Over the past 250 years, Montgomery County has cultivated more than crops. From early farmers experimenting with new ways to work the land to today's researchers developing new approaches to agriculture, medicine and biotechnology, the community has a long tradition of innovation.

When Montgomery County was established in 1776, agriculture was at the root of life and the economy in general. Farms provided food for families, supported local commerce and shaped the communities that developed throughout the county.

From the beginning, local farmers adapted to changing conditions, experimented with new methods and found new ways to preserve, process and sell what they produced. Over generations, the link between agriculture, education and scientific research was strengthened, eventually helping establish the foundation for one of the region's modern industries: bioscience.

Growing a Tradition of Innovation

By the 19th and early 20th centuries, agriculture in Montgomery County continued to advance.

The county's farmers benefited from the presence of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College—now Virginia Tech—which was established in Blacksburg in 1872 as Virginia's land-grant institution. Agricultural research and education became an important part of the university's mission, creating a connection between Montgomery County's farms and scientific discovery.

Dairy farming grew significantly during this period, supported by improved transportation. By the 1930s, the county had dairy processing operations, including the VPI Creamery in Blacksburg and a cooperative cheese factory at Lusters Gate.

The agricultural education movement that produced Future Farmers of America (FFA) has strong ties to Virginia Tech. In 1925, Virginia Tech agricultural educators Walter S. Newman, Edmund Magill, Henry Groseclose and Harry Sanders founded the Future Farmers of Virginia. The organization became the model for the national FFA, established in 1928.

Preserving the Harvest

One example of Montgomery County's agricultural ingenuity is that of community canneries.

Canning became an important way for local families to preserve their harvest and make the most of what they grew. Community canneries provided equipment, expertise and a shared space where citizens could process fruits and vegetables that might otherwise go to waste.

The Riner Community Cannery is one example of this tradition.

During World War II, members of the Auburn community worked to transform a log cabin into a community facility. When construction funding ran short, community leaders found another purpose for the building: a cannery. Equipment was obtained through the Rural War Production Training program, and local residents taught one another how to grow and prepare vegetables for preservation. The facility became an important community resource, remaining heavily used for decades.

The Montgomery County community cannery tradition continued for generations. In the 1990s, the Blacksburg Community Cannery had been operating for approximately 40 years, with residents preserving thousands of jars of food each year from local gardens, farmers markets and orchards.

The history of local canning is being preserved and explored in the Montgomery Museum of Art and History's 2026 exhibition, A Useful Art: Canning in Montgomery County, which examines the technological, social and cultural history of canning and includes oral histories from Montgomery County residents who participated in local community canneries.

From Fields to Research Labs

Today, agriculture remains an important part of Montgomery County.

The county encompasses nearly 248,000 acres, with more than 100,000 acres classified as farmland. The 2022 Census of Agriculture recorded nearly $30 million in agricultural product sales in Montgomery County.

However,  modern agriculture looks very different from the agriculture of 1776—or even 1976.

Technology, environmental science, data, genetics and engineering are increasingly part of farming and food production.

Virginia Tech's College Farm encompasses approximately 3,000 acres in the Blacksburg area, including historic Kentland Farm along the New River. The farm supports teaching, research and Cooperative Extension programs involving crops, livestock, environmental concerns, sustainable agriculture, natural resources and improved agricultural efficiencies.

On Virginia Tech's Blacksburg campus, researchers are also working at the intersection of agriculture and bioscience.

Agricultural research has become increasingly data-driven and technology-focused, but its purpose remains familiar: helping people produce more efficiently, protect natural resources and solve problems.

A Revolutionary Bioscience Community

The county’s spirit of innovation in agriculture extends to the field of bioscience. The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center is a major research and innovation hub in Blacksburg, connecting Virginia Tech research with entrepreneurs and private industry. Today, the research center's more than 230-acre Blacksburg campus is home to more than 220 companies and approximately 3,500 employees.

Among those companies and research organizations are businesses working in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, regenerative medicine, diagnostics, bioinformatics and other life-science fields.

The foundation of bioscience in Montgomery County has been built in part through Virginia Tech’s research initiatives, which include the Virginia‑Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Science, and numerous engineering programs.

From roots in agricultural revolution that helped shape Montgomery County's early history to the revolutionary science and technology emerging today, the community's constant has been innovation.

For 250 years, Montgomery County has been planting seeds for the future. Now, those seeds are reaping discoveries that reach far beyond our community.