Quotes that I heard while participating in the seminars that inspired me to reflect...ponder... and just made me smile. "If a one takes care of the land and the water, the land and the water will take care of them." "A leader is someone who takes the time to listen and values others opinions even… Continue reading Reflections
The next VALOR seminar starts about 12 hours from the time I am writing this. (which may explain the sudden rash of blog posts recently...) It is nearly the middle of May, and - to review - commercial production agriculture is what I do. And in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, May is the month… Continue reading Not the reflection I had planned….
As I sit in my office (folding table in my living room), kids running around, and I am frantically completing my assignments for my next VALOR session that starts tomorrow. Excited as the anticipation of what new experiences, people, and places we will see. What exercises does Megan and Kelsey have planned to challenge our… Continue reading A Time Keepers Nightmare
Looking back at our time spent in Richmond last session, numerous thought come to mind but what stands out is our time with Virginia's Governor Bob McDonnell. We had the honor to spend time with the Governor, his Chief of Staff Martin Kent, the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, and the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture… Continue reading In Support of Agriculture
The members of the VALOR fellowship already know and understand the importance agriculture plays in the Virginia economy. However, as we sat around the table with Virginia’s Governor Bob McDonnell, his Chief of Staff Martin Kent, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore and Deputy Secretary Travis Hill, it was refreshing to hear that they… Continue reading Agriculture’s Known Importance
The Virginian Creed “To be a Virginian either by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one's Mother's side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from Above." ---Anonymous I’m sure… Continue reading Is it enough “To be a Virginian”?
Every morning I wake up, prepare my coffee, and grab a bottle international French vanilla creamer to add to it. Little did I know that there is a strong chance that that creamer was probably made just minutes up the road in Mt. Crawford Virginia at WhiteWave Foods. As we toured their facility I told… Continue reading Every Morning
I would like to thank Christopher Tate and the staff of WhiteWave Foods in Mt. Crawford VA for a behind the scenes tour of their facility. What makes WhiteWave so successful is their continual commitment to their consumers through a verity of practices. One of such practice that helps them with consumer popularity is that… Continue reading A New Kind of Food Company
Growing up in the western part of Virginia all you really see is beef cattle, poultry, some fruits and vegetables, and dairies with enough crop ground to support that dairy. I had always known that east of the Blue Ridge Mountains there were large amounts of row crops like corn, cotton, peanuts, and soy beans… Continue reading The size and scale will blow your mind
In 1952 the Commonwealth of Virginia created the Virginia Port Authority (VPA) for the main purpose of increasing commerce to the ports of Virginia. The Commonwealth realized that without improved promotion of shipped goods, improved navigable tidal waters, and sustainable relationships with established business; Virginia would fall behind in international trade. These supply chains play… Continue reading Shipping Done Right
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