Deborah Kay (Debbie) Joines
DOB: 3/31/1961
Spouse: Jeff Joines, 1987
Children: Audrey Joines Smith; Cole Joines
Grandchildren: Jackson and Ellie
Debbie Brakefield Joines was born March 31, 1961 to Walter and Sue Brakefield (Bales) in Miami, Florida. She was the second of four children, preceded by brother, Joe, followed by Wally, then a sister, Nancy Dabbs, whom is six years younger. Early childhood involved feeder pigs and exploring on her pony, Blackie, in rural Franklin County, TN. Walter, her father, was an electrician which required moving to different communities throughout childhood. Eventually the family settled in southeastern Davidson County, TN by Long Hunter State Park. Her agricultural influences came from 4-H, her dad and a favorite uncle, Jack West who farmed hundreds of acres in Indiana. Uncle Jack was hardworking and always positive which grew her respect for anyone who made a living farming. As a teenager, she traded her pony for a horse which strengthened her love of horses and the beginning of training.
In high school, she worked for Dr. George Wright in Mt. Juliet which influenced her direction towards animal health and agriculture. Debbie graduated DuPont High School in Hermitage then enrolled fall 1979 at Columbia State Community College for a degree in Animal Hospital Technology. Believing a higher education was key to a better salary, she enrolled at University of Tennessee at Knoxville upon her associates degree (AS) at Columbia State. In December 1983, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree (BS) in Agriculture, majoring in Plant & Soil Science.
Right after graduation, she went to work at the University of Tennessee Soil and Forage Test Laboratory in Nashville writing lime and fertilizer recommendations for farmers and producers across the state. At that time, the lab processed nearly 40,000 soil samples annually.
In 1987, she married Jeff Joines of Hermitage. He too had the dream of farming which Debbie also shared. They moved to a small farm in southern Wilson County where she and Jeff bought 30 bred Holstein heifers to blend in with others already being milked in Woodbury, TN. Their daughter came a few years later and Debbie left UT to be a stay-at-home mom and raise bottle calves. During her time away from UT and moving to Gladeville, their son Cole came along and she and Jeff built a greenhouse. A & C Greenhouse was created and Debbie grew annual vegetables and flowers and perennial plants. She also trained horses for the public along with a few of her own. She was hired back at UT in 1996 to run the lab.
After 26 years at the UT Soil, Plant and Pest Center, she retired in 2016. During her career, she traveled across Tennessee presenting the virtues of soil and forage testing to county agents, farmers, producers and homeowners. University travels also led to opportunities not only in TN but throughout the Southeast. She traveled to the country of Kosovo to help scientists and county agents set up a soil testing facility to help their struggling farmers. She received a master’s degree (MS) in 2008 from UT-Martin in Agriculture studying the effects of sulfur on forage bermudagrass.
Since retirement, she has worked part-time at the Ward Agricultural Center while training and competing horses with her daughter, Audrey under 4J Barrel Horses. She and Jeff maintain a flock of 35 commercial and registered Katahdin ewes at their farm in Shop Springs.
Debbie has enjoyed volunteering for UT Extension in Wilson County. She served as a horse judging coach, co-chair for 4-H Youth Horse Show at the fair, Hay Show judge and Speed Event Judge at the Central Region 4-H Horse Show. She became a Master Gardener and Master Small Ruminant to learn new ideas and network with others.
Other efforts include Farm Days volunteer; Leadership Wilson; CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Volunteer; Wilson Farmers Co-op Board; member of UT Extension Advisory Board-Wilson County; Wilson County Fair Board; Health and Education Committee-Wilson County; past board member and officer Wilson County Livestock Association; member and board member of Tennessee Sheep Producers Association; member of National Barrel Horse Association.
Debbie’s hobbies include family time, golf, anything outside, training and running barrel horses, reading and going to the gym.
1961
Married: Jeff Joines
2 Children: Audrey and Cole
Debbie Brakefield Joines was born March 31, 1961, to Walter and Sue Brakefield (Bales) in Miami, Florida. Early childhood involved feeder pigs and exploring on her pony, Blackie, in rural Franklin County, TN. Her father was an electrician which required moving to different communities throughout childhood. Eventually the family settled in southeastern Davidson County, TN near Long Hunter State Park. Her agricultural influences came from 4-H, her dad and a favorite uncle, Jack West who farmed hundreds of acres in Indiana. As a teenager, she traded her pony for a horse which strengthened her love of horses and the beginning of training. Debbie graduated from DuPont High School in Hermitage then enrolled in the fall of 1979 at Columbia State Community College for a degree in Animal Hospital Technology. Believing a higher education was key to a better salary, she enrolled at University of Tennessee at Knoxville upon her associates degree (AS) at Columbia State. In December 1983, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree (BS) in Agriculture, majoring in Plant & Soil Science. After graduation, she went to work at the University of Tennessee Soil and Forage Test Laboratory in Nashville writing lime and fertilizer recommendations for farmers and producers across the state. In 1987, she married Jeff Joines of Hermitage. They moved to a small farm in southern Wilson County where she and Jeff bought 30 bred Holstein heifers to blend in with others already being milked in Woodbury, TN. Their daughter came a few years later and Debbie left UT to be a stay-at-home mom and raise bottle calves. During her time away from UT and moving to Gladeville, their son Cole came along, and she and Jeff built a greenhouse where she grew annual flowers and vegetables and perennial plants. She also trained horses for the public along with a few of her own. She was hired back at UT in 1996 to run the lab. After 26 years at the UT Soil, Plant and Pest Center, she retired in 2016. During her career, she traveled across Tennessee presenting the virtues of soil and forage testing to county agents, farmers, producers and homeowners. University travel also led to opportunities not only in TN but throughout the Southeast. She traveled to the country of Kosovo to help scientists and county agents set up a soil testing facility to help their struggling farmers. She received a master’s degree (MS) in 2008 from UT-Martin in Agriculture studying the effects of sulfur on forage bermuda grass. Since retirement, she has worked part-time at the Ward Agricultural Center while training and competing horses with her daughter, Audrey under 4J Barrel Horses. She and Jeff maintain a flock of 35 Katahdin ewes at their farm in Shop Springs.
