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
My first seminar didn’t get off to the best start. My day started in the airport at 4:45am with a flight delay that would ultimately not allow me to connect with my classmates until after 8pm. While the day was largely frustrating, I will never forget the warm reception from my classmates when I finally… Continue reading Soybean and Purple Ice Cream
My newest Valor friend I’ve been all over the country, from Texas to Minnesota, to the deserts of Arizona, all the way to the sunny beaches of Florida. In all my travels I’ve seen a peanut field, much less a warehouse 2 football fields long filled to the brim with peanuts. It was amazing! VALOR… Continue reading Where the sunshines and Cotton grows
Our second VALOR session is behind us, and it is amazing to look back on everything we learned. This session we spent time in the Tidewater and Eastern Shore region of VA, an area well known for their unique and sandy soils. On the first day, we took a deep dive into the world of… Continue reading Mind your P’s and C’s: Peanuts, Pork, Perdue, Potatoes, and Cotton!
Our most recent VALOR seminar brought us to the Tidewater region and Eastern Shore of Virginia, a corner of the state that, while geographically close to home for me in Suffolk, holds a rich agricultural heritage with far-reaching global significance. Over three days, we explored the industries that thrive in this region — peanuts, pork,… Continue reading Close to Home: Reflections on Tidewater’s Agricultural Impact
Hello, I’m Bryan Harris, and I’m excited to embark on this incredible journey as part of the VALOR Class VII program. I currently live in Suffolk, Virginia, where I own Liberty Lane Farm, a horse boarding facility. My wife, daughter, and I call this farm home, and every day, I’m reminded of the importance of… Continue reading Growing Roots in Leadership and Agriculture
Our second VALOR seminar took us to the Tidewater region and eastern shore of Virginia. I was really looking forward to this seminar. Living in southwest Virginia, I do not visit this area often. I am not very familiar with this part of Virginia. We had the opportunity to get an inside look at agriculture… Continue reading A Journey through Peanuts, Pork and Potatoes
Our recent class visit to Tidewater and the Eastern Shore of Virginia highlighted some decisions in our Agriculture Industry. These decisions aren't for immediate results. Instead, they focus on the futures of the companies involved. Our visit included many amazing experiences, that a Northern Shenandoah Valley agriculturalist was amazed to see the diversity throughout our… Continue reading Thinking about Tomorrow
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