NACD’s Nashville Meeting a Resounding Success
NACD’s 72nd Annual Meeting in Nashville was a great success. With over 1,000 in attendance, the most in many years, TACD’s role from the Service Project at McGavock High School on Friday, the tour and Opry on Saturday, our booth on Soil Health and Grazing, the opening session on Monday to the TACD tours on Wednesday, TACD’s role was noted and successful.
First, I want to say a very big “thank you” to Carol Edwards from the Davidson County Soil Conservation District. Carol and I have worked together since last summer assisting NACD and have worked intensely since November to ensure the success of the convention and TACD’s role. I also want to thank Amy Dishner from Hawkins County and Daniel Rogers from Tipton County for volunteering with NACD and working from Saturday through Wednesday on the many tasks supporting the convention.
The NACD Executive Committee Service Project was with the McGavock High School FFA installing raised beds for use in the ag science classes. Providing financial support was the Davidson County SCD, Five Rivers RC&D and the Davidson County Farm Bureau. NACD Board Member Ray Weaver and President Kelly Stockton were also on hand to support the project. Jeanne Eastham and Carter Harris also attended to capture photos and video of the event. See a photo gallery of the Service Project at the end of this article.
Our tours were sold out and we received many comments on the value and enjoyment attendees experienced. On Saturday we had 56 for the Belmont and Travelers Rest tour and transported over 225 conventioneers to the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Theater in downtown Nashville that evening. On Wednesday we had a full bus, 56, to both the Belle Mont tour and lunch and another to Lynchburg for lunch at Miss Mary Bobo’s and tour of the Jack Daniel’s distillery. Helping with the tours we had TACD Vice President Jim Bledsoe for the Opry and the Lynchburg trip, Shorty Beaty from Hamilton, Donna Knox from Sequatchie, Amy Dishner and TCDEA President Janice Gilispie on all the tours. Last but not least, Mendel Wade of Crocket County traveled as host on the Lynchburg trip on Wednesday before representing TN in the National Conservation Planning Partnership meeting on Thursday. Also, Sara Steelman met the group in Lynchburg and assisted with lunch and the tour. Sara also assisted with the Service Project at McGavock High School.
I must mention the Opening Ceremony on Monday. President Stockton opened the meeting with the invocation, the award-winning Nashville Police Color Guard came next then the national anthem by Ashley Brooks from MTSU and three FFA members from McGavock High School led us in the pledge. To complete the opening Bob Strasser from the Davidson County Board provided a welcome to their District with a very well received history of his family farm in Davidson County and the history of agriculture and conservation in the county. Bob then introduced Commissioner Jai Templeton doing the welcome to Tennessee. It is always a pleasure to have the Commissioner support us with his background in ag in west Tennessee. He just relates well to our group and we really appreciate him being there on a busy day for the administration with the state of the state address Monday evening.
One of the biggest hits was the Sunshine Girls, Aspen and Nova Northcutt, who preformed during the Leadership Luncheon on Monday. They are even better than when they were at the TACD convention in Franklin last year and we got hundreds of great comments on their performance. These young performers are something and their dad and music teacher were pretty good too!
The Tennessee District employees decorated the tables for Monday Night’s Auction in Tennessee style with 275 Moon Pies donated by Hamilton County SCD, and enjoyed by all I’ll add, Nashville Guitar Picks and free Educational DVD’s by Cowboy Dan which were donated by Davidson County SCD.
The Johnson farm is located in eastern Henderson county near Lexington, Tennessee. They farm upland loess fields (windblown silt) and creek and river bottoms. When we first went to the field for the interview for this article, Alex remarked that recent flooding on the Beech river showed muddy water coming off a nearby neighbor who uses tillage. In contrast, the water running off Alex's farm was clear. Many of the covers that we walked in were head high (6 feet) and some that were chest high (4.5 half feet). Alex told us that the cover crops are suppressing weeds, and he has reduced one herbicide spraying per year. He also uses IPM (Integrated Pest Management). He has reduced annual foliar fungicides. If scouting shows the need, he will apply them. He said that he is saving conservatively $34.00 per acre on herbicide and fungicide savings.
In 2013, Kevin provided soil health leadership for Tennessee NRCS and partners. There were three priorities for Tennessee, Soil Health, Soil Health, Soil Health
. Kevin is responsible for Yours Truly working with TACD as a Soil Health Specialist. At my retirement with NRCS, he asked me to take the position, and he worked with TACD to set up a cooperative agreement to fund my position. With his background, it is not surprising that Kevin practices soil health on his home garden. Kevin has moved 16 times during his 41.5 years. He has always had a garden. He has never tilled a garden. That is a testimony we do not hear very often with home gardeners. As I drive across the state, one area that I still see considerable tillage being practiced is in home gardening. I want to use this news article to say there are ways to improve soil health in gardening. Kevin's way is a way out of many ways to improve soil health. Following the principles of soil health will help gardeners improve soil health. 
