County Ag

Home, sweet home is Augusta County, VA…smack-dab in the middle of ag-land.

Our county is ranked #2 in the state by agricultural sales, totaling over 232 million dollars in the last Ag census of 2012.  

There is more farmland in Augusta County than any other county in Virginia! 

1,706 farms that account for 260,137 acres. The county also ranks #1 in beef cattle and lamb and sheep production. I truly love that we are a part of those statistics. (albeit a tiny part)

So, to say that Agriculture is a big deal is somewhat of an understatement. We are surrounded by hayfields and grazing animals. Poultry barns and growing grain crops dot the landscape. It’s not unusual to see a tractor or other farm equipment on the roadways.   

...and occasionally...COWS

I guess you could say that the county has “always” been agricultural. In the nineteenth century, wheat was a major crop. The entire Valley was once referred to as the “bread basket of the Confederacy”. Today, many places still bear the names of the mills they once housed.

Walnut Grove Farm in Steele’s Tavern/Raphine was the homeplace of Cyrus McCormick. If you know Agriculture at all, you’ve heard of Cyrus. In some ways, he is the father of modern agriculture. He invented the mechanical reaper, which changed harvest for farmers everywhere. This eventually became the combine and completely revolutionize Agriculture. The company he formed went on to become International Harvester, known worldwide for their agricultural equipment.

While our personal history with the county still makes us newcomers, my ancestors were here from the very beginning. A many times great uncle, or maybe it was a far-removed cousin, John Lewis, was the first settler and his son, Thomas, laid out the streets of Staunton, which served as the county seat and the hub of commerce.  I remember visiting kin people in the area when I was a small child and it seems only fitting that we would end up here, farming on our little hill just south of town.

Livestock still outnumber humans here in the county. (and probably always will) 

But, the landscape has changed dramatically as more and more people move to this beautiful place and houses pop up on what was once productive farmland. 

more than one hayfield has become a subdivision

We have seen the changes firsthand and the impacts are felt by everyone. Once farmland is lost, it cannot be reclaimed.

unused dairy barn  

It is the intent of those who organize Ag day (and National Ag week) to encourage everyone to appreciate what impact agriculture has on our daily lives. Living here...in our beautiful county...with its deep agricultural history and thriving agricultural economy, we are blessed to be truly immersed in Ag...granting us a deep appreciation that may be lacking elsewhere.

So, on this Thursday...I’m THANKFUL that I can call Augusta County with its long agricultural heritage home.

coming into Mbrk

 Read more about Augusta County and Staunton history...

http://www.augustacountyhs.org/our-history/

http://www.visitstaunton.com/history.htm

"Gimme a Hand!"

Agriculture isn't all about big tractors and expensive equipment...or endless acres of crops.

Our small operation requires a WHOLE LOT of hand-work. And as half of the workforce , I can't tell you how many times someone says...

"Hey, gimme a hand here!" 

So, taking it literally ('cause I'm a pretty literal minded sort)  

Here is a somewhat "modified" Wordless Wednesday featuring HANDS. (namely, MY hands) in a small sampling of my jobs here on the hill. 

Don't be misled...the Boss (and his hands) does more than his fair share.  I just don't follow him around with a camera all day.

driving to the feedstore

harvesting broccoli

moving chicks to pasture

harvesting winter squash

helping with construction

seeding lettuce

feeding babies

feeding the humans

chicken rescuing hand

after weeding

getting 'taters ready for planting

mulching broccoli

transplanting spinach

maintaining the ram harness

helping tow the garden tractor

tying tomatoes

medicating sheep

endless weeding

cleaning birdhouses
to attract beneficial birds

helping with building project

helping with tractor 

winter feeding

greenhouse fertilizing

broiler processing

catching chicks

guard dog pedicure

barn cleaning

lambing and iodine

lettuce picking

pen repair

transplanting

helping

seeding

thinning seedlings

I was serious...
the weeding is ENDLESS!

painting

My grandmother molded my thinking about lending a hand, and having "capable hands". To truly appreciate how...please read THIS.

...and don't worry...I DO occasionally WASH my hands! (promise)



And, a special thanks to the Boss for some of the shots.

National Ag Day 2016

2016 Poster contest winner
Emily Eibs, University of Wisconsin-Stout

It’s National Agriculture Day.

This is a day set aside by the Agriculture Council of America to increase awareness of agriculture’s vital role in our society. It is the council’s hope that every American would...

Understand how food and fiber products are produced.

Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.

Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.

Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.

I might say “good luck with that”, but it sounds a little snarky. However, unless you’re directly involved with Ag, there is no real reason to understand it, and it’s not the topic of most conversations. We (as a society) have come to expect certain things and take a whole lot for granted when it comes to Agriculture. And, not unlike the other things we take for granted, we only talk about it if we think there’s a problem.

I’m pretty sure that I talk about Agriculture far too much. Ag is somehow the topic of just about every conversation, in one way or another. But, since it affects absolutely every aspect of my life...that’s pretty understandable.

The thing is...Ag affects every aspect of everyone’s life. It just gets overlooked.

It’s easy to think about farms and farming when you’re grocery shopping. Everybody knows that all food products start on a farm. Right?

But, what about when you go to the gas station?   Ethanol starts out as a farm product.

School? Paper for textbooks (and other uses) comes from tree farms.  And, did you know that crayons are made from soy beans?

The components of many health and medical treatments started on the farm as well. And not just those at the health food store.

When you go clothes shopping...many (if not most) of the items we wear started out on a farm somewhere.  The 1,240,000,000 pairs of blue jeans sold worldwide each year require a whole lot of bales of cotton! (source: statisticbrain.com)

Even sports are affected by agriculture. Tossing around the old “pigskin” in a football game? Yep. You guessed it...started on a farm. Although, footballs aren’t actually made from pigs...they’re made from leather---that comes from cows. cows. (read this) Did you know that a single cowhide can produce 10 footballs?  And 120 footballs are used for the Super Bowl alone! 

Our morning joe is produced by coffee farmers. We give credit for the cream to dairy farmers. And, that sugar came from a farm, too. My donut didn’t start on a donut farm...but, all the ingredients were in fact farm products at some point. And, don’t tell me that I shouldn’t be eating donuts.

Then, there are all the jobs that Agriculture creates.  While actual farmers account for a tiny fraction of today’s workforce, the jobs created by Agriculture are myriad. A list of possible Agricultural careers can be found HERE.  Approximately 22 million jobs are directly related to Ag  And, countless more are affected by those jobs  in some way.

Agriculture has changed dramatically since Ag day was first instituted in 1973. While some would argue that the changes aren’t all for the good, the changes have allowed for progress in many other areas of society. Without the daily struggle to provide food and clothing for themselves, those with talents elsewhere are free to pursue their passions and innovations, benefiting the rest of society.

So...Agriculture isn’t just farms and farmers...it is the very fabric of all our lives and what keeps our nation running strong. Pretty much every aspect of our lives are affected by Agriculture. We should all strive to understand it just a little better and appreciate those dedicated to feeding, clothing, sheltering and fueling the world.

Happy Ag Day, y’all!

Zoned - Exclusive Ag

-wall art from the heart.com

On this Monday of Ag week, we’re marking a bit of an anniversary here on the hill.

19 years ago today (March 14, 1997), our offer to purchase this little bit of Augusta County was finally accepted. 

In reality it was in fact our counter-offer that was accepted.

This was a big deal.

A VERY BIG deal.

We had spent the six previous weeks (yes, six weeks, it only seemed like eternity) “walking in the wilderness” after experiencing the single-most shocking, horrifying and heartbreaking experience of our lives. (for the abridged version…click THIS)   We had looked high and low to find a place to begin our lives anew.

This acreage was the very last entry on the list the realtor gave us.

Somehow, we figured we could make this into a new home.

We made a fair offer...

And, the seller turned us down. Flat.

To say we were devastated would be an understatement.

We ran the figures again and made a counter-offer. It wasn’t much more, but amazingly it was enough to satisfy the seller. The acceptance of that offer was our life-line. It didn’t matter that there was no house, no barn…nothing.  It just mattered that it was ours. (although, we didn’t actually take possession for another 10 days)

We didn’t have any real ideas on what to do next and we certainly didn’t have a BUSINESS plan. (and, we still don’t…have a business plan)

But, wait a minute! You said that it’s Ag week…and what on earth does this story have to do with Ag? (I’m getting there…really)

Augusta County boasts more farm acreage than any other county in the state of Virginia. We were already living in the northern end of the county and something about the wild, rural scenery spoke to our souls. So, when we were looking for a spot to rebuild our lives, we knew that Augusta County and Agriculture would play a part somehow. But, our meager purchase didn’t look like a FARM in anyone’s mind. (and, quite honestly, it still doesn’t)

Homestead Hill in March '97
"potential"

However, this property was zoned EXCLUSIVE Ag. 

To our minds, that was exactly what we needed. No restrictions on the type (or number) of livestock…no homeowners’ association to dictate what the place looked like. BUT…(you knew that was coming, didn't you?) ...Exclusive Ag also means that the income generated from the property must be somehow farm-related. (there are exceptions/options, but we didn't have the $ to pursue them)  That meant that the business we were hoping to make our living from, the one that the Boss honestly seemed the best suited for…wasn’t gonna happen…at all.

We were going to have to “drop back and punt” again.

Life had thrown us more than a few curve-balls…and honestly, the story of our lives together should be titled …SUBJECT TO CHANGE…(but, that’s for another day)

So…re-think this thing.

And that means…Agriculture.

What on earth can you do with Agriculture when you have just purchased twelve acres of rocky hill? Just 12 acres. And, it’s mostly hill. A hill made of rock.

The plan didn’t make itself clear to us all at once. We actually have to thank friends, neighbors and probably a few complete strangers for the odd and random insight that helped us to re-invent ourselves and develop what is now a working farm…Homestead Hill Farm.

If it wasn’t for that EXCLUSIVE Ag zoning, we would have never begun to “think outside the box”, to consider new and creative ways to generate income, to use the opportunity to teach our children about life, to grow as human beings and understand animal husbandry…and appreciate and love this land that we have been granted to care for.

We probably wouldn’t have become farmers’ market vendors, which now defines us in many ways. 

We wouldn’t have discovered the strength and fortitude that forging a life on a tiny piece of property requires.

So, personally, Agriculture actually means far more than just…

“the science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products.”

Agriculture defines me. Ag gives me hope, direction and purpose. (and pays the bills)

dawn at the barn

 It’s Agriculture Week…does Ag mean anything to YOU?