It's 3am. You've been on the road since 11:30pm after grabbing 90 minutes of sleep at the end of a work day that started at 1:57am the day before. There are 368 more miles to go to your destination, which you must reach by 8am. It's just you and the satellite radio out on the… Continue reading Drive
The sixth meeting of the VALOR fellows has just concluded, marking the halfway point of our inaugural fellowship. The group of fellows numbers ten in total, but as we travel (both literally and figuratively) we number 12. Megan Seibel, the program director, and Kelsey Brunton, who - prior to her "retirement" - was the graduate… Continue reading “Thank you soooooo much.”
In the northern locales of Virginia, the rich history and bright future of fruit production come together outside of Winchester at the Alson Smith AREC. For many years apple orchards have been a fixture of the landscape. A more recent addition to the scenery has been the long rows of grape trellises that marks the… Continue reading How ’bout dem apples?
I am sitting here in my tractor, planting soybeans. Well...not really. All I am doing is monitoring the monitors that monitor the process. The planter is doing the critical task of precisely placing each seed in the ground and covering it with soil. The tractor is driving itself-and doing a better job of it than… Continue reading Reflections from the tractor windshield
The next VALOR seminar starts about 12 hours from the time I am writing this. (which may explain the sudden rash of blog posts recently...) It is nearly the middle of May, and - to review - commercial production agriculture is what I do. And in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, May is the month… Continue reading Not the reflection I had planned….
For their prior gathering, the VALOR fellows found themselves in Richmond while the General Assembly was in session. Oft described as sharing many traits with sausage making, the legislative process was in full swing and on display for the fellows to enjoy. But, the legislative process is only half of the story. (OK...yes, you're right... … Continue reading The amazing Universal #2 meat grinder
Part of the VALOR program focus is leading the Fellows on a journey of discovery. Not only discovery of what agriculture is throughout the various areas in Virginia, but also a journey of personal discovery. What is it that drives you? Why do you do what you do how you do it? What does the… Continue reading What is your vision statement?
