Judges for 2012 4-H Cook-Off

Tim Cross

Tim Cross has been part of UT Extension for 14 years, serving first as an Extension specialist in agricultural economics, then as assistant and associate dean of agriculture and natural resources. In July 2008, he became Dean of UT Extension.

Dena Wise

Dena Wise is a Professor and State Specialist with UT Extension, coordinating statewide programs in family economics. She spent more than 15 years in Extension work at the county level in Florida, Georgia and Texas before moving to Tennessee. She has judged cooking and canning contests for major newspapers as well as for state and regional fairs and festivals.

Pettus Read

Mr. Read, Director of Communications and Editor of the Tennessee Farm Bureau News, as well as the Tennessee Home & Farm magazine, began his career in agriculture as a farm boy on a register Guernsey and Jersey dairy farm in middle Tennessee.  There, he developed his love for farming and the rural lifestyle that he still continues today and writes about in his weekly award-winning column.  Read is the author of the “Read All About It” column that is written in a down home hospitality format and appears each week in over 55 newspapers across Tennessee.

Justin Crowe

Justin Crowe began his 4-H career at the age of 9. He joined the 4^th grade 4-H club at Bethel Springs Elementary School in McNairy County (west Tennessee). Justin was active in the public speaking, leadership, citizenship and personal development projects. After college, he went to work for the UT Agricultural Extension Service as a 4-H Agent in Davidson County. From there, he moved to Knoxville and began working as an Extension Specialist in the State 4-H Office giving statewide leadership to teen programs, citizenship and service learning initiatives and several grant funded projects. Justin holds a B.S. and a Master’s degree and is completing his doctorate degree at UT Chattanooga.

Herb Lester

Herb Lester, retired central regional director for the University of Tennessee Extension Program, is no stranger to cornbread.  In 1959, he took first place at the Martha White 4-H Corn Bread Baking Contest with the local Lascassas 4-H Club and won a 5 lb. bag of Martha White cornmeal.  The blue ribbon was a real highlight for Herb.  From there he graduated several different levels of cornbread tasting.  With his varied experience as a cornbread judge, he is often seen at Cracker Barrel restaurants keeping his taste for cornbread at a high and refined level.