We had the great pleasure of meeting with Mr. Robert Whitehurst and Tyler Parham to discuss their solar project in Mt. Jackson, VA. Robert does a great job helping to maintain what I would call one of the best managed solar sites in Virginia. He has thought about all the details and did the best… Continue reading Energix Solar- Mt. Jackson, VA
Not all architecture is visible at street-level. Some of the most enduring structures are built through policy by state officials committed to sustaining a strong regulatory framework underpinning Virginia’s largest private industry. While farm advocates are the architects of agricultural policy, state leaders hammer out the details, enabling the growth, safety and continued economic influence… Continue reading Agricultural architecture
There’s something about agriculture that forces you to be adaptable. Weather, markets, legislation — it’s a field (pun intended) where change is the only constant. So, it felt appropriate that our third VALOR VII seminar in Richmond began with yet another set of curveballs: a snowstorm, a power outage, and a city-wide boil water advisory. … Continue reading Boiling Water and Bourbon: A VALOR Seminar in Richmond
Twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern. VALOR class VII seems to be in a pattern of weather events. Session I concluded during Hurricane Helene. Session II involved gale force winds. Session III started with a snowstorm causing a boil water advisory for the entire Richmond area. Despite these challenges, our class has… Continue reading The Weather Strikes Again
Our Valor class has a unique way of meeting during significant weather events. True to form, we met for our third seminar after a snowstorm had shut down the capital. The general assembly, which was to begin the day we arrived, had recessed and wouldn't reconvene until the following Monday. But our fearless leader, Megan,… Continue reading Learning Leadership
Another seminar for the (history?) books. The third VALOR VII seminar proved that agricultural leadership is about adaptability. When two inches of snow unexpectedly shut down Virginia's Capitol, our cohort turned a potential setback into an opportunity for deeper connections. Virginia's legislative session was postponed to the following week and for the rest of the… Continue reading p.i.v.o.t
I grew up about 25 minutes outside of Washington D.C. and almost always our class would attend a yearly school trip to one of the museums downtown- ugh, another trip to the Smithsonian?! When family and friends from across the country or around the world would visit, we would usually take them boating on the… Continue reading Seeds, Swine and the Shore
My dream as a teenager was to return to our family farm and be a full-time dairy/beef producer. I may have thought it was my obligation to do so as well! I was the 4th generation and all the other men had returned and worked the family farm, so it should have been given that… Continue reading Embracing A Career in Agriculture Outside of Farming
Another VALOR seminar has come and gone. As I reflect on our time in Richmond, exploring topics in legislative advocacy and policy development, I am blown away by the meaningful learning opportunities and connections that took place over the course of just three days, from the hallowed halls of the Governors Cabinet Room to the… Continue reading Seminar III: Legislative Advocacy & Policy Development (Richmond)
My name is Marie Schirmacher and I sometimes consider myself relatively new to agriculture. After graduating college, I was an admissions advisor for a few years. While I traveled to high schools and spoke with students, in the beginning I would ask “what do you want to do when you graduate?”. (I later realized this… Continue reading It’s not dirt, it’s soil: my journey to soils, agriculture and leadership
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