Baldwin bounty 2017 by Leigh Mitchell

2017

Bounty BALDWIN’S

FROM OUR LAND AND WATERS

GULF COAST MEDIA

THE COURIER • THE ONLOOKER • THE ISLANDER • THE BALDWIN TIMES

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Taste the Difference — Eat Local and Fresh

Welcome to Bill’s By The Beach, where you will experience the best cuisine the Gulf has to offer while taking in the amazing Alabama Gulf Coast beach view. We’ve built our reputation offering fresh, wildcaught Gulf and domestic seafood, as well as local, farm fresh and seasonal vegetables — hand crafted into unique, sensational dishes that can be enjoyed by the entire family for an affordable price. Try Chef Rudy's new Oyster Bienvielle appetizer to start your meal off right, or dive into your dinner with his Southern-inspired Fresh Fish Bienvielle Style. View our Summer menu at bbtb.com/menu. Visit Bill’s By The Beach today for creative and delicious seafood dishes.

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251-948-5227 | bbtb.com | 300 West Beach Blvd., Gulf Shores, AL 36542 Follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram Hours 11 a.m. — 10 p.m. Monday - Thursday | Friday - Sunday 9 a.m. — 10 p.m.

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Baldwinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bounty 2017 h

y t n Bou BALDWIN’S

TABLE OFS CONTENT

06 T hen and now – Farming in Baldwin County ■ 08 Farming under the waves - Oyster Farming returns ■ to Baldwin County

10 The Legacy of a Farmer’s Son ■ 12 Brothers Preserve Heritage of their Family Farm with ■ Century Old Corn

14 Farm fresh cheese from the only dairy farm in Baldwin County ■ 16 The Future of Farming ■ 18 Where to Buy the Local Bounty ■ 20 Grow your Own ■ 22 Small Farm, Big Demand ■ Bounty 24 ■ Farming to Infinity and Beyond

2017

BALDWIN’S

FROM OUR LAND AND WATERS

GULF COAST MEDIA

THE COURIER • THE ONLOOKER • THE ISLANDER • THE BALDWIN TIMES

A specialty publication of Gulf Coast Media

publisher

Parks Rogers parks@gulfcoastmedia.com

editor

Allison Marlow allisonm@gulfcoastmedia.com

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advertising

LouAnn Love louann@gulfcoastmedia.com 251.243.7620 Frank Kustura frank@gulfcoastmedia.com 251.923.8129

Jeniece Bouzan jeniece@gulfcoastmedia.com 251.978.0497

design and layout Cary Howard Leigh Mitchell

Baldwin County ranks first in the state in peanut production. Peanut production contributes 14.5 percent of the county’s total agricultural and forestry production, making it the second largest agricultural commodity. Sirmon Farms uses Trimble GPS Solutions to maneuver their tractors while harvesting peanuts. Cover photo was taken by a drone operated by Chip Bryars, Alabama Sales Manager at Vantage South.

Farmers and Fishermens

Market

Event Rental Facility 20733 Miflin Rd. Foley, AL For market hours and more info visit

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Baldwinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bounty 2017 h

Then and now

Farming in Baldwin COunty by Allison Marlow

The outside air still felt gray and groggy as the sun began its slow climb across the sky. The first commuters of the day began to hustle past McKenzie Farms vegetable stand on Greeno Road in Fairhope. Tommy McKenzie is behind the stand, lifting vegetables off his truck and into buckets of soapy water where he gently scrubs the bright purple eggplant, red tomatoes and yellow squash. The blooms that popped off the plants with the vegetables this morning float in the water, causing McKenzie to fuss. He knows his customers want fresh, pretty produce. These veggies, plucked from the fields just 30 minutes earlier, are the freshest they can get. McKenzie, the third generation to work these acres, also knows customers flocking to Baldwin County want land. And for developers, the easiest land to turn into neighborhoods quickly is farmland where there is little to no cost to clear thick groves of trees. “We see it coming. Property has been sold all around us,” McKenzie says. “I probably won’t see it in my lifetime, but my son will.” Baldwin County’s population surge is discussed widely in the county’s agricultural community. Small farmers have trouble finding affordable land, large farmers have trouble moving cumbersome equipment that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars down roads as busy commuters hustle past, often honking and shouting. The price being offered for the land is more than any of these farms can earn over the course of several lifetimes. Cody Rhodes grew up on his family farm in Summerdale and now works for Sirmon Farms in Daphne, a 5,000 acre spread that produces sweet potatoes, lettuce, cot-

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ton, peanuts and more. He has seen longtime farming families sell to developers all around him, most recently one Baldwin family who sold 420 acres for roughly $30,000 an acre. “You’d never make that in farming, ever,” he said. “At the end of the day you have to look after your family, and farming’s tough.” In 2017, farming has been made tougher by what felt like nonstop rains and low commodity prices, which dictate the amount of money a farm makes on what it grows. “Prices for crops have been pretty low and really squeezed some of these guys,” said Ken Kelley, a regional farm and agribusiness management agent with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. “It’s tougher to pay high rental prices or buy expensive machinery when the commodity is down.” Commodity prices, Kelley said, are cyclical and depend on crop inventory. Right now, inventory is up which means profit is low. “When they look at their budgets, it’s hard to pencil out a profit even in the best scenarios,” Kelley said. “Last fall we were in a drought and roll into the spring with the rains and you can’t even get into the fields.” The temptation to sell to developers can be overwhelming. And in Baldwin County, developers are calling. According to new Census Bureau statistics, the county population shot up 14.4 percent between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2016. Statewide growth held steady at 1.7 percent. In just one year, between July 1, 2015 and July 1, 2016, the county population grew by 4,873. That is roughly 13 new people a day. In 1997, 126,581 acres in Baldwin County were used as crop land. In 2012, the last year data is widely available, the number dropped to 100,901 acres. The drops in acreage numbers are worrisome. For farmers like Rhodes, the prospect of farming more with less is a dire warning that is widespread in farming circles. “By 2050 we are supposed to produce 50 percent more food with 50 percent less land. How’s that going to be possible?” he said. “Farmers need help from everybody.” Upstart costs make it nearly impossible for new, young farmers to open new, large operations.

“Start a farm? How would I? Just renting land is $100 an acre. I’m sitting on a $350,000 piece of machinery. People don’t realize how expensive this stuff is,” he said. “We’re not out here just for the fun of it.” For farms like the McKenzie’s the decision to remain in the family business can be tough. The family has been growing potatoes on this farm for 60 years. Every family member was a part of it, for every generation. Two years ago, an uncle sold 80 acres that was quickly filled by a neighborhood. Years ago McKenzie’s parents purchased 600 acres in Florida that the family now travels to every two weeks to tend fields of cotton and peanuts. McKenzie said eventually, in a generation or two, the entire operation may relocate to that property. For now, the farm is finding ways to stay ahead of decreasing commodities and encroaching neighborhoods. Labor is provided almost entirely by the extended family. The farm has spent thousands on new machines to replace some human labor and to enclose buildings where produce can be processed in air conditioned areas. For now, McKenzie is staying put, doing what he loves. “I enjoy it,” says McKenzie who began driving the farm equipment at age 6. “It’s not the same thing every day.” Farming is in the McKenzie family blood. Early one summer morning, before many high schoolers have rolled out of bed, the youngest McKenzies are already at work. Callie McKenzie, 17, a Fairhope High School senior, says she has been working on the family farm since preschool. She said she and her cousins intend to make sure the farm continues. “I think about the future a lot,” Callie said. “There are eight grandkids and we could totally keep it going.” Her cousin, Coleman McKenzie, 15, agrees. “I’ve been raised doing this. I love it,” he said. Family farms, like the McKenzies, are the reason Baldwin County sustains a strong agricultural base which, Kelley said, is not disappearing - too soon. “Baldwin County has some things going for it that other places don’t have – soil is good for peanuts and vegetables, rainfall is plentiful, temperature allows for a longer growing season,” he said. “We may have a little urban sprawl but agriculture is still pretty strong here.” McKenzie, whose father passed away several years ago, said his father loved planting vegetables. He loved the farming life. He wished his father could see his grandchildren today, working hard to carry on the tradition. “I wish dad was here. He’d be proud of their hard work,” McKenzie said. “They have a long way to go.”

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Farming under the waves Oyster Farming returns to Baldwin County by Allison Marlow Lew Childre coos and sings to his flock. He chatters to them as he shifts the plump round shells in and out of the water. Conversation helps the little oysters grow, he said. These, after all, are his babies. And the little ones, he says glowing, look like microscopic shrimp with fat, full bellies. They swim free until they attach their foot and begin to develop the round, familiar shells. Oyster farming is not just Childre’s passion. It is not just his job. It has become his mission. “I used to work for a company that was killing the world. I don’t want my legacy to be I did what everyone else did,” he said. “The world we live in grabs us and tells us what to do and we allow it. “Everyone has a passion in life but everybody doesn’t pursue that passion. This has made me happy. This is a life worth living,” Childre said. After earning a degree in mechanical engineering, Childre spent his off hours fishing and shrimping on the banks of the Fort Morgan peninsula where he grew up. But the shrimp were only out when he was stuck behind a desk. He tried oystering. He bought cages and equipment, experimented, learned the rules and tried to oyster farm for six months on a friend’s property. That’s when he learned he was doing everything wrong. But, now he knew. Childre kept at it, worked with the state and bought the right equipment. The missing piece was land. He called every property owner along the waterfront and left message, after message, after message. Finally, Michael Ludvigsen returned the call. The pair talked and learned the partnership was a match that was made generations ago. Childre’s great grandfather once fished on Ludvigsen’s family property which has been in that family since 1850 and was used to grow oysters until

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1979 when Hurricane Frederick buried the sea bottom in mud. Before that, those banks were used to grow oysters for thousands of years. “I’m a fifth generation oysterman,” Ludvigsen said. “It all fit.” Nearly 16 months and $7,000 later, the pair was in the oyster business and officially opened Shellbank Selects at Terry’s Landing. Now the pair farm oysters just feet off of Ludvigsen’s property. Their gray, workhorse of a boat, The Possum, carries the men out to visit each week and turn the flat, mesh cages that the oysters call home. “It’s not exactly farming,” Childre said. “It’s more like herding. We don’t feed them. It’s like having cows.” Childre jumps into the water and pulls each of the mesh cages from the waves. He says it feels like spiders crawling all over his head and body as the tiny sea creatures that nestled in the protective cages scatter to find new homes. Aboard The Possum the men spread the oysters onto a tabletop. They separate the fast growers from the slowpokes in the herd. They use a tumbler to even out

the shape of the shells. Some have a black stripe down the center, a characteristic that is believed to be the result of sun exposure. Others have shells with a slightly purple hue. When they push them along the metal table back into the mesh bins, the shells make a trickling noise, like pennies being dropped in a jar. It will take 11 – 16 months for the oysters to mature. Childre said the oysters grow slower in the fresh water but are less susceptible to disease. The crop, Childre said, will help to build sea life in the area. Everything about oyster farming, he said, is positive. “Oysters are the backbone of the ecosystem,” he said. “If you don’t have oysters you don’t have anything. This is a viable industry but someone has to be the first to jump.” Ludvigsen said his family owned the first bar, gas station and juke box on the island so it’s only natural for him to be part of the oyster revival. The farm is a second job for both men as they grow and tend to their underwater herd. “It’s not all about money,” Ludvigsen said. “It’s about ecology, environment and history.” And of course, oysters. Neighboring restaurants are already clamoring to receive part of the harvest. As the pair grow their annual harvest, they say their goal is to inspire more people to oyster farm. “We’ve fought a lot of battles that the people behind us won’t have to fight,” Childre said. “I’d love to see the whole bay filled with oyster farms.”

IP WE SHOD SEAFO

Open Air Seafood Market

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Fresh Mobile Bay and Gulf Shrimp, Royal Red Shrimp, Grouper, Snapper, Mahi-Mahi, Flounder, Crabmeat, Oysters and much more.

16780 River Road, Bon Secour, Al 36511 251-949-6288 Open Mon.-Sat. 7 am - 5 pm • www.billys-seafood.com

Our menu consists of sustainable seafood, seasonal selections, vegetables from local farms and natural and organic meats. We prepare authentic Gulf Coast cuisine that embraces the true spirit of the region. There is no better place for spectacular beachfront dining in Orange Beach than Voyagers. Baldwin’s Bounty 2017 h

The of a Farmer’s Son By John Underwood “Up and at ‘em. Come on, we’re wasting daylight.” Those were words I heard more times than I can count growing up on the farm. They were the words of my father, Wayne Underwood, though I didn’t hear those words from him for the majority of my teenage years and beyond. He died at age 46, when I was just 14. Rod and Jeff, my brothers, who took over the family farm at ages 25 and 23 respectively, used to say that’s how our father got them up every morning … usually as he pulled the sheet off of their beds (not the top sheet). Farming is certainly not an easy life and it certainly wasn’t easy for our family. “We had help,” said Jeff, who still runs the farm today. My cousins, who live just up the road (yes, if you have to ask, we live on Underwood Road) helped plant and harvest the first year. Farming just gets in your blood, I guess. It was certainly true for my brother, Jeff, who came to work on the farm fulltime at age 18. Just five years later, when our father died, he was joined by our oldest brother Rod, who had graduated from Auburn a few years be-

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fore and was working for a chemical company in Foley. When Rod died in 1994, Jeff, at 37, took over the farm on his own. “You do what you have to do,” he said. The legacy of the farm has now passed down through five generations in our family. I am the youngest of five, all boys. My brother Randy died at just 34, the same year as Rod. My brother Barry lives near Birmingham and has two grown children. Jeff also has two grown children, both who now have families of their own. As of right now, none of the younger generation has any plans to take over the farm, so it’s a legacy that will likely end here. After our father died I decided that I wanted to be a farmer too. I really had no idea what that meant. Pretty much through high school, I told myself that’s what I wanted. Thankfully, with a few turns along the way and a little encouragement (both that I didn’t want to be a farmer and that I should find my own path) I found my own career. Now, 28 years later, I can honestly say that I never left it. But the farm is certainly still a part of me. In 1999, I bought the house that I grew up in, from my brother Jeff. Every day when I get up and go outside,

I can see the farm. Right now, soybeans are growing just beyond our yard. Of course, I didn’t become a farmer, but I have written about it throughout my career as a journalist. It will always be a part of me. My brother Jeff is one of my biggest heroes. I have to admit he’s bailed me out more times than I can remember. We have at times, had a give and take relationship, meaning that he gave and I took. As I’ve gotten older, I try not to let that happen as often, but there are still times that I have to call him and get him to bail me out. Most recently, I called to say, “Hey brother, I’ve volunteered to write this column for a magazine we’re working on. I need you to be in a photo with me and I’m going to write about us.” He’s always had my back. I appreciate that more than I can express. When my father died, I found a piece of paper stuck in his wallet. It was just a piece of fading plain white

paper with typed words on it. I kept it with me in my own wallet for a long time, but had to take it out when it was beginning to tear. It read: “Wayne’s motto: Always be up and doing.” And: “To thine own self be true.” That’s the legacy I want to always remember. The legacy of a farmer’s son.

Elberta Farmer’s Cooperative

13320 Main St., Elberta, AL 36530 Tel: 251-986-8103 • Fax: 251-986-8233 Business Hours Monday - Friday: 7:30a.m.-5:00p.m. Saturday: 7:30a.m.-12:00p.m.

The Elberta Farmer’s Cooperative is a member-owned cooperative that has been serving the Elberta community since 1949. Elberta Co-op provides the community’s hard-working farmers with materials for their livelihoods as well as household, yard and pet supplies. Come by and see selection of seeds, fertilizers, lawn and garden items, hardware, and feed for every animal. EFC provides the best of customer service and is an integral part of Baldwin County.

DEENA’S GARDEN CENTER HAS ALL YOU NEED FOR SEASONAL PLANTING!

Spring & Summer Deer Plot Blend Fungicides Pesticides Variety of Citrus and Fruit Trees Organic Potting Soil Gardening Supplies

Questions?

See Deena for her expert gardening advice!

CHICKEN SWAP SECOND SATURDAY OF THE MONTH Large Variety Garden Seed • Encore Plants • Bonnie Plants 24-4-18 50% slow release fertilizer, great for all turf types • Fox Farm organic fertilizer products

ELBERTA FARMERS CO-OP 13320 Main St. • Elberta, AL • 251-986-8103 Mon.-Fri 7:30am-5:00pm • Sat. 7:30am-12:00pm

FREE SOIL TESTING KITS Baldwin’s Bounty 2017 h

Brothers preserve heritage of their family farm with century old corn by Allison Marlow An old, 24-year-old barn freezer was the key to the success, or failure, for two young farming brothers, and they didn’t even know it. Josh and Jarred Higginbotham’s family have been growing heirloom corn since 1875 in Bon Secour. More than 100 years later, the farming industry tanked and the family’s last farming heirs called it quits and placed a pound of corn in the freezer. It sat there, untouched, for 24 years. In 2011, the Higginbothams decided to plant a handful. Through growing and experimenting they learned that had that frozen corn thawed, and then refroze, it would have lost the ability to germinate - forever. Luckily, that was one heck of a good freezer. And as a result, Bayou Cora Farms was born. The brothers’ handful of corn yielded a small crop that first year, a bigger crop the next and today the brothers farm 40 acres of their family’s 142-year-old heirloom corn on the same land where it was first grown, shortly after the Civil War. Their grandfather, Sheldon Lipscomb, who stopped planting the corn in the 1980s, has been at their side through the entire process, re-invigorated by the farm’s new life as he teaches the next generation the trade. “To be able to plant that seed and watch it grow from one kernel to an entire field and watch the

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whole process and use that to feed other people has been fantastic,” Josh said. “I think a lot of people have lost that connection to the land.” Jarred said bringing the family corn fields back to life helped to preserve the heritage of the seeds and of his family. “This is about preserving our family’s story,” he said. The colorful corn that is speckled in red, white, orange, brown and yellow has the same genetics it did in 1875. The brothers says that unlike today’s genetically modified corn that boasts a uniform yellow color and rows of corn stalks that grow to the same height, their corn grows pretty much however it wants. Each stalk is a different height. Each ear of corn looks different. And, they say, insects don’t touch it. “With ours, you don’t know what you’re going to get,” Josh said. “It hasn’t been genetically modified at all and there’s been no cross-pollination.” He added that in farming circles there is a theory that modified corn is more susceptible to pests so the nutritional value is not as good. The brothers believe their untouched heirloom corn gives them a marketing niche. Shoppers think so too. Shortly after their first harvest, the brothers brought 20 bags of the corn ground into grits, corn meal and flour to a local farmers market. They sold out. Now they operate their own storefront in downtown Foley where shoppers can pick up all three, plus a fish fry batter, made with a family recipe.

The men plant in the spring, harvest in the fall and process the corn at the mill until December. During the summer, while they wait for their corn to pop, they perform with their band, This Side of 49. “Early on I always said I wanted to be a farmer or a musician and now I feel blessed that I’m doing both,” Josh said. “In the summer we are waiting for it to grow so this worked out perfectly.” The 40 acres can already supply a baker and grinder in New Orleans and Bayou Cora Farms grits are sold in restaurants around Baldwin County. Soon, they may look to expand. Their grinder hopes to expand his business and the brothers plan to keep pace, as well as sell in more local groceries and explore wholesale options. “The sky’s the limit,” Jarred said.

Visit Bayou Cora Farms Store

209 S Alston Street, Foley, AL (251) 943-4171 Tuesdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

It All Starts Here...

FEED - SEED - FERTILIZER - GARDEN SUPPLIES FRUIT TREES - HAY - STRAW Visit our General Store inside for Amish Jams & Jellies, butter, dairy products, candies & much more. Since 1931

251-947-5252

21353 HWY 59 • HRS.: 7:30-5:30 M-F; 7:30-3:30 SAT Baldwin’s Bounty 2017 h

Farm fresh cheese from the only dairy farm in Baldwin County By Jessica Vaughn

Baldwin County offers a lot of great local produce, but there’s only one place where you can get fresh, homemade cheese: Sweet Home Farm in Elberta. Ran by husband and wife team Doug Wolbert and Alyce Birchenough, the business offers natural farmstead cheese crafted with Grade A dairy. “When we moved here, there was nothing,” Birchenough said. “Everybody had their own little individual farmsteads, so we figured, well, that’s what we’re going to have to do!” They began by selling to the first farmer’s market in the area, located in Mobile. As business grew, they started selling cheese from their own farm. “We are actually the last dairy in Baldwin County, because there’s no infrastructure,” Birchenough said. “Also, the south is not a traditional dairy place because of the climate.” Against the odds, they made Baldwin County their home, but they were making cheese as a hobby long before that. Dairy production was something Birchenough had been interested in from an early age, and it followed her into adulthood. “I saw a bottle of spoiled milk when I was a little kid, and just had that image in my mind, wondering how that happened,” Birchenough said. “When I met my husband, we were living in Michigan at the time, and he had a little farm. And he said, ‘What do you

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Sweet Home Farm Sweet Home Farm Open Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 251-986-5663

want for a wedding present?’ And I said, ‘I want a cow, I want a dairy cow,’ so that’s what I got!” She began making cheese as a hobby from their home, but when their fridge continued to remain full, she began thinking about putting her hobby to-

“When we moved here, there was nothing.” “Everybody had their own little individual farmsteads, so we figured, well, that’s what we’re going to have to do!”

wards a business. Once production grew, the couple decided a move to a warmer climate would be best for both the dairy cows and themselves. They’ve been in the area for nearly 35 years, and have no regrets. They were licensed for cheese making in 1987, and that’s what they’ve been doing ever since. The cheese making process is very detailed, with almost 20 steps along the way. The cows are milked twice a day, and Birchenough said that they get about one pound of cheese and a gallon of whey at a time. The whey, which is full of nutrients, is then used as fertilizer in the pasture, so nothing is wasted in the process. Birchenough said buying locally is good for the buyer, the grower and the community as a whole. “Buying local is going out and supporting your community. It’s fresher, you can’t get it any fresher than this. The more produce is handled, it’s not as fresh. So why not get something fresh and also support your local community? It’s always more beneficial to keep your money at home. It’s like the ripple effect, everybody’s doing well here, and when you spend your money into the community, it’s going back to the community,” she said.

BON SECOUR VALLEY INGREDIENTS

816 N. MCKENZIE ST., FOLEY • (251) 923-6345 CMCINNIS@BSVINGREDIENTS.COM • BSVINGREDIENTS.COM CHICORY, SWEET POTATOES, CARRROTS & KALE Baldwin’s Bounty 2017 h

The Future of Farming in Baldwin County

Photos courtesy of Foley High School

By Allison Marlow

Foley High School operates the largest Future Farmers of America program in the county and one of the largest in the state. Their classes host nearly 800 students who study everything from welding to taxidermy. Many of those classes are hosted on a 20acre farm that sits behind the school taught by four teachers assigned specifically to the program. Only a handful of students in the program had the experience of growing up on a farm since small family farms in Baldwin County began to disappear in the late 70s and early 80s. That is one of the reasons that instructors say the program is so important today. Instructor Dr. Beth Taylor said, “This is another reason that it is so important for us to have our farm on campus where the students can at least have some exposure to growing crops, raising animals, and repairing equipment.” While a few students will continue on to careers in agriculture, instructors think a working understanding of how agriculture impacts their everyday life is just as important as producing new farmers. “From the food they eat, the cotton clothes they wear, the leather shoes and belts, the linen or wool clothes, the wood products either in their home or on their desks - agriculture affects all of us every day,” said Lance Lipscomb, instructor.

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The FFA program at Foley High School hosts nearly 800 students, including many who work on the school’s 20-acre farm. Pictured are the FFA officers, left to right, Michelle Majors, Vivian Prevatte, Grady Gunn, Gracie Sims and Clarissa Carrier.

The construction team at Foley High School’s FFA program placed fourth in state competition this year. The team includes (from left to right) Logan Lassiter, Angel Manzanp and Zac Black.

The introduction of more agriculture centered classes is following a national trend that has seen people taking a larger interest in what they are eating and using. “I believe that people are starting to realize that we need to be more self-sufficient, where we have the knowledge and skills to grow our own fruits and vegetables and/or animals for food,” Lipscomb said. “Even though college is important for some students, others are geared more for hands-on work, which is also a vital part of our economy and livelihood.” Just as important, the FFA program gives students something they “can invest in emotionally and mentally,” said Russ Moore, principal. “We know the average kid doesn’t go home and talk about how much they love English. The English teacher may be doing a fantastic job but that isn’t their specific interest,” Moore said. “What we are trying to build as an educator is an all-around person. Hopefully we will produce people who go out into the world, ready to work every day and work well other people who are reliable. “I have found that FFA programs specifically are character development programs,” he said. “Very few things build character any more than those farm activities.”

Billy’s Seafood inc.

16780 River road, bon secour, al 36511 (251) 949-6288 billys@gulftel.com • www.billys-seafood.com monday - saturday: 7am - 5pm • Closed sunday Locally sourced food includes Shrimp, Live Blue Crabs, Crabmeat, Oysters, Variety of Fish, Tuna Dip & Crawfish in season.

FFA classes at Foley High School Agriscience Animal Science Vet Science Poultry Science Fish and Wildlife management Construction Framing Intro to Metal Fabrication Two and Four Stroke Engines Commercial and Residential Power Systems And the students at Foley High have proven they have learned their stuff. This year the Vet Science team won first place at the state competition and will travel to the national competition in October in Indianapolis. The poultry team won third place and the construction team won fourth place.

burris farm market

23200 wharf lane, orange beach intersection of hwy 59 & co. rd. 64, Loxley (251) 964-6464 monday - sunday: 8am - 6pm Local products include silver King corn, Yellow Squash, Red Potatoes, Blueberries and more.

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Need fresh produce? Baldwin County has it

ALLEGRI FARM MARKET 9948 County Road 64, Daphne Mondays through Saturdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. B&B PECAN COMPANY 16151 Greeno Road, Fairhope Mondays through Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. BAYOU CORA FARMS 209 S Alston Street, Foley Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. BEE NATURAL FARM Twin Beech Road in Fairhope Tuesdays, Fridays & Saturdays 10 a.m. until sundown

COASTAL ALABAMA FARMERS AND FISHERMAN’S MARKET 20733 Miflin Road, Foley Tuesdays, 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. COUNTRY WAGON FARM MARKET 9447 Spanish Fort Blvd., Spanish Fort Daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. DAPHNE FARMERS MARKET 2304 Main St. AL-42 in Daphne Fridays 2 - 6 p.m.

What’s in Season? Winter (December–February)

Greens (kale mustard, collard, turnip, salad), carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cabbage, spinach, hydroponic lettuces

BER’S PRESERVES 13747 County Road 87, Elberta Daily daylight to sunset

Spring (March–mid-June)

BENGSTON’S Highway 104 and the Foley Beach Express, Robertsdale Daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Summer (Mid-June–mid-September)

BURRIS FARM MARKET 3100 North Hickory St., Loxley and at The Wharf in Orange Beach Daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CASSEBAUM FARMS 32022 Rosalia Ave., Lillian Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 18 g Baldwin’s Bounty 2017

Blackberries, blueberries, cucumbers, new potatoes, peaches, snap beans, strawberries, summer squash, sweet potatoes, hydroponic lettuces Bell peppers, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplants, figs, lima beans, muscadines, okra, pears, peaches, snap peas, southern peas, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons

Fall (Mid-September–November)

Bell peppers, cabbage, cucumbers, lima beans, kumquat, persimmon, pecans, pumpkins, satsuma, snap beans, southern peas, sweet potatoes

FAIRHOPE OUTDOOR FARM MARKET N. Bancroft Street and Magnolia Avenue in Fairhope Thursdays 3 - 6 p.m., May 4 to November 2.

PERDIDO VINEYARDS WINERY 22100 County Road 47, Perdido Mondays through Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FIDLER FARM 15705 Harris Lane, Silverhill Mondays through Saturdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays 1 to 5 p.m.

SWEET HOME FARM 27107 Schoen Road, Elberta Specialty dairy and cheese products Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

GARDNER’S BERRY FARM 21909 County Road 68 North, Robertsdale Daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

WEEKS BAY PLANTATION 12562 Mary Ann Beach Road, Fairhope Pick your own blueberries, mid-May – July

GLENDA’S KRAFTY KITCHEN Sells jellies, jams, pickles, relishes by appointment from home Contact 251-446-8274 Also at the Fairhope Farmers Market, Gulf Shores Farmers Market and Atmore Farmers Market.

FOOD CO-OPS AND CSAS

ALABAMA GULF COAST FARMERS MARKET Gulf State Park Beach Pavilion, 22250 East Beach Blvd, Gulf Shores Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon, October through April

END OF THE ROAD FARM Summerdale, delivers fresh produce grown using organic practices, honey and free-range eggs. Contact 251-284-3430

HASTINGS ORGANIC FARM 40701 Pine Grove Road, Bay Minette USDA organic grass-fed beef, lamb and free range chickens 251-937-8728 HAZEL’S MARKET 26751 U.S. 98, Daphne Daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. HERITAGE PARK MARKETPLACE 125 East Laurel Ave., Heritage Park; Foley 4 – 7 p.m. Fridays in May and June.

ELBERTA FARMERS CO-OP 13320 County Rd. 83, Elberta Open Monday through Saturday 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

SEASONS IN THE SUN FARMS Spanish Fort Hydroponic farm, garden center and CSA program provider. Contact 251-423-4381 LOCAL APPETITE GROWERS Silver Hill Hydroponic and field grown produce, home delivery available 251-656-9265 * If days and hours are not listed, the market is a year-round brickand-mortar business or farm that has normal business hours

KRUPINSKI FARMS 18625 Charolais Rd, Foley, AL 36535 Daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. LOXLEY FARM MARKET 5201 South Hickory St., Loxley Daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

coastal alabama farmers & fisherman’s market

20733 Miflin Road, foley (251) 597-5567 mktgmrfoley@gmail.com • coastalalabamamarket.com Tuesday & Friday: 9am - 2pm Great varieties of seasonal Produce. Seafood from the gulf. Fresh Baked Breads, Pies, Sweets. Meat Products; Beef, Pork, Lamb, chicken & Farm Fresh Eggs. Specialty handmade products; Soaps, Body products, candles, Jewelry, Handmade Furniture. Plants; Flowers, Hanging Baskets, Vegetables & Herbs Baldwin’s Bounty 2017 h

r u o Y w o r G wn by w o l r a llison M

Have Baldwin’s bountiful farmers’ markets inspired you to plant vegetables in your own backyard? Our coastal Gulf region is a great place to learn to garden. Plentiful rain and a longer growing season give new gardeners a chance to get their hands dirty and grow their own veggies. Most local growers are also happy to offer advice. Deena McMullen, garden center manager at the Elberta Farmer’s Co-op, spends her days advising veteran and new gardeners alike. Here, everyone is happy to swap ideas and advice for making the most of the growing season. “Draw from authoritative sources,” McMullen said. The co-op gives out free, vegetable gardening books and soil sample kits. She added that any of the coops employees, and many of their visitors, can offer help as well. “There are a lot of smart guys that hang around this place,” she said. Ready to get your hands dirty? Here are some basic starting points: DECIDE WHAT TO GROW • It’s very simple, what do you eat?” McMullen said. She said to ask yourself what you spend money on each week and then explore planting and growing those items. “If you don’t eat eggplant, don’t plant it.” • Choose your plant varieties wisely. If it is late in the season, try to choose heat resistant varieties and always look for disease resistant. Co-op and garden center employees can point you in the right direction. • Seeds vs. plants: McMullen said some vegetables are easier to grow from seed than others. Gardeners will have to use trial and error in their own soil. “There are some things that even the most seasoned grower will choose to do from a plant,”

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McMullen said. If you do use seeds, McMullen recommends doing your research and knowing when your seedlings need to be in a greenhouse to be ready for planting. Tomatoes, for example, need to be in a hotbed or greenhouse in January. SOIL AND GARDEN PLACEMENT • The more control you have over the soil, the better. Containers and raised beds are a great option, especially for new gardeners who don’t want to mess with testing their existing soil. Raised beds and containers allow you to add the soil you want to grow in. • Place your garden in an area with afternoon shade. McMullen said the last few hours of the afternoon tend to burn up many plants. • If you do plant in the existing soil, pick up a soil sample kit at the co-op. Professionals at Auburn University will test your soil and tell you how acidic it is and how you can improve it. The samples can take several weeks to receive back from the university. The best time to send samples is in November and December. • Give your plants enough space to grow up and out. Before you dig and place your seedlings learn how large the mature plant will be. You need to make sure your plants have good air circulation around them. WATER • The best time to water is first thing in morning so the plant has resources to draw from throughout the day. Watering overnight may result in fungus growth on the plants. • McMullen said sometimes the excessive rainfall and heat Baldwin County experiences can work against gardeners and bring more fungal issues and lots of insects. If you are experiencing a problem, ask for help! KEEP TRACK AND ASK QUESTIONS • McMullen said it is important to keep good notes. Write down what you did and when. While you don’t have to keep a minute by minute record of your garden, make sure you keep dated information so you have a working knowledge from year to year as to what has worked and what hasn’t. • Label your garden so you know what varieties you have planted and where. • Seek information from authoritative sources that have experience in our region. Gardening magazines for New England usually don’t have great advice for Southern gardeners. McMullen said many Southern universities, such as Auburn, have informative websites for Southern growers. Use an authoritative site, not Pinterest, she said. MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS TOO • Don’t set unrealistic expectations the first year. Much of growing a garden requires trial and error. “Just because you don’t blow it out the first year doesn’t mean you can’t tweak your methods and have a better yield the next year,” she said.

farm fresh meats 22057 highway 59, s., robertsdale, AL 36576 (251) 947-7385 www.farmfreshmeatsal.com Monday - friday: 8am - 5pm Saturday 8 AM – 3 PM Locally Produced Sausage, Old Timer, German, Cajun, Italian, Andouille and house cured smoked slab bacon. Baldwin’s Bounty 2017 h

Small Farm,

by Allison

Marlow

Big Demand

When Will Mastin and Karl Brantley looked for farmland to purchase in 2013, they were quickly squeezed out of the marketplace. Land was priced for luxury homes, not upstart farms, and banks weren’t willing to finance the risk that came with farming. The rows of new housing that were squeezing the men out of affordable land, however, were also the key to their business plan. Their farm venture, Local Appetite Growers, is on a mission to deliver quality, locally grown vegetables to as many of those homes as possible, every single week. “Growth is good for us,” Mastin said. Now, after just a few years working five acres by hand, and turning little profit in those early years as they built their business, the men have already outgrown their humble beginnings. Local Appetite Growers is reaching people’s kitchens and beyond. In addition to weekly home deliveries, Local Appetite supplies specialty vegetables to area fine dining restaurants such as The Wash House in Fairhope and Jesse’s Restaurant in Magnolia Springs. While the farm carefully tends to unusual produce specially ordered by local chefs the main crop is hydroponic lettuce. The leafy, colorful green and purple veggies are grown year-round under arched woven shade cloths, fashioned into tunnels. The hydroponic drip system that bathes the roots in a fertilizer solution was engineered from rain gutter pieces. The men spend as much time tinkering

22 g Baldwin’s Bounty 2017

and inventing as they do growing. “We grow on a different scale, every square foot counts,” Mastin said. “There is a lot of innovation. A lot of experimenting each season.”

“You think after the first few years you’ve made all the mistakes you are going to make but you learn something new every season.” The hard work has paid off. The men harvest 800 heads of lettuce a week, in addition to their other crops and in addition to their fulltime jobs.

Outside the covered tunnels the men grow rows of organic vegetables. A grant from the USDA gave them the opportunity to scientifically measure just how successful their covered vegetables were in the volatile Alabama weather. In the outdoor fields, they lost 90 percent of their crop. Under the protection of the tunnels, there was only a 10 percent loss. “You don’t get the mildew and mold in here and the shade helps with the bugs,” Mastin said. “Wet fields make life really difficult. We can work under these structures any time. It’s a big investment but it pays for itself.” With each new victory comes another season of experimenting. “You think after the first few years you’ve made all the mistakes you are going to make but you learn something new every season,” Mastin said. Learning to anticipate buyers’ habits has been the hardest. “One year we couldn’t keep kale in stock. The next year we planted more and it went out of vogue. We couldn’t get rid of it,” he said. “Any business can be a gain or a loss,” he said. “This doesn’t really feel like work though.”

Local Appetite Growers Produce Home Delivery $25 per week delivery to: • Fairhope • Daphne • Gulf Shores • Orange Beach Includes family size portion of five items of locally grown seasonal produce For more information email: localappetitegrowers@gmail.com or call 656-9265

Robertsdale Feed, Seed & Supply 21353 Hwy. 59, Robertsdale, Al (251) 947-5252 www. Robertsdalefeedandseed.com Monday – Friday 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM Saturday 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Local Feed, Seed, Farm & Garden Supplies. Livestock Feed & Supplements Supplies. Boots, Clothing & Jewelry. General Store inside carrying Amish Butter, jellies, Jams, Cheeses, Breads & much more. Baldwin’s Bounty 2017 h

Farming to Infinity and Beyond

By Allison Marlow

There is nothing old fashioned about farming in 2017. These days, farmers are using the same satellite technology as the military to make sure their crops are as straight and as precisely tended to as any formidable force. Chip Bryars, Alabama sales manager at Vantage South, said precision agriculture, guidance systems, remote sensing technology and auto driving systems are the buzz words that farmers use when they upgrade their equipment. Now, farms have sprayer systems that can set each nozzle individually to tend to a particular spot rather than an entire field. They have planting systems that can control how much pressure is used when individual seeds are placed in the ground to help monitor the planting depth. Their machines will count and map how much grain or cotton was picked as it moves across the field. If two seeds were dropped in a spot instead of one, the machine will let you know. The goal is to reduce waste and increase production and efficiency. “Our goal is to get these guys to change their way

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of thinking,” Bryars said. “From managing one field at a time to really managing on a per seed basis.” The new farm machinery will help keep track of exact amounts spent on supplies like seed, chemicals and fertilizer. Farmers will know exactly how much they spent on each acre and what the yield was for that same spot. The machines can produce a profit and loss map of every square inch of the property. “It will allow these guys to make a better decision next year about what to plant and where,” Bryars said. But, new technology comes with new headaches. More complicated machinery means it is more likely something will go wrong, Bryars said. And sometimes too much of a good thing is, well, bad. “There is an ability to collect so much data that it is an overwhelming amount of data,” Bryars said. “Most farmers do not want to sit in front of a computer and sift through mountains of data. We’re trying to simplify the process.” And, in an industry where the cost of business is often larger than the money you make, upgrading

tractors with computerized equipment can cost upwards of $20,000 per machine. Bryars said, however, the payback is swift. Farms begin immediately saving 5 to 15 percent in the cost of supplies like seed, chemical and fertilizer since the new smart tractors

“Most farmers do not want to sit in front of a computer and sift through mountains of data. We’re trying to simplify the process.” are only planting and spraying where it is needed, rather than blindly treating an entire field. “This is eliminating double planting and double spraying,” he said. “Our main goal is to make farming more efficient with data driven decisions instead of

emotional driven decisions. It’s really incredible what these giant machines can do.” And the response from an industry steeped in tradition and heritage? The proof is in the output. “A lot of times these guys aren’t keeping great records and they don’t know what something is costing them,” Bryars said. “Once we show them how they will benefit in dollar amounts, everybody is pretty willing to try it.”

Parkway Equipment

25091 Hwy. 59, between Robertsdale & Loxley, Al 251-964-6733 or Toll Free 877-865-4362 www.parkwayequipment.com Monday – Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Saturday: 7:30 a.m. – noon Lawn, Garden, & Farm Equipment Dealers for Gravely, LS Tractor, Woods & Stihl. Baldwin’s Bounty 2017 h

GET MORE TRACTOR FOR YOUR MONEY!

NOW OPEN THE WHARF, ORANGE BEACH Vegetables & Fruits, Farmers Market Stop in our Bakery for fresh made daily Pies, Pastries, Cakes, Breads, Cobblers, etc. {All made with local fruit}

Our high quality equipment comes with a long list of standard features at a lower price other brands simply can’t match. Package Deals & Financing Available

3100 Hickory, Loxley, Al. 251-964-6464 www.burrisfarmmarket.net

Open 7 Days A Week

Orange Beach Location: Monday - Sunday 8 am - 6 pm Wharf Location: Monday - Sunday 10 am - 8 pm

25091 State Hwy 59 between Robertsdale & Loxely, AL

251-964-6733 or Toll Free 877-865-4362 www.parkwayequipment.com

Photos courtesy of Nature Nine Farms

Bill’s By The Beach 300 W. Beach Blvd., Gulf Shores, Alabama 36542 251-948-5227 bill.henry@bbtb.com, www.billsbythebeach.com twitter.com/billsbythebeach facebook.com/billsbythebeachgulfshores instgagram.com/bills_by_the_beach SUMMER HOURS: Monday – Thursday: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday – Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Fresh, wild caught domestic seafood which is hand cut Seasonal, locally sourced vegetables Wild Shrimp harvested from the Gulf of Mexico Sustainable and traceable fresh fish Catch of the day, Crab, Bill’s Bacon Fondly known for serving ‘Comfort Coastal Cuisine’ Chef Rudy serves on the Board of Directors of Slow Food Gulf Coast and is President of Four Blades of Grass. 26 g Baldwin’s Bounty 2017

22057 State Hwy. 59 Robertsdale, AL 251-947-7385 www.farmfreshmeatsal.com

“Farm Fresh Meats” Smoking the South’s best Sausage since 1976. Stop in and see where we make the best sausage you’ve ever had! Also, make sure to try our small batch, house cured and smoked slab Bacon. WE SLICE TO ORDER! Also try our top choice Steaks, Boston Butts, & Beef Chuck. Cut & slices to your order.

Kubota Z122R

Powerfully Engineered. Proven to Perform.

Baldwin Tractor & Equipment 22463 State Hwy. 59 S Robertsdale, AL 36567 251-947-4171 www.baldwintractor.com

We are Kubota.

$3,899

• Air-cooled Kawasaki FR engine – 21.5 HP** • 4.5" deep, fully welded durable 42" mower deck • Grass catcher, mulching, hitch kit and LED lights available

www.kubota.com *See www.kubota.com for specific Z100 model information and applicable limited time promotional pricing. **For complete warranty, safety and product information, consult your local Kubota dealer and the product operator’s manual. Power (HP/KW) and other specifications are based on various standards or recommended practices. Optional equipment may be shown. © Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2016

BLOWOUT SPECIAL ALL Z SERIES ZERO TURN MOWERS 0% FINANCING FOR 48 MONTHS OR GET A FREE STRING TRIMMER & BLOWER WITH CASH DEAL WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

BALDWIN TRACTOR & EQUIPMENT 22463 State Hwy 59 S • Robertsdale, Alabama 36567 • (251) 947-4171

www.baldwintractor.com

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28 g Baldwinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bounty 2017