How To Keep Poinsettias Merry And Bright

Poinsettia The Red Christmas Star

By Megan Jones

It’s getting chillier in Alabama! Aside from the weather, one thing that tells us the holidays are near is the flood of beautiful red poinsettias filling up local nurseries and home improvement stores.

The poinsettia has been used as a decoration since missionaries first included them in Advent ceremonies during the 17th century. Poinsettias, native to Mexico, were introduced in the U.S. in 1825 when the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, was enchanted by the blooms and sent some home to Greenville, South Carolina. In 1833, the plant was given its common name — poinsettia — after Poinsett.

After Christmas trees, the poinsettia is the ultimate holiday plant. The red bracts, usually mistaken for flowers, are leaves. These leaves are the reason poinsettias are known as the Red Christmas Star. Poinsettias come in various colors, including red, white, pink, corals, and variegated. While there are many color options, the traditional red is the most-purchased.

Caring for poinsettia plants is easy. After buying the plant, keep the plastic sleeve on the pot to decrease damage while transporting. If planning to leave the sleeve on the plant after arriving home, make sure there are drainage holes for watering.

When choosing the perfect place to display the poinsettia, remember to give the plant space. Overcrowding can damage the bracts. Avoid keeping the plant near heaters or cold drafty areas indoors, and ensure the plant is within its ideal temperature range of 65-75 F. If temperatures are below 55 F, protect the plant from the cooler weather.

Poinsettias need bright, indirect sunlight. Before watering the poinsettia, make sure the soil is dry to the touch. Water at the soil level and not over the leaves or bracts. Use a watering can, avoid using a hose and don’t let poinsettias stand in water. It is important not to overwater, only adding moisture to the plant when the soil is dry.

To keep the poinsettia alive to use next holiday season, prune the plant to about 4 inches tall during April. Keep the poinsettia at a normal inside temperature and repot in a larger pot in May. Continue to water the plant when dry, and apply a household plant fertilizer every two weeks. When November comes back around, put the plant in daylight for 12 hours, then in a cool room with 12 hours of complete darkness. A cool room will encourage the bracts to flourish.

With these care tips under your belt, you’re ready to take care of your poinsettia during this holiday season and seasons to come.

Sponsored By Alabama Ag Credit Christjohn Sanders

Enjoy this excerpt from an Alabama AgCast featuring Alabama Farmers Federation Dairy Division Director Colton Christjohn and Blue Ribbon Dairy owner Michaela Sanders, whose dairy bottles milk and makes fresh ice cream.

Colton Christjohn: Tell us a little bit about Blue Ribbon Dairy and how you got started.

Michaela Sanders: I am a fourth-generation dairy farmer. We reopened our doors in November 2017. We were formerly known as Lott Dairy Farm. We had a 12-year delay from the time my grandfather got out of the dairy business and us getting back in. Blue Ribbon Dairy was started on the foundation of letting people come to the farm and purchase milk we bottle here. The main reason we are here is to promote the dairy industry to consumers. We milk 32 cows, and we pasteurize our milk. It is non-homogenized, so the cream still rises to the top; then we bottle it. It’s from the cow to the jug within 24 hours. We sell to about 22 different stores.

CC: Tell us a little bit about the milking parlor you have.

MS: My grandfather milked cows until 2005 in a flat barn that was built in 1947 by his dad. My great-granddad was the first Grade A dairy in Elmore County. My granddaddy was the last Grade A dairy when he went out in 2005, and now, we are the only Grade A dairy in the county. It’s neat I can say my great-grandfather was the first in the county, and we’re still going along today. It’s a lot of hard work, but I’m thankful for the foundation that was built for me.

CC: You talked about hard work. Back during your granddaddy’s time, there were probably thousands of dairies in the state of Alabama. Tell us a little about why the dairy industry has declined. As of right now, there are 17 dairies in the state — 16 farm-owned and one at Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine. What are the biggest challenges that have impacted the dairy industry?

MS: The biggest challenge is labor. Dairy cows don’t take a day off. It’s a 365-day job, and these cows get milked twice a day. Cow care and cow comfort are important. It takes a while for someone to learn each cow. I think another thing is feed costs. It’s hard to grow a lot of feed because of our weather. Labor and costs of business have driven other farmers out of business.

Catch the entire interview on the Alabama AgCast. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts or visit AlfaFarmers.org/agcast. New episodes available every Wednesday.

Simply Southern Spotlight

Litter Gitter Clears Waterways

Growing up in Hammond, Louisiana, a young Don Bates entertained himself by wading through creeks and drainage ditches in search of crawfish, turtles, frogs and other water-loving creatures. As an adult, he developed a passion for protecting and conserving waterways, which led to creating the Osprey Initiative. Bates’ company offers contracts to install and maintain his invention — the Litter Gitter.

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RFD-TV: Wednesdays • 3 p.m. Central ALWAYS ON: SimplySouthernTV.net

Don Bates’ invention, the Litter Gitter, collects trash in waterways, including unique rubbish.

The Litter Gitter is one part of the Osprey Initiative. Where does your company operate?

Have you gotten feedback from folks after you’ve installed one of these?

DB: We’re based in Mobile. In Alabama, we’re working on waterways in and around Mobile, Birmingham and Decatur. We’ve also installed Litter Gitters and other litter collection devices in more than 10 states.

What is the Litter Gitter. How does it work?

Don Bates: The device looks similar to a small-scale pontoon boat. There’s a basket at the base and two booms connected to each bank of the waterway. As litter comes down with the current, it bounces along those booms and gets trapped in the basket while the water continues to flow. DB: At Maple Street Tributary in Mobile, where we installed our first Litter Gitter, I ran into a dad with his two kids. He told me they love to feed the turtles there now that the litter is gone, and his kids told me about the different fish they’ve seen. In Prichard, I’ve had elderly folks tell me they remember people being baptized in the creeks we’re helping clear out now, and they’re grateful their grandkids can now wade in those same creeks. Those stories are the ones that give you goosebumps — when you know you’re playing a part in those kinds of stories.

What happens next?

DB: A Litter Gitter is high maintenance, so instead of selling the devices, we sell contracts. Our crews check and clean the Litter Gitters at least twice monthly and within 48 hours of a rain. We get enough volume of plastic bottles and aluminum cans that we’re able to separate those out for recycling, and we’ve started recycling glass locally. By volume, about 30% of what we capture is recycled.

Simply Southern’s segment about this story airs on broadcast stations Dec. 10 and 11 and on RFD-TV Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 3 p.m. Central. For more information, visit SimplySouthernTV.net.

Simply Southern TV is sponsored by

Obviously, y’all are reducing litter, but how can regular folks help in the fight to control litter?

DB: We play a small role in litter control. It really takes a lot of partners working together. It’s important to remember our stormwater, for the most part, is not treated. Any piece of litter in a parking lot, yard or drainage ditch is going to end up in our big water, such as creeks, rivers and bays. It’s much easier if you remove that litter when you see it rather than fishing it out of the middle of Mobile Bay after a rain. And get involved in neighborhood cleanups. There are tons out there.

Wheat & Feed Grain Checko

The Grass Is Always Greener In Jordan-Hare

By Katie Nichols

Bermudagrass in the front yard may be turning brown, but the grass is still green on Auburn University’s Pat Dye Field in Jordan-Hare Stadium. It may also be greener in the neighbor’s yard if they decided to overseed with perennial ryegrass.

In the fall, Alabama golf courses, athletic fields and even lawns are overseeded with perennial ryegrass as Bermudagrass turf begins dormancy.

Alabama Extension Turfgrass Specialist David Han works closely with the team of field specialists that maintains Pat Dye Field, including field manager Eric Kleypas. Han said overseeding is done for two reasons: aesthetics and Bermudagrass protection.

“In the late fall, Bermudagrass fields go dormant and start to turn brown,” Han said. “On football fields, you can overseed to protect dormant Bermudagrass, but it also provides pleasant color year-round.”

Kleypas said when temperatures cool and daylight shortens, it’s time to overseed Pat Dye Field with perennial ryegrass.

“The cool-season grass has a nice dark color and is pretty on television and for the fans, but most importantly, it gives us stable, consistent athletic fields for our student-athletes,” Kleypas said.

Kleypas works closely with Han throughout the year, especially during football season.

“We work with the Extension System, not only for overseeding practices, but to get a feel for what is happening throughout the state,” Kleypas said. “We can forecast through Dr. Han what kinds of pest and disease pressures to expect.”

Han said one of the best things about overseeding in Alabama is the long period of great growing weather for ryegrass in the fall.

“We can usually get ryegrass to germinate in Auburn through at least the first couple of weeks in December,” Han said. “We actually have growth blankets to cover the field in JordanHare Stadium. These blankets keep the soil temperature up to aid in germination.”

David Lawrence, a commercial horticulture regional agent, said perennial ryegrass is superior to annual ryegrass because of its fine texture, dark green color and disease tolerance.

“Perennial ryegrass can tolerate mowing heights less than half an inch and creates attractive stripes when maintained with a reel mower or rotary mower with rollers,” Lawrence said.

Timing varies widely, but perennial ryegrass seed is typically spread in September and October.

“It’s important to maintain adequate soil moisture during the first few weeks after seeding to ensure good seed germination and prevent seedling desiccation,” Lawrence said. “Areas with a dense Bermudagrass canopy may benefit from vertical mowing prior to overseeding.”

Most homeowners don’t tend to overseed routinely. Han said overseeding at home is strictly visual.

However, there are those whose hobby is caring for their lawn. In that case, the biggest factor to consider, aside from maintenance, is whether to plant annual or perennial ryegrass. While perennial is longer lasting, finer and darker green than annual ryegrass, it is also more expensive. Homeowners should weigh the costs before deciding which to plant.

Family Support Strong During Livestock Shows

Above: Brooklyn Price showed cattle during Alabama National Fair youth livestock shows. It’s a family affair for the Prices, with support and help spanning three generations of family members. Right: Beginner Goat Show exhibitors received tips and tricks from judge John Tart of North Carolina.

By Marlee Moore

Just outside the ring where youth exhibit meticulously groomed livestock, family and friends cheer on their loved ones — and lend support when the showing gets tough.

“These kids think nothing about getting up and going again when they get knocked down,” said Cameron Price, whose niece, Brooklyn, showed beef cattle during the Alabama National Fair Oct. 8-9. “You learn how to be tough. You learn about life and responsibility.”

The Alabama Farmers Federation and Alfa Insurance annually sponsor beef, dairy, goat, sheep and swine shows at the Alabama National Fair, one of many fairs supported by the state and county Farmers Federations each fall.

Before hitting the circuit, families spend months preparing.

Take the Prices.

Together, they select genetics for Brooklyn’s livestock projects, a choice ultimately impacting their overall herd. Decisions are made by patriarch State Sen. Randy Price, R-Opelika, and wife Oline; sons Cameron and Hunter; daughter-in-law Lisa; and Brooklyn. The fourth-grade student at Beauregard Elementary School has a 3-year-old brother, Walton, who is destined for the ring, too.

“When our cows have calves, I’m happy because they could be my new show calves,” said Brooklyn, 9.

Brooklyn and fellow exhibitors spend months working with their cattle, getting comfortable with the animals and grooming them for peak performance.

Beef Cattle Show judge Taylor Farrer of Indiana commended Alabama exhibitors on their daily practice.

“The cattle project, in my opinion, is one of the hardest projects kids can undertake,” Farrer said. “You can’t skip a day when you have livestock at home. It shows when you haven’t put time into these cattle.”

An all-in feeling flows through livestock barns outside Garrett Coliseum as youth and their support systems groom animals to enter the ring. In market or breeding animal shows, livestock are judged on structure, soundness and strength, while showmanship tests competitors’ skills.

As youth and livestock enter the ring, spectators flood the stands, where they anxiously watch for the final line-up or give gentle guidance from afar.

Farm families split responsibilities during show season, often leaving members at home or dispersed across the state managing farm business. “While we’re here, we have guys at home feeding our cattle herd,” Cameron said. “On one end of the state, we’re in Montgomery showing cattle, and then we have family members selling cattle hours away. It does take a village.” Cameron showed cow-calf pairs with his dad, making Brooklyn — the Alabama National Fair junior reserve champion showman — the third generation of exhibitors. She’s the seventh generation on their farm.

“We’re trying to build a herd for her,” Cameron said, nodding to his niece. “We want animals that are functional. Even our show cattle need to be functional and need to perform once they’re done with the show.”

View Alabama National Fair livestock show photos on the Federation’s Flickr page.

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The rehabilitation center is a nice nursing home. Not fancy. The cafeteria is like any other. White walls. Fluorescent lights.

It’s bingo day. You can smell excitement in the air — or maybe that’s meatloaf. The residents in wheelchairs are ready to play.

There isn’t a single strand of brown hair in this room. Except for Railey’s.

Railey is calling bingo numbers over a microphone. She’s 17, all-American.

She aced her ACTs, plays volleyball, wants to be an engineer and is sharper than a digital semiconductor. She’s going places. Like nursing homes.

“B-4,” Railey calls.

“Railey comes here a lot,” her mother says. “She rides her truck up here all the time.”

Railey has no relatives here.

The fi rst time she visited, she was 10, delivering Christmas gifts. It was her idea. She left packages for people she worried the world had forgotten.

By age 11, Railey was speaking at church services, suggesting folks visit the elderly more often.

“I pretty much guilt-trip them,” Railey said. “Just trying to get ’em to donate. I gotta do what works.”

It works. She’s been delivering holiday packages to fi ve area nursing homes. Her gift-giving operation grew so big her stepfather bought an enclosed trailer to stockpile presents.

“You’d be surprised at simple things these folks want. Lipstick, perfume, DVDs. Once, someone wanted cheese balls," her mother said.

“N-42,” says Railey.

“BINGO!” a woman yells.

False alarm.

“There was this old lady,” says her mother. “She was a Mickey Mouse fanatic.”

Railey visited her a lot. They became friends. They talked about anything and everything. They exchanged smiles. Stories. Hugs. Railey visited the woman on Mickey's birthday. She bought the woman a Mickey watch. The lady nearly lost her mind.

“Railey loved her,” her mother goes on. “They just connected, you know.”

On her next visit, Railey brought another bagful of gifts. No sooner had she entered the nursing home doors than she knew something was wrong.

The old woman passed a few days earlier. It devastated Railey. They buried the woman with that watch.

“G-50,” says Railey.

“BINGO!”

The room applauds.

Before I leave, I give Railey a hug. I try not to interrupt her. She’s too busy with offi cial gaming responsibilities. She’s smiling at a white-haired woman.

I wish you could see how the woman is grinning back at her. The look says more than I am able to write.

“Hey,” Railey whispers. “Thanks for hanging out today.”

Sure thing, Railey. And thank you for changing the world. ■

Columnist and novelist Sean Dietrich shares tales of common people, the human spirit, traditional regional music and life in the American South through his podcast series at SeanDietrich.com.

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