BY KATHY VAN MULLEKOM
BACK BAY — Virginia Beach celebrated contributions to the farming industry during National Agriculture Week in late March with an awards banquet and a dressed-up crowd that was happy to finally gather together and recognize 2019 honorees.
The previous Excellence in Agriculture banquet in 2019 honored 2018 award winners and was held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Then the annual celebration of farming, which has been held since 1966, went on hiatus due to the pandemic.
On Thursday, March 23, an event sometimes held at the Oceanfront returned to its rural roots at the Creeds Ruritan Community Complex in southern Virginia Beach. Farming families and friends, along with state and city leaders, mingled and dined on locally produced food and honored people who have contibuted to the industry here.
Most of the festive evening was spent hearing good news about the city’s third largest industry and applauding several families – Malbon, DeFord, Williams, Rollins and Flanagan – who have helped make the southern city the committed farming area that it is. The Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture, including its director, David Trimmer, and administrative specialist Jody Davis, planned and hosted the program. The Virginia Beach Excellence in Agriculture Committee, composed of farmers who are former honorees, selected its winners.
During remarks, Mayor Bobby Dyer noted that the city’s economic impact from agricultural products in 2021 was $171 million. For this past year, those figures are almost $191 million, according to Roy Flanagan, the extension agent for Virginia Beach.
“Throughout the history of the city of Virginia Beach, farming has been central to the history of our residents,” Dyer said. “Agriculture continues to provide vital economic, industrial, environmental, aesthetic and social benefits to our citizens. Times have changed, but the need for agriculture and the businesses it supports has not diminished.”
State Del. Barry Knight, R-81st District, introduced the keynote speaker, Virginia Agriculture & Forestry Secretary Matthew Lohr.
Lohr praised the farmers for being an important asset to Virginia’s economy, telling them that agriculture and forestry had a combined annual economic impact of more than $105 billion in 2021. That figure makes the two the first and third largest private industries in the state. He also cited Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s goal to make Virginia the top indoor farm state in the country, and the success of $4 billion in record agriculture exports moving through Hampton Roads ports.
“Governor Youngkin loves Virginia agriculture and forestry,” Lohr said. “He and his wife, Suzanne, are our biggest cheerleaders.”
Don Horsley, a Blackwater farmer and member of the Excellence in Agriculture nominating committee, introduced the 2019 Excellence in Agriculture awards. Special recognition of a “50 Year Plus Reunion” went to W.R. Malbon Jr., Frank T. Williams and the late R.H. DeFord Jr.
“He’s a very loved man,” said son Mark Malbon, who accepted the award for his father. “If there is a song that best describes my father, it’s Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way.’”
Virginia Beach was once said to be home to more hogs than people, thanks to the work that Billy Malbon and his brothers and sons did on a 600-acre hog farm. “At one time, we were sending 100,000 hogs annually to Smithfield Packing,” Mark Malbon said.
In 1983, neighborhood encroachment motivated Billy Malbon to sell the farm to R.G. Moore for $4.9 million, according to newspaper reports. The farm sale meant Mark Malbon and his brother, Mike, were out of jobs, so they went into convenience stores, and own Malbon Bros. Corner Mart & Barbecue Catering on General Booth Boulevard.
Horsley said Frank T. Williams, 87, is known as “Mr. Agriculture” in Virginia Beach, and is always willing to support local Ruritans and 4-H programs. He helps farmers by providing a nearby source of farming supplies, Horsley said.
“Frank has always said, ‘If I can help you, call me,’” he added. “The farmers think the world of him.”
“He’s the heart of the farm,” said Cardello, 30, who has a degree in plant and soil science from North Carolina State. “He’s at the farm all day most days and manages every aspect of the daily operations. … He has taught me too many things to mention. Most of them through his actions – he leads by example. Perseverance, humility and the importance of hard work are just a few.”
“When a storm came through, I lost the roof to my shop, and Marvin met with the insurance adjustor and fixed it for me,” said Billy Vaughan, who owns Coastal Cattle and is a member of the nominating committee.
Rollins expressed appreciation for the honor, saying, “The farmer is a person who takes the cards he is dealt and makes it work. The farmers taught me a lot. Anytime a person is given an award by the entire farming community, it doesn’t get any bigger than that.”
Wayne Pryor, president of Virginia Farm Bureau, presented a 2022 journalism award to The Independent News for its reporting about the agriculture industry. Editor and publisher John-Henry Doucette accepted the plaque, which recognized the work of several contributors to the newspaper, and encouraged everyone to read and support their local news sources.
Virginia has given the century farm designation to 1,545 farms that have been operational for 100 or more consecutive years. Virginia Beach is now home to five Virginia Century designations, including the Aygarn, Dozier, Heritage Plantation and Vaughan farms, according to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
In 1908, Henry Clay Flanagan founded Flangan Farm’s original 112 acres at N. Muddy Creek and Princess Anne roads, according to historical information submitted for the recognition.
Before commercial fertilizers were available, half of the Flanagan land was used for grazing sheep and other animals. Additional acreage supported sweet potatoes and crops for personal and livestock use. Commercial fertilizers then made it possible to grow grain and sweet potatoes as money crops.
About 83 acres are in agricultural use today. Descendants Susan Flanagan, Katie Flanagan and Ann Flanagan Gregory own the farm. “Agriculture in Virginia Beach is my life,” Roy Flanagan said. “Beyond faith and family, it’s all I do,” Roy Flanagan said. “Our family’s farm is the most important thing we have to pass on to the next generation.”
Ed. note – John Doucette, editor of The Independent News, is kin to the Flanagans.
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