PARROTTSVILLE-Randy Winter was named the Conservation Farmer of the Year in December during the Cocke County Soil Conservation District Annual Farm Tour, which was held at his family farm in the Long Creek community.

Over 50 people attended the annual farm tour, as numerous guest speakers gave presentations on various farm practices and materials used.

Winter, his wife, Julie, and his brother, Jeff, work the family farm.

Winter said, "The biggest thing farmers need to remember, before anything else, is good soil nutrition.

"If you don't look at your nutrition to make sure the pH and the nutrition are right, you need to give that grass a chance then you will be happy with what you do. You need to do this before you even begin raising cattle. You need to worry about this before genetics, head gates, etc."

For more details, please see the weekend edition of the Newport Plain Talk.