Mississippi Farm Country Volume 91 No. 5

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

VOLUME 91 NO. 5

A PUBLICATION OF MISSISSIPPI FARM BUREAU FEDERATION • MSFB.ORG

Dreams

MISSISSIPPIFARMERS

FOLLOW THEIR Dreams

26

Volume 91 Number 5September/October 2015

Mississippi Farm Country(ISSN 1529-9600) magazine is

published bimonthly by theMississippi Farm Bureau® Federation.

Farm Bureau members receive this publication as part of their membership benefit. Periodicals postage is paid at

Jackson, MS and at additional mailing offices.

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

EDITORIAL AND BUSINESS OFFICES6311 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211

601-977-4153

EDITOR — Glynda Phillips

ADVERTISINGAngela Thompson

1-800-227-8244 ext. 4242

FARM BUREAU OFFICERSPresident — Mike McCormickVice President — Donald Gant

Vice President — Ted Kendall IVVice President — Reggie Magee

Treasurer — Billy DavisCorporate Secretary — Kent Bloodworth

FARM BUREAU DIRECTORSDr. Jim Perkins, Iuka

Matt Orman, Hickory FlatTommy Swindoll, Hernando

Bob Workman, SledgeTripp Thomas, Batesville

Dan Bishop, BaldwynHerbert Word, Okolona Craig Canull, CaledoniaPepper Beard, McCarley

Dott Arthur, CarthageKenneth Thompson, Philadelphia

Paul Myrick, StringerQuinton Mills, Forest

James Newman, Rolling ForkRobert Earl McGehee Jr., Brookhaven

Earl Gay Edwards, SmithdaleBobby Selman, Monticello

Dorothy Cole, RichtonJ. B. Brown, PerkinstonTom Daniels, GulfportBetty Mills, Winona

Kelly Davidson, Ruleville

HONORARY VICE PRESIDENTLouis J. Breaux III

DEPARTMENTS 4 President’s Message 6 Commodity Update: Forages 7 Commodity Update: Horticulture 18 Strolling: Sam Scott 19 Member Benefits22 Farm Facts

Material in this publication is based on what the editor believes to be reliable information. Neither Mississippi Farm

Bureau Federation nor those individuals or organizations contributing to the MFBF publication assume any liability

for errors that might go undetected in the publication — this includes statements in articles or advertisements that could

lead to erroneous personal or business management decisions.

FARM BUREAU®, FB® and all Farm Bureau logos used in this magazine are registered service marks owned by the

American Farm Bureau Federation. They may not be used in any commercial manner without the prior written consent

of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

FEATURES

T A B L E of C O N T E N T S

september/october 2015

County Annual Meetings The dates and locations for our county

annual meetings are listed inside.

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

8 Farmers & Their Dreams This issue visits several farmers (and other Farm Bureau members) who have success-fully pursued their dreams. Come with us as we learn more.

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

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY 3

Won’t You Join Us?Anyone who knows me knows how passionate I am about Farm Bureau. Through the years, I have seen what a group of farmers can accomplish when they speak with one voice about issues that affect their lives and livelihoods. The Eminent Domain Reform cam-paign comes immedi-ately to mind, but there have been so many other successes throughout our long and storied history.

Farm Bureau is able to tackle the important issues because we are a strong grassroots organi-zation. What that means is that the policy that guides what we do in the legislative and regulatory arenas has its roots on the county level. Mississippi has Farm Bureau offices in all 82 coun-ties. Our volunteer leaders are interested in their local communities, but they are also concerned about what is going on in their state and nation. They don’t hesitate to give of their time and energy to make sure their voices are heard.

In addition to our local influence, Mississippi joins with Farm Bureaus from every state and Puerto Rico to form the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), an organization that is 6 million member-families strong. Through AFBF, we are able to tackle issues of national significance. So as you can see, when you join Farm Bureau you gain access to an extraordinary level

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

PROGRAMS & BENEFITSAll of our Farm Bureau programs are

designed to teach the general public about agri-culture and to give our volunteer leaders the skills and resources they need to address the issues that con-cern them. Among these programs are Public Policy, Young Farmers & Ranch-ers, Women’s Programs, Environmental Programs, Training, Commodity, Safety, Public Relations,

Publications, Land Use, Ag in the Class-room, Field Services and Member Benefits.

With that in mind, we also offer one of the best member benefits packages in the nation. Our insurance products are probably the best known, and they are out-standing, but we have many other programs designed to make your life easier. Just a few of these include dis-counts on Ford and Lincoln vehicles, Polaris ATVs and CASE IH tractors and equip-ment as well as discounts on hotel rooms and rental cars. We have an Identity Theft Credit Restoration program, a Clear Value Hearing program, a Theft Reward program and many fantastic scholarships.

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

ABOUT USMississippi Farm Bureau Federation

has always done an excellent job of teach-ing the public about agriculture. In the near future, we plan to make more of a concerted effort to educate the public about us, the Farm Bureau organization. It is something we have wanted to do for a while, if only to let you know exactly what you get when you pay your mem-bership dues each year. I will keep you up to date as we make our plans in the months ahead.

In conclusion, I want to remind you that our staff and volunteer leaders take

great pride in Farm Bureau’s present and past successes even as we continue to work together to surface programs that will address our future needs in an ever-changing world. If you aren’t already a member, I invite you to explore the possibilities. If you are already a loyal Farm

Bureau member, tell your family, friends and neighbors about us.

Our reach is far, our voice is strong and we are dedicated to making a difference in your life. Won’t you join us? FB

Mike McCormick, President, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation

P R E S I D E N T’S M E S S AG E

WE OFFER ONE OF THE BEST MEMBER BENEFITS

PACKAGES IN THE NATION. OUR INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE

PROBABLY THE BEST KNOWN, AND THEY ARE OUTSTANDING,

BUT WE HAVE MANY OTHER PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO MAKE

YOUR LIFE EASIER.

4 MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

MFBF Board Tours MSU Research

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

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY 5SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

COMMODITY UPDATE: Forage

Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation has introduced a new commodity. Last year, our state board voted in the statewide commod-ity of Forage and Pastureland.

This new commodity is an example of how a grassroots organization works. It started in Simpson County with the county board discussing the need for a forage commodity to help producers get information and have a voice in things going on with their pasture and hay land. Once the county board voted to start this commodity, many other counties signed on in support of the importance of it. After many of the counties showed their support, the commodity was introduced to the state board for adoption, and it was voted in.

With this being a new commodity represented by Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, there are many opportunities that are at hand for farmers and produc-ers. One of them that has recently taken

place in Mississippi is the introduction of a new product called Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF). This is an insurance product that is available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA).

Pasture, Rangeland and Forage insur-ance was designed for maximum flexibility. You are not required to insure all your acres, but you cannot exceed the total number of grazing or haying acres you operate. This allows you to insure only those acres that are important to your grazing program or hay operation. By selecting a Protection Factor, you can establish a value between 60 and 150 percent of the County Base Value and match the amount of your protection to the value of forage that best represents your spe-cific grazing or hay operation as well as the productivity of your land.

This product is based on a rainfall index and according to the Risk Management

Agency website. The rainfall index uses National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center (NOAA CPC) data, and each grid is 0.25 degrees in latitude by 0.25 degrees in longitude. You must select at least two 2-month time periods where rain is important to your operation in your area. These time periods are called index intervals. Your insurance payments will be calculated using NOAA CPC data for the grid(s) and index interval(s) you have chosen to insure. When the final grid index falls below your “trigger grid index” (coverage level multiplied by the expected grid index), you may receive a loss payment. This insurance coverage is for a single peril — lack of rain. Coverage is based on the experience of the entire grid. It is NOT based on individual farms or ranches or specific weather stations in the general area.

Price Wallace MFBF Forage Commodity Advisory Committee Chair

Matt BaylesMFBF Commodity

Coordinator for Forage

Forage New State Commodity

FB

Kent Bloodworth and Tammy Meyer have assumed new responsibilities within the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF). Bloodworth, who is the organization’s general counsel, has been named Corporate Secretary. Meyer will serve as Executive Assistant. Both positions are in the MFBF Executive Department.

“I am so proud to have Kent and Tammy on my team. They are a definite asset to Farm Bureau,” said MFBF President Mike McCormick. “Their work ethic, past experience and dedi-cation to Farm Bureau will serve our organization well in the years to come.”

The 25th Annual Delta Rice Tasting Luncheon will be held Sept. 18, 2015, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Walter Sillers Coliseum on the campus of Delta State University in Cleve-land. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased from the Bolivar County Extension Office by calling (662) 843-8371. Tickets will also be sold at the door. • Rice farmers in Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, California, Missouri and Texas grow 18 billion pounds of rice each year. Nearly 85 percent of the rice Americans eat is grown by America’s rice farmers, which means it is sustainable, healthy and affordable — not to mention delicious and convenient.

Bloodworth, Meyer Assume New Responsibilities

You can find more detailed information at the NOAA website: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outreach/research_papers/ncep_cpc_atlas/7/toc.html.


Horticulture is the science and art of producing, improving, marketing and using fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants.1 It is a diverse and ever-growing seg-ment of the agricultural community, and we have a vast buffet of horticulture crops grown in Mississippi, ranging from sod and ornamentals to an endless variety of fruits and vegetables.

According to the Mississippi Depart-ment of Agriculture and Commerce, the horticulture industry’s value to our state is around $115 million, excluding sweet potatoes, which represent another $96 million. Mississippi’s climate is a plus for growers. With the growing season begin-ning in the early spring and going into the fall, farmers are able to produce multiple crops every year, depending on their loca-tion in the state.

Mississippi is home to over 150 com-mercial sod and ornamental producers. The majority are located in George, Jack-son and Harrison counties. Approximately 5,000 acres of turf grass are grown for use in athletic fields, golf courses and any other place grass is needed. The four most popular varieties of turf grass grown in Mississippi are Bermuda, Zoysia, Centi-pede and St. Augustine. They are grown in multiple varieties and can be sold in sprigs, small squares or even big rolls. Orna-mental products range from azaleas and camellias to daylilies, ferns or most any-thing that you would need for landscaping. One acre of land can produce more than $60,000 of container-grown nursery stock.

According to Mississippi State Uni-versity, the average American’s yearly consumption of fresh fruit is around 104 pounds and around 140 pounds of fresh vegetables. In Mississippi, we grew 109,050 acres of melons in 2014, with the average melon weighing from 18-22 pounds. The southeastern area of Missis-sippi is the center of production, with 25 counties boasting major watermelon pro-duction. Between 400 and 500 acres of cantaloupes are also grown in Mississippi, mostly for local consumers.

Another large horticulture crop for Mis-sissippi is blueberries. In 2014, Mississippi growers picked 2,100 acres of blueberries, yielding over 4,000 pounds an acre. In the United States, Mississippi ranks ninth in blueberry production. Blueberries are har-vested from May until September, with the high point of production being in June and July. Half of all blueberries are sold any-where from farmers markets to stores and pick-your-own farms. The other half are sold wholesale.

On average, 43 different types of veg-etables are grown in Mississippi each year. These crops range from Irish potatoes to rutabagas. In any given year, Mississippi-ans grow anywhere from 300-500 acres of Irish potatoes, 300-1,000 acres of pump-kins and squash and 300-600 acres of okra. Turnips and rutabagas are around 100 acres each, with green and bulb onions a little less than 50 acres. There are several other crops with less acreage throughout the state.

Greenhouse tomatoes are a growing segment of Mississippi agriculture. With around 100 commercial growers and with our $6 million gross annually, we rank 12th nationally in production. Each 24x96 or 30x96 greenhouse will hold about 600 plants and produce a yearly average of 25-30 pounds of tomatoes per plant. Most growers produce two crops per year, but some farmers choose only a spring or a winter crop to supplement other farming interests. Greenhouse tomatoes require a little TLC, with an average house requiring about 20 hours of work per week for the entire growing season.

Most of Mississippi’s horticulture crops are sold locally through stores, roadside stands and farmers markets. Most every county has a farmers market where locally produced products are sold. To find the farmers market closest to you, visit the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s website at www.mdac.ms.gov.

For more information about the horti-culture industry and the information in this article, visit www.msucares.com for the Mis-sissippi State University research and exten-sion services; www.mdac.ms.gov for the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce; or www.growingmississippi.org for the Farm Families of Mississippi Ag Promotion Campaign.

1 As defined by the American Society for Horticul-tural Science

FB

COMMODITY UPDATE: Horticulture

Jason Ellzey MFBF Horticulture Commodity

Advisory Committee Chair

Chris ShiversMFBF Commodity Coordinator

for Horticulture

Horticulture: A Growing Mississippi

Industry


Get off the porch and start chasing your dreams.

Horse breeder Vaughn Wilson of Petal is on a mission to encourage kids (and adults) to listen to their hearts, and he is ideally suited to the task. In pursuing his own dreams, he has become a renowned photographer and art-ist, a musician of note and an award-winning coffee table and children’s book author. He is listed on the performing artist roster for the Mississippi Arts Commission.

“Get off the Porch is what I call my Power Point presentation about my journey along the road less traveled,” he said. “Specifically, it is about my books. I dreamed of putting together a coffee table book about horses, and it is something my wife, Valerie, encour-aged me to pursue. She told me the dream wouldn’t come knocking at my door. I would need to go after the dream.”

Vaughn envisioned a book that would profile horse owners and center on stories about a specific horse that had made a dif-ference in their life. The book would also

include some of Vaughn’s photographs and paintings. His interest in horses stems from his Hawk Crest Farms, where he and his wife have in the past raised national and world champion Appaloosa reining horses.

“I spent three years taking photographs and interviewing people,” he said. “I traveled 40,000 miles, mostly in the South, Southwest and California. About 29 of the 39 people I inter-viewed were in Texas. Charlie Daniels is in the book. I interviewed Reba McEntire’s father, Clark, who is in the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame, and singer/songwriter Michael Martin Murphey. We also have a foreword by base-ball great Nolan Ryan. The book, “Tell Me About That Horse,” was well received, and it still sells very well.”

Vaughn is being humble. The book won

the Will Rogers Medallion Award in 2012 and was a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Awards Coffee Table/Photography Book of the Year and the American Horse

Publications Book of the Year. It has been called a wonderful tribute to horses that have made an impact on the lives of their owners.

“My children’s pic-ture books grew out of the coffee table book,” he said. “I would take one horse story and write a children’s book

around it. I started with one of the best rodeo clowns ever, Lecile Harris, and Sweet Pea, his very fast mule. The first book is called “Lecile and the Racing Rodeo Mule.”

“The next two books are stories told to me by Trevor Brazile, a world-champion rodeo cowboy, and Sam Powell, a renowned “horse whisperer.” The books are entitled “Trevor

GET OFF

.THE. PORCH

B Y G LY N DA P H I L L I P S


and the Cow-Shy Cow Horse” and “Bronco Sam and the Mustang.” All three books have won Will Rogers Medallions (two each) so we are real proud of that. I try to put a bit of a message in them and instill some cow-boy ethics.”

The books are a part of a series of books called “Unkle Hokum Stories,” referring to a character that Vaughn came up with when visiting schools to sing traditional folk songs and encourage children to read.

“The kids had a fit over Unkle Hokum,” he said. “So he is in the books, too.”

The picture books, which are illustrated by Kevin Cordtz, are self-published.

Vaughn and his wife, who is director of the Petal Area Chamber of Commerce, are involved with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library through the Petal Education Foundation.

“Petal is the first town in Mississippi to join the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, and it is a great program,” he said. “We hold fundraisers and solicit donations to

raise enough money to give a child a book a month from birth to the age of five. It takes $29 per child per year to do this, and we cur-rently have 500 children signed up.”

“We must have our schoolchildren reading at their grade level by the time they reach the fourth grade because that is when they begin read-ing to learn,” Vaughn said.

“If we fail them, we stand a good chance of losing them in high school. If we can just get parents reading to their children, then half our battle is won. My books have vocabulary words listed in the back so parents and teachers can talk to their kids about those, too. The pictures in the books are geared toward encouraging pre-school kids to “read” by simply looking at the photos. I am passionate about helping every child in Mississippi reach his or her

full potential through the magic of literacy.”Vaughn is also a member of a country

music group named Lincoln County, so music is a big part of his life as well. He still performs

for benefits and such.The Wilsons have

two children, Matt, a corporate attorney in Atlanta, and Emily, who just graduated from Millsaps College.

For more informa-tion, contact Vaughn at (601) 408-2011. His books are available from Amazon.com

or at www.tellmeaboutthathorse.com or www.unklehokum.com. He also compiled

“Kidfolk: Songs of America,” a CD of classic folk songs that children have been singing and loving for many years. It is available from Amazon.com or at www.unklehokum.com.

Vaughn Wilson is a longtime Forrest County Farm Bureau member. FB

Vaughn and Lecile Harris


“ONE COLD WINTER DAY ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO, IT WAS RAINING AND SNOWING, AND I HAD TO STAND IN LINE FOR THREE HOURS TO GET FEED, WHICH I PUT IN CONTAINERS AND COVERED WITH A TARP. I THOUGHT I HAD IT

COVERED, BUT THE FEED GOT WET, VERMIN GOT IN IT, AND I THOUGHT, ‘I AM TIRED OF THIS.

THERE HAS GOT TO BE A BETTER WAY.’”GREG CHAMBERS

reg Chambers’ passion for farming and his ability to cre-atively tackle the many challenges in farming helped earn him his

first patent in December 2014. His inven-tion, a mobile feeding tank he calls the Cham-bers Feeding Tank, is a unique but practical method of collecting, storing and delivering livestock feed that should be of help to many farmers but especially small farmers.

“One cold winter day about seven years ago, it was raining and snowing, and I had to stand in line for three hours to get feed, which I put in containers and covered with a tarp. I thought I had it covered, but the feed got wet, vermin got in it, and I thought, ‘I am tired of this. There has got to be a better way.’”

Some scrap iron, an old metal tank and an augur lying around his farm caught his eye. As he studied them, the seed for the mobile feeding tank was planted. Soon enough, it began to germinate.

“I started getting up and working on my idea at 2 and 3 in the morning, long before my work day officially began. When the equipment was finished, I used it. As I used it, I tweaked it,” he said.

Alvin Topp, the local Farm Service Agency branch manager, happened to see the tank and told Greg he had never seen anything like it. He said he would help him get it patented. Greg and Alvin, along with a few other friends from the community, flew to Memphis to talk to a patent attorney from Washington, D.C. The attorney told Greg it would take a long time to go through all of the patents and figure out if his was the first. The wait was worth it. Greg was ultimately awarded U.S. Patent No. 8,919,285.

Upon receiving the patent, a prototype was manufactured, and a special ceremony was held. Local businesses put together a pro-

gram this past April at the Prentiss County Ag Center to display the feeding tank. Approxi-mately 400 people attended, along with Gov. Phil Bryant and Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Cindy Hyde-Smith. Alvin was there, along with Greg’s pas-tor, Rev. Houston Owens; Dr. Greg Herd; Ann Harvell, who designed the artwork on the invention; Terry Shelley, secretary for his carpentry business; Winston County Self Help Cooperative President Frank Taylor and Rep. Tracy Arnold.

“I couldn’t believe that many people came,” Greg said with a smile.

HOW IT WORKSHere is how the feeding tank works:

BASICALLY, THE INTERNAL SYSTEM OF THE TANK SIMULTANEOUSLY PREVENTS CAKING OR OTHERWISE SOLIDIFYING OF FEED MATERIAL AND MANEUVERS THE FEED TO A TROUGH FOR DISPENSING ON DEMAND. THE DEVICE INCLUDES AN AUGER COMPONENT WITH A HOUS-ING CAP TO SELECTIVELY ALTER THE RATE OF DISPENSING AS WELL AS PROVIDE A SHUT-OFF MECHANISM IF NEEDED. THE DEVICE CAN BE DRIVEN TO A FEED SOURCE AND FILLED TO ANY SELECTED LEVEL, CLOSED AND TRANS-PORTED TO ANY DESIRED LOCATION FOR DELIVERY. RODENTS AND OTHER PESTS CANNOT INVADE THE STRUC-TURE, AND IT PROVIDES A BARRIER AGAINST MOISTURE.

The trailer, tank and auger will be manu-factured separately. Greg has located a manu-facturer for the trailer in Prentiss County. Mississippi State University experts helped him put together a business plan, and they are helping him find factories, hopefully in Mis-sissippi, for the other parts of his invention.

A BORN FARMEREven at an early age, Greg knew he

wanted to farm. “When I was 7 years old, my friends were

interested in basketball, but I was mesmer-ized by the tractors I would see passing by my house every day,” he said. “We didn’t live on a farm, so I began visiting a neigh-bor’s farm about a half mile down the road.”

The neighbor, Olen Ray Huddleston, let Greg hang around and soon became his mentor, teaching him everything he needed to know about farming.

“When I was 12, I could do anything on the farm,” said the 44-year-old. “I could do it all.”

When Greg told Olen that he wanted a bike like his friends, Olen said, “Well, then, you need to learn how to weld. I will show you.”

Greg could soon fix any equipment that broke. Even today, he would much rather build or repair something than purchase it new. Greg also learned to care for Olen’s horses. He became an expert at showing horses and earned many ribbons in local and state competition.

Today, Greg owns his own farm near Rienzi, where he grows soybeans and corn and raises Black Angus cattle and Bohr goats. He also does carpentry work.

Greg sees many uses for his Chambers Feeding Tank, far beyond what it was designed for, and he is excited about the future.

“I like helping people,” he said. “So many people have helped me through the years, and now, it’s my turn to give back.”

Greg and his wife, Dianna, have three chil-dren, Termorris Miller, Hope Chambers and J’Marcus Chambers. Greg is an active mem-ber of Oakhill M.B. Church in Booneville. He joined the Prentiss County Farm Bureau when he was 18 years old. Greg says he is the first African-American from Prentiss County in more than a century to receive a patent.

FB


G

FARMERAN INVENTIVEAN INVENTIVE FARMER



Delacata is the prime cut of a popular fish that has been grown in the Deep South for many years. Have you guessed which fish? It is U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish.

Only the finest farm-raised catfish are harvested as Delacata. These fish are deep-skinned and hand-trimmed to ensure that the fat and skin layer are removed. Delacata’s light, delicate flavor lends itself well to sauces, marinades and herb rubs. It is best pan sau-téed, grilled or baked.

In Mississippi, Delacata is served at Seafood R’evolution at Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland; Bravo’s at Highland Village in Jack-son; 1908 Provisions at the Fairview Inn in Jackson; and Roca in Vicksburg. You may pur-chase Delacata at McDade’s Market in Jackson.

SIMMONS CATFISHThe Delacata-style catfish fillet is a prod-

uct developed by the U.S. Farm-Raised Cat-fish Industry. Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish in Yazoo City is the only catfish processor in Mississippi that cuts, packages and distributes the Delacata product. Simmons has designed new packaging and is working to get the prod-uct into a national retailer in the near future.

“Delacata doesn’t have the following we want yet, but we feel it is just a matter of time before people catch on to how great a product it is,” said Katy Simmons Prosser, marketing and brand development for Sim-mons Farm-Raised Catfish.

Company founder and owner Harry Sim-mons built his first catfish ponds in 1976 then built a processing plant in 1982. Today, he not only grows the fish, he harvests, processes and distributes it. In addition to the Delacata, Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish offers whole catfish, nuggets, fillets, catfish steak, breaded products, marinated fillets, hushpuppies and breading. For more information, visit the web-site at www.simmonscatfish.com.

Harry serves as chair of the The Catfish Institute (TCI), which was founded in 1986 by

catfish feed mills and their producer members with the goal of raising consumer awareness about the benefits of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish. Today TCI, which represents catfish feed mills in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisi-ana, conducts promotional programs through-out the United States and Canada.

Roger E. Barlow serves as TCI president, and the headquarters is in Jackson.

BEST CHOICEMississippi leads the nation in the produc-

tion of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish. The fish are grown in self-contained clay-based ponds using the good clean water of the Delta’s allu-vial aquifers. The fish are fed a feed comprised primarily of protein, such as soybeans, corn and rice, and are top feeders. The pellets are sprayed onto the surface of the water, and the fish rise up to feed. They are not bottom feeders.

Farm-raised catfish is a protein-rich food that is low in saturated fat and contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, along with other important nutrients. A four-ounce serving contains about 17 grams of protein and only 140 calories.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program lists U.S. Farm-Raised Cat-fish as a “Best Choice” superfood due to its well-managed and sustainable farming practices. It is also endorsed by the World Wildlife Fund, the Audubon Society and the Environmental Defense Fund.

Before harvesting, sample fish are inspected for optimum flavor. The industry is routinely

inspected by the U.S. Department of Com-merce at the processing plant, confirming it has met the highest standards. Production and processing are also monitored by the Federal Food and Drug Administration, Environmen-tal Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as well as state and local agencies.

Industry experts say much of the imported fish being sold as catfish in the U.S. today comes from Southeast Asia, where it is grown and processed under substandard and incon-sistent conditions. Some imported Asian fish have been found to contain carcinogens and illegal antibiotics. Always make sure you are purchasing U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish, and make a point of trying the sweet, light and delicious Delacata.

Mr. Bill’s Pan-Sautéed DelacataMr. Bill Meeks, creator of the Catfish Chip, has been an important part of the Simmons team for almost 30 years. You can often find him in the kitchen preparing catfish in many different ways. This has become his favorite preparation for catfish, especially the Delacata.

6 Simmons Delacata or 5-7 oz. fillets2 tablespoons butter, melted2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning4 teaspoons Cavender’s Greek Seasoning6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1. Combine butter, lemon juice, Tony’s, Cav-ender’s and four tablespoons olive oil in bowl. 2. Wipe the Delacata dry and marinate in but-ter mixture for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.3. Heat a sauté or grill pan to medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Put Delacata in a pan, presentation side down. Cook for 15 minutes then turn and cook for 5 minutes more.4. Serve with sauce of your choice or as a sandwich.Yield: 6 servings


FB

d e l i c a t e & d e l i c i o u sDelaca�a

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

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

Photos courtesy of Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish. MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY 13SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015

Porches Restaurant in Wesson prides itself on exemplifying all that is elegant, festive and just plain enjoyable about din-ing out in the South. Consider the food. The family-owned and family-operated res-taurant serves time-honored Southern fare, often with an interesting twist, that is made from scratch with the freshest ingredients.

Atmosphere is also important. The res-taurant is located in a 4,000-square-foot Victorian home (the former James Samuel Rae Home) that dates back to 1878 and boasts 2,600 square feet of porches. You can sit outside on the long front porch and contemplate the gorgeous trees and hydrangea. Or you can enjoy a wrap-around interior porch that opens up the inside of the house to the outdoors.

The atmospheric old house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has thick heart-pine floors and antique furniture.

Last but certainly not least, the owners of Porches Restaurant are just good folks. In point of fact, how often do you hear of a family uprooting themselves from one town and relocating to another several hours away simply to support the dreams of one of their sons?

Here is their story.

THE DREAMChris McSweyn was majoring in culi-

nary arts at Copiah-Lincoln Community College when his teacher informed him it was time to do an internship. Chris was already working long hours at a local res-taurant while attending classes, and he did not have time for the internship — at least

not in the traditional sense. He asked his teacher, “If I open my own restaurant, will that suffice?” When she gave him her bless-ing, he approached his parents. He was 20 years old.

“We were living in Pearl,” said his father, Al. “I had retired from BellSouth, and Celia was working at Carters Jewelers. She loved her job, but she said, “How can we not let him do this? It’s his dream, and he is so talented.”

The McSweyns bought an historic old house in Wesson, built a commercial kitchen and transformed the front of the home into a restaurant. They still live in the back rooms.

“We thought that maybe we would attract a few patrons, if we were lucky. We thought that he would have his expe-rience then get a real job in Jackson,” said Al. “That was 20 years ago. I can remember when we fed 20 to 30 people a day, and now we average 100 to 150 people daily. We have never stopped growing. We have become a destination restaurant of sorts.”

Two things helped to make that happen. First, the family began cooking their own house rolls, two big batches of them a day, and the rolls became wildly popular, espe-cially during the holidays. Second, word got out about specific dishes Chris was making from scratch.

“People love the food, and they have their favorites. They return again and again,” said Al.

A TALENT FOR FOOD“I wanted to do this from a very young age,

and after cooking for the public for 20 years, I still love it,” Chris said. “It takes a lot of my time. I lose time with my family, especially in

December, but cooking is something I was born to do. I can eat a bite of a dish and tell you exactly what is in it. It is just a knack I have. I love all types of cooking, but making pastries is probably my favorite thing to do.”

The McSweyns say that Celia’s sister, Sybil, is a great cook, too, and helped immensely in the beginning. She still runs the cash register at times. In fact, the entire family pitches in when needed. Oldest son, Trey, works for a large computing firm in Hattiesburg. Chris’ wife, Tonya, is a dietician for Brookhaven public schools. Their two daughters, Carrie and Katie, are in school in Wesson. Al helps in the kitchen, along with three other employees. Celia has a gift shop. The wait staff fluctu-ates in number and uses local college students whenever possible.

Adding locally grown flavor to the enter-prise is neighbor Alton Ricks, a retired Co-Lin dean and head basketball coach who brings the restaurant squash and tomatoes in season. The vegetables are delicious and a point of pride for not only Alton but Al, whose grand-father was one of the biggest tomato growers in Crystal Springs, back when the town was known as the Tomato Capitol of the World.

“There is just something in the soil that gives our tomatoes a great flavor,” he said.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:Visit www.porchesofwesson.com or the Facebook page, porchesrestaurant. The family invites you to check out the You-Tube of Porches. • You can purchase the Porches Restaurant cookbook, “Pineapple Days & Bread Pudding Nights,” by visiting the restaurant or by emailing the McSweyns at [email protected]. The cost is $12.95 plus postage if it is mailed to you.


PORCHES RESTAURANT

ALL ABOUT FOOD & ATMOSPHERE

FB


Bonnie Hawthorne greets you with a warm smile on the day of her interview at her home in Flora. It is the same smile you always saw when you visited the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Building in Jackson, where she worked as Department Assistant to the Executive Department for 17 years. Bon-nie retired in May, and we wish her well. But we sure do miss that smile.

“I loved my job,” she said. “Farm Bureau people are such good people. They really care about the world, and they work hard to make a difference in the world. I think during the years I worked for Farm Bureau there were so many improvements. The staff became so much more involved with the volunteer leaders, helping them carry out programs designed to develop our young farmers’ leadership skills, take our farm-ers’ message to the general public, carry agriculture into classrooms and familiarize lawmakers with our agricultural industry, just to name a few.

“I will miss interacting with our volunteer leaders and staff, but I enjoy my retirement,” she added. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to fill up the hours, but I’m busy every day. There is always something to do around here.”

THE DREAMBonnie and her late husband, Sid,

bought their property some 20 years ago as the Ridgeland area began to grow and become more urban.

“Sid and I lived on East Jackson Street,

and where we lived was wooded and backed up to the Natchez Trace. As businesses and houses began moving into Ridgeland, we began talking about building a house out in the country,” she said. “We had thought about building in Holmes County, but when we saw this land, we fell in love with it.”

Bonnie and Sid had been visiting friends who lived north of Madison when they decided to take a different route home.

“We cut through down this road and saw the For Sale sign. We noticed that the prop-erty was on a lake. There were no houses back then. We knew the fellow selling the land so we talked to him about it. We gave the prop-erty careful consideration before we bought it, and we never regretted our decision.”

Sid grew up on a farm in Madison County, but Bonnie moved a lot as the daughter of a stepfather who worked in construction. Two of the states she lived in were Nebraska and Michigan. It was Sid and Bonnie’s dream to live in the country, and they quickly made the 5-acre piece of prop-erty (two and one-half acres of land and the rest taken up by the lake) their own.

TREES & FLOWERS“I have pear and fig and pomegran-

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

wildflower farm in Fredericksburg, Texas.”In front of Sid’s old woodworking shop

stands a huge arbor covered in a blazing orange trumpet vine. There is also a horse trough converted into a goldfish pond. Bonnie installed an antique iron water pump that had belonged to her grand-mother, and it delivers a steady stream of water to the pond as a fountain of sorts.

“My sister, Colleen, has so many beauti-ful flowers and trees at her home in Natchez, and she is always trying to get me to plant more here,” she said. “That is one of the things I intend to do in my retirement years.” Bonnie also has a sister, Margaret Thompson, who lives outside Houston, Texas.

Bonnie shares her home with her son, Stacy. Her other son, Jason, lives in Gluckstadt. She has three grandchildren, Brianna, Dylan and Kaitlyn.

Bonnie and Stacy spend a lot of time outdoors working in the yard, tending to the animals (including three dogs, two goats, one cat and one miniature horse) and enjoy-ing the lake. Bonnie also travels, visiting friends and family. At the time of her inter-view, she was getting ready to visit an old and dear friend in Arkansas.

“I am enjoying my retirement, but I miss my friends at Farm Bureau,” she said. “Tell them I said hello. They are always welcome to come visit. And tell them to keep up the good work on behalf of our members. That’s what Farm Bureau is all about, and that’s why I believe so deeply in the organization.”


FB

EnjoyingCountry Life


There seems to be a mistaken notion that a lot of people have an absolute right

to quite a few things, opportunities or cir-cumstances — a right of entitlement. What is that, where does it originate, does it even exist? Or is that just another

“wannabe” idea? The only rights I see in the Constitution are set out in the Bill of Rights and its other amendments, and though very significant, they are not pie in the sky.

In my latest dictionary, entitlement is defined as a government program pro-viding benefits to members of a specified group. Not only do I disagree with that, it is not even what I am talking about. In my best-and-biggest 3,000-page dictionary, there is no such word. What I am talking about is life!

I want to be clear that I am not talk-ing about charity or helping those who, because of circumstances, cannot help themselves, and this is not about good and necessary government or private assistance programs. Those who could, but don’t choose to help themselves, do not belong in that category, though many seem to be there.

No, this is much more broad. In the days of the telegraph, a college boy, who didn’t live within his allowance, sent this

to his father: “No mon, no fun, Son.” The next day, he got this back: “Too bad, it’s sad, Dad.” I had my own “no fun” experience as a freshman in college. School was hard, my grades were not good (for a very obvious reason) and a sophomore cheerleader had broken my tender heart. I had borrowed my mother’s car, drove home, told my dad my problems and said I was quitting school. Expecting understanding and encourage-ment, he said: “Fine — go back, get your stuff, come home and drive a tractor until the Army drafts you.” Talk about a reality check! You can easily guess the rest.

This fictitious right spreads across many aspects of life. An adult friend and his girl-friend seemed meant for each other. He was reluctant to make a commitment, and his friends told him he was going to fool around and lose her, but he didn’t listen. Finally he proposed, and she sweetly looked him right in the eyes and said “no.” There are many words to describe his reaction but flabbergasted seems best. He bewailed his fate to those same friends, who quickly replied they didn’t want to hear about it and had told him so. She wouldn’t say “yes” until he begged. He learned his lesson, they married and lived happily ever after. No entitlement!

One father, asked what his son wanted to do after graduation, replied that he wanted to live like those in Gentlemen’s Quarterly without making any effort. In his famous poem, “Ulysses,” Alfred Lord

Tennyson’s hero says: “I am a part of all that I have met.” That, of course, means hard work, much effort, disappointment and failures, or as Churchill said, “toil, sweat and tears.” No one is entitled to live like their parents, neighbors, fellow workers or bosses. Jobs, raises, grades, recognition, honors and success all come with a price. None are or should be free.

In summary, an Eagles song is appropriate:

“You don’t wanna work but live like a kingBut the big bad world doesn’t owe you a thingYou say you haven’t been the same since you had your little crashBut you might feel better if I gave you some cashAll this whinin’ and crying, pitchin’ a fitGet over it, get over it!”

As my 90-year-old mother tearfully said in a very poignant moment about the untimely death of a beloved granddaugh-ter: “Life goes on.”

Braver or more true words I have never heard.

Retired attorney Sam Scott worked with Farm Bureau for many years and continues writing for Mississippi Farm Country. You may contact him by emailing [email protected].

by Sam Scott

Get Over It!

FB

STROLLING


An early summer visit to the Museum of the Mississippi Delta lands you right in the middle of the Summer Discovery program. A group of 4-year-olds are stringing together dried macaroni they have decorated in bright primary colors while happy music blasts in the background and program coordinator Synthia Hoover looks on with a smile.

Summer Discovery gives students ages 4-12 an opportunity to take classes about a wide variety of topics, from art and history to wildlife and Native American culture. It is a great program, but it is only one aspect of this small museum located in Greenwood in the heart of the Mississippi Delta.

MUSEUM HIGHLIGHTSThe Museum of the Mississippi Delta

offers many fascinating and informative exhibits that chart the course of the Missis-sippi Delta from prehistoric to more mod-ern times. Among the highlights is an exhibit of mastodon bones that date back 12,000 years and were found 30 miles southeast of Greenwood. You will also find a collection of Native American artifacts, including pottery from the Humbert McWilliams archeologi-cal site located in the northwestern corner of the Delta as well as the largest collection of Native American trade beads in the southern United States. The archaeology collection is on loan from the L.B. Jones Trust.

“The Native Americans hadn’t seen bright shiny glass beads when the explorers arrived on our shores, so they didn’t hesitate to trade their gold for the beads,” said museum busi-ness manager Dave Freeman.

Also on display in the museum are pho-tographs, furniture and other memorabilia from Malmaison, home of Chief Greenwood Leflore, the last chief of the Choctaw Indi-ans. Leflore was also a planter and a Missis-sippi senator. Malmaison, located northeast of Greenwood, burned to the ground in 1942.

The museum exhibits military artifacts, including a Civil War cannon and a model

of the battle of nearby Fort Pemberton, plus uniforms and equipment from the two world wars. In addition, an entire room devoted to agriculture is filled with plows, fertilizer spreaders, mule hames and blacksmith tools.

Kids love the life-size Delta Swamp walk-through diorama recreating a typical Delta swamp, complete with stuffed rac-coons, boar, fox, bobcat, bear and deer, just to name a few. They also enjoy the adjacent Fossils, Feathers and Furs room, filled with bird and bug collections and different types of animal fur they can touch.

“Some kids are scared of the Delta swamp,” Dave said. “The animals look real and that is scary, but mainly it’s the sounds that frighten them. They depict the many insects and ani-mals to be found in a typical Delta swamp.”

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

SOME HISTORYThe museum, housed in the former Bil-

lups Petroleum Building (1957), is undergo-ing extensive renovations this year in order to devote more space to exhibits and to cre-ate a more “museum-like” look to the exte-rior of the building.

When it opened, the Museum of the Mis-sissippi Delta was called Cottonlandia because the Delta, at the time (1975), was known as Cotton Land. Even though agriculture is still important to the area, the name was changed three years ago to also reflect the art, archeol-ogy, antiques and animals of the Delta.

“The idea is to give our visitors a well-rounded look at the Mississippi Delta,” Dave said.

The Museum of the Mississippi Delta will soon acquire a large mid-19th century steam engine from Florewood Park, which is now closed. It is one of only two in the nation that still runs.

The museum, located on Highway 82 West in Greenwood, is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on Sundays and major holidays. You may phone (662) 453-0925 or (662) 455-7556. Visit:www.museumofthemississippidelta.com.

The museum’s executive director is Cheryl A. Taylor. The volunteers for the museum are called the Friends of the Museum. They serve at the front desk, where they greet visitors and answer the phone. They also assist in guiding tours, hosting receptions, distributing mail-outs and helping with other museum activities. At the time of my visit, long-time Farm Bureau member Janelle Pollan was sitting at the front desk. FB


When it opened, the Museum of the Mississippi Delta was called

Cottonlandia because the Delta, at the time (1975), was known

as Cotton Land. Even though agriculture is still important to the area, the name was changed three years ago to also reflect the art, archeology, antiques

and animals of the Delta.

Museum oF tHe Mississippi DeLta


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

Growing Mississippi Sweet Potatoes by Randle Wright

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

My granddaddy was one of the first growers of sweet potatoes in the Vardaman area, so this has been in my family for years. I grew my first crop on my own in 1978, and it was only eight acres. Today, we grow approximately 1,300 acres, plus we pack and ship the crop to stores across the country.

Growing sweet potatoes is a multi-step process. We start, usually in March, by planting the seed potatoes in beds, cover-ing them up with dirt and putting black plastic over the dirt to heat the ground up so the plants will come up. When the plants emerge from the ground, we pull the plastic

off and let the plants grow to a height of about 12 inches by mid-May. Then we cut the plants at ground level and transport these plants that we call slips to the field and plant them one at a time down the rows of the field. We have two people riding the setter per row, and we run 8-row setters. It usually takes us until the end of June to get all of the slips planted. Because of the wet spring we had this year, we didn’t get fin-ished planting until nearly the Fourth of July.

Then it’s just a matter of letting the plants grow to the right size and keeping


the weeds at bay. We plow with a cultivator, but sometimes, you have to go out there and hit the weeds with a hoe or pull them out by hand.

Depending on the weather, it takes the potatoes about 100-110 days to mature. That means that we start harvesting around the end of August or the first of Septem-ber. It takes about two months to get all of the potatoes out of the ground, but we like to be finished by the end of October, weather permitting.

Our sweet potatoes are harvested with a chain digger that conveys the potatoes up to a sorting crew that is riding on the digger.

Also, we use a bucket crew, where potatoes are plowed out of the ground and workers pick them up and put them in bins.

At the shed, they are washed and packed into 40-pound boxes or 3-, 5- and 8-pound bags that go to distribution centers which deliver to grocery stores and restaurants. We also ship potatoes to be canned, diced up and frozen or made into french fries.

Once our potatoes have been harvested, we can keep them in storage under the right conditions with our humidifiers and cool-ers for about 13-14 months. That ensures that you as a consumer can have fresh, cured sweet potatoes all year long.

I don’t know that I have any one par-ticular favorite part of being a sweet potato farmer, but just watching the plants go in the ground, seeing them grow and then watching the finished product go out the door to consumers across the country gives me a great deal of pride in what we as a fam-ily do for a living.

The Farm Families of Mississippi (FFM) Agriculture Promotion Campaign was created to educate the public about the agriculture industry. For more information, contact Greg Gibson at (601) 977-4154.

I don’t know that I have any one particular favorite part of being a sweet potato farmer, but just watching the plants go in the ground, seeing them grow and then watching the finished product go out the door to consumers

across the country gives me a great deal of pride in what we as a family do for a living.— Randle Wright

Photo by Brianna Caradine, ARC Photography, Vardaman


Catfish Alison

6-8 catfish fillets 1 c. grated Parmesan cheese½ c. butter, softened6 T. mayonnaise6 sm. green onions, finely chopped½ tsp. Worcestershire sauceDash of Tabasco sauce

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

Wanda HillHumphreys County

½ c. flourSalt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Drop by teaspoon into hot oil. Cook until golden brown.

Clara BilboMadison County

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

Catfish Almondine

1 lb. catfish fillets½ stick margarine1 small bag slivered almondsLemonsSalt1 egg, beaten1 c. flour

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

Carolyn TurnerJones County

Squash Hushpuppies

2 c. squash, grated¼ c. onion, finely chopped2 T. sugar1 ½ c. cornmeal1 lg. egg2 T. butter, softened

Recipese


Benton Moseley of Florence is the new Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Safety Specialist for the Central District area of the state.

Benton is a graduate of Florence High School, Hinds Community

College and Mississippi State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural information science with an emphasis in education.

Before coming to Farm Bureau, Benton was an ag instructor and FFA advisor at McLaurin High School in Florence, where he taught students the importance of agriculture, food and natu-ral resources.

Benton’s counties will include Washington, Humphreys, Holmes, Attala, Winston, Noxubee, Issaquena, Sharkey, Yazoo, Madison, Leake, Neshoba, Kemper, Warren, Hinds, Rankin, Scott, Newton, Lauderdale and Claiborne.

Moseley New Safety Specialist

Tucker Wagner, 21, a senior at Mississippi State University, served as the 2015 Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Summer Intern. Wagner, whose family raises beef cattle and also shows cattle and pigs,

is majoring in animal and dairy science with a minor in agribusi-ness. He hopes to one day work for an organization like Farm Bureau.

“This internship has been great,” he said. “It was more than I expected. I have been very involved with what is going on within the organization, and I’ve gotten a great overview of Farm Bureau and what it does for the farmer.”

Tucker is the son of Ricky and Jennifer Wagner of Collinsville.

Wagner Serves as Summer Intern


Alcorn County Farm BureauMonday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m.Alcorn County Extension OfficeCorinthPlease bring your favorite dessert.

Amite County Farm BureauThursday, Oct. 15, at 6:30 p.m.Harrison BuildingLiberty

Attala County Farm BureauThursday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m.Redbud Springs Golf ClubhouseKosciusko

Chickasaw County Farm BureauThursday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeHouston

Claiborne County Farm BureauThursday, Sept. 17, at 1 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficePort Gibson

Clarke County Farm BureauThursday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m.Multipurpose BuildingQuitmanRSVP by Oct. 23 at (601) 776-6977.

Covington County Farm BureauThursday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m.Multipurpose BuildingCollins

Forrest County Farm BureauTuesday, Sept. 8, at 6 p.m.MSU Extension Office952 Sullivan DriveHattiesburg

George County Farm BureauMonday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeLucedale

Grenada County Farm BureauTuesday, Sept. 8, at 7:30 a.m.Farm Bureau OfficeGrenada

Hancock County Farm BureauTuesday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.McLeod ParkKiln

Harrison County Farm BureauSaturday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m.West Harrison High SchoolGulfport

Hinds County Farm BureauMonday, Sept. 28, at 1 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeRaymond

Jackson County Farm BureauSaturday, Sept. 26, at 4 p.m.East Central Community Center4300 Highway 614Hurley

Jefferson County Farm BureauWednesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeFayette

Jefferson Davis County Farm BureauTuesday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficePrentiss

Jones County Farm BureauTuesday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeLaurel

Kemper County Farm BureauTuesday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m.County Farmers Market BuildingDeKalb

Lamar County Farm BureauMonday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m.Okahola Voting Precinct59 Old Okahola School RoadPurvis

Lauderdale County Farm BureauTuesday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeMeridian

Leflore County Farm BureauThursday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeGreenwood

Lowndes County Farm BureauTuesday, Sept. 1, at 6:30 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeColumbus

Madison County Farm BureauTuesday, Sept. 15, at 10 a.m.Farm Bureau OfficeCanton

Marion County Farm BureauThursday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m.Columbia Exposition Center150 Industrial Park RoadColumbia

Monroe County Farm BureauTuesday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeAberdeen

Montgomery County Farm BureauTuesday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeWinona

Neshoba County Farm BureauTuesday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m.Neshoba County ColiseumPhiladelphia

Newton County Farm BureauThursday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m.First Baptist ChurchNewton

Noxubee County Farm BureauTuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m.County Civic CenterMacon

Oktibbeha County Farm BureauThursday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m.MAFES Conference Center – Bull BarnStarkville

Panola County Farm BureauMonday, Sept. 21, at 6:30 p.m.Cracker BarrelBatesvilleLight refreshments will be served.

2015 County Annual Meetings


Pearl River County Farm BureauTuesday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m.Jack’s Fish HouseCarriereRSVP by Oct. 8(601) 798-2861 or (601) 795-4584.

Pontotoc County Farm BureauThursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m.Pontotoc Community HousePlease bring a covered dish.Meat, bread and drinks will be provided.

Rankin County Farm BureauMonday, Sept. 21, at 6 p.m.County Extension OfficeBrandonSupper will be served.

Scott County Farm BureauThursday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m.Alfreda LodgeRoosevelt State ParkMorton

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

Simpson County Farm Bureau cont.Highway 49 SouthMendenhall

Smith County Farm BureauTuesday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeRaleigh

Tallahatchie County Farm BureauTuesday, Oct. 20, at 7:45 a.m.Farm Bureau OfficeCharleston

Tippah County Farm BureauMonday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m.County FairgroundsRipleyLadies are asked to bring a dessert.

Tishomingo County Farm BureauThursday, Sept. 17, at 6:30 p.m.County High School CafeteriaIuka

Union County Farm BureauThursday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m.Union County FairgroundsLadies Building

Warren County Farm BureauTuesday, Sept. 15, at 6 p.m.Farm Bureau Office1005 Mission Park DriveVicksburg

Washington County Farm BureauThursday, Oct. 8, at 5:30 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeGreenville

Wayne County Farm BureauThursday, Oct. 8, at 6 p.m.Farm Bureau OfficeWaynesboro

Winston County Farm BureauThursday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m.Winston County Shrine ClubHighway 15 SouthLouisville

Yazoo County Farm BureauThursday, Nov. 19, at 10 a.m.Farm Bureau OfficeYazoo City


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

This year, even though the temperature was very hot, the event enjoyed a great turn-out. Sixty-seven people participated for a vari-ety of prizes. The course consists of 100 shots at 12 different stations, creating a challenging and fun course.

The committee would like to thank all of the sponsors, donors and participants for making the event a success. They would like to extend a very special thank you to MFBF Presi-

dent Mike McCormick, MFBF North Mis-sissippi Vice President Donald Gant, MFBF Central Mississippi Vice President Ted Kendall IV and MFBF South Mississippi Vice President Reggie Magee for their generous donation of a Browning Silver Hunter 12-Gauge Shotgun that was awarded to the top shooter of the day.

For more information about the Missis-sippi Farm Bureau Federation YF&R Pro-gram, call (601) 977-4277. FB

BY K I RS T E N J O H N S O N , M F B F Y F & R C O O R D I N ATO R

2015 Gary Langley Memorial Clay Shoot

High Shooter — Kyle Wiggs, Marks First-Place Team — Top Gunn Lawncare: Will Gunn, Hayden Hawk, Sam Gunn and Terry Hawkins

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

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

Gold-Level Sponsors: Mississippi Farm Bureau FederationAcademy Sports & OutdoorsSunflower County Farm BureauPeoples Bank

Silver-Level Sponsors: Tippah County Farm BureauMadison County Farm BureauMississippi Ag

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

StockPro — Collins Watson Quality FordAg Leader

Top Shooter — Browning Silver Hunter 12-Gauge Shotgun — Mike McCormick, Donald Gant, Ted Kendall and Reggie MageeFirst Place — Four ATV Bags and $25 Gift Cards — Academy Sports & Outdoors

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

YF&R CLAY SHOOT SPONSORS/DONORS



National YF&R Prize Package

Calendar of Events

SEPT. 18 Rice Tasting Luncheon Walter Sillers Coliseum Delta State University Cleveland

OCT. 7-18 Mississippi State Fair Mississippi Fairgrounds Jackson

NOV.12 State Resolutions Meeting MFBF Building, Jackson

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

JAN. 10-13 AFBF Annual Meeting Orlando, Florida

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

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) competitions will offer great prizes in 2016.

Winners of the Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agri-culture contests will have a choice of a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado or a 2016 GMC Sierra pickup truck, sponsored by Chevrolet and valued at $35,000. In addition, they will receive a paid registration to attend the 2016 AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference, Feb. 12-15, in Kansas City, Missouri.

Three finalists in the Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agriculture contests will receive a Case IH Farmall 50A, sponsored by Case IH, along with a $2,500 cash prize and $500 in merchandise, courtesy of STIHL.

Winners will be determined at AFBF Annual Convention, Jan. 10-13, 2016, in Orlando, Florida.

For more information about YF&R competition, contact Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation YF&R Coordinator Kirsten Johnson at (601) 977-4277.

Mississippi YF&R state competition also offers a fantastic prize package.

In the event any of the national event awards are unavailable, AFBF reserves the right to substitute a prize of comparable or greater value at its sole discretion. Winners and final-ists will be expected to 1) accept the awarded prize and 2) consent to the use of their name, likeness and hometown in promotional mate-rial, and must be legally eligible to do both.

FB


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

Ag in the Classroom Workshops

Coloring Contest Winner

Teachers from across the state participated in Ag in the Classroom Teacher/Volunteer Leader workshops held this summer in Hernando, Jackson and Hattiesburg. The workshops, coordinated by the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Programs, are designed to give teachers ideas about how to incorporate agriculture into their classroom activities.

Workshop participants are pictured taking part in a Soaring Seeds presentation as well as the Drinking and Driving and Texting and Driving demonstrations. They also learned about the Mississippi State University Poultry Ventilation Trailer and many other interesting topics.


The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Women’s Programs will sponsor their first-ever photo contest this year, with entries to be received by Nov. 1, 2015. All photographs must be your own original creation. You may submit a photo(s) in one or all three categories as follows:

• At Home on the Farm — Includes but is not limited to your farm and gardening as well as all ages, family members and generational groups.

• My Scenic Farm — Dynamic and visually appealing photos can cover a variety of topics, including but not lim-ited to farm houses, barns, crops, farm animals, land, etc.

• At Work on the Farm — Can cover a variety of topics, including but not limited to planting, harvesting, irrigat-ing, animal care, branding, etc.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three photos in each category as fol-lows: First Place — $75; Second Place

— $50; and Third Place — $25.The contest is open to all Mississippi

Farm Bureau members and employees over the age of 18 at the time of entry — amateur photographers only. All photos must be taken in Mississippi.

A 2015 Photo Contest Entry and Release Form must be filled out for each image. All images and forms must be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Forms can be found on the MFBF website at www.msfb.org. On the left-hand side, click Programs then Women.

This contest is being held in order to obtain usable and appropriate photos which accurately portray today’s agri-culture. They may be used in future promotions and publications.

2015 Photo Contest

FB



Ag Mags Available Farm Bureau offers a children’s agricultural newsletter called Ag Mag. Each issue features one Mississippi commodity or related topic through facts, activities, games and more. You can order copies of the newsletter for your local classroom or ag promo-tion events from our Ag in the Classroom program. Dairy, corn, poultry, horticul-ture, cotton, soil and honey bee editions are now available. Contact Pam Jones at [email protected] or (601) 977-4854.


Documents

Mississippi Farm Country Volume 91 No. 5