Farm-City activities sweeping across Chilton in month of November

Published 2:13 pm Friday, November 22, 2024

By Carey Reeder

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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Farm-City is back this year for its second year after the program made a comeback to Chilton County last year after a 10-year hiatus, and festivities have already kicked off throughout the month of November. The goal for the program this year is to bridge the gap between rural and urban families and businesses through Farm-City activities. Each year a theme is focused on throughout the Farm-City program, and this year’s theme is “Chilton County Counts on Agriculture.” All of the festivities lead up to Alabama Farm-City Week from Nov. 22-28.

Chilton County peaches are the most important crop to farmers here each year, and statistics from the most recently Census of Agriculture back that up. Farmers in Chilton County are producing all of the peaches you see on less than 1,500 acres of land — 1,368 to be exact. Pastureland and woodland account for the greatest use of farmland in the county. The 2022 Census of Agriculture reports that Chilton County has seen an increase in the number of farms in the county (13%), in the acres of farmland in the county (26%) and the average farm size in the county (12%) since the 2017 Census of Agriculture. With over 500 farms in Chilton County, these are all positives for the farmers of Chilton County.

“Our farmers here are very involved and connected into the community,” Lucy Ellington, Chilton County Farm-City Committee Co-Chairman, said.

This year, Farm-City in Chilton County kicked off its events with the Chilton Farm-City Tour on Nov. 12 that featured two prominent businesses in both the farming and business worlds. James Robert Parnell’s Parnell Farms and Roger Perkins’ Southern Spincasting were the businesses featured on the tour. Parnell showcased their facilities that tend to beef cattle and showed all of the steps that go into running a clean cattle operation from start to finish. Perkins showed how his business makes different types of fishing lures that he makes right in his shop in Clanton.

“I think (the tour) went really well … And it worked well this year for us to tour a farm and then more of an industry style business,” Ellington said. “I think everyone knew we had cattle operations, but I think people were surprised to learn about Southern Spincasting. Not everyone realized what happens in the little metal building next to the railroad tracks right in town. It is a little hidden gem.”

Municipalities across Chilton County offered their partnership to the program by signing proclamations declaring Farm-City Week in their communities. The Chilton County Commission, City of Clanton, City of Thorsby and Town of Maplesville all signed the Farm-City Proclamation. The proclamation established why Farm-City Week is celebrated each year, and why the American farmer is such a vital piece to making the country whole.

“For nearly 65 years, the American people have joined together during Thanksgiving week to observe Farm-City Week, a time set aside to express gratitude for the bounty with which God has blessed our land,” the proclamation said. “The American farmer has an impact on every aspect of life, from big cities to small towns and all of the routes in between. At this time of year, it is only fitting that all Americans offer a special sign of thanks to those who grow, harvest and bring the fruits of sun, seed and soil to our nation’s tables.”

The Annual Chilton County Farm-City Banquet is the biggest event of the Farm-City activities during the month of November, and the second installment of the event took place at the Clanton Conference & Performing Arts Center in Clanton on Nov. 19. The banquet recognized the role agriculture plays in Chilton County and increased the understanding between the urban and farming communities in the county.

“The banquet was excellent, and we have a wonderful, supportive county for Farm-City,” Ellington said. “Everyone who came I feel certain enjoyed themselves, and we were able to recognize so many individuals.”

Jeff Helms with the Alabama Farmers Federation was the guest speaker at the banquet. Helms highlighted the history of Farm-City and how it originated with two gentlemen talking about the value of the farming and city occupations being dependent on one another. He explained how not long ago every family had a garden to produce food and would farm every day to keep up with their crops. Now, farmers are more successful than ever and can produce more food on smaller farms allowing the average citizen to not have to farm for their food.

Also, at the banquet, awards were handed out to prominent farming figures in the Chilton County community to highlight their dedication to the industry. Danny and Diane Cooper were presented the Alabama Century & Heritage Farm Award by Amy Belcher of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries. The century award is awarded to a farm that has been around for 100 years or more. The heritage farm award goes to a farm that has been operated continuously as a family business for at least 100 years.

Keith Evans was named the 2024 Chilton County Farm-City Farmer of the Year, and Central Access, a subsidiary of Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, was awarded the 2024 Chilton County Farm-City Business of the Year for their work in establishing broadband internet services to underserved rural communities.

Each year, students get the opportunity to support the Farm-City program in Chilton County as well with poster and essay contests in the schools. Students in grades kindergarten through 6th grade were encouraged to submit a poster highlighting the theme of Farm-City this year. Posters ranged in creativity highlighting local farms, crops and businesses. Posters were judged on creativity, originality, neatness, overall appearance and relevance to the theme. The winning posters were put on display at the Chilton County Courthouse.

The essay contests were for students in grades 7th-12th, and they were asked to write a 500-1,000-word essay on the theme “Our Community Counts on Farmers.” Essays were judged on content, grammar and organization.

The winners of the contests were announced and recognized at the banquet with Clanton Elementary School’s Everlie Harrison and Jemison Intermediate School’s Arlet Alejandro Aguilar winning the poster contests. Sadie Lee and Savannah Johnson of Chilton Christian Academy won the divisions for the essay contests. Each student was awarded a monetary prize for placing in the contests, and they were provided by the Clanton Lions Club and Peach Park.

Farm-City is a program that everyone can celebrate and be a part of. The Chilton Farm-City Committee of Ellington, Rianna Strock, Abby Burnett, Chilton County Probate Judge Jason Calhoun, Brandy Clackley, Rachel Martin, Lynn Harrison, David Heflin and Debbie Street have created a checklist of activities for the Chilton County community to allow them to be a part of the festivities. These include raking leaves, decorating for fall, picking out pumpkins, going for a hike and more.

This Farm-City Week in Chilton County, get outside and support the vital connection between urban and rural living that helps keep our communities thriving.

 

2024 Farm-City Student Contest Results

Poster Contest Winners

Kindergarten-3rd Grade Division

1st place: Everlie Harrison, Clanton Elementary School

2nd place: Ren Hawkins, Clanton Elementary School

3rd place: Sadie Jackson, Chilton Christian Academy

 

4th-6th Grade Division

1st place: Arlet Alejandro Aguilar, Jemison Intermediate School

2nd place: Jenna Phillips, Jemison Intermediate School

3rd place: Scarlett Stockdale, Thorsby High School

 

Essay Contest Winners

7th-9th Grade Division

1st place: Sadie Lee, Chilton Christian Academy

2nd place: Rosalie Casey, Chilton Christian Academy

3rd place: Wyatt Cook, Chilton Christian Academy

 

10th-12th Grade Division

1st place: Savannah Johnson, Chilton Christian Academy

2nd place: Michaela Lund, Chilton Christian Academy

3rd place: Austin Posey, Chilton Christian Academy

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