Greenstar Farm is two acres of certified organic, raised-bed and terraced gardens owned and operated by the Cooper-Schenker family in Blacksburg. Since 1991, they have grown and processed produce and herbs for the Blacksburg community.

Greenstar Farm has created a livelihood and educational experience for their homeschooling family of four and more than 25 interns, who have participated in the workings of the family business.

Using permaculture and biointensive cultivation methods that build healthy soil, the Cooper-Schenkers are able to grow a wide variety of great tasting nutritious vegetables, small fruits, and healing herbs. The family’s goal is to create a balanced environment that produces successful crops in a variety of adverse conditions over the long term. Greenstar Farm is a haven for wildlife, including many species of songbirds, honey bees, and other pollinators.

Along with perennial and annual garden beds, the farm is home to several beehives, free-range laying hens, New Zealand rabbits, several hand-built greenhouses, a certified production kitchen, and private year-round housing for garden interns. Greenstar Farm also creates, uses, and sells an extensive herbal apothecary consisting of tinctures, salves, teas, lotions, soaps, and more.

Greenstar Farm specializes in growing asparagus, many varieties of salad and cooking greens, broccoli, heirloom tomatoes, peas, beans, cucumbers, squashes, peppers, garlic, onions, potatoes, fresh basil and other culinary herbs, figs, concord grapes, and wild foraged mushrooms.

Every year, the farm changes and grows as the family’s and interns’ interests and abilities combine with experience and lessons from previous years. A recent innovation has been an extension of the growing season through the use of low tunnels in the garden. Learn more about Greenstar Farm at their website: http://www.greenstarfarm.co

‍