Fall 2008

675 U. S. Courthouse

Nashville, Tennessee 37203

615/277-2531

www.tn.nrcs.usda.gov

Message from the State Conservationist

Inside This Issue....

Developments

Helping People Help the Land

Page

Current

Appalachian RC&D Council 

 Receives Award 5

 Appalachian RC&D Council 

 Receives $10,000 Grant 6

Betty Brown Named Shelby

 County Employee of the Quarter 3

Coffee County 4-H Wildlife

 Judging Team - Nat’l Champions 3

Conservation Resources Outreach

 Program 4

Driving Safety 2

Earth Team Report for FY08 4

EWP Work 2

Fentress County Envirothon Team 5

Lori Pittman Receives Team Award

 for work on Hurricane Ike 7

Meet Charity Justice 7

Mid-South Fair FFA/Agribusiness

 Soil Judging Contest 5

Milan No-Till Field Day 8

November-Native American Heritage

 Month 6

RC&D & FSA Host Outreach 

 Workshops 8

Robert Thompson Receives the

 2009 Governor’s Environmental 

 Stewardship Award 6 

 

 

T

he new fiscal year brings an important change in the structure of NRCS in Tennessee. 

As I told you during the October 1st teleconference, we are moving from three areas to 

four areas as of October 26, 2008. 

In the past year, we have applied over 47,000 practices on the ground—that averages 500 

practices per county. We have developed stronger and more effective partnerships and 

a cleaner environment. Nearly two dozen new partnership agreements have added 22 

technicians and District employees.

As you can see, we have been very successful in implementing conservation practices. But by 

creating a fourth area in the state, we can be even more successful. Adding another area will 

•	 eliminate the practice of DC’s supervising DC’s 

•	 shorten trips between field offices and area offices 

•	 encourage more face to face meetings 

•	 strengthen communication up and down the chain of command 

•	 increase career opportunities 

•	 allow Area Conservationists to take a stronger role in the field and further develop 

relationships with Districts and RC&D Councils 

With Farm Bill programs being as complex as they are, we need to ensure that we make the 

technical experience available to work effectively on all our contracts. 

I realize that uncertainty surrounding the upcoming budget might impact our ability to fill some 

positions over the coming year. However, I am committed to making all line positions (Area 

Conservationists and District Conservationists) a top priority. Once the new area is in place, 

we will still have a leaner structure than we want, so my longer-term goal is to work toward 

putting more staff on the field level. 

With new performance plans being written in October, now is the time to begin the new 

structure. Thank you for your assistance during this organizational adjustment. I appreciate 

your hard work and commitment to our mission of Helping People Help the Land.

Kevin Brown

UPCOMING EVENTS 

Agricultural Field Day at Tennessee October 17, 2008

 State University Agricultural Research

 & Extension Demonstration Farm 

 For more information, contact:

 Christopher Robbins @ 615-466-6460
- 2 - Helping People Help the Land

Current Developments

NRCS provided more than $2 Million to help Tennesseans recover 

from a series of deadly storms in fiscal year 2008. Prior year 

flooding and high winds from 2008 tornadoes damaged county 

roadsides, blocked creeks and streams, and resulted in significant soil 

erosion in 11 middle Tennessee counties. NRCS gave more than $1.8 

Million in financial assistance to the affected counties while spending 

$300,000 to provide technical assistance.

The counties included Macon, Giles, Maury, Wayne, Cheatham, 

Marshall, Humphreys, Sumner, Trousdale, Hickman, and Lewis. 

Funding from the NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) 

program allowed local communities to stabilize eroded roadsides and 

streambanks. It also helped remove debris that blocked streams and 

utility crossings to avoid significant damages from future stream flows.

The work accomplished with the money stabilized more than 150 

sections of roadside and about a dozen bridges and culverts in fiscal 

year 2008. It restored road and bridge access to rural communities and 

prevented environmental damage from a petroleum pipeline impacted 

by the storms. The work resulted in $3.3 Million worth of economic 

benefits and protected property. 

In all, workers stabilized more than 13,000 feet of streambank, and 

protected almost three miles of road, making them safe for drivers 

and pedestrians. Removal of debris from streams prevented future 

runoff that would have further destroyed or eroded the streambanks 

at downed tree locations, caused flooding to homes and property and 

damaged roads and utilities. 

Photo at left: This photo from Macon County shows a small portion 

of the damage inflicted by the February tornadoes.

EWP Provides More than $2 Million in FY 2008

High gas prices have caused a noticeable change in traffic over the 

last several months. More and more people are opting out of using 

their cars and are instead going to work on motorcycles. That has 

resulted in a significant increase in motorcycle traffic throughout the 

state. How does that impact the driving experience for the rest of us?

NRCS employees in Tennessee drive a total of 207 vehicles that are 

NRCS-owned or GSA-licensed. Recently, the Tennessee Traffic Safety 

Resource Service published some tips on safely sharing the road with 

motorcycles:

Because of their small size, motorcycles are easily hidden in a car’s 

blind spots, so take an extra moment to look for motorcycles, whether 

you’re changing lanes or turning at intersections.

It’s sometimes difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed, when checking 

traffic to turn into an intersection or into (or out of ) a driveway, assume 

that a motorcycle is closer than it looks.

Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or merely rolling off the 

throttle, thus not activating the brake light. All more following distance, 

and assume that a motorcyclist may slow down at intersections without 

visual warning.

Many turn signals on motorcycles are not self-canceling, thus some 

riders (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off after a 

turn of lane change.

Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, 

but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Allow more 

following distance behind a motorcycle because it can’t always stop 

“on a dime.”

For additional information on motorcycle safety, visit http://www.

forcardrivers.com/ 

New Area Structure

October 2008

Driving Safety
Current Developments

- 3 - Helping People Help the Land

A

dministrative Assistant Betty Brown of the Memphis Field 

Service Center has been named Shelby County Employee 

of the Quarter for her outstanding work in the second quarter 

of the fiscal year. Shelby County Mayor A.C. Wharton presented 

the award at a luncheon with the mayor in August. Last year, Betty 

was recognized as the 2007 Agribusiness Person of the year by the 

Memphis Ag Club.

Betty Brown named Shelby County Employee of 

the Quarter 

The Coffee County 4-H Wildlife Judging Team won 1st place at the 2008 

National 4-H Wildlife Judging Contest held July 23-27 at Oklahoma 

State University. Team members were Nathan Slone, Andrew Russell, 

Andy Brown and Deborah Anderson. The team was coached by Sara 

Steelman - Coffee County Soil Conservation District Technician as 

well as Jeremy Mills and Jonathan Mills - members of the 2006 State 

Champion 4-H Wildlife Judging team from Coffee County.

In addition to being the Champion overall team, the Coffee County 

team also won the award for the 1st place Wildlife Management 

Plan. This plan was written as a team effort and included items such 

as management objectives, species to be managed, practices to be 

implemented for the species and evaluation efforts for the plan. Each 

team member received a Walkie Talkie radio set for writing the winning 

Wildlife Management Plan. Each team member also received a GPS 

unit and check for $250 for winning the overall competition.

The team was accompanied on the trip to Stillwater, Oklahoma by team 

coach Sara Steelman, and Stephen Harris, University of Tennessee 

Extension Agent. Team members also received training prior to the 

contest from NRCS biologist Chris Wolkonowski.

The team would like to thank everyone who helped them reach and 

win this national competition. A special thanks goes to the Southern 

Middle Tennessee Quail Unlimited Chapter #696 for their generous 

sponsorship to help pay expenses for the trip. Appreciation is also 

extended to the Coffee County Soil Conservation District and the 

Coffee County 4-H Club for their support of the team in this contest. 

Photo above: NRCS Area Biologist Chris Wolkonowski provided training 

on native warm season grasses and wildlife management practices to help 

prepare the team for the national contest in Oklahoma. Photo above: The Coffee County 4-H Wildlife Judging Team national 

champs! (Kneeling: left, Sara Steelman, Coffee City SCD/Coach and team 

member Deborah Anderson. Standing: left Stephen Harris, Extension Agent/

Coach; and team members Andrew Russell, Andy Brown and Nathan Sloan. 

Not pictured: Jeremy Mills & Jonathan Mills, Coaches.)

by Sara Steelman, Coffee County SCD

Coffee County 4-H Wildlife Judging Team - National 

Champions
- 4 - 

Current Developments

Helping People Help the Land

The Rutherford County Soil Conservation District has created a new 

program to assist in conservation outreach and agricultural education. 

The Conservation Resources Outreach Program, also known as 

“CROP,” has been designed to promote agricultural awareness 

through technical and financial assistance. The program has a 

hands-on approach in assisting groups and educating them about 

the importance of agriculture, conservation, and self-sufficiency. 

There has been great interest shown in this program from an array of 

educators and individuals throughout the community. 

Mrs. Delann Hickman’s fourth grade class at Stewarts Creek 

Elementary was the first group to participate in “CROP”. Her goal 

was to give her students the opportunity and experience of growing 

a vegetable garden that consisted of vegetables that were preand post- Christopher Columbus era. Many areas of the students’ 

curriculum have been incorporated into the garden including reading, 

science, math, and social studies. Mrs. Hickman plans to grow coolseason crops in the fall months. She will later team up with other 

classes when the project becomes fully developed.

Mrs. Patty Short’s first grade class at Rock Springs Elementary 

was the second participant in “CROP”. Mrs. Short had many of the 

same goals as Mrs. Hickman. She and her class chose vegetables 

that would show variations in growth such as prostrate plants like 

watermelons and beans in comparison to upright plants like tomatoes 

and corn. She is incorporating outdoor learning into her curriculum 

and providing hands-on learning to the students. Both teachers have 

provided a non-traditional method of teaching to their students. This 

program has allowed the students to put their studies and knowledge 

to practical use.

The Conservation Resource Outreach Program “CROP” is off 

to a great start providing conservation methods and educational 

opportunities to the public. The Rutherford County Soil Conservation 

District hopes to continue and expand the program to benefit others. 

If you have any questions or interest in the program contact the 

Rutherford County Soil Conservation District at (615) 893-9295 ext. 

101.

Conservation Resources Outreach Program

by Lydia Smith (Rutherford County District Technician)

Tennessee Earth Team Report for FY08

FY 08 Volunteer Update:

•Number of Volunteers: 481

•Number of Hours: 8281

•Number of Offices in State using volunteers: 38

A special thanks to Debbie Blankenship, Lori Pittman & Todd 

Reed for helping with this report.

Reminder: Earth Team Awards are due in by Oct. 20th. Please 

send your nominations to Earth Team Coordinator Dimple 

Geesling.

You can access the new Earth Team volunteer application 

form with the following link and searching for OF 301a: 

www.gsa.gov/forms

Photos above & below: CROP projects in Rutherford County 

promote agricultural awareness while students learn through 

the hands-on approach.

by Dimple Geesling, TN Earth Team Coordinator
- 5 - 

Current Developments

Helping People Help the Land

The Envirothon Team from York Agricultural Institute in Fentress County represented Tennessee at the national Canon Envirothon in Flagstaff, Arizona. 

Fentress County Envirothon Team

Photo above: Front row, L to R - Kyley Dickson, Tammara Garrett, Kayla Samber, Kelly Ramey (coach) 

Back row, L to R - Josh Clapp, Trayce Lee

The Mid-South Fair FFA/Agribusiness Soil 

Judging Contest was held at Agricenter 

International in Memphis on Monday, 

September 22, 2008. The contest was 

conducted by Andy Neal, District Conservationist with Troy Taylor, Soil Conservationist, 

and Betty Brown, Soil Conservation District 

assisting. Don Tyler and Charlie Davis were 

the judges with scorekeepers being Ozell 

Wright and Phil Coleman.

There were three (3) states competing:

Clarksburg FFA– Tennessee

Jackson County High School – Arkansas

East Prairie FFA - Missouri

The winning team was Tennessee, Clarksburg 

FFA Chapter. Taking the high scorer individual 

award was Rebecca Stokes from Tennessee. 

Second Place went to Arkansas. Third Place 

went to Missouri. 

The winning teams were recognized at the MidSouth Fair Agribusiness Luncheon held at the 

Holiday Inn Select Hotel that same day.

Mid-South Fair FFA/

Agribusiness Soil Judging 

Contest

Photos above: The Mid-South Fair FFA/Agribusiness Soil Judging Contest was held at Agricenter International on September 22, 2008. Andy Neal, Troy 

Taylor and Betty Brown assisted with the event.

Appalachian RC&D Awarded Outstanding RC&D Council in the State 

& the Southeast

T

he Appalachian RC&D Council was named winner of the Outstanding RC&D Council in 

Tennessee at the TN RC&D Annual Meeting at Fall Creek Falls State Park in August. 

But the awards did not stop there. In September, the Appalachian RC&D was awarded 

Outstanding RC&D Council for the southeastern United States. Congratulations to RC&D 

Coordinator Roy Settle and the entire Appalachian RC&D Council and its partners! The 

southeastern states RC&D meeting also named the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency as 

the region’s Outstanding Supporting Organization. 
Current Developments

Helping People Help the Land - 6 - 

T

he Appalachian RC&D Council has 

received a $10,000 grant from the 

Appalachian Regional Commission. 

Congressman David Davis made the 

announcement in July. The grant provides 

funding to develop a map and signage 

program for the “Follow the Quilt Trail” in an 

effort to attract more visitors and increase 

agri-tourism.

“I am pleased to see that the Appalachian 

Regional Commission is investing in 

Northeast Tennessee,” said Representative 

Davis. “Tourism is the second largest 

industry in Tennessee and it is important to 

promote attractions like the Quilt Trail.”

The Quilt Trail features 70 hand painted 

murals of traditional quilt patterns on barns, 

museum and gallery walls, and other 

visible places. The trail winds through 

Carter, Greene, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi 

and Washington Counties in Northeast 

Tennessee.

Appalachian RC&D Council 

Receives $10,000 grant from the 

Appalachian Regional Commission McMinn County farmer Robert Thompson has been chosen to receive the 2008 Governor’s 

Environmental Stewardship Award for Excellence in Agriculture or Forestry. Mr. Thompson utilized EQIP, TDA, and TVA funds to implement practices that protect and improve his resources.

Photo above (l to r) TDA Deputy Commissioner Paul Sloan, Robert Thompson, and Office of 

Environmental Assistance Director Lori Munkeboe

Robert Thompson Receives the 2008 Governor’s Environmental 

Stewardship Award for Excellence in Agriculture or Forestry

November is Native American Heritage month, and in honor of Native 

Americans, NRCS has released the 2008 American Indian Heritage 

Month Poster. The poster is entitled “Touch the Earth” by Oklahoma 

artist Kathy Sturch, who is a member of the Choctaw Nation of 

Oklahoma. Sturch says the painting recalls the passion the Choctaw 

people have for creation and their kinship with the earth. 

“The Choctaw people passionately love the earth. The ancient ones 

walked barefoot, sat and lay on the ground because it was good to 

touch the earth. The old Choctaw believed the Great Spirit created 

the earth and all the creatures that drink from her bounties and listen 

to her whispers. The Choctaw’s passion and kinship with all creatures 

of the earth, sky and water continues today. The earth nourishes and 

provides for man. Man must care for the earth and do it now harm. 

If the earth dies, man dies,” Sturch said about the story behind the 

artwork.

The painting was unveiled at the National Association of Conservation 

Districts conference in August. Copies of the poster are made 

available to each Area Office in Tennessee.

The Choctaw people passionately love the earth. The ancient ones walked barefoot, sat and lay on the ground because it was 

good to touch the earth. The old Choctaw believed the Great Spirit created the earth and all the creatures that drink from her

bounties and listen to her whispers. The Choctaw’s passion and kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky and water continues

today. The earth nourishes and provides for man. Man must care for the earth and do it no harm. If the earth dies, man dies.

NRCS is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Helping People Help the Land NOVEMBER 2008

American Indian Heritage Month

Conservation...Our Passion...Our Heritage

Touch the Earth

A R K A N S A S

November is Native American Heritage Month
- 7 -

Current Developments

Helping People Help the Land

NRI Specialist Lori Pittman from the Area 2 office in 

Murfreesboro has received a prestigious team award for 

her work with an Interagency Incident Management Team 

responding to Hurricane Ike in Texas. 

Incident Management Teams (hosted by USDA Forest Service) 

serve at the call of the President to respond to wildland fires, 

hurricanes, avian flu outbreaks, floods, and other disasters. Lori is a 

GIS Specialist (GISS) on her team, and fellow NRI Specialist Kevin 

Davis of the Lewisburg Field Office is an alternate GISS on the 

same team. (Public Affairs Specialist Jeanne Eastham serves on the 

Southern Area Blue Team. Jeanne is a longtime Incident Management 

responder, having achieved the highest certification possible as a 

Public Information Officer. In fact, she is the only person in all of 

NRCS who has managed to reach that certification.)

Though relatively new to Incident Management, Lori is already 

earning recognition for her work. At the end of the response to 

Hurricane Ike, Lori was honored with the “Bodacious Award” 

which is given to the team member who contributes most to the 

accomplishment of the mission. Lori’s fellow 40 team members 

honored her for working long hours producing assessment reports to 

FEMA and updates to the mayor and city council of Galveston.

Team members are nominated by their peers; then the Command 

and General Staff review the nominees and decide on a winner. 

Incident Commander Tony Wilder says the award is meant to provide 

instant recognition for being a valuable team player. “Lori has grown 

professionally as a team player,” he said. “She did an outstanding 

job providing the maps that FEMA requested and did the most of any 

team member in supporting the Operations Section and Planning 

Section in accomplishment of the team mission.”

Lori also won a team Coin Award halfway through the assignment. 

The Coin Award, similar to an NRCS spot award, immediately 

recognizes the accomplishments of team members. The team also 

has a “Bless Your Heart Award” for the person(s) who “messes up”, 

i.e., missing Command & General Staff meetings, locking their keys 

in the car, etc. The Bless Your Heart Award is done in fun to build 

team camaraderie and to show that everyone makes a mistake. 

Nevertheless, that is one award that Lori has not won! 

Lori Pittman Receives Team Award for Work 

on Hurricane Ike

Photo above (l to r): Tony Wilder, Incident Commander, present Lori Pittman 

with a team Coin Award.

Photo above: Lori Pittman improvises to complete GIS work on the Hurricane 

Ike assignment.

NRCS in Tennessee welcomes Charity Justice, the new secretary for the Programs Staff 

in the State Office. Charity grew up on a farm, and she comes to the agency knowing a 

great deal about NRCS. Charity spent her school years as a member of FFA and 4-H. 

In the 10th grade, she qualified for a youth loan through FSA which allowed her to buy five 

cows. Charity, her brother, and her dad operate a hydroponic greenhouse where they have 

grown tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, and tobacco. 

Charity learned about a job opening at NRCS through the internet. “NRCS is right up my 

alley, so I applied,” she says. When she’s not working at NRCS or the family’s hydroponic 

greenhouse, Charity cares for her 13-month old son, Bryson. “Keeping up with Bryson doesn’t 

leave me a lot of spare time for anything else!” she says.

NRCS Welcomes Charity Justice
- 8 - 

Current Developments

Helping People Help the Land

RC&D Councils and FSA Host Outreach 

Workshops

More than 150 people participated in three outreach workshops 

in August for women, minorities, limited resource farmers, and 

those with disabilities who are actively engaged in agriculture. 

The workshops were sponsored by the Tennessee RC&D Councils 

and the Farm Service Agency. 

Entitled “Your Farm--Keeping It Profitable, Keeping It in the Family,” 

the workshops focused on programs and assistance that can provide 

both economic and conservation based opportunities to farmers 

who have faced historically difficult challenges. The free workshops 

included lunches provided on-site.

RC&D Coordinator Larry Lofton said the workshops were a success. 

“It created a great deal of goodwill, cooperation and collaboration 

between federal and state agencies and non-profit organizations,” 

Lofton said. “RC&D is known for building strong partnerships so I 

think we will be creating some form of ‘Outreach Team’ as a working 

group to look at new strategies that will create opportunities for 

socially disadvantaged farmers.” 

Workshop presenters included representatives from the Farm Service 

Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), 

Rural Development (RD), The Center for Historic Preservation, The 

Land Trust for Tennessee, the Tennessee AgriAbility Project, the 

University of Tennessee Extension Service, The Center for Profitable 

Agriculture, the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and the 

Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

 Photo above: Jim Nance, Tennessee Department of Agriculture 

(TDA), shared with the group the programs and assistance available 

through TDA.

Photos above and below: More than 150 people participated in the 

three outreach workshops.

by Larry Lofton, RC&D Coordinator

F

armers and landowners from more than a dozen states 

converged in Tennessee in July for the 25th Annual Milan NoTill Field Day. Blake A. Brown, the director of Milan’s Research 

and Education Center, says 33,322 visitors from 66 Tennessee 

counties, 16 states, and one international country attended.

Of the attendees, 681 identified themselves as farmers, and they 

reported farming nearly 600,000 acres with no-till and just over 

200,000 acres with conventional tillage practices. Brown says the 

attendees represented a good cross section from the state. “The 

farmers who registered represented 23-percent of the total acreage 

in Tennessee of the five major row crops,” Brown reports. Those 

major row crops are corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, and sorghum.

The next Milan No-Till Field Day is scheduled for Thursday, July 22, 

2010, so start planning now!

Photo above (l to r): District Conservationist Carter Andrews, Soil 

Conservationist Tamara Sneed, District Conservationist Mike Shoffner, 

District Conservationist Phillip Dixon

Milan No-Till Field Day