As I reflect on our cohort’s adventure in Richmond in January, the theme of service comes to mind. We were able to meet with so many fellow Virginians who keep this state’s government running day-to-day, and year-to-year. Many of these people are elected or appointed to their positions for short (or extended) periods of time,… Continue reading An Attitude of Service
My last post I gave a Top Ten list of things learned/gained from Seminar II. The number one being: "...blogging needs to be done asap." Here I am less than week out from Seminar IV and I'm just now posting about Seminar III. Really there's no good excuse for procrastination. In high school I had… Continue reading Leaving Procrastination Station
Ah, Richmond. The capitol of Virginia; home of the oldest elected legislative body in the New World. Mother of Presidents (the state, that is). Steeped in history and tradition. It reminds me every time I go why I appreciate where I live…for a multitude of reasons. But I’m not a fan of politics; never have… Continue reading Let me tell you a story…
I’m looking for a line. Can you tell me where it is? It’s the one that separates the basic healthcare rights our U.S. government feels responsible to its citizens for and which ones they say, “You’re on your own, buddy.” A lot of countries apparently don’t have a line. If you’re in Sweden, Australia, Great… Continue reading The Healthcare Line
Last week the VALOR Class III fellows met in Richmond to learn how to grow corn in concrete cracks in sidewalks. It's the new buzz in urban agriculture! (Insert laughter now) The Class III fellows really went to Richmond to witness the behind the scenes and all the moving parts that go into legislation. Our… Continue reading Laughter and Leadership
To borrow from American Revolutionary War hero, Nathan Hale, “I only regret that I have but 55 days to learn more about Virginia’s vast agriculture industry.” These are the words that echoed in my head as I headed back east down Rt. 460 from my three days with my 12 other VALOR Class III fellows in… Continue reading Musings on My First VALOR Session…The Clock Starts Ticking on My 55-Day Adventure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DdR--F21Vk The ecological thriller, based upon the television series of the same name, explores the deep philosophical questions about how does life on the mainland impact coastal islands. Do we take for granted the environment we live in? Should our actions be taken with a thought to those who live offshore? Should we make the… Continue reading It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel peckish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOOghKacg40 “Being There” is a stirring film about the subtle wisdom growing plants generates and the value of that wisdom in the political landscape of Washington D.C. Of course that is not the description of the film that the creators intended, but that only proves my point of how the city can offer a myriad… Continue reading Being There, or Not to Be There, Depends On The Traffic
It has been two months now since VALOR had the opportunity to engage farmers and leaders during an agricultural trip to Argentina. The production cycle is in reverse as compared to the United States cropping systems. The crops that we viewed should be harvested as we in the United States plant new ones. While there,… Continue reading Argentina Reflections
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
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