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Woodville family’s home-school journey

Mandy Johnson never intended to be an educator. In fact, when she began her college career at Auburn University, she had her sights set on becoming a physical therapist.

But when she and Ryan married and started having children, everything changed. “We would talk about school and education, and then we realized that each of our children would be uniquely and wonderfully made. We knew they would have strengths and weaknesses,” she says.

So, the couple decided home-schooling was the best choice for the benefit of their children. “It’s our job to prepare them for when they leave home. We wanted to be able to nurture them, equip them for life and help them understand the world as God designed it,” she says. “It became our purpose.”

The Johnson family lives in Woodville, and Ryan is the pastor at Agape Baptist Church in Scottsboro. They have four school age daughters: Gracie, a senior; Ella, a sophomore; Lily, a seventh grader; and Maddie, a fifth grader. All of them have been home-schooled since kindergarten.

The family also recently adopted 1-year-old twins, Grady and Vivi. Although it wasn’t her intended career, teaching comes naturally to Mandy. She attended Pleasant Home School, a K-12 school in Andalusia, where her mother, Sandra Ralls, taught for 24 years.

“My mom was one of our biggest supporters when we first started this journey,” Mandy says. “She knew the desires of our heart and was never negative about us wanting to do this.”

Ralls died six years ago, but her love for teaching lives on through Mandy and her oldest, Gracie, who recently received a scholarship to Auburn University. She plans to study education.

One of the ways Ryan shows his support is by making Teacher of the Year certificates for his wife and hanging them on the family’s board where they keep a calendar and other important reminders. He’s even named their school The Johnson School of Life for Gifted Girls of Excellent Awesomeness.

“I couldn’t do what I do without the amazing support from my husband,” Mandy says. “He makes an excellent principal.”

School Days

A typical day for the Johnson kids means being up by 7:30 a.m. with their early-morning responsibilities complete, including making their beds, eating breakfast and doing their daily devotionals. They’re in their chairs by 8 a.m. at a large round table, each working on their own assignments.

A combination of laptops, tablets, textbooks and paper are spread out among them. With technology ever evolving, the Johnsons can keep up with their work online thanks to high-speed internet provided by North Alabama Electric Cooperative. Each day can look a little different.

“With babies, it changes things,” Mandy says. She might have to switch around the order of subjects, sometimes teaching while the twins are napping. “Math always comes first each day,” Mandy says, followed by writing, spelling, language and science. But, the Johnson girls know what they need to do when it comes to their studies and they are usually independent learners by seventh or eighth grade.

Gracie, has been dual-enrolled as a student at Northeast Alabama Community College for the last two years. Mandy says the biggest challenge of home-schooling is determining each child’s learning style.

“My oldest is one of those kids who just get it the first time and she’s a great memorizer,” she says.

Realizing each curriculum wasn’t going to be the right fit for each child, Mandy has adapted and tailored a teaching style to best accommodate each student’s unique way of learning. “Curriculums have come a long way since we first started. Even in just the last four years, so many companies have put out new curricula,” Mandy says.

Some can choose a curriculum with all the lessons planned out for them, and others choose different elements from several to tailor to the child’s needs.

“As the kids got older I realized maybe the science was a little too difficult for them to understand, or one needed more advanced math,” she says.

And when it comes to teaching four children different subjects? “We’ve got it down,” she says.

Fining Community

The Johnsons join like-minded families at a cooperative called Center Point Homeschool Fellowship every other Monday. The cooperative consists of 30 families with 76 children in total. The group eats lunch together, then the students attend three hours of classes. Two of the classes are academic and one is meant to be more fun and active.

“The classes are usually based on what is needed at the time,” Mandy says.

For example, this year, two older girls were learning Spanish, so a mother who is fluent in Spanish stepped in to teach a class. Johnson teaches geography and also has a love for Alabama history, a subject usually taught in public schools in fourth grade.

The ages of students range from nursery to high school seniors. They even began a National Beta Club for junior and senior students this year. National Beta Club is an organization that recognizes high academic achievement, character, leadership skills and service. Establishing a sense of community is a big factor to be successful with home-schooling.

“Having the cooperative involved helps with socialization. Between co-op and church activities, we often joke that we wish our kids were less social because they never meet a stranger,” Mandy says.

While the thought of home-schooling can seem really daunting to some, Mandy admits it’s not for everyone, but she says if anyone is on the fence about whether or not they should try home-schooling, they should just jump in.

“It’s hard. It’s definitely not an easy road, but I can’t imagine doing anything else. It’s been such a blessing to our family,” she says.

When times get tough, Mandy suggests revisiting the reasons you began home-schooling.

“Go back to the calling of why you are doing it. Don’t give in to the lie that every tough moment is permanent. Don’t be afraid to admit where you are weak. Find online resources, ask other parents what they are doing and reach out to people who can give you further insight,” she says.

Communication Action Agency case worker retires after decades of service

For almost 5 decades, scriptures inspired Norma Harvey’s work with the Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” — Matthew 25:35-36.

Verses like that were at the forefront of Harvey’s mind when she began working with the agency through a 6-week after school program in 1969. Her responsibilities at the time included simple tasks like filing paperwork or organizing the clothes closet, and she did them with a joyful heart. She became a full-time staff member in 1973.

“I didn’t look at it as a job,” she says. “I looked at it as a ministry.”

Harvey retired as a case manager in December, but her legacy will live on through those she helped over nearly 50 years.

“I never, ever thought of my job as going to work, it was always a joy to me and a pleasure,” she says. “I’ve always been blessed to work with that agency to make a difference each day in someone’s life.”

She worked at the Bridgeport CAA office during her time with the organization, where she was trained by Johnnie Cloud. “She was a very special lady,” Harvey says.

Serving Others

The Community Action Agency was founded as part of the War on Poverty, social welfare legislation championed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. The CAA of Northeast Alabama was established in an effort to support low-income families and to reduce poverty in Jackson, Marshall, DeKalb, Cherokee, Blount and St. Clair counties.

The CAA receives grants from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, along with other agencies, to help people in the area who need assistance paying for food, prescriptions, transportation, utilities and rent. The CAA even helps people make their homes more energy efficient.

“We would weatherize houses — do the insulation and have storm windows installed,” Harvey says.

One of the better-known CAA pro- grams is the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Grant, which provides assistance to those struggling to pay heating and cooling energy bills. Harvey recalls an elderly woman who didn’t have an air conditioner, so she purchased a window unit and installed it herself.

During her time as a CAA case manager Harvey assisted people from all walks of life. “You never know who you will come in contact with and something you say can make a difference,” she says. “I’ve been in people’s houses when they didn’t have anything in their cabinet to eat.” And when Harvey saw someone needed food, she made sure the pantry got stocked.

A Legacy of Caring

Harvey developed such a positive reputation in the area that a Bridgeport business owner told her not to hesitate to ask if she ever needed a donation for some- one. Contributions from local businesses also helped fund the CAA’s Christmas for Children drive, where the agency would buy gifts and make food boxes.

Harvey’s favorite part of her job was that each day brought something new. She helped develop many new initiatives in the area, including Smiles, a dental clinic offering low-cost services.

“My friend Bobbie Hubbard asked me what a need in the community was, and I noticed a lot of people don’t have access to affordable dental service,” she says.

Smiles began almost 10 years ago, and Hubbard now serves as the executive director. It’s located in the old National Guard Armory in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. Initially, the clinic began offering free tooth extractions. Over time, the pro- gram grew to include affordable dentures and partials, and cleanings for a low cost.

Over her decades with the CAA, Har- vey has built a reputation for kindness, caring and dedication that won’t soon be forgotten.

“Our entire administration team views Norma as an example to follow,” CAA Development Director Maggie Bell says. “She shows so much love for her county, she’s helped so many organizations get started. She’s an inspiration to me person- ally and she knows everyone. I want to be that for our organization and have a heart like Norma.”

Tips to use a space heater safely and efficiently

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that space heaters cause more than 1,700 house fires every year. When used incorrectly, space heaters can be a fire hazard and also result in energy bills that send a chill down your spine. If you are planning to use a space heater to warm up your home this winter, consider the following safety and efficiency tips:

Space Heater Safety Tips

• Purchase a heater that has the seal of a qualified testing laboratory and comes with safety features such as auto shut off, which turns off the heater if it tips over.
• Vintage is not a good thing when it comes to space heaters. Think twice before plugging in an older heater and consider upgrading to a newer model with better safety features.
• Never set up a space heater on a table. They are designed to be placed on the floor, on a hard, level and nonflammable surface. Keep the space heater at least 3 feet away from curtains, drapes, blankets and anything else that could catch fire.
• Never use an extension cord. Space heaters should be plugged in directly to a wall outlet, as most extension cords cannot handle the high currents a space heater draws and could cause a fire.
• Do not leave a space heater unattended. Always turn off the space heater when you leave the room or go to bed, and do not put a space heater in a child’s room.

Are Space Heaters Energy-Efficient?

When shopping for a space heater, you may notice several manufacturers advertising their model as being 100% energy efficient. While that is technically true — a space heater converts 100% of the electricity it uses into heat — that does not necessarily mean that using one will lower your winter energy bills. It may, in fact, cost you more money.

Space heaters still draw electricity to produce heat. If you are relying on space heaters as your main source of heat for the winter months, your winter energy bills are probably much higher than they would be if you invested in making your home more energy efficient. Installing an HVAC system or a heat pump, along with insulation and weatherstripping, will give you better results, helping you stay warm and reducing your energy bills in the long run

The bottom line is space heaters work best as a temporary heat source. Use them wisely to avoid fire risks and sky-high energy bills. Stay warm!

What better way to kick off the holiday season than our Christmas Art Contest? NAEC was overwhelmed with many original pieces of artwork from local children.

Choosing a winner was difficult because all the entries were wonderful. This year’s winning cover entry was created by Hunter Garner, a fourth grader at Bridgeport Elementary. Enjoy the artwork!

White Peake Market In Woodville Offers Local Produce and Products

In 2019, Huntsville residents Mary Peake and her husband, Kirk, purchased a farm in Woodville. The couple had long wanted to own land and they knew this was the right place when they found it.

Mary’s mother, Sally White, always had a green thumb, so the Peakes designated a couple of acres of their property just for Sally‘s garden. She did the planning, and Mary and Kirk helped with the planting, tilling and harvesting.

“The garden did well that year,” Mary says.

So well, in fact, that after a good first growing season, the Peakes decided to sell their produce at the Madison County Farmers Market in Huntsville. In the second year of planting, they added pumpkins to the mix.

Business began to pick up and the Peakes realized a need in the community they could help meet — a place for people to buy fresh produce without having to drive too far.

Also, they grew tired of shuttling the produce to and from the farmers market week after week, so they considered other, more permanent options for their growing business.

Growing Food, Building Community

In the winter of 2021, Sally noticed a building for sale in Woodville, only about a mile and half from the farm. The family considered the new location and decided it would be the perfect spot to sell their produce.

“Things started coming together and we felt led by the Lord that this was the right direction,” Mary says.

During this time of growth, Mary decided to ask her sister-in-law, Deidra White, if she would like to get involved as the manager of the store. Deidra, who lives in Owens Cross Roads, agreed and began helping develop a plan for the market to thrive.

The family decided to keep things simple in the beginning and only sold produce. The first spring crop was planted in April 2022 and the White Peake Market opened that May, welcoming customers every Saturday through November.

The first “official” season went well and the family loved the positive reception from people in the community. They’ve made contacts and built relationships with other local farmers to help fill in the gaps where their own produce offerings are limited.

“We’re just doing everything we can to try and give people enough variety so they can shop,” Deidra says.

Today, White Peake Market offers everything from locally grown fruits and vegetables to honey, farm-fresh eggs, handmade soaps, crafts, home decor made by local artists and fresh-cut flowers.

Sally’s baked goods are a staple item offered in the market. “She’s famous around here for her baking,” Mary says.

Sally learned to bake by watching her mother and grandmother, and also credits her home economics teacher in high school with helping her hone her skills. She raised 5 children, making them homemade biscuits every morning and cinnamon rolls during the holidays. Sally uses that same cinnamon roll recipe for the ones she sells at the market, and whenever Mary smells them baking, it takes her back to Christmas Eve as a child.

“She’s always had a fondness for baking,” Mary says. “It’s how she expresses her love for people.”

The building that now houses White Peake Market was the train depot in the early 1900s, and was moved to its current location from another spot in town. Earlier in its history, an addition was constructed on the building and that market occupies that space. The original depot area — featuring hand-hewn beams and other original design details — is currently closed off. The White Peake Market team has plans to work on reviving that part of the building during the winter, after the market closes for the season.

The Christmas Market, which was in November, was a way to bring the community together to end the season with something fun. “Since produce has slowed down, we wanted to pull together some crafts, holiday decor and something people could buy as gifts for friends and family,” Deidra says.

A concrete 2023 opening date is not yet set, but the family plans on returning in the spring. “I think you’ll see in the next couple of years it will look very different,” Mary says. “The potential for growth is there.”

Deidra says they will use the offseason to figure out the logistics to stay open later into the year and to continue to improve what they’ve established.

“The first season has been really humbling,” Deidra says. ”The response from the community has been incredibly flattering. Who are we? We’re just outsiders who got a farm and a building, they’ve all been so accepting of our presence.”

When customers shop locally, not only do they help stimulate the economy, but they gain a sense of community and a connection with the products and the people they’re buying from.

“Small businesses are the backbone of this country. When you shop local, you’re supporting a family, not a corporation. We are trying to support the local community by providing an outlet for other artists and farmers to have an outlet for their things as well,” Mary says.

Business ripens each season at Crow Mountain Orchard

As a child, Brett Wyse spent summers at Crow Mountain Orchard, helping his grandparents bag and sell apples. To this day, he cherishes his memories of playing among the trees in his free time.

Now, the third-generation fruit grower and his wife, Jenny, continue building the legacy started by his grandparents, Robert and the late Carol Deutscher, in 1974.

Wyse and his wife have called Alabama home since 2015, when they moved from Indiana to take over operations at the orchard, a well-known destination for fruit that includes several apple varieties, peaches, grapes and more. Many of the apples are from the same trees planted in 1974 when the Deutschers purchased the land in Fackler.

When they purchased the property in Alabama, the Deutschers already operated an orchard in Laporte, Indiana, a town about 15 minutes from the Michigan border.

While growing fruit was not a new concept to the couple, the Southern weather was very different from Indiana’s.

Another big difference was the new property’s higher elevation. “For us, being on the mountain allows us to be about two weeks behind schedule of the weather in the valley,” Wyse says.

After buying the land in Alabama, the Deutschers maintained their orchard in Indiana, splitting time between the states. Robert would bring some of their crew down South with him, and switch places with Carol. That arrangement continued until 1991, when they made Alabama their permanent residence.

The family’s plan was to sell the produce to local grocery stores. “We never thought customers would actually want to drive all the way out here and buy fruit,” Wyse says.

But they did, and the Deutschers adapted to accommodate the crowds by building a little wooden shack that eventually evolved into a salesroom.

“I remember sitting out there with my grandmother, and we would bag up apples to sell to customers who came by,” Wyse says.

As he got older, his summers spent in Alabama became a little less frequent. Wyse worked in Indiana, managing a restaurant, and he also had a budding sales career with a beverage distributor. “I sold for that company for a few years, and in April 2015, I won Salesman of the Year,” he says.

But, Wyse knew his true purpose was really in Alabama, helping run the family business. So, after receiving his award, he stepped outside the banquet hall with his boss and gave his notice that he would be moving.

“Grandma passing away is really what propelled us to move back when we did. She was the staple here when it came to selling the fruit,” he says. “I just started learning everything. I started going to farmers markets, developed a school delivery program to schools and started a relationship with local grocery stores. Before then it was mainly wholesalers buying our products. We had cider, but we weren’t really pushing it at the time.”

Wyse’s grandfather is 93 and works every day at the orchard. The trees still thrive under his knowledgeable and watchful eye, and he can usually be found inspecting and packing the fruit for customers and checking on the workers.

While Wyse and his family moved to Alabama to help with the business, feeling at home within the community helped confirm he made the right decision. The Wyses also loved that their children would attend Skyline School and grow up in the area. “There’s just something special around here that’s hard to explain to other people,” he says.

About the Orchard

Even though it’s off the beaten path, the drive to Crow Mountain Orchard is scenic and beautiful. At almost 1,800 feet of elevation, Crow Mountain Orchard sits atop Cumberland Mountain between Fackler and Skyline. It’s about 200 acres, with 120 acres planted in fruit trees and bushes bearing fruit.

Visitors are willing to make the drive because of the orchard’s flagship fruit — apples — and its apple cider.

During the fall, Wyse presses around 2,000 gallons of apple cider every week, so it’s always fresh. He says the cider is more flavorful because it isn’t pasteurized. “A lot of stuff you buy in the store is just powder mixed with water,” he says. “Here, we have a new UV light technology we use during the process that kills bacteria as you press.”

Typically, Crow Mountain opens the first week of June, depending on the weather, and closes right before Christmas. Customers are encouraged to call the salesroom or visit the orchard’s Facebook page for current information and fruit availability.

During the season, it’s open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Peach season typically runs from June until the end of August,” Wyse says.

When it comes to apples, Crow Mountain offers 20 varieties of apples during the season. The first variety harvested is Early Gold, which comes in late June. The last variety, the Pink Lady, is usually picked on Halloween.

Setting up at local farmers markets has become another popular way to spread the word about Crow Mountain produce. Not only is it a place to sell fruit, but it allows Wyse to develop a relationship with customers.

“Personally, we’re able to meet the younger crowd. They want to know where the fruit is from, and they want to know the guy who grows it. It’s pretty special when you get to know the customers,” Wyse says.

The orchard has 13 employees. 2 of Brett and Jenny’s children work there. Their daughter, Carley, works in the salesroom and helps at the farmers markets, and Wyse says customers get a kick out of their 11-year-old son, Mason, at the farmers markets because he can count back change without having to use a calculator.

While growing the best fruit possible is certainly the main goal of Crow Mountain Orchard, the biggest win is keeping it all in the family.

Wyse often thinks back to all the time he spent with his grandparents. “It’s rewarding to spend time caring for the trees, picking the fruit and packing it,” he says. “You see the fruits of your labor, literally.”

Program offers children new and exciting experiences

This summer, students at Stevenson Middle School got a head start on learning leading into the new school year thanks to Alabama’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) program.

“It’s such a wonderful program because the funding is wonderful,” says Dionne Sartin. “It was designed to bring more hands-on experiences to the students that they don’t normally get during the school day.”

Sartin, who is starting her 18th year teaching at Stevenson Middle School, is the site coordinator for the school’s CCLC program.

During the school day, she focuses on teaching sixth-grade math, but after school, she gets to help guide students and broaden their horizons.

The federally funded CCLC program began in 1980. Schools apply for grants to participate, and those grants must be renewed every three years. Stevenson Middle School has been running the program since 2010. Free for fifth through eighth graders, the program draws about 40 Stevenson students in the summer months, and during the school year, around 20-30 participate.

More Than a Normal School Day

One of the trade demonstrations the CCLC brings to the program are electric linemen.

“The linemen talk to kids about the dangers of electricity, safety precautions, and they also show examples of how the city is wired,” Sartin says.

The children watch a kid-friendly demonstration that explains electricity safety tips, including what not to do around electric poles and power lines. They also get to experience what it’s like to dress like a real lineman when they try on the big rubber gloves and hard hats.

“The kids were really interested. They love anything that’s new and not part of the norm,” Sartin says.

Teaching the students about being safe around power lines is important, but NAEC lineman Steve Patton enjoys doing the electrical demonstration for children because other than education, his visit also serves another purpose—he could possibly be inspiring the next generation of linemen.

“We love being able to teach these students about the importance of safety, but we also want them to see that they could have a career in the electric field,” says NAEC General Manager Bruce Purdy. “They get a chance to see how our linemen do their job and the equipment they use. It’s a great opportunity for them to learn more about our industry.”

At the World’s a Classroom

During the summer program, the kids take a field trip each week. Sartin tries to make each trip a special occasion, which includes hiring charter buses when she can. This year, the kids visited Cook’s Museum of Natural Science in Decatur and the Birmingham Zoo. They also got to ride the Chattanooga Duck Boats and go indoor rock climbing.

Burritt on the Mountain, a historic landmark in Huntsville, brought history to the students this year. The open-air museum’s property includes several 19th century cabins and a blacksmith shop, and employees dress in 1800s clothing to give tours and demonstrations. “They came to the school and taught kids about the way of life during that era and made cornhusk toys with them,” Sartin says.

The children also rolled up their sleeves and worked on service learning projects like a community garden.

“The kids planted, grew and picked the produce and we distributed it into the community,” Sartin says.

Educational demonstrations included music and cooking lessons, art projects and even a career fair with teachers from the local trade school discussing different trades with the kids.

Ms. Jan, The Science Lady from Dynamic Education Adventures, comes each month during the school year and visits weekly during the summer months. She guides the students as they perform experiments like freezing food with liquid nitrogen, dissecting a cow’s eyeball, building stomp rockets and learning about kinetic and potential energy.

Sartin believes the most positive impact of the CCLC program is inclusivity.

“You always have those children who aren’t into sports or band. Our program gives them a sense of belonging,” she says. “It’s free, so it gives them a lot of experiences they wouldn’t normally get to have.”

And, they keep coming back.

“What means the most to me is when the students begin coming in the fifth grade and they’re still there in the eighth grade,” she adds. “That’s four years of them dedicating their life to us, and that means a lot.”

To help ease some beginning-of-the-school-year nerves, Sartin began inviting students who will be starting fifth grade to come to the summer program. Getting to know the building and some of the people helps the transition to a new school go a little more smoothly.

“I really believe in the program and see the benefits of it,” Sartin says.