SERVING ALL HANOVER COUNTY COMMUNITIES Volume 39, No. 38
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Richmond Suburban News
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Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Coleman, Welsh tapped for local school board SEAN JONES
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Two new School Board members will begin their tenures in Hanover County in a little over a month. The start of Greg Coleman and Whitney Welsh’s terms on the board coincides with a tumultuous period for the panel as a long-time board member — and the current chairman — is being replaced, and also coming off a school year that saw several heated political debates. Hanover is one of around 15 localities in Virginia that appoints its School Board members through the Board of Supervisors. Each supervisor chooses a nominee for their respective districts, to be approved by the rest of the board. In the Beaverdam District, supervisors voted to appoint Coleman to the board at the recommendation of Supervisor J. Robert Monolo. Coleman, an Air Force veteran, is an account manager and sales representative for Alson, a medical equipment manufacturing company. He and his wife have three children in county’s school system. Coleman told supervisors that he has a “servant’s heart” and that he takes a great deal of pride in his work for a health care system supporting doctors and
nurses. He was chosen as the appointee from a pool of eight candidates from the Coleman county who came forward looking to fill the seat. “While I had several outstanding candidates, after Welsh interviewing them all I nominated (Coleman) because he is a strong Christian with leadership experience and he has kids in Hanover schools, giving him firsthand knowledge of the issues faced by parents of school children,” Monolo said. “I felt he would do the best job advocating for parents and children in our schools.” In the Henry District, Welsh was appointed at the recommendation of Supervisor Sean Davis. Welsh is a retired business owner who graduated from Atlee High School. She has two children at Rural Point Elementary School. She said she was “humbled and excited” to serve on the panel. Please see BOARD, Page 13
Bees play critical role in the garden 10
Mustangs advance to semifinals with a Raiders rematch looming 14
The sweet taste of summer One company’s mission to provide an awesome strawberry experience RACHEL KESTER
Richmond Suburban News
Ashland has for more than four decades celebrated that delicious little fruit with the seeds on the outside. For many, the arrival of strawberries signals the coming of summer every bit as much as the screams of kids enjoying life without school. Well, maybe not as much. But close. And if you want strawberries in the AshlandHanover area, one name comes to mind – AgribPHOTO BY PIERSON GEYER erry Farm & CSA. Owners Employees from Hanover’s Agriberry Farm & CSA work in the fields harvesting the Anne and Chuck Geyer have since the 1980s company’s strawberries. To get the berries ready for summer, Agriberry’s work begins in farmed strawberries in the fall. By late October, the Agriberry team starts planting strawberry crops and adjusting the Commonwealth, but frost and weed row covers over them to shield them from winter weather. in 2010 the company turned its attention to for them,” Geyer says. carefully fumigated inside is unpredictable. This Richmond-area strawAgriberry mainly grows plastic row covers to san- past winter was unseaberries. two varieties: San An- itize the soil – a delicate sonably warm causing red Pierson Geyer, its gen- dreas and the Ruby June. process Geyer notes that’s berries to appear as early eral manager and second The intensely flavored done with expert care. By as March – an impressive generation fruit farmer, Ruby June is popular at late October, the Agrib- contrast to last year when oversees production at local markets, but the San erry team starts plant- a sudden March frost took Agriberry’s plot in Ches- Andreas has longer yields ing strawberry crops and about 30% of the compaterfield. The space spans and sometimes produces adjusting frost and weed ny’s crops. While frost is a little over nine acres fruit as late as Labor Day. row covers over them to the primary nemesis, agTo get the berries ready shield them from winter gressive mites and deer and is also used by Chesterfield Berry Farm with for summer, Agriberry’s weather. “ also pose problems. work begins around the whom they collaborate. There’s about a seven Once strawberry season sweater-wearing to eight degree protec- officially takes off (anyThey selected the spot time after a consultant identi- locals are wandering tion from row covers,” where from late March to fied it as having “a unique through pumpkin patches Geyer says. mid-May), the Agriberry This year, they planted team begins quickly harmicroclimate” perfect for and sipping spiced lattes. A few weeks before fall around 250,000 straw- vesting. growing strawberries. “It had a lot of sandy soil and planting, beds are pre- berry plants. But even this factor is important pared and the ground with diligent care, nature Please see SUMMER, Page 4