Events

If you own a farm, you need a business plan. It is required by lenders if you are seeking loans for start-up or operational costs. Business plans are required by many government and non-government agencies with funding and cost-share programs for farmers. A business plan is part of your whole farm plan and allows you to assess your progress and show you when you are ready to grow or if you need to scale back your enterprises. Join us for a Zoom workshop with Clay Roberts, Regional Manager for Lending at Colonial Farm Credit. Clay will guide you through the process of writing a business plan and share his knowledge about how a lender uses a farm business plan.

We invite you to join us during Carver’s 75th Jubilee! The event will take place at the Madison Fire House. A luncheon featuring Guest Speaker, Rev. Frank D. Lewis, Sr. - President of the GWCRHSAA, a Madison native and Pastor of the historic Antioch Baptist Church - will take place during the event.

Be delighted with three Carver 4-County Museum displays:
(a) those early advocates in Madison for high school education, (b) Carver alumni John “Dykes” Hunter (Madison-born), Edward “Skip” Gordon, and others who developed their love for music at Carver and took it on the road; and (c) our 2023 commemorative calendar and traveling exhibit, Being A Citizen.

Enjoy music from the 1930s -1960s, door prizes, and surprises. Tell us your favorite songs and you just might hear them as you’re enjoying the fellowship.

Tickets are $15.00. To reserve your tickets, email us at carver4cm@gmail.com. The Madison Fire House is located at 1223 N. Main Street (across the street from Wells Fargo). RSVP by Monday, February 13th, to carver4cm@gmail.com

Have you thought about what will happen to your farm or land/property in your retirement years and beyond?

Some farms hope to transition ownership and management to next generation successors while others do not have heirs. How do you as owners get "out of the way" but "not go away?". Come prepared to look at transition strategies that can be adapted to a multitude of scenarios. A case study workshop will immerse participants in real-world transition scenarios that will provide take home experience and build confidence in how to move forward. This workshops will take place in four locations in Central Virginia. 

Join Local Food Hub’s Grower Outreach and Diversity Coordinator, Briana Stevenson, as she navigates online social media marketing tip and tricks to help the farmers grow their sales. Surveys show most farmers need help making time for marketing or wishing they could outsource. These classes will help the farmer get familiar with platforms, as well as learn marketing techniques to further connect with their customers.

January 26th 6 – 7:15pm - Intro to Social Media Platforms – Maximizing Usage

• Get an introduction to social media platforms, pro's & cons, and tips on how to maximize usage

February 2nd – 6-7:15pm - Creating Content for Small Farmers – Tyrone Cherry of Petersburg League of Urban Growers

• Hear from Tyrone Cherry a Petersburg activist about visual storytelling and how to make your content attractive and engaging for buyers

February 9th – 6 – 7:15pm – Time Savings Techniques – VSU Marketing Department

• VSU’s Small Farms marketing team, will go over techniques farmers can use to save time and maximizing reach when creating content and using social media platforms

Have you thought about what will happen to your farm or land/property in your retirement years and beyond?
Some farms hope to transition ownership and management to next generation successors while others do not have heirs. How do you as owners get "out of the way" but "not go away?". Come prepared to look at transition strategies that can be adapted to a multitude of scenarios. A case study workshop will immerse participants in real-world transition scenarios that will provide take home experience and build confidence in how to move forward. This workshops will take place in four locations in Central Virginia. Click for more information: https://lnkd.in/e_fmP3hr
Below is the location for each event:
Monday, February 20. 2023 - 8am - 3pm
Culpeper County
Brandy Station VFD
19601 Church Road
Brandy Station, VA 22714
Tuesday, February 21, 2023 - 8am - 3pm
Wythe County
APEX
200 Apex Drive
Wytheville, VA 24382
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 - 8am - 3pm
Augusta County
Blue Ridge Community College
1 College Lane
Weyers Cave, VA 24486
Thursday, February 23. 2023 - 8am - 3pm
Dinwiddie County
Eastside Community Enhancement
Center
7301 Boydton Plank Road
Petersburg, VA 23803

4-H is the youth development education program of Virginia Cooperative Extension that is in partnership between Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. 4-H is rich with learning experiences where young people ages 5-18 can partner with caring adults and volunteers in a fellowship unlike any other program available to youth today.

A workshop to introduce farmers and rural businesses in Fauquier and adjacent counties to opportunities for integrating distributed solar into their operations.

We will discuss opportunities to improve your farm business’ bottom line through energy efficiency and behind-the-meter solar energy. This includes small agriculture generator programs, net metering, and shared solar, to name a few. Gain the knowledge to help your farm or rural business take advantage of available opportunities and incentives, and examine the potential financial benefits of installing solar at your operation.

Guest speakers from the USDA Rural Energy for America Program, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Solar United Neighbors, and representatives from farms with solar installations will share information and experience.

Event partners include PEC, Fauquier Farm Bureau, Fauquier County office of the Virginia Cooperative Extension, John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Fauquier Climate Change Group.

Join VFGC as we explore How Stockmanship, Infrastructure, and Forage Management can work together to work for you.