Rosalea Potter (agricultural education ’04) is part of a seventh-generation farming operation in Lexington, Virginia.

Rosalea Potter (agricultural education ’04) is part of a seventh-generation farming operation in Lexington, Virginia, where she helps manage Donald’s Meat Processing, her family’s meat packing plant, and Buffalo Creek Beef.

As a Hokie, she’s kept the Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) spirit a vital part of her life by serving on the board of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and making the agricultural community’s voice heard.

“Being part of the agriculture industry has been very beneficial to me, and any way I can help the industry, it’s a win-win situation,” she said of her participation on the board, which she has been on since 2011.

A former classroom teacher, Potter has also continued to be a voice for education and an advocate for all kinds of agricultural production, although her audience has changed slightly. Now Potter’s classroom consists of consumers at the farmers market or the meat processing plant where clients in the area come to buy local meat and discuss why they think local foods are important.

“We serve several different clientele,” said Potter. ”We see young people in their 30s that are just married and are concerned about healthy lifestyles and the way they eat. We also see young families that are concerned about what their children are eating.

“We have an older generation of retirees coming to us as well. The local foods movement promotes more the way they grew up and the lifestyle they were raised on,” she said.

Potter also incorporates sustainable practices into Buffalo Creek Beef by using local brewers grain from Devils Backbone Outpost Brewery, which ensures a consistent product year-round.