Host Your Event on 204 Acres of Private Farm & Forest in Southern Virginia
Member-owned, rustic event venue near South Boston, VA - perfect for retreats, small weddings, workshops, and group camping.
Host your next retreat, small wedding, workshop, or campout on 204 acres of member-owned farm and forest in Halifax County, Virginia.
Collective Spaces Farm is a member-owned collective farm and primitive event venue in Nathalie, VA, about 30 minutes from South Boston and Danville and within easy driving distance of Durham, Raleigh, Richmond, Lynchburg, and Greensboro.
We’re building a long-term home for creative, land-based community - and along the way, we host gatherings for people who want real land, real stars, and real connection instead of another generic hotel ballroom.
What kinds of events we host
Our farm and setup are ideal for events that want a rustic, outdoor, camp-style feel, such as:
- Retreats & Workshops
Art retreats, writing weekends, yoga and movement retreats, healing arts, skill-shares, spiritual/mindfulness weekends, and off-grid style immersions. - Small Weddings & Celebrations
Intimate ceremonies, elopements, and small weddings for couples who want trees, firelight, and night sky instead of chandeliers and carpet. Great for DIY-leaning couples and creative planners. - Group Camping & Gatherings
Work–play weekends, Burn-adjacent micro-gatherings, family campouts, affinity-group weekends, and friend groups who want to take over a private property for a few days. - Day Events & Community Programs
Plant walks, seasonal festivals, storytelling nights, environmental education, art-and-healing days, and other land-based or farm-based community events.
If you’re imagining a climate-controlled ballroom, we’re probably not your venue, but if you’re imagining a fire circle, dark skies, and people walking back to their tents by lantern light, you’re in the right place.
The land: woods, water, and dark skies
The farm is 204 acres of mixed forest and farmland near South Boston, VA. The land includes:
- A central meadow and old tobacco barn that serve as our main gathering and camping hub.
- Several active agricultural areas including orchards, flower fields, bee hives, and pine stands.
- Mixed terrain: brushy regrowth, older woods, and semi-cleared areas with room for tents, shade structures, and small stages.
- Multiple waterways, including a spring-fed pond, stretches of creek, and small seasonal streams.
- Dark-sky nights where the Milky Way and frequent shooting stars are visible on clear evenings.
Wildlife is part of the experience here - deer, turkey, fox, owls, songbirds, and small critters share this land with us. It’s quiet, off the beaten path, and feels far away while still being logistically reachable for weekend events.
On-site amenities & infrastructure
Collective Spaces is intentionally primitive and low-impact, more like a private farm (because that's what it is!) than a resort.
What’s on site:
- Center Camp near the old barn
- Large open area for tents, chill spaces, pop-up shade, or a central activity circle
- Fire circle with natural seating and plenty of available downed wood nearby
- Trails
- We have over 4 miles of walking and biking trails throughout the property
- Trails are clearly marked and mowed down to the ground
- River and pond access
- Sandy Creek is a small river that you can enjoy while on site
- We also have a half acre pond with trail access
- Swimming is available
- Kayaking is available
- Primitive camping
- Multiple tent and van-camping spots clustered around Center Camp and along the main internal road
- Room to spread out into quieter pockets for those who want a bit more space
- Toilets
- Space and access for rented porta-potties for larger events - we’ll help you plan the right number
- Water
- As a primitive space, we do not have piped water on the property. The following notification must placed on any event website, tickets, and/or made available to attendees. We will work with you to ensure that you have what you need for your attendees.
- Water Notice: Please note that piped water is not available on site. Bottled or similar drinking water will be available during the event. Handwashing stations will be provided, but handwashing water is not intended for drinking.
- Road access & parking support
- Internal farm roads provide access to the event area for load-in and setup
- We have plenty of parking on site for smaller events
- For larger events, parking and shuttle service can be coordinated through the county/city tourism department using off-site lots (see below)
What we *don’t* currently provide:
- No traditional plumbed bathrooms or showers (just rented portables)
- No finished cabins or indoor lodging (yet)
- No full commercial kitchen building (most events use tents, pop-up kitchens, or outside caterers) - we DO have a small covered kitchen pavilion and can provide some kitchen equipment
If your event can work with rustic, prepared camping and a bit of DIY spirit on an active farm (you may see folks on the tractor), we’re a strong fit. If you need hotel-style infrastructure on-site, we may not be there for you yet.
Group size and format
We’re very flexible on headcount as long as we plan appropriately for:
- Toilets and handwashing
- Water access
- Parking and shuttles
- Noise, quiet hours, and land impact
Right now, our sweet spot looks like:
- Overnight group camping & retreats
- Roughly 10 to 100 campers would feel spacious and low density
- We have room to scale higher with more planning
- Roughly 200 to 300 non-campers would likewise feel spacious and low density on the land
- Day events and celebrations
- We welcome events of all sizes, from a dozen friends to 500 or more attendees
- Over a thousand people could fit on the farm in the open spaces available with plenty of room leftover
- All events require specific infrastructure for their needs and we can help you figure that aspect out
For larger events, we’ll work with you on realistic numbers, layout, and logistics so things feel spacious, safe, and sustainable - for your guests and the land.
Parking, shuttles, and local support
One of the biggest challenges for rural venues is parking. The good news: you don’t have to solve this alone.
The local tourism department offers a park-and-ride style parking + shuttle service using the Halifax County Fairgrounds and shuttles to and from your event. Recent quotes have been around $600/day, but final pricing comes directly from the county and may change over time.
Here’s how we handle it:
- We’ll talk through your expected headcount and parking needs.
- For smaller events, we can likely fit vehicles on site without worries. We have room for 50 cars easily and 100 cars with someone directing the parking.
- For larger events, we’ll help connect you with the tourism department to arrange off-site parking and shuttle service.
- You (as the event organizer) handle the vendor costs; we help you plan and coordinate so it runs smoothly and meets local requirements.
Our goal is to make it easy to do things the right way without you feeling like you’re navigating everything alone. Community, at every level, requires collaboration and we are here for you!
Pricing & sample packages
Every event is a little different, but here are general starting points to help you plan a budget. Final pricing depends on group size, length of stay, infrastructure needs, and how much support you want from us.
Day retreats & workshops
Starting around $450 for up to ~30 people @ $15 / per person
Includes:
- Private use of one or more of the main gathering areas for one day
- Access to trails, pond, and creek areas for walks and sessions
- Planning support for porta-potties and other infrastructure
- Use of fire circle and access to downed wood (within reason)
- On-site host for arrival, orientation, and basic coordination
- Overnight camping is available at an additional charge based on headcount
Great for:
- Art, writing, or movement retreats
- Day-long workshops or skill-shares
- Small organizational / team days where people want to get out of the city
Weekend group camping & gatherings
Starting around $1,250 for a Friday thru Sunday campout for up to ~50 people @ $25 / per person
Includes:
- Two nights of private use of one or more of the main gathering areas and designated camping areas
- Use of fire circles and access to downed wood (within reason)
- Planning support for porta-potties and other infrastructure
- Layout and logistics support for tents, communal spaces, and parking
Great for:
- Organizational retreats
- Small scale events
- Family or friend group campouts
- Affinity or identity-based gatherings
Small weddings & celebrations
Starting around $2,000 for a weekend event
Includes:
- Exclusive use of the entire property for rehearsal / setup, ceremony, and celebration
- Ceremony options in a variety of beautiful locations, including the meadows, near the barn, or in the woods (depending on conditions)
- Camping options for part of your guest list (if desired)
- Planning support around parking/shuttle, toilets, and layout
- Coordination with outside vendors (tents, rentals, catering) so they know what they’re working with on the farm
- Someone always available to make sure that questions are answered, vendors stay connected, and the logistical / farm side of things is being handled for you (this is not wedding planning, but we make your wedding planner's life easier!)
Perfect for couples who want:
- Stars instead of chandeliers
- Firelight and fields instead of banquet halls
- A venue that’s more “personal dream” than “wedding factory”
As always, this is an inclusive space and we would love to work with you to turn your dreams into reality!
Community, mutual aid, and aligned projects
We reserve a limited number of sliding-scale spots each year for:
- Community benefit events
- Mutual aid gatherings
- Aligned arts, healing, and justice projects
- Financially limited individuals and groups
If your event falls in this category, mention it when you reach out and we’ll see what’s possible.
Logistics support: we’re collaborative, not hands-off
We want events here to succeed - for you, for your people, and for the land.
While you (as the organizer) are financially responsible for your event’s vendors and logistics, we’re happy to help with:
- Suggestions and coordination for parking and shuttle services
- Guidance on event permitting or notifications, if needed
- Coordinating porta-potty and handwash station rentals
- Connecting you with local tent and rental companies
- Helping outside caterers understand the site, access, and constraints
We aim to be inclusive and easy to work with, but not pushovers: we do say “no” to things that would harm the land, the neighbors, or the community we’re building. Within that frame, we try hard to say “yes, let’s figure it out.”
How booking works
- Send us your idea
Share your dates (or preferred timeframe), event type, estimated headcount, overnight vs day-only split, and any special needs or goals. - Quick call to align
We’ll schedule a short call to talk through fit, logistics, accessibility, noise, and infrastructure so everyone’s on the same page. - Optional site visit
For larger or more complex events (retreats, weddings, festivals), we’ll invite you out for a walk-through of the land, the trails, and available spaces. - Custom quote and simple agreement
We’ll follow up with a written quote and agreement covering dates, pricing, what’s included, and any conditions tied to safety and land care. - Deposit & planning
A deposit holds your dates. From there, we’ll coordinate on layout, parking/shuttle, toilets, and other key pieces so your event flows. - Event support
Someone from our farm will be available at the start of the event to make sure things run smoothly and any last minute questions get answered.
Why host at a member-owned farm?
When you host at Collective Spaces, you’re not just renting land by the day - you’re supporting:
- A member-owned community farm, where each member holds a share that is tied to what they’ve invested and has a voice in how the project grows.
- A community using sociocracy (consent-based, circle-driven governance) instead of top-down control.
- Ongoing work on trails, orchards, food forests, farm plots, and shared infrastructure that makes the land more accessible and alive for everyone.
- Support of the land, the community, and each other through sustainable stewardship.
If you care about community, equity, and ecological stewardship, your event becomes part of that story.
Ready to explore hosting here?
Reach out through our contact form with your event idea, and we’ll follow up to see what’s possible together.