My Story

Welcome to my blog! My name is Alicia Blackburn and I'm the face behind Faith, Farming, & Cattle. I'm a small-town girl from Southwest, Virginia who has a HUGE love and passion for agriculture. I received my undergrad in Agricultural Sciences majoring in Agribusiness from Texas A&M University-Commerce. My parents, brother, and I run a registered cow/calf operation raising Simmental, SimAngus, Shorthorn, and Shorthorn Plus cattle. Not only do we raise cattle, but we also sell hay, hay products (such as wrap, twine, etc.), and local beef to customers across Virginia and North Carolina.

How did my love for agriculture start? I will admit...it took a while for me to actually fall in love with it. To give you a little background, I'm a third-generation farmer. My great-grandparents (on both sides) and my grandparents were all dairy and beef farmers. So, it is safe to assume that agriculture was practically in my blood. At four, my parents bought a bottle calf off of my grandpa's dairy farm for my brother and I to take care of. They thought it would be a great way for me to get my feet wet in the industry and help me learn responsibility. Only problem was, I didn't really know what to think of her. I hated her rough tongue and the slobbery drool that would get all over me when she drank a bottle. Nevertheless, my parents were persistent, and we raised bottle calves for the next 10 years (we even raised 12 at once one year). Eventually, we would sell them at the market when they reach 800-1000 pounds. All throughout my childhood, I would spend time riding and shadowing my grandpa as he worked on the farm. I got exposed to milking, working cattle (vaccines, tags, etc.), and crop farming such as planting and chopping corn. Watching my grandpa on the farm was such an inspiration. You could tell he loved his work and was proud of it. He never let an obstacle such as a belt on the chopper breaking, a bad storm, or an outbreak of mastitis dappen his passion. The way he looks and treats his cows is with such love and compassion. Every cow matters to him. It was through this that my passion for the industry began to seep in.

During my pre-teen years, I began being more involved. I started showing registered beef cattle at 12. After my first show, I was hooked. Our barn in the backyard and the show ring became home to me. Throughout the summers, I showed at every county fair I could and at the Virginia Beef Expo faithfully each year. From showing, it launched my family's beef farm. It started with 5 heifers and slowly has grown to right around to 60-70 total head. At 16, I decided I wanted to start my own small her with the goal being to eventually raise a state champion through bettering genetics and proper nutrition. That year, I purchased my first purebred registered Shorthorn heifer and that was only the beginning. The following year, I bought 2 more. Every year my number grows.

You might be asking yourself, "What inspired her to start this blog?" The answer is simple...I love talking and teaching people about agriculture. Not everyone knows the story behind where their food comes from, how many different forms agriculture can take, or what farming involves. For those that do know, I have something here for you too! I will tackle current agriculture issues, concerns, and topics. In addition, I will keep you up to date regarding things on our farm. Later, I will provide more on my agriculture history, my plans since college, and the story behind the name of this blog. Also, I will be adding some recipes and spins off of classic dishes, so stay tuned! My ultimate goal is to one day be able to teach agriculture or professionally write for a company where I can further promote the agriculture industry.

Please, be sure to subscribe to my page. Feel free to drop a comment, piece of advice, or to share your story with me! I hope you will join me on this journey.