Happy Mardi Gras! VOL. 91, No. 3 www.ldaf.state.la.us January 31, 2008 onon aa smallsmall scalescale BuildingBy Sam Irwin Octogenarian artist Martin Brignac built his first house when he was a boy of 13. The year was 1935. He didn’t need to fill out any forms – this was before Social Security, Medicare and FICA – all he needed was his mother’s permission. “There was a fellow in the neighborhood, he was 20 and getting mar- ried,” Brignac said. “I remember when he came and asked my mama if I could build his house.” The plain frame house, located at the corner of Seneca and Sorrel Streets in the old Standard Heights neighborhood in Baton Rouge, was approximately 22’ by 32’. Nearly 80 years later Brignac remembered that house and built an artistic 20” by 30” three dimensional replica of that home. It wasn’t the first piece of 3-D art Brignac creat- ed. He saved that honor for his mother’s home. He pointed to the beau- tifully colored and detailed rendering of the old-fashioned house hanging on the wall of his present-day Baton Rouge home. Brignac has magnifi- cently re-created the gray slate roof and single dormer window above the gray-painted porch. A swing hangs under the porch and a tiny sign offering Mrs. Brignac’s sewing service is attached to the front porch pillar. “That’s 2510 Daisy Avenue off Choctaw Road way down there in Standard Heights,” Brignac said. “The house is all tore down now, but Martin Brignac poses my sister had the picture and she said somebody ought to be able to with the painstakingly create it.” Brignac agreed and let the idea bubble in his brain for a while as he built 3-D replicas of considered the 2-D aspect of the photograph and its perspective. Laura Plantation (above) “I looked and looked at the picture and I could see everything I was and Tezcuco Plantation going to do on this thing except for the columns,” Brignac said. “It (below). Brignac holds a took me about three years looking at the picture, then I figured, ‘I got detail of a carved piece of to make the ground go up.’ That’s what I got to. “After I got that idea I could do anything.” balsa wood he’ll cut into He was 79 years old. smaller segments. But “I could do anything” has been Brignac’s mantra since 1935 when he built that Standard Heights home for his newlywed neighbor. He had to do “everything” ever since his father died when Brignac was See Artist Martin Brignac, continued on page 12 Page 2 MARKET BULLETIN January 31, 2008 Scenes from the 2008 Louisiana Cattlemens Association Convention The 2008 Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association Annual Convention and Southeast Beef Industry Symposium were held Jan. 11-13 at the Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge. The highlight of each year’s convention is the Awards Banquet and Queen’s Contest. Beef Ambassador, LCA Queen, Cattleman of the Year and Cattlewoman of the Year are all named during the banquet. An added bonus to the convention this year was a suc- cessful and well-attended Junior Livestock Show. Congratulations to all the winners. Jaida Griffin of Vermilion Parish is crowned 2008 LCA Queen by 2007 Queen Laura Granger, also of Vermilion Parish. Clayton Brister (right), an LDAF employee and past-president of the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Looking on is third runner-up Katelyn Reina of Cameron Association, receives a plaque for being named Cattleman of the Year. Brister’s wife Linda (cen- Parish (far left) and first runner-up Brooke Prather represent- ter) and LCA President Robert Joyner congratulated Brister at the awards banquet. ing the La. Brahman Association. LSU AgCenter, others offer green industry workshop A risk management workshop for green industry professionals will be held Monday, Feb. 11, at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station in Hammond. The theme of the workshop is “Surviving Difficult Times – Managing Risk and Uncertainty in the Nursery Business.” The pro- gram will include general risk management principles, business and financial management tools, marketing strategies and crop insurance, according to LSU AgCenter horticulture professor, Dr. Allen Owings. In addition, updated nursery production budgets from the AgCenter will be presented. Guest speakers will include Drs. John Haydu and Alan Hodges from the University of Florida, Charlie Hall from Texas A&M University and Dr. Laurence Crane from National Crop Insurance Services. Interested attendees are asked to pre-register by Wednesday, Feb. 6, to enable a headcount for workshop materials and a complimentary lunch. Same-day registration begins at 8:00 a.m. with the program scheduled from 8:30 a.m. until about 1:30 p.m. “This is a great opportunity for green industry professionals to hear the latest on these important topics,” Owings said. More detailed information is available from either Owings at (985) 543-4125 or AgCenter economics professor Roger Hinson at (225) 578-2753. The workshop is a cooperative effort of the LSU AgCenter, the Cattlewoman of the Year for 2008 Ashley Peart poses with LCA Queen Jaida Griffin and 2008 University of Florida, Texas A&M University, Nursery Crop Cattleman of the Year Clayton Brister. All three were honored at the LCA awards banquet Jan. Insurance Services and the USDA – Risk Management Agency. 12 in Baton Rouge. January 31, 2008 MARKET BULLETIN Page 3 Louisiana Agriculture & Forestry Today Commissioner Strain stays busy first days in office Agriculture and citizens; therefore, we placed on ensuring the scales and gas station introducing himself to Forestry Commissioner best serve the people state’s citizens know what pumps to protecting our staff and becoming more Mike Strain DVM spent when our decision making the department is doing environment from misuse familiar with the details of his first two days in office is fiscally responsible and for them. of pesticides and battling each employee’s job. reviewing the budget, staff are performing the “The scope of the wildfires so they don’t In the coming weeks, he meeting staff and halting duties for which they were Department of Agriculture spread to populated areas will visit LDAF’s district all department construc- hired to fulfill,” Strain and Forestry goes well – all of these things offices to do the same. tion projects. said. “We are embracing beyond plowing the impact the general public “The pool of talent at “Our core mission at the this mission and will fields, raising livestock and affect our daily lives,” the department is excep- department is to promote, accomplish our goals by and planting trees. Strain said. tional. I’m enjoying get- protect and advance agri- bringing the department Everything we do touches On Tuesday, Strain ting to know the staff and culture and forestry, soil to the people of the lives of every person toured offices in the look forward to the great Mike Strain DVM, and water resources. This Louisiana.” in this state. From department’s headquarters things we will accomplish Commissioner department works for the Heavy emphasis will be inspecting grocery store building in Baton Rouge together,” Strain said. to go to work, very gentle, $1850/1- 985-747-0789 or 985-969-6005. Lea, Denham Springs; 225-664- Angus bulls, $850/1; (55) open up. J. Patrick, St. Francisville; 225- Reg. Brangus yrlg. bulls, really 5708. Brangus cows, 3-7 yrs., $850/1, CATTLE 635-4614 or 225-635-4951. nice, sired by Brinks Brightside 7 mo. Angus/Beefmaster cross del. avail. Ronnie Link, Evergreen; Angus & Beefmaster cross 607L11, Geronimo of Brinks bull, $800. J.H. Celestine, St. 318-939-2409. No grade sires listed in the interest of cows, excel. heifers, Nov.-Dec. '06 392F15, Bowden of Brinks 504N2 Gabriel; 225-642-8439 or 225-397- Reg. BBU Beefmaster bulls, top better livestock. All dairy cattle 20 mos. calves, $650/1; April-May '07 & MC "The Tank" John Wayne 1281. bloodlines, three to pick from, of age, beef cattle 24 mos. of age, or pas- calves, $600, all shots. David 165N3, Lead Gun of Brinks (4) Angus-type heifers, about 12 $1250/1; reg. Beefmaster cows, turient or post pasturient animals of any Brabham, Kentwood; 985-229- 222K14 & Lombardi of Brinks mos., on hay & feed, all shots, calf prs., ready to breed back, age offered for sale, except for immedi- ate slaughter, must have valid 30-day 7653. 468N10, avg. wean weight for this about 5500 lbs., $600/1. Gerard $1500/pr. Gaston Gerald, negative brucellosis test certificate. Reg. Char. cows, some open, outstanding group of bulls is 684 Plauche, Carencro; 337-247-8024. Greenwell Springs; 225-654-8816 Contact La. Dept. of Agriculture and some bred & prs., $1400/1-up. lbs., avg. yrlg. weight is 1100 lbs., (2) Brangus bulls, F1, 28 mos., or 603-9073. Forestry, P.O. Box 1951, Baton Rouge, Walter Lemoine, Marksville; 318- bulls sell w/ a completed fertility long, thick, gentle, lbw calves, off (7) reg. Brangus bulls, 2 yrs., La. 70821-1951. 253-7939. test & yrlg. ultrasound data, show JD Hudgins Brahman bulls & gentle, guaranteed, good quality, REMINDER: Have all of your Reg. Char. bulls, ready for serv- prospects, herd sires & replacement Gardner Angus cows, $1500/1. Dan $1650-$1850. Ronald Chiasson, heifer calves between four and 12 ice, gentle, big, stout, clean & test- heifers also avail., come browse Stafford, Donaldsonville; 225-335- Larose; 985-693-7218. months of age vaccinated against ed, cert. herd., $1600/1-up. W. our pastures. Bryan Payne, 4436. Simm. & Simbrah cattle, brucellosis. For information con- Lemoine, Marksville; 318-253- Lafayette; 337-654-4754.