Up until now, this blog has been a nice chronological review of the journey of the VALOR fellowship. Chronology is overrated... Back in September the VALOR fellows spent a day touring the diverse agricultural production of western Michigan, thanks in large part to work and hospitality of Luke Meerman and others. As the day came… Continue reading Say cheese.
Have you brought a little bit of the outdoors in to help celebrate Christmas? Are there multiple trees with different themes in different rooms? How long do you leave them up? If you’re like our family, your trees stay up until the needles start to drop and/or the neighbors start talking about you. We cut… Continue reading O Christmas Tree…
People often think a peanut is a nut. However it is botanically classified as a legume. Peanuts contain properties of both the bean/lentil and tree nuts. Peanuts have been around for a while, as early as 848 B.C. It is believed that they originated in Brazil or Peru and were carried to Africa by early… Continue reading When is a Nut not a Nut?
Dr. Richard Crowder was able to speak to the VALOR fellows during our November seminar, "Addressing Agriculture Issues". Our group started this seminar on the Land Grant campus of Virginia Tech, where Dr. Crowder is currently serving as an adjunct professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. On January 14, 2013, the American… Continue reading Introducing Ambassador Crowder
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
The VALOR fellows recently experienced Southwest Virginia during Session VIII. Our trip began at Virginia Tech, with a presentation by Dr. Alex White. Many of the fellows are Alumni of Virginia Tech and they have enjoyed his classes in Ag Finance, Small Business Management, and Problem Solving. Others have seen Alex facilitating workshops for agricultural… Continue reading Moving Agriculture Forward
Our latest seminar has brought the VALOR fellows into Southwest Virginia. Our trek began in Blacksburg at the campus of Virginia Tech, then led us through more winding roads than I ever could imagine. As we worked our way through the mountains and foothills of Appalachia; we visited the natural wonder of Burkes Garden, coal… Continue reading Southwest, “Yes We are Still in Virginia”
While traveling the Midwest during the National component of our VALOR experience I was in awe of the vast expanse of agriculture. Traveling for miles on end and everything in sight was farmland, truly making one feel smaller in their own operation and an appreciation for the greater industry of agriculture. I was especially taken… Continue reading BioTownAG – A different Kind of Farm
In addition to showcasing production systems, landscapes and leadership groups from another part of the country, the VALOR US Regional seminar in September reinforced the fact that the agricultural industry in this country is impacted by a number of common forces, regardless of the particular segment or geographic area considered. For example, in both Indianapolis… Continue reading Variations on a theme
I had a wonderful opportunity during the National United States VALOR Seminar to visit and tour the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences. Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences attracts students from all parts of the city. The school was established in 1984 when there was a great concern about the future of Agriculture Education,… Continue reading Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences
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