Dreaming of Warmer Weather

Hey, farming friends!

I am dreaming of warmer weather in Blacksburg this week. Yet, through the cold, it has been a productive week for the Fluvanna Young Farmers! 

This week, I made contact with Mark Campbell. I discussed the outline and goals of my internship. I also mentioned to him the additional research I will be conducting for the benefit of Farm Bureau. A portion of my internship will include developing a method for Young Farmers Organization creation, in counties without one. I will be assessing the needs in Fluvanna, developing contacts necessary to develop solutions for those needs, and hopefully connecting mentioned needs to the Young Farmers community involvement. My research will include how to overcome potential developmental barriers, as well as the networking and leadership methods for the process. 

Another success of the week was planning for our first meeting of the year. It is to be held in the Fluvanna County High School Cafeteria, on March 7th at 5:30pm, for those interested. I discussed this meeting with Ron Saacke, head of the Women and Young Farmers Programs and the Agriculture in the Classroom Program with Farm Bureau. He will be in attendance and will likely be bringing an additional Farm Bureau Rep. to come speak at the meeting.  A local farm speaker, TBD, will share their own Fluvanna farming story. Following the business meeting, dinner will be served. Hope you are able to join us! 

Win: The Fluvanna Spring Expo planning is underway and the first Young Farmers meeting has been scheduled!

Pinch: Still figuring out the details of my research. Looking forward to digging deeper into Fluvanna's farming needs!

"Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a thousand miles from the corn field." 

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

http://www.vayoungfarmer.org/?page_id=2

http://fluco.org/fluvanna-county-high-school/

https://www.vafb.com/membership-at-work/farmers-in-action/womens-program

https://www.agclassroom.org/va/about/index.cfm

Hit the Ground Running

Hey, farming friends!

My name is Erin Small. I am a Junior at Virginia Tech studying Agriculture Sciences with a focus in aquaculture. This spring I am interning with Mark Campbell of Virginia Farm Bureau. As the Sr. District Field Services Director for the central district, one of his main duties is working with Young Farmers Programs. In Fluvanna County, there was a need for an agricultural club, post-high school graduation. Because of this, I decided to undertake forming the Fluvanna County Young Farmers.

Over my winter break, I went to the first board meeting of the year. There, I pitched my proposal to begin a program in the county. The board members were ecstatic. My proposal included goals for the year, potential members, a tentative budget, expo information, and the importance of maintaining a program such as this. I proposed three goals: agriculture career development, advocating for a middle school agriculture program/youth involvement with local agriculture, and a successful county fair/old farm day booth. The Career Development Program would potentially include a career expo, resume writing workshop, and an interview skills workshop. This program would ideally reach graduating seniors, young adults with an interest in agriculture, and young farmers.

This week, I contacted Campbell about a potential spring expo for Fluvanna County's Young Farmers. My proposed location for the trip would be on Virginia's Eastern Shore, surrounding Cape Charles. I contacted Cherrystone Aqua-farms and Chatham Vineyards on Church Creek. Both of these locations would give our group insight to a lesser known side of agricultural production to Fluvanna farmers. The Cherrystone- aqua farms manager would provide a tour of the oyster and clam nursery, hatchery, and packing plant. Chatham Vineyards would provide a unique perspective of viniculture in a non-mountainous location. A third portion of the trip may include a visit to Virginia Tech's Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

Aside from this planning, my week included the year's budget development and proposed expenditures, contacting and registering members for the upcoming YF winter expo in Lexington, and gathering contact information of all new members for the secretary at Fluvanna's Farm Bureau office. I plan on improving my contact with those who have liked the Facebook Page. While I have been able to reach many youth, I would like to form more connections with the 25-40 age range.

Win: I am excited to say that as of this week there are six members in Fluvanna's Young Farmers! Our Facebook page is alive and well, connecting folks throughout the county to Farm Bureau.

Pinch: As I am located in Blacksburg, and not Fluvanna, it has been challenging for me to overcome distance barriers. I feel that if I was in the county, I could speak to local agriculture clubs and increase membership.  Because of this barrier, I will challenge my technology skills and hopefully overcome any contact or recruitment issues I may encounter.

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways." 

-John F. Kennedy 

https://www.vafb.com/membership-at-work/farmers-in-action/young-farmer

https://www.facebook.com/fluvannacountyfarmbureauyoungfarmers/