Cultivate Fall 2016

Cultivate FALL 2016

Virginia Farm Bureau

Time to talk turkey!

Cultivate Volume 9, Number 4 Fall 2016 Cultivate (USPS 025051) (ISSN 1946-8121) is published four times a year. February, May, August, October. 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).

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“My turkeys live in the absolute best

It’s almost turkey time!

The Thanksgiving bird gets lots of attention, but turkey production is a year-round job on more than 300 Virginia farms.

County Farm Bureaus work to benefit their communities

Community service is an ongoing focus for county Farm Bureaus statewide. See how some organizations have stepped up to benefit their neighbors.

environment a turkey could possibly have.”

— JERRY ATKINS, Monrovia Ridge Farm, Orange County

Roadside assistance now available for customers with towing, labor coverage on auto policies

For Farm Bureau auto insurance customers with towing and labor coverage, help just got a lot easier.

Departments 3

Did You Know?

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Viewing Virginia

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For Your Benefit

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Heart of the Home

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Marketplace

Postmaster: Please send changes of address to, Cultivate, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261; fax 804-2901096. 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.

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.

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

VISIT US ONLINE VaFarmBureau.org

2016 marks 90 years since the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation was formed to collectively and effectively address the needs and interests of the commonwealth’s farmers.

PUBLICATION SCHEDULE

ON THE COVER

Associate members will receive their next issue of Cultivate in February 2017. The magazine is published quarterly.

These turkey hens in an Orange County flock have been raised in a conventional poultry house (Photo by Elizabeth Nixon).

WE’RE SOCIAL!

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.

Did you know?

When North American agriculture was in its formative years, a companion-planting technique earned corn, beans and squash the nickname “Three Sisters.”

Native Americans planted those principal crops together. The corn stalks served as sturdy poles for the beans to climb. In turn, the beans helped add nitrogen to the soil; corn requires lots of nitrogen. Squash leaves shaded the beans and soil, which prevented water evaporation and soil erosion.

Corn, beans and squash also are nutritionally compatible, because corn provides carbohydrates, beans are a protein source and squash provide vitamin A. Today’s conventional farms use similar principles to maintain proper soil and crop health. In a modern crop rotation in Virginia, corn, soybeans and wheat or other small grains often are planted in succession. This allows farmers to maintain and improve soil fertility and also can help with pest and weed management.

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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60 Farmers who rely on the Local Food Hub near Charlottesville to market and distribute their products (See related article on Page 6)

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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.

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: Story of a Modern Farm Bureau, written

by Greg Hicks, current VFBF vice president of communications.

The new publication will go on sale for the first time Nov. 29 at the 2016 VFBF Annual Convention in Hot Springs. The 164-page hardback coffee table book will be available at major booksellers and on the VFBF website after the convention.

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-ahalf 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.”

KATHY DIXON

From the Ground Up: Story of a Modern Farm Bureau will debut at convention

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 / FALL 2016

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FOOD Hub

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

Local Food Hub employee Chris Brown (left) helped farmer Daniel Malcolm unload produce at the hub’s warehouse near Charlottesville.

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Partnerships help farmers market their products 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

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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.

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.

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON

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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 8

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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

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.

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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It’s almost turkey time!

U.S.-raised turkeys gobble up the limelight in the weeks before Americans sit down for Thanksgiving dinner. But turkey production is a year-round effort on more than 300 Virginia farms.

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Americans consume more than 700 million pounds of turkey at Thanksgiving.

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Comfort is key for conventionally raised turkeys ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH NIXON

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erry Atkins, owner of Monrovia Ridge Farm in Orange County, has two houses in which he grows hens for Cargill Turkey Production.

Atkins raises three flocks of birds each year. Every time he starts a new flock, he gets 51,000 birds.

A flock will stay in the house for 12 weeks and will then be transported to Harrisonburg for processing when the birds are approximately 16 to 17 pounds. After each flock leaves, Atkins will have a four-week period to clean the houses and prepare for the next flock.

Atkins received his first flock in December 2015, and he plans on his third flock leaving this month.

Conventional poultry farming employs a vertical integration system that works like a partnership. Cargill provides Atkins with the turkeys, feed and an allotment for his poultry houses’ gas and electricity costs. Atkins provides Cargill with the houses, the equipment and labor needed to care for the birds.

Each turkey house is equipped with a heating, cooling and ventilation system, along with feed and water lines. Birds have access to fresh feed and water at all times, and the temperature is regulated to ensure their comfort. The houses not only keep the turkeys in a comfortable environment, but also protect them from predators and possible exposure to wild birds that could be carrying diseases.

“My turkeys live in the absolute Virginia growers best environment a turkey could harvested 2,200 possibly have,” Atkins said. “They stay acres of fresh-market in a climate-controlledtomatoes setting,last areyear. protected from the elements and they get to eat the best feed money can buy.”

While the birds are a lot of work for Atkins, who operates his houses by

VIRGINIA TURKEY FACTS

Conventional poultry houses provide protection from the elements and predators, and the birds inside have ready access to food and water. Virginia ranks sixth among turkey-producing states.

himself, he said he is happy with his decision to grow conventionally raised turkeys.

“I like being a part of the vertically integrated turkey business, because it is always a constant source of cash flow,” he said. “Unlike other sectors of the agriculture industry that rely on the weather, we don’t have to.

“Going out on my own and building turkey houses has been a good decision, because it has been a great opportunity for my family.”

was 16 pounds compared to 8.3 pounds in 1975.

When Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin sat down to eat their first meal on the moon, their foil food packets contained roasted turkey and all of the trimmings. One of the dinner options for commander Christopher Ferguson aboard Atlantis, the last NASA shuttle to fly into space, was smoked turkey and turkey tetrazzini.

SOURCE: National Turkey Federation

Most Virginia turkey farms are located in the Shenandoah Valley, though there are poultry operations on the Eastern Shore and in the Piedmont region.

There are more than 300 turkey farms in Virginia.

Virginia ranks sixth among turkeyproducing states and, along with five other states, accounts for nearly twothirds of the turkeys produced in the U.S. The top five turkey-producing states are Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Indiana and Missouri.

“Virginia has a long and proud history of turkey production,” said Tony Banks, a commodity marketing specialist for Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. “We’ve always been a major turkey-producing state, even ranking fourth nationwide before turkey production expanded in other states. Consumers here can expect access to fresh, locally raised turkeys for the holidays.”

The Virginia poultry industry, which includes chicken and egg production, contributes more than $13 billion to Virginia’s economy and directly supports nearly 52,000 jobs in the state.

There are more than 1,100 familyowned poultry farms in Virginia.

TURKEY TRIVIA U.S. TURKEY CONSUMPTION Nearly 88 percent of Americans surveyed by the National Turkey Federation eat turkey at Thanksgiving.

The average weight of turkeys purchased for Thanksgiving is 16 pounds, meaning that approximately 736 million pounds of turkey were consumed in the United States during Thanksgiving in 2012.

Turkey consumption has nearly doubled over the past 25 years. In 2012, per-capita turkey consumption

• Mature female turkeys are called hens, and mature male turkeys are called toms or gobblers.

Newly hatched turkeys are called poults.

• Domesticated turkeys cannot fly.

• Wild turkeys can fly up to 55 mph for short distances and can run 20 mph.

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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Turkey time!

POULTRY LABELING LANGUAGE AND PRODUCTION FACTS “No antibiotics added”: All poultry meat sold in the U.S. is free of antibiotic residue, regardless of how it is labeled.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration requires specific waiting periods to ensure no antibiotic residue is in the poultry meat that you purchase.

“Natural”: This indicates the product is minimally processed and contains no artificial ingredients, chemical preservatives or added color.

“Organic”: Turkeys and chickens raised organically cannot be fed crops grown with synthetic fertilizers. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, organic does not indicate that the product is any safer, of higher quality or more nutritious than a conventionally raised product.

“No hormones”: No artificial or added hormones are used in the production of any American poultry products. This is a requirement of the FDA. “Pasture-raised”: The USDA has not developed any federal definition for pasture-raised products due to numerous variables. The term typically indicates less confinement of the birds.

“Free-range”: There is no precise federal definition of free-range. The term generally is allowed if a flock has access to the outdoors for at least part of the day. All poultry meat products labeled organic must be free-range, but not all free-range poultry meet the standard of organic.

“Farm-raised”: All poultry is raised on farms. This phrase is a marketing term.

“Cage-free birds”: In the U.S., all chickens and turkeys raised for meat live in a cage-free environment with unlimited access to food and fresh water and protection from predators and the elements.

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Turkey operations like this one at Glenmary Farm in Orange County are among more than 1,100 familyowned poultry farms in Virginia.

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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Turkey time!

I BEG YOUR PARDON?

Thanksgiving turkeys have received reprieves since 1989

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OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA

President Obama (above), shown last November with daughters Sasha and Malia, participated in the Presentation of the National Thanksgiving Turkey with a National Turkey Federation official.

The tradition of “pardoning” a turkey at the White House originated with former President George H.W. Bush (below), shown in 1990.

Once pardoned, the National Thanksgiving Turkey and an alternate take up residence at Morven Park in Leesburg, the historic estate of former Virginia Gov. Westmoreland Davis.

Davis raised one of the largest flocks of prize turkeys on the East Coast on his 2-acre Turkey Hill Farm. The public can visit pardoned turkeys at the park.

In addition to the two live turkeys, the turkey federation presents two fully prepared turkeys, packaged for the president and his family to donate to a food bank in the Washington area.

GEORGE H.W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

urkey pardoning” is what the National Turkey Federation refers to when it presents the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey to the president of the United States.

According to the NTF, the turkey presentation at the White House signals the beginning of the national season of giving thanks and historically has represented agriculture’s plentiful harvest. This tradition has been observed since 1947, when then-President Harry Truman received a live turkey as a gift from the turkey federation.

The turkeys come from a different part of the country each year.

“This is a wonderful tradition that highlights the important role the turkey plays in the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Hobey Bauhan, president of the Virginia Poultry Federation. “And it is true: The turkeys are pardoned and do not end up on anyone’s Thanksgiving table.”

In 2012, the turkeys came from a Rockingham County farm. “It was really exciting for us in Virginia,” Bauhan said. He attended a turkey sendoff celebration in Rockingham and then went to the White House presentation.

The formal name for the ceremony is the Presentation of the National Thanksgiving Turkey. Only in recent years has it been referred to as the “turkey pardoning.” In 1989, at the end of the ceremony, then-President George H.W. Bush remarked that he was “pardoning” the turkey, beginning a custom followed by subsequent presidents.

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COUNTY FARM BUREAUS give back to their communities

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CLAIRE MILLS

ommunity service is an ongoing focus for county Farm Bureaus. The organizations’ volunteer leaders and women’s and Young Farmers committees have found numerous creative ways to sup-

port their neighbors—from donating milk and sponsoring school field trips to resurrecting county fairs.

The service efforts described here are by no means comprehensive but serve as examples of work going on statewide.

Activities of county Farm Bureaus statewide have benefited youth with an interest in agriculture, families in need and communities as a whole.

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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COUNTY FARM BUREAUS give back to their communities

FLUVANNA

‘We decided that we would start having one’ Fluvanna Farm Bureau helps revive county fair

“So we decided that we would start having one.”

Fluvanna Farm Bureau rallied to organize the event and currently partners with Fluvanna County Parks and Recreation and Virginia Cooperative Extension. This year’s fair was held Aug. 17-20, and it required a larger tent to accommodate the increasing number of 4-H animals entered in the youth livestock competitions.

By Claire Mills The Fluvanna County Fair opened in 2014 after an absence of more than 30 years, thanks to the Fluvanna County Farm Bureau.

The fair, county Farm Bureau President George Goin noted, provides an opportunity for youth to competitively show animals they have raised.

MONTGOMERY

PULASKI

Montgomery, Pulaski Young Farmers raise funds for food pantry to buy milk

By Sara Owens To mark Dairy Month this past June, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers in Montgomery and Pulaski counties began raising money to help a local outreach center purchase milk for its clients.

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The Farm Bureau Women’s Committee organized home arts and country craft exhibits for the fair, which also featured food and entertainment. Last year, the fair added a carnival and children’s fun zone, and this year organizers introduced a draft horse pull, a rodeo and bull riding.

The fair has turned out to be the largest event ever held at the county’s Pleasant Grove Community Park. In addition to supporting local 4-H’ers, the county Farm Bureau also wants to promote agriculture in the community, Goin said.

“The Fluvanna County Fair gives county residents somewhere to go so they can see what we farmers do, so they can see where their food comes from.”

Fluvanna Farm Bureau President George Goin said that county’s revived fair serves as both a celebration and a showcase for agriculture.

“Milk is healthy and full of protein, calcium and essential nutrients, and we decided as an agriculture group to raise money to donate milk so families can have fresh milk in their refrigerators,” explained Casey Phillips, a Montgomery County dairy farmer and Young Farmers Committee district chairman.

When Phillips and his wife, Stacey, donated sweet corn to the All About Jesus Outreach and Help Center in Radford last year, center staff mentioned the rarity of receiving fresh and perishable items. Milk, the couple learned, is food banks’ least-donated item.

In taking on the project, “we’ve been able to promote agriculture and milk and begin conversations to correct agriculture misconceptions,” Stacey Phillips said.

At press time, the group had raised $2,500 by placing donation boxes in

Montgomery- and Pulaski-area grocery stores and other businesses and selling raffle tickets.

“I’m very glad I was able to be a part of the milk drive, because it is a great way to not only positively impact the community, but also connect with so many people,” said Deanna Reid, a Montgomery County Young Farmer. “It has been very inspiring for me to see how willing the community has been to help make sure that others have access to milk.”

Young Farmers raised funds this summer to help a local food pantry buy milk for its clients.

TAZEWELL

Tazewell Women’s Committee supports women, children in their community

By Sara Owens For three years, the Tazewell County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee has participated in the New Opportunity School for Women offered through Bluefield College.

NOSW’s three-week program works to improve the financial, educational and personal circumstances for lowincome, middle-age women in the Appalachian region by helping clients interested in getting a job, going back to

GRAYSON

Gone fishing—with friends: Grayson Farm Bureau members sponsor annual Fishing Olympics

By Sara Owens For the past 14 years, Grayson County Farm Bureau has sponsored and provided volunteers for the Grayson County Fishing Olympics. The event provides an opportunity for children with special needs in the Carroll and Grayson county school systems, as well as some adults, to fish.

Farm animals were part of a children’s event at a local library.

school or starting a business. The core curriculum for the program includes self-esteem and wellness; arts, culture and community; and career and education.

In 2016, the Women’s Committee took on their biggest role yet. They donated bags that included full-size salon shampoos and other personal care items to help the NOSW clients feel their best. They also donated purses and contacted vendors who donated $500 worth of jewelry.

“This year we decided to contact The one-day event is held on the trout stream at the farm of members Richard and Brenda Sutherland.

“Farm Bureau is heavily involved in the Fishing Olympics,” Brenda Sutherland said. The county board provides string backpacks filled with goodies for each participant and helps with the registration table, and the Grayson Farm Bureau Women’s Committee serves lunch and helps event participants wash their hands.

The Grayson County Game Commission releases hundreds of fish in the Sutherlands’ stream for the special day. Each participant is allowed to catch six fish. A medal is awarded to those from each school district who catch the three largest fish, and each participant receives a trophy. There also is a prize for the most enthusiastic

businesses in our area to seek donations for the program,” said Mary Jane Jones, who chairs the committee. “We made baskets with the women and helped put on an exercise and nutrition program for them.”

The committee also put together a farm-to-table meal for the participants, featuring recipes from their own kitchens and foods from their farms.

“We put the recipes together in a Farm Bureau bag to give to each participant.

The women really loved it and appreciated it,” Jones said.

The committee also participates in other community activities. They work with their local soil and water conservation district and Virginia Cooperative Extension to offer programs on Living Soils Week for elementary school pupils, and in June they held a “Down on the Farm” event at the Tazewell County Library. More than 100 children participated, and local farmers brought animals from their farms.

The Grayson County Fishing Olympics will mark its 15th anniversary next year.

fisherman, Sutherland said.

Volunteers from other organizations clean the fish and put them on ice for participants to take home.

“There are some local special-needs cottages that do a fish fry for their residents that evening,” Sutherland said.

The Sutherlands became involved when a former school superintendent, Dr. Sidney Harvey, talked to Richard VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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COUNTY FARM BUREAUS give back to their communities Sutherland about the idea. They agreed to provide the event site and serve on the steering committee. Harvey worked closely with. Sen. Bill Carrico, R-Grayson, who at the time was a

member of the Virginia House of Delegates, on a state resolution declaring the second Saturday in May a day for those without a license to fish.

Sutherland said Harvey and his wife,

SUSSEX

‘This is just a good thing for us to do’ Sussex Farm Bureau sends elementary students to the State Fair

By Sara Owens Because Sussex County Farm Bureau leaders care about education, the organization has begun sponsoring field trips for local schoolchildren to the State Fair of Virginia.

In 2015, the county Farm Bureau board underwrote a trip for 167 secondand third-grade students from Sussex Elementary School to participate in the

POWHATAN

Powhatan Farm Bureau rides to support of 4-H and FFA

By Claire Mills

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County Farm Bureau board members saw local schoolchildren off for their State Fair field trip.

fair’s annual Educational Exposition. A teacher from the school had inquired about whether grants were available to help schools fund field trips to the fair, but none were available. Educational Exposition organizers asked whether Sussex Farm Bureau might be interested in helping.

“I think it’s amazing that Sussex Farm Bureau sponsored these students so they could attend the Educational Expo,” said Stuart Sanders, a State Fair program coordinator. “Some of these students would not have been able to have this hands-on learning opportuThe goal of 4-H and FFA youth in Powhatan County to attend events and competitions on the state and national levels has become more attainable with the help of their county Farm Bureau.

Travel costs can be prohibitive, so the Powhatan County Farm Bureau decided to take action.

For the past two years, the organization has held a daylong Celebration of the Horse. Proceeds from the event were donated to support local 4-H and FFA programs, including young competitors’ travel, lodging and registration expenses.

also Farm Bureau members, remain involved in the Fishing Olympics.

“It’s such a wonderful day, and everyone gets so much enjoyment out of the event,” she said. nity without their help.”

The program is relevant to many Virginia Standards of Learning.

Student groups who visit the fair can explore Virginia’s agriculture, natural resources, history, technology and art through hands-on experiences and interactive learning.

“The morning the students were heading up to the fair, the board went to take photos and see them off,” said Donna Dean, who serves as secretary to the board. “It was so exciting. It was the most excited that I’ve seen some of our board members.”

The county Farm Bureau sponsored students’ trip to the fair again this fall.

“This is just a good thing for us to do,” Dean said. “It’s one of the better projects that we’ve done for the children and for our community. It’s a great working opportunity and partnership.”

Additionally, Montgomery County Farm Bureau helped FFA members in that county attend and compete at this year’s State Fair by sponsoring their charter buses.

The Celebration of the Horse benefits local 4-H and FFA activities.

The Celebration of the Horse showcased the county’s large horse industry and emphasized the importance of

local agriculture. It featured youth equestrian competitions, a petting zoo and pony rides. Veterinary science students from the Chesterfield County Career and Technical Center gave equine education presentations.

Despite wet and rainy conditions leading up to this year’s May 7 event, more than 1,800 people turned out, and the celebration raised more than $20,000.

“We were very pleased with this

year’s event,” said county Farm Bureau President Max Timberlake Jr. “Because of all of the rain this spring, the show ring got waterlogged. So we built a new ring in a hayfield up on a hill and made it happen. To ensure riders’ safety, we canceled speed events, but everything else ran as planned and even the weather cooperated that day.”

That can-do attitude has driven the community event. What started as a fundraiser for 4-H and FFA has

FREDERICK CLARKE

WARREN SHENANDOAH

Four county Farm Bureaus help educate students on agriculture careers

By Sara Owens Four county Farm Bureaus helped seventh graders learn about agriculture career options through the Worlds of Work Career Expo, held in October 2015 in Winchester.

Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah and Warren county Farm Bureaus helped sponsor, build and staff a booth about agriculture. Shenandoah and Warren Farm Bureaus provided funding, and members of the Clarke and Frederick Farm Bureau boards interacted with students during the two-day event.

Professionals who took part were organized into eight different groups—

Middle-schoolers were challenged to consider agriculture’s impact.

or worlds of work. Students attending the event were from Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren county schools and the city of Winchester.

“Educational studies show that students begin forming their opinions on future careers in middle school,” said Dana Fisher, district field services director for the counties involved, and a former educator. “Our members’ participation in this event was intended to open students’ eyes to the many opportunities to be engaged in agriculture.”

About 2,800 students visited the agriculture booth. Its focus was on corn, explained Bruce Carpenter, a Frederick Farm Bureau board member.

Each student shelled an ear of corn using a manual corn sheller. The booth included a display of items that are derived from corn, showing the students how much impact just one agricultural commodity can have on products people use every day.

expanded this year to include a Central District 4-H Qualifying Horse Show.

“Having a Qualifying Horse Show gives young people in Powhatan an opportunity to qualify for the State 4-H Championships Show,” Timberlake explained. “Without a local option, they would have to travel to another county to qualify.”

A 1956 tractor was displayed alongside a new model with all the latest technology. Students watched a video of a combine harvesting corn, and they were able to compare that process to the manual shelling they’d done.

“We were able to show them how much technology has impacted agriculture and how science is a big part of agriculture,” Carpenter said.

“I feel like students were exposed to farming more than anyone anticipated.

They asked us questions and absorbed a lot of information. I’m not sure we influenced anyone’s career decision, but we enlightened a lot of kids and made them think about different aspects of agriculture.”

He noted that most of the board members who made time to participate not only farm but also hold full-time off-farm jobs. “That really shows a lot of commitment to this event and to agriculture.”

A display featured vintage and fully modern tractors.

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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COUNTY FARM BUREAUS give back to their communities County Farm Bureaus awarded more than $155,000 in scholarships last year County Farm Bureaus across Virginia stepped up last year to help students in their communities meet their educational goals.

Sixty-two county Farm Bureaus awarded more than $155,000 in scholarship money in 2015.

“The value of education and an educated population is not lost on county Farm Bureaus,” said Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne F. Pryor. “These scholarships are a direct investment in communities and in the future of agriculture and other key industries.”

Many county Farm Bureaus also contribute to other organizations’ scholarship funds.

Federation scholarships Additionally, the VFBF Women’s Committee awarded a $3,000 scholarship to the state winner in the Virginia Farm Bureau Ambassador program. The first runner-up received a $500 scholarship.

The Women’s Committee and Young Farmers Committee awarded a $1,500 scholarship to the state winner in last

year’s Outstanding Young Agriculturalist youth recognition program. The first runner-up received a $500 scholarship.

Two winners and two runners-up in the VFBF Rural Health Essay Scholarship Contest received a total of $3,000 last year. That contest was sponsored by the VFBF Rural Health Advisory Committee and funded by the Farm Bureau Health Care Consultants Department.

State Fair scholarships The State Fair of Virginia offers up to $70,000 in scholarships annually to winners in 4-H, FFA and vocational competitions and specific equine, fine arts and horticulture competitions. The fair scholarship program awarded $12,680 in new scholarships to 12 youth who exhibited beef cattle, sheep, meat goats and swine in the 2015 fair.

The Miss State Fair of Virginia Scholarship Program, an affiliate of the Miss Virginia program, awarded more than $1,500 in scholarship funds last year.

VFBF became full owner of the fair in 2013.

County Farm Bureaus that awarded scholarships in 2015 • Albemarle, $1,000

• Floyd, $4,000

• Montgomery, $5,000

• Alleghany, $3,000

• Fluvanna, $1,000

• Amelia, $1,000

• Franklin, $4,000

• Northumberland-Lancaster, $2,000

• Amherst, $2,500

• Frederick, $1,500

• Appomattox, $1,000

• Giles, $400

• Augusta, $1,000

• Gloucester-Mathews, $3,500

• Bedford, $4,200

• Goochland, $5,000

• Botetourt, $3,500

• Grayson, $400

• Buckingham, $500

• Greene, $3,500

• Campbell, $200

• Halifax, $2,500

• Caroline, $1,000

• Hanover, $8,000

• Carroll, $2,000

• Henrico, $5,250

• Charles City-James City-New KentYork, $13,670

• Henry, $1,000

• Chesterfield, $1,000

• Isle of Wight, $250

• Clarke, $1,000

• King and Queen, $1,500

• Craig, $500

• King George, $500

• Culpeper, $1,000

• King William, $3,500

• Cumberland, $3,995 • Dinwiddie, $3,900 • Essex, $1,000

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• Pulaski, $2,000 • Richmond, $6,000 • Roanoke, $500 • Rockbridge, $3,000 • Rockingham, $3,500 • Russell, $2,750 • Scott, $3,000 • Shenandoah, $1,550 • Smyth, $3,750 • Southampton, $500 • Spotsylvania, $2,000 • Stafford, $1,000 • Tazewell, $2,000 • Washington, $1,450

• Lunenburg, $1,000

• Westmoreland, $2,952

• Middlesex, $3,000

• Pittsylvania, $1,000

• Loudoun, $1,000 • Madison, $3,550

• Fauquier, $6,250

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• Highland-Bath, $1,100

• Patrick, $3,000

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-of-pocket 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 / FALL 2016

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Vehicle safety ratings are based on crash test performance When purchasing a vehicle, have you ever noticed an IIHS Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ sticker on the window?

The Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety performs crash tests to evaluate two aspects of safety: • crashworthiness: how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash; and • crash avoidance and mitigation: technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity.

To determine crashworthiness, IIHs rates vehicles as “good,” “acceptable,” “marginal” or “poor,” based on five performance factors in crash tests.

In the area of crash avoidance and mitigation, IIHS assigns ratings of “basic,” “advanced” or “superior” to vehicles with front crash prevention

systems, based on the type of system and performance in track tests.

To qualify for a 2016 Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must earn “good” ratings in the five crashworthiness tests, as well as a “basic” rating for front crash prevention. To qualify for a 2016 Top Safety Pick+, a vehicle must earn “good” ratings in the five crashworthiness tests and an “advanced” or “superior” rating for front crash performances.

A crashworthy design reduces the risk of death or injury. Structure and safety restraints are the main aspects of a vehicle’s design that determine its crashworthiness. “Good” structure means a strong occupant compartment or safety cage; crumple zones to absorb the force of a serious crash; side structure that can manage the force

from another vehicle or object; and a strong roof that’s not likely to collapse in a rollover.

The good news is that passenger vehicles are safer than ever, according to the IIHS. Nearly all new cars, minivans, pickup trucks and SUVs earn “good” or “acceptable” ratings in front and side crash tests. Many perform well when it comes to rollovers and rear crashes too, but some vehicles do need improvement.

The latest news on the Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ is available on the IIHS website at iihs.org/iihs/ ratings. The website also features information on topics to help keep drivers safer and help them make the best decision when purchasing a vehicle.

Financing Country Living Since 1916 The Experts in Rural Finance Homes • Land • Construction • Livestock Barns • Outbuildings • Equipment

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FarmCredit.com

certificate and a Change Request Form needs to be signed by the surviving spouse or executor of the estate.”

Life insurance

Staff at your county Farm Bureau also can help with life insurance policies.

“Once you notify your agent that your loved one is deceased, they will initiate the process to disperse your life insurance policy,” said Gerald Gardner, VFBMIC director of sales.

The agent will assist in completing the requirements for processing your claim. Typically those requirements include a request for a certified copy of the insured's death certificate and a claim form completed by the beneficiary.

After a death in the family, it is important to avoid a lapse in insurance coverage.

Insurance issues to consider when a loved one dies It’s not always easy to discuss, but it’s important to know what to do in the event a loved one dies.

“It’s important to have a procedure in place and to let your estate executor or spouse know where all paperwork, policies and any other information is located,” said Lisa Whitus, underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. “It may not be the first thing you do, but as quickly as you can, you should notify your insurance company that your loved one has died, so that the process for gathering the required paperwork can be started and you will still have the proper insurance on the automobiles or home.”

There are statutes in place defining the actions an insurance company is allowed to take for cancellation and non-renewal of an insurance policy, including upon the death of a named insured, Whitus added.

“The Virginia State Statutes govern how we are allowed to handle these matters,” she said. “If there is a surviving spouse or an appointed executor, it is fairly simple with copies of appropriate paperwork. However, it is when

there is not an appointed executor and no surviving spouse that, as an insurance carrier, our hands are tied.

It’s very important to have an executor appointed for your estate.”

The first step is to call your county Farm Bureau office and notify staff of your loved one’s death. Have your membership card handy so that a member service specialist or secretary can assist you in making the proper changes to your policies.

Auto, home insurance For auto and home policies, if there is a surviving spouse, the deceased person will be removed from the policy. If the surviving spouse was not a named insured on the policy, they can be added to the policy.

If there is no surviving spouse, but there is an executor or court-appointed legal representative, a copy of the court order of representation must be presented.

“It’s important to get these policies in the correct person’s name so that there is no lapse in coverage,” Whitus said.

“For all changes, a copy of the death

Estate planning assistance available to members An estate is more than what’s in the bank. It includes personal property, real property, business interests, life insurance and retirement accounts.

Advance planning for the transfer of one’s assets is absolutely critical, and Farm Bureau members have access to estate planning assistance as a benefit of membership.

“I want people to understand the challenges that their heirs may face and have strategies in place that may help reduce emotional and financial hardships,” said Angie Hart, a Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance estate planner. “Good estate planning can equal big savings and provides peace of mind—and that’s priceless.”

To avoid heavy estate taxes, she said, there are several options, including trusts and gifting money or property from the estate. It also is important to have the proper legal documentation in place, including a properly drafted and valid will, durable power of attorney, durable healthy care power of attorney and a health care directive.

To get started with your plan—or if you need to update it, contact your county Farm Bureau office to arrange a meeting with an estate planner.

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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Viewing Virginia

Update: Grower sets new State Fair record with giant watermelon Davis Wells of Hanover County, who was profiled in the August issue of Cultivate, won the giant watermelon competition Sept. 24 at the State Fair of Virginia and set a new State Fair record.

Wells has won the competition nine times in the past 10 years. His blue-ribbon watermelon weighed 245.7 pounds. The previous record, set in 2014, was 218.5 pounds.

Wells told Cultivate the keys to growing giant melons are “good soil, good seed and good luck.”

Davis Wells’ 245.7-pound entry was the mightiest melon at this year’s State Fair of Virginia.

License plate continues to drive home support for Virginia’s farms Since the Virginia agriculture license plate initiative started in 2004, Virginians who display the specialty plate have been driving home their support for the state’s farmers.

There are currently more than 3,000 drivers on the road who have purchased the tags.

The $25 plate fee also helps agriculture's cause. Because it is a revenuesharing plate, after the sale of the first 1,000 qualifying plates $15 from each $25 fee began benefitting programs of the Virginia Office of Farmland Preservation.

“The Virginia agriculture license plate is a great way to show your pride and promote agriculture in the state,” said Andrew Smith, senior assistant

director of governmental relations for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

“It bears a farm scene taken directly from a farm in Orange County, and part of the proceeds from each plate go toward preserving Virginia farms. The Office of Farmland Preservation uses the funds to host workshops to teach farmers how to plan farm transition and how to keep their land in production.”

All state residents, regardless of whether they farm, are able to purchase the agriculture license plate, which is available from the Department of Motor Vehicles at dmv. state.va.us/vehicles/#splates/info. asp?idnm=FARM.

PHONE SCAM:

Beware of demands for insurance payment by phone Virginia Farm Bureau members should be skeptical when receiving phone calls from anyone demanding payment for insurance coverage over the phone.

Recently, a Farm Bureau Insurance customer received a call from someone claiming to be a Farm Bureau representative. The caller asked for payment over the phone by credit card to keep an insurance policy in force.

“This was absolutely a scam phone call,” warned Darlene Wells, executive vice president and general manager of Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. “No one from 24

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Farm Bureau would ever call and demand an insurance payment over the phone. If you receive a phone call from someone asking for payment, and they say they are from Farm Bureau, please hang up and do not give out any information.

Then call your county Farm Bureau office directly to confirm the identity of the caller and the status of your policy.”

Wells added that members are always welcome to call or visit a county Farm Bureau office when they have insurancerelated questions.

For Your Benefit

Save up to 30 percent at Grainger, get free shipping Farm Bureau members in Virginia can save up to 30 percent off the catalog price of equipment and supplies they use every day from Grainger, plus get free standard ground shipping on all standard Grainger products*.

To use your Farm Bureau discount, you’ll need your Farm Bureau membership number, which is on your membership card, and the Virginia Farm Bureau Grainger discount code, available from your county Farm Bureau.

Present the Virginia Farm Bureau account number at the time of purchase, establish a new grainger.com account using that account number or call 877-620-2852 to update your existing Grainger account.

Grainger, the world’s largest industrial supplier, also sells products for home and office use.

Save on brand-name hand and power tools from manufacturers like DeWalt and Stanley, safety items and select farm-duty motors. Same-day shipping is available for most in-stock items.

All Farm Bureau members in Virginia are eligible for Grainger benefits when they register as Farm Bureau members at grainger.com or at a local Grainger store. Discounts cannot be applied to past purchases. *FREE standard shipping on all orders shipped ground transportation. Other freight charges will be incurred for services such as expedited delivery, special handling by the carrier, sourcing orders and shipments outside the continental United States.

You don’t have to wonder about health risks with Life Line Screenings Members can save on four non-invasive vascular health screenings—for carotid artery, abdominal aortic aneurysm, atrial fibrillation and peripheral arterial disease—and have a free osteoporosis screening to assess risk for stroke, heart attack and bone fractures.

Life Line Screening, the nation’s leading provider of preventing screenings, provides these procedures to Farm Bureau members at the discounted rate of $145.

Watch for mailings about Life Line screenings in your area, or contact your county Farm Bureau for details.

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 chocolatedipped—and peanut brittle. Additional products include salted jumbo cashews, butter-toasted pecans and an energy mix of almonds, cashews and raisins.

If you need a holiday gift for someone with a discerning palate, consider treating them to the rich flavors of fine Virginia foods.

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.

Save on brand-name and generic prescription drugs Farm Bureau’s free Prescription Drug Discount and Savings Program affords members significant savings on more than 12,000 name-brand and generic prescription drugs at more than 57,000 pharmacies.

Members pay no fee to use the program, which is designed for individuals with no health coverage for prescription drugs. It also can be used in instances when a prescription is not covered by a health insurance plan.

The program works via a “consumer card” or “point of sale card” that can be used by your entire household. There are no medical exams, no waiting periods, no claim forms to file and no exclusions for pre-existing conditions. Simply present your card at a participating pharmacy when you have your prescription filled, or use it when ordering medicines through the mail-order program of Agelity Inc. To get your card, visit your county Farm Bureau office or VaFarmBureau.org/memberprograms/memberbenefits.

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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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.

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Virginia Farm Bureau 1-800-229-7779 An authorized licensed insurance agent for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, license number: 109534

This policy has exclusions, limitations and terms under which the policy may be continued in force or discontinued. For more information on benefits, please contact your agent or the health plan. Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. Government or the federal Medicare program. The purpose of this communication is the solicitation of insurance. Contact will be made by an insurance agent or insurance company. Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, and its service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. Independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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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 / FALL 2016

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Heart of the Home

Apples = awesome Apples + caramel = delicious desserts It’s probably no accident that both foods are celebrated this month!

Here’s a healthy fall salad recipe from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Apple Raisin Tossed Salad

1 cup chopped nuts

INGREDIENTS 1 head of lettuce, chopped (about 10 cups) 2 medium apples, sliced 1 cup raisins OR dried cranberries Apples are delicious in desserts and add a healthy element to all kinds of meals.

O

ctober is National Apple Month as well as National Caramel Month, and what a great culinary combination

that is!

Fresh apples paired with caramel make delicious desserts. Apples by themselves are a great snack, and they’re good eaten whole or added to salads, main meals or cake, pie and cobblers.

A medium apple has zero grams of fat, cholesterol or sodium; 4 grams of fiber; and 14 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. Virginia is a good state in which to purchase fresh apples, and the state’s orchards yield a wide variety of apples for fresh consumption, as well as for commercial processing.

Many apple growers operate farm stands and pick-your-own operations or sell at farmers’ markets, and Virginia is known for its fall apple festivals.

The state also is home to a growing hard cider industry, with more than 20 cideries making that value-added product.

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½ cup sliced green onions ½ cup walnuts, chopped (if you like) ¾ cup light or reduced-fat red wine vinaigrette (or Italian) salad dressing DIRECTIONS Toss lettuce, apples, raisins and onions in large bowl. If using walnuts, add those too.

Add the dressing, and mix well. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve.

If you want something more decadent, pair these apple cake and caramel icing recipes from Country Treasures from

Virginia Farm Bureau Kitchens.

Fresh Apple Cake INGREDIENTS 2 cups sugar 1 cup cooking oil 2 eggs 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1½ teaspoons baking soda

4 cups diced apples ¼ cup raisins 2 teaspoons vanilla DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, blend sugar, oil and eggs until smooth; add flour, salt, soda and cinnamon, and beat until creamy. Add in the apples, nuts, raisins and vanilla.

Pour batter into baking dish, and bake 60 minutes. Allow cake to cool in baking dish, and top with caramel icing.

Cut in squares to serve. Serves 12-15.

Best-Ever Caramel Icing INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup brown sugar 2 cups confectioner’s sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla milk DIRECTIONS In a medium saucepan, melt butter and stir in brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla. Add milk to make the desired consistency.

Heart of the Home

Virginia apple varieties are good for eating and cooking •E mpire – McIntosh apple crossed with Red Delicious for a unique taste •F uji – very firm and unusually sweet; red and green with stripes • Gala – sweet and flavorful with orange-striped skin and yellow flesh •G inger Gold – early-season apple; sweet, juicy and firm • Golden Delicious – sweet and mellow

•G ranny Smith – very firm, tart and juicy; excellent for cooking

•P ink Lady – crunchy texture and tart taste

•H oneycrisp – hardy, ultra crisp and juicy with a honey-sweet and tart flavor

• Red Delicious – sweet and juicy

•J onagold – firm, sweet with a honey-tart flavor and crispy yellow flesh; great for pies

•S tayman – firm, mildly tart; great all-purpose apple

• Jonathan – moderately tart •M cIntosh – juicy and slightly tart; great for baking

•R ome – firm and slightly tart; best cooking apple

• York – crisp, firm and tart Source: Virginia Apple Board

VaFarmBureau.org / FALL 2016

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KATHY DIXON

2017 magazine classified ad schedule and policies

Forward-thinking students were asked to consider agriculture’s future at an event at Longwood University.

Farm-to-table discussion, hemp research featured on Real Virginia Featured this month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program: • A farm-to-table symposium at Longwood University addressed the challenges future farmers will face.

• Virginia farmers and researchers have harvested the state’s first legal crop of hemp in decades.

• Chef John Maxwell shares recipes for pumpkin butter and Sally Lunn bread.

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 airs weekly on WVPT Harrisonburg, WBRA Roanoke, WCVE Richmond, WHRO Norfolk, 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

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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 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 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 Cultivate. 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.

Important: We are not responsible

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

• Ads submitted without payment will be returned.

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.

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

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!

Mailed to associate members May April 5 August July 5

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 / FALL 2016

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Helping Virginia agriculture grow stronger each year Virginia agriculture and forestry are year-round industries—and Virginia Farm Bureau’s commitment to farmers is year-round as well.

Your Farm Bureau membership supports local educational and safety events and provides assistance for farmers developing new or more strategic business plans. Additionally, it helps farmers engage in important dialogues with their communities and elected officials.

As a Farm Bureau member, you’re a Friend of the Farm—a supporter of agriculture and the Virginia way of life. We hope you will encourage family and friends to become Friends of the Farm as well.

Because the work never completely stops. It just changes with the seasons.

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CULTIVATE