Riverside Produce Farm
Melon Farming: In Tune with Nature
Luke and Stacy Hallman, who own and operate Riverside Produce Farm in King William County (just outside Richmond, VA) manage thousands of workers on their 40 acres of land. But can’t see most of them at first glance.
What you will see in late Summer is a few workers (and the Hallmans’ smiling children) tirelessly tending and harvesting varietals - like bright yellow Canary melons and classic Watermelons, with their trademark green stripes - that grow in abundance there.
But what makes Riverside special is all the moments leading up to these harvest days. It’s in those moments that nature and modern agriculture meet, creating true magic. Under Luke Hallman’s watchful eye, thousands of bees from his hive pollinate plants over and over, stimulating them to create healthy fruit.
Hallman, who studied horticulture at Penn State, knew from the beginning that having his own beehive was imperative. At first, he thought the bees would be merely a practical, money-saving endeavor. “Now, they’ve become a sort of passion of mine,” he says. He has witnessed over the years how so many factors can affect the delicate balance needed for a healthy hive, whether it’s parasites or simply weather conditions. Beekeeping is an art and science unto itself, one that helps his farm burst with beautiful produce.
But it’s not just the bees that make Riverside so special; it’s the people and the values that drive them. Luke, Stacy and their teams follow low-spray practices, using natural, organic methods whenever possible on their farm. They’re also constantly developing new ways to innovate.
Luke designed and built a portable melon conveyer for his team to use in the fields during harvest to maximize their speed and effectiveness. When built commercially, this kind of machinery is bulky and expensive, so it’s out of reach for most family farms. Luke and his team also built a greenhouse chamber for cultivating seedlings using plastic mulch and drip irrigation, a highly efficient water and nutrient delivery system.
Melon seeds germinating in the chamber.
Luke cuts and shares fresh canary melon.
What we love best about Riverside:
The Hallmans share their farming acumen with future farming generations! Luke works with Virginia Cooperative Extension, a partnership between Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, teaching aspiring farmers how to harness both nature and science in their endeavors. As the Hallmans and their team demonstrate every day, it’s this blend of tradition with innovation that can help family farms grow, operate sustainably, and specialize their crops.
And speaking of crops, melons aren’t the only one the Hallmans have going at the moment. Their Heirloom Tomatoes are looking fantastic this year! We can’t wait to see - and taste - what they do next.