That’s right—they’re all subjects of winning entries in Farm Credit’s latest Keepin’ It Rural® video and photo contests, and can be seen at www.iKeepItRural.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KeepinItRural. Two of the top winners are from North Carolina!  

David Knight from Pittsboro wins first place in the video contest for his minute-and-a-half documentary “Locavores.” And Amber Wallace from Stony Point took second place in the photo contest. Amber is a customer of the Taylorsville Carolina Farm Credit office, and comes from 5 generations of farmers. She is also a member of the “Daddy Pete” family.

The other video contest winners are Kati McWaters from Okeechobee, Fla. (third place), for her “Stop-Motion Farm” animated video, Ron Cline from Rockmart, Ga. (second place), for his original song “Goats in the Pasture,”

The rest of the photo contest winners are Jennifer Dundus from Martinsburg, W.Va. (third place), for “Night Cow,” and Aundrea Strickland from San Mateo, Fla. (first place), for “Rub-A-Dub-Dub,” featuring cute baby triplets in an old-timey wash basin.

“There are some really talented farm and country-life enthusiasts out there,” says Mike Mooney, contest manager with AgFirst Farm Credit Bank. “These folks put so much time and personality into their entries. We received some great stuff!”

We are currently planning a “Keepin’ It Rural® in the Kitchen” recipe contest for 2011. Details will be announced soon. The goal of Farm Credit’s Keepin’ It Rural® initiative is to use the internet to share what’s fun and interesting about farm and country life. Keep checking carolinafarmcredit.com or find us on facebook for details of the 2011 contest.

The video and photo contests are open to residents of the 15 states included in the AgFirst Farm Credit Bank district. They are: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio.

Carolina Farm Credit is a stockholder-owned cooperative providing short, intermediate, and long-term financing to full and part-time farmers and agricultural-related businesses and also provides financing for the construction and purchase of homes in 54 counties through 37 service centers. Other financial services available are credit life insurance, crop insurance, appraisal services, leasing programs and financial planning.

Carolina Farm Credit serves over 8,900 members with loans outstanding totaling more than $1.28 billion.  The association’s territory covers the western half of North Carolina, with service centers located in Albemarle, Asheboro, Asheville, Boone, Burnsville, Carthage, Concord, Ellerbe, Graham, Greensboro, Hendersonville, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lenoir, Lexington, Lincolnton, Marshall, Mocksville, Monroe, Murphy, Newton, Pilot Mountain, Reidsville, Roxboro, Rural Hall, Salisbury, Shelby, Siler City, Sparta, Spindale, Statesville, Taylorsville, Wadesboro, Waynesville, Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, and Yanceyville.
Directors for Carolina Farm Credit are Thomas E. Porter, Jr., Chairman, Concord; Joseph A. Lail, Vice-Chairman, Shelby; John M. Barnard, Statesville; E. Bernard Beck, Seagrove; W. Rex Bell, Statesville; Mark A. Bray, Lawsonville; Herbert R. Cheeks, Hayesville; David M. Coltrane, Pleasant Garden; Charles L. “Butch” Deal, Franklin; Bobby J. Gambill, Sparta; W. Steve Love, Graham; Bobby J. “Bud” Matthews, East Bend; R. Dwayne Myers, Elkin; Clark M. Newlin, Haw River; Tony L. Ragan, Sanford; Lewis E. Smith, Lincolnton; Vickie N. Smitherman, East Bend; L. Kim Starnes, Salisbury; Dr. Alton Thompson, High Point.