Seven & The Showman at Harvue Farm
Story by Camden Littleton
For more than 75 years, the Hardesty family has been a cornerstone of Virginia dairy farming — steadfast in tradition while always looking toward the future. They’ve been a part of the Maola cooperative since 1949, and today their operation includes 350 registered Holsteins, 750 acres under stewardship, and a decade-long streak earning the highest milk quality premium from the Maryland & Virginia Milk Cooperative. Yet, on a sunny summer morning in Berryville, the future of that legacy isn’t measured by milk production, acreage, or awards. It stands in the barn aisle in the form of a 10-year-old 4-H’er from Clarke County named James Hardesty and a red-and-white Holstein called Seven.
James is the fifth generation of his family to call Harvue Farm home. Like many farm kids, he can climb onto a tractor, help bale hay, and talk cattle genetics with confidence. But his favorite place is alongside Seven, the winter yearling heifer he’s spent countless hours halterbreaking, grooming, and showing. To outsiders, Seven is an impressive animal with the pedigree to compete on national stages. To James, she’s something far simpler. “She’s nice to me,” he says with a grin. “But she doesn’t like other people.”
That bond has already carried the pair far beyond Clarke County. Together, James and Seven have competed in major dairy shows across the country, including the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin — the Super Bowl of the dairy industry. There, they earned top honors that many exhibitors spend years pursuing. But ask James about championships and ribbons, and the conversation quickly turns back to his cow. Though they have found their groove, their success wasn’t instant; at first, Seven wasn’t easy to work with. Like many young cattle, she needed consistency and to develop trust. For James, learning those skills became part of the journey. “You have to be patient and work with her a lot,” he says. “She taught me how to be a better showman.”
“She taught me how to be a better showman.” –James Hardesty
His grandmother, Debbie Hardesty, knows a thing or two about raising both cattle and young exhibitors. Long before James entered the show ring, she was building opportunities for other children to do the same, as a 4-H volunteer. More than 30 years ago, Debbie began welcoming local youth to Harvue Farm to learn about dairy cattle and showmanship. What started with a handful of children has grown into a summer program serving more than 30 youth each year, many of whom return long after they’ve aged out to mentor younger exhibitors.
A former 4-H All Star, the highest honor a 4-H’er can receive, and an accomplished dairy showwoman herself, Debbie understands the thrill of competition. She showed prize-winning cattle, earned success at the Ohio State Fair, and later watched a cow bred by the family become a two-time World Dairy Expo champion. Yet when asked what matters most, she rarely talks about banners or trophies. Instead, she talks about building confidence in kids: the shy child who learns to lead a calf into the ring; the youngster who discovers the value of hard work; the exhibitor who learns responsibility by caring for an animal every day. “Not everybody’s going to have the best calf,” Debbie says. “But everybody needs to go home with something they’re not going to forget.”
That philosophy is apparent in James. Despite competing on national stages, he still talks about Seven with the uncomplicated affection of a child who values friendship before prestige. When asked what Seven would say if she could talk, his answer comes instantly: “She’d say I’m really nice. And that we’re best friends.”
In an industry where success is measured across generations, that connection may be the most important achievement of all. At Harvue Farm, the future isn’t simply being raised — it’s being mentored by grandparents, guided by parents, and shaped by the daily responsibility of caring for animals. James’ parents, Matt and Ashley Hardesty, are continuing that tradition, ensuring the values passed down through generations remain strong.
“She’d say I’m really nice. And that we’re best friends.” –James Hardesty
The Hardesty legacy is built on family, good cattle, and exceptional dairy farming. But even more, it’s found in a young showman learning the same lessons his family has carried for generations: patience, stewardship, hard work, and the understanding that the best partnerships are built one day at a time.
The 71st Annual Clarke County Fair will be held August 9 through 16, 2026, at the Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds in Berryville, Virginia. The fair celebrates agriculture, community, and youth programs, with strong 4-H and FFA participation. ML
Published in the August 2026 issue of Middleburg Life.