Farm Bureau's Georgia Neighbors - Spring 2010 Issue

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FARM BUREAU’S

Georgia A

PUBLICATION

OF

THE

GEORGIA

Spring 2010 Vol. 15, No. 1

FARM

BUREAU


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Contents Spring 2010 • Vol. 15 No. 1

departments

Red harvest: Youpick farms offer strawberries, fun

We, the Farmers

4

Beginning in early April, consumers were able to do their own harvesting on you-pick farms in Georgia, including these at Ottawa Farms in Chatham County.

Farmers, the original animal advocates

6

GFB Beef Advisory Committee Chairman Charles Crumbley is one of many Georgia farmers who go the extra mile to care for their animals. Crumbley (left) feeds cattle on his Greene County Farm. Hope you enjoy these snapshots of farmers caring for their livestock.

Extension agents essential to Georgia agriculture

8

University of Georgia Extension agents are essential to the success of Georgia agriculture because they educate both farmers and consumers about the research UGA does and instruct them on how to use it. Their work also benefits Georgia’s urban residents.

Georgia Farm Bureau announces photo contest

14

The Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee invites all GFB members who are amateur photographers to enter its photo contest by 4:30 p.m. on June 11.

GFB Certified Farm Markets offer local food

28

M a k e plans this summer to visit one of the many Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Markets across Georgia. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010

2

Legislative Update

10

Member Services Update

12

Insurance Update

16

Kids Corner

20

Something’s Cooking

26

about the cover (Photo by Jennifer Whittaker) This shot is of Crescent Hill Baptist Church located on Georgia Highway 17, in the Nacoochee Valley of Sautee Nacoochee, Ga. The church, built in 1871, features Gothic Revival windows, a steeple and a portico with slender Gothic columns. It was originally used for the Nacoochee Presbyterian Church.

Like to Subscribe? All Georgia Farm Bureau members will receive the Georgia Neighbors. However, if you are not a farmer-member and you’d also like to receive the Georgia Farm Bureau News, fill in this coupon and send it to: Georgia Farm Bureau News, P.O. Box 7068, Macon, GA 31209.

Name___________________________________

Address__________________________________

The Gridiron Gardener

City/Zip__________________________________

Former University of Georgia Football Coach and Athletics Director Vince Dooley chose gardening over golf as a hobby and is winning acclaim for his digging ways. This scenic shot of his garden is one of many featured in his new book, Vince Dooley’s Garden. (Photo by Teresa Penley Sheppard.)

GFB Membership #________________________

18

Questions about Member Services? Call 1-800-633-5432. Call (478) 474-0679, ext. 5334 regarding editorial content. Call 513-307-7949 for questions about advertising. Non-members can subscribe to both publications for $15/year. Send a check payable to Georgia Farm Bureau and mail it to the above address.

1


FARM BUREAU’S

Zippy Duvall, President

Farmers Care

Do you remember when you were a child and your attitude towards life was “What’s in it for me?” That’s a natural feeling because at that stage in our lives our parents, grandparents, neighbors and church family nurtured our every need. But something happens, as we grow older. We get jobs, get married, start a family and realize life is not about us. It’s about our families, our extended family, our neighbors and our co-workers. As a farmer, I also care about my farm. I realize the importance of managing the land and its resources using environmentally responsible production practices. I also care for the farm animals and wildlife that live on it. I tell my children that our home is not just my grandfather’s old house we live in; it is the entire farm – all 600 acres – and the animals that inhabit it. One of Georgia Farm Bureau’s priority issues is to defend animal agriculture. Agriculture is the largest industry in the state – employing one out of six Georgians – and animals play a big part. Thousands of jobs depend on Georgia’s animal agriculture. Farmers care about their farm animals because it is our responsibility to care. When I dairy farmed, I often spent night after night watching over my firsttime heifers (cows expecting their first calf) that were due to calve. Sometimes

I would set my clock every two hours to wake me up. I would get out of my warm bed, dress, put on rubber boots, grab my flashlight and a hay string, in case one of the heifers needed a little help in her delivery. Sometimes she would not be quite ready to deliver, but I was scared to go back to bed so I would just sit in the truck with my eyes glued to this wonderful farm animal that was my responsibility. If you have never cared for animals before, it is hard to explain that feeling of responsibility. I have never met a true farmer that didn’t possess it. Some may say we are crazy, but you see, if a heifer gets to the right stage and needs help, and you are not there, she could be paralyzed or even die and that would be devastating. My daddy always said if you take care of your animals and your land, they will take care of you. That’s why I give the beef cattle and broilers I raise on my farm the best care possible by providing them with food and water, good pastures for the cattle to graze and proper housing for the broilers. Sometimes just being there is not enough. Like our family and friends, animals require some level of antibiotics to fight off infections. Sometimes, farmers give animals antibiotics to prevent illness. If Congress has its See WE, THE FARMERS page 24

GFB President Zippy Duvall checks on his herd of Angus cattle at his Greene County farm where he and his wife, Bonnie, run a 150-head brood cow herd and raise hay and chickens.

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A

PUBLICATION

OF

THE

GEORGIA

FARM

BUREAU

Issued three times a year by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation located at 1620 Bass Road, Macon, GA 31210.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Farm Bureau Members: Included in dues — $1 per year OFFICERS VINCENT “Zippy” duvall, President GERALD LONG, 1st Vice President BERNARD SIMS, North Georgia Vice President ROBERT FOUNTAIN, Middle Georgia Vice President GERALD LONG, South Georgia Vice President Wayne Daniel, Treasurer/ Corporate Secretary DUKE GROOVER, General Counsel DIRECTORS FIRST DISTRICT: J. Louis Hunt, LaFayette; Henry J. West, Rydal SECOND DISTRICT: Randy Ruff, Elberton; Bobby Gunter Dahlonega THIRD DISTRICT: George Chambers, Carrollton; Nora Goodman, Temple FOURTH DISTRICT: Marvin Ruark, Bishop; William Hutchins, Winder FIFTH DISTRICT: Jim Ham, Smarr; Ralph Adamson, Jr., Barnesville SIXTH DISTRICT: James Emory Tate, Denton; James Malone, Dexter SEVENTH DISTRICT: Ben Boyd, Sylvania; Gennis Folsom, Glenville EIGHTH DISTRICT: Phil Redding, Bluffton; Don Wood, Rochelle NINTH DISTRICT: Paul Shirah, Camilla; Lucius Adkins, Elmodel TENTH DISTRICT: David Lee, Alma; Daniel Johnson, Alma YOUNG FARMER CHAIRMAN: Matt Bottoms, Molena WOMEN’S COMMITTEE CHAIR: Cathy Barber, Alma INFORMATION STAFF Paul Beliveau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Jennifer Whittaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor Lillian Davis . . . . . . Publications Manager Jay Stone . . . . . . . . . Publications Specialist Michael Edmondson . . Web/Video Manager Mark Wildman . . . . . . Radio-TV Specialist Dean Wood . . . . . . . . . Radio-TV Specialist Ryan Naquin . . . . . . . . Radio-TV Specialist Rick Treptow . . Senior Radio-TV Specialist Denny Moore . . . . . . . TV Anchor/Producer Vickie Amos . . . . . . . . Office Coordinator ADVERTISING POLICY All advertising accepted subject to publisher’s approval. Advertisers must assume liability for content of their advertising. Publisher maintains right to cancel advertising for non-payment or reader complaint about advertiser service or products. Publisher does not accept per-order, political or alcoholic beverage ads, nor does publisher prescreen or guarantee advertiser service or products. Publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised in Farm Bureau’s Georgia Neighbors. For advertising rates and information, contact Linda Fuda at 513-307-7949 or lfudamedia@ rcn.com. Farm Bureau’s Georgia Neighbors was established in 1995. Copyright 2010 by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation. Printed by Panaprint, Macon, GA. www.gfb.org Printed with soy ink

Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


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Red Harvest

You-pick farms offer strawberries, family fun

Article & Photos by Jay Stone__________ isit any of Georgia’s youpick farms and you’ll quickly get the idea that a certain submarine sandwich chain has been pushing for years: Fresh is better. Beginning in early April, people from across the state reconnected with the farm and enjoyed fresh weather, found the freshest food possible and came out of the experience feeling, well, refreshed. Here’s a look at how three you-pick operations deliver fresh and reconnect people with the farm. OTTAWA FARMS, Chatham County At 9 a.m. on a blue-skied April morning, 1-year-old Ayden Smith was ready. He had his koala backpack and with the help of his 7-yearold brother, Ryan, immediately went elbows deep into a strawberry plant to claim the prize of a Saturday morning family trip. The Smiths traveled from nearby Effingham County to Ottawa Farms in Chatham County, where the annual Ottawa Farms Strawberry Festival drew thousands of people to an onfarm experience, complete with takehome loot. Ayden came up with a berry, dropped it in his bucket and immediately reached for another. “They’re fresher,” said Kay Smith, grandmother to the two Effingham County boys. “I think they’re sweeter, and this is a nice family atmosphere.” Those words were exactly what Ottawa Farms owner Pete Waller was hoping to hear. The festival on his 700acre diversified farm near the junction of I-16 and I-95 featured 85 vendors with a variety of live entertainment options to go along with the hands-on farm interaction Waller is promoting. He doesn’t hire anyone to pick straw4

berries. The customers walk into the field and harvest their own. Waller covered his strawberry plants in January to protect them from the cold and enjoyed accelerated maturity of the plants, which were more than ready to be picked by the April 10 festival. “Most people now are generations removed from the farm,” said Waller who uses the festival to promote farm awareness. “They don’t really know what happens on one. We want them to get a feel for what farming is about.” Visit www.ottawafarms.com for more information. SOUTHERN BELLE FARM, Henry County Jimmy Carter – not that one – has a background in large animal science that he put to use working in the dairy industry and working on his family’s dairy farm before pulling out of the dairy business in the mid-1980s. He kept the farm, though, and his son Jake, who played football for the University of Georgia’s 2002 SEC championship team, pushed to expand the farm operations.

Southern Belle is regionally famous for its corn maze, which in recent years has been planted in the image of former UGA football broadcaster Larry Munson and the Atlanta Motor Speedway logo. But that’s for later in the year. The Southern Belle strawberry patch opened in April for school tours and you-pick. The Carters take the education part of their business seriously. The expansion to strawberries two years ago has helped the Carters continue to thrive. Being on the south side of Atlanta poses increasing opportunities. A lot of land once covered with crops and pastures is now dotted with houses. To the Carters these houses represent potential customers; last year they had 14,000 school children visit for educational tours, and several thousand others came out to pick strawberries in the spring and wander the corn maze in the fall. “This was a way to expand our agricultural business without needing a lot of land, and it has the educational opportunities.” Jimmy Carter said. “It’s encouraging for us to be able to See STRAWBERRIES page 25

One-year-old Ayden Smith and his brother, 7-year-old Ryan Smith, pick strawberries during the Ottawa Farms Strawberry Festival on April 10 in Chatham County. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


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Farmers,

the original animal advocates Photo essay compiled by Jennifer Whittaker __________________________________________________________________________

T

oday, most consumers are two to four generations removed from a farm and don’t understand how livestock is raised or why farmers use certain production practices. Raising livestock isn’t a 9 to 5 job. It’s 24/7, 365 days a year. We thought the best way to illustrate how Georgia farmers care for their livestock was to share these snapshots in action. To learn more about how farmers care for their animals, visit www.conversationsoncare.com.

Libby Crumbley prepares to vaccinate cattle on her family’s Greene County farm to protect them against parasites, which threaten the animals’ health. The Crumbley family also vaccinates their cattle to protect them from diseases that affect the cattle’s respiratory and nervous systems and to prevent premature miscarriages. Photo by Ryan Naquin

Justin Chambers, son of GFB Dairy Advisory Committee Chairman Judd Chambers and wife, Teresa, bottle feeds a calf on his family’s Jones County dairy farm. In addition to feeding their calves milk twice a day until they are six weeks old, the Chambers also feed the calves grain and water. Photo by Teresa Chambers

6

Franklin County cattle producer Chan Cabe puts out hay for his cattle during the snowstorm that blanketed Georgia, Feb. 12-14. Farmers take care of their animals in all types of weather – snow, rain and heat – at all times of the day and on holidays. Photo by Lou Cabe

When Georgia was blanketed by snow Feb. 12-14, Oglethorpe County dairy farmers Matt (pictured) and Jenny Daniels continued to milk and feed their cows as they do everyday with help from their sons, J.D., 13, and Jarrett, 5. When the Daniels family lost electricity on their farm, they plugged a tractor into a generator to power their dairy barn. This allowed them to milk their cows, provide water for the cows and keep the milk refrigerated at the proper temperature until a milk truck picked it up so that it would be safe for their consumers. Photo by Jenny Daniels

GFB Poultry Advisory Committee Chairman Phil Sanders, of Oglethorpe County, checks the water line in his poultry house to make sure his three-day old chicks have an adequate water supply. Left top, one of the chicks gives Sanders a pat on the back for looking after her and her friends. Photo by Ryan Naquin Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


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Editor’s note: According to the most recent statistics available from the University of Georgia Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, Georgia agriculture had a total economic impact of $65 billion on the state economy and created more than 351,000 jobs in 2008. The research conducted by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences under UGA’s designation as a landgrant university is crucial to the continued success of Georgia’s agricultural industry and to the well-being of urban consumers who rely on farmers to grow safe, affordable food. Extension agents are essential to the success of Georgia agriculture because they educate both farmers and consumers about the research UGA does and instruct them on how to use it. While this article details the role Extension agents play in helping farmers, they also are available to help nonfarm residents with questions ranging from gardening to food nutrition and preservation. By Stephanie Schupska ____________________________________

U

niversity of Georgia research isn’t done just by professors in laboratories in Athens, Ga. It’s also conducted in fields, orchards and gardens statewide by UGA Cooperative Extension agents, who look to solve problems for the people in their counties. “We’re not trying to split atoms,” said Jenkins County Extension Coordinator Wade Parker. “We’re trying to do research that has immediate results for farmers.” Jenkins County farmers grow a lot of cotton. Parker’s research focuses on what cotton varieties and chemicals will work best for farmers in the south Georgia county.

Offices of help

Statewide, Extension has offices in 158 of Georgia’s 159 counties. “County agents are in a prime position to know the needs and the questions their producers are having difficulty finding answers to, or that there are no answers to,” Southwest 8

Photo by Stephanie Schupska

Extension agents essential to Georgia agriculture

Upson County Extension Coordinator Wes Smith is one of many Extension agents across the state working to help Georgia farmers produce safer, more affordable food. Smith, also a Farm Bureau member, serves on the Georgia Farm Bureau Goat & Sheep Commodity Advisory Committee.

District Extension Director Ken Lewis said. “They’re on the ground seeing the problems along with the farmers every day.” But they’re not alone. Agents often call to get information from Extension specialists (UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Science faculty with advanced degrees in a particular field) for information. Sometimes the questions demand more thorough answers. That’s when agents work with specialists to plan research projects, ranging from wine grape disease testing to blueberry replant fumigation trials to organic cover crop seed production to carrot variety trials. Traditional peanut, cotton, soybean and corn trials are the norm. “I think research goes back to the very core, the very roots of Cooperative Extension,” Lewis said. He calls it a “win, win, win situation” on the part of the agent, farmer and specialist. Beverly Sparks, associate dean for Extension, sees it as “a twoway exchange.”

“The producers see a problem and then bring it to us,” she said. “Then we research it and get the information out there through our agents in a real, applied sort of way.”

More peanuts, more money

In southwest Georgia, Calhoun County Extension coordinator Paul Wigley has worked alongside both Extension specialists and farmers to test more than 40 fungicides in almost 100 different combinations on a multitude of different peanut varieties. In this project, he looks for fungicides that combat a disease called Rhizoctonia peg rot, which plagues Calhoun County’s 15,000 acres of peanuts. His work adds up to money saved for his farmers, who produce an average of 4,000 pounds of peanuts per acre. Since 2003, the small county has gained $79 million in peanut profits. “Our job is to provide non-biased, research-based information, and that’s what we’re all trying to do,” Wigley said. See EXTENSION page 23 Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


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Legislative Update

By Jon Huffmaster

Ga. legislators pass proposal to rewrite Georgia Tax Law The Georgia General Assembly has passed legislation that could have far reaching implications for Georgia taxpayers. The bill creates a special council to conduct an in-depth study of Georgia’s current tax laws and make recommendations for changes. It also creates a special committee charged to write legislation that would bypass all legislative committees and go straight to the floor for a vote without amendment. The House passed House Bill 1405 by a vote of 111-55. The Senate passed it 34-14, so it is now goes to Gov. Perdue. Most political observers expect him to look favorably on the bill because he has indicated that a tax study is a good idea. The tax study bill is largely a response to Georgia’s revenue crisis. In the last couple of years, state revenue has decreased from $22 billion to less than $18 billion. Since the Georgia Constitution requires a balanced budget, lawmakers have scrambled for ways to meet that fiscal mandate. With a cumbersome moniker that

How to Identify Census 2010 Workers • Census 2010 workers wear an official identification badge. • Census 2010 workers carry U.S. Census Bureau bags, making them easier to identify. • The census taker will ONLY ask the questions that appear on the census form. They will NEVER ask for your Social Security Number or personal banking information (such as account numbers or passwords). 10

only a government bureaucrat could love, the “2010 Special Council on Tax Reform and Fairness for Georgians” is charged to “conduct a thorough study of the state’s current revenue structure and make a report of its findings and recommendations for legislation to the speaker of the house and the lieutenant governor no later than January 10, 2011.” The special council will consist of 11 members. The first four are respected economists: Dr. David Sjoquist, Georgia State University; Dr. Jeffrey Humphreys, University of Georgia; Dr. Roger Tutterow, Mercer University; and Dr. Christine Ries, Georgia Tech. Gov. Sonny Perdue and the 2010 chairmen of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business will join the economists on the special council. There will also be two appointments made by the house speaker and two by the lieutenant governor. All special council members serve without compensation. HB 1405 also creates the “Special Joint Committee on Georgia Revenue Structure” that will be named before the next General Assembly convenes. Twelve legislators will make up this committee: the president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker pro tempore of the House; the majority and minority leaders of the House & Senate; chairmen of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways & Means Committee; two representatives appointed by the house speaker – one Democrat, one Republican; and two senators appointed by the lieutenant governor – one from each party. The responsibility of the special joint committee is to study the recommendations of the special council. If the committee believes legislation is warranted, this committee will introduce it “incorporating, without significant changes, the recommendations of the council.”

The special joint committee will be the only committee to consider the legislation prior to its introduction directly onto the floor of the House. Any legislation offered by the special joint committee will be called for consideration at the discretion of the house speaker. When the bill is brought up, it “shall receive an up or down vote as reported from the special joint committee without amendment.” If the legislation passes the House, it will be sent to the Senate at the discretion of the lieutenant governor for a similar up or down vote. Georgia Farm Bureau took no position on the bill’s passage, but whenever there is a proposal to overhaul the tax code, everybody has good reason to be nervous. One thing sure to be brought up within the council is exemptions from sales taxes. There are over 200 of them, and some are vital to Georgia agriculture. Farmers are exempt from paying sales taxes on seed, feed, fertilizer, and equipment. If those exemptions are lost, the very existence of many Georgia farms will be in jeopardy. It would not be an unreasonable example for a family-owned and operated dairy in Georgia to purchase $1 million worth of livestock feed in a year. If sales tax were charged on feed, that dairy producer would have to absorb an additional $70,000 in costs for absolutely no corresponding return. Similar examples could be made for row crop operations. Most farmers cannot survive bottom line cuts of that magnitude. As the issue of taxes and revenue progresses, Farm Bureau members must make legislators aware that agricultural sales tax exemptions are not politically satisfying tidbits of favoritism. For many farmers, they are the difference between profit and loss – continuing to farm or selling out. Jon Huffmaster is director of the GFB Legislative Department. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


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Canton OH, Special - With hundreds of servants at her command... a person would think our first First Lady was a woman of leisure. Not so... according to a new historical discovery. A long out-of-print volume entitled, “The Martha Washington Cook Book” shows Mrs. Washington personally supervised her entire household staff... and especially the kitchen and dining room servants. Martha made sure every dish served at Mount Vernon... as well as in the first Presidential “White Houses” in New York and Philadelphia... was prepared exactly as called for in her personal cookbook. The family cookbook was given to Martha at the time of her first marriage. In 1749, beautiful seventeen-year-old Martha Dandridge married Daniel Parke Custis. As a wedding gift, the Custis family presented Martha with a family cookbook entitled Booke of Cookery and Booke of Sweetmeats. Handwritten by an unknown hand, there is evidence the recipe book had been in the Custis family for generations. It is quite likely this was a family heirloom dating back to the early 1600s. In all, there were over five hundred classic recipes, dating largely from Elizabethan and Jacobean times, the golden age of English cookery. Later, Martha Custis became a widow and in 1759 she married Col. George Washington. Washington was to become the Father of our country and its first President. Martha, of course, became our very first, “First Lady.” Martha kept and used her family cookbook for over fifty years. In 1799, she presented the book to her granddaughter, Eleanor Parke Custis as a wedding gift when she married Lawrence Lewis. The cookbook was handed down from mother to daughter until 1892 when the Lewis family presented it to The Historical Society of Pennsylvania where it still resides today. In 1940, the Society gave permission to historian Marie Kimball to study the manuscript and prepare a cookbook entitled, “The Martha Washington Cook

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Member Services Update

ByJay

Murdock

GFB offers health care services to members

Health care. It is impossible to turn on the news or read a newspaper without seeing an article about health care and rightfully so. Heath care is a topic that is important to all of us. That is why Georgia Farm Bureau continues to build a portfolio of health-related products and services designed to meet the health needs of our members. We are pleased to announce our newest health-related member benefit, Access For Wellness. Located in Hazlehurst, Ga., Access For Wellness helps match members who may not be able to afford prescription medication to assistance programs available through drug manufacturers. These programs provide free or nearly free medicines to eligible patients. The ever-changing requirements and the application process to qualify for patient assistance programs are tedious, confusing and very time-consuming. The Access For Wellness staff is dedicated to making the process as easy as possible. This program may be for you if: • You are uninsured • You are under-insured • You participate in Medicare Part D

• You take medicine not covered by insurance • You have high deductible copays The normal $35 annual application fee is waived for Georgia Farm Bureau members. Most medications are only $10 per month, which covers the cost of completing the tedious paperwork with the pharmaceutical companies and the follow-up with the doctors’ offices involved in getting the medications to you. In addition to Access For Wellness, Georgia Farm Bureau is proud to offer the following health-related member benefits: Blue Cross Blue Shield: Get the Power of Blue Working for You through the most recognized name in healthcare, according to Fortune Magazine. See a Georgia Farm Bureau agent to learn more about individual and family health care plans including SmartSense, Premier, Tonik and Blue Value. Delta Dental: Georgia Farm Bureau members can enroll in the Farm Bureau Dental program at any tm

Access for Wellness HOW DO I QUALIFY? Number in Household Income Level

1

No more than $27,075

Multiple factors are considered when verifying income level 2 No more than $36,425 qualification (i.e.: Adjusted Gross Income, 3 No more than $45,775 Business Tax vs. Individual Tax, etc.). To determine 4 No more than $55,125 eligibility, please call one of our team members at Don’t hesitate to call to see if you might be eligible. Don’t 877-375-2909 and apply today. go without medicine just because you cannot afford it.

12

time for access to dental coverage that increases each of the first three years. Please contact your local Farm Bureau agent for plan details and pricing or visit www.gfbdental.com TelaDoc Medical Services: Georgia Farm Bureau members can access TelaDoc’s national network of boardcertified primary care physicians that diagnose illness, recommend treatment and prescribe medication (when appropriate) over the telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Agelity Discount Prescription Drug Program: With a Farm Bureau Discount Prescription Card, members and their immediate family without prescription drug coverage can save up to 20 percent on brand drugs and 55 percent on generic drugs. Qualsight Lasik Discount Program: It’s easy to see the great value in Farm Bureau’s lasik discount program. Members can save 40 to 50 percent off the national average price for lasik through the Qualsight Lasik network of credentialed, board-certified ophthalmologists. ClearValue Hearing Program: ClearValue Hearing, Siemens Hearing Instruments, Westone Earmold Laboratories and Farm Bureau have combined their resources to develop a comprehensive Hearing Benefts Program for Farm Bureau members and their families. For details on these programs as well as the many additional services included with your Georgia Farm Bureau membership, contact your local county Farm Bureau office, visit our Web site at www.gfb.org (select member benefits) or call 1-800-633-5432 (option 1). Jay Murdock is director of the GFB Member Services Department. SM

Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


Georgia Farm Bureau introduces new membership benefits up to 20% off the best available rate WYNDHAM HOTEL GROUP Receive at participating locations. As a member of Georgia Farm Bureau, you will receive up to 20% off the “Best Available Rate” at participating locations every time you travel. Give the agent the special discount code 66588 at the time of booking to receive your discount. Reservations must be made in advance. You may book online by going to

Georgia Farm Bureau members save at nearly 7,000 participating Wyndham Hotels

www.gfb.org

(Select “Member Benefits”)

or by calling

1-877-670-7088 Be sure to use the 66588 code to receive your discounted rate.

Endless Vacation Rentals allows members access to holiday rental and exchange properties all over the world. More than 3,800 resorts • Over 65,000 total properties • Resorts in 101 countries Find your desired resort at www.evrentals.com and enter code 66588 in the Promotion Code Section to receive a 10% discount.

Going the distance for Georgia Farm Bureau members.

Introducing Jiffy Lube® Fleet Care

Jiffy Lube offers convenience and vehicle maintenance value to Farm Bureau members. This new partnership with Jiffy Lube provides several great benefits including: • No appointment necessary • Quick service at dozens of convenient locations • 10% discount on all products and services, including: 3 Jiffy Lube Signature Service® Oil Change 3 Transmission Services 3 Fuel System Services 3 Tire Rotation Services 3 Air Filtration Services Jiffy Lube, the Jiffy Lube design mark and Jiffy Lube Signature Service are registered trademarks of Jiffy Lube International, Inc. ©2010 Jiffy Lube International, Inc.

When you arrive at any service location, identify yourself to the technician that you are a new national cash fleet and specify “Georgia Farm Bureau #11647641.” This will guarantee that you will receive a 10% discount off ALL products and services. For more details, visit www.gfb.org and select “Member Benefits.”

Call 1-800-633-5432 or your local county office for more details.


edia gewater M idson, Ed James Dav Photo by

Picture Agriculture in Georgia T

he Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee invites all GFB members who are amateur photographers to enter its photo contest. This competition offers shutterbugs of all ages the chance to explore the many activities, seasons, triumphs, disappointments and faces of agriculture, Georgia’s key industry. The photos that win this competition will capture the image and spirit of agriculture and Farm Bureau in Georgia. The grand prize winner will receive $150. Five honorable mentions will be named and each will receive $75. Contest winners will be posted on the GFB Web site http://www.gfb.org in early August. Contest winners and photos will also be featured in the fall issue of the Georgia Neighbors.

Eligibility

The contest is open to any Georgia

Farm Bureau member who receives no income from photography. Employees of the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation or its affiliated companies, including county Farm Bureau office employees, and their immediate family members may not participate.

Contest Rules

All photos must have been taken in Georgia in 2009 or 2010. Each entrant may enter no more than two photos. Horizontal photos are preferred. All photos must be digital and must be a minimum of 1 Megabyte (MB) in size. Most digital cameras will take photos that are at least 1 MB in size when set to take photos on high resolution. We prefer photos of at least 1024 x 768 pixels or greater; cameras with 5 megapixels (MP) or more are most often used to take photos of this size. Photos entered in the GFB photo

14th Annual Dillard Bluegrass and Barbecue Festival August 6-7, 2010

Dillard City Hall Grounds • Dillard, GA www.dillardbbq.org Live Entertainment • Barbeque Teams competing in the Georgia State Championship Cook-off sanctioned by the KCBS. Admission: $10 per person, 12 and under free. Free parking and shuttle service. 14

contest may not have been or be entered in any other contest. Photos will be judged on the use of angle, lighting, balance, color, contrast, viewpoint and technical ability. Altered photos will not be accepted. All photos become the property of GFB, which may use the photos for any purpose, such as publishing them in the organization’s member magazines, using them on GFB’s Web site, reproducing it for any Farm Bureau use, including products that may be sold. GFB has the final decision on any and all questions or concerns regarding rules, judging, eligibility, prizes awarded or anything else that may arise pertaining to the contest.

Entry Instructions

Photo entries should be e-mailed to yf@gfb.org by 4:30 p.m. on June 11. All photo entries should be sent as an attachment in a jpg format. Type “Photo Contest” in the subject line of the e-mail. Include the following information in the body of the e-mail: entrant’s name, address, phone number, Farm Bureau membership number, county with which you have the membership, title of the photo and where and when the photo was shot. If you use children or people in your photo, you must complete and submit a model release form. Visit the GFB Web site to download the form. This form must be received by GFB via fax or U.S. mail by 4:30 p.m. on June 11. The form provides the fax number and mailing address to return the form. Contact the GFB Field Services Department at 478-474-0679, ext. 5224 or via e-mail at yf@gfb.org for more information. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


Want a new truck? Like to talk about agriculture? If so, you’ll want to compete in the 2010 Georgia Farm Bureau Discussion Meet. The state winner will receive $500 cash courtesy of Ram Trucks, an Arctic Cat 500 4x4 all terrain vehicle and an expense-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Atlanta, Jan. 9-12, to compete for national honors. The three state finalists will each receive $350 cash from SunTrust Bank. The national discussion meet winner will receive a 2011 Dodge Ram Pickup, courtesy of Ram Trucks, and paid registration to the 2011 American Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Leadership Conference, Feb. 5-7, 2011, in Orlando, Fla. Each of the three runnersup will receive a $6,000 U.S. Savings Bond and a Farm Boss from Stihl. June 4 is the deadline to enter the GFB Discussion Meet. Contact your county Farm Bureau office for more details and to enter. The contest is open to GFB members between the ages of 18 and 35. Preliminary rounds will be held Saturday, July 24 during the GFB Young Farmer Family Conference at Lake Blackshear Resort near Cordele. The final four contestants will compete Dec. 5 during the annual GFB Convention on Jekyll Island. The 10 district winners and three state finalists in the GFB Young Farmer Achievement Contest will also be announced during the GFB Young Farmer Family Conference. The three finalists will be recognized at the GFB Convention in December where the state winner will be announced. The state winner will receive $500 cash from Ram Trucks, the use of a Kubota L or M series tractor for one year and an expense-paid trip to the AFBF convention in Atlanta, Jan. 9-12, 2011, to compete for national honors. The national young farmer achievement winner will win a 2011 Dodge Ram Pickup, courtesy of Ram Trucks and paid registration to the 2011 American Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Leadership Conference, Feb. 5-7, 2011, in Orlando, Fla. Each of the four runners-up will receive a Case IH Farmall tractor from Case IH. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010

Photo by Jay Stone

Farm Bureau contests reward young farmers

The four finalists in the 2009 GFB YF Discussion Meet who competed for $500 from Ram Trucks and the chance to compete in the national contest for a Ram Truck were, pictured from left: Jonathan Fordham of Bleckley County, Will Godowns of Pike County, contest winner Nancie Sanders of Greene County and Phil Tyre of Bacon County.

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Apply for a low-rate vehicle loan and receive a response in seconds. Vehicle loans from Farm Bureau Bank feature competitive rates, terms from 24 to 72 months and available protection plans – including GAP, Major Mechanical and Debt Cancellation coverage.* Loans for motorcycles, boats and recreational vehicles are also offered. Finance or refinance online, anytime for your instant response. Farm Bureau Bank Vehicle Loans LOW RATES • INSTANT RESPONSE

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Contact yourusFarm Bureau agent totoday apply today. Ask how to apply *Some restrictions apply based on the make and model of vehicle offered as collateral. Loans are subject to credit approval. Rates and financing options are limited to model year 2003 and newer and are subject to change without notice. Finance charges accrue from origination date of the loan. Banking services provided by Farm Bureau Bank, FSB. Farm Bureau Bank, FSB is a service to member institution that provides banking services to Farm Bureau members. Services are not available in AL, IL, MI, MO, MS, OH or WY and may not be available in some counties or parishes. Farm Bureau, FB and the FB National Logo are registered service marks owned by the American Farm Bureau Federation and are used under license by FB BanCorp and its subsidiaries, including Farm Bureau Bank FSB. FB BanCorp is an independent entity and the AFBF does not own, is not owned by, and is not under common ownership with FB BanCorp or its affiliated entities.

15


Insurance Update

By

Daves Steed

GFB forms brokerage company to meet members’ needs Your Georgia Farm Bureau membership offers many services and benefits. Our best-known service, access to quality insurance products, is evolving to better meet your insurance needs. Through the years, the Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company has offered traditional types of insurance including personal automobile, homeowners, mobile home, dwelling fire, farm owners, farm equipment and umbrella policies. Realizing there are numerous other insurance products our members might need that are not offered through the GFB Mutual Insurance Company, GFB has formed a new brokerage company that will offer new product alternatives previously not available through GFB. Typically, this means policies that cover recreational vehicles, commercial automobile, commercial property, casualty and workers compensation. These

are types of policies that other companies specialize in writing and GFB Insurance has chosen not to write. The brokerage company develops agreements with companies to make these policies available to you through your GFB agent. In short, the brokerage company acts as an “insurance agency for insurance agents.” This makes your insurance purchasing process more convenient, since your Farm Bureau agent can address most if not all of your insurance needs at your local county Farm Bureau office. The brokerage staff also provides guidance and assistance to your agent in helping secure the best policy, at the best price, from the best company to meet your member insurance needs. You may be curious as to why certain types of policies previously written only through GFB Mutual Insurance are now also available through brokerage. The GFB

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Mutual Insurance Company is currently undergoing a massive restructuring of its operations, functions and technology that will enable us to compete and thrive well into the future. This is a lengthy process that requires the company to limit its offering of certain types of policies during this transitional period. The new brokerage concept was introduced to allow GFB agents to continue to meet your needs for these insurance products in a convenient manner. Once GFB’s restructuring process is complete, we will continue to offer brokerage services to complement the insurance services provided by GFB Mutual. The new brokerage company, Georgia Farm Bureau Brokerage, is owned by the GFB Mutual Insurance Company and develops agreements that allow our agents direct access to partner insurance companies. Your Farm Bureau agent can receive immediate quotes, place coverage, accept payments and make policy changes right from your local county office. The initial companies available to you through GFB Brokerage include Foremost Insurance Group, which specializes in mobile home, dwelling fire, motorcycles, and recreational vehicles, and Progressive Insurance, which specializes in all types of personal and commercial automobile coverage and recreational vehicles. Additional partner company relationships will be formed soon to broaden the portfolio of available policy choices. If your Farm Bureau agent recommends writing a policy with one of our brokerage partners, he or she is trying to match you with a policy that best meets your insurance needs. Our brokerage partners have been carefully screened using industry standards and were selected based on their performance records. It is important to realize that these new brokerage insurance policies come from companies that are a part of the Farm Bureau network of partners. As a GFB member, you may be interested to learn that business placed with our new brokerage partner companies also develops revenue that flows back into your local county office, further supporting the promotion of Georgia agriculture and your local economy. See BROKERAGE next page Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


GFB names 2010 Master Underwriter Agents By Michele Molton ___________________________________ The Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance Company presented 53 of its agents with itsMasterUnderwriter Award at the company’s annual sales conference in March. This was a 47 percent increase in the number of GFB agents who received the award in 2009, which Raulston reflects the determination of our agents to continue to improve our company’s overall results. During the conference, Walker County Farm Bureau Agent Dan Raulston was recognized as GFB’s 2009 Master Underwriter of the Year from the 36 master underwriter agents GFB honored last year. Congratulations Dan for an outstanding job! To qualify as a GFB Master Underwriter, an agent must be either a career agent or agency manager in their current county for at least 36 months and have a 36-month loss ratio of less than 50 percent. Agents receiving the award are granted greater underwriting authority and their submissions to the home office are processed as high priority. GFB’s Master Underwriter Award reflects a standard of excellence that all agents are encouraged to achieve. Congratulations to the following GFB agents who earned the 2010 award. We look forward to naming our 2010 Master Underwriter of the Year and new master underwriters at next year’s awards conference. Appling.........................David M. Hinely, LUTCF Appling...........................................Lee C. Carter Atkinson........................................Larry T. Morris BROKERAGE from previous page Your GFB Brokerage Company is proud to be a part of the GFB Insurance group. We are excited about helping our GFB agents provide you with new insurance opportunities, and our staff is dedicated to supporting the delivery of a high quality insurance service. Remember, as a Farm Bureau member, insurance is only one of more than 20 member benefits your Farm Bureau membership provides you. Daves Steed is the Sr. Director of the GFB Brokerage Company. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010

Atkinson.................. William Lee White, LUTCF Bleckley........................................John A. Busch Brantley................Lawrence A. Melton, LUTCF Brantley........................Lynne D. Crews, LUTCF Bryan...........................William Dwight Newman Bulloch.................................. Dustin M. Dunham Camden.......................K. Adam Barnes, LUTCF Candler......................Terry Earl Manuel, LUTCF Charlton.....................................Clinton E. Mizell Charlton..........................................Andy Gowen Chatham..................Dianne M. Randall, LUTCF Chatham............... Stephen G. Darieng, LUTCF Coffee......................John W. Crenshaw, LUTCF Cook...........................David G. Folsom, LUTCF Echols..................D. Ronald Highsmith, LUTCF Evans.............................. J. Terry Branch, LUTCF Gilmer..................................Billy Branch, LUTCF Glynn ........... William W. Moncrief, CLU, ChFC Habersham..........Douglas P. Nicholson, LUTCF Habersham..................................Michael D. Lyle Hart......................................Brian K. Hill, LUTCF Lanier.........................................Michael K. Page Lanier................................ Luke H. Bush, LUTCF Laurens.................... James Mallory Evans, CLU Laurens......................Donna M. Seeker, LUTCF Laurens..................Dennis W. Gryzenia, LUTCF

Laurens..................Elizabeth A. William, LUTCF Liberty...............................Larry J. Brant, LUTCF Liberty.......................Eddie Lee Skeens, LUTCF Lincoln...................... Stan E. Tankersley, LUTCF Lincoln..................................... Pamela C. Turner Lincoln...............................J. Neal Reed, LUTCF Lowndes..........................Raymond Tucker, CLU Lowndes.....................L. Doug Williams, LUTCF Lumpkin.............Randall G. Weatherby, LUTCF Mitchell........................Mark L. Godwin, LUTCF Pulaski......................................Andrew J. Wilson Randolph.............. L. Christopher Tyus, Jr., CLU Taliaferro................. Joseph M. Rhodes, LUTCF Tattnall.........David S. Huffmaster, CLU, LUTCF Towns....................................Von Hobbs, LUTCF Union............................John F. Mauldin, LUTCF Union.......................Matthew G. Munn, LUTCF Walker.......................... Daniel H. Raulston, CLU Walker........................Anita N. Shattuck, LUTCF Ware........................................ Tommy Sweeney White.............................................T. Ward Gann Whitfield..................Chris A. Townsend, LUTCF Whitfield................................... Kevin E. Roberts Wilkes.......................Carolyn M. Weber, LUTCF Michele Molton is the GFB Insurance Company Personal Underwriting Manager.

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Coach Vince Dooley in his Athens, Ga., garden. (Photo by Teresa Penley Sheppard, courtesy of Looking Glass Books.)

The Gridiron Gardener By Jennifer Whittaker _________________________________________________________________________

F

or years Vince Dooley was a hero to Georgians for his skill on the gridiron. Now, in retirement, Dooley is winning recognition for his gardening skills. So, how did the competitive coach who compiled a 201-7710 record during his 25-year coaching career at the University of Georgia and won six Southeastern Conference titles and the 1980 national championship become a renowned gardener? “I was always curious about trees and plants, wondering why do leaves change color,” Dooley explained in a recent interview. “Someone recommended that I audit a class of Dr. (Michael) Dirr’s at the University. Little did I know what I was getting into. He’s (Dirr) so passionate that one course led to another.” After auditing his first class with Dirr, a UGA professor world renowned for his expertise in woody plants, Dooley also took classes from Dr. Allan Armitage, a UGA professor world renowned for his knowledge of herbaceous plants.

Gardening is his golfn “I always enjoyed working out in the yard, and now I know what I’m doing,” Dooley said. “I don’t play golf so this is my golf, ” 18

In his recently released book, Vince Dooley’s Garden: The Horticultural Journey of a Football Coach, Dooley details an encounter he had with heather while attempting to play golf during a national coaches’ trip to Scotland many years ago. The incident turned him off the game and in retrospect foretold his destiny lay in gardening rather than golf. The book, illustrated with exquisite paintings by Georgia artist Steve Penley, details Dooley’s 15-year love affair with all things horticultural. He details the UGA campus arboretum, trips to famous gardens, friendships he’s developed with fellow gardeners, the design of the Dooley Sculpture Garden dedicated on the UGA campus last fall and a personal tour of his home garden.

Coaching & gardeningn In case you’re wondering if Dooley the gardener resembles Dooley the coach, the answer is yes. Just as Coach Dooley had a playbook, Dooley the gardener has a thick, white three-ring notebook he calls a “scrapbook.” But make no mistake. He takes his garden seriously, and his “scrapbook” is well organized, full of design plans and a detailed inventory of

every plant growing in his garden. After immersing himself in the horticulture world for about 15 years, Dooley can hold his own against any garden club president. When asked about the similarities between coaching and gardening, Dooley replied, “Maybe it’s being focused. My wife [Barbara] says if I do something I’m going to stay with it. I’m pretty focused and try to do it right.” Dooley applies mantras from his coaching career such as “always expect the unexpected” to gardening. In his book, Dooley details the damage his garden sustained from the 2007 Easter freeze and the great snowfall of March 2009, explaining how he had to bounce back.

Dooley’s gardenn Dooley describes his garden as a garden for all seasons. “I like a variety of plants. I’m a collector. I like to have something going on in my garden all year round,” Dooley said. “Naturally, the big show is in the spring, but in my garden there’s something happening all the time because of the different varieties. I have a lot of winter blooming plants.” Dooley says Japanese maples, camellias and hydrangeas are the three plants he enjoys the most. He waxes poetic about Japanese maples saying, “Japanese maples I just love because of the incredible variety and shape and form and color. They’re magnificent. Never met one I didn’t like.” Despite the thousands of species that Dooley does grow in his garden, he laments that Athens’climate prevents him from growing protea, a plant found in South Africa and South America. He says his biggest challenge as a gardener is “trying to fit all the plants in the world into a small garden.” After filling his 2.5 acres, Dooley solved his space issue by leasing three acres from his next door neighbor, the late Mrs. William (Jeanne) Mathis. “She was a gardener extraordinare. She has since passed and her daughter has continued to let me lease the property, so I have a lot of plants in what I call the Mathis garden.” Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


Plants named Dooleyn Dr. Dirr named a Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Dooley’ after discovering the plant in the coach’s garden and seeing that it bloomed after two late freezes in 1996 and 1998. The late Dr. Dan Nathan of Fort Valley and Dr. Buddy English of Warner Robins, both camellia aficionados and Georgia football fans, selected a camellia hybrized by the late Dr. Walter Homeyer of Macon to be named the ‘Vince Dooley’ camellia. Dooley describes the camellia saying, “It’s a Georgia red bloom and has a bloom that is bigger than my hand.” What’s impressive about Dooley as a gardener is his scientific knowledge of plants. He doesn’t just know names, he can also tell you the traits the plants have. Dooley described his namesake camellia saying “It is three-fourths japonica and one-fourth reticulata. The japonica gives it the cold hardiness, and the reticulata gives it the big flower and big leaves.” In his book, Dooley explains the importance of learning the scientific names of flowers and shares his method for learning names using a system that should work for most Southerners – you make a family tree. “Before naming plants the first prerequisite is to place them in their proper family. When I think of family, I think of Barbara, who is keen on family-both our immediate clan as well as her related Lebanese cousins.”

phosis is sure to tickle any football widow who ever asked her husband to help her with yardwork rather than attending or watching a football game. Dooley’s garden has been on many garden tours, and he’s noticed that the majority of the visitors are women. “I’m hoping that when they go back they will get on their spouses and get them gardening a little bit,” Dooley says. “I think because of the

fact that gardening in the minds of most men is not so macho, since I was a football coach and played football that they will not be reluctant to go out into the garden.” Listen up men! Lest you think Dooley has gone off his rocker, he’s not the only retired, revered SEC coach who has traded the gridiron for gardening. But you’ll have to read the book to learn the other coach who shares his passion. Book

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TOTAL Name: Address: City:

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Enclose your check payable to Vince Dooley. Mail to PO Box 3422, Gainesville, GA 30503. Allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.

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By Donna Rocker, Ag in the Classroom Coordinator 478-474-0679, ext. 5365

Farmers: Stewards of the Earth

What is stewardship? According to Merriam-Webster online, it is “the conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially : the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.” For farmers, that is their land and all that goes with it. The U.S. and world population continues to grow. As it grows, it takes up more land for development, so we are depending on fewer acres to produce the world’s food, clothing and shelter. Farmers work hard to meet the challenges of food and fiber production, caring for the environment, and answering consumer demands in the market.

Match the key term to the associated fact. Then find the terms in the word search. 15. Renewable Resources 8. Erosion 1. Buffer 16. Precision Farming 9. Integrated Pest 2. Conservation Reserve 17. Conservation Management Program 18. Watershed 10. Cover Crops 3. Wetlands 19. Best Management 11. Aquifer 4. Forest Practices 12. Rivers 5. Habitat 20. Biomass 13. Waste Management 6. Conservation Tillage 14. Natural Resources 7. Crop Rotation A. This is the environment in which an animal can be converted into usable energy through or plant normally lives or grows. More than half biological or chemical processes. of the U.S. agricultural producers intentionally E. These are lands on which water covers the soil or is present either at or near the surface of provide habitat for wildlife. B. Farmers use several methods of managing the soil or within the root zone, all year or for waste from animal operations and crop produc- varying periods of time during the year, includtion areas to keep water sources safe and to ing during the growing season. From 1997 to 2003, farmers and ranchers produced a net help make the land more productive. C. The practice of growing different crops in increase of 263,000 acres of these lands. F. The total land area, regardless of size, above succession on the same land. D. The generic term for any living matter that a given point on a waterway that contrib-

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A F T A Y U J W V T V A T I O U D O F D R M L I Y G

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E E L O R I A P Y K C O V E R C R O P S I Z R M S I

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utes runoff water to the flow at that point. G. An integrated approach to controlling plant pests using careful monitoring of animals and weeds. It may include use of natural predators, chemical agents and crop rotations. H. Small areas or strips of land that improve soil, air and water quality; enhance wildlife habitat; and create scenic landscapes. Farmers, ranchers and other landowners have installed 1.54 million miles of these under a USDA initiative. I. These include forests, rangeland, soil and water that can be restored and improved to produce the food and fiber humans need. J. This is an area managed for the production of timber and other forest products or maintained as protection of environmental areas or recreation. Since CRP began in 1986, a total of 4.55 million acres have been planted with trees as part of the program. More than 65% of Georgia’s land is forested. K. Water resources in Georgia include four of these major ground water resources. L. The management of human and natural resources to provide maximum benefits over a sustained period of time. M. This program is a voluntary program for agricultural landowners to establish long-term, resource conserving covers on eligible farmland. As of January 2009, farmers enrolled 33.6 million acres of their land in this program. N. Farming methods that provide for seed germination, plant growth, and weed control yet maintain effective ground cover to reduce erosion. It uses less energy while maintaining yields and quality and it improves water quality. O. Uses satellites, computers, lasers, groundbased monitors, and yield monitors to reduce chemical use while improving crop yield. P. This is planted for the purpose of protecting the soil from erosion and for improving its productivity between main crops. Q. A practice or combination of practices determined by the state Conservation Commission to be effective and practicable to manage nutrients to protect surface water and groundwater. R. Materials such as soil, water, native vegetation, minerals, and wildlife supplied by nature. S. The process by which water or wind moves soil from one location to another. T. Georgia’s agriculture is so abundant because of its ample number of these waterways as well as lakes and ponds.

Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


Georgia Happenings Rock Eagle Nature Programs

Thanks to these terrific programs offered by the Rock Eagle 4-H Center, summer camp is no longer just for kids! Programs last about two hours. Advance registration is required. To register, call 706-484-2834 or email kellyjo@uga.edu. Get R.E.A.L (Rock Eagle Adult Learning) Sessions geared for adults only. Cost is $10 per program and includes a light snack and drink. June 19 - Canoe Rock Eagle Lake Explore Rock Eagle Lake by canoe and experience wildlife encounters! Starts at 10 a.m. August 21 - Effigies on Parade! Join Rock Eagle history experts on visits to Rock Eagle Mount and the Little Rock Eagle. Discover your own theories on why they were built! Travel will be provided to the effigies. Starts at 9:30 a.m. Family Adventure Fun Sessions geared for all ages $5 for adults, $3 for ages 5-12, free for ages 4 and under. An adult must accompany all children.

9th Annual Sunflower Farm Festival

The West-Holt Farm in Rutledge, Ga., will host this don’t miss event July 3 & 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Cost is $5 per person, kids $2, under 3 free. Veterans admitted free July 4. Event includes a tractor parade on July 4 at 11 a.m., live music, a shade-covered artist market and 15 acres of sunflowers. Visit www.sunflowerfarm-festival.com for more information.

Folk Life Festival

August 7 It’s pottery, pickin’ and piggin’ out at this festival, which features demonstrations from more than a dozen potters, music of the Northeast Georgia Mountains and locally grown food at the Sautee Nacoochee Center and Folk Pottery Museum near Helen. For information, visit www.snca.org.

World of Giant Insects Exhibit

June 19 - October 10 The Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon will be crawling with animatronic bugs all summer! Take in a 22-foot-long praying mantis, two 10-foot rhinoceros beetles and more! Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for teens and $4 for ages 11 and under. Visit www.masmacon.com

July 17 - Canoe Rock Eagle Lake Explore Rock Eagle Lake by canoe and experience wildlife encounters! Starts at 9:30 a.m. September 18 - Watershed Wonders Wander through a Piedmont watershed and discover how humans can impact local water bodies. Starts at 9:30 a.m.

Fish at the Fairgrounds

Groups of 10 or more are invited to fish at the Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter in Perry during June. Fishing is open to those ages 16 and under and available through reservation on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Teresa Hawk at 800-987-3247, ext. 483 or thawk@gnfa.com.

Northeast Georgia Arts Tour

June 11-13 From Dahlonega to Tallulah Falls, more than 100 artists at 35 locations will offer fine pieces of art including paintings, woodworking, jewelry and much more in this selfguided driving and walking tour. Visit www.artstour.org for more information. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010

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GFB donates $4,000 to Ronald McDonald House

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he GFB donation to the Ronald McDonald House of Augusta was made on behalf of the county Farm Bureau Women’s Committees and the GFB Women’s Committee. During February, county Farm Bureaus across Georgia collected donations for the Ronald McDonald House as part of their celebration of Food Check-Out Week, Feb. 21-27. This weeklong celebration highlights America’s safe, abundant and affordable food supply, made possible by America’s farmers. According to the most recent information from the USDA’s Economic Research Service, American families and individuals spend, on average, less than 10 percent of their disposable personal income for food. In comparison, French consumers spend 14 percent; Chinese consum-

ers spend 35 percent and Indonesian consumers spend 46 percent. Farm Bureau also used the week to educate consumers on how to stretch their grocery dollars to buy healthy foods on a budget. According to a recent study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the cost of eating healthy hasn’t changed as much as the cost of less-healthy alternatives. A March 2008 USDA report shows that prices for unprepared, readily available fresh fruits and vegetables have remained stable relative to dessert and snack foods, such as chips, ice cream and cola. Farm Bureau has made raising funds or collecting food for Georgia’s Ronald McDonald Houses part of its Food Check-Out celebrations for the last 12 years. Food is a primary need

Christina Collins (center), house manager of the Ronald McDonald House of Augusta, accepts a $4,000 donation from Georgia Farm Bureau Women’s Committee Chairman Cathy Barber (left) and Georgia Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall. GFB presented the donation in March during a GFB conference held in Augusta.

at each house as it provides a homeaway-from-home for the families of seriously ill children receiving medical treatment. Each year the GFB Women’s Committee rotates the state donation among the Ronald McDonald Houses in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah and Macon. GFB has donated a total of $26,700 to the Ronald McDonald Houses of Georgia.

Georgia Farm Bureau and its county offices donated $16,000 to the Peanut Butter for Haiti initiative in February. The donation purchased 17,777 pounds of peanut butter, which equals 248,888 servings. “We’re really excited to be part of this effort to help the people of Haiti recover from the January earthquake,” GFB President Zippy Duvall said. “Peanut butter is an ideal food to send to Haiti because it is a delicious, nutritious food that doesn’t require refrigeration or cooking and travels well.” Georgia Farm Bureau contributed $5,000 of the total donation and asked its 158 county offices to join it in supporting the cause. The county Farm Bureau offices responded by donating $11,000. “We appreciate all of the donations that our county Farm Bureaus contributed. Each donated dollar buys about one pound of peanut butter which equals 14 servings,” Duvall said. “Their generosity shows that farmers are truly committed to feeding the world.” Early County 2055, a non-profit 22

organization based in Blakely, Ga., initiated Peanut Butter for Haiti. The project expanded as numerous peanut organizations including the Georgia Peanut Commission, the National Peanut Buying Points Association, Birdsong Peanuts and Golden Peanut Company offered their support. The J.M. Smucker Company and John B. Sanfilippo & Sons have donated peanut butter to the project. Cash donations were used to buy peanut butter at cost from Tara Foods and ConAgra. The initiative shipped the peanut butter to Haiti from Norfolk, Va., Jacksonville, Fla. and Miami via Navy cargo vessels and a Carnival Cruise ship, according to Sally Wells, logistics and administration manager with Birdsong Peanuts in Blakely, Ga. Wells coordinated the procurement and shipment of peanut butter and peanut products for the initiative. “Since its arrival, your product has been distributed in multiple directions throughout Haiti and provided nutrition to people living in tent camps, temporary shelters, hospitals

Photo courtesy of Operation Blessing

GFB supports peanut butter for Haiti

Georgia Farm Bureau’s donation to the Peanut Butter for Haiti initiative is helping children like these at Our Lady of Miraculous Meadows Orphanage in the city of Cap-Haitien.

and orphanages,” Operation Blessing Procurement Manager Amy Hammond said. Hammond said the nonprofit organization has invested in a large warehouse to help distribute food and relief supplies on a long-term basis for several non-profit and governmental agencies. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


EXTENSION from page 8

Where’s the beef?

Upson County Extension Coordinator Wes Smith works with beef cattle producers, many who work day jobs and spend their off time as cattlemen. Juggling two jobs is challenging enough, and lately Smith’s producers have experienced the added curveball of rising fertilizer costs. Smith shows his producers how incorporating legumes into a forage program can do two things: reduce nitrogen requirements and increase forage quality. “It’s something I can do and my county folks will see the benefits,” he said. He’s also studied whether cows will eat mown Bermuda grass. “We let them onto the plot a month to six weeks before they calve and let them harvest their own hay,” Smith said. Using this method allows producers to save $40 per cow per year, which can add up to more than $150,000 in savings per year across the county.

Answer Key: 1-H 2-M 3-E 4-J 5-A 6-N 7-C 8-S 9-G 10 - P 11 - K 12 - T 13 - B 14 - R 15 - I 16 - O 17 - L 18 - F 19 - Q 20 - D

B E S T M A N A G E M E N T P R A C T I C E S

Kids’ Corner Answers

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W A S T E C E R V A T O P S T R V S D N A E R S E R V A T I

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Research center

Across the state, CAES has eight research and education centers in addition to specialists and researchers located on the UGA campuses in Athens, Griffin and Tifton, and on the Georgia Southern University campus in Statesboro. At the Southeast Georgia Research and Education Center in Midville, agents conduct additional “on-farm” research. Center superintendent Anthony Black matches them up with specialists who have expertise in the areas they’re working in. The primary crops tested there are cotton, peanuts, soybeans and corn. Other trials include a small grain variety test and a biofuels project. “The Extension agent research is particularly interesting to me because it’s so easy to transfer to the farm,” Black said. “A farmer can drive up here and see something that could be on his farm in a week if he wanted it to be.” Stephanie Schupska is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010

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WE, THE FARMERS from page 2 way, the use of antibiotics will be taken out of animal husbandry practices. If HR-1549 and S-619 are passed, veterinarians and farmers will be handicapped in their efforts to protect our nation’s food supply and maintain the health of their livestock. The use of antibiotics is vital to animal health and food production. The “CBS Evening News” aired a report in February that blamed the use of antibiotics in livestock for antibiotic resistance in humans. Former USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Food Safety Dr. Scott Hurd, who is now an associate professor at Iowa State University, has issued a point-by-point rebuttal of the CBS report citing statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization. Hurd says no studies have shown a link between animals consuming antibiotic feed and people developing antibiotic-resistant infections from handling

or eating meat from these animals. Countries, such as Denmark, that have outlawed the use of preventative antibiotics are now using more antibiotics to treat sick animals, according to the report “Lessons from the Danish Ban on Feed-Grade Antibiotics,” published by Iowa State University. Farmers care about our farm animals. In order to raise healthy animals, we need tools to keep them healthy so we can contribute to public health through food safety. Issues like this are why it is important for Farm Bureau to communicate with our elected officials and encourage them not to tie our hands. We hear a lot about organizations “going green,” insinuating they are doing business in an environmentally safe way. Georgia’s farmers have been “green” for a long time - protecting and caring for our natural resources and our farm animals. Farmers were the first conservationists and continue to discover new and better ways to protect

Cogongrass eradication encouraged

Cogongrass, a highly invasive weed, has been identified in 355 spots in 38 Georgia counties, and the Georgia Cogongrass Task Force is working to eradicate it. “From late March to mid-June the fluffy, silvery-white seed heads of cogongrass wave like flags marking infestations in forests and other places,” says Dave Moorhead, co-director of the University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species & Ecosystem Health. “During this time no other grass in Georgia has that kind of seed head.” The Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) is working to educate landowners about the weed, hoping to prevent it from spreading as it has in neighboring states. The weed is estimated to have infected more than 1 million acres in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. GFC Forest Health Specialist Mark McClure stresses the importance of killing cogongrass before it becomes established. “It will choke out all ground cover vegetation. Over time, once it’s established, you won’t get natural tree vegetation,” McClure says. “Georgia

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was the first state to take a proactive approach to eradicate it. We’re spraying it as fast as we find it.” The GFC and UGA Cooperative Extension Service is helping landowners identify and spray the weed, which has a distinctive lightcolored midrib and flowers two to eight inches long with seeds similar to dandelions. Native to Asia, cogongrass spreads through windblown seeds and underground rhizomes. McClure said it takes up to three years and costs about $500 an acre to eradicate cogongrass, which grows in a circular pattern. Visit www.cogongrass.org for more information. If you see a suspect site, contact your local UGA Extension office by calling 1-800-ASK-UGA1 or your local GFC office.

our environment. Georgia farmers spend millions of dollars on best management practices. We utilize no-till planting methods that reduce soil erosion. Using precision farming with GPS machinery makes planting crops more efficient by using less fuel and fertilizer. We’re also utilizing genetically engineered seeds that require the use of fewer herbicides and pesticides, which is better for the environment. Farmers also realize what a precious resource water is. That’s why we’re doing our part to prepare for the future by using the latest technology and irrigation practices to water our crops as efficiently as possible. Georgia Farm Bureau worked with Gov. Perdue and our state legislators to write water conservation legislation this year that will ensure Georgia’s farmers have the water we need while helping Georgia use its water resources responsibly. Yes, being green is nothing new for Georgia’s largest industry. As you travel our beautiful state and enjoy the grazing cattle, green cropland, forests and wetlands full of wildlife in the countryside, remember that Georgia’s farmers work every day for you – protecting and caring for the soil, natural resources and the animals that inhabit our state. We at Farm Bureau also care about you, our members. That’s why we continue to look for ways to better serve you. On pages 12 and 13 you can learn more about the benefits GFB provides our members. The Choice Hotel discount has been so popular that we’re pleased to announce we’re adding a discount for Wyndham Hotels and Endless Vacation Rentals. We’re also adding a 10 percent discount at Jiffy Lube for all products and services. We, the farmers, are proud to continue the work that God gave us when he put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and gave man the responsibility to care. We’re just fulfilling the mission God outlined in Genesis 1:26. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creepy thing that creeps on earth.” God Bless! Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


STRAWBERRIES from page 4 provide that education experience.” Visit www.southernbellefarm.com for more information. CALHOUN PRODUCE, Turner County Sheila Calhoun Rice says people are surprised when they arrive at Calhoun Produce and they don’t have to pay to park. “That just wouldn’t fly with my clientele,” she said. “It’s just a fun day out in the country, and they can bring their family.” A family of four can get a bucket of strawberries, ride the tractor-drawn wagon and view a honeybee demonstration for about $25, with a healthy variety of activities thrown in for free, including the parking. Calhoun Produce also has locations in Cordele and Sylvester. Rice said Calhoun’s has been selling strawberries straight out of the field for 15 years, and they’ve been hosting school tours the same length of time. Calhoun’s main crops are

Jimmy Carter and his granddaughter, 1-year-old Karson Carter, examine strawberry plants at Southern Belle Farm in late March.

butterbeans and peas, which become available in the summer. The strawberry push was an effort to extend the farm’s selling season. For five weeks in the spring, the farm hosts a steady stream of school field trips. “They’re learning a lot,” Rice said. “Kids think Wal-Mart is where their groceries come from. They get here and see it all and they’re just amazed.”

Visit www.calhouproduce.com for more information. ____________________ Ottawa Farms, Southern Belle Farm, and Calhoun Produce are all Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Markets. For more information about the Certified Farm Markets program visit www.gfb.org/commodities/cfm/default.html. You’ll find a complete listing of all GFB CFMs beginning on page 28.

THE GEORGIA STRAWBERRY CALENDAR • September: The fields are arranged into a series of beds – raised sections of dirt into which the strawberry plants will be planted. • October: Drip irrigation tubes are laid on top of the beds and covered with sheets of plastic, and the soil is fumigated. Then holes are poked in the plastic and the plants are dropped into the holes. Many farms in Georgia get their plants from nurseries in North Carolina. • November–February: The plants grow. Throughout most of Georgia, they begin blooming in late February or early March, depending on how long cold weather lasts. Berries form about 30 days after the blooms open. If the temperatures drop below freezing, spray irrigation is used to form insulating sheaths of ice that protect the plants. • April: Families hit the fields and pick the berries. The strawberry plants repeatedly generate fruit until late summer. Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010

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Something’s Cooking hese recipes will help you enjoy some of the fresh summer produce Georgia farmers are harvesting with minimal cooking effort. These dishes will also help you and your family get the daily servings of dairy and protein recommended in the 2005 dietary guidelines by the USDA and U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services. All recipes and photos are courtesy of the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc. in celebration of June Dairy Month.

Beef Burrito with Pepper Jack Cheese & Black Beans Makes 6 servings 1/2 pound ground beef sirloin 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 cup chunky salsa, divided 2 cups cooked brown or white rice 6 (9-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 (11-ounce) can corn kernels, drained 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese 1/3 cup sliced green onion, including green tops In a medium nonstick skillet, brown ground beef and garlic over medium heat. Break beef mixture up into smaller chunks with a spoon. Drain fat and stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa; set aside. Spread 1/3 cup of rice on center of a tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

Scatter about 2 tablespoons of beans and 1 1/2 tablespoons of corn over rice. Spread 1/3 cup of the beef mixture and 1/4 cup of the cheese over corn. Top with 2 teaspoons of the salsa and a few pieces of green onion. Fold in two opposite edges of tortilla one inch each and roll up. Place, seam side down, on microwave safe dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Nutritional Facts Calories: 450 Total Fat: 16g Saturated Fat: 8g Cholesterol: 65mg Sodium: 900mg Calcium: 25% Daily Value Protein: 26g Carbohydrates: 59g Dietary Fiber: 8g

Cheesey Vidalia® Onion Casserole Dairy Food Facts Myth: People who are lactose intolerant have to avoid all dairy foods. Fact: Most people who are lactose intolerant can eat some dairy foods, such as lactose-reduced or lactosefree milk, hard cheeses and yogurt. Myth: Only whole milk contains vitamin D. Fact: All milk, regardless of the fat content, is fortified with vitamin D. All milk also provides calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein and riboflavin. Myth: Whole milk has more nutrients than lower fat milk. Fact: Low-fat and free free milk are just as nutrient-rich as whole milk. All milk has calcium and vitamin D for strong bones and teeth; calcium, protein and magnesium fo health blood pressue and protein for muscle growth. For more information about dairy myths, you may download a free copy of the Get the Facts on Dairy brochure at www.southeastdairy.org 26

5 or 6 med. Vidalia® onions, sliced 1/2 cup butter, melted Parmesan cheese 3/4 cup Ritz cracker crumbs 3/4 cup cheese cracker crumbs (Cheese-Its or Ritz Cheddar) 1 (10 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 11/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated Paprika Salt and pepper

Sauté onions lightly in butter.

Spread half of the onions in the bottom of a 7 x 9 inch casserole dish. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and 1/2 of each cracker crumbs. Top with the remaining onions, season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and add remaining cracker crumbs. Spread mushroom soup over top. Cover with 11/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Berry Blast Smoothie 1 cup frozen blueberries,strawberries or peaches 2 (6-ounce) containers fat-free fruit yogurt of choice 1/2 cup fat-free milk 1 tablespoon unsalted, natural almond butter 1 tablespoon honey In a blender, add frozen fruit of choice, yogurt, milk, almond butter and honey. Cover and puree until smooth. Pour into two tall glasses and serve. Nutritional Facts Calories: 230 Fat: 5g Saturated Fat: 0.5g Cholesterol: 5mg Sodium: 120mg Calcium: 35% Daily Value Protein: 10g Carbohydrates: 39g Dietary Fiber: 4g Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


Enjoy the bounty of summer Georgia farmers grow some of the best fresh fruit and vegetables but it’s important that you know how to properly select and handle fresh produce.

Safe Handling of Fresh Produce

Clean hands with warm water before and after handling fresh produce. Clean all surfaces and utensils with hot water and soap. Always rinse all fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water. Separate fresh produce from raw foods both in and outside your refrigerator. Do not use the same cutting board for meats and produce without cleaning with hot water and soap before and after use. Refrigerate all cut, peeled or cooked fresh produce within two hours. Throw away bruised or damaged portions of fruits and vegetables when preparing to cook them. Throw away any produce if it has touched raw meat, poultry or seafood. If in doubt, throw it out! BLUEBERRIES Look for plump, firm berries that are a light blue-gray color. Fresh blueberries will keep up to three weeks if covered properly and refrigerated. Frozen blueberries can last up to two years, if stored properly. CORN Select corn with bright green, snug husks. Kernels should be fresh, tender,

plump and just firm enough to offer slight resistance to pressure. Ears of corn will keep for several days in the refrigerator if wrapped tightly in plastic film or stored in airtight containers. PEACHES When selecting peaches, smell the fruit. The peach should have a pleasingly sweet fragrance. Look for a creamy gold to yellow under color. The red or “blush” of a peach is an indication of variety, not ripeness. Don’t squeeze peaches; they bruise easily! Place firm peaches on the counter for a day or so to ripen. Promptly refrigerate ripe peaches, and eat them within a week of purchase. SQUASH Squash should be tender. Avoid stale or over-mature summer squash which will have a dull appearance and a hard, tough surface. If refrigerated, summer squash will keep up to two weeks.

golden-brown exterior. They should be rounded on the bottom and slightly flat on top. To freeze a whole Vidalia® onion, peel, wash, core and place it in a freezer bag. Frozen onions should be used for cooking because freezing changes their texture. WATERMELONS Choose a firm, symmetrical melon free of bruises, cuts and dents. Lift the melon. If it’s ripe, it should feel heavy for its size. Next, turn it over. On the underbelly you should see a creamy yellow splotch. If the splotch is white or green, the watermelon was harvested too soon. A ripe watermelon sounds hollow when tapped with your knuckles.

TOMATOES Ripe tomatoes will be a rich red color and slightly soft. Tomatoes with the stems attached lose moisture slower and stay fresh longer. If tomatoes need ripening, store them at room temperature. Don’t store tomatoes in the refrigerator unless they’re fully ripe. Cold temperatures might keep them from ripening. VIDALIA ONIONS Vidalia® onions should have a light,

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Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010

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Farm-fresh produce available at GFB Certified Farm Markets Fresh fruit and vegetables are coming into season throughout the state. You should make plans to visit one of the many Georgia Farm Bureau Certified Farm Markets across Georgia. These markets offer a wide variety of farm fresh fruits, vegetables and other items. Some of the markets allow you to pick your own produce, letting you reap the benefits of having a garden without all of the work. These markets not only offer wholesome, farm-fresh products but also give you the opportunity to visit the farm, and in many cases, talk to the farmer who raised the food. Many of the markets offer corn mazes, hayrides or other activities. Visiting a GFB Certified Farm Market is a great way to teach your children how food is grown.

Adams Farms 1486 Hwy 54 W • Fayetteville, 30214 • 770-461-9395 www.adamsfarmfayettevillega.com virginiaadams@bellsouth.net Apr-Oct 9am-5pm Mon-Sat Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Tomatoes, Squash, Beans, Butterbeans, Peas, Cantaloupes, Peppers, Peaches, Pumpkins, Jams, Jellies, Breads. Berry Patch Farms 786 Arnold Mill Rd • Woodstock, 30188 • 770-926-0561 www.berrypatchfarms.net Jul, Oct, Day after Thanksgiving (open for two weeks) Hours Seasonal-Call ahead Blueberries, Pumpkins, Christmas Trees, Tree Stands, Wreaths, Field Trips, Hay Rides. Berry’s Christmas Tree Farm 70 Mt. Tabor Road • Covington, 30014 • 770-786-5833 www.berrystreefarm.com • berryplace@yahoo.com By Appointment Jan-Oct/10am-7pm Nov-Dec Christmas Trees (Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine, Carolina Sapphire, Cedar, Fresh Cut Fraser Fir), B&B Landscape Trees (Oak, Maple, River Birch, Leyland Cypress, Holly), Fresh Wreaths, Garland, Stands, Snow Flocking Available, Farm Tours, Train Rides, Concession Stand. B.J. Reece Apple House 9131 Hwy 52 East • Ellijay, 30536 • 706-276-3048 www.reeceorchards.com • reeceorchards@ellijay.com July-Dec. Monday-Saturday, 8am-9pm 1pm-6pm Sunday Apples, Cider, Pies, Canned Goods, Breads, Honey, Fresh Produce, Sorghum Syrup, Baked Goods, Souvenir Items, T-Shirts, Baskets, Cookbooks, Bird Houses. Call for Pick Your Own. Burton Brooks Orchards Hwy 76 122 • Barney, 31625 • 229-775-2710 or 2828 May-Jul 8am-8pm Peaches, Nectarines, Blueberries, Vidalia Onions, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Tomatoes, Fresh Vegetables, Jams, Jellies, Syrups, Homemade Churn Style Peach Ice Cream. Cagle’s Family Farm and Maize 362 Stringer Rd • Canton, 30115 • 770-345-5591 www.caglesfamilyfarm.com levi@caglescornmaize.com Year Round Mon-Sat 9am-4pm. Call for Events and Appointments Farm Tours available by appointment March-November. Maize and fall events starting Labor Day Weekend. Christmas Trees Thanksgiving through Christmas.

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Consult the list below or visit the GFB Certified Market website at www. gfb.org for a market near you. To receive a copy of the 2010 CFM brochure, call 1-800-342-1196. Visit www.georgiagrownfun.com for additional listings. Georgia ranks among the top four states for the volume and value of fresh market vegetables harvested. The farm gate value for vegetables, fruits and nuts grown in Georgia is more than $1 billion dollars. If you have a farm market and want to learn about becoming a GFB Certified Farm Market member, contact Brandon Ashley at btashley@gfb.org or call 1-800342-1196.

Cagle Farmhouse at Papa Albert’s Market 150 Stringer Road • Canton, 30115 • 404-567-6363 www.caglesfarmhouse.com • bernese@caglesfarmhouse.com May-Oct., Daylight to Dark everyday. Farmhouse by appointment Fresh in season vegetables- specialty is Tomatoes and Corn-grown naturally on the GA Centennial Farm. The house is open for parties, small wedding rehearsals, and receptions. Garden Tours, fishing and gemstones. Check website for more details. Calhoun Produce Inc 5075 Hawpond Rd • Ashburn, 31714 229-273-1887 or 1860 www.calhounproduce.com calhounproduce@calhounproduce.com Jan-Dec Pick your own Strawberries, Vidalia Onions, Butterbeans, Peas, Peaches, Tomatoes, Okra, Squash, Cantaloupes, Watermelons, Peanuts, Pecans. Gift Shop with Home Décor Items, Farm Toys, Gift Baskets and Gift Boxes. Fall Activities-maze and pumpkins. Calhoun Produce Inc Crisp Co Cordele State Farmers Market Hwy 41 • North Cordele, 31015 • 229-273-1892 www.calhounproduce.com calhounproduce@calhounproduce.com Jun-Sept Call for Hours Butterbeans, Peas, Vidalia Onions, Peaches, Tomatoes, Squash, Okra, Cantaloupes, Watermelons, Peanuts, Pecans, Gift Shop with Home Décor Items and Farm Toys. Calhoun Produce Inc Worth Co 3649 US Hwy 82 West • Sylvester, 31791 229-777-0824 www.calhounproduce.com calhounproduce@calhounproduce.com Mar-Aug Call for Hours Pick Your Own Strawberries, Vidalia Onions, Butterbeans, Peas, Peaches, Tomatoes, Okra, Squash, Cantaloupes, Watermelons, Peanuts, Pecans, Gift Shop with Home Décor Items and Farm Toys. Chase Farm Market Hwy 26 @ Riverview Lane • Oglethorpe, 31068 478-472-1729 or 7726 eglc@windstream.net Jun-Jul 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, Closed Sat-Sun Sweet Corn (White), Shelled Southern Peas and Butterbeans, Tomatoes.

Connell Farms Highway 362 • Hollonville, 30292 • 770-229-4096 www.connellfarms.com • connellfarms@att.net Market: Apr-Sept 9am-6pm Mon-Fri.; 9am-4pm Saturday Corn Maze-mid Sept- mid Nov U-Pick Strawberries, Blueberries, Tomatoes, Squash, Beans, Peas, Cantaloupes, Watermelons, School Field Trips, Corn Maze. Copeland Strawberry Farms P.O. Box 217 • Rochelle, 31079 • 229-365-7405 or 7391 Mar-Jun 8am-6pm Mon-Sat Strawberries, Ice Cream, Jams, Jellies Onions, Green Beans, Melons. Dacula Briarpatch 2503 Cammie Wages Rd • Dacula, 30019 770-962-4990 June - Nov 8am-7pm Tues - Sat. Closed Sun & Mon Apples, Blackberries, Blueberries, Figs, Muscadine grapes, Plums (when available) and some vegetables. Blackberry and Blueberry Plants. Davis Farm Fresh Produce 560 John Collins Rd • Pelham, 31779 • 229-294-2540 davisfarmfreshproduce@pelnet.net Year Round 7am-Dark Daily Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Pumpkins, Peaches, Peanuts, Sauces, Jams, Jellies, Shelled Peas, Shelled Butterbeans, Corn, Honey, Syrup, Pecans, Boiled Peanuts, Ice Cream and a selection of Pork. Field trips for schools and groups including hay rides and train for the children. Restaurant serving Southern, home cooked meals daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Deb-Deb’s Strawberries 145 County Line Rd. • Jenkinsburg, 30234 (770) 504-1486, (770) 510-8931 deb68deb@aol.com April-May. 10:00am-6:00pm Tuesday-Saturday, 1:006:00 Sunday. Closed Monday Strawberries. Dean Farms 4193 Vada Road • Climax, 39834 • (229) 246-2628, (229) 248-8566 May 30-Oct 30, 8:00am-until Sweet Corn, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Peas and Beans, Squash, Peppers, Tomatoes, Okra and Peanuts.

Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


Dickey Farms 3440 Old Hwy 341 North • Musella, 31066 478-836-4362 www.dickeyfarms.com • info@dickeyfarms.com May-Aug Mon-Fri 8am-7pm, Sat-Sun 8am-6pm Peaches, Nectarines, Fresh Peach Ice Cream, Sweet Corn, Butterbeans, Peas, Tomatoes, Peach Bread and Fritters, Jams, Jellies, Dressings, Salsas, Gift Items, T-Shirts, Hats, Mail Order. Tour Groups Welcome. Nice Pavilion for Picnics. Dickey’s at the Hilltop Corner of Hwys 74 & 341 • Culloden, 31016 478-836-4362 www.dickeyfarms.com • info@dickeyfarms.com May-Aug 8:30am-5:30pm Daily Fresh Tree Ripe Peaches, Nectarines, Tomatoes, Homemade Jams, Jellies, Pickled Okra and Relishes. Double B Farms Christmas Trees 8511 Knoxville Rd • Lizella, 31052 • 478-935-8742 tolixpm@mindspring.com Nov-Dec 10:00am-Dark Christmas Trees, Tree Stands Drigger’s Farm Market 30520 Hwy 23 • Collins, 30421 • 912-693-1938 beelinebuzzz.com • driggersfarm@windstream.net May-December. Monday-Saturday; Closed Sunday. 8am-6pm U-Pick, Cabbage, Greens, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cucumbers, Okra, Fresh Shelled Peas, Peppers, Pumpkins, Snap Beans, Squash, New Potatoes, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Vidalia Onions, Watermelons, Jams, Jellies, Cane Syrup, Honey. Drigger’s Farm Market-Metter 980 SE Broadstreet (Hwy 46) • Metter, 30439 912-685-6071 metterfarmmarket.com Open Year Round. Monday-Saturday; Closed Sunday. 8am-6pm Cabbage, Greens, Cantaloupe, Carrots, Cucumbers, Okra, Peas, Peppers, Pumpkins, Snap Beans, Squash, New Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Vidalia Onions, Watermelons, Shelled Peas, Grocery Items, Jams, Jellies, Cane Syrup, Honey. Durrence Farm 18388 GA Hwy 23 • Reidsville, 30453 • 912-557-4939 Sept - Nov 8am-5pm U-Pick Gourmet Sweet Potatoes - Labor Day thru Thanksgiving. U-Pick Tomatoes June thru Mid July. Elliott Farms #1 4761 Holley Road • Lizella, GA • (478) 935-8180 www.elliottfarmsga.com • elliottfarmsga@pstel.net Monday-Saturday, 8am-7pm. Sunday, 10am-6pm Pick your own Strawberries, Blackberries, Tomatoes, Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Onions, Jellies, local honey, home made ice cream, Flowers (sunflowers and zinnias), Pumpkins, and Corn Maze. School Field trips and church groups by appointment. Elliott Farms #2 9515 Feagin Road • Macon, 31216 • (478)935-8180 www.elliottfarmsga.com • elliottfarmsga@pstel.net Monday-Saturday, 8am-7pm. Sunday, 10am-6pm Strawberries tomatoes, squash, sweet corn, sweet onions, jellies, local honey, home made ice cream. Ellis Bros. Pecans Inc 1315 Tippettville Rd • Vienna, 31092 • 229-268-9041 or 800-635-0616 www.werenuts.com • orders@werenuts.com Year Round 8am-7pm Daily Pecans, Peanuts, Peaches, Vidalia Onions (in Season), Ice Cream, Candies, Jams, Jellies, Relishes, Honey, Syrups,. Gift Items and Souvenirs @ “The Gift Connection.” Tours Available by appointment.

Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010

Freeman Springs Family Farm 3895 Freeman Springs Road • Rocky Face, 30740 (706) 673-4090 freemanspringsfarm@yahoo.com May-Dec., Tuesday-Sunday 9am-6pm Jam, Jellies, Relishes, mixes, produce. Seasonal: Pumpkin Patch, strawberries, blueberries, fresh produce, pecans, muscadines. Animal Barn, Crafts, Christmas gift baskets. Corn Maze, hay maze, hay rides, field trips. Gardner Farms 3192 Hwy 42 • Locust Grove, 30248 • 770-957-4912 Jun-Aug 7am-1pm Daily Peaches, Blueberries, Blackberries, Drinks. Buses Welcome. Call for availability. G.W. Long Farm 3005 Old Whigham Rd • Bainbridge, 39817 229-246-8086 or 7519 May-Sep Mon-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 7am-Noon Peas, Butterbeans, Watermelons, Sweet Potatoes, Cantaloupes, Tomatoes, Snap Beans, Squash, Okra, Irish Potatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Corn. Hayes Farm 4229 New Franklin Church Rd • Canon, 30520 706-356-8831 Call for days open & Availability of crops U-Pick : Strawberries. Non U-Pick: Blueberries, Peaches, Corn, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Tomatoes, Okra, Peas, Other Vegetables, Jams, Recipe Books. Call for availability. Hillcrest Orchards 9696 Hwy 52E • Ellijay, 30536 • 706-273-3838 www.hillcrestorchards.net • applelan@ellijay.com Sept, Oct - 9-6 Daily Nov 9-5 Daily - Call for time of special events Apples, U-Pick Apples, Cider, Bakery Items, Ice Cream, Fudge, Dried Apples, Honey, Canned Goods, Fresh Ground Corn Meal, Pig Races, Milk a Cow, Farm Tours, Wagon Rides, Petting Farm, Playground, Moonshine Museum, Pedal Kart Track, Nature Trail. PYO during Apple Pickin Jubilee. Hillside Orchard Farms Country Store & Farm 18 Sorghum Mill Dr • Lakemont, 30552 • 706-782-2776 www.hillsideorchard.com • hillside@hillsideorchard.com Year Round 9:00am-5:30pm. In Jan/Feb closed on Tues & Wed Apples, Blackberries, PYO Strawberries, Ciders, Canned Goods (over 500 Products), Honey, Sorghum, Bakery Items (Breads, Pies, Fritters, Doughnuts), Boiled Peanuts, Ice Cream, Peaches, Pumpkins, Tomatoes, Seasonal Produce, “The Sorghum Mill Café.” Ison’s Nursery and Vineyard 6855 Newnan Road • Brooks, GA • 770-599-6970 www.isons.com • ison@isons.com Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm. Closed Sunday Muscadines,Muscadine Jelly, preserves, syrup, butter and Juice Muscadine dietary supplements. Tomatoes, Peaches. Jack’s Creek Farms 2291 Price Mill Rd • Bostwick, 30623 • 706-343-1855 www.jackscreekfarm.com • dpmalcom@bellsouth.com Nov 9am-6pm Christmas Trees (VA Pine, Red Cedar, Leyland Cypress, fresh Carolina Sapphire), Field Grown Nursery Stock, Jams, Jellies, Boiled Peanuts, Cider, Decorations. Jaemor Farm Market 5340 Cornelia Hwy • Alto, 30510 • 770-869-3999 or 0999 www.jaemorfarms.com • info@jaemorfarms.com 7am-6pm (Sep-May) 7am-7pm (Jun-Aug) Daily Peaches, Strawberries, Blackberries, Apples, Cantaloupes, Watermelons, Tomatoes, Grapes, Pumpkins, Nectarines, Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Relishes, Fried Apple Pies, Handmade Furniture, Pottery, Garden Seed, Fertilizer, Flowers, Propane. Corn Maze, Farm Tour.

Jibb’s Vineyards 1521 Jenkins Farm Road • Byromville GA 31007 478-952-8328 howardjames2000@yahoo.com 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, May 20th- November 1st Muscadine Grapes, Peaches, Green Plums, Collards and Watermelon. Kauffman’s Farmarket 1305 Mennonite Church Road • Montezuma, 31603 478-472-8833 www.kauffmansfarmarket.com stevetta@windstream.net March-July, 8:00am-5:00pm Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday. Call for fall hours U-Pick Strawberries, Tomatoes, Peaches, Squash, Corn, Beans, Cucumbers, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Peppers, Onions, Potatoes, other Vegetables, Jellies, Jams, Ice Cream, Sandwhich Deli, Potted Plants, Vegetable Plants. Tour Buses welcome. Lane Southern Orchards 50 Lane Rd • Fort Valley, 31030 • 478-825-3592 or 3362 www.lanesouthernorchards.com Year Round May-Aug 9am-7pm, Sep-Apr 9am-5pm Peaches, Pecans, Strawberries, Indian River Citrus, Vidalia Onions, Tomatoes, Peanuts, Peas, Butterbeans, Jams, Jellies, Dressings, Café, Gift Shop, Mail Order, Ice Cream, Southern Gifts, Peach Tour, GA Peach Festival. Corn Maze and PYO-Strawberries. Lawson Peaches 8545 Valdosta Hwy • Morven, 31638 • 229-775-2581 lawsonfarms@windstream.net Apr-Jul 8am-8pm Daily Peaches, Nectarines, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Blueberries, Tomatoes, Vidalia Onions, Jams, Jellies, Peach Ice Cream and Peach Milkshakes. Lovin Farm Produce 1590 Hwy 15 South • Greensboro, 30642 706-318-7990 May (Fri & Sat only) 10:00am-5:00pm. June-July (Thurs-Sat) 10:00am-5:00pm Aug-Sept (Fri & Sat only) 10:00am-4:00pm. Please call prior to coming Eggplant, Tomatoes, Squash, Okra, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Corn, Cabbage, Peas, Beans, Butterbeans, Peppers, Cantaloupes, Watermelons, Peaches, Collards, Turnip Greens, Honey, Chow Chow, Relishes, Fresh Eggs, Seasonal Produce, Boiled Peanuts. Call for Availability. Lowrey Farms 2416 Hwy 140 • Rome, 30161 • 706-295-1157 www.facebook.com (Lowrey Farms) lowreyfarms@aol.com April-Dec; Monday-Saturday 10-6, Sunday 1-5 Sweet Corn, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Tomatoes, Okra, Squash, Peas, Beans, Romane Lettuce, Cabbage, Peppers, Pumpkins, other vegetables. All natural Angus Beef and whole hog sausage. Cut Fraser Firs and other Christmas Trees, Corn Stalks, Flowers, Vegetables Little Bend Orchard’s Apple Barn 3379 Tails Creek Rd • Ellijay, 30540 • 706-635-5898 or 706-273-0452 www.redapplebarn.com • rachelp@ellijay.com Aug 15-Dec 20, Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 12:30-5:30pm Apples, Peaches, Ciders, Dried Apples, Pies, Fritters, Bread, Sweet Corn, Honey, Jams, Jellies, Sorghum, Sweet Potatoes, Baskets, Gourds, Mats, Other Items. Luke Orchards 66 Rice Lane • Ray City, 31645 • 229-455-3071 Oct. 15-Dec. 31 Pecans and related items, Candied Nuts, Jams, Jellies, Syrups & Honey.

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Mack Aaron Apple House 8955 Hwy 52 East • Ellijay, 30536 • 706-273-3600 706-273-3602 Fax July 15-October, 8am-6pm; November-January (closing), 8 am-5pm Apples, Peaches, Cider, Jams, Jellies, Relishes, Honey, Syrups, Bakery Items, More than eleven Flavors of Fried Pies, Apple Peelers and Other Kitchen Gadgets. Tour Buses Welcome. Marks Melon Patch 8580 Albany Hwy • Dawson, 39842 • 229-698-4750 or 229-881-0814 www.marksmelonpatch.com sales@marksmelonpatch.com Year Round Apr-Oct 8am-7pm, Nov-Mar 8am-6pm Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Pumpkins (PYO), Sweet Corn, Peaches, Tomatoes, Peanuts (dry and green), Jams, Jellies, Vidalia Onions, Blueberries, Muscadines, Peas, Butterbeans, Gourds, Pecans, Tours, Hayrides, Hay Bales, Cornstalks, Cotton Stalks, Halloween School Tours Mercier Orchards 8660 Blue Ridge Drive • Blue Ridge, 30513 706-632-3411 www.mercier-orchards.com info@mercier-orchards.com (Dec-May) Mon-Sat 8am-5pm & Sun 10am - 5pm Memorial Day - Thanksgivings Mon - Sat 8am - 6pm & Sun 10am - 6pm Apples, Peaches, Blueberries, Blackberries, Nectarines, Cider, Jams, Jellies, Preserves, Sauces, Pickles, Relishes, Candles, Potpourri, Kitchen Items, Gift Items, Bakery Products, Deli. Merritt Pecan Co., Inc. Hwy 520 • Weston, 31832 • 229-828-6610 www.merritt-pecan.com • nutty@sowega.net Year Round (except Christmas), 7am-7pm Pecans available year round (new crop ready by Oct. 15), Pecan Candies, Jellies and Jams, Syrups, homemade pies and cakes, Pecan Brittle, Divinity, GA Souvenirs, T-Shirts, Cookbooks, Gift Baskets, gas and diesel. Minter’s Farm 283 Hill’s Bridge Road • Fayetteville, 30215 770-461-2840 www.mintersfarm.com • mintersfarm@aol.com Monday-Saturday, 9:00am-5:00pm April 15-Thanksgiving. Open Daily 9:00am-5:00pm Thanksgiving-December 31 Collards, Turnip Greens, Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Peas, Okra, Sweet Potatoes, Onions, Beans, Squash, Jams, Jellies, Sorghum Syrup. U-Cut Christmas Trees (Leyland Cypres, Virginia Pines, White Pines, Fraser Firs), Wreaths, Ornaments. School Tours in Fall and Host to Inman Farm Heritage Days 3rd weekend in September every year. Mitcham Farm 750 Macedonia Church Rd, Oxford • 30054 (770) 786-8805 or (778) 855-1530 www.mitchamfarm.com • mitchamemy@bellsouth.net Seasonal-Call Ahead Strawberries, Collards, Onions, Sweet Corn, pumpkins, hay, wheat straw, pine straw, fall decorations. PYO Strawberries, Corn Maze, Farm Tours. Ochlocknee Ridge Farms 1069 Rossman Dairy Rd • Moultrie, 31768 229-941-5971 or 229-891-0583 www.oridgefarms.com • theharts@sowega.org Mar-Jul, Call for Hours Strawberries and Tomatoes. Odom Apiaries 2310 Williford Road • Rebecca, 31783 • 229-392-0321 www.odomapiaries.com • odomapiaries03@yahoo.com Year Round, 8-until Honey, Beeswax, Beeswax Candles.

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Ogeechee Peaches 624 Old Louisville Road • Millen, 30442 (404) 386-5207 www.opeaches.com • snewton100@comcast.net June-July; 8-6 Friday, Saturday, 1-6 Sunday Peaches Open Creek Farms 236 Ziegman Whonic Road • Lyons, 30436 (912) 565-9394, (912) 293-2374 www.facebook.com-Open Creek Farms opencreekfarms@yahoo.com Year round 8:00am-8:00pm. Call for availability or check Facebook Seasonal Organic Vegetables. Year Round Grown Organically in a greenhouse: Tomatoes, Lettuce, Cucumber, Strawberries. Jellies, Tomato Sauce, Salad Dressings. Also available: breakfast, lunch, and snacks to be enjoyed in a relaxing, historical setting. Home is part of the Altamaha Heritage Tour in the fall. Osage Farm 5030 Hwy 441 North • Rabun Gap, 30568 706-746-6952 May-Oct, 8am-6pm, 7 days Fresh Vegetables-Tomatoes, Cabbage, Strawberries, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Onions, Squash, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Cabbage, Flowers. Ottawa Farms 702 Bloomingdale Road • Bloomingdale, 31302 (912) 748-3035, (912)748-4210 www.ottawafarms.com • pwottawa@comcast.net March-August. 9:00am-6:00pm Tuesday-Saturday. 1:00pm-6:00pm Sunday U-Pick Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Sweet Corn, Okra. Strawberry Festival second weekend in April. We also do field trips for strawberry picking for schools, day cares, etc. Panorama Orchards Farm Market P.O. Box 157 • East Ellijay, 30539 • 706-276-3813 www.panoramaorchards.com Year Round 9am-6pm Daily Apples, Peaches, Cider, Fried Pies, Ice Cream, Apple Breads and Butter, Jams, Jellies, Dried Fruit, Bakery Items, Candy Shop, Antique Soda Fountain. Paulk Vineyards 1788 Satilla Rd • Wray, 31798 • 229-468-7873 www.paulkvineyards.com • pvinfo@paulkvineyards.com Aug-Sep 9am-7pm Fresh Muscadine Grapes, 100% Muscadine Grape Juice (Purple & White), Muscadine Grape Sauce, Preserves, Jellies, Muscadine Dietary Supplements. Payne Farm and Produce P.O. Box 246 • Calhoun, 30703 • 706-629-5704 April - January Call for Hours Tomatoes, Okra, Squash, Peas, Corn, Beans, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Peppers, Pumpkins, Other Vegetables, Gourds, Corn Stalks, Flowers, Baskets, Crafts, Strawberries, Collards, Cabbage and Greens. Pearson Farm 5575 Zenith Mill Rd • Fort Valley, 31030 • 478-825-7504 www.pearsonfarm.com • vicki@pearsonfarm.com May-Aug (Peaches) Nov-Jan (Pecans) 8am-5pm Peaches, Pecans, Peach Ice Cream. Perry Pecan & Produce 56 Reid Rd • Ellaville, 31806 • 229-937-2087 perryproduce@windstream.net Year Round Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 1pm-5pm Pecans, Peas, Beans, Collards, Turnips, Tomatoes, Squash, Corn, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Pumpkins, Jams, Jellies, Honey, Syrup, Boiled Peanuts, Pine Straw, Plants, Flowers.

Peyton’s Pecans 5824 Hwy 97 • Camilla, 31730 • 866-739-8607 www.peytonspecans.com lanairworsham@peytonspecans.com Mid Oct - Mid Jan 8am-5pm. Internet sales available year round Pecans & Pecans Candies, Gourmet Coffees and Syrups. Poppell Farms 1765 Hyma Poppell Loop • Odum, 31555 912-586-2215 www.poppellfarm.com • popfarms@alltel.net May - Oct 8am-6pm daily Peas (7 Varieties), Butterbeans (shelled or unshelled), watermelons, Tomatoes, Corn, Okra, Potatoes, Squash, Cucumbers, Pepper, Jelly, Pumpkins, Hayrides, Corn Maze and Field Trips during October. Prescott’s Strawberries 2226 Gus Perdue Rd • Wrens, 30833 706-547-3717 or 7342 1sberry@bellsouth.net Apr-Mid-June Mon-Sat 8am-8pm Strawberries (PYO and pre-picked), Strawberry Preserves, Strawberry Jelly, Strawberry Syrup, Strawberry Cider. R & A Orchard Inc 5505 Hwy 52 E • Ellijay, 30536 • 706-273-3821 or 2639 www.randaorchards.com • apples@randaorchards.com 9am-6pm Year Round Apples, Peaches (in season), Strawberries, Nectarines, Apple Products, Fried Pies, Cakes, Cookies, Peanut Brittle, Homemade Cider, Honey, Sorghum Syrup, Canned Goods, Fruit Baskets, Jams, Jellies, Chow Chows, Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Other Produce Available. Farm Tours and U-Pick every weekend in September. RJ & G Farms Inc 2385 Bill Hodges Rd • Claxton, 30417 • 912-618-9312 or 912-618-9002 Apr-Nov 8am-6pm New Red Potatoes, Onions, Squash, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Corn, Peas(White Acre, Pinkeye, Zipper, Sadandy) Butterbeans, Green Peanuts Rockin “S” Farm Market 465 Claude Scott Drive • Canton, 30115 (770) 781-2864, (770) 596-0711 stewartths@bellsouth.net Year Round, 8:00 am-6:00 pm Monday-Saturday Tomatoes, Corn, Peppers, Okra, Green Beans, Peas, Grapes, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Figs, Blackberries, Melons, Greens, much more. Homemade Jams, Jellies, Baked Goods, etc… A lot of heirloom fruits and vegetables. Christmas Trees. Rocky Ridge Farms 525 Lexington-Carlton Road • Lexington, 30648 706-207-5098, 706-743-7011 www.rockyridgefarmmarket.com dnash@windstream.net May-November, 10:00am-6:00pm Sweet Corn, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Squash, Tomatoes, Peppers, Peas, Okra, Greens, Pumpkins, Wild Flowers, Jams, Jellies, Pumpkin Patch, Hay Maze, Hay Rides, Picnic Area. We offer Field Trips and Church Groups discounted rates. Rutland Farms 5672 Union Rd • Tifton, 31794 • 229-821-0581 rutlandstrawberries@yahoo.com Mar-Nov 8am-6pm U-Pick Strawberries, Peaches, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Pecans, Peanuts, Vegetables, Peas, Butterbeans, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Squash, Sweet Onions, Corn, Pumpkins, Syrups, Preserves, Jellies, Snacks, Ice Cream. Sasnett Fruits and Nuts 3801 Hwy 41 North • Byron, 31008 • 478-953-3820 Year Round 8am-6pm Peaches, Pecans, Peanuts, Tomatoes, Peas, Butterbeans,

Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010


Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables, Turnips, Collards, Mustards, Bedding Plants, Hanging Baskets, Pecan Cracking & Shelling Service. Secret Forest 6899 Thompson Pond Road • Tarrytown, 30470 912-529-3702 www.secretforesttrees.com • secretforest@planttel.net Thanksgiving Day–Dec 13 (Wed-Sat) 10am-Dark, Sun 1pm-Dark, Closed Mon-Tue Christmas Trees and Tree Stands, Jellies and Homemade Crafts. Smith Farms: Berries & More 2813 Old Eastman Road • Cadwell, 31009 478-697-9721 bustersmith@yahoo.com March, April, May & June 9am - 6pm Monday Saturday. Closed Sunday Strawberries, Squash, Onions, Sweet Corn, School Tours. Southern Belle Farm 1658 Turner Church Road • McDonough, 30252 770-898-0999 www.southernbellefarm.com jcarter@southernbellefarm.com Hours seasonal; visit website for updated hours Strawberries, Blackberries and Blueberries, Ag-Tourism, Pumpkins, Indian Corn, Country Store items, Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch, Hayrides, Farm Animals, Corn Canon. Southern Belle’s Gifts and Produce 116 Roundtree Ave • Twin City, 30471 (478) 763-4438, (478) 494-3587 Winter:10:00am-5:30pm. Summer: 9:00am-6:00pm Produce, Gifts, Bakery Items, Wood Furniture, Jellies, Honey, Syrup, Cakes. Southern Grace Farms #1 11946 Nashville Enigma Road • Enigma, 31749 229-533-8585 www.southerngracefarms.com lauramc@southerngracefarms.com Mar-Jul Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 1pm-6pm Strawberries, Blackberries, Jams, Jellies, Ciders (From our Fruit), Gift Baskets. Southern Grace Farms #2 5447 Bemiss • Valdosta, 31602 • 229-245-2747 www.southerngracefarms.com lauramc@southerngracefarms.com Mar-May Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 2pm-6pm Strawberries, Jams, Jellies, Ciders. Spring Brook Farm LLC 1520 Mandeville Rd • Carrollton, 30117-5430 770-861-5333 www.springbrooktrees.com dave@springbrooktrees.com Nov-Dec Sat & Sun 9am-dark Open Thanksgiving Day Christmas Trees, Leyland Cypress, Carolina Sapphire, Blue Ice, Pre-cut Fraser Fir, Fraser Fir Wreaths, Stands, Hayrides, Hot Drinks, Snacks. T and T Farms 698 Hwy 338 • Dublin, 31021 • 478-676-3670 or 3230 Year Round Peas, Butterbeans, Corn, Tomatoes, Collards, Turnips, Cabbage, Broccoli, Okra, Pumpkins, Nursery Plants, Cement Items, Pine and Wheat Straw, Shelling service. Triple B Farms 243 Mt. Moriah Road • Covington, 30014 770-313-1220 tripplebfarms@hotmail.com Monday-Friday 9:00 am-4:00 pm; Saturday 9:00 am-2:00 pm Onions, Lettuce, Peas, Beans, Squash, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Sweet Corn, Field Corn, Tomatoes, Cantaloupes, Watermelons, Sweet Potatoes, Jelly, Honey, Eggs.

Georgia Neighbors • Spring 2010

The Old Barn Christmas Tree Farm 24 Slaughter Rd • Sunnyside, 30284 • 770-227-5237 www.theoldbarnchristmastrees.com Thanksgiving Day-Dec 24 Mon-Fri 1pm-Dark, Sat 8am-Dark, Sun 1pm-Dark Christmas Trees (Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine, Carolina Sapphire), cut Fraser Firs, Wreaths, Stands, Crafts, Nature Trail, Hot Apple Cider, Tree Baling and Shaking Services. Thomas Orchards, Greenhouse & Gift Shop 6091 Macon Hwy (Hwy 441) • Bishop, 30621 706-769-5011 pt1117@bellsouth.net Mar-Nov 9am-6pm, May-Aug 7am-6pm Peaches, Peach Ice Cream, Pecans, Vidalia Onions, Apples, Bedding Plants, Perennials, Conifers, Fruiting Plants, Hanging Baskets, Custom Containers, Jams, Jellies, Sorghum, Tomatoes, Honey, Seasonal Produce, Gardening Gifts. Thompson Farms All Natural Pork 2538 Dixie Rd • Dixie, 31629 • 229-263-9074 229-263-8296 fax www.thompsonfarms.com tfsmokehouse@thompsonfarms.com Year Round Mon-Fri 8am-6pm. Nov1st-Jan 15th, Sat 8am-1pm Country Cured Meats, All Natural Pork, Sausage, Bacon, Ham, Smoked Meats, Fresh Cuts of Pork. Tiger Mountain Orchard 1309 Bethel Church Road • Tiger, 30576 706-782-3290 www.tigermountainorchards.webs.com June-August PYO daylite to dark; Mid August-Mid Nov, 8-5 Monday thru Saturday, 1-4 Sundays PYO Raspberries and Blackberries June-August. Sept.1 - Nov.1 PYO Apples, Apple Cider and Apple Butter, PYO Muscadines. Tom Sawyer Farm 952 Empire Chester Hwy • Cochran, 31014 478-934-7584 Call for days open and availability of crops, April 1st -August 1st Strawberries, Blackberries, Onions and Peaches. Uncle Bob’s Pumpkin Patch 3781 E. Happy Valley Circle • Newnan, 30263 770-253-8100 www.uncle-bob.com • jwitt@numail.org Fri & Sun 2pm-6pm & Sat 9am-6pm Pumpkins, Honey, Gourds, Atlanta Burning Sauces, Ciders, Antiques, Crop Maze, Hay Rides, Nature Trails, Petting Zoo, Story Time, Puppet Show (Weekends), Weekday School Tours Available. Call for Hours. Vann Strawberry Farm 8602 Hwy 19 • Baconton, 31716 • 229-787-5133 www.vannfarms.net • vannfarms@live.com Jan-Dec 8am-7pm Daily Strawberries, Peaches, Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Tomatoes, Onions, Peanuts, Sauces, Jams, Jellies, Ice Cream, T-Shirts, Field Trips, Maze (Fall). Wallace Farms 2862 Indian Rock Drive • Elberton, 30635 706-213-0698 cwallace5@bellsouth.net March-October; 7:30am-6:00pm Spring and Summer: Okra, Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Squash (several varieties), Cucumbers, Peppers (several varieties), pole beans. Fall: Collards, turnips and turnip greens. We also sell vegetable plants. Call for availability. Waldrop’s General Store and Farm Market 2912 Post Road • Winston, 30187 • 770-942-4571 allenwaldrop@bellsouth.net 9am-7pm, Monday-Saturday. Closed Sunday

Nest Fresh Organic Eggs, Fresh Farm Produce, Jams, Jellies, Farm Produced Honey. Syrup Onions, Sweet Potatoes, variety of canned vegetables, Summer Tomatoes, Squash, Okra and Peppers. Homemade baked goods and hand painted crafts. White Oak Pastures 22775 Highway 27 • Bluffton, 39824 • 229-641-2081 www.whiteoakpastures.com willharris@whiteoakpastures.com Year Round 8am-6pm Beef Products (Grass-fed, No Hormones, No Antibiotics) and other local, sustainable and artisan GA Farm Products. William L. Brown Farm Market Hwy 49 • Montezuma, 31063 • 478-472-8767 or 6513 www.williamlbrownfarms.com williamlbrown@windstream.net Jun-Aug Mon-Sat 8:30am-6:00pm, Sun 1:30-6:00pm Peaches, Elberta Peaches (In-Season), Zinnias & Sunflowers (U-Pick), Tomatoes, Okra, Blueberries, Cantaloupes, Watermelons, Squash, Shelled Peas & Butterbeans, Seasonal Produce, Vidalia Onions, Gourmet Foods, Syrups, Honey, Jams, Jellies, Candles, Snacks, Stone Ground Grits & Meal, Pecans, Homemade Peach Ice Cream, Peach Pie, Cakes, Cookbooks, Gifts, Discounted Oil Paintings, Picnic Area, Farm Tours. Clean Restrooms. Williams Tractor Farm 2295 New Bethel Road • Bartow, 30413 478-552-2283 april@washemc.net Year Round, 8am-6pm Monday-Saturday Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Squash, Beans, Cucumbers, Okra, Tomatoes, Peppers, Plums, Pears, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Turnip Greens, Mustard Greens, Collards, Cabbage, Eggs, Honey. Cut Flowers, Bedding Plants, Hanging Baskets. Yerkes Strawberry Farm 13888 GA Hwy 109 • Meansville, 30256 • 770584-3909 yerkesfarm@hotmail.com March-September, Mon-Sat 9am-6pm; Sun 1-6 Strawberries, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Melons, Beans, Peas and Ice Cream. Yule Forest Hwy 155 The Pumpkin Patch 3565 Hwy 155N • Stockbridge, 30281 • 770-954-9356 or 770-914-5959 www.aboutyule.com • yuleforest155@aol.com Oct-Jan 9am-Dark, Apr-Jun 10am-Dark Christmas Trees (Fresh Cut Fraser Firs, Cryptomerias, Deodara Cedars, White Pine, Leyland Cypress, Red Cedar, Virginia Pine), B&B Trees, Pumpkins, Blueberries, Farm Tours, Hay Rides, Movie Science Center, Petting Zoo, Maze, Horse Camp, Landscape Woody Ornamentals.

America’s Favorite Farmers Markets

Do you have a favorite farmers market? Cast your vote at www. farmland.org/vote. Votes will open to customers in June. Market managers must enroll their market in the contest. Enrollment is easy and free; simply go to www.farmland.org/ marketmanager. The contest will feature prizes for market managers and customers. This is a great way to promote and support local farmers. The contest is sponsored by the American Farmland Trust. 31


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Coupon Learn all these amazing secrets and more. To order your books, just return this coupon with your name and address and a check for $9.99 per book, plus $3.00 shipping and handling to: FC&A, Dept. 3308, 103 Clover Green, Peachtree City, GA 30269. You get a no-time-limit guarantee of satisfaction or your money back. FREE SHIPPING if you order two or more books! You must cut out and return this coupon with your order. Copies will not be accepted! IMPORTANT — FREE GIFT OFFER EXPIRES JULY 29, 2010 All orders mailed by July 29, 2010 will receive a free gift, Get Well and Stay Well: Nutritional Tips to Boost Your Health, guaranteed. Order right away! Name_________________________________________________ Address________________________________________________ City____________________________State_____Zip___________ � Quantity____ BQKS The Kitchen Table Book: 1,427 Kitchen Cures and Pantry Potions for Just About Every Health and Household Problem � Quantity____ B3FS

Your Body Can Heal Itself: Over 87 Foods Everyone Should Eat

� Quantity____ BISS

The Complete Guide to Digestive Health 3308


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