August 2020 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. 28

CO-OP MATTERS 21 Store Spotlight: Geneva County Co-op 22 Tub Timeline LIFE ON THE HOMEPLACE AND IN THE COMMUNITY 40 Karen Hill Dean: At Home on the Stage

pg. 32

pg. 40

YOUTH MATTERS 24 4-H Extension Corner: Transforming Tomorrow 27 PALS: Clean Campus Video 28 FFA Sentinel: Will Jordan: National FFA Officer Candidate for 2020

On the Cover: Find the right product to supplement your cattle herd throughout the year with our tub timeline. (Photo by: AFC Publication Staff)

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

Cooking with Stacy Lyn............. 37

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

How’s Your Garden?................... 43

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

The Herb Lady........................... 45

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

Simple Times.............................. 49

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

Howle’s Hints.............................. 51

On the Edge of Common Sense... 18

The Magic of Gardening........... 55

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

Food Safety................................. 58

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

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

From Wildlife & Freshwater

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

Fisheries................................... 32 Outdoor Logic with BioLogic.... 34 www.alafarm.com

What’s Happening in Alabama... 68

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 Subscribe online at www.alafarm.com/p/ getconnected/magazine

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

August 2020

Letter from the Editor

The heat of summer is here and while this summer looks different than those past, we have remained proactive and committed to serving our customers with excellence. COVID-19 has been at the forefront of our world for nearly half of 2020 and we’ve all experienced ups and downs. In the past six months, I have had the opportunity to plant and harvest a backyard garden, witness first-time heifers birth calves, film wheat harvest on a record crop and replant cotton due to dry conditions. The past six months have taught me to be patient and humble, while reminding me of the reason why I chose a career in agriculture. This pandemic has shined a light on the passion people have for their families, their work and their community and even though I’m looking forward to the day life goes back to “normal,” I hope that is one thing that doesn’t change. This issue presents our new “Tub Timeline,” a helpful tool when deciding what Stimulyx brand product to supplement your cattle throughout the year. Whether it’s controlling flies, heat stress and fescue toxicity or supporting calving, growth and nutrition – there’s a tub for everything. Our AFC Feed, LLC salesmen and quality Co-op stores are ready to get your herd set up, and if you’re creative like some folks, you can recycle those red tubs for other projects such as garden planters! Next month, we are excited to share hunting and outdoor tips for a successful upcoming season. There is nothing that says social distancing like an afternoon in the woods! Most of our Co-op locations across the state carry hunting supplies and are ready to help you find your fit. Our regulars are still bringing quality information, feel-good stories and delicious recipes. Thank you for being a loyal reader, customer and part of the AFC family.

Samantha Carpenter Editor-in-Chief

4 Cooperative Farming News

August 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 - Jamie Staudt, 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 E B *Alligator also sold

Peanuts: Raw B: Raw & Roasted

Propane: R = Recharge

S = Sell E = Exchange

August 2020

USE TOGETHER AND

ENJOY THE BOUNTY *vs. unfed plants over a growing season when using both Miracle-GroÂŽ soil and plant food as directed.

Cooperative Farming News

August 2020

AG INSIGHT Agriculture, food industry involved in response to virus The COVID-19 pandemic has changed numerous aspects of everyday life, both in this nation and worldwide, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has altered its programming in response to the virus’s challenges. Among other things, the department has launched the Farmers to Families Food Box program and has extended the contracts of select vendors from the first round of the effort, designed to “help fill the hunger gap in all of our communities.” From its start in mid-May, the program delivered through mid-June more than 17 million food boxes to some 3,200 nonprofit organizations across the United States, including Guam and Puerto Rico. USDA has extended the effort through the end of August, based on the performance of participating vendors, and has authorized up to $1.16 billion to fund it. Agreements with some vendors were extended with no adjustment to their delivery amounts while others’ amounts or locations were changed based on their demonstrated abilities to perform or a vendor’s request.

From its start in mid-May, the program delivered through mid-June more than 17 million food boxes to some 3,200 nonprofit organizations across the United States, including Guam and Puerto Rico.

Cooperative Farming News

USDA says the extensions continue to require audits to ensure adherence to food safety plans and that 100% of food procured and delivered is U.S. grown and raised. Food products also must meet all USDA quality standards. The agency chose not to extend some vendors’ contracts either because of concerns brought up during audits or for performance challenges. Additionally, some contracts were not extended at the vendors’ request. In addition, USDA has begun new contracts with a few vendors whose offers were not previously accepted due to technical errors in their proposals. USDA says it continues to evaluate how to expand access to the program in underserved areas and is in the final stages of determining cities and states that have been affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19 and where additional food boxes are in demand. In early June, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue joined Governor Kay Ivey, U.S. Representatives Robert Aderholt and Terri Sewell, and Commissioner of Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate in a virtual Farmers to Families Food Box event.

Orange juice sales spike in virus aftermath Reversing a downward trend that began 10 years ago, retail orange juice sales have risen since the U.S. onset of the current COVID-19 pandemic. One reason is that U.S. consumers may have sought methods to increase their intake of vitamin C, a nutrient commonly believed to build up a healthy immune system. During the four-week period after the pandemic announcement earlier this year, orange juice sales reached the highest level in five years at 44.5 million gallons. The average price of frozen concentrate orange juice in April rose 5% from the previous month to $2.40 per 12 oz. can, the first March-to-April sales price increase observed since 2012. In 2019, orange juice consumption in the United States had fallen to 2.25 gallons per capita, a 40% decline from 2010. The decrease in orange juice purchases is attributable to both demand and supply-side factors. Research has indicated that declining consumer interest in sugary beverages may be contributing to reduced purchases.

BY JIM ERICKSON

as The Emergency Food Assistance Program and child nutrition programs. The FPDP was established in fiscal year 2019 to assist U.S. producers by purchasing commodities the Trump Administration believes have been targeted in the nation’s ongoing trade disputes with China and other countries. Under the program, USDA buys food products produced on American farms through approved vendors who have proven they can supply U.S.-produced products.

Virus affects wheat-corn price spread

On the supply side, citrus greening disease, an insect-borne illness, has decimated the Florida orange juice industry, decreasing bearing acreage of juice oranges by 30% since 2005. After their surge in April, sales of orange juice are already showing signs of retreating, but were still well above average at midyear.

USDA set to reach goal in trade dispute mitigation efforts

Wheat and corn prices tend to move in parallel, with cash and futures wheat prices historically being slightly above those for corn. However, when efforts to contain the outbreak of COVID-19 brought about widespread stay-at-home orders, this wheat and corn price relationship began to diverge significantly. The widening spread came at a potentially significant time for farmers, whose planting decisions could have been influenced by the perceived relative profitability of corn and spring wheat (winter wheat is planted in fall of the prior year and sowing would not be affected by recent developments). From the end of March through mid-May, the price difference for the leading wheat futures contract surged to $1.54 per bushel and well above the comparable average wheat-corn price margin. In contrast, between August 2019 through March 2020, the average difference between futures contract prices of hard

USDA recently announced it has purchased more than $2.2 billion of meat, fruits, vegetables, specialty crops and dairy products in fiscal years 2019 and 2020. The purchases are part of ongoing efforts to assist American farmers and ranchers suffering from damage due to trade retaliation by foreign nations and to feed people in need. The agency said it’s on target to reach the fiscal year goal of about $1.4 billion of trade mitigation purchases in the next phase of fiscal year purchasing, which ends Sept. 30. Products were bought through the Food Purchase and Distribution Program, one of three USDA programs in the agency’s support packages for farmers. Most of the food purchased is provided to states for distribution to nutrition assistance programs such August 2020

In contrast, stay-athome orders significantly reduced demand for fuel, 10% of which is corn-based ethanol, thereby putting substantial downward pressure on the 2019/20 corn price.

red winter wheat and yellow corn was about $0.58 per bushel and similar in size to their typical price spread. A spike in domestic retail flour, bread and wheatbased product sales related to greatly increased expenditures on food eaten at home contributed to the observed wheat price increase. In contrast, stay-at-home orders significantly reduced demand for fuel, 10% of which is corn-based ethanol, thereby putting substantial downward pressure on the 2019/20 corn price. In the new marketing year, the margin between wheat and corn cash prices is expected to remain above the five-year average, due in part to the continuation of COVID-19’s impact on demand for wheat and corn products, and also to contrasting supply expectations for each grain.

Dicamba ruling sparks further legal dispute In the wake of a ruling by a panel of judges vacating the registrations of three dicamba herbicides, the

legal battle over use of the chemicals continued. After the ruling by judges in the Ninth Circuit, the Environmental Protection Agency said it would end sales of the three herbicides, but allow farmers and commercial applicators to continue using supplies they already had on hand as of June 3. That use was permitted through July 31, subject to state regulations that still apply. The group of farm and environmental organizations that had successfully brought the lawsuit against EPA over the use of dicamba products then brought legal action asking the Ninth Circuit to order an immediate halt to the use extension and to hold the EPA in contempt, based on their argument that continued use violated the court’s order to vacate the registrations. The EPA defended its decision to allow continued use of XtendiMax, FeXapan and Engenia, and asked the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to throw out the contempt motion. The agency also said vacating the registrations (by either judicial or administrative action) “only makes it illegal to distribute or sell that pesticide,” but “does not outlaw use of products already legally purchased.” The plaintiffs noted that EPA’s order would allow up to 16 million pounds of the herbicides to be applied over the top of cotton and soybeans through July 31. That usage again could cause extensive injury to nearby but not targeted crops – a result instrumental in the judges’ decision to vacate the registrations. USDA issued a statement saying it “supports the actions taken by the EPA to respond responsibly to the decision of the Ninth Circuit regarding dicamba. “The Ninth Circuit should not allow plaintiffs’ hostility against the American farmer to cloud the fact that the EPA’s actions follow both legal precedent and common sense,” the statement by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue said. According to the USDA statement, the order allowing for limited use of existing chemical stocks already purchased follows EPA precedents from the Obama and Clinton Administrations when registrations for other crop protection tools were canceled.

“The Ninth Circuit should not allow plaintiffs’ hostility against the American farmer to cloud the fact that the EPA’s actions follow both legal precedent and common sense.

”

Sonny Purdue, Secretary of Agriculture 12

Cooperative Farming News

”

BUSINESS OF FARMING

BY KEN KELLEY

The Economic Importance of Pests on Cattle Ken Kelley, Kelly Palmer and Max Runge The importance of controlling pests on livestock can be easily observed by anyone on any given day in any (untreated) cattle pasture in Alabama. There are pests all around, both observable and unseen, doing what they do best to cattle – pestering them. Tails flick and cattle move about restlessly as literally hundreds of flies congregate on them. The most unobservant observer would see that the annoyance factor alone dictates something must be done. However, it goes beyond simply annoying – pests on livestock (cattle in this example) can be detrimental to production of cattle and to the economic viability of many producers‘ operations. August 2020

So, horn flies can cause economic damage to cattle. With extremely high infestations, it is very reasonable to expect significant weight losses on feeder cattle in Alabama, with conceivable weight loss for feeders in the 50 pound range. Fifty pounds of calf at $1.30 per pound is $65 per calf, easily more than enough to justify the cost of the tags and the cost of putting them in. While there are many different types of pests to consider, for our conversation today we will talk about the flies mentioned earlier. In fact, we will get even more specific – we will talk horn flies. Horn flies (Haematobia irritans) are the most economically important external parasites of cattle in the United States, causing millions of dollars in losses annually. The flies feed on cattle by piercing the hide and sucking blood. Fighting the flies drains the cattle’s energy and interferes with feeding and resting. USDA leaflet 388 “Horn Flies on Cattle” states losses can be as much as ½ pound per day and 20% milk reduction. That is significant! Research has shown (Byford et al., 1999) that heavy horn fly infestations caused animals to spend significantly more time standing, lying and resting, and significantly less time grazing and drinking. In other words, they were constantly being harassed and therefore not eating, drinking and growing. The same research shows significant physiological markers correlated to heavy fly control. The research demonstrated as populations of flies increased, so did heart rate, respiration and urine output, while water intake and nitrogen retained decreased. So, horn flies can cause economic damage to cattle. With extremely high infestations, it is very reasonable to expect significant weight losses on feeder cattle in Alabama, with conceivable weight loss for feeders in the 50 pound range. Fifty pounds of calf at $1.30 per pound is $65 per calf, easily more than enough to justify the cost of the tags and the cost of putting them in. Will every calf cost that amount? Certainly not! Will some cost that? Certainly so! We can very reliably assume, though, based on research, that the majority of herds in Alabama will benefit from horn fly control. 14

Cooperative Farming News

There are numerous options for horn fly control in Alabama, with some much more effective than others. Dusters, backrubs, sprays and impregnated tags can all be effective for fly control in given situations. Effectiveness of these options is often determined by (1) efficacy of the chemical used for treatment and (2) efficacy of the delivery mechanism. There are downsides and hiccups associated with all the delivery methodologies – dusters get gummy in the southern humidity, rubbers must be recharged, and cattle have to be caught and handled to apply the tags. There is also a great deal of issue with some of the chemistries available, with resistance a major issue in some of the older chemistries. Resistance is the reason why many of the sprays that were once effective no longer seem to give very long control. So, what do you use? The answer is (and this isn’t just an economist’s cop-out), it depends! Some important questions to ponder … What did you use last year? And the year before that? Can you catch your animal? Is your herd isolated from other herds? Your answers to these questions will help determine the right strategy for your cattle. Alabama Cooperative Extension System agents are currently conducting efficacy trials to help producers make these decisions easier in the future. In the meantime, reach out to your local animal science agent, we can help you figure out the best solution for your cattle. Whatever you do this summer … do something … with the already tight margins, controlling flies is an investment that will result in higher returns for your cattle operation.

FEEDING FACTS

B Y J I M M Y PA R K E R

Finishing Your Own Cattle

With the recent retail shortages in the meat cases, we have seen a resurgence in interest in growing and finishing your own cattle. Not too many decades ago, this was something that almost every farm did every year. Time and efficiency of scale have pushed most all of the beef finishing outside our region, but it can still be done on a local basis and is a good way to ensure that you have plenty of beef to eat when we see national or regional shortages due to outside influences such as the COVID-19 pandemic. There are several things to consider when finishing cattle, whether for your own consumption or maybe to sell to family, friends and neighbors. There have been numerous studies done and there is an endless array of theories on what breed, size, age and finishing system is best, and hopefully we can keep the lid on that Pandoraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s box firmly closed by not endorsing one breed or system over the other. There are vast differences in breeds and body styles that will affect the age and weight that they

finish. The finishing system that you plan to utilize should be tailored to the breed you have or chose to purchase. Some types of cattle do better than others on a grass-based system, while most any breed will do well with enough on grain, when fed to the proper weight and maturity. Some common sense-type things to consider: smaller-framed cattle finish at a lighter weight and often suit local consumers better. For example, if the steer or heifer is headed for your own freezer and you have plenty of space, you may not mind that 1,900 pound fat Holstein, but cousin Joe might rather pay you for a 900 pound fat steer that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take the entire monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paycheck and an extra trip to town to buy a second freezer. Another point that is often discussed is grass-fed/finished versus grain-finished versus some hybrid of the two, which is most common in locally finished cattle. Some extremely health-conscious people will want a grass-fed/grass-finished product. Many others will want something that they August 2020

are more familiar with or a product that is similar to the one that they generally purchase at a local retail store. The take-home here is to know what your goals are before you start. What type finishing system do you need? Two major factors besides consumer preference are space and time. It generally takes more space and time to finish cattle on grass. Cattle that get all the nutrition they need to fatten off grass need lots and lots of grass. It has to be a fairly high-quality grass to fatten young cattle or the cattle have to be considerably older to achieve a level of fatness that is enough to cause the meat to marble and achieve a higher quality. Unlike grain-finished calves, which normally takes 18 months or less, truly grass-finished cattle will often take two to two and a half years to achieve an acceptable level of finish. Grain-finished or grass/grain hybrid systems vary. Cattle that are weaned and several months old can be confined and fed a high grain diet for two to five months and be ready for harvest. Most extension publications that I have seen recommend a minimum of 185 square feet per calf. Most producers in Alabama donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have small feeding pens that are truly dry lots but will finish their cattle on small pastures with lots of high-quality grain. This is truly a hybrid grain finishing system and one that can be efficient and effective. These cattle are sometimes referred to as grass-fed, grain-finished. Cattle that are to be grain finished need to be started on feed/grain fairly slowly (three to four pounds per head, per day for a few days) and then generally the amounts are increased slowly until they are eating over 2.5% of their body weight in grain each day. Keep in mind that while protein is very important for growing cattle, calories are what drive finishing cattle,

so the grain-finishing diets tend to be a bit lower in protein, but much higher in starches, which typically come from grains. Grain-finished cattle will need to be fed for a minimum of 60 days, not counting the time it takes to get them acclimated to the feed, and most are fed much longer than that. Many cattle will be fed well over 100 days on a high-grain diet, with some eating a calorie-dense ration for 150 to 200 days. Obviously the longer a calf is fed, the heavier it will get, the fatter it will get, the better it will grade and most likely the better it will taste. There are a few more final points to consider. Local processors are backed up and, if you want to grow out your own animals, you will need to make your steer or heifer a harvest appointment well in advance. These days, six months in advance is not too much. To grain finish cattle correctly takes months and a great deal of feed. If you consider that a big calf will need 2030 pounds of feed every day and we think about a four-month feeding program, it will take roughly a ton and a half of feed. One hundred and twenty days X 25 pounds per day = 3,000 pounds. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t skimp on the hay. Access to good-quality dry hay, even if they have access to pasture, will help the cattle adjust to the feed, utilize the feed more efficiently and help them maintain overall health. Finally, clean water is a must. Heavy-weight finishing cattle will consume over 20 gallons of water each day and, if water quantity or quality is insufficient, feed intake will drop. Finishing your own livestock can be as rewarding as anything you do on your farm and many producers take great pride in the products that they produce. It will be a fairly expensive endeavor if done correctly both in money and time but the end results and the knowledge that you have a secure supply of high-quality meat makes it well worth the investment.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t skimp on the hay. Access to good quality dry hay, even if they have access to pasture, will help the cattle adjust to the feed, utilize the feed more efficiently and help them maintain overall health.

Cooperative Farming News

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

BY JOHN SIMS

FORMAXÂŽ Breeder Minerals Breeder Gold: Enhanced with extreme levels of vitamins, minerals, and Mintrex chelated trace minerals for maximum bioavailability and reproductive efficiency, for purebred or commercial herds with the highest reproduction standards. Breeder Silver: Elevated levels of minerals, vitamins and Mintrex chelated trace minerals, for the top end commercial herd. Breeder Bronze: Complete mineral/vitamin supplement (no weather coating or chelated trace minerals).

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

ON THE EDGE OF COMMON SENSE

B Y B A X T E R B L A C K , DV M

Corriente Auction

It could only happen to a cowboy. Thurman had established himself as a figure of some note in the Corriente Association. The Association had developed over the years into a successful representation of livestock people dedicated to breeding and supplying roping steers. The Corriente breeders in the Northwest were gearing up for their big regional meeting in Prineville, Oregon. Being a national officer, Thurman was asked to attend and was given dignitary status. In preparation for the auction fundraiser to be held at the gala on the final night, members brought items to sell. Jim, a California Corriente man, brought a big painting. As he scanned the other auction items, he began to doubt the worthiness of his contribution. He asked Thurman’s opinion. Thurman looked at the tall three-foot by two-foot drawing. It was framed with simple, yet sturdy one by two lathe. A large paint horse was bucking against a desert and mountain backdrop. With no criticism implied, it was obvious that anatomy had not been the artist’s college major. ‘Course that didn’t make Picasso all bad either. Onboard the bucker sat a big-hatted, moustachioed cowboy, chaps flying, spurs flashing and a nose that cleaved the air like an ice breaker in Hudson Bay. The saddle and gear were intricately carved. The curled rattlesnake was detailed down to the papilla on his flickering tongue. Thurman stood back ... overwhelmed, as Jim explained it had been drawn by an inmate at the state prison. “All done in ballpoint,” offered Jim hopefully. “Jim,” said Thurman, “I’m no art critic, but it’s beauti18

Cooperative Farming News

ful. I’d love to have it myself, but I’ll bet it’ll top the sale!” Jim beamed. At the auction that night things were sellin’ wildly. A cassette brought $180.00. A little statue brought $350.00. Thurman was helping at the auction table. He personally carried Jim’s picture to the front. “Friends,” he said, “This spectacular hand-done original drawing in ballpoint donated by Jim is gonna be the catch of the day. It’s a treasure worthy of great museums, historic bar walls and unfinished tackrooms. Look at the detail, the contrast, the poetry in motion harkening back to our forefathers and their foremothers before them. It will be the purchase of a lifetime!” The crowd looked at Thurman in a new light. “Matter of fact,” he continued, “I’m gonna start the bidding at $125.00.” Jim was overcome. Admiration for Thurman swelled within him. He rose and walked to the front. “Ladies and gentlemen, our friend Thurman has done so much for us and although there is no way we can properly repay him, I suggest we stop the bidding right here and let Thurman have it!” A standing ovation followed. Thurman smiled like a sick dog and rapidly inventoried his airplane ticket home and the $132.00 in his pocket. (P.S. It cost him $5.00 to package it for the plane ride home. He had coffee and a Twinkie and spent that night at the airport parking lot in his rental car. The picture now hangs on Thurman’s wall as a reminder.) www.baxterblack.com

FROM THE STATE VET’S OFFICE

BY DR. TONY FRAZIER

The Alabama Meat Inspection Program

Over the past few years, the State Veterinarian’s office has been fortunate enough to contribute to this magazine, and at some point, we have discussed the Meat Inspection Program. Recently, we have been receiving questions regarding meat inspection: why does there seem to be a shortage of beef at the grocery store or how can someone start a meat processing operation? There has also been a strong interest in providing locally grown and processed beef. This is something the agency and Commissioner certainly encourage. There have also been lots of questions about what it means to be a state or federally inspected operation or a custom exempt facility. So, we would

like to provide a short overview of the meat inspection program in Alabama. The slaughter and processing of livestock, which includes cattle, sheep, goats and swine, is regulated on a national level by the Federal Meat Inspection Act. Under these laws, the United States Department of Agriculture/Food Safety Inspection Service is given primary authority for the oversight of meat products that might be consumed or offered for sale. That authority may be designated to a state agency (in states that chose to apply for such authority) if that state’s regulations are at least “equal to” those under USDA/ FSIS. August 2020

In the late 1960s, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries applied for and was approved by USDA/FSIS to administer the Federal Meat Inspection Act within the state. Currently, there are 27 states, including Alabama, that administer a state meat inspection program in the United States. These states function within a Cooperative Agreement system with USDA/FSIS and as such, can receive federal funds to assist with the administration of the program. These funds provide reimbursement for half of inspectors’ salaries and mileage. Implementation at the state level can vary from state to state, depending on state funding, personnel or types of processing desired. Because of this variation, understanding the process can be a little confusing. At ADAI, the meat inspection program is administered under the division of the State Veterinarian’s office with a designated Associate State Veterinarian as the State Meat Inspection Director, Dr. Neely Barrett. In Alabama, there are several ways livestock may be harvested, processed and reach the consumer with the overarching goal of providing a safe, wholesome and properly labeled meat product. These decisions are up to the owner of a livestock slaughter/processing operation. Individuals or partners may apply for one or more of these applications for their operation.

3 Types of Processing Operations in Alabama: 1. “State Inspected” Livestock is harvested and processed under state inspection requirements and can be sold to a consumer, grocery store or restaurant. Meat must be sold within the state.

2. “Federal Inspected” Facility is under Federal inspection using state personnel. After having passed Federal inspection, meat product can be sold across state lines.

2. “Custom Exempt” Facility is exempt from certain parts of the Meat Inspection Act. Meat must be stamped “Custom Not For Sale.” It is for the consumption of the producer who grows their own steer. 20

Cooperative Farming News

Generally, a facility owner may apply to be a “State Inspected” operation. This means that livestock can be harvested and processed under “inspection” and the state labeled products can then be sold to a consumer, grocery store or restaurant. The only caveat, however, is that the meat products can only be sold within the state. Secondly, a facility owner may apply to be a “Federal Inspected” operation. These facilities are known as “T/A plants” or “Talmadge/Aiken plants” and the inspection process is known as “cross-utilization.” This means the facility is under federal inspection, but the program is using state personnel. The inspection process would be the same and products can be sold the same way, and the product would have a federal label and could be sold across state lines. Both state and federal inspected facilities are required under the Act to meet certain facility requirements, harvest animals following strict humane handling guidelines and have a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points plan along with a Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure. Lastly, a facility owner may choose to be a “Custom Exempt” operation. With this method, a facility may be “exempt” from certain parts of the Meat Inspection Act, primarily the harvesting and processing can be done without direct inspection. Also, the facility is “exempt” from having a HACCP plan and SSOP. The facility would be subject, however, to certain facility sanitation, humane slaughter and record-keeping regulations. The products produced at a “Custom Exempt” facility cannot be sold to a consumer, grocery store or restaurant and must be stamped or marked “Custom Not for Sale.” An example of this would be a producer who grows their own steer to have it harvested and processed for their personal consumption or to share with family members or nonpaying guests. In Alabama, there are currently 19 state inspected facilities, 21 T/A or federal inspected facilities and 23 custom exempt facilities, all covered by ADAI inspectors and veterinarians. There can be some variation within a facility as to how inspection is used. For example, a facility may request to have two days of inspected slaughter and processing and then request three days of custom exempt slaughter and processing. So, there are lots of ways to get into the meat processing business and we will provide the inspection of the product. Providing food to the public is sometimes hard work and must involve some regulations but can be a rewarding enterprise knowing that you are providing others with a safe, wholesome and affordable meat product. If you have more questions about the Meat Inspection program, please call our Meat Inspection office at 334-240-7210.

STORE SPOTLIGHT BY C O R E Y E S P Y

Geneva County Co-op Geneva County Cooperative was formed in 2018 from the consolidation of Hartford Farmers Cooperative and West Geneva Farmers Cooperative. These two successful cooperatives have had a history of serving the community for many years. Hartford Farmers Cooperative was originally started by the farmers in the area to serve as a feed crusher. In 1969, the location became a member of Alabama Farmers Cooperative Inc. and shifted focus to the row crop producers with a focus on peanuts, as the location also served as an Anderson’s Peanut buying point for many years. The Hartford location also continued to service the cattle producers in the region with the feed crusher as well as providing them with feed for their livestock and pasture supplies. The West Geneva branch of Geneva County Cooperative began in 1966 and served its customers much the same as Hartford. They also serviced the row crops in the area as well as the cattle producers. Today, as a location with a high population of row crop producers, the store handles bulk fertilizer and crop protection products, but also services many of the cattle farmers in the area. Since the early days, the two co-ops have grown and shifted with the ever-changing face of agriculture to fulfill needs of the area such as the uptick in cotton production throughout the years. It is this ability to adapt that has led to much success. Today, the locations offer many different services for their customers. They still offer the traditional ag products but also have retail areas with items ranging from lawn and garden supplies to household items. Hartford even bags raw peanuts which are sold not only in Hartford, but at Co-op stores across the state. With the close proximity of the two stores (18 miles), and the great working relationship between the two managers, the idea emerged to consolidate the two in order to better serve the customers of Geneva County. Although Hartford Manager Todd Smith was originally skeptical, he said that he now sees the vision that was laid out and understands it was a great move to strengthen both locations. For West Geneva manager Robert Pittman, the close working relationship made

Robert Pittman, West Geneva store manager (left), and Todd Smith, Hartford store manager (right), have seen mutual benefits from their stores merging.

the consolidation an easier decision. This merger has made serving customers more efficient by allowing the two locations to share equipment and employees to get producers served in a timely manner. It also allowed the stores to come together and hire an outside salesman. The outside salesman gives Geneva County Co-op yet another tool to strengthen their relationship with existing customers as well as reach out to new customers. District Manager Jody Enfinger voiced much of the same thoughts as both managers. He said that the merger has enhanced customer service and improved inventory turns to ensure fresh products for the customers. Enfinger also said that he thinks that the successful consolidation of Geneva County Cooperative should be a blueprint for future mergers. AFC vice president of Management Services James Fudge had this to say: “The consolidation of Hartford Farmers Cooperative and West Geneva Cooperative into Geneva County Cooperative has been a very positive move for the members of Geneva County. Not only has it joined these two cooperatives together to make a more efficient operation, it has made a cooperative that services its members in the most efficient manner possible. Through these efficiencies, Geneva County Cooperative has been able to serve their members with more products, better service and a better return on their investment. Todd and Robert have shown the true meaning of working together throughout this consolidation and continue to strive to service their members with outstanding performance.” Overall, the formation of Geneva County Cooperative has proven the motto of the AFC Family, “One Team, One Goal.” Joining forces has allowed these two stores to come together and strengthen the Co-op for the common goal of providing unmatched service to the customer. August 2020

TUB TIMELINE Stimulyx® Low-Moisture Tubs

• HLF

• All-Natural 25%

• Hi-Mag Fescue Relief

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

• Hi-Mag Fescue Relief with Tasco

• Fly Relief IGR

• Stress Relief

COOL WEATHER TUBS

WARM WEATHER TUBS

• HLF

Cooperative Farming News

WARM WEATHER TUBS

• HLF

• All-Natural 25%

• Hi-Mag Fescue Relief

OCT

NOV

DEC

JUL

AUG

SEPT

• Hi-Mag Fescue Relief with Tasco

• Fly Relief IGR

• Stress Relief

COOL WEATHER TUBS

Please visit your local Co-op for regional questions, stock inquiries and nutritional information. We’re committed to helping you find the best fit for your herd! Find the location nearest you at www.alafarm.com/locations

August 2020

4-H EXTENSION CORNER

Transforming Tomorrow The Alabama 4-H Foundation Board established a scholarship program in 2019 to honor 4-H students for both their exceptional accomplishments and their hard work. This assistance helped to remove financial barriers so that 4-H’ers could reach their educational and career goals more easily. The 4-H Foundation has continued this service in 2020, awarding $1,000 scholarships to 36 outstanding 4-H seniors. To qualify, applicants submitted their 4-H story, their 4-H resume, a recommendation letter and an ACES reference. No scholastic GPA or standardized testing scores were considered in the selections, allowing the selection committee to choose 4-H’ers based on their 4-H involvement and participation more than an academic number. A panel of judges has now awarded the 2020 4-H Foundation Scholarships to these 36 outstanding students: Lauren Bailey (Marshall); Dustin Barrs (Etowah); Mathew Baxley (Geneva); Mabrey Calloway (Elmore); Madison Caylor (Mobile); Josie Chance (Bibb); Logan Cox (Houston); Tilley Dombroski (Henry); Abby Fuller (Clarke); Faith Fuqua (Colbert); Audra Graves (Blount); Ella Hart (Escambia); Baylee House (Dallas); Elizabeth Jordan (Lee); Joi Key (Lauderdale); Adam McNutt (St. Clair); Jerry Milller (Shelby); Rice Nichols (Lee); Zoe Nye (Limestone); Jonathan Parnell (Henry): Tamara Phillips (Montgomery); Sydney Presnell (Limestone); Mary Rasbury (Tallapoosa); Kenneth Reese (Jefferson); Naomi Robertson (Tuscaloosa); Emma-Jane Rogers (Cherokee); Thailand Salary (Barbour); Elizabeth Schisler (Dale); Joshua Sims (Clarke); Rebekah Smith (Shelby); Mason Taylor (Washington); Annalise Vanderbilt Wel (Marshall); Sherri Welborn (Washington); Madison Wilbanks (Lauderdale); William Winters (Tuscaloosa); and Marissa Womack (Etowah). “We are so fortunate to have the ongoing support of the Alabama 4-H Foundation,” said Molly Gregg, assistant director, Alabama 4-H at Auburn University. “College scholarships are one of the many Foundation commitments to the state’s young people.” 24

Cooperative Farming News

To highlight the diversity of 4-H experiences within Alabama, we will spotlight six outstanding 2020 scholarship winners, whose resumes and post-secondary plans vary widely in interests and academic requirements.

Logan Cox – Houston County 4-H Logan Cox plans to attend Wallace Community College. A bit of a Chick Chain expert, Cox has actively participated in this program since 2014. Cox serves as a regional 4-H ambassador in the Wiregrass area and on the Houston County 4-H Council. He attended the Southern Region 4-H Teen Leadership Conference in Tennessee and the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta. Through Cox’s involvement in 4-H, he has learned to value opportunities, to belong, to adapt, to succeed and to learn from failure. “Logan has mastered countless skills and shared his knowledge with so many,” said Doug Summerford, Logan’s 4-H Agent. “Logan has grown into a fine young man, and we are very proud of him!”

Logan Cox

B Y C A R O LY N D R I N K A R D

Abby Fuller – Clarke County 4-H Abby Fuller plans to attend the University of West Alabama and major in elementary education. Fuller has participated in 4-H Chick Chain, archery, dairy and dairy quiz bowl. Her leadership accomplishments include serving on the Clarke County 4-H Council for five years, participating as a delegate to 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus and representing Alabama at the National 4-H Dairy Conference in Madison, Wisconsin. “4-H has molded me into the leader I am today,” Fuller explained. “It is most definitely not just for farm kids.” Clarke County 4-H Agent Wendy Padgett agreed.

Audra Graves

of the classroom and in my 4-H livestock projects,” Graves explained. Her mother, Nancy Graves, the 4-H Agent in Blount and St. Clair counties, stated, “Audra literally grew up at cattle shows, watching her brother show, and it was no surprise that her 4-H career would involve cows and anything livestock-related. 4-H opened up a whole new world of possibilities for this once shy and timid little girl and made her into a confident and compassionate young lady.”

Elizabeth Jordan – Lee County 4-H Abby Fuller

“Abby is an integral part of our 4-H program. She has exemplified the qualities that one must possess to be an effective leader. From the moment that I began to work with her, I saw potential that I rarely see in many youth. Whatever I had to offer in 4-H, Abby has been there!”

Elizabeth “Liz” Jordan will attend Belmont University in the fall. Jordan has been an active member of Lee County 4-H where she started as a Cloverbud in

Audra Graves – Blount County 4-H Audra Graves plans to attend Auburn University to major in animal science/pre-veterinary medicine. Graves has participated in the dog project, interior design, livestock judging, 4-H camp and sewing, but her 4-H highlight has been showing beef cattle for nine years in more than 62 different county, district, state and national livestock shows. “4-H gave me the self-confidence to be different from my classmates and pursue a higher level of achievement in and out

Elizabeth Jordan

August 2020

gardening projects. She has been president of the 4-H History Seekers Club for seven years, captain of the 4-H Shotgun Club, and a member of the Lee County 4-H Youth Council. She has also attended the Mid-Winter Teen Leadership Retreat. Jordan has participated in 4-H Chick Chain and the 4-H Sweet Potato Project, donating her proceeds to the East Alabama Food Bank. “Over the years, 4-H has aided my communication and public speaking skills,” Jordan stated. “4-H helped shape my philanthropic attitude and provided opportunities for my leadership development. I would not be the person I am today without the benefits I have found in Alabama 4-H.” Deborah Stewart, Jordan’s 4-H agent, agreed. “Elizabeth is a true leader! Her outgoing personality and willingness to break the ice to make others feel comfortable is one of her strongest attributes. It has been a joy to watch her grow and inspire others to get involved in their community!”

all to 4-H.” Chloe Wilson, Nye’s 4-H agent, added, “Zoe is always involving herself in new 4-H projects, competitions and clubs while also continuing to craft the skills and talents she already has. We are so proud of Zoe and can’t wait to see where the future takes her!”

Kenneth Reese – Jefferson County 4-H Kenneth “Trey” Reese plans to major in agriscience education at Auburn University. As president of the Alabama 4-H Ambassadors, Reese led the state’s team in planning and hosting the Mid-Winter Teen Retreat.

Zoe Nye – Limestone County 4-H Zoe Nye plans to major in conservation biology at Mississippi State. For the past 10 years, Nye has been involved in almost all 4-H project areas, from River Kids to Alabama Water Watch to Limestone County 4-H Cupcake Wars. Nye has been an Alabama 4-H Ambassador for two years and attended Mid-Winter Teen Retreat, 4-H Poultry Week and other state events, including Buckmasters. Pursuing her passion in Alabama Water Watch led to her founding a nature studies program at her school and competing in the Envirothon competition. “4-H has changed my life,” Nye explained. “I don’t ever think I’ll be able to thank 4-H enough because without this club, this family, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I owe it

Zoe Nye

Cooperative Farming News

Kenneth “Trey” Reese

He has also served on the Jefferson County 4-H Youth Council and as a counselor-in-training at 4-H Camp in 2019. Reese is active in the Birmingham community, volunteering at the McWane Science Center, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Alabama, and at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is also active in his local church. Reese competed in the egg demonstration program at the National Poultry and Egg Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. “My last message to Alabama 4-H is ‘thank you’,” Reese stated. “If it were not for this great organization, I would not be the leader I am today. I want to continue to inspire others to take advantage of every opportunity 4-H has to offer.” Izette McNealy, Reese’s 4-H agent, added, “Trey has opened up avenues for Jefferson County 4-H we never dreamed of. He is such a ‘people person’ that you can’t help but gravitate to his warm personality. We are super proud of Trey, and all he has accomplished.” These scholarships will help students reach their educational and career goals. By rewarding involvement and participation, the Alabama 4-H Foundation has made it easier for 36 seniors to transform tomorrow.

PALS

BY JAMIE MITCHELL

A scene from the new Clean Campus video depicts a distressed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mother Earthâ&#x20AC;? travelling in the back seat of a car.

Clean Campus Video What a year we have had so far! 2020 has proven to be unpredictable in every way imaginable, but we at Alabama PALS have been working hard to maintain some degree of normalcy throughout the past several months. All school programs were canceled from midMarch through May, so we were able to redirect our energy into creating our new Clean Campus teaching video. The video covers littering, landfills, recycling and personal choices that can make a difference. This video will be available to all Alabama schools for the 2020-2021 school year and could not come at a better time as some schools may not have large gatherings for the foreseeable future. Our new video can be shown anytime, to any size group and contains the same information as if they were having an in-person visit from me. I will still be scheduling visits into the classrooms where I can, but we are so excited to have an even greater ability to connect with students by means of this video. As schools begin to start back and decide how they will meet and gather, please encourage your local school to sign up to be a member of the Clean Campus Program and check out the brand-new anti-litter-

ing video available to all members. Schools may learn more on our website at www.alpals.org, or they may contact me directly at jamie@alpals.org or by phone at 334-263-7737. As always, the Clean Campus Program is available at no cost to schools thanks to our wonderful corporate sponsors.

August 2020

FFA SENTINEL

National FFA Officer Candidate for 2020

Will Jordan

Will Jordan was honored to meet U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue while attending the National FFA Convention and Expo.

The Alabama FFA Association is pleased to announce that our National FFA Officer Candidate for 2020 is Will Jordan from the Clay County FFA Chapter. Jordan is a 2018 graduate of Central High School of Clay County where he was very active in FFA. As a student leader, Jordan served as an FFA officer for not only his chapter but also the Central District and in 2017-2018, he served as the State FFA Reporter. Jordan’s agriculture roots run deep as he was raised around a beef cattle operation.

As a huge fan of RFD-TV, Will was excited to meet broadcast icon Orion Samuelson who has been covering National FFA Conventions for decades.

Cooperative Farming News

As a result of his experiences, in 2016, Jordan began his own entrepreneurship, Jordan Livestock Feeders. Jordan Livestock Feeders focuses on producing high-quality beef, pork and lamb for consumers. After finding fast success, Jordan began another business in 2017, Uterotech Reproductive Solutions, which focuses on cattle genetic consultations, artificial insemination, estrus synchronization via hormone therapy, and replacement and retention of prolapsed reproductive tracts. Jordan’s successes with his supervised agricultural experiences have gained him several recognitions including several first place FFA proficiency awards in veterinary science, diversified livestock production, beef production and swine production. Jordan also competed in career and leadership development events such as land evaluation, livestock evaluation, dairy evaluation and extemporaneous public speaking. He is also the proud recipient of both the State and American FFA Degree. This honor is a proud representation of Jordan’s excellence in each area of Agriscience Education’s 3-Circle Model for a successful program which consists of classroom instruction, FFA and supervised agricultural experience.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey is another familiar face Will has had the honor to meet as she signed a proclamation for National FFA Week.

J OY A N N A L OV E

Will, pictured here with his family, is the proud recipient of both the State and American FFA Degree.

Will celebrates winning the State Veterinary Science proficiency with his grandfather, Dr. Jim Jordan, DVM.

Jordan is currently attending Auburn University where he is majoring in Agricultural Communications with a minor in Animal Sciences. Jordan serves as one of Auburn University’s Student Recruiters, offering a welcoming face and voice to prospective Auburn students. While he currently is an auctioneer, he is also completing requirements for real estate licensing. Jordan is active in several other organizations on Auburn’s campus such as the Collegiate Cattlemen’s Association and Young Farmers. Furthermore, he is involved with the Inter-

national Buddies Program which pairs students that are familiar with Auburn with international students to help them feel more “at home.” As a National FFA Officer Candidate, he will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, in October to go through multiple rounds of interviews in hopes of serving as one of six National FFA Officers. This prestigious group of students spend a year of their life traveling the globe as representatives of the National FFA Organization. We are very proud of Will Jordan and are excited to see him represent our state on the national stage.

During his time as a State Officer, Will traveled and met members from across the state including these students from Reeltown High School during their Farm Day.

In Will’s retiring address at the 90th Alabama State FFA Convention, he challenged members to find their purpose and use it to positively impact the world around them.

August 2020

Busy Bee Activities

Did You Know? Alabama is ranked second in the nation in commercial forest land, with 22.9 million acres. beef2live.com

Cooperative Farming News

August 2020

FROM WILDLIFE AND FRESHWATER FISHERIES

Doves,

the Kickoff to a New Hunting Season The dove season opener marks the beginning of fall hunting seasons!! Why would anyone want to be outside in early September when the temperature is usually pushing triple digits and the humidity is looming around 90%? Dove season … that’s why! Many hunters, present company included, can’t wait for the first hunting season of each fall despite the miserably hot conditions. For decades, the kickoff to fall involves football and dove hunting. With COVID-19 still lurking around and threatening the upcoming football season, we aren’t planning on letting the pandemic negatively impact dove season. We are still on schedule to practice proper social distancing and enjoy the wonderful September weather on a dove field as soon as possible.

Cooperative Farming News

Dove hunting lends itself to being the perfect outdoor recreation for social distancing. A typical dove field will find hunters approximately 50 to 75 yards apart, surrounding the field. This distance is perfect for social distancing as well as hunter safety. In addition, you don’t have to be still or silent while dove hunting. The older I get, these are two things I’m finding harder and harder to accomplish. Unlike many years in the past, dove season for the north zone will begin Sept. 5, the Saturday before Labor Day, and Sept. 12 in the south zone. I’m going to turn the rest of the article over to our migratory game bird coordinator, Seth Maddox, to explain how the season was set this year. Mourning doves are the most hunted and harvested game species in the continental United States, and Alabama is no exception. The most recent state harvest survey shows that an estimated 35,955 hunters spent more than 194,000 days hunting and harvested more than 1.2 million doves during the 2018-19 season. Most of this hunting activity and harvest occurs within the first two weeks of the season, as Alabama hunters only average five days of dove hunting per season. Although this seems like a short amount of time for such a large harvest, the timing of opening day and available days during the early season influence the harvest and hunter opportunity. Since 2000, dove season in the north zone has opened the Saturday before Labor Day three times, 2009-2011. Before these years, dove season in the

BY CHUCK SYKES north zone usually opened the third weekend of September. In the most recent years, dove season in the north zone has opened the second weekend of September, the weekend after Labor Day. With a mixture of opening dates over the last 20 years, the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division decided to survey dove hunter preferences to help inform the season-setting process. In 2018, the Alabama Dove Hunter Survey was sent via email to more than 46,000 hunters who were Harvest Information Program certified and/or who had signed up to receive information about dove or small game hunting via email. Most respondents (58%) indicated they had hunted dove for more than 20 years. Also, 74% of respondents indicated they typically only hunt one to five days during the 90-day season, and 70% start hunting on opening day. To determine how hunters utilize dove hunting zones in Alabama, a series of questions asked about hunting participation among zones. Most respondents (78%) indicated they hunt only in the north zone for all dove hunts and trips. When hunters were asked about when dove season should open in the north zone, responses were all over the board. However, the greatest percentage of respondents (37%) indicated that they would like the season to open the first Saturday in September (see Figure 1). Most respondents (71%) also indicated they prefer that the majority of the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open hunting days occur September through October. Most (53%) also wanted the season to include as many weekends and holidays as possible.

In the North Zone, the earliest that dove season can open is Sept 1. Would you prefer the season to: 37% 25%

20% 10%

Open Sept 1, no matter what day of the week if falls

Open the 1st Sat after Sept 1 (1st Weekend)

Open the 2nd Sat of Sept (Currently in North Zone)

Open on 3rd or 4th Sat of Sept (Currently in South Zone)

Does Not Matter

Figure 1. Preference of hunters for the timing of the opening day of dove season in the north zone.

With the survey results in hand when setting the dove hunting season dates for the 2020-21 season, preferred factors were considered. These factors included timing of opening day, so the season was set to open Sept. 5, the first Saturday in September. Opening the season in the north zone on Sept. 5 allows seven additional hunting days in September and includes an extra holiday (Labor Day) for people to maximize hunting opportunity. Only the 10 southernmost Alabama counties make up the south zone, translating into fewer responses for that zone; however, the largest percentage of respondents (45%) indicated they prefer the opening day of dove season to be the second or third Saturday in September. Historically the south zone has opened the Saturday following the north zone opener. Therefore, the 2020-21 south zone dove season opening date was set for Saturday, Sept. 12, the second Saturday in September. The remaining south zone responses align with the north zone responses. To see the entire dove survey go to www.outdooralabama.com. The Alabama Dove Hunter Survey took some speculation out of the season-setting process, allowing WFF to maximize hunting opportunity by providing hunters with their preferred season options. We intend to replicate this survey every few years to have up-to-date information on hunter preferences. We hope that you can spend some quality time outdoors with friends and family this fall by kicking it off with dove season in September. What better way is there to get together with a group while maintaining social distance than on a dove field? August 2020

OUTDOOR LOGIC WITH BIOLOGIC

Trail Camera “Views” Information Collection Solution Now that there are some discernible antlers on top of the bucks’ heads, it’s time to get those trail cameras working overtime. Much can be learned about our herd, and the data may help us in harvesting a mature buck this fall. “Information” about deer movements and, more specifically, the habits of a buck you’re after, can be the most important parts of a successful hunt. This information is also vital in making sound management decisions. Give these ideas a try to get the most from your trail cameras: #1 - To begin, choose the right camera. To me, the three most important features are a quality lens, an effective infrared flash and a quiet shutter. You may also want other features like better resolution, timelapse, burst mode, video, password protection or builtin viewer. It all depends upon your personal needs, but like most things … you get what you pay for. #2 - Mind the angle of the sun. The best daylight images will usually have the sun at the camera’s back or angled from the side. As a general rule, place the camera southerly of your target. At times you may get away with facing your cameras toward the sun; it depends 34

Cooperative Farming News

upon the angle to the sun. It’s really the sunrise and sunset that you should try to avoid. However, if you have a nicer camera, sometimes you can achieve some beautiful effects by catching some of the sun in your image.

As a general rule, you’ll want to set your camera with the sun at its back or from the side. However, with some nicer cameras, at times you can capture beautiful images by allowing the sun behind the subject(s). (Photo Credit: Dave Medvecky)

BY TODD AMENRUD #3 - Your camera should have a clear view of your target area. Remove all obstructions and cut branches, weeds and twigs out of the way. Make sure your lens and infrared flash have a clear path to the target area. If a sunbathed branch is blowing in the breeze in front of the camera’s sensors, you’ll have an SD card full of “buckless” images. #4 - Shoot a test photo/video so you know it’s framed properly. If your camera has a built-in viewer, this will be easy, but you don’t want your camera to capture just legs or half a set of antlers. Consider using a digital picture viewer or a small digital camera so you can check over your photos in the field. #5 - Instead of trying to capture animals passing straight across the camera’s path, try to angle the camera to the trail. Trigger speeds have come a long way, but if you’re covering a trail or a passage where the animals come through quickly, it’s best to angle rather than placing it perpendicular to the trail. If at a right-angle and the animal passes through the sensor area traveling fast, you may only have an image of a hind-end or nothing at all. #6 - Deter camera crooks by concealing the camera, securing it to a tree, hanging it in a hard to reach spot or placing it in a locked steel box. First, use some common sense; don’t hang your camera in an obvious location like next to a feeder, at a gate opening or along a walking trail. Oftentimes, trespassers will take or destroy them so there’s no evidence of their unscrupulous act. Find a less obvious spot and camouflage the camera into the surroundings. A friend of mine carves out a cavity in a log or stump for the camera. I like to place my cameras on a tripod and I will camouflage both the camera and the tripod with ghillie yarn. I believe it is easy to locate a “horizontal camera strap” around a tree with “vertical bark patterns.” I doubt that I’m hiding very much from the sophisticated nose of a whitetail; my goal is to hide it from the vision of people who shouldn’t be there in the first place. One of the best ways to discourage theft is to hang the camera out of reach. Bring a climbing stick section or a couple tree-steps to help hang the camera too high to reach. If you hang it high, you may need to place a wedge behind the camera to angle it downward to the target area. Security chains and cables work well to deter most, but sometimes if a “camera-pinching jerk” can’t take the camera, they destroy it. If a resolute crook wants the camera, they seem to find a way – unfortunately, a pair of bolt-cutters fits in a backpack.

A “time-lapse” feature takes photos at predetermined intervals and works great for covering larger areas like food plots or agricultural fields. (Photo Credit: Dave Medvecky)

#7 - Take advantage of your “time-lapse feature.” This means the camera is triggered at predetermined time intervals rather than movement through the sensor area. Time-lapse is a great feature for covering food plots, agricultural fields or any large open area. If you can’t figure out which trails deer are most often using to access a food source, time-lapse can teach you. #8 - Use scent for a stopper. Create a “sign-post” in a spot where there is obvious animal traffic. It doesn’t need to be whitetail scent; fox or coon urine are two of my favorites. Most animals want to “claim their territory” and often stop to urinate over the last animals’ deposits, letting the others know, “I live here, too.” A sign post can stop them so they pose for the photo. Not only can scent get them to “pose,” but it can also attract them from a distance. A little Trail’s End #307 or Golden Buck will work during early season or after the rut, and Special Golden Estrus is perfect during late October through November. Place the scent on a Key-Wick and then put it on a branch or twig about four feet off the ground.

Scent can not only help “pose” bucks for a picture, it can also help attract them from a distance. A camera set at a mock scrape location is one of the best ways to get an inventory of all the bucks in an area. (Photo Credit: Paul Marion)

August 2020

#9 - Develop a system for filing your photos. A property manager should be good at keeping records. Trail camera photos help to gather information on mature bucks, document trends over time, and there is no better way to determine density, buck-to-doe ratio or age structure of your herd. Nowadays, a property manager can collect 200,000 images or more in one season, so it’s important to find a way to organize your images so you can find them to recap. #10 - Find the sweet spot. Most cameras will claim they are good to a certain range, when in reality they stink at their maximum touted limit. Set them close enough to your target to get good nighttime illumination on the subject from your infrared flash. #11 - If theft isn’t an issue, get some lightweight, small rubber cords (bungee-cord) with hooks at each end. The straps some manufacturers give you to fasten a small camera to a tree could double for a tug-strap to pull a vehicle out of a ditch and take two people to get around the tree. Otherwise, with mounting systems like the “Stake Out” or “Stic-n-Pic,” you don’t need a tree at all. Some trail-cams will work with a regular camera tripod. I prefer this method – I can essentially set a camera anywhere. There are numerous other mounting options, but it’s nice to have something simple and quick.

ing them, weather conditions and more. The idea is to check or move your cameras when you will disturb the deer the least. #13 - Use your cameras to “back-track bucks.” If a buck is showing up at a food plot or feeding station after dark and you don’t have good tracking conditions, use your trail camera to track down its origin. The closer you get to their core area, the better your chances for a shot during legal shooting light. The key is to keep your cameras moving. A buck may simply walk 5 feet out of your camera’s sensor area, so keep repositioning them. #14 - If you’re getting photos of deer looking at the camera, they’re either seeing your infrared flash or they’re hearing the shutter trigger. Try hanging it high to keep it above a whitetail’s normal line of sight. About as high as you can reach usually works (about seven to eight feet). Again, you may need to place a wedge behind the camera to angle it down to the target area. If they’re still looking at the camera, you probably need to spend a little more on a better camera with a quieter shutter.

If you happen to get images of deer looking directly at the camera, it may mean the camera’s shutter is triggering too loudly or they are seeing the infrared flash. Since this photo was taken during daylight, this buck likely heard the camera “wake up.” (Photo Credit: Todd Amenrud)

Find a fast, easy way to hang/set your camera. Small “bungee-cords” work well for quickly hanging cameras around trees, but the author actually favors small tripods because they can essentially be placed anywhere. (Photo Credit: Todd Amenrud)

#12 - How and when you should check your cameras depends upon many factors. In some instances you may want to check them every day or two. Under other scenarios you may want to wait a week to 10 days or more before you check them. Variables would be the time of year, location of the camera(s), what you’re trying to accomplish, how you’re check36

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#15 - Take “inventory” of your bucks. If you don’t know exactly “who” you have roaming your property during the summer months and into September, set your camera at a mineral source such as a BioRock. After hard antler arrives, switch to mock scrape sites. You may not get many photos of does at the scrapes, but from early October through December, bucks are instinctually drawn to scrapes. You can “doctor-up” a buck’s natural, existing scrape or make your own “mock scrape.” A Magnum Scrape Dripper with Active Scrape or Golden Scrape will work best for this tactic. The best part of both of these is you usually get multiple angles of each buck as they lick the rock or work the licking-branch.

GREEK SNAPPER Serves 6 This dish is incredibly easy to make, but is packed full of flavor. You could substitute any white, flaky fish for the snapper and make the dish a weekly staple. Ingredients: 2 - 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 pounds fresh snapper (about 2 large fillets) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped 1/2 cup kalamata olives 3 Tablespoons capers 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped 1 pint (1 can) canned tomatoes 1/2 cup dry white wine • Heat oven to 200 F. • Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper fillets and place in pan when oil is shimmering. Cook for 5 minutes and then turn fillets over and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Place gently onto a cookie sheet and place in oven with door cracked to keep warm. • Add remaining olive oil to pan. Sauté onions, olives, capers, garlic and rosemary for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and wine to the medley and reduce for 5-10 more minutes. • Remove snapper from oven, place on platter and pour olive mixture over the fish. Serve with a side salad and crusty bread.

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. August 2020

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August5/20/20 2020 39 10:41 AM

At Home, On The Stage

BY CAROLYN DRINKARD

Karen Dean returned to her hometown of Thomasville to bring Broadway-style theater to this area. Thanks to a grant from the State Department of Education’s Alabama Arts in Education initiative, she started to teach theater classes at Thomasville High School in 2018.

40 Cooperative Farming News

aren Hill Dean has always been at home on the stage. With a melody in her heart and magic in her step, she has danced, dreamed, imitated and imagined all her life. “Karen loved pretending to be different characters, so she would take my sheets and make costumes,” her mother, Jan Hill, recalled. “Karen could sing as soon as she could talk, and she didn’t sound like a child! It was just a part of her nature, a part of who she is!” Karen grew up in Thomasville, the only girl among four adoring brothers, in a musical family that often entertained themselves by singing. She performed in school and church musicals, but her parents knew she was destined for more. Before her junior year (and after much begging), they allowed Karen to attend the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, but only if she lived with her aunt in Bessemer. Karen gained her theater degree from ASFA and moved on to UAB to further her studies. In 1996, she married Andy Dean, who shared her love of the theater. The couple dreamed of settling in Savannah,

After Andy and Karen Dean married in 1996, they dreamed of moving to Savannah, Georgia. The illness of Karen’s father kept them in Thomasville. When Karen started the Arts Council and later directed and performed in many productions, Andy and their four children were also involved, helping and supporting Karen in every way.

Georgia, but those dreams had to be put aside when Karen’s father, Charles Hill, became very ill. Karen knew she was needed at home. In her hometown, Karen busied herself with four young, talented and energetic children. Sensing his daughter’s restlessness, however, Charles encouraged Karen to start her own community theater. Karen had always been at home on the stage, so this idea fascinated her. She consulted a friend, who had started his own community theater in Birmingham, and she started by forming an Arts Council, to oversee a community theater group and to raise funds. She found six people who were interested, and the Thomasville Arts Council was “on the road.” For her first production, Karen chose “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” When she held auditions, only four people showed up! Undaunted, she “begged” her friends, individually, to help. Karen wanted to use

Karen directed and acted in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” The production featured an actual moving car, as well as elaborate sets and costuming. Pictured are (l to r, front) Karen Dean, Amy Davis; (back) Randy Nalley and Alex Bradford.

adult actors, to differentiate this play and the student performers. Also, she wanted to be behind the scenes, so she hired a director from Tuscaloosa and a choreographer from Demopolis. When the show was almost ready, Karen received devastating news: her beloved father had passed away. “My daddy wanted me to do this,” she said sadly, “so I promised everyone that I would be back!” The show was a success, signaling the birth of Thomasville’s first community theater group. She chose the name “Rambling Rose Players” after a weekly column and book by Thomasville native Earl Tucker: “Rambling Roses and Flying Bricks.” Karen spent the next years partnering with the Canebrake Players, a thriving community project in Demopolis. She directed “Little Shop of Horrors” and jointly directed “The Good Doctor.” Many of the performers and technicians from Demopolis helped in other plays Karen directed in Thomasville.

Karen was a chorus girl in the tavern for “Beauty and the Beast.” She directs and often plays smaller roles in many of the productions.

In 2006, Thomasville opened its long-awaited Civic Center, with the modern Bedsole Theater as its centerpiece. That year, Karen directed the first play to be performed on the new stage, “All Shook Up.” Word spread far and wide that something very special was happening on the hometown stage in Thomasville! After this, the Rambling Rose Players had their own pool of talented performers. To help even more, Arts Council member Chris Beverly, stepped forward to put together the “Flying Bricks Community Band” which enabled Karen to do musicals with a full orchestra of over 100 talented musicians from Thomasville and surrounding communities. Through the years, the Rambling Rose Players have enjoyed widespread success, offering Broadway-style productions with elaborate costuming, scenery and lighting, as well as big-theater props like a working car in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and a fire-breathing dragon in “Shrek.” The citizens of Thomasville have emAugust 2020 41

As part of Alabama’s Bicentennial Celebration, Thomasville hosted “Homecoming at the Boundary,” an American Indian living-history exhibition and stickball game. Karen Dean (c) welcomed ambassadors from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Poarch Creek Indians of Alabama.

braced the Rambling Rose Players, even allowing them to make the Civic Center their home. “Karen Dean came home with the dream of sharing the arts and her talents with the citizens of her hometown,” Thomasville’s mayor, Sheldon Day, explained. “Wow! That dream has been realized tenfold! Through her dreams, we have experienced a transformational Renaissance of the arts here that is now an integral part of our thriving and growing community! “ In 2018, Karen’s artistry took her to still another stage. For years, she had worked closely with the drama program at Thomasville High School, but when the school lost funding for a drama teacher, parents and

Karen organized the Dickens Carolers, who have appeared in numerous settings throughout Southwest Alabama. The Carolers perform with the Flying Bricks Orchestra at all Christmas functions, as well as other patriotic activities around July 4th. (L to R front) Maggie Vick, Katy Boyette, Karen Dean, Chloe Drinkard, LeAnn Moore, (Back) Brandon Harvel and Randy Nalley.

community leaders joined to put Karen into this teaching position. Longtime arts supporter LeAnn Moore secured a state grant to fund the adjunct position for one year, allowing Karen to teach two theater classes while continuing to work for the Arts Council. As a result, she was able to expand arts opportunities even more, producing a musical, a play and a senior-directed project each year, while still directing two community productions. In 2021, another grant will set the stage for even more possibilities, as Karen’s students will partner with Career Tech classes for sound and stage improvements. “This area has so many talented kids,” Karen pointed out. “We have as many students who want to do theater as those who want to go out for baseball. This is just amazing!” A few years ago, Thomasville honored Karen Hill Dean as its “Citizen of the Year,” not only for her accomplishments in the arts, but also for her efforts to inspire community interaction through the Community Garden, the Ghost Walk and the Dickens Carolers. Amy Prescott, Director of the Chamber of Commerce, has worked with Karen on many of these projects. “Karen has a deep love for the arts and has done everything she could to share that with our community,” Prescott stated. “She is one of a kind, and for all of her hard work, dedication and volunteerism in our community, we are truly grateful!” Karen Dean has always been at home on the stage. With a melody in her heart and magic in her step, this amazing artist came back home to spawn a spirit that will sing in the soul of her hometown forevermore. Karen Dean (l) played the role of Anna Smith in the THS production of “Meet Me in St. Louis.” After the show, Chloe Drinkard (r) presented her with a picture, signed by the entire cast.

42 42 Cooperative Cooperative Farming Farming News News

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

These Chives Taste Like Garlic Years ago, I was introduced to garlic chives when visiting a Florida farm specializing in Asian vegetables. Instantly, this perennial herb that supplies garlic-flavored leaves year-round appealed to my love of garlic, and it has been in our garden ever since. The leaves are grown, harvested and used in recipes like onion chives, but for a garlic flavor. The flowers, which are in bloom now, give native bees and syrphid flies a fresh flower to visit at a time that beekeepers refer to as a dearth in the garden. As long-lived perennials, I soon learned that if left alone, garlic chives can reseed beyond their boundary, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good idea to trim back the flowering stalks when the seeds start to form.

look at the roots of spent vegetable plants in different parts of the garden to learn from their condition. Did the roots expand or do they seem stunted? Are there knots from root-knot nematodes? Are any of the roots soft and rotting? Are the roots healthy and vigorous-looking? This tomato shows a small cluster of rather twisted original roots at the very bottom of the plant in contrast with the vigorous roots that formed along the buried stem when the transplant was planted deeply. It was buried all the way to the top two leaves in the spring. In fact, most of the root system developed along the buried stem. Anything we gardeners can do to help our plants grow a good root system will help them through stresses.

SIMPLE TIMES

THE CO-OP PANTRY Garlic chives

Garlic chives are easy to start from seed, but even easier from a seedling dug in the garden of a friend, or started from transplants (it is sold by Bonnie Plants.) Fall-planted garlic chives will be fine through winter; they are quite cold-hardy.

Study the Roots Are you wilting yet? Your plants may be, especially those without a good strong root system to get water. At the end of the season, it pays to take a close

Tomato roots

August 2020

Salvias for Late Summer and Fall Many perennial salvias have been in bloom for months, yet they keep on keeping on. A group of species and hybrids, perennial salvias offer months of beautiful blooms that also support bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators. Garden centers carry salvias for late summer and fall planting, often in three-gallon containers in full bloom for a large pop of instant color. Look for Black and Blue and similar selections of Salvia guaranitica, or Mystic Spires, Indigo Spires or similar hybrids of Salvia longispicata x farinacea. Small-flowered red salvias such as Hot Lips and Radio Red are selections of Salvia greggii that go by common names such as Autumn Sage or Texas Sage. They are not always winter-hardy in North Alabama, but may reseed. Also look for Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) or Mexican sage (Salvia leucantha) which begins blooming in late summer. Forsythia sage (Salvia madrensis) doesn’t bloom until October or November, but grows all summer, getting up to five feet tall. Late summer and fall are the best times to plant perennial types so that they can establish their roots before spring. Another plus: Their heavily scented foliage isn’t much liked by deer and rabbits.

House number

Late Blueberries Extend the Season Still wishing you had some fresh blueberries? This fall add late-bearing selections such as Centurion, Powderblue and Baldwin to extend the fresh berry season and save the ones in the freezer for later. Just be sure to mix up the varieties so that they have the required pollinators for best production. Although Centurion is self-fertile to some degree, pollinators Powderblue and Brightwell will insure good pollination. Tifblue is a pollinator for Powderblue and Brightwell; Powderblue and Centurion will pollinate Baldwin. Remember to keep newly planted blueberries heavily mulched with pine bark and amend the planting soil with moist peat moss or pine bark. They absolutely need acid soil to thrive. Blueberry roots don’t have root hairs, so they need very faithful watering for the first couple of years until they are well established.

Salvia

A House Number Idea I saw this pretty painted wooden plaque on the fence of a community garden in San Diego and thought that the idea would be adaptable to just about anywhere, including a house. Depending on one’s artistic skills, the number and artwork could be freehand or stenciled on. A protective clear coat would help it last longer, too. Of course, it doesn’t have to be limited to a house number; a name or welcome would work as well. 44

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Blueberries

THE HERB LADY

BY NADINE JOHNSON

HERB SALT Ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon basil 1/4 teaspoon dill weed 1/4 teaspoon thyme 1/4 teaspoon celery seed 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley 1/4 teaspoon salt Directions: Combine all ingredients and grind with a mortar and pestle. (This can be made ahead of time and stored in a small herb jar. I use a small bowl and an upside-down ketchup bottle as a homemade mortar and pestle.) Many years ago, the above recipe was given to me by my doctor’s office nurse. She had just enjoyed a delicious lunch with her parents. Now, we all know anything we eat at Mother’s house is good, but Peggy was still licking her fingers and smacking her lips over this particular meal. Peggy’s mother had used a newfound recipe for baked chicken. No oil or other ingredients were added other than the herb recipe above. The usual oven temperature and baking times were followed. We human beings crave salt. Actually, I believe we’d find it easier to give up oxygen. The use of herb salt cuts down on the amount of salt intake while not relinquishing appetizing flavor. From Peggy’s reaction, I knew it accomplished its intentions well. Between finger licks and lip smacks, she exclaimed, “Even Daddy liked it!” Now folks, when a husband enjoys a new low-salt recipe, you know you’ve cooked a winner. The recipe was found on page 97 of the book entitled “The Rotation Diet” written by Martin Katahn, Ph.D. This much-read publication had its day on the bestseller

list which speaks highly of Dr. Katahn’s literary accomplishment. (I don’t know if this book is still available. No doubt many of my readers will have copies.) At the time I received this recipe, I was growing my own basil, dill, thyme and parsley. At the proper gathering time, I dried bunches of the herbs for future use. Of course, celery doesn’t grow well in our climate; therefore, I used store-bought celery seed. My growing days are over, so today I purchase all the ingredients. If a recipe calls for dried herbs and you substitute fresh ones, usually you should use the called-for amount. There are a few exceptions, of course, such as bay leaves. If your recipe calls for one dry bay leaf, you should only use fresh leaves for proper flavor. And, by all means, remember to remove your bay leaves from food before serving. They cannot be digested and sometimes cause serious problems when swallowed. Of course, herb salt doesn’t contain bay leaves, but I thought this was a good time to mention that information. As we grow older, it’s not uncommon for our doctors to recommend that we cut down on our salt intake. They do this for a very good reason and we would benefit by heeding their advice. It sounds strange but some of us need extra salt in our diet. This can only be determined by our doctors. Have a great month and enjoy at least one meal of herb baked chicken – with or without your doctor’s advice.

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

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August 2020

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

The Underrated Killer

THE CO-OP PANTRY “I’ve been in hurricanes, hailstorms, a blizzard and tornadoes, even spotted some tornadoes in the Great Plains, but nothing in the world of weather scares me more than lightning,” explained Wes Wyatt, a meteorologist with WBRC Fox 6 weather for the past decade. And after what happened here on the farm about a month ago, I tend to agree! Most of us reading this magazine live in the South. We’ve grown up scared of tornadoes and knowing we should seek immediate cover when a weather watch changes to the more serious tornado warning. But how many of us really take it seriously when thunderstorm warnings are issued, and how many of us have stayed in the fields, in the garden or on the tractor trying to get just a little bit more finished even though the darkened skies were rumbling with thunder? I was walking toward the side door of our brick home, coming from the tiny general store on our farm, about 9 a.m. The grass remained wet from a steady drizzle that had dampened our spirits but enlivened our garden throughout the night. I was wearing my usual outfit of jeans and a tee shirt, socks and a $5 pair of canvas tennis shoes from the local big box store.

As I approached about 15 feet from the door, suddenly fire crackled out from the internet and old cable and old phone lines still attached to a box beside the door. At the same instant the fire shot out, I was shocked up both legs from my feet to my hips just as a huge boom of thunder shook the neighborhood so violently that a neighbor on the “back road” was so frightened she called her husband at work. Husband Mack was next door picking up daughter, Jannea, for an errand and the boom shook his big Dodge truck violently. I entered our house QUICKLY! Once I calmed down my breathing seemed OK and I didn’t seem any worse for wear – but you can bet there were (and are) several prayers of thankfulness that went up from the same direction that lightning had come down! Only days later did we find the extent of the several hundreds of dollars of damages to things in our home. But that damage really seemed minimal when we kept remembering “what could have been …. ” During my nearly 35 years as a reporter, some lightning strikes remain always in my mind and heart. There was the sweet toddler, playing innocently while his parents picked vegetables in a friend’s garden, only to lose his life quickly when lightning struck from August 2020

seemingly out of nowhere. A beloved football coach struck on the practice field while there didn’t seem to be a storm anywhere. Then there was the couple in a small town near here who lived in a beautiful home built with native rock. That home was struck by lightning twice, with the last strike causing the house to burn to the ground. Thankfully, the couple escaped unharmed and moved into Oneonta where their new home was struck by lightning a short time later! Wyatt told me, “You can track many weather phenomena and you can track thunderstorms, but you never know where lightning is about to strike. It’s been termed as the underrated killer. “Storms are common during the warm season, so the threat of cloud-to-ground lightning is a common thing around these parts. Some days many may find themselves trying to finish mowing the lawn and see dark clouds on the horizon or hear a rumble. I always say the good Lord made thunder loud for a reason, to warn us to go inside. “Thunder is generated by lightning and if you don’t see a bolt but hear a rumble, I guarantee you lightning is there, and you need to go indoors as soon as possible.” Wyatt said, “Perhaps one of my most memorable stories was from a summer about eight years ago. I was home in the month of August and a storm developed right over my home. There were frequent cloud-to-ground lightning bolts followed by the loudest thunder you can imagine. When you hear those claps of thunder that almost sound like gunfire, you immediately think something’s been struck and the lightning channel went through the neighbor’s ceiling and into the lawn. It was like a giant pitch fork had gone through their home from top to bottom.” Wyatt continued, “All the circuitry upstairs was fried and some electronics, but thankfully the home didn’t catch on fire. I also received a photo that day showing what’s called a positive leader extending from the roof of a home similar to that day. To capture that with a camera is quite remarkable as this is something that occurs in a matter of a millisecond, but this is the beginnings of a lightning strike, and looks like an arc of electricity extending toward the heavens. “It’s important to remember that ALL storms contain lightning. But just because a storm has an excessive amount of lightning doesn’t necessarily mean that storm is severe. Just remember that lightning has been documented as striking miles away from the actual storm.” While statistics seem to show that lightning strike deaths are low in the United States (such as 27 fatalities per year), some lightning deaths may not be reported as such. A lightning strike can result in im50

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mediate cardiac arrest (heart stopping) at the time of the strike, but death may occur days later, according to the U.S. Weather Service. And while the statistics appear low, if you or a loved one are the one or two who die from lightning in Alabama each year, the statistical lowness seems unimportant! The Insurance Information Institute ranks Alabama as seventh in the nation as far as insurance structural claims due to lightning with 2,942 claims per year amounting to about $34.5 million or about $11,768 per claim. Agriculture losses can be high such as when lightning strikes a tree killing all the cattle sheltering under its branches. Wyatt recalled a “gentleman who worked on a catfish farm and told me his truck was struck by lightning under a sunny sky. He said a storm was approaching, but he thought he was safe because of the distance … but lightning struck his truck.” You can be assured we’ll be more serious when a thunderstorm is approaching our farm or if we even hear thunder in the distance from now on! And we’ll stand even more in awe of God’s magnificent creation! “Lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding.” (Psalm 148:8) (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

He Shed, She Shed,

THEHay HERB Shed FARMER “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”

HOW’S YOUR GARDEN Colossians 3:23

In last month’s edition, I showed how we saw milled timber into lumber and the proper way to store the wood long term. We didn’t store the lumber for long, because we needed to build an extension on our hay barn with the freshly milled pine. Follow this article step by step for a do-it-yourself hay barn or shed extension. First, make sure the ground is level where you plan to build the extension. You may have to grade out the area with a scrape blade or front-end loader. Once it’s graded level, it is a great time to lay down gravel for a mud-free working environment. Creek gravel spread along the shed floor packs well and keeps the mud out. The first part of construction involves determining the width and length of your shed. Ours was 15 feet wide and ran the length of the barn, which was 60 feet. We measured off the distance from the barn to set our barn poles in place to serve as the opposite wall. Using batter boards and stakes, you can set the two corner posts, and the posts along the wall can be set against a string. To make sure the structure will be square, use the “3,4,5” rule. Once your strings are in place in the batter boards, measure from one string corner down 3 feet and mark the place on the string with a permanent marker. Next,

SIMPLE TIMES STEP #1

THE CO-OP PANTRY

A carpenter’s level, string level and string will allow you to make sure the posts are level and square as you tamp or cement them into place.

measure down the string that sits 90 degrees from the first string 4 feet, and mark the spot on the string. Use your tape measure to measure from the first mark August 2020

STEP #2 The 2-by-6 side plate attaches to the outer side of the posts. Two more 2-by-6 planks will rest on top of this side plate and on top of the posts.

on the first string to the second mark on the second string. This distance should be exactly 5 feet, which means your corner angles are square. We secured a plate to the barn side onto which the upper parts of the rafters would rest. The upper end of the rafters rests upon this plate and they are nailed to the sides of the existing barn poles. The lower end of the rafters will rest on a plate running across the tops of the lower wall posts. As you set your wall posts, make sure they are level before tamping or cementing them into place. Nail temporary bracing to hold the posts square and in

STEP #4 The first of the rafters is nailed into place.

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STEP #3 The evenly spaced rafters will rest on this completed plate.

place until you have the permanent bracing in place. Once your posts are set, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to build a plate across the tops of the wall posts on the lower side on which the rafters will sit. Determine the amount of fall on your roofline you desire, and mark the spot on the posts where the end plate will sit. We used two-by-six lumber for the side plate and the top two plates. Attach your side plate on the outside of the posts; then, cut off the excess posts above the side plate. After that, attach two top plates lying flat across the tops of the posts and side plate. Once the plate is complete, you can then install the

STEP #5 The 2-by-4 lathing has two foot spacing between each plank. The tin will be attached to the lathing with metal screws with washers.

STEP #6

STEP #7

The lathing hanging over the final rafter is trimmed to accommodate the last piece of tin allowing overlap of the tin to protect the lathing from rain.

We ran 2-by-6 lumber down the inside wall for additional support and 2-by-6 lumber down the outside wall for lathing to attach two runs of tin for rain protection for the hay.

“Y” bracing from each post to the inside of the top, side plate. This will brace the structure so you can move onto installing the rafters. We secured a water tank cage to the front forks of the front-end loader for a handy, elevated working platform for finishing out rafters, pearling and lathing. After the lower wall is braced, you can proceed to put the rafters in place. Make sure the distance between the rafters on the lower plate is the same as the distance on the barn side. We then put pearling planks between each rafter to prevent swaying and turning of the rafters and then we started putting down the lathing with 2 feet spacing between each row of lathing. Now, it’s time to install the tin roofing. It’s critical to get the first piece of tin exactly in place so the rest of the pieces will remain in line. Once you attach that first piece of tin, you now have a safer surface on which to stand to install each additional sheet of tin. Since the 17-foot pieces of tin were cumbersome and apt to bend, we secured a pallet with two, eight-foot 4-by-4 beams to the top of the pallet. This pallet was secured to the top of the water cage with heavy-duty ratchet straps. This allowed us to lift the tin up to the level of the roof without bending with the use of the front-end loader. Before we placed the last piece of tin in place, we measured the lathing hanging out over the end of the last rafter and cut the planks to where the last piece of tin would cover the end lathing appropriately.

Finally, we ran two-by-six lumber as lathing down the outer side of the lower wall to attach two runs of tin. This will serve to protect hay from blowing rains. This August, time your work for the cooler hours of the day so you can work heartily.

STEP #8 This is the completed structure ready for hay storage.

August 2020

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THE MAGIC OF GARDENING

B Y T O N Y G L OV E R

Why Do My Hanging Baskets Look So Bad? One of the late summertime questions I hear from gardeners is why they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have beautiful full hanging baskets like they see in public gardens and even many downtown streets they visit? My response is, you can, but you have to plan. The hanging baskets found at most retail stores are designed for a couple things. They must be inexpensive, and they must be small enough to transport well and look full at the garden center. If the plant looks beautiful and full when you purchase it, then it most likely will not last the summer in that container. I will get back to this point later. The first step to success is to choose the right plants for our summer heat and for the light level they will be exposed. For example, Boston ferns are beautiful, but canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tolerate too much sun and the wind wreaks havoc on their delicate foliage. Some good choices for those sunny, hot porches include hybrid trailing type petunias, million bells, portulaca, lantana, bougainvillea, dragon wing begonia, Sunpatiens and scaevola (my favorite).

Now back to the main reason for failure of even these tough heat-loving flowers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the pot size. I suggest you invest in well-made reusable containers of at least 12 inches in diameter and larger is even better. Most of the garden center plants (especially from the big box stores) will be 10 inches or even smaller containers. It is fine and much more economical to purchase smaller plants, and they need not even be in a hanging basket. However, as soon as you get them home, repot them in the larger containers. Use a good-quality potting medium and not the cheap potting soil to fill the new container. Make sure to moisten the soil before planting and then again afterward. These smaller plants will quickly fill the larger containers if you water and fertilize them properly. One advantage of the larger pots is they hold more water, but they still need daily attention. So at least check to see if they need water because peat moss is hard to rewet when it dries out and it is better to keep it constantly moist but not sopping wet. In addition, you August 2020

either need a slow release fertilizer mixed into the soil or placed on the surface or alternatively you can water with a liquid fertilizer on a weekly basis according to the package directions. Some other tips to keep the baskets looking their best are to rotate the basket on a regular basis to allow for more even light distribution. In addition, many types of plants would benefit from regularly pruning or at least deadheading the old blooms off. When you remove old blooms, just pinch the branch back a few inches on every third or fourth bloom. This will encourage branching and increased flower formation. You may be thinking, “What can I do with the sickly plants hanging on my porch right now?” You have a couple options. Option one is to cut the plant back very hard – within a few inches of the soil. Give it a boost of liquid fertilizer and regrow the plant for a nice fall show. Option two is to trim less severely, step up to a larger pot and fertilize it with liquid fertilizer on a weekly basis. It may not have time to completely fill the pot but you could place a couple

QUICK TIPS

TO KEEP HANGING PLANTS LOOKING THEIR BEST: 1. Repot store-bought pots to 12” pots or larger 2. Include a slow-release fertilizer into the soil 3. R otate the basket on an ongoing regular basis 4. Prune regularly 5. Deadhead old blooms

Cooperative Farming News

smaller plants into these larger pots and have a good show within a month of repotting. Next year you will know to start out with the larger pots so you can go the entire summer without repotting and only minimal pruning. You will be rewarded with plants that don’t fizzle out in July or August, but look beautiful well into the fall.

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FOOD SAFETY

Food Preservation Myths

Here you will find some food preservation myths plus a few recipes that you may want to try.

Myth I put the “HOT” or “HOT, COMPLETELY COOKED” food in the jar and the lid seals, without processing it. Since it sealed, it must be safe.

Fact Foods prepared in this manner present a serious health risk – particularly low-acid foods (vegetables and meats). First, you aren’t sterilizing the headspace. Second, the temperatures obtained in open kettle canning are not high enough to destroy all spoilage and food poisoning organisms that may be in the food. Third, microorganisms can enter the food when it is transferred from the kettle to jars and cause spoilage. Fourth, you haven’t forced excess air from the jars, ensuring a good vacuum seal. To minimize the risk of food spoilage, all high-acid foods (pickles, jams and jellies, fruits, salsas and tomatoes) should be processed in a boiling water canner or pressure canner and all low-acid foods in a pressure canner.

Myth Tomatoes are high acid and do not require additional acid to safely can in a boiling water canner.

Fact Modern tomatoes are lower in acid than older varieties. Since the acidity of tomatoes is borderline, you must take some precautions to can them safely. To 58

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assure the safety of tomatoes, they must be acidified, whether processed in a boiling water bath or pressure canner. To acidify tomatoes, add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid per pint of tomatoes, double this amount for quarts.

Myth Old timey recipes are “tested” recipes because they have been used for years, and no one has died yet.

Fact “Grandma’s” canning recipes could be hazardous to your health. Many illnesses (example: stomach viruses) and even deaths in the past may have been due to food poisoning and the family may have never realized it. Food poisoning can affect the very young, the very old and those with weakened immune systems differently than strong, healthy individuals. Now that we have research-based recipes for most foods, it is wise to use those recipes to assure the food you home can is safe. Tested recipes should be from companies and organizations that use research to assure their safety. These include USDA, any State Cooperative Extension Service literature, “So Easy To Preserve (Fifth Edition)”. “Putting Food By” and the “Ball Blue Book.” Be sure to get the current edition/issue, so they will have the most up-to-date, accurate recommendations. Here are some home canning recipes to try and enjoy now and later!!!

B Y A N G E L A T R E A D AWAY

Fall Garden Relish Yield: about 4 pints

Taken from: “So Easy To Preserve, 5th edition” 1 quart cabbage, chopped (about 1 small head) 3 cups cauliflower (about 1 medium head) 2 cups green tomatoes ( about 4 medium) 2 cups onions, chopped 2 cups sweet green peppers, chopped (about 4 medium) 1 cup sweet red peppers (about 2 medium) 3 3/4 cups vinegar (5%) 3 Tablespoons salt (pickling/canning salt) 2 3/4 cups sugar 3 teaspoons celery seed 3 teaspoons dry mustard 1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric Combine chopped vegetables; sprinkle with the salt. Let stand 4-6 hours in a cool place. Drain well. Combine vinegar, sugar and spices; simmer 10 minutes. Add vegetables; simmer 10 minutes. Bring to a boil. Pack boiling hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. *Process 10 minutes in a Boiling Water Bath.

Pear Preserves

Yield: about 5 half-pints Taken from: “Ball Blue Book of Preserving” (current edition) 3 cups sugar, divided 3 cups water 6 medium halved or quartered, peeled, cored pears (about 2 pounds) 1/2 cup thinly sliced and seeded lemon (about 1 medium) Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar and water in large saucepot. Cook rapidly 2 minutes. Add pears; boil gently 15 minutes. Add remaining sugar and sliced lemon, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook rapidly until fruit is transparent. Cover and let stand 12-24 hours in a cool place. Remove pears from syrup, set aside. Cook syrup 5 minutes or longer, to thicken. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Pack pears into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Ladle hot syrup over pears, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust lids. *Process 20 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Note: If Seckel pears are used, preserve whole with stem intact. Kiefers should be stored in a cool, dry place 3-5 weeks before using. A piece of candied ginger may be added to each jar.

Soups Taken from: “So Easy To Preserve (5th Edition)” Cooperative Extension the University of Georgia Hot Pack – Choose your favorite soup ingredients of vegetables, meat or poultry. Prepare each vegetable as you would for a hot pack in canning. Cooked meat or poultry with the fat removed can also be added, if desired. If dried beans or peas are used, they must be rehydrated first. Combine ingredients with enough hot water or broth from cooking meat, poultry or tomatoes to cover. Boil 5 minutes. CAUTION: Do not thicken or add milk, cream, flour, rice, noodles or pasta. Add salt to taste, if desired. Fill hot jars halfway with solid mixture. Continue filling with hot liquid, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. Process in a Dial Gauge Pressure Canner at 11 pounds pressure or in a Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner at 10 pounds pressure: Pints.................................60 minutes Quarts..............................75 minutes NOTE: Cooked seafood can also be added as part of the solid mixture, but the jars must be processed as follow: Pints or Quarts.................100 minutes

If you have questions or want other free, research-based recipes and/or direction on food preservation, call your county Extension office. August 2020

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August 2020

FROM PASTOR TO PASTURE

Communication Says Something

I will never forget driving down a busy boulevard one Sunday morning and passing a huge white tent set up in a parking lot for a fundraising activity for an animal rights group. The sign that caught my eye said: “Come On In – Free Hotdogs!” I have to admit; I laughed until I cried! I have always regretted not going back to take a picture! Speaking of funny signs or misprints, here are a few bloopers that were reportedly printed in church bulletins: • The Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done. • Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30 p.m. Please use the back door. • Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community. • Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say “hell” to someone who doesn’t care much about you. • The sermon this morning: Jesus Walks on the Water. The sermon tonight: Searching for Jesus. • The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement Friday. 62

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• At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What is hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice. • The 1997 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11. • The choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir. I found many more church bulletin misprints that were hilarious, but that I figured someone might find inappropriate to reprint even for a laugh. It is amazing how just one letter, one word, or a grammatical or punctuation error can totally change what is communicated. This is one reason why it is reported that at least 50% of text messages and emails are misunderstood by the recipients. Back in the days of handwritten letters, we often wrote enough words that our emotions and intent were more clearly understood. If the interpretation of one paragraph was questionable, the others would bring clarification. With text messages and emails, however, the communication is most often so brief, there is little room to change initial impressions. Voice inflection, volume and punctuation also

BY GLENN CRUMPLER have much to do with how we communicate with one another and what is understood between parties. Consider this example of the same phrase presented in two different ways. Read each line one at a time, then ask yourself what you understand it to say, then read the next line. 1. A mother without her children are lost. 2. A mother, without her, children are lost. Can you see how easily the same words communicate totally different meanings just based on punctuation? Inflection, volume and emotion are often “assumed” in oral communication, but are almost always “assumed” by the reader in written communication. One party’s mood, frame of mind, level of concentration, education, worldview and other extenuating circumstances will greatly affect how they interpret the intent of what they see, hear or read from another party. Sometimes we communicate erroneous or misleading information just by pure accident. Other times, what we say we believe, we just fail to live out – though it may be hard for us to actually see our failure. For example, most Americans would agree that every child in the U.S. should have access to health insurance. Many would even be bold in making that assertion public. They really believe that they believe it! However, according to the U.S. Census bureau, in 2018, there were 4.3 million children in the U.S. without medical insurance. That was 400,000 more than in 2017, despite the fact that our economy was booming at record levels. In a country as large as ours that might not sound too bad, until you consider other facts. According to the American Pet Products Association, 76% of U.S. households (or about 85 million families) own a pet. Pet spending by these families in 2018 was a record breaking $72.56 billion – a $3 billion increase from 2017 and a $6 billion increase from 2016. So, every year, the dollars we spend on pets in the U.S. has been consistently growing by $3 billion. In addition to that, according to the North American Pet Insurance Association in 2018, 2.43 million pets (89% being dogs) were insured at a cost of $1.42 billion. If my math is correct, we spend an estimated total of $17,209.30 per uninsured child in America just on our pets! These startling facts beg the question: Do we really believe that every child in America needs to have medical insurance? So, what are we really communicating? If we really believed what we say we do, how different might these numbers look. It is surely not a question of available resources – but a matter of priorities!

To take what we really communicate a step further: On any given day, there are 437,000 children in foster care in the U.S. In 2018, 690,000 children spent at least some time in foster care. There are currently 107,918 children available for adoption according to the Adoption Network. There are also 2.5 million children who are homeless at some point each year in America. This is a historic high, representing one in every 30 children in the U.S. as reported by the National Network for Youth. How much are you hearing about the plight of uninsured and homeless children on a daily basis in America? What are you doing to address and resolve these issues that you profess to be important to you? I have always been a pet lover. I have had insects, fish, frogs, lizards, turtles, snakes, squirrels, a monkey, goats, a deer, sheep, opossums, rabbits, parakeets, a parrot, ducks, chickens, turkeys, quail, dove, pigeons, dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, pigs, cows, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rats, and ... that is all I can remember. I am surely not saying that animals are not important. I have them. I love them. I take good care of them, and if you are going to have them you ought to take care of them. I will cry when they die. I believe all animals play an important role in our lives and I even believe animals will be in heaven. My Bella may or may not be there, but there will be animals that I can love and handle without them fearing me or me fearing them! I believe that. I do, however, believe that we have elevated the role of animals to a level that they were never intended to attain in God’s creation. I look at all the needs of children here in America – which pale in comparison to the needs of children in the rest of the world, and in so many ways animals are valued more than the lives and welfare of children. On social media, most people now relate to their pets as their children or family members. Even my

August 2020

daughter, when their beautiful Golden Retriever “Roxie” that she and my grandchildren loved, was killed by a car, posted: “We lost our little girl today.” I know what she meant. I know she loves her children more than she loves herself and would not hesitate to lay down her life for theirs, but what was she communicating? She also had a little 4-year-old daughter at home who was alive and well, other than being heartbroken over Roxie. (I use my daughter as an example because she lets me and gives me permission.) A few months have passed by, and now Ashley and her family have a new Goldendoodle (whoever thought up that name?) and they love her just as much as they did Roxie, and life is back to normal. That would NEVER happen had they lost precious little Brooke, who just won the title: “Tiny Miss New Brockton”! Do you see my point? I get knots in my stomach when I see the animal rescue commercials on television that last for an ENTIRE minute and cost millions of dollars to produce. Just $19 per month will rescue a dog or cat AND pay for millions of dollars worth of “advertising,” when the same dollars would buy food and medical care for tens of thousands of children around the world – literally saving thousands upon thousands of lives! In addition, many of the children’s souls would be saved when they learned about Jesus and many would get an education that would forever change their living situations. I have to say, it really, really eats at me during the Christmas season when they play the sad American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals commercials showing animals in cages and they play “Silent Night” for a full 60-90 seconds of primetime advertising – knowing that it will pull at the hearts of loving and compassionate people. Christmas (and the song) are about the birth of Jesus, the coming of God in the flesh to show His love for man and to give His life for the redemption of mankind. To elevate the welfare of animals over the well-being of God’s children just cheapens and devalues life!

CATTLE FOR CHRIST INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Glenn Crumpler, President

Cattlemen helping you take the Gospel and love of Christ around the world. 334-393-4700 (Home). 4125 CR 636 Enterprise, AL 36330 334-333-4400 (Mobile) www.CattleforChrist.com 2 Corinthians 5:15 e-mail: glenncrumpler@cattleforchrist.com 64

Cooperative Farming News

Look at these pictures and ask yourself what is most important. The first picture on the left is of a street dog somewhere in China whose future probably is not too bright. The next picture on the right is of a little 11-year-old Syrian refugee girl named Mize who we were helping in the Middle East. She got word that her abuser was coming back for her that night, so she poured kerosene over her head and set herself on fire to escape the pain of being brutalized. She survived the burns which burned off both ears and caused third degree burns on all of her upper torso. She is still undergoing surgeries eight years later as funds are available. The last picture is of me holding what was left of her clothes that we pulled off her little, burning body. Which pictures pull at your heart? Is what you profess to believe what you really believe? What do your actions or lack of action to meet the desperate needs of children around the world communicate? We do not have to choose between helping children and other worthy projects like animal welfare, but we do have to choose what our priorities will be.

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

August is upon us. Hopefully, the kids will be heading back to school sometime this month, and this may be one time they really want to get back to their friends and out of the house. We thought maybe some snacks that they can make themselves or with just a bit of adult supervision would be fun and give them something they can do for themselves. Reminder: If cutting and slicing is involved or cooking on a stove, adult supervision is a must! - Mary

After School Snack Mix 1 cup corn cereal (like Chex or Crispix) 1 1/2 cups cheese crackers (Cheez-Its or Goldfish) 1 1/2 cups regular or peanut butter filled pretzels 1/2 cup lightly salted roasted peanuts 1/2 cup lightly salted roasted almonds 1/2 cup raisins or yogurt covered raisins 1/2 cup M&M candies Toss ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Portion into individual servings or store in a large airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Healthy Ranch Wraps 8 cooked turkey slices, sliced thin 4 flour tortillas (6 inches), room temperature 1 large tomato, sliced thin 1 medium green pepper, sliced thin 1 cup lettuce, shredded 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded 1/3 cup ranch salad dressing Place 2 slices of turkey on each tortilla. Layer with tomato, green pepper, lettuce and cheese. Drizzle with salad dressing. Roll up tightly. Cut each roll in half and serve.

August 2020

Fruity Peanut Butter Pitas 1/4 cup peanut butter 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 2 whole wheat pita pocket halves 1/2 medium apple, sliced thin 1/2 medium firm banana, sliced

pepperoni and simmer 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Ladle into individual bowls adding favorite toppings such as olives, mushrooms and mozzarella. Serve with toasted bread, if desired.

Peppermint Brittle 2 pounds white chocolate 30 small peppermint candy canes

In a small bowl, blend the peanut butter, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread inside pita bread halves; fill with apple and banana slices.

Easy Pepperoni Pizza Soup 1/4 cup turkey pepperoni slices, halved 1 small onion, chopped 1 small green bell pepper, chopped 1 Tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 (32-ounce) container vegetable broth 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil Line a large jellyroll pan with heavy-duty foil. Place white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave on medium setting for 5-6 minutes. Stir occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Place candy canes in a plastic bag, or between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Using a mallet or rolling pin, break the candy canes into chunks. Stir peppermint into melted white chocolate. Spread evenly in pan, and chill until set, about 1 hour. Break into pieces by slamming pan on counter. This is a fun one and you may want to send the candy canes out to the picnic table for breaking and slam1-8Pg_AnchorPkg_CustomEggCartons3.pdf 1 4/10/20 12:27 PM ming! Have fun.

Add pepperoni to a Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat until pepperoni loses some fat and gets crispy (about 3-4 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove the pepperoni and set aside on paper towels. Add onion and bell pepper to pan and sautĂŠ for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and oregano, cooking another 2 minutes or until garlic is golden brown. Stir in broth, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, add 66

Cooperative Farming News

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 August 2020

What’s happening in U S A

BAYOU LA BATRE KAYAK CLASSIC August 1, 2020 Bayou La Batre - City Docks Admission Call 251-824-4088 SPORTSPLEX KIDS TRIATHLON August 1, 2020 Opelika - Opelika Sportsplex Admission Transition and body marking is from 6:00 - 7:00 a.m. Pre-race meeting at 7:15 a.m. Triathlon begins at 7:30 a.m. Call 251-824-4088 156TH BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY COMMEMORATIVE DAY August 1, 2020 Dauphin Island - Historic Fort Gaines Admission 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call 251-861-6992 TRUE CRIME WALKING TOUR OF OLD CAHAWBA August 1, 2020 Orrville - Old Cahawba Archaeological Park - 10:00 a.m. Admission Call 334-872-8058 USS ALABAMA LIVING HISTORY CREW DRILL August 1, 2020 Mobile - 2703 Battleship Parkway 1:00 - 8:00 p.m. Call 251-433-2703 COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY AND 68 Cooperative Farming News

SIEGE OF FORT MORGAN August 1, 2020 Fort Morgan - Admission 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 251-540-7127

SECRET STAGES MUSIC FESTIVAL August 7-8, 2020 Birmingham - Various Locations Admission See website for details

HIGH ADVENTURE TRIP 2 August 1-2, 2020 Fort Payne - 13102 AL 176 Admission Call 334-872-8058

MONROE COUNTY NCPRA RODEO August 7-8, 2020 Frisco City - Frisco City Park Admission - Gates open at 6:00 p.m. Rodeo begins at 8:00 p.m. Call 251-743-2879

PINEY CHAPEL AMERICAN FARM HERITAGE DAYS August 7-8, 2020 Elkmont - 20147 Elkton Road Admission Friday: 9:00 a.m. Saturday: 7:00 a.m. Call 334-872-8058 SUMMER FLOWER SHOW August 1-30, 2020 Wetumpka - Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum Admission Friday & Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday: Noon - 5:00 p.m. Call 334-263-5713 FUTRAL ARTIFACT SHOW August 1-31, 2020 Opelika - 804 Columbus Parkway $2.00 donation 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 334-821-5823 FOUNDER’S DAY - MR. BELLINGRATH’S BIRTHDAY August 6, 2020 Theodore - Bellingrath Gardens and Home - 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call 251-973-2217 ANNUAL SWIM FOR MELISSA & MIRACLE BASH August 7, 2020 Huntsville - Various Locations Admission Call 256-265-8077 ARDMORE POLICE RESERVE RODEO August 7, 2020 Ardmore - John Barnes Park Admission 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Call 256-423-2146

ALEXANDER CITY JAZZ FEST August 7-8, 2020 Alexander City - Various Locations 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Call 256-397-1019 1818 FARMS BLOOM STROLL AND BOUQUET WORKSHOP August 13, 2020 Mooresville - 1818 Farms Admission 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Call 256-489-0777 DOG DAYS AT DITTO August 14, 2020 Huntsville - Ditto Landing Call 256-882-1057 BUCKMASTERS EXPO August 14-16, 2020 Montgomery - Montgomery Convention Center Call 800-240-3337 4TH ANNUAL FIELD TO FORK DINNER August 15, 2020 Centre - 7290 County Road 16 Call 256-927-2296 or email mccordscrossroadshome makers@gmail.com HABITAT FOR HUMANITY DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL August 15, 2020 Gadsden - Riverwalk Park Admission Call 256-543-1898 BIG DONKEY FESTIVAL August 15, 2020 Union Springs - Dream Field Farms Admission - 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 334-534-6976 MAGICAL CREATURES August 15, 2020

Montgomery - Montgomery Zoo Admission - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon Call 334-625-4900 ROCKIN’ THE RIVER August 15, 2020 Rogersville - Joe Wheeler State Park 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Call 256-247-9449 SOUTH ALABAMA PRO RODEO CLASSIC August 21-22, 2020 Ozark - Dale County Ag Plex Arena Admission - Gates Open: 6:00 p.m. Rodeo: 8:00 p.m. Call 334-774-9448 FRANKLIN COUNTY WATERMELON FESTIVAL August 21-22, 2020 Russellville - Downtown Friday: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Call 256-332-1760 RAPPELLING ADVENTURE August 22, 2020 Fort Payne - Little River Canyon Admission - 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Call 256-997-9577 FYFFE UFO DAY August 22, 2020 Fyffe - Fyffe Town Park 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Call 256-845-2222 LIONS RIVER RUN CAR SHOW August 22, 2020 Guntersville - Marshall County Park 1 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 256-677-9763 BLACK BELT FOLK ROOTS FESTIVAL August 22-23, 2020 Eutaw - Old Courthouse Square Saturday: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. Call 205-372-0525 BOW-UP AGAINST BREAST CANCER August 22-23, 2020 Cullman - 2604 Co. Rd. 490 Admission - 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 888-848-6887

22ND ANNUAL SIDEWALK FILM FESTIVAL August 24-30, 2020 Birmingham - Downtown 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Call 205-324-0888 2020 GULF COAST HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL August 28-29, 2020 Foley - Foley Soccer Complex Admission Friday: 2:00 - 10:00 p.m. Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Call 251-943-3291 ANNUAL OKRA FESTIVAL August 29, 2020 Lowndesboro - 4560 AL Hwy 21 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Call 334-730-5548 WILD CAVE TOUR August 29, 2020 Fort Payne - 13102 AL HWY 176 Admission - 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Call 256-997-9577 FALL SCARECROW TRAIL September 1 - October 31, 2020 Huntsville - Huntsville Botanical Garden - Admission Monday - Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday: Noon - 5:00 p.m. Call 800-930-4447

Cullman - Smith Lake Park Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-739-2916 KEY UNDERWOOD COON DOG CEMETERY LABOR DAY CELEBRATION September 7 2020 Cherokee - 4945 Coondog Cemetery Road - 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-412-2149 29TH ANNUAL LABOR DAY CELEBRATION & MOON PIE EATIN’ CONTEST September 7, 2020 McCalla - Tannehill Iron Works Historical State Park - Admission Call 256-412-2149

***Please note that some of these events may be postponed or canceled due to COVID-19. Please contact the event directly in order to find out more information about the event.***

MOUNTAIN TRAILS 50 MILE YARD SALE September 3-7, 2020 Section - Hwy 71/73 from Section to Bryant - 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 256-632-2340 50TH ANNUAL ST. WILLIAM SEAFOOD FESTIVAL September 5, 2020 Guntersville - Civitan Park 7:30 a.m. Call 256-582-4245 BATTLE FOR DECATUR September 5-6, 2020 Decatur - Point Mallard Park 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Battle at 2:00 p.m. Call 800-524-6181 24TH ANNUAL SWEET TATER FESTIVAL September 6-7, 2020

“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.*

August 2020

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256-734-1211

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334-382-2663

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Robert Young

334-863-2135

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August 2020

Cooperative Farming News

August 2020

Articles inside

Finishing Your Own Cattle

What’s Happening in Alabama

The Co-op Pantry

From Pastor to Pasture

Simple Times

Food Safety

The Magic of Gardening

Howle’s Hints

How’s Your Garden?

Outdoor Logic with BioLogic

On the Edge of Common Sense

From Wildlife & Freshwater Fisheries

Product Spotlight

Cooking with Stacy Lyn

Feeding Facts

Business of Farming

Ag Insight