In November, I along with my classmates had the privilege of visiting the Eastern Shore. I was excited to see something different. I’m from the mountains in Fancy Gap, Virginia. The land and temperature variations between home and the Tidewater area were substantial, to be no farther apart then they are. We had many stops… Continue reading Different Town, Same Dilemma
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Eastern Shore Agriculture
The VALOR class ended up in Suffolk Va for our second seminar and I have to say I was very impressed with the people we met and the agriculture we got to see on the eastern shore. Being from the Valley on the western side of the state I was excited to learn about the… Continue reading Eastern Shore Agriculture
The Fiber of Our Lives
As I try to catch my breath between the harvest and the holidays, I thought pausing to review the last month might slow me down enough to achieve a couple of deep inhales and exhales. Breath in, breath out.... maybe. Catching a rainy afternoon helps too. About a month ago, in the middle of our… Continue reading The Fiber of Our Lives
High Cotton
We drove by miles of wide open cotton ground. Some fields had been harvested, others still full of pure white little snowballs. We drove up the lane of the Commonwealth Cotton Gin flanked by modules on one side and the newer round bales of cotton on the other. Johnny Parker, cotton agronomist, met us outside… Continue reading High Cotton
Farming with Fish
Tucked away in a small town on the Eastern Shore, a fish project has been forming. You may say that isn’t unusual, given Virginia’s Eastern Shore's proximity to ocean water. The peninsula frames the western side of the Chesapeake Bay, and is shared by Virginia and Maryland. Life seems to be simpler there, and hospitality… Continue reading Farming with Fish
The Center of Virginia….
Buckingham County is the geographic center of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is also my hometown and home to my family's cattle farm, where we raise natural, grass-fed Black Angus beef. Growing up in this rural county, I learned small town values, the meaning of hard work and the importance of helping others. It was… Continue reading The Center of Virginia….
Hard Work
My name is M. James Faison and I’m a 4th generation farmer. Along with my siblings, I own a farm in Emporia, Virginia where I grew up. Although I proudly call Virginia home, I only moved back to Virginia 2 years ago. Before returning to my home state to take ownership of my Grandparents farm… Continue reading Hard Work
Nobody Matches
I’m Jennifer Leech and I am a member of the second class of VALOR fellows. I live in Lexington on my family’s dairy farm, Ingleside Dairy Farm Inc. My main responsibilities on the farm are cow care and financial bookwork. Of course, working with the cows is way more fun and interesting than sitting at… Continue reading Nobody Matches
Concrete Cowboy
Yes, the title of this post is a reference to the 1978 buddy detective classic that paired Tom Selleck and Jerry Reed as two range proven Private Eyes in Nashville, TN. My name is Cliff Williamson, and I am a fan. I am also a resident of Culpeper, Va. I grew up there on a… Continue reading Concrete Cowboy
Ready for what’s next…
It's often said, "To hear God laugh, tell Him your plans." I'm sure He has had plenty of good laughs at some of my best and worst laid plans. Life is full of the unexpected, and while I have definitely had my fair share of the unexpected, I've always found there was character building moment or… Continue reading Ready for what’s next…
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