-time mail carrier in Unionville.
— Photos by Allison Morgan
News and features
8
10 20
24
26
30
Kernels of truth
20
Ag Day celebrations help educate lawmakers and the public about the state’s farming industry.
An extra 24 hours
Sprayer purchased through TAEP allows Jeff Cantrell to save time and produce higher-quality hay.
Serving from the saddle
Metro Nashville Park Police Mounted Patrol officers keep the peace with their equine partners.
Guessing game over
Tissue-sampling program helps Henderson Farms maximize the potential of its produce crops.
Smart balance
Cattle farmers Michael and Carolyn Durak supplement their herd with yearlong mineral plan.
Farm-made fashion
30
Teenager Jessica Price designs all-natural jewelry and accessories using horsehair and feathers.
TenneScene
In every issue
4 As I Was Saying
Jerry Kirk recalls a loving link to his past
with a penny-stamped postcard.
4 Our Country Churches
First Presbyterian Church in Rhea County.
14 New at Co-op
Learn about six new products available at
your hometown store.
16 Neighborly Advice
Lawn weed control, rotating horses pastures,
Ag Enhancement tips.
Built on the waters of Choates Creek, Bodenham Mill once served as the center of trade and
activity within the Giles County community. Originally constructed in 1832, the mill burned in
the late 1920s and was rebuilt in 1930. By then, Bodenham was already in a gradual decline,
having lost its post office in 1914. Transportation in the area had improved as highways were
completed, allowing farmers to travel to larger mills in cities like Pulaski, the county seat.
Despite this, the Bodenham Mill survived for the next 25 years, serving a more localized region.
It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
— Photo by Allison Morgan
34 What’s cookin’?
Ignite the urge to get outside and grill.
38 Every Farmer Has A Story
Meet Lynn McMahan, who balances trucking
and farming with his fulfilling family life.
May 2015
3
As I Was Saying
Penny postcard is loving link to past
M
y late mother, Lochiel Brooks Kirk, who would have turned 100 on
May 23, had a special “picture box” in which she kept photos, newspaper clippings, letters, and other cherished “treasures.”
That old wooden box is mine now, and I’m more than a little intrigued by
many of the things Mama tucked away. A favorite is an age-yellowed postcard
that pictures the imposing Galbraith Springs Hotel near Mooresburg on its
front. On June 6, 1900, my maternal grandfather-to-be paid a penny for the
stamp to mail the card to his sweetheart, who would be my grandmother.
Even as a child, I recognized this vintage postcard as a loving link to grandJerry Kirk
parents I would never get to meet in this life. Christopher [for whom our own
Contributing Editor
son is named] and Maude Brooks died way too young — she at 34 and he at 36
— never to see any of their 21 grandchildren who were to follow. I don’t even know what we would
have called them had they lived, but Grandpa and Grandma sound good to me.
As for the postcard, I appreciate that Grandpa, while visiting Galbraith Springs, was thinking of
his beautiful Maude, who lived on Cloud’s Creek, “on up the road from Mooresburg, toward Rogersville.” So he paid a penny to let her know just that. And she obviously held on to the card, which
was ultimately passed on to my mother.
Hopefully, after they married my grandparents were able to spend some time together at Galbraith
Springs. From all accounts, it was a favorite destination for folks who wanted to escape the heat to
enjoy the cooler Short Mountain breezes. And according to the late Selina Gill, a wonderful writer
whose “Passing By” column was wildly popular with Morristown Citizen Tribune readers for years,
the old hotel was a destination for “couples in love.”
“The stories this old hotel could tell!” Selina wrote. “The romances that were consummated on
the wide porches and the girls who recklessly got kissed down at the spring!”
In 1969, Mama let Selina “borrow” the postcard Grandpa Brooks had sent to Grandma. She used
it to illustrate a lengthy, spirited article on the vaunted Galbraith Springs Hotel. And Selina pulled a
real coup as a columnist by featuring Thurman and Vennie Davis, a Morristown couple who worked
for years at Galbraith Springs. Thurman was one of the resort’s treasured cooks.
“We had breakfast from 7:30 to 9 (the later hour for those ‘late courters,’ Selina interjected), dinner at 11:30, and supper at 6:30,” he said. [Note that the noon meal was “dinner” and the evening
meal “supper,” terms I grew up with]. “That was seven days a week!”
“From April to October, we averaged 200 guests,” Thurman continued. “I know I made over
1,000 biscuits a day then.”
While the food and hospitality were indeed star attractions at the old hotel, they were rivaled by
the resort’s mineral springs that attracted hordes of visitors looking for relief from a myriad of maladies — from rheumatism and erysipelas to sore eyes and sick headaches.
A classic 1893 brochure distributed by Galbraith Springs promised that “mail is received at the
hotel and dispatched there daily during the season” and that “a good telephone line connected with
the W.U. [I take that to be Western Union] telegraph at Whitesburgh, Tenn. [I was born and raised
in Whitesburg, but this is the first time I’ve seen it spelled with an ‘h’ at the end].”
And the brochure gives this rousing, rhyming tribute to East Tennessee as a whole: “East Tennessee ... Enchanting land ... Of gentle hills and mountains grand ... Where beautiful breezes ever blow
... And coolest springs and rivers flow ... Thy summers mild and grateful heat ... From sweltering
suns give cool retreat.”
I truly hope my Grandpa and Grandma were able to savor joys like those and more during their
earthly time together. And I wish I could have been a real part of their lives.
Our Country Churches
Located at 268 West Jackson Ave. in Spring
City, the landmark East Tennessee church was
established in 1885. It is a vibrant part of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) denomination
and offers programming for all ages. Traditions
include a candlelight Christmas Eve service.
Rev. Linda Springer is pastor.
4
May 2015
— Photo by Chris Villines
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: Chris Villines
[email protected]
Communications Specialist: Sarah Geyer
[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
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Tennessee Cooperator
P.O. Box 3003
LaVergne, TN 37086
Phone: (615) 793-8339
E-mail: [email protected]
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Cooperative at the above address.
TFC’s website: www.ourcoop.com
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TnFarmersCooperative
TFC Board of Directors:
Chairman — Larry Paul Harris,
Wildersville, Zone 1
Vice Chairman — Johnny Brady,
Riceville, Zone 3
Keith Fowler, Martin, Zone 1
Richard Jameson, Brownsville, Zone 1
Clint Callicott, Only, Zone 2
Kenneth Nixon, Carthage, Zone 2
Stephen Philpott, Shelbyville, Zone 2
David Sarten, Sevierville, Zone 3
Mark Thompson, Cumberland Gap, 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.
First Presbyterian Church
in Rhea County
May 2015
Volume 56, Number 5
239th in a series to show where our rural Co-op friends worship
®
Triple herbicide-tolerant technology
introduced for cotton producers
Though supply is limited, new Bollgard II® XtendFlex™ available for 2015 season
The cotton industry’s nextgeneration trait technology has
been deregulated by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture,
giving American cotton farmers
access to new tools for managing tough-to-control weeds.
A limited introduction of
Bollgard II® XtendFlex™ cotton is under way for the 2015
planting season through Deltapine® and select licensees like
CROPLAN® by WinField, and
will include varieties that fit
broadly across the entire Cotton Belt.
Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton,
part of the Roundup Ready®
Xtend Crop System, is tolerant to three different herbicides – dicamba, glyphosate,
and glufosinate. Glyphosate
and glufosinate are currently
approved for use as in-crop
herbicides, while over-the-top
dicamba use is pending regulatory approval.
The first-ever triple stack
of herbicide-tolerant technologies equips cotton farmers
with a more diverse arsenal
designed for controlling problematic weeds, such as Palmer
amaranth pigweed. In total,
Monsanto anticipates that new
Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton
varieties will be grown on more
than half a million acres in
2015. However, residual herbicide use will continue to play
an important part in overall
weed management strategies
and integrated farm plans.
“Flexibility is key when it
comes to product selection,”
says Robert Cossar, cotton
product manager with WinField. “Being able to utilize a
broader spectrum of weed control on reduced till, no-till and
conventional till acres really
opens up a farmer’s ‘playbook.’”
While current supply is
limited, farmers looking for
seed varieties containing the
Bollgard II XtendFlex trait this
summer may consider:
CROPLAN 3475B2XF
• Early-to-mid maturity
seed fit for growing conditions
across Tennessee and the
northern Cotton Belt, from the
Carolinas to the High Plains of
Texas.
• Excellent fiber package
and yield potential enable Tennessee farmers to meet the demands of today’s cotton market.
CROPLAN 3885B2XF
• A true mid-maturity seed
suited for Tennessee’s southern
cotton zones.
• Strong fiber package that’s
shown high strength and staple,
optimizing yield and dollar-peracre potential.
“The Co-op system provides
localized agronomic expertise
that can help farmers incorpo-
For the first time, farmers can grow
cotton plants with a triple stack of
herbicide-resistant technology.
rate cutting-edge cotton seed
technologies into their operations,” says Alan Sparkman,
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative
agronomy marketing manager.
“This hands-on, collaborative approach allows farmers
to quickly determine the best
path to greater yield and profit
potential.”
For more information about
CROPLAN by WinField cotton
seed, visit with your local Co-op
or online at www.croplan.com/
cotton.
View this article online at
bit.ly/CroplanCotton to read
Monsanto’s full legal statement
related to this technology.
News briefs
Trail ride event June 4-6 to benefit
children with brittle bone disease
Singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey will headline
a big benefit at Belvidere’s Circle E Guest Ranch in Franklin
County Thursday, June 4, through Saturday, June 6, to raise
funds to help children with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle
bone disease).
Murphey’s performance at 8 p.m. Saturday is a part of the
Second Annual Trail Ride and Benefit for the Fiona Rose Murphey Foundation, named after his granddaughter, who was born
with the disease. For a donation of $50, an adult can attend all
activities. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Thursday
evening’s events include a live auction to benefit the foundation
and the big “Cowboy Up” ball featuring the Kenny Berry Band.
For more information, call Circle E Guest Ranch at 731-9621790 or visit www.equestrianlegacy.net.
State’s farmers plan more soybeans, hay
While Tennessee’s farmers have indicated that they will plant
more soybeans and hopefully make more hay this year than last,
projections are that 2015 corn, cotton, and tobacco acres will
decline, says the Tennessee Field Office of U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
March 31 figures indicate that soybean acreage in Tennessee is expected to reach 1.8 million acres this year, up 1 percent
over 2014. Meanwhile, farmers in the state intend to harvest
1.85 million acres of hay, a slight increase over last year.
Corn, meanwhile, is expected to total 840,000 acres, 80,000
lower than 2014. The state’s upland cotton acreage was projected at 170,000 acres, down 105,000 from a year earlier.
May 2015
5
LEFT: The 2016 Tennessee 4-H Congress officers are, from left, Timothy Martin of Bedford County, speaker of the House; Kendall Garrell, Lincoln County, governor; and
Heath Quick, Shelby County, speaker of the Senate. RIGHT: Tennessee FFA officers for 2015-16 are, front from left, Chelsea Sanders, president, Wilson Central; Emily White,
East Tennessee vice president, Daniel Boone; Chelsea Wattenbarger, reporter, Stone; and Madison Benson, West Tennessee vice president, Scotts Hill. In back are Dalton Teel,
secretary, Lebanon; Stephen McNeil, sentinel, Portland; Derek Anderson, Middle Tennessee vice president, Coffee County; and Chad Lewis, treasurer, Halls.
FFA, 4-H elect new state officers
Members of Tennessee’s top
youth agricultural organizations, 4-H and FFA, recently
elected new officers at conferences held in Nashville and
Gatlinburg, respectively.
On March 22-25, more than
400 youth, volunteer leaders,
and Extension staff gathered in
6
May 2015
Nashville for the 68th Annual
Tennessee 4-H Congress. The
theme of this year’s event was
“Building Foundations for the
Future,” and participants took
part in legislative visits, educational tours, contests in public
speaking, citizenship, leadership, poster, and essay, and
the election of leaders for the
coming year.
Held March 29 through
April 1, the 87th Tennessee
State FFA Convention attracted
more than 2,000 students, advisors, and guests to the Gatlinburg Convention Center. With
the theme “Go All Out,” the an-
nual event celebrated chapter
achievements and recognized
students who will represent
Tennessee at the National FFA
Convention in October in Louisville, Ky. A new slate of state
officers was also elected during
the convention to serve over
the next year.
SPECIAL SECTION
As Co-op in Tennessee celebrates its 70-year anniversary in 2015,
the Cooperator proudly highlights monumental moments and
milestones that paved the way to our becoming one of the nation’s
strongest federated cooperative systems. Look for seven facts in
each issue from now to December for a total of 70!
1
2
3
4
5
From Jan. 1, 1946 — the day he became TFC’s first
general manager — J.B. Jones worked hard at raising
funds to get our Co-op system started. “An old boy in
one county came to a fund-raising meeting, reached
in his bib overalls, and rolled out 30 $100 bills,” Jones
recalled years ago. “Eyes in that room got as big as
teacups.”
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative was instrumental in the establishment of the
Tennessee Council of Cooperatives (TCC) on March 15, 1982. William E. Bailey, TFC’s CEO at the time, was the council’s first chairman. TCC is still going
strong, promoting the wide array of cooperatives that serve Tennessee’s farmers and other rural, small town, and suburban residents.
Ag Equipment USA was launched in 2001 as a new
entity formed by combining TFC’s Material Handling Department with the farm equipment area of
the Hardware Department. Ag Equipment sells farm
implements and large spray and fertilizer equipment,
offering both domestic and foreign items.
When the Tennessee Cooperator debuted in May 1959,
its first issue was designed as a four-page newspaper
focused on farming news and Co-op events. Board
Chairman Claude Jones of Rutherford County heralded
the Cooperator as “an important new link between our
farmers and their Co-ops.”
6
CoBank, headquartered in Denver, Colo., was formed
in 1989 through the merger of 11 of the 13 district
Banks for Cooperatives. CoBank offers a broad range
of flexible loan programs and financial services specially tailored to ag cooperatives, rural utility systems,
and Farm Credit associations.
7
By 1979, gasohol, described as the “hottest thing
around,” was being offered by 29 Co-ops across
the state. Hailed as the “patriotic thing to do,”
customers waited in line for this biofuel — a
mixture of 10 parts of 200-proof ethanol and 90
parts gasoline — to help the country become
less dependent on oil-producing countries.
TFC had real cause for celebration when its
hefty 1950 sales goal of $5 million was exceeded by more than $500,000! The good
news was announced at the 1951 annual
meeting in Nashville.
May 2015
7
LEFT: Instead of milking cows, this year’s Ag Day on the Hill on March 24
featured a new contest — corn-shucking and shelling — among leaders of the
state House and Senate. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, in center on stage, and his team
of Sen. Frank Nicely, left, and Sen. Mike Bell, competed against Speaker of the
House Beth Harwell and her helpers, Rep. Gerald McCormick and Rep. Craig
Fitzhugh. ABOVE: Harwell, right, and her team edged out the senators to take
home the trophy — a “golden” antique corn sheller provided by Rep. Andy Holt.
Kernels of truth
Ag Day celebrations help educate lawmakers, public about the farming industry
how technologically advanced
we become, modern life can
never be separated from basic
fter seven years of
agriculture. That’s what we’re
milking contests
celebrating here today. The
among lawmakers,
animals, the plants, but, most
Tennessee’s Ag Day on the
of all, the people who produce
Hill celebration took a turn
those things in abundance.”
this year with a corn-shelling
When the corn kernels were
challenge as the featured atweighed, Harwell edged out
traction of the annual event on
Ramsey by a little more than
March 24 at Legislative Plaza
a pound and was presented
in downtown Nashville.
with the winner’s trophy — an
The lighthearted competiantique “golden” corn sheller
tion once again pitted Lt. Gov.
— also provided by Holt. The
Ron Ramsey of Blountville
Farm and Forest Families of
against Speaker of the House
Tennessee, an organization of
Beth Harwell of Nashville.
which Tennessee Farmers Cooperative is a member,
presented a check for
$750 to the Second
Harvest Food Bank in
her honor.
“This has been fun
and something I look
forward to every year,”
said Harwell. “Your
General Assembly
believes in the farm
industry and what you
do. There’s a good
reason that agriculture
is prominently mentioned on our state
seal.”
Indeed, Tennessee’s
LEFT: In a new Ag Day on the Hill activity, the Rogers family of Lincoln County — from left,
Mac, Elijah, Knox, and Jana — provided 20,000 sweet potatoes from their farm to be bagged for
68,000 farms and 10.9
the Society of St. Andrew, which provides hunger relief services. RIGHT: Samantha Reese of
Marshall County brought a shorthorn heifer to display in pens provided by Co-op. This may be the million acres in prograduating senior’s last appearance here as she heads off to Blinn College in Brenham, Texas.
duction generate $4.1
By Allison Morgan, photos by
Allison Morgan and Chris Villines
A
8
May 2015
The legislators and their teams
took turns shucking dried ears
of corn and cranking them
through an antique corn sheller
provided by Rep. Andy Holt,
vice chairman of the Tennessee
House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
and organizer of Ag Day on the
Hill.
“Yes, this is entertaining, but
it also has a real-life connection to agriculture,” said Holt.
“This day allows us to bring a
small piece of the farm to the
city to show everyone that it’s
not only our job, but it’s our
life, and we love it. No matter
billion in farm income and
$1 billion in agricultural
exports annually, emphasized
Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson as
he presented the proclamation
from Gov. Bill Haslam that
officially recognized the 42nd
observance of National Agriculture Day on March 18.
“Ag Day is a shining example
of cooperation among the farming community,” said Johnson.
“It’s all about sharing the truth
behind what it takes to produce
the food and fiber you enjoy
every day.”
In addition to the contest
and animal displays in the plaza
courtyard, Ag Day on the Hill
featured indoor exhibits from a
variety of agricultural organizations, including TFC, which
provided the animal pens and
showcased equipment that
can be purchased with costshare funds from the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement
Program.
In another new addition to
Ag Day on the Hill, crates of
sweet potatoes lined the sidewalk, where volunteers bagged
them in 10-pound packages
for the Society of St. Andrew
hunger relief organization.
The 20,000 pounds of sweet
potatoes were provided by the
Rogers family of Taft, Lincoln
Farmers Cooperative members
who grow vegetables and row
crops on some 500 acres.
“We were proud to be here
today, not only to give back
to the community but also to
show a connection between
those of us who produce the
food and those who benefit
from it,” said Mac Rogers, who
was joined at Ag Day by wife
Jana and their sons, Knox and
Elijah. “As farmers, I think the
best thing we can do is get out,
share our message, tell our side
of the story, and say, ‘Hey, this
is what we do, and we’re proud
of our heritage.’”
Ag Day on the Hill festivities
officially kicked off the previous
evening with an awards presentation in front of the Capitol,
where Case IH tractors were
presented to Mark and Cindy
Klepper of Greene County,
Doug Giles of Williamson
County, and Michael and Amy
Shirley of Rutherford County.
In January, these Young Farmers
and Ranchers members were
named runners-up in American
Farm Bureau’s competition to
recognize the nation’s top farmers and agriculturalists. After
the tractors were presented, an
Ag Day dinner was held for the
Tennessee General Assembly.
The week before, it was
eggs — not corn — that took
the spotlight March 19 at
the annual Ag Day “Celebrity
Omelet Cook-Off,” hosted by
First Lady Crissy Haslam inside
Conservation Hall at the governor’s Tennessee Residence.
News anchors and reporters
from all four of Nashville’s major network television stations
competed to see who could
create the best egg dishes as
judged by a panel of agricultural leaders.
Clad in Tennessee Titans
attire, the WSMV Channel
4 team of Holly Thompson
and Rudy Kalis scored the
“Best Presentation” award for
their football-themed omelet.
Winning the “Best Tasting”
award was the Channel 2 team
of Dawn Davenport, Cherish Lombard, and Paige Hill.
Dressed in Predators hockey
gear, the trio made a striking
presentation as well, serving
their omelet on a tinfoil Stanley Cup replica topped with
chocolate-covered bacon.
“We’ve been prepping for
this for a few weeks, which,
in the news world, is a long
time,” said Davenport. “We’ve
loved being part of this event.
Sometimes we forget that the
food we get from the grocery
store shelf wouldn’t be there if
it weren’t for our farmers, and
we’re thankful for them.”
Representing those farmers
at the event was row-crop and
beef producer Eric Mayberry
of Hurricane Mills, who spoke
to the cook-off crowd and then
served as an omelet judge.
“We provide for you so you
can pursue your dreams without
worrying where your food and
fuel and clothes come from,”
said Mayberry, a member of
Humphreys Farmers Cooperative. “It’s mind-boggling to
imagine how many people are
going to join us on planet Earth
in the next 20 to 30 years. We’ve
got to work together, on and off
the farm, to produce enough to
keep those people fed. As farmers, we’re looking to the future.
“We’re on the job, and
we’ve got your back.”
Representing Nashville’s television stations as celebrity chefs are, from left, WKRN
Channel 2’s Dawn Davenport, Paige Hill, and Cherish Lombard; WZTV Fox 17’s Erin
Como and Jennifer Waddell; NewsChannel 5’s Phil Williams, Jennifer Kraus, and Ben
Hall; and WSMV Channel 4’s Holly Thompson and Rudy Kalis. The Channel 2 team’s
omelet won “Best Tasting,” while the Channel 4 team earned “Best Presentation.”
LEFT: Cook-Off judge Stephen Ward, executive chef at the governor’s residence,
smiles as he holds up a sign showing his approval after tasting the Channel 4
team’s omelet. RIGHT: A tempting mountain of meats covering a layer of cheese
made the omelet prepared by Channel 4’s Thompson and Kalis a filling treat.
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Channel 4’s Holly Thompson, left, and Rudy Kalis showed their competitive spirit by
dressing in Tennessee Titans gear as they prepared their football-themed dish at the
2015 Celebrity Omelet Cook-Off held March 19 at the Tennessee governor’s residence.
Cattlemen’s Beef Board & Yamaha Viking™ 4x4 Contest. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Subject to Official Rules at
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May 2015
9
Story and photos by Sarah Geyer
Cattle farmer Jeff Cantrell applies weed control to one of his DeKalb County farm’s hay fields with the new
sprayer he bought with cost-share funds through the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program.
B
efore April, Jeff Cantrell
of Smithville just didn’t
have the time to spray
all 150 acres of his hay fields
for weeds. Though he could
usually set aside two days to
spray each spring, finding that
third day to finish up never
seemed to happen.
“It’s only me, and I only have
so much time,” says Jeff, who
raises 90 head of crossbred
Angus-Saler cattle on his family’s 400-acre farm. “But this
year, I’ll be able to treat all my
pastures.”
How did the 52-year-old
farmer find those extra 24
hours? He bought a 300-gallon
AgSpray sprayer with a 35-foot
boom, an expense Jeff admits he
probably would have postponed
without the help of cost-share
funds from the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program
(TAEP). Since the new sprayer
covers more acreage and needs
fewer fill-ups, Jeff anticipates
finally being able to spray all of
his hay pastures for weeds.
Smithville l
With his old sprayer, which
has a 200-gallon tank and a
25-foot boom, Jeff had to pick
and choose which fields to
treat. Each time he put new
hay in his rings, he noticed
Jeff, who has has participated in TAEP every year, purchased a Co-op feed bin and
cattle working corral for this barn and hopes to add a livestock shelter next year.
10
May 2015
some of it went
uneaten. It was
weeds that the
cattle refused.
“I didn’t build
a new hay barn
to store weeds
in; I want to
store hay,” he
says. “I’m hoping
with this crop,
I’ll have less
weeds and more
quality hay.”
When sprayers were added
to TAEP’s list of
eligible liveJeff, with his farm dog, Roxy, anticipates that his new sprayer,
with a 300-gallon tank and 35-foot booms, will save enough
stock equipment in 2013, time so that he can finally treat all 150 acres of his hay fields.
efficiency, safety, and profitthe member of Rutherford
ability by offering cost-share
Farmers Cooperative knew it
assistance for cattle genetics;
was time to invest in a bigger
piece of machinery. Jeff turned livestock handling equipment;
to the Co-op’s Mac Wilhite for livestock working facility covers;
hay, feed, and grain storage;
guidance.
agritourism; specialty crops; and
“I wanted a big-time boom
value-added products.
with the 500-gallon sprayer,
Tennessee Department of
but that cost more than I
Agriculture (TDA) officials say
wanted to spend,” he explains.
they expect this year’s TAEP to
“Mac helped me find the perbe fully funded by the legisfect sprayer to meet both my
lature at $21 million. Since
needs and my pocketbook.”
the program began in 2005,
The TAEP helps the state’s
TDA reports it has invested
farmers make long-term strategic investments to increase farm more than $106 million in
some 37,000 on-farm projects,
including 5,068 last year.
“TAEP doesn’t just help
individual producers. It also
provides an economic boost
to their communities,” says
Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson. “Gov.
Bill Haslam recognizes the importance of Ag Enhancement,
and we are thankful for his
support and the support of the
Tennessee General Assembly in
approving funding for another
year.”
With this year’s TAEP application dates — June 1-7 — fast
approaching, Jeff has already
identified his next project: a
livestock shelter attached to his
barn that will cover his cattleworking equipment, also purchased with program funding.
In fact, he has applied for
TAEP funds every year since its
inception, improving his cattle
operation with bunk feeders,
a Co-op feed bin, an Apache
creep feeder, genetics, a cattleworking corral, Priefert squeeze
chute, hay barn, and two dozen
hay rings. The standard costshare for applicants is 35-percent, but Jeff earned his Master
Beef Producer certification so
he could receive an additional
15 percent for participating in
continuing education.
Jeff farmed with his father,
James, 86, until 1985 when the
elder Cantrell — who wanted
to devote all of his time to his
nursery business, in which he
still dabbles — turned over
the day-to-day operation of the
family farm over to his son.
Both James and Jeff ’s father-in-
Since his farm is surrounded by
nurseries, Jeff knew he needed a
sprayer with a boom equipped with
TeeJet 8002 nozzles to help reduce drift.
LEFT: Bryan Wrather, left, Tennessee Farmers Cooperative hardware and animal health specialist, and Tammy Smith, right,
Rutherford Farmers Cooperative’s Smithville branch sales manager, help Jeff prepare for his first application using the new
Ag Spray sprayer. RIGHT: The red hay barn and Apache creep feeder in the distance were also purchased with TAEP costshare funds. The brown heifer standing next to six of his Angus/Saler crossbred cattle is very special to both Jeff and his wife,
Deborah. The cow is the third descendent of a wedding gift her father, Tommy Crips, gave them 23 years ago.
law, Tommy Crips, are nearby
when he needs a helping hand,
but Jeff adds that the livestock
equipment he’s been able to
purchase through TAEP has
made farming alone easier and
safer.
“The 35-percent reimbursement enabled me to make improvements and upgrades, but
when 50-percent was offered,
I really started to loosen up my
pocketbook,” says Jeff. “It’s a
great program that continues to
help me be a more efficient and
productive farmer.”
For more information about
sprayers or other livestock
equipment eligible for TAEP
cost-share, contact your local
Co-op.
Get ready! Application period
for 2015 TAEP is June 1-7
With the application period only a month
away, now’s the time to start making plans and
filling out forms for the 2015 Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP). Completed
applications must be submitted online or postmarked from June 1-7 to be considered.
As in years past, producers can receive 35-percent cost-share for cattle, goat, and sheep genetics; livestock equipment; livestock working facility
covers; hay, feed, and grain storage facilities; and
diversification projects like agritourism,
organics, fruit/vegetable production,
bee/honey production, viticulture,
and value-added products.
Applicants who have
completed educational
programs such as the Master Beef Producer, Master
Meat Goat Producer, and
Master Dairy Producer and
advanced courses in these
areas can receive 50-percent
cost-share, with a maximum
reimbursement of up to $15,000,
depending on the project. Producers
may need to renew their “master” status according to when they originally earned their certification. Check the TAEP website for details.
Several notable changes have been made to
the 2015 program:
• Bred Beef Heifers — This new program is
designed to help grow Tennessee’s beef herd,
according to TAEP administrator Mark Powell.
Eligible producers can purchase bred beef heifers
and be reimbursed up to $400 each for a maximum total of $2,000.
• Cattle Genetics Cost-Share Increase — The
cattle genetics program has added a “genomic
enhanced expected progeny differences (EPD)”
category, which increases the reimbursement
from $1,200 to $1,600 for eligible bulls and semen.
Genomic enhancements utilize DNA information
to improve the accuracy of the EPDs generated by
the respective breed associations.
• Grain Storage — This program is now restricted to four lifetime reimbursements.
• Online Beef Quality Assurance (BQA)
courses — BQA certifications earned
online will now be accepted
along with traditional training through the Tennessee
Cattlemen’s Association to
meet this requirement for
livestock-related programs.
Applications can be submitted online at www.tn.gov/
taep as well as mailed or handdelivered. Information and forms
for genetics, livestock equipment,
working facility covers, and storage
facilities are Application A; producer diversification programs are in a separate Application
B. New this year, reimbursement documents may
also be submitted online. Applicants must rank
projects by priority; approval will be given based
on those rankings as long as funds are available.
TAEP applications are now available at Co-ops
across the state or can be downloaded from
www.ourcoop.com by clicking on the TAEP logo.
For more information, visit your local Co-op or
online at www.tda.gov/taep or call TDA at 800342-8206.
May 2015
11
Story and photos by Allison Morgan
Installed in 2014 with assistance from Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program cost-share funds, this 15,000-bushel Sukup grain bin on Dereck Layne’s Chapel Hill
farm gives the young farmer ample storage space for his 500 acres of corn, soybeans, and wheat. He purchased the bin through Rutherford Farmers Cooperative.
W
“For a few years, the bins
we had on the farm were all we
needed, but as I got bigger, it
wasn’t enough,” Dereck says.
“We were constantly having to
swap things around and wait on
grain to be pulled out and hauled
so we could get more crop in. I
had to do something.”
The solution was a new
Sukup 15,000-bushel grain bin
that provides more than enough
capacity for the 175 acres of
corn, 25 acres of early-season
soybeans, and 300
acres of wheat
and double-crop
soybeans Dereck
plans to grow this
year on his farm
between Unionville
and Chapel Hill.
He purchased
the grain bin from
Rutherford Farmers Cooperative,
which also provided
a crew for installation. The bin was
completed in September 2014, just
in time for soybean
harvest.
“This grain bin is
the best money I’ve
ever spent,” says
These sidewall stairs make it easier and faster for
Dereck and his dad to climb to the top of the grain bin.
Dereck, a member
hen Dereck Layne started farming eight years
ago with only 75 acres
of corn and soybeans, he shared
two 3,200-bushel grain bins with
his father, Harry, who raised an
equal acreage of row crops.
At first, the arrangement
worked quite well. At 500 acres?
Not so much.
As Dereck’s operation reached
that mark last year, he realized
more grain storage was no longer
just a desire — it was a necessity.
12
May 2015
of both Rutherford and Marshall
Farmers Cooperatives. “It hasn’t
had one kernel of corn in it yet,
but I’ve filled it with soybeans
twice, and it’s already made a big
difference in the way we operate.
I don’t know how I’ve made it
this far without it.”
Chapel Hill
l
What makes the purchase
even better, he adds, is the fact
that he used the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program
(TAEP) to help defray the cost.
Row-crop farmers with at least
100 acres of production can
install a grain bin and receive
35-percent cost-share funds, up
to a maximum reimbursement
of $15,000. A 50-percent costshare option is not available in
this program.
Grain storage was added
to the TAEP in 2008, and the
Tennessee Department of Agriculture reports that 777 bins
totaling $8.2 million were completed as of 2014. To be eligible
for TAEP funds, bins must have
a minimum capacity of 10,000
bushels. In their requests, producers can also include the cost
of equipment and accessories
such as drying and aerating com-
ponents, conveyors, and augers
as well as expenses for labor and
site preparation.
“Even though I needed the
bin badly, I probably wouldn’t
have put it in as quickly without
the Ag Enhancement money,”
says Dereck. “Dad had bought
an auger and built a hay barn
through the TAEP, so I knew the
value already. It’s a great program, and it has certainly been
beneficial to me and my family.”
Co-ops across the state have
access to a full line of grain storage facilities through Tennessee
Farmers Cooperative, which
carries Sukup and Brock brands
— both leaders in the industry,
says John Buchanan, product
manager in TFC’s Farm Hardware Department. After getting
out of the grain bin business
briefly in 2012, TFC revamped
its program offerings and began
carrying them again last year, he
adds.
“It makes sense for Co-op to
offer grain bins because we offer
everything else growers need —
seed, fertilizer, and crop protection products,” John says. “Plus,
with Co-op, you know what you
ask for will be handled because
you’re dealing with people you
know and do business with on a
regular basis anyway.”
Admittedly, there are other
choices in where to purchase
grain bins, but Dereck says the
trust he has in the Co-op made
all the difference in his decision.
“This is a huge purchase, not
something you take lightly,” he
says. “Relationships matter to
me. I know the Co-op will do
whatever it takes to do the job
right and treat me like I’m as
important as anyone else.”
John says grain bins have
been going up on farms across
the state recently due to a combination of reasons — increased
interest in row-crop production,
fluctuations in commodity markets, and higher-yielding crops.
“With more on-farm storage,
farmers can hold their grain and
wait for a better price if necessary,” he explains. “It gives them
more flexibility in their marketing. Plus, with the large crops
we’ve seen in the past few years,
some granaries ran out of room
and stopped accepting trucks.
Farmers without storage had
nowhere to go with their grain.”
Dereck says he chose the
Sukup model specifically for its
Fastir™ Stirring Machine, which
features three vertical augers
that travel around the top of the
bin to mix the driest grain at the
bottom with the wetter grain
toward the top. This results in
more uniform moisture content
and increases airflow.
“I wanted a heater on the bin,
and these stirring augers were
recommended to help make it
work better,” says Dereck. “With
corn, especially, you’ll get docked
for a higher moisture rate, so this
will help in the drying process.”
The bin is also designed to
be loaded or unloaded with a
10-inch auger, compared to the
6-inch and 8-inch augers the
Laynes used at their old bins.
“I can now unload my
700-bushel truck in less than
10 minutes and get back in the
field,” he says. “A tractor-trailer
can be loaded in 19 minutes.
With the smaller augers, it took
over an hour. This is so much
more efficient.”
John says another feature of
Dereck’s bin — exterior sidewall
stairs — has become increasingly
popular.
“Stairs are an easier and more
convenient way to climb to the
top of the grain bin versus the
traditional ladders,” John explains. “The farming population
is getting older, and many don’t
want to climb ladders. Stairs add
to the initial cost, but when you
look at the benefits, it’s worth it.”
Though the grain bin is
certainly a substantial expense,
Dereck describes it as a longterm investment in the future
of the farm, where he and wife
Tracy are raising sons Morgan,
2, and Mason, 4. Dereck says he
hopes the boys share his same
love for agriculture, a passion so
strong that it prompted him to
launch a farming career in addition to his full-time job as a rural
mail carrier in Unionville.
“Growing up, I never wanted
to play sports; I just wanted to
stay in the tractor,” says Dereck.
“I got out of high school in 1998
and helped Daddy farm, and
when I got on with the post office, I wanted to keep farming.
It’s just in my blood.”
With planting season under
way and wheat harvest approaching, Dereck says he’s
“excited” about taking full advantage of his new grain bin.
“Everything is going to speed
up, from getting crops in and
out of the field to unloading and
hauling them away,” he says.
“I’ll fill the bin up with wheat,
get beans in the ground, and by
Dereck, right, shows Tennessee
Farmers Cooperative hardware and
animal health specialist Bryan Wrather
the stirring augers that were one of his
must-have features on the new bin.
September, I’ll have it ready for
corn. I’ll get the corn sold, and
then soybeans will be ready. I’m
pumped — I really am.”
For more information on Sukup or Brock grain bins, visit with
your local Co-op. TFC does not
offer installation services but will
provide contact information for
grain bin builders upon request.
To learn more about TAEP costshare funds for grain bins, visit
online at www.tn.gov/taep, email
[email protected], or call
1-800-342-8206.
FEED & HANDLE YOUR CATTLE WITH EASE!
165-BUSHEL PORTABLE
CREEP FEEDER
Serious herdsmen need serious capacity and
the Tarter FeedMaster 165-Bushel Portable
Creep Feeder provides it better than any
feeder of its kind on the market. Large in
capacity, larger still in functionality, and long
in corrosion-resistant life – the FeedMaster 165
masters the pasture and feeds the need.
CATTLEMASTER
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CHUTE
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140-BUSHEL
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• Ideal for easily feeding large or small
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• One of the heaviest bunks on the
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with heavy-duty legs
All featured Tarter products qualify for
TENNESSEE AG ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM!
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TFC 8.5x6 Ad-4.29.2014.indd 1
Visit your local CO-OP today to learn
more about these and other Tarter
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The Tarter 140-Bushel
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For more information on these and other Tarter products visit:
W W W. TA R T E R U S A . C O M
4/29/14 10:50 AM
May 2015
13
New at Co-op
®
Insect-A-Sock Flap & Sock
Kit for DuraBull
Y-Tex Python Insecticide Strip
The Y-Tex Python Insecticide Cattle Strip is attached to an
existing ID tag in the animal's ear. It provides the protection of an insecticide tag without the need to apply a separate tag through the ear. The Python Strip has a slit through
which the existing button can be manually fed, allowing
the Strip to lie flat between ear and button. Python Strip
provides the same amount of insecticide as the traditional
Python Insecticide Ear Tag. It is approved for use on beef
and dairy cattle, including calves and lactating dairy cows. In
late spring, attach two Python Strips (one per ear) to control horn flies, face flies, lice, Gulf Coast ticks, and spinose
ear ticks for four to five months and to aid in the control of
stable flies, black flies, house flies, and small horse flies. Attach one Python Strip to control horn flies for three to four
months and as an aid in the control of face flies. Preferably,
use with ID tags that were applied the previous season or
earlier. When using in calves, consider the weight of ID
Tag plus Python Strip. 9.5 grams. Available in bags of 20
(#6809198) or 50 (#6809200) strips.
Insect-A-Sock Flap & Sock Kit (#21168) is a 2-inch-diameter product
designed for use with Dura-Bull Mineral Feeder (#21159). The sock
is filled with acrylic fibers, and the flap has 20 precut slots to accommodate webbing, which has 12,000-pound tensile strength. The ends
are secured with a plated clamp. As an animal lifts the flap to eat
mineral, the insecticide solution wicks away from the sock fibers to
treat the face, head, and shoulders. Proper use of our Insect-A-Sock
reduces horn fly, lice, tick, and mosquito numbers on your animals.
Face flies (especially horn flies) cause irritation and are one of the
primary causes of pinkeye. Use an EPA-approved insecticide. Always
follow the instructions. Either diesel fuel or mineral oil can be used as
a carrier. Recharge the sock with about 1 gallon of mix every seven
to 10 days during fly season.
Ferti-Lome Come and
Get It! Fire Ant Killer
Ferti-Lome Come and Get It! Fire Ant
Killer (#1365763) uses the naturally
occurring active ingredient Spinosad to
control fire ants in your lawn and around
your plants. The bait granules are taken
back to the colony to be fed to other
ants. You will begin to see results from
Ferti-Lome Come and Get It! Fire Ant
Killer within 12 to 24 hours with full
colony control in three to 14 days. Apply as a mound or broadcast
treatment. Repeat applications of Ferti-Lome Come and Get It! Fire
Ant Killer may be necessary in intervals of no less than 14 days to
control larger colonies. Broadcast applications may take longer to
produce results than direct mound treatments. Keep any unused bait
tightly sealed in the original container to preserve the freshness and
palatability of the product.
Lazer Spray Pattern Indicator
Bull Master II Mineral Feeder
Bull Master II Mineral Feeder (#15681-P) is a durable mineral
feeder with a 150-pound capacity. Poly feeder tub is split into three
compartments to allow the feeding of multiple products and to
prevent contamination. Rugged 3⁄8-inch-thick, 360-inch-diameter
weathershield cover provides excellent weather protection for
minerals. Livestock gain access to mineral by raising the cover with
their noses. Use with cattle, horses, sheep, and goats.
14
May 2015
Lazer Spray Pattern Indicator is designed for use with pesticides, fertilizers, and many other liquid chemical applications. Lazer indicates position and
coverage. Know where you have been
and where you are going with Lazer.
• 100-percent non-toxic spray pattern
marker
• Available in quarts and gallons
• Easy to use
• Concentrated
Available in blue 32-ounce (#771729) or 1-gallon (#771730) and
green 32-ounce (#771732) or 1-gallon (#771731) containers.
New at Co-op
®
BoarBusterTM by W-W Livestock Systems
Feral hogs have become a nuisance, causing billions of
dollars of damage to land and crops. Traditional methods of
trapping and hunting have been unable to stay ahead of their
ever-growing population. Scientific studies and new technology have led to the development of the BoarBusterTM Trapping
System, capable of trapping 88 percent of the hog population
in a given area. Developed by The Samuel Roberts Noble
Foundation and manufactured by W-W Livestock Systems,
the BoarBuster has proven to be a cost-effective, easy-to-use
system to control feral hog populations.
Using state-of-the-art electronics and a design that takes
into account hog behavior, trapping large groups of feral hogs
has become as easy as a tap on your smartphone, no matter
where you are. When animals enter the trap area, the system
detects motion and sends an activity alert to the user across
a smartphone and Web-based app. The user can then log on
to the BoarBusterTM system and view real-time video of the
entire trap site through the camera. The high-quality video,
optimized for daylight and night viewing, eliminates accidently
trapping unwanted animals and allows user to remotely activate the trap at the optimum time. Loading the captured hogs
onto a trailer through a built-in side gate is simple, and the
trap resets in a matter of minutes.
The complete system can be hauled in a pickup and set up in
less than 30 minutes. To learn more, visit www.boarbuster.com.
May 2015
15
Lawns
Neighborly Advice
Steps to kick weeds out of your lawn
T
here
are so
many
types of
weed killers
available
that choosing the one
best suited
Greg Pflueger
for your
Home, Lawn Specialty
lawn’s needs
sales specialist
can be confusing and frustrating. Here are
some steps to help kick those
pesky weeds out of your lawn:
Identifying the weeds
First, know what weeds you
are trying to control. Is it a
grassy weed like Johnsongrass or
crabgrass? Or a broadleaf, like
chickweed or dandelion? Is it
an annual or perennial? Annual
weeds, like crabgrass or chickweed, reproduce from seeds
and have a life cycle of one year.
Perennial weeds, like dandelion
or Johnsongrass, continue to
16
May 2015
reproduce each year and can be
more difficult to control.
contact of the herbicide with
the desired plant.
Choosing the right type of
herbicide
Next, you need to know what
kind of herbicide is the best
treatment for your weeds.
Pre-emergent herbicides are
used to stop the germination
of weed seeds and are most
effective against annuals. Just
be aware that pre-emergent
products will stop all seeds from
germinating.
Post-emergent herbicides
are applied to weeds that are
already growing and are classified as selective or nonselective.
Selective herbicides kill certain
types of plants without harming
the lawn or other plants, trees,
or flowers. Nonselective herbicides kill all types of plants.
This type of weed control can
be used for spot applications
around desired plants as long as
extreme care is taken to avoid
Finding the right product
Identifying your weeds and
the type of herbicide you need
will help you find the right
product. The label is the key —
it not only has all the information you need to select the best
herbicide, but it also lists how
to safely handle and apply the
product.
Ingredients — Look for the
active ingredients and inactive
ingredients and their percentages in relationship to the total
volume of the product. When
comparing similar products,
those with a high percentage of
active ingredients will require
less product for application.
Specific uses — Some may
have a very specific use like
weed control on bermudagrass
hay fields. Other products may
allow for use on all types of
turf, ornamental plant beds,
or forages. Always make sure
the desired use information is
provided on the product to avoid
severe injury or plant death.
Application directions —
Application rates will often be
expressed in pounds, ounces, or
grams per 1,000 square feet or
per acre for dry formulations; or
quarts, pints, or fluid ounces per
1,000 square feet or per acre for
liquids.
Weeds controlled — This
section lists the weeds that the
product controls when applied
at the appropriate rate and application timing. Some herbicides will need to be applied before weeds emerge, while others
may have weed size restrictions
when applied post-emergence.
Your Co-op has a wide selection of lawn and garden herbicides to meet most any need.
Visit the experts at your local
Co-op for more information and
assistance in choosing the right
product for your situation.
Neighborly Advice Equine
Rotational grazing can benefit horse pastures
B
y
now,
pastures are
well on
their way to
being lush
and green.
While
Dr. Jennifer Earing
thoughts
TFC Nutritionist
of running
out of pasture are far from our
minds, we should always be
looking for ways to improve the
quality and quantity of forage in
our pastures, a very cost-efficient
source of nutrients for horses.
Historically, horse pastures
are managed under a continuous
grazing system. We might bring
them up to feed or ride for a few
hours each day, but, for the most
part, the horses stay out to graze.
While this requires minimal
management by us, it often results in overgrazing. Horses are
notorious for selectively grazing
the tastiest plants. Over time,
these plants cannot withstand
the pressure and die out, resulting in bare dirt that soon
becomes inhabited by weeds.
Unsightly, yes, but those weeds
also represent a lost opportunity
to economically supplement our
horses’ diets.
A rotational grazing system is
an effective alternative. While it
requires more intensive management and investment on the
front end, it allows us to improve
the quality and quantity of forage
available. Rotational grazing
becomes a very useful tool when
trying to manage multiple horses
on a small acreage and when trying to extend the grazing season.
A sacrifice lot and a large pasture divided into multiple smaller
paddocks comprise a rotational
grazing system. The exact size
depends on the total acreage
available for pasture, but at
least two paddocks are needed.
Horses will be rotated among
these paddocks, allowing each
area time to rest and regrow.
Horses should be allowed
access to the first paddock when
forages reach 6 to 10 inches in
height. When forage has been
grazed to 3 to 4 inches, move
horses to the next paddock, and
so forth. The regrowth period
depends on the current environmental conditions. It may be
as short as seven to 10 days or
as long as three to four weeks
if growing conditions are not
conducive. Pastures that have
been grazed more intensely will
require a longer regrowth period.
When horses have been
rotated through all paddocks, if
the first one has not regrown to
at least 6 inches, horses should
be housed in a sacrifice lot — an
area “sacrificed” for the good of
the pasture. Its size will depend
on the number of horses it must
hold; the recommended allowance is 600 to 1,000 square feet
per horse. Horses can also be
moved to this lot during pasture maintenance or when the
ground is muddy and hoof traffic
is damaging to plants.
In addition to rotating, regular
maintenance is necessary to
improve plant productivity. This
includes mowing, dragging,
fertilizing, controlling weeds, and
reseeding, as necessary. Regular mowing encourages more
uniform growth and subsequent
grazing and can also help control weeds. Dragging pastures
spreads nutrients left in manure
across pastures for more even
distribution and utilization. A
soil test should be done every
two to three years and fertilizer
applied accordingly. If herbicides
are necessary to control weeds,
be sure to read and follow the
specific grazing restrictions.
While rotational grazing
requires more intensive management than traditional pasture
practices, it can result in better
quality and quantity of forage
and reduce the environmental
impact of our horses. For more
information, visit with your local
Co-op agronomy specialist or
Extension agent.
May 2015
17
Cattle
Neighborly Advice
Applying for TAEP? Keep these things in mind
T
he
2015
Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement
Program
(TAEP) is
less than a
John Buchanan
month away
Hardware product
from applimanager
cation time,
so now is when producers across
the state need to start thinking
about what projects they would
like to apply for. From grain
bins to livestock equipment and
genetics to producer diversification, this program has helped
thousands of farmers improve
their operations.
With the program application
period starting June 1, there are
a few things for producers to
consider. With the high cattle
prices that we have been seeing,
equipment inventories at local
Co-ops may be down because of
the high sales activity. At stores
across the nation, sales of livestock equipment are reaching
levels not seen in several years.
This demand is putting major
stress on suppliers and extending their lead times. Since the
program’s inception, producers
have had from June to Dec.
1 to make their purchases of
livestock equipment. If you’re
approved for livestock equipment under this year’s TAEP
and decide to wait until close to
the deadline for reimbursement,
you could face issues with getting product in time to submit
all the proper paperwork.
Producers who place their
orders early in the program will
be able to get their products in
place well before the deadline
and turn in their paperwork —
complete with pictures — to
get reimbursed quicker. The
Tennessee Department of Agriculture will be able to process it
faster than if you wait until the
last day to send everything in.
Keep in mind that not all
programs have the same deadline. The Grain Storage portion
of the TAEP has a May 1, 2016,
deadline. The problem with
waiting too long on this program
is that you may encounter problems finding someone to install
your new grain bin. Many bin
builders will be extremely busy
from the middle of June until
the end of the year. It is best
to go ahead and order the bin
you plan on purchasing on the
program and schedule someone
to install it.
Also, be aware that some
programs have limits on the
quantity that can be purchased
in a lifetime. For example, hay
storage and grain bins both
have a limit of four per lifetime,
while livestock working facility
covers are limited to one per
lifetime. So consider your longterm goals as you decide which
projects to choose for this year’s
application.
In addition, make sure all
your certifications, such as Beef
Quality Assurance and Master
Beef Producer, are up-to-date.
Rules have recently changed
for qualifications that allow
producers to receive 50-percent
cost-share.
Finally, there is no wiggle
room in that June 1-7 deadline.
Your applications must be received during that timeframe to
be considered. Applying online
is the most efficient method
for getting approval. To access
your TAEP account, go to www.
tn.gov/taep and click on TAEP
Online link. Your premises account number and TAEP ID
number can be found on Document A of your 2014 approval
packet. Read the instructions
carefully before beginning the
application process.
And don’t forget: The sales
staff of TFC’s Hardware Department will be happy to visit your
farm to talk about options and
develop a specific plan to meet
your needs. Call me at 615793-8530 for more information.
A lot of folks have used the same Ritchie
waterers for more than 30 years. They
take abuse from the livestock, as well as
the weather, and keep on performing. No
waterers are tougher. Whatever your needs,
we have the solution.
Let us hook you up.
Tennessee Farmers Co-op
800-366-2667 or 615-793-8530
[email protected]
www.ourcoop.com
18
May 2015
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May 2015
19
S
tampeding crowds don’t
budge them. Gunshots
don’t startle them. Disorderly drunks don’t distress
them. Fireworks don’t spook
them. Sirens, screams, or
speakers blasting loud music
don’t faze them.
No matter what’s thrown
their way, the horses of the
Metro Nashville Park Police
Mounted Patrol stand their
ground. With their uncanny
ability to remain calm, cool, and
collected in the midst of chaos,
they are effective, four-legged
tools for the officers who serve
from their saddles.
“As friendly as they are, the
horses gain much more attention than an officer on foot,”
says Johnny Perry, one of the
longest-tenured members of the
unit with more than 20 years
of service. “The horse breaks
down barriers. People become
more compliant around them,
but at the same time, the horses
are a commanding force. They
demand respect.”
l
Nashville
Established in 1992, the
mounted patrol was originally
intended to cover the Edwin and
Percy Warner Parks system, the
largest municipally administered
parks in Tennessee encompassing nearly 2,700 acres, including more than 10 miles of horse
trails, in southwest Davidson
County. The unit is entirely
separate from the Metro Nashville Police’s horseback division,
which was actually formed several years later in 1998.
Starting with two horses, the
Metro Park Police Mounted
Patrol soon expanded its reach
LEFT: Members of the Metro Nashville Park Police Mounted Patrol demonstrate
March 19 at Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro. This activity shows how the mou
through a crowd. — Photo by Sarah Geyer ABOVE: Penny Adcock, left, the firs
Jim Sullivan at the start of the horse trails adjacent to the Iroquois Steeplechas
to Nashville’s other municipally
controlled recreational areas.
As their duties grew, so did the
squad, which now consists of
seven officers and six active
horses. Their main responsibility is patrolling the trails and
greenways of Metro’s 120 parks,
where they also provide support
for special events, participate in
serious assignments like search
and rescue, and perform other
police work as needed. Parades,
pageantry, and public relations
are also part of the job.
“We have the best of both
worlds because we get to ride in
the woods and trails, but at the
same time, we get to go downtown and ride in the parades,”
says Tom Harbison, who also has
20-plus years in the mounted patrol. “No shift is ever the same.”
Though they have the same
training and capabilities of a
regular police force, members
LEFT: The mounted patrol horses wear their “badge” on their saddles. RIGHT: As officer Martin Owens rides just ahead on his
horse, Echo, the vantage point from Bert’s saddle shows how the officers typically pair up to patrol the trails and greenways of
Metro Nashville parks. Percy Warner Park alone has more than 10 miles of horse trails that must be covered by the unit.
20
May 2015
of the parks mounted patrol
unit have some distinct differences — starting with the horse,
of course. For example, a police
officer in a car might have a hard
time getting to a certain spot,
but the horses can take their
riders wherever they need to be.
Mounted police are particularly
useful at public events where
their high vantage points allow
them to see over crowds and spot
trouble. This visibility also acts
as a strong deterrent for wouldbe troublemakers.
And when it comes to crowd
control, the effectiveness of
mounted officers is unrivaled.
One officer on one horse is
equivalent to six to 10 ground
officers, according to Sgt. Kevin
Hooper, supervisor of the unit
“Once you start moving a
crowd with horses, the people
have nowhere to go but where
you want them to go,” says
Hooper. “We’ve seen three or
four mounted officers at the
state fair move a crowd of
500 people. Officers on the
ground couldn’t get them to
budge. If you’re deep in that
Story and photos by Allison Morgan
e crowd-control maneuvers at in-service training
unted officers can help an emergency vehicle get
st and only female on the squad, rides alongside
se race course at Percy Warner Park.
crowd, you can’t see an officer
on the ground.”
Headquarters for the equine
unit is also unique. Instead of
some stark office, the Park Police
Mounted Patrol is based at Percy
Warner’s historic stable, built in
the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration along with
the course where the Iroquois
Steeplechase horse race has run
annually since the 1940s.
Perhaps the biggest distinction for the officer on horseback,
however, is that community
outreach is just as important as
keeping the peace.
“The majority of what we do
is more community-oriented
policing than enforcement,”
says Hooper. “People like to see
the horses. Kids like to pet the
horses. Even though we’re still
authority figures, it lets the public see another side of a police
officer instead of one who just
sits in the patrol car.”
In addition to Hooper, Harbison, and Perry, other members
of the unit are Jim Sullivan,
Clay Whitworth, Penny Adcock,
and Martin Owens. About half
of them had previous equine
experience before joining the
mounted patrol; the others
learned on the job.
“You’ve got to love animals
and appreciate the type of work
that you have to do,” says Whitworth, a 15-year veteran of the
force. “It’s not just riding. There’s
shoveling and cleaning out stalls.
There’s a lot of work in taking
care of horses.”
Hooper has a farm background, but it was cows — not
horses — that his family raised
in the Bell’s Bend area of
Nashville. A 13-year Metro Park
Police officer, Hooper took the
reins of the mounted patrol unit
in January 2014.
“I grew up on a farm, messing
with cows, so I thought horses
would be close to the same
thing,” he says. “They’re not. But
that’s how I got interested in it.
And by far, in just a year’s time,
it’s been the most enjoyable time
of my career.”
All of the patrol horses are
donated, and they’re all Tennessee walking horses, although
Hooper says the unit will accept
any breed.
“We don’t have a budget for
purchasing animals or equipment, and that’s getting more
and more difficult to do, especially to get horses that are
capable of working with crowds
and kids,” says the sergeant.
“That’s why we’ve opened up to
other breeds.”
Not every horse offered to the
unit will make the cut, however. The officers prefer to work
exclusively with geldings to avoid
potential issues with having a
mixed-sex herd, and they typically want the horses to be at least 4
years old for the maturity factor.
“We work on ground manners
in the round pen for at least two
weeks before we ever get on the
horse’s back,” says Harbison.
“We spend a lot of time grooming and bonding with them. It really depends on the horse and his
past experiences. If they show
the ability to learn, they’ll just
keep getting better and better.”
After their initial evaluation,
the animals go through a 90-day
program of desensitivity training to see if they can handle
the pressures of patrol. They’re
exposed to as many scenarios
as possible — noise, crowds,
smoke, gunfire, explosions,
emergency vehicles, you name it.
The officers and their horses also
Led by Sgt. Kevin Hooper, left, members of Metro Park Police Mounted Patrol are,
from left, Clay Whitworth with his “partner,” Romeo; Jim Sullivan with Topper;
Johnny Perry with Bert; Tom Harbison with MP; Martin Owens with Echo; and Penny
Adcock with Jazz. All of the equine are donated Tennessee walking horse geldings.
have annual in-service training
and other continuing education
opportunities.
“In the end, it’s imperative that
we have absolute control with
these animals,” says Hooper.
Once in the mounted division, officers are assigned their
own horses and take the lead in
grooming, riding, training, and
ultimately developing a lasting
relationship with them.
“We ride the same horse, and
he’s considered our partner,” says
Adcock, who is paired with the
youngest in the unit, 4-year-old
Jazz. “He learns to trust me, and
I learn to trust him.”
Perry’s partner is 12-year-old
Bert. Sullivan is assigned to
Topper, 7, and Harbison has the
newest horse on the squad, MP,
an 8-year-old walker retired from
the Franklin Police Department.
The horse Owens rides is Echo,
a 21-year-old that was pulled out
of retirement to give the officer
a mount when he joined the
unit a year ago. Whitworth rides
11-year-old Romeo, so named
“because he likes to kiss folks,”
says Hooper, who is currently
horseless until another suitable
donation is made.
The mounted unit is also responsible for cleaning the stable
and caring for the horses, including animal health and feeding
programs. For those duties, they
turn to Davidson Farmers Cooperative, which supplies the feed,
health products, hardware items
such as hay rings and bunk
feeders, and related supplies.
“We have a longstanding
relationship with the Park Police
Mounted Patrol,” says Davidson
Farmers Manager Scott Cooper.
“We’re proud they choose the
Co-op for their equine supplies,
and we do everything we can
to serve their needs. After all,
they’re serving our community.”
Until a year ago, the officers
were simply using a sweet feed
for their horses, but when Topper and Jazz came on board,
they were severely underweight.
Hooper called on the Co-op
for help, and equine specialist
Megan Crawford recommended
Co-op Winner’s Cup Advantage (#321), which has since
transitioned to Pinnacle 1400
in Co-op’s new-and-improved
premium horse feed line.
(See Saddle, page 22)
Officer Johnny Perry rides Bert near the front of historic Steeplechase stable, where
the mounted patrol unit houses its horses and shares an office. The horses also
graze on some 20 acres of pasture here on the grounds of Percy Warner Park.
May 2015
21
Saddle
(continued from page 21)
“Both of those horses, you
could see their ribs before we
started using this feed,” says
Hooper. “We tried various supplements and such to put weight
on them, and nothing was really
working. Megan turned us on to
the #321 and told us they’d gain
weight like gangbusters. And it
has made a huge difference.”
When duty calls, it’s important that the horses have the
right balance of nutrition, says
Hooper. The pelleted Pinnacle
1400 is a high-fat feed with
14-percent protein and controlled levels of sugar and starch.
“It’s hard, pounding hooves
on pavement all day long,” says
Whitworth. “It takes a lot out of
them. But they can’t be hyper.
If you give them a feed with too
much corn in it, they’re going to
have more energy to burn.”
In addition to weight gain,
the officers say the horses’ coats
have improved, which helps the
animals look polished for their
role as goodwill ambassadors
for law enforcement. The unit
22
May 2015
emphasizes outreach to young
people, says Hooper, and mounted patrol officers regularly make
appearances at school functions
and participate in youth summer
camps organized by Nashville’s
Fraternal Order of Police.
“We want kids to have a positive experience with us, so if they
ever need us, they know we will
help and protect them,” adds
Adcock. “We try to teach kids
to trust the police — that we’re
people just like anybody else.”
For all the enjoyable aspects
of the job, being part of the Park
Police Mounted Patrol has its
drawbacks, the officers admit.
First of all, they’re only on
horseback part time, which often
doesn’t allow adequate opportunity to ride and train. When
they’re not in the saddle, they’re
in the seat of patrol vehicles.
The seven officers must also
cover a tremendous amount of
ground, including 190 miles of
greenways and more than 50
miles of multi-use trails. To make
that manageable, they divide the
parks into precincts, with each
officer assigned to multiple areas.
Funding is perhaps the biggest obstacle, Hooper admits.
Right now, they
need new saddles
and new facilities. With support
of the nonprofit
volunteer group
Friends of Warner
Park, a fundraising
initiative is under
way for both.
“We are using
saddles that are 16
years old, so that’s Scott Cooper, right, manager of Davidson Farmers Co-op,
talks with Hooper about the nutritional needs of the patrol
our immediate
horses as Bullet eagerly eats Co-op Pinnacle 1400 from a
need,” says Hoop- feed bucket. Bullet is retired from service due to arthritis.
er. “But we’ve also
in schools is important, too,” he
outgrown the stable, which has
says. “People are friendlier and
only six stalls and a small office
more likely to come up to you on
for everyone to use. The tack
horseback than when you’re in a
room is old and outdated. Plans
patrol car. From that aspect, it’s
are to build a new horse barn in
more pleasurable than the negathe near future.”
tivity of general police work.”
Despite these challenges,
For more information or to
Hooper says his unit is looking
make donations to the Metro
forward to its busiest seasons
Park Police Mounted Patrol, con— spring through fall — when
tact Hooper at 615-566-1561 or
Metro parks are at their peak
email Kevin.Hooper@nashville.
and the officers get to spend
gov or Friends of Warner Park
more time in the saddle.
at 615-370-8053 or 50 Vaughn
“We train and practice for
crowd control situations, and the Road, Nashville, TN, 37221.
To learn more about Co-op
horses are a great tool for that.
horse feeds and equine supplies,
But being seen on the greencontact your local Co-op.
ways, at community events, and
May 2015
23
Story and photos by Chris Villines
The whole family gets involved when it comes to the commercial produce growing at Henderson Farms in Rhea County, where over the past three years tissue-sampling through
WinField’s NutriSolutions program has helped them better determine what nutrients to add to their crops. Donald Henderson, back left, and wife Vanessa, middle, are assisted by,
from left, daughter Christy, son Donnie, and daughter-in-law Stephanie at the 660-acre operation. At right is Levi, Stephanie and Donnie’s 9-year-old son.
V
anessa Henderson
shakes her head at the
memory of that field
full of struggling tomato plants
a few years back at Henderson
Farms, her family’s 660-acre
Rhea County produce-growing
operation.
The plants weren’t sprouting
according to plan, frustrating
Vanessa and husband Donald,
who, along with children Donnie and Christy and daughterin-law Stephanie, run their
commercial fruit and vegetable
business.
“We had to do something,
or there wasn’t going to be
anything to pick,” Vanessa
recalls. “So we went to the field
one day and threw everything
underneath those plants: 2020-20 fertilizer, liquid nitrate,
greenhouse calcium nitrate.
Well, those tomatoes got so
big that I don’t know how they
kept from bursting. It turned
out good, but it also could have
been a disaster. It was a total
guessing game on our part.”
They’re not guessing anymore.
Three years ago, the family
partnered with Southeastern
Farmers Cooperative to begin a
comprehensive tissue-sampling
program that pinpoints nutritional deficiencies in each of
their crops — tomatoes, cu-
24
May 2015
cumbers, bell peppers, yellow
squash, zucchini, and cabbage,
that are distributed primarily to
Walmart stores.
Evensville
l
“Tissue-sampling is a technology that has been available
to growers for many years,”
says Alan Sparkman, Tennessee
Farmers Cooperative agronomy
marketing manager. “It has
become a more viable tool for
growers who are interested in
fine-tuning their crop fertility
programs to maximize yields
and profits. And we have better
foliar products today that show
better crop response.”
Through detailed reports,
the Hendersons can see where
plant nutrients are lacking and
correct them on a timely basis.
They use both foliar application
and drip irrigation to add these
needed micronutrients before
more damaging deficiencies
occur.
“We want to get the most
that we can out of our vegetables,” says Stephanie. “You
have to take care of your plants
for that to happen, and the best
way to care for them is to find
out what’s going on internally
through tissue-sampling. That
way, you’re not putting down
“We started sampling from
nutrients that aren’t needed,
the time fruit started to bloom
and you can see what the
until the last two weeks before
plants do need.”
harvest,” says Phillip. “I collect
Tennessee Farmers Cooperthe samples on Mondays from an
ative Specialty Crops Specialist Ben Gilbert says he’s seeing area of a field chosen at random,
bag them, and send them overmore fruit and vegetable pronight to A&L Labs in Memphis.
ducers adopt tissue-sampling
A&L then emails the results back
as a regular practice.
to me no later than Thursday,
“It’s growing rapidly in
and I immediately forward these
popularity because of rising
results to the Hendersons.”
input costs and the fact that
Each tissue-sample analysis is
farmers are keeping more degeo-tracked with a smartphone,
tailed records,” confirms Ben.
using a NutriSolutions app to log
“Tissue-sampling helps them
the GPS location of where it’s
become more efficient and
taken, type of sample collected,
only add the micronutrients
and date the sample was taken.
that the crop needs.”
“This gives us a way to go
The Hendersons work closely
back
and reference everywith Phillip Hawk, Southeastern Farmers agronomy sales spe- thing,” Phillip explains.
Vanessa stresses that the
cialist, who took more than 60
samples during the past growing fast in-season turnaround time
season as part
of the family’s enrollment
in WinField’s
NutriSolutions
Tissue Analysis
program. NutriSolutions covers
a wide range of
specialty crops
and provides
comprehensive
tissue analyses
to address any
Hawk, standing, Southeastern Farmers Cooperative
nutritional defi- Phillip
agronomy sales specialist, reviews NutriSolutions tissue-sample
ciency.
analyses with Stephanie and Vanessa inside the farm’s office.
is a necessity for a large-scale
operation like theirs.
“It’s important because you
need to be fertilizing every
week,” she says. “When Phillip
gets us the results on a Thursday,
that gives us Friday and Saturday
to get around to the different
fields and apply the nutrients
that are needed according to the
tissue-sample analysis. With over
600 acres, that takes a while.”
By more thoroughly and accurately managing their crops,
the Hendersons say they’ve been
able to increase productivity.
“Last season, we started picking peppers at the beginning of
July and kept picking them until
the first frost,” says Stephanie.
“That’s rare around here. Most
people will just get five or six
weeks and they’re done. The
same thing happened with our
squash and cucumbers; we used
to pick them for about six or
seven weeks, but this past year
we picked for 10 weeks. Having
a tissue-sampling program in
place allowed us to extend our
season by almost a month.
“It was amazing — just
fantastic.”
And gaining that extra time
in the field, the Hendersons
believe, makes the investment
in tissue-sampling a smart one.
“When you start seeing good
results and that the plants are
doing what they’re supposed to
be doing, it makes the money
that you put into tissuesampling worth it,” Vanessa
says. “If you don’t take care
of the plants, after a certain
point in their life they’ll just
quit blooming. But if you keep
giving them the nutrients they
need, they’ll keep performing.”
Ben says that the affordable
average cost of a tissue-sample
provides “low-cost insurance”
to producers.
“If you pull a sample and
find out that you’re low on a
micronutrient, and it costs you
$7 to $8 an acre to apply it to
ultimately make a big difference
in the yield of that crop, it’s a
cost-effective way to go,” says
Ben. “Tissue-sampling is a really
good practice to begin because
a nutrient deficiency will occur in a plant before you ever
visually see the symptoms. By
tissue-sampling, you can find out
something that technically can’t
be seen. It’s peace of mind.”
Vanessa is convinced that
implementing a tissue-sampling
program is
one of the
best decisions
her family has
made. She
urges growers
who haven’t
tried it to take
this step and
experience the
positive difference tissuesampling can
Each NutriSolutions analysis shows whether key nutrients are
make.
deficient, excessive, or adequate in the specific tissue sample.
“You could
available through NutriSolube wasting money on fertilizer
tions, visit with your local
that you don’t need,” she says.
Co-op agronomist or www.
“By having tissue-sampling
winfield.com.
done and getting the right
amount of the different nutrients to the plant, you should
increase your production. It
increased ours. There are many
benefits to it.”
WinField’s NutriSolutions
program includes a complete
portfolio of products and
services to address nutritional
deficiencies. The program
covers a variety of crops: corn,
soybeans, wheat, cotton, grain
sorghum, alfalfa, several speAs this crop of tomatoes at Darrell
cialty crops, and tobacco. For
Stratton’s Grainger County farm
more information about tissue- progresses, regular tissue sampling will
be conducted to balance nutrient intake.
sampling and other offerings
Build yields from
the inside out.
It’s time to feed your plants a more balanced diet.
Hitting the next yield goal might mean growing differently, and that
often comes down to nutrition. In-season foliar applications of MAX-IN
micronutrients will keep plants topped up with the fuel they need to
thrive. Patented technology helps drive up to 50 percent more nutrients
deep into the plant for immediate availability. To learn more, talk to
your retailer or visit winfield.com
®
WinField is a trademark, and MAX-IN is a registered trademark of Winfield Solutions, LLC. © 2012 Winfield Solutions, LLC
May 2015
25
Smart
balance
Cattle farmers and retired teachers
Michael and Carolyn Durak of
Savannah supplement their herd
with a yearlong mineral plan
Story and photos by Sarah Geyer
J
ust a year after Michael and
Carolyn Durak of Savannah
bought their first 25 cows,
the couple saw firsthand how
important mineral supplementation is for grazing cattle.
“One afternoon we checked
over the herd and everything
was fine, then two hours later I
heard a calf fussing,” says Michael, who started their herd
in 1992, two years after buying
a 245-acre Hardin County
farm. “I thought maybe the
calf had gotten out, but when
I got to the pasture, I saw his
mama lying on the ground,
dead. It happened that fast.”
As members of First Farmers Cooperative, they immediately called the Co-op for guidance and learned a difficult
lesson about grass tetany, a
metabolic disorder often seen
in early spring when cattle
graze on immature grass that
is deficient in magnesium.
Doing what the Co-op recommended, the Duraks immediately fed a high-magnesium
mineral to their cows and also
added a mineral regime to their
herd’s everyday diet. Twenty-two
years later, Michael, 77, and
Carolyn, 75, haven’t lost another animal to grass tetany and are
firm believers in the importance
of nutritional supplements.
l
Savannah
For the majority of the year,
they feed their 40-head mixed
Angus herd Co-op Supreme
Cattle Mineral (#678), which
is formulated specifically for
cattle that predominantly graze.
The Duraks switch to the highmagnesium product (#638), in
February, when pastures first begin to green, until early summer,
when the grasses have matured.
“It is well documented
that soils in the Southeast are
deficient in a number of the
minerals necessary for optimum
reproduction, and supplementing those minerals has a positive
return on investment,” stresses
Mark Bentley, Tennessee Farmers Cooperative feed specialist.
“With the market
that beef producers
are enjoying today,
that return is bigger
than ever.”
Minerals are only
part of the Duraks’
attentive herd management practices.
Their cattle are rotated every five days
among 12 pastures,
and since Michael
fertilizes in the fall
as well as in the
spring, the livestock
With the yearlong mineral supplementation, fertility
usually have enough
rates of the Duraks’ cattle have remained strong.
26
May 2015
Michael and Carolyn Durak of Savannah bought their 245-acre farm in 1990. They
added a 25-head herd two years later and now raise 40 Angus mixed-breed cattle.
grass to graze into December.
When their cattle can no longer
forage, the couple supplements
with hay and Co-op 18% Pelleted Beef Supplement Cubes
with Rumensin (#456CU)
through early spring.
“Herd health really does come
down to nutrition,” says Michael.
“If you make sure your cows
have a balanced feeding program, you’ve solved at least 90
percent of potential problems.”
Michael and Carolyn, both
retired teachers, hadn’t planned
on raising cattle when they
moved in 1990 from their native
Florida to a small Savannah
farm — they were just looking
for rolling hills and open spaces
like they enjoyed as children.
“When we were young, Seminole County, Fla., was rural,”
explains Carolyn. “We loved
country living, but the only
experience either of us had with
cattle was Michael’s mother’s
milk cow.”
When a local businessman
asked them if he could lease
their 100 acres of pasture for
his 25 head of cattle, the Duraks accepted and enjoyed helping him manage his livestock.
“It wasn’t long until we both
understood why Michael’s
mother loved that old milk cow
so much,” laughs Carolyn.
After two years of learning
the cattle-farming ropes, Michael and Carolyn were thrilled
when the part-time producer
wanted to sell his entire herd to
them.
“We had no idea how old
the cattle were,” says Carolyn.
“There was one girl we knew
must have been close to 19,
and we planned on culling her,”
says Carolyn. “The next thing
we know, she’s pregnant. We
named her calf Amazing Grace.
She’s still with us, now 19 and
has had 17 calves of her own.”
Though the two teachersturned-farmers had limited
knowledge about cattle at first,
Michael, who holds a master’s
degree in earth science and
geography, understood the
importance of healthy forages.
Now, this self-proclaimed grass
farmer takes great pride in the
care and maintenance of his
pristine pastures.
“My husband absolutely
hates excessive wear and tear
in our fields,” explains Carolyn.
“One trick he uses is to move
the hay ring around the field
perimeter with each feeding.
Not only does it limit damage
from foot traffic, but the leftover also composts into grass
on those rocky outer edges.”
Michael and his son-in-law,
Billy Penick, a retired Army veteran, also diligently soil sample
before fertilizing to ensure they
are applying the right nutrients
in the right amounts.
“This year’s results showed
we only needed to add nitrogen,” says Carolyn. “That really
made a difference in the money
we spent on fertilizer.”
Michael is adamant that
nutrition supplementation and
pasture management are vital
to a successful cattle operation,
which, he says, requires four
main elements: land, cows, the
farmer, and the pocketbook.
“The key to success in the
livestock business is finding
a balance among these four
things,” Michael explains. “For
instance, our hay operation
takes four days to cut, dry, rake,
and roll. Typically, you can get
three dry days in a row, but
inevitably on that fourth day it
will rain. Carolyn and I spent
years working long hours from
early in the morning to late
in the evening trying to beat
the rain and a lot more time
worrying about it. Last year, I
reached in my pocket and said,
‘Mr. Co-op man, I want to buy
a tedder.’ That’s helped speed
up the process tremendously.
We finally took it out of our
pocketbook instead of our hide
and solved the problem.”
As for saving their “hide,” the
Duraks say their Co-op is always
willing to lend a helping hand.
Most recently, Logan Shull,
First Farmers’ new livestock
specialist, pitched in on a cattleworking Saturday last month.
“The Duraks are an excellent example of doing things
right with a cattle operation,”
says Logan. “Whenever I visit,
they’re always quick with a joke
and a glass of tea. They’re just
great folks, and we at Co-op
consider them part of the family.”
Over the years, the Duraks
purchased 300 additional
acres of land adjacent to the
original farm, and, in 2007,
joined a cost-share program
to rebuild forests through the
Farm Service Agency and the
Natural Resource Conservation
Service. To date, the couple
have planted 90 acres of hardwoods — five different kinds
of oaks as well as cypress and
poplar, and Billy, who works
on the farm with Michael and
Carolyn three days a week, has
taken over management of this
project.
“We’re really excited about
being able to add back to this
land we’ve loved so much and
that has provided for us these
past 20-something years,” says
Carolyn. “We tried
to make this piece
of the world a little
bit better, and it is
our legacy to the
earth and future
generations.”
For more information about
Co-op’s complete
line of cattle feeds
and minerals, visit
www.ourcoop.
com or talk with
your Co-op livestock specialist.
The nature of a bull
is to answer to no creature,
Logan Shull, left, livestock specialist for First Farmers
Cooperative, joins Carolyn and Michael as they check on
their cattle currently grazing one of the farm’s 12 pastures.
Established in 1938
great or small,
to stand firm in his resolve
to live by his rules
and his alone.
It’s our fencing’s nature
to trump his nature.
Available at select local
Gallagher i Series Fence Systems.
Made to keep bulls (and pretty much anything else) in their place.
www.GallagherUSA.com/i-series
May 2015
27
28
May 2015
May 2015
29
Story and photos by Chris Villines
Lancing teenager Jessica Price expresses her creativity with farm-inspired jewelry and accessories she creates through Set Free Design, which launched in 2013. Here, she
shows a display of some of her unique merchandise, including the feather hair clip she’s holding. All of the feathers and horsehair Jessica uses is collected from her own animals.
M
orning chores have
been completed at
Shady Grove Farms
and Sawmill in the Morgan
County town of Lancing. As Jessica Price and her mother, Faith,
make the scenic walk back to
the family’s rustic, timber-frame
home, Jessica spies something
on the ground near the duck
pond.
A feather.
To most, this discovery would
be met with only a passing
glance. But to Jessica, the duck
feather is a business opportunity.
It will be added to the inventory
of all-natural materials she uses
from the farm’s animals to create
one-of-a-kind jewelry and accessories through Set Free Design,
which launched in 2013.
Lancing l
The enterprising 17-year-old
markets her products through
her online store at www.etsy.
com/shop/SetFreeDesign,
through personal sales, and at
Scott Morgan Farmers Cooperative in nearby Wartburg, where
the Prices purchase feed and
other supplies for their farm. Jes-
30
May 2015
sica also plans to return to Dixie
Lee Farmers Market in Farragut
after a successful run there last
summer.
“I started Set Free Design
after seeing how much my family
and friends loved the earrings
I’d made from chicken, turkey,
or duck feathers and given
them as Christmas gifts,” says
Jessica, who graduated from
homeschooling in January. “I had
also gotten into making horsehair jewelry after my first horse
passed away so I would have a
keepsake to wear. I fell in love
with creating each piece, and the
entrepreneur inside of me decided to turn it into a business.”
Showing business acumen
at a young age runs in the Price
family. Jessica’s older brother, Jacob, now 25, started the sawmill
on the 80-acre farm when he
was just 16.
“We’ve always tried to teach
our kids to be producers, not
consumers,” says Faith, who,
along with husband Jeff — a fulltime traveling safety professional
for the nuclear industry — and
Jessica tend to Shady Grove’s
grassfed beef cattle, grassfed
lambs, and free-range chickens.
“It’s worked out well.”
From the beginning, Jessica
has operated her fledgling fashion venture in the comfort of her
own bedroom. Here, she meticulously assembles each piece out
of the feathers she collects from
the farm’s ducks, chickens, guin-
eas, and turkeys or the snippets
of horsehair she carefully and
sparingly procures from her two
horses: Sage, a Tennessee walker,
and Squaw, a saddlebred.
“I’m out collecting feathers
most every day, especially dur-
ABOVE: As part of her daily routine,
Jessica scours her family’s 80-acre
Shady Grove Farms in search of feathers.
She uses feathers from her ducks,
chickens, guineas, and turkeys. LEFT:
Jessica operates Set Free Design out of
her bedroom, carefully assembling each
new piece with the utmost care. The duck
feathers she collected above form the
centerpiece for a pair of earrings Jessica
is creating. One of the places where
she finds inspiration for her designs
is Pinterest. “There are a lot of good
ideas on there,” Jessica says. “There’s
so much you can do with feathers. The
possibilities are almost endless.”
ing the shedding season,” says
Jessica. “I will not buy feathers
in a store or over the internet
that have come from animals
that have been raised just for
their feathers. I want everything to be naturally shed from
our birds that have lived happy,
healthy lives.”
But what about the farm’s
Katahdin sheep? Couldn’t Jessica craft a wearable work of art
from the flock? After all, it is a
hair breed.
“Ew, no,” she grimaces.
“There’s too much oil in sheep
hair!”
When Jessica posted a photo
on her personal Facebook page
two years ago of the horsehair
bracelet she made in honor
of Fire Mist, her Tennessee
walking horse that had recently
passed away, it sparked an interest among other horse owners looking for custom-crafted
jewelry as treasured mementos.
“Some of our friends who
had horses started asking me to
make jewelry for them,” Jessica says. “I began to think, ‘I
can make money at this and
do something that I love at the
same time.’”
Among her repeat satisfied
customers is fellow horse owner Debbie Piller of Oakdale.
“I had always wanted to get
pieces made for my daughter,
Mary, from her two horses,”
says Debbie. “We were visiting
the farm one day, and Jessica
took us up to her room and
showed us some of the things
she had been making. Everything was just beautiful. I sent
locks of hair from both horses
to Jessica, and she made gorgeous bracelets that we gave
to Mary. I liked them so much
that I ended up commissioning
Jessica to create several more
pieces for family and friends,
and she’s made earrings for me
as well.”
Debbie describes Jessica’s attention to detail as “amazing.”
“She really puts her heart
and soul into everything she
creates,” says Debbie. “Her
pieces are high quality without
the high-quality pricetag. Mary
has worn her bracelets over
and over, and they still look as
good as the day she got them
more than a year ago.”
Hearing praise from her
customers is motivating to Jessica. As an admitted introvert
LEFT: Tightly wound braids are the signature detail of this horsehair bracelet Jessica is making. She says that it takes her just
under an hour to create the finished piece. RIGHT: As Jessica examines the thick hair on the tail of her saddlebred horse, Sage, she
is wearing some of the horsehair-inspired jewelry she’s created. She also makes custom horsehair pieces for other horse owners.
by nature, she says the jewelrymaking is a way for her to
express herself.
“I’ll lie in bed at night and
dream up designs, then I’ll
start on them the next day,” she
explains. “I like for everything I
make to be unique. It’s straight
from the farm to the consumer,
using all-natural materials —
the way it should be.”
Jessica is also proud of the
affordability of her designs.
“There are others who do
work similar to mine, but
you’re going to pay a lot of
money for it,” she says. “I’ve
always been frugal. I want
people to be able to have something nice without breaking the
bank.”
As opposed to other wellknown e-commerce outlets
such as eBay and Amazon,
Jessica selected Etsy to sell her
product because it’s “catered to
the crafting community.” The
website is described as “the
world’s most vibrant handmade
marketplace.”
“I like Etsy because it’s easy
to use and well made,” she
says.
Not all of Jessica’s Set Free
Design work involves hair or
feathers, however. On her Etsy
page, there are sections for
“Princess Jewelry,” “Cowgirl
Jewelry,” “Seashells,” and more.
“I’m always trying out new
things,” Jessica says. “Right
now, I’m working up some
designs for bow ties and boutonnieres, but I haven’t quite
figured them out yet. There’s a
lot of trial and error involved.
I’ll usually have Mom critique
something that I’ve made, and
Jessica’s mother, Faith, left, and Stacie Taylor, assistant manager of Scott Morgan
Farmers Cooperative’s Wartburg store, look on as Jessica pets Squaw, her
Tennessee walking horse. The Prices are Scott Morgan Farmers customers.
I can tell immediately by her
face whether or not she likes
it.”
Jessica is hands-on with
every facet of Set Free Design, right down to the filling
of an order. When someone
purchases from her Etsy page,
she receives an instant email
notification. She fills, boxes,
and even transports each order
to the Lancing post office for
shipment.
“She’s shipped her jewelry to
California, Florida, Texas, New
York, New Jersey, and several
other states,” a proud Faith
says of Jessica, who calls her
mother her best friend. “She
was going to the post office so
often that an employee there
asked what kind of business
she was in. That person eventually ordered something, told
others about Jessica, and the
ball kept rolling from there.
“I’ve been very impressed
with what she’s done so far.
And I hope that she can continue for many more years and
make a good living at it.”
As word spreads about Jessica’s jewelry-making skills, the
talented teenager intends to
stretch her imagination even
further to turn the natural
byproducts of farm animals
into long-lasting keepsakes that
people will be proud to wear
and share.
“It’s truly amazing to see
what all you can accomplish
if you’re willing to work hard,”
says Jessica. “I’ve learned so
much from being on the farm,
and that’s led me to where I
am today with Set Free Design.
I couldn’t ask for anything
more.”
For more information about
Jessica’s jewelry, visit www.etsy.
com/shop/SetFreeDesign or
the Set Free Design Facebook
page.
May 2015
31
GRAIN FREE
NUTRITION
Holistic
®
Natural Food For Dogs
Primitive Natural
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
TM
INGREDIENTS:Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with
mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), Dried Egg Product, Tomato Pomace, Apples, Blueberries,
Carrots, Peas, Spinach, Garlic, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Taurine, Cottage Cheese, L-Lysine,
DL-Methionine, Beta-Carotene, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Proteinate, Copper
Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, L-Carnitine,
Vitamin B12 Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Ferrous Sulfate, Biotin,
Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Calcium Iodate,
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Manganese Proteinate,
Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation
Product, Dried Enterococus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation
Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.
Coastal Catch
NEW!
NEW!
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog
Food Nutrient Profiles.
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
TM
INGREDIENTS: Herring Meal, Potatoes, Peas, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a
source of Vitamin E), Pea Protein, Tapioca, Pea Fiber, Dried Egg Product, Sweet Potatoes, Salmon
Meal, Whitefish Meal, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Blueberry Fiber, Cranberry Fiber, Apples, Blueberries,
Carrots, Spinach, Cranberries, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine,
Taurine, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc
Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Salt, Calcium
Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate,
Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidgera
Extract, Rosemary Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococus
Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus
Acidophilus Fermentation Product.
Great Plains Feast
NEW!
NEW!
Crude Protein, not less than........................38.00%
Crude Fat, not less than ..............................20.00%
Crude Fiber, not more than ...........................2.50%
Moisture, not more than .............................10.00%
Vitamin E, not less than .......................... 200 IU/kg
Docasahexaenoic Acid (DHA), not less than0.10%*
Omega-6 Fatty Acids, not less than.............3.30%*
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, not less than.............0.55%*
L-Carnitine, not less than .......................15 mg/kg*
Crude Protein, not less than..........................32.0%
Crude Fat, not less than ................................18.0%
Crude Fiber, not more than .............................4.0%
Moisture, not more than ...............................10.0%
Calcium, not less than.....................................1.3%
Phosphorus,not less than ...............................1.0%
Vitamin E, not less than .......................... 300 IU/kg
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), not less than100 mg/kg*
L-Carnitine, not less than .......................15 mg/kg*
Taurine, not less than....................................0.05%
Omega-6 Fatty Acids, not less than...............2.6%*
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, not less than...............2.0%*
Docasahexaenoic Acid (DHA), not less than.0.2%*
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog
Food Nutrient Profiles.
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
TM
INGREDIENTS: Bison Meal, Peas, Pea Protein, Tapioca, Dried Egg Product, Canola Oil (preserved
with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Flaxseed, Lamb Meal, Pea Fiber, Natural Flavors,
Blueberry Fiber, Cranberry Fiber, Apples, Blueberries, Carrots, Spinach, Cranberries, Choline
Chloride, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement,
Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Folic Acid,
Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Salt, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate,
Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin
C), Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite,
Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidgera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Dried
Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococus Faecium Fermentation Product,
Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation
Product.
Crude Protein, not less than........................34.00%
Crude Fat, not less than ..............................18.00%
Crude Fiber, not more than ...........................4.00%
Moisture, not more than .............................10.00%
Calcium, not less than...................................1.50%
Phosphorus, not less than ............................1.10%
Vitamin E, not less than .......................... 300 IU/kg
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), not less than100 mg/kg*
L-Carnitine, not less than .......................15 mg/kg*
Taurine, not less than..................................0.05%*
Omega-6 Fatty Acids, not less than.............2.60%*
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, not less than.............1.90%*
Docasahexaenoic Acid (DHA), not less than0.20%*
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog
Food Nutrient Profiles.
Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free formulas are designed to provide optimal protein-rich, grain-free nutrition for all stages of your
dog’s life. Dogs crave animal nutrition and each grain-free formula is formulated to provide the taste he loves and the nutrition
he needs for overall good health. With superior-quality protein meals as the main ingredients, your dog is ensured high protein
levels that help develop and sustain energy and lean muscle mass. Healthy fruits and vegetables such as peas, apples,
blueberries and carrots contain natural antioxidants important for everyday optimal health. Formulated without grain or
gluten, Primitive NaturalTM, Coastal CatchTM, & Great Plains FeastTM are perfect choices for a grain-free alternative diet!
32
May 2015
May 2015
33
What’s Cookin’?
Grill
to thrill
Recipes offer menu for exciting outdoor meals
T
he first pleasant days of spring ignite the
urge to fire up the grill and start cooking
outdoors. May, considered “National Barbecue Month,” is capped off with our first warmweather holiday — Memorial Day — when grilling is a prevalent part of many celebrations.
Whether it’s a weekday family dinner or a weekend barbecue,
grilling can make preparing the meal just as easy and relaxing as
enjoying it with others. According to a poll by the Hearth, Patio,
and Barbecue Association, some 81 percent of Americans claim
that cooking outdoors is easier than indoors, 71 percent prefer
cooking out over eating out to save money, and 64 percent say
cookouts are a way to spend quality time with friends and relatives.
This month’s column features a variety of recipes that can be
cooked outdoors, including “Grilled Sha-Zamm Shrimp” from
Kathleen Trent of Reagan, our Cook-of-the-Month for May. This
savory seafood dish is flavored with its very own blend of spices
that can be used in other recipes as well.
Other featured recipes are Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Chops,
Grilled Lemon-Basil Fish, Grilled Sirloin Kabobs with Peach Salsa,
Grilled Corn on the Cob with Jalapeño Butter, Prize Burgers, Grilled
Polynesian Game Hens, and Grilled Bacon Ranch Potatoes.
Enjoy!
With its own special blend of spices, “Grilled Sha-Zamm Shrimp” is certain to liven up
your next cookout. The recipe is submitted by Kathleen Trent of Reagan, our Cook-ofthe-Month for May.
— Food styling and photo by Allison Morgan
Clip, save, and serve
Grilled Sha-Zamm Shrimp
May 2015 winning recipe
What you will need:
Directions:
• 2 pounds extra-large shrimp, rinsed and peeled
• 3⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup lime juice or 1 fresh lime, squeezed
• 3 teaspoons cilantro, chopped
•11⁄2 teaspoons Sha-Zamm seasoning
(see recipe below)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Garlic slices for garnish
Sha-Zamm Seasoning:
• 8 tablespoons paprika
• 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 5 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
• 6 tablespoons garlic granules
• 3 tablespoons onion powder
• 5 tablespoons salt
•21⁄2 tablespoons oregano
•21⁄2 tablespoons thyme
Rinse and peel shrimp and set aside. (If
desired, keep and freeze shrimp skins to
make fish broth).
Combine oil, lime juice, cilantro, ShaZamm seasoning, salt, pepper, and minced
garlic. Place shrimp in a large ziplock bag,
add marinade, and mix well. Refrigerate
for 24 hours.
Place shrimp on skewers and
grill for about five minutes,
turning halfway through
cooking.
Slightly brown
garlic slices in hot oil.
Spread over grilled
shrimp when serving.
To make Sha-Zamm
seasoning, combine all spices
and blend well. Store in a glass jar.
Kathleen Trent, Reagan, First Farmers Cooperative
34
May 2015
Grilled BaconWrapped Chops
8 pork chops
11⁄2 cups orange juice
1
⁄2 cup orange preserves
1
⁄4 cup smoked marinade
1
⁄4 cup Country Bob Steak
Sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt, pepper, and barbecue
rub, to taste
1 pound bacon
Wash and drain pork chops;
set aside. Mix orange juice,
preserves, marinade, steak sauce,
mustard, and garlic powder until
well dissolved.
Put chops in a large freezer
bag. Pour mixture over chops
and marinate for five to six hours
or overnight in refrigerator. Remove chops; drain well. Sprinkle
both sides with salt, pepper, and
barbecue seasoning. Wrap each
chop in bacon and secure with a
toothpick.
Grill over medium heat for 25
minutes or until done, making
sure to not overcook.
Polly Dodd
Toone
Mid-South Farmers Cooperative
T
Grilled Lemon-Basil
Fish
⁄2 stick butter
4 fish fillets
1 lemon, sliced
New Orleans-style seasoning, to taste
Fresh basil leaves
Coat a piece of aluminum
foil with butter. Place pieces of
fish on foil and top each with a
lemon slice. Sprinkle with seasoning. Lay basil leaves on fish,
then top with remaining butter.
Fold alumium foil into a packet
and grill until done.
Betty Rhodes
Jackson
Mid-South Farmers Cooperative
1
T
Grilled Sirloin
Kabobs with Peach
Salsa
3 tablespoons peach preserves
1 tablespoon finely chopped
seeded jalapeño pepper
11⁄2 pounds beef top sirloin
steak, cut into 1-inch
cubes
1
⁄2 teaspoon salt
1
⁄4 teaspoon pepper
3 medium peaches, cut into
sixths
11⁄2 cups peach salsa
In a small bowl, mix preserves
and jalapeño. Season beef with
salt and pepper. Alternately
thread beef and peaches onto six
metal or soaked wooden skewers.
Moisten a paper towel with
cooking oil; using long-handled
tongs, rub on grill rack to coat
lightly. Grill kabobs, covered,
over medium heat or broil four
inches from heat for six to eight
minutes or until beef reaches
desired doneness, turning occasionally. Remove from grill;
brush with preserves mixture.
Serve with salsa.
Mildred H. Edwards
Lebanon
Wilson Farmers Cooperative
T
Grilled Corn on the
Cob with Roasted
Jalapeño Butter
1 jalapeño pepper
7 teaspoons unsalted butter,
softened
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 teaspoons honey
1
⁄4 teaspoon salt
6 ears shucked corn
Preheat grill to medium-high
heat. Place jalapeño on grill rack
coated with cooking spray; cover
and grill for 10 minutes or until
blackened and charred, turning
occasionally.
Place jalapeño in a small
paper bag and fold tightly to seal.
Let stand for five minutes. Peel
and discard skins; cut jalapeño in
half lengthwise. Discard stem,
seeds, and membranes. Finely
chop jalapeño and combine with
butter, lime rind, honey, and salt
in a small bowl; stir well.
Place corn on grill rack.
Cover and grill for 10 minutes or
until lightly charred, turning occasionally. Place corn on serving
plate, brush with jalapeño butter
and serve.
Yield: Six servings.
Carol Walker
Fayetteville
Lincoln Farmers Cooperative
T
Prize Burgers
Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1
⁄2 cup brown sugar
1
⁄3 cup sugar
1
⁄4 cup honey
1
⁄4 cup molasses
2 teaspoons mustard
11⁄2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1
⁄4 teaspoon salt
1
⁄4 teaspoon liquid smoke
Burgers:
1 egg, beaten
1
⁄3 cup quick oats
1
⁄4 teaspoon onion salt
1
⁄4 teaspoon garlic salt
1
⁄4 teaspoon pepper
1
⁄8 teaspoon salt
11⁄2 pounds hamburger
6 hamburger buns
Toppings of your choice
In a saucepan, combine sauce
ingredients. Bring to a boil.
Remove from heat; set aside.
Set aside 1 cup of sauce to serve
with burgers.
In a bowl, combine egg, oats,
onion salt, garlic salt, pepper,
salt, and 1⁄4 cup barbecue sauce.
Crumble beef over mixture; mix
well. Shape into six patties. Grill
on each side; baste with 1⁄2 cup
barbecue sauce. Serve on buns,
with toppings of your choice and
reserved barbecue sauce.
Yield: Six servings.
Mabel Yoder
Guthrie, Ky.
Montgomery Farmers Cooperative
T
Grilled Polynesian
Game Hens
2 Cornish game hens,
halved
Marinade:
1
⁄2 cup soy sauce
1 (6-ounce) can pineapple
juice
Juice from 1 small can
pineapple slices (reserve
slices for garnish)
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1
⁄2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1
⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1
⁄4 teaspoon ground pepper
1
⁄4 cup cooking oil
Combine marinade ingredients in a small saucepan; simmer
10 minutes. Cool; reserve some
marinade for basting.
Marinate hen halves for two
to three hours, turning occasionally. Cook on grill, basting with
reserved marinade until done,
about 20 minutes each side.
Garnish with pineapple slices.
Yield: Four servings.
Serving suggestion: Place over
rice (wild or plain) or serve with
baked potato, salad, and Hawaiian bread.
Earleen Stark
Dickson
Dickson Farmers Cooperatives
T
Grilled Bacon Ranch
Potatoes
3 sheets of heavy-duty foil
10-12 baby red potatoes,
thinly sliced
6 slices bacon, cooked and
crumbled
1 packet ranch dressing mix
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons butter
Spray foil with cooking spray.
Place equal portions of potatoes, bacon, and ranch dressing
mix in each sheet of foil. Add
salt and pepper to taste. Add 1
tablespoon butter to each packet.
Wrap securely.
Grill 20-30 minutes. Let
stand 10 minutes before serving.
Serve in foil if desired.
Sheryl Breeden
Martin
Weakley Farmers Cooperative
Fresh, local foods
featured in July
The concept of eating locally produced
foods is becoming more popular among rural
and urban residents alike. As part of the
communities we serve, Co-op applauds these
efforts and supports them every way we can.
To further that cause, our July “What’s
cookin’?” column will feature recipes with
at least one “local” ingredient, such as your
own garden-fresh vegetables or farm-raised
foods such as produce, meat, eggs, or even honey. It can be something you
produce yourself or that others could grow or find at a farmers market.
The person submitting the recipe judged best will be named Cook-ofthe-Month and receive $10. Others sending recipes chosen for publication
will receive $5. Each winner will also receive a special “What’s cookin’?”
certificate.
Monday, June 1, is the deadline for your “fresh and local” 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.
May 2015
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May 2015
May 2015
37
Every Farmer Has A Story Lynn McMahan
Story and photos by Chris Villines
‘It ain’t all about me’
Lynn McMahan is grateful to those who helped pave the way
for what he calls a blessed life
A
gentle breeze adds to the
comfort of a spring afternoon as Lynn McMahan
settles into a lawn chair under
the spacious carport at his Sevier County home and farm.
“There are 150 acres here, a
lot of it woodland, and it joins
the lake and the knobs,” points
out Lynn, who lives here with
his wife, Peggy. “I call it God’s
country. We’re blessed.”
He’s just returned from a
job with his one-man trucking
business, McMahan Hauling,
parked his distinctive teal-colored dump truck in the garage,
and taken a rare opportunity to
admire this scenic slice of the
Flat Creek community countryside.
“I don’t get to do this much,”
says Lynn, 49, a Sevier Farmers Cooperative member who,
like his father, Harry, did before
him, hauls dirt, sand, pea
gravel, lime, and more for customers, including the Co-op.
“I don’t mind, though. I know
what I’m working for.”
Flat Creek
l
That work has been centered
on putting the McMahans’
three children through college. Oldest son Mitchell, 25,
graduated with an engineering
degree from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville two years ago; daughter
Rebecca, 20, is a junior at the
University of Tennessee Chattanooga; and son Matthew, 22,
is currently between schools as
he decides what career path to
take.
“When Peggy and I got
married 30 years ago, there’s
no way I would have thought
about having three kids,” concedes Lynn, who was 19 and
Peggy 18 when they tied the
knot after graduating from Sevier County High School in the
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May 2015
mid-1980s. “I was more worried about doing what I wanted
to do. That wasn’t always what
was right. But I learned that it
ain’t all about me.”
When the two younger McMahan siblings have completed
their education, Lynn says he’ll
likely scale back his trucking so
that he can devote more time
to his true passion — running
his cow/calf operation. Lynn’s
Lynn’s lifelong enthusiasm for
agriculture.
“In the mid-1970s, Dad got
into row-cropping with a brother-in-law of his, and they used
to raise a lot of corn for [Bush
Brothers and Co. in Dandridge]
to make hominy,” Lynn says.
“When I was in high school, I
couldn’t wait until the bell rang
at the end of the day so I could
get over to the farm and help
Lynn McMahan fills a Co-op Super Heavy-Duty Mineral Feeder with Co-op Supreme
Cattle Mineral (#678) as some of his 60-head mixed-breed beef cattle herd approaches at
his Sevier County farm. Lynn also grows corn and hay on his farm’s 330 total acres.
herd of some 60 Angus and
Angus-cross cattle are located
on a separate 180-acre farm he
owns just a few miles up the
road. He’s built up his herd’s
numbers after buying cattle
from his late grandfather, Cleo
McMahan.
“Grandad sold me my first
two heifers when I was 13,”
says Lynn. “A few years later,
after Peggy and I were married,
he was getting sort of feeble so
he decided to sell out to me.
He only had about 10 cows
left at the time. There’s nothing like having a bunch of baby
calves running around. I like
to see them grow. It’s not like a
stocker operation, where you’ve
always got the same 60 steers.”
It was his grandfather,
known to most people in the
area by the nickname “Wormy,”
and father who helped foster
out. I’d go stay with Grandad
some through the summer and
help him feed the cattle. I would
ride in the back of the truck,
bust the bales, and throw the
hay out for him. I would stay
in the hayfield all day if I could.
Those were some good times.”
Another instrumental figure in Lynn’s life was his late
father-in-law, Gene Manning,
who gave Lynn an opportunity
that turned into a 14-year career
before he launched McMahan
Hauling in 2000.
“In 1986, I went to work for
my father-in-law at his John
Deere dealership, Manning
Tractor,” says Lynn. “On my
first day, he told me that he
wanted me to work in the Parts
Department. I said, ‘Put me
somewhere in the back,’ because
I had always been kind of quiet
and didn’t want to deal with
people all day. But I eventually got over it and stayed there
until he sold the dealership and
retired in January 2000. After
that, I went back to trucking
and farming because that’s what
I knew.”
That career change marked
a return to the memories of his
youth, when he would accompany his father on runs in the
dump truck or spreader truck.
“Dad started spreading lime
in the 1950s before I was even
born,” Lynn says of his father,
now 81. “He didn’t have a
spreader on his truck. He had
one of those old steel-wheel
spreaders that he pulled behind
the truck. He’d get somebody to
drive him through the field, and
he’d shovel the lime into the
spreader. He used to haul fertilizer to the Co-op, too, when
it would get really busy in the
spring.”
Lynn has built a loyal customer base of his own through
McMahan Hauling.
“I’m busy most every day,” he
says. “The Co-op has been awful good to me, too. I haul pea
gravel for them and they send
me a lot of their lime business. I
enjoy trucking, but not as much
as farming.”
While the men in his life
have influenced him greatly,
Lynn says it’s the main woman
in his life, Peggy, who has taught
him so much. Shuttled from
home to home as a foster child
since birth, she was legally adopted by the Manning family at
the age of 8.
“You know the good woman
behind every man? She’s the
definition of it,” says Lynn.
“She’s got the biggest heart of
anyone I’ve ever known, and the
children all take after her. She’s
taught me what it’s like to appreciate family.
“So that’s why it’s not about
me. We’re not lucky ... like I
said, we’re blessed.”
Trucking was how Lynn’s father, Harry,
supported his family, and the apple hasn’t
fallen far from the tree. After working for his
father-in-law, the late Gene Manning, for 14
years at his John Deere equipment dealership,
Lynn branched out on his own and formed
McMahan Hauling in 2000. One of his steady
customers through the years has been
Sevier Farmers Cooperative, where Lynn is a
member. His dump and spreader trucks are
at the ready as they’re parked in the garage at
his home in the Flat Creek community.
May 2015
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