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RappahannockOrganic™ took its first, modest step last week by setting up and stocking a display of plants at Mountainside Market in Sperryville.
The temporary sign says, “RappahannockOrganic— Edibles, Flowers and Others Goodies from the Folks of Rappahannock,” and that’s just what this new organization is doing. It is serving as a Rappahannock County products marketing cooperative, and is just starting the process of collecting agricultural and horticultural products from small and large Rappahannock growers, and marketing them through existing county outlets and then, as the organization develops, to out-of-county tetailers and restaurants.
Co-founder Jerry Ochs is a fiftn believer in the preservation of Rappahannock agricultural land, and sees the organization as a contributor to that cause. “By developing markets for niche agricultural products produced by even the smallest grower,” he said, “we might be able to contribute to the preservation of a acre or two or ten or a thousand of the county’s farmland and open spaces.”
Ochs’ partner, Debbie Settle, also looks forward to the possibility of encouraging nev^piiche growers. She said, “we*re looking for anyone who would like to turn that gardening hobby into an income producing venture, and Who could provide organic and other locally grown flowers, herbs and vegetables.”
The small display at Mountainside Market features organically-grown potted flowers and medicinal and culinary herbs, and will soon include a variety of heirloom and unusual vegetable plants.
The present and nearterm selection includes dahlias, cosmos, scarlet runner beans, valerian, sweet woodruff, chives, calendula, dill, parsley, pac choi, patty pan and sweet dumpling squash, pear and currant tomatoes, oriental eggplant varieties, okra, lipstick, apple and paprika peppers, and lemon and pickling cucumbers.
Future plans include supplying products to three other Rappahannock outlets including Sunnyside Farms’ Mercantile Center in Washington, Va. Growers, growers-to-be, and others interested are invited to call 987-3311 for additional information.
Small parcels of land can be made available, at modest or no cost, for those without space to grow.
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