J&W Valley View Farm Offers Award-Winning Produce

If it’s fresh produce you’re after, J&W Valley View Farm of Westmoreland County offers quality produce to both the Annandale and Wakefield Farmers Markets.

Owned by Jose and Wanda Catlett, J&W was among the first vendors to come to the Wakefield Farmers Market. They’ve been a Fairfax County market vendor for 20 years and were voted “Favorite Farmer” at Falls Church Market last year.

J&W Valley View Farm offers products such as tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, several different kinds of peppers, eggplant, squash, and more.

“I’ve only been to Wakefield Market a few times, but so far, everything that I’ve purchased from J&W Valley View Farm has been really great,” said new customer Susan, who did not give her last name. The customers are Wanda Catlett’s favorite thing about the markets. “I love meeting new people. I’m happy for them to purchase and enjoy my fresh vegetables,” Catlett said.

The produce J&W Valley View Farm grows is a product of the Catlett’s experience. “I’ve been farming on this land for over 20 years. It’s been two decades of trial and error. I know what grows best in our soil,” said Wanda Catlett. “I grew up on a farm. We grew a lot of vegetables so we could give them to our friends and family.”

The farm’s name has a lot of sentimental value for the Catletts. “When my husband and I started dating, my dad gave us five acres to farm in a part of his land. The land he gave was in an area that looked like a valley, so that’s how we came up with ‘Valley View.’ ‘J&W’ are our initials,” Catlett said.

Although they started with just five acres of land, the Catletts have purchased 38 more acres, bringing their total up to 43. Their three children, ages 22, 20, and 19, grew up helping their parents at the market. “I remember my youngest used to sell cantaloupes for me and would pocket all of the money,” said Catlett.

Now that her children are grown, Catlett hopes that the pace at J&W Valley View Farm will change. “My kids are all adults, and I would like them to play a bigger part in our farm so that I can slow down and start thinking about my retirement,” Catlett said.

Annandale residents can find J&W Valley View Farm at the Wakefield Farmers Market on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the Annandale Farmers Market on Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. J&W is also at the Herndon Market on Thursdays 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the Burke, Reston, and Falls Church Farmers Markets on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Questions about J&W Valley View Farm can be e-mailed to Jose and Wanda Catlett at jnwfarm@yahoo.com.