Mississippi Farm Country Volume 91 No. 5 by Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation

VOLUME 91 NO. 5

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

MISSISSIPPI FARMERS FOLLOW THEIR

Dreams

A PUBLICATION OF MISSISSIPPI FARM BUREAU FEDERATION • MSFB.ORG

TABLE

CONTENTS

september/october 2015 Volume 91 Number 5 September/October 2015

FEATURES

Mississippi Farm Country (ISSN 1529-9600) magazine is published bimonthly by the Mississippi Farm Bureau® Federation. Farm Bureau members receive this publication as part of their membership benefit. Periodicals postage is paid at Jackson, MS and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 1972, Jackson, MS 39215 EDITORIAL AND BUSINESS OFFICES 6311 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211 601-977-4153

ADVERTISING Angela Thompson 1-800-227-8244 ext. 4242 FARM BUREAU OFFICERS President — Mike McCormick Vice President — Donald Gant Vice President — Ted Kendall IV Vice President — Reggie Magee Treasurer — Billy Davis Corporate Secretary — Kent Bloodworth

HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT Louis J. Breaux III

Material in this publication is based on what the editor believes to be reliable information. Neither Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation nor those individuals or organizations contributing to the MFBF publication assume any liability for errors that might go undetected in the publication — this includes statements in articles or advertisements that could lead to erroneous personal or business management decisions. FARM BUREAU®, FB®and all Farm Bureau logos used in this magazine are registered service marks owned by the American Farm Bureau Federation. They may not be used in any commercial manner without the prior written consent of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

This issue visits several farmers (and other Farm Bureau members) who have successfully pursued their dreams. Come with us as we learn more.

EDITOR — Glynda Phillips

FARM BUREAU DIRECTORS Dr. Jim Perkins, Iuka Matt Orman, Hickory Flat Tommy Swindoll, Hernando Bob Workman, Sledge Tripp Thomas, Batesville Dan Bishop, Baldwyn Herbert Word, Okolona Craig Canull, Caledonia Pepper Beard, McCarley Dott Arthur, Carthage Kenneth Thompson, Philadelphia Paul Myrick, Stringer Quinton Mills, Forest James Newman, Rolling Fork Robert Earl McGehee Jr., Brookhaven Earl Gay Edwards, Smithdale Bobby Selman, Monticello Dorothy Cole, Richton J. B. Brown, Perkinston Tom Daniels, Gulfport Betty Mills, Winona Kelly Davidson, Ruleville

Farmers & Their Dreams

County Annual Meetings

The dates and locations for our county annual meetings are listed inside.

Farm Bureau Activities

The YF&R Gary Langley Memorial Clay Shoot and the three Ag in the Classroom Teacher/Volunteer Leader workshops enjoyed great participation this year. Coverage can be found inside.

DEPARTMENTS

About The Cover

4 6 7 18 19 22

Forrest County horse breeder Vaughn Wilson encourages others to “Get Off the Porch” and follow your dreams. He and his wife have in the past raised awardwinning Appaloosa reining horses on their Hawk Crest Farms near Petal. Vaughn is also a successful photographer, artist, musician and author. Read about him inside this issue. All photos with this article are courtesy of Vaughn Wilson.

President’s Message Commodity Update: Forages Commodity Update: Horticulture Strolling: Sam Scott Member Benefits Farm Facts

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

P R E S I D E N T’S M E S S A G E Mike McCormick, President, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation

Won’t You Join Us? Anyone who knows me knows how

passionate I am about Farm Bureau. Through the years, I have seen what a group of farmers can accomplish when they speak with one voice about issues that affect their lives and livelihoods. The Eminent Domain Reform campaign comes immediately to mind, but there have been so many other successes throughout our long and storied history. Farm Bureau is able to tackle the important issues because we are a strong grassroots organization. What that means is that the policy that guides what we do in the legislative and regulatory arenas has its roots on the county level. Mississippi has Farm Bureau offices in all 82 counties. Our volunteer leaders are interested in their local communities, but they are also concerned about what is going on in their state and nation. They don’t hesitate to give of their time and energy to make sure their voices are heard. In addition to our local influence, Mississippi joins with Farm Bureaus from every state and Puerto Rico to form the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), an organization that is 6 million memberfamilies strong. Through AFBF, we are able to tackle issues of national significance. So as you can see, when you join Farm Bureau you gain access to an extraordinary level

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

of involvement that not only encompasses the state but the nation as well. PROGRAMS & BENEFITS

If you are unfamiliar with our Farm Bureau programs and benefits, I invite you to read about them on the Member Benefits page inside this issue of the magazine. You can also visit our website at www. msfb.org.

All of our Farm Bureau programs are designed to teach the general public about agriculture and to give our ABOUT US volunteer leaders the skills Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation and resources they need to has always done an excellent job of teachaddress the issues that con- ing the public about agriculture. In the cern them. Among these near future, we plan to make more of programs are Public Policy, a concerted effort to educate the public Young Farmers & Ranch- about us, the Farm Bureau organization. ers, Women’s Programs, It is something we have wanted to do for Environmental Programs, a while, if only to let you know exactly Training, Commodity, what you get when you pay your memSafety, Public Relations, bership dues each year. I will keep you Publications, Land Use, Ag in the Class- up to date as we make our plans in the room, Field Services and Member Benefits. months ahead. With that in mind, we also offer one In conclusion, I want to remind you of the best member benefits packages in that our staff and volunteer leaders take the nation. Our insurance great pride in Farm Bureau’s WE OFFER ONE OF THE products are probably the present and past successes BEST MEMBER BENEFITS best known, and they are outeven as we continue to work PACKAGES IN THE NATION. OUR together to surface programs standing, but we have many INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE other programs designed to that will address our future PROBABLY THE BEST KNOWN, make your life easier. Just needs in an ever-changing AND THEY ARE OUTSTANDING, a few of these include disworld. If you aren’t already BUT WE HAVE MANY OTHER counts on Ford and Lincoln PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO MAKE a member, I invite you to vehicles, Polaris ATVs and explore the possibilities. If YOUR LIFE EASIER. CASE IH tractors and equipyou are already a loyal Farm ment as well as discounts on hotel rooms Bureau member, tell your family, friends and rental cars. We have an Identity Theft and neighbors about us. Credit Restoration program, a Clear Value Our reach is far, our voice is strong and Hearing program, a Theft Reward program we are dedicated to making a difference in and many fantastic scholarships. your life. Won’t you join us? FB

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

MFBF Board Tours MSU Research

Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation board members and their spouses toured Mississippi State University research facilities in May. The group learned about work being done to improve rice varieties, efforts that will help farmers deal with the stresses on row crops and beef cattle research that will help farmers raise healthier and more profitable animals. Land-grant research is critical to helping our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farmers remain efficient and productive in an ever-growing, ever-changing world.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

COMMODITY UPDATE: Forage

Forage New State Commodity

Price Wallace

MFBF Forage Commodity Advisory Committee Chair

Matt Bayles

MFBF Commodity Coordinator for Forage

Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation has place in Mississippi is the introduction of Agency website. The rainfall index uses introduced a new commodity. Last year, our a new product called Pasture, Rangeland National Oceanic and Atmospheric state board voted in the statewide commod- and Forage (PRF). This is an insurance Administration Climate Prediction Center ity of Forage and Pastureland. product that is available through the (NOAA CPC) data, and each grid is This new commodity is an example U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk 0.25 degrees in latitude by 0.25 degrees of how a grassroots organization works. Management Agency (RMA). in longitude. You must select at least It started in Simpson County with the Pasture, Rangeland and Forage insur- two 2-month time periods where rain county board discussing the need for a ance was designed for maximum flexibility. is important to your operation in your forage commodity to help producers get You are not required to insure all your acres, area. These time periods are called index information and have a voice in things but you cannot exceed the total number of intervals. Your insurance payments will going on with their pasture and hay land. grazing or haying acres you operate. This be calculated using NOAA CPC data Once the county board voted to start this allows you to insure only those acres that are for the grid(s) and index interval(s) you commodity, many other counties signed on important to your grazing program or hay have chosen to insure. When the final in support of the importance of it. After operation. By selecting a Protection Factor, grid index falls below your “trigger grid many of the counties showed their support, you can establish a value between 60 and index” (coverage level multiplied by the the commodity was introduced to the state 150 percent of the County Base Value and expected grid index), you may receive a board for adoption, and it was voted in. match the amount of your protection to the loss payment. This insurance coverage is With this being a new commodity value of forage that best represents your spe- for a single peril — lack of rain. Coverage represented by Mississippi Farm Bureau cific grazing or hay operation as well as the is based on the experience of the entire grid. Federation, there are many opportunities productivity of your land. It is NOT based on individual farms or that are at hand for farmers and producThis product is based on a rainfall index ranches or specific weather stations in the ers. One of them that has recently taken and according to the Risk Management general area. FB You can find more detailed information at the NOAA website: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outreach/research_papers/ncep_cpc_atlas/7/toc.html.

The 25th Annual Delta Rice Tasting Luncheon

will be held Sept. 18, 2015, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Walter Sillers Coliseum on the campus of Delta State University in Cleveland. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased from the Bolivar County Extension Office by (662) 843-8371. Tickets will also be Bloodworth, Meyer Assume New Responsibilities calling sold at the door. • Rice farmers in Mississippi, Kent Bloodworth and Tammy Meyer have assumed new responsibilities within the Arkansas, Louisiana, California, Missouri and Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF). Bloodworth, who is the organization’s general counsel, has been named Corporate Secretary. Meyer will serve as Executive Assistant. Both Texas grow 18 billion pounds of rice each year. Nearly 85 percent of the rice Americans eat is positions are in the MFBF Executive Department. “I am so proud to have Kent and Tammy on my team. They are a definite asset to Farm grown by America’s rice farmers, which means Bureau,” said MFBF President Mike McCormick. “Their work ethic, past experience and dedi- it is sustainable, healthy and affordable — not to mention delicious and convenient. cation to Farm Bureau will serve our organization well in the years to come.” 6

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

COMMODITY UPDATE: Horticulture

Horticulture: A Growing Mississippi Industry

Jason Ellzey

MFBF Horticulture Commodity Advisory Committee Chair

Horticulture is the science and art of producing, improving, marketing and using fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants.1 It is a diverse and ever-growing segment of the agricultural community, and we have a vast buffet of horticulture crops grown in Mississippi, ranging from sod and ornamentals to an endless variety of fruits and vegetables. According to the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, the horticulture industry’s value to our state is around $115 million, excluding sweet potatoes, which represent another $96 million. Mississippi’s climate is a plus for growers. With the growing season beginning in the early spring and going into the fall, farmers are able to produce multiple crops every year, depending on their location in the state. Mississippi is home to over 150 commercial sod and ornamental producers. The majority are located in George, Jackson and Harrison counties. Approximately 5,000 acres of turf grass are grown for use in athletic fields, golf courses and any other place grass is needed. The four most popular varieties of turf grass grown in Mississippi are Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede and St. Augustine. They are grown in multiple varieties and can be sold in sprigs, small squares or even big rolls. Ornamental products range from azaleas and camellias to daylilies, ferns or most anything that you would need for landscaping. One acre of land can produce more than $60,000 of container-grown nursery stock. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

According to Mississippi State University, the average American’s yearly consumption of fresh fruit is around 104 pounds and around 140 pounds of fresh vegetables. In Mississippi, we grew 109,050 acres of melons in 2014, with the average melon weighing from 18-22 pounds. The southeastern area of Mississippi is the center of production, with 25 counties boasting major watermelon production. Between 400 and 500 acres of cantaloupes are also grown in Mississippi, mostly for local consumers. Another large horticulture crop for Mississippi is blueberries. In 2014, Mississippi growers picked 2,100 acres of blueberries, yielding over 4,000 pounds an acre. In the United States, Mississippi ranks ninth in blueberry production. Blueberries are harvested from May until September, with the high point of production being in June and July. Half of all blueberries are sold anywhere from farmers markets to stores and pick-your-own farms. The other half are sold wholesale. On average, 43 different types of vegetables are grown in Mississippi each year. These crops range from Irish potatoes to rutabagas. In any given year, Mississippians grow anywhere from 300-500 acres of Irish potatoes, 300-1,000 acres of pumpkins and squash and 300-600 acres of okra. Turnips and rutabagas are around 100 acres each, with green and bulb onions a little less than 50 acres. There are several other crops with less acreage throughout the state.

Chris Shivers

MFBF Commodity Coordinator for Horticulture

Greenhouse tomatoes are a growing segment of Mississippi agriculture. With around 100 commercial growers and with our $6 million gross annually, we rank 12th nationally in production. Each 24x96 or 30x96 greenhouse will hold about 600 plants and produce a yearly average of 25-30 pounds of tomatoes per plant. Most growers produce two crops per year, but some farmers choose only a spring or a winter crop to supplement other farming interests. Greenhouse tomatoes require a little TLC, with an average house requiring about 20 hours of work per week for the entire growing season. Most of Mississippi’s horticulture crops are sold locally through stores, roadside stands and farmers markets. Most every county has a farmers market where locally produced products are sold. To find the farmers market closest to you, visit the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s website at www.mdac.ms.gov. For more information about the horticulture industry and the information in this article, visit www.msucares.com for the Mississippi State University research and extension services; www.mdac.ms.gov for the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce; or www.growingmississippi.org for the Farm Families of Mississippi Ag Promotion Campaign. FB

As defined by the American Society for Horticultural Science MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

O T F E . THE.

PORCH B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S

Get off the porch and start chasing your dreams. Horse breeder Vaughn Wilson of Petal is on a mission to encourage kids (and adults) to listen to their hearts, and he is ideally suited to the task. In pursuing his own dreams, he has become a renowned photographer and artist, a musician of note and an award-winning coffee table and children’s book author. He is listed on the performing artist roster for the Mississippi Arts Commission. “Get off the Porch is what I call my Power Point presentation about my journey along the road less traveled,” he said. “Specifically, it is about my books. I dreamed of putting together a coffee table book about horses, and it is something my wife, Valerie, encouraged me to pursue. She told me the dream wouldn’t come knocking at my door. I would need to go after the dream.” Vaughn envisioned a book that would profile horse owners and center on stories about a specific horse that had made a difference in their life. The book would also 8

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

include some of Vaughn’s photographs and paintings. His interest in horses stems from his Hawk Crest Farms, where he and his wife have in the past raised national and world champion Appaloosa reining horses. “I spent three years taking photographs and interviewing people,” he said. “I traveled 40,000 miles, mostly in the South, Southwest and California. About 29 of the 39 people I interviewed were in Texas. Charlie Daniels is in the book. I interviewed Reba McEntire’s father, Clark, who is in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, and singer/songwriter Michael Martin Murphey. We also have a foreword by baseball great Nolan Ryan. The book, “Tell Me About That Horse,” was well received, and it still sells very well.” Vaughn is being humble. The book won

the Will Rogers Medallion Award in 2012 and was a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Awards Coffee Table/Photography Book of the Year and the American Horse Publications Book of the Year. It has been called a wonderful tribute to horses that have made an impact on the lives of their owners. “My children’s picture books grew out of the coffee table book,” he said. “I would take one horse story and write a children’s book around it. I started with one of the best rodeo clowns ever, Lecile Harris, and Sweet Pea, his very fast mule. The first book is called “Lecile and the Racing Rodeo Mule.” “The next two books are stories told to me by Trevor Brazile, a world-champion rodeo cowboy, and Sam Powell, a renowned “horse whisperer.” The books are entitled “Trevor SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

and the Cow-Shy Cow Horse” and “Bronco Sam and the Mustang.” All three books have won Will Rogers Medallions (two each) so we are real proud of that. I try to put a bit of a message in them and instill some cowboy ethics.” The books are a part of a series of books called “Unkle Hokum Stories,” referring to a character that Vaughn came up with when visiting schools to sing traditional folk songs and encourage children to read. “The kids had a fit over Unkle Hokum,” he said. “So he is in the books, too.” The picture books, which are illustrated by Kevin Cordtz, are self-published. Vaughn and his wife, who is director of the Petal Area Chamber of Commerce, are involved with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library through the Petal Education Foundation. “Petal is the first town in Mississippi to join the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and it is a great program,” he said. “We hold fundraisers and solicit donations to SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

raise enough money to give a child a book a full potential through the magic of literacy.” month from birth to the age of five. It takes Vaughn is also a member of a country $29 per child per year to do this, and we cur- music group named Lincoln County, so music rently have 500 children signed up.” is a big part of his life as well. He still performs “We must have our for benefits and such. schoolchildren reading The Wilsons have at their grade level by two children, Matt, a the time they reach the corporate attorney in fourth grade because that Atlanta, and Emily, is when they begin readwho just graduated ing to learn,” Vaughn said. from Millsaps College. “If we fail them, we stand For more informaa good chance of losing tion, contact Vaughn them in high school. If at (601) 408-2011. we can just get parents His books are available Vaughn and Lecile Harris reading to their children, from Amazon.com then half our battle is won. My books or at www.tellmeaboutthathorse.com or have vocabulary words listed in the back www.unklehokum.com. He also compiled so parents and teachers can talk to their “Kidfolk: Songs of America,” a CD of classic kids about those, too. The pictures in the folk songs that children have been singing books are geared toward encouraging pre- and loving for many years. It is available from school kids to “read” by simply looking at Amazon.com or at www.unklehokum.com. the photos. I am passionate about helping Vaughn Wilson is a longtime Forrest every child in Mississippi reach his or her County Farm Bureau member. FB MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

“ONE COLD WINTER DAY ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO, IT WAS RAINING AND SNOWING, AND I HAD TO STAND IN LINE FOR THREE HOURS TO GET FEED, WHICH I PUT IN CONTAINERS AND COVERED WITH A TARP. I THOUGHT I HAD IT COVERED, BUT THE FEED GOT WET, VERMIN GOT IN IT, AND I THOUGHT, ‘I AM TIRED OF THIS. THERE HAS GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY.’” GREG CHAMBERS

V I E T F N A E R V M N I E R N A B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S

reg Chambers’ passion for farming and his ability to creatively tackle the many challenges in farming helped earn him his first patent in December 2014. His invention, a mobile feeding tank he calls the Chambers Feeding Tank, is a unique but practical method of collecting, storing and delivering livestock feed that should be of help to many farmers but especially small farmers. “One cold winter day about seven years ago, it was raining and snowing, and I had to stand in line for three hours to get feed, which I put in containers and covered with a tarp. I thought I had it covered, but the feed got wet, vermin got in it, and I thought, ‘I am tired of this. There has got to be a better way.’” Some scrap iron, an old metal tank and an augur lying around his farm caught his eye. As he studied them, the seed for the mobile feeding tank was planted. Soon enough, it began to germinate. “I started getting up and working on my idea at 2 and 3 in the morning, long before my work day officially began. When the equipment was finished, I used it. As I used it, I tweaked it,” he said. Alvin Topp, the local Farm Service Agency branch manager, happened to see the tank and told Greg he had never seen anything like it. He said he would help him get it patented. Greg and Alvin, along with a few other friends from the community, flew to Memphis to talk to a patent attorney from Washington, D.C. The attorney told Greg it would take a long time to go through all of the patents and figure out if his was the first. The wait was worth it. Greg was ultimately awarded U.S. Patent No. 8,919,285. Upon receiving the patent, a prototype was manufactured, and a special ceremony was held. Local businesses put together a proSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

gram this past April at the Prentiss County Ag Center to display the feeding tank. Approximately 400 people attended, along with Gov. Phil Bryant and Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Cindy HydeSmith. Alvin was there, along with Greg’s pastor, Rev. Houston Owens; Dr. Greg Herd; Ann Harvell, who designed the artwork on the invention; Terry Shelley, secretary for his carpentry business; Winston County Self Help Cooperative President Frank Taylor and Rep. Tracy Arnold. “I couldn’t believe that many people came,” Greg said with a smile. HOW IT WORKS

Here is how the feeding tank works: BASICALLY, THE INTERNAL SYSTEM OF THE TANK SIMULTANEOUSLY PREVENTS CAKING OR OTHERWISE SOLIDIFYING OF FEED MATERIAL AND MANEUVERS THE FEED TO A TROUGH FOR DISPENSING ON DEMAND. THE DEVICE INCLUDES AN AUGER COMPONENT WITH A HOUSING CAP TO SELECTIVELY ALTER THE RATE OF DISPENSING AS WELL AS PROVIDE A SHUT-OFF MECHANISM IF NEEDED. THE DEVICE CAN BE DRIVEN TO A FEED SOURCE AND FILLED TO ANY SELECTED LEVEL, CLOSED AND TRANSPORTED TO ANY DESIRED LOCATION FOR DELIVERY. RODENTS AND OTHER PESTS CANNOT INVADE THE STRUCTURE, AND IT PROVIDES A BARRIER AGAINST MOISTURE.

The trailer, tank and auger will be manufactured separately. Greg has located a manufacturer for the trailer in Prentiss County. Mississippi State University experts helped him put together a business plan, and they are helping him find factories, hopefully in Mississippi, for the other parts of his invention. A BORN FARMER

Even at an early age, Greg knew he wanted to farm. “When I was 7 years old, my friends were

interested in basketball, but I was mesmerized by the tractors I would see passing by my house every day,” he said. “We didn’t live on a farm, so I began visiting a neighbor’s farm about a half mile down the road.” The neighbor, Olen Ray Huddleston, let Greg hang around and soon became his mentor, teaching him everything he needed to know about farming. “When I was 12, I could do anything on the farm,” said the 44-year-old. “I could do it all.” When Greg told Olen that he wanted a bike like his friends, Olen said, “Well, then, you need to learn how to weld. I will show you.” Greg could soon fix any equipment that broke. Even today, he would much rather build or repair something than purchase it new. Greg also learned to care for Olen’s horses. He became an expert at showing horses and earned many ribbons in local and state competition. Today, Greg owns his own farm near Rienzi, where he grows soybeans and corn and raises Black Angus cattle and Bohr goats. He also does carpentry work. Greg sees many uses for his Chambers Feeding Tank, far beyond what it was designed for, and he is excited about the future. “I like helping people,” he said. “So many people have helped me through the years, and now, it’s my turn to give back.” FB Greg and his wife, Dianna, have three children, Termorris Miller, Hope Chambers and J’Marcus Chambers. Greg is an active member of Oakhill M.B. Church in Booneville. He joined the Prentiss County Farm Bureau when he was 18 years old. Greg says he is the first African-American from Prentiss County in more than a century to receive a patent. MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

Delaca�a

de l i c a t e &

d e l i c i o u s

B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S

Delacata is the prime cut of a popular fish that has been grown in the Deep South for many years. Have you guessed which fish? It is U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish. Only the finest farm-raised catfish are harvested as Delacata. These fish are deepskinned and hand-trimmed to ensure that the fat and skin layer are removed. Delacata’s light, delicate flavor lends itself well to sauces, marinades and herb rubs. It is best pan sautéed, grilled or baked. In Mississippi, Delacata is served at Seafood R’evolution at Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland; Bravo’s at Highland Village in Jackson; 1908 Provisions at the Fairview Inn in Jackson; and Roca in Vicksburg. You may purchase Delacata at McDade’s Market in Jackson. SIMMONS CATFISH

The Delacata-style catfish fillet is a product developed by the U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish Industry. Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish in Yazoo City is the only catfish processor in Mississippi that cuts, packages and distributes the Delacata product. Simmons has designed new packaging and is working to get the product into a national retailer in the near future. “Delacata doesn’t have the following we want yet, but we feel it is just a matter of time before people catch on to how great a product it is,” said Katy Simmons Prosser, marketing and brand development for Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish. Company founder and owner Harry Simmons built his first catfish ponds in 1976 then built a processing plant in 1982. Today, he not only grows the fish, he harvests, processes and distributes it. In addition to the Delacata, Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish offers whole catfish, nuggets, fillets, catfish steak, breaded products, marinated fillets, hushpuppies and breading. For more information, visit the website at www.simmonscatfish.com. Harry serves as chair of the The Catfish Institute (TCI), which was founded in 1986 by

Harry (left) and farm manager Dan Bradshaw with Katy Simmons Prosser.

catfish feed mills and their producer members with the goal of raising consumer awareness about the benefits of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish. Today TCI, which represents catfish feed mills in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana, conducts promotional programs throughout the United States and Canada. Roger E. Barlow serves as TCI president, and the headquarters is in Jackson. BEST CHOICE

Mississippi leads the nation in the production of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish. The fish are grown in self-contained clay-based ponds using the good clean water of the Delta’s alluvial aquifers. The fish are fed a feed comprised primarily ofB protein, corn Y G LY N Dsuch A P H as I L Lsoybeans, IPS and rice, and are top feeders. The pellets are sprayed onto the surface of the water, and the fish rise up to feed. They are not bottom feeders. Farm-raised catfish is a protein-rich food that is low in saturated fat and contains hearthealthy omega-3 fatty acids, along with other important nutrients. A four-ounce serving contains about 17 grams of protein and only 140 calories. The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program lists U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish as a “Best Choice” superfood due to its well-managed and sustainable farming practices. It is also endorsed by the World Wildlife Fund, the Audubon Society and the Environmental Defense Fund. Before harvesting, sample fish are inspected for optimum flavor. The industry is routinely

inspected by the U.S. Department of Commerce at the processing plant, confirming it has met the highest standards. Production and processing are also monitored by the Federal Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as state and local agencies. Industry experts say much of the imported fish being sold as catfish in the U.S. today comes from Southeast Asia, where it is grown and processed under substandard and inconsistent conditions. Some imported Asian fish have been found to contain carcinogens and illegal antibiotics. Always make sure you are purchasing U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish, and make a point of trying the sweet, light and delicious Delacata. FB

Mr. Bill’s Pan-Sautéed Delacata Mr. Bill Meeks, creator of the Catfish Chip, has been an important part of the Simmons team for almost 30 years. You can often find him in the kitchen preparing catfish in many different ways. This has become his favorite preparation for catfish, especially the Delacata. 6 Simmons Delacata or 5-7 oz. fillets 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning 4 teaspoons Cavender’s Greek Seasoning 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 1. Combine butter, lemon juice, Tony’s, Cavender’s and four tablespoons olive oil in bowl. 2. Wipe the Delacata dry and marinate in butter mixture for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. 3. Heat a sauté or grill pan to medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Put Delacata in a pan, presentation side down. Cook for 15 minutes then turn and cook for 5 minutes more. 4. Serve with sauce of your choice or as a sandwich. Yield: 6 servings

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.USCATFISH.COM OR WWW.SIMMONSCATFISH.COM, OR VISIT TWITTER.COM/SIMMONSCATFISH OR THE SIMMONS FARM-RAISED CATFISH FACEBOOK PAGE. YOU MAY ALSO CALL (662) 746-5687. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Photos courtesy of Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish.

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

S RESTAURA E H C N OR

ALL ABOUT FOOD

& ATMOSPHERE B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S

Porches Restaurant in Wesson prides itself on exemplifying all that is elegant, festive and just plain enjoyable about dining out in the South. Consider the food. The family-owned and family-operated restaurant serves time-honored Southern fare, often with an interesting twist, that is made from scratch with the freshest ingredients. Atmosphere is also important. The restaurant is located in a 4,000-square-foot Victorian home (the former James Samuel Rae Home) that dates back to 1878 and boasts 2,600 square feet of porches. You can sit outside on the long front porch and contemplate the gorgeous trees and hydrangea. Or you can enjoy a wrap-around interior porch that opens up the inside of the house to the outdoors. The atmospheric old house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has thick heart-pine floors and antique furniture. Last but certainly not least, the owners of Porches Restaurant are just good folks. In point of fact, how often do you hear of a family uprooting themselves from one town and relocating to another several hours away simply to support the dreams of one of their sons? Here is their story. THE DREAM

Chris McSweyn was majoring in culinary arts at Copiah-Lincoln Community College when his teacher informed him it was time to do an internship. Chris was already working long hours at a local restaurant while attending classes, and he did not have time for the internship — at least SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

not in the traditional sense. He asked his teacher, “If I open my own restaurant, will that suffice?” When she gave him her blessing, he approached his parents. He was 20 years old. “We were living in Pearl,” said his father, Al. “I had retired from BellSouth, and Celia was working at Carters Jewelers. She loved her job, but she said, “How can we not let him do this? It’s his dream, and he is so talented.” The McSweyns bought an historic old house in Wesson, built a commercial kitchen and transformed the front of the home into a restaurant. They still live in the back rooms. “We thought that maybe we would attract a few patrons, if we were lucky. We thought that he would have his experience then get a real job in Jackson,” said Al. “That was 20 years ago. I can remember when we fed 20 to 30 people a day, and now we average 100 to 150 people daily. We have never stopped growing. We have become a destination restaurant of sorts.” Two things helped to make that happen. First, the family began cooking their own house rolls, two big batches of them a day, and the rolls became wildly popular, especially during the holidays. Second, word got out about specific dishes Chris was making from scratch. “People love the food, and they have their favorites. They return again and again,” said Al. A TALENT FOR FOOD

“I wanted to do this from a very young age, and after cooking for the public for 20 years, I still love it,” Chris said. “It takes a lot of my time. I lose time with my family, especially in

December, but cooking is something I was born to do. I can eat a bite of a dish and tell you exactly what is in it. It is just a knack I have. I love all types of cooking, but making pastries is probably my favorite thing to do.” The McSweyns say that Celia’s sister, Sybil, is a great cook, too, and helped immensely in the beginning. She still runs the cash register at times. In fact, the entire family pitches in when needed. Oldest son, Trey, works for a large computing firm in Hattiesburg. Chris’ wife, Tonya, is a dietician for Brookhaven public schools. Their two daughters, Carrie and Katie, are in school in Wesson. Al helps in the kitchen, along with three other employees. Celia has a gift shop. The wait staff fluctuates in number and uses local college students whenever possible. Adding locally grown flavor to the enterprise is neighbor Alton Ricks, a retired Co-Lin dean and head basketball coach who brings the restaurant squash and tomatoes in season. The vegetables are delicious and a point of pride for not only Alton but Al, whose grandfather was one of the biggest tomato growers in Crystal Springs, back when the town was known as the Tomato Capitol of the World. “There is just something in the soil that gives our tomatoes a great flavor,” he said. FB FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Visit www.porchesofwesson.com or the Facebook page, porchesrestaurant. The family invites you to check out the YouTube of Porches. • You can purchase the Porches Restaurant cookbook, “Pineapple Days & Bread Pudding Nights,” by visiting the restaurant or by emailing the McSweyns at porchesofwesson@bellsouth.net. The cost is $12.95 plus postage if it is mailed to you. MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

Enjoying

Country Life B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S

Bonnie Hawthorne greets you with a warm smile on the day of her interview at her home in Flora. It is the same smile you always saw when you visited the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Building in Jackson, where she worked as Department Assistant to the Executive Department for 17 years. Bonnie retired in May, and we wish her well. But we sure do miss that smile. “I loved my job,” she said. “Farm Bureau people are such good people. They really care about the world, and they work hard to make a difference in the world. I think during the years I worked for Farm Bureau there were so many improvements. The staff became so much more involved with the volunteer leaders, helping them carry out programs designed to develop our young farmers’ leadership skills, take our farmers’ message to the general public, carry agriculture into classrooms and familiarize lawmakers with our agricultural industry, just to name a few. “I will miss interacting with our volunteer leaders and staff, but I enjoy my retirement,” she added. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to fill up the hours, but I’m busy every day. There is always something to do around here.” THE DREAM

Bonnie and her late husband, Sid, bought their property some 20 years ago as the Ridgeland area began to grow and become more urban. “Sid and I lived on East Jackson Street,

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and where we lived was wooded and backed up to the Natchez Trace. As businesses and houses began moving into Ridgeland, we began talking about building a house out in the country,” she said. “We had thought about building in Holmes County, but when we saw this land, we fell in love with it.” Bonnie and Sid had been visiting friends who lived north of Madison when they decided to take a different route home. “We cut through down this road and saw the For Sale sign. We noticed that the property was on a lake. There were no houses back then. We knew the fellow selling the land so we talked to him about it. We gave the property careful consideration before we bought it, and we never regretted our decision.” Sid grew up on a farm in Madison County, but Bonnie moved a lot as the daughter of a stepfather who worked in construction. Two of the states she lived in were Nebraska and Michigan. It was Sid and Bonnie’s dream to live in the country, and they quickly made the 5-acre piece of property (two and one-half acres of land and the rest taken up by the lake) their own. TREES & FLOWERS

“I have pear and fig and pomegranate trees,” she said. “You have to have a snowball tree, so I have one of those. I have Little Gem magnolias, sweet olives, a Chaste tree and crape myrtles. I have roses and daylilies, salvia, iris and two raised beds of wildflowers I bought at a

wildflower farm in Fredericksburg, Texas.” In front of Sid’s old woodworking shop stands a huge arbor covered in a blazing orange trumpet vine. There is also a horse trough converted into a goldfish pond. Bonnie installed an antique iron water pump that had belonged to her grandmother, and it delivers a steady stream of water to the pond as a fountain of sorts. “My sister, Colleen, has so many beautiful flowers and trees at her home in Natchez, and she is always trying to get me to plant more here,” she said. “That is one of the things I intend to do in my retirement years.” Bonnie also has a sister, Margaret Thompson, who lives outside Houston, Texas. Bonnie shares her home with her son, Stacy. Her other son, Jason, lives in Gluckstadt. She has three grandchildren, Brianna, Dylan and Kaitlyn. Bonnie and Stacy spend a lot of time outdoors working in the yard, tending to the animals (including three dogs, two goats, one cat and one miniature horse) and enjoying the lake. Bonnie also travels, visiting friends and family. At the time of her interview, she was getting ready to visit an old and dear friend in Arkansas. “I am enjoying my retirement, but I miss my friends at Farm Bureau,” she said. “Tell them I said hello. They are always welcome to come visit. And tell them to keep up the good work on behalf of our members. That’s what Farm Bureau is all about, and that’s why I believe so deeply in the organization.” FB

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

OLLING R ST

Get Over It! There seems to be a mistaken notion that a lot of people have an absolute right to quite a few things, opportunities or circumstances — a right of entitlement. What is that, where does it originate, does it even exist? Or is that just another by Sam Scott “wannabe” idea? The only rights I see in the Constitution are set out in the Bill of Rights and its other amendments, and though very significant, they are not pie in the sky. In my latest dictionary, entitlement is defined as a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group. Not only do I disagree with that, it is not even what I am talking about. In my best-and-biggest 3,000-page dictionary, there is no such word. What I am talking about is life! I want to be clear that I am not talking about charity or helping those who, because of circumstances, cannot help themselves, and this is not about good and necessary government or private assistance programs. Those who could, but don’t choose to help themselves, do not belong in that category, though many seem to be there. No, this is much more broad. In the days of the telegraph, a college boy, who didn’t live within his allowance, sent this 18

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

to his father: “No mon, no fun, Son.” The next day, he got this back: “Too bad, it’s sad, Dad.” I had my own “no fun” experience as a freshman in college. School was hard, my grades were not good (for a very obvious reason) and a sophomore cheerleader had broken my tender heart. I had borrowed my mother’s car, drove home, told my dad my problems and said I was quitting school. Expecting understanding and encouragement, he said: “Fine — go back, get your stuff, come home and drive a tractor until the Army drafts you.” Talk about a reality check! You can easily guess the rest. This fictitious right spreads across many aspects of life. An adult friend and his girlfriend seemed meant for each other. He was reluctant to make a commitment, and his friends told him he was going to fool around and lose her, but he didn’t listen. Finally he proposed, and she sweetly looked him right in the eyes and said “no.” There are many words to describe his reaction but flabbergasted seems best. He bewailed his fate to those same friends, who quickly replied they didn’t want to hear about it and had told him so. She wouldn’t say “yes” until he begged. He learned his lesson, they married and lived happily ever after. No entitlement! One father, asked what his son wanted to do after graduation, replied that he wanted to live like those in Gentlemen’s Quarterly without making any effort. In his famous poem, “Ulysses,” Alfred Lord

Tennyson’s hero says: “I am a part of all that I have met.” That, of course, means hard work, much effort, disappointment and failures, or as Churchill said, “toil, sweat and tears.” No one is entitled to live like their parents, neighbors, fellow workers or bosses. Jobs, raises, grades, recognition, honors and success all come with a price. None are or should be free. In summary, an Eagles song is appropriate: “You don’t wanna work but live like a king But the big bad world doesn’t owe you a thing You say you haven’t been the same since you had your little crash But you might feel better if I gave you some cash All this whinin’ and crying, pitchin’ a fit Get over it, get over it!” As my 90-year-old mother tearfully said in a very poignant moment about the untimely death of a beloved granddaughter: “Life goes on.” Braver or more true words I have never heard. FB

Retired attorney Sam Scott worked with Farm Bureau for many years and continues writing for Mississippi Farm Country. You may contact him by emailing kdroge@msfb.org. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Museum oF tHe Mississippi DeLta B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S

An early summer visit to the Museum of the Mississippi Delta lands you right in the middle of the Summer Discovery program. A group of 4-year-olds are stringing together dried macaroni they have decorated in bright primary colors while happy music blasts in the background and program coordinator Synthia Hoover looks on with a smile. Summer Discovery gives students ages 4-12 an opportunity to take classes about a wide variety of topics, from art and history to wildlife and Native American culture. It is a great program, but it is only one aspect of this small museum located in Greenwood in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. MUSEUM HIGHLIGHTS

The Museum of the Mississippi Delta offers many fascinating and informative exhibits that chart the course of the Mississippi Delta from prehistoric to more modern times. Among the highlights is an exhibit of mastodon bones that date back 12,000 years and were found 30 miles southeast of Greenwood. You will also find a collection of Native American artifacts, including pottery from the Humbert McWilliams archeological site located in the northwestern corner of the Delta as well as the largest collection of Native American trade beads in the southern United States. The archaeology collection is on loan from the L.B. Jones Trust. “The Native Americans hadn’t seen bright shiny glass beads when the explorers arrived on our shores, so they didn’t hesitate to trade their gold for the beads,” said museum business manager Dave Freeman. Also on display in the museum are photographs, furniture and other memorabilia from Malmaison, home of Chief Greenwood Leflore, the last chief of the Choctaw Indians. Leflore was also a planter and a Mississippi senator. Malmaison, located northeast of Greenwood, burned to the ground in 1942. The museum exhibits military artifacts, including a Civil War cannon and a model SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

The museum also features artwork from a permanent collection on a rotating basis. On the day of the interview, the modernist sculpture of Jackson native James Seawright was on display. SOME HISTORY

When it opened, the Museum of the Mississippi Delta was called Cottonlandia because the Delta, at the time (1975), was known as Cotton Land. Even though agriculture is still important to the area, the name was changed three years ago to also reflect the art, archeology, antiques and animals of the Delta. of the battle of nearby Fort Pemberton, plus uniforms and equipment from the two world wars. In addition, an entire room devoted to agriculture is filled with plows, fertilizer spreaders, mule hames and blacksmith tools. Kids love the life-size Delta Swamp walk-through diorama recreating a typical Delta swamp, complete with stuffed raccoons, boar, fox, bobcat, bear and deer, just to name a few. They also enjoy the adjacent Fossils, Feathers and Furs room, filled with bird and bug collections and different types of animal fur they can touch. “Some kids are scared of the Delta swamp,” Dave said. “The animals look real and that is scary, but mainly it’s the sounds that frighten them. They depict the many insects and animals to be found in a typical Delta swamp.”

The museum, housed in the former Billups Petroleum Building (1957), is undergoing extensive renovations this year in order to devote more space to exhibits and to create a more “museum-like” look to the exterior of the building. When it opened, the Museum of the Mississippi Delta was called Cottonlandia because the Delta, at the time (1975), was known as Cotton Land. Even though agriculture is still important to the area, the name was changed three years ago to also reflect the art, archeology, antiques and animals of the Delta. “The idea is to give our visitors a wellrounded look at the Mississippi Delta,” Dave said. The Museum of the Mississippi Delta will soon acquire a large mid-19th century steam engine from Florewood Park, which is now closed. It is one of only two in the nation that still runs. The museum, located on Highway 82 West in Greenwood, is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on Sundays and major holidays. You may phone (662) 4530925 or (662) 455-7556. Visit: www.museumofthemississippidelta.com. The museum’s executive director is Cheryl A. Taylor. The volunteers for the museum are called the Friends of the Museum. They serve at the front desk, where they greet visitors and answer the phone. They also assist in guiding tours, hosting receptions, distributing mail-outs and helping with other museum activities. At the time of my visit, long-time Farm Bureau member Janelle Pollan was sitting at the front desk. FB MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

FarmFacts: S T R A I G H T F R O M A M I S S I S S I P P I FA R M E R

Growing Mississippi Sweet Potatoes by Randle Wright My name is Randle Wright. My wife, Karen, and I grow, pack and ship sweet potatoes in Calhoun County in northeast Mississippi. I have two daughters, Blain (Tyler) Parker and Kalyn (Aaron) Sims, one son Adam and one grandson Spencer Drake Parker. Our whole family is involved in our operation in one way or another. Besides Karen and me, my son and one son-in-law work on the farm full-time. Other family members are always available to help when called on at numerous times during the year. We market under several labels, but two of our most popular are N & W Farms and Family Tradition.

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

My granddaddy was one of the first growers of sweet potatoes in the Vardaman area, so this has been in my family for years. I grew my first crop on my own in 1978, and it was only eight acres. Today, we grow approximately 1,300 acres, plus we pack and ship the crop to stores across the country. Growing sweet potatoes is a multi-step process. We start, usually in March, by planting the seed potatoes in beds, covering them up with dirt and putting black plastic over the dirt to heat the ground up so the plants will come up. When the plants emerge from the ground, we pull the plastic

off and let the plants grow to a height of about 12 inches by mid-May. Then we cut the plants at ground level and transport these plants that we call slips to the field and plant them one at a time down the rows of the field. We have two people riding the setter per row, and we run 8-row setters. It usually takes us until the end of June to get all of the slips planted. Because of the wet spring we had this year, we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get finished planting until nearly the Fourth of July. Then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a matter of letting the plants grow to the right size and keeping

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Photo by Brianna Caradine, ARC Photography, Vardaman

I don’t know that I have any one particular favorite part of being a sweet potato farmer, but just watching the plants go in the ground, seeing them grow and then watching the finished product go out the door to consumers across the country gives me a great deal of pride in what we as a family do for a living. — Randle Wright the weeds at bay. We plow with a cultivator, but sometimes, you have to go out there and hit the weeds with a hoe or pull them out by hand. Depending on the weather, it takes the potatoes about 100-110 days to mature. That means that we start harvesting around the end of August or the first of September. It takes about two months to get all of the potatoes out of the ground, but we like to be finished by the end of October, weather permitting. Our sweet potatoes are harvested with a chain digger that conveys the potatoes up to a sorting crew that is riding on the digger. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Also, we use a bucket crew, where potatoes are plowed out of the ground and workers pick them up and put them in bins. At the shed, they are washed and packed into 40-pound boxes or 3-, 5- and 8-pound bags that go to distribution centers which deliver to grocery stores and restaurants. We also ship potatoes to be canned, diced up and frozen or made into french fries. Once our potatoes have been harvested, we can keep them in storage under the right conditions with our humidifiers and coolers for about 13-14 months. That ensures that you as a consumer can have fresh, cured sweet potatoes all year long.

Catfish Alison

Recipese Catfish Almondine

6-8 catfish fillets 1 c. grated Parmesan cheese ½ c. butter, softened 6 T. mayonnaise 6 sm. green onions, finely chopped ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce Dash of Tabasco sauce

1 lb. catfish fillets ½ stick margarine 1 small bag slivered almonds Lemons Salt 1 egg, beaten 1 c. flour

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. This can be made ahead and refrigerated. Soften catfish fillets at room temperature. Preheat broiler. Poach fillets in a skillet of simmering water for 4-5 minutes. Gently lift fillets from water with slotted spatula and set aside to drain. Place fillets in individual dishes or baking pan large enough for single layer. Spread 2 tablespoons cheese mixture over each fillet. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese mixture browns. If using a baking pan, carefully lift fillets from pan and place on serving plates. Spoon some of the juice from the pan over each serving.

Rinse fish in cold water; salt and coat with beaten egg. Dust generously with flour. Melt butter over medium heat. Fry fish in butter. Sprinkle almonds around outside of fillets to brown. Fish is done when golden brown on both sides, approximately 6 minutes on each side. Serve with almonds drizzled over fish and lemon wedges. Serves 4.

Wanda Hill Humphreys County

½ c. flour Salt and pepper to taste Mix all ingredients together. Drop by teaspoon into hot oil. Cook until golden brown.

Clara Bilbo Madison County

Carolyn Turner Jones County Squash Hushpuppies 2 c. squash, grated ¼ c. onion, finely chopped 2 T. sugar 1 ½ c. cornmeal 1 lg. egg 2 T. butter, softened

COUNTRY COOKING, VOLUME V: These recipes are from “Country Cooking, Volume V,” now available at most county offices. The cost is $20. If you order a cookbook from the state office, you will pay $20 plus postage. • For more information, contact Pam Jones at (601) 977-4854.

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Moseley New Safety Specialist Benton Moseley of Florence is the new Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Safety Specialist for the Central District area of the state. Benton is a graduate of Florence High School, Hinds Community College and Mississippi State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural information science with an emphasis in education. Before coming to Farm Bureau, Benton was an ag instructor and FFA advisor at McLaurin High School in Florence, where he taught students the importance of agriculture, food and natural resources. Benton’s counties will include Washington, Humphreys, Holmes, Attala, Winston, Noxubee, Issaquena, Sharkey, Yazoo, Madison, Leake, Neshoba, Kemper, Warren, Hinds, Rankin, Scott, Newton, Lauderdale and Claiborne.

Wagner Serves as Summer Intern Tucker Wagner, 21, a senior at Mississippi State University, served as the 2015 Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Summer Intern. Wagner, whose family raises beef cattle and also shows cattle and pigs, is majoring in animal and dairy science with a minor in agribusiness. He hopes to one day work for an organization like Farm Bureau. “This internship has been great,” he said. “It was more than I expected. I have been very involved with what is going on within the organization, and I’ve gotten a great overview of Farm Bureau and what it does for the farmer.” Tucker is the son of Ricky and Jennifer Wagner of Collinsville.

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MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

2015 County Annual Meetings Alcorn County Farm Bureau Monday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. Alcorn County Extension Office Corinth Please bring your favorite dessert. Amite County Farm Bureau Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6:30 p.m. Harrison Building Liberty Attala County Farm Bureau Thursday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m. Redbud Springs Golf Clubhouse Kosciusko

Hancock County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. McLeod Park Kiln

Leflore County Farm Bureau Thursday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Greenwood

Harrison County Farm Bureau Saturday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m. West Harrison High School Gulfport

Lowndes County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Sept. 1, at 6:30 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Columbus

Hinds County Farm Bureau Monday, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Raymond

Chickasaw County Farm Bureau Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Houston

Jackson County Farm Bureau Saturday, Sept. 26, at 4 p.m. East Central Community Center 4300 Highway 614 Hurley

Claiborne County Farm Bureau Thursday, Sept. 17, at 1 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Port Gibson

Jefferson County Farm Bureau Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Fayette

Clarke County Farm Bureau Thursday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m. Multipurpose Building Quitman RSVP by Oct. 23 at (601) 776-6977.

Jefferson Davis County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Prentiss

Covington County Farm Bureau Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m. Multipurpose Building Collins Forrest County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 6 p.m. MSU Extension Office 952 Sullivan Drive Hattiesburg George County Farm Bureau Monday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Lucedale Grenada County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 7:30 a.m. Farm Bureau Office Grenada 26

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

Jones County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Laurel Kemper County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. County Farmers Market Building DeKalb Lamar County Farm Bureau Monday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m. Okahola Voting Precinct 59 Old Okahola School Road Purvis Lauderdale County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Meridian

Madison County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 10 a.m. Farm Bureau Office Canton Marion County Farm Bureau Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. Columbia Exposition Center 150 Industrial Park Road Columbia Monroe County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Aberdeen Montgomery County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Winona Neshoba County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m. Neshoba County Coliseum Philadelphia Newton County Farm Bureau Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. First Baptist Church Newton Noxubee County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. County Civic Center Macon Oktibbeha County Farm Bureau Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m. MAFES Conference Center â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bull Barn Starkville Panola County Farm Bureau Monday, Sept. 21, at 6:30 p.m. Cracker Barrel Batesville Light refreshments will be served. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Pearl River County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m. Jackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fish House Carriere RSVP by Oct. 8 (601) 798-2861 or (601) 795-4584. Pontotoc County Farm Bureau Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. Pontotoc Community House Please bring a covered dish. Meat, bread and drinks will be provided. Rankin County Farm Bureau Monday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m. County Extension Office Brandon Supper will be served.

Simpson County Farm Bureau cont. Highway 49 South Mendenhall Smith County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Raleigh Tallahatchie County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 7:45 a.m. Farm Bureau Office Charleston Tippah County Farm Bureau Monday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m. County Fairgrounds Ripley Ladies are asked to bring a dessert.

Scott County Farm Bureau Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m. Alfreda Lodge Roosevelt State Park Morton

Tishomingo County Farm Bureau Thursday, Sept. 17, at 6:30 p.m. County High School Cafeteria Iuka

Simpson County Farm Bureau Tuesday Sept. 15, at 6:30 p.m. County Junior Livestock Building

Union County Farm Bureau Thursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. Union County Fairgrounds Ladies Building

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Warren County Farm Bureau Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m. Farm Bureau Office 1005 Mission Park Drive Vicksburg Washington County Farm Bureau Thursday, Oct. 8, at 5:30 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Greenville Wayne County Farm Bureau Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m. Farm Bureau Office Waynesboro Winston County Farm Bureau Thursday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. Winston County Shrine Club Highway 15 South Louisville Yazoo County Farm Bureau Thursday, Nov. 19, at 10 a.m. Farm Bureau Office Yazoo City

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

2015 Gary Langley Memorial Clay Shoot B Y K I R S T E N J O H N S O N , M F B F Y F & R C O O R D I N AT O R

On June 20, the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee hosted the 2015 Gary Langley Memorial Clay Shoot at Kearney Park Farms in Flora. This yearly event is held in memory of Gary Langley, a previous YF&R State Committee member who lost his life in a tragic tractor accident. All of the proceeds from the event are donated to the YF&R Scholarship Foundation.

This year, even though the temperature was very hot, the event enjoyed a great turnout. Sixty-seven people participated for a variety of prizes. The course consists of 100 shots at 12 different stations, creating a challenging and fun course. The committee would like to thank all of the sponsors, donors and participants for making the event a success. They would like to extend a very special thank you to MFBF Presi-

dent Mike McCormick, MFBF North Mississippi Vice President Donald Gant, MFBF Central Mississippi Vice President Ted Kendall IV and MFBF South Mississippi Vice President Reggie Magee for their generous donation of a Browning Silver Hunter 12-Gauge Shotgun that was awarded to the top shooter of the day. For more information about the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation YF&R Program, call (601) 977-4277. FB

High Shooter — Kyle Wiggs, Marks

First-Place Team — Top Gunn Lawncare: Will Gunn, Hayden Hawk, Sam Gunn and Terry Hawkins

Second-Place Team — Simpson County: Tyler Carlton, John Dupre’, Zach Holbrook and Mark Hubbard

Third-Place Team — Lowndes County: George Corbell, Joey McCullough, Dalton Alexander and Walker McCullough

YF&R CLAY SHOOT SPONSORS/DONORS Top Shooter — Browning Silver Hunter 12-Gauge Shotgun — Mike McCormick, Donald Gant, Ted Kendall and Reggie Magee First Place — Four ATV Bags and $25 Gift Cards — Academy Sports & Outdoors

Second Place — Case Knives — MS Ag Third Place — Four $50 Visa Gift Cards — Watson Quality Ford *MS Tent Rental donated the Tent, Tables and Chairs in exchange for two teams.

Gold-Level Sponsors: Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Academy Sports & Outdoors Sunflower County Farm Bureau Peoples Bank

Bronze-Level Sponsors: Yazoo County Farm Bureau Marion County Farm Bureau Community Bank — Ellisville Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

Silver-Level Sponsors: Tippah County Farm Bureau Madison County Farm Bureau Mississippi Ag

StockPro — Collins Watson Quality Ford Ag Leader

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

National YF&R Prize Package The American Farm Bureau Federation Winners will be determined at AFBF (AFBF) Young Farmers and Ranchers Annual Convention, Jan. 10-13, 2016, in (YF&R) competitions will offer great prizes Orlando, Florida. in 2016. For more information about YF&R Winners of the Achievement Award, competition, contact Mississippi Farm Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agri- Bureau Federation YF&R Coordinator culture contests will have a choice of a 2016 Kirsten Johnson at (601) 977-4277. Chevrolet Silverado or a 2016 GMC Sierra Mississippi YF&R state competition pickup truck, sponsored by Chevrolet and also offers a fantastic prize package. FB valued at $35,000. In addition, they will receive a paid registration to attend the 2016 AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference, Feb. In the event any of the national event awards 12-15, in Kansas City, Missouri. are unavailable, AFBF reserves the right to Three finalists in the Achievement substitute a prize of comparable or greater Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence value at its sole discretion. Winners and finalin Agriculture contests will receive a Case ists will be expected to 1) accept the awarded IH Farmall 50A, sponsored by Case IH, prize and 2) consent to the use of their name, along with a $2,500 cash prize and $500 likeness and hometown in promotional matein merchandise, courtesy of STIHL. rial, and must be legally eligible to do both.

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

Calendar of Events SEPT. 18 Rice Tasting Luncheon Walter Sillers Coliseum Delta State University Cleveland OCT. 7-18 Mississippi State Fair

Mississippi Fairgrounds Jackson NOV.12 State Resolutions Meeting

MFBF Building, Jackson

DEC. 5-7 MFBF Annual Meeting Hilton Jackson Hotel, Jackson

JAN. 10-13 AFBF Annual Meeting

Orlando, Florida

JAN. 25-26 Winter Commodity Conference MFBF Building, Jackson

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Ag in the Classroom Workshops

Teachers from across the state participated in Ag in the Classroom Teacher/Volunteer Leader workshops held this summer in Hernando, Jackson and Hattiesburg. The workshops, coordinated by the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Programs, are designed to give teachers ideas about how to incorporate agriculture into their classroom activities. Workshop participants are pictured taking part in a Soaring Seeds presentation as well as the Drinking and Driving and Texting and Driving demonstrations. They also learned about the Mississippi State University Poultry Ventilation Trailer and many other interesting topics.

Coloring Contest Winner

Colton Morris of Greene County is the district and state winner of the annual Coloring Contest sponsored by the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Programs. He is pictured with Lou Hillman, Greene County Women’s Chair; Carolyn Turner, District 7 Women’s Chair; Falicia Morris, his mother; and Evelyn Bush, his teacher. The Coloring Contest is designed to introduce second-graders to Mississippi agriculture through the Ag in the Classroom program. Each county Farm Bureau sponsors its own contest, choosing one winner to advance to the district contest. The eight district winners then move to the state contest, where the overall winner is chosen.

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

2015 Photo Contest The Mississippi Farm Bureau Prizes will be awarded to the top Federation Women’s Programs will three photos in each category as folsponsor their first-ever photo contest lows: First Place — $75; Second Place this year, with entries to be received by — $50; and Third Place — $25. Nov. 1, 2015. All photographs must be The contest is open to all Mississippi your own original creation. You may Farm Bureau members and employees submit a photo(s) in one or all three over the age of 18 at the time of entry — categories as follows: amateur photographers only. All photos • At Home on the Farm — Includes must be taken in Mississippi. A 2015 Photo Contest Entry and but is not limited to your farm and Release Form must be filled out for each gardening as well as all ages, family image. All images and forms must be members and generational groups. submitted electronically to pjones@ • My Scenic Farm — Dynamic and msfb.org. Forms can be found on the visually appealing photos can cover a MFBF website at www.msfb.org. On variety of topics, including but not lim- the left-hand side, click Programs then ited to farm houses, barns, crops, farm Women. animals, land, etc. This contest is being held in order to • At Work on the Farm — Can cover obtain usable and appropriate photos a variety of topics, including but not which accurately portray today’s agrilimited to planting, harvesting, irrigat- culture. They may be used in future ing, animal care, branding, etc. promotions and publications. FB

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Ag Mags Available Farm Bureau offers a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agricultural newsletter called Ag Mag. Each issue features one Mississippi commodity or related topic through facts, activities, games and more. You can order copies of the newsletter for your local classroom or ag promotion events from our Ag in the Classroom program. Dairy, corn, poultry, horticulture, cotton, soil and honey bee editions are now available. Contact Pam Jones at pjones@msfb.org or (601) 977-4854.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY