On Ridge Road in Mathews, once known as Catch Penny Road, a 20-acre plot of land has a sign reading Blessed Harmony Farms. On Saturdays at the Mathews Farmers’ Market, you can reap the benefits of what Mark and Pam Zamanian have produced from their newly developed organic farm.
Once they resided in the Boston area in Massachusetts and they had a garden that grew enough to share with others. But they decided to make a change and find a site with more acreage. “We are really here by accident,” Mark confided. “I had found a farm in southwest Virginia and took a look. Thought that was where we would go, but my wife said she wanted to see it before we made a decision. Well, I got back on the internet and up came a place in Mathews. We drove down, took a look, and then drove to the other site. We then knew Mathews was the place. The whole family agreed.”
That all occurred last August. In less than a year the Zamanians have their perma farm up and running. Perma farming (permaculture) is a ph...