Mississippi Farm Country

A Publication of Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation • MSFB.org

JULY/AUGUST 2012

VOLUME 88 NO. 4

3MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

CONTENTS

Features44 LOCALLY GROWNOne of the fastest-growing segments ofAmerican agriculture is locally grownfood. Come with us as we learn more.

2222 SOLVE THE MYSTERYWhich Walthall County town is knownfor its dairy industry? It is also thecounty seat. Read the clues and makeyour guess.

2288 BACKYARDBIRDWATCHINGA Delta farmer talks about some thingsyou can do to enhance birdwatchingopportunities on your farm.

Departments44 President’s Message66 Commodity Update: Horticultural Crops

77 Commodity Update: Peanuts2244 Counsel’s Corner2266 Member Benefits Spotlight

About the coverLeah Beth Murphy holds tomatoes from the first harvest at St Bethany Fresh in Pontotoc. Read allabout this new Northeast Mississippi hydroponic greenhouse operation, beginning on page 8.

“Our mission is to create an environment in which Mississippi farmers, ranchers, andFarm Bureau members can have a better

life and make a better living.”

MMIISSSSIISSSSIIPPPPII FFAARRMM CCOOUUNNTTRRYYVolume 88 Number 4July/August 2012

MMiissssiissssiippppii FFaarrmm CCoouunnttrryy(ISSN 1529-9600) magazine ispublished bimonthly by the

Mississippi Farm Bureau® Federation.

Farm Bureau members receive this publication as part of their membership benefit. Periodicals postageis paid at Jackson, MS and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Send address changes toP. O. Box 1972, Jackson, MS 39215

EDITORIAL and BUSINESS OFFICES6311 Ridgewood Road Jackson, MS 39211601-977-4153

EEDDIITTOORR - Glynda Phillips

AADDVVEERRTTIISSIINNGGAngela Thompson

1-800-227-8244 ext. 4242

FFAARRMM BBUURREEAAUU OOFFFFIICCEERRSSPresident – Randy Knight

Vice President – Donald GantVice President – Ted KendallVice President – Reggie Magee

Treasurer – Billy DavisCorporate Secretary – Ilene Sumrall

FFAARRMM BBUURREEAAUU DDIIRREECCTTOORRSSCarla Taylor, BoonevilleMike Graves, Ripley

Ronald Jones, Holly Springs Bill Ryan Tabb, ClevelandRandle Wright, VardamanNeal Huskison, PontotocMike Langley, HoustonBobby Moody, Louisville

Wanda Hill, IsolaJames Foy, Canton

Fred Stokes, PortervilleJames Brewer, ShubutaDavid Boyd, Sandhill

Lonnie Fortner, Port GibsonJeff Mullins, Meadville

Mike McCormick, Union ChurchLyle Hubbard, Mt. OliveGerald Moore, PetalJ. B. Brown, PerkinstonKen Mallette, VancleaveBetty Mills, WinonaJason Hill, Woodland

HHOONNOORRAARRYY VVIICCEE--PPRREESSIIDDEENNTTSSLouis BreauxWarren Oakley

Material in this publication is based on what the editorbelieves to be reliable information. Neither Mississippi FarmBureau Federation nor those individuals or organizationscontributing to the MFBF publication assume any liabilityfor errors that might go undetected in the publication —this includes statements in articles or advertisements thatcould lead to erroneous personal or business managementdecisions.

FARM BUREAU®, FB® and all Farm Bureau logos used inthis magazine are registered service marks owned by theAmerican Farm Bureau Federation. They may not be usedin any commercial manner without the prior written consentof the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Design: Coopwood Communications, Inc.

JULY/AUGUSTMISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY4

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Randy Knight, PresidentMississippi Farm Bureau Federation

From Our Farmsto Your Table

Nothing says summer in the South like a big vegetable garden.For many of us, putting in a garden each year is both a tradition anda joy. All of those rows and rows of good-looking tomatoes, sweetcorn, butterbeans and squash not only fill us with a sense of an-ticipation because we know we are about to gain access to somedelicious, healthy eating, but they remind us of our farming her-itage and all that the land and our own two hands are capable ofproducing.

You get a similar feeling when you visit one of the almost 60farmers markets scattered across the state. Farmers markets giveboth urban and rural consumers access to fresh locally grownproducts, while providing small family farmers with a dependablemarket for what they grow. Other great farm-to-table markets in-clude community and U-pick gardens, roadside stands and on-farmsales. Most small-town grocery stores (and quite a few largerstores) are doing a great job of selling locally grown foods. Moreand more restaurants have begun including them in their menus.

The desire for fresh homegrown food and an opportunity tomeet the farmers who grow it is a strong national trend. Local foodrepresents one of the fastest-growing segments of American agri-culture, with direct-to-consumer sales doubling in the past decadeand now totaling about $1.2 billion per year.

This issue of our magazine focuses on some of our own locallygrown products, the farmers who produce them and the marketsthat sell them. I hope you enjoy.

LegislatureIn other news, I am happy to report that Mississippi Farm Bu-

reau Federation hit quite a few high notes this year in the Legisla-ture. Among those successes, we were able to assure that our land-grant agricultural units will continue to receive level funding andthat an agritourism bill was signed into law.

Senate Bill 2439 provides additional liability protection foragritourism operations and better promotes agritourism activitiesin Mississippi.

For a complete recap of Farm Bureau activities during the 2012Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature, see Public Policy

Director Samantha Cawthorn’s article on page 20, or call her of-fice at (601) 977-4226.

Farm BillIn conclusion, I’d like to encourage you to make a point of

telling agriculture’s story to the consumers in your area. Remindthem that farmers helped found this great nation of ours and thatagriculture continues to help drive our national economy.

Consider the facts:

● Agriculture accounts for one out of every 12 jobs in America. ● American farmers represent less than 2 percent of the total

population, and yet, on average, one U.S. farmer producesenough food and fiber for 155 people in the United States andabroad.

● American farmers are so efficient that U.S. consumers spendjust 10 percent of their disposable income on food each year.

● Farmers are helping to reduce our reliance on foreign oil.● American consumers have access to one of the safest, most

affordable and most abundant domestic food supplies in theworld.

Supporting our agricultural industry is especially important aswe continue to work on the new farm bill legislation. Farmers musthave the tools they need to effectively do their jobs, and that in-cludes our Southern farmers.

By the time you receive this publication, final decisions aboutthe farm bill may have already been made. But the process couldwell extend into 2013. In any case, make a point of thanking ourcongressional delegation in Washington, D.C., for their continuedsupport of Mississippi farmers.

I am always eager to hear your ideas regarding the farm bill andall of the other matters of concern to Farm Bureau. We have ac-complished a lot, but we still have much to do.

Sometimes it feels like we are just getting started.


In 2011, the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation(MFBF) Board of Directors voted to establish horti-cultural crops as a recognized commodity in the state.The horticulture industry is a broad and diverse area ofagriculture that includes such crops as fruit/vegetables,nurseries, turf grasses and pecans/specialty crops.

The focus of the horticultural crops advisory com-mittee is to provide aid and information to the horti-cultural producers of the state. I would like to take thisopportunity to encourage all growers to get involvedon the county and state levels of Farm Bureau and tohelp grow this wonderfully diverse commodity group even largerthan what it is now.

Horticultural crops contributed $94 million of production toMississippi’s economy in 2011. This figure excludes sweet pota-toes but includes vegetables, melons, potatoes, fruits, tree nuts,berries, nurseries, greenhouses, floriculture, sod and Christmas treefarms. This was a $1 million increase above the 2010 value of pro-duction. With the recent trend in consumer demand for fresh localfood, look for this number to increase again in 2012.

Two major issues that could have a lasting effect on the horti-culture industry are the immigration labor concerns and the lagging

homebuilding market. Horticultural crops are labor in-tensive during planting and harvesting seasons andrely on a reliable guest worker program. MississippiFarm Bureau was instrumental in helping to block HB488, which, if passed, could have caused legal work-ers to leave the state, leaving crops to rot in the field.With the building market still in decline, the nursery in-dustry is having a more difficult time marketing theirplants and flowers. These are two key issues that couldhave a lasting impact on the future of horticulture inMississippi.

Mississippi Farm Bureau will be hosting a summer commoditymeeting at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research andExtension Center in Biloxi on July 16, from 9 a.m. until noon. Thismeeting will offer valuable information to help you grow andmaintain your current operation, in addition to developing impor-tant policy to help guide the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federationstaff and MFBF Horticultural Crops Advisory Committee for theupcoming year.

For more information about the MFBF Horticultural CropsProgram, contact the state office at (601) 977-4230.

COMMODITY UPDATE: HORTICULTURAL CROPS

Kevin Brown, MFBF Commodity Coordinator for Horticultural Crops

Horticulture’s Growing Economic Contribution

Herndon, Chang Named to MSU Positions

New MSU Aquaculture Leadership

Cary W. “Bill” Herndon, a long-timeleader in Mississippi State University’s Di-vision of Agriculture, Forestry and Veteri-nary Medicine, has been named the new as-sociate vice president in the division. SinceNovember 2008, Herndon has served ashead of the North Mississippi Research andExtension Center at Verona. He previously

served for almost 25 years on the faculty inthe Department of Agricultural Economics.

Sam K. Chang has been named the newhead of the Department of Food Science,Nutrition and Health Promotion. Chang hasbeen a professor in the Department of Ce-real and Food Sciences at North DakotaState University (NDSU) since 1997. Be-

fore joining NDSU in 1984, he served as aresearch fellow at the University of Arizonaand associate professor and head at the Chi-nese Culture University in Taiwan.

After approval by the Institutions ofHigher Learning, Herndon and Chang willbegin their new responsibilities June 1.

Jimmy Avery, who has served as theMississippi State University (MSU) Ex-tension Service aquaculture specialist since1999, has been named director of theSouthern Regional Aquaculture Center.

David Wise, a research professor withthe Mississippi Agricultural and ForestryExperiment Station, has been named coor-

dinator of the Thad Cochran NationalWarmwater Aquaculture Center. Wise hasbeen employed by the center since 1993. Inthat time, he has conducted aquaculture re-search with an emphasis on fish health.

The duties assumed by Avery and Wisewere previously held by research professorCraig Tucker, who retired from MSU after

more than 30 years of service.Avery will continue to serve as the Ex-

tension aquaculture specialist, in addition tofulfilling his administrative responsibili-ties at the aquaculture center. Wise willcontinue to conduct research in addition tohis new responsibilities.

Brown

7MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRYJULY/AUGUST

In 2012, planted peanut acreage isprojected to come in at 50,000 acres orhigher. That is at least a 233 percentincrease from 2011’s 15,000 plantedacres. As a result, peanut acreageshould reach its highest point since1942, when the state’s record high of58,000 acres was planted. This shouldbring Mississippi into sixth placeamong the top 10 peanut-producingstates in the nation, where moreplanted acres are anticipated acrossthe board. Nationally, peanut acreage is expected to increase ap-proximately 25 percent to an estimated 1.42 million acres.

This increase in acreage is primarily a result of higherpeanut prices. A predicted shortage in the 2011 peanut supplydue to a low crop carryover in 2010 and drought in 2011 re-sulted in peanut shellers increasing shelled peanut prices almost85 percent to $1.30 per pound. These higher prices are prompt-ing several longtime Mississippi peanut farmers to expandacreage and are encouraging many farmers across the state toplant peanuts for the first time.

Along with the excitement of the expansion in acreage,comes the fear that overplanting could possibly flood the mar-ket with a greater supply than necessary and drive peanutprices back down; however, most industry experts believe thatthis is unlikely.

At current projected planted acreage levels, average yieldswould produce approximately 2.2 million tons of peanuts na-tionwide to keep prices profitable. In addition, peanut demandseems to remain high, as peanut usage and consumer pur-chases continue to increase, even with a 30 to 40 percent in-crease in retail prices.

J. Tyron Spearman, contributing editor of The PeanutGrower, said in the magazine’s May issue, “Consumers arepositive about peanuts[,] and, as new nutrition information fa-vors a vegetable protein, the trend of loving peanuts will con-tinue.”

The drastic acreage increase in Mississippi has farmers andpeanut industry leaders statewide excited about the possibili-ties in store for Mississippi’s peanut industry. Mike Howell,Mississippi State University Extension Service area agronomistwith peanut responsibilities, said that the North Delta would ac-count for the largest acreage increase. Howell also stated thatthree new buying points were moving into the Delta region,with locations near Tchula, Greenwood and Clarksdale. In ad-

dition, plans are being made for a peanut shelling facility toopen in the Greenwood area within the next couple of years.

This large expansion in acreage is exhilarating for Missis-sippi’s peanut industry. Mississippi is highly suitable for grow-ing peanuts because the state gets more rain and is not subjectto the disease problems present in other places. In 2011, Mis-sissippi recorded the highest peanut yields of any peanut-pro-ducing state, with an average yield of 4,601 pounds per acre,as compared to the national average yield of approximately3,500 pounds per acre.

Malcolm Broome, executive director of the MississippiPeanut Growers Association, said that, with the cooperation ofthe weather and a 2012 Farm Bill that has favorable provisionsfor peanut production, these factors combined should lead toa perfect storm for Mississippi peanut growers and big businessfor the state’s peanut industry in 2012.

Resources: Mississippi Peanut Growers Get Highest Yields in Nation byKeri Collins, MSU Ag Communications,http://msucares.com/news/print/cropreport/crop11/111021.html.Farmers Plan 2012 Crops; Peanut Acreage to Triple byAssociated Press, http://msbusiness.com/2012/04/farmers-plan-2012-crops-peanut-acreage-to-triple/.Market Watch: Will Contracts Return? Will Usage Continue Upwith Double Digits? by J. Tyron Spearman, The Peanut Grower,May 2012.

Samantha Webb, MFBF Commodity Coordinator for PeanutsLonnie Fortner, MFBF Peanuts Advisory Committee Chair

COMMODITY UPDATE: PEANUTS

Peanut Acres ExpandAcross Mississi ppi

Webb

Fortner

LBy Glynda Phillips

TomatoesGrowing

YearRound

LMISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRYJULY/AUGUST

Leah Beth Murphy isn’t surprised that locally grown food is oneof the fastest-growing segments of American agriculture. Her fam-ily owns and operates St Bethany Fresh, a Pontotoc greenhousetomato operation that is generating a whole lot of interest. StBethany Fresh grows and sells fresh vine-ripened tomatoes yearround.

“Like me, a lot of people prefer to buy their food right off thefarm,” Leah said. “They want to see where their food is grown, andthey want to meet the farmers who grow it.

“Also, like me, people want to be able to buy tomatoes duringthe winter months when the weather is too cold here in Mississippito grow them,” she said. “What we usually find for sale in the win-ter are tomatoes that have been picked green and trucked cross-country from warmer climes. Imagine being able to buy tomatoesany time of the year right off a farm near where you live.”

With that vision firmly in mind, Leah’s family built the StBethany Fresh greenhouse last fall. Tomato seeds were planted inDecember, and, by mid-April, tomatoes were ready for harvest.Leah says the tomatoes are already very much in demand.

“People are coming to us,” she said. “We have been approachedby two local restaurants and by a large grocery store chain. We maysell to higher-end restaurants and to grocery stores, but we haven’tdecided to do that for sure. We would also like to sell to hospitalsand schools. We will see what happens.”

In April, St Bethany Fresh was selling tomatoes from a farm

stand in front of the greenhouse and from farm stands and storesin Pontotoc, Tupelo and Water Valley. They were also playing hostto a steady stream of folks curious about what they are doing.

Naturally grownAt St Bethany Fresh, tomatoes are grown hydroponically in a

soil-free, soil organism-free environment. What people see whenthey visit the 12,000-square-foot, four-bay greenhouse are 3,000tomato plants growing in 3,000 individual perlite-filled containersset in long rows down the length of the greenhouse.

Each plant is fed nutrient-enriched water every 30 minutes bya computerized system, which also keeps the temperature in thegreenhouse at an optimal level. Plants are pollinated by bumble-bees. The greenhouse boasts one bumblebee box that is replacedevery six weeks.

Chemical pesticides are not used.At maturity, St Bethany Fresh tomato plants stand ten feet tall.

During harvest, they are loaded down with tomatoes that look uni-

9

“ ”We have been approached bytwo local restaurants and by alarge grocery store chain.

Leah Beth Murphy and her brother Stephen Hale in the St Bethany Fresh greenhouse.

JULY/AUGUSTMISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

form in size and color and are almost entirely blemish-free. “We appreciate organically grown produce, but we believe that our way of

growing is even more natural,” said Leah. “We are not dealing with soil and de-composing matter, so the risk of salmonella is far less than with other forms ofproduction.”

St Bethany Fresh grows the Geronimo variety, which Leah says is the mostdisease resistant and has a wonderful taste. The pH level of the tomatoes is testedthree times a day to make sure it is just right.

And speaking of taste, Leah says that a visit she paid to Beaverdam, an In-dianola-based hydroponic operation in the Mississippi Delta, sparked her interestin growing cucumbers.

“I tasted their cucumbers, and they were divine,” she said. “We might con-sider adding cucumbers and lettuce in the future.”

Come See UsLeah, her brother Stephen Hale and other family members have attended

workshops through Crop King, from whom they purchased seed and equipment.They’ve also attended Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Servicegreenhouse tomato workshops. More recently, an MSU researcher called to askif he could come out to help prune.

“We are the first hydroponic operation in Northeast Mississippi, so we knowthat people are curious,” Leah said. “But Mississippi is a big agricultural state.Hydroponics shouldn’t be a difficult thing to accept.

“We believe that most people will support this,” she said. “People are wel-come to come by and tour our greenhouse. We hope that it generates interest andmore people decide to do this.”

Leah and her family would like to see the day when Mississippi is home todozens of hydroponic greenhouses.

“Facilities like ours are already a big reality in states like California andFlorida,” she said. “We would like to see Mississippi leading the way with this.”

One day soon, Leah says St Bethany Fresh will also offer something that areaschool kids can use to supplement their science class at school. Stay tuned.

If you are interested in learning more, you are welcome to call St BethanyFresh at (662) 213-2028, or visit their Web site at www.stbethanyfresh.com.

The name St Bethany is a combination of Stephen’s and Leah Beth’s names.

5 c. seeded watermelon cubes1 ½ lbs. ripe tomatoes cut into ¾-inch cubes

3 tsp. sugar½ tsp. salt1 sm. red onion, quartered and thinly sliced

½ c. red wine vinegar¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Romaine lettuce leaves (opt.)Cracked black pepper to taste

Combine watermelon and tomatoes in alarge bowl; sprinkle with sugar and salt,tossing to coat. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir inonion, vinegar and oil. Cover and chill 2hours. Serve chilled with lettuce leaves.Sprinkle with cracked black pepper to taste.

This recipe is from “Country Cooking,Volume IV,” available at most county FarmBureau offices. The cost is $15. If you orderfrom the state office, you will pay $15 pluspostage. For more information, contactWomen’s Program Coordinator Clara Bilboat 1-800-227-8244, ext. 4245

Tomato and Watermelon Salad

10

RecipeBy Judy Kelly, Holmes County


Mississippi State University (MSU) is part of an effort to connectrestaurants with Mississippi producers to get fresh local produce toconsumers.

MSU’s Extension Service is promoting Eat Healthy Mississippi,a campaign sponsored by the Mississippi Hospitality and RestaurantAssociation (MHRA). The program unites restaurant chefs seekinglocal foods for their menus and growers who can supply fresh fruitsand vegetables. In turn, restaurant patrons will have access to health-ier foods.

“By connecting local food producers to new markets, the EatHealthy Mississippi campaign will benefit local economies,” saidKen Hood, Extension professor in MSU’s Department of AgriculturalEconomics.

A vital part of the campaign is the Healthy Dining Finder athttp://www.healthydiningfinder.com. This nationwide Web site listshealthy restaurant menu options and can be searched by location.Each restaurant lists the number of items offered in different cate-gories: healthy dining, sodium savvy and kids eat well. The Web siteincludes healthy recipes that incorporate fresh local produce.

“The Web site tells consumers where they can find healthy choicesin restaurants, plus they will be able to get recipes so they can trythem at home,” Hood said.

Mike Cashion, Executive Director of MHRA, said Eat HealthyMississippi is creating new relationships between growers and restau-rants.

“We’re developing a working roster of local growers that restau-rants can easily access,” he said.

Paige Manning, Director of Marketing and Public Relations forthe Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, said thecampaign has the potential to increase business for growers.

“This initiative will potentially lead to consumers eating moreMississippi-grown fruits, vegetables and specialty crops, which willexpand our specialty crop industry.”

Manning said MHRA, the Mississippi Department of Agricultureand Commerce and the MSU Extension Service have collaborated toencourage farmers and restaurants to use Mississippi MarketMaker,a site dedicated to connecting markets and quality sources of foodfrom farms and fisheries in Mississippi. The free service is online athttp://www.marketmaker.msstate.edu.

Recent consumer trends indicate a growing demand to knowwhere food is from and a preference for locally grown products, Man-ning said.

“Eat Healthy Mississippi gives consumers the option to buy lo-cally when dining out and creates more healthy dining options,which could lead to better health.”

Manning said restaurants could see an increase in revenue bymeeting consumers’ demands for local produce.

“With increased access to locally grown fruits and vegetables,restaurants will be able to fulfill consumer demand,” she said.“Restaurants offering healthy menu options that incorporate local pro-duce could experience an increase in the number of diners and rev-enue.”

Campaign Connects Farmers, RestaurantsBy Kaitlyn ByrneMSU Ag Communications


Small and limited resource farmers inWinston County are marketing their pro-duce directly off their farms through aUnited States Department of Agricultureprogram called Know Your Farmer, KnowYour Food. The farmers are members ofthe Winston County Self Help Coopera-tive, which gives both adults and youththe educational, informational and net-working opportunities necessary to buildsuccessful farming operations.

“The mission of the Know YourFarmer, Know Your Food program is toshow consumers where their food isgrown, how it is managed and how it ispackaged,” said Frank Taylor, who hasserved as president of the Winston CountySelf Help Cooperative (WCSHC) since1991. “The program teaches consumersabout agriculture, but it also gives oursmall family farmers a market they cancount on that provides them with a highershare of the food dollar.”

Growing VegetablesFarmers involved in the WCSHC veg-

etable program learn which types of veg-etables are in demand, when to plant them,how to grow them and how to effectivelymarket them. Winston County farmersgrow greens, peas, lima beans, corn, wa-termelons, potatoes, cabbage, English peasand tomatoes.

“Seventy-five percent of our farmerssell directly off their farms,” Taylor said.“But some of them also sell through farm-ers markets and grocery stores and to localrestaurants.”

Youth involved in the vegetable pro-gram grow and sell vegetables then do-nate $5,500 of their profits to needy fam-

Know your foodKnow your farmer

By Glynda Phillips


ilies so they too can purchase the materialsneeded to successfully grow vegetables.

“This process creates relationships, de-velops communication skills, helps people inneed and benefits our youth through physicalexercise,” Taylor said. “It also teaches youthhow to better manage our natural resources.

“Through our cooperative vegetable pro-gram, we are introducing Mississippians tofresh produce,” he said. “As those of us whogrew up in the country well know, there’snothing better tasting than fresh vine-ripenedfruits and vegetables.”

Cattle ProductionWCSHC participants also learn how to

raise and market cattle. In 2001, the WinstonCounty Self Help Cooperative submitted aproposal to Heifer Project International. Theproposal was funded in 2002.

“We used the funds to purchase 40 bredheifers,” Taylor said. “We gave five heifersto each of eight cooperative members, andthey signed a Letter of Agreement to main-tain the health of the animals as well as theirmembership in the cooperative. They alsoagreed to each give back five heifers to othercooperative members. We still do this to-day.”

Co-op members are required to maintaintheir membership for one year before theycan receive animals. Members must also at-tend 75 percent of the meetings each month.

In addition to the vegetables and cattle,members also learn how to manage their tim-ber.

Working TogetherTaylor says he is indebted to the Winston

County Extension Service for its help. Co-opmeetings are held at the county Extension of-fice.

“Without Winston County Extension Di-rector Mike Skipper’s assistance, we wouldnot have succeeded.”

Co-op members have built relationshipswith groups such as the Mississippi Associ-ation of Cooperatives; Alcorn State Univer-sity Extension Program; Mississippi StateUniversity Extension Service; MississippiState University College of Veterinary Med-icine; Heifer Project International; the UnitedStates Department of Agriculture and all re-lated agencies; National Wildlife Federation;Mississippi Forestry Commission; and Mis-sissippi Farm Bureau Federation.

“Through these relationships, landownersknow which agencies to contact for help with

their farms and other endeavors,” said Taylor,a longtime Winston County Farm Bureaumember. “It is a process that teaches peopleto go through the process of contacting peo-ple. Sustainability is key.”

Ten years ago, the Winston County SelfHelp Cooperative numbered 31 adult mem-bers. Today, it consists of 75 adults and 110youth. The co-op also now has a radio pro-gram and a market bulletin. Similar co-opsare being patterned after WCSHC throughoutMississippi and in Alabama.

The Winston County Self Help Coopera-tive has won numerous local, state and na-tional awards. Taylor says the accolades aregreat, but the knowledge that the cooperativehelps small farmers is even better.

“It is so gratifying to see individuals –some 80-plus years old – thrilled with theprogram, knowing they have a resource thatwill help them survive economically on thefarm,” he said. “It’s also great to know we aredoing our part to help keep rural Americaalive and well.”

For more information, contact Frank Tay-lor at (601) 291-2704 or [email protected]. Visit the Web site at www.wc-shc.com.

In skillet, stir flour, milk andbutter to make cream sauce.Add cheese. Cook cabbage insalted water until tender; drain.Alternate layers of cabbageand cheese sauce in buttered

casserole dish. Top withbuttered bread crumbs. Bakeat 350 degrees until heatedthrough.

This recipe is from “CountryCooking, Volume IV,” availableat most county Farm Bureauoffices. The cost is $15. If youorder from the state office, youwill pay $15 plus postage. For more information,

contact Women’s ProgramCoordinator Clara Bilbo at 1-800-227-8244, ext. 4245

Cabbage-Cheese CasseroleRecipe

By Betty Mills, Montgomery County

2 T. flour2 T. butter or margarine1 c. milk1 c. grated cheese1 med. cabbage, shreddedButtered bread crumbs½ tsp. salt

Best of MississippiCelebratingthe

By Glynda Phillips

farmers market is a great place to shop for locally grown foodand a wonderful way to support Mississippi farmers. Missis-sippi boasts a network of some 60 farmers markets scatteredacross the state. Approximately 20 of them are certified.

Through the Mississippi Certified Farmers Market Program, the Mis-sissippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce recognizes those farm-ers markets that actively promote the sale of Mississippi-grown and Mis-sissippi-made products. Livingston Farmers Market in Madison Countyis a certified farmers market.

Each year, Livingston Farmers Market offers some 30 vendors, whosell everything from honey, vegetables, bread and fruit to stone-groundgrits, milk, shrimp, eggs and cheese. One local Madison County farmereven sells homegrown organic beef and lamb.

In addition, you will find arts and crafts booths, hot food, live musicand cooking demonstrations. This year, Mississippi writers are scheduledto sign books, and Mississippi artists will exhibit their work. As usual,there will be plenty of activities for kids.

Like a Country Fair“Our farmers market celebrates the very best of Mississippi,” said Walt

Bowie, who with his father-in-law David Landrum, helps to organize themarket each year. “Folks enjoy browsing the stands, listening to music andvisiting with their neighbors. It is almost like an old-time country fair.”

Bowie says the market is open every Thursday, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m.The late-afternoon/early-evening time frame gives people an opportunityto relax and shop after work, under a canopy of 185-year-old cedar trees.Bowie says it is an experience most visitors don’t soon forget.

“A farmers market offers a farm-to-table mindset that people aredrawn to,” he said. “Our farmers market is also very festive and social.We average about 1,000 visitors each week. People come from all overthe metro area.”

Last year, Livingston Farmers Market even held a tailgate party undera tent in honor of the first college football game of the season.

Town of LivingstonLivingston Farmers Market is set up on the old Livingston town site.

Livingston was founded in the early 1800s by settlers drawn to areasprings. Around 1829, the town became the second designated seat of gov-ernment for Madison County and the first site of the county courthouse.(The first county seat was the town of Madisonville.) When the railroadcame through Canton, the courthouse was moved there, and Livingston

slowly began to die out. Walt says plans are on the table to rebuild the community and give it

an 1800s feel, using original roadbeds and preserving many of the origi-nal hardwood trees.

The first phase of the new Livingston Township will feature an OldTowne Square, a courthouse, restaurants, wedding chapel, working farm(where folks can see first-hand how their food is grown), farmers marketpavilion and old-time country store.

For More InformationThis year, Livingston Farmers Market will be open until Oct 4. The

market is located at the corner of Highways 463 (Mannsdale Road) and22 near Madison.

For more information, call Walt at (601) 707-7789 or (769) 234-7517, or visit the Livingston Farmers Market Facebook page.

The photos here are compliments of Livingston Farmers Market.


A

RecipeBy Clara Bilbo, Madison County

5-oz. (1 ½ c.) uncooked sm. shell pasta1 c. seeded watermelon chunks1 c. fresh strawberry halves½ c. seedless grapes1 kiwi fruit, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced½ c. purchased poppy seed salad dressing3 c. torn mixed salad greens

Cook pasta to desired doneness as directed on package.Drain; rinse with cold water to cool. Drain well. In largebowl, combine cooked pasta and all remaining ingredients;mix well. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 (3/4-cup) servings.

This recipe is from “Country Cooking, Volume IV,” availableat most county Farm Bureau offices. The cost is $15. If youorder from the state office, you will pay $15 plus postage.For more information, contact Women’s ProgramCoordinator Clara Bilbo at 1-800-227-8244, ext. 4245

Summer Fruit Salad

Veteran Vendor

GrowssellsandCut Flowers

By Glynda Phillips

ZZiinnnniiaa PPhhoo

ttooss ffrroomm RRiicc SShhaaffeerr &&

SStteevvee BBaaiilleeyy


Ric Shafer of Vicksburg is a longtime vendor at the Mis-sissippi Farmers Market in Jackson. He sells vegetables, cut

flowers and farm-fresh eggs.When you visit Ric’s booth, you see a reflection of his Dolly

Farms, which is named for his flower-loving mother. The flowerscatch your eye first. Depending on the time of year, you will find col-orful bouquets of bachelor buttons, dianthus, snapdragons, sweetpeas, zinnias, larkspur, daffodils, narcissus, Dutch Iris, roses andcockscomb, to name just a few.

Ric also sells artichokes, tomatoes, Swiss chard, lettuce, carrots,squash, okra, cucumbers and radishes, also depending upon the sea-son. He says he grows his vegetables organically, but they are not cer-tified organic.

Ric raises chickens outdoors in wire cages and supplements theirfeed with lots of greens, which he says makes for delicious, healthyeggs. He also sells peacock feathers when he has them.

“Peacocks usually drop their feathers each year by July 4,” he said.“I put them in a vase or sell them individually. One of the biggest fadsfor weddings right now is peacock feathers. I had a family from Texasbuy all of my peacock feathers one year to put in wedding invitationsand bouquets.”

Growing ZinniasRic started out selling at the old Belhaven Market in Jackson many

years ago. He also sold for a time at the factory outlet mall in Vicks-burg before settling down at the Mississippi Farmers Market.

“In the beginning, I would just take vegetables, and they soldwell,” he said. “But my dad grew up in the Poconos, and he wouldtell me about his dad growing and selling flowers during the GreatDepression. He said people wanted to buy flowers even when moneywas tight. So I began bringing flowers to market, and they did well,also.”

Ric sells his bouquets for $5 each. “My zinnias are my real claim to fame,” he said. “I plant an acre

of them every year, using a precision planter with a cucumber plate.I believe that I grow the best giant zinnias in the state. I buy the best

seed, and I know when to plant them and how to grow them.”Ric plants 20,000 seeds every season. He buys his seed from

Johnny’s Selected Seeds. “Johnny’s not only sells seed but offers growing instructions and

a germination guide for every crop,” he said. “I am also a devoted fanof Gardening Mama Nellie Neal’s radio show.

“If you want to grow great zinnias then purchase the best seed youcan afford,” he said. “In my experience, Benary seed, especially theBenary’s Giant Series, is the best. But the Giant Dahlia Mix offeredby Johnny’s also produces a quality flower for less cost.”

Ric says zinnias are easy to grow, and they are also the one plantthat deer won’t try to eat. He is a big proponent of growing naturally.As a growing tip, he says if your plants develop powdery mildew, dis-solve aspirin in fish emulsion and spray that onto the leaves. Fishemulsion is sold at most garden stores.

“It won’t get rid of the mildew,” he said, “ but it will stimulate the


plant’s immune system so that the plant can naturally throw it off.” As a tip for selling flowers at a farmers market, Ric says put them

in red containers. Red seems to draw the most interest. He uses juicecans, which he paints red.

Selling at a Farmers MarketIf you want to be successful selling at a farmers market, Ric ad-

vises that you get to know your customers. “You have to enjoy working with people, and you have to have a

sense of humor,” he said. “We are like one big family here at the Mis-sissippi Farmers Market, and I have a group of loyal customers.”

Ric says that a recent demographic study showed that most farm-ers market customers fall within a 30- to 45-year-old age range. Whilethat may be true, he says he has also noticed quite a few older andyounger customers. Furthermore, he says he has noticed that faceschange from year to year.

“We had a lot of new faces, more young adults in their 20s, thisyear,” he said.

In conclusion, Ric says that a farmers market represents a goodservice to consumers.

“We need more of them,” he said. “This is a good way to get intouch with the people who grow your food, and it is a great destina-tion thing. Both adults and kids seem to enjoy a farmers market.”

Ric is also known as the “Santa Man” during the Christmas sea-son, when he brings a 5-foot, 2-inch toy Santa, which dances andsings five different carols. In addition, he makes and sells Christmaswreaths from trimmings gathered from Christmas tree lots in Vicks-burg and from the cedars, pines and berries growing on Dolly Farms.

“What really sets it off is that I place a fresh-cut camellia in aflower pick and add that to the wreath,” he said.

Mississippi Farmers MarketThe Mississippi Farmers Market is an 18,000-square-foot facility

that offers 32 stalls with rollup doors. In addition to farm-fresh prod-

ucts for sale, attractions include Mississippi craftsmen and artisans;cooking demonstrations from culinary schools and chefs from arearestaurants; live entertainment; senior citizen’s and children’s activ-ities; and seasonal events and promotions. Breakfast and lunch areserved in the Farmers Market Grille, located inside the market.

The Mississippi Farmers Market is open Tuesdays, Thursdays andSaturdays, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

For more information, contact Will Scarborough, manager, [email protected], or Delarce Henry, assistant manager, at [email protected]. Or you may call (601) 354-6573.

If you are interested in learning more about Johnny’s SelectedSeeds, visit the Web site at www.Johnnyseeds.com or call 1-877-564-6697.


Community gardens have gained popular-ity in Mississippi in recent years.

“The economy is one reason we have seena resurgence of interest,” said Lelia Kelly,Consumer Horticulture Specialist with theMississippi State University (MSU) Exten-sion Service. “People are staying home moreand looking for ways to cut costs and stillmaintain their quality of life. Teaming up withneighbors and friends to create a communitygarden helps cut production costs and is an at-tractive alternative to the high costs of grocerystore produce.”

Cary Lindsey, an undergraduate student atMSU and mother of three, was looking for away for her family to improve their healthand be less dependent on the supermarket fortheir food.

“I read Lester Brown’s “Plan B 4.0” for aclass, and it really got my attention,” Lindseysaid. “All of a sudden, recycling wasn’tenough for me anymore. The book really mademe think about what my family could do to re-move ourselves from the grocery store, have amore positive effect on the environment andlive a healthier lifestyle.”

Lindsey convinced her landlord to allowher to start a community garden project on thesite of a neighboring house that had been torndown. She invited individuals with varyinglevels of gardening knowledge to join the proj-ect. They built 12 raised beds with materialssalvaged from a demolished building andshared tools, such as drills and shovels.

Community gardens allow participants tocontrol the quality, freshness and availabilityof the fruits and vegetables they grow, Kellysaid, making a healthier lifestyle more acces-

sible and affordable.People who grow community gardens will

increase the types of fruits and vegetables theyhave access to simply because a grocery storeis only going to stock items that sell quickly,said Ann Twiner, MSU Extension HealthAgent in Sunflower County who manages ayouth garden project.

People who grow gardens are also morelikely to eat what they grow. Plus, gardeningcan be economical and a great form of exer-cise.

“Our garden came together because thosewho know how to garden shared their expert-ise with others who wanted to learn,” Lindseysaid. “Find the people in your community withthe knowledge you need and get them toshare.”

County Extension agents can provide ad-vice and gardening resources for gardeners ofall levels. Helpful publications include “TheGarden Tabloid,” publication 1091, and “Gar-dening at Your Fingertips,” publication 2585.These publications offer gardening schedules,pest management information and Web siteswith gardening information and can be foundon the Extension Web site at http://www.msu-cares.com.

Community Gardens Grow in PopularityBy Susan Collins-SmithMSU Ag Communications


Calen

dar

of Eve

nts June 27

Summer Sweet PotatoCommodity Meeting

County Extension OfficePittsboro

June 28 Summer Peanut

Commodity MeetingCounty Extension Office

Grenada

July 12Summer Forestry

Commodity MeetingPlum Creek Nursery

Georgetown

July 16Summer Horticultural Crops

Commodity MeetingCoastal Research & Extension Center

Biloxi

July 17Summer Equine

Commodity MeetingMississippi Horse Park

Starkville

July 18Summer Cotton

Commodity MeetingCounty Extension Auditorium

Grenada

July 19Summer Swine

Commodity MeetingStarkville

July 20Summer Rice

Commodity MeetingCounty Extension Auditorium

Cleveland

July 23Summer SoybeanCommodity Meeting

County Extension AuditoriumGrenada

July 24Summer Honey BeeCommodity Meeting

MFBF BuildingJackson

August 1Summer Corn,

Wheat and Feed GrainsCommodity Meeting

August 1Application Deadline

Farm Bureau Ambassador Contest

The 2012 Regular Session of the Missis-sippi Legislature ended on May 3, 2012, witha vote on redistricting maps for the Houseand Senate. This brought to an end a long

120-day session. Whena governor is elected,the session is extendedfrom 90 to 120 days.

This legislative cy-cle saw one of thelargest freshman classesyet, with 47 newlyelected members. Forthe first time since Re-construction, Republi-

cans controlled both houses and the gover-nor’s office. Topping the list ofaccomplishments of the new leadershipwould be the Child Protection Act and theSunshine Act.

The Legislature ended three days ahead ofthe scheduled final day and went home earlyduring session, saving taxpayers money. The2013 regular session will convene on January8, 2013, for a 90-day term.

The following are significant bills sup-ported by Mississippi Farm Bureau Federa-tion that were passed into law during the pastlegislative session:

Agritourism – Provides limited liability tofarmers engaged in agritourism operations(i.e., corn mazes, pumpkin patches, U-pickgardens), who register with the Departmentof Agriculture and Commerce.

Metal Theft – Adds center pivots and grainbins to the three-day holding period thatmetal recyclers are currently abiding by.

Small Business Regulatory FlexibilityAct – Creates a volunteer committee of smallbusiness owners and officers who reviewproposed and existing regulations in our stateto determine if those regulations are harmfulto small businesses.

Appropriations Bills

MSU Funding – The success of Mississippiagriculture depends on the research, educa-tion and services provided by the MississippiState University Division of Agriculture,Forestry and Veterinary Medicine. Duringthe 2012 session, Farm Bureau was able tohelp secure level funding for the MississippiState University Division of Agriculture andthe Alcorn State University agriculture pro-grams.

National NewsLabor

On the national front, we have been suc-cessful in getting the Department of Labor towithdraw part of the proposed Child LaborRegulations. The proposed regulation wouldhave hindered family farms in Mississippiand the nation. The rule would have also hada potentially harmful impact on 4-H and FFAprograms that work with livestock. Here is aquote from the Department of Labor on theissue:

“To be clear, this regulation will not bepursued for the duration of the Obama Ad-ministration.”

Farm BillWe are in the process of writing the 2012

Farm Bill. The Senate has written their ver-sion, and it passed from committee. The Sen-ate is anticipating taking the bill to a fullSenate vote around Memorial Day. TheHouse is currently holding farm bill hear-ings across the country and has yet to sched-ule when they will consider it in committee.

Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK), HouseAgriculture Committee, has been outspokenon the lack of inclusion of all commodities inthe Senate proposal. Senator Thad Cochran(R-MS) did not vote for the Senate proposalin committee because of the lack of supportfor Southern crops. Mississippi Farm BureauFederation is greatly appreciative to havesuch a strong advocate for Mississippi andMississippi farmers.

Don’t forget that Nov. 6, 2012, is ElectionDay!

Summary ofLegislative SessionBy Samantha CawthornMFBF Public Policy Director


HistoryThis town was settled in the 1800s by a man

named Jake Owens, who built a grist mill on DryCreek. Other businesses soon followed, includinga mercantile store owned by Garland Hart and ablacksmith shop operated by William GlanvilleTyler. Tyler’s son, Thad, would go on to becomea very successful local businessman. Other earlysettlers included the Magee and Thornhill families.

The town began to grow in earnest whenCullen Conerly built several mills on Dry Creek,including a sawmill, a cotton gin and press, a ricepestle mill, and a grist mill. Conerly would laterhelp his brother-in-law, Benjamin Lampton, buyHart’s mercantile store, where a post office wouldbe established and Lampton would become thetown’s first postmaster.

Back then, the town was known as Conerly.After the Civil War, the town took its presentname and was formally incorporated in 1907.

Agriculture, especially cotton and timber,played an important role in our mystery town’searly growth and development. The railroad wasalso important. The Fernwood Lumber Com-pany, Fernwood, Columbia & Gulf (FCG) andGulf, Mobile & Ohio (GMO) railroads playedsignificant roles.

Mystery?Solvethe

Our mystery town is thecounty seat of Walthall County.It is also known for its dairyindustry. Walthall County is calledthe Cream Pitcher of Mississippibecause it leads the state in milkproduction and number ofdairies. Read the clues and makeyour guess.


The Town TodayToday, our mystery town boasts approximately 1650 residents.

Agriculture remains important and includes dairies, timber, poultry andbeef. Industry and retail also contribute significantly to the economy.

One of the town’s first businesses, which remains in operation to-day, was a funeral home begun by an African-American businessmannamed Jim Washington. Washington owned one of the first horse-drawn hearses in the area.

May’s Restaurant has been a part of the community since the1960s. The third generation of the family runs the business today. Thelocal newspaper dates back to 1907, and Jones Furniture, with overfive decades of service, has been open since 1939. Luter’s Supply, es-tablished in 1944, is considered by industry reps to have the world’slargest display of tubs, showers and whirlpools.

Kalencom, maker of Hadaki women’s accessories, has a distribu-tion center and factory outlet here. Jones Lumber Companies makeswood pallets and mats for oil fields and wood chips for gardening andthe paper mill. The town also boasts a large concrete mix business.

Hurricane Katrina dealt this town a severe blow in 2005, but res-idents have worked together to rebuild and grow. Our mystery townhas revitalized several of the historic downtown buildings, availableto prospective businesses through lease or lease-purchase arrange-ments. Other historic buildings include the downtown Methodistchurch, the county courthouse (a twin to the courthouse in FranklinCounty), and the historic China Grove Methodist church, located sixmiles east of town. All of these buildings are pictured above. Picturedon the opposite page are the bell at the downtown Methodist church,the gazebo at the downtown park, and The Whistle Stop Garden Cen-ter and Pet Shop in the former depot.

Each year, this town holds a popular dairy festival on the first Sat-urday in June at Holmes Water Park. Other important events includea lavish display of Christmas lights, called Christmas in the Park, heldfrom Thanksgiving night until New Year’s Eve at Holmes WaterPark; a Martin Luther King Day parade and observance on the third

Monday in January; and a Bluegrass on the Creek event each May atthe Southwest Events Center. The bluegrass event is partially fundedby the Mississippi Arts Commission.

The local chamber also organizes an Easter parade and egg hunteach year. The parade is held on the town square, and the hunt is heldat Holmes Water Park.

“Our slogan around here is that we are the Cream Pitcher of Mis-sissippi, and we feel that cream rises to the top,” said Mayor EdHughes. “We try to concentrate our efforts on our kids, and we offermany activities for kids. Our town is a close and caring community anda safe community. It is a great place to live and one of the best placesin the state to grow a family.”

Name this town.A special thanks to Doug Walker for his help with this article.

Correct GuessesMail guesses to Solve the Mystery, Mississippi Farm Country, P.

O. Box 1972, Jackson, MS 39215. You may also email your guessesto: [email protected]. Please remember to include your nameand address on the entry.

Visit our Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Web site at:www.msfb.org.

When all correct guesses have been received, we will randomlydraw 20 names. These 20 names will receive a prize and will be placedin the hat twice.

At the end of the year, a winner will be drawn from all correct sub-missions. The winner will receive a Weekend Bed and BreakfastTrip, courtesy of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation.

Families may submit only one entry. Federation staff members andtheir families are ineligible to participate in this contest.

The deadline for submitting your entry is July 31.

May/JuneThe correct answer for the May/June Solve the Mystery is Petal.

B


Bureaucracies are often strange, sometimes manifestlyso. Case in point: Recently, the U.S. Department of Agri-culture (USDA) offered an odd solution to strugglingfamily farmers – prohibit or limit the work that teenagerscan do in agriculture.

Accepting the merit in a statement once made by Gen-eral de Gaulle about France – how do you govern a coun-try that has 246 varieties of cheese? – how do you governa country that has numberless rules and regulations thatshould have some relationship to common sense? In oneof Christopher Morley’s books, the narrator says, “Com-mon sense? Good heavens, common sense is the most un-common thing in this world.”

This new USDA rule was to prohibit anyone under 18from working in the storing, marketing and transporting offarm product raw materials. In my youth, I would have es-caped a lot of work and spent that time playing baseball,basketball, or what is now called “hanging out.” But in-stead, I stored fresh-picked cotton in a long sack, loadedit out of a cotton house one wicker basket at a time, hauledit to the gin, sucked it off the trailer (at one time, I couldback up and spot two cotton trailers in tandem, which ain’teasy), and stored many a bale of hay in the barn in July andAugust, long-sleeve shirt on and collar buttoned, usingseveral foolhardy ways to knock down wasp nests the sizeof a plate. Talk about hot! It never crossed my mind thatgetting stung would one day violate federal law.

I couldn’t have driven a John Deere two-cylinder trac-tor with a hand clutch (and six forward gears 50 years be-fore autos), hauling trailer loads of beans to the grain el-evator. In short, I could have been characterized with theterm my dad used for irresponsible people: “sorry.” Andhe didn’t mean regretful.

To my mother’s chagrin, my dad enclosed about twoacres behind our house with barbed wire after building asmall barn with two stalls. Perhaps persuaded by the oldadage that a boy can’t become a man in clean clothes, heput two calves in the back lot, supposing that every boyhad to feed and halter break some Shorthorn calves toprogress in life.

Unfortunately, our sandlot baseball field was within

hailing range, and Dad could walk out in the yard and pro-claim, “Son, come home and feed.” We never played ex-tra innings.

This enterprise came to an end while I was clipping thegrass on a tractor with the front cultivators still attached,cut too close and bumped the barn with the cultivator andit came off the concrete blocks that it sat on. Luckily, thecalves were out grazing, but the barn was soon torn down,along with the fencing, and “Mother knows best” proveditself again.

In the last 50 years, I have thanked my lucky stars forhaving the experience and learning the lessons which thegovernment sought to forbid. By the way, this regulationwould have imposed a 90-hour federal government train-ing course to replace its approval of safety training taughtby groups such as 4-H clubs and Future Farmers of Amer-ica. Think how many new bureaucrats could have hadthose jobs.

A poll conducted on the new regulation generated al-most 6,000 responses to the question of what was behindthis. Of those, 46.83 percent said get more control over ru-ral America, 36.51 percent said dictate how children areraised and 16.66 percent said force farmers to hire illegalaliens. Maybe all those are correct, but I would add: “justplain dumb.”

After reading that the regulation was almost finalized,I learned that, on April 27, 2012, the USDA had withdrawnits proposed regulation. Shucks, I guess that dooms young-sters to working on farms. What a shame, all that hanging-out time gone. Again, referring to the French, General deGaulle would have said, “Plus ça change, plus c’est lamême chose,” which translates to: the more things change,the more they stay the same.

Sam E. Scott is general counsel for Mississippi Farm Bureau Fed-eration and practices law in the Law Firm of Samuel E. Scott, PLLC,in Jackson. The foregoing information is general in nature and is not in-tended as nor should be considered specific legal advice, nor to be con-sidered as MFBF’s position or opinion.

With special thanks to Mrs. Laura Funderburk, a FarmBureau member in Houston, Mississippi.

FrenchLessons

COUNSEL’S CORNER

By Sam E. Scott, MFBF General Counsel

25JULY/AUGUST

Dianne Dyar of Dyar Communication Strategy addressed theMississippi Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Leadership andSecretaries’ conferences. Other speakers included Commissionerof Agriculture Cindy Hyde-Smith and Farm Bureau AmbassadorAlan Smith at the women’s conference and Vickie Greenway, AaronBaker and Anita Webb at the secretaries’ conference. MFBFPresident Randy Knight and State Women’s Chair Betty Millsaddressed both conferences.

Teacher of the Year for 2011 Patsy Prewitt of Washington Countyaddressed the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Women’sLeadership Conference. She is pictured with State Women’sCommittee Chair Betty Mills.

Farm Bureau Events

Those attending the Mississippi Farm BureauFederation Secretaries’ Conference participated inhands-on learning activities.

Smith County Farm Bureau board member James Ford visited theMississippi Farm Bureau Federation commodity display at theMagnolia Beef and Poultry Expo in Raleigh.

Silent auctions were held during both the MississippiFarm Bureau Federation Women’s Leadership andSecretaries’ conferences.

The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation booth forSuper Bulldog Weekend at Mississippi State Universityreceived lots of attention, as visitors enjoyed food andfun activities, while learning all about agriculture.


MEMBER BENEFITS SPOTLIGHT

I’m sure that many of you have asked yourselves this question over the years. I hope thatif you posed it to someone in your county Farm Bureau office they were able to tell you about

all of the things that Farm Bureau does and all of the discounts you re-ceive just by being a member.

If you haven’t asked, let me fill you in on a few of the many MemberBenefits that you can take advantage of to help save you money.

Dell Computer DiscountsAlmost every household in America has a personal computer these

days – sometimes two or three. Farm Bureau has an agreement with Dellto offer member-only pricing on all personal PCs from Dell, including 30percent off list price for select configurations. Members can also receive

special pricing on select electronics and accessories.To find out what deals are currently available, go to www.dell.com/mpp or call 800-695-

8133 to speak with a sales representative.

Grainger Products DiscountsGrainger offers special Farm Bureau discounts and is a pre-

ferred Farm Bureau supplier for maintenance, repair, opera-tions and safety products – thousands of commercial and in-dustrial products with brand names you know and trust. Saveon products you use every day.

• FREE FREIGHT on Grainger.com• 10 percent off Grainger Catalog Price• 48 percent off Manufacturer’s List on DeWalt Tools• 35 percent off Farm Duty Motors• 30 percent off select Safety Items• 52 percent off Manufacturer’s List on Stanley Hand Tools• 55 percent off Manufacturer’s List on Proto Hand Tools• 45 percent off Manufacturer’s List on Blackhawk Tools• 46 percent off Manufacturer’s List on Milwaukee Tools• 60 percent off Manufacturer’s List on Westward Tools

Visit Grainger’s Web site at www.grainger.com or call 1-800-323-0620.

Prescription Drugs DiscountsThis free program offers an average savings of 30 percent

on prescription drugs for Farm Bureau members and theirfamilies. It can be used if you don’t have health insurance orif your insurance doesn’t include prescription drugs.

You can also use this program if the specific drug youneed is not covered by your health plan.

There are no forms to fill out. Simply take your pharmacycard with your prescription into one of the 56,000 participat-ing pharmacies nationwide (listed on the back of the card) toqualify for discounts on medications. These cards can bepicked up at your county Farm Bureau office or printed out on-line from our Web site at www.msfb.org.

For more information on these or any of the other won-derful Member Benefits that come automatically with yourFarm Bureau membership, call your county Farm Bureau of-fice, visit our Web site at www.msfb.org or call Member Ben-efits Coordinator Dedra Luke at (601) 977-4169.

By Greg Gibson, MFBF Member Services Director

What Do I Get For MyMembership Dues?

BACK FORTYBirdwatching

WWhat would you say if I told you that bird-watching and farming go hand in hand? It is true.There are many things you can do around thefarm that can provide birds with much-neededhabitat, while providing you and your family withthe enjoyment that comes from being the goodstewards of the land that you already are.

Crop PlantingsMy first glimpse into “bird-friendly farming”

came when I drove a tractor for the Pilkingtonsnear Columbus, when I was a student at Missis-sippi State University. Mr. Charlie always left aheader-width strip of soybeans standing around hisfields at harvest time.

“The quail need some, too,” he’d say.Delta farmers didn’t leave food for quail;

rather, they left it for ducks. It just seemed ac-ceptable for a farmer/hunter to leave a little for hisfeathered friends to munch on. I imagine a fewbirds were killed over these offerings, but farmore birds benefited from the food than werekilled by hunters.

By leaving unharvested rows of corn, rice, soy-beans, grain sorghum, wheat and oats, you are pro-viding a valuable food source for birds on yourfarm when food is scarce in the dead of winter. A30-foot-wide strip, one-quarter-mile long, occu-pies less than one acre.

Article and Photos by Rob Heflin

Sunflowers provide highly nutritious seed to a variety of birds. This field is annuallyplanted for doves, but many species of songbirds benefit from the oily seeds.

Nest boxes are largelyresponsible for bringingspecies like the wood duckback from extremely lowlevels to the abundantnumbers of today.


BACK FORTY Native PlantingsThat 30-foot-wide strip isn’t a lot to

you and me, but it means the world to a lit-tle bird like the Bobwhite. Quail need to beable to find food, water and cover, allwithin their 40-acre home range. If youhave a 1,000-acre farm, leaving one or twostrips of crop or fallow ground may befine for waterfowl, but think small for thesmaller birds.

You can plant native grasses like bigand little bluestem, switchgrass and indi-angrass, forbs like wildflowers andlegumes like clovers and partridge peaalong ditch banks and wood lines. Theseare probably places where you don’t makemaximum crop yields anyway. And byplanting strips of these native plants, youcan reduce erosion and provide nesting,brood rearing and feeding areas for quail,turkeys and songbirds on your farm. If youdo it through the Natural Resources Con-servation Service (NRCS) folks, you canalso get paid to implement this practice.

I took two 30-foot-wide strips in one ofour fields and planted them in Chickasawplum. Four rows of plums, spaced six feetapart, make great escape cover for smallerbirds and quail. I flanked each strip with sixrows of soybeans, which I leave standingall winter. The rest of the field I plant insunflowers that I manage for dove hunting.

I planted most of our old fishpond lev-ees in native grasses, wildflowers and par-tridge pea. I also planted some levees inwhite clover and flanked those levees withfour rows of plums. By managing these ar-eas for quail and songbirds, I’ve also cre-ated habitat for rabbits and deer. Whenyou provide habitat for the little guys, thebigger critters benefit as well.

Habitat ManipulationYou don’t always have to plant some-

thing to provide quality habitat. Some-times, simply disturbing the soil allowsthe seeds God has already planted to thrive.

Disking fallow areas every third year orcontrolled burning helps set back plantsuccession and provides great habitat. Na-tive grasses and partridge pea thrive in ar-eas that have been burned once every twoto three years. Disking fields that havegrown up allows bird-friendly annualplants to come back after being dominatedby perennials, shrubs and trees. Disking

also creates dusting areas for quail andturkeys.

If you have low-lying areas that typi-cally hold water throughout the year, disk-ing them every third year allows duck-friendly grasses to out-compete perennialsthat don’t produce as much food. Diskingin the fall, followed by early-fall floodingand delayed water removal in the spring,makes excellent shorebird habitat for falland spring migration.

Holding water into February and Marchgives waterfowl a place to build up en-ergy reserves for the flight north and foregg laying. You can hold water on fieldsuntil late March and early April and stillhave soybeans and corn planted in it by thefirst week of May.

Nest BoxesEveryone is familiar with the wood

duck box. This man-made nesting structurehelped the wood duck population comeback from all-time lows decades ago. It isnow one of the most abundant ducks inNorth America. Many other bird speciesreadily nest in man-made nest structures.Mergansers, bufflehead, whistling ducks,prothonotary warblers, chickadees, wrens,bluebirds, purple martins, barn owls andscreech owls are just a few.

These boxes can be placed in fields,woods, swamps and even shop yards andaround homes. My shining example of nestboxes on our place is a barn owl box underone of our equipment sheds. After noticinga pair of owls at dusk on a couple of occa-sions, I climbed up to peek inside the box.It contained one owl and several headlessrats! You can truly appreciate this if youlive next to grain bins like I do.

As you can see, the little things add upwhen it comes to providing quality habitatfor birds around your farm. If you can fitcrop or native plantings, habitat manipula-tion or nest boxes into your farm plan, Ithink you will be rewarded handsomelywith the benefits of “birdwatching” onyour back forty.

Rob Heflin of Isola is an avid hunterand amateur photographer who has beenmanaging wildlife habitat on his familyfarm for 12 years. For more informationabout his photos, please visit www.Ya-zoovalleywildlife.com.

Blue-winged teal move through in early fall andlate spring. By flooding in late summer andholding water until late spring, you can providecritical habitat for these and other birds duringmigration periods.

Nest boxes placed in swamp habitat providevaluable nesting areas for neo-tropical migrantslike this prothonotary warbler. These beautifulyellow birds winter in mangrove swamps inSouth America and return to the southern U.S.each spring to raise their babies.

These wildflowers and native grasses, alongwith legumes, crops and disked areas, makegreat habitat for birds around your farm. Thewildflowers are also bee-friendly and can evenkeep husbands out of the doghouse onoccasion when accompanied by a vase and anapology.

This Wilson’s phalarope was feeding in chest-deep water held in an old catfish pond in latespring. Shorebirds like this phalarope need thistype of habitat on their migrations from North toSouth America and back each year.

T


To Humphreys County Farm Bureau volunteer leader WandaHill, it often seems that Farm Bureau is one of Mississippi’s best-kept secrets.

“I love Farm Bureau, and I wish more people were aware ofall that we have to offer to not only farmers but all Mississippi-ans,” she said. “Our Public Policy Program alone is worth the costof your membership dues each year.

“Public Policy gives grassroots members a voice in the leg-islative process, allowing them to express their opinions on issuesthat impact their lives,” she said. “Our volunteer leaders get toparticipate in Farm Bureau’s policy de-velopment and implementation process,and we get to meet with local and na-tional lawmakers. A lot of people don’t re-alize that.

“Another thing I enjoy about my FarmBureau membership is the access it givesme to experts who can answer my ques-tions,” she said. “Our regional managersare knowledgeable about all of the FarmBureau programs, but they can also an-swer my questions about any of the rec-ognized commodities that are grown here.

“We have safety experts to call with safety questions, an en-vironmental expert to call about environmental issues and aLand Program expert to call about questions related to our land,”she said. “We also have one of the best Member Benefits pack-ages in the nation. You can easily earn back what you spend onyour dues just by using one of these programs.”

Women’s ProgramWanda appreciates every Farm Bureau program, but the one

that is closest to her heart is the Women’s Program, with whichshe has worked for some 33 years. She is the current Region 8

Women’s Chair, but she served for many years as a countywomen’s chair.

“Each year, our Women’s Program raises funds for worthwhilecauses, including Blair Batson Hospital, the Ronald McDonaldHouse in Jackson, and four $2,000 scholarships that are presentedannually to female college students,” she said. “All of this is won-derful, but one of the main objectives of the Women’s Programis to educate people about agriculture and the role that it plays inour lives.

“We hold Agriculture in the Classroom teacher workshopsevery June, where over 100 teachers learnhow to better teach children about agricul-ture,” she said. “We take materials andLearning Barns into all of our schools eachyear. We also work with the Children’s Mu-seum in Jackson, which is a great way to fa-miliarize not only children but their parentswith Mississippi agriculture.

“In addition, we coordinate the FarmBureau Ambassador Contest, which selectsa college-age youth to travel the state andtalk about agriculture and Farm Bureau.

The ambassador receives a $2,000 scholarship, and the alternatereceives a $1,000 scholarship.”

Delta FarmerSupporting state agriculture is important to Wanda. She and

her husband Herbert, their son Wayne, and Herbert’s brotherCharles grow farm-raised catfish, wheat, soybeans, cotton andmilo on their Tom Hill and Sons farm near Isola. They farm a lit-tle over 300 acres of catfish ponds, down from their all-time highof 716 acres. Their operation was established in 1978.

“We have lost a lot of catfish ponds in Mississippi in recentyears due to foreign competition and high input costs,” she said.

Farm Bureau is Mississippi’s

Best-KeptSecret


“But I think that this has stabilized aftermore than a 50 percent loss. The remain-ing catfish farmers can stay in businessnow. We won’t get rich, but we can dowhat we love to do, and that is grow de-licious farm-raised catfish.”

In the past, Wanda served as chair ofthe Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Aquaculture AdvisoryCommittee and as a member of the American Farm Bureau Fed-eration Aquaculture Advisory Committee. Her son Wayne isthe current state committee chair.

Every MississippianIn conclusion, Wanda urges volunteer leaders to continue

working together to make sure that Farm Bureau and agricultureremain strong in Mississippi. She says she also wants to see the

day when every Mississippian is a Farm Bureau member. “Farm Bureau benefits everyone,” she said. “It gives not

only farmers but all of our members an opportunity to speak outon issues that concern them.

“Making sure that our grassroots members feel that theirvoices are being heard on the state and national levels is what weare all about,” she said. “I think that is pretty wonderful.”

Wanda Hill serves as president of Humphreys County FarmBureau and as a state director.

“Farm Bureaubenefits everyone. It gives not onlyfarmers but all ofour members anopportunity tospeak out on issuesthat concern them.

”


“Our kids are the future,” said Women’sCommittee Vice Chair Ann Layton. “We wantschool children to understand how important itis that our state and nation maintain a strongagricultural industry.”

Teaching School KidsEach year, Simpson County Farm Bureau

volunteer leaders carry Agriculture in the Class-room materials into every county school. Theyalso make sure that all schools have a LearningBarn.

“Ag in the Classroom is very important. Ifyou ask a student where a cheeseburger comesfrom, most will say McDonalds,” said PresidentCarol King. “We want them to understand thata farmer raises the beef for the burger and milksa dairy cow for the cheese. A farmer grows thelettuce, tomato, pickle and onion that you put on your burger.”

“We target the kids, but the teachers appreciate our Agriculture in theClassroom efforts, also,” added Women’s Committee Chair TammyLayton. “One of them said to me, ‘I don’t know what the kids learned,but I learned a lot today.’”

County volunteer leaders also partner with the local Extension office,Soil and Water program and county co-op to present a number of spe-cial activities each year, including Soil and Water Conservation Day forsixth-graders; Fifth Grade Farm Day for fifth-graders; and Safety Day

for fourth-graders. Simpson County Farm Bureau tries to al-

ways send one or more youths to the YouthSafety Seminar each June. In addition, they areinvolved in the Sale of Junior Champions inFebruary on both the county and state levels.They hold their own Junior Livestock Showand Sale and sponsor every kid who enters onthe county level.

Simpson County Farm Bureau also spon-sors the Simpson County 4-H Shooting SportsProgram, involving about 80 youths and 10adults, by sending adult leaders for training andby purchasing shooting equipment.

Simpson County Farm Bureau has begun ascholarship program and is in the process ofdeveloping the requirements for it.

Farmers Appreciation DayIn addition to their work with school children, Simpson County

Farm Bureau volunteer leaders make sure that adults appreciate farm-ers as well. They held their first Farmers Appreciation Day Luncheonthis year, and it was a great success.

“Our Farmers Appreciation Day Luncheon was an inspiration fromJack Alexander,” said Candice Wolken, who was in charge of the event.“We fed our farmers lunch. They also enjoyed the many booths set upby local businesses to demonstrate how much all of us depend upon

Farm Bureau Spotlight

Simpson CountyPictured, from left, are Carole King, Tammy Layton, Trish Yelverton, Chris Williams, Ann Layton and Candice Wolken.

Simpson County Farm Bureau has received many awards and accolades through the years for its outstandingwork on behalf of Farm Bureau and Mississippi agriculture. County volunteer leaders believe strongly in

the total Farm Bureau program, but they are especially aware that everything begins with the youth.

By Glynda Phillips

The first Farmers Appreciation Day Luncheon wasa great success.


farmers. We had a total of 15 sponsors.”Commissioner of Agriculture Cindy Hyde-Smith

addressed the luncheon, which included some 90 areafarmers.

“Our county president blessed the food, but he alsoblessed the crops and Simpson County agriculture,”Candice said. “We thought that was very touching andmeaningful.”

Candice and her husband Mark are active in thecounty Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Programand served a term on the YF&R State Committee.

Poultry is the number one agricultural commodityin Simpson County, followed by timber and beef.

Active Program In addition to their many educational activities,

county volunteer leaders annually raise funds for theFarm Families of Mississippi ag promotion campaign.Last year, they also raised money for the MississippiFarm Bureau Foundation and Relief Fund for victimsof the flooding and tornados.

The Simpson County Farm Bureau Annual Meetingis always well-attended as is their annual Christmasmeeting. Volunteer leaders hold political meet andgreets for politicians on an as-needed basis, and theymake a point of participating in all of the state Farm Bu-reau programs, including Ag Day at the Capitol, AgDay at the Farmers Market, the commodity confer-ences and the policy development meetings. They alsohelp sponsor the annual Magnolia Beef and PoultryExpo.

Simpson County Farm Bureau volunteer leadersworked hard to promote eminent domain reform andare very proud that Initiative #31 passed.

Within their community, Simpson County volunteerleaders work with numerous charitable organizations,including the Red Cross of America and Gateway Mis-sion. They also help the local Relay for Life and sup-port Dixie Youth Sports in Magee, Mendenhall andHarrisville.

“I know that Simpson County residents are com-passionate and caring,” said King. “This was espe-cially evident after Hurricane Katrina, when we joinedtogether to help our neighbors.”

Yesterday & TodaySimpson County Farm Bureau was established in

1952, and the first president was Robert McIntosh. To-day, Carol W. King serves as president, and the countyhas 2,756 members. Simpson County Farm Bureauhas achieved 2012 quota.

Simpson County Farm Bureau still occupies its firstoffice building in Mendenhall, which is named forGeorge Mangum, who was agency manager for 40years. His father Wilkin Mangum also served for atime as agency manager. Simpson County Farm Bureaualso has a satellite office in Magee.

The current vice president is Price Wallace, and thesecretary/treasurer is Trish Yelverton. Active directorsinclude Wiley Ainsworth, Ann Layton, Perry Lee,Carlisle Miller, Donnie Welch, Nell Hughes, ToddDupré, Bennie Sue May, Tom McAlpin Sr., Steve Mad-dox, Mark Wolken, Jeff Jennings, Joe Magee, WalterMcCallum Jr., Jimmie Adcox, Tammy Layton andMike Sykes.

The women’s chair is Tammy Layton, the vice chairis Ann Layton, and the women’s committee includesCandice Wolken, Susan Dupré, Jill Grubbs, Ann Mc-Callum, Rose Ainsworth, Bennie Sue May, JanellaLee, Marsha Magee, Paula Williams, Nell Hughes,Penny McAlpin, Pam Maddox, Amanda Blakeney,Ashley Jennings, Gina Miller, Stephanie Welch, CindyWallace, Beverly Maddox, Jan Smith and Mary LouAdcox.

Region 3 Women’s Chair is Peggy McKey, and Re-gion 5 Regional Manager is Matt Bayles.

Office staff includes Chris Williams, agency man-ager; Trish Yelverton, membership secretary; AnnetteFord, secretary; Keith Moore, agent; and Chris Bowen,agent. Office staff in Magee includes Sheb Roberts,secretary; Robin Breeland, secretary; Dennis Berch,agent; and Dan Johnston, agent.

“We have such a good board. They get things done,”King said. “We also have an excellent staff. We all worktogether here in Simpson County to help our county andstate and to teach people about agriculture.

“Farm Bureau is a great organization,” he con-cluded. “We are very proud to be a part of it.”

Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation is excited toannounce that it is launching a blog. The blog willserve as a resource where visitors can gain accessto agriculture-focused articles. The content of the blog will change regularly and

will include recipes, children’s activities, farmerstories and a segment called Ag 101, which willexplain an agricultural practice that is vital toeveryday food production. Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation serves as

the Voice of Agriculture® for Mississippi farmers. Ourintent is that everyone who accesses our blog willlearn something about state agriculture and theimportant role that it plays in our lives. The blog is designed to engage both farming and

non-farming families. We are eager to hear yourthoughts. The blog address is www.msagvoice.com.

2012 CountyAnnual Meetings

Calhoun CountyFarm Bureau

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 7 p.m.Multipurpose Building

Pittsboro

Desoto CountyFarm Bureau

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 7:30 a.m.Hernando Library

Hernando

Jefferson CountyFarm Bureau

Wednesday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m.Farm Bureau Office

Fayette

Leake CountyFarm Bureau

Thursday, Sept. 6, 6:30 p.m.Farm Bureau Office

Carthage

Lee CountyFarm Bureau

Saturday, Aug. 25, 6 p.m.North MS Research &

Extension Center5421 Hwy 145S

Verona

Marshall CountyFarm Bureau

Thursday, Aug. 2, 6:30 p.m.Marshall County Fairgrounds

Holly Springs

Perry CountyFarm Bureau

Thursday, Aug. 2, 6:30 p.m.Catfish WagonRunnelstown

Please bring a dessert!

Union CountyFarm Bureau

Thursday, Sept. 6, 7 p.m.Union County Fairgrounds –

Ladies BuildingNew Albany

By Kirsten JohnsonMFBF YF&R Coordinator

Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Blog

Farmers enjoyed the many booths set up by localbusinesses during the Farmers Appreciation DayLuncheon.



Documents

Mississippi Farm Country