Neighbors Magazine

ARTISTIC AGRICULTURE Extension Keeps Murals’ Ag Memories Alive, Well LOOKING AHEAD Organization Conference Sets Agenda For 2011

A New Chapter in a Long History The Land Bank — it’s a familiar name around rural Alabama, a name that people have come to know and trust. When you need a rural land loan, people turn to the Land Bank for financing. Now the Federal Land Bank Associations of Alabama have new names — Alabama Farm Credit and Alabama Ag Credit.

You might wonder why, after more than 90 years, we’d mess with a good thing. The answer is simple: to make

it better. We’re changing our names because we are expanding our line of loan products to include operating loans, equipment loans and lines of credit. Our customers can now get all their rural and agricultural loans in one place, from the lenders they already know and trust.

We’re excited about all the new options we can offer new and existing customers. Contact us today to ask how we can help you.

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formerly Federal Land Bank Association of North Alabama

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formerly Federal Land Bank Association of South Alabama

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Neighbors A Publication of the Alabama Farmers Federation

VOLUME 36, NUMBER 2

FEBRUARY 2011

Artistic Agriculture

John A. Walker’s brush with agriculture at the 1939 Alabama State Fair is keeping Alabama farm memories alive. • 16

Ag Hall of Honor

Federation President Jerry Newby will be among the inductees when the Ag Alumni Association holds its annual Hall of Honor banquet Feb. 22 at Auburn University. • 5

DRV NOW TXT L8R

Alfa Insurance is hoping to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted drivers with its DRV NOW TXT L8R online video contest. • 14

ON THE COVER Bruce Dupree, art director for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, stands with one of the paintings in the John A. Walker collection at Auburn University. The mural is one of 10 commissioned

by Extension for the 1939 Alabama State Fair. Walker’s murals were recently on display at the Birmingham Public Library.

— Photo by Darryal Ray NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

First Step

The Young Farmers Leadership Conference in the Rocket City this month will be a first step in the Outstanding Young Farm Family competition. • 18

Snow Business At AFBF

Attendees at the 92nd Annual Meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation didn’t let a snow and ice storm keep them from the business at hand. • 22 3

DEPARTMENTS 4

President’s Message

8

Federation Digest

24

Ag Briefs

26

Alabama Gardener

28

Country Kitchen

30

Classifieds

w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

President’s Message A

lmost 50 years ago, President John F. Kennedy addressed the nation from Rice University and challenged America to do something unimaginable — to send a man to the moon and bring him safely back to earth.

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that Jerry Newby goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills,” Kennedy said.

Today, Alabama’s new Legislature and America’s new Congress once again stand at the threshold of a new decade. And, like the aerospace engineers of the 1960s, these leaders face unprecedented challenges and opportunities.

Tight state budgets and a growing national debt will make addressing issues like unemployment, healthcare and education more difficult. Meanwhile, lawmakers must continue to provide for the national defense and maintain the infrastructure needed to support commerce.

Despite these tough economic times, thousands of political newcomers ran for public office last year, and voters rewarded their willingness to serve during elections that brought sweeping changes in Montgomery and Washington.

These leaders’ promise of smaller government and less spending resonated with voters. Now, our newly elected officials will begin the process of making these ideals a reality. With America facing a national debt of $14 trillion and shortfalls once again projected for state budgets, achieving these goals will not be easy.

But like the Huntsville scienw w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

tists who propelled America into a technological revolution, Alabama’s new senators, representatives and congressmen didn’t seek public office because it was easy; they chose this duty because it was hard.

How we respond to the economic challenges facing our state and nation will measure the best of our energies, skills (and character).

At the state level, legislators already have shown their willingness to make difficult decisions.

Their work in the special session will help level the playing field in Montgomery, while ending practices that can undermine public trust and create an ethical dilemma for lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Congress is preparing to tackle tough issues, too. Repealing or fixing the new healthcare law; writing a new farm bill, and addressing the increasing regulation of U.S. farmers and other small businesses are just few of the tasks that await senators and representatives.

Complicating matters is the national debt that now stands at $45,000 for every man, woman and child in the United States. Spending must be controlled, but with 82 percent of the federal budget allocated to Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, defense and interest on debt, cuts won’t be easy.

Our future, however, demands that we do what President Kennedy called the “hard” things.

Throughout our nation’s history, we have been blessed with courageous men and women who are willing to accept the challenge of leadership, and we pray this latest generation of leaders is successful.

At the Alabama Farmers Federation, we look forward to working with our state and national leaders as they embark on this journey that — like the space race — is a giant leap for America. n 4

VOLUME 36, NUMBER 2

________________________________________ Darryal Ray, Editor Debra Davis, Associate Editor Mike Moody, Graphic Designer ALABAMA FARMERS FEDERATION Paul Pinyan, Executive Director Jeff Helms, Director of Communications FEDERATION OFFICERS Jerry Newby, President, Athens Hal Lee, Vice President/North, Hartselle Dean Wysner, Vice President/Central, Woodland Ricky Wiggins, Vice President/Southeast, Andalusia Jake Harper, Vice President/Southwest, Camden Steve Dunn, Secretary-Treasurer, Evergreen DIRECTORS Joe Dickerson, Lexington Ted Grantland, Somerville Donnie Garrett, Centre Darrel Haynes, Cullman John E. Walker III, Berry Marshall Prickett, Wellington Richard Edgar, Deatsville Dickie Odom, Boligee Garry Henry, Hope Hull Carl Sanders, Brundidge David Bitto, Elberta Sammy Williams, Columbia Debbie Freeland, Grand Bay Ben Haynes, Cullman Neighbors (ISSN 0162-3974) is published monthly by the Alabama Farmers Federation, 2108 East South Boulevard, Montgomery, Alabama 36116. For information about member benefits of the Alabama Farmers Federation, visit the Web site www.AlfaFarmers.org. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and additional mailing offices.

Printed in the U.S.A. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Neighbors, P.O. Box 11000, Montgomery, Alabama 36191-0001.

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE: Paul Hurst, Hurst & Associates, Inc., P.O. Box 6011, Vernon Hills, IL 60061. Phone: 800397-8908; Fax: (847) 438-8105. Classified ad and editorial inquiries should be directed to the editor at (334) 613-4410.

ADVERTISING DISCLAIMER: Ad­vertise­­­­­­­ ments contained in Neighbors do not represent an endorsement by the magazine or the Alabama Farmers Federation.

EDITORIAL MATTER from sources outside of the Alabama Farmers Federation is sometimes presented for the information and interest of our members. Such material may, or may not, coincide with official Alabama Farmers Federation policies. Publication of material does not necessarily imply its endorsement by the Alabama Farmers Federation.

ADDRESS editorial, advertising and change of address correspondence to Neighbors, P.O. Box 11000, Montgomery, Alabama 36191-0001. www.AlfaFarmers.org A member of American Farm Bureau Federation NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

Newby Among AU’s Ag Hall of Honor Inductees

By Darryal Ray

J

erry Newby, president of the Alabama Farmers Federation, long-time Extension specialist Dallas Hartzog and Lowndes County cattle farmer Harold Pate will be inducted into the Agricultural Hall of Honor during the Auburn University Agricultural Alumni Association’s annual banquet and awards program Feb. 22 in Auburn.

Also during the ceremonies, the alumni group will present Pioneer Awards posthumously to B. W. Appleton of Gainesville, Ga., and John Cottier of Auburn. The Pioneer Awards are presented to individuals who had a significant impact on Alabama agriculture during their lifetimes.

The Ag Alumni Association established the Hall of Honor in 1984 to honor and recognize living Alabamians for the leadership they have shown and the role they have played in strengthening the state’s agricultural industry. Each year, three new members are voted into the Hall of Honor — one from production agriculture, one from the

NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

agribusiness sector of the industry and one in the area of education/ government.

Newby, a Limestone County row crop and cattle farmer who holds a business administration degree from Athens State University, is the honoree in the agribusiness category. He was recently elected to his seventh straight two-year term as president of the Alabama Farmers Federation, Alabama’s largest farm organization and a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

Prior to his election as president, he served as a vice president of the Federation and as a member of its board of directors.

Also a member of the AFBF board of directors and its Foundation for Agriculture, Newby served on the Alabama Board of Agriculture and Industries and is a past board member of Cotton Incorporated. He also has served as a delegate to the National Cotton Council for Alabama and as a member of the NCC Producer Steering Committee. He is a past secretary of Southern Cotton Growers.

5

Newby, who is part of a diversified family farm operation in north Alabama and south Tennessee along with his father, brother and seven other family members, was president of the Limestone County Farmers Federation for 14 years.

He began his involvement in the organization as a member of the Young Farmers Program, serving as Limestone County’s chairman, and then as chairman of the State Young Farmers Committee. He also served on the American Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer & Rancher Committee.

Hartzog, who retired in 2007 as an agronomist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System at the Wiregrass Regional Research and Extension Center in Headland, is known throughout the South for his contributions to the peanut industry, including soil fertility and cultural practice research. He is being inducted in the education/ government category.

His research focused on row spacing, tillage, sub-surfaced drip irrigation, center-pivot irrigation, calcium requirements of the new w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

peanut cultivars, yield sustainability in a reduced tillage environment and integrating cattle in a sod-based rotation with peanuts and cotton.

Hartzog, who holds masters and bachelor’s degrees from Auburn University, worked to develop sustainable peanut, cotton and livestock cropping systems. He earned the Distinguished Career Award from the Extension System and, in 2001, was named Man of the Year in Agriculture by Progressive Farmer magazine.

Pate, who is being inducted in the production category, has been one of the state’s top Charolais cattle producers for more than 50 years.

A staunch advocate of performance records, Pate measured and analyzed all performance data available to select the best genetics to produce top quality seedstock.

He relies heavily on performance data collected from sire summaries, Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association (ALBCIA) central bull evaluations and steer feed-out eval-

uations. He also uses the performance data from his Lowndesboro cattle farm, Pate Charolais.

In 2006, the ALBCIA presented Pate with the Richard Deese Award for his role in upholding the principles of performance testing and genetic improvement in beef cattle.

A former president of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) and the ALBCIA, Pate was inducted into the Alabama Livestock Hall of Fame in 1987. As a charter member of ALBCIA in 1964, he helped pave the way for today’s cattlemen. He was Alabama Cattleman of the Year in 1977, ALBCIA Seedstock Producer of the Year in 1986 and the 1997 American International Charolais Association’s Producer of the Year.

Pate has also assisted with youth livestock programs, hosted field days and volunteered to assist with judging teams. Pate also served as a leader in several state and national breed associations and helped to establish the Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association.

The Hall of Honor’s first class consisted of three members, with not more than three new members to be added each year. In later years, the selection process evolved to identify individuals from three primary sectors of the industry — agribusiness, production and education/government.

In May 1995, the Agricultural Pioneer Award was established to posthumously recognize individuals whose lives and work impacted the industry.

Each year, in conjunction with the association’s annual meeting, a banquet is held to honor that year’s recipients and their families.

Biographical plaques of the Hall of Honor recipients are placed on the first-floor walls of Comer Hall. A plaque for the Pioneer Award is also located in this area with a brass plate listing each year’s recipients. n ____________________________________ For more information about this year’s awards, contact Elaine Rollo at (334) 844-3204 or email rollome@auburn.edu.

Alabama Chicken & Egg Festival Set For April 9-10 In Moulton

T

he seventh annual Alabama Chicken and Egg Festival is all it’s cracked up to be — an interactive agricultural experience offering old-fashioned fun and contests, food vendors featuring chicken entrees prepared in a variety of ways and live entertainment by 15 bands.

Set April 9-10 at the Lions Club Fairgrounds in Moulton, the event also offers agricultural displays and a Southern Folk Life Art exhibit to introduce festival-goers to a diversity of folk skills dating back to the pioneer days. The “Down on the Farm” area features a Bluegrass music stage, antique tractors, demonstrations by quilters, farriers, basket makers and much more. There’ll also be hundreds of live chickens ranging from bantams to full size will be on display, giving guests an up close look at the many different breeds and varieties.

Each year, children and adults take part in the many eating contests, whether it’s hard-boiled eggs or w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

chicken wings. At the 2010 festival, the champion of the hard-boiled egg eating contest ate 25 eggs while the chicken wing eating contest resulted in a tie with 40 wings chowed away in 5 minutes.

Beginning in April, listeners will call into WDRM radio station to qualify for the Chicken Cluck-

ing Contest. Those qualifying will strut their stuff on the Chicken Stage where the festival’s audience chooses the best clucker. n ____________________________________ For more information, visit alabamachickenandeggfestival.com or contact Vicki Morese at (256) 905-0700 or vicki@alabamachickenandeggfestival.com.

2011 Area Communications Meetings DATE

TIME

AREA

DIRECTOR

LOCATION

Feb. 7

6:30 p.m.

8

Boyd Deal

Headland Baptist Church, Fellowship Hall, 203 Mitchell St., Headland

Feb. 10

6:30 p.m.

4

David Farnsworth

Bagley Center, Shocco Springs

Feb. 14

6 p.m.

5

Ralph Golden

Elmer’s Restaurant, Notasulga

Feb. 15

6:30 p.m.

3

Kyle Hayes

Snead Community College Cafeteria, Boaz

Feb. 17

6:30 p.m.

1

Tom Jones

Greenbrier BBQ, I-565, Madison

Feb. 21

6:30 p.m.

7

David Cole

Cattlemen’s Building, Troy Newton

Feb. 24

6:30 p.m.

9

Robert Utsey

Thomasville Civic Center, 559 W. Front St. N., Thomasville

March 3

6:30 p.m.

6

Tommy Martin

Bobby Miller Activity Center, Tuscaloosa

6

NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

Federation Digest Jeffcoat Elected National Peanut Board Chairman

G

eorge Jeffcoat, president of the Houston County Farmers Federation and a former state board member of the Alabama Farmers Federation, has been elected chairman of the National Peanut Board, effective Jan. 1.

Jeffcoat, who completed his term as vice chairman of the NPB on Dec. 31, succeeds Jeffery Pope of Virginia as chairman.

A lifelong farmer, Jeffcoat has farmed his own land for nearly 40 years and grows about 1,100 acres of peanuts and cotton in Gordon, where he lives with his wife, Gloria, immediate past chairman of the state Federation’s Women’s Leadership Committee.

In addition to farming, he is also actively involved in the industry, serving in high-level positions for multiple groups. He serves on the board of directors of the Alabama Peanut Producers Association and the Farmers Co-op of Ashford. He is also the president of the National Peanut Festival.

Other officers announced by the board are: Vice-Chairwoman Cindy Belch, North Carolina; Secretary John Harrell, Georgia; and Treasurer Vic Jordan, Louisiana.

New board members also were sworn in by USDA-AMS Marketing Specialist Kimberly Coy. The new officers serve for the calendar year. Board members and alternates serve three-year terms. n

w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, recently met with leaders of the Alabama Farmers Federation to discuss her appointment to the House Agriculture Committee. Roby also will serve on the House Armed Services Committee. She was sworn in as the District 2 Congressman Jan. 5.

Roby Appointed To House Ag Committee

A

labama Farmers Federation President Jerry Newby congratulated U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, on her Dec. 17 appointment to the House Agriculture Committee.

“We are very happy that Congressman Roby sought and secured a seat on the House Agriculture Committee, and we know she will do a great job of representing the farmers of District 2 and Alabama agriculture as a whole,” Newby said. “Agriculture is our state’s top industry and is especially important to the communities Congressman Roby serves. She understands the importance of farming to our 8

state and shares the homegrown values of our members. We are confident Congressman Roby will be a strong advocate for the men and women who produce our food and fiber.”

Roby’s district includes three of Alabama’s top five peanutproducing counties, three of the top five cotton counties, and the fourth-largest poultry county, according to the Alabama Agricultural Statistics Service.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma announced Roby’s appointment to the committee, along with 15 other new Republican congressmen, Dec. 17. n NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

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By Darryal Ray

J

ohn McMillan, Alabama’s newly elected Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries, and Dr. William Batchelor, dean of the College of Agriculture at Auburn University, will be among the speakers when the Alabama Farmers Federation hosts its annual Commodity Organization Conference, Feb. 1-3, at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center in Birmingham.

McMillan, who succeeds Ron Sparks as Commissioner of Agriculture & Industries, will address the attendees during lunch on the conference’s opening day. Batchelor, new dean of the College of Agriculture at Auburn University, will be the luncheon speaker Wednesday.

McMillan, who campaigned on a platform of clean water, rural economic development, safe food and renewable energy, gained his first statewide election victory in 1974 with a run for the Alabama Legislature. He was later appointed by former Gov. Fob James as Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. He has also served as chairman of the Alabama Forestry Council, the Alabama Forestry Planning Committee and the Alabama Wildlife Federation.

Batchelor, who succeeded Dr. Richard Guthrie upon his retirement, was named dean and director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station last May. Prior to assuming that post, he was head of the Department of Agricultural and

w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

Biological Engineering at Mississippi State University.

The annual conference brings together leaders and producers in 16 commodities represented by the Federation to elect state commodity committee members, set goals and priorities for 2011 and share concerns and ideas about current issues facing the respective commodities.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., with commodity meetings beginning at 9:30 a.m. and concluding around 3:30 p.m. The scheduled commodity meetings are: Feb. 1 — Catfish, Bee & Honey, Beef, Horticulture, Pork and Wildlife Resources.

Feb. 2 — Cotton, Forestry, Hay & Forage, Poultry and Meat Goat & Sheep.

Feb. 3 — Dairy, Equine, Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod, Soybean and Wheat & Feed Grain.

The Alabama Peanut Producers will meet in conjunction with the Alabama/Florida Peanut Trade Show on Feb. 10, 10 a.m., at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds in Dothan.

“The Commodity Organization Conference is an important first step in starting a new year,” said Jimmy Carlisle, director of the Federation’s Governmental and Agricultural Programs. “This is when we elect leaders who will work for their respective commodities. It’s also when we begin focusing on our goals and priorities and when we set the tone for the upcoming year. It’s a critical time for all of us in agriculture. That’s why it’s essential to stay

10

abreast of research, stay informed about legislative activities and understand how certain regulatory issues can affect our commodities.”

Catfish producers, for example, will hear from Roger Barlow, president of The Catfish Institute and executive vice president of Catfish Farmers of America.

In addition to Barlow, catfish farmers will also hear from aquaculture Extension specialists Dr. Terry Hanson and Dr. John Jensen of Auburn University. Hanson will be offering a review of the catfish industry’s previous year and providing an economic outlook for the 2011 growing season for catfish producers. Jensen will discuss the latest developments related to the Pond to Plate research project involving a number of research and Extension personnel in the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures at Auburn University.

Peter Giroux, co-founder and partner of American Solar & Alternative Energy Solutions, will also explore the feasibility of alternative energies for catfish farmers and other agricultural enterprises.

The state’s meat goat and sheep producers will hear from Dr. Will Getz, a nationally recognized professor and Extension specialist in animal sciences at Fort Valley (Ga.,) State University, where he also serves as a member of the staff of the Georgia Small Ruminant Research and Extension Center.

Getz will be providing farmers with expert technical advice while wearing his researcher hat, but will

NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

also review the accomplishments will offer an update on Alabama’s DCNR on “Coyote Predation On of the American Sheep Industry industry.

Whitetail Deer” and Will Ainsworth, Association and the American Goat Other speakers for this combined executive director of the Alabama Federation over the past year. session include: Dr. Bill Goff, ExtenDeer Association, on “Deer Breeding Dr. Tony Frazier, state veterinarsion specialist and professor with In Alabama.” ian, will bring attendees up to speed Auburn University’s Department Dairy producers will hear from on the latest news related to animal of Horticulture, on pecan cultivar Cheryl Hayn of the Southeast Unitdisease traceability and what sheep evaluations, grafting techniques and ed Dairy Association, Dennis Pate and goat producers should expect. propagation; Matt Goff, a Lowndesof Validus Environmental Services Dr. Deacue Fields, associate boro pecan grower, on the value of and Sue Mosley of the USDA Milk professor and Extension specialist in exporting pecans to China; and Dr. Market. They will also hear updates agricultural economics from Auburn Elina Coneva, Extension specialist from the Natural Resources ConUniversity, will also discuss the and assistant horticulture professervation Service on Environmental Market Maker program and how it sor, on an overview of her research Quality Incentives Program funding might benefit goat and sheep farmers projects on fruit crops. for Comprehensive Nutrient Manin terms of marketing animal and Forestry producers will hear agement Plans. finished products such Pork producas goat cheese and ers will hear from soap.

Ernie Barnes of Fields will also the National Pork discuss the Market Board, Pate of ValiMaker program with dus Environmental Greenhouse, NursServices and Chris ery & Sod producers.

Goodman with the Another speaker for Alabama Departthe GNS meeting will ment of Environbe Bill Weaver, direcmental Management tor of the Alabama on water quality.

Field Office for the Pate and GoodUSDA’s National Agriman will also cultural Statistics Seraddress the state’s vice (NASS). Weaver poultry producwill discuss the 2009 ers as well as hear Census of Horticula poultry health ture specialties. Plus, update from the AlaDr. Joe Touchton and Commissioner of Agriculture John McMillan meets with Alabama farmers. bama Department Dr. Gobi Hiluka of of Agriculture and Auburn University will speak about from Mac Phillippi of the American Industries. the history of Auburn University’s Chestnut Foundation on “BringCotton growers will hear about Soil Testing Laboratory and the Alfa ing Back the American Chestnut,” marketing from Jeff Thompson of Agricultural Services & Research forester Leh Bass on “The Pine Straw the Autauga Quality Cotton AssoBuilding and testing technologies.

Industry in Alabama” and Jim Jeter ciation; Brad Meyer and George The Horticulture meeting will of the Alabama Forestry CommisHuckaby of Agri-AFC will discuss be held jointly with Bee and Honey sion on “EPA Point Source Timber new varieties for 2011; William Henproducers as Dr. Bryan Chin, profesHarvest Regulations.” derson of the Alabama Farm Service sor and chair of Auburn University’s The Wildlife Resources meetAgency will provide an FSA update Detection and Food Safety Center, ing will feature Allen Andress of and Tara Smith of the American discusses possible research opporthe Alabama Department of ConFarm Bureau Federation will offer a tunities in tracking queen bees. Dr. servation and Natural Resources national issues update. In addition, James Tew, apiculture advisor at (DCNR) Chief Enforcement Section a panel of consultants and farmers Auburn University, will take a look on “What Is A ‘Legal’ Dove Field?” will address herbicide resistance and at the beekeeping outlook for 2011, Other speakers include wildlife biol- weed management. n and State Apiarist Dennis Barclift ogist Adam Pritchett of the Alabama

NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

11

w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

Hemmings, Pace Promoted To Senior Vice President Posts

A

lfa Insurance Executive Vice President of Operations Lee Ellis has announced two promotions ­— John Hemmings to senior vice president of investments and John Pace to senior vice president of non-standard auto operations.

“John is an asset to the Alfa family of companies,” Ellis said.

“Since being promoted to vice president of investments, he has upgraded the systems we use to manage Alfa’s investment portfolio, which has allowed us to better respond to changing economic news. Under John’s leadership, Alfa’s portfolio continues to outperform the leading market indices, and our company remains one of the nation’s top 75 insurance carriers in terms of financial strength.”

Hemmings joined Alfa in 1999 as a fixed income portfolio manager and was promoted to vice president of investments in 2006. Prior to joining Alfa, Hemmings worked

with Wachovia Securities in Charlotte, N.C., as a vice president and fixed income strategist within their Institutional Sales and Trading Department.

“I appreciate the opportunity and challenge to further develop Alfa’s investment portfolio by aligning investment selections that preserve capital and generate income,” Hemmings said. “Our prudent portfolio management will help contribute to the overall profitability of the Alfa companies, provide liquidity, and aid in the company’s competitiveness. These efforts raise the confidence of current and potential policyholders in our strength to protect their property and families for many years to come.”

As senior vice president, Hemmings’ duties include planning and directing all aspects of Alfa’s investment program; managing the investment team; overseeing research, and evaluating and select-

ing investment vehicles.

Ellis called Pace “an exceptional leader for the Alfa Vision and Specialty Insurance Companies.”

“We are confident John will bring the same enthusiasm for growth and outstanding customer service to his expanded role as head of our non-standard auto operations,” said Ellis.

Prior to joining Alfa, Pace held a variety of positions over an 11-year period with Direct General Corporation in Nashville.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve Alfa as a senior vice president,” Pace said.

“We have a unique company in its desire and drive to put customers first with both integrity and dignity. I look forward to my role in coming years in helping Alfa continue to grow and expand in our industry.” n

Raymond Louis Schnell of Homewood, who served as president of the Marengo County Farmers Federation for 17 years, died Monday, Nov. 29. He was 96.

Schnell graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in dairy sciences in 1939. A World War II veteran, Schnell was station quartermaster, supporting the 8th Air Force. After the war, he began a 40-year career as a farmer in Gallion, and was a member of Demopolis First United Methodist Church.

Survivors include daughters Linda (Richard) Ball of Homewood and Janet Ehrke of San Jose, Calif.; granddaughters Amy and Wendy Ball and Karen Ehrke; sister, Helen Schnell Cockrell; brother-in-law, Sam (Martha Lou) Hay and sisterin-law Betty Dill.

Lex Derward Tindell of Hartford, a member of the Geneva

County Farmers Federation Board of Directors for more than 25 years, died Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010 at the family residence. He was 86.

A Geneva County native and Navy veteran of World War II, he was a lifetime farmer as well as a member of the Cattleman’s Association and the Alabama Farmers Federation. He also was a deacon of the First Baptist Church in Slocomb.

Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Mary Burch Tindell of Hartford; two daughters, Nina Tindell Dew (James) of Hartford and Neva Tindell Smith of Dothan; four grandchildren, Jamey Avery of Dothan, Wendy Morgan of Montgomery, Brandon Smith of Birmingham and Byron Smith of San Francisco, Calif.; three great grandchildren, Avery, John and Michael Morgan; and several nieces and nephews. n

Obituaries Joseph Noble Holland of Leighton, a member of the Alabama Farmers Federation’s State Soybean Committee, died in a one-vehicle accident Saturday, Jan. 1. He was 69. Mr. Holland was a lifelong member of Leighton United Methodist Church, served on the CB&S Bank Advisory Board, was past chairman of the Farm Service Agency County Committee and a member of the Colbert County Cattleman’s Association.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Donna Smith Holland; daughters Grace Fennel Holland, Donna Rebecca Holland Woodall (Greg) and Mollie Ruth Holland; granddaughters Ashlyn, Rebecca and Lauren Grace Holland; brother, Jerry Holland; and nephew, Jeremiah Holland.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or The Shannon House in Huntsville. w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

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From left are State School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Morton, student advisers Sarah Bethea of Booker T. Washington Magnet High School in Montgomery and Katie Wendland of Autauga Academy in Autaugaville, Alabama Independent School Association Director Don Oswald and Alfa Insurance President Jerry Newby at the press conference Dec. 17.

Alfa, State Educators Launch ‘Drive Smart’ Campaign In Alabama

By Debra Davis

A

lfa Insurance President Jerry Newby, along with State School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Morton and Alabama Independent School Association Director Don Oswald, announced Dec. 17 a safe driving campaign aimed at saving lives by increasing awareness of the dangers caused by distracted driving.

The Alfa Drive Smart initiative offers Alabama high school students an opportunity to creatively express their thoughts and concerns about distracted driving, particularly texting and driving, to help educate and influence fellow teens and older drivers to “drive smart.”

Through an online video contest that began Jan. 1 and ends March 31, Alfa will award prizes to the student or student group that produces the best video discouraging distracted driving. Videos can be up to one minute in length.

“Automobile accidents are w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

the leading cause of death among teenagers,” Newby said. “Anything that distracts a driver, young or old, causes us great concern. Through this project, we hope to prove to all drivers, and especially teenagers, that their safety is far more important than any phone call or text message.”

The first-place winner or group will receive one iPad plus $1,500 in cash. The winning student’s (or group’s) school will receive $1,500.

The second-place winner will receive one iPod Touch plus $1,000 in cash. The school of the secondplace winner or group will receive $1,000. The third-place winner or group will receive one iPod Nano plus $750 in cash. The school of the third-place winner or group will be awarded $750.

Morton and Oswald thanked Alfa for sponsoring the contest and echoed Newby’s remarks. Both school officials have endorsed the campaign and are encouraging students to participate in the contest.

14

“I have one primary concern that ranks above all others – the safety and well-being of Alabama’s young people,” Morton said. “I hope this contest challenges students to use their imagination and creativity to develop a message of safety that resonates across the state and the country.”

Oswald said the tragedy of teenagers injured or killed in automobile accidents is all too familiar to him.

“Sadly, many of our member schools, students and families have been impacted by the unnecessary and avoidable incidents that result from careless behavior while driving,” Oswald said. “This program should serve as a wonderful outlet for students to express their thoughts and concerns with their peers.”

The official contest entry form and a list of contest rules are available online at AlfaDriveSmart.com Approved contest entries will be posted to the site. n NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

By James Langcuster

I

f any artistic work could be described as an attic treasure, it is the 10 murals comprising the Historical Panorama of Alabama Agriculture.

They were conceived and executed as little more than stage art — brightly colored backdrops for the farm pavilion at the five-day 1939 Alabama State Fair — painted by a young WPA artist, John Augustus Walker, struggling to balance his moonlighting passion for art with a demanding day job.

Underscoring the project’s fleeting nature, the murals were painted with tempera, a water-based and less durable medium, rather than Walker’s preferred medium of oils.

They were conceived with two goals in mind: to show state fair goers how agriculture started and developed and, most important, how scientific farming methods were securing innovations and improvements despite the challenges stemming from Great Depression.

Neither Walker nor the others who conceived and executed the murals could have imagined what the murals have become: a tangible 21st century link to one of the most tumultuous chapters of Alabama’s economic and agricultural heritage.

At the fair’s conclusion, the paintings were returned to Auburn University, stored in the attic of Duncan Hall, headquarters of Alabama Cooperative Extension, which had commissioned the paintings, and largely forgotten.

End of story — at least, for the next half century.

A brief flurry of interest followed the murals’ rediscovery and restoration in the mid-1980s — then back to the same attic where they might have languished another half century but for another rediscovery in the early 1990s by Extension Art Director Bruce Dupree.

Encountering the murals, Dupree recalls being seized by one overriding thought.

“I wanted to find a better place for them, even if that involved taking them home with me if no other place could be found,” he says.

Other professional demands intervened, and the

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murals were again forgotten.

Years passed until 2006, when Dupree and other members of the Extension Communications staff were searching for a creative way to illustrate Cooperative Extension’s role in Auburn University’s history during the university’s Sesquicentennial celebration.

That’s when Dupree was seized by another idea: to use the murals to tell Extension’s story — an effort endorsed by his boss, Dr. Carol Whatley, Extension’s director of Communications and Marketing, who was instrumental in securing a permanent home for the murals at Auburn University’s Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art earlier this year.

Fortunately for Dupree, Walker’s almost obsessive record keeping provided him with his own tangible link to the past.

“That is one of the amazing facets of this story — they (Walker and his wife) didn’t throw anything away.” Dupree says. “It may have been because he was a clerk or because of his personality — or because WPA artists had to keep careful track of every postage stamp, every paintbrush purchased.”

With these records and others compiled by Auburn University’s Special Collections and Archives, Dupree managed to reconstruct the motivations leading up to the exhibit.

As he discovered, serendipity played a major role in the events. The effort essentially grew out of desperation on the part of Warren Leech, coordinator of 1 16 6

N NE E II G GH HB BO OR RS S •• F FE EB BR RU UA AR RY Y 2 20 01 11 1

Alabama fair exhibits, who was looking for a way to replace 67 county displays with a consolidated exhibit. For assistance, he turned to Alabama Extension, then a major force in fair exhibits.

He quickly won over Alabama’s hard-driving Extension director, P.O. Davis, who envisioned a series of paintings to underscore the role scientific methods had played in advancing farming and Extension’s role in advancing them.

If a single mural best expresses Davis’s abiding faith in scientific farming, it’s the tenth mural, featuring a cornucopia of farm goods, Whatley says.

“Basically, it illustrates that we have this cornucopia because we’ve learned how to produce food in ways that bring more goods and services and more civilization into people’s lives,” she says.

“That’s what Extension has always done — helped people learn to do things more efficiently so their lives can be better.”

In September 2006, using the murals as a backdrop, Dupree shared the panorama’s history with a packed gallery of Auburn alumni, history buffs and arts students as part of Auburn’s Sesquicentennial Lecture Series.

Following the Sesquicentennial, Dupree and Whatley hoped the paintings would quickly find their way into other shows, but the paintings needed restoration and conservation before they were ready to travel.

Last Nov. 7 until Dec. 31, the murals became the centerpiece of a Birmingham Historical Society exhibit at the Birmingham Public Library titled “Murals, Murals on the Wall: Our Story through Art in Public Places, 1929-1939,” highlighting Alabama WPA artists’ work.

So what accounts for this growing appreciation for the murals? While conceding that nostalgia certainly plays a role, Whatley suspects the murals may fill a deeper psychological need, providing viewers with a sense of focus and perhaps of rootedness in the aftermath of the 2008 Stock Market crash.

“It may partly explain why people are so interested in this now. We’ve had a wakeup call, and we’re looking back to learn what earlier generations did in hard times.” n ______________________________________________________ Author James Langcuster is a news and public affairs specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. This article first appeared on the Extension website at www.aces.edu. The Extension system is offering a set of 20 5-inch by 7-inch note cards depicting the murals for $11 per set. For more information, call (334) 844-1592 or visit www.aces.edu/walkermurals.

N NE E II G GH HB BO OR RS S •• F FE EB BR RU UA AR RY Y 2 20 01 11 1

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Young Farmers Leadership Conference Eyes Rocket City

By Darryal Ray

M

ore than 300 young farm families from throughout the state will gather Feb. 18-20 at Huntsville’s Embassy Suites Hotel for the Alabama Farmers Federation’s 2011 Young Farmers Leadership Conference.

It’s an event that not only serves to develop tomorrow’s agricultural leaders but also is the first step in the Outstanding Young Farm Family competition as 17 state commodity division winners are selected.

The OYFF program, now entering its 54th year, seeks to recognize young farm families and farmers between the ages of 18 and 35 who are doing an outstanding job in their farm, home and community activities, and promoting a better understanding of agriculture with the urban populace.

Each commodity winner receives a plaque and $200 cash award. From the 17 commodity divisions, the top six finalists will be chosen. An overall winner is then selected from the six finalists and will be named at the Federation’s 90th Annual Meeting in Mobile, Dec. 4-6.

The overall winner receives a John Deere Gator, courtesy of Alabama Ag Credit, ACA and Alabama Farm Credit, the use of a new vehiw w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

cle, $500 cash from Dodge Trucks and a computer package sponsored

by Valcom/CCS Wireless.

The state winner also receives an all-expense-paid trip to the 2012 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Hawaii where he/she will compete for the American Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award. The winner of the 2011 Achievement

Award receives a nicely equipped 2012 Dodge Ram Quad Cab pickup.

Activities for the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Young Farmers Leadership Conference begin Friday, Feb. 18, 5:45-6:30 p.m., with an invitation-only reception for county Young Farmers chairmen, followed by the opening banquet with keynote speaker Chad Hymas.

Hymas, a quadriplegic since age 27, has been recognized by the state of Utah as the Superior Civilian of the Year. Now 37, he is the president of his own communications company and an internet marketing company. As a member of the National Speakers Association, 18

Chad travels as many as 150,000 miles a year speaking to hundreds of professional and civic organizations such as Wells Fargo, CocaCola, AT&T, American Express, the Utah Jazz and others.

He has raced in marathons, and in the summer of 2003, set a world record by wheeling his chair from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas (513 miles). He also participates in such wheelchair athletic competitions as basketball and rugby and officiates basketball. Hymas also spends many hours with other injured individuals in therapy, encouraging them to overcome their challenges, focus on dreams and make them a reality, and to love life for all that it has to offer.

Saturday activities include orientation for OYFF contestants at 7:45 a.m., followed at 8 by leadership development training and a seminar presented by American Farm Bureau. Alabama Ag in the Classroom also will be holding a workshop, and OYFF judging begins at 8:30 a.m.

This year the OYFF awards banquet and the Young Farmers Live Auction will be held at the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. n ____________________________________ For more information, log on to www. alfayoungfarmers.org or email Brandon Moore, Young Farmers Division Director, at BMoore@AlfaFarmers.org.

NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

Estate Tax Relief Part Of Congressional Christmas Package

C

ongress delivered an early Christmas present to farm and ranch families Dec. 16 when the House voted in favor of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010.

The House voted 277-148 to approve the $859 billion bill that extends the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for two years and sets the estate tax at 35 percent with a $5 million exemption through 2012. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 81-19 on Dec. 15. It was signed into law Dec. 17 by President Obama.

“Securing meaningful estate tax reform for farm and ranch families has been a top priority for Farm Bureau,” said American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman.

“We are pleased the House left

intact the estate tax provision that provides a $5 million exemption and maximum rate of 35 percent.”

Other tax provisions included in the legislation, and important for farmers, include lower capital

gains and income taxes and tax incentives for renewable fuels.

“We commend President Obama and congressional leaders for being committed to securing passage of this tax bill,” Stallman said. “It offers considerable relief that will help farmers, ranchers and rural communities in these difficult economic times.”

Although 2010 was an estate tax-free year, under a tax law passed in 2001 the tax would have returned Jan. 1 with a top rate of 55 percent and a $1 million exemption.

Eighty four percent of farm assets are real estate-based.

Had the tax rate returned to the 2001 level, surviving family members may have been forced to sell land, buildings or equipment to pay the tax. n

There’s more than one good reason for good health insurance.

Did you know Alfa offers Preferred Care benefits through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama? Our quality, affordable coverage includes inpatient and outpatient hospital services, physician benefits and there is no deductible for cancer treatments. For rates and coverage information, contact your Alfa Insurance agent today or call us at 1-800-392-5705, or click on “health” when you visit our website at www.alfains.com.

Alfa Health is underwritten and administered by:

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By Debra Davis

A

winter ice storm that nearly brought the Southeast’s largest city to a screeching halt didn’t stop nearly 6,000 farmers from carrying out their business at the 92nd annual meeting of the American Farm Bureau Federation in Atlanta, Jan. 9-11.

Farmers from throughout the country, including nearly 200 from Alabama, woke up to several inches of snow followed by freezing rain and ice that had the city nearly shut down as the meeting got under way. But in typical farmer fashion, they persevered and made their way to meetings, seminars and work sessions where they shaped the policy to be implemented by the world’s largest farm organization.

Alabama Farmers Federation member Art Sessions of Mobile was among the Alabama farmers who attended the meeting. He grows peanuts, cotton and fruits and vegetables and said he left Atlanta with a renewed sense of optimism about agriculture’s future.

“Based on what I heard, in the next few years, the prospects for cotton, soybeans and all the markets look great for agriculture,” Sessions said. “These opportunities make you want to expand. But on the other hand, we’ve seen tough times before so if we expand we should do it cautiously. It looks really good right now for row crop producers and for cattlemen.”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Mike Rowe, popular TV host of Dirty Jobs, were among the speakers at the event and both praised farmers for the work they do.

Walking to a delegate meeting at the Georgia World Congress Center are, from left, Webb Holmes, Perry County; Garry Henry, Montgomery County; and Terry Wyatt, Shelby County.

Vilsack told AFBF members that he and other administration officials are working to ensure more trade opportunities for American farmers by resolving ongoing trade disputes, tapping into emerging markets and building relationships in fragile, fledgling markets like Afghanistan.

Vilsack cautioned farmers that lawmakers will have to be creative with limited resources as they draft the 2012 Farm Bill. However, he said the safety net critical to so many producers will be preserved.

Vilsack expressed concern about America’s economy, but added that he is confident that it will recover. It will take innovation and creativity, much like what farmers do every day on their farms, he said.

“We need an economy that creates and innovates,” Vilsack said. “We know it can work because it’s worked in agriculture.”

Vilsack emphasized his appreciation for all that growers contribute beyond food. Just as farmers and ranchers have grown from their troubles, the rest of the country has Golfing foursome, from left: Camp Powers, Roger Chappell, Guy Hall and Jessie Hobbs.

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something to learn from rural America where, for every $1 in debt, there are $11 in assets, he said.

Rowe entertained the crowd with stories of his on-farm visits filming the popular Discovery Channel series Dirty Jobs and fielded questions from the audience.

One attendee asked if he would be a spokesman for agriculture. Rowe laughed and said farmers didn’t need a spokesman – “I am an advocate for agriculture, but you – the farmers of our country – are your own best spokesmen,” he said. “No one can tell your story better than you do.”

As for so-called environmentalists and government officials who try to give farmers grief about today’s modern agriculture, Rowe has a suggestion.

“Find a farmer and scrape off the dirt and you’ll find the greenest person on the planet,” he said.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman gave a spirited address to members when he said the organization is ready to face its opponents with a new attitude.“We are fighting back,” he said.

Farmers discussed topics that ranged from environmental policy and food safety to the 2012 farm bill and use of social media during the conference.

Alabama Farmers Federation, with 425,903 members, ranks sixth in the nation among AFBF organizations and was recognized with four Awards of Excellence in public relations and information, member services, agriculture education and promotion and leadership development. Alabama President Jerry Newby accepted the awards for the organization.

Newby, who serves on the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture board of directors, also received special recognition for his leadership and fundraising efforts for the foundation. Among AFBF state organizations with large memberships, Alabama was recognized for giving the most money to the Foundation for Agriculture.

At the conference, the foundation revealed its new

AFBF President Bob Stallman, left, thanks Alabama Farmers Federation President Jerry Newby for his leadership.

online game “My American Farm.” The game teaches agricultural literacy to consumers and the public through an interactive computer game where players learn where food comes from in addition to learning how products get from the farm to their dinner plate.

The game is available at MyAmericanFarm.org.

Alabama’s Will Gilmer, the outgoing national chairman of the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, also was recognized during the meeting for his service as a leader of the organization. Gilmer, a Lamar County dairyman, also participated in the AFBF video contest where farmers shared their on-farm experiences. His video was among those featured on a giant screen during the meeting’s closing session as part of AFBF’s Farm/Ranch Families Work video contest.

Other Alabama young farmers represented the state in national contests during the annual meeting, which drew competitors from throughout the country. Alabama’s Outstanding Young Farm Family Josh and Jessica Turner of DeKalb County competed in the AFBF Young Farmers Achievement Award contest, while Kirk Smith of Blount County participated in the Excellence in Agriculture Contest and Katie Hines of Madison County competed in the Discussion Meet Contest.

The American Farm Bureau Federation celebrated its 50th consecutive year of membership growth during the three-day conference. n Ricky Wiggins, David Bitto and Sammy Williams were among delegates at AFBF Annual Meeting in Atlanta.

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Ag Briefs Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association To Meet Feb. 11-12

T

he Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association’s 2011 conference will include everything from high tunnel production techniques to a tour of Jordan-Hare Stadium when producers from around the state meet Feb. 11-12, 8 a.m., at Auburn University’s Student Center.

The conference will begin Friday afternoon with a sports turf management tour, where attendees will check out the turf where the Auburn Tigers rolled to an unbeaten season and their first national championship since 1957.

On Saturday, growers will hear about good agricultural practices and food safety for fruits and vegetables, soil fumigation alternatives and new regulations, greenhouse crops and production systems, soil improvement, fertility and best management practices, updates in pest management, fruit and vegetable variety updates and Web site development basics and advanced learning.

For more information, visit www.aces.edu/dept/associations/ afvga or contact Mac Higginbotham, director of the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Horticulture and Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod Divisions, at mhigginbotham@alfafarmers.org or (334) 361-5610. n

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Customer Appreciation Day Alfa offices in Covington County recently held a customer appreciation day.

In this photo, employees of the Opp Service Center served hot dogs and soft drinks to customers and held a drawing for prizes for Auburn and Alabama football fans. From left are Alfa Agents Tyler Bryan and Lucky Cope, Customer Service Representative (CSR) Jan Johnson, Supervising CSR Cindy Worley and CSR Sharron Short.

Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show Set

A

labama peanut growers will not only be able to fine tune their farming operations with information gained at the Alabama-Florida Peanut Trade Show, but they may win a season’s use of a new peanut combine.

Sponsored by the Alabama Peanut Producers Association and the Florida Peanut Producers Association, the Feb. 10 event at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds in Dothan offers farmers a full day to view the products and services of more than 60 exhibitors. The show opens at 8:30 a.m.

One exhibitor, Kelley Manufacturing Company, is providing the 24

grand door prize of one season’s use of a new four- or six-row peanut combine. At the end of the season, the winner has the option of purchasing the combine from a KMC dealer after a reduction in the list price of $10,000. A total of $20,000 is offered in door prizes. Other interested vendors should contact Teresa Wilson at APPA at twilson@alpeanuts.com or (334) 792-6482.

APPA and FPPA will also present a production education program after a catered lunch.

For more information about the show, call the APPA office at (334) 792-6482. n NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

Morton_ALNeighbors_2.11_Layout 1 12/7/10 2:40 PM Page 1

Building Value Days Sales Event Open House Event

Feb. 10-12, 2011 from 8 a.m.–6 p.m.

Now through the end of February, get special discount pricing on a new Morton building. As America’s leader in post-frame construction and in business for over 100 years, we offer a wide range of building options to ensure you get the building you want and need.

Gifts for Everyone As our way of saying thank you for stopping in, we will have gifts for everyone who attends our open house.

For details, call or visit us online: 800-447-7436 • mortonbuildings.com

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Garages | Machine Storage | Equestrian | Hobby Shop | Farm Shop | Homes NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

25

© 2011 Morton Buildings, Inc. All rights reserved.

A listing of GC licenses available at mortonbuildings.com/licenses.aspx.

Gifts available while supplies last. Certain restrictions apply. Reference Code 596

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Alabama Gardener

By Lois Chaplin

G

round covers don’t usually generate a lot of excitement. The most common ones are often green year-round without any big bloom or show to grab attention.

But to designers and landscape professionals, ground covers are workhorses and alternatives to grass.

In the garden industry, the term refers to plants used to blanket the ground. Interesting ground covers make a landscape prettier, solve problems and reduce lawn care.

One common use is on a steep slope where maintaining a lawn is dangerous.

From a designer’s viewpoint, ground covers contrast with the lawn and shrubs for added color and texture. They also fill areas under low windows near the foundation of your home where shrubs would grow too tall. They can knit together areas of the landscape with a mass of foliage for a clean, integrated look. Many have the added benefit of colorful foliage or seasonal bloom, too. Lenten rose is a good example.

What can you use as ground cover? We usually think of lowgrowing, spreading plants, but even big shrubs work, depending on the scale of the area. If you have a large piece of property, a mass of forsythia may make a good ground cover.

In Alabama, two “stainless steel” ground covers are liriope and mondo grass. They are versatile, long-lived and easy to clean. Once established, liriope is very easy to maintain by mowing once in late winter to encourage it to stay thick and remove old leaves. It comes in

Ground covers add beauty to any landscape and can reduce labor.

various forms and heights, from the giant green liriope that grows more than a foot tall to varieties with lower, wide blades. Some types spread, which is good unless they spread too far. Others don’t creep, so you want to ask when you shop.

Pachysandra is another good one for shade in north Alabama. Asian jasmine is prized in south Alabama for its fragrant white blooms in the spring. In sun, junipers work well.

Shore juniper spreads nicely.

Perennial, or seasonal ground covers, such as hosta, strawberry begonia and Southern shield fern are pretty but need more care.

When planted in a mass, perennial

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and flowering ground covers turn a green landscape into a garden.

These have “on” and “off” seasons, the same quality that gives them seasonal interest. The key to creating a ground cover planting with such plants is mulching well and placing them close enough that they grow together and form a solid blanket in season. Off-season, the mulch between them helps to keep the area weed free.

What is the downside of ground covers? They can be costly to establish — lots of plants are needed close together so that they cover quickly. Then you must control weeds the first year or two until plants knit together. This calls for regular weed control, mulching, watering and fertilizing. Most also need annual edging or clipping, depending on the type you choose. Mow liriope and mondo grass in early February each year to remove old foliage. Junipers are bad about catching fallen leaves; some respond to a powerful blower, but there is inevitably some bending to pick up leaves caught between branches.

Look at pictures of landscapes with sweeps of ground covers to get ideas. Get out the garden hose or paint can to mark off possible sweeps for planting. The next few weeks will be prime time for planting! n

____________________________________ Lois Chaplin is an accomplished gardener and author. Her work appears here courtesy of Alabama Farmers Cooperative.

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NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

Forest Hills Elementary’s Thorn Is Chosen Alfa Teacher of Month

By Melissa Martin

R

ecess – the ultimate provider of an hour of fun for many children, and a much-desired break for many teachers. For Coach Leslie Thorn, however, recess is the time of day she looks forward to most.

While most educators will agree that engaging students in any class can be a challenge, Thorn sets out each day to promote healthy habits and enrich the lives of her Forest Hills Elementary students.

To ensure her students remain as eager about fun and learning as she is, she often reaches into her ‘bag of tricks’ — techniques gained from experience as a coach, parent and wife. What really sets Thorn apart in her field, though, is that in addition to the required curriculum, she also teaches her students sign language.

Her flexibility helps her relate to her students, but it is also a personal characteristic the Forest Hills faculty

NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

has come to admire.

It’s for her enthusiasm, innovation and drive that Thorn earned her place as Alfa’s Teacher of the Month for FebruThorn ary. As February’s honoree, she will receive $1,000 from Alfa Insurance. Her school, a division of Florence City Schools, will receive a matching award from the Alabama Farmers Federation. Like many teachers, recognition of a job well done is humbling, but it’s the children she guides daily who provide the greatest reward.

“Each day, I get to see them have more fun, learn more and become healthier, happier children — better able to buckle down and focus in the classroom,” said Thorn. “My reward is not test scores that last for a moment, but changes in lives that last forever.”

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Though her students keep her rather busy, Thorn’s leadership goes beyond the final bell. She is a coordinator for the Jump Rope for Heart program and captain of her March of Dimes team.

Thorn, a two-time graduate of the University of North Alabama, received her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in physical education. A National Board Certified teacher, she is also active in the Alabama State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

During 2011, Alfa Insurance and the Alabama Farmers Federation are honoring one outstanding teacher from each of Alabama’s eight state board districts, two principals and two private school teachers.

Application information is available under Alfa Teacher of the Month in the Ag Links section of AlfaFarmers.org. n

w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

Country Kitchen

For those chilly February nights, Kathy suggests a satisfying bowl of Baked Potato or Black Bean and Rice Soup, and she says her Honey Bun Cake is always a hit.

“It has the most wonderful aroma. The minute people come in the door, they smell it and it just takes hold of them. It’s really a gogetter of a recipe,” she says.

By Kellie Henderson

I

n many ways, Kathy Anderson’s life in Jefferson County has been a whirlwind of farming and cooking.

“We did truck farming, growing okra, green beans and tomatoes.

We had cattle, and cut hay. We’ve raised horses, goats and sheep. My daddy had bees and we raised a hog or two when I was growing up, and Alvin and his dad had a dairy.

About the only thing we haven’t tried is chicken houses,” says Kathy of farm life with her husband Alvin.

“And I definitely grew up cooking. My grandmother ran a boarding house in the late ’40s and early ’50s, a time when men were coming into Birmingham to find work. They would stay at a boarding house during the week, and go home to their families for the weekends. So I grew up helping make those great big boarding house batches of food,” explains Kathy.

But she adds that her grandmother wasn’t her only source of inspiration.

“My mother was an excellent cook too, and my sister has a catering business in Jackson, Miss.

Alvin’s mother cooked biscuits and cornbread every day of her life from the time she was 9 years old, and baked every kind of cobbler known to man. I grew up with a lot of wonderful cooks around me,” Kathy says.

Married for more than 30 years, Kathy and Alvin have been longtime members of the Farmers Federation, with Alvin continuing to serve on the Jefferson County Farmers Federation’s board of directors. w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

APPLE PECAN PIE

Kathy Anderson of Jefferson County believes in “quick and simple food.”

“We both work off the farm too.

So it takes a lot of time and dedication to keep it all going, but it’s important to us to keep working with the Federation,” she says.

Kathy works as a claims authorizer for Social Security, a job she finds rewarding.

“I serve the public every day, helping people get the right benefits at the right time. When you see the relief in people’s faces because you can help them, it’s pretty satisfying,” she says, adding that Alvin works for the State of Alabama as a traffic signal technician.

“I tell people he’s responsible for the red lights, but he says he’s responsible for the green ones too,” she joked.

With their busy schedules, Kathy says she doesn’t have time for complicated recipes.

“I don’t make a lot of fancy things; I cook what my family likes to eat — quick and simple food that tastes really good,” she says.

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1 (8-ounce) sour cream 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 graham cracker crust 1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling 1/2 cup crushed pecans Ground nutmeg, cinnamon and apple pie spice (to taste)

In a large mixing bowl, blend sour cream, condensed milk and lemon juice until combined. Pour into crust. Spread apple pie filling over sour cream mixture. Top with pecans and sprinkle on nutmeg, cinnamon and apple pie spice as desired. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool then refrigerate.

BLACK BEAN AND RICE SOUP 2 (16-ounce) cans black beans 3 cups water 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce 1 1/2 cups instant brown rice

Place beans with liquid in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large saucepan. Stir in water, oregano, garlic powder and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 cups.

NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

BAKED POTATO SOUP 4 large baking potatoes 2/3 cup butter or margarine 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 6 cups milk 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 4 chopped green onions 1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar, divided 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

Wash potatoes and prick several times with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until well done. Let cool. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out pulp.

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add 6 cups milk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture is thick and bubbly.

Add potato pulp, salt, pepper, half the bacon, half the green onion and 1 cup cheddar. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream, and add extra milk if needed for desired consistency. Serve with remaining bacon, onions, and cheddar. Yields 10 cups.

HOT MARINATED GREEN BEANS 3 (8-ounce) cans green beans, drained 1 (12-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered 1 (2-ounce) jar pimento strips 3/4 cup sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup white vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 large clove garlic, minced

Place green beans and artichoke hearts in a zippered storage bag or other container with a tight-fitting lid. Beat sugar, oil, vinegar, salt and garlic with a hand mixer until well blended. Pour over green beans and artichokes. Refrigerate 12 hours, turning occasionally. Heat in marinade until hot, but not boiling.

Remove from heat, add pimento, and drain. Serves 8 to 10.

Note: Cathy adds 1 (11-ounce) can niblet corn with the pimento if serving a larger crowd.

NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

HONEY BUN CAKE 1 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup chopped pecans 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 box yellow cake mix 1 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup sugar 3/4 cup oil 4 eggs GLAZE: 1 cup powdered sugar 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla Milk

In a small bowl combine first three ingredients and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix and the next four ingredients. Pour prepared cake batter into a 9-inch by 13-inch pan coated with non-stick spray. Top with pecan mixture, then swirl pecan mixture into cake mix. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Spread glaze over warm cake.

Glaze: Thoroughly combine all ingredients, adding just enough milk to make glaze spreadable.

MUSHROOM PORK TENDERLOIN 1 pork tenderloin (about 2 pounds) 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 envelope onion soup mix 2 teaspoons minced garlic 8 ounces pre-sliced mushrooms 1 tablespoon flour 1/2 cup milk

Slice tenderloin diagonally into about 12 slices half-inch thick.

Combine mayonnaise, soup mix and garlic in a large bowl. Stir pork slices and mushrooms into soup mixture until well coated. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes. Place pork slices in pan and add remaining soup mixture. Cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Stir in flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in milk and reduce heat to low. Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until sauce thickens and pork is cooked through. Serve over rice or noodles.

Note: Cathy recommends using baby portabella mushroom slices if available.

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BLUEBERRY POUND CAKE 2 sticks butter, softened 1 stick oleo, softened 1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened 3 cups sugar 6 large eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for berries 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries

Cream together butter, oleo and cream cheese. Gradually add sugar.

Add eggs alternately with flour, beating well after each addition.

Add vanilla extract. Dredge berries in flour to coat and fold gently into batter. Bake in a well-greased and floured tube pan at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool slightly in pan then turn out of pan to cool completely.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE 3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup evaporated milk 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup margarine 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon TOPPING: 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup margarine

Combine sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and place in a casserole dish.

Topping: Combine topping ingredients in a separate bowl and spread over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. n ____________________________ Editor’s Note: Recipes published in the “Country Kitchen” are not kitchentested prior to publication. Look for more “Country Kitchen” recipes online at www.AlfaFarmers.org. w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

Neighbors Classifieds Classifieds Facts

MISCELLANEOUS ATTN: PUBLIC LAND HUNTERS and

For just $2 per word, your classified ad in Neighbors reaches more than 95,000 subscribers. Ads must be re-

Hunting Club Members! www.HuntingSafetySigns.com.

FOR SALE

ceived by the first day of the month

PEANUT HAY ROUND ROLLS with net

prior to publication. NO changes

and plastic wrap, $35 per roll. Square bale

after closing. PRE-PAYMENT RE-

horse quality, stored in barn, $4. Delivery

QUIRED FOR ALL ADS. Minimum

available or will load your truck. Large-

10 words per ad. No fax, phone

(334) 534-0994 in Grangerburg, AL.

orders or credit cards accepted. For questions, call Paula Culver at (334) 613-4410. Send your ad with payment, payable to Alabama Farmers Federation, to Neighbors Classifieds, P.O. Box 11000, Montgomery, AL 36191-0001.

peanut hay, $4 per bale. Coastal Bermuda,

order discounts. Call Michael at

BEAGLE PUPPIES, hunting or pets, $150 – Beaver Creek Kennels.

Call (334) 790-5077 or (334) 796-5267.

ALABAMA PRODUCED WEIMARANERS excellent hunting dogs or family pet. www.wiregrassweimaraners.com credit cards accepted – (334) 684-1124.

VA C AT I O N R E N TA L S CABINS IN THE SMOKIES, PIGEON FORGE, convenient and peaceful setting.

Call (251) 649-3344 or (251) 649-4049 www.hideawayprop.com.

BEAUTIFUL ONE-BEDROOM CABIN with hot tub. Near Pigeon Forge, $85 per night. Call Kathy at (865) 428-1497.

AFFORDABLE BEACHSIDE VACATION CONDOS Gulf Shores & Orange Beach,

Grow 1/2-dollar size muscadines & blackberries. Over 200 varieties of fruit, nut, and berry plants.

Ison’s Nursery & Vineyard P.O. Box 190, Brooks, GA 30205.

Call for free color catalog 800-733-0324 www.isons.com w w w. A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

AL. Rent Direct from Christian Family Owners Lowest Prices on the Beach.

Spring Special 4 Nights Efficiency Unit (2 adults & children) $444. Includes Everything (1, 2, & 3 bedroom units also available.) (205) 556-0368 or (205) 752-1231 www.gulfshorescondos.com.

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NEIGHBORS • FEBRUARY 2011

Q: Why does your #1 soybean customer eat like a pig? ☐ Your local diner serves tofu-bacon. ☐ He knows you’re picking up the check. ☐ Because a lot of your customers are pigs.

Your soybeans travel a lot farther than just the local grain elevator. Go to www.BeyondTheElevator.com to learn more about your number one customer AND your operation’s profitability.

©2011 United Soybean Board (41216-ALSB-01/11)

www.BeyondTheElevator.com

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