CONSUMER SERVICES
Madison County
BLUE RAG GARDENS
Genie Cate
3366 South Fort Valley Road, Etlan, VA 22719
540.923.4234
E-mail: brgardens@hotmail.com
Directions: From Charlottesville, take Route 29 north and Route 231 north at Madison, 9 miles north of Madison on the right. From Northern Virginia, take 29 south to Warrenton, 211 west to Sperryville, then take 522/231 south to 231 south for 12 miles, gardens on the left.
Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., daily, May through August.
Products: Peonies and daylilies. Gardens are open in May to see plants and order for delivery in October. Daylilies bloom from mid-June to mid-August. Can order for delivery in September or we will dig divisions as you wait.
GRAVES’ MOUNTAIN FARM
Lucky and Lynn Graves
Route 670, Syria, VA 22743
540.923.4231 (lodge); 540.923.4638 (packing shed)
540.923.4312 (FAX)
E-mail: lynn@gravesmountain.com
Directions: From Route 29 in Madison, go north on Route 231 for approximately 7 miles. Turn left on Route 670. Go 4 miles to Syria. Packing shed on left in Syria.
Hours: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., July-December
Special Comments: Near Graves’ Mountain Lodge, Inc. and hiking trails of Shenandoah National Park. Apple Harvest Festival weekends are October 10-11 and 17-18, 2009, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Enjoy free parking and admission, food, hay maze, animals, more than 70 arts and crafts vendors, horseback riding, pony rides. Come visit Monticello, our cloned Holstein bull, as well as many other farm animals. Educational farm tours meeting school SOLs available for groups, as well as farm birthday parties. Call, write or e-mail for more information.
Products: Select-your-own peaches, apples, jams and jellies at our packing shed, open daily July-December. Available varieties include Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Stayman, York, Winesap, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Rome, Mutsu plus others. Pick-your-own apples, beginning September 19 through October 18, 2009, weekends only. Pick-your-own varieties include Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Stayman, York, Winesap, Fuji, Granny Smith, Rome, Mutsu plus others.
RIDER’S BACKFIELD FARM BEEF
Robin Rider
6251 South F. T. Valley Road, Etlan, VA 22719
540.923.4036
E-mail: backfieldfarmbeef@yahoo.com
Directions: From Sperryville, go 8.5 miles south on U.S. 231/F.T. Valley Road; farm is located on right side of highway. From Madison, approximately 13.5 miles north on US 231/F. T. Valley Road; 1/2-3/4 mile outside of village of Etlan; farm is located on the left side of highway.
Hours: By appointment, March-December.
Special Comments: We sell at the Madison County Farmers Market, to restaurants, caterers, delis and vineyards, as well as to the general public.
Products: All natural, pasture-raised and grain-finished local beef, available wholesale as halves and whole sides and retail by the pound/cut. We also sell all natural lavender soap made from the tallow of our beef.
WARD’S VINEYARD AND FRUIT FARM
Beth Kipps
6943 S. Blue Ridge Turnpike, Rochelle, VA 22738
540.948.4171
Directions: From Route 29, midway between Culpeper and Charlottesville, take 230 east to first intersection. Turn right on 231. The farm is on the right after 2.5 miles. From Orange, take Route 230 west to Route. 231, turn left. The farm is on the right after 2.5 miles.
Hours: 8 a.m.-dark, Monday-Saturday
Special Comments: Pick-your-own grapes, apples and peaches on our scenic family-owned and operated farm. Enjoy sweeping views of the mountains and surrounding pastures and crop lands. Wards’ Vineyard and Fruit Farm is a comfortable day trip from Northern Virginia, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Charlottesville, and Harrisonburg areas.
Products: Numerous varieties extend our season. Pick-your-own grapes (Concord, French hybrids and others), August-September; apples, July–October; peaches July-August. Call for availability.
WOLF CREEK FARM
John Whiteside
4345 Wolftown-Hood Road, Madison, VA 22727
540.948.5574; FAX 253.550.0632
E-mail: john.whiteside@wolfcreek-farm.com
Directions: From Charlottesville, take Route 29 north for 25 miles. Left onto Route 230 (Wolftown-Hood Road) at the Sheetz gas station in Madison. Farm is 3 miles on the right, white board fence. From Culpeper, take Route 29 south for 20 miles. Right onto Route 230 (Wolftown-Hood Road) at the Sheetz gas station in Madison. Farm is 3 miles on the right, white board fence.
Hours: Best times to visit are weekday evenings and weekend afternoons. Open year-round, but best from November-March. Please call ahead.
Special Comments: Local, sustainable, healthy, and humane. USDA-SWCD “Conservationist Farm of the Year” award. Soils and grasses managed sustainably with no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. Animals managed in a closed herd (our cows and bulls, raising calves from birth to harvest, no purchased calves). Humane and natural animal husbandry (no antibiotics or hormones) with pasture grazing (no confinement and no grain).
Products: Dry-aged beef for a tender, tasty and healthy dining experience.