womensnewsletter_3Q2012

arkansas

farm

bureau

committee comments

S

ummer has come and gone, and school is back underway! I hope you enjoyed your summer and are planning Ag in the Classroom activities with your local schools.

Your state committee was busy this summer attending the national Ag in the Classroom conference in Loveland, Colo. and came back with great ideas to share with you.

We also met in July to discuss our activity at the State Fair, which will be held Oct. 12–21.

We hope to see you there.

The Arkansas Farm Bureau anSue Billiot, nual convention is chairwoman scheduled for Nov 28–30 at the Hot Springs Convention Center. I encourage all of you to start making plans to attend.

When it comes to educating your local students about agriculture and where their food comes from, Arkansas Farm Bureau has many tools available for you to take advantage of.

Arkansas Farm Bureau’s strength comes from the commitment, dedication and hard work done at the county level. Thanks again for all you do to promote agriculture in your local community. I hope you enjoy the fall colors and cooler weather and look forward to seeing you at the convention in Hot Springs.

KEITH SUTTON photo

Meredith Williams of Searcy (White County) was named 2012-13 Miss Arkansas Rice at the Brinkley Convention Center, Aug. 18. Williams, 18, is the daughter of Bill and Ruth Williams of Searcy. Steve Orlicek, president of the Arkansas Rice Council, presented Williams with her prize money.

county activities The following activity summaries were submitted by the county Farm Bureau Women’s Committees:

discussed beef and poultry. Ag-In Classroom material packets were given to teachers of each grade.

Arkansas: The committee scheduled a Stroke Prevention event for the public in June. The committee also promoted the Ag in the Classroom program to local schools.

Benton: The committee conducted Dreams and Determinations Day on the Bentonville Square for 4th grade students from two elementary schools and the general public. 10 stations provided information about Arkansas agriculture. Four of the stations gave information with characters talking about the history of Benton County agriculture. Grant money was awarded from the Arkansas Heritage Commission for this project. Committee members also

Baxter: The committee arranged for the Mobile Ag Experience trailer at Norfork Elementary. Students in kindergarten through 6th grade learned about dairy and got to milk the Farm Bureau cow. Matt Jackson discussed cotton and rice using the cotton gin and portable rice miller. Other committee and board members

Third Quarter 2012 ®

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county activities ®

2012 arfb state women’s committee

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s your state women’s committee, we are here to be a resource and assist you in your ag promotion activities. Please feel free to contact us at any time.

SUE BILLIOT chairwoman Sharp County, District 2 870-528-3617 kajunsue@centurytel.net KEN MOORE photo

JANICE MARSH vice chairwoman Woodruff County, District 2 870-731-5660 rmarsh@centurytel.net SHERRY FELTS Mississippi County, District 1 870-537-4772 sherry.felts@yahoo.com CAROLE LICHTI Carroll County, District 3 870-545-3371 charleslichti@windstream.net LINDA PARISH Scott County, District 4 479-928-5098 jlparish@juno.com

Fourth-grade students from Centerton and Gamble elementary schools learned about the history of local agriculture from several historical characters during Benton County Farm Bureau’s “Dreams and Determination Day” in Bentonville, May 11. The county Women’s Committee helped organize the event.

assisted with Dairy Days for 4-H members across the four-state area.

Boone: The committee helped sponsor a Dairy Contest. We provided $100 in cash prizes.

Calhoun: The committee conducted a fund raiser for the 4-H Club’s trip to West Virginia to compete in the National Forestry Contest. We raised $550 towards the trip.

Chicot: The committee conducted a Kids in the Kitchen program for approximately 64 kids. Each day we made some type of salad. It was a very enjoyable activity. The committee also conducted a “Fight Back” program at Lakeside Elementary for 60 students. Committee members taught the students how to fight germs and sickness. The main emphasis was teaching the children the importance of washing their hands before eating.

RENEE THRASH Faulkner County, District 5 501-336-9652 thrashr@conwayschools.net MEREDITH BAKER Jefferson County, District 6 870-536-3459 meredithbaker@hughes.net PEGGY MILLER Chicot County, District 7 870-265-5151 peggymiller2@gmail.com

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Carroll: The committee scheduled the Mobile Ag Experience trailer to present a program at Green Forest Elementary for 3rd grade students. Matt Jackson presented a program on rice, cotton, soybean, corn, dairy, beef and poultry. The kids enjoyed milking the cow and the combine simulator. Gave out Rice Krispy treats and Ag readers on each of the subjects. The committee also conducted a Wagonmasters program to Berryville 5th grade students. A program about wagon building using history, economics and trade. Committee members told the students about agriculture in Arkansas and Carroll county. Presented the “Wow the Cow” visual program to talk about beef and beef by-products.

CLARK CO. FB photo

Arkadelphia children at Funtime Daycare and the Perritt Summer School learned to milk a cow and other farm activities thanks to Clark Co. FB Women’s Committee members who sponsored a recent visit by ArFB education coordinator Matt Jackson.

Clark: The committee promoted and sponsored the Mobile Dairy at several daycares and summer school programs. Provided dairy coloring books and soy crayons at three area schools and read a dairy story book to children. The committee also delivered and purchased magazines to hospital waiting rooms and continued on page 4

Van Buren (Dairy cooking contest)

Independence (Ag in the Classroom)

C O U N T Y C L O S E - U P S

White (Rice Month declaration)

South Logan (Garden Grant)

Benton (Therapy chicks at nursing home)

Craighead (Riceland tour for Miss Rice) 3

county activities doctor’s offices. Provided items to schools to refresh their First Aid Kits such as bandaids and ointments.

Columbia: The committee participated in Food Check-Out Week by placing posters and information in Farmer’s Bank and Summit Bank in Magnolia; by purchasing and donating $200 of nonperishable foods for Southern Christian Mission and the Living Water Domestic Violence Shelter; and delivering five gallons of coke tabs to the Ronald McDonald House in Little Rock. The committee also judged 142 Safety Posters for State Safety Poster Competition.

Conway: The committee arranged for Morrilton Elementary students to learn about Arkansas fruits and vegetables and gave them an opportunity to taste the fruits and vegetables they were learning about. Students also listened to committee members read “Seed, Soil, Sun, Earth’s Recipe for Food. The committee also presented the Conway County Farm Bureau College Scholarship to the recipient at the Nemo Vista High School Graduation.

Craighead: The committee was very

active during the period. Activities included a committee member being recognized by The Rotary Club of Jonesboro for her volunteering, which consisted of mailing and faxing newsletters and helping with the Golden Apple Awards presented to area teachers.

A photo appeared on the Rotary Wheel website and hard copy newsletter. The committee also assisted Miss Craighead County Rice Bailey Davis as she prepared and served her “Bailey’s Farmers Market Soup” recipe for many different groups during the period and promoted rice in many public venues.

Cross: The committee arranged for the

LAFAYETTE CO. FB photo

(l to r) Geri Lofton, with daughter Tracie, and Kim Perkison with daughter Khloe, sold cotton candy to raise funds for the American Cancer Society during a Relay for Life event May 4 in Stamps. Lafayette Co. as a whole raised more than $27,850.

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Combine Simulator to be at the Wynne Farm Fest.

The committee also passed out coloring books and book markers and ink pens. Committee members also assisted with a 4-H fishing derby.

Drew: The committee donated the book “How Did That Get In My Lunchbox” to first grade teachers to assist with agriculture education in their classrooms.

Faulkner: The committee arranged for more than 800 elementary students to participate in the Pizza Ranch activity where they learn about how the ingredients in a pizza are produced. 476 students were involved in a Wooster school garden program.

Garland: The committee conducted an Ag Day event at Cutter Morning Star Elementary.

This featured sessions on how to properly handle horses and goats. Matt Jackson brought the Mobile Ag Experience trailer and led on session on dairy and let the students milk the Farm Bureau cow. Committee members conducted an Ag Literacy program at the Garland County library.

Independence: Committee members read “Good Things from Arkansas” (featuring Reddy the farm truck), “Oh Say Can You Seed”, “How Did That Get in my Lunch Box?”, and “The Tree Farmer” to four pre-school summer school classes with 15 students each. The committee also participated in a farm tour to promote life on a farm. 30 local residents took part. It included feeding cattle and baby chicks as well as sessions on tractor and ATV safety.

Izard: The committee sponsored two county teenagers to Teen Challenge Week at the Vines 4-H Center.

Jackson: The committee sponsored a youth fishing derby at Lockwood park. Committee members handed out 20 Farm Bureau backpacks filled with sheets on dairy/cotton/soybean/fun on the farm coloring books, good things from Arkansas, rice krispie treats, rice recipes for kids, and soy crayons. Safety coordinator Amanda Williams presented a program on bicycle safety as well. The committee also conducted an Ag Day event at Newport Elementary. The committee distributed 800 bags of rice/cotton/soybean coloring sheets/ soy crayons and fun on the farm coloring books. Arranged for the Farm Bureau milking cow and Ag Experience trailer on the playground for elementary students.

Miller: The committee helped organize and participated in the annual “Back to Nature” event at Nash-Turner farm. The event began with a safety program that featured sessions on water, heat, boating and fishing safety. Back to Nature activities included

JEFFERSON CO FB photo

David Alan Sites Jr. (center) of Altheimer, a 2012 graduate of Stuttgart High School, recently received a $1,000 scholarship award from Jefferson Co. FB. It was presented by Women’s Committee chair Meredith Baker and President Glynn Guenther.

livestock education, soils, tree jeopardy, how cows help us and several live animal stations. Committee members passed out t-shirts and helped serve lunch to 168 children who took part. Committee members also assisted with a fishing derby at Diffenbacher Lake for 80 local 4-H members.

Monroe: The committee sponsored a Rice Cookoff contest for adults and assisted Miss Monroe County Rice with her promotional activities.

The committee also assisted students with their community garden planted by our local developmental center.

Montgomery: The committee, along with the county Cooperative Extension Service, sponsored the annual Ag Fair at the county fairgrounds. Students from Mt. Ida and Caddo Hills attended the event where they learned about local agriculture. T-shirts were provided in school colors. All students received “Corn & Beef Ag Readers.”

North Logan: The committee submitted articles for publication in the Paris Express during June about dairy month and the benefits of dairy products to a healthy diet.

Newton: The committee conducted a county dairy recipe contest in May. The committee also made and donated quilts for the local nursing home and worked on doggie pillows for the Humane Society and animal shelter.

Perry: The committee helped select Jake continued on page 5

county activities Brand and Aaron Jones to attend Teen Challenge Camp.

Committee members also helped select 2012 Perry County Farm Bureau Scholarship recipients, Tristen Guerrero and Ryan Holbrook. Also assisted with selecting county fair materials. Committee members also delivered checks to winners of the safety poster contest at Perryville Elementary.

Pike: The committee conducted a Dairy Foods Recipe Contest at the County Extension Office.

The committee supplied the judges and aprons for the five contestants. Elizabeth Evans of Murfreesboro and Emily Schee of Delight were the winners. The committee also conducted an Ag In The Classroom program at the Murfreesboro City Park. Fourth grade students from Delight and Murfreesboro schools participated. There were 68 students, 10 4-H members and 25 adults in all.

Farm Bureau supplied the Mobile Ag Experience Trailer with Matt Jackson presenting the program. The students loved the milk cow and programs inside. We had 4-H members bring in ag projects and talk about them.

Sweeden’s Tractor presented a Farm Safety Program as well.

Polk: The committee conducted a sewing clinic on three Thursdays in July to instruct and encourage students to participate in Sew With Cotton.

The committee also conducted five canning classes in the Farm Bureau kitchen in June & July to teach how to safely can garden produce.

Pope: The committee donated “Fun on the Farm” coloring books to Pottsville and Atkins elementary schools.

Prairie: The committee helped arrange

for Miss Prairie County Rice to attend the Rice Expo in

MILLER CO. FB photo

These volunteers from Miller Co. FB were on hand to assist during the 15th annual 4-H Back to Nature Youth Program at the Nash/ Turner family farm near Texarkana on July 17. One hundred eighty children ages 8 to 19 attended the event.

SOUTH LOGAN CO. FB photo

While learning about cotton and its uses as part of a local FB program, fifthgrade students in South Logan Co. made a quilt from blocks of cotton fabric and presented it to Jim Garrison and his wife, Mae, who are lifelong residents of the area.

Stuttgart. The committee also donated prizes to the 4-H Food, Fun and Fitness Day Camp.

Saline: The committee put a basket together with homemade treats and delivered it to the Benton Courier as part of its media appreciation effort.

Scott: The committee participated in a Forestry Field day for Waldron Middle School 5th graders. They passed out the Forestry booklet to each group and talked with them about the importance of Forestry in our county. 120 students took part in the activity. The committee also had a booth at Waldron Middle School’s yearly health fair. The ladies passed out approximately 550 sacks of information from the dairy council, beef council, pork council, and some poultry coloring pages to students and faculty members. They also had one of the members dress in a cow outfit and interact with the students. The committee also used the “When is a cow more than a Cow?” display and had items attached to it like toothpaste, gum, film, deodorant, and so on to show students how all of the cow is used. We discussed with each group that not only do we eat the meat and use the hide for leather, but that there are many other by-products from the cow used in products we utilize everyday. Approximately 300 people took part in this activity.

Searcy: The committee conducted an Ag-inthe-classroom project at the Leslie Elementary school in June. Members of the committee also helped the local VFW and 4-H place flags on veteran’s gravesites at cemeteries in the county before Memorial Day ceremonies.

Sharp: The committee sponsored and manned a beef booth at the Sharp Co Fair. Committee members handed out beef recipes and beef bracelets.

Members of the committee attended the national Ag-in-the-Classroom conference in Colorado in June and returned with new ideas. The committee also handed out bookmarks to over 500 students at local schools in honor of reading month in May. South Logan: The committee conducted a two-day sewing workshop for 4-H members.

Committee members taught how to use a pattern and test fabric to see if it is all cotton. Eight members participated and at the end of the second day, most of them had completed their garment. They used cotton fabric plan to enter their garments in the fair. Some may participate in the county Sew with Cotton contest.

South Mississippi: Members of the committee attended the national Ag in the Classroom conference in June and donated a gift certificate for food and supplies to the Blytheville animal shelter.

St. Francis: The committee continued to work with classrooms by reading appropriate literature concerning agriculture, passing out pamphlets about various commodities related to the books read, and by playing games that enhanced the overall program. This will continue when school starts again. The committee also assisted Miss SFC Rice in her meetings with agencies and businesses throughout the county by giving her continued on page 6 5

county activities the needed supplies for her presentations.

Union: The committee harvested produce from the county school’s garden. Items harvested included 15 pounds of herbs, 20 pounds of beets, 11 pounds of green beans, and 12 pounds of cabbage. The food was prepared by the cafeteria staff and fed to the children during lunch. The committee also participated in a variety of other activities including: giving a demonstration using Arkansas rice and herbs at the Union County Cattlemen’s Pasture Tour; touring the University of Arkansas Southwest Research and Extension Center in Hope; viewing blueberries, grapes, herbs and other fruits. The committee also conducted a canning class for fifteen adults who learned to preserve mayhaw jelly and green beans.

Van Buren: The committee conducted an Ag in the Classroom program for two Shirley second grade classes. They were read the book “Good Things From Arkansas”. This book was created by Arkansas Farm Bureau and others to educate our youth about food grown in Arkansas as well as, educate them about where their food comes from. The lesson included a question/answer session and ended with the students being given their own personal copy of the book. Photos were taken of the teachers and each of their classes and sent to them with a thank you note as a reminder of our visit. The book was also donated to the school library.

A newspaper article was created and sent to the Van Buren County Democrat. The committee also conducted a Chemical Safety program at the 4-H Safety Camp at the Van Buren County Fairgrounds. Test tubes of toxic chemicals were used to quiz students about identifying unlabeled liquids and “candy”. Twenty 4-H members and their leaders participated Washington: The committee bought toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant for donations to the Arkansas Children’s Shelter. The committee also planned a Women’s Committee “Girl’s Nite Out” activity where we invited women who are uninvolved in agriculture and showed them different commodities and had a cooking demonstration.

White: The committee conducted the annual appreciation luncheon for elected officials, media and extension agents May 10 at the Western Sizzlin’ in Searcy. We had 13 people to attend. The committee also had a booth at the Annual ‘Day of Caring’ at Harding University. The committee displayed a child’s booster seat and car seat, and had two hundred pencil boxes, pencil pouches, coloring books and crayons to give away to about 1200 people in attendance.

Woodruff: A member of the committee attended the national Ag-in-the-Classroom conference in Colorado, the Rural Health and Safety retreat at UAMS in July and helped with the 4-H Day Camp. The com6

VAN BUREN CO FB photo

More than 100 sixth grade social studies students at Clinton Intermediate School participated in a lesson plan on population growth developed by the Van Buren Co. FB Women’s Committee. A rope on the floor represented the Earth as the children contemplated the growing human population in the future.

mittee also donated “Grow Smarter” Books to all 3rd graders in Woodruff County.

Yell: The committee conducted a Farm

Safety Day for 5th graders in the county. A total of 300 students participated. The committee also helped with the 4-H Speak-Up, Speak-Out event and served pizza to the 59 participants.

staff contacts • Harry Willems, associate director of O&MP 501-228-1247, harry.willems@arfb.com • Autumn Wood, O&MP special programs assistant 501-228-1306, autumn.wood@arfb.com

arfb women’s committee calendar Sun.

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Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

Sat.

October 1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

10

11

12

13

Columbus Day

2012 Arkansas State Fair

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15

16

17

18

19

20

26

27

2012 Arkansas State Fair in Little Rock, Oct. 12–21

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22

23

Fair Ends

28

29

4

5

Daylight Savings Time Ends

30

6

Election Day

Sew with Cotton Deadline

31

2 November 1

2

3

7

8

9

10

16

17

23

24

30

2 December 1

Halloween

State Resolutions Committee Meeting in NLR

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12

13

14

18

19

20

21

25

26

Veterans Day

25

24 Resolutions are due to FB Center

27

28

State Board Meeting

State Board Meeting

15

22

Thanksgiving, FB Offices closed

FB Offices closed for Thanksgiving Holiday

29

State Board Meeting

ArFB’s 78th Annual Meeting in Hot Springs

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3

4

5

Congressional Reception

9

10

16

17

7

Pearl Harbor Day

8

State Farm Family Banquet in North Little Rock

6

14

15

21

22

28

29

11

12

13

18

19

20

26

27

County Legislative Chairmen Training

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30

24

FB Offices closed for Christmas Holiday

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Christmas, FB Offices closed

First Day of Winter

31

New Year’s Eve

American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting

is Jan.

13-16

in

Nashville

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We work for those who feed the world.

Representing more than 210,000 Arkansas families, Farm Bureau is the state’s largest membership organization.

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