At the H.W. Meador Coal Museum in Big Stone Gap, we were treated to the music of Tyler Hughes. The title of this blog post refers to a song he performed about the life of coal workers. Determined. Proud. Innovative. Resilient. These are just a few words that come to mind when reflecting over our… Continue reading Buddy Won’t You Roll Down The Line
Being a lifelong resident of Southwest Virginia, I've always considered myself Appalachian. Seminar VI took us past my stomping grounds to what I'd consider "deep southwest" or "the coalfields." I really appreciate Amy for helping make this trip happen because even for a SWVA girl like myself, I gained a lot from this seminar. Several… Continue reading No Culture Without Agriculture
Growing up in the shadows of the Cumberland Mountains, I love the sound of creeks running through the hollers and seeing the island of trees springing forth from the fog in the mornings!  I am very proud to be an Appalachian American and I am very fortunate to have been able to come back home! … Continue reading Home is where the heart is!
Much thanks is given to Kevin Beamer and his family for VALOR Class IV's tour of Virginia Produce Company Inc in Hillsville, VA during our Southwest VA seminar. I enjoyed the tour through the processing and storage facility and learning about how VA Produce Co. works with both local growers in VA and growers across… Continue reading Virginia Produce Company Inc: Seminar VI
Our May excursion to South Carolina and Georgia was filled with great food and Southern hospitality. We made 13 stops and met some amazing agricultural leaders.  Along the way our menu of foods discussed included milk, peaches, broccoli, beef, pecans, lettuce, pork, rabbits, and onions. The chefs on an episode of Chopped would be able to… Continue reading Southern Hospitality at Its Finest
I remember going to a young group worship at my friend's church back in high school that pushed me outside my comfort zone. I grew up in a southern, conservative Church of the Brethren congregation, so going to my friend's nondenominational church that had a full band and a "creative worship" night where the members… Continue reading What is Vision Without Focus?
"Cows are God's favorite animal," said Tom Trantham, founder of Happy Cow Creamery. On the first day of our national trip to South Carolina and Georgia under the shade of their agri-tourism picnic shelter, Tom shared with VALOR the incident that kick-started their successful grass-based dairy operation. It all started with a break out -… Continue reading Happy cows come from… South Carolina?
Hillcrest Farms Inc in Dearing, Georgia is a family dairy farm which has the highest production per cow in Georgia. Mark Rodgers and his brother, Andy, operate the dairy which was originally purchased by their grandfather. The farm now has its fourth generation involved with Mark’s daughter, Caitlin, and Andy’s son, Josh, working there. Mark… Continue reading Hillcrest Farms Inc – Dearing, Georgia
To summarize a week long trip from hundreds of pictures (I edited some 629 photos off my phone to 325 when I first got back) is not an easy feat. The statistics and stories shared by the folks who were gracious enough to host our VALOR cohort is still swirling in my head and in… Continue reading SC & GA: A (Quick) Southern Summary
The last stop on our national trip was Columbia, SC for a visit with the SC Department of Agriculture. This was particularly special for me, because I worked for SCDA for several years before moving back to Virginia. (Hence the title reference to the Kings of Leon song, "Back Down South.) The staff at SCDA… Continue reading Back Down South
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