Chesterfield Farm Bureau promotes agriculture education at historical park

Supporting agriculture is a core mission of Virginia Farm Bureau, and the organization helps expand agricultural awareness through community outreach.

That’s why Chesterfield County Farm Bureau recently donated two Toggenburg goats to Henricus Historical Park in Chester. One of the oldest breeds in the U.S., the goats will become part of the park’s period-correct farm exhibit.

The goats were raised on a farm in Bedford County and purchased by Chesterfield Farm Bureau, which also donated $1,000 for the animals’ care.

“We’ve been making donations to Henricus for several years now because of the number of students and children that come out here,” said Howard Nester, Chesterfield Farm Bureau president. “The park gets between 15,000 to 25,000 schoolchildren each year, and many of them have never seen a goat or a chicken or any of the animals.”

The historical park re-creates what life was like 400 years ago for English settlers and Native Americans who inhabited the area. The park’s farm exhibit demonstrates the types of animals that would have resided in these early settlements.

“We try to find breeds that date back to the 1600s … we try to be as accurate as possible with our animals,” said Josh LeHuray, Henricus’ education supervisor. He noted that the animals are one of the largest attractions for students who visit the park.

Over the years, Chesterfield Farm Bureau has donated several period-correct animals to the park, including Tamworth pigs, Silver Gray Dorking chickens and other Toggenburg goats.

Staying involved in the community and supporting opportunities to help the general public appreciate agriculture’s significance in their lives is a goal of many county Farm Bureaus, said Greg Maxey, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation senior district field services director and member contact and engagement coordinator.

“Chesterfield Farm Bureau has a strong working relationship with Henricus Historical Park so park visitors can develop an understanding of early American agriculture and how it applies to our time today,” Maxey said. “This is just one of the ways that Chesterfield Farm Bureau works to educate people about agriculture.”