Keynote Speaker

Rex Vaughn was appointed chairman of the Madison County Commission by Governor Kay Ivey March 1, 2026. A lifelong Madison County resident, Vaughn is a farmer, business owner, and dedicated public servant who owns and operates Vaughn Farms—a cattle and row crop operation. Throughout his career, he has been a strong advocate for Alabama agriculture, serving in numerous leadership roles with the Alabama Farmers Federation, including vice president, representing sixteen north Alabama counties, and president of the Madison County Farmers Federation for 13 years. He also served 8 years on the Alabama State Farmers Market Board.

In addition to his agricultural leadership, Vaughn has a long history of community service and civic engagement. He served on the governor’s Tornado Recovery Action Council following the 2011 tornadoes, spent 9 years on the Madison County Judicial Commission, and served as chairman of the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission for more than 3 years. Today, he remains active in the community through the Huntsville Rotary Club, Madison County Farmers Federation Executive Committee, and Madison County Sheriff’s Department Chaplaincy Program.

Featured Farms

Howling Fresh Farms

Howling Fresh Farm was founded in 2021 with a mission to grow fresh, high-quality produce. They offer three community-supported-agriculture-membership options on their website—making it easy to enjoy farm-fresh food with convenient home delivery or pickup. They also partner with local farms, bakeries, and small businesses to give their members an even greater variety of products to add to their biweekly boxes. Every purchase supports local families, strengthens the local economy, and helps build a more sustainable food system.

Learn more about their story and see more ways to connect with their farm at howlingfreshfarm.com.

Hubert Family Farms

Hubert Farms was established in 1917 and has primarily been a cotton farm for most of its existence. However, it is now heavily focused on agritourism, offering seasonal, you-pick flowers such as tulips, sunflowers, and others. Stone-milled flour from grain grown on the farm will soon be added and made available to the public.

Learn more about their story and see more ways to connect with their farm at hubertfamilyfarms.com.

Scott’s Orchard

Scott’s Orchard—established in 1901 and rooted in the Hazel Green community—is a family-owned and operated farm dedicated to producing high-quality, locally grown apples, peaches, and other produce. With a commitment to family heritage, agricultural education, and connecting people to agriculture through authentic farm experiences, the orchard has grown from a small family fruit operation into a trusted source for fresh, seasonal products for generations of families across north Alabama and southern Tennessee.

Now celebrating 125 years of farming, Scott’s Orchard has remained in the same family for five generations, preserving a legacy of hard work, stewardship, and innovation while adapting to build the next generation of loyal customers. Guests can engage with the farm through farmers markets, shopping in the farm store, pick-your-own fruit experiences, educational field trips, operations tours, weddings and private events, workshops, and agritourism activities, offering a hands-on connection to where their food is grown and the people who grow it.

Learn more about their story and see more ways to connect with their farm at scottsorchard.com.

Vaughn Farms

Vaughn Farms—established in 1819 in Huntsville—is a family-owned grain and cattle farm that has served Madison County for more than 200 years. The farm produces wheat, soybeans, corn, and locally raised beef cattle, combining generations of agricultural heritage with a commitment to quality and responsible stewardship.

Learn more about their story and see more ways to connect with their farm at vaughnfarmsbeef.org.