Phantom Hill Farm

Fast Facts

  • Farmer Kathryn Hanks & Chris Pohl
  • Founded 2012
  • Partner Since 2014
  • 2015 Rookie of the Year Award
  • 2020 Innovation in Agriculture Award

Products

  • Baby kale
  • Salad greens

Find Them

KATHRYN AND CHRIS MET during their undergraduate studies at Virginia Tech, and after graduation and spending a year in the Northern Virginia workforce, it became clear to the couple they both desired a life closer to the land. In 2013, they moved to Kathryn’s family’s land in Louisa County and began building their own farm from the ground up. After establishing a following at the Mineral Farmers Market for their colorful, tender salad mix, they decided to devote their time and energy to growing fresh greens year-round.

 

Their well-maintained operation demonstrates sustainable growing practices and the importance of farm design and time-saving infrastructure, which results in the production of high quality produce. These practices landed them the Local Food Hub 2020 Innovations in Agriculture award where Phantom Hill developed a mechanical solution, creatively updating pre-existing farm equipment for easier and more efficient use. These models are easily replicable for other farms which could be accomplished with a little experimentation and some lumber. They provide their on farm and wholesale customers (including our Fresh Farmacy program) high-quality, tender salad mix, baby kale, and other delicious veggies, microgreens, and mushrooms.  We loved having Kathryn join our LFH market to sell her handmade soaps and shiitake logs over the holidays.

 

Since partnering with Local Food Hub in the fall of 2014, we are able to provide them with a consistent market outlet, on-farm training, and product marketing so that they can continue to finance their growing farm and achieve their goal of sustaining themselves as full-time farmers. Local Food Hub’s collaboration with Virginia’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition also provides our growers with access to a network of new farmers and additional training tailored to first-time growers.

They grow fresh greens year-round in high tunnels, or unheated greenhouses, and have provided us with high-quality, tender salad mix when the late winter and early spring temperatures prevent much else from growing. The couple is a great help to our production planning, and they are always willing to try new products. In the spring of 2015, they grew baby kale for us, in addition to a few other of our partner producers. Local Food Hub had never carried baby kale, but Kathryn and Chris have a lot of experience growing and selling it and thus served as our guides to this new product. We piloted the product with a few of our retail customers, which soon became a hit among their customers. We look forward to seeing its return to our warehouse next spring!

In 2015, Phantom Hill Farm received our Rookie of the Year award, and also received our Innovation in Agriculture cash award. Read more about these awards here.

Thank you, Local Food Hub supporters!

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