VABF Farm Tours

Learn about the farming methods practiced by various organic and sustainable farmers in Virginia by participating in the 2013 Farms Tour sponsored by Virginia Association for Biological Farming.

The VABF Farms Tour is designed to be beneficial for farmers, aspiring farmers, interested landowners, educators and professionals, and anyone interested in working in organic or sustainable agriculture. Each tour will focus on a specific farm topic (or topics) as well as provide a farming system overview of that farm.

Stay tuned for our 2013 Tour locations. Admission to each tour is free for VABF members (Attendees can join VABF at any farm tour site.) and $20.00 for non-member individuals (or family). All proceeds go to VABF.

*Note: Transportation is not provided for these tours. Please meet us at the farm. On February 7th, 2013, VABF is hosting two separate day long farm tours, including transportation and lunch, and departing from the Holiday Inn-Koger Center in Richmond. This is immediately preceding the annual Biological Farming Conference. Information for both events is on our Conference page.

Past Events — 2012 Tour Locations:

Tour 1  -  Mattawoman Creek Farms, Eastville, VA
Saturday, March 3, 2012 from 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Topics – Winter vegetable production in unheated greenhouse and tunnel structures – Mechanical cultivation of vegetable crops on permanent raised beds. Mattawoman Creek Farms, located on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, is a 44 acre vegetable, herb and fruit farm that is USDA certified organic. The farm is owned and operated by Rick and Janice Felker.

Tour 2  -  ALL-FARM ORGANICS, Louisa, VA
Sunday, June 10, 2012 from 2:30 – 5:00
Rain Date the following Sunday, June 17.
Topics – Commercial-scale composting and Organic grain production.  William Hale has 20 years experience growing organic grains and for the past several years has been growing USDA certified organic cover crop and popcorn seed. He also has a commercial composting operation on his farm. William Hale can be contacted at wnhale@louisa.net or 434 981 6286.

Tour 3  -  Blenheim Organic Gardens, Washington’s Birthplace, VA

Sunday, October 7, 2012 from 1:30 – 4:00
Topic – Fall season vegetable production

Blenheim Organic Gardens is a 20 acre certified organic farm on Virginia’s Northern Neck in Westmoreland County.

For GPS users, the address is 737 Popes Creek Rd., Washington’s Birthplace, VA
(They are on the northern neck, which is east of Fredericksburg.
From Fredericksburg, take Rt 3 east about 40 miles and turn left onto Rt. 204 (which is well-marked by signs to Groom. Washington’s Birthplace National Monument).
The driveway is 7 tenths of a mile on the left.  Farm is the second house one mile down the driveway.)