Cultivate Winter 2023

Cultivate

Cherries and Chocolate

A delectable pairing for February celebrations

Virginia Farm Bureau

Cultivate

Volume 17, Number 1

Winter 2023

Cultivate (USPS 025051) (ISSN 19468121) 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 at Richmond, VA and additional mailing offices. The annual Subscription Rate is $1.13 (included in membership dues).

Postmaster: Please send changes of address to, Cultivate, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, P.O. Box 27552, Richmond, VA 23261; fax 804-2901096. 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 assumes no liability for products or services advertised. The publisher maintains the right to cancel advertising for non-payment or reader complaints about services or products.

Member: Virginia Press Association

EDITORIAL TEAM

Pam Wiley Vice President, Communications

Kathy Dixon Managing Editor

Nicole Zema Staff Writer/Photographer

Adam Culler Staff Writer/Photographer

Maria La Lima Graphic Designer

Eleanor Stickley Graphic Designer

Alice Kemp Staff Writer/Advertising Coordinator

VISIT US ONLINE vafb.com

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?

Clam chowder can take the chill off a wintry day. And while some people think clams are synonymous with New England, there are quite a few being raised in Virginia.

In fact, Virginia ranks first in the nation for its production of hard-shell clams. They are one of the most profitable seafood species in the commonwealth, and Virginia clams are harvested and shipped all over the nation.

According to the 2018 Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences shellfish aquaculture survey, the value of the state’s hard clam production was $38.8 million!

The chewy, slightly salty mollusks are enjoyed in chowders, fritters and stuffing, and can be steamed, baked and eaten on the half-shell.

Feb. 25 is National Clam Chowder Day, so why not celebrate with a bowl of Virginia clam chowder?

$23.6 FORESTRY

That’s how much the regenerative cycle of forestry activities produces for Virginia’s economy. See related article on page 16.

Sheep shearing requires special skills, on Real Virginia

Featured this month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program:

• Watch the ancient art of sheep shearing, and find out how farmers cut or shave wool off sheep efficiently and quickly.

• Learn why the Lenten rose is not a rose—it’s actually a perennial hybrid hellebore and is part of the buttercup family.

• Virginia’s Reforestation of Timberlands Program has been helping sustain Virginia’s forests for 50 years.

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 WBRA digital channel 15.2, WHRO Norfolk, WVVA Bluefield and WTKR Norfolk, and on the first and third weekends of each month on WVIR Charlottesville, WHSV Harrisonburg, WSLS Roanoke and WRLH Richmond.

Exclusive offers for Farm Bureau members

New member benefit

Get compensated for cell towers on your property

Virginia Farm Bureau members can get paid for leasing land to Vogue Towers for installing a wireless communication tower.

VFB has partnered with Vogue Towers to implement a marketing program to further wireless connectivity throughout Virginia while compensating Farm Bureau members. Vogue’s management team has built more than 5,000 towers in the U.S. since 1996. Cell towers allow wireless networks to better serve the communities in which they’re located, improving cell phone reception, and ensuring the highest level of safety.

Members who are interested in leasing land for a tower should register their information with Vogue Towers through our website, vafb.com/membership-at-work/ benefits/Vogue-Towers. Registration is not a commitment to lease your property, but simply an expression of interest in the program. After you submit an opt-in form on that page, Vogue Towers will contact you directly when they are seeking space for towers in your area.

Home/Business Savings

Whether working or relaxing, Farm Bureau discounts have you covered

Save on recreational Yamaha vehicles

Farm Bureau members in Virginia are eligible to receive $250 Factory Direct Cash on the purchase of select new Yamaha 4WD ATV and SXS vehicles, excluding youth models under 350cc.

To claim your rebate:

• Members have up to 30 days after purchase to apply for the $250 rebate*, and there is no waiting period for new members to use the Yamaha discount.

• Go to vafb.com/benefits, and search for Yamaha. Click on the link, select your state, and enter your Farm Bureau membership number and other required information. Click submit, and Yamaha will send a $250 rebate check within 6-8 weeks of submitting the request.

Take care of landscaping needs with Bush Hog mowers

Since 1951, Bush Hog has offered dependable rotary cutters, finishing mowers, landscape tools and a wide

variety of tractor-mounted implements. Bush Hog offers American-made equipment to meet all your agricultural and landscaping needs—like zero-turn mowers that reduce mowing time and allow you to cut more efficiently.

Its rotary cutters are perfect for mowing fields, and they come with a 10-year gearbox limited warranty.

And now, Virginia Farm Bureau members can save $250 when they purchase Bush Hog products valued at $5,000 or more!

Visit vafb.com/benefits and log in as a member or create an account, then print out a Membership Discount Agreement Form and take it to any authorized Bush Hog dealer at the time of sale. The discount must be claimed at the time of purchase.

Save up to $500 on qualifying Case IH products

Members can save $200 to $500 on qualifying products from participating Case IH dealers. Eligible members receive the following manufacturer discount on these products:

Tractors:

• $200 off Farmall Compact tractors, A, C and C CVT series

• $500 off Farmall Utilities, C and U series

• $500 off Maxxum Series and Farmall 100A series

Balers:

• $200 off Round balers

• $200 off Small square balers

• $500 off Large square balers

Mowers & Utility Vehicles

• $200 off Disc mower conditioners

• $200 off Sickle mower conditioners

• $500 off Self-propelled windrowers

• $200 off Scout utility vehicles

You can generate a certificate to present at your local dealership at vafb.com/benefits; have your membership number at hand.

Get discounts on Caterpillar machines

If you’re planning some heavy work this winter, Caterpillar Inc. offers Farm Bureau members savings of up to $2,750 on select Cat machines, as well as a $250 credit on work tool attachments purchased with a new Cat machine.

Savings are good on compact track loaders, small wheel loaders, skid steer loaders, backhoe loaders, mini hydraulic excavators and telehandlers.

You can generate a certificate to present at your local dealership at vafb.com/benefits; have your membership number at hand.

* Limit one Factory Direct Cash serialized coupon per eligible VIN, and multiple qualified purchases per household are allowed.

Show spuds some love this February

BY NICOLE ZEMA

Roasted, baked, fried or mashed, or smothered in gravy, potatoes are a nutrient-rich vegetable with endless culinary versatility.

February is National Potato Lovers Month—an opportunity to learn more about the world’s fourth-largest food crop.

While potatoes are not ranked among the top Virginia vegetable crops, nine growers on the Eastern Shore produce roughly 90% of the state’s tubers on 4,000 acres. These potatoes generate upward of $20 million in annual sales.

The Eastern Shore’s sandy loam soil and temperate climate are ideal for growing perfect potatoes, said Ursula Tankard Deitch, a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent in Northampton County. Unlike clay soils, there is more

space between soil particles, so water can filtrate instead of pooling on the crop, which helps the tubers grow. Plus, Deitch explained, spuds like it warm.

“The Eastern Shore stays a little warmer in the wintertime compared to rest of the state,” she said.

Virginia potato farmers typically plant spuds in March for harvest in July and August.

While grains like soybeans and corn are produced on greater acreage and therefore gross more in sales, potatoes are the Eastern Shore’s largest vegetable crop, Deitch added.

“We have a long history in the potato business on the Eastern Shore,” said Accomack County grain and vegetable farmer David Hickman, whose family

has been growing potatoes on Dublin Farms since the 1880s. Hickman serves on Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s board of directors, and chairs the VFBF Specialty Crops Advisory Committee.

The farms’ potato varieties—round white, red, purple and yellow flesh— mostly end up in supermarkets. Some grocery chains have initiated buy-local programs in response to consumer interest in local produce, Hickman said.

“Our potato bags say ‘Horntown, Virginia’ on them, and in our first year selling to Walmart, their potato sales increased significantly, which reflects consumer desire to know where their produce comes from” he said.

National Ag Day, Agriculture Literacy Week celebrated in March

National Ag Day 2023 will be celebrated on March 21 during National Ag Week, March 19-25. The annual observances are organized by the Agriculture Council of America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the public’s awareness of agriculture’s role in modern society. Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom will hold its annual Agriculture Literacy Week March 13-17. AITC’s mission is to help students and educators gain a greater understanding of agriculture. During Agriculture Literacy Week, AITC’s largest educational event, thousands of volunteers read to approximately 60,000 children statewide.

Golf tournament will benefit AITC

The annual Virginia Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Charity Golf Tournament will be held May 8 at The Dominion Club in Glen Allen. The event benefits AITC, and sponsors and teams of four will be able to register starting in February. The tournament will offer two shotgun starts with awards following each round of play. Food and refreshments will be available throughout the day. Details are still being developed. For more information, contact Angela Buchanan at angela.buchanan@ vafb.com or 804-687-4463, or visit AgInTheClass.org.

Membership cards now paperless Virginia Farm Bureau members will no longer be mailed printed membership cards. The cards are available online at vafb.com. After a member logs in, on the My Account page, they need to navigate to the membership section. Once there, a link to “Membership Card” is available.

Virginia Farm Festival returns this spring

The Virginia Farm Festival will mark its third year at The Meadow Event Park in Caroline County. The fun, family-friendly event will be held May 5 and 6.

This event focuses on spring planting season in Virginia, which culminates in the harvest season celebrated during the State Fair of Virginia, which will be held Sept. 22 through Oct. 1. During the farm festival, visitors can see farm animals, explore the science behind how to grow plants, play in an AGtivity zone, savor Virginia-grown foods and beverages, shop at a farmers-artisan market and catch live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. The festival also will host a demolition derby and an antique tractor show and parade.

The event will be held inside the venue’s Farm Bureau Center, with large animals and outdoor displays in the surrounding outdoor space. School field trip opportunities will be available on Friday.

Festival details are still being developed. Visit StateFairVa.org for more information and updates.

Family entertainment mixed with agricultural education makes this spring event a unique one.

Invasive English ivy is insidious and insistent

BY KATHY DIXON

You mow it down. It springs back to life.

You cut it from a tree or the side of your house. It creeps back up.

English ivy often is associated with immortality and Dionysus, the Greek god of fertility, vegetation and wine, who has been depicted as wreathed in ivy.

The ivy that so beautifully wrapped around a mythical figure also is the stuff that kills trees, damages structures and takes over yards.

Alex Niemiera, a professor in the Virginia Tech School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, said the good and bad news about English ivy is one and the same: “It’s the most stress-tolerant evergreen groundcover there is.” And that’s the problem. “If they stopped selling it tomorrow, it wouldn’t matter because it’s so ubiquitous.”

Hedera helix is native to Europe, western Asia and northern Africa. It landed in North America as a landscape plant and escaped into natural areas, becoming prominent on the invasive list. English ivy is an evergreen woody vine that can grow up to 90 feet, according to Virginia Cooperative Extension. The vine climbs or forms dense ground cover and can reach a thickness of 10 inches in diameter.

“It is a popular landscaping plant, but there is no guaranteed method for keeping H. helix out of natural areas or removing it once it has been established,” Niemiera explained.

When English ivy vines up trees, it prevents photosynthesis from happening, causing their demise. It also damages

evergreen | KATHY DIXON

English ivy can overtake trees, preventing photosynthesis and leading to a slow death.

tree bark by holding moisture against the trunk, which leads to fungal rot and a slow death for infested trees.

Ivy carries bacteria that infects maples, oaks and elms. It can spread through vegetative growth, and new plants can grow from cut or broken pieces of stems that root in the soil. Birds carry ivy seeds from place to place.

Trees aren’t the only things affected by English ivy’s invasiveness. The plant climbs using plant roots that form from its stems and excrete a sticky liquid. The

adventitious roots push into cracks and fissures in mortar and in any other spaces between rocks, bricks, wooden slats, siding and shingles on buildings. This can loosen and eventually damage the part of the structure where the ivy is growing.

So how do you get rid of it?

“There is no magic bullet for getting rid of English ivy,” Niemiera concluded. “You just have to pull it out and keep on pulling it.”

Loudoun County Master Gardeners recommend the following for getting rid of

English ivy:

• On trees, cut ivy vines near the ground and then again at approximately eye level to make a vine-free band around the trunk.

Carefully remove only the cuttings so no damage is done to the bark. The cuttings will try to root, so either let them dry out thoroughly or put them in the trash. Don’t pull the remaining ivy off the tree, because it may take the bark with it. Severed ivy left on a tree will die and eventually fall off.

• Remove ivy from the

ground at least 2 to 3 feet around the base of a tree.

• If necessary, follow the vine cutting with an application of herbicide to rooted, living cut surfaces.

• On hardscapes, remove ivy the same as on a tree, and gently pull off vines when they are dead.

• Removal should be done with care, because the rootlets can damage the structure when pulled off.

• Because cutting may result in vigorous regrowth at the base of a tree or a structure, vigilance is required to ensure long-term control.

English ivy has shiny green leaves that make it attractive as a houseplant or for home decor, but outside it can wreak havoc on trees, homes and other structures.

Protect your home, vehicles from inflationary effects with a policy review

BY ADAM CULLER

It’s no small secret—inflation is here to stay for the foreseeable future.

On top of inflation, lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic continue to cause supply chain and labor shortages, creating a frenzy among consumers for a limited inventory of homes and vehicles.

Due to these shortages, prices for new home construction and existing houses have soared, as have vehicle prices. In many cases inflation also has driven up the value of homeowners’ personal property.

Although Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. products include automatic value increases at the time of policy renewals, it’s still advisable for homeowners to regularly review their policies and ensure they have adequate coverage.

“Meeting with your Farm Bureau agent will help make sure everything on your policy is where it needs to be value-wise in the event inflation affected the value of your property, whether it’s your home, automobile or anything else of value,” said Lisa Whitus, VFBMIC personal and commercial lines underwriting manager.

“These sit-downs really benefit the customer because agents can point out where the policyholder may have a shortage or a coverage gap and help them secure coverage that protects the full value of their property.”

Keep your vehicle’s value covered with added auto endorsements

Like new home construction, automobile production was down millions of vehicles in 2022 due to supply chain challenges.

Market research for 2022 reported new vehicle prices rose over 6% due to inflation and parts shortages, and a lowerthan-usual inventory of used vehicles led to prices surging by over 40%.

With consumers spending more on cars than usual, Whitus said customers should consider adding supplementary coverage to their auto policies to

protect a vehicle’s full value.

“The financial investment being made by drivers has grown—in some cases exponentially,” Whitus said.

“Even though drivers are fetching great prices for their used vehicles, automobiles will still depreciate as they get older,” she added. “If you’re purchasing a car in the current market, you should be looking at obtaining coverage that will protect your vehicle’s value and your bank account.”

With Virginia Farm Bureau, auto insurance customers can opt for auto loan/lease payoff coverage and new vehicle replacement coverage, which provide additional protection for total losses.

Auto loan/lease payoff coverage is designed to cover the difference between the unpaid amount on a vehicle’s loan or lease and the actual cash value of the insured vehicle at the time of a covered loss. This coverage often is referred to as “gap insurance.”

The endorsement may be applied to any new, used or leased vehicle while a lienholder or leaseholder is listed on the auto policy, and vehicles must already be covered with collision and comprehensive coverages.

With new vehicle replacement coverage, customers who own new vehicles two model years or newer can have their vehicles replaced in the event of a covered total loss.

When a covered loss occurs, the endorsement pays the difference between the car’s value at the time of the loss and what it costs to purchase a new vehicle of the same make and model.

To qualify for the new vehicle replacement coverage, vehicles must already be insured with collision and comprehensive coverages and may not be previously owned or titled by another party. Additionally, the endorsement only pertains to a vehicle’s model year, not length of ownership.

Coverage is available to any new passenger and utility-type vehicles listed on the insured’s auto policy.

To learn more about home and auto insurance products, visit vafb.com/ insurance or call your local Farm Bureau agent.

Stay out of the cold with homeowner equipment breakdown coverage

BY ADAM CULLER

Losing power due to inclement weather often tops many homeowners’ lists of worstcase scenarios during the dead of winter.

But when critical household systems break down without warning in the colder months, homeowners typically face similar dilemmas to those caused by unexpected power outages.

“As much as we would like them to, HVAC systems won’t last forever,” said Lisa Whitus, personal and commercial lines underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.

“If your heating system breaks down and you’re not financially prepared, you could be looking at a real issue between the repair costs and having to scramble to keep your house warm while you come up with the money to fix that system.”

Whitus explained that repairing and replacing HVAC systems may costs tens of thousands of dollars in some cases, an undertaking many homeowners cannot afford. While breakdowns caused by fire or certain weather events are covered under most standard homeowner policies, common losses caused by electrical and mechanical failure or neglect are not.

Not limited to HVAC systems, homeowners can endorse their policies with equipment breakdown coverage, which also protects policyholders from sudden failures on plumbing and electrical systems, as well as appliances and other household items.

Equipment breakdown coverage is designed to pick up where standard coverage leaves off. It covers electrical and mechanical breakdowns and failures that occur inside the endorsed equipment. The endorsement also protects homeowners’ wallets from the staggering repair rates that generally follow losses caused by faulty equipment.

Coverage can be purchased on a wide range of equipment, including air conditioning and electrical distribution systems, furnaces and heat pumps, kitchen appliances, and water heaters and water treatment systems.

Electronics, solar energy systems, gym equipment, health monitoring systems and tools also can be endorsed.

“Equipment breakdown coverage provides excellent value to policyholders because the coverage is relatively inexpensive, especially when you compare it to the outright cost of repairing or replacing appliances and full home systems,” Whitus added.

“Your insurance policy is in place to protect you from catastrophic loss, and losing your entire heating, plumbing or electrical system certainly qualifies.”

Protecting commercial buildings

Equipment breakdown coverage also may be purchased through business owner policies, sometimes referred to as BOP.

Because commercial buildings vary in size and usually are larger than homes, they may be outfitted with commercial-scale equipment or multiple units. The large size further increases the price of fixing and replacing faulty equipment.

To best cover your

building’s assets, purchasing equipment breakdown coverage is highly advisable.

“If you own commercial property like an office building or a retail store, this endorsement covers a building’s regular systems— your central air unit, your heat pump or hot water heater—just like it would on a homeowner policy,” Whitus noted. “If you’re just a tenant in a building, unless your lease makes you responsible for certain equipment, you’d have no need for this coverage.”

To learn more about equipment breakdown coverage, visit vafb.com/ equipment-breakdowncoverage or call your Farm Bureau agent.

HOT COMMODITIES

Virginia-grown agricultural products account for billions of dollars in revenue each year and are exported to over 150 countries.

BY ADAM CULLER

Over parts of the past five centuries, Virginia has served as the pacesetter for American agriculture.

Since colonists settled Jamestown in 1607, the “Virginia” brand of agricultural products has become world-famous for its high quality and trade value. In some cases, Virginia remains synonymous with certain farmed commodities.

Localities such as Smithfield and Suffolk often are referred to as the “Ham Capital of the World” and “Peanut Capital of the World,” respectively. Most gourmet peanuts— the same snack peanuts that line store shelves around the world—are a large-seeded variety known simply as “Virginia peanuts.”

It’s also no secret that tobacco grown in colonial Virginia was America’s first cash crop.

Fast forward over 400 years, and agriculture and forestry remain Virginia’s top private industry. The commonwealth’s 40,000-plus farms and the farmers who operate them are responsible for generating billions of

The Port of Virginia operates this terminal in Norfolk where agricultural commodities are loaded onto container ships for transport to over 150 countries.

BURKE MOELLER

dollars in agricultural exports each year. According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, export totals eclipsed $4 billion in 2021.

Consumers can find Virginiagrown products in 152 countries, from Argentina to Zimbabwe. Here’s a look at the Old Dominion’s largest agricultural trade partners, as well as a breakdown of the destinations for the state’s top agricultural products:

Top 10 trade partners

1. China – $1.36 billion

2. Canada – $359.4 million

3. Taiwan – $161 million

4. Mexico – $139.6 million

5. Japan – $129 million

6. Switzerland – $124.9 million

7. South Korea – $119.2 million

8. Egypt – $111.1 million

9. Vietnam – $102.9 million

10. Malaysia - $99.2 million

Top 10 agricultural commodities by cash receipts

1. Soybeans – $1.13 billion

2. Pork – $621.8 million

3. Edible pork and beef offal –$240.7 million

4. Soybean meal – $233.8 million

5. Poultry – $200.3 million

6. Leaf tobacco – $180.2 million

7. Soybean oil – $173.3 million

8. Lumber – $171.2 million

9. Misc. food preparations –$116.1 million

10. Beer – $102.3 million

Top five destinations for Virginia’s top commodities

SOYBEANS

1. China – $600.6 million

2. Egypt – $107 million

3. Malaysia – $88.5 million

4. Taiwan – $85.4 million

5. Tunisia – $68.1 million

PORK

1. China – $343.7 million

2. South Korea – $71.1 million

3. Japan – $67.5 million

4. Mexico – $37 million

5. Colombia – $31.2 million

EDIBLE PORK AND BEEF OFFAL

1. China – $211.5 million

2. Mexico – $18.1 million

3. Philippines – $3.2 million

4. Chile – $2.7 million

5. Japan – $2.1 million

SOYBEAN MEAL

1. Sri Lanka – $37.6 million

2. Venezuela – $30.5 million

3. Morocco – $ 27.1 million

4. Myanmar – $26.9 million

5. Colombia – $20.2 million

POULTRY

1. China – $54.5 million

2. Mexico – $12.7 million

3. Canada – $12 million

4. Vietnam – $9.9 million

5. Republic of Congo – $9.2 million

Source: Export values sourced from VDACS. All figures are rounded to the nearest tenth.

Quality meets quantity

Atree was planted 15 years ago. Today it was harvested. Tomorrow it will be processed to make the essential fiber, wood products and electricity we use every day. Next year, another tree will be replanted in its place.

This regenerative cycle of forestry activities produces $23.6 billion for the state’s economy and employs over 108,000 people, making up Virginia’s third-leading private industry behind agriculture and tourism.

trucked to Dominion Energy’s biomass fuel facility in Southampton County.

Three of Dominion’s coal-fired power stations were converted to generate 100% renewable biomass energy, powering 38,000 Virginia customers. The company does not harvest wood for use in its biomass facilities but uses only the waste. Before biomass became mainstream, undesirable wood was just burned or rotted on harvest sites.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS

BY NICOLE ZEMA

While motorists might scorn the look of clear-cut timber stands or trucks hauling logs on highways, Virginia’s forestry experts assert that logging activities are a powerful forest management tool. Logging operations can create new wildlife habit and enhance biodiversity, executed with methods that preserve and improve forested landscapes.

More than 75% of Virginia’s forests are hardwood, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry. Pine makes up 20%, about two-thirds of which are planted pines. Loblolly pine and yellow poplar are the most harvested for volume.

Timber is harvested for lumber, milled, and cut into boards or planks for building materials. Smaller trees, salvage and waste are processed into chips or pellets used for biomass— burned to harness electricity.

In the pines

While forestry activities occur statewide, Brunswick County is Virginia’s most heavily logged area, and loblolly is king.

Planted pine is more adaptable and resilient, said forester Joey Jones of M.M. Wright Inc., based in Gasburg. “We grow them for straightness, height, circumference, pest resistance and growing time,” he said. “Quality and quantity.”

His team was working to clear a salvage site of pines damaged in a 2020 ice storm. Some of the trees were chipped on site and immediately

“Our job as foresters is to market the wood to many different locations, to get more money for the landowner, loggers and truckers,” Jones explained. “And we need biomass facilities, so we have a market for this type of wood.”

Hardwood forests don’t typically need replanting.

“You can come back to cut the same hardwood site over and over again without planting more,” said Timothy Goodbar, a Rockbridge County logger. He selectively harvests timber so new trees are constantly growing. "Young forest is good turkey and deer habitat and allows water to permeate the soil.”

‘I love what the earth has given me’

In a nearby area, lifelong forester C.K. Greene of Virginia Custom Thinning & Chipping has trained his team to selectively cut undesirable trees, making space in the stand for the best pines to grow big, fast. Loggers traversed forested terrain in skidders, cutting small trees in bunches and piling them in staging areas where they were fed into a chipper.

“We leave 200 of the biggest and best quality in the stand—the No. 1 and No. 2 trees,” Greene explained. “We take out forked trees, the runts, and leave enough trees per acre to have a valuable crop to grow. It’s beautiful. I love what the earth has given me.”

Greene’s 35-person team is booked up to four years in advance.

“That’s because of our image,” he said. “Good, clean work.”

Forestry activities have major economic impact in Virginia

The cost of doing business

A lack of mill labor and truckers created bottlenecks in the lumber market, leading to a national price spike in 2021. Though prices have eased, foresters are now spending more on inputs.

Greene said his company’s diesel bill went from $19,000 to $42,000 per week, and markets are increasingly limited as more mills integrate.

Landowners don’t necessarily fetch higher profits during market fluctuation either. He encourages them to save cash for replanting.

“Without cost-share for reforestation, a lot of what we do wouldn’t be planted back, because there is always a need for money somewhere,” Greene said, referring to the Reforestation of Timberlands Program.

For decades, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation has worked to make timberland owners aware of reforestation incentives while advocating for matching funding from the state. Managed by the VDOF, the program provides cost-share assistance to landowners for pine reforestation and is funded by the Virginia Forest Products Tax with matching funds from state’s General Fund.

Loblolly pine is grown in Virginia for lumber and a variety of household products. Select-cutting promotes a healthy forest crop, while small, crooked trees and salvaged byproduct can be chipped for biomass fuel.

Quality meets quantity

Farm Bureau partners with forestry organizations

The Virginia Forestry Association, Virginia Forest Products Association and Virginia Loggers Association work closely with Virginia Farm Bureau Federation to support bills at the General Assembly that help maintain healthy forests, provide favorable incentives for landowners to afford replanting and ensure forestry management technical assistance is available to rural and urban landowners.

The Reforestation of Timberlands incentive program was created 50 years ago—a historic partnership between the groups, said Martha Moore, senior vice president of VFBF governmental relations.

“This incentive program has been mirrored in other states because of its success in Virginia with maintaining timber and wood products, which has helped the forestry industry remain No. 3 in the commonwealth,” she said. “It is this collaborative approach between the groups that helps stop legislation that would hurt landowners, foresters and future generations.”

Clockwise from top left: Markers indicate a tree’s status. Saw head teeth rotate at 200 revolutions per minute and need frequent replacement. Work site safety is critical. “This will take your foot off, your hand off, it will kill you,” said forester C.K. Greene. “It will never say, ‘I’m sorry, let me pay that bill for you.’ ” Forester Joey Jones of M.M. Wright Inc. holds chipped biomass at a salvage site. Replanted trees provide wildlife habitat.

Common and little-known wood products

Beyond plywood, furniture, musical instruments, household items and playground equipment made from solid wood products— or the lamp shades, diapers, boxes, tea bags and printed materials made from paper and fluff products—wood derivatives have unexpected uses that may be surprising.

Products made from wood-derived chemicals

*

• Adhesives and lacquers

• Chewing gum

• Cleaning compounds

• Cosmetics

• Detergents

• Food thickeners ( ketchup, ice cream)

• Fungicides

• Hairspray

• Ink

• Linoleum

• Methanol colognes

• Nail polish

• Pill fillers

• Sausage casings

• Shaving cream

• Textiles like rayon

• Toothpaste additives

• Wrapping film

-Courtesy of University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension

*Some ingredients vary by manufacturer

WINTER WHEAT

Virginia farmers grow some of our favorite foods

BY ALICE KEMP

Savory bread dipped in oil, soft biscuits slathered in gravy, and warm cookies fresh from the oven are all made with one versatile ingredient: wheat.

“The predominant type of wheat grown here is soft red winter wheat,” explained Robbie Longest, a Virginia Cooperative Extension agent in Essex County. “That’s pretty much the primary type producers grow in Virginia, with the exception of a few acres.”

There are six main classes of wheat grown across the U.S., and Virginia’s climate is ideal for two: soft red winter and hard red winter wheat. Unlike spring-planted wheats, winter varieties are unique for their long season. Typically planted in October and November and harvested in June and July, winter wheat needs to undergo a process called vernalization.

“It basically means temperatures

need to get cold enough to initiate the reproductive process that ultimately produces the grain,” Longest explained.

While the bulk of wheat production is concentrated in eastern Virginia, Longest said, wheat fields can be found scattered throughout the state. Wheat is ranked 15th among the top crops in the commonwealth, and Virginia farmers harvested approximately 170,000 acres of the grain in 2022.

A soft red winter legacy

Grain has always been the family business on Keith Harris’ six-generation farm in Northumberland County.

“It’s a beautiful crop to raise,” said Harris, who grows 800 acres of soft red winter wheat. “When you sit back and look at it, see it blowing in the wind, it’s like the lines in that song about the amber waves of grain.”

Harris has grown wheat for nearly

four decades, and during that time he’s seen a transition in Virginia’s wheat market.

“We’ve gone from raising wheat that’s been used for feed to it being used for flour,” he said.

That’s because milling companies like Ardent Mills in Culpeper and Mennel Milling in Roanoke will pay a higher price per bushel than what growers can earn if they sell wheat for animal feed. But flour wheat demands top quality, which means careful management to prevent diseases and pests throughout the growing season.

“When it hits 22% moisture, which is usually the second week of June here, the combines are running,” Harris said.

After harvest, the wheat is dried to an optimum 13% moisture before being transported to the mill for processing into flour for biscuits, cookies, crackers and pastries.

Flour made from soft red winter wheat, center, is used for cookies, crackers and pastries. Bottom photo from left, Keith Harris and his sons, Matthew and Brian, grow 800 acres of the wheat variety in Northumberland County.

The hard winter wheat niche

While soft red winter wheat is the main grain of Virginia’s wheat production, retired Extension agent Paul Davis is trying to encourage interest in another kind.

“This year I’ve got 60 acres of hard red winter wheat,” said Davis, who has been growing wheat on his family’s New Kent County farm since 1990.

His foray into hard wheat began about 20 years ago as a member of the Virginia Identity Preserved Grain organization. He said the group wanted to cultivate a specialty small grain crop in Virginia to diversify marketing opportunities. After attempting to grow a few different wheat types, they found hard red winter was the one that liked Virginia’s climate.

And the flour mills want it. With a higher protein and gluten content than soft red winter wheat, the hard red winter variety is ideal for breads and rolls.

“You get a premium price on the hard red winter wheat,” Davis said. “It costs mills a whole lot to get it railed in here from Kansas, so they’re splitting some of that cost with the local farmers who grow it.”

Although it’s raised just like its soft red counterpart, hard red winter wheat has been slow to catch on in Virginia because it doesn’t compete with soft red winter’s high yield, Davis said. But with wheat breeding programs, he’s optimistic that new hard wheat varieties will improve—and more farmers will grow it.

“The mills would love to see us grow 10,000 to 20,000 acres of this hard wheat,” he said. “They want a lot more than what the local farmers are growing.”

New Kent County farmer Paul Davis is one of the few Virginia farmers growing hard red winter wheat, but he said it likes the commonwealth's climate and mills are interested in sourcing from local growers.

animal agriculture a scapegoat for climate change?

BY NICOLE ZEMA

Perception is reality, and some assessments built on misinformation can perpetuate damaging beliefs.

In 2020, millions viewed Burger King’s colorful ad that asserted the “farts, burps and splatters” of methane produced by cows are a major contributor to climate-warming emissions. Children dressed as farmers and wearing gas masks in some frames, sang that adding lemongrass to cattle nutrition could cut those emissions by 33%.

The ad was pulled when agriculturalists presented context and decried the message that animal agriculture is a villain in the climate change narrative, said American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall.

“They offered up a magic ingredient, lemongrass, while overlooking the full recipe for agricultural sustainability and failing to bring key partners in agriculture to the table,” he said. Plus, he added, the ad disregarded how the very farmers the company depends on have adopted proven tools and practices shown to reduce emissions

while increasing production.

Burger King owner, Restaurant Brands International, has since pledged to consult with industry experts in future farming-related marketing campaigns.

“And is it possible to further reduce greenhouse gases from cattle?” Duvall asked. “Yes,” he asserted.

Passing the smell test

Enteric fermentation is a natural part of the digestive process in ruminant animals like livestock. Microbes decompose and ferment food in the digestive tract, producing methane as a byproduct. And it does have some impact, though not at levels insinuated in the ad. While agriculture consistently represents just 10% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions when compared to other major economic sectors, enteric fermentation makes up a chunk of that contribution at 28%, according to a 2020 Environmental Protection Agency emissions inventory.

For more context—the U.S. currently

produces 18% of the world’s beef with just 8% of the cattle, contributing 3% of overall greenhouse gases, Duvall added. And dairy cattle are thought to contribute less than 1% of total greenhouse gas emissions through enteric fermentation.

“This is a big reason we get so riled up when we’re misrepresented,” he said.

The largest source of U.S. agricultural emissions is soil management, which includes fertilizer applications or tillage practices, making up 50% of overall emissions.

However, the transportation sector has the biggest overall greenhouse gas impact in the U.S., contributing 27.2%, followed closely by electricity generation and other industries.

Methane-mitigating innovations

With the advancements in innovation and technology, EPA data shows agricultural emissions per capita have declined 20% since 1990.

That’s because farmers are doing their part, said Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne F. Pryor,

Is

who farms in Goochland County.

“Agriculture is Virginia’s largest industry, and animal agriculture is the industry’s largest component,” he explained. “In addition to being a huge economic driver, the animal agriculture sector is making recognized advances to reduce its environmental impact.”

Robin White, an associate professor in the Virginia Tech School of Animal Sciences, explained that enteric methane emissions are an important target of the animal agriculture industry’s pledge to move toward carbon neutrality.

“Because molecules like methane and nitrous oxide have greater capacity to trap radiation and re-emit it back to earth, they have greater warming potential than less impactful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide,” she said.

Though methane has greater warming potential, it has a shorter half-life, and is metabolized quickly in the atmosphere. Since other greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide “stick” in the atmosphere, landowners must implement best management practices to sequester carbon in the soil or trees to mitigate their warming effects.

“But if we can decrease the size of the atmospheric methane pool, we have an immediate positive impact on warming,” White said. “As we work toward climate change targets, this is one of our best strategies.”

To reduce those emissions, farmers can feed their animals methanemitigating diets, or optimize farm population dynamics to address whole-system efficiency.

“Animal agriculture in the U.S. also supplies roughly a quarter of the edible energy (calories) and nearly half of the edible protein available for consumption by Americans,” White added. “So keeping the nutritional benefits and limiting the environmental challenges presents a win-win.”

Virtual visits remain valuable to patients, physicians

BY ADAM CULLER

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, physicians utilized telehealth to manage their patients’ health while also keeping them out of harm’s way. Many providers have chosen to continue caring for their patients virtually.

According to a study published by the American Medical Association in 2022, 85% of physicians indicated that they offered some form of telehealth. Over 80% also indicated patients have benefitted from better access to health care through the expansion of nationwide telehealth services.

“What we’ve found is that (telehealth) has allowed for more intensive health management,” said Amy Johnson, a nurse practitioner with Centra Medical Group and president of Bedford County Farm Bureau.

“Where in the past we might’ve said to a patient, ‘We’ll see you in

three months,’ now we can do a quick, virtual follow-up at three or four weeks,” she added. “With that, doctors get the benefit of constant patient monitoring, and the ability to pick up on patients’ problems before they become crisis situations.”

Johnson noted that she continues to use telehealth to manage her patients’ medications and monitor chronic conditions. In addition, virtual visits often are the best follow-up visits for acute care and mental health services. With the advent of smart technology, Johnson explained, many specialists are leveraging that resource.

Cardiologists, for example, can monitor their patients’ pacemakers and defibrillators remotely via cellular transmission. Endocrinologists can actively track patients’ blood sugar through their continuous glucose monitors rather than waiting for traditional three-month follow-up appointments.

Another advantage of some telehealth practices, Johnson

observed, is patient convenience.

In instances where a standard follow-up appointment may require patients to miss work or drive a long distance for a five-minute visit, virtual visits do not require the same time commitment.

The convenience is even greater for patients with ambulatory issues.

Instead of risking injury getting in and out of their vehicle or medical office, patients can use smart devices to monitor their blood pressure, heart rate, pulse oximetry and weight. Those vitals then may be transmitted directly to their physicians or case managers, who are able to pick up on negative trends before they develop into larger issues.

“One of the great things about telehealth and virtual visits is that patients can follow up whenever and wherever it’s convenient for them,” Johnson said. “For less-mobile patients or those who live in rural areas, these services are invaluable.”

Update membership records to get timely information

If you’ve dropped your landline, moved to a different residence or changed your email address, Virginia Farm Bureau wants to know.

Current contact information is the key to connecting Virginia Farm Bureau members with news and information about agriculture, insurance, membership and safety.

To check whether your contact information is up to date, log in to your account on vafb.com and click on “profile,” which is found in the red bar in the main menu. If you need to update your email address or phone number, click on the drop-down menu to do so.

Alternatively, customers can call their local Farm Bureau office and share contact information with a staff member. Customers should always contact their local office when a change of address occurs.

While an accurate phone number can help customers connect with their agents, providing a current email address also unlocks access to Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.’s paperless option. Policyholders who choose paperless enrollment receive email alerts when policy documents are available, and have around-the-clock access to those documents and statements. Payments also can be made online.

Customers with an active email address attached to their policies can enroll in paperless services by logging into their account on vafb.com.

Missed open enrollment? You still have health coverage options

BY ADAM CULLER

When it comes to obtaining health insurance for the coming year, open enrollment periods typically are the only time individuals can sign up for coverage.

While open enrollment periods vary for most businesses, the Affordable Care Act open enrollment period to purchase individual health insurance concluded Jan. 15.

If you missed you employer’s open enrollment period or the ACA enrollment deadline, there still are options to secure some form of health coverage for 2023.

Special enrollment periods

If you’ve experienced certain life events, you may qualify for a special enrollment period. These periods allow individuals to sign up for health insurance outside of conventional open enrollment periods.

According to Healthcare.gov, qualifying events for a special enrollment period include getting married or divorced; having a child; changing residences; losing health coverage due to the death of the primary policyholder; or losing a job or group coverage; losing Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage. These events generally will trigger a 60-day period in which a person can purchase health coverage and, in some cases, dental and vision insurance.

Employers who offer insurance to their employees are required to provide a special enrollment period of at least 30 days.

However, if you fail to sign up for coverage during a designated special enrollment period,

you must wait until the next open enrollment period or explore additional options.

Short-term health insurance

Individuals who don’t qualify for a special enrollment period may purchase short-term health insurance plans to provide temporary coverage. Though these plans do not meet ACA requirements for minimum coverage, they will offer basic protection against catastrophic medical expenses.

Under a Virginia law that went into effect July 2021, enrollment in short-term plans now is limited to threemonth increments. If a plan is renewable, individuals are limited to six months of coverage under a shortterm plan. The new law also prohibits the sale of shortterm plans during the ACA open enrollment period.

These policies do not cover preexisting conditions, and coverage is not guaranteed for all applicants.

“Short-term health insurance policies won’t have the same provisions and coverage as plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act, but they do provide some financial protection if you missed open enrollment,” said Gina Gentilini, senior account executive for Virginia Farm Bureau’s Health Insurance Division.

Other year-round options

There is no open enrollment period for Medicaid or CHIP, and individuals who quality for coverage may enroll anytime. CHIP offers low-cost health and dental coverage to children in families whose income is too high to qualify for Medicaid.

To learn more about your coverage options, contact your county Farm Bureau office or call 800-229-7779.

Cherry and chocolate decadence

Celebrate Valentine’s Day and National Cherry Month with a luscious duo

Cherries and chocolate are a classic combination. Treats like black forest cake, cherry bon bons—and even simple chocolate covered cherries—are the epitome of dessert indulgence as the sweet, tart fruit complements smooth, rich chocolate.

Cherries also are nutritious. The small stone fruit is rich in antioxidants, fiber and vitamins A, C and K, as well as potassium, magnesium, calcium and choline. Adding cherries or cherry products like juice to your diet can promote heart health and help reduce inflammation and may even aid in exercise recovery.

There are two main types of cherries: sweet and tart, and there are several varieties of each. And while most cherries in the U.S. are grown in the Great Lakes region and on the West Coast, many Virginia orchards cultivate cherry trees. According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, 139 Virginia farms grew sweet cherries on 112 acres, and 67 farms grew tart cherries on 24 acres in 2017.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHWEST CHERRY GROWERS, WASHINGTON STATE FRUIT COMMISSION

Cherry Bonbon Cookies

Ingredients

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

½ cup soft butter

1 cup sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 large egg

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ teaspoons cherry flavoring, optional 48 fresh sweet cherries, pitted

6-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions

Heat oven to 350°.

Combine flour and cocoa, and set aside. With electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and baking powder until blended. Add egg, vanilla and cherry flavoring, and beat until well-combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Shape dough into 1” balls, and place the balls ½” apart on an ungreased baking sheet.

In the center of each ball, press down with your thumb to create a small hollow, and fill each center with a cherry.

In a small pan over low heat, combine chocolate chips and condensed milk, and heat until the chocolate is melted. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate mixture over each cherry, spreading to cover the cherry.

Bake 10- 12 minutes or until done. Remove from the oven, and place cookies on wire racks to cool.

—Recipe adapted from Northwest Cherry Growers, Washington State Fruit Commission

Black Forest Mousse-Trifle

Ingredients

1½ cups cold milk

4-serving package of instant chocolate pudding and pie filling

8-ounce tub of frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed and divided

12 chocolate sandwich cookies, divided

1½ cups canned cherry pie filling fresh sweet cherries for topping, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, mix milk with the pudding mix, and beat for 2 minutes or until well-blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping. Coarsely crush six cookies, and stir into the pudding mixture. Spoon half of the pudding mixture into a 1½-quart serving bowl. Spread 1 cup of the remaining whipped topping over the pudding mixture. Top with 1 cup of cherry pie filling, the remaining pudding mixture, remaining whipped topping and ½ cup of cherry pie filling. Crush the remaining six cookies and sprinkle on top of the dessert. Add fresh cherries, if using.

—Recipe adapted from Bring it to the Table, the Surprising Southeast Virginia Farm Bureau Women

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered

Cherries

Ingredients

2 10-ounce jars of maraschino cherries with stem, or about 40 pitted fresh sweet cherries

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

24 ounces chocolate bark coating

Directions

If using maraschino cherries, drain cherries but leave the stems intact.

In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter and sugar until thoroughly combined. Flatten one tablespoon of peanut butter mixture into a 2”-diameter disc. Lay a cherry on top of the peanut butter disc, with the stem pointing up, and work the dough up around the cherry so that the cherry is completely coated.

Place each enrobed cherry on a baking sheet covered with waxed paper, and freeze for about 5 minutes to chill slightly.

While the cherries chill, melt the chocolate according to the package directions. Dip cherries one at a time in the melted chocolate, and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Place each in a paper candy cup and allow to cool until chocolate is firm.

—Recipe adapted from Virginia-Carolinas Peanut Promotion

I Love Strawberries selected for AITC Book of the Year

Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom’s annual Agriculture Literacy Week will take place March 13-17.

The organization has chosen I Love Strawberries, written by Shannon Anderson and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett, as its 2023 Book of the Year. The book takes readers on a journey following strawberry-loving Jolie as she grows her own fruit from seedling to table with the help of her faithful rabbit sidekick, Munchy. The colorfully illustrated and humorous book gives readers a peek into everything involved when cultivating the delicious berry.

Agriculture Literacy Week is the largest educational event of the year for AITC, with thousands of volunteers reading to children across the commonwealth. Now in its 12th year, the program helps teach youth about the importance of agriculture, farming and the sources of their food.

“Volunteer agriculture advocates are excited to have an opportunity to share a book and personal examples about farm life with children from across the state. This book also highlights the importance and excitement around entrepreneurship. Creating a connection from farms to food is vital to understanding the importance of agriculture to our daily lives,” said Tammy Maxey, AITC executive director.

Copies of I Love Strawberries are available for purchase at

$14 each from Virginia AITC. A book order form is located on the Virginia AITC website, AgInTheClass.org.

In addition to the book, orders will include free supplementary resources to expand learning at school and at home. Volunteers are encouraged to read I Love Strawberries to children in pre-K through third grade. Virginia AITC also will share highlights on its social media platforms throughout the week.

Agriculture Literacy Week volunteers include county Farm Bureau volunteers, Farm Bureau women’s leadership and Young Farmers committees; FFA and 4-H members; partners from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and other state agencies; and members of other agricultural organizations and businesses. Colonial Farm Credit, Farm Credit of the Virginias and Southern States Cooperative Inc. have been supporters as well.

For details or to order books, visit AgInTheClass.org

Rockbridge County innovator gives recycled glass new life

BY ALICE KEMP

Used glass bottles and food containers are getting a new purpose in landscapes, on farms and many other places thanks to a Rockbridge County innovator.

“Sometimes an idea pops in your head and you say ‘Oh, that’s a great idea,’ and then it goes away,” mused Kathy Wirtanen, founder of EarthMagic Recycling. “But then sometimes the idea keeps popping back in your head—and that’s what happened with this.”

That idea was taking discarded glass beverage and food containers and converting them into sand—ultimately keeping them out of the landfill. Her inspiration came from a YouTube video about a New Zealand company employing similar methods to tackle glass recycling, which can be costly and burdensome for localities.

“Across the U.S., we only recycle about 35% of glass annually,” said Wirtanen, a Rockbridge County Farm Bureau member. “And in Virginia, it’s even lower. Virginia

only recycles about 15%. I’m hoping that as a community, we can raise some of the glass recycling rates.”

Wirtanen partners with localities, residents and businesses like breweries, cideries and wineries to source the food and beverage glass. Hosting bimonthly drop-off events, she’s processed approximately 19,000 pounds of glass into 6.5 tons of sand since February.

Housed in Buena Vista’s former Mundet-Hermetite Inc. factory that previously printed paper products for the tobacco industry, EarthMagic Recycling’s machines separate glass into five different sizes and various colors. Ranging from a coarse gravel-sized glass to a fine powder like flour, it’s processed in a way to ensure there are no sharp edges.

And from crafting to construction, there’s no shortage of uses for the recycled glass sand, Wirtanen said. The larger sizes can be used in landscaping for drainage and filtration while adding a colorful decorative touch. The smaller sizes work well for animal

bedding and to help keep areas clean.

She uses it for her own chickens, and in her garden to help break up the heavy, clay-packed soil.

“In our chicken run, it actually helps with cleanliness because the sand filters,” she explained. “As it rains, the chicken waste sort of just goes down through the sand and it makes their area cleaner.”

It’s also useful in hydroponics, in orchards and as a growing medium for microgreens.

“There are a lot of folks who are using sand in nurseries, in vineyards and orchards,” she added. “It can be used like a weed control. It also absorbs the sun, so it keeps the soil warmer and helps the (grape) vines grow faster.”

Community response has been positive, she said. A local hemp grower expressed interest in using her recycled glass sand in its potting mix, and Natural Bridge State Park is using it in a new disc golf course.

“Our vision is just to make a difference in the environment,” she said. “Even if it’s one piece of glass at a time.”