Rockingham County produce stand expands to 27-acre facility

Mount Crawford-based Overlook Produce and Farm Adventures will invest more than $850,000 to construct a produce packing facility and retail market pavilion on a 27-acre site in Rockingham County, according to an announcement Wednesday from Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.

Located off Interstate 81’s Exit 240, the facility will replace Overlook Produce’s roadside produce stand and will offer seasonally available, Virginia-sourced fruits, vegetables, meats, honey, baked goods, flowers, and seafood. It will feature a large open-air market pavilion, greenhouses, pick-your-own strawberry and pumpkin patches, and an expanded warehouse and cold storage facility.

The project will create six new jobs.

Overlook Produce owners Joe Ulmer and his wife Janice are native Shenandoah Valley farmers who opened the roadside stand in 2016 after selling their produce for five years through the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction.

“Virginia’s agricultural sector is strong because of the entrepreneurial spirit of individuals like Joe and Janice Ulmer,” Northam said in a statement. “Shenandoah Valley residents and those who travel Interstate 81 will be able to enjoy the diverse bounty that Virginia’s farmers and watermen provide through this exciting new venture.”

“We are grateful for the opportunity to expand and better serve our community with local produce,” Joe Ulmer said. “With our expansion, we will now be able to offer a larger variety of all your essential local food items.”

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Rockingham County and the Rockingham County Economic Development Authority to secure the project. Northam approved a $15,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund to assist with the project. Rockingham County will match the $15,000 grant with local funds.

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