Eastern Area Spring Meeting
By Ken J. Goddard, UTIA Eastern Area Vice President
There is something special planned for everyone attending our UTIA Retirees Association annual meeting. Professor Mike Buschermohle, our featured speaker from the UT Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, will take us on an abbreviated journey reminding the group of the many changes we have experienced during our childhood and our career with UTIA.
“My grandpa was born in 1911. He farmed with mules, planted crops by the signs, and harvested crops by hand. Today we have tractors that drive themselves, we vary crop inputs across fields based on information gained from ‘big data’ and we plant and harvest crops in minutes that used to take my grandpa all day. Advancements in agricultural technologies such as GMOs, large machinery, GPS, auto-guidance, yield monitors, variable rate input controllers, unmanned aerial systems (drones), and the internet have changed how we farm today. These technologies are enabling agricultural producers to increase production, reduce input costs, and manage farmland more efficiently leading to many environmental benefits. This presentation will take us on a walk-through time from the early days when my grandpa farmed to how he would be farming today.”
Another presentation we all look forward to will be a review of this past year’s 4-H program, highlighting impact and activities, by Justin Crowe, 4-H Youth Development specialist. Crowe will also introduce us to a senior 4-H’er to present the opening “Thought for the Day,” plus he will display the top ten state posters for our enjoyment. The UTIA Retirees Association sponsors the state poster contest.
It’s important for each of our members to make plans to attend the April 13 annual meeting. We want to see you, learn more about your family and your travels, and discover more about your community activities since retirement. We want to enjoy a meal with you. I remember Mr. Joe Overton, now deceased, was working on a plant science research project at Ames Plantation. During our lunch, he stated, “The best compliment anyone could give or receive is to share and enjoy a meal together and visit.”
Our meal will feature 4-H barbecue chicken (with salad, rice, fruit, bread, desserts, tea, and coffee) to be prepared and served by the Knox County 4-H volunteers led by Danny Bullington (Retiree Association member) and Carlene Welch, UT Extension agent in Knox County.
Let’s do this, ok? Let’s dine and visit together on Thursday, April 13, 2017, at the Eastern Region Office, 1801 Downtown West Boulevard in Knoxville. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. Lunch can be reserved by mailing your check, $14.00, to our Eastern Region Treasurer, Gene Burgess, P.O. Box 1513, Seymour, TN 37865 by Thursday, April 6. See you April 13.