POWERGRAMS

20 to educate the public about our rich history in unique ways," says Brooker. "Gwyn Turner, adviser emeritus for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and founding member of the Marengo County Historical Society, taught us to entertain first, educate second. It works." A FACTORY WITH A DOG IN THE HUNT Americans love hamburgers, French fries and fried chicken. Not so obvious, yet clear to any Foster Farms fanatic, is that corndogs hold a warm spot in the tummies of many fellow countrymen. For 16 hours every Monday through Friday, and sometimes on Saturdays, more than 400 employees in the Demopolis facility prepare, pack and ship 17 varieties of corndogs that end up in schools (a special low-fat, whole-grain frank), Publix, Wal-Mart, Kroger and Sam's Club stores and Sonic Drive-Ins across the country. The employees make 80 percent of all Foster Farms corndogs, putting nearly half-a-billion of the bread- covered, 100-percent-chicken on sticks into consumers' mouths. Despite churning out an average of 1.5 million corndogs each day, the workers have a hard time keeping up with demand in the 130,000-square- foot plant on a 9-acre campus in the Demopolis Industrial Park. The California-based company purchased its Alabama buildings and equipment in 1994 and has since had four major expansions, the last one doubling the workforce. Most of the employees live within a 30-mile radius. Foster Farms is constantly upgrading equipment and improving its product, says Human Resources Manager Nick Ancrum. "There's definitely a lot more science involved than you would think," he says. Before entering the plant, employees must don clean lab coats, new hair and beard nets, and boots that they walk through a sanitizing stream while washing their hands and placing them in disposable plastic gloves. They work in plant sectors that are sanitized each night after the final corndog is packed around midnight. Each corndog begins when chicken is ground and pumped into natural casings, which are cooked, washed and divided into different-size franks. The casing, though edible, is mechanically peeled off and the dogs are transported up conveyer belts where inspectors remove any imperfect ones. Another machine inserts the wooden sticks and dips long rods containing 20-26 franks each into a batter basin two times before moving them into eight huge industrial fryers. Temperature, moisture and weight are mechanically and manually checked at multiple points in the process. As the cooked corndogs emerge from the ovens, they fall onto another conveyer where they are checked again for flaws. The product is immediately frozen and sent down another moving belt into a 40-degree room where 32 employees working back to back place from six to 72 corndogs in various-sized boxes. The boxes are shrink-wrapped and moved by forklift to freezers before leaving Foster Farms. "Everything we produce today will get shipped out today, either to a customer or a buyer's warehouse," says Plant Superintendent Buddy Sawyer. While most of the corndogs leave Alabama's Black Belt, Ancrum says Foster Farms is proud to keep the payroll local and boost the community through frequent donations of time, food and money. "We want to see Demopolis thrive," he says. THE RED BARN WITH A UNIQUE HAYLOFT The line to get a dinner table extends out the front door of the iconic farm building beside Highway 80 East. Despite the parking lot being filled beyond its capacity, the hostess is quick to seat each party. Business is bustling on this Thursday night at The Red Barn, every table filled as customers study the long menu that ranges from seafood to steak to chicken gizzards to barbecue ribs and beyond, most items served with yeast rolls and salad. A man asks his waitress if "Miss Edna" is still living. After assuring her customer that she is indeed alive, that her mother Edna Brown is actually serving a table just across the way, he insists on speaking with the 36-year employee of the popular restaurant. "You probably don't remember me," he says. "I weighed more than 400 pounds and have lost half of that, but you always waited on me when I was a regular back in 1983." Whether she really does or not, Brown makes a point to make the man believe she hasn't forgotten her "favorite customer." She smiles and makes polite small talk before returning to her paying customers. The other waitresses are equally adept at pleasant conversation, having perhaps picked up a pointer or two from the veteran, says restaurant owner Roger Roberts. "I have a really great staff," says Roberts, who bought the barn in Edna Brown has greeted customers at The Red Barn for 36 years.

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