from pasture for cattle , horses and sheep , and hay production .
Grapes , per acre , earn a lot of money , so they are produced on a smaller overall acreage but with a much higher return than other crops . Christmas trees are still an important industry . Fruits and vegetables are in the same realm as far as the number of acres currently in use . for farmers than they used to be , with the advantage that they get their money up front .
We want to give farmers as many options for selling their products as possible . By cutting out a middleman , and selling directly to consumers , farming can become financially more realistic .
Most of our farmers are not producing enough to sell at auctions , but if we had the ability to aggregate , we could sell to larger retailers , but as much as we can avoid the middleman , it makes it a more viable business .
CSAs and farmers ’ markets connect the community too , linking the consumer with the producers , and keeping the dollars here as well . The dollars you spend on your food help pay taxes here . These are all the good things that happen when you are not just a bedroom community , and make for a more diverse economy .
Q
A
PHOTO : Chris Van Vlack
Hay raking in early June at a farm near Hillsboro with Chris ’ 1950 Farmall M and a David Bradley hay rake .
How much traditional , large scale agriculture is left in Loudoun ?
In total , we have about 140 , 000 acres in agricultural use , down from 200,000 in the late 1990s . Our largest crop is hay , which takes the most acreage of all the things we do in the county . Much of that supports the cattle industry , but it also goes to horses ( Loudoun has the largest number of horses of any county in the state ), sheep and goats .
We have thousands of acres of corn and other row crops . But the biggest need for land comes
Q What about the future ?
A
From a Farm Bureau perspective , there is a lot to be hopeful about . We have the youngest Farm Bureau board in the state . We have a lot of first-generation farmers coming in . Because land is so expensive , it makes it more viable to do a smaller scale operation , which lends itself to first generation folks .
On the flip side , most have some off-farm income as well , but even 30 or 40 years ago , lots of farm families had an off-farm job .
Because we have such good access to consumers , small scale farming can be economically feasible . People are looking for a different lifestyle — doing something with your hands , using some science , applying some marketing skills . What ’ s happening in this area is definitely special . We have lots of producer groups to provide support to newcomers , and an awesome extension office to help people get started , too .
I am positive about the future . If folks do it right , there is demand for all the local products here , and we are blessed with an environment ( soil and climate ) that supports production . Our biggest challenge is keeping the land available , but if we meet that challenge , the sky ’ s the limit . If we can do that , the rest will take care of itself .
Emily Houston lives on a small horse farm in Paeonian Springs , Virginia . A lifelong equestrian , she worked in publishing for many years and is the former editor of Horse Times magazine . She serves on the boards of the Loudoun County Equine Alliance and Save Rural Loudoun , and works on rural road preservation efforts in Loudoun as well .