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
Appalachia/Cumberland Gap and the Northern Neck/Chesapeake Bay - two extremes of Virginia. At first glance they seem to have nothing else in common. Appalachia: Blue Ridge Mountains, turning into flat tops from strip mining. Tobacco, coal, timber - historical resources growing more scarce so the mountain folk turn to new practices such as hemp, wine,… Continue reading #Trending
Another great VALOR Class IV seminar to a part of VA that I rarely frequent, but oh so full of agriculture and history. The first stop of Seminar VII was Omega Protein. Before an outdoor tour of the plant and one of their fishing vessels, we watched an informative video explaining the multi-generational company Omega… Continue reading Seminar VII: Northern Neck & Tangier
Much thanks is given to Kevin Beamer and his family for VALOR Class IV's tour of Virginia Produce Company Inc in Hillsville, VA during our Southwest VA seminar. I enjoyed the tour through the processing and storage facility and learning about how VA Produce Co. works with both local growers in VA and growers across… Continue reading Virginia Produce Company Inc: Seminar VI
To summarize a week long trip from hundreds of pictures (I edited some 629 photos off my phone to 325 when I first got back) is not an easy feat. The statistics and stories shared by the folks who were gracious enough to host our VALOR cohort is still swirling in my head and in… Continue reading SC & GA: A (Quick) Southern Summary
National Trip - VALOR Class IV
Seminar V
When I think of Loudoun County Virginia huge mansions, suburbia, and D.C. commuters come to mind. Session IV started off by visiting a place that stuck out like a barn in the city, especially because that's what it was. We started off Seminar IV at the Loudoun Farm and Heritage Museum with a delicious lunch… Continue reading “Preserving and Promoting”
Seminar IV in Northern VA and D.C. - Urban Ag & National Policy
Class IV fellows tour Endless Summer Harvest in Northern VA.
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
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