Youth Compete in 4-H Regional and State Poultry Contests

October 15, 2018
By: Leigh Fuson, 4-H Agent

DeKalb County 4-H members recently traveled to Lebanon for the Central Region Poultry Judging contest.  The junior team of Cali Agee, Olivia Gilley, and Laura Magness placed 6^th overall.  Will Mathis competed as a Junior High individual.  Cody Robinson, Caleb A. Taylor, Caleb P. Taylor, and Jacob Williams placed 4^th in the Senior High division.  The senior team qualified for state level competition that was held at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.  During the awards banquet, they were announced as the 5^th place winners.

During the contest, there are three classes where eggs are graded on quality: candling, broken out, and exterior.  Contestants must know the parts of an egg and how it deteriorates over time when candling.  A light is held to the eggs in order to see the interior.  The shell is then graded in the exterior quality class, and contestants look for defects and abnormalities.  A class of four, live White Leghorn hens is judged on their egg laying ability.  This is determined by the pigment of their skin and abdominal capacity.  Senior High members must give oral reasons on this class to defend their decision.  Finally, meat parts are identified and carcasses are graded in the ready-to-cook poultry classes.

Although 4-H members do not have to own chickens or have any previous experience, many of our poultry judgers do, so the knowledge gained through this contest will help them better care for their birds and market their eggs. Congratulations to these young people on a job well done!

If you are interested in poultry judging or any other 4-H activity, please call 615-597-4945. 4-H is a proud part of UT Extension, the UT Institute of Agriculture, and TSU Cooperative Extension. UT/TSU Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment through the cooperation of county, state, and federal governments.

October 15, 2018
By:

Evins Mill, a scenic Tennessee resort property located near Smithville, has contracted J&S Construction to complete kitchen renovations to its current facility according to the Upper Cumberland Business Journal.

The historical 40-acre property dates back to 1824, when a Tennessee Land Grant recorded it as Lockhart’s Mill. Perhaps the most well-known proprietor was the politically prominent Evins family, beginning with Edgar and his wife, Myrtie, in 1937. Evins built the current mill to run in conjunction with the then-emerging Lebanon business, Martha White.

The primary goal of this project will be to work within the owner’s budget to reorganize the existing space to allow for greater efficiency while minimizing the impact of required down time during renovations. Some challenges of the project include limited access due to a sloped terrain and mature trees surrounding the building, existing log cabin construction components and concealed conditions.

Several key accomplishments that will be recognized with the new scope of work include the creation of a shorter distance relationship between food storage areas and the food prep/cooking areas, elimination of some of the physical barriers to create a more efficient work space, isolation of the dishwashing operation and new dishwashing equipment, and improving mechanical systems that will promote a more comfortable environment both in the kitchen and dining areas.

Minutes from Center Hill Lake, Evins Mill provides all the amenities of a luxury destination in the intimate setting of a woodland resort. The site includes a 90-foot waterfall, swimming hole, hiking trails and a fishing pond. Upon completion of this renovation, Evins Mill will be celebrating 25 years of business – which includes hosting corporate retreats and special events, such as weddings and receptions. For more information, visit Evins Mill’s website at www.evinsmill.com.

This project is currently in the final design phase, and construction is scheduled to begin in December 2018.

Founded in 1957, J&S Construction is one of Middle Tennessee’s premier privately held construction firms, providing energy-efficient general contracting, design-build and construction management services for a wide variety of markets, including commercial, healthcare, religious, institutional and industrial facilities.

October 15, 2018
By: Dwayne Page

After two years as head coach of the Rhea County High School girls basketball squad, Darvin Gill is gearing up for his third season and is hoping the ball bounces in the right direction.

The Smithville native took over the program in 2016 and last year compiled a 25 win season. The Lady Golden Eagles were runners up in District 6AAA and advanced to the region semi-finals.

“I have been blessed with a really great group of players since I have been here. We have been a high scoring, high fast paced squad. Last year we scored 66 points per game and finished as the 8^th highest scoring girls team in the state,” said Coach Gill.

This year’s schedule is perhaps a bit tougher but Coach Gill said he is hoping that  it helps make his team better as the season progresses and especially by post-season time.

“I lost a fantastic group of seniors from last year. One of them was a starter and has moved on to play at Lee University in Cleveland. I have four returning starters. Out of those, three are juniors and one is a sophomore. I have beefed up the schedule this year adding a couple of top five teams in the state out of Memphis. I want to put us in a position to be a better team. We may not have the same win total as last year but the ultimate goal is to move further in the post season,” said Coach Gill.

From 2007 to 2015, Gill was an assistant to head girls basketball coach Michael Dodgen at Cannon County High School before the two of them left for White County High School in the same roles. Prior to joining the Cannon County program, Gill served as an assistant to former DCHS girls head basketball coach Victor Harrison in 2004-05. This is Gill’s first high school head coaching job.

“It has been very much a blessing. Shane Johnston, a Rhea County native, took over the program a few years ago and resurrected it. A year after he gave up coaching to move to the central office, I was fortunate to get the job. It is definitely something I wanted to do and I am grateful to my administration here.  He (Johnston) laid the groundwork and was instrumental in getting the program back in the right direction. I am trying to get them to another level now,” said Coach Gill.

Gill is a 1994 graduate of DeKalb County High School and he furthered his education at MTSU earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies with concentrations in coaching and recreation administration. At Rhea County, Coach Gill works in a program serving special needs students with disabilities.

Rhea County High School is located near Dayton, Tennessee at Evensville. District 6AAA is made up of Rhea County, Stone Memorial, Cookeville, Warren County, and White County High Schools.

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