County’s Farm-City honored

County volunteers who work to foster understanding and cooperation among rural and urban residents were honored April 2 during the Alabama Farm-City Awards luncheon in Birmingham.

Franklin County took top honors in Division II, which is for populations of less than 35,600, by winning the Best Farm-City Committee Award. The Franklin County Farm-City Committee also won the Best Farm-City Dinner, Best Special Activities and the Target Award. Franklin County also received a plaque from the National Farm-City Council for winning their respective division.

Katernia Cole, chairman of the Franklin County Farm-City Committee, said she was proud Franklin County was recognized at the state and national levels for the efforts they have made in bridging the gap between people in rural and urban areas.

“The whole purpose of the Farm-City Committee is to create a better understanding between rural and urban people in the subject of agriculture,” Cole said. “In today’s time, many children don’t realize how big of a role agriculture plays in their lives. When I’ve asked children where their food comes from, I usually get answers like ‘the grocery store’ or ‘Wal-Mart.’ They don’t make the connection that the food came from a farm before it wound up in a store.”

Cole said she believed it’s important to continue to place an emphasis on agriculture because of its value in society.

“When you are using your bath towels in the morning, agriculture made that possible; the T-shirt you are wearing was manufactured thanks to agriculture; the food you enjoy was grown and harvested through agriculture,” she said. “Everyone depends on agriculture every day even though there are fewer farmers now that there used to be.

“It’s important for people who don’t live in a rural area or around a farming community to still understand that importance and that’s where the Farm-City Committee comes in.”

Throughout the year, the Franklin County Farm-City Committee implements several programs and events that keep the topic in the spotlight. These programs are what helped the Franklin County Farm-City Committee receive their recognition at the state banquet.

“The theme for 2011 was Harvesting Healthy Choices and the different projects and programs were based on that,” Cole said. “One of the biggest things we did that helped us win the Best Special Activities Award was the Farm-City Jail Garden we helped to start at the Franklin County Jail.

“Years ago we discussed having a jail garden but it never really took off. When Sheriff Oliver took office, he really helped us get the garden back up and running.”

Cole said the garden at the jail served several purposes such as helping the jail save on the cost of food by growing some of their own vegetables and teaching the inmates about the importance of a good work ethic.

“Our hope with this garden is that it will teach the inmates a skill they will be able to use when they are released to help them lead a more productive life,” she said. “We want them to take what they learn about the importance of fresh foods and pass that knowledge along to their families.”

Other programs and projects the Franklin County Farm-City Committee was recognized for in their Target Award included the Farm-City Week kick-off; the fair exhibit at the Northwest Alabama State Fair in September where they received second place; the Farm-City poster and essay contest in all the city and county schools; receiving Farm-City proclamations from Russellville Mayor Troy Oliver, Red Bay Mayor Bobby Forsythe, Vina Mayor D. W. Franklin, Hodges Mayor Ed Crouch, Phil Campbell Mayor Jerry Mays and Probate Judge Barry Moore to increase the awareness of Farm-City Week; the Harvesting Healthy Choices Nutrition Program showing the importance of eating healthy for adults; a program for parents of students at Headstart about healthy eating choices; distributing coloring books to third graders in all the city and county schools by the Alfa Farmers Federation Women’s Committee; plating four trees in Phil Campbell by the Shoals Master Gardeners; and on-going programs in the city and county schools based on the Harvesting Healthy Choices theme.