Today, “big horticulture” has replaced
dairy farming as the leading agricultural industry in Culpeper. Horticulture has become the top source of farm income, with greenhouses and intensive production of valuable crops like sedum, orchids, turf, Christmas trees and cut flowers taking the forefront. “While we want food from agriculture, a
tomato may not be as valuable as a flower,” Stafford said. As the senior extension agent, succeeding
the well-known and respected Roy Heltzel, Stafford promotes agricultural education and finds solutions to problems in the county. He leads initiatives such as Graze 300, a program that is educating farmers on how to achieve 300 days of livestock grazing through better pasture management and environmental stewardship. Another program, Livestock Forages, aims to improve how livestock use forage to support sustainability. As growth continues throughout the
county, agriculture is faced with real issues that will impact the community as a whole, according to Stafford. “Culpeper is all about its location.
Why was Culpeper the number one Civil
War engagement location in the world? Location. Why is all this fiber coming to Culpeper? Location. We have rail, access to big airports and the roads come in and out of Culpeper like wagon wheels. Te question is not, ‘Are people coming?’ Te question is, ‘Where are we going to put them?” As businesses and residents continue
to move to Culpeper, the demand for its farmland is increasing along with its value. What does this growth mean for
farmland? Will farmers be forced to sell? Tese questions deserve consideration, as Culpeper’s growth will inevitably reshape the future of agriculture in the county.
Culpeper Farm Bureau Today, the Farm Bureau is the largest
grassroots agricultural organization in the nation. It was started by farmers who wanted to advocate for themselves on a local level. Te organization has since grown to include representation on the national level, giving voice to farmers large and small. Julie Williamson has spent more than 30
years of her life involved with the Culpeper County Farm Bureau. While staying
1970s Gregory Smith milking a cow on his farm.
SAVANNAH SMITH
home to raise her children, Williamson managed her family’s farm as her husband worked elsewhere. Tis experience inspired Williamson to get involved in community affairs and join the Farm Bureau, where she found a platform to advocate for the horse industry, which had long been underrepresented.
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