Have you brought a little bit of the outdoors in to help celebrate Christmas? Are there multiple trees with different themes in different rooms? How long do you leave them up? If you’re like our family, your trees stay up until the needles start to drop and/or the neighbors start talking about you. We cut… Continue reading O Christmas Tree…
People often think a peanut is a nut. However it is botanically classified as a legume. Peanuts contain properties of both the bean/lentil and tree nuts. Peanuts have been around for a while, as early as 848 B.C. It is believed that they originated in Brazil or Peru and were carried to Africa by early… Continue reading When is a Nut not a Nut?
What we face in Agriculture might be described as “A Candle Problem”, a seemingly simple conundrum posed to many folks to analyze their problem-solving abilities. However, it may not be that simple a problem. An interesting take on problem solving is presented in the video by Mr. Dan Pink. Think about problem solving as it… Continue reading A Candle Problem
Dr. Richard Crowder was able to speak to the VALOR fellows during our November seminar, "Addressing Agriculture Issues". Our group started this seminar on the Land Grant campus of Virginia Tech, where Dr. Crowder is currently serving as an adjunct professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. On January 14, 2013, the American… Continue reading Introducing Ambassador Crowder
A trip to Southwest Virginia would have been lacking for VALOR fellows had we not learned about the coal industry in Virginia; and we did just that in Seminar III. VALOR is considered “a premier leadership program for adults in agriculture,” and it’s important to remember when developing well-informed leaders they must gain an appreciation… Continue reading Coal Country
This iconic photo from the Dust Bowl era has long represented the struggles of Americans during the Depression/Dust Bowl in America during the 1930’s. The following video shows some stark images resulting from the intense use of the land to meet the demand for food. Hopefully we have learned the lessons of the Thirties and… Continue reading It’s all about the Soil & Water
The VALOR fellows recently experienced Southwest Virginia during Session VIII. Our trip began at Virginia Tech, with a presentation by Dr. Alex White. Many of the fellows are Alumni of Virginia Tech and they have enjoyed his classes in Ag Finance, Small Business Management, and Problem Solving. Others have seen Alex facilitating workshops for agricultural… Continue reading Moving Agriculture Forward
Our latest seminar has brought the VALOR fellows into Southwest Virginia. Our trek began in Blacksburg at the campus of Virginia Tech, then led us through more winding roads than I ever could imagine. As we worked our way through the mountains and foothills of Appalachia; we visited the natural wonder of Burkes Garden, coal… Continue reading Southwest, “Yes We are Still in Virginia”
While traveling the Midwest during the National component of our VALOR experience I was in awe of the vast expanse of agriculture. Traveling for miles on end and everything in sight was farmland, truly making one feel smaller in their own operation and an appreciation for the greater industry of agriculture. I was especially taken… Continue reading BioTownAG – A different Kind of Farm
Our time on the road during our U.S. agriculture trip was a great time learning about more diverse areas of our industry. I am always excited to meet and learn more from agriculturalists everywhere. It was during this time that it occurred to me a common thread that runs through each and every person we… Continue reading A twinkle in their eye
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