Attention VABF Members! It’s time to vote on Nominees and Current Directors of the VABF Board! We have multiple Board of Director openings. Vote for up to four of the individuals listed below.Â
Vote below! Election ends May 29, 2025.
2025 Nominees
Ashley Jernigan
Ashley is an assistant professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech with a research and teaching appointment. She is interested in developing our understanding of soil biological processes to improve the sustainability of cropping systems. As an agroecologist, she takes a systems-level perspective to balance crop nutrition and pest management. Ashley’s approach to research focuses on bridging ecological mechanisms to crop management practices to help growers make informed decisions.
Ben Nommay
I have been working on biodynamic and organic farms since 2016. Currently, I am the farm manager at Spikenard Honeybee Sanctuary Farm. Growing up in Indiana around a chemical based corn and soybean farm I have seen the struggle of the farmer and the soil in this type of system. I believe the health of our communities are a correlation to the health of our soils. I am committed to biological farming to help rebuild and improve the soil life on farms so our soils can once again support the health of our communities.Â
Jack Wall
In nature there is no “wasteâ€. We at the Virginia Association for Biological Farming work toward managing our ecology in this way. We know we need to move away from the use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides on our land. Our soil amendments need to come from natural, organic leftovers such as nonproductive wood and leaves, unused food, clean manures, animal carcasses, and rock minerals that can be turned into quality compost. This supports soil biology, produces nutrient-dense food, sequesters carbon, keeps organic waste out of our landfill, and supports a vibrant ecological system that can provide a higher profit margin for the farmer.
70% of agriculture land is pasture. Well managed perennial pastures sequester as much or more carbon than a mature forest. Best practice regenerative techniques are the key to building quality soil that supports microorganisms, and fungi in the soil. Good soil reduces water runoff, manages drought better and draws and holds carbon from the air. Keeping ruminant animals fed on healthy pasture through their lifetime, not sending animals to concentrated feedlots for finishing, and slaughtering locally improves the quality of food we eat and the profitability for the farmer by eliminating the middleman in meat production.
As the owner of 300 acres of regeneratively managed pastureland raising 100% grassfed sheep and cows; Floyd Eco Village with 5 acres of vegetable production, chickens, pigs and a farm store; SWVA Biochar a commercial biochar plant; working toward building a commercial composting facility and local USDA certified slaughterhouse; Vice-Chair of Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary; and Board Chair of Wall Residences, I have experience in organizational leadership and biological farming practices to help the biosphere, the food consumer and the farmer. VABF sets a standard for best practice in supporting a local food economy for the future, improving farmer profitability, and supporting each other to do the right thing. I would like to see our farmers to be eligible to receive Carbon Credits to further support the work they do to improve our environment. I would be honored to receive your vote to be on the VABF Board.
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Current Directors up for Re-election
Thelonius Cook
Owner/Farm Manager
Mighty Thundercloud Edible Forest is managed as a sustainable ecosystem that builds life into our soil.
Our management practices build soil fertility and enhance biodiversity, while aiming to reduce our environmental footprint.
Our strategy is to avoid the use of toxic chemicals (i.e. – synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) and replace them with internal ecological controls and organic practices.
The outcome is high yields of healthy and tasty food that help strengthen our community and enhance household-level nutrition.
Thelonius is focused on a key challenge facing our global community. With a world population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050: How do we meet the food and nutrition needs of a growing population, without compromising human health or sacrificing the environmental integrity of local landscapes and the global environment?
Jack Wall
In nature there is no “waste”. We at the Virginia Association for Biological Farming work toward managing our ecology in this way. We know we need to move away from the use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides on our land. Our soil amendments need to come from natural, organic leftovers such as nonproductive wood and leaves, unused food, clean manures, animal carcasses, and rock minerals that can be turned into quality compost. This supports soil biology, produces nutrient-dense food, sequesters carbon, keeps organic waste out of our landfill, and supports a vibrant ecological system that can provide a higher profit margin for the farmer.
70% of agriculture land is pasture. Well managed perennial pastures sequester as much or more carbon than a mature forest. Best practice regenerative techniques are the key to building quality soil that supports microorganisms, and fungi in the soil. Good soil reduces water runoff, manages drought better and draws and holds carbon from the air. Keeping ruminant animals fed on healthy pasture through their lifetime, not sending animals to concentrated feedlots for finishing, and slaughtering locally improves the quality of food we eat and the profitability for the farmer by eliminating the middleman in meat production.
As the owner of 300 acres of regeneratively managed pastureland raising 100% grassfed sheep and cows; Floyd Eco Village with 5 acres of vegetable production, chickens, pigs and a farm store; SWVA Biochar a commercial biochar plant; working toward building a commercial composting facility and local USDA certified slaughterhouse; Vice-Chair of Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary; and Board Chair of Wall Residences, I have experience in organizational leadership and biological farming practices to help the biosphere, the food consumer and the farmer. VABF sets a standard for best practice in supporting a local food economy for the future, improving farmer profitability, and supporting each other to do the right thing. I would like to see our farmers to be eligible to receive Carbon Credits to further support the work they do to improve our environment. I would be honored to receive your vote to be on the VABF Board.
Ben Nommay
I have been working on biodynamic and organic farms since 2016. Currently, I am the farm manager at Spikenard Honeybee Sanctuary Farm. Growing up in Indiana around a chemical based corn and soybean farm I have seen the struggle of the farmer and the soil in this type of system. I believe the health of our communities are a correlation to the health of our soils. I am committed to biological farming to help rebuild and improve the soil life on farms so our soils can once again support the health of our communities.
Ashley Jernigan
Ashley is an assistant professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech with a research and teaching appointment. She is interested in developing our understanding of soil biological processes to improve the sustainability of cropping systems. As an agroecologist, she takes a systems-level perspective to balance crop nutrition and pest management. Ashley's approach to research focuses on bridging ecological mechanisms to crop management practices to help growers make informed decisions.
Thelonius Cook
Owner/Farm Manager
Mighty Thundercloud Edible Forest is managed as a sustainable ecosystem that builds life into our soil.
Our management practices build soil fertility and enhance biodiversity, while aiming to reduce our environmental footprint.
Our strategy is to avoid the use of toxic chemicals (i.e. - synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) and replace them with internal ecological controls and organic practices.
The outcome is high yields of healthy and tasty food that help strengthen our community and enhance household-level nutrition.
Jack Wall
In nature there is no “waste”. We at the Virginia Association for Biological Farming work toward managing our ecology in this way. We know we need to move away from the use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides on our land. Our soil amendments need to come from natural, organic leftovers such as nonproductive wood and leaves, unused food, clean manures, animal carcasses, and rock minerals that can be turned into quality compost. This supports soil biology, produces nutrient-dense food, sequesters carbon, keeps organic waste out of our landfill, and supports a vibrant ecological system that can provide a higher profit margin for the farmer.
70% of agriculture land is pasture. Well managed perennial pastures sequester as much or more carbon than a mature forest. Best practice regenerative techniques are the key to building quality soil that supports microorganisms, and fungi in the soil. Good soil reduces water runoff, manages drought better and draws and holds carbon from the air. Keeping ruminant animals fed on healthy pasture through their lifetime, not sending animals to concentrated feedlots for finishing, and slaughtering locally improves the quality of food we eat and the profitability for the farmer by eliminating the middleman in meat production.
As the owner of 300 acres of regeneratively managed pastureland raising 100% grassfed sheep and cows; Floyd Eco Village with 5 acres of vegetable production, chickens, pigs and a farm store; SWVA Biochar a commercial biochar plant; working toward building a commercial composting facility and local USDA certified slaughterhouse; Vice-Chair of Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary; and Board Chair of Wall Residences, I have experience in organizational leadership and biological farming practices to help the biosphere, the food consumer and the farmer. VABF sets a standard for best practice in supporting a local food economy for the future, improving farmer profitability, and supporting each other to do the right thing. I would like to see our farmers to be eligible to receive Carbon Credits to further support the work they do to improve our environment. I would be honored to receive your vote to be on the VABF Board.
Ben Nommay
I have been working on biodynamic and organic farms since 2016. Currently, I am the farm manager at Spikenard Honeybee Sanctuary Farm. Growing up in Indiana around a chemical based corn and soybean farm I have seen the struggle of the farmer and the soil in this type of system. I believe the health of our communities are a correlation to the health of our soils. I am committed to biological farming to help rebuild and improve the soil life on farms so our soils can once again support the health of our communities.
Ashley Jernigan
Ashley is an assistant professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech with a research and teaching appointment. She is interested in developing our understanding of soil biological processes to improve the sustainability of cropping systems. As an agroecologist, she takes a systems-level perspective to balance crop nutrition and pest management. Ashley's approach to research focuses on bridging ecological mechanisms to crop management practices to help growers make informed decisions.
Thelonius Cook
Owner/Farm Manager
Mighty Thundercloud Edible Forest is managed as a sustainable ecosystem that builds life into our soil.
Our management practices build soil fertility and enhance biodiversity, while aiming to reduce our environmental footprint.
Our strategy is to avoid the use of toxic chemicals (i.e. - synthetic fertilizers and pesticides) and replace them with internal ecological controls and organic practices.
The outcome is high yields of healthy and tasty food that help strengthen our community and enhance household-level nutrition.
