Northern Piedmont Guide

Along with partners American Farmland Trust and Bean Hollow Grassfed, The Piedmont Environmental Council is working to strengthen the region’s animal protein processing capabilities, in hopes of preventing the kind of challenges that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since 2006, PEC’s Buy Fresh Buy Local chapters (Charlottesville, Northern Piedmont, Loudoun) have connected multitudes of families to the fresh, local products grown and raised in the Piedmont through the free marketing opportunities afforded local farmers through our annual Buy Fresh Buy Local guides. To help strengthen those connections even further, PEC staff in 2018 conducted interviews, focus groups and surveys with our Buy Fresh Buy Local partners. These efforts have helped us identify barriers for farmers within the Piedmont’s local food system and develop strategies for strengthening local agriculture around the region.

James and Nichole Brown created their online organic plant and garden supply business with one goal in mind: to help others find wellness using the gifts of nature. Their journey has been a personal one. When Nichole developed a life-threatening food allergy, they found that growing their own produce was instrumental to their own family wellness. Now, by making allergy-friendly, nature-based products available to their customers through their farm Nature’s Wellspring, the Browns are committed to empowering their customers to grow healthy food for themselves in their own gardens.