Willis Jepson
Jepson Family Farms are Overcoming Challenges of No-till and Cover Crops to Improve Soil and Improve Profits
The best part of my job is that I spend time with farmers and their families not only interviewing them for these articles, but spend quality time digging in the soil with them looking at the changes in their soil from applying conservation practices. The enthusiasm they have is contagious. Willis Jepson of Jepson Family Farms is a prime example of hard working farmers making a difference in farming and changing his soil health. Willis is our 46th Profiles of Soil Health Heroes. He farms in north Robertson County 
line near Orlinda and Cross Plains, Tennessee and in southern Simpson County, Kentucky. My visit was on July 3, 2018. Nathan 
Hicklin, Soil Conservationist, NRCS, Springfield joined me on the visit. Nathan recently received the offer of District Conservationist for Springfield effective in early September, 2018. Nathan has assisted many farmers in Robertson County as well as in Cheatham and Maury Counties to improve their soil health.
I could tell the special community connection when Willis took us to Thomas Drugs, Cross Plains, Tennessee for lunch. I literally thought I stepped back in time such as the drug store portrayed in "It's a Wonderful Life" or a Norman Rockwell painting. It was nostalgic and reminiscent to drug stores 70 years ago. They had a malt shop with a variety of lunch menu that was very tasty. The experience was as good as the food. I say this to describe the environment that Willis Jepson and his family share on a daily basis. It is truly small-town USA. Jepson Family Farm is a large family farm consisting of over 5,000 acres. With double cropping of wheat and soybeans, they plant over 7,000 acres annually. Willis shared with me that he is a 7th generation farmer. His sons will be the 8th generation. The farming operation dates back to 1806. I think this history and the legacy of the farm motivates him to be on the cutting edge to constantly improve his soils and his net income.
45. Brian farms predominantly in Benton County with a few acres in Decatur County. Brian's grandfather was a share cropper. His dad moved away from Tennessee for 
work, but moved back to Tennessee in 1960s and began farming. Brian began farming with his dad as a boy and teenager. Brian farms now with his brother, Wade Inman. Brian and Wade worked the ground originally as most farmers did during that time frame. They began experimenting with no-till in the 1990s. Brian previously worked at local Truck Service Center and farmed part-time for many years. He became a full-time farmer in 2002. His farming operation is approximately 2,500 acres. 
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.
was from a farming background family. His father was in the auto body business. His grandfather was a full-time farmer, and he operated a cow-calf operation. As Dusty was 
a junior in high school, his grandfather had a stroke in the fall of 1998. This was beginning of a career altering change for Dusty. He began to assist his grandfather with the farming operation in the spring of 1999. Dusty was given the opportunity to partner with his grandfather with Dusty receiving one-third of the proceeds from the farm. Dusty rented a farm as a senior in high school and built the farming operation from there. Later, his grandfather became disabled due to dementia and Dusty's part of the farm went to 50-50 cash-rent. Most of his farming operation is in the Oak Grove and Estill Springs communities.
Claude grew up farming with his father, Clint Callicott and his brother, Clayton Callicott. In fact, Claude credits his dad for his desire to farm and to improve soil health. He is a third-generation farmer from Williamson County. They farmed 700 acres in Williamson County. Inheritance tax caused the farming operation to move to Humphreys County. Claude shared that they leased out their farm in 1996-
2000. Claude's dad was the County Executive for Williamson County, and Claude was in college at Maryville College. He majored in Mathematics and began teaching and coached football. His experiences as a child farming and his desire to farm were the forces that caused him to select farming as a full-time occupation. He told his dad; "I have to get back on the combine." His dad responded; "get back in there and learn it." Claude wanted to farm on his own. His dad wisely led Claude to form a partnership with him. He said "you need someone to share the stress." Claude reflects that his dad's advice was true. They began in 2002 and farmed together until his dad passed away in 2015.