The Cullman Tribune is celebrating the Alabama Bicentennial (1819-2019) with statewide field reporting by Alabama Master Gardener/Botanical Artist Ben Johnson South. This year-long feature, “The 67-County Alabama Garden Party,” will spotlight different counties each week. Each county will get its own “quilt block,” along with a historical profile, and we’ll share a recipe specific to the area. At the end of the year, all 67 counties will be put in a book to commemorate the Bicentennial.
Bullock County
Dogs and beautiful gardens don’t mix well according to some wags. Well, in Bullock County, Alabama they mix beautifully and they have since at least the 1840s when the nation’s oldest garden club was founded up on Chunnenuggee Ridge.
Add this to your thinking: Union Springs in Bullock County is “The Bird Dog Capital of the World.” In fact, there is an impressive statue of a bird dog in the middle of town which marks the spot, so to speak.
A life-size bronze statue of an English pointer sculpted by Robert Wehle was unveiled in downtown Union Springs in 1996. This artwork pays tribute to Bullock County’s unexcelled upland hunting bird dogs. The dog statue, which sits atop an 8-foot tall granite pillar at the intersection of Prairie Street and Hardaway Avenue, is the most photographed site in this part of the state.
The first National Shooting Dog Championship was held at Sedgefields Lakes Plantation, a 14,000-acre quail hunting preserve, Feb. 22, 1950. Several other places in Bullock County also host field trials from October-March each year. The larger-than-life “Field Trial” mural painted by renowned muralist, Wes Hardin, at 140 North Prairie Street, Union Springs, captures the beauty and excitement of these events and the natural beauty of this part of Alabama.
Alabama doesn’t have an official state dog breed, though 13 states do. Maryland was the first by designating the Chesapeake Bay Retriever as its state dog in 1964. The Boston Terrier is, of course, the Massachusetts choice. And, the Alaskan Malamute is the pick of the litter for, well, not Hawaii. My all-time favorite dog to so-call master was a Boykin Spaniel named Beaux. Boykins are working dogs, bred to retrieve a duck without tipping a canoe and the hunter, too. But, dang it, Boykin Spaniels are already claimed as the state dog of South Carolina.
So, what is Alabama to honor as its favorite domesticated animal? Using the word “domesticated” totally leaves cats out of this consideration. Doggone it, it has to be a hound and a working dog. Alabama doesn’t want a dog like Kansas chose, the Cairn Terrier fluffball which resembles the Hollywood creation, “Toto.” Pulleeze.
South Dakota doesn’t have a state dog breed, but it does list the coyote, a doggie cousin, as its state “wildlife animal.” Alabama recognizes Hank Williams, Jr. for that.
Let’s gather at a garden party over on Chunnenuggee Ridge here in Bullock County and nominate a great bird dog for Alabama’s canine crown. While we’re mulling this idea, we can noodle how one might design a garden to be more Fido-friendly.
DOG-SCAPING TIPS FOR GARDENS WITH DOGS:
*PLANT LARGER, MORE MATURE PLANTS- in the area where your dog is allowed. This is not the place for little annuals like begonias and pansies that can be uprooted easily. Choose shrubs with deeper roots.
*USE A FENCE- Even a lower fence can give your dog an idea of what is off limits and what is play area.
*BUILD A KENNEL- or allow part of your outside deck to have your dog near you, which they want to be, and you want them with you in the garden but not on top of your plants.
*CREATE PATHWAYS- that your dog can learn is where they are to run and walk. Use brick or gravel or concrete, but avoid mulching with cocoa beans which can poison a dog.
*INVENTORY YOUR PLANTS FOR SAFE OR POISONOUS- which is an easy, internet search. Many smartphones have a photo app that will help you identify the plant.
*PLANT BARRIER SHRUBS WITH THORNS- like hollies and rose bushes which are like “do not enter” signs for rambunctious dogs and children.
*AVOID DIGGER BREEDS- like terriers and Airedales.
*PLANT IN CONTAINERS- and let your lawn and other planted areas go to the dogs. This is not every gardener’s choice, but it could be an attractive alternative.
*WALK AND PLAY WITH YOUR DOG- at least 30 minutes a day. Bored dogs dig and amuse themselves in ways most gardeners don’t appreciate.
*BUILD A DOGHOUSE- even for dogs who are allowed inside your home. Dogs like a retreat space, and especially if a sudden storm comes and you are not home, they need shelter.
*VERY FRAGRANT PLANTS DETER DOGS- so consider aromatic vegetation like rosemary and sage in front of places you want to be off-limits for them. Dogs often don’t like the smell of coffee grounds, which many soils in Alabama could benefit from as fertilizer. The plant, Coleus canina, is considered especially dog-repelling.
*TRAIN A GARDEN PUPPY EARLY- which reminds us that even a 6-week-old dog can begin to learn where and where not to go in your garden. Older dogs are harder to garden-train. That said, basic dog obedience training is useful for gardening with dogs of any age.
After all these dogscaping dos and don’ts, remember to do what dog and garden lovers in Bullock County, Alabama have been doing for at least 180 years- enjoy both.
Here are other ways positive and pleasurable ways PLANTS + PEOPLE + PUPS come together in Bullock County:
*BULLOCK COUNTY FARMERS’ MARKET- 209 Baskin St., Union Springs, AL 36089; Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., June-November
*BULLOCK COUNTY FARMSTANDS- Albert Perry, 5075 County Road 47, Midway, AL 36053; Locklar Produce, 1834 County Road 22, Union Springs, AL 36089
*BULLOCK COUNTY PLANT ADVICE/EDUCATION- Alabama Cooperative Extension System office at 21578 Highway 82 E, Union Springs, AL 36089, 334-738-2580
*I GOT HEAVEN RIGHT HERE ON EARTH/MY GIRL/I WISH IT WOULD RAIN- all hit records for Eddie Kendricks, lead singer and co-founder of The Temptations, who could have been singing about his hometown, Union Springs.
*PLANTING AN IDEA- Being home to the oldest, still active garden club in the U.S. and also the best bird-dogging in the nation, Bullock County would be a natural place for people who love both gardens and dogs to convene and share stories. Garden & Gun magazine would be a superb sponsor for a festival bringing PLANTS + PEOPLE + PUPS together.
Y’ALL COME to Bullock County on your 67-County, Alabama Garden Party tour! You’ll be doggone glad you did!
THANK YOU to Laurie Johnson, one of Alabama’s finest hostesses and cooks, for the fun-tastic and tasty array of recipes for “These Dogs WILL Hunt” Ultimate Hot Dogs. Laurie has created lots of creative and delicious culinary treats for our Bicentennial garden party, but this one just may win the field trial for FUN.
Bullock County “These Dogs WILL Hunt” Ultimate Hot Dogs
The old, colloquial saying, “that dog won’t hunt,” describes an idea or plan that just won’t work. In “pointed” contrast, the hunting dogs in Bullock County’s nationally renowned field trials will definitely hunt! These three hot dogs feature toppings and combinations that are very different from your typical hot dogs. All three recipes offer homemade topping ideas plus store-bought options to help expedite a unique hot dog buffet. These dogs will hunt; they definitely will work!!
For all three, grill the dogs (outdoor grill or indoor grill pan), toast the buns with a little butter and assemble with the ultimate toppings! Tip: It just takes a little of each topping to flavor uniquely; too much can make them hard to eat (have a knife and fork handy). Experiment with other toppings for your unique buffet and let your guests combine ingredients for their ultimate hot dogs!
“Get on Point” Bird Dog: Bacon mayo with a chicken or turkey dog, topped with homemade pimento cheese spread, crispy bacon bits and fresh jalapeno slices
- Start “Getting on Point” by frying 1-2 slices of bacon per dog until crispy. Drain and crumble when cooled. Reserve 2 tbsp. of the bacon grease, keep warm and mix with 4 tbsp. mayonnaise. Make or purchase “homemade quality” pimento cheese spread (can be found at a deli or other places with homemade fare). For each dog, spread a butter-based, toasted bun with the bacon mayo, top with the grilled chicken or turkey dog. Dollop a little of the pimento cheese spread and sprinkle with bacon bits and fresh jalapeno slices (remove seeds and white membrane unless you want them hotter). Drizzle with a little bacon mayo.
The “Garden Club” Dog: Garden herb/lime mustard, a veggie-based dog, topped with fresh tomato salsa, chopped avocado, farm goat cheese, minced herbs and a fresh lime garnish
- Assemble the “Garden Club” by spreading a whole wheat bun with garden herb mustard mixed with a little fresh lime juice. Garden herb mustard can be purchased (Tiger Tail, but this is not an ad!) or made by mincing fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, dill, etc. into your favorite mustard. Top with a grilled veggie dog and then a spoonful of garden-fresh tomato salsa, purchased in the deli section of your grocery store (or make your own with chopped tomatoes, red, white and green onions, bell peppers, cilantro with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and lime juice). Top with chopped avocado (tossed in a little lime juice to keep from darkening) and some crumbled fresh goat cheese. Garnish with minced herbs and a drizzle of garden herb/lime mustard.
The “Thunder Bolt” Champion Que Dog: BBQ cheese sauce with a beef or pork dog, topped with baked beans, coleslaw and crispy red onion rings
- Mix your favorite BBQ sauce in a 2:1 ratio with very soft cream cheese- thin with a little mayo if needed. Warm some baked beans and chill some coleslaw (both can either be homemade or purchased from your grocery store deli or favorite BBQ place). Slice some very thin rings or crescents of red onion. Dust the onions with flour, salt and pepper and pan fry in hot olive oil (or leftover bacon grease) until crispy. Assemble the “Thunder Bolt” by spreading the BBQ cream cheese into a toasted white bread bun and top with a grilled beef or pork dog, a spoonful of the baked beans, some slaw, the crispy onions and drizzle with BBQ cream cheese sauce.
Also, check out Alabama Bicentennial: 200 ways to save Alabama for the next 200 years.
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