Whether you are planting your own garden or craving food fresh from the farm, Surry is the perfect destination. Agriculture has been central to life in Surry County for hundreds of years. Surry and the surrounding communities have been especially important in the development of pork and peanut production in America.

Agritourism

Surry features some engaging sites such as Chippokes State Park, Bacon’s Castle, and Smith’s Fort where you can learn about the rich agricultural history of the area.

You can also see agriculture in action at College Run Farms where you can pick your own blueberries starting in June and pumpkins in October. College Run also produces some of the best ice cream you’ll ever have with their fresh blueberries and pumpkin.

Drewry Farms also has pick-your-own blueberries in addition to strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries. You can also select some amazing meat and eggs from Drewry’s unique breeds of livestock.

A stop at the Hampton Roads Winery also allows you to experience the way locally grown crops become the products we love. Walking though the vineyards and seeing the developing grapes will make you appreciate the local wine even more.

Fresh Food

In addition to the fresh food you can find at Drewry Farms and College Run Farms, you will find amazing pork products at Red Barn Berkshires and Edwards Ham Shop.

Edwards has been producing salt-cured country ham in Surry since the 1926. Now you can also enjoy their wonderful bacon, sausage, and smoked poultry.

Red Barn Berkshires raises free-range, all natural Berkshire hogs. They have a wide variety of pork products including St. Louis style ribs and jalapeno smoked sausage links.

Grow Your Own

April and May are the ideal months to start most garden plants. Whether you are growing food or landscaping, it is hard to beat the selection and expertise in Surry.

Farmer Joe’s Greenhouse and Gift Shop features a wide selection of vegetable plants and flowers including amazing organic tomato plants grown in Farmer Joe’s greenhouse. Visit Johnson Brothers for lots of garden supplies including plants, seeds, lawn supplies, tools, and lots more.

For first-class landscaping needs don’t forget C.W. Reeson English Boxwoods and The English Connection Nursery & Gardens. Not only can they provide amazing plants, but help you care for your gardens and landscaping.

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A drive through Surry County allows you to enjoy the laid-back rural scenery as well as unusual historical sights. Here are a few secrets of Surry that offer rare glimpses in our American past.

Bacon’s Castle

Bacon’s Castle is the oldest brick dwelling in North America and is a rare example of High Jacobean architecture.  It was built for Arthur Allen and his family in 1665. Originally known as Allen’s Brick House, it earned the name “Bacon’s Castle” in 1676 when several of Nathaniel Bacon’s men occupied the home for four months during the uprising that became known as Bacon’s Rebellion.

The home features a reconstructed 17th-century English formal garden restored by the Garden Club of Virginia. Several outbuildings also survive, including an 1830 slave dwelling.

Currently, guided exterior tours are available which highlight the architecture, history of the various buildings around the main house, and the archeology of property.

Smith’s Fort

Smith’s Fort is the site of Captain John Smith’s “New Fort” and is located directly across the James River from Jamestown. The site still has earthworks that mark the spot of the unfinished fort partially completed in 1609 before being abandoned. The current house is situated on land given by Chief Wahunsenacawh (Powhatan) as a dowry for his daughter Pocahontas’ marriage to John Rolfe in 1614. The manor house on the property was built in 1761.

Dendron Museum

The Dendron Museum highlights the history of the Surry Lumber Company and the Surry, Sussex, & Southampton Railway which were both essential to the development of the town of Dendron. Around the outside of museum building you can see the original bell from Engine 2 of the SS&S Railroad, a large piece of the sawmill machinery from the Surry Lumber Company, and a boxcar from the Railroad.

Surry Historical Society

The highlight of the Surry Historical Society the original deckhouse from the 1925 ferry, the Captain John Smith. This boat transported vehicles across the James River until the 1950s. Now you can walk around the deck of the restored ferry. It is a great place for photos to commemorate your visit to Surry.

Chippokes State Park

Chippokes is one of the oldest continually farmed plantations in the country. The Farm and Forestry Museum in the park offers a glimpse at this agricultural past. In addition to the antique equipment at the museum, you can also see livestock as well as fields of corn, soybeans, cotton, and peanuts. A walk around the park allows you to enjoy the formal gardens and scenic views of the James River. Another interesting walk is Chipoax Road, which is now a quiet trail, but was once a busy route for farmers and merchants as early as the 1600s. The mansion, built in 1854 is also an impressive sight overlooking the James River.

Visit http://surrycountytourism.com/ to learn more about the rich history, hidden gems, and fantastic food of Surry.