Farms and land in Augusta County make it a sportsman’s paradise as well as a great place for developers and business owners to set up shop. The 971-square-mile county has a population of 75,5000, encompasses the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro and is located in the Shenandoah Valley in the western portion of the state. There are 290,000 acres of farmland of which 80% is divided between cropland and pasture use. Livestock, poultry and products account for 87% of its agricultural sales. Augusta land isn’t just for farming and recreation. Hershey Chocolate of Virginia is one of its largest employers. McKee Foods and Augusta Medical Center also top the list of largest private employers. Fishermen fly fish or just wet a line in more than 30 lakes and ponds as well as two rivers where they reel in trout and bass. Hunters bag deer, bear and wild turkeys. Just 75 miles from Washington, D.C., visitors enjoy cruising the Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah National Park. Grand Caverns is a limestone cave that holds the distinction of being America’s oldest show cave in operation since 1806. Augusta Public Schools provides K-12 education. Blue Ridge Community College offers higher learning courses.
