Rebecca Brouwer , owner of Shepherd ’ s Corner Farm in Purcellville , Virginia , prepares the wool from her sheep and fashions beautiful scarves . combines delicate colored fabrics with the light-as-air wools . The result ? Intricate floral and peacock-feather designs that would not look out of place in Vogue .
“ I feel incredibly fortunate during these challenging economic times to live in the countryside and have a business and a product I can keep making ,” Brouwer said . ( Buy her work during Loudoun ’ s Spring and Fall Farm Tours , on the Purcellville Artisan Tour or at Loudoun Farms Marketplace : https :// loudounfarms . org / marketplace /) Of course , agri-businesses can also mean food , and western Loudoun produces artisanal foodstuffs aplenty . While much of it is sold at weekend farmers markets at One Loudoun , Brambleton and downtown Leesburg , you can also pick up fresh produce from rustic roadside farm stores any day of the week in the west — if you know where to look . Head to western Loudoun ’ s town of Hillsboro for fresh produce , meats , vegetables and dairy from Stoneybrook Farm Market . Located in the heart of this historic town , the market
features products from its 45-acre farm as well as sandwiches , salads and baked goods that are perfect to grab and go for a picnic at a nearby winery .
Over on Hamilton Station Road between Route 7 and 9 near Hamilton , is the jewel-boxed sized roadside store of Loudoun ’ s Spring House Farms , offering the tastiest grass-fed beef and pork and poultry products in Loudoun . The store is so small you may have trouble getting a slab of bone-in rib eyes out the door . But small or
Photo courtesy Great Country Farms not , like other agri-businesses out west , the shop nourishes the soul .
For more information on agritourism businesses in Loudoun , visit www . visitloudoun . org
Douglas Rogers is an award-winning author , journalist and travel writer whose work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal , New York Times , Travel & Leisure , National Geographic Traveler and the Times of London . He lives in Waterford , VA and is a content developer and media specialist at Visit Loudoun .
Harvesting apples for Henway Hard Cider at Great Country Farms .
22 wander I fall • winter 2020