While hiking in the woods you may stumble across a tree with a gnarly, wartlike bulge growing on the trunk or upper branch. These are called burls, and while not particularly pretty on the outside, the inner grain is gorgeous for woodworkers to create some beautiful work.

July of 2022 was a hard time for those of Eastern Kentucky as heavy rains caused mass amounts of flash flooding and devastation.
Among the survivors was one of Union County’s very own, Sarah Morgan, but along with Morgan were many others that needed help as well. Hitting close to home, many Union County community members rallied together to help our neighboring state out.
Only days after the natural disaster, a group of Union County 4-Hers made a trip to Kentucky in hopes of helping a least one person and touching one heart with love and compassion.

In order to beautify Maynardville and all of Union County for the Heritage Festival, there will be a Business Front Decoration contest. In years past, the decorations required a hay bale. However, in order to be more inclusive, the contest requirements have changed. Now, any decoration for any business, organization, church, or individual will qualify to enter the contest. As Heritage Festival attendees arrive, lets greet them with festive decorations. The theme for the 2022 Heritage Festival is “Follow your heart.” Union County is known for its artist talent and creativity.

UT Extension Union County will host the Tennesssee Master Beef Producer Program on October 13 & 14, 2022. The Master Beef Producer Program is an extensive educational program developed to provide information to assist Tennessee cattle producers in improving the profitability of cow-calf operations. The classes provide opportunities to gain knowledge with in current beef cattle management practices that are important to the profitability and sustainability of the industry.

UT Extension and TN Dept. of Forestry is hosting a Free forestry Educational Field Day in Chuck Swan on Saturday Sept. 24th
Private forest landowners and professional foresters are cordially invited to attend the Tennessee Healthy Hardwoods (THH) forestry field day. The 2022 theme is “Cost Share Practices.” The partners of these educational sessions are providing the events at no cost to participants. The agenda at each event will generally be as follows:

With quaint, hometown businesses quickly becoming a thing of the past, Derrick and Scarlett Merritt are hoping to prove that a small business can not only make it, but thrive. To do that, they will need the support of local residents.
The couple recently purchased Rustic-Re-Do and officially re-opened the store for business as Rustic Re-Do & Décor August 20. Past customers can expect some of the same ambience as before, but with a ton of new offerings. New customers will love the selection of farmhouse crafts served up alongside rustic décor.

Have you ever heard a noise you couldn’t explain? This happened to me many years at one of my previous jobs. I didn’t think anything about it until one of my coworkers yelled at me.
The office I worked in at this time was always cold. It was that way even in the summer time. Often, the customers who came into the office would complain: “You all hanging meat in here somewhere?”

I think of this recipe as a glorified French toast. Two exceptions: It has cheese in it and its baked. It;s not only a breakfast dish. Instead, it makes a nice luncheon dish, something a little different.

You have no doubt enjoyed trees displaying a red canopy during the fall color blitz, which are likely as not red maples. The tree comes by its name honest, as there’s something red about it all year long. In spring they bloom red flowers, in early summer you’ll see the red of ripening seeds, and all summer long the leaf stem will show red. Come autumn, much of the brilliant reds in the mountains are from red maples. In winter the end twigs and buds are also red.

A crowd of well-wishers witnessed the swearing-in of the recently elected Union County Officials on August 29 at Union County High School Commons. County Mayor Jason Bailey, re-elected for his second term, opened the ceremony and called on Rev. Robbie Corum to say a prayer. Evelyn Gentry, UCHS, ROTC Cadet Commanding Officer, had the honor of leading the pledge to the American Flag.