Check out the latest video updates from Dana and Pete at PEC’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows!
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.
4/15/2020 Community Farm Update
Dana and Pete are doing amazing work at the Community Farm!! Yesterday, they harvested, packed and delivered 30 pounds of vegetables to Loudoun Hunger Relief.
Partner Alert: Buy Fresh Buy Local
Hi there! My name is Matt Coyle and I am writing to introduce myself as The Piedmont Environmental Council’s new Buy Fresh Buy Local coordinator (my amazing predecessor, Jess Palmer, moved back home to Texas last year).
I know that in all likelihood you are dealing with Covid-19 and the rapidly evolving response. However, I do want to give you a few updates and share some online resources that might be helpful during this difficult time.
Fronting the Costs: Fencing at Mountain Hollow Farm
Eight generations of cattle farming had taken its toll on the streams at Dean and Carina Elgin’s Mountain Hollow Farm in northern Fauquier County. Historically, “all the cattle had access to the creek. That was our watering system. And that was the norm in that day,” Dean Elgin said. But by 2015, the Elgins wanted to repair the streambank erosion and reduce the water pollution caused by the foot traffic and waste generated by 200 cattle moving in and out of the water repeatedly. But there was a problem.
Spring at Roundabout Meadows
Alot is going on, at and around our 141-acre Roundabout Meadows property at Gilberts Corner in Loudoun County. We’ve got a new trail opening, the second season for the Community Farm and news to share about the market property at the northeast corner!
Year One on the Farm
Loudoun County is one of the most affluent counties in the nation and simultaneously home to some 14,000 people without reliable access to affordable, nutritious food. It is consistently one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, and yet over 200,000 acres is planned to remain rural with over 58,000 acres of permanently conserved open space. Nestled among the three roundabouts of Routes 15 and 50 and Howser’s Branch Road, lies PEC’s Community Farm. Located at the literal intersection of suburban and rural Loudoun County, it is perfectly positioned both to shine a light on the value of conservation and to make practical, tangible progress to address food insecurity in the community.
Flavor of the Piedmont Event
Come taste the flavor of the Piedmont! The Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission and Piedmont Environmental Council are co-hosting a food expo to showcase the region’s locally-grown food and beverages.
This two-part event will take place on Sunday, September 8 at the Lord Fairfax Community College campus in Warrenton. From fresh produce, succulent meats and dairy to award-winning wine, beer, and cider, Virginia’s Piedmont has a bounty of products to tempt commercial buyers, foodies and every-day eaters alike.
Let There Be Fruits and Veggies
The Piedmont Environmental Council’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows was founded with two ideas in mind: to connect residents to Loudoun’s vital agricultural economy and to provide locally grown fruits and vegetables for its food-insecure families.
Piedmont Beef Survey
PEC is working with Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), a regional non-profit that encourages large institutions like hospitals and universities to purchase locally-raised beef. The purpose of our study is to better understand beef production in the Piedmont and producers’ interest in connecting with a consistent wholesale market.
Award-Winning Farmer Protects Farmland for Future Generations
This past summer, in an effort to preserve the prime farmland and help ensure continued operations, the Nixons chose to permanently protect 382 acres of their land through a conservation easement with the Piedmont Environmental Council, Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.