Agriculture: Bring it to the Table 2014

AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

2 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014

The Northern Virginia Daily

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The Northern Virginia Daily

AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

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3

Rich Cooley/Daily

Holly Dillender, manager of Woodbine Farm, arranges a group of pumpkins in front of the Woodbine Market in Lebanon Church.

4-H learning spans generations while they were growing up.

In addition to the aforementioned STRASBURG — What do Roy celebrities, 4-H has also shaped Rogers, David Letterman and Julia countless local farming families.

Roberts have in common?

Holly Dillender, the manager of As former members of 4-H, a the Woodbine Farm Market in youth organization with more than Strasburg, grew up in a 4-H family. six million members across the Her mother, aunt and cousin were U.S., they were taught leadership all leaders in the program. skills through hands-on learning Dillender remembers meeting for

By Ryan Cornell

4-H club at the Relief United Methodist Church in Winchester when she was growing up.

“We learned about leadership, we did some public speaking, we learned about canning and growing vegetables,” she said.

She added that 4-H can be a big commitment, especially if a kid is raising animals for the county fair.

“So the parents really do get involved,” she said. “It’s good for the whole family.”

Greta Liskey, 26, works in the orchards behind the market and often leads school groups on tours through the fields.

She’s been involved in 4-H since See LEARNING, Page 4

On the cover: Greta Brumback Liskey looks over a bin of freshly picked Stayman apples on Woodbine Farm in Lebanon Church.

Rich Cooley/Daily

AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

4 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014

Learning From Page 3

she was in Cloverbuds.

“It’s an invaluable program,” she said. “I mean, it teaches youth about livestock, but it also teaches about different homemaking skills. I think some of the most important are the record-keeping skills that they teach and the public speaking.”

She said her 4-H experience has helped prepare her for working at the Woodbine farm.

“Just the work ethic that it teaches at a young age,” she said, “and sticking in there until you get the job done is really an important thing to learn.”

Liskey, who lives in Rockingham County with a 2-year-old daughter of her own, said she plans to get her involved in 4-H when she gets older.

Ruth Boden, whose three sons are involved in Frederick County 4-H, is a volunteer leader and coaches livestock and meats judging teams.

Each county in Virginia, she said, offers a 4-H program, though they might differ in what they specialize in.

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For example, clubs in Northern Virginia might focus more on STEM-type projects and robotics, while Shenandoah County provides more agricultural programs.

“There’s so much to offer that there’s just something for everybody,” she said. “We have a Civil War club, a painting group, and anything to do with agriculture, whether it’s livestock, horses, poultry, rabbits, but then we also have a ton of community service groups.

“And so they teach these children great citizenship skills, to be a productive part of their community and to give back, and I think that’s why I’m still involved.”

She said there has been a big resurgence in the areas of canning, food preservation and sewing.

Jim Douglas, who grew up in 4-H back in the ‘40s and served as a leader for about 35 years, reflected on how the program has changed over the decades.

“When I grew up, 40 miles away from home was a long way from home,” said the Winchester resident. “Now, 1,000 miles isn’t that far. You get to meet others and know more about the world and what’s going on in the world.”

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Rich Cooley/Daily

Greta Brumback Liskey walks past a row of Stayman apples on Woodbine Farm in Lebanon Church.

Boden said 4-H has given her children an opportunity to travel and meet new people.

Her oldest son, Cody, 17, traveled through Scotland, England and Ireland this summer competing in livestock judging with the rest of his team.

“The sky’s the limit in 4-H,” she said.

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“They might think they’re raising a pig or whatever, but there’s so much more than just raising animals. It’s the responsibility and record keeping and public speaking and just true life skills.”

Contact staff writer Ryan Cornell at 540465-5137 ext. 164, or rcornell@nvdaily.com.

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AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

The Northern Virginia Daily

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014

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Courtesy Jaclyn Roller Ryan

Signal Knob Middle School student Jimmy Jenkins, center, hands litter to Brandon Earles, second from right, and Madison Estep during the school FFA program’s fall Adopt-a-Stream cleanup of the Strasburg Town Run earlier this month.

Agriculture education plants seeds for future of industry

By Josette Keelor STEPHENS CITY — The National FFA Organization teaches a lot more than farming. That’s why area agriscience teachers said the organization plucked “farmers” from its name a long time ago.

Previously called the Future Farmers of America, the 610,240-member organization has grown to offer a more comprehensive agricultural experience for students. Founded 86 years

ago, the organization officially changed its name in 1988.

The change was necessary, said Aylor Middle School agriscience teacher Kim Black.

“We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t change,” she said.

“You used to have to have livestock just to be in the program.”

When Central High School teacher Sherry Heishman started teaching in the mid-1980s, many of

her students lived on farms.

“You were teaching kids to be farmers,” she said.

“You were teaching kids to grow whatever, and that’s not what we’re doing now.”

Today, she said, “There are a lot more opportunities. ... And you don’t have to be a farmer to benefit from what we teach.”

Deeply rooted in the educational system in Frederick and Shenandoah counties, See FUTURE, Page 6

Students in the Signal Knob Middle School FFA program clean up the Strasburg Town Run recently.

Courtesy Jaclyn Roller Ryan

6 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014

AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

tougher, she said.

“That might be why some places shy away from it,” Ryan said. “We’re very forFrom Page 5 tunate around here that we have great FFA formed locally from school agricul- support and we don’t have to fight as tural departments. Though organizahard.” tions like 4-H are community based, Schools sometimes start small — offerthere can be no FFA without a school ing a class here or there using donated agriculture department. Students studyequipment — and although FFA requires ing agriculture-based courses are welmembership dues, Ryan has found comcome but not required to join their munity sponsorship for students who school’s FFA club. can’t afford the money.

Reliant on donations, FFA allows stuAccording to Ryan, the cost of not havdents greater access to school facilities ing an agriculture department is far such as greenhouses, raised garden beds greater. and metal or wood shops.

“We have more opportunities in our proBut an agriculture department requires gram to teach students life skills,” she school and state funding, said Jaclyn Roller Ryan, agriscience teacher at Signal said. These are often skills students don’t learn at home, so “it’s extremely imporKnob Middle School in Strasburg, and a tant.” lack of funding can prevent a school disOf Signal Knob’s 498 total student body, trict from being able to offer an FFA pro250 are in the agriculture program, and gram.

Ryan expects more than 300 by next “It’s easier if you’re building a brand semester. The school’s FFA program has new school and you can advocate to the about 100 members, including those who community,” said Ryan, recently named only have a spring agriculture class.

Virginia Teacher of the Year. But build“They keep joining,” she said. “I mean, I ing an agriculture program in a district with several established schools is can’t keep up with the roster.”

The Northern Virginia Daily

Future

Rich Cooley/Daily

Morgan Kline, 17, secretary of Sherando High School’s FFA, tapes a group of Admiral Byrd Middle School students’ legs together in this exercise to force students to communicate to move as a group.

In Shenandoah County, each school’s department is independent from those of other schools. Heishman has taught vet-

erinary science classes since 2005. Strasburg High School added its veterinary science program the following year and

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AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

The Northern Virginia Daily

burg a couple years later.

“We all try to stay in those career pathways, which are animal science, plant science, mechanics,” Heishman said. “We try to get a little bit of everything.”

Frederick County’s program is the same in all its middle and high schools and includes areas of study like metal fabrications, fisheries and wildlife management, landscaping, floral design, greenhouse production and even leadership, said Sherando agriscience teacher Liz Borst.

“That’s what it’s become now to kind of meet the needs of industry,” she said. This year, the district added veterinary science to its high school programs, building on the middle schools’ small animal care program.

Also a “big plus” for students, Frederick schools offer cooperative education classes and dual enrollment courses with Lord Fairfax Community College, Black said.

“We are really about agriculture literacy,” she said.

And the program becomes more relevant each year. Nationwide, schools have been pushing science, technology, engineering and math education in an attempt to

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014

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FFA members. Nationwide, she said, FFA membership is “the highest it’s ever been.”

FFA activities include monthly meetings, fundraisers, community service projects, state and national conventions and retreats. FFA is “a very, very busy program,” Black said.

Elementary schools aren’t really involved, but that doesn’t stop the higher grades from planting the seed of interest by talking with students about what to expect beginning in sixth grade.

“It’s not about the farmer anymore, it’s about the industry,” Black said. “Two percent of our kids maybe live on a farm.”

“But the industry of agriculture is something like 20 percent,” she said.

Borst agreed: “We encourage them to Rich Cooley/Daily join FFA ‘cause it’s not the Future FarmCailin Orgen, 17, Sherando’s FFA president, leads a team-building exercise ers of America anymore, and the reason is with a group of Admiral Byrd Middle School students in Winchester recently. because it encompasses so much more.”

Contact staff writer Josette Keelor keep up with the level of education other years.” at 540-465-5137, ext. 176, or nations offer, but, according to Black, Countywide, agriculture classes enroll “We’ve been doing that for years and 2,203 students. Of those students, 448 are jkeelor@nvdaily.com.

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AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

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The Northern Virginia Daily

Rich Cooley/Daily

Warren County extension agent Corey Childs, left, discusses cattle and land management choices with Mrs. Charles Abeles, right, owner of Farnley Farms, and her daughter, Damaris Abeles, center, during a recent visit to their farm near White Post.

Extension has provided information, support for a century

By Katie Demeria The Virginia Cooperative Extension has been serving communities since 1914.

For its 100th anniversary, Carol Nansel, 4-H agent in Shenandoah County, went through annual eExtension reports filed between 1923 and 1969. What she found revealed just how vital the extension has been over the past century.

In 1943, community projects included collecting scraps and purchasing bonds for the war effort. In

1939, the extension sponsored engineering programs aimed at increasing wheat acreages to feed soldiers.

“I thought this was so interesting, because it shows how we’re a grassroots organization that can tailor our programs to what the needs are,” Nansel said.

Agents like Nansel, Corey Childs, Mark Sutphin, Bobby Clark and Karen Poff, in offices throughout the Northern Shenandoah Valley, continue to serve

their communities by providing unbiased, researchbased information to residents.

Childs, who is based in the Warren County office, said extension provides foundational programs that help make people’s lives better.

“It encompasses everybody in the community.

There’s not much out there that people have a need for that we don’t have at least some way to address it, or collaborate as a group to

address it,” he said.

The extension works as the connecting unit between communities and research universities such as Virginia Tech or Virginia State University. Not only do they keep residents informed with the most upto-date information, they also inform the universities about what residents need.

Sutphin, who is based in Frederick County and works with local tree growers as the horticulture specialist, noted, “Many of the

programs that we still continue to this day are very similar to those we used to offer, even though the information and the research is always changing.”

Problems and pests frequently change, he said, but the ways in which those issues are addressed stay relatively the same.

The same is true for Nansel in the 4-H unit -the programs have increased due to the introduction of modern technol-

ogy, but largely they offer the same sort of lessons to local youth that they always have: leadership, citizenship and life skills.

Others, however, such as Clark, in the Shenandoah County office, and Poff, in the Warren County office, pointed out that services they provide to the community, while similar in nature to those provided 100 year ago, change on a fairly regular cycle.

Clark specializes in crop and soil sciences. He said

“We’re finding younger individuals who may have lived someplace else come back to the area, and they come to us as a resource.”

COREY CHILDS VIRGINIA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AGENT

AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE he finds himself working in five- to sevenyear cycles on fairly big needs before they become self-sustaining.

“We try to work ourselves out of a job,” Clark said.

Poff has had similar experiences. She works in family and consumer sciences and said she finds herself working in the most pertinent issues facing local residents.

In the middle of her career, she was specializing in child care and parenting. But soon, more and more other agencies started providing similar resources, as they were recognizing the need that the extension was addressing.

From there, she started focusing on financial management, and found her knowledge had to be particularly specialized. With the downturn in the economy, many people had access to their own research tools to understand basic financial information. What Poff was able to provide were answers to complex financial questions.

“We change and adapt as the needs of the community change and as society changes, so we can always have our finger on the pulse of the community and know

what needs to be addressed to solve future issues as well,” Poff said.

Childs pointed out that the biggest change the extension has seen in its 100 years is a growing gap between people and the agriculture industry. In the beginning, he said, many people had some tie to agriculture, and thus a tie to the extension.

In the past few decades, however, more people have moved away, causing the extension to work harder to reach them and provide their research-based information.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014

“We’re starting to see that come back full circle,” Childs added. “We’re finding younger individuals who may have lived someplace else come back to the area, and they come to us as a resource.”

The work the extension provides, Clark said, can help answer questions that society as a whole brings up, providing the factual information needed.

“We give them knowledge that empowers them to achieve their goals,” Clark said.

Learn more by visiting the extension’s website at http://www.ext.vt.edu.

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AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

The Northern Virginia Daily

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AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

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USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

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AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

The Northern Virginia Daily

1982

Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 $2,500 to $4,999 $5,000 to $9,999 $10,000 to $39,999 $40,000 to $99,000 $100,000 or more

233 106 109 102 40 26

262 159 157 202 56 84

92 56 38 37 14 4

1992

Warren

Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 $2,500 to $4,999 $5,000 to $9,999 $10,000 to $24,999 $25,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $99,000 $100,000 or more

154 103 99 85 35 17 43

193 144 175 145 44 30 101

62 37 38 41 16 7 6

2002

Shenandoah

Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 $2,500 to $4,999 $5,000 to $9,999 $10,000 to $24,999 $25,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $99,000 $100,000 or more

302 107 118 108 34 11 40

352 141 153 149 53 43 98

166 52 64 40 27 3 9

2012

Frederick

Farms by value of sales: Less than $2,500 $2,500 to $4,999 $5,000 to $9,999 $10,000 to $24,999 $25,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $99,000 $100,000 or more

276 73 98 106 60 31 37

283 122 152 159 90 27 147

164 41 56 29 31 16 9

USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

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The Northern Virginia Daily

VIRGINIA AGRICULTURE FACTS AND FIGURES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014

13

VIRGINIA FARM PROFILE • Virginia has more than 46,000 farms.

Production agriculture employs nearly 55,000 farmers and workers in Virginia and generates approximately $3.3 billion in total output. In addition, value-added industries, those that depend on farm commodities, employ more than 67,000 workers. When the value-added impact of agriculture and forestry are considered together, they make up 8.1 percent of the state’s total gross domestic product.

In addition to its tangible benefits such as cash receipts and jobs, agriculture provides many intangible benefits. These include recreation, tourism, wildlife habitat, biodiversity, flood mitigation, improved water quality and soil stabilization.

• The typical Virginia farmer is 59.5 years old. Thirty-six percent of farmers are 65 years of age or older.

• The average farm size is 181 acres.

• Farms cover 8.3 million acres, or 33 percent of Virginia’s total land area of 25.3 million acres.

• Approximately 17 percent of Virginia’s primary farm operators are female.

• The market value of Virginia agriculture products sold in 2012 was $3.75 billion.

• Nearly 90 percent of Virginia farms are owned and operated by individuals or families.

• In the 1960s one farmer supplied food for 25.8 persons in the U.S. and abroad. Today, one farmer supplies food for 155 people in the U.S. and abroad.

• Less than 16¢ of every consumer dollar spent on food actually goes to the farmer.

248298e

Agriculture is Virginia’s largest industry by far, with nothing else coming a close second. The industry has an economic impact of $52 billion annually and provides nearly 311,000 jobs in the commonwealth. The industries of agriculture and forestry together have a total economic impact of $70 billion and provide more than 400,000 jobs in the commonwealth.

Every job in agriculture and forestry supports 1.6 jobs elsewhere in Virginia’s economy.

Source: 2012 USDA census and survey data from NASS and the Economic Research Service

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The Northern Virginia Daily

EQUINE ECONOMIC IMPACT SUMMARY Horses are big business in Virginia. According to a 2011 survey, the value of all equines in the state is $1.2 billion. There are 215,000 horses in the Virginia and some 41,000 horse operations.

• Horse owners spend $873 million annually on horse-related expenses — including feed and bedding (the largest area of expense), boarding, training, tack, capital improvements, and labor. These expenses average out to $4,060 per horse.

• The industry generated more than 16,000 jobs in 2010 in Virginia with the greatest effects in the agriculture and ag services sectors, and a lesser effect in the areas of trade and construction. The largest areas of economic impact continue to be in Northern Virginia. More than 1,600 jobs in Fauquier and Loudoun are horse related.

• The horse industry in Virginia generates $65.3 million in state and local taxes. More than 50 percent of that figure represents state taxes.

• Nearly 1,200 horse shows and events were held in Virginia in 2010 — generating $25 million in revenue. Some 939,000 people attended Virginia horse shows and competitions last year. Out of state participants spent an average of $3,100 per event per “travel party.”

• Horses are the eighth largest agricultural commodity in Virginia according to cash receipts and Virginia ranks 12th in the nation for numbers of horses.

• According to the Census of Ag Statistics, while the number of farms in Virginia decreased between 1997-2007, the number of farms with horses actually increased (from 10,972 to 13,520) during that same period—offsetting a more significant decline in farms.

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Statistics are from the March 2011 economic impact study of the Virginia horse industry conducted by Dr. Terance Rephann of the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service and funded by the Virginia Horse Industry Board. Additional figures are from the 2006 U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Ag Statistics Service Virginia Equine Survey (partially funded by the Virginia Horse Industry Board).

AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

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The Shoppes at Mauzy Browse our beautiful displays featuring Sylvia’s Fun & Eclectic Collection of Old & New! • Home Decor • Gifts • Elderly Things of Charm & Grace • Handmade Wares • Vintage Jewelery • Linens • Faux Florals & more!

Start shopping on our facebook page... lots of pictures!

There are Treasures to Discover! www.shoppesatmauzy.com Exit 257 off I-81, Rt. 11 S - 100 yards past traffic light

540-896-9867

Open Mon-Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5

10559 N Valley Pike, Broadway

Home of Turner Hams

Featured in the Oct. 2014 Issue of SAVEUR Magazine Come see what our FRIED HAM FRIDAY is all about!

Holiday Open House Nov. 7-9

You’ll be delighted... This wonderful old stagecoach inn along Rt. 11 has room after room filled to the brim!

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Specializing in Northern & Southern Italian Cuisine Award Winning NVD Best Of in Shen. Co. 2012 and VA Living Magazine

Enjoy your complimentary 10% OFF Monday - Thursday (alcohol not included) Gift Certificates Available • 125 S. Main St., Edinburg (I-81 Exit 279) 540-984-9300 • www.salsitalianbistro.com

@ THE FARMHOUSE

FROM EVERYDAY TO GOURMET

FEATURING: Virginia Products Local arts & crafts • The best coffee in the Valley Virginia wine & craft beers (we have almost 70 Va. Wines) Local meat, eggs & cheese • Kegs for sale, and so much more Now taking orders for local, hormone-free

TURKEYS

$

3.89/lb. frozen 4.39/lb. fresh

$

125 N. Main St., Woodstock • 540-459-9006 allthingsva.com • Open 10-5, Sun. 12-5, Closed Tues.

Specialty Hot & Cold Drinks Frappes • Fruit Smoothies Locally Crafted Teas Bagels, Croissants, Muffins, Pastries & Omelet Croissants!

NEW! Now serving lunch sandwiches!

Located on the 1st floor in the historic Lee-Jackson building in downtown New Market

9386 S CONGRESS ST. NEW MARKET, VA Complimentary Wi-Fi Internet Access Open Mon.-Sat. 8-3

(540) 740-9010

SMH Auxiliary Shenandoah Memorial Hospital

ANNUAL HOLIDAY BAZA AR NOVEMBER 8, 2014 • 9:00AM TO 3:30PM Fairgrounds Exhibit Building • Breakfast & Lunch by Shawn Rutz Bake Sale, Hourly Door Prizes, Crafts, Kettlecorn

F R E E A D M I S S I O N

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Jackson’s Corner Cafe

16 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014

AGRICULTURE: BRING IT TO THE TABLE

The Northern Virginia Daily

The Virginia Club Calf Producers wants to Welcome you to Our 10th Anniversary Celebration

The 2015 VCCP Winter Classic and the 2015 Eastern Elite Production Sale January 30, 31, and February 1, 2015 at the

Rockingham County Fairgrounds Harrisonburg, Virginia FRIDAY, JANUARY 30 4-9 p.m. Check In SATURDAY, JANUARY 31 7-8:30 a.m. Check In 8:30-10 a.m. Stock Show University Educational Clinic, and 4 man-team fitting competition hosted by Stock Show University, and Sullivan Supply.

Cash Prizes will be awarded.

Any interested vendors, please contact Dennis George at 540-335-4500 www.virginiaclubcalfproducers.com

11:30 a.m. Approximately Heifer Show begins 6:30 p.m. Eastern Elite Production Sale at Panos Restaurant Ball Room in Harrisonburg, VA. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1 8-9:30 a.m. Kirk Stierwalt Fitting Demo 10 a.m. Steer show begins

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Please come out and join us as we celebrate 10 years of the VCCP!

10 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. Opening Ceremonies including Live Auction Items, Winning Scholarship announcements, Fundraiser for the Scholarship fund, Announcements, Clinic by Honor Show Chow, Giveaways.