Virginia ranks ninth nationally for direct farm sales, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service study on local food marketing practices.

Winter produce, baked goods, local meats, preserved foods and handcrafted items are a draw at Virginia farmers’ markets, many of which are open year-round.

Even when the mercury drops, winter produce, baked goods, local meats, preserved foods and handcrafted items are a draw at Virginia farmers’ markets.

The 2016 Virginia Farm to Table Conference will be held Dec. 6-8 at Blue Ridge Community College’s Plecker Workforce Development Center. The event will focus on local and regional food and agriculture, practical applications for soil health and farm profitability, and other food system topics.

Decorative pumpkins may take center stage at fall farmers’ markets, but there are plenty of nutrient-packed winter squash varieties for seasonal menus.

Two Virginia farmers’ markets topped the balloting in the annual American Farmland Trust Farmers Market Celebration.

This year’s National Farmers Market Week, Aug. 7-13, marks the 17th annual celebration of markets and the important role they play in local economies.

Cullipher Farm in Virginia Beach has harvested its first sweet corn of the year to sell at the farm’s stand in Pungo. Kim Cullipher said her family has 35 acres planted in sweet corn this year.

Virginia sweet corn typically doesn’t make its debut until early July, but there is plenty of fresh summer produce just waiting to be picked. You can find summer fruits and vegetables at local farmers’ markets, farm stands and  grocery stores, much of it perfect for serving at summer cookouts.

In a few days, we’ll celebrate the 240th anniversary of the stand our founding fathers took with the Declaration of Independence. Some of those founding fathers were also founding farmers who, along with the founding mothers, had a tangible stake in the fight for independence. They were already committed to raising products that would make the United States self-sufficient at home and a desirable trading partner abroad.