Our National VALOR Trip took us to my second favorite state aside from my own – Kentucky! I can’t lie, the main reason we visit so often is for the Bourbon, so I was so excited so see parts I haven’t seen and learn more about Kentucky’s thriving Ag Industry. We were hosted by a variety of alumni from KALP (Kentucky Ag Leadership Program) along the way.
There were so many highlights of this trip, but two stops in particular have weighed heavily on my mind since we got back to Virginia. The first is actually a combination of Hunt Farms and Chaney’s Dairy Barn in Bowling Green. Jake and Dore gave us tours of both operations. Hunt Farms is a row crop and grain operation and Chaney’s Dairy Barn operates a robotic dairy and agritourism location which includes a farm store and ice cream shop. Their stories regarding urban sprawl and the threats they face to hold on to, and find new land to be able to expand and continue farming really hit home. Virginia is facing these same issues as I’m sure anywhere agriculture exists are doing the same. I recently began to get involved behind the scenes to combat the seemingly overnight development of my own rural area. It’s an uphill battle, even with folks who are willing to go to bat for agriculture and a way of life we’re accustomed to. It’s a much harder battle when you don’t have champions in local leadership to further the cause. I hope for the sake of all of the Jake and Dore Hunter’s out there, that we’ll all work to either FIND or BECOME the champions our local leadership needs to work toward smarter, slower growth in our local communities so we preserve precious farming ground for the next generation. This is a plug for Virginia FFA – that next generation is out there, let’s not price them out of the industry by making farm ground so scarce.
The other visit I haven’t stopped thinking about was with Mr. Fred Thomas on his grass-fed cattle farm in Columbia. Fred came to agriculture after a long career in the restaurant industry and has forged his own path in his approach to farming. His operation is similar to our own, with rotational grazing, battling fescue toxicity, and working on genetics to produce a quality product. When we first pitched the idea of doing away with grain for the most part, we were met with a lot of skepticism from friends and neighbors. All the credit goes to my husband who’s worked tirelessly to increase protein, monitors soil health and manages the paddocks to make it all work. The result has been a loyal customer following and a gorgeous product that we all love. Our processor (originally a skeptic), now puts our cuts up against other local, traditional producers. Fred has learned that not all advice in farming is good advice and he followed his gut, which through ups and downs, has led him to a successful operation that he’s grown from the ground up – all on his own. It was a reminder that we all have a seat at the table. I often hear “we can’t feed the world that way.” You know what? That’s OK, because what we’re focused on is feeding our own communities.
And yes, I also learned that you can Fed Ex a horse anywhere in the world!
valeadersor.com 