2018 May/June Franklin Living

May/June 2018 Vol. 8 Issue No. 3

Farm life

is the best life Finding passion in produce

Starring: local talent

We would be honored to assist you in prearranging your services or in your time of need.

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Managing Editor ALISON JAMES Staff Writer

Features

LAUREN WESTER

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Cooking with Sam

Sales

7

Farm family

AMARENT SPARKS

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Starring: local talent

Photography

15

Looking Back

CORTNEY GREEN

16

What’s Happening

Customer Service

18

Homegrown harvest

22

Faces of Franklin County

24

Faith

25

Health and Wellness

26

Faces of Franklin County

28

What’s Hot

29

Marketplace

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Why I Love Franklin County

PEGGY HYDE

CHRISTOPHER WEBB

SOMMER MORRIS ____________________ Franklin Living is published bi-monthly

by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc. Copyright 2018 by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc. P.O. Box 1088 • Russellville, AL 35653 256-332-1881 fax: 256-332-1883 www.franklincountytimes.com

ON THE COVER: Cooper and Adalie Nunley, with their parents Gannon and Kristin, mare one of the top three farm families in Alabama. Read their story on page 7.

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FOOD

Cooking with Sam Recipes by SAM WARF

Old Fashioned Tea Cakes 2 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon soda ¾ cup shortening or lard 5 1/2 cups flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla This is my Grandmother’s recipe. I loved to eat one after school with cold whole milk, fresh from the cow that day.

Blend flour, sugar, salt and shortening. Make a well in dough a nd add eggs, buttermilk which has had the soda added and dissolved and vanilla.

Rework ingredients.

Chill dough at least one hour or longer. Roll dough out ¼-inch thick and cut into desired shapes.

Sprinkle tops with granulated sugar. Bake at 425 degrees on greased cookie sheets for about 10 minutes. pimentocheeseplease.com

Peabody Stuffed Onions 6 large onions 1 garlic button 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup cooked ham, ground 1 cup cooked spinach 1 cup cooked rice 1 cup bread crumbs 1 beaten egg 1 cup chicken stock, or bouillon cube dissolved in one cup of hot water Salt, pepper and sage to taste – I use teaspoon of each ¼ cup Parmesan cheese _____________________ Cut onions in half and carefully remove centers, leaving a shell about ¼ inch thick. Boil onion shells until tender.

Sauté the bits of onion removed from center with button of garlic in butter until tender. Combine ham, spinach and rice. Add onion and garlic mixture. Stir in ¼ cup of bread crumbs and beaten egg and moisten with the chicken stock or bouillon. Season to taste with salt, pepper and sage.

Fill pre-cooked onion shells, mounding on top, and cover the entire onion. Mix ¾ cup Parmesan cheese with ¾ cup fine dry bread crumbs and sprinkle mixture over tops of onions. Brush with melted butter. Bake at 400 degrees until brown on top.

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Corn Muffins Clanlo Yield: 12 muffins 1 cup corn meal 2 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon melted butter 1 egg 1 teaspoon sugar ¾ cup orange juice 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons grated orange rind 12 sugar cubes

Photo credit: Carl Tremblay America’s Test Kitchen

Mix corn meal, baking powder, flour, salt and sugar. Add half of the orange juice, egg and melted butter and mix well. Add orange rind.

Fill 12 well-greased muffin cups with batter. Dip sugar cubes in remaining ¼ cup of orange juice and place one cube on top of each muffin and press down slightly. Bake about 20 minutes in a 425-degree oven.

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French Muffin Loaf 1 quart flour 4 eggs 1 cup warm water 1 cake yeast 2 scant tablespoons lard 4 heaping teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1 cup milk ½ teaspoon soda _____________________ Dissolve cake yeast in warm water. Mix all ingredients except soda.

Place in a warm spot to rise overnight.

Next morning add soda, sifted in. Beat again, then pour into greased loaf pan and set to rise. Bake slowly in 275-degree oven until very thick crust forms and loaf is pierced at center for doneness. Slice and serve hot with honey and butter.

Peabody Muffins

Photo credit: Joanne Gallagher inspiredtaste.net

Bran Muffins with Dates Yield: 12 muffins 1 cup Bran Buds ¾ cup milk 1 egg ¼ cup shortening 1 cup sifted flour 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup sugar ½ cup chopped dates

Yield: 24 muffins 2 eggs 2 cups sugar ¼ pound melted butter 4 cups sifted flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 2 cups milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon salt _____________________ Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottom of muffin tins.

Sift flour with sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add melted butter to milk and eggs and beat with fork to mix well.

Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in milk mixture all at once. Stir quickly with fork until all dry ingredients are moistened; do not beat because the batter will become lumpy.

Quickly dip batter into muffin tins, filling each slightly more than half full. Bake 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.

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Combine Bran Buds and milk and let stand until most of the moisture is soaked up. Add egg and shortening and beat well.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and add to first mixture, stirring only until combined.

Fold in dates. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Makes nine muffins about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

White raisins or chopped nuts may be substituted for the dates.

Stuffed Yellow Squash 8 medium yellow summer squash 6 strips bacon 2 small onions, chopped 1 small bell pepper, chopped 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste Pinch each of thyme and marjoram 1 cup or so of bread crumbs – enough to stuff with ¼ cup butter

Parboil squash in salted water, removing before it becomes soft. Scoop out centers and place in colander to drain.

Cook bacon until crisp then crumble. Sauté onions and pepper in a small amount of butter, then combine bacon, onions, pepper, cheese and seasoning with the meat of the squash that has been drained and mashed. Fill shell with mixture, sprinkle top with bread crumbs and dot with butter. Bake in oven until top is brown and squash is well heated.

I like to add shredded cheddar on top and place back in oven until cheese is melted.

Photo credit: Christin Mahrlig spicysouthernkitchen.com 5

FROM THE EDITOR

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ix times a year we bring you Franklin Living, a publication in which we can delve a little deeper into the people and places that make our community the haven we all love.

It’s a chance for us to highlight life in Franklin County, from dozens of different angles.

In this issue we introduce a few new features that will enhance this view of Franklin. I think you’re really going to like them.

One new feature is our What’s Happening section, which is a rundown of some of the top events coming up in Franklin County. If you want to know where to go and what to do in May and June in our community, you’re going to want to scan over What’s Happening.

In addition, I’m excited to introduce a piece that will take the place of our Parting Shot. It’s called “Why I Love Franklin County.” In each edition we will share the thoughts of a local person and his or her take on everything that is wonderful about this county.

I am also pleased to debut a revamped Health and Wellness feature, with great tips and information provided

by Red Bay Hospital to improve your wellbeing.

Of course, we will continue to highlight in full-length features some of the wonderful people who make Franklin County a great place to live, work and play.

In this issue we talk with Donald Ezzell, a seasoned Farmers Market vendor who loves sharing his fresh produce – and his passion for growing – with his friends and neighbors; Emily Edmonson and Joey Allen, just two of the many performers who have found their outlet with Bay Tree Council for the Performing Arts; and Gannon and Kristin Nunley, whose efforts in farming have earned them the nod as finalists for top Outstanding Young Farm Family in Alabama.

I love having the opportunity to meet so many great folks and share their stories with our readers. I hope you will take a sunny afternoon to sit with this edition of Franklin Living – maybe with a glass of sweet tea on your front porch as summer days make their return – and enjoy learning a little bit more about the people who call Franklin County home.

Alison James

Golf Cars

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Franklin Living

Farm family Nunleys rank among state’s top farming families

The Nunley family – Gannon and Kristin and their children, Cooper and Adalie.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Nunley farm is a family effort, with Cooper, 7, and Adalie, 4, pitching right in. BELOW RIGHT: Kristin is an agriscience teacher and FFA adviser at Hamilton High School.

BELOW LEFT: Gannon’s passion for farming grew out of being on friends’ farms as a child and being active in FFA in high school.

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Story by ALISON JAMES Photos by CORTNEY GREEN

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annon and Kristin Nunley first began farming operations in Franklin County in May 2012. Just six years later, they are among the top three farm families in the state.

Announced as finalists in the Alabama Farmers Federation’s Outstanding Young Farm Family contest in March, the Nunleys are now “sprucing up” their 72 acres in anticipation of a visit by a panel of judges this summer, who will select the OYFF winner. “We want to be best foot forward,” said Gannon. “At the same time, we are working farm. It’s not all sunshine and roses.”

The working farm boasts six poultry houses – producing more than 100,000 chicks every 60 days – as well as cattle. “We’re a very small operation compared to a lot of these guys,” said Gannon. “The whole drive of the contest is to see who’s the most productive. Who’s showing growth?”

Their passion for farming developed and grew despite lack of family background in the industry.

Neither Gannon nor Kristin’s parents were farmers – although when the Nunleys moved from Red Bay to their Vina farm six years ago, her parents decided to fall in step and take up poultry farming right alongside them. For Gannon, his interest was

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cultivated by being on friends’ farms as a child. In high school he got involved with FFA and began working in the horse business, progressing to showing horses and raising colts. “I didn’t grow up on a farm, but I got here as fast as I could,” Gannon said.

An FFA adviser at Hamilton High School, where she teaches agriscience, Kristin’s interest in ag has come full circle – the seed of it planted when she herself was an FFA student. “I was really inspired at the high school level.

We had a fantastic ag teacher and FFA adviser, Herbert Trulove (at Red Bay High School),” Kristin said. I just thought I wanted to be a part of it.” In her words, “crooked paths” led her to her own family farm; she first majored in prepharmacy before deciding to commit to agriculture with an animal science degree at Auburn University.

Like most big dreams that become reality, the Nunley family farm began as just an idea they would talk about.

“We had said we would love to have a small farm, to begin with, to mess with a little bit of this and a little bit of that,” Kristin said. They knew buying and establishing a farm would be a big investment, but the talking finally came to fruition when they were able to amass the capital and connect with the right people to purchase a piece of property in Vina along Bear Creek. “The good Lord above just opened the door

Franklin Living

for us to be able to buy this operation. It was just like we were meant to be here.”

The Nunleys’ lives are all about agriculture, day in and day out. “It’s 24 hours a day, seven days a week for us,” Kristin said. Even their children – Cooper, a 7-year-old rising third-grader at Red Bay, and Adalie, 4, who will start Red Bay Pre-K in August – get in on the family business. “Cooper is my equipment man – anything that involves motorized equipment, he’s all about it. He can run just about any of it,” Gannon said. “My little girl, she’s my animal lover.”

“Baby chick day is celebration day on the farm,” Kristin added. Both the children love animals, especially their pony. “We’re hoping to someday introduce them to the show world, with livestock.”

The Nunleys are also agriculture and rural farm life advocates, dedicating their time to organizations like the Alabama Farmers Federation and the Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association. Outside of farming, they are also active in their faith – involved in the music ministry at Red Bay Freewill Baptist, where Gannon is a chairman on the board of trustees, and Kristin is on the shower committee. Gannon is also a Gideon.

Although farming is a passion, it’s also a business – and a challenging one. Gannon said, given the tenacity Gannon calls Cooper his “equipment man.” “Anything it takes to be successful in farming, that involves motorized equipment, he’s all about it.”

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being nominated as a finalist in the OYFF competition was validating and rewarding.

“It’s run like any other business.

We have Mother Nature to contend with, which is always unpredictable.

With things like they are, markets and commodities, it’s tough right now. It’s hard on everybody. To be able to be showing some growth and a little bit of profit – it’s a really good thing,” Gannon said. “It’s nice to get a pat on the back every now and again.”

But what perhaps drives them the most is their own love for the business and their conviction that they are doing exactly what they’re meant to be doing.

“We were given this task to be good stewards of what God has blessed us with, and what more humble way can you do that than to put your hands in the dirt and take care of it hands on?”

Kristin said. “We give all the credit to the good Lord above because he opened all these doors for us. He obviously has a purpose for us being here. We hang all our hopes, every day, that God has a reason for this. We just do it the best we can.”

Kristin also espouses the joy to be found being close to nature – “being

able to put my hands on something that is so complex yet so simple at the same time and just knowing God created that and put that here for us to take care of and enjoy” – as well as being a part of providing food for the people of the world. “There is one more mouth that gets fed every day that we do this … That’s the one thing that keep us going every day.”

For Gannon, it’s all tied up in “the satisfaction of getting to see everything full circle” – calves to grown cattle and chicks to chickens. “You can look out across the pasture at the end of the day at the sun setting, and everything makes sense,” he said. “Take a breath and look around. It’s a simple way of life, and I like that.”

It’s a simple way of life they would recommend to anyone.

“You don’t have to come from it to get into it, and you don’t have to be the largest to be successful and make a living at it,” Gannon added. “It’s there for the taking.”

The winning 2018 Outstanding Young Farm Family will be announced at the Federation’s 46th Commodity Producers Conference in Montgomery Aug. 4.

Adalie is an ardent animal lover. “Baby chick day is celebration day on the farm,” Kristin said.

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256-331-2700 Franklin Living

Starring: local talent Bay Tree Council for the Performing Arts gives community chance to get in on the act

Story by ALISON JAMES Photos by CORTNEY GREEN and COURTESY OF SCOTTY KENNEDY

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n April the Bay Tree Council for the Performing Arts wrapped its 22nd season of quality community theatre in Red Bay – and countless numbers of people given the chance to express themselves on stage.

An average cast for the BTCPA is 11 actors and actresses, who begin rehearsals a month or so before opening night. Frequently among their ranks are repeat participants, who find their outlet in the community theatre – like board vice-chairman Joey Allen, who first took a stab at the stage to have something to do with his son. Chase, who was in seventh grade at the time, had recently gotten cut from the basketball team; so to beat the heartbreak and have something to do

Franklin living

between football and baseball seasons, father and son took the stage.

“He had that personality, and I was going to try to bring it out of him,” said Allen. Without a drama program at Red Bay High School, the Allens turned to the BTCPA. “We decided to do a play, and both of us loved it. It was a lot of fun. He was 13 at the time, and he had the lead role. He had a lot put on him for his first time on stage, but he did really good with it.”

The father-son pair has done several productions together since then, and Allen, who works in sales for Wood Sales Company in Golden, Miss., said the BTCPA provides an unparalleled opportunity for adults and teens alike to express themselves creatively.

“If you talk to any of the teenagers we’re using in the BTCPA, they love it. That’s the only outlet these kids have,

unless you go to Muscle Shoals,” Allen said. “It’s a great environment for them to get that opportunity. Without it, those kids at Red Bay would not have that opportunity.”

More than 20 years of BTCPA theatre means more than 60

productions, as the council has always held to its traditional three-performance season: in November, February and April.

Returning BTPCA actor, director and board chairman Scotty Kennedy said the BTCPA always welcomes newcomers and

TOP: Joey Allen, third from left, performs in the Bay Tree Council for the Performing Arts production “Curious Savage,” February 2017.

ABOVE: Joey Allen and his family, sons Chase and Chandler and wife Mary Ellen, are all active in the BTCPA in different ways.

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Franklin County Where YOU live, work and play!

Events and Activities Phil Campbell Hoedown, June 15-16 Jam on Sloss Lake, July 4 Watermelon Festival Beauty Pageant, July 21

Other Attractions ● Bear Creek Lakes ● Red Bay Museum ● Cypress Cove Farm Bird Trail ● Dismals Roxy Theatre-2nd Sat. of each month ● Rock Bridge Canyon Equestrian Park ● King Drive In ● Bay Tree Council of Performing Arts Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ● 256-332-1760 Website: www.franklincountychamber.org ∙ Email: info@franklincountychamber.org

Does your back go out more than you do?

WOOTEN CHIROPRACTIC Injuries • Drug & Alcohol Testing Nutritional Care • D.O.T. Exams Emily and Dustin Edmonson have one son, Paul.

usually has at least one first-time performer in each show. The BTCPA attracts budding talent from across Franklin County, the Shoals area and Mississippi – like Mississippi native Emily Edmonson, who first ascended to the Weatherford Centre Stage in 2014.

In her debut BTCPA performance she was cast in a play with then-boyfriend, now-husband Dustin. They played an on-stage couple for the production. “I remember it being really awkward – even though we were dating – because we had to fall out in the floor and make out,” Edmonson said. “It was an awkward first show with him.”

To add to the embarrassment, “my grandmother was in the audience. She thought it was hilarious.”

Despite the discomfort of onstage smooching, Edmonson had – like so many others who perform with BTCPA – found her niche. “I felt like I belonged,” Edmonson said. “They were so easy to get along with. It’s such a tight-knit group, but

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everybody is so friendly and welcoming. You never feel like you don’t belong.”

A veteran of small-town theatre, Edmonson began her community acting career as a child, previously performing in community youth theatre in Tupelo and dinner theatre at Itawamba Community College in 2008-2009.

“I just love playing other characters and entertaining people,” said the 28-year-old speech pathologist. “It really opened me up. I was shy, but then I really got involved in theatre … It’s really fun to push my limits and see what I am capable of.”

Edmonson said she also appreciates the opportunity to meet new people and cultivate friendships – a sentiment Allen shares.

“I enjoy the camaraderie, getting to know the people you’re working with,” Allen said. “We have a lot of fun on stage. We have a lot of fun when the crowds are good, and the crowds are usually always good.”

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Allen reprised his role as Deputy John Curtis Buntner in “Southern Hospitality.”

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By and large, catering to their audiences is what drives each BTCPA cast. Most of the shows have a humorous tone, and with each show, participants try to bring a little more joy into the world. “Before

every performance, we circle around in prayer. In that prayer we usually say we hope to bring laughter to someone who needs it in the crowd. Maybe it will lighten their day, or they can enjoy themselves for a period of time,” Allen said. “Almost every show is sold out, and there’s a reason for that. People have a good time and enjoy themselves.”

Allen and son Chase, a junior this year, have performed together, but the rest of the Allen family has been involved in other capacities, as well. Wife Mary Ellen, district manager for CB&S Bank, is always there to support them on stage and is often helping her husband and son run lines. “She loves it. She’s not interested in doing it – I’ve tried to get her involved, but she says it’s not for her,” Allen said. “But she loves getting to know the people who are involved with us. We always get together for cast parties during the performance, and she’s enjoyed getting to know them. It’s a lot of fun.”

A lot of fun – but also a lot of work.

“It wears her out during play practice because I use her at home when we’re going through lines. She knows the play better even than some of the other people on stage, helping me and Chase memorize lines. She knows it word for word,” Allen said.

“It’s a lot of work – six weeks of practices, memorizing your lines and then trying to remember them when you get on stage …

If you’re in a scene with somebody and they forget a line, you just have to jump in and help them and move on. It’s a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding.”

Allen’s other son, Chandler, who is now a student on the baseball team at Blue Mountain College, has also been involved in the BTPCA – though not in the spotlight.

“My older son has no interest in it. He has worked backstage some and helped move props and different things. He’d rather be behind the scenes,” Allen said.

BTCPA board members Dustin, who is employed at Tiffin Motorhomes, and Emily Edmonson married in November 2015 and performed in their first show together as a married couple, “Dearly Beloved,” in February 2016. This year in April Emily performed in her first BTCPA show that didn’t also feature her husband among the cast – he took the season off to care for their 13-month-old, Paul.

In April’s “Southern Hospitality,” Edmonson reprised her role of Twink Futrelle, a character she first portrayed in the show “Dearly Beloved.” “(Twink is) hilarious, but she’s definitely dramatic,” she said. “She’s been trying to get married for 16 years, and she’s finally almost getting married in this one. She wants to do whatever it takes.”

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Allen’s most recent character was Twink’s intended, Deputy John Curtis Buntner, a role he has also portrayed in previous Futrelle Sisters stories. “He’s always having a good time, always into something. This is the second time I have played this character,” he said.

Already a fan of acting as well as being a spectator, Edmonson tried her hand at a third aspect of community theatre in February 2018, directing BTCPA’s “One Toe in the Grave.” “It gave me a whole new respect for directors,” she said. “It is so much more responsibility than just being in it; it blew my mind.”

Edmonson and Allen both urged people to consider auditioning for a BTCPA performance to join the cast of a future show.

“Just because you’ve never done a play before doesn’t mean you can’t be a part of one,” Edmonson said.

“Come try out. Come be a part of it,” Allen agreed. “It’s really great for Franklin County and the City of Red Bay, and I think you get the same experience there that you are going to get traveling to Huntsville or Memphis, looking for that theatre environment.

“Once someone gets involved,” Allen added, “they are kind of hooked. It’s addictive.”

To stay up-to-date on everything the council has going on, visit the group’s Facebook page or website, www. baytreecouncil.com, or call 256-356-9829.

Dustin and Emily Edmonson (seated left) have both performed in previous BTCPA productions, like “Dearly Beloved.”

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Franklin Living

LOOKING BACK

Rayburn Landers

Maudie Landers

Carlie Pete Arrington

Bethel Carline Landers

Willie and Maudie Landers with son Raburn Landers

Looking back photos courtesy of the Franklin County Archives

Franklin Living

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

Franklin County Pioneer Day MAY 12 May 12 will be Franklin County’s Pioneer Day, part of the county’s Bicentennial Celebration, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pioneer Day will be held in Russellville at Sloss Lake on Highway 24. Living history demonstrations will show how people lived, worked and played 200 years ago.

Actors will portray historical figures, and there will be Native Americans, War of 1812 soldiers, a civil war camp and food and artisan products for sale. The celebration is free admission. Attendees are invited to wear pioneer clothing, if they wish. For more information call 256332-8827 or 256-332-4085.

Rockin’ at the Roxy MAY 12 | JUNE 9 In May, the monthly Rockin’ at the Roxy with the KGB show will feature guest Matt Prater, and the KGB will welcome sax player Byron Jamerson. In June, legendary songwriter Peanutt Montgomery – who wrote more than 70 songs for George Jones along with more than a dozen for Tammy Wynette, not to mention other artists – will join the KGB on stage. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m., at the Historic Roxy Theatre in Russellville. Tickets are $10.

Casey Stockton Memorial Bass Tournament

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IN FRANKLIN COUNTY Red Bay Free Will Baptist Church 1303 Highway 24 E, Red Bay June 3-6 Opening activities and registration, June 3 at 5 p.m.

Daytime Bible School, June 4-6 from 9 a.m. to noon Closing program, June 6 at 6 p.m.

For more information, call 256-356-9220.

Russellville First Baptist Church 213 N. Jackson Ave., Russellville June 3-7 (June 7 Family Night) 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Theme: Game On! Classes will be offered for ages 3 years old through fifth-grade.

Dinner will be provided each night, plus Bible story, crafts, music, missions and recreation.

Register at https://kideventpro. lifeway.com/myChurch/?id=45565 or at VBS.

MAY 19 The 5th Annual Casey Stockton Memorial Scholarship Bass Tournament will be held from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cedar Creek Lake’s Slick Rock Boat Ramp. Entry fee is $60 per boat for the annual tourney, which funds scholarships for Franklin students. Entry forms will be taken by mail or at the ramp the morning of the tournament. Take-off will be by the way entry forms are received.

For more information call Ronnie Wray at 256-627-8898. Mail forms to Ronnie Wray at 501 Highway 44, Russellville, AL 35654.

Franklin County Farmers Markets Opening

Mountain View Baptist Church 2110 Highway 81, Phil Campbell June 3-7 6-8:30 p.m.

Theme: Game On! Classes will be offered for ages 3 through 12th grade.

Register online at mtviewbaptistchurch.org.

Transportation is available if needed.

Call 205-993-4610 for more information.

JUNE Farmers markets in Franklin County will be opening for the season in June. The Red Bay Famers Market, located at 652 2nd Street NE at the Family Fun Park, is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 1 through Sept. 29. The Franklin County Farmers Market is located in Russellville, 202 Green Ave. SW, adjacent to the A.W. Todd Centre. It is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to noon, June through October.

For more information call the Extension, 256332-8880, or find both markets on Facebook.

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Siloam Missionary Baptist Church 1657 Highway 60, Russellville June 18-19 6-8 p.m.

Theme: Jungle River Adventure Classes will be offered for all ages.

A meal will be provided, and transportation is available if needed.

Call 256-331-9502 for more information.

Franklin Living

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IN FRANKLIN COUNTY North Highlands Church of Christ 2101 N. Jackson Ave., Russellville June 23 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Theme: Princesses & Pirates, Good Versus Evil Classes will include Bible stories centered around good versus evil, plus skits and crafts.

Lunch will be provided for all children.

Isbell United Methodist Church 10650 Highway 43, Russellville June 25-27 6-8 p.m.

Theme: Rolling River Rampage Classes for ages 12 and younger.

Jonesboro Baptist Church 5061 Waterloo Road, Russellville July 9-13 6-8:30 p.m.

Theme: Game On! Gearing Up for Life’s Big Game.

Classes will be offered for babies through youth.

A light meal will be served each night.

For more information contact VBS director Darlene Walker, 256-331-0995.

Calvary Baptist Church 16241 Highway 43 N, Russellville July 22-26 6-8:30 p.m.

Theme: Game on!

Classes available for babies through rising sixth-graders.

Franklin Living

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Summer Reading Programs JUNE Russellville Public Library and Weatherford Public Library in Red Bay will once again offer summer reading programs to the community.

In Red Bay, a program for children in kindergarten through sixth grade will be offered at 10 a.m. every Tuesday beginning May 29, through June 26. No pre-registration is required. Theme is “Libraries Rock!” with a music emphasis.

For more information call 256-356-9255.

In Russellville, children should register for the “Libraries Rock!” program by June 1.

The summer series will kick off with a free rock concert June 2 at the library, and programs will then be offered each week for Pre-K (Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.), teens (Thursdays at 1 p.m.) and school-age children (Fridays at 1 p.m.), continuing through June and July.

Summer Fun with 4-H JUNE 12, JUNE 15, JUNE 19, JUNE 26, JUNE 29-30 and JULY 16-20 The Franklin County 4-H program will host summer programs throughout June and July. Programs are designed for school age children and will feature a variety of themes and activities. Morning sessions will be offered from 9-11 a.m. for first through third grades, and afternoon sessions will be 1-3 p.m. for fourth through sixth grades. Programs will include: June 12 – Get Unplugged and Grow (coding and planting).

June 5 – Junk Drawer Robotics (simple machines, electronics, gears).

June 19 – 4-H Innovators: 4Hi Goes Fast (car design and production).

June 26 – Having a Blast with Rockets (forces of flight and rocket project).

June 29-30 – RiverKids (ages 9 and up, space limited) (water safety, fishing, kayak skills).

July 16-20 – STEM Challenges Week (ages11-15) (robotics, rocketry, programming, drone obstacle course).

For more information or to pre-register, call the Extension office at 256-332-8880.

Phil Campbell Hoedown JUNE 15-16 This year’s Phil Campbell Hoedown will be held June 15-16 with live entertainment, vendors, contests, food and more. For more information and schedules visit http:// www.philcampbellal.com/hoedown.

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Franklin Living

Homegrown harvest Donald Ezzell finds his passion in produce

Story by ALISON JAMES Photos by CHRISTOPHER WEBB

W

hen the cold gray days of winter melt into spring, with its balmy breezes and warm sunshine, Donald Ezzell gets the itch to get back in the garden. Ezzell joins other local growers each season at the Franklin County Farmers Market to share his fresh, homegrown produce with the community.

Ezzell has been a market vendor for the past 10 years – ever since his mother-in-law passed away, and he and his wife moved out to Frog Pond to live and work on the 22 acres she left behind.

“It’s really good land that grows good stuff,” said Ezzell, who went from planting just a small backyard veggie garden in Russellville to sowing a full acre his first spring in Frog Pond. When his hard work came to harvest, he had more produce than he knew what to do with.

Enter: the Franklin County Farmers Market. “I have been going every year since,” said Ezzell.

The Franklin County Farmers Market is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 6 a.m. to noon June through October, in the open pavilion adjacent to the A.W. Todd Centre in downtown Russellville.

Corn, pumpkins, watermelon, okra, tomatoes and peas can all be found at the farmers market – in Ezzell’s stall alone.

Although he’s only been a market farmer for the past decade, Ezzell is far from green when it comes to agricultural endeavors. The Franklin County native was raised on Little Bear Creek and flourished in a farm upbringing.

“In FFA I planted my first corn when I was 15, in the ninth grade,”

Franklin living

said Ezzell. “With the help of the ag teacher, I won the state FFA corn growing competition.” It was a formative success for the young Ezzell. He still remembers the awardwinning variety of corn – a hybrid, Funks G 711.

When Ezzell graduated from Belgreen High School in 1958, he continued on to Auburn University to earn a degree in agricultural education. He taught agriculture in Limestone County for two years and Lawrence County for 10 years and returned to Belgreen as principal in the late 70s and early 80s.

He left education to work in banking for the next several years, first at Citizens Bank and then as president of First State Bank in Phil Campbell.

He returned to education with a stint as director of community service at Northwest-Shoals Community College, from which he retired.

Getting into the garden, Ezzell said, was an exercise in pursuing good health. He wanted “to get out and work the soil and have a good time.”

“When I was working in the school, I didn’t have any time to do anything, and a lot of it was sitting behind a desk,” Ezzell said. “If I hadn’t been doing something, I think I wouldn’t be in as good of shape as I am.” With a combination of hearty exercise and nourishing sunshine – not to mention the nutrient-rich fruits of his labor – the 78-year-old Ezzell has cultivated a hobby that is both enjoyable and good for his health.

Ezzell now plants seven or eight acres of his Frog Pond property, sowing six varieties of corn, an acre each of watermelons and pumpkins, 40-50 tomato plants, half a dozen rows of peas, a couple rows of okra – and the list goes on.

From an old torn down house he created a greenhouse, where he

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begins growing some of his plants – like tomatoes and cabbage – from seed and then transplants them in field.

He orders all the seed he wants and begins planting when the time is right; greenhouse work begins in January, and field planting picks up in March or April.

Ezzell will plant every two to three weeks to stagger his harvest. When it comes time for picking, he dedicates long hours to piling up quality produce to cart to market, with the time commitment varying depending on the crop.

Picking 30 dozen ears of corn for the market, for example, will take about two hours. “I do that the late afternoon before, and then I pull my truck in the garage. It’s connected to my house, and I have it cool in there where the corn will stay fresh,” Ezzell explained.

Pumpkins, on the other hand, are the slowest to harvest. His truck will hold

100. “It will take close to half a day to pick that many pumpkins,” Ezzell said.

“Not every pumpkin has a good shape.

If you want to sell them, you have to get them looking good and in the proper shape.”

In a good year, Ezzell said he will grow 200 or so pumpkins and 350 melons. Those are his two most challenging crops.

“You have to have a good season to grow a good watermelon and good pumpkin,” he explained. “Too much rain, and your watermelons will look good but will have white streaks in them, and they won’t have a good taste. Pumpkins – there is a squash bug that gets on pumpkins, and you have to spray them once a week. That’s pretty time consuming.”

When it comes to his favorite crop, Ezzell said he is still partial to corn. He plants five acres of it, some field and some sweet. From sowing to reaping takes about 10 weeks. “To me, it’s rewarding to see it grow,” Ezzell said.

Once all the vegetables are grown and picked, it’s market time. At peak season, Ezzell will go to the market four days a week. If only a few crops are ready, he might go only two or three days.

“I love going to the farmers market.

If I can sell enough at the farmers market – and I do – to pay for my seed and fertilizer and fuel I use with the tractor, I’m happy,” Ezzell said. At the end of the day, Ezzell isn’t necessarily looking for a pretty profit. “Of course, I like to sell everything I carry, but I see a lot of people I was raised with, and I Ezzell’s love for growing was stoked by his involvement in FFA in high school.

With the support of the ag teacher, he took first in the state for corn – a veggie he now remains partial to this day.

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Franklin Living

see a lot of younger people I’ve had in classes in my years of education. I spent 44 years working for the public – 30 in the high school and 14 in banking – and I know several people in Franklin County. A lot of them come by the farmers market to get fresh vegetables, and I get the chance to see them and talk to them.”

It’s a social event, as much as a business undertaking.

“It’s not a rush-rush thing, like when you go to the grocery store,” Ezzell said.

“Customers will come over, and we’ll talk about the corn, the tomatoes, about old times – we’re in no big hurry at the farmers market, and the people who come are not in a hurry. Most of the time they like to chat, and we do too. We have a good time at the farmers market.”

The friendly interactions aren’t limited to customers. Ezzell said he and his fellow growers enjoy a positive camaraderie amongst themselves.

“There is very little competition.

We help each other out,” Ezzell said.

They all work to preserve the friendly atmosphere, devoid of cutthroat selling

tactics where it’s every grower for himself. Farmers don’t try to undercut each other on price.

At peak season, Ezzell will be among 10-15 growers at the market. “We have more room. There will be some tables open sometimes – the lower end hardly ever gets anybody, but the upper end will stay about full.”

Ezzell’s wife Ford takes over the harvested vegetables he doesn’t sell at market, freezing them to enjoy all winter. They have four grown children – Sherrie Kirby, Hope Adkins, Terry Ezzell and Eric Ezzell – eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Although growing can be hard work – and sometimes thankless, when a crop doesn’t produce well because of weather or pests – it’s a pastime that brings Ezzell joy.

“Taking a little seed that’s maybe not as big as a pinhead and watching it grow and produce something edible – that’s rewarding to me,” he said.

“Seeing a field of – whatever, pumpkins watermelons or corn – when it’s about to mature, it’s pretty.”

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FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY More than 200 people participated in Franklin County’s three Easter egg hunts in March, hosted by the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce. It was a windy, chilly day, but that didn’t stop families from grabbing their baskets and heading out to Russellville, Phil Campbell and Red Bay to enjoy the annual festivities and meet the guest of honor – the Easter Bunny.

Photos courtesy of FRANKLIN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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115 N. Jackson Ave. Russellville, AL

(256) 332-9920 Cell: (256) 762-5671 22

Franklin Living

FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY

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W

hat was the first sign of civilization?

A fish hook? Another tool of some kind? Not according to Dr. Margret Mead, anthropologist at Harvard University. Dr. Mead would explain that the first sign of civilization was a healed femur bone.

Someone, Dr. Mead points out, had to care enough about that injured person to do their work for them.

Care? Concern for one another? Sounds like a Bible class, but it’s actually science. It’s the truth about human nature and living in community. We need one another!

Too often, we seek our own best interest, seldom noticing the plight of others or empathizing with one another.

Yet, when renowned scientists examine human history, the evidence they point to for human civilization is empathy.

The ability to walk in someone else’s shoes proves your civility.

Once we recognize the significance and importance of each individual, we ascend to the hope of our own hearts: the enlightenment of humanity.

Empathy requires perspective. Perspective is the product of wisdom, and wisdom flows from experience! How different the world, our nation and even our community would be if we could share in one another’s burdens.

Just a little kindness goes a long way in restoring faith, hope and love in a community! If we could each try to push back our selfishness and learn to think of others as more significant, we could share in the civility a community should enjoy.

Bearing one another’s burdens is not a new thought, but it is a revolutionary one. In these articles I hope to answer questions, to help us reach out to one another and show concern. We hope to bear one another’s burdens.

I love my work as a minister in this community. I get to enjoy the people who live here and learn every day about what makes Franklin County so special. It’s YOU. The citizens make this place so wonderful – your love for God and your love for one another! I hope these articles can be an encouragement to you.

If you have questions about the Bible, or struggles, or celebrations, send us an email, and let’s do what we can to build up the community here in Franklin County. We can serve one another and aspire to be a community of healing and restoration!

Trae Durden has been the preaching minister at North Highlands church of Christ in Russellville since January 2013. He is married to Leann Durden, and they have a daughter, Darcy Grace (15), and a son, Dalton (12).

Monday-Friday 8 to 5 - Saturday 9 to 2

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Franklin living

Beat the heat with sun safety Courtesy of SHERRY JOLLEY, RED BAY HOSPITAL Photo by CHRISTOPHER WEBB

W

ith summer approaching, it is important that we remember to protect our body’s largest organ: our skin. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the sun’s ultraviolet rays can damage your skin in as little as 15 minutes. However, there are recommendations to help protect you and your family.

Shade. You can reduce your risk of damage to your skin and skin cancer by seeking shade whether it is under an umbrella, tree or other shelter before you need relief from the sun.

Remember that even in the shade, your best bet is to use sunscreen or wear protective clothing when you’re in the shade.

Clothing. When possible, long-sleeved shirts and long pants or skirts can provide protection from UV rays. Tightly woven fabric offers the best protection. A dry T-shirt offers much more protection than a wet one, and darker colors offer more protection than lighter ones. If wearing this type of clothing isn’t practical, wear a T-shirt or beach coverup and remember to use other types of protection as well.

Hat. For the best protection, wear a hat with a brim all the way around that shades your face, ears and the back of your neck.

A tightly woven fabric, such as canvas, works best to protect your skin. Straw hats with holes let sunlight through, along with those harmful UV rays. If you wear a baseball cap, you should use a sunscreen to protect your ears and the back of your neck.

Sunglasses. Sunglasses protect your eyes from UV rays as well as reduce the risk of cataracts. They also protect the tender skin around your eyes.

Sunscreen. You should always wear a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 when going outside, even on

Franklin Living

cloudy or cool days. Don’t forget to put a thick layer on any exposed skin. And remember, sunscreen works best when combined with other options to prevent UV damage.

Most sunscreen products work by absorbing, reflecting or scattering sunlight.

All products do not have the same ingredients. If your skin reacts badly to one product, consult your doctor and try another product.

SPF, or sun protection factor, is a number assigned to sunscreens to rate their effectiveness in blocking UV rays. Higher numbers indicate more protection. You should use a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 15. Don’t forget, sunscreen wears off, so reapply if you stay out in the sun for more than two hours and after swimming, sweating or toweling off.

Skin Cancer Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US. The most common types of skin cancer include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Symptoms or indicators of skin cancer include: • Irregular borders on moles (ragged, notched or blurred edges) • Moles that are not symmetrical (one half doesn’t match the other) • Colors that are not uniform throughout • Moles that are bigger than a pencil eraser • Itchy or painful moles • New moles • Sores that bleed and do not heal • Red patches or lumps If you have any suspicious moles or spots, see a physician immediately.

Sunburn When measures aren’t taken to prevent harmful overexposure to the sun, sunburn is a common outcome.

Sunburn is not immediately apparent.

Symptoms usually start in about four hours, worsen in 24-36 hours and resolve in three days.

In addition to skin, eyes can become sunburned. Sunburned Eyes become red, dry, painful, and feel gritty. Chronic eye exposure can cause permanent damage, including blindness.

When experiencing sunburn, here are a few tips to help in relief and recovery: • Take aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve pain, headache and fever.

• Drink plenty of water to help replace fluid losses.

• Comfort burns with cool baths or the gentle application of cool wet cloths.

• Avoid further exposure until the burn has resolved.

• Use of a topical moisturizing cream, aloe or 1 percent hydrocortisone cream may provide additional relief.

• Do not break blisters. This slows healing and increases risk of infection.

• When blisters do break, remove skin fragments and apply an ointment or hydrocortisone cream.

Seek medical attention if any of the following occur: • Severe sunburns • Dehydration • High fever, higher than 101 • Extreme pain that persists for longer than 48 hours

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FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY

Treat-filled eggs were in great supply at Franklin County’s Easter egg hunts, hosted by the FC Chamber of Commerce, but candy wasn’t the only treat children walked away with – or rode away with. Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, a number of children won free bicycles as part of the Easter festivities.

Photos courtesy of FRANKLIN COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

246 Cox Creek Parkway · Florence 1-800-755-3113 · 256-764-9661 raymillergm.com

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Hal Gist Sales

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Mike Miller Dealer Principal

Franklin living

FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY

Franklin Living

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A linen towel like this one would make a lovely gift for mothers and grandmothers. Audrey’s Gifts and Décor, $12.99.

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This sweet onsie would make a great shower gift or registry addition for new moms.

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These candles are characterized by pleasing fragrances you will love to enjoy in your home. Ava’s China and Gifts, $29.99.

Bring a little more grace to your life with a picturesque throw pillow.

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Glamour Wash Fine Laundry Detergent makes your clothing smell amazing!

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Franklin Living

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This position requires at least 2 years of experience repairing and replacing electrical, plumbing and mechanical equipment. TO APPLY VISIT ONE OF OUR RETAIL LOCATIONS: 85 Lick Creek Rd. Cullman, AL 25055 256-796-6507 19576 AL Hwy 117 Ider, AL 35981 256-657-5752 OR Visit the “Career” section of our website to learn more about the position and to apply www.hogslat.com EOE/AA/M/F/Vet/Disability Come Home to Holiday Plaza Apartments (Behind Foodland) Equal Housing Opportunity 256-332-2960 Come work with us as a Caregiver or CNA! Competitive wages, Shift premium for weekends, Flexible Schedules, Friendly Staff, Endless Opportunities, Apply today at www. homeinstead.com/250 or call 256-883-3080 Box Trucks Needed A growing company needs independent

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Why I Love Franklin County:

Cassie Medley

I

t’s hard to find someone more engaged in all things Franklin County than Cassie Medley. A 1991 graduate of Russellville High School, Cassie is married to Jamie Medley, supervisor with the Alabama Department of Public Health, and they have two children: Sydney, a sophomore at Russellville High School, and Nathan, an eighth-grader at Russellville Middle School. Cassie is the executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, where she takes the lead on promoting local business and tourism.

What does your role as executive director of the chamber of commerce involve?

I interviewed for this job because I enjoy planning and organizing events, along with meeting new and interesting people. I enjoy my job because no one day is the same as another. I enjoy meeting those who travel and stop in the office seeking information about our county. One of the most meaningful aspects of my job is meeting new members of the Junior Leadership Program and seeing their leadership growth in ten months.

What is your favorite place to visit in Franklin County?

I could not choose just one favorite place to visit. In 2017, I loved attending the Roxy’s Legend of Toyland. However, two other frequented stops are the Dismals in Phil Campbell and the Red Bay Museum. I never tire of visiting these places.

What is your favorite local restaurant and menu item?

I have more than one favorite restaurant too! Here is my list: In Russellville, 43 Grill’s beef tender and steamed veggies; Frosty Inn’s chicken finger sandwich and onion rings; Rancho Viejo’s cheese dip and salsa; The Bricks’ pork chop with whipped sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts; Pilgrim’s barbecue with baked beans and vinegar slaw; and Destination’s West Coast wrap and house chips.

In Red Bay, I love Fourth Street Grill and Steakhouse’s salad bar, bacon, lettuce and fried green tomato sandwich with homemade chips and Mason Jar on Main’s chicken finger wrap and onion rings. In Phil Campbell, my favorite is the Dismals’ grilled chicken salad with cheese bread.

Each restaurant has their own unique qualities along with great service.

Why do you love Franklin County?

I love Franklin County because it is filled with precious people who love their communities and their jobs and strive to make a difference each and every day.

CASSIE MEDLEY’S

FAST 5 1. Favorite hobby: Watching classic black and white movies 2. Favorite food: Salad 3. Goal: No matter what job or task, I strive to do my very best 4. Church: Russellville First Baptist 5. Something people might not know about me: I served as pianist at Crooked Oak Baptist Church for over 26 years

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Franklin living

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Greg Thorn As purchasing manager over the Red Bay and Belmont locations for Tiffin Motorhomes, Greg Thorn stays busy with everything from dealing with material shortages or delays in deliveries of goods, to planning for changes in upcoming models, to working with internal processes for handling and distributing goods to the production areas.

Thorn is a well-established employee at Tiffin where he first began on the production line in February 1994.

“I began working here after graduation from UNA the previous December,” Thorn said. “I originally came to Tiffin thinking it would be fora short time while waiting for something in my degree field to open.”

But after a few years on the production line, he found himself opportunities to move up in the company. “I was originally slated to move in the warehouse, but before I moved, a position opened in the purchasing department, and I was given the opportunity to move into this office,” Thorn said.“As the company continued to grow, so did the purchasing department, and currently today we serve as the purchasing manager with a staff of eight purchasing agents at the Red Bay and Belmont locations.”

In addition to managing purchasing, Thorn also works closely with Tiffin Motorhomes’ warehouse and material distribution departments, and he serves as part of a team that implemented and continues to work with updates and upgrades to the company’s software system as it relates to the purchasing and material areas.

“Each day is always different, which is one of the things I enjoy about what I do, but each typically revolves around materials,” Thorn said.

“Working in a growing company, needs are always changing, creating the need for new and different ways to approach production requirements.”

Thorn and his wife Kristie live in the Burnout community and have two sons: Austin, 22, and Nicholas, 20.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family. “When our boys were coming through school they were both involved in sports, and we spent a lot of time involved with them in that,” he said.“I still enjoy watching and attending college sports, especially football and baseball.

Since they have both now graduated high school, and our oldest has graduated college, they are very involved in agriculture – in particular, raising cattle – and I spend time helping them

with that work.” He also serves as pastor of a small Missionary Baptist Church in the Burnout community, a ministry he has continued for approximately 22 years.

At Tiffin, Thorn praises the atmosphere to be founded working among a great staff.

“Some of the aspects that I particularly enjoy with both my job and employment at Tiffin are the family-owned environment and the people I have the opportunity to work with,” Thorn said.“I enjoy the diversity that my position here allows, working with many different aspects of the company and the production of our motorhomes.”

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