NAEC Alabama Living May 2020

Stories | Recipes | Events | People | Places | Things | Local News May 2020

North Alabama Electric Cooperative

Stepping up and lifting spirits Re-creating Army aviation history Appetite for avocados www.naecoop.com

North Alabama Electric Cooperative “Making Electric Energy available to its members at the lowest cost, consistent with sound economy and good management since 1940.”

ALABAMA LIVING is delivered to some 420,000 Alabama families and businesses, which are members of 22 not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed and taxpaying electric cooperatives. Subscriptions are $12 a year for individuals not subscribing through participating Alabama electric cooperatives. Alabama Living (USPS 029-920) is published monthly by the Alabama Rural Electric Association of Cooperatives. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Alabama, and at additional mailing office.

POSTMASTER send forms 3579 to: Alabama Living, P.O. Box 244014 Montgomery, Alabama 36124-4014.

Recreating history

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F E A T U R E S

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ALABAMA RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

AREA President Fred Braswell Editor Lenore Vickrey Managing Editor Allison Law Creative Director Mark Stephenson Art Director Danny Weston Advertising Director Jacob Johnson Graphic Designer/Ad Coordinator Brooke Echols Graphic Designer Chyna Miller

Friends of Army Aviation board member Art Morris with his dog Winston, after completing a ride on a Vietnam War era-Huey helicopter. With its collection of working and non-working aircraft at its hangar in Ozark, FOAA provides education and history about historic wartime aviation.

VOL. 73 NO. 5 MAY 2020

Sweet as honey

Beekeeping is a populat hobby in Jackson County.

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Lifting spirits

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Appetite for avocados

From teachers to church members to sports figures and more, all across Alabama people have stepped up to help others during this unprecedented time of crisis.

Avocados are one of the more nutritious fruits you can choose and the good news is they’re in season now through late summer.

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340 TechnaCenter Drive Montgomery, Alabama 36117-6031 1-800-410-2737 For advertising, email: advertising@areapower.com For editorial inquiries, email: contact@alabamaliving.coop NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE:

American MainStreet Publications 611 South Congress Ave., Suite 504 Austin, Texas 78704 1-800-626-1181 www.AMP.coop www.alabamaliving.coop USPS 029-920 • ISSN 1047-0311

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D E P A R T M E N T S 11 Spotlight 24 Pet Health 34 Cook of the Month 30 Outdoors 31 Fish & Game Forecast 42 Hardy Jackson’s Alabama ONLINE: alabamaliving.coop ON THE COVER

Look for this logo to see more content online!

Printed in America from American materials

Emmie Echols waters a freshly planted strawberry plant in her family’s newly constructed raised garden.

PHOTO: BROOKE ECHOLS

34 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! ONLINE: www.alabamaliving.coop EMAIL: letters@alabamaliving.coop MAIL: Alabama Living 340 Technacenter Drive Montgomery, AL 36117

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Sign up at alabamaliving.coop MAY 2020 3

North Alabama Electric Cooperative Payment Options

By Mail: P.O. Box 628 Stevenson, AL 35772

By Phone: 800-941-3561

Enter NAEC’s Fourth of July Kids Art Contest today!

Show your family’s patriotic spirit this Independence Day by entering your child’s artwork in our contest. The cover of the July edition of Alabama Living will feature the winner’s creation.

Contest rules

• The Fourth of July contest is open to all students from kindergarten through sixth grade who live in NAEC’s service area.

Online: www.naecoop.com/ pay-bill

• All entries should be about 8 1/2 x 11 inches in size — do not fold artwork.

In Person: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• This entry form must be signed by a parent or guardian and included with your entry.

• The art should have a patriotic theme and must be the child’s original creation.

• The winning entry will be printed in color, so be sure to use materials such as markers, crayons and paint.

• Only one entry is allowed per child.

• The deadline for entries is May 26.

When all entries have been received, they will be judged by a committee.

Woodville Office: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Contact Us Headquarters: 41103 U.S. Hwy. 72 Stevenson, AL 35772 256-437-2281 Electric Service: 256-437-2281 or 800-572-2900 Fiber Service: 256-437-5000 Office Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Entry form

To enter your child’s artwork, fill out the form below and submit it with your entry to: NAEC Cover Art Contest, P.O. Box 628, Stevenson, AL 35772.

We will contact the winner by Friday, June 5.

By completing this form, I give permission for identification of my child and his/her artwork in NAEC’s publications and website.

Student’s Name: Name of Parent or Guardian: Address: Telephone Number: Email Address: Grade in School:

Name and City of School:

Teacher:

After Hour Emergencies: 256-437-1100 or 800-572-2900 Fiber - 256-437-5000 4 MAY 2020

www.alabamaliving.coop

CELEBRATING OUR FUTURE LEADERS Cam Ellis Bass is the son of Adam Bass, a North Alabama Electric Cooperative substation technician, and Darlene Gilbert of Stevenson. A senior at Scottsboro High School, he plans to attend Northeast Alabama Community College before pursuing an electrical engineering degree specializing in power systems engineering from Auburn University or Georgia Technical College. Bass has been in the STAR Academic Excellence program for four years and is a member of NACC’s English honor society, Sigma Kappa Delta. He is one of the Top 10 Academics in football, broke the record for rushing yards in one game, was chosen All-Region in football and was part of the 2019 5A State Champion track team. Cam has been a member of the Center Point Baptist Church since 2010 and considers becoming a Christian his greatest accomplishment.

Lacey McAllister is the daughter of Stacie McAllister, an NAEC billing clerk, and Albert McAllister. She is a senior at North Jackson High School with plans of attending Jacksonville State University.

She will graduate NJHS with a short-term certificate of general education with over 30 hours of dual-enrollment classes and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education and minoring in language arts. During her years at NJHS, she has been a cheerleader for four years and will finish her senior year winning the 4A State Championship.

Lacey is a four-year Red Card Holder for holding a 4.0 GPA, is class officer of the Beta Club, served in SGA for four years and as vice president her senior year. She is a member of Mu Alpha Theta and its president her senior year, belongs to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, was voted homecoming queen and was senior attendant for the NJHS Academic Court. She was also chosen to be a part of the Jackson County Junior Leadership her junior year and First Southern Young Leaders her senior year.

Lacey has volunteered for the Special Olympics for four years, participated in the Night to Shine event at Agape Church and helped the City of Bridgeport with all its Halloween festivities.

Lacey attends the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport.

Hank Alred is the son of Eddie Alred, line foreman for North Alabama Electric Cooperative, and Amy Garner of Hollywood. He is in the 2020 senior class of North Jackson High School and plans to follow in his father’s footsteps and attend lineman school. Hank enjoys deer, duck and turkey hunting; fishing; riding dirt bikes; and off-roading while spending time with friends.

Alabama Living

Taylor Houston is the 18-year-old daughter of Kelli Houston, an NAEC billing clerk, and Sam Houston. She is a senior in the North Jackson High School class of 2020. She plans to attend Jacksonville State University and aspires to become a secondary science teacher.

She also plans to further her education by obtaining a master’s degree in administration. She will graduate high school with over 30 hours of dual-enrollment classes. During Taylor’s time at North Jackson, she has taken on many leadership positions, including Beta Club president and Student Government Association president. She is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Mu Alpha Theta, Academic Excellence Committee, Angel Tree Committee and Math Team. Taylor has spent numerous hours volunteering in her community by participating in the Special Olympics and Tim Tebow’s Night To Shine event. Taylor also represents her school as Miss NJHS. Overall, Taylor has loved her time spent at North Jackson and wants to continue to give back to it in the future as an administrator.

Coleman Towry is the son of Kenny and Pam Towry. He is a member of the 2020 class of DAR High School. He enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time outdoors. Coleman has been working at Dennis Foodland while attending DAR. Once he graduates, he plans to attend the Southeast Lineman Training Center to become a lineman like his dad.

Kiley Knight is the daughter of Bill Knight, GIS mapper at NAEC, and Patty Knight, bus driver for the Jackson County Board of Education. She is a senior at Skyline High School with plans of attending Northeast Alabama Community College in the fall to earn her associate degree, then furthering her education by attending Athens State. Kiley is pursuing a degree in early childhood/special needs education. Kiley has been in Senior Beta for three years, an FCCLA and FFA member for four years, and a volunteer with the after-school program in addition to the Special Olympics since her sophomore year. She has finished her first year of college through dual enrollment with NACC and was inducted into Sigma Kappa Delta, NACC’s English honors society, her junior year of high school. Kiley has volunteered in fundraising events for the Skyline Volunteer Fire Department and has had the opportunity to volunteer with the Skyline Backpack Buddies program, as well as being an active member of the Skyline Free Holiness Church.

MAY 2020 5

The buzz around town

JACKSON COUNTY BEEKEEPERS ARE TAKING THE STING OUT OF POPULATION DECLINE The Manning brothers’ bee farm in Jackson County was little more than a hobby 20 years ago. With just a couple of hives, Roscoe and Lester’s goal was to produce enough honey for the two of them to enjoy each year.

But the brothers aren’t the type to let a good opportunity go to waste. So each swarm season, when bees break off from large colonies to start their own hives, they would add to their collection. Now, they run one of the largest bee farms in North Alabama.

“We only got into it so we could have honey for ourselves,” says Roscoe Manning. “But the bees swarm each year, so we kept adding to it. Now we’re up to about 80 to 90 hives.”

The Manning farm is a full-time operation that keeps the brothers busy seven days a week, making them the exception for Alabama beekeepers. As concern for the bee population and the role these buzzing pollinators play for the environment has grown, more people have been drawn to beekeeping as a hobby or a side business.

“We’re a state loaded with hobbyists.

We have a lot of small-time beekeepers and a lot of small businesses,” says William Rowe, regional extension agent for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and a beekeeper himself. “These people are all out there with the same interest and looking to each other for support. So it turns into one big happy bee family.”

Swarm wishes

The Manning brothers have more than 80 hives on their farm (top). The Kennedys transfer a package of bees into a hive.

Photo credit: The Jackson County Beekeepers Association and Nathan Kennedy

6 MAY 2020

In 2006, a mysterious rash of deaths in honey bee colonies began appearing across the United States. Affected colonies had a live queen and immature bees, but there were no adult bees to sustain them.

Known as Colony Collapse Disorder, scientists have struggled to find a clear cause for the incidents to this day. www.alabamaliving.coop

That is a cause for concern because, while not native to the U.S., honey bees are an instrumental part of the nation’s agriculture industry. Like other species of bees and wasps, honey bees play an important role in pollinating crops and increasing yields. In addition, honey bees have proven more manageable for farmers than other pollinators.

“They have a behavior called constancy, which means once they discover a flower or resource they’ll go back and tell the colony,” Rowe says. “They will keep coming back to it over and over, which ensures that the crop is being pollinated as it needs with bees moving from one flower to the next of the same kind. So they’re pretty ideal to our idea of agriculture.”

According to Rowe, the recent spike in interest for honey bees and beekeeping has helped reverse the population decline that began in 2006. In fact, there may now be too much focus on the honey bee, neglecting bumblebees, wasps and other native pollinators.

“We have about 3,500 bee species in the U.S., and the honey bee is just one of them,” says Dr. Josh Campbell, a research associate at Auburn University’s Bee Lab. “A lot of our native bees are better pollinators than the honey bee. They’re more efficient. But we don’t have a good handle on where they live and how to manage them.”

For native bees, forces like climate change and habitat modification are persistent threats. Fortunately, people can take steps to improve the local environment for bees without investing heavily in a new beekeeping hobby.

“One thing I like to do is show people pictures of different front yards and ask, ‘Where are the flowers in this scene?’”

Rowe says. “Some people want low-maintenance landscapes, which means shrubs that flower very rarely and flowers that don’t generate adequate nectar or pollen to support anything. What will the bees feed on in these areas?”

Simple steps like easing up on weeding, growing more flowering plants, spraying pesticides when plants aren’t flowering or at night when bees are less active can all create an environment that is more welcoming to bees and other pollinators.

“There are a lot of small things that can be done,” Rowe says. “And you won’t just get bees. You’ll also have butterflies and hummingbirds. There are whole hosts of insects and animals that come along with a freely blooming environment.” n

A Flow Hive (top) lets farmers harvest honey without opening the hive. The Manning brothers (bottom) tend to their hives.

Photo credits: Gina Meeks and the Jackson County Beekeepers Association

Bee positive

While honey bees may not be on the verge of collapse, the global bee trade has led to a variety of threats from pests such as the varroa mite, tracheal mite and the small hive beetle, for which there are few good treatments.

“It’s a constant battle fighting all these pests,” says Nathan Kennedy, who manages five hives in Stevenson with his wife, Jacqueline. “In the old days, you could come out of winter and expect that virtually all of your hives would live through winter. Now it’s not uncommon for people to lose 50% or more of their hives.”

In many cases, the only solution is to boost the general bee population, meaning continued growth through beekeeping is still important. For aspiring beekeepers, Rowe suggests getting involved with local organizations like the Jackson County Beekeepers Association.

Alabama Living

Some farmers order packages of bees that are sent by mail across the country.

Photo credit: Nathan Kennedy

MAY 2020 7

CLEARING THE WAY Managing right of way improves reliability and saves money Whether it’s during a major storm or a windy day, the majority of outages on North Alabama Electric Cooperative’s system are the result of tree limbs and other debris falling on power lines. That’s why right-of-way crews work throughout the year to clear vegetation around cooperative lines.

If you are a member living in Grant, Woodville or Paint Rock service areas, be aware that NAEC crews will be clearing rights of way in your area between now and October.

• NAEC crews will trim trees throughout Paint Rock Valley and Woodville service areas from now until October.

• Contracted crews will be spraying to control underbrush growth in Grant and Paint Rock from late summer to early fall.

NAEC trims trees and other vegetation for a total of 30 feet around power lines, allowing for 15 feet on each side of primary lines. This not only helps the cooperative maintain reliable service, but it also keeps rates lower for all members.

“Maintaining that right of way is important because electric power is a necessity for some people who might be on ventilators or have other home health care needs,” says Brandon Evans, NAEC’s right-of-way foreman. “When lines go down, those costs also go into the power bill, so maintaining them keeps rates down.”

If you have questions about NAEC’s right-of-way policy or this year’s clearing schedule, please call our office at 256-4372281 or 800-572-2900. n

Maintain a ‘safe zone’ when planting trees Tall Zone

Medium Zone

Low Zone

Maintenance Zone

50 feet or farther from Maintenance Zone.

20-50 feet or farther from Maintenance Zone.

Examples: Maple, Oak Spruce, Pine

Examples: Holly, Ornamental Cherry

10-20 feet or farther from Maintenance Zone.

No vines, shrubs or trees should be planted within 10’ of the furthest point on a utility pole.

60 ft

8 MAY 2020

50 ft

40 ft

Examples: Redbud, Dogwood

30 ft

20 ft

10 ft

0 ft

www.alabamaliving.coop