1. business and industrial
2. agriculture and forestry
3. crops and seed

MISSISSIPPI’S LAND
AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE
CONTENTS
4
18
22
26
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
Volume 85 Number 2
March/April 2009
Features
EDITOR
Glynda Phillips
LAND PROGRAM
Mississippi’s greatest resource is its land.
Come with us as we learn about the Mississippi
Farm Bureau Federation Land Program and its
work with issues that affect state landowners.
SOLVE THE MYSTERY
This Smith County town hosts a
watermelon festival each July.
Read the clues and make your guess.
RURAL LIVING
In this issue, we visit Mary Ann McCurley’s
Greenhouse and Country Things in Wilkinson
County. We also stop by the quaint and historic
town of Carrollton.
STATE CONVENTION
Come with us as we look back at the 87th
Annual Meeting of the Mississippi Farm
Bureau Federation.
Departments
FARM BUREAU OFFICERS
President - David Waide
Vice President - Donald Gant
Vice President - Randy Knight
Vice President - Reggie Magee
Treasurer - Billy Davis
Corporate Secretary - Ilene Sumrall
FARM BUREAU DIRECTORS
Dr. Jim Perkins, Iuka
Kevin Simpson, Ashland
Paul Briscoe, Oxford
Bill Ryan Tabb, Cleveland
Mike Ferguson, Senatobia
Dan L. Bishop, Baldwyn
L.C. Sanders, Hamilton
Doss Brodnax, Starkville
Betty Mills, Winona
Weldon Harris, Kosciusko
Kenneth Thompson, Philadelphia
Max Anderson, Decatur
James Ford, Taylorsville
Mark Chaney, Vicksburg
Jeff Mullins, Meadville
Bill Pigott, Tylertown
E.A. “Pud” Stringer, Foxworth
Wendell Gavin, Laurel
Terry B. Estis, Lucedale
Tom Daniels, Gulfport
Dott Arthur, Carthage
Brad Woods, Columbia
HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS
Louis J. Breaux, David H. Bennett, and
Warren Oakley
Mississippi Farm Country
(ISSN 1529-9600) magazine is
published bimonthly by the
*Mississippi Farm Bureau® Federation.
EDITORIAL AND BUSINESS OFFICES
6311 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211
TELEPHONE
601.977.4153
4 President’s Message
6 Commodity Update: Poultry
7 Commodity Update: Peanuts
20 Counselor’s Corner
ADVERTISING
Call Paul Hurst at
1.800.397.8908
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 to
P. O. Box 1972, Jackson, MS 39215.
31 FB Member Benefits
ABOUT THE COVER
J.B. Brown and son Kevin manage their Stone County timberland for deer and other
wildlife. Read their story on pages 8 & 9.
MARCH/APRIL
Graphic Arts Coordinator
Danielle Ginn
Department Assistant
Angela Thompson
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
*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.
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.
3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Farmers Never Take
Land for Granted
By David Waide • President, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation
his issue of our magazine focuses on
three issues we think are very
important to Mississippi’s economy:
land, poultry and peanuts. The first topic we’ll
examine is land, something that farmers never
take for granted.
More than a year ago, the Mississippi Farm
Bureau Federation board established the Land
Use Committee. Everyone in agriculture
knows the importance of land in commodity
production. The Land Use Committee is
attempting to identify ways that our land can
be better utilized to the advantage of its
owners and ultimately to the advantage of the
consuming public. This is critical because of
the escalating cost of production in all areas of
agriculture.
In attempting to utilize the land for its best
and most profitable use, farmers find it
necessary to comply with numerous
regulations. All of this will be taken into
account as the committee decides the way that
it will administer recommendations on the
utilization of agriculture’s greatest resource,
our land.
T
AD VALOREM TAX
One area we are concerned with is the
accelerating ad valorem tax that we are
seeing on agricultural land. Back in the
1970s, Farm Bureau was active in getting a
classification system in place for all property
in Mississippi. Farmland carries a 15 percent
classification value based on its use.
Ad valorem tax on row crop property is
determined by the value our land-grant
college sees in the production of the various
acreage based on the commodity produced
and the input cost. While this is a very
acceptable way of appraising farmland, it
4
does have its disadvantages.
In years like those that we have just seen,
escalating commodity prices will mean taxes
increase in a year when farmers are in a
tremendous cost-price squeeze. The reason
for that is the appraisal actually works two
years in arrears. This is an issue that we, as
agriculturists, are going to have to cope with
in the future because being able to own the
land means being able to make a reasonable
return on the investment.
When we have had the escalation of
commodity prices that we have seen this past
year, it is going to distort the economic value
for tax purposes in a year when the profit is
not going to be there to pay the tax increase
that may be forthcoming.
In addition to utilizing land for commodity
production, such as the major row crops, we
also have utilization for forests, forest
products, and all types of livestock operations.
Farmers generally attempt to do what is most
profitable on their land, and this will continue
to be the case.
It is the hope of the Land Use Committee
that they will be able to recommend ways to
add value to the commodities that are
being produced and, hopefully, make land
ownership a continuing part of the family
farm.
POULTRY & PEANUTS
In addition to looking at our land use in
the various articles written around the
committee’s activities, we are also focusing
on poultry and peanuts.
Poultry has long been the number one
commodity produced in terms of farm gate
value in Mississippi. It has meant much to
Mississippi’s economy in that it has created
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
numerous jobs off the farm in the processing
industry.
Poultry continues to grow but, indeed, it has
its challenges. The downturn in the economy
is affecting individual incomes but, in the long
run, this may have a positive effect on poultry
because it has been a cheaper protein
source in our diets for a good number of
years. Poultry is a wholesome, healthy food.
Consumers have learned to enjoy poultry
prepared in many different ways.
We are also focusing on the peanut industry
and its growth in this state. Peanuts were
grown a number of years ago but, for the most
part, have been moved from the localities
where they were once produced.
Peanuts are very sensitive to having a sandy
soil type. Producers who are growing peanuts
have found that they are able to produce a
very good return in years the weather
is favorable. Peanuts are used in many
American diets and are certainly a very
valuable protein source.
As well as being an edible commodity,
peanuts played a huge role in industrial
development in that the original diesel engine
was designed to run on peanut oil. While
peanuts have proven to be more valuable as
an edible commodity, the fact that the oil from
peanuts was utilized to run the first diesel
engine manufactured also had a major
contribution in our finding alternative fuels.
I hope you enjoy reading this edition of
Mississippi Farm Country. In addition, I hope
you will take the time to familiarize yourself
with the various challenges agriculture has
both in the utilization of its land and with
the two commodities upon which we are
focusing in this issue of our magazine.
MARCH/APRIL
2009 Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors
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5
COMMODITY UPDATE
John Logan
POULTRY
Jack Alexander
Paints, Vaccines, Down Jackets
John Logan, MFBF Poultry Advisory Committee Chair
Jack Alexander, MFBF Commodity Coordinator for Poultry
Each year, Americans consume some 86.6 lbs. of chicken, 16.4 pounds of turkey
and 250 eggs per person. Chicken and turkey are wholesome and nutritious, and
eggs are high in protein and full of essential vitamins and minerals.
We enjoy poultry food products, but few of us ever think about the
items that are made from poultry byproducts. Fertilizer is one such
product.
Farmers put to good use the manure that is cleaned from the houses
where the birds are grown. Poultry litter is used as a fertilizer or
fertilizer supplement, and it is perhaps one of the best and least tapped
resources that we have on our farms today.
Another product that comes from poultry is paint. We often don’t
think about the utilization of poultry products in paints, but this is a
common use. Many vaccines also use egg resources to create an
injectable medication.
One of the most commonly thought of uses of poultry lies in the use
of feathers for insulating material. Perhaps the most common is the
insulating material in down jackets.
It may surprise people that one of the most heavily exported
poultry products is chicken paws (or feet). Chicken paws are valued by
many Asian countries where they are used in soups and stews.
INDUSTRIES BENEFIT
Farmers, processing facilities and supermarkets benefit from the
growing, processing and sales of poultry products. Here are some other
industries that benefit directly from the Mississippi poultry industry:
■ freezers and refrigerated-related industries
■ transportation firms, including road, railroad and shipping that
transport poultry
■ grain and other feed ingredients and materials
■ vendors of packaging such as paper and plastic
■ construction and contractors for building plants
■ mills and poultry houses
■ financial industry
■ equipment manufacturers
■ energy, fuel and propane interests.
6
POULTRY STILL NO. 1
Poultry remains Mississippi’s No. 1 agricultural commodity with a
2008 estimated production value of $2.3 billion. Mississippi ranks
fourth in U.S. broiler production and 13th in egg production.
The Mississippi poultry industry is concentrated in the south central
area of the state, while most of the nation’s broilers are produced in the
southern part of the United States. Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama,
Georgia and Arkansas are all leading meat-producing states for
chicken. California is still the leading state in egg production.
For more information about our state’s poultry industry, visit the
Mississippi Poultry Association’s Web site at www.mspoultry.org.
Information sources for this article include the Mississippi Farm
Bureau Federation, American Egg Board, American Meat Institute,
Mississippi Poultry Association and Mississippi State University
Extension Service.
MAGNOLIA BEEF AND POULTRY EXPO
Make plans to attend the 2009 Magnolia Beef and Poultry Expo
to be held April 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Smith County Ag
Complex in Raleigh.
The expo will feature educational seminars and a trade show
featuring agricultural equipment and other valuable information
for beef and poultry producers.
This event is sponsored by Mississippi State University Extension
Service; Jasper, Newton, Rankin, Scott, Simpson and Smith
counties; and Community Bank.
For details, contact your local Extension office or Community
Bank.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
COMMODITY UPDATE
Clayton Lawrence
Greg Shows
PEANUTS
Peanut Production in Mississippi
By: Clayton Lawrence, MFBF Peanut Advisory Committee Chair
Greg Shows, MFBF Commodity Coordinator for Peanuts
For the seventh consecutive year, peanut acreage increased in the state were abandoned.
of Mississippi. According to Farm Service Agency (FSA) records,
Even with the problems encountered this year, producers still harplanted acreage was up from 18,000 to 20,800 acres in 2008, and another vested a record crop. Yield estimates for the state are 4,000 pounds per
increase is expected again in 2009. George County still ranks first in acre, significantly higher than our 5-year average of 3,600 pounds, and
total production, but the northeastern portion of the state is seeing the grades were strong as well.
largest increase in acres.
For those who are considering growing peanuts in 2009, there are
Several factors have contributed to this increase in the state. First, some things to keep in mind. Peanuts are not for everybody. We have to
profit potential is higher for peanuts than many of our other crops. keep peanuts on sandy or loamy-type soils. Peanuts are more labor
Peanuts work well in a rotation with cotton or corn, and they are a more intensive than some of our other crops, especially at harvest time, and
drought tolerant crop. Also, peanuts require less fertilizer than other peanuts must be rotated. It is recommended that a field be planted to
crops. These factors, coupled with the strong contract prices offered for peanuts only one year out of three. Tighter rotation intervals will reduce
the past two seasons, have allowed this increase in Mississippi peanut yields and increase disease potential.
production.
The year 2008 also saw the addition of Mississippi’s second peanut This article was written by Michael S. Howell, Area Agronomist, Misbuying point. This facility is located near Aberdeen, and it handled some sissippi State University Extension Service.
8,000 acres of peanuts in its first year of operation. This facility allowed
growers a local point to sell their peanuts
and avoid the high cost of trucking peanuts
to traditional growing areas.
This season did see its share of challenges
for peanut producers. Insects are seldom a
problem in peanuts; however, this season
saw approximately 50 percent of the acres
receiving an insecticide application, and
some received multiple applications.
Disease pressure was also higher this
season than in the past. Tropical weather
patterns that moved across the state
during the late summer contributed to this
problem. Leaf spot was found in most fields
this season, even in areas that had not
experienced this problem in the past. Wet
conditions also contributed to higher than
normal white mold pressure across most of
the state.
Harvest began in mid-September in South
Mississippi and by early October in North
A Partnership of Mississippi State University, the City of Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
Mississippi. For the most part, harvest went
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MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
7
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LAND & WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
By Glynda Phillips
A labor of lo ve
A growing number of Mississippi landowners are managing their timberland
for wildlife and recreational purposes. Some want better hunting, fishing and
viewing opportunities for friends and family members, while others are interested
in operating fee-based hunting and fishing enterprises.
J.B. Brown says he began working with experts to develop a wildlife management
plan for his Stone County timberland because he was frustrated with the lack of
white-tailed deer to be found there. The longleaf and slash pine timber hadn’t been
actively managed for wildlife in a long time, and the region’s lower coastal plain
soils tend to be a less productive wildlife habitat when compared to the state’s more
fertile soils.
“Our property was just a barren wasteland and our white-tailed deer population
was pathetic when we began managing it eight years ago,” Brown said. “We had
maybe 15 deer on about 2,400 acres of timberland, and the deer weren’t any kind of
size.
“We like to hunt, but we also enjoy watching our wildlife. We knew that a healthy
longleaf pine ecosystem would support a number of wildlife species, and that’s what
we wanted.”
Luckily, J.B. had a strong ally in his son, Kevin, who has helped him every step of
the way.
“This means as much to me as it does to my father. I enjoy hunting and fishing and
so do my friends and clients,” said the 25-year-old farmer and real estate developer.
“I also enjoy working to establish an environment that encourages the growth of
abundant, healthy wildlife.”
THE PLAN
The Browns teamed up with experts at Mississippi State University and the
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to develop a plan tailored
to their land and area of the state. Their program began with a participation in the
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks’ Deer Management
Assistance Program (D-MAP).
The men made the decision to erect 10-foot-tall fences to completely enclose all
2,400 acres of property, which is owned by the Browns and their neighbors,
8
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
businessmen John and Jack White and retired
surgeon Dr. Stanton Shuler. The reasoning
behind the tall fences is to keep the deer from
moving in and out of the area.
The men also began select cutting timber
and building fire lanes and access roads because deer, turkey and quail like both space
and cover. In addition, they used prescribed
burning to control hardwood competition.
This lets in sunlight to encourage other forage
plants to become established.
Property owners should consult with experts before attempting to use the prescribed
burning process. The Browns took courses at
Mississippi State University to get their licenses in prescribed burning.
As yet another step in the process, the
Browns planted 10-acre (or less) food plots of
soybeans, clover, milo, wheat, ryegrass and
corn, checker-boarding the plots throughout
the property. Soybeans and clover are good
sources of protein to help deer build muscle.
Corn provides carbohydrates which fatten up
the animals for the winter months. The clover
provides cover and nesting habitat for quail
and turkey. Quail eat insects on the clover and
also eat the milo.
“We plant a lot of Alyce clover, chufas,
LAS1 and Cherokee clover, Roundup-Ready
soybeans and Egyptian wheat,” J.B. said. “I
want natural food for my wildlife, not protein
pellets. This brings the body weight up and
ensures that I won’t give my animals contaminated pellets. You hear about pellets being
contaminated sometimes, and I don’t want to
take that chance with my wildlife.”
The men erected special 8-foot-tall fences
around their soybean fields. The bottom half
of the fence is fixed, while the top part is
hinged so that the fence can be raised to
keep deer out until the soybeans are 12”-18”
tall, then lowered so the deer have access to
soybeans all through the summer.
HURRICANE KATRINA
Hurricane Katrina dealt Stone County
timberland owners a devastating blow in
2005, and the Browns say they’ve been
playing catch-up ever since in terms of clearing out downed trees. But finally, in recent
months, they have been able to proceed with
their land management plan. They are ready
to do more prescribed burning and to plant
hardwood corridors on the farm’s low areas.
The Browns are lucky to have a creek on
their property, Juniper Creek, as well as
MARCH/APRIL
numerous ponds. Some of the ponds are rice
ponds for geese and ducks.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
J.B. says if you are interested in managing
your timberland for wildlife and if you want to
open your property for recreational purposes,
you need to keep in mind the following:
WORK WITH EXPERTS “Get in touch with
experts like Chris McDonald, Larry Castle
and William McKinley of the Mississippi
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
and Dr. John Hodges, a forester at Mississippi
State University. Call landowners like me who
have experience with this.”
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS “Don’t go
into this expecting immediate results,” he
said. “It takes about five years and involves
a lot of time and hard work. We also used a
lot of our own money. We took advantage
of some Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) programs, but we funded
most of the improvements ourselves.”
LARGE ACREAGE “The larger the acreage,
the easier it is to manage,” he said. “Smaller
acreage is more management intensive.”
LIABILITY COVERAGE “There are a lot of
liability issues when you invite people onto
your land to enjoy either wildlife viewing
or hunting,” he said. “On hunts, we have
someone with our visitors at all times. We also
try to keep our deer population in check so it
doesn’t prove to be dangerous to visitors. For
that purpose, we hunt our does more than
our bucks.”
THIS CAN WORK “If you intend to open
your land for fee-based hunting, this can
work,” he said. “We haven’t gotten around to
doing that yet – and we may never do it. We
enjoy our wildlife and want to keep it among
friends and family.”
J.B. emphasizes the importance of working
with experts in managing your timberland for
wildlife.
“When you work with experts, you bring to
the table different minds, areas of expertise
and divergent views, and you come up with a
plan that will make your land work for you
and your area of the state,” he said.
“Remember, this can bring in extra income
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
if you work hard enough and if that’s what
you want,” he said. “If you don’t want a feebased operation then a good land management
plan can give you and your family years of
personal satisfaction and enjoyment.”
J.B. Brown is a member of the Mississippi
Farm Bureau Federation Land Program. For
more information about the Land Program,
contact Land Program Coordinator Doug
Ervin at 601.551.5311.
J.B. Brown is chair of the Mississippi Farm
Bureau Federation Forestry Advisory
Committee. He is president of Stone County
Farm Bureau and is president of the
American Farm Bureau Federation Forestry
Advisory Committee.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
To receive help in managing your timberland for wildlife and recreational purposes,
contact the following organizations:
• Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation –
Contact MFBF Land Program Coordinator Doug Ervin at 601.551.5311
• Mississippi Forestry Commission –
MFC has offices in each county.
• Mississippi Department of Wildlife,
Fisheries and Parks – Call 601.432.2400
or the Biologist of the Day at
601.432.2199
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
– Call your county office or contact
Natural Resource Specialist Decunda
Bozeman at 601.965.4139, ext. 120
• Mississippi State University Extension
Service/MSU Natural Resource
Enterprises Department-Contact
Dr. Daryl Jones at 662.325.5769.
Private consultants are also available to
be of assistance to landowners. Any of the
organizations listed here can put you in
touch with a consultant to fit your needs.
9
LAND: OUR GREATEST RESOURCE
By Doug Ervin
MFBF Land Program Coordinator
Land is Mississippi’s single greatest resource. It provides wildlife
habitat, an abundance of food, fiber and timber, mineral and oil
resources, and a wide range of opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Farm Bureau members depend on the land to provide for their families
and to provide goods and services for families in urban areas.
The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) Land Program is
designed to give Mississippi landowners an opportunity to discuss and
recommend solutions to problems that directly affect their land and
often their livelihoods.
Through this program, landowners are able to:
•
•
•
•
Identify and recommend issues for policy development
Identify emerging issues related to land
Offer suggestions or clarification of existing policies
Assist in the process of policy implementation when necessary
Farm Bureau encourages all members to take advantage of the
MFBF Land Program by forming land use committees in their
respective counties. County committees are greatly needed to address
not only local concerns but statewide land use issues as well.
WORKING FOR LANDOWNERS
This past year, the MFBF Land Use Committee was involved in
several facets of the land industry, including mineral rights, land
liability issues, private property rights, taxes, eminent domain,
agritourism, recreational uses of land and consulting landowners on
ways to improve idle land.
The committee was also involved in several policy issues designed to
protect your private property rights. Eminent domain is an ongoing process
but an issue that MFBF feels is very important for our landowners. In
addition, we worked with our Legislature to strengthen trespassing laws
such as ATV trespassing in public waterways, which passed.
10
MFBF Land Use Committee
Each year, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation partners with
organizations such as the Mississippi State University Natural
Resource Enterprises Department to host statewide workshops
designed to help landowners better utilize their assets. These
workshops provide information on hunting leases, agritourism
opportunities, bird watching and other great uses for your property.
ABUNDANT LAND RESOURCES
From the Delta to the Black Prairie and from the red clay hills to the
Gulf Coast, Mississippians can experience wide open spaces, dense
hardwood forests, rolling pastures, wetlands and wilderness, all within
a few miles of our most urban areas.
Mississippi’s land area, some 30,020,000 total acres, is some of the
most diverse and fascinating in the country.
The most recent land use survey conducted by the USDA estimates
that our state has the following:
•
•
•
•
•
6,063,000 acres of cropland
2,223,000 acres of grassland pastures
18,572,000 acres of forest use
957,000 acres in special uses, including parks and wildlife management
1,607,000 acres in other lands such as marsh or open swamps
Within these numbers, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates there
are over 4,000,000 acres of wetlands. These lands provide habitat,
food, fiber, fuel and recreation, both locally and around the globe.
All of this is very impressive within itself, but the greatest benefit
provided to Mississippi’s landowners is an overwhelming sense of
pride in land ownership.
For more information, contact MFBF Land Program Coordinator
Doug Ervin at 601-551-5311 or email dervin@msfb.com.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
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Magnolia Beef and
Poultry Expo
Smith Cty. Ag Complex
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MARCH/APRIL
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MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
11
Photo courtesy of USDA-ARS
12
Photo courtesy of ClaytonFarms.com
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
Photo courtesy of ClaytonFarms.com
Photo courtesy of USDA-ARS
Photo courtesy of ClaytonFarms.com
E
ADDING INCOME TO
TIMBERLAND
By Glynda Phillips
ight years ago, Adams County landowner Walter
Davis decided to open a commercial hunting and
fishing operation on 4,000 acres of his property in
Adams County and two adjoining Louisiana parishes.
He says the venture, which he calls Clayton Farms
Hunting Club, not only offers quality hunting and fishing opportunities for its 25 members, but provides
Davis with a great source of added income.
Davis is uniquely suited for this type of endeavor.
An outgoing, friendly man who likes a good challenge,
Davis loves people and enjoys having them on his land.
He makes a point of listening to them, and he’s not afraid of the hard
work and expense involved in producing a high-quality business.
Today, Clayton Farms Hunting Club offers the following:
• More than 30 duck blinds
• 25 deer stands
• Sunflower fields for doves
• 1300 acres of 0-grade and precision-leveled rice/soybean fields
with guaranteed water
• 4 and 5-man pits in rice/soybean fields
• Flooded timber
• Flooded cypress breaks
• Fletcher’s Lake
• Access to more than 25,000 acres on Angelina Farms for
goose hunting
• Trophy-managed deer program
• 10-acre catfish pond that is fully stocked
• 10-acre trophy bass pond
• 4,000-square-foot, two-story lodge
• 10 concrete-slab dog kennels for member retrievers
If you are interested in using your land for hunting and/or fishing,
Davis offers these suggestions:
• Be Prepared to Work Hard – You must prepare your land to support wildlife, and you must actively manage the wildlife. Davis precision levels a portion of his land and irrigates it in order to grow rice for
the duck hunting facet of his operation. He says irrigation is a very
important aspect of both waterfowl and wild game management. In
addition, he plants corn and soybean food plots to support deer and
dove populations.
• Don’t Rush the Process – Davis says he waited three years before
opening the duck hunting operation in order to allow time for the ducks
to become imprinted so they would return to the sites each year. He
says his patience paid off.
MARCH/APRIL
• Be Prepared to Offer “Free” Hunting – Davis says he gave the
hunting away for free the first year to see if it would work. He was
pleased to see that it possessed the potential to succeed. He now
offers hunting for an annual “fee” instead of for “free.”
• Little Touches Are Important – The little touches can make the
biggest difference. For example, Davis gives all members of Clayton
Farms Hunting Club identification tags and maps of the property,
things that make them feel valued and a real part of the club. He also
provides members with keys to the hunting lodge and cabins.
• The Internet Is Important – Davis says he can’t overstate the
importance of using the Internet. Having a Web site to advertise your
hunting or fishing enterprise is very important. He has three.
• Liability Insurance – Landowners involved in commercial hunting
or fishing enterprises must have good liability insurance coverage.
Also, if you don’t have business management skills, you should
consider taking business courses and/or consult with a business expert.
• A Beautiful Hunting Lodge – Davis says a beautiful lodge is very
important to a quality hunting and fishing operation. He says the
necessary equipment, vehicles, buildings and labor can be expensive,
but the rewards are well worth the expense.
Most of the members of Clayton Farms Hunting Club live in the
Mississippi cities of Jackson and McComb and the Louisiana cities of
Alexandria, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Covington and Monroe.
Davis says this year he also had some clients from Alabama.
A longtime Adams County Farm Bureau member who served for a
time as county president, Davis says he values his affiliation with Farm
Bureau and especially his association with Mississippi Farm Bureau
Federation President David Waide.
“Farm Bureau is a great organization, and David Waide is a fine
man,” he said. “I can’t say enough about his work ethic and character.”
Getting off the subject of hunting and fishing and onto turtles,
another of Davis’ interests, he says he wants to commend Waide for
his efforts in getting turtle legislation introduced into Congress through
the American Farm Bureau Federation. He says that piece of
legislation has proven to be very important to our nation’s
commercial turtle industry.
Davis also appreciates Farm Bureau’s efforts in the area of land
management. He believes a good land management program is the
way of the future for Mississippi farmers and rural property owners.
For more information about the Mississippi Farm Bureau
Federation (MFBF) Land Program, contact MFBF Land Program
Coordinator Doug Ervin at 601.551.5311. FC
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
13
M
By Glynda Phillips
14
ississippi farmers are good stewards of the land. Their livelihoods depend upon
healthy soil and abundant, clean water.
As our state’s largest general farm organization, the Mississippi Farm Bureau
Federation (MFBF) offers programs designed to help farmers and other rural
landowners address the unique opportunities and challenges of land ownership.
The organization also joins with other ag organizations in developing programs
that promote environmental stewardship. Delta F.A.R.M. is one such program.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
DELTA F.A.R.M.
Delta F.A.R.M. was established ten years ago by farmers
interested in taking a proactive stance in addressing natural
resource issues and environmental concerns. The program
spotlights the many positive things Delta farmers do for the
environment, and targets areas that need improvement.
Each year, farmers enrolled in Delta F.A.R.M. agree to
participate in a private environmental assessment. They use the
feedback they receive to improve their stewardship practices.
A Mississippi Farm Bureau
Federation regional manager
participates in the private
assessment aspect of the program,
along with representatives from
the Delta F.A.R.M. staff and
Mississippi State University
(MSU) Extension Service.
Other
Delta
F.A.R.M.
partners include Delta Council,
Careful by Nature, Delta
Wildlife, Mississippi Association
of
Conservation
Districts,
Mississippi Department of Ag
and Commerce, Mississippi
Department of Wildlife, Fisheries
and Parks, the Mississippi
Health
Department,
U.S.
Department of Agriculture-ARSFSA-NRCS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, YMD
Joint Water Management District,
National Farm-A-Syst, and
said. “We have some of the most fertile land in the state and
plenty of good, available water. With the cost of growing a crop
and the way irrigation can save it during a drought, you
understand the value of both. You don’t want to abuse or
waste either.”
Gant uses Best Management Practices (BMPs) on his rice,
soybean, wheat and corn fields to reduce soil erosion and
control water runoff. These BMPs include no-till production
methods, precision leveling, grass filter strips around
ditches, pads around fields,
and overfall pipes.
And speaking of no-till, Gant
says he has some ground that
hasn’t been turned since 1981.
“It makes a better crop
now than it did 28 years ago,”
he said.
FARM BUREAU CARES
Gant takes time from
his busy farming schedule
to actively participate in
the Mississippi Farm Bureau
Federation. He believes in
the organization’s efforts
to help state farmers and
rural Mississippians.
Gant has served as a county
Farm Bureau president and
American Farm Bureau rice
chairman and has served
on many other committees.
Land and water are important
to farmers everywhere
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.
In recognition of its 10th anniversary this past October, Delta
F.A.R.M. announced the enrollment of one million acres
into the program and 10 years of service to the landowners,
farmers, allied ag industry and the natural resources of
Northwest Mississippi.
CONSERVATION IMPORTANT
Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Northern District Vice
President Donald Gant, a Bolivar County row crop farmer since
1970, is a longtime Delta F.A.R.M. member. He appreciates the
program’s efforts to improve environmental stewardship.
“Land and water are important to farmers everywhere,” Gant
MARCH/APRIL
Currently, he’s beginning his second two-year term as a federation vice president, representing the northern region of the state.
“Farm Bureau is a great organization with many great county
leaders,” he said. “It is always looking for ways to further the
cause of farmers and rural Mississippians. Farm Bureau and
programs like Delta F.A.R.M. make the lives of Mississippi’s
farmers and rural residents a whole lot easier.” FC
Donald Gant is chairman of the MFBF Communication
Committee and a member of Delta Council. He is chairman of
the board of directors of the Mississippi Rice Promotion Board
and a deacon and treasurer at his church. Gant’s wife Lil is chair
of the Bolivar County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
15
The Old Home Place
By Andy Whittington/Environmental Programs Coordinator
As a kid, going to my grandmother’s house (father’s side) was the
longest 3-hour trip ever. Daddy always took The Trace, which would
have been a peaceful drive for him if he hadn’t had a backseat driver
and three restless children along for the ride. But pulling into my
grandmother’s driveway was always worth the torture of that long
family road trip.
Nanny and Pawpaw had chickens. Everywhere. And lots of them.
The chickens had a coop but preferred to spend most of the day
avoiding the cats while scratching
around in the dirt. There was a
barn with a big hayloft and a tractor
to play on and a porch swing
or rocking chair for when you
got tired.
My grandparents had the best
food to ever cross a table. And
every bit of it came from their yard!
They could garden like nobody’s
business. My Nanny could have
ended world hunger if someone had
only given her 40 acres, a bag of
Sevin® dust and a half-moon hoe.
Nanny lived to be 93 on fried
chicken, cathead biscuits, and real
vegetables that were boiled slow
with lots of bacon fat.
After my father sat on the porch
for awhile, visiting, watching the
grass grow, and letting his food
settle, he’d take me walking with
him. When you are eight or nine
years old, 56 acres seems like all
the land in the world. And to my
father it really was.
We would walk past the old barn,
and he’d tell me how he had to milk
the cow every morning and carry
the milk back to the house. He’d
show me where they kept Jack, a
mule so mean that he’d kill a calf if
he ever got close to one. Jack sent
me to the hospital once when he reared up and came down on my head,
which some people claim explains a lot about me now. But that’s a
whole other story.
As we walked over the hill, my father would show me where he and
his brothers grew cotton. I’d have to use my imagination because at
that time the ground was covered with tiny pine saplings, lasting
reminders of a tornado a few years back.
On all of these walks, we’d go by and inspect the “new pond,” which
didn’t look very new to me, and I was well into my teens before I ever
realized where the old pond was located. The back pasture looked
16
endless back then, and we almost never failed to jump a covey of quail
crossing it.
As we headed back to the house, I would get the sense that my
father was telling these old stories more to himself than to me, as a
reminder of years gone by.
There is an attachment to the land that you grow up on that’s
different from any other. You can move off it, but you can never
leave it. It’s forever a part of you. I think that’s what it means to be
“married to the land.”
The land of your childhood has its
own smells, sounds and memories.
The dirt somehow gets in your blood,
and you take pride in it. When you
go back and walk the land where
you grew up, the briars, chiggers,
cockleburs and ticks aren’t a nuisance.
They just come with the territory.
That’s why farmers and ranchers are
the greatest stewards of the land. They
are business partners with the land,
working together to scratch out a living.
A good landowner never gives the land
what it doesn’t need and always gives
back what he’s taken from it.
I went back recently, and the place
doesn’t seem nearly as big as I
remember it. What took hours to walk
across as a kid is now just a short hike
from fence line to fence line. The porch
is much smaller, the coop is overgrown
and falling in, and there is no sign
of the outhouse except a few rose
bushes that mark the spot. The old
barn is still standing, a testament to
fine craftsmanship.
I stood there and imagined Pawpaw
walking behind a team of mules and
Nanny cutting sage grass to make a
new broom. I imagined Daddy, his
brothers and sister picking cotton
across the road to earn money for
school clothes, and I saw the chickens strutting around the backyard
and the cats napping under the porch.
I will always have good memories of the old home place, but I
remember it more for what it means to my father than to me. He has a
real connection to it.
As I got into my truck to drive home, I couldn’t help thinking that I
would miss those visits with Nanny and Pawpaw and those long walks
with my father, but there’s one thing I will never miss …
I am so thankful that I don’t have to make that three-hour family
road trip ever again!
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com
Funded by The Beef Checkoff
Mississippi Beef Council
680 Monroe St. Suite A . Jackson, MS 39202
601-353-4520 . www.mscattlemen.org/mbc
SOLVE THE
MYSTERY
The city park, pictured above, is the site of a big watermelon festival each July. Opposite page, from top, the old Thomas Sullivan Home;
Jane Sullivan Martin; one of the town’s first jails (about 85 years old); and the renowned Hamburger House.
Our mystery town is located in southwestern Smith County in the south central region of the state. It is known for the watermelon festival
that is held there each July in the city park. Watermelons have been important to the area since the early 1920s and 1930s, when Smith County’s
reputation for growing sweet, delicious watermelons was established.
Name this town.
SAWMILLS & RAILROAD
This town was named for a popular Smith County sheriff, who served from 1878 to 1890. Numerous sawmills settled in the area in the late
1800s, and the railroad came through in the early 1900s. By 1910, this town’s population numbered around 1,000.
Today, our mystery town boasts approximately 285 citizens. It has fine schools and numerous businesses. It also offers a city park with a
lighted walking track and playground near Clear Creek. The town is also located near Okohay Creek and Lake Ross Barnett.
Here are more clues.
SULLIVAN’S HOLLOW
Our mystery town was once known as the “Capital of Sullivan’s Hollow.” Sullivan’s Hollow, located about five miles south of town, was
first settled in the 1800s by a man of Irish descent named Thomas Sullivan. Tom fathered 22 children, and those children also had large
families. Most of the Sullivans remained in the hollow and soon gained a reputation for feuding amongst themselves and with other nearby
clans. Many wild tales circulated.
One tale said that salesmen didn’t dare visit Sullivan’s Hollow because they’d be made to plow the fields. One Bible salesman claimed that
William C. “Wild Bill” Sullivan and his oldest brother Neece, two of Tom’s grandsons, stuck his head between the rails of a fence and placed
a beehive on his bottom. The bees stung him repeatedly before Wild Bill and Neece finally let him go.
18
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
“Oh, those tales are so wrong,” said Jane Sullivan Martin. Jane is
a descendant of Tom Sullivan and one of the oldest living
Sullivans. “I don’t know how they got started. Our family has had
its share of progressive farmers, ministers, musicians and teachers.”
The father of Louisiana Governor Huey P. Long was born in
Sullivan’s Hollow, where his grandfather, John Murphy Long, lived
for many years.
The original home of Tom Sullivan stands today and is used for
family reunions. Made of hewn logs, it is said to be one of the
oldest in the area. The historic log house contains many modern
amenities and, according to Jane, is definitely NOT haunted as
some of the local schoolchildren maintain.
MORE CLUES
Around the turn of the century, our mystery town was known for
the very fine Smith County Agricultural High School built there in
1913. This high school produced outstanding men’s and women’s
basketball teams in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s.
The 1927-28 men’s basketball team in particular was said to have
some of the finest basketball players in the history of Smith County.
The team won the state championship and went on to participate
unsuccessfully (some say because of illnesses) in the national high
school basketball tournament.
A landmark in this mystery town is the Hamburger House, which
at one time was nationally known. Established in 1950 by Curtis and
Fredna Glisson, the present building was built in the early 1960s.
The Hamburger House is now owned and operated by Jerry and
Merle Brewer. It is located at the four-way stop at the intersection
of Highway 28 and Highway 35. Stop by and experience the
old-timey burgers, fries and onion rings.
Name this town.
A special thanks to Raleigh attorney Gene Tullos, Margie Chisholm,
Jane Sullivan Martin and Merle Ingram Brewer for their help with
this article.
CORRECT GUESSES
Mail guesses to Solve the Mystery, Mississippi Farm Country,
P. O. Box 1972, Jackson, MS 39215. You may also send e-mail
guesses to FarmCountry@MSFB.com.
Please remember to include your name and address on the entry.
Visit our Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Web site at
www.msfb.com.
When all correct guesses have been received, we will randomly
draw 20 names. These 20 names will receive a prize and will be
placed in the hat twice.
At the end of the year, a winner will be drawn from all correct
submissions. The winner will receive a Weekend Bed and Breakfast
Trip, courtesy of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation.
Families may submit only one entry. Federation staff members
and their families are ineligible to participate in this contest.
The deadline for submitting your entry is March 31.
JAN./FEB.
The correct answer for the January/February Solve the Mystery
is the Ruins of Windsor.
MARCH/APRIL
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
19
COUNSELOR’S CORNER
1930S AGAIN?
By Sam E. Scott/Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation General Counsel
In a recent New York Times article entitled
“Printing Money and Its Price,” Peter S.
Goodman said, “It may seem perverse that in
this new era of (financial) reckoning,
with consumers tapped out, government
coffers lean and banks paralyzed by fear,
many economists have concluded that the
appropriate medicine is a fresh dose of the
very course that delivered the disarray: Spend
without limit. Print money today, fret about
the consequences tomorrow. Otherwise,
invite a loss of jobs and business failures that
could cripple the nation for years.” Suddenly,
it’s 1932 again.
It is difficult enough to accept that the
American economy teeters on the brink of
failure, but even more perplexing to consider
is what the present recovery plan may create.
The legal implications for taxpayers, which
no one yet seems to be considering, are as
significant as the massive funds which do not
seem to abate the escalating problems.
It brings to mind a story about two men who
were approaching each other on a bridge over
a fast-moving river. As they came closer, one
noticed that the other had a rope coiled over his
shoulder with one end tied around his waist
and the other end in his hand. As they
converged, the rope holder threw the end in
his hand to the surprised second man who
instinctively grabbed it, whereupon the
other quickly jumped over the side of the
bridge shouting, “Hold on, don’t let go.” And
as he descended, he repeated, “Hold on or
I’ll drown.”
Put yourself in the holder’s shoes, it’s more
appropriate than it may seem. The holder is
the American taxpayer supporting those who
are too big or too important to fall, never mind
that they got where they are as a result of their
own action or inaction, stupidity or greed.
The $700-plus billion-dollar initial
“bailout” has been used to buy huge amounts
of “equity positions” in failing or threatened
financial institutions. Equity positions in
corporations, in contrast to debt or secured
positions, mean ownership and traditionally
consist of stock, either common stock, which
denotes control through voting rights, or
preferred stock, which usually means priority
in the payment of profits in the form of
dividends but may also include voting rights.
Voting rights include the right to control,
usually by a majority that can elect directors
who, in turn, can select the officers who
manage the corporation.
Preferred stock is also commonly
redeemable and upon satisfaction of the
terms and conditions upon which it was
issued, the corporation can buy it back from
its owners at an agreed price.
What are the taxpayers buying? If so, will
dividends be paid? If so, how much and how
often? Will it be redeemed? If so, when? What
if the recipient continues to lose money? Will
it be necessary for further capital infusions
to protect the current investment? If the
corporation fails, what will be the government’s position in a liquidation? How do the
taxpayers get repaid? This involves hundreds
of billions of dollars – trillions have even
been mentioned.
Banks have been granted over $170 billion
in Troubled Asset Relief Program funds.
Many more billions have been granted to
insurance companies, auto manufacturers and
others considered too big or important to fail,
including the two giant mortgage companies
known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In
all, more than $350 billion was spent in
2008 on the financial institutions relief
program. Congress must approve the release
of the remaining $350 billion, and the new
administration is mentioning a new program
of perhaps $800 billion more.
No doubt, the alternative of letting the
economy run its course, find its own
bottom and let pure capitalism and a free
marketplace provide the answers does not
seem desirable either, though some argue it is
the only real cure.
Not many today recall actual experiences in
the Great Depression, which began in 1929.
Those who did never forgot and worried that
it would happen again. Franklin D. Roosevelt
took office in early 1933 and launched what
20
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
was probably the largest government financial
initiative in the world in the last 300 years to
revive an economy. The Works Progress
Administration, the Civilian Conservation
Corps., Bank Holidays, the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation and Social Security
were a few components of the New Deal, but
not until the economic boom of industrial
activity in World War II did the nation fully
recover. What have we learned from this?
Where do Mr. & Ms. Average American fit in?
Are they just holding the rope?
There is no doubt about where all this
government largesse is coming from. U.S.
Treasury printing presses must be working
24-hour shifts to print up all this money.
Moreover, some of it is going to parties who
do not really need it to survive. Actually, there
are many, many others that are in dire
need, farmers, small businesses, family
corporations, mainstream America, who are
not even considered for a bailout no matter
how hard they have worked, scrimped and
saved only to fall victim to the disaster.
Contrast this to corporate bigwigs who reap
millions in buyouts for bankrupting huge
corporations or collect enormous fees for
making what anyone with any common sense
knows are bad loans. Somehow, that situation
or flying multi-million-dollar private jets to
Washington for handouts does not invoke the
sympathy of the Okies of the 1930s or the
breadlines and soup kitchens of that era.
It seems that the masters of the financial
universe have left the common people
holding the rope, warning them to not let go.
Reality appears to be absent. Experts are not
able to evaluate the benefits, if any, of the
programs to date. Perhaps the famous comic
character Pogo got it right: “We have met the
enemy and it is us!”
Sam E. Scott is general counsel for Mississippi
Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) and practices
law in the law firm of Samuel E. Scott, PLLC, in
Jackson. The foregoing information is general in
nature and is not intended as nor should be considered specific legal advice, nor to be considered
as MFBF’s position or opinion.
MARCH/APRIL
Mary Ann’s
Greenhouse
& Country Things
M
By Glynda Phillips
22
ary Ann McCurley has a green thumb. And a sunburned nose.
And nails that are often brown with dirt. A devoted gardener, she
spends much of her time inside a humid greenhouse or outdoors
beneath a hot sun, carefully planting, watering, pruning
and weeding.
Mary Ann is so good with plants she’s managed to turn an interesting hobby into a modest business, which she calls Mary
Ann’s Greenhouse & Country Things. In addition to plants, she
sells handmade crafts.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
VARIETY OF PLANTS
To get an idea of the types of plants Mary Ann offers, you might
want to tour the large greenhouse located behind the rustic cabin that
serves as her gift shop. You can also wander past attractive gardens
and hanging baskets displayed on either side of the cabin. Or you may
simply want to browse through the potted plants and hanging baskets
that are arranged along the cabin’s front porch.
Mary Ann sells roses, biennials, perennials, annuals, succulents,
ferns, cacti, shrubs and trees. She buys most of her plants from area
nurseries. She also sells a few pass-along plants that she’s collected
and propagated down through the years.
When I first visited Mary Ann last June, she had plenty of summer
plants for sale. When I visited again in November, she was primarily
selling pansies, violas, Proven Winners Fall Magic plants, and ornamental cabbages and kale.
Spring is Mary Ann’s favorite season.
“As the cold, dreary days of January and February give way to the
warmer, sunnier days of March, spring flowers begin their color show,”
she said. “Wave petunias bloom in several colors and perform well
for spring and early summer.”
Mary Ann also recommends vinca as an annual for the hot summer
months. Diamond Frost euphorbia and Dragon Wing begonias are
other favorites for spring, summer and fall.
Mary Ann specializes in cacti, succulents, angel wing begonias
and ferns. She enjoys planting mixed containers and creating ivy
topiaries.
“When I was a child, my father grew orchids. Back then, I wasn’t
interested in plants. I was more into horses,” she said. “When I
married Dunbar, he encouraged me to plant flowers around the house,
and one of his aunts introduced me to cacti and succulents.”
One of Mary Ann’s most interesting plants is a rat-tail cactus that
hangs in a basket from the ceiling of the greenhouse. Its many arms
reach to the floor and truly do resemble the tails of giant rats. She also
owns an impressive rickrack cactus with trailing zigzag stems, a large
column cactus, and a giant macho fern.
“I think cacti and succulents are the plants of the future,” she said.
“We’re so conscious of water conservation, we may eventually use
more plants that don’t need a lot of water and are low maintenance.
These plants are like that.”
LOCAL CRAFTS
Besides abundant plants, Mary Ann’s Greenhouse & Country Things
sells Dunbar’s handmade wooden bowls as well as other locally-made
crafts. The items are displayed inside the cabin, which was once a
shotgun house.
The McCurleys say the house had been condemned by the
Mississippi Department of Transportation for the 4-laning of Highway
61, so they bought it and had it moved to its present location. The cabin
is dominated by an antique woodburning stove that is a great
conversation piece.
Dunbar’s studio is located to the right of the cabin. A retired
veterinarian, he has converted his veterinary clinic into a workshop
to house his pieces of wood, woodworking equipment and bowls.
SATISFYING WORK
“You won’t get rich in a hurry doing what I do, it’s mainly a good
hobby,” Mary Ann said. “If I specialized in one type of plant, I might
be able to make a living doing this. But I love every type of plant,
especially the unusual ones, so I diversify. My customers seem to enjoy
having a wide variety from which to choose.”
Mary Ann says working long hours with plants can be exhausting
if the work is done properly. But it can also be very relaxing and
rewarding.
“I feel good when one of my plants, especially a cactus, produces
lots of blooms,” she said. “And it’s gratifying to hear compliments
about my plants or their containers.”
Mary Ann says that working with plants also makes her feel closer
to God.
“Since I hand-water my plants, I spend a lot of time dragging a hose
around. That gives me a good chance to commune with God and pray
for the people on my prayer list,” she said.
Mary Ann’s Greenhouse and Country Gifts is open Monday through
Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or later, depending on the time of year.
In the spring, it’s open until dark. Mary Ann also sells or rents plants
for special occasions such as parties and weddings.
For more information, you may call Mary Ann
McCurley at 601.888.4420. FC
CUSTOMER BASE
Located as it is on Highway 61 between Natchez and Woodville,
Mary Ann’s Greenhouse & Country Things attracts both locals and
tourists. Her busiest times of the year are March through June and
October through December.
Mary Ann says she tries to offer plants that most people can afford
and that they will be successful growing. She studies the market to see
which plants are popular and in demand. She also attends greenhouse
conferences and reads greenhouse magazines.
Mary Ann sells most of her plants in packs, flats and 4-inch pots.
Most other plants come in 4-inch or larger containers. To most of the
plants in the larger containers, she adds a slow-release fertilizer and
a systemic insecticide that is nontoxic to people and animals.
MARCH/APRIL
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
23
Carrollton:
By Glynda Phillips
A quaint, historic town, Carrollton has managed to preserve its 19th century
appearance and heritage even as it has remained an energetic agricultural town
that benefits from a close proximity to the Mississippi Delta.
When you visit Carrollton’s courthouse square, you feel as though you’ve
stepped back in time. Many of the businesses are housed in buildings dating back
to the 1800s. In fact, the town of Carrollton was placed on the National Register
of Historic Places as one of the largest registered historic districts in the state with
66 units.
On the square, you will find a coffee shop named Miss Sippy’s. Stop by and
enjoy sandwiches made with fresh homemade bread. Also on the square are
Merganza, a unique gift shop; the Carroll County Farm Bureau; the Carroll County
Market, a restaurant that offers food and live entertainment; Scott Petroleum; and
various government offices, including the Superintendent of Education, Tax
Assessor and Carroll County Extension Service.
Sitting at the southwest corner of the square is Merrill Museum. Housed in a
building that is believed to have been built in 1834, it is the oldest brick structure
in town. Down through the years, the building has served as a store, post office,
courtroom (during the construction of the courthouse), furniture and coffin
manufacturing site, and dry cleaner’s.
Carrollton is one of two seats of Carroll County government – the other is
Vaiden. The Carroll County Courthouse is Carrollton’s second courthouse as the
first one burned in 1875. The present structure, which is Georgian in style, was
designed by James Harris, who also designed Malmaison, the grand home of
Greenwood Leflore, a prominent planter, Choctaw leader and Mississippi senator.
Also on the square is the now-empty J.J. Gee and Son Mercantile building,
dating back to1900. Wessie Gee, who married a descendant, has won awards
and recognition for her historic preservation work. Her own home includes the
original smokehouse, henhouse, barn and separate kitchen, which has been
refurbished and is rented.
Off the square, you will find Peppercorn Grill, Natalie’s Park, Coach’s Antiques,
the Old Carrollton Cemetery, and the Kimbrough Cemetery.
A Q ua int, H is to ric To w n
Carroll County Courthouse
Photo by David Morgan
Stained glass window in Carrollton Baptist Church
EARLY HISTORY
In its early years and with its gently rolling hills, Carrollton became a resort
community for wealthy Delta planters wanting to escape the mosquitoes and
intense heat of the long Delta summers. Many of the planters built grand homes
and many of those homes still stand. Among them are Stanhope, Shaderest,
the James A. Young House, The Oaks, and Cotesworth, built in the 1840s by
J.Z. George.
The town of Carrollton has always benefited from its status as a county seat.
Around the turn of the century, it was the home of 20 full-time lawyers. One of
those lawyers was the renowned J.Z. George.
George is famous for having served as Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme
Court from 1879-1881 and as a United States Senator from 1881-1897. He also
wrote the current Mississippi Constitution in 1890 and was known as the Father of
the Department of Agriculture.
The J.Z. George Law Office, circa 1938, still stands on Washington Street, north
of the courthouse. It is a white clapboard building that is being refurbished to serve
as a private residence.
Other renowned town citizens have included the relatives of Republican
24
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
presidential candidate John
McCain; the Billups family
of Billups Oil; the Holman
family of Jitney Jungle fame; and
Elizabeth Spencer, an award-winning
writer. Family members of retired U.S.
Senator Trent Lott also once called
Carrollton home.
Incorporated in 1936, Carrollton is
named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton,
Maryland, a signer of the Declaration of
Independence. Today, the town boasts
approximately 228 citizens.
THE MCCAIN CONNECTION
U.S. Senator John McCain’s grandparents were prominent Carroll County
residents, and his great-grandfather, John Sidney McCain (known locally as “JS”),
was a Carrollton sheriff and supervisor. McCain’s grandfather and father were
both four-star admirals, the only time in history that has happened with a father
and son.
Merrill Museum is the proud home of the McCain Collection, which includes
memorabilia from Sen. McCain’s father, grandfather and great-uncles.
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
Carrollton boasts a lovingly-restored log community house built by the
Workman’s Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s. Back then and still
today, the center is used by the citizens of Carrollton.
The town is also home to five historic churches. These include Carrollton
Baptist Church, Carrollton Grace Episcopal Church, Carrollton United Methodist
Church, Carrollton Presbyterian Church, and Bear Marsh M.B. Church.
If you are interested in getting to know Carrollton, several walking tours are
available. You may obtain maps at Miss Sippy’s, The Carroll County Market, and
the Carroll County Extension Service.
THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY
This year marks the 175th anniversary of Carroll County. The town of
Carrollton will play an active role in the anniversary celebration, which will
culminate in a Pioneer Day event to be held sometime this fall.
As part of the Pioneer Day celebration, antique farm equipment will be displayed
and Mississippi State University Extension Service area agronomist Ernie Flint will
talk about agriculture and its great contribution to the growth of the county.
Plans currently also include demonstrations of sorghum making, quilting and
open-fire cooking, the crafting of wooden shingles and how to play dulcimers
and other old instruments. An old-fashioned post office is planned so you can get
a letter canceled with a special commemorative stamp.
For more information about Carrollton and the Carroll County Anniversary
Celebration, contact the Carroll County Extension Service at 662-237-6926 or a
Carroll County Development Association board member. FC
(Top right) Merrill Museum; (Center) Captain Ray House;
(Bottom) Carrollton Community House
MARCH/APRIL
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
25
TH
7
8
ANNUAL MEETING
As State Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award winners,
row crop farmers Preston and Amy Arrington of Inverness in Region 8
will receive 100 hours use of a John Deere tractor. Making the
presentation is Shelton Echols of John Deere.
Katie Vanderslice was crowned Miss Farm Bureau-Mississippi.
She represented Jones County. Lindy Lewis of Lincoln County
was selected Miss Farm Bureau-Mississippi alternate.
Vanderslice received a $2,000 scholarship and Lewis received a
$1,000 scholarship.
Monte Ladner of Carthage was presented the Ag Ambassador Award.
This award was created to recognize individuals who have gone
beyond their normal range of activities in promoting Mississippi
agriculture. The award isn’t presented every year – only when Farm
Bureau feels that it has been earned.
As winner of the Young Farmers and Ranchers State Discussion Meet,
Amanda Edwards of Starkville received a Yamaha Big Bear 4-wheeler
from Got Gear Motorsports, LLC, compliments of Southern Farm
Bureau (SFB) Life Insurance Company. Making the presentation is
Randy Johns of SFB Life Insurance Company.
26
Regional Director Arrington Rhett received the Mississippi Pennies
donation from the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Women’s
Program for the Palmer Home for Children in Columbus. He is
pictured with State Women’s Committee Chair Dott Arthur.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
Dr. Will McCarty of Starkville was presented the Distinguished
Service Award, the highest honor Farm Bureau bestows on an
individual. The award is reserved for someone who has truly
made a difference in the lives of Mississippi farmers. McCarty,
who retired from the Mississippi State University Extension
Service after 28 years of service, is one of the foremost experts on
cotton in the nation.
State Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award winners Preston
and Amy Arrington of Inverness received a new Dodge truck, compliments
of Southern Farm Bureau (SFB) Casualty Insurance Company. Making the
presentation are Robert Jarratt, right, and Rod Moore of SFB Casualty
Insurance Company.
State talent winners and alternates include, front row (from left), Jessica Harthcock of
Holmes County, Talent I winner; Anna Kate McEllhiney of Tishomingo County, Talent I
alternate; and Belinda McNair, Harrison County, Talent II alternate. Back row (from
left), are Kayla Patterson, Jones County, Talent II alternate; Drew Herring, Scott County,
Talent III winner and Alex Goldman, Lauderdale County, Talent II winner.
MARCH/APRIL
Jennifer Lott, Child Life Coordinator, Blair E. Batson
Hospital for Children in Jackson, is pictured with
Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation State Women’s
Committee Chair Dott Arthur receiving gifts collected
by the Women’s Program for the hospital’s Santa
Bag Program.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
27
Rep. David Norquist, Dist. 28, of Cleveland
(pictured left) and Sen. Doug Davis, Dist. 1, of
Hernando received the Friend of Agriculture
Award for their work in supporting and
strengthening state agriculture.
(Right) Safety Conference attendees enjoyed
a presentation by Mississippi Farm
Bureau Federation Senior Safety Specialist
John Hubbard.
Dr. David Schweikhardt talked about
“The Financial Crisis and Agriculture”
during the Farm Bureau Issues Conference.
28
The 2008 outstanding county Farm Bureau women’s programs, along with the respective county
women’s committee chairs, include, back row (from left), Region 1 – Bolivar County - Lil Gant;
Region 5 - Walthall County - Sheila Conerly; Region 7- Jackson County - Debbie Hackler; Region 3 – Smith County - Sue Rodgers; Region 4 - Monroe County - Nita Jackson. Front row (from
left) are Region 2 - Itawamba County - Jan Holley; Region 6 - Jasper County - Grace Sims; and
Region 8 - Carroll County - Betty Taylor.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
State Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award winners Preston and Amy Arrington Rick Krause, Sr., Director of Regulatory
of Inverness will receive 300 hours use of a Kubota tractor. Making the presentation is Cheri Relations with the American Farm Bureau
Federation, was the featured speaker during the
Parker of Kubota Tractor.
Environmental Conference.
Outstanding county Farm Bureau
programs, represented by the respective
county president, include (from left):
Region 2 – Tishomingo County, Jim
Perkins; Region 8 – Madison County,
Laverne Wilder; Region 7 – Forrest
County, Charles McMahan; Region 3 –
Simpson County, Thomas McAlpin;
Region 1 – Bolivar County, Lamar
Andrews; Region 5 – Walthall County,
Bill Pigott; Region 6 – Leake County,
Jimmie Arthur; and Region 4 –
Montgomery County, Betty Mills.
Walthall and Bolivar counties tied for the
President’s Award, which recognizes the
most outstanding program in the state.
Young Farmers and Ranchers State Discussion Meet winner
Amanda Edwards of Starkville received $850, compliments
of Federal Land Bank Associations of Mississippi. Making
the presentation is Joe Hayman, CEO of Southern Ag
Credit (formerly Land Bank South). She also received $500,
compliments of Dodge.
MARCH/APRIL
Simpson County cattle, poultry and timber farmer Maurice Layton of
Mendenhall was awarded the Excellence in Leadership Award. A longtime
county volunteer leader who also served on the state board, Layton was
cited for making a significant contribution to Farm Bureau and agriculture
in Mississippi.
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
29
Jane Jenkins Herlong, center, entertained during the Women’s Breakfast and
the Worship Service. She is pictured with State Women’s Committee Vice
Chair Shelby Williams, left, and State Women’s Committee Chair Dott Arthur.
The Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) silent and live auctions raised
money for the YF&R Foundation, which funds six scholarships.
Jimmie D. Arthur of Leake County was recognized upon his retirement as a
state director after 14 cumulative years of service to the Mississippi Farm
Bureau Federation.
Deniese Swindoll of DeSoto County is the newly-elected Chair of the
Region 1 Women’s Committee. She is pictured with Shelby Williams, Vice
Chair of the State Women’s Committee, and Dott Arthur, Chair of the State
Women’s Committee.
U.S. Congressman Travis Childers, District 1, addressed the opening General Session. He is pictured with MFBF President David Waide and MFBF Northern
District Vice President Donald Gant.
30
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
Have you heard?
about the many benefits of your Farm Bureau membership?
You may not know that when you pay your annual membership fee, it
includes many valuable member benefits. Highlighted below are a few of
our benefits. To see a complete list, visit our Web site at www.msfb.com.
Take advantage of these benefits available to Farm Bureau members
ONLY. If you are not a member, joining is simple. Contact the Farm
Bureau office in the county where you live, pay your membership dues,
and start enjoying these benefits today!
®
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THE FT RE WAR D P R OG RA M
Members can offer a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and
conviction of anyone committing theft, arson or vandalism against their property.
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MARCH/APRIL
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MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
31
WASHINGTON D.C. LEADERSHIP TRIP
Second-year members of the Mississippi Farm Bureau
Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers State Committee visit
Washington D.C. each year. This year’s participants included
Amanda Woods, Brad Woods, Josh Miller, Melanie Miller,
Kyle Jeffreys, Heather Dolan, Jody Dolan and Brent Kitchens.
.
MEMBERSHIP DRAWING
KEENUM IS MSU PRESIDENT
Dr. Mark Keenum became the
19th President of Mississippi State
University (MSU) on Jan. 5, 2009,
following a distinguished public
service career.
Dr. Keenum most recently
served as U.S. Department of
Agriculture Under Secretary,
providing leadership and oversight
for the Farm Service Agency, the Risk Management Agency
and the Foreign Agricultural Service. Prior to that, he served
as U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran’s Chief of Staff, after having
served for a time as Sen. Cochran’s Legislative Assistant for
Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Early in his career, Dr. Keenum worked with the
Mississippi State University Extension Service and the
Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.
Upon receiving his Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics
from MSU in 1988, he began teaching and serving as an
economist in the MSU Department of Agricultural
Economics. From 1997 through 2006, he served as an
Agricultural Economics adjunct professor, teaching an
annual seminar course on agricultural legislative policy.
“Farm Bureau is excited about having Dr. Mark Keenum
as president of Mississippi State,” said Mississippi Farm
Bureau Federation President David Waide. “We look
forward to working with him as he leads our state’s largest
land-grant institution. We will continue to endeavor to
see that ag budgets are adequately funded because this
means more to rural Mississippi than any other single
influencing factor.”
Mark is married to the former Rhonda Newman and they
have four children.
32
Eight Farm Bureau members, representing one winner from
each of Farm Bureau’s eight regions, were selected in a random drawing to receive a $250 check. The drawing included
the names of all members whose dues had been paid by the
Oct. 31 deadline.
Winners include: Region 1 – Ronald Aldridge, Oxford,
Lafayette County; Region 2 – Patrick Goad, Corinth, Alcorn
County; Region 3 – Norman R. Wendling, Brandon, Rankin County; Region
4 – Atwell Washington, Houlka, Chickasaw County; Region 5 – B & G Equipment of Magnolia Inc., Magnolia in Pike County; Region 6 – Zayne Mayers,
Meridian in Lauderdale County; Region 7 – Roy M. Vinot, Kiln in Hancock
County; Region 8 – Herbert Goss, Vaiden in Carroll County.
INFORMATION PROGRAM RECOGNIZED
The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations/Information program received the Award of Excellence during the 90th Annual Meeting of the
American Farm Bureau Federation held in San Antonio, Texas, in January.
The Award of Excellence is presented to outstanding programs serving
Farm Bureau members during the previous year.
T-SHIRT WILL BENEFIT FOUNDATION
A special T-shirt is being sold
by the Mississippi Farm Bureau
Federation Young Farmers and
Ranchers (YF&R) Program to
benefit the YF&R Foundation.
The foundation funds six
scholarships that are awarded
annually to students with agrelated majors.
The T-shirt carries the
message: Agriculture: Feeding
and Clothing the World Since the
Beginning of Time. It sells for
$12.
For more information, contact
Nancy Britt at 1.800.227.8244, ext. 4230
MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
MARCH/APRIL
Charles and Jo Ann Cleveland are pictured with
family members at the retirement reception held
at the MFBF Building.
CHARLES CLEVELAND RETIRES;
BILLY DAVIS FILLS POSITION
Charles Cleveland
Billy Davis
Charles Cleveland recently retired after 37
years of service to the Mississippi Farm Bureau
Federation (MFBF). Longtime field auditor
Billy Davis was tapped to succeed him as of Jan.
1, 2009.
Cleveland, who began his tenure as an
accountant in 1971, most recently served as the
federation’s Chief Financial Officer and as
Director of the Accounting and Administrative
Department. He was also Treasurer of the MFBF
Board of Directors.
Davis has worked in the Accounting and
Administration Department for 18½ years. He
will fill all of Cleveland’s former positions. A
graduate of Mississippi State University with a
BS degree in Accounting, Davis is also a
Certified Public Accountant.
An accomplished musician, Davis performed
at one time with the Mississippi Wind Symphony
and as a member of the Capital City Stage Band.
He is a native of Crystal Springs and served for
13 years in the Mississippi Army National Guard.
Davis and his wife Tammy have three children,
Caleb, 12, Will, 10, and Elayna, 9.
“Charles Cleveland played an important role in
the growth and development of the Mississippi
Farm Bureau Federation, and we will miss him,”
said MFBF President David Waide. “But we
know that he is leaving his responsibilities in very
capable hands. Billy Davis will do a tremendous
job in his new role with our organization, and we
wish him well.”
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