Carroll County Soil & Water Conservation District

08/31/2026

Dolly Parton didn't just come from the mountains of East Tennessee. She carried them in her heart.

Dolly spoke and sang about the land that raised her with a deep sense of love and belonging. The Smokies were part of her story, their mountains, forests and natural beauty inspiring her music and shaping the way she shared Tennessee with the world.

That love showed in how she gave back. She lent her voice to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, encouraged others to care for the land, and when wildfire devastated the mountains and communities she loved, she was there for her neighbors. She described the Smokies as “sacred ground” and believed deeply in taking care of what we’ve been given.

At TDEC, we know the places we protect are more than land on a map. They shape our stories, our communities and who we become. Few people showed that connection between people and place quite like Dolly.

Thank you, Dolly, for loving this land and for helping the world love it, too. 🦋

📸: Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park - Flag Pond, TN

08/27/2026

April 28, 1966-Roadbank Treatment MIXIE, TN.

Another oldie but goodie!

L to R: Hulon Swindell, M. E. Robertson and W. D. Foster. Landowners preparing seedbed on a road bank before fertilizing and seeding to sarlcea and Barmudagrass. The roadbank was sloped and graded by the county road department several weeks before.

This is part of the Martin Creek Watershed Project.

Photo credit: H. P. Scott

08/19/2026

5/5/1967. Critical Area Treatment at Smith Bros Farms in Carroll County. Part of Martin Creek Watershed. Gully to be shaped, looking toward Radford Farms.

Photo By: Wendell Perry

08/18/2026

08/07/2026

We found another historical photo. This photo was taken on 4/15/1967. A critical Area Treatment was being completed at Claude Hastings Farm. The large gullies were being pushed in to be vegetated with Bermuda Grass and Sericea lespedeza. L to R: Wendell Perry Robert Eason and A. Kilmore.

This project is credited to SCS (Soil Conservation Service) at that time. The name changed later to what we know as NRCS (The Natural Resources Conservation Service ) today.

Photo taken by: K. P. Scott

07/30/2026

I wanted to share another little piece of history and offer a throwback to how far agriculture has come here in Carroll County. Attached is a photo from May 29, 1967, taken at John Mann Farm. In the snapshot, pictured you will see Critical area located on the farm. The land is being planned for for shaping and seeding. A testament to the dedication and hard work that has shaped our local landscape.
This moment is a part of the Martin Creek Watershed story, and it’s fascinating to see how much progress has been made since then.
I hope you enjoy this glimpse into our past as much as I did. If you have any similar photos or stories to share, I’d love to hear them!
I will be posting more from the past soon! See less

original photographer: W. A. Perry

07/22/2026

I wanted to share a little piece of history and offer a throwback to how far agriculture has come here in Carroll County. Attached is a photo from May 11, 1967, taken at the Harold Turner Farm. In the snapshot, you’ll see Mr. Turner himself, pictured after shaping, seeding, and mulching his roadbank—a testament to the dedication and hard work that has shaped our local landscape.

This moment is a part of the Martin Creek Watershed story, and it’s fascinating to see how much progress has been made since then.

I hope you enjoy this glimpse into our past as much as I did. If you have any similar photos or stories to share, I’d love to hear them!

I will be posting more from the past soon!

07/21/2026

Congratulations to Hannah Fowler. Hannah has been honored with the John Willis Memorial Scholarship from the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation during the Tennessee Young Farmers & Ranchers Summer Conference. This achievement is a true testament to Hannah’s dedication and passion for agriculture.

As one of our SWCD Scholarship recipients, Hannah continues to make our District immensely proud. It’s inspiring to see our young students not only pursuing their education but also actively contributing to the stewardship of our land. Moments like these highlight the important role our scholarship programs play in supporting the next generation of leaders in agriculture.

Let’s all join in celebrating Hannah’s accomplishment and wishing her continued success in her educational journey and her efforts to help our land thrive.

07/21/2026

MILAN 34th NO-TILL CROP PRODUCTION FIELD DAY!

Schedule Overview:
7:00 a.m. – Registration Begins
8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – Commercial and Educational Displays. For more information please see the link below:

https://milannotill.tennessee.edu/program-2026/