Bedford County Family Farm Tour Join us for the 2011 Bedford County Family Farm Tour, a free family-oriented event. In celebration of Bedford’s diverse agriculture, this year’s tour will highlight Lil Doc’s Veterinary Care and Little Doc’s Llamas, home to a wide array of farm animals including llamas, beef cattle, sheep, goats, and more. Other anticipated activities include hands on history with Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest; demonstration of an antique cider press, Bedford Area Master Gardeners on hand to answer lawn and landscape questions. Groups scheduled to be with us with information and displays include the Peaks of Otter Soil and Water Conservation District, the Virginia Department of Forestry and Bedford 4-H. You are welcome to bring a picnic but please leave pets at home. View the brochure for detailed information. The Tour is free and will be family-oriented, so come out, enjoy the scenery and learn about Bedford’s important agriculture industry. Call the Bedford Extension Office at 540-586-7675 for more information.
Agriculture in Bedford Did you know that Bedford County ranks #4 statewide in Beef Cows? We have over 27,000 beef cows! Farming in Bedford is very diverse. Most farmland is devoted to pasture, hay and beef cows. However, we have several dairies and orchards. Agriculture interests on the rise include horses, wine grapes and plant nurseries. A common theme of these new enterprises are farming activities that can be done on smaller tracts of land and/or an attempt to capture more of the consumer dollar. Agriculture is an important industry in Bedford County. According to the 2007 U.S. Agriculture Census, agriculture is responsible for 23 million dollars of farm product sales annually. Among Virginia counties, Bedford County ranks 4th in beef cattle, 3rd in hay and forage production, 4th in horses, 13th in goats, 10th in milk cows and 14th in orchards. In 2007, there were 1,428 farms, encompassing 212,237 acres. Agriculture pays its way – a recently completed study found that agriculture only requires 25 cents in services for every dollar it pays in taxes, while residential development requires $1.07 in services for every dollar of taxes it pays. Farming has always been a challenging occupation, physically and financially. This has been accelerated by factors such as increasing urbanization, rising input costs versus static or declining output prices, advancing age of the average farmer, etc. A sobering statistic is the fact that in 2007 nearly 50% of farms in Bedford were owned or operated by individuals over the age of 60. In recent years, droughts have added an additional burden on our farmers. We have experienced a decline in some types of agriculture, especially dairy farming and row crops. However, some new agriculture enterprises have appeared on the scene. Examples include greenhouses, wine grapes, wineries, direct marketing of farm products, and agri-tourism. A common theme of these new enterprises are farming activities that can be done on smaller tracts of land and/or an attempt to capture more of the consumer dollar. From 2002 to 2007, Bedford saw growth in farm products being sold directly to consumers ($327,000 in 2002 to $565,000 in 2007). These enterprises fill a niche and will not replace more traditional types of agriculture. They do however offer some unique opportunities and can become an important component of our diversified agricultural industry. There are many challenges facing agriculture in Bedford County. However, agriculture has always been an evolving industry. With continued adoption of innovative technologies, an emphasis on programs and policies to encourage younger people to enter or remain in farming and a balanced approach to growth and development, Bedford can maintain a viable agriculture base that provides significant economic, aesthetic and environmental benefits to our community. To learn more about agriculture in Bedford, find local food and other farm products for sale as well as the efforts of the Bedford County Agriculture Economic Development Advisory Board, please visit Bedford’s agriculture web site, http://www.bedfordeconomicdevelopment.com/agriculture/
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