Towards the end of May, our VALOR class loaded ourselves and our things into a 12-passenger van and began the trek to the Bluegrass State of Kentucky for our domestic agriculture experience. Thanks to my time in the FFA, I am very familiar with Louisville, KY, but admittedly had not spent any other time in the state outside the annual National FFA Convention & Expo. I was excited to see all that the commonwealth had to offer, and I was most certainly not disappointed.
If you ask anyone about Kentucky, Bourbon and horse racing are two of the most prominent industries outsiders know…and they are right, there are A LOT of horses and A LOT of bourbon. I learned a TON about the equine racing industry on the first day of our tour, thanks to our stops at Keeneland, Hallway Feeds, and Three Chimney’s Farm. Thoroughbred horses are incredible athletes, and it was fascinating to see the infrastructure that supports this agricultural and sports entertainment industry fusion. I have a much greater appreciation for the “Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” after our time in Lexington, KY.
Something folks might be aware of are the incredible families that are working in agriculture in Kentucky to provide not only for the needs of the Commonwealth, but for the US and the world. It was great to meet the Peterson, Hinton, Hunt, and Chaney families and tour their operations. Regardless of their size, at the heart of each of these farms was a family trying to coexist with the growing population around them. It was inspiring to see the hard work and innovation practiced by these agricultural families to remain profitable and grow their businesses to allow more family members to be involved.
Finally, my biggest take-away from our time in Kentucky was that it is never too late to pursue your passions. As we were heading to our final overnight stay, we stopped in the town of Columbia and had a visit with Mr. Fred Thomas. Mr. Thomas spent much of his life in the restaurant business, and when he retired, determined he wanted to buy a ranch and raise cattle. When we arrived at his hilltop home, he welcomed us onto his porch and told us the story about how he got involved in agriculture in his late sixties. I was inspired by his determination, curiosity, and openness. Now in his seventies, Mr. Thomas has a thriving herd of angus cross cattle and a seat at the table as a member of the board of directors for the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association.
It was an eye opening week in Kentucky, and I’m thankful for my classmates and their investment in this experience. I appreciated my nightly debriefs with my roommate Paul, and the backseat conversations (and laughs) with Sara and Jennifer. Also, many thanks to the Dr. Isaacs, Dr. Snell, and Mrs. Brown, the Kentucky Agricultural Leadership Program (KALP) staff for setting up an incredible week for our class! I’m really looking forward to our trek to Southwest Virginia in just a few days.
Until next time!
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