Wilkinson County GaArchives News.....Tommy McCook Gardener of the Year (1989) 1989
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anonymous   January 7, 2006, 10:25 pm

Local Paper 1989
TOMMY MCCOOK GARDENER OF THE YEAR
   This summer people from across Wilkinson County called the County Extension 
OFfice to nominate their gardening friends for the gardener of the year 
award.  The award is given by the County Extension Office in recognition of 
superior vegetable gardening skill.
   Nominees for this year's contest included: Earl K. Thompson, Tommy McCook, 
Julian Hatcher, Bill Akins, Carl Mixon, Billy and Laverne Griffin, Marvin 
Merritt and Beulah Dennard.  Many of these gardeners continued working through 
the season unaware that their friends and neighbors has "entered" them in the 
competition.
   Based upon the number of nominations received a group of finalists were 
selected.  Mr. Bill Akins of Orwinton proved to be Wilkinson County's most 
widely recognized gardener this year by receiving the most nominations for the 
award.  The other finalists were: Tommy McCook, Julian Hatcher, and Billy 
Griffin.
   The Judges for this year's contest: Keith Lassiter, Baldwin County 
Extension Service Director and Greg Sheppard, Wilkinson County Extension 
Agent, visited each finalist's garden in order to make the final decision.  
After comparing scoreboards, Mr. Tommy McCook of Gordon was announced as the 
1989 Wilkinson County Gardener of the Year.
   Mr. McCook who has gardened in the same spot for some 40 years grows a wide 
variety of vegetables.  "We filled five freezers this year," said Mr. McCook.  
In addition to his own use Mr. McCook shares vegetables with many friends and 
neighbors and occasionally sells some of his excess production.  Tommy follows 
a good disease and insect control program by rotating planting sites, 
destroying all crop residue and carefully monitoringinsect numbers and 
spraying as needed.  Problem areas in the garden have been treated with Capam 
Soil Fumigant or an in furrow chemical treatment.  Mr. McCook has one of the 
most weed-free gardens around and once jokingly said he would like to "rent 
some weeds" since he didn't have any left in his garden.  McCook makes use of 
a number of innovative gardening techniques including: raised beds, a 
sophisticated irrigation and drainage system and a number of experimental 
plantings.  "If you have an idea about how to do something better try it out 
even if other people say it won't work.  That's how you learn to garden," says 
McCook.
   As the 1989 Award Winner Mr. McCook received a handsome engraved plaque and 
a $25 gift certificate compliments of Joe Etheridge of Wilco Feed and Seed.
   Congratulations to all our 1989 nominees and to Tommy McCook, the Wilkinson 
County Gardener of the Year.

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