UT Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Programs

By: Sheldon D. Barker

We live in a unique place. Am I a bit biased in that opinion? Yes, most likely I am, but who can blame me. Just look around at the mountains, the valley, the trees and wildlife, where we live is unique in many ways.   

The Sequatchie Valley is an anticline, the result of folds in the rock, and the erosion of water. The Geological feature itself stretches from the Crab Orchard Mountains southwesterly to Guntersville, Alabama. The Sequatchie River drains the northern part of the valley, and from South Pittsburg, Tennessee south the Tennessee River. The Cumberland Plateau marks the western side of the valley and Walden’s Ridge the eastern side. The seventy-five mile or so expanse in Tennessee is known as the Sequatchie Valley, and Sequatchie County sets at the very heart of the valley.

The uniqueness is not limited to the geology. According to some sources, the region is one of the most diverse ecologically. With seventy-five percent of the county forested, there are many opportunities to benefit from our natural resources both economical and recreational.

The soils of the county are very fertile, thus agriculture is and has been very important in the county. There are 232 farms in Sequatchie County (2007 Census of Agriculture) with 28,675 acres in production, the market value of products sold is about $4,943,000, with livestock sales making up about 90 percent of the total value.

With such a diverse and rich natural environment, the Agriculture and Natural Resources programs of The University of Tennessee Extension are very important. Extension offers many programs and services to farmers and landowners.  From soil test and fertilizer recommendations, to insect, weed and disease identification and control recommendations, all researched based. There are also classes on vegetable gardening, beef and forage production, and forestry and wildlife management, just to name a few. Keep following us here and in our other media outlets to learn more about Extension.

Check out our website at https://utextension.tennessee.edu/sequatchie/ for more information.

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