April 2017 Clarke Observer

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APRIL 2017 vaOBSERVER.com A MONTHLY MAGAZINE SERVING CLARKE COUNTY

Spring. Finally.

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By Betsy Arnett

vaobserver.com McCormick Civil War Institute And Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation Partner For Future Collaboration

ON THE COVER Spring in Clarke County brings a season of outdoor programs at Blandy Experimental Farm. Check them out at blandy.virginia.edu. Photo by Tim Farmer.

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Aging Around Clarke County Point-to-Point Rescheduled As the Crow Flies Community Dispatch Budget Handyman Service Mainstreet Smiles Clarke Softball field Rededicated PVAS Virginia Department of Agriculture News Blandy Farm Garden Fair Farm Market Opens for Season

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FROM THE EDITOR STAFF

David Lillard, Editor/Publisher Jennifer Welliver, Associate Publisher Aundrea Humphreys, Art Director Hali Taylor, Proofreader Sinead Juday, Intern

CONTRIBUTORS Karen Cifala Wendy Gooditis Doug Pifer JiJi Russell Claire Stuart

COVER PHOTO Tim Farmer

ADVERTISING SALES

Jennifer Welliver, 540-398-1450 Rebecca Maynard, 540-550-4669

Advertising Information 540-398-1450 (Mon-Fri, 9-5) Sales@vaOBSERVER.com

Securing The Future For A Vital Clarke County Asset The Barns of Rose Hill recently announced a challenge grant that would match donations to build an endowment for long-term financial security. We applaud the grant as well as the goal — not only for what it means for patrons of the programs produced by the Barns organization, but for the value the venue brings to other community groups and local businesses.

The Barns is both an organization and a place.

As an organization, its concerts, films, exhibits, and other programs bring talent from throughout the region — even the world. As a place it provides an incredible venue for other community groups for education programs, gala receptions, annual meetings, you name it. In both these capacities, The Barns gives Clarke County a solid anchor and identity.

By providing such a beautiful and accommodating venue for all our civic groups, the Barns helps all of us.

Credit for the vitality of Berryville’s Main Street is shared by many, including, as recently noted in these pages, Berryville Main Street.

The Barns helps enable this emerging scene by

enlarging the customer base for Berryville eateries; those businesses enhance the draw for the other merchants who are part of the town’s reinvention as a regional destination.

In this way, The Barns is a significant economic engine, as well as a treasured cultural asset.

In the world of funding cultural institutions, the excitement of building and restoring has a way of capturing the imaginations of donors across the spectrum. In addition to the contributions of local businesses and residents, there are often bigger grants to help launch great ideas.

But securing the resources for the long haul, the nuts-and-bolts of surviving and, we hope, flourishing, is an altogether heftier lift. That’s the challenge now.

So many people have given so much to get The Barns to this daunting place of figuring out a sustainable future. The best way to honor all those contributions from patrons, donors, businesses, and volunteers is for the community to accept the challenge and help make sure the future is as exciting as the present.

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Letters may be edited. Send letters to the editor of 300 or fewer words to: editor@vaobserver.com.

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“Our Place” Respite Center, an invaluable community resource

By Karen Cifala

Being a caretaker is one of the hardest jobs EVER! Every caregiver goes through a “burnout” period when they feel exhausted and stressed out, and just not up to the responsibility. Here are a few burnout signs to look for if you are a caregiver of a loved one: • Not wanting to interact with people, especially family and close friends.

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Not being as interested in your favorite hobbies, such as reading.

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Thoughts of suicide or hurting your elderly loved one; feeling depressed.

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Abnormal eating patterns.

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Abnormal sleeping, not being able to fall asleep or having trouble getting up.

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Not being able to shake a cold, signs of a reduced immune system or not really feeling good.

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Irritability that triggers negative responses and actions.

Any of these signs might be a clue that caring is becoming too draining on you and that you need a break.

Our Place Respite Center, formerly housed at the Episcopal Church is Berryville, is now located at Crums Methodist Church, on Crums Church Road in Clarke County. Our Place is a social model program developed by the Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging (SAAA) and the Brookdale Founda-

tion, and has been in existence for 14 years. You don’t have to be a Clarke County resident to attend, as SAAA also operates another respite center in Edinburg. You can choose whichever is closer to where you live.

Our Place in Clarke County offers a break to caregivers of persons with dementia, early to mid-stages of Alzheimer’s or other cognitive disabilities.

This program provides a benefit to both the caregiver and the participants. It is very affordable, with a sliding scale daily fee ($10–25) which includes lunch and snacks. Participating adults need to be mobile (which includes using a walker) and able to participate as well as able to toilet themselves.

The food is provided by Meals on Wheels and is delivered daily for the participants. Participants need to provide their

own transportation to and from the program which runs in Clarke County from 10am to 3pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Reverend Tom Barnard, pastor at Crums United Methodist Church, describes “the church” as, “We are the People of God,” and extends his belief that the church, in some respect, is also a hospital where help is offered in many forms; physically, mentally and spiritually for all people. Pastor Tom is very pleased to be able to provide a space for this community service. Crums Methodist also has an all-volunteer food delivery distribution for needy families.

They also have a K-1st grade “backpack program” where they collect easy to eat snack food donations for needy kids.

Please support their youth mission to Rosebud Reservation

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by attending their fundraiser pancake supper on April 29th at Enders Firehouse, in Berryville, from 5-7:30.

A typical day at Our Place might look like: • 10:00 Coffee, snack, greetings, puzzles, brain teasers, word games •

10:30 Exercise: balloon volleyball in chairs, basketball, stretching or walking

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11:30 Lunch provided by Meals on Wheels

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12:30 Rest with background music in reclining chairs with a blanket

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1:00 Craft

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2:00 Restroom break

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2:15 Game, dominoes, checkers, card games

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2:45 Prepare for departure

“An invaluable program,” says Tony Hopson, whose wife has been a regular participant at Our Place for several years.

Kathy was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and Our Place has not only freed him up to do regular chores that we take for granted like grocery shopping,

but the therapeutic interaction that Our Place offers is very encouraging to Tony as he continues to see small incremental positive changes in his wife’s behavior.

Another wonderful man I talked to, Leroy, who is the sole caretaker of his wife Mareta, explains that her dementia has supercharged her personality and behaviors to the point where she can’t remember what happened even two minutes ago. Our Place has proven to be something that he can’t live without and wishes that they could offer more than three days a week. His wife loves to stay busy every minute and the positive interaction, games, and exercise brings her more pleasure than staying at home all the time. Plus as you can imagine, down time for yourself is non-existent in a situation like this and Our Place gives Leroy the peace of mind that his wife is being well taken care of while he takes some time for himself.

As I walked around the facility I noticed a lovely wall with family collages. Each participant is encouraged to bring in pictures to make a collage of their own. The participants

also have raised garden beds to grow vegetables and flowers; they go outside for walks, bake in the kitchen and join in spontaneous singing whenever the moment strikes. How can I forget this song, I heard it at least a dozen times during my interview; “This is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice, let us rejoice and be glad in it and be glad in it. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in Him. This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made.”

Along with individual care plans and respite for the caregivers, Our Place occasionally offers support group meetings and other collaborative resources for the family.

For more information or to make an appointment with SAAA regarding care for your loved one contact Charity Michael, case manager for SAAA, call 540-635-7141, ext.# 1016 Karen Cifala is a Realtor for Remax Roots in Berryville, VA with a special interest in our aging population. She can be reached on her cell 303-817-9374, office 540-9550911 or by email. She is happy to take article requests!

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Around Clarke County Promote your event in TO Send notices by the 1st of the preceding month to jennifer@vaobserver.com. Keep event descriptions to 125 words, following the format of these pages. One or two CMYK photos, saved as tiff or jpg at 200 dpi, are always welcome.

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Sustainability in the Garden Series

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct., Berryville. Sustainability in the Garden Series partners with the Clarke County Library to host the first of three events, all presented by Master Gardeners. 2pm.

Free. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

Planting Talk and Book Signing

Blandy Experimental Farm. 400 Blandy Farm Lane. Boyce. Thomas Rainer, author and landscape architect, talks about how to use landscaping to invite nature into your yard. 7–8:30pm. $25 for Foundation of the State Arboretum members, $30 for nonmembers. Register ahead. 540-837-1758, extension 287.

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Celtic Fiddle Festival

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Spring Pancake Day

John H. Enders Fire Company and Rescue Squad. 9 S. Buckmarsh St. Berryville. Pancakes, sausage, sausage gravy, eggs, baked apples, coffee, milk, tea, apple and orange juice. 7am–12pm.

Adults $8, children $4, children under 6 eat free. For information call 540-9551110 or visit www.endersfire.com.

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Fiddlers Kevin Burke (Ireland), Christian Lemaître (Brittany, France) and Charlie McKerron (Scotland) showcase a fascinating juxtaposition of international and individual styles. 8–10pm. $25 in advance, $35 at door. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

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Quilt Show Block Party will be held on April 21 at Clarke County Parks and Recreation.

Quilt Show Block Party

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Garden Club Meeting

Berryville Presbyterian Church.

123 W. Main St. Berryville. Larry Haun, Master Gardener, presents program on succulents. 1pm. 540-955-2999.

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VHSA Jumper

Sandstone Farm. 3805 Millwood Rd. Millwood. Free admission to all events. Breakfast and lunch available. For information 540-837-1261 or www.sandstonefarm.com. Free.

Clarke County Parks and Recreation Center. 226 Al Smith Circle.

Berryville. Quilt all weekend, April 21–23. 10am–5pm Friday and Saturday, 11am–4pm Sunday. For information www.nsvquiltshow or find them on Facebook.

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Astronomy for Everyone

Sky Meadows State Park.

11012 Edmonds Lane. Delaplane. Celebrate Earth Day by learning about the International Dark-Sky Association, its objectives, and Sky Meadows’ goal to achieve certification as a Dark-Sky Park.

7:30–11pm. 540-592-3566.

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Kite Flying Day

Cedar Creek Battlefield. 8437 Valley Pike. Middletown. Kites available for purchase or bring your own. Prizes given and food vendor on field, one of the breeziest locations in the area. 9am– 3pm. Rain date April 29. 540-869-2064.

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Film Series: “Indignation”

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Philip Roth novel adaptation features a young Jewish atheist

who attends college in 1951 Ohio, where he clashes with the school’s traditional social order, disappoints his overbearing parents’ hopes and falls for an attractive, complicated classmate. 4pm. $5 for Barns members, $8 for public. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

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Irish Music Concert

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill perform traditional Irish

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music. 8–10pm. $25 in advance, $35 at door. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

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Spring Spaghetti Dinner

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Art at the Mill

Boyce Fire Hall, 7 Greenway Ave. South. Boyce. Great food, fun and fellowship to benefit Boyce United Methodist Ministries. 10 percent will also go to local charities. Free will offering. 540-336-3585 or 540-722-2165.

Burwell-Morgan Mill. 15 Tannery Lane. Millwood. Over 1000 pieces of art created by regional and national artists in a wide range of media. All items available for purchase. Sunday–Friday 12–5pm, Saturday 10am–6pm. April 29–May 14. Adults $5, seniors $3, children 12 and younger free.

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Banjo concert at the Barns of Rose Hill, May 6.

Ella Fitzgerald Tribute

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Tribute concert by the L’Tanya Mari Quartet celebrates the singer’s 100th birthday.

8–10pm. $15 in advance, $20 at door, 12 and younger free. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

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Spring Fever 5K

Sky Meadows State Park. 11012 Edmonds Lane. Delaplane. 9–11am. Enjoy trails with beautiful views and the chance to earn prizes.

Register ahead. $30. Call 540-592-3566 or to register visit runsignup.com/Race/VA/Delaplane/ SpringFeverTrail5k.

May

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Jerron Paxton Concert

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Art Exhibit Opening

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. “Ice on a Hot Stove: Textile Art” by Norma Fredrickson. 6–7pm. Free. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

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Pete Seeger Multimedia Concert

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Multi-genre music and assorted video footage will accompany and interact with Pete Seeger’s voice. 4pm. $15 in advance, $20 at door, children 12 and younger free. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Paxton transports audiences to the 1920s with singing and playing banjo, guitar, piano, fiddle, harmonica, Cajun accordion, and the bones (percussion). 8–10pm. $15 in advance, $20 at door, children 12 and younger free. www. barnsofrosehill.org.

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Banjo Concert

Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. John Bullard plays classical music on the 5-string banjo. 8–10pm. $15 in advance, $20 at door, children 12 and younger free. www.barnsofrosehill.org.

Historic Area Landscaping

Sky Meadows State Park. 11012 Edmonds Lane. Delaplane.Bring gardening gloves, water, sunscreen, and hand tools to help restore Mount Bleak’s historic garden landscaping. 10am–2pm.

540-592-3566.

John H.Enders Fire Company & Rescue Squad Pancake Day 9 S Buckmarsh St., Berryville

Easter Sunday, April 16th 7am till 12 noon Pancakes, Sausage, Eggs, Sausage Gravy, Baked Apples, Coffee, Milk, Hot Tea Apple & Orange Juice Adults $8 Children $4 Children under six eat FREE

Stress Management Event

Sanctuary Wellness Center. 208 N Buckmarsh St. Berryville. Explore natural strategies to protect yourself from stressors and discover new insights on how to make stress your friend.

2–4pm. $15 or $20, call for details. 540-227-0564. www.sanctuaryberryville.com.

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Point-to-Point Rescheduled for April 23

By Rebecca Maynard

If you thought you had missed the 68th annual running of Blue Ridge Hunt Pointto-Point Races in March, there is good news. The event was postponed due to cold weather causing unfavorable ground conditions and is now taking place rain or shine Sunday, April 23 at noon.

Everyone is invited to come enjoy the races, with an admission price of just $20 per carload. Brian Ferrell, MFH (Master of Foxhounds), chair of the races for the past six years, explains that the beautiful location of Woodley Farm is due to the generosity of Brooke and Michele Middleton. The historic 383 acre property, located at 490 Woodley Lane, two and a half miles south of Berryville, was originally bought by Daniel Sowers in the 1830s from George Washington’s cousin and has been used for fox hunting ever since.

One of the unique things about the property, Ferrell says, is that it has one of the

only point-to-point courses in Virginia that allows spectators to see the entire course at one time. Parking is available with the $20 per car admission, but reservations can be made ahead of time to park cars and tailgate on the property’s hill for $150.

For details on reservations, call Jenny Irwin at 202-664-4664.

The day will feature 9 or 10 races, depending on the horses available on the day, and will include three different types of races: flat, hurdle jumping and timber fence jumping. All should be exciting to watch with the spectacular view Woodley offers.

“It’s a fun day and a nice local event,” Ferrell says. The Enders and Boyce fire departments provide safety for the event, as well as local vets and a farrier. Many local businesses sponsor the races and Nantucket-Treweryn beagles will be on site for children (and children at heart) to see and play with.

As Norm Fine notes in his history, today’s followers of the

Blue Ridge hounds ride over the same hills and fields and along the same twists and turns of the Shenandoah River as did George Washington nearly 300 years ago when he followed the hounds of his employer and friend Thomas, sixth Lord Fairfax.

At 16, Washington had come

to Fairfax’s Greenway Court in what is now White Post, to help survey Fairfax’s holdings. The two pursued the native gray fox behind hounds that Fairfax had sent over from England even prior to his arrival.

Fine explains that fox hunting in Virginia flourished privately until the massive chang-

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es after the Civil War set the stage for the formation of organized hunts and subscription packs. The period following the war saw a number of Englishmen moving to Virginia, many of whom were fox hunters in their native England. One such Englishman, Archibald Bevan, helped to organize the Blue Ridge Hunt in 1888, and he served as its first Master.

Well over a century later, the Blue Ridge Hunt is going strong and welcomes anyone who wants to enjoy the sport of fox chasing. Although that no doubt requires some experience, none is needed to come out and enjoy what promises to be a wonderful afternoon of point-to-point racing at Woodley Farm. Pack a picnic and bring the family!

For more information, call Ferrell at 540-550-7015 or visit www.blueridgehunt.org.

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As the Crow Flies

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Hawk Awareness

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Story by Doug Pifer and photo by Lynne Crumpacker

10 W Main Street, Berryville Maintaining a bird feeder close to the house can be fun and educational for kids, a great hobby for older folks and entertaining for everybody. It’s easy to forget it’s not a show but real life, with sometimes unintended consequences.

Lynne Crumpacker was reminded of this as she worked at her computer last week.

She has set up several bird feeders about 12 feet outside her windows. That way she can see them while working, with camera and binoculars within reach.

Here are Lynne’s words: “In the corner of my eye I saw a scattering of birds and one large dark form dart towards the house and heard a huge thump. Out of curiosity I stood up and looked out on the ground. Often, a bird will be there, stunned or dead after hitting a window or side of the house. I don’t try to rescue them anymore. If they’re going to live they do it quite well on their own without the stress of me trying to revive them. This time there was this surprise.”

On the ground below the window, a small hawk stood over a motionless male cardinal. Lynne instinctively reached for her camera.

She continues: “At first, he was staring down at the cardinal, giving it the eagle-eye—then he looked around as if planning his next move. I thought he might have been stunned after hitting the side of the house but then I was amazed at how easily he picked the cardinal up and carried it off so fast through the trees that I couldn’t get an in-flight [camera] shot.”

Lynne still managed to snap

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the accompanying photograph of a young sharp-shinned hawk with vividly-colored prey. Captured cardinals are fighters and inflict real damage with their heavy bills. This one evidently hit hard against the house while fleeing the approaching raptor, offering it an easy meal.

Such high drama can be shocking. One of Lynne’s friends was horrified by the story behind the picture.

People tell me they stopped feeding bids after such a thing happened.

These feelings are understandable.

For me, the lesson here is nature has no favorites.

And, hawks are imminently worth watching.

Predatory fire burns hot inside a sharp-shinned hawk. It’s named for the angular edges to the slim, yellow tarsal bones just above the talons. The nickname “sharpie” fits. Big, blazing eyes make the head look small—an effect heightened by

a very short, sharply notched beak. Spikey nape feathers create a hooded, “king of birds” aspect. Add a fiery temper, relentless energy and deadly speed. Sharp is the word.

Such hawks travel a daily beat at high speed, darting bullet-like through clearings, zig-zagging though brushy tangles, or skimming low above the grass. You can bet they pass every bird feeder in the neighborhood. Any songbird within range is the target. Brief pursuit often ends in a tail-chase deep into a brush pile or thicket.

I’m often alerted to a hawk’s approach by the actions and calls of birds. Hawk-awareness is imbedded deep within them.

As nestlings, they learn to recognize sharp, universally understood calls all birds make at a hawk’s approach. Constant hawk-awareness is key to their survival, part of everyday life.

Hawk-awareness enriches my own life.

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The Retreat at Cool Spring

By Betsy Arnett

Heading east from Berryville on Route 7, right after crossing the Shenandoah River, turn left and drive north on Parker Lane. This narrow road winds through the woods along the Shenandoah, the river on one side and the western slope of the Blue Ridge on the other, for a mere one and a half miles before ending in front of a gracious white mansion known as The Retreat. Built in 1799 by Thomas Parker, The Retreat was the center of a 1,100 acre estate that remained in the Parker family until 1872. Today, thanks to the efforts of Suzanne Eblen and her husband, Pat, the house once again offers visitors a respite from a busy world as a vacation rental.

“It is shockingly calm here,” Suzanne says about the property. “Coming over the mountain from Loudoun County, I always feel like I’m going away on vacation.”

The house is surrounded

by Shenandoah University’s 195-acre River Campus. Site of the Union Army’s staging area and artillery placements during the July 1864 Battle of Cool Spring, the land was developed into a golf course in the 1950s.

In 2013, after the golf course went bankrupt, the Civil War Trust purchased the property and conveyed it to Shenandoah University, ensuring its preservation as open space.

The Eblens purchased the house in January 2014. A girlfriend brought Suzanne to see The Retreat when it went on the market in May 2012, but at that time, the asking price put the property out of her range.

“I kept my eye on it, though,” Suzanne recalls. “A few days before Christmas 2013, I saw online that it had gone to short sale. We made an offer and closed the deal less than a month later.”

The previous owner, Scot Lessler, purchased the property in 2005 and began to restore it, but the scope of work needed – and the economic downturn – proved to be the project’s undoing.

“Honestly, if Scot hadn’t done the heavy lifting on the restoration, I couldn’t have afforded to finish it,” Suzanne says. Lessler replaced the roof, repaired the foundation,

®

installed HVAC ducts, and began stripping centuries of paint and varnish from the floors and woodwork.

The Eblens spent a year completing the house’s restoration. When they purchased it, the house had crumbling walls, no functioning bathrooms and no kitchen at all. Today, the house boasts five bedrooms, plus a sleeping attic that can accommodate four. It is available for whole-house rentals year-round through the Vaca-

tion Rentals By Owner website (www.vrbo.com).

Suzanne has furnished the house with a decidedly European flair, a style familiar to fans of her antique store and interior design business, The Old Lucketts Store, in Loudoun County. The subtle, monochromatic palette of the furnishings contributes to the house’s serenity.

She left the woodwork – which legend attributes to Hessian mercenaries placed in the

charge of Daniel Morgan after the Revolutionary War - bare, stripped of paint by the previous owner. The “pickled pine” look fits with the European aesthetic of the furnishings.

“I didn’t want to make it a museum, where people would be afraid to touch things and not feel comfortable,” Suzanne explains. “I want to honor the house’s total history. Leaving the woodwork the way it was when we bought it is part of that history.”

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After opening in early 2015, The Retreat at Cool Spring quickly garnered a series of five-star reviews on the VRBO website. Words like “tranquil,” “relaxing,” and “quiet” appear frequently in the reviews, proving that The Retreat is living up to its name.

“When guests arrive, they are on their own,” says Jocelyn Zarcyzinski, The Re-

treat’s housekeeper. “It’s really lovely to be here, and guests appreciate that.”

The Retreat at Cool Spring is not Suzanne’s only Clarke County venture. This May, she will be bringing her Lucketts Spring Market to the Clarke County Fairgrounds.

Suzanne Eblen opened the Old Lucketts Store in 1996 and started the Spring Market a few years later. She and her husband moved to Northern Virginia from Los Angeles in 1990. She was amazed by how much less expensive vintage furniture was in Virginia than in California. She began visiting auction houses and estate sales, reselling her purchases at “epic” barn sales on their farm outside Lovettsville.

“I always set a limit on how much I would spend at a sale,” Suzanne says. “It’s easy to get caught up in the bidding and pay too much for an item. I would look at something and ask myself, what would be a good price if I were buying it retail?”

Her vintage furniture and interior design business grew from there, starting with a booth in a Brunswick antique mall and culminating with the purchase of the abandoned general store on Route 15 north

of Leesburg that became The Old Lucketts Store.

“We bought the store in March, I had a baby that spring, and we opened in August,” Suzanne remembers with a laugh.

Today, The Old Lucketts Store has an international reputation for “vintage hip” furniture and décor.

The Lucketts Spring Market enjoys a similar reputation.

Initially held on the grounds of the Lucketts Community Center, the market outgrew that site and has now outgrown its current location on Old Lucketts Store property. Last summer, Suzanne began looking for a new location and knew she had found it as soon as she saw the Clarke County Fairgrounds.

“Everyone in Clarke County has been so welcoming,” Suzanne says about moving the Spring Market to Berryville.

“This year’s market is going to be spectacular.”

Over 130 vendors are signed up already and Suzanne is hoping to hit 200. She has a full line up of workshops, live music, food vendor and even a beer garden planned. The Lucketts Spring Market will be May 19, 20 and 21, 2017. All the details are on the website at luckettsstore.com.

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Community Dispatch

Barns of Rose Hill Gets Big Challenge Grant To Secure Future

By Edith Welliver In 1964 the Town of Berryville received a donation of real estate from Horace Smithy.

Eventually a group of visionaries in Clark County saw in the gift the potential for enlisting others in the region to use the property to “enrich lives through the arts, education, and community.” To this end in 2004 Main Street Berryville organized the board that began to raise over two million dollars bit by bit to rescue two

adjacent barns from the verge of collapse to form a flexible, friendly venue for performing arts above a gallery for visual arts and some related office space.

This long, complicated process was financed and completed by 2011, challenging the board of the new “Barns of Rose Hill” to create the program that would justify the investment of time, money, and imagination — and the program they prom-

ised could not be realized on a shoestring. Would the money continue to flow above and beyond the amount it had already taken to transform the barns?

On March 22 Diana Kincannon, chair of the board, made public an announcement that must have been a huge relief and a tremendous stride ahead for the brave optimists supporting the venture. Mrs. Casey, of the philanthropic foundation that she named for her late husband Eugene B. Casey, gave the Barns a new challenge.

With a $500,000 grant to equal other contributions dollar-fordollar over a five year period, the foundation would lead the community toward building a million dollar endowment. The board will use the proceeds from the endowment for programming or necessary capital projects to meet its goal of enriching lives, as it has already been striving with some notable success to do.

Since income from ticket sales meets only about 30 percent of the expenses for music, lectures, films, workshops, and other activities, the budget will continue to rely on sponsorships, donations, and galas to open the Barn doors, while the campaign to raise the endowment lasts. However, Mrs. Casey’s gift will make the longterm future of this adventurous cultural enterprise much more secure.

Board members and other friends of the Barns have already made a good start on the first year’s $100,000 goal with pledges of over $68,000. They are asking other community members to support the project with gifts for this year’s quota

or, if possible, with five-year commitments toward meeting the Casey Foundation’s challenge by August 31, 2021.

As Mrs. Kincannon said at the public announcement event, “This is a wonderful opportunity to double the value of a gift while helping to ensure the future of excellent arts and education programming for the northern Valley and Piedmont region.”

The Casey Foundation’s generous gesture obviously did not come out of the blue. On the other hand, it did not require an arduous application process. It has a story rooted in at least two generations of Clarke County history. The vice chair of the board is Michael Hobert. His father and Mr.

Casey worked together over the years to give area amenities to make life richer for the community. Among other gifts, the Caseys build the first public swimming pool here and gave land for the tree farm to be a nursery for greening the environment. When Michael Hobert was confronted with Barns’ need for a permanent financial base, he wrote to Mrs. Casey with a description of the board’s vision and the suggestion that she call him if the project interested her. “She called,” he said, and the rest is local history.

Tax-deductible donations toward the endowment can be sent to Barns of Rose Hill Endowment Challenge, PO Box 738, Berryville VA 22611.

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APRIL 201 7

Help is On Hand with Budget Handyman Service

By Claire Stuart

Spring is the traditional time to clean up and catch up on the chores that didn’t get done in the winter. If you need help with your to-do list, Melvin and Susan Hallman, owners of Budget Handyman Service, invite you to call on them for jobs big and small. They are local, licensed and insured, and they guarantee their work. They promise to arrive on time and do the job right.

Their expertise includes carpentry, plumbing, and installation/repair of ceramic tile and laminate floors. They are also ready and willing to tackle odd jobs, from cleaning out the garage, pressure washing, and painting, to repairing drywall, installing locks and deadbolts, fixing garbage disposals and maintaining your landscape.

They can replace windows and doors and spruce up your kitchen with new cabinets and countertops.

Budget Handyman Services is a husband-and-wife operation. They do almost all of the work themselves, with occasional help from reliable craftspeople they have worked with for years.

Susan provides the estimates, schedules the work, does the billing and generally

deals with customers. She will even accompany you to home improvement stores to consult on materials. Susan worked in the office side of the construction industry for many years, including a stint with FEMA in home inspections, reviewing inspections and billing.

The growing season finds her at work outdoors in the landscaping end of the business. She mows, plants trees and flowers, mulches and weeds. In winter, she helps with snow removal.

And, she says, “I will paint if I have to!”

Melvin has years of experience in all phases of construction, including custom flooring.

His background also includes work with a local plumbing and heating company, dealing with everything from outside water and sewer to inside plumbing and fixtures. In addition, he worked for a builder doing “punchout” work, the final step in new construction where last-minute details are completed. This covers things like repairs to doors, wood trim or drywall that was damaged in the construction, hardware, adjusting installed appliances, minor electrical adjustments and touch-up painting.

“It could be anything

from drywall to doorknobs,” Susan explained.

The Hallmans have been in business for themselves for over 16 years, the last eight years full-time. It began with Melvin working on custom ceramic tile floors in his spare time.

Susan recalled, “As he worked on a floor, someone might ask him to remove a toilet or a vanity, install fixtures.

He’s very handy. If you want it done, he’ll figure out a way to do it!”

Thanks to his plumbing background, he could take on bigger jobs, leading into kitchen and bathroom remodeling. Both Melvin and Susan lost their jobs when the housing bubble burst, so they decided to take their part-time business full-time.

They put out the word by sending out a bulk mailing describing their services.

“We only got four customers,” recalled Susan, “but we still have them! We re-did one customer’s house and now we have the new owner.”

Their handyman business expanded in another direction when their son graduated high school. “He wanted to go to college to study turf management and asked if we’d add landscaping,” Susan explained. “We did, and then he joined the army!

So now Mom and Dad have the landscaping.”

She reports that they do not do mowing on a contract basis. “Some operators contract to mow on a certain day every week and do it whether it needs mowing or not. We do it when it is needed—sometimes there will only be two or three weeks when we need to mow. We’re old school – we agree with a handshake.”

When they are called on to paint, says Susan, “We start by doing one room at our own pace so that you can see how we work. If you like it, you can tell us to go ahead with the rest.

We are a time-and-material business. We work by the hour so you are only paying for when we actually work. You get all the receipts for material.”

Budget Handyman will tackle just about any job, large or small, except new construction. They have chinked and sealed historic log structures and changed a light bulb two stories up. They have even installed Christmas decorations for elderly folks who were no longer able to do it. If you are on a fixed income and need

work done, they will do their best to plan the work around your budget, prioritizing and doing what you can afford over a period of months.

Twenty-four hour emergency service is available for urgent problems like leaks, and they will get there within 24 hours and try to fix the problem the same day.

The Hallmans prefer to work close to home in Clarke and western Loudoun County, but they will travel to Frederick and parts of West Virginia. The farthest they have travelled for a job was to Alabama. “That was for family,” Susan laughed.

Call Budget Handyman Service at 540-327-1189 or 540-327-9130

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CELEBRATING OUR 22ND YEAR SERVING THE TRI-STATE AREA

Keeping Smiles Bright On Main Street

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A dental visit isn’t necessarily something most of us anticipate with pleasure, but Dr. Ahmed Al Attar of Main Street Smiles in Berryville does his best to make sure you leave his office with a smile on your face.

Dr. Al Attar completed his B.A. in Biology from the University of Virginia in 2001. In 2005, he graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. Following graduation, he spent a two year residency at the Hunter McGuire Veterans Administration Center in Richmond. After working in Toronto, Ontario and Buffalo, N.Y. as an associate dentist, Dr. Al Attar decided it was time to open his own family dental practice in Berryville.

He says he was attracted to the small town charm of the community and the ability in a smaller community to build long-lasting relationships with each patient. “There is a strong sense of community in Berryville that you don’t often find in larger cities,” Dr. Al Attar said. “It’s a slower pace of life that allows you to focus on family. I love that when my patients enter or leave they

see another member of the community and stop to chat and catch up. It’s also a beautiful part of the state. Fall in particular is a beautiful time of year and a great time to get out with the family and enjoy the local fall festivals.”

Dr. Al Attar has been married to his wife Rose for 17 years, and together they have two young boys, Josef and Dani. Main Street Smiles employs a team of six people and their main focus is patients and their comfort. They are a family practice equipped to treat patients ranging from

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children to the elderly. offer preventative care as well as restorative care (fillings), implants, crowns and bridges, dentures, root canals and extractions.

They also have a variety of treatments to help with anxiety, from nitrous oxide to I.V. sedation. They understand that people are busy during the week and offer flexible scheduling, including some Saturdays.

The staff at Main Street Smiles is dedicated to helping patients understand how their insurance will work best for them. While they work with all insurances, they are participating providers with Delta Dental Premiere & Cigna. They also accept Care Credit.

Potential patients are encouraged to call the office to discuss their options. The office is open Monday-Thursday, 8am-4:30pm, and can be reached at 844-692-2235 or by visiting mainstsmiles.com.

If you’ve been putting off that dental checkup for far too long or are interested in supporting the community by seeing a local dentist, why not give Main Street Smiles a try?

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APRIL 201 7

Clarke Softball field is Rededicated to Charles O. Grubbs

By Sinead Juday

When Susan Grubbs first started coaching softball for Clarke County High School, the field was “too small and behind the Presbyterian church with only a few benches and rusty backstop,” says her sister, Kim Braithwaite. Now, many years later, the new and enhanced softball field is dedicated to their father, Charles O. Grubbs, who was responsible for these improvements.

In the spring of 2001, the Clarke County High School softball field was first dedicated to Charles. Recently, a ceremony was held to rededicate the field to Grubbs following his death in October. On March 10, his family, friends, and the Clarke community gathered to celebrate the significant improvements that Grubbs had made, not only to the Clarke County High School softball field and program, but to the lives of many people.

After retiring in 1992, Grubbs took on the task of fixing up the Clarke County High School softball field. He spent most of his newfound free time soliciting people to assist him in upgrading the field and seeking out more who could help fund these improvements so the softball program wouldn’t have to bear all of the cost.

Grubbs helped lead the way to build the visitor’s dugout, the concession stand, and the press box while also improving the backstop and repairing the batting cage. These renovations have helped to enhance both the Clarke County High School softball field and the softball program.

Grubbs, however, did not expect nor need to be recognized for all the work he put into this

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BUY • SELL • TRADE project. When the field was first dedicated, it came as a surprise to Grubbs. Although he took great pride in the softball field, the mere satisfaction of improving the field and helping the softball program was enough for Grubbs. He took this on as a personal project.

As well as coordinating contributions for the softball program, he could often be seen mowing, digging holes, or trying to get water off the field himself. According to his family, Grubbs’ dedication to the field and joy for helping the softball program are some of the many virtues that possessed. These qualities are what inspired the decision to dedicate the softball field to Grubbs.

Charles Grubbs wasn’t the only one of his family to be involved in softball in Clarke County. With Grubbs as a role model, each member of the Grubbs family has shown enthusiasm to assist in bettering the Clarke softball programs.

His daughter Susan Grubbs, who is currently a math teacher and softball coach, has been a part of the softball scene for

many years. Kim Brathwaite, another of Grubbs’ daughters, has also been very involved with Clarke County Little League softball and baseball.

Because the majority of his family contribute to the Clarke County High School softball program, many members were involved in the ceremony. His wife Shelby Grubbs threw the first pitch, and his grandchildren unveiled the new sign and scoreboard at the field. In addition to the scoreboard and sign, a chair with Grubbs’ jacket was displayed in the location where he often sat to watch the softball games.

“Is there anything I can do for you?” Grubbs would often say. His passion for helping others is echoed in this frequently spoken phrase. Even in the last couple years of his life, Grubbs was always looking for a way to help his family and to help others. The entirety of the Clarke softball community and all of Clarke County will remember Charles Grubbs for his humility, his dedication and his love for serving others.

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Local “Migratory Bird Day” Events Will Run Through May The Potomac Valley Audubon Society (PVAS) has put together a special series of events during May to mark the 25th annual observance of International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD). The events take place in nearby West Virginia and Maryland locations.

The events will include a month-long Birdathon and a variety of birding trips between May 6 and May 14.

The IMBD is an international program that aims to promote greater understanding and appreciation of the importance of migratory birds in North, Central and South America.

It was initiated in 1993 by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

All the PVAS events will be free, and anyone with an interest is invited to participate.

Pre-registration is required for the Birdathon; it is encouraged but not required for the birding triops.

To register for events and get directions and other details go to the PVAS website at www. potomacaudubon.org.

For each trip, participants should dress for the weather, wear comfortable walking shoes and bring drinking water and insect repellent. Binoculars will be provided if needed.

For additional information about specific events contact the individuals mentioned in the event descriptions or Krista Hawley at adultprograms@potomacaudubon.org or 703-303-1026.

The schedule of events follows below.

May 1-31: Eighth Annual Ruth Ann Dean Memorial Birdathon. Teams and individuals will compete to identify the highest numbers of bird species they find in Jefferson, Berkeley, Morgan, and Washington counties and on the Potomac River bordering those counties within any 24-consecutive-hour-

period during the month of May. It’s free and open to anyone who is interested, but all must pre-register. This year, those who participate are encouraged to seek pledges from neighbors and friends to help raise funds to improve Chimney Swift habitat on the Shepherd University campus. Contact Bridget Tinsley at bridget@ potomacaudubon.org Saturday, May 6: Bird walk at the National Conservation Training Center outside Shepherdstown. 7:30-11:00 a.m. Free and open to everyone but space is limited and registration is required. Register on the PVAS website by May 1.

Sunday, May 7: Bird walk at the Cool Spring Nature Preserve in Jefferson County. Will begin at 7:30 a.m. and last two to three hours. The Preserve is located at 1469 Lloyd Road, about six miles southwest of Charles Town. Contact Lynne Wiseman at 304-676-2725 or lewiseman@aol.com.

Sunday, May 7: Bird walk at the Eidolon Nature Preserve in Morgan County. Meet at the preserve parking lot inside the preserve gates at 7:30 a.m. A good opportunity to see the rare Cerulean Warbler, a species of concern that can be found in considerable numbers at Eidolon at this time of year.

Walk will be led by Jon Boone and other local birders. For

more info contact the Nature Niche Store in Berkeley Springs at 304-258-0992 or natureniche@earthlink.net.

Monday, May 8: Bird walk at the Shannondale Springs Wildlife Management Area, on the east bank of the Shenandoah River in Jefferson County.

Meet walk leader Jim Farley at 7:30 a.m. at the WMA parking lot by the boat launch site, off Mission Road. Contact Jim at 540-686-2056 or jamesfarley@ frontiernet.net.

Tuesday, May 9: Bird walk at a private farm in Berkeley County. Meet walk leader Bob Dean at 7:00 a.m. in the parking lot of the Hedgesville Shop and Save (formerly Food Lion) at 147 Roaring Lion Drive off Route 9. The walk group will drive to the farm from there.

Wednesday, May 10: Birding trip to Sideling Hill in Maryland. Meet trip leader Sandy

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Sagalkin at 7:00 a.m. in the upper parking lot of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Authority, which is located at 18306 Col. Henry K. Douglas Dr., Hagerstown, MD (off Rt. 65, just south of US 70). From there, the trip group will drive north to Sideling Hill.

Contact Sandy Sagalkin.

Thursday, May 11: Bird walk at the Claymont Mansion Property in Jefferson County.

Meet walk leader Joette Borzik at 7:00 a,m, at the gate to the Claymont entrance road, which is located at 667 Huyett Road.

Contact Joette at 240-440-4221 or pep4223@comcast.net.

Friday, May 12: Saturday, May 13: Bird walk at the Rolling Ridge Foundation lands on the Blue Ridge. Meet trip leader Joette Borzik at 7:30 a.m. at the Rolling Ridge Study Community off Mission Road.

Directions are on the PVAS website. For more info contact Joette. For questions about access to the Rolling Ridge property, contact Scott DeGraf at 301-275-2009.

Sunday, May 14: Mother’s Day bird walk along the Final Attack Trail section of the Antietam National Battlefield.

Meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Burnside Bridge. Contact Sandy Sagalkin. Mother’s Day nature walk at the Stauffer’s Marsh Nature Preserve in Berkeley County. Meet at 7:30 p.m. in the parking area at the north end of the preserve, which is located on the east side of Back Creek Valley Road (County Route 7), one-half mile south of Shanghai.

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News from Virginia Department of Agriculture April is Invasive Plant, Pest and Disease Awareness Month April is national Invasive Plant, Pest and Disease Awareness Month and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) encourages residents to help reduce the threat that invasive plants and pests pose to the Commonwealth’s agricultural and natural resources.

While the term “invasive plants, pests and diseases” may not be familiar to every Virginian, the effects of invasive species in our state should be of concern to all of us. Once invasive pests become established, they can grow and spread rapidly, often because they have no natural predators in their new environment.

Invasive species such as the Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, gypsy moth and imported fire ant wreak

havoc on the environment, displacing or destroying native plants and insects, severely damaging crops and causing the closure of foreign markets to those U.S. products that originated in infested areas. Invasive pests cost landowners, industry and the U.S. government millions of dollars to control, so taking steps to prevent their introduction is the most effective method of reducing both the risk of invasive species infestations and the cost to control and mitigate those infestations.

Virginians can help reduce the spread of invasive pests and plants into the Commonwealth by following these simple steps: Don’t move firewood over long distances as it can be a carrier of invasive insects and diseases. Use only firewood

that originates from the area where it will be burned. Gypsy moth egg cases and emerald ash borer larvae can hitch a ride with the firewood and start infestations in new areas.

Before leaving a work or recreational site, look for and remove any insects or seeds and other plant parts that might be attached to your equipment, boots, gear, truck bed and tires to make sure you are not spreading invasive pests to a new location.

Consult with your local nursery or master gardener to help you select plants that are not invasive for your landscaping and gardening projects.

Buy local. A wide variety of beautiful native plants that thrive in your local environment are available at local nurseries and garden centers.

Don’t plant seeds of invasive plants in wildlife food plots.

Always declare any plant material brought into the country when returning from a trip abroad.

If you suspect you have an invasive pest in your area, contact VDACS’ Office of Plant Industry Services at 804.786.3515, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at 804.226.5262 or your local Virginia Cooperative Extension Service agent at ext.vt.edu/offices.html.

More information on invasive plants, pests and diseases can be found on USDA’s Hungry Pests website at hungrypests.com.

Maryland Horse Tests Positive for Equine Herpesvirus-1 in Virginia On April 2, a horse exhibiting neurologic signs was transported to the isolation facility at Marion DuPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Virginia from Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and it was euthanized shortly after arrival. On April 4, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (VDACS) Animal Health Lab in Warrenton, Virginia confirmed a diagnosis of Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).

The Marion DuPont Scott Equine Medical Center employed strict biosecurity measures and disinfection upon arrival and during the horse’s hospitalization. As a result, no horses in Virginia were exposed. The Equine Medical Center is operating normally.

For more information on EHV-1, see http://www.vdacs. virginia.gov/animals-equineherpes-virus.shtml or contact VDACS’ Office of Veterinary Services at 804.786.2483

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McCormick Civil War Institute And Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation Partner For Future Collaboration Winchester, VA – Jonathan A. Noyalas, director of Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute (CWI), and Keven M. Walker, CEO of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF), are excited to announce a mutually beneficial partnership in which both the CWI and SVBF will collaborate on a wide array of projects throughout the Shenandoah Valley National Historic District.

This partnership will also afford opportunities for Shenandoah University’s students to work on special projects with SVBF that will provide unique experiences in areas such as historical research, development of public history programs and historic preservation.

“One of my long-term goals at Shenandoah is to make the CWI the ‘go-to’ resource for people seriously interested in studying the Civil War era in the Shenandoah Valley, and I believe that this relationship with SVBF will help foster that,” said Noyalas.

“CWI has an opportunity to put an imprint on how the story of the period in the Valley is told to future generations.”

This collaborative effort— which will provide SVBF’s small staff with much needed support for its projects—will present students at Shenandoah University an opportunity to move from the theoretical practice of history in a traditional classroom setting, to the real-world application in the field, while simultaneously gaining a deeper appreciation for the many valuable Civil War era resources in the Shenandoah Valley.

“We’re excited about this partnership with Shenandoah University, and the multiple benefits it promises for everyone,” said Walker. “These battlefields are outdoor classrooms that teach lessons about valor and sacrifice, about democracy and freedom, about compromise, and what happens when we as Americans fail to compromise,” Walker noted.

Additionally, this partner-

Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation enter a new partnership. ship between Shenandoah and SVBF will aid the McCormick Civil War Institute in its mission of undergraduate educa-

tion in Civil War era studies, public programs, and other scholarly efforts.

“Shenandoah’s students will

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benefit greatly from this partnership,” said Noyalas. “While students in history can currently intern and have worked on various projects with other faculty, this partnership with SVBF will allow for unique research, internship, and work opportunities.”

University students currently enrolled in the “Civil War and Reconstruction” history course are already gaining invaluable experience, researching a specific artifact from the SVBF’s collection at the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum in Winchester.

“This project will afford my students the opportunity to do some truly original research, produce an essay that might eventually be published

by CWI, and provide information to SVBF for use in exhibit designs,” said Noyalas. “All of this, in my view, equates to greater visibility within the community and region, and presents some exciting opportunities for our students.”

19

APRIL 201 7

In exchange for that increased visibility within the community, SVBF will have access to university resources to aid them in their efforts. “It is a great example of one of the core principles of the National Historic District,” said Walker.

“The power of partnerships, and how working together allows us to achieve much more.”

“Shenandoah University and the Battlefields Foundation make a powerfully effective combination,” said James R. Wilkins, Jr., who serves as a board of trustees member for both Shenandoah University and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

“This collaboration strengthens both organizations in their

shared mission to educate people about the history of the Civil War and the experiences of the people in the Shenandoah Valley.”

In 1996, Congress designated eight counties in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia as a National Heritage Area—the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District—which preserves and interprets the region’s significant Civil War battlefields and related historic sites. The effort is led by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, which works with partners to preserve the hallowed ground of the Valley’s Civil War battlefields, to share its Civil War story with the nation, and to

encourage tourism and travel to the Valley’s Civil War sites.

The McCormick Civil War Institute, founded in 1994, supports teaching and research about the Civil War. It was made possible by a gift from Hugh and Virginia McCormick. Mr. McCormick, a direct descendent of a Civil War veteran, held a lifelong interest in promoting preservation and education in this field. Find the McCormick Civil War Institute on Facebook.

Official, Public Statement of Partnership: Shenandoah University’s McCormick Civil War Institute (under the leadership of Director Jonathan A. Noyalas) and the Shenandoah Val-

ley Battlefields Foundation (under the direction of CEO Keven M. Walker) are pleased to announce a mutually beneficial partnership between both organizations.

This partnership will afford an opportunity for both entities to collaborate on a wide array of projects throughout the Shenandoah Valley National Historic District as well as afford opportunities for Shenandoah University’s students to work on special projects with SVBF that will provide unique experiences in areas such as historical research, development of public history programs, and historic preservation.

This collaborative effort—

which will provide SVBF’s small staff with much needed support for its projects—will present students at Shenandoah University an opportunity to move from the theoretical practice of history in a traditional classroom setting, to the real-world application in the field, while simultaneously gaining a deeper appreciation for the many valuable Civil War era resources in the Shenandoah Valley.

Additionally, this partnership between SU and SVBF will aid the McCormick Civil War Institute in its mission of undergraduate education in Civil War era studies, public programs, and other scholarly efforts.

Blandy Garden Fair In Time For Mother’s Day underwritten by BB&T. Garden Fair is a huge plant and garden supply sale, and also features an entire weekend of free events, including guided tours, activities for the whole family (family events are 12-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday), food, and more. Admission is $15 per car; all activities and events are free. Pay online in advance through May 11 and save $3, with cost of admission dropping to just $12 per car (be sure to bring your receipt).

Get ready for Spring! The State Arboretum of Virginia will host its 28th annual Garden Fair celebration Mother’s Day weekend, May

13 & 14, 2017, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days, rain or shine. Garden Fair is presented by the Foundation of the State Arboretum and is

Last year, more than 80 Garden Fair vendors filled the outdoor event, offering native plants, perennials, annuals, small trees, shrubs, bonsai, berry bushes, and more. In addition, Garden Fair vendors will offer handcrafted copper items, garden art, garden tools, trellises, pottery, gourmet food items, and more. Vendors from several states bring their products to Garden Fair.

The State Arboretum of Vir-

ginia is on Route 50 in Clarke County, Virginia, about 10 miles east of Winchester and 20 minutes west of Middleburg, in the historic northern Shenandoah Valley. The 175-acre Arboretum is part of Blandy Experimental Farm, a research

field station for the University of Virginia.

For information or reservations visit our web site www. blandy.virginia.edu anytime or call 540-837-1758 Ext. 224 M-F 1-5 p.m.

Summer Riding Camps Starting June 12

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A PRIL 201 7

Farmers Market Opens for the Season With Live Music

Garden Fair 28th 28 8th h Annual Ann nua uall

Ma y 13 & 14, 2017 • Moth e r’s D ay Weeke n d um Sponsored by the Found ation of the State Arb oret

9-4:30 Both Days

Rain or Shine!

Huge Plant & Garden Sale Native Plants • Small Trees Fine Items for Home & Garden

Free Kids’ Activities

$15 per car Save $3!

Pay Online by May 11th blandy.virginia.edu

Foundation of the

State Arboretum of Virginia BLANDY EXPERIMENTAL FARM

Garden Fair is Underwritten by

400 Blandy Farm Lane • Boyce VA 22620 540-837-1758 • www.blandy.virginia.edu

Rt. 50 in Clarke County, 10 Miles East of Winchester

Town of Boyce Renovated in 2011 & 2016 - Four bedrooms - Three baths - 1st floor bedroom w/roll-in shower - Gourmet kitchen - New duopane windows - Just steps to Boyce Elementary School - 7.49 acres, approximately 5.5 acres of which are within the town of Boyce allowing for “by right” division into multiple lots - Great investment - Creek - Storage building. $730,000

540-247-5408

Tom Cammack

www.sheridanmacmahon.com

110 East Washington Street - P.O. Box 1380 - Middleburg, VA 20118

The Clarke County Farmer’s Market is starting strong this season with Furnace Mountain Band providing live music on opening day, Saturday, May 5. The market offers fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, crafts and baked goods every Saturday morning, May through October, from 8am–12pm in the town parking lot on South Church Street in Berryville. Enjoy something new every week as produce comes into season.

The 2017 vendor list currently includes: •

Audley Farm (beef)

•

Chef Eloy’s Kickin’ Salsa (and empanadas)

•

Chilly Hollow Farm (produce and pork)

•

Dwarf Hollow Farmstead (body care products, starting 5/20)

•

Encircle Design Jewelry (starting 5/13)

•

Geo’s Joy (herbal and nutritional medicine and wellness)

•

Gina’s Pies

•

Greenway Vista Farm & Nursery

•

Life More Abundant Ranch (chicken, starting 5/27)

•

Mackintosh Fruit Farm

•

Magic 4 Maintenance canola oils

•

Persimmon Ridge Farm (chicken, eggs, pork, poultry)

•

Rooster Dirt Farm (mushrooms)

•

Shallowbrooke Farm (produce)

•

MTO Kombucha

•

The Baekehaus (German-style breads and baked goods)

•

Tranco Farms Gardens (produce)

•

Plant sales from Grafton students

Visit the market’s Facebook page for updates, or e-mail manager@clarkecountyfarmersmarket.com.

About Furnace Mountain Though often overshadowed by Southwest Virginia and its famed Crooked Road, the Shenandoah Valley and Virginia’s northwestern counties have always been fertile ground for traditional music, and they continue to be home to many of its finest practitioners.

Furnace Mountain, named for a mountain near where all the members grew up, consists of some of the most innovative and gifted musicians in Virginia. With Aimee Curl on bass and vocals, Danny Knicely on mandolin and fiddle, Dave Van Deventer on fiddle, and Morgan Morrison on guitar, bouzouki, and vocals, the band creates music that is at times lively and raucous, with spirited fiddle melodies weaving in and around the powerful rhythms of the bass and bouzouki, and other times poignant and poetic, with sublime vocal harmonies beautifully interpreting some of the oldest songs ever written.

Furnace Mountain has performed throughout the world, from the Yangtze River in China to the banks of the Shenandoah River, where they are the host band of Watermelon Park Festival, held on the site of one of the very first bluegrass festivals, in 1965. Furnace Mountain plays music from the American Appalachian traditions, as well as original compositions and songs penned by their favorite songwriting friends.