HOMESTEAD

Although Rodney and Carolyn Flanagan retired from a lifetime career of teaching school, they continue to host grade school students at an outdoor classroom on their ranch west of Ballinger.
Shortly after retiring the couple turned their focus on the mesquite invasion of their pastures with a goal to preserving the natural resources. In turn, they were recently named Runnels Soil and Water Conservation District’s Friends of Conservation winners.
According to a news release, the Flanagans both have rural conservation backgrounds. Rodney was born on a small farm eight miles east of Ballinger, attended school in Ballinger and graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Animal Science.
Carolyn grew up on a dairy farm in Coleman County. She graduated from Mozelle High School in Coleman County, received a degree from Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics.
She retired from teaching after 36 years at the same time Rodney retired from a teaching career which included vocational agriculture, elementary school principal and superintendent.  
The Flanagans first converted 40 acres of cropland to grass with the help of an Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the staff of the Natural Resources Conservation Service. In addition, 82 acres of brush control and range reseeding and 3,000 feet of cross fencing for rotational grazing were done.
“Rodney has done all the grubbing and brush clearing with a skid steers with a rock rake,” said David Embry, Tom Green SWCD district technician. “He spent lots of hours getting all the mesquite roots and pushing the brush into piles.”
Carolyn has focused on improving their yard with xeriscape, using rocks Rodney cleared from a pit behind the house. She has planted flowers which constantly bloom and attracts butterflies, birds and other wildlife.
The Flanagans have hosted the Natural Resource Day Outdoor Classroom for 14 years. They estimate more than 1,600 students and teachers have been impacted by xeriscape yard teaching the children to pass on her passion for gardening, plants, and much more, Embry said.