Northside Farm is considered an urban farm site, as it’s located just outside of downtown Richmond. | Photo provided by Shalom Farms
Yesterday, volunteers and leaders with local nonprofit Shalom Farms and the Love, Tito’s Block to Block program kicked off an expansion of the organization’s Northside farm.
This is the third year in a row that the Austin-based vodka company’s community garden program has helped with major upgrades to the urban farm site, one of the largest of its kind in Central Virginia.
The expansion included work on ongoing projects such as:
🌳 Planting fruit trees to start up an orchard (Did you know Virginia soil can grow apple, elderberry, plum, black cherry, Bartlett pear, persimmon + serviceberry trees?)
🎨 Creating art of farm life, vegetables + nature, all designed by Richmond artists
🌱 Doing landscaping work across all five acres, including fence building and installation + gravel spreading.
Shalom Farms has harvested ~100,000 servings of fresh produce from Northside this year alone, but growing food is only part of their organization’s mission. Richmonders can head to the Westwood Avenue facility to grab produce + culinary prep tools or try out farm education classes.
The nonprofit also owns the Powhatan Farm on Venita Road in Midlothian, where two farmers-in-residence live and work on the 14-acre property. This farm harvests ~500,000 servings of produce a year.
6,000+ people volunteer at Shalom Farms. Interested farm-friendly folks can apply throughout the year. Every member gets an educational tour before they start getting down in the dirt.
Other Richmond-based organizations promoting local food accessibility include:
Fiction Focus Senior Book Club | Tues., Sept. 20 | 10:15 a.m. | RPL North Avenue Branch, 2901 North Ave. | Free, RSVP | Any Richmond residents age 55+ can join in the club. 📚
Jimmy Eat World with Charly Bliss | Tues., Sept. 20 | 7:30 p.m. | The National | $32 | Everything will be just fine when you grab a ticket for this early 2000s rock band. 🎶
Wednesday
Brandi Carlile | Wed., Sept. 21 | 7 p.m. | Maymont | $75+ | Catch this Grammy Award-winning Americana folk artist as part of the “Music at Maymont” series.
Thursday
Stand Up Showcase | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 7 p.m. | Richmond Music Hall, 623 E. Main St. | $10 | A night of laughs hosted by Charlie Waring + several other local comics. 🎤
UnHappy Hour | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 6-9 p.m. | The Poe Museum, 1914 E. Main St. | $10 | This month’s melancholy theme is a 1960s-inspired “Poe-stock” party. 🍷
Wheel of Fortune Live! | Thurs., Sept. 22 | 8 p.m. | Dominion Energy Center Carpenter Theatre | $28+ | Pick a vowel and spell your way to victory.
Friday
Bier-Garden | Fri., Sept. 23-Sat., Sept. 24 | Times vary | Maymont | $10+ | Toast the arrival of autumn with this two-night, Bavarian-style festival. 🍻
Gallmeyer Farms Pumpkin Patch Opening | Fri., Sep. 23 | 8 a.m.-8 p.m. | Gallmeyer Farms, 4506 Millers Ln. | Free | Parking, admission, hayrides, a picnic and play area + the hay bale maze are free daily through Halloween. 🎃
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
Autumn is arriving this week and with it comes the State Fair of Virginia. The 10-day event will run from this Fri., Sept. 23 to Sun., Oct. 2. Experience the live concerts, competitions, fair foods, drinks, games + agricultural attractions daily at Meadow Event Park. Tickets for admission and rides are available now. (NBC12)
Coming Soon
Local ice cream shop Sweet Wynns is moving from Midlothian to a new location in Shockoe Slip. There’s no grand opening dateyet, but expect a variety workshops and tastings coming soon to 1209 E. Main St. 🍦
A new Waffle House will be firing up its grill just south of Short Pump where the former Lucky’s convenience store once stood. The building is still under construction + no opening date has yet been announced. Once it does, it will be the 31st WH in the region. 🧇 (Richmond BizSense)
Development
The world’s largest living building is set to be built in the GreenCity ecodistrict development in Henrico County. $1.2 billion will be invested in the 300,000 sqft former Best Products headquarters to facilitate agriculture, solar energy + rainwater collection. The Science Museum has the research on living buildings.
Outdoors
This Saturday, all 22 Virginia National Parks are celebrating National Public Lands Day with free admission. The most popular is Shenandoah National Park, but the closest ones include the Richmond and Petersburg National Battlefield Parks. (RVAHub)
Sports
The Flying Squirrels honored four players with special team-wide awards for their 2022 season. Tyler Fitzgerald won Most Valuable Player, Kyle Harrison took Pitcher of the Year, the Community Service Award went to Chris Wright + Shane Matheny won the Puritan Cleaners Dirty Squirrel Award. ⚾️
Holiday
Tickets are on sale now for The Hallowine Costume Mixer with Three Sheets to the Wind. The ghoulish + groovy event will be held at The Broadberry on Fri., Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. Costumes are encouraged to kick off Halloween weekend with a fright. 🎃
Edu
VCU is using an Institute of International Education’s American Passport Project grant and its Global Education Office to award 50 studentstheir first ever US passports. Application fees will be covered + those chosen will receive their ticket to the world on Fri., Oct. 28 — National Passport Day. (VCU News)
Shop
Are we the only ones with fall feels?Autumnal decor we’re eyeing: this colorful fall wreath made from 100% dried flowers, these amber glass mugs to warm up your kitchen, and these best-selling pumpkin shaped candles. Bonus: The doormatall football-loving families need to own. 🍁*
Eat
Don’t just eat better — eat the best.Sunbasket’smeal kit service delivers delicious, healthy meals created by award-winning chefsstraight to your front door. Bonus: RICtoday readers can get $100 off their first four deliveriesand more when they sign up. 🍽️ *
Travel
Going on vacation this fall and need to learn a new language fast? With Babbel, you could be speaking a new language in as little as three weeks. Bonus: Get 55% off your subscriptionfor a limited time. 🌎*
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