Statesboro Magazine - September/October 2023

FOR

You’ve passed by our gates. Maybe you’ve gotten a glimpse of our beautiful campuses. Sure, we’re just down the road, but we’re a whole world away.

Are you ready to experience Georgia Southern University?

In our hands-on classrooms, our cutting-edge laboratories, our community partnerships and our global learning centers, you’ll find boundless opportunities and experiences.

You’ll meet students and professors from around the world and from all walks of life. You’ll get involved on campuses alive with activities and connection. You’ll get all of this… at one of Georgia’s most affordable universities.

Ready to experience Georgia Southern?

Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu

Don’t you just love this time of year? The heat eases off and the cool mornings and evenings are perfect for enjoying the outdoors. There’s the rush of events to keep us busy and having fun. We always look forward to the Brooklet Peanut Festival, the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair, Scare on the Square, The Turkey Trot and the Portal Turpentine Festival! Then there’s that great fall pastime that we all love –football! In Bulloch County the peanuts are turned and the cotton is blossoming. In this issue we look at the county’s number one industry, Agriculture, and Tourism. We think it’s the perfect theme to celebrate all the fall happenings.

Inside this issue you’ll find tips on the perfect tailgate at Paulson, along with a review of the traditions that make us all True Blue. Like Eagle Creek Water and yellow school buses; all the history that makes Georgia Southern one of the most exciting teams to watch in the nation on Saturdays!

Join us in saluting the Andersons of Mill Creek Farms. A Georgia Centennial Farm, which the family sustains by experimenting and diversifying operations to include everything from pecans to eggs, lambs to hogs, bees to ducks. It was such a pleasure to visit a family farm that had chickens, hogs, lambs and ducks, just like old times. But, all new and inventive.

We catch up with Visit Statesboro and celebrate with CEO Becky Davis & VP of Marketing & Operations Justin Samples on their Trailblazer Award from Georgia Trend magazine for the renovation and repurpose of the warehouse behind the welcome center. With the board’s guidance, the pair turned the vine covered eyesore into a beautiful craftsman style event venue that now permanently houses the Main Street Farmers Market. Kudos to the two that keep Statesboro in the news and keep the visitors coming!

We also celebrate one of the headlining writers of the original Write Place Festival, Statesboro Herald columnist, and Statesboro Magazine contributor, Kathy Bradley, for her latest honor – Georgia Author of the Year! Bradley has authored three books containing essays she’s written from her family farm in Adabelle and for each she’s won Georgia Author of the Year. The only Georgia author to ever do so. Read about her reverent style of writing and what makes her a great story-teller.

It’s finally cool enough to sit on the front porch with a cup of pumpkin spice and read about harvests and hootenannies.

Enjoy!

Jenny Foss, Editor

ESTABLISHED MARCH 1, 2000

Jenny Starling Foss

Editor

Joe McGlamery

Publisher

Hunter McCumber

Senior Creative Director

Ashton Brown Director of Sales & Marketing

Frank Fortune

Contributing Photographer

Statesboro Magazine is proudly produced by:

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE E-MAIL: abrown@StatesboroMagazine.com

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MAILING ADDRESS: P. O. BOX 1084 Statesboro, GA 30459 p: 912.489.2181

PHYSICAL ADDRESS: One Herald Square, Statesboro, GA 30458 f: 912.489.8613

ABOUT THE COVER

Father and son, Leslie and Hunter Anderson are the 3rd and 4th generation to tend the family’s Georgia Centennial Farm –Mill Creek Farms. Diversifying is key to keep things sustainable in this century. We spent some time on the farm with them, where they were captured with laying Reds by award winning photographer Frank Fortune. #TheFortuneImage.

Ric Mandes

Ric Mandes, a popular essayist, retired after 27 years as Director of Public Relations and Development for Georgia Southern. His memories about growing up and living in South Georgia inspire his writings. He’s a published author and former newspaper columnist for the AJC.

Lazar Brown Oglesby

Lazar Brown Oglesby is the owner of Honey Catering and Dolan’s BBQ both located in Statesboro. Lazar attended Ogeechee Technical College where she earned a Culinary Arts degree. In 2012 Lazar followed a lifelong dream and opened Honey Catering and Café. She enjoys cooking Southern food with an adventurous twist! Lazar is known for her famous cheesecakes of which she has over 100 flavors. Lazar recently started the Honey Blog to share her recipes and stories. Visit her at Dolan’s & Honey’s new location on South Main Street.

Rev. John Waters

Since 2005, John Waters has been the lead pastor of First Baptist Church Statesboro. Raised in a military family, he spent his childhood years in Tokyo, Japan, and Selma, Alabama. He earned a master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctorate from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. As a teenager, he once worked a weekend as a circus clown but now enjoys collecting fountain pens, reading across many genres, and visiting the great cathedrals of the world. His wife, Cynthia, is a retired elementary school teacher, and they have two married adult daughters and five grandchildren.

Virginia Anne Franklin Waters

Virginia Anne Franklin Waters is a fourth generation Bulloch Countian and loves all things about her hometown of Statesboro. She graduated from UGA and is a CPA. She spent her career in the hospitality industry. Her passions include entertaining friends at home and working in her gardens. Virginia Anne enjoys everything Gardening planting seeds, arranging flowers, using raised beds, protecting native plants, propagating camellias and even pulling weeds. She has been a member of the Sprig-N-Dig Federated Garden Club since 1985. Virginia Anne has served on numerous philanthropic boards in our community and is currently the Executive Director of the Bulloch County Historical Society.

Doy Cave

From Eagle Nation is a column brought to you by Georgia Southern University, where we cherish our place in the larger Statesboro community. In each issue, we hope to bring interesting and informative stories to the readers of StatesboroMagazine. Doy Cave is the Marketing Content Manager in the Office of Marketing and Communications at the University, and resides with his family in Statesboro.

Frank Fortune

Frank is the national award winning freelance photographer who holds the distinction of shooting 24 years’ worth of covers for Statesboro Magazine. He retired from Georgia Southern after having been responsible for capturing the University’s history on film and video for 30 years. Throughout his career Frank’s enjoyed all aspects of photography, including sports, still-life, landscape, and architecture. He and his wife, Mandy, are the proud parents of Jack and Cate.

FROM NUTS TO BEES THE ANDERSONS OF MILL CREEK FARMS

KATHY BRADLEY & THE RULE OF THREE

“Our farm is a family farm, not just in name but by definition. It’s important to me for it to be here for the next generation, and so on. Doing business with a financial institution that’s committed to agriculture and invested in our success is crucial for us and our children.”

- Jamie Brannen, Brannen Family Farms

FRIDAYS – TUESDAYS

STATESBORO MAIN STREET MARKET2GO

FRIDAYS – TUESDAYS @ 10:00 P.M.

STATESBORO MAIN STREET MARKET2GO

Order the season’s freshest local fruits, vegetables and homemade baked goods, preserves, jams, jellies, candies and relishes. You’ll also find locally sourced meat, seafood, spices, dairy and eggs. Home and garden items, honey and locally grown flower bouquets. Shop online Friday – Tuesday at 10:00 p.m. @ https:// statesboromarket2go.locallygrown.net/. Pick-up on Thursday afternoons at the Statesboro Visitors Center, 222 South Main Street or in Sylvania at the Victory Garden General Store, 124 West Telephone Street.

SEPTEMBER 8

ONE SERIES: DAVID BRINSON

7:30 P.M.

$20/PERSON

$18/MEMBERS/MILITARY/FIRST RESPONDERS/CITY & COUNTY EMPLOYEES

$16/STUDENTS

EMMA KELLY THEATER

AVERITT CENTER FOR THE ARTS

A Series of Performances highlighting ONE gifted individual. The audience shares 90 minutes with an established artist of the community via guest-host interviews, family members, and of course, performances. www.averittcenterforthearts.org.

SEPTEMBER 9

GEORGIA SOUTHERN FOOTBALL

EAGLES VS. UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM BLAZERS

6:00 P.M.

EVERY SATURDAY!

STATESBORO MAIN STREET FARMERS MARKET

9:00 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.

FREE, FUN, FAMILY EVENT!

222 SOUTH MAIN STREET

NEW EVENT VENUE: VISIT STATESBORO WELCOME CENTER

Enjoy the season’s freshest local fruits, vegetables and homemade baked goods, preserves, jams, jellies, candies and relishes. You’ll also find locally sourced meat, seafood, spices, dairy and eggs. Home and garden items, honey and locally grown flower bouquets at Statesboro’s Main Street Farmers Market. Savor homemade products from jellies to jerky; from honey to muffins. Plus, Craft & Jewelry vendors and food trucks! Applications for the 2023 Statesboro Main Street Farmers Market are here! If you are interested in signing up to become a vendor at the Saturday market or online at Market2Go, follow the link below and download an application and the 2023 Market Guidelines. You can also pick up an application in person at the Visit Statesboro! office located at 222 South Main St.

SEPTEMBER 2

GEORGIA SOUTHERN FOOTBALL

EAGLES VS. THE CITADEL

6:00 P.M.

PAULSON STADIUM

SEPTEMBER 15

TASTE OF DOWNTOWN

5:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

FUN FAMILY EVENT

$10/PERSON

TICKETS FOR SALE AT 5:00 P.M. @ F1RST FRIDAY TENT @ COURTHOUSE LAWN

DOWNTOWN STATESBORO

The Downtown Statesboro Development Authority will highlight Statesboro’s favorite restaurants inside local downtown businesses, and feature live music and entertainment throughout the evening. A fun appetizer sampling scavenger hunt event. Attendees can taste food from over twenty-five of Statesboro’s best restaurants, all while shopping at downtown’s finest businesses within walking distance of the Courthouse. A wristband and a map with the location of each participating business and restaurant will be included. Everyone must show his or her wristband in order to sample food. There will be a Party Harbor Bouncy on the Courthouse lawn and a large variety of vendors. For more information, please contact the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority by emailing the office at mainstreet@statesborodowntown.com.

PAULSON STADIU

SEPTEMBER 16

34TH ANNUAL BROOKLET PEANUT FESTIVAL

FREE, FUN, FAMILY EVENT

10:00 A.M. – PARADE BEGINA

10:00 A.M. – ARTS & CRAFTS, FOOD AND AMUSEMENT

VENDORS OPEN

NOON – LIVE FREE ENTERTAINMENT

12:30 P.M. – TRACTOR RACES BEGIN

6:00 P.M. – LIVE BAND

7:30 P.M. – FESTIVAL ENDS

DOWNTOWN BROOKLET

The Brooklet Peanut Festival is an annual tradition in downtown Brooklet that was started to celebrate one of Georgia’s most popular products: the peanut!

Each year the festival begins with a parade through downtown followed by the opening of the festival rides and booths. Food, Drinks, Arts & Crafts and games. Fun for the whole family. www.brookletpeanutfestibal.com.

SEPTEMBER 17

TO HAVE & TO HOLD BRIDAL SHOW

2:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.

$10.00/ADVANCE TICKETS

$15.00/AT THE DOOR

THE MARKET AT VISIT STATESBORO

222 SOUTH MAIN STREET

Plan your dream wedding in just one day!

Join us for the Elevated Events “To Have & To Hold Bridal Show” hosted by Visit Statesboro! You’ll meet wedding experts who will guide you through every detail of planning the perfect day so bring your wish list and let the professionals do the rest!

Vendors will include:

* Food & Beverage Caterers

* Wedding Cake Specialists

* Floral & Décor Designers

* Rental Companies

* Venue Owners

* Photographers

* Musicians

* DJ’s

Admission includes educational demonstrations, live entertainment, door prizes and cocktails. (Admission includes 2 drink tickets.) www.visitstatesboro.org.

2023 September & October

SEPTEMBER 22

HOTTER THAN JULY

A STEVIE WONDER TRIBUTE BAND

7:30 P.M.

$35/PERSON

$31.50/MEMBERS/MILITARY/FIRST RESPONDERS/CITY & COUNTY EMPLOYEES

EMMA KELLY THEATER

AVERITT CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Hotter Than July is a Stevie Wonder Tribute Band, a high energy, soulful group of talented and experienced musicians. Led by professional musician Gerry Williams, an unbounded vocalist and percussionist who brings funk on the keys, this is a band you can’t help but get on your feet and groove to. Backed by rhythm and horns and performing Stevie’s greatest hits from Sign Sealed Delivered to I Wish, this band knows how to entertain a crowd! www.averittcenterforthearts.org.

SEPTEMBER 30

51ST ANNUAL STATESBORO SERVICE LEAGUE ATTIC SALE

7:00 A.M.

$5.00/PERSON

KIWANIS OGEECHEE FAIR GROUNDS

Shop ‘til you drop! At the Statesboro Service League’s popular annual fundraiser. Choose from clothes, household items, furniture, décor, children’s toys and clothes, glassware, dishes, books, lamps, and loads more! Every dollar you spend goes back into the Statesboro community.

SEND US YOUR EVENTS!

EMAIL THEM TO EDITOR@ STATESBORO MAGAZINE.COM

SEPTEMBER 30

GEORGIA SOUTHERN FOOTBALL

EAGLES VS. COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS

6:00 P.M.

PAULSON STADIUM „

“

SEPTEMBER 30

JAMES GREGORY, FUNNIEST MAN IN AMERICA

7:30 P.M.

$49.95 - $59.95

PRICES BASED ON SEATING CHOICE

EMMA KELLY THEATER

AVERITT CENTER FOR THE ARTS

The James Gregory show turns the clock back to a time when life was simpler; to a better time, before the death of common sense; a time when people sat on the front porch and actually talked to each other without a cell phone in their ear. James’ success, like his comedy, is the direct result of the values he grew up with. And now, twenty-something years later, it is this unique brand of humor that packs the crowds into his sold-out shows. The absence of vulgarity sets James apart and his stories are carefully crafted art. For decades, the unforgettable caricature of veteran comedian James Gregory has stood grinning: his shirt untucked, his arms outstretched, a carefree welcome to a down-home, hilarious comedy experience. It’s storytelling at its best. www.averittcenterforthearts.org.

OCTOBER 14

SCARE ON THE SQUARE

9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. FREE, FUN, FAMILY EVENT!

DOWNTOWN STATESBORO

Dress up in your favorite Halloween costume and come downtown for the City’s annual fall festival. Activities include Trunk or TreatScavenger hunt, Costume Contest, Community dances and musical performances, Hayride, Candyland Alley, Train Ride, Spooky House, and food, beverage, and arts & crafts vendors. www.statesborodowntown.com.

OCTOBER 6

AG NIGHT OUT

5:30 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

FREE, FUN, FAMILY EVENT!

DOWNTOWN STATESBORO

An evening that celebrates agriculture and agribusiness in Bulloch County. Enjoy tractors, bouncy houses, food, arts & crafts, fun and live musical entertainment downtown. www.statesborodowntown.com.

OCTOBER 12 – 14

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM

7:30 P.M. (3:00 P.M. ON SUNDAY)

$25/PERSON

$22.50/MEMBERS/MILITARY/FIRST RESPONDERS/CITY & COUNTY

EMPLOYEES

$20/STUDENTS

EMMA KELLY THEATER

AVERITT CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Broadway’s greatest farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2000-year-old comedies of Roman playwright, Plautus, with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a nonstop laughfest in which Pseudolus, a crafty slave, struggles to win the hand of a beautiful, but slow-witted, courtesan named Philia for his young master, Hero, in exchange for freedom. The plot twists and turns with cases of mistaken identity, slamming doors and a showgirl or two. This unforgettable, hysterical musical allows a terrific ensemble of comedic actors to shine – “something for everyone, a comedy tonight!” www.averittcenterforthearts.org

OCTOBER 16 – 21

THE 61ST ANNUAL GREAT KIWANIS OGEECHEE FAIR

THEME: CARNIVAL LIGHTS & COUNTRY NIGHTS

MONDAY: 4:00 P.M. – PARADE BEGINS DOWNTOWN STATESBORO

MONDAY: 6:00 P.M. – MIDNIGHT - OPENING NIGHT OF THE FAIR

TUESDAY: 4:00 P.M. - MIDNIGHT

WEDNESDAY: 4:00 P.M. - MIDNIGHT

THURSDAY: 4:00 P.M. - MIDNIGHT

FRIDAY: 4:00 P.M. - 1:00 A.M.

SATURDAY: NOON - MIDNIGHT

$8.00/PERSON ADVANCED ONLINE; $10.00/AT THE GATE

CHILDREN 5 AND UNDER GET IN FREE

*Ticket Windows will close at 10:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday & Saturday; Ticket window closing at 11:00 p.m. Friday.

The Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair is an annual agricultural fair hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro. The purpose of the fair is to bring a fun filled event to the seven-county area surrounding Bulloch County while raising money to give back to the communities that the fair serves. The fair brings carnival rides and midway games together with local food vendors, local business booths, live entertainment and agricultural history as well as livestock shows. Our current club members and the community at large owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the Kiwanians that came before us, in developing and nurturing this great fund-raiser over the past six decades. www.kiwanisogeecheefair.com.

OCTOBER 21

GEORGIA SOUTHERN FOOTBALL

EAGLES VS. UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA-MONROE WARHAWKS

2:00 P.M.

PAULSON STADIUM

DOWNTOWN STATESBORO

Bring a chair and join hosts, the Statesboro/Bulloch Chamber of Commerce & the Bulloch County Development Authority, in an economic development update on the southeast region. Over 30+ vendors, food trucks, and exhibitors will be on hand. State, regional and local officials will address and forecast new business development in our area.

OCTOBER 26

OCTOBER 27

FOSTER MEEKS

FEATURING DAN LARKIN & TAILOR RANSOM

7:30 P.M.

$20/PERSON

$18/MEMBERS/MILITARY/FIRST RESPONDERS/CITY & COUNTY EMPLOYEES

EMMA KELLY THEATER

AVERITT CENTER FOR THE ARTS

WWW.AVERITTCENTERFORTHEARTS.ORG

“After finishing up a gig about a year ago, Tailer and I stopped by Eagle Creek Brewery for what we assumed was going ta be our standard end-of-the-night beer. And yet, when Foster Meeks began to play, it was immediately clear to us that we were staying for his whole show. Foster’s music was radically different from what we were expecting to hear that night. His set seamlessly transitioned between energetic bluesy crescendos and commanding silence. After his last song of the night, Tailer and I struck up a conversation with

Lambert Appointed to 12th District Seat on TCSG Board

Local hotelier Douglas H. Lambert was recently appointed by Governor Brian Kemp to the 12th District seat on the Technical College System of Georgia Board of Directors.

Doug Lambert

Lambert has long been a supporter of Ogeechee Technical College, having served in the past as Foundation Board President.

President of Southeastern Hospitality Services, Inc., a hotel management company, Lambert is a Certified Hotel Administrator with over fifty years’ experience in the hospitality industry. A native of the Atlanta area, Lambert received his BBA degree in Marketing from Georgia Southern College in 1971, and chose to make Statesboro his home, where he has long been a supporter of the community, the College and the University.

Lambert was selected in 2022 as the combined Rotary Clubs’ of Statesboro Citizen of the Year. In 2019, he was honored with the Deen Day Smith Service to Mankind Award. He was honored by the Chamber of Commerce in 2017 as the Bulloch County Business Leader of the Year. He has been honored by Georgia Southern as a member of the Athletic Foundation Board and as recipient of the Parker College of Business Alumnus of the Year. He currently serves on the Development Authority of Bulloch County Board of Directors, the Statesboro Bulloch County Airport Committee, is president of Ogeechee Area Hospice and is chairman of the City of Statesboro TAD Advisory Board.

Georgia Southern University’s Annual Economic Impact Soars to Record of

More than $1.1 billion

New reports from the University System of Georgia (USG) show that Georgia Southern continues to have a remarkable economic impact on the region it serves and on the students it graduates.

The USG recorded a $20.1 billion total economic impact from July 1, 2021 until June 30, 2022, while Georgia Southern’s annual economic impact has soared to more than $1.107 billion for FY 2022, a 7.3% increase over the previous year and a new recorded impact total.

Conducted on behalf of USG by Jeffrey M. Humphreys, Ph.D., director of the Selig Center for Economic Growth in the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, the study showed USG generated 159,034 full- and part-time jobs across Georgia last year.

In a companion study, Humphreys found that USG bachelor’s graduates from the Class of 2022 will earn over $1 million more during their lifetimes than they would have without their college degree.

“Work-life earnings increase dramatically with education level,” the report said, noting that “work-life earnings estimates for Georgia show that the Class of 2022 can expect to realize work-life earnings of $183 billion.”

For the 5,502 degree recipients from Georgia Southern University in FY 2022, they can expect their work in Georgia to total lifetime earnings of $14.4 billion. The report also broke down total Georgia lifetime earning predictions by degree and said:

The 99 GS graduates with doctoral degrees will earn a total of $340 million.

The 1,207 GS graduates with master’s degrees will earn a total of $3.3 billion.

The 4,134 GS Graduates with bachelor’s degrees will earn a total of $10.5 billion.

In terms of economic impact, there are 3,250 jobs on Georgia Southern’s campuses in Statesboro, Savannah and Hinesville. Because of institution-related spending, 6,795 jobs exist off-campus, meaning that a total of 10,045 jobs exist due to institution-related spending in fiscal year 2022. The report also noted that Georgia Southern students spent $430,509,422 in the region in fiscal year 2022.

“Georgia Southern’s record annual regional economic impact illuminates the university’s profound significance throughout this region,” said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. “We are meeting the needs of Southeast Georgia – now and in the future – developing talent, solving regional needs through our public impact research agenda and serving as the catalyst for economic development and vibrant communities.”

“These economic impacts demonstrate that continued emphasis on colleges and universities as pillars of the state’s economy translates into jobs, higher incomes, and greater production of goods and services,” the report said.

The full reports are available online: USG Lifetime Earnings 2022 and USG Economic Impact 2022. news.georgiasouthern.edu.

Fish and Wildlife Management Scholarship at OTC

The Ogeechee Technical College Foundation, Inc. acknowledges with gratitude a generous commitment from Warren and Roxella Ball in the amount of $25,000 for “The Ball Family Endowed Fish and Wildlife Scholarship.”

“Roxella and I are glad to have this opportunity to provide a scholarship for those who enjoy working outdoors and have a desire to maintain an environment for wildlife,” said Warren Ball. “As an avid hunter and fisherman, I am always grateful for time outdoors to enjoy God’s creation and we hope that those who pursue this degree will continue to sustain what God has created.”

For over 25 years, the Balls have partnered with Ogeechee Technical College through servitude and financial support. Warren recently served as chair of the Foundation Board at OTC, and he and Roxella have a longstanding history of supporting the local community.

“We are incredibly grateful to Warren and Roxella for continuing to show how much they believe in our mission at OTC,” said Michelle Davis, VP for College Advancement. “Warren, is an avid outdoorsman, and he and the Ball family legacy of supporting higher education will continue in the scholarships created by this endowment.”

The Fish & Wildlife Management program was first offered at OTC in Fall 2011 and its graduates are employed in parks departments all across the state of Georgia. The scholarship will go to support current Fish & Wildlife Management students participating in degree, diploma, and certificate programs. Preference will be given to students who are in good standing with OTC and who demonstrate a high financial need.

The Ogeechee Technical College Foundation exists to assist Ogeechee Technical College in achieving and maintaining a high-quality program of post-secondary education and community participation, to raise funds, and to make contributions to educational programs of Ogeechee Technical College counties (Bulloch, Evans, & Screven). To give to the Ogeechee Technical College foundation please visit www.ogeecheetech.edu/give

4 Fungi’s Regenerative Takes Root in Metter, Georgia

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) recently announced that 4 Fungi’s Regenerative, a sustainable controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and food production company, will establish a new greenhouse in Metter. The facility will create almost 50 new jobs and $27 million in investment in Candler County.

“Congratulations to the people of Metter, 4 Fungi’s Regenerative, and all who worked to make today’s announcement happen,” said Governor Brian P. Kemp. “Innovative projects such as this remind us that the future of Georgia’s No. 1 industry remains strong and that exciting opportunities are coming to communities in every corner of the state.”

4 Fungi’s Regenerative began in 2022 as an offshoot of Better Fresh Farms, a sustainable indoor food grower and the anchor company at Georgia Grown Innovation Center in Metter. The company has developed a circular economy approach to growing mushrooms with regionally sourced agricultural waste, and reconstituting their byproducts into soil amendments through an on-site partnership with COR Compost of Savannah. They also grow multiple varieties of lettuce, herbs, hearty greens, and microgreens.

4 Fungi’s Regenerative new facility will be located at the Metter-Candler I-16 Industrial Park, a Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) certified site, in Metter. Operations will come online in two phases, the first being a production phase in 2024, and the second being a processing and enhanced production phase to be completed in 2026.

“The Georgia Grown Innovation Center and the City of Metter are excited to have played a role in the remarkable journey of Better Fresh Farms and 4 Fungi’s Regenerative in Metter,” said Heidi Jeffers, Director of Economic Development of City of Metter and Manager of Georgia Grown Innovation Center. “Our entire team is thrilled to witness the growth and success of these innovative agricultural enterprises within our community. 4 Fungi’s Regenerative will showcase exceptional innovation and a dedication to sustainable practices, making a significant impact on our local and regional agricultural landscape.”

Senior Regional Project Manager Andrea Taylor represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this project in partnership with the Candler County Industrial Authority, City of Metter, Metter Downtown Development Authority, Georgia Grown, and Georgia Center of Innovation.

“Georgia small business community – which represents more than 99% of all businesses in Georgia –create vibrant local economies,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Collaborative efforts between state and local partners are promoting opportunities for innovation in diverse industries in every corner of the state. The partnership between the Georgia Center of Innovation, Georgia Grown, the City of Metter, and Georgia Southern is a fantastic example of how communities can catalyze growth and development in their own backyard. Congratulations to 4 Fungi’s Regenerative and the teams who supported them along the way!”

“Relationships lead to opportunity, and providing connections to partners is the first way our experts can support current and future Georgia companies,” said David Nuckolls, Executive Director for the Georgia Center of Innovation. “Our team is able to provide intentional, ecosystem-specific guidance that might not be available to a business otherwise. It’s rewarding to help a company grow from incubator to its first standalone facility, and we’re excited to welcome 4 Fungi’s Regenerative to Georgia’s agriculture ecosystem.”

Food and fiber production and related industries represented $73.2 billion in contributions to Georgia’s economy and more than 340,800 jobs, according to University of Georgia Ag Snapshots 2023. The Center, along with state and local partners, began laying the groundwork for controlled environment agriculture (CEA) in the early 2000s. As Georgia’s fastest growing agribusiness sector, more than a dozen CEA facilities have been built in Georgia since 2017. „

GS Sets Fundraising Record for Third Year in a Row

For the third straight year, Georgia Southern supporters have propelled the University to a record-breaking year of private fundraising.

Total cash, pledges and in-kind gifts to Georgia Southern University amounted to $23,831,604 during Fiscal Year 2023, which ended on June 30, 2023. That surpasses the total from the previous year, which was also a record at $22.3 million.

The record total was buoyed by another record-breaking fundraising year for the Georgia Southern Athletic Foundation, Inc., which raised a record $11.06 million in new pledges and outright gifts.

“As we soar into a very bright future for this University, record-breaking fundraising is a sign that Georgia Southern is not only strong now, but poised for even greater heights,” said Georgia Southern President Kyle Marrero. “We are endlessly thankful for the supporters, friends, alumni and donors who endorse our path forward and are stepping up to ensure our success.”

Donors helped with various projects and programs this past year, including:

$1 million from Betty Foy Sanders for the Betty Foy Sanders School of Art with scholarships, travel and programmatic needs.

$750,000 deferred gift for the Department of Biology to be used for student scholarships.

23 newly created endowments.

Anthony P. Tippins Family Training Facility for athletics.

Last year’s Athletic Foundation Chair Leonard Bevill added, “The impact of this achievement will ripple through generations, leaving an indelible mark on the traject

The Erk Russell Fund, the Athletic Foundation’s annual fund, continues to grow and saw donations of $3.2 million this fiscal year. Additionally, the Athletic Foundation received 58 major gift commitments this year, which are gift commitments of $25,000 or greater to support Eagle Athletics.

Over the past three fiscal years, the Athletic Foundation has raised more than $27 million in support of Georgia Southern Athletics. This total is the largest three-year fundraising window in department history.

“It’s clear that Georgia Southern University’s power to transform lives and communities is making a positive impression with our private supporters,” said Trip Addison, Vice President of Advancement, noting that more than 3,600 alumni were among the supporters this past year. “I am grateful for the welcome reception we are receiving when we ask people to join in our effort to help support our students and the work they and our faculty are doing.”

HRSA Awards GS School of Nursing $2.57 Million for Advanced Education Grant

Georgia Southern University’s School of Nursing’s Marian Tabi, P.h.D., Tiffany Keshwah, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC and Alan Skipper, P.h.D. received a grant of $2.57 million from the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce Program.

The Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) Program works to increase the number of primary care nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives who are trained and prepared to provide primary care services, mental health and substance use disorder care, and/or maternal health care. Grants support the training and graduation of advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) students and trainees in these disciplines.

“We’ve had great success with HRSA grants,” said Dean of the Waters College of Health Professions Whitney Nash, P.h.D. “This award marks the fourth ANEW grant we have received as well as the largest dollar amount we have received. We have been awarded a total of five HRSA grants so we are proud of our long-standing record of excellence.”

The grant will aid in the preparation of nurse practitioner students to provide competent behavioral health services to rural and underserved areas through tailored coursework and longitudinal clinical placements (LCP) within partner Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCS). HRSA developed grants like ANEW in response to the critical global shortage of primary care physicians and practitioners in rural areas. Most of Georgia qualifies as rural and/or underserved.

“We are very grateful and thankful for this grant. I see it as a big win for the school of nursing and for our students,” Tabi, one of the awardees, said. “Particularly for our NP students, finding clinical placement is really a big deal as we continue to grow in numbers. This grant allows us to establish academic partnerships with FQHCS, allowing our students to have secured preceptorship.”

Awardees provide tuition and other eligible support to trainees, build academic-clinical partnerships to facilitate clinical training, and continue to develop and sustain clinical faculty and preceptors as needed. Applicants are strongly encouraged to recruit students/trainees and faculty from diverse populations. Funding preference is given to eligible entities that train APRNs students to practice in underserved and rural communities or state and local health departments.

“This reinforces why Georgia Southern’s high impact practices are important,” said Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Carl Reiber, Ph.D. “Given the state’s statistics in coverage of healthcare services, this grant will have a lasting and profound impact on the lives of not only our graduates, but the communities they serve.”

Keshwah, another awardee, shed light on how the grant has impacted her as a student and her intentions on how she plans to make a difference in the nursing profession.

“Upon receiving the HRSA ANEW grant, our short term goals include pairing students with clinical sites that they desire to work in post-graduation, giving both the student and the facility a jump start on training, in effort to allow for a smooth transition into a nurse practitioner role post-graduation,” said Keshwah. “Our long term goals include improving access to care to many counties that are considered healthcare deserts. The goal is to offset the financial burden to students pursuing the role of a nurse practitioner while also offsetting the financial burden of onboarding new providers at rural clinics, thus increasing their provider availability and ultimately increasing access to care to the community.”

As the largest center of higher education in southeast Georgia, Georgia Southern’s School of Nursing includes a family nurse practitioner program that delivers world-class education and clinical training to students who become providers of care, increasing access to healthcare in Georgia.

Tiffany Keshwah, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC

Marian Tabi, Ph.D.

Alan Skipper, Ph.D.

OTC Awarded $159,200 Nursing Education Program Expansion Grant

Ogeechee Technical College was recently awarded a $159,200 Nursing Education Program Expansion Grant by The Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce.

“We couldn’t be more excited about receiving the Expansion Grant from The Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce,” said Jackie Howard, Nursing Program director. “The awarded grant will be used to purchase additional lab equipment that will improve hands-on skill acquisition in labs and ultimately improve pass rates and increase retention in our programs.”

One piece of equipment purchased through the grant is the newly acquired SimBabyTM. The SimBaby is a tetherless pediatric simulator designed to help students recognize and respond to a number of critical illnesses that may affect pediatric patients.

“The advanced technology included in the SimBabyTM gives students the opportunity to effectively respond to and treat pediatric patients who are likely to have very different physiological responses compared to adults,” said Howard.

In addition to the SimBabyTM, the funds have been used to purchase several other pieces of equipment including two simulation crash carts that simulate medication dispensing to help students learn how to prepare and dispense medication in real time.

To learn more about the Practical Nursing or Nursing programs at Ogeechee Tech please visit https://www.ogeecheetech.edu/admissions/competitive-admissions. S

The Andersons of Mill Creek Farms From Nuts to Bees

When farming is your way of life and your family has been doing it for over 100 years, you learn a few things about sustainability, profitability and just plain hard work.

The Andersons of Mill Creek Farms are innovative and inventive in securing the future of the Georgia Centennial Farm they’ve been stewards of for generations. Father and son team, Leslie and Hunter Anderson, have turned their century farm into a marketplace of home-grown farm products, supplying

restaurants and farmers markets throughout the region. For them, experimenting with new products and diversifying their offerings, have become the brilliant way they keep the farm going.

“In the 90s, we had Anderson Strawberry Farm here,” said Hunter. “Today we produce pecans, eggs and meats.”

Long range planning meant Leslie planted pecan trees in 2003.

“We planted them in blocks around the shop and store to start with,” said Leslie. “Then we expanded into fields as we went along. In 2010, we started harvesting.”

In 2018, Hunter had an idea of selling roasted and raw nuts to consumers, in addition to restaurants and wholesale places. They obtained a Cottage Food license to produce the nuts in house.

The Anderson’s most popular products are their pecans. „

It helps to be versatile so we can develop new products and services as the consumer demand increases.

Hunter Anderson

the andersons of mill creek farms

They harvest an assortment of pecan varieties including Stuarts, Summers, Cape Fears, Creeks, and Gloria Grandes. The raw nuts are cracked and shelled on premises at the Farm Store, roasted, candy coated and packaged for sale.

“We offer roasted, salted pecans, candied with cinnamon sugar, and a salty, sweet and crunchy white chocolate pecan,” said Hunter.

All three varieties sell well at area farmers markets and make great gifts packaged by the farm for the holidays. The pecans are available on displays at Dolan’s Bar-BQue, Visit Statesboro, Ellis Meats, McCook’s Pharmacy and Anderson’s General Store. You may also order them from the farm’s website www.millcreekfarmsga.com. Or grab some bags at The Main Street Farmers Market in Statesboro, and others in the area.

Eggs are the next commodity the Anderson’s produce in their Department of Agriculture certified Georgia Grown commercial operation. They now have a variety of egg producers including Golden Comets and Rhode Island Reds. They even have a pair of bantam yard chickens that keep the other fowl straight. The egg operation first started with 50 chickens.

“We just delivered 115 dozen eggs wholesale,” said Hunter. “We have about 400 free range layers. We’ll keep them for 2 years. It takes them six months to grow up and we get about 1.5 good laying years out of them, then we sell them. We have a quota for each layer of six eggs a week. We also have 100 ducks in a pen. We have to hunt for the duck eggs, but the chickens lay in

the chicken house. Sometimes we have to hunt chicken nests.”

When they had 50 chickens, all the egg washing was done by hand, three eggs at a time. Now, after the Andersons collect the eggs, they’re washed in an egg washer, candled and crated for delivery. They now can package 40 dozen eggs in an hour. Their eggs are part of the menus of many restaurants in the area, such as Sugar Magnolia, and are delivered weekly.

The Andersons use everything at the farm. Cracked eggs and withered pecans end up as feed for the hogs. They pick-up supplemental food for the hogs from area restaurants as well. Brewer’s trash from Eagle Creek Brewery feeds them, along with throw aways from carrot farmers and pumpkin patches.

“Those hogs get mad when we run out of pumpkins,” said Leslie.

The Meishan variety of hogs that the Anderson’s raise, are a small to medium-sized breed with large drooping ears and wrinkled dark skin. They thrive on a diet high in fiber and roughage. And will graze a pasture.

“Pasture hogs take twice as long to raise,” said Leslie. “They have a different taste than store bought. Some cuts that we offer are not in grocery stores. We have fat back, ground, cubed pork steak, and neckbones. We have always had animals here on the farm. We started with 250 head of brood sows in 1982. We had around 200 head of cattle.”

Today the meat they offer is pork and lamb.

“Our sheep are a cross breed called Katahdin sheep,” said Hunter. “They’re hardy, adaptable, low maintenance sheep that produce superior lamb chops and lean pink meat. They do not produce fleece that has to be sheared. The wool falls off of them every spring.”

They offer ground lamb and lamb chops. The meat is a part of menus in some of the best farm to table restaurants in the region.

Hunter works fulltime off the farm at Gulfstream Aerospace as an analyst. His job includes fixing problems with equipment parts. Something that comes in handy on the farm. After the work at Gulfstream ends each day, he heads home to do the farm work. He spends evenings with his dad feeding up the farm stock, dipping, washing and candling eggs, and making deliveries to restaurants like Café Gourmet in Savannah.

“It helps to be versatile so we can develop new products and services as the consumer demand increases,” said Hunter. “But for now, we’re getting ready to gear up for our busiest time of year – the holiday season.”

Beginning in October, the Anderson’s go full on in pecan production. From the time the pecans are picked, they never leave the farm until they are sold. They are cleaned, sorted, cracked and shelled, then roasted and candy coated, and packaged to sell in November and December. Linda Boyette helps in the kitchen when the pecan season starts. They

are currently expanding their marketing to the public and corporate customer with gift boxes of pecans.

“We offer pecans in whole and pieces,” said Hunter. Houlihan’s restaurant in Savannah uses Mill Creek pecan pieces in salads.

Other avenues of revenue they are currently exploring include deriving pecan oil from the shells, and selling the shells for smoking or grilling.

And bees.

“I’m into bees right now,” said Leslie. “I have a friend that’s helping me. He has 1,500 hives and pollinates blueberries in Maine. Tittle Apiaries of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He winters here in Bulloch, Candler and Screven Counties. I’m looking at pollinating almonds in California. We’ll ship the bees there and back by truck.”

A sweet venture for two farmers who can’t stop experimenting and innovating with Georgia Grown products to keep the family farm going for another century. S

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THE RULE of THREE

Kathy Bradley

WRITTEN BY JENNY STARLING FOSS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK FORTUNE

Local author Kathy Bradley is familiar to most readers as a long-standing columnist for the Statesboro Herald Through her popular columns, Bradley explores the land on which she lives in walks around her farm located in the succumbed community of Adabelle. In the afternoon sunsets and the early morning strolls, she shares thoughts on her explorations and discoveries, asking questions and finding answers about life, circumstances, acceptance, community and stewardship, through her many observations. Her popular columns have become the basis for a series of three award-winning books published by Mercer University Press in Macon. In an extraordinary bow to her success as a writer, and her distinctive way of metaphorically “speaking,” Bradley has recently been honored (for the third time!) as Georgia Author of the Year (GAYA) in Essay by the Georgia Writers Association for 2023.

Her first book, Breathing & Walking Around, won the Will D. Campbell Award for Creative Nonfiction in 2010, followed by the GAYA in 2012, inspiring recognition for the first-time author. Bradley’s second book, Wondering Toward Center, garnered Georgia Author of the Year honors in 2017; and her latest book, Sifting Artifacts, made Bradley the 2023 Georgia Author of the Year in Essay, again. No other Georgia author living or deceased has won the Essay category three times since the award was first bestowed in 1964.

What makes Bradley’s writing so distinctive is first, her storytelling ability, and second, her command of the English language; the beautiful prose that for the reader is like following a path along with her through her farm, Sand Hill, to observe and discover truths and meaning in life. Her ability to articulate those thoughts closely follows a pattern of exploration of natural objects.

“I ask myself, what was it trying to tell me?” said Bradley. “As I set the scene, I set my insight.”

There are significant and often thought-provoking take-aways from each of her essays. At the end of her essay collections, one finds a thread of recognition which binds the stories together. A new revelation comes to the reader from her enlightening encounters.

“I enjoy it because most people won’t avail themselves of the ability to notice,” said Bradley. “Answering my own questions and figuring out what I already know, that I didn’t know that I knew, is what I enjoy most about writing.”

Bradley has often acknowledged that for her, writing itself is a spiritual experience.

“In 2011, I visited Ireland,” said Bradley. “I went to Trinity College Library to view the Book of Kells. There were different scriptures for every day. When I saw it, I thought of monks and devotions. Those men gave their entire lives to preserving words. From that, how can you not see writing as being divine? I experienced a reverence toward the written word that I had not previously been able to articulate. After

that, writing became not just a memory, but etched on my soul, a part of me.”

If you are fortunate enough to have read all three of her books, in order, you will be reminded that curiosity still exists.

"“I hope people who read my series of books can detect growth in me as a writer and a person,” said Bradley. “The message is - we don’t stay the same person our entire lives. I hope readers recognize that I am more willing to be myself with eccentricates and oddness. Being from the South, I knew I could tell a good story, but I had to develop looking at myself unflinchingly.”

Bradley writes every day. She is disciplined, yet has her own set of idiosyncrasies.

“I have color-coded markers. I use a color-coded calendar. I write with a pen and my computer. I only use Pilot Razorpoint pens. I still use Word Perfect, a program I used extensively as a lawyer. And, I use Evernote a lot.”

Her inspiration comes often, but can be ephemeral.

“Whole sentences come to me sometimes,” said Bradley. “But thoughts that give rise to literary illusions are so fleeting it is kind of frightening.”

Writing energizes Bradley, but book signings, public readings and the other activities associated with book selling can be taxing for her.

“I’m an introvert and giving that much of myself can be exhausting,” she said.

But, a necessary part of the author’s world. Bradley is a member of the Georgia Writers Association and can be booked for readings, „

Being from the South, I knew I could tell a good story, but I had to develop looking at myself unflinchingly.

Kathy Bradley

The first word I ever spelled, the first thing I gave back to the world as a writer was my name, was myself. That is a dangerous precedent. And it makes it hard sometimes to tell the stories. Hard to find the right words, to arrange them in an order that tells the truth and, at the same time, shields the innocent, dispenses kindness, and extends forgiveness. What would be harder, though, is

discussions and book talks. Autographed copies of her books are available through her website kathyabradley.com, and books can also be obtained through her publisher Mercer University Press and popular booksellers such as Amazon.com and BooksAMillion.com.

For budding writers, her advice is to read. Reading all types of books and authors will show the writer how others communicate through the written word. Reading helps the writer to develop their own voice. Then she suggests knowing and following the rules.

“It is only when you have demonstrated you know the rules that you have the currency to break them,” Bradley said.

From Wondering Toward Center, she writes:

“The first word I ever spelled, the first thing I gave back to the world as a writer was my name, was myself. That is a dangerous precedent. And it makes it hard sometimes to tell the stories. Hard to find the right words, to arrange them in an order that tells the truth and, at the same time, shields the innocent, dispenses kindness, and extends forgiveness. What would be harder, though, is not to tell them at all.”

Her passage relays a universal truth about writers: that they write because they must.

Through all of Bradley’s wanderings and wonderings, we wondered what had Bradley claimed as her spirit animal?

“A red-tailed hawk,” she replied. “You never see it in the sky with another one. They fly by themselves. When they reach the thermal layer, they let go and glide. That’s how I want to be.” S

not to tell them at all.

Kathy Bradley Wondering Toward Center

“The Market at Visit Statesboro was the ideal venue for our Recruit Firefighter Graduation Ceremony. This versatile space is such an asset to the Statesboro Community ”

- Tim Grams

Chief of Statesboro Fire Department

“The new Market at Visit Statesboro is a gem in our city! The beautiful space and the whimsical outdoor landscape provides the perfect backdrop for any event - whether formal or casual; daytime or evening I have attended a few events there and have been blown away by the ambiance and the overall experience “

- Annalee Ashley

“Becky and Justin were wonderful to work with when planning for our daughter’s wedding. The downtown venue is beautiful and their teamwork and attention to detail made the wedding reception perfect!“

- Tina Rigdon

Wedding Reception of Ramsey & Loy Waters

Georgia Southern Chief of Staff, Associate Vice President Chief External Affairs Officer

& Stacy Spence of Spence & Spence Farms with Shane Geurin of Renasant Bank

Tailgreat

A CROWD-PLEASING GAME DAY RECIPE YOU CAN’T MISS

STATESBORO MAGAZINE’S GUIDE TO GAME DAY WEEKENDS

GEORGIA SOUTHERN TRADITIONS

TAILGATERS TAKE FOOD & TRADITIONS VERY SERIOUSLY

GEORGIA SOUTHERN TRADITIONS

BEAUTIFUL EAGLE CREEK

So named by legendary Coach Erk Russell, who encouraged senior players to take a dip at the beginning of each season. A bridge was erected to allow players to cross the creek to the football practice field which was located between Fair Road and US Highway 301 South at the northern most end of campus.

GUS

The University’s official mascot was named by fans and continues to be a fan favorite. You have to get your picture taken with GUS and framed for your GS wall at home.

ERK RUSSELL

The man, the myth, the legend. Everyone unanimously agrees that Russell deserves induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. So many things about Erk still define Eagle football. The statue placed in his honor is now available to fans for photos 365 days a year. Players continue to rub the head of a bust of Erk inside the stadium for good luck at the beginning of each home game.

FREEDOM.

No college has a better mascot than Freedom, the bald eagle that brings chills when he soars over Paulson on gamedays. Freedom is a male Southern Bald Eagle acquired by Georgia Southern University’s Center for Wildlife Education & Lamar Q. Ball, Jr. Raptor Center in 2004. He is handled by Master Falconer and Director of the Center, Steve Hein. Today, Freedom serves not only as an ambassador for wildlife and as an institutional symbol, but as an “iconic reminder” of the strength and majesty of our great nation. You can visit Freedom at the Center.

ONE MORE TIME.

That’s all Erk Russell ever wanted. The battle cry of Georgia Southern Football for 42 years.

WRITTEN BY JENNY STARLING FOSS

YELLOW SCHOOL BUSES.

Way back when times were lean, before there was even a Paulson Stadi um, the team traveled to games in yellow school buses borrowed from the Bulloch County Board of Education. That tradition continues because, why mess with a good thing? Fans become electrified when those buses pull into the parking lot. As players emerge, a crowd of fans greets them and sends well wishes for a big win!

SIX NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

When we played in Division II, we dominated. Six National Championships in 15 years. Not too shabby.

NEW TRADITIONS.

This year the Eagles introduce a co-branded craft beer, “Hail Southern.” A light beer with 4.2% ABV, it’s sure to be a fan favorite. Available for purchase within the stadium opening day. Georgia Southern Sports Properties, Fire Maker Brewing Company and Southern Crown Partners partnered in bringing the newest Eagle tradition to Paulson. Fire Maker Brewing Company is a family-owned craft brewery in Atlanta, owned and co-founded by Georgia Southern University alumnus Elliott Hall. Distributed by Southern Crown Partners, Fire Maker was ranked #2 best new brewery in America by USA Today.

GUARDIAN CAPS.

Over helmets, these soft textured pads reduce the impact of daily blows, preserve the helmet, and insulate the heads of players. Other benefits include less surface friction, the dampening of soundwaves and vibrations, and reduction of radiant heat by 20˚. „

THE ODDS ARE

PRO-TIP

A good-quality cooler is essential to keep beverages and perishable food items cold. Consider a cooler with wheels for easy transportation. Stock it with plenty of ice, cold drinks, and condiments.

Tailgreat

Tailgating is as big a part of the gameday experience as kickoff. The Eagle tailgating tradition remains very popular because it makes the event an entire day of celebration. Whether at home or away, Eagle Nation travels to enjoy a game, invests time and money, and wants to enjoy the full day. Even though everyone is having their own party, it is all the parties together that puts everyone in a good mood and creates that special gameday atmosphere. Everyone is here to have fun and celebrate, when everybody tailgates, the parking lots become a huge party.

Tailgaters Take Food & Traditions Very Seriously

WRITTEN BY JENNY STARLING FOSS

Tailgaters have high expectations when it comes to food choices. Barbeque, burgers and hotdogs remain crowd favorites, along with chicken wings and ribs. The food selection can make or break the tailgate. The most successful grill masters pay attention to portability, ease of cooking and the timeline to kick-off. Foods that are easy to eat with one hand (think appetizers) are usually prepared by others in the tailgate, who add just the right-side dish or snack to the occasion. If you are invited to a tailgate, bring something to share! If you don’t cook, you can always provide a ready-made charcuterie tray, chips and dip, or a veggie tray.

For fun to happen, there are important tailgating jobs, such as grill master. There’s also the side dish taster, the beer fetcher, bartender and the game hype person. Sometimes a corn-hole supervisor. And, there’s usually a set-up and clean-up crew. Plus, a golf cart full of eaglets riding around.

Everybody should know who you’re rooting for at a glance. Never be afraid to go a little “over the top” in using team colors, logos, mascots, and/or rivalries. A good centerpiece, for example, can depict an Eagle attacking or devouring the opponents’ mascot with flowers that complement the décor. Flying a giant team flag over your tailgate shows team spirit and makes your spread easier for your friends to spot in the crowded field.

Let’s face it, everyone enjoys eating and drinking while tailgating, plus we all like socializing with other fans, listening to music, and taking photos for social media. It is all about fun and flavor. Other gatherings might be focused on meal selection or the perfect table setting. Tailgating is all about enjoying food that tastes good and everyone enjoying themselves while cheering on the Eagles!

CROWD PLEASING BACON-WRAPPED JALAPEÑOS

INGREDIENTS:

20 whole fresh jalapeños, 2 to 3 inches in size

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened

1 lb. thin (regular) bacon, sliced into thirds

PREPARATION:

(If you have them, slip on some latex gloves for the pepper prep). Cut the jalapeños in half, length-wise. With a spoon, remove the seeds and white membrane (the source of the heat; leave a little if you like things HOT).

Smear the softened cream cheese into each jalapeño half. Wrap jalapeños with bacon pieces (1/3 of a slice). Secure by sticking a toothpick through the middle.

Bake on a pan with a rack in a 375˚F oven for 20 to 25 minutes. You don’t want the bacon to shrink so much it starts to squeeze the jalapeño. If, after 20 minutes, the bacon doesn’t look brown enough, just turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes to finish it off. These are best when the jalapeño still has a bit of bite to it. Serve immediately, or they’re also great at room temperature. You’ll love these so much, you’re gonna come out of your skin. Or something like that.

KNEE & HIP REPLACEMENT SPECIALIST

KENNY P.

I recommend Dr. Tankersley to anyone in need of a hip surgery.

HAZEL H.

Dr. Tankersley is great! Not only his work, but his caring personality!

JIM T.

The best doctor and staff. Period!!!

PATTI W.

I had a great experience with Dr. Tankersley and his staff when I had my knee surgery.

STEPHEN TANKERSLEY, MD & ASHLEY SKINNER, FNP-C

2020 2019 2021 2022

Innovation & Celebration Tourism:

Accolades for the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau just keep coming this year as President & CEO Becky Sanders and VP of Marketing & Operations Justin Samples develop new tourism products, host groups of travel writers and create new marketing campaigns, garnering state recognition along the way from the Department of Economic Development and honors from Georgia Trend Magazine for their efforts to brand Statesboro as an inviting destination.

Even through all the massive upheavals and changes of the last few years, the creativity of the local tourism bureau could not be curbed. In 2020, while hotel occupancy was dropping due to COVID, and the local Welcome Center –Visit Statesboro – had to close, Sanders, Samples and their local board of directors took advantage of the down time to reinvest in an old motel warehouse located behind the Welcome Center

on South Main Street. There was a dual purpose in mind in renovating the building: 1) Create a permanent location for the Statesboro Main Street Farmers Market, and 2) Create a multi-purpose venue that could be rented by the public for special occasions and events.

“The warehouse was purchased in December of 2018, and the request for RFQs started,” said Sanders. “It took one year to cleanout the warehouse, which was packed with hotel furniture, framed prints and bedding. We donated some items to Habitat for Humanity, and finally the remainder of the contents were given away to clear the building.”

Local builder Jamie Cartee of St. Andrews Builders won the contract for the 7,000 sq. ft. building’s renovation. Samples designed the building with the Farmers Market in mind including rolling doors, large outdoor patios and pads for food trucks, along with restrooms, a catering kitchen, bar, walk-in fridge and freezer, office space and air conditioning. Cartee executed the renovation to match the craftsman feel of the Visitors Center, another building purchased and renovated by the SCVB on the Blue Mile in 2013.

Going even further, in February of this year, Visit Statesboro opened a boardwalk and bridge connecting the new Market on Main venue with the Blind Willie McTell Trail, in partnership with the Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, which donated the surrounding green space, and the City of Statesboro, which helped with funding and incentives. „

WRITTEN BY JENNY STARLING FOSS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK FORTUNE

This investment in what the professionals call “creative product development” along with cooperation from community partners, is exactly what the Trailblazer Award was created to recognize. Visit Statesboro won the Georgia Trend Trailblazer Award at this year’s Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus annual awards luncheon in Albany, Georgia. Sanders, Samples and Visit Statesboro board president Barry Turner were on hand to receive the honor. A first for Statesboro! The award was followed by an article in Georgia Trend magazine, (July/2023).

Speaking of magazines, a travel article “How to Spend a Day in Statesboro, Georgia” was recently featured in the August 2023 issue of Southern Living magazine. That kind of recognition doesn’t just happen. Visit Statesboro contracted with a media company, which hosts a press room where they display all the Visit Statesboro landing pages to travel writers for possible story ideas. In addition, Visit Statesboro hosts groups of travel writers for a few days of exploring all the local attractions, restaurants and events.

“We take the travel writers all over Statesboro and Bulloch County to showcase the unique things we have here for visitors to enjoy,” said Sanders. “We recently hosted a group that kayaked at Black Water Preserve, toured the Botanic Garden, Museum and the Wildlife Center at Georgia Southern, and shopped downtown. They really loved Charlie’s Funky Junk shop! We visited the Farmers Market. They explored Splash in the Boro and Camp Lawton, through the Museum on Main. We enjoyed local dining at Dolan’s, Beaver House, Uncle Shug’s, Tandoor & Tap, Cool Beans, Vino and Eagle Creek Brewery. Barry suggested that everyone should ride together to our destinations in a limousine, which added a touch of elegance to the tours and facilitated discussions and questions on the many local attractions we have.”

In the tourism industry today, “attraction” is the buzzword. Convention Bureaus no longer advertise or promote hotels and motels, instead they promote the destination, (hopefully, in partnership with the hotels), to showcase what the city has to offer visitors.

One of the newest attractions proposed for Bulloch County is a significant portion of the Georgia Hi-Lo Trail, 221 miles of paved biking trail connecting Athens to Savannah, currently in the discovery phases of development. A comprehensive master plan for the project is also currently being designed. This is another example of creative product development that will depend on community partnerships with Visit Statesboro, the City of Statesboro and Bulloch County to complete.

showcase who we are and to extend

The most innovative tourism marketing campaigns don’t just succeed in selling tickets to one particular attraction, venue or event, however. They set the tone for the future of the town’s entire industry. Visit Statesboro is currently working with Justin Peay of Paros Films in developing a new marketing initiative to be used for the next 2-3 years.

“Today, a logo isn’t as important for a town,” said Sanders. “Instead, we use what is called ‘light branding.’ We choose the type of voice we want to use based on our target markets. To create a connection with visitors, we take advantage of visual content, video and photography, to showcase who we are and to extend an invitation for visitors to come enjoy our way of life.”

That ties into another key factor in a tourism campaign’s success: its authenticity. By showcasing what travelers actually experience in the „

To create a connection with visitors, we take advantage of visual content, video and photography, to

an invitation for visitors to come enjoy our way of life.

Becky Sanders

community, Visit Statesboro is connecting with those who actually want to explore and experience it like a local, rather than a tourist. The best tourism marketing campaigns help turn travelers’ indecision into action, showing off the beauty of a destination or showcasing the legacy of the local culture. It’s all about the personality of a place. And, Statesboro has plenty of personality.

You can see it on display at the Visit Statesboro welcome center in some of the distinctive items created by local artisans. Visitors can also purchase Statesboro swag including t-shirts, glassware, magnets, keychains, postcards, ceramic replicas of local buildings, coffee mugs and Christmas ornaments.

“We’re also open to local artists who paint or draw historic

Becky Sanders

"buildings in Statesboro,” said Sanders. “We love to sell the prints in our local gift shop.” The gift shop also includes locally produced food items such as honey, pecans, Cork’s Kettle Corn and Braswell’s products.

Demand for Statesboro products is almost as popular with visitors as the demand for hotel rooms.

“The city as a whole is currently experiencing around an 80% occupancy rate,” said Sanders. “That means an increase in local tourism dollars for all agencies that benefit from funding supplied by the tax: Downtown Statesboro, the Averitt Center for the Arts, and us. We now also benefit from a law passed in 2021 that provides for the collection of lodging taxes on Airbnbs.”

On Sanders’ wish list is a new full-service hotel to accommodate the many calls she receives for mid-sized conventions of 500-800 people.

The rebound in tourism is coming just in time to take advantage of Visit Statesboro’s Market on Main and the other great area attractions, restaurants and event venues that keep articles about Statesboro in all the best magazines.

“We’re excited about our new tourism products, and honored to have been acknowledged for all the board’s, and staff’s hard work in bringing these projects to life,” said Sanders. “We enjoy so much promoting them as part of our way of life and part of what we have to offer future visitors.” S

We’re excited about our new tourism products, and honored to have been acknowledged for all the board’s, and staff’s hard work in bringing these projects to life

MICHAEL D. DYKES, MD & HEATHER MILLER, PA-C

Annie’s Nails is a professional and clean nail salon now with two locations in Statesboro. The salon was voted Best in the Boro since their opening in 2016 and strives to provide every customer with a luxurious experience and nails they will love! With a wide array of services, including pedicures, SNS dip powder, manicures, acrylic nails, waxing and eyelash extensions, there is something for everyone at Annie’s Nails! Located in the Eagles Corner Shopping Center and the Market District, appointments and walk-ins are welcomed!

4 FUNGI’S

TAKING ROOT IN METTER

4 Fungi’s Regenerative is a state-of-the art agricultural operation that utilizes readily available local agricultural residuals and sustainable water and energy management practices to generate value and reduce environmental impacts while also improving soil and food quality, building regional food security, and insuring consistent availability by producing food and food cultivating materials 12 months a year.

With a deep and diverse blend of career expertise in food production, innovative cuisine, restaurant management, banking and finance, sustainability, design and marketing, our team is uniquely suited to ensuring success. As an expansion of Better Fresh Farms, an existing Georgia Grown business, we are well-positioned to help our community prosper as we grow.

We whole-heartedly believe human ingenuity will transform 21st century food challenges into sustainable prosperity for all. “We couldn’t be happier to establish our new operations facility in Metter, Georgia” says 4 Fungi’s Regenerative CEO Grant Anderson. “Following 4 years of growth at the Georgia Grown Innovation Center with Better Fresh Farms, this project represents the culmination of our team’s efforts to bring jobs to Candler County through agricultural innovation. Great things are growing in Metter!”

4 Fungi’s Regenerative will drive the revitalization of rural landscapes by building a flourishing, resilient and equitable farm community.

“We’re so proud to have such an innovative and sustaining agricultural partner with 4 Fungi’s Regenerative,” said Metter’s Director of Economic Development Heidi Jeffers. “Grant and his team already reap the benefits of partnering with the GGIC at Better Fresh Farms. We’re very excited to see a new company sprout with new jobs and more growth for Metter.”

HomE Grown

The City of Metter is the first “Georgia Grown Community” in the state. The city has fully incorporated Georgia Grown into its economic development strategy. The city offers programs and incentives to create a business-friendly environment that showcases agriculture, food, and retail businesses that embrace the vision of Georgia Grown and Metter Made products. The new Georgia Grown Innovation Center (GGIC) is a part of that Georgia Grown campaign.

The City of Metter partnered with Georgia Grown and Georgia Southern University’s Business Innovation Group to create the GGIC, a business incubator housed in a renovated downtown warehouse, that would focus on agriculture. This amazing synergy supports agri-business locally, regionally and throughout the state. The Business Innovation Group (BIG) is the business outreach program for the University that is committed to developing a vibrant entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem for the southeast region.

Georgia Grown is the economic development arm for the Georgia Department of Agriculture. The brand is one of the finest in the United States and is recognized globally. The program identifies opportunities for businesses through state programs, financing, partners, and branding. Georgia Grown provides technical industry expertise, collaborative research, and partnerships to help the

industry connect, compete, and grow.

Located on South Terrell Street in Metter, the physical benefits of the GGIC include a fully furnished office space, fiber internet and wi-fi, meeting room use, visibility on the website, co-working space, access to AV equipment, and controlled access to a secure building. Developmental benefits include coaching, market research, access to university faculty and students, mentoring, networking events, workshops, and technical support.

Metter has successfully partnered with a variety of local Georgia Grown business partners, making a home for sustainable farmers, small batch producers, unconventional crops, and homemade products. They’ve given innovative small agricultural businesses a seat at the economic development table. „

So God Made a Farmer

WRITTEN BY LAZAR BROWN OGLESBY

If you are a member of the agriculture community or a football fan you may have heard the speech “So God made a Farmer” given by beloved radio broadcaster, Paul Harvey. The speech gained instant fame when it was featured in a Dodge TV commercial broadcasted during the 2013 Super Bowl. The speech was first made by Harvey at the 1978 Future Farmers of America Convention and then published in 1986 in his syndicated column. The speech will tug at your heartstrings and make you beam with pride for all your farmer friends.

A new generation of farmers has been gaining attention locally for thinking outside the box. These guys are bringing beef straight from the field to the consumer. I can personally vouch for their products. The service and quality can’t be beat!

Emanuel County resident Abb Johnson is a 5th generation farmer and owner of Triple A Meats. “Growing up, I knew I wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps,” said Abb. After high school Abb attended Ogeechee Technical College and obtained a degree in Agri-Business and soon began farming full time.

Abb began his row crop and cattle operation in 2022. “I decided to take it a step farther by providing homegrown beef. The beef that we produce comes directly from our cow calf operation. My goal is to provide you with meat that was raised on our farm that has been fed to provide the highest quality of tenderness and taste,” he said.

Triple A Meats offers whole cow cuts, half cow cuts, and small bundle boxes.

I called Abb and picked up a bundle box. I was delighted with the variety and great quality of the beef. I always have a hard time deciding what to cook for dinner, and avoid going to the grocery store at all cost. Now I can go to the freezer and pull out a pack of ground beef, steak, or roast for dinner and pair it with fresh veggies from our local farmer’s market. I love knowing where my food is grown, and I love supporting a local small business. I have watched Abb grow up and I am excited to cater his wedding to his fiancé, Emily, in 2024.

Addison Hooks, Owner of Semiema Farms, is a 4th generation cattle farmer who came back to the farm full time 10 years ago after graduating from UGA. “Since coming back, we have focused solely on supplying grass fed, pasture raised, natural quality beef to our surrounding communities. We are a GAP Certified program and have been certified since 2013. We are passionate about our cattle and beef and always strive to produce some of the best beef around!” said Addison.

Semiema Farms is located just outside of Swainsboro. They offer bulk beef orders of whole, half and quarter beef sides. They also offer individual steaks, roasts, ground beef, briskets, cubed steak, and short ribs. All their cattle are processed off the farm at a local processor and all beef comes vacuum sealed!

“You can find us on Facebook and Instagram, where we post fun things about the farm and the beef we have to offer for purchase. We push education on the cattle industry and why buying locally is so important. Placing an order with us is as simple as sending us a message on either social media platforms. We will work with you on getting your order together and setting up a date and time for pick up!” he said.

I catered Addison’s and wife, Mallory’s wedding in 2022. Their biggest request when planning the reception menu was that Honey Catering use Addison’s home-grown beef tenderloin. I was excited to add this special touch to their menu and I can honestly say this is the best beef tenderloin I have ever cooked! „

BUFFALO BEEF BURGERS

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs. Ground Beef

½ c. Franks Hot Sauce

1 tsp. Granulated Garlic

1 tsp. Black Pepper

6-8 Hamburger Buns

2 Tbsp. Butter

Lettuce and Tomato

PREPARATION:

Mix ground beef, hot sauce, garlic, and pepper until combined. Form burger into patties (makes 6-8 depending on how large you like your burgers). Grill burgers until desired doneness. Toast bun with butter. Serve burger on toasted bun with blue cheese sauce, lettuce, and tomato.

BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

½ c. Blue Cheese

½ c. Sour Cream

½ c. Dukes Mayo

2 Tbsp. chopped Green Onion

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire

Salt and Pepper to Taste

PREPARATION:

Mix all ingredients and chill until ready to use.

ORDERING INFO:

WESTWOOD ANGUS BEEF

Walker Blitch

westwoodangusfarms@gmail.com 912-687-6960

SEMIEMA FARMS

Addison Hooks

TRIPLE A MEATS

Abb Johnson www.tripleameats.com

912-682-3767

When Mallory scheduled a time to drop off the tenderloin, I ordered a box full of their favorite beef products! The box lasted my family 2 months!

Westwood Angus Farms is a third-generation cattle farm that has been in operation since the early 1900’s. Bulloch County farmer Walker Blitch is following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.

Fred Blitch Sr., raised commercial cattle, a registered Horned Hereford herd, and ran a feedlot in the 1950s and 60s. He was joined by his son Fred Blitch Jr., and they transitioned to registered Black Angus cattle in 1969.

Walker and his dad, Freddie continue to raise predominantly registered Black Angus Cattle. The Blitches provide registered bulls, open heifers, bred heifers, and pairs to surrounding cattlemen looking to build upon or improve their herds with quality registered cattle.

Walker and his wife, Gina felt the need to diversify and offer a quality farm to table option for consumers and in 2022 Westwood Angus Beef was born. Walker’s beef is bred, born, and raised in Bulloch County. Westwood Angus Beef contains no added hormones or preservatives and is antibiotic free. They choose to grain finish their cattle to provide the highest quality, best tasting beef.

“Our hope and prayer are to be able to continue to steward and sustainably raise cattle here in Bulloch County as well as provide the public „

BEER BRAISED BBQ POT ROAST

INGREDIENTS:

5 lb. Beef Chuck Roast

Season Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Chili Powder

Red Onion Sliced

PREPARATION:

1 c. Flour

¼ c. Olive Oil

3 Bay Leaves

1 can Budweiser

Preheat oven to 225˚. Season roast liberally with season salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder. Coat both sides with flour. Heat oil in a Dutch oven. When oi is hot add roast. Sear on both sides until flour is browned. Top with slices of onions and entire can of beer. Add water until roast and onions are completely covered. Place lid on Dutch oven and bake at 225˚ for 5-6 hours. Remove roast from liquid. Remove any fat, gristle or bones. Set aside. There will be a thin layer of clear fat that has risen to the top of the pan juices. Skim off as much fat as possible with a spoon. Reserve two cups of pan juices.

BBQ SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

2 c. Reserved Pan Drippings

2 c. Ketchup

1 c. Brown Sugar

PREPARATION:

½ c. Cider Vinegar

3 Tbsp. Chipotle pepper in sauce

1 tsp. Black pepper

Cook all ingredients until boiling. Pour over roast and serve hot.

RIBEYES WITH COWBOY BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:

2 Ribeye Steaks Salt and Pepper (cut 1.5 inches thick) Olive Oil

PREPARATION: Remove steaks from fridge and bring to room temperature. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to cast iron skillet and heat to medium heat. Add steaks and cook 5 minutes on one side. Flip and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from pan and place on platter. Top with cowboy butter and let the steak sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

COWBOY BUTTER

INGREDIENTS:

1 stick Salted Butter (softened)

1 clove Garlic (minced)

2 Green Onions (chopped)

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire

1 tsp. Chili Powder

1 tsp. Dijon Mustard

1 tsp. Black Pepper

PREPARATION: Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Place butter on parchment paper and roll into a ½ inch roll. Refrigerate until firm. Slice in pats to put on top of cooked steaks, veggies, pasta, potatoes, or bread!

with great tasting local beef so we can in turn pass this family tradition down to another upcoming generation,” said Walker.

Westwood Angus Beef partnered with Statesboro restaurant Uncle Shug’s Bar-B-Q place on S. Main St. in Statesboro to offer locals hand-patted burgers made with the freshest local beef. You can order finished steers by the half and whole via reservation slots and retail beef bundles when available.

I have catered many times for the Blitch family and our restaurant, Dolan’s BBQ featured Westwood Angus Beef burgers as a “smash burger” special. My brother gave me a beef bundle for Christmas. I recommend gifting this local product for any occasion!

I see a bright future for these young farmers and the strong women who help make their operation a success. I am abundantly thankful that God made a farmer. Our world wouldn’t be the same without their drive and determination to take care of the land and feed our nation. Next time you see a farmer be sure to hug their neck and give them a big pat on the back. S

-- so God made a Farmer. – by Paul Harvey (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 2009)

And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker”

-- so God made a Farmer.

God said, “I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board”

-- so God made a Farmer.

“I need somebody with arms strong enough to rustle a calf and yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild; somebody to call hogs, tame cantankerous machinery, come home hungry, have to wait lunch until his wife’s done feeding visiting ladies, then tell the ladies to be sure and come back real soon -- and mean it”

-- so God made a Farmer.

God said, “I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt, and watch it die, then dry his eyes and say, ‘Maybe next year.’ I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from a persimmon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, who can make harness out of haywire, feed sacks and shoe scraps; who, planting time and harvest season, will finish his forty-hour week by Tuesday noon, and then pain’n from tractor back, put in another seventy-two hours”

-- so God made a Farmer.

God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts at double speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain clouds, and yet stop in mid-field and race to help when he sees the first smoke from a neighbor’s place

-- so God made a Farmer.

God said, “I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bails, yet gentle enough to tame lambs and wean pigs and tend the pinkcombed pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the broken leg of a meadow lark.” It had to be somebody who’d plow deep and straight and not cut corners; somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed and rake and disc and plow and plant and tie the fleece and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week’s work with a five-mile drive to church; somebody who would bale a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says that he wants to spend his life “doing what dad does”

It’s Pretty Easy Being Green

WRITTEN BY DOY CAVE

When I say the word “sustainability,” I imagine several of you will develop narcolepsy and fall asleep where you sit. At least that’s what happened when I read this article to my recent focus group — a third-grader who was behind me in the line at Food World.

However, sustainability doesn’t have to be boring, daunting or complicated. Kermit the Frog once sang, “It ain’t easy being green,” but according to Daniel Gleason, Ph.D., professor and director of the School of Earth, Environment and Sustainability, it’s pretty easy when you try…and when you understand how quickly our climate is changing.

“As scientists, we have been sounding the alarm for a long time now, but it really didn’t get much attention because it’s always in the future,” said Gleason. “I think what most people are starting to realize is that the future is now. July was the hottest month ever recorded on the planet.

“But often, these issues are just too big for the general public, and they throw up their hands and say, ‘I’m not a scientist. I can’t do this.’ But there are a lot of things people can do to reduce their own impact.”

START SMALL AND THINK LOCAL

People often think sustainability means you have to buy a Tesla, outfit your house with solar panels and hunt your own food to be environmentally conscious, but Gleason says it can be as simple as visiting the farmers market on Saturday.

“People could start thinking about where their food comes from,” he said. “Transportation of food and the way it’s produced take a lot of energy to make it to your table. We have a local farmers market with great fruits and vegetables that come from one mile to 10 miles down the road. That’s much less impact than getting things imported from around the world.”

In addition, Gleason says to pay attention to those packages in the grocery store. Want to buy shrimp? You could buy farm-raised shrimp pumped with antibiotics from Thailand or Vietnam or you could buy it from Georgia shrimpers. The same goes for produce, meat and more. The more people buy local, the less transportation our food needs.

REDUCE, REUSE AND…YOU KNOW THE DRILL

When it comes to living sustainably, Gleason says to remember the three R’s — reduce, reuse and recycle. The main culprit for this mantra is plastic, the petroleum-based material that’s in everything from computers to cars to bottles and clothing.

“We’ve created a material that can be used for a long period of time that’s very durable, but yet we use it in many cases as a single-use product,” said Gleason. “If people would start thinking about that and say, ‘Well, I’m going to start looking for products that are not using plastic packaging,’ that would go a long way.”

Gleason recommends simple changes like bringing a reusable mug to Three Tree or Starbucks, buying reusable water bottles for daily refills of water, and opting for materials other than plastic for straws, cups and more. He also suggests buying clothes without nylon or polyester when possible since clothing is the leading source of microplastics on the planet.

He also recommends reducing our use of water. Only about 3% of water on earth is fresh water and only 1.2% is drinkable. When that water ends up on our lawns or flushed down the toilet or running down the sink, it’s less for us to use in the long run.

Gleason recommends turning off the water while brushing your teeth or washing your dishes and taking shorter showers where possible. In the long term, he suggests thinking about low-flow toilets and showerheads.

THE RAINBOW CONNECTION

Climate change and its effects are serious concerns, but Gleason says we’ve come together in the past to tackle big climate issues and believes we can do it again. By educating ourselves and others about simple, sustainable lifestyle choices, we can reduce our impact on the climate.

And while it doesn’t take a Ph.D. to learn about these things, Georgia Southern now offers a bachelor’s degree in sustainability science as well as a master’s and Ph.D. in environmental science, the only doctorate of its kind in Georgia.

“We just need to spread this information as far and as wide as we can,” said Gleason.

Even to the person in my focus group, who thinks this column is “big yikes.” S

Dog Days

WRITTEN BY VIRGINIA ANNE FRANKLIN WATERS

It could be my age, but I do not ever remember a summer this hot in Statesboro. Our irrigation systems have had a real workout in this continuous heat. The phrase, “Dog Days of Summer” comes to my mind. This phrase has been around since the ancient Romans. It is so hot that I see images of panting dogs lazing around in the shade, tongues hanging out from the heat. I often wonder how our spoiled cat, Mr. Spot, can take the heat with his full coat of fur. However, this idiom has nothing to do with our furry friends.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Ancient Greeks and Romans believed the “dog days” to be a time of misfortune plagued by drought and unrest as animals and people alike were driven mad by unbearably hot temperatures. This time of year in Latin was called “dies caniculares” or dog days. This name came about because they associated the hottest days of summer with the star Sirius. Sirius was known as the “Dog Star” because it was the brightest star in the night sky. It was the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog). Sirius also happens to be the brightest star in the night sky. It was so bright that the ancient Romans thought Sirius added heat to the Sun’s heat to cause hotter summer temperatures.

During my childhood we often went outside to look at the stars. My Daddy would set up a telescope on a wooden tripod. This worked until one of our neighbors installed outside flood lights. If you happen to be in an area without man made light, I urge you to use Google Sky to learn what to look for in the night sky. You can print out a star map and head outside to find constellations. Can you find Sirius, the Dog Star?

The hottest days of the year in the Northern Hemisphere are caused by the tilt of the Earth. It causes the Sun’s light to hit us at a more direct angle and for a longer period of time throughout the day. This means longer, hotter days. The actual days will vary by location, depending upon latitude and climate.

Due to this excessive heat my cutting beds have been hit hard this year. Color is fading in both my zinnias and dahlias. In fact, some of my zinnias have “bolted” this year. Bolting is defined as when plants grow quickly, stop flowering and set seeds. We normally see this most often in herbs. The one that comes to mind is the herb cilantro. When it bolts it totally loses its flavor. It then produces seeds which we use as coriander. Leafy vegetables are prone to bolt in our area. The air and soil become too hot for the plant to produce leaves.

In mid-August I planted a second crop of zinnias I started from seeds. It took about four days to germinate the seeds. I then let them grow for three weeks. These new seedlings have been transplanted to a raised bed and I should have zinnias for cutting in about six weeks. These plants will last until the first frost which is usually in mid-December. I have noticed that plant sellers are beginning to sell annuals later in the summer. I believe this will become the norm. We are heading for two seasons of annuals—spring and early summer, then late summer and fall.

Gardening friends may have noticed that for the past three years pansies have not done well in Statesboro due to the excessive heat in the fall.

It is time to order seeds to plant for fall annuals. Cooler temperature plants for our area include snapdragons, ornamental kale, cabbage and calendula. I ordered my seeds this year from Eden Brothers. I have had very good luck with their products. They have a wonderful selection of heirloom seeds. The seeds are of a high quality, grow true to their genus, and have a high rate of germination.

I am planting calendula seeds for the first time. In ancient times it was used as a medicinal herb for headaches, fever and toothaches. Some used it for magical purposes. One 16th century potion containing calendula claimed to reveal fairies! Calendula is also known as poor man’s saffron--the petals are edible and can be used in fresh salads. I hope I have good luck with these and also that they will germinate in our heat.

Dog days will be gone soon and there will be a crispness in the air. I must say, I am looking forward to a new season in Statesboro. S

The Purpose of Pain

WRITTEN BY REV. DR. JOHN WATERS

What’s the purpose in pain? Nothing happens in a believer’s life outside the knowledge and allowance of God, so the presence of pain must somehow serve God’s greater purpose. Although our knowledge of God’s ways is limited and incomplete, we trust there is a purpose in pain and that God uses our suffering to accomplish his work within our lives.

Max Lucado reminds us, “A season of suffering is a small price to pay for a clear view of God.” Could he be correct? In the midst of our pain and hurt, could God be doing something that we don’t even realize? Consider some of the reasons why God might allow pain and heartache into our lives so that we can have a clear view of his work:

TO PROTECT US

Like children who’ve felt the burn of a hot stove, Christians learn protective lessons from the hurt they experience. When pain is the result of sinful behavior, we learn that living outside of God’s will is not his plan for us. The pain becomes a boundary marker, protecting us from

crossing the line from obedience to disobedience.

But pain also protects us from pride and self-sufficiency. Hurting people are rarely prideful people, and adversities empty our hearts of ego, arrogance, and self-promotion. God chooses to use humble, broken vessels for his work, and he sometimes allows pain into our lives to protect us from self-reliance and a prideful spirit.

TO INSPECT US

In the deepest valleys and darkest nights, we find out what we truly believe. Pain shines a light into the deepest corners of our lives, illuminating where we turn for help and what we rely upon for strength. Pain reveals the priorities and passions of our lives, inspecting our deepest thoughts and most heartfelt emotions.

Like a refiner’s fire that burns away the dross, a season of suffering strips away the peripheral things of life, laying bare our true hopes, dreams, priorities, and loves. People walking through pain don’t have time or room for superficial faith, and the heartaches of life demand that we set aside anything that is unnecessary or unimportant.

Most believers are tempted to put forth a less-than-authentic faith, saying all the right things while struggling with all of the wrong things. Faith then becomes plastic and artificial, filled with meaningless religious duties and mechanical Bible reading, but pain burns away such dross and reminds us of what a living, breathing faith is all about.

Hurt and heartache make us pray like the psalmist: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any

wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:2324).

TO PERFECT US

The potter shapes the clay by putting pressure on it, shaping and forming it with the skillful but purposeful touch of his hand. The pain and problems of life are the pressures points God uses to conform us into the image of his Son, shaping and perfecting our faith continually until we finally reach our home in heaven.

Suffering was also a part of the Father’s plan for Jesus, teaching and preparing him for his eternal work. The author of Hebrews explains, “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:8-9). Just as the Son of God was fashioned for eternal, redemptive purposes, so are we being prepared and perfected for God’s greater glory through suffering.

Like statues chiseled by the hammer of adversity, we become more like Christ through the pains, heartaches, and difficulties of this life.

Cast Your Vote Today!

The former fisherman, Peter, understood the perfecting nature of suffering. Through heartaches and disappointments in his own life, he was able to teach others about God’s purpose in pain. Knowing that God does not arbitrarily allow suffering into a believer’s life, Peter wrote, “May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).

Whatever the pain or suffering in your life, may you have a clearer view of God’s grace as he establishes, strengthens, and perfects you for his glory, preparing you for his work and forming you into the image of his Son.

Indeed, a season of suffering is a small price to pay for a clear view of God. S

YOUR TEETH CLEANINGS FOR FALL BREAK!

Thomas E. Marhsall, D.M.D. | Kathryn W. Mentzer, D.M.D. | Jarrett H. Walden, D.M.D. Colin T. Strub, D.D.S.

Cowboy

WRITTEN BY RIC MANDES

Soon a tall cold longneck was sitting before him. He looked at himself in the mirror. What he saw was a sharp face, strong eyes, and a Stetson cowboy hat.

The hat was his prize. He had always wanted one. Now at twenty-three, he would wear it when he went out. It allowed him to be the cowboy he dreamed of when he was little.

She had arrived an hour earlier.

Her best friend had said during coffee, “John and I are going out tonight; come go with us.”

“It won’t hurt a thing. God knows, all you do is stay home. Being engaged is wonderful, but heavens, every now and then you’ve got to have a break. You know Jimmie will understand.”

Now she sits with her friends.

Music fills the room. It mixes with laughter. It slides across the faces of the lonely; it captures the motion of the couples dancing.

The cowboy takes a sip of his longneck and turns around. He tilts his hat back a bit. He takes in the room.

He’s dressed in a blue oxford button-down shirt, jeans and boots. He’s neat. When he moves the bottle to his lips, it’s done right. When he puts his hands in his pockets and kind of rocks back and forth, it’s nice.

She? She is pretty. She is in love. Her fiancé is in officer candidate school. He has been away six weeks. They have six more to go.

She writes him every day. She sends him love notes and funny cards. “Anything, just to let him know I’m here.”

Now in the din of this lounge, her girlfriend’s special fellow asks her to dance. It’s a fast-paced number. She turns loose and has four minutes of fun.

They move back to their table.

This is when the cowboy notices her. His look is not a “hit on.” It’s as if he’s looking at a picture of a western sunset. Something that comes from his boyhood dreams.

He motions to the bartender for another bottle. He talks to the guy to his right, a truck driver in town for the night. “Them rigs get heavy after a while. Got to stop and kill the thirst.”

“Know what you mean,” the cowboy replies. “I get thirsty myself.”

He has not taken his eyes from the lady. She is not part of his boyhood dreams. She is something much more than that. She is today’s dream. She is a woman like he’s never seen.

The music goes on.

The D.J. announces a birthday. A group in the far corner stands up and yells. An embarrassed red-faced guy waves and realizes he is loved.

The mood changes. The D.J. says, “All right everybody, it’s quiet time for all you romantics. I’m pulling back and it’s gonna be lace and grace.”

With that, mood and laughter turn to quiet and the lights go low except for the crystal glass sphere turning slowly, throwing a calligraphy of diamonds onto the dancers.

The couple leaves to dance. The lady is alone. She is looking at the ring on her finger. She is lost somewhere in the night.

“Excuse me, ma’am.” She looks up surprised. “I wonder if you’d mind allowing me a dance. It’s all right if you don’t want to,” he quickly added.

The pretty lady looked into his face a long time and then with an easy motion took his hand.

For him the floor was empty except for the two of them. She was looking up smiling.

She was soft and smelled good.

The music finished. He walked her back to the table. “Thank you,” he said.

Cowboy,” she laughed, “Are you shy?”

“Never have been until now,” he grinned.

Later as the lady drove home, the fragrance of his cologne drifted about her. She turned on the radio... Willie was singing, “Mama, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys...” S

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Mr. Terrell Waters “Terry” Bohler

08.10.23

Ms. Vickie Ann Bowers

06.05.23

Mrs. Diann Drummer Boyd

07.17.23

Mr. Lee W. Brack, Jr.

05.30.23

Mrs. Sue Ann Whaley Brannon

06.20.23

Apostle Eddie Brinson

06.06.23

Ms. Barbara Ann Parker Brush

08.06.23

Mr. Reamer D. Burke

07.30.23

Mr. Rodney Neal Burnsed, Sr.

07.04.23

Mrs. Frieda Anne Headley Byrd

08.12.23

Mrs. Margaret Ann “Mickey” Cail

06.11.23

Mr. George Douglas Cartee

06.29.23

Mrs. Annette Brigdon Cason

07.06.23

Ms. Jeanette Clifton 08.01.23

Mrs. Annabelle Catacutan Collins 08.16.23

Ms. Linda Ruth Collins

Deacon Roosevelt Culver

08.14.23

Dr. Natalia Maria De Pax da Roza 08.10.23

Ms. Rachel Faye Dartez

08.07.23

Ms. Nadine Nathuss Dasher 07.10.23

Mrs. Robyn Jackson De Vecchis

06.12.23

Mrs. Linda Williams Deal

06.18.23

Mrs. Megan Leigh Sheets DeBiase

08.17.23

Mr. Mark Gridley Dement 06.26.23

Mr. Jackie Lawrence Dickerson

05.28.23

Mr. Rovert “Robbie” Donaldson, Jr. 08.22.23

Mr. Eugene Daniel “Gene” Eden 06.28.23

Mr. George Russell Gibson 06.11.23

Mr. Billy Glisson 07.18.23

Mrs. Beverly Thomasson Gnehm

06.18.23

Deacon Freddie Walter Grant, Sr.

07.30.23

Mr. Wendell Hackle

08.13.23

Dr. Gale Aileen Harrison

07.04.23

Mr. William Duncan “ Billy” Hattrich, Jr.

06.08.23

Mrs. Margaret Karen Morris Healey

08.03.23

Mrs. Lorine Olliff Hendricks

06.18.23

Ms. Jewell Florence Hendrix

08.15.23

Mr. Jeffery Steven “Jeff” Hensley

07.03.23

Mr. Rory T. Hodges

06.21.23

Mr. Matthew Donald Hodnicki

08.02.23

Mr. George Mitchell “Mickey” Holloway

07.17.23

Mr. Clifford “Bo” Jackson, Jr.

08.11.23

Mrs. Loretta Roach Johnson

08.20.23

Mrs. Jo Ann Bowers Johnson

08.15.23

Mr. Ronnie Lamar Johnson

07.08.23

Mrs. Lizzie Mary Johnson-McCall

07.03.23

Mrs. Carolyn Lee Harvey Lanier 07.06.23

Mr. John Vaughan Lanier 07.15.23

Rev. Sonia Lee

07.02.23

Mr. Elmer Clyde “Kyle” Little, II 07.28.23

Ms. Kay Girardeau Lowery

07.21.23

Ms. Josie Bell Mercer Lundy

07.23.23

Ms. Jacquelyn Gay McGrady

08.01.23

Ms. Alison McLean

07.14.23

Mr. Harold Mayo “Hal” Meadows

07.28.23

Mrs. Rose Ann Sargent Middleton 06.10.23

Mr. Ray Daniel Mills, Sr.

08.25.23

Mr. William “Billy” Milton

06.15.23

Mr. Josell Moore, Jr.

07.10.23

Mr. Charles D. Morgan

06.25.23

Mr. Ray Johnson Morris

06.09.23

Mr. Walton E. “Walt” Morris. Sr.

07.26.23

Mr. Thomas Arthur Nelson, Jr.

07.05.23

Ms. Dahlia Brazell Newton

07.06.23

Mr. Manassas Foy Olliff

08.17.23

Mrs. Josephine Delaney Pollard

06.16.23

Mrs. Nettie Mae Young Rawls

06.13.23

Mr. Leonard “Peaches” Raymond

06.28.23

Mrs. Linda Hendrix Reddick

07.02.23

Mr. Otis Lee Sampson

06.26.23

Ms. Wilma Sue Schryver

06.16.23

Mrs. Jane Doyle Skinner

08.22.23

Mr. John Ray Stalcup

06.24.23

Mr. Charles Brantley Stokes, Jr.

07.02.23

Mr. Tony Edward Strickland, Sr. 07.12.23

Mr. Dale Jerome Tanner

06.20.23

Mrs. Mary Frances Taylor

06.05.23

Mrs. Christine Marie Swint Thomas

08.11.23

Mrs. Cynthia Clifton “Cindy” Thompson

07.07.23

Mr. Emanuel Thompson, Sr. 07.02.23

Mrs. Mary Louise Sapp Threatt

07.14.23

Mrs. Virginia Rushing Trapnell

08.04.23

Mrs. Daisy Donaldson Futch Tyson

08.07.23

Ms. Amy Diane Wagner

07.14.23

Mrs. Maridith Denise Chester “Dee Dee” Whitehead

06.12.23

Ms. Linda Bernice Whitton

07.22.23

Mr. James Cohen

“Jimmy” Williams

08.12.23

Mr. Robert Mitchell “Mitch” Williams

08.02.23

Mr. Roger Bron Williams

06.10.23

Ms. Dana Wright

06.17.23

Mr. William Elliott Wynn

08.15.23