Best of What’s Around, LLC, is a local farming operation situated four miles north of Scottsville, Virginia. Originating as six separate but contiguous farms, the property was purchased by Dave Matthews and his wife Ashley Harper in 2002. In 2003 the Matthews placed the entire 1261 acres under a protective land conservation easement, thereby safeguarding it against any possible development, and then set themselves the not-so-small task of building a certified organic farm from the bottom up.

The name of the farm, taken from a DMB song, emphasizes the focus and intention of the farm: growing and providing the very best of everything around, keeping to high standards of integrity, sustainability, and quality. The farm has maintained organic certification for five years with Oregon Tilth, Inc.

Dave, a Farm Aid board member since 2001, and Ashley, a doctor of naturopathic medicine, both strongly believe in the locality of food and the sustainability of farming. The farm was structured to be a CSA farm in order to offer fresh, organic food options and healthy lifestyle choices to its members.

The farm’s field production consists of forty acres under cultivation, growing over 50 different crops and over 80 varieties—everything from snow peas to pumpkins—as well as flowers and a wide range of culinary and medicinal herbs. Our philosophy of growing is to focus on achieving an overall balance, sustainably and naturally, by utilizing companion planting, beneficial strips, compost teas, and worm castings. The five-acre apple orchard, planted in 2004, has nearly 800 trees, comprising 40 different old heirloom varieties.

The farm is maintained by a full-time staff with seasonal interns.

We are committed to farming sustainably and being responsible stewards of the land and environment, as well as being good farming neighbors.