Adaptable

The Collins Dictionary defines adaptable as the ability to change ideas or behavior in order to deal with new situations. After the VALOR Class VII’s visit to the Northern Neck, this definition perfectly describes agriculture in the region. Our class was hosted by multiple industry innovators who, rather than conforming to the norm, adapted their operations to excel. Traditions, peers, and public opinion pointed these producers in one direction. However, their willingness to swim against the current propelled their operations to an entirely different level.

The Northern Neck is the northernmost peninsula of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay, bordered by the Rappahannock River to the south and the Potomac River to the north. Originally home to eight Indigenous tribes who established communities along its shores, the region welcomed its first European visitor in 1608, making it one of the most historic areas in the state.

Our tour began at Healthy Harvest Food Bank and Healthy Harvest Fresh in Warsaw. Cindy, Craig, and Tammy shared how their food bank has evolved. From providing 50% fresh foods to every food bank they serve, to offering pet food for less fortunate customers, and even building and operating an impressive aquaculture facility—Healthy Harvest has redefined what a food bank can be. Remarkably, community donations have enabled the facility to operate without government subsidies. Aside from a few grants used for expansion and greenhouse construction, all funding is local.

Rod and Joe Parker of Parker Farms continued the theme of adaptability. Rod recounted the farm’s beginnings as a “Pick Your Own” business and local market. One day, a high school summer worker took a few bushels of beans to a nearby supermarket to advertise. To everyone’s surprise, he returned with a corporate agreement with a major grocery distributor. Years of partnerships, packaging changes, handling adaptations, and territory expansions followed. Today, Parker Farms spans 10,000 acres across NY, IN, PA, NJ, VA, NC, SC, GA, and FL. That ambitious student’s unorthodox marketing approach changed the farm’s trajectory entirely.

Our visits to two oyster facilities highlighted the seafood industry’s need for adaptability. Tommy of Kellum Seafood discussed changes in employment practices, boat ownership, oyster reproduction, and Bay health—adjustments that have kept Kellum afloat while many “wild-caught” seafood companies have shuttered. Travis of Rappahannock Oyster Company introduced us to oyster farming, from “spat on shell” to fully developed Bay oysters, and even opening restaurants to showcase their product. Amid community debates over Bay health, bag limits, and oyster quality, their bold move into farmed oysters exemplifies adaptability at its core.

A visit to Tangier Island—just 350 acres with 380 residents and slowly sinking into the Chesapeake Bay—revealed the adaptability of an entire community. Tangier has lost two-thirds of its land mass over the past 200 years, and the Bay continues to encroach. Residents have had to adjust to a shifting landscape and evolving livelihoods. Known as the “Soft-Shell Capital of the World,” the crabbing industry has faced declining crab numbers and stricter bag limits. Watermen have been forced to explore alternative income sources. This visit underscored the stark choice between adaptation and extinction.

Our final stop was Haynie Farms, where the concept of adaptation in agriculture was on full display. PJ Haynie shared the incredible evolution of his fifth-generation Black-owned family farm. Despite facing racism, discrimination, vandalism, and destruction from other farmers, the Haynie family has persevered. Their adaptability has fueled growth and success where others might have given up. Beyond overcoming adversity, they’ve innovated in production—double cropping wheat and soybeans followed by corn, allowing five crops in three years. PJ has also expanded into the Mississippi Delta, launching a rice operation and acquiring a rice mill to vertically integrate the business. Strategic, sometimes unprecedented changes have been the backbone of Haynie Farms’ success.

Change and adaptation have historically been difficult in agriculture. Tradition and long-standing practices are hard to shift. Our discussion of Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber provided a framework for managing change. The workshop helped us build skills to lead change in our own lives and careers.

John F. Kennedy said it best: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” In this quote, change and adaptation are truly interchangeable. As this session came to a close, my own hardheaded, traditional, and set-in-my-ways mindset was put to the test. Challenging your own thinking is a powerful way to grow and evolve. Adaptation isn’t just a strategy—it’s essential for survival and progress in an ever-changing world.