Old-school speakers headline Farm and Ranch Tour

The 50th Annual Farm and Ranch Tour, sponsored by the Athens Chamber of Commerce, will be held Tuesday, May 21, and for the special day organizers have brought back some special speakers.

The lunch will feature: Wyndel Tackett, Gayle Finch and Rex Holmes.

“We’re going old school on the speakers, because we are bringing back the guys who were here when it started,” AgriLife Extension Agent Rick Hirsch said. “You’ve got more than 100 years of agriculture in Henderson County speaking.”

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WYNDEL TACKETT

Wyndel Tackett was one of the original men credited with starting the very first Farm and Ranch Tour in 1964. Since then, he has worn many hats: rancher, ranch manager, county extension agent, friend, landowner, husband and dad. In 1989, Mr. Tackett was awarded the first Joe B. Fulgham Agriculturist of the Year Award. In 1996, he received the Man of the Year in Texas Agriculture Award. Mr. Tackett is married to Willetta. Mr. Tackett retired from AnLaCo in 2002.

GAYLE FINCH

Gayle Finch came to Henderson County as the County Extension Agent in 1966 and served until 1992. He was the Joe B. Fulgham Agriculturist of the Year award winner in 1992. He had a tremendous passion for developing and maintaining an excellent agriculture education program for Henderson County farmers and ranchers. He worked hard on the Farm and Ranch Tour Committee, serving for over 30 years. He still serves as the annual Master of Ceremonies.

REX HOLMES

Rex Holmes came to Henderson County for his second stay in 1974 and has never left. He was the District Conservationist for the Soil Conservation Service from 1974 until 1994. He received the Joe B. Fulgham Agriculturist of the Year Award in 2005. He served on the Farm and Ranch Tour Committee for over 20 years. He has a small farm near Tri-Cities where he manages a cow-calf operation and is active with the farming community by helping neighbors and the TVCC ranch program.