How Virginia Farmers Share Equipment, Inspiration, and Adopt Soil Health Technology

For years, Chris Van Vlack wanted a litter spreader. 

The tool would help him apply poultry litter and lime more precisely, supporting the improvements he had been working toward on his farm. Like many producers, however, he faced a familiar challenge: purchasing specialized equipment can be difficult to justify when costs are high, and use may be limited to just a few times each year. 

The solution came through collaboration. 

Working with Fireside Farm and Three Monkeys Farm, Van Vlack, who operates Hanging Rock Hay & Grain, helped encourage an arrangement that allowed all three operations to purchase and share equipment to advance their soil health goals. Through the partnership, the farms acquired a no-till drill, roller crimper, flail mower, and litter spreader while creating a framework for coordinating use, maintenance, and long-term management of the equipment. 

The purchases were funded through Regenerate Virginia, American Farmland Trust’s (AFT’s) statewide initiative to strengthen farm viability and support the long-term future of agriculture across the Commonwealth. Through grants, technical assistance, partnerships, and farmer-to-farmer learning opportunities, the approach helps farmers convert concepts into practical solutions. 

When the three farmers recently welcomed fellow producers and conservation partners to Fireside Farm in Loudoun County, Virginia, the equipment drew attention. But the conversation expanded beyond machinery. 

Attendees heard how three different farm businesses identified common challenges, weighed competing priorities, and found a way to invest together. They discussed soil fertility, reduced tillage, equipment logistics, and the realities of managing farms spread across multiple properties. The most valuable lessons were about the process of learning, adapting, and solving problems together. 

That’s how impact grows. The grant helped neighboring farms acquire equipment they may not have been able to purchase individually, while the field day helped them promote the concept with a wider community of producers, possibly inspiring similar approaches elsewhere.  

Learning from Real-World Experiences 

That same spirit of shared learning was also evident several counties away at another recent event in Virginia’s Orange County.  

Jacob Gilley of JG Land & Livestock, and a team of conservation partners hosted more than 65 farmers, agricultural professionals, and partners at Gilley’s Heaven’s Hollow Farm to explore virtual fencing and related farm technologies.  

Supported through Regenerate Virginia, the project enabled Gilley and partners to demonstrate new approaches to sustainable grazing and to share lessons learned. The workshop focused on technologies ranging from virtual fencing systems and livestock monitoring tools to recordkeeping and farm management software. Participants saw equipment in action, heard candid assessments of what worked and what didn't, and had the opportunity to ask questions directly of producers who had used the tools in the field.  

“One of the greatest challenges farmers face when adopting new technology is the upfront cost and learning curve,” Gilley explains. “Through AFT's Healthy Soils Grant, we’ve had the opportunity to put virtual fencing technology to work on our farm with reduced risk, evaluate its potential to improve grazing management, profitability, and conservation outcomes, and share those real-world experiences with others. Our hope in bringing together this great group of farmers and conservation professionals is that by passing on what we’ve learned, we can help other farmers shorten their learning curve, make more informed decisions, and adopt practices that benefit both their operations and the land they steward.” 

Whether the topic is soil health equipment, grazing management technology, or conservation practices, farmers say they learn best from other farmers. Seeing a tool in use, hearing how a method performs under real-world conditions, and discussing challenges openly can build confidence in ways that brochures and presentations alone cannot. 

Turning Innovation into Impact 

These two field days and the grant-funded projects associated with them illustrate the broader scope of Regenerate Virginia. By investing in farmer-led innovation and supporting opportunities for producers to connect with each other, AFT helps transform individual experience into knowledge that can benefit communities. While each project looks a little different in action, they reflect the understanding that innovative farmers are in the best position to identify what their operations need next. 

In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, producers recently gained access to another Regenerate Virginia-funded resource—a shared no-till drill available for local farmers to rent throughout the growing season. The equipment allows producers to explore no-till planting methods and establish new crops with minimal soil disturbance, without taking on the full cost of ownership. Supported through regional partners, the program is designed to keep conservation-minded equipment within reach while giving farmers the freedom to decide whether the approach fits their operation. 

Across the nation, AFT works to deliver the resources farmers and ranchers need most. With emerging 2027 Mid-Atlantic programs like the Advanced Soil Health Training and Beef Grazing Network, AFT is connecting research, expertise, funding, and farmer experience in ways that help good ideas grow for generations to come.