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Monday 8am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm Thursday 8am - 4:30pm Friday 8am - 4:30pm

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Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District

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Dandridge, TN
Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District

Our office is here to help landowners in Jefferson County conserve their soil, water and other natural resource.

We provide technical and financial assistance to landowners to help them install agricultural best management practices.

09/29/2026

The Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District and NRCS Team had a wonderful time participating in Jefferson County Farm Bureau’s 2026 Farm Day! We want to extend a huge THANK YOU to Jefferson County Farm Bureau for inviting us to be a part of such a fun and educational day for our local students!

This year, more than 430 second graders from elementary schools across Jefferson County gathered at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds to learn about agriculture and the important role it plays in our everyday lives.

Our office brought along some very special underground helpers - WORMS!!! 🪱

Using a feeding trough filled with soil and live worms, we gave students an up-close, hands-on lesson about soil health and the important role worms play beneath our feet. Students were able to dig into the soil, gently handle and observe the worms, and ask questions about worms, healthy soil, and the soil right here in our own community.
Worms may be small, but they are mighty helpers! As they move through the ground and break down organic material, they help improve soil structure, nutrient cycling, and create conditions that allow plants to grow!

Events like Farm Day are such a great opportunity to help young people understand where their food and resources come from while introducing them to agriculture and conservation in a way they can see, touch, and experience for themselves.

We are grateful to have been a small part of educating the next generation about agriculture and conservation!!

09/25/2026

We’re joining in on the fall fun!!!

The Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District is excited to be participating in the 2026 Autumn in Dandridge Scarecrow Contest! 🌾🎃

We love having opportunities like this to get involved in our community, support our neighbors, and have a little fun along the way!

While you’re out and about in Dandridge, we encourage you to take a drive or stroll around town and check out all of the creative scarecrow displays that local businesses, organizations, and residents have worked hard to put together. Be sure to keep an eye out for ours, too!

We’re proud to be a part of such a fun community tradition. Happy scarecrow hunting, Jefferson County!!!

09/22/2026

The Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District had a wonderful time visiting Barefoot Academy and sharing a hands-on rainfall simulation with the students!

During the demonstration, we compared two different soil samples- one with tilled, bare ground and another covered with grass. After introducing simulated rainfall, students were able to see firsthand how the different surfaces responded to rain.

The tilled soil produced more surface runoff, while the grass-covered soil helped slow the water down and allowed more water to soak into the ground. This demonstration is a great way to show why healthy vegetation and proper land management are so important for reducing runoff, protecting our soil, and improving water quality.

A big thank you to Barefoot Academy for hosting us and giving us the opportunity to share the importance of soil and water conservation with the next generation! We always enjoy getting young people involved in learning about and protecting our natural resources.

09/04/2026

September is National Chicken Month, and the Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District wants to see your feathered friends!

Whether you have a backyard flock, farm full of chickens, a favorite rooster, or one spoiled hen who thinks she owns the place- we want to see them! Bonus points for funny poses, photobombing chickens, or birds with BIG personalities.

HOW TO ENTER:
Drop a photo of you with your chicken(s) in the comments below for a chance to win a Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District hat!

Help us celebrate National Chicken Month and show Jefferson County just how much we love our local flocks!

👇 Post your chicken picture in the comments below! 👇

09/02/2026

Join us on October 20th as we co-host our Fall Pasture Tour. Topics for this field day include rotational grazing, soil sampling, and stockpiling tall fescue. RSVP online or call 865-397-2969.

https://tiny.utk.edu/fieldtour26

08/21/2026

The Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District was back out in the field today checking prescribed grazing practices on the JE Mottern property!

Soil Technician Nick Cline is seen meeting with the producer to take a look at pasture conditions and see how the grazing system is progressing! These field visits give us the opportunity to evaluate forage conditions, discuss grazing management, and make sure conservation practices are working as planned.

Prescribed grazing is about more than simply moving livestock from one pasture to another. Properly managed grazing can help maintain healthy forage, provide adequate rest and recovery for pastures, improve soil health, reduce erosion, and make better use of the forage a farm already produces.

We always enjoy getting out on the farm and seeing conservation practices at work!

08/18/2026

Yesterday, the Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District was proud to host the Area 4 – 2026 Tennessee Grazing Inventory & Tools Field Training at Lick Skillet Farm in New Market!

It was a full day of hands-on learning focused on helping conservation professionals better evaluate pasture conditions and develop effective grazing management plans.

Throughout the day, participants headed into the field to practice producer and site inventories, plant identification, step-point and Pasture Condition Score (PCS) evaluations, and forage measurements using grazing sticks. We also worked through the “cowboy math” behind grazing management- looking at stocking rates, available forage, seasonal changes in forage production, rest periods, and balancing livestock needs with what the pasture can provide.

The training went beyond evaluating the grass beneath our feet! Participants discussed paddock setup and rotation, fencing and grazing infrastructure, contingency planning, and the resources needed to build a successful rotational grazing system.

During the afternoon group exercises, teams put everything together by evaluating actual pasture conditions, estimating available forage, determining the forage-to-animal balance, identifying infrastructure needs, and beginning to develop preliminary grazing plans based on real-world scenarios.

We wrapped up the day by comparing results, answering questions, and discussing NRCS Practice 528- Prescribed Grazing, grazing management plan requirements, TN Graze Tool entry, CART, and the next steps involved in putting these tools into practice.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make today’s training possible and to all of the participants who joined us in the field. Days like today are a great reminder that good grazing management starts with understanding the land, the forage, and the needs of the livestock!!

We were grateful to have the opportunity to host this hands-on training right here in Jefferson County!

08/12/2026

A little throwback from the Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District and our friends here at the FSA Office. We may have grown up, but we’re still here to help our local farmers, landowners, and community!

08/10/2026

Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District is proud to recognize Chris Gann as our 2026 Farmer of the Year!

A fourth-generation farmer, Chris operates his cow/calf operation with his father, Gregg, on the same land where his great-grandparents once ran a dairy farm. Many in our community may recognize the property by the well-known “Everywhere You Look UT Barn” located in front of Jefferson County High School. For Chris, farming this land is about more than agriculture- it is about preserving his family’s heritage while building a future for the next generation.

Chris currently manages approximately 25 cow/calf pairs and has recently embraced virtual fencing technology. Beginning with five collars and later expanding his system with assistance from NRCS, Chris can now create and adjust grazing boundaries remotely, support rotational grazing, monitor cow/calf movement, and reduce pressure on permanent fencing.

“Without the NRCS Programs, I wouldn’t have been able to operate with the NoFence Technology at this scale,” Chris shared.

While Chris values innovation, family remains at the heart of the farm. He and his wife, Jennifer, along with their daughters Trinity, Sarah and Alexia, continue their agricultural traditions through cattle, chickens, and beekeeping. Chris is also a veteran with 26 years of service in the Army Reserve and has continued his agricultural education through conservation and UT Extension Programs.

Chris represents what makes Jefferson County agriculture special: deep roots, strong family values, conservation and a willingness to embrace new ideas while honoring the generations that came before.

Please, join us in congratulating Chris Gann, Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District’s 2026 Farmer of the Year!!

08/06/2026

Today, on Farm Worker Appreciation Day, we want to recognize the hardworking people whose dedication helps put food on our tables every single day.

From the men and women who plant, tend, harvest, and care for our crops and livestock to the small local farmers who work from sunrise to sunset wearing countless hats, your commitment does not go unnoticed. Many small farmers aren’t just owners- they’re also the hands in the fields, the caretakers of their animals, the mechanics, the bookkeepers, and the first to arrive and the last to leave each day.

Agriculture is built on hard work, resilience, and a deep love for the land. Whether you’re a hired farm worker, a family member helping on the farm, or a local farmer working alongside your crew, thank you for the sacrifices you make to feed our communities.

These are some of the hard working faces of your local agricultural community! We would love to see more faces of our agricultural community in the comments below!!! Comment a picture with your farm or tag a local farmer below.

Today, we celebrate you and the vital role you play in our lives. Thank you for everything you do!

Happy Farm Worker Appreciation Day!!!

Address

319 Tennessee Highway 92
Dandridge, TN
37725

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8am - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 4:30pm

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