By TINA ALVEY
The Register-Herald
FAIRLEA, W.Va. — Enjoying her stint as Honorary Commissioner of Agriculture for the Day, Rainelle 4th grader Maeva Robinson toured the State Fairgrounds and granted interviews to the media Tuesday, just like a real elected official.
(Photo by Chris Jackson)
At age 9, Maeva is the youngest of the six students chosen by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture for the honor, which she won in a contest with the theme “Local Food: Why It Matters.”
“I made a poster with pictures of my greenhouse and pictures of the food we grew there,” Maeva explained her winning entry, as she watched a horse show in the State Fair’s Bluegrass Bowl.
Her parents built Maeva a greenhouse at home to extend the planting season for the eager young gardener. She also spends a couple of days a week tending to her school’s high tunnel, where plants like strawberries and peas grow year-round, and the produce is put to use in the cafeteria’s salad bar.
Asked if she aims to have her own garden one day, Maeva exclaimed, “I have one right now.” That garden produces “cherry tomatoes and medium tomatoes, cucumbers and cabbage,” she noted.
This summer, Maeva even sampled the retail end of agriculture, helping to sell vegetables and fruit from her grandfather’s garden at the Rainelle Farmers Market.
And what part of her day as Honorary Ag Commissioner did she enjoy the most? That’s easy, she answered with a grin — “All of it.”
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Agriculture Commissioner Kent Leonhardt said he and his staff cooked up the contest to “get more young people involved in agriculture.” He noted that the average age of a West Virginia farmer is soaring, which could result in less local production unless something happens to inject an infusion of youthful enthusiasm into the industry.
“We already have a deficit in importing food in West Virginia, and that has an impact on food safety and food security,” he said.
“We wanted to provide a first-hand experience for students across the state to see what careers in agriculture look like. This program exposes them to other agriculture opportunities.”
While Maeva enjoyed her day as Honorary Commissioner, Leonhardt was enjoying his first State Fair as the actual Agriculture Commissioner.
“How can you not enjoy this?” he asked. “Look at the success of the country store and the FFA members with their show and sale. And it’s rewarding to me to see the staff work together to make this a great State Fair.”
Leonhardt’s farming experience came after his retirement from military service, when he and his wife took over a West Virginia farm that had been abandoned in 1957. The couple restored and expanded the farm, he said, noting, “Here we are. I’m very honored to be Commissioner of Agriculture.”
He emphasized a point that often gets lost in the shuffle when people discuss food and farming — economic development.
“I want to share lessons learned with others,” he said. “Hopefully, agriculture will fill in some of the gaps left by the coal industry.”
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Other Honorary Commissioners of Agriculture for a Day contest winners this year are: Sophie Slack, 13, of Hurricane Middle School; Elizabeth Ours, 16, of Petersburg High School; Emily Yates, 15, of East Hardy High School; Julianna Rexroad, 13, of Braxton County High School; and Devin Price, 14, of Weir High School.
Each student entered an essay, video or photo presentation explaining the importance of locally-grown food and how it affects the state’s economy, environment and health.
For more information about the contest, contact WVDA communications director Crescent Gallagher at 304-558-3708 or [email protected].
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