Ovoka Farm owner Karen Way, of Paris, is donating 10,000 pounds of locally-raised ground beef and ground pork toward The Piedmont Environmental Council’s Farm to Food Bank initiative, which is supporting food banks throughout the northern Piedmont.
Working Farms and Food
Farmland and forests produce the necessities of life and provide essential natural services. In PEC’s nine county area, over 180,000 acres of farmland and 140,000 acres of forests are protected through private, voluntary land conservation.
Summer on the Farm
As of early September, we have donated more than 22,000 pounds of fresh produce to Loudoun Hunger Relief!
Video: Connecting Local Beef Farmers with Food Pantries
Building on the success of our dairy initiative, The Piedmont Environmental Council worked with Fauquier Community Food Bank and Lakota Ranch to pilot a new initiative — purchasing high-quality, locally-raised beef to donate to local food pantries experiencing shortages during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Strengthening Local Food Systems
Early one May morning, a Maola Dairy delivery truck took an unusual turn through the gates and into the parking lot of the Fauquier Community Food Bank. Nearby, Director Sharon Ames’ excitement was palpable as she jumped up and down, hands clapping, smile as wide as the gates swung open that day. Since the coronavirus pandemic, Ames said the food bank has had to turn away families in search of milk more often than they’ve been able to provide it.
PEC’s Gilberts Corner Farmers Market
The Gilberts Corner Farmers Market sits at the intersections of Route 15 and Route 50 in Loudoun County, about 1 mile east of Aldie, Virginia. In 2019, The Piedmont Environmental Council proudly announced our new ownership of the market and set forth with plans to enhance its history as a place to find local food and fiber.
Webinar: Strengthening the Local Food System
Join PEC staff for a look at the importance of local farms and food during the Covid-19 pandemic. This webinar was recorded on June 5, 2020. 
Connecting Local Dairy Farm and Food Pantry Needs
Local dairy farms are being hit particularly hard by Covid-19, so we decided to step in with an innovative way to get milk they produce to those most in need right now. When schools shut down in March, many farmers found themselves without a viable avenue to sell and distribute a large percentage of their milk.
Charlottesville’s Drive-Through Farmers Markets
Now more than ever, local food producers are demonstrating their value and continued dedication to serving our communities local, healthy, fresh foods.
Video Updates from the Community Farm
Check out the latest video updates from Dana and Pete at PEC’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows!
4/15/2020 Community Farm Update
Dana and Pete are doing amazing work at the Community Farm!
