Virginia is the 3rd-best state for casual, hobbyist farmers, according to Lawn Love
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia is for lovers and for hobby farmers, ranking as the 3rd-best U.S. state for casual farming in a study from Lawn Love. The Commonwealth came out on top in Lawn Love's 2025 Best States for Hobby Farms list, which pitted the 48 contiguous U.S. states against one another across a variety of farming-related metrics. The study defines hobby farming as farming done for pleasure and not for profit, typically done without making any money and on less than 50 acres. This farming is more for the joy of it and for feelings of self-sufficiency -- to feed your family and perhaps those in your immediate community. There were four main categories used when evaluating the state of hobby farming across America: land and environmental conditions, livestock and agricultural resources, legal and policy factors and economic and market access. Each of these was then broken down into several more pinpointed metrics. Virginia veterans can access necessary services in new online ‘one-stop shop’ For example, land and environmental conditions included things like yard size, growing days and cost of land, among others. Legal and policy factors included things like right to garden/agriculture laws and rainwater harvesting laws, among others. All of these metrics were then weighed and combined into a total, finalized score. The top three states for hobby farming came out to be Kentucky, Vermont and Virginia, respectively. Virginia also happened to be the top state in right to garden/agriculture laws, a feat that potentially helped propel the Commonwealth to its 3rd-place ranking. Lawn Love added that both Virginia and Kentucky benefitted from factors like large backyards, few hobby farming restrictions and an abundance of farm veterinarians. They also have better air and water quality, fewer bird flu cases and fewer natural hazards than other states. The states that ranked the worst for hobby farming included Wisconsin, Massachusetts and, at the very bottom, Oregon. Of the 48 states included in the study, Oregon ranked 46th in land and environmental conditions. Massachusetts ranked 48th in legal and policy factors.
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia is for lovers and for hobby farmers, ranking as the 3rd-best U.S. state for casual farming in a study from Lawn Love.
The Commonwealth came out on top in Lawn Love's 2025 Best States for Hobby Farms list, which pitted the 48 contiguous U.S. states against one another across a variety of farming-related metrics.
The study defines hobby farming as farming done for pleasure and not for profit, typically done without making any money and on less than 50 acres. This farming is more for the joy of it and for feelings of self-sufficiency -- to feed your family and perhaps those in your immediate community.
There were four main categories used when evaluating the state of hobby farming across America: land and environmental conditions, livestock and agricultural resources, legal and policy factors and economic and market access. Each of these was then broken down into several more pinpointed metrics.
Virginia veterans can access necessary services in new online ‘one-stop shop’
For example, land and environmental conditions included things like yard size, growing days and cost of land, among others. Legal and policy factors included things like right to garden/agriculture laws and rainwater harvesting laws, among others.
All of these metrics were then weighed and combined into a total, finalized score.
The top three states for hobby farming came out to be Kentucky, Vermont and Virginia, respectively. Virginia also happened to be the top state in right to garden/agriculture laws, a feat that potentially helped propel the Commonwealth to its 3rd-place ranking.
Lawn Love added that both Virginia and Kentucky benefitted from factors like large backyards, few hobby farming restrictions and an abundance of farm veterinarians. They also have better air and water quality, fewer bird flu cases and fewer natural hazards than other states.
The states that ranked the worst for hobby farming included Wisconsin, Massachusetts and, at the very bottom, Oregon. Of the 48 states included in the study, Oregon ranked 46th in land and environmental conditions. Massachusetts ranked 48th in legal and policy factors.
