From a long line of farmers, John Cromwell always knew he wanted to farm. His daughter, Elizabeth, says it’s really because “he likes to play in the dirt.” Cromwell purchased the produce farm more than thirty years ago, before their children were born. The 170-acres is worked by friends and family members, and Elizabeth hopes to take over one day. She says, “I love doing this. This is what I’ve always wanted to do.”
Though you may not have ever visited the farm, it’s possible you’ve eaten Cromwell’s Produce products. The farm supplies produce to many Hampton Roads restaurants including The Landing, Terrapin, Shiptown, Commune, Le Grand Kitchen, Esoteric, Stockpot, and others.
Last year, Cromwell’s and The Landing partnered to create a recurring event called Chef’s Table. Guests may purchase tickets ahead of time to attend the event which is catered by The Landing on the farm.
Instead of bringing the farm to the table, they bring the table to the farm – an interesting and very surreal project of which both businesses are very proud. They have held two of these events, the second of which was just last month. The menu included strawberry gazpacho, Cartwright Family Farms pork barbeque, Currituck Sound, softshell crab, Ocean Cove oysters on the half shell, and many other delicious items. The produce stand and surrounding areas of the farm was transformed into a cocktail party venue with wine, Back Bay Brewing Company beer, and live music. They plan to hold their next Chef’s Table event in August.
With the strawberries officially gone, the farm is currently growing a magnificent amount of plants. They have kale, green beans, squash, zucchini, zinnias, sunflowers, broccoli, beets, radishes, and butter beans. The farm currently carries items which are brought in from North Carolina by a supplier that they have worked with for many years. These items include tomatoes, peaches, and watermelon, which are in demand but not quite ready in Virginia. They even have sauces, honey, jellies, fresh eggs, and cheese for sale.
Besides supplying restaurants, much of Cromwell’s business is a direct result of word-of-mouth marketing. Betsy Cromwell says that though being positioned on a street corner might be nice, she says, “Our customers don’t seem to mind coming out here which is huge for us.” Elizabeth says she knows all of her regulars by name. It’s that old world farmer mentality that has gracefully transcended generations.
Betsy Cromwell traded in her banking suit and heels for family and farming years ago when she and John started to have children. Elizabeth is the oldest, followed by twin boys, Robert and William. She says of the farmer lifestyle, “It’s not for everybody, but I can’t imagine anything else.”
To learn more about Cromwell’s Produce, visit their website or follow them on Instagram @cromwellsproduce. If you can’t make it out to visit them, consider Old Beach Farmers Market which the Cromwells typically frequent.