Farm City, the nonprofit organization devoted to strengthening Cullman County’s close urban and agricultural ties, has yielded a new ambassador family to represent local Farm City outreach efforts in the year ahead. At the annual Farm City banquet Nov. 21, Cullman residents Steve and Nancy Moore were named the nonprofit’s local “city” family for 2025.

The Cullman Farm City Committee designates a “farm” and a “city” family in alternating years, with this year’s outgoing “farm” family — 4D Farms owners Rusty and Beth Daniel of Welti — receiving farewell recognition at this year’s banquet even as the Moores were designated as their successors.

The Daniels, said 2024 Farm City chair Oakleigh Calahan, “have done a great job representing Farm City over the past year, even during their busy season [operating] 4D Farms.”

Calahan welcomed the Moores to the busy slate of Farm City activity in the year ahead. Well-known in the community for her event coordination work with the City of Cullman’s department of Parks, Recreation, and Sports Tourism, Nancy is an active local volunteer who “truly embodies the spirit of Farm-City” Calahan said, “making a profound impact on both our community and the lives of countless individuals.”

Steve, a longtime employee at Cullman’s Walmart Distribution Center and local cattle farmer, “has been a strong advocate for building relationships between industry, economic development, and local city and county projects,” she added. “Together with Nancy, Steve is deeply involved in various nonprofit and fundraising initiatives … His dedication to both the agricultural and urban sides of our community makes him a perfect representation of what Farm City is all about.”

For the first time ever, the Cullman Farm City Committee debuted a special new award aimed at paying tribute to an honoree who exemplifies the “passion, perseverance and selflessness that define excellence” in the two local women for whom the award is named. Dubbed the Doris Patterson and Pat Floyd Award for Excellence in Education, the inaugural honor went to Cold Springs High School Family and Consumer Science (FACS) teacher Stephanie Blair. For the vast majority of her 26-year career, Blair — a National FCCLA Hall of Fame inductee — has worked with Cold Springs students to produce numerous state and national Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) winners, while also serving as a leader on state educational boards.

Patterson worked for 33 years as a Home Economics teacher at Fairview (where she also served as FCCLA advisor), while Floyd spent a combined 38 years at both Fairview and West Point High Schools teaching Family and Consumer Sciences. Together, the two educators demonstrated an “extensive commitment to teaching, Farm City involvement, and community service” that will now be recognized with each passing year, as a new annual recipient of the award named in their honor is selected.

Cullman County High School students were also recognized.

4-H Winner

The Cullman Farm City Committee recognized local student Autumn Adkins as this year’s 4-H Winner at its recent Farm City banquet.

The oldest cild of Dale and Donna Adkins, Autumn has been an active participant in 4-H for more than eight years, involved in community club (where she’s served many leadership roles), animal projects, and Tech Changemakers. For the past three years, Autumn has both qualified for and attended Alabama 4-H Competitive Events Day, and her dinosaur bed headboard has even earned her a state first-place award for woodworking.

As a 4-H member, Autumn has participated in chicken and pig animal projects, earning many ribbons and prize money for both her projects and her excellent record books. Along with her siblings, she’s also applied her subject expertise in the making of educational video instructions for the chicken project participants, and has taken part as a Tech Changemaker to teach the use of new technologies to senior citizens.

FCCLA Winner

Cold Springs High School senior Rebecca Baggett earned Farm City honors as this year’s FCCLA winner. An FCCLA member for four years and current vice president of STAR events for her chapter, Rebecca has participated in the local canned food drive, cattle judging for FCCLA at the Cullman County fair, has entered her handiwork in multiple cook-off contest categories, worked on the large fair exhibit, entered FCCLA items into the fair, sold candles to adopt a family for Christmas, assisted at the Farm City Banquet, helped at school functions, and more.

In FCCLA, Rebecca has competed at the state conference in Career Investigation, Chapter Project Display, and Chapter Project Portfolio, winning a bid to nationals for each of those events. Baggett also has attended the FCCLA State Meeting, the Joint Leadership Development Conference (JLDC) and ACE Training. She is a member of the Cold Springs High School Honor Society, the Math Team, the Scholars Bowl Team, and the 1936 club. After high school, Rebecca plans to attend Auburn University and begin her academic work toward a degree in finance.

FFA Winner

Holly Pond High School senior Evan Roden is this year’s Farm City FFA Winner, having been active in his school’s FFA since he was in the seventh grade. The son of Rusty and Cyndi Roden, Evan serves as his chapter’s current FFA president, and has attended district, state, and national FFA conventions representing Holly Pond. A fourth-generation farmer, Roden raises and maintains his flock of sheep and works on his family cattle operation, which his family has farmed for more than 100 years.

Roden has been part of the FFA Livestock Judging Team since his seventh grade year, and his team has placed third in the state for the past two years. He also is a member of the Meats Evaluation Team, which placed fourth in the state, and competed in the Food Science CDE at the National FFA Contest held in October in Indianapolis. Roden is the state FFA Sheep Proficiency winner, as well as the state recipient of the MK Heath Animal Science Award, given at the State FFA Convention in Montgomery. He also serves locally as treasurer of The National Beta Club, is a Key Club member, and the president of the Cullman County Junior Cattlemen’s Organization, as well as the vice president of the Alabama Junior Lamb Producers Association. He maintains a 4.0 GPA as a Holly Pond senior, while dual-enrolled at Wallace State Community College.

Evan has exhibited livestock on the local, state, and national levels, including goats, hogs, sheep, and cattle. He averages approximately 30 livestock shows per year with both cattle and sheep, and has shown livestock nationally across more than 10 U.S. states. As an FFA member showing livestock, Evan had the State Champion Market Lamb and Reserve Champion Market Lamb, the State Champion Ewe and Reserve Champion Ewe Lamb, and the Division Champion Heifer at Cattlemen’s Congress in Oklahoma.

After high school, Evan plans to attend Wallace State before transferring to Auburn University to pursue his degree in Agricultural Economics and Cybersecurity.

K-3 Poster Winners

— 1st – Reason Rutherford, Holly Pond

— Heidi Errett, Homeschool Program

— Lorelei Hines, Sacred Heart

— Aspyn Pettus, Sacred Heart

4th – 6th Poster Winners

— 1st place – Lily Beth Veigl, Sacred Heart

— Della Trussell, Good Hope

— Marlee Whitehead, Holly Pond

— Tanner Bell, Holly Pond

9th Essay Winners

— 1st place – Caleb Hollis, Cullman

— Taylor Laney, Cullman

10th- 12th Essay Winners

— 1st place – Bryant Hupp, Cullman

— Evan Dockery, Cullman

— Katie Errett, Homeschool Program

Video Winners

— 1st place – Kylie Calvert, Cullman

— Max Carver, Cullman

— JD Ellerbee, Cullman

Benjamin Bullard can be reached at bbullard@cullmantimes.com or by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 234.