Cultivate Summer 2016

Cultivate SUMMER 2016

Virginia Farm Bureau

Shoppers enjoy Virginia-grown variety

Cultivate Volume 9, Number 3 Summer 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).

14 ELIZABETH NIXON

Features 15

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“I like working for people who are

Veterinarians “enjoy helping people find solutions”

making a living

Whether working with animals, teaching or working in a regulatory capacity, large animal veterinarians are committed to the health of food animals.

producing food.

To me, that is

Virginia-grown produce is colorful, tasty and diverse

With the local food movement comes increased

demand for a greater selection of fruits and vegetables.

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a meaningful occupation.”

Giant pumpkin, watermelon growers have BIG plans for fall

Hank Houston’s very first giant pumpkin weighed in at 400 pounds. But he was just getting started.

— DR. MELINDA McCALL, owner and operator, Louisa Veterinary Service

Departments 3

Did You Know?

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For Your Benefit

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Heart of the Home

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Stewards of the Land

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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.

Member: Virginia Press Association

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 October. The magazine is published quarterly.

Beautiful beets at the Lakeside Farmers’ Market in Richmond (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?

VIRGINIA is ranked among the Top 10 states for production of many agricultural products. And many of those products can be found at Virginia farmers’ markets!

The commonwealth is ranked seventh nationwide for production of fresh market tomatoes, apples and wine grapes and eighth for peanuts.

You can find plenty of fresh tomatoes and apples at Virginia’s 250 farmers’ markets. That number has increased 194 percent since 2005, when there were 85 markets, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

There are many retailers who sell Virginia-grown peanuts and Virginia wines. The latter also can be sampled and purchased at wineries across the state.

This year’s Farmers’ Market Week is Aug. 7-13, so be sure to celebrate by visiting a market near you. A searchable directory of farmers’ markets is available at virginiagrown.com.

VaFarmBureau.org / SUMMER 2016

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218.5 lbs.

Weight of the record-holding giant watermelon submitted for judging at the State Fair of Virginia. It was grown in 2014 by J.R. Brent of Lancaster County.

18 Number of Virginia wineries that won gold medals in the 2016 State Fair of Virginia Commercial Wine Competition. The competition drew nearly 100 entries, which were judged in June.

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Save the Date!

COURTESY OF JOHN HENLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Still time to enter State Fair competitions!

State Fair of Virginia set to open Sept. 23, run through Oct. 2 Family favorites, a focus on Virginia farms, new attractions and fun foods will be front and center when the State Fair of Virginia opens Sept. 23 at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County.

The fair will run through Oct. 2, and event details are available at StateFairVa.org. You also can follow the fair on Facebook (Facebook.com/ StateFairVa) and Instagram (statefairva).

New attractions will include Mad Science, a high-energy, interactive show that’s on a mission to get youth excited about science, and the aerial family act Hansen’s Spectacular. Visitors also can see the world’s largest horseshoe, certified by the Guinness Book of World Records and modeled after the racing shoe of Triple Crown champion Secretariat.

Musical performances will include shows by the Little River Band on Sept. 23 and country singer-songwriter Granger Smith, featuring Earl Dibbles Jr., on Sept. 25.

Back by popular demand are the racing pigs of Rosaire’s Royal Racers, Masters of the Chainsaw artist Ben Risney, the State Fair fiddle and banjo competitions, the Tumbleweed Crossing stunt show set in the Wild West, and the Virginia Fire Programs Burn Trailer, which combines family entertainment with fire safety education.

This year’s fair also will feature a tractor pull, two nights of demolition derby and two nights of professional rodeo.

To win blue ribbon bragging rights, you’ve got to enter one of the State Fair of Virginia’s many competitions.

Registration is open through Sept. 2 for adult and youth arts and crafts and horticulture competitions.

Feeling artsy or crafty? You can enter artwork, photography, quilting, needlework, sewing, basketry and jewelry.

Among last year’s blue ribbon winners were painted cowboy boots inspired by the works of Monet and a dress made of duct tape.

New this year is a competition for adults who create miniature room scenes. Rooms cannot be larger than 30 inches in height, width or depth and should closely resemble the room of a house—down to the tiniest table lamp or smallest sofa. Adults and youth who like to create postcards can enter the new postcard competition. Entries can be quilted or made of paper, metal or wood.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the baked goods competition includes categories for breads, cakes, pies, candy and cookies. Returning this year is a decorated gingerbread house competition; entries can be made from scratch or from a kit.

Blue ribbon winners in last year’s preserved goods competition included a blueberry syrup and pickled beets.

In the open plants category a returning favorite are fairy gardens, which are miniature gardens complete with structures and living plants—perfect homes for fairies!

For more information or to register online or download an entry form, visit StateFairVa.org.

Farm Bureau members save $5 on advance tickets Use your Farm Bureau membership number when you buy advance State Fair of Virginia tickets at StateFairVa. org, and save $5 on each one (up to 4 tickets per membership).

VaFarmBureau.org / SUMMER 2016

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Virginia-grown produce features bright colors, tasty flavors and lots of variety Consumers have become more adventurous when buying fruits and vegetables ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH NIXON

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uicy tomatoes, sweet corn, kohlrabi, bok choy, potatoes, melons, carrots, lettuce, berries and squash are just a few products that line the tables at Virginia farmers’ markets and farm stands.

While their bright colors please the eye, their numerous varieties and diverse flavors are pleasing to many consumer palates.

With the past decade’s local food movement has come consumer demand for a wider selection of fruits and vegetables. In the most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture, more than 3,500 Virginia farm operators reported selling directly to consumers.

The census also reported Virginia has about 250 farmers’ markets, compared to 85 in 2005.

Consumers becoming more adventurous

Nancy Ochoa and her family own and operate Ochoa Produce on the Northern Neck in Richmond County, where they grow more than 250 varieties of produce throughout the year.

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“We have weekly customers come to us because we offer many different varieties of traditional types of produce,” Ochoa said. “We are very well-known for our melon selection. We grow seven varieties of cantaloupe and two varieties of watermelon.”

They also grow 10 varieties of squash and several varieties of beets, radishes, kale and carrots, as well as purple potatoes.

“Our customers love all of the different colors of produce we sell,” Ochoa said.

Gary Allensworth, owner and operator of Lois’s Produce in Westmoreland County, has been noticing the same trend. He grows produce on 125 to 150 acres, depending on the year.

“For most people, as long as you have a good, clean product, they are supportive,” Allensworth said.

“However, I have seen some differences in what people want over the years.”

He noted that different varieties of tomatoes have been popular.

“People want more heirloom types of tomatoes. | PRODUCE cont’d on p. 9 »

PRODUCE

“Our customers love all of the different colors of produce we sell.”

—Nancy Ochoa

Ochoa Produce

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PRODUCE

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PRODUCE cont’d from p. 6

We have also seen an increase in people preferring cherry tomatoes, so in turn we have started raising various types of cherry tomatoes.”

Consumers also are becoming more adventurous in their melon selections.

“They are becoming more interested in seedless and specialty types of watermelon with an orange or yellow flesh,” Allensworth said.

“They are beginning to realize that, even though those varieties are not the traditional colors, they still have an excellent flavor.”

Bellair Farm, located in Albemarle County, is an 853-acre operation with 30 of its acres devoted to organic produce. While the farm has operated continually since the 17th century, Bellair’s production for community-supported agriculture and farmers’ markets is only in its sixth season.

“Our goal is to provide flexibility to families, and we are a communitybased farm that really wants to meet the needs of those located in Charlottesville,” said Michelle McKenzie, Bellair assistant farm manager.

“We grow over 50 different crops and several hundred varieties among all the crops,” McKenzie said. “That includes more than 20 varieties of lettuce, eight types of eggplant and four types of broccoli.

“Not only do people want more variety, but it also insulates us against risks such as losing our crop due to weather or pest issues.”

Find locally grown foods near you Finding a farmers’ market or farm stand near you has never been easier!

The Virginia Grown program of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services maintains a searchable directory at virginiagrown.com.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service maintains searchable directories at ams. usda.gov/services/local-regional/ food-directories-listings: • Farmers’ markets: ams.usda. gov/local-food-directories/ farmersmarkets CSAs: ams.usda.gov/ local-food-directories/csas • Food hubs: ams.usda.gov/ local-food-directories/ foodhubs • On-farm markets: ams.usda. gov/services/local-regional/ food-directories-listings

What’s in season now?

• Virginia Grown has a fruit and vegetable availability guide at vdacs.virginia.gov/pdf/ producechart.pdf.

VaFarmBureau.org / SUMMER 2016

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CLAIRE MILLS

Super-size me: Growing giant pumpkins, melons is no small task

In June, giant pumpkin enthusiast and State Fair of Virginia record-holder Hank Houston had begun directing this year’s vine growth with stakes. “They grow like kudzu,” he said.

BY CLAIRE MILLS

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he first giant pumpkin Hank Houston grew at his Spotsylvania County home weighed more than 400 pounds.

That was nothing compared to the one he grew for last year’s Virginia Giant Pumpkin Contest at the State Fair of Virginia. That pumpkin weighed 1,340 pounds and earned Houston a blue ribbon for the second year in a row.

It’s a pretty impressive track record for someone who has been growing giant pumpkins for only five years. Houston, a construction worker who raises the pumpkins as a hobby, hopes to set his 10

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third State Fair record this fall.

He’s among competitive Virginia gardeners whose sights are set on growing a pumpkin larger than anybody else’s. He got his first seeds for Atlantic Giants from Bill’s Big Pumpkins in Minnesota. After he planted the 12 seeds he purchased for $12, he was hooked.

A true enthusiast, Houston keeps meticulous records of past years’ soil analysis, genetics and practices in an effort to increase the weight of his super-size harvest.

This year he’s limiting his patch to five plants with one pumpkin on each plant. In June he strategically placed bamboo sticks in the ground to guide

the plants’ growth.

“I’m constantly battling new growth.

They grow like kudzu, but hopefully the vines will produce pumpkins by July 1,” Houston said.

The mad race to keep up with the vines keeps him busy. As the weather gets hotter, the vines can grow a foot or more a day. At the peak of their growing season, the pumpkins can pack on close to 36 pounds and drink 50 gallons of water a day.

One of Houston’s tricks for cultivating his prize crop is to shade the pumpkins with a tarp. “The one that won last year never saw the light of day or rain,” he said. “The first time that pumpkin ever got rained on was when it rained at the fair.”

Every year, the dedicated grower tries to improve his watering system.

This year he mounted sprinkler heads on stakes. Too much water can cause a mammoth pumpkin to split or can cause powdery mildew, which Houston calls the No. 1 enemy of giant pumpkins. To prevent it, he uses a spray program that rotates fungicides.

Powdery mildew is just one of many things that can go wrong in the 150 days it takes to produce the garden behemoths, but Houston said it’s worth it to see the smile on people’s faces when they see the result.

Friendly competition embraces giant watermelons In the world of competitive gardening, Houston finds camaraderie among like-minded devotees of giant vegetable growing. In fact, Davis Wells of Hanover County, who grows awardwinning giant watermelons, gave him several giant watermelonVirginia plantsgrowers for his garden this year. harvested 2,200 of fresh-market The two gardenersacres share seeds, last year. plants and advice. But tomatoes on weigh-in day at the State Fair, friendly competition takes center stage.

“I’m growing two giant pumpkins

KATHY DIXON

Houston’s 2015 blue-ribbon behemoth pumpkin was his second State Fair record-breaker. This year the fair’s official weigh-in will be held at noon on Sept. 24.

WELLS

and told Hank I was going to get him this year,” Wells said with a chuckle.

Wells has won the giant watermelon competition at the State Fair eight times in the past nine years. His winning melon weighed 161.12 pounds last year.

“To grow a giant watermelon, you need good soil, good seed and good

luck,” he said. “The secret is in the soil.” Wells said he relies on a Virginia Cooperative Extension soil test to ensure a proper pH level.

Another essential step is to handpollinate the plants, a process that giant pumpkin and watermelon growers have wrested from the bees.

“We need to pollinate the watermelon plants by July 4 to make the State Fair competition. To cross-pollinate watermelons, we take a male flower from one vine and rub the pollen onto a female flower from another,” Wells said.

“Then we protect the pollinated plant by covering it. You know in a few days if it takes, because it gets shiny.”

After the watermelons begin to grow, Wells “treats them like babies.” To keep their skin green and prevent them from getting dry, he covers them and keeps them watered.

Treating the giants like babies also rings true for Houston. Besides a whopping 1,000 hours of care he dedicates to production, he affectionately refers to his pumpkins as “’kins.”

“When someone asks, ‘How are your ‘kins?’ they’re referring to pumpkins instead of family, because during the growing season we are with them more of the time,” he quipped.

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Viewing Virginia

Protect your home now against potential hurricane damage

The majority of wind-related insurance claims after a major storm involve roof damage.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially began June 1 and will run through Nov. 30.

Because wind and rain from hurricanes or tropical storms can cause significant damage to personal property, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety encourages property owners to strengthen the critical elements of their buildings to protect them from hurricane damage.

The roof is a building’s first line of defense against storms, making it one of the most vulnerable points on a home or commercial building.

Roof cover damage occurs in the vast majority of wind-related claims, and a compromised roof can allow high winds and wind-driven rain to enter a building.

“Roof damage is the most common claim we see after a hurricane,” said Sam Rooks, vice president of underwriting and policy services for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual 12

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Insurance Co., a member of IBHS. “Damaged roofs allow water to creep in and cause even more damage to a home.”

It is important to reinforce the roof well in advance of a hurricane watch.

Protecting all openings on a home or building from high winds and flying debris also is important. Failure of a large window or door can result in pressurization inside a building and the potential for damage.

Prepare surrounding property before a storm by limiting the sources of windborne debris. Secure any loose or weakened parts of fences, and trim trees and shrubbery. If a storm is imminent, remove objects such as flags, lawn furniture and bird feeders. Tie down anything like a grill or satellite dish that cannot be moved easily, Rooks said.

For additional tips on how to successfully protect your home, visit disastersafety.org/hurricane.

Online survey to reveal internet coverage gaps A new statewide initiative to identify internet coverage gaps stands to improve connectivity for farmers and other rural residents.

In May, Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed HB 912 to clarify and improve the process for installing communications infrastructure statewide. In conjunction with that, he announced a new initiative called RUOnlineVA, which assists Virginians in reporting their access to broadband internet connections.

“It’s crucial that farmers have access to broadband to allow them to conduct their daily business activities,” explained Andrew Smith, senior assistant director of governmental relations for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

Not only do farmers need access to broadband internet connections, “all rural Virginians’ access to faster internet service would open the door to more educational resources,” Smith said. Farm Bureau consistently has supported legislation expanding broadband internet access.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, 17 percent of Americans lack access to advanced broadband service, and the majority of them live in rural areas.

This year’s state budget includes $2.5 million for the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative, which provides funding for infrastructure expansion in unserved areas of the commonwealth. RUOnlineVA gives Virginia residents and businesses an opportunity to notify the state government about whether they have access to broadband internet connections.

Residents are asked to log on at RUOnline.virginia.gov and answer a few questions about where they live and what level of internet connectivity they have.

Viewing Virginia

Agricultural roadtrip blogger visits Virginia farms

BY ELIZABETH NIXON

“She seemed very interested in learning about the whole process of growing peanuts and what we do with them once they are harvested,” Everett said. “All farmers have individual stories about why we farm and what inspires us to do that for a living.

“What she is doing is so great. It is always good to see someone from the outside come in with an interest to use our words to share agriculture’s story.”

Sents said she has been “overwhelmed”

Blogger Natalina Sents snapped a selfie with Southampton County farmer M.L. Everett Jr.

by famers’ hospitality.

“I walk on a farm as a total stranger, and I cannot think of any other industry that would be so welcoming.

It has also been very interesting to see the different roles various agriculture

COURTESY OF NATALINA SENTS

Natalina Sents, a recent agricultural business graduate from Iowa State University, has embarked on a yearlong trip to learn about why farmers farm in all 50 states. In June, Virginia became the 10th state she visited.

Sents is a former marketing intern for Beck’s Hybrids, the largest familyowned retail seed company in the United States and sponsor of the Why I Farm Movement. She approached the company in December 2015 to tell them about a travel-and-blogging project she had brainstormed for two years.

She started the Why I Farm Roadtrip on May 15 and plans to meet farmers in all 50 states by May 30, 2017.

While in Virginia in late June, she met with M.L. Everett Jr., co-owner of Everett Farms Inc. in Southampton County and a member of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation board of directors. Everett introduced her to two Southeast Virginia signature crops: cotton and peanuts.

organizations play in each state.”

To keep up with the Why I Farm Roadtrip visit whyifarm.com or Sents’ personal blog, Roots Journey, at therootsjourney.blogspot.com.

Virginia has fewer bee colonies but is seeing fewer losses The number of Virginia honey bee colonies declined between the winter of 2015 and the winter of 2016, but a warm winter may have helped more bees survive this year.

According to a survey released May 12 by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 8,000 bee colonies in Virginia on Jan. 1, 2015, owned by professional and amateur beekeepers with more than five hives.

As of Jan. 1, 2016, there were 6,500 hives. But 28 percent of the state’s bee colonies were lost over the winter of 2015, compared to only 17 percent this past winter.

“You have to take the weather into context,” said Keith Tignor, Virginia state apiarist with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “Remember what was going on then (in 2015); it was one of the coldest winters on record.”

Virginia beekeepers had to import 800 colonies and renovate 460 more in 2015. Renovating a colony involves either providing a new queen to a hive or providing new worker bees. Those numbers dropped to 500 new colonies and 130 renovated colonies in 2016.

Colony collapse disorder has been a new challenge to beekeepers in recent years. But Tignor said the real problems in Virginia are insect pests and several other diseases.

“Colony collapse disorder is not a specific disease. We think it’s more of an accumulation of different diseases and pests that affect bee longevity.”

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Across America

Backyard chicken owners should take steps to reduce risk of Salmonella exposure Seven separate Salmonella outbreaks across 35 states sickened more than 300 people—19 in Virginia—in the first four months of 2016 and are ongoing. All of the outbreaks were a result of live poultry in backyard flocks.

Agriculture, veterinary and public health officials are collaborating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on the outbreak Backyard chicken enthusiasts of all ages should wash their hands after tending or touching their birds. investigations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and at work and in school settings.

Prevention.

“It doesn’t matter where the poultry Of 238 patients interviewed by is purchased or whether it’s being early summer, 91 percent of them— raised in a barn, cage or someone’s 217—reported having contact with backyard. Live poultry may carry live poultry in the week before their Salmonella,” said Tony Banks, a Virginia symptoms began.

Farm Bureau Federation commodity “Ill people reported purchasing live marketing specialist. “Even if the bird baby poultry from several different appears healthy, the bacteria may be suppliers, including feed supply stores, found in its droppings or on its body, co-ops, hatcheries and friends in feathers, feet and beak. The bacteria multiple states,” the CDC reported. “Ill also can get on cages, coops, hay, plants, people reported purchasing live poultry lawn and soil in the area where the to produce eggs, learn about agriculture, birds live.” have as a hobby, enjoy for fun, keep as Banks said people—and especially pets, or to give as Easter gifts.” Patients children—can be exposed to Salmonella reported contact with live poultry at by touching, holding or cuddling the their homes and other people’s homes, birds.” People really need to understand

STUDY FINDINGS:

For best flavor, don’t refrigerate tomatoes 14

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how important it is to wash their hands after handling poultry or touching cages and bowls,” he said. “Proper sanitation of the poultry housing and supplies is important too.”

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Division of Animal and Food Industry Services distributes informational brochures about Salmonella risks of handling poultry every spring to feed stores in preparation for incoming chicks, said Dr. Charles Broaddus, state veterinarian.

“Some feed stores post the flyer around the chicks in an effort to educate the chick buyers,” Broaddus said. “We coordinate with the Virginia Department of Health on that outreach.

The most important thing we can do is emphasize the importance of hand washing in prevention of transmission of bacteria.”

Broaddus suggested washing hands after handling any poultry and wearing separate clothes and boots when tending to poultry. “Don’t let children less than 5 handle the birds, as they can’t be trusted to not put their hands in their mouths before proper washing,” he said.

Recently published study findings by two U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service scientists indicate tomatoes are more flavorful when they’re not refrigerated.

Researchers refrigerated one group of tomatoes and kept a second group at room temperature. They dipped a third group in 122-degree water for five minutes to stimulate blanching, a process that makes tomatoes easier to peel.

Results showed refrigeration and blanching greatly reduced aroma compounds and other characteristics associated with flavor release in cut tomatoes.

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH NIXON

By Elizabeth Nixon

‘We enjoy helping people find solutions’ Large animal veterinarians work to improve the health of food animals

BY ELIZABETH NIXON

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Dr. Melinda McCall clips hair from a dairy calf’s head to prepare the calf for a dehorning procedure.

ornings start early, and the days can be long for Dr. Melinda McCall, a large animal veterinarian and owner of Louisa Veterinary Service Inc. in Louisa County.

While much of her work is performed on clients’ farms, other large animal veterinarians spend their days in classrooms and offices.

All work for the betterment of food animals’ health.

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PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH NIXON

McCall’s work truck (left top and center) is stocked with supplies she uses while working on clients’ farms. Dairy cattle (left bottom) are among the animals she treats, and on a recent farm visit she and Elizabeth Goodwin held a calf so McCall could listen to its heartbeat.

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“I enjoy helping people improve conditions to make their animals healthier and happier through implementing prevention practices.”

—DR. MELINDA McCALL “I like working for people who are making a living producing food,” McCall said. “To me, that is a meaningful occupation.”

McCall grew up on her family’s dairy farm in Washington County and decided at an early age she wanted to become a veterinarian.

“When I grew up, I always enjoyed delivering baby calves, and I liked herd health and breeding,” she said. “I knew I wanted to go into agriculture in some capacity.”

After graduating from the VirginiaMaryland College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004, she moved to Louisa, where she worked in a practice with another veterinarian. Three years ago she bought the practice. She has since hired a full-time vet, a part-time vet and a licensed vet technician.

A varied workday While many large animal veterinarians are specialized in the types of services they provide, McCall’s practice serves multiple species, including beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats, llamas, alpacas, pigs and chickens.

What does her typical workday look like? On June 8 she was up at 5 a.m. to artificially inseminate a few cows for one of her clients.

“I do some small-scale breeding for people because it saves them the cost of having to purchase and maintain a bull,” she said.

She then went to another client’s farm to work with pastured baby pigs.

She vaccinated them against pneumonia and castrated the males.

“We try to castrate pigs when they are young to prevent inbreeding,” McCall said. “It is also important to castrate the males to prevent ‘boar taint,’” an undesirable odor or taste

that is evident in meat from intact male pigs.

Once McCall was done, she traveled over an hour to dehorn a third client’s dairy calves.

“The main reason why we dehorn cattle, and specifically dairy cattle, is because milk cows can be dangerous not only for people but also for the other cows in the herd,” she explained.

“If they have horns and their contemporaries do not, they will become bullies, and it is a safety hazard.”

Considering the average dairy cow weighs 1,400 pounds, minimizing any type of safety risk is important, McCall said.

The calves were given a sedative that lasted for about 20 minutes so they would sleep during the procedure.

Once they were asleep, the hair on top of their heads was trimmed and that area was numbed so they would not feel anything.

The calves were dehorned with a cauterizing device that burns off the butts of horns. They were then treated with a spray that promotes the healing process and given an injected painkiller.

“It is important to dehorn any kind of animal when they are young,” McCall said. “This procedure has proven extremely effective, and the calves will get back up with no hesitation to start sucking milk.”

In addition to routine work like vaccinating, breeding, pregnancy checking and dehorning, McCall and her team also make emergency calls to treat sick animals and help with birthing difficulties.

“I enjoy helping people improve conditions to make their animals healthier and happier through implementing prevention practices,” she said.

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Swecker (above, crouching) is director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the VirginiaMaryland College of Veterinary Medicine. State Veterinarian Dr. Charles Broaddus (at right, second from right) is shown at a meeting of organizations that respond to animal diseaserelated emergencies.

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VDACS

V-MCVM

BROADDUS

V-MCVM

SWECKER

“People involved in food animal production want to do the right things with their livestock, because they live by their animals.”

—DR. TERRY SWECKER

Other career avenues

“I have a tremendous appreciation for the ag community,” said Dr. Terry Swecker (left).

While most people who earn a doctoral degree in veterinary medicine go into private practice, there are veterinarians who choose other options.

Dr. Terry Swecker, director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the V-MCVM, is one. After earning his DVM and working in a private practice for two years, he had an opportunity to earn a doctorate in animal nutrition and began a teaching career in production management medicine in 1990.

“Very few people have been around livestock, and my favorite part of teaching is showing them what farming is like and being able to promote agriculture and food animal production,” Swecker said. “I have a tremendous appreciation for the ag community.

“People involved in food animal production want to do the right things with their livestock, because they live by their animals.”

Dr. Charles Broaddus is another veterinarian who no longer practices, working instead in a regulatory capacity.

After earning his DVM from Auburn University and a Ph.D. in animal reproduction from Oklahoma State University, Broaddus returned to Virginia to work for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Earlier this year, he was promoted to state veterinarian and director of the VDACS Division of Animal and Food Industry Services.

“I never saw regulatory vet medicine being a part of my career,” Broaddus said. “The focus of my job is on prevention and response to infectious diseases in livestock and poultry.”

The VDACS Office of Veterinary Services is in charge of the state’s animal disease control and prevention efforts, which include investigating

outbreaks, providing laboratory diagnostics and containing the spread of animal diseases. The office also manages import requirements and Certificates of Veterinary Inspection, provides oversight to livestock marketing facilities and implements the Animal Disease Traceability Program.

“Vets are a service profession and work to serve people,” Broaddus said.

“In this case, I am a public servant. We enjoy helping people find solutions so they are able to do what they want to do.”

Work that benefits everyone, ultimately Whether it be through private practice, teaching or regulatory work, all food animal veterinarians work for farmers and ranchers to improve the quality of life for their animals.

“We support the farmer or producer in three main ways. First, we support the animal care and health of animals we are called out to work on,” Broaddus said. “Second, we work for the farmer to make their enterprise more profitable.

“I enjoy looking for a win-win situation, finding a solution that helps an animal and at the same time those actions are helping a farmer who is trying to make money with their product,” he said.

“Third, we support a safe, wholesome food supply for consumers that is disease-free and healthy.”

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Award-winning insurance agent’s volunteer experience came in handy ‘Service, leadership, community’ are her focus

W

hen Debbie Murphy had to stand in front of 600 people and give an address during her first meeting as president of her son’s school’s PTA, she had no idea that, decades later, the experience would pay off.

But at this year’s Virginia Farm Bureau Sales Conference, as it started to dawn on her that she was being named the 2016 Ralph Stokes Award winner, Murphy realized she would need to make a few remarks.

“When they got to the part about how the winner was the first female member of the Beaverdam Ruritan Club, I started to realize it was me. I thought, ‘Oh, they’re going to want me to say something,’ but I don’t remember what I said. I was so emotional, excited, thrilled and shocked,” Murphy said. “I still am.”

A history with Hanover County Farm Bureau Murphy has worked for Virginia Farm Bureau since 1989 when she was hired as Hanover County Farm Bureau’s secretary. She later was promoted to office manager and in 2002 became an insurance agent. “I’m glad I took the leap,” she said. “I like to help people, and I treat the job as looking out for my customers, not selling them something. A lot of my friends are my customers, and a lot of my customers have become my friends.”

The Ralph Stokes Award is the top recognition given by the Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. sales management team to an agent who supports company policies; has a high degree of integrity; is highly respected by peers; supports the agency force; 20

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Agent Debbie Murphy is a lay Eucharistic minister at The Fork Church in Hanover County.

and creates a high degree of client loyalty.

“To me the Ralph Stokes Award is about service, leadership, community and the support of Farm Bureau.

Debbie Murphy embodies all of that and more,” said agency manager Jerry Funkhouser, last year’s winner.

Leah Roller, VFBMIC agency manager for Hanover and King William counties, agreed. “Debbie exhibits all of the traits needed to receive the honor of the Ralph Stokes Award. Part of what made Ralph Stokes so special was that he never allowed a disability to slow him down, and Debbie really shined in this area when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.”

Not sidelined by cancer Murphy was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in early 2011. In between

six treatments of chemotherapy and 36 radiation treatments, she managed to earn a spot on an agent outing to Myrtle Beach, S.C. “She made it a focus that the cancer was not going to beat her, and she set out to win that trip; so while receiving all those treatments and feeling ill and tired, she made sure she won. That is a true Ralph Stokes trait,” Roller said.

When not meeting with insurance customers, Murphy spends a lot of time at The Fork Episcopal Church, just up the rural road on which she and her husband live. “Everything I’m involved with now is church-related,” she said.

But her community involvement previously has included the Beaverdam Ruritan Club, where she was the first female member, the first female treasurer and the first female president.

She also served as a leader for her two sons’ elementary school PTA and spent eight years as commissioner of the Beaverdam Youth League. “That taught me how to deal with people and their complaints. Thinking of how to say things diplomatically has helped in my job,” Murphy said with a laugh.

She also contributes news from Beaverdam, Doswell and Montpelier to the Ashland Herald-Progress’ weekly “Neighborhood Network” column.

That has helped get her name out in front of potential customers, Murphy said.

She attributes much of her success to the entire Hanover Farm Bureau sales team, which includes all of the office staff and Roller.

“I like to help people, and I treat the job as looking out for my customers, not selling them something,” Murphy said of her work at Farm Bureau. She is shown at her early 19th-century home that she and her husband helped restore.

PHOTOS BY KATHY DIXON

BY KATHY DIXON

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Births, adoptions of children, caring for family member can affect your insurance Anytime a family increases in size, it’s time to think about insurance coverage.

Whether you’ve recently had a baby, adopted a child or brought into your household an adult who needs care, it’s important to note the possible insurance implications.

Birth or adoption: “A birth or the adoption of an infant or small child has little bearing on a home or auto policy. However, if the child is of driving age and has a driver’s license, you would need to add them as a driver on your auto policy,” explained Lisa Whitus, underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. Your agent can answer your questions about life insurance for your child.

“While the proceeds of a life insurance policy can protect you in the Births and adoptions are among family events that call for an insurance review.

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event of the premature death of your child, most plans are designed as the foundation of the child’s overall life insurance program,” said Gerald Gardner, VFBMIC director of sales.

“These policies can be funded so that the premiums are paid in 20 years and, in many cases, the internal cash value can be used to help pay for education or other expenses.”

Adult and elder care: When bringing a family member who needs your care into your home, there are a few items to consider.

• Does this individual own personal property in the household? If so, do they need to be a named insured on your policies, or do they have their own property policy? You should review your policy forms for coverage that may extend to resident relatives.

• Are they a licensed driver? If so, they should be added as a driver on

your auto policy.

• Is the person a relative of the named insured on your policy? If so, coverage may extended to them from your homeowner policy as a resident relative.

• If they own a vehicle that is not on your policy, make sure the garaging address for their vehicle is updated on their insurance policy.

• For life insurance purposes, it is important to check the beneficiary and address information on file with the loved one’s insurance policy.

No matter what the circumstance, it’s always a good idea to regularly check your insurance policies and make sure they are current, and that correct names are on the named insured page of your policy.

For more information about your insurance needs, contact your county Farm Bureau Insurance agent.

Choosing the best vehicle for your teen

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has compiled a list of affordable used vehicles it considers appropriate for teen drivers.

for their money, whatever their budget.

The list is available at iihs. org/iihs/ratings/vehiclesfor-teens.

Defining safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is known for its ratings of new vehicles, but for many families a 2016 Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ isn't in the budget for a newly licensed teen's vehicle.

In a national phone survey conducted for IIHS of parents of teen drivers, 83 percent of participants who bought a vehicle for their teenagers said they bought a used vehicle.

With that reality in mind, IIHS has compiled a list of affordable used vehicles that meet important safety criteria for teen drivers. There are two tiers of recommended vehicles: best choices and good choices. Prices range from about $3,000 to nearly $20,000, so parents can buy the most safety

IIHS recommendations are guided by four main principles: • Young drivers should stay away from high horsepower. More powerful engines can tempt teens to test the limits.

• Bigger, heavier vehicles are safer. They protect better in a crash, and the Highway Loss Data Institute’s analyses of insurance data shows that teen drivers are less likely to crash them in the first place. There are no minicars or small cars on the recommended list, but small SUVs are included because their weight is similar to that of a midsize car.

• Electronic stability control is a must. This feature, which helps a driver maintain control of the vehicle on curves and slippery roads, reduces risk on a level comparable to safety belts.

• Vehicles should have the best safety ratings possible.

At a minimum, that means good ratings in the IIHS moderate overlap front test, acceptable ratings in the IIHS side crash test and four or five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Members can save at Farm Bureau warehouse open house on Sept. 30 In need of tires or parts for your car, truck or lawn mower?

Farm Bureau members can save 10 percent on purchases from the Virginia Farm Bureau Service Corp. Products Division at its Sept. 30 open house.

Since 1965, the Products Division has provided farmers with a variety of quality supplies, through Farm Bureaucertified local dealers and the Farm Bureau warehouse in eastern Henrico County.

The open house will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the warehouse at 1541 Mary St. in eastern Henrico County.

Refreshments will be available. Members can save on a variety of parts, including tires, batteries and oil and grease products. The discount is available for all products, and is available only to Farm Bureau members.

The warehouse is a 53,000-square-foot facility with a daily inventory typically valued at $2.1 million. It serves about 400 dealers throughout Virginia and Maryland and half of North Carolina, as well as a handful in West Virginia and Delaware.

For information on specific products, call the warehouse at 800-476-8473.

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For Your Benefit

Making travel plans? Save on lodging costs with hotel discount Your Farm Bureau membership gives you access to two programs offering significant savings at thousands of hotels in North America Advance reservations are required, and blackout dates may apply.

The Choice Hotels International program offers a 20 percent discount for Farm Bureau members at more than 5,000 Cambria Suites, Clarion, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Econo Lodge, MainStay Suites, Quality, Rodeway Inn, Sleep Inn and Suburban locations.

To make your reservation, call 800258-2847 or visit choicehotels.com, and give your Virginia Farm Bureau ID number—available from your county Farm Bureau. Then be prepared to show your current Farm Bureau member card when you check in.

The Wyndham Hotel Group discount program covers stays in over 7,200 Baymont Inn & Suites, Days Inn, Hawthorn Suites, Howard Johnson, Knights Inn, Microtel, Planet Hollywood, Ramada, Super 8 Motel,

Member Deals Plus now includes even more deals Farm Bureau members in Virginia now have access to hundreds of new discounts through the Member Deals Plus benefit.

New participating merchants have been added in the following categories: • Services • Home and garden • Health and beauty; and • Car rentals.

Member Deals Plus uses the nation’s largest private discount network to offer savings on meals, clothing, vehicle care and other goods and services. It uses

w“show your phone” mobile deals that can be accessed anywhere and redeemed from a smartphone at the point of sale or printed from a home computer.

Members can register online using the Member Deals Plus link at VaFarmBureau. org. (Have your membership number at hand when registering).

When shopping, dining out or traveling, you can search for participating merchants you frequent, or search for all participating merchants in a specific ZIP code.

Caterpillar Inc. announces expanded benefit Caterpillar has expanded the reach of its Virginia Farm Bureau Member Benefit Program. Farm Bureau members in Virginia can now save up to $2,500 thanks to the addition of hydraulic excavators and a medium track-type tractor to the program.

In addition, Farm Bureau members will now receive a $250 credit on work tool attachments purchased with a new Caterpillar machine.

Get the following savings on qualifying new Cat machines from participating dealers: • NEW: hydraulic excavators (Cat 336F and 349F) – $2,500 • NEW: medium track-type tractor (Cat D6T) – $2.500 • small wheel loaders – $2,000 • compact wheel loaders – $1,000 • small dozers – $1,000 24

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• backhoe loaders – $500-$1,000 • compact track loaders – $500$1,000 • multi terrain loaders – $500-$1,000 • skid steer loaders – $500-$1,000 • telehandlers – $500-$1,000 • mini hydraulic excavators – $250$500 Visit FBAdvantage.com/Deals/Cat to obtain a membership verification certificate to present to your dealer at the time of purchase or lease quote.

Your discount can be combined with any current retail discounts, promotions, rebates or offers available through Caterpillar or Cat dealers, with the exception of other membership purchase incentives. Discounts cannot be applied to past purchases.

Find a Cat dealer near you at cat. com.

Travelodge, Wingate by Wyndham and Wyndham Hotels locations.

The discounted rate of up to 20 percent less than the “Best Available Rate” publicly available online is subject to availability at participating locations.

For reservations, call 877-670-7088 to make your reservation, and give your Virginia Farm Bureau ID number—available from your county Farm Bureau. Be prepared to share your current Farm Bureau member card when you check in.

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.

Moles or voles destroying your lawn? There’s help!

I

f you’ve recently discovered tunnels and uprooted plants in your home landscape, you might have a mole or vole problem.

“Usually when there is a lot of disruption in the lawn, the experience is usually with moles,” said Dr. Jim Parkhurst, wildlife biologist in Virginia Tech’s Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation. “Usually voles are not a primary concern, as their presence is not easily detected nor immediately obvious to the average homeowner.”

And as it turns out, the more meticulous homeowners become with their lawns, the more attractive the property becomes to moles.

Moles

Many associate moles with problematic lawn conditions such as larvae or grubs from common lawn pests or noxious insects that moles enjoy eating.

But those organisms are only part of a mole’s typical diet, Parkhurst said.

“Earthworms and night-crawlers actually comprise a large part of the diet and are especially sought-out by moles.

Worms and crawlers are valuable for good soil health, so we want to encourage their presence, yet at the same time, we are ramping up their attractiveness (to moles) in the process.”

Eliminating grubs and larvae alone will not eliminate moles if ample alternative foods also are present. And using extremely harsh broad-spectrum chemicals to deal with moles can eliminate many insects and organisms—like earthworms and night-crawlers.

Voles

Voles, like moles, live underground, but they are herbivores; they feed on the inner layer of bark and roots of woody plants and on some bulbs and tubers. Although voles can be removed with traps, the process is timeconsuming and rarely keeps ahead of the animals’ reproductive output.

A well-designed toxicant application

program often is needed to address more serious vole situations. Home gardeners who want to try trapping can place peanut butter-baited mouse traps in or adjacent to vole holes, but the traps should be covered with inverted and weighted 5-gallon buckets to avoid trapping other animals.

Moles also can be trapped, but Parkhurst said trapping is a temporary solution because it treats only a symptom, rather than the cause of the problem.

areas—such as seedbeds and small gardens—perimeter barriers constructed of sheet metal or hardware cloth may be effective. Instructions for creating a barrier, and other mole information, is available at pubs.ext. vt.edu/420/420-201/420-201.html.

Other solutions

A variety of kill traps can be purchased at farm supply and hardware stores, but their use can be dangerous.

They can be hard to set and properly place without risking personal injury, and they can harm children or pets. It is recommended that lethal trapping be done by trained professionals. For a list of professional trappers, visit dgif. virginia.gov/wildlife/nuisance/ trappers.

Sonic vibration-producing devices advertised commercially as mole deterrents generally are not effective.

Home remedies such as gassing with auto exhaust; placing broken glass, pins or other sharp objects in tunnels; and using harsh household chemicals are ineffective and can be hazardous to residents and non-target animals and are, in some cases, illegal.

The use of fumigants and toxicants should be left to licensed or certified pesticide applicators, as most products are registered as “restricted use only” materials. For small landscaped

VOLE

MOLE FACTS: • Soil type and moisture content and the availability of food all affect mole activity. Moles tend to avoid heavy clay or stony, coarse gravel soils where tunneling is difficult. They also avoid areas with soils that are too dry or too wet to maintain the structure of an underground tunnel system.

• Moles’ diet consists of earthworms, snails, slugs and insects.

They destroy few plants or bulbs by direct feeding but can dislodge plants while tunneling in search of food.

• Because moles expend a lot of energy making tunnels, they often are active day and night yearround in search of food.

• One mole can dig up to 150 feet of a new tunnel each day, depending on soil conditions. They are most active in early morning and late evenings on damp, cloudy days during the spring and fall.

• While viewed as a pest, moles provide some benefits. They eat the larvae and adults of numerous pest insects, including Japanese beetles. And their tunneling activity loosens the soil, improves aeration and mixes deeper soils with surface organic material.

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Heart of the Home

This celebrated stone fruit is

E

ven though peaches originated in China, they are celebrated every August— National Peach Month—in the United States.

In Virginia, they are the star of the annual Virginia Peach Festival in Patrick County. And in Northern Virginia, you can navigate The Peach Way, a trail of five peach orchards within 5 miles.

Peaches are low-calorie, satisfying snacks. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ½ cup of fresh peaches gives you 10 percent of your daily recommended amount of vitamin C with just 30 calories and no fat. Combine the vitamin C with the fiber, potassium and choline in peaches and you’ve got the ingredients for supporting heart health.

Peaches can be eaten whole, chopped or sliced. They can be added to yogurt, cold cereal or oatmeal to add sweetness

and flavor. Peaches also can be mixed into the batter for pancakes, waffles, muffins or bread. For a sweet treat, put 1 cup peaches in a blender with 1 cup plain or vanilla lowfat yogurt or frozen yogurt, and blend until smooth.

Peaches can be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to five days. Store cooked peaches in a tightly closed non-metal container in the refrigerator.

DIRECTIONS

Peach and Biscuit Bake

Peach and Tomato Salad

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

1 cup lowfat baking mix

Preheat oven to 375°.

Blend the baking mix, milk and nutmeg. Stir in the margarine. Pour the batter into an 8"x8" baking dish.

Combine sugar and peaches and spoon over the batter in baking dish (Do not mix together).

Bake 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

1 cup fat-free milk OR 1 cup lowfat milk

½ pound ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

½ teaspoon nutmeg

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks

4 tablespoons margarine, melted

¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

1½ pounds fresh peaches, sliced (about 6 peaches)

1½ teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon honey ⅛ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper ¼ cup lowfat shredded mozzarella cheese 2 tablespoons torn basil DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine peaches, tomatoes and onion.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, honey, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk with a fork, and drizzle over the peach mixture. Toss to combine.

Sprinkle with cheese and basil, and serve.

Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension

If your peaches are not quite ripe enough, place them in a brown paper bag for a couple of days.

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Heart of the Home

just peachy

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Stewards of the Land

Meet Roy Vanderhyde Vanderhyde Dairy Inc., Pittsylvania County

The cows at Roy Vanderhyde’s dairy produce 30,000 gallons of manure a day. The farm’s cutting-edge anaerobic digester turns that waste into energy, natural fertilizer and odorless animal bedding.

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Stewards of the Land

ARTICLE AND PHOTO BY KATHY DIXON

The family: Roy Vanderhyde is president of Vanderhyde Dairy Inc. He operates the 1,200-head dairy with his two brothers, Kyle and Larry; a nephew, James; and his parents, Kathleen and Gary Vanderhyde.

The farm: In addition to milking 1,200 dairy cows, the Vanderhydes grow 2,000 acres of corn for feeding the herd.

The dairy has been in the family for three generations.

Community involvement: Roy is a member of the Pittsylvania County Farm Bureau board of directors. He also serves on the board of the U.S. Dairy Association and the Cobblestone Milk Producers Association in Chatham.

Vanderhyde Dairy Inc. received the Virginia Agribusiness Council’s 2016 Environment Award.

Stewardship practice: With the help of almost $1.5 million in grants, the Vanderhydes built an anaerobic digester in 2010 to help them handle the large quantity of manure produced by their cows.

The cows generate an average of 30,000 gallons of manure daily. It spends 30 days in the digester, where it is broken down in the absence of oxygen. When it comes out of the digester it’s separated into liquids or solids. The liquids go into a holding pond for future use as a natural fertilizer.

“We would have to buy commercial fertilizer if we weren’t using the manure,” Vanderhyde said. “The 6,000-gallon loads that I haul to the cropland costs me $60 in transportation costs, but each load is about $200 worth of fertilizer so it’s a very valuable commodity.”

And because the digester breaks the manure down, it “greatly reduces its odor, which makes the neighbors happy.”

The solid manure components are dried and then placed in the cows’ stalls as bedding. The solid material is pathogenfree because the manure is heated to over 100 degrees in the digester, which kills any potential pathogens.

In addition, the Vanderhydes convert the manure’s methane gas into renewable energy. The digester produces biogas, which is combusted to generate electricity.

In August 2011 the family formed Dairy Energy Inc. and began selling the electricity to Dominion Power. Currently, the electricity is powering the dairy, along with about 100 homes.

Biggest source of pride: “We consider our manure pit an asset, even though the bank doesn’t like it on the balance sheet,” Vanderhyde said. “I’m happy we can figure out ways to use manure as a valuable resource. The benefits we receive aren’t monetary, but we get rid of most of the odor, the nutrients are better for the soil (than commercial fertilizer) and we have bedding for our cows.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you do not enroll in a supplement plan during the Medigap open enroll-

ment period, you will not be guaranteed coverage, and you could be denied coverage.

If you’re older than 65 and still working but enrolled in Medicare Part A, be sure to talk to your human resources representative about your options, or call your county Farm Bureau office.

There are rules that apply, so it is important to talk to someone about your options, Denton said.

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

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

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

Have questions about Medicare Supplements?

Call today!

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.

55681VASENABS AADVOTH006M(15)-VA 30

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Marketplace

CROPS DEER AND RABBIT REPELLENT – $13.95 makes 10 gallons.

Safe, effective, long-lasting, guaranteed. 540-464-1969.

FRUIT – Apples, peaches, produce, cider, wines, preserves, gifts. Johnson’s Orchards Winery, Bedford, VA. danny@ iwineu.com. 540-586-3707.

FARM EQUIPMENT CRAFTSMAN WOOD SHAPER – 1½ HP, tools, $200. Ford auto transmission for 6.9 diesel. 240-694-6211.

JOHN DEERE – Model T tractor, all parts, needs some assembly, spoke wheels. $3,000 OBO. 804-438-5618.

HURST TRAILER – 1988, heavy duty, low mileage, $1,000.

804-639-6735.

FOR SALE – International Harvester antique corn husker, early 1920s, excellent condition. $3,000 OBO. 804-4385618 SALE – Fordson, $1,000. 8N plow cultivator, $2,500. Power King, $1,250. 1956 Case Vac, $2,500. 804-360-2240.

FOR SALE – Mansfield 20-in. dish disc, heavy duty, asking $500. Irrigation pump, $100. 276-956-3998.

LOOKING FOR – John Deere haybine 1217 or 1219 for used parts. 434-286-2397.

TANDEM TRAILER – 16-foot with electric brakes and portable ramps. Current safety inspection, $1,800. 757-8996904.

LIVESTOCK CHAROLAIS BULLS – High quality and easy calving.

Veterinarian-owned. $1,500 to $3,500. Abingdon, VA. 276628-9543.

RABBITS – American ChinChilla; tattooed pedigrees.

Rustburg, VA. Member of The Livestock Conservancy. 434332-7846.

FOR SALE – Donkeys, all ages, color, size. $100-$350. 540586-1911.

ANGUS BULLS – Calving ease, semen tested, excellent bloodlines. Reasonably priced, good selection, delivery available. C-Stock Farm, Scottsville. Day 434-286-2743, after 7 p.m. 434-981-1397 or 434-286-2423.

LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT WESTERN SADDLE – Show set with silver trim, saddle, bridle, breastplate, size 17-inch seat. $350. 804-633-0182.

Giant watermelons and Latino consumers’ influence, on Real Virginia Featured this month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program: • Just how do you raise a giant vegetable to compete at the State Fair of Virginia?

• Changing demographics mean some farmers are raising more crops popular with Latino shoppers.

• Chef John Maxwell shares his blue-ribbon recipe for State Fair Chili.

Real Virginia airs nationwide at 3:30 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month on RFD-TV on Dish Network and DirecTV. It airs weekly on WVPT Harrisonburg, WBRA Real Virginia Roanoke, WCVE Richmond, WHRO Norfolk, To view Real Virginia, visit WVVA Bluefield and WTKR Norfolk, as VaFarmBureau.org. well as on cable systems across the state. It’s available online at VaFarmBureau.org.

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

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.

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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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