Small Bon Air farm thrives

At just less than 3 acres, Patricia Stansbury's tiny farm is hidden just over the Richmond city line near Bon Air.

With row crops and egg-laying hens, Epic Gardens has been Stansbury's livelihood for the past 10 years.

"It is basically my only income," she said.

Stansbury spent a large portion of her previous career life in natural foods, managing food stores and co-ops, before deciding to trade her "big house and little yard" in Westover Hills "for a little house and big yard."

"I needed to make that swap because I was really interested in growing food. I wanted to feed myself and whoever else there was to feed," Stansbury said. "You get the freshest food and the most varieties that you want, and you can get clean, wholesome food if you grow it yourself."

Stansbury sells herbs, cut flowers, and produce such as squash, beans, tomatoes and greens at area farmers markets and through her e-mail list and Web site, as well as by word of mouth.

"On Saturdays, I let people know that I've got a bunch of stuff. They come to my front porch, pick out vegetables and have a cup of tea and visit," Stansbury said.

In the summer, she sells eggs from her "part-time free-range" chickens. But the pretty, multicolored eggs are so popular among Stansbury's regular customers that they often don't make it to the farmers markets, she said.

Her business also includes selling several varieties of edamame soybean seeds, which she promotes as prolific sources of high-quality protein and other nutrients, enabling people to "eat lower on the food chain."

Stansbury, whose business card says "beans, seeds and words," supplements her income through speaking engagements, consulting, and instruction on topics such as sustainability, environmental stewardship, social and economic justice, and growing food according to generally accepted organic practices.

"The idea of bringing food from all over the world is not sustainable in our economy," she said. "That's why we need to encourage more and more people to grow food so we can provide for ourselves and have quality food close by."

Epic Gardens also includes a community garden, where people have access to their own plots in exchange for helping out on the farm. Last year, about five families and couples maintained community garden plots.

She said restaurants and health-conscious customers seek out fresh, more nutritious locally grown food that was picked that same day.

"If you want to do it intensively, you can grow a significant amount of food and you can actually make money at it."

Contact Melodie N. Martin at (804) 649-6290 or .