Working Farms & Local Food

Farmland and forests produce the essentials of life, from the food on our tables to clean water and air. In PEC’s nine-county area, approximately 200,000 acres of farmland and 198,000 acres of forests are protected through private, voluntary land conservation.

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matt coyle headshot

Partner Alert: Buy Fresh Buy Local

Hi there! My name is Matt Coyle and I am writing to introduce myself as The Piedmont Environmental Council’s new Buy Fresh Buy Local coordinator (my amazing predecessor, Jess Palmer, moved back home to Texas …
| | Working Farms & Food
Carina and Dean Elgin at their fence.

Fronting the Costs: Fencing at Mountain Hollow Farm

Eight generations of cattle farming had taken its toll on the streams at Dean and Carina Elgin’s Mountain Hollow Farm in northern Fauquier County. Historically, “all the cattle had access to the creek. That was …
A woman stands next to buckets for harvesting produce.

Spring at Roundabout Meadows

Alot is going on, at and around our 141-acre Roundabout Meadows property at Gilberts Corner in Loudoun County. We’ve got a new trail opening, the second season for the Community Farm and news to share …
Year One on the Farm

Year One on the Farm

Loudoun County is one of the most affluent counties in the nation and simultaneously home to some 14,000 people without reliable access to affordable, nutritious food. It is consistently one of the fastest-growing counties in …
Flavor of the Piedmont Event

Flavor of the Piedmont Event

Come taste the flavor of the Piedmont! The Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission and Piedmont Environmental Council are co-hosting a food expo to showcase the region’s locally-grown food and beverages. This two-part event will take place on …
Let There Be Fruits and Veggies

Let There Be Fruits and Veggies

The Piedmont Environmental Council’s Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows was founded with two ideas in mind: to connect residents to Loudoun’s vital agricultural economy and to provide locally grown fruits and vegetables for its food-insecure …
angus

Piedmont Beef Survey

PEC is working with Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), a regional non-profit that encourages large institutions like hospitals and universities to purchase locally-raised beef. The purpose of our study is to better understand beef production …
| | Working Farms & Food
nixon family

Award-Winning Farmer Protects Farmland for Future Generations

This past summer, in an effort to preserve the prime farmland and help ensure continued operations, the Nixons chose to permanently protect 382 acres of their land through a conservation easement with the Piedmont Environmental …
Roundabout Meadows sign in front of a meadow

Growing Connections: The Community Farm at Roundabout Meadows

Food brings people together. But healthy food is sometimes hard to come by. Despite Loudoun County’s reputation as a wealthy community, a surprising number of children in the county — one in 10 — live …
Virginia Farm Winery Study

Virginia Farm Winery Study

Heads up! The VA Dept. of Agriculture is using this survey to gather feedback about the impacts of farm wineries and winery events on neighbors and communities near wineries (e.g. noise & traffic). The deadline …
| | Working Farms & Food

The Piedmont Environmental Council is a partner of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition. We support the 4 core principles of soil health management: Keep Soil Covered; Minimize Soil Disturbance; Maximize Living Roots; and, Energize with Diversity. Join the movement today at 4thesoil.org.