For Community and Country

FOR COMMUNITY AND COUNTRY: SHARING AND SERVICE ARE CORE PRINCIPLES

Story and photos by Nancy L. Smith

Is it possible for one man to be a chicken farmer, an emergency room nurse practitioner, a career military officer, a beekeeper, and a novice pig farmer? It is if you are Ken Blair of Belle Haven, Virginia.

In 2004, Ken and his wife, Marissa, purchased a seven and a half acre farm that has grown to 29 acres and includes five chicken houses where they grow for Tyson Food.

Altruism comes naturally to Ken and Marissa. Ken’s commitment to others began early when he enlisted in the Army right out of high school. He became an infantry medic, spending 34 years in the Army and was a firefighter/paramedic in both Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia.

Marissa explains how Ken has continued his training throughout his life, completing a paramedic-to-registered nurse program, then “worked full time for Norfolk Fire Department and part time as a nurse while working toward his bachelor’s in nursing and then his master’s degree. All while still serving our country.”

“In the ER, we get to help people every day get through some of the worst times of their lives. In farming, we get to help people by providing food for them.”

Ken, now a Captain and Senior Medical Officer of his unit, recently returned from his first deployment since 9/11. He continues to train in medical preparedness.

Ken says there’s a strong similarity between being a medical professional and a farmer. “In the ER, we get to help people every day get through some of the worst times of their lives. In farming, we get to help people by providing food for them.” He notes proudly that they provide 950,000 pounds of meat for consumers with every flock. “It’s a lot of food we are able to provide for the country,” he says.

In both roles, he says, “You’ve got to be meticulous; you’ve got to be passionate about your job. You’ve got to be willing to do research and learn from other people and be humble in both jobs and always know you’re going to learn something from somebody else.”

Marissa, a certified nurse-midwife with a postmaster’s certificate in midwifery, adds, “It’s (farming) like the medical field where you want to do well for your fellow man. It’s more than good will,” she asserts, “It’s about being a good neighbor.”

She is a member of a local “better birth outcomes” committee, a multi-agency work group focusing on “reducing the number of pre-term and low birth weight babies in our community and increasing education and access to care.” Concern for others has led to many environmentally friendly practices on the farm. “We do our best to control odors by implementing control measures,” they say, pointing out strategically placed trees and grasses to control dust.

“Manure stays in the houses in windrowed litter,” Ken explains. “We try to be good neighbors and good stewards of the land.”

Loan officer Lynn Thornton notes, “Marissa and Ken are always trying to improve their operation. A lot of people are satisfied with the status quo, but that has never been the case with them.”

Ken has a new interest — three beehives. “We’re not selling honey because I’m not a good businessman — I give a lot of stuff away,” he says.

With a pollinator grant from NRCS, Marissa and Ken have planted 15 acres of wildflowers around their property, and even that has a community emphasis. “Since we’ve done the wildflowers, we have had people stop by to take pictures. When there were no proms, people came in their prom dresses and were taking pictures in our driveway,” Marissa recalls with pleasure. Ken’s next project is to raise pastured pigs. His “grand plan” is to raise “as many pigs as I can handle — maybe 20, but no more than 50,” in pasture and woods. He plans to butcher the pigs for his family and those in the area who are less fortunate.

Lynn observes, “They definitely are all about the community.”