Cultivate Nov 2013

Cultivate november/december 2013

Virginia Farm Bureau

Gleaning on Va. farms: ‘If there’ there’s a need, we we’’re there there..’

Contents

Cultivate Volume 6, Number 4 November/December 2013

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Cultivate (USPS 025051) (ISSN 1946-8121) is published four times a year, February, April, July, November/December (combined issue). 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 $1.48 (included in membership dues).

POSTMASTER: Please send changes of address to, Cultivate, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261; 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 address is Cultivate@vafb.com.

Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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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

Departments

Features 5 Gleaners, farmers team up to feed those in need Virginia farmers and volunteers from the Society of St. Andrew work together each year to help provide nutritious foods for people in need.

10 Farm-fresh barley, berries, hops, honey and cider apples go into Virginia beverages While Virginia is home to nearly 700 Grade A dairies and more than 200 wineries, farms in the commonwealth also grow ingredients for a variety of other beverages.

20 Drive carefully: It’s peak season for deer collisions Virginia is one of the 10 states in which a driver is most likely to collide with a deer.

28 Heart of the Home 26 Good for You! 21 Home Checkup Checklist

EDITORIAL TEAM

Greg Hicks Vice President, Communications Pam Wiley Managing Editor Kathy Dixon Sr. Staff Writer/Photographer Sara Owens Staff Writer/Photographer Morgan Barker Staff Writer/Photographer Bill Altice Graphic Designer

25 In the Garden

Maria La Lima Graphic Designer

24 From the Ground Up

Cathy Vanderhoff Advertising

31 Marketplace

VISIT US ONLINE

VaFarmBureau.org WE’RE SOCIAL!

Publication schedule Associate members will receive their next issue of Cultivate in February 2014. The magazine is published quarterly.

Members – Address change?

On the Cover

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“If there’s a need, we’re there,” said Sharon Wallace, Tidewater area gleaning coordinator for the Society of St. Andrew. She is shown with volunteer Leroy Twine (Photo by Morgan Barker).

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.

Food for Thought

Among U.S. farms’ legacy is significant stewardship

More than 1,700 scientific studies find GMO foods are safe

Autumn is an easy season to romanticize.

As the days get shorter and cooler, any little bit of sunshine is cause to bask and savor. Families and communities start making plans to gather, and many of those gatherings involve fall-harvested foods.

Sweet potatoes, anyone? Greens? How about another slice of apple pie?

Only about 2 percent of the U.S. population is involved in production agriculture, but much of the other 98 percent still decorate with pumpkins, scarecrows and cornstalks. And they still Responsible farming has resulted in nearly 50 percent less soil erosion on U.S. cropland associate this time of year with pumpkin since 1982. pies, winter squash, specific pork dishes and all kinds of apple treats. And turkeys— lots of turkeys!

But there are other benefits of American agriculture that can be appreciated year-round.

They’re benefits to the environment that result from careful land management, and they’re very much in use by Virginia farmers and their colleagues across the nation.

The consensus of a research review of 1,783 scientific studies of genetically modified crops has determined that those foods are as safe as, or safer than, conventional or organic foods.

“Anti-GMO proponents claim that genetically modified crops have not been tested or that the research has been done only by the companies that produce the seeds. But this review of scientific research proves that GM crops have been analyzed numerous times and ways,” said Lindsay Reames, assistant director of governmental relations for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

Although there has been considerable research conducted regarding crop biotechnology, it had never been catalogued until recently. A team of Italian scientists decided to summarize 1,783 studies on the safety and environmental impacts of GM foods.

They couldn’t find a single credible example demonstrating that GM foods pose any harm to humans or animals. “The scientific research conducted so far has not detected any significant hazards directly connected with the use of genetically engineered crops,” researchers concluded.

The research review was published in Critical Reviews in Biotechnology in September and spanned the past decade.

In 2012, roughly one-quarter of the world’s cropland was used to grow biotech crops.

The Italian scientists found “little to no evidence” that GM crops have a negative environmental impact on their surroundings. The team also found no evidence that approved GMOs introduce any unique allergens or toxins into the food supply. All GM crops are tested against a database of known allergens before commercialization, and any crop found containing new allergens is not approved or marketed.

Biotech crops currently available on the market are the same from a compositional and nutritional standpoint as their non-GM counterparts.

• Careful stewardship by farmers has resulted in a nearly 50 percent decline in erosion of cropland by wind and water since 1982.

• The use of conservation tillage, a technique that reduces erosion on cropland while requiring less energy, has grown from 17 percent of acreage in 1982 to 63 percent today.

• Farmers have enrolled 31 million acres in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program to protect the environment and provide habitat for wildlife. Since its inception in 1985, the program has helped reduce soil erosion by 622 million tons and restored more than 2 million acres of wetlands.

• Farmers, ranchers and other landowners have installed more than 2 million miles of conservation buffers under federal farm bill initiatives. The buffers improve soil, air and water quality, enhance wildlife habitat and create scenic landscapes.

• Each year, hundreds of thousands of trees are planted on farmland. Even on commercial forest lands and Christmas tree farms, trees are a renewable resource.

• Crop rotation, the practice of growing different crops in succession on the same land, is another way farmers take care of the land. Some of the crops in the rotation boost soil nutrients that are required by other crops.

It’s all part of responsible land use and good citizenship, really. And land is one of the things for which Virginia’s farmers are thankful.

Because a farmer with no land on which to work is like, well, Thanksgiving without the turkey.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

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virginia beach tourism

Young farmers and ranchers from across the nation will gather in Virginia Beach in February.

National Young Farmers conference to be held in Virginia Beach

The annual Rural Health Essay Scholarship Contest helps high school and college students from member families fund education that will lead to health-related careers in rural Virginia.

RURAL HEALTH CAREER SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED Baily Leonard of Carroll County and David Meade Hardesty Jr. of Clarke County will receive $1,000 for their winning entries in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation 2013 Rural Health Essay Scholarship Contest.

The contest was sponsored by the VFBF Rural Health Advisory Committee and funded by the Farm Bureau Health Care Consultants Department to help benefit young members’ career interests in rural health care. High school and college students from Farm Bureau member families submitted essays on “My Future Career in Rural Health in Virginia.”

Leonard is the daughter of Myra and Duane Leonard of Dugspur and a student at Shenandoah University, where she began a doctoral program for physical therapy this summer.

In her essay, she discussed her experiences as a patient, traveling great distances for physical therapy after a high school soccer injury. “This experience was the driving force in my career decision to be a physical therapist,” she noted.

Hardesty is the son of David and Debra Hardesty of Berryville and attends Clarke County High School. He lives on a dairy farm and wants to become a large animal veterinarian.

“Agriculture has given me so much and contributed to my life in endless ways,” he wrote.

“I hope that one day I can contribute to the field that has had such an impact on my life.”

Runners-up Patricia Shorter of Gloucester County and Sarah Waddle of Tazewell County will receive $500 scholarships.

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The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers are joining forces with the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee to host the AFBF 2014 Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference.

The event will be held Feb. 7-10 in Virginia Beach and will take the place of the annual VFBF Young Farmers Winter Expo. More than 1,000 participants are expected.

The conference agenda includes five tour tracks, workshops and networking events.

For more information or to register, visit YoungFarmersExpo.org or contact Ron Saacke, VFBF director of Women and Young Farmers programs, at ron.saacke@vafb.com or 804-514-4202.

Virginia Farm Bureau receives 2013 Virginia Excellence Award Virginia Farm Bureau has been selected for a 2013 Virginia Excellence Award by the Washington-based Small Business Institute for Excellence in Commerce.

The SBIEC conducts business surveys and industry research to identify companies that have achieved demonstrable success in their local business environments and industry categories. The institute found that Virginia Farm Bureau consistently has demonstrated a high regard for upholding business ethics and company values.

VaFarmBureau.org

photos by morgan barker

farmers and gleaners work together to help feed those in need

By Morgan Barker

S

As clients began lining up on a rainy morning, volunteers unloaded a truckload of donated food and milk at Erase the Need, a nonprofit organization in Williamsburg.

“Hunger is a serious problem in this area,” said Sharon Wallace (top right), Tidewater area gleaning coordinator for the Society of St. Andrew.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

haron Wallace, Tidewater area gleaning coordinator for the Society of St. Andrew, is on a mission to end hunger.

Nearly a decade has passed since Wallace began work with SOSA, but she’s as dedicated as ever to her work. “If there’s a need, we’re there. We don’t want anybody to go to bed hungry,” she said.

SOSA employs the ancient practice of gleaning—picking up food that is left in fields after the main harvest. The organization coordinates with farmers and volunteer gleaners to pick unwanted food and distribute it to those in need.

Wallace sees hungry people every day and knows the need for food is greater than ever. “Hunger is a serious problem in this area,” she said. Among those in need in the Tidewater area are senior citizens, veterans and working families, and since the recession more and more people are asking for help.

“When we first started, we were (assisting) seniors, single moms and the unemployed. Now we service more working families than seniors. A lot of the families we service are active military families.

Military families tell me they live from paycheck to paycheck and don’t have enough money to get food. The last thing our armed services should be doing is worrying how to feed their families.”

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farmers and gleaners

Farmer: ‘We always have things’ to share Mike Cullipher owns a fruit and vegetable farm in Virginia Beach and has worked with SOSA for more than 15 years.

“It’s a very worthwhile thing. People need food and healthy food,” he said. “It’s just a good thing that we can do to serve the people locally and help at home.”

SOSA also helps to prevent food waste by taking food many consumers don’t want. “With us being in the fruit and veggie business, consumers don’t want things that aren’t cosmetically perfect. So we always have things that aren’t good for sale,” Cullipher said.

“We also have things in the field that don’t mature at the same time as everything else, so we let volunteers into the field to pick after us.”

Hard choices, and long lines On a rainy late-summer morning in Williamsburg, volunteers gathered at a nonprofit organization called Erase the Need to unload a truck of milk and distribute food.

In Williamsburg, 19.4 percent of the population is considered food insecure, which means many must choose between purchasing food and paying for other basic necessities.

Wallace is used to long lines at food drops and said food recipients frequently line up hours before distribution begins. Erase the Need serves 150 families a month during the summer and 600 families a month during the winter. Many of those additional winter clients are reached through programs in schools.

Among food recipients when the truck was unloaded were other agencies that also distribute food, a 90-year-old man, a single mother of five and two women who travelled from Hampton in the early hours of the morning to pick up some milk.

SOSA gleaned 2.5 million pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables in Virginia and 33.5 million pounds nationally last year.

Wallace said it would not be a burden to have more, “because there are always people we need to help.”

Farmers in Virginia and nationwide work with SOSA and allow volunteers to glean their fields, gathering food that is left over after the main harvest. SOSA gleaned 2.5 million pounds of food in Virginia last year.

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VaFarmBureau.org

farmers and gleaners

Until recently, Wallace said, “we were (assisting) seniors, single moms and the unemployed. Now we service more working families than seniors.”

‘People need food and healthy food.

It’s just a good thing that we can do to serve the people locally and help at home.’

—MIKE CULLIPHER, Virginia Beach farmer

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

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Community event q emphasized agriculture’s presence, impact r

By Matt Armstrong

photos by matt armstrong

For the second year in a row, thousands of people came out to support members of the farming community in northwestern Virginia, at the Main Street Agriculture event presented by the Frederick County Farm Bureau.

The Sept. 28 event on the Loudoun Street Mall in downtown Winchester brought together more than 20 local farmers and agricultural vendors, said Kitty Hockman-Nicholas, a Frederick Farm

Bureau board member and the Main Street Agriculture chairman. “[The idea] is to promote local food and to help our farmers and bring Winchester and Frederick County together as a community. Working together is what we’re doing here,” Hockman-Nicholas said.

By noon, attendance had surpassed the 2012 turnout.

“Last year we had 3,000 people total, [and] we’ve already had 3,000, probably

top right: Alaina Steverson, 9, displayed her Silkie chicken, Frosty, during the second annual Main Street Agriculture event in Winchester. above: The event featured exhibits and activities on the city’s Loudoun Street Mall.

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4 00 000 0 and and it’s it’s n ot eeven ven ve n lu lunc ncht h im ht imee ” 4,000 not lunchtime,” Hockman-Nicholas said. “I’ve been walking up and down the mall, and everybody’s interested in the vendors and the local food and it’s such a good thing for our farmers, to be able to promote their foods.”

Frederick Farm Bureau President Paul Anderson could hardly believe the “tremendous amount of people” who turned out.

“Our main focus on this whole event is educational, and what we’re trying to do is get the people in the community to realize the importance that agriculture has in the economic stability of the community and the importance agriculture has in their everyday lives,” Anderson said.

“We are an industry. We’re the third largest industry in Frederick County, and we’re the state’s leading industry, agriculture and forestry.”

Anderson said there’s a common misconception about farmers that he hopes events like Main Street Agriculture can help clear up.

“They think a farmer is somebody who’s rich because he or she owns land, but I tell people that if that land produces a profit, it’s an asset. If it produces a loss, it’s a liability. You can’t take that land and buy gas or electricity or anything like that, and most of us don’t want to sell the land.

VaFarmBureau.org

John Michael Griggs, 3, rode a pony guided by Golden Horseshoe 4-H member Olivia Jimenez while club member Kora Hall steadied him in the saddle.

If we do, it’s gone forever.”

Hockman-Nicholas owns Hedgebrook Farm, a dairy just southeast of Winchester and one of more than a dozen farms with their wares on display.

“We have an open door farm, and many other farmers here have open door farms, so you can see exactly how an animal is raised or how the produce is taken care of.”

This was the first time Greg Mauzy of Skyview Acres, a cattle farm east of Winchester, participated in Main Street Agriculture. He said he wanted to let people know “what we do and how we do it and why we do it.

“A lot of people are interested in what we’re doing,” Mauzy said. “It’s been a real good event.”

Front Royal residents Michael and Christine Griggs brought their 3-yearold son, John Michael, to Main Street Agriculture because of his interest in farm animals, horses in particular.

“We would like to move up in acreage sometime. Mostly [John Michael] likes horses, and it all depends on what he likes,” Christine Griggs said. “We raise chickens in our yard, but we can’t have a horse.”

Frederick Farm Bureau will evaluate this year’s Main Street Agriculture this fall before deciding whether to hold a third event, Anderson said.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

‘What we’re trying to do is get the people in the community to realize the importance that agriculture has in the economic stability of the community and the importance agriculture has in their everyday lives.’

—PAUL ANDERSON, Frederick County Farm Bureau president

Live llocall music Li i was one off the h event’s ’ attractions. i

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Craft beverages get their start on Virginia farms — as barley, berries, hops, honey and cider apples

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irginia’s official beverage is milk, and the Old Dominion has made a name for itself in the wine and wine grape industries.

But while Virginia is home to nearly 700 Grade A dairies and more than 200 wineries, there are farms where ingredients are grown for a variety of other beverages.

Some are prepared on site, while others are grown on a contract basis.

‘Figure out what your customer wants and give it to them’

Northern Neck grains help make gold-medal whiskey for Rappahannock distillery Billy Dawson and Rick Wasmund occasionally toast their success with an award-winning product they’ve partnered to create.

The barley that Dawson grows in Northumberland County is made into a gold medal-winning, small-batch whiskey

by Wasmund’s Copper Fox Distillery in Rappahannock County.

“I was tired of cutting a beautiful load of grain and taking it to the elevator and seeing it get dumped in with other not-so-great grains and getting shipped somewhere,” Dawson said with a sigh.

“All of that hard work and I was getting no satisfaction.”

And Wasmund wanted a local, highquality grain that would help him create his hand-malted, applewood-aged Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky.

“The Virginia barley that Billy grows and his meticulous attention to detail have made all the difference,” Wasmund said.

“I had a strong preference for using local ingredients, but it really boiled down to the quality of the product.

“To me it’s also important to be close to the producer and the product and see it growing in the field.”

Dawson has been growing grains in the Northern Neck since 1986. Several years ago, he noticed bags of cracked corn at his 10

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local feed store and saw they were made in Pennsylvania. “I thought, ‘Why not in Virginia?’”

He did some research, and then he “hemmed and hawed and hemmed and hawed and finally bought grain cleaning equipment. Then I thought, ‘What have I done?’”

What he did was create a variety of value-added business opportunities for the grains that he had been growing on 1,200 acres.

With the new equipment, he started selling whole and cracked corn, milo and sunflower seeds. And then Wasmund asked if Dawson could supply him with a high-quality barley to malt for whiskey.

Dawson consulted Wasmund about his specific needs and decided that a barley variety called “thoroughbred” had the right malting properties. Thoroughbred barley is purely Virginia—bred by Virginia Tech, grown in Virginia, malted in Virginia and consumed in Virginia.

“You have to figure out what your customer wants and give it to them,” Dawson said.

Recently, Wasmund asked him about growing a different type of barley for a single malt gin. In response, Dawson planted a two-row barley from Idaho instead of a typical six-row variety, and the gin soon will be released.

Dawson still sells grains as commodities,

but “you can’t push the price,” he noted.

“With value-added products, you can.

“And with the bad downturn in commodity prices, I’m hoping this value-added business will help me keep the farm.”

Dawson is optimistic that the trend of small distilleries, breweries and wineries using local ingredients will continue to expand. He said if any other farmers are interested in starting a value-added business like his, he’s happy to help them.

“I’m willing to help any farmer who’s interested in this.” kathy dixon

By Kathy Dixon

Billy Dawson of Northumberland County raises barley for a Rappahannock County distillery.

VaFarmBureau.org

kathy dixon

“I’m hoping this value-added business will help me keep the farm,” Dawson said of grains he grows for whiskey and gin.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

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‘You can just have a glass and enjoy it’

Farm families’ fruit wine traditions tickling new taste buds

By Morgan Barker

Peaks of Otter Winery in Bedford County and Hill Top Berry Farm and Winery in Nelson County turned family traditions into business ventures.

Hill Top is a second-generation family farm and has been a winery since 1993.

“My dad always made wine, and people asked him why he didn’t sell it. It was really a hobby turned into a business,” said owner Kimberly Pugh.

Peaks of Otter began selling wine made with family recipes in 1996. “My grandmother made wine. She fermented the berries in apple juice, because she didn’t have enough money to buy sugar.

So we’ve converted her recipes and ferment our berries in apple juice instead of water and sugar,” said owner Danny Johnson.

Berry wines, also known as fruit wines and country wines, are distinguished from traditional wines because they are not made with grapes. Instead they utilize a variety of fruits, including elderberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.

The fermenting process is the same.

“They’re unique, they taste good and you really recognize the fruit they’re made out of,” Pugh said.

Most of the wines at Peaks of Otter have an apple base. In addition to more traditional apple, blackberry and strawberry wines, Johnson offers options such as chili pepper and cinnamon wines.

Hill Top specializes in “recreating ancient beverages,” true-to-the-fruit wines made with blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, peaches, plums, pears and elderberries. Hill Top makes and sells mead as well.

The berry wines are quite popular.

“We take our wine to festivals and have tastings at the winery. We sell out every year, so there’s nothing left over to distribute elsewhere,” said Deborah Pugh, who runs the Hill Top tasting room.

Peaks of Otter distributes throughout much of Central and Northern Virginia. “I think our customers like the uniqueness of our wine. It’s a fun wine; you can just have a glass and enjoy it,” Johnson said.

In addition to wine tastings, Hill Top and Peaks of Otter offer tours and opportunities for visitors to pick berries.

“We let people tour the vineyard and the winery if we’re doing work. They can also meet the farm animals. They see we’re a working farm and get the full farm experience,” Johnson said.

morgan barker

“We sell out every year, so there’s nothing left over to distribute elsewhere.” — Deborah Pugh

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VaFarmBureau.org

‘We’re still learning, but we’re getting better every year’

Variety may be the spice of life, but hops are the spice of beer While sipping local suds, do you ever wonder who grew the ingredients for that craft beer?

At Blue Mountain Brewery in Nelson County, the owners were fortunate to find a former produce grower and horticultural consultant with a knack for growing hops.

The brewery’s co-owner, Taylor Smack, said his 2012 Full Nelson beer with its hints of lime rind and undertones of fresh coconut “blew me away.” He credits the flavor of the beer to hop grower Stan Driver, who has been cultivating hops for Blue Mountain since 2009.

“I’m a novice hop grower, and we’re still learning,” Driver said humbly. “But we’re getting better every year.”

This is the sixth growing season for the variety of hops called Cascade, which thrives in Virginia. Driver, the owner of Hoot ‘N Holler Hops, has tried other varieties, but with limited success. Most hops used in local Virginia beers are of the pelletized variety, which are shipped to the East Coast from the Pacific Northwest.

Due to a lack of infrastructure, East Coast growers can’t compete with the commercial hop yards in the Northwest.

“They have 1,000-acre fields compared with my ¹⁄3-acre ones,” Driver said.

On a third of an acre, he can grow enough hops for about 300 pounds of wet hops, which equals 30 barrels of finished beer. Wet hop beers are seasonal, because the hops are perishable and can’t be shipped.

Many craft beer drinkers prefer wet hops. Driver said wet versus dry hops beer is similar to the differences between fresh and dried herbs in food.

At Blue Mountain, the wet hops are harvested during a festival at which craft beer enthusiasts provide free labor. Awardwinning Blue Reserve, the beer that is made from the newly harvested hops, lasts about a week, Smack said.

“It creates a little frenzy for the people who like this type of beer,” Driver said.

Driver grew up on a North Carolina tobacco farm and later grew organic VirginiaFarmBureau.com

kathy dixon

By Kathy Dixon

Stan Driver has been growing hops for Blue Mountain Brewery since 2009.

produce in Nelson County. In 1995 he became a horticultural consultant and met Smack through the industry.

When Smack and his wife, Mandi, and their other partner, Matt Nucci, applied for a permit to open Blue Mountain, they were required to grow hops on the land to meet the agricultural zoning requirements.

Smack planted hops on the property in 2007, and Driver simultaneously planted 50 plants in his own back yard as an experiment. “It was an instant connection for me,” he said. Driver’s hops thrived, but Smack’s didn’t.

He hired Driver to take over, and in 2009 the Blue Mountain Brewery hops were replanted; Driver has cultivated them ever since. He also grows hops in Augusta, Madison and Nelson counties and at the Blue Mountain Barrel House, which is Blue Mountain Brewery’s production facility.

“It has been a gradual process, but I’m probably the only person in Virginia growing hops for a living,” Driver said.

As chairman of the Old Dominion Hops Cooperative, he encourages other farmers to consider growing hops because there is increasing demand for hops grown on the East Coast.

“It’s fun getting to know all these brewers—and there’s always beer,” he said with a grin.

HOP FACTS There is no major commercial use for hops other than in beer.

The hop plant is a climbing, herbaceous perennial that is trained to grow up strings in a field called a hop yard.

Hops contribute bitterness to beer to balance the sweetness of the malt.

Hops are often used to contribute aromas to beer— from flowery to fruity to herbal.

Hops have an antibiotic effect that favors the activity of brewer’s yeast over that of less-desirable microorganisms.

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‘A lot of it has been trial and error’

Making mead is a simple equation for science teachers

By Kathy Dixon

kathy dixon

Two Roanoke high school science teachers are doing their best to put Virginia mead on the map.

Visitors from as far away as Sweden have come to Blacksnake Meadery in Carroll County to sit on the sippin’ porch and sample a little Meloluna or Sweet Virginia.

What grew out of a home-brewing hobby has become a booming weekend business for Steve and Jo Villers.

Each weekend from April through

Jo and Steve Villers opened Blacksnake Meadery in 2006.

November, the teachers operate the meadery, where they serve sips of 10 different styles of fermented honey.

“People mistakenly think mead must be sickeningly sweet because it’s made from honey, but that’s not the case,” said Jo Villers. “All of our meads taste completely different and 70 percent of them are dry, not sweet.”

One of their newest meads, Ginny Raz, combines black raspberries with honey for a taste that’s fruity, but not too sweet. The Villers are quick to point out that mead can have characteristics similar to beer or wine, but it is markedly different.

Ironically, it was beer that started the couple on the path to mead. Steve Villers was making beer as a hobby when they lived in Fredericksburg.

Tired of the rat race, the couple decided to buy some property and start a business.

Steve was interested in beekeeping and started researching how to make mead from the honey. “A lot of it has been trial and error,” he said.

A friend suggested they look for land in Floyd County, and that search eventually led them to a rustic log cabin on 12 acres in Dugspur. “It looked pretty run-down and there were blacksnake skins hanging in the garage, but we liked it,” Jo said.

The couple bought the property in 2004, purchased a few beehives the following year, began making mead in early 2006 and opened the Meadery that September.

They make and bottle all of their meads on site, with occasional help from their teenage daughter. Some of the mead is sold at the Meadery but Blacksnake brands also are distributed through more than 20 retail outlets statewide.

Last year they produced 500 cases of mead, which equates to 6,000 bottles of the fermented beverage.

Blacksnake is classified as a farm winery so at least 50 percent of its product has to be sourced from the Villers’ own bees. That can become a problem if bees are lost to bears or disease, so they are applying to change their designation. The couple plans to continue making at least half of the mead with their own honey and sourcing the rest mainly from Virginia beekeepers, with the exception of Tupelo honey, which comes from Florida.

There are five active hives at the Meadery, and the couple keep others in their backyard in Roanoke and on other property around the city. They currently have 26 but plan to add more each year.

“Eventually we’d like to do this fulltime,” Steve said.

TYPES OF MEAD BRAGGOT is mead made with malted grains and honey, often with hops as well.

CYSER is mead made with apples.

PYMENT is a fermented blend of honey and grape juice.

HIPPOCRAS is a spiced pyment, usually sweet.

MELOMELS are meads made with fruit. They can be fruity, aromatic and sweet, or dry with just a hint of fruit essence.

METHEGLINS are meads made with herbs and spices—frequently cinnamon, clove and ginger.

SACK MEADS are sweet, traditional meads, often aged for extended periods.

HYDROMEL is a newer category used to classify any mead that is less than 10 percent alcohol.

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VaFarmBureau.org

‘When you’ve got a lot of apples, you need to figure out what to do with them’

Cidery operators ‘ex-cidered’ about drink’s renaissance

By Morgan Barker

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

morgan barker

Cider has a long and rich history in Virginia. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson drank it daily, and colonists brought their taste for it from their home countries.

Today, cider makes up only 0.2 percent of the beer market in the United States, while overseas it makes up nearly 17 percent. But a rapid increase in Virginia cideries suggests cider is poised for a comeback.

Albemarle Ciderworks in Albemarle County put out its first hard cider in 2009, marketing its product in wine-size bottles with beer-style caps. The cider is made with heirloom apples and has a higher alcohol content than many beers.

According to Chuck Shelton, cider maker at Albemarle, the finished product is similar to what the founding fathers drank. “It is the same thing except we filter it more for shelf stability,” he said.

Albemarle is amongst the oldest cideries in Virginia and part of a growing industry producing old-timey favorites.

“When we first started growing apples, we had no inkling of cider. Cider wasn’t even around when we started,” Shelton said, “but when you’ve got a lot of apples, you need to figure out what to do with them.”

A small family business, Albemarle produces 36,000 bottles a year and distributes in parts of Virginia, Maryland and Washington.

At the other end of the cider spectrum, Bold Rock Hard Cider creates a product packaged in beer bottles with a low alcohol content.

Located in Nelson County, Bold Rock just celebrated its one-year anniversary and exemplifies the rapid growth of the cider industry.

“We’re already in most of the grocery store chains, and we’ve got something like 150 bars with ciders on tap,” said Brian Shanks, president and cider maker at Bold Rock.

Shanks is a veteran cider maker who was recruited by John Washburn, Bold Rock’s chairman and CEO. “I called Brian

and fell in love with his style—light, crisp and refreshing,” Washburn said.

Bold Rock currently leases a local orchard for its apples and is planting an orchard of its own.

Like the cider industry, the cidery is expanding. “We’ve done nearly six times what we projected in our business plan in our first year,” Washburn said.

Washburn and Shanks say they are “ex-cidered” to be a part of what Washburn called a “cider renaissance.”

“We’re humbled by the fact that we’re part of an industry that’s regenerating what was here once before,” Shanks said.

“We’ve done nearly six times what we projected in our business plan in our first year,” said John Washburn, chairman and CEO of Bold Rock Hard Cider.

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2013 State Fair of Virginia drew 229,000—and compliments Attendance figures indicate 229,000 people attended this year’s State Fair of Virginia, which is owned by the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. The event was held Sept. 27 through Oct. 6 at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County.

“A lot of thought and planning went into putting on the fair this year, and we feel like it was a huge success,” said Greg Hicks, VFBF vice president of communications.

“We’ve had many, many positive comments from those who attended.”

Virginia youth participating in the 4-H and FFA livestock competitions earned a total of $70,000 in scholarship money. “This is a tradition we were happy to have back as part of the State Fair, and we hope to further enhance our livestock and other agricultural exhibits at future fairs,” Hicks said.

Other returning traditions included a Miss State Fair of Virginia pageant and

a State Fair parade. Courtney Garrett of Prince Edward County was named the 2013 Miss State Fair of Virginia and will compete in the Miss Virginia pageant next June.

During the parade, the Marching Cavaliers of King William High School captured the SFVA Marching Band Championship Cup. Additionally, hundreds of adults and youth who competed in arts and crafts, baked goods, crops and vegetables, honey and plant competitions earned recognition, ribbons and cash awards.

“We especially want to thank all of the families and other fairgoers who came out and made this fair a success,” Hicks said.

“Without them, there would be no fair. And we hope even more Virginians will come enjoy the fair in 2014.”

The 2014 State Fair will be held Sept. 26 through Oct. 5.

Organizers say 229,000 people attended this year’s State Fair of Virginia. The event’s 10-day run saw no rain and plenty of sunshine. Attractions (above) included a full complement of midway rides and games and two nights of professional rodeo.

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VaFarmBureau.org

Fairgoers of all ages took a spin on rides like the Windsurfer.

The lure of prizes sometimes had whole families testing their skills at midway games.

Memory of Trooper Andrew Fox honored during fair

The Charlie Daniels Band closed out the Festival Stage concert series with an Oct. 6 performance.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

Courtney Garrett of Prince Edward County was named Miss State Fair of Virginia.

More than 70 law enforcement officers and state and local officials helped honor the late Virginia State Police Trooper Andrew D. Fox during an Oct. 3 plaque dedication ceremony at The Meadow Event Park.

Fox, a Tazewell County native, sustained fatal injuries Oct. 5, 2012, while working traffic detail during a special assignment at the State Fair of Virginia.

A plaque honoring his life and service will be mounted outside The Meadow Event Park’s Public Safety Operations Center, and a second plaque will be placed inside the building.

“It is my hope that those plaques will serve as a reminder ... of the enormous responsibility we assume when we invite the public through those gates, and of the willingness and professionalism with which our law enforcement partners shoulder that responsibility,” said State Fair President Jeff Dillon.

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Save $500 on selected GM vehicles—and $1,000 more on selected GM and Chevy trucks Farm Bureau members in Virginia can now receive a $1,000 discount on 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet and GM regular cab, heavy duty 2500 and 3500 series trucks through April 1, 2014. This is in addition to the Farm Bureau GM $500 Discount Program, bringing the total savings on specific trucks to $1,500.

The Farm Bureau GM $500 Vehicle Discount Program is available for members purchasing or leasing qualifying Buick, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles at participating dealerships. Members must be at least 18 and have been Farm Bureau members for at least 60 days.

The discount is not a rebate and may not be stackable with some other incentives. It must be processed at the time of delivery; GM will not accept certificates on vehicles that already have been delivered.

To use this member benefit, visit fbverify. com/GM, enter your membership number and ZIP code, and print out a Farm Bureau Membership Verification Certificate to take to your GM dealership. Members without Internet access can get assistance in acquiring a certificate from their county Farm Bureau offices.

See participating GM dealers for full details.

ELIGIBLE VEHICLES: Buick Enclave LaCrosse Lucerne Regal Verano

Chevrolet Avalanche Aveo Camaro Camaro C Camaro ZL1 Colorado Corvette Cruze Equinox Express

HHR Impala Malibu (including 2013) Silverado Suburban Tahoe Traverse

Excluded from discount Cadillac Chevrolet Volt

GMC Acadia Canyon Savana Sierra Terrain Yukon

N OT ICE As of Jan. 1, 2014, Virginia Farm Bureau will discontinue the member accidental death and dismemberment insurance benefit.

Claims related to losses incurred through Dec. 31, 2013, will be handled per the existing terms of the benefit. All claims incurred through that date must be submitted within 90 days after the date of the loss.

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N EW M EM BE R B E NE F IT:

Save wherever you go, with Deals Advantage Farm Bureau members in Virginia can start saving this fall on purchases at places like Advance Auto Parts, Arby’s, H&R Block, Office Depot, Sears, Subway and more.

Deals Advantage, a new member benefit, uses the nation’s largest private discount network to save on meals, clothing, vehicle care and other goods and services. It uses “show your phone” mobile deals that can be accessed anywhere and redeemed from a smartphone at the point of sale, or from a home computer.

“It’s entirely possible for a member to save enough to offset the cost of a $40 annual Farm Bureau membership,” noted Clay Francis, vice president of membership and field services for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. “And Deals Advantage is as accessible as your smartphone.”

How it works Members can register for Deals Advantage from a link on the front page of the Farm

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

Bureau website at VaFarmBureau.org (Have your membership number at hand). Once registered, they’ll receive a confirmation email and can begin saving immediately after downloading the free Deals Advantage smartphone app.

When shopping, dining out or traveling, registered members can search for participating merchants they frequent, or they can search for all participating merchants in a specific ZIP Code.

Here’s a sample of Deals Advantage savings available to Farm Bureau members in Virginia: • Advance Auto Parts – $40 off online orders of $110 or more; • Busch Gardens and Water Country USA – 20 percent off online purchase of singleday tickets; • Dunkin Donuts – 10 percent off purchases at selected stores; and • Jiffy Lube – $5 to $8 off Signature Series Oil Changes.

Deals Advantage is offered in partnership with a network of more than 300,000 merchant partners representing more than 500 national brands.

“This represents a tremendous value we’re able to offer Farm Bureau members,” Francis said, “and we look forward to getting members’ feedback once they begin using Deals Advantage. There’s also the opportunity for them to recommend restaurants and other retail locations they frequent for inclusion in the benefit.”

Members with questions about Deals Advantage can get details from their county Farm Bureau offices, and those who attend the VFBF Annual Convention in Richmond can get on-site assistance in registering for the benefit and downloading the Deals Advantage app.

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Virginia drivers entering peak season for deer collisions Virginia is one of the 10 states in which a driver is most likely Collisions to collide with a deer, and this is with deer are the season when drivers need to more likely be most alert. in October, The deer migration and November and December. mating season runs from October through December, causing a dramatic increase in movement of Virginia’s deer population and resulting in more collisions during those three months, with the heaviest amount in November.

An estimated 1.23 million deer-vehicle collisions occurred in the United States between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012, costing more through-December pattern, with deerthan $4 billion in vehicle damage. related claims significantly increasing or In 2012, Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual doubling during those months and the Insurance Co. had 2,998 claims related to highest number of claims taking place in collisions with deer, out of 107,226 personal November. There were 390 collisions with and commercial auto policies. The claims led deer in October, 532 in November and 324 to $7.19 million in losses, with an average in December. loss of $2,400 per claim.

During the coming months, motorists The claims data matches the Octobershould drive slower and be aware of their

surroundings even more than usual. Deer are most likely to be seen at dusk and dawn near tree-lined roadways or areas that transition from open fields to forest or water. Drivers must remember that deer are wild animals and often exhibit unpredictable behaviors when on or near roadways.

A deer, like any other animal, is going to cross the road when they feel it is the safest time. Always slow down if you see one run across the road in front of you, because it’s very likely that there is another one behind it.

Deer crossing signs are posted to warn drivers that certain stretches of road are commonly populated with deer.

When driving after dark, use high-beam headlights to increase the range of vision. If a deer is spotted on or near the road, slow down immediately and do not swerve. Brake firmly, but keep the vehicle headed in a straight line.

Prevent fires where many of them start—in the kitchen More fires start in the kitchen than any other part of the home.

That’s why “Prevent Kitchen Fires” was the theme of this year’s National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 6-12.

The National Fire Protection Association wanted to raise awareness of unattended cooking, which is the leading cause of fires.

Fire departments across the nation respond to more than 400 kitchen fires every day. Between 2007 and 2011, there was an estimated annual average of 156,000 cooking-related fires, resulting in 400 deaths, 5,080 injuries and $853 million in direct damage, according to the NFPA. Two of every five home fires start in the kitchen, with unattended cooking a factor in 34 percent of reported home cooking fires.

Two-thirds of home cooking fires started with the ignition of food or other cooking materials. Cooking ranges accounted for 58 percent of home cooking fires, while ovens accounted for 16 percent.

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To help prevent kitchen fires, take the following steps: • When frying, grilling or broiling food, stay in the kitchen.

• Always maintain a kid- and pet-free zone within at least 3 feet from the stove.

• Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge.

• Keep a lid and oven mitt nearby when you’re cooking, in case of a grease fire. If a grease fire occurs, slide a lid over the pan.

Turn off the burner, and leave the pan covered until it is completely cool.

• Keep a proper fire extinguisher in an easyto-locate position near the kitchen. Do not place it next to the stove; you may not be able to reach it if something on the stove is on fire.

• Periodically check your fire extinguishers to make sure they are charged. Check the owner’s manual for details on how to check the charge.

A reminder about fire extinguishers: Different fire extinguishers are designated for different classes of fires: • Class A – ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, plastics and clothing; • Class B – flammable liquids such as grease, gas and oil; • Class C – energized electrical devices, such as appliances and electrical motors; and • Class D – combustible metals, such as magnesium.

• Water extinguishers are appropriate for Class A fires only.

Most fire extinguishers available in homegoods stores are ABC-type and safe to use for Class A, B or C fires.

VaFarmBureau.org

HO M E C H EC K UP C HE C K L I S T The best way to survive a fire is to prevent one from occurring in the first place. Below are tips from the National Fire Protection Association to prevent fires in your home during the fall and winter holidays, and to increase your chance of survival should a fire occur.

Thanksgiving ■ Stay in the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop, and keep

children away from cooking areas.

■ Do not leave your home while roasting a turkey in the oven.

Turkey fryers ■ Follow all warning labels and manufacturer’s instructions.

■ Use fryers on the ground level only—and never indoors, on a

porch or deck, or in a garage.

■ Be careful not to put too much oil in the fryer.

■ Ensure the turkey is completely thawed before frying it.

■ Use a long pole to hold the turkey when putting it in the hot oil.

Lower it in slowly; don’t drop it.

■ Wear long sleeves, gloves, long pants and shoes when using a

turkey fryer.

Winter Holidays ■ Blow out lit candles before leaving a room or going to bed, and

■ Smoke alarms should be installed away from the kitchen—at

least 10 feet from a cooking appliance—to prevent false alarms.

turn off all light strings and decorations.

■ Test your smoke alarms at least once a month by using the “test” ■ Use clips, not nails, to hang outdoor lights so the cords do not

button. Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old.

get damaged.

■ Connect no more than three strands of mini light sets and no

more than 50 screw-in bulbs.

■ Some lights and ornaments are exclusively for indoor or outdoor

use, not both. Read manufacturer’s instructions.

■ Keep Christmas trees at least 3 feet away from any heat source,

including fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents and lights.

Always have a plan ■ Make a home escape plan, and discuss it with everyone in your

home.

■ Have a designated meeting place a safe distance from the home.

■ Practice your home fire drill at night and during the day with

everyone in your home at least twice a year. Teach children how to escape on their own in case you are not available to help them.

Smoke alarms ■ Install smoke alarms inside every bedroom, outside each

sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.

■ An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to

flaming fires, while a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. For the best protection, install both types of alarms or a dual-sensor alarm.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

If the alarm sounds ■ Get out and stay out. Do not go back inside for people or pets.

Call 911 from outside your home.

■ If you have to escape through smoke, get low and crawl under

the smoke.

■ Close doors behind you as you leave.

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Cultivate NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013

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The new health reform open enrollment period If you have health insurance through an employer, you’ve surely heard the phrase “open enrollment.”

That’s the time when employees pick their health plan for the coming benefit year.

But now there’s a new open enrollment period coming to town.

According to rules issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is going to create an open enrollment period for people who don’t have employer coverage.

This is a big deal. Most of those consumers—many of whom are uninsured today—will be required to have minimum levels of coverage in 2014 or pay a penalty.

The first individual market open enrollment period began Oct. 1— when the new health insurance exchanges opened—and will run through March 31, 2014.

During open enrollment, people who do not have qualifying employer-based or government coverage and who earn less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level may be eligible for government subsidies to help them pay for their coverage. They also will be able to purchase plans and obtain subsidies by purchasing their plan through government health insurance exchanges or through licensed Web-based companies working in cooperation with the government.

People earning more than 400 percent of the federal poverty level who have no qualifying employer-based coverage still will be required to purchase coverage on their own, though they won’t be eligible to receive subsidies. These consumers will be able to purchase health insurance directly from the insurer or through their government exchange website, or through privately operated exchanges.

Outside of the open enrollment period in 2014, you’ll only be able to enroll in an individual health insurance plan when a qualifying event occurs. Those can include the birth of a child, marriage or the loss of employer-based health insurance coverage, among other things.

If you need help understanding what open enrollment under the new health care reform laws entail, qualified staff at your county Farm Bureau office will be happy to assist you.

Virginia Farm Bureau is committed to offering health insurance education that you can depend on. We want to make sure you have all the information you need to make the right decision when it comes to your health and well-being.

Leah Gustafson is a marketing specialist for Experient Health.

ANNOUNCING NEW MEMBER BENEFIT:

Enjoy exclusive, deep discounts at thousands of places like:

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Save up to 25%, 40% even 50% off on dining, shopping and more, with deals in your neighborhood or wherever you go nationwide.

WAYS TO SAVE!

FIND DEALS ONLINE OR DOWNLOAD OUR FREE MOBILE APP. 1. ONLINE: log in to www.VaFarmBureau.org and click the Deal$ Advantage icon 2. MOBILE: Search for “Deals Advantage” at the App Store or Google Play

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QUESTIONS? Call 888-275-9136 to get registered or to find the best deals.

As to Disney artwork, logos and properties ©Disney

Cultivate NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013

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From the Ground Up

Grow next fall’s decorations yourself Every fall, pumpkins and gourds fly out of fields and stores to be used as home decorations.

If you want decorations and some harvestseason satisfaction, “there are hundreds of varieties of pumpkins and gourds that can easily be grown across Virginia,” said Chris Mullins of Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Seeds are available through seed catalogs and garden center stores.

Pumpkins and gourds can take up a lot of space, so before you plant, make sure they will have room to grow, Mullins said.

Surry County produce farmer Steve Berryman grows 8.5 acres of pumpkins and said they require about 25 square feet per plant.

“If you’re planting pumpkins in rows, the rows should be 5 feet apart, and the plants

should be placed 5 feet apart,” Berryman said.

Pumpkins should be planted by July 1 in order to have them ready for Halloween. If you want pumpkins ready for an earlier fall display, back up the planting time to June.

“You will want to have warm, well-drained soil,” Berryman said. “You want a soil that doesn’t hold water. Pumpkins don’t like to get their feet wet.”

If the weather is particularly dry, irrigate your plants using a soaker hose or drip irrigation.

“Try to only water underneath the pumpkin plants,” Berryman said. “The more the plants get wet, the more they will harbor disease.”

There are many varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash, and many ways to

decorate with them. Swan gourds, which have an elongated “neck,” can be dried out and decorated after the fall holidays.

Munchkin pumpkins are easy to grow, come in a variety of colors and will produce five, eight or even 10 pumpkins per plant. The Lumina pumpkin is white on the outside with orange flesh on the inside, and warty pumpkins have become popular for their irregular textures.

While gourds typically are not edible, many (uncarved) pumpkin and squash varieties also can be eaten after they’ve done decoration duty.

“Use them in the fall, and when you’re finished, take them to the kitchen and make them into pie or pumpkin butter, or bake the squash,” Berryman said.

Pumpkins should be planted

by July 1 in order to have them ready for Halloween.

To find the station nearest you that airs Real Virginia, or to view the show online, visit VaFarmBureau.org.

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Chris Mullins appears on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program. Mullins is an assistant professor and Virginia Cooperative Extension greenhouse specialist at Virginia State University and works with fruit and vegetable growers statewide. He is a member of the American Society of Horticulture Science.

VaFarmBureau.org

In the Garden 

HOLIDAY TRIMMINGS are as close as your own landscape “You want a nice, long, flat spray for your swag,” Viette said. “Take time and look for the nice pieces.”

You might want to cut two to four branches from each type of tree or plant that you use.

Then it’s time to start assembling the swag. Take the greens, and bind them together using heavy wire. “You may need to use pliers to tighten the wire,” Viette said.

Once the greens are together, add pine cones, holiday ornaments, bows or ribbon, using the same wire to attach them. Viette recommended adding pine cones or other elements in groups of three.

“You can hang your swag on your front door or on windows,” Viette said. Applying commercial products sold to preserve evergreens will help them stay fresh-looking for as long as six weeks.

photos by sara owens

It’s hard to find a simpler, and more personal, way to decorate your home for the holidays than with evergreen trimmings from your yard or garden.

“You can use all types of evergreens to make your own swag,” said horticulturist Mark Viette. He recommended cypress, juniper and fir cuttings.

First, check out your evergreens, and cut a long growth from one.

Many kinds of evergreen cuttings from home landscapes can be used to make original holiday decorations.

To find the station nearest you that airs Real Virginia, or to view the show online, visit VaFarmBureau.org.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

Mark Viette appears on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program. Viette and his father operate the Andre Viette Farm and Nursery in Augusta County and have a live radio show broadcast by more than 60 mid-Atlantic stations each Saturday morning. They also are members of the Augusta County Farm Bureau. Andre Viette currently serves on the organization’s board of directors and on the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Ornamental Horticulture Advisory Committee, and Mark Viette is a former Augusta Farm Bureau board member.

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Good for You!

Fresh fruits and veggies fix lack of dietary potassium

By Kathy Dixon The bad news is that many Americans are not getting enough potassium.

The good news is that eating foods high in potassium can be the fix.

“If someone is low in dietary potassium, they’re probably not eating enough fruits and vegetables,” said Kathryn Strong, a registered dietitian and Virginia Cooperative Extension family and consumer sciences agent serving Fairfax and Arlington counties. “But this should come as no surprise, because most Americans fall short on fruits and vegetables.”

According to recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, most Americans are only getting about 56 percent of the potassium they need. That’s not good, because potassium is a dietary mineral necessary for balancing the body’s pH and for keeping fluids in balance as well. Potassium helps regulate normal blood pressure. It also is needed for muscle growth, nervous system and brain functions.

Fortunately, there are plenty of fruits and vegetables that are good sources of potassium, including avocados, bananas, cantaloupes, citrus juices, lima beans, spinach, tomatoes and potatoes. Lean meats and some types of fish such

as salmon, cod and flounder provide potassium as well.

Healthy people can get the necessary potassium from what they eat, but supplements are sometimes best for some Americans, Strong said. Certain diseases and medications can cause some people to lose large amounts of potassium.

“In these cases, you can eat bananas all day long and still be low in potassium.”

Dehydration, which can result from severe vomiting, diarrhea, sweating and other conditions, can also lead to high potassium losses and require medical attention.

An adequate amount of dietary potassium helps control high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. About one in three American adults has high blood pressure.

“When people hear ‘high blood pressure,’ they immediately think about cutting back on salt, and that’s a good thing,” Strong said. “But when it comes to diet, increasing potassium may be just as important.”

Low potassium intake, excess sodium intake and excess body weight create the perfect conditions for heart disease.

“We now know that focusing on increasing potassium along with limiting sodium can do even more for heart health,” she explained. Sodium and potassium

are members of a mineral group called electrolytes, which help regulate muscles and balance fluid levels. “The potassiumto-sodium ratio appears to be particularly important. We should aim to eat two to three times more potassium than sodium.”

While bananas are the most well-known source of potassium, there are many other options. “Dry beans are actually one of the best sources,” Strong noted.

One banana has 422 milligrams of potassium or about 9 percent of the recommended daily amount. While this is good, one cup of white beans has 1,189 milligrams, about 25 percent of the daily recommendation.

Fruits and vegetables at Virginia farmers’ markets, including carrots, spinach, beet greens, cabbage, potatoes and celery, are perfect seasonal choices. Tomatoes are good sources of potassium as well and retain high levels of potassium even when preserved.

“Products like canned tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes have concentrated levels of potassium, because some of the water cooks off,” Strong said. Fresh tomatoes that are properly canned can be enjoyed as a good potassium source for up to one year.

Swiss Chard, citrus fruits and beans are among foods that contain high levels of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure.

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VaFarmBureau.org

Good for You!

FOODS HIGH IN POTASSIUM: Apricots Bananas Beans Beef Beets Cantaloupe Cod Citrus fruits Dates Greens Mushrooms Peas Potatoes

Try these potassium-boosting recipes Banana Pudding in a Bag

Greek Green Beans and Tomato

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

1 banana 6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce 2 tablespoons lowfat vanilla yogurt 1 whole graham cracker OR ¼ cup granola

2 pounds fresh green beans 2 cups tomatoes 2 onions 1 bunch fresh parsley 2 garlic cloves 1 green pepper 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 cups water salt fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS Place all ingredients in a plastic bag, and squeeze out the air. Squish the bag to mix all ingredients together.

Make a cut in the corner of the zipped bag, and squeeze the pudding into a bowl.

DIRECTIONS Wash the beans, cut off the tips and remove the stringy piece of fiber along the seam. Rinse the beans, and set aside.

Chop the tomatoes, onions, parsley and garlic. Thinly slice the green pepper. In a soup pot, sauté the onions in olive oil until translucent. Stir in the garlic, and sauté for a few minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and water.

Stir well, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 50 minutes or until beans are tender. Add more water if needed during cooking. Serve warm.

Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension

Prunes Raisins Salmon Soy and soy foods Spinach Strawberries Tomatoes Turkey Watermelon

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

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Heart of the Home

Caramelized brussels sprouts are flavorful side dish Cookbook author Kendra Bailey Morris promises this recipe will “make brussels sprouts lovers out of brussels sprouts haters.”

Roasting the sprouts caramelizes them and brings out the natural flavors.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Blue Cheese ingredients

directions

2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half 3½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (with ½ tablespoon reserved) salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar (with ½ tablespoon reserved) ¼ cup cooked and crumbled bacon 2 to 3 ounces mild blue cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large pan, toss the brussels sprouts with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread the sprouts in a baking pan in a single layer, and roast for about 25 minutes. Rotate the pan and toss the sprouts several times during the roasting process so they brown evenly.

During the last few minutes of roasting, add 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar and toss well. Then return the sprouts to the oven for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the sprouts to a large bowl, and toss again with the reserved ½ tablespoon of olive oil and ½ tablespoon balsamic and the bacon and blue cheese. Top with additional blue cheese and another sprinkle of black pepper just before serving.

kathy dixon

Brussels sprouts are cruciferous vegetables and are related to cabbage, collards, broccoli, kale and kohlrabi.

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VaFarmBureau.org

Heart of the Home

Lemon-y pork chops remembered as speedy, satisfying This recipe is a family favorite passed down from cookbook author Kendra Bailey Morris’ mom.

“It’s super easy and very satisfying,” Morris said. She recalled that, when she was a child, her mother would quickly assemble the dish after an exhausting day of teaching and pop it in the oven for supper.

Sometimes a family’s simplest recipes are remembered most fondly.

Baked BBQ Lemon Pork Chops ingredients

4 boneless pork chops, 1" thick salt and pepper to taste one small onion, thinly sliced four slices of lemon 4 tablespoons brown sugar 4 tablespoons ketchup 4 fresh sage leaves ¼ cup water 1 teaspoon cider vinegar 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon chili powder molasses, for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a medium baking dish, and place pork chops side by side in the dish. Top each chop with a lemon slice, then top each with sliced onions, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of ketchup and a sage leaf.

In a small bowl, mix together water, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder. Pour mixture over the pork chops. Cover the dish tightly with foil, and bake 45 minutes or until chops are nice and tender. Uncover the dish, and bake the chops another 10 to 15 minutes, periodically basting them with sauce from the dish.

Drizzle chops with molasses, garnish with additional sage leaves and serve.

To find the station nearest you that airs Real Virginia, or to view the show online, visit VaFarmBureau.org.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

kathy dixon

directions

Kendra Bailey Morris appears each month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program, courtesy of Virginia Grown, a program of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Morris is an author and culinary instructor whose work appears in Better Homes and Gardens, Food Republic, Virginia Living, Chile Pepper and other publications and is a former food columnist for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Her blog is at fatbackandfoiegras. blogspot.com.

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Marketplace

Find farm-fresh fall and holiday products, with Farm Bureau Fresh If you’ve got a taste for Virginia-grown apples or foods like sweet potatoes and greens— or you’re ready to deck your halls with a fresh-cut Christmas tree or evergreen wreath or garland, a new Farm Bureau member benefit can make it easier to find the goods nearest you.

Farm Bureau Fresh, based on the Virginia Farm Bureau website at VaFarmBureau.org/ marketplace, lets members who farm place searchable listings of local foods and other farm products.

Anyone can use Farm Bureau Fresh to search for products in 11 categories, or use a ZIP code to locate farmers in a specific area who sell directly to the public.

The listings include farm or shop addresses, phone numbers and websites, as well as a map and Google travel directions.

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Cultivate NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013

Products currently are being listed in the following categories:

• • • • • • • • • • •

agritourism; aquaculture; bees and honey; Christmas trees; CSAs; flowers; fruit; mushrooms; pick-your-own; pumpkins; and vegetables.

VaFarmBureau.org

2014 magazine classified ad schedule and policies Members of Virginia Farm Bureau will receive 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 the February 2014 issue of Cultivate 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 Cultivate (mailed to associate members only); • May Farm Bureau News (mailed to producer members only); • July Cultivate (mailed to associate members only); and • August Farm Bureau News (mailed to producer members only).

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 5, 2013, at the Richmond Marriott, Richmond, 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 adjournment thereof.

Dated this 1st day of October, 2013.

Jonathan S. Shouse, Secretary

Notice of Annual Meeting 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 5, 2013, at the Richmond Marriott, Richmond, 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, 2013.

Jonathan S. Shouse, Secretary

Real Virginia focuses on Virginia eggs, Colonial harvest celebrations and silky goats

Watch this!

To view RealVirginia, visit VaFarmBureau.org.

VirginiaFarmBureau.com

Poultry and egg production and processing is a multibillion dollar industry in Virginia, and egg producers generate some 696 million eggs annually. Also, find out how colonial Virginians celebrated their harvests at a time before Thanksgiving was a holiday, and visit a silky goat farm and find out about these luxuriously special animals.

Real Virginia airs nationwide at 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month on RFD-TV on Dish Network and DirecTV. It also can be watched weekly on WVPT Harrisonburg, WBRA Roanoke, WCVE Richmond, WHRO Norfolk, WVVA Bluefield and WTKR Norfolk, as well as on 40 cable systems across the state. It’s available online at VaFarmBureau.org.

Check local television listings, or visit VaFarmBureau.org for a list of participating stations.

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Let’s do this again next year!

VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION wants to thank the 229,000 fairgoers who helped make the 2013 State Fair of Virginia the amazing event—and epic good time—that it was.

Thanks also to the Virginia farm, forestry and horticultural organizations that helped ensure that agriculture remained a focus of the fair, and to everyone who participated in livestock, equine, crop, culinary, vocational and arts & crafts competitions.

Because of you, the fair truly showcased the best of Virginia!

We look forward to next year’s fair being even more exciting, and to welcoming you back again.

2014 State Fair of Virginia: Sept. 26 through Oct. 5 VaFarmBureau.org