Agriplex beats the cold, makes new friends at weekend open house
Published 1:46 am Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Three year-old Rya Hollis makes friends with Cottontail the bunny at the open house event hosted Saturday by the North Alabama Agriplex, where director Rachel Dawsey (left) and staff offered a welcoming introduction to the nonprofit’s year-long slate of hands-on activities and outdoor learning opportunities.
Open house guests gathered around the goats Saturday at the North Alabama Agriplex, where director Rachel Dawsey (center) served up information about the Cullman-based nonprofit and its educational programs.
Longtime friends of the Agriplex Dr. Bill Peinhardt (left) and Tony Glover share a laugh on the porch of the nonprofit’s Heritage Center headquarters during Saturday’s open house event.
Hungry for attention: Rue, one of two Nigerian dwarf goats greeting open house guests at the North Alabama Agriplex on Saturday, was just one of the many Agriplex animals waiting to welcome first-time visitors eager to learn more about the Cullman-based nonprofit and its educational mission.
Agriplex staffer Markus Doering, right, explains the nonprofit’s raised bed gardening system to guests at the nonprofit’s Saturday open house.
Just before the cold came calling on Saturday, the North Alabama Agriplex was alive with outdoor activity, taking full advantage of the day’s short-lived mild weather to host its first-ever open house event.
Conceived as a way to acquaint the community with the Agriplex and its mission of teaching local rural history through up-close observation and hands-on DIY skills, the free event drew a sizable crowd of families to the nonprofit’s west Cullman campus.
The robust open house turnout easily exceeded its hosts’ attendance expectations. “I was hoping for five,” joked Agriplex outdoor educator Sonya Boyd.
“There’re several faces here that I don’t recognize, which was really the whole point of having this event. We want to bring people back out in nature, even in January, so that they can be engaged with what we do, and maybe as a bonus, have a chance on a nice day to kind of break out of those winter blues.”
Greeted at the front door of the Agriplex Heritage Center by a welcoming entourage of kid-friendly goats and bunnies, the day served as a living demonstration of how the Agriplex brings Cullman County residents (and even guests from farther away) a greater appreciation of the area’s agricultural past, as well as the pragmatic present-day lessons in living with the landscape that our recent local ancestors have handed down.
“So often, the public might be aware of us or have seen our facility, but they don’t really know a lot about the Agriplex and might be curious about what it is,” explained Boyd. “So we thought we’d take this opportunity to just kind of open it up to the public; let them just come through and ask questions, and bring them into contact with our volunteers and staff; people who are very aware of our operational systems — like our solar light panels, our rain cistern, and our irrigation system — and let them see for themselves what we do.
“Hopefully, that will open the door to them looking at our program catalog and, now that they’re more familiar with the facility and our people, want to come back again for one of our classes.”
The open house also gave guests the chance to glimpse the Agriplex’s long-term local vision, which includes the planned construction of a new Community Hub facility to complement its existing Heritage Center headquarters. An outdoor display featuring architectural views of the Community Hub building, along with information on how it advances and expands the Agriplex’s educational offerings, was just one of many stops along the event’s walk-and-talk points of interest.
The North Alabama Agriplex has revealed its 2025 program guide, filled with a year-long lineup of courses and educational programming that includes instructor-led DIY activities, classes, lectures, and demonstrations designed to enrich both children and adults. Visit the nonprofit’s website at agriplex.org to view the Agriplex’s full 2025 calendar, to register for programs, and learn more about the Agriplex and its mission.
Benjamin Bullard may be reached by email at ben.bullard@cullmantimes.com or by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 234.
