Dancing to the Blues

Cindy Zimmerman2008 ConferenceLeave a Comment

Blues BashThe kids really took to the dance floor at the Tuesday night blues bash concluding the 2008 Southern Peanut Growers Conference. Here are just a couple of the fun shots you can find in the Flickr photo album from the conference.

Blues BashPhotos from the Flickr photo album can be downloaded onto your home computer in any size from thumbnail to full size originals. When you click on a photo you like and it comes up, just select “all sizes” from the menu above the photo. Right click to download the size you want.

Any questions? Email me – cindy@zimmcomm.biz.

Southern Peanut Grower Conference Photo Album

Syngenta Soul Man

Cindy Zimmerman2008 Conference, VideoLeave a Comment

Blues BashSyngenta is always proud to host the closing event at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference and this year’s 10th anniversary celebration was a special milestone for the company’s relationship with peanut growers in the south.

District sales manager Lyle Stewart really got into the blues spirit at the Blues Brothers bash and was even invited up on stage by the Alabama Blues Brothers to join them in an Elvis tribute. Watch that here on YouTube.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFtRLaepVnU&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1]

Black and White and Blues All Over

Cindy Zimmerman2008 ConferenceLeave a Comment

Blues BashThe Alabama Blues Brothers were a big hit at for the closing dinner and entertainment at the 10th annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference, but what really made it fun was the hats, ties and sunglasses provided for everyone in attendance.

Blues BashThe instructions were to wear a white shirt and black pants for the night of blues and the majority did follow those directions, although there were some individualists who came in Hawaiian shirts or nice dresses. But, everyone donned at least part of the costume to fit in with the theme.

Southern Peanut Grower Conference Photo Album

Peanut Committee Secrets

Cindy Zimmerman2008 Conference, VideoLeave a Comment

Blues Bash SecretsThere was much fun to be had at the Blues Brothers-themed finale for the Southern Peanut Growers Conference and everyone got in on the act.

There were three “Blues Brothers” as the opening act – but not to sing and dance. They revealed “Committee Secrets” and provided answers to some important questions, such as “Why do we keep coming back to Edgewater every year?” Answer: “They haven’t kicked us out yet!”

Watch the Southern Peanut Blues Brothers in action here on YouTube.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnJricsWMBo&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1]

Southern Peanut Grower Conference Photo Album

Blues Bash

Cindy Zimmerman2008 ConferenceLeave a Comment

Blues Bash SyngentaThe Blues Brothers dinner and entertainment evening sponsored by Syngenta was a total success. Fun for everyone young and old.

Check out the Peanut Family Album for all the photos from the conference, including about 100 just from the blues bash alone.

Most people will agree that the 10th anniversary of the Southern Peanut Growers Conference was the best ever. It will be hard to top this next year.

Watch for more posts and YouTube videos to be added in the days to come – not done yet!

Southern Peanut Grower Conference Photo Album

Mississippi Proud to be New Addition

Cindy Zimmerman2008 Conference, AudioLeave a Comment

The Mississippi Peanut Growers are kind of the “little brother” in the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, still a baby organization themselves having only just started two years ago.

Clayton LawrenceClayton Lawrence of southeast Mississippi is the second president of the association and he says they are proud to be a growing part of the industry.

“We’re up to around 28,000 acres this year, up from probably 5,000 five years ago, so we are growing significantly,” Clayton said.

They are learning a lot being part of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation and Clayton says were happy to bring their own political contacts and enthusiasm to the table as well.

Listen to an interview with Clayton here:

Listen To MP3Clayton Lawrence (3:00 min MP3)

Southern Peanut Grower Conference Photo Album

Syngenta Part of the Peanut Growers Family

Cindy Zimmerman2008 Conference, Audio, Conference SponsorsLeave a Comment

One of the sponsors that has been supporting the Southern Peanut Growers Conference for all ten years of its existence is Syngenta and district sales manager Lyle Stewart says its just part of their support for the industry.

Lyle Stewart“We just appreciate having an opportunity to offer good quality products to peanut growers,” Lyle said. “A lot of the growers that we see at this conference are people that we see on a weekly basis so they are more like friends.”

Syngenta is sponsoring the Tuesday evening dinner and entertainment. “These peanut growers work hard all year long so when we have an opportunity to sponsor a function like we have tonight its a true opportunity for us to say thank you.”

Listen to an interview with Lyle here:

Listen To MP3Lyle Stewart (3:00 min MP3)

Southern Peanut Grower Conference Photo Album

Future Peanut Leadership

Cindy Zimmerman2008 Conference, Audio, Conference SponsorsLeave a Comment

Jeramie GrissomThe Peanut Leadership Program is a cooperative effort between Syngenta Crop Protection, grower organizations and agricultural extension. Participants are nominated by agricultural leaders in their counties and then selected by a committee of state leaders.

One of the program participants this year is Jeramie Grissom from Seminole, Texas who was attending his first Southern Peanut Growers Conference this week. Jeramie is carrying on a family tradition in farming and he is in his fourth year farming on his own, raising mainly peanuts, cotton, wheat and milo.

He says he is learning a great deal in the leadership program to help him be a better producer.

Listen to an interview with Jeramie here:

Listen To MP3Jeramie Grissom (2:30 min MP3)

Southern Peanut Grower Conference Photo Album

Ten Year Sponsors Recognized

Cindy Zimmerman2008 Conference, Conference SponsorsLeave a Comment

SPGC Ten Year SponsorsNine different companies have been sponsors of the Southern Peanut Growers Conference since the very beginning ten years ago. Those sponsors were recognized by the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation for their support on Monday prior to the opening general session.

The ten year sponsors include Valent, Syngenta, Bayer CropScience, BASF, Farm Press, Farm Progress, Peanut Grower and First South Farm Credit.

Dow AgroSciences is the only one without a representative pictured.

Southern Peanut Grower Conference Photo Album

Using New Media to Reach Growers

Cindy Zimmerman2008 Conference, AudioLeave a Comment

Farmers and others in agriculture are just like everyone else these days. For the vast majority of us, computer usage is becoming a part of our everyday lives, if it hasn’t already taken it over!

That’s why all commodity organizations are becoming more adept at using the internet to reach out to growers and peanuts are no exception. That’s why you are reading this post right now. The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation made the decision to use the new media tools of blogging and podcasting to reach out and provide information on this year’s conference to anyone and everyone who has access to the World Wide Web through this site.

Joy Carter at SPGCJoy Carter with the Georgia Peanut Commission, who is also editor of Southeastern Peanut Farmer magazine and responsible for outreach to media and growers, came up with the idea of using the blog for conference coverage.

“We wanted to open the door for more farmers and industry representatives not able to attend the conference to be able to see who the speakers are, see photos from the conference and hear more about issues within the peanut industry,” Joy said. The website is also being promoted to agricultural media who can download the photos and audio to use.

Joy also talked about the Georgia Peanut Commission website “AmericanPeanuts.com” which was started two years ago to help growers learn more about legislative issues and what they can do to provide input. “They can register on the website and receive email alerts and updates that we send out and it also gives them an outlet to contact their congressmen on specific issues.”

Even though the website is funded by Georgia, the website is geared toward all peanut producers who want to be informed about legislative issues. Joy says it has been very well received and has proven to be a very useful tool for the industry.

Listen to an interview with Joy here:

Listen To MP3Joy Carter (4:00 min MP3)

Southern Peanut Grower Conference Photo Album