Lonoke%20newsletter

FB COMMUNICATOR Lonoke County Farm Bureau • October 2014 • www.arfb.com/lonoke

president’s report Dow Brantley, president

I

want to say “thank you” to each member of the Lonoke County Farm Bureau for allowing me to serve as your president.

As you know, Farm Bureau’s policy is established by you, our members , to promote the interest of agriculture and rural America.

Through this grass roots effort we are able to speak as a unified voice to our elected officials.

I know of no other organization which is better positioned to voice the needs and concerns of our membership.

Your Lonoke County board of directors has a long history of championing causes such as: production research, education, taxes, roads and environmental issues to name a few. This current board of directors represents all area of agriculture from throughout our county . I can assure you they will continue to grow the legacy which has been established over many years.

We are pleased to have on our board of directors Rich Hillman, who currently serves as Vice President of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Board of Directors; as well as Mike Freeze who serves as a member of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Board.

In closing, let me say it has been a privilege to serve as your president. I look forward to the many great things our organization will accomplish in the coming years.

lonoke county farm bureau annual meeting Monday, Oct. 6 • Carlisle Civic Center Business meeting is at 5:30 p.m. | Dinner (catered by King Kat) & program are at 6:30 p.m.

Featured Speaker RODNEY BAKER Executive Vice President, Arkansas Farm Bureau

Guest Speakers: CAMILLE BENNETT (D) and BUDDY FISHER (R) Candidates for Arkansas House of Represtatives

County student receives $1,000 scholarship This year, the $1,000 Gordon R. Brown Scholarship, offered by Lonoke County Farm Bureau, was awarded to Morgan McKay of Cabot, Arkansas. Morgan is the daughter of Nancy McKay and the late Harry McKay. Morgan is a junior at trhe University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in

Agricuture Business.

In 1983, Lonoke County Farm Bureau established the Gordon R. Brown Scholarship Fund. Each year, the fund gives a $1,000 scholarship to a Lonoke County student, sophomore or higher, majoring in agriculture at the University of Arkansas or Arkansas State University.

McKay

2014 LONOKE COUNTY FARM FAMILY OF THE YEAR

The Kenny McFarland Family of Carlisle

Lonoke County counts on Agriculture. Agriculture counts on Farm Bureau.

County Activities AMERICAN FARM BUREAU Rich Hillman of Carlisle (Lonoke County), vice president of Arkansas Farm Bureau, was part of the organization’s delegation at the 95th American Farm Bureau Convention held Jan. 12-14 in San Antonio, Texas. At the annual meeting of Farm Bureau voting delegates, farmers and ranchers set the national organization’s policies for the next year. These policies — surfaced and debated from the grassroots level on up — guide national policy implementation efforts throughout the following year.

WOMEN’S COMMITTEE The Lonoke County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee offers members the opportunity to build a more effective Farm Bureau organization.

Our committee members are Cara Parker, chairwoman; Dianna Bowen; Melanie Brown; Myra McNeil; Mary Frances Perkins; Torrie Swears and Sara Waller.

This past year, the committee: • Celebrated Food Check-Out Week with a food donation to the Open Arms Shelter in Lonoke.

• Sponsored poster and coloring book contests.

• Helped sponsor safety programs in local schools.

• Sponsored the Miss Lonoke County Rice Contest. Gennie Bariola of Carlisle was crowned 2014 Miss Lonoke County Rice. Try her delicious recipe below.

TEEN CHALLENGE Madeleine Brown, daughter os Chuck and Melanie Brown of Carlisle was among the 60 young people participating in the 41st annual Arkansas Farm Bureau Teen Challenge Camp held June 16-19 at the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center near Ferndale. During the week, students went through the 4-H ExCel program, attended leadership training and safety courses, learned about Arkansas agriculture and enjoyed

recreational activities that included a high-ropes course, a climbing wall, fishing, canoeing and more.

JUNIOR LIVESTOCK Haeden Barber of Austin was inducted Oct. 26 into the Arkansas Purple Circle Club in Little Rock. Rodney Baker, Arkansas Farm Bureau executive vice president, presented the award. The club is an awards program recognizing junior livestock exhibitors who earned championship honors at the Arkansas State Fair. It is sponsored by Arkansas Farm Bureau.

MEMBERSHIP Our membership year ended with 4,332 member-families. We are grateful for the participation and leadership that has made this membership growth possible.

2014 Miss Lonoke County Rice

Mamaw’s Chicken and Rice Casserole Gennie Bariola, 2014 Miss Lonoke County Rice

Ingredients: 3 chicken breast cut in cubes 2 cups rice 2 cups water 1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of chicken soup 1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of celery soup 1 (10.75 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup 1 (8 ounce) sour cream 1 package of ranch dressing powder Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup butter, sliced into pats

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease sides and bottom of a casserole dish.

2. Stir chicken, water, rice, soups, sour cream, and ranch dressing together in a prepared casserole dish; season with salt and pepper. Arrange butter evenly over the top of the chicken mixture.

3. Bake in preheated oven until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through,1 hour to 75 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Gennie Bariola

serving you in farm bureau officers President: Dow Brantley Vice President: Robby Bevis Secretary: Jack Evans Treasurer: Hal Hillman

board of directors Chad Bennett Bob Bevis Rick Bransford Laudies Brantley, Jr. Chuck Brown Woody Bryant

Dave Evans Mike Freeze Carl Garrich Dale Hawkins Heath Hawkins Kevin Hicks

Rich Hillman Tommy Hillman Hugh Keller Bill McNeil Kyle Moery Ken Orlicek

equine committee Jerry Matthews, chairman

Brandon Parker C.J. Parker John Petrus Jon Plafcan Jeff Robinson Bill Sandage

Mark Sandage Blake Swears Keaton Thaxton Mart Thaxton Dudley Webb, Jr.