Click here to see a map of where our Partner Producers are located.  Almost all are within a 30 mile radius of Charlottesville...

Our Partner Producers

Dick and Virginia Proutt, of Down Branch Farm, have decided to pursue vegetable growing full-time this year.  They’ve been gardening and growing small quantities all of their adult lives. They are small-scale producers, who harvest rainwater for irrigation purposes as much as possible.  You can probably guess that they’ve been overflowing with water so far this season!  Dick is a skilled carpenter and it shows in his work around the farm.  He built a solar heated greenhouse for growing winter greens, and they’re hoping to get a larger greenhouse up soon.  They raise chickens and quails for their eggs, along with a variety of other beautiful vegetables and herbs.  They try to grow as organically as possible and try to maximize production in a limited space. Down Branch is a true family operation with Dick, Ginny and their daughter Georgia taking care of all the work!

Rob Brown has been successfully farming full-time in Virginia for more than 30 years.  His knowledge of farming, plants, machinery and sense of humor are a tremendous asset to our community.  You want to spend all day with him learning from him and his experiences.  His land and crops look beautiful, natural, and productive.  Before relocating to this area, he was truck farming in New Jersey for a little more than 10 years.  With more than 10 acres under vegetable production, Rob is busy year-round as he does most of the labor and maintenance himself.  Rob's vegetables are low-spray.  We are lucky he settled here in Fluvanna County.

After an eight-month internship and Waterpenny Farm in 2003, Michael and Kathryn Bertoni began Appalachia Star Farm on 5 acres in Nelson County.  Appalachia Star Farm is a diverse, biological farm selling at three area farmer’s markets and through a 50 member CSA.  They seek to provide the freshest produce grown in biologically active soil without chemical fertilizers or pesticides.  They grow 40 types of vegetables, some fruit and eggs from pastured hens.

Bellair Farm is a 900 acre farm in southern Albemarle County.  Founded in 1787, the farm has been in production continually since that time. Over the last 30 years, under the current ownership, the farm has had a dairy and subsequently beef cattle.  This is the first season, the owner Cynnie Davis, is producing vegetables to be marketed locally.  She's growing according to USDA organic standards and hopes to be certified in the future.  She has planted a little over an acre to start this year and is growing heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, french filet beans, melons, and different peas.  Cynnie cares deeply about the future of agriculture in this area and hopes to expand her production in the near future.

Roundabout Farm is located in Keswick, Virginia.  Megan and Rob Weary have been farming their land since 2005.  They cultivate more than 15 of their 60+ acres with vegetables and flowers.  They use methods and applications which are acceptable by USDA organic standards.  You can find Roundabout Farm's produce at our area farmers' markets, restaurants and grocery stores.  They also run a CSA program.  Megan also grows and arranges flowers for local events and weddings.  I asked Megan how they got into farming and what inspired their dream, she said, "We were sitting at a restaurant in Barcelona and over dinner I told Rob that I would follow him anywhere."  And now here they are - living Rob's dream on a beautiful farm and raising a beautiful daughter, Eloise, who I'm sure you'll come across at the markets.  She's quite the saleswoman!

Ronnie & Roxie Crickenberger, at Meadow Run Gardens, have been farming full-time for almost twenty years.  Not only do they have almost 15 acres under production, but they run a market stand in Fishersville and on top of that Ronnie holds down a full-time job working as a truck mechanic, overnights. I asked him how he manages to do so many things, and he said, “After coming down with cancer, I made a pact with the good man upstairs that if he delivered me clean and free of it, that I would never let anything grow up under me!  If I died right now, I would go doing exactly what I love to do.”  I guess he’s keeping his word.  Ronnie believes that, “If someone wants to buy it – and you can’t grow it – well then you’ve got a serious problem!”  They grow low to no spray.  We look forward to offering many unusual and specialty varieties that Ronnie & Roxie are experimenting with this year.

Tom and Anita Weber, of Heaven & Earth Acres, wanted a more tranquil lifestyle after spending their professional careers in Northern Virginia and downtown D.C.  They moved to a beautiful plot of land in Nellysford, Virginia in 2004.  Tom has been full-time farming ever since.   He’s got an amazing vintage and heritage apple orchard, and recently has expanded to include other tree-bearing fruit.  Their garden is meticulously kept – one of the most perfect gardens I’ve seen – and the soil is some of the best in the country, says Tom, a former soil scientist.  Currently, they sell most of their produce at the Nellysford farmers’ market and to a couple of restaurants in Nelson County.  They use the most environmentally friendly sprays in their orchard and do not use any chemicals in their vegetable garden.  We look forward a future expansion of their orchard and their garden so more people in our community can enjoy their beautiful produce and fruit!

Former engineer, Vincent Porcello and his wife, Jessica have been cultivating their beautiful land on Porcello Farm, in Albemarle County, for twelve years.  They chose Albemarle County as their home when they decided they wanted to put some firm roots in the ground, after spending their careers working around the world.  Soft-spoken and very dedicated to their art, they farm organically grown fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh-cut flowers.  Their greenhouse is full of beautiful tomatoes and basil.  Vincent’s use of space shows his past experience in engineering.  Jessica was hard at work, picking mulberries from their tree.  Used mostly for pies, jams and other cooked products, these mulberries were delicious to eat right off the branch. They have other rare varieties of fruit trees that are not found on many farms these days.  One tree I noticed was a Pawpaw tree.  Vincent described the flavor as a cross between custard, a banana and an apple.  Now there is something that I can’t wait to taste. 

Gary and Jeanne Scott own Twin Springs Farm , a 76-acre farm near Lovingston in Nelson County.  Not only does Gary stay busy with his blueberries, broccoli, garlic, tomatoes, lettuces, other produce, and chickens, but he also serves as the President of the Board of Directors for the Virginia Association of Biological Farmers (VABF) and consults with many other groups about local food system issues.  They are involved in the sustainable agriculture movement locally and nationally, as members of VABF, SSWAG, and NSAC.  They have been working with Virginia Cooperative Extension and Virginia State University on a SARE winter squash project.  They use sustainable agricultural practices using only biological inputs that increase balanced healthy soils, which in turn creates nutricious foods.  They have spent the better part of ten years clearing and re-claiming the land they farm.  They have created a thriving ecological system from what used to be a heavily forested and un-usable piece of land.  His dedication to his produce shows in his meticulously maintained rows and carefully laid out fields and fences.  Gary’s a huge advocate of using hoop houses to extend the seasonality of our produce. 

Ever since Andy Rose of Kilravock Ranch was a boy he has wanted to be a farmer.  This is what his family has done in this area for 300 years.  So he decided that the time was right to begin following his dream and after being laid off in January, he had to jump right in a go for it.  They currently raise Heritage chickens, boer goats, vegetables, herbs, and have begun planting a small orchard of heirloom apple and cherry trees.  He is working towards expanding the produce operation and orchard.  He also sells ure honey that his cousin makes right up the road from the ranch.  He builds all natural bird houses which available at their booth and the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden gift shop.  He is really excited about the Local Food Hub, and hopes that our businesses grow together and help fulfill our dreams, support our families, and save our economy and planet.

Richard Bean and Jean Rinaldi of Double H Farm have been in Nelson County farming for almost ten years.  Moving to the area from the northeast, they have been extremely active in the local food movement.  As members of Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association (VICFA) they have advocated for the rights of small and independent farmers for years.  Known for their pork products, delicious and nutritious pastured eggs, and their fresh produce, Double H uses ecological and sustainable growing methods, using approved organic methods, but are not certified by the USDA. You can find their products at the Charlottesville City Farmers Market, Feast!, area restaurants, and through on-farm sales.  

The Shelton Family founded Vintage Virginia Apples  in the year 2000 and just recently opened Albemarle Ciderworks and a brand-new tasting room, in which Governor Tim Kaine attended its inauguration. Sister, Charlotte and brother, Chuck operate their family-run orchard dedicated to exploring the varieties of apple that can thrive in Albemarle County.  It has grown to encompass a variety of tree fruits that are becoming increasingly rare. Many of these are older varieties that have fallen into obscurity or just do not fit the needs of today’s commercial marketing and distribution systems.  Not only do the Sheltons work to preserve heritage breeds of apples, peaches, and other tree fruit, but Mr. Shelton (in his early 90’s) plants a large garden of corn, green beans, and some of the best Brandywine tomatoes you’ve ever tasted.  And Mrs. Shelton does her best to can or preserve every last piece.  Their product is some of the highest quality that can be found – it’s no wonder Mrs. Shelton doesn’t want any of it going to waste!  All of their fruit is low-spray and most of their vegetables are no-spray.

Critzer Family Farm has been an active orchard & farm for five generations. Offering some of the best “pick your own” strawberries in the spring and early summer, it’s apparent that having families on their farm is one of the most important factors in what they do.  Whitney Critzer and his wife, Rosemary relish in the fact that what they do brings families together. Not only are their blackberries huge, juicy and bursting with flavor; their peaches delicious, tree-ripened and tasty, but they take pride in showing how working the land can help heal a soul.  Whitney brought us to tears when he described the pride he feels mentoring the kids that work on their farm.  He and his wife want kids to grow up understanding the value of hard work and having integrity. A modest man, Whitney believes that he has just been standing in the right place at the right time.  But I believe that he’s had more of a hand in creating the wonderful things around him than he’d ever care to admit.

Barry Wood moved back to his family farm after running a produce stand in Centreville, Virginia for many years.  He decided to, as he calls it, “mess around” growing some vegetables, so he started Wood Ridge Farm.  With more than 10 acres planted it’s not exactly what I would call “messing around!”  With his quick witted sensibility, his love of the outdoors, and his knack for growing beautiful, tender, no-spray corn & delicious galia melons, we are hoping that Barry will continue to “mess around” with more and more acreage on his picturesque farm in Nelson County.  His produce is no-spray.