Lauren Arbogast
Farm to Table Coordinator, Virginia Cooperative Extension
Lauren Arbogast married into a third generation beef, poultry, and crop farm in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She recently accepted an exciting job opportunity with Virginia Cooperative Extension in the Northern District office working specifically with soil and nutrition, Farm-to-School, and the Buy Fresh Buy Local program. Prior to this career change, she was a teacher in Harrisonburg City Public Schools, taking care to bring as much farm into the classroom as possible. Lauren's work for agriculture in the school setting culminated this past year with two awards: Virginia Agriculture in the Classroom "Teacher of the Year," as well as the National Agriculture in the Classroom/USDA "Teaching Agriculture Excellence" Award.
In her spare time, Lauren helps on the family farm with her husband, Brian, and their two young boys. You can often find her blogging about agriculture education or the current farm funnies at PaintTheTownAg.com, or promoting agriculture on her other social media sites, where she is quick to point out that she survives life on "faith, coffee, and humor."
"I'm honored to be a part of the second class of VALOR. For me, this is an exceptional opportunity to take a proactive part in giving back and working for an industry that is such an integral part of global daily life. I look forward with an open mind to the opportunities that will present, as well as the ability to network and form relationships with others that also embrace a passion for agriculture."
Lauren Arbogast
VALOR Class II