Cooperative Living September 2023 - 4

OUR COMMUNITIES
CooperativeLiving
OUR MISSION
Vol. 78, No. 9 ●
ISSN 1529-4579
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.
GREGGMACDONALD * Executive Editor
LAURAEMERY * Deputy Editor
JOHNGROTT * Creative Services Coordinator
SONJAKINNEY * Advertising Account Representative
JIMROBERTSON *Manager ofMember Services
TOMMYCAMPBELL * Digital Producer
NINAJACOBS * Production Coordinator
Published by the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware
Association of Electric Cooperatives
C.MICHAEL SANDRIDGE * Chair
GEORGEN. GOIN * Vice Chair
FRANKW. BACON * Secretary/Treasurer
BRIANS.MOSIER* President &CEO
Board of Directors: Christopher D. Bott, Belvin Williamson Jr., A&N;
C. Michael Sandridge, Bill Buchanan, BARC; George N. Goin,
Gary E. Wood, Central Virginia; Robert E. Arnold, Micheal E. Malandro,
Choptank; Jeannette S. Everett, Steven A. Harmon, Community;
James E. Huffman, Jeff M. Ahearn, Craig-Botetourt; Patricia S. Dorey,
Rob A. Book, Delaware; Fletcher B. Jones, John C. Lee Jr., Mecklenburg;
Russell G. Brown, Brad H. Hicks, Northern Neck; Wade C. House,
David E. Schleicher, Northern Virginia; David T. Kindle, M. Brad Coppock,
Powell Valley; Herbert R. Patrick, Sarat K. Yellepeddi, Prince George;
Sanford Reaves Jr., John D. Hewa, Rappahannock; G. Todd Van Horn,
Greg S. Rogers, Shenandoah Valley; Frank W. Bacon, Jason C. Loehr,
Southside.
To advertise in Cooperative Living, contact:
advertising@co-opliving.com (804) 297-3429
National AdvertisingRepresentative:
AMP, 611 SouthCongress Ave., Suite 504,
Austin, Texas 78704 * 800-626-1181
Member ofAMP network of
publications, reachingmore than
9million homes and businesses.
To change your subscription,
contact your electric cooperative.
For editorial inquiries, contact
editor@co-opliving.com.
COOPERATIVELIVING (USPS 473-300) is published
10 times a year, monthly except for combinedJanuary/
February andNovember/December issues, by the VMD
Association of Electric Cooperatives. POSTMASTER,
address changes should be sent to: Cooperative Living,
4201Dominion Boulevard, Suite 101, GlenAllen, VA 23060,
(804) 346-3344. Periodicals Postage paid at GlenAllen, VA,
and additional mailing offices. Subscription: $5.69 per year
for members ofsubscribing co-ops; $10 per year for all others.
ADVERTISING published is accepted on the premise that
themerchandise and services offered are accurately described
andwillingly sold to customers at the advertised price.
Neither thismagazine nor the electric cooperatives inVirginia,
Maryland andDelaware endorse anyproducts or services
advertised herein. Ifany readers encounter noncompliance
with these standards, they are asked to informtheAssociation.
From left, Georgia, Lola and Amelia of Snow Hill, Md.,
show their support of local farmers.
SmallS Town Celebration is an Annual Blessing
Snow Hill, Md., event celebrates 23 years
ONCE EVERY YEAR, MASSIVE AGRICULTURAL MACHINES ROLL INTO TINY SNOW HILL,
Please recycle.
2 ● Cooperative Living ●
September 2023
MD. (population 2,200), where they park in the middle of town for a blessing from an
association of local clergy. The event is called the " Blessing of the Combines " and it just
celebrated its 23rd year. The all-day festival begins with a parade of tractors, local
floats and huge combines.
Combines are complex modern farming machines that literally " combine " three
harvesting functions simultaneously. They reap (cut and gather), thresh (separate grain
from the stalk) and winnow (separate any remaining debris from the grain). These massive
machines, which can cost upwards of $500,000 each, can cut a 40-foot-wide swath
through a crop field. They have become essential to many modern farmers.
Following the parade, the massive machines are blessed and then local dignitaries
say a few words. This year, Maryland Secretary of Agriculture
Kevin M. Atticks was the keynote speaker. " I really enjoy this
event, " Atticks says. " Agriculture is very important to Snow Hill,
as it is for all of Maryland. "
After the blessing, Snow Hill becomes one giant street fair,
celebrating the American farmer. The festival is attended by
local farmers from Maryland, Delaware and Virginia, as well
as about 4,000 local and nearby residents.
Choptank Electric Cooperative board member Donna
Richardson West, a Snow Hill resident who is also part of a local
farming family, attends every year. She says her farm has its
own large combine, although this year, it was not in the parade.
" I still came out to support our local farmers, " she says. 
Donna
Richardson
●
co-opliving.com
PHOTOS BY GREGG MACDONALD

http://www.co-opliving.com

Cooperative Living September 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living September 2023