In an effort to promote the importance and beauty of agriculture in the Commonwealth, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services held a photo contest to coincide with Virginia Agriculture Week. The one-month photo contest, which began in May and concluded in June, generated 231 entries from every region of the state. A panel of agriculture leaders judged the submissions to determine which image best captured Virginia agriculture. Final judging produced an overall winner, a second place overall winner and a tie between two VDACS employees for first place in the employee category.
First Place Overall Winner
Harriet Flynn, Associate Director of Outdoor Learning, Endless Horizons, Harrisonburg
The photo is of students checking out the harvest at the Camp Horizons gardens. The vertical tomatoes had grown way over their heads and had looped around the scaffolding, growing back down.
VDACS Employee Photo Winner
Kymberly Coffman, Senior Livestock Inspector, Office of Veterinary Services, Division of Animal and Food Industry Services, Harrisonburg
The image is of her farm in Rockingham County and captures the feeling of accomplishment, as the hay had just been baled.
Getting up every morning to watch the sunrise, this photo was taken on a walk at a friend’s farm. The sun shines through blades of hay left after harvest.
VDACS Employee Photo Winner
Courtney Mickiewicz, Tidewater Regional Manager, Office of Dairy & Foods, Division of Animal and Food Industry Services, Virginia Beach
Courtney and her family joined a flower CSA with Chatham Flower Farm in Painter, on the Eastern Shore. The photo is from a visit to the flower farm.