Finding our local farms!!!!

Our first grass fed/finished beef purchase; a roast & NY strip steak

I can't tell you how much fun we had at the last Williamsburg market.  Joe was off work and was able to come with us.  It was a wonderful morning.  Buying fresh local foods grown without pesticides, additives, hormones, steroids, and worse gives me such a good feeling.  Our family is eating real food.  We have started to feel the effects of a healthy diet and we will never turn back.

The older boys used their allowance to buy giant snickerdoodle cookies.

As summer approaches, I can't wait!  Fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, melon, beans, etc.  We plan to buy/grow in abundance and freeze for the off season.  If attending markets is not your speed and you prefer to buy directly from a farmer it is a simple thing to do.  Most farms have a CSA, again, it's like a subscription to a farm....you provide money and the farmer provides in most cases a weekly bag of seasonal produce.  Usually you get a discounted price than if you were to buy at a market.  You can also buy a "cow share" and get milk each week from your farmer.  Meat shares are also available.

 Grass fed/finished beef menu at the market.

I have had a lot of people contact me about where to find things; grass fed meats, pick your own farms, organic farms and so on.  I thought this post would be a lot of work, boy was I right.  There is healthy food ALL AROUND US!!  At the bottom of this post is a local farm list broken up into three parts:  1. Farms where you buy produce.  2. Farms where you buy meats.  3. Farms where you "pick your own".

Don't hesitate contacting a farmer if you have questions or want to buy.  They are here to sell us food, they would LOVE to hear from us.  Visit their farm, catch them at a market and see what they look like, or check their website!  Lot's of farms have facebook pages too. Read reviews on them and ask about their practices.

I have heard from I know 25+ people about the food changes they are making in their lives.  It's amazing!!  Digging up all this information is not easy and it's time consuming and then I blog about it.  I hope that this makes it easier for you and your family to find fresh local food.  It's out there and it's what our families deserve.  I am done with pumping my kids with antibiotics, and steroids, and sugar, and preservatives, and ammonia rinsed meat!! 

Well, here is the list!!  Get out and get some real food!!!!!!!!

FARMS:

PRODUCE - most farms will carry other products too; local honey, homemade jellies, fresh cut flowers and more.

Batten Bay Farm

Chesapeake VA 23314  757-238-3334

Produce sold on site, CSA, fresh eggs

http://battenbayfarm.com/default.aspx

Browders Fresh Pickins

Smithfield, VA  757-427-6515

Produce sold on site occasionally, CSA

http://browdersfreshpickins.blogspot.com/

Clarke Farm

Chesapeake VA 757-484-6000

Produce sold on site, CSA

http://www.clarkefarm1.com/

Culliper Farms

Virginia Beach, VA  757-721-7456

Produce sold on site, CSA & Fruit CSA

http://www.cullipherfarm.com/

Dodds Acres

Mecahnicsville, VA  804 781-0821

Produce sold on site.

http://vagrown.vi.virginia.gov/product.aspx?pid=56330&category=EGGPLANTS

Grassfield Farms

Chesapeake VA 23323

Produce sold on site, CSA

http://www.localharvest.org/grassfield-farms-M30437

Golden Eagle Alpaca Farm

Suffolk, VA  757-438-2997

Produce sold on site.

http://goldeneaglealpacafarm.com/

Hall Town Produce Farm

Gloucester, VA 804-832-5026

Produce sold on site, CSA

http://www.localharvest.org/hall-town-produce-farm-M33768

New Earth Farm

Virginia Beach, VA  757-427-6515

Produce sold on site, CSA

http://newearthfarm.org/New_Earth_Farm/Home.html

Yadkin Station Farms

Chesapeake, VA  757-344-5147

Produce sold on site.

http://yadkinstationfarms.com/

MEAT/POULTRY - if a farm is too far away, check their site for when they will be at a market near you.

Boroughs Land Farms

Barhamsville, VA  757-645-6841

Eggs, beef, bison, poultry, pork, & seafood. 

http://www.localharvest.org/boroughs-land-farm-M49416

Edmonds Bison Farm

Lancaster, VA  804-462-9904 or 804-366-4730

Poultry, duck, bison, eggs, pork

http://edmondsfarm.com/

Full Quiver Farm

Suffolk, VA (757) 539-5324 Scott and Alison Wilson

Poultry, eggs, pork, turkey, grass fed beef, raw cow shares

http://www.fullquiverfarm.com/ 

Georgiatown Farm

White Stone, VA 804-435-9403 Daniel & Karen Mast

Poultry, pork, & lamb

http://www.georgiatownfarm.com/

Parker Family Farm

Gloucester, VA 757-968-2332

Poultry, eggs

http://www.theparkerfamilyfarm.com/

Polyface, Inc

Swoope, VA 540-885-3590

This farm is far away but does have a buying club out of Williamsburg, I think this is by far the best farm I have ever seen!  I would love to start purchasing from them.

Turkey, rabbits, eggs, grass fed beef, pork, poultry, & hens

http://www.polyfacefarms.com/

Rainbows End Farm

Suffolk, VA 757-986-2124 Sharon Sluss

Poultry, eggs, duck, turkey, grass fed beef

http://www.rbefarm.com/page0/index.html

White Oak Hill Farms

Eure, NC  252-357-0905

Beef & pork

http://www.whiteoakhillfarms.com/

Wild T Bison Farm

Haynesville, VA 804-333-9960

Bison, & bison dog food

http://wildtbison.com/

Windhaven Farm

Windsor, VA 757-209-1095

Grass fed beef & pork

http://www.windhavennaturalangusbeef.com/home.html

Zinas Produce

Williamsburg, VA 757-634-4284

Grass fed beef, turkey, poultry, eggs, ham, & seafood

http://www.wix.com/zinasproduce/producewarrior

PICK YOUR OWN FARMS - great for a family day!!  Every single year growing up my dad would take me strawberry picking on Mothers Day and it would give my mom a peaceful morning without the kids.  We would spend the afternoon making jelly and strawberry shortcake.

Blackwater Vineyards

Virginia Beach, VA  757- 421-9161

Pick your own; grapes

http://www.blackwatervineyards.com/

Brookdale Farm

Virginia Beach, VA  757-721-0558

Pick your own; strawberries

http://www.brookdale-farm.com/content/14064

Bush Neck Farm

Williamsburg, VA  757-258-0114

Pick your own; apples, blueberries, peaches, and pumpkins

http://www.virginiaapples.org/pick-your-own/jamescity.html

College Run Farms

Surry, VA 757-294-3970

Pick your own; strawberries, blueberries, sweet corn, pumpkins, & gourds

http://www.collegerunfarms.com/home.html

Culliper Farms

Virginia Beach, VA  757-721-7456

Pick your own; strawberries

http://www.cullipherfarm.com/

Drewery Farms

Wakefield, VA  757-899-3636

Pick your own; blueberries

http://www.drewryfarms.com/

Dodds Acres

Mecahnicsville, VA

Pick your own; strawberries

http://vagrown.vi.virginia.gov/product.aspx?pid=56330&category=EGGPLANTS

Henley Farms

Virginia Beach, VA  757-426-7501

Pick your own; strawberries

http://www.henleyfarms.com/

Lilley Farms & Nursery

Chesapeake, VA  (757) 484-3448

Pick your own; strawberries

http://www.lilleyfarms.com/strawberry.htm

Pungo Blueberries

Virginia Beach, VA  721-7434

Pick your own;  blueberries, blackberries

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/07/pungo-blueberries-etc-0

Woods Orchards Farm Market

Hampton, VA 757-722-2873

Pick your own;  strawberries, peaches, & pumpkins

http://www.woodsorchards.com/

Getting the middle men away from our dinner table.

After being enlightened to what the government allows big business to do to our food, Joe and I have decided our family doesn't want the chemicals, the additives, the preservatives, the genetic modifications, the cloned meat, or the countless other crazy things that are packed into our food.  We want to buy our food local, natural, and get the middle men (government/food industry) away from our dinner table.  Sounds like an easy answer but really it's a whole different lifestyle for us and we have many obstacles to overcome.

*How can I afford this?  6 people with one income and private school tuition is tight!  We will have to adjust our budget; we will need to cut into our entertainment funds, clothing budget, maybe throw/attend less parties, etc.  We have to be smart;  we have to know what is a good price for food, where is the best place, and when is the best time to buy it.  We have to cut out waste; we need to eat leftovers, the kids can't just snack all day, and we need to freeze things before they go bad.  We need to eat proper portion sizes!  With something this important we WILL find the money.  We simply have to get serious about it.

*What in the world are we going to eat?  We will have to change.  I will have to learn new recipes.  We will have to try new foods.  Luckily here in Virginia we can grow a lot of different foods.  We can purchase grass fed animals from local farmers.  We can become part of a CSA (community supported agriculture).  That is kind of like a subscription to a farm.  It's an agreement between you and a farmer, you provide money and weekly pickups while the farmer promises you boxes full of fresh seasonal produce.  We can educate ourselves on the foods that are okay to buy from stores.

*What can I grow?  This I think will be huge for us.  We live on almost an acre of land.  I had a garden every year growing up so I am familiar with gardening.  I am glad that my dad and Joe's grandfather has spent years teaching him in the garden.  I think EVERYONE can grow some of their own food.  Our kids are in charge of the herb garden and will have "garden chores" to help them learn.  Funny story, my aunt puts tomato plants in a bag of dirt she buys from the store and grows okra in her flower bed.  Everyone can grow!  Here is a list of foods you can grow in VA....there is a lot and I may have missed one or two:
Vegetables:  Arugula, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, butter beans, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery root, celery, chard, chicories, chiles, collards, corn, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, green beans, greens, green onions, kale, leeks, lettuce, okra, onions, parsnips, pea greens, pea, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, scallions, shelling beans, snap peas, sorrel, spinach, squash summer and winter, sweet potatoes, turnips, zucchini, zucchini blossoms
Fruits: apples, blueberries, cantaloupes, cherries, grapes, nectarines, melons, peaches, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelons.
Herbs: basil, cilantro, garlic, mint, oregano, parsley, sage, thyme


*For foods that we don't grow, where will I buy my food?  Once I had this question I was pleased to see how many farmers markets popped up in one quick search!  There are farmers everywhere attending markets.  This is where we will find fresh, local, nutrient dense, healthy foods all in one spot.  You will see fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, breads, dairy....the list goes on and on.  We will be visiting a lot of markets, talking with a lot of farmers (I need to know what their practices are), and going to farms.  I will compile a list of trusted sources for our food purchases.  I will cut out the middle man and buy directly from the farmer. **Be careful, just because a place is called "the farmers market" doesn't mean they only sell local foods.  ASK!  The meats from a farmers market near me comes from either the US, Mexico, or Canada (no thanks)....but some of their produce comes from my neighbor who is a very trustworthy source.  Know what you are buying.

*What about meat/poultry?  Our local markets will have someone there with grass fed meats.  We can also buy straight from a farm.  I would LOVE to buy a cow, have the farmer butcher it, and freeze the meat.  I am working on a local farm list and that will be part of my next blog post.  I want to make some calls and do some more research!  For right now it's Trader Joe's organic meat for us and it is costly.

I will put a list of local farmers markets to the 757 at the bottom of this page.  It includes the Southside because Chesapeake and Virginia Beach are huge growers.  They will have some of the larger markets.  It seems worth it to me to make that trip every now and then.  Make a day of it....go hit the beach while you are there, go to a pick your own farm when strawberries come in - the kids will love it, spend the morning catching up with a friend while you drive to the market.  

As you can see I have put a lot of time and energy into this.  I am serious about making the changes.  I hope that sharing the information I find may help you, too, make healthy choices.  It's going to be difficult adjusting...BUT WE CAN DO THIS!!!!  We have to, our family's health depends on it.

Here are some tips for visiting a farmers market based on my epic fails!!!

• Bring cash, some will accept cards but some will not.  Small bills help.
• It's rare but you may need to pay for parking...have some cash on hand.
• Call and make sure the market still operates before checking out a new market.
• Take your kids to the bathroom before you leave the house!
• For better prices (if you ask) go to the market late.  For better selection go early.
• Usually markets with a website are large and you can get a wide variety of items.
• Enjoy!  Markets are FULL of people to talk to.  Farmers want to meet you.  Old people want to talk to your children.  Your children will want to meet the dogs people bring.  There are tons of smiles and laughs to be had.  Relax and have a good time.
• "Like" markets on facebook, it's a great way to keep current on what is in season.

  Here is the list of local farmers markets.  This is just a list of markets, my next post will have a list of local farms.  You can buy directly from a farm too.

Please let me know if you find more I would love to check them out!

FARMERS MARKETS:

CHESAPEAKE

Chesapeake Farmers Market (2 locations)

*900 Greenbriar Parkway, Chesapeake VA 23320

Open: Wednesday & Saturday, June – November, 8am-1pm.  757-382-6348

*4437 Portsmouth Blvd, Chesapeake, VA 23320

Open: Thursdays, 4pm-7pm, May – October.  757-382-6348

GLOUCESTER

Ware Neck Produce Market

6682 Main Street, Gloucester, VA 23061

Open: March – 12/24, Mon – Sat, 9am-6pm. 804-694-0708.

Farmers Daughter

10935 George Washington Memorial Highway, Gloucester, VA 23061

Open: April – 12/24, daily, 9am – dusk.  804-694-0569.

 

Stagecoach Market, Antique Village, Flea Market, Farmers Market

6053 George Washington Memorial Highway, Gloucester, VA 23062

Open: May - September, Saturday & Sunday, 8am – 4pm. 804-693-3951.

Like them on facebook!

Gloucester Farmers Market

3900 George Washington Memorial Highway, Ordinary VA 23131

Open: Saturdays, May - September, 9am-1pm.  327-0050.

Like them on facebook!

HAMPTON

Dean and Don’s Farmer Market

600 Lasalle Avenue, Hampton, VA 23669

Open: I have tried calling them numerous times.  They are seasonal and should be open April/May. 757-722-3161.

Like them on facebook!

NEWPORT NEWS

Port Warwick Mid Week Farmers Market

Styron Square & Nat Turner Blvd.  in Port Warwick, Newport News, VA 23606

Open: Wednesdays, 5/11-11/30, 8am-2pm.  757-771-9343

http://www.portwarwick.com/pwfarmmarket.html

Like them on facebook!

Dean and Dons Farmer Market

12601 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, VA 23606

Open: I have tried calling numerous time for when they open.  They are seasonal and should be open April/May.  Monday-Saturday 8am-7pm.

757-930-2707

Like them on facebook!

Newport News Farmers Market

Jefferson Avenue between 28^th and 29^th Streets

Open: Summer; Wednesday – Friday, 9am-6pm. Winter; Friday 10am-5pm, and Saturday 9am-5pm.  757-247-2351

NORFOLK

Five Points Community Farmers Market

2500 Church Street, Norfolk, VA 23504

Open: Thurs/Friday 11am-7pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, & Sunday 11am-5pm. 757-640-0300

www.5ptsfarmmarket.org

Like them on facebook!

SMITHFIELD

Smithfield Farmers Market

115 Main Street, Smithfield, VA 23430 (in the parking lot of Bank of Southside       Virginia).

Open: Saturdays 9am-12pm; Spring specialty market 3/31, 4/14, 4/28, Summer; every   Saturday 5/5-10/27.  Fall/Winter specialty market 11/17, 12/1, 12/15.  757-375-3031.

http://www.smithfieldfarmersmarket.org/

Like them on facebook!

 

SUFFOLK

Suffolk Farmers Market in Historic Downtown

326 North Main Street, Suffolk, VA 23434

Open: Saturdays, June – September, 9am-12pm.  757-514-4130.

Like them on facebook!

Governors Pointe Farmers Market – the shoppes on the Village Green

1893 Governors Pointe Drive, Suffolk, VA 23436

Open: Friday evenings, June – August.  757-238-3810.

VIRGINIA BEACH

Virginia Beach Farmers Market

3640 Dam Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Open: Monday – Saturday, year round, 10am – 5pm.  757-385-4395

www.vbgov.com/farmersmarket

Like them on facebook!

Old Beach Farmers Market

620 19^th Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23452

Open: Saturdays, mid May – end of September, 8am-12pm, Fall/Holiday market; 10/15, 11/19, & 12/17,9am-12pm

http://www.oldbeachfarmersmarket.com/

Like them on facebook!

WILLIAMSBURG

Williamsburg Farmers Market

402 W. Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg VA, 23185 (757-259-3768)

Open: Saturdays; 2/11 & 3/10 (8:30am-12:30), 4/7-10/27 (8am-12pm), Holiday Markets; 11/17, 11/24, & 12/18 (8:30am-12:30pm).

http://www.williamsburgfarmersmarket.com/

Like them on facebook!

YORKTOWN

Yorktown Market Days at the River

425 Water Street, Yorktown VA, 23690  757-890-3500.

Open: Saturdays 5/12- end of September, 8am-12pm.  10/13 is Fall Festival market (8am-3pm), 11/10 is holiday open house market (8am-3pm), 12/15 (8am-12pm).