“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King
As someone who has moved across the country a number of times, I am always extremely grateful when I am able to find myself amongst a strong community. As I reflect on our recent time in Southwest Virginia, I am overwhelmed by the community our class experienced in this part of the state. As someone who has spent no time in this part of the state, I was excited to see first-hand the things that made SWVA stand apart from the rest of Virginia.
Our first full day in SWVA was a great display of community, as we spent time exploring Grayson County. In addition to getting to experience the home of my classmate Lyndsie, Grayson County gave our group insight into a tight-knit agricultural community and the good work they are putting in to continue the county’s success. Our time spent at Summerfield Farm, Landcrafted Foods, River Ridge Organics, and River Ridge Land & Cattle displayed how a thoughtful use of the land and resources, balanced with conservation, can produce incredible returns and opportunities; while also maintaining the beauty of this part of the state. In addition to the learning that took place, we were also able to spend time building our own community as Ms. Hanes hosted us at her cabin for dinner and a scenic photo op along the New River. This day and my exposure to this community will not soon be forgotten.
Throughout our time in SWVA, we were also able to see the incredible power of the VALOR community at work. During the week, we crossed paths with many VALOR alumni who opened the doors of their operations, or took time out of their schedules to join us during our scheduled stops. These interactions with alumni helped to connect the dots about how VALOR really is creating a sustainable future for Virginia’s agriculture community. It was great to hear the unique perspectives of Kevin Beamer, John Fant, Brantley Ivey, Amy Byington, and Shasta Wilson. Each with their own unique background/perspective, but all receiving something valuable from VALOR that has empowered them and/or changed their perspective. It was also great hearing how my two SWVA classmates were encouraged to join VALOR thanks to the efforts of this crew! I really hope to be able to contribute in a similar way to future classes, and continue to build on the community of VALOR alumni.
Finally, the quote above by Mrs. King really summarized a lot of my feelings about SWVA. Throughout the seminar we interacted with a number of individuals and operations who are doing work to preserve the community that they love. Adam Pendelton helped to share the mission of the Appalachian Harvest Food Hub, to help connect small to mid-sized farms with consumers for their goods. We met with the Lawson’s at Mountain Rose Winery, who were operating a vineyard and tasting room on a reclaimed mine site, to help bring people together and rehabilitate the land. We heard about the efforts of The Health Wagon, to provide low-cost/free medical care to the rural application communities of SWVA; and we met with Mr. Freddie Elkins who is using his time now to curate the H.W. Meador Coal Museum and keep alive the stories of those who spent their lives in the mining industry.
I think I am always going to fondly remember my time in SWVA. We saw and heard a great number of challenges that this part of the state experiences, but we also met incredible people who are doing meaningful work to ensure that SWVA is a community where people want to live and work. I want to sincerely thank everyone who met with us during our time in SWVA, and send a special shoutout to my classmates Sara and Lyndsie for the context they also provided to help better understand the things we encountered.
We’re off to the Northern Neck for our next adventure!
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