Nicely done, beef. This summer we’re celebrating with red, white and you.
2 Cooperative Farming News
IN THIS ISSUE:
Editor-in-Chief: Samantha Hendricks Editor: Jessie Shook Contributing Editor: Jade Randolph Associate Editor: Mary Delph
pg. 20
CO-OP MATTERS 20 SouthFresh Feed
pg. 28
pg. 44
State Officers Paving the Way to a Bright Future
LIFE ON THE HOMEPLACE AND IN THE COMMUNITY 38 Stewards of the Forest 41 Second Chances 44 1818 Farms: Life the Way It Used to Be YOUTH MATTERS 27 PALS: Jonesboro Elementary School 28 4H Extension Corner: Buggin’ out ... With Excitement 30 FFA Sentinel: Newly Elected Alabama
121 Somerville Road NE Decatur, AL 35601-2659 P.O. Box 2227 Decatur, AL 35609-2227 256-308-1618
AFC Officers Rivers Myres, President Ben Haynes, Chairman of the Board
AFC Board of Directors Rickey Cornutt, Matt Haney, Brooks Hayes, Rick Hendricks, Bill Sanders, Jeff Sims, Mike Tate, David Womack
On the Cover: Foresters are stewards of the forest and contribute to positive outcomes for the landowner and environment. Story on page 38. (Photo Credit: AFC Publication Staff. Photo taken at PineTops, LLC owned by Lydia Boesch and Frank Owen.)
OUR REGULARS Letter from the Editor................ 4
Weed’em and Reap................... 50
Ag Insight.................................... 8
How’s Your Garden?................... 51
Business of Farming................... 12
Simple Times.............................. 53
Feeding Facts ............................. 14
Howle’s Hints.............................. 55
From the State Vet’s Office......... 16
The Magic of Gardening........... 58
What’s the Point.......................... 24
Food Safety................................. 60
On the Edge of Common Sense... 26
Grazing Grace............................ 63
Outdoor Logic with BioLogic.... 32
The Co-op Pantry....................... 66
Cooking with Stacy Lyn............. 36
What’s Happening in Alabama... 70
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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
July 2021
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Summer is officially here, and we are enjoying the longer, warmer, brighter days it brings! Crops are in the ground, and the green growth from cotton, corn, peanuts, and soybeans is emerging across the fields. It is a wonderful time of year and one that reminds us how beautiful the world is. On the cover of this month’s issue, the spotlight is on Alabama’s forestry industry. Billy Rye gives us great insight on how forest products are used in our everyday life and shares his love of the forest in ‘Stewards of the Forest’ on page 38. We’re also excited to share 1818 Farm’s story. If you are in North Alabama, a trip to their flower truck to build a custom bouquet should be on your bucket list! We’ve also got our regulars, contributing quality information and amazing recipes. To mark the celebration of AFC’s 85th anniversary, we’re excited to announce our third cookbook – coming early 2022! It’s something that can be handed down from generation to generation, filled with recipes sure to be favorites among friends and family and you can be a part of it! If you have a great recipe that you’d like to share – send it our way and we’ll do our best to add it to our list. AFC is hosting our first in-person event this month and looking forward to the fellowship and growth as a team. Thank you for being a loyal reader, customer and part of the AFC family.
Samantha Hendricks Editor-in-Chief 4
Cooperative Farming News
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July 2021
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Serving gardeners, farmers and everyone in between
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Cooperative Farming News
DIRECTORY OF MEMBER COOPERATIVES ALTHA FARMERS COOPERATIVE James Lynn, Mgr. Phone 850-674-8194
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
ANDALUSIA FARMERS COOPERATIVE Russell Lassiter, Gen. Mgr. Phone 334-222-1851 FLORALA - Pete Blackwell, Mgr. Phone 334-858-6142 OPP - Brandon Bledsoe, Mgr. Phone 334-493-7715
FARMERS CO-OP OF ASHFORD Timothy Tolar, Mgr. Phone 334-899-3263
ATMORE FARMERS COOPERATIVE Todd Booker, Gen. Mgr. Phone 251-368-2191 BLOUNT COUNTY FARMERS COOPERATIVE Eric Sanders, Mgr. Phone 205-274-2185 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. CENTRE - Seth Eubanks, Mgr. Phone 256-927-3135 JACKSONVILLE - Tommy Thomas, Mgr. Phone 256-435-3430 PIEDMONT - Kevin Bobbitt, Mgr. Phone 256-447-6560
FARMERS COOPERATIVE, INC. Todd Lawrence, Gen. Mgr. LIVE OAK, FL - Barry Long, Ag Div. Mgr. Phone 386-362-1459 MADISON, FL - Jerry Owens, Operations Mgr. Phone 850-973-2269 GENCO FARMERS COOPERATIVE Ricky Wilks, Gen. Mgr. HARTFORD - Todd Smith, Mgr. Phone 334-588-2992 WEST GENEVA - Robert Pittman, Mgr. Phone 334-898-7932 ENTERPRISE Phone 334-347-9007 ELBA - Colin Morris, Mgr. Phone 334-897-6972 HEADLAND PEANUT WAREHOUSE CO-OP Jay Jones, Mgr. Chris Hix, Store Mgr. Phone 334-693-3313 JAY PEANUT FARMERS COOPERATIVE Ryan Williams, Mgr. Phone 850-675-4597
CLAY COUNTY EXCHANGE Jeff Kinder, Mgr. Phone 256-396-2097
LUVERNE COOPERATIVE SERVICES Perry Catrett, Mgr. Phone 334-335-5082
COLBERT FARMERS COOPERATIVE Daniel Waldrep, Gen. Mgr. LEIGHTON - Tommy Sockwell, Mgr. Phone 256-446-8328 TUSCUMBIA - Chuck Hellums, Mgr. Phone 256-383-6462
MADISON COUNTY COOPERATIVE Keith Griffin, Gen. Mgr. HAZEL GREEN - Phone 256-828-2010 MERIDIANVILLE - Matt Dunbar, Mgr. Phone 256-828-5360 NEW MARKET - Phone 256-379-2553 Ramsey Prince, Mgr. SCOTTSBORO - Phone 256-574-1688 Patricia Rorex, Mgr. STEVENSON - Phone 256-437-8829
DEKALB FARMERS COOPERATIVE Lance Ezelle, Gen. Mgr. RAINSVILLE - Andrea Crain, Mgr. Phone 256-638-2569 CROSSVILLE - David Tierce, Mgr. Phone 256-528-7188 ALBERTVILLE - Nicholas Byars, Mgr. Phone 256-878-3261
MARION COUNTY COOPERATIVE Steve Lann, Gen. Mgr. HAMILTON - Phone 205-921-2631 FAYETTE - Kellie Trull, Mgr. Phone 205-932-5901 HALEYVILLE - Jessica Steward, Mgr. Phone 205-486-3794
ELBERTA FARMERS COOPERATIVE Justin Brown, Mgr. Phone 251-986-8103
MARSHALL FARMERS COOPERATIVE Brian Keith, Gen. Mgr. HOLLY POND - Phone 256-796-5337 ARAB - Mark Upton Phone 256-586-5515 MORGAN FARMERS COOPERATIVE Bradley Hopkins, Gen. Mgr. HARTSELLE - Phone 256-773-6832 PIKE COUNTY COOPERATIVE Danny Dewrell, Gen. Mgr. GOSHEN - Phone 334-484-3441 TROY - Jeff Baron, Mgr. Phone 334-566-3882 QUALITY COOPERATIVE, INC. Daniel Salter, Mgr. Phone 334-382-6548 TALEECON FARMERS COOPERATIVE Scott Hartley, Gen. Mgr. Phone 334-257-3930 WETUMPKA - Timothy Richardson, Mgr. Phone 334-567-4321 TALLADEGA COUNTY EXCHANGE Chris Elliott, Gen. Mgr. Phone 256-362-2716 ASHVILLE - Allen Bice, Mgr. Phone 205-594-7042 PELL CITY - Joseph Taylor, Mgr. Phone 205-338-2821 COLUMBIANA - Barry Keller, Mgr. Phone 205-669-7082 RANDOLPH - Tim Brown, Mgr. Phone 256-357-4743 TENNESSEE VALLEY COOPERATIVE, LLC John Curtis, President ATHENS – Britt Christopher, Mgr. Phone 256-232-5500 LYNNVILLE, TN - Kyle Doggett, Mgr. Phone 931-527-3923 PULASKI, TN – Celena Williams, Mgr. Phone 931-363-2563 Reggie Shook, Vice Pres. FLORENCE - Robbie Neal, Mgr. Phone 256-764-8441 ELGIN - Wendell Walker, Mgr. Phone 256-247-3453 John Holley, Vice Pres. MOULTON - Greg McCannon, Mgr. Phone 256-974-9213 COURTLAND Phone 256-637-2939 TUSCALOOSA FARMERS COOPERATIVE Wayne Gilliam, Mgr. Phone 205-339-8181 WALKER FARMERS COOPERATIVE Cody King, Mgr. Phone 205-387-1142
*PLEASE CONTACT EACH STORE DIRECTLY FOR ALL OF THE SERVICES THEY OFFER* PEANUTS
PECANS
PROPANE
PEA SHELLING
CATFISH
July 2021
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AG INSIGHT Pandemic alters trends in U.S. food spending The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic limited mobility of U.S. consumers and led to an economic recession for most of 2020, disrupting historical trends in food spending. For the past 25 years, U.S. food expenditures generally have followed several patterns. Most notably, annual total expenditures and the share of food-awayfrom-home (FAFH) showed steady increases, with the highest share of FAFH spending occurring during the summer months. But in 2020, people in the United States spent approximately $1.56 trillion on food, a 5.3% reduction from the $1.65 trillion spent in 2019 and only the second time annual total food expenditures decreased over the last 25 years, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (ERS). The other time spending decreased was in 2009 during the Great Recession. The drop in total food spending in 2020 was driven by an 18.3% decline in spending at restaurants, cafeterias and other eating-out places. Because of the additional cost of eating away from home that decrease outweighed an 8.5% increase in food-at-home (FAH) spending as consumers shifted to buying more food from retailers like grocery stores, supercenters and convenience stores. In April 2020, U.S. consumers spent about twothirds of their food dollars at FAH retailers, the highest value on record. FAH and FAFH spending increased 7.9% and
36.2%, respectively, from April to May 2020. This increase may be due in part to the stimulus checks and increased unemployment benefits that were provided through the federal aid program enacted at the end of March 2020. However, FAFH spending in May 2020 was still lower than the previous year, while FAH spending was higher. The last quarter of 2020 saw monthly increases in FAH spending, an expected outcome of colder weather and holiday meal preparation, which resulted in record-high FAH spending in December. While COVID-19 vaccine distribution for select groups began in the United States in December 2020, the post-pandemic landscape of the food economy remains unclear, although FAFH spending is expected to climb as pandemic restrictions are lifted and people eagerly seek to resume regular activities.
Heat stress – its impact on swine production
Piglets born to heat-stressed sows may carry the burden of their mom’s discomfort later in life in the form of health complications and diminished performance. Now, this so-called “in utero heat stress” may also hypersensitize the piglet’s immune system, potentially doing more harm than good to the young animals, a team of Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and university scientists has learned. Pigs are more susceptible to heat stress due to an inability to sweat. This places them at greater risk of health and production problems that can add up to millions of dollars annually in revenue losses to swine producers. 8
Cooperative Farming News
BY J I M E R I C K S O N
However, less is known about how this heat stress affects their offspring’s innate immunity or first-line defense against disease-causing bacteria and other pathogens. In an effort to find answers, animal scientists at the ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit in West Lafayette, Indiana, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, have teamed up in a joint research project. The research dovetails with increasing concern over the potential impacts of global climate change on swine welfare and management – especially in regions of the world prone to frequent or prolonged drought and heat waves.
World economies affect U.S. ag exports Research from USDA’s Economic Research Service projects that if a major economic crisis were to hit simultaneously the eight largest foreign markets for U.S. agricultural goods, total U.S. exports of grain and oilseed products would decline 6.8% ($2.4 billion). Total exports of meat also would drop 7.3% ($0.7 billion). Although the causes of economic crises can vary between nations, many begin within countries’ financial sectors, as was largely the case with the East Asian crisis of 1997-98 and the world financial downturn of 2008-09. Such crises typically involve developments and conditions such as: • Unsustainable credit booms. • High levels of debt — held by both private and public bodies, often resulting from credit overexpansion that can no longer be adequately serviced. • Asset price bubbles, often fueled as well by credit growth. Economic crises, originating either from financial problems or a drop in the world price of key exports, typically result in a decline in the affected country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and weakening depreciation of its currency. Both factors tend to reduce a country’s imports, including agricultural products. Six important foreign markets for U.S. agricultural exports affected by the East Asian crisis of 1997-98 were Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia
and Malaysia. Russia also experienced a largely unrelated, though serious, economic downturn in 1998. In 1998, the value of these seven countries’ agricultural imports from the United States collectively dropped by 16% compared with 1997, from $23.3 billion to $19.5 billion. Major foreign markets for U.S. agricultural exports hit by the 2008-09 world financial/economic crisis were Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the European Union (28 countries at the time, including the United Kingdom). In 2009, the value of agricultural imports from the United States by these countries collectively fell by 17% compared with 2008, from $83 billion to $68 billion. The agricultural import decline was greatest in relative terms for South Korea and the European Union at 34% and 31%, respectively. The current COVID-19-generated world economic crisis lies not in the type of financial and economic developments noted earlier and appears to be a special case. Rather than falling during a year of extreme economic crisis, U.S. agricultural exports in 2020 in fact rose by 7%, to $146 billion. That happened not only because the dollar depreciated rather than appreciated against other major currencies but also because of certain export-boosting developments unrelated to the COVID-19 crisis.
New USDA deputy secretary sets historic precedent Dr. Jewel Bronaugh has been officially sworn in to serve as the deputy secretary of agriculture at USDA. July 2021
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ate administrator for Extension programs and a 4-H Extension specialist. Dr. Bronaugh received her doctorate in career and technical education from Virginia Tech. She and her husband Cleavon, a retired United States Army veteran, have four adult children.
Government report examines opioid epidemic
Dr. Bronaugh (pronounced Bruh-naw) has a lengthy career as an educator and champion for farmers and rural communities and is the first black woman and woman of color to serve as deputy secretary at the agency. A native of Petersburg, Virginia, she most recently served as the 16th commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. She previously was Virginia’s state executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), appointed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe and then-U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in July 2015. Prior to her FSA appointment, she served as dean of the College of Agriculture at Virginia State University (VSU) with oversight of Extension, research and academic programs. Previously she was the associ10
Cooperative Farming News
A new ERS study examines factors in the opioid epidemic that has afflicted the U.S. population and now ranks as a cause of death second only to cancer among the prime working age group of 25-54. Driven by the opioid epidemic, the age-adjusted overall mortality rate from drug overdoses rose from 6.1 per 100,000 people in 1999 to 21.7 per 100,000 in 2017, before dropping to 20.7 per 100,000 in 2018. The drug overdose mortality rate among the prime working age population was 36.5 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018, exceeded only by cancer’s death toll of 40.5 deaths per 100,000. Entitled “The Opioid Epidemic: A Geography in Two Phases,” the report discusses two views about the health crisis: 1. That economic misfortune has driven many working-age people to self-destructive behavior – marked by increasing drug and alcohol abuse and suicide. 2. That the widespread introduction of new opioid prescription painkillers, followed in recent years by the spread of heroin and powerful synthetics such as fentanyl, is primarily to blame and that local economic downturns have been only a small factor. The report focuses on this viewpoint. A complete report and a summary are available at https://www.ers.usda.gov/.
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July 2021
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BUSINESS OF FARMING
Seventh Inning Stretch Baseball season is in full swing. The keeping of a baseball scorebook is used by coaches and fans at every level to not only keep score but to also provide details on how the game progressed. Reports from the United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA) help us to do the same thing by providing information on how many acres are expected to be planted, actual acres planted, updates on how the crops are progressing and eventually tell us the final score (yields and production).
The Lineup The Prospective Plantings report is released at the end of March each year. This can be thought of as the pregame lineup card. It contains the planting intentions of U.S. row crop producers for the upcoming crop year. About 79,000 producers across the U.S. are surveyed about crop acreage planting intentions for the upcoming crop year. Over 15 crops are included in the survey, but the ones that are of most significance to Alabama include corn, all wheat, oats, barley, cotton, all sorghum, sweet potatoes, soybeans and peanuts. It should be noted that the survey takes place in the first half of March and it reflects the planting 12
Cooperative Farming News
intentions at that time, but the actual planted acres can vary due to several factors. Weather, market conditions, price and availability of row crop inputs are some factors that could change the actual number of acres that are planted. The baseball scorecard equivalent would be your starting center fielder pulls a hamstring during warmup and must be replaced. Table 1 shows the Prospective Plantings for 2021. Acres for corn and cotton in the U.S. were about the same as 2020. Peanut acres were down slightly (98% of 2020 acres) and soybeans acres up 5%. Alabama acres show a similar trend. Corn and cotton acres the same, soybeans up a little. Peanut acres are projected to be slightly higher in Alabama than the 2020 acres.
B Y M AX W. R U N G E It is an interesting dynamic to see how acres get divided among the major row crops. In the Midwest, where most of the U.S. production of corn and soybeans occur, acres typically are split between just these two crops. Much like a baseball team with very few bench players. In Alabama, most farmers can choose between corn, soybeans or cotton. Peanuts have been traditionally limited to lower Alabama but have been gaining acres in North Alabama. The option of double cropping with winter wheat adds more options for producers. Having options of different crops to grow allows Alabama farmers to utilize the crop rotations and helps with sustainability. Again, this is similar to a baseball team with more players to choose from.
Seventh Inning Stretch The next big report about row crops in the U.S. is the Acreage report that is released by USDA at the end of June. The Acreage report shows the acres that have been planted. This may differ from the acres of crops in the Prospective Plantings released at the end of March. Differences in what was intended to be planted and what was planted are normal and expected. On the baseball side, the seventh inning stretch is a time to catch your breath, consider what has happened in the earlier innings and ponder what is to come on the next couple of innings.
Checking the Scoreboard The Crop Progress report is published during the growing season, April through November. This report provides updates on different aspects of various crops during the growing season. This is much like checking the scoreboard at the baseball game to see important information such as runs, hits and errors.
timber. Thanks to the farmers that take the time to complete the surveys from the USDA. Regardless of how your favorite team finished the season, the American farmers provide us the cheapest, safest and most abundant food supply in the world.
Prospective Plantings https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/x633f100h
Acreage https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/j098zb09z
Crop Progress U.S. https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/8336h188j Alabama h ttps://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_ State/Alabama/Publications/Crop_Progress_&_Condition/index.php
Crop Production Annual Summary https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/k3569432s
End of Season Standings After the harvest, the Crop Production Annual Summary is released in January each year to reflect yields, harvested acres and total production. Data is provided for selected crops and by most states. This is the baseball equivalent of the end of year standings. You can see your team compared to the other teams. This is just a portion of the many reports that are published by USDA. They serve an important role in helping farmers, researchers, agribusinesses and ultimately consumers in the production of food, fiber and July 2021
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FEEDING FACTS
What’s Driving Rising Feed Costs? Feed costs are a hot topic these days and while nothing would suit our feed department more than for costs to come down well before this goes to print that seems unlikely. What drives feed costs these days? The simple answer is that the ingredients that make up the feeds you use cost substantially more than they did this time last year. There are many reasons that those ingredients have gone up. Some of those are the COVID-19 pandemic, international trade, foreign animal diseases, weather issues in other parts of the world, governmental reports out of D.C., shipping issues and probably the massive amounts of stimulus money that our 14
Cooperative Farming News
government has poured into the economy. As we look at those, they all affect supply and demand which is the real driver. As the government has put money in the pockets of many Americans, they change both spending and eating habits. Studies from other parts of the world have shown that as people get more money, they change their buying habits and tend to eat more beef and less beans. That tends to drive meat prices up, which makes meat processors want more animals to harvest and increases the demand for feed to get those animals ready. Other countries have seen a significant percentage of their population move out of poverty and into
BY J I M M Y PA R K E R
Corn has driven feed cost in times past and seems to be doing so currently. As corn prices go up, demand shifts to other ingredients and their supplies tighten and their cost rises. a middle class which allows them to eat considerably more meat, which again increases the demand worldwide. When you couple that with the animal disease issues that China and other countries have suffered through for the past few years, their efforts to rebuild swine herds have increased their need for feed. China had two of the largest purchases of U.S. corn ever recorded earlier in the year. That was driven in part by their efforts to increase hog production and partly because they had a poor corn crop in some of China’s corn-producing areas. With countries shipping grains around the world, the overall shipping patterns have changed and many of the feed ingredients like vitamins and some minerals that America has typically imported from various places abroad have become hard to get and, as supplies have tightened up, costs have risen considerably. We have all blamed COVID for a number of things in the past year. In reality, with the work and shipping restrictions, our normal pipelines for many ingredients were empty when the trade patterns shifted and the things we normally could easily overcome have become glaring holes in the supply chain. These will level out in time, but until they do, expect some of those ingredients to stay high and be difficult to get. Corn has driven feed cost in times past and seems to be doing so currently. As corn prices go up, demand shifts to other ingredients and their supplies tighten and their cost rises. It can be a vicious cycle if you are buying and, through the late winter and spring, we saw costs rise for all our normal ingredients. Gov-
ernmental reports that indicate the number of acres planted forecast that corn acres would be lower than expected and that drove prices even higher. At some point ingredient costs will drive feed costs high enough to slow demand and then things will level out to a degree and eventually go back down some. In times past, economists had a pretty good guess on what that cost ceiling would be, but it seems to be much more difficult to predict these days. COVID issues, China issues and lots of “free” governmental money has made predicting that ceiling much more difficult. The hope is that we have a great corn crop and see supply correct itself as we get into the fall and winter. Those times are when we see our feed demand at its highest. Rest assured that no one who makes or sells feed wants these high prices to continue. The people selling you feed at your local Co-op get fussed at a whole lot less when feed is cheap and would much prefer that to be the case. This may be a year to revisit blocks and tubs where appropriate, as their prices seem to be more stable than that of conventional feeds.
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FROM THE STATE VET’S OFFICE
Partnering With the
Poultry Industry King Henry IV of France would be proud of the state of Alabama. He is credited with coining the phrase, “a chicken in every pot.” What he said is that he wished for every peasant to have a chicken in his pot every Sunday. Herbert Hoover apparently took that a little farther when his campaign slogan in the 1928 presidential race was, “a chicken in every pot and a car in every backyard, to boot.” Both the King and the president equated having a plentiful supply of chicken with prosperity. So, in Alabama, where we run second in broiler production nationally, processing nearly 22 million broilers a week, we are doing our part to help fulfill the dreams of King Henry IV and President 16
Cooperative Farming News
Hoover. It is an honor to be able to play a supporting role in an industry that generates over $15 billion in revenue for the state of Alabama annually. The poultry industry accounts for almost two-thirds of the farm revenue generated in the state each year. And it employs 86,000 workers on farms, processing and allied industries. We support the poultry industry in providing laboratory support, disease surveillance and carcass disposal support, emergency management coordination, as well as sitting on the boards of the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association and the Alabama Avian Health Advisory Committee. It is not that the poultry
BY D R . T O N Y F R A Z I E R
industry in Alabama couldn’t exist without us, but I do believe that we make a significant contribution to the success of the industry. Pretty often, the government is looked at as just another obstacle to be navigated past to satisfy our regulations and rules. I believe that in the state of Alabama that when we say, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help,” it actually carries some weight. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries made a commitment years ago to provide laboratory services to the poultry industry. A law was passed by the state Legislature in 1957 that allowed the Commissioner of Agriculture to establish poultry diagnostic laboratories. The laboratories were to be located in places that best served the farmers engaged in the production of poultry. The main laboratory was established in Auburn. The branch laboratories are in Boaz and Hanceville, to serve the densely populated poultry industry in North Alabama. The branch lab at Elba serves the Southeast portion where a heavy poultry presence exists. Over the years, I believe this early commitment to the poultry industry has encouraged poul-
try companies to increase the number of farms they have in the state of Alabama. Our laboratories over the years have provided diagnostic testing for the commercial integrator who is losing birds or has poor production. The diagnostic labs have supported the industry with pathologists who were specifically trained in avian pathology and medicine. In recent years, as the poultry industry has joined the rest of the food animal industry in reducing and eliminating the use of antibiotics in their products, it is more important than ever to get correct diagnoses to allow the companies to make informed decisions concerning treatment. Back in the spring of 2017, when a case of low pathogenic avian influenza was diagnosed in Alabama, we had all hands on deck to work weekends or whatever was needed to be done to assure that the virus was not spreading. This was done by running hundreds of samples taken from farms in the area of the positive farm. If there had been a positive sample during that round of testing, we, along with the industry, could have responded quickly to stop the virus from spreading further.
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In recent years, as the poultry industry has joined the rest of the food animal industry in reducing and eliminating the use of antibiotics in their products, it is more important than ever to get correct diagnoses to allow the companies to make informed decisions concerning treatment. We also support the poultry industry by encouraging noncommercial poultry producers to bring their birds to our labs. Not only are we able to provide those producers with diagnoses and possibly advise on treatment or husbandry practices, it also provides us with a snapshot of what diseases are out there that could affect our $15 billion commercial industry. We believe that surveillance for poultry diseases in Alabama is so important that we only charge a $10 accession fee to noncommercial poultry growers, making it more likely for them to submit sick or dead birds for diagnosis. In addition to the diagnostic laboratories we have field and office staff members at the Department of Agriculture and Industries who are dedicated specifically to poultry. Our field personnel assist backyard poultry growers who want to participate in the NPIP (National Poultry Improvement Program). NPIP is a program that provides surveillance for certain poultry diseases for commercial and noncommercial flocks that meet specific qualifications. And, at this time, we do not charge for participation, although our rules allow a fee to be accessed. As budgets continue to tighten this is something we may have to think about. Another way we support the industry is through emergency programs. Diseases and natural disasters can present some unique challenges. The average person on the street, ordering the grilled chicken breast sandwich, never gives a thought to the method of carcass disposal needed for 100,000 chickens that might have to be euthanized on a farm. However, we are continually fine-tuning our plans and ability to coordinate such enormous tasks, especially if multiple farms were involved during a disease outbreak. We have also assisted in response after poultry houses 18
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have been destroyed by tornadoes. The poultry industry has always figured prominently into our disaster response training. While natural disasters can hit all sectors of animal agriculture, as I write this article, the news reminds us that chicken products are in reduced supply due to the devastating winter storm that hit Texas back in February. We cannot control the weather, but we are certainly here to help the industry respond when needed. As I said earlier, we in government are often looked at as regulators who make life difficult. Hopefully, most people realize the necessity of regulations. We do, however, try to work with industry when construction of regulations is needed. I have often said that my concern is the Alabama herds and flocks collectively. We try to make regulations that are not burdensome but take care of the flock next door or down the road or at the other end of the state. I always seek input from industry and believe I take their suggestions seriously into consideration when using regulatory authority. It has been my experience that we all have the same goal. That is to continue to provide an abundant, affordable and wholesome supply of poultry products for the consumer, both here in the United States and abroad. Just like King Henry IV and President Hoover, our desire is to have a chicken in every pot or on every grill.
LIVESTOCK AUCTIONS SUPPORT THE AUCTION. WE WORK FOR YOU.
CLAY COUNTY STOCKYARD
VALLEY STOCKYARD
1050 Airport Road - Ashland, AL Sale Every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. Tad and Kim Eason, Owners
Check us out on Facebook!
13130 AL HWY 157 - Moulton, AL Cattle Auction - Wed. at 11:00 a.m. Billy Wallace (C) 256-303-7097 Phone: 256-974-5900 Fax: 256-974-5899 Your Full Service Stockyard
SAND MOUNTAIN STOCKYARD, LLC
TOP RANKED MARKET RECEIPTS SINCE 2006
Barn: 256-354-2276 Tad: 397-4428
Hauling available
19509 AL Hwy 68 - Crossville, AL 256-561-3434 Cattle Auction - Every Wed. & Sat. at 11:30 a.m. Call for any hauling & catching needs
MID STATE STOCKYARDS 8415 State HWY 97 South Letohatchee, AL 36047 Sale Day: Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. 1-877-334-5229 or 334-227-8000 www.midstatestockyards.com
If you would like to advertise your stockyard, please contact Wendy McFarland at mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com
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
July 2021
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SouthFresh Feed BY J E S S I E S H O O K If you are looking for a compete feed for your performance horses, look no further. SouthFresh Feeds offers a complete extruded horse feed that is formulated in a manner using high quality ingredients such as stabilized rice bran, alfalfa and milo, along with highly digestible oils and absorbable forms of minerals and vitamins. “These ingredients meet all the nutritional requirements of performance horses without the added fear of nutritional disorders such as colic and acidosis,” said Jimmy Hughes, vice president of SouthFresh Feeds. “SouthFresh Complete provides a horse owner with the confidence and assurance of a 20
Cooperative Farming News
feed that will maximize the horse’s potential to perform at a high athletic level.” SouthFresh Feeds are partners with Kentucky Equine Research (KER). KER is a world-recognized leader in nutrition research of performance horses. “This partnership has allowed SouthFresh to utilize their research expertise, along with feed formulation assistance to meet the unique nutritional requirements of a performance horse,” Hughes said. Beyond sound nutritional backing and high-quality ingredients, there are two properties that make this feed unique. “First, SouthFresh Complete is one of
the few horse feeds on the market that is extruded,” process has been proven to increase nutrient availHughes explained. “The extrusion process improves ability, reduces salmonella, E. coli and vitamin degradigestibility and availability of feed stuffs through a dation,” Hughes added. Team/Breakaway roper Ryleigh Parker feeds process of steam and heat that breaks down what could be binding any nutrients to allow better diges- SouthFresh Complete to seven of her quarter horses tion, absorption and utilizaand is sponsored by SouthFresh Feeds. Parker has many tion.” Secondly, SouthFresh accomplishments, includSouthFresh Complete ing State Breakaway Roper Complete uses stabilized uses stabilized rice bran rice bran as one of the inof 2020 for Georgia Junior gredients, while most othHigh School and Team Ropas one of the ingredients, er feed companies use raw er of 2019 for Alabama Little while most other feed Britches Rodeo Association bran. “Stabilization of the rice bran must occur within (ALBRA). She even won a companies use raw bran. a short time at the rice man2019 Dodge Ram truck at the age of 14. Parker currently ufacturing facility and this
Parker has many accomplishments. Parker currently competes at the high school level and in the United States Team Roping Championships. (Photo Credit: Ryleigh Parker)
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competes at the high school level and in the United States Team Roping Championships (USTRC). While competing in 40 or more competitions a year, Parker never has to worry about her horse’s nutrition. “Our horses are healthy and look great,” Parker said. “We can free feed without worrying that one will get hyper and, when we are on the road, I don’t have to worry about them getting colic.” Parker feeds SouthFresh Complete to horses of all life stages and her horses enjoy the taste too. “I have horses that age from 7 to 22 and all of them eat SouthFresh Complete like candy,” Parker said. “I can see the difference in my horses’ mind and shape. It also makes their coat and mane grow, and shine!” “This is one of the best feeds I have ever used,” Parker added. “My horses are calm and ready to do their best, and when they are happy, I am happy!” Parker has big goals for her future in roping and SouthFresh Complete has been the perfect tool to give her horses an edge over the competition. “If I didn’t think that SouthFresh Feeds would benefit your horse in many ways, I would not be a part of it,” Parker said. “I’m so blessed to be a part of such an amazing feed company that wants what’s best for my horses.”
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SouthFresh Feed is a complete extruded horse feed that is formulated in a manner using high quality ingredients such as stabilized rice bran, alfalfa and milo, along with highly digestible oils, and absorbable forms of minerals and vitamins.
July 2021
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WHAT’S THE POINT WITH GREENPOINT AG
AccuField® Provides New Features in Suite of Agricultural Services AccuField® is just what its name implies – a collection of precision agriculture services and information that offers farmers unsurpassed accuracy in their fields, whether it is through precision soil sampling, variable rate applications, yield data, site-specific hybrid selection or data management services. Now in its eighth year of service to farmers, GreenPoint Ag’s AccuField® is unveiling a new version that honors its history of unrivaled customer support while offering new technology and features to help maintain profitable production. This new look highlights the initiatives “Innovate. Grow. Sustain.™” and is built on the five pillars of AccuField®: • Fertility and Planting Solutions • In-Season Decision Support • Machine Calibration • Data Management • Profitability and ROI “With service to 10 states and hundreds of locations between GreenPoint Ag’s retail locations and participating member cooperatives, we continue to offer the same service farmers have come to know and trust,” said Trey Colley, Regional Manager, Ag Technologies for GreenPoint Ag. “There are a myriad of options out there when it comes to technology that drive value to a grower’s operation, but Trey Colley we have some clear return Regional Manager, Ag Technologies for Greenpoint on investment tools that we 24
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know are sound practices at the farm level,” Colley said. “We back that up by having people at our cooperatives and GreenPoint Ag retail locations who are in tune with what’s going on in their local fields. We also have regional support specialists who can implement those tools and visit with growers to make custom fertility plans and other recommendations that help them not only with what they want to achieve from a crop and yield perspective but also is economical.” With AccuField®, farmers will have access to the newest and most innovative tools available, Colley said, helping them grow their operations and sustain their success moving forward. In addition to the tools already being used in AccuField®’s portfolio, there are a few new tools ready for use in 2021.
“There are a myriad of options out there when it comes to technology that drive value to a grower’s operation, but we have some clear return on investment tools that we know are sound practices at the farm level.” – Trey Colley
DA R R I N H O L D E R
The ROI or return on investment tool is a new feature that goes one step further than traditional yield maps. “With this tool, we’re able to apply a grower’s production budget to their yield map and come up with a profitability map for their fields,” he said. A new geospatial seed placement tool is a proprietary technology that allows for the input of variety trial results from county, state and university tests as well as from GreenPoint’s on-farm trials conducted by its agronomy team. “We’re able to aggregate these results and get a recommendation for which variety works best for a particular field and soil type,” Colley said. The Sustain initiative maintains a focus on sustainability from a farm perspective, with programs currently in place for corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton, and there are plans to add peanuts and rice in the near future. “We’re driving more value to our customers who are already employing sustainable practices, and we’re recognizing them for that,” Colley said. The cotton initiative is made possible through a partnership with the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol which brings quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurement to sustainable cotton production and drives continuous improvement in six key sustainability metrics – land use, soil carbon, water management, soil loss, greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency. “This tool allows us to help facilitate growers in enrolling in that program and other programs that either will pay back to the grower or serve as a method of documentation rewarding them for their sustainable practices,” Colley said. For more information about AccuField® and the services described above, go to www.accufield. com or contact your local farmers cooperative. Headquartered in Decatur, Alabama, GreenPoint Ag is an American-owned, agricultural input supplier servicing 28 million acres in 99 communities across Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. GreenPoint Ag combined operations with Agri-AFC and Tennessee Farmers Cooperative’s Wholesale Agronomy in early September of last year making it a top seven wholesale and retail agronomy company with more than $1 billion in sales. July 2021
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ON THE EDGE OF COMMON SENSE
BY B AX T E R B L A C K , D V M
The Outfitter’s Jerky
I n hunting camp, an outfitter reached down and stirred the fire. His client belched contentedly and said, “Might I inquire, That jerky you been chewin’ up… could I just try a bit? I fancy I’m a connoisseur with tongue and palate fit
t last he stood and glared at us, resigned but not unbowed. A We started down the mountain side as best the load allowed. We had to cross a narrow trail above a closed-down mine. The Demon went to pullin’ back, I’d hitched him last in line.
T o ferret out the kind of beast, perhaps the cut of meat From whence you carved the bloody strap and held it to the heat.” The packer passed a little piece to test the boastful claim, The hunter in his down-filled vest bit in and then proclaimed,
e balked, then had a mental lapse… forgot that he was tied H And then just like a fumbled punt he cartwheeled down the side. I got off quick and bared my knife, and dove between the mules I slashed the halter shank between the mule train and the fools.
“I taste a hint of kidney fat. The tang of creosote. A wistful note of pine tree bough lays pungent in my throat. What’s this? A waft of ungulate, the glue of hoof and horn, An Eohippus redolence, the musk of unicorn.
own we went, an avalanche of elk and mule and man, D The antlers cracked, the cookware clanked, the Coleman stove and pans, The propane tank was hissin’, the elk meat lashed up tight, I hit the shale below the mine, the mule dropped outta sight.
eculiar, though I fear I’m stumped. I can’t tell heads nor tails. P I’m left with just the essence of burnt hair and roofing nails. I pride myself on this small skill but if you could be swayed, Pray, tell me from what animal is this here jerky made?” T he packer picked his grimy teeth, his filthy knife, the tool. “It all began,” he spit and said, “with one ol’ stubborn mule Named Demon, and the name sure fit. Worst mule I’ve ever seen. Last hunt when we were comin’ out he really got down mean. I t took us nearly half a day to git the sucker packed. He’d buck the panyards off each time and roll clear on his back. He kicked and struck and strained the knots, he bit and brayed and gassed, We finally had to tie him down to get the elk made fast. 26
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ext thing I knew a blinding light exploded in my eyes. N And when the dust had settled, the mule had vaporized. I peeked down in the mine shaft through the timbers and the smoke And knew ol’ Demon at long last had shed his final yoke. e never knew what hit him, so at least it wasn’t cruel.” H “Gosh,” the hunter shook his head, “I’m sorry ‘bout yer mule. But back to this here jerky, do you share you recipes?” “Well, wuddn’t nuthin’ to it. I just picked it off the trees.” www.baxterblack.com
PALS
BY J A M I E M I T C H E L L
Jonesboro Elementary School Jonesboro Elementary School in Bessemer, Alabama, was new to the Clean Campus Program this year and did an excellent job with the program despite the challenges of online learning most of the school year. STEM teacher Ms. Felissa Dearman spearheaded the Clean Campus efforts at the school and motivated JES students to participate in the program, even if they were learning at home! Dearman was able to contact Jefferson County to receive “Don’t Drop it on Alabama” Spring Cleanup supplies and coordinate a campus cleanup. When our planned Zoom call was not able to be executed due to distance learning challenges and testing schedules, the students of JES were assigned to watch our Clean Campus video as an alternative. We have been so fortunate to have multiple ways of getting the anti-litter message to students this year! If COVID has taught
us anything, it has taught us to be flexible, and this is exactly how we were able to accommodate JES in this situation! The students of Jonesboro Elementary also participated in our annual Poster Contest in the spring. We are so proud of the way Jonesboro Elementary (and so many other schools in the state) made the commitment to the Clean Campus Program even in the most trying of school years! It is our most sincere hope that school will be much closer to normal in fall of 2021! If a school near you would like to learn more about the Clean Campus Program, please have them give me a call at 334-2637737 or email at jamie@alpals.org. We would love to work with your local schools to create an even more beautiful Alabama. As always, the Clean Campus Program is available at no cost thanks to our wonderful corporate sponsors. July 2021
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4-H EXTENSION CORNER
Buggin’ out ...
With Excitement!
First grade at Evergreen Elementary School watching the larvae.
Some bugs might cause your skin to crawl, but all bugs are useful in our environment. To learn more about these creatures, 250 students in Conecuh County recently participated in the 4-H Entomology Project. Thirteen different classrooms observed a life-cycle project with butterflies and ladybugs, and then released them to take their places in the insect world. Karla Robinson, the 4-H Foundation Regional Extension Agent, used a grant to purchase ladybug/ butterfly/praying mantis habitat kits, which provid-
ed the lessons, PowerPoints and journal writing kits for classroom teachers to use virtually while COVID guidelines kept 4-H leaders out of the schools. “We had started a project like this last year when the Pandemic hit, but we were all sent home,” Robinson explained. “Our dedicated teachers took those projects home with them, released them when they were ready and then videoed the releases so their kids could see them.” This year was different. The project provided an exciting, hands-on way to learn the biology of insects,
Third graders at Sparta Academy view their ladybugs.
Ian Contreras and Aubanie Williams-Rogers do their observations for their journal writing.
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BY C A R O LY N D R I N K A R D observe the size, shape, color and adaptation of the insect and understand the life cycle and its recurrence in the world around them. It also gave students practice in record keeping, scientific observation and writing. “It was an excellent way to get the students excited about 4-H while studying science,” Robinson stated. The “Bug Project” was also a fun way to introduce 4-H to students from ages 5 to 11. Each child chose to study either a ladybug, butterfly or praying mantis. (Ladybugs and butterflies were the most popular choices, however.) Everything needed for the activities was provided in each teacher’s kit. In addition, the lessons corresponded to each grade level’s science curriculum. The process was both exciting and eye-opening. Each day brought an interesting change as students watched their “bugs” progress through various stages to maturity, closely watching for any differences. Then, they recorded the changes and wrote about their findings in their journals. “After the transition from pupa to adult, we had a virtual event for each classroom to release the butterflies,” Robinson explained. “It was an exciting time for these students!” The schoolwide or gradewide release was broadcast live on Facebook. The passion for this entomology project was on full display as students gasped in wonder and screamed in delight. The students were buggin’ out with excitement, as their projects fluttered away in the sunlight to begin a new phase of life.
Students in the first grade at Evergreen Elementary were buggin’ out with excitement as their projects were released.
In the life cycle of a butterfly, this is the stage between the larva and adult butterfly when the pupa is still inside of a chrysalis, but is just about ready to come out.
First-grade students at Evergreen Elementary anxiously await the release of their projects.
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FFA SENTINEL
Newly Elected Alabama State Officers Paving the Way to a Bright Future While state convention was unable to be held in person, the state officers got the star treatment as they filmed their virtual state convention.
E
ach year, 12 dedicated FFA members in our state contend to obtain one of six coveted spots as an Alabama FFA State Officer. These members endure days of interviews with a challenging panel of nine individuals, many of whom have been in their shoes in years past. At the end of the process, these six officers begin a year-long journey of service and personal growth. While each year’s teams experience similar schedules and events, no two teams are alike. The last two officer teams, for example, have dealt with unprecedented circumstances as they have navigated our organization through COVID-19. In fact, the 2020-2021 Alabama FFA State Officers were unable to travel to any of the typical rewarding events like the State Officer Summit in Washington, D.C., or the National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis. These students were asked to make a difference through a computer screen. They, like the teams before them, conquered every challenge that came their way. They have left a remarkable legacy for future teams. As the world around us continues to change, the 2021-2022 Alabama State Officers will have a different 30
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type of challenge ahead of them. They will be the group who leads the association back into the “new normal.” This group will be challenged with phasing our association back into in-person events, while still utilizing the many lessons we have learned over the past year and a half. They will be expected to embrace technology
Leeanna Burkhalter State President
B R I A N N A PAY N E in new and exciting ways to engage members. They will be the group that gets members across the state of Alabama excited to come back to that familiar blue corduroy jacket and participate in the many opportunities on the horizon. They, like the many teams before them, will leave a unique legacy. The Alabama FFA Association is pleased to introduce everyone to this remarkable group who will lead our State Association in 2021-2022. The Alabama FFA State President is Leeanna Burkhalter from the Fayette County FFA Chapter. Serving as Vice President is Kaleigh McGrew from the Southern Choctaw FFA. Wesley Gaddy of the Alexandria FFA Chapter is the State FFA Secretary. The Treasurer, from the Elkmont FFA Chapter, is Kaitlyn Burroughs. The State FFA Reporter is Olivia Powers from the Thorsby FFA. Finally, the State FFA Sentinel from the Lincoln FFA Chapter is Brianna Payne. Under the leadership of
these six amazing young leaders, the future of agriculture is certainly bright!
Kaitlyn Burroughs State Treasurer
Kaleigh McGrew
Olivia Powers
Wesley Gaddy
Brianna Payne
State Vice President
State Secretary
State Reporter
State Sentinel
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OUTDOOR LOGIC WITH BIOLOGIC
“Ice Cream” Crops for Hunting Plots Fall Planting Options for Whitetails
Some crops become most attractive during a stage of their growth, some need to mature to produce a yield and some need temperatures or other weather conditions to turn them to their most palatable state. Thus, the timing of when a specific crop turns attractive can vary widely north to south because of planting dates and weather conditions. (Photo Credit: Tony Campbell)
Throughout the country, traditional planting times for most crops coincide with when there is ample topsoil moisture available. The soil normally holds enough moisture during the spring from snowmelt in addition to those “April showers.” Then again, moisture returns during the late summer or fall when the sun’s angle to the earth subsides, allowing the moisture from any late summer thunderstorms to stay in the topsoil long enough to germinate the seeds and facilitate the new seedlings through lag phase and into plants our whitetails will relish. Some of the most attractive crops are planted during the spring, but majorities of those “candy crops” are traditionally planted during the late summer (in the north) or fall (in the south). In Minnesota, you may be planting as early as July to as late as the first couple 32
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of days in September. On the other extreme, in Mississippi or Alabama, you may be planting as late as November. Picking a crop that is most attractive for when you want to hunt is a key to getting the most from your hunting plots. Whitetail managers are lucky in that many of the most attractive plantings end up also being some of the most nutritious. Timing and placement dictate when and how they will be used from north to south. Some plants can be used for specific missions while others cover a wide array of benefits. Some of the most attractive crops are planted during the spring. For instance, perennials such as red and white clovers, alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil and chicory are very attractive and very nutritious at times during the fall. And soybeans are relished for their forage
BY T O D D A M E N R U D at the peak of its attraction when you plan on hunting it. If the plot allows the space for variety, by all means, I’m going to give it to them. If I have the space available I like to present an attractive, palatable food choice that will keep them coming from before opening day until the season ends or until the food runs out. When designing a hunting plot, knowing when plants are favored and how they should be utilized is important. Following are a few choices that are planted during the late summer/fall planting season, when they are typically planted and when they are normally attractive to whitetails. Please keep in mind that different herds may respond to various types of plants uniquely. Because of deficiencies in native vegetation or certain plants missing from your overall food plot proMost often, it will take cold temperatures to change the brassicas’ high levels of starch to sugars; then they gram, plants that would normally be palatable to whitetails during a cerbecome the most attractive. A “browse-cage” will teach you the potential of your plants (inside) and what your herd is consuming (outside). (Photo Credit: Todd Amenrud) tain stage of growth, or other plant types when weather events turn the during the summer months and then for their fruit plants to their most palatable stage, may be eaten during late hunting season. at times other than their traditionally most attractive Corn is also planted during the spring or early sum- timeframe. Below are the norms for some of my famer and every hunter knows how attractive it can be vorite late summer/fall plantings. to whitetails at times. When cold temperatures come, they’ll be in the corn or brassicas. In fact, if you live where you have deep snow, those may be your only two WINTER PEAS reliable, accessible food plot choices. Annual legumes such as soybeans, iron & clay peas These succulent annual legumes are like “ice or lablab are great summertime nutrition, but only the cream” to whitetails. They are palatable right away afdried beans are really an option after a frost has oc- ter germination and typically devoured as fast as they curred and your beans are dead and brown. If you con- grow. Because of this, you have a couple options; you centrate on the crop for the earliest part of the bow sea- can plant enough acreage to overwhelm the amount of son before a frost, they can hold some great attraction “mouths” you have to feed or protect what you plant power. But these annual legumes are very vulnerable to with electric fencing, P2 Plot Protector or some type cold temperatures. When planted for whitetails, most of deer-proof barrier. Then, when you choose to “ring choose to plant these for the green leaf forage produc- the dinner bell,” simply open the plot up to your herd. tion for summertime nutrition, but as mentioned, the Or, plant smaller amounts and just understand that the dried soybeans left on the stalk can also be a great late crop will likely be eaten fast and furious, and just make season magnet. sure you are there when the carnage is occurring. Variety is a key to consistency, so available food Winter peas are planted as soon as early August in plot acreage is a major concern. With small plots, the far north to as late as early October in the south. since you can’t “do it all,” you must adopt a targeted They are normally planted ¼-inch deep at approxiapproach. With little fields, you’ll want your crop to be mately 40 lbs. per acre and will grow in all soil types as July 2021
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Cereal grains (Trophy Oats in the foreground) are very attractive to whitetails during the hunting season. Notice the variety in this hunting plot – cereal grains, brassicas and corn in the background. (Photo Credit: Todd Amenrud)
long as the site receives adequate rainfall. They like the sun, but can be grown in partial sun, to as little as six hours per day. Nutritional content will vary depending upon the stage of growth, but will average around 25% protein. Winter peas are normally used for early season attraction and, because of the poor yield in relation to other crops, one of the best tactics is to fence off half your devoted acreage with P2 Plot Protector. The reason for protecting only half your crop is because it is much easier to protect one-half if you give them the other portion. A hungry whitetail is hard to deter and if you cut them off completely they will almost certainly breach your defense. If you do choose to protect the entire crop, keep a close eye on it and mend and bolster any breaches in the ribbon as soon as they are found. Once one whitetail finds the way in, it’s like opening the floodgate, so I usually use two offset strands of P2 ribbon right from the get-go, and I always leave a bit of the crop outside of the fenced-off area to satisfy their appetite.
CEREAL GRAINS It is said that lablab was originally brought into the United States from Australia. Wherever it came 34 Cooperative Farming News
from, there’s no doubt it was made famous for whitetail management in Texas. There, researchers showed that lablab improved antler size, body weight and herd density, but it was proven to do all of this under some of the harshest growing conditions in the country … as I said, it’s Texas. A downfall is that just like other annual legumes that are susceptible to browse pressure, lablab seems to be doubly so. Lablab is not the best choice for small, unprotected mono-plots – it should be planted in large plots or protected with fencing and/or repellents. Because lablab is a legume, it can be successfully grown anywhere that soybeans and peas will grow. It is very drought tolerant once established, but does not grow well in wet soils. It should be planted during the spring when soybeans are being planted in your area or once the soil temperature reaches 65 F or higher. Whitetails are strongly attracted to lablab’s large, succulent leaves and you should expect utilization shortly after germination. It should produce about four tons of forage per acre at about 25% protein and is very digestible. It has a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of two to one making it an especially good choice for antler growth. It is very tolerant of browsing once established, but it is vulnerable to browse pressure for the first 30 days of growth. As mentioned, in small plots, it’s wise to protect it with P2 Plot Protector for the first month if you anticipate browsing pressure. As said, lablab is extremely drought tolerant and likes the heat, but will be finished at the first hint of a frost. Once it makes it to the point of starting to vine (about three to four weeks after germinating), it becomes very vigorous. It’s resistant to insects and disease, grows well even in rough or acidic soil and produces an incredible amount of forage.
BRASSICAS/ BEETS Brassicas could simply be the best deer food God has ever created. They have the best protein content, most digestible nutrients and best yield out of any food plot crop that I know of. They are typically used for late season attraction or wintertime nutrition because of cold temperatures transforming the plant’s high levels of starch to sugar. But be prepared to experience the possibility of several scenarios if you’ve never planted them before. Deer may react differently to brassicas in different areas. Normally they don’t hit them hard until after a hard freeze or several frosts have occurred. However, the first time you plant them, since you’re introducing a new plant to the area, it may take you a while to battle a learning curve and for them to learn of it.
They also tend to react differently to this plant in various types of habitat. In a “big woods” scenario, where there isn’t a lot of agriculture around, they might eat it as fast as it comes out of the ground. In an agricultural area, typically they will leave this plant alone until several frosts have come or you have a freeze. This, to me as a land manager, is good because it allows me to gain tonnage. With bigger plants ,I can feed more deer for a longer time when they do become most attractive. If your property is in an area that does not get cold enough temperatures to trigger a significant response, don’t devote vast acreage to brassicas until you see your herd turn-on to them. If you live in an area where you get cold temperatures during the hunting season, I’ve never seen a better magnet for deer. Brassicas include many different plant types that whitetails will devour – rape, canola, turnips and radishes are some of my favorites. My favorite blends are Maximum, Winter Bulbs & Sugar Beets and Deer-RADISH. Just like cereal grains, brassicas are also great plants to include in a blend. Perfect Plot, Premium Perennial (brassicas mixed with perennials), Full Draw, Green Patch Plus and Last Bite (brassicas blended with other annuals) are all blends I recommend. Beets can also be lumped in with brassicas, but they are not actually a brassica. The sugar beet added to Winter Bulbs & Sugar Beets extends the palatability duration of the mix significantly. Whitetails relish these just as well as brassicas. These small tiny seeds create some amazing yield. Because the seeds are so small a planting depth of ¼ inch or less is recommended. Ideally, the seeds would be broadcast on a firm seedbed and then rolled over with a cultipacker. They also produce excellent stands when planted through a drill. They can also be broadcast on a prepared seedbed prior to a rain or frost seeded in certain areas. Heck, these seeds are so hardy I’ll have brassicas growing in the cracks of my driveway if I have an accidental spill. Brassicas are very versatile when it comes to planting times. Traditionally they are planted during the late summer or fall, but they can be planted earlier during the spring in the far north. It is not recommended to plant them earlier anywhere but the upper tier of U.S. states and Canada. Because of the longer growing season here further south, the plants will likely bolt to flower and seed, something you DO NOT want. You don’t want your plants to use their energy to produce flowers and seeds – you want the plant’s energy to stay contained in the leaves to be transferred into antler and energy for your herd. The best planting times would be late July or early August in the north to September in the south. Even
Brassicas such as turnips and these radishes are notorious for producing large root-bulbs; however, not all brassicas produce root bulbs. The yield and protein content is much higher in the greens than the root bulbs, but some food plotters love to have the root bulbs because whitetails love them, too. (Photo Credit: Jesse Raley)
with late summer/fall planted brassicas, yields from 12 to 20 tons per acre are common. These seeds are normally planted at around 9 pounds per acre and the plants will grow well in any soil type if adequate soil moisture is present. They will work in a no-till preparation and in less than full sun (at least six hours per day). They can also do well in below neutral pH. In my view, they are the ideal food plot crop. I always preach versatility in a food plot program, but it is important to understand when and how each individual planting should be made use of. In my view, it is best to plant a combination of spring plantings and late summer plantings. In the south, most of the “menu” is planted during the late summer or fall, but a combination of annuals and perennials will also be your best bet under most conditions. July 2021
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Crawfish Boil Recipe
This delicious recipe is crazy simple and made with fresh crawfish, the bag and bottled Zatarain’s seasoning, along with a little Cajun seasoning, red potatoes, corn, a few lemons and smoked sausage! Is your mouth watering yet? This recipe is a winner every time. One of the reasons I love crawfish boils is that the entire process of boiling and eating them is an experience. Family and friends spend more time around the table enjoying each other and the great food! I always have leftovers for which I am grateful. It gives me a chance to make the best Crawfish Mac 36
Cooperative Farming News
and Cheese EVER! I posted that on my website, stacylynharris.com, if you find yourself with leftovers. Boiling crawfish is super easy. No real measuring is necessary. Just fill a Dutch oven or tall pot 3/4 full of water and bring to a rolling boil. Add the seasonings and the potatoes for about 5 minutes, then the corn and crawfish. Boil them together for about 4 more minutes, or until the potatoes are pierced easily with a knife and the crawfish are a beautiful red color. I hope you’ll make having a crawfish boil a new yearly tradition!
Serves 12
About Stacy Lyn Harris
Ingredients:
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.
32 pounds crawfish 2 Zatarain’s Crawfish, Shrimp & Crab Boil Bags 2Z atarain’s Concentrated Shrimp and Crab Boil (bottled) 1 cup Cajun seasoning, plus extra for sprinkling 1/4 cup cayenne pepper 2 lemons, halved 2 pounds smoked sausage links, cut into chunks 8 ears of fresh corn, cut into thirds 3 pounds new potatoes Fill 80-quart boiling pot 3/4 full of water and bring to a rolling boil. If you don’t have an 80-quart boiling pot, use two large pots and divide the seasonings and ingredients between the two pots. You can also cook in batches. Add Zatarain’s seasoning bags, bottles, Cajun seasoning, cayenne, lemon halves and cut sausage to the pot. Add crawfish and corn to the pot and allow to cook until the crawfish turn red, about 5 minutes. Remove the
crawfish and vegetables to a drainer set over a pot. Once drained, pour onto newspaper and sprinkle with additional Cajun seasoning.
WELLS FARM 455 Brownsboro Road, Brownsboro, AL
Wells Farm calves have done extremely well on fescue in North Alabama this year. We have a great selection to choose from on the farm of Simmental and Sim Angus starting at $2,000. Bulls are individually priced and you can walk in the pasture at your leisure and pick one out. 8 month old 910lb bull calf on grass
Mike Wells - wellsfs@yahoo.com
334-412-2280 July 2021
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of the
Forest BY JESSIE SHOOK
I
f there is one thing the hard-working men and women of agriculture are known for, it is being stewards of the land – whether that be for livestock, crops or even the forest. “Foresters simply produce different commodities than farmers such as timber, wildlife habitats, recreational opportunities and aesthetics,” said Billy Rye, President of Forest Management Specialists, Inc. “Forest products are used to build our houses, provide paper and packaging material, provide renewable energy materials, and wood for furniture and flooring.” Rye is what you might call a veteran
forester. With his 32-year (and counting) career, his love of the forest began when he was a participant on FFA’s forestry judging team. This competition introduced participants to forest management, timber measurements, tree identification and wildlife habitat management. “I really enjoyed the study and competition during my years in FFA,” Rye said. “I also enjoyed working outdoors as I had a summer job working on a farm.” Rye enjoyed the principles of managing land and learning stewardship. “After taking several classes in forestry during college, I was hooked,” Rye added.
Billy Rye, President of Forest Management Specialists, Inc. and state chapter chair of the Association of Consulting Foresters of America.
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Cooperative Farming News
All photos were taken at Pinetops, LLC. Owned by Lydia Boesch and Frank Owen.
Stewards
Trees are planted from genetically superior seeds in an area that has the right soil to grow pines. If an area will not grow the trees well, foresters find another purpose for that land such as a food plot or cover for deer.
He worked for the Alabama Forestry Commission for eight years before he began his forestry consulting career in 1996 by starting Forest Management Specialists, Inc. According to Rye, because of forests currently occupying about 67% of the land in Alabama, they are instrumental in reducing soil erosion, protecting water quality, and providing habitat for many threatened and endangered species. “Healthy forests are also crucial in the absorption of carbon dioxide which is the gas primarily responsible for climate change,” Rye added. The main purpose of a forester is to help landowners reach the objectives of their forestland. “Some examples of my clients’ objectives include maximizing return on investment, improving turkey habitat, protecting soil and water quality, protecting trees during development and maintaining a legacy for their heirs,” Rye said. To fulfill the objectives of clients, a forester must be able to fill many different roles within their job. For Rye, as a consulting forester who offers his services to the public for a fee, he is a business owner, supervisor, file organizer and bookkeeper. He makes technical forest management recommendations, helps landowners manage wildlife habitats and prepares timber sale contracts. He understands insurance needs, is informed of current timber specifications and demand, while also being knowledgeable in forest health management. He
implements Alabama’s Best Management Practices for Forestry and also conducts prescribed burning. By employing a consultant forester as an agent, the landowner will increase the probability that they will reach the objectives for their property. “A competent, qualified resource professional with the landowner’s best interest in mind is the best asset,” Rye said. “Forestry consultants help make owning land a pleasure, rather than a chore.” A forester’s operation changes daily and just like other agriculture industries, seasonally. January and February are normally tree planting season, while prescribed burning usually spans from February to May. “During the summer, we typically inspect the health of the forest for our clients and reassess where we are relative to their objectives,” Rye said. “Chemical application for the preparation of tree planting or to improve wildlife habitat normally occurs in August and September, and we normally market timber for our clients in November and December.” Many efforts also occur year-round such as timber harvesting inspections, preparation of forest management plans and timber cruising. The importance of a forester directly relates to the importance of land management and future generations. Forestry is everchanging, just like most industries, and it has kept up with changing times. “Forestry has changed quite a bit since I began my career in 1988,” Rye said. “The available technology
Rye holds a piece of ragweed. While it causes allergies in a lot of people, the seed is an important source of food for game birds like bobwhite quail, eastern wild turkey and mourning dove. It also benefits several songbirds like goldfinch and several species of sparrow. The seeds last a long time in the wild and are beneficial to birds when other food sources are difficult to find.
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Foresters play a big role in advocating for forests and their importance. “The public needs to understand the benefits of forests, sustainability and private ownership so that proper forest management will be encouraged,” Rye said. There are several potentially negative outcomes if the public is not educated on forestry. “Forest management is a long-term commitment and the inability to foresee future outcomes can negatively impact current management decisions,” Rye said. “An over/ under supply of a particular forest product can greatly impact the ability of landowners to market their timber and manage their land.” With the world population currently approaching eight billion people and the amount of forestland somewhat fixed, forest management is more important than ever. “Foresters need to manage the land so that future generations can continue to enjoy the benefits provided by forests,” Rye said. For more information on forestry consulting and Forest Management Specialists, Inc. visit www.fmsforestry.com. Rye describes how the bark of the pine trees protects the tree from the heat of prescribed burns.
allows us to manage acres and be more accurate in our assessments.” Foresters now have access to faster computers, better software, hand-held GPS units and data recorders. “Most of us now use range finders to replace our old logger’s tape needed to determine if a tree was within a sample plot,” Rye said. “Drones aid in the detection of forest pests and to inspect timber harvesting operations.” “I will say that the biggest change that I have seen over my career is the changing demographics of my clients,” Rye added. “When I started consulting, most of my clients had inherited their land and their primary goal was to maximize return on investment. Today, most of my clients have purchased their forestland for recreational purposes to hunt, ride ATVs and get away from metropolitan areas.” Forestry also plays a big role in the billion-dollar industry of hunting by providing a habitat for game species. “We frequently consult with certified wildlife biologists to keep up with current habitat management techniques,” Rye said. “This is very beneficial to the hunter and provides the wildlife with food and cover among other benefits.” Currently, most of the forest industry is thriving but it does not come without its challenges. “Fluctuating markets, increasing regulation and the ever-changing objectives of landowners are a few of the challenges we face,” Rye said. 40
Cooperative Farming News
There are many benefits to prescribed burning including the reduction of wildfire hazard, wildlife habitat improvement, and insect and disease control.
Second Chances BY CAROLYN DRINKARD
Lori Bagley sits with Beth, a Katahdin ewe that she raised. Even with her balance issues, Lori found that she could handle her gentle sheep. Lori became known as a “bottle mama” after she successfully nurtured some baby lambs that had lost their mothers. Word spread quickly, and soon, sheep owners were calling her to take their orphaned lambs.
G
rowing up in Sunny South, Alabama, Lori Williams Bagley loved animals. She always had dogs and cats as pets, but after she married Clint Bagley and moved to a farm in the Sandflat Community, suddenly, she had even more pets, such as cows, horses, sheep, goats and chickens. She loved her farm life, especially taking care of her many animals. In 2008, Lori Bagley was on top of the world. Happily married with two wonderful children (ages 12 and 10), she had just landed her dream job in environmental management. Lori was the picture of health, running three miles each day and enjoying life to the fullest.
One day after her daily run, she felt something like a “crick” in her neck. In severe pain, she went to a doctor, who treated her for a sinus infection. As the pain increased, however, Clint took her on to the emergency room at Springhill Hospital in Mobile. “I thought I had a brain tumor,” she explained, “but the doctors there said it was a migraine. They gave me a shot and an order to get an MRI. I took their meds, but they didn’t touch the pain.” At work Monday, Nov. 10, a friend suggested she visit a chiropractor to help her pain, so after getting the MRI at Thomasville Hospital, she visited Dr. Jerry Schreiner, a local chiropractor. While in Schreiner’s July 2021
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When her husband, Clint, brought this baby calf home, Lori stepped in to feed her. She named her Neely, and Neely is at home on the Bagley farm.
At first, Lori Bagley must coax baby lambs to take their bottles. She uses a special nipple that fits their mouths better. After they learn, they run to her eagerly.
office, Lori suffered a stroke. Dr. Schreiner immediately picked her up and rushed her to the hospital in his own truck, calling Dr. Frank Dozier to meet him in the ER. Since Lori had just left the hospital, her records were still up, so Dr. Dozier quickly administered the clot-buster shot that ultimately saved her life. Today, Lori is convinced that a Higher Hand was guiding all of these events. “If I had not been in Dr. Schreiner’s office when that blood clot moved, I would not have made it,” she said. “God placed Dr. Schreiner and Dr. Dozier right there.” She also sees another miraculous act in her survival. “God also placed my MeMaw (Sherry Bagley, who worked at the hospital), at my side. I could hear her praying out loud, calling my name and asking God to heal me! She calmed me, and her prayers gave me a peace that I cannot describe.” Lori’s doctors kept her in Thomasville Hospital, because they did not expect her to make it through the night. The next morning, she was transported to Springhill Medical Center in Mobile, where neurologists discovered that the stroke had been in her brain stem. Her body’s involuntary functions like breathing and heartbeat had been affected, leaving her unable to speak, swallow or walk. “My neurologists told me that it is rare for any person that has a stroke in the brain stem to survive,” she added.
Lori spent 17 days in the hospital before returning home to learn a new way of life. Not only family and friends, but also complete strangers stepped in to help. Since Lori now needed full time care herself, the Bagleys sold their beloved farm animals. Determined
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Cooperative Farming News
Lori and Clint Bagley live and work on Sandflat Cattle and Farm. After Lori suffered a stroke in 2008, they had to sell their farm animals. In 2018, Clint bought home six Katahdin sheep for Lori, giving her a new purpose in life.
to get her life back, however, Lori began her arduous journey to recovery. She learned to walk, talk and drive again. She still struggles with many lingering after-effects, but she lives each day with an attitude of gratitude, because she knows she has been given a second chance. In 2018, Clint surprised Lori with her own small flock of Katahdin sheep. Even with her balance problems, Lori felt she could move around and take care of these six animals. She named each one and cared for the gentle, loving creatures, who returned her affection. “I enjoyed watching and spending time with them,” she explained. “I had to earn their trust but working with my sheep helped me. It was therapeutic. Anything I could do physically helped me to hold on to what I had gotten back!” Occasionally, a mother ewe died or rejected a lamb, so Lori stepped in and bottle-fed the baby, giving the small creature a second chance at life. Word spread quickly among sheep owners that Lori Bagley “fostered” baby lambs. In very little time, Lori was recognized throughout Southwest Alabama as a “bottle mama” who would save orphaned lambs! “This wasn’t something I was planning to do,” she laughed. “It just happened! Nobody wants to see one of their own die.” Bottle-feeding a baby lamb is not easy, however,
and often, Clint had to help. Just like human babies, young lambs must be fed on a schedule, at least four times a day, for about three weeks. Once the baby started to eat, Lori fed two bottles a day, watching carefully not to overfeed, as this might kill the lamb. The tiny creatures did well and seemed to thrive under Lori’s gentle care. “Bottle-feeding is very satisfying,” she said. “When they learn I am the source of their food, they recognize me and run to me, thinking I have food. I like to see them graduate from the bottle to real food, because I feel like I’ve helped them in the absence of their mothers. It’s just very rewarding!” Even though her pastoral life is immensely satisfying, she has discovered one small drawback: She wants to keep every lamb she fosters! “I can never name a lamb, or I won’t sell it,” she laughed. “I get so close to them that I want to keep every one that comes here, which isn’t possible.” Becoming a “foster mother” has proved to be an unforeseen blessing for Lori Bagley. Giving these baby lambs a second chance to live has, in turn, helped her! “In 2008, I thought my life was over,” she explained. “Little did I know that God was just giving me a second chance.” Check out Lori’s e-commerce sheep business on Facebook at Sandflat Cattle & Farm.
Jeff Register Building & Truss
40’ x 60’ x 12’ - Installed Roof only, closed gables - $8,300 Roof only, open gables - $7,500 30’ x 40’ x 10’ - Installed Roof Only, open gables - $4,500 *Prices do not include tax and delivery*
Bottle-feeding baby lambs is not easy. Just like human babies, young lambs must be fed on a schedule, at least four times a day, for about three weeks. When they start solid food, Lori Bagley then gives them two bottles a day.
Office - 228-678-0971 Cell - 228-234-9115 or 228-234-7241 Jregister@registermetals.com Locations: 2811 26th Ave. Gulfport MS and Highland Home, AL
RegisterBarns.com July 2021
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BY J E S S I E S H O O K
1818 Farms
Life the Way It Used to Be
1818 Farms is slowing down the rush of
everyday life on their farm in historic Mooresville, Alabama. Natasha McCrary opened 1818 Farms in 2012 with the mission of preserving history and honoring tradition by working a sustainable farm, producing handmade products and educating the public on the value of self-sufficiency, craftmanship and a strong sense of community. The idea for this farm originated with McCrary’s 8-year-old son, Gamble. He fell in love with Southdown Babydoll sheep at a petting farm the family visited in 2011. “Owning a Babydoll was all he could talk about, so, thinking this would be fun and educational for our family to do together, I began researching where to buy a few lambs to raise as a family project on our land in Mooresville,” McCrary said. 44
Cooperative Farming News
When Gamble finally got his Southdown Babydoll sheep, he began to plan what he would do with them. “My 8-year-old entrepreneur decided he would sell wool, sell manure to garden shops, charge for photographs and even stage a Nativity scene at the church … if he could find a baby,” McCrary said. McCrary started to dream of her own plans for the farm. “I wanted a small, profitable farm where we could teach our children to appreciate the land and animals, and to be good conservationists,” she added. “We also wanted to teach our kids the importance of sustainability.” When 1818 Farms first opened, they grew flowers and produce, but when McCrary saw how saturated the farmers markets were with produce, they decided to focus on flowers. “As the ‘buy local’ market was growing, we saw the need for a farm that offered quality, unique, cut flowers,” McCrary said. As the business grew, McCrary wanted a way to transport the beauty of fresh flowers to multiple locations, and so the 1818 Farms Flower Truck came into the plans. “The truck needed to evoke memories of an era of slower times in small town America when kids rode their bikes, and you knew your neighbors and the farmers who grew your food,” McCrary said. “It needed to be a classic, American-made automobile.” As a child, McCrary grew up in Florence, Alabama. “I remember neighbors and family friends being employed at the nearby Ford Motor Company plant in Sheffield, Alabama, that manufactured auto parts,” McCrary explained. “My family drove a Ford and our neighbors made those parts with their hands, so the
McCrary turned a project for the family into a successful business that has taught her children to chase their passion. (Photo Credit: 1818 Farms)
brand seemed like the perfect choice for the 1818 Farms Flower Truck.” Finding a working, vintage, Ford truck was the next challenge. After months of looking, they found the perfect truck in California – a baby blue 1965 Ford F100. The truck spent most of its life in Southern California with one family. Now, with its hand-painted 1818 Farms logo on the truck doors, it brings beautiful flow-
The McCrarys found the perfect truck in California to bring flowers to their customers – a baby blue 1965 Ford F100. (Photo Credit: Bookout Studios)
July 2021
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ers to customers across North Alabama. The flower truck is used as a place where community members can comfortably ask questions and learn the basic steps of making fresh bouquets, gardening and more. “Customers can build one-of-a-kind bouquets from the hand-selected stems grown at the farm that are on the truck that day,” McCrary said. Most of the time, the flowers are cut just hours before someone sees them on the truck. This is how floral transactions used to take place and the truck is a reminder of that time period. “Our flower truck is unique because it represents a shopping concept for flowers that is new for many people,” McCrary added. Flower offerings change throughout the season. “In early spring you will find varieties such as ranunculus, tulips, snapdragons, hellebores, delphinium, larkspur and bachelor buttons,” McCrary said. “As we transition into summer, zinnias, lisianthus, gomphrena, sunflowers, celosia, ageratum, marigolds and many other varieties make an appearance on the flower truck.” While the flower truck is also available for photoshoots and special events, 1818 Farms also hosts workshops, farm visits and has its own line of handcrafted bath and lifestyle products available online and in stores across the United States. “The primary workshop hosted at the farm is our Bloom Stroll and Bouquet Workshop,” McCrary said. “Participants tour our gardens and learn to identify and properly cut flowers and herbs.” After the garden tour, participants gather underneath the 1818 Farms pavilion to discuss the basic steps of creating a stunning floral arrangement. “Each participant creates a one-of-a-kind arrangement using
McCrary relates growing, harvesting and arranging flowers to being an artist and a scientist. This process is special to her and she enjoys sharing it with the community. (Photo Credit: 1818 Farms)
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Cooperative Farming News
The idea for this farm originated when McCrary’s 8-year-old son, Gamble fell in love with a Southdown Babydoll sheep at a petting farm that the family visited. (Photo Credit: Hank Miller)
seasonal flowers that are harvested a few feet away from them the morning of the workshop,” McCrary said. McCrary explained the importance of educating the community on how to grow, harvest and arrange flowers through the experiences and tools offered by 1818 Farms. “Over the years, I have witnessed what I would call a generational gap in gardening knowledge,” McCrary added. “People did not learn how to garden from their parents or grandparents as genera-
1818 Farms host workshops where participants tour the gardens and learn to identify and properly cut flowers and herbs. (Photo Credit:1818 Farms)
tions before. Both food and flowers are primarily purchased from grocery stores or florists.” McCrary has been approached by many people who feel they have missed out on the opportunity to learn to grow their own flowers. “They are hungry for educational experiences that teach them gardening and flower arranging,” McCrary said. 1818 Farms has filled this need by launching a YouTube channel to educate viewers around the world about farm life in general. “Whether it is bed preparation, planting, harvesting or drying, our most watched episodes are always focused on flowers,” McCrary added. McCrary relates the process of growing, harvesting and arranging flowers to being an artist and a scientist. This is why the process is so special to her. “Flower farming is both creative and analytical. The flower farmer artist is designing the field layout in color blocks, planting the correct flower varieties for balanced bouquet production and arranging bouquets in specific color palettes. The flower farmer scientist is focusing on how to farm sustainably. You are testing the soil, composting your natural resources to feed the soil, trial testing new varieties, seed saving and focusing on zero waste by using effective flower drying techniques. There is so much more to flower farming than just dropping a few seeds into the ground and hoping for the best.” While flowers are a significant part of the farm, you will notice that Babydoll sheep are still an integral part of their brand. Not only is it their mascot, but they also breed Southdown Babydoll sheep. “This heritage
breed was almost extinct in the 1990s,” McCrary said. “A piece of our farm mission is preserving this heritage breed for future generations.” Breeding Babydoll sheep and educating the public about farm life are two of the many ways that 1818 Farms preserves history and honors tradition. “Our annual sheep shearing day is always a favorite for guests,” McCrary added. “It is the perfect day to learn about the dying art form of sheep shearing and to tour the farm.” 1818 Farms is a truly a family business. The whole family participates as needed and in between school schedules. “Throughout the years, 1818 Farms has shown our children the necessary steps to building a successful business,” McCrary said. “Whether it is working special farm events or a flower truck shift, delivering local orders to wholesale accounts, dropping off packages at shipping facilities or assisting during lambing season, they have experienced the many facets that make our business unique and successful.” McCrary explained how starting the farm has benefited her children and what they have learned about owning a business. “Owning your own business is not easy … however, nothing worth having really ever is easy and success does not come overnight,” McCrary said. “This has also given them the entrepreneurial spirit and to not be afraid to chase your passion.” The 1818 Farms motto of “life the way it used to be” embodies the essence of their farm, cultivating flowers, community and education within Alabama and beyond. Visit www.1818farms.com for more information on their handmade products, workshops and where you will see the 1818 flower truck next.
1818 Farms breeds Southdown Babydoll sheep because it is important to preserve this heritage breed for future generations. (Photo Credit: Hank Miller)
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Tips for your 2021 Spring Garden for July - September PLAN:
PREPARE & MAINTAIN: Get your garden beds ready for fall planting by cleaning out any old or dead plants from your spring gardens. PLANT: Now is the time to start planting those fall gardens. Get started with broccoli, cabbage and collards.
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CHECK: Keep an eye on plants to make sure they are free of insects and disease damage. Vegetables such as squash, corn and cucumbers are insect and disease prone.
Cooperative Farming News
TIP: Cover your beds with burlap or row cover to help protect them from the early frost. You can use various other materials to cover individual plants such as milk jugs, paper cups, etc. Some plants do not require protection so be sure to read up on which ones do or do not need it.
HOW’S YOUR GARDEN BY L OIS T R IG G C H A P L I N
Agave is Perfect in a Pot Agave passes summer’s test of sun, heat and drought in a container, especially compared to other plants. Native to hot, arid climates, its succulent leaves are built for extended periods without water. If stressed, they will finally get a wrinkled look, but it could take weeks. A number of agaves are sold in the nursery trade, especially those native to Texas, Arizona and Mexico. The big thick leaves and classic starburst shapes are like little sculptures, making a handsome accent in a pot. Look for those that are cold-hardy through zone 7 so that they can be yearround items that just grow prettier.
SIMPLE TIMES Tomato fruitworm egg is pearly with small ridges.
The tomato fruitworm loves green tomatoes.
THE CO-OP PANTRY
caterpillar is inside the fruit, there isn’t much one can do. If the fruitworm has been a problem in the past, spray plants with Neem, Bt (Dipel, Thuricide) or other approved insecticide to kill any young caterpillar as it hatches from the egg and before entering the fruit. Bt is the least harmful to beneficial insects such as the tiny (1/25th of an inch) beneficial trichogramma wasps that parasitize the fruitworm eggs. The pearllike eggs laid singly on the leaves are easy to recognize. I am always on the lookout for them as I work in the garden. If the eggs are black, it means that they have been parasitized; leave them on the plant so that the trichogramma wasps inside will emerge and seek out more eggs.
Agave is perfect in a pot. Agaves make showy, drought-tolerant container plants.
A Hungry Caterpillar It’s disheartening to find once-promising green tomatoes rotting on the vine. Often the culprit is a caterpillar, the tomato fruitworm that tunnels through a green or ripe tomato and then exits that fruit and moves on to damage another. The pest usually shows up about the same time that the silks dry on corn plants because the tomato fruitworm is actually the same pest as the corn earworm. As corn silks dry, it seeks out other places such as tomato leaves on which to lay eggs. Once the egg hatches and the
Crinum – An Old Summer Standby A classic, old garden plant, wonderfully fragrant crinums don’t seem as popular as they once were, but they’re certainly worthy of a spot in sunny gardens. They are perennial, they are tough and they can live for decades. In midsummer, the plants are topped with long stalks of white or pink blossoms. When not in bloom, their distinctive whorl of long, straplike leaves creates an interesting texture in a flower bed. Some form a very large root system or large tuber, making them hard to dig up, so this plant should be put in a permanent location. Plants are tolerant of multiple soil types, and very tolerant of drought, but will bloom best with adequate water and full sun. As the clump July 2021 51
Crinum beauty and fragrance are at home in a Southern garden.
grows, gardeners can propagate plants by digging the smaller outer clumps.
Salvias for Summer This time of year, salvias become critical garden flowers because they provide nectar and pollen at a time when bees and other pollinators begin experiencing a harder time due to the normal late summer dearth of blooms. Hopefully, there are plenty of salvias blooming in your garden, but if not, they are likely to be sold now in one to three gallon containers in garden centers. By this time, most are big plants in full bloom so will provide an instant effect wherever they are planted. These all need full sun to bloom best, and well-drained soil. Most grow 2 to 3 feet high,
Discover salvias for summer and fall.
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but check the tag. Autumn sage (Salvia greggii) is available in red, pink, purple and white. Mystic Spires is an improved, more compact and free-flowering version of the popular Indigo Spires; the purplish-blue hybrid is a top performer in trials in the hot, dry Texas climate. May Night (Salvia sylvestris) is a similar dark purple. Tropical sage (Salvia coccinea) is a sturdy little plant with red flowers that withstands the sometimes-smashing force of a summer thundershower. It is a short-lived perennial that will reseed into bare ground. Hot Lips (Salvia microphylla) is a similar plant with bicolored red and white blooms. Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) has lovely, pineapple-scented foliage and red flowers which are also much appreciated by hummingbirds when they appear in late summer. It is reliably perennial in South Alabama, but may be killed by cold further north, especially if the soil is wet in winter. Finally, Mexican sage (Salvia leucantha) is a 4to 5-foot-tall plant that bears spikes of velvety purple flowers in late summer and fall. Fortunately, salvias have aromatic foliage that is not usually bothered by deer. These are but a few of the dozens of the many salvia selections sold by the nursery trade, in part because they are easy to propagate, fast growing and dependable in the garden.
When You Must Depend on Hoses A hose manifold saves many steps as it allows me to direct water to various areas of my garden without having to hook up or drag a hose each time. I have three hoses laid out in different areas that can simply be turned on and off at the spigot each time I need them. If you have lots of areas to keep watered, consider one of these!
A hose manifold helps distribute water to different areas of the garden
SIMPLE TIMES BY SU Z Y Mc C RAY
75-80 Years Ago
THE CO-OP PANTRY
Carrying eggs to sell in Birmingham by horse and wagon and refilling sodas in the ice-cold water of the drink machine at the service station are just two of the memories James Tolbert wants to make sure remain after he’s long gone. James, who will celebrate his 89th birthday July 4, wants folks to remember the independence of hard-working simple country folks from way back when, so he’s been writing his memories for his daughter, grandkids and future generations of his family to read and remember! James served 38 years with the Alabama National Guard in Oneonta, Alabama, retiring as a sergeant major, after initially being drafted during the Korean conflict. “I was called to Montgomery and my mama just laughed and said they wouldn’t take me,” he remembered. “I didn’t weigh but 110 pounds. But I had to come home and tell Mama that I was going to have to leave that next Friday!” But while he spent what most folks think of as a lifetime helping to mold the area’s young men, it was the rural upbringing that he’s been concentrating on in his writing. One fond memory is of singing bass with the FFA Quartet for Blount County High School (now Oneonta High). The boys’ names are like a list of Blount and Oneonta’s pioneer families: “Jerry Cornelius sang tenor; Alton Bynum, high tenor; Dan Moore, lead; and accompanied by Juanita Worthy on piano. We were the Melody Boys. Every week we sang on WGAD, the radio station in Gadsden, and Moore Auto furnished us an automobile to travel in. We won several school competitions. “Back then, every fifth Sunday there was a fa-so-la (Sacred Harp) singing at the Blount County courthouse.
James Tobert will celebrate he 89th birthday on July 4.
This had to be before the early 1950s because it was the old courthouse which wasn’t air-conditioned so the windows were raised and people could sit outside and enjoy the singing if the courtroom got too crowded. “And there were Gospel music singings at area churches, rotating every Sunday. One at Lebanon Methodist, Taits Gap Baptist, Antioch and Ebenezer Methodist. “I graduated high school in 1952, but before that we all had Saturday jobs downtown. I worked for BudJuly 2021
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dy Johnson’s Sinclair Service Station downtown from ing 15 dozen eggs. It was a long while before they be7 a.m. till 5 p.m. and made a whopping $5 a day which gan using cardboard boxes. was big money back then! I spent about $1.50 on gas “Before this Dad and HIS father carried eggs to Birand then had what was left to use for the rest of the mingham by horse and wagon, a four day long trip. week. “Dad always raised around 200 turkeys for Thanks“I washed cars, pumped gas, cleaned windows giving and Christmas. He raised them far from his and fixed flat tires. Back then there was a lot of flats brooder house and his chickens to stave off diseases. because of bad roads. There were few roads paved When they were larger, the turkeys had the run of a whether in the city, county or state. We didn’t have large penned grassy area. tools to break down tires like today. All tires had tubes “When it got close to Thanksgiving, Dad would and were repaired with a small patch on the tube. take the turkeys to Fairfield for processing by Mr. Fred “First thing Saturday mornings I filled up the cold Trucks. Then Dad iced them down and put them in drink machine after Mr. Dumas brought a 60-pound clean 30-gallon garbage cans and then hand-delivered block of ice. them to cafes, restaurants, “Later there was a difhospitals and individuals. ferent kind of ice box you “Dad loved his roses. used for storing drinks. It And Mama had a 10-by-14 “I worked for Buddy Johnson’s had a mechanical device feet flower house. They Sinclair Service Station downon it. After placing 5 cents would dig a hole 10-by-14 in a slot, you could pull feet and in winters flowers town from 7 a.m. till 5 p.m. and which kind of drink out set on the ground would of a certain row as it kept ‘carry over’ to spring.” made a whopping $5 a day which cool sitting in the water. James’ written acwas big money back then!” “It sat outside the counts include handstation.” One Saturday drawn blueprints of the morning James came in rough-hewn lumber, tinand found someone had roofed farm buildings, inpopped all the drink caps off and then used a straw to cluding one for coal and another for fire wood. Chicken drink all the drinks in the machine! “Mr. Johnson was houses included a brooder house, with a wood-burnnot happy!” he remembered. ing heater and a growing out house for chickens as “Back then because of dust and cars using a lot of they grew larger. oil because of poor filter systems, spark plugs would James still resides in his comfortable Murphrees get a buildup or film on them that would cause misfir- Valley house just “up the road a bit” from his daughter ing. Another of my jobs was cleaning those plugs in Mr. Shirley Cornelius’ family. His late wife Anne hosted a Johnson’s spark plug cleaning machine.” But James’ cooking show on local cable TV for a while, and their daddy, Ernest Tolbert, sparks most of his memories. building, “The Gathering Place,” where she hosted “My dad had three routes that he would travel to weekend meals and get-togethers, still sits proudly every week. He would buy chickens, eggs, farm butter filled with all sorts of memorabilia including wooden and cowhides from his customers and carried sacks chicken coops, old signs and more. of chicken feed on his truck to exchange for some of But it’s James’ retelling of his life and adventures that. He also got orders and delivered feed. that brings a sparkle to his eyes and smiles to the lips “Dad’s long route was from Royal to Blountsville in of listeners. His writings of those simpler times are Blount County and then in the hills and hollows close sure to be family treasures and we thank him for sharto Holly Pond. ing!!! “Eggs were brought home and processed, candled As we look at agriculture’s future, many younger and sized for large, medium and small. Butter was homesteaders are following Ernest Tolbert’s prescripcarried to Clover Leaf Refinery in Birmingham for pro- tion for diversity: “Plant your seed in the morning and cessing. Hides were carried to Birmingham Hide and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will Tallow for processing. Chickens were sold to Young, come from one activity or another – or maybe both.” Mallory and Henry for processing. Eggs were sold to (Ecclesiastes 11:6) individual stores, bakeries and the Tennessee Coal and Truck Company which had five stores and Loyd (Suzy and Mack live on a small homestead in Blount Noland Hospital. Eggs were packed to go to Birming- County and can be reached on Facebook or at ham in 50-by-12 inch wood boxes with each side hold- suzy.mccray@yahoo.com.) 54
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HOWLE’S HINTS BY JOH N HOW L E
THE HERB FARMER July HOW’S YOUR GARDEN
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”
- Billy Graham
SIMPLE TIMES Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on for them to do the same.” This July, as we celebrate our independence and freedom, remember it didn’t come free. It took brave people standing up against tyranny.
ing. The easiest and most cost-effective way to do this is with one strand of turbo wire using step-in posts. The Gallagher Fence Company (www.gallagherfence.net) has an S20 energizer that powers a single wire fence containing an area up to 40 acres. If no vegetation is lying on the live wire, you are looking at up to 12 miles of charge being delivered. This is ideal for subdividing pasture for intensive grazing followed by recovery periods. We use this fencing system regularly to dictate where the animals graze. Cows will naturally gravitate to the more tender and tastier grazing spots of the pasture, but paddocks help cattle to graze evenly. This
THE CO-OP PANTRY
Extend Your Grazing with Gallagher
Hopefully, this July finds your pastures thriving with lush, green grass. If so, this is an ideal time to subdivide your pastures with solar-powered electric fenc-
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Make sure your S20 energizer is facing the sun when mounted on the T-post.
is helpful when trying to control more undesirable vegetation through grazing. With a geared reel full of Turbo wire and a handful of step-in posts under your arm, you can string up a cross fence in less than 10 minutes. Just set the S20 fence charger on a T-post, clip your hot wire to the Turbo wire and clip the ground wire to a ring top step-in post, and you’re ready to graze cattle. If I am
Taking the fence down is as easy as walking and turning the geared crank. Pull up the posts as you go.
grazing cattle in bottomland where the soil is more moist, using one of the ring top step in posts as a ground is sufficient. The S20 energizer lists for just under 200 bucks. A geared reel with 1,312 feet of Turbo wire is under $200. A box of 50 Gallagher ring top step-in posts list for around $250. Your local Co-op is your best source for these Gallagher fencing products.
Seasonal Chicken
Energizer sits on post, clip green ground to the step-in post and clip the red hot to your Turbo wire.
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Back in the day, meat product consumption was as seasonal as fruit and vegetable consumption. For instance, you could only eat sweet corn off the ear in the summer because that’s when it was in season. Now, you can eat sweet corn much of the year with ears of corn being shipped in from (you fill in the blank with your foreign country). Meat used to be the same way. Chickens would be eaten in the summer months and pork and beef were consumed more in winter months because that coincided with the animal’s butchering date. For example, pork was eaten mostly in winter months because that’s when you processed them. I remember my granddaddy waking up on a cold, November morning and saying, “This is hog-killin’ weather.” Summer is the season for chicken consumption, and many people are getting back to homestead living by raising their own chickens for eggs. However, what do you do if you have an overabundance of roosters? If you don’t mind processing your own
Using a high-quality boning knife like the 6-inch curved blade Victorinox will make the job an easy one.
Coat both sides of the spatchcock chicken with Creole seasoning for Cajun grilled chicken.
chickens, a great way to prepare broiler-size birds is using the “spatchcock” chicken method. This is a process where once you’ve removed the feathers, head, feet and entrails, you are left with a full chicken like you would buy in the grocery store. With a “spatchcock” chicken, you take the processing a step further. First, lay the bird on a cutting board with the back facing up and the breast facing down. With a sharp filet or boning knife, cut straight down the backbone to the tail. On each side of this backbone cut, slowly and carefully fillet the breast meat from the ribcage. Finally, find the wing and thigh joints and separate them from the body core. Basically, what you are doing is removing the backbone and rib bones from the chicken, and you are left with a semi-boneless whole chicken that can be cooked flat on the grill. Once you have your whole, flat chicken ready to grill, spray the bird with olive oil and generously coat both sides of the bird with Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning. On a hot grill, cook both sides of the bird until you reach an internal temperature of at least 165 F and the outside will be browned and slightly
charred. The Bearded Butchers on YouTube do an excellent job demonstrating this process. Keep in mind that it might take two spatulas or at least one that is extra wide to flip the entire bird while grilling since it spreads out so wide when you filet the rib and backbone from the bird. Finally, a high-quality boning knife makes the job quick and easy. I use a Victorinox boning knife with a six-inch curved blade. This July, celebrate your independence with courage and share your love of freedom and good food with others this Fourth of July.
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THE MAGIC OF GARDENING
Do You Have a
Smart Yard?
“Smart Yard Landscaping” is a long-standing initiative of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System that involves using several commonsense principles to make our lawns and gardens more sustainable. Water conservation and management is one of the key components and principles involved in having a “Smart Yard.” Once upon a time everyone had a “Smart Yard” in the sense that we planted grass, shrubs and trees, and with very little input from humans they either lived or died. The wisdom of this was more likely frugality than actual wisdom. The upside of this process is that over time we found some very tough plants that need very little care. Some of these are well-mannered plants that will survive with little input in terms of irrigation or pest management. The downside is that not all these plants were well-mannered (think privet for example). Sometimes these “no care” or “bulletproof” plants escaped cultivation and became invasive plants causing 58
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untold problems. We don’t want to continue repeating this type of mistake but we do want plants that are tough enough to survive our swings in weather. Water is certainly one of the major considerations with any “Smart Yard.” With summer entering the “dog days” here in Alabama, we expect water bills to rise as it gets hotter and drier, especially if we use sprinklers to irrigate. Because July is officially “Smart Irrigation Month,” and because it’s also the peak water-use month across most of the country, there is no better time to learn how using smart irrigation technology can help save you water, time and money. Did you know that more than 50% of water used to irrigate lawns and gardens is wasted? The amount of water wasted by the average homeowner in just one year could be enough to fill three backyard swimming pools. Irrigation systems are a great way for people to water their yard without spending hours wrestling
BY T O N Y G L OV E R with a hose, but they can also lead to overwatering. The worst-case situations we see are systems that are programmed to water daily during sod installation and never reconfigured to train the lawn to grow deeper roots. These lawns are being grossly over-watered and trained to have very shallow roots that could not survive an extended drought should we face a moratorium on landscape irrigation. Simply reprogramming the system to water a maximum of once or twice weekly will benefit the lawn and your pocketbook, not to mention conserve a valuable community resource. For new systems, or even for folks who want to retrofit older systems, there are some great new products to help you conserve water. For example, soil moisture sensors and weather-based irrigation controllers allow for much more efficient watering. These add-on products are very inexpensive and will pay for themselves very quickly. Another big problem I see is landscapes that water the shrub beds on the same schedule and volume as they irrigate their lawns. Shrub beds should be zoned separately and should use microirrigation rather than turf-type spray heads. Better still, use drip irrigation that puts water right where you need it without spraying it into the air at all. Once shrubs are well established it is likely they will not need supplemental irrigation unless we experience a severe drought, or they are very drought-sensitive plants such as hydrangeas.
WA N T T O L E A R N M O R E ? If you want to learn more about conserving water visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website (http://www.epa.gov/ watersense/). Look for the WaterSense label to choose quality, water-efficient products. Many products are available and don’t require a change in your lifestyle. Explore their website above to learn about WaterSense labeled products, saving water, and how businesses and organizations can partner with WaterSense.
Conserving water is more than a good idea and should be considered a responsibility of every citizen. It really doesn’t matter if someone has “more money than they have sense,” they should use our collective public resources in a wise and thoughtful way. For more “Smart Yard” tips visit our Extension website and search for “Alabama Smart Yards” (https:// www.aces.edu/ ).
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FOOD SAFETY
Home Fermenting Foods Maybe you’ve heard about it on the news, read about it in a magazine or have been somewhere recently where it was served… and maybe it made you a little nervous. The thought of home-fermented foods. The practice of fermenting food and drinks has been around for thousands of years, but has in the last four or five years resurfaced as trendy in the United States. The first wellknown fermentation by humans was in the form of beer and wine over 8,000 years ago, but most likely bread was the first fermented food predating the alcoholic beverages. We all have consumed fermented foods at one time or another and didn’t even realize it. If you have eaten cheese or yogurt or sour cream, soy sauce or Tabasco sauce you have eaten fermented foods.
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BY A N G E L A T R E A D AWAY
So, what is fermentation? Technically speak- leaving food unrefrigerated only to be overrun by bacing, it is the conversion of carbohydrates to al- teria, and then continuing to eat it. U.S. Department cohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids of Agriculture research service microbiologist Fred using yeasts, bacteria or a combination thereof, un- Breidt says properly fermented vegetables are acder anaerobic conditions. In simpler terms, it means tually safer than raw vegetables, which might have using beneficial bacteria and yeasts to preserve food been exposed to pathogens like E. coli on the farm. and beverages. Worldwide there are nine categories It’s better than canning them (sauerkraut especially) of fermented food/beverage: bean, grain, vegetable, because when you heat the fermented product it kills fruit, dairy, honey, fish, meat and tea-based concoc- all the good microbes which is the reason you fertions. Some of the more familiar fermented foods mented it in the first place. Sauerkraut after about include sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), yogurt (fer- two weeks needs to be refrigerated to keep it from mented milk) and soy sauce made from fermented becoming soft because it continues to ferment and soybeans. Some of the new and popular foods include kimchi, made from radishes, napa cabbage or other vegetables; kefir which is a drink made from fermented milk; and kombucha which is a fermented tea. Let’s backtrack to bacteria. Why would anyone ever want bacteria in their food or drink? If you didn’t know it already, our bodies (especially our guts) are already teeming with hundreds of different kinds of bacteria, some good and some not so good. In a healthy human gut, bacteria are mostly beneficial, and it helps us in digestion, extracting Photo By: Jessica Tezak nutrients from food and defending us from harmful bacteria. Some studies are now showing that our gut flora play a large role in our immune system WITH SANDOR ELLIX KATZ and also mental health. JULY 22, 2021 The process of fermenting food, 5 PM - 7 PM also called lacto-fermentation, is carCOST: $10.00 IF YOU REGISTER BY JULY 1 ried out by several strains of “good $20 DOLLARS AFTER Please use the Zoom web address or the QR Code to bacteria” and beneficial yeasts. By concomplete your registration. suming foods rich in these organisms, the benefits are transferred to your gut. To Register: This is sometimes referred to as probiwww.aces.edu/go/fermentwithsandor otic treatment and improves intestinal microbial balance. Studies have also shown that eating fermented food increases vitamin intake as some microorganisms produce vitamins during Sandor is a fermentation revivalist and has taught many fermenting the process, as well as increase the classes all over the world. He will discuss the science behind fermentation available nutrients our bodies can use. and the safe way of doing it at home. Topics will include vegetable fermentation, Kombucha and Keifer! Foods that are fermented are easier to digest. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) is an equal opportunity educator and employer. By now you’re probably wondering … Everyone is welcome! Please let us know if you have accessibility needs. is it safe? After all, we are talking about
FERMENTATION WORKSHOP
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break down the cabbage tissue quicker. Once stored in the refrigerator, it will keep for up to nine months. This is because the bacteria in lacto-fermentation are great at killing other unsafe bacteria during the fermentation process. For this reason the Alabama Cooperative Extension System recommends trying recipes from reliable sources such as the USDA, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, or when you are doing research, make sure anything you search on the web comes from an educational resource and not social media recommendations. Recommendations from other sources can lead to bacterial problems because they may not be using salt or sanitary conditions as you should to prevent bad bacteria from forming. If you are interested in more information on fermentation and the best practices for fermenting at home, please tune in for a virtual workshop we are having with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Food Safety Team on July 22, 2021, from 5-7pm. We will have a great speaker who has studied fermentation practices and is a fermentation revivalist who has spoken and done workshops all over the world: Sandor Kratz. There is a small fee of $10 for the workshop if you register by July 1, 2021, or $20 after that date. Here is the registration link: www.aces.edu/go/fermentwithsandor.
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LA
MISTAKEN VALUE The Oxford dictionary defines the word VALUE as “the importance, worth or usefulness of something.” So, in order to determine the value of something that is being sold, a person who is considering purchasing the object must ask himself a few questions: “How IMPORTANT is this item to me? What do I think it’s WORTH? Is it USEFUL to me in some way?” If the object being sold has no importance and is not useful to the buyer, he may not be willing to pay the seller’s asking price. On the other hand, a seller may be totally unaware of the true value of the item he’s selling, and the buyer may walk away with an incredible bargain. Thus, it is very important to know the value of something before buying or selling it. With this in mind, I’d like to share a few personal experiences where the mistaken value of an object is the highlight of each story.
STORY #1
THE OLD RADIO FLYER WAGON A few years ago, I was getting prepared for a yard sale that I was going to have at my house over the weekend. While running an errand, I saw an old, muddy, rusty, Radio Flyer wagon on the side of the road, beside some garbage cans. I stopped and asked the owner, “Are you throwing that away?” They replied, “Yes.” I eagerly asked, “Can I have it then?” Again, they replied, “Yes.” What a treasure I found that day. The owner considered the old wagon to be nothing more than garbage – something to be thrown away. Because it was muddy, broken and rusty, they placed little
value on it. But, underneath the mud, rust and broken rails, I saw it for the jewel it was. I valued that old Radio Flyer wagon. I took it home with me that day. I washed off all the mud, brushed off the cobwebs, fixed the broken rails and oiled up the hubcaps. It didn’t shine or look brand-new, but it had a certain antique look about it that I knew would bring a “pretty penny” at my yard sale that weekend. Sure enough, when my yard sale began, I had several people interested in the old wagon. I had put a $35 price tag on it, but it sold so quickly I realized I should have researched its value better. I later discovered that a similar wagon was sold on eBay for $200! So, not only was the former owner mistaken about the wagon’s true value, I was also just as clueless.
I had put a $35 price tag on it, but it sold so quickly I realized I should have researched its value better.
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STORY #2
IT’S JUST FOUR DOLLARS! I was at an auction one night when four silver dollars were placed on the auction block. These four coins were minted in the mid-1920s. Although they had the notation “ONE DOLLAR” inscribed on each coin, there was something special about those four coins that increased their value … they were made of pure silver. As the bid opened up on the coins, the bid quickly escalated from $5 apiece to $10, then to $12.50, then to $15. When the final bid was placed, the total price paid for the four coins was $80 … $20 per coin. I just happened to know the man that sold the coins that night. He walked up to me after the bidding was over and struck up a conversation with me. He said, “Let me tell you about those coins. My wife works as a waitress in a little restaurant. One of her customers, an elderly gentleman, ordered breakfast at the restaurant this morning. The total price for his meal was $3.75. When he came to my wife to pay his check he handed her the four coins. He asked, ‘Would you accept these four coins as payment for my meal? I left all of my folding money at home.’ My wife looked at the coins and saw that they were legitimately one-dollar coins, but knew they had more value than just $4.
She told the man that the coins were worth more than $4, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to pay his check. She agreed to accept the money, gave him his quarter in change and then swapped four one-dollar bills from her purse for the four coins the man gave her.” I was stunned by his story. Early that morning, those four coins paid for a $3.75 meal at a restaurant. Later that night, the same four coins were sold for $80! What an incredible story of mistaken value!
STORY #3
CIVIL WAR BUTTONS? Now, this story is also about mistaken value but this case was quite different from the other two … and it’s somewhat humorous. I was having a yard sale at my home on a Saturday morning when an older lady called out to me, “You shouldn’t sell these for $5!” I got up from my chair to see what the lady was referring to. She held in her hand a ziplock bag full of gold buttons. I replied, “Why shouldn’t I sell them for $5?” She said, “Because I saw these same buttons on “Antiques Road Show” and they were valued at $10,000! These are buttons from a Civil War uniform.” I replied, “Well, I’m pretty sure those aren’t the same as the buttons you saw on that show. I bought these at an auction recently and there were several antique dealers at the auction. If they were worth $10,000 then one of those antique dealers would have snatched them up.” The lady was not convinced. She replied, “I’m almost positive these are the same buttons I saw on the show! They’re definitely worth more than $5!” With a smile on my face, I replied, “Well, I’ll tell you what. I’m going to let you buy them for $5 today and you can do whatever you want to with them. If you can sell them for $10,000 I won’t even be mad at you. It’ll be my own fault for letting them go so cheap.” The little old lady looked down at the bag, then back up at me, then down at the bag of buttons one more time. I could see the wheels turning inside her head. She looked back up at me and replied … “Would you take $4 for them?” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
STORY #4
THE WORST CASE OF MISTAKEN VALUE IN HISTORY!
Early that morning, those four coins paid for a $3.75 meal at a restaurant. Later that night, the same four coins were sold for $80! 64
Cooperative Farming News
This last story is the worst case of mistaken value that this world has ever known. Two thousand years ago there was a man named Judas Iscariot who placed a lot of importance on money. The Bible tells us that he was the “keeper of the money bag” for Jesus’ ministry (John 12:6). Near the end of Jesus’ ministry, a woman came into a room where Jesus was sitting with His
disciples and she poured expensive perfume all over His feet. Judas objected to the wasting of such a valuable substance. Judas said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” Three hundred denarii was equivalent to a year’s wages for the average worker in those days. Judas understood the value of the perfume, but he didn’t know the value of the One who was sitting in the room with him, for the Bible tells us that he betrayed Jesus into the hands of the chief priests for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Imagine that! Translated into American currency, those 30 pieces of silver would have been equivalent to $197.40 … less than 200 bucks! Judas knew that the perfume was worth a year’s wages, yet Jesus himself wasn’t even worth $200 in his estimation! What a mistaken value! Now, here’s where it gets rich! You see, even though Judas didn’t value Jesus the way he should have, the death of Jesus was the price that God used to purchase your soul so you could have eternal life. God placed the ultimate value upon your life when He paid for you with the precious blood of His only begotten Son (1 Peter 1:18-19). So, this world may not appreciate you or value you. You might feel like you’ve
been discarded and abandoned because you’re not useful or important anymore, much like the old Radio Flyer wagon. But there is someone who sees your true value, and He’s paid an astronomical price to let you know what you’re worth. This world is mistaken about your true value, so don’t accept the price tag it puts on you. You were bought with an awesome price! (1 Corinthians 6:20)
You might feel like you’ve been discarded and abandoned because you’re not useful or important anymore, much like the old Radio Flyer wagon. But there is someone who sees your true value, and He’s paid an astronomical price to let you know what you’re worth.
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July 2021
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THE CO-OP PANTRY BY M A RY DE L P H
Crispy Fried Dill Pickles
Dab pickle slices on paper towels to dry them. Place about 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs in a bowl (add more as needed). (If they get wet, they don’t stick; so it’s best to work in small batches.) Dip each pickle slice in the wet batter and then gently toss in the breadcrumbs; let sit for a minute or so, this will allow the crumbs to stick better. Fry in small batches for 3-4 minutes or until brown and crispy. Serve with ranch dip.
Easy Sweet Pickles cups sliced cucumbers, approximately 1/4-inch thick 2 1/2 cup sweet onion, thinly sliced 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon celery seed 1 teaspoon mustard seed 1 teaspoon noniodized salt
12 sandwich-sliced dill pickles 1-2 cups panko breadcrumbs Oil for frying Batter 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon dill, optional Instructions: Heat oil to 360-370 F. Combine all batter ingredients and stir until smooth; let sit at least 5 minutes. 66
Cooperative Farming News
In a heat-safe, medium bowl add sliced cucumbers and onions. Set aside. In a medium saucepan mix the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour hot liquid over the cucumbers and onions. Let cool. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 months.
Cucumber Mint Jam 4 cups chopped cucumber, peeled & seeded 1/2 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 4 cups sugar 1 box (1.75-ounce) of Powdered Pectin 3 Tablespoons mint, finely chopped In a large pot, combine cucumbers, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and pectin. Bring to boil, mashing slightly with a spoon. Keep at a rolling boil for 1 minute. Add the sugar, all at once and bring to a boil again. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, skim off foam. Stir in mint. Pour into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process for 10 minutes (adjusting for elevation) in a boiling water bath.
Kool-Aid Pickles 32-ounce jar whole dill pickles, undrained 2/3 cup sugar 1 envelope unsweetened Kool-Aid mix, flavor of your choice
Cucumber Salsa 1/2 English cucumber cut in half lengthwise and seeded 1 large tomato quartered and seeded (or substitute 2 Roma tomatoes) 1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 2 Tablespoons cilantro leaves 1 Tablespoon lime juice 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt Place all ingredients into a food processor, and pulse until evenly chopped. Add additional lime juice or salt to taste. Serve over tacos or with chips for dipping.
Drain pickles, reserving juice. In a small bowl, combine the reserved juice, sugar and Kool-Aid, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Set aside. Slice pickles into spears; return to jar. Pour juice mixture over pickles. Discard any remaining juice. Cover and refrigerate for 1 week before serving. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 months.
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. s e t a r t a e r g g n i h c t a h w o N
AlfaInsurance.com 68
Cooperative Farming News
our latest listings and more!
www.selandgroup.com | 866-751-LAND SEARCH FOR OVER 800 MORE PROPERTIES ON OUR WEBSITE!
marengo County #3285
talladega County #3422
384+/- AC - This is one of those rare properties that offers quality fishing opportunities, great deer hunting, and good turkey hunting. You might even be able to catch some ducks using the flooded timber in the back of the large lake. I do not know of a hunting property in the Black Belt currently on the market with newer and nicer amenities and improvements than this place. $1,200,000
200+/- AC - This Appalachian foothill tract has all the amenities any outdoorsman could hope for. From a pond stocked with Rainbow Trout, to upland pastures for horses, this property is fit for all assets of the outdoors. Featuring two incredible homesites overlooking Cheaha Mountain and the Coosa Valley and plenty of Gobblers and Whitetail to hunt. $349,000
Tallapoosa County #2773
dallas County #3071
533+/- AC - This high-fenced property is an outstanding turn-key hunting operation, spanning 533 acres. Approximately 7,920 feet of the Tallapoosa River flows across the property. Deer and turkey enjoy a varying habitat, including mature timber, agricultural fields, and ample bedding areas. A cultivated field includes a faux power line offering an excellent opportunity for dove hunting. This property comes complete with a cabin, several storage buildings, equipment sheds, and a grain storage bin for feed. $2,300,000
lamar County #3032
595+/- AC - This tract is setup for hunting/recreation and has all the components to provide excellent recreational opportunities with a diversified timber investment. MUST SEE! $1,175,125
Walker County #3381
250+/- AC - York Mountain Farms is one of the most beautiful properties you will see in Walker County, AL. This property has a spread of 250 +/- Acres consisting of rolling hills, gorgeous views, and some of the most relaxing places to camp along the creek. $725,000 - UNDER CONTRACT
lownes County #3324
255+/- AC - This property has been managed to produce big deer, turkey, and ducks. There is a well established road system throughout the property making all areas easily accessible. $561,000
DAY’S PULLET 4 HOUSE PULLET FARM IN COVINTON COUNTY, AL
Farm
640+/- AC - 640ac cattle farm on the Cahaba River in Dallas County, Alabama. 3 bedroom home, 18 acre lake, and over 1 mile of river front. $1,472,000
chambers County
932+/- AC - Large timber investment opportunity! The tract is comprised of different age classes of planted pine and mature hardwood stands. There is also an 8+/- acre pond and Little Chatahospee Creek flows through the property giving water access for the wildlife year-round. Scattered throughout the property are small food plots and there is a good road system that traverses the rolling topography allowing for ease of access. $1,958,040
sumter County #2836
174+/- AC - The topography on the tract is primarily flat with a gentle slope on the acreage to the south. There is also a lake site on the property that is close to an acre in size, but could be made larger. Tifallili Creek crosses the southwestern corner of the property. Timber on the tract consist of hardwoods, cedar thickets, hackberry, and some pine stands, which when all combined make great wildlife habitat. $346,260
Lauderdale County #3083
227+/- AC - This tract is as versatile as it is beautiful, with multiple homesites perched on top of hills with spectacular views. Threet Creek runs through the mixed hardwood stand providing year-round water and multiple springs can be found throughout the tract. $726,173
NEW LISTING
Day’s Pullet Farm is located in Covington County, AL near Opp. The farm was built in 2016 and has Four 40×520 Pullet Houses. The four structures are considered a six house Pullet Farm. The farm currently raises pullets for Wayne Farms. This farm is paid by the square foot and has a consistent pay as long as birds are present. This farm can easily gross $215,000 per year. Per square foot pay is $.052. Wayne Farms pays for all of the shavings when they are needed. This farm has 22+/- Acres. There is a site where a new mobile home or site built home can be added easily. Raising Pullets for Breeder Hens is a very unique part of poultry integration. The work load on the grower is not as great most of the flock. This farm will raise two flocks per year with around 4-6 weeks of out time between flocks.
RANDALL UPCHURCH PoultrySouth Co-Founder 256-239-5379 randall@selandgroup.com
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROCESS AT WWW.POULTRYSOUTH.COM
ROBERT KING
PoultrySouth Co-Founder 844-855-0680 robert@selandgroup.com
SOUTH.COM
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Admission - 7:30 - 10:00 p.m. Call 256-997-9577 CELEBRATE AMERICA July 3, 2021 Greenville - Greenville HS Tiger Stadium - Gates open at 7:00 p.m. Fireworks begin at 9:00 p.m. Call 334-382-3251 245TH INDEPENDENCE DAY July 3, 2021 Montevallo - American Village Admission - 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Call 205-665-3535
PEPSI BEACH BALL DROP July 1, 2021 Orange Beach - The Wharf Call 251-224-1000 ROCK CLIMBING / RAPPELLING ADVENTURE (COMBO) July 1-2, 2021 Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports Admission - 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 256-997-9577
NOBLE STREET FESTIVAL July 3-4, 2021 Anniston - Noble Street Call 256-846-2044 RUSSELL MARINE'S 4TH OF JULY BOAT PARADE July 4, 2021 Alexander City - 255 Kowaliga Marina Road Call 334-857-2111
4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION July 4, 2021 Foley - The Park at OWA Call 251-923-2111 FIREWORKS, FUN AND FREEDOM FEST July 4, 2021 Monroeville - Veterans Memorial Park - 4:00 - 10:00 p.m. Call 251-923-7470 INDEPENDENCE DAY STREET PARTY AT THE WHARF July 4, 2021 Orange Beach - The Wharf Call 251-244-1000 PRATTVILLE INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION July 4, 2021 Prattville - Pratt Park Call 334-595-0850
4TH OF JULY ON THE TENNESSEE RIVER July 4, 2021 Scottsboro - Goose Pond Colony SMITH LAKE PARK INDEPENDENCE Resort - 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. DAY FESTIVAL Call 334-595-0850 July 4, 2021 Call 800-268-2884 HIKE OF SEVEN WATERFALLS Cullman - Smith Lake Park July 2, 2021 BOULDERING ADVENTURE Admission - 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports July 5, 2021 Call 256-739-2616 Admission - 11:30 - 3:00 p.m. Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports SPIRIT OF AMERICA FESTIVAL Call 256-997-9577 Admission 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. July 4, 2021 Call 256-997-9577 ARTI GRAS Decatur - Point Mallard Park July 2-3, 2021 ROCK CLIMBING / RAPPELLING 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Alexander City - Russell Crossroads Call 256-341-4903 ADVENTURE (COMBO) 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. July 5, 2021 FREEDOM ON THE RIVER Call 256-212-1443 Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports July 4, 2021 Admission 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. GRAND BAY WATERMELON Demopolis - Various Locations Call 256-997-9577 FESTIVAL 4:00 p.m. - until July 2-3, 2021 ADVANCED HUNTER EDUCATION Call 334-289-0270 Grand Bay - Odd Fellows Park INSTRUCTOR WORKSHOP JULY 4TH FIREWORKS Admission July 6-8, 2021 July 4, 2021 Friday: 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. Notasulga - Auburn Oaks Eclectic - The AMP on Lake Martin Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 334-242-3465 9:00 - 10:00 p.m. - Fireworks at 9:00 Call 251-865-3456 EXTREME MAZE EXPLORATION Call 256-397-1019 JAM ON SLOSS LAKE July 7, 2021 SHOALS SPIRIT OF July 3, 2021 Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports FREEDOM CELEBRATION Russellville - Sloss Lake Park Admission 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. July 4, 2021 7:30 a.m. - until Call 256-997-9577 Florence - McFarland Park Call 256-322-6060 360 ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE Call 256-740-4141 EXTREME NIGHT HIKE ALABAMA SUMMER EXPO July 3, 2021 July 7-8, 2021 Fort Payne True Adventure Sports Birmingham - BJCC 70 Cooperative Farming News
Call 205-458-8400 INDUSTRIAL / VERTICAL ROPE ACCESS CERTIFICATION July 7-8, 2021 Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports Admission - 1:00 p.m. Call 256-997-9577 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DOMINO TOURNAMENT July 9-10, 2021 Andalusia - Kiwanis Community Center Call 334-222-2030 TENNESSEE VALLEY HUNTING & FISHING EXPO July 9-11, 2021 Huntsville - Von Braun Center Call 256-572-7229 POLLINATION | SEEDS TO SPROUTS July 9, 17, 31, 2021 Huntsville - Huntsville Botanical Garden - Admission 10:00 - 10:45 a.m. Call 256-830-4447 ALABAMA JAZZ FESTIVAL July 10, 2021 Birmingham - Railroad Park Foundation 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Call 205-521-9933 WET DOG TRIATHLON July 10, 2021 Decatur - Point Mallard Park Admission Call 256-353-0157 ROCK CLIMBING / RAPPELLING ADVENTURE (COMBO) July 10, 2021 Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports Admission 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 256-997-9577 2021 AQUAPONICS 101 TEACHER WORKSHOP July 10, 2021 Auburn - E.W. Shell Fisheries Research Center 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 334-844-2874
EXTREME NIGHT HIKE July 10, 2021 Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports Admission - 7:30 - 10:00 p.m. Call 256-997-9577 YOUTH SUMMER CAMP: NATURE’S SUPERHEROES July 14, 2021 Huntsville - Huntsville Botanical Garden - Admission 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Call 256-830-4447 AJCA ROUND-UP July 15, 2021 Montgomery - Garrett Coliseum Admission Call 334-265-1867 CAPITAL CITY SHAPE NOTES SINGING July 15, 2021 Montgomery - Old Alabama Town 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 334-242-4076 SADDLE UP FOR ST JUDE July 15, 2021 Tuscumbia - Gardiner Farm Co. 1 Underwood Road Friday: Noon - Midnight Saturday: 7:00 a.m. - Midnight Call 256-383-0377 JEWELRY MAKING: “PATTERN WIRE BRACELET” July 16, 2021 Huntsville - Burritt on the Mountain Admission - 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Call 256-536-2882 ALABAMA DEEP SEA FISHING RODEO July 16-18, 2021 Dauphin Island - 515 Lemoyne Drive Admission Call 251-471-0025 CERAMICS: “FLOWER BOWL” July 17, 2021 Huntsville - Burritt on the Mountain Admission 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 256-536-2882 ZOOFARI SUMMER CAMP: 5-6 YEAR OLDS July 19-23, 2021 Montgomery - Montgomery Zoo and
Mann Wildlife Learning Museum Admission - Call for Ticket before you go - 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call 334-625-4909 WOODSTOCK 5K RRCA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP July 31- August 7, 2021 Anniston - Anniston High School Admission for participants only 7:30 a.m. Call 256-310-0830 WILD CAVE TOUR August 2, 2021 Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports Admission - 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Call 256-997-9577
***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.***
“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.*
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