Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 57 Warrenton, VA Post Office Box 460 • Warrenton, VA 20188 www.pecva.org CULPEPER A World Away Farm, LLC 16080 Newby’s Shop Rd Elkwood Katherine Iacovelli (240) 626·3488 [email protected]Sells on-site Free-Range Chicken Eggs, Non-GMO Amish grain with no pesticides, Limited Seasonal vegetables, Timothy Hay AnteSEEDent Barry Bader [email protected]Sells at Culpeper Farmers Market Seasonal Heirloom Vegetables, Hardneck Garlic, Seedlings in Spring Bart & Sarah’s at Great Oak Farm 16034 Little Fork Church Rd Rixeyville Sarah Mobius (540) 687·1265 [email protected]www.bartandsarahs.com Sells chicken directly from farm— individual sales and CSA shares Freedom Ranger Slow-Grown Pastured Poultry, Eggs from Pastured Hens, Seasonal Produce Bountiful Acres, LLC 14294 Browntown Road Culpeper (540) 827·4754 [email protected]Sells onsite (call first), Culpeper Farmers Market Pastured Poultry, Free-Range Eggs, Pork Cibola Farms 10075 Stone Bridge Road Culpeper Rob Ferguson & Mike Sipes (540) 212·9455 [email protected]www.cibolafarms.com Sells on-site (Fri-Mon 9 AM-5 PM), online, farmers markets Buffalo Meat, Free-Range Pork, Sausages, and Jerky, Dog Food Clover Hill Farm 10109 Clover Hill Lane Rixeyville Christina M Stockton (540) 937·5961 [email protected]Sells on-site (Daily 9 AM-5 PM), Cul- peper Farmers Market, CFC Home and Farm Market on Wednesday Eggs, Cut Flowers, Purebred Berkshire Pork, Angus Beef Corvallis Farms 14303 Chesterfield Lane Culpeper Terry Osborn (540) 718·4830 [email protected]www.corvallisfarms.com Sells at Culpeper Farmers Market or Call/Email for Special Orders Specialty Greens (spinach, lettuce and over 30 varieties of mesclun greens), Heirloom Tomatoes, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Fresh Cut Flowers, Homemade Jams Countless Blessings Farm 22126 Highland Rd Culpeper Daniel & Michaela Chiles (540) 878·0013 [email protected]Find us on Facebook On Farm Mon-Sat 8 AM-6 PM, The Marque Farmers Market on Thursdays 2 PM-6 PM Pork, Pastured Chicken, Pastured Turkey, Brown and Green Chicken Eggs, Homemade Breads, Pet Bunnies Croftburn Farm Culpeper Meg and Andrew Campbell (540) 825·9044 www.croftburnfarm.com [email protected]Sells by Phone and Email All natural, Dry-aged Black Angus Beef and Lamb (Custom cut, Whole, halves and quarters, Grass-finish and Grain-finish available), Pastured Eggs, Honey, Washable Sheepskin Fleeces Full Moon Farm, LLC 13632 Major Brown Drive Sperryville Michael & Susan Frank (540) 547·3639 [email protected]www.fullmoonfarm.net Sells Leesburg Farmers Market, Messick’s Farm Market, Whole Foods Charlottesville A large culinary variety of USDA certified organic, food grade essential oils, herbal extract sprays, dried herbs, spices and potted plants. Organic food grade Skin Care Products. Honey Brook Farms 19030 Bel Pre Road Brandy Station The Wilkes Team (540) 825·8375 [email protected]www.honeybrookfarms.com Sells on-site (call ahead), Farmers Markets (Leesburg Saturday, Alexandria/Del Ray, Mt. Vernon, Stone Ridge Market, One Loudoun/Ashburn, Reston Wednesday), Year-round drop-offs available (incl. to Haymarket) Seasonal Certified Naturally Grown Produce, RAW honey, 100% Grass Fed & Finished Beef & Lamb, Pasture Raised Non-GMO Chicken (incl. organic fed, CNG Chicken), Eggs, Turkey, & Pork, Grafted Apple Trees, Whole Grain & No- Gluten Baked Goods. Loose Leaf Organic Tea, Farm-made natural lip balms & salves. See website for complete list! Lakota Ranch Farm Store 9272 Big Horn Road Remington Caroline Shrewsbury (540) 848·5298 [email protected]www.lakotareddevons.com Sells on-site, Wednesday- Sunday, 10 AM-6 PM Grass-fed Devon Beef, Pasture- Raised Pork, Home Goods Lindera Farms Vinegars P.O. Box 1002 Marshall Daniel Liberson (703) 967·1571 [email protected]www.Linderafarms.com Find us on Facebook Sells at The Whole Ox, The Home Farm Store, The Organic Butcher, Glen’s Garden Market Mulberry, Elderflower and Honey Vinegars Morningside Farm and Nursery 7855 Griffinsburg Road Boston George & Karen Mosebrook (540) 547·3726 [email protected]www.morningsidefarmandnursery.com Find us on Facebook Sells on-site, Farmers Markets and at Plant Shows Herbs, Perennials, Annuals, Native Plants, Grasses, Trees and Shrubs FARMS 2016 FOOD GUIDE FRESH FOODS FROM LOCAL FAMILY FARMS NORTHERN PIEDMONT CULPEPER, FAUQUIER, MADISON, ORANGE & RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTIES Cheese & Dairy Meat Poultry/ Eggs Specialty Products U-Pick Produce Community Supported Agriculture PATH Foundation: Enhancing the health and vitality of our community T he PATH Foundation is a charitable grantmaking organization located in Warrenton with a focus on health and vitality. It was created in November 2013 through a joint venture between Fauquier Health and LifePoint Hospitals. With assets of $200 million, the PATH Foundation (formerly Fauquier Health Foundation) is in a position to have a significant impact on its service area—Fauquier, Rappahannock and northern Culpeper Counties. Early in the process of organizing the foundation, Fauquier Health and the PATH Foundation partnered to conduct a community health needs assessment to identify existing health priorities, note service gaps and determine where the foundation can turn its focus to support the health and vitality of the community. The assessment determined the PATH Foundation’s four areas of focus— access to care, childhood wellness, mental health and senior services. Since its inception, the PATH Foundation has provided more than $2 million in grants to over 50 organizations (including The Fauquier Education Farm, see story on page 11). Learn more about PATH Foundation at www.pathforyou.org. Photo by Diana Cowdery What is a CSA? A CSA is a farm that grows for a group of families. Members join before the season begins and receive a weekly basket of farm products. Look for the icon!
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
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Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage
PAIDPermit No. 57 Warrenton, VA Post Office Box 460 • Warrenton, VA 20188
www.pecva.org
CULPEPER
A World Away Farm, LLC16080 Newby’s Shop RdElkwood
Sells at Culpeper Farmers Market or Call/Email for Special OrdersSpecialty Greens (spinach, lettuce and over 30 varieties of mesclun greens), Heirloom Tomatoes, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Fresh Cut Flowers, Homemade Jams
Countless Blessings Farm22126 Highland RdCulpeper
Daniel & Michaela Chiles(540) 878 · [email protected] us on Facebook
On Farm Mon-Sat 8 am-6 pm, The Marque Farmers Market on Thursdays 2 pm-6 pm
Pork, Pastured Chicken, Pastured Turkey, Brown and Green Chicken Eggs, Homemade Breads, Pet Bunnies
Sells by Phone and EmailAll natural, Dry-aged Black Angus Beef and Lamb (Custom cut, Whole, halves and quarters, Grass-finish and Grain-finish available), Pastured Eggs, Honey, Washable Sheepskin Fleeces
Full Moon Farm, LLC13632 Major Brown DriveSperryville
PATH Foundation: Enhancing the health and vitality of our community
The PATH Foundation is a charitable grantmaking organization located in
Warrenton with a focus on health and vitality. It was created in November 2013 through a joint venture between Fauquier Health and LifePoint Hospitals. With assets of $200 million, the PATH Foundation (formerly Fauquier Health Foundation) is in a position to have a significant impact on its service area—Fauquier, Rappahannock and northern Culpeper Counties.
Early in the process of organizing the foundation, Fauquier Health and the PATH Foundation partnered to conduct a community health needs assessment to identify existing health priorities, note service gaps and determine where the foundation can turn its focus to support the health and vitality of the community.
The assessment determined the PATH Foundation’s four areas of focus—access to care, childhood wellness, mental health and senior services.
Since its inception, the PATH Foundation has provided more than $2 million in grants to over 50 organizations (including The Fauquier
Education Farm, see story on page 11). Learn more about PATH Foundation at www.pathforyou.org.
Phot
o by
Dia
na C
owde
ry
What is a CSA? A CSA is a farm that grows for a group of families. Members join before the season begins and receive a weekly basket of farm products.Look for the icon!
Terry Osborn / Tim & Tracy Brown(540) 827 · 7654 / (540) 718 · [email protected]
Sell by CSA: a convenient weekly drop of point will be designatedShare may include: Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Green Beans, Sugar Snap Peas, Garlic, Potatoes, Summer Squashes, Eggplant, Herbs, Spinach, Lettuce and other greens, Edamame, Beets, Flowers and Jam
CSA, Sells on-site (by appt.), Lamb available at The Ole Country StoreFrozen Lamb Cuts, Whole Freezer Lambs, 25 to 100lb Beef Packages, Eggs, Greenhouse Lettuce and Kale
Products available year round at the Home Farm Store in Middleburg, VA, at Hunter’s Head Tavern in Upperville, VA, online, and in many other local restaurants and independent markets.Best known for certified organic, Certified Humane®, Non-GMO, heritage breed meats and poultry, Ayrshire Farm produces chicken and turkey, beef, veal, pork and eggs. Home Farm Store provides customers with the best of local and sustainable gour-met foods including sustainably harvested seafood, local beers, wines and ciders, jams & jellies, chocolates, cheeses, produce, oven-ready meals, desserts, diet-restricted foods and unique host and hostess gifts.
Have you always wanted a vegetable garden, but don’t want to till under your lawn? Step out of the comfort zone of traditional
landscaping and try incorporating edible landscaping into your existing ornamental beds. The edible plants in this list add a spotlight to only a few of the amazing plants that could work for you.
1 Blueberry containers are bountiful! Peach Sorbet blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Peach Sorbet’), is a dwarf compact shrub best adapted to patio containers.
2 Fruit tree espaliers are especially nice! Add one along a wall or fence to artistically incorporate fruit next to your house.
3 Try adding culinary herbs surrounding stone pavers to create a living walkway! Variegated Lemon Thyme (Thymus vulgaris ‘Variegated Lemon’) can tolerate light foot traffic.
4 The otherworldly Globe Artichoke (Cynara scolymus) adds interest to your planting beds! Its exotic, glaucous gray-colored foliage will be a conversation starter.
5 For pops of bold color try Bright Lights Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla ‘Bright Lights’). This rainbow colored cultivar of Swiss chard is a nutrient dense leafy green with brightly colored stems.
Now, you can look at your landscape with a new perspective, visualizing all of the edible landscaping possibilities. By paring appropriate edible plants with ornamentals, you can achieve a more sustainable and literally tasteful edible landscape. The Fauquier County Master Gardener help desk would love to answer plant specific questions. Contact us at (540) 341-7950 x1 or [email protected].
Top 5 Edible Landscaping Ideas
Photo by Kae Yowell
FARMS
FRUIT & VEGETABLE AVAILABILITY CALENDAR
In addition to the standard fruit and vegetables you see on this chart, Northern Piedmont area farmers and farmers markets offer an even broader variety of produce to pick from. Explore your farmers’ websites and other online sites to find recipes that might appeal to your family.
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DECApples
Asparagus
Blackberries
Blueberries
Broccoli
Cantaloupe
Cucumbers
Grapes
Green Beans
Green Peppers
Greens/Spinach
Nectarines
Peaches
Pumpkins
Raspberries
Squash
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Tomatoes
Watermelons
BuyLocalVirginia.orgCelebrating 10 years of Buy Fresh Buy Local!
Dark Hollow Farm 11509 Old Markham RdKelley Walker
Delivery Locations in Gainesville, Reston, Manassas, Warrenton, Ashburn, Vienna, Occoquan, Charlottesville, Culpeper and Fredericksburg. New delivery locations added by request.Non-GMO Eggs, milk-fed pork, dairy bull calves for beef or 4H. Raw Milk Herdshares from 100% registered Guernsey cows tested positive for the A2 protein.
Green Truck Farm3015 Hartland LaneMarkham
Brian Green (540) 316 · 7715 [email protected] www.greentruckfarms.comFind us on Facebook
Sells on-site PYO, 9 am-5 pm, Call before coming Strawberries, Blueberries, Black & Red Raspberries, Blackberries, Tomatoes, Pumpkins/Winter Squash
The Green Thumb—Days Hill Farm14694 Days Hill LaneSumerduck
Sells On-Site at entrance to Hartland Orchard, 3205 Hartland Lane, Markham, VA 22643Sweet Corn, Tomatoes, Pumpkin, honey, jams, jellies, salsas and other products in season, including Christmas trees
We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners of our 2015 School and Community Garden Awards! The competition recognizes gardens that celebrate the relationship between nature, food and community. And, as always, deciding the winners among such a wonderful group of gardens was a difficult task.
It was wonderful to see such a diversity of applications from around our region. We had schools, community organizations and neighborhoods highlight their gardens. It’s exciting to learn about innovative programs and see stronger communities built around these gardens.
Thank you to everyone who applied to the 2015 competition! Our next round of School and Community Garden Awards will be held in 2017. So until then, happy gardening!
Visit pecva.org/gardens for more information.
Garden Awards!
The gardens that received the $500 Award include:
Fifth Street Community Garden CHARLOTTESVILLE
Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School Garden Classroom
LEESBURG
The gardens that received the $300 Award include:
New Roots Community Garden CHARLOTTESVILLE
Round Hill United Methodist Church GrOwen Garden
PURCELLVILLE
The Fifth Street Community Garden currently has 18 plots and is managed by participants from the Prospect neighborhood. Photo courtesy of Fifth Street Community Garden.
By Jessica Palmer
Time to plant your garden! Order seeds through Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and support PEC.
Thirty percent of the proceeds go to our Buy Fresh Buy Local program when you purchase these seed packages:
Welcome-to-the-Garden Pollinator Collection: Support your pollinators with this special collection of 12 old-fashioned single-blossomed heirloom, open-pollinated flowers and herbs.
Virginia Heritage Seed Collection: A specially priced collection of 12 varieties rich in flavor and history, all associated with Virginia and the Appalachians.
Rainbow Starters Mix: A colorful mix of 10 easy-to-grow flowers and vegetables, great for families and for beginning gardeners.
Sells on-site (by appt.), onlineFine Fleece of Cormo and California Variegated Mutant Wool, Angora and Mohair Hand Dyed Yarns, Natural Colored Yarns, Roving and Raw Fleece, also Lamb and Free Range Eggs
Over the Grass Farm6485 Rock Hill Mill RdThe Plains, VA
Sells at Manassas Farmers Market, CSA pick up from farm on Wednesdays, Local NOVA deliveries on TuesdaysFresh Farm Vegetables, Fruit, Culinary and Medicinal Herbs, Cut Flowers, Hops
Sells at farmers marketsVarious Salsas (Hot, Medium, Mild, Green Tomatillo, Pico de Gallo, Habanero)
Seven Oaks Lavender Farm8769 Old Dumfries RoadCatlett
Deborah Williamson(540) 272 · 7839www.sevenoakslavenderfarm.com Find us on Facebook
Sells on-site, online, Warrenton Old Jail Museum Gift Shop, Messick’s Farm MarketFresh and dried lavender flowers. Culinary lavender, teas, jams, honey, sachets, soap and more. Retail and wholesale.
Sells at the Park Visitor Center Monday - Friday 11 am-5 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10 am-5 pm
Jack o’lantern pumpkins and winter cooking squash for sale from the end of September through October. Pick-your-own pumpkin patch open during Fall Farm Days on October weekends. The historic vegetable garden at Sky Meadows is cultivated and tended by volunteers. Proceeds from the garden benefit the Friends of Sky Meadows.
Maple Avenue Market, The Plains Farmers Market,Va Herb Festival, OnlineHerbal Teas, Extracts, and Salves made from herbs grown on our 1/4 acre permaculture homestead
Sells to individuals & restaurants, please contact us to set up drop off/pick up of foods. Grass-fed Wagyu Beef, Range-free eggs, Red Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Carrots, Potatoes, Zucchini, Lettuce and other Seasonal Veggies
Sells On-site, OnlinePastured Pork by Whole or Half (free forging, fed sprouted, non-GMO, non-Soy, no chemicals, no drugs or steroids grains), Free-Range Eggs (non-vegetarian diet, with shepherding Rooster, fed non-GMO, non-Soy, no chemicals, no drugs or steroids grains)
Thistle Hill Farm12345 Crest Hill RoadHume
David Schoumacher(540) 364 · 2090www.thistlehill.netFind us on Facebook
Sells on-site by apptGrass-fed Devon Beef by Side, Quarter, and 15lb Variety Packs, Tamworth Pork by Whole, Sides, and 10lb Variety Packs.
Place the chicken either whole or cut into pieces in a stockpot, cover with water and add the vinegar. Simmer gently for 3-6 hours (or simmer overnight in a crockpot set to Low). Strain chicken pieces from broth and set the chicken aside to cool. Measure 5 cups of chicken broth into your stockpot and save extra broth for other recipes.
Wash fresh asparagus, trim ends and chop into 1 inch pieces. Add the asparagus and onions to the chicken broth and simmer, covered, until tender (5-10 minutes). Remove from heat and purée until smooth. Add the milk or cream and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with finely chopped chicken. Yields 6-8 servings.
We love simple recipes prepared with high quality fresh, local ingredients. Our family enjoys this creamy asparagus soup any
time of the year. It is a wonderful way to use asparagus that we have blanched and frozen. Homemade chicken broth has such rich wonderful flavor and is full of minerals.
Phot
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Ann
Cam
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Sie
gal
BuyLocalVirginia.orgCelebrating 10 years of Buy Fresh Buy Local!
FARMS
by Jess Palmer
Tucked down a long gravel driveway in Madison County sits a giant bright green greenhouse where just
six years ago there was no road, no well or electricity, and only a rough 4-wheeler trail. Fast forward to 2016 and you're looking at the heart of Robin Serne and Eason Burke's North Cove Mushrooms operation.
It took a full year to complete the green-house, from clearing trees and pouring the slab to raising and covering the custom-frame. "We've used special fiberglass insulation to make the greenhouse as insu-lated and energy efficient as possible—and we had to make giant needles to sew the pieces together," laughs Robin.
Currently, they buy inoculated mushroom logs and use their greenhouse for fruiting, but are clearing land for an expansion building where they would be able to prepare and inoculate mushroom-growing substrate themselves. Inside the warm, humid greenhouse sit racks and racks of beautifully fruiting mushroom logs—golden yellow and gray-blue oyster mushrooms, fluffy white lion’s mane and the unmistakable flat brown tops of shiitakes.
Growing mushrooms is a 24/7 job, from monitoring greenhouse temperature to closely watching fruiting so as not to miss prime harvesting time. “Mushrooms are very temperamental—one degree warmer and everything is ready to harvest a couple days early, one degree cooler and they’ll slow down and you could miss a market weekend,” explains Robin.
Robin and Eason also have a certified kitchen where they make prepared foods using their mushrooms, local produce from the farmers markets and organic ingredients. This year, they hope to expand and offer hot, prepared foods at local festivals.
You can find many of their creations at farmers markets around the region, including: raviolis, GFV SeaCakes, GFV southwestern shiitake black bean burgers, mushroom artichoke dip, shiitake sweet potato bisque soup, GFV mushroom broth, bottled Reishi Remedy herbal mushroom tea, mushroom salt mix, and medicinal mushroom tinctures.
Photo by Jess Palmer
North Cove MushroomsNorth Cove MushroomsVirginia Lowline Cattle
Company, LLCJeff Rash(540) 422 · 2009Find us on Facebook
Sells Years Round. On-farm sales. Dupont Circle Farmers MarketAll Natural, Grass-Fed Beef (Quarters, Halves, Entire Cow, Retail and Individual Cuts)
Walnut Hill Farm at Elm Spring LLCP. O. Box 1Sumerduck
Our Farm Store is open Monday-Friday 11 am-5 pm. We also have delivery drop points from the DC area to central Virginia—please check website for details and ordering.Pastured Chicken, Turkey, and Eggs; Free-foraging Pork. Non-GMO feeds. No chemicals/drugs. Wagyu and 100% Grass-fed Beef. On-Site Farm Store: We also sell our friends’ grassfed lamb, organic veggies, apples/sauce/cider, kombucha, soaked sourdough bread, wild salmon, Laconiko olive oil, raw honey, teas, balms, firecider, elderberry syrup, fermented cod liver oil, and soap from our pigs’ lard! Drop point for pasture-raised, raw milk!
Sells on-site Mon-Sat, Sunday afternoons, CSA, Bring the kids to see live animals!Seasonal Produce (tomatoes, sweet corn), Chicken and Duck Eggs, Dressed Rabbit, Baked Goods
Brightwood Vineyard and Farm1202 Lillards Ford RoadBrightwood
Susan & Dean Vidal(540) 717 · 2165info@brightwoodvineyardandfarm.comwww.brightwoodvineyardandfarm.com
Sells On-farm by appt, Local Retailers: The Ole Country Store & Bakery, Eden’s Natural Market, The Farm at Broad RunPastured & Woodland Raised Non-GMO Pork, Farm fresh brown eggs
Sells at Farmers Markets (Madison and Spotsylvania Rt 3), Farm Clubs, Retailers, WholesalersAll Natural Pork Sausage, Pork Chops, Baby Back Ribs, Loin Roasts, Bacon, All Natural Beef; Seasonal produce as available
NEWS FROM PEC
A view of PEC’s 141-acre property near Gilbert’s Corner in Loudoun County. Photo by Paula Combs
Social hour mingling at Parallel 38. Photo by Jess Palmer
Using Fire to Restore the Land
In 2013, PEC was given a 141-acre property at Gilbert's Corner in Loudoun County and set about
working to restore the property’s degraded streams, enhance wildlife habitat, and revitalize the agricul-tural use of the land. In the fall of 2016, PEC will work with Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) and Loudoun County Offices to conduct a prescribed burn on the prop-erty. The prescribed burn will help control invasive species (without the use of herbicides), put nutrients back into the soil, avoid soil com-paction that occurs when land is mechanically cleared, and facilitate management of the area for agricul-
tural production. As part of the farm restoration
work, PEC has enrolled in a cost-share program administered by the Loudoun Soil and Water Conserva-tion District that provides funding for fencing that will exclude live-stock from Howser’s Branch, which flows through the property, and creates a new drinking water source for the livestock. The project will improve water quality in Howser's Branch, provide clean water for livestock, and permit a rotational grazing plan that enhances pasture productivity. The southwestern corner of the property is set aside for wildlife habitat and includes a
low wetland area and plans for an upland pollinator meadow. Options are being explored to convert a 12-acre pasture into a native warm season grassland that could be grazed and provide habitat for grassland species. “One of our objectives in owning the property
at Gilbert’s Corner is to highlight stewardship practices local land-owners can undertake to restore a property’s agricultural produc-tivity and natural resources,” said Michael Kane, director of con-servation for PEC. “We hope that landowners will continue to follow the progress of the restoration on our property near Gilbert’s Corner, recognizing that public agen-cies—like DOF and others—offer a
variety of services that can cost-effectively help landowners achieve their agricultural and natural resource stewardship goals.”
“One of our objectives for the property that we were given near Gilbert’s Corner is to highlight stewardship practices local landowners can undertake to restore a property’s agricultural productivity and natural resources.”
— Michael Kane Director of Conservation for PEC
As part of land restoration efforts on PEC’s property near Gilbert’s Corner, a prescribed burn will be conducted on 20 acres of the conserved land. Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
To read the full article and follow our progress at Gilberts Corner, visit www.pecva.org.
By Paula Combs
By Paula Combs
Navigating Farmland Leasing
Increasing the local food supply and expanding opportunities for next-generation farm-
ers in the Piedmont depends on improving access to affordable farmland. Many Piedmont landown-ers are interested in expanding the agricultural use of their land, and many farmers are eager to partner with landowners through farmland leases. However, both landowners and farmland seekers say that it often proves very difficult to make these matches in Virginia.
The Piedmont Environmental Council is working to make farmland leasing easier and more widespread in the Piedmont. In the spring of 2015, we released the publication “Finding a Place to Grow: How the Next Generation is Gaining Access to Farmland.” The booklet included
eight profiles of successful farmland lease arrangements in Virginia.
PEC also held two workshops in the fall of 2015 for landown-ers and land seekers focused on farmland leasing. The workshops, one in Charlottesville and the other
in Middleburg, had the keynote address given by Kathy Ruhf, senior program director for Land For Good—an organization that helps farmers secure land in New Eng-land, as well as provide guidance to help farmers, landowners and
communities navigate the complex challenges of land access, tenure and transfer. Presentations by local Virginia attorneys with experience in the legal side of farmland leasing arrangements followed. A panel of farmers leasing land, landowners and service professionals rounded out the workshops with tips and advice for those seeking leasing arrangements.
PEC is excited to be hosting several other leasing workshops and events in 2016. The first event was held in Charlottesville in late March. This social hour style event gave landowners and land seekers an opportunity to meet and share information. Virginia Farm Link and the Virginia Certified Farm Seeker program were on hand to provide information on the resources they offer. We will be offering another workshop in Fauquier County in Summer 2016, and one in Loudoun County in Fall 2016.
Check our website, www.pecva.org/events, for up-to-date information on upcoming leasing events.
NEWS FROM PEC
www.BuyLocalVirginia.org
Search through these listings and more at our re-launched website
Farmer-Chef Express is a website that connects buyers and sellers of local food. Buyers such as restaurants, institutions and food pantries can post what they need. Farmers and other producers can post
what products they have available. It’s free and easy to use. Create a post or search for products today!
BuyLocalVirginia.org/farmerchef
BuyLocalVirginia.orgCelebrating 10 years of Buy Fresh Buy Local!
Mob Grazing in Rappahannock
The Piedmont region of Virginia has long been a pasture-based farming
area. Continuous grazing of land has lead to poor plant cover, soil compaction and weed pressure. Due to the environmental and economic impacts of overgrazing, it’s an important issue for agricul-tural and conservation groups. But changing an agricultural operation can seem risky to farmers, and some are wary of trying new pas-ture management practices.
In 2013, PEC and partners embarked on a project funded
by a grant from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. In cooperation with Virginia Coop-erative Extension, PEC is working with Michael Sands—the manager of Over Jordan Farm and owner of Bean Hollow Grassfed in Rap-pahannock County—to create a place where livestock producers can come see and evaluate different management practices and their effects on livestock health, weight gain, and soil and pasture health.
The previously overgrazed pastures of Over Jordan Farm are perfect for testing the effects of
rotational and multi-species graz-ing. These two techniques have been shown to improve the health of the land and livestock. Mike Sands manages a combination of cows and sheep on 110 acres of the farm. He plans to graze them on multiple fields with different management objectives, including native grasses for summer graz-ing, stockpiled fescue for winter strip-grazing, and improved and unimproved mixed grass pastures. “My goal is to have an ecosystem here that is productive, profitable, and full of wildlife,” says Sands.
Through biannual soil sam-pling, plant surveys, and continual time lapse photography of different pasture management practices, the project aims to offer insight on how mob and rotational grazing of sheep and cows can positively affect livestock health and farm profitability.
To learn more about the project, join one of our Field Day Pasture Walks on May 10, 2016 and August 2, 2016. More information
available on our website, www.pecva.org/events
THIS GUIDE IS A PUBLICATION OF THE
Piedmont Environmental CouncilPiedmont Environmental Council
The Piedmont Environmental Council works with citizens to keep Virginia’s Piedmont a wonderful place—by protecting beautiful and historic landscapes, building great communities, promoting
local farms and food, restoring natural resources, and connecting people with nature.
We are pleased to have helped citizens protect just over 387,000 acres in our nine-county region with voluntary conservation easements—one of the most dramatic private land conservation success stories in America.
Check out our website if you want to:
` learn about local and sustainable farming
` protect land
` build wildlife habitat where you live—from butterfly gardens to vast preserves
` make your home more energy efficient
` browse community events that can help you live more sustainably—or just get outdoors
` get involved in the issues shaping your local community
PEC is a non-profit grassroots organization supported by people who care about the Piedmont.
Become a member: www.pecva.org
Find us on twitter: @piedmontenviron
Photo by David Anhold
Michael Sands leading a Field Day. Photo by Jess Palmer
PEC field staff conducting fall sampling. Photo by Jess Palmer
By Jess Palmer
RETAILERSFARMERS MARKETS
CULPEPER
Culpeper Downtown Farmers Market brought to you by Culpeper Renaissance Corner East Davis and Commerce Streets Downtown Culpeper
Anna Maas(540) 347 · [email protected] 4- October 19, Wednesdays 7 am - 1 pm
Warrenton Saturday Farmers MarketSouth Fifth and Lee Streets (Municipal Parking Lot D on Lee Street) Warrenton
Anna Maas(540) 347 · [email protected] 16 - November 19, Saturdays, 7 am - Noon
MADISON
Madison County Farmers MarketHoover Ridge Park on Fairgrounds Rd. (Next to Madison Primary School)Madison
(540) 948 · [email protected] us on FacebookEarly Bird Market: April 23, 30, 8 am-12 pm; Summer Market: May 7-October 29, Saturdays 8 am - 12 pm; Holiday Market: November TBA, December 17 at Firehouse; Winter Markets: January 14, February 11, March 11 at 10 am weather permitting
Beech Spring Gift Shop11600 Lee Hwy, Sperryville(540) 987 · 8704www.beechspringgifts.com
Triple Oak Bakery11692A Lee Highway, Sperryville(540) 987 · 9122www.tripleoakbakery.com
Care About Local Food?
Join the conversation at
www.facebook.com/pecva
FAU Q U I E R CO U N T Y FA R M P R O D U C T & S E R V I C E S D I R E C TO R Y AT
www.fauquierag.com
Fauquier County Agricultural Development Department
Support for the marketing, promotion & preservation of Fauquier County Agriculture
Mark your calendars for the Annual Fauquier Fall Farm Tour,
October 8, 2016!
Saturday, October 1st & Sunday, October 2nd 2016 10 am until 4 pm
Visit our website to learn more: www.culpeperfarmtour.com
FARMS
BuyLocalVirginia.orgCelebrating 10 years of Buy Fresh Buy Local!
by Jess Palmer
Sylvie Rowand launched Laughing Duck Gardens & Cookery in 2008, first offering gardening workshops and
cooking lessons, then personal chef services, and now catering events large and small. Lacking a certified kitchen in her home, she has a ‘Have Knives, Will Travel’ approach to her business, preparing and cooking all meals in her clients’ kitchens.
Most important to Sylvie is providing her customers with the highest quality and freshest ingredients. For her, that means purchasing from local farms—and it depends on the location of her client for which farms she selects.
“If my client is in Rappahannock, I will buy in Rappahannock; if they are in Berryville, I will buy closer to there. I want my clients to know that I’m purchasing from a farm down the road from them so that they can continue to patron the farm even when I’m not the one cooking,” Sylvie explains.
Always on the look-out for new farms and
products, Sylvie leaves a Buy Fresh Buy Local guide in the backseat of her car and keeps a keen eye as she travels to and from clients’ homes. Meats and vegetables are easy to find, but items like organic fruit, dairy, grains and dried beans are more difficult to find locally.
Sylvie also has a small garden where she grows specialty vegetables, herbs, cane fruit, and edible flowers that she uses for her personal chef service and some small catering events.
“I’m not a farmer, but having a small garden makes me appreciate the effort local farmers put into growing their produce, and I can use those products in a meaningful way,” says Sylvie. “You’re supporting a small family farm, and the community you love. The only way to have the land look, and continue to look, this way is to support the people who work it.”
Using that philosophy, Sylvie has rooted herself and Laughing Duck Gardens & Cookery in the beauty and bounty the Virginia Piedmont provides.
Sells by CSA, On-Site Sun 1-5 pm & Mon 9-5 pm, Madison County Farmers Market Sat 8-12pm May – Oct.Seasonal Produce, Herb-Infused Oils, Jams and Jellies, Dried Herbs, Herbal Tinctures, Vegetable and Flower Plants
Rider’s Backfield Farm Beef, LLC6251 S. F.T. Valley RdEtlan
Robin Rider(540) 923 · 4036ridersbackfieldfarmbeef@hughes.netwww.ridersbackfieldfarmbeef.comFind us on Facebook
Sells at Madison County Farmer’s Market (8-12 pm) May – Oct. as well as the Madison County Holiday Markets Nov. – Dec. and Winter Markets Jan.- March. Beef available at Ole Country Store in Culpeper, in addition to On Farm sales by appointment only on Saturdays 2-5 pm, to restaurants, retailers, and caterers.Frozen or Fresh, 100% “grass-fed/with grain” finished beef (never feedlot confined, no feed antibiotics, no growth hormones), Natural Soap from our beef tallow.
Sells on-site by pre-order and scheduled pick-up, at Charlottesville City Market, Relay Foods, Greenwood Gourmet, Rebecca’s Natural Foods, Yoder’s County Market, local Charlottesville butcher J.M. Stock Provisions, and Specialty Grocers (see website)First beef cattle farm in Virginia to be certified by the American Grassfed Association and then by Animal Welfare Approved. These certifications assure our customers that our cattle are 100% grassfed on pastures year-round, receive no antibiotics or artificial hormones, consume hay made on our pastures without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides, and are born and raised on our farm while being treated ethically from conception to harvest.
U Pick Blueberries July-Aug. Closed Sunday. Call ahead for other products.Blueberries (U-Pick) Chemical Free, Lamb, Hair Sheep, Goat, Grass-fed beef – live or butchered no hormones or preventive antibiotics
Hunter’s Harvest at Greenbow Run Farm15188 Sassafras LaneOrange
Sells Seasonally On-Site and at Farmers Markets. Please check website for details.Seasonal Produce, U-Pick Tomatoes, Strawberries, Fresh Flowers, Watermelons, Pumpkins, and Fall Corn Maze
Sells on site by appt or other convenient locationsGrass-Fed Beef, Grass-Fed Lamb, Pastured Pork, Pork Sausage, Honey, Rambouillet & Leicester Longwool Yarn, Roving & Wool
Skyline Premium Meats, LLC25541 London LaneUnionville
Sells on-site by appointmentPasture raised Broiler Chickens various breed Laying Hens and Roosters. Pasture raised Chicken Eggs and Duck Eggs for Incubation
Sells individual retail cuts & whole/half orders out of Farm Store in Sperryville100% Grass-Fed & Grass-Finished Beef and Lamb, Pasture-Raised & Soy-Free/Corn-Free Pork, Pastured, Soy-Free Pork, Additional Products in Farm Store
Sells to Falls Church Farmers Market, Dupont Circle Market and Potomac Vegetable Farms CSA in ViennaVegetables & Herbs (Year Round), Flowers (Seasonal)
Sells on site (call for appointment), delivery available (contact us)Raw Milk Cow Shares, Free Range Eggs, Grass-Fed Beef, Free Range Broilers, Pork, Goat shares available
Roy’s Orchard and Fruit MarketRoute 612Sperryville
Roy & Janet Alther(540) 987 · 8636
Sells on-site year-round (daily, 8 am-8 pm); Closes at 7 pm during late fall/winter monthsSeasonal Fruits & Vegetables, Meat, Free Range Eggs, Jellies, Jams, Pickles, and Dairy Products from Trickling Springs Dairy
A modern apothecary for alchemy Including bulk herbs, local herbal plants for your gardens, herbal classes, great natural herbal products along with our custom blended product line. To stay up to date with our current happenings sign up for our mailing list at our website.
BuyLocalVirginia.orgCelebrating 10 years of Buy Fresh Buy Local!
The Fauquier Education Farm is truly a unique community resource, serving Fauquier County and the entire Northern Piedmont. By promoting agricultural education through on-farm demonstrations and promoting
agricultural best practices, they enable communities to produce fresh healthy vegetables in an economically sustainable way.
The Farm offers extensive agricultural demonstrations, workshops and training classes, and donates all produce grown on the farm to local food banks and assistance programs. In the 2015 growing season 38,000 pounds of fresh, wholesome vegetables were donated to underprivileged families in the Piedmont region.
The farm has one full-time paid employee, but relies on the goodness of volunteers who visit from Fauquier and surrounding counties to lend a helping hand.
Each summer, PEC hosts a farm-to-table dinner to benefit The Fauquier Education Farm. This event is a wonderful way to celebrate community and agriculture—please mark your calendars to join us this year! The dinner features local produce directly from The Fauquier Education Farm, delicious local wine and bluegrass music. All proceeds go to benefit the farm.
RAPPAHANNOCK
Copper Fox Distillery9 River LaneSperryvilleRick Wasmund(540) 987 · 8554www.copperfox.biz
Gray Ghost Vineyards14706 Lee HighwayAmissvilleThe Kellert Family(540) 937 · 4869www.grayghostvineyards.com
Narmada Winery43 Narmada LaneAmissvilleMary Ann Dancisin(540) 937 · 8215www.narmadawinery.com
Real Food 12267 Old Gordonsville Rd, Orange(540) 661 · 7261www.realfoodva.comRestaurant and Catering
Roadside Chive323 North Madison Road, Suite H, Orange (540) 308 · 7500www.roadsidechive.comCatering
RAPPAHANNOCK
The Inn at Little WashingtonMiddle and Main Streets, Washington(540) 675 · 3800www.theinnatlittlewashington.com/ restaurant.shtml
Laughing Duck Gardens & CookeryWashington(540) 675 · 3725www.LaughingDuckGardens.comCatering, Personal Chef Services, Cookery Workshops
Thornton River Grille3710 Sperryville Pike, Sperryville(540) 987 · 8790www.thorntonrivergrille.com
Photo by Jim H
ankins
PEC Annual MeetingMay 21
Loudoun Farm TourMay 21-22
6th Annual PEC Summer Safari
June 11
Fauquier County FairJuly 13-16
Madison County FairJuly 13-16
Charlottesville Restaurant Week
July 15-23
Orange County FairJuly 20-23
Loudoun County FairJuly 25-30
Albemarle County FairAugust 4-6
Greene County FairAugust 9-13
Taste of the MountainsSeptember 3
Meet Yer Eats Farm TourSeptember 5
Heritage Harvest FestivalSeptember 10
State Fair of VirginiaSeptember 23-October 2
Rappahannock Farm TourSeptember 24-25
Culpeper Farm TourOctober 1-2
Fall Fiber FestivalOctober 1-2
Fauquier Farm TourOctober 8
Culpeper Downtown Restaurant Week
October 11-16
Visit www.pecva.org/events for more information on regional events throughout the year!
800.919.FARM | FarmCreditofVirginias.com
The freshest option in farm financing!
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EPICUREAN SPONSORS
Community Sponsors
www.pathforyou.org
www.wegmans.com
SUSTAINABILITY SPONSOR
www.tricountyfeeds.com
www.citizensforfauquier.org
TO OBTAIN COPIES OR TO BE LISTED IN THIS GUIDE, please visit www.buylocalvirginia.org or call (434) 977·2033.
The developers of this guide do not have the capacity to independently verify all of the information presented here. Contributors to the guide are responsible for its content.
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Production Team: Jess Palmer, Laurel AbowdNORTHERN PIEDMONT