Every October, Bennett Farms comes alive with the colors, flavors, and traditions of fall — and for me, it’s extra special. I went to Jacksonville State University with the owners of Bennett Farms, so getting to share what they’ve built over the years feels like bragging on family. Their farm isn’t just about pumpkins (though they have plenty of those!) — it’s about creating memories that last a lifetime.

🍂 Pumpkin Pickin’
Sure, you can grab a pumpkin at the store, but there’s nothing like walking through a real patch, wheelbarrow in tow, and picking the perfect one yourself. From $3 pie pumpkins to massive Atlantic Giants around $24, there’s something for every porch, table, and jack-o’-lantern project. Carving pumpkins run $8–$12 depending on size, and you’ll also find plenty of decorative pumpkins and gourds for those of us who love a good fall display.

🍔 The Kitchen
Fall fun makes you hungry, and Bennett Farms doesn’t disappoint. They’ve got all the classics — hamburgers, hotdogs, corndogs, pork rinds, teacakes, apple pies, chips, and all the drinks you could want. And if you go on the weekend? You’re in for a treat with ribs, pulled pork, and brisket hot off the grill. Grab a plate, find a picnic spot, and soak up the farm atmosphere.

🛍 The Country Store
I love wandering through the Country Store almost as much as the pumpkin patch. It’s filled with handmade goods from local vendors — soaps, pottery, iron works, succulents, tasty treats, and more. Plus, they’ve got fun farm merch like t-shirts, cups, and ornaments to remember your visit.

✨ Why It Matters
Bennett Farms is a fourth-generation family farm, and you can feel the heart they’ve poured into making it a place where families come together. It’s not just about pumpkins — it’s about the joy of the season, the laughter of kids running through the patch, and the memories you’ll carry home with your pumpkins (and maybe a few extra goodies).

So this October, make the trip out to Bennett Farms. Bring your family, your appetite, and maybe a camera too — because trust me, you’ll want to remember it.

Pictured Above and Below: Our son enjoying the farm.

The Big Moment: Bid Day on August 17, 2025
I was honored to attend #JAXState Bid Day held at Jacksonville State University. As a proud Alpha Omicron Pi Alumni, I was honored to welcome to my niece, Claire Lindsey, to our sisterhood. What a great day being back on campus!

This year’s timeline placed Bid Day smack in the middle of JSU’s “J-Week,” making it more than just a Greek life event—it’s the heart of welcoming season:

August 17, 2025: Panhellenic Sorority Bid Day electrifies the campus—full of cheering, balloons, and sorority banners everywhere.

Later that evening, a relaxed Movie Night unfolds on North Village Lawn, offering a warm wind-down after all the excitement.
Jax State

A Stage Like No Other: Rudy Abbott Field

Picture Bid Day hosted at a home that’s usually reserved for Gamecock baseball—Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium:

Built in 1995 and renovated with suites, press facilities, and a clubhouse, this is a modern and well-equipped venue, with AstroTurf underfoot and seating for around 2,020 spectators.
Jacksonville State University Athletics

Imagine sprawling grassy expanses filled with cheering sisters, families, and friends—not to watch a game, but to celebrate a lifelong commitment to sisterhood. The festive energy would be epic.

Alpha Omicron Pi—Delta Epsilon Chapter: Where Ambition Meets Heart

Proud Alumni of Alpha Omicron Pi’s Delta Epsilon chapter at JSU—a place devoted to “Inspire Ambition”:

Their symbol is the sheaf of wheat, and they’re represented by the panda, with the ruby as their jewel and the elegant jaqueminot rose as their flower.

Founded nationally in 1897, AOII’s principal philanthropy is arthritis research—a cause close to their hearts and a powerful way to serve beyond campus.
(Jax State)

This chapter isn’t new to distinction: they’ve earned recognition as one of the top-performing AOII chapters in the nation, including the prestigious JWH Cup—an honor that reflects their compassion, leadership, and dedication to service.

Celebrating Southern Hospitality in Alabama

There’s something magnetic about welcoming someone into your home with that unmistakable Southern charm. In Alabama, hospitality isn’t just a gesture—it’s a way of life.

1. Manners That Speak Volumes

“Politeness is woven into daily life,” where greetings like “yes, ma’am,” “no, sir,” “please,” and “thank you” are taught from an early age Southern Living.
And trust me—it’s more than rules; it’s a warm invitation.

2. Comforting, Home-Cooked Food

Food is the heartbeat of hospitality in Alabama. Think peach cobbler, hummingbird cake, biscuits—always made in abundance because you might have surprise guests Southern LivingState’s TastesAllrecipes.

3. Generous Kindness & Helpfulness

As the saying goes in the South: “There are no strangers, just friends we haven’t met yet.” Expect offers to fix your plate, help with dishes, or guide you, even if you’re just passing through Southern Living.

4. Deep-Rooted Community Traditions

• Potlucks: These community gatherings are about more than food—they’re about connection and shared stories owossoindependent.comFood & Wine.

• Festivals: Events like the Pepper Jelly Festival in Thomaston and the Alabama Sweet Tea Festival in Enterprise bring folks together with crafts, music, and local treats Wikipediaguidetoalabama.com.

5. Ambassadors of Warmth

In Mobile, the Azalea Trail Maids serve as youthful ambassadors of charm and grace—welcoming dignitaries with poise and Southern flair Wikipedia.

6. A Culture of Celebration

Alabama embraces celebratory customs like burying a bottle of bourbon before a wedding—a quirky, hopeful ritual meant to usher in clear skies on the big day Southern Living.

Why It All Matters

Southern hospitality in Alabama is anchored in genuine warmth, rooted in tradition, and sustained by generosity. It’s the comfort of a porch visit, the invitation to join a family table, and the stories shared across festivals and front steps.

Alabama Real Estate Spotlight | Summer 2025

Real Estate in Calhoun County — Mid-2025 Overview

Home Prices & Market Pace

• Median sale price for Calhoun County homes in June 2025 was approximately $223,000, reflecting a notable 23.7% year-over-year increase Redfin.

• The Zillow Home Value Index places the average home value at $163,043, up 1.2% from last year, with around 17 days to go pending Zillow.

• The median sale price—based on another Zillow snapshot—was around $211,500, with a median list price of $223,267, while 22% of sales exceeded the list price and 51% sold below it Zillow.

Inventory & Sales Velocity

• Active listings climbed to 276 in June, up 4.6% month-over-month and 13.6% year-over-year data.lubbockonline.com.

• The broader total listing count rose from 403 in June to 445 in July 2025, indicating growing availability FRED.

• Homes sold in June averaged 45 days on market, which is 3 days longer than in June 2024 ACRE – Alabama Center for Real Estate.

• That same report recorded 29 homes sold in June, which was 17.5% below ACRE’s forecast, signaling softer-than-expected demand ACRE – Alabama Center for Real Estate.

Market Conditions & Balance

• With about 4.9 months of supply, Calhoun County is moving toward a more balanced market—approaching an equilibrium where neither buyers nor sellers have a distinct advantage ACRE – Alabama Center for Real Estate.

• Sales volume remains somewhat stagnant year-over-year, while prices continue to trend upwards, indicating tight available inventory is supporting pricing power ACRE – Alabama Center for Real EstateRedfin.

Geographic Highlights

• Anniston (Calhoun County seat): Median sale price is about $210K, up 46.4% YoY, though the number of sales fell—12 homes sold vs. 26 a year earlier—and days on market stretched to 101 Rocket.

• Oxford (within Calhoun): Median sale price around $235K, up 4.2% YoY. Notably, the number of sales more than doubled—33 homes sold versus 16 a year earlier—with days on market rising from 39 to 57 Rocket.

The bot can be a powerful tool for getting started on a home renovation—but it might not give you the full picture.

As artificial intelligence (AI) plays more of a part in our everyday lives—whether you just enjoy scrolling through memes or use it in more practical ways, like researching a product or planning your meals for the week—it’s also becoming a helpful tool for redesigning and renovating your home, especially at the beginning stages.

Because figuring out ChatGPT can be a bit of a complicated process, professional designers shared how to make the most of it when creating room layouts and beyond. I even tried it out myself to determine where it’s helpful—and where human touch is necessary.

How ChatGPT Can Help with Home Renovation Projects

When you’re feeding information about your home to ChatGPT, it’s designed to analyze and generate text and images, so you’ll get more customized results than with a simple web search. For example, you can ask ChatGPT for paint recommendations by describing or uploading a picture of a room: It suggests colors, finish options, and even brands. Because of its specificity, it’s perfect for starting the brainstorming process when you’re looking to make design changes in your home—but since it’s not a real person, it does have limits.

The more precise you can be when designing with ChatGPT, the better results you get (as I found when I tried it in my own home). It can generate a room layout with ease and speed if you input your room dimensions and furniture requirements, and even if you choose not to follow its recommendations, it may inspire fresh ideas or combinations.

“For non-designers using AI tools, I’d say treat it like a mood board, not a blueprint,” says Niki Cheng, co-founder of 18th Street Design Collective. “The ideas can spark inspiration, but you still need a trained eye to adapt them into something functional and beautiful.”

While ChatGPT is good for analyzing a lot of information at once, don’t overlook it for assisting with smaller tasks. It can help you plan the layout of a gallery wall before picking up a hammer or provide options for updating a light fixture. “Our designers use ChatGPT to change paint colors in a room to quickly help clients visualize options before committing,” Jones says. “Recently, a client used ChatGPT to decide on which accent pillows to choose for his sectional sofa.”

Limitations of AI in Home Design

Of course, no matter how much information you give ChatGPT, it can’t replace a human being standing in your home. While you can tell it to provide recommendations within a certain style, unless you’re extremely specific, it can default to basic ideas that may not fit the layout or aesthetic of your home. And interior designers are probably going to be more on top of the latest trends—they do create them, after all.

Scale can also be an issue for ChatGPT, especially if you don’t provide dimensions for your room and furniture.

What Information Does ChatGPT Need to Create a Room Layout?

To further determine its strengths and weaknesses, I used the bot to test out a couple of rooms in my own home. First, I asked it to help me create the best layout for my home office. If you try it for yourself, be prepared for a lot of measuring—ChatGPT requested a long list of information, including: the room’s dimensions, shape, door and window locations and dimensions, details on built-in features like closets, and furniture requirements.

You can simplify the process by uploading photos or your own sketch of a floor plan, but for the most accurate results, you’ll want to provide dimensions of the room and as many pieces of furniture as you can. Once I gave it the information it asked for (I’ll admit to estimating on some of my measurements), ChatGPT provided me with its recommendations for an optimal office layout, including style tips and reasoning to back up each part of its plan.

We’re excited to announce that vendor applications are now open for the upcoming Fall Market on Main, taking place in historic downtown Oxford on Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Simmons Park (400 Main Street). We are seeking a diverse mix of vendors to make this community event truly special. Whether you’re a local artisan, craft vendor, or food vendor, we invite you to apply. Vendor fees are as follows: Artisan & Craft Vendors – $45, Junior Market Vendors – $25, Food Vendors (Non-Food Truck) – $50, and Food Trucks – $100. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee participation, as all applications will be reviewed by our committee, and selected vendors will be contacted with confirmation details and an invoice. Only white 10’x10′ tents are allowed—no other colors or sizes will be permitted. To apply, submit your application here. If you have any questions, feel free to reply to this email or contact our office directly. We appreciate your interest and look forward to reviewing your application!

Don’t touch that dial, Chamber members! The hottest show of the year is broadcasting this October 28th at the Anniston City Meeting Center from 10 AM to 4 PM, complete with participants arriving in costumes featuring their Favorite TV Show!

Tune in to this year’s Business EXPO, live and in color, and dress for the occasion!

Choccolocco Kayak is a kayak rental facility located in Oxford, Alabama. We provide kayaks and transportation for a beautiful 1.5 – 2.0 hour float down Choccolocco Creek.

Visitors will be transported by van to the kayak put-in access point near Cider Ridge Golf Club. Visitors will float Choccolocco Creek until they reach the take-out access point at the kayak rental facility.

Users must be 18 years or older to rent kayaks. Users 8-17 years old must be accompanied by an adult to float in a standard kayak. Children under eight must float in a tandem kayak accompanied by an adult.

For more information, please call (256) 847-5191

f you’ve got furry friends, you’ll appreciate these pet-friendly perks that can actually help sell a home:

✔️ Fenced yard – A must for pups to play safely
✔️ Durable flooring – Scratch-resistant = stress-free
✔️ Mudroom or pet wash – Bath time made easy
✔️ Built-in pet nooks – Think food stations or cozy cubbies
✔️ Nearby trails or parks – Bonus points for walkable fun
✔️ Clean & odor-free – Pet-friendly and buyer-ready!

Buyers with pets notice these details — and they can make your listing stand out from the pack. 🐶🐱

There’s still time to register your Youth Entrepreneur for our upcoming EXPO on Friday, August 29th from 11 AM to 1 PM right here at the Chamber! 

Give your young small business owner the tools they need to grow by selling their products and services to our Chamber members, as well as getting a Business Mentor they can ask questions to during our YEE Classroom seminar!

Register here: https://forms.gle/QQ8Y7LKKstAQmrN37