Agriculture in Our County

Hanover County is home not only to a major theme park, a former American statesman and a rapidly growing suburban population, but it is also home to a major agricultural economy.

Paramount’s Kings Dominion, the ghost of Patrick Henry, orator of the Revolution, and more than 86,000 residents reside here.

But so does the famed Hanover tomato that is renowned in the area for its sweet, tangy flavor. In fact, Hanover is the only Central Virginia county which commercially raises the popular summer fruit. They are raised by 38 growers on more than 240 acres.

Many are sold at roadside stands and in grocery stores in and around nearby Richmond.

Commercial tomato production is confined to the eastern part of Hanover County where rich sandy soils give the tomato its distinctive flavor.

But Hanover farmers also raise a variety of other crops and livestock.

There are 682 farms on 100,537 acres of land that raise corn, soybeans, wheat, vegetables, hay and pastureland as well as beef and dairy cattle, hogs, sheep and chickens, according to the latest census of agriculture. The county also has several orchards.

Hanover farmers raise about a half-million chicken broilers each year, 10,000 head of cattle as well as some hogs, sheep and lambs.

About 16,700 acres of soybeans were grown in 2002, 12,000 acres of corn, 7,900 acres of wheat and another 15,000 acres of hay and other small grains.