Historic Union County

The Cradle of Country Music

In rural East Tennessee, throughout history, farming has proven more than just a family tradition for many by providing a livelihood and lifestyle. In Union County, many families have been cultivating the land for generations. In 1958, after five years of marriage, Leonard Padgett Sr. and wife Loretta Graves Padgett, moved with their two young sons, Leonard Jr. (Len) and Wendell, from Rifle Range Road in Knoxville to a portion of the old Beeler farm in Maynardville totaling more than one hundred ten acres, later being titled Cedar Crest Farms.

There is an old saying most Union County folks have heard or used a few times during their lives that says, “Sometimes it takes a village.” Whether referring to raising a child, moving a neighbor to a new home, or getting escaped cattle back inside their fences, sometimes we must all come together as a village or a tight knit community to achieve a desired outcome. A community joining forces as the village in that old saying is the mental image I have come accustomed to while learning of the upcoming Benefit Singing for Greg Davis.

Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Commissioner of Agriculture, Jai Templeton, Deputy Commissioner Tom Womack and Assistant Commissioner, Administration & Grants Larry Maxwell recently visited Seven Springs Farm to Table and The Winery at Seven Springs Farm. Commissioner Templeton was able to view first-hand how much help their valued partnership through the Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program and the Tennessee Agriculture Enterprise Grant has been to Seven Springs Farm.

Union County is a beautiful place to live and visit during any season, but this winter was even more sparkling than expected. The Light Up Union County Event, hosted by partnership UT Extension and Union County Chamber of Commerce, generated twenty three divine holiday light displays. The contest was split into three categories this year including Individual, Organization, and Commercial Business. A Facebook poll was conducted, running about two weeks, for each category.

As we say 'Hello to a New Year' I'm wondering where 2018 went. In fact, I'm wondering where the last 50 years have gone! On May 19, 2018, the Horace Maynard High School Class of 1968, had its 50-year reunion. Seriously, how did we go from signing year books to signing up for Medicare!

A recent study in the Journal of Public Health indicates that adolescents who experience frequent back pain are also more likely to use tobacco and alcohol, and report problems like anxiety and depression.

The Union County 4-H Program is very active in projects and activities providing many opportunities to youth in our area. Heading into the new year, Union County youngsters will be ready to kick off several 4-H events and contests.

Our 4-Hers are an active group of youth vested in the community. Currently, Tennessee 4-H Foundation has launched a Friends and Family Campaign to provide county 4-H clubs with an opportunity to grow funds, gain new support, and increase awareness of 4-H. Union County joined the movement and is looking to raise funds towards a goal to grow the county’s established endowment fund. This trust provides a quarterly payout to be applied to educational 4-H programs as well as camp and conference scholarships, right here in Union County for years to come.

Union County High School students meet goals set by the Tennessee Department of Education for high school students to attain industry certifications before graduating. Ms. Booker’s Computer Science Foundations students travelled to Walters State Community College to test in information technology. The students took a 75 question exam from the world’s leading tech association, CompTIA. CompTIA is an IT professional association and a leader in certification programs. Their programs set industry standards.

Ethan Dyer, a fellow student here at Union County High School, is one of our seniors on our 2018/2019 patriots basketball team. However, he is unfortunately out due to an injury in his foot. Ethan said his injury started when he rolled his ankle. He stated that he did it once over the summer and then did it again one day in practice. The injury consists of torn ligaments in the ankle and he is afraid he will have to have surgery. If everything goes well, he is hoping to get back on the court after Christmas break.

As Part of the series called:
Things That Make You Go Hmmm?

Matthew 7:15
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

Mincey’s Musings
Year One, Week Fifty-One

Welcome to 2019! If you are reading this, you have made it through yet another year of successes and challenges and are primed for another chapter of life’s adventure.

With January being National Tea Month, and since most teas are derived from a tree, I thought I’d study and share some things I did not know about the world’s most popular of beverage.

If only we could take them back, for they were not what we had in mind, at all. I’m not talking about returning merchandise to the retailer without the receipt. I’m talking about word mishaps. Sometimes what comes out of our mouths isn’t what was in our brains, or better yet, we just become confused and say the totally wrong words.

At times, these situations can be rather humorous. And at other times, it would be merciful of God to let the floor open up and swallow us.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how many receipts we have; we can never take our words back.

Do you remember your first job? I do. It was a long time ago, but is still fresh in my memory. It was 1944 when I moved in with the telephone operator in our “the wide spot in the road” community. I was in the tenth grade. My folks were in the midst of the in-fighting leading up to their divorce. I looked for a way out of the tensions at home. When the job became available, I jumped at it.

Cold weather is here again. The wind whips around the house stirring up piles of fallen leaves. As soon as it warms up a bit this morning, Anne will be out there with the leaf blower corralling leaves, blowing them across the road into the woods. It is weather like this that calls for a hearty breakfast.

Campbell County author Carol McClain announces fourth inspirational novel.

Knoxville TN: McClain’s latest novel, Yesterday’s Poison, on sale January 7, 2019, deals with the healing that comes from forgiveness. No matter how big or small, forgiveness heals the person’s wounds.

Yesterday’s Poison depicts three incongruous friends whose lives intersect when Torie Sullivan, while in a drunken rage, totals her car. Paramedic Adam Benedict saves her, but he discovers she’s the high school bully who tormented him and nearly ruined his life.

As Part of a new series called:
Things That Make You Go Hmmm?

Luke 2:8
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.”

Why does the Gospel writer Matthew mention the wise men coming to Jesus, and why does the Gospel writer Luke mention shepherds coming to Jesus?

Last time we addressed Matthew’s wise men part of this two-part question. This time we will concentrate on answering part two: Why does the Gospel writer Luke mention shepherds coming to Jesus?

In her poem, Emily Dickinson was speaking of two life events that were as painful and devastating as death. The beauty of poetry, and literature in general, is the myriad of meaning that a poem or story can have on different people.

Like I said, my feet and my brain are rarely in sync. Embarrassment is usually my main concern, but I had one fall that could have been very dangerous.

After I closed the basement door behind me, I spun around too fast, causing my feet to trip over each other. I tried to recover, but I couldn’t. That was frightening for 10 feet beneath me was the concrete floor. Concrete doesn’t give.