Tony Avent Patronage Day Celebration Homegrown By Heroes - Cultivates One-of-a-Kind Flora Boosts Efforts of U.S. Farmer Veterans
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An AgCarolina Farm Credit Member Publication — July 2015
Tony Avent
Cultivates One-of-a-Kind Flora
Patronage Day Celebration
Homegrown By Heroes
Boosts Efforts of U.S. Farmer Veterans
Best in the Field
Raleigh Branch
Proudly serving the farmers and rural residents of Wake County
(From the left) Brian McLamb, Agribusiness Loan Officer,
Wendy Safrit, Customer Service Representative, Gayle Yanes,
Branch Manager, Susan Driver, Customer Service
Representative, and Seth Cooley, Loan Officer
4000 Poole Road, Raleigh, NC
919-250-0202
www.agcarolina.com
NMLS# 685614
FARMER®
STRONG
July 2015
Contents
We Can Do More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Homegrown By Heroes Boosts Efforts
Mission Statement of U.S. Farmer Veterans. . . . . . . . . . . . 5
As a lending cooperative, we Vision Statement Tony Avent Cultivates
One-of-a-Kind Flora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
improve the quality of life for We will always be the first
Patronage Day Celebration. . . . . . . . . 10
those in the rural communities choice to deliver value-added
Information Security is
of North Carolina by providing financing and services to the rural Our Top Priority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
exceptional value and service. communities of North Carolina.
Association Hosts Young Farmers. . . . 14
New Employee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Holiday Schedule Retirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
AgCarolina Farm Credit will be closed in observance of the following holidays: Presentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
September 7 Labor Day Employee Recognition. . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Service Awards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Summertime Recipes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
To view AgCarolina Farm Credit’s financial
reports, please visit www.agcarolina.com.
AgCarolina would like to advertise your business in the Leader.
Look for AgCarolina Farm Credit on
Email Linda Strickland at lstrickland@agcarolina.com or call Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram
800-951-3276 ext. 214 for information. to stay up to date on all of the latest news!
Invite your friends to do the same!
EDITOR & MARKETING MANAGER PRESIDENT
Linda Strickland Dave Corum
PUBLISHER BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AgFirst Farm Credit Bank Eldridge T. Westbrook Bundy Lane
An AgCarolina Farm Credit Member Publication PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
Bob Bazemore Audie Murphy
Paul Drake Stuart Pierce
is published quarterly for stockholders, friends, and Padgett Mozingo
Ralph Ellington B. Derek Potter
business associates of AgCarolina Farm Credit.
DESIGNERS Jack Finley Rodney D. Smith
Athina Eargle, Darren Hill, Cliff Keel Ellis W. Taylor
Amanda Simpson, Travis Taylor
If you have any questions or ideas for the editorial staff of the PRINTER
Leader, contact Linda Strickland at 800-951-3276, email her Professional Printers
at lstrickland@agcarolina.com or write her at AgCarolina Farm
Credit, 4000 Poole Road, Raleigh, NC 27610. This publication is CIRCULATION
for you, our reader. We’d love to hear from you! Kathi DeFlorio
Message from the President
We Can Do More
Y
ou bank with us because of our great that features farm-related discussions and
interest rates, our cooperative structure valuable networking opportunities.
that puts money in your pocket, and our Preferred Stock: Preferred Stock allows you
knowledgeable staff. But we bring a lot more to invest excess cash and earn a very competitive
to the table. dividend rate and offers the advantage of a term
Our mission to serve agribusiness and rural rate while keeping funds available for business
communities drives us to do more than our needs. An additional advantage is that Preferred
competition. Our goal is to provide you with Stock dividends are often taxed at a lower rate
value-added service — beyond low-cost financing. than interest on money market or certificates
As experts in ag lending, AgCarolina Farm of deposit.
Credit offers a full menu of programs, products, Loan Officer Consultation: Our loan
and services that will help you make the most of officers are experts in agriculture and agricultural
your money and protect what’s most important to lending. If at any time you have questions about
Dave Corum
you. We want to make sure you are not missing a new venture or expansion you are thinking
out on these excellent options. about, such as rotating into new or different
If there is something Crop Insurance: Our insurance products
are designed to protect your investments and
crops, your Farm Credit loan officer is available
for a consultation or meeting at any time. If we
you need, please your family from financial ruin due to crop loss
or damage, including hail and fire, and personal
don’t know the answer, it is very likely that we
know someone who does!
ask. We will strive illness, injury or death.
Truck and Equipment Leasing Program:
Our employees will work tirelessly to
optimize your finances so that you are in the
to make sure you are For some customers, the real value of equipment
comes from operating the equipment, not
best position to face challenges and are ready to
adapt and grow your business. Knowing your
taking full advantage of ownership. Leasing is an excellent way to
maintain working capital, increase your cash
time is valuable to you, we have also created
several free banking tools so that managing your
all we have to offer. flow, keep equipment up-to-date, and gain
tax advantages.
money is more convenient and easier than ever.
Through AccountAccess, you have 24/7
Short- and Long-Term Group Life online access to all of your loan information,
Insurance: With a variety of affordable options all in one place in an easy-to-read, easy-to-print
to choose from, we will help protect your family’s format. You can instantly draw funds from your
income and home. line of credit loan and your loan payments may
Appraisals: When you’re involved in selling, be automatically deducted from your checking
purchasing, financing or estate planning, our or savings account.
certified and accredited rural appraisers can Because AgCarolina Farm Credit is
provide timely, accurate, and credible valuations financially strong, we are able to provide value-
and appraisals. added products and services designed to meet
Customer Educational Programs: the unique demands of agribusiness. We have
Educating our younger members is another the programs to strengthen your finances, make
way we bring value to you and your operation good use of your income, and prepare you for
for generations to come. Our A g Biz the future.
Planner program teaches critical business AgCarolina will continue to provide
management skills necessary to develop and competitive financing. It is our mission to do
maintain your farming operation. Our Ag
Leadership Institute is an educational conference
more for you and your family that sets us apart.n
4 AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015
Industry News
Homegrown By Heroes
Boosts Efforts of U.S. Farmer Veterans
F “This is an excellent
armers across eastern North Carolina “The Farm Credit System is committed
who proudly served their country can to serving the small towns and communities
be part of a nationwide “Homegrown By
Heroes” program designed to boost the efforts of
that make America great,” said Dave Corum,
AgCarolina’s President and CEO. “The
concept for the consumers
U.S. farmer veterans to market their agriculture
products. Launched about a year ago, the program
Homegrown By Heroes effort supports economic
opportunity for our veterans, many of whom have
to show their support
allows farmers who served in the U.S. armed
forces to add the Homegrown By Heroes logo
returned to the states to continue or pursue their
work in agriculture.”
and appreciation of U.S.
to their products’ packaging and signage. The
label is an easy way for consumers to identify
Farmers interested in learning more should
visit the Farmer Veteran Coalition website at
veterans.” -Dave Corum
farmer veteran products and support the nation’s
military veterans by purchasing those products.
farmvetco.org. n
Grant Deadline Announcement — supporting
the communities in which we work and live
through our corporate giving program, The
Fund for Rural North Carolina. Guidelines and
application are available at http://agcarolina.com/
News/Community/Grant-Program.aspx. Grant
deadline is Oct. 9, 2015.
AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015 5
Member Feature
Tony Avent Cultivates
One-of-a-Kind Flora
Jim Haskins, ABC Communications Group
W
alking around Tony and Anita Avent’s
nursery and gardens in southeast
Wake County is like stepping into
another world — half Dr. Seuss and half Land
of the Lost. The extraordinary specimens that
even the wildest imaginations couldn’t conjure
are growing prolifically right before your eyes,
and you may wonder if some might eat you.
Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper
Level Botanical Garden, a conservation and
propagation research facility, are the place to go
for rare, unusual, endangered, and even hard-to-
propagate specimens. There are more than 22,000
different plants spilling over the paths through
this menagerie of incredible plants you’d be hard
pressed to find anywhere else in the world. And
the best thing is that anyone can purchase these
often difficult-to-find plants, either in person,
online, or via catalog.
Garden Showcases Curiosities
of Nature
Tony and his wife started their venture in 1988 on
2.2 acres with a garden that would eventually grow
the plants they planned to sell from his nursery.
Because the land they bought was somewhat flat,
Early construction in late ‘80s of Tony’s Juniper Level
Tony talks about his loan with AgCarolina loan officer and branch manager, Gayle Yanes. Botanical Garden.
6 AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015
Three of Plant Delights
Nursery employees. They
enjoy working with green
plants.
he set out to add some elevation by moving soil
around on the site to increase planting area and
E-Commerce Enriches Tony’s Mentor Comes
add aesthetic relief changes to the garden. “It Nursery Business to Life in Book
took me four years of digging every night after Plant Delights Nursery started shortly after
Tony dug his way through the botanic gardens.
work, but I got plenty of exercise,” says Tony.
Over the years, many new features were The nursery began with six greenhouses, many Written in 2003, Tony’s
financed through AgCarolina Farm Credit, and
added to the garden including a woodland, a bog
garden, several rock gardens, a hardy tropical started offering mail order plants through its book, So You Want to
catalog, which in its first full year brought in
garden, a garden waterfall, and numerous creeks,
along with several perennial and mixed borders. just $144,000. A few years later, Plant Delights Start a Nursery, is being
added an extensive website, which in its first
Designed to showcase a diverse collection of
ornamental plants in an idyllic setting, some year, brought in only $10,176 or 1.4 percent of used as a college textbook
sales. As sales grew, Plant Delights added more
of the world’s rarest plants bloom and grow
un-pruned in organic, composted soil on the greenhouses, bringing the total to 30 percent. This in a large number of
year, online sales are on track to hit $3 million,
now 28-acre property.
As a scientific, research-based botanic garden, climbing to 70 percent of the company’s total sales. U.S. and international
As a breeding and plant introduction
the expansive gardens and nursery are a global
destination for serious gardeners from around company, the nursery has introduced 650 new educational institutions.
plants to the retail marketplace and has gained
the world who plan their vacations to see and
acquire what’s growing in the Avent’s garden. All worldwide recognition for its work with hostas, It tells an amazing story
introducing more than 98 new hosta cultivars.
of the plants are propagated, not wild-planted or
nursery-grown, because “there is no better way Today, the nursery offers 1,600 different perennial of Tony’s good friend and
plants online at any one time.
to conserve a plant than through propagation,”
says Tony. “For over 30 years, a loyal group of volunteers mentor, the late Dr. J.C.
has devoted countless hours, assisting our expert
While Tony and his staff have taken over 75
botanical expeditions and sponsored many more, staff in planting, mulching, and caring for the Raulston, a man who
curious plantings contained in our display and
both domestic and global, to study and preserve
diverse plant species, the end goal is to propagate research collections,” Tony adds. unquestionably had one of
And, it seems they have stumbled onto the
the plants and share them with the world.
“Our aim is to make these plants widely holy grail of nursery operations; door-busting, the greatest influences on
sales events. Eight times a year, Plant Delights
available by bridging the gap between botany
and horticulture,” says Tony. That’s where Plant Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden hold ornamental horticulture in
public weekends where novices and experts flock
Delights Nursery, the retail branch of the business,
comes in. Ten percent of the nursery’s revenue to see what’s new, learn from their expert staff, the 20th century.
funds research in the gardens. and go home with some incredible finds. These
Continued on next page
AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015 7
Plant Delights Nursery’s
annual public sales event
will be held this summer
on July 10-12. In the fall,
two sales are scheduled
for September 11-13
and September 18-20.
Continued from previous page
events account for 20 percent of the company’s
sales, and attendance has doubled many times
over since their first public event 26 years ago.
As part of their mission, Tony and the
staff teach classes on-site, passing on their
knowledge and correcting misinformation about
horticulture and gardening. At the education
center, enthusiasts will learn about many aspects
of ornamental horticulture through classroom
instruction and hands-on training in the garden.
A prolific writer and sought-after industry expert,
Tony has lectured far and wide and he and Anita
offer a monthly newsletter and regular blog at
www.plantdelights.com.
A Natural Fascination
A Raleigh native, Tony was born with a compulsion
to collect plants. “From an early age, I remember
rescuing wildflowers just ahead of the bulldozers.
I would bring them back to plant in my family
garden and observe the clonal differences.”
However, Tony’s dad, who served as the
superintendent of the Flower Show at the NC State
Fair, had a little something to do with cultivating
Tony’s interest and talent for growing beautiful
plants. Tony frequently accompanied his dad
to local nurseries and, at age 5, started ordering
plants through the mail to create terrariums
to show and sell at the State Fair. At home, his
dad built a small, 1,000-square-foot greenhouse
where Tony grew and propagated plants, selling working at the fairgrounds, the Avent’s bought design skills. “She has been a tremendous help
them as a hobby until he was a junior in college. their home and property, establishing Plant in running the business, reorganizing the catalog
“Since I was 6 or 7, I knew I was going to Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanical and website, and providing financial direction to
have a mail-order nursery,” Tony remembers. Garden. “When we first bought our place, we sustain our multi-faceted enterprise,” says Tony.
Tony graduated from NC State in 1978 with were surrounded by tobacco fields. Now it is filled
a B.S. degree in ornamental horticulture. There, with high-priced homes,” Tony remarks. Once ACFC — Right Fit,
he studied under renowned horticulturist J.C. their business established some roots, they both Right Products
Raulston, who instilled in him the quest for the resigned their jobs and began working full time With a small nursery and a niche market, Tony
newest and best garden plants from around the on their operation. had to master his finances if he was going to realize
world. After he married his high school sweetheart, After more than 30 years of marriage, Tony the vision he had from his early years. “When
the Avent’s built a small greenhouse and sold lost his wife to cancer. He was fortunate enough, we started, we were on a very tight budget and
plants at the flea market in Raleigh. a few years later to reconnect with, and marry, had to figure out just how to exist. We used our
In preparation for his own nursery, Tony Anita Aman White, a childhood friend. She credit cards to buy supplies.”
worked as the landscape director for the NC brings many talents to the marriage and business,
State Fair from 1978 to 1993. While he was still including a Meredith College MBA and great
8 AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015
Craig Wilson of Tar Heel Farm Credit first he could help. He later visited Tony’s place to bank, where he got a first-hand lesson on the
met Tony in the early ‘90s at a meeting of Johnston see what his business was all about. As a result, advantages of banking with Farm Credit. The
County nurserymen. After talking, Craig knew Tony then went to Tar Heel Farm Credit to get bank had plenty of demand for big, house loans,
a short-term, operating so Tony was competing for this money, and his
loan for his six original loan’s interest rate was raised. He turned to Farm
greenhouses. “I enjoyed Credit who helped him pay off his high-interest
working with Tony loan and set him up with a lower-interest loan
because he was very for his operation.
proud of his work and He now works with Gayle Yanes, branch
would always take the office manager and loan officer in AgCarolina
time to show me his Farm Credit’s Raleigh office. “With such a unique,
inventory,” says Craig. and sometimes delicate, operation, Tony relies
Tony later banked
with a commercial
on the expertise we offer,” Gayle says. n
The Juniper Level Botanic Garden was designed for year-round interest with a peak
viewing season from late April through mid-October.
AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015 9
Association News
Patronage Day Celebration
Thanks for Your Business!
Ahoskie Branch
“We put our Profits
in Your Pockets!”
Swan Quarter Branch
10 AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015Greenville Branch
Louisburg Branch
LaGrange Branch
Williamston Branch
AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015 11Association News
Information Security
is Our Top Priority
A
t AgCarolina Farm Credit, we are grateful are conducted by a third party vendor and not
for each and every customer and we only test the AccountAccess and mobileRoots
take pride in protecting your sensitive platforms for weaknesses, but test all visible
data. In today’s technologically advanced world, web applications and Internet presences for our
seemingly, every part of our lives is accessible network. AgCarolina is proud to say these tests
online. When we hear about data breaches at reveal our network is secure and your personal
major institutions all over the world, it further information is safe.
drives home the point that being over protective When it comes to protecting your data, not
of your data should remain our top priority. The only must AgCarolina consider potential threats
Association has many mechanisms in place to entering the network, but we must consider threats
protect your sensitive data. and sensitive data leaving the network as well.
Online banking is the preferred method of AgCarolina has several tools and safeguards in
banking for many customers. It is undeniable that place to ensure your sensitive data never leaves
Robbie Perry is the Information
Technology Manager at AgCarolina being able to logon to a website, check account our network in an unsecured manner. We have
Farm Credit. He holds a BSBA with balances, pay a bill, or transfer funds adds a level again teamed up with AgFirst Farm Credit Bank
a concentration in Management of convenience to our lives that many of us have to engage a third-party vendor to provide a secure
Information Systems from East come to expect from our financial institutions. online portal where our lending staff can safely
Carolina University and is a Microsoft
For that reason, we have teamed up with AgFirst share data with every customer. The vendor chosen
Certified Systems Engineer. His Farm
Credit career began in January 2001 as Farm Credit Bank to offer the AccountAccess is a well-respected player in online storage and
an Information Systems Specialist. customer web portal and the mobileRoots™ mobile meets all of our strict requirements for online
app in order to provide AgCarolina customers the security. Through this portal, AgCarolina’s lending
convenience of online banking. Unfortunately, staff and their customers can securely share data
with that convenience comes the risks associated back and forth. AgCarolina also has a tool in
with having our customer’s personal information place that allows our staff to send sensitive email
accessible online. to customers in an encrypted manner. When
In order to make sure your information is an email is sent using this tool, customers will
safe, AgCarolina uses the highest possible level be directed to a secure online portal to access
of data encryption when customers access these the email. In the event a sensitive email is sent
online portals. This helps to eliminate the threat unencrypted, there is a safeguard in place that
of someone intercepting your data and accessing scans all outbound email for sensitive data (social
your personal information. Also, AgCarolina security numbers, bank account numbers, etc.).
enforces a complex user password when customers If an outbound email is flagged as sensitive, it
sign up for online banking. Many times these will be encrypted before leaving the network and
complex passwords are a burden to remember, the customer will be directed to a secure online
but that is a small price to pay to further ensure portal to retrieve the email.
your personal information is safe. Along with the measures listed above,
Finally, AgCarolina participates in AgCarolina has many internal controls that further
annual network penetration tests. These tests protect sensitive customer data. AgCarolina
12 AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015recently went through a system update specifically constantly updated with the latest virus definitions
designed to mask all sensitive customer information and AgCarolina’s IT staff is quickly notified if
(social security number, account number, birth a threat arises.
date, etc.) on all internal customer inquiry screens. Lastly, the AgCarolina IT department is
This update was put in place as a safeguard in reviewed every year by reputable accounting firms
the event that an employee’s screen is accidentally to ensure all of the ACA’s policies and procedures
left unlocked and sensitive information could be are being followed and the IT department meets
seen. Also, each quarter, the AgCarolina IT staff and exceeds all regulatory requirements.
scans all computer equipment using industry It is the mission of AgCarolina’s IT
leading security software. The purpose of this department to ensure all customer data is secure
scan is to identify existing and potential security from threats and our customers have confidence
flaws in each device’s hardware and software knowing their information is safe. The IT
configuration. After the scan is complete, it is department is always expanding these safety
the IT staff’s top priority to remediate any issues measures and looks forward to being proactive
that may compromise security. in finding ways to protect customer data. We are
No security solution would be sufficient very thankful for your business and hope that
without a top notch virus and malware platform. each customer will rest assured knowing that
AgCarolina uses an industry leading, centrally AgCarolina is diligently working to keep your
managed, application that is installed on every
computer in the Association. The virus software is
private information secure. n
AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015 13Association News
2015 Ag Leadership Participants
Association Hosts Young Farmers
E
ighteen young, beginning farm couples his professional career, Dr. Kohl has traveled With one of his extension responsibilities being
joined Association staff for the 2015 more than 9 million miles. He provides a unique the profitable continuation of “family farms” to
Ag Leadership Institute, held at the perspective into the future trends of the ag succeeding generations, he presented “Guido’s
Renaissance North Hills Hotel. The theme for industry, as well as the US and world economy. List of Top Ten Estate Planning Mistakes.”
the Institute was “Straight Talk, Straight Actions: He provided the participants with tips for business/ We would love to have you join us for the
Agriculture in a Changing Economy.” lifestyle success, which included the importance 2016 Ag Leadership Institute, January 8-9, at
Dr. David Kohl facilitated the conference. of a business plan, and tips for both generations the Marriott Crabtree Hotel in Raleigh. For
With his energizing personality and his keen in transitioning the family farm and/or business. more information on this program designed for
insight of the agricultural industry, he led the Joining Dr. Kohl on the program was Guido young, beginning, small and minority farmers,
group in intense discussions on the grain industry, van der Hoeven, Extension Specialist/Senior please visit our website, www.agcarolina.com, or
livestock, and the horticulture, vegetable, and
local, natural, and organic markets. During
Lecturer, in the Department of Ag and Resource
Economics at North Carolina State University.
contact your local branch office. n
14 AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015Association News
New Employee Presentations
AgCarolina welcomes Austin Britton as a loan Louisburg loan officer,
officer trainee in the Ahoskie branch. Last summer, Billy Freeman (r),
presents a $600 check
Austin worked as an intern and we are delighted
to Joey Ross, president
to have him join our Farm Credit family as a of the Warren County
full-time employee. He is a 2015 graduate of North Jaycees. Association
Carolina State University with a BS in business employees participated in
administration and a minor in agricultural finance. a dunking booth during
Employee Appreciation
Residing in Ahoskie, he is the son of Tim and
Day and raised $300,
Angie Britton of Greenville. which the Association
matched. The funds will
be sent to the NC Jaycee
Burn Center at UNC
Retirements Hospital in Chapel Hill.
The dunking booth was
provided by the Warren
C
County Jaycees.
ongratulations to David Carter, Rick Chilton, and Chris Rodwell
upon their recent retirements! We appreciate their many contributions Gayle Yanes, Raleigh
during their Farm Credit careers to the rural communities of Branch Manager,
eastern North Carolina in which they worked and lived. presents a check to
Jackie Kennedy (l),
Manager of Volunteer
David Carter, loan officer in the
Services and Natalie
Williamston branch, celebrates his
Leary (r), Coordinator
retirement from Farm Credit, along
of Volunteer Services
with his wife, Vivian. David retired on
at WakeMed Health &
February 28 after a 24 year career.
Hospitals. Gayle serves
as a Guest Ambassador
at the facility and
contributed 50 hours
or more of service, as
a participant in the
Association’s STAR
Program.
Rick Chilton is congratulated by
Board Chairman Audie Murphy upon
his retirement on April 30. Rick’s Congratulations to
Farm Credit career spanned 31 years, Rickey Sawyer (r) of
primarily working with farmers in Pantego, NC! His name
Edgecombe and Nash counties. His was drawn as the winner
current role with the Association was of an iPad Mini from
that of senior vice president of branch customer comment cards
lending for the East Region. submitted during the first
quarter of 2015. Rickey
is a customer in the
Williamston branch and
is pictured with his loan
Chief Appraiser Chris Rodwell retired on April 30 officer Jonathan Cowin.
following a 32 year career with Farm Credit. The
Association honored Chris at a luncheon to thank him
for his dedication to the farmers and other customers he
served during his Farm Credit career.
AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015 15Association News
Employee Recognition
Loan Growth Top 3 Branches – Swan Quarter, New
Bern, and Williamston. (From the left) Tony Taylor,
Jonathan Cowin, Donna Spencer, Lisha Carawan,
Susan Strong, and Murray Ballance
Customer Satisfaction – Louisburg, Swan Quarter, and Halifax branches. (From the left) Murray Ballance, Lisha
Carawan, Brian McLamb, Donna Spencer, Tammy Bell, Billy Freeman, Rachel Nicholson, Amy Mustian, Cliff Rose,
Elizabeth McAuslan, Hope Wright, Rick Cowan, Garrett Williams, and Cheryl Morris
Loan Growth – (From the left) Edward Farrow,
Elizabeth City; Allen Hales, Greenville; and Cliff Rose,
Halifax
High Achievement – SAM Department - (From the High Achievement – Greenville Branch – (From the
left) Don Miller, Jackie Streeter, and Danny Alexander left) Crystal Sutton, Todd Harper, Allen Hales, Ashley
Nobles, Doug Gay, and Lauren Reynolds.
Loan Growth – Top 2 Agribusiness – (From the left)
Ashton Watkins and Preston Sutton
Leasing Growth – (From the left) Chris Coates,
Agribusiness; Franklin Vester, Smithfield Branch
STAR Program – (From the left) Donna Spencer, Susan Anderson, John Bledsoe, Geneva Colie, Robby Manning,
Billy Freeman, Danny Alexander, Gayle Yanes, Ashley Nobles, Jonathan Cowin, Laura Cobb, Rachel Nicholson, and
Susan Strong
16 AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015Association News
Service Awards
Outstanding Customer Service – (From the left) 40 Years of Service – (From the left) Judy Winslow, 35 years of Service – Franklin Vester
Cody Lamb, Elizabeth City; Crystal Sutton, Greenville; Tony Taylor, and Linda Strickland
Geneva Colie, LaGrange; Hope Wright, Louisburg; and
Steve Starling, Farm Credit EXPRESS.
President’s Award – Tony Taylor, Williamston 25 years of Service – (From the left) Gayle Yanes and 15 years of Service – Tim Pace
Rachel Nicholson
Crop Insurance Sales New Loans Closed 10 years of Service – (From the left) Arlene McCaffity, 5 years of Service – Lisa Lancaster and Doug Gay
– Beth Harris, Rocky - Robert Winders, Laura Cobb, and Wendy Ashley
Mount Smithfield
New Hires (2014) (From the left) Craig Wilson, Wendy
Safrit, Brad Waters, Lauren Reynolds, Elizabeth
McAuslan, Todd Harper, and Tammy Bell
AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015 17Recipes
Summertime Recipes
Steak Summer Salad Grilled Onions, Zucchini, and Cucumber Delight Pickles
2 filets of beef (grilled) Squash 2 large cucumbers (sliced)
1 cup grape tomatoes (halved) 1 large sweet onion 1 medium onion
1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1 large zucchini 1 clove garlic (per jar or 2 cloves in the bowl)
1/4 cup raisins 1 large squash 1 piece fresh dill (or 1 tsp. Dill weed or dill seed
4 slices of bacon (cooked and crumbled) per jar or double for the bowl.)
4 cups kale (torn from stem and torn into pieces) Slice the zucchini and squash into ? inch rounds. 2 cups white vinegar
2 cups spinach leaves Peel the onion and cut it into quarters but do 2 cups water
2 cups romaine (torn into pieces) not cut all the way through the onion. Pull the 1 cup sugar
1/4 cup blue cheese (crumbled, optional) layers of onion apart. Place the onion on a sheet 3 Tbsp. salt
Dressing of aluminum foil. Put pats of butter in between
1/2 cup mayonnaise some of the layers and one pat on top of the onion. In 2 quart or 4 pint jars or a large bowl, alternate
2 Tbsp. sugar Sprinkle with garlic powder and close up. In the layers of cucumber and onion, then add the
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar another piece of aluminum foil, place the sliced garlic, and dill. Bring to a boil vinegar, water,
squash and zucchini. Add a few pats of butter sugar, and salt. Cool liquid completely and pour
Grill beef until desired doneness and let rest. and sprinkle with black pepper. Place foil packets over the cucumber and onion mixture. Refrigerate
Divide salad ingredients onto 4 chilled plates. on a hot grill for 15–20 minutes. for three days before eating. These will keep in
Slice filets and place on salads. Combine dressing the refrigerator for 3 weeks.
ingredients and drizzle on salads.
Blueberry Peach Coffee Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the
3 tsp. baking powder eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup sugar and shortening. Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture.
1/2 tsp. baking soda Pour batter into a lightly greased 9 inch round cake pan. Dollop preserves by teaspoonful over
1/4 tsp. salt batter, and gently swirl with a knife. Top with blueberries, peaches, and pecans. Sprinkle with
2 eggs 1 twp. Sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 35–40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in the pan
1 cup buttermilk (plus 2 1/2 Tbsp.) on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on rack 5 more minutes. Whisk together
1/2 cup sugar (plus 1 tsp.)
4 Tbsp. shortening (melted)
powdered sugar and 2 1/2 Tbsps. Buttermilk. Drizzle over cake and serve. n
1/4 cup fruit preserves or jam
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup peaches (peeled and sliced)
1/4 cup pecans (chopped)
1 cup powdered sugar
18 AgCarolina Farm Credit • July 2015Calling All Photographers!
Have you captured an unusual or interesting
moment around the farm or a photo depicting
“living the country life?” We’d love to have
your photos to help us fill our 2016 AgCarolina
Photo Calendar. Your photo may appear in the
calendar and also earn you a cash prize!
Visit www.agcarolina.com for contest
rules and to submit your photos.
Contest deadline is August 15, 2015.
2014
www.agcarolina.comAgCarolina Farm Credit PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
P.O. Box 14789
PAID
Raleigh, N.C. 27620 COLUMBIA SC
PERMIT 1160
Manage your
accounts on
the go!
Wherever your summer plans
might take you, you can still
access your Account 24/7.
for AccountAccess
The new free and secure mobile app for
AccountAccess! mobileRoots for iPhone® and
Android™ allows you to view your AgCarolina
Farm Credit account details, balances and
recent transactions. Plus, you can make
payments and transfer funds to an external
checking or savings account.
www.agcarolina.com
In order to use the mobileRoots app, you must first sign up for AccountAccess online
at www.agcarolina.com. mobileRoots is a trademark of AgFirst Farm Credit Bank.
Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Apple and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc.You can also read
