Goats and HoneyExploring and celebrating the place we all love to call home.
VOL. 296 / Goats and Honey
Meet this week’s guest editor, Kristi Orcutt. Kristi is the founder and owner of RVA Goats and Honey, a Chesterfield-based farm that blends environmental stewardship with hands-on vegetation management. A longtime Chesterfield resident and Virginia Commonwealth University graduate, Kristi brings more than 20 years of experience in environmental education across Richmond-area parks and gardens to her work. She previously served in roles with Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Chesterfield County Parks & Recreation, and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, helping connect communities with conservation, native landscapes, and sustainable land use.
At RVA Goats and Honey, Kristi leads a herd of more than 100 goats and sheep used for invasive plant removal and eco-friendly landscape management and restoration, offering an alternative to heavy machinery and chemical treatments. She also brings her passion for education beyond the farm, giving talks and presentations on beekeeping, sustainable land care, and pollinator protection to schools, clubs, and community groups throughout Central Virginia.
This week, Kristi takes the reins as our guest editor, offering her guide to a few local gems that make Richmond so special.
Joseph Bryan Park
Joseph Bryan Park is one of my go-to parks in Richmond — it’s also one of the very first parks where I brought our goats to clear brush, weeds, and invasive plants, leaving behind the park’s famous azaleas. Located in Richmond’s Northside, this 262-acre park dates to the late 1700s and was once part of a much larger rural farm. In 1910, then-landowner Belle Stewart Bryan, widow of Joseph Bryan (and founder of the Richmond Times-Dispatch), donated a portion to the City of Richmond. Today, the park offers ponds, long, winding walking trails, sports fields, natural gardens, and wide-open green spaces that make it ideal for both relaxation and recreation. Make sure you visit between April 1 and May 15 to see the azaleas in peak bloom!
Vitals:
Catch the RVA Big Market at Bryan Park seasonally / Winter season: November-April (Saturdays 9am-12pm); summer season: May-October (Saturdays 8am-12pm) / Support Friends of Bryan Park / 4308 Hermitage Road
Perly's Delicatessen
Perly’s in downtown Richmond is one of my favorite restaurants because it reminds me of my father, who loved this kind of comforting, soulful cuisine. It’s a modern Jewish restaurant and delicatessen serving traditional Jewish food with an innovative twist. I honestly love just sitting there and reading the menu — every dish sounds like a little story you want to taste. The vibe is warm, retro, and full of personality — it’s a total Richmond classic that brings back lots of great family memories, and we are so lucky to have it in our city.
The Richmond Home + Garden Show is March 6–8 at the Richmond Raceway Complex — and RVA Goats and Honey will be there! With more than 250 local home and garden experts all in one place, this event is one of the best ways to kick off spring in RVA. This year’s show includes HGTV and Magnolia Network stars Chris Lambton and Tamara Day, who will be sharing tips on everything from outdoor living to laid-back luxe interiors. I love that the event puts just as much focus on gardens and outdoor spaces as it does on kitchens, baths, and renovations. RVA Goats and Honey is excited to be there as an exhibitor with our herd, giving attendees an up-close look at how goats can be used for eco-friendly landscaping and invasive plant control.
RVA Goats and Honey is a locally owned, farm-based business near Pocahontas State Park, bringing a sustainable solution to landscape management across the Richmond region. Kristi and her farm family — made up of goats, sheep, and other farm animals — use natural grazing to clear brush, weeds, and invasive plants without chemicals, heavy equipment, or environmental harm. Their goats and sheep have helped restore green spaces everywhere from Richmond City parks and the University of Richmond to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Stone Brewing, Evergreen Cemetery, and dozens of residential yards across RVA.
