High expectations - Microsoft · to decrease as compared with 2017, while production acres of dark fire-cured and dark air-cured tobacco are estimated to increase. Burley tobacco

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October/November 2018

Also insideUSDA rolls out programs for farmers impacted by tariffs - p. 6

Greene Farmers Co-op member wins Great Tractor Giveaway - p. 10

Brown Farms one of many Tennessee agritourism operations - p. 26

High expectationsfor Tennessee’s 2018 harvest

October/November 2018 3

Relief in sight USDA rolls out trade mitigation package for farmers impacted by ‘unjustified’ foreign retaliatory tariffs. The Great Tractor Giveaway Greene Farmers Co-op member Gary Rector is sweepstakes winner.

Hobby beginnings Bethel Springs championship horse trainer Josh Young finds success after transforming his father Ricky’s treasured pastime into a flourishing equine enterprise.

Profit with winter wheat As global demand for wheat continues to increase, agronomy specialists urge farmers to apply intensive crop production management to this often overlooked crop. Generations inspiring generations Featuring family-friendly activities, Brown Farms is one of dozens of Tennessee agritourism operations offering a great time this fall.

TenneScene 4 Snapshots ‘Back to our roots.’

5 Our Country Churches Indian Ridge Baptist Church in Grainger County.

14 New at Co-op Learn about two new products.

16 Neighborly Advice Owned by you, built for you.

17 Neighborly Advice Feedstuffs for wild deer.

30 What’s Cookin’? Dutch dining.

34 Every Farmer Has A Story Meet Robertson County’s Randy Goff, known as “Uncle Randy” to many he’s influenced.

In every issue

News and features

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18

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26

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The annual sight of dark-fired tobacco smoking in the barn signals the unofficial start of fall for many Middle Tennesseans. These barns house part of the 132 acres grown at the D.W. Rollins farm in Montgomery County. — Photo by Chris Villines

Cover StoryOctober/November 2018

contents Tennessee’s harvest projections estimate most crops will see an increase in yield

and production, with corn expected to reach a second consecutive year of record-setting numbers. As of press time (Sept. 26), the state’s farmers are full throttle in the fields, nearing the midway point of the soybean harvest. – Photo by Sarah Geyer

On the cover: This year’s corn harvest is expected to average 174 bushels per acre, a 3-bushel increase over last year. — Photo by Glen Liford

5 High expectations

10

4 October/November 2018

In celebration of the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) brand’s 40th anniversary, some 40 barns nationwide are being painted with the brand’s distinctive logo. In Ten-nessee, two barns will feature the CAB trademark: WinCrest Angus in Johnson

City and Deere Valley Angus Farm in Fayetteville. The idea for the promotion originated as the CAB staff brainstormed how to cel-

ebrate its 40-year history. A director suggested painting barns.“It’s one of those ideas that develops a life of its own,” says Margaret Coleman,

CAB director of digital marketing. “The brand was started by Angus producers, and this [effort] connects us back to our roots. We’ve been able to visit some historic Angus operations.”

The WinCrest Barn is the 33rd to be painted in the promotion. It is owned by Sam and Betty Widener and sits near the intersection of Carroll Creek Road and Brown’s Mill Road, in clear view of bustling Interstate 26 in Johnson City. The front of the community landmark was already adorned with two quilt squares based on family heirlooms.

According to 2016 traffic counts, some 6,400 vehicles a day pass by the barn on Carroll Creek Road and another 63,000 on Interstate 26.

The Wideners bought the historic farm that was once the Wayland Crouch Farm in 1984. It is the homeplace of John Crouch, who spent his career working for the American Angus Association and served as executive director of the organization from 2002 to 2006.

Sam and Betty farm more than 300 acres of land in Washington and Sullivan counties and have a herd of 75 registered Angus, selling bulls and replacement heifers. The Wideners, who also own a whole-sale flooring business, originally got into Angus cattle as a 4-H project for their children, Kim and Chris.

The Widener barn was built in the 1940s and was used as a milk barn for the family’s dairy operation. It originally sat where the Carroll Creek Bridge crosses over what is now Interstate 26. The road’s con-struction forced the relocation of the building in 1969, and the main structure of the barn was moved intact to its current location. The wings on either side were added later.

The CAB logo was painted in only three days by Troy Freeman of Free Sky Studios of Springfield, Ill. He’ll return to Tennessee later this year to paint the 38th barn at Deere Valley Angus Farm.

“This one was a pleasure to paint,” says Troy. “The smooth wood made it great, and the logo really pops against that black background.”

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: [email protected]

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

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

Editor: Glen [email protected]

Assistant Editor: Chris [email protected]

Communications Specialist: Sarah [email protected]

Senior Graphic Designer: Shane [email protected]

Graphic Designer: Jason [email protected]

Layout & Production Coordinator:Travis Merriman

[email protected] Assistant: Polly Campbell

[email protected] Information: Jason Barns615-793-8316, [email protected]

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:

October/November 2018Volume 59, Number 10

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

Snapshots

Glen Liford

Editor

‘Back to our roots’

Sam Widener, left, along with his grandsons, from left, Will and Ben Edwards, and his son and daughter-in-law Chris and Cindy Widener and their daughter Kelsey, hosted some 100 people at the historic WinCrest Angus barn on Sept. 12 for the unveiling of the new Certified Angus Beef logo as part of the brand’s 40th anniversary.

Certified Angus Beef stages unique promotion for its 40th anniversary


By Sarah Geyer

A s of press time (Sept. 26), harvest projections for Tennessee estimate

most of the state’s crops will net an increase in both yield and production.

For the second consecutive year, corn is expected to reach record-setting harvest numbers. According to the Sept. 12 report from the U.S. Department of Ag-riculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Ten-nessee corn yields are expected to average 174 bushels per acre, up 3 bushels from last year and a state record. Production is also expected to surpass last year by at least 5 percent with an esti-mated 127 million bushels.

Corn yields nationwide are estimated at 181 bushels per acre, which, if realized, will be a record-setting harvest.

“Growers in Tennessee and across the country have

seen corn yields climb over the last few years,” says Alan Sparkman, manager of agronomy marketing for Ten-nessee Farmers Cooperative. “Not only has the state been blessed with good growing conditions, but it’s also a tes-tament to the improvements in seed genetics and growers implementing best manage-ment practices from crop nutrient programs to timely pest control.”

The NASS report also esti-mates increases over last year in both production and yield for soybeans and cotton.

The state’s soybean produc-tion is forecast at 87.7 million bushels, up from last year by 6 percent with yields expected to average 51 bushels per acre, a 1-bushel increase from 2017.

Cotton production is esti-mated to increase 9 percent over last year with 800,000 bales, and yields are projected

to reach 1,082 pounds per acre, up 49 pounds per acre from last year.

The state’s production of burley tobacco is estimated to decrease as compared with 2017, while production acres of dark fire-cured and dark air-cured tobacco are estimated to increase.

Burley tobacco production is forecasted at 10.2 million pounds, down 43 percent from last year. Yield is project-

ed at 1,700 pounds per acre, an increase of 200 pounds from 2017.

Both dark fire-cured and air-cured tobacco should see increased production compared to 2017, with an estimated 22 million pounds of fire-cured, up 5 percent, and 6.72 mil-lion pounds of air-cured, up 68 percent.

Look for expanded harvest coverage in The Cooperator’s December issue.

High expectations

Ag industry experts estimate that Tennessee farmers will see both yield and production increases for the state’s corn, soybean, and cotton crops.

Our Country Churches

The congregation of Indian Ridge Baptist Church in Blaine is observing the church’s 175th anniversary this year with multiple celebrations. Charter members founded the church in November 1943 and were former members of Buffalo Baptist Church and the Mouth of Richland Baptist Church. Other than the school house where the original members met, the present church building is the third for the Indian Ridge Baptist Church congregation. Rev. Gary Satterfield is the pastor of the church, which is located at 4900 Indian Ridge Road, Blaine, Tenn. 37709.

Indian Ridge Baptist Church in Grainger County

277th in a series to show where our rural Co-op friends worship

Tennessee’s harvest projections estimate most crops will see increase in yield and production, with corn likely reaching record-setting numbers


By Chris Villines

Farmers whose commodi-ties were directly affected by retaliatory tariffs from

U.S. trading partners now have an avenue for receiving assistance.

Early last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched a trade mitigation package to assist producers in Tennessee and other states. USDA is offering three programs as part of the package:

• The Market Facilitation Program, administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provides payments to eligible producers of corn, cotton, dairy, hog, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat.

• A Food Purchase and Distribution Program, admin-istered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS),

will purchase $1.2 billion in surplus commodities targeted by “unjustified” retaliation.

• The Agricultural Trade Promotion Program, through the Foreign Agriculture Ser-vice, will help develop foreign markets for U.S. agricultural products. Some $200 million is available for the program.

U.S. Secretary of Agri-culture Sonny Perdue first announced in July that USDA would act to aid farmers in response to trade damage.

“These programs will allow President Trump time to strike long-term trade deals to benefit our entire economy, includ-ing the agricultural sector, in the long run,” Perdue says. “Farmers will tell you that they would always prefer to sell a good crop at a fair price, rather than receive government aid, and that’s what long-term trade deals will accomplish. But in

the meantime, President Trump has promised that he will not allow American agriculture to bear the brunt of unjustified re-taliation from foreign nations. We are putting the President’s promise into action.”

In total, USDA will authorize up to $12 billion in programs, consistent with World Trade Organization obligations.

“President Trump has been standing up to China and other nations, sending the clear mes-sage that the U.S. will no longer tolerate their unfair trade prac-tices, which include non-tariff trade barriers and the theft of intellectual property,” adds Per-due. “It’s important to note that all this could go away tomorrow if China and the other nations correct their behavior. But for the time being, these programs buy the president time to strike long-lasting trade deals to benefit our entire economy.”

For producers growing com-modities listed as eligible for payment under the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), the sign-up period is now open and runs through Jan. 15, 2019, with information and instructions provided at www.farmers.gov/mfp. A payment will be issued on 50 percent of the producer’s total production, multiplied by the MFP rate for a specific commodity (see accompanying chart).

A second payment period, if warranted, will be determined by the USDA. It is not yet known how quickly payments will be disbursed to eligible applicants.

Dennis Beavers, Tennessee FSA executive director, urges all farmers who plan on signing up for MFP assistance to keep good production records, since payments are based upon these records, yields, and the number of acres they have registered

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched a trio of programs to help producers whose commodities have been impacted by retaliatory tariffs, including a Market Facilitation Program (MFP) administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Sign-up for MFP runs through Jan. 15, 2019, with instructions provided at www.farmers.gov/mfp.

Relief in sight USDA rolls out trade mitigation package for farmers impacted by ‘unjustified’ foreign retaliatory tariffs


with FSA. He recommends farmers consult with their local FSA office during the MFP ap-plication process.

“We have 59 offices with 280 employees statewide who are ready to help make this as smooth a process as possible for folks,” he says. “It’s important that people go through their lo-cal FSA office because agricul-ture is different in Tennessee’s three grand divisions. For ex-ample, most of our dairies are in southern Middle Tennessee and East Tennessee. The majority of our soybean production is west of the Tennessee River.”

Soybeans, with 1.6 million acres planted in the state, will see the largest economic boost under the MFP.

The AMS-led Food Pur-chase and Distribution Pro-gram involves distribution of specialty crops by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to nutri-tion assistance programs such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program, the National School Lunch Program, and other child nutrition programs.

The aim of the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program

(ATP) is to as-sist American exporters in identifying and accessing new markets and to help mitigate the adverse effects of other coun-tries’ restric-tions. The pro-gram is meant to help all sectors of U.S. agricul-ture, including fish and forest products, mainly through partner-ships with non-profit national and regional organizations.

“Through these trade miti-gation programs, USDA is com-mitted to ensuring our nation’s agriculture continues to feed the world and meet demand,” Beavers says. “These programs will help farmers adjust to dis-rupted markets, manage surplus commodities, and expand and develop new markets at home and abroad.”

It’s a proactive approach to furthering the future of an important American industry, says our country’s top-ranking agricultural official.

“Our farmers work hard, and are the most productive in the world,” Perdue says. “We aim to protect them.”

For more information on the trade mitigation programs,

visit the following websites: Market Facilitation Program, https://www.farmers.gov/manage/mfp; Food Purchase and Distribution Program, https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food; and the Trade Promotion Program, https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/agricultural-trade-promo-tion-program-atp.

$0.06/LB $276,900

COTTON

$0.01/BU. $96,000

CORN

$0.12/CWT. $127,400

DAIRY (MILK)

$8.00/HEAD $290,300

PORK (HOGS)

$1.65/BU. $3,629,700

SOYBEANS

$0.86/BU. $156,800

SORGHUM

$0.14/BU. $119,200

WHEAT

COMMODITYINITIAL PAYMENTRATE

ESTIMATEDINITIALPAYMENT(IN $1,000’S)

MARKET FACILITATION PROGRAM

WHAT IT MEANS:

TOTAL:

$4,696,300

INITIAL PAYMENT RATEON 50% OF PRODUCTION



20th Fall Folklore Jamboree runs Oct. 20 Travel back in time at the

20th Annual Fall Folklore Jamboree on Saturday, Oct. 20, when some 130 folk art-ists demonstrating traditional farming, cooking, and home life skills will gather to recreate rural Tennessee from a bygone era. The event will be held at the University of Tennessee’s AgResearch and Education Center and West Tennessee Agricultural Museum in Milan.

The gates open at 9 a.m., and organizers urge attendees to “arrive early if you want to see it all” before the event ends at 4 p.m.

Visitors can see a black-smith in action, watch mules plow a field, and shop for unique items like homemade soaps, candles, and brooms. Throughout the day, booths will feature skilled craftsmen making toys, tools, instru-

ments, furniture, and more by hand and offering the items for sale.

A wide variety of food choices will be available for visitors to enjoy while listen-ing to an impressive lineup of award-winning gospel and bluegrass bands who will be making music all day on an outdoor stage, or watching corn meal being prepared in an old-fashioned grist mill.

All jamboree attendees can tour the onsite West Tennessee Agricultural Museum, which is home to over 15,000 items on display that tell the story of rural life in the 19th and 20th centuries. Admission to the Fall Folklore Jamboree is $5 for adults and $2 for children ages 3 to 12. For more informa-tion, call 731-686-8067, email [email protected], or visit milan.tennessee.edu.

WashingtonCattlemen’sSale Nov. 2

The Washington County Cattlemen’s Association (WCCA) will hold its 7th An-nual Fall Heifer Sale on Fri-day, Nov. 2, at the Kingsport Stockyards.

The sale will begin at 6 p.m. Producers are encouraged to come early to view the cattle and register for a buyer number.

The WCCA is offering approximately 120 commer-cial heifers that are either bred, have a calf by side, or are open replacement heif-ers. The cattle have been screened, and information pertaining to their vaccina-tions will be provided on sale day. Heifers will be pregnan-cy-checked the day of the sale by a licensed veterinarian.

“These are excellent cattle for anyone who is interested in improving his or her herd,” says WCCA Board President B.J. Lewis.

All cattle will need to be paid for and loaded out on the same day as the sale.

The Fall Heifer Sale will also feature concessions manned by local FFA orga-nizations as a fundraiser. All proceeds benefit scholarships that are given annually to two outstanding youth who are interested or involved with agriculture.

For more information about the WCCA Fall Heifer Sale, contact the Washington County Extension office at 423-753-1680.


When Gary Rector re-ceived the call notify-ing him that he was

the lucky winner in Co-op’s “The Great Tractor Giveaway” mineral promotion, he thought someone was playing a joke on him. But after Greene Farmers Co-op’s Gary Shelton convinced him that he was indeed the winner of a brand new John Deere 5055E utility tractor with a H240 loader, he couldn’t believe his luck.

“I went back and looked at the ad in The Cooperator to read the details about the trac-tor,” says Gary, who says he saves back issues of the magazine for reference. “I called Dwayne [his brother], but we were afraid to tell anyone until the tractor got here. It just seemed unreal.”

Gary says he was well aware of the contest, but figured he and Dwayne didn’t have much of a chance to win.

“I really thought one of those farmers with hundreds of cattle would win it,” he says. “We were shocked when it was us.”

Only one entry was drawn for the tractor out of the thousands that were entered, says John Houston, Tennessee Farmers Cooperative feed and animal health sales manager.

Since August 1, 2017, each bag of Co-op mineral has earned its purchaser a chance in the drawing. Other folks who sent in their name and contact information were also included in the drawing. The John Deere tractor was the grand prize, but there were also three other winners — one in each of the state’s grand divisions — who received a 165-bushel creep feeder made by Tarter Farm and Ranch Equipment. The winners of the three creep feeders were Wendell Williams, Manchester, Coffee Farmers Co-op; George Akans, Rut-ledge, Grainger Farmers Co-op; and Casey Little of Hazel, Ky., Henry Farmers Co-op.

In an odd turn of events, Gary wasn’t the only person affiliated with Greene Farmers Cooperative to win a tractor in August. Co-op Manager Matthew Horne also won a red International tractor at the Greene County Fair. He got the call just a week before being notified of Gary’s good fortune in the Co-op mineral contest.

“When they called me, I couldn’t believe it,” says Mat-thew. “But my prize was just a toy pedal tractor. I have a 22-month-old son, and I

thought I was incredibly lucky to win that for him. But then we learned about Gary winning the contest. I couldn’t imagine winning a real tractor.”

Gary says the new John Deere will be put to good use. He and Dwayne, along with their father, James, farm the family’s 122 acres along with 80 leased acres where they have a herd of 50 commer-cial brood cows and 25 or so calves. They also raise hay. The Rectors have both received their Advanced Master Beef Certification and made im-provements to their operation using Tennessee Ag Enhance-

ment Program funds. The Rector’s mineral program includes Co-op Foundation Cattle Mineral (#663MA), Foundation Hi Mag Cattle Mineral (#675MA), and Foun-dation IGR Cattle Mineral with Rumensin (#96254MA).

Though they hadn’t yet gotten the tires dirty on the new tractor, Gary says the family is itching to give the new machine a try. It joins an existing John Deere and a Ford tractor the brothers cur-rently own.

“We may get so used to that green paint that we have to trade in the old blue one on another John Deere,” he says.

Greene Farmers Cooperative member Gary Rector, sitting on the tractor, was the winner of Co-op’s “The Great Tractor Giveaway” mineral promotion. Celebrating with Gary are, from left, son Dustin, brother Dwayne, wife Linda, and twins Austin and Katelynn. Dwayne’s wife Mary and children James and Geordyn are not pictured.

Story by Glen Liford, Photos by Sarah Geyer, Glen Liford, and Chris Villines

Greene Farmers Cooperative Manager Matthew Horne, right, congratulates Gary Rector on winning the tractor.


Surprise was a common theme among the creep feeder winners, too, and each one is looking forward to seeing the increased benefits their herd will receive as the feeders allow them to more easily get their calves off to a good start.

“I’m pretty excited about winning this,” says Henry Farmers Cooperative cus-tomer Casey Little, who notes that this is the first year he has fed Co-op Supreme Cattle Mineral (#678). “I think [the creep feeder and the mineral] will make a big difference in my operation. It should help my calves, and my older cows with body condition and take stress off of them while they’re milking.”

Casey has been raising livestock for his professional rodeo business for eight years. He does eight Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) and two college ro-deos each year. He raises some 300 head of livestock for the venture, and he also has about 40 brood cows. He grew up on a farm in Illinois and came to Murray State University in 2001 to attend school, where he also competed on the rodeo team. After graduation, he ended up buying a farm of his own in Hazel, Ky.

“I had been just grazing my cows on grass and weaning their calves off of them,” says Casey. “Now I can give them a head start before weaning and transition them to feed. They should be able to gain a little more weight.”

Wendell Williams learned of his good fortune after TFC Live-stock Specialist Rick Syler called Wendell’s wife Renee to tell her the family had won.

“She just told me that we had won a feeder,” says Wendell. “Since it had to do with minerals, I just thought it was a mineral feeder. When Rick told me it was a creep feeder, I was tickled to death. I only had a small 600- to 800-pound feeder. This will save me a lot of time. I can get the Co-op to fill it up and be done with it.”

Saving time is important for Wendell, who has a cow/calf operation with 29 mama cows and 52 acres to farm. When he isn’t farming, he works full

time at the Nissan plant in Decherd. And with daughter Brittany attending Middle Tennessee State University and son Tyler going to Motlow State Community College, farm help can be difficult to come by.

“It can get hard at times, especially during hay season,” says Wendell. “And in the winter months when you feed, it’s al-ways at night with a flashlight.”

He uses the Co-op Su-preme Mineral (#678), and says his cattle “slick off real good in the springtime on that mineral.”

“They do very well with it,” he says.

Grainger Farmers Coop-erative member George Akans, the East Tennessee winner, uses Co-op Foundation IGR Cattle Mineral with Rumensin

(#96254 MA); Supreme Cattle Mineral (#678); and Supreme Cattle Mineral (#96622) and Supreme Hi-Mag Cattle Miner-al (#96623) both with Altosid. His herd consists of 68 black Angus mama cows and around 36 heifers. He also raises hay and haylage.

“The mineral does a good job for us,” says George, who also has a construction business in addition to his farming interests. “The heifers are really looking good this year.”

George says he appreciates winning the creep feeder and all the help he receives from his local Co-op and Manager Burl Matthews.

“I was aware of the contest, but didn’t give it much thought,” admits George. “Some people don’t think you can win these contests, but you can.”

For those who weren’t among the lucky winners in this year’s contest, take heart. In August, Co-op launched a new mineral promotion entitled “The Golden Ticket Contest.” From now until July 31, 2019, a “golden ticket” will be placed in 36 select bags of minerals through-out the year. Ticket holders will receive a special Co-op gift pack worth more than $500 that will include a 26-quart Orca cooler and a chance to win a John Deere Gator. All purchasers of Co-op cattle mineral, the 36 ticket winners, and anyone who sends their name and contact information will be entered to win the John Deere XUV560E Gator valued at $10,000. The Gator will be given away by Aug. 15, 2019. See the mineral ad on pg. 2 of this issue for more details.

Wendell Williams of Manchester, who runs a 29-head black Angus cow/calf operation, was “tickled to death” to be the Middle Tennessee winner of a 165-bushel Tarter Creep Feeder.

LEFT: Jason Moore, left, feed and animal health sales specialist for Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, presented Casey Little of Hazel, Ky., with his new Tarter Farm and Ranch Products 165-bushel creep feeder on Sept. 7. Casey raises 300 head of cattle for his rodeo business and another 40 as part of a cow/calf operation. RIGHT: Grainger Farmers Cooperative Manager Burl Matthews, center, and TFC Feed and Animal Health Sales Specialist Lynwood Ondrusek, left, explain the features of the new creep feeder to Highland Springs Farm Manager Scottie Caldwell. Farm owner George Akans, not pictured, was the East Tennessee winner of a creep feeder in the Co-op mineral promotion.


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New program helps support local dairiesLook for Tennessee Milk logo on state-produced products

Consumers now have a way to know that their milk comes from Tennessee dairy farms with the new official Tennes-see Milk logo.

Milk labeled as Tennes-see Milk must be entirely sourced, processed, and bottled in Tennessee. The program is administered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA).

“This logo allows consum-ers the opportunity to support Tennessee dairy farmers, who are facing challenging times right now,” Tennessee Agricul-ture Commissioner Jai Tem-pleton said. “We appreciate the Tennessee Dairy Produc-ers Association for support-ing the enabling legislation, assisting TDA on the develop-ment of the logo, and promot-

ing the program to producers and processors.”

Sunrise Dairy in Crossville and the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Creamery are currently using the Tennessee Milk logo. Wei-gel’s, Hatcher Family Dairy, and G & G Family Dairy will soon follow.

“Milk has been an important part of our heritage for over 85 years,” Weigel’s chairman Bill Weigel said. “This new milk logo represents the pride and dedication of our Tennessee farmers. Weigel’s is proud to announce that it will only pro-cess and distribute milk from East Tennessee dairy farms.”

The 110th General Assem-bly passed legislation enacting the Tennessee Milk logo. Sen. Frank Nicely and Rep. David Hawk sponsored the bill. TDA will continue working with pro-cessors to increase Tennessee Milk participation, giving con-sumers a broader opportunity to support local farmers.

“Middle Tennessee State University is proud to be one of the first producer/processors to participate in the new Tennes-see Milk program,” MTSU Di-rector and Professor of Animal Science Dr. Jessica Carter said. “Being part of this program will allow us to brand our milk as a locally-produced product and enable consumers to confident-ly purchase dairy products from Tennessee farmers. Our freshly bottled MTSU milk will proudly display the new Tennessee Milk logo to help promote Tennes-see’s dairy industry.”

“We believe it’s in everyone’s best interest to support the dairy industry, which is a vital part of our agricultural econo-my,” Commissioner Templeton said. “We encourage consumers to look for and ask for locally produced milk at their local store. Every little bit helps.”

Tennessee has 230 dairy farms and approximately 33,500 dairy cows, goats, and sheep. For more information about the Tennessee Milk logo, contact Danny Sutton at [email protected] or 615-837-5534.


New at Co-op

Co-op 16% Wildlife Feed (#93776CO) is a unique wildlife feed product that incorporates Co-op technology in a desirable pel-let that includes a balance of vitamins and minerals along with whole shelled corn and roasted soybeans. This mix is sprayed with oil and also includes a persimmon additive to enhance its attractiveness to deer.

Cox Shavings Inc. Cedar Shavings (#6827493) is an aromatic, clean medium-flake bedding that allows animals to stay warm and dry in a fresh-smelling environment. The shavings are kiln-dried to provide better absorption and remove harmful bacteria. A triple-screened process removes the oversized flakes and irritating dust. The shavings are 100-percent, all-natural wood and do not include any glues, paint, or recycled materials. Cox Cedar Shavings are ideal for pet beds, dog houses, runs, equine stalls, cat litter, biode-gradable mulch, and compost. Usable volume 4.0 cubic feet.

Co-op 16% Wildlife Feed

Cox Shavings Inc. Cedar Shavings



Neighborly AdviceHardware

Owned by you,

built for you” is a statement you have been seeing quite a bit for the last couple of years in

The Cooperator advertise-ments for Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s Metal Fabrica-tion Plant or, as most of us say, the “Gate Plant.”

“Owned by you, built for you” is not simply a slogan. It’s a short summary of exactly what this facility is all about. The “owned by you” part is exactly what it says: the business is owned by all the Co-op’s farmer members from across Tennessee and sur-rounding states. The “built for you” part is our purpose as we

strive every day to manufacture products that provide value to you, the farmer/owner.

What is value? Quite simply, products made from the best materials that will meet the intended needs and last long enough to justify the cost.

A prime example is the Co-op SHD (Super Heavy Duty) Hay Ring (#15641). These feeders are made of 12-gauge, clear-coat galvanized tubing.

The 12-gauge tubing is 75 percent thicker and heavier than 16-gauge tubing and 190 percent thicker and heavier than 20-gauge tubing. The clear coat extends the life of the galvanization considerably longer than a non-clear-coat product. The bottom line is it will take several lesser-quality feeders to equal the service and life of one of these quality feed-ers. These are also available in a skirted model (#15648) and

hay saver cone feeder (#156481).

The line of SHD gates manufactured at the facility is also superior to just about any other brand on the market. They are available in standard height and extra tall, which features a seven-bar height. These gates are all made of heavy two-inch tubing and will stand up to the most demanding livestock crowding situations.

As the Gate Plant staff pur-sues their “built for you” mis-sion, they are constantly striv-ing to develop new products and making improvements to existing ones to better serve the customer. One example of this effort is the waterer panels that fit over energy-free watering tanks when they are installed in a fence line application. As far as I know, this innovative prod-

Owned by you, built for you

uct is only available at Co-op, and it makes these installations super easy.

The Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program can make eligible items even more of a value by allowing quali-fied producers to recover up to 50 percent of the costs of many of these products. Be sure to visit your local Co-op to purchase Tennessee-made hay feeders, gates, corral panels, or mineral feeders. Visit www.ourcooptaep.com for more Ag Enhancement information and a list of eligible items from the LaVergne, Tenn., plant … built for YOU.

Jeff Wilkerson

TFC Hardware Senior Product Manager

MADE IN LAVERGNE, TN

SEE YOUR LOCAL CO-OP TODAY!

TAEP APPROVED

Shd SkirtedHay Feeder• 1 1/4” Diameter x 12 GA. Galvanized tubing

• 18 ga. skirt

• Weighs 255 lbs.

item 15648 - Skirted

SHD Hay Saver Feeder• 1.25-in. x 12 ga. tube

• Clear coat galvanized

• 3 easy-to-bolt sections

item 156481

Sheep and goatCradle feeder• All galvanized construction

• 1 1/2” x 17 ga. cradle

• 1 1/4” x 14 ga. base and legs

• both ends are removable

• Snap hooks keep end gates secure

item 15463

SHD Round Balehay Feeder• 1 1/4” Diameter x 12 GA. Galvanized tubing

• Weighs 189 lbs.

Item 15641

SUPER HEAVY DUTY FEEDERS

OWNED BY YOU.

BUILT FOR YOU.

“


Neighborly AdviceWildlife

For the most part,

specific nutritional require-ments of deer (cer-vids) are not well de-fined. It is

known, however, that benefit is seen by increasing wild deer nutrition, particularly after the first frost for improvement of body stores for winter and increased survival. (Note that attempting to maintain body condition will take precedent over antler growth during en-ergy partitioning.)

Deer are efficient in adapt-ing to survival with dwindling availability of feedstuffs. When supplementing wild deer rations, always remember the first step is to check the

law for authorized time span to feed wildlife.

Animal consumption should include basic nutri-ents such as protein, energy (carbohydrate & fat), vita-min, mineral, and, of utmost importance, water. Although deer are ruminant animals just like cows, their rumen will only hold about 4 percent of a cow’s rumen. Thus, deer must replenish approximately every 3 to 4 hours.

The main source of nutri-tion for deer comes in the form of browse including woody-type plants, stems, shrubs, and leaves. More concentrated sources of en-ergy for deer include nuts and fruits. Many times, forages and browse become less available and are of questionable qual-ity. It is not uncommon for bucks to lose as much as 30 percent of their body weight

due to the stress of the rut. Offering supplemental feed won’t completely eliminate body weight loss, but deer will still utilize the supplement as a portion of their diet even if total daily intake has fallen off.

When supplementing rations, it is typical to use ingredients with higher energy concentrations. It is common to supplement with corn due to its starch and fat content. But corn will only yield ap-proximately 8-9 percent crude protein (CP) on a dry matter basis, which falls well short of desired CP needs. Adding whole, roasted soybeans to corn significantly increases CP and CP quality while sup-plying necessary fats.

Additionally, supplying cal-cium (Ca) and phosphorous (P) along with magnesium (Mg) and other trace minerals greatly supports the animal’s

Feedstuffs for wild deerability to maintain muscle function, bone maintenance, and antler development. Since deer typically utilize browse as basal ration, supplemental vitamins including vitamins A, D, E, and B-complex aid the animal in maintaining meta-bolic bodily function.

In properly providing wild-life the most optimal nutri-tion, remember that season and life-cycle stage play a part in requirements. Consider the following in deciding if feed-ing deer is advantageous:

• Make sure to check legal availability to supplement wildlife.

• Spring and summer play important roles in deer growth since deer have lower require-ments in winter.

• Remember that deer are ruminant animals. It is best to make diet changes slowly and gradually instead of rapidly.

Todd Steen

TFC Nutritionist


Since his retirement two years ago, Ricky Young is finally able to devote more

than just his spare time to horse training.

The McNairy County native happily spends his days help-ing out at Josh Young Quarter Horses, his son’s training facility. What started as a hobby for Ricky more than 40 years ago has become a thriving, award-winning equine operation.

The Young family’s horse training story began in 1977 when 20-something Ricky, newly married with a promis-ing career at General Electric, purchased his first registered horse. Fueled by fond child-hood memories of competing with his pony in the Saturday night horse shows, he was ea-ger to return to the show ring.

Over the next few years, Ricky proved himself a tough competi-tor among the horse show cir-cuit, but it was his natural ability when working with horses that

caught the attention of his fellow equine enthusiasts.

“I didn’t have anybody teach me about training a show horse,” he says. “I just mostly figured it out on my own and got some tips from other horse guys at the shows. When other competitors started asking me to train their horses, I decided to turn my hobby into a part-time business. For the next 20-plus years, I had three or four horses in training all the time.”

In 1979, Ricky’s wife Sandy gave birth to Josh, who quickly became his father’s training sidekick. The youngster com-peted in the Saturday night show circuit with his father. By the time he had reached the youth division, Josh had gained regional notoriety for his show-manship and training skills. At 18, the horseman received his

first national accolade with a third-place finish in the 2000 Palomino World Show.

After high school, Josh enrolled at the Jackson State Community College, attend-ing classes during the week

and returning home on the weekends to help train horses. After two years of college, he delivered some unwelcome news to his father.

“He told me he wanted to quit school and pursue horse

lBethel Springs

Josh Young Quarter Horses is a family-owned, nationally recognized championship horse training business in McNairy County. Father Ricky Young began horse training as a hobby and later his son, Josh, also an accomplished trainer, took over the reins of the company several years ago. In the facility’s small outdoor training ring, Josh, above, prepares his horse, 3-year-old Geez Louise, for next year’s show circuit.

Josh Young, far right, and his wife Debora, standing next to him, will be the eighth generation to live and work on the family’s McNairy County farmland. When the couple relocates their horse training business onto the farm in a few months, they will join current residents, from left, his grandmother, Carolyn, who grew up on the family farm, and her son and daughter-in-law and Josh’s parents, Ricky and Sandy.

Story and photos by Sarah Geyer


(See Quarter, page 20)

training full time,” says Ricky. “It wasn’t that I had an opposi-tion to him training horses, but I really wanted him to graduate from college first.”

Josh felt that staying in school was wasting his time and his dad’s money.

“I would be in class and thinking about getting [to the farm] and what I was going to do,” says Josh, adding his father responded to the decision with a stern reality check. “He told me, ‘You don’t have enough horses to make a living, so I suggest you get a job.’”

Josh spent 2003 helping grow his father’s business and working as a bricklayer’s helper. The following year, he just trained horses, work-ing the first half of the day on Ricky Hall’s farm in Missis-sippi and afternoons in Bethel Springs. Within a few years, Josh had developed enough of a clientele to devote full-time to the family business.

Once his training venture was established, Josh was ready for more experience. First he worked for a short time on Hatchett Farms in Moscow, Tenn., and then in Roberta, Ga., with renowned horse trainer Carl Yamber.

“I stayed [in Georgia] for a year just to further my craft, to learn and to get better,” says Josh. “I got to work with a lot of exceptional horses and learned that the better horses you are exposed to, the better you get as a trainer.”

When Josh returned from his educational sabbatical, Ricky was ready to turn over the head trainer duties to his talented son. In the next few years, Josh would experience his first successes with older horses.

“Although I train mostly young horses now, I would take anything when I first started,” explains Josh. “Folks would bring me their problem horses that wouldn’t show, and I was able to work some of them into good [show animals].”

In 2006, Ricky and Sandy handed over the business’s reins to Josh and his wife, Debora, selling the young couple the family home, horse barn and 10 acres of land. Ricky and Sandy relocated to family farmland just down the road.

“It was during the time that things really began to come together for us,” says Josh.

But he never dreamed that matching one of his older problem horses with the wife of a lifelong friend would lead to one of the young trainers most cherished accolades.

When childhood riding buddy Dirk Hunt, who was then work-ing at Mid-South Farmers Co-operative, contacted Josh about buying a show horse for his wife Bridget, the trainer quickly suggested June, an older horse he had been training. Both June and Bridget were ideal students, says Josh, and the pair began racking up wins at regional horse shows.

After a year on the amateur show circuit, Josh believed the 16-year-old mare had the chops to win big on the pro level, too. The talented train-er’s instincts were correct. In 2009, seven years after quitting college to pursue his dream career, Josh Young and June received the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) High Point Green Western Pleasure national award.

As the business began to grow, so did the need for a larger barn and outdoor training area.

What began as two stalls and a feeding ring in the early 1980s has, over time, been transformed into a showcase training center, including an outdoor working area that features a 24,000-square-foot riding arena and a small practice ring. The barn is now

equipped with 15 stalls, a tack room, a wash stall, and an attached 10,000-square-foot indoor riding arena.

The Youngs are loyal cus-tomers to the Selmer location of Stockdale’s, a retail sub-sidiary owned by Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, and to Co-op’s Pinnacle Horse Feed. They work closely with Selmer manager Dani Morrison, who is Dirk’s sister and also Josh’s longtime friend.

“We trust Dani and her exper-tise, especially with equine,” says Josh. The trainer’s feed bins are stocked only with a custom Pin-nacle blend (#93526), Pinnacle Mare and Foal (#331), and Pin-nacle horse mineral (#96633).

The Youngs typically train 12 to 15 horses at a time and have hauled horses to competitions as many as 50 weekends a year. They predominantly show horses through AQHA, but also par-ticipate in Palomino and Paint competitions, too.

Josh and Ricky show horses in open events, while their clients usually show in the novice and amateur events. Several clients have won world and reserve world titles.

The trainers have also seen success as competitors in the pro events. Ricky received the High Point Junior Western Pleasure award in 2011, and Josh won the

LEFT: It may be hot outside on this September afternoon, but these two beauties are enjoying the breeze of an industrial fan and the comfort of fresh hay inside the Young’s 15-stall horse barn. RIGHT: Josh, center, talks with Dani Morrison, manager of the Selmer location of Stockdale’s, a retail subsidiary owned by Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, while Ricky, left, feeds two young bulls. The Youngs purchased their fencing, cattle-handling, and feed supplies from Stockdale’s when they started their cow/calf operation two years ago.

Josh’s devotion to his horses is evident not only in the time he spends with each of them, but in the premium feeds he gives them. Josh feeds all of his horses Co-op’s Pinnacle horse feed products, including a custom Pinnacle blend (#93526), Pinnacle Mare and Foal (#331), and Pinnacle horse mineral (#96633), all purchased from Stockdale’s in Selmer.


(continued from page 19)

Quarter

Senior Western Pleasure world championship in 2016.

They have their eyes on the top prize this year, too.

“Josh has a Palomino that we are campaigning to win High Point. ” says Ricky. “The horse is leading the nation in both Senior Pleasure and Novice Pleasure categories. We own both the sire and the dam. Another [that we train and board] by the same sire won the world championship last year.”

Both Josh and Ricky give much of the credit for the training business success to the women in their lives: Sandy, who doesn’t ride horses but travels to nearly every show, and Debora, who supports the family business as an accom-plished amateur rider.

“We breed some horses of our own, fit them, get them ready, and Debora shows them to put a record on them,” explains Josh. “Once the horse has some titles, we have customers who want to buy them. It’s become a good part of our business.”

Both couples are quick to point out that there’s one other person who is responsible for the family’s success: Ricky’s mother, Carolyn.

“She is the driving force behind all of this,” says her son. “She’s not a horse person, but she’s been supportive of everything we’ve done, and that means everything to us.”

The 79-year-old matriarch lives and works on her 150-acre farm, part of the property once farmed by her father. Spanning 1,100 acres, the original farm has been divided over the years, but most of it remains in the family.

Carolyn’s portion of the family farm also includes three houses. She lives in one, while Ricky and

Sandy reside in another. The acreage supports the breeding part of Josh’s business, with lots of pasture for his mares and foals. The farmland is also home to the family’s newest venture – raising cattle.

Two years ago, Ricky took a leap out of his equine comfort zone and started a small cow/calf operation. This business is also a family affair, with Sandy, Josh, and Debora helping care for the growing herd.

“We’ve been fortunate,” says Ricky. “We’ve been able to raise some high-quality heifers that

people bought to restock their herd. We fenced off 50 acres of the family farm for pasture two years ago. Our herd has grown to 30 mamas, so the plan is to fence another 25 acres.”

The horse training business has also outgrown its location. Much to his grandmother’s delight, Josh and Debora plan to sell both the house and barn. They’ll relocate the entire busi-ness to the family farm and settle into the property’s third home. With 15 times the acreage, Josh Young Quarter Horses will have space to flourish and grow.

Although he considers himself as son Josh’s training sidekick these days, Ricky is still actively involved in the industry. He serves on the board of the West Tennessee Quarter Horse Association and formerly on the board of the MidSouth Quarter Horse Breeders. He also continues to compete. The 7-year-old horse he’s riding, Master P, was named world champion last year and reserve world champion this year for performance geldings.



By Sarah Geyer


F or many Tennessee farm-ers who double-crop their soybeans with winter

wheat, finding time to plant during October harvest season often becomes a logistical after-thought.

Seeds are broadcasted hur-riedly, sometimes with just a hope and a prayer instead of early inputs, followed by uncertain anticipation to see if the plants that emerge after dormancy are quality enough to mature for harvest or provide better service as a terminated cover crop.

But this year’s winter wheat crop will likely garner more attention from farmers, say agriculture industry experts, thanks to a growing global de-mand for the crop. This year, commodity experts predict that demand for wheat will be greater than production for the first time since 2013. As expected, market prices for the commodity have also been on the rise. The Global Trade Atlas reports from June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018, the average global wheat price has increased 4 percent.

If this trend continues as forecasted, industry experts predict farmers can produce a profitable wheat crop this year and suggest producers practice the same strategies used with corn and soybean crops — careful planning and management.

“If I’m planting wheat this year, I want to approach this crop with the same attitude that I take with my corn or beans,” says Darrin Holder, an agronomist with WinField United®. “I don’t want to go into wheat season thinking I’m going to half way do the crop, because that approach could limit my yield and my profit. If I want a successful wheat crop, I’ve got to plan for ways to drive my yield while effi-ciently managing my inputs. That’s the key to not only surviving but also growing in an uncertain market.”

The first step, even before planting, is to examine prices and lock in the profitable wheat price (if available) for at least part of the crop as soon as pos-sible, according to University of Tennessee Extension Grain Specialist Dr. Aaron Smith.

“What is usually suggested is before planting, don’t lock in more than a third of your projected production,” he says. “Once the crop is planted, then you can secure a price on up to 50 percent of your crop and after dormancy, go ahead and lock in the remaining percentage as production risk decreases.”

As for planning a success-ful wheat crop, Aaron says the farmer has to start with a good, quality seed:

“More times than not, that decision will affect your bottom line more than anything. Plant-ing inferior or unproven seed could mean a lackluster stand or poor germination, which will limit your options for the life of the stand. Without quality seed, you’re behind the eight ball right off the bat.”

Tennessee Farmers Coop-erative agronomist Brandon Sheridan says he usually recommends wheat seed variet-ies 9606 and 8550 among the best from CROPLAN®, TFC’s proprietary seed brand by Win-Field United.

Sheridan says data shows that the 9606 variety has a good tolerance to both head scab and rust and produces medium stature with good test weight.

“With this variety, the pro-ducer will want to plant in the higher population rates, be-tween 1.2 and 1.4 million seed per acre,” he says. “It has a low response to nitrogen, so you don’t have to push the nitrogen on this one but want to keep your population up.”

The 8550 variety performs satisfactorily when planted at a lower seed population but requires a high rate of nitrogen, preferably with a split shot ap-plication.

“Like 9606, 8550 also has rust and head scab tolerance,” he says. “But for both, I would suggest adding fungicide to push yield and help with other stresses. Both are bearded or awned varities.”

New this year, WinField United is offering a WinPak for wheat (8800), which includes a 50-50 blend of two comple-mentary varieties.

By planting both of these varieties together, the farmer can more easily manage vari-

ability, like a broader cover-age of disease, and a more middle-of-the-road response to population and nitrogen.

“With the 8800, the farmer should plant a population of 1 to 1.2 million seeds per acres,” says Brandon. “And based on the yield environ-ment and the grower’s needs, nitrogen units can range from 100 to 120.”

According to Darrin, farmers have seen success with Win-Field United’s soybean WinPak.

“The cool thing about the data,” he says, “is that the vast majority of the time the Win-Pak outyielded the individual varieties.”

Another opportunity to maxi-mize yield in a wheat crop, the WinField United agronomist explains, is to have as many plants emerge at the same time as possible.

“My goal is 70-plus heads per square foot with most of them being main stem heads,” he says. “To achieve that, I need to get more plants out of the ground in a timely fashion, pushing and pulling at the same time. There might be situations where tillering does happen, and I can use it to fill in the gaps. But I don’t want to plan on tillers to carry my yield.”

According to Darrin, the best method to produce timely plant emergence is seed treatments, including fungicide and insecticide.

“What inhibits stand es-tablishment is your soil-borne diseases and your early season insects,” he says. “I want a seed treatment that provides an active ingredient in a rate that will provide longer protec-tion and a percentage that will provide effective protection for my germinating seeds. And that means a greater chance of that seed coming out of the ground in a timely matter.”

Darrin recommends Win-Field United’s Warden® Cereals II, which is formu-lated with three highly active fungicides. For long-lasting, systematic protection against insects during crucial early-season crop development, he suggests ResonateTM 480 ST. He recommends also treating seed with a growth regulator like AscendSL® to aid in ger-

mination, promote good emer-gence, and create a greater root mass. WinField United also offers the convenient Warden Cereals 360, a premix that includes Warden Cere-als II fungicides, Cruiser5FS® insecticide, and AscendSL growth regulator.

“Determining the rate for each seed treatment compo-nent, a pre-mix, or custom slurry really comes down to cost per active ingredient per acre,” says Darrin. “There’s a big range of rates and options, and it’s really about choosing the best control plan for your dollar.”

Harvesting a profitable wheat crop this year — and most every year — is dependent on an intensive management strategy that will drive yield and efficiently utilize inputs. For advice on developing a wheat crop plan or recommenda-tions for intensive management of your wheat crop, contact your local Co-op or regional WinField United agronomy experts. For more informa-tion about WinField United and CROPLAN products, visit www.ourcoop.com or www.winfieldunited.com.

Quality seed is a crucial part of producing a high-yielding wheat crop, say agronomy experts. Two more planting tips are: 1) drill instead of broadcast, and 2) delay planting until after Oct. 15 to greatly reduce the likelihood of serious Hessian fly infestations.




The Brown family has farmed its Lascassas land for more than 200

years. During that time, the family has tried their hand at milking cows, raising hogs, and even running a small agritour-ism venue in the early 2000s. Today, Ernie Brown along with his wife Suzanne, daughters Rebekah and LeAnn, and son Judson, primarily raise beef cat-tle, row crops, and have a horse boarding and training facility.

Rebekah, 24, is spearhead-ing her own fall agritourism venue and corn maze on the century farm this fall. Brown, a senior agribusiness major at Middle Tennessee State University and a sales associ-ate and equine specialist for Rutherford Farmers Coopera-tive’s Murfreesboro location, is excited for this new chal-lenge.

“I love helping people learn about agriculture and how important it is,” says Rebekah. “This is one way I can do that.”

The idea to own and oper-ate her own fall activity venue has been a goal since she began working and playing in her family’s corn maze as a young

child, says Rebekah. She always knew she wanted to try and fol-low in her parents’ footsteps by opening her own fall agritour-ism venue, but was never com-pletely sure when she would try her hand at running a business.

When Rebekah joined the agritourism club at MTSU in the fall of 2017, however, she real-ized now was the time to go for her goal.

To prepare for this venture, she enrolled in an MTSU agri-tourism class last spring. This class focused on why agritourism has become such a large part of the agriculture industry, as well as the advantages and challenges that come along with run-ning this kind of business. The students even plan their own agritourism event and execute it as a part of their final grade.

After the first few weeks of class, Rebekah had developed her business plan for the agri-tourism venture that included a way to honor her late grandfa-ther, Buddy Brown, who passed away in November 2017. After

many hours of work, and the help of a corn maze designer, Rebekah dedicated the farm’s corn maze to her beloved grand-father by representing the things he held dearest in the design. It will feature elements of his life including the Brown’s Store, the school bus that Buddy drove for many years for Rutherford County schools, as well as a cow and a pig.

As a lifelong resident of Rutherford County, Buddy was very active in his community. He was a member of Rutherford

and Wilson Farmers Coopera-tives and owned and operated the Brown’s Store in Lascassas, drove the school bus, raised cattle, sheep, hogs, goats, horses, row crops, and operated a dairy.

“Buddy was always really in-volved in farming,” says Linda, his wife of 56 years, “I know he would be unbelievably proud of Rebekah for all she has done with the corn maze and the farm.”

Since her parents had the previous experience of running a small corn maze on their farm

This fall, hundreds of people from Middle Tennessee will visit Brown Farms, operated by Rebekah Brown and family. Throughout October, the agritourism farm in Lascassas offers a wide variety of family-friendly activities for the perfect fall evening.

Brown Farms dedicated the farm’s corn maze to Rebekah’s beloved grandfather, Buddy Brown, by representing the things he held dearest in the design. It will feature elements of his life including the Brown’s Store, the school bus that Buddy drove for many years for Rutherford County, as well as a cow and a pig.

lLascassas

By Allison Parker


in the early 2000’s, they were excited about Rebekah’s idea to honor her grandfather and restart their family’s agritourism business.

“I just want to honor my grandfather,” says Rebekah. “I hope he would be proud of the work we have put in.”

Rebekah has spent the sum-mer preparing for the grand opening this fall, growing the corn and cutting out the maze, as well as growing hay and as running a social media cam-paign to stay connected with the public.

The Brown Farms attraction will feature a 10-acre corn maze, straw maze, hay mountain, pet-ting zoo, fire pits, and pumpkin-themed games like tic-tac-toe, checkers, bowling, and other family friendly activities.

Located at 7231 Cains-ville Pike in Lascassas, Brown Farms will be open to the public through Nov. 3. The hours are Fridays from 3 to 10 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays by appointment only. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for children ages 5-12, and free for children under 4. School tours are also available.

For more information on Brown Farms, visit the farm’s Facebook and Instagram pages or call 615-636-2457.

Brown Farms is one of nearly 50 agritourism operations across Tennessee that will offer fall ac-tivities this year. The following is a list of those we were aware of as of press time. Most are open through the end of October, but we suggest you call ahead or check websites or Facebook pages for specific dates and hours of operation.

Adventure Ranch7464 West Andrew Johnson Highway, Morristown865-282-3516adventureranch.com

Autumn Acres1096 Baier Road, Crossville931-210-7655autumnacres.net

Ballinger Farm Crazy Maze2738 Renfro Road, Jefferson City865-475-7513ballingerfarm.com

Beck Mountain Corn Maze & Entertainment Barn110 Corn Maze Lane, Elizabethton423-747-1190beckmountaincornmaze.com

Cleek Farms2233 Cleek Road, Kingsport423-765-3123cleekfarms.com

Deep Well Farm9567 Highway 11 East, Lenoir City865-816-2131deepwellfarm.com

Echo Valley Farms 915 Bethel Church Road, Jefferson City865-591-7343echovalleycornmaze.com

Edwards Amazing Acres1139 Ernest Norris Road, Jamestown931-260-7489More info on Facebook

Fender’s Farm254 Highway 107, Jonesborough423-753-4469fendersmaze.com

Fruit and Berry Patch4407 McCloud Road, Knoxville865-922-3779thefruitandberrypatch.com

Guthrie Farm490 County Road 67, Riceville423-650-2939tnpumpkinfarm.com

Harvest Moon Pumpkin Patch2881 Wears Valley Road, Sevierville865-908-8333harvestmoonpumpkin- patch.com

Kyker Farms938 Alder Branch Road, Sevierville865-679-4848kykerfarmscornmaze.com

Maple Lane Farms1126 Maple Lane, Greenback865-856-3517tnmaplelanefarms.com

Mayfield Farm & Nursery257 Highway 307, Athens423-746-9859mayfieldmaze.com

Oakes Farm8240 Corryton Road, Corryton865-688-6200oakesfarm.com

Old McDonald’s Farm 16705 Coulterville Road, Sale Creek423-531-2676oldmcdonaldsfarm.net

The River Maze 1371 Highway 64, Ocoee423-650-7222therivermaze.com

The Stickley Farm LLC550 Beaver Creel Road, Bluff City423-360-4809thestickleyfarm.com

Amazin’ Acres of Fun2857 Old Kentucky Road, Sparta931-761-2971amazinacres.com

Baker Mountain Farm351 Pioneer Lane, Spencer931-316-9072bakermountainfarm.com

Bottom View Farm 185 Wilkerson Lane, Portland615-325-7017bottomviewfarm.com

Boyd’s Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze1425 Highway 76, Clarksville

931-216-8250boydspumpkinpatch.com

Bradley Kountry Acres & Greenhouse650 Jake Link Road, Cottontown615-325-2836bradleykountryacres.com

Brown Farms7231 Cainsville Pike, Lascassas615-636-2457(More info on Facebook)

Cedarwood Farms2900 Old Nashville Highway, McMinnville931-939-3960cedarwoodfarmstn.com

Gentry’s Farm1974 New Highway 96 West, Franklin615-794-4368gentryfarm.com

Grandaddy’s Farm454 Highland Ridge Road, Estill Springs931-327-4080grandaddysfarm.com

Harmony Farm768 Hafner Road, Charlotte615-913-7236harmonyfarmtn.com

Holiday Acres Farm 346 Campbellsville Highway, Ethridge

East

Middle

(See Agritourism, page 28)

Linda Brown, left, Buddy Brown’s wife of 56 years, and granddaughter Rebekah are proud to honor this life-long agriculturist, FFA alumni, beloved husband, father, and grandfather by dedicating the farm’s corn maze in his honor.


www.for-most.com

(continued from page 27)

Agritourism

931-829-2660holidayacresfarm.com

Honeysuckle Hill Farm1765 Martins Chapel Church Road, Springfield615-382-7593honeysucklehillfarm.com

Keller’s Corny Country542 Fire Tower Road, Dickson615-441-4872kellerscornycountry.com

Limoland 8076 Columbia Highway, Pulaski931-363-5744limolandfarm.com

Lucky Ladd Farms4374 Rocky Glade Road, Eagleville615-274-3786luckyladdfarms.com

Lyon Family Farms130 Bellview Road, Taft931-438-9938lyonfamilyfarms.com

Pumpkin Hill 861 Benders Ferry Road, Mt. Juliet615-758-5364pumpkinhilltn.com

Ring Farm2628 Greens Mill Rd, Columbia931-486-2395ringfarm.com

Shuckles Corn Maze at Fiddle Dee Farms7526 Swift Road, Greenbrier615-669-6293fiddledeefarm.com

Walden Pumpkin Farm8653 Rocky Fork Road, Smyrna615-220-2918waldenfarm.biz

Donnell Century Farm Adventure 3720 Highway 70 East, Jackson 731-424-4526donnellcenturyfarm.com

Falcon Ridge Farm 22630 Highway 18 North, Toone731-658-5200farmatfalconridge.com

Freshwater Ranch & Cornmaze300 BlueBird Lane, Huron731-968-0203

Holt Family Farms 461 Jewell Store Road, Dresden731-364-3459holtfamilyfarms.com

Jones Corn Maze & Market6850 Singleton Parkway, Millington901-873-3150jonesorchard.com

Mid-South Maze at Agricenter International7777 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis901-870-6338midsouthmaze.com

Rushing Pumpkin Patch6105 Roby Road, Enville731-549-6053(More info on Facebook)

Shirley Farm’s Pumpkin Barn2557 South Bluff Road, Obion731-264-5316

Todd Family Fun Farm101 Tom Austin Road, Dyer

731-643-6720toddfamilyfunfarm.com

Tom’s Farm1665 Murrell Road, Rossville901-853-0997tomsfarm.org

Wallace Farms 1140 Douglas Road, Lexington731-614-8625(More info on Facebook)

West

While at Brown Farms, everyone will have the chance to go through the 10-acre corn maze, as well as play on the hay mountain and pumpkin-themed games like tic-tac-toe and checkers.



What’s Cookin’?

Clip, save, and serve

Dutch oven cooking has never been this delicious thanks to Clyde Estes and his “Uncle Buck’s Southwestern Chili” recipe. This flavorful chili is sure to gather the entire family around the table with a smile. In the kitchen or by the campfire, Dutch ovens make for a meal preparation you are sure to enjoy.

Dutch oven cooking has been an Amer-ican cooking staple since the Colo-nial era. These cast iron pots can be

used to boil, bake, stew, fry, and roast all sorts of tasty dishes – a warm, gooey cobbler, pip-ing hot stew, or even buttery biscuits! There are few things better on a crisp fall evening than a hearty dish cooked in cast iron.

Whether you use your Dutch oven on the stove, in the oven, or over the campfire, our Cooperator readers have supplied plenty of delicious recipes for you to share this autumn with family and friends.

This month’s “Cook of the Month” is Clyde Estes from Dickson. His “Uncle Buck’s Southwestern Chili” combines ground beef with corn, tomatoes, beans, and peppers for an explosion of flavor.

Enjoy!

What you will need: Directions:

Oct./Nov. 2018 winning recipeUncle Buck’s Southwestern Chili

Clyde Estes, Dickson, Dickson Farmers Cooperative

• 2 pounds ground beef• 2 cans shoepeg corn• 1 can navy beans• 1 can black beans• 1 can pinto beans• 1 large can diced or crushed tomatoes• 1 can Rotel tomatoes & peppers

(hot option)• 1 package taco seasonings• 1 package ranch dressing mix• 11⁄2 cups water• 1 bag corn chips• Grated Cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef and drain. Combine all ingre-dients except corn chips and grated cheese. Cook for two to three hours.

To serve, line bowl with corn chips, pour chili over it, top with cheese.

Roasted Pork Loin with Kale and

Potatoes

1 tablespoon canola oil2 teaspoons lemon pepper

seasoning2 teaspoons dried Italian

seasoning1 (3 to 4 pound) pork loin,

trimmed1 cup dry white wine or white

cooking wine2 cups chicken broth3 pounds Yukon gold pota-

toes, quartered1⁄2 (16 ounce) bag chopped

fresh kale1 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon black pepperIn a small bowl, stir together

lemon pepper and Italian sea-soning; rub all over pork. In a 10-inch cast iron Dutch oven,

Recipes celebrate versatile cast iron pots

Dutch dining


What’s Cookin’?heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook pork for 4 minutes per side or until browned. Add wine and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in broth and all remaining ingre-dients.

Option 1: Cover and transfer pot to hot charcoals using 9 coals on bottom and 15 coals on top. Bake approximately 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion of pork registers 145º.

Option 2: Cover and trans-fer pot to 400º preheated oven and bake approximately 45-50 minutes.

Let pork stand for 10 min-utes before slicing. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ramona RobertsonColumbia

Maury Farmers Cooperative

T

5-Hour Beef Stew

11⁄2 pounds chuck roast (bite size)

1 cup celery, chopped4 carrots, sliced round2-3 medium potatoes, cubed1 onion, sliced1⁄2 cup fresh bread crumbs1 No. 2 can tomatoes1 tablespoon salt2 tablespoons sugar3 tablespoons minute tapioca2-3 splashes Worcestershire

sauceSprinkle of oregano

(optional)Do not brown meat. Layer

ingredients in Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid. Add meat, celery, carrots, potatoes, onions, bread crumbs, tomatoes, salt, sugar, tapioca, and Worcestershire sauce. Bake at 350º for 5-6 hours, stirring only once halfway through.

Joyce HickersonManchester

Coffee Farmers Cooperative

TYum Yum Fruitie Pie

1 (10 ounce) can cherry pie filling

1 (16 ounce) can lemon pie filling

1 (16 ounce) can blueberry pie filling

1 (16 ounce) can peach pie filling

2 sticks butter2 deep dish frozen pie shells1 cup sugar

1 (8 ounce) can condensed milk

In a large Dutch oven, place 1 stick butter and let melt. Place one pie shell in bottom on top of butter. In large bowl, mix all pie fillings, sugar, and condensed milk. Pour over top of pie shell. Melt other stick of butter and pour over top of pie filling, leav-ing enough to top with the other pie shell. Place in oven at 300º and bake until top of pie shell begins to brown.

Linda BainBethel Springs

Mid-South Farmers Cooperative

TAutumn Brisket

3 pounds beef brisket, boneless

1 pound cabbage head, cut into 8 wedges

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large onion, cut into wedges

1 medium apple, cored and cut into wedges

2 cans cream of celery soup1 cup waterPlace brisket in Dutch oven.

Top with the cabbage, sweet potato, onion, and apple. Mix soup and water and pour over brisket and vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until brisket is fork tender. Season as desired.

Polly DoddToone

Mid-South Farmers Cooperative

TWestern-Style Beef and Beans

3 pounds ground beef2 medium onions, chopped2 celery stalks, chopped2 teaspoons beef bouillon

granules2⁄3 cup boiling water2 (28-ounce) cans baked

beans with molasses11⁄2 cups ketchup1⁄4 cup prepared mustard3 garlic cloves, minced11⁄2 teaspoons salt1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper1⁄2 pound sliced bacon,

cooked and crumbledPreheat the oven to 375º.

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the beef, onions, and celery until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables

are tender; drain. Dissolve the bouillon in the water; stir into the beef mixture. Add the beans, ketchup, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper; mix well. Cover and bake for 60-70 minutes or until bubbly; stir. Top with the bacon. Makes 12 servings.

Jo Ann HughesTompkinsville, Ky.Macon Trousdale

Farmers Cooperative

T Dutch Oven

Chicken Enchiladas

1 tablespoon cooking oil2 pounds chicken breast, cut

into cubes or shredded1 lime, squeezed1 (4 ounce) can diced green

chili peppers2 garlic cloves, minced2 tomatoes, chopped1⁄2 pound cream cheeseSalt, to tasteTortillas

1⁄2 pound queso fresco cheese2 (14 ounce) cans enchilada

sauce1⁄2 pound blended cheese,

shredded Preheat a cast iron skillet

with 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir in chicken and brown slightly. Add lime, chili peppers, gar-lic, tomatoes, cream cheese, and salt. In a 12-inch Dutch oven (coated with a thin layer of oil), place chicken mixture and queso fresco cheese in a tortilla shell. Roll tortilla and place in Dutch oven, repeat-ing until oven is packed tight with tortillas (you can make multiple layers). Pour enchilada sauce over top and cover with shredded cheese. Cover and bake 15-20 minutes with 15-16 charcoal briquettes on top and 9 underneath (cheese should be completely melted).

Tip: Serve with Spanish rice, avocado, salsa, and sour cream.

Cheryl BarnesSmithville

Warren Farmers Cooperative

Muffin recipes in January!A cold winter morning calls for a pan of hot, homemade muffins fresh

from the oven! This individually sized treat is a perfect way to start the day as you and your family head out the door for work and school.

Share with us your favorite muffin recipes – corn or cheese, blueberry or banana, poppyseed or peanut butter. The person submitting the recipe judged best will be named “Cook of the Month” for the January Cooperator and receive $10. Others sending recipes chosen for publication will receive $5, and each winner will also receive a special “What’s Cookin’?” certificate. Monday, Dec. 3 is the deadline for your muffin 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 indepen-dently 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: [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.


By Allison Parker

Just for 2018, the doctor is in! The 18th edition of Co-op’s highly popu-

lar 4-H/FFA commemorative Case knife, in the “The Doc-tor’s Knife” pattern, will soon be available to order.

Sponsored by Tennessee Farmers Cooperative in coop-eration with the iconic W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery Co. of Bradford, Pa., this year’s knife is a perfect complement to those previously issued in the Co-op program. Since 2001, this program has raised more than $380,000 to help equally fund the state’s 4-H and FFA foundations and their respec-tive youth programs.

“We are proud to partner with organizations that support youth involved in agriculture because

we realize that they are not only the future of our Co-op system, but also the future of the entire industry,” says Chance Martin, TFC Home, Lawn, Specialty (HLS) Department product manager who handles the Case line for the Co-op system. “We are proud to celebrate the 18th year for this program, and we plan to continue our support of such a worthy cause.”

Retailing for $59.99, this collector’s item features a Tru-Sharp Surgical Stain-less Steel spear blade and a whiskey bone handle. The knife has FFA and 4-H logos deeply engraved on the nickel silver bolsters, the Case and Co-op logos are printed on one blade, and the FFA and 4-H logos, as well as the year, are on the other blade. The annual knife is packaged in a

The doctor is in!New edition in Co-op’s commemorative 4-H FFA knife collection available this fall

one-of-a-kind, full-color box designed by TFC.

The Doctor’s Knife is one of the earliest knife patterns made by Case around the turn of the 20th century. It was designed specifically for aid-ing the doctors crushing pills into a powder form using the uniquely shaped, flat, squared bolster to do so.

Co-op also offers an exclu-sive, custom walnut showcase (#1082988), in which all of the 4-H/FFA knives to date

can be handsomely displayed as a single collection. Retail-ing for $99.99, the case fea-tures a glass front with a 4-H, FFA, Co-op, and Case logo printed in each corner.

“We feel confident that as in past years, the knife will sell out,” says Martin. “It’s a proven product.”

For more information about the 2018 Co-op 4-H/FFA Commemorative knife or the custom walnut showcase, check with your local Co-op.


The doctor is in!


‘I did what I had to do’

Every Farmer Has A Story Randy Goff

them to the creek to swim. I call them my kids because they were around me and my family so much.”

Times have changed. With their three children —

who have produced the Goffs four grandchildren — and other “unofficial” children now grown with family and job responsibili-ties of their own, Randy runs a “mom and pop” operation, liter-ally. He and Angela handle all the farm work themselves.

“She is my No. 1 helper,” says Randy, a Robertson

Cheatham Farmers Cooperative member and lifelong member of Battle Creek Baptist Church. “When I’m topping and oiling tobacco, she’s right out there with me.”

The two met in 1986, when Randy stopped in for a sandwich at a Coopertown-area market where Angela worked. It only took three months of dating for them to become husband and wife. The quick-witted Randy explains how their relationship blossomed:

“She needed somebody to take care of her, and I needed somebody to keep me warm. My mom said she’d buy me an electric blanket for that! We’re a good match, though. We pair well together.”

Randy is the third generation on both sides of his family to farm the area’s fertile soil.

Randy Goff’s daily mantra serves him well on the farm or when helping his Coopertown neighbors

Story and photos by Chris Villines

Long before Farmer Char-lie existed, there was Uncle Randy.

Randy Goff can identify with Tennessee Farm Bureau’s popu-lar pitchman, who’s at the ready to assist a neighbor.

“We always have a good laugh when we see those commercials because Farmer Charlie is me,” says Randy, glancing at his wife of 31 years, Angela, in the den of the comfortable, secluded home he built in Coopertown in Robertson County. “If anyone around these parts needs some-thing, they call me.”

One such neighbor, David Gleaves, will vouch for that.

“No matter what he’s got going on, he’ll drop what he’s doing to help you out,” David says. “And he doesn’t expect anything in return. That’s just the kind of guy he is — a good, good person.”

The uncle part? Yep, Randy’s got a slew of unofficial nieces and nephews who refer to him by that name. He’s everyone’s favorite uncle.

These relationships began where a lot of country connec-tions do — on the farm, or in Randy’s case, the tobacco patch.

He has been around the crop for most of his 60 years, still grows some 16 acres of dark-fired, and has given many young men in the area an opportu-nity to learn about the tobacco-growing process by helping him with his crop. Often, these were friends of the Goff ’s three children, John, Angel, and Sarah, who themselves weren’t spared from field work. John now lives in Oklahoma, Angel in Missouri, and Sarah in Coopertown.

“These kids would just show up; we didn’t need migrant help,” Randy says. “They knew they’d get fed dinner and that once we got our work done I would take

“I’ve been working on the farm ever since I was big enough to reach the clutch pedal,” he says. “My first paying job, I got 10 cents an hour — I was too little to pick up hay, but I could roll it. They paid me to go in front of them and roll two rolls together to make it easier to pick up. Now, you can’t let kids come work unless they are 18.”

After graduating from Spring-field High School in 1974, Randy took a job at the town’s Tappan (now Electrolux) plant. He later worked in construc-

tion for more than 20 years and drove a tractor trailer. All the while, he still found time to farm on nights and weekends.

“When I drove the truck, I had my feet in every state in the U.S. but two, Alaska and Hawaii,” he says. “In Septem-ber of 1998, I started building the house while I was working construction and also had 12 acres of tobacco. There was many a night when I’d be com-ing up the hollow on a tractor at 2 o’clock in the morning to work on the house.

“When I got everything paid for, I quit construction and just went to farming full time.”

He’s kept on working despite excruciating back pain that lingers despite two surgeries. He shuns relying on pain medicine and also won’t let his struggles get him down.

“There are days where I have to make myself go,” Randy ad-mits. “I just refuse to give up.”

In his typical good-humored fashion, Randy recalls an exchange he had with a doctor who told him not to pick up anything over 3 pounds.

“I told him I had wrenches that weighed more than that,” he says with a laugh. “Heck, a stick of tobacco will weigh 50 pounds. When you’re a one-monkey show and the monkey goes down, the show stops, so I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. That’s what I’m going to put on my gravestone: ‘I did what I had to do.’”

Another example of Randy’s “no quit” attitude happened two years ago after he fell off a com-bine and broke his foot.

“I still had to grow tobacco and farm,” he says. “So, I got Angela to fix me a sling up on the tractor to where I could hang up my foot and still plow tobacco. I had to do it, whether I wanted to or not.”

It’s a tough, old school ap-proach, one that Randy says applies to every facet of his and Angela’s life together.

“We produce 90 percent of what goes on our table to eat, whether it’s vegetables, fruit, or meat,” he explains. “I’ve always loved growing stuff, making it do what I wanted it to do, and enjoying the good Lord’s bounty. When you pick up a package or can at the store and it has words on it you can’t pronounce, it can’t be that good for you.”

Randy says he also likes the balance he’s found in life, which allows him to enjoy more time with Angela partaking in their favorite hobby, fishing.

“We like to sit in the boat and catch a mess of crappie,” he says. “We’re not spring chickens anymore. It’s time to slow down a little and have evenings where the favorite activity is grabbing the reverse lever on the recliner.”

lCoopertown

Randy Goff, right, looks over his dark-fired tobacco with Robertson Cheatham Farmers Cooperative Springfield Branch Manager Lanny Chowning.


Every Farmer Has A Story

Raising tobacco has been a way of life in Randy Goff’s family for several generations. He’s grown as much as 38 acres of dark-fired tobacco, but has scaled back to 16 acres, while also growing soybeans and corn and helping with area hay production. He and wife Angela also raise several types of vegetables, and each year Randy cures one ham and makes his own sausage and bacon. “I’m old school and proud of it,” he says.


Documents

High expectations - Microsoft · to decrease as compared with 2017, while production acres of dark fire-cured and dark air-cured tobacco are estimated to increase. Burley tobacco