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IN THIS ISSUE:
Editor-in-Chief: Samantha Hendricks Editor: Jessie Shook Contributing Editor: Jade Randolph Associate Editor: Mary Delph
pg. 18
pg. 36
pg. 58
121 Somerville Road NE Decatur, AL 35601-2659 P.O. Box 2227 Decatur, AL 35609-2227 256-308-1618
LIFE ON THE HOMEPLACE AND IN THE COMMUNITY 36 Mexican Street Corn 39 La Jenns Treasured Threads
AFC Officers Rivers Myres, President Ben Haynes, Chairman of the Board
YOUTH MATTERS 22 FFA Sentinel: Embracing the Future While Honoring the Traditions of the Past 24 4-H Extension Corner: Pedal Power 28 PALS: Alabama Coastal Cleanup
AFC Board of Directors Rickey Cornutt, Matt Haney, Brooks Hayes, Rick Hendricks, Bill Sanders, Jeff Sims, Mike Tate, David Womack
On the Cover: Prepare for hunting season with Outdoor Logic with BioLogic. Story on page 30.
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
Letter from the Editor................ 4
How’s Your Garden?................... 45
Ag Insight.................................... 8
Howle’s Hints.............................. 47
Business of Farming................... 11
The Magic of Gardening........... 50
Feeding Facts ............................. 14
Simple Times.............................. 52
From the State Vet’s Office......... 16
Food Safety................................. 56
What’s the Point.......................... 18
Grazing Grace............................ 59
On the Edge of Common Sense... 20
The Co-op Pantry....................... 63
Outdoor Logic with BioLogic.... 30
What’s Happening in Alabama... 66
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OUR REGULARS
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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.
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September 2021
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September means one thing – hunting season is here. Whether it’s ducks, deer or dove, beginners or advanced hunters, your local Co-op has what you need to have a successful year in the great outdoors. This issue, we’re highlighting all things hunting. From tips and tricks to wild game recipes, we’ve got it all. Make sure you check out Outdoor Logic with Biologic and our Mexican Street Corn Recipe from Laura Tucker at Southern Made Simple. We’ve also got our regulars, contributing quality information and amazing recipes. Learn more about La Jenns Treasured Threads from Carolyn Drinkard and pick up a few tips and tricks from John Howle in Howle’s Hints. Our Co-op Pantry is filled with wild game recipes for those that like to put a twist on their cooking. Make sure you check out What’s Happening in Alabama to see what fun events are happening across our beautiful state. We hosted our first in-person meetings last month. While a few things were different than they have been in the past due to safety precautions, we were thrilled to see everyone in person for the first time in over a year. We are still doing our best to stay safe and healthy while getting back to our new normal. We are looking forward to releasing our 85th Anniversary cookbook in the spring and hope you’ll pick up a copy when they make their debut! Thank you for being a loyal reader, customer and part of the AFC family.
Samantha Hendricks
Editor-in-Chief
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Cooperative Farming News
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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
September 2021
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AG INSIGHT Summer food program shows dramatic increase due to COVID The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provided meals to 4.7 million children each day across more than 37,000 sites in July 2020, the month when the program’s operations typically peak. Overall, throughout fiscal year (FY) 2020, the SFSP served about 1.3 billion meals and snacks at a cost of $4.1 billion. The number of meals served through SFSP and expenditures on the program were 8.9 and 8.7 times greater than in FY 2019, respectively. These increases can be attributed to rising food needs during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and USDA’s response to meet those needs, which included waivers expanding the scope and coverage of SFSP. The program expanded rapidly in the early months of the pandemic, serving about 564.4 million meals from March through May 2020. Comparatively, only 1.2 million meals were served over the same period in 2019.
USDA to launch food labeling review In the wake of a recent Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) vote to strengthen its enforcement of the “Made in USA” standard, USDA has announced it will complement that effort with an initiative to bolster 8
Cooperative Farming News
the labeling of products regulated by its Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). USDA announced last year its plans to conduct its own rulemaking to address the concern that the voluntary “Product of USA” label may confuse consumers about the origin of FSIS regulated products. After considering the many comments received by the FTC and USDA on this issue, USDA is initiating a top-to-bottom review of the “Product of USA” label that will help determine what that label means to consumers, said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Among other things, comments on meat labeling suggested the current “Product of the USA” stamp may not be as accurate and transparent as both consumers and producers want.
Financial help available for livestock, poultry producers Livestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing can apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) during the recent National Pork Industry Conference in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The program is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. The application process at USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) began in July and continues through Sept. 17. The Consolidated Appropriations Act authorized payments to producers for losses of livestock or poultry depopulated from March 1, 2020, through Dec. 26, 2020, due to insufficient processing access as a result of the pandemic. PLIP payments will be based on 80% of the fair market value of the livestock and poultry and for the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animal. Eligible livestock and poultry include swine, chickens and turkeys, but pork producers are expected to be the primary recipients of the assistance. Packers, live poultry dealers and contract growers are not eligible for PLIP. For more information on how to apply and for a copy of the notice of funding availability, visit farmers.
BY J I M E R I C K S O N
Commercial farms received the highest average government payments in 2019 Government payments to farm operator households
gov/plip. Applications can be submitted to the FSA office at any USDA Service Center nationwide by mail, fax, hand delivery or via electronic means. Livestock and poultry producers can also call 877-508-8364 to speak directly with a USDA employee.
Farm program payments reach $14.8B in 2019 More than 30% of about 1.97 million U.S. farms received some government program-related payments in 2019, with an average payment of $24,623 and an overall outlay of $14.8 billion. The distribution of payments varied by farm type, which USDA’s Economic Research Service defines based on gross cash farm income (GCFI) and operator type. About 74% of commercial farms received government payments in 2019, with an average payment of $84,775. Commercial farms are defined by ERS as making $350,000 or more in GCFI and include both family and nonfamily farms. By comparison, about 31% of intermediate farms received government payments, with an average payment of $11,731. An intermediate farm is defined by ERS as making less than $350,000 in GCFI and having a principal operator whose primary occupation is farming. About 24% of all residence farms received government payments, with an average payment of $8,147. ERS defines a residence farm as making less than $350,000 in GCFI and having a principal operator who is either retired from farming or has a primary occupation other than farming.
Countercyclical
Marketing Conservation loans
Major programs included
PLC, ARC
MFP, disaster LDP, MLG EQIP, CSP, CRP and other emergency
Total payments in 2019 ($ billion)
1.8
0.8
2.9
Other
9.3
Average payment in 2019 ($),by farm type Commercial
28,093
48,444
21,376
67,807
Intermediate
5,800
10,236
7,043
11,157
Residence
2,660
9,240
7,173
6,470
Notes: Countercyclical programs include the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) programs. Marketing loan programs include the Loan Deficiency Program (LDP) and marketing loan gains (MLG). Conservation program payments are made to producers that participate in USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Other government programs include the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), and disaster and other emergency programs. Source: USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) analysis of data from ERS and USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2019 Agricultural Resource Management Survey.
Freshwater – its scarcity and importance to nation’s food supply Although water is one of the Earth’s most abundant resources, only 2.5% percent is freshwater – water that is not seawater or brackish – such as rainfall or lake water. Of this 2.5%, more than two-thirds is not readily available for human use since it may be frozen or underground, or in other forms. Not only is freshwater a scarce resource, but it also plays a key role in food production. Water is used on-farm for irrigation and later in the supply chain to process food, clean processing plants, generate electricity and operate home kitchens. September 2021
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Very little is known about these freshwater withdrawals, also called blue water, in the U.S. food system beyond what is used in agriculture, in part because it is mostly self-supplied. Recent research has evaluated the blue water resources used throughout the U.S. food system to meet the domestic demand for foods and beverages over time. Over the years studied, blue water use in the U.S food system was highest in 2002 at 43 trillion gallons, or 34% of total water withdrawals in the nation that year. In 2012, the most recent year included in the study, the U.S. food system required 34 trillion gallons of water for the production of the nation’s food and beverages purchased (plus home kitchen operations). This would be enough water to cover the State of California to a depth of one foot. Among key findings from the research were these: One of the primary uses for blue water in the U.S. domestic food system is for agricultural production (crops and livestock), but supply chain stages other than agriculture also use a considerable amount of blue water. In 2012, crop and livestock production used 68% of food-system blue water, while later stages of food production used 32%. Energy industries such as electric power and numerous petroleum products used substantial amounts of water in the supply chain. Water for energy contributed 13% of food-system water, emphasizing the food-energy-water connection. Water used by the food system had an inverse relationship with precipitation in the four years studied. As precipitation increased, blue water withdrawals decreased, signaling that these water types are substitutes for each other on-farm. Among all food-at-home (FAH) purchases in 2012, fresh vegetables accounted for the greatest water use at 5 trillion gallons of blue water, an amount sufficient
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Cooperative Farming News
to cover West Virginia in one foot of water, and the most blue water use by an FAH expenditure category.
Report examines cover crop management
A recent report from USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) examined cover crop management using data from the Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS), a national survey of farming operations and production practices. This report used field-level data collected for corn (2016), cotton (2015), and soybeans (2018). For corn fields intended for use as grain or silage in 2016, more than 90 percent of acres with cover crops used a grass or small grain cover crop, such as rye, winter wheat or oats. Rye was more than twice as common as winter wheat as the cover crop used on corn fields. Rye and winter wheat were also the most common cover crops on soybean fields in 2018. The field-level soybean survey in 2018 added an option for farmers to report the use of a cover crop mix (at least two cover crop species). ERS researchers found that just under a quarter of the cover crops used on soybean acres were a cover crop mix of some kind. By comparison, winter wheat was the most common cover crop used on cotton fields in 2015. This likely reflects both the role of wheat stubble in protecting cotton seedlings from wind and the potentially negative impact of certain chemicals produced by cereal rye on the growing cotton plant.
BUSINESS OF FARMING
BY DR. ADAM MAGGARD
Cross-Laminated Timber
What it is and its relevance to Alabama Originally published in the Backyard to Back 40 Newsletter Volume 3, June 23, 2020
Wood is one of most well-known construction materials for consumers, but it is often perceived as boards such as two by fours and as plywood, when it is much more than that. Engineered wood products and mass timber systems, like cross-laminated timber (CLT), are increasingly used for mid- and high-rise construction in the United States. Several high-tech wood products firms operate within Alabama, producing such engineered wood products, including the first producer of CLT products in the Southeast with a facility located in Dothan. CLT is a prefabricat-
ed, engineered solid wood panel made of layers of dimensional lumber that is stacked crosswise at right angles, glued and pressed into place (Figure 1). The panels are then transported to the construction site where they are precisely connected using joints and structural adhesives. CLT originated in Europe in the 1990s. Since its origination, CLT is now used around the world, including several locations in the United States, including the Southeast. The Southeast is a growing hot spot for mass timber production because of its large supply of September 2021
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Figure 1. CLT design concept of using dimensional lumber to create multilayer wooden panels. Figure credit: USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory.
southern yellow pine timber and historical production rates and efficiency of growing southern yellow pine. Alabama has a total land area of over 32 million acres, of which approximately 71% is considered productive timberland. Alabama ranks third in overall timberland in the contiguous Unites States, leads the nation in loblolly pine growing stock (~544 million tons), and it is estimated that roughly half of the standing timber in the state is of sawlog size (sawtimber) or larger. Sawtimber class timber is a source of raw material for producing CLT. The use of mass timber has many benefits, but also provides a new market and opportunities in Alabama for sawtimber. Forest products are a critical part of our State’s economy, and CLT manufacturing provides an opportunity to strengthen that industry. Extensive research and outreach education on CLT are ongoing as it is a relatively new material to architects, building contractors, forest products industry, and consumers in North America and the Southeast. Some advantages of CLT as found through research are listed below: • Environmental advantages – In addition to energy efficiency, as a wood product it has a smaller carbon footprint than steel and concrete because wood products continue to store the carbon absorbed by the trees once they are manufactured. CLT is a more sustainable material than steel or concrete. CLT produces a net reduction in atmospheric carbon dioxide and minimal waste production. 12
Cooperative Farming News
• Design flexibility – CLT can be used in walls, roofs and floors. It is also relatively easy to increase its thickness to meet many specifications. • Energy efficiency – CLT panels are thick and tightly jointed when constructed resulting in less potential for passing airflow and require less added insulation. • Disaster resiliency – • Fire protection – Due to the thickness and cross-section design, CLT provides resistance to fire due to slow charring panels. The char provides added protection from further deterioration acting as a natural insulator protecting inner layers from flames. • Seismic and wind performance – Continuing research has shown that CLT has excellent dimensional stability and rigidity; research on seismic testing, such as earthquake-like shaking of multistory construction, has found that CLT performs extremely well against collapse. Similarly, research shows that CLT performs extremely well against damaging winds; both instances in part are due to CLT’s structural flexibility that reduces the chances of break. • Acoustic performance – Research shows that the mass of CLT panels and their airtight construction contributes to acoustic performance providing adequate noise control limiting airborne and impact sound transmissions.
A.
B.
Figure 2. (A) The first hotel in the United States constructed using CLT and shelled for a specific appearance. Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama. (B) Photo of a CLT display at the hotel in Redstone Arsenal demonstrating CLT design and construction.
• Construction efficiency – CLT is lighter than concrete and faster to construct because of prefabrication and preciseness of panels. • Aesthetics – Prefabrication of CLT acts as the inner skeleton of a building; therefore, specific external visual requirements are not an issue (Figure 2A). The use of mass-timber products such as CLT is the future of sustainable building. Alabama currently serves an important role in the production of CLT in the Southeast.
DID YOU KNOW? Mass timber is a category of construction material characterized by the use of large solid wood panels. CLT is a type of mass timber and the first hotel in the United States constructed of CLT is located at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. (Figure 2A and B)
L ive s t o c k Brands 2021 IS BRAND R E N E WA L Y E A R Alabama State Law requires any livestock owner who uses a brand to identify their livestock to register their brand with the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries. Applications can be found at: www.agi.alabama.gov/divisions/division-AgComp
Stockyards & Brands Section 1445 Federal Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36107-1123
334-240-7304 September 2021
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FEEDING FACTS
Flushing Increasing an animal’s nutritional intake just before breeding Decades of research have consistently shown that small ruminant flocks and herds are more profitable if they produce more sets of twins than single births. Many research papers have been devoted to ways
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Cooperative Farming News
to improve that and nutrition is one of the key factors that is easily controlled. There may or may not be data proving that deer would respond in the same way; common sense says that they should.
BY J I M M Y PA R K E R
In small ruminants you will often hear the term “flushing” which refers to increasing an animal’s nutritional intake just before breeding. This has almost always been seen as an easy and cost-effective way to get more twins born the following spring and many studies have shown a 10 to 20% increase in the number of lambs or kids born. Before we get into just what flushing is and how it works, we need to look at some of the other factors that influence this and help make it effective. Typically, this time of year, our forages have peaked in both quantity and quality and our ewes and does are not getting nearly as much nutrition from a belly full of whatever they are grazing or browsing as they were in the spring. This is not to say that these tough fall forages are not sufficient. Generally, since lambs and kids are weaned and the dry females have a relatively low nutritional requirement, these plants provide enough to get our animals into winter without any real issues. In short, they are good for survival but maybe not great for enhanced production. Study after study has shown that females within a healthy range of body condition that are in a “positive energy state” will produce more eggs at ovulation and have more twins. So, what does that mean? Ewes and does that are not overly fat will produce more twins if they are gaining weight and relatively more singles if they are losing weight. That makes sense because if they are gaining weight, their bodies assume that food is plentiful and we can raise more babies and if they are losing weight, their hormones will tell the opposite story. To be effective, the females will need to be fed for 30 to 45 days. This process tends to work best if the animals begin to receive extra calories two to three weeks before the rams or bucks are turned in. Since not all of the females will cycle or settle in that first week or two, it makes sense to continue to feed at
least a couple of weeks into the breeding season. There are a number of ways to increase the energy intake of your animals. One of the simplest and most commonly used for decades is to simply feed half to 1 pound of corn per head per day. Other feeds that are labeled for your animals will work, but one thing to keep in mind is that many of the cheaper pellets will be lower in energy and while they will still work, you will need to feed a bit more. Other options are tubs. The Purina Hi Fat tub is an excellent choice as are the Stimu-lyx Tubs that most of the Co-op stores carry. Even as high as corn is, it is probably your cheapest choice. The tubs may cost a bit more but are much more convenient and still highly cost effective. How does that math work? Let’s look at a 100ewe flock or doe herd, mainly because that makes the math easy. If you feed 1 pound of corn per head per day for 45 days and the corn costs $10 per bag, you would feed one hundred pounds per day, and it would cost $20 per day. That adds up to nine hundred dollars over 45 days but still should be very profitable. If you sell lambs or kids for $150 each, then it would take six extra offspring to pay for the feed, and multiple studies have shown that those 100 females should produce between 10 and 20 extra babies. So, by spending the extra nine hundred on feed, you should pocket an extra thousand or two next spring above feed cost. Keep in mind that this practice makes sense even this year when feed is high and will work even better when feed prices come back down, or if you have access to cheaper ways, it increases their caloric intake. On a side note, if your breeding season is in the late fall/early winter and you have winter annual forages that you can graze like rye grass or wheat, you can accomplish the same thing by turning your ewes or does onto young, lush forages which are also high in energy for that same amount of time. This is a bit riskier but may be a cheaper option.
Ewes and does that are not overly fat will produce more twins if they are gaining weight and relatively more singles if they are losing weight. September 2021
15
FROM THE STATE VET’S OFFICE
Foot-andMouth Disease A Foreign Animal Disease That Poses a Unique Problem
The position of the State Veterinarian was established by State Law to administer and enforce rules and regulations that had to do with livestock diseases or sanitary livestock regulations. Throughout the years, the diseases we have focused on have changed and a few other responsibilities have been added to us such as overseeing the veterinary diagnostic laboratory system. Nonetheless, our responsibility has always been to assure the health of our state flocks and herds. I suppose that if I divided my responsibilities into categories, surveillance and preparing to respond to foreign animal diseases would rank high in importance. Foreign animal diseases (FADs) are just what the term says, diseases that are not normally found in the United States. They pose a unique problem because our domestic animal population has no immunity to those diseases. As we have seen with COVID-19 in the human population, where there is no immunity, a disease can spread very quickly. And when you factor in that animals do not know how to social distance and generally refuse to wear masks, a foreign animal disease could be disastrous. 16
Cooperative Farming News
There are two foreign animal diseases that tend to concern us more than others. Those are highly pathogenic avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease. I mean no disrespect to all other FADs, but when we look at the potential for catastrophic losses to animal agriculture, those two diseases get the prize. I have written several articles in the past about avian influenza. Today, I want to make you familiar enough about foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) that you could at least answer a question about it on a game show. Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious disease that can infect both domestic and wild cloven-hooved animals. (It was eradicated from the United States in 1929). For our purposes that includes cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Horses are resistant because they are not cloven-hooved. The virus causes painful sores on the lips and in the mouth and on the feet between and just above the hooves. It is extremely devastating to young nursing animals because they will not nurse because of the pain and become dehydrated and die. The sores begin as blisters. The blisters rupture and leave ulcers
BY D R . T O N Y F R A Z I E R
that are not only painful but can easily become infected with bacteria. FMD can also cause abortions, heart disease, especially in newborns, and low milk production. The virus is shed in an infected animal’s breath, saliva, urine and other secretions. It can survive in the environment for several months under proper conditions. FMD can be spread by contaminated vehicles, raw or improperly cooked meat from infected animals or contact with people wearing contaminated clothing. With world travel so prevalent today, there is always the concern that the FMD virus could catch a quick ride on a plane and still be alive when it gets to the United States. And while it is only speculation, it is possible that the FMD virus has traveled to the United States on unsuspecting passengers but has fortunately not been introduced into our animal population. FMD was a hot topic back in the early 2000s when the United Kingdom experienced a severe outbreak and lost around six million cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. It is hard to believe that we are nearly 20 years down the road from that outbreak. There is a school of thought that says that the longer it has been since the last outbreak of a particularly bad disease, the closer we are to the next outbreak. The bottom line is that we can never let our guard down when it comes to diseases that could devastate animal agriculture. And FMD, being the most contagious virus known to man, fits into that category. The disease was going strong in the United Kingdom about the time I became State Veterinarian. In fact, one of my first official acts was to quarantine some tractors at the port of Mobile. Those tractors had originated from farms in the U.K., and most likely some of those farms had animals positive for footand-mouth disease. To be released from quarantine, the tractors had to be sufficiently cleaned and disinfected to assure that if the virus was present, it would be neutralized. We do have a plan if FMD were to make it into our borders. And over the years, we have exercised various parts of the plan. We have exercised getting onto and off a farm without tracking and spreading the virus. We have had exercises that dealt with mass disposal of animal carcasses. This fall we plan to exercise the “stop movement” portion of the plan. Each time we have exercised a portion of our plan, we have found gaps and deficiencies that we have been able to patch up and adjust in case the real thing comes along.
In November of this year, Southern Animal Health Association along with USDA Veterinary Services will be conducting another exercise to tighten up our foreign animal disease response plan. Hopefully we will answer a few questions such as: What would a stop movement order look like when implemented? Do we have the legal authority to stop animals from coming to Alabama if there is a state where there is known infection? What would happen if a disease like footand-mouth disease got into the feral hog population? After that exercise we will be even better prepared to respond to the disease if it ever gets into the United States animal population, especially here in the Southeast. During disasters, both natural and man-made, there is plenty of confusion and chaos to go around. Our job is to be able to work through our prepared plan and minimize the confusion and chaos to an acceptable level. It is our hope and desire that we continue to fine tune our plan, but never have to use it. I do think that if we approach foreign animal disease outbreaks with a “not if, but when” mindset, we will be prepared when the time comes to respond. Our livestock producers play a major role in our response to foot-and-mouth disease by reporting to us or their veterinarian anytime they have animals with mouth lesions or multiple animals with sore feet. Is it likely to be foot-and-mouth disease? Probably not. But we cannot afford to be wrong and miss the early cases of an outbreak because we were too casual in our approach. It is much easier to put out a fire before it spreads. The same is true with foot-andmouth disease.
September 2021
17
WHAT’S THE POINT WITH GREENPOINT AG
Yield Monitor Calibration:
Planning for Quality Data Collection Some of you may be in the heat of harvest while others are gearing up to begin shortly. Here are some considerations to think through as you plan to collect quality yield data that you can use for future management decisions. Even if you don’t think you will need the data today or plan to use it for decision making soon, I still urge you to do your best in collecting quality data and archiving it in AccuField. If you wait to collect good data until you are ready to use it, we will be starting from scratch and have years ahead of us to aggregate the foundation of farm datasets worthy of decision-making. If you begin today implementing good data collection strategies and store the data with your trusted advisor in AccuField, you will be well on your way to reaping immediate benefits when the day comes and you want to use yield data for management decisions. Yield monitors are a great source of detailed data that have a lot more to offer than a grain weight ticket or gin ticket. Accurate yield data collected over time allows a grower to begin making data-driven management decisions and assess field performance at a scale otherwise unattainable. It is important that yield monitors be calibrated for accurate data collection, but they also must be set up properly so there are no data overlaps or skips (Figure 1.) within the data from inaccurate GPS settings. To accomplish this, you will want to make sure the combine header or picker heads are set up correctly in the display, the horizontal and vertical GPS offsets are correct in the display, and a recent cal18
Cooperative Farming News
Figure 1.
ibration has been performed on the TCM (terrain compensation module). The settings and accurate calibration are even more important when multiple machines are harvesting simultaneously within a field to ensure that the data is synchronized and that one or multiple machines are not creating a skewed data set (Figure 2.). Calibration of look-ahead or flow delay settings are very important as well. The material being harvested can spend several seconds traveling through a machine before being read by a sensor. Figure 3 illustrates gaps in data due to erroneous look-ahead or flow delay settings. This setting tells the GPS when and where to geo-tag yield measurements taken by sensors. Take Home Message: When yield monitors are correctly calibrated, it is very easy to assess whole field yield based off the data collected. Accuracy errors typ-
PAU L H O L L I S
Figure 2.
Figure 3.
ically range from 7-10% before calibration and higher if the monitor is taken straight off the shelf and used in a machine. The data collected can aid in identifying factors that are limiting yield. With accurate data, management zones can be produced and used for input strategies, soil sampling, in-season applications of nitrogen, plant growth regulators, defoliants, or even nematicides. Calibration of newer harvesters is becoming increasingly more convenient and easier. Manufactur-
ers are adding onboard technology to the degree that self-calibration is a reality today. We are working toward the day when in-field weigh wagons or scales will no longer be needed; meanwhile, our ag technology specialists are equipped to handle all of your calibration needs. Whether you need in-field or over the phone solutions, we’ve got you covered. Reach out to your local member cooperative today and let us help you with a data collection game plan that will make a positive impact on your operation.
September 2021
19
ON THE EDGE OF COMMON SENSE
Water The big boy land developers hired them a worn-out hack To go and buy the water rights off farmers down the track. “Just pay ‘em anything they ask. Heck, any price on earth. Those farmers haven’t got a clue of what it’s really worth.” “ Them’s fightin’ words,” the farmer said. “This water ain’t for sale. It’s all that keeps this place alive. Without it crops would fail.” The lawyer sorta laughed it off. “We’ll get it anyway. The cities need it all to grow. You can’t stand in their way. It’s progress, you should know by now you can’t hold back the flood.” “There’s lifetimes given to this land. The water’s in their blood.” “Old man that’s ancient history, besides we’ll make you rich. Just name yer price, you’ll have it. It’s nothin’ but a ditch.”
BY B AX T E R B L A C K , D V M
“Yer hollow as your vacant eyes. Yer empty as yer word. You can’t see past the dollar signs. These things that you’ve inferred Are bigger than yer lawyer’s fee, yer Judas 10%. You’ve no respect for anything, you covet just the rent. Go back to your rich puppeteers who’ve never broke a sweat, Who ride in when the battle’s done and use their bayonet To finish off the wounded brave and pick their pockets clean Then sell their spoils to innocents to keep their cities green. Explain to them the difference between value and price. That value isn’t what is paid, it’s what is sacrificed That gives it worth. It’s measured in the turns around a field, In families and community, in broken bonds and healed, In barns burnt down and harvest lost, and kids gone off to war. Explain to them it’s measured in grooves worn in your soul... or, In depths of neighbor’s breaking hearts when someone’s lost a wife, And that you can’t just set a price on someone’s way of life. www.baxterblack.com
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Cooperative Farming News
The Next Generation of Animal Management... TM
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September 2021
21
FFA SENTINEL
AET:
Embracing the Future While Honoring the Traditions of the Past
T
here is no doubt that we live in an ever-changing world. With every passing day, it seems new technologies are emerging that at one time seemed to be from a science fiction movie. The agriculture industry has been no stranger to improvements in technology, whether it be precision agriculture practices or disease-resistant crops. Agriculture education has also seen its fair share of change through the years; however, we still hold true to the values of classroom and lab instruction, FFA and Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects. SAE programs have especially made great strides in embracing technology. An SAE is a work-based learning program that every agriscience student is encouraged to participate in. These could include students working on a farm or for another agriculture business, owning their own business, or even doing scientific research. The possible projects are endless and should cater to the student’s particular interests in the agriculture industry. 22
Cooperative Farming News
Many past FFA members recall keeping detailed record books in their agriscience class that documented every detail of their projects. By the time they graduated, they may have filled out several of these journals. Today’s agriculture students still keep those same detailed and accurate records but do so utilizing today’s technology. Alabama agriscience programs utilize a service known as The Agricultural Experience Tracker (AET). AET is an online record-keeping service that specializes in assisting students in advancing their SAE projects. No matter the size or scope of the student’s project, AET has features that help them input records, income and expenses, honors and awards, along with anything else you could imagine. This tracking system can aid students and FFA chapters in several ways. One example is that the AET system is linked directly to National FFA Proficiency awards as well as State and American FFA Degree applications. This allows students to easily generate these competitive applications to receive
B R I A N N A PAY N E
The AET system helps keep record of past FFA meeting agendas and minutes.
recognition for all of their hard work. These records can also be used to validate that student’s investments not only in their project, but their investment in local businesses. Students can track how much money they spend with local businesses when they buy feed and other supplies. Through this, students not only learn the value of keeping good records but are also encouraged to build good relationships with local industry. FFA advisers can also benefit greatly from utilizing AET. The system can be used to manage chapter activities. Students can then enroll in these activities, providing teachers accurate data of who all participated in a particular event. They can also use it to manage specific groups of students such as officer teams and various committees. It also aids them in working with individual students in the summer months to help further supervise and support their Supervised Agricultural Experience projects. No matter your opinions about how fast the world is changing in regard to technology, rest assured that some of these technologies like AET are making a positive impact on today’s youth and preparing them for successful futures.
The Portfolio feature lets FFAs upload photos that aid in documenting their SAE projects.
Students can track how much money they spend with local businesses when they buy feed and other supplies.
September 2021
23
4-H EXTENSION CORNER
Pedal Power
Bicycling is one of the healthiest ways to exercise. Cycling does not take great skill, and it causes less strain and injuries to the body. It also gets riders out into the fresh air, which can improve the quality of life for all age groups. Daniel Sullen is a dedicated cyclist. He is also the 4-H Foundation Agent for Macon County. During the pandemic, Daniel was searching for other ways to connect with his 4-H’ers, ways that did not involve virtual activities, but would still maintain the CDC guidelines. For years, he had wanted to find a way to bring cycling to his 4-H’ers in Macon County. Since cycling is an outdoor activity, it would be perfect during this time of social distancing. “Cycling was not the norm in Macon County,” he explained. “A few people ride, but it was not an activity that interested a lot of people.” Sullen secured a grant from Mid-South RC&D for the 4-H Pedal Power Project and created the Macon County 4-H Cycling Club. He purchased 10 road bicycles, cycling gear and other equipment such as safety helmets, front/rear safety lights, cycling gloves, bicycle maintenance items and cycling clothing from 24
Cooperative Farming News
James Brothers Bike Company in Auburn / Opelika. He also secured brightly colored t-shirts to identify the group and promote safety.
Some of the Macon County Cycling Club members paused before their Sunday afternoon ride. (L to right) Ronald Davis, Shawn Armstead, Ferris Moore, Frederick Thomas III, Janet Sullen, Daniel Sullen, Anwar Walker and Ontrel Tate.
BY C A R O LY N D R I N K A R D
At Tuskegee Lake, riders paused to rest. The bikers wore their masks even though they were outside. Cycling was an excellent way to social distance.
The main goal of the Pedal Power Project was to promote healthy living through physical fitness. Cycling encouraged 4-H’ers to explore the great outdoors, but it also promoted healthy living by offering both youth and adults an alternate physical fitness activity, one they could enjoy while safely practicing social distancing. The Macon County 4-H Cycling Club was composed of 20 high school 4-H’ers and adults. First, the group studied the basics of cycling. Then, they learned ways to stay safe while on the roads. They
were also trained to watch out for one another, to communicate with team members and to alert the team about any hazards on the roads. In November 2020, the Macon County Cycling Club took its first ride around Lake Tuskegee, almost a seven-mile excursion. Cyclists from other areas joined in too. One of the unexpected results of this ride was a greater appreciation for the natural resources along the route. Now, the group rides every other Sunday, cruising through Macon County’s many historical treasures
Members of the Cycling Club take a rest break at the Tuskegee Airmen site. Many had never toured this area before.
Ontrel Tate found that riding his bike with the cycling club was really relaxing. He has also noticed how beautiful Lake Tuskegee is, something he never observed while riding by the Lake in a car.
September 2021
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such as Tuskegee University, the Tuskegee Airmen Site, Warrior Stand Trading Post, Rosenwald Schools and other interesting destinations. On MLK Day, 30 members joined in a ride honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Memorial Day, the group participated in the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Day Ride. Escorted by the Tuskegee Fire Department, approximately 70 riders pedaled to Moton Field, where they joined in a touching flag ceremony, honoring the Tuskegee Airmen. During the summer, the Cycling Club partnered with some other clubs for a ride through the Tuskegee National Forest. On the third weekend in August, they rode as part of the festivities for Macon County Days. The cycling team has accelerated local interest in cycling and given participants a way to connect and have fun. Most importantly, it has unified the group, helping everyone to work together and feel like they belong. “When we ride, we stop and gather each person,” Daniel explained. “We never leave anybody behind, and we watch out for everybody, so that no one gets left behind.” The communities in Macon County have also taken notice. Drivers have learned to recognize the brightly colored shirts worn by the group, and now, drivers are more mindful and respectful of the riders. The Pedal Power Project has enhanced the economic well-being of the community while fostering a sense of pride in their home area. By attracting surrounding cycling clubs to visit Macon County, 4-H’ers impacted the tourism budgets, but they also developed a new sense of pride in the landmarks in their home area. As cyclists took advantage of trails in the Tuskegee National Forest and roads that led along the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Sites, they
learned the history of beautiful Macon County. The success of the Macon County 4-H Cycling Club has caught the attention of 4-H organizations in other counties, as well. Many have contacted Daniel about starting their own clubs. In the meantime, Daniel Sullen plans to expand his Macon County Cycling Club to younger 4-H’ers. He also wants to provide adaptive bikes, so that students with disabilities can join in. In the future, Daniel hopes to expand this excitement for bicycling to elementary schools as part of the physical education curriculum. The Pedal Power Project has given riders another way to stay healthy while spending time in the great outdoors with family and friends. Most importantly, it has brought 4-H’ers in Macon County a deeper appreciation for their own heritage.
Devin Fields was on one of the Sunday rides from the Macon County Extension Office to Tuskegee Lake and back.
On a Sunday afternoon ride, Janet Sullen, Jamell Newton, and Shawn Armstead headed to Lake Tuskegee from the Macon County Extension office.
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Cooperative Farming News
On Memorial Day, the Macon County Cycling Club rode to Moton Field to honor the Tuskegee Airmen at the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. Here, the riders paused as the flag was lowered.
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Tallapoosa County #2773
dallas County #3071
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. $1,200,000 533 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 +/-
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1,153+/- AC - An incredible opportunity is available to own one of the highest points in Blount County, McAnnally Mountain! This is a mixture of pine and hardwood with road frontage and internal roads with an excellent deer and turkey population. $2,421,300
covington County #3522
30+/- AC - Property consists primarily of row crop farmland currently planted in corn. This property has the potential to make an excellent homesite for someone wanting to live in the country, build a home, and have their own open land to grow crops/garden, raise cattle, or just to hunt. $110,000
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 PRICE REDUCED! $499,000
172+/- AC - Properties along the Cahaba River are rarely available for purchase, and this tract has approximately 1/2 mile of frontage on what is our longest free-flowing river in the state. The property lies along the east side of the river. The timber on this property is a good mixture of 20–25-year-old pine plantations, 4-8 year old pine plantation, and upland and bottomland hardwoods.$346,400 640+/- 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
tallapoosa County #3499
304+/- AC - Boulder Creek Plantation is a well-managed and meticulously maintained wildlife preserve situated on 300+/- acres in north-central Tallapoosa Co, Alabama. Located just 10 miles from Alexander City, AL, 47 miles from Auburn, AL, 81 miles from Birmingham, Al, and a short distance to Lake Martin. $3,700,000
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September 2021
27
PALS
BY J A M I E M I T C H E L L
Alabama Coastal Cleanup September is one of our favorite months at Alabama PALS! Cooler weather is right around the corner, football is back in full swing, and it is the month of the Alabama Coastal Cleanup! This year marks the 34th year of the event, and we anticipate record crowds! Last year’s event was completely sidelined with the advent of Hurricane Sally, but we were able to donate approximately 10,000 bags to help local cleanup and recovery efforts. If you visited our beautiful beaches this summer, the evidence of Sally still lingers with the sightings of blue tarps on rooftops, missing piers and damaged boats. It is our hope that this year’s Coastal Cleanup will serve as an opportunity for our state to come together and pick up any remaining pieces from Sally’s fury as well as any new litter that has been left behind from 28
Cooperative Farming News
one of the busiest summers ever. Tourism is definitely back in full swing on our beaches, so there will be plenty of work for our volunteers to do. Won’t you join us in “Keeping the Trash Out of the Splash” on Sept. 18? With 28 zones available, you are certain to find one near you! Visit www.alabamacoastalcleanup.com for more details! We normally have over 5,000 volunteers working together to clean up our shorelines at the Coastal Cleanup. This is also a great opportunity for schools, green teams, scout groups and families to come out and teach children the importance of keeping our beaches litter-free. Please do not hesitate to give us a call or email with any additional questions about the Coastal Cleanup or Alabama PALS at (334) 263-7737 or jamie@alpals.org.
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RegisterBarns.com September 2021
29
OUTDOOR LOGIC WITH BIOLOGIC
Early Season Whitetail Strategies Right Out of the Gate
Contrary to what many believe, rattling can work during early season. Bucks respond to be social, not aggressive. So don’t imitate a harsh fight like you might during late October, rather create a “light,” social scenario. (Photo Credit: Tony Campbell)
Knowledge of your quarry is a key to consistent success when hunting anything, but it’s especially so when pursuing whitetails. Knowing the societal structure of the herd during the time you intend to hunt will help you to choose which tactics will work best. Early season is all about being social with other deer in the “whitetails’ world”; however, they may not be getting together with the specific deer that you might expect. During summer and into the first few weeks of the hunting season, the bucks will likely be hanging out with other bucks in bachelor groups and the does will 30
Cooperative Farming News
be bringing their fawns with them to staging and feeding areas to “introduce” them to other doe/fawn family groups. You may see them side by side at certain times, but through most of the summer and into the earliest part of the hunting season, they have separate “bedrooms” and “living rooms.” Testosterone will change things soon, but for a short while during early season, this is the case. Knowing this to be true, it makes the best sense to use “buck smells, buck sounds or buck decoys” to attract bucks and “doe smells, doe/fawn sounds or doe
BY T O D D A M E N R U D and fawn decoys” to attract does or fawns. Some hunters feel that they shouldn’t use calls, scent, or certain other tactics until just before the rut. In reality, early season can be the easiest time to draw a response to each. You just need to know which smells, sounds or decoy postures they favor during that time and how to set them up, so they draw a response and the encounter ends in your favor. Calling whitetails can sometimes be easy during early season. Whitetails are social animals, and the bucks want to mingle with other bucks to see where they will eventually end up in the breeding hierarchy, and doe/fawn family groups want to get to know the other doe/fawn family groups after the solitude they experienced during birthing and the fawns’ first few weeks. Soft, social calls typically will work best during early season. During this time, it is better to use buck vocalizations to draw in bucks and doe or fawn com-
munications to draw a response from them. It’s still a secret to some, but rattling will work during early season. It’s not like rattling during the third week of October - you should imitate “two brothers in a friendly arm-wrestling match,” not in a “knock-down, drag-out fight.” Just “tickle” your antlers together. As soon as bucks lose their velvet, they start sparring with one another, but during this time of year, they’re responding to be social, not aggressive – they’re sparring, not fighting. To help sell the ruse, rather than hard-hitting vocalizations, use soft, social buck calls. For scent utilization, this obviously is applicable only to “deer smells” (scents that actually come from deer, like urine, glandular lures or musk type smells); this is not the case for curiosity smells or food lures. When it comes to mature bucks, they may or may not be social with other bucks. Sometimes older
Mature bucks will begin to mark territory earlier than young bucks. This is why mock scrapes can work well as early as September. (Photo Credit: Dennis W. Donohue)
September 2021
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bucks can be very isolated animals. They really don’t need this communal contact like younger bucks most often do. During September, dramatically increased amounts of testosterone start flowing through a buck’s body. Contrary to what some believe, from this point on, a buck is ready to breed. The further south you travel the later this happens and it will be spread out over a longer period. In the south, there is a bit more of a margin for error. Differing with what some may say, it’s the does that actually dictate when breeding will take
place and bucks will often remain social with the other bucks until the does exhibit the first signs of coming into estrus. Although I’ve had a positive reaction to breeding tactics during early season (and even before the season when testing), it’s probably not a good idea to go out opening day and “smack them in the nose” with breeding or competition scenarios. Typically, when it comes to “deer smells” you want to use the smells/scents when they would naturally occur in the wild. As I said, I’ve had estrus lures work well on mature bucks early in the season. And, if you are specifically after a mature buck, it may be a tactic you wish to try, but for most early season instances you are probably better off with plain urine or a curiosity scent like Trail’s End #307. There are many ways that you can dispense scent during this period, but two of my favorite tools are a Pro-Drag and Magnum Scrape Dripper. The Pro-Drag is the best tool that I have found with which to create a scent trail because it holds a lot of scent and it’s easy to control. You can use any type of liquid scent when making a trail; it doesn’t have to be a “deer smell,” food lures or curiosity scents work, too. When testosterone enters the picture, mock scrapes can be a very effective tactic, even as early as the last part of September. Where sometimes using mock scrapes too early in the year can be intimidating to young bucks, it may be “just the ticket” for those “breeding class” bucks. Mature bucks will feel the urge to begin depositing messages at these signposts earlier in the season than the younger bucks. The Magnum Scrape Drippers that are associated with making mock scrapes are great tools for dispensing any type of liquid scent, not just those associated with mock scrapes. This device is heat-activated and will drip only during daytime hours, conditioning deer to showing up during legal hunting hours (when you will also be there). It doesn’t have to be used just at mock scrapes; it works great at dispensing all kinds of scent like food lures or curiosity scent, too. You can operate for two to three weeks on one fill-up with the Magnum Scrape Dripper. On the other hand, the Super Charged Scrape-Dripper will go through that same Magnum Scrape Drippers are heat activated and will drip only during daytime hours, conditioning deer to showing up during legal hunting hours…when you will also be there. amount of scent in about 7 to 10 days.
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Cooperative Farming News
No matter which hunting tactic you choose to use, knowing the social structure of the herd during the time you intend to hunt is a key to getting it to work for you. Here, the author poses with a respectable opening day buck. (Photo Credit: Todd Amenrud)
Actually, you don’t want to fill either unit full. It works because of the air pocket that you leave inside, but you can use a full 4 ounces of scent. These units freshen your scent setup during legal shooting hours, so you don’t have to. This way when you’re ready to hunt, the site is pristine and void of human scent. Around opener, and for the following couple of weeks, a scent trail of Trail’s End #307 can be “killer.” One reason why this lure is so effective is because it appeals not only to a whitetail’s curiosity but also to their sense of hunger and desire to repopulate - you really can’t go wrong. With decoys, just like the other tactics, remember that during early season, they are primarily social within their own sex groups. You need to give the animal you’re after a reason to close the distance and interact
with your setup. For any buck, a buck decoy in a submissive posture with small antlers will typically work best. For a doe, doe or fawn decoys work best. For mature bucks, oftentimes I like to present a more intimidating scenario and may use larger antlers on the decoy or pose it in a more aggressive posture. Movement (from the decoy) and decoy posture are two very important details. Many decoys now come with parts that will move or pivot in a breeze. A small amount of scent that backs up the scenario you’re trying to convey may also help if the buck swings downwind to scent-check your setup. If you do catch them in their dependable summer patterns, move fast! With testosterone entering the picture and the does soon to show signs of coming into estrus, things will change very quickly. September 2021
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Rice Salad with Pineapple, Cucumbers and Pecans Rice 1 cup long grain rice (3 cups cooked) 1 1/4 cups of cold water 1 teaspoon kosher salt Pineapple Lime Vinaigrette Ingredients 3 Tablespoons of pineapple juice 3 Tablespoons of lime juice 1/2 cup olive oil Zest of 1 lime 1 Tablespoon honey Pinch of kosher salt Pinch of freshly ground black pepper Salad Ingredients 1 cup pineapple chunks 1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted 1/2 cup green onions 1/2 cup cucumber, diced 1/2 cup mint leaves, reserve a few for garnish 1 cup goat cheese, crumbled (optional) 1/4 cup cranberries 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped Pineapple Lime Vinaigrette For the Rice In a medium pan, bring rice and water to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn down to a simmer and place the lid on for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn the heat off and leave the lid on for another 10 minutes. Remove rice to a bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool a bit before adding the rest of the salad ingredients. For the Pineapple Lime Vinaigrette In a Mason jar, add all dressing ingredients and shake vigorously together until well incorporated. 34
Cooperative Farming News
Salad In a large mixing bowl, add rice and salad ingredients. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and mix it all together. Serve room temperature in large serving platter or bowl and garnish with more mint leaves and toasted pecans.
About Stacy Lyn Harris Stacy Lyn Harris is a best-selling cookbook author, blogger, TV personality, public speaker, wife and mother of seven children. She currently lives in Pike Road, Alabama, with her husband Scott and their children. Stacy Lyn regularly appears on cable and broadcast television as a guest chef and sustainable living expert. Her critically-acclaimed “Harvest Cookbook” was published in 2017 and contains many of her family’s favorite recipes, along with stories from her life growing up in the Black Belt and tips she’s learned along the way.
R E S E A R C H E Q U A L S R E S ULT S
I MPERIA L W H ITETAIL AN NU A L S Whitetail Institute annuals produce high-protein tonnage for antler growth, unmatched attraction during the hunting season and sustained production in winter months. Each annual is expertly developed to match your specific needs. Includes seeds only available in Whitetail Institute products.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CO-OP FOR ALL YOUR WHITETAIL INSTITUTE FOOD PLOT NEEDS
WELLS FARM 455 Brownsboro Road, Brownsboro, AL
8 month old 910lb bull calf on grass
20 homozygous black Simmental and Simangus bulls for sale at the farm. $2000 up also 15 heifers for $1300 up. Volume discounts. Your North Alabama and South Tennessee source for quality on the farm seed stock.
Mike Wells - wellsfs@yahoo.com
334-412-2280 September 2021
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Mexican Street Corn B Y
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L A U R A
Cooperative Farming News
T U C K E R
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abor Day is a holiday that is often overlooked as a significant holiday, but there truly is much to celebrate on the first Monday in September each year. Labor Day was created to honor and celebrate the works and contributions of the American worker. America depends on the works of its citizens to be the great country that it is, and having a day to recognize not only the present-day workers, but the hard work and sweat other Americans have put in before us to make our nation great is absolutely a day worth celebrating. Instead of cramming in a bunch of activities or knocking things off of our to-do lists, my family tries to relax and enjoy our time by firing up the grill, fixing up some of our favorite foods and fellowshiping with one another. Corn on the cob is a summertime staple in our house. Each year we plant a small crop of corn to fill our freezer, and preparing it on the grill is one of our favorite ways to enjoy it during the warmer months. When I was in the FFA during high school, one of the first things we learned was that corn is the only crop grown in all 50 states. If you look closely at the FFA emblem, you’ll notice that it’s actually a cross section of corn, symbolizing the unity of all 50 states through agriculture. Each time I sink my teeth into a juicy ear of corn, I think about the American farmer and the agricultural workers. Labor Day is the perfect time to tip our hats to the farmer who labors endlessly to supply the food on our tables, and if you’re firing up the grill this Labor Day weekend, I encourage you to take a moment and surround yourself with gratitude as you enjoy the foods you eat. While you can never go wrong with boiled corn, a pat of butter and a little salt, sometimes I love to really spruce it up and serve it street-style. Mexican street corn is typically served smothered with a creamy mayonnaise/sour cream-based sauce with spices and fresh cilantro. It’s certainly different from the traditional way I grew up eating corn, but its colorful and vibrant flavors always leave me coming back for seconds and thirds!
Here’s what you’ll need to get started: Ingredients: 5-6 ears of corn ¼ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup sour cream ½ cup finely crumbled cotija cheese (feta also works great with this recipe) 1 teaspoon Tajin spice (you can also use chili powder) ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon freshly minced garlic 1 Tbs diced pickled jalapenos (fresh works great, too!) ¼ cup fresh cilantro + extra for garnish ½ red onion 1 small lime butter
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When making Mexican Street Corn, we place the corn directly onto the grill in the husk. This way, it prevents the kernels from directly touching the grill and gives the corn a sort of steamed effect. To prepare corn this way, you’ll want to first pull the outer husks down to the base of the corn and remove the silks the best you can. Fold the husks back over the corn and submerge the ears of corn in a large bowl of water for 8-10 minutes. This will really help pull moisture into the corn to create perfectly juicy kernels. Remove the corn from the water and shake off any excess water. Place the corn directly on the grill (heated to a medium heat) and grill for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning the corn every 5 minutes or so. With just a few minutes remaining in the grill time, add half a red onion and a lime cut in half to cook on the grill. Next - the creamy cilantro sauce! This is quite possibly my favorite part of this recipe. I’m always reaching for one more spoonful of this sauce to spread on my corn, and you can easily adjust the spice level to suit your own tastes. In a blender, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, garlic, spices, jalapenos and cilantro. I prefer to blend this mixture until mostly smooth and all cilantro has broken down, but you can leave it a little chunky if you prefer. When the corn comes off of the grill, peel back the husks and spoon a helping of the creamy cilantro sauce on top. I like to dice up the grilled onion and sprinkle that over my corn, as well as add some extra crumbled cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. I then squeeze the lime over the ears of corn before devouring it. Cooking Directions: Preheat the grill to medium heat. After soaking the corn in the husks in a bowl of water, shake off excess water and place husked corn directly onto the grill. Cook corn for 15-20 minutes, turning corn every 5 minutes or so. During the last few minutes of grilling, add red onion and a halved lime to the grill. While the corn is grilling, add mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, 38
Cooperative Farming News
garlic, spices, jalapenos and cilantro to a blender and blend until smooth. Finely dice grilled onion and set aside Remove corn from the grill and peel back the husks Add a little butter to the corn, then spoon the cilantro lime sauce on top. Garnish with diced onion, fresh cilantro and extra cotija cheese Enjoy! If you’re kicking back this Labor Day weekend and plan on firing up the grill, give this Mexican Street Corn recipe a try! It’s a delicious way to spruce up corn on the cob, and it also supports some of the most important laborers our great country has - the American farmer. Happy Labor Day!
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 September 2021
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Mary Coxwell is the founder and owner of LaJenn’s, a successful line of fine clothing found in over 600 children’s specialty shops nationwide. Mary’s many styles are created with the finest textiles and embellished with delicate French lace, ribbons, and beading.
BY C A R O LY N D R I N KA R D
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estled among the pine forests along Highway 154 in Clarke County is a small farming and timber community called Chilton. A quiet, peaceful area, Chilton is not the place you might normally look to find elegant, heirloom children’s clothing. Nonetheless, this tranquil setting is the birthplace of a highly respected, nationwide brand of children’s clothing, which has been in business here for over 25 years. The talented lady behind this amazing success story is Mary Jean Brunson Coxwell. Mary and her husband, Roy, grew up in Chilton and now live on a beautiful farm. The Coxwells have always anchored their lives in faith and family, raising two successful daughters: LaShane Calvin, a pharmacist, and Jennifer Draper, a designer/ business owner. The Coxwells have also been blessed with five wonderful grandchildren. For years, Mary Coxwell has transformed fine fabrics into treasured threads that harken back to an era of elegance and timeless charm. She inherited her love of fabrics and sewing from her mother, Vera
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Cooperative Farming News
Mary and Roy Coxwell have always anchored their lives in faith and family, raising two successful daughters. (L to r) Jennifer Draper, who heads the LaJenn’s Sportwear line, Mary, Roy and LaShane Calvin, a pharmacist in Birmingham.
Brunson, who came from generations of highly skilled seamstresses. With the arrival of her two daughters, however, Mary had a new focus. She and Vera spent many pleasurable hours planning, designing and hand stitching exquisite heirloom dresses for the girls. As her daughters grew, Mary still found great pleasure and satisfaction in creating the beautiful dresses. After purchasing a fabric store, Mary discovered
an even wider selection of exquisite materials to create her one-of-a-kind pieces. The sewing area in the back of the store was a busy place, as Mary and her mother made display clothing from their stock. It was at this time that Rose Richardson, another gifted seamstress, joined Mary to make her “special occasion line.” Mary’s heirloom pieces quickly grew in popularity,
This picture was taken on Mary’s first trip to the Atlanta Apparel Mart to show her line of children’s clothing. The same “God-sent” rep, Stokes for Kids, still represents LaJenn’s at the Atlanta Apparel Mart 25 years later.
Mary holds her own baby dress that was made by her mother, Vera Brunson, many years ago. Her mother came from generations of fine seamstresses who were known for their fine sewing and quality workmanship.
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In the early years of her business, Mary Jean used her grandchildren as models for her heirloom clothing. Daughter LaShane Calvin had twins, Jess and Jacob Calvin, who often modeled their grandmother’s clothing.
Quincy Margaret Lewis is a second generation LaJenn’s Heirloom baby! Her grandmother, Sabrina Andrews, would bring her mother, Krista A. Lewis, to the shop to be measured for her heirlooms. The fact that Krista fondly remembers her own fittings and now has chosen to dress her little one in LaJenn’s truly makes Mary proud.
so she sold the fabric store to meet the demands for was her line a success, but also another rep saw the her clothing. She also decided to concentrate more dresses and asked to represent her at the Atlanta Apon her dream of developing her own line of children’s parel Mart. This second “God-sent” rep (Stokes for Kids) clothing. Her mother suggested she call her brand still represents LaJenn’s at the Atlanta Apparel Mart. LaJenn’s is now in over 600 children’s specialty “LaJenn’s,” after both daughters. With encouragement from her family, Mary shops nationwide. Mary’s company has continued to grow, adding even more collecstepped out on faith in 1992. She pretions. For example, after the arrival pared some samples, rented a booth of four grandsons, Mary expandin Jackson, Mississippi, and took her ed LaJenn’s Heirlooms to include fashions to market. matching boys’ outfits for each “I knew nothing about selling in dress. When customers asked for a Mart,” she laughed. “I didn’t even know I was supposed to make apsimpler lines and colors, she crepointments with buyers to come to ated “Mary, Mary by LaJenn’s.” She has also embraced social media, my booth.” using Facebook to sell samples Noticing however, that other booths had customers all day, she at “LaJenn’s Heirloom Children’s prayed for someone just to stop by Clothing” and Etsy to offer hard-tofind trims and buttons, under the and look at her samples. Suddenly, name, “Notions by Mary.” a white-haired gentleman appeared, Much to Mary’s delight, her looked at her pieces and asked to show her collection at the Dallas Apyounger daughter, Jennifer Draper, has joined her to help with the deparel Mart. “I had prayed,” she said tearfully, sign process and head the fun and exciting new casual line, LaJenn’s “and when God answered my prayer, Sportswear, known for its use of it just took my heart away!” The only granddaughter, Anna Lane Draper often modeled her grandmother’s exquisite dresses. This rep took about 100 samples vivid coloring in trend-setting ways. Either Jennifer Draper or LaShane Calvin took “Mom’s fortunate that she to his showroom in Dallas and started pictures of the children in Mary’s beautiful garden, could turn her passion into a cawriting orders immediately. Not only among the flowers that inspired her. 42
Cooperative Farming News
Mary has designed a new line of linen aprons that will be available in the fall. She is also working on some ladies’ linen tops and pants. The new samples have not been named yet.
reer!” Jennifer added. “I have so much respect for her being a risk taker, starting her own business and persevering through the years to assure that business was a success.” On just about any given day, Mary Coxwell can be found in her workshop, carrying on her artistic legacy. Sewing soothes her soul and spirit. Fine textiles are her muses, and she embellishes each with delicate French lace, ribbons, beading and touches of color, inspired by her love of nature and her flowers. Mary’s insistence on excellence, as well as beauty, has made LaJenn’s a trusted, nationwide brand. Recently, Mary has introduced two new lines, which are unnamed at this time. One is a collection of ladies’ linen tops and pants. She has also designed and made an array of linen aprons, which she plans to sell on Etsy. Now blessed to have dressed multiple generations of children, Mary finds great joy in helping past clients find the perfect outfits for their own children or grandchildren. She has also been humbled and honored that some well-known celebrities have trusted her to outfit their children and grandchildren for special events. Mary Coxwell has turned a childhood hobby into a thriving business. Using textiles as her canvas, this gifted artist has put her heart and soul into fashioning timeless threads, which will be treasured forever.
This is ecru on white cotton with Swiss embroidery, an example of LaJenn’s fine quality.
These are just a few samples of the heirloom clothing available from LaJenn’s. The clothing is available in 600 children’s specialty shops nationwide.
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Town Creek Farm Bull Sale & Commercial Brangus Bred Heifer Sale AT THE RANCH NEAR WEST POINT, MISSISSIPPI
Saturday, October 16, 2021 • 12 noon 150 TOWN CREEK FARM BULLS Johnes-Free, Trich and BVD Tested.
300 COMMERCIAL BRANGUS AND ULTRABLACK BRED HEIFERS Brangus, Ultrablack and VigorMax™ Half-Blood and Heterosis Bulls. Large selection of FULL 2-year old bulls (DOB: Fall 2019). Powerful, practical, functional bulls developed on a grass and forage-based ration. Bulls sell guaranteed Johnes-free and BDV-PI and Trich tested. Large selection of user-friendly and calving ease bulls.
g
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POWERFUL BULLS FROM A PROVEN PROGRAM Select bulls from proven Brangus, g Maternal bulls to develop superior Ultrablacks, VigorMax™ replacement heifers hat are fertile (Brahman x Angus half-blood) plus a and long lasting with good udders. large selection of Heterosis bulls. g Selection of calving ease heifer bulls. Full two-year old bulls selling. g User Friendly bulls. Fertility is our top priority. All other g Bulls are hard, ripped and toned; THIS BULL SELLS. 587G3 – Brangus bulls sells as 2-year-old. 4.36% IMF. traits follow fertility. ready for breeding pastures. g Managed to be disease free. ALL Opportunity to buy bulls from a bulls out of Johnes-free dams and program that culls EVERY open Johnes-free herd. female and EVERY female that doesn’t bring a calf to weaning pens. g Environmentally adapted and acclimated bulls that withstand heat Genetics developed and proven for and humidity. more than 30 years. Bulls developed on grass and forage- g Longevity – of bulls and their based ration. Bulls are solid and daughters. rock-hard. g Bulls Guaranteed.
Go to our website to request a sale catalog and to join our mailing list.
THIS BULL SELLS. 024G3 – Brangus bulls sells as 2-year-old. 4.36% IMF.
TOTAL COMMITMENT
Since 1993
TOWN CREEK FARM
Milton Sundbeck, Owner • Office 662.494.5944 32476 Hwy. 50 East, West Point, Mississippi 39773-5207 Joy Reznicek Sundbeck 205.399.0221 • Joy@TownCreekFarm.com Clint Ladner 662.812.8370 • Cladner@TownCreekFarm.com www.TownCreekFarm.com
3 Quality Assurance always comes rst. 44
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THIS BULL SELLS.
3132G6 – Brangus bulls sells as 2-year-old. 4.78% IMF.
HOW’S YOUR GARDEN BY L OIS T R IG G C H A P L I N
Dill: Always Good to Have
lettuce in the heat. Lettuce seeds do not germinate in hot weather, so it’s easier to start them indoors. Transplants don’t like the heat either. Whether grown indoors or purchased, transplants will bolt easily in the heat, thus developing a flower stalk instead of a rosette of leaves. A sign that transplants are bolting is leaves spaced along an elongated central stem instead of a low, compact plant forming a rosette of ground-hugging leaves. If your transplants start to bolt, cut off the top but leave a node or two so that new leaves might sprout from there. Repeat as necessary. I have luck planting lettuce as late as October and then covering the plants with a low tunnel of frost cloth which can be removed during a winter warm spell.
SIMPLE TIMES
THE CO-OP PANTRY There is time to get in a fall crop of dill.
Gardeners who like fresh dill weed can sow dill seeds again to enjoy the green foliage until a hard freeze. As a bonus, if it grows inside a cold frame, the plant will yield all winter by adding new growth on mild, sunny days. I am working to create a permanent patch of dill by leaving the seeds to drop on the ground after they mature in late summer. Then in fall I put a small cold frame in the patch to cover and protect seedlings that come up. To start seeds from a packet now press them into the bare ground and keep moist until they develop a good tap root. Dill seed needs cool soil, so cover the spot with a board checking daily to remove it as soon as the seeds sprout. Although dill doesn’t transplant well because of the tap root, the only alternative in extreme heat is to start seeds indoors and transplant into the garden while still very young.
Starting Fall Lettuce Is Tricky Planting guides suggest sowing seeds for a fall crop of lettuce about this time, but it’s really tricky to grow
When lettuce is bolting, the central stem lengthens like this.
Squash Blossom Delicacy I was struck by the care that it must have taken to pick and transport these fragile squash blossoms to the farmers market in San Diego’s Little Italy one Saturday morning. The blooms of squash plants are September 2021
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If you are lucky enough to have a friend who will share a few bulbs, that’s a good way to start, otherwise they will have to be purchased. They often come in packages of 3 to 5 in garden centers, or they may be ordered from companies that specialize in bulbs. Red spider lilies are beautiful sprinkled throughout undisturbed areas, in at least partial sun in areas where they won’t be mowed. Spider lilies can be moody about blooming, occasionally skipping a year, especially in dry weather. They are also called hurricane lilies because of their habit of popping up right after a rain during hurricane season. Bright yellow sulphur butterflies sip nectar from the red blooms during fall migration, as do hummingbirds, giving gardeners another wondrous moment in God’s garden. Squash blossoms are a delicate food.
popular in Italian and Mexican dishes, especially quesadillas, eggs, soup, or just stuffed with mozzarella or queso blanco cheeses. Luckily, we gardeners can go out and pick these expensive and delicate blossoms from our plants almost any day during the warm season. They don’t keep long, so they are best picked the day that one plans to use them. Fortunately, new squash and pumpkin blossoms appear almost every day. There is still time to plant seed of squash and pumpkin even if just for the blooms.
Late Summer and Fall Yellows
Although they may not bloom this season, now is the time to plant bulbs of old-fashioned spider lilies (Lycoris radiata), as later this fall their narrow straplike leaves will appear and remain through the winter and spring. The leaves are what renew the plant to bloom for many years to come, so never mow or cut them back. They will die back naturally in hot weather.
Yellow seems to be one of nature’s favorite colors for late summer and fall flowers in Alabama. Three groups: goldenrod (Solidago species) , black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia sp.), and perennial sunflowers (Helianthus sp.), provide great late summer and fall roadside, woodland and garden blossoms. Gardeners interested in supporting the local pollinator populations can have a big patch of these yellow-flowering species to supply both nectar and pollen at a time of year that can be lean for bees, wasps, beetles, and other insects that depend on blooms. Although goldenrod gets a bad rap for aggravating hay fever, scientists say that it is not actually the goldenrod, which has large pollen, but the ragweed and grasses that bloom about the same time that cause folks problems. Look for perennial yellow, fall-blooming species when out shopping for perennial flowers. Once planted they will return year after year and multiply to make clumps so large you can dig and share plants.
A garden can always use a few spider lilies.
Rudbeckias and other yellow flowers are hallmarks of late summer and fall.
Spider Lilies Brighten Late Summer
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Cooperative Farming News
HOWLE’S HINTS BY JOH N HOW L E
THE HERB FARMER September HOW’S YOUR GARDEN “Adopt the pace of nature: Her secret is patience.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
SIMPLE TIMES September is a great time of year to adopt the pace of nature through patience. The hay is in the barn, produce is in the freezer and canned jars, and it’s time to slow down and enjoy the fruits of your labor. One of the best ways to do this is observing the sunset during the late September afternoons. Whether you are on a high ridge, a sandy beach, in a bass boat, or on your back porch, watching a sunset gives us a chance to reflect and be thankful for what we have. Recently, I was at beautiful Lake Wedowee and took a photo of a sunset dipping below the tree line.
At the end of the day, I counted close to 20 boats that gathered in the center of the backwater of the Tallapoosa River to turn their engines and music off to reflect in silent reverence as the sun went down. It was remarkable how silent things went when the sun began to dip. Once nightfall began to emerge, the engines came to life with the boat sound systems and loud chatter of family and friends chatting on pontoon and bass boats. Watching the sunset is truly a restful experience and a great way to unwind at the end of the day.
THE CO-OP PANTRY
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Sunset scene at Lake Wedowee. Great way to reflect and unplug.
Remove and wash pumpkin seeds from your autumn pumpkins. Sprinkle them with salt and toast for a great trail mix food.
Preserve the Pumpkins
Freezer Fun
Sept. 22 marks the first day of autumn, and with that begins the popularity of the pumpkin during this season. People will begin serving pumpkin pies, and coffee shops will begin offering the pumpkin spiced lattes. I’ve heard that a pumpkin spiced latte tastes great, but I just can’t bring myself to order one. If it’s coffee, I want it black, and I picture the latte being served with a foamy layer of calf slobber on top formed into a heart-shaped swirl. Sounds a bit too dainty for me. Pumpkins were some of the first crops grown in North America and their thick outer walls made for ideal storage in cold weather. Even today, a decorative pumpkin will last for weeks on a porch before it is discarded after Halloween. My favorite part of the pumpkin is the seeds. Once the pumpkins are ready to be thrown away or fed to the hogs, scoop out the seeds and wash the orange slime off them in a clean bucket. Sprinkle a bit of salt on the seeds and toast them, and you have a delicious and healthy snack that can be stored in freezer bags for a few fresh days of nutritious trail mix food.
When you have an excess of food, the easiest way to preserve for long-term is freezing. The grates in the freezer racks can cause indentions in the freezer bags, especially if you are freezing products with lots
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Freeze your bags on a baking sheet, and once the bags are frozen hard, remove the sheet and stack the bags on top of each other.
of juices such as soups and vegetables. An easy way to prevent the grate indentions in your freezer bags is to lay the bags of food on a baking sheet in the freezer while the product is freezing. Once the freezer bags of food have hardened because of freezing, you can then remove them from the baking sheet and stack them neatly on top of each other.
grasses and avoided the danger. Another such hazard was found on the property of a friend of mine. This one was an abandoned gold mine. We wrapped rope and flagging all around the open hole, and we belly crawled to the edge of the gold mine. It was large enough to drop a full size ATV into it, and when we dropped a rock in, we counted 1, 2, 3, 4, SPLASH!
Don’t Fall in this Fall
Share the Hunt
Autumn signals the beginning of deer season. Doing some preseason or early season scouting will help you locate acorn-rich food sources, water sources, and natural feeding and bedding areas of deer. While you are scouting in unfamiliar areas, be on the lookout for abandoned wells from old home places and other hazards. Often, when an old home place became abandoned, folks might cover the old well with planks. Over time, these planks rot and the old hand-dug wells can be concealed by briars and thick growth. One misstep can result in a long trip to the bottom of a well. I discovered one of these old wells near our property and the old planks were long since rotted out. Fortunately, I saw parts of the open hole through the
The best part about fall hunting is the relationships you make – not the game you take. Use this fall to get youth involved in the outdoors and get them to unplug from all the digital media that they are continually bombarded with. Hearing the birds in nature, watching the sunset, and sharing conversations about life can be much more rewarding than time spent on social media, and the relationships you build are the real ones – not cyber or false Facebook relationships. This September let’s remember the victims of 9/11, but let’s also be thankful for the blessings we have in this country, because we are still one nation under God, and God ordained that this nation would continue to exist under his protective hand.
This abandoned gold mine serves as a hazard when scouting for deer. Patrick Casey is shown in the photo, and we put a rope around this one and marked with plenty of flagging after taking the photo.
Use this September to get youth involved in the outdoors and unplug from the social media for a while.
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THE MAGIC OF GARDENING
Great Small Trees for Alabama Landscapes – PART 1
I suffer from a very common disorder that most people have never heard of called Crape Myrtle Fatigue Syndrome or CFS. It tends to flare up about midsummer every year and the attacks are more pronounced when driving through Alabama towns with planted road medians. I would not be too surprised to know that you have never heard of CFS since I made up the name but I bet I am not the only person in Alabama suffering from this disorder. There is a cure for
… there is good reason that crape myrtles are used so heavily. They are tough drought-tolerant plants with many ornamental attributes. 50
Cooperative Farming News
CFS but it will not go away overnight. My goal for this article is less ambitious. I just want to let folks know that the greatly overused crape myrtle is not the only small tree worth growing in Alabama landscapes. With that criticism noted, there is good reason that crape myrtles are used so heavily. They are tough drought-tolerant plants with many ornamental attributes. Also, there is not a long list of replacement plants that can match the many attributes of crape myrtles. However, there are several trees worthy of your consideration. These potential substitutes may become more critical with the increased spread of the crape myrtle bark scale that has started to make its presence known. It may make this previous ‘bulletproof” plant less desirable because this pest can cause considerable damage and is difficult to control. I believe the following 10 small trees are worthy of consideration as a replacement for some crape myrtles in Alabama.
BY T O N Y G L OV E R
REPLACEMENT TREES FOR CRAPE MYRTLES 1. Sevenson Flower (Heptacodium miconioides) 2. Titi (Cyrilla racemiflora) 3. Buckwheat Tree (Cliftonia monophylla) 4. Chastetree (Vitus agnus-castus) 5. Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) 6. Tree Form Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) 7. Possumhaw Viburnum (Viburnum nudum) 8. Deciduous Holly (Ilex decidua or I. verticillata) 9. Flowering Crabapple (Malus spp) 10. Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
The Sevenson is sometimes called the crape myrtle of the north because it has similar blooms and lives further north. By the way, in 2020 a lot of crape myrtles were damaged by the previous year’s unexpected cold early November and many were slow to start growth that spring. There is a nice specimen of the Sevenson tree at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens which suggests you can grow it in Alabama successfully. This small tree has exfoliating (peeling) bark that reminds you of some types of crape myrtles. Sevenson will grow in full sun to part shade and in all kinds of soil. For those further south, two of my personal favorites are Titi and Buckwheat tree. Both have the advantage of being native in South Alabama. They are normally found in wet or boggy areas but will grow quite well in drier sites provided they are well watered until well established. Both are grown in full sun to partial shade and will grow from 10 to 20 feet tall. They have very pretty blooms. These plants are spectacular as an informal hedge, mixed border or sparse woodland screen. Bees love these plants so you may think twice about putting it near walking areas, pools or patios. Chaste tree is also a midsummer bloomer like crape myrtle. This plant is also considered a substi-
tute for lilacs which don’t do particularly well in Alabama. The blooms are similar to lilac and come in blue, lavender, pink, purple and white. You may summer prune after the first flush of blooms fade and easily get a second bloom show in early fall. The plant will reach 10 to 20 feet and can be grown as a large shrub or small tree. It is a tough plant and can withstand full sun to part shade and many soil conditions. It is moderately susceptible to severe freezes like crape myrtle but still an overall great small tree for Alabama. The Staghorn Sumac is not the poisonous version of Sumac and it is a very tough small tree with bright yellow, orange- to sometimes-bright-red fall color. It has showy white blooms in the spring followed by equally showy red fruit in summer. It is like crape myrtle in that it is a multiseason interest plant. Plant in well-drained soils. It can be a little aggressive and may spread by root suckers in areas surrounding the parent plants. If you have shown symptoms of CFS you may consider one of these substitutes. Now is the time to think and look but wait until fall to plant. If you contact a local nursery soon, they may be able to have the plant in by the fall planting season. Stay tuned and I will discuss the other five trees in next month’s article.
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SIMPLE TIMES BY SU Z Y Mc C RAY
Run THE CO-OP PANTRY Through
He was always skinny. We never could get a good look at him as he ran through. He would often grab a bite to eat or get a drink of water and then he was gone again. I think he first appeared around 2014 or somewhere along then. About the time Bangals came. Bangals was much friendlier, and my youngest grown daughter immediately made Bangals a pet who sometimes stayed inside. Since he and Run Through were both gray tabbies, we surmised that they might have come from the same litter but there 52
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was no way of knowing for certain, and Run Through was a significantly lighter colored gray. Jannea tried often to pet the skinnier cat, but he was always busy just “running through,” so thus his name. This past winter, Mack set a Hav-A-Hart trap on our carport to try and catch a rascally opossum that we feared would harm our chickens. But the next morning there sat wide-eyed Run Through, complete with a runny nose, a raspy cough and with his right ear hanging on by simply a flap. Our five elderly cats
have their own room in our barn, complete with heat lights in the winter and multiple fans in the summer. But Mack realized Run Through was likely contagious, so he took him to the main barn where he fixed a cardboard box warmed by one of his older flannel shirts. Soon Run Through began to like being a barn cat. Although he felt really rough at first, medication and a regular healthy diet seemed to help a lot. One day Mack said the jumpy cat was letting him pet him and soon I could pet him as well. He was still really shy around anyone else but eventually even let youngest son pet him too. When the weather warmed and Mack began leaving the large doors open on either end of the barn, Run Through would just sit in the doorway, not even trying to venture outside. After many weeks he moved closer to another shed beside the greenhouse and soon set up what we hoped would be his permanent residence. Just last week (the week before I’m writing this article) Run Through came to the back porch where I was rocking away and sailed up into my lap for petting like he’d always been used to people. I was shocked! But you can bet he got a good deal of attention after that sweet jump. He had started spending most of the day laying on the back porch railing in the sunshine. Then the July Fourth holiday approached. Our rural area was bombarded with some of the noisiest fireworks I’ve ever heard. Many of you may remember that I used to spend such nights on the carport with a big Great Pyrenees, Shadow, because he was so afraid of fireworks and thunder. But Run Through was terrified! He made it through the first two nights, laying in his cardboard box on the back porch by the back door. When fireworks started rocking the neighborhood even the day AFTER the fourth, Run Through was still terrified. I’ve questioned myself a million times as to why I didn’t shut him up in the barn. I somehow thought he would just be happier on the back porch where he would be near “his people.” But I was wrong and I haven’t seen Run Through since. Neither have any of our neighbors. I think the not knowing is the worst part. Not knowing if he is hurt somewhere. Not knowing if he is sick somewhere. Just not knowing where he is or what happened to him. But as I lay awake at night wondering about Run Through, he’s made me think about the many people who “run through” our lives, never to be seen by us again on this earth. Two weeks ago, a man and woman, along with
the man’s dad and elderly sister, visited our church for both services on a Sunday morning. They were staying in a nearby bed-and-breakfast, coming with the older man to celebrate a distant relative’s 90-plus birthday, never having visited our community before and likely never being able to come again. When they left to travel back to Virginia, we felt like they were already longtime friends. Often times we’ll meet up with someone while we’re holding vigil at a hospital where a loved one is facing an extreme emergency or even death. In those sterile little waiting rooms, or by the snack machines, or as we travel to the restroom, we often find someone else that we encourage, lift up, talk with and even pray with a few hours or even a few days. Then we often never see them in this life again. There is a 20 mile long, Highway 132 yard sale the last weekend in April every year (except the Covid year). Folks come from far and near and many I never see except on that one day each year as they visit our tiny farm general store. Yet in the approximate 12 years the yard sales have been held, those folks have seen me go from a widow at 60, to continuing my simple life on my homestead alone, to marrying
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my eighth-grade high school sweetheart. I’ve known of some of their children and grandchildren who have served our country all over the world (including some who have made the ultimate sacrifice), children who have grown into fine adults and become everything from teachers to lawyers, and proudly seen their grandchildren grow through the photos they share each year. This past April they rejoiced with me that I had beat Covid, while I comforted a soap customer whose husband fell victim to Covid’s death march. There have been so many prayers said in that tiny brown store! Hands held across the wooden checkout counter as we praise God for the victories He has led us through, or plead at the throne of mercy for children and grandchildren who are falling victim to this world’s snares. How many of these strangers-yet-friends do you run into in your life? Could just a few words that you say make a difference in their lives, or even their eternities? There have been so many people in my life who have made such a difference, but who I will likely never see again. But I thank God they were sent by Him when I needed a human voice of encouragement, or even just a bright smile on a weary dreary day. I’m still thinking about my sweet Run Through a lot. I’m still praying by some miracle he shows back up here on the farm.
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But in the meantime I’m also going to be thinking about all those folks who may be “running through” my life, for days or even minutes. I strive to live the simple life. What can be more simple than simply being there for others, whether friends, neighbors or strangers, when there is even the smallest of needs. “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8 (Suzy and Mack live on a small homestead in Blount County and can be reached on Facebook or at suzy.mccray@yahoo.com.)
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FOOD SAFETY
Are
Value Added
Products Right for You? Direct marketing and value-added products are two of the best strategies farmers can employ to improve net profitability. Value-added products can open new markets, enhance the public’s appreciation for the farm, and extend the marketing season. In fact, adding value to agricultural products beyond the farm gate usually has several times the economic impact of the agricultural production alone. This offers the
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farmers a much larger potential to capture a larger share of the food dollar. Most agricultural producers receive a much smaller portion of the consumer’s dollar than do food processors, especially processors who produce brand-name items (e.g., Sunkist, Del Monte). Capturing those additional dollars by adding value to farm or ranch products is a goal of many producers in the United States today.
BY A N G E L A T R E A D AWAY
What is Value Added? At the most basic, a value-added product simply means any product or action that helps you raise the value of your products or business or something you can add to a product that enables you to increase your profit margin. You also may hear the term “value-added opportunities,” which relates more to actions you can take, such as making jam from your organic berry harvest, making a unique cheese on your dairy farm, fire roasting your vegetable crops for the Farmers Market, packaging organic products together in a special way that may increase their value, hosting farm tours or educational workshops, the list could go on infinitely. Many growers are inviting the public onto their farms to harvest their own produce. These farms known as pick-your-own, or PYO, are attractive to farmers because there is reduced labor required for harvesting and they can sell produce that is too fragile to ship. PYOs do, however, require long working hours and more liability insurance. With the right location and crop offerings, PYOs offer an opportunity to diversify existing farm businesses. Value-added might mean something slightly different to nearly every person that owns a farm that is hoping to raise or make products from the items they are growing. The breadth of crop production — from grains and oilseeds to fruits and vegetables; from nursery and landscape crops to herbs and handcrafting items like pine needle baskets, or grapevine wreaths. It is different for every farm. You don’t always have to farm a large number of acres to have a value-added product either.
Many growers are inviting the public onto their farms to harvest their own produce. These farms known as pickyour-own, or PYO, are attractive to farmers because there is reduced labor required for harvesting and they can sell produce that is too fragile to ship.
Increasing Profits and Enjoyment with Value-Added Products At best, value-added endeavors increase profit, but value-added products and opportunities have other perks as well, such as: • Personal fulfillment. Maybe there’s a hobby you’ve always wanted to pursue or a product you’ve always really wanted to produce. Considering this hobby or this product as something value-added for your business can help you both fulfill that personal dream and make more money. • Excitement. Okay, it’s not as if making jam is akin to skydiving but growing the same crops year after year can result in boredom. Anything gets mundane and routine if you do it often enough. Value-added endeavors can add some diversity and excitement to your work routine. • Marketing value. Never underestimate how cool niche products can look to consumers. Organic veggies are available everywhere, but if consumers can also pick up organic cut flowers or dried herbs at your farm stand, then you start to stand out. The same goes for organic jam made from your organic berries. • Fun and learning. It’s fun to try new things, and value-added products can increase your organic knowledge in a new niche area. • Eco-friendly aspects. Value-added items and opportunities are very eco-friendly for the most part because they usually utilize the resources you already have, and keep new land use and new raw material use to a minimum, or both. • Acidified Products such as salsa and barbeque sauce need to be tested for correct ph levels to be considered safe to sell. You can contact Dani Reams or Christy Mendoza from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System to get your products tested at Auburn through them. There is a fee for each product but they can help you with much more when it comes to getting a product on the market. You can contact them by calling (Dani 256-368-1694 or Christy at 205-217-6495). September 2021
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Starting a Value-Added Enterprise One of the first things you should do when considering a value-added business is to decide on the products you want to create, the implications of creating these products, and the steps involved in beginning the business. These steps will vary depending on your skills and your location and which overseeing agency you will need to work with. The National Sustainable Agriculture Assistance Program’s publication “Adding Value to Farm products: An Overview” is a good place to begin.
Producers wanting to start doing value-added products need to research the buying habits, tastes, income levels and proximity of their potential customers.
The United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development has a list of resources you should review when considering a new value-added venture. The information included contains topics and articles from several universities with information covering a value-added enterprise. There are grants you could possibly apply for as well for small producers that want to do value-added products. Just go online and search for Value-Added Producer Grants. As you research online, look for articles from the Extension Service and other educational sources to find trusted sources to get information. Producers wanting to start doing value-added products need to research the buying habits, tastes, income levels and proximity of their potential customers. Knowing customer needs can help producers decide what to sell. Advertising can be as simple as a roadside stand, selling at a couple of different Farmers Markets or they could go as far as to do a direct mail flyer or putting ads in local papers. Building a new business is difficult and takes hard work. But, for all the uncertainty, there are ways to craft a successful value-added business strategy. The key factors in a detailed business plan are: Operations plan — flow of the business, quality and cost control Personnel plan — needs, skills and training 58
Cooperative Farming News
Sales plan — including challenging but realistic goals Management plan — strengths, weaknesses and resources Investment and financial plan — cash flow planning
Summary Beyond business planning and market research to get to know the customer, the essential elements for success in a value-added business can be boiled down to four key ingredients for business managers: • Adapt to market changes. • Be open to exploring new ideas. • Operate more as a resource manager than as a producer. • Realize the importance of networking and the need to develop alliances. Managing resources and exploring new ideas means you will constantly need to be looking at new ways to increase your profits. That may seem tedious, but that is precisely what adding value is all about. The sky is the limit if you can just find the right products and markets to match. There are many resources online for you to search for new ideas as well as ways to manage.
An Unexpected Hero When we say the word “Hero,” there are a lot of different images that are conjured up in our minds. Some might think of a masked super-hero wearing a cape and rescuing innocent people from an evil villain. Some might think of a soldier on a battlefield who fearlessly runs toward enemy fire to rescue a wounded comrade. Others might think of a sports figure who overcame a moment of adversity to win a championship game. Still others might even think of a regular guy or girl that simply showed extreme courage during a moment of crisis or catastrophe. Courage and heroism can take on many forms. I’d like to share with you a few stories about one of my own, personal heroes. His name was Tim Steele. He was a friend of mine for nine years. He was one of the most faith-filled, positive and encouraging people I’ve ever known. He was just a “regular guy,” much like you and me, with one notable exception … he spent his whole life confined to a wheelchair because of a debilitating disease called cerebral palsy. You might ask, “How did a man in a wheelchair become your hero?” Fair question. He didn’t rescue me from a burning building, nor did he score the winning touchdown in overtime of the championship game. No, he did nothing like that … he did something far greater! He showed me how to live life to its fullest in spite of the setbacks and adversity that come my way. Here are a few stories to show you what I mean.
ONE KEYSTROKE AT A TIME Due to the effects of cerebral palsy, Tim was very limited in his mobility. As I mentioned, he was completely confined to a wheelchair his whole life. Cerebral palsy had stolen the use of both his legs and one of his hands. In spite of this fact, I never once heard him complain about his disabilities, nor did he use his disability as an excuse for not attempting to succeed in life. Take, for example, the fact that he wrote his own commentary of the New Testament … typing with one finger, one keystroke at a time. It was almost painful for me to watch him type on his computer. He would
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nosis. They said, “He will die before he turns 20 years old.” His mother was a strong, Christian lady, and she refused to accept their prognosis. As Tim grew older, his mother instilled within him the same stubborn faith that she possessed. He held on to the hope that he would one day be healed and would gain the use of his legs and hand. He never backed down from the faith-filled expectation he had in his heart. As his life was coming to an end, and it became evident that he was not going to receive the physical healing he longed for, he said, “Well if I’m not going to be healed, I’m at least going to live past my 40th birthday. In that way, I will double the life expectancy the doctors had givEven though he was disabled and only able to type one letter at a time with his right index finger, Tim was en me.” You can look at it in one of able to write a complete commentary of the New Testament. The four binders pictured above contain two ways. Either God honored Tim’s about 200 pages of his personal studies of the Bible. stubborn faith or Tim just refused to be hunched over in his wheelchair and his face would die, but one way or the other, he died ONE DAY AFTER be just inches away from his computer keyboard be- HIS 40TH BIRTHDAY! cause of his poor vision. He’d slowly scan the keyboard looking for the next letter of the word he was HE DIDN’T WASTE HIS BREATH typing, then lift the index finger of his right hand to the key and punch it – slowly and methodically – one I and some friends from church went to visit Tim letter at a time. I would guess that it took him 10-15 at his house one day. Someone asked, “Tim, have you minutes to write just one sentence in this way. Using ever gotten mad at God?” Tim replied quickly, “Why this method, he wrote over 200 pages of commen- would I be mad at God? He is my only hope and my tary notes on his studies of the New Testament. I’ve best friend in life! If I got mad at God who would I have looked over his commentaries myself, and there are left to turn to but the devil?” Now, at this time in Tim’s so few typos and punctuation errors that you’d as- life, he was no longer in a wheelchair. The disease had sume the notes had been proofread and edited by a taken its toll and he had been bedridden for over a professional. year. He was completely reliant on a ventilator for his I remember receiving an email from Tim one time, breathing. So, the only time he could talk was when and the email was two paragraphs long. I estimated the ventilator exhaled for him. Even with all of these that it took him well over an hour to type that email setbacks, he continued to honor God and give testito me. I was honored to read it, knowing the great mony to God’s goodness. lengths he took to send it to me. I’ve heard people complain about their station in I hear some people making excuses as to why life. I’ve heard people blame God for their plight. These they haven’t been able to succeed in life. If anyone were people who had petty grievances in comparison ever had a really good excuse it would have been to what Tim had gone through. Tim never once wasted Tim, but he succeeded at writing an entire commen- his voice or his breath to bring an accusation against tary of the New Testament, one keystroke at a time. God. That kind of strength of character is another reaHe proved that a heart hungry to succeed can over- son I consider him my hero. come any adversity that life throws our way. “DO ME A FAVOR” STUBBORN FAITH One day while I was visiting Tim after he had beWhen Tim was born, and it was discovered that he come bedridden, he said to me, “Greg, will you promise had cerebral palsy, the doctors gave a very grim prog- me you’ll do something for me?” I had no idea what I 60
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Here was a man who never walked a day in his life, but he thought his inability to kneel in worship was an even greater disability than that of not being able to walk. was getting into, but I replied, “If it’s something I can do, I’ll do it.” He said, “Promise me the next time you drink a glass of water that you’ll get down on your knees and thank God for it!” You see, Tim had not had water come across his lips for one full year. Because he was on a ventilator, tubes fed his food and water directly to his stomach. One thing that he had taken for granted was the refreshing taste of water, and he wanted me to remember to be thankful for that very small convenience – one that he had not enjoyed for over a year. When I went home that day, I did exactly what Tim requested. I poured myself a cool glass of water, knelt on my kitchen floor and thanked God for
it. Even to this day, I often pour myself a cool glass of water and lift my hands in thanksgiving for this simple pleasure that I once took frequently for granted. THE GREATEST THING YOUR LEGS WILL DO As Tim’s final days on Earth were approaching, a group of friends stood around his bed and talked with him. One person asked, “Tim, what’s the first thing you’re going to do when you get to Heaven?” I suppose all of us standing there thought we knew what his answer would be. “I want to run on my brand new legs,” or “I want to walk on those streets of gold,” seemed like the obvious answer to the question. But, Tim surprised us all with the answer he gave. Without hesitation he said, “First thing I’m gonna do is find Jesus and kneel at His feet. I’ve never been able to kneel in worship my whole life so I’m really looking forward to that!” His answer almost made me ashamed of how little I kneel in worship before the Lord. Here was a man who never walked a day in his life, but he thought his inability to kneel in worship was an even greater disability than that of not being able to walk. So, there you have it. My hero. He was not a man of steel – but a man named “Tim Steele.”
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THE CO-OP PANTRY BY M A RY DE L P H
Stuffed Venison Backstrap
Duck Poppers
Backstrap, deer Salt Pepper Olive oil 1 pound bacon 2 cups mushrooms 1 clove garlic 8 ounces cream cheese 1 cup bread crumbs Trim all silver skin from the backstrap and butterfly lengthwise. Do not cut into medallions. Season with salt and pepper. Chop bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and brown in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Add mushrooms and garlic. Once the mushrooms are cooked, remove from heat. In a medium-size bowl, mix bacon, mushrooms, cream cheese and bread crumbs. Evenly add stuffing mixture to the butterfly-cut backstrap. Close butterfly cut and tie off with butcher’s twine. Brush with olive oil. Grill over medium/high heat until the meat reaches medium-rare. For the best taste and texture, be sure not to overcook.
4 wild duck breast halves (deboned) 1 regular brick of cream cheese (refrigerate so it is firm and you are able to slice) 1 jar mild, medium or hot jalapeno pepper slices 1 package of thick cut, uncooked bacon 1 bottle of Italian dressing 1 box of wooden toothpicks Clean the duck breasts, de-bone and remove skin. Place breasts in a plastic Zip-Lok bag or container and pour Italian dressing over breasts. Marinate in the refrigerator for 3-6 hours. Fire up the grill. While the grill is preheating, remove the duck breasts from the marinade and butterfly them so there is a cavity in the middle. Place a slice of cream cheese and several jalapeno peppers in each cavity. Wrap the breast with bacon. Secure the breasts from opening with the bacon wrap with toothpicks. When the grill is ready, grill breasts approximately 5 minutes a side (medium-rare is best). Remove from grill and serve each breast as an entree or cut it into bite-size portions and serve as appetizers. Note from Mary: Before you do anything, soak the meat in salted ice water for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry before adding to the Italian dressing. September 2021
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Wild Turkey and Dumplings 2-3 pounds of turkey breast 1 quart of chicken stock 1 quart water 2 chicken bouillon cubes Salt to taste Black pepper 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning Dumplings 2 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 Tablespoons shortening or lard ¾ cup buttermilk or water Season turkey meat well with salt and pepper. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of butter together. Brown the turkey on both sides over medium heat. Once the meat has browned, add water and chicken stock to pot. Toss in the bouillon cubes and poultry seasoning. Reduce the heat and cover pot. Simmer turkey slowly for two to three hours until the meat is tender and starts to break down. As the turkey simmers, prepare your dumplings. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in the shortening or lard with two forks or a dough cutter. Add the buttermilk, stirring with a fork until
moistened. Knead the dough four to five times and roll into a round about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into dumpling-sized pieces with a sharp knife or a pizza cutter. Toss each dumpling into flour to prevent sticking. Once the turkey has simmered, remove it from the broth and set it aside to cool. Taste the broth and add salt if needed. Turn up the heat and bring the pot back to a rolling boil. Drop the dumplings in one or two at a time, stirring as you go. Turn the heat back down and reduce to a simmer.
Wild Game Salsa Verde Enchiladas Tomatillo Salsa Verde 4 pounds tomatillos, husk removed and washed 2 yellow onions, chopped 5 cloves garlic, chopped 4-5 jalapeno peppers, deseeded and chopped 1 cup fresh cilantro 1 lime, juiced kosher salt, to taste Heat the oven or outdoor grill to 500 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the tomatillos, chopped onion and jalapeno peppers. Roast the vegetables on the top rack for 20-25 minutes. Remove when done and let cool. Add the roasted tomatillos, onions and peppers into a blender or food processor and blend until semismooth. Add the cilantro and juice from 1 lime and continue to blend until your preferred consistency. Season with salt to taste. Note from Mary: Extra Salsa Verde can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. You can also freeze it for future meals.
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Wild Game Enchiladas 1 1/2 pounds ground venison 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 white onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 1/2 cups white shredded cheese, mild cheddar or mozzarella 1 cup whole black olives 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 8 10” flour tortillas 3 cups tomatillo Salsa Verde
middle, then sprinkle with cheese and spoon a layer of tomatillo Salsa Verde over the top. Roll up the tortilla and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Assemble the remaining enchiladas. Spread the remaining Salsa Verde over the top of the enchiladas followed by the remaining shredded cheese. Garnish the top with whole black olives and cilantro. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until bubbling hot. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with your favorite condiments.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. When the oil is warmed add the onions and garlic. Cook until softened about 5 minutes. Add the ground game to the skillet and continue cooking until browned. Season the meat with cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano and salt. Remove from heat when done. To assemble the enchiladas, lay out a tortilla and add a generous amount of the ground game down the
FUTURE LEADERS PROGRAM Alabama Farmers Cooperative, Inc. For more information on this program please contact Samantha Hendricks at
samanthan.hendricks@alafarm.com
AFC’s Future Leaders Program is designed to provide our cooperative system the next generation of key employees, equipped to handle the challenges of agribusiness management. FLPs will be exposed to all aspects of the Co-op, as well as the opportunity to attend organized training sessions. Through a variety of store experience and continued education, the FLPs will gain the tools needed to be successful in the agribusiness sector. Continuing Education Customer Service Crop Nutrients and Feed Team Building Merchandising Sales and Finance
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AOHA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HORSE SHOW September 2-5, 2021 Montgomery - Crawford Arena Admission - 9:00 a.m. Call 251-949-6254 SELECTIONS FROM LYNTHIA EDWARDS: AN ART EXHIBITION AT KENTUCK ART CENTER September 2 - October 2, 2021 Northport - Kentuck Art Center Call 205-758-1257
FESTIFALL September 1 - October 31, 2021 Huntsville - Huntsville Botanical Garden - Admission Regular Garden Hours Call 256-830-5314
FIRST FRIDAY IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN FLORENCE September 3, 2021 Florence - North Court Street 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. Call 877-290-8880 FIRST FRIDAY IN GADSDEN September 3, 2021 Gadsden - Downtown Call 256-547-8696
COCKTAILS AT THE VIEW September 1, 2021 Huntsville - Burritt on the Mountain 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Call 256-536-2882
ST. WILLIAM SEAFOOD FESTIVAL September 3-4, 2021 Guntersville - 915 Gunter Ave. 10:30 a.m. Call 256-582-4245
YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND September 1, 2021 Decatur - Princess Theater Call 256-350-1745
RIVERCHASE GALLERIA HOME AND LIFESTYLE SHOW September 3-5, 2021 Birmingham - Riverchase Galleria Mall Call 205-985-3019
WILD CAVE TOUR September 1, 2021 Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports Admission - 3:30 - 6:00 p.m. Call 256-997-9577 FISHFRY September 2, 2021 Bon Secour - St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Call 251-949-6254 QUILT SHOW AND SALE September 2, 2021 Centre - 7290 County Road 16 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Call 256-927-2296
2021 ALABAMA OPEN SOFT-TIP DART CHAMPIONSHIPS September 3-5, 2021 Decatur - Double Tree Call 256-499-2025 ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR September 3-12, 2021 Huntsville - Main Stage Theater at Lee High School Call 256-415-7469 LABOR DAY CAR SHOW September 4, 2021 Foley - 1501 S. OWA Blvd. Call 251-923-2111
ROCK CLIMBING / RAPPELLING ADVENTURE (COMBO) September 2, 2021 ALABAMA LABOR DAY CUP Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports September 4-5, 2021 Admission - 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Decatur - Point Mallard 66 256-997-9577 Cooperative Farming News Call 210-305-4821 Call
JEEPIN’ THE SALOON 2021 September 4-5, 2021 Tuscumbia - Rattlesnake Saloon Call 256-370-7220 ART IN THE PARK September 5, 2021 Scottsboro - King Caldwell Park Call 256-259-1056 25TH ANNUAL SWEET TATER FESTIVAL September 5-6, 2021 Cullman - Smith Lake Park Call 256-739-2916 KEY UNDERWOOD COON DOG CEMETERY LABOR DAY CELEBRATION September 6, 2021 Cherokee - 4945 Coon Dog Cemetery Road 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-383-0783 EXTREME NIGHT HIKE September 6, 2021 Fort Payne - True Adventure Sports Admission 7:00 - 9:30 p.m. Call 256-997-9577 LABOR DAY FAIR September 6, 2021 Seale - 91 Longview Street 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 334-298-6426 LABOR DAY IN SPRING PARK September 6, 2021 Tuscumbia - Spring Park 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 256-383-0783 VOICES OF OUR TIMES: P. ALLEN SMITH September 9, 2021 Huntsville - Huntsville Museum of Art - Admission Call 256-535-4350 ALABAMA FORGE COUNCIL FALL CONFERENCE September 9-12, 2021 McCalla - Tannehill State Park Call 205-477-5711 8TH ALABAMA WOMEN IN JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL September 10-11, 2021 Huntsville - Smith Lake 301 Sprakman Drive Northwest
Call 256-262-7911 FAYETTE ARTS FESTIVAL September 11, 2021 Fayette - Guthrie Smith Park 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Call 205-932-8727 LEESBURG DAY September 11, 2021 Leesburg - Town Park 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Call 256-526-8890 OLDE TYMERS ANTQUE TRACTOR AND CLASSIC CAR SHOW September 11, 2021 Monroeville - Various Locations 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Call 251-575-2081 TINGLEWOOD FESTIVAL September 11, 2021 Montevallo - Orr Park 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Call 205-665-1519 ISLAND MOVIE NIGHT September 11 - October 31, 2021 Foley - OWA Island Amphitheater Call 256-535-4350 OKA KAPASSA NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN FESTIVAL September 13-14, 2021 Tuscumbia - Spring Park Friday: 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Call 256-383-0783 CAMP ‘N’ JAM ON THE FARM September 17-18 2021 Albertville - 1958 Co. Rd. 479 Call 256-561-3908 or Call 256-293-7946 BOOM DAYS HERITAGE CELEBRATION September 17-18 2021 Fort Payne - Downtown 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Call 256-845-1524 RACKING HORSE WORLD CELEBRATION September 17-25 2021 Decatur - Morgan County Celebration Arena - Admission 6:00 p.m. Call 256-353-7225
TRAIL OF TEARS COMMEMORATIVE MOTORCYCLE RIDE September 18, 2021 Bridgeport - Bridgeport to Waterloo 8:00 a.m. Call 678-743-3868
Admission Call 256-710-6811
ANNUAL TENNESSEE VALLEY OLD TIME FIDDLERS CONVENTION September 30 - October 2, 2021 Athens - Athens State University ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAR SHOW Admission Call 256-233-8185 September 18, 2021 Courtland - Park on the Square ANTIQUES AT THE GARDENS 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. September 30 - October 3, 2021 Call 256-637-2707 Mountain Brook - Birmingham Botanical Gardens - Admission ANNUAL COASTAL CLEANUP Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. September 18, 2021 Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Gulf Shores - Various Locations Sunday: 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 8:00 a.m. - Noon Call 205-414-3950 Call 251-928-9792 DEPOT DAYS FESTIVAL September 18, 2021 Hartselle - Various Locations Call 256-612-9348 MONTE SANO ART FESTIVAL September 18-19, 2021 Huntsville - Monte Sano Park Saturday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-519-2787 EVA FRONTIER DAYS September 18-25, 2021 Eva - Eva School and Eva Bank Call 256-796-7023 RED BAY FOUNDERS FESTIVAL September 25, 2021 Red Bay - Bay Tree Park 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 256-356-4473 TITUS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL September 25, 2021 Titus - Titus Community Center Admission - 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 334-349-0001 ECHOTA CHEROKEE TRIBE OF ALABAMA FESTIVAL AND POW WOW September 25-26, 2021 Falkville - 630 Co. Rd. 1281 Admission - Gates open at 9:00 a.m. Call 256-734-7337 ARX MORTIS HAUNTED ATTRACTION September 25 - October 31, 2021 Killen - 4051 Hwy. 72
***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.*
September 2021
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Cooperative Farming News
