Cooperative Living August 2018 - 3

InsideStory
August 2018
You might not
always think it,
judging by the tenor
of news reports
sometimes, but we are
truly blessed in this
country. There are
problems and we're
far from perfect; but
on balance, things
are pretty good in the U.S. of A.
People who come here from other
places are often amazed by, for example,
the supply and variety of food available
in grocery stores. For that matter, many
folks born and reared here can be
surprised by the ever-increasing variety
and availability of food. From my
childhood, I recall maybe a half-dozen
kinds of cold cereals. Nowadays, a stroll
down the cold-cereal aisle in the grocery
store is an adventure in an expanding
universe of grain creations.
And prices are reasonable. Our farmers
and others involved in producing and
supplying our food and fiber are very
good at their jobs. Again, we are blessed.
So blessed, in fact, that it's easy to
forget what's behind all that we enjoy; so
it's good to remind ourselves what goes
into creating the elements of our lifestyle.
Agriculture in the Classroom, an
affiliate program of Virginia Farm
Bureau, serves a vital function in helping
youngsters - especially youngsters in
urban and suburban schools -
understand where the bounty of their
tables comes from.
A favorite anecdotal story among farmers
and others in the agribusiness industry is
the one where a teacher in a large city
asks her students where their food comes
from. The kids enthusiastically chime in,
" The grocery store! "
Agriculture in the Classroom has been
around now for more than 25 years,
helping inform generations of youngsters
about agriculture and how important it is
to the standard of living we enjoy in this
country. The program is profiled on page
12 of this issue.
Agriculture in the Classroom, like the
topic about which it so innovatively informs,
is in itself a blessing, one more reason
our country is, indeed, exceptional. 
- Bill Sherrod, Editor
www.co-opliving.com
August 2018 | Cooperative Living | 1
READER PHOTO: MARGARET JOHNSON
OUR MISSION
To inform you about your cooperative and its efforts to serve your energy needs;
how to use electricity safely and efficiently; and the people who define and enhance
the quality of life in communities served by electric co-ops.
CONTENTS
14 Cover Story
Just outside the small Northern Shenandoah Valley town of Front Royal is the Smithsonian
Conservation Biology Institute, a hidden wonder that's home to researchers from around
the globe and more than 20 species of endangered animals. (Cover photos courtesy of the
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute)
30 Crossroads
Birthplace of the national Ruritan organization, the
community of Holland went from being an incorporated
town to part of the city of Suffolk in 1974. The spirit of
Holland lives on, however, in its people and the traditional
way of life of this Southeastern Virginia crossroads.
34 Kids' Korner
As summer turns the corner into August and heads
toward autumn, thoughts of school days begin to
coalesce and with them, sometimes, come anxieties
linked to bygone semesters. Fear not: A new day's
coming, with a clean slate and boundless opportunity
for your best school year yet!
DEPARTMENTS
2 Viewpoint
4 Mailbag
4 WhatzIt
5 Puntoon
5 History Mystery
8 Say Cheese
9 Happenings
Visit us online at:
www.co-opliving.com
12 Ag in the Classroom
26 Energy Sense
28 Garden Muse
36 Co-op People
38 Commonwealth Kitchen
39 Classifieds
40 Rural Living
Find us on:
Please recycle this magazine.
AAM audited
Learn more
about the National
No Vet Alone
initiative on
page 10!
AUDREY T. HINGLEY PHOTO
http://www.co-opliving.com http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living August 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living August 2018
