She’s a farmer. 4-H at her core. She knows 100 acres of land better than most know their own neighborhoods. Believe it. Every inch.
Cows, lambs, pigs, chickens, horses; Victoria White knows her livestock, too, and she’s hoping to stay on that very farm for years to come. See, Ms. White is the best-case scenario when it comes to the retention problem the Wheeling area has suffered for decades – she was graduated from Wheeling Park High School (a state champ swimmer, by the way) and went off to college like most do.
But then, she came home. On purpose. And with a purpose.
When White isn’t joining family members on renovating the family farmhouse, she’s continuing her education and working full-time at the Public Market as the vendor manager. In that position, she works with local and regional farmers to stock the coolers, freezers, shelves, and bins with seasonal produce, local meats, dairy, baked goods, honey, sauces, spices, and juices.
(Pstt … the fresh greens grown in East Wheeling … that’s what’s good this time of year.)
Victoria loves her home and she’s not afraid to explain why. She admits it fascinates her, from the beginning and the story since, and as an employee of Grow Ohio Valley, she’s involved with one of Wheeling’s biggest success stories over the last 10 years.
And it’s all been very intentional in a lucky kind of way, but she’ll explain that, too.
What do you prefer to stare at the most – the open sea or a sky full of stars?
I prefer to stare at a sky full of stars. My family farm has a vast hilltop that allows you to see miles of Blue Ridge mountains. In the Summer, it makes for perfect star gazing on warm nights. When my brothers and I were young, we would lay on the round balls during hay season and stare at the night sky for hours.
What items do people seem to buy most often at the Public Market?
At the Public Market, our customers usually buy local items like eggs, meats, produce, and shelf-stable items like maple syrup and honey reasonably often. We have a great selection of local and natural food products, but the draw of being a year-round farmers market entices people to purchase locally-made goods.
During this time of year, our customers purchase more local meats, greens grown by Grow Ohio Valley, and shelf-stable items like canned goods and prepared heat-and-eat meals.
The greens from Grow Ohio Valley are a huge draw right now, being grown and harvested fresh from the high tunnels at the urban farms in East Wheeling. Eating fresh greens like kale and spinach in January is incredible, and I am so thankful to offer that to our customers.
Idealist or realist?
I want to say that I am an idealist, but I’m absolutely a realist.
Years ago, a professor at WVU called me pragmatic because of how I explained something to the class. Since then, I have realized how intentional I am with my life goals and plans, just like my dad, who served in the U.S. Army and National Guard for 22 years and uses three-by-five index cards religiously to map out his life.
What are the top three reasons you decided to return home to Wheeling following your college years?
So, I was that teenager growing up who swore never to return to Wheeling. But, when COVID hit in 2020, I had to come home in March from WVU, and after school ended in May, I stayed. During the weeks of quarantine, I fell in love with being home again. It had been years since I explored Wheeling, and since it was during COVID, there was little exploring other than driving around, which I did a lot of during that time. Four years later, I have a completely different mindset about my hometown.
Here are my three reasons for deciding to return home:
1. The people: Whether you were raised here or are a transplant, you cannot deny that the people here are great. Of course, we have our flaws, as most small towns do, but if you are in a bind or need a hand, there is always someone there to help. The people of Wheeling are also resilient; we stick together in times of need and support each other.
2. The history: I am a huge history buff and have always been interested in Wheeling’s history. At Wheeling Park, I took Ryan Stanton’s History of Wheeling class and have been fascinated by it ever since. I believe knowing where you live and how that history affects the present and future is essential.
3. The future: A lot is happening in Wheeling right now, and I am excited to see how much change is made in Wheeling through the remainder of this decade. Wheeling has great people actively trying to make changes for the betterment of our community. There will be better opportunities for young people like myself in the coming years to make a life here comfortably and want to stay and not find opportunities elsewhere. I urge others to give this place a chance and have a more positive mindset about Wheeling and what it offers.
What do you love most about the city of Wheeling?
Talking to others and instantly making a connection. That connection could be having a shared fond memory of growing up going to Greco’s for the Friday night buffet or having a stranger come up to you and say, “You look familiar; who’s your mom?”
Of course, there are thousands of small towns where people have these connections, but there is something about Wheeling that feels unique and, may I say, better.
