MY PEEPS FARM
CAAR REAL ESTATE WEEKLY WWW.CAAR.COM
FEATURE
MARCH 4 - MARCH 10, 2020 ISSUE 2909
10
Augusta County:
A
ugusta County, Virginia: a tilted, slightly rectangular patch abutting an upper north niche of the raggedy western border of the state. From the ground, say from the rolling farmland around Middlebrook (population 184), the view is both pretty and imposing, befitting the visage of its namesake, Princess (of Wales) Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. Yes, it’s a lovely place to live, this Shenandoah Valley spot of the Commonwealth, as its residents are quick to tell you. Valley views and forest trails, mountain hideaways, vineyards and beckoning farm stands. It’s no wonder that, as the county’s official website tells us, “Augusta County lives outside. We have fun outside, eat outside and, if we’re in the mood, even sleep outside.” Well, of course.
A Virginia Treasure BY KEN WILSON
Farming Not that the residents are all play. Augusta County has a labor force of nearly 32,000 workers. What’s more, the County’s unemployment rate is traditionally lower than in either the state or the country as a whole. Produce, grain, meat, and cheese—if you’re buying local, you may be buying from Augusta County farmers. Augusta has more farm acreage than any other county in Virginia, with an average
farm size of 188 acres. It is the state’s second-largest agricultural producer with, by latest count, 1,729 farms on 286,195 acres. Augusta ranks first in the state for production of beef cattle and sheep and is second in milk cow production plus one of the state’s largest poultry producers. “The agricultural component is a big part of who we are as people and as a community,” says born and bred
Augusta County resident Amanda Glover. “The farms in Augusta County contribute to our beautiful landscape and our agricultural heritage [and have] shaped our strong work ethic for centuries. We have both traditional farming operations as well as fascinating agritourism destinations, including a farm-brewery with hops grown on-site.” Over 40 Augusta farms are open for touring, including Cool Breeze Farm in Mt. Sidney, Long Roots Farm in Middlebrook, Middle River Farms in Grottoes, and Pebble Hall Wildflowers & Herbs in Weyers Cave, where visitors can pick their own edible plants and wildflowers. Polyface Farm, owned by bestselling author and sustainable farming advocate Joel Salatin, is one of forty stops on Augusta’s Fields of Gold Farm Trail. The farm receives hundreds of visitors weekly and offers three types of tours:
