Boones Mill Family Farm Closes After Decades of Business
By Conner Arthur | Published: Oct. 31, 2026 at 10:17 PM GMT+1 | Updated: 2 hours ago
A family-owned Boones Mill farm officially closed its doors after decades of serving the Roanoke Valley and beyond. Woods Farm announced its closure, attributing rising costs and fewer customers to the decision. This comes as net farm income fell 5.5% in 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Owner Mark Woods’ grandparents opened the farm for business in the late 1940s. Since then, patrons have come to purchase a variety of fresh produce, preserves, jams, and jellies. Compounding costs and crop losses, including drought and high fuel prices, have impacted the business.
“It’s the price of seed, and labor, and chemicals, and health insurance, and the light bill,” Woods explained. “And, you know, it’s a snowball effect, you know.”
Woods lost fruit crops like apples and peaches for the last three years and took a job with the Virginia Department of Transportation to help cover the bills.
“You can only take so much on the end of the chin,” Woods said. “You got to say, I’m done.”
Vickie Holland, Woods’ aunt and a former helper at the Downtown Roanoke Farmer’s Market, expressed surprise at the decision.
“Couldn’t hardly believe it, really,” Holland said. “You know, there’s times when we’ve had times where things would be tough, but, you know, it would sort of work out and everything, but he’s lost so much this year.”
Holland, who used to help Woods in the fields, said age now prevents her from continuing that work.
“I’m getting older. I know that,” Holland said. “But I wished it was where I could done more.”
Woods said his favorite moments at the farm involved interacting with customers.
“Your family becomes your customers,” Woods said. “Your customers become your family.”
He expressed his hope that his passion for farming will continue through his children, including his son, Hunter.
“If he wants to learn it, I’ll be glad to teach it to him,” Woods said. “And I will still show him.”