in the field magazine

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE December 2010 1

Decmber 2010

South Mississippi’s AGRICULTURE Magazine®

Thomley Christmas Tree Farm.43 Years of Growing Christmas Trees

Covering What’s Growing

2 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE December 2010

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YOU TOO CAN BE A WINNERHEY READERS, hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo.Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE InTheField® T-Shirt. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the page on which you found the logo and where on

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No FarmersNo Food

601.794.2715www.inthefieldmagazine.com

By: Taylor McCardle andTaylor Lewis, Brooklyn FFA Chapter

Just like with many FFA Chapters this time of year is always very busy. For the Brooklyn FFA Chapter, the late fall season is usually one of our busiest. We have been planning for National FFA Convention and making sure our livestock show entries get submitted on time and planning our yearly chapter Program of Activities. We have just begun preparing for upcoming competitions, and we have year round fundraisers to raise money for our chapter. This does not include the everyday activities of managing our own livestock on our school farm.

Our FFA Chapter spends a lot of time planning and prepar-ing fundraisers. We are lucky to have a very supporting community, who are always waiting for the next event to show just how much they support us. We have just finished selling mums and fall mix pots. We were very pleased with the response of this particular fundraiser. FCAHS also grows our own seasonal flowers in our green house. As of right now we are very busy taking orders for our Florida citrus and smoked meat sales from Southern Heritage. This fundraiser is the most anticipated of the year and gives us our most income.

We put a good amount of time into preparing for the CDE (Career Development Events) and LDE (Leadership Development Events) competitions. We annually participate in platform events and skill events. Some of the platform events we plan to enter are opening and closing ceremony, public speaking and extemporaneous speaking. The skill events get a slight better response in our chapter than the platform. Our students enter in tractor driving, welding, tool identification and livestock judging and many others. We pride our-selves on doing well in everything we decide to take part in.

At the 2010 Mississippi State FFA Convention, our chapter won first place in the Chapter Display contest. We won the honor of representing our state at the 2010 National FFA Convention. We are also very pleased with how our school was represented at the conven-tion. Our chapter president Jonathan Morris was entered in the Na-tional FFA Talent Show. Also our chapter vice-president Logan Dale

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was accepted in The National FFA Band. It’s an honor to call them fellow FFA members.

On behalf of our Brooklyn FFA Chapter, We would like to thank our advisors for everything they have done for their students. They have done a great job at encouraging us, helping be all that we can, and preparing us for the future through The FFA. We are very happy to welcome back our AG Science teacher Mr. Yancie Ross, who has been off due to heart surgery. Mrs. Susan Rushing has done an outstanding job in his absence. Thanks again Mrs. Rushing.


In The Field® Magazine is published monthly and is available through local South Mississippi businesses, restaurants and other local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 17773, Hattiesburg, MS 39404 or you are welcome to email them to: [email protected] or call 601.794.2715

Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field® Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by their advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In The Field® magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc. Published by Berry Publications, Inc.

From the Editor

4 FFA Update

Taylor McCardle & Taylor Lewis

6Pine Belt Observation

And Another Year Comes to a Close

8The Garden Calendar:

December

10The Whipping Bowl

11Farmer’s Advice

13Business UpFront:

Hub City West Farm & Garden

15A Christmas Present

in the making

15MSU Planting Time

for Fruit Trees

19Mississippi’s Sportsmen Report

By Ben Willoughby

21The Christmas Rifle

26Rocking Chair Chatter

Al Berry

27Sometimes the Best

Christmas Gifts are FreePhil Difatta

Christmas is almost here and with it comes the smell of fresh cut Christmas trees and many great meals and treats cooking in the kitchen. Celebrations are many with friends and family, cel-ebrations that almost always include food. It is a great time of year! Thank you to our farmers and ranchers for the abundance of great food that we always have for our Christmas meals.

Traditions are a big part of Christmas as well. It is a tradi-tion with my family to put up the Christmas tree the weekend af-ter Thanksgiving. I love the tree full of lights and ornaments that are all unique, many of them handmade by my children. We also enjoy going to see Christmas light displays. However, the most important tradition by far is one that I encourage you to contin-ue or begin and that is to celebrate the birth of Christ. Christ’s birth is the reason we have Christmas. If you don’t have a church home I invite you to join me and my family at 38th Avenue Baptist Church in Hattiesburg to celebrate the birth of our Savior. It truly is a joyous celebration.

I want to take this opportunity to wish you, from my family to yours, a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Katherine L Davis

Lynn

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11


Publisher / OwnerKaren Berry

Associate PublisherBrent Davis

Editor-In-ChiefAl Berry

Senior Managing Editor

Sarah Holt

Editor Katherine L. Davis

Office ManagerBob Hughens

Office AssistantMegan L. Davis

Circulation ManagersTerry L. Davis

Sean Idland

Advertising SalesTerry L. Davis

Brent DavisBarbara Huckabee

Keith NaquinDanny Crampton

Art DirectorJuan Carlos Alvarez

Staff WritersBrent Davis

Katherine L. DavisJohnny Cone

Al BerryHank Daniels

Contributing WritersPhil DiFatta

Ben WilloughbyRoyce Armstrong

Judy Smith

Guest WritersTaylor McCardle

Taylor Lewis

PhotographyRoyce Armstrong

Brent Davis

VOL. 1 • ISSUE 9December


Decmber 2010


Thomley Christmas Tree Farm.43 Years of Growing Christmas Trees


Cover Story

Thomley Christmas Tree Farm, 24

Terry, Megan, Brent and Lynn Davis


Brent Davis’ And Another Year Comes to a Close

It always makes me take a moment to reflect when a year is getting ready to come to an end. 2010 will soon be history. It seems like it was just the other day we were celebrating the beginning of a new millennium… But the truth is that was 10 years ago! Wow! 2010 has been a very exciting year for me. It was last December that Karen Berry (an old family friend and owner of Berry Publications), Lynn (my wife) and I struck a deal to start publishing a South Mississippi edition of In The Field Magazine. Karen started In The Field Magazine in 2004 and had managed the magazine to a formable success in Florida. 2010 saw the magazine expand outside the Florida area with this edition, the South Mississippi edition. Lynn and I went to work in January preparing for the first South Mississippi issue, which debuted in April. We are proud to say the South Mississippi edition has met with success and received great reviews from readers and advertisers. I have to take a moment and thank some of our special advertisers. Without our advertisers In The Field Magazine would not exist. These advertisers haveappeared in every issue of the South Mississippi edition during 2010: MauldinCompany, Boot Country, Lane’s Dozer Service, Rodgers Family Pharmacy,Farm Depot,Havard Pest Control, Water Flow Productions, Inc., Hub City West Farm & Garden, The Front Porch Restaurant, A & R Farm & Garden, Graceland of Purvis, andEconomy Supply. Naturally, we appreciate each and every advertiser that appears in the magazine, but the ones listed above were in each and every 2010 issue.THANK YOU. I want to thank our guest writers, our contributing writers, our staff writers and our photographers. These folks have given us some great articles andphotographs throughout the past year. Their names appear on page five of each issue and I give a tip of my hat to each of them. I also want to thank our graphic artist, Juan Alvarez. Juan is a talented individual that does all the graphic work and puts together the magazine each month. I supply Juan with scribble and stick people and he comes back with this beautiful magazine every month. THANK YOU. I also tip my hat to our distribution staff headed up by my son, Terry Davis.Distributing this magazine over all of South Mississippi in a very short period of time is no easy task. Terry, Sean Idland, Megan Davis and Keith Naquin “get er done” every month when it comes to distribution. THANK YOU. Thanks to our ad sales people. Terry Davis, Barbara Huckabee, Keith Na-quin, and Danny Crampton. These people, along with me have sold every ad in themagazine this year. Good job, team. Thank you to our office staff. Bob Hughens and Megan Davis both keep us all straight when it comes to the paper work.THANK YOU. I want to thank our editor, my wife, Lynn Davis. I am blessed to have such a wonderful wife. She works very hard at the district office of the Lamar County School District and then she comes home and works very hard helping me with this magazine. THANK YOU, Lynn. I want to thank Sarah Holt, our Senior Managing Editor, for her hard work and patience as I learned the ropes of this magazine publishing business this past year. Sarah is my main contact at the home office in Florida and we talk just about every day. Sarah juggles a lot of balls for In The Field Magazine and does a very good job. THANK YOU, Sarah. And….. I want to thank Karen Berry for giving Lynn and I the opportunity to work with this very fine magazine, In The Field. THANK YOU, Karen. I have said it before and I will say it many times again, thank you most of all to our farmers and our ranchers. These folks work very hard to place the food on our tables that we eat each and every day. Without our farmers and our ranchers, we would be a very hungry nation. THANK YOU. We here at In The Field Magazine, South Mississippi edition, wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and the best of a New Year.

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE APRIL 2010 1

April 2010


The Purvis Rodeo TeamThey call it RODEO

AWARDS • RECIPES • AND MORE

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2010 1

May 2010


Forrest CountyAgricultural High SchoolShowing Their Aggie Pride!

Mississippi Blueberries, FFA Journal,the Farmer’s Wife, Recipes, and More...

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE JUNE 2010 1

June 2010


Kiahnell SmithBuilding on a Locavor Trend

Phil DiFatta says, “Plan(T) Ahead” and Dr. Larissa Heinz says, “Pot Bellied Pigs Make Great Pets.“ FFA Journal, Grub Station Report, Recipes and More…..

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE JUNE 2010 1

July 2010


Bob CarneyA Green Thumb forOver 65 years


INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 2010 1

August 2010


Eddie AltizerFlying High From His Agriculture Roots


INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE August 2010 1

September 2010


Clayton RouseLamar County ExtensionAgent, Retires After 33 Years


INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE OctOber 2010 1

October 2010


Mitchell FarmsJo Lynn and Don MitchellAgri-Tourism at its Best


INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE November 2010 1

November 2010


Jim BraswellMaking the Most of GOD’S Gifts



ODGERS FAMILY PHARMACY130 West Central Ave, Petal , MS 39465

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The MSU Garden Calendar: December

In Bloom Sweet Pea, Sasanquas, Poinsettia, Camellia, Osmanthus, Narcis-sus, and Amaryllis

Protect• Protect moveable plants from sudden changes in temperature by bringing them indoors. • Protect tender plants by placing layers of mulch, or pine straw, to a depth of 6-8 inches. • Water plants well if there is warning before a frost. Otherwise water as the plants begin to thaw.

Plant • Toward the end of the month plant Tulips and Hyacinth that have been in the fridge for 6 weeks. • This is a good time to move Japanese Magnolias. • Plant many types of bare root trees: fruit, nut or citrus. • Plant dormant shrubs: Azalea, Camellia, Nandina, Wax Ligustrium, Indian Hawthorne, Pyracantha,

Mock orange, Hydrangea, Flowering Quince, and Spirea. • Herbs for a sunny window: Tarragon, Chives, Oregano, Marjoram, and Rosemary.

Water • Water all newly planted trees and plants regularly.

Prune • Prune fruit trees and shade trees to remove dam-aged wood. • Cut off tops of brown perennials, leave roots in the soil. • Do not prune spring flowering shrubs. • Ferns will come back from the ground, cut back brown fronds. • Cut Mistletoe out of trees.

Indoor Plants • House plants to consider: African Violets, Ama-ryllis, Begonia, Bromeliads, Christmas Cacti, Dief-fenba-chia, Ferns, Philodendron, Schefflera, and Weeping Fig. • Feed houseplants twice during the winter months.

Miscellaneous To maintain a live Christmas tree in good condition, mix in a 2 liter bottle: 8 oz non-diet soda, 2 oz vine-gar, 1 oz mouthwash. Fill the bottle with water. Keep base of tree in this solution. After Christmas have your tree turned into mulch. Some Christmas deco-rations are poisonous to people and pets: Keep Box-wood, Holly, Mistletoe, and Jerusalem Cherry high up and out of reach.

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GardenCalendar:December


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R E C I P E S

Instructions: In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and soda; stir in remainingingredients in order listed, except vanilla and pecans. Place overmedium heat and bring to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove pan from heat and immediately stir in vanilla and pecans. Cool. May serve lukewarm over ice cream, pound cake, or cheesecake, or even bread pudding. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

Praline Pecan Sauce

Ingredients: 1 lb. pecan halves1 c. sugar¾ t. salt1 ¾ t. cinnamon1 c. water1 t. vanilla

Instructions: Toast pecans on baking sheet for 10 minutes at 300°F. Combine all ingredients, except pecans and vanilla, in small pan. Cook about 5 minutes (until syrup spins a small thread).Remove from heat and add pecansand vanilla. Stir quickly until syrup crystallizes. Pour onto butteredplatter. Separate nuts rapidly (but gently) and cool before serving.

Sugar Spiced Pecans Ingredients:2 cups sugar1 teaspoon baking soda3 tablespoons dark corn syrup3 tablespoons light corn syrup1 cup buttermilk

½ cup butterDash of salt1 cup chopped lightlyroasted pecans1 teaspoon vanilla

Pecan Banana Bread

Ingredients: 1¾ c. whole wheat flour½ c. maple syrup1 T. baking powder¼ t. baking soda½ c. butter2 ripe bananas (mashed)½ c. pecans (coarsely chopped)1 T. grated lemon peel2 eggs (slightly beaten)

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix first four ingredients with fork. Use knife to cut in butter until mixture has crumbly appearance. With fork, stir bananas, pecans, lemon peel and eggs into flour mixture until flour is just moistened. Spoon batter into lightly greased 9x5” loaf pan. Bake at 350 de-grees for 40-50 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean. Cool at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Pecan Pie...Like Grandmother made it!

Crust: 1 ¼ cup flour1 tbsp. cornmeal½ cup butter, cut in

cubes½ tsp. salt3-4 tbsp. water4-5 tbsp. extra flour

Place flour, cornmeal, butter and salt in a food proces-sor. Mix for about 1-2 minutes, until a sand-like mixture forms. Slowly add water until the mix forms a ball of dough. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for half an hour.Preheat oven to 375°. Roll dough into an 11-inch round on a floured surface. Place dough into a 9-inch pie tin. Use your fingers to have the dough fit firmly into the pan. Use either a fork or your fingers to make a decorative edge. Prick dough with a fork and line the dough-filled pie pan with aluminum foil.Fill the lined pan with dried bean or pie weights. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then remove foil and beans/pie weights and bake uncovered for another 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Mix all of the above ingredients together with a whisk until well blended. Add 1 ¼ cups of pecans. Place filling into baked pie crust. Place in the oven for 1 hour. Remove and cool completely before serving. Add a dollop of whipped cream is desired. Serves 6-8.

Filling:1 ¼ cup of pecans1 cup dark corn syrup¼ cup white sugar¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup butter¼ tsp. salt½ tsp. cinnamon1 tbsp. vanilla extract3 eggs


No FarmersNo Food


AdviceYou’ve got to take the good with the bad, smile

with the sad, love what you’ve got, and remember what you had. Always forgive, but never forget.

Learn from mistakes, but never regret.Megan Davis

The difference between a fly ball pop up and a home run is 1/8 inch on the bat! Roger Maris

Let me tell you about the farm, all my friends are in the barn. Barn life, farmer’s wife, don’t you make

me say it twice Sunny days, balein’ hayGo to church and learn to pray, cornbread, feather bed, buttermilk scratch my head, brown cow, cat’s meow, C’mon mule, pull my plow!Oats and bread,

turkey breast, wait a minute, catch my breath!Excerpt from: Farm Song by Hank Williams, Jr.

TOUGH GIRLS Come From NEW YORK, SWEET GIRLS Come From TEXAS, PRISSY

GIRLS Come From CALIFORNIA, BLONDE girls come from FLORIDA……BUT WE MISSISSIPPI GIRLS have fire and ice in our blood!! We can ride four wheelers, we can be a princess, we can throw

left hooks, we can pack heat, we can fish with the boys, we can bake a cake, we can love with a passion, and…… when we have an opinion YOU

KNOW YOU’RE GONNA HEAR IT!!Katrina Watts

Boldness comes from the power of a made-up mind! Karen Berry

There is a blessing in every storm, so dance in the rain!!!! FARM

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Justin & Kim YoungOwners of Hub City


Business UpFront

In the history of Hattiesburg, Hub City West Farm and Garden has reached legendary status, making it a cornerstone for the community. For over 70 years, Hub City West Farm and Garden has been an institution for Hattiesburg and the surrounding areas because it was built on a strong tradition of excellence and devotion to their customers. Hub City West Farm and Garden has stood the test of time because it was built on a strong

promise to bringing only the best there is to offer customers at affordable prices.

Continuing in that tradition of excellence, owners Justin and Kim Young are the third generation of the Young family to own the feed store. Justin Young’s grandparents, Carley and Polly Young, established the business in 1937 to service the local area with reliable products and helpful advice. Justin’s father, Dickie Young, took over the business and ran it with the support of his wife Lenise for many decades. JustinYoung now owns and operates the third generation of the business with the help of his wife Kim. The Youngs have also brought a fourth generation into the business as their 8-year old daughter, Shelby, helps in the store whenever she can.

Hub City West Farm and Garden has grown and progressed through the years to keep up with the changing needs of their customers. Carley and Polly Young began the business as a grist mill. The business was a major fixture in downtown Hattiesburg until the Youngs moved the store in 1996 to its current location. As they are third generation owners, Justin and Kim Young are now serving the third generation of loyal customers. The parents of current customers shopped with Justin Young’s parents, and their grandparents shopped with the Young’s family founding business members.

“We consider our customers to be family because we have such a long history with them,” Kim said. “We know them by first and last name. Some of our customers shop with us daily, and we know them and their families. It’s really special to have that kind of relationship with your customers, and they really feel like family to us.”

Despite any changes in features or locations, customers know that nothing has changed about the quality of products that Hub City West Farm and Garden offers or the exceptional advice and service that customers have come to know and trust. Justin has been a major part of the feed and seed business since he was five years old and brings a great deal of experience and expertise to his field. “Justin has a plethora of knowledge about farming, gardening, and just about everything in this field,” Kim said. “He just has a wide range of professional knowledge in this area and keeps up with all the progressions and developments in the field. He can tell you anything you need to know about backyard gardens, farming, wildlife management, and agriculture in general.”

The core products of Hub City West Farm and Garden are fertilize, feed, seed and tack, but the Youngs also offer a full line of pet food and pet accessories. Hub City West Farm and Garden offers a widespread line of Exclusive puppy and dog food products and an extensive collection of dog collar and leashes. The Youngs also keep a full stock of wildlife management products and also all your horse and livestock needs. At Hub City West Farm and Garden, deer hunters can also find everything they’ll need to bring down that big buck this winter. From rakes, hoes, shovels, and so much more,

gardeners will find all the equipment and supplies they’ll need to produce the perfect crop every year. Hub City West Farm and Garden also offers pecan cracking services for very reasonable prices.

Hub City West Farm and Garden has branched out into fashionable western wear for men, women, and children, including jeans, shirts, and cowboy hats that would make great Christmas presents for that cowboy or cowgirl on your list. The Youngs offer only top quality western wear and are one of the premier distributors in the state. Customers can find Wrangler jeans for children and men, Justin and Georgia boots for men, women, and children, and Houston, Jackson, Aura, and Premium Patch jeans for women, along with gorgeous Tony Lama cowboy hats for every member of the family. The Youngs also offer an extensive array of Muck boots. Those are just a few of the high quality western wear products that customers can browse through at Hub City West Farm and Garden.

Justin and Kim try to provide their customers with excellent products at very reasonable prices, and their customers know that they can receive valuable knowledge of the agricultural industry from reliable sources that have spent many years in the business. “We try to offer products and advice that you might not find at some of the larger stores,” Kim said. “Our customers know that we care about them, and we always take time to help them find the perfect products or tools that they need. Our customers know that they can get the best information and advice whether it’s about the backyard garden or the multi-acre farm.”

Customer service with a smile is a major priority for the Youngs, and customers really appreciate their devotion to bringing only superior products to the area. Another major plus to Hub City West Farm and Garden is that it is still family-owned and operated and upholds the traditions to excellence and service upon which the business was built. Customer service at Hub City West Farm and Garden just can’t be beaten.

When you stop at Hub City West Farm and Garden, you know that you’ll be getting plenty of good, friendly advice plus products at a very fair price. Customers know that they are also treated like family, and the Youngs are never too busy to answer any questions that customers might have. No matter what your agricultural question is, Justin Young is sure to have the answers to your problems or will work to help you find a solution. The Youngs are very active in the community and offer their experience and expertise to 4-H programs in the local area. When you walk into Hub City West Feed and Seed, you’re sure to receive a warm greeting and expert guidance in all things agricultural.

Hub City West Farm & Garden

Hub City West Farm and Garden is conveniently located at 31 Pioneer Drive in Hattiesburg, just off Highway 98 West, and it is open Monday through

Friday from 7:30 to 5:30 and on Saturday from 7:30 to 12:00. So, stop by today and see exactly what

Hub City West Farm and Garden has to offer.

Three Generations of Serving the Pine Belt

By Judy Smith



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December, or anytime during the fall season, is a great time to evaluate your existing trees or plant new varieties in your landscape. It is important, however, to select only those fruit trees that are adapted for the Coast. Chilling hours are very important, since we receive a limited number of them. Chilling hours refers to the number of hours spent below 40 degrees, but above freezing. Fruit trees need chilling hours tosuccessfully produce fruit. The Coast sometimes receives only 350-400 chilling hours per season; therefore, select only those varieties that have the lowest chilling hour requirements to help ensure a lot of tasty fruit next year. Sometimes people want to plant fruit trees simply because they want to try their hand at it. Fruit trees require a lot of maintenance and patience. The Gulf South is a tough place sometimes to produce high quality fruit. Other times homeowners lose their trees to insects or diseases and wish to replace them. Unless you have an “orchard,” many people havelimited space for their fruit trees. Sometimes people will ask, “Can I replant my tree in the same place?” If you do haveanother suitable open space, it is best not to replant in the same area. Depending on what killed your tree, pests in the soil may have increased over the years and reached levels that caused the tree’s death. The soil where you removed your dead or dying tree could be contaminated with insects or diseases that could attack and weaken your new, young tree over time. Aweakened, declining tree is even more susceptible to winter injury, insects, diseases and drought. Sometimes people think if they wait a year or two they can then put another fruit tree in the once contaminated area. In fact, it really depends on what soil disease or insect problem was present in the first place. For example, a common root disease on peaches has been found in the soil 35 years after the tree was removed! Pesticides available to homeowners are of limited value to fruit growers when trying to decontaminate problem areas. Fruit trees, however, do require a rigorous spray schedule each year to combat insects and diseases from ruining your crop. The spray program starts during late winter and continues throughout the season. Hopefully, you have the room available and are able to plant in a new location. Try to plant the new tree at least ten feet away from the old site. Tree roots of the previous soil are still in the surrounding soil. The farther away you plant your young tree the better. Remember that fruit trees need full sun and well-drained soil when planting them. Incorporate rich organic matter into the planting hole, and dig a hole that is at least three times larger than the root ball of the new tree. Never plant a tree any deeper than it was originally grown at the nursery. I encourage you to consult Extension publications for specific information on the fruit trees of your choice. Proper fruit tree selection, planting, fertilizing, and pruning combined with a pest management spray program is essential to abountiful harvest of your favorite fruit.

MSUPlanting Time for Fruit Trees

MSUPlanting Time for Fruit Trees

Submitted by: Brandi KorbeTurners-N-Burners Reporter,Lamar County 4-H Club

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The 4-H group of Lamar County is proud to present, ‘Clover Bud’, a 38 inch tall, seven month old baby miniature pony. Clover Bud was donated to the Turners – n – Burners 4-H club in the month of September by Mr. Joe Bounds, President of the Lamar County Board of Supervisors. Clover Bud has had all of his shots and is up to date on his worming pro-gram. When we first met this adorable, yet very shy little pony, he was so timid and wanted nothing to do with us two-legged creatures. Mrs. Lisa Cox wanted a 4-H member to work with him and get him ready for our next Showdeo, so the little project began. I have been working with him and getting him to where just about anybody can get close to him and touch him. He has made such progress! He is now able to lead, take pictures with everybody, step up on a pedestal and hold a flag.Clover Bud will be a really fun and smart horse for his very own owners. He would also make a great Christmas present for any little boy or girl. Clover Bud is being raffled as we type! Raffle tickets are available from horse club members and at Showdeos. Pro-ceeds will go toward year end awards. The drawing will be held during barrel racing at our 4-H Showdeo at the Lamar County Multi Purpose Arena on December 11th. For more information please contact the Lamar County Extension of-fice at 601-794-3910 or contact Lisa Cox at 601-441-8993.



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Drew Turner and his brother Kyle are the owners and operators of Turner Brothers Taxidermy located at 315 East Pine Street in Hattiesburg. These men are outstanding in their trade. They have stuffed or mounted everything from tadpoles to tarpon and from ground squirrels to grizzly bears. Both are hunters and fishermen and enjoy the outdoors that God has blessed us with. Drew, however, takes his outdoor activities a bit further. In fact, Drew Turner should have been born many moons ago when our nation was young and the frontier was a wilderness of unexplored lands full of game to be hunted, rivers to be crossed and mountains to be climbed. To add to the adventure many a bush had an Indian behind it. This is the era that Drew finds fascinating. The frontiersman, the guide, the long hunter, the explorer, all people that helped our nation grow to the West have long been of interest to Drew. Using deer hide taken from deer he has killed, he used a method called brain tanning and made his own buckskin outfit. The shirt is a slipover that comes down well past his waist and the sleeves are fringed to help water wick off when it’s a bit damp. The fringe near the hands is shorter to prevent any tangle with a knife, bow string or fire building. The pants are also buckskin and he made knee length moccasins. This frontier style outfit is topped off with an otter skin hat. By the way, Drew trapped the otter for the hat. In producing the buckskin outfit, the garment has a smoke like odor. Drew has been successful this year in taking two deer and two wild hogs. He feels that the smoke flavor has helped to mask any human scent that so often spooks deer and wild hogs and other wild game. Drew has always been a bow hunter and in 1993 he began to make his own bows. He makes all kinds of bows; flat bows, recurves and self bows. Since he is a skilled craftsman, he quickly became quite a bow maker. Since those days back in years gone by, Drew has made some outstanding bows. In his search of a better wood for his bows he has used almost every kind wood except pulpwood. The Native Americans had a rule of thumb; if a tree has a berry or fruit it will make good bow. Some are better than others, but all these local trees make good bows; hickory, red oak, persimmon, dogwood, pecan and the best of the local wood available is the hornbeam or ironwood. Some old timer called this tree muscle wood because of its strength. One of the very best wood for bows that was highly prized by the Native American is Bois‘d Ark better known as Osage orange. These trees are very rare in the Pine Belt but some can be found in North Mississippi. The Osage orange tree is quite common in Oklahoma, Kansas and parts of Texas. In fact, Osage orange used as fence post has been known to last well over 100 years. So bows made

of Osage orange are all very durable. Drew has made some beautiful bows and uses snake skin to make them even more beautiful and functional. Drew also makes his own arrows. The shafts of these arrows are made from river cane and fletched with turkey feathers. These shafts are tipped with stone arrow heads and bound to the shaft with deer sinew. Of course the Native Americans killed deer and other game with stone tipped arrows for thousands of years but other than Drew Turner I don’t know of another person that has done so. Many of the early explorers and frontiersman were trappers and Drew is also an accomplished trapper. He has been trapping for years and in fact, he does beaver trapping for folks that wants these gnawing fellows removed from their property. He also traps coyotes and sells them to fox hunters, who release the coyotes in very large pens to train their dogs on. Stepping away from his other life in the frontier phase of his outdoor activities, some of Drew’s spare time is spent as an accomplished crow hunter. In fact, Drew and I have killed more than a few crows over the years. The crow is a wiley fellow with outstanding eyesight. They have an extensive language and their hearing is also extra keen. We hunt harvested peanut fields, soybean fields, hay fields and anywhere else that crows gather to feed. They fly in at first light and if the hunters are well hidden and have properly placed decoys and can call a bit some outstanding shooting can be had. Drew Turner loves to pull on his buckskin outfit, pick up his otter skin quiver of stone tipped arrows, his homemade bow and sling his possibles bag over his shoulder and melt into the wilderness to seek the wiley whitetail.

Be sure to enjoy the outdoors…it’s a great place to be!

Ben Willoughby is a native of Liberty, Mississippi where he grew up on the family farm. Today Ben lives in the Oak Grove area of Hattiesburg, Mississippi with his wife, Tommie. They have two daughters and three grandsons. Ben writes for several outdoor publications and newspapers. He can be heard each weekday morning at 7:45 AM on ROCK 104 RADIO with his outdoor report. Ben is an avid hunter and fisherman. He also enjoys looking for Indian artifacts.

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Crisp brown freshly-fallen oak leaves mixed with pine straw are crunching under my Nike tennis shoes as I shuffle along behind the ambling Jersey cow, her heavy udder swinging with every step. The setting sun has streaked the western sky with broad brush-strokes of oranges, gold and purples behind leafless tree branches. Despite the beauty of the evening, I am feeling appropriately sorry for myself as I follow the cow down the lane to the barn for the evening milking. The opening of deer season is but a few days away, but for me it just as well be next year. Opening day of hunting season is a day that I anticipate as much as Christmas, now less than a month away. The anticipation for both the opening day of deer season and Christmas had been dashed with a cold reality. Dry weather had ruined our crops and in order to keep the farm afloat, my Dad had been forced to take an out-of-state construc-tion job. He has been gone for a month. He was going to try and be back for Thanksgiving and for Christmas. We would not be deer hunting this year. I just turned 12 years old last summer. Although I feel a little to “mature” for Santa Claus, I still looked forward to the pile of brightly wrapped packages that are always piled under the Christ-mas tree. This year those packages would not be there. Mother had repeat-edly warned me against building any hopes for much of a Christ-mas, including a deer rifle of my own.For the past several years I have tagged along with my Dad and Grandpa as they take to the woods for deer season. As the season had drawn to a close last year, I had been told that when the next season rolled around I would probably have a rifle of my own. It was not going to work out that way. Hot, dry weather this past year had scorched our farm fields, burn-ing crops and pastures. We had to sell off part of the cow herd to conserve grass and hay. To make matters worse, my Grandpa unexpectedly died with a heart attack this past summer. Always there, he and Grandma, along with my parents, had been the center of my life.As soon as the harvest was finished Dad had left for the construc-tion job to help pay the stack of farm bills that were piling up. The livestock chores were left to me and my Mother. “I have been thinking about Christmas,” Mother said, sitting down the wire egg basket on the barn floor as I tied Bessie to the manger. “Christmas is for little kids,” I grumped, picking up the milk buck-et and then sitting down on the stool to milk the cow. “Christmas is about giving and remembering GOD’S gift to us,” she said, ignoring my dark mood. “There are people around who are having a hard time this year and we need to start thinking about them.”

“How are we going to do that?” I demanded. “We don’t have enough money for ourselves, let alone worry about anyone else.”“I know that this year has been hard,” Mother said, “but all in all, we have still been blessed. It is our responsibility to share with those who are not as fortunate. Old Missus Simpson is all alone with no family at all. Mr. Carter has been sick and not able to work leaving Mrs. Carter with those five younguns to care for. There are people worse off than us. A faint twinge of guilt began nibbling away at the edges of my self-pity. “How are we going to give Christmas gifts to the neighborhood when we can’t even give gifts to each other?” I demanded bitterly. In my mind’s eye I was seeing a pair of dumb old socks under our own Christmas tree when what I really wanted was a new rifle -- a rifle of my own. Later in the evening my Mother forced me to sit down at the kitch-en table and help her make a list of neighbors who could use gifts from us. “Mr. Beason?” I asked in shocked surprise when she added his name to the list. “He is the richest man in town. What could we possibly give him that he doesn’t already have? He is an old tight wad and everybody hates him.”“Besides,” I said, “I don’t know what we are going to give to any of these people.”“We have got this farm and what it produces,” she said. “We had a good garden this year. We have canned goods in the pantry, there are hams in the smokehouse and we have plenty of flour for bak-ing.”“But that is food for us,” I protested. My Mother’s jams and pick-les always won ribbons at the county fair. “Now you know that there is more in there than we can eat.”Over the next few weeks she had me help her plan food boxes to give those on our list. As Christmas was approaching she began baking and we filled those boxes with homemade pies, Christmas cookies, jars of sweet pickles, strawberry preserves, canned peach-es and blueberry jam. My help was reluctantly given as I continued to indulge my self-pity at the Christmas I was not going to have. On Christmas Eve we loaded the boxes on the seat of our old Ford F-150 pickup truck and we started our deliveries. Our first stop was Old Missus Simpson’s. Mother had me carry the box to the door. The old woman’s hand flew up to her face in surprise when I announced Merry Christmas and held the box out to her. She had me carry it inside, insisting that we sit down at her kitchen table for a glass of milk. She oohed and ahhhed over the contents of the box, all the while telling us stories of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that lived in other parts of the country.

By Royce Armstrong

continued on page 29


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• Reindeer like to eat bananas.• Camel’s milk does not curdle.• A flea expert is a pullicologist.• The top knot that quails have is called a hmuh.• A full grown bear can run as fast as a horse.• Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza

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Christmas comes but once a year for most people, but the Thomley family has a unique talent for keeping that special feeling throughout the year. That tenderness and warmth that only the holidays can bring are exhibited in the welcoming, loving spirit that radi-ates from each member of the Thomley family, and that love is seen in how they nurture each and every seedling and future family Christmas in their family farm, Thomley’s Santa Forest and Gift Shop. A trip to Thomley’s Santa Forest and Gift Shop in Hatties-burg is like stepping into a postcard straight from Currier and Ives or Norman Rockwell. The land is covered with picture perfect trees that would be the perfect addition to any home during the holiday season. The air is fragrant with the sweet, piney scent of the rows and rows of perfectly shaped trees, and the only problem you’ll face is picking out just which one will fit exactly in your traditional Christmas tree spot at home. At the back of the farm are rows of beautiful, blue-green Carolina sapphires that are truly breathtaking, making you stop for a moment to make sure that you haven’t stepped into a reenactment of Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The Thomley love for their trees and the land is apparent. Howard and Mamie Thomley, the founders of Thomley’s Santa Forest and Gift Shop, have a very special attachment to their Oak Grove farm. This is where Howard Thomley’s heart and soul lie. He is part of the land. Howard Thomley was born in the house on the nearby hill and has lived on the land his entire life, only leaving the area for his time spent in military service. Although developing a Christmas tree farm to service La-mar County and the surrounding areas was not the first option for the Thomleys, it seems that they were destined to bring their unique brand of holiday spirit to area citizens. Mamie Thomley said that she and her husband pondered what to do with the land. The Thomleys discovered that Christmas trees were an excellent crop for the area, and as they say, the rest is history. In 1967, Thomley’s Santa Forest was born. “We spent about four years of trial and error, but we finally found the perfect type of different trees to grow on our land,” Mamie said. The Thom-ley farm was once home to over 40 acres of Christmas trees, but

they have scaled down to about 20 acres. “When I was younger, I could keep up with that many trees,

but we’ve had to scale down through the years,” How-ard said. The Thomleys now offer over 10,000 trees, ranging

from the Carolina Sapphire, the Virginia pine, Leyland cypress, Cut Frasier Fir, and other varieties. The Virginia pine is a favor-ite of many because of its sweet smell, but those allergy-prone families tend to lean toward the Leyland cyprus because it does not have a smell and has less pollen. Always conscious of the en-vironment and improving the land, the Thomleys also offer the Leyland as a ball and burlap plant which can be replanted after the holidays are over, giving families a constant reminder of that holiday spirit. Customers never have to fear that the trees will look wilted because Howard Thomley makes sure that they are watered and tended to every day. “I just couldn’t sell a dead or a brown tree, and we work hard to make sure that each one is fresh and beautiful,” he said. The Thomleys have been married for 57 years and have raised two children, Randy and Cindy, on the farm. Howard and Mamie have devoted their lives to the farm and the area and are grateful that their children and grandchildren have been so involved with the farm through the years. For them, it makes the work, sweat, and tears just a labor of love. It is truly a family effort on the farm. Mamie and Howard lovingly tend the trees throughout the year with a little help from their family. Randy and his son Jeremy, 28, trim and shape the trees--Randy shapes up the trees with the Yule trimmer while Jeremy keeps the tops of the trees in top shape, ensuring that each tree from the Thomley farm will be the picture perfect for Christmas morning. Randy Thomley is slowly bring-ing his youngest son, Michael,13, into the Christmas tree farming fold and calls Michael an “up and coming” Christmas tree farmer. He plans to teach Michael how to mow between the rows of trees, letting him take over that responsibility soon. Mamie and Howard started the farm when their son Randy was about four years old. It takes a crop about five years before it is ready to be cut, so Randy became an official member of Thomley’s Santa Forest when he was nine years old. “I can remember being out there in my catcher’s gear helping trim and shape the trees,” Randy said. “I tell you that we really appreciate

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the technology in this field. The machinery that we have now can do in two hours what it took three men working an eight hour day to do.” Despite the long and tiresome hours spent in the hot Mis-sissippi sun, the Thomleys would not trade a moment of it. “Hav-ing the family--the children and grandchildren work on the farm has definitely made it special for us,” Mamie said. “It’s more like a tradition than a job. It is just a way of life for us. Our way of life may be different from other people, but we enjoy it.” Howard depends greatly on his son and grandchildren to help the farm sur-vive and is quick to give credit to them for all the work they have done. “If it hadn’t been for Randy, we wouldn’t have had a crop this year,” he said. “I can’t describe how much he and Jeremy have meant to this farm.” Despite his work with New York Life Insur-ance, Randy always makes time for the Christmas trees. There were other years that the Thomleys weren’t sure that they would have a successful crop. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Thomley farm was no different from the rest of South Mississippi. The farm received a great amount of dam-age with many trees fallen over, snapped, and leaning through-out the property, but that resilient Thomley spirit persevered. Mamie, Randy, and his son, Jeremy, spent countless hours in the fields staking the trees and tying them up so that they would grow straight. Howard was amazed at the response he received from the community after that disaster. “That was when I realized how great our customers are,” he said. “They came out and picked out trees that were leaning over or lying on the ground. That was really special to me and my fam-ily. I truly realized how special our customers really are.” Many of the trees that were damaged during the storm still serve a purpose to the farm. Randy said that the trees growing on the back side of the property that were leaning too much or damaged in other ways are still used for cuttings for the fresh wreaths and garlands that

are custom made in the Thomley Gift Shop. The Thomleys are still selling trees that were staked up during that time, and that serves as a reminder of how devoted their customers are. Many of those faithful customers wouldn’t consider going anywhere else for their family Christmas trees, and the Thomleys are now seeing their fourth generation of devoted customers. “It’s really special to see these families keep coming back year after year, and then the children grow up and bring their families back with them,” Howard said. The Thomleys love Christmas tree farming, but you ask them what their favorite time of year is, you’ll get a different an-swer from each. Howard favors the spring because the weather is finally “tolerable,” but Jeremy likes the busy selling season from Thanksgiving weekend until Christmas best. He enjoys the hustle and bustle of families coming to pick out their trees. At the farm, the Thomleys furnish a measuring stick to make sure that the cho-sen trees will fit into the family’s home, but it invariably hardly ever does. “As a rule of thumb, the tree grows about three feet when you bring it in the door,” Jeremy said with a laugh. With over 40 years experience in growing and caring for Christmas trees, the Thomleys, no doubt, have many memorable moments. Mamie fondly tells of the couple that looked at their Christmas trees and decided to try the other lot that they had previously passed by. The couple left, somehow making a loop through Oak Grove and circling back to Thomley’s Santa Forest, thinking that this was the other farm with the lovely trees that they had viewed earlier. The couple shared a laugh with the Thom-leys and promptly picked out a tree to take home. For Randy and his father, it is the magic of Christmas Eve that holds many fond memories for them. “It never fails--we always sell at least one tree every Christmas Eve,” Randy said. “That has always amazed me.” But for the elder Thomley, it is one Continues on page 28


In 1968 I was well into my radio career with WPLA in Plant City. Thinking back I could not remember anything that happened that year in the news, so I decided to do some research to find some of the notable events. After doing my research I know now why I could not remember anything. Nothing really happened of interest other than President Lyndon Johnson announced that he would not run for re-election.

I do remember that 1968 was the year of the new look of long hair for men. Now those same men are looking for hair. In that year we all wanted to be smooth like Marlon Brando and beautiful like Liz Taylor. Today we are trying not to look like them. Remember how cool it was to go into a “hip joint” and swing? At this stage in life some of us are receiving a new hip joint. We all wanted a new BMW, and now we hope for a BM. It was the Rolling Stones then, now its kidney stones.

Most of the kids that started college this year were born in 1992. It’s hard to believe, but those kids are all too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up. They can’t believe we had TV’s with no remote or cable. They have always cooked their popcorn in a microwave, and they never heard “I’d walk a mile for Camel” or “De plane, Boss, De plane.” They could care less who shot J.R., and have no idea who J.R. is!

I am entitled to Medicare, so what? There are some things I know that have changed since 1968. The stairs are getting steeper, groceries are heavier. People are getting inconsiderate, now they speak in whispers most of the time. If you asked them to speak up they just keep repeating themselves with the same silent message.

I overheard an elderly couple at the Sawmill Restaurant in Blairsville, Georgia a few months back talking about how fast everyone drives. The white haired lady said, “You’re risking you life and limb if you pull onto the highway. All I can say is, their brakes must wear out awfully fast the way I see them screech and swerve in my rear view mirror.” The other lady took a sip of her coffee and said, “I know what

you mean! I also think people my own age are so much older than I am. The other day I ran into an old high school friend, and she had aged so much that she didn’t even recognize me.”

Did you read in the paper a few months back where a Judge in a court right here in Florida set an “Atheist Holy Day?” An atheist created a case against Easter and Passover Holy Days. The man hired an attorney to bring a discrimination case against Christians and Jews in observance of their holy days. The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.

The case was brought before the judge. After listening to a lengthy presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel declaring, Case Dismissed!”

The lawyer immediately stood up and objected to the ruling saying, “Your honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and other days. The Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah, yet my client and all other atheists have no such holidays!”

The judge spoke loudly from his chair, “But you do, sir. Your client, counsel, must be ignorant.”

The layer spoke up, “Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists.”

The judge said, “The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day. Psalm 14:1 states, ‘The fool says in his heart, there is no God.’ Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that, if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool. Therefore, April 1st is his day. Court is adjourned…”

Let me relate a story that was e-mailed to me by my friend Bob Linteau, a gentleman I worked with at the Paso Fino Horse Association when it was headquartered in downtown Plant City.

One day a man hopped in taxi in Atlanta and said he wanted to go to the airport. After a few blocks the taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded and missed the other car by

just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.

His driver, he said, just smiled and waved at the guy. I asked him why was he so friendly to the guy when he almost wrecked his cab.

At this point my taxi driver taught me what I call, ‘The Law of the Garbage Truck.’ He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment.

As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you. Don’t take if personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people. He said life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets.

He said the bottom line is to love the people who treat you right, and pray for the ones who don’t. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it.

As I paid my fare and stepped out of the cab, he said, “Have a blessed garbage-free day.”

Man, what a great outlook on life.In closing here is a short story from a new friend that I met across

the mountain on Prospector’s Ridge in Blairsville, Georgia. He claims this is the way he gets inner peace when things get tough. He says the way to this peace is to finish all the things you have started. He said the other day he looked around the house to see the things he had started and had not finished. So this was the perfect to exercise his routine. He said, “I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of Chardonnay, a bottle of Balleys, butle of wum…the mainder of a bot Prozic and Valum scriptins. The res of the chesecke, and a box of choclets.

You haf no idr how bludy guod I feel rite now. Plase snare dhis wid dem yu fee ar in ned ov lennr pace…….”


By Phil DiFatta

My daddy could catch native largemouth bass in the 50s and 60s just about as good as the professional anglers on tour these days. It’s said that Ol’ Charlie could catch fish from a mud hole, and there must have been a little truth to it, too, because he almost single-handedly kept a local taxidermist in business.

But he wouldn’t have given you a plug nickel for all the deer, rabbits and squirrels in South Mississippi. He’d done a minimal amount of hunting in his youth, but by the time I came along, when he’d reached his 40s, an occasional trip to the Coast for specks and several afternoons a week down at Lake Perry after bass were all he was interested in.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved and enjoyed each and every oppor-tunity I had to go with him. But deep down I longed to hunt deer, par-ticularly with a bow. So when we’d head down to Lake Perry, or on the trip or two we’d make each summer to fish the lower Pearl River, I’d find myself more interested spotting deer than catching lunker bass.

Deer hunting was in my blood for some reason, and I bugged Daddy so much about it that he actually paid a friend to take me on my first gun hunt with hounds in Camp Shelby woods. I bloodied a big 10-point, too, but another hunter in our party laid the monster buck to rest several stands away. My buckshot had barely penetrated the skin...

But I wasn’t disheartened, not in the least. In fact, I was hooked, so I saved yard money and bought my first hunting bow, a Ben Pear-son Pony. I later bought a Remington .870 in 3-inch magnum, and I guess you could say I haven’t been worth shootin’ ever since!

My older brother, Chuck, took me squirrel hunting as often as he could when he was on leave from the military. And a brother-in-law, Benny Shotts, was good about taking me coon or rabbit hunting during the holidays when he came in from out-of-town.

So, all in all, I had some really great mentors, and I think that’s what it takes to turn a kid into a sportsman. That’s why I am doing what I’m doing now - writing about my exploits in the field and on the water, which in turn has opened doors to hunt with legends such as Preston Pittman, the late Ben Rodgers Lee and others. I have truly been blessed.

I taught my son and daughter to hunt, although Heather gave up on hunting for quite some time because I really shouldn’t have blood-ied the teenager’s (at the time) face when she got her first deer. She’s getting back into hunting now with friends, and she got her first buck last year, plus a hog and a doe. And Daniel has already killed more Pope & Young bucks than I think I’ve seen in the deer woods. So I can take it easy. If I get meat, fine. If I don’t, the young ‘uns will provide.

Now this is not meant to sound boastful, just proud, more or less. And you adults can reap the same benefits. Take your child, or someone else’s child from a non-hunting family, and teach them sportsmanship and camaraderie. Hunting (and fishing) is not for all kids, but you’ll never know unless you give ‘em a shot.

And Mississippi is as good a place as any to do it. Better than most. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks has seen to that by providing free fishing days for youth at State Parks and an assortment of youth hunting seasons.

For example, special youth deer hunts were held in November in all three Deer Management Zones. Special youth deer hunts are scheduled in all zones Dec. 2 -15, and later Jan. 20 - 31 in Zones 1 and 3, and Jan. 20 - Feb. 15 in Zone 2. There will also be an early youth hunt for spring turkeys Mar. 5 - 11. Add to that the early small game youth hunts that have already passed, and you have a smorgasbord of opportunities for the youth of Mississippi.

Trouble is, like I hinted earlier, the kids will need adult supervi-sion, and that’s where YOU come in. Not equipped? No problem. Christmas is just around the corner. So come off those maybe not-so-fat-anymore wallets and stash a hunting bow, a shotgun or small bore rifle under the tree. Or, if you’re not inclined to hunt, a rod-and-reel combo will do just fine. Better yet, just add such items to the kids’ Christmas wish list and let Santa foot the bill... Ha.

Really, nothing seems to light up the eyes of a child more than catching his or her first fish, popping a few squirrels out of the trees or piling up their first deer, even if it is a fat, old doe.

But be careful out there, whether on the lake or in the woods. Kids need extra special care. Safety comes first, but comfort runs a close second. Make sure your child has proper clothing for the weath-er that is to be withstood. Snacks and cold (or hot) drinks would be icing on the cake, whether game or fish is taken or not.

And the last thing you’ll probably want to forget, other than the child himself, is a camera. Memories will last forever with pictures, and you’ll enjoy looking at them in years to come. And for just a little bit, I bet they’ll bring a tear to your eye - a happy tear.

Phil DiFatta is a veteran outdoor writer who now resides in Purvis, Mississippi. He writes for numerous regional and national publica-tions, as well as a weekly column for The Hattiesburg American and The Clarion Ledger Online. Phil may be reached for questions, com-ments or story ideas at [email protected].

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Christmas Eve in particular that stands out in his memory. Mis-sissippi was receiving a rare blast of cold air that must have been blown in by Santa Claus himself. “It was freezing. I believe it was 8 degrees outside,” Howard said. “All you wanted to do was just stay inside and stay warm.” But the fates had other plans for the Thomleys. A man was returning from work offshore and needed a Christmas tree to take home to his family, and Howard was deter-mined to do all that he could do to ensure that his Christmas Eve customer had a special holiday. “The trees were all frosted over. You never want to cut down a tree with snow on it because it pours all down your back,” Howard said. “But he needed a tree for his family, and we braved the cold to help him pick out the perfect tree for his family.” Once again, the Thomleys were able to give Ol’ Saint Nick a helping hand to make sure that everyone had a bright and shiny Christmas. The holiday season seems to start earlier every year, but the Thomleys are always ready. The Thomleys have had customers come tag trees as early as July, but usually late October and the month of November are their busiest times. The farm is open every weekend in October and every day in November and De-cember for tagging of trees. The Thomleys offer snow flocking and tree stands, and they also furnish a golf cart for families and handicapped guests to tour the grounds and pick out their tree. The gift shop is also open for business in time for the holiday rush during the week of Thanksgiving. A trip to Thomley’s Santa Forest is not complete without a stop at the gift shop where guests can have fresh and artificial wreaths and garlands custom made to fit their home archways, banisters, doors, doorways, or whatever they choose. A variety of ornaments and snow globes are sold in the shop, ranging from college and professional teams, to Coca Cola themed ornaments, and so much more. Thomley’s Santa Forest offers something for everyone.

It is a popular spot for school field trips or other field tours for groups of 10 or more when they are made by appointments several days in advance. The Thomleys also offer exciting cowboy and hobo camp adventures that include fascinating stories and hay-ride scenes that are sure to provide lots of fun for all. Included in the small charge for the events are free coloring books and pencils for the children and pens for the adults. Children will enjoy the new animal exhibits that Randy is developing on the farm. There are beautiful horses and two new colts, exotic hens, roosters, and billy goats that children will love to see. Randy plans on letting Michael teach the animals to eat out of his hands, making the Thomley petting zoo a popular attraction for the farm. Thomley’s Santa Forest is a hidden gem that many people have not discovered, but once you visit, you’re sure to come back. “We’ve been here 43 years, but people come up and say that they didn’t know we were here,” Howard said. “We always guarantee that you’ll get only the freshest trees here. Fresh, healthy trees are something that we pride ourselves in delivering to our customers. We only want to give our best to our customers.” With a dedica-tion to their customers and a strong love for the land, the Thom-leys bring that Christmas spirit to their business, and all custom-ers are welcomed like family. A trip to Thomley’s Santa Forest and Gift Shop is a definite “must see,” and if you’re lucky, you might be able to bring some of that special holiday spirit and love that the Thomleys wrap around all of their yuletide trees and gifts. You’ll swear that the Thomleys must be working undercover for the jolly old soul in the red and white suit because of the care and love that they give to their trees and their loyal customers. Thomley’s Santa Forest and Gift Shop is located at 50 Hegwood Road, Hat-tiesburg, MS, 39402, across from Calvary Baptist Church. Their phone number is601-264-2743.

Continues from page 25


They rarely made it home to visit her, but she thought of them often and showed me pictures of them. Tears streamed down her deeply seamed cheeks as we said goodbye with another, “Merry Christmas!” The next stop was at Mr. Beason’s house. The house was huge and somehow cold and forbidding when I sounded the door knocker. Immaculate in tailored and pressed slacks and a sweater, not one of the gray hairs on his head daring to be out of place, Mr. Beason answered the door. “What do you want?” he demanded gruffly. “Merry Christmas,” I said, hesitantly. He stared at me for a long moment and then said, “I don’t need your Merry Christmas.” He started to turn away. How I found the nerve I will never know, but I spoke right up. “I KNOW you don’t need what is in this box, but you DO need Christmas. And you will WANT what is in this box. My Mother’s jellies and jams win awards every year at the fair.”He stopped, then slowly turned back to face me. Silently he ac-cepted our gift. As we turned to race down the steps he called after us, “Merry . . . Merry Christmas.” The Carters were the last place we visited. Mother had put extra in their box because there were so many of them. She had also washed and pressed clothing that I had outgrown and shined shoes I could no longer wear. Mrs. Carter’s tears were hot against my cheeks as she wrapped her arms around me and thanked me and gave her best wishes to my Mother. I have never felt as good as I did at the end of our trip.

I woke up early the next morning, Christmas morning, and hur-ried out to the barn to do the chores. My Dad was already there, milking Bessie. He had driven all of the previous day and all night to be with us on Christmas. Side by side we finished the chores and went to the house for breakfast and to open the few gifts that were under our tree. There were socks, underwear and a new shirt for school. I had somehow managed to come up with gifts for Mother, Dad and Grandma . . . a set of dish towels, a leather wallet I made at school from a kit, and a silk handkerchief.It was strange without Grandpa there. Even so, after the deliveries of the day before, I appreciated the warmth of our family. For the first time I realized the many blessings I truly did have in my life. Grandma reached under the sofa and pulled out one more gift. It was a long and slender package and handed it to me. A lump formed in my throat as I stripped away the wrapping pa-per. It was Grandpa’s well-cared for .30-.30 deer rifle. My Grand-pa knew how to take care of his rifle, cleaning it after every hunt. It looked brand new!“He would have wanted you to have this,” my Grandma said.

Royce Armstrong is a freelance writer from South Mississippi. Royce and his wife Linda live on a small farm with their dogs, horses and other farm livestock. He is a regular contributor to the George County Times, Sun Herald, and Hattiesburg American. His stories also appear regularly in The Journal of South Missis-sippi Business, Beach Boulevard and Our South Magazine.

continued from page 21

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