Harrisonburg Farms for Sale

Why Should You Buy a Farm in Harrisonburg, Virginia 

Harrisonburg is a charming town located in the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia. Virginia has a long agricultural history; in fact one of the oldest family farms in the state dates back to 1672. Today agriculture in Virginia generates over $1 billion dollars a year. In an effort to continue driving revenue, the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission created The Fields of Gold which combines the area’s strong agriculture with tourism. The website describes The Fields of Gold as “a regional agritourism program designed to collectively market and promote the Shenandoah Valley’s agritourism sites and activities.” Owning a farm in this area can create strong multiple income streams through both agriculture and tourism. This makes Harrisonburg an excellent place to buy a farm of your own. Below I will review some popular farms in Harrisonburg that benefit from agritourism. 

Popular Harrisonburg Farms

Back Home on the Farm

Back Home on the Farm is located on 240 acres just outside of Harrisonburg. Much of the farm’s land is pasture for their Hereford Cattle and used to grow hay which is harvested for feed or sold. The property has a 12,000 square foot greenhouse used for growing and selling plants in the spring. The greenhouse features fun plants and accessories that you can purchase to create a fairy garden and provide a variety of educational and seasonal activities such as how to create pollinator gardens and teas. The greenhouse experts will assist you in picking out the perfect plants to create your garden that will attract both bees and butterflies. The farm grows corn which is used as a corn maze and then sold at the end of the season. They also grow 7 acres of pumpkins which are for sale for all your fall festivities. Year round the farm serves an afternoon tea with a country twist. The menu focuses on locally sourced products and menu items include fresh fruit compote, blueberry basil scones, BLT canapés, mini vanilla cupcakes and black, herbal and iced teas. In addition to their regular afternoon tea, themed teas are held throughout the year. Reservations are required.

Season’s Bounty Farm 

Season’s Bounty Farm breeds lambs and grows over 30 types of crops on it’s 6 acres of land. They grow all of their produce without the use of pesticides. They are not certified organic and explain on their website that doing so would require extensive research into locating organic seeds and starter plants and that these organic seeds and starters would increase costs both for the farm and then the customer. They do guarantee that from the time the seeds or starter plants are planted, no pesticides are used. They employ alternate forms of farming to ensure healthy abundant crops such as crop rotation, floating row covers and hoop houses. The farm offers a weekly CSA subscription and sells its goods in the Harrisonburg Farmers Market on Saturdays. The farm also grows over 100 varieties of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths and offers a spring subscription which costs $100. The subscriber receives 6 bouquets plus 2 bonus bouquets over a 6 week period. 

White Oak Lavender Farm

White Oak Lavender Farm, grows, harvests and processes lavender for retail and wholesale. They have an onsite store where they sell lavender items such as dream pillows, sachets, gourmet foods, bath and body products and aromatherapy goods. This interactive eco-friendly farm provides education about small farm production and the benefits of lavender. Lavender has been used for over 2,500 years in cooking, bathing, and relaxation. White Oak Lavender Farm grows over 8,000 lavender plants which they harvest in summer drying the flowers for buds. The buds are then used to extract essential oil and floral water (also known as hydrosol) which is created through steam distillation. In addition to lavender, the farm has 3,000 grape vines which are harvested in the fall to create 12 types of wine. They also offer crafting classes, guided tours, interactive gardens (labyrinth, adult swings) to help you engage and relax. Visitors can take part in a self guided auditory walking tour that includes an overview of how the farm grows, harvests, dries and distills lavender. The price of this self guided tour includes 20 stems of lavender that visitors get to cut and take home with them. There is also a guided tour offered with an optional wine tasting extension that takes place in the discovery area after the tour.

This is just 3 of the many types of farms that are located and thriving in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Below are 2 popular Harrisonburg, Virginia spots where you can get to know what other farms produce and sell. 

Friendly City Food Co-op 

Harrisonburg’s Friendly City Food Co-op is conveniently located downtown. Spend a little time at the Co-op checking out the variety of fresh, organic, locally sourced foods and products. You can invite a friend and grab sandwiches or a variety of items from the hot food bar and an organic coffee for a quick lunch. Shopping at your local friendly food co-op will help to support small farmers in the area. The store is owned by everyday people and the money it makes remains in the community. The co-op donates money to local charities – more than 3X what conventional grocers donate – another reason to support this shop. Take a look at their website to discover what causes they are supporting at this time.

Farmers Market

The Harrisonburg farmers market (a producer only market) was begun in 1979 and takes place all year long. January thru March the market runs Saturday 9am -1pm; April thru Thanksgiving the market is open Tuesdays and Saturdays 8am – 1pm. In the month of December, the first 3 Saturdays become a Holiday Market so consumers can purchase locally grown items and artisan gifts. The farmers market is located in downtown Harrisonburg at The Turner Pavilion located at 228 South Liberty Street. Currently the market has 50 vendors who sell a variety of items from artisan baked goods and fruits and vegetables to art, flowers and small batch natural bath and body products. 

With such a strong agricultural history, support from the local community and continued plans to grow and expand agritourism in the area, Harrisonburg is the perfect place to put down roots. When will you begin your search for the perfect Harrisonburg farm for sale?

FAQ’s

Where are most farms located in Virginia?

• Many important agricultural counties are located in the Shenandoah Valley. In fact, Rockingham County (where Harrisonburg is located) is known as one of the top 100 counties in the country for agricultural production and famous for its output of turkeys, chickens and eggs. 

What is the top county in Virginia in terms of farm income?

• Rockingham county was one of the top counties in Virginia for farm income generating $163 million dollars in 2017. 

What crop makes the most money on a farm?

• Soybeans are a very profitable crop for large farms while fruit trees and berries are profitable for all size farms.