Tuesday, March 22, 2011 5:27 pm

With the help of the Middle Tennessee Mule Skinners Association, Cannon County Sheriff Darrell Young is well on the way to having a garden planted in a field next to the sheriff's department.

Members of the Mule Skinners, including Buddy Black, Trent Hancock, Terry Preston, Grady George, Jr. and Wayne Hancock, plowed the field with a team of mules this past Saturday.

Sheriff Young said vegetables to be planted include green beans, okra, spinach and cucumbers.

The vegetables will be planted by inmates, Sheriff Young said. Inmates will also be the beneficiary of their labor, as they will eat the food they grow.

What does MTMS do?

The Middle Tennessee Mule Skinners have been very active since 1997.  The MTMS Annual Mule Show held in Woodbury has grown to be recognized as one of the best shows in the South East. MTMS sponsors and organizes seasonal activities such as wagon rides, plowings, mowings, parades and sales as well.    

MTMS members have build a reputation by participation in the Columbia Mule Day Parade.  For the past 35 years, member Buddy Black has carried the Grand Marshall of the parade in the number one wagon in the parade.  Member Thomas Summers following, in the number two wagon, with the Columbia Mule Day Queen and her court.

During 2009 the MTMS were well represented as the number three wagon driven by Andrew Duggin and Jimmy Simpson carried all of the past Mule Day Queens and in 2010 they provided transportation for the Mayor of Columbia and his family.

During 2010, David and Jackie Preston, Trent Hancock, Andrew Duggin and Bob Cantrell attended the Ellington Agricultural Music and Molasses Festival in Nashville, Tennessee. During this Saturday visit, three teams of mules provided wagon rides to over 5000 people at the festival.

Thomas Summers also was a big hit at Heritage Day on the Mountain during October 2010 as he gave rides to visitors on a trolley with a four mule hitch (pictured below).  Thomas and his team provided rides to over 2000 riders during the one day event held at the historic farm of Jimmy Yates on Rocky River Mountain.