Robert Respess of Twin Springs Farm at Foster was among several Mathews farmers interviewed last week for a “County Close-up” segment on Farm Bureau’s “Real Virginia” television program.

“County Close-up” highlights agricultural operations in one Virginia county each month from March to December. Farm Bureau’s video producer Burke Moeller visited the county last Thursday and Friday, saying his job is to “go out and tell farmers’ stories.”

He was slated to visit not only Respess but also the farm of Ronnie and Donnie Lewis at Cobbs Creek, Jordan Podd of the Rigby Island Oyster Company, and VCE Agriculture and Natural Resources Associate Extension Agent Frank Long, and to check out a couple of mushroom farms, a flower farm, and an oyster seed growing business.

Respess told Moeller that he farms around 1,000 acres of land total, some of which he owns and some of which he rents. His family and good friends help out with the farm, he said, raising around 300 acres of corn and 450 ...