The travels of the Pulaski County 4-H
Livestock Club continued on through the state of Virginia. Having been to
Harrisonburg and Winchester (Day 1), and Hamilton, Aldie and Leesburg (Day 2),
It was time to head south to Charles City.
Day 3:
Our first stop after leaving Leesburg was
in Charles City at Renwood Farms, a seed business started in 1937. David, John
and Jeff Hula are the third generation to work the farm that was founded by
their grandfather and continue to build on the family’s long-standing tradition
of producing top quality seed. The brothers operate the 4,000-acre farm — much
of which is rented — that stretches from Richmond to Williamsburg. And most of
the land is along the James River, a stretch of land that carries a lot of
responsibility where the health of the Chesapeake Bay is concerned.
 |
| 4-H Livestock Club members at Renwood farms looking at some of their equipment |
“Seed production is our business, so we
focus as much on the quality and health of the crop we produce as we do on
pushing yields,” stated Jeff Hula.
Another tradition that stretches deep
into their history is no-till. The Hula’s grandfather and father started
no-tilling corn into soybean stubble in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1987
they began doing the same thing with their wheat, no-tilling it into their corn
acres. The operation produces 1,000 acres of small grains and 2,000 acres each
of corn and soybeans. Most of the soybeans and small grain are intended to be
sold as seed for planting the next season.
While we were there, the Hula’s were
harvesting over 60 acres of cucumbers that they were growing for the first
time. These cucumbers were sold and shipped to Mt. Olive, North Carolina. After
watching this process, we ventured in to a museum they have on the property
that was started by the brothers’ father, Stanley. Renwood Fields Farm Museum
houses hundreds of antique signs, tractors and farm equipment each of which has
been collected by Stanley and his wife. Stanley Hula pursues his passion for
collecting things every bit as doggedly as his sons pursue top yielding,
competitive grain crops.
 |
| Livestock Club members picking cucumbers at Renwood Farms |
From there we traveled next door to
Riverside Turf Farm. Riverside Farm was founded in the early 1900’s by John
Ludwig Hula, an immigrant from Czechoslovakia. For nearly 100 years, John and
his son and grandsons raised beef cattle and grain on their 2,000-acre farm
just minutes from Virginia’s capital city, Richmond.
In 2000, fourth-generation Wells Hula
enrolled in Virginia Tech’s Turf Management Program. He learned the latest
techniques and best management practices for growing Turfgrass from some of the
industry’s most knowledgeable leaders. Wells decided to integrate his newfound
passion and understanding of turfgrass production into the family farm. He
grows several different varieties of grass to include Fescue, Bluegrass,
Bermuda, just to name a few. Wells plants his grasses in the Fall and will
begin harvest in late Spring. The fields of grass are beautifully maintained
and are mowed every 3 days.
 |
| Wells Hula (green shirt) explaining the process of turf farming |
Wells demonstrated for the group how the
turf was harvested. His machine cuts each piece of turf, lays it on conveyors,
rolls it and places it on a pallet. Each pallet weighs 2,500-3,000 pounds and
covers 67 square yards. The pallets are shipped within hours of being cut as
soon as an order is filled.
 |
| A pallet of turf just harvested at Riverside Turf Farm |
We then boarded the bus and headed
towards Hampton, VA where we would spend the night. After a fresh seafood
supper at Graham & Rollins, a historic seafood market in Hampton, the group
was ready to call it a day. Coming up……Day 4!
 |
| 4-H members at the Hampton Marina Hotel enjoying the evening by the water. |
 |
| The kids
in the pool at the Hampton Marina Hotel with their beach balls that say
"Pulaski County Is...........Awaiting You" |
No comments:
Post a Comment