Farmer’s Daughter Features Locally Grown Produce

Farmer’s Daughter Features Locally Grown Produce

By Linda Roberts

Owner Scott Donnelly and staff member Samantha Gibson at the counter of The Farmer’s Daughter in Clarke County.

Photo by Linda Roberts

Anchoring Waterloo’s northeast corner where Routes 50 and 340 intersect in Clarke County, The Farmer’s Daughter is a popular community shopping destination for fresh vegetables, locally sourced meats, eggs, jams and jellies and much more.

“We’re trying to stock as much local food as possible,” said owner Scott Donnelly of Boyce. A friend of Billy Eyles, the store’s former owner, Donnelly decided to purchase the business once Eyles told him he was planning to sell. Market regulars were happy that there was a seamless transition of operations from Mt. Airy Market to The Farmer’s Daughter.

Donnelly’s 14-year-old daughter, Emma Jo, came up with the new name, The Farmer’s Daughter. She can be found on weekends helping her dad at the store. A staff of six part-time employees, all sporting matching t-shirts with the market’s logo, keep things running smoothly, ring up sales, and answer customer questions.

“This is a real community type of business,” said Donnelly. “People come in and introduce themselves and stay and talk for a while,” he added, noting that many have favorite items they seek out each week. Long-time customer Bill McLean makes it a frequent habit to secure a tasty pound cake while others place weekly orders for cuts of meat.

Weekends are particularly busy, with smoked half chickens and ribs the big sellers, along with barbecue sandwiches. “Most of what we smoke is already spoken for as customers call and reserve their orders by phone,” said Donnelly. He advises call-ahead requests to avoid disappointment if the market is sold out.

As the growing season continues, The Farmer’s Daughter will increase its local offerings, adding to favorites such as Chapel Hill’s Randall Lineback cuts of beef, South Mountain Creamery’s milk and ice cream, cucumbers from “down the road,” and delicious home-baked goods that come in each Friday from Winchester.

When not at the market, Donnelly, who grew up on a farm in Glade Springs and went to Virginia Tech, can be found overseeing his construction business or helping the local 4-H Club and his daughter with her sheep projects. He’s lived in Clarke County for 21 years.

“The community support at the market has been great,” he said. “It’s very important to me that I operate a business where people feel comfortable and can come in and shop on a regular basis. We think of The Farmer’s Daughter as a happy place where people can find what they’re looking for in the way of locally grown and harvested items.”

The Farmer’s Daughter is open year around from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Visit The Farmer’s Daughter on Facebook for additional information.