Blackburn, Bohannon receive Agricultural Lifetime Achievement Awards at Thursday’s Farm-City Awards Luncheon
A slate of Franklin County families, individuals and businesses were honored for their positive impacts on farming at the 2025 Franklin County Farm-City Awards Luncheon, sponsored by the Franklin County Extension Office, held Thursday at the A.W. Todd Centre.
Farm-City Week is designed to deepen understanding of the relationship between rural farmers and urban workers. Since 1955, Farm-City committees have hosted educational events and invited city folks to visit local farms for a first-hand look at how their food is raised.
Speakers at Thursday’s event included Franklin County Extension Director Katernia Cole-Coffey and Franklin County 4H Extension Agent Alicia Swann. Franklin County Probate Judge Barry Moore delivered the invocation before the meal was served.
This year’s Farm-City Week was themed “Grow Alabama.”
Two Franklin County men received the 2025 Agricultural Lifetime Achievement Award, J.C. Blackburn and James Bohannon. Brief bios of both honorees are listed below:
JC Blackburn:
J.C. Blackburn was born in 1951 at Hurricane Creek, where he grew up on a family farm that produced row crops—including cotton—as well as cattle and hogs. He began farm work at a young age, driving a tractor by six years old and picking cotton with a sack nearly as big as he was.
After marrying, he continued the tradition of livestock farming by starting his own cattle operation. In 1980, J.C. and his wife, along with his in-laws, began raising chickens for Marshall Durbin, a venture they continued until around 2006. He maintained his cattle herd for many years before selling his remaining cattle in August 2025. Today, he remains active in agriculture, focusing on his hay crop.
James Bohannon:
James Bohannon was born and raised in Phil Campbell, Alabama. Born on May 3, 1934, he is now ninety-one years old. He graduated from Phil Campbell High School as a member of the Class of 1953.
On April 14, 1954, he married Marjorie Rice. Together, they raised three children—Paula McDowell, Jim Bohannon, and Joel Bohannon—and are blessed with four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. James is a devoted member and deacon of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church.
James and Marge purchased their farm in 1955 and soon built two poultry houses, which they operated for more than twenty years. They began raising cattle in the early 1960s, developing a cow-calf operation that James continues to run today. Over time, they expanded both their acreage and their herd, all while James worked full-time at Reynolds Metals Company. With Marge’s support, he successfully balanced farm life with his career.
After retiring from Reynolds, James remained committed to the daily work of the farm. He continues to feed his cattle, maintain and repair fences, and bush hog the pastures himself. He is a man who genuinely loves spending time outdoors, tending to the land, his cattle, and his garden.
Russellville farmer Jamie Harris received the Farmer of the Year Award, and M5 Farms was presented the award for Farm Family of the Year. Their bios follow:
Jamie Harris:
Jamie Harris manages a 250-head cow/calf operation and 750 acres of pasture and hay land. He is an active member of Russellville First Methodist Church and is the director of the Franklin County SPAN Program.
His current farm improvement goals focus on expanding and enhancing the operation. He recently purchased an additional 52 acres, continues to strengthen herd genetics through the selection of high-quality bulls that have increased weaning weights and improved replacement heifers, and maintains a consistent pasture management program that includes fertilizing and spraying to boost forage quality and productivity across his pastures and hayfields.
M5 Farms:
In 1978, Brandon McDuffa received a registered Angus heifer from his grandfather, Jack Lovett, on the day he was born. That heifer later produced a bull calf, which sold for $480. With an additional $20, his grandfather purchased a $500 CD in Brandon’s name at the local bank. The foundation of the entire farming operation can be traced back to that single heifer, the $500 CD, and the steadfast support and encouragement of his grandfather.
Brandon built his herd by retaining heifers and reinvesting the income from calf sales. At just seven years old, he rented his first piece of land, continuing to lease the property until 2004, when it was purchased by his parents. From these humble beginnings, the farm has grown significantly.
Today, the operation includes a herd of 45 registered Angus females. The commercial herd consists of 50 Angus-, Charolais-, and Hereford-influenced females. The family uses artificial insemination in their registered herd and Angus bulls on all commercial females. They market registered Angus bulls to local farmers and retain all registered heifers as breeding stock.
The farm also includes four broiler houses under contract with Mar-Jac, producing a 4-pound bird on a five-week grow-out.
The operation is family-run, with Brandon and Kendra serving as owner-operators. Their children—Blain, Dacey, and Brody—work daily on the farm and have each begun developing their own cattle herds. The family attends Mt. View Church of Christ.
Kendra has been a teacher in Marion County Schools for 23 years. She spent her first three years at Phillips High School and the past 20 years teaching at her alma mater, Hackleburg High School. Five years ago, she had the opportunity to reopen the agricultural education program and reestablish the school’s FFA chapter.
Blain, Dacey, and Brody are active FFA members who participate in livestock judging and a variety of other competitions. The entire family is involved in the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association; Kendra is a member of the Cattlewomen’s Association, and the children are active in the Junior Cattlemen’s Association.
This year’s Agricultural Tourism and Education Award was presented to Overton Farms. The 2025 Commercial Horticulture Award recipient was the Nursery at Hurricane Creek. The bios that accompanied their nominations are listed below:
Overton Farms:
Nestled along the scenic waters of Bear Creek, Overton Farms carries a legacy that stretches back to its establishment in 1819. For more than a century, the property served as the homestead of the Overton family, becoming a cornerstone of local history. Later, the Tennessee Valley Authority transformed the land into an educational center, enriching the region with programs focused on agriculture, heritage, and environmental stewardship. Although the center closed in the early 2000s, the property was revitalized in 2022 and reimagined as a picturesque event venue. Today, Overton Farms continues to honor Alabama’s heritage—blending natural beauty, historical significance, and community spirit—while offering a meaningful setting for gatherings, celebrations, and educational experiences. The site also provides visitors the opportunity to enjoy horseback riding, adding a unique and immersive way to experience the farm’s landscape.
The Nursery at Hurricane Creek:
A family-owned commercial horticulture operation in Northwest Alabama, the company specializes in growing high-quality branded woody ornamentals and perennials for wholesale markets. They proudly serve independent garden centers and landscapers, providing exceptional plant quality paired with reliable, top-tier customer service.
Several Franklin County students were presented cash prizes for their winning entries in the Farm-City coloring contest, poster contest and essay contest. Winners are listed below:
Farm-City Coloring Contest Winners: (Pre-Kindergarten) 1st place Abe-Mazing McArthur, Tharptown Elementary, 2nd place Lilly Lawson, Tharptown Elementary, 3rd place Leland Gray, Tharptown Elementary and 3rd place Noah Tidwell, Tidwell Homeschool.
Poster Contest Winners (Kindergarten-3rd Grade): 1st place Bryan King, 2nd grade, Red Bay Elementary.
Poster Contest Winners (4th Grade-6th Grade): 1st place Eli Humphries, 6th grade, Red Bay Elementary, 2nd place Jonathan Tzep, 4th grade, Tharptown Elementary, 3rd place Sam Barton, 4th grade, Russellville Elementary School, Honorable Mentions to Brenton Tyde Greenhill, 5th grade, Belgreen High School and Addison Frederick, 6th grade, Red Bay Elementary.
Essay Contest (7th-9th Grade): 1st place, Saxton Oliver, 8th grade, Phil Campbell High School.
Essay Contest (10th-12th Grade): 1st place Emma Rambo, 12th grade, Phil Campbell, 2nd place Sadie Hill, 12th grade, Phil Campbell, 3rd place Kye Baker, 11th grade, Phil Campbell.
Phil Campbell High School senior Emma Rambo read her first-place award winning essay, with the “Grow Alabama” theme, as part of Thursday’s event.
And a special thank you was given to the teachers of these award-winning students for encouraging student participation in Farm-City Contests: Charla Lewis, Helen Campbell, Tharptown Elementary, Anna Tidwell, Tidwell Homeschool, Anna Cox, Lindsey Marecle, Red Bay Elementary, Erin Singletary, Russellville Elementary, Ina Taylor, Belgreen School, Caleb Beason, Phil Campbell High School.
Phil Campbell High School senior Emma Rambo read her first-place award winning essay, with the “Grow Alabama” theme, as part of Thursday’s event.
Cole-Coffey also recognized several organizations, businesses and individuals for their support of this year's Farm-City Awards Luncheon, including Alabama Farm Credit, CB&S Bank, Community Spirit Bank, the Franklin County Commission, the Franklin County Cattlemen's Association, the Franklin County Farmers' Federation, Northwest Alabama RC&D Council, Phil Campbell FFA and the Russellville Parks and Recreation Department and the A.W. Todd Centre staff.
Special recognition was given to several Franklin County students and teachers for various awards they won in the past year. They include: Caleb Beason for placing 1st runner up in the Excellence in Agriculture Contest with Alabama Farmer’s Federation—Young Farmers Division, Phil Campbell student Jackson Posey for 1st place Safe Tractor Driving in the state FFA competition, Phil Campbell student Derek Mays for FFA Degree for Wildlife Production, Red Bay High School FFA String Band for Conduct of Chapter Meetings, third place in state, FFA String Band, 2nd place in state, Red Bay’s Kayson Johnston for 2nd place in state for beef production, State FFA Degree recipients from Red Bay, including Reagan Gordon, Anna Richardson, Melee Weaver, Khloe James and Jackson Miller, and Hackleburg High School FFA member Blaine McDuffa for 1st place in state Beef Production Entrepreneurship.