Farm planning and land care in Halifax County, Virginia
Farm & Land Stewardship Plan
Collective Spaces Farm is an active farm and wooded landholding of approximately 206 acres in Halifax County, Virginia. Our current work includes perennial flower plantings, a small peach orchard, native plum stands, pine stands, older forest, waterway stewardship, and crop-based community activities.
A practical working plan
Documenting the farm we have and the work ahead
We maintain a practical Farm and Land Stewardship Plan to document what is growing here, the work we perform, the condition of the land, our farm equipment and infrastructure, and our priorities for the next three years. The plan is designed around resources we already have and work we can carry out with our current group of owners.
What is here now
Crops, orchards, woods, waterways, and working equipment
The farm's online USDA field map shows pre-ownership field locations from the previous farm(s) on the property. Our present crops, orchards, and management areas are recorded separately on a current owner map.
What we have done
Documented farm activity
In 2025, we harvested native plums and welcomed Halifax County residents for a community Pick Your Own plum weekend event. We also held a community Cut Your Own Christmas Tree weekend in the autumn of the same year. In spring 2026, we planted our current iris and peony plots and fields. The 2026 drought prevented fruit production beyond what was needed to support native wildlife.
Native Plum Picking
Community native-plum picking at Collective Spaces Farm on June 14, 2025. This was the first public picking day on the farm and will become an annual event, along with other pick your own events.
Irises in Bloom
Irises blooming at the farm on April 4, 2026. We now have several fields of Irises planted on the farm, with a total of well over 300 bulbs in the ground, planned for pick your own events as well as farmers market sales.
Where we are going
Flowers, native fruit, agritourism, and long-term land care
Our near-term direction combines cut flowers, crop-based agritourism, native fruit, and long-term land stewardship. We plan to sell iris, peony, and sunflower cut flowers directly, at area farmers markets, and to florists. Paid Pick Your Own days are planned for irises and sunflowers when crop quantity and visitor readiness support them. Peonies will be harvested by the farm.
Native-plum picking and Christmas-tree cutting will continue annually as weather and growing conditions support each year's crop. Wild pawpaw patches are being monitored for flowering and fruit set before any harvest is planned.
Stewardship priorities
- Care for established plantings and orchards.
- Maintain safe farm and forest access.
- Protect soil, waterways, wetland, and streamside vegetation.
- Support healthy pine and hardwood regeneration and wildlife habitat.
- Use existing equipment selectively for access and brush management.
- Keep simple records of planting, work, harvest, equipment maintenance, events, and land conditions.
- Make future decisions from what the land and our operating records show us.
Farm Equipment
Owner-operated tractor and forestry mulcher used for access, brush management, field preparation, and land stewardship.
Next three years
Build the record, repeat what works, and make grounded decisions
Year one
Establish the baseline
Name management areas, establish repeat photo points, measure crop and fruit performance, and test limited flower and agritourism offerings.
Year two
Repeat useful work
Repeat the activities that proved manageable and useful while continuing simple operating and land-condition records.
Year three
Decide from experience
Use three seasons of records to identify dependable products, visitor activities, and stewardship priorities.
Read the public plan
Farm overview, documented activity, current resources, and practical direction
The downloadable Public Farm & Land Stewardship Plan provides the farm overview, documented activity, current resources, one-year work program, three-year direction, and recordkeeping approach.