Red, White and You Announces Agricultural Heritage Speaker Series at Belle Hampton Farm
DUBLIN, Va. — The Belle Hampton Legacy Center has announced the featured speaker series for its Red, White and You fundraising event, taking place Sunday, September 6, at historic Belle Hampton Farm. Speakers are scheduled from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.; the program will explore the families, public leaders, and technological advances that have shaped agriculture in Southwest Virginia and beyond.
Joe Guthrie will open the program from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. with a presentation on multigenerational farm families in the region. Guthrie is a sixth-generation Pulaski County farmer who operates a beef cattle and hay farm on land that has been in his family since 1795. He has also taught agricultural business, finance, communications and leadership at Virginia Tech.
The program from 1:20 to 1:50 p.m. is expected to focus on political leaders from the region and their influence on agricultural legislation. The Belle Hampton Legacy Center has invited Virginia Delegate Jason Ballard, who represents House District 42, to offer remarks and introduce Congressman Morgan Griffith, who represents Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District. Their participation is awaiting final confirmation.
Steven Gerrish will conclude the series from 1:50 to 2:30 p.m. with a presentation on the evolution of farm technology. Gerrish is associated with Gerrish Farms in Indiana and co-founded the agBOT Challenge, an agricultural technology competition created to encourage innovation and raise awareness of the need for rural broadband. He is also the founder of Qmara, an Artificial Intelligence startup company that can diagnose and treat hard-to-find parasites that cause crop and yield losses. His innovations help answer the question many farmers on multigenerational farms have: “What comes next?”
Each presentation will include time for audience questions and discussion.
Beyond the speaker series, Red, White and You will invite guests to experience history across the farm through:
- Historic cannon firings
- A sneak peek at the community-created Mural Mosaic
- Exclusive tours of the historic main house and family cemetery
- Carriage rides across the property
- Exhibits exploring local families and their influence on business, the military, politics, agriculture and religion
- Opportunities to enjoy the ponds, fields and natural beauty of the historic 283-acre Belle Hampton Farm
Red, White and You supports the Belle Hampton Legacy Center’s mission to preserve regional history, share the stories of families and family enterprises, and to equip and inspire future generations to become thoughtful stewards of their heritage. They help family enterprises, including farm, answer the question of succession: “What happens next?”
Event: Red, White and You Fundraiser
Tickets: $75 https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/red-white-and-youour-family-through-250-years-of-american-history
Date: Sunday, September 6
Location: Belle Hampton Farm, Dublin, Virginia
Website: www.bellehamptonlegacycenter.org/events