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N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 3 w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

Neighbors

Harvest TimeUnpredictable weather spelled disaster for many

Alabama farmers, but they are still hoping to

harvest an average crop. • 16

90th Annual Meeting The 90th annual meeting of the Alabama Farmers

Federation will feature keynote speaker Mike

Huckabee and entertainment by the legendary

Charlie Daniels Band. • 5

Outstanding Young FarmersMeet two farm families competing as

finalists in the annual Outstanding Young Farm

Family contest sponsored by the Alabama

Farmers Federation. • 10

Beefing Up TraceabilityA plan under consideration in Alabama could put

the state at the forefront of a proposed rule by

USDA to help trace animal disease outbreaks. • 22

A Publication of the Alabama Farmers Federation

VOLUME 36, NUMBER 11

Henry County Farmers Federation President Thomas Adams says a severe drought dashed his hopes for a good crop year.

Photo by Debra Davis

4 President’s Message

26 Alabama Gardener

28 Country Kitchen

30 Classifieds

ON THE COVER DEPARTMENTS

NOVEMBER 2011

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Few spiritual precepts are more difficult to follow than the challenge to “give thanks in all

circumstances.”Despite our blessings, it’s some-

times hard to be thankful when confronted with death, disease, drought or disaster. Yet, it is during times of trouble that our faith is often strengthened.

With that in mind, it’s not surprising that the first unified nation-al observance of Thanksgiving in America occurred in 1863 at the height of the Civil War. And more than 75 years later — less than a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor — President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill making Thanksgiving a national holiday.

While the trials of 2011 don’t compare to the dark days of World War II, the challenges we’ve faced this year can help us refocus on our blessings.

Although Alabama still bears the physical and emotional scars from deadly spring storms, we are thankful that more were not hurt. We also are encouraged by the resilience of those impacted by the storms and the generosity of their neighbors.

Meanwhile, the state’s farmers had to deal with not only storm damage, but also drought and, in some cases, flooding. Even with these challenges, many of our members can be grateful for better-than-expected harvests and higher prices.

As a nation, 2011 has been a year marked by continued fighting in the Middle East and sluggish eco-nomic growth. But again, we have reasons to be thankful. We live in a free country, and our courageous soldiers won major victories this

year in the war on terror. We are hopeful that the econo-

my will improve and bring lower unemployment. Still, the current financial problems serve as power-ful reminders that we should never take our security for granted.

On a personal note, Dianne and I are thankful for family and friends who’ve graced our lives — includ-ing some we had to say goodbye to this year. We are especially grateful for the blessing of our granddaugh-ter Madalyn Claire and her brother, who is due to arrive in March.

Like many of you, our family has experienced the miracle of new life and the struggles that come with age and illness. In both, we are reminded that every day with loved ones is a precious gift.

Mostly, however, we are thank-ful for the hope that springs from our faith in God. It is that hope which bears the fruit of love, joy, peace and thankfulness.

Some might wonder how Ala-bamians could be thankful in a year that has brought so much trag-edy and turmoil to our state. It’s because we share the same hope as the pilgrims who survived the first winter in the New World; those who believed that America would emerge from the Civil War a stron-ger and more united nation; and the greatest generation, which endured the Great Depression and defeated tyranny in Europe and the Pacific.

Like these brave men and women, we have many reasons to give thanks not only this holiday season, but in all circumstances. n

V O L U M E 3 6 , N U M B E R 1 1_________________________________________

Debra Davis, EditorMike Moody, Graphic Designer

ALABAMA FARMERS FEDERATIONPaul Pinyan, Executive DirectorJeff Helms, Director of Communications

FEDERATION OFFICERSJerry Newby, President, AthensHal Lee, Vice President/North, HartselleDean Wysner, Vice President/Central, WoodlandRicky Wiggins, Vice President/Southeast, AndalusiaJake Harper, Vice President/Southwest, CamdenSteve Dunn, Secretary-Treasurer, Evergreen

DIRECTORSJoe Dickerson, LexingtonTed Grantland, SomervilleDonnie Garrett, CentreDarrel Haynes, CullmanJohn E. Walker III, BerryMarshall Prickett, WellingtonRichard Edgar, DeatsvilleDickie Odom, BoligeeGarry Henry, Hope HullCarl Sanders, BrundidgeDavid Bitto, ElbertaSammy Williams, ColumbiaDebbie Freeland, Grand BayBen Haynes, Cullman

Neighbors (ISSN 0162-3974) is published monthly by the Alabama Farmers Federation, 2108 East South Boulevard, Montgomery, Alabama 36116 or (334) 288-3900. For information about member benefits of the Alabama Farmers Federation, visit the Web site www.AlfaFarmers.org. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and additional mailing offices. Printed in the U.S.A.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Neighbors, P.O. Box 11000, Montgomery, Alabama 36191-0001.

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE: Wendy McFarland, McFarland AdVantage, 133 Bridlewood Lane, Hope Hull, AL 36043. Phone: (334) 652-9080. Email: mcfarlandadvantage@gmail.com. Classified ad and editorial inquiries should be directed to the editor at (334) 613-4410.

ADVERTISING DISCLAIMER: Ad vertise -ments contained in Neighbors do not represent an endorsement by the magazine or the Alabama Farmers Federation.

EDITORIAL MATTER from sources outside of the Alabama Farmers Federation is sometimes presented for the information and interest of our members. Such material may, or may not, coincide with official Alabama Farmers Federation policies. Publication of material does not necessarily imply its endorsement by the Alabama Farmers Federation.

ADDRESS editorial, advertising and change of address correspondence to Neighbors, P.O. Box 11000, Montgomery, Alabama 36191-0001.

www.AlfaFarmers.org

A member ofAmerican FarmBureau Federation

Jerry Newby

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By Jeff Helms

Former Arkansas governor and television host Mike Huckabee will help the Alabama Farm-

ers Federation celebrate its 90th anniversary when he speaks at the annual meeting Dec. 4-5 in Mobile.

Huckabee gained national attention in 2008 when he finished second to John McCain for the Republican presidential nomina-tion. Today, he hosts the number-one rated weekend show “Hucka-bee” on the Fox News Channel and is heard three times daily across

the nation on the “Huckabee Report,” which is syndicated on almost 600 sta-tions. He also is the author of nine books including his most recent, “A Simple Government.”

Federation President Jerry Newby said he expects Huckabee to be a hit with members of the state’s largest farm organization.

“Gov. Huckabee’s strong faith and conservative values resonate

with the people of rural Alabama,” Newby said. “In 2008, he finished first in Alabama’s Republican presi-dential primary. We look forward to hearing his thoughts on the upcom-ing presidential election and other issues that impact our members.”

Huckabee will deliver the keynote address during the closing general session Monday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m. That night’s program also

will feature Ala-bama’s Outstanding Young Farm Family program and recog-nition of the win-ners of the Young Farmers Excellence in Agriculture and Discussion Meet contests.

The opening general session, Sunday, Dec. 4, at 4 p.m., will include the Federation’s video annual report, remarks by Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and presentation of the Service to Agri-culture Award to

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks.The Service to Agriculture

Award is the Federation’s highest honor. Rogers was first elected to Congress in 2002. He previously served on the House Agriculture Committee and remains a strong

Huckabee

90Huckabee To Help Federation Celebrate 90 Years

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011

SAENGER THEATER

6 SOUTH JOACHIM STREET

MOBILE, ALABAMA

6:30 p.m. Doors Open

7:30 p.m. Skyler Foster

8:30 p.m. The Charlie Daniels Band

THE CHARLIE DANIELS

®

90TH

ANNUAL MEETING

MOBILE, ALABAMA

THE CHARLIE DANIELSTHE CHARLIE DANIELSBandG R A M M Y A W A R D W I N N E R

advocate for farmers.“Since being elected,

Congressman Rogers’ top priorities have been supporting the state’s farmers, strengthening east Alabama’s military facilities and creating jobs for Alabama work-ers,” Newby said. “He formed an agricultural advisory committee made up of farmers to advise him on the issues, and he has been very responsive to the concerns of Federa-tion members. Congress-man Rogers is a strong voice for agriculture, and we are pleased to be able to honor him with our Service to Agriculture Award.”

Following the open-ing session of the annual meeting, attendees will have a chance to enjoy a special concert by the Charlie Daniels Band at the historic Saenger Theatre. The concert is open to the public, and tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.

On Monday, Federa-tion members will par-ticipate in an Ag Issues Briefing at 9:45 a.m., featuring members of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s public policy team. Later that day, 500 voting delegates representing members throughout the state will meet to consider policy recommendations and to elect district directors and officers to the state board. n

For ticket information contact the Saenger Theatre Box Office (251) 208-5600,

Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ticket Prices$30, $35 and $45

plus service charge

6:30 p.m. Doors Open • 7:30 p.m. Skyler Foster8:30 p.m. The Charlie Daniels Band

Tickets also available throughTicketMaster at www.ticketmaster.com or800-745-3000 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

A benefit silent auction for the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation will be featured at this year’s annual meeting.

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Eligible Alabama Farmers Federation members can now receive a $500 discount on each

qualifying 2011 or 2012 model year Chevrolet, GMC or Buick vehicle they purchase or lease. This exclusive offer is for vehicles purchased or leased at participating dealerships through Farm Bureau’s—GM PRIVATE OFFER.

The Alabama Farmers Federation is a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation and includes more than 400,000 member families throughout the state. These members automati-cally hold membership in the Farm Bureau and qualify for participation in the GM PRIVATE OFFER if they have been a member for 60 days.

Twenty-six GM models are

part of the program, including the Chevrolet Silverado HD, honored as the 2011 Motor Trend Truck of the Year. A broad range of other pick-up trucks, SUVs, sedans and crossovers

also are included in the program.

“We are pleased to announce the roll-out of the Farm Bureau—General Motors PRI-VATE OFFER,” said Jerry Newby, president of the Alabama Farm-ers Federation. “This program is a strong addition to the portfo-lio of benefits we offer

to save members money as they and their families work hard to pro-vide food, fiber and renewable fuels for our nation.”

To qualify for the offer, individu-als must have been a Farm Bureau member for at least 60 days prior to the date of delivery of the vehicle

selected. Members may receive the incentive for the purchase or lease of multiple vehicles, including fleet vehicles purchased through GM’s National Fleet Purchase Program. Full details and program eligibility guidelines are available by con-tacting Federation Membership Director Marc Pearson at mpear-son@alfains.com or visiting www.AlfaFarmers.org/benefits.

The Farm Bureau—GM PRI-VATE OFFER is the latest national member benefit offered by Ameri-can Farm Bureau, Inc. AFBI was founded nearly three decades ago by the American Farm Bureau Federa-tion to increase the economic value of membership in Farm Bureau.

AFBI and GM will promote the FB PRIVATE OFFER through publications, state events including the Alabama Farmers Federation Annual Meeting and AFBF’s Annual Meeting. n

GM Private Offer Benefits Alabama Farmers Federation Members

Membership Director Marc Pearson, left, discusses the new member benefit offered by GM with Federation Executive Director Paul Pinyan and Federation President Jerry Newby.

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Jeff Helms, director of the Ala-bama Farmers Federation Public Relations and Communications

Department, recently announced sev-eral changes within the department.

Debra Davis has been named publi-cations director and will serve as editor of both Neighbors and Friends & Family magazines. Davis joined the Federation staff in 1998 as county communications director and Culti-vator editor. In 2005, her responsibili-ties grew to include that of editor of Friends & Family and assistant editor of Neighbors.

“Debra has extensive experience in journalism and publications man-agement and will do an outstanding job directing the editorial and finan-cial budgets of our publications,” Helms said. “She will continue to play a vital role in the coordination

and execution of public relations campaigns, special projects and other communications initiatives.”

Federation Art Director Mike Moody, who has worked for the Federation since 2005, has been promoted to director of new media. His primary responsibilities had been the design of Neighbors, Friends & Family and the Alfa Journal. In addi-tion to those duties, his role has been expanded to include digital magazine editions and strategies to help the Federation more effectively utilize the Web, e-publications, smart-phones, electronic newsletters, social media, syndicated Web content and other technologies.

“Mike’s experi-ence and innovative thinking helps add a new dimension to our department,” Helms said. “As technology changes, it’s important we stay on top of the

new and best ways to deliver our message. His creativity will help steer us into a new information age.”

Melissa Martin is now the Cultivator editor and Web content manager for the Federation. Melissa joined the Federa-tion two years ago after working for Alfa Insurance since 2004. She earned her bach-

elor’s degree in communications from Auburn University – Montgomery.

“Melissa has been a valuable addi-tion to our staff, and we are excited about her expanded role,” Helms said.

“She has already used her creative talents to write news releases, feature stories and advertising copy. In her new position, Melissa will be able to dedicate more of her time to telling the stories of our farmer members,” he added. n

New Job Assignments Enhance Federation Communications

Davis Martin

Moody

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By Melissa Martin

Residents of Walker County have one thing less to worry about thanks to new firefight-

ing equipment purchased by the Walker County Farmers Federation.

With the $5,000 given by the county Federation, all fire depart-ments in Walker County now have access to two ChemGuard Foam Maker aspirating nozzle attach-ments and 24 five-gallon buckets of high expansion foam. The foam allows firefighters to get flames under control quicker than with water alone.

Foam can be used to extinguish structure fires, electrical fires, flam-mable liquid fires and fires involv-ing combustibles. It’s also helpful in controlling wildfires, where water may not be available.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, foam can also be used to humanely euthanize poultry in emergency situations.

Walker County Farmers Federa-tion Vice President Dorman Grace, a row crop and poultry farmer, suggested purchasing the foam equipment earlier this year when a snow and ice storm caused the roof on one of his poultry houses to collapse.

“After talking to the Depart-ment of Agriculture and Industries about the best way to euthanize chickens following the collapse, it turned out that the best way was with foam. Unfortunately, no one in our area had a foaming device,” recalled Grace. “Whether I ever have another chicken house situa-tion again or not, our first respond-ers need this equipment. Since they’re all volunteers, our Federa-tion was able to procure funds for the equipment. Now, all 24 vol-unteer fire departments in Walker County – and even the larger cities like Jasper – can use the foamer when they need it.”

Biodegradable and low in toxic-ity, the foam is environmentally

friendly. Chris Hopper, captain of Boldo

Volunteer Fire Department, rec-ognizes both farm and non-farm benefits of utilizing foam for extin-guishing fires and is grateful for the Federation’s donation. While he’s glad they haven’t had to use the new tools in a real fire, he’s confident in the foam’s ability to smother flames and save lives.

“The Walker County Farmers Federation’s purchase of the nozzles, inductors and 24 buckets of foam has taken a big step in helping out the various fire services in the county, including providing a new level of safety for our firefighters’ well-being,” said Hopper. “By using foam, our guys can stand farther away from the flames, which cuts down on their risk of getting hurt.”

As a specialty tool recognized by the Insurance Services Office (ISO), the property/casualty insurance industry’s leading supplier of sta-tistical, actuarial, underwriting and claims data, the ChemGuard Foam Maker also provides another benefit to the community.

“Currently, we’re rated as a Class

5 department on the ISO system’s 1-10 scale,” said Hopper. “Class 1 is the best and Class 10 is the worst, and we’ve worked our way to Class 5. The more tools we acquire that separate us from other departments, and the better our ability to extin-guish fires, the better our rating. As ratings improve, so do our residents’ fire insurance premiums.”

Class ratings are measured by the fire department’s capabilities, water supply and communications, Hopper said. n

Walker County Farmers Federation Gives Back To Community

Boldo Volunteer Fire Department Capt. Chris Hopper, left, explains to Area 2 Organization Director Matthew Durdin and Walker County Farmers Federation Vice President Dorman Grace how the fire-fighting foam works to quickly expel flames. The Walker County Farmers Federation recently purchased two foam nozzle attachments, below, and 24 five-gallon buckets of high expansion foam for use by all fire departments in the county.

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Sponsored each year by the Alabama Farmers Federation, the Outstanding Young Farm Family Awards Program recognizes young farmers between the ages of 17 and 35 who do an outstanding job in farm, home and community activities. Division winners representing 12 commodities were selected in February. Of those, six finalists

will compete for the title of overall Outstanding Young Farm Family for 2011. The winner, who will be named at the Federation’s 90th Annual Meeting in December, will receive a John Deere Gator, courtesy of Alabama Ag Credit and Alabama Farm Credit; the use of a John Deere tractor, courtesy of SunSouth, Tri-Green and Snead Ag; a

personal computer package courtesy of ValCom/CCS Wireless; the use of a new vehicle and other prizes. The winner will represent Alabama at the American Farm Bureau Federation contest. This month, Neighbors profiles finalists in the Greenhouse, Nursery & Sod Division and Cotton Division.

By Jillian Clair

The Hegemans Greenhouse, Nursery and Sod

If he had followed in his family’s footsteps, Jonathan Hegeman would have been a preacher in

another country.Instead, he’s a farmer in Ala-

bama and is this year’s Greenhouse, Nursery and Sod Division winner in the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Outstanding Young Farm Family contest.

“For me, it was never a hard decision about what I was going to do,” Hegeman said. “I always loved agriculture, even as a kid. Some people think I’m weird for it, but oh well.”

Hegeman raises accent plants to sell to gardening stores, and his wife, Amy, operates Hegeman Farms Performance Horses, spe-cializing in obtaining and selling performance horses, riding lessons,

breeding assistance and rider educa-tion.

Amy, who has a degree in animal science from Texas A&M Univer-sity, is also involved with Calhoun County’s 4-H equine program.

“We work together a lot,” Amy said. “Our whole business is right here.”

Jonathan grew up in the Domini-can Republic as the son of mission-ary parents. He moved to Canada when he was 11 and to Florida when he was 17.

While Jonathan lived in Canada, he worked at a dairy farm, and in Florida, he worked at a 3,000-acre vegetable farm. He has also worked in other locations throughout the Southeast doing everything from harvesting squash to growing organic green beans.

From The Carribean To Alabama - A Missionary Kid’s Journey To Life On The Farm

Amy and Jonathan Hegeman raise accent plants sold to gardening stores on their farm in Calhoun County.

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“When we lived in Canada, I would ride my bike out to the farm and help milk cows and do every-thing else, and my parents would pick me up afterward,” Jonathan said.

The combination of that work experience and his fascination with sugarcane growers as a child sparked his passion for agriculture, and it never left him.

Jonathan said he remembers watching the sugarcane growers in the Dominican Republic with awe.

“It was all hand-harvested,” he recalled. “They would harvest it with machetes, throw it on the back of a buggy with six oxen attached to it and drive down to the railroad tracks. There, they’d unload it by hand into carts.”

Jonathan said he thought he was going to be a green bean farmer in the Carolinas, but three hurricanes on the Atlantic coast brought him to an opening in the greenhouse business in Anniston, Ala., instead.

“After I lost all my green beans

in six feet of water, I had some distant family members here in the greenhouse business who offered me a job,” Jonathan said. “So I moved down here and managed it for them for about four years.”

In 2008, Jonathan bought Impe-rial Growers and merged with nearby Greenway Plants in Calhoun County.

The biggest challenge in entering the agriculture industry was obtain-ing a loan, Jonathan said.

“It’s harder for a person who doesn’t have parents in agricul-ture to get a loan,” Jonathan said. “That’s why we were fortunate to be able to go into business with the owners of Greenway Plants.”

He said that although he would have enjoyed growing up on a farm, he wouldn’t change the cultural experience for anything, especially the opportunity it gave him to learn Spanish.

“I went to school, and every-thing was in Spanish,” he said. “I don’t ever have a hard time commu-

nicating with workers who speak Spanish, and that’s really helpful for finding good labor.”

Greenway Plants employs 10 full-time workers and hires 30 more temporary workers during the busi-est parts of the year.

In the future, Jonathan said he plans to add more greenhouses to his farm. He also plans to diversify the farm by adding goats and beef cattle.

“The greenhouses won’t be the end of it for us,” Jonathan said. “We have plenty of other ventures to explore. We’re not gonna stop.”

Jonathan said he hopes more people from non-agricultural back-grounds will become farmers.

“It’s a great business,” Jonathan said. “If you work hard and pinch your pennies, you’ll make it. You’ve gotta get up early in the morning and work hard all day, and you’ll enjoy it in the end. Ag is a very hard industry to get into, but it’s what I love, and it’s worth it.” n

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The Userys Cotton

In high school, Stan Usery skipped baseball practice so he wouldn’t miss FFA soil judging

practice.“My baseball coach got so mad

and said, ‘I don’t know where you think that soil judging is gonna take you,’” Usery recalled. “It’s kind of funny because later on I did soil judg-ing at Auburn, and I actually won the individual national championship.”

Usery didn’t just win the soil judg-ing national cham-pionship while at Auburn—he also earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in agronomy and soils and a master’s degree in plant pathology.

The kind of work ethic that got him through college also helped make Usery the Cotton Division winner in the Ala-bama Farmers Feder-ation’s Outstanding Young Farm Family Contest, along with his wife, Kayla, and their 4-year-old daughter, Jessa.

Stan has worked on the farm with his father, Stan Usery Sr., since he was a young boy, and he said he always dreamed of expand-ing his father’s poultry farm to incorporate row crops as well.

At 15, Stan planted 20 acres of cotton for an FFA supervised agri-cultural experience project, and he’s been growing row crops ever since.

“In my mind, that’s when I started farming,” Stan said. “I added a few more acres through-out high school, and I spent a lot of weekends coming home from Auburn and taking care of my

crops.”Today, Stan grows cotton,

soybeans, wheat and corn. He also raises chicken and a small herd of beef cattle. He maintains his own nematode lab, a project he started after he graduated from Auburn.

“Producers in this area were having trouble getting nematode samples back on time,” Stan said. “So I bought a bunch of used lab equipment on eBay and started my own little private lab. I was able to

use the money from the nematode lab to pay for health insur-ance and to have a little extra cash.”

Buying equip-ment on eBay didn’t stop with the nematode lab. Stan and his father have pieced together used equipment that enables them to maximize output by using precision agri-culture techniques on the farm.

“A lot of folks say, ‘Well I’d have to have 4,000 acres to make precision agriculture work on my farm,’” Stan said. “But I bought one piece at a time on eBay, kind of like my nematode lab, and I’m variable-rate capable on my litter. I have section control on my high-boy, auto-steer and all that kind of stuff for a fraction of the cost.”

Stan said he has no problems con-vincing his father to try new techniques

or think about agriculture differ-ently than he has in the past. The two are an ideal team, he said.

“My dad and I work well togeth-er,” Stan said. “We talk frequently about where we want this farm to go and our succession plan. So

Education, Technology, Passion Define Stan Usery’s Farm

Stan Usery, his wife, Kayla, and their 4-year-old daughter, Jessa, on their farm in Limestone County.

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when someone asks us a question, we can answer it right then.”

Stan also works well with Kayla, who grew up on a dairy farm.

“It’s nice that she grew up on a dairy farm because she has a little bit more understanding of my weird hours — especially during planting and harvesting season when I get up at dark and don’t get home till dark,” he said.

For the Userys, farming is more than just an occupation. It’s a way of life, a passion and a calling, according to Stan.

“I don’t just clock in somewhere and make a product I don’t know anything about or don’t care anything about,” Stan said. “We deeply care about everything we do. You’ve got these groups who want to paint us as using tons of pesticides or that I insert hormones every day in my chickens to make monster chickens. But we eat, too. I don’t want to feed my family a harmful product.”

Stan said he and Kayla strive to represent agri-culture in a positive light within their community and beyond.

“The way I look at it, farming is kind of fight-ing a public relations battle right now,” Stan said. “I may have Usery Farms on the side of my truck, but I know I’m representing more than just Usery Farms.” n

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By Jillian Clair

Auburn University’s new Center for Aquatic Resource Manage-ment is expected to sharpen

the competitive edge of Alabama catfish producers who have faced increased competition from foreign imports and higher input costs.

The $9 million addition to the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture’s E.W. Shell Fisheries Research Center officially opened Sept. 9 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“This is going to bring some of the technology to the fish farm here at Auburn that it has been lack-ing,” said Butch Wilson, president of Catfish Farmers of America and Dallas County catfish producer. “The catfish industry right now is where the poultry industry was in the ’50s and ‘60s. We need to accel-erate the improvement process, and I think this will help.”

Jesse Chappell, Auburn fisher-ies and allied aquaculture Exten-sion specialist, said the department plans to do just that.

“We’re trying to emulate some of the pathways the poultry indus-try forged,” Chappell said. “We want to develop breeds of fish that do well in more confined, con-trolled production systems.”

Chappell said the research from the new laboratories will give domestic catfish producers the edge they need to succeed in the global seafood marketplace.

“Unlike 30 years ago when the industry began, our growers are faced with very skilled internation-al competitors. Before, we were ill-equipped to compete internation-ally,” Chappell said. “Now, with the development of this facility, we will be able to meet that competi-tion head on—and win.”

Mitt Walker, director of the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Catfish Division, was present at the

ceremony and said catfish produc-ers across the state are anticipating the research and development the facilities will bring to the industry.

“The new facility will put researchers at Auburn University in a much better position to tackle industry challenges and transfer this information to the growers,” Walker said. “Alabama catfish farmers will definitely benefit from the advances in research made possible by capabilities of this new building.”

The center consists of a 20,000-square-foot administrative building and a 17,000-square-foot laboratory building that offers lead-ing-edge aquatic research facilities, enhanced classroom environments and improved community educa-tion opportunities.

The new research building houses fish tanks and several state-of-the art labs, including several

climate-controlled wet labs that will allow for year-round research.

The administrative building includes office space, a teaching lab, a hatchery, a meeting room that will be available to campus and civic groups, classrooms, a 6,354-square-foot fish holding area and a market for sales to the public.

More than producers will ben-efit from Auburn’s research. Chap-pell said with the new facilities, the department can develop tastier catfish.

“What we’re starting to embark on nowadays is an approach we call pond-to-plate,” Chappell said. “We have to produce what consumers want. This building and the scien-tists here—their efforts will be to produce fish to meet the demands and standards of consumers.” n

New Auburn University Fisheries Facilities To Bring Competitive Edge To U.S. Catfish Industry

Auburn Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture Extension Specialist Jesse Chappell, left, explains the fiberglass tanks in the market section of Auburn’s new Center for Aquatic Resource Management to Alabama Farmers Federation Catfish Division Director Mitt Walker and Catfish Farmers of America President Butch Wilson at the ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 9. The center is a $9 million addition to the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquaculture’s E.W. Shell Fisheries Research Center.

N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 1 5 w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

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w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g 1 6 N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

By Debra Davis and Melissa Martin

Every spring, farmers plant a crop with the hope of a good harvest. For many Alabama

farmers, their hopes dwindled as drought and high temperatures blanketed much of the state this summer.

Thomas Adams, president of the Henry County Farmers Federation, said he and other farmers in south-east Alabama needed a good crop year to overcome last year’s poor crop, but for many, this year was worst than last.

“Now, I’d just be happy if I can come out with an average year,” said Adams, who planted 1,000 acres of cotton and 700 acres of peanuts in Henry and Houston counties. “This entire year has been

very difficult. We replanted half our cotton crop and still had spotty stands in some areas. We had a decent stand of peanuts, but they’re probably 20 percent thinner than we’d like.”

A dry spring in the Wiregrass delayed planting by nearly a month, Adams said. That was followed by weeks of record-high temperatures that scorched the crops that did come up.

The hot, dry weather forced cat-tle farmers in portions of the state to feed hay that normally would be saved for winter.

“We were feeding hay as fast as we could cut it or buy it earlier this year,” said Adams, who has 120 cows.

However, some areas of Ala-bama, particularly in northeastern counties, had an abundance of

hay and lush pastures for much of the summer. Those areas received heavy spring rains.

Federation commodity division directors said the state’s overall har-vest outlook is a mixed bag, but for-tunately farmers are receiving good prices for their crops and cattle.

“Strong cotton and corn prices caused peanut acreage to be reduced due to prices offered that were not in line with alternative crops,” said Alabama Peanut Producers Execu-tive Director Randy Griggs. “A dry spring caused great variation in planting time, as well as the result-ing lack of uniform stands in many places. The lack of general rainfall during the growing period made the possibility of normal yields less likely. As harvest begins, yields are extremely varied. Where adequate rainfall was present, the crop is expected to be close to normal; however, where rain was scarce, yields are expected to be several hundred pounds per acre below normal. “

Griggs said the short crop in the southeastern states, combined with the drought in Texas and a strong demand for peanuts, will put a lot of pressure on the market for the next 12 -18 months.

Alabama’s corn harvest is expected to be lower than last year due to extreme heat and drought, said Federation Wheat and Feed Grains and Cotton Divisions Direc-tor Buddy Adamson.

“Preliminary harvest reports range from 5 bushels to 125 bushels on dryland, and up to 175 bushels on irrigated land,” Adamson said of the cotton harvest statewide. “Both dryland and irrigated yields are less than hoped for, and heat seems to

Hope For Prosperous Harvest DwindlesFarmers Look For Average Crop In Face Of Drought

N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 1 7 w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

be the main reason.”Fayette County Farmers Federa-

tion Board Member Chris Gary said he hasn’t been discouraged by his corn harvest so far, but had hoped for better.

“It’s not nearly as good as I’d like for it to be,” said Gary, who planted 325 acres of corn. “The hot weather we had in May and June was rough on the corn.”

Cotton harvest had just begun in some areas of the state at press time, but Adams said the cotton he planted early, which was harvested first, looks the best.

“What we replanted late actual-ly looks pretty good, but I’m afraid that time will catch us and it won’t mature in time,” he said.

Adamson said projected cot-ton yields range from 200 to 800 pounds per acre. Wheat yields this summer were very good, with some fields yielding over 90 bushels per acre, he said.

Federation Soybean Direc-tor Steve Guy said projected high prices for corn and cotton trans-lated into reduced soybean acreage for the state this year. He said dry weather, particularly in south Ala-bama, hurt the early soybean crop, which can expect lower yields.

“The good news is that even though we had a smaller crop and reduced yields, prices are still hold-ing,” he said.

Prices for all crops this year are good; however, a good price doesn’t do much good with low yields and high input costs, Adams said.

“Most farmers around here would be satisfied to have an average crop with all we’ve been through,” he said. n

Corn prices are good, but drought dropped state yields.

Peanut yields are good in areas that received adequate rainfall.

Thomas Adams said the drought devastated southeast Alabama.

Photo by Katie Williams

w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g 1 8 N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

By Debra Davis

Alabama Farmers Federation members who attend-ed the annual Beef Tour in upstate New York said the most surprising thing about the trip was the

amount of agriculture in that state and the amount they had in common with farmers who live so far away. Forty-four members attended the tour Sept. 11-17.

“Agriculture is our state’s largest industry,” Rich-ard Brown, owner of Equity Angus of Montezuma, N.Y., told the Alabama group. “A lot of people think of just New York City or Man-hattan when they think of our state, but there’s a lot more to us than that.”

Federa-tion members toured Brown’s ranch along with 15 other stops that included regis-tered and com-mercial beef cattle farms, a dairy, winer-ies, an apple orchard, cattle feedlots and a feed processing business. The tours primar-ily were in and around New York’s Finger Lakes area. The group also visited Niagara Falls on the final day of the trip.

The tours were educational, but it was the interac-tion with other farmers that Autauga County farmer Bill Lipscomb said he enjoyed most.

“It’s just always interesting to see how other peo-ple run their farms,” Lipscomb said. “I also enjoyed visiting with the other farmers from our state who were on the tour.”

Bullock County Farmers Federation President Mike Dunn said he has been on a couple of the beef

tours in the past, and each one was educational.“I was surprised at just how much I could learn on

one of these trips,” he said. “I might see something dif-ferent here that I can use on my farm. It’s also good to know that farmers in New York face a lot of the same issues we do. These tours give us access to people and things that we would never have known otherwise.”

Federation Beef Division Director Nate Jaeger said the farmers in New York were hospitable and were anxious to talk to Alabama farmers as well.

“Several of the farmers we visited were interested in talking to our members, too,” Jaeger said. “They

didn’t just talk about beef cattle, either. They talked about politics, environmen-tal issues, feed costs and genet-ics. It was a great learning experience for everyone.”

Next year’s beef tour will be in Loui-siana, with details to be released at a later date. n

Bama Beef Producers Tour New York’s Finger Lakes Region

Top photo, from left, Federation members Dean Wysner, John Morris, Bill Lipscomb, Randy Moody, Rhonda Hughes, Jerry Mobley and Delle and Ray Bean talk with Lisa Compton of Compton Charolais in Ovid, N.Y. on the Federation Beef Tour. At right, from right, Robert Groom of Fleur-De-Lis Farm in Seneca Falls, N.Y., discusses his Black Angus farm with Federation members June and Mike Dunn and Winford Parmer.

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w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g 2 0 N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

By Jillian Clair

Madison County Farm-ers Federation President Rex Vaughn was one of

19 community, corporate and non-profit leaders across the state appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley in August to the Tor-nado Recovery Action Council of Alabama (TRAC).

TRAC, an independent non-profit organization funded through donations from Ala-bama’s corporate community, is gathering insight from resi-dents, business leaders, non-profit groups and state agen-cies to strengthen emergency response. The council is also developing a report document-ing the state’s April tornado outbreaks.

Vaughn was appointed to represent farmers affected by the April storms. He said he is also pas-sionate about hearing other citi-zens’ stories.

Vaughn attended a meeting at Central High School in Tuscaloosa Sept. 19 to hear residents’ concerns and to participate in discussions.

“TRAC has been extremely effective in that we were able to get each community’s perspective on what happened and what is still happening,” Vaughn said. “Every community has its own perspective on what took place—the prepared-ness, the recovery and how they’ve been treated from municipalities, law enforcement and government agencies like FEMA. We want to know how the state and these agen-cies could improve preparedness and response if something like this ever happens again.”

Seven community forums were held in September, and in each location, discussion facilitators asked community members a series of questions about their experi-ences before, during and after the tornadoes. Other locations included Rainsville, Hackleburg, Pratt City,

Cullman, Elmore County and Springville.

“I applaud our leaders for being proactive and looking ahead to see if there’s something we can do to be prepared,” said Vertis Giles-Brown, the principal of West Lawn Middle School in Tuscaloosa who also served as the discussion facilitator at the Tuscaloosa forum.

TRAC members are composing a report to document the effects of the storm and make recommenda-tions for the future. They will give the report to Bentley by mid-Janu-ary , which will be a reference for state and regional leaders.

“I’m extremely interested to see what comes out of the tor-nado recovery,” said Gina John-son, whose Tuscaloosa home was destroyed April 27. “Our city has cleaned up and has plans to move forward. We have great plans, but it takes people working just as hard as they did in the cleanup process to continue to move forward. That’s why I’m here.”

The governor named Johnny Johns, president and CEO of Protec-tive Life Corp., and Pam Siddall, president and publisher of The

Birmingham News Multimedia, co-chairs of TRAC. Ron Gray, a recently retired aerospace executive from the Huntsville area, has been tapped as TRAC executive director.

Other appointments include Suzanne Durham, YWCA of Central Alabama, Birmingham; Dallas Fanning, Urban Develop-ment, Huntsville; Grayson Hall, Regions Financial Corp., Birming-ham; David Hannah, Crossville; Evelyn Mauldin, Bank Independent, Sheffield; Dr. Max Michael, UAB School of Public Health, Birming-ham; Dr. Keith Morrow, Hackle-burg Medical Clinic, Hackleburg; Brenda Parker, Alberta Elementary School, Tuscaloosa; Dr. Malcolm Portera, University of Alabama System, Tuscaloosa; Dr. Cathy Randall, Pettus Randall Holdings, Tuscaloosa; Isabel Rubio, Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama, Bir-mingham; Guice Slawson, South-east Wood Treating, Montgomery; Zeke Smith, Alabama Power Co., Birmingham; Finis St. John IV, St. John and St. John, Cullman; and W. Michael Warren, Children’s Health System, Birmingham. n

Madison County Farmers Federation President Rex Vaughn, right, talks with Reuben Harris, Jr. of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles and W.C. Jones, pastor of Bailey Tabernacle C.M.E. Church in Tuscaloosa about their experiences with the April 27 tornado that tore through Tuscaloosa.

Madison County Farmer Appointed To Tornado Recovery Action Council

N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 2 1 w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

There are thousands of ways to give to organizations like The Big Oak Ranch in Gadsden, but

the St. Clair County Young Farmers Committee recently provided the families living there with a unique gift that will keep giving for years to come.

Volunteers from the St. Clair County Young Farmers Committee planted a vegetable garden at Big Oak Ranch with enough okra, watermelon, peas, beans, squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, cantaloupe and pumpkins to feed 100 children and their house parents.

“This is a great example of a Young Farmers committee serving the local community, and the work the comm-ittee has done at the Big Oak Ranch will pay dividends for years to come,” said Brandon Moore, Alabama Farmers Federation’s Young Farm-ers Division director. “This garden gives the Young Farmers Committee a pres-ence in the community and teaches a future generation of young leaders the impor-tance of agriculture. We are so thankful to the ranch for allowing the St. Clair County Young Farmers to take on this project.”

Noel Vice, director of the Boys’ Ranch at Big Oak, said the ranch had never consid-ered installing a vegetable garden because of the amount of time it would require for maintenance. The families living at the ranch stay busy, he said.

But Rob McHugh and the rest of the St. Clair County Young Farmers planned a garden that would require minimal maintenance and offered to establish a long-term relationship with the ranch to provide assistance with the garden when needed, Vice said.

“When Rob McHugh approached

me, he told me all it would take is for someone to turn on the irriga-tion and harvest the vegetables when they came in,” Vice said. “I told him we were absolutely inter-ested.”

Several members of the Young Farmers Committee members and their families gathered at the Boys’ Ranch June 18 for 13 hours and used materials donated by local farmers to plant the garden.

“Nobody complained because they knew why they were out there,” McHugh said. “A lot of those kids at the ranch and their house parents don’t come from a farm, and for them to see that, it was just overwhelming.”

McHugh said a few of the chil-dren at the ranch took a special interest in the garden, and they even asked if they could sell some of the produce at the local farmers market next season.

“They just couldn’t believe the

little seed they put in the ground turned into a big huge plant that had food on it,” McHugh said. “One of them had never even seen a gar-den before, and he liked it a lot.”

The acre-and-a-half garden was planted using plasticulture that prevents weeds, and McHugh and others stopped by the ranch often to perform maintenance tasks.

“In a matter of just a few days, they had it up and running,” Vice

said. “It seemed like the plants started growing days later, and now, a few months later, we have all the squash, watermelon and cantaloupe we can eat. We’re excited about harvesting the other crops soon and planting differ-ent crops next season.”

Since harvest time began, Vice said the house parents and children have been extremely grateful for the pro-duce. It’s like a fresh vegeta-ble aisle in their backyards, he said.

“And the kids love the fresh vegetables,” Vice said. “Whenever anyone does any-thing like this for the ranch, it’s a visible way these kids know people love them.”

But the ranch isn’t the only organization that has benefited from the project.

“There’s one couple from the ranch that has even joined the Farmers Federation, and

they’re going to participate in some of our Young Farmers activities,” McHugh said. “This project has turned out to be so much more rewarding for everyone involved than we ever could have imagined.”

Big Oak Ranch was founded in 1974 by John Croyle, and it has been home to more than 1,800 children since then. The ranch is currently home to more than 100 children between the Boys’ Ranch in Gadsden and the Girls’ Ranch in Springville. n

Agriculture

St. Clair County Young Farmers Committee Member Rob McHugh harvests a pumpkin from the garden he and other committee members planted this year.

A Gift That Keeps Giving

w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g 2 2 N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

By Debra Davis

Alabama beef cattle producers may be posi-tioning themselves as pioneers on the national livestock scene by implement-

ing a new animal disease traceability system ahead of federal requirements.

The federal requirements are in response to the USDA Animal Disease Traceability program, which puts laws in place that require state departments of agriculture to keep track of livestock that cross state borders.

State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Fra-zier said animal disease traceability has been discussed for years, and as USDA officials fine-tune measures to implement a national program, Alabama is making a proactive move to be ready for the plan.

“We know that animal identification is eminent, but we don’t know exactly when it’s coming,” Frazier said. “The federal regulations are still in the rule-

making process, which typically takes at least two years. But producers here want to be ready when it

does happen, and it’s advantageous for our cattle-men to be in a position of compliance as soon as possible.”

In response to requests from Alabama beef producers, including members of the Alabama Farmers Federation’s State Beef Committee, Frazier developed a proposed state rule. That

plan is under review by state attorneys. Upon completion of the review, it will be submitted to the State Board of Agriculture and

Industries, followed by a legislative review committee’s consideration.“The state traceability system

would start with adult cows being identi-fied and eventually come to include all beef cattle, including calves,” Frazier said. “It

might be five or 10 years before all the beef cattle in our state are tagged, but that’s where we’re eventually headed. We also want to make sure our state has a system in place to keep up with the identi-fication because identification without traceability is worthless.”

Federation State Beef Committee Chairman Tommy Maples of Elkmont owns a registered Black Angus herd and a herd of crossbred cows with his dad, Billy, in Limestone County. He said he supports the traceability program because he supports a healthy cattle population.

“If a disease outbreak did occur, we could quickly identify where it came from and address it,” he said. “It protects me as well as other producers whose ani-mals were not part of a problem.”

Federation Beef Division Director Nate Jaeger said the program is important to help safeguard herd health and protect market access for beef both domes-tically and internationally. More importantly, this rule ensures Alabama farmers are in compliance with

State Considers New Animal Disease Traceability System

Federation State Beef Committee Chairman Tommy Maples, left, discusses the proposed animal disease traceability rule with Federation Beef Division Director Nate Jaeger.

N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 2 3 w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

State Considers New Animal Disease Traceability System

proposed federal regulations and could serve as a model for other

southeastern states.Details of the

proposed state rule are being finalized; how-

ever, the main require-ments are similar to the former Brucellosis program used in the state from the 1970s

and ‘80s. The pro-posed rule would require

all cattle (starting with adult breeding-age cattle) be tagged with official identification before ani-mals change ownership. Official identification is outlined in the USDA Animal Disease Traceability program and includes radio frequency identifica-tion (RFID) ear tags, panel tags and metal “Brite” tags.

Official identification tags will be assigned and allocated by the Alabama Department of Agricul-ture and Industries to farmers, and each tag will have unique individual numbers. The proposed federal animal disease traceability program dictates that farmers will not be forced to use a particular

type of tag. Current plans for the Alabama rule allow for farmers to acquire the metal “Brite” tags for free from the state veterinarian’s office.

“This system also will help me, as state veterinar-ian, to make sure I can respond quickly in the case of an outbreak, which could be a natural occurrence or an intentional threat to our food security,” he said. n________________________________________________________For more information about the proposed state rule, contact Frazier at (334) 240-7253 or email him at stvet@agi.alabama.gov.

w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g 2 4 N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

Shane Watkins, meeting and event project manager with Destinations, Alfa’s in-house

meeting and event management company, has earned the Strategic Meetings Manage-ment certification, a distinction that only 49 people worldwide have achieved.

With the certifi-cation, Watkins is qualified to create and implement Strategic Meetings Management Plans, which are designed to save on costs, create company value and minimize risk.

“Leading the Alfa companies and the Alabama Farmers Fed-eration into the Strategic Meeting Management environment, Des-

tinations will seek to continue to provide cost-effective, high-quality corporate meetings and events while placing a greater emphasis on mitigation of risk and overall

expense, and providing greater visibility into meeting analyt-ics,” Watkins said. “We see a real opportunity to increase the current level of meetings man-agement efficiency.”

To be accepted into the course, applicants must have at least seven years of meeting and event management experience

and submit a two-part essay. To earn the certification, Wat-

kins was required to attend 100 hours of classroom instruction time in Atlanta, Ga. and Denver, Colo. followed by two rigorous examina-tions.

Some of the other 49 companies with an SMMC graduate to imple-ment their programs include Xerox, American Express, Morgan Stanley, Johnson and Johnson and Met Life.

“This earned qualification expands Destinations’ ability to implement Strategic Meeting Man-agement best practices through-out the spectrum of meetings and events produced for Alabama Farm-ers Federation and the Alfa compa-nies,” said Destinations Director David Smart. “As more companies enable SMM practices, this man-agement process will ensure Alfa benefits from these efficiencies as this plan is implemented.”

Watkins, who completed the Certified Meeting Professional certification in 2009, celebrated 10 years with Alfa Aug. 1. n

By Melissa Martin

Though many individuals and organizations emphasize the importance of giving back to

one’s community, few lead the charge to do so. An exception to this can be found with Horseshoe Bend High School educa-tor Felicia Williams, this month’s winner in the Alfa Teacher of the Month program.

As state office advisor for the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), a nonprofit national career and technical stu-dent organization that promotes personal growth and leadership development, Williams encourages her students to build and utilize skills they can carry with them throughout adulthood in her family and consumer science classes. Wil-liams will receive $1,000 from Alfa Insurance as this month’s winner. Her school, a division of the Tal-

lapoosa County Board of Education, will receive a matching award from the Alabama Farmers Federation.

Williams said textbook les-sons are important, but life lessons

persist beyond the final bell of students’ senior years.

“Through our many FCCLA projects, my students apply these skills and learn to give back to their community, which is important to their character,” said Williams. “These activities and projects help to give reason for the factual information in

textbooks.” Williams’

students have received recognition on state and national levels for FCCLA projects. Earlier this year, 15 of her students placed first in each of their

events, a record number of winners from one school.

Alabama FCCLA State Adviser Jennifer Adams describes Williams as a leader who is dedicated to enhancing the lives of her students, and has the accolades to prove it.

“Felicia is one of the premier advisors in Alabama and has been awarded the Alabama and National FCCLA Spirit of Advising Award, Master Adviser Award and Adviser Mentor Award,” said Adams. “She has the ultimate qualities needed to be a successful teacher.”

Williams earned her Bachelor of Science degree in home

economics education from Auburn University

in 1997. A National Board Certified teach-er, she is a member of the National Asso-

ciation of Family and Consumer Sciences and

the Alabama Association of Career and Technical

Educators. n

Alfa Event Project Manager Earns Elite Certification

Williams Named Alfa November Teacher Of The Month

Watkins

Williams

N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 2 5 w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

Volunteers across Alabama are tackling the obesity epidemic this month by pro-moting healthy food choices during National Farm-City Week Nov. 18-24.

Alabama Farm-City Chairman Jeff Helms said this year’s theme, “Harvest-ing Healthy Choices,” is an opportunity to correct the myth that modern agricul-ture – rather than lifestyle choices — is to blame for America’s expanding waistline.

“This theme gives our farmers an opportunity to join forces with their city neighbors and sponsor educational programs and activities aimed at creating a healthier Alabama,” Helms said. “As concern over our country’s weight problem grows, Farm-City Week 2011 can be the event people rally around to make a differ-ence in their communities.”

The theme coincides with the recent release of the U.S. Department of Agricul-ture’s “MyPlate” nutritional guide, which calls for a balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy products.

“For Alabama farmers, ‘Harvesting Healthy Choices’ gives the agricultural community a chance to talk about the health benefits of locally grown produce and other foods,” Helms added. “The bone-building power of milk; the leaner choices in beef, pork, poultry and catfish; the importance of folic acid-rich peanuts to expect-ant mothers; the cancer-fighting properties of soybeans, and the antioxidant power of blueberries are just a few of the messages that can be incorporated into this years’s theme.”

Farm-City Week was founded in 1955 and strives to foster better understanding between farmers and their urban neighbors. In Alabama, Farm-City activities include a poster and essay contest for students as well as Farm-City banquets, tours, media events, civic club presentations and breakfasts for elected officials and business leaders.

Three years ago, the National Farm-City Council revitalized efforts to strengthen consumer trust of production agriculture by adopting a strategic plan that focuses on a single, potentially divi-sive issue each year. Past topics have included hunger, animal welfare and the coverage of agriculture by the news media. This year, obesity will be spotlighted at the National Farm-City Symposium Nov. 17 in Lexington, Ky.

In Alabama, Helms expects “Harvesting Healthy Choices” to prompt local volunteers to feature healthier food choices at their Farm-City Week events and plan more activities that emphasize nutrition education and exercise.

“Healthy food doesn’t have to be all about tofu and bean sprouts. A 5-ounce portion of lean beef or pork can be part of a balanced diet, and milk, cheese, bread and even fried catfish still have a place on America’s dinner table,” Helms said. “Eating well and living well are about choices, and this year’s Farm-City Week theme gives us a chance to highlight the bounty of healthy options produced by Alabama’s farm families.” n

w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g 2 6 N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

By Lois Chaplin

I live in an old neighborhood where a close look at what grows in the yards around me offers an educa-tion on historically fashionable plants. At one time,

nurserymen sold bare-root plants from the back of trucks in neighborhoods like mine. That was before plants were grown in containers. Instead, they were grown in a field and dug for sale when it was time for planting.

Today, some of those purchases planted in my neighbors’ landscapes have matured into spectacular trees over 60 or more years. While a few of these trees, like China fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata), are scarce in the nursery trade today, one can still be found and is worthy of tracking down, especially if you have a large property.

It is dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboi-des), a relative of the famous California redwoods that also exists in fossil records. At one time, this tree was thought to be extinct, but it was rediscovered in China in the 1940s. A link back in time, dawn redwood is redwood-like but different in several ways. It grows very tall to 100 feet or more, but maybe not tall as the better-known redwoods. I’m not sure there has been

any growing in the Southeast long enough to know the full height potential. Nor is it an evergreen.

Dawn redwood has a beautiful shape, like a giant Christmas tree. It is fast growing, often 4 to 5 feet per year, and makes a perfect cone-shaped tree that becomes more open and irregular with age. Research dawn redwood in Google images to see examples of how this tree grows along with some interesting ways to use it in the landscape. The main thing to know is that it needs plenty of room at ground level. It is not a canopy tree. In fact, the widest part of the tree is at the bottom, not the top. With a spread of 40 feet or so at the base, this is not a tree for a small property. The one near me has been limbed up enough to mow underneath, but ideally, you would let the lower limbs stay. The base reveals a beautiful trunk that grows more sculptural with age – what plant folks call a “but-tressed” trunk. It is reminiscent of bald cypress, but without the knees. The bark is red and has a shredded looking texture, even while on the tree.

Dawn redwood is one of the few conifers that sheds its leaves in autumn, at which time you can really appreciate the symmetrical branching structure and its bark. In that way, it’s like the better-known bald cypress. At first glance, dawn redwood might be mistaken for bald cypress. Both have conical shapes and needle-like leaves that turn bronze before dropping from the tree in the fall.

Dawn redwood is adapted to most soil types includ-ing soggy ones, but not pure sand. It also needs full sun. Although still somewhat of a plant connoisseur’s tree, dawn redwood would be a great, long-lived, sturdy addition to many large properties. Visit dawnredwood.org for an interesting read about a forestation effort in North Carolina.

This tree probably won’t be found at a local nursery, but it is available by mail order. Bald cypress, which is also related, would be an acceptable landscape substi-tute that is easier to find. Both are excellent trees. n________________________________________________________Lois Chaplin is an accomplished gardener and author. Her work appears here courtesy of Alabama Farmers Cooperative.

GET GROWING AT THE CO-OP. WWW.ALAFARM.COM

Dawn RedwoodA Gift From The Past

N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 2 7 w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

By Jillian Clair

The Alabama Farmers Federation is monitoring discussion about revi-sion of the Alabama Constitution

that could affect property taxes and zon-ing for farmers and homeowners.

A 16-member Constitutional Revi-sion Commission was created by a joint resolution proposed by Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, and was approved by the Legislature in April. The commission is charged with review-ing the Constitution and suggesting article-by-article changes over the next three years.

Brian Hardin, the Federation’s assis-tant director of Governmental and Agricultural Programs, and David Cole, director of agricultural legislation, are monitoring the commission’s delibera-tions regarding Article IV (Legislative Department), which includes addressing the possibility of allowing home rule by counties throughout the state.

“Ultimately, allowing home rule in Alabama increases the likelihood of property tax increases and zoning changes because each county would have the authority to make those decisions for itself,” Hardin said. “The concept of home rule sounds good until the full consequences are considered. It would basically give all 67 counties in Alabama relatively the same powers as the state, so we would have 67 independent states operating within one state.”

Currently, Article IV of the Constitution of Alabama requires local governments to request permission by resolution from the Legislature to take legal action that involves any new authority. The legislative delegation must then pass a bill in the form of a Constitutional Amendment to allow citizens in that county to vote on the change.

“Home rule is an attempt to remove the legislative delegation from the process and allow the state to forfeit its responsibility and authority to county or local units of government,” Hardin said.

If home rule was implemented in Alabama, Hardin said, county governments would have the power to raise taxes without a vote of the people, plan for and zone the use of land, regulate business activity beyond current law, exercise the power of eminent domain, establish gambling, regulate schools, raise the debt limit allowed by current law and enter into contracts to form regional governments.

“The Alabama Farmers Federation believes that

current limitations on home rule protect citizens from unchecked increases in property taxes or unnecessary zoning changes,” Hardin said. “While such a change would negatively affect farmers, we also believe main-taining limited home rule is good for the rest of the citizens of Alabama as well.”

The state has already adopted limited home rule, which allows counties to exercise new controls over common local grievances like noise, unsanitary sewage, litter, weeds, junk yards and animals outside of cities.

However, under existing limited home rule, counties cannot address property taxes or zoning.

Suggestions made by the commission will be reported to the Legislature prior to the first meeting of the regular session for the next three years. Proposed changes approved by the Legislature would then have to be approved by Alabama voters to take effect.

The Alabama Law Institute is providing research and consultation to the commission.

The commission selected former Alabama Gov. Albert Brewer as chairman and State Rep. Paul DeMar-co, R-Homewood, as vice chairman.

“We feel the article-by-article approach is the best, most transparent way we can revise the Constitution,” said DeMarco, who was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 2005. “We want to recom-mend changes that will best serve our citizens.” n

Farmers Federation Monitors Constitutional Revision Process

From left, David Cole, the Alabama Farmers Federation’s director of Agricultural Legislation, State Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood, and Brian Hardin, assistant director of the Federation’s Governmental and Agricultural Programs Department, talk about constitutional revision in front of the state capitol.

w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g 2 8 N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

By Kellie Henderson

Charlene Roney of Houston County always said she’d never marry a farmer.

“So don’t ever say what you’re not going to do,” she laughs.

After 36 years of marriage to her farmer husband, Sammy, Charlene has long eaten those words and now serves on the Houston County Farmers Federation Women’s Lead-ership Committee herself, embrac-ing the life she once eschewed.

“My husband and his family have always grown cotton, and he grows peanuts and raises beef cattle,” says Charlene, who does the farm’s bookkeeping and keeps her three grandchildren.

“I came home so my daughters could work, and our son Josh works on the farm with Sammy,” she explains.

Sammy also serves on the Hous-ton County Farmers Federation board of directors.

Having so much family around

the farm means Charlene has plenty of opportunities to cook for those she loves.

“Josh lives on another property we farm, but he usually comes by for breakfast before he and Sammy start the day, and I cook lunch every day for both of them and the grandkids,” says Charlene, who is eagerly awaiting the arrival of her fourth grandchild due in December. “To have them all here with me so often is a blessing,” she adds.

The recipes Charlene shares this month reflect her love of friends and family, and many are perfect for the upcoming holidays. For family breakfasts, the blender makes quick work of mixing up Buttermilk Flap-jacks, a recipe Charlene got from her sister-in-law. And Charlene includes two of her family’s tradi-tional Christmas dishes.

“Our neighbors, Pat and Wayne, gave us their recipe for Brunswick stew years ago. We make a big pot of it every year for Christmas Eve with our family, and any that is

left over freezes well. And I always make Never Fail Divinity at Christ-mas, and it is never fail,” she says.

BLUEBERRy STACk CAkE1 box butter recipe cake mix1 stick (1/2 cup) butter4 eggs2/3 cup milk1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Beat well. Bake in 3 greased and floured 8-inch pans. Bake 20 minutes. Turn cake layers out of pans to cool.

Filling1 ½ cups granulated sugar1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese1 (16-ounce) frozen whipped topping1 (21-ounce) can blueberry pie filling

Cream sugar and cream cheese together. Stir in whipped topping until smooth. Spread layer of cream cheese mixture over bottom cake layer. Then top with a thin layer of pie filling. Repeat until all layers are covered.

BUTTERMILk FLAPJACkS

1 egg1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup self-rising flour

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup buttermilk

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Place egg in a blender and blend

until fluffy. Add remaining ingredi-

ents and blend.

Pour pancake batter in rounds on

to hot griddle. When bubbles form

through batter, flip and cook on the

other side until golden brown.

N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1 2 9 w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g

LANE CAkE1 box Duncan Hines white cake mix3 tablespoons Swans Down cake flour 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter3 tablespoons sugar1 tablespoon vanilla1¼ cups milk8 egg whites, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 F. Sift together cake mix and flour; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla and mix, then add dry ingre-dients with the milk. In a separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into cake batter. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans. Bake at 350 F until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Turn cake layers out of pans to cool.

Filling8 egg yolks1 ½ cups sugar½ cup softened butter1 (15-ounce) box raisins2 cups chopped pecans2 cups coconut1 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons vanilla

Beat egg yolks slightly, then add sugar and butter. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring con-stantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Allow cake and filling to cool completely before assembling. Spread filling between layers and over top of the cake.

Note: Charlene recommends chopping pecans and raisins in food processor before assembling filling.

GOOD COOkIES1 box butter recipe cake mix½ cup Wesson oil2 eggs1 cup chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients well. Drop in 2-inch rounds onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 325 F for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

CHICkEN DRESSING1 hen or leg quarters equal to about 1

poundSalt and pepper to taste4 cups medium-ground cornmeal1 ½ cups self-rising flour1 teaspoon baking powder10 eggs½ cup oil, plus more for pansAbout 1 cup whole milk2 medium onions, chopped1 (14-ounce) package cornbread stuffing

mix¼ teaspoon garlic powder¼ teaspoon dried onion3 to 4 tablespoons freeze-dried chives1 family-sized (26-ounce) can cream of

chicken soup1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of celery soup1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

In a large stock pot, cover chick-en with water and season with salt; boil until tender. Remove chicken from the broth; reserve chicken for another use and set broth aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, eggs, oil, salt to taste and enough milk to create a batter that is thick, but pours easily. Pour into a greased 12-inch skillet and bake at 475 F until bread is lightly browned on top. Let cool and crumble into an extra-large roasting pan.

Note: This pan will be used for mixing only; dressing will be baked in separate pans.

To crumbled bread, add chopped onions and the next four ingredi-ents; add salt and pepper to taste.

To the chicken broth, add both cans of soup; warm and stir. Pour over crumbled bread and mash with a potato masher. Dressing should be much soupier than the desired consistency as it will dry signifi-cantly during baking. Grease sides and bottom of two 9-X12-inch bak-ing pans with oil and pour dressing into prepared pan. Dot dressing with thin pieces of butter. Bake at 350 F until top is browned.

Note: Charlene often uses the reserved chicken from this recipe for chicken salad, and she recom-mends using Pepperidge Farm brand stuffing mix.

PAT AND WAyNE’S BRUNSWICk STEW

3 pounds chicken3 pounds smoked pork, chopped1 pound ground chuck, browned2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes2 (16-ounce) cans cream-style corn2 (16-ounce) cans whole kernel corn16 ounces garden peas or small butterbeans5 pounds diced potatoes5 pounds chopped onionsSalt and pepper to taste½ cup Worcestershire sauce½ cup barbeque sauce2 tablespoons red pepper hot sauce

Boil chicken until tender. Remove from broth to cool, reserv-ing broth for stew. Chop chicken. Combine all ingredients including broth and simmer until tender, add-ing extra broth, tomato sauce and/or water if more liquid is needed.

NEVER FAIL DIVINITy4 cups sugar1 cup light corn syrup¾ cup waterDash of salt3 egg whites1 teaspoon vanilla2 cups chopped pecans

Combine sugar, corn syrup, water and salt in a 2-quart cas-serole. Microwave on high for 19 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or until mixture reaches 260 F on a candy thermometer. Beat egg whites until very stiff. Pour hot syr-up over egg whites, beating at high speed for 12 minutes until thick and candy begins to lose gloss. Fold in vanilla and pecans. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper.

PECAN CLUSTERS3 cups roasted pecans 1 (24-ounce) package almond bark

Melt coating in microwave. Stir until smooth. Mix in pecans. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper to harden. n

____________________________________Editor’s Note: Recipes published in the “Country Kitchen” are not kitchen-tested prior to publication. Look for more “Country Kitchen” recipes online at www.AlfaFarmers.org.

w w w . A l f a F a r m e r s . o r g 3 0 N E I G H B O R S • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 1

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Brooks, GA 30205 1-800-733-0324 • isons.comFree Catalog

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