“Come ‘ere babies, who’s gonna come visit?” Patty Johnson calls out as we climb the fence into the field at Pannill’s Gate farm near Culpeper, Virginia. The cows regard her carefully, presumably weighing their chances of getting food or a scratch on the head. Every day, Patty is out in the fields, checking on her entirely grass-fed herd of Red Angus and Murray Grey cattle. For her, the practice of rotational grazing, or moving the cows to a new strip of pasture daily, “re-establishes that relationship- why I am here and why I do this.”
Working Farms & Food
Farmland and forests produce the necessities of life and provide essential natural services. In PEC’s nine county area, over 180,000 acres of farmland and 140,000 acres of forests are protected through private, voluntary land conservation.
Fabbioli Cellars
For Doug Fabbioli of Fabbioli Cellars in Leesburg, growing his winery and his vines in a way that is environmentally and economically sustainable is a center point of his business philosophy. “Honestly,” he says, “environmental and economic sustainability really go hand in hand.”
L’etoile
Mark Gresge is a self proclaimed food nerd. He loves food. He loves researching food history, learning about why people eat what they eat, what foods pertain to particular regions — he can't get enough. We all know that food nerds are not a rarity in Charlottesville. Yet, it's the path that Mark's passion led him down that's rare. Mark went from being an engineer who loved to cook, to owning and operating the Main St. restaurant L'etoile with his wife, Vickie Gresge.
Croftburn Farm
At Croftburn Farm, flocks of sheep and herds of cattle graze in wide green pastures on either side of Route 3, just outside of the Town of Culpeper—so the farm offers local residents both pastoral views and healthy, quality meats.
Whisper Hill Farm
On several acres of bottom land bordering the Robinson River in Culpeper County, James and Holly Hammond grow hundreds of varieties of about 30 kinds of vegetables and herbs—an abundance of flavors for their customers to discover.
“Exploring the Small Farm Dream”
This course is for people who are considering launching a small farm enterprise, but are not sure where to start. Designed to guide students through an initial exploratory decision-making process, “Exploring the Small Farm Dream” courses bridge the gap between ideas and action.
Revolutionary Soup: Pushing for a Food Revolution
When Will Richey bought Revolutionary Soup in downtown Charlottesville five years ago, he started working with local farmers to provide as many of the restaurant's ingredients as possible — from fresh, flavorful salad greens to the meat in his popular lamb curry soup.
Caromont Farm: Farmstead Cheeses with the Flavor of Virginia
Gail Hobbs-Page was given her first pair of goats as a young child growing up on a farm in North Carolina. Her father gave her the animals because he wanted to try goat's milk. Little did he know, that decision would mark his daughter's life.
Retreat Farm: Healthier Food, Healthier People
Frank and Cindy Gillan manage 100 acres of the beautiful Retreat Farm in Rapidan, VA. When the Gillans came to the farm almost 12 years ago, they started with a small vegetable garden. Today, that garden has grown into a five acre plot that produces a variety of fruits and vegetables, and the Gillans are raising about 100 Karakul sheep, 25 Piedmontese cows, 60 chickens and a few pigs.
Waterpenny Farm: Sustainable Farming Offers a Sustainable Lifestyle
Rachel Bynum and Eric Plaksin of Waterpenny Farm in Sperryville, V.A., were drawn to farming for a number of reasons, but, for Bynum, the lifestyle of small-scale farming was a major factor in her career decision. Rachel majored in environmental studies in college, and was first exposed to sustainable farming in a class.