About the Farm

Named for its 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Panorama Farms is located in Earlysville, Virginia, near Charlottesville. In 1953, the Murray family moved there, eager to maintain its rural character by continuing the farming tradition. After trying a variety of conventional agricultural enterprises—cow/calf, steers, sheep, hay—the family made the decision in 1996 to rethink their efforts.

The Vision

“We began looking at the farm as a resource,” says Panorama Pay-Dirt founder Steve Murray of the property he grew up on. “Out of that decision, came Panorama Pay-Dirt, Panorama Running, and Panorama Trails. We also lease hay-making and hunting rights.”

So far, so good. “Our efforts have made the farm sustainable into the next generation,” Murray says.

Hitting Pay-Dirt

Establishing the compost business and other alternatives to conventional agriculture has allowed the Murray family to preserve the beautiful 850-acre property as an agricultural enterprise. At the same time, they are recycling organic matter that would otherwise be headed for the landfill, and they are supplying area gardeners, landscapers, and farmers with a product that adds vital nutrients to the soil. “The response has been enormously favorable,” says Pay-Dirt co-founder Drew Murray. “My brother and I take pride in the TLC we put into our product, and our customers seem to appreciate it too.”

Panorama Running

Steve Murray, too, saw sports opportunities in the woods and fields of Panorama Farm. Panorama Running hosts 8 cross-country meets per year, attracting up to 2,000 spectators at some events. Athletes from the local high schools and the University of Virginia train regularly on 5K, 6K, and 8K cross-country courses. To read the latest news from the University of Virginia Cavaliers cross-country team, visit http://virginiasports.collegesports.com/sports/c-xc/va-c-xc-body.html

To view a Panorama Running Cross-Country Meet Schedule, click here.

PANORAMA RUNNING
2007 CROSS COUNTRY MEET SCHEDULE

ARC Natural History Day Camp

Another wonderful program Panorama hosts is the ARC Natural History Day Camp. Kevin Murphy is director of that camp, and can be reached at kpmurphy@nelsoncable.com 434-263-4630