As farmers, we strive to raise the healthiest, most sustainably grown foods we can.  As business owners, we work to craft deep customer relationships that help nourish other area family farms.  As parents, educators and engaged community members, we try to help to create a path for those who might wish to follow.

Thanks to the support of our CSA program members, Agriberry is able to serve as a hands-on agricultural training opportunity for motivated first-time workers. Through this mission, Agriberry aims to employ young area teens in its fields to pick our fruit, during weekends and their summer break. The goal of the program is to empower a new generation with hands-on farming skills, and to help these young workers learn valuable job and social skills.

For a more detailed description of the Young Worker Training Program summer job, click here.

The application for the 2013 Young Worker Training Program will be available soon.  Please check back in early March. After completing the application, please email work@agriberry.com for an appointment to submit your application in person.  If you are a returning worker, please complete a new application and send us an email for further instructions.

At Agriberry, we strive to treat the Earth well in the hope that she will return the favor. Though we are not certified organic, we use as many organic practices as we can when growing our fruit. We also follow Extension Service guidelines for growing and harvesting our product. Utilizing Integrated Pest Management (IPM), we focus on sustaining a healthful and natural multi-year farm planting. These practices help minimize the effects of disease, insects, and compounding weather patterns.

A pick-up location is a pre-determined site where members meet the Agriberry team to retrieve their weekly share. We're offering seven Richmond pick-up locations for the 2013 season, all of which are listed below.

Can I pick up at different locations every week?

No, for planning purposes, we ask that you carefully select a pick-up location that will work for the entire season.

What if I can't pick up my share?

If you know you will not be able to pick up your share, we suggest that you have a friend or neighbor pick it up for you, or if you plan to go out of town pick someone who you know will enjoy the fruit for the week. If you have forgotten to pick up your share, let us know and we can deal with it on a case by case basis.

What about our vacation?

New for the 2013 season, you have additional options for handling your vacation.  If you let us know the week before, you can either pick up an extra share before you leave or when you return, you can have someone else pick up for you, or you can skip that week and add it on to the end of the CSA season.  We are happy to work with you!

Can I permanently change pick-up locations?

Yes. If something changes in your schedule and you are no longer able to pick up your share at the previous location, just email us and we will attempt to change your pick-up location to one that better suits you. 

Pick-up Locations (click on location names for directions)

Atlee

9077 Atlee Road, off US 301

Tuesdays, 4:00-6:30 pm (non-market location)

Byrd House Market

224 S. Cherry Street

Tuesdays, 4:00-6:30 pm

Lakeside Farmers’ Market

6110 Lakeside Ave

Wednesdays, 4:00-6:30 pm

West End Farmers Market

12450 Gayton Road

Wednesdays, 4:00-6:00 pm

Great Big Greenhouse

2051 Huguenot Road

Thursdays, 11:00 am-2:00 pm

Whole Foods

11173 W. Broad Street

Thursdays, 4:30-6:30 pm

The Market @ St. Stephens Episcopal Church

6000 Grove Ave.

Saturdays, 8:30-11:30 am

Williamsburg

113 Dogwood Drive, Williamsburg

Fridays, 4:30-6:30 pm

(ellen@agriberry.com)

Annapolis

Eastport Shopping Center (near Adam's Ribs)

Wednesdays, 4:00-7:00 pm

(susan@agriberry.com)

AGRIBERRY'S MISSION is to establish community supported summer berry fields and be a premier training facility for motivated first time workers.

In 2008, Anne Geyer was awarded a USDA Specialty Crop Grant to start a business to inspire a new generation of specialty crop farmers. Anne, with the assistance of New Visions, New Ventures, wrote the Agriberry business plan and with support of Sprout Advisory of Richmond, launched a nine week pilot CSA. As this pilot quickly demonstrated Richmond’s eager demand for an assortment of fresh, local, seasonal berries and fruits, Agriberry premiered as one of the nation’s first berry and fruit CSAs.  Agriberry has now acquired land and infrastructure of its own, and supportive relationships with other trustworthy farmers have allowed Agriberry to supply fruits and knowledgeable service to our CSA community.

In 2009, Agriberry leased 10 acres of Hanover farm land along the historic Pamunkey River for the production of raspberries and blackberries. In 2011 the Geyers bought 25 acres of their own about four miles west along Hanover's scenic River Road. This newly planted Agriberry acreage currently hosts red raspberries, black raspberries, purple raspberries, blackberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, and cherries.  They hope to begin construction of a family home in 2013.

Farming fruits involves multi-year investments for sustainability. While site selection and infrastructure for strawberries and blueberries continues, partnerships with other family farms allow us to provide this year’s fruit. Additional berry, fruit, and CSA items are sourced directly from other family farms, on geographic sites known to have better growing conditions for the best quality production.

The Geyer family has been involved in berry and fruit farming since 1980.  Anne and Chuck Geyer met at the University of Maryland Horticultural research farm while working on a USDA berry production study.  In 1982, as newly weds, they moved to Virginia and established a berry farm for partners of Westmoreland Land Company, where they gained over 25 years of experience growing and marketing 60 acres of assorted berries and tree fruits. Now, farming independently and on their own land, the Geyers maintain leadership involvement locally, regionally and nationally in the fruit industry to stay up to date in sustainable production practices, allowing Anne and Chuck to have key relationships with other farmers that grow the best of a wide variety of fruits.

Extended family participation has always been instrumental in Geyer farming history.  Agriberry now has satellite CSAs in Annapolis and Williamsburg, run by Anne’s sister Susan and niece Ellen, respectively. Now in their 20s, the Geyer children, Pierson, Colleen and Mary Claire, grew up with the joys and demands of family farming. All three still contribute to Agriberry with valuable leadership, abilities and interests in the field, working with CSA members and staffing the area’s farmers markets. 

A Word From Susan Noyce: Annapolis CSA Founder and Coordinator 

    Hi! I’m Susan Noyce, and welcome to Annapolis Agriberry. I have been working with my family at farmers markets and on the farm for more than a decade. This year we are excited to serve our neighbors and friends right here in Annapolis.

    When I am not training clients at the Annapolis Athletic Club, you can find me supporting Robert Noyce and Noyce Yachts in Galesville. As a personal trainer and volunteer for the local elementary schools’ Mighty Miler’s program (after school track and field), I bring a strong commitment to fostering an active lifestyle for all ages. I know the importance of good nutrition and its effect on wellbeing. Berries are among the very best “super foods” to feed your family.

    I will be bringing you a weekly delivery, primarily of seasonal berries, along with orchard fruit and vegetables picked, at times, the very same day they are delivered to your hands. Fresh! Local! Believe me, you can taste the difference! Join now--we look forward to serving you and your family every Wednesday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm in the Eastport Shopping Center parking lot. Look for the Agriberry canopy.

Susan Noyce

susan@agriberry.com

Download the Annapolis CSA Application Here

Greetings, we are excited to have all our applications up and ready for all 3 Agriberry CSA sites! Take advantage of pre-season discounts.

Download the 2013 application below:

Richmond 2013

Anne Geyer

anne@agriberry.com

Williamsburg 2013 

Ellen Frackelton

ellen@agriberry.com

Annapolis 2013

Susan Noyce

susan@agriberry.com

A Word From Ellen Frackelton: Williamsburg CSA Founder and Coordinator

    Welcome to the Williamsburg Agriberry CSA!  I am Ellen Frackelton and have been involved with my family's berry and fruit farm since middle school.  Starting in 2010, I was part of the Agriberry Team at the Williamsburg Farmers Market, and am excited to bring our CSA to Williamsburg. 

    Another exciting aspect of our Williamsburg CSA is our partnership with J. Blaine Blayton Elementary School.  Five percent of our Williamsburg CSA profits will go to the Blayton Garden Club to help start the amazing projects they have planned.  I'm thrilled about bringing Agriberry and Blayton together to help teach elementary students about agriculture and nutrition. 

    Thank you for your interest in the Williamsburg Agriberry CSA.  I look forward to seeing you on Tuesdays  and bringing the best locally grown produce and service to you and your family.

Ellen Frackelton

ellen@agriberry.com

Download the Williamsburg CSA Application Here

Miss our on our summer CSA season? Love raspberries, apples, and cider? If so, you’re in luck! Agriberry Farm is pleased to announce our 2012 Fall CSA, open to both new and returning members alike. The five-week share program will consist of our Hanover grown fall red raspberries, fresh apple cider pressed and pasteurized for us at Rinker Orchards, and a half-peck of Honey Crisp apples grown for us by Chris Baugher in the Appalachian Foothills. The five weeks start on September 18, and continue through October 20. The pick-up locations for the Fall CSA are as follows: Tuesdays at Byrd House Market from 4:00-6:30pm, Thursdays at Whole Foods Market from 4:00-6:30pm, and Saturdays at either Brandermill or St. Stephens Market from 8:30-11:30am. To join for the fall season, simply complete the application and bring a check for $100.00 to your chosen pick-up location. Can’t wait to see you all at markets; here’s to the fall!

Apply to join the 2012 Fall CSA here!