AgHub Learning Portal

Are you a farmer interested in hosting school groups or an educator looking to enhance school learning by visiting a farm?

Both the farmer and the educator will need to prepare for school visits in order to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. To assist with preparations, we've developed this learning portal containing:

• Resource Guide: School Farm Visits, A guide for farmers and educators
• Top 10 Tips for Hosting a School Group
• Checksheets covering a wide range of topic areas
• Activities and curriculum resources
• List of potential community collaborators
• Additional resource links

This portal will assist you as you prepare for school farm visits and is appropriate for farmers interested in hosting school groups and for educators interested in taking students to visit a local farm.

Biosecurity is important, especially if there are confirmed cases of avian influenza.  Multiple resources are available for commercial operators as well as backyard flock owners.  This portal contains information gathered from reputable sources and consists of:

• Educational videos 
• Links to information sheets, checklists, and biosecurity practice guides
• Links to reputable sources for additional information

Are you considering Agritourism as part of your agricultural operation? Take the time to do a little research and information gathering so you can start off on the right foot.  The agritourism portal contains:

• Two educational videos from experts on the topic
• Access to multiple relevant resources

This portal will provide you with a thorough overview of agritourism,  overview and insight of business development and operations, marketing, where to look for help and additional resources.  This portal is appropriate for producers and agribusinesses.  Educators of agriculture may also find this portal valuable.

Management of weeds in hay and forages is an important task in agriculture. Research, knowledge and planning are the best defenses a farmer can have in the ongoing control and management of invasive species.

This portal contains:

• An educational video, presented by Matt Booher, Virginia Cooperative Extension, covering:
  • Weed identification
  • Seasonality
  • Management
• Management resource guides
• Additional resource links

This portal will give you a deeper understanding of how to identify common weeds in Virginia, herbicide use and application suggestions. This portal is appropriate for producers or anyone needing information and resources to manage pasture and forages.

Interested in beekeeping and don't know where to start?  Start with the basics of beekeeping and a general overview of what you need to get started.  This portal features beekeeper, Eric Grandon, from Sugar Bottom Farm in West Virginia.  Listen to Eric as he walks you through all aspects of keeping bees and view the LIVE hive inspection to see beekeeping in action.  This portal contains:

• Educational video by beekeeper Eric Grandon
• Beekeeping Resource Guide with links to get you connected
• Access to additional resources to provide you with reliable information on beekeeping

This portal will provide you with an overview of beekeeping and what you need to get started, and is appropriate for educators and students, consumers, producers, backyard beekeepers and small farms.

Approximately 1.5 million children under the age of 20 live, work, or have a regular presence on farms in the United States (CDC.gov). We realize the importance of keeping those youth safe in their agricultural settings. Utilize resources to develop practices for on-the-farm safety.

This portal offers 

• Educational videos covering youth farm safety
• Informational charts listing:
  • Age characteristics
  • Key farm dangers
  • Appropriate rules
  • Supervision suggestions
• ATV safety
• Access to multiple relevant resources

This portal provides a mix of resources providing education and support focusing on the safety of youth involved in the agriculture industry.  This portal is appropriate for anyone interested in learning more about the topic.

To post or not to post...This is often a question we ask of ourselves before we hit the share button.  But how do we know if what we are about to share is what we should be sharing?  This portal drills down to the bottom of the dilemma to give you a social media strategy you can feel confident about.

This portal contains:

• Educational videos from a line-up of experts in social media sharing and engagement covering:
  • Why you should tell your agriculture story online
  • Social transparency
  • Agriculture picture taking for social media
  • and more!
• Access to additional resources on the topic 

This portal will give you a deeper understanding of how to advocate for agriculture on social media so you can be confident with sharing your story and that of others.  This portal is appropriate for producers, educators and students, consumers and anyone interested in sharing the story of agriculture.

The goal of advocating is to provide information about agriculture so that others can make informed decisions.  But how does one accomplish this and do so effectively?  Our Basics of Agricultural Advocacy portal will give you the tools you need to establish your story and the steps to take to effectively communicate it to others. This portal will give you access to:

• Educational videos from a line-up of experienced advocates
• Quick Start guide so you can establish your story
• Access to additional resources on the topic

This education portal will provide you with everything you need to be an effective advocate for agriculture and is appropriate for educators and students, consumers, producers and anyone interested in sharing the story of agriculture.

Being a voice for agriculture is more important than ever, and so is learning how to do this effectively. This portal will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively communicate the story of agriculture. Your voice matters! You will obtain information on how to communicate your personal ag story, the importance of ag-vocating, how to connect with legislators to become their go-to ag expert, lobbying basics and more!

This portal contains:

• Multiple educational videos from local and state recognized speakers
• Access to additional resources to help get you connected

This portal is PERFECT for those involved or interested in:

• Establishing or maintaining relationships with legislators
• Learning how to put their operation/farm’s best foot forward
• Advocating for the industry and learning how and where to share their story

We realize there are stressors involved with agriculture some of which are out of our control.  Farmers deal with weather, fluctuating market prices, production and a multitude of unwitnessed challenges.

This portal offers you an assortment of valuable resources to provide support.

• An educational video covering farm stress in agriculture
• Access to Farm Credit's Rural Resilience training
• Access to multiple relevant materials

This portal provides a mix of resources providing education and support focusing on the well-being of individuals involved in the agriculture industry.  This portal is appropriate for anyone interested in learning more about the topic.

Christmas Tree Production

Are you considering growing Christmas trees as part of your operation?  We have compiled resources to help you in your research.  This portal contains a section for producers:

• Video interview with a producer
• Extension articles
• Production manual

'Tis the season for Christmas tree selection! Before heading out to pick the perfect tree, equip yourself with what you need to know before you go.  This portal contains a section for consumers:

• Educational videos with tips and tricks
• Blog articles
• Additional resources
• Shareable infographics

This portal will provide you with information and resources covering the topic of Christmas trees and is appropriate for producers and consumers.

Get an overview of the cattle industry by learning more about:

• Cattle industry facts and figures
• Careers in the cattle industry
• Cattle as nutrient upcyclers

This portal provides a mix of information providing education on the cattle industry.  This portal is appropriate for anyone interested in learning more about the topic.