Is the Rappahannock County Farm Tour free?

Yes, the Farm Tour & Festival is a free, self-guided two-day event organized by the Rappahannock County Farm Tour nonprofit, with stops at multiple farms throughout the county.

Where is the John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival held?

The festival takes place at Eldon Farm at Clover Hill in Woodville, VA, honoring Rappahannock native and Piedmont blues legend John Jackson with live performances.

Can I do both the Farm Tour and the Blues Festival in one day?

Both events fall on Saturday, September 26, 2026, so a farm-tour morning followed by the afternoon blues festival at Eldon Farm is an easy sequence for a single day.

Where's a good lunch stop between farm tour stops?

Laurel Mills Store in Castleton, open 7am–7pm most days, serves sandwiches and smoked ribs and makes a convenient midday stop on the way between farms.

A Fall Weekend Itinerary: Rappahannock Farm Tour

On Saturday, September 26, 2026, Rappahannock County hosts two events on the same day: the free, self-guided Rappahannock County Farm Tour & Festival, spread across multiple farms countywide, and the John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival at Eldon Farm at Clover Hill in Woodville, honoring the Rappahannock-born blues musician. With a little sequencing, a weekender can move from hayrides and orchards in the morning to live Piedmont blues by afternoon, with a proper country-store lunch in between.

Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Farm Tour: free, self-guided, two-day format, multiple farms throughout Rappahannock County — hayrides, farm animals, orchards, agricultural education
Blues Festival: Eldon Farm at Clover Hill, Woodville, VA — live Piedmont blues performances and cultural activities, organized by a community coalition with Virginia Tech Extension

Morning: Start with the Farm Tour

Because the Farm Tour is self-guided and spans multiple farms, the smart approach is to pick two or three stops rather than trying to cover the whole county. Mornings tend to be quieter and cooler for walking orchard rows or watching a hayride load up, and farm-tour days are also the rare chance to see working agricultural operations that don't otherwise keep public hours.

Midday: A Country Store Lunch in Castleton

Between farm stops, Laurel Mills Store in Castleton is the kind of unpretentious stop that rewards a detour — smoked ribs, sandwiches, a wine selection, and a community feel that's hard to manufacture. It's open daily, with weekday and Saturday hours running 7am to 7pm and Sunday 8am to 4pm, making it an easy midday anchor between morning farm visits and the afternoon blues festival.

Afternoon: John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival

By early afternoon, point the car toward Eldon Farm at Clover Hill in Woodville for the John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival. The festival honors John Jackson, the Rappahannock native and Piedmont blues legend, with live performances and cultural programming — a fitting way to close out a day spent among the county's farms and back roads.

If You Have Time to Linger

Rappahannock County rewards slow travel, and if the day allows for one more stop before heading home, a browse through local art or a stop for a growler at a nearby brewery rounds things out without overcomplicating the itinerary. The point of a Farm Tour weekend isn't to check every box — it's to see a few farms well, eat something worth remembering, and end the day with music.

Planning Your Visit

Rappahannock County Farm Tour & Festival: Saturday, September 26, 2026, multiple farms throughout Rappahannock County, free and self-guided. Organized by the Rappahannock County Farm Tour, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival: Saturday, September 26, 2026, Eldon Farm at Clover Hill, Woodville, VA. Organized by a community coalition with Virginia Tech Extension.
Laurel Mills Store: 461 Laurel Mills Rd, Castleton, VA 22716. Phone: (540) 937-3015. Hours: Mon–Sat 7am–7pm, Sun 8am–4pm.