River Oak Farm

River Oak Farm is located in historic Lowesville, along the banks of the Piney River in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Central Virginia. It encompasses 75 acres in total and consists of typical Appalachian terrain including rich, river bottomland, high meadows, and cove forests. Tobacco Creek forms the southwest boundary of the property and the Priest Mountain (4,063 feet) looms over to the northeast. This heavenly slice of Virginia has deep agricultural roots and a strong sense of community. The property we farm was once heavy in corn and tobacco and dates back to 1846 when a little cabin was built with hand-hewn American Chestnut logs. At one time the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway, one of the shortest steam-powered rail lines in the country rolled right through the property hauling chestnut logs, apples, and other agricultural goods out of the mountains. For the most part, the pastures and barns have lain fallow and quiet for the last several decades. We are grateful for the opportunity to breathe new life into this old land. In particular, we feel proud and hopeful to be stewards of the Earth and participants in the current agrarian renaissance. River Oak Farm is a grass-based, diversified livestock farm. We raise pastured poultry (chicken & turkeys), forest-fed heritage breed pork, and 100% grass-fed beef. We hold a deep respect for the land and our animals. Age-old agricultural traditions and methods are revered and we seek the wisdom and experience of veteran farmers. Above all, we are devoted to Mother Earth and strive to disrupt her natural rhythms and cycles as little as possible. The greatest goal is for our farming to work with and for the land, not against it. Our animals are tended to by hand twice daily, allowing us to foster a relationship of trust, respect, and admiration. We use intensive, rotational grazing methods on our herds, flocks, and droves to maximize soil health and to provide our animals with fresh ground daily. Although the style of farming that we do is very labor intensive, it means that we can intimately observe the health and well-being of each of our animals. This allows us to make their welfare our highest priority. We strongly maintain that nourishment of the land yields nourishment for the animal, which in turn brings the greatest possible nourishment to our customers and ourselves. He began his farming career at the age of 19 on the Warren Wilson College Farm in Swannanoa, NC. Over the last decade, he has been learning all that he can about animal husbandry, food production, and the preservation of the health of our land. That journey has led him all over the U.S. from working at a large, organic goat dairy (Amaltheia) in Montana to leasing a successful grass-based beef and chicken operation (Davis Creek Farm) in Central Virginia and many other beautiful places in between. In 2009 he started his own pastured poultry business in Louisiana on borrowed land. He was selling weekly at the New Orleans Crescent City Farmer’s Market and had the opportunity to supply some of the country’s best restaurants and chefs including John Besh, Emeril Lagasse, and Donald Link - among others. He has an Environmental Science degree with a concentration in Agriculture from Montana State University. In the fall of 2013 Adam realized the dream of owning his own piece of land and together with his wife Cassy, purchased River Oak Farm - his greatest adventure yet. Click here to learn about Cassy Her first experience with farm life was her first job. At the age of 15, she started working summers on Blue Heron Farm, a small vegetable and flower CSA in Nellysford, VA. Growing up and throughout college and her career, healthy and sustainably produced food has been a large part of her life. Whether it has been through the service industry, procurement, farming, or her current work she has been fighting the good fight to promote and sustain local eating and agriculture. Cassy works full-time as Relay Foods’ Senior Categ