Community and Environment

Meet the Farmers

Farmer on TractorAs our name implies, Ellwood Thompson's Local Market is all about local produce and the local farmers who grow it.

We asked ourselves, "why eat an apple, tomato or squash that's been shipped thousands of miles when you can enjoy fruits and veggies that were just picked and delivered within miles of your home with peak flavor and nutrients intact?"

Locally grown foods require considerably less fuel to ship, and less fuel translates to smaller emissions of carbon dioxide by fossil-fuel-burning ships, trucks and trains.

When you buy local you're also keeping more money in our local economy and helping to support family-owned farms. And more farms means more green space in our community.

So go ahead, buy local and eat seasonally! And take a moment to meet some of the local growers who make eating locally possible.

Featured Farmer

Plantation Woods: Michelle and Keith Collins

Founded: 2006 -- When Michelle and Keith sold everything they had, gave up lucrative careers in Virginia Beach, VA and moved to Nottoway, County VA to follow a dream and a vision. Their mission is to feed am many people as possible physically and spiritually. What started as a half-acre plot has now grown to approximately a two-acre farm. Plantation Woods is a biodynamic farm following organic growing principles. They choose to not
become certified organic to avoid an increase in costs and governmental influence in their production. They do not use synthetic fertilizers, chemical, herbicides, or chemical pesticides. Their purpose is to produce clean, nutritionally dense food that is full of flavor.

Location: Crewe, VA

Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 55 Miles

What They Grow: Lettuce, Collards, Kale, Tomatoes, Peppers, Potatoes, Summer and Winter Squash, Melons and more

Other farmers include:

victory farms partyVictory Farms: Charlie & Gina Collins and children Mae & Conor
Founded: 1994 in Phoenix, AZ and relocated to Hanover, VA in 2006. After successfully serving nearly 200 families and 25 fine restaurants in Phoenix, Charlie and Gina Collins moved their family and their farm to Hanover in 2006. Nestled on a 52-acre horse farm, Charlie tends two acres of compost-fed, all-natural vegetables, herbs and vining fruits. His efficient use of space yields a bounty of produce for Ellwood Thompson's as well as enough to supply a 200-member Community Supported Agriculture program in Richmond.
Location: Hanover, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 18 miles
What they grow: salad mix, carrots, onions, radishes, spinach, arugula, head lettuce, turnips, herbs, swiss chard or other cooking greens, heirloom tomatoes, melons, beets, cucumbers, summer squash, winter squash, garlic, peppers, cabbage, broccoli, green beans, potatoes, onions, sugar snap peas, etc., with seasonal variation.

Home page photo courtesy Style Weekly magazine, Richmond Virginia.

George and AmyAmy's Organic Garden: Amy Hicks and George Ferguson
Founded: 1994
Location: Quinton, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 28 miles
What they grow: Specialty produce including chard, kale, collards, melons, tomatoes, squash, beets, various heirloom varieties and cut flowers. Ellwood Thompson's was their first customer!


Dave & DeeDave & Dee's Homegrown Mushrooms: Dave and Dee Scherr
Founded: 2003
Location: Sedley, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 76 miles
What they grow: Three varieties of Oyster Mushrooms: Italian Gray, Yellow & Chocolate Brown. Oyster Mushrooms are the most difficult mushrooms to grow!


Skip TracyDun Roamin Farm: Latham "Skip" Tracy
Founded: 1972
Location: Wake, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 69 miles
What he offers: Organic blueberries and blackberries. At 73 years-old Skip still fertilizes each plant by hand to prevent run-off and uses a hoe to control weeds.


Epic Gardens: Patricia Stansbury
Location: Bon Air, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 6 miles
What she grows: Edamame is the main crop, but lettuces, squashes, beans, tomatoes, Diakon radishes, Jerusalem artichokes, herbs, cut flowers are also grown.


Manakintowne Specialty Growers: Jo and Rob Pendergraph
Founded: 1985
Location: Powhatan, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 24 miles
What they grow: Fresh cut herbs, baby salad greens, micro greens, and edible flowers. Seasonally, they grow everything from African blue basil and micro chives to bronze fennel, baby green beans and zucchini blossoms.


JJ Eisenfelder and Jasen ForeO.G. Roots at Beechwood Farm: JJ Eisenfelder and Jasen Fore
Founded: 2000
Location: Farmville, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 64 miles
What they offer: A variety of greens, root vegetables and other produce, all grown as sustainably as possible. Their signature crops are garlic, Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato, Shitake mushrooms, and Malabar spinach.


Joel SalatinJoel Salatin and Polyface Farm: Joel Salatin and Family
Founded: 1961
Location: Swoope, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 100 miles
What they offer: Salad Bar Beef, Pigaerator Pork, Pastured Poultry (Eggs, Broilers, Turkeys).


The CantrellsTrails End Farm: Jeff & Sherri Cantrell, and children Sierra, Kristen, Rachel, Brenna and Jared.
Founding Date: 1998
Location: Montpelier, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 20 miles
What they grow: Carrots, chard, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, peppers, melons, tomatoes, Red Russian Kale, squash, pumpkin, turnips, beets, spinach, spring onions, peas, green beans, broccoli, leeks, mint, cilantro, curly parsley, lemon balm, garlic chives, dill, thyme, rosemary, sage.


Twin OaksTwin Oaks' Community Foods: An intentional community of around 100 members
Founded: 1967
Location: Louisa, VA
Mileage to Ellwood Thompson's: 45 miles
What they offer: Three flavors of extra-firm tofu, two flavors of vegetarian sausage, mushroom pate, tempeh, soymilk and now available in bulk pack, Italian tofu balls.

Twin Oaks' Community Foods provides Ellwood Thompson's with fresh, locally made tofu varieties. Twin Oaks is an intentional community in Louisa, Virginia, made up of around 100 members. Since the community's beginning in 1967, their way of life has reflected their values of cooperation, sharing, nonviolence, equality, and ecology.

Twin Oaks Community Foods is a worker-owned co-operative located on 400 acres in central Virginia. They have been producing quality organic extra-firm tofu since 1991. The co-operative began by providing easy to use meat alternatives to the Charlottesville, Richmond and their own vegetarian communities. Over the past decade, positive customer response urged them to grow and they now provide organic soyfoods to an array of customers up and down the East Coast.

Their line now includes three flavors of extra-firm tofu, two flavors of vegetarian sausage, mushroom pate, tempeh, soymilk and, now available in bulk pack, Italian tofu balls. Twin Oaks' soy foods are crafted using unbleached well water, organic non-gmo soybeans, and the highest quality organic herbs available. Virginia-grown soybeans are used to support local farmers and reduce the use of fuel for transportation.

 

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Support Farmers

Learn about the challenges local farmers face and what you can do to help.

NoNAIS.org

The Organic Consumers Association Millions Against Monsanto page

Farmer's Resources

Virginia Farm Link Program

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