Production agriculture is largely a low margin, high volume business. The pressure on producers is ratcheted up even greater when the product is a global commodity such as milk, which is influenced by global agricultural trends. Farms like the Vanderhyde Dairy are competing in the global marketplace by embracing technology to increase efficiency and lower… Continue reading Never Seen a Lazy Susan like This!
In March, we had the pleasure of touring central Virginia. Before VALOR, I always thought that central Virginia was just metro-Richmond, but I quickly learned that it includes a much larger section of Virginia, including Charlottesville and nearby localities. Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, this area has proven to be… Continue reading Agri-Tourism is Thriving in Central Va.
The question was asked at Madison Wood during our last seminar in Central Virginia along the Rt. 29 corridor -- "Who are your major customers?" The answer demonstrated perseverance, common sense, and most of all - a commitment to excellence as they quickly replied "All of our customers are major!" What a reviving answer. Fortunately, this is… Continue reading Commitment to Excellence
The last VALOR trip took us from Culpeper to Charlottesville. We saw everything from vineyards and orchards to beef cattle and lumber. Each operation was uniquely different and had a distinct vision. My favorite part of the seminar, other than the Moo Thru ice cream, was learning about our personal conflict management styles. Before the… Continue reading Conflict Management
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ9jmWLlen0 The preeminent K-Pop series detailing a popular music group's move to the country, this gripping drama highlights a generation's view of the importance of agriculture. It also stole the name from the industry leading ag-news provider, found here. What does agriculture mean to the Virginia Pediment? I find agriculture in this central region of… Continue reading Virginia Piedmont Agriculture, Such Wow
Our most recent VALOR excursion landed us in beautiful central Virginia; here we focused on adding value. We visited numerous operations that were committed to adding VALUE to their products. Going back to my Ag Econ roots at Virginia Tech, it is well documented that most commodity producers keep very little of the full retail… Continue reading Value added
How encouraging to see so many flourishing enterprises in Central Virginia. And how enjoyable to get first hand experiences with some of them during our March VALOR seminar. We visited Madison Wood Preservers, Senterfitt Farms, and Step-at-a-Time Farm, - all thriving local ag-based businesses. And we learned about Crisis Communications from both Corrine Geller,… Continue reading Eat, Drink, and be Married
Upon my return from Vietnam – by all accounts an ascendant “Asian Tiger” economically and culturally – I was asked a number questions, including the following: Were Vestiges of the Communist System Still Evident? This is front and center on most minds. Propaganda was plastered everywhere in the city, emblazoned with Ho Chi Minh -… Continue reading Tales of an Intrepid Journeyman (to Vietnam)
Day 11 of #VALORVietnam is complete. The once well oiled travel machine that is VALOR now more resembles the Vietnamese telecom system - a bundled and tatered mess, lacking in consistent access to much of anything (especially energy). You could say we lost our #SWAG. Any semblance of winter back home is replaced with air… Continue reading Saigon to the Mekong
Today we took a break from touring agribusinesses to focus on the history of Vietnam. Vietnam's "modern" history is ancient to us; the Vietnamese have been a people for over a millennia, whereas Americans as a group didn't exist until around 1776. Modern Vietnamese history can be divided into four phases: (1) occupation by the Chinese,… Continue reading A Visit Down Memory Lane
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