A Summer of Growth, Community & Firsts at Deer Park Farm
What a season it has been at Deer Park Farm.
From festivals and community events to a huge harvest, plenty of time in the kitchen and a milestone three years in the making, this summer gave us a lot to celebrate.
More importantly, it gave us even more opportunities to share what Deer Park Farm is all about: good food, local agriculture and being part of the incredible community around us.
Taking Deer Park Farm on the Road
This year, we had the chance to bring Deer Park Farm to several events throughout Southwest Virginia, meeting new people, sharing our products and supporting some pretty incredible local experiences along the way.
We kicked things off at Camp Reckoning, a three-day weekend at Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing in New Castle filled with music, mountains and community. Held across the venue's beautiful 500-acre property, it was exactly the kind of laid-back outdoor gathering we love being part of.
We also proudly sponsored the 3rd Annual Tattoo Experience at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke. The event brought together local and regional tattoo studios and artists for a unique mix of tattoo art, fashion and creativity, including one-of-a-kind pieces created using clothing and accessories from local boutique La De Da.
Then came a big first for us: our first FloydFest!
FloydFest 26~Daydream took over FestivalPark in Check from July 22–26, bringing together music, art, outdoor adventure and the kind of community spirit that makes this part of Virginia so special. Getting to vend at one of Floyd County's signature events and introduce Deer Park Farm to even more people was definitely a highlight of our summer.
And we weren't done yet.
In August, we headed back to Wilderness Adventure for WA Fest, a three-day outdoor music festival featuring live music, camping and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the surrounding mountains through activities like tubing, hiking and disc golf. We loved getting another chance to take Deer Park Farm on the road and spend a weekend with such a fun crowd.
A Huge Summer Harvest
While we were busy getting out into the community, things were just as busy back at the farm.
This summer brought us a huge harvest, providing our kitchen with plenty of fresh ingredients as we continue making the delicious Deer Park Farm products our customers know and love.
None of that happens without a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes.
A huge thank you goes to Shiloh and the entire farm team for everything they have done this season. From planting and tending to harvesting and keeping everything moving through the heat of summer, their hard work is at the heart of what we do.
Growing our own ingredients and turning that harvest into something delicious is part of what makes Deer Park Farm special, and we couldn't do it without them.
Welcoming the Floyd County Business Community
September brought the celebration back home to the farm when we hosted the Floyd County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours.
Members of the local business community were invited to tour the farm, store, commercial kitchen and retreat property while getting a closer look at everything happening at Deer Park Farm.
It was a wonderful opportunity to open our doors, connect with fellow local businesses and share some of our plans for the future.
But the evening also gave us the chance to finally celebrate something we had been waiting a long time for.
Three Years in the Making
After three years, we finally got to hold the official ribbon cutting for our commercial kitchen.
There has been a lot of planning, hard work, learning and growth packed into those three years. Today, that kitchen plays a huge role in allowing us to take what is grown on the farm and turn it into the products we get to share with all of you.
Being able to officially cut the ribbon surrounded by members of our community made the milestone even more meaningful.
And We Are Just Getting Started
Looking back at this season, it is pretty incredible to see how much happened in just a few months.
We harvested. We cooked. We traveled. We vended. We sponsored. We welcomed people to the farm. We celebrated a long-awaited milestone.
And there is so much more to come from Deer Park Farm.
We are continuing to grow, create and find new ways to bring good food, agriculture and community together right here in Pilot, Virginia.
To our team, our customers, our event partners, our local business community and everyone who stopped by our booth, visited the farm, bought a Deer Park Farm product or told a friend about us this summer: thank you for being part of it.
Want to see what we're growing, making and planning next?
