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Also inside‘A cut above’ - p. 8

Stellar soil stewardship - p. 27

Bright futures ahead - p. 32

Dwindling buzzTennessee beekeepers are losing pollinators at an alarming rate

May 2018 3

‘Market adjustments’ Some dairy farmers, tobacco growers receive devastating news. A storied history East Tennessee Angus Association celebrates 100th anniversary.

Six steps before spraying Regular maintenance helps assure peak performance.

Stellar soil stewardship Henry County row crop producer recognized for commitment to conservation.

Serious about safety Co-ops take proactive measures to benefit community, farmer members, and employees.

TenneScene 4 Snapshots Silent spokesman.

5 Our Country Churches Stone Dam United Methodist Church in Greene County.

17 New at Co-op Learn about five new products available at your hometown store.

18 Neighborly Advice MAX-IN provides maximum uptake of nutrients.

19 Neighborly Advice Mineral supplements designed for local forages.

34 What’s Cookin’? Better with bananas.

38 Every Farmer Has A Story Dwayne and Clara Hodges make tractors a family affair.

In every issue

News and features

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Almost 300 plaques adorn the Veterans Place Memorial Wall that sits in Union County’s Wilson Park in Maynardville on a hill overlooking the county’s high school. Each plaque recognizes a county resident who has served his or her country in the nation’s military. — Photo by Glen Liford

Cover StoryMay 2018

contents Based on statewide statistics, Tennessee’s beekeepers averaged close to 80

percent loss in their honeybee colonies this past winter. This troubling trend of dying bees is attributed to parasites such as Varroa mites and tracheal mites, colony collapse disorder, poor bee nutrition, and incidental exposure to pesticides. Honeybees are vital to providing pollination for many of our state’s fruit and vegetable crops. (Photo courtesy of Barry Richards.)On the cover: Robertson County’s Barry Richards, president of the Tennessee Beekeepers Association, and other apiarists across the state are concerned about their increasingly empty hives. — Photo by Chris Villines

20 Dwindling buzz

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4 May 2018

Some time ago, Darrell Clark, manager of Southeastern Farmers Cooperative, pitched an idea to me: How about showing some of the old photos from Co-op’s history in The Cooperator?

Though he might not realize it, Darrell had honed in on of the more popular Internet trends. If you visit social media sites on “Throwback Thursday,” you don’t know what blasts from the past you may encounter. Big hair and mullets from the ‘80s and other embarrassing high school photos abound.

While some of those pictures may be best left in the dusty albums from which they came, I think Darrell was onto something with his idea. We have a rich history in Co-op, and we are proud of our cooperative heritage. I especially love vintage advertising in its many forms. Take the photos of the

Co-op advertising that appear with this column, for example. Did you know that Co-op once had its own mascot? Throughout the photographic archives

from the early 1960s, the Co-op “Little Man,” as he is affectionately known, appeared quite often in advertisements and in-store displays. And his presence was the driving force behind a popular billboard advertis-ing campaign that dotted the state with Co-op ads during the era.

The whimsical cartoon character was shown engaged in many of the same routines as his fellow Co-op farmer-members and customers. In one scene, he is shown bounc-ing along in his pickup truck, which is stocked full of a mul-titude of useful Co-op prod-ucts. In another, he entices a healthy group of hogs with a bag of Co-op Swine Feed. In still another, he extolls the virtues of Co-op Flow-45 Fertilizer from the seat of his favorite tractor. (It seems he preferred the red ones, or perhaps the artist chose the color simply for impact). Sometimes, he is all dressed up as if headed to town, but more often he wears overalls or jeans as if he’s ready for hard work. In nearly all, he’s smoking his distinctive pipe, which seems to lend him an air of sophistication and style.

Though he never reached the notoriety of, say, the Michelin Man, the AFLAC duck, the GEICO gecko, or the Energizer Bunny, he did add color and personality to the Co-op advertising efforts of the time. Though his origin is lost to history now, his image has earned him a place in Co-op’s past.

It’s not clear exactly when the Little Man disappeared from Co-op’s advertising efforts, but it seems as the 1970s took hold, his presence was no longer needed. For a little while, however, he had his 15 minutes of fame as the face of the Co-op brand. And his playful personality added humor and warmth to the product pitches of the day.

The Cooperator is distributed free to patrons of member Co-ops. Since each Co-op maintains its own mailing list,

requests for subscriptions must be made through the local Co-op. When

reporting an address change, please include the mailing label from a past

issue and send to the following address:

The CooperatorP.O. Box 3003

LaVergne, TN 37086 Phone: (615) 793-8339

E-mail: tlewter@ourcoop.com

Guest Subscriptions:Guest subscriptions are available for $12.95 per year by sending a check

or money order to Tennessee Farmers Cooperative at the above address.

Editor: Glen Lifordgliford@ourcoop.com

Assistant Editor: Chris Villinescvillines@ourcoop.com

Communications Specialist: Sarah Geyersgeyer@ourcoop.com

Senior Graphic Designer: Shane Readsread@ourcoop.com

Graphic Designer: Jason Barnsjbarns@ourcoop.com

Layout & Production Coordinator:Travis Merriman

tmerriman@ourcoop.comEditorial Assistant: Polly Campbell

pcampbell@ourcoop.comAdvertising Information: Jason Barns615-793-8316, jbarns@ourcoop.com

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. Unless otherwise noted, stock

images courtesy of gettyimages.com.

TFC Board of Directors:Chairman — Mark Thompson,

Cumberland Gap, Zone 3Vice Chairman — David Sarten,

Sevierville, Zone 3Keith Fowler, Martin, Zone 1Amos Huey, Kenton, Zone 1

Tim Luckey, Humboldt, Zone 1Benjie Daniel, Charlotte, Zone 2

Donald Jernigan, Christiana, Zone 2Stephen Philpott, Shelbyville, Zone 2

Johnny Brady, Riceville, Zone 3Chief Executive Officer — Bart Krisle

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.

TFC’s website: www.ourcoop.com

Follow our social media sites:

May 2018Volume 59, Number 5

www.facebook.com/ TennesseeFarmersCooperativewww.twitter.com/TNFarmerswww.pinterest.com/tnfarmerswww.youtube.com/TnFarmersCooperative

Snapshots

Glen Liford

Editor

Silent spokesman

The Co-op “Little Man” was a fixture in the brand’s advertising and marketing efforts in the early 1960s. His most prominent appearance was in a series of billboards that dotted the state and featured a number of Co-op products from fertilizer to feed and more.

The animated character most often wore overalls or jeans and was ready for work on his tractor or in his pickup truck. But his whimsical expressions, sophistication, and style made him a hit with customers.

Little Man was early star of Co-op advertising

May 2018 5

By Glen Liford

Tennessee agriculture took a one-two punch this spring with devastat-

ing news concerning markets for two of the industry’s most prominent products.

In early March, Alliance One Tobacco announced it would no longer purchase tobacco grown in the U.S. That move will pri-marily impact tobacco growers in Macon, Trousdale, and Smith counties. Tennessee Depart-ment of Agriculture (TDA) officials estimate more than 200 growers will be affected. TDA says the move will represent a loss of more than 3,000 acres of burley tobacco worth approxi-mately $14 million.

The announcement came on the heels of news that Dean Foods, the company that owns Mayfield Milk, Purity, and TruMoo among other brands, had notified 11 dairies in East

Tennessee that the company would no longer be purchasing their milk as of May 31. Some 100 or so dairies throughout the country received similar notices.

Dean Foods cited a number of factors for the company’s decision, including decreased demand for milk among consumers, excess production by the country’s dairy farm-ers, and competitors’ moves that include a new processing plant. However, company of-ficials stress they are still pur-chasing significant amounts of Tennessee milk.

“Several factors are influenc-ing these changes,” said Tennes-see Commissioner of Agriculture Jai Templeton in a TDA release. “Economic pressures, supply and demand, weak commodity prices, and competition can combine to create a perfect storm in the ag industry. That’s no secret to the producers who work tire-lessly to tend their crops and

livestock, knowing that every day in agriculture is a risk. They take on that risk not only because we all need to eat, but also because they truly believe in and love what they do.”

“The tobacco market is dif-ficult,” says Dr. Eric Walker, University of Tennessee

(See Adjustments, page 6)

‘Market adjustments’ leave some farm operations in peril

Dean Foods notified 11 Tennessee dairies in early March that the company would no longer be buying milk from them. Those operations were among some 100 farms nationwide that received similar notices.

Our Country Churches

Stone Dam United Methodist Church is located at 3405 Old Stage Road in Chuckey. This Greene County church was organized prior to 1820. Around the year 1900, under the leadership of Rev. George Cox, a church building was con-structed and a cemetery established. The church is currently led by Rev. David Gass. Join them on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. for worship service followed by Sunday school at 11 a.m.

Stone Dam United Methodist Church in Greene County

272nd in a series to show where our rural Co-op friends worship

6 May 2018

Extension tobacco specialist. “Alliance is not to blame. The move was not entirely unex-pected, but it certainly came at a difficult time, leaving farm-ers with little time to develop alternative markets or choose alternative crops.”

When Alliance One made the announcement, some tobacco growers were initially defiant and stressed their determination to carry on in spite of the circum-stances, says Dr. Walker.

“Some producers mentioned tomatoes or strawberries as alternatives but both of those [crops] have their own set of challenges,” he says. “And there has been talk of industrial hemp as an option. But in reality, it will take much fewer acres to produce enough hemp to meet current demand.”

Similar dilemmas face dairy farmers who likewise have limited market choices for their product.

The moves will certainly have a ripple effect throughout the state, says John Walker,

AgCentral Farmers Cooperative chief executive officer.

“It’s definitely going to impact these farm families, and it will also affect their communities, in-cluding the local businesses like the Co-op where a large portion of their inputs are purchased.”

Commissioner Templeton as-sured farmers that TDA officials were working tirelessly to find ways to help. As examples, he cited a number of efforts that TDA has taken in the past year to further strengthen agricul-ture and assist farmers coping with a changing marketplace and continuing to build a strong agribusiness environment.

“Agriculture is seeing many adjustments at this time,” he wrote. “Some changes, like the new Tyson Foods poultry produc-tion complex in West Tennessee, are great for our farmers. How-ever, the challenges are also very real, and many families are now facing difficult decisions.

“We have revamped our Ag-ricultural Advancement division and changed not only the titles, but the direction of our employ-ees. Our Agribusiness Develop-ment Consultants are dedicated

to bringing opportunities to our state. I like to think of our ef-forts as being the five pillars of Agricultural Advancement with services directed toward interna-tional exports, meat processing, on-farm sales, forestry, and food manufacturing.”

Programs like the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Pro-gram (TAEP), AgLaunch, which promotes agriculture innovation and entrepreneurship, and the Agriculture Enterprise Fund, which assists agribusinesses seeking to add to farm and forest

production, are helping Tennes-see farmers make improvements to their business, he said.

“The entire TDA team comes to work every day committed to the tasks we are mandated to accomplish by law or challenged to do in order to best serve our constituents,” said Templeton. “We also show up for work thinking about ways we can increase the value of farm and forest products. That extra value puts dollars in the wallets of the landowner, farmer, and forester, and it creates jobs.”

(continued from page 5)Adjustments

Alliance One announced this spring that they would no longer purchase tobacco grown in the United States. Tennessee Department of Agriculture officials estimate that more than 200 growers will be affected, representing a loss of 3,000 acres of burley tobacco worth approximately $14 million.

May 2018 7

8 May 2018

Story and photos by Allison Parker

Tennessee’s agriculture industry was on full display on March 20

as the ag community came together to bring the farm to the Tennessee State Capitol

for the 18th Ag Day on the Hill, part of the 45th obser-vance of National Agriculture Day.

This annual event is held each spring to recognize the impact that agriculture plays in the state’s economy and culture.

Agriculture is recognized as one of the state’s most important industries, contributing more than $3.3 billion annually to the state’s economy and employ-ing more than 340,000 work-ers. Tennessee has more than 66,600 farms representing 10.8 million acres.

The Farm and Forest Families of Tennessee, of which Tennes-see Farmers Cooperative is a founding member, once again sponsored the popular event. Indoor and outdoor exhibits from agricultural businesses, universities, and agencies made for an impressive presence in the Cordell Hull State Office Building. The live animal and equipment exhibits once again proved popular with attendees and passersby.

Several 4-H and FFA members from across the state, including Eli Dotson of Lincoln County, Anna Powell of Wilson County, and Gavin Page of Williamson County, brought their livestock to the event to help educate the public and lawmakers on their projects.

“I jumped at the chance to bring my steer to the Capi-tol because I want people to know that beef doesn’t come from grocery store shelves,” explained sixth-grade 4-Her Page. “I’ve gotten the chance to tell a lot of people about what we do to raise our cattle today.”

Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation’s Lee Maddox, who serves as president of the Farm and Forest Families of Tennessee, played host as he welcomed visitors and digni-taries from the state legisla-ture to the event and thanked

Competing for bragging rights in this forestry-based competition outside the Tennessee State Capitol at this year’s Ag Day on the Hill celebration were, from left, Representative Bill Dunn of Knoxville and Representative Jeremy Faison of Cosby, who sawed through the log four seconds faster than their Senate colleagues.

Tennessee House of Representatives and Senate members celebrate National Agriculture Day on Capitol Hill

‘A cut above’

l

Nashville

The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee held a meeting following the Ag Day festivities where representatives from 4-H, FFA, Young Farmers and Ranchers, and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture spoke about the importance of the industry.

May 2018 9

Governor Bill Haslam and the entire general assembly for their support.

“It is not every day you see livestock gathered right out-side the Capitol,” said Mad-dox. “The agriculture industry is truly a cut above the rest.”

Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Jai Templeton also greeted the group and pre-sented a proclamation from the governor recognizing the importance of Ag Day and the contributions of farmers and forestland owners.

Following the reading, two teams of lawmakers competed in a log sawing contest using a two-man crosscut saw. Before the contests began, Tim Phelps, Tennessee Forestry commu-nications and outreach unit leader, shared with the audience information about the crosscut saw. Phelps also informed the group that the Forestry Division of the Department of Agricul-ture selected the Tennessee state tree, the tulip poplar, for the cutting contest to represent the ever-changing and growing forestry industry. According to Phelps, 52 percent of Tennes-see is forestland made up of 120 different tree species, which covers nearly 14 million acres.

The bragging rights for this forestry-based competi-tion went to the House of Representatives team of Bill Dunn of Knoxville and Jeremy Faison of Cosby, who sawed through the log four sec-onds faster than their Senate colleagues Frank Niceley of Strawberry Plains and Mark Pody of Lebanon.

The real winner, however, was the community as the Farm and Forest Families presented a $1,000 check to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee in honor of National Agriculture Day. Hundreds of pounds of bagged sweet potatoes were donated to the Society of St. Andrew and its Tennessee Gleaning Network, which works with growers and col-lects crops with cosmetic issues that would otherwise be discarded and distributes the food to families in need through local food banks, pantries, and soup kitchens.

Representative Andy Holt of Dresden, who serves as vice

chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Com-mittee and leader of the Ag Day on the Hill planning com-mittee, expressed appreciation for the state’s ag industry.

“There are a lot of things that happen in the legislature that are very polarizing like issues and debates,” said Holt. “One thing most everyone here can agree on is that they

love family farms, love agri-culture, and love the products they produce. That’s why we are celebrating today on the first day of spring National Agriculture Day.”

Representative Curtis Halford, left, chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and Vice Chair Andy Holt, far right, welcome, from left, Julia Knaggs, State FFA President; Grant Hitchcock, 4-H State President; and Hunter Grills, representing Tennessee Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers.

LEFT: University of Tennessee representatives work to help bag sweet potatoes that were donated to the Society of St. Andrew and its Tennessee Gleaning Network. RIGHT: From left, Jenni and Anna Powell of Wilson County take time to tell the media about their family’s flock of sheep and the importance of National Agriculture Day.

LEFT: John Hayes with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture measures to make sure competition is fair by determining the diameter of the tulip poplar log. RIGHT: The winners of the forestry-based contest were, from left, Speaker of the House Beth Harwell’s team, including representatives Bill Dunn and Jeremy Faison.

10 May 2018

May 2018 11

12 May 2018

Story and photos by Glen Liford

The East Tennessee An-gus Association kicked off its 100th anniversary

celebration with festivities at its annual spring show and sale held March 16 and 17 at the University of Tennessee Agricul-ture Campus.

East Tennessee native John Crouch detailed the organiza-tion’s history at its banquet on Friday night. Crouch, who grew up in the Boones Creek Community near Jonesbor-ough and graduated from the University of Tennessee as an animal science major, went to work for the American Angus Association in 1973 as a

regional manager, serving North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. He became director of the performance program in 1981 and served the organiza-tion with distinction in that important role for 21 years. He was named executive director in 2002 and served until 2006. He retired in 2008.

The Angus breed traces its or-igins back to 16th century Scot-land where it was established. The American Angus Associa-tion was created in Chicago in 1883 with 60 members. And the black beauties have long been popular with East Tennessee beef producers.

“The East Tennessee Angus Association is the oldest re-

gional Angus association in the country,” said Crouch. He went on to list several of the associa-tion’s founding fathers and their unique stories.

• A.H. Coleman of Mulberry Gap brought the first group of Angus cattle to Tennessee from Iowa around 1900.

• Blount County cattle-man John Hitch bought 180 acres in the area in 1905 for $1,200, selling timber to pay for the valu-able property.

In 1911, he bought his first two Angus cows, which served as the foundation of the Hitch’s herd.

• Dr. J.I. Higgins, a promi-nent physician from Dandridge, became interested in the breed and set out to have one of the best herds around. He purchased his first Angus bull, named Idolmere, and showed him at the International Grand Champion-ship in Chicago in 1919, where the striking animal was named grand champion. Tragically, the bull perished in a fire as it was being returned to Tennessee in a rail car. Not one to admit defeat, Higgins traveled to Scotland where he purchased a bull, Perenthian, which earned grand champion honors at the same show one year later.

• Another Blount County breeder, S.N. Yearout of Maryville, established his own herd of Angus cattle and hosted his first farm sale in 1917, selling 49 of the animals for an average of $450.

• University of Tennes-see Professor Henry Rankin Duncan joined the American Angus Association in 1915 and soon teamed up with Hitch to start the Blount County Aber-deen Association. The Blount County association evolved

John Crouch, an East Tennessee native who spent his career working with the American Angus Association, including several years as its executive director, details some of the stories and characters who have laid a foundation for the success of the East Tennessee Angus Association for 100 years now. The photo on the screen shows Blount County cattleman John Hitch and his wife who were pioneers of the Angus breed in East Tennessee.

Tyler Brown, 10, son of East Tennessee Angus Association board member Michael Brown, shows off a painting called “Bed and Breakfast” by a local artist as ETAA President Mark Starnes, right, wrangles the bids. Proceeds of the auction go to fund the organization’s youth scholarships.

Five-and-a half-year-old Elgin Cooper gets lessons in cattle grooming from Josh Cornelius, assistant manager of AgCentral Farmers Co-op’s Athens store. Elgin is the grandson of Lonnie Cooper, who worked at AgCentral’s Greenback operation.

East Tennessee Angus Association celebrates 100th anniversary

A storied history

May 2018 13

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into the East Tennessee Angus Association in 1918.

“Since its beginning, there has always been a strong interest in the breed in East Tennessee,” said Crouch. “You hear a lot about the larger breeders, but there are also a lot of smaller breeders, which you often find on small farms like many of those in the area. With an orga-nization like this, the breeders can work together in promotion, advertising, and merchandising cattle. There are also a lot of educational programs to help the producers learn about the busi-ness, the breeding, the feeding, and the marketing.”

The Certified Angus Beef Program that was developed in 1978 has also given a boost to the prolific beef breed, stressed Crouch.

“Last year, that program mar-keted more than 1 billion pounds of Certified Angus Beef,” he said. “The next five breeds of beef cattle in the United States do not equal the numbers of Angus.

“The breed has built incred-ible records and genetic values that breeders can use in selecting stock to improve their program.”

The banquet concluded on Friday night with the pre-sentation of the association’s 2018 scholarships to Caitlin Winburn and Avery Mason and a benefit auction that raised more than $11,000 for the association’s scholarship program.

Saturday’s 5th Annual UT Institute of Agriculture Angus Production Sale featured 55 lots of registered Angus cattle, in-cluding 16 lots from the herd of the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center. There were halter-broke females, cow/

calf pairs (3 N 1 Packages), and a select set of bulls that met requirements for the Tennessee Ag Enhancement Program.

“It is a smaller group than we would have liked to have had for our 100th anniversary,” said Mark Starnes, ETAA president. “But the quality is excellent.”

The anniversary celebra-tion will continue with a spe-cial ETAA Tour on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 24 and 25, based from the Airport Hotel in Alcoa. On Friday, participants will tour Mountain View Ranch in Mor-ristown, Grassy Valley Farm in

Greeneville, and Powell Farms in Limestone before conclud-ing with a barbecue dinner and program that night. The group will return to Alcoa after dinner. On Saturday, Aug. 25, the ETAA group will be treated to a special tour of the UT Veterinary School and a behind-the-scenes tour of Neyland Stadium as guests of the UT Athletic Department. A lunch and program will be held in a UT skybox.

For more information, or to register for the event, visit the ETAA website at https://easttnangus.com.

LEFT: John Crouch, former American Angus Association executive director, shared his enthusiasm for the breed and extensive knowledge of the East Tennessee Angus Association history with attendees at the organization’s annual banquet. RIGHT: Greene County cattleman Mark Starnes, who serves as president of the East Tennessee Angus Association, presided at the annual banquet on March 16 where a number of awards and two scholarships were presented.

14 May 2018

May 2018 15

Commissioner of Agricul-ture Jai Templeton is en-couraging Tennesseans with apiaries and crops sensitive to pesticides to register their locations using the online program, FieldWatch, Inc.

Purdue University developed FieldWatch in collaboration with agricultural stakeholders. The registry streamlines com-

munication between produc-ers and pesticide applicators to help protect sensitive crops and apiaries from unintended pesticide exposure.

In October, the U.S. Envi-ronmental Protection Agency announced new label require-ments for the pesticides Enge-nia, XtendiMax, and FeXapan, which included the provision

that pesticide applicators consult a sensitive crop reg-istry prior to applying these new formulations of dicamba products.

The FieldWatch registry offers two online platforms. DriftWatch is for producers of commercial crops sensitive to pesticides and includes the ability to map boundar-

ies around production fields. BeeCheck is a registry site for beekeepers that designates one-mile radius boundaries around apiaries. Producers of sensitive crops who also manage apiaries may enter hive locations using either DriftWatch or BeeCheck. The registry is offered at no cost to participating farmers and became available online at the end of March.

“Communication among producers and pesticide ap-plicators is vital to ensuring a successful harvest for every-one,” Commissioner Temple-ton said. “Applicators need to know the locations of sensi-tive sites so that they can take steps to avoid pesticide impact. This new registry will improve that communication, helping Tennessee maintain its reputa-tion as a prime location for all types of agriculture.”

Along with apiary sites, the registry also includes commer-cial vineyards of a half-acre or larger; orchards, fruit and vegetable grow sites; nursery, tobacco, and Christmas tree production sites; and certified organic crops.

“We worked hard to identify a suitable registry for Ten-nessee’s cotton and soybean farmers so that they can com-ply with label requirements,” Templeton said. “Based on our research, FieldWatch offers us an established program that is already being used by 18 other states. We are pleased to offer this technology to farmers in Tennessee.”

To access DriftWatch and BeeCheck, visit www.field-watch.com. The website offers detailed instructions to sign up and use the mapping tools.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s mission is to promote wise use of the agri-cultural and forest resources, develop economic opportu-nities, and ensure safe and dependable food and fiber for the citizens of Tennessee. For more information, visit www.tn.gov/agriculture.

Department of Agriculture announces sensitive crop registry

16 May 2018

May 2018 17

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18 May 2018

Neighborly AdviceAgronomy

Even the most ad-

vanced genetics can’t deliver a payback without the nutrients to thrive. Ad-equate soil

levels of all nutrients must be the starting point for any crop plan. More times than not, though, our crops do not have access to all the nutrients in the soil due to factors such as too much or too little mois-ture, compaction, or other en-vironmental conditions. When conditions are not optimal, we have an opportunity to address deficiencies – especially the secondary and micronutrients – with well-timed foliar ap-plications. MAX-IN® nutrients are available in precise formu-lations to help crops hit each growth stage with exactly what they need to achieve their full genetic potential.

MAX-IN products include patented CornSorb® technol-ogy, which greatly increases movement of nutrients through the leaf cuticle to internal leaf structures. This makes more of the applied nutrient available to the plant. CornSorb technology increases droplet spread, drop-let coverage, and humectancy, which means more of the nutri-ent is available for plant metabo-lism and is less subject to loss through evaporation and other environmental forces. MAX-IN nutrients offer flexible applica-tions by mixing easily with other crop nutrients and most crop protection products, including glyphosate-based herbicides.

We believe you should identify a nutrient need before making a foliar nutrient application. Tissue sampling and analysis with the NutriSolutions 360® program just before key growth stages will pinpoint nutrient deficiencies and recommend specific MAX-IN nutrient formulations, so you apply exactly what your crop needs, and nothing it doesn’t.

Once a deficiency is identi-fied, we offer several precise formulations of MAX-IN nutri-ents that have been formulated to deliver maximum uptake of the essential nutrients. Below are just a few examples of the products available:

MAX-IN Zinc micronutri-ent is a foliar-applied source of zinc that can be used on a broad spectrum of crops. MAX-IN Zinc micronutrient delivers zinc to the plant with a crop-based adjuvant system for maximum nutrient uptake. Zinc plays a critical role in maximizing leaf and vascular growth and root development. A larger, more robust root system allows for increased nutrient uptake and more efficient water use. This will help reduce the impact of short periods of heat and drought stress, and may cre-ate a higher-yielding plant.

MAX-IN Sulfur secondary nutrient is an effective foliar-applied source of sulfur, which is vital for increased plant health and growth. Sulfur is a constituent of three key amino

MAX-IN provides maximum uptake of nutrientsacids that are essential for pro-tein formation. Sulfur is also a part of an important struc-tural material of chloroplasts membranes and of ferredoxins, which are involved in pho-tosynthesis reactions and in nitrogen fixation by legumes. MAX-IN Sulfur secondary nutrient can be used on corn, wheat, and alfalfa, and con-tains a patented, crop-based adjuvant system for maximum nutrient efficacy.

MAX-IN Boron micronutri-ent is an effective foliar-applied source of boron, which is vital for increased plant health and growth. Boron is essential to nitrogen metabolism and in-creased flowering and fruiting. It also increases cell division and differentiation, nodula-tion health in legumes, and the movement of sugars and carbo-hydrates in the plant. MAX-IN® Boron micronutrient can be used on a broad spectrum of crops and contains a patented, crop-based adjuvant system for maximum nutrient efficacy.

Darrin Holder

WinField Agronomist

May 2018 19

Neighborly AdviceAnimal Health

In a perfect world, the forages

grown on our farms would provide all the protein, energy, vi-tamins, and minerals our cattle need

to grow, reproduce, and give milk at a desirable rate. Since that’s rarely the case, nutrition-al supplementation has become common practice for beef producers looking to improve the profitability of their opera-tions. Minerals in particular play a vital role in beef cattle performance and the mineral levels present in our forages seldom meet the requirements of cattle. Though forages are not completely devoid of minerals, key elements such as phosphorus, copper, zinc, and selenium are often present in low amounts and their content in forages can vary with season and geography.

Regional differences in soil type, soil pH, and fertilization programs all influence the concentration and availability of individual minerals, and thus alter the amounts that must be provided in a supplement. Think of the difference be-tween what forages provide and what the animal requires as a gap that must be bridged by the mineral supplement. If this gap was always the same size, that is if all forages had the same mineral composition and all cattle had the same require-ments, it would be a simple matter to have a “one size fits all” cattle mineral. This, too, is rarely the case.

To further complicate the matter, even if an adequate amount of a given mineral ex-ists in the forage, there may be antagonists present that reduce the availability of those minerals. Sulfur is a common antagonist found in the Southeast at levels that interfere with the uptake of both copper and selenium. Nu-merous other mineral to mineral

interactions also exist that can prevent proper absorption of important minerals. These im-balances and interactions make mineral supplementation a very complex issue. Understanding the unique profile of the miner-als present and taking them into account is essential when formu-lating mineral supplements for a specific geographic region.

Mineral supplements for beef cattle should be formulated based on the mineral content of forages in the region in which they are fed. Tennessee Farm-ers Co-op assisted with the University of Tennessee’s For-age Mineral Survey conducted from 2001 to 2004. Over 1,000 forage samples were collected from across the state and evalu-ated for mineral content. The results of this study and others have been used by Co-op to formulate mineral products that strategically address the spe-cific mineral deficiencies and excesses present in our market area. Compare this to the blan-ket approach that other mineral

Mineral supplements designed for local foragesmanufacturers may take of us-ing “book” or average values of forages. Just like with clothing, something made to fit will give far better results and satisfaction than “one size fits all.” Co-op mineral supplements have been designed to work in harmony with our forages and might not provide optimum results in other parts of the country; nei-ther should one expect theirs to provide optimum results here.

Cattlemen should always be looking to implement nutrition-al programs that provide the greatest return on their invest-ment. Mineral supplementa-tion is a wise investment that provides cattle with the mineral nutrition that forages cannot. Correcting mineral deficiencies can have a significant impact on animal performance and an operation’s bottom line. Be sure the minerals you provide have been designed to fit the forages your cattle consume. Contact your Co-op Feed Specialist to develop a mineral program that meets your specific needs.

Royce Towns

TFC Nutritionist

20 May 2018

I n more than 50 years of bee-keeping, Howard Kerr says he’s never seen anything even

remotely resembling what took place in his operation over this past winter.

The longtime Maryville resi-dent had 81 colonies of honey-bees on October 1. By March 1, that number had shrunk to 18 — a loss of some 78 percent.

“It was a disaster,” laments Howard, a retired senior re-search engineer at Oak Ridge National Labs. “I’ve got a warehouse where I keep my bee supplies, and it’s stacked to the front door with empty boxes that should be sitting out in the field with bees in them. Back 20 or 30 years ago, if you had 100 hives of bees in September, you had 99 or 100 in March. But that’s not the case now.”

Howard’s friend and fellow Blount County beekeeper Char-lie Parton of Parton Apiaries was also deeply affected by bee loss.

“I used to sell 40 or 50 [nu-cleus colonies] in the springtime, no problem,” says Charlie, who’s kept bees for 39 years. “I don’t even have that many colonies left after this winter. It’s going to hurt the local honey crop.”

Charlie and Howard are by no means alone. Beekeepers across Tennessee felt the sting of a dramatically declining number of honeybees in their hives after winter.

“Even the best beekeepers are losing bees,” says Tennessee Bee-keepers Association President Barry Richards of Cross Plains. “In some cases, substantial operations are being wiped out. The further east in the state you go, the greater the losses are.”

It’s a problem that in past years has garnered attention, but now the situation has reached a “crisis” stage, according to Mike Studer, Tennessee’s state apiarist.

“Bee losses in Tennessee are averaging around 80 percent this year,” says Mike. “It’s as bad as it has ever been, especially when you consider the 10-year average loss before that was 35-percent. And we thought 35 percent loss was really high.”

This downward cycle has the potential to be devastat-ing agriculturally. In the U.S., one-third of all ag output depends on honeybees and other native pollinators. Ac-cording to the U.S. Depart-

ment of Agriculture, pollina-tors contribute more than $24 billion to the U.S. economy, of which honeybees account for more than $15 billion. In California, where 85 percent of the world’s almonds are grown, each of the 1.1 million acres in almond production is dependent on bee pollination.

“If you’re a big vegetable producer needing pollination, it makes sense to hire that pollination out so you’re not dividing your time with it,” Barry says. “If we keep losing bees, the cost to secure them for pollination is going to go up. The worst-case scenario is you can’t get pollination and lose the ability to mass pro-duce crops. We don’t expect that to happen, but we want to try and head it off now so

it’s not something we’ll have to deal with later.”

To emphasize the impact of these flying workers, Charlie breaks it down further: one in three bites of the food we eat every day relies on honey bee pollination to some degree.

“Bees play such an important pollination role for cucumbers, cantaloupe, squash, watermel-ons, pumpkins, apples, pears, and cherries grown in Tennes-see,” says Charlie. “We need them. But when 98 percent of the beekeepers I talk to have lost half or more of their bees, it’s an issue everyone — because we all eat — needs to be con-cerned about.

“Imagine if a cattle producer lost 70 percent of a calf crop or if a row crop farmer lost 70 percent of corn or soybeans. I

understand our slice of the pie isn’t as big, but it’s still a vital part of agriculture.”

The reasons behind the de-struction of honeybee colonies center on the following factors:

• Parasites, particularly Varroa mites. Introduced into Florida in the mid-1980s, these external parasitic mites attack honeybees and their brood, suck-ing blood from both, and spread killing viruses.

“Varroa mites are bringing viruses and other pathogens with them into these colonies and the bees are being infected,” says Barry. “Even if you are effective at eliminating a large percent-age of Varroa mites through some treatment, you’re still left with the payload of viruses they brought with them when they came into your hive. And the

Normally, honeybees would be completely covering this frame at Barry Richards’ beekeeping operation in Cross Plains. But like other beekeepers across Tennessee and the South, Barry experienced a higher-than-usual percentage of bee loss this past winter. Tennessee State Apiarist Mike Studer reports that statewide, colony losses averaged in the 80-percent range. These pollinators are invaluable to American agriculture, contributing more than $15 billion to the economy.

Story and photos by Chris Villines

May 2018 21

bigger this payload becomes, the more bees are going to fail and you’re going to find yourself with very high-percentage losses.”

In March, the Honey Bee Health Coalition, which brings together beekeepers, grow-ers, researchers, government agencies, agribusinesses, conservation groups, manufac-turers, and consumer brands to improve the health of honey-bees in general and specifically around production agriculture, secured more than $1 million in research funding to treat Varroa mite infestation.

Charlie believes a solution to lessening the impact of Varroa mites could be a game changer.

“There are other issues, but if we could control [Varroa mites] better, it definitely would change the whole atmosphere,”

he says. “They’re the worst problem — most beekeep-ers would tell you that, most university entomologists who specialize in honeybees would tell you that. We need help.”

Mike recommends that bee-keepers keep a vigilant watch on the Varroa mite numbers in their colonies and apply treat-ments before these numbers “get up too high.”

“Someone sent samples to me of their dead bees that had been treated for Varroa, and this person was wondering why these bees died,” he says. “This person was treating when there were 50 to 80 mites per 100 bees when the treatment threshold was 6 mites per 100 bees. Either the mites were resistant to the treat-ment material being used, which is a possibility, or the wrong

treatment was being used at the wrong time.”

The return of tracheal mites, Mike adds, was also an unwel-come contributor to bee loss. These microscopic parasites live, feed, and breed inside the tracheae or breathing tubes of the adult bee.

“We hadn’t had any problems with tracheal mites in about 10 years,” he says. “Their return increased losses by about 20 percent.”

• Unintentional pesticide exposure. Proactive com-munication between growers, applicators, and beekeepers is essential to protect honeybees from incidental pesticide expo-sure. Beekeeper and landowner cooperation is based on mutual interest and is important to miti-gate risks of pesticide exposure to pollinators.

“It’s very important that farm-ers growing crops have success, and if they need to wipe out a pest hindering that success then they certainly need to be spraying,” says Howard. “What needs to be happening more is open communication between sprayers and beekeepers to give us a chance to put a bee tarp or something else over our bees so we don’t lose them.”

To help with this process, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture is encouraging Tennesseans with apiaries and commercially grown crops sen-sitive to pesticides to register their locations using the online program FieldWatch, Inc.,

developed by Purdue University and available at www.field-watch.com. The FieldWatch registry offers two platforms: DriftWatch, for crop produc-ers, includes the ability to map boundaries around production fields; BeeCheck is a registry site for beekeepers that desig-nates one-mile radius boundar-ies around apiaries. Producers of commercially grown sensi-tive crops who also manage apiaries may enter hive loca-tions using either DriftWatch or BeeCheck.

There is no cost to use the registry, which went live at the end of March.

“Following the label instruc-tions on pesticides is the most important thing for applicators,” Mike stresses. “If it says the product is harmful to pollina-tors, then applicators need to spray during the first half hour or last half hour of daylight when the bees aren’t active. If farm-ers must spray in the middle of the day, they should notify the beekeepers in the area the day before so colonies can be closed up to where the bees aren’t ex-posed to the pesticides. Because if it’s above 40 degrees and the sun is shining, the bees are going to be in that field.”

• Poor nutrition. Honey-bees collect pollen and nectar for the entire colony. They convert the nectar to honey and use both nectar and pollen to make “brood food”

Normally, honeybees would be completely covering this frame at Barry Richards’ beekeeping operation in Cross Plains. But like other beekeepers across Tennessee and the South, Barry experienced a higher-than-usual percentage of bee loss this past winter. Tennessee State Apiarist Mike Studer reports that statewide, colony losses averaged in the 80-percent range. These pollinators are invaluable to American agriculture, contributing more than $15 billion to the economy.

Barry, president of the Tennessee Beekeepers Association, says that regardless of experience level, many of the state’s beekeepers are dealing with elevated percentages of bee loss.

(See Dwindling buzz, page 22)

22 May 2018

(continued from page 21)Dwindling buzz

to feed bee larvae. Several nutrients are essential in the honeybee’s diet and these nu-trients are obtained from pol-lens collected from a variety of plants during the foraging months of the year. When there are less natural sources of pollen and nectar for the bees to pull from, colonies as a whole become less healthy, Charlie says.

“We’ve changed the en-vironment for pollinators,” he explains. “When I was a kid, you’d drive through the country and fields would be full of wildflowers and weeds – that’s food for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Now, there are houses built where these fields used to be. The fencerows are pushed out. There’s no habitat for the bees to pollinate.

“That’s not going to change anytime soon, so we have to manage our bees differently. And we need to encourage the entire community to help maintain ‘bee healthy plants.’”

Charlie adds that these nutritional deficiencies lead to bees being in a “weakened” state heading into the crucial winter months.

“When bees go into the winter not so healthy, they’re more susceptible to the cold,” he says. “Honeybees have to try and maintain heat to keep that cluster going all through the winter. If they’re in a weakened state going in, they’re not going to live as long, so they’re dying,

and the ones that are left freeze because they can’t maintain heat or starve because they can’t move.”

• Colony collapse disorder (CCD). Though its impact has lessened somewhat in recent years, CCD is still one of the most mysterious maladies to strike honeybee colonies in the modern era. CCD is character-ized by the sudden disappear-ance of worker bees in a colony, almost all at the same time.

Howard explains the typical CCD scenario:

“At the first of October, sort of the wrap-up of the season, you raise the lid on the hive, and there will be so many bees that you can’t even see

the frames. There’s plenty of honey to take them through the winter, so you’re feeling pretty good about things.

“Then, when there’s a warm day in December, you go check on the bees to see how they’re doing. You raise the lid up expecting to see gobs of bees, but you don’t see any. Zero. But there’s still 50 to 60 pounds of honey. And the scary part is all the bees that are still alive aren’t trying to rob the honey and take it to their hive; they’re ignoring it.”

Mike says there was an extra incident last year, queen bee failure, that when combined with the other factors created “a perfect storm” that spiked the losses even further.

“We had a lot of queen bee loss in the fall, and when it oc-curs during that time of year you can’t replace her because there’s nowhere to buy them and there are no drones [for mating],” he explained.

As the toll has continued to climb over the past decade, so too has interest among those wanting to become beekeeping hobbyists and save these critical insects. Howard reports that 100 of the 140 people who came to a beekeeping course in Blount County earlier this year were first-timers.

“We need hundreds of beekeepers with bees scattered

across the countryside,” How-ard says. “That’s the unique nature of the beekeeping operation. Honeybees forage within a two-mile radius of their home to collect the foods they need and pollinate the plants they visit. Concentrating all the colonies in a few loca-tions will not work.”

Charlie advises anyone enter-ing the profession to “buy into” the process.

“One of the biggest problems is people going to YouTube to get all their information about bee-keeping,” he says. “If you rely on that, you’re going to make mis-takes that are going to cost you a lot of bees. The No. 1 thing to do is join a local association and get plugged in with a mentor. Plus, read all you can, and listen to as many lectures as you can.”

Beekeepers in Tennessee and across the country are hopeful the troubling trend of vanishing pollinators will reverse course soon. But Howard contends the concern should stretch beyond those keeping bees.

“This is a community crisis, not just a beekeeper crisis,” he says. “If it only affected bee-keepers, it would be a ‘so what’ thing. This affects everybody who eats food. This is about pol-lination and keeping beekeepers in bees, and we’ve got to do that for the benefit of the commu-nity as a whole.”

Barry inspects a frame of honeybees from one of his 12 hives. “What I tell people is bees aren’t like anything else,” he says. “If you’ve got a cow, at some level you can relate to it because it has eyes and ears and thinks a little like you. Honeybees are an organism made up of tens of thousands, and they think as a group.”

Maryville beekeeper Howard Kerr shows some of his brood boxes that the devastating decline of honeybees has left empty. The boxes in the background are empty and must be cleaned and sterilized before being used again.

May 2018 23

24 May 2018

Use a device such as the SpotOn Spray Tip Calibrator to provide quick and accurate flow-rate checking of individual sprayer nozzles.

Check the end caps of the booms for any accumulation of dry chemicals that may have collected over time. This is important to reduce the danger of cross contamination. Once the dry material becomes wet again, it can circulate back out onto a new field.

Story and photos by Chris Villines

Ever had a sprayer break-down in the midst of spraying? The lost time,

frayed nerves, and potential repair expenditure are an un-welcome combination.

Lack of proper sprayer main-tenance can cause variations in pesticide application rates. These variations can lead to ineffective pest control and potential crop injury, resulting in higher chemi-cal costs and reduced profits.

“Regardless of how complex the sprayer is, basic seasonal

maintenance steps apply,” says Robert Gannaway, GPS/application controls specialist for Tennessee Farmers Coop-erative’s Ag Equipment USA division. “Careful examination of sprayer components from the tank sump and strainers to the boom assembly will reduce stress, frustration, and lost revenue.”

With assistance from Wes-ley Sartain, a service techni-cian at TriGreen Equipment in Manchester, here are six tips for spring sprayer maintenance:

Check engine fluid levels, particularly oil levels.

Check the mainline strainer screen and all the screens at each individual nozzle body for debris, rust, or corrosion. “Change those screens out, espe-cially when you change chemistries,” Wesley says. “That way, you don’t have anything left over that may have gotten caught in the screen.”

6

Make sure there is a rate display on the controller. A flow system needs three inputs — speed, boom sense or boom calibration, and volume — to determine and display a rate. If any of these inputs are not present, you will not see a rate displayed. Also, check for the satellites the GPS system is accessing. Go to an open area to make sure at least five or six satellites can be seen.

Regular maintenance helps assure peak performance

Steps before spraying

1

2 3

4Conduct a visual inspection of the inside of the tank. Time and temperature change can cause residue or debris to collect in the sump, leading to issues either in the mainline strainer or the strainers at the nozzles.

For more information about sprayer main-tenance, contact Robert Gannaway at Ag Equipment USA, 615-793-8523 or rgan-naway@ourcoop.com or the Ag Equipment USA service shop, 615-793-8307.

5 6

May 2018 25

26 May 2018

May 2018 27

(See Stewardship, page 28)

For Grant Norwood, a fifth-generation row crop producer in Mansfield,

conservation is as much of a family tradition as farming.

“On these rolling hills, if you don’t take care of your soil, it’s going to eventually wash away,” explains Grant, who, along with his father, Don, raises corn, soybeans, and winter wheat on 3,000 acres in Henry and Carroll counties. “Since my great-great-grandfather purchased this farm in 1894, our fam-ily has always been mindful of that. Each generation has done its best to leave the land better for the next.”

In fact, in the early 1970s, forward-looking farming part-ners Don and Grant’s grand-father, Douglas, were among the first in West Tennessee to incorporate no-till practices.

In the 1980s, Don invested in a substantial water control project, building water basins and sediments on both farms he owned and rented.

When Grant joined the family business full-time 19 years ago, he quickly exhibited the same pioneering approach to conservation as his prede-cessors. While committed to continuing his family’s no-till and water control practices, the Murray State University gradu-ate, with help from his wife, Crystal, has taken the lead to implement new soil-saving prac-tices including cover crops, soil testing and variable-rate prac-tices, and pollinator habitats.

This year, the Henry Farmers Cooperative board

member received national recognition for his family’s stellar soil stewardship. The American Soybean Association (ASA) has named Grant the Southern Region winner of the 2018 Conservation Legacy Award.

“The farmers who receive this award are shining ex-amples of how U.S. soybean

farmers are dedicated and responsible stewards of the land,” says ASA President John Heisdorffer, who farms in Iowa. “[They represent so many] U.S. farmers [who] work hard to grow crops in a sustainable manner, with a focus on continuous improve-ment in their management practices.”

According to Grant, main-taining and creating water control structures and water-ways on 3,000 acres is one of the most time-consuming of the farm’s conservation practices.

To date, the Norwoods have built more than 125 water and sediment control basins on the land they farm, both owned and rented. They plan to add four more in the next year. Where structures aren’t possible, they’ve created waterways to allow for proper water flow.

Like his father in the ‘80s, Grant depends on the Na-tional Resources Conservation Service for advice on what and where to build, but he does the work himself with his own equipment.

“The NRCS program has allowed the farm opportu-nities to incorporate many conservation practices such as water control structures, grass waterways, and cover crops,” he says. “Water control pro-vides a benefit for more than just that farmland; the general public benefits, too, because in building these structures we are reducing the amount of run off and sediment in our streams and lake.”

One of Grant’s first conser-vation decisions as a full-time farmer was incorporating cover crops. He was intro-

Mansfield’s Grant Norwood and his wife, Crystal, proudly work their family’s Century Farm, taking care to leave the land better for the next generation.

Grant says earthworms are so important on his farm that his oldest daughter affectionately calls them the family’s livestock.

lMansfield

Story and photos by Sarah Geyer

28 May 2018

(continued from page 27)Stewardship

duced to the practice while attending a soil conference and returned to the farm com-mitted to learning more about this technique with plans to implement it behind the next harvest.

Ten years ago, he and Don were among the first produc-ers in their region to utilize cover crops, initially planting 350 acres with a three-species mix. Today most of their land with row crops — 1,450 acres of yellow corn and 1,550 acres of soybeans — is followed with either a five-species cover crop mix or production winter wheat.

For each field, Grant varies the ratio of the mix, which in-cludes cereal rye, crimson clo-ver, winter wheat, winter peas, and tillage radishes, based on the type of land and crop rota-tion. He says they’ve seen suc-cess with cover crops through a reduction in soil erosion, effective weed suppression, and an increase in the soil’s capacity to hold water.

“I use earthworms as a gauge for what’s happening below the soil’s surface,” he says. “My theory is that a good population of earthworms is a sign of soil health. I keep a shovel in my truck so I can

check on my earthworms at any time.”

Although earthworms provide an instant soil check for Grant, the Norwoods also regularly soil sample using their own equipment, alter-nating half their acreage each year.

“[Having my own equip-ment] allows me to take

samples more accurately because I am familiar with sudden changes in our land,” says Grant. “I am able to stay abreast of soil changes and know what nutrients need to be added in the fields for healthier soil.”

The soil sample data is also used with variable-rate technol-ogy for fertilizer and lime appli-cations. They also variable-rate plant 100 percent of their corn acres using years of data.

Although soil health is important, Grant says he and his family are equally con-cerned about soil compaction. In an effort to reduce the impact of heavy machinery in their fields, they purchased a 1,000-bushel grain cart with tracks and have equipped their Hagie sprayer with float tires, too.

“We’ve combined our corn planting and nitrogen needs to a one-pass system,” he explains. “We apply all our nitrogen as a liquid with our planter in an effort to further reduce compaction.”

Two years ago, the trailblaz-ers embraced a new conser-vation program through the Farm Services Agency (FSA). As part of the Pollinator Habitat Initiative, part of the FSA’s Conservation Resources Program, Grant and Crystal

have committed nine acres of their farmland to the project.

Participating farmers are required to remove the quali-fying land from production for 10 years, planting the acre-age, instead, with a mixture of pollinator-friendly plants.

“The habitats benefit not only the pollinators but also the land itself,” says Grant. “The seed mix includes native grasses that over the years will help the soil rebuild.”

In addition to the Nor-woods’ soil health efforts, the ASA award committee also ac-knowledged the farm family’s “green” practices, including using three-phase electricity for their grain storage site and installing a recycle bin for the farm and home and allowing neighbors to use it as a drop-off point.

Grant says he’s proud to be recognized by the ASA for his family’s continued commit-ment to conservation efforts.

“It’s vital to our longevity and livelihood,” explains the father of three: Karamaneh, 10, Caleb, 5, and Lauren, 3. “Our family’s focus on sus-tainability from one gen-eration to the next is how we have been able to continue to farm the same land for five generations and, hopefully, many generations to come.”

Grant, right, discusses his use of cover crops or winter wheat on his farmland with Scott Massey, manager of Henry Farmers Cooperative’s Cottage Grove location.

Grant and his youngest child, Lauren, 3, pose in front of their grain cart with tracks to reduce soil compaction.

May 2018 29

30 May 2018

Story and photo by Chris Villines

On April 17, 2013, business ceased to be “as usual” in West,

Texas, as a massive ammonium nitrate explosion at a fertilizer storage and distribution facility in the town killed 15 people, injured more than 160 oth-ers, and damaged or destroyed more than 150 buildings.

The tragic event put intense scrutiny on the fertilizer indus-try and businesses that distribute and market fertilizer products to farmers. And it led to the formation of ResponsibleAg, an industry-led initiative created by the Agricultural Retailers Association and The Fertilizer Institute to promote public wel-fare by assisting ag retailers like Co-op in complying with federal environmental, health, safety, and security rules regarding the safe handling and storage of fertilizer products.

At the core of ResponsibleAg is a safety checklist, devel-oped by a technical committee comprised of industry regula-tory professionals, that is used by credentialed auditors to assess the level of compliance at each participating facility. Representing the Co-op system as auditors are Randy Crowell, manager of Tennessee Farmers

Cooperative’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) De-partment, and EHS Specialist Drew Landerman.

“ResponsibleAg provides great support in effectively as-sessing the performance of all Co-op locations in a uniform, structured format,” says Crow-ell. “This accredited program is a component of TFC’s overall Safety Activity Program and al-lows us to partner with a third party to provide a structured approach to the auditing pro-cess and guidance to our facili-ties. ResponsibleAg audits help them better understand the regulations they face. With-out this information, a Co-op could potentially sidetrack an area pertinent to its business.”

To date, Crowell says he and Landerman have per-formed more than 140 audits across the system, and more than 100 Co-op facilities have earned ResponsibleAg certification. Certified facili-ties have the added incentive of qualifying for discounts on insurance premiums.

Most recently, Rutherford Farmers Cooperative’s DeKalb branch became the 1,000th facility nationally to earn the ResponsibleAg designation out of the more than 2,600 registered with the program.

“It has helped our aware-ness of safety a lot,” says Derek Pack, manager of the DeKalb store. “Many of the recommendations on the ResponsibleAg assessment were common-sense things we should have been doing for years. It made us dig a little deeper and take a broader look at what we’re doing. It was eye-opening.”

Facilities registered under ResponsibleAg are audited ev-ery three years using a check-list containing Federal regula-tory requirements applicable to the storage and handling of fertilizer and/or other agrichemical products, feeds, equipment, and applicable reg-ulatory issues. ResponsibleAg audits center on the following compliance areas:

• EHS Documentation• Maintenance Records• Office & Grounds• Dry Fertilizer Warehouse• Bulk Liquid Fertilizer• Anhydrous Ammonia

Facility• Anhydrous Ammonia

Mobile Equipment• Shop Safety• Forklift/End Loaders• Commercial Motor

Vehicles• Application/Nurse

Equipment

• Waste Management• Fuel Storage, Delivery,

and Transfer (Gasoline, Diesel, Propane, or others)

• Car Care/Service Centers• Seed Treater/Warehouse• Chemical Warehouse• Bulk Pesticide• Grain/Feed“If applicable, facilities will

receive a corrective action plan listing any issues documented by the auditor,” says Lander-man. “Only after all items are corrected will the facility be-come ResponsibleAg certified.”

Co-ops have access to the documents used during the audit, so they can prepare and know there will not be any surprises.

“ResponsibleAg is a tool we can all look to, comply with, and say this is a relative standard that we as a system follow,” says Joey Caldwell, a member of TFC’s Risk Man-agement Board and general manager of Tipton Farmers Cooperative, which has earned certification at both its main location in Covington and branch store in Halls. “It doesn’t hurt to have some ex-ternal perspective about what you’re doing. ResponsibleAg has provided that for us and other Co-ops. We want to com-municate to our employees, farmer members, and the com-munities we operate in that we’re responsible stewards.”

Claiborne Farmers Coop-erative General Manager Rick Keck, a fellow TFC Risk Man-agement Board member, says ResponsibleAg has helped Co-op facilities to not only be-come compliant with federal regulations, but also become more aware of them.

“There are some regulations that people at a facility might not have even realized they weren’t in compliance with,” explains Keck, who notes that all three Claiborne Farmers locations — New Tazewell, Speedwell, and LaFollette — are ResponsibleAg Certi-fied. “The long-term effect of ResponsibleAg will not only be a safer work environment for our employees, customers, and neighbors, but also the added savings on insurance. It pays to be proactive.”

For more information about ResponsibleAg, visit www.responsibleag.org.

ResponsibleAg tool guides Co-ops in taking proactive measures to benefit community, farmer members, and employees

Serious about safetyRutherford Farmers Cooperative’s DeKalb branch recently became the 1,000th facility nationwide to earn ResponsibleAg certification. Celebrating the achievement are Co-op employees, from left, Randy Sowell, Chris Johnson, Lane Poss, manager Derek Pack, Barry Bose, and Tammy Smith.

May 2018 31

32 May 2018

Story by Allison Parker, photos by Allison Parker and Chris Villines

It is no secret that the future of Tennessee agriculture is bright with the more than

168,000 4-Hers and 14,000 FFA members that stretch from Johnson City to Memphis. Members of both organizations

made lasting memories and took part in exciting adventures at the 71st Annual Tennessee 4-H Congress and 90th Annual Tennessee State FFA Conven-tion in March.

Tennessee 4-H Congress was held March 18-20 and the distinctive green 4-H sweaters were out and in full

force at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro. The event’s theme was “Branching From Our Roots” and more than 400 members, volun-teers, and Extension staff attended the three-day gather-ing. TFC is a proud sponsor of 4-H Congress.

The event is designed so that senior 9th and 10th grade 4-H members from each county may attend to help them de-velop a better understanding of citizenship, stimulate leader-ship experiences for 4-H’ers and leaders on a statewide basis, and help 4-H’ers develop a greater appreciation of the history and heritage of Tennes-see. Participants took part in legislative visits and tours at the Tennessee State Capitol and Legislative Plaza in Nashville. Students sat in the seat of their elected representative or sena-tor and held a mock session in the house and senate, which

in return helped the 4-H’ers gain an appreciation for state government.

High school students of all grades also attended Congress as award winners in their lead-ership and citizenship project portfolio, public speaking, and Congress essay contest. Outside of competing in their respected contest area, these students also helped the 4-H performing arts troop put on the annual 4-H pageant dinner show and participated in com-munity service.

Each year, the event is led by three Congress officers who were elected at the previous year’s Congress. Throughout the three days, students attended campaign rallies, gave speeches, and prepared for the election of new Congress officers. This year’s newly elected Congress officers included Chloe’ Rag-land of Van Buren County, who will serve as the Speaker of the

Tennessee’s top youth development organizations gather at Tennessee 4-H Congress and Tennessee State FFA Convention to honor members and elect new officers.

Tennessee 4-H Congress, held March 18-20 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Murfreesboro, gathered more than 400 members, volunteers, and Extension staff. Several members had the chance to compete in contests including the Tennessee 4-H History Bowl hosted by 4-H alum and Emmy-winning senior meteorologist Lelan Statom of Nashville’s NewsChannel 5.

Bright futures ahead

The newly elected Tennessee State FFA officers for 2018-19 are: (Front row, from left) East Tennessee Vice President Chloe Ford, David Crockett; Middle Tennessee Vice President Makenzie Moorehead, Fayetteville City; and West Tennessee Vice President Averi Cole, Covington. (Back row, from left) Treasurer Tarrah Ivy, Scotts Hill; Sentinel Garrett Franklin, Clay County; President Luke Love, Riverdale; Secretary Nick Carpenter, Cumberland County; and Reporter Anna Grace Brown, South Gibson County.

May 2018 33

House; Claire Brooks of Warren County, Speaker of the Senate; and Katherine Ann Thierfelder of Madison County, Governor. These officers will have the op-portunity to lead sessions in the state house and senate where 4-H members vote on bills, serve as 4-H ambassadors for the year, and experience many other lead-ership opportunities throughout the 2019 4-H Congress.

“Being elected Congress Governor was honestly one of the best experiences I have ever had in 4-H,” says Thi-erfelder. “When I moved to Jackson, I was given the oppor-tunity to join 4-H, and it has opened the doors ever since to pursue my passions.”

The 90th Annual Tennes-see State FFA Convention took place March 25-28 at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. With the theme “I Can. We Will,” 3,000 FFA members, advisors, alumni, and agribusi-ness partners gathered for the opportunity to learn valuable leadership and technical skills and celebrate the successes of the past year. The annual event celebrated chapter achieve-ments and gave students the opportunity to compete and earn the spot to represent Tennessee at the National FFA Convention in October in In-dianapolis, Ind.

Among highlights of this year’s conference was Co-op’s presentation of a check for $11,000, the proceeds from the FFA t-shirt program devel-oped jointly between Tennessee Farmers Cooperative and the FFA Foundation. Local chap-ters were encouraged to sell

the shirts, which featured the convention’s “I Can. We Will” theme, to earn additional means of funding for their activities.

TFC also sponsored awards at the convention for Diversi-fied Agricultural Production, which went to Ryan Patrum from the Paris FFA Chapter, and for Diversified Livestock Production, which went to Murray Perkins of the Paris FFA Chapter.

In the prepared public speaking contest, sponsored by TFC, the state winner was John Ryan Scarlett of the Jefferson County FFA chapter, whose speech was on agriculture sus-tainability.

The Star in Agribusiness award, sponsored by TFC, went to Ben Young of the Coffee County FFA Chapter. Young’s

project included a farrier service, which he currently operates with around 30 to 40 clients in Southern Middle Tennessee.

During the convention, a new slate of state officers was select-ed from a field of 24 candidates. Those wishing to serve as a state officer went through a rigorous interview process that consisted of a knowledge exam, a letter writing exercise, and individual and group interviews that evalu-ated the candidates’ leadership qualities and understanding of agricultural issues. The process was scored by a 12-member nominating committee, which was comprised of six FFA mem-bers (two from each region) and six adult members (agribusiness leaders, agriculture teachers, and an agriculture professor from the University of Ten-nessee at Martin). Bart Krisle, TFC’s Chief Executive Officer,

served as one of the agribusi-ness representatives on this year’s nominating committee.

The newly elected officers for 2018-19 are: President Luke Love, Riverdale; Secretary Nick Carpenter, Cumberland County; West Tennessee Vice President Averi Cole, Covington; Middle Tennessee Vice President Makenzie Moorehead, Fayette-ville City; East Tennessee Vice President Chloe Ford, David Crockett; Treasurer Tarrah Ivy, Scotts Hill; Reporter Anna Grace Brown, South Gibson County; and Sentinel Garrett Franklin, Clay County.

“When I heard my name, I was so completely shocked and ecstatic at the moment,” said Love. “I’m so excited to give back to the FFA community because we are made up of chapters all across the state, and I can’t wait to meet the over 14,000 members.”

Tennessee Farmers Cooperative was represented at the FFA Convention Career and Trade Show where Paul Binkley, TFC director of education and training, spent time speaking to students such as Station Camp FFA members, from left, Austin Parker and Reece Atwood, about the internship opportunities offered through TFC.

From left, Marlee Lucas of Bledsoe County FFA and Austin Parker, Hallie Murphy, and Reece Atwood of Station Camp FFA show off the “I Can. We Will” shirt from the Co-op t-shirt program. The shirt, designed by Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s Marketing and Communications Department, was sold by local FFA chapters throughout Tennessee.

The 2018-2019 newly elected 4-H Congress officers, from left, are Chloe’ Ragland of Van Buren County, Speaker of the House; Katherine Ann Thierfelder of Madison County, Governor; and Claire Brooks of Warren County, Speaker of the Senate.

34 May 2018

What’s Cookin’?

Clip, save, and serve

A freshly baked loaf of banana-nut bread fills the air with a sweet aroma that will instantly attract folks to the kitchen for a slice of the moist, flaky treat. Perfect for any time of day, Annie R. Martin’s recipe for this traditional favorite has earned her “Cook of the Month” honors for May.

There are few fruits as delicious and good for you as the classic banana. Americans eat an average of 27

pounds of bananas per person every year. Bananas are low in calories, have no fat, or sodium, or cholesterol, and are known to give the boost of energy one needs to get through the day.

Whether you prefer to eat your banana in bread, pudding, smoothie, or just straight from the peel, there are plenty of ways to eat this scrumptious treat, as shown by our Coop-erator readers.

“Banana-Nut Bread” from Annie R. Martin of Madison-ville is sure to satisfy anyone’s decadent dessert craving. Annie is this month’s “Cook of the Month.”

Other featured recipes are Banana Cream Cheesecake, Banana Nut Ice Cream, Banana Cake, Banana-Caramel Pudding Parfaits, Banana Bars, Deep Fried Banana Bites, and Frozen Fruit.

Enjoy!

What you will need: Directions:

May 2018 winning recipeBanana-Nut Bread

Annie R. Martin, Madisonville, AgCentral Farmers Cooperative

• 3⁄4 cup butter, softened• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,

softened• 2 cups sugar• 2 large eggs• 3 cups all-purpose flour• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt• 11⁄2 cups mashed bananas (about

4 medium, ripe, almost black or very speckled)

• 1 cup chopped pecans• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Add eggs; beat until blended.

Combine flour and next three ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low-speed until well blended.

Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla.Spoon batter into two greased and floured 8x4-

inch loaf pans.Bake at 350º for 1 hour or until done. Cool

bread in pan on wire rack 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Banana Cream Cheesecake

20 vanilla sandwich cookies

1⁄4 cup butter, melted3 (8 ounce) packages

cream cheese, softened2⁄3 cup sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch3 eggs3⁄4 cup mashed bananas

(about 2)1⁄2 cup whipped cream2 teaspoons vanilla extractPreheat oven to 350º. Place

cookies in a blender; pulse until finely crushed. Add butter; pro-cess until blended. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of 10-inch springform pan; refrigerate.

Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar and cornstarch; beat until

Betterwith

bananas

May 2018 35

What’s Cookin’?

Canning recipes in July!Even though veggies from the sum-

mer garden are great straight off the vine, they seem to taste ever better when they are out of season. The long-time food saver tradition, can-ning, allows you to extend the shelf life of your summer garden favorites so you can enjoy them all year long! Canning dates back to the late 18th century in France, and has provided a safe and reliable method of food preservation ever since.

Send us your favorite canning recipes— beans, jams, tomatoes, squash, or other delicious ideas. The person submitting the recipe judged best will be named “Cook of the Month” for the July Cooperator and receive $10. Others sending recipes chosen for publication will receive $5, and each win-ner will also receive a special “What’s Cookin’?” certificate.

Tuesday, May 29, is the deadline for your canning recipes.Don’t forget: Only recipes with complete, easy-to-follow instruc-

tions 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, The 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: pcampbell@ourcoop.com. Be sure to in-clude 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.

blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas, whipped cream, and vanilla. Pour cream cheese mixture into crust. Place pan on cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes.

Reduce oven to 200º and con-tinue baking 75 minutes or until center is almost set. Loosen edge of cheesecake; cool completely on wire rack before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate, uncovered, 6 hours or overnight. Allow cheese-cake to stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

When serving, sprinkle a few banana slices on top and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Norma ReaJackson

Gibson Farmers Cooperative

TEvelyn’s Party Pie

1 cup crushed pineapple with juice

1⁄2 cup sugarDash or salt2 tablespoons cornstarch1 baked pie shell3 bananasLemon juiceWhipped creamCoconut and chopped nuts,

optionalMix and cook crushed pine-

apple, sugar, salt, and corn-starch until thickened; cool.

Slice bananas into baked pie shell; sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning. Spread pineap-ple mixture over bananas. Cover with whipped cream; sprinkle with coconut and chopped nuts.

Frances SumnerClarksville

Montgomery Farmers Cooperative

TBanana Cake

11⁄2 cups sugar1 cup shortening2 eggs4 large bananas1 teaspoon soda4 tablespoons sour milk1⁄4 teaspoon salt1⁄2 cup chopped nuts21⁄2 cups flour1 teaspoon vanillaCream sugar and shortening,

add eggs and bananas; beat well. Put soda into milk, add to batter along with salt, nuts, flour, and vanilla; beat well. Bake for 45 minutes at 350º.

Amanda MillerMcKenzie

Carroll Farmers Cooperative

TBanana-Caramel Pudding Parfaits

3 cups milk4 ripe bananas, peeled and

mashed until smooth1⁄2 cup sugar4 egg yolks2 teaspoons vanilla extract2 tablespoons cornstarch1 (11 ounce) box vanilla

wafers, crushed1 cup caramel sauce2 cups whipped creamIn a saucepan over medium-

high heat, bring milk to a simmer. Whisk in banana puree and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring often. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, vanil-la extract, and cornstarch; stream in 1⁄4 cup hot milk mixture to tem-per eggs, whisking constantly. Add egg mixture to pot; stir constantly until pudding thickens. Transfer to bowl and chill 1 hour.

Divide half the crushed wa-fers among 10 mini Mason jars. Divide half the pudding and caramel sauce among jars; re-peat layering. Top with whipped cream and crushed wafers as desired.

Sunny BunchTazewell

Claiborne Farmers Cooperative

TBanana Bars

Bars:1⁄2 cup butter11⁄2 cups sugar2 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla 2 ripe bananas, mashed2 cups flour1⁄2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda3⁄4 cup buttermilk1⁄4 cup chopped nutsCream butter and sugar; add

eggs and beat well. Add vanilla and bananas; beat well. Add dry ingredients, buttermilk, and nuts; beat well. Pour into well-greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake at 350º for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool and frost.

Frosting:6 tablespoons butter6 tablespoons brown sugar6 tablespoons cream or

milkPowdered sugarBring butter, brown sugar,

and milk to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Cool to lukewarm and beat in enough powdered sugar

until spreadable consistency. Spread on cooled bars.

Jo Ann HughesTompkinsville, Ky.Macon-Trousdale

Farmers Cooperative

TDeep Fried

Banana Bites

3 bananas1 cup pancake mix1 cup milk1 egg, beaten1 teaspoon vanilla1⁄4 cup powdered sugarVegetable oil for deep

fryingSlice bananas in 1⁄2-inch

slices. Combine pancake mix, milk, egg, and vanilla. Beat all together until well combined.

Line a plate with paper tow-els. Fill a pan with oil for deep frying. Dip banana slices in prepared batter. Drip off excess batter; drop banana slices in hot oil. Fry 1 to 2 minutes. Do not crowd banana slices while frying. Remove from oil when done, drop on plate that is lined with paper towel, and dust with powder sugar.

Serve with carmel sauce, chocolate syrup, or ice cream.

Barbara TedderHarriman

AgCentral Farmers Cooperative

TFrozen Fruit

l (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, not drained

1 (12 ounce) frozen orange juice or Five Alive

l1⁄2 cups crushed strawber-ries

5 mashed bananas2 cups 7-Up or Sprite3⁄4 to 1 cup sugar1⁄2 cup chopped pecansAdd all ingredients; mix well.

Pour into flat plastic container and freeze. Let stand several minutes before serving. Cut into bars.

Can be used as a base for punch.

Carolee SmithBradford

Gibson Farmers Cooperative

Facebook exclusive!We receive so many great recipes each month, we can’t print them all! But visit us on Facebook for more recipes available only to fans of our page. Visit www.facebook.com/TennesseeFarmersCooperative and click on “Notes” to get the recipes.

36 May 2018

May 2018 37

38 May 2018

Pulling togetherEvery Farmer Has A Story Dwayne and Clara Hodges

received his American Farmer degree at the National FFA Convention.

“That’s really when I knew I wanted to be a farmer,” says Dwayne.

Within a few years, however, Dwayne began to get restless at the Co-op.

“I don’t know what he had in mind for me, but Mr. Ballard had me doing a lot of paperwork, and I got to where I didn’t know if that was the thing for me or not,” says Dwayne.

He asked his father-in-law what he should do, and his dad’s reply was: “Son, it’s your choice.”

His father-in-law helped him get hired at the ALCOA factory in Blount County, but after nine

months, Dwayne was laid off. He soon secured another factory job at the American Enka plant in Morristown, but the posi-tion required him to work swing shifts, which took its toll on the young family.

“We lived in the house with my inlaws, and I helped on the farm when I wasn’t work-ing,” says Dwayne, who by then had four children – daughters Darlene and Sandy and sons Ray and Lon. “Finally, Clara sat me down and said, ‘This isn’t work-ing.’ So I quit to farm full time.”

On December 16, 1977, his dad passed away. And it was then that he and his brother, Lowell, decided to pool their money, machinery, and land and farm

The Hodges make tractors a family affair

Story and photos by Glen Liford

It was in high school that Dwayne Hodges first be-came involved in FFA and

found his life’s calling. Dwayne attended Sevier

County High School and was a student of vocational ag teacher W.S. Coe. It was under Mr. Coe’s tutelage that Dwayne de-veloped a love of agriculture.

“That was my main subject,” says Dwayne, now an 82-year-old retired farmer and former director of Sevier Farmers Cooperative. “I liked to see how things grow. And I liked that lump of money you could make. My father-in-law T.A. Robert-son, encouraged me, too. He said, ‘Son, when you get a little money, don’t drag it out. Put it up. A lump sum is what does you some good when you want to buy something.’”

Though Mr. Coe could be a strict disciplinarian, he and Dwayne hit it off well. And his supervision of Dwayne’s farm program led to Mr. Coe offering Dwayne career advice. During a farm visit, Mr. Coe said he had heard that the Co-op’s manager, McKinley Ballard, was looking for help and suggested Dwayne apply.

“He hired me, and I went to work on July 5, 1954,” says Dwayne. “The first day on the job, they sent me out with another man to deliver fertilizer. We put it into a barn loft, and it was about 95 degrees that day.”

A few months later, Dwayne married his high school sweet-heart, Clara Robertson.

“We had been friends in high school,” says Dwayne. “But she thought I got to looking awful beautiful towards the last.”

Dwayne spent the next two-and-a-half years or so working at the Co-op, as he was start-ing his family. In October of 1955, with Clara expecting the couple’s first child, he traveled to Kansas City, Mo., where he

together. The Hodges raised beef cattle — mainly Holstein steers – and hay, and did some row cropping, growing wheat, soybeans, and corn on farms on both sides of the French Broad River in Kodak, and the farm owned by Clara’s parents in Sevierville. At their peak, the brothers were farming more than 800 acres. They farmed together for some 35 years or so, before retiring. A third brother, Ron, spent his career working with Tennessee Farmers Cooperative. Now, Dwayne’s grandson, Clint, serves as manager of Sevier Farmers Co-op.

In the late 1970s, the Co-op came calling on Dwayne again, and he agreed to become a direc-

tor, eventually serving a total of 18 years. He was also on the board of the Soil Conservation Service for 19 years.

“I don’t know how I got so popular,” says Dwayne with a chuckle. “They felt like I could do it, I reckon.”

During his farming days, nothing pleased Dwayne more than driving his tractor.

“We never let a tractor sit still,” he says. “If it was sitting in a shed, it wasn’t making us anything. We would find somewhere to run a tractor — fixing somebody’s land or seeding a field.”

Dwayne and his two sons shared a fondness for the ma-chines, but after a few pulls,

the boys “got interested in girls” and the tractors fell by the wayside, he says.

So it came as no surprise to any of the family when 20 or 25 years ago, Dwayne again became interested in antique tractors and tractor pulls. He bought a bright red Farmall M, shined it up, and took it to a pull at the Sevierville Fair-grounds. He and Clint have different memories of the outcome — Clint says he placed first, while Dwayne thinks it was a third-place finish. Regardless, the bug had bitten him again, and he returned the follow-ing year with a more powerful Farmall Super M.

“It did well,” says Dwayne modestly. “But I like competi-tion. I had to get up there with some of the bigger boys. I built a Farmall 400 to compete in the 12,000-to-13,000-pound class.”

In the meantime, Clara laid claim to the Super M, and the couple began attending events together, even pulling against each other a time or two. Dwayne won the first round, while Clara took top honors in the second round. They now have an attic full of trophies from their pulling exploits. And their grandchildren, including Clint and his brothers, Ty and Lane, enjoy taking in the pulls and shows with them. At one time, Dwayne had 16 of the vin-tage workhorses, but he’s down to 11 now, giving several away to his grandchildren, and last fall set one aside for Clint’s newborn son, Cade, who was Dwayne and Clara’s 13th great-grandchild.

Last year, Dwayne donated that first Farmall M to Sevier County High School FFA.

“I felt like I owed them,” says Dwayne. “FFA and Mr. Coe helped me so much when I was younger. And if they could help some boy or girl with the pro-ceeds from that tractor, that was well and good.”

The restored tractor will be raffled off this summer to raise money for the program.

lSevier

Dwayne Hodges shows off a story detailing his reception of the FFA American Farmer degree in 1955. Until a few years ago, Dwayne had never seen the article. But as his sister was cleaning out some of his mother’s things, she found the article and shared it with Dwayne. Favorite tractors and farm scenes are also featured on the wall of the lovely home he shares with wife Clara.

May 2018 39

ABOVE: Clara Hodges shows off her pulling skills at a local event a few years ago. The energetic tractor enthusiast has pulled the throttle back on her pulling exploits since obtaining a pair of titanium knees in the past few years. She still enjoys the events with her family, however. RIGHT: Dwayne and Clara pose with the powerful Farmall 400 that Dwayne built to “compete with the big boys.” The distinctive tractor has had extensive engine enhancements to make it competitive and the machine’s roar reflects those modifications.

Every Farmer Has A Story

40 May 2018