I laid my head down on my pillow on a bunk bed at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Port Isobel Island Environmental Education Center and there was complete silence. I could hear absolutely nothing. No cars driving by, no emergency vehicle sirens, no planes flying overhead, no dogs barking, no upstairs neighbors jumping around, no fan,… Continue reading Ag, people & the environment
The Extreme’s of Virginia Although it might appear as though I waited to combine the last two VALOR trips to complete a thought, the fact is I was delinquent in writing a blog for our SW Virginia tour. The last two trips do lend themselves well to this blog though. The geographical ends of… Continue reading The Extremes of Virginia
Traveling through the Northern Neck was a wonderful experience! I truly enjoyed the unspoiled landscape! Seeing the culture, strong agriculture, and tie to the water was very intriguing! The people were truly welcoming during our visit! I also enjoyed traveling out to Tangier Island! Traveling on a boat for an hour out to the island… Continue reading Vulnerability
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
It is hard to believe we have already crossed the halfway point of VALOR. The past two trips have taken us from reclaimed coal mines in southwest Virginia to the crab shanties on Tangier Island. Virginia truly is a unique state to have such vastly different terrains and agriculture industries. Being able to visit and… Continue reading From Southwest VA to the Chesapeake Bay.
The Northern Neck of Virginia is a peninsula with the Potomac River to the North, the Rappahanock River to the South, and the Chesapeake Bay to the East. It is also a very remarkable place. During VALOR's latest trip there, I became fascinated with this area of Virginia. Before this seminar, I had not visited… Continue reading The Northern Neck
Is hemp the new tobacco? Listening to William Fannon talks about tobacco cultivation in southwest Virginia is a harsh reminder that nothing lasts forever. His daughter Amy and fellow VALOR IV cohort reminisce that Tobacco used to bring in extra money at Christmas time but for many tobacco growers in southwest Virginia, those days are… Continue reading VALOR Seminar VI – Southwest, Virginia
A long time ago, I was told that any story has three (3) sides: the two opposing sides and the truth. The truth usually falls somewhere in between! Seminar VII to the Northern Neck and Tangier Island shed light on the longstanding debate between environmental protection and economic growth. Our first stop at the Omega… Continue reading Menhaden, Blue Back Crabs, and the Environment
Chesapeake Bay that is! Class IV's trip to the Northern Neck and Tangier Island was definitely one for the books. From oysters to eels, from corn to pumpkins, the region showcased some of Virginia agriculture's finest. In addition to the fun that was had on the trip, we encountered some pretty serious topics, such as… Continue reading Sittin on the Dock of the Bay
What an amazing experience in the Northern Neck & Tangier Island! This was my first time to Tangier and I found the unique culture and way of life to be a breath of fresh air. As always we visited numerous locations and I had an opportunity to learn so much about aquaculture. Our first stop… Continue reading The Northern Neck & Tangier
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