 |
| 2008 Young Farmers of VA Officers From left to right, front row: Ethel Showman, Pam Lowe From left to right, back row: Lucky Graves, Craig Bailey, Jon McDonald, Chris Grove Missing from photo: Travis Orange and Stuart Melton, Jr. |
|
Past President: |
Treasurer: Reporter: Sergeant At Arms: |
|
|
|
| Here is a little background information on this year’s state officers: Past President Craig Bailey has been active with Young Farmers the past several years. He owns a poultry farm north of Harrisonburg. He also has a custom grain roasting business and is an active member of New Beginnings Church. He and his wife Holly have 4 children, Mikayla-12, Caleb-10, Allison-6 and Landon-3. Craig also enjoys hunting. President Chris Grove graduated from Virginia Tech in Dairy Science and is the owner/operator of Stillwater Farm, cattle and hay operation and Stillwater Excavating. He and his wife Debbie and stepson, Michael live near Churchville. Chris was the 2002 VA Outstanding Young Farmer and has held offices in the Turner Ashby Association. Vice President Jon McDonald is from Rockbridge county and graduated from Virginia Tech. He lives on the family farm with his wife Jane and children, Sara-Jane and Jay. Jon farms with his father raising tom turkeys and works with the 150 brood and 80 stockers cow beef operation. They also sell used tractors, hay and straw. He is an elder at Bethesda Presbyterian Church and County Farm Bureau Director, Rockbridge Farmers Co-op Director. Secretary James”Lucky” Graves and his wife, Missy live in Syria near Madison. They have 3 children-James 9, Zoe 7, and William 5. Lucky and his family manage Graves Mountain Lodge, Inc. and Graves Mountain Farms-a fifth generation family farm and agri-tourism operation. He is currently treasurer of the Madison County Young Farmers and serves on the county planning commission and Farm Bureau board of directors Treasurer Pam Lowe and her husband Chase live in Christiansburg. They have 2 children, Phillip-16 and Garrett-13. Pam works for Montgomery County Schools as a teachers assistant. She and her family are active members of the Main Street Baptist Church. Reporter Stuart Melton, Jr. lives on a small family farm in western Hanover County with his father. The farming operation consists of vegetables, hay and a small herd of polled Hereford cows with calves. He is an active member of Goochland Baptist Church and has been employed with the Federal Reserve Bank for 30 years. He is also an active member of the Patrick Henry Young Farmer Association. Stuart proudly represented Virginia in 2004 Spokesperson for Agriculture Contest held at the Orlando, Florida NYFEA Institute. Sergeant At Arms Travis Orange — Thaxton, VA Director Ethel Showman is from Woodstock in Shenandoah County. She and her husband Geary own and operate a Bi-centennial Farm. Being in Geary’s family for eight generations, they raise Suffolk Sheep and hay, which they sell. They have one son – Keith, who is married and lives in Harrisonburg. Ethel has been actively involved with the Young Farmers on the state level for many years. She recently graduated from James Madison University through the Adult Degree Program receiving a BS degree in Public Administration. She is employed by Shenandoah County Public schools. Ethel is very active in 4-H and is President Elect for the VA 4-H Adult Volunteer Leaders Association. She enjoys helping her husband on the farm and traveling.
|
|