Jay Peanut Festival To Begin Beaches To Woodlands Tour
September 16, 2010
The 21st Annual Jay Peanut Festival October 2-3 will kick-off the seventh annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour of Santa Rosa County. The month-long self-guided driving tour of Santa Rosa County features more than two dozen events. Geared toward locals and tourists alike, the tour has become an annual Gulf Coast staple.
“Once Fall season starts settling in people get motivated to get out and about,” said Karen Harrell, tour coordinator. “This is a showcase series of events for Santa Rosa County. These events are family-friendly and inexpensive, back-to-basic type of activities.” Along with great activities, Harrell said October is a great time for a weekend vacation with water temperatures still warm enough to swim and area lodging rates for out-of-towners down up to 40 percent from summer’s high season.
The Jay Peanut Festival draws upwards to 70,000 people to the 15-acre Gabbert Farm each year who have a chance to sample all types of peanuts -– boiled, green, fried, candied and more.
Admission is free and all weekend long there will be arts, crafts, antique, new items, games, rides, rock climbing wall, pony and horse rides, wagon rides, train rides, buckboard rides, anvil shoot, and a grist mill. The farm’s popular museum is also open for tours.
Pictured above and below: Large crowds attended the annual Jay Peanut Festival last year. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Holds Open House
September 15, 2010
Parents and community members had the opportunity to visit Northview High School during their annual open house Tuesday night. Pictured top: Teacher Tom Meehan (foreground) explains vocational programs at the school to a group of parents and students. Pictured below: Students Savannah Singleton, Lauren McCall, Charleigh McPherson, Charla Stark attend the open house. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
9/11 Breakfast Honors First Responders
September 12, 2010
A 9/11 Breakfast Saturday morning honored police, fire, public officials and other first responders from across Escambia County, Ala., Escambia County, Fla., and Santa Rosa County. The breakfast was held at the Little Escambia Baptist Church in Flomaton.
Pictured top: A 9/11 Breakfast Saturday morning at Little Escambia Baptist Church in Flomaton. Pictured left: Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff Grover Smith (foreground) and David Johnson of Escambia County (Fla.) EMS. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
In The Bag: Northview NJROTC Raises Money
September 12, 2010
Members of the Northview High School NJROTC spent part of their Saturday bagging groceries at Winn Dixie in Atmore as a fund raiser for the group’s activities. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Featured Recipe:Caribbean Chicken
September 12, 2010
This weekend’s featured recipe from Janet Tharpe is a Caribbean Chicken. A special treat for the senses, it provides a blend of sweet and tangy with just the right flavor.
To print today’s “Just a Pinch” recipe column, you can click the image below to load a printable pdf with a recipe card.
Local Man Recalls Flying On September 11, Not Knowing Attacks Had Occurred
September 11, 2010
Nine years ago, Freddie McCall of Century and his son were preparing their small plane to fly to Texas. It was a major business decision for the McCalls…should they bid on a contract for the Texas company, or should they not? They knew that landing the contract for their company, Brewton Aviation, would mean hiring a new pilot or perhaps one of them moving to Texas. It would be a day that would change their lives. But little did they know how much the lives of all Americans were about to change that morning…September 11, 2001.
McCall flew out of the Brewton airport early that morning, headed for brief stops in Mobile and Baton Rouge before heading to Texas. Plans quickly changed, as the weather became too foggy to fly. The McCalls set their small plane down on a grassy strip near Jay to wait for the fog to burn off. They had no communications… no cellular phone and their radio was not turned on.
We all know the sequence of events that most people saw unfold on live television before our eyes. At 7:45 our time, a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. Television anchors were talking about the terrible accident, speculating how a pilot could make such a grave mistake. As millions watched the TV, a second plane hit the second Twin Tower at 8:03. We all knew…we were under attack.
But McCall and his son still had no idea of the horror unfolding in New York. A world away, the fog had lifted in Jay. They took off, flying under the level of airport radar, toward Mobile. Their biggest concern was still the trip to Texas and the business deal.
At 8:40 local time, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all flights in the United States, for the first time in American history. Brewton Avation’s plane continued toward Mobile. They had no idea that they were flying in increasingly empty skies .
“Our big concern that day was the contract for our company in Texas,” McCall said. “I had thought long and hard about it, and we had prayed about it.”
As they approached Mobile, McCall contacted the Mobile Regional Airport to let them know they were approaching at about 500 feet, still below the level of the airport’s radar.
“A voice came back real prompt like and asked where we were,” he said. “They told us to fly directly to the airport and get that plane down as fast as we could.”
McCall and his son knew something was going on, but they had no idea what.
Upon landing in Mobile, the Brewton Aviation plane was met by authorities who told them to get anything out of the plane they ever wanted to see again. McCall said that he still did not know what was going on in New York, and by that point, at the Pentagon in Washington.
McCall and his son were escorted to a room that had a TV. They watched the replays of the towers being hit again and again.
They called their wives to get rides back home. Their plane was held by federal authorities for a week before it was released.
Post-9/11 business has changed in many ways for Brewton Aviation and McCall. Insurance is up 20 times what it was before the terrorist attacks. Flight plans are required by Homeland Security and the FAA.
“The Lord was good to us, increasing our contracts in other ways,” McCall said of his business, post-9/11. “We have kept our head above water, and we have survived.”
“And our country has survived; the Lord took care of all of us,” he said.
McCall now serves as mayor of Century.
Gardening: September’s Need To Know
September 11, 2010
September marks the beginning of the fall gardening season. Usually by the second week of the month the weather begins to cool. It’s time to break out of
the summer doldrums and head into the garden and landscape because there are many projects that are best done this month.
September is the prime time to plant many of the cool season vegetables. You can sow seeds of beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, collards, endive, escarole, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onions, parsley and radishes. If plants of these are available they can also be set out.
If you plant early in the month, you can still plant some of the warm season vegetables including beans, cucumbers and summer squash.
Fall is also a great time to divide clumping perennials such as daylilies, mondo grass and liriope. Division is the quickest and easiest method of multiplying most herbaceous perennials. Simply dig the plants and shake off the soil. It will be apparent where to separate the plants into smaller units having roots and leaves.
Division simply involves separating the clump into pieces with adequate roots and shoots for reestablishment. A small clump with one to two shoots and adequate roots for transplanting is called a bib. Some plants may be real woody and require an ax or saw to separate them while others may be soft and succulent and can be separated by hand. Divided pieces should be replanted at the same depth as they grew originally.
September is also a good time to start your preparation for planting trees and shrubs. Planting during fall and early winter allows the plants to establish their root systems during our relatively mild winters. When hot weather arrives next summer, fall planted trees and shrubs are already well established and better able to cope with the heat stress. Choose your trees and shrubs carefully. Learn about the plant before you buy it. Know its mature height and its sun or shade requirements. Even a well-chosen tree or shrub can become a problem if planted in the wrong location.
September is also the last month to fertilize our lawns and many of our landscape plants. Do not fertilizer too late, no later than the last week of September. A late season application of high nitrogen fertilizer can cause a flush of new growth too late in the year. It “wakes” the plant up at a time when it should be getting ready to “go to sleep” or enter dormancy. A late season growth flush decreases the plant’s winter hardiness and increases the possibility of cold damage.
Carefully select your fertilizer. For your lawn, consider an application of low nitrogen, high potassium fertilizer such as a 5-0-15, 5-0-20 or a 5-5-30. And don’t be misled by the term “winterizer” fertilizer. Many fertilizers advertised as winterizers are very high in nitrogen and are not good choices for a late season application.
Pine needles fall during September and October. Rake and use them in your flower and shrub beds. Pine needles make excellent mulch.
Apply generously to obtain a depth of two to three inches after they have settled.
Angel Food: Get About $60 Worth Of Groceries For $30
September 10, 2010
As the cost of food continues to rise, there is a program available locally that can save more than half of the cost of groceries. And, perhaps best of all, everyone qualifies, no strings attached. It’s called Angel Food Ministries, a program that provides food relief to more than a half million families a month across the nation.
It’s a simple concept…pay $31 for a box of food worth about $60. There are no applications; everyone qualifies regardless of family status or income. The process is simple too…just stop by one of the designated local locations, pay the $30 and return on the designated pickup day to receive the box of food. They even accept food stamps. Or, the food can be ordered online at angelfoodministries.com.
This months “Signature Box” contains a variety of items — including split chicken breasts, been and cheese burritos, hamburger patties, boneless pork chops and more more. (See the complete items at the bottom of this page.)
In the North Escambia area, orders can be placed online or through Allen Memorial United Methodist Church or Pine Forest Assembly of God in Cantonment, New Life Baptist Church in Century or the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Click here for a complete list of locations in the North Escambia area.
At Allen Memorial United Methodist Church in Cantonment, orders can be placed in person on Saturday, September 11 from 10:30-11:30 or September 13-14 from 3-4 p.m. Click here for the complete Angel Food menu and ordering information from Allen Memorial or call (850) 968-6213. Allen Memorial even serves a complimentary breakfast to all guests on distribution day.
To order online for pickup at any of the North Escambia area sites, visit www.angelfoodministries.com. When ordering online, enter the code “Just4me5″ to save five percent on the Just 4 Me After School Box or enter the code “Blessed5″ to save five percent off the Bountiful Blessing Box.
Pictured: The graphic below shows the items in the “Signature Box” from Angel Food Ministries available from several local churches and organizations. Courtesy graphic for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
This Place Matters: Flomaton Historical Group In The Running For $25K
September 9, 2010
The Flomaton Area Railroad Museum is the running for a $25,000 “This Place Matters” grant — and they want your help.
The This Place Matters Challenge from the National Trust for Historic Preservation will award the $25,000 to one entrant to protect places in their community. The goal of the This Place Matters Community Challenge is to rally as many people around the grassroots issues of preservation in communities as possible, according to the group’s website.
“I am terribly happy that we were chosen to be on there,” Betty Jones of the Flomaton Area Railroad Museum said.
To see Flomaton’s entry and vote, click here. Voes are due by September 15.
Pictured: Levi Wagner, son of Tip Wagner and April Eicher, in photo used by the Flomaton Area Railroad Museum in their “This Place Matters” entry. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Extension Urges Smart Grilling For Food Safety
September 6, 2010
The end of summer means grilling — and a good cookout means proper food safety.
Safety is an important consideration when operating a grill. Improper use can cause a fire or explosion. Keep the area around a lighted grill clear of combustible materials, and never use a grill in an enclosed area such as a sheltered patio or a garage. Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing that may catch fire. The cooking grids should be cleaned after every cookout. The last thing you want to do is cause someone to become ill due to improper cleaning or unsafe food preparation practices.
Wash your hands with hot soapy water for at least 20 seconds before starting to prepare any foods, and wash your hands again if you do anything else—change a diaper, pet an animal, or blow your nose, for example. Cover any cuts or sores on your hands with a bandage, or use plastic gloves. If you sneeze or cough while preparing foods, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue and turn your face away, or cough into your sleeve. Always wash your hands afterwards.
Bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature. Most food-borne illness-causing bacteria cannot grow well at temperatures below 40°F or above 140°F. Thaw foods in the refrigerator or in the microwave. Never leave foods out at room temperature.
Keep everything that touches food clean. Bacteria can hitch rides around your kitchen on all sorts of things—plates and cutting boards, dirty utensils, dish rags and sponges, unwashed hands.
Never chop fresh vegetables or salad ingredients on a cutting board that was used for raw meat without properly cleaning it first. If possible, keep a separate cutting board just for the preparation of raw meat, poultry, and fish.
Wash cutting boards thoroughly with hot soapy water, and then sanitize with a solution of household bleach and water.
Keep raw meat, poultry, fish, and their juices from coming into contact with other foods during preparation, especially foods that will not be cooked. Wash all utensils and your hands with hot soapy water after contact with raw meat.
Marinate meat, poultry and seafood in the refrigerator in a covered, non-metal container. Throw away any leftover marinade.
Grill food to a safe internal temperature. Use a meat thermometer to assure correct doneness of the food being grilled.
Safe minimum internal temperatures:
- Poultry (whole, ground, and breasts): 165°F
- Hamburgers, beef: 160°F
- Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks, roasts and chops):
- Medium rare: 145°F
- Medium: 160°F.
- All cuts of pork: 160°F.
Hold meat at 140°F until served. Use a clean platter for transferring cooked meat from grill to serving table.
Summer is the time for getting together with friends and family and cooking outdoors. Make your outdoor grilling experience safe and enjoyable.
For further information regarding food safety and other related topics, go to the University of Florida’s Solutions for Your Life website: http://www.solutionsforyourlife.com.
Dorothy C. Lee, CFCS, is an Extension Agent II, Family & Consumer Sciences with the Escambia County Extension Service. Reference: Safe Food Handling Fact Sheet, United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Series.