With its annual banquet approaching in mid-November, the Cullman County Farm City Committee is seeking nominations from the community for a local “Farm Family” to represent and celebrate the Cullman area’s tradition of urban-rural partnership.

Farm City promotes the cooperation and interdependence between the farming community and the city community. Throughout the year, Farm City Committee members participate in local tours and other activities to promote the relationship between rural and urban residents. 

This year, the committee participated in the summer-long 2nd Friday series at the Festhalle Market Platz, where they held beekeeping demonstrations and hosted games to help teach area children about the local origin of much of the food they eat. Members also recently served breakfast to the farmers who sell their goods at the farmers market. 

Each year the committee plans a Farm City tour. Destinations on the tour are chosen in order to showcase the partnership between the urban and rural communities. The 2017 Farm City tour included stops at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Niki’s West, Golden Flake, and the Jones Valley Teaching Farm. 

The focus this year is on agriculture, with the committee designating “Agriculture: Food For Life” as the theme for 2018’s Farm City activities.

Each year, the Farm City committee chooses a family in Cullman County to represent what’s good about the ties between urban and rural, alternating between a city family and a farm family from one year to the next. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Bonner are finishing their present stint as the 2017 City Family of the year.

Each year, the committee organizes s a Farm City tour in the weeks leading up to the annual banquet. Destinations on the tour showcase the partnership between urban and rural communities.  For 2017, the tour included stops at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Niki’s West, Golden Flake, and the Jones Valley Teaching Farm. 

To nominate a local farm family for the coming year, find the nomination form on the Farm City website at www.cullmanfarmcity.org. You also can send your nomination, along with information about your selection’s involvement in the community, to Cherrie Haney at cherriehaney@bellsouth.net. 

The deadline for nominations is November 8th.  The committee’s choice for the coming year’s Farm Family will be revealed Nov. 16th at the Farm City Banquet, held at the Cullman Civic Center.

Tickets to the banquet must be purchased in advance and cost $15. No tickets will be sold at the door. This is to ensure enough food is prepared and seating is available. You can obtain tickets at Merchants Bank or at Cullman Savings Bank from now until Nov. 10. After the 10th, tickets will be priced at $20 until Nov. 15, the last day they will be sold.