Several advantages come with having a business account separate from your personal finances. These advantages include the following:

(1) Financial record keeping is tidier because your personal and family expenses are not intermingled with business revenues and expenses.

(2) If your business is registered as a separate entity such as a limited liability company or corporation, separation of finances helps maintain the “corporate veil” that protects your personal funds and assets from your business’s liabilities.

(3) A separate banking account allows business owners to use merchant services or payment processing companies to accept nontraditional forms of payment, such as credit cards, SNAP, EBT, and senior vouchers.

(4) A business bank account will help your business establish a financial history that can be used to help build business credit and apply for grants, loans, and programs.

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Farmers are some of the most tech-savvy people in the world. Often, they are early adopters of emerging technologies that create a more efficient, profitable and sustainable industry. Some of these technologies—and the data they collect—are crucial parts of the management approach known as precision agriculture.

Brenda Ortiz, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System precision agriculture specialist, said there is a lot of variability within a field—including soil type and topography—which suggests that farmers must be more precise with their management. This is where precision agriculture makes a difference.

“Precision agriculture is the use of a suite of technologies and data for implementation of the right management practice at the right time and place,” Ortiz said.

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Selection of herd sires for a cow/calf operation is a fundamental management task that should not be taken lightly. Making an informed and sound decision when selecting a herd bull will make significant impacts on the production level of your herd. If you are retaining replacements, the genetic contribution of your bull selection forms your herd for the future.

Set Production Goals

A good first step in the decision-making process is defining and setting production goals. Development of production goals and a management plan are key for the sustainability of your cow-calf operation. When setting goals, consider the type of animal that you want to produce and how you will market that animal. Your production goals will determine selection criteria and traits that are important to your operation in selecting herd sires.

Also, consider the features of your cow herd to select bulls that will complement the production goals. Some of these features include the herd size, the major breed composition of your herd, and the number of bulls you will need. Refer to Systems Approach to Beef Production: Developing a Basic Management Plan and Beef Herd Management Strategies for more information on setting production goals.

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Season 2, Episode 11: Cotton Harvest

It is harvest time at the Alabama Crops Report podcast. On this episode, hosts Amanda Scherer and Scott Graham sit down with Steve Brown, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System cotton agronomist. Going into his 47th cotton harvest year as an agronomist, Brown talks with Scherer and Graham about the 2022 Alabama cotton harvest season and what issues farmers may be facing.

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Many Alabamians love to see mums’ bright blooms contrast with the fall landscape. This is a good thing because mums grow well in Alabama according to Chilton County Extension Coordinator Lucy Edwards.

“There are two main categories of mums: floral and garden,” Edwards said. “Floral mums are those that typically are not grown outside and sold by florist for arrangements. Garden mums are those that people see in garden centers during the fall.”

There are also types of mums that are categorized by flower type and shape. The two most common types are daisy mums and decorative flower mums. Colors range from white, bronze, yellow, red, coral, pink, lavender and red.

Choosing the Right Mum

For some chrysanthemum enthusiasts, choosing the best mum might as well be as important as picking the perfect Christmas tree. Edwards said there are a couple characteristics to look for when choosing the right mum.

1. Buy mums with unopened blooms. When buying a mum, it can be tempting to grab the largest, fully-blooming plant. Make sure to buy the mums with their blooms not quite open. This choice will allow for a longer blooming time once you get it home.
2. Always check for insects and diseases. Nobody wants a sick plant. Be on the lookout for powdery mildew in mums. This disease can occur after hot and humid fall seasons. To control mildew, remove all infected leaves and treat the mum with an appropriately labeled fungicide.

Fall is almost here and avid game hunters are looking forward to a season of sitting by the dove field or in the deer stand. Doves are in season, and it won’t be long before deer hunters can hit the woods with bows and firearms. An Alabama Cooperative Extension System wildlife expert says it is important to properly prepare before setting out on your first hunt.

Dove Season 

Dove season is a favorite of many Alabama hunters. For most, it is less labor intensive and time consuming than other types of hunting. The two dove game bird species in Alabama are the mourning and white-winged doves. Mourning dove is the most common during hunting season.  

“Dove diets consist heavily of seeds, which makes agricultural fields and food plots attractive for feeding locations,” said Bence Carter, an Alabama Extension regional agent.

Many dove enthusiasts hunt over harvested soybeans, corn, peanuts and other small grains or planted food plots. However, it is illegal to trespass onto another person’s land, especially for hunting. Always ask for permission to use any agricultural lands for dove hunting from the appropriate landowner before planning a hunt.  

In preparation for dove season, Carter said to scout ahead to make sure doves are present on the fields. It is also important for hunters to make sure their firearm is clean and ready for use. Hunters should also practice using their firearms with sporting clays. 

“Planting fields by broadcasting seed for the sole purpose of attracting and hunting doves is prohibited,” Carter said.  

Deer Season 

Deer season is another popular Alabama pastime and is a natural source of food for many families. Mark Smith, an Auburn University professor of forestry and wildlife sciences, said there are several things hunters can do to begin preparing for the upcoming deer season.

“Hunters should take their rifles out to the range, begin planting food plots and make sure their hunting areas are ready and accessible,” Smith said. 

White-tailed deer is the only deer species in Alabama. Smith, who is also an Extension wildlife expert, said one of the most important things for hunters to do this year is to watch out for deer displaying symptoms of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).  

“Common symptoms of CWD include weight loss over time, emaciation, lack of wariness, difficulty moving or standing, lowering of the head, tremors, listlessness and excessive salivation and urination,” Smith said. “However, perfectly healthy-looking deer can be infected because it takes time for symptoms to develop.” 

Firearm Safety  

Hunters should always practice firearm safety before and during hunting seasons. Smith and Carter both said that visiting a shooting range and becoming acquainted with your firearm is vitally important.  

Hunters should conduct target practice and make sure their firearms are clean and safe for hunting. Also, discuss shooting etiquette with other hunters in a group to effectively ensure no one is injured by firearms during a hunt.  

Follow the Law 

Each hunting season has laws such as bag limits, necessary licenses, legal shooting hours and season opening and closing dates. In Alabama, dove season is divided into multiple zones that begin on different days. Deer season has different periods allotted for the use of certain firearm types and exclusively harvesting does or bucks. 

“All hunters should follow the rules, regulations and bag limits to have a good and successful hunting season,” Carter said.

To view these laws, regulations and dates, visit the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) website at www.outdooralabama.com.

Just pronouncing the acronym FAFSA is difficult enough, let alone actually trying to fill out the application for it. Difficult or not, millions of students file for Free Application for Federal Student Aid–better known as FAFSA–every year. This year, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System is here to help make the application process a little easier for students. Alabama FAST (FAFSA Application Survival Toolkit) equips students, parents and school officials with the knowledge needed to make sound choices about the FAFSA process.

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For those that like to find the best deals and are always looking to save money, the Best Buys webinar series is a great opportunity. These webinars will help people discover the items that will offer great discounts during each month.

1st Monday of every Month 11:30 am-12:00 Noon

To Register: www.aces.edu/go/BestBuys2022

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The Money Talks Live webinar series will cover a variety of topics. These 30-minute sessions will provide participants with a wealth of knowledge to help them with their finances.

September 18th-Credit Reports

November 15th-Opening a Holiday Club Account

To Register: www.aces.edu/go/MoneyTalksLive

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Step inside the Live Well Kitchen for a simple salad recipe that can be used as a side dish or as a main dish. Live Well Alabama’s Mediterranean Salad is full of vegetables and delicious dressing for a light but satisfying course.

“This is one of my favorite recipes to make ahead for the week. It gets better as the flavors meld together in the refrigerator! It’s versatile too. I like to make it with quinoa for even more fiber and protein, and mint for added freshness.”

-Katie Funderburk, Alabama SNAP-Ed Coordinator  

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups dry brown rice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• One lemon, juiced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup olives, pitted and halved
• 1 cup chickpeas, drained
• ½ red onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Pro Tips

If using bottled lemon juice, start with two tablespoons and add more if desired.

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package instructions and let cool.
2. Mix olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in a bowl.
3. Mix the cooled brown rice and all other ingredients in another bowl.
4. Stir in olive oil mixture.
5. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Want to learn more? Step-by-step instructions for the Mediterranean Salad recipe and an instructional video are available at LiveWellAlabama.com.