In our recent VALOR Seminar, we ventured to Southwest Virginia. My work occasionally brings me to this area, and I’ve become enamored with the people and landscape. For me, the theme of this seminar was community. Visiting organizations like Virginia Produce, Appalachian Harvest, and Landcrafted Foods drove this theme home. These facilities have created markets for local farmers, some of which used to farm tobacco. When I think of Southwest Virginia agriculture, I think cattle and Christmas trees, but there is also a tremendous amount of produce grown there. You might be shocked to visit in the fall and see hillsides covered in pumpkins, cabbage, and broccoli. Landcrafted Foods created a local market for cattle with their meat sticks. These local markets not only preserve family farms, but it’s also saving precious landscapes from development. Appalachian Harvest even provides a market and processing station for natural remedies and herbs grown in the area, such as ginseng, black cohosh and goldenseal. The Herb Hub provides access to markets around the world and secures premium prices for products that may have otherwise had a limited local market. Parts of Southwest Virginia are remote and the terrain makes for long drives to get from place to place. A few of our stops were at least an hour from any major interstates, so creating markets where they didn’t exist is no doubt saving many farms.
This was a fully packed Seminar, and we covered much ground. This was my first visit to Lee County, where we toured the DeBusk Veterinary Teaching Center Campus in Ewing. It is an impressive facility, reminding us of the scope of knowledge required to become a DVM. Being a person who is averse to the business or bloody end of anything, I was most impressed with their on-site lab which provides “mock” body parts and practice models for aspiring veterinarians. The creativity required to design and create lifelike and workable models blew my mind!
Perhaps the trip’s highlight for me was our visit to Speyside Cooperage in Atkins. I love everything about bourbon. I also love everything about How It’s Made and Mike Rowe, so I’ve certainly seen the cooperage processes on television. It could not compare to the sights and SMELLS of a real cooperage. I know I’ll be looking out for Virginia made bourbon barrels with every visit to Kentucky!
There were so many stops it was tough to pick highlights. We know that blueberries taste better right off the bush and when grown with the care and knowledge of someone like Vincent at River Ridge Organics. We know that when you have the passion of Charlotte Hanes to protect and preserve the beauty of where you live, you can find a way to make anything happen. We heard about what the daily life of a coal mine was like from Mr. Freddie at the Coal Museum in Big Stone Gap. We got to see how much technology it takes to harvest and process 680,000 eggs a day at Green Valley Egg Farm. We learned about reclaimed mine land and the challenges of making it productive agriculture land. With all the great things we got to see and do, we were also reminded of the challenges this area faces for health care. We were introduced to the tremendous work of The Health Wagon. This organization has 13 stops in the most remote parts of the state, providing lifesaving healthcare to folks who are uninsured, underinsured or simply do not have access to healthcare otherwise. You can learn more and donate at www.thehealthwagon.org. We owe a big thanks to VALOR Alumni for helping to coordinate this trip and for providing great tours: Kevin Beamer, Brantley Ivey, Shasta Wilson, John Fant and Amy Byington!
The Southwest is full of beautiful views, astounding grit, and a deep sense of community. Don’t overlook this part of the state when you’re planning your next getaway or road trip. It’s worth the drive – have a Pal’s Chili Dog while you’re there!
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