When the fall harvest season is on the horizon, the Pike County Farm City Committee begins to cultivate plans for its annual Farm City Week activities.

Farm City Week is harvest time for the Pike County Chamber of Commerce’s Farm City Committee’s yearlong activities. It is the time of year when the committee looks back on the events and activities of the year and recognizes and honors members of the farming community who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture during the year.

The Pike County Farm City Committee’s August meeting was dedicated to putting  yearlong plans into motion, beginning with Pike County Farm Days in September and its quest for yet another blue ribbon at the Pike County Fair in October.

“Pike County Farm Days is a huge event for our committee,” said Randy Hale, Farm City Committee chair. “All third grade students in Pike County are invited to participate in the event at Cattlemen Park. They learn about farm life through hands-on activities.

“Our Farm City booth at the county fair has won the blue ribbon several years and it’s a great way to highlight the role that agriculture plays in Pike County. We would also like to have a library display and we’ll work toward that.”

The Farm City Committee participates in Pioneer Days at the Pioneer Museum of Alabama and also the annual Peanut Butter Festival in Brundidge in October.

“Both of these events celebrate farm life and honor the products and producers here in Pike County,” Hale said. “We are planning a tour of Whaley Pecan Company as part of Farm City Week activities and also a downtown fall market and, of course, the Farm City Swap.”

Hale said the Farm City Swap is an opportunity for members of the urban and rural communities to swap jobs for a day.

“The Job Swap is always a favorite event of Farm City Week activities,” Hale said.

Farm City Week traditionally begins on the Friday before Thanksgiving and ends on Thanksgiving Day.

The Farm City Banquet is held the week prior to Farm City Week and recognizes the award recipients in the areas of beef, row crops, poultry, specialty crops, conservation, forestry, service to agriculture and the Pike County Young Farmer. The winners of the poster and essay competitions for students throughout Pike County are also recognized.

Classroom in the Forest, a program in and about the forest, is for all fifth grade students countywide. The outdoor classroom will be held in the fall rather than the spring to increase chances for more agreeable weather, Hale said. 

Other activities and events scheduled by the Pike County Farm City Committee include Century and Heritage Farm submissions, tree planting by Troy and Brundidge Rotary Clubs, Women in Agriculture, the Junior Ambassadors’ visit to Clay Hill Farms, National Ag Day, a Distracted Driver Program, Touch-a-Tractor, Water Festival, Farm City Public Speaking, Scrapbook, Farm City Public Speaking, Take a Kid Fishing Day, Brundidge Rotary Golf Scramble and Brundidge Nutrition Center Fishing Day.