5th Annual Farm Tour to Showcase Goochland Farms
Are you looking for a fun, free educational outing that everyone in your family will enjoy? If so, then come join us for the fifth annual Farm Tour. This year’s Farm Tour will highlight local Goochland agri-businesses, including a dairy operation, a sustainably produced beef farm, specialized equestrian facilities, an alpaca farm as well as the Goochland Farmers Market.
The free, self-guided tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, when six unique agribusiness sites will be open to the public. Operators will make presentations on the hour and the half-hour.
The following farms will be featured:
Alvis Farms, 1700 Alvis Road, Manakin Sabot
Alvis Farms is a family owned and operated dairy farm in eastern Goochland County. The dairy was started in 1965, and is now home to 750 milking cows, most of which are Registered Holsteins. The milking cows are housed on waterbeds, and are milked three times a day. The family also farms roughly 4,000 acres, which is spread throughout 8 different counties. The crops grown are corn, wheat, soybeans, barley, and alfalfa. The farm tour will showcase both the dairy and crop operations. Additionally, representatives from Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District will be on hand providing educational information.
Applegarth Farm, 1225 Shallow Well Road, Manakin: Applegarth Farm is a horse training and boarding operation established in 2001. The farm currently boards over 25 horses, many of whom are trained in hunter-jumping.
Brookview Farm, 854 Dover Road, Manakin-Sabot: The Fishers have been pioneers in organic, sustainable farming in the mid-Atlantic since establishing Brookview in 1981 as a grass-fed and finished- cattle commercial farming operation. Family-owned and operated, Brookview comprises over 300 acres of pasture on which cattle roam and graze exclusively on grass and clover. Brookview epitomizes the highest standards of environmental stewardship, producing all organic products without the use of pesticides, hormones and commercial fertilizers
Goochland Farmer’s Market, 2955 River Road West (Grace Episcopal Church),
Goochland: Every Saturday morning from May through October, Goochland’s only all volunteer and non-profit Farmer’s Market is open from 8 a.m. until noon. Each week, this genuine country market offers some of the finest produce, meats, breads, wines, cheeses, plants and farm crafts produced in Central Virginia.
Little Hawk Farm, 1625 Cardwell Road, Crozier: Dr. Tom Newton and his wife Jennifer live and work at Little Hawk Farm, a regionally renowned equine reproduction center. Dr. Newton has over thirty years of equine veterinary experience and offers a full range of equine reproductive services—including all three methods of breeding horses. Little Hawk Farm has several barns to accommodate outside mares, stallions, foaling stalls as well as a reproductive lab. There are also a number of award winning stallions on site, along with Sam-Mule, the friendly, resident Sicilian miniature donkey.
Suri Downs Alpacas, 2280 Camelback Road, Maidens: In 2006, a chance encounter with a newspaper article extolling the joys of alpacas prompted the Finchers to consider trading their Hollywood, CA lifestyles for a more rural way of life. Five years later, the couple moved to Maidens, VA and established Suri Downs Alpacas. Together they raise over 30 friendly alpacas on their farm and currently have two crias (babies).
The Center for Rural Culture will offer grilled local, organic, grass-fed beef burgers provided by Brookview Farm as well hot dogs and veggie burgers with sides and a beverage. The luncheon will be held from 11:30 – 1:30 at beautiful Brookview Farm, 854 Dover Road, Manakin-Sabot. The cost is $7 for adults and $5 for children 6 and under. All proceeds will benefit the Center for Rural Culture’s Education and Outreach Programs. Lunch reservations are required. Please call (804) 556-5841 or e-mail sgrayson@vt.edu with your meal preferences by Sep 13th. Additionally, the Women of Grace Episcopal Church will have delicious homemade baked goods for sale separately.
A brochure that includes a map to the tour stops will shortly be available at county offices and retail locations in both Goochland and Powhatan counties later this month. Details will also be available online at http://offices.ext.vt.edu/goochland and at http://www.centerforruralculture.org. A map of the farms can be found at: http://goo.gl/maps/afkqU.
Tour sponsors include the Center for Rural Culture, the Goochland Office of Virginia Cooperative Extension, the Goochland County Farm Bureau, the Goochland Chamber of Commerce and the Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District.
The 35-Mile Drive Presents Visit Goochland 