When you think about Virginia agriculture, it is hard to find a more successful story than Smithfield Foods. They graciously opened their doors to our VALOR group earlier this month to show us the ins and outs of their operation. Brief Overview Smithfield Foods started in 1936 as Smithfield Packing Company in Smithfield, VA. Since… Continue reading Smithfield Foods- The World’s Largest Pork Processor
Ronald Daughtrey, agriculture teacher and FFA Advisor at Lakeland High School, hosted VALOR Class IV fellows on Thursday evening of our second seminar. While holding up a Snickers bar, Mr. Daughtrey asked the group what the most expensive input is for it- peanuts, chocolate, etc. What's your guess? See below for the answer. He challenged… Continue reading Dinner at Lakeland High School
VALOR Class IV toured Accomack & Northampton Counties on Virginia's Eastern Shore.
Last week our cohort class IV of the VALOR program made our first traveling trip to the tidewater and eastern shore region. I had never been to that part of the state prior to last week and I can’t wait to return. We were met with open arms from all our host and it was… Continue reading Uncommon Kindness is a Common Virtue
--How About Right Here-- So here I am, sitting in my office, up against a deadline, contemplating how to begin telling a story that I have lived, but never really sought to explain. The story itself is quite simple, really. If I had to describe the summation of my life, in one phrase, I would… Continue reading Where To Begin?!
One of the first memories I have is on the farm on which my family lived until I was five years old, on the outskirts of Cincinnati, Ohio. We had a small sheep herd on approximately 20 acres. One day when I was around four years old I was outside playing and I remember my… Continue reading Growing up… Down on the Farm
My name is Dave Winston. I grew up on a 100-cow grade Holstein dairy farm in Campbell County, Virginia, that was operated my grandfather, father, and uncle. When I was 5 years old, my grandfather invited me to help him feed baby calves and I have been involved in the dairy industry in one way… Continue reading Dairy Dave Begins a New Adventure
A big HOKIE, HOKIE, HOKIE HI from Wahoo country. My name is Kim Love. I am the branch manager for the Charlottesville office of Farm Credit of the Virginias. My way back story doesn’t include adventures in farming or agriculture. I grew up in Worcester County, Maryland. At that time, Runaway Bride had not put Berlin… Continue reading Pursuit To Happiness
I am incredibly honored to be a fellow in Class IV of VALOR. I am grateful for this opportunity to grow professionally and have a deeper understanding of the industry. Having met my VALOR peers at the first seminar I am incredibly impressed with their diverse backgrounds and I am excited to develop new relationships… Continue reading Life is Calling….
“Say Yes” I grew up in the Panhandle of Florida and my Dad was a row crop farmer and a day-working cow hand while my mother raised my sister and me. Farming became tougher and tougher for my family and as a young struggling farmer in the late seventies, my father got caught up in… Continue reading Brantley Ivey
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