Top Story Roots of resilience against the drought BILL WYATT Martinsville Bulletin Jul 31, 2026 Jul 31, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Nearly seven years ago, a field of flowers on Tim Service’s Patrick County farm offered a vivid sign that something new was taking root.kAmpE E96 E:>6[ $6CG:46 H2D 2 DA64:2=:K65 BF66?\366 AC@5F46C 9@A:?8 E@ 6DE23=:D9 2? 24C6 @7 A@==:?2E@C 923:E2E] (:E9 96=A 7C@> E96 ':C8:?:2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 u@C6DECJ 2?5 E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6’D }2EFC2= #6D@FC46D r@?D6CG2E:@? $6CG:46[ E96 :562 8C6H :?E@ 2 A=2? E92E C624965 24C@DD E96 72C>]k^Am Tim Service began his farm as a specialized queen-bee producer, hoping to establish an acre of pollinator habitat. BILL WYATT, Martinsville Bulletin kAmr2EE=6 H6C6 76?465 2H2J 7C@> DEC62>D] p=E6C?2E:G6 H2E6C D@FC46D H6C6 :?DE2==65] %C66D 2?5 D9CF3D H6C6 A=2?E65 E@ 96=A 7:=E6C CF?@77[ 2?5 ?2E:G6 H2C>\D62D@? 8C2DD6D H6C6 6DE23=:D965 E@ AC@G:56 7@C286 7@C =:G6DE@4< 2?5 923:E2E 7@C H:=5=:76]k^Am People are also reading… Families get $800,000-plus in Franklin County housing discrimination case James Franklin delivers in debut as Virginia Tech routs VMI JMU football holds on to claim first win under Billy Napier Local immigration arrests, like ones in Franklin County, allowed to continue Franklin County moves ahead to replace Mike Meredith, despite crowd's disapproval Virginia Tech's Franklin: Hokies focus on toppling crown Franklin County man guilty of possessing AI-generated child porn UVa forecast predicts loss of 18,050 jobs in Va. this year Cortez Harris feels 'like a real Hokie' after stellar debut Franklin County leaders cleared of misconduct following residents' complaint David Hoffmann: Local news can bring communities together Hungry for hoagies? Wawa opens first Roanoke-area location in Salem. Rocky Mount mayor makes divorce complaint public Hostage situation in Rocky Mount ends peacefully, man charged Virginia Tech football finalizes 2028 nonconference schedule kAm“#:89E ?@H[ x @?=J 92G6 `_ 4@HD[” $6CG:46 E@=5 E96 qF==6E:? :? ~4E@36C a_`h] “x’> ;FDE 86EE:?8 DE2CE65]”k^Am These are cows on the Service farm in 2019. BILL WYATT, Martinsville Bulletin kAm%9:D DF>>6C[ E9@D6 62C=J 492?86D 2C6 724:?8 E96:C >@DE 5:77:4F=E E6DE J6E]k^AmkAmp >F=E:J62C 5C@F89E 92D D92CA=J C65F465 A2DEFC6 2?5 92J AC@5F4E:@? 24C@DD ':C8:?:2] %96 5CJ DAC:?8 2CC:G65 5FC:?8 2 4C:E:42= 8C@H:?8 A6C:@5 7@C E96 4@@=\D62D@? 8C2DD6D E92E ?@C>2==J AC@G:56 42EE=6 H:E9 3@E9 DF>>6C 7@C286 2?5 H:?E6C 92J] u2C>6CD :? D@>6 2C62D 92G6 C6A@CE65 92J J:6=5D 72==:?8 3J 2D >F49 2D f_T[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 ':C8:?:2 %649 C6A@CE C6=62D65 yF=J `e]k^Am This is an aerial view of Tim Service’s farm in 2019. PHOTO BY TRAVIS BUNN kAmp82:?DE E92E 324<5C@A[ $6CG:46 DE:== 92D 6?@F89 7@C286 E@ 4@?E:?F6 >@G:?8 42EE=6 E9C@F89 9:D !2EC:4< r@F?EJ A2DEFC6D]k^Am kAm“|J 7:6=5D 2C6 DE:== 8C66?[ 2?5 x 42? >@G6 >J 42EE=6 E9C@F89[” $6CG:46 D2:5 :? E96 ':C8:?:2 %649 C6A@CE]k^Am This is the Service Farm in Meadows of Dan today. CAMDEN LITTLETON / Virginia Tech kAmp=E9@F89 E96 8C2DD 92D 8C@H? >@C6 D=@H=J E9:D J62C[ $6CG:46 D2:5 96 92D ?@E C624965 E96 A@:?E H96C6 96 92D E@ AFC492D6 92J @C C65F46 9:D 96C5 3642FD6 @7 E96 5C@F89E]k^AmkAm%96 C6DF=E 5:5 ?@E 4@>6 7C@> 2 D:?8=6 A=2?E:?8 @C 2 D:?8=6 4@?D6CG2E:@? AC@8C2>] sFC:?8 E96 A2DE D6G6? J62CD[ $6CG:46 92D 4@>3:?65 ?2E:G6 H2C>\D62D@? 8C2DD6D[ DF>>6C 2??F2= 7@C286 2?5 C@E2E:@?2= 8C2K:?8 32D65 @? C6D62C49 2?5 8F:52?46 7C@> ':C8:?:2 r@@A6C2E:G6 tIE6?D:@? 2?5 ':C8:?:2 %649’D p8C:4F=EFC2= #6D62C49 2?5 tIE6?D:@? r6?E6CD]k^Am kAm#@E2E:@?2= 8C2K:?8 :?G@=G6D >@G:?8 42EE=6 2>@?8 5:776C6?E D64E:@?D @7 A2DEFC6 C2E96C E92? 2==@H:?8 E96> E@ C6>2:? 4@?E:?F@FD=J @? E96 D2>6 8C@F?5] ~?46 2 D64E:@? 92D 366? 8C2K65[ :E :D 8:G6? E:>6 E@ C6DE 2?5 C64@G6C 367@C6 E96 42EE=6 C6EFC?]k^Am kAm}2E:G6 H2C>\D62D@? 8C2DD6D 2=D@ 7:== 2? :>A@CE2?E 82A] %96J >2<6 >@DE @7 E96:C 8C@HE9 5FC:?8 E96 962E @7 DF>>6C[ H96? 4@>>@?=J FD65 4@@=\D62D@? 8C2DD6D 92G6 D=@H65] %96:C 566A C@@E DJDE6>D 96=A E96> A6C7@C> 5FC:?8 5CJ H62E96C[ H9:=6 E96 FAC:89E A=2?ED 2?5 @A6? DA246D 36EH66? E96> AC@G:56 923:E2E 7@C 3@3H9:E6 BF2:= 2?5 @E96C 8C@F?5\?6DE:?8 3:C5D]k^Am kAm%9@D6 36?67:ED H6C6 A2CE @7 $6CG:46’D A=2? 7C@> E96 368:??:?8]k^Am kAmw:D @C:8:?2= A@==:?2E@C AC@;64E 6IA2?565 27E6C 4@?D6CG2E:@? DA64:2=:DED G:D:E65 E96 72C> 2?5 D2H 4FE@G6C E:>36C E92E 4@F=5 AC@G:56 923:E2E 7@C BF2:=] $6CG:46 6?C@==65 :? 2 AC@8C2> 96 42==65 “q667 2?5 q@3D[” FD:?8 ?2E:G6 8C2DD6D E92E 4@F=5 7665 3667 42EE=6 H9:=6 2EEC24E:?8 3@3H9:E6]k^Am This is Tim Service on his farm. BILL WYATT, Martinsville Bulletin kAm“x H@F=5 =:<6 E@ 86E BF2:= 324<[” $6CG:46 D2:5 :? a_`h] “(96? x H2D 2 <:5[ J@F FD65 E@ 962C E96> 2== E96 E:>6] x >:DD E92E]”k^Am kAm(92E 3682? 2D 2 AC@;64E 7@C 366D 2?5 3:C5D 2=D@ 492?865 9@H E96 72C> 92?5=6D H2E6C]k^AmkAm$6CG:46 D2:5 E96 2>@F?E @7 @C82?:4 >2EE6C :? 9:D D@:= 92D :?4C62D65[ 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 8C@F?5’D 23:=:EJ E@ 9@=5 C2:?72== C2E96C E92? =@D:?8 :E C2A:5=J E@ CF?@77 @C 6G2A@C2E:@?]k^AmkAm“%96D6 DEC2E68:6D 92G6 >256 2 EC6>6?5@FD 5:776C6?46[” 96 D2:5]k^AmkAm%92E 5:776C6?46 364@>6D 6DA64:2==J :>A@CE2?E H96? C2:? :D D42C46]k^Am kAm(96? 7@C286 364@>6D =:>:E65[ 42EE=6 42? 8C2K6 A=2?ED E@@ 4=@D6=J 367@C6 >@G:?8 @?] ':C8:?:2 %649 7@C286 DA64:2=:DE y@9? u:<6 D2:5 DEC6DD65 A2DEFC6D 42? 56G6=@A 32C6 DA246D[ =62G:?8 E96> >@C6 GF=?6C23=6 E@ H665D 2?5 6C@D:@? H96? 962GJ C2:? 6G6?EF2==J C6EFC?D] v:G:?8 8C2K65 2C62D E:>6 E@ C64@G6C 96=AD AC@E64E E96 A=2?ED 2?5 E96:C C@@E DJDE6>D]k^Am kAm%96 5C@F89E 92D ?@E 5:D2AA62C65 7C@> $6CG:46’D 72C>] w:D A2DEFC6D 2C6 8C@H:?8 >@C6 D=@H=J[ ;FDE 2D E96J 2C6 6=D6H96C6[ 2?5 E96 4@?E:?F65 =24< @7 C2:? C6>2:?D 2 4@?46C?]k^AmkAmqFE E96 72C> ?@H 92D >@C6 H2JD E@ H:E9DE2?5 E9@D6 4@?5:E:@?D]k^Am kAm$6G6? J62CD 28@[ $6CG:46’D 6IA6C:>6?E 4@F=5 36 D66? :? 2 7:6=5 @7 7=@H6CD[ ?6H=J :?DE2==65 76?4:?8 2?5 2 42EE=6 @A6C2E:@? E92E H2D ;FDE 368:??:?8]k^Am kAm%@52J[ :E :D G:D:3=6 :? 2 5:776C6?E 4@=@Ci 8C66?]k^AmkAm%96 7=@H6CD H6C6 E96 A2CE E92E E@@< J@FC 3C62E9 2H2J] %96 C@@ED 2C6 E96 A2CE 96=A:?8 E96 72C> 9@=5 @?]k^Am A blanketflower on the Service Farm. BILL WYATT, Martinsville Bulletin Bill Wyatt (276) 591-7543bill.wyatt@martinsvillebulletin.com@billdwyatt on X 0 comments Local Weather Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Watch Now: Related Video A1 Minute! August 31, 2026: High school football; Tecovas steps into Short Pump; Amazon's drone delivery coming to Richmond The 10 safest cities in the United States The 10 safest cities in the United States A1 Minute! August 24, 2026: RTD’s football preview; Virginia's hospitality industry awards; 25 Richmond-area companies make Inc. 5000 list A1 Minute! August 24, 2026: RTD’s football preview; Virginia's hospitality industry awards; 25 Richmond-area companies make Inc. 5000 list US depends on prison labor, but is slow to mandate fair conditions US depends on prison labor, but is slow to mandate fair conditions
A1 Minute! August 31, 2026: High school football; Tecovas steps into Short Pump; Amazon's drone delivery coming to Richmond
A1 Minute! August 24, 2026: RTD’s football preview; Virginia's hospitality industry awards; 25 Richmond-area companies make Inc. 5000 list
A1 Minute! August 24, 2026: RTD’s football preview; Virginia's hospitality industry awards; 25 Richmond-area companies make Inc. 5000 list
