Stallard Road Farm Brings Variety

Stallard Road Farm brings a lot of variety to the Wakefield Farmers Market in . Owners John and Katherine Adams have a very eclectic group of products, including beef, honey, herbal teas, eggs, and a multi-purpose lotion called Healer’s Salve. While the Adamses were both raised in non-farming families, farming is their passion.

“I was raised here in Annandale, but farming was always a lifelong ambition for me. My wife and I are both very interested in self-sustainability.” John Adams said.

Katherine Adams was raised in New York City. “I was born and raised a city girl, but we always had a little garden patch. I had to eat healthy and natural back before it was cool,” Katherine Adams explained. “While it seemed unfair then, I now believe that eating whole foods is important. Our bodies weren’t made to process chemicals."

Stallard Road Farm is located in Culpeper County, VA and was named after an old road that runs through their property. “We love history and wanted to retain and honor the history of our farm. I believe that everything is connected. We all come from somewhere, and we’re all headed somewhere. I didn’t want that history to be lost,” Katherine Adams said.

The Farm’s beef is grass fed and finished and then taken to a small, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspected meat processor where their animals are slaughtered. All of their beef is dry-aged for 21 days.

“Cows are not meant to eat grain. Our cows eat only grass, which is what they are meant to eat. When it comes to animals, it’s not just important what they’re eating. It’s also what they’re not eating,” John Adams said.

This same philosophy applies not only to their beef, but all of their animals, including goats and chickens.

In regards to the care taken in their beef processing, John Adams said, “Our meat processor might only process ten animals a day. This allows them to take more care with our beef than a large plant that might process about 400 animals per hour.”

Several of their customers appreciate the quality of the food. “Their meat and fresh eggs are very good. You can really tell the difference in quality between the products from Stallard Road Farm and products from the grocery store,” said customer Jen Bell.

Regular customer Jeanette Davias agreed. “The eggs are so great and so rich. They taste the way eggs tasted when I was a kid. You can tell that the chickens are very healthy by the taste of their eggs,” said Davias.

Both of the Adamses love being farmers market vendors because it helps connect them to people with like interests and helps them educate others about whole and natural foods.

“We all have to make money and pay the bills, but I really just enjoy our products and meeting new people. It’s rewarding to sell products that I raise and produce myself,” John Adams said.

“We want to make this a lifestyle that continues to support us. I want the farm to continue to grow so that I can make a living doing what I love. I hope to someday have classes on the farm to educate others about what we do here,” Katherine Adams said.

Stallard Road Farms was originally placed at the Annandale Farmers Market on Thursday mornings, but they realized that there were some similar vendors and thought that Wakefield might have a higher demand for their products.

“Stallard Road Farm is new this year, and we are happy to have them. They add such a depth of products and we are super thrilled. They are a great fit for the Wakefield market,” said Market Coordinator Phyllis Ingram.

When they are not at the Wakefield Farmers Market on Wednesdays, Stallard Road Farms can be found at the Frying Pan and Oak-Marr Farmers Markets on Wednesday mornings until about noon. They can also be found at the Fairfax City and Great Falls markets on Saturdays. On days where they do not have a market, the Adamses offer on-farm sales by appointment.

Since they are extremely busy working on their farm, the Adamses do not have the time to invest in the upkeep that a website requires. However, they can be contacted directly via e-mail at stallardroad@gmail.com.