the sky is
the Limit
Spring Valley Farm and Orchards
knows no boundaries in bringing
fresh produce to market
Joan Harman
t
he phrase “he was born to do this” has never been more true than when applied to Eli Cook. Cook
and his wife, Misty, are the owners of Spring Valley Farm and Orchards in Slanesville, just outside of
Romney, West Virginia.
Eli’s path into farming began at twelve years of age, when he and his brother sold produce from their
parents’ garden at a local farm market. Tasting success, they moved to planting an acre garden on a neighbor’s
property, and continued to expand from there. “We just kept trying to grow a few new things and do a little
more each year,” he said.
At age 17, Eli began selling at a farmer’s market in Manassas, Virginia, along with three or four other
markets in northern Virginia and West Virginia. At that point, he was growing about 15 acres of produce.
In 1999, Cook entered West Virginia University, where he met Misty. Majoring in business and economics,
Eli would continue selling his produce at markets on the weekends. Following graduation, he and Misty
married and decided to settle in Hampshire County, where land was more affordable. And that was the
beginning of Spring Valley.
12 West Virginia Farm Bureau News