Local Extension agents and stormwater professionals are teaming up to provide you with the guidance you need to ensure that your yard is a "Tennessee Done Right Yard." One that is beautiful, environmentally friendly and saves you money.
They are doing this through Tennessee Yards and Neighborhoods (TYN), a new program being piloted in five counties across the state by the University of Tennessee Extension, the Tennessee Water Resources Research Center and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Recently, Gregg Upchurch with UT Extension and Eric Brady with the city of Crossville joined colleagues from Hamilton, Knox, Montgomery and Shelby counties to attend a Train-the-Trainer Workshop at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville to become qualifies TYN trainers.
According to Eric Brady, he learned through the training what the pay-off would be for the homeowner participating in this program. "It is an attractive and healthy yard that will enhance your neighborhood while also helping to protect Tennessee's beauty and natural resources. And an added benefit by conserving resources, you'll save money on utility bills and long-term yard maintenance."
So stay tuned for more information on the first upcoming Homeowner Landscape Workshop in Cumberland County. The workshop will provide guidebooks along with diagnostic tools including soil tests and rain gauges for $35 per person or $50 per household. Plus, the homeowner will receive a yard stick to help them measure their progress towards a "Tennessee Yard Done Right."
