Supervisors Seem Receptive to Expanded Farmers Market Style Operation Proposed by Homesteaders Working Group

At a two-pronged work session on Tuesday, May 27th, the Warren County Board of Supervisors first, at 5 p.m., undertook a discussion of departmental Fiscal Year-2026 budget proposals and revenue projections. Then, in a second-phase work session beginning slightly ahead of its projected 7 p.m. start, the supervisors heard a proposal from the “Homesteaders Working Group” on the establishment of a more permanent Farmers Market-style operation to accommodate Warren County’s farming and homesteading population year-round. We will focus on that presentation here, and cover the Budget dynamics work session in a related Royal Examiner story.

Due to the previous scheduling of the Front Royal Town Council in the WCGC meeting room on May 27 due to the Memorial Day holiday, prior to the scheduling of the board’s Special Meeting/Work Sessions, the supervisors met in the Community Meeting Room at the Public Safety Building housing the County Sheriff’s Office and Fire & Rescue Department at 200 Skyline Vista Drive.

Due to a scheduling conflict at the WCGC, the county supervisors’ work sessions were held in the Public Safety building, the home of the County Sheriff’s Office and Fire & Rescue departments. Below is the opening graphic of the Homesteaders Working Group’s proposal to create an expanded ‘Farmer’s Market’ style group business initiative. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini unless otherwise noted.

In the agenda packet summary, the Homesteaders Working Group explained the impetus for its request under a “Background” subheader:

“Warren County is home to many farmers and small-scale family homesteads. As interest in self-sufficiency and healthy living grows, so does our homesteading community. Farmstands and wayside stands are appearing across the county, but they’re often spread out, requiring customers to drive long distances to find the goods they need. This is time-consuming and can pose privacy and safety concerns for sellers, especially when stands are located on private property or along busy roads.

“We propose the creation of a centralized hub where Warren County residents can reserve a space to sell their farm goods,” the Homesteaders Working Group proposal explained of the localized initiative. A portion of the McKay Springs property on the County’s north side is under consideration as a market site.

With graphic assistance projected above them, local Homesteaders Working Group co-founders Sarah Kerns, left, and Amber Martin make a case for the establishment of a centralized hub where Warren County residents can reserve a space to sell their farm and homesteading goods permanently.

Among “Objectives” and requirements for the project were listed:

• Provide a county-approved location where homesteaders can reserve land plots — similar to how pavilions are reserved at public parks (without county-built structures).
• Require all farmstand owners to build their own temporary stands in compliance with applicable laws.
• Limit participation to homesteads/farms located in Warren County.
• Require participants to sign a liability waiver releasing the county from responsibility for any damage to goods or structures.
• Ensure each stand posts appropriate legal disclaimers and complies with Virginia cottage food laws.
• Give homesteaders full control over their farmstand’s design, hours of operation, security measures, and accepted payment methods.

Prior to the work session, this reporter asked Homesteaders Working Group co-founder Amber Martin about the group’s initiative and origins. This is what she told us:

“The Homesteaders Working Group is a local initiative here in Warren County for the Farmstand Hub Project. As for the Homesteaders of Warren County, we are not affiliated with any outside groups besides the working group at this time. It’s not a statewide program, but we’ve seen growing regional interest in homesteading groups and have found people travel to participate in other counties’ workshops & meetings to help better themselves and their own communities. Our goal is to support small-scale farmers and homesteaders by connecting them with resources, advocating for local agricultural policy, and building a stronger food and farming network.

“As for stats, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, Warren County has around 350 farms, with the majority being under 50 acres. A large portion of these are run by families, often producing a mix of meat, eggs, & produce. While exact numbers of ‘homesteaders’ aren’t officially tracked, we’re seeing significant growth in backyard farms, roadside stands, and cottage food producers. That growth is part of what motivated us to organize and advocate for better support and infrastructure,” Martin told us.

Following their presentation some questions were thrown on variables involved, including a selected site for the operation, ownership and liability issues. Board Chairman “Jay” Butler posed several of those questions concerning liability.

After asking some tough organizational and operational questions, Chairman Jay Butler added, “I’m all for this, I just want to make sure everyone’s protected (liability-wise),” he told Martin and Kerns. Supervisors Vicky Cook and John Stanmeyer also expressed verbal support for the initiative.

Martin and Kerns take a question from Board Chairman ‘Jay’ Butler on potential liability issues.

George Cline, an observing member of the public known for his role as president of the Warren County Builder’s Association, got up near the end and said he was very supportive of the proposal and was willing to help with the development as he could.

Following the meeting, we asked Amber Martin and Homesteaders Working Group co-founder Sarah Kerns how they felt about the board’s response to the introduction of their proposal for the county’s farmers and homesteaders.

“We were very encouraged by the reception. The comments from Chairman Butler, Ms. Cook, and Mr. Stanmeyer suggested a real openness to the proposal. Everything felt very positive and supportive,” they told us, adding, “We’re currently preparing a more detailed project outline. Once that’s ready, we plan to follow up with County Staff and Board Of Supervisors to continue the discussion.”

The full board takes in what they are being presented with by the Homesteader Working Group principals. The overall reaction was positive from the three supervisors who stated a position.

We also asked about how much of the McKay Springs parcel they believed they needed to accomplish their goals for the property. “There is a 2-acre parcel solely owned by the County that would be more than sufficient for the farmstand project,” Martin and Kerns told us.

Stay tuned for further developments as they emerge.