As we traveled through beautiful Georgia and South Carolina, I was amazed by the operations that we visited! We visited large operations and small! For myself, I noticed certain themes present themselves during our travels. The two biggest themes that seem to present themselves was diversification for profitability and farm transition with new farmers outside… Continue reading Common Themes
First Generation Farms VALOR IV class recently had their national trip to include stops in Georgia and South Carolina. Thanks to Dr. Laura Griffeth and Kirby Player for their efforts in ensuring plenty of interesting Agriculture visits. One thing that struck me was the number of operations that we visited that were first generation operations.… Continue reading
Our hosts in South Carolina and Georgia rolled out the red carpet for VALOR fellows. Everyone was so welcoming and open about their businesses. They shared about their successes and challenges. Everyone's passion for agriculture, their families and serving their community shined at every stop. Here are a few of my take-aways from the trip:… Continue reading Southern hospitality
Here’s the kicker…it does. Georgia might be known as the peach state (and they have a lot of them), but when it comes to production, Titan Farms in Ridge Spring, SC sets the pace. With over 6,200 acres of peach trees in the ground, Titan Farms is the largest peach producer on the East Coast… Continue reading What if I told you that one South Carolina family farm produces more peaches than the entire state of Georgia?
National Trip - VALOR Class IV Seminar V
"A beef farmer and two Farm Bureau employees invite an HSUS employee on a conference call...." It sounds like the start of a bad joke. Comical thought, but that would never happen and if it did, it wouldn't end well. Right? That was the exact situation Brantley, Stefanie, and I found ourselves in during our… Continue reading What Do We Have In Common?
Our March seminar to Northern Virginia and Washington, DC gave me the opportunity to gain fresh perspectives on urban agriculture, food distribution, and food policy. It also provided a chance to develop a deeper understanding with the familiar through history and a meeting at National Milk Producers Federation headquarters. Visiting with Mary Ellen Taylor at… Continue reading Fresh Perspectives
While Class IV has already traveled quite a bit, for me, the Northern Virginia/D.C. session was the biggest reminder that agriculture does not look the same everywhere. However, two common threads across the industry are creativity and ingenuity. These characteristics were on full display throughout our stops. At the Heritage Museum, we saw firsthand how… Continue reading
Even though NOVA is home, the northern Virginia and DC seminar gave me a lot to think about. For me, the visits highlighted conflicting priorities. Making money and feeding people They are not mutually exclusive, but they are sometimes in conflict. Endless Summer Harvest served us the best lettuce I've ever eaten. Wegman's has a… Continue reading Conflicting Priorities
The Seminar IV trip to Northern Virginia/DC was a unique experience. We learned about the challenges that come with urban agriculture and some of the unexpected benefits of serving an affluent population. We saw both ends of the spectrum in terms of accessibility to nutritious food. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting… Continue reading What are Microgreens?
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