Redbud Farm is a family business in Berkeley County, WV.  Named after historic Redbud Hollow, the original log cabin on the premises, we are committed to preserving our local agricultural heritage by practicing and teaching sustainable agriculture.  Our mission is to grow high quality organic food for our local community while promoting sustainable agriculture, building, and energy applications through our internship program and on-farm research.  Our fresh produce and flowers are sold in restaurants, Washington D.C. area farmers markets, and through our ]Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that services local consumers in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.  We believe that fostering a link between farmers and the community is crucial to ensuring the viability of our local farms.

Haroun Hallack served as an extension agent in Sierra Leone, West Africa, and has extensive training in sustainable agricultural technologies, such as solar electric, solar hot water, water catchment, and green building.

Clarissa Mathews has a Ph.D. in Entomology and specializes in biological control and sustainable living.  She conducted research on compost and ecological orchard production at the USDA for 6 years and now serves on the faculty of Shepherd University’s Institute for Environmental Studies, teaching Sustainable Agriculture, Soil Science, and Sustainable Energy.  Her research includes wind and biodiesel applications for WV farms.

Our growing philosophy is ecologically based and is informed by more than 15 years of experience and formal education in the Agricultural Sciences.  We farm in concert with nature, using NO chemical fertilizers or pesticides and maintaining practices that conserve water and soil resources:

• Hay as mulch conserves our soil moisture
• Cover crops and composts feed our soil
• Biological control (natural enemies like lady beetles), crop rotation, floating row covers, and companion planting protect our crops from pests

We focus on crop diversification, with an array of heirloom varieties to enhance genetic diversity, and are committed to incorporating renewable energies like solar and biodiesel in our production system, to reduce fossil fuel dependence and enhance overall sustainability.
Our organic certification was awarded in 2002 through the Mountain State Organic Buyers and Growers Association (MSOBGA).  MSOBGA was the organization responsible for certifying growers in West Virginia until the national standards controlled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture went into effect.  In 2007, we were re-certified under the USDA National Organic Program that now oversees all organic certification in the U.S.  Since there is no USDA-authorized certifying body within the state of West Virginia, we re-certified through  Oregon Tilth (OR).