I admit I am cheating here... I have 3 blog posts floating around in my head right now, but time to pen none of them. As National FFA week is upon us again, for your convenience I have copied my blog post from this time last year. The sentiment still holds true, so perhaps this… Continue reading National FFA week reloaded.
Category: Education and Awareness
A Candle Problem
What we face in Agriculture might be described as “A Candle Problem”, a seemingly simple conundrum posed to many folks to analyze their problem-solving abilities. However, it may not be that simple a problem. An interesting take on problem solving is presented in the video by Mr. Dan Pink. Think about problem solving as it… Continue reading A Candle Problem
Coal Country
A trip to Southwest Virginia would have been lacking for VALOR fellows had we not learned about the coal industry in Virginia; and we did just that in Seminar III. VALOR is considered “a premier leadership program for adults in agriculture,” and it’s important to remember when developing well-informed leaders they must gain an appreciation… Continue reading Coal Country
It’s all about the Soil & Water
This iconic photo from the Dust Bowl era has long represented the struggles of Americans during the Depression/Dust Bowl in America during the 1930’s. The following video shows some stark images resulting from the intense use of the land to meet the demand for food. Hopefully we have learned the lessons of the Thirties and… Continue reading It’s all about the Soil & Water
GMO’s – Ghoul or Godsend?
GMO - A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. It sounds harmless enough, but this term has sparked some heated discussion in the agriculture community as well as the general public. It is Halloween and I am interested in how you folks see GMO’s, … Continue reading GMO’s – Ghoul or Godsend?
Drive
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
Investing with a long-term view.
Tomorrow we leave on our US study trip, which officially means we’re past the halfway point with VALOR. I’ve thought a lot about how fast this program is passing. Seminar VI, like all of the seminars thus far, was fantastic. For me, one of the most meaningful experiences was the weekend on the bay with… Continue reading Investing with a long-term view.
There’s only two things…
A few years back Guy Clark postulated that there are only two things that money can’t buy, true love and home grown tomatoes. I suppose there is some wisdom in that but the times they are a changin’. I can assure you that all over Virginia, and other places throughout the nation, money CAN buy… Continue reading There’s only two things…
VALOR in Virginia’s Northern Neck… Learning our Responsibility
Many of you who follow this BLOG know already that VALOR stands for Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results and what an amazing endeavor for those of us fortunate enough to be participants in the inaugural class. As we continue on our journey in learning about agriculture in not only our state but in our community,… Continue reading VALOR in Virginia’s Northern Neck… Learning our Responsibility
Can we talk?
Most evenings in my college days several fraternity brothers would gather in my room for an evening cocktail to unwind while watching The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson - yes I have dated myself. It was an enjoyable ritual - one that was relaxing where we would share a laugh or gripe about the day we… Continue reading Can we talk?
