Before moving from the ‘burbs of Manassas, Virginia to a 10-acre piece of old farmland in Nokesville in 2017, Elissa (my wife) and I had essentially zero experience with farming. But we were curious. In March of 2018, we got some chickens from Elissa’s aunt and uncle. Over time we obtained more chickens, also some ducks, and grew out the flock. We started a garden, and got a couple bee hives. Sometime around the fall of 2018, we began transitioning the farming thing from “fun hobby” to “side-hustle” (probably my fault). We incorporated as Pennington Market Farm, LLC that October, and then eventually started selling our wares at the Manassas Farmer’s Market in the summer of 2019. We’ve been slowly growing the business since then.
This farming endeavor has, and will likely always be, a balancing act. It’s work, it can be stressful at times… but it’s also rewarding to get feedback and build relationships with our customers, some of whom have visited our table at the farmer’s market many times over. We have two boys (ages 13 and 10) who still need raising, and I work full-time off the farm, so there are family priorities to juggle. But so far so good, and we’re optimistic as we look forward.
Please check out our products page to view our current offerings and feel free to contact us if you have any questions or otherwise. As I mentioned, our primary sales outlet is the Manassas Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings (spring through fall), so feel free to swing by our table and say hi. We also provide our lettuce mix to Hidden Julles in Haymarket, so check them out when you get a chance.
Derek Pennington