Small Farm Outreach Program Celebrates Innovation, Legacy and Leadership at 2025 Annual Conference
The Virginia Cooperative Extension Small Farm Outreach Program (SFOP) at Virginia State University (VSU) hosted the annual Small Farm Outreach Conference in Norfolk, Virginia, on Thursday, October 16, and Friday, October 17, 2025. This year, VSU’s SFOP, which provides year-round support, outreach and learning opportunities for small and innovative farmers for production management, financial and risk management, marketing, USDA assistance programs and more, partnered with the Minority Landowners Magazine in honor of their 20th anniversary. Together, they hosted guest speakers and provided educational tours and breakout sessions for farmers, ranchers, and rural and urban landowners, for two days of networking, celebration and education designed to help grow their farming enterprises.
This conference provides an annual opportunity for attendees to hear about available resources, smart business strategies, and successful production practices, and to interface with representatives from sponsors, the USDA and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In Virginia’s dynamic agricultural landscape, the conference remains an important space for learning and building relationships. As always, the conference concluded with the annual SFOP awards ceremony, honoring the winners of the SFOP Star Award, the Small Farmer of the Year and the Program Assistance of the Year.
The Small Farm Outreach Program Star Award: Eddie Allen
This year’s SFOP Star Award recognized Eddie Allen, Field Technician and CDL Driver with SFOP, whose spirit, teamwork and commitment embody the very best of the program. Known for his steadfast service and reliability, Allen has “helped keep our mission moving one mile, one farm, and one farmer at a time.”
Small Farmer of the Year, First Honoree: Sharon Creekmore Mosley
The Small Farmer of the Year Award celebrates exceptional farmers who demonstrate innovation, leadership, and a commitment to advancing the success of small farms. The 2025 recipient, Sharon Creekmore Mosley, has deep, personal roots in farming.
“I am a third-generation farmer here at Creekmore’s Place on Indian River Road in Virginia Beach,” Mosley said. Her parents farmed the land, and her father farmed additional land in the area. “We always had a produce stand,” Mosley says, “but when my parents passed away, we stopped farming because there was no one to farm with that knowledge. My husband and I retired some years ago, and we decided we wanted to farm like my dad, which brought us back here.”
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Her husband, Dion Mosley, added: “Sharon’s father started farming in the early 60s, and she grew up in it all her life. When we retired, we came back here and went right back to work where he started. We’ve been working nonstop since 2017.”
SFOP Regional Program Assistant Ben Dukes has worked with the couple during their journey, and praised their dedication to hands-on farming: “They use what’s called the 2T10 method—two hands, tools, and 10 fingers. They plant most of their crops by hand; they don’t use a planting machine or a seeder. They actually dig the holes and place the plants in the soil one by one.”
Reflecting on her journey, Sharon shared, “It’s a full circle back to where we started—where my parents started.”
Small Farmer of the Year (Second Honoree): Cornell “Brick” Goldman
A second Small Farmer of the Year Award was presented to Cornell “Brick” Goldman of Charlotte County, VA.
“I got into farming because that’s how I grew up,” Goldman said. “We were out in the fields when other kids were playing basketball and baseball. As I grew older, I developed a love for it. My love of farming came from seeing stuff grow. You plant a little watermelon seed, and then 80-90 days later, you go out there, and you’ve got a 25-pound watermelon worth bragging about. It’s amazing to see things grow.”
Goldman, a Virginia Tech alumnus and former Extension agent, credits VSU’s SFOP with helping him adopt new technologies and equipment to improve his vegetable production. One of his proudest accomplishments has been establishing the Southside Virginia Fruit and Vegetable Producers Association (SVFVPA), a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit of farmers working together to promote and expand commercial vegetable and fruit production in rural areas of the Commonwealth. This collaborative effort helps small farm operations grow and become more profitable, and meet the volume demands of large buyers.
“Food Lion wants volume,” Goldman explained. “When they say, ‘I want cucumbers from you,’ they don’t want 10–20 boxes. They want 300–400 boxes a week. By coming together as a group, we’re able to pool our resources, talents, and production capabilities to meet those needs.”
Program Assistant of the Year, First Honoree: Michael Carter Sr.
The Program Assistant of the Year Award honors a staff member who goes above and beyond in service to farmers. The 2025 award was presented to Michael Carter Sr., who supports farmers across nearly 10 counties, from Carolina County up to Loudoun and Fairfax in Northern Virginia.
“I’m a sixth or seventh generation farmer on Carter Farms, which is about 125 acres,” Carter said. “I work with VSU’s SFOP, and as I meet individuals with an interest in agriculture—plants, animals, flowers, fruit, vegetables—it gives me great pleasure to introduce them to the SFOP,” he said. He encourages newcomers to begin with the SFOP orientation workshop, which connects them with agricultural agencies and resources. “When individuals get into agriculture at the small scale, it’s work—it’s not a hobby.”
Program Assistant of the Year, Second Honoree (posthumous): Leonard Elam Jr.
The final honor of the ceremony, the second Program Assistant of the Year Award, was presented posthumously to Mr. Leonard Elam Jr., commemorating his distinguished service and lifelong dedication to small farmers throughout Virginia.
Mr. Elam was a cornerstone of the SFOP, known for his hands-on guidance, practical solutions, and unwavering encouragement. His family accepted the award on his behalf, and VSU’s College of Agriculture expressed its deepest gratitude and honored the life, service, and lasting contributions and impact of Mr. Elam.
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