June 2020 Magazine by afccooperativefarmingnews

Cooperative Farming News

IN THIS ISSUE:

Editor-in-Chief: Samantha Carpenter Editor: Jessie Shook Contributing Editor: Jade Randolph Associate Editor: Mary Delph

pg. 39

CO-OP MATTERS 5 Press Release: Bonnie Plants Partners with AmpleHarvest.org 21 Store Spotlight: John Holley 22 Amy Winstead Joins Advisory Council LIFE ON THE HOMEPLACE AND IN THE COMMUNITY 39 Blue Ribbon Dairy 42 Dr. Huey Kidd The Best of Both Worlds

pg. 34

pg. 42

YOUTH MATTERS 24 4-H Extension Corner: County Youth Councils Provide Leadership 27 PALS: Webb Elementary Joins the Clean Campus Program 28 FFA SENTINEL: Meet Your State Staff On the Cover: Michaela Sanders of Blue Ribbon Dairy prepares to milk one of her 32 dairy cows. Story on page 39. (Photo credit: Suzannah’s Photography)

OUR REGULARS Letter from the Editor................ 4

Cooking with Stacy Lyn............. 38

Ag Insight.................................... 10

How’s Your Garden?................... 45

Business of Farming................... 13

Lawn and Garden Tips.............. 50

Feeding Facts ............................. 15

The Herb Lady........................... 52

Product Spotlight........................ 17

Simple Times.............................. 53

On the Edge of Common Sense... 18

Howle’s Hints.............................. 55

From the State Vet’s Office......... 19

The Magic of Gardening........... 58

Busy Bee Activities..................... 30

Food Safety................................. 60

From Wildlife & Freshwater

From Pastor to Pasture............... 62

Fisheries................................... 32

The Co-op Pantry....................... 65

Outdoor Logic with BioLogic.... 34

What’s Happening in Alabama... 68

www.alafarm.com

Advertising, Editorial, Subscription and Publication Offices 121 Somerville Road NE Decatur, AL 35601-2659 P.O. Box 2227 Decatur, AL 35609-2227 256-308-1618

AFC Officers Rivers Myres, President David Womack, Chairman of the Board

AFC Board of Directors Rickey Cornutt, Brooks Hayes, Ben Haynes, Rick Hendricks, Jimmy Newby, Bill Sanders, Jeff Sims, Mike Tate Subscription $15 per year For subscription inquiries or change of address: P.O. Box 2227, Decatur, AL 35609-2227 or call 256-308-1623

To advertise:

Wendy McFarland 334-652-9080 or email McFarlandAdVantage@gmail.com Cooperative Farming News is published monthly by Alabama Farmers Cooperative, Inc. 121 Somerville Road NE, Decatur, AL 35601-2659 P.O. Box 2227, Decatur, AL 35609-2227 Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising and will not be responsible for copy errors or misprints in advertising or editorial material, other than to publish corrections of errors in fact. Feature articles, news items and columns are published for the information of our readers from qualified, reputable sources; however, the editors and publisher make no guarantees and assume no liability for any reader’s decision to implement any procedure, recommendation or advice printed in this publication. Photos are credited to author unless otherwise noted. Advertised sale items may not be stocked by every Quality Co-op store and prices may vary.

www.alafarm.com Postmaster: Please send notice of address change (enclosing latest address label) to publication office: Cooperative Farming News P.O. Box 2227 Decatur, AL 35609-2227

June 2020

Letter from the Editor June is National Dairy Month and we are celebrating by highlighting an Alabama dairy farm owned by an old friend and former classmate of mine. I met Michaela Sanders on a spring break trip to Florida with Auburn University’s College of Agriculture. She was confident, smart, and well-versed in the agriculture industry and told stories of her grandfather and the dairy farm she was raised on. After college, I had the opportunity to interview her for a segment of Simply Southern TV, where she shared her knowledge and passion for the industry through her work at the Mobile Dairy Classroom. Now, nearly 10 years later, Michaela successfully owns and operates her own dairy farm, a lifelong dream achieved. Michaela stands out as a leader in Ag, a role model for other women and future generations – including her daughter. I am proud to know Michaela personally, support her business and feature her on the cover of this month’s publication! While I do enjoy a cold glass of milk, ice cream is the real MVP of the dairy world in my book. My dad shared his love of ice cream with me at a young age and to this day, I still crave a bowl of homemade peach ice cream when summer rolls around. While family gatherings have been rare the past few months, we are excited for the safe return of backyard get-togethers as things start to reopen. In this issue, our Co-op Pantry is full of dairy-related recipes, including a few for ice cream, for you to make for your next get-together! Next month’s magazine is going to be feature some goodness -- from our company, our member stores and their communities. The past two months have been uncharted and challenging, but we are excited to share what we’ve learned while social distancing. Thank you for being a loyal reader, customer and part of the AFC family.

Samantha Carpenter Editor-in-Chief

44 Cooperative Cooperative Farming Farming News News

Bonnie Plants Partners with AmpleHarvest.org to Inspire America’s Gardeners to

Grow More. Feed More.

Goal of donating 10 million pounds of extra home harvest to local food pantries as the COVID-19 pandemic creates increased need Union Springs, Alabama (April 30, 2020) — Bonnie Plants has partnered with AmpleHarvest.org to launch the Grow More. Feed More. initiative to encourage home gardeners to donate a total of 10 million pounds of fresh, home-grown vegetables to local food pantries this season. This initiative is a way for home gardeners to give back in their own communities, as the COVID-19 pandemic has created an increased need across the nation. Food pantries consistently lack access to fresh produce, while the average gardener grows 240 pounds of surplus food per year. The Grow More. Feed More. initiative will inspire neighbors to help neighbors by connecting home gardeners with local food pantries to contribute to solving that need, which is the mission of AmpleHarvest.org. “This is an opportunity for home gardeners to truly make a difference, during this unprecedented time of need, nationwide. Home gardeners grow enough surplus food to feed 28 million hungry people every year, and the COVID-19 crisis has amplified the need for food, coast to coast,” said AmpleHarvest.org Founder and Executive Director Gary Oppenheimer. “Partnering with Bonnie Plants, the largest producer of vegetable and herb plants in the United States, will help us engage even more home gardeners and help bridge the gap between their home-grown harvest surplus and the need at local food pantries.” Bonnie Plants isn’t just encouraging home gardeners to participate and donate vegetables via AmpleHarvest.org, they’re donating 5% of all plant sales

through bonnieplants.com from May 1 through July 31, to AmpleHarvest.org. In addition, Bonnie Plants is leading the charge with donations from their own gardens. Test gardens in Union Springs, Alabama and in Marysville, Ohio have already been repurposed as giving gardens. All of the expected 5,000+ pounds of food grown there will be donated straight to local food pantries in their respective communities. “We are shifting the growing plans for these gardens from test sites to high-yield gardens to grow and donate more vegetables to serve local food pantries,” said Bonnie Plants President and CEO Mike Sutterer. “As we see the COVID-19 crisis affect more of our friends and neighbors, we know that the power of home gardeners donating their own extra harvest through AmpleHarvest.org can canvas the country and create a home-grown solution, neighborhood by neighborhood, serving local food pantries and in turn people in need, nationwide.” AmpleHarvest.org has identified nearly 8,700 member food pantries across the United States and can easily connect gardeners to the closest participating food pantry with instructions on how, where and when to donate extra produce. COVID-19 safety protocols are in place at all partner food pantries to ensure that food is transferred safely, making the process of getting fresh food into the hands of those in need as easy as possible. For more information about the Grow More. Feed More. initiative, visit https://bonnieplants.com/gardening/grow-more-feed-more/. June 2020

DIRECTORY OF MEMBER COOPERATIVES ALBERTVILLE FARMERS COOPERATIVE Branch of DeKalb Farmers Cooperative Mark Searels, Mgr. Phone 256-878-3261

FARMERS CO-OP OF ASHFORD Timothy Tolar, Mgr. Jerome Hinson, Asst. Mgr. Phone 334-899-3263

ALTHA FARMERS COOPERATIVE Blountstown - James Lynn, Mgr. Phone 850-674-8194

FARMERS COOPERATIVE, INC. Todd Lawrence, Gen. Mgr. Live Oak, FL - Barry Long, Ag Div. Mgr. Phone 386-362-1459 Madison, FL - Jerry Owens, Opperations Mgr. Phone 850-973-2269

ANDALUSIA FARMERS COOPERATIVE Russell Lassiter, Mgr. Phone 334-222-1851 ATMORE TRUCKERS ASSOCIATION Todd Booker, Mgr. Phone 251-368-2191 BLOUNT COUNTY FARMERS COOPERATIVE Eric Sanders, Mgr. Phone 205-274-2185 CALHOUN FARMERS COOPERATIVE Branch of Cherokee Farmers Cooperative Jacksonville - Tommy Thomas, Mgr. Phone 256-435-3430 Piedmont - Kevin Bobbitt, Mgr. Phone 256-447-6560 CENTRAL ALABAMA FARMERS COOPERATIVE Tim Wood, Gen. Mgr. Selma - Thomas Reeves, Mgr. Phone 334-874-9083 Faunsdale - Bryan Monk, Mgr. Phone 334-628-2681 Demopolis - Tom Eunice, Mgr. Phone 334-289-0155 CHEROKEE FARMERS COOPERATIVE Andrew Dempsey, Gen. Mgr. Seth Eubanks, Mgr. / Phone 256-927-3135 CLAY COUNTY EXCHANGE Jeff Kinder, Mgr. Phone 256-396-2097 COFFEE COUNTY FARMERS COOPERATIVE Enterprise - Ricky Wilks, Gen. Mgr. Phone 334-347-9007 Elba - Colin Morris, Mgr. Phone 334-897-6972 COLBERT FARMERS COOPERATIVE Daniel Waldrep, Gen. Mgr. Leighton - Tommy Sockwell, Mgr. Phone 256-446-8328 Tuscumbia - Chuck Hellums, Mgr. Phone 256-383-6462 DEKALB FARMERS COOPERATIVE Larry Leslie, Gen. Mgr. Rainsville - Andrea Crain, Mgr. Phone 256-638-2569 Crossville - David Tierce, Mgr. Phone 256-528-7188 ELBERTA FARMERS COOPERATIVE William D. Carlew, Mgr. Phone 251-986-8103 ELMORE COUNTY COOPERATIVE Branch of Taleecon Farmers Cooperative Timothy Richardson, Mgr. Phone 334-567-4321

Cooperative Farming News

FARMERS COOPERATIVE MARKET Doug Smith, Gen. Mgr. Frisco City - William Womack, Mgr. Phone 251-267-3175 Fertilizer / Phone 251-267-3173 Leroy - Jeff Hughston, Mgr. Phone 251-246-3512 FAYETTE FARMERS CO-OP Branch of Marion County Cooperative Kellie Trull, Mgr. / Phone 205-932-5901 FLORALA FARMERS AND BUILDERS CO-OP Branch of Andalusia Famers Cooperative Pete Blackwell, Mgr. / Phone 334-858-6142 GENEVA COUNTY COOPERATIVE Hartford - Todd Smith, Gen. Mgr. Phone 334-588-2992 GOSHEN FARMERS COOPERATIVE Danny Dewrell, Mgr. / Phone 334-484-3441 HEADLAND PEANUT WAREHOUSE CO-OP Jay Jones, Mgr. Chris Hix, Store Mgr. / Phone 334-693-3313 JACKSON FARMERS COOPERATIVE Branch of Madison County Cooperative Ramsey Prince, Mgr. Scottsboro - Phone 256-574-1688 Patricia Rorex, Mgr. Stevenson - Phone 256-437-8829 JAY PEANUT FARMERS COOPERATIVE Ryan Williams, Mgr. / Phone 850-675-4597 LAUDERDALE COUNTY COOPERATIVE Reggie Shook, Gen. Mgr. Florence - Robbie Neal, Mgr. Phone 256-764-8441 Elgin - Wendell Walker, Mgr. Phone 256-247-3453 LAWRENCE COUNTY EXCHANGE John Holley, Gen Mgr. Moulton - Greg McCannon, Mgr. Phone 256-974-9213 Courtland - Phone 256-637-2939 LIMESTONE FARMERS COOPERATIVE John Curtis, Gen. Mgr. / Phone 256-232-5500 Britt Christopher, Location Mgr. Giles County Co-op - Celena Williams, Mgr. Lynnville, TN - Kyle Doggett, Mgr. Phone 931-527-3923 Pulaski, TN / Phone 931-363-2563 LUVERNE COOPERATIVE SERVICES Perry Catrett, Mgr. / Phone 334-335-5082

MADISON COUNTY COOPERATIVE Keith Grifﬁn, Gen. Mgr. Hazel Green - Phone 256-828-2010 Meridianville - Matt Dunbar, Mgr. Phone 256-828-5360 MARION COUNTY COOPERATIVE Steve Lann, Gen. Mgr. Hamilton - Phone 205-921-2631 MARSHALL FARMERS COOPERATIVE Brian Keith, Gen. Mgr. Holly Pond - Phone 256-796-5337 Arab - Phone 256-586-5515 MID-STATE FARMERS COOPERATIVE Branch of Talladega County Exchange Columbiana - Barry Keller, Mgr. Phone 205-669-7082 MORGAN FARMERS COOPERATIVE Lance Ezelle, Gen. Mgr. Hartselle - Bradley Hopkins, Mgr. Phone 256-773-6832 Decatur - Trevor Johnson, Mgr. Phone 256-353-4663 NEW MARKET AG SUPPLY Branch of Madison County Cooperative Phone 256-379-2553 OPP’S CO-OP Branch of Andalusia Farmers Cooperative Brandon Bledsoe, Mgr. Phone 334-493-7715 PIKE FARMERS COOPERATIVE Troy - Wayne Ward, Mgr. Phone 334-566-3882 QUALITY COOPERATIVE, INC. Greenville - Daniel Salter, Mgr. Phone 334-382-6548 RANDOLPH FARMERS COOPERATIVE Tim Brown, Mgr. / Phone 256-357-4743 ST. CLAIR FARMERS COOPERATIVE Branch of Talladega County Exchange Ashville - Allen Bice, Mgr. Phone 205-594-7042 Pell City - Joseph Taylor, Mgr. Phone 205-338-2821 TALEECON FARMERS COOPERATIVE Scott Hartley, Gen. Mgr. Phone 334-257-3930 TALLADEGA COUNTY EXCHANGE Chris Duke, Gen. Mgr. Chris Elliott, Mgr. Phone 256-362-2716 TUSCALOOSA FARMERS COOPERATIVE Wayne Gilliam, Mgr. / Phone 205-339-8181 WALKER FARMERS COOPERATIVE Cody King, Mgr. / Phone 205-387-1142 WEST GENEVA COUNTY COOPERATIVE Branch of Geneva County Cooperative Robert Pittman, Mgr. / Phone 334-898-7932 WINSTON FARMERS COOPERATIVE Branch of Marion County Cooperative Haleyville - Jessica Steward, Mgr. Phone 205-486-3794

Quality Co-op: Specialty Products & Services For more information, contact your local Quality Co-op CatďŹ sh Filets All Year Albertville Farmers Co-op Altha Farmers Co-op - Blountstown Andalusia Farmers Co-op Atmore Truckers Association Blount County Farmers Co-op Calhoun Farmers Co-op - Piedmont Calhoun Farmers Co-op - Jacksonville Central AL Farmers Co-op - Selma Central AL Farmers Co-op - Faunsdale Central AL Farmers Co-op - Demopolis Cherokee Farmers Co-op Clay County Exchange Coffee County Farmers Co-op - Enterprise Coffee County Farmers Co-op - Elba Colbert Farmers Co-op - Tuscumbia DeKalb Farmers Co-op - Rainsville DeKalb Farmers Co-op - Crossville Elberta Farmers Co-op Elmore County Co-op Farmers Co-op Inc. - Live Oak, FL Farmers Co-op Inc. - Madison, FL Farmers Co-op Market - Frisco City Farmers Co-op Market - Leroy Fayette Co-op Florala Farmers & Builders Co-op Goshen Farmers Co-op

Pea Shelling Seasonal

Pecan Cracking

Seasonal

Propane All Year E&R

Seed Drills All Year

B B B B

R&E R&E R&E

B B B B B

R R S, E & R R&E R S&R S&R S&R

B B B B

S&R E S&R

Geneva County Co-op - Hartford Headland Peanut Warehouse Co-op Jackson Farmers Co-op - Scottsboro Jackson Farmers Co-op - Stevenson Jay Peanut Farmers Co-op Lauderdale County Co-op - Florence Lauderdale County Co-op - Elgin Lawrence Co. Exchange - Moulton Lawrence Co. Exchange - Courtland Limestone Farmers Co-op Giles County Co-op - Pulaski Giles County Co-op - Lynnville Luverne Cooperative Services Madison County Co-op Marion County Co-op Marshall Farmers Co-op - Arab Marshall Farmers Co-op - Holly Pond Mid-State Farmers Co-op Morgan Farmers Co-op - Decatur Morgan Farmers Co-op - Hartselle Oppâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Co-op Pike Farmers Co-op Quality Co-op Inc. St. Clair Farmers Co-op - Ashville St. Clair Farmers Co-op - Pell City Taleecon Farmers Co-op Talladega County Exchange Tuscaloosa Farmers Co-op Walker Farmers Co-op Winston Farmers Co-op www.alafarm.com

Peanuts All Year B B B

S&R B

B R R

S&R E S&R B S&R B B B B B

S, E & R S&R R S S&R

Thanksgiving & Christmas season

All Year B *Alligator also sold

Peanuts: Raw B: Raw & Roasted

Propane: R = Recharge

S = Sell E = Exchange

June 2020

our latest listings and more!

www.selandgroup.com | 866-751-LAND SEARCH FOR THESE PROPERTIES ON OUR WEBSITE USING THE RED NUMBERS

Clay County #2973

84+/- AC - This rural country home is located on Prospect Road near Goodwater in Clay County, AL. The 84+/- acre property is highlighted by the stunning 3 bedroom 3 bathroom 2650 sq ft log cabin home. This log cabin is made from Cypress wood from the floors to ceilings and features a picturesque wrap around porch with a door on all four sides.

Houston County #2845

680 AC - Spring Creek Farms is a truly rare gem: income-producing row crop farmland with old growth natural upland hardwood and pine, spring-fed creeks, lots of huge deer , turkey, quail, dove and ducks with rolling topography, power, and a pond – nothing is missing except your new cabin or house on top of one of the scenic ridges. +/-

lamar County #3032

595+/- AC - This tract is setup for hunting/recreation and has all the components to provide excellent recreational opportunities with a diversified timber investment. MUST SEE!

perry County #2982

209+/- AC - The camp house has 4 bedrooms, a renovated bathroom, and a living room. A garage with an electric roll-up door is used for storing atv’s and equipment. The Sprott area is well known for good deer and turkey hunting. There are 6-8 food plots on the property for hunting, and miles of internal roads and four wheeler trails take you throughout the tract.

Lauderdale County #2968

462+/- AC - The property is located just north of Florence, Alabama where you will find plenty of deer, ducks, doves, turkeys and other small game. It’s a beautiful wildlife tract of land with Cypress Creek running through it, with its deep blue holes and shallow water runs.

POULTRY FARMING IS

ESSENTIAL

chambers County #198

800+/- AC - Pines and beautiful hardwood creek bottoms on some of the finest soil in Chambers County. Super deer & turkey hunting and loaded with wood ducks! Many pond sites and flowing creeks on gently rolling land. County road frontage, convenient to both Lafayette, Lagrange and Roanoke.

dallas County

640+/- AC - 640ac cattle farm on the Cahaba River in Dallas County, Alabama. 3 bedroom home, 18 acre lake, and over 1 mile of river front.

chambers County #2947

220+/- AC - This tract has it all! Approximately 1500 feet along the scenic Tallapoosa River, huge hardwoods and a well-managed pine plantation. This tract also has a 3 acre lake that is fully stocked and a landing on the river for canoe put in where the fish are plentiful along the shoals. Great turkey and deer hunting can also be had on the 220 acres of gentle rolling timberland.

sumter County #2836

174+/- AC - The topography on the tract is primarily flat with a gentle slope on the acreage to the south. There is also a lake site on the property that is close to an acre in size, but could be made larger. Tifallili Creek crosses the southwestern corner of the property. Timber on the tract consist of hardwoods, cedar thickets, hackberry, and some pine stands, which when all combined make great wildlife habitat.

baldwin County #2980

143+/- AC - 100 ft of frontage on Stucki Road that goes back 525 ft opening up to the larger tract and access to the side/back of the property from Fell Rd. All utilities are available. Suitable use – residential development or country retreat. Property is conveniently located: Beach Express(6 miles), Orange Beach & Gulf Shores(17 miles), Foley(9 miles), Mobile(47 miles), Pensacola(25 miles) Covenants and Restrictions can be provided by request.

FOR SALE

Farmers are ESSENTIAL. There will always be a demand for poultry meat and by-products. This is a POSITIVE for all producers. This is real-world Essential. While everyone else is trying to figure out their place, farmers know EXACTLY what they should be doing to help. Just keep on being the steady provider for the world that they have been since God made a Farmer. Are you considering joining the poultry industry? We are still showing farms to interested buyers! Please DO NOT HESITATE to reach out to us with questions.

WE CAN HELP YOU FIND THE RIGHT FARM FOR YOU!

TW POULTRY

5 HOUSE BROILER FARM IN DEKALB COUNTY, AL

view this farm and others at

WWW.POULTRYSOUTH.COM

RANDALL UPCHURCH

SOUTH.COM

256-239-5379 upchurch.farmagent@gmail.com

Cooperative Farming News

ROBERT KING

844-855-0680 robert@selandgroup.com

June 2020

AG INSIGHT Pandemic spurs expanded USDA programs Although headlines about the federal government’s assistance programs to aid agriculture in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic have been infrequent, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a number of efforts in recent weeks, including: • The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, a $19 billion immediate relief effort to provide support to farmers and ranchers, maintain the integrity of the food supply chain and ensure every American continues to receive and have access to the food they need. CFAP provides immediate relief for producers and also allows for the purchase and distribution of agricultural commodities to help those in need. CFAP will use the funding and authorities provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and other USDA existing authorities. • Expanded flexibilities and waivers in all 50 states and territories, designed to ensure children and families who need food can get it during the national emergency. • Partnering with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, McLane Global, PepsiCo and others to deliver more than a million meals a week to students in a limited number of rural schools closed due to COVID-19. • Pandemic electronic benefit transfer in Michigan and Rhode Island, a supplemental food purchasing benefit to current SNAP participants and a new EBT benefit to other eligible households to offset the cost of meals that would have otherwise been consumed at school. • USDA expanded an innovative SNAP online grocery purchase pilot program in Arizona and California, Florida and Idaho, and Washington, D.C. and North Carolina, in addition to Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, New York, Oregon and Washington.

Cooperative Farming News

Analyzing the numbers brings new insights Analyzing how much time people devote to shopping for and preparing food can provide insights into behaviors that may affect their diets and, in turn, their health. For example, more time in the grocery store could indicate greater attention to product labels and healthier selections. Similarly, when people spend more time preparing meals from scratch, they have greater control over the amount of salt, sugars and fats used in the dishes.

Using national statistics from the 2004-17 American Time Use Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, researchers from USDA’s Economic Research Service wanted to see if the time Americans spent in food-related activities varied between 200407 and 2014-17. The researchers found that on average, Americans spent 4.1 more minutes per day preparing food in 2014-17 than in 2004-07 and the gender disparity in food preparation lessened somewhat. On an average day in 2014-17, 54% of Americans age 15 and older engaged in food preparation, up from 47% a decade earlier. Americans, on average, spent 27.5 minutes in food preparation in 2014-17, up from 23.4 minutes in 2004-07. These 4.1 extra minutes represent an 18% increase. While a higher share of women prepared food in both time periods, the disparity lessened over the de-

BY J I M E R I C K S O N

Analyzing how much time people devote to shopping for and preparing food can provide insights into behaviors that may affect their diets and, in turn, their health. cade. In 2004-07, 60% of women and 33% of men engaged in food preparation on an average day. On an average day in 2014-17, 65% of women and 41% of men prepared food. Women also devoted more time to food preparation than did men in both time periods. In 2004-07, women who prepared food spent an average of 54.7 minutes per day in the activity, compared with 39.4 minutes by male food preparers. In 2014-17, time spent by food preparers averaged 57.2 minutes for women and 41.5 minutes for men. There were significant gender disparities in food-related cleanup in both survey periods. On an average day in 2014-17, 33% of women engaged in food-related cleanup, compared to 12% of men. A decade earlier, 33% of women and 10% of men took on cleanup duties.

Alabama towns receive federal loans

The town of Forkland where a $12,800 loan will help purchase two police vehicles and office equipment. The acquisitions will enable the community to reopen its police department, closed since 2009 due to lack of funding. The Hazel Green Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department where a $221,500 loan will be used to purchase 30 air packs with supplemental tanks, four thermal imagers and three cases of mask filters, all designed to upgrade service to those in the department’s service area.

Research investments grow to counter farm labor decline A long-term decline in the supply of farm labor has encouraged producers to select less labor-intensive crops, but it also has sparked investment in labor-saving technologies and strategies to boost labor productivity. Several USDA programs have supported the development and use of automation or mechanization in the production and processing of U.S. specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. During the decade ending in 2018, programs in USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, Agricultural Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture funded $287.7 million in 213 projects to

USDA has announced it is investing $65 million to improve critical community facilities that serve more than 600,000 rural residents in Alabama and 13 other states. The agency is funding 38 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The investments can be used for a variety of purposes such as building or upgrading schools, libraries, clinics and public safety facilities. Alabama communities receiving funds include: The Littleville Volunteer Fire Department where a $116,000 loan is being used to purchase a new minipumper fire truck and related equipment, enabling the department to access water in areas without fire hydrants. June 2020

develop and enhance the use of automation or mechanization in specialty crop production and processing. These projects covered a broad spectrum of technologies, including job aid/machinery automation, machine learning/data analysis, mechanical harvesting/processing, precision agriculture, remote sensing/drones and sensors. Ultimately, adoption of these technologies will depend on economic and behavioral factors unique to individual producers. For example, adoption of a new harvester technology that requires orchard redesign, while labor saving, may not be feasible in the short run. At $64.7 billion, specialty crops comprised onethird of U.S. crop receipts and one-sixth of receipts for all agricultural products in 2017. Many specialty crops are labor intensive in production, harvesting or processing. Harvesting often requires workers to accurately distinguish ripe and unripe fruits and vegetables and gently pick, sort, or package the fruit or vegetable by hand without damage. These projects represent multiple stages of research, from the development of component parts, to working prototypes, to field trials, to integrated commercial technologies. Additionally, USDA has three programs in Rural Development that support the infrastructure needed for adoption of automation or mechanization. From 2010 to 2018, Rural Development funded $3.4 billion toward 280 digital infrastructure projects that facilitate the use of automation or mechanization in specialty crop production and processing.

Farm exports spark economic activity throughout nation While exports constitute a large market for U.S. farm and food products, these sales also send ripples of economic activity throughout the nation. Farm purchases of fuel and fertilizer to produce agricultural commodities for export, for example, spur economic activity in the manufacturing, trade and transportation sectors, and the movement of these exports requires data processing, financial, legal, managerial and administrative services. This additional economic activity is estimated annually by the Economic Research Service using an agricultural trade multiplier that measures the employment and output effects of trade in farm and food products on the U.S. economy. 12

Cooperative Farming News

Similarly, the agricultural trade multiplier can be utilized to evaluate impacts of shocks such as COVID-19 on the agricultural sector. In 2018, U.S. agricultural exports valued at $139.6 billion generated an additional $162.9 billion in economic activity, for a total of $302.5 billion in economic output; thus, on average, every dollar of U.S. agricultural product exported generated $1.17 of additional domestic economic activity. No sector outside of crop and livestock production benefited more than the services, trade and transportation sector, which generated $88.2 billion worth of additional economic activity due to U.S. agricultural exports. On the farm, agricultural exports supported an additional $22.1 billion of business activity beyond the value of the agricultural exports themselves.

No sector outside of crop and livestock production benefited more than the services, trade and transportation sector, which generated $88.2 billion worth of additional economic activity due to U.S. agricultural exports.

BUSINESS OF FARMING

B Y J E S S I C A K E LT O N

Drink Your Milk!

“Drink your milk.” That was probably a phrase that you heard as a child and/or something you told your children. Milk has been called “nature’s most perfect food” for providing essential vitamins and minerals. In fact, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend three servings of dairy products a day for ages 9 and up. Milk has probably been a part of your diet for many years, but the market for dairy products is changing. Figure 1 shows what happened to the dairy product availability/consumption in the U.S. from 1997 to 2017. It needs to be noted that there are two different scales. The left scale is in pounds and represents cheese. The blue bars represent fluid milk and cream with a scale of 100 pounds. This is per capita availability which is considered a proxy for consumption. The fluid

milk and cream segment, combined with the cheese segment of dairy products, accounts for approximately 85% of the dairy product availability. First the good news: The cheese availability has increased over 30% from 29.9 pounds in 1997 up to 39.1

June 2020

pounds in 2017. Cheese noted here includes whole and part-skim milk cheeses and cottage cheeses. The bad news is that fluid milk and cream availability (consumption) has decreased over 22% from 1997 through 2017. Competition from alternative beverages and changes in lifestyles has decreased the demand for fluid milk. Although not reflected in Figure 1, availability of other dairy segments is mixed over the 1997 to 2017 time period. Butter consumption has increased slightly from 4.2 pounds to 5.7 pounds. The frozen dairy segment that includes ice creams, sherbet, frozen yogurt and other frozen products saw consumption decrease from 27.8 pounds down to 23 pounds. As we look at milk production in the U.S. as compared to the number of cows that we have in the domestic dairy herd over the last 50 years, we can see we are becoming more efficient. Figure 2 shows the number of milk cows (thousands) on the left side and milk volume (million) pounds. In 1970, the U.S. had just over 12 million milk cows that produced 117 million pounds of milk or 9,751 pounds of milk per head. In 2019, the number of milk cows had dropped to 9.3 million head, but produced a total of 218.4 million pounds of milk. On a per head basis, that is 23,391 pounds of milk. In this 50-year period, U.S. milk cows are producing 2.33 times as much milk per cow today as they were in 1970. The improved efficiency in the dairy industry is one part of the improved productivity of all U.S. ag-

Cooperative Farming News

riculture. American farmers produce the cheapest, safest and most abundant food supply in the world. This increased efficiency has changed the structure of agriculture, especially in the dairy industry. The 1969 census shows that 98% of U.S. dairies had less than 100 head of milk cows and less than 2% of dairies had more than 100 head. That is in stark contrast with numbers from the 2017 census of agriculture showing that 13% of U.S. dairies will have less than 100 head of milk cows and over 55% of U.S. dairies will have over 1,000 head. Dairies with less than 100 cows account for about 11% of the milk sales and the dairies with over 1,000 account for over 56% of milk sales. We have seen the American dairy industry change in numerous ways over the last 50 years. We have fewer cows producing more milk, but the demand for milk and milk products in the U.S. has decreased. The difference is offset by exports. Exports of U.S. dairy products since 1996 has gone from 3.6% of total production to 14.4% in 2019. The largest customers of U.S. dairy products are Mexico, Southeast Asia, Canada, China and South America. Alabama currently has 45 commercial dairies in operation. Some of these produce specialty products such as cheese, organic milk and organic cheese. To help these Alabama dairies and the U.S. dairy industry, drink your milk!

FEEDING FACTS

BY J I M M Y PA R K E R

Feed Ingredients There are many options available when you start to look for feed ingredients. Of course, the species of livestock will limit that somewhat, as will government regulations. There are some other limiting factors as well. Local availability and cost are two of the larger factors that restrict what we utilize. The form of the product, space to store products and the equipment used to handle them are some others. Today and in the short-term future, general availability may become the most relevant factor. Generally speaking, the larger the feed mill, the more options they have for storage. Conversely, those really large mills are often specialized with equipment that may limit some forms of ingredients, so they may

or may not have more options than some of the midsized or small mills. In Decatur, Alabama, we are fortunate to have a good range of ingredients that are fairly close by. That has allowed us to use 10 to 12 different major ingredients and 10 or 12 minor ingredients without having to rely on shipping things from all over the world, at least not the things that we use the most of. Specialty items like vitamin and mineral premixes are shipped great distances but in small quantities. Smaller freight bills are a big advantage and the usual reliability of having some things â&#x20AC;&#x153;next doorâ&#x20AC;? adds a small degree of security, even in uncertain times where we are seeing major supply interruptions. June 2020

With uncertain times, ingredient storage becomes more critical and most feed mills, including ours, would like to have more. There are so many things in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world that can change the supply chain. Under normal circumstances, it is often difficult to keep the correct balance of ingredients in place to make a wide variety of feeds without constantly changing formulas. We do our best to produce consistent feeds with as few changes as possible. Usually when we see major ingredient changes, they are gradual, and the feed industry adapts in a timely manner. This year the changes were not gradual and that has changed the outlook of many things, even in the feed industry. With the COVID-19 mitigation plans earlier this year, agriculture and most agriculture companies have all been declared essential and the hope was that the supply chain would remain healthy. The closing down of travel, restaurants and bars and many other nonessential businesses resulted in limiting production of several of the ingredients that we use every day to make livestock feed. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at the ingredient dried distillers grain. There are two types of DDGs. One comes from ethanol production and one comes from distilleries that make alcohol for people to drink. They can basically be used interchangeably in many feeds. Farmers and feed mills tend to use whichever one is close by because less freight makes it more economical. Switching from one to another will change the appearance of the feed a great deal and sometimes it will change the taste or smell enough that the animals will notice, even if it does not make a major nutritional change. As oil prices fell to lows not seen in years and retail gasoline prices followed, the demand for ethanol dropped. When the demand for ethanol drops, the

production of ethanol also drops and so does the byproduct DDGs. When you add closed-down bars and no spring break, the distilleries that make drinking alcohol begin to look at a decrease in demand and they began to make some production changes. So, production for both forms of DDGs drops at about the same time and supplies tighten up. When one ingredient slows down, it increases the need for similar ingredients and usually with our diverse national system that is not a major issue. There will be other products to fill the hole left by whatever is short. Not so much when the entire economy has been slowed down. Other byproducts are also affected. Several wheat byproducts get in short supply when restaurants and bakeries need less flour and other corn byproducts are cut back when the demand for corn syrup slows. Currently, we have not seen the demand for soy oil change the availability for soybean meal or soyhulls, but if restaurants remain closed, oil stays low (biodiesel demand issues) and other things that use soy products get put on the backburner, there could be issues with that supply chain as well. All of those things add together to drive feed mills back to using basic ingredients such as corn as much as possible and to look for other higher protein products. These all add together to increase the changes you have seen and likely will continue to see in the feed you buy. Hopefully, those changes will be small and not very often. As supplies continue to shrink on many of the basic things we use, the appearance, the taste and the smell of some feeds will change. You will likely notice the appearance changes more than your livestock will notice the changes in taste or smell. The nutritional value of the feed is the least likely thing to change and rest assured that we will work hard every day to minimize the other changes.

All of those things add together to drive feed mills back to using basic ingredients such as corn as much as possible and to look for other higher protein products.

Cooperative Farming News

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

BY J O H N S I M S

Wind and Rain® Storm® Fly Control Mineral with Altosid® IGR prevents the breeding of horn flies in the manure of treated cattle.

Key Considerations: 1) The horn fly costs the industry over $1 billion per year and is North America’s most pervasive and costly external cattle parasite. 2) Horn fly damage causes reduced grazing, increased stress and blood loss in cattle. Rely on Wind and Rain® Storm® Fly Control with Altosid® (IGR) to interrupt the fly life cycle and reduce fly population. This and other Purina Products are available at your local Quality Co-op store.

To find a Quality Co-op store near you, go to www.alafarm.com. June 2020

ON THE EDGE OF COMMON SENSE

BY B AX T E R B L A C K , D V M

The Lone Pine “So, how’d yer dad git that big dent on the door?” I asked Dave. Truth is, it was quite an accomplishment for one single dent to stand out from all the other wear and tear, deterioration and assorted damage that covered his 1983 Ford Ranger diesel pickup truck like elephant tracks on a Styrofoam cooler. “It’s a long story,” sighed Dave. Dave went with his mom and dad to gather the last of the cows off their forest permit above Feather Falls in the Sierra Madres of Southern California. Dad drove the

old stock truck with racks made outta airport landing and pulled a portable Powder River loading chute with panels. Dave followed in the Ranger. It took’em a while, but they finally loaded 16 head of cows and calves. Then Dad spotted one ol’ cow that had held back. She’d calved recently, but the calf was nowhere in sight. They had spotted lion tracks in the vicinity. They searched till Mom, the family tracker, found the little calf under a bush. They could feel the storm comin’ and were relieved to get the last cow squeezed onto the load. They packed the loading chute and started down the mountain. Dave followed in the Ranger with the new calf in the cab beside him. Bear, the faithful cow dog, rode in the back. Next thing he knew Dad waved him to a stop. There was a cow down in the stock truck. Dave pulled ahead, stopped on the steep mountain road and went back to help. After several minutes of struggling with the downed cow, Dave climbed up to say they would need to let some of the other cows out to give her some room. It was then he noticed the Ranger, complete with dog and calf, had disappeared! Dad was hot to catch his favorite truck when Dave pointed out that wherever it was goin’, it was already there. The downed cow could use some help right away. They set up the portable chute, unloaded four cows, righted the downed cow and Dave took off to find the Ranger. He met Bear comin’ back up the road at a full gallop, tail between his legs. Around the first bend Dave could see the tip of the pickup over the side of a canyon. It had leaped off the edge and slid sideways into a lone pine. The next stop would have been 200 feet at the bottom. The calf was standin’ in the seat lookin’ out the back window. Well, everybody survived although the dog won’t get back in the pickup and Dave continues to insist he left it in gear and Dad ... Dad still takes the hammer to the side panel now and then in an attempt to make the pine tree impression blend in with the other dents. It’s useless though, like tryin’ to make a mastodon blend in with a flotilla of Mallard ducks. www.baxterblack.com

18 Cooperative Farming News

FROM THE STATE VET’S OFFICE

BY D R . T O N Y F R A Z I E R

Pandemic

Hit the Dog World in Late 1970s

In 1975, the Vietnam War was ending, Jimmy Hoffa had disappeared, people avoided the beaches because of the movie, “Jaws,” and no one in the whole world had ever heard of canine parvovirus, at least as we know it now. Our present-day canine parvo is caused by CVP-2. (In 1967, canine parvovirus, CPV-1, had been identified and caused some medical threat to newborn puppies.) Dogs across the world were carrying on life as normal and doing whatever dogs did back in the mid-70s. Nobody knew that somewhere, probably in Europe, a cat virus in the parvo virus family that had been identified back in the 1920s as the cause of feline panleukopenia was mutating into a virus, CPV-2, that would, in 1976, begin to infect dogs. The virus began to spread across the world and by late 1978 into 1979, we were in the middle of a worldwide dog pandemic. I am certainly not going to compare or contrast the emergence of the canine parvovirus with what we are experiencing today with the coronavirus pandemic. However, the present pandemic reminded me that I have seen the results of a virus

that mutated into a brand-new virus that infected another species. There are probably definite parallels that can be drawn to the two events. But I will leave that to someone else. I will just relate the emergence of canine parvo as I remember it. In 1979, I was working for Dr. John Bagwell, doing one of those rite-of-passage things that most people must do somewhere on their way to becoming a veterinarian. Part of that rite of passage included cleaning cages at the clinic. If you were cleaning cages about that time, a disease with the primary manifestation of vomiting and bloody diarrhea was probably indelibly burned into your memory. Around the veterinary world, “parvo” became the newest four-letter word. It had not been seen before and early on it was massively devastating to puppies and young dogs under 6 months of age. Being the cage cleaner and not the veterinarian, I didn’t grasp the significance of what I was seeing. People would lose whole litters of puppies. We were treating with IV fluids and anything else that we had heard might help. I just June 2020

remember that we lost a lot of the dogs we treated, no the life of some dogs. However, with vaccinations and matter how aggressively. We would have dogs on fluids immunity from natural exposure, parvo no longer reand supportive for a week or more and think they had quires the time, effort and space at veterinary clinics turned the corner and they would still die. In fact, back that it did 40 years ago. It is a disease that can, for the in the early days, there was a component of the virus most part, be prevented through proper vaccination. that affected the heart. Many of those dogs just died As I looked at websites for the Centers for Disease --- no vomiting, no diarrhea, just a dead pet. Control, the World Health Organization, Johns HopIsolation wards at veterinary clinics filled up with kins University and other entities that track emerging parvo patients. Hospitalization of critically ill patients diseases, the virus, COVID-19, was not mentioned unbecame a concern because of til late in 2019, much like the how infectious the virus was. canine parvovirus in 1975. I Veterinarians were taking every looked at many of the lists precaution to clean and disinof emerging diseases to Isolation wards at fect everything from the floors watch. COVID-19 didn’t make veterinary clinics filled up and walls to stethoscopes. any of those lists. However, a It became vitally important couple of the COVID-19 virus’ with parvo patients. Hospito make sure that a dog that first cousins, SARS and MERS, came in for a routine surgery or were on those lists. You may talization of for vaccinations or to be treatremember SARS (Severe Acute critically ill patients ed for allergies did not go home Respiratory Syndrome) from and become sick from parvo. the early 2000s. It originatbecame a concern Finally, sometime in 1979, ed in China and was likely a because of how I believe, a vaccine became virus that may have mutated available. I don’t think that anyfrom bats to infect civet cats, infectious the virus was. one could argue that the abiliand then mutated to be transty to vaccinate dogs against ferred human to human. I can parvo was the most significant remember seeing the pictures weapon in the war against the of people in that part of the virus. So, vaccines were givworld wearing masks in puben to puppies along with the lic. MERS was a more recent distemper vaccine. But that virus in the Mediterranean area wasn’t the knight riding in on a that caused some concern, but white horse like we thought it never became the pandemic would be. Even after two vacthat it could have potentially cines, some dogs would get the been. Anyway, those are all disease. It may have been that from the coronavirus family. dogs that had a couple of vacAs we navigate our way cines in them before getting through the present COVID-19 sick had a better chance of repandemic, we are in uncharted covery. Still some of those vacwaters as our best and brightcinated dogs died. It was soon est work to come out of this learned that if the young dog still had a protective level thing on the winning side. I suppose my main takeof antibodies that it got from its momma, the vaccine home message from this article is that early on in a generally did not initiate an effective response from the pandemic, there are far more questions than answers. puppy’s immune system. As a result, research showed Our best medical minds make recommendations, then us that we needed to continue to booster the young later make changes or tweak those recommendations. dogs until they were 4 months old when all maternal That is because we learn more about the virus. When antibodies had dropped below a protective level. There dealing with a new disease, we are playing defense and were certain breeds that needed to be vaccinated on the virus largely tells us how we must respond. While up to 6 months old to be protected. There were certain I couldn’t begin to predict how the future of this panadjustments that had to be made as we learned more demic will play out, I do believe we will get to the other about the new disease. side. And just like parvo, it will not be eradicated, but Now, over 40 years later, we still deal with canine we are able to prevent the disease and the dog world parvovirus. It is still a formidable opponent. It still takes still functions pretty well. 20

Cooperative Farming News

Store Spotlight:

John Holley

John Holley is another manager celebrating 40 years of service in 2019. Holley is a 1978 graduate of Auburn and upon graduation, he originally wanted to go back to his hometown of Andalusia and farm. Due to the high costs of getting started and double-digit inflation, this dream unfortunately did not come to fruition. He did, however, get asked to come interview in Moulton, Alabama with the board of directors for the Lawrence County Exchange. He was officially hired in 1979 on the training program. He thought at the time that he would only be in Moulton for a year or two, then return to Andalusia. Yet, upon completion of the training, he became the assistant manager alongside Lloyd Rutherford where he would work until 1990 when he would become the general manager and is still serving today. We would like to thank John for his years of service and dedication to the agriculture community of Lawrence County. June 2020

Amy Winstead Joins Advisory Board

Amy Winstead is the Chief Technology Officer for Agri-AFC, LLC, a joint venture between Alabama Farmers Cooperative and Winfield United. In this role, she leads and coordinates Agri-AFC’s IT applications and the agriculture technology offerings for Alabama Farmers Cooperative and Agri-AFC, LLC locations in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida. Prior to joining Agri-AFC, LLC in the fall of 2011, she worked for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System as an Extension Agent with statewide responsibilities for Precision Agriculture. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in Agronomy and Soils with a Precision Agriculture emphasis from Auburn University. Winstead currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Ag Data Coalition. She and her husband Matt reside in North Alabama with their two boys. The 2020 PACE Executive Forum Advisory Board provides input and insight to help shape the 2020 PACE Executive Forum Conference to be held October 26-28, 2020, in Kansas City, Missouri. This inaugural event will focus on the theme “Building a New Ag Value Chain.” The PACE Executive Forum is just the latest project to emerge from the CropLife’s PACE Initiative. Since 1994, CropLife has built collaborative projects and programs under the PACE banner with input from ag retailers and leading industry experts from every segment of the agriculture value chain. Agri-AFC, LLC is a joint venture between Alabama Farmers Cooperative and WinField United, formed in 2003. WinField is an entity of Land O’Lakes. This joint venture provides more competitively priced crop inputs and a wider product selection, along with almost 90 years’ legacy of customer service and expertise. Agri-AFC, LLC is headquartered in Decatur, Alabama, and serves growers across Alabama, Southwest Georgia, Southern Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle. 22 22 Cooperative Cooperative Farming Farming News News

t â&#x20AC;&#x2122; n o d s e s s o l t n e Equipm oil the harvest. p s o t e v ha

AlfaInsurance.com June 2020

4-H EXTENSION CORNER

County Youth Councils Provide Leadership The County 4-H Youth Council serves as the youth voice and advisers to each county 4-H team. Each county’s team represents a cross section of active youth between the ages of 10-18, who have at least one year of 4-H experience. Each county’s 4-H Youth Council provides opportunities to develop enhanced citizenship and leadership skills, serve as local 4-H ambassadors, function as youth-client adviser and model 4-H programming with their peers. These students gain additional citizenship and leadership skills by attending and participating in the 4-H Youth Leadership Conference, 4-H Midwinter Retreat, State 4-H Ambassadors and other leadership and citizenship events. They also help to create the annual county 4-H plan-of-work. This article will spotlight 4-H County Youth Councils from six different counties, and one Area 4-H Council representing the Wiregrass region.

Marshall County Marshall County’s 4-H Youth Council has 25 members who complete numerous community service proj-

Front Row (L to R): Breanna Black (President), Alex Lee (Vice President), Carolein van der Wel (Secretary), Landon Hamilton (Treasurer), Kaden Randles (Recreation Leader) Middle Row (L to R): Mattie Wisener, Khloe Randles, Kolton Hardin, Grayson Hamilton, Brody Smith, Kaylee Hamilton, Joy Traynor Back Row (L to R): Danny Park, Conner Hamilton, Robert Scott Johnson, Erika Ledbetter, Annalise van der Wel (Not Pictured) Marcel van der Wel, Cole Garrett, Katie Randles, Sydnee Colquitt, Landon Black, Grayce Walker, Kathryn Garrett

Cooperative Farming News

ects throughout the year. They participate in local parades, volunteer time at local nursing homes, animal shelters and children’s hospitals, all while building a sense of teamwork and accountability with each other. They instill hope in the future generation to all who get the opportunity to meet and/or work with them. Breanna Black, a Youth Council member, stated, “Not only has 4-H Youth Council helped me grow as a leader and as a person, but it has also helped me have more compassion toward others through the many community projects we do.”

Marengo County Since 2015, the Marengo County 4-H Youth Council has brought 10th-12th grade youth together from public, private and home-school settings to promote unity, community service, workforce development and life skill development. Leadership skills are enhanced through community service projects, such as Rooster Day and Pepper Jelly Festival. The highlight of each year is the Christmas outreach to the Marengo Nursing Home, where members deliver handmade gifts and sing Christmas carols to residents. The year ends with

Front Row (L to R): Asia Williams, Sha’Tyra Bell, Sierra Ratcliff, Isabel Pacheco, Ellie Holman, Taylor Kirkham, LaTorshia Harris , Myia Lewis, Kiyauna Alston, Tamia Kemp, Jakayla Rogers, Richell Bates, Cade Kirkham Middle Row (L to R): Daniel Thomas, Caitlyn Rutledge, Makayla Richardson, Twyla Harris, Mekhel Miller Back Row (L to R): Joseph Mitchell, Silas Wilson, Blair Gibbs, Mac McPherson, Joshua Williams, Timothy Thurman, Jawaun Jones, Chelsea Etheridge

BY C A R O LY N D R I N K A R D

a field trip to places such as Demopolis Lock and Dam, Marengo County Courthouse, Hyundai Manufacturing and the University of West Alabama. This youth council experience has opened doors for two of our members to receive the 4-H Foundation Scholarships.

Fayette County

The Fayette County 4-H Youth Leadership Council is made up of 27 youth. The County 4-H Youth Council does two service projects each school year, attends leadership retreats, participates in competitive events and promotes 4-H through attending area community events, such as The Arts Festival and Frog Level Festival. Council members are ambassadors at their schools where they are responsible for the promotion of school 4-H events. They also plan and teach educational sessions during day camps for local school summer programs. On Veterans Day 2019, council members collected and delivered personal comfort items to 40 patients at the Tuscaloosa Veterans Administration Community Living Center, 10 resident veterans at Morningview Estates in Fayette and several community member veterans. In the spring, Youth Council members collected dog and cat foods and cat litter for the Fayette Animal Shelter. The

Fayette County 4-H Youth Council is privileged to have one of its members serving as an Alabama 4-H State Ambassador.

Jefferson County The Jefferson County 4-H Youth Advisory Council is a diverse group of youth that represent their local 4-H clubs in a leadership role at the county level. Council members are charged each year with assisting 4-H staff and volunteers in planning and facilitating countywide programs, events, competitions and community service projects. The youth council meets several times a year to participate in leadership skill building and planning. Each year the youth council sponsors a community service project such as raising funds to purchase red wagons for the local children’s hospital and collecting supplies for natural disaster victims.

Front Row (L to R): Antraun Robertson, Grace Short, Selah Xenos, Allaynah Jiminez, Zuriya Cox, Zahriya Cox, Walker Bell Second Row (L to R):YaYa Konde, Reese Bell, Gloria Xenos Back Row (L to R):Lucia Xenos, Sarah Short, Kenneth Reese, Benjamin Moore III, Korey Reese

Tallapoosa County Front Row (L to R): William McCollum, Kade Watkins, Miles Dozier, Tucker Bowen Second Row (L to R): Elaina Agoston, Aubrey Deavours, Ashley Henegar, Lainey Deavours, Lara Beth Brasher, Carly Kimbrell, Abigail Lovelace, Savannah Underwood, Keslyn Sullivan, Carlie Roby Back Row (L to R): Isaac Agoston, Jonah Agoston, Blake Westbrook, Jessica Duck, Emily Kizzire, Allie Howard, Ella Porter, Gracelyn Westbrook, Leanna Ray, Elisabeth Fields, Kylee Dunn, Aisha Nasser

Tallapoosa County 4-H Council is a group of young people, ranging from fifth to 12th grades. They participate in community service projects such as the Lake Martin “Renew Our Rivers” Cleanup Day each fall. Just in the past two years, the group has cleaned up more than 1,000 pounds of garbage from the shores of Lake Martin and local rivers. The Tallapoosa County June 2020

nual 4-H Youth Leadership Workshop, the annual regional 4-H Awards Jamboree, regional competitions at Troy University, special events like the Wildlife Expo and spring and fall Farm Days at Landmark Park (Alabama’s Agricultural Museum), 4-H booth and exhibits at the National Peanut Festival, multiple community service activities and much more. The Wiregrass 4-H Ambassador program began in 2016 and is designed to grow individual confidence, decision-making and communications skills to be practiced and mastered at the county level and beyond. Ambassadors are required to also be an active member of their county’s 4-H Council. Applications are accepted each year from youth in the following Wiregrass counties: Houston, Henry, Dale, Geneva, Coffee, Covington, Crenshaw, Pike and Barbour. (L to R): Mary Carol Rasbury, Colton Siggers, Blake Harris, Cami Cook, Colton Cook, Rebecca Rasbury, Katie Rasbury, Eli Patterson, Caroline Fisher, Clay Harris, Jania Stroud, Will Fisher, and Mallory Foshee

4-H Youth Council also helps with fundraising efforts. The group explores different career and schooling options on field trips, like the one to Auburn University’s Charles C. Miller Jr. Poultry Research and Education Center. While helping the local community, the Tallapoosa County 4-H Youth Council has gained leadership experiences that will help them become future leaders of the county.

Wiregrass Area 4-H is going strong in Alabama! In the Wiregrass region (Southeast Alabama), youth leaders are practicing the essential elements of 4-H (the BIGM – belonging, independence, generosity and mastery) with area children and adults. 4-H Club officers, along with Council and the Wiregrass 4-H Ambassadors, not only enjoy the fun of participation but they are integral in helping 4-H and Extension staff and also volunteers “plan and man” events and activities such as the an-

(L to R): Karlee Kirkland (Houston County 4-H Council VP), Katie Hinson (Henry County 4-H Council VP), Abigail Taylor (Wiregrass 4-H Ambassador President and Henry County 4-H Council President), and Lizzie Kirkland (Henry County 4-H Council Board)

Cooperative Farming News

Clarke County The Clarke County 4-H Youth Council is comprised of 25 youth interested in participating in citizenship and leadership activities. Each year, the Youth Council partners with the Regional Child Advocacy Center to display over 246 pinwheels in front of the Clarke County Courthouse for Child Abuse Prevention Month. In addition, these students collect supplies and snacks for the center. The Youth Council also collects and donates supplies and food to the Clarke County Animal Shelter. This year, the council painted pictures, donated canned food items and planted flowers to be distributed to local hospice patients. In March, the Youth Council learned the importance of the census and how they could encourage community members to be counted.

Front Row (L to R): Myles Locklar, Atia Smith, Naomi Huckabee Back Row (L to R): Amiah Hicks, Ronderick Irby, Luke Stephens, Chloi Barganier, John Daniel Fleming, Christopher Welch, Tamia Turner, Tyanena Hill

PALS

BY J A M I E M I T C H E L L

Webb Elementary Joins Clean Campus Program

Webb Elementary in Houston County was a new addition to the Clean Campus Program for the 2019-20 school year. I was honored to visit with the students of Webb Elementary a few weeks back and teach them about the importance of keeping their school and community litter free. In our time together, the students listened and answered questions about the origins of litter and ways litter can appear â&#x20AC;&#x153;accidentally.â&#x20AC;? They learned that only half of all litter is intentional and the other half comes from unintentional sources such as wind blowing over trash cans or wrappers and bags that fly out of the backs of trucks. The students took a pledge not to litter and to be on the lookout for ways to prevent unintentional litter. We also talked about always taking the extra steps to find the trash can at sporting events or at the park so that small wrappers and bags do not become litter. Being a part of the Clean Campus Program means that students will think twice when finishing a drink or snack. Our goal is for these students to become lifelong stewards of the world around them! Would a school near you benefit from hearing about the Clean Campus Pro-

gram? If so, have them give me a call or email at (334) 263-7737 or jamie@alpals.org. As always, the Clean Campus Program is available at no cost to schools thanks to our corporate sponsors.

June 2020

FFA SENTINEL

Meet Your State Staff There are several new, but familiar faces helping facilitate premier leadership, personal growth and career development within the Alabama FFA. These people work tirelessly to ensure FFA members from across the state have multiple opportunities to grow their technical and leadership skills through Agriculture Education. Over the next two months, we want to introduce you to these individuals who are working to make Alabama FFA the best it can be.

Andy Chamness State FFA adviser, Education Administrator for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, as well as Family and Consumer Sciences, North District FFA adviser Andy Chamness is a graduate of Hatton High School. He attended Auburn University, majoring in Poultry Science and obtaining a M.Ed. in Agriscience Education. After teaching at Reeltown High School for seven years he joined the state Agriscience Education staff in January 2014. Chamness has served as a District Specialist, State FFA executive secretary and State FFA adviser. He has two children and resides in Notasulga, Alabama. His goal is to see career and technical education grow and thrive in the 21st century and provide 21st century skills to our students while holding dear the traditions of past generations and FFA traditions. 28

Cooperative Farming News

Jerad Dyess Alabama FFA Executive Secretary, Agriscience Education Specialist, South District FFA adviser Jerad Dyess grew up in Enterprise, Alabama where he was an active member of the Enterprise FFA. After graduating from Auburn University, Dyess taught Agriscience for the past 10 and a half years in Bibb County, Samson and Enterprise. Dyess taught Agriscience along with his wife Whitney for six and a half years where they helped students find their passion and explore new opportunities in Agriscience and FFA. Dyess began working at the State Department in February and is excited to offer new opportunities to FFA members across the state.

Collin Adcock Agriscience Education Specialist, Central District FFA adviser Collin Adcock is originally from Roanoke, Alabama where he graduated from Handley High School, and attended Auburn University where he

J OYA N N A L OV E

obtained an Agriculture degree in Horticulture. After graduation, he began work in the agriculture industry as a landscape foreman. Eventually he decided to pursue his master’s degree in Agriculture from Auburn University. After he graduated, he accepted a position with the University of Florida as a County Extension Agent. While employed as a County Agent, he spent much of his time within the communities and worked to provide educational programs and support. After several years of working in Extension, Adcock returned closer to home and began teaching Agriscience while also serving as the FFA adviser at Opelika High School. After teaching at Opelika High School for 10 years, Adcock accepted his current position with the State Department of Education as an education specialist. He lives with his wife, Emily, and two children, Colton and Kennedy, on a small hobby farm. They have six dogs, Molly, Dobby, Tank, Benny, Willie and Noodles; two barn cats, Bruiser and Bullet; two goats, Riley and Roxanne; and two pigs, Doris and Dolly.

Grace Ellis Alabama FFA Foundation Fund Development Officer Grace Ellis was raised in Autauga County where she was active in the Billingsley FFA Chapter, serving as a chapter, district and state officer. She was a state finalist in the Beef Production Proficiency Program and State Star Farmer Award, and earned a bronze emblem at the national Livestock Career Development Event. After graduating from Billingsley School, Ellis earned a B.S. in Ag Communications from Auburn University. Previously she worked for Alabama Farmers Cooperative, Auburn University College of Ag and Alabama Ag Credit before accepting a position as Development Officer at the Alabama FFA Foundation in 2017.

Tolina Davis Alabama FFA Administrative Support Assistant Tolina Davis has been with the State Department of Education for 13 years. During her time with the State Department, she has worked with Jobs for Alabama’s Graduates, Technical Student Association, SkillsUSA, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, and Future Farmers of America. Davis has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration.

Kenny Boyd Graphic Arts Technician Kenny Boyd grew up in Crenshaw County in the small town of LaPine, Alabama. After graduating high school, he attended John Patterson Technical School where he received a degree in Graphic Arts. After graduation from John Patterson, he worked at Troy University in the print shop for four and a half years. In 1981, he left Troy University and started his career with the State Department of Education where he is currently employed in the Auburn field office print shop. He prints and supplies teaching materials for Agriscience teachers all over the state and prints materials for all Career and Technical Student Organizations in the career and technical education section. He has been employed with the State Department of Education for over 38 years. He is married and has two daughters who are both Auburn graduates, as well as his wife. June 2020

Busy Bee Activities

Did You Know? The central and western counties in Alabama are known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Beltâ&#x20AC;? because of the dark surface colors of many of the soils. Most of the soils in the Black Belt region of the state are used for timber production and pasture. 30

Cooperative Farming News

June 2020

FROM WILDLIFE AND FRESHWATER FISHERIES

Life As We Know It Has Changed ...

Will We? Our entire world in Alabama began a drastic change the first week of March 2020. It started out slowly. First with social distancing and then the playing field changed when the governor issued a stay-at-home order though the month of April. That prompted me to wonder how we as a nation would handle the changes due to the pandemic. So many times I’ve used the phrase, “We manage critters that either adapt or die.” However, we humans often have trouble with change, choosing to do the same things repeatedly. I was reminded of how well animals adapt to changing situations last week on an early morning turkey hunt in Choctaw County. As we all know, hunting and fishing were deemed an acceptable social-distancing practice, so I took full advantage of my opportunities. Let me set this hunt up a bit where you can see the entire picture and how it fits in today’s situation. I’ve been managing this property for more than a decade. It is approximately 1,000 acres along the Tombigbee River. Each year, the river overflows its banks and submerges various portions of the property. Through the use of trail cameras, I have been able to document the rising floodwaters and how the local 32

Cooperative Farming News

wildlife adapts. Most of the flooding events are mild, and the animals simply move to the highest ground for a few days; then, when the waters recede, they go back home. However, this winter we experienced near-historic flood levels. During the months of January through

BY C H U C K S Y K E S early March, at least 25% of the property was submerged, and for a three-week period approximately 80% of the property was submerged. When I say submerged, I mean 10-15 feet submerged. Food plots were inundated for more than three weeks. Floodwaters rose to levels where elevated shooting houses had water flowing through the windows more than 10 feet off the ground. Trail cameras placed 10-12 feet off the ground throughout the property in hopes of documenting the event were swallowed up by the floodwaters. Despite the fact that thousands of dollars of trail cameras were lost, thankfully the SD cards inside contained some incredible imagery of the property and the wildlife. I had pictures of wood ducks swimming in food plots. I had pictures of rabbits swimming by weeks after the water levels had reached 4 to 6 feet for hundreds of acres. The cameras that were not eaten by the water also showed how quickly the animals went back “home” when the waters receded. So, this gets me back to the turkey hunt. We had trail camera photos of multiple gobblers throughout the property during the late fall and early winter. However, since the depth and duration of the flooding events, I didn’t have a turkey on camera since mid-January. I assumed that the hens had decided to stay on higher ground to nest in a safer

environment and wouldn’t want to come back to the recently flooded property. As you know, during the spring months, where the women want to be is where you’ll find the men. I reluctantly checked the remaining trail cameras the first week of turkey season to find I still didn’t have photo confirmation that turkeys had moved back into the property. So, we hunted with friends the first 10 days of the season. We decided to go to the property on the morning of April 1 just in hopes that a gobbler was at least roosted close enough to the property where we felt like we had a chance to call him up. My first hoot of the morning yielded a gobble, but it wasn’t from the neighboring property; it was from the middle of the property we were hunting. Not even an hour later, we were celebrating a successful hunt where three gobblers and one hen were called in. The wildlife we manage are amazing creatures. These turkeys were forced to abandon their normal routine for more than two months. They were forced to live and find food elsewhere. They adapted and overcame the obstacles. However, as soon as they were able, they resumed their normal activities. I can’t help but ponder what some of the outcomes of this pandemic will be. Will teleworking become more commonplace? Will restaurants reopen fully, or will the new business model be takeout and delivery only? Will we as a nation bring back manufacturing and not rely so heavily on imports? Will we be more prepared for the next time something like this happens? It will be interesting to see just how we move forward from here. I truly believe life as we knew it will be different after the COVID-19 pandemic. Will we be like the wildlife that admirably adapted to challenges – but then moved back to business as usual after the floods? Or, will we choose to adapt to the “new” world postCOVID-19? Only time will tell. June 2020

OUTDOOR LOGIC WITH BIOLOGIC

Design and Develop Slam-Dunk Hunting Sites An Indistinguishable, Inexhaustible, Underhanded Ambush Felling or hinge-cutting trees to fence off areas and guide movement can help make an average stand site something special. In addition to using the cut trees like a fence, one can also create new trails so the animals travel exactly where you want them. (Photo Credit: Bruce MacQueen)

Some stand sites (or ground blind locations) can be set months in advance and some may be erected just a couple of hours before you hunt. Some hunters also grab a “climber” and just go, picking their stand site when they find it, but then we have those ambush locations that are productive year after year. Some yield during specific times of the season; others seem to be good every time you go there (pending you don’t put too much pressure on the spot). It is possible to create these “slam-dunk” spots on your property. Why are we talking about creating ambush sites for hunting whitetails in the June issue? Much can be done throughout the year to enhance ambush locations to produce true hot spots. I’m sure many of those reading this have a stand site or are thinking of a spot just like this – maybe it’s a funnel, maybe it’s because of a hot food source in just 34

Cooperative Farming News

the right location. Just like most real estate deals, it all begins with location. You can take a mediocre spot and with some hard work and time change it into a great spot, but there’s nothing like choosing a good spot to begin with.

Funnels My favorite “slam-dunk” feature is a funnel. Obviously there has to be a point A and point B – where are the whitetails traveling to and from? Satellite images and topographical maps are the best tools to start with. You’ll also need to do a little scouting, or “best guessing.” You’ll need to have a good idea of where the deer are bedding and where they’ll be feeding or traveling to for other needs. Anywhere you can restrict their movement to a smaller zone, you’ll obviously see more traffic and

BY T O D D A M E N R U D possibly more importantly, it’s easier to play the wind. Imagine if you took the three busiest roads coming into the nearest city and brought them down into one lane – there would clearly be much more traffic – it’s the same with whitetails. If you curtail their movement, it will be easier to position yourself within that zone to remain concealed from their senses. So maps are the place to begin, but funnels are easy to locate with minimal scouting. These bottlenecks are the best and easiest spots to take advantage of. Remember that these pinch-points aren’t always created by blatant physical obstructions. Sometimes a subtle terrain variation is all you need to influence movement one way or another. So while maps and satellite images are the first place to look, you also have to do some legwork. One of the best features of a funnel is the way their movement is limited to a confined region. This makes it much easier to put the wind to your advantage. In fact, if you have four suitable treestand trees or ambush sites in each corner of the funnel area you could theoretically play any wind direction by switching to the downwind and/or crosswind side and end of the funnel – pending thermals are also in your favor.

work, creating stoppers to help with harvest opportunities, cutting trails, planting edge cover and effectively camouflaging the site. One of the most significant factors in the difference between run-of-the-mill sites and a longtime prolific ambush location is the ability to remain hidden from a whitetail’s “olfactory offence.” Whether it’s having multiple stands or blinds at a given site or amending the location to your advantage, being able to remain concealed from your quarry is arguably the most important detail in getting multiple shot opportunities from the same spot. And although you’ve heard it a thousand times before, it’s TRUE, a whitetail’s sense of smell is far and away their most acute and difficult to deceive. Besides finding a spot that puts you downwind or crosswind of where you believe whitetails will travel, creating “detours” that discourage travel into unwanted areas (mainly downwind of you) or creating trails to encourage movement in a particular direction will greatly enhance a site. Sometimes you must hunt a spot a few times before you know exactly how travel patterns work with

Be Picky

Just as anglers use structure to their advantage, whitetail hunters must use it even more so. Fish and/ or the bait they feed on relate to the bottom composition much of the time, but I would argue that whitetails use structure at all times. Where fish are sometimes suspended in space following bait or because of water temperature issues, whitetails ALWAYS use structure. So when finding an exceptional site that might remain productive for years to come, we’re not just looking for the spot, we’re looking for “the spot on the spot” … the perfect location. Other structure such as ridge saddles, edge changes and ecotones, inside turns or points, creek crossings, gate openings or fence crossings, timbered areas recently cut, access to escape cover and other terrain features can also offer places for good long-term hotspots. A bit of scouting will be required to find the place, but you really won’t know for certain until you examine camera data or it’s hunted. Don’t be afraid to reposition if need be.

Improving a Mediocre Spot

It’s possible to take an ordinary spot and make it significantly better with plant diversity, doing woods-

Sometimes a stand site seems to be magical in the way it produces; however, most of them need a little work if you want a prolific, long-term ambush site. (Photo Credit: Dennis W. Donohue)

June 2020

specific winds and how you would like to divert traffic, but hinge-cutting trees is one of my favorite ways to channel movement around my stand sites. If there is a significant trail passing your location, in addition to blocking travel by hinge-cutting selected trees, I would suggest enhancing a new trail exactly where you would prefer travel to take place. Whitetails take the path of least resistance just like other animals, and if you construct one for them they’ll use it. It’s simple, block off areas where they have the best chances of locating your position and encourage them to pass through where you will have the advantage. This tactic can also work to give you the advantage of the sun and help to hide you in situations where there is less than desired concealment. Simply felling trees can block travel, but hinge-cutting works best to “fence-off” an area if you’re able. A pruner, ax or machete will work to produce new trails, but a weed-trimmer with a “brush blade” is often the best tool for the job. I first learned how effective making trails can be many years ago when I began creating silent approaches for myself so I could sneak to my treestand silently. The deer began using my trail over their own. The problem with the deer us-

ing my approach trail is they walk directly toward the tree, never offering a shot. Since discovering this, I lead the trail past my site and create a 90-degree offshoot to the stand. Redirecting travel by creating trails is not only a very effective way to protect yourself from being discovered but also a way to direct more deer past your location within effective kill-range.

Happy Hour My notion is to continually enhance a spot to give whitetails incentive to show up more often and stay longer in the area. Think of their needs and give them a reason to hang around. Food, water and cover are all draws to deer and all can be added to your stand-site area. Water is something all animals need and can be simple to add to an area. To provide water, you may want to go as big as bringing in an excavator to simply creating a dam from a runoff. Something in-between can be very effective – I like to dig a hole large enough to place in a water trough or half of a barrel. Place them in a spot where they will naturally collect rain water. If you have whitetails in the area, there is obviously water somewhere nearby, but this can be an extra draw that just adds to the attraction power of the site. Add more! Two great ways to add extra food are planting mast trees or simply allowing the sunlight to hit the soil. Hard mast like acorns or soft mast like apples can change the spot from one where deer were just passing through into a destination feeding site. And taking out some of the canopy to allow the sunlight through will naturally “detonate” the stem density – this means early successional growth and more whitetails. Adding plant diversity to the site will enhance wildlife utilization for all animals. The simplest way to put it is – remove undesirable plants and trees that do not benefit your chosen species and add plants and trees that do.

Plan for the Kill If a “once in a lifetime” buck ambles through and you can’t get a shot … well, you get the idea. Make sure you have adequate shooting lanes. A standing shot is much easier than a moving target. Create several “stoppers” around your location to halt You don’t want to mow the entire area the animal for a shot. Productive mast trees, sign posts and licking branches make great “stoppers” that free of brush, just make sure you have will significantly increase your odds. (Photo Credit: Todd Amenrud) 36

Cooperative Farming News

The most important feature in an effective, prolific ambush location is the ability to stay hidden from your quarry, in this case, a whitetail’s sense of smell. Obviously, one must remain concealed from all their senses, but we all know the power of a whitetail’s olfactory system. (Photo Credit: Todd Amenrud)

“alleys” or “windows” to high percentage points. Use the hinge-cut trees we talked about to guide animals exactly where you want them. To position the animal for a shot, mast trees, scent posts and licking branches all make great stoppers. If you have a producing oak tree within range, it’s likely that every deer that travels through will stop to vacuum up as many acorns as feasible. Make sure you can easily shoot to where the acorns are falling. Use last season’s unused lures and scents to create a “sign post.” Just like almost every other animal in the field, whitetails declare their territory by urinating at designated sign posts. I keep my old lure in my ATV and use it to create sign posts each time I travel by a stand site. Make sure it’s within easy range where you have a clear shot. The base of a large tree seems to work well. It doesn’t have to be plain deer urine; fox pee, coyote urine or even leftover Special Golden Estrus will work. All animals want to mark their territory and you will see fox, coon and deer begin to use the spot – all of them want to declare, “I live here, too!”

An overhanging branch or “licking branch” is another great stopper. Again, make sure you have a clear shot and it’s within range. In fact, it may be advisable to remove other licking branches in the area to make the one at the kill site the focus. A Magnum Scrape Dripper hanging above it dispensing some Active Scrape can help to seal the deal.

Keep it on the Low-Down Lastly, you must make sure your ambush location stays well hidden. This not only means camouflaging it, it also means hunting it sparingly. You can’t hunt the same spot too often or during the wrong conditions and expect it to remain productive. Only hunt it with the wind and thermal in your favor and rest it for a spell after it’s been disturbed. Plan for long-term progression of the site; for instance, trees or cover growing, trees dying, food source changes, stand or blind repositioning, etc. And remember, a little work now can pay huge dividends this coming season and for years to come. June 2020

Stuffed Venison Loin Serves 8 Stuffed venison loin is a tender, tasty, easy, elegant dish. It is perfect for special occasions. It’s very versatile in taste. You could add mushrooms, different cheeses and herbs. It allows for creativity in a consistent no-fail dish! Ingredients: 2 venison loins, butterflied ½ cup breadcrumbs ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup Parmesan cheese ½ cup olive oil ½ cup chopped basil leaves 2 garlic cloves, minced Salt Pepper 1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together breadcrumbs, cheeses, olive oil, basil and garlic. 2. H eat oven to 350 degrees. Butterfly the two loins. 3. Spread filling evenly over the loin. Roll up the loin and truss. 4. Liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in smoking hot cast-iron skillet. Brown loins on all sides. Place loins in oven for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from pan. Let rest. Slice into 1-inch pieces. Serve with homemade mashed potatoes, rice, carrots, green beans, or salad. How To Butterfly a Loin • With a long sharp knife on the right half of the loin, slice loin 2⁄3 of the way through. • Turn over and repeat. • Spread loin as flat as possible. • Pound the loin to about ¼ inch thick. •C ompletely flatten the butterflied loin and spread stuffing over the loin leaving ½-inch border around the edges. Gently roll loin in to a log and begin to truss. How To Truss a Loin • Using butcher’s twine about 6 times longer than your loin, wrap around loin approximately 1½ inches from end and tie a knot. 38

Cooperative Farming News

• Hold the short end of the twine above the knot with your left hand. Pull the long end of the twine away from you and slip it under the part of the twine that you are holding taut above the loin. Repeat wrapping process every 1½ to 2 inches until entire loin is trussed. • Turn the loin over and stretch the twine around the end, wrapping around each truss until it reaches the first initial truss. Tie ends together and trim excess.

About Stacy Lyn Harris Stacy Lyn Harris is a best-selling cookbook author, blogger, TV personality, public speaker, wife and mother of seven children. She currently lives in Pike Road, Alabama, with her husband Scott and their children. Stacy Lyn regularly appears on cable and broadcast television as a guest chef and sustainable living expert. Her critically-acclaimed Harvest Cookbook was published in 2017 and contains many of her family’s favorite recipes, along with stories from her life growing up in the Black Belt and tips she’s learned along the way.

In 2017, Michaela Sanders reopened her grandfather’s dairy farm with only five dairy cows. Blue Ribbon Dairy now has a full barn of 32 cows, a bottling operation and over 22 locations to purchase their high-quality milk. According to Sanders, Blue Ribbon Dairy takes great pride in their milk quality. “I get a lot of satisfaction out of the responses I get from people who drink Blue Ribbon Dairy milk,” Sanders said. “It’s creamier and has a longer shelf-life than most other milks.” Blue Ribbon Dairy produces grade A milk that is low pasteurized, cream-line milk. “Our milk will go from the cow to the jug in 12 hours,” Sanders said.

Michaela Sanders has exceeded her goal exponentially with a full barn of 32 cows.

June 2020

The dairy allows visitors 7 days a week to allow consumers to learn about where milk comes from.

After graduating from Auburn University with a degree in Animal Science Production Management, Sanders tried a few other career paths before returning home to reopen her grandfather’s dairy. To this day, she is still operating out of the same barn as her grandfather. “My great-grandfather actually built the dairy barn in 1946,” Sanders said. “Growing up, I was able to spend a lot of time with my grandfather on the dairy farm.” Sanders named the dairy after a show cow named Fancy that she owned for 16 years because Fancy won a lot of blue ribbons. “I also wanted people to associate Blue Ribbon Dairy milk with being a top-quality product,” Sanders said. “What better way to do that than put a blue rosette on my label?” Sanders said that she was able to meet a lot of people, go a lot of places and learn the meaning of hard work by growing up in the dairy industry. Now with a 1-year-old daughter, Sanders hopes she will follow in her footsteps. While Sanders has employees to bottle the milk and help from family with the dairy, Sanders does most of the work on her own. “As far as being a woman in agriculture, I feel like any other farmer,” Sanders said. “I just do what I need to do to get everything taken care of.” 40

Cooperative Farming News

Work starts early at Blue Ribbon Dairy with the first milking starting at 3:30 a.m. followed by chores around the farm. “After we finish milking and cleaning up, the milk is bottled and loaded on a trailer to be delivered,” Sanders said.

Blue Ribbon Dairy is made up of Holstein, Brown Swiss and Jersey cows.

Sanders milks her cows on a 12-hour rotation which also gives the dairy an opportunity to advocate for agriculture by welcoming guests to learn about her operation. “I allow visitors seven days a week, and if they come in the afternoon, they can come in the milk parlor while I milk the cows,” Sanders said. “The children that come to the barn have so much joy to be outside and be around the cows.” You can purchase your own jug of Blue Ribbon Dairy milk by visiting one the featured locations or by stopping by the Dairy, seven days a weeks, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., at 5290 Chana Creek Road, Tallassee, Alabama 36078. For more information, follow the farm on Facebook and Instagram. Photos in this article were taken by Suzannah’s Photography 334-283-8172 suzy@suzannahsphotography.com www.suzannahspotography.com

Blue Ribbon Dairy Locations: Eclectic Piggly Wiggly, Eclectic, Ala. The Corner Store, Kent, Ala. Super Foods, Tallassee, Ala. Bumpers, Wetumpka, Ala. Emerald Mountain Country Store, Wetumpka, Ala. Georges’ River Market and Butchery, Wetumpka, Ala. Marathon at 14, Wetumpka, Ala. Store 76, Wallsboro, Ala. Kim’s Korner, Titus, Ala. Piggly Wiggly, Holtville, Ala. Piggly Wiggly, Deatsville, Ala. Kendrick Farm, Prattville, Ala. Food Outlet, Millbrook, Ala. Dalraida Piggly Wiggly, Montgomery, Ala. Renfroe’s Market, Eastchase, Montgomery, Ala. SweetCreek Farm Market, Pike Road, Ala. 34 Market, Dadeville, Ala. Renfroe’s Market, Dadeville, Ala. Renfroe’s Market, Lafayette, Ala. Eagle Convenience Store at Tiger Town, Opelika, Ala.

Blue Ribbon Dairy produces low pasteurized cream-line milk. The shelf life is longer because of the quality of milk

Parkway Farmers Market, Opelika, Ala. June 2020

The Best of Dr. Huey Kidd balances his pursuit of purpose with his creative passion. Dr. Huey Kidd

grew up in Anniston, Alabama in a home that encouraged creativity. His grandfather was an accomplished musician; his mother, a photography hobbyist; his father and sister, visual artists. However, Kidd struggled to find his own creative bent among this talented family. Kidd first fell in love with the art of photography in a high-school art class. Using black and white film to shoot his images, he developed them himself in a dark room. “I enjoyed this,” he stated. “They used two of my images in the school yearbook. I got a kick out of that, but film was expensive, and I didn’t have the money to pursue it after high school.”

Kidd chose to become a doctor instead of pursuing a career in art. Helping people while enjoying financial stability appealed to him. He graduated from Auburn University and went to medical school at Nova Southeast University in Miami, Florida. He opened Physicians Care in Thomasville and later established five health care clinics in underserved communities around Southwest Alabama. 42 42 Cooperative Cooperative Farming Farming News News

Both Worlds B Y CA RO LY N D R I N K A R D

The osprey (pictured in action in these photos) is one of Dr. Huey Kidd’s favorite birds to capture with his photography skills.

In 2017, while spending quite a bit of time at the beach, Kidd found himself fascinated by a bird along the shore. Using his cellphone camera, he snapped some pictures. Dissatisfied that he could not see the details he desired, Kidd purchased a professional-grade camera and took an online photography course with the New York Institute of Photography. “My photography was just for fun,” he explained. ”I called it ‘phototherapy,’ because it was a great way to escape and relieve stress!” After a while, that “phototherapy” had become a passion, as he wanted his camera in his hand at all times. “I fed my wanderlust and my desire to create by traveling and capturing moments,” he explained. Those “moments” soon grew into a treasure trove of amazing artistry. Kidd had reconnected to his artistic side, the one that had seemed to elude him as a child. Even though Kidd had slowly accepted his recognition as an “artist,” he still found it difficult to show his work. Kidd is particularly fascinatHis website (hueykidd.com) aled by the bald eagles he has photographed near his home in lowed him to offer a peek into Miller’s Ferry. each facet of his artistic jourJune 2020

LEFT: Dr. Huey Kidd agreed to allow Wilcox Artworks to show some of his work. The exhibit, entitled ”Through my eyes,” featured wildlife, human, landscape and innovation samples from his vast collection. (Photo by Johnny Autery) MIDDLE: Cheryl Glass of Dixon’s Mill was awed by this picture of a red-winged hawk. The detail and spectrum of colors captured in this photograph made it especially eye-catching. RIGHT: Dr. Frank Dozier (l) and Dr. Davita Dozier (c) attended Kidd’s exhibit in Camden. All three doctors have family medical practices in Thomasville.

ney. Here, guests can find samples of fauna, landscape, innovation and human images. In 2018, he won the Editors’ Favorite from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC YOUR SHOT with his poignant picture of a breast cancer survivor, who had undergone bilateral mastectomies, along with chemotherapy and radiation. Kidd finds inspiration everywhere, but there is nowhere else he would rather be than in the place he calls home: Miller’s Ferry, right in the heart of the Black Belt, along the Alabama River. “I love this area,” he said. “You couldn’t get a prettier area than Camden and Miller’s Ferry. The natural resources here are unbelievable, and the wildlife is unreal!” The area’s unspoiled beauty has become an unending source of delight for Kidd. He often rises before daylight, slips onto his boat and moves silently through the early morning mists, searching the creeks and sloughs of the Alabama River for more “moments” to photograph. “I could spend hours here and totally lose track of time,” he laughed. Birds have always delighted Kidd. Many bird lovers praise his images for their vivid details of feathering, eyes and talons. Eagles especially fascinate him. He said that he had found eagles at the beach, but he sees many more around his home, where the pure colors in their plumage are unequaled. Kidd’s amazing photography has gained the attention of local artisans who recently convinced him to show his work at two different exhibits. Kidd present44

Cooperative Farming News

ed 44 pieces at the Camden Artworks Gallery and the Grove Hill Library Exhibit. Large crowds attended, astonishing Kidd, who admitted to being humbled by the responses to his art. Kidd has an eye for photography and sees things differently from others. Many times, his eye catches interesting things in unusual places such as deserted roadsides or solitary seashores. Through his eyes, the world is reframed, revealing not only what he saw but also what he felt as he captured the moment. Each day, Kidd balances his pursuit of purpose with his profound passion. What started with only “a camera phone, a bird and a beach” has now become the best of both worlds for this talented artist.”

Wilcox ArtWorks held a very successful showing of Huey Kidd’s photography at the Gallery in Camden. Sponsors were (Left to right) Karen Hamm, Frankie Gaddy, Huey Kidd, Mary Margaret Kyser, Marilyn Ammons (President) and Jennie Lambert.

HOWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S YOUR GARDEN BY LOIS TRIGG CHAPLIN

Flying Gold We gardeners in Central and North Alabama are graced by goldfinches in our gardens on summer mornings. For obvious reasons, these little birds are also called wild canaries. Unlike so many other birds that nest in spring, goldfinches begin nesting in June and continue through July and August. This also coincides with the blooming of sunflowers in our gardens, one of their favorite seeds. At our house, we are lucky enough to have had several families visiting the sunflowers that we plant just for them each year. Gardeners still have time to sow seeds for later in the season, or you can put out feeders with black oil sunflower seeds or sunflower meats. We only fill the tubes about Âź full so that seeds are eaten quickly in the hot, humid weather that can

spoil them; molds and bacteria can sicken the birds. As for flowers, finches also like the seeds of zinnia, coreopsis, cosmos, asters, goldenrod and coneflower. Zinnia and cosmos can still be sown from seed for this year. The birds also use the fluffy down from dandelion and milkweeds to make their nests. As I write this, I am sitting on my deck watching as six golden males and two olive green females, along with a pair of red cardinals, sit on a few bare branches waiting for a turn at the feeder. Spending more time watching this winged color combo is one pleasure of being home more.

SIMPLE TIMES

There Is Still Time for Okra

THE CO-OP PANTRY

Goldfinch nesting season is in the summer.

Besides being a good Southern staple, okra is a healthy food. Did you know that the fiber found in okra

Okra is a classic summer veggie that is also good for you.

June 2020

is thought by nutritionists to be a type that helps stabilize blood sugar? This fiber is also thought to be one of the best contributors to intestinal health. The mucilage that makes okra gummy, some say slimy, when cooked is said to bind cholesterol and bile acid carrying toxins out of the body. In addition, it is a good source of important vitamins and minerals. One half cup of okra contains 22% of daily vitamin C, 40% of daily vitamin K and significant amounts of seven other vitamins and minerals. Just be sure to soak your okra seeds overnight before planting. It sure helps speed their sprouting. Clemson Spineless remains a classic favorite, but there are plenty of others worth trying. Lee is a lower-growing one that will even grow in containers.

This is a Good Ladybug, Too

Southern Shield fern is vigorous enough to do well under trees.

So we all know the cute red ladybugs, but there are others. One called Whitefly Predatory Ladybeetle likes to eat guess what? Those obnoxious whiteflies. Lucky for us, this tiny black ladybug is found in the Eastern U.S., so when you see any in the garden, try to keep them around; don’t spray, at least not the plant that you found them on. This ladybug is even reared commercially for pest control in greenhouses. It is much smaller than a typical ladybug (only 1.4 mm) and with a head that is either black (males) or brown (females). You’ll need a magnifying glass to

view it well. One of the things that makes it a good predator is that the adults live one to two months and both the adults and their larvae feed on the whiteflies nymphs or their eggs (they don’t eat adult whiteflies). The nymphs look like little blisters on the underside of a leaf. If whiteflies are scarce, they will also feed on aphids and mites. So, keep an eye out for these garden helpers.

Cooperative Farming News

A Summer Solution One way to end the battle over trying to grow grass under trees is to try something that doesn’t mind being under trees. One suggestion is Southern Shield Fern, a native, perennial fern that spreads like a ground cover, is green all summer, gets frosted back in winter, but arises again in spring. It’s a good, tough fern that earns its keep. Unlike many ferns, it will even tolerate sun as long as there is enough moisture. Southern Shield is generally easy to find in garden centers that carry a broad selection of landscape plants. It also lends itself to digging and dividing, so new plants can be started from an existing planting.

MID STATE STOCKYARDS LLP. 8415 State Highway 97 South, Letohatchee, AL 36047 - Interstate 65 Exit 151

Sale Day: Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. 1-877-334-5229 | 334-227-8000 www.midstatestockyards.com

“Serving the Southeast since our beginning in 2003”

Adams Ranch Bred Heifer Sale July 2020 Thank you to our customers for helping us remain top ranked in the state for cattle receipts! Billy Younkin 334-313-3542

Clanton205-288-6298

Wetumpka334-313-3695

Partners:

Scott Garrett 334-303-1488

East AL706-577-1900

Covington Co. 334-488-0934

June 5-6 - Oxford, AL June 12-13 - Alex City, AL October 30-31 - Coaling, AL

Dick Farrior 334-399-0170

Drop-Off Locations:

Be on the look out for Trent at the Rodeos below!

SW AL 251-989-3992

The SouthFresh Food Truck is here for you and all your events! You’ll be in for a treat if you have our mobile kitchen prepare a meal for your event, and you’re guaranteed to be served a delicious meal of some of the freshest product available. The Mobile Kitchen is available for catering, customer appreciation days, store openings, product promotion and much more. We hope that we can serve you in the future!

Contact Brook Smith

334-381-8916 | bsmith@southfresh.com

June 2020

Premium Potting Soil

Black Kow Mushroom Compost Soil Builder

$8.49 50 lb bag

$5.49 40 lb bag AFC #625277

#1250 AFC #625278

The Superior Soil Amendment

Black Kow Composted Manure

$5.49 50 lb bag AFC #625276

A. Ant A, B, D, F, H, I, J

Aphid A, F, G, I

Armyworm A, B, C, D, F, H, I, J

Bagworm C, G, I

Billbug B, E, H

Triple Action 8 oz. 12244FL AFC #680449

PT. 12245FL AFC #680452

Kill-A-Bug II 2.5# 32314HY AFC #685692 Also available in 10# and 20#

Also available in Qt. & 32 oz. RTS

B. Ant A, B, D, F, H, I, J

Aphid A, F, G, I

Armyworm A, B, C, D, F, H, I, J

Bagworm C, G, I

Billbug B, E, H

Broad Spectrum Insecticide

8 oz. Spray 32027HY AFC #686522

16 oz. 10291FL AFC #680060

Also available in Pt., Qt. and Gal.

32 oz. RTS 10292FL AFC #680452

Earwig A, I, J

Fire Ant B, D, H, I, J

Flea A, B, D, F, H, I, J

Fly F, I

32 oz. RTU 10293FL AFC #680064

Gnat A, F, I

Spinosad Bagworm Insect Control

Japanese Beetle A, D, E, F, G, I

Leaf Hopper A, B, D, G, H, I, J

Leaf Miner A, c, D, F, G, H, I

Mexican Bean Beetle

Bug Blaster II 11.5# 33326HY AFC #685406 23# 33327HY AFC #685408

8 oz. 40690NG AFC #680465

Grub A, D, E, I, J

55% Malathion

Pt. 40691NG AFC #680467

Also available in Qt. & 32 oz. RTS

D. Mite A, F, G, I

Mole Cricket B, E, H, I, J

Mosquito A, F, I

Moth C, D, F, G, I

Garden and Pet Dust

1# 32201HY AFC #685675

Pine Tip Moth I

Garden, Pet & Livestock Spray 8 oz. 32004HY AFC #686436

4# 32202HY AFC #685680

Pt. 32005HY AFC #686438 Qt. 32006HY AFC #686440

Scale A, G, I

Silverfish D, F, J, K

Slug D

Sod Webworm B, C, H, I

Sowbug B, D, F, H, I, J

Grub Free Zone II 15# 0.2% 33054HY AFC #685650 30# 0.2% 33056HY AFC #685652 10# 0.5% 33058HY AFC #685656

Black Widow Spider D, F

Thrips A, C, D, F, G, I

Tick A, B, F, H, I, J

Cooperative Farming News

Whitefly A, D, F, G, I

Bedbug D, F & Many others

Vegetable & Ornamental Insect Control 1# 32327HY AFC #686151 4# 32325HY AFC #686154

A. Bedstraw B, D

Beggarweed B, D

Bindweed B, D, E, G

Black Medic B, D, E

Buckhorn Plantain B, D, E, G

Carpet Weed A, B, D, G

Common Chickweed

Common Plaintain B, D, E, G

Curly Dock B, D, E, G

Dandelion B, D, E, G

A, B, D, G, H

All Season II Lawn Food & Crabgrass

Triclophyr Ester

For the control of annual & perennial broadleaf weeds and bermudagrass in ornamental turf

20 lb. #11914FL AFC #682851

8 oz. 35261HY AFC #687926

Weed Free Zone

Crabgrass Control 5,000 sq. ft. size 32017HY AFC #687800

Pt. 10524FL AFC #681292

Florida Pusley A, B, D, G

Ground Ivy B, D, E, G

Henbit A, B, D, H, G

Knotweed A, D, G, I

Lespedeza B, D, E, H

Mallow B, D, G

Mouseear Chickweed

Oxalis B, D, E, F, H

Pennywort (Dollarweed) B, D, G, H

Poison Ivy

A, B, D, G

Qt. 10525FL AFC #681294

B, D, G

Nutsedge & Horsetail Control

2, 4-D Weed Killer Pt. 21414AM AFC #68790

0.3 oz. 32140HY AFC #687878

Poison Oak B, D

Prickly Lettuce D, G

Purslane A, B, D, G

Ragweed B, D, E, G

Sheep Sorrel B, D

Shepherds Purse A, B, D, G

Spurge A, B, D, F, H

Thistle B, D, E, G

Virginia Buttonweed

White Clover B, D, E, G, I

B, D

Qt. 21415AM AFC #687952 Gal. 21416AM AFC #689754

Weed Out with Crabgrass Killer

Altrazine Weed Killer

Qt. 33430HY AFC #687774

Pt. 11030FL AFC #681329 Qt. 11032FL AFC #681334

Wild Geranium B, D

Wild Violet B, D, E

Crabgrass A, D, F, H

Goose Grass A, G

Nutsedge C

Available at your local Co-op Store! Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food

Water Soluble Tomato Plant Food

8 oz. AFC #7000160 1 lb. AFC #7000161 1.5 lb. AFC #7000162 3 lb. AFC #7000163 4 lb. AFC #7000164 10 lb. AFC #7000166

SoloÂ® #425 Backpack Sprayer

$86.89

1.5 lb. AFC #7000175 3 lb. AFC #7000176

Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper $12.99

AFC #404832

www.alafarm.com

MID STATE STOCKYARD

Chapin Home & Garden 1 Gal. Sprayer Poly Tank. Adjustable spraying nozzle. Also available in 2 Gal. AFC #624064

June 2020

PLANT • Get any remaining warm-season vegetables in the ground. • Keep a close eye on the quality of your spring crops. Hot weather causes lettuce to bolt and become bitter. Plant a warm-season crop as soon as the spring vegetables are harvested. • Plant annual flowers in tubs or large containers for the porch or terrace. Make sure there are holes in the container’s bottom to provide good drainage. • This is an excellent month to pick out a few new perennials to plant in the garden. • Gladiola corms can still be planted for successive blooms. • At the end of the month, gardeners can set out more tomato plants for a harvest this fall. • Plant a new batch of bush beans every couple of weeks.

FERTILIZE • Fertilize the lawn this month. Use a complete lawn fertilizer with a 3-1-2 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Except for centipede grass which will need 15-0-15. • A split application of calcium nitrate or equivalent should be applied during the summer for newly planted peach trees; ½ cup calcium nitrate in early June and again in early August. • Roses will need to be fertilized each month through the summer. • Feed houseplants with a good-quality indoor plant food such as Osmocote (slow-release granular). • Sidedress your vegetables with a balanced fertilizer, compost or well-rotted manure. Do not use nitrogen fertilizers on legumes.

PRUNE • This is a good month for shearing, pinching or pruning junipers, cypress or conifers. If you’ve been cultivating a special living Christmas tree, sculpt it now. • After natural fruit drop in late June, thin fruits on apple, pear and peach trees carefully to produce larger, better fruit. Peach trees need 50 to 75 leaves per fruit to manufacture food for both fruit production and tree maintenance. Apple trees need 30 to 40 leaves per fruit. • It’s hedge sculpting and trimming time! • Take cuttings for rooting of deciduous and broadleaf evergreen shrubs.

June 2020 50

Cooperative Farming News

WATER • Water is essential for a top-notch garden. During long, dry periods, soak the garden thoroughly once a week; don’t just sprinkle daily. This encourages a deeper root system which will later help the plants tolerate dry weather. Light, frequent irrigation will promote shallow roots and helps only during the period of seed germination. • Check all newly planted shrubs and trees for water on a regular basis. Irrigate deeply and thoroughly as needed.

• Put a couple of drops of mineral oil on corn silks within a week after they appear to prevent corn earworm. • Change the water in your bird bath regularly. Standing water may become a breeding ground for mosquito larvae. • It is critical that weeds be pulled, cultivated or eliminated before they have a chance to flower and go to seed again. Otherwise, you will be fighting newly germinated weed seed for the next several years.

• During the hot summer months, mulch can be especially useful for conserving water. For vegetable gardens, shredded leaves or grass clippings are good mulch material. For ornamentals, pine needles or wood bark do the best job.

• Check your roses for mildew, aphid, black spot or other disease problems or insect infestations. If they appear, take steps to control them right away.

• As potato plants begin to die back, reduce watering.

• Work around the heat and humidity (early morning, late afternoon or evening).

• Overhead irrigation, especially late in the afternoon, is likely to spread certain foliar diseases. • If you use overhead irrigation, do so earlier in the day so plants can dry before night. • As the weather dries out, your container-grown plants may need daily watering, especially if the pots are exposed to drying sunlight.

PEST CONTROL • Summer is upon us! Although most of your planting may be done, your battle with pests – insects, diseases, weeds and wildlife – has just begun. • Identify garden pests before you attempt to control them. If you decide to use a chemical control, read the label carefully. • In most cases, blossom-end rot on tomatoes, peppers, squash and watermelons can be prevented by maintaining uniform soil moisture with mulching and watering correctly, planting in well-drained soil and not cultivating deeper than 1 inch within 1 foot of the plant. Also avoid the use of high-nitrogen fertilizers. • The best practices in disease control are rotation, clean seed, resistant varieties (when available), early planting, plowing under old crop debris, mulching and seed treatment. Chemical fungicides may be used to control some common leaf diseases of tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and cantaloupes. • If the garden is heavily infested with nematodes, either move the garden or heat the soil through a process called soil solarization.

ODD JOBS

• Stop harvesting asparagus and allow their foliage to mature. • Replace cool-season flowers such as pansies and crops such as spinach that have bolted with the heat. • Use bark mulch around young trees to protect them from lawn mower damage. • When buying container-grown nursery stock, check the root ball to make sure it is not bound too tightly. A mass of circling roots will stay that way even after it is planted in the ground. • The best time to harvest most herbs is just before flowering, when the leaves contain the maximum essential oils. • Before pouring gasoline into the fuel tank of your lawn mower, garden tiller or other garden equipment, be sure to turn off the engine and allow it to cool for at least five minutes. • When shopping for trees and shrubs, check the root system and the color and “feel” of the foliage. Look for specimens with strong, vigorous growth and healthy leaves or needles. Well-cared-for plants generally have foliage that feels rigid and/or waxy to the touch. Dried-out foliage will break and crumble when handled. • Keep lawns mowed regularly, but do not set the blades too low. This is a common mistake, that leads to less vigorous growth and higher chance of disease.

If you have any specific lawn and garden questions, please send them to advertising@alafarm.com. June 2020

THE HERB LADY

ITCH NIX

BY N A D I N E J O H N S O N

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Shingles

I have discovered another herbal product which is too beneficial to keep quiet about. In fact, it was requested that I write about this product. It is called Itch Nix® and as you read this column, you’ll see that it is aptly named. Itch Nix® contains aloe, clove bud oil, menthol, camphor gum, castor oil, allantoin, nettle, echinacea, witch hazel, comfrey and calendula. This is a very good selection of herbs. The label reads, “Itch Nix® Gel – fast acting poison ivy and poison oak relief.” It also relieves at least one other aggravating itch. My son, who lives in Fairhope, was plagued with an itch on his upper right arm. There was no rash or discoloration; just a strange itch which seemed to be worse during hot humid weather. It took some time for him to find a soothing preparation for this problem. Professionally, he tried cortisone cream, which did not help. He tried compresses of comfrey, tobacco, aloe, vinegar, baking soda and anything else anyone suggested. (You’ll do anything in an effort to get relief in order to have a good night’s sleep.) Nothing stopped his itch! One day he happened to see Itch Nix® for sale in a hardware store. It was reasonably priced so he bought a bottle, all the time thinking this was another “no help” remedy. However, he was in for a surprise. One application of Itch Nix® gave partial if not complete relief. He went back to the store and purchased all of the few remaining bottles of this miracle worker. At long last, he could have a good night’s sleep without his arm itching. On my son’s recommendation, I became a distributor for this product. Soon a friend came to me seeking a 52

Cooperative Farming News

remedy for poison ivy. Of course, I suggested Itch Nix®. A few minutes after her first application she stated that she felt better already. Within a few days her poison ivy outbreak was completely healed. This friend’s daughter thought she had poison ivy. Her rash was along her waistline on one side of her body. For several days, she applied Itch Nix® which gave temporary relief from itching, but her rash remained. Actually, she had shingles. Later she said that Itch Nix® had given more relief for this burning/itching pain than any other product applied. My sister is plagued with an occasional itch around her neck. She insists that she found no relief for this until she found Itch Nix®. I have no idea how the producers of this herbal remedy came up with the formula. I do know that there are many people who thank them for doing so. My son, especially.

The Herb Lady Nadine Johnson

For Information on herbs or to order Nature’s Sunshine Products: P.O. Box 7425 Spanish Fort, AL 35677 or njherbal@gmail.com

Accepts Checks and Money Orders

SIMPLE TIMES B Y S U Z Y M c C R AY

THE CO-OP PANTRY Tiny Goats Bring Big Rewards I was forewarned, but I didn’t heed the advice: Goats are as addictive as potato chips – you can’t have just one! What I have learned during the more than two decades I’ve been raising goats may be helpful to some of you who have gone through the last few weeks afraid of grocery shortages, not wanting to leave your homes unless you had to and just concerned about more stability in what your family eats or drinks. Most national hatcheries are way behind on orders as I write this as so many folks have figured out that a few backyard chickens could provide eggs for their family in situations like this. But buying a full-size cow or even a full-size goat may not be exactly what your family needs or could adequately tend to. Most folks today don’t need a milk cow (or even a full-size milk goat) that gives gallons of milk a day because most families are not as large as they used to be. While making butter, cheese, yogurt and other goodies sounds wonderful, a full-size dairy animal might just be way too overwhelming! And their size might also be daunting! A little more than 10 years ago, I realized that the

big Nubian/Boer crosses that I had been raising were just too big for me to handle by myself as I struggled to trim hooves, give immunizations, and do any of the number of other things goats of all ages and all sizes require. I didn’t do away with my big guys and gals as I made the transition. They each lived out their lives on our farm, with 16-year-old Stormie, the first goat ever born on the farm, the only one remaining. His mother Jodie just passed away a few months ago! Stormie, who was wethered years ago, is living out his life in the big pasture with his three younger pygmy “sisters” and they get along really well. My investigation those more than 10 years ago led me to a combination of pygmies and Nigerian Dwarfs – pygmies for the moms and the little NDs for the dads. That resulted in a smaller birth for the pygmies, who often have twins, triplets or even quadruplets! Nigerian does usually stand between 17 and 19 inches at the withers, bucks 18 to 20 inches. The NDs are a little more square-bodied than their close cousins the pygmies, but through the years many folks have mixed and interchanged the two. June 2020

ND goat kids are usually smaller than the average house cat and that tiny size makes for some adorable offspring! Sue Weaver, who lives in nearby Arkansas, is considered much of a homestead livestock expert and she has provided a wealth of information on dairy goats for me through the years, both through the many articles and books she has written, and her personal observations. She explained to me this month just why so many folks love the smaller animals. Sue says, “Why miniature goats? Miniature goats require less housing space, pasture and feed than fullsize goats. They’re generally easier to handle and less intimidating than full-size animals, especially for beginners, children, old folks and the physically challenged. Chores like hoof trimming, clipping, giving shots and administering dewormer are easier. “And breeders on one side of the country ship miniature kids in a standard-size dog crate and adults are transportable in a van or SUV.” There are many other benefits Sue points out. “Miniature goats are sometimes acceptable where zoning laws prohibit full-size goats which is a good thing for city and suburban folks who want to keep milk goats. Nigerian Dwarfs and Miniature Dairy Goats give one-third more milk per pound of body weight than most full-size goats and their kids often sell for considerably higher prices!” Sue points out there are only two downsides that she knows of. “Since they are smaller, you have to milk several minutes to yield the milk of one high-producing full-size goat. Their size puts them about knee-height, so if they scrap among themselves and accidentally ram into you from the rear, it’s easy to be knocked down even though they are tiny!” (Two of the four goat books which Sue authored are good for future reference if you’re considering getting a goat: “The Backyard Goat” published by Storey Books and “The Goat: A Natural History” by Princeton University Press.) You DO have to watch their diets. Urinary problems can especially devastate wethers and I lost a precious little solid black ND to urinary calculi even though he was not wethered. It seems their urinary systems are just so short in some they require extra attention to diet details. Working with a vet knowledgeable about goats, especially the smaller breeds of goats, is vital as is having a vast library of goat information readily at hand, in both actual print books AND the internet. The Extension service provided several dairy goat workshops that I attended which provided not only information but other contacts with goat breeders and owners in our area. 54

Cooperative Farming News

Goats have provided milk around the world I believe for many more of the world’s population than have cows. While I always dreamed of having a dairy cow, that much milk and the size even of a mini cow would be way too overwhelming at our age! If you’re afraid you and your family might not LIKE the taste of goat milk? Generally, if you watch what your goats eat and chill it IMMEDIATELY after milking (and stringently follow the cleanliness guidelines issued on the internet and in all goat raising books), the sweet, good milk can’t be distinguished from good-tasting cow’s milk … at least that’s what we discovered. A few years ago, we did blind taste tests between cow milk and goat milk and all of the four folks who participated in the trial picked the goat milk as tasting better and couldn’t believe it when it was revealed they had picked the goat milk! It’s easier to digest and has fed many of the world’s babies who may be sensitive to man-made formulas! I know a lot of you reading this probably have larger goats and enjoy them thoroughly! I loved my biggies too, but for small families and older folks like us, if I had to make a recommendation, those sweet little ones would be my suggestion! One of the sweetest situations in the world is walking into a sweet-hay-smelling stall and hearing a mama goat nickering to her newborn baby as she licks it clean … no matter what is going on in the crazy world around us, God’s creation comforts us…. (Suzy and her husband Mack strive to live a simple life on a small homestead in Blount County. She can be reached through their Facebook page or at suzy.mccray@yahoo.com)

HOWLE’S HINTS B Y J O H N H OW L E

THE HERB FARMER From Forest to Forage

HOW’S YOUR GARDEN SIMPLE TIMES

“He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows.”

it can be an expensive endeavor. Selling your timber at the right time and having a dozer operator lined up for work can make the job go easier and save money.

Tend to the Timber Thinning timber is a great option if you want to keep most of the land in forest. Thinning timber allows you to gain a profit, boost the growth of the remaining trees and open up the canopy for sunlight and forest floor growth that greatly helps wildlife. Another option involves thinning timber, especially pines, leaving enough room between the rows of trees to plant forage such as fescue and white clover. This allows the cattle grazing area and preserves the pines for sale at a later time.

THE CO-OP PANTRY Isaiah 30:23

If you are a cattle farmer, it is a satisfying feeling to see the cattle grazing in broad meadows. If you have some good laying land but it is covered in timber, you must weigh the costs of clearing it for pasture because

June 2020

Thinning or clearcutting timber at the right time in the market can help you gain more profit, making more money available for the creation of new pastures.

By waiting two or three years for clearing after a clearcut, a dozer blade makes quick work of clearing land.

If you are a cattle producer and need open land from your forests, your best option may be to clear-cut the property, sell the timber and bring in heavy equipment to clear the land for pasture. If you are not pressed for time, if you give the land two or three years for the stumps to rot, a dozer operator can quickly clear the land without a lot of additional expense involved in digging out stumps. After a period of rotting, the dozer blade can simply clip off the tops of rotted stumps and have the field ready for planting in a short period of time.

Sweeten the Soil

Plan the Planting What seeds you plant is determined by the time of year you do your clearing. If you clear the land in the fall, winter or spring, you can plant most varieties of forage ranging from fescue, rye grass, wheat and varieties of clover. If the weather is hot, you might want to plant forage simply for ground cover and erosion control that the cattle will eat. If it is a spring planting, most areas of Alabama can do well with varieties of Bermuda grass, Dallas grass and Bahia. In the middle of the summer, cover crops such as browntop millet have a high germination rate; it is palatable to cattle and it will hold the soil in place giving you an opportunity to come back in the fall with fescue, rye grass and clovers. 56

Cooperative Farming News

Before you plant the seeds, it is essential to know what nutrients you need in the soil. For the cost of a bag of fertilizer, you can conduct a soil test and get the results back from a lab giving you the exact amounts of lime and fertilizer needed. Highly acidic soils do great when growing pines, but the soil needs to be neutralized with lime for pasture forage to thrive. In my area, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not uncommon to need 3 tons of lime per acre for soil neutralization. Your local Co-op is the best source for answering your liming and fertilizer questions. You can simply take your soil test results to the qualified personnel at the Co-op and they can either sell you pelletized lime, which can be put out in a hopper on the back of your tractor, or you can go more cost-effective by renting a pull-behind buggy or contracting a Co-op spreader truck to apply bulk lime, which is much cheaper than pelletized lime.

Sow the Seeds The easiest way to sow the seeds is with a hopper spreader that can be mounted on the three-point hitch of a tractor. These hoppers have adjustable openings that allow you to distribute the right amount of seeds per acre

For bulk quantities of fertilizer and lime, you might want to consider using a buggy or spreader truck from your local Co-op.

for proper germination. It’s a good rule of thumb to calculate how many pounds of seed per acre and how many acres you have before you start spreading seeds. It is better to have seeds left over after covering the pasture because you can always go back over the cleared ground again until you have the right application rate. You can download apps that allow you to calculate acreage, or you can guestimate old school by visualizing a football field. A football field without the end zones is one acre. If you are estimating acreage, always apply slightly more seeds per acre than recommended.

Fertilize the Planted Forage Once you have spread your seeds, it is time to add the fertilizer. You can also use your tractor hopper for this, or you can get a Co-op driver to spread the fertilizer out in bulk. Here again, the fertilizer rate and type depend on your soil test results. A fertilizer such as 13-13-13 is a good mix for helping grass seeds get a head start in growth after germination. These numbers mean that for every 100 pounds of fertilizer, there are 13 pounds of nitrogen, 13 pounds of phosphorous and 13 pounds of potassium. This June, if you decide to expand your pastures into forested areas, take a look at the forage that is already thriving and growing in your current pasture. Chances are, with the right lime and fertilizer amounts, the forage will grow well on your cleared land as well.

A hopper mounted on the three-point hitch of a tractor allows you to accurately spread seeds at the recommended rate.

“My grandfather used to say that once in your life you need a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman and a preacher, but every day, three times a day, you need a farmer.” - Brenda Schoepp June 2020

THE MAGIC OF GARDENING

Fire Ant Extinguisher About this time every year, I find myself wishing I had a “fire ant extinguisher.” When I was a young teenager, I was on a trip to Florida with my father hauling a large load of watermelons. In fact, the load was so large that we blew out multiple tires on the return trip and I vividly recall my refusal to try and sleep on the side of the road one long night for fear of the dreaded fire ants. At that time, this South American invasive pest had not arrived in North Alabama, but I had heard some terrible stories of how vicious they were and that they could kill livestock. I was taking no chances, so I slept in the hot truck rather than on the Florida ground. We had a fire extinguisher in the truck, but I wanted a “fire ant extinguisher.” I have hated these creatures ever since those days and now even more so as they have marched over the entire state of Alabama on their northward expansion. 58

Cooperative Farming News

There was a futile attempt to eradicate fire ants and Australia is still trying to do just that in their country. All I can say is “g’luck mate” because we couldn’t do it in the United States. I will admit there are a lot more tools in the toolbox today that we can use to keep them suppressed. Our product choices for the lawn areas are plentiful and we have some good inexpensive materials to choose from. The products available for use in vegetable gardens are much more limited, but still feasible. Your local Quality Co-op store can help you choose the best products on the market for your needs. Extension Entomologist Dr. Lawrence Graham says there are three approaches used to control fire ants in the lawn and garden. You need to know which approach you will take before you search for the right product.

BY T O N Y G L OV E R

The approaches are: • Treating individual mounds with a bait or contact insecticide. • Broadcasting a fire ant bait that the ants pick up and take back to the nest and feed to the queen. • Broadcasting a long, residual insecticide across the area that will kill smaller colonies and prevent new colonies for a period of time. Graham recommends fire ant bait as the main means of controlling these pests. Baits have a tiny amount of active ingredient, placed on a biodegradable carrier particle, as well as a food attractant. These baits should be applied now and again in the fall for maximum control. “Baits are relatively inexpensive and are environmentally sound,” Graham said. “The fire ants in the area generally pick up most of the bait particles in a short period of time, meaning there is minimal impact on nonpest ants.” Baits should be applied when it is warm, but not too hot since the ants may not be feeding in very hot times of the day. Throw a few potato chips or pieces of hotdogs on the ground and watch for ant feeding. If you see ants arriving to feed within a few minutes, it is a good time to treat. Baits are most effective when they are broadcast across the infested area. This way, it is possible to control the fire ant colonies that you cannot see because their mounds have not yet been built. If there are only a few nests of concern, individual mound treatments may work well for you. Treat mounds when it is warm outside, but not too hot. It is best to treat in early summer mornings or late eve-

Baits are most effective when they are broadcast across the infested area. This way, it is possible to control the fire ant colonies that you cannot see because their mounds have not yet been built.

nings. During these times, the ants are closer to the surface of their mounds. Therefore, the treatment is mostly likely to affect the queen ant. You must kill the queen to control a colony. This may be accomplished in a single application, or it may take two or three. If the queen is not killed, the mound will require additional treatments whether it is a big or small colony. For vegetable gardens, make certain the product you choose is labeled for use in the garden if you plan to use it near the edible plants. However, by broadcasting a fire ant bait around — but not in — the garden, you can control most fire ant colonies in small gardens and only need minimal mound treatments within the garden. This is helpful since baits labeled for fire ants in vegetable gardens are difficult to find. We may not have a “fire ant extinguisher” but if we stay on top of them with timely treatments, we can at least learn to live with these unwelcome invaders. June 2020

FOOD SAFETY

Blueberry Time is Here

Blueberries are plentiful this year and a very good source of those great antioxidants. Why not pick some to use in recipes and to freeze for later use? Blueberries are probably the easiest fruit to prepare and serve. There’s no peeling, pitting, coring or cutting. Just rinse, eat and enjoy! Blueberries are not as perishable as most other berries. For optimal storage, berries should be refrigerated, but not washed until needed. Once chilled, they will maintain their quality from 10 days to two weeks. Remember, both frozen and fresh berries should be rinsed and drained just before serving.

Did you know? • Blueberry muffins are the most popular muffin in the United States. • A single bush can produce as many as 6,000 blueberries a year. • Only 3 fruits are native to North America: blueberries, cranberries and Concord grapes. Source: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Ready or Not – How Ripe?

Some fruits should be picked or bought when they are at the ideal stage for eating because they do not continue to ripen after picking. These include apples, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, oranges, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, tangerines and watermelon. Other fruits continue to ripen after they are picked: apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi, nectarines, peaches, pears, plantains and plums. Tomatoes also continue to ripen after picking. To speed the ripening of fruits such as peaches, pears and plums, put them in a ripening bowl or in a loosely closed brown paper bag at room temperature. Plastic bags don’t work for ripening. 60

Cooperative Farming News

The Best Blueberry Muffins Makes 12 muffins

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) 1¾ cups plus 1 Tablespoon flour, divided ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon nutmeg ¾ teaspoon salt 1 egg 1 cup sour cream* 1/3 cup milk Heat oven to 400 F. Grease 12 2½inch muffin cups or line muffin tins with foil liners. Toss blueberries with the 1 tablespoon of flour to keep them from coming to the top. Combine the remaining 1¾ cup flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt; set aside. Beat egg, sour cream and milk; stir into flour mixture until just combined (batter will be lumpy). Stir in blueberries until evenly distributed. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake about 20 minutes until golden. *Because sour cream is the only fat in this recipe, regular sour cream will provide more richness than light sour cream. Baking Tip For best results, dust unthawed blueberries lightly with flour before stirring into batter.

BY A N G E L A T R E A D A -

Blueberry Pound Cake Yield: 12 to 16 servings

1 package butter-flavored cake mix 3 eggs 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 cups blueberries ½ cup vegetable oil Heat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease and flour a 10inch tube pan. Combine cake mix, cream cheese, oil and eggs. Beat until smooth. Gently fold in berries. Spoon into prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Low Sugar Blueberry Jam Using Ball Low or No Sugar Pectin This recipe is for 10 half pint (8 ounce) jars of jam 6 2/3 cups prepared fruit, slightly crushed berries 1 2/3 cups water or unsweetened fruit juice 6 Tablespoons Ball Low or No Sugar Pectin Up to 1 - 2½ cups sugar, your choice of sweetness 5 Tablespoons bottled lemon juice ½ teaspoon butter (not margarine), to reduce foaming Combine prepared fruit and water or juice in a large saucepan and gradually stir in pectin with a whisk before heating. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down over high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar and return to a full rolling boil and boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam. Pour into hot canning jars, wipe rims, place lid and screw band on. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove and place on towel away from drafts to allow to cool and seal overnight. *Recipe taken from freshpreserving.com website which is the Ball website, and the recipe is tried and true.

Freezing the Blueberries Freeze blueberries for long-term storage. Some people prefer to freeze berries without washing to avoid moisture on the berries breaking down the cell walls. Wash the frozen berries before using. Other people prefer to wash the berries before freezing them so that they are ready to use when you take them out of the freezer. Be sure to dry them thoroughly between towels before freezing. It is ideal to freeze berries on a tray before packing into bags or boxes. This allows you to easily remove the amount you want at one time. Frozen blueberries can be used later to make jams, syrup or in baking. Most of the berries will probably be used to top off cereal or sprinkle in pancakes or muffins. June 2020

FROM PASTOR TO PASTURE

Cold, Hot or Lukewarm? Being able to grow up in Southeast Alabama working in and around agriculture is a blessing that I will always be grateful for. It is a way of life that I love more than any other I can imagine. As the theme song for the old television comedy “Green Acres” put it: “Green acres is the place to be. Farm living is the life for me. 62

Cooperative Farming News

Land spreading out so far and wide, keep Manhattan just give me that countryside.” As a small boy, I started helping neighboring farmers with any kind of work they needed me to do. I spent long summer days pulling weeds in peanut fields with nothing but a hoe and a water jug. It was hard, hot, lone-

BY G L E N N C R U M P L E R

ly work, but I always enjoyed looking back at the end of the day and seeing the difference I had made. Back then, chicken farmers had to unload their own biddies and had to recruit their own catching crews on sale nights. Chicken catching in those days was done the “hard way.” Wooden crates were offloaded outside the houses. You entered and exited through only two small doors about 1/3 of the way down from each end of the house. You had to feel around in the dark until you had the legs of six 3.5-pound chickens in each hand, then you walked back to one of the two doors, went outside and put your birds in your stack of crates. You did this until the house (or houses) of 16,000 birds each were empty. Catching started as soon as it was dark and we usually finished just before daylight. When I first started catching, my hands were only large enough to hold three birds in each hand, so my crates were set aside from those of the older men since I had to make twice as many trips to fill a crate. There were few summer jobs on the farm as remembered (and dreaded) as hauling hay. When I was growing up, all of the hay was square baled and had to be stacked in the lofts of barns. I started in the hay fields when all I could do was stand up in the floor board, let off the clutch in “grandma” gear and stretch to see over the hood of the two-ton truck so that I could steer between the rows. By the time I was tall enough to drive, I had already moved to being a loader. Any bales that were still in the field after a rain shower were sure to be filled with fire ants by the next morning. Peanut hay was especially dirty and bloodied up your arms. I specifically remember one afternoon when just my friend Al Britt and I loaded and unloaded 500 bales by ourselves. I wore overalls without a shirt. We were both tanned like the dirt, soaked with sweat and covered in mud and peanut trash. When we finished, we drove down to the nearby Coffee Springs pool (dirt pool fed by cold underground springs) to cool off. I remember jumping in, losing my breath and thinking I was having a heart attack! When I was in the fourth grade, Pooster and Effie sort of took me in and let me start working part-time at the local custom butchering and meat packing company just down the road from our house. They also had a cattle farm. From the time I was 10 to 15 years old, I spent most days with Pooster working at the packing company, buying cattle and hogs, and working on the farm. Before I married, I leased four chicken houses and also helped another friend farm.

After Lisa and I were married and our children were young, we started raising bottle calves on the side. We bottle-fed about 150 head per year until I purchased our first commercial cows. Later, we sold them to purchase our first registered cattle for our One-Way Angus herd. We sold our home and cows in 1997 when we went into fulltime Christian ministry. In June 2001, we started Cattle for Christ International, Inc., and have been doing that ever since. In addition to the 250 head of cattle that the ministry owns, Lisa and I also have four horses, 10 goats, 60 chickens, four turkeys, two dogs and a wide variety of other temporary animals that the grandchildren catch, including: snakes, baby birds, baby squirrels, lizards, frogs, turtles, etc. I love the farming life. There is no better place to raise children and grandchildren and there is no better classroom than the farm. Every day you see the miracle and sanctity of life, and the reality and inevitability of death. On the farm, you learn about sex and reproduction, cooperation, determination, teamwork, fallibility in yourself and others, forgiveness, administration, financial management, science, chemistry, biology, math, networking, technology, how to work, your need for rest, patience, perseverance, the value of sweat and dirty clothes, and the gratification of a hard day’s work. Most importantly, you learn without doubt that there is an all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present, merciful, trustworthy, almighty, faithful, creator God – and that you are not Him! Those of us who have been blessed to grow up and live in the country and work on the farm understand – though we may have to remind ourselves from time to time during the hard times – that we experience on a daily basis what most of the world longs to have. We have open space: solitude when we 1want it and good 1-8Pg_AnchorPkg_CustomEggCartons3.pdf 4/10/20 12:27 PM neighbors when we don’t. We have clean air, clean and

June 2020

abundant water, livestock, freedom, independence, a times in my life when that fruit and peace were misshope to be profitable, ability to feed and provide for our ing, and I knew that I was not living the life God had family, wealth (cash and/or assets), land and homes, called me to, nor was I maintaining a right relationship utilities, education, transportation, and clear evidence with Him. To change that, I had to confess my sin to of a living God who loves us. God (and sometimes to others), repent (turn away from We need to thank God for how richly He has blessed my sin and turn toward Jesus), and I had to change my us and we need to humble ourselves before Him. When priorities. It took more than just regret or being sorry we honestly look at how good He has been to us as for what I had done. compared to the rest of the counI remember the testimony of try and the rest of the world, how a Christian brother and one of can we not submit to His Lordour ministry partners in West Af When we honestly look ship and sovereignty over our rica. He is the youngest son of a lives and give Him the glory that Fulani Muslim village chief. When at how good He has only He deserves? he was a young boy, a hired hand One lesson that I have learned of his father was secretly sharing been to us as compared through the years from studying the story of Jesus with him. Sevto the rest of the counScripture, from my time in the eral times he was caught studying Army and from being a farmer or worshiping Jesus with a small try and the rest of the is to always strive for perfecchurch that met under a large tree tion. This does not mean that I away from his village. His father world, how can we not will ever be perfect, but it means repeatedly warned him to reject submit to His Lordship that I will do whatever I do, to the Christianity. To make a long stobest of my ability. ry short, his father did not punand sovereignty over As a Cattleman, I have never ish him too severely, but finally had a desire to raise mediocre told him: “If you are going to be our lives and give Him cattle. I had rather not be a Cata Christian, then be a good Christhe glory that only He tleman if I cannot produce quality tian!” What a lesson from a Muscattle that get better with each lim village chief! deserves? generation of daughters. Scripture says: “Whatever you The past two years, we have do, work at it with all your heart, had more problems with our as working for the Lord, not for Cattle For Christ herd than ever before. Numbers and human masters, since you know that you will receive stocking rates were too high, hay and grazing were in an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord very short supply, donations were down, cash flow was Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24) a serious issue, we were short of labor and therefore Jesus said: “I know your works that you are neither expenses were excessive and unsustainable. Our only cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, option was to cull heavily and then sell some cattle because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I that we really did not need to sell, at a time when the will vomit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16) market was really low. I really feel that though we did If we are going to be Christians, we have the responthe best we could do under these circumstances, I was sibility and the command to be good Christians! not doing a good enough job to refer to myself as a good Cattleman. CATTLE FOR CHRIST On the other hand, though we love the life and enjoy INTERNATIONAL, INC. cattle, we have no desire to raise cattle just to raise Glenn Crumpler, cattle. Ministry to the poor and unreached around the President world is now our passion; cattle are just a means to help us accomplish our ministry efforts. In economic Cattlemen helping you take the Gospel and love times like these, we are better off if other Cattlemen will of Christ around the world. sell a cow and donate the proceeds to fund our work. 334-393-4700 (Home). 4125 CR 636 Spiritually, there have been times in my life when Enterprise, AL 36330 334-333-4400 (Mobile) I knew that I was walking in the center of God’s will, www.CattleforChrist.com 2 Corinthians 5:15 and I had the fruit of the Spirit and peace of God in e-mail: glenncrumpler@cattleforchrist.com my life as evidence. However, there have been a few 64

Cooperative Farming News

THE CO-OP PANTRY B Y M A RY D E L P H

As most of you know, June is Dairy Month. A little research on the history shows that Dairy Month started out as a way to distribute extra milk during the warm to downright hot summer months. The official commemoration began in 1937 by grocer organizations sponsoring “National Milk Month.” By 1939, June became the official “dairy month.” It is yummy and healthy so try out these recipes and enjoy. - Mary

Vanilla Ice Cream 3 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 3/4 cup sugar 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract Kosher salt 5 large egg yolks Whisk the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the beaten yolks, then pour back into the saucepan, whisking and return to medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, coats the spoon and reaches 180 F on a thermometer, 6-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or measuring cup; discard the solids. Stir often until the mixture cools to room temperature. Lightly press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Chill until cold, about 3 hours. (For faster chilling, set the bowl of custard in a bowl of ice water and stir until cold.) Freeze the mixture in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. (Take care not to over churn the ice cream or it can have a grainy texture.) Place the ice cream in the freezer to set up for at least 1 hour. Serve.

Note from Mary: Use your imagination for toppings! Chocolate or caramel syrup, sprinkles, crushed cookies, and sliced fresh fruits are awesome with this recipe.

Super Easy No-Cook Chocolate Ice Cream 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup granulated sugar 2 cups heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Whisk together milk, cocoa powder and sugar to combine. The sugar and cocoa should almost completely dissolve. In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks. Add the whipped cream along with the vanilla extract to the cocoa powder mixture. Refrigerate the chocolate ice cream base for at least 30 minutes before putting it in your ice cream freezer, so it is completely cold. This will help it freeze faster, improving the texture, and allow the cocoa powder to become fully hydrated by the milk and cream. Give the ice cream base one more gentle stir and freeze according to the directions on your ice cream freezer. Store your ice cream in an airtight plastic container in the back of the freezer. This will help preserve the flavor and texture of the finished ice cream. Note from Mary: Again, use your imagination for toppings! Caramel syrup, sprinkles, crushed cookies, strawberries are awesome with this recipe.

June 2020

Kid Friendly Dairy Dip 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 to 2 Tablespoons maple syrup In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugars and syrup to taste; beat until smooth, with an electric mixer. Chill. Serve with fresh fruit of your choice. I recommend apple slices and strawberries especially with those smaller fingers. Note from Mary: This is a great recipe to make with your children. Use of an electric mixer does need to be supervised.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, add the cream cheese and mix until smooth. Add the next 6 ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is incorporated. Ladle the cream cheese mixture onto some foil or saran wrap. Fold in the sides of the foil/saran wrap and form into a ball. Once itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a ball make sure to cover the ball completely. Place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Using your hands, press the crushed almonds all over the cream cheese ball. Press the almonds in so they will stick. Plate your cheese ball and crackers. Serve & enjoy!

Easy Ice Cream Cake 24 Oreo cookies, divided 2 cups strawberry ice cream, softened 2 cups thawed Cool Whip whipped topping, divided 2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened 2 Tablespoons hot fudge ice cream topping

Easy Cheese Ball 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 Tablespoon ranch dressing mix 1 Tablespoon bacon bits 2 Tablespoons chives, chopped 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup almonds, crushed Crackers, of your choice

Cooperative Farming News

Line 9-inch round pan with plastic wrap, with ends extending over side of pan. Stand 14 cookies around edge of pan. Crush remaining cookies. Reserve 1/2 cup crumbs for later use; sprinkle remaining crumbs onto bottom of pan. Spread strawberry ice cream over crumbs; top with one cup Cool Whip and reserved crumbs. Cover with chocolate ice cream. Freeze 4 hours. Remove dessert from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Use plastic wrap handles to lift dessert from pan. Carefully peel off plastic wrap; place dessert on serving plate. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Top with remaining Cool Whip; drizzle with fudge topping. Note from Mary: This is one of the easiest recipes I could come up with, and again, older children can help.

coming soon! This booklet will have cattle sales right at your fingertips!

To advertise your cattle sale with us, contact Wendy McFarland 334-652-9080 mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com June 2020

9-1-1 FESTIVAL June 5-6, 2020 Haleyville - Downtown Call 205-486-4611 What’s happening in U S A

NORTH ALABAMA AFRICAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL June 5-6, 2020 Tuscumbia - Willie Green Recreation Park - 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Call 256-381-1797 BARBER SMALL BORE June 5-7, 2020 Birmingham - Barber Motorsports Park - Admission Call 205-699-7275

FORT MORGAN TUESDAY EVENING LIVING HISTORY TOURS June 2 - July 28, 2020 Gulf Shores - Fort Morgan State Historic Site - Admission Tuesdays: 6:00 p.m. Call 251-540-7127 CELEBRATE AMERICA June 2 - July 31, 2020 Montevallo - American Village 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 205-665-3535 WONDERFUL WEDNESDAYS June 3 - July 29, 2020 Theodore - Bellingrath Gardens 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Call 251-973-2217 A CELEBRATION OF MEMORIES June 5, 2020 Thomasville - Alabama Southern Community College 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call 334-637-3146 HANK WILLIAMS FESTIVAL June 5-6, 2020 Georgiana - Hank Williams Boyhood Home & Museum Call 334-376-2396 MULEDAY/CHICKENFEST June 5-6, 2020 Gordo - Main Street Friday: 6:00 - 11:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Call 205-364-7111 68 Cooperative Farming News

HOWARD HILL ARCHERY SOUTHERN TRADITIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP June 5-7, 2020 McCalla - Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park - Admission Call 205-477-5711 "THE MIRACLE WORKER" PLAY June 5 - July 11, 2020 Tuscumbia - Helen Keller’s Birthplace and Home - Admission Friday and Saturday only Gates Open: 6:30 p.m. Play Begins: 8:00 p.m. Call 256-383-4066 ALABASTER CITYFEST June 6, 2020 Alabaster - Municipal Park 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Call 205-664-6800 PARADE, PAGEANT AND PICNIC IN PARK June 6, 2020 Courtland - Downtown Historic District 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Call 256-637-2707 LIL CALYPSO ART FESTIVAL ON LAKE MARTIN June 6, 2020 Dadeville - 237 Marina Road 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-825-6871 FAMILY FUN FESTIVAL AND EXPO June 6, 2020 Huntsville - Von Braun Center 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call 256-551-2379

B.Y.O. (BRING YOUR OWN) BIKE TOUR June 6, 2020 Orrville - Old Cahawba Archaeological Park - Admission - 10:00 a.m. Call 334-872-8058 SUMMER ON MAIN STREET FESTIVAL June 6, 2020 Roanoke - Main Street 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call 334-863-6612 MEMORIES OF MAYBERRY June 6, 2020 Valley Head - Downtown Square 9:00 a.m. Call 256-635-6814 VULCAN’S BIRTHDAY BASH June 7, 2020 Birmingham - Vulcan Park & Museum Admission - 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Call 205-933-1409 STEVENSON DEPOT DAYS June 9-14, 2020 Stevenson - Stevenson Railroad Depot Museum 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Call 256-437-3012 ALEXANDER CITY JAZZ FEST June 12-13, 2020 Alexander City - Strand Park & Lake Martin Amphitheater Call 256-234-3461 REELIN 'N SMOKIN BACKYARD BBQ COMPETITION June 12-13, 2020 Huntsville - Ditto Landing 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-882-1057 ALABAMA CHILDREN'S CLASSIC BASS TOURNAMENT June 12-13, 2020 Eufaula - Lake Point Marina Admission - 5:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 334-687-6266 WHEELS ON THE HILL CAR SHOW June 12-13, 2020 Gadsden - Noccalula Falls Admission - 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call 256-549-4663

JULY 4TH ANNUAL BOAT PARADE July 4, 2020 Alexander City - 255 Kowaliga Marina Call 334-857-2111

CARIBBEAN FOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL June 13, 2020 Bessemer - DeBardeleben Park 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Call 205-383-1726

USS DRUM CREWMEN ASSOCIATION REUNION June 20, 2020 Mobile - Battleship Memorial Park 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 251-433-2703

19TH ANNUAL JUNE FLING June 13, 2020 Oneonta - Downtown 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 205-446-0462

JUNETEENTH June 20, 2020 Montgomery - Rosa Parks Museum Admission Call 334-241-8615

SUMMER LATINO FESTIVAL June 13, 2020 Rainsville - North Alabama Community College Noon - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-638-4418 ext 2271

CHILTON COUNTY PEACH FESTIVAL June 20-26, 2020 Clanton - Various Locations Call 205-755-2400

SMITH LAKE PARK INDEPENDENCE DAY FESTIVAL July 4, 2020 Cullman - Smith Lake Park Admission 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Call 256-739-2916

PRESS THORNTON FUTURE MASTERS June 20-27, 2020 Dothan - Dothan Country Club Call 334-793-7144

SPIRIT OF AMERICA FESTIVAL July 4, 2020 Decatur - Point Mallard Park 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Call 256-341-4903

HELEN KELLER FESTIVAL June 25-28, 2020 Tuscumbia - Downtown & Spring Park - Admission Call 256-383-0783

SHOALS SPIRIT OF FREEDOM CELEBRATION July 4, 2020 Florence - McFarland Park Call 256-740-4141

PEACH JAM JUBILEE June 26, 2020 Clanton - Clanton City Park 3:00 - 10:00 p.m. Call 205-755-2400

ANNUAL SAND MOUNTAIN POTATO FESTIVAL July 4, 2020 Henager - Henager Town Park 10:00 a.m. Call 256-657-6282

“CINDERELLA” June 16 - July 12, 2020 Montgomery - Alabama Shakespeare Festival Call 334-271-5353 ATHENS LIONS CLUB KIDDIE CARNIVAL June 18 - August 1, 2020 Athens - 309 East Forrest Street Thursday - Saturday 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. More information: e-clubhouse.org/sites/athensal ALABAMA STATE GAMES June 19 - July 21, 2020 Birmingham - Various Locations Call 334-280-0065 ANNISTON FAMILY HERITAGE FESTIVAL AND CONCERT June 20, 2020 Anniston - Zinn Park Noon - 10:00 p.m. Call 256-236-8221 ALABAMA BLUEBERRY FESTIVAL June 20, 2020 Brewton - Jennings Park 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 251-867-3224 THE BARBARIAN CHALLENGE June 20, 2020 Gadsden - Noccalula Falls Park Admission 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call 256-549-4663

LIBERTY DAY CELEBRATION June 26-27, 2020 Columbiana - Downtown Main Street Friday: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Call 205-669-5800 GUNTERSVILLE LAKE HYDROFEST June 27-28, 2020 Guntersville - Along Sunset Dr. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-528-7015 GRAND BAY WATERMELON FESTIVAL July 3-4, 2020 Grand Bay - Odd Fellows Park Admission Friday: 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 251-865-3456

THUNDER ON THE MOUNTAIN July 4, 2020 Birmingham - Vulcan Park & Museum - 9:00 p.m. Call 205-933-1409

“What’s Happening in Alabama” Policy The AFC Cooperative Farming News publishes event listings as space allows, giving preference to agricultural events of regional or statewide interest and those that are annual or one-time events. The magazine assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of information submitted for publication and advises calling ahead to confirm dates, locations, times and possible admission fees. To be included in the calendar, send listings to: Cooperative Farming News Calendar of Events P.O. Box 2227 Decatur, AL 35609 -oremail to Calendar of Events at subscribe@alafarm.com *Please include name of event, where it will be held (both town and physical location), a phone number for more information, and an email or website.* *Event Listings must be received at least two months in advance and will be accepted up to a year in advance.*

June 2020

LIVESTOCK AUCTIONS SUPPORT THE AUCTION. WE WORK FOR YOU.

CLAY COUNTY STOCKYARD

VALLEY STOCKYARD

1050 Airport Road - Ashland, AL Sale Every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. Tad and Kim Eason, Owners

Check us out on Facebook!

13130 AL HWY 157 - Moulton, AL Cattle Auction - Wed. at 11:00 a.m. Billy Wallace (C) 256-303-7097 Phone: 256-974-5900 Fax: 256-974-5899 Your Full Service Stockyard

SAND MOUNTAIN STOCKYARD, LLC

TOP RANKED MARKET RECEIPTS SINCE 2006

Barn: 256-354-2276 Tad: 397-4428

Hauling available

19509 AL Hwy 68 - Crossville, AL 256-561-3434 Cattle Auction - Every Wed. & Sat. at 11:30 a.m. Call for any hauling & catching needs

Jeff Register Building & Truss

MID STATE STOCKYARDS 8415 State HWY 97 South Letohatchee, AL 36047 Sale Day: Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. 1-877-334-5229 or 334-227-8000 www.midstatestockyards.com

If you would like to advertise your stockyard, please contact Wendy McFarland at mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com

40’ x 60’ x 12’ - Installed Roof only, closed gables - $7,642 Roof only, open gables - $6,850 30’ x 40’ x 10’ - Installed Roof Only, open gables - $3950 *Prices do not include tax and delivery*

Office - 228-678-0971 Cell - 228-234-9115 or 228-234-7241 Jregister@registermetals.com Locations: 2811 26th Ave. Gulfport MS and Highland Home, AL

RegisterBarns.com

The Farmer’s Choice Between our innovative products and our extensive history within agriculture, JCB has revolutionized the way farmers complete their day-to-day tasks.

JCB Teleskid $1,487/month

Our Teleskid is the industry’s ONLY side entry skid steer with a telescopic boom. Allowing you to lift higher, reach further and dig deeper than ever before, with a 13ft 3in lift height, 8ft forward reach and 3ft dig depth.

JCB 505-20 $1,125/month

Our 505-20 compact telehandler is also leading the way for efficiency on the farm. With smooth operation, 3 steering modes and a class leading 20ft lift height this machine a valuable workhorse on the farm.

Call for a Demo! (205) 699-2699

*Monthly payment offers are valid for a limited time and subject to JCB Finance approval. Southland Machinery reserves the right to discontinue these offers at any time. Contact dealer for details.

Cooperative Farming News

SouthlandMachinery.com 8920 Weaver Ave, Leeds, AL

June 2020

Our heritage is in protecting yours COUNTRY Financial® was founded by a group of farmers in 1925. Our roots lie in the values born of hard work, integrity, and compassion, and we’ve been protecting farms like yours since the beginning. From cars and homes, to farm vehicles and buildings, we’ve got you covered. We know that farming isn’t a business, it’s a way of life.

Let us put our experience to work for you.

Don Warnke Cullman

256-734-1211

David Turner

Madison/Limestone

Vic Porter Florence

Tony James Russellville

Frank Scott Boaz

Ray Rollins Dothan

256-233-3310

256-764-3002

256-332-6161

256-593-7756

334-792-9421

Ken Morrison

John Snellgrove

Adam Saucer

334-382-2663

Lisa McClendon

Robert Young

334-863-2135

Jimmy Holderfield

205-717-3166

256-329-3020

334-493-6730

334-671-5081

Roanoke

Greenville

Jasper

Alexander City

Opp

Dothan

Call today for more information. Policies issued by COUNTRY Mutual Insurance Company®, Bloomington, IL. This entity is an equal opportunity provider.

Cooperative Farming News

1119-534HO

June 2020 Magazine

Articles inside

County Youth Councils Provide Leadership

Design and Develop Slam-Dunk Hunting Sites

Drink Your Milk!

The Best of Both Worlds

Feed Ingredients

Webb Elementary Joins Clean Campus Program

Stuffed Venison Loin

Blue Ribbon Dairy