Photo courtesy Hazel Witch Farm
History: Ash Hobson Carr has been playing in the fields since she was a child in Northern Virginia and would forage for herbs and plants on her parents' 90-acre farm outside of Washington, D.C. The 32-year-old VCU graduate and photographer officially launched her own 1-acre farm in 2018 after completing the yearlong Urban Ag Certificate and Fellowship program through Tricycle.
Lemon balm oxymel (Photo courtesy Hazel Witch Farm)
Specialties: Hobson Carr’s passion is medicinal herbs, plants, flowers and heirloom seeds that are suited to the region. “All of my crops are multifaceted and do different things,” she says. “They are pollinators, offer medicinal qualities and are used for food — being able to do those different jobs is important.” Every plant is carefully chosen, and, according to Hobson Carr, each one has to “earn its keep” on her farm.
Production methods: A firm believer in regenerative growing practices that create and support an ecosystem rather than manipulate it, Hobson Carr turns to alfalfa meal, rock minerals and seed coal, along with coffee chaff from Lamplighter Coffee Roasters, to ensure a nitrogen-rich compost that produces healthy soil.
Where to find: Birdhouse Farmers Market, CSAs and online.
Mechanicsville
