Valued Customers,

We are in our 20^th year of producing container-grown fruit plants and developing a retail support program which has brought new standards to our industry.  Our marketing program educates your customer in the use of fruit in their gardens and illustrates their benefits to a healthy lifestyle.  During the coming year we will develop additional materials which illustrate ways in which the use of fruit plants are beneficial and will increase your sales.

We have not given up on the tried and true methods but in seeking to develop a more effective approach have discovered a fascinating new synthesis in which the past emerges as a significant part of a sensible future.  The ever-increasing cost of fruit and vegetable combined with an ever-growing concern for the hidden chemical in our food is a basic part of consumer perception.  Today our industry is driven more often than not by economic and political forces rather than by a focus on the essential interests of our customer.

We believe this pattern is changing dramatically.  For many years we have been driven by the idea that in future our lives would be better, richer, easier and more secure.  It now seems more likely that the best thing we can hope for, in future, is a sensible life.  In reflecting on the past two seasons (terrible weather and political problems) and the economic pressures which we all not face, it has become increasingly clear to us that a primary source of insight into our future lies in the past.

It has been our practice, as we sought to identify varieties of fruit which were hardy, productive and practical for homeowners and others who were not skilled in growing, to seek the experience of people who were stewards of our lands before the time of modern agriculture.  These older gardeners and farmers worked with nature and were self-reliant in basic ways that made their lives more sensible, secure and rewarding.  In reading the literature written in the early part of the last century we found the writers more informed in practical terms than those of today.  These growers used few chemicals since these things did not exist in their times.

We also believe that people are weary of being consumers for mass merchandisers and seek a different level of service, information and personal contact & experience from their merchants.  A telling example of this is the emphasis which organic products are now receiving in both the press and the marketplace.  Who would have guessed that people would pay literally hundreds of millions of dollars on bottled water, for instance?  People are very concerned about the connection between their diet and health.  There is no surer way of insuring the quality of both than by raising our own food.

There is much to be learned from the process of growing and harvesting the plants and the process is rewarding in and of itself.  Property landscaped with mature fruit plants is much more attractive and valuable than a typical lawn.  Fruit plants have very beautiful flowers and an interesting, ever-changing appearance such that many (such as crab apples & pears) are often sold primarily as landscape plants and have little or no use as edible fruit. 

We are rededicating our farm towards the production of the largest and most complete line of fruit plants for independent garden centers.  These are the people who best represent the substance, skills and insight to deliver our products.  We will, of course, continue to sell to landscapers, market gardeners, farmers and others, but our efforts; whether production, distribution, marketing or planning will be directed towards this vision of the future.

We have made substantial improvements in our growing of grapes, trees and brambles (most orders will be grown from tissue culture in future) which have resulted in dramatic improvements.  You will also be pleased at the development of larger sizes of blueberries.

We are also pleased to add several significant, new people who will contribute to our farm.  Maureen Mosher, former General Manager of English Country Gardens is now our Grower and Quality Control Manager; Steve Rossi, former Production Manager of Historyland Nursery has joined us as Production Manager and we have added two new Sales and Customer Service Representatives, Beth Bouchyard & Tracey Huylebroeck .  They add breadth and depth to our excellent staff as we continue to develop our business and meet the changing conditions of our industry.

Our people and standards are what set us apart and as we constantly work to improve all aspects of our business it is always clear  that our people are key.  May 2005 be your best season ever.

Jane Warner and Bill Harwood, for Virginia Berry Farm Staff

Our website is printable.

Here is the beginning of a section which is intended for our retailers and are of less interest to those who are not in the business.

This section will not contain information about pricing of our products. Since we are a wholesale business, we sell only to resellers, landscapers, farmers and other volume customers.  We do not sell small orders to gardeners. If you are interested in placing an order please contact our sales staff.  They are skilled in creating a practical assortment of plants which are appropriate for your area and market.

 We include delivery and all of these point-of-sale items with orders.

We include a complete marketing package with orders to our retailers which meet our minimums.  Our farm is specifically designed to provide fruit plants to retail nurseries and garden centers.  We also have the largest inventory of container grown fruit plants anywhere for landscape or agricultural needs.

Here are a few samples of our marketing materials. 

 Weather Proof, Original Art Posters....

Brochures with Planting and Care Instructions....

If you wish to make an order please contact:

Sales@VirginiaBerryFarm.com

They will help you in any way possible to insure that you get the plants you need, when you need them.  Our orders are handled personally.  We intend to make your experience with us comfortable and it also our intention to be a highly reliable source of fine quality fruit plants. 

We deliver on our own trucks. 

Our drivers are trained to deal not only with our plants but with your staff and physical needs.

Racking systems are now available (if you are able to return them) at cost to volume customers. 

We are investigating disposable racking systems.  When these are available there will be a charge for the cost of the racks themselves.

Our website is printable.