By Katherine K. Burse, state public affairs officer
Our student summer interns played a critical role this season in ensuring that we continue to meet the goals and mission of our agency. NRCS hosted five returning pathways interns, five new pathways interns, four 1890 scholars, and three third-party interns. This was one of our largest, most diverse class of interns that we have hosted during a summer.
In June, State Conservationist Sheldon Hightower traveled Tennessee’s highways and byways to network with 11 out of the 17 summer interns, in what was termed a ‘Meet and Greet with the State Conservationist.’
The interns had an opportunity to share their experiences with Hightower, and he was able to answer any questions that they had about him as a leader and the agency. Before leaving each visit, Hightower imparted some words of wisdom to help the interns as they continue to navigate through college life and prepare to transition into a career with NRCS.
Although, Hightower was not able to meet in-person with all of the interns before their return to campus life, he plans to get an early start next summer to meet face-to-face with all interns. Click here to see photo gallery.
If you missed the NRCS' welcome of the 17 student interns in the last Current Developments newsletter, click here to meet the students.
|
By Katherine K. Burse, state public affairs officer
The three-day quarterly Tennessee Leadership Team meeting was held in Knoxville, Tennessee, from September 13-15, with a conservation tour of beef feeding facilities on day 1, followed by a variety of agenda topic discussions on days 2 and 3.
Meeting in-person for the first time since the COVID outbreak in 2020, the group gathered in Knoxville at the Botanical Garden Carriage House, where they discussed the future of NRCS, conservation workload, and technical training for NRCS employees.
CI International also provided a training to the Tennessee Leadership Team on developing skills to create and/or enhance a culture of continuous feedback. Through discussion, practice, and interactive exercises, the group learned how to put these feedback skills to use.
Click here to read complete story and view the photo gallery.
By Christopher Nelson, Tennessee state cultural resources specialist
On a late September day in 1915, the big wooden doors of the local Greenfield, Ohio, carriage shop opened wide. The C.R. Patterson and Sons Carriage Company had opened its doors countless times before to let the thousands of carriages roll out into the street ready for sale. But the vehicle that rolled out of the doors on this particular day was different; it was an automobile. Frederick Patterson believed that the auto age was here to stay, and that the company founded by his father, Charles Richard Patterson, must transition from carriages to automobiles to survive.
Click here to read more.
|
By Katherine K. Burse, NRCS state public affairs officer
The first National Stream Restoration Conference, held from August 1-3, 2022, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee, welcomed participants who are committed to restoring and enhancing water resources across the nation.
Approximately 650 stream restoration professionals attended this inaugural conference to participate in sessions focused on sharing ideas, knowledge, experiences, and innovations among natural resource professionals to improve the science and practice of stream restoration.
Click here to read more.
|
By Katherine K. Burse, state public affairs officer
The Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts held their 78th annual convention in Knoxville, Tennessee, themed “A Change Today Creates a Standard for Tomorrow.” The three-day meeting attracted soil and water conservation districts, producers, and partners from all corners of the state to network and attend presentations. Southeast Regional Conservationist James Tillman and Tennessee State Conservationist Sheldon Hightower served as guest speakers during the general session on the initial day.
NRCS hosted an all-employee meeting, which included a workshop titled, Coaching Skills for Leaders, which taught participants how to understand the distinctions between coaching, consulting, counseling, and mentoring; enhance listening skills; learn the power of questioning; learn how to give effective, useable feedback; and practice their coaching skills.
Click here to read complete story and view photos.
 Hightower attends Farm Bureau Conference
Tennessee State Conservationist Sheldon Hightower attended the Farm Bureau’s 82nd Annual President’s Conference in Franklin, Tennessee, on August 12 to network with industry leaders and congressional stakeholders.
Click here and on the above photo to enlarge.
By Katherine K. Burse state public affairs officer
The 2022 Tennessee Conservation District Employees Association held its Fall workshop at Discovery Park of America in Union City, Tennessee, from September 26-28. Discovery Park of America offers a variety of programs, exhibits, and hands-on activities and is a state-of-the-art 100,000-square-foot museum, which is beautifully landscaped and well worth the visit.
Tennessee State Conservationist Sheldon Hightower, provided updates on NRCS programs and activities while Dre Funk, the Union City Field Office district conservationist, and Mike Hansborough, the area resource biologist in the Jackson Area Office, gave an overview and mini tour of the Pollinator Habitat that was funded through a partnership agreement between NRCS and Discovery Park.
Click here to read complete story.
By Roger RyDell Daniels, NRCS public affairs specialist
Benefitting from a NRCS Urban Agriculture Grant, Trevecca Nazarene University’s Urban Farm has grown from planting small fruit trees to a full-functional diversified urban farm raising goats, chickens, pigs, bees, fish, vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, and trees.
According to Trevecca Nazarene University Professor Jason Adkins, the Urban Farm was created to be a practical and material outreach from Trevecca Nazarene University to the surrounding neighborhood through the environmental justice arm of the J. V. Morsch Center for Social Justice. Adkins founded the urban farm in 2011 to teach youth, students, and community members to take their place in building community food systems that work for everyone.
Click here to read more and view photo gallery.
By Roger RyDell Daniels, NRCS public affairs specialist
Dexter Howard, area resource conservationist for programs in the Jackson Area Office, participated in the three-day, 20th annual Agriculture and Food Human Resources Roundtable, a premier North American event for human resource and educational professionals hosted at Tennessee State University, held in July, and attended by more than 160 people from across the United States and Canada.
Click hereHoward participates in national hiring discussion.pdf to read more.
Above photo: Eston Williams, 1890 agricultural liaison officer, and Dexter Howard, area resource conservationist for programs in the Jackson Area Office, participated in the three-day, 20th annual Agriculture and Food Human Resources Roundtable held in July.
|
Meet Linda Joyner
By Katherine K. Burse, state public affairs officer
Linda Joyner is the new environmental education specialist at Lone Oaks Farm in West Tennessee. Lone Oaks Farm, an education center of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, represents a powerful and innovative approach to educate K-12 students about agriculture and natural resources.
Through a unique and innovative two-year agreement between the NRCS and the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Linda was hired to educate students and landowners on NRCS practices and programs and focus on reaching underserved and underrepresented demographics.
Linda spent 22 years teaching science, technology, engineering, and math in the public school system using hands-on immersive teaching strategies. With her love of the outdoors and environmental science background, she enjoys connecting youth with outdoor experiences related to the conservation of soil, water, and other natural resources.
|
By Roger RyDell Daniels, NRCS public affairs specialist
After going virtual in 2020, the 32nd Milan No-Till Field Day, sponsored by the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, returned to an in-person event promoting no-till farming to areas prone to erosion and soil loss. This year’s in-person event was held at the University of Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Milan on July 28. Activities included several research tours of nearby farms and locations, demonstration booths from more than 25 companies and organizations, and live presentations on a variety of farming programs and productions.
Many NRCS employees attended the event, including Steven Morris, Somerville Field Office district conservationist, and Jeff Woodward, Jackson Area Office area resource soil scientist, who both helped demonstrate NRCS’ soil health rainfall simulator. Visitors also had the opportunity to experience a soil health tunnel and utility terrain vehicle with a mounted Giddings soil probe. Tennessee State Conservationist Sheldon Hightower met with several producers and field staff during the day and networked with Dr. Carrie Castille, the senior vice president of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.
Click here to read complete story and view photo gallery.
By Nancy Holt, district secretary, Clarksville Field office
The month of June was brutal and dry for most Montgomery farmers, and this is where no-till planting out-performs strip-till or conventional tillage planting. This spring, the Montgomery County Soil and Water Conservation District hosted a no-till tobacco contest and virtual field day to promote the benefits of healthy soil through no-till planting methods, specifically, tobacco. Cumberland River Compact sponsored the $500 first place prize and applicants were able to use the district’s no-till setter at a reduced price. Click here to read more.
|
By James Anderson, technical service provider
J.R. (Red) Anderson was reared in rural Tennessee. His father was a forester for the Tennessee Division of Forestry and moonlighted as a registered land surveyor. He was part of his father’s workforce and learned much of his work ethic while with his father.
He spent many years attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, which increased his knowledge and appreciation for the outdoors. Anderson has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in forestry, and many years of experience practicing forestry on public and private lands.
Click here to read more.
|
 Above photo: NRCS Soil Conservationist David Gentry and Lee Iglehart, a Knoxville resident and landowner, show recovery of plots mown at different grazing heights earlier in the month.
Knox County SCWD hosts Amazin' Grazin’ Field Day
By David Gentry, Knoxville Field Office soil conservationist
The Knox County Soil and Water Conservation District hosted their Amazin’ Grazin Field Day at Lee Iglehart’s Farm, Knoxville, Tennessee, on June 22. Iglehart has participated in federal and state cost share programs and recently implemented practices to enable himself to rotationally graze more intensely. Topics included the science of rotational grazing with Dr. Katie Mason of the University of Tennessee, a grazing stick demo by the field staff, and a farm overview and quick connect water trough demonstration by the landowner.
 Above photo: Livestock grazing the stockpile on Nick Northern's 118-acre farm near the Morristown Field Office.
Grazing for Success
By Addison Davidson, Morristown Field Office soil conservationist
Nick Northern contacted the Morristown Field Office for technical assistance in enriching his farming operation. He aimed to improve forage quality by installing an intensive rotational grazing system that will contribute to successful, profitable livestock production on his 118-acre farm shared with his father, W.E. Northern.
The farm’s intensive grazing system includes eight paddocks, with watering facilities, interior fence, exclusion fence, poly-wire. By stockpiling, Northern spread 60 pounds of nitrogen on 34 acres the first week of September 2021 on what was mostly hay fields and waited about 60 days before allowing the livestock to graze it on March 1, 2022. The 34 acres was divided into 14 paddocks with poly-wire which allowed him to move all his 45 head of livestock onto his stockpiled area. During this time, Northern did not feed any hay. On average, he would be feeding three to four bales of hay a day.
The livestock were moved off the stockpiled area on April 2, allowing him to graze the 34 acres –– with 45 heads –– for 30 days and all paddocks were evenly grazed down to three-to-four-inch height, saving about 90 bales of hay. This system has saved Northern quite a bit of money and allowed for less seasonal hay storage. Using this method of rotational grazing has increased yield to begin grazing after the dormant season, Northern has improved his farming operation and has increased his profitability.
 Pictured above (left to right): standing Ryan Winchester (Weakley county District Conservationist), Jason Scott and Collin Singleton (Henry county NRCS); sitting: Cheyenne Spencer, Victoria Winchester, Bethanie Burton (Henry county FSA).
Henry County Fair 2022
Jason Scott, Paris Field Office soil conservation technician
The NRCS and Farm Service Agency teamed up for agriculture and conservation at the Henry County Fair this year. NRCS showcased their rainfall simulator illustrating the importance of no-till farming and ground cover for erosion prevention, while Farm Service Agency employees had a booth for outreach to Henry county producers.
Released by the Tennessee Aquarium
Chattanooga, Tenn. (Aug. 25, 2022) – Tennessee is as much a patchwork quilt of farms as an intricately woven lacework of streams and rivers. Soon, farmers and the aquatic life living alongside them will reap the benefits of $10 million in federal funds to support water-friendly agricultural improvements in the rolling uplands of the state’s southeastern corner.
Recently, the USDA approved the allocation of more than $197 million to support Regional Conservation Partnership Programs throughout the nation. These initiatives promote coordination between NRCS and partnering organizations that are already engaged in conservation efforts. Click here to read more.
 NRCS, ARC&D hosts high tunnel and organic production event
By Michaela Slagle-Saylor, district office manager for the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District
The Jonesborough Field Office staff joined Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council to host an event at Opossum Bottom Farm discussing organic production in high tunnels on August 11.
Kinsley Graves, soil conservationist at the Jonesborough Field Office, discussed cost share and technical assistance opportunities available through NRCS programs. The Washington County SWCD supplied goodie bags and informational packets for everyone in attendance. Michaela Slagle-Saylor and Houston Ward were in attendance representing the Washington County SWCD. Roy Settle was in attendance representing the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council and directed the event.
Chris Theis, discussed his operation and organic gardening techniques. Theis has been farming since 2018 and just recently expanded his operation through participating in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to implement more high tunnels. Chris educated the group on his personal experiences with soil health, organic marketing, pest control and prevention, seed starts, working with the weather, as well as season and site-specific practices for high tunnel production. The high tunnels cost shared on by NRCS in May 2022 are currently producing gorgeous eggplants and tomatoes, and the participants were given a tour of those high tunnels.
Theis shared that he is growing over 160 varieties of heirloom tomatoes from every Continent except Antarctica and Greenland. The participants had the opportunity to take a deep dive into the organic production of vegetables and the efficiencies of the high tunnels on this property. Theis and Kinsley took questions and connected with everyone in attendance. There were 25 participants, and it was a very educational event.
 Washington County, Jonesborough win awards
The Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Jonesborough NRCS office won the Outstanding Conservation District of the Year from Tennessee. John Abe Teague was named the Conservation Farmer of the Year and Jeff Aiken was named the Distinguished Service Award Winner-Friend of Conservation. These awards were given at the Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts 78th Annual Banquet and Awards program in Knoxville, Tennessee.
 NRCS Tennessee Area 3 hosted utility terrain vehicle (UTV) training at the Tennessee State University Nursery Research Center in McMinnville on July 20-21. The trainings were led by Tanner Barksdale and Brandon Gandy from the Pulaski Field Office and Chase Coakley from the Cookeville Area Office. More than 26 employees were trained on utility terrain vehicle UTV operation, safety, and maintenance, and a tutorial on trailer operation, safety, and maintenance. Participants operated UTVs and maneuvered trailers through a variety of obstacles and structured activities that helped fine tune their skills and knowledge regarding UTV use and transport.
MBA attends North American Envirothon Competition
The Davidson County Soil and Water Conservation District hosted 39 teams with 175 students at the Envirothon Regional Competition in July at Strasser Farm, Arrington, Tennessee. The competition featured five areas of study: aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife, and this year’s current issue - "Waste to Resources." Students learned about different types of waste and explored how various waste management strategies impact natural resources. They were challenged to examine the social, economic, and political impacts of reclaiming and repurposing waste products and degraded lands. Students from the local high school Montgomery Bell Academy placed eighth in the overall competition.
|
By Kinsley Graves, soil conservationist, Jonesborough Service Center
The Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District hosted three representatives from the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative program, which seeks to promote mutual understanding, enhance leadership and professional skills, and build long-lasting and sustainable partnerships between emerging leaders in Southeast Asia and the United States.
Greg Quillen, district conservationist, and Kinsley Graves, soil conservationist, partnered with Taylor Malone, from the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council, to give a tour of Washington County and provided information about NRCS to Longlao Nyianu, Htet Zaw Htun, and Kevaly Vongsouthi on Wednesday, July 13.
Click here to read complete story.
 Above photo: Emily Harmon, Anderson County SWCD secretary/ soil technician using Enviroscape to educate third-grade students about conservation.
Anderson County Farm Day
The Anderson County Soil and Water Conservation District and NRCS participated in the 2022 Farm Day sponsored by Anderson County Farm Bureau. The event took place at the Anderson County Fair Grounds on September 15, 2022, approximately 500 third grade students stopped at the NRCS and SWCD station.
By Haydee L. Thillet, Clinton Field Office district conservationist
Heather Tackett is an entrepreneur at heart who grew up helping at her family’s garden, where she discovered her joy of working together with other people. This drive served her well working at both a realty company and at her own beauty salon. In 2019 she moved to a bigger farm in Andersonville, Tennessee, which had been primarily used for hay, and developed it into The Homestead at Mill Creek, where she grew a variety of produce. Due to the global pandemic in 2020, she was forced to close her salon, and decided to focus on marketing the vegetables she had been growing and expanding her operation.
Click here to read complete story.
 
For the first time in more than two years the Civil Rights Advisory Committee (CRAC) met in-person for our fourth quarter meeting in Memphis. I commend our members in their efforts to stay engaged through two years of virtual quarterly meetings, subcommittee meetings, civil rights reviews, and all the other work we have accomplished. Our ability to adapt was tested and we met that challenge, but for me this last meeting illustrated the advantage of face-to-face interaction when working on a team. The collaboration that occurs when sitting in the same room is hard to replicate, and I look forward to having more of these opportunities in the next fiscal year.
Click here to read more.
|
 
The Tennessee CRAC held its quarterly meeting in Memphis, in September, to discuss recruitment, hiring, outreach, activities for observance months, and partnerships. State Conservationist Sheldon Hightower presented civil rights awards to Adam Daugherty, Asian American Pacific Islander Special Emphasis Program Manager, and Melissa Oliver, CRAC member, for their time served on the committee. At the end of the two-day meeting, the group was able to participate in an educational tour of the Civil Rights History Museum.
Click on the above photo to enlarge.
Click here to read the latest CRAC newsletter.
By Katherine K. Burse, state public affairs officer
Martha Griffin has been serving as a district conservationist in Savannah, Tennessee, for just over a month and is enjoying the work that she is doing to help producers in the area with technical and financial assistance. She became the acting district conservationist in Hardin County in April before being elevated permanently to the prominent role as the district conservationist in the county.
Griffin said she enjoys her job and serving her customers by providing them with assistance with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs and helping them make sound conservation decisions.
In her collateral duties, Griffin also serves as the State Earth Team Volunteer Coordinator and was recently received the “NRCS Earth Team Special Recognition 2021” award for her dedication to the Earth Team Volunteer program in Tennessee. She has been involved in the program since 2011.
Click here to read complete story.
 The Earth Team is the volunteer workforce of the NRCS and we are making a difference in every county in the nation. Earth Team volunteers are an integral part of the conservation partnership, and each member takes pride in the fact that they maintain and improve our natural resources and environment on private lands.
Click here to learn more about the Tennessee Earth Team volunteer program.
 Federal Occupational Health offers services through Federal Employee Assistance Program
Many employees can face challenges — like juggling the demands of work and family — that can adversely affect their overall well-being. Becoming overwhelmed or stressed by relationships, school, health, finances, work, family, or other issues is not uncommon. This can impact their quality of life, health, and work.
To support federal employees with any challenges they might face, Federal Occupational Health (FOH), a component of the program support center, provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and work/life balance services.
EAP Services
The FOH EAP offers a wide variety of services including:
Assessment, counseling, and referrals Financial and legal services
Critical incident response Monthly EAP campaigns
Management consultation and counseling
Educational presentations, orientations, and outreach
Work/Life Services
The FOH work/life program, WorkLife4You, also offers a wide variety of services including:
Childcare and parenting Senior care and PCM
Educational resources Healthy lifestyles
Daily life needs Financial and legal services
Backup care Working mothers
Program promotion
To contact FOH, visit www.foh.psc.gov. You can also call 1-800-457-9808.
|
