Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’S Headquarters in Lavergne, Co-Op Products Are Being Put to Harvest a Basketful of Apple Recipes
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October-November 2013 Complete turnaround Record corn harvest results from more favorable conditions than 2012 Also inside Fall agritourism operations gear up for family fun - p. 16 ‘Cowboy-style’ golf course is fun alternative to the regular game - p. 24 SPECIAL HARVEST ISSUE Co-op event gives outdoor enthusiasts a chance to hear from hunting icon - p. 30 Follow us on on us Follow Visit our official website at at website official our Visit ourcoop.com PERMIT NO. NO. PERMIT 527 GREENVILLE, MI GREENVILLE, PAID Sent to you compliments of: compliments you to Sent U.S. POSTAGE U.S. Presorted Standard Presorted contents October-November 2013 Cover Story Complete turnaround 5 Though it started out with a wet, cool spring, the 2013 growing season turned out to be almost ideal for producing high-yielding row crops in stark contrast to last summer’s heat and drought. Corn has fared especially well and is expected to be a record crop for Tennessee at a state average of 152 bushels per acre. These large, full ears of Croplan corn on the Duren farm in Wayne County indicate just how well the brand’s hybrids in particular performed. ON THE COVER: White County Farmers Cooperative members, from left, Wayne, Mark, and Matt Davis have seen some of the best corn yields ever on their Sparta farm, thanks in part to the Croplan hybrids they planted. — Photos by Allison Morgan News and features Diversity and adversity 24 10 Chad and Marty Koop pursue varied ventures to raise their family in an agricultural lifestyle. ‘Something for everyone’ 16 Tennessee’s agritourism operations offer wide range of activities for fall family fun. Country club 24 “Cowboy golf” on the farm of Brent Maher is the latest hit for the renowned record producer. ‘Like a big family reunion’ 30 Outdoor enthusiasts pack Montgomery Farmers Cooperative Sportsman’s Extravaganza. From one to wonderful 36 John Plummer and family earn national accolades for their Toggenburg goats and Jersey cattle. ‘Butterflies Are Free’ 36 38 One-of-a-kind display is among the attractions at Music & Molasses Festival Oct. 19-20. TenneScene In every issue 4 As I Was Saying Jerry Kirk enjoys a colorful light display every night in his own backyard. 4 Our Country Churches Gladdice Missionary Baptist Church in Jackson County. 20 New at Co-op Learn about four new products available at your hometown store. 21 Neighborly Advice Tree stand safety, preparing horses for cool weather, proper soil-testing methods. 42 What’s Cookin’? At Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s headquarters in LaVergne, Co-op products are being put to Harvest a basketful of apple recipes. the test! Forage breeders from FFR Cooperative brought their equipment and expertise down to Tennessee in mid-September to plant a sample plot of forages, including Co-op’s own Allied Seed 46 Every Farmer Has a Story Farm Science Genetics brand. With this plot literally in TFC’s front yard, it will be a great way to watch the performance and characteristics of the different forages. —Photo by Travis Merriman Meet Wayne County’s Tom and Regina Tesnow, who are devoted to Devon cattle. October-November 2013 3 As I Was Saying October-November 2013 Volume 54, Number 10 Lights show off every night at our house Published by Tennessee Farmers Cooperative in the interest of better aybe you remember my writing a couple of months ago about the single farming through cooperation and improved technology, and to connect the Co-op showy sunflower that popped up in a special bird-feeding area of our community through shared experiences, Mbackyard this summer. That good-sized space between our screened-in common values, and rural heritage. porch and carport is still one of our favorite spots, especially after the sun goes Editor: Allison Morgan down. As dusk gives way to darkness and the birds head off to roost, we can sit [email protected] Communications Specialist: Chris Villines on our porch and watch 19 long-stemmed, solar-powered pieces of garden art [email protected] flicker to life, usually one at a time. It’s quite a show. With each of the lights Communications Specialist: Sarah Geyer rotating through a three-stage program, the flickering, rhythmic blending of [email protected] Jerry Kirk colors and motion is mesmerizing. It’s hard even to look away. Contributing Editor: Jerry Kirk Each light is topped by a colorful, sometimes whimsical globe and has its own [email protected] Contributing Editor Senior Graphic Designer: Shane Read little solar panel for storing the energy needed to make it work. Because our [email protected] lights get full sun much of the day, we have relatively good luck keeping them burning. Wife Jane’s Graphic Designer: Jason Barns persistence in positioning the solar panels so they can soak up the sun and changing batteries and [email protected] Layout & Production Coordinator: bulbs as needed has a lot to do with that success. Travis Merriman We credit our 3-year-old granddaughter, Sloan, [email protected] with getting us started on what’s now our colorful Editorial Assistant: Polly Campbell [email protected] backyard display. In celebrating her first Christmas Advertising Information: Keith Harrison back in 2010, Sloan gave me a single solar light that 615-793-8585, [email protected] twinkles and shines in alternating colors: blue, green, The Tennessee Cooperator is distributed free to patrons of member Co-ops. Since and red. The light’s multi-color shade enhances the each Co-op maintains its own mailing list, effect. Neither Jane nor I had seen anything like requests for subscriptions must be made through the local Co-op. When my gift light, and from the time we stuck it in the reporting an address change, please ground and saw how it operated, we were hooked. include the mailing label from a past issue and send to the following address: With Jane doing most of the looking and buy- A trio of pink flamingos rule the roost in the Kirks’ colorful Tennessee Cooperator ing, we’ve assembled our collection. Sloan’s light, display of solar-powered garden art. — Photo by Jane Kirk P.O. Box 3003 LaVergne, TN 37086 though, remains our star attraction. Phone: (615) 793-8339 While we’re proud of our colorful display, it’s nothing — not even a twinkle in the night — com- E-mail: [email protected] pared to a massive exhibition of lights to which area folks are flocking at Nashville’s landmark Cheek- Guest Subscriptions: Guest subscriptions are available for wood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art. Installed by acclaimed British artist Bruce Munro and $12.95 per year by sending a check running through Sunday evening, Nov. 10, the massive outdoor exhibit features 20,000 lighted glass or money order to Tennessee Farmers spheres, each mounted on a slender stem. Because it has proven so popular, extra hours have been Cooperative at the above address. added to the event’s evening schedule. TFC’s website: www.ourcoop.com Most assuredly, seeing “LIGHT: Bruce Munro at Cheekwood” is a priority for me. If you and Follow our social media sites: www.facebook.com/ your family are interested, here’s the schedule as released by Cheekwood: Tuesday evenings, TennesseeFarmersCooperative Oct. 15 and 29, and each Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evening through Nov. 10. As a grand www.twitter.com/TNFarmers finale, the elaborate exhibition will be open every night during its closing week, Sunday, Nov. 3, www.pinterest.com/tnfarmers www.youtube.com/ through Sunday, Nov. 10. Each showing runs from 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., and the museum suggests TnFarmersCooperative purchasing tickets online at cheekwood.org. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 65 and TFC Board of Directors: over, and $8 for children and youth ages 3-17 (children 2 and under are admitted free). Parking is Chairman — Donald Jernigan, $3. For additional information, call 615-356-8000 or visit cheekwood.org. Christiana, Zone 2 Enjoy. Vice Chairman — Kenneth Nixon, Carthage, Zone 2 Larry Paul Harris, Wildersville, Zone 1 Amos Huey, Kenton, Zone 1 Richard Jameson, Brownsville, Zone 1 Clint Callicott, Only, Zone 2 Our Country Churches Johnny Brady, Riceville, Zone 3 David Sarten, Sevierville, Zone 3 George Smartt, McMinnville, Zone 3 Gladdice Missionary Baptist Church Chief Executive Officer — Bart Krisle NOTICE: This publication is for in Jackson County informational purposes only. Tennessee Farmers Cooperative, its affiliates, Gladdice Missionary Baptist Church in Jackson subsidiaries, and member Co-ops are not responsible for any damages or claims County began with seven members holding worship that may result from a reader’s use of this services in a schoolhouse on Nov. 5, 1894. Its original information, including but not limited to actual, punitive, consequential, or economic name was Smith’s Chapel, which was changed in 1902 damages. Tennessee Farmers Cooperative to reflect the name of the Gladdice Community. In makes no warranties or representations, either express or implied, including warranties of 1931, a new church was built at the same location on merchantability or fitness of any product/ Salt Lick Creek. In 1973, due to flooding, the church material for a particular purpose. Each article, document, advertisement, or other relocated to 120 Salt Lick Creek Road. Sunday School information is provided “AS IS” and without warranty of any kind. Tennessee Farmers is held at 10 a.m. with worship at 11 a.m. each Sunday, Cooperative reserves the right to alter, with a visiting preacher’s service at 5 p.m. the first Sun- correct, or otherwise change any part or 222nd in a series to show where our rural portion of this publication, including articles day of each month.