About Lisa Dearden: Lisa had a 20+ year career in sales, management, marketing and training before one too many car accidents left her nearly disabled. While in recovery, Lisa and her husband moved to Goochland County where they purchased a mini-farm. The farm had about 25 fruit trees and some established raised beds. Following her interest in that land, she pursued her degree in Horticulture with a focus on sustainable agriculture and became very involved in the local foods movement.
Combining her previous corporate career with horticulture and sustainable agriculture, Lisa ran an ag-centered non-profit for several years before founding Chiknegg Productions. Over the years, she has established relationships with farmers, educators, advocates and foodies all over the state (and beyond). She serves as Treasurer of the statewide Virginia Farmers Market Association, and is also currently serving as Chair of the Goochland Economic Development Authority. Lisa was on the board of t
he Goochland Chamber of Commerce for seven years and is also a member of the Virginia Association of Biological Farming. She is also a Certified Permaculture Design Instructor, and has been a Master Gardener. She has served as a spokes-model for Alcoa in several DVD’s on composting, and is actively involved in our region’s Capital Area Farmers Market Association.
Lisa and her husband, James, raise much of their own food including vegetables, fruits, berries and herbs, which they grow using sustainable principles. Their farm includes a flock of heritage breed chickens, two dairy goats, rabbits, and a herd of about a dozen alpacas.
As owner and manager of Chiknegg Productions (an incubator kitchen for food entrepreneurs), and now Executive Director of RVAg, Lisa intends to carry on in her passion for educating folks about the benefits of Sustainable Agriculture & Food – growing, selling, cooking, preserving, eating & celebrating local food and our food system!
