The Tiftarea was well-represented in this year's Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest this past Monday and Tuesday at the Georgia Railroad Freight Depot in Atlanta; Wisham Jellies of Tifton and Paulk's Pride White Muscadine Juice of Wray in Irwin Countywon their categories out of 33 finalists from around the state.
Hugh Hardy of Carroll's Sausage
Carroll's Sausage and Meats of Ashburn received the People's Choice Award.
Gov. Nathan Deal holds the Wisham Jellies winner beside Tifton's Eric Wisham.
Eric Wisham's Wild Mayhaw Pepper Jelly swept the Jams and Jellies category. Wisham, owner and creator of Wisham Jellies, last year had received the People's Choice Award for his cranberry pepper jelly in the University of Georgia's Flavor of Georgia competition.
In this year's contest,
Hugh Hardy and
Carroll's Sausage and Meats of
Ashburn won the
People's Choice Award for their
medium smoked link sausage.
Erin Boettger and Chris Paulk of Wray won the Beverages category for the second consecutive year with their Paulk's Pride 100% White Muscadine Juice. In last year's contest, they won the category with their Purple Muscadine Juice.
Also
winning for
Barbecue Sauces was
Joe Kem Lacey of
Joe Kem's BBQ in
Moultrie.
Paulk's Pride winners, from left, Erin Boettger, Jorjanne Zorn Paulk and Chris Paulk.
This year marks the 10th annual UGA Flavor of Georgia contest. During the past decade, the contest has grown and remains the state's premier testing ground for both small, upstart food companies and time-tested products. Finalists brought their products to the final round of judging as part of Gov. Nathan Deal's Ag Day at the Capitol.
Here is the
complete list of
2016 Flavor of Georgia winners as chosen by a
team of food industry experts and grocery buyers:
Grand Prize winner and Confections: Southern Baked Pie Co. (formerly Buttermilk Pie Co.), Caramel Pecan Pie, Amanda Wilbanks, Gainesville.
People's Choice Award: Carroll's Sausage and Meats, Medium Smoke Link Sausage, Hugh Hardy & Johnny Walker, Ashburn.
Barbecue Sauces: Joe Kem's BBQ, Joe Kem's Barbecue Sauce, Joe Kem Lacey, Moultrie.
Beverages: Paulk's Pride 100% White Muscadine Juice, Muscadine Products Corporation, Erin Boettger, Wray.
Back in the 1960's, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources stocked Burmese chickens across the state as an additional game bird to be hunted like pheasant or quail.
Flocks of chicks were released several miles from Fitzgerald at the Ocmulgee River. Populations of the bird never took hold in other areas of the state; but for some reason, they left the river site and made their way to downtown Fitzgerald, where they have propagated and prospered ever since.
Fitzgerald residents have a love/hate relationship with these wild birds. Some folks buy seed and feed them regularly; others chase them out of their yards and gardens with a broom and a few choice words.
Whether loved or hated, Burmese chickens are a familiar part of the Fitzgerald scene. They wake you up in the morning, create minor traffic problems, and, some claim, even keep the bugs away.
An annual festival celebrates these unique residents -- The Wild Chicken Festival, held in the downtown historic district of Fitzgerald is this weekend, Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19.
The fun starts tonight (Friday) with a free street dance at 7 p.m. featuring The Bushmen at the White Swan parking lot on the corner of W. Pine and S. Lee streets.
Hardwood Floors, Marble Countertops and Custom-Made Cabinets
1 BR apartment: $650 month
2 BR apartment: $750
Call
229-382-0959
8 a.m.-5 p.m. week days
The Avenue
404 N. Tift Ave.,
Tifton, Ga.
LAWMAKERS OK CONTROVERSIAL 'RELIGIOUS LIBERTY' BILL
The
General Assembly this week
approved the controversial
"religious liberty" bill,
House Bill 757, but it's unclear if Gov. Nathan Deal will sign it.
The legislation, of which state Sen. Greg Kirk, R-Americus, was a primary sponsor, is seen by some conservatives as an answer to the Supreme Court's legalization of same-sex marriage, and by corporate leaders and gay rights activists as state-sanctioned discrimination.
KIRK
"I am elated with the bill in its current form. I think it's a good, fair bill," Kirk, who represents Tift County, told the Albany Herald.
The
amended bill allows
faith-based organizations to
deny services to those who
violate their "
sincerely held religious belief" and preserve their right to fire employees who aren't in accord with those beliefs.
It would also require government to prove a "compelling governmental interest" before it interferes with a person's exercise of religion and includes a clause noting that it cannot be used to allow discrimination banned by state or federal law.
The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce said the measure is "in conflict with the values of diversity and inclusion that Georgians hold dear" and could erode the state's business reputation, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association called for the "best legal minds" to examine potential consequences.
Meanwhile,
religious conservatives applauded lawmakers "for
listening to grassroots Republicans and for working together to pass this
vitally important piece of
legislation," the AJC reported.
EASTER SUNDAY, MARCH 27
A
fabulous menu will include
roasted turkey, cornbread dressing, baked ham, sweet potato soufflé, baby butter beans, broccoli casserole, roast beef, mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, macaroni and cheese, cream corn, Italian green beans, glazed carrots, steamed squash, asparagus, Southern fried chicken, rolls,
Union Grove Church of God, In cooperation with the Tift County Recreation Department, is holding anEaster Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 19, at the E.B. Hamilton Complex.
The hunt gets underway at 11 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m.
There will be
live music, outdoor games and children's inflatables -- plus, more than
30,000 eggs will be
hidden for children to find.
GET YOUR GRILLED PB&J HERE!
Wednesday was the annual PB&J Day at the State Capitol in Atlanta in honor of National Peanut Month.
The
peanut industry hosts the event, handing out
Georgia peanuts and
peanut butter & jelly sandwiches to lawmakers and other state officials.
At left, a line forms as
Tyron Spearman of
Tifton hands out his specialty --
grilled PB&J sandwiches.
In the photo below,
Don Koehler of
Tifton, executive director of the
Georgia Peanut Commission, prepares another bag of peanuts for dissemination.
Call
J&R LAWN CARE
Full Service Lawn Care
Including Trimming & Shrubbery
Residential and Commercial
Licensed and Insured
Family-Owned and Operated Since 2003
ABAC STUDENTS TO HELP 'STRIKE OUT CANCER' AT SOFTBALL DOUBLEHEADER
Students from the
Wellness and Human Experience class along with the
Fillies softball team at
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will help to
"Strike Out Cancer" on
March 22 at
Fillies Field when
ABAC takes on
Thomas University in a
4 p.m. doubleheader.
From
3-5:30 p.m., spectators at the games will have the chance to help fight cancer by purchasing a
balloon for
$1. Participants can attach the name of a loved one who has been affected by cancer to the balloon. There will also be a
Memory Wall and a
Fight Wall for attendees to sign during the games. An
Art Wall will be displayed on the back of the third base dugout.
In a brief ceremony between games of the twin-bill, former Coach
Donna Campbell and ABAC Head Coach
Jennifer Martinez will address all those present on how cancer has affected their friends and families. Their words will be followed by a release of the balloons and the start of the second game. Members of the Wellness and Human Experience class will be on hand to serve free hot dogs.
For information on the
"Strike Out Cancer" event, contact Campbell at
[email protected]
During the February meeting of the Wiregrass Quilters Guild (WQG) in Tifton, Rachelle Fowler, seen in photo at left, spoke about "Fidget Quilts" -- making quilts with textures for Alzheimer's patients or others with dementia.
The Guild's next meeting will be April 14 in Fitzgerald.
For information about the WQG, contact its president, Jane Rodgers, at [email protected]
COMMUNITY LEADERS START TALKS
ON IMPROVING AREAS AROUND SCHOOL
Several community
leaders gathered at
Matt Wilson Elementary School on
Wednesday to begin discussing ways to improve the areas around the school.
In the photo above, Mayor
Julie Smith leads a discussion at the gathering. She said there will be other
meetings with the community about the issue in the
coming weeks and
months.
hold in other areas of the state; but for some reason, they left the river site and made their way to downtown Fitzgerald, where they have propagated and prospered ever since.
$12 per person; children age 4 & under are free
