Farmhouse Kitchen, April 2025
Shelley East is more than a nurse; she’s a nourisher. The school nurse at Sand Rock Middle School and nurse supervisor for Cherokee County School System, Shelley is known for whipping up tasty eats for her farm family, friends, coworkers and community members.
She and her high school sweetheart, Ben, have been married 26 years and have two children, Bryan and Lydia. Ben is the principal at Sand Rock School; Bryan works with Coosa River Land Co.; his wife, Haleigh, is a student at Jacksonville State University; and Lydia is majoring in agricultural communications at Auburn University.
Shelley chairs the Cherokee County Women’s Leadership Committee and serves on the Alabama Farmers Federation State Women’s Leadership Committee.
What are some of your favorite memories on the farm?
When Ben and I began dating, his dad, John Bert, was a row crop farmer and raised cattle in the Pollard Bend community. One of my fondest memories was the day Ben asked if I wanted to come to the cotton field with all the family. It was a hot summer day when I arrived at his grandparents’ home and loaded up in the back of his grandfather’s truck. His grandmother stayed home and was already preparing lunch for all of us.
On the way out, I learned we were all going to pick weeds in the cotton field…by hand! The cotton was too large to spray, and this was before Roundup Ready cotton was available. I learned the East family wanted their cotton to grade high by removing the weeds, but most importantly, they took pride in the way they wanted their cotton to look — even if it meant doing hard things. I fell in love with farming and their work ethic. The strong family legacy from PawPaw and Mammy East has made us who we are today.
This past fall after school and on the weekends, I began tagging cotton for my son’s farming company. By applying sticker tickets to each cotton round in the field and scanning the tickets through the Cherokee Gin and Cotton Co.’s technology app, each cotton round was tracked throughout the ginning process. Working in the field alongside my son — and sometimes with my father-in-law and husband while they picked cotton — was special.
Tell us about your work as a nurse.
I enjoy being around students and caring for them while trying to make a difference in their lives. Having worked many years in school nursing, I am now taking care of some children whose parents were also my students. It is an honor to watch them grow up and graduate from high school while promoting their health and emotional well-being.
When did you learn to cook?
I have been inspired by many amazing cooks and recipes shared by family, friends, church family and coworkers. Recipes are often a way to learn about a story, a person or a circumstance. Sometimes, I’m hesitant to try a new recipe without tasting it first considering the price of groceries, so I’m willing to sample everything when it is brought to a gathering. Ben is an amazing cook, and Lydia often spoiled us before she moved to Auburn by cooking meals for us before we would get home from work. Bryan would often show up in the kitchen wearing a shirt that stated, “I’m only here for the food.” No doubt, he would eat enough for several people! I enjoy our time together in the kitchen and our family tradition of having our meals at the kitchen table.
What role does food play in your life?
Food is a vital part of farm life. Hard work equals big appetites, and we often plan meals for large groups of people, especially during planting and harvest season. Balancing jobs can be tricky, but planning and preparation are keys to successfully satisfying appetites.
What are “birthday meals?”
At school, we have a luncheon each month to celebrate the staff who are having a birthday that month. We usually have a themed lunch to coordinate with the month and the season. A favorite request from my coworker, who is the girls’ basketball coach, is to bring chocolate lava cake. It always brings a smile to her face when I walk through the door with it.
It’s planting time! What do you like about spring on the farm?
Spring is a special time because it is associated with new beginnings. It reminds us of God’s faithfulness and is a time of beautiful transformation with all the vibrant colors beginning to appear. With the arrival of spring, temperatures rise, plants begin to grow, and animals start to move around more outside. We always enjoy spring as we watch farmers make sure all the equipment is ready to go and prepare the fields for planting.