FBN Nov 2016

Farm Bureau News Since

75

th 1941

in print

NOVEMBER 2016

VAFARMBUREAU.ORG

Farms are go-to for fall family fun, field trips

Farm Bureau News

Volume 75, Number 4 November 2016

16

Features 16

Farms are the go-to for fall family fun, field trips

The lure of affordable family fun drives Virginians to many a fall agritourism operation. Two operators share their great pumpkin stories.

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Partnerships helping farmers market products

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Collaborative efforts in Albemarle, Nelson and Amherst counties are helping get local farm products to large-scale buyers and consumers who want local fruits and vegetables.

“The No. 1 thing we do is try to make everything around here as safe as possible.”

— BARRY IROLER, Blue Ridge Pumpkins, Carroll County

Departments 6 Viewing Virginia

Producer members will receive their next issue of Virginia Farm Bureau News in January. The magazine will be published quarterly this year.

Members — Address change? If your address or phone number has changed, or is about to change, contact your county Farm Bureau. They will update your membership and subscription information.

All advertising is accepted subject to the publisher’s approval. Advertisers must assume liability for the content of their advertising. The publisher maintains the right to cancel advertising for nonpayment or reader complaints about services or products. The publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised.

Member: Virginia Press Association

Greg Hicks Vice President, Communications Pam Wiley Managing Editor Kathy Dixon Staff Writer/Assistant Editor Sara Owens Staff Writer/Photographer Pat Hooten Graphic Designer Maria La Lima Graphic Designer Claire Mills Advertising

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

Officers Wayne F. Pryor, President

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For Your Benefit

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Heart of the Home

Board of Directors

Marketplace

Emily Edmondson 1 Tazewell Richard L. Sutherland 2 Grayson Evelyn H. Janney 3 Floyd Gordon R. Metz 4 Henry Russell L. Williams II 5 Rockbridge Peter A. Truban 6 Shenandoah Thomas E. Graves 7 Orange Leigh H. Pemberton 8 Hanover William F. Osl Jr. 9 Cumberland Robert J. Mills Jr. 10 Pittsylvania J. M. Jenkins Jr. 11 Lunenburg W. Ellis Walton 12 Middlesex M. L. Everett Jr. 13 Southampton David L. Hickman 14 Accomack Janice R. Burton * Halifax Grant A. Coffee ** Lunenburg

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PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

Postmaster: Please send changes of address to, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Farm Bureau News, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261-7552; fax 804-290-1096. Editorial and business offices are located at 12580 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA 23238. Telephone 804-290-1000, fax 804-290-1096. Email virginiafarmbureaunews@vafb.com. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

EDITORIAL TEAM

Cooperative effort nurturing longleaf pine restoration

Restoration of the once-nearly extinct Virginia longleaf pine “took a quantum leap forward” after stakeholders organized their efforts.

KATHY DIXON

Virginia Farm Bureau News (USPS 017-763) (ISSN 1525-528X) is published four times a year. January, April, September, November.

It is published by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, 12580 West Creek Parkway, Richmond, VA 23238. Periodicals postage rate is paid in Richmond, VA. The annual Subscription Rate is $1.42 (included in membership dues).

ON THE COVER Pumpkins make it easy to spot fall agritourism operations (Photo by Kathy Dixon).

Scott E. Sink, Vice President DIRECTOR

DISTRICT COUNTY

*Women’s Committee Chairman **Young Farmers Committee Chairman

Save the Date!

From the Ground Up: Growth of a Modern Farm Bureau will debut at convention Founders officially chartered Virginia Farm Bureau Federation in 1926. It has gone through myriad changes since its inception. The organization’s first 56 years, to mid-1982, were chronicled by the late J. Hiram Zigler, a former VFBF information director, in The Virginia Farm Bureau Story: Growth of a Grassroots Organization.

From the Ground Up: Growth of a Modern Farm Bureau Thirty-four years have passed since that work was published, and things have changed dramatically.

Picking up where Zigler’s extensive work stopped, and continuing through part of 2016, is From the Ground Up: Growth of a Modern Farm Bureau, written by Greg Hicks, current VFBF vice president of communications.

The new publication will be available for purchase Nov. 28 and 29 at the 2016 VFBF Annual Convention in Hot Springs. The 168-page hardback coffee table book also will be available at major booksellers and at www. dementimilestonepublishing.com/from-the-ground-up.

From the Ground Up “is a hybrid history-celebration work, as it follows the state organization’s meteoric growth and successes over the past three-and-a-half decades,” Hicks said.

The book includes chapters on the five most recent state Farm Bureau presidents, numerous photos of staff and members at various Farm Bureau events, listings of various award winners, and many other highlights. Dementi Milestone Publishing Inc. of Goochland County is printing the book.

Hicks has used much of his spare time over the past two-and-a-half years to research old files, the Virginia Farm Bureau News archives and other documents, and he’s interviewed a number of retired and current staff and VFBF board members. “Members and staff have provided me with a lot of great information that made this writing possible,” he said. “I’ve also lived much of what has happened here since 1987, so that helped as well.”

Virginia Farm Bureau

1982–2016

Greg Hicks

Drive-through light show will again brighten visitors’ holidays Dazzling lights and festive music will take over The Meadow Event Park once again this holiday season. Illuminate Light Show & Santa’s Village will take place Nov. 18 through Jan. 1, 2017, at the venue on state Route 30 in Caroline County.

Illuminate Light Show is Central Virginia’s largest drive-through light show, with nearly a million LED lights synchronized to music played through visitors’ car radios. Santa’s Village will offer shopping opportunities, children’s activities and visits with Santa. For more information visit IlluminateLightShow.com.

65,000 Agricultural acres in the Chesapeake Bay watershed that are covered by Virginia Resource Management Plans. The plans are part of a 2-year-old state program under which farmers voluntarily use best management practices to protect soil and water resources (See related article on Page 6).

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

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A look back: With WWII on nation’s doorstep, extra efforts asked of farmers Virginia Farm Bureau News marked 75 years in print this past February, just months before the United States declared war against Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Like many other periodicals of the time, Farm Bureau News in the second half of 1941 carried news of the war overseas—and its implications for farms at home.

An editorial titled “Milk and Munitions!” in the Oct. 15 issue noted how, nationwide, “our people are marshalling every effort in strengthening our national defenses and in aiding ourselves by supporting the British in their heroic efforts to stem the tide of ruthlessness and greed.

“American agriculture has been called upon to play its part in this great struggle, and its role is of greatest importance. It is food that will win the war for the nations resisting Hitler, and by the same token it is food that will dictate the terms of the peace.”

Milk producers in particular “have been asked to increase production materially. In the drive to build our National Defense, and in the battle for democracy, milk is a weapon just as much as munitions.”

1941

in print

Homegrown holiday spirit

A Southern States Cooperative ad in the Oct. 15, 1941, issue of Virginia Farm Bureau News encouraged dairy farm operators to step up production.

The rapid-growing legume was used for erosion control, and “Until recently Japan furnished the United States with its supply of kudzu seed. Now that the

That same issue encouraged families to turn natural materials gathered on their farms into holiday decorations.

“Has it ever occurred to you,” an article asked, “that too much of your Christmas money has, in former years, been spent for gaudy colored rope, tinsel, icicles, red and silver balls and other articles from the dime store? This year Uncle Sam is asking that we do not buy luxuries, thus releasing the labor necessary to produce them for more important defense projects.”

Readers were encouraged to take a “very invigorating” trip into their fields and woods in search of evergreen boughs, berries, mosses, cattails and other foliage. One suggested decoration for a door was “a market basket filled with branches of rhododendron and white pine, with a few red apples tucked into the foliage.”

Explore Farm Bureau’s history Through a partnership with the Library of Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has been able to make back issues of Virginia Farm Bureau News available online as part of the Virginia Newspaper Project.

Issues published between February 1941 and January 2000 are available online at no cost with all images and search capability at digitalvirginianewspapers.com.

Issues published in the past several years can be viewed on issuu.com.

In the Dec. 15 issue, the state’s farmers were notified of an opportunity to sell kudzu seed to the Soil Conservation Service. That agency, an article noted, “is in the market for several thousand pounds of kudzu seed for which it will pay the market price. … Cleaned kudzu seed on today’s market is bringing around $1 a pound.”

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

th

war has cut off this supply, it appears that we shall have to depend on our own resources.”

Interruption of an import

4

Since

75

Convention speakers include new American Farm Bureau president, seasoned political analyst

“Growing for the Greater Good” is the theme of the 2016 Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention.

The event will be held Nov. 28 through Dec. 1 at The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs. Featured speakers include American Farm Bureau Federation President Vincent “Zippy” Duvall and political analyst Dr. Robert Holsworth.

Duvall, a poultry, cattle and hay producer from Greene County, Ga., was elected to serve as the AFBF’s 12th president in January. He will address convention participants during the opening Commodity Luncheon and give an update on AFBF’s accomplishments and anticipated challenges.

Holsworth is a managing principal of DecideSmart and a former director of the Center for Public Policy and the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. On Nov. 30

County Farm Bureau delegates (above) and other members will gather Nov. 28 through Dec. 1 at The Omni Homestead Resort.

he will talk about implications of this month’s elections for rural Virginia and agriculture.

Two educational conferences will be held the afternoon of Nov. 29.

“Ears Wide Open” will be a panel discussion about the disconnect between consumers and farmers. In

this era of 24/7 media, consumers have access to misinformation about agriculture and are quick to share.

Panelists will provide suggestions on how to help close the producerconsumer gap. Panelist Lauren Arbogast of Rockingham County is a former award-winning teacher who works for Vivayic as a learning designer, creating agriculture-related educational experiences for clients. She is involved in her family’s farming operation and blogs at paintthetownag.com. Panelist Jesse Martin, also of Rockingham County, is a producer and broadcaster for On The Farm Radio, which broadcasts to more than 9 million listeners and 230,000 farming operations six days a week.

“Feed Directive Facts & Pollinator Plan,” will explain changes in antibiotic feed use and plans to increase state protection of pollinating insects, especially honey bees. Dr. Bruce Bowman, a field veterinarian for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, will talk about a new antibiotic feed directive that takes effect Jan. 1, 2017, and how producers can ensure they are in compliance. Liza Trossbach, program manager for the VDACS Office of Pesticide Services, will share information on Virginia’s Pollinator Protection Plan, which focuses on enhanced communication among farmers, landowners, pesticide applicators and beekeepers.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe has been invited to address county Farm Bureau delegates and other participants at the convention. The event will conclude with the election of officers and four state-level directors.

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

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Viewing Virginia

Steady increase in resource management plans outpaces program expectations

V

irginia’s Resource Management Plan program, which entered its third year in July, continues to enroll farmers in an effort to track conservation practices in the commonwealth’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Since Virginia launched the program, 320 plans have been developed. Created in the interest of meeting bay cleanup goals, the program encourages farmers to voluntarily increase their use of agricultural best management practices and documents their existing practices.

The plans cover more than 65,000 acres in the bay watershed and include more than 2,100 BMPs to protect soil and water resources. Sixty farm owners and operators are participating.

“The Resource Management Plan program gives farmers a great opportunity to receive credit for their conservation efforts and to educate the nonfarming community on the water quality benefits agriculture provides,” explained Scott Ambler, Department of Conservation and Recreation resource management program coordinator.

DCR manages the program in partnership with Virginia’s 47 soil and water conservation districts.

Individual RMPs document farmers’ roles in keeping the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries healthy. The plans must cover the minimum standards for nutrient management, stream buffers, livestock exclusion and soil conservation. Once a plan is approved and its practices implemented, a farm is deemed to be in compliance with state nutrient and sediment standards for the next nine years.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Practices to protect soil and water resources on farmland continue to be documented with Virginia Resource Management Plans.

Expectations “far exceeded” “We are very pleased with the progress of the RMP program. In these first two years since the program started in 2014, we have far exceeded our initial expectations for RMP signup and development. Going forward, we anticipate more focus on RMP implementation and certification by participating farmers,” said Darryl Glover, director of DCR’s Division of Soil and Water Conservation.

Wilmer Stoneman, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation associate director of governmental relations, noted that better tracking of BMPs gives decision-makers more accurate data to determine funding needs for agricultural cost-share and other incentive programs.

“Other than participation in state or federal cost-share programs, RMPs offer the only comprehensive way for farmers to demonstrate water quality improvements to the government— and to do so on their own terms by voluntary implementation,” Stoneman said. “Farmers are doing more than their share to continue bay improvement. RMPs offer critical proof of this success story.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Landowners who want more information on the Resource Management Plan program can visit dcr.virginia.gov/soil-and-water/ rmp or contact any soil and water conservation district office.

Viewing Virginia

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recently redesigned the Virginia Farm Link website and database at vafarmlink.org to better facilitate connections between farm owners and those interested in farming.

The Virginia Farm Link database was released online in 2008. After reviewing feedback from users, VDACS determined that a certification process was needed to help farm seekers better demonstrate their qualifications and commitment to farm owners. The agency partnered with Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition to create the Certified Farm Seekers, or CFS, program.

Farm seekers who have completed the program will be the only farm seekers highlighted on the new site’s interactive map, which shows the location of farm owners and certified farm seekers. The site also provides registered users with access to individual member profiles that better highlight a user’s farm or, in the case of a Certified Farm Seeker, farming experience and a farm business plan.

Farm seekers interested in becoming certified can download and complete the CFS application at vafarmlink. org and send it to CFS Coordinator Katie Myer at certifiedfarmseekers@ gmail.com. Certified Farm Seekers have access to one-on-one matching assistance from VDACS and can apply for a one-time cost-share of up to 75 percent of reimbursable costs associated with their farm operations.

The limit is $500.

There is no cost to Virginia Farm Link program users. Program costs are covered, in part, by funding from the Virginia agriculture license plate.

KATHY DIXON

VDACS debuts major redesign to online database connecting farm owners with qualified farm seekers

Farm Bureau hosts discussion on shaping agriculture’s future More than 100 students from Longwood University and surrounding high schools participated in a Sept. 15 Collegiate Farm-to-Table Agriculture Education dinner at Longwood. Moderator Dr. Martha Walker (background, at lectern) and panelists (from left) Matt Lohr, Lindsay Reames, Chris Van Vlack and Dr. Megan Seibel took part in a discussion on “Shaping the Future of Agriculture Together.” Students submitted essays based on ideas they gleaned from the discussion, and winners of an essay contest were invited to attend the nation’s only Vice Presidential Debate on Oct. 4 at Longwood.

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

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Viewing Virginia

Organizers plant seeds for Virginia Farmer Veteran Coalition chapter The Farmer Veteran Coalition of America, which helps re-train veterans to become farmers, is forming a chapter in Virginia as part of a nationwide expansion.

In Virginia, John Fant, a retired U.S. Army colonel who co-owns and operates Summerfield Heritage Farm in Grayson County, is working to connect veterans with agricultural information and resources by serving as one of the chapter’s organizers.

“When I transitioned out of the military, no one talked to me about the opportunities in agriculture,” Fant explained. “Yet we know that many veterans have skills that are critical to success in agriculture. As a veteran and a farmer, I see the opportunities for veterans in helping to feed our nation.”

Fant is working with stakeholders to take the first steps of forming a Virginia chapter. Organizational meetings will be held in different parts of the state starting in December.

New display introduces travelers to state’s farm commodities Because agriculture is everywhere in Virginia, the Mecklenburg County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee recently presented a colorful map to the Virginia Welcome Center on Interstate 85 South at Bracey to familiarize visitors with the state’s different agricultural regions.

The interactive map highlights the state’s top 20 agricultural Local students checked out the newly installed commodities. It was produced agriculture map. in partnership with Virginia’s Agriculture in the Classroom program and will be a permanent display in the welcome center.

“When visitors come into Virginia from North Carolina, this is the first welcome center they see,” explained Betty Upton, chairman of the county Farm Bureau women’s committee.

More than 147,000 travelers visit the Welcome Center at Bracey each year, said Tourism Relations Manager Alice Vaughan. “Agritourism is becoming more popular, and people want to know where products come from.”

Tammy Maxey, senior education manager for Virginia AITC, explained that the AITC program, the Mecklenburg County Farm Bureau and Virginia Farm Bureau worked together to develop the map, which was funded by donations from Virginia Grown, Mecklenburg Farm Bureau and other partners.

For Mecklenburg Farm Bureau President Irvin Matthews, it is a project that has come full circle. Matthews worked on construction of Interstate 85 in 1964 as a supervisor of ground forces for Talbott-Marks Co. He oversaw the groundwork for the location where the welcome center was built.

Now he is excited to see the growth of markets for agricultural products in Virginia. “This map will help promote agriculture in Virginia tourism,” he said. “Now travelers will be able to see what we produce.”

Tobacco, broilers, milk are Virginia’s leading organic products To learn more about the coalition, visit facebook.com/ farmerveterancoalition, email Fant at jsfant64@gmail.com or email Kim Niewolny of the Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition at niewolny@vt.edu.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Tobacco is the leading organic product in Virginia, the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced Sept. 16, citing survey findings of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The 2015 Certified Organic Production Report is based on a NASS survey that queried all known USDA-certified organic farms in Virginia earlier this year.

In 2015 Virginia’s USDA-certified organic farms sold $49.1 million in organically produced commodities.

Tobacco sales totaled $18.7 million, or 38 percent of all organic sales. Broilers and milk followed with $9.5 million and $7.2 million, respectively. Vegetables and other crops rounded out the top five. Average sales were $353,209 per farm.

Virginia had 139 certified organic farms last year.

VA FAIRS helping market direct sales software across state

T

he Virginia Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation and Rural Sustainability, also known as VA FAIRS, has received a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant to help market Lulus Local Food, an innovative sales and marketing tool for farmers and food hubs.

Using secure cloud-based Lulus software, farmers can make sales directly to individuals or through local food hubs.

Numerous individual farms and about six food hubs currently use the software product.

“The software allows farmers and businesses to get started or to grow their program,” explained Molly Harris, who created Lulus Local Food with the help of VA FAIRS in 2008.

Chris Cook, VA FAIRS executive director, said the grant is allowing the foundation to market the program across the state. “We chose to work with Molly Harris, who knows the program well. It’s a great program, and now we’re able to do something we haven’t been able to before, which is market the program that we helped

Molly Harris created Lulus Local Food in 2008 with assistance from VA FAIRS.

create, so it’s very exciting.”

Cook and Harris said they are focused on marketing Lulus Local Food in south Central Virginia, Southside, the southwestern part of the state and the Shenandoah Valley as another way to promote access to local foods.

“The growth of this program allows fundamental change to take place in how food is sourced in local communities,” Harris said. “We’re hoping to see an increase in direct marketing sales, especially in areas

that may not have access to local foods. The software allows farmers or direct marketers to have an online inventory, and it is very easy to update and manage.”

Additionally, the software processes card payments, collects sales tax and provides financial reporting.

Cook said it helps promote local food and product sales year-round, especially during months when many farmers’ markets traditionally are closed.

“We hope this will help increase employment in the areas where Lulus is used and become an economic development driver,” he said. “We look forward to connecting consumers and locally grown products through the use of this software.”

The software has no initial cost for individual farms. Anyone interested in creating a food hub or farmers’ market can obtain a license to launch their online sales program; Harris will help get them started.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? For more information on Lulus Local Food, contact Molly Harris at molly.harris@vafb.com.

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

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Partnerships help farmers market their products

FOOD Hub

Collaborative efforts in Albemarle, Nelson and Amherst counties are helping get local farm products to large-scale buyers and consumers with an interest in area fruits and farms ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON

T

he Albemarle County-based Local Food Hub is important to many local farmers’ bottom lines.

“We are grateful to have a buyer like Local Food Hub,” said Daniel Malcolm, co-owner of Malcolms Market Garden.

He and his wife, Ashley, started the business four years ago and immediately signed up with the food hub. “If it weren’t for them, we would have to work harder to sell to more wholesale buyers, so they make it easier to sell more product.”

In addition to selling their fruits and vegetables at the Staunton Farmers’ Market and through their communitysupported agriculture business, Malcolm sells produce directly to the food hub.

He is one of about 60 farmers who rely on the nonprofit group to market and distribute their products. Others turn to the food hub for training and certification. And still others use the food hub to get their produce into schools and hospitals.

Local foods help community

The hub works by aggregating supplies from multiple growers to create its own regional food system.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

It buys food from farmers and then distributes it from a 3,000-squarefoot warehouse in Ivy. It offers Virginia-grown fruits and vegetables, frozen meats, eggs, honey, grains and value-added products to more than 200 customers in Virginia, Maryland and Washington. The hub assumes liability and traceability for the products, allowing farmers to focus on raising food.

The food hub also provides free training and technical assistance for its farmers, whose operations range in size from 1 acre to more than 200.

Laura Brown, the food hub’s communications director, said some of Malcolm’s produce is used for their direct-to-consumer programs like the Fresh Farmacy program.

The Fresh Farmacy is a collaboration between the food hub and local health clinics. Health workers “prescribe” fresh fruits and vegetables for their patients, and the food hub provides those products.

Hub links farms with institutions

The nonprofit organization grew out of a community discussion that identified a need for greater links between small family farms and institutions seeking

Heirloom tomatoes were among goods packed in Local Food Hub boxes this past summer and shipped to area grocery stores.

local food. Schools, hospitals and other businesses found it challenging to access a consistent supply of local produce and were looking for one number to call to source food locally.

“We are here to help farmers get their food to markets and to get paid a fair price,” Brown said.

The food hub started in 2009 with 10 farmers and about $100,000 in sales. Today, they partner with about 70 farmers and value-added producers and have about $1.5 million in sales annually, Brown said. Participating farmers are certified organic and conventional, orchardists and valueadded producers. Some are new to farming, and others are seasoned veterans.

In addition to Brown, there are 12 staff members, including an executive director, a warehouse manager, three warehouse associates and a board of directors.

Fruit Loop Trail gives marketing edge to Blue Ridge orchardists Orchards work together

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON

W

hile Kellogg’s Froot Loops’ mascot, Toucan Sam, encouraged cereal eaters to follow their noses, the Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism is encouraging people to follow a trail of farmers growing more than a dozen varieties of fruit.

The Blue Ridge Fruit Loop Trail includes 11 orchards in Nelson and Amherst counties that offer a variety of apples, blueberries and blackberries, nectarines, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries, wine, mead and more.

Visitors may also find plum-like damson fruits, pluots—a cross between apricots and plums—and Asian pears.

“It only took 13 years to get this started,” said Maureen Kelley, Nelson director of economic development.

She noted that the amount of farmland in production in Nelson County has actually increased over the past 10 years, even when other localities were losing farm acreage. “We’re always trying to figure out how to support our agri-artisans.”

Fruit added to list of Va. trails

Tommy Bruguiere, co-owner of Dickie Brothers Orchard, said the trail “gives us a marketing tool to increase our retail dollars.”

He and his brother, John, grow 100 acres of apples, peaches, plums and damsons that they sell wholesale and in their retail store. Enticing people to the area as part of a specialty trail is helping to increase the number of visitors who come to pick their own

Honeycrisp apples like these at Drumheller’s Orchard are available in August and September.

fruits or buy pre-picked produce.

“The message of the trail is that there is fruit from the end of May all the way into November, not just in October,” Kelley said. All of the farms are within a 50-mile radius. And people who visit all 11 farms can enter a drawing for a weekend getaway.

Not too far from Dickie Brothers is Drumheller’s Orchard, which dates to 1937, when E.O. and Eva Drumheller bought the 446-acre abandoned orchard and replanted peaches and apples. Today, Doris Drumheller owns the orchard with her son, Kevin, who runs the operation with his daughter, Morgan Drumheller-Johnston. When Kelley contacted them about joining the fruit loop trail, “we were up for it,” Drumheller-Johnston said. “The breweries and wineries have trails, so why not fruit growers?”

Drumheller-Johnston said the fruit loop trail has been a good way for the county’s orchards to collaborate. “If someone’s looking for damsons and we don’t have them, we’ll tell them which (fruit loop) farm does. It’s beneficial for everybody to work together.”

Kimberly Pugh, co-owner of Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery, said she used to worry about competition from other local wineries but has found that more tourists come to the area because there are so many options.

Hill Top was started as a pick-yourown berry farm by Pugh’s parents, and she and her husband, Gregory, started the winery in 1998. They grow 7 acres of blackberries and 4 acres of blueberries that they use in their fruit wines.

“There are adults who come to taste wine who say their parents used to come here to pick the berries. We stay busy,” she said, thanks in part to the fruit loop trail.

The farmers on the trail just want people to visit the area and enjoy all that it has to offer, Bruguiere said.

“Make a day of it, or even a weekend.

We have plenty of B&Bs that will make your adventure to Nelson County and the fruit loop all the more worthwhile.”

Local Food Hub localfoodhub.org

Blue Ridge Fruit Loop Trail blueridgefruitloop.net

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

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FRUIT Loop

The Blue Ridge Fruit Loop Trail includes 11 orchards in Nelson and Amherst counties

Peach trees like the ones at Drumheller’s Orchard thrive in the cooler temperatures of Nelson County.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Member FDIC

Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom awards 44 grants for school projects Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom awarded more than $18,000 in grant funding to 44 schools and other education programs in 35 localities through its grant program for the 2016-2017 school year.

Grants ranged from $250 to $500 and will help fund programs that teach students about agriculture in a school or special event setting. Projects supported are expected to reach an estimated 12,000 youth.

“Grants are a way to provide children with hands-on experience and learn about where their food comes from, ranging from a farm day at school to creating a learning garden,” said Tammy Maxey, Virginia AITC senior education manager. “Additionally children learn about the variety of career opportunities needed to feed their community and the world.”

To learn more about educational activities available through Virginia AITC, visit AgInTheClass.org.

2016-2017 Virginia AITC Grant Recipients • Albemarle County – Agnor-Hurt Elementary School, Walton Middle School, Western Albemarle High School • Amelia County – Amelia Elementary School, Amelia Middle School • Appomattox County – Appomattox Elementary School, Appomattox High School • Arlington – Patrick Henry Elementary School • Caroline County – Bowling Green Elementary School • Charlottesville – Cale Elementary School • Chesterfield County – O.B. Gates Elementary School, Woolridge Elementary School • Clarke County – D.G. Cooley Elementary School • Fairfax – Mark Twain Middle School

New commodity specialist to assist with Grain Division Emily King joined the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Commodity/ Marketing Department in August as a commodity specialist.

KING She will be assisting the federation’s Grain Division and working with commodity advisory committees and industry partners.

King, who grew up in Suffolk, holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and applied economics from Virginia Tech. She previously worked as a grain originator for The Scoular Co. in Richmond.

• Halifax County – Halifax High School, South Boston Elementary School

• Northampton County – Kiptopeke Elementary School • Northumberland County – Northumberland 4-H • Page County – Luray Middle School • Newport News – Hampton Roads Academy • Reston – Al Fatih Academy • Pulaski County – Riverlawn Elementary School • Richmond – Elkhardt-Thompson Middle School, J.L. Francis Elementary School, Mary Scott Regional Preschool, Riverlawn Elementary School, St. Catherine’s School • Richmond County – Richmond Elementary School • Roanoke – James Madison Middle School • Rockbridge County – Maury River Middle School

• Hampton – Spratley Gifted Center

• Southampton County – Virginia Cooperative Extension

• Hanover County – Beaverdam Elementary School

• Stafford County – Brooke Pointe High School

• Henrico County – Arthur Ashe Jr. Elementary School

• Staunton – Riverheads High School

• Henry County – Sanville Elementary School • Highland County – Highland Elementary School • Loudoun County – Hillside Elementary School • Montgomery County – Christiansburg Elementary School

SM

• Suffolk – Pioneer Elementary School • Virginia Beach – North Landing Elementary School • Washington County – Glade Spring Middle School • Waynesboro – Kate Collins Middle School •W estmoreland County – Washington District Elementary School

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

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Workers collect cones from a native Virginia longleaf pine to provide seedlings for the state’s restoration efforts.

Flowering of longleaf pines (right) is critical to the Virginia Longleaf Pine Cooperators Group’s restoration work.

Cooperative effort drives restoration of eco-friendly longleaf pine in Virginia

BY CLAIRE MILLS

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

T

he longleaf pine was once the most common tree on the uplands of Southeast Virginia. The towering trees were nearly eliminated a century ago, but they are making a gradual comeback thanks to the Virginia Department of Forestry and its partners.

“Before the European settlement, there were between 1 million and 1.5 million acres of longleaf pine forests in Virginia. By 1990, there were fewer than 200 individual longleaf pine trees remaining that could be confidently determined to be native, or originating from parent trees located in Virginia,” said Research Program Manager Jerre Creighton at the Virginia Department of Forestry.

“Today, even after decades of planting and recent increased focus on restoration, there are less than 10,000—and many of those acres are planted with seedlings originating outside Virginia,” Creighton said.

One of the first forest exports from the New World was longleaf pine in the form of ship masts, turpentine, tar and pitch. An estimated 90 million acres of longleaf forests in the early United States were used for the construction of ships, railroads and buildings, but those acres often were reforested with loblolly pine.

With the loss of the forests came the disappearance of equally significant ecosystem benefits. Longleaf pine

longleaf restoration effort in Virginia took a quantum leap forward when the multiple stakeholders sharing an interest in longleaf organized into the Virginia Longleaf Pine Cooperators Group.

Without the combined efforts and collaborative spirit of these partners, the longleaf restoration effort in Virginia would be years behind its current state,” Creighton said.

Funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture makes much of the cone and seed collection and seedling propagation work possible. Nonetheless, longleaf pine seed yield is irregular and laborintensive. With improved grafting techniques being used to establish a seed production orchard, production is expected to eventually provide an annual crop of 250,000 seedlings.

Today longleaf needles are prized by landscapers for pine straw mulch. The deep-rooted trees are highly resistant to pests and diseases and can withstand salt spray, ice and windstorms; therefore, longleaf pine can be a stable investment once well-established.

But what is found beneath the trees might be of greater value than the trees themselves.

“The current importance of longleaf is tied to its biological and ecological uniqueness,” Creighton said. “Those restoring longleaf in Virginia are concerned about the near-extinction of the species, have a passion for saving it and value it for its aesthetic beauty and high ecosystem diversity.”

forests maintained by frequent, low-intensity fires create some of the most biologically diverse ecosystems, providing habitat for a great variety of wildlife species and supporting a diverse flora.

Since the 1950s, the forestry department has worked with its partners to spearhead restoration efforts of Virginia’s native longleaf pines.

“The real work of locating and protecting the few remaining native Virginia longleaf trees began in the 1980s,” Creighton explained. Cone collections from those trees to provide native seedlings for restoration efforts began around 1990. More intensive efforts resulting in significant seedling crops started in 2007.

Creighton said there are now 9,475 acres of longleaf pine in Virginia, and the upcoming planting season should help surpass the 10,000-acre mark.

“It’s important to emphasize that the

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

15

,

AUTUMN AGRITOURISM:

Farms become the go-to for family fun, field trips, even first dates

Virginia agritourism is growing as fast as the pumpkins people pick during fall outings

BY KATHY DIXON

PHOTOS BY SUZANNE HOLDERFIELD

PHOTO BY KATHY DIXON

W

Pumpkinville in James City County (left) and Blue Ridge Pumpkins in Carroll County (above) both feature plenty of pumpkins, as well as fun features like photo props and a corn maze.

here do you go when a storm like Hurricane Matthew forces you to evacuate a coastal South Carolina home?

Donna Libert and her three children went to Pumpkinville while staying with her mom, who lives in Williamsburg. On the hayride to the pumpkin patch on the James City County farm, 3-year-old Noah excitedly told how they traveled to Grandma’s in their pajamas.

“Look, I see pumpkins!” Noah exclaimed, gleefully pointing from the wagon. “And corn—and scarecrows!”

The delight of young customers like Noah helps fuel interest in agritourism operations. “It’s affordable, family fun,” said Barry Allen, co-owner of Pumpkinville.

Allen said he started the pick-yourown operation because there wasn’t one in the Williamsburg area, and he thought it could be more successful than growing pumpkins for wholesale.

He started with a tarp strung between some trees and a small hayride around a 3-acre lot.

“Now we’re 10 times that big,” said his brother and co-owner, Clint. Today there are two corn mazes, a pumpkin patch and a general store filled with Halloween decorations, homemade preserves, clothing and more. The brothers, along with Barry’s wife, JoAnn, and employee George Crandol, run the business that sees more than 2,000 visitors every October weekend.

Blue Ridge Pumpkins LLC in Carroll County is a similar operation. Both farms cater to local families and school groups, and the owners of both say they love what they do.

Barry Iroler started Blue Ridge Pumpkins five years ago. “The first time I looked out and we had 20 people in our pumpkin patch picking pumpkins, I thought, ‘This is gonna work,’” he said.

Students important to pick-your-owns Just like pumpkins in a perfect summer, U.S. agritourism is growing.

The 2007 Census of Agritourism found 10,249 farms with agritourism and related recreational activities grossing $546 million. The 2012 census found 13,334 farms grossing $674 million.

Pumpkinville has operated for 21 years. “We do a heck of a business here,” Allen said.

His farm is open from the last weekend in September through Halloween. As many as 1,800 students visited the farm this fall. In early October, a group of first-graders from nearby Walsingham Academy came to Pumpkinville after learning about the life cycle of pumpkins.

Students visited Blue Ridge Pumpkins as well. When Iroler started hosting student groups, he let the children pick out large carving pumpkins. “Trying to fit 30 students, parents, chaperones and their large pumpkins on a school bus was difficult,” he recalled.

So he did what any savvy agritourism operator does—he adapted for his customers and began planting what he calls “school pumpkins,” a small variety about the size of a grapefruit.

“The small ones work a lot better,” he said. The Allens plant a similar variety at Pumpkinville.

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

17

Know what’s covered before inviting consumers to your farm

18

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Linda Murray and her grandchildren enjoyed a hayride at Pumpkinville.

Also visiting the farm were firstgraders from Walsingham Academy.

PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON

Agritourism activities have become extremely popular additions to farm businesses, with more farms adding corn mazes, hayrides, tours and festivals each year.

When hosting these activities, it is important for operators to realize that their Farm Bureau farmowner policy does not automatically provide liability coverage for agritourism features.

“The policy must either be endorsed or a separate liability policy written to cover these activities,” said Scott DeNoon, farm product and underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. The base farmowner policy provides coverage for the production of crops, the raising or care of livestock and the operation of roadside stands or famers’ markets that primarily sell a farmers’ own unprocessed products, DeNoon explained.

“The importance of policyholders engaged in agritourism making their agent and insurance company aware of all activities they are involved in cannot be overemphasized,” he said. “It is essential to making sure proper coverage is in place.”

VFBMIC can accommodate a variety of agritourism exposures under a farmowner policy. In most cases, the policy can be endorsed for an additional premium to provide the necessary coverage.

“Farm Bureau has resources available to assist policyholders in the design of insurance programs tailored to their agritourism operations and can offer advice to create a safe experience for participants,” DeNoon said.

For more information, contact your Farm Bureau insurance agent.

Retiree starts new career with pumpkins

Iroler never thought when he retired from the tobacco industry five years ago that he would one day be operating a successful agritourism operation.

He had inherited farmland his father bought in the 1970s and had been leasing. Iroler decided he wanted to farm once he retired, and he started growing and selling pumpkins.

“I talked to my local Extension agent, and he let me borrow his equipment to plant 5 acres of orange pumpkins,” he said. Today, the farm is operated by Iroler and his wife, Barbara; son Barrett and daughter-inlaw Brittni; son Clay; and daughter and son-in-law Mandy and Zac Lineberry.

By the second season, neighbors were asking to come pick pumpkins and visit the farm. So the Irolers added a pick-your-own patch and started hosting school field trips.

Today they plant 31 different varieties of pumpkins and gourds.

Visitors can pick their own every weekend in September and October.

In addition to taking hayrides, picking pumpkins and navigating the corn maze, customers can shoot corn cannons and take a nature walk around the farm.

On the weekends at both farms, children also can take a barrel train ride or bounce in inflatables.

Operators work to reduce risk

Inviting people onto your farm can be risky, which is why agritourism operators need special insurance coverage.

“The No. 1 thing we do is try to make everything around here as safe as possible,” Iroler said. “And we make sure we’re insured properly.”

Allen echoed that. His farm includes fencing around the small corn maze so children can’t run off, there are rails on his hayride wagon, and the agritourism activities are insured by Virginia Farm Bureau.

Agritourism activities on a farm warrant special attention to safety, as well as a conversation with your insurance agent regarding liability coverage.

The extra insurance “is expensive, but you have to have it,” Allen said.

And over the past 21 years, he and his brother have witnessed people renewing their wedding vows, becoming engaged, hosting birthday parties and making a Pumpkinville hayride part of their first dates—with no claims.

Agritourism liability sign can offer protection Virginia’s Agritourism Liability Statute provides agritourism professionals with limited liability protection for their operation.

If the sign, which details the specifics of the statute, is displayed on property where agritourism activities are taking place, a professional cannot be held liable for injury, loss, damage or death to a participant in an agritourism activity resulting from the inherent risks of the activity.

“Posting the sign in prominent locations on their property provides the agritourism professional with limited liability protection, but it is not a substitute for proper liability insurance coverage,” said Scott DeNoon, farm product and underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. Protection provided by the statute does not apply if the professional does one or more of the following: • commits an act or omission that constitutes negligence or a willful disregard for the safety of the participant, and that act or omission causes injury, damage or death to the participant; • has knowledge or reasonably should have known of a dangerous condition on the land, in the facilities, or with the equipment or animals used in an activity and does not make that danger known to the participant and that danger causes injury, damage or death to the participant; or • intentionally injures the participant.

Contact your county Farm Bureau office for more information on obtaining signage.

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

19

For Your Benefit

Know the value of your farm equipment, and your coverage limits Reviewing coverages of your farm equipment at least once a year—and tracking the value of the equipment—can prevent surprises if you need to file a claim.

“We frequently handle claims involving damage to farm equipment scheduled on a farmowner policy, and there is sometimes a misunderstanding of what the insurance company owes to the insured when presented with a claim for damage to scheduled equipment,” said Rick Mattox, vice president of claims for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.

How the coverage works

Farm equipment such as tractors typically are scheduled under the FO-6 Farm Coverage endorsement attached to the farmowner policy. When a loss occurs to equipment insured under that coverage, the insurance company will pay the cost to repair the damaged equipment using materials of “like, kind and quality.”

If the equipment is deemed a total loss, however, the company will pay the actual cash value of the damaged equipment as it existed just prior to suffering the loss or the scheduled limit, whichever is less.

Virginia’s Harvest treats make tasty gifts Farm Bureau members can share tasty, traditional Virginia foods with the Virginia’s Harvest gift collection, available exclusively from the organization’s products division. Choose from country ham or gourmet peanuts—roasted and salted or unsalted, butter-toasted or chocolate-dipped—and peanut brittle.

Additional products include salted jumbo cashews, buttertoasted pecans and an energy mix of almonds, cashews and raisins.

And for your next tailgate party or oyster roast, there are 2-pound bags of salted peanuts in the shell.

Virginia’s Harvest items can be viewed and ordered at county Farm Bureau offices. For an additional charge, they can be shipped via United Parcel Service with a personalized gift card.

Call or visit your county Farm Bureau today, or call the Virginia Farm Bureau Products Division at 800-476-8473 for more information or to order by phone. You can access the Virginia’s Harvest product brochure at VaFarmBureau.org/ Portals/Fed/documents/harvest_brochure.pdf.

20

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

An example:

For instance, if a tractor is insured with a $20,000 limit and is damaged by fire and becomes non-repairable, the insurance company will owe the insured the actual cash value of that tractor or the limit, whichever is the lesser amount. If the actual cash value is $22,000 at the time of loss, the insurance company would owe the insured the $20,000 limit—the “smaller” of the two amounts.

On the other hand, if the actual cash value at the time of loss is $15,000, the insurance company would owe the insured the actual cash value of $15,000, despite the limit being $20,000.

All payments are subject to the policy deductible as well.

“It is extremely important to know the approximate values of your equipment,” Mattox said. “When you receive a copy of your insurance policy, review those limits to be sure they are consistent with the current values of the equipment. It is also important to keep in mind that most farm equipment depreciates over time. If you purchased a new farm implement five years ago and insured it for the purchase price, it probably has a lower value five years later. You can possibly reduce the limit on that piece of equipment and save some premium dollars.”

VEHICLE OR EQUIPMENT SHOPPING?

Save on qualifying GM and Polaris vehicles, Case IH and Cat equipment Farm Bureau members in Virginia are eligible for savings of $500 on the purchase or lease of select Buick, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles from participating dealerships and manufacturer’s incentive discounts on qualifying Polaris, Case IH and Caterpillar products from participating dealers.

• For details on the GM discount, visit FBAdvantage. com/Deals/GM. • For details on the Polaris discount, visit FBAdvantage. com/Deals/Polaris.

• For details on the Case IH discount program, visit FBAdvantage.com/Deals/Case.

• For details on the Caterpillar discount program, visit FBAdvantage.com/Deals/Cat.

Attention members: The benefit that affords Farm Bureau members in Virginia a manufacturer’s incentive discount of $200 to $300 on qualifying Polaris vehicles from participating dealerships will be discontinued as of Jan. 13, 2017.

Road America, Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.’s roadside assistance partner, can be reached via the Farm Bureau auto claims phone system.

Roadside assistance now available for customers with towing and labor coverage For Virginia Farm Bureau customers who have towing and labor coverage on their auto insurance policies, help just got a lot easier!

Starting Nov. 1, all policies with towing and labor coverage will have roadside assistance included at no additional cost.

Towing and labor coverage provides the reimbursement of expenses incurred for automobile disablements, such as towing, tire changes, jumpstarts, lockouts, fuel deliveries and extractions.

“In the past, when a disablement

occurred, it was up to the customer to secure the appropriate assistance and then send any eligible receipts to Farm Bureau for reimbursement, up to the applicable limit on the vehicle,” said Barry Light, product development manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. “Now, customers are still covered for all the same disablements; however, with roadside assistance, the customer no longer has to coordinate the help.”

Customers can simply call the Farm Bureau Claims Number on their Auto I.D. Card and press 1 to be directed to

Road America, VFBMIC’s roadside partner.

“They will bring the help to you wherever you are with no out-ofpocket costs to you, as long as the expense is within the limit on your covered vehicle,” Light said. “If it’s more, simply pay the extra and continue on your way.”

If you do not have this coverage on your vehicles, or if you would like to select a higher benefit limit, your Farm Bureau insurance agent will be glad to assist you in making any changes.

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

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Health insurance open enrollment for 2017 marketplace Open enrollment for the 2017 marketplace will begin Nov. 1 and run through Jan. 31, 2017.

If you don’t enroll in a 2017 health insurance plan

by Jan. 31, 2017, you will not be able to enroll in a plan unless you qualify for a special enrollment period. Special enrollment period circumstances include, but are not limited to, job changes or retirement; turning 26 and no longer being included on a parent’s policy; and the birth or adoption of a child.

Important dates for 2017 enrollment: • Nov. 1, 2016 – open enrollment begins • Jan. 1, 2017 – first date 2017 coverage can start • Jan. 31, 2017 – open enrollment ends If you are in need of health insurance for yourself or your family, staff at your county Farm Bureau are happy to share information on products available through Farm Bureau.

The open enrollment period for 2017 will run through Jan. 31 of next year.

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

23

Medicare supplement plans help cover more health-related expenses When individuals turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare, there are a lot of pieces to consider, including Medicare supplement plans.

“When you turn 65 and enroll in Medicare, it isn’t that cut-and-dried,” said Brett Denton, vice president of Health Care Consultants and Custom Health Care Inc. at Virginia Farm Bureau. “Original Medicare involves Medicare Part A and Part B and typically does not cover all of an individual’s health care costs. To fill that gap, many people purchase a Medicare supplement plan.”

Medicare supplement plans, or Medigap policies, can be purchased to cover expenses Medicare does not pay.

The most common supplement plans provide coverage for out-of-pocket expenses such as copays, deductibles

and coinsurance, as well as some services that may not be covered by Medicare, such as international travel emergencies.

“It’s important to note that these supplement plans only cover one person, so you need to purchase separate policies for different Medicare members in your household,” Denton said.

The ideal time to purchase a Medicare supplement plan is during your Medicare open enrollment period—the six-month period beginning on the first day of the month that you turn age 65 or older, and enroll in Medicare Part B. During the Medigap initial enrollment period, you cannot be denied coverage for any pre-existing health conditions.

If you do not enroll in a supplement plan during the Medigap open enrollment period, you will not be

guaranteed coverage, and you could be denied coverage.

If you’re older than 65 and still working but enrolled in Medicare Part A, be sure to talk to your human resources representative about your options, or call your county Farm Bureau office. There are rules that apply, so it is important to talk to someone about your options, Denton said.

“Medicare supplement plans are sold by private insurance companies and charge customers a monthly premium.

The cost of Medicare supplement plans can vary, as can the out-of-pocket costs, so it is a good idea to use a broker to help you shop around.”

Staff at your county Farm Bureau office are available to assist you in obtaining a Medicare supplemental policy.

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Workers’ compensation claims must follow laws

Ice, sleet or snow?

We’ve got you covered

When sleet, snow or ice falls, it can add up on the ground—and on your roof. The weight of winter precipitation can cause extensive damage to homes, farm buildings, property and equipment.

“Roof collapse due to the weight of ice, sleet or snow is automatically provided for a person’s primary residence under a home or farm policy, but it is not automatically covered for farm barns, outbuildings and equipment,” said Sam Rooks, vice president of underwriting and policy services for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. “It can be covered, so before winter storms hit, it’s important to talk to your agent to make sure you have the proper endorsements added to your policy.”

Virginia Farm Bureau offers more than 50 endorsements that can be added to home and farmowner policies that include replacement cost, business income and coverage from weight of ice, sleet and snow—and flooding that can occur from bigger storms.

“Policyholders need to make sure they have the coverage they need before a loss occurs,” Rooks said.

“Review your policy with your insurance agent to find out what types of coverage are available to you.”

For more information call or visit your county Farm Bureau office.

When filing a workers’ compensation claim, it is important that the employee follows safety rules and laws.

“We recently handled a workers’ comp claim in which an employee was driving a farm vehicle and had a single-vehicle accident,” said Rick Mattox, Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. vice president of claims. “The employee was severely injured and incurred substantial medical costs. When we investigated the claim, it was determined that he was not wearing a seat belt.”

A statute in the Code of Virginia indicates an injured employee is not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if there is a “willful failure or refusal to use a safety appliance or perform a duty required by statute.”

Mattox explained that the workers’ compensation claim was denied because the employee was not wearing his seat belt as required by statute.

“It’s important to make sure employees are complying with safety statutes and guidelines. Otherwise, compensation under the Workers’ Compensation Act could be jeopardized, ” he said. “The fact that you file a claim does not ensure it will be covered. Remember to work safely and follow safety guidelines.”

For more information on workers’ compensation in the Code of Virginia, visit law.lis.virginia.gov/library/cov/Title65.2.pdf.

Workers’ compensation insurance keeps farm employees safe, protected As business operators, farmers have a responsibility to their employees in the event someone becomes injured while working on the farm.

Workers’ compensation insurance is an effective tool to address that responsibility, and in Virginia it is legally required for farm and horticultural operations that have more than three full-time employees. It was developed to give specific benefits to workers who are injured on the job.

“Prior to workers’ compensation laws, injured employees often were unable to provide for their families or receive medical treatment,” said Scott DeNoon, farm product and underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. Workers’ compensation insurance provides wage replacement and medical benefits for employees, regardless of fault. “Since benefits are paid to an injured employee regardless of fault, the farmer is protected since the employee gives up the right to sue,” DeNoon explained.

Agricultural or horticultural opera-

tions with fewer than three full-time employees also can obtain workers’ compensation coverage. “This is advisable, since it will shield farmers from potential legal action due to work-related injuries sustained by their employees,” DeNoon said.

Employer’s liability insurance is an alternative to workers’ compensation coverage and can be added to a farmowner policy for a relatively small premium; however, it does not provide the same benefits or satisfy Virginia’s workers’ compensation requirements.

“Employer’s liability is not workers’ compensation. For coverage to apply, it must be proven that the employer’s negligence caused the employee’s injuries,” DeNoon said. In that situation, the employee retains the right to file a civil suit.

Contact your Farm Bureau insurance agent for more information on workers’ compensation insurance. He or she can provide valuable assistance in determining the best method for protecting your farm operation and employees.

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

25

Merry Mobile Savings Optimize The Holidays with Members-only Mobile Deals

To save log on to VaFarmBureau.org and click on the “Member Deals Plus” icon.

26

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Accessorize your garden using statuary, containers or birdbaths

W

hether you are designing a formal or informal garden space, statuary, birdbaths and large planters can add year-round appeal.

And they can be thoughtful holiday gifts for the gardener on your gift list.

“Adding statuary and large planters in different sizes will add variety to the garden,” said Augusta County horticulturalist Mark Viette. He and his family have added many types of statues and large planters to their home gardens, as well as benches and birdbaths.

“A lot of times when you use statuary or large planters, your eyes go to those areas, and it lends interest in the garden,” Viette said. “So not only do you have a wide variety of plants, trees, shrubs and a mix of annuals and perennials, and even bulbs, but you can add in statuary and interesting containers.”

solid footing so it won’t fall over. Lifesize figures or other tall pieces can be quite heavy and take up a lot of room, so make sure you have the space, Viette said.

Statuary

Birdbaths

When placing statuary in a garden, one key is to make sure it has a good,

Large planters

“The great thing about large concrete planters is that they can stay out in the garden year-round,” Viette said.

“They’re heavy-duty in the way they are constructed, so they won’t crack like clay pots.”

Clay pots need to be brought in during the winter or they can freeze, crack and break.

Viette suggested putting annuals and tropical plants in large planters, and also perennials like hostas, ferns or daylilies. “You won’t have to replant them, because they’ll come back year after year after year.”

Birdbaths are another attractive garden feature. “We like to attract birds to

our garden,” Viette said. “Not only can we feed them, but we need to provide water for them.”

Birdbaths can be set up off the ground on a pedestal, or many birds enjoy them on the ground, Viette said. He noted that it’s important to change birdbath water frequently and keep the basin clean.

Birds, birdbaths and mosquitoes Recent health concerns about mosquito-borne viruses has called attention to places mosquitos thrive and reproduce. The standing water in backyard birdbaths is one of those habitats.

Because it takes about a week for mosquitoes to hatch from eggs and reach maturity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend emptying and scrubbing birdbaths and other containers that hold water once a week.

Birdbaths provide birds with water for drinking as well as for bathing.

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University, the best birdbaths mimic rain puddles—shallow with gradually sloping sides, so birds can wade into the water. A maximum depth of no more than 2 inches is ideal, and a tough plastic birdbath is less likely to crack.

Place clean sand or gravel in the bottom of the basin to give birds a sure footing. Arrange a few perches using small branches or stones for birds that want to drink without getting wet. Placing a birdbath near trees or shrubs provides a place to hide if predators show up.

Birdbaths are among statuary that can add interest to gardens year-round.

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

27

Heart of the Home

To stuff or not to stuff ?

Baked inside the bird or separately—no matter what you call it, it’s good stuff!

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VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

T

hat is a question for Thanksgiving—and National Stuffing Day. It’s not surprising that National Stuffing Day falls on the fourth Thursday of November, because that’s also the day we celebrate Thanksgiving.

Many Americans’ celebratory meal includes stuffing—or dressing, as some refer to it. Whatever you call it, this delicious side dish is a perfect accompaniment to turkey, ham, roasts or almost any other main dish.

The mainstay of holiday stuffing or dressing is typically bread crumbs or crumbled cornbread. Other ingredients are as diverse as Virginia’s agricultural commodities. Some stuffings include crumbled sausage; others are full

Heart of the Home

of apples or other fruits. Still other stuffings include aquatic ingredients like Virginia oysters.

Some Virginians stuff the side dish into their turkeys, while others prepare dressing separately. According to the Butterball kitchen, if you refer to the side dish as dressing, odds are you cook it separately from the bird and live in the South. Otherwise, you are likely a stuffing family and cook it inside the turkey.

If you want to try making your stuffing with Virginia oysters, here’s a recipe from the Oyster Company of Virginia.

Cornbread and Oyster Dressing INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons butter, divided 1 cup chopped onion 4 green onions, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 3 cups crumbled cornbread 3 cups soft bread crumbs ½ cup minced fresh parsley salt and pepper, to taste 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

If you call it “dressing” and you bake it separately, the Butterball kitchen says you’re most likely a Southerner.

about 45 minutes until golden brown and set in the center.

Or try a traditional stuffing recipe from Country Treasures from Virginia Farm Bureau Kitchens. This one recommends mincing the onion and celery in a blender or food processor.

Mom’s Great Stuffing

1 pint shucked oysters, drained: reserve ½ cup liquid

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

½ cup minced onion

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat.

Sauté the onions and celery in the butter until tender but not browned.

Combine the cornbread and bread crumbs in a large bowl; mix in sautéed onions, salt, pepper and parsley. Add beaten eggs, and toss more; moisten with the oyster liquid until moist but not soggy. Gently stir in the oysters.

6 cups bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

Leave bread out to dry, and then bake until golden brown—or you can buy unseasoned bread crumbs.

Preheat oven to 350°, and grease a 9"x13" baking dish.

In a large bowl, combine the crumbs with minced onion and celery. Add salt, pepper and sage to the beaten eggs, and fold egg mixture into the bread crumbs. Add the hot broth, and mix thoroughly. If the stuffing appears dry, add more broth. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

½ cup minced celery 2 eggs, beaten ¾ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon sage 1 cup chicken broth, hot

Pat the mixture into a large, lightly buttered rectangular baking dish (It should make a 1-inch layer in the pan).

Dot with remaining butter, and bake

VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

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2017 magazine classified ad schedule and policies

Corn harvest, farmer-veteran program, on Real Virginia

Featured this month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program: • Corn growers are celebrating, while some orchardists saw setbacks.

• Military veterans are being urged to consider an agriculture career.

• Holiday gift ideas for your favorite gardener.

Real Virginia airs nationwide at 3:30 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month on RFD-TV on Dish Network and DirecTV, and on selected cable outlets around the state. It Real Virginia airs weekly on WVPT Harrisonburg, WBRA To view Real Virginia, visit Roanoke, WCVE Richmond, WHRO Norfolk, VaFarmBureau.org.

WVVA Bluefield and WTKR Norfolk and is available online at VaFarmBureau.org.

Legal Notice of Annual Meeting

Legal Notice of Annual Meeting

Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company The annual meeting of policyholders of Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company will be held at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, December 1, 2016, at The Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, Virginia, for the following purposes: 1. To receive and act upon the reports of the officers of the Company.

2. To elect a Board of Directors, each to serve for the term of one year.

3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.

Virginia Farm Bureau Marketing Association The annual meeting of members of the Virginia Farm Bureau Marketing Association will be held at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, December 1, 2016, at The Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, Virginia, for the following purposes: 1. To receive and act upon the reports of the officers of the Association.

2. To elect a Board of Directors, each to serve for the term of one year.

3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.

Dated this 1st day of October, 2016.

Jonathan S. Shouse, Secretary 30

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU NEWS

Dated this 1st day of October, 2016.

Jonathan S. Shouse, Secretary

Members of Virginia Farm Bureau are eligible to place one free 15-word classified ad per membership per year in Cultivate, which is mailed to associate members, or in Virginia Farm Bureau News, which is mailed to producer members.

Ads of 16 to 30 words must be accompanied by payment of $20.

Any additional ads placed by members in the same calendar year must be accompanied by payment of $10 for 15 words or fewer, or $20 for 16 to 30 words. Ads submitted without payment will be returned. We do not invoice for classified ads or provide proofs or tearsheets.

Ads with more than 30 words and ads from nonmembers will not be accepted.

Use the form in this issue of Virginia Farm Bureau News or the online form at VaFarmBureau.org/marketplace to place your ad. No ads or cancellations will be taken by phone. Ads will be accepted only from members whose membership is current.

Magazine classified ads can be placed in the following five categories only: • Crops; • Farm equipment; • Hay/Straw; • Livestock; and • Livestock equipment.

Classified ads will be published in the following issues: · April Virginia Farm Bureau News (mailed to producer members only); · May Cultivate (mailed to associate members only); · August Cultivate (mailed to associate members only); and · September Virginia Farm Bureau News (mailed to producer members only).

Finding your member number When placing your ad, be sure to include your Farm Bureau member number, which can be found on your membership card and above your name on the mailing label of your copy of Virginia Farm Bureau News. All member numbers will be verified.

How to place your classified ad STEP 1

Use the form below to provide contact information and the text for your ad.

• Ads will be accepted from Farm Bureau members only.

• Classified ads are not transferable.

• Please type or print.

• Classified ads will not be accepted or cancelled over the phone.

STEP 2

Indicate the issues in which you want your ad to run.

STEP 3

Select the category in which you want your ad to run (Pick one only).

STEP 4

Your first ad of 15 words or less is free with your membership.

Pricing for additional ads: 1–15 words $10/ad 16–30 words $20/ad Additional ads must be accompanied by a check (no cash) for each issue in which the ad is to appear.

• Make check payable to: Virginia Farm Bureau.

• Ads longer than 30 words will not be accepted.

• We do not invoice for classified ads or provide proofs or tearsheets.

• Ads submitted without payment will be returned.

STEP 5

Mail your ad (and payment) to: Virginia Farm Bureau News/Cultivate Classifieds P.O. Box 27552 Richmond, VA 23261-7552 Or place it via the Virginia Farm Bureau website at VaFarmBureau.org/.

Deadlines Ads and cancellations must be received (not mailed) by the following deadlines: ISSUE DEADLINE Mailed to producer members April March 3 September August 4

Mailed to associate members May April 5 August July 5

Important: We are not responsible

for typographical errors or errors due to illegible handwriting (No refunds available). Classified ads carried in Cultivate and Virginia Farm Bureau News do not constitute an endorsement by Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and its affiliated companies and organizations.

We reserve the right to edit or reject ads, including ads that represent a business in competition with the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company or any of our affiliated or affinity partners. We reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement that makes reference to any particular political party or group, religious belief or denomination, race, creed, color or national origin.

Moving? If your address or phone

number has changed—or is about to—don’t forget to contact your county Farm Bureau office to ensure that your membership and subscription information stays current!

One free 15-word ad per membership per year; dues must be paid before placing ad.

NAME:___________________________________________________________________________________________ MEMBER NO.:______________________________________________________________________________________ COUNTY:_________________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS:________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY: __________________________________________

STATE:________________________

ZIP:______________

DAYTIME PHONE NUMBER: __________________________________ E-MAIL ADDRESS: ________________________ Ads will not be accepted without the information above

ADVERTISEMENT (one word per space; please type or print):

Category in which ad should run (select only one): q Crops q Farm Equipment q Hay/Straw q Livestock q Livestock Equipment No other categories available

1.________________________ 2.______________________ 3._________________________ 4.________________________ 5. _____________________________ 6._______________________ 7.______________________ 8._________________________ 9.________________________ 10.______________________________ ( ) 11._______________________ 12._____________________ 13.________________________ 14._______________________ 15. _____________________________ phone number

ISSUE IN WHICH AD SHOULD RUN:* q April (mailed to producer members) qM ay (mailed to associate members) q August (mailed to associate members) q S eptember (mailed to producer members)

q This is my one free 15-word ad for 2017 q Payment enclosed: $ _____________ q Please place my ad in The Delmarva Farmer for 4 weeks at no additional cost to me.

Your ad will automatically be included in the online VFB Marketplace for free (Ads expire with membership).

* Ad placement available for these issues only VaFarmBureau.org / NOVEMBER 2016

31

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