Achievements & Lifestyles: September/October 09

September/October 2009 • Category: Achievements & Lifestyles • Print This Page Print This Page
Crystal Edwards (shown in photo), of Lumberton Dermatology, was the guest speaker.BLADEN COUNTY FARM BUREAU’S Women’s Committee hosted an informative skin cancer presentation to advise members of the importance of proper sun exposure, as well as being attentive to their skin’s needs.
BRUNSWICK COUNTY FARM BUREAU recently became the first major donor to a capital campaign for a new hospice center in the county. The county’s Board of Directors pledged $25,000 toward the construction of a seven-bed inpatient facility.
From left to right, Mecklenburg County Farm Bureau President Eddie Stroup, Cabarrus County Farm Bureau President Tommy Porter and Rep. Linda Johnson at Porter Farms open house.CABARRUS COUNTY FARM BUREAU President Tommy Porter recently hosted a farm open house at Porter Farms. Attending were Mecklenburg County President Eddie Stroup, N.C. Rep. Linda Johnson, and representatives from the N.C. Grange and N.C. Cattlemen’s Association. The purpose of the event was to display modern farming practices.
From left to right, Camden County Farm Bureau Member Andy Montero, Randy Midgett, Jeff Burns and Colt Bickford were the winning team in the potato peeling contest.CAMDEN COUNTY FARM BUREAU had several members participate in a potato peeling contest during the Potato Festival, and the winning team, from Montero’s Restaurant, included Camden Farm Bureau Member Andy Montero. His team peeled 17.9 pounds of potatoes in five minutes. The event began as a tribute to local potato farmers and has grown every year. This year’s event included live entertainment, a Miss Tater Tot Contest, the Potato Peeling Contest, and, of course, potatoes fixed many ways, with French fries being the most popular seller.
From left to right, instructor David Killian, Gary Huffman and Durane Hood take part in a lesson on hay equipment safety.CATAWBA COUNTY FARM BUREAU is hosting a series of five safety programs this year. Programs about dairy and poultry house safety, hay equipment safety, and tractor safety have been held already, and programs on grain harvesting and pesticide safety and large animal safety are approaching.
Cleveland County Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers toured farms in Eastern North Carolina this spring.CLEVELAND COUNTY FARM BUREAU’S Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee Members recently went on several farm tours in Beaufort, Hyde and Tyrrell counties. Other county YF&Rs were also involved in the tours, which included a seed company and a phosphate mine. The group also teamed up with Cleveland County 4-H to help with a barbecue fundraiser to raise money for the Dairy Steer Club. They raised $1,800 and cooked and sold 96 Boston butts. The theme for the event was “Hooking Up for Agriculture.”
GRANVILLE COUNTY FARM BUREAU recently donated funds to the J.F. Webb High School FFA to purchase a new welder and other items.
GREENE COUNTY FARM BUREAU recently took part in the Town of Altenburg’s First Annual Proud to Be An American Day. Farm Bureau members organized a Kids Tractor Pull during the event.
JOHNSTON COUNTY FARM BUREAU, in partnership with the North Carolina FFA Foundation and the Johnston Community College (JCC) Foundation, established two scholarships for area FFA students to attend JCC. Brandon Parker and Jeremy Tart, both graduates of South Johnston High School, are the first recipients of the scholarships. In addition to scholarship support, Johnston County Farm Bureau has established an endowment with the NC FFA Foundation that will support the FFA East Central Rally held annually on JCC’s campus.
From left to right, McDowell Farm Bureau President James Nations, Vice President Wayne Miller, Board Member Eddie Bingham and Marion Downtown Business Association Executive Director Freddie Killough cut the ribbon on the new Marion Farmers Market.MCDOWELL COUNTY FARM BUREAU contributed money for 30 percent of the materials cost for the recently opened Marion Farmers Market. Farm Bureau members and business boosters cut the ribbon in the new 110-foot-by-54-foot facility June 30.
MECKLENBURG COUNTY FARM BUREAU contributed Ms. Daisy the cow as part of Farm Animal Day June 20 at the Charlotte Nature Museum. About 500 families attended the event to learn about farm animals and growing food.
More than 330 students from five Montgomery County schools learned about agriculture during the third annual Ag Heritage Day.MONTGOMERY COUNTY FARM BUREAU recently hosted the third Ag Heritage Day. County President Benny Hampton organized the event with the help of the entire County Board of Directors. Visiting the 15 stations were 332 fifth-graders and 40 adult supervisors from five county schools. Board members participated in the stations, directed traffic and shared memories.
NASH COUNTY FARM BUREAU member Linda Fisher was recently honored as the 2009 North Carolina Environment Stewardship Award winner during the N.C. Cattlemen’s Conference in Hickory. Fisher Farms has been in her family since the early 1900s, and she became a full-time farmer in 1984. Today, Fisher has 150 cows, 30 first-calf heifers and 30 replacement heifers on 700 acres in Nash and Halifax counties. Fisher’s environmentally minded practices include rigorous water testing and preservation of water quality of the Tar River Basin creek that runs through Fisher Farms, as well as incorporating innovative grazing practices using multiple forage species, controlled grazing, strategic fencing and more. Her farm is also a habitat for endangered species like the Spiney Mussel. Fisher passes forward her practices by hosting visitors and young people.
From left to right, Melissa Hight, county Extension Director, Sharon Rowland, also with Extension, New Hanover County Farm Bureau President Maurice Emmart and county Vice President Durwood Baggett.NEW HANOVER COUNTY FARM BUREAU President Maurice Emmart and the Board of Directors established the Durwood Baggett Horticulture Endowment for New Hanover County during a meeting July 24. The $27,000 endowment was the idea of Baggett, who is the county Vice President and has served on the Board since March 1989. He helped fund the endowment, which can only be used for projects related to horticulture in New Hanover County. The endowment is part of the Agricultural Foundation at North Carolina State University. More specifically, it is housed within the Cooperative Extension Service Foundation. Extension’s Sharon Runion Rowland attended the meeting and check presentation ceremony to explain the technical aspects of the endowment. In addition, Melissa Hight, the county Extension Director, attended in order to detail some of the accomplishments of Baggett, who retired as county Extension Director in 1978.
Pender County Farm Bureau board members listen to a talk from Coby Heath, Pender County Tax Assessor.PENDER COUNTY FARM BUREAU’S Board of Directors hosted Pender County Tax Assessor Coby Heath at their June 9 meeting. Heath shared information about tax laws and procedures regarding present-use tax value for farms, forestry and horticulture, as well as other topics. Heath told the crowd his door is open to answer farmers’ questions.
The lobby at UNC-Pembroke’s Biotechnology Business and Training Center was recently dedicated as the Farm Bureau of Robeson County Lobby.ROBESON COUNTY FARM BUREAU recently celebrated the dedication of the lobby at UNC-Pembroke’s Biotechnology Business and Training Center as the Farm Bureau of Robeson County Lobby. Robeson County Farm Bureau is contributing $50,000 over the next four years to agriculture-related research and education initiatives at the center. The gift provides the center with funding for faculty and student research, laboratory equipment and supplies and operational costs.
ROWAN COUNTY FARM BUREAU Ag in the Classroom Ambassador Theresa Pierce is the 2009 North Carolina Gilder Lehrman Preserve American History Teacher of the Year. Pierce is a history specialist at Horizons Unlimited, and her job involves arranging outreach programs for students to learn on-site at historic attractions in the area. The award recognizes outstanding American history teachers from elementary through high school for their efforts teaching the importance of American history education.
From left to right, Women’s Committee members Donna Locklear and Joann Barnhill, Scotland Conservation Director Amy Richburg, Scotland County Farm Bureau President Joe Barnhill, and Women’s Committee member Diane Stokes.SCOTLAND COUNTY FARM BUREAU recently offered support on behalf of Cumberland, Robeson and Scotland County Farm Bureaus toward a Food, Land and People workshop sponsored by Soil and Water Conservation Districts in those counties. At the June workshop, kindergarten through sixth-grade teachers were invited to explore food, land and people in a national environmental education curriculum that created awareness and understanding of the interrelationships among food production, land management and a sustainable society. Scotland County Farm Bureau’s Women’s Committee assisted the activities staff.
TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY FARM BUREAU member Fred Pittillo is the North Carolina winner of the 20th Anniversary Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award.

Pittillo runs Turf Mountain Sod farm, where he grows cool season fescue, bluegrass and bentgrass turf varieties on 1,200 acres.

Pittillo grew up in the dairy industry and got into the dairy business for himself as an adult. By 1987, he realized dairy wouldn’t support his family and planted four acres of Falcon fescue sod. He expanded to 18 acres by the next year and has continued growing ever since.

For a time, he was the only sod supplier in the area, and today he produces, delivers and installs sod in North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia.

Pittillo also enjoys collecting old Oliver model tractors. In addition to being a member of North Carolina Farm Bureau, Pittillo supports Farm-City Day activities and has been active at Fruitland Baptist Church. For 25 years he was a member of the local Farm Service Agency. Pittillo and his wife Merle run their operation together and are in the process of turning it over to their children’s families.

In addition to being a member of North Carolina Farm Bureau, Pittillo supports Farm-City Day activities and has been active at Fruitland Baptist Church. For 25 years he was a member of the local Farm Service Agency.

Pittillo and his wife Merle run their operation together and are in the process of turning it over to their children’s families.

As the North Carolina award winner, Pittillo receives $2,500, other prizes and an expense-paid trip to the Sunbelt Ag Expo, Oct. 20-22 where the overall winner will be announced.
TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY FARM BUREAU, on behalf of the Transylvania Heritage Museum, sponsored the Farm Tour of Northern Transylvania County. Board members chartered a bus and arranged a farm visit schedule to educate the public on the economic impact, diversity, innovation and challenges of agriculture in the county, while taking care not to disrupt farmers’ busy May schedules. The host farm families were hospitable and informative, and attendees say they’re already looking forward to the next farm tour.
From left to right, NCFB President Larry Wooten, Vance County Farm Bureau President Thomas Shaw and U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge attended Leadership Vance Agriculture Day.VANCE COUNTY FARM BUREAU hosted the annual Leadership Vance Agriculture Day at the Talmadge Burgess Jr. Farm on June 2. Special guests at this year’s event were U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge and NCFB President Larry Wooten. Each guest gave a brief update on important issues that will have a direct effect on farmers and agriculture. They explained where these issues were in the legislative process and encouraged Farm Bureau members to become involved by contacting their legislative representatives.
WAKE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Women’s Committee members Donna Thompson, Sylvia Pearce and Shirley Burt hosted a farm activity booth at the Wake Forest Farmers’ Market on June 20. Visitors and their children were invited to milk a cow and make a “moo mask,” as well as plant seed in a miniature greenhouse. About 25 children took part in the activities and received Rudy Rooster or Food for Thought coloring books.
County Farm Bureaus that have recently awarded scholarships to students include the following organizations:
Anson – Jessica Hildreth and Joshua Jarman.
Cabarrus – Jordan Safrit and Kayleigh Barnhardt.
Chatham – Derrick Andrews, Maegan Hedgecock, Will Bartee.
Davie – Jessica Foster, Karlyn Phipps, Shelby Karriker, Bethany Little, Michael Burford, Aaron Peoples.
Forsyth – Lauren Kloc, Tyler Kloc, Aaron Speaks, Lee Elliott, Clayton Eaton.
Mecklenburg – William Haigler, Robert B. “Jake” Helms IV, Claire Young.
Montgomery – Brian Thomas Elam Jr., John Almiw Mullinix, Adam Eugene Noah
Stanly – Emily Talley.
Union – Candace Helen Thompson.
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