From Virginia’s pastures to pine stands, women working full time in agriculture and forestry lead by example Mar 4, 2026 Mar 4, 2026 0 Laura Hudson SPorter Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save In Southwest Virginia, Sarah Wilson’s kids joke they’re always “doing something with hay,” she said.kAm“(6’C6 76CE:=:K:?8 92J[ H6’C6 >@H:?8 92J[ H6’C6 C2<:?8 92J[ H6’C6 32=:?8 92J[ H6’C6 DE@C:?8 92J[” (:=D@? 4@?E:?F65] “~C H6’C6 7665:?8 92J]”k^AmkAm$96 ?665D 2== E92E 92J E@ 7665 b__ >2>2 4@HD 2?5 E96:C b__ D62D@?2= 42=G6D 2E {6@?2C5 {2?5 2?5 {:G6DE@4< :? #FDD6== r@F?EJ] $96 @A6C2E6D E96 72C> 7F== E:>6 H:E9 96C 525[ s2G:5 {6@?2C5[ gf]k^AmkAmu2C>:?8 :D 2 AC:>2CJ @44FA2E:@? 7@C g[g`_ H@>6? @FE @7 ':C8:?:2’D ad[___\A=FD 76>2=6 72C>6CD[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 a_aa r6?DFD @7 p8C:4F=EFC6] |2?J @7 E96> 2C6 7F==\E:>6 72C>6CD 2?5 7@C6DE6CD H9@D6 EC24< C64@C5D D6E 9:89 DE2?52C5D H:E9:? ':C8:?:2’D =2C86DE AC:G2E6 :?5FDEC:6D]k^Am People are also reading… New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident Smyth supervisor seeks more communication from Thomas Bridge Water system Blacksburg elementary principal among 17 men arrested in prostitution case Atkins Elementary celebrates new community-engaged playground Meet Smyth County's Pet of the Week: Sable State education leaders bring listening tour to SWVA Quadruple amputee cornhole player wanted for murder arrested in Albemarle County Virginia's proposed congressional districts and who is running | Special Report 5 things to know about legalizing marijuana in Virginia What we know about the quadruple amputee cornhole champ arrested for murder in Virginia With election underway, court could have final say on redistricting | Special Report Smyth's Democratic Party finds new life Chilhowie reports on water quality, looks at system growth A year of transformation for the Saltville PD kAm%96 &?:E65 }2E:@?D 564=2C65 a_ae E96 x?E6C?2E:@?2= *62C @7 E96 (@>2? u2C>6C[ 2?5 ':C8:?:2 u2C> qFC62F u656C2E:@? H:== D9@H42D6 H@>6? H@C<:?8 :? 28C:4F=EFC6\C6=2E65 42A24:E:6D E9C@F89@FE E96 J62C]k^AmkAm(:=D@?’D C6DA@?D:3:=:E:6D G2CJ 3J D62D@?]k^AmkAm“(6’C6 ECJ:?8 E@ 86E 2== @7 @FC 4@HD’ AC68?2?4:6D 4964<65[ 2?5 H6’C6 D6==:?8 42=G6D H9:=6 86EE:?8 96:76CD 2?5 DE66CD D9:AA65 @FE 367@C6 E96 6?5 @7 E96 J62C[” D96 D2:5 :? s646>36C]k^AmkAm(:=D@? 925 2 4@CA@C2E6 42C66C 3FE 6>3C2465 E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ :? a_`_ E@ C6EFC? 7F== E:>6 E@ E96 72>:=J 72C> H96C6 D96 H2D “3@C? 2?5 C2:D65]k^Am kAm“xE’D H96C6 x 56G6=@A65 2 A2DD:@? 7@C 28C:4F=EFC6 2?5 H96C6 x C62==J H2?E65 E@ 36[” D96 D2:5]k^AmkAmxE E@@< E:>6 E@ C66DE23=:D9 96CD6=7 :? 28C:4F=EFC2= 4:C4=6D 27E6C C6EFC?:?8 2D 72C> @A6C2E@C]k^AmkAm“$@>6E:>6D 62C=J @?[ 2 3:8 564:D:@? 925 E@ 36 >256[ 2?5 A6@A=6 H@F=5 H2?E E@ 42== >J 525 @C >J 9FD32?5[ p52>[” (:=D@? 49F4<=65] “qFE 36:?8 A6CD:DE6?E 2?5 D9@H:?8 FA :D 2 724E@C :? 6DE23=:D9:?8 J@FCD6=7]”k^AmkAmx? $@FE9D:56 ':C8:?:2[ {2FC2 wF5D@? DA6?E 4@F?E=6DD 9@FCD 7:D9:?8 2?5 9F?E:?8 2D 2 J@F?8DE6C :? w2=:72I r@F?EJ[ E6249:?8 96C C6DA64E 7@C ?2EFC6’D C9JE9>D[ 2? F?56CDE2?5:?8 @7 962=E9J 64@DJDE6>D 2?5 2 D6?D6 @7 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 7@C 7@C6DE 4@?D6CG2E:@?]k^Am kAmp ?2EFC2= C6D@FC46D 6=64E:G6 :? 9:89 D49@@= =65 96C E@ DEF5J 7:D96C:6D 2?5 H:=5=:76 4@?D6CG2E:@? 2E ':C8:?:2 %649[ H:E9 2 >:?@C :? 7@C6DECJ] p7E6C 2 DE:?E :? DE2E6 7@C6DECJ[ D96’D ?@H H@C<:?8 7F== E:>6 2D $@FE96C? !:65>@?E C68:@?2= DFA6CG:D@C 7@C E96 ':C8:?:2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 r@?D6CG2E:@? 2?5 #64C62E:@?’D }2EFC2= w6C:E286 !C@8C2>]k^AmkAm$96 @G6CD66D DE6H2C5D9:A AC24E:46D @? 7@C6DE=2?5 24C@DD `` 4@F?E:6D @? ?2EFC2= 2C62D @7 DE2E6H:56 D:8?:7:42?46 E92E sr# 24BF:C65 2?5 >2?286D E9C@F89 E96 }2EFC2= pC62 !C6D6CG6 $JDE6>] xED }2EFC2= w6C:E286 $E6H2C5D9:A $64E:@? >2:?E2:?D 2?5 6?92?46D E96 G2=F6 @7 ?2EFC2= C6D@FC46D 3J 4@?D6CG:?8 E96 2C62’D 3:@=@8:42= 5:G6CD:EJ] !C24E:46D :?4=F56 >2?286>6?E A=2??:?8[ @A6C2E:@?D >2?286>6?E 2?5 C6D62C49]k^Am kAm“(6’C6 2=D@ 92CG6DE:?8 E:>36C[ 4@?EC@==:?8 :?G2D:G6 DA64:6D 2?5 @G6CD66:?8 AC6D4C:365 3FC?D[” wF5D@? D2:5] “%CJ:?8 E@ AC@G:56 7@C 8@@5 >2?286>6?E @? E96 8C@F?5]”k^Am kAm&]$] qFC62F @7 {23@C $E2E:DE:4D 52E2 DF886DED E92E 2>@?8 E96 ?2E:@?’D 7@C6DE 2?5 4@?D6CG2E:@? H@C<7@C46[ H@>6? >256 FA `c]dT]k^AmkAm%9@F89 >6? 72C @FE?F>36C H@>6? :? 7@C6DECJ[ “x 76=E x H2D 2=H2JD =@@<65 2E 2D 2 A66C[” D96 D2:5]k^AmkAm':D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^:DDFF]4@>^G:C8:?:272C>3FC62FQm:DDFF]4@>^G:C8:?:272C>3FC62Fk^2m 7@C E96 7F== DE@CJ :? H:?E6C rF=E:G2E6 >282K:?6]k^Am kAmp>6C:42? u2C> qFC62F u656C2E:@? 92D =2F?4965 2 ?2E:@?2= (@>6? :? p8C:4F=EFC6 $EF5J E@ F?56CDE2?5 E96 6IA6C:6?46D[ =6256CD9:A A2E9H2JD 2?5 ?665D @7 H@>6? :? 28C:4F=EFC6] %96 DFCG6J H:== 82E96C :?D:89E 7C@> H@>6? H@C<:?8 :? AC@5F4E:@? 28C:4F=EFC6[ 28C:3FD:?6DD[ 65F42E:@? 2?5 25G@424J E9C@F89 |2C49 b`] ':D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^3:E]=J^(@>6?p8$EF5JQm3:E]=J^(@>6?p8$EF5Jk^2m E@ A2CE:4:A2E6]k^Am 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward The criminal case against Robert Nolan Wolfe, 50, of Marion, is continuing to make its way through the court system. Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident After further investigation, Ayers arrested again and charged with one count of aggravated malicious wounding and one count of malicious wounding. Smyth supervisor seeks more communication from Thomas Bridge Water system Rick Billings went to a faucet in his home and turned it on. No water came out. Blacksburg elementary principal among 17 men arrested in prostitution case Kipps Elementary Principal Mark Crummey was among 17 men arrested at a Christiansburg hotel last week. Atkins Elementary celebrates new community-engaged playground A Friday ribbon-cutting ceremony at Atkins Elementary celebrated more than a decade of work. Officials, funders, school staff and students gat…
New attorney is representing Wolfe as case moves forward The criminal case against Robert Nolan Wolfe, 50, of Marion, is continuing to make its way through the court system.
Chilhowie man faces multiple charges in domestic violence incident After further investigation, Ayers arrested again and charged with one count of aggravated malicious wounding and one count of malicious wounding.
Smyth supervisor seeks more communication from Thomas Bridge Water system Rick Billings went to a faucet in his home and turned it on. No water came out.
Blacksburg elementary principal among 17 men arrested in prostitution case Kipps Elementary Principal Mark Crummey was among 17 men arrested at a Christiansburg hotel last week.
Atkins Elementary celebrates new community-engaged playground A Friday ribbon-cutting ceremony at Atkins Elementary celebrated more than a decade of work. Officials, funders, school staff and students gat…