Photos courtesy of Botetourt Co. Farm Bureau
Farm Bureau is not just for farmers. It support all members through local auto, home, and farm insurance agents; exclusive deals and savings on shopping, travel, and equipment; and strong advocacy and education on behalf of Virginia agriculture. By becoming a member of the Botetourt County Farm Bureau, the $40 annual membership helps sustain educational tools and events that strengthen local agriculture and promote access to safe, fresh, locally grown food.
As part of this mission, the Botetourt County Farm Bureau recently purchased seven processed broiler chickens from 4-H youth that participated in the Botetourt County Fair and donated them to the Springwood Food Pantry in Buchanan. This act of generosity was part of the “2025 Feather to Fork” program through the fair —an initiative that connects youth agriculture with community food needs.
Now in its second year, the Feather to Fork program hosted 17 youth participants from Botetourt and Rockbridge counties, ranging in age from 5 to 16. Participants selected one of two project tracks: the laying hen project or the broiler project. Each project teaches responsibility, animal care, and marketing, while encouraging youth to explore the business side of agriculture.
Those in the laying hen project received 10 or 25 day-old chicks in April, raising them until fair time in August. They returned either three or six of their best pullets for auction at the Botetourt County Fair, keeping the rest of their flock to continue building their backyard operations.
Meanwhile, broiler project participants received day-old chicks in mid-May and raised them for harvest. With the help of volunteers, they learned about humane handling, processing, and identifying meat cuts— skills that complement their participation in local poultry and meat evaluation contests. Each youth selected four finished carcasses for the live auction at the fair, with proceeds reinvested into the program and the Botetourt County Fair Youth Microgrant Program, which funds agricultural start-ups for local youth.
One such participant, Schylar Zollman, completed both the laying hen and broiler projects in 2025. She exhibited six pullets at the fair and raised 10 broilers for processing, four of which were auctioned and purchased by the Botetourt County Farm Bureau. Those four chickens were among the seven donated to the Springwood Baptist Food Pantry— bringing the Feather to Fork journey full circle from youth learning to community nourishment. Schylar also earned the 2025 Botetourt County Youth Microgrant, which she is using to grow her goat operation.
The Springwood Baptist Food Pantry, which serves 25-35 local families each month, expressed heartfelt appreciation for the donation.
“When we receive a donation of seven frozen, processed whole chickens from the Botetourt County Farm Bureau, we are especially grateful,” said Linda Johnson, Food Pantry representative. “The backstory behind this donation— 4-H families raising these chickens, showing them at the fair, and seeing them purchased and donated locally— is something we can all celebrate.”
The Feather to Fork program will return for its third year in 2026, open to 4-H and FFA members in Botetourt and surrounding counties. Sign-up details and project requirements will be announced soon through the Botetourt County Fair.
Local Botetourt County Farm Bureau Board members include Preston Wickline, Candace Monaghan, Travis and Emily Bryant, Pat Ryan, Michael Beahm, Luke Severson, James Snavely, Jay Etzler, and Frank Thomas.
~ Botetourt County Farm Bureau
