By Eric J. Wallace / Photo above courtesy of Virginia Tourism Corporation
Agritourism in Virginia isn’t new: Farmers have used draws such as a pick-your-own orchard, corn mazes, or plots of Christmas trees to earn extra cash for more than a half-century. But the industry has seen tremendous evolution in the past 20 or so years. The farm-to-table movement of the early 2000s exploded consumer interest in sustainable food-sourcing and related tours. The Virginia craft beer and wine scene blossomed into one of the nation’s most robust and drove visits to rural tasting rooms. Exponential growth around outdoor recreation led to crossover opportunities such as vineyard horseback rides, pedal-powered pub crawls, and harvesting clams by kayak.
Here are six businesses and organizations that have tapped into the power of agriculture to attract new customers and expand revenue streams.
Oyster Seed Holdings
Oyster Seed Holdings launched in 2008 with a mission to fill a critical gap in the Chesapeake Bay area’s rapidly expanding bivalve industry. Watermen and women were poised to expand farms or launch new ones—but regional demand exceeded local supply of premium seed and larvae. OSH worked with William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences to build a state-of-the-art, Middle Peninsula hatchery on Gwynn Island. The company quickly made a name for itself providing high-quality, disease-resistant seed to aquaculture operations around the state and beyond. Time has brought new offerings that have opened the facility to the public. Seasonal educational tours now invite visitors to immerse themselves in all things bivalve. Walkthroughs include a fascinating foray into OSH’s research and development lab, discussions around the animals’ role in wild aquatic ecosystems, lifecycle overviews, and more. An outdoor food truck, added in 2023, dishes up a rotating selection of raw oysters from about 15 client farms paired with delicious butter mixes and mignonettes. There’s also a scrumptious menu of handhelds like po’boys, bánh mì, and bay-to-table fish tacos. Wash down the eats with Virginia wine, beer, or cider in a gorgeous, table-lined courtyard on Wharf Creek. oshoyster.com
The Virginia Oyster Trail
The Virginia Oyster Trail was created in 2015 with one purpose: To harness the power of agritourism and convince foodies to visit historic watermen communities around the Chesapeake Bay. The initiative has helped make Coastal Virginia the East Coast’s top bivalve producer and grow direct farm sales to a whopping $81 million in 2024—a 52 percent increase compared to 2018. The trail highlights primo farms and raw bars in eight major production areas around the bay. Each is unique and wondrous, so you really can’t go wrong. But I prefer my oysters bold and briny, so the Eastern Shore’s three designated locations are a personal cause célèbre. Taste-tour the peninsula with stops at iconic beach bars like The Shanty on Cape Charles Harbor. Slurp unparalleled delicacies like Shooting Point Salts, which are farmed on the north end of a pristine wild barrier island that sits about eight miles as-the-crow-flies from the coast. virginiaoystertrail.com
Seaview Creek Farm
The view from the eastern border of Cape Charles’s Seaview Creek Farm is worth a trip alone: Plots of rectangular potato fields roll toward a horizon of protected wetlands, bays, and wild barrier islands in the Virginia Coast Reserve. Owner Bill Bar’s primary focus is restaurant-grade organic grains and tubers—including heirloom red creamer and white varieties. He also manages an apiary with more than 60,000 bees and crafts a line of farm-fresh honey products. The desire to share the property with others led Barr to transform a three-story, wooden plow barn from the 1880s into a rustic events venue. The former horse stables boast historic features like a loft with 25-foot cathedral ceilings and exposed beams, and a large gathering hall with traditional brick floors. It now hosts seasonal public and private events that range from weddings to family reunions and farm dinners. seaviewcreekfarm.com
Photo courtesy of Zoll Vineyards
Zoll Vineyards
Longtime Boston-area pastry chef and winemaker Frank Zoll discovered the Middle Peninsula after family members retired to the area in 2015. He bought land near Gloucester and founded Zoll Vineyards three years later. “I love how laidback and genuinely friendly the people are here,” Zoll said. “I wanted my business to pay tribute to that spirit and give locals a nice place to gather with friends and family.”
The intention shifted Zoll’s approach to the winery. The tasting room has a homey and inviting yet elevated vibe. It opens onto a grassy outdoor seating area that’s overhung with string lights and surrounded by vines and vegetable gardens. A full kitchen serves house-made bread and Southern or Italian staples like mozzarella caprese that are crafted from mostly farm-fresh ingredients. The beverage menu, meanwhile, features more than 25 items. Offerings range from traditional vintages like chardonnay and viognier—which have earned medals at numerous Governor’s Cup competitions—to fruity sangrias, cider, and mead. Licensing that will bring a curated craft beer selection is in the works. “We want to be inclusive and have something for everyone,” Zoll said. “The goal is to be a place where people can gather, have an awesome time, and make memories.” zollvineyards.com
Chatham Vineyards
Outdoor adventure experiences that end with a fantastic glass of wine or beer are hard to beat. Few venues do it better than Chatham Vineyards. A partnership with Southeast Expeditions, a longtime Eastern Shore paddling outfitter, invites active travelers to tour the picturesque estate by kayak. The put-in on Nassawadox Creek is at a broad wooden wharf that’s home to a working oyster operation in the tiny, historic waterman village of Bayford. Catch views of the Chesapeake Bay, and then paddle along the forested banks of a scenic inlet checkered with occasional old homes and copious wetlands. Nookish tributaries abound with birding and wildlife opportunities—including a cache of nesting bald eagles. “I’ve paddled all over the world and this is one of those magical places that lives free rent in my mind,” Southeast owner-founder Dave Burden said. The breezy route isn’t too physically demanding, “but the natural beauty is profound, and you get to literally experience the region’s rich fishing and agriculture traditions.” The trip concludes at a dock behind the vineyards’ 1818 estate home. It culminates with a tasting punctuated by some of Coastal Virginia’s most celebrated vintages. chathamvineyards.com
Dayspring Farm
A brief drive east from West Point delivers visitors to one of the Middle Peninsula’s oldest and most established sustainable small-scale ag businesses. Charlie and Miriam Maloney founded Dayspring Farm in 1987 with intentions to bring then-novel fresh organic produce to the region. They started out growing fruits, herbs, and veggies on just a few acres. Their inaugural community-supported agriculture group was super seasonal and had just 20 members. Expansions have made use of the property’s full 18 acres and grown annual food club subscriptions to more than 200. Infrastructure such as heated tunnel houses has allowed year-round operations. Commercial clients now range from Richmond health foods superstore Ellwood Thompson’s to White Stone’s Old Farm Truck market and Berret’s Seafood Restaurant & Taphouse Grill in Williamsburg. The Maloneys encourage consumer visits through seasonal pick-your-own dates, volunteer days, and an onsite farmstand and pottery studio. The couple’s vanguard efforts have brought numerous accolades over the years—most notably, a prestigious Virginia State University Small Farmer of the Year award in 2017. dayspringfarm.org
