The Fox Family

Tazewell County

Michelle began her term as chair of the state Young Farmers committee in 2023. She and Nathan help with their family’s farm and have participated in the Young Farmers program since 2018. In addition to serving as chair, Michelle also is a member of the Tazewell County Farm Bureau board of directors.

Other occupation: Nathan works at Dyna Pump & Electric Co., building and repairing pumps and motors, and Michelle teaches math at Graham Middle School.

Children: Jacob and Jonathan

Emmily and Dustin Hines

Russell County

Emmily grew up with horses and cattle and received her bachelor's degree in animal science from Virginia Tech in 2016. Dustin grew up working in his family's commercial greenhouse and small cattle operation. Emmily and Dustin are currently enjoying some (mostly) hobby animals (chickens, sheep and goats) while Emmily finishes her master's degree. They hope to buy a farm of their own in the next couple of years.

Other occupations: Emmily is a high school agriculture teacher and Dustin is a crew leader at Southwest Virginia Lawn Care.

Washington County

Shasta grew up on a dairy and beef cattle farm. Currently, she lives on a beef cattle farm and works part time at her family’s dairy. She participated in FFA and majored in agriculture in college. Shasta taught high school agriculture for 2½ years, and served as a Collegiate YF adviser/sponsor at Virginia Highlands Community College.

Other Occupations: Shasta works as an academic adviser for transfer students at VHCC and is a Collegiate Young Farmers sponsor.

Children: Shasta is expecting her first child in February 2024.

DR Angus

Montgomery County

Deanna grew up in her family’s retail greenhouse business and still helps out when she can. She also manages a small herd of red Angus cattle.

Other Occupations: Deanna is the digital content specialist for the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Office of Communications. She manages social media channels for VT CALS, Virginia Cooperative Extension and Virginia 4-H.

Children: Ellie

Cave Hill Dairy

Botetourt County

Serves as chair of the Botetourt County Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee. She co-owns Cave Hill Dairy farm where she farms full-time primarily managing the milking cow herd and calf production.

She loves advocating for the industry and produces videos on the farm or hosts visiting school groups whenever possible. She has an incredible social media presence for the farm and promoting dairy.

Other Occupation: Writer for Hoards Dairymen, works for ASB Global as an authorized representative for genetic selection and breeding serving the Mid-Atlantic, runs a small hobby farm breeding business and is a digital dairy ambassador.

Mercy Mill Farm

Augusta County

Morgan Slaven is a native of the Shenandoah Valley and grew up on a beef cattle farm in Augusta County. She attended Virginia Tech where she double majored in agricultural sciences and communications. Since graduating in 2014, Morgan has worked for American Farm Bureau and Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom. Morgan owns a farm near Staunton, where she contract grazes beef cattle. She’s been a member of the State Young Farmers Committee for 2 years, representing District 5 and serving as the vice chair. Morgan is also the chair of the Augusta County Farm Bureau Young Farmers committee and serves as vice president of the county board. In her free time, Morgan enjoys traveling, volunteering as a 4-H club leader and loving on her rescue dog, Wrigley.

Other Occupation: Morgan joined Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative in 2019, where she currently works as the executive assistant.

Sycamore Banks Farm

Shenandoah County

The Rhodes family—Titus, Cheyenne and their two girls—operate Sycamore Banks Farm in Mount Jackson. They grow broiler chickens for George’s Foods, run 50 Angus brood cow pairs along with raising corn and stocker calves. Each fall, they also invite their local community to the farm for horse-drawn hayrides and a pick-your-own pumpkin patch.

Children: Naomi Jane & Laelynn Alta

The Scott Family

Madison County

Amanda and Roger have a commercial cow-calf operation with approximately 350 brood cows and 60 purebred Simmentals. They have two—soon-to-be three—poultry houses growing turkey hens for an integrator and a litter spreading business. Additionally, they have a custom hay-making operation.

Other occupations: Amanda is a veterinarian.

Children: Amelia “Grace” Scott and Faith Lee-Lynn Scott

The Henley Family

Goochland County

Rachel and Thomas help run the family’s 4th-generation grain and dairy farm. Also, for the past 5 years, they have operated an agritourism business.

Other Occupations: Rachel has been an agriculture Extension agent for more than 10 years.

Children: George and Ava

Oakmulgee Dairy Farm

Amelia County

Brandon farms with his brother and father as part of a family corporation that they recently established to grow the dairy operation into something that will sustain their families into the future. They raise all their feed and have a special facility that includes eight robotic milkers for 360 cows.

Other occupation: Ginny works in the construction industry as a project engineer.

Children: Annabelle and Carter

Adam Davis Farms

Halifax County

Adam owns and operates a corn, soybean and wheat farm in the heart of the Old Tobacco Belt. He also manages an Angus cow-calf operation and raises bred heifers. Adam currently serves on the Halifax County Farm Bureau board and the Virginia Soybean Association board of directors. He also serves as an associate board member for the Halifax Soil and Water Conservation District.

Pet Rock Farm

Charlotte County

Cassie grew up on her family cow/calf operation, Pet Rock Farm, in Charlotte County, which also direct markets a portion of the cattle to local consumers. She grew up participating in 4-H and FFA in multiple aspects, including raising and showing beef cattle, hogs and sheep. Currently, she owns a small herd of Angus cattle that she retained from her show stock. As a result of her interest in animal agriculture, she attended Virginia Tech and majored in animal science and then pursued a certification at North Carolina State University to obtain her agricultural education teaching license.

Other occupation: Cassie currently teaches agriculture and serves as an FFA adviser at Appomattox County High School. In addition to teaching agriculture, since 2017 Cassie is part owner with her parents and sister of Long’s Farm Supply in Brookneal.

King George County

Kelsey is a cattle producer and agriculture teacher at Caroline High School, where she also serves as an FFA adviser.

Children: Elijah Brown

Itata Farms

Surry County

Elizabeth grew up on her family’s Itata Farms, where they grew corn, soybeans, wheat and peanuts, and manage a herd of beef cattle. Her family farm has been in operation since 1939 when her great-grandfather purchased the homeplace, and has been steadily expanding over the years. Their farm currently still grows corn, soybeans and wheat, and now direct markets some of its beef to local residents who wish to buy a half or full cow.

Other Occupation: Elizabeth is an agriculture and natural resources Virginia Cooperative Extension agent in Surry and Sussex counties.

WT Holland & Sons Inc.

Accomack County

Logan is a 2016 graduate of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech where he studied agribusiness management and crop and soil sciences. He farms in both Virginia and Maryland on a family farm in northern Accomack County where they produce potatoes, corn, soybeans, wheat and green beans. Logan serves on the Accomack County Farm Bureau board.

Other Occupations: Wife, Abby, is a fourth-grade teacher for Accomack County Public Schools.

Children: Expecting in March!

McNett Angus Beef

Augusta County

Nikita and her family operate a cattle business that finishes beef products for direct sales and raises feeder steers for wholesale markets. They also raise goats.

Other Occupation: Nikita is a loan officer for FSA and her husband, Austin, manages 10 turkey houses for a local farm.

Children: Atlee and Arlie

Rome Farm

Lunenburg County

Lindy is a former agriculture Extension agent in the county, currently supporting operations on the family cow-calf and hay operation. Lindy served as chair from 2020-2022.

Lindy’s husband, Matt, was elected chair of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee in 2023.

Other Occupation: Matt is a human resources manager for a lumber company.

Children: Mattie and Poppy