https://valeadersor.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/img_4940.jpg Southwest Virginia has a special place in my heart. Growing up we trail rode on the Virginia Highlands Trail (one of my favorite activities to date) but I didn't truly fall in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains until I became a Hokie and never felt more at home anywhere than in Blacksburg. In… Continue reading Come Hell or High Water
Welcome to Virginia’s pristine Northern Neck. We hope you enjoy the visit. Thank you for not imposing your politics or economic development pursuits on our communities. We preserve our distinct cultural identities with a spirit of resistance. But while you’re here, admire our picturesque Chesapeake Bay waterfronts! Feast on oysters harvested just this morning. Sample… Continue reading Resistance & preservation in Virginia’s Northern Neck: A love letter
The Collins Dictionary defines adaptable as the ability to change ideas or behavior in order to deal with new situations. After the VALOR Class VII's visit to the Northern Neck, this definition perfectly describes agriculture in the region. Our class was hosted by multiple industry innovators who, rather than conforming to the norm, adapted their operations to… Continue reading Adaptable
How the time flies. We are officially half-way through Cohort VII. With each seminar, we take part in an invitation to grow, to stretch our understanding of agriculture, leadership, and community. But our recent trip to Virginia’s Northern Neck reminded me of something even more personal, it reminded me to stay coachable. To keep that… Continue reading Northern Neck: Reflections on the Haynie Family
Generational pain and pride pulse through the arteries coalescing at the heart of Appalachia. Rich coal seams were once veins feeding the economic opportunity of the Great Southwest. American roots music and the earliest string bands, influenced by melodies of African and European musical heritage, set a steady beat. Agricultural abundance and natural resources have… Continue reading Rural Renaissance in the Great Southwest
The Oxford Dictionary defines “resilience” as the capacity to withstand or recover from difficulties. After our recent trip to Southwest Virginia, the definition of “resilience” is embodied by the people who make up this area. After being hit by one of the most devastating hurricanes to make landfall in the US in September 2024, the… Continue reading Resilience
One of my favorite shows growing up was Friends, a sitcom following six adults and their day-to-day antics. In one episode, now made into viral memes, Ross recruits Rachel and Chandler to move his new couch up flights of apartment building stairs. Sketch in hand with no concrete plan, Ross says, “follow my lead” and… Continue reading In the words of Ross, “PIVOT!”
The valley is a very special place. Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is home to four of the top five ag-producing counties in the state. While livestock and poultry production reign supreme, the agricultural landscape is as diverse as it is productive. I have admired the valley since I began my career in agriculture; however, during my… Continue reading Seminar IV: Start With Why (Shenandoah Valley)
Not a title I expected to use after visiting the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. I have been to Valley a few times and have always admired its beauty, and to the naked eye there is nothing ugly to see. Breathtaking views everywhere you look. But those who work in agriculture know that it is not always… Continue reading Agriculture can be ugly
Our VALOR Class seems to have found a theme of of traveling during out of the ordinary weather events. We have checked off a hurricane, high winds, and now a snowstorm that knocked out the potable water supply to the city of Richmond. In true Class VII fashion, we overcame, learned a lot, and still… Continue reading Going with the flow (just not the Richmond City water flow…)
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