inFauquier Summer 2022

SUMMER 2022

Keeping it all in the family The more the merrier, says the theatrical Tessier clan

Inside:

Family fun Family farms Family businesses Family-friendly entertainment

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LIFE & STYLE 9 12 12 13 14 16 18

Gravity-fueled family fun with soap box derby Meet the Messick’s Market crew Historic Soldier’s Hill Angus operation is a family affair Think local for food and more George is back (and that’s no bull) Calverton welding shop is one-of-a-kind Generation Grace Church

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FACES & PLACES

FARE & FLAIR

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The family aspects of 4-H

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Do the math — add the Pierces and the Tessiers and you’ve got quite the quorum

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Finding out the importance of family (hint: it often has roots in the kitchen)

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Fly like an Eagle in elite, and historic, Scout program

A longing look The nebulous notion of ‘family’ I put it off for weeks, literally to the last minute.

I’m a writer, I write. It’s what I do, but at the cellular level, I knew penning a chirpy essay about my notion of “family” would be difficult at best.

It should be funny; I could lean into American comic poet Ogden Nash’s words on family since it perfectly captures my own experience. In addition to parents and grandparents, he wrote, “family is composed of children, …. an occasional animal and the common cold.”

But the more I considered this indeterminate notion for my welcome note on family, the more reflective I became. We’d already selected the summer issue theme — “family” — and I’d assigned the stories and even chosen the photo of me and my dad riding together as representative of family ties (horses) from youth that extend into adulthood.

I knew there was more to it.

Not complaining, just explaining, but I grew up with very few relatives around. First-world problems, I know, but parents, grandparents and a younger sister were all I got. To be sure, like Nash cracked, we had tons of animals and plenty of colds, but extended family wasn’t part of the equation.

Growing up, I remember sitting on our quiet farm, insanely jealous of the Anderson family at the dairy farm next door.

They had five kids, resident grandparents, an aunt or two and cousins running all over. They laughed, they fought, they were always really noisy. They traveled in a pack, like a little gang.

I admired it. I wanted it. I couldn’t conceive of a way to get it.

To be sure, my sister and I lacked for nothing, love included, and we had grandparents, for a while great-grandparents, who were much adored, respected, integral parts of our lives.

We got all the advantages, but I used to think I was missing out not having a big, boisterous family like the Anderson clan.

As I consider these words, a grown woman with dual careers in newswriting and operating a busy commercial horse stable, I realize that family has multiple definitions: blood re-

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Plants prove the point: Just because you come from a good family doesn’t mean everything will be perfect Family-friendly fun at local breweries Summer temps are no match for the unique ways local wineries are helping patrons keep their cool this season If you can’t stand the heat, step away from the stove for these tasty cold soup sensations

lations, friends, contemporaries, coworkers, clients-who-become-friends. And yes, even animals.

I looked up from my computer as I was writing this essay at the serene summer Piedmont fields rolling away from me, green pasture dotted with horses. A client, now a very close friend, was walking out to get his horse to ride. I pondered the myriad connections as I watched, entranced: there’s no blood relation, but we’re bonded by something far deeper.

We share this region we both chose to live in, play in and make a living - life - in. We share an interest in conservation of wild and open spaces and in horseback riding. We share the goal of hours of solitude and quiet contemplation dotted with moments of unrestrained — and sometimes loud — laughter.

I grew still, tucked away those old thoughts of jealousy from the past and revised my memory.

Family, indeed, has many definitions, and this is mine.

The inFauquier family of writers and photographers, predictably, dug deep during the discovery phase to help define the indefinable.

Vineeta Ribeiro delivers the extraordinary tale of two mega-families – nine kids each, all involved in music or theater, photographer Randy Litzinger providing photographic proof of strength in numbers.

Alissa Jones introduces Sam and Connie Rogers and their Generation Grace Church, and works the land on the Pearson and Messick family farms. Aimee O’Grady reports on the father-daughter bond built over a wooden racecar and discovers the magic connections being fused at Swaby’s welding supply in Remington.

Kelly O’Lone shares the call to service of a family of Eagle Scouts, and new writer Ryan Barnett discovers the draw of 4-H that runs to generations.

For seasonal flavor, beer expert John Daum and wine expert Maryann Dancisin provide the roadmap to summer’s delights, while in the kitchen, food writer Sandy Greeley offers three delicious chilled soups to beat the heat.

The Family Issue

ON THE COVER During the cover shoot of the Tessier family at their farm in New Baltimore, freelance photographer Randy Litzinger was carrying and setting up almost 100 pounds of lighting gear and a large ladder when dad Rob Tessier randomly submitted that he could balance a ladder on his chin. Randy was intrigued, saying they’d shoot a more informal image depicting surprise family talents after the lighted formal portraits.

As it turns out, the circus-style shot of eight (of the nine) Tessier kids, plus their parents, was the runaway session star. When asked to ‘perform’ their most amazing skills, the Tessiers offered up juggling, a unicycle, barrel balancing and the ladder trick.

Summer 2022

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Contributors’ query: What’s your notion of family?

“Having a child makes you a parent; having two makes you a referee.”

- DAVID FROST

Freelancer Kelly O’Lone grew up in Miami, Florida with her three older brothers and parents, but as a military spouse, she’s called many places “home.” Now with three children of her own, she is ecstatic to raise her family in Virginia. “Family is very important to me and I don’t like being away from them. I even convinced my mom to move in with us,” O’Lone says. “I’m very close to my brothers, parents and extended family. Nothing makes me happier than a family gathering.” inFauquier managing editor Betsy Burke Parker grew up in the countryside south of Nashville with her parents and one younger sister.

Grandparents were part of her life but there were just a couple cousins and seemingly very few “relatives.”

“I thought we had the smallest family tree ever until I did ancestry.com to find out my genetic makeup,” Parker says. “Come to find out, I’ve got hundreds, thousands, of second, third, fourth, whatever, cousins and relatives. It’s been fun and I’ve actually been in communication with some of them.

“All this time I thought I was the end of the line.”

definable Published quarterly

by Piedmont Media LLC. Address 41 Culpeper Street Warrenton, VA 20186 Phone: 540-347-4222 www.fauquier.com Publisher: Catherine M. Nelson, cnelson@fauquier.com Editor: Betsy Burke Parker, betsyburkeparker@gmail.com Managing editor: Robin Earl, rearl@fauquier.com Consultants: Anthony Haugan, ahaugan@fauquier.com Jeanne Cobert, jcobert@fauquier.com Nancy Keyser, nkeyser@fauquier.com Designers: Vincent Sales Cindy Goff Laurene Craig For advertising inquiries, contact: Anthony Haugan, ahaugan@fauquier.com 4

Summer 2022

Fauquier Times summer intern Abby Zimmardi grew up with her parents and older brother in Plano, Texas, a Dallas suburb. Although she is more than 1,000 miles away from her family, their bond continues to grow as she can feel and rely on their immense love and support – daily phone calls to her mom don’t hurt either. Zimmardi also learned to surround herself with people who encourage and appreciate her in the same way she supports them, which has helped her to create a family away from home in any city or state that she has lived in.

Author-writer and only child Steve Price spent his first 11 years in Brooklyn, New York before his parents decided that “the kid needs grass to play on” and the Prices moved to suburban Westchester County. “That was also the time that I started at a summer camp in western Massachusetts where I spent the following eight summers as camper and counselor. In addition to learning skills that served me well in later life (writing, riding, fishing), I became friends with two bunkmates who became life-long brothers-from-other-mothers.

“It’s a kinship that has endured for 71 years, and now as our shadows lengthen we have even greater need of such emotional support, wisdom and memories.”

Writer Hayley Wheeler says, to her, family is warm slippers, inside jokes and memories. “Families don’t need to look the same, or act the same or stay the same. They are not always related, they aren’t always relatable, but they are usually responsible for who you become. Sometimes that is because they showed you how to be, and sometimes because they showed you how not to be.

“The family you receive is a lottery, but the family you want to be is up to you.”

Virginia Tech student Ryan Barnett grew up in Hagerstown, Maryland with his parents and one older sibling. Time with his limited extended family has always been a rare treat as they are scattered

Contributors

about the U.S. “I think family bonds are important, but as a student, I’m at a point in my life where my close friends are also my family. Strong relationships maintain open lines of communication and deep respect.”

For beer writer and tour organizer John Daum, family is “all about the relationships you build and the experiences you share.” He says one of his family favorites is sitting around a table at a local brewery and playing cards with good food and great beer to share.”

Master Gardener Sally Semple’s family has roots in the early westward bound wagon trains that settled in California almost two centuries ago, where many of her relatives still reside. “You may be related to many people, but your family consists of the people who can count on each other to celebrate life’s milestones, and to be there when the chips are down,” Semple observes.

Freelance photographer Randy Litzinger grew up in western Pennsylvania with one sister.

They could run or inline skate to their grandparents’ house. Today, he has three daughters of his own, and they try to visit both sets of grandparents often.

Randy traced his direct Litzinger line back to 1600s Germany (and confirmed it with Y-DNA testing of a ninth cousin in Germany.) He even discovered five Litzinger knights of the middle ages in the same area of Germany.

Wine expert and wine writer Mary Ann Dancisin is delighted to be living with her sister again.

After 40 years apart, living two very different lives – Dancisin seeking out food, wine and travel, and her sister focusing on boating, fishing and classic cars – the two now share a kitchen and enjoy trying to outdo each other in culinary feats of daring.

Vineeta Ribeiro says she loves big family interactions, which is lucky since she’s got six children, ages 17 to 32. She is the youngest of four Ambasht children who immigrated from India 50 years ago.

Growing up in Kentucky, Ohio and South Carolina in the 1970s, every Indian adult encountered automatically became an “uncle” or an “aunty.”

While there was no blood relation, strong bonds were formed over rotis, chicken curry and Scrabble games.

Writer Alissa Jones says her brother, 18 years older, and sister, 14 years older, were already married and out of the house when she and her parents moved from southern California to her mother’s native Portugal. They lived there until Jones was 17.

“Not growing up with siblings because of the age difference, I feel blessed to be spending quality time now with the big brother I always looked up to,” she says.

Designer Vincent Sales moved a lot as a kid, and is at times very far away from family. But one thing he appreciates is his family’s ability to maintain strong connections with each other. Even if years pass, when they do eventually see each other, it’s like they’ve never been away.

Warrenton writer Aimee O’Grady says her family includes “four energetic and rambunctious children.” Not surprisingly, she says, “there’s laughter and loudness and bickering and squabbles.

There are late nights and early mornings.

“Long days and fleeting moments. My husband and I just try to keep up!”

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inFAUQUIER COUNTY TIDBITS

This apple didn’t fall far from the tree – Mike Parker’s singing talent was in the genes Gainesville native and Kettle Run and Fauquier High football star Mike Parker, 28, made it to the top 10 on American Idol this spring on the strength of his singing talent.

The skills come as no surprise to those who knew him before he made it to the big-time – Parker’s parents were in a band in the 1980s, and he started singing in church at age 9.

New bowling alley will provide family-friendly entertainment

- BY HAYLEY WHEELER

By Abby Zimmardi

African American Historic Association, the keeper of important family histories

By Alissa Jones When Karen Hughes White and Karen King Lavore, both descendants of freed enslaved African Americans weave the tapestry of their individual lineages, they shine light on a deeply profound, yet neglected piece of history.

They founded the Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County in the late 1980s and began collaborating with other organizations to build the rich and robust networking system it has today.

White, who says she didn’t feel connected in school, had wondered how her piece of the story fit in to her community, her state and her country. “The bottom line is there can be a lot of pain in one’s story, but you have to take off the bandage so it can heal,” says White.

The AAHA, which promotes the extensive history and legacy of Blacks in the county, has put at residents’ fingertips the necessary tools to research and explore their own lineage. The association’s 4,269 square-foot museum in The Plains houses 1,634 artifacts detailing Fauquier’s slave and freed black history, as well as a research library.

“Our staff and board members work as a team,” says

White, “and together we continue networking with people and organizations to increase our repository so others can utilize our resources.”

The association hosts tours for local educators to help private, public and home school teachers better understand and address slavery, and provides valuable resources.

The on-site museum’s history timeline is compiled from county documents and other resources. The Story Map, a collaborative project of AAHA and the Piedmont Environmental Council, details those who have “lived, worked, worshipped, celebrated and mourned” in Fauquier.

Dear to White’s heart is the Fauquier County Poorhouse Heal Project. One aspect currently being recorded covers the social welfare system during colonial pre-revolutionary times.

The association’s extensive database of documented slaves from Fauquier includes 50,000 names. “A lot of our work has been accomplished by networking with descendants of slaveholders,” White explains. “We research together, in partnership, good, bad and ugly.” aahafauquier.org

The Galaxy Strikes Bowling Center is still on schedule to open in Warrenton this September. What owners Brett and Patti Mills call “an out-of-this-world bowling experience” will fulfill the Fauquier native’s 40-year dream.

Brett Mills, 54, is an avid bowler; he and his wife, 66, are partners in the venture that’s been in the works for five years.

Galaxy will transport patrons to space with color-changing lights and television screens across the 18 bowling lanes. In a 1,000-square foot arcade toward the front of the space, gamers will play under a mural depicting an alien invasion happening over Warrenton.

A nine-hole mini golf course will take players on a space journey while they and their surroundings glow under black lights. The Space Station restaurant and snack bar will feature house-made burgers and more.

The bowling alley aims to provide family fun for all ages. “We want to support the community any way we can,” Brett Mills says. “It’s not just about making money; it’s about the community growing. We see this as an opportunity for everybody, not just us.”

The bowling center will also be a place where local

County Tidbits

businesses – such as wineries and breweries – can sell their products, and where schools, churches and other groups can hold fundraisers, he said.

The restaurant will serve wine and beer. A pro shop will sell balls, shoes and bags.

The dream of having a bowling alley started for Brett Mills some 40 years ago, eventually becoming his wife’s dream, too. The couple met 15 years ago while bowling on lanes three and four of Warrenton Lanes, a bowling alley on Broadview Avenue that has since closed.

“It’s a testament that they have faith, and they truly believe that this is a good venture and that it’s going to pay off,” Patti Mills says of the 12 investors – community members and friends – in the $2.42 million project. “So, if we didn’t have them, I don’t know what we would have done.”

Plans call for different days reserved for groups: league nights, ladies’ night, Sunday night football bowling and Glowbowl, offering glow-in-the-dark bowling.

Open bowling will be available all day on Saturdays.

The bowling center will be handicap accessible. Special Olympics’ representatives already plan to hold practice sessions at Galaxy. galaxystrikes.com Summer 2022

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Life & Style Pure, clean sport and family fun at Soap Box Derby Story by Aimee O’Grady

INSIDE THIS SECTION

• In the family (farm) way • Learn the legend of George the cow (you may not know him by name, but we bet you know him) • Swaby welding shop making strong connections in Calverton

Soap Box Derby: Gravity-fueled summer entertainment What began as a simple inquiry by pediatrician Dr. Joshua Jakum for some colorful fliers to decorate his Warrenton waiting room ended up with a soap box derby car sitting on his dining room table.

It’s been quite a trip.

Piedmont Area Soap Box Derby race director Sheila Rutherford was in Jakum’s office one day a few years ago with her son. She had on a soap box derby shirt, and Jakum quizzed her on it.

Back home that evening, his kids were enthralled when he told them about the racy youth program, especially daughter Amelia, then 11.

From there it was a slippery slope, Jakum recalls, much like the course hill, and Jakum was pulled into the activity as both a parent and a car sponsor through his practice.

“In my office, I ask patients about their academics, athletic participation, community involvement and hobbies,” Jakum says. “(These help) develop problem-solving skills and resilience, keys for mental health and child development.

Over the years, several of my patients shared their experiences with the All-American Soap Box Derby, including their travels to compete in Ohio.”

It wasn’t long before another derby parent invited him to tour the custom-de-

Amelia Jakum and her father, Dr. Josh Jakum, work on a custom-build for a new soap box derby car. signed racetrack in Culpeper.

Jakum was impressed.

“The volunteers are a remarkable group,” he says, “and their sense of dedication and compassion unmatched.

I wanted to support their enthusiasm as a parent and community business owner.

He discussed sponsorship with his partners at Piedmont Pediatrics.

Amelia Jakum drove the Piedmont Pediatrics derby car until she outgrew it. It was passed to fifth

grader Tucker Ellis who won the local race last summer and went on to the International Competition in Akron.

What is it?

Soap Box Derby season begins when school ends, and summer finds students riding in gravity-fueled races vying for local, regional and national championships.

The Piedmont Derby meets at the Paul Bates Raceway in Culpeper, modeled after the national course in Akron.

Drivers are age 8 to 21.

“The hill can be intimidating,” says Piedmont Area Soap Box Derby race director Sheila Rutherford. “We have some drivers who get up there and don’t want to continue and others who aren’t fazed at all.”

Cars can be assembled after par-

ticipating in a few clinics, and many experienced participants are available to help new riders. Jakum and his daughter built their PP car over several weekends. It was a family project: her then-18-year-old sister, Abigail, designed the flame artwork that adorns it.

After each race that first summer, Jakum would ask Amelia what she liked the most about racing. “The wind in my face” was her answer.

Piedmont Derby provides adaptive cars for participants who are unable to pilot their own car due to cognitive or physical impairment. These competitors are paired with experienced drivers to allow participation.

Soap Box Derby has three divisions: Stock, Super Stock and Masters, based on the size of the driver.

Derby cars are all sponsored by local businesses.

Soap Box Derby benefits include learning about aerodynamics, engineering and the science of speed in relation to mass and acceleration. In addition, it engages the whole family as well as the community.

The point is to build character and self-confidence.

“Winning isn’t goal. The goal is to build the car and get it across the finish line,” says Frankie Gilmore, vice president of the Piedmont Derby group. soapboxderby.org facebook.com/piedmontareasoapboxderby

The Soap Box Derby is a kids’ gravity-fueled race in homemade cars. Registration is open for this year’s competition season.

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Summer 2022

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Dairy farm evolves into southern Fauquier farm market Messick’s to host Sunflower Festival in August

Jimmy Messick nurtures seedlings in one of the farm greenhouses.

By Alissa Jones Milking cows on his 76acre tract in Midland in 1918, Charles Ernest Messick could not have realized the legacy he was laying for a fifth-generation business in Fauquier.

Messick raised seven children alone on that farm during the Depression after losing his wife, Salome, in a car accident around 1929.

With no electricity at the time, cooling the milk was done by nestling milk cans in a vat filled with well water.

Daily, the milk was transported by train to the creamery in Alexandria, and once a week Messick would ride the train in as well to get paid for the milk he had shipped that week.

Messick’s oldest son Obrey worked the dairy for his fa-

ther. He married Virginia Long, whose family were also dairy farmers, and eventually, the two farms were married as well, and they expanded operations.

In the late 1960s, Obrey Messick took full control of the thriving business and continued to work the dairy with his sons Jimmy and Ronnie Messick. Through the decades, the farm grew to 1,300 acres.

After 102 years of milking cows, the Messicks sold their dairy herd in the fall of 2020.

Ronnie Messick currently

works with his nephews in crop management, and he and his wife Cyndi manage all bookkeeping for OB Messick and Sons, Inc. In 2014, the business was expanded to include Messick’s Farm Market, where Jimmy Messick oversees the operation of a 50-acre garden, deli, custard sales and a market that welcomes local vendors.

Jimmy Messick’s wife, Ellen, and their daughter Helen work on developing innovative ideas for agritourism at

Farmers forever

Soldiers’ Hill Angus Farm

By Alissa Jones It started small, but it became big.

Fauquier native Dennis Pearson became obsessed with cattle at age 9 as a member of the Fauquier 4-H program. In 1972, he purchased a single heifer. By the time he left for Virginia Tech in 1979, he’d developed a small herd.

Dennis Pearson’s father, Harvey Pearson, managed the cattle while his son was at Tech, and 30 years ago they combined their herds to create Soldiers’ Hill Angus.

Soldiers’ Hill – 500 acres owned and leased, is a “seed stock producer.” The operation sells breeding stock – bulls and heifers, freezer beef, pork and high-quality hay. The meat is fully processed, FDA inspected and sold by the side.

Soldiers’ Hill was named by the Pearsons in honor of the many soldiers who died on and around their soil in the battle of Thoroughfare Gap in August, 1862. Action took place along the Rappahannock 12

Summer 2022

Dennis Pearson and daughter Rebecca visit with some of their Soldier’s Hill Angus herd.

River, Fauquier White Sulphur Springs, Lee Springs and Freeman’s Ford.

All in the family Hume native Harvey Pearson was a World War II veteran and retired Fauquier County clerk. Dennis and wife, Miriam, raised their children at Soldier’s Hill, recognizing the benefits of farm-raised kids.

By teaching, early, responsibilities of farm operations, they were imparting an appreciation for hard work and a range of business skills and ethics they’d need later in their adult lives.

Both kids help Dennis at the farm, daughter Rebecca handling their social Life & Style

the market. Numerous popular products they sell are created from Messick’s produce as seasons allow.

“Whether in custard, preserves, pies or hand-picked, strawberries are a customer favorite,” Ellen Messick says.

“In 2020, our customer base increased, and the market has become larger than the farm, it gets a great deal of attention,” Jimmy Messick adds. “The farm provides local healthy foods while managing the sustainability of our family farm.”

Messick’s places value on family-honored traditions like festivals. In between Strawberry Festival in May and Harvest Festival in October, the farm hosts a Sunflower Festival in August where visitors can pick their own sunflowers. General manager Christina Gleason says they offer barrel train rides, hayrides, a zipline and big bounce pillow, as well as a meet-the-goats pen year-round. messicksfarmmarket.com

Beef – it’s what’s for dinner Whenever beef is served on the dinner table, the cuts have undergone a lengthy journey to reach your plate. The best business model is one that favors the local economy, conservation of land and fossil fuels and protection of open space, say farm producers.

Local meats are best, says Soldiers’ Hill Angus Farm owner-operator Dennis Pearson. He studied ag science at Virginia Tech and retired after 30 years with the USDA. He’s served as Virginia Angus Association president. media from her home in South Carolina.

Harvey no longer takes part in strenuous day-to-day operations but maintains a protective eye over the farm and helps where he can.

“My father is 97, lives on his own in the house he built 68 years ago,” says Dennis.

“He still drives, still mows three acres of grass and is still very sharp. We are blessed.”

Dennis says it was his original vision for the farm’s legacy that prompted him to include his father and his children in the three-generation operation.

The family that farms together, stays together Small local entities grow community

By Kelly O’Lone With more than 1,200 farms spanning more than 200,000 acres, Fauquier County is fully farm-centric.

Buying local means buying fresh, saving on fossil fuels and preserving open space.

Piney Meadow Farm, Midland Piney Meadow Farm in Midland has been in Susannah Grove’s family since 1883.

She’s been working the land full-time herself since 1998.

“When it started in 1883, farming was to survive,” Grove explains, saying her great-great-grandfather started the operation. Her great-grandfather took it commercial in the 1920s, buying a truck from the U.S. Army to collect locally grown vegetables from his own and neighboring farms to take to sell at the Dupont Circle farmers market in Washington, D.C. “He went to National Harbor and bought foods off the ships he couldn’t get out here, like bananas,” Grove says.

Her grandfather and father expanded operations with cattle and hogs, though Grove has more recently scaled back since selling part of the land.

Grove says she’s reverting to the farm’s original business model, shifting from largescale grain and cattle production to selling vegetables, eggs and smaller animals.

“We can sell eggs a lot easier than cattle,” she says , plus, it takes a day to develop an egg, not a year to produce a market-ready steer.

She’s adding fruit trees, creating more variety in a smaller area.

Groves works full-time on the farm; her father, in his 80s, gets out on the farm daily, too.

They have no other employees, and the produce stand at the front gate runs on the honor system. Piney Meadow sells from a roadside stand in Catlett on Saturday mornings

Goats at Wing and Wheel Farm and at the Remington farmers market Saturday afternoons.

Buena Vista Agriculture, New Baltimore Buena Vista Agriculture has been in Doug Smith’s family for several decades.

“Farming has always been a part of my life,” says Smith.

He’s been working on the farm since he was 5 or 6.

Smith and his wife Christine raise 450 laying hens and recently started growing sweet corn. Eggs are sold year-round at an on-site egg shack. Buena Vista also offers seasonal produce and hay sales.

This year, the Smiths added cattle to their operation, with plans to sell beef next year.

Wing and Wheel Farm, Marshall Cindy Millard and her husband Paul moved to Marshall in 2008 after 23 years of frequent relocations as a military family. They operate Wing and Wheel Farm on their own, with occasional help from their adult children.

They raise Nigerian dwarf goats for dairy production and showing, and also sell them as breeding stock and pets.

Cindy Millard makes goat milk soap with a glycerin pour recipe. “I also make jewelweed soap which is for treatment of poison ivy rashes,” she says.

Wing and Wheel Farm also produces Nigora goats, a result of breeding Nigerian dwarf goats to Angora goats.

The farm is home to llamas who act as guardians for the goats; they are also fiber producers. Cindy weaves and spins their fiber and has plans to sell hand-crafted rugs.

The youngest llama on the farm, Jaycie, along with

farm-resident rabbits and goat kids, have been popular offsite visitors to birthday parties for friends and family.

“There are Angora rabbits who are just super cute, and their silky fiber can be spun or mixed with the llama fiber for a luxurious warm yarn,” Cindy says.

They can a lot of the farm’s garden produce, including pepper jellies and salsa.

Remnant Farm, Marshall Husband-and-wife team Adam and Stephanie Taylor run Remnant Farm in Marshall. They raise hogs, geese, ducks and chickens and make hard kombucha that they sell at local breweries and markets, including the Orlean Market.

“Our farming practices are a little different, not super conventional, but popular,” Stephanie Taylor says.

“Being in Fauquier County and being a part of the community is a big deal to us. We appreciate the support and feedback

we receive from everybody.”

She says that though they had no prior farm experience, they wanted to learn and grow because of their shared passion for nutrition, buying local and how both affect health. “We hit the ground running try to grow and raise as much food as possible.” They strive to instill the importance of good nutrition in their three daughters and teach them how to grow, raise and harvest their food.

Sweet Blessings Farm, Warrenton Charlie and Gina Phelps have operated Sweet Blessings Farm in Warrenton since 2010.

They grow elderberries, blackberries and blueberries using non-GMO stock, no pesticides and no growth hormones.

Gina Phelps teaches herbal and fermenting classes on the farm. She recently hosted a Girl Scout group, leading an herbal “weed walk,” as well as teaching them the basics of composting and how to make lotion bars.

800.919.FARM (3276) FarmCreditofVirginias.com

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It’s no bull that George the Charolais is an important, if quirky, part of Fauquier lore He stands silent and statuesque guarding U.S. 29 just north of Warrenton. And people notice. Boy, do they notice.

Story and photo by Ryan Barnett A bull on a hillside in Fauquier County doesn’t usually call for a doubletake, but a white one overlooking U.S. 29 just north of Warrenton almost always does.

His name is George, and if you think the classic white Charolais is standing still as a statue, striking a rather noble pose, you’re right.

For you see, George actually is a statue.

Fauquier cattleman Rob Farmer explains how this quirky cement sculpture came to guard the grassy overlook.

Rob Farmer and his wife, Naomi, have long operated their Cross Mountain Cattle in the county, running as many as 60 cows on six rented

farms, plus their Cross Mountain property in Catlett. One of the farms, Glanamman, is where George lives.

The life-sized, life-like statue was one of three crafted by George Clark, a Charolais breeder near Charlottesville. When Clark died, the Virginia Charolais Association reached out to Farmer at the Virginia Beef Expo in 2005 to take possession of one of the statues.

“It was an easy answer,” Farmer says, explaining that he enthusiastically agreed

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Summer 2022

to take responsibility for the white model statue and knew the perfect place for it. “I wanted him – we named him George, after George Clark, to act as a reminder that there are Charolais cattle in Fauquier.”

Another of Clark’s statues lives at the North American Breeders Inc. – a cattle breeding repository in Berryville; the other – repainted with black striping and repurposed, lives at a Belted Galloway farm in South Carolina.

Once Farmer installed the statue at Glanamman, he swiftly realized how legends are born. “People love him,” he says. “I have parents call me all the time and tell me how their kids see George and can predict ‘how close to home’ they are while they’re driving somewhere.”

Another time, Farmer inadvertently raised the wrath of county drivers. Twenty years ago, Rob Farmer was asked to bring George to the grand opening of Greenhill Winery in Middleburg. Winery owner David Greenhill had purchased some bred cows from Cross Mountain, Farmer explains, to add shimmering white beauty to the rolling green pastures surrounding the vineyards. The cows were a welcome sight for guests to the new operation. “David wanted to have George as part of the opening celebrations.”

Farmer plucked George from his perch and drove him to Middleburg. He had every intent to return the statue to its rightful place, soon, but it didn’t take long to realize the gravity of what he had done.

Life & Style

Charolais – Where’s the beef?

Charolais are one of the world’s finest beef cattle and among the top meat-producing breeds.

One of the heaviest of cattle breeds, a bull can weigh up to 3,600 pounds.

The breed originated in central and southeast regions of France around 800 CE. Charolais first came to the Americas in the 1930s, starting in Mexico and moving across the southern U.S. in the 1960s.

Their light coloring – pure white to a light straw color, makes them heat tolerant, an important factor that led to the Charolais’s popularity.

“I started receiving phone calls from local residents,” Farmer recalls with a chuckle. “‘Where’s George?’ they’d say.

“I had no idea how much this bull meant to the people.”

He got a call from a friend telling him he’d better “bring that bull home” and an older woman literally grabbed him at a local gas station begging Rob to put George back out to pasture.

Farmer hustled George back to Glanamman, and he was charmed to see people in their cars pulling over to take photos; a state trooper gave him a thumbs up.

“I had no idea that he meant that much to the county,” Farmer recalls. “It made me feel good because it showed everybody in the county that we really are still an agricultural community.”

Farmer decorates George for holidays. In summer, “we’d better be out there before early July,” Farmer says, “because if that bull doesn’t have an American flag by July 2, people are calling me.

“It means a lot to me that George means a lot to the community. I placed it there just to show that I had some Charolais cattle. Now it’s turned out to be a landmark that I’m very proud for the community to enjoy.”

Get ready for

Fall Edition 2022 A quarterly, full color magazine all about where you live, work and call home. It’s full of beautiful photography, local articles and interesting information about Fauquier County and the people who make our community special.

FALL 2021

Time isn’t the main thing.

It’s the only thing.

INSIDE

• Master craftsman Oleg Sulimov always has his eye on the clock • Trace White Sulphur Springs history • CFFC: Keeping the country in the county • It’s the perfect time for fall planted herbs

WINTER 2022

It’s winter, but that’s no reason to stay stationary.

Tour de Fauquier with classic car enthusiasts — from road rides to performance powerhouses

Get moving: • Local gyms • Hiking groups • Veteran marathon runners • Hot toddies to warm up these long, cold winter afternoons

SPRING 2022

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540.347.4222 Fauquier.com

Soar into spring A flight of fancy in Fauquier County

Inside: • Flying Circus • Aerial yoga • Find out what it feels like to break gravity on horseback

Calverton crossroads becomes a destination for welders Metal workers find all they need, and more, at Swaby’s

By Aimee O’Grady

PHOTOS BY WILLIAM OAKES/W.D. OAKES PHOTOGRAPHY

Lee Swaby’s welding shop in southern Fauquier has become a destination for professionals and pupils.

For the past decade, Lee Swaby has operated a welding business and welding supply store in Calverton.

Originally from Jamaica, Swaby was steered toward electrical work by his high school advisers. He excelled at it, but his passion was welding.

He was working as a welder on the Caribbean island of St. Martin when he met his future wife, Elfrida. After they married, they moved to the Netherlands where Swaby tried to develop a welding business.

“It’s not that easy to run a business in the Netherlands as compared to the United States, as many entrepreneurs are disheartened by the high taxes and other restrictions,” Elfrida Swaby explains.

They moved to the U.S. when Swaby took a job in Fairfax. “I loved it here. I couldn’t believe how free I could be. I could grow my business as I wanted,” he says.

The family briefly settled in Manassas, but moved to Fauquier a few months later. Swaby set up a welding shop — Swaby Group — and soon attracted business; they opened the retail store for supplies soon after.

“Lee was travelling too far to get what he needed, and we realized we could source and import our own welding supplies to offer this to the community,” Elfrida Swaby says. “We have since created an online e-commerce platform where we sell our welding supplies on a national level.

The welding shop, and the retail store, quickly found an eager clientele in the area’s farming community and other building professionals.

“Lee is happy to help customers even if it doesn’t lead to a big sale,” Elfrida Swaby says. “He is more interested in helping people that come in solve their problem without making them buy what they do not need.”

The shop hosted their first demo day and block party in 2018. They invited local welders to the event and See WELDERS, page 17

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Summer 2022

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WELDERS, from page 16 it was successful enough that they planned another one.

COVID shut them down until last year, but hundreds attended this year’s April 30 event that included free hands-on welding practice and a celebration of the metal art.

April is National Welding Month.

At last year’s demo day, Lee Swaby met participant Puryear, a student from Southeastern Alternative School in Calverton. Puryear impressed Swaby with his steady hand and laser focus. Swaby contacted his mother and worked with the school for permission for Puryear to leave school early to apprentice at the shop.

“It’s a privilege to help give direction (and) to share the trade of welding, which gives young students experience in a field where they may choose to work someday,” Swaby says.

At this year’s welding day, the Swabys offered a $585 welding machine as a prize and a welding helmet. Lots of students attended.

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Welders share tips and tricks of the trade at this year’s welding event.

A 15-year-old participant with no prior experience listened intently to beginner instruction from volunteer coach Michael Wilkerson. He ended up winning the weld-off and first prize of a new stick welding machine. A scholarship to a welding course at Lord Fairfax will be a prize next year.

The Swabys say giving back to the community is a big part of their business model. In addition to donating time and services to first responders, they work with the Prince William County work-release program to give inmates an opportunity to learn a trade and get some work experience. swabygroup.com

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Meet the generations behind Generation Grace Church

Sam and Connie Rogers followed his parents into ministry.

Sam Rogers and his wife, Connie, moved from Virginia to Colorado in 2014 to attend the Charis Bible College.

They were ordained as pastors in 2015 by college founder Andrew Wommack, moving back home after graduation to follow their call to ministry.

“We were impressed to not just start another church, but a movement, a nontraditional church based on the message of grace,” says Sam Rogers.

His parents, James and Shirley Rogers, had started Lighthouse church in Marshall in the early 1980s. When their son felt the same tug, to share their religion, it seemed a natural fit.

The couple had always been involved in local churches and made more than a dozen mission trips, mostly to

Central America.

In 2018, Sam and Connie Rogers turned a 150-year-old barn into a place of worship, and they started Generation Grace church in 2019.

Sam Roger’s background was non-denominational, his wife was Catholic. They had been married in an Assembly of God church. The experiences guided their mission to redefine what they believe the church, as a whole, has become.

“We are more of a movement than a church,” Sam Rogers maintains. “We’re reaching people looking for something different,” a simple message of unconditional love and grace. generationgrace.com

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Faces & Places Head, heart, hands, health: all part of this enterprising (and delicious) 4-H business venture Story by Ryan Barnett

INSIDE THIS SECTION

• We wanted to hear your views on ‘family’ • Apparently, eight wasn’t enough for the Tessiers and the Pierces -- meet two huge clans that went double-digits

Animal husbandry to entrepreneurship, 4-H empowers club members

Bri Wall’s Nigerian Dwarf doe captured the reserve championship at an American Dairy Goat Association show.

Head, hearts, hands and health are at the center of the national 4-H program, but effects of the youth group reach even deeper than that, say proponents.

Nic and Hannah Wall live the 4-H life, and they recognize that membership has made a huge, positive impact on them and their daughter, Bri. The Walls lead three Fauquier 4-H clubs – the dairy goat club, archery club and ham radio club. Bri, 11, has recently also become involved with the 4-H young entrepreneurs program, where she learned how to run her own business and to manage a budget, set goals and keep track of them.

And that’s made all the difference, her father says, giving his daughter a roadmap to starting her own small business.

Bri took the knowledge and lessons she’s learned and opened a sales stand at the Remington Farmers Market, selling chocolate-covered fruits she hand-makes herself.

Bri’s stand has a professional look but a quaint feel. She covers her sales table with a rustic tablecloth and puts up an overhead awning to keep her delicate wares from wilting in the summer sun.

Her mother says that only a year ago, Bri was intimidated by the idea of selling 22

Summer 2022

Nic Wall, right, is the leader of the local 4-H ham radio club as well as the archery club. products and interacting with the public as a commercial vendor.

Today, she’s doing it.

And making a profit.

Bri sells strawberries, cherries and other fruits that she cloaks with a silky, rich chocolate covering. “I’m running my own business, and I’m only 11,” Bri says with pride. Hannah Wall, who’s led the dairy goat club for two years, believes by progressively empowering 4-H members, club leaders are able to teach skills they wouldn’t learn in school.

The entrepreneur group gave Bri the Faces & Places

confidence to envision and operate her sales stand, her mother says.

She gives another example in the dairy goat club: Hannah Wall teaches club members real-life farm and animal husbandry skills such as how to give their own vaccines. At first, she says, young club members struggled with even the thought of handling a needle, but, with their leader’s help, they learned how to fill the syringe, how to safely – and delicately – administer the shots, gaining confidence in their growing skillset. “It’s a safe environment” for learning, Hannah Wall says.

Nic Wall’s favorite part of 4-H is seeing how much kids can do on their own.

“They have an impeccable ability to rise to whatever challenges face them,” he says of the empowerment they gain. He says he looks forward to his youngest daughter, Ellie, benefiting from the program when she joins Cloverbuds at age 4.

Hannah Wall, who has been a children’s ministry director in the past, currently homeschools her daughters and runs the family’s backyard goat herd from which she crafts goat milk soaps to sell.

Nic Wall is a master sergeant in the Air Force.

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23

A tale of two families

The more the merrier with these talented clans The sound of music rings through Tessier household

By Vineeta Ribeiro To find a family full of singers, you don’t have to teleport to 1930’s Austria to meet the von Trapp family singers – immortalized in the “The Sound of Music.” The hills of Fauquier are alive too, thanks to Rob and Carole Tessier and their nine children, aged 7 to 23.

Like the von Trapps, the Tessiers (pronounced tess-EEay) have performed together as entertainers “ever since we were a family,” says patriarch Rob Tessier. Mom Carole Tessier sings and provides piano accompaniment while the children liven up area nursing homes in coordinated costumes with an hour-long show.

When the COVID shutdown prevented them from appearing in person, the family produced virtual performances.

In another parallel to the Sound of Music, the eldest Tessier daughter is named Marie (like Maria, the governess to the seven Sound of Music von Trapp children).

At 23, she recently earned her biology degree from George Mason University, is now working a postulant at a convent and is considering entering a religious order.

In 2020, the Tessiers adapted the lyrics and published a parody of Billy Joel’s “For the Longest Time” with their own “For the Longest Quarantine” music video. Video and audio editing was done by eldest sons Jack and Peter, both teens then. At Christmas,

Want more?

Search for Tessier Family Singers on YouTube, and you’ll find a rendition of Don McLean’s “American Pie” with their comedic version, “Another Cow Pie” which features many of their homestead animals.

24

Summer 2022

PHOTO BY RANDY LITZINGER

Rob and Carole Tessier and eight of their nine children

their adaptation of “Home for the Holidays” was ironically apropos during shutdown.

For the past decade, the family has lived on a 10-acre farm near Vint Hill, purchased when there were just seven children. Everything is a team effort in this family of 11. In addition to caring for the crops and animals and boarding horses, the Tessiers also run an educational farm camp.

Jack, 21, is a communications major at GMU. He directed the musical “James and the Giant Peach” at Fauquier Community Theatre in June.

Younger siblings Luke, 17, Grace, 15, and Annie, 13, were also in the show, while Mark, 11, shared the leading role during the six performances.

Son Peter, 19, is pursuing computer engineering at the University of Virginia and will spend a semester abroad in Valencia, Spain. The Tessier brood is rounded out by Rose, 9, and Eva, 7.

The Tessier children attended All Saints Catholic School in Manassas through eighth grade. Rob Tessier, 49, teaches religion classes there to middle schoolers. The children then attended Kettle Run High School, and all play soccer in the Northern Piedmont Sports Club.

Carole Tessier, 48, taught voice and piano lessons though now her “clients” are her own children. “We’ve had to learn the art of saying ‘no,’” she says of myriad demands on her time. “You can’t do it all.”

See TESSIER, page 25

PHOTO BY RANDY LITZINGER

Scott and Hilary Pierce also have nine children, all involved in community theater.

Meet the Pierces: Big family, big drama There tends to be a lot of drama in the Pierce family.

But in this case, that’s not a bad thing.

Scott and Hilary Pierce, married for 34 years and with nine children ages 10 to 32, have lived in Old Town Warrenton since 2001. They homeschool; that education is enriched with homeschool co-op classes and drama and music. All their children are self-taught in music, save for a few guitar lessons for one.

Back in her late teens, Hilary Pierce, who only has one sibling, did not consider herself a “kid person.” Her dimples deepen as she smiles.

“Obviously, God had other plans,” says the 55-year-old mother of nine and grandmother of one.

The Pierces met while taking classes at Northern Virginia Community College. She liked seeing the interaction in larger families, specifically between her husband Scott Pierce, 59, and his three older sisters. When they were first married, the couple performed in a church play, “Patch the Pirate.” They quickly became hooked on drama.

Faces & Places

Once kids started arriving, their involvement in music and theater continued as part of the educational experience. Hilary Pierce recalls how the first five – boys Evan, Colin, Brian, Dylan and Alan, were recruited along with her husband for roles in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” since the theater tends to always have a shortage of men.

Hilary and Scott Pierce are producers for Hope Theater, a non-profit hosted by Hope Christian Fellowship, the church where the Pierces have been involved since its inception.

Hope Drama Camp puts on a full-scale Broadway musical each summer. As producers, she says their job is to do anything needed to make the show “happen.”

This includes scheduling auditions, gathering props and costumes, taking care of finances, printing T-shirts and programs and obtaining the rights to produce the shows.

See PIERCE, page 25

PIERCE, from page 24 The production is whipped up with just a week of rehearsals, from scripts to showtime.

This summer, Hope Theater will present Roald Dahl’s “Matilda” July 29 and 30.

The family also helps with their church’s annual clothing giveaway in October and with a weekly food charity.

“Fauquier Community Theatre, that’s my outlet,” says Hilary Pierce, who remembers being a “theater widow” in the early years when her husband and the older children were heavily involved while she tended to the younger ones at home. Now, even the youngest, Katie, 10, is involved; she was in “James and the Giant Peach” in June.

Drama provides Hilary Pierce the “serotonin boost” and the “recharge” needed to keep up with the demands of running a large household, today whittled to three kids and cats at home.. “I don’t get my hair done. I don’t get my nails done, but I like singing and dancing and hanging out with friends who like to sing and TESSIER, from page 24 Rob Tessier performed in FCT’s “HONK!” in 2015 but now mostly plays a supporting role to his wife and children’s theater careers. Rob formed a theater company and a children’s theater camp, and he stays busy producing and directing shows for Upper Room Theater Ministry and running spotlight on the Arts Summer Camps.

As director of youth ministry, he led the group – including a few of his own children, on a week-long mission trip to Ohio this summer. “Helping younger folks make important discoveries, explore their talents, grow and experience success” is the most fulfilling and inspiring part of his work, hobbies and family life, Rob says.

Rob and Carole Tessier only have one sibling each, but they love the dynamics and interactions of their enormous clan, where faith and a sense

dance,” she says.

Scott Pierce, in addition to his work as a sales instructor, his involvement in church, theater and family, is also a homeschool history teacher.

Evan Pierce, 32, works at Harris Teeter, Colin Pierce, 29, works in IT for Greystone and lives in Nashville. Brian Pierce, 27, also works in IT for Greystone and has a music business and recording studio in his house. Dylan Pierce, 24, is a worship leader for The Way church, is married and has a 14-month-old daughter.

Alan Pierce 22, is a writer, finishing his second novel in a trilogy. Maggie Pierce, 20, is pursuing music in Nashville.

Gavin, 17, Lizzie, 14, and Katie, 10, are completing their education at home.

Hilary Pierce says she grew and changed as a person over 30 years, and likewise, so did her parenting style. For example, the older kids were not allowed to play Pokémon, but for the younger ones, it’s “what the heck?”

After all, she says, “This isn’t my first rodeo.” of fun play integral roles. “The logistics can be tough to manage, but we take it one day at a time,” says Carole Tessier, who adds that family management has gotten easier over the years.

Asked if the children have chores, she says the kids take turns with the dishes and laundry. “I think it’s important for the kids to learn responsibility. It builds character,” she says. “Things don’t come easy.

It’s not a free ride.”

Carole Tessier has a degree in zoology. Her husband has a degree in theater and also holds a certification from the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Clown College. He toured with the circus, 1996-’97.

“There’s never a dull moment, and it’s cool to see how different and unique each child is,” says Rob Tessier.

The family attends both All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas and St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in Warrenton.

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Grandparents: Another word for unconditional love Legacy and the appreciation for the generations thrive when family stories are shared

Phyllis Ross, left, and Pat and Mary Ellen Loper Donna Ross Birge “When I was little, my grandma and grandpa Loper always came to our house to watch us seven kids open our presents on Christmas morning. We would wait at the top of the stairs until they got there and then come down to open the gifts.

“One year, on their way to our house, their car broke down a few miles away.

They went to neighbors, called, and told my parents not to make us wait to open our presents.

“But them being there with us meant so much more, to us that we all wanted to wait to open our gifts until they arrived.”

Theresa Mills “My grandma, Violet Blue Leonard, who would be 106 now, was a wonderful example to our family.

“She refused to let the times she lived in to keep her from what her faith taught her.

“My grandma’s legacy of strength and faith and love remains strong in her family line of eight children, 20 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.”

26

Summer 2022

Grandma Betty Mayhugh knows that treats are the way to a grandchild’s heart.

Christina Brown “If you looked up the definition of ‘grandma’ in the dictionary you would find a picture of Betty Mayhugh. She would give you all the snacks and treats your little heart desired.

“My grandma had a huge impact on me. I spent the first four years of my life at her and granddaddy’s house while my mom worked. I gardened, washed clothes, played the piano and more with her.

“I have a priceless memory of how she spent time alone with Jesus every morning in her piano room. I am happy knowing she’s now reunited with my granddaddy in heaven.”

Skyla Ovando “My grandparents, Rose and Curtis Stallard, are amazing and beautiful people. My Mamaw Rose is mostly the reason I started baking. Ever since I was little, she had me in the kitchen with her baking brownies and her specialty, flour dough tortillas.

“She was a wonderful grandparent, as well as a good cook and baker, I often think of her as another mother to me.

“She is always eager to teach us the word of God. My pawpaw, Curtis, always helps others and teaches them about God. It’s always good to hear their voices, and I love to make them laugh! I love them!”

Rose and Curtis Stallard, with granddaughter Skyla Ovando

“Love is the greatest gift that one generation can leave to another.”

– RICHARD GARNETT

Florence and Charles Croushorn Matriarch Violet Blue Leonard

Carol Pauley “My maternal grandma, Florence Croushorn, would always play with us in the yard teaching us games like ‘Mother May I?’ and red light- green light.

“We had lots of fun and when it was time for her to leave, we’d always beg for her to stay the night or take us with her.

“Most of the time we’d win.”

- INTERVIEWS BY ALISSA JONES Faces & Places

BRINGING THE ARTS TO LIFE.

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Keeping it all in the family: Eagle Scouts Historic national program imbues a sense of service

Famous Eagle Scouts in history • Neil Armstrong, astronaut/ first man on the moon • Steven Spielberg, Academy Award-winning film director • Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft • Gerald Ford, former president • Ross Perot, presidential candidate • Mike Rowe, television personality • Robert Gates, former secretary of defense

By Kelly O’Lone An Eagle Scout is the highest level of achievement in the Boy Scouts of America, attained by just 4% of all members.

With dad and two of five sons already Eagles and another one almost there, the Paccassi family of Warrenton has plumped the ranks.

Since the honor began in 1912, some 2.5 million boy scouts have received the distinguished title.

Before becoming an Eagle Scout, members rise from cub scouts to boy scouts. Eagle status requires completion of a large service project to illustrate leadership, planning and execution lessons learned through the progressive program.

Dave Paccassi joined boy scouts in sixth grade. He moved a number of times with his family and Marine Corps father, joining the local scout pack, and finding a comfortable familiarity, in each location.

For his Eagle project, Paccassi cleared and rerouted a hiking trail in California.

Paccassi’s oldest son, John, followed his father as an Eagle Scout in 2018. He’s now studying at Virginia Military Institute and interning at the Warrenton-based PATH Foundation.

For John’s Eagle project, he built a type of dodgeball pit at his former elementary school, St. John the Evangelist School in Warrenton.

Eagle projects are huge: planning and fundraising can take months, Paccassi said, adding time for the approval process, engineering, construction and final details.

Second-oldest brother, Peter Paccassi was next to earn Eagle. His project was to build a bike rack in front of St. John’s.

Fifteen-year-old Samuel Paccassi is still deciding on his Eagle project, he says, but 28

Summer 2022

What it takes to earn Eagle • Earn 22 merit badges • Complete Eagle Scout service project • Exhibit strong leadership • Participate in a scoutmaster conference • Complete final Eagle Scout binder

Peter Paccassi completes his bike rack Eagle Scout project at St. John the Evangelist School. hopes to complete it this year.

Teresa Paccassi expects their two younger boys to follow the scout path but says she and her husband don’t push their boys too early. “We want them to have the chance to earn Eagle Scout but not get burned out too soon,” she says

Fly with the Eagles Eagle scout has always been a big part of his resume, Dave Paccassi says.

Eagles have an advantage when applying for college, he notes, the implication of strong leadership, character and work ethic an advantage when entering the work force, too.

“People look at you like you’ve done something great.

People around you take notice,” John adds. “(There’s satisfaction) in knowing you can

finish something.”

“My husband was always trying to explain to me how important earning the rank of Eagle in Scouts is,” says Teresa. Her brother and a cousin were also Eagles. “I never really understood what having an Eagle award meant until I was watching the news about President Ford lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda.

“The commentators were listing all his many accomplishments, including Eagle Scout. He earned that award as a young man 69 years before his death, but still, it was such a recognizable and distinguished honor it merited being mentioned among his many accomplishments.

“That moment is when I understood the importance of the Eagle rank to our country, to have young men of honor

Faces & Places

Get involved Dave Paccassi is an assistant scoutmaster at troop 180 in Warrenton. Scoutmaster Mike Price leads the troop.

Troop 180 meets at Our Saviors Lutheran Church Monday nights. beascout.scouting.org preparing to lead in their families, their communities and their country.”

Teresa says the Boy Scouts program was helpful in shaping her boys’ characters. “They (learned) an ability to help others, and I find them to be really good leaders,” she says.

“You can’t do this by yourself. Have a friend you are doing it with,” Dave suggests when young men are looking into the program.

There’s plenty of room for fun, John adds. “People get bogged down with rank and merit badges. Just have fun.

Rank will come with a little bit of effort.”

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Fare & Flair Nightshades: Easy to grow, easy to love (but be careful which ones you invite to dinner) Peppers are part of the plant family that brings us treats as well as tricks Story by Sally Harmon Semple Photo by Betsy Burke Parker

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• Chill out with cold beer • Cool down with frozen wine slurpees • Garden goodies add flavor to summer soups

Putting down roots Meet the nightshade family: Deadly to delicious The word nightshade evokes images of dark plants and potions.

Indeed, the nightshade family includes some of the world’s most famous poisonous plants from mandrake to henbane, angel’s trumpet to devil’s trumpet, and of course the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) itself.

On the other hand, this family – known to botanists as the Solanaceae, is also home to some of the world’s most favored and economically important food plants such as tomatoes, potatoes, tomatillos, eggplant and peppers.

Solanaceae is so diverse that its members can harm, heal or sustain human life. Plants are categorized into families based on their common physical characteristics or “mor-

What makes it a nightshade?

• Flowers in 5 parts • Petals are fused at the base • A “superior ovary” (pistil sits above other flower parts like petals and stamens) • Alternate leaves, often with hairs or prickles phology.” Leaf arrangement, the shape and location of seed, fruit and flower parts have guided botanists for centuries in the creation of more than 400 families of plants.

One of the nightshade family’s characteristics is a flower with petals that are fused at the base. Picture the flower on a tomato plant, or a petunia, both of which are in this family.

Genetic testing has confirmed that the fine details of the reproductive parts of a plant, such as the flower, fruit and seed, are indicators of common heredity. By contrast, the size of individual plant parts

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Summer 2022

Large, fragrant flowers give brugmansia the common name, angel’s trumpets, but this nightshade family member is highly toxic. and the shape of the overall plant are not good indicators of common heritage; these traits have more to do with a plant adapting to its environment than to what it is related.

Chemical similarities may sometimes be found within a plant family. The nightshade family, for example, is known to be rich in alkaloids. Alkaloids may have a narcotic effect that is healing, addictive or lethal, depending on the particular alkaloid and the dose.

Nicotine is an addictive alkaloid found in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), another famous member of the nightshade family. Green potatoes contain the alkaloid solanine, which can cause illness if eaten in great quantities. The leaves, stems and green, unripe tomatoes contain small amounts of tomatine and solanine, which are toxic to dogs if eaten in significant quantity.

If you are prone to motion sickness, you may have tried scopolamine – the active ingredient in motion sickness patches. This alkaloid is found in the scopolia plant, a nightshade family perennial native to damp woodlands in Europe and Asia. Early in the last century, scopolamine was used

Fare & Flair

during childbirth to induce amnesia in a narcotic blend.

A lethal mix of alkaloids is found in the exotic and fragrant angel’s trumpet, also called brugmansia, a native of South America. With large tubular flowers hanging down from fast growing branches, angel’s trumpet, is even more poisonous than its similar relative, the devil’s trumpet (Datura stramonium, common name jimsonweed) whose flowers point up. All parts of both of these plants are toxic, and if grown, these should be planted out of reach of curious children and pets.

Capsaicin, the compound responsible for the heat in chili peppers, is also an alkaloid. In addition to flavoring food, people use capsaicin as an animal deterrent in the garden. Chili pepper plants use the spice as an animal deterrent too, targeting rodents. The gnawing action of a rodent’s molars would destroy chili seeds, so the capsaicin is a lifesaver for chili peppers. In contrast, birds, who lack the receptors to taste capsaicin, may enjoy the pepper fruit, and do the important work of seed dispersal for the pepper plant as the seeds pass through their digestive tracks unharmed.

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Family-friendly breweries offer opportunities for seasonal sipping Story and photo

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Summer 2022

Summer in Fauquier offers a range of unique family activities, including an increasing number of family-friendly breweries in the region.

Most offer a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces, with plenty of room for adults and children to wander, play, relax and enjoy locally hand-crafted beer, artisanal sodas for underage visitors and a variety of food trucks that make the circuit.

Many breweries host live music and special events throughout the summer. And unlike the recent trend in regional wineries that have shifted to discourage family visits and underage visitors, breweries remain welcoming to all ages.

Powers Farm and Brewery near Warrenton is a great spot for a weekend family visit.

The large open yard in front of the brew house has plenty of picnic tables and umbrellas.

A food truck is usually pulled up in back and on any given weekend visitors can choose from an array of food from tacos, wraps, barbeque and seafood.

The beer menu is extensive and is not IPA focused, so there is a broader variety of beer styles to choose from.

Lemongrass Pils is smooth and crisp with hints of lemongrass grown right on the farm. It is perfect for summer.

Another great choice is the Greenway Extension, which is a traditional Berliner Weisse that can be mixed with a small pour of fresh strawberry juice.

You might wonder about mixing fruit juice straight into beer. Odd as it may seem, this is the traditional way of enjoying a Berliner Weisse. As the name implies, this beer originates from the German capital of Berlin. Its origins are murky, but it shares a direct lineage with Belgian Gueze beers which are made by mixing old and young Lambic beers.

The “weisse” in the name refers to the use of wheat, which is also used in traditional German Hefeweizen beers and Belgian Wit beers. Napoleon discovered

Fare & Flair

Berliner Weisse on his campaign through Berlin during the Franco-Prussian War and called it the Champagne of the North.

The sour nature of the beer led to the tradition of adding a shot of flavored syrup into the glass before consuming it. The two most traditional flavors are waldmeister, which is a green woodland herb grown in Berlin forests, and himbeer, which is sweeter raspberry syrup. Caraway liqueur Kummel is popular.

Barking Rose Brewing Company is just down the road from Powers. As a brewery that specializes in German and Belgian style beers, patrons find regular offerings of wheat-oriented beers and often two or three traditional Saison beers. Be sure to check out Blank Slate, is a highly drinkable Witbier made with coriander and orange peel.

The fruity light flavors make it perfect for a hot summer day.

The Farm Brewery at Broad Run has a big indoor space, multiple outdoor lawns, a beer pavilion and an axe-throwing barn.

The brewery also hosts frequent concerts ranging from country, to rock, to classical music.

Their Belgian Wit is called Shaded and has a spicy edge at the finish. With a low ABV of 4.5%, this is a beer for sipping.

For something a little more edgy, try Piggyback. This smoked lager is a twist on the traditional style and pairs perfectly with spicier offerings from the local food truck.

If lager is your thing, try Rooster King, a smooth and easy drinking beer perfect for slow summer sipping.

Summer in Fauquier - Cool tastes to quell the temps

By Mary Ann Dancisin Many people think of bold red wines when they think of Fauquier varietals.

Numerous gold medals have deservedly been awarded for the best of the best in reds grown and developed in Fauquier County.

Cabernet Sauvignon by Fox Meadow Winery, Ameritage by Pearmund Cellars and Cleve by Philip Carter Winery are among the best-known, and best, offered here. But in summer, local tastes turn to something lighter, born of a desire to slow down, cool off and sip an ice-cold beverage on the porch or pool deck.

To support that seasonal change, many wineries slip into casual mode this time of year, too. And what they offer can come as a delicious surprise.

• Fauquier Sunset Fill a cup with ice. Fill halfway with lemonade – we like Newman’s Own - then top with your favorite Arterra Winery red.

“Not only easy, but this is a great way to use (up) red leftovers,” according to winemaker Jason Murray. “Super refreshing.”

• Rosé spritzer Mix Arterra 2021 rose with seltzer on ice. This blend of petit verdot and caber-

• Sangria au naturel Pour a well-chilled 6 ounces of Naked Mountain 2021 Chardonnay-Riesling in a glass, topped with 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Add a splash of orange juice and a dash of hibiscus simple syrup, then finish filling the glass with club soda.

“This vintage is juicy, crisp and refreshing,” according to Garrett Smith, tasting room manager at Naked Mountain.

PHOTO BY KELLY CARR

The super popular Sangria Slushee is available by the cup or carafe at Aspen Dale.

net franc is fresh with impressive fruit flavors. Murray calls it a perfect drink for the people who don’t want anything too sweet.

• Sangria for one Drop two ice cubes in a glass. Pour 4 ounces of Blue Valley Vineyards Rememberance, topped with one ounce of orange liqueur on top. Add a cherry or other sliced fruit if desired.

• Easy breezy Molon Lave’s Dedication is a bright and zesty Chardonnay blend. Apple and pear notes abound, very refreshing and not too sweet, and low in alcohol.

The wine was a silver medal winner from the Atlantic Seaboard Wineries Association.

• Summer sweets The Petit Mansang grape can differ in its degree of sweetness. Covert Wineworks Petit Manseng 2020 by Vint Hill Craft Winery is dry with pronounced mango and passionfruit flavors. You’ll find hints of honeysuckle, tangerine and lime in this crisp wine, which pairs perfectly with summer picnics.

See WINES, page 36

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Fare & Flair

Summer 2022

35

Chill out with these savory summer soups

By Sandy Greeley Memories of lingering summer suppers create a cozy, nostalgic feel for some of the best of the season – especially garden-fresh chilled soups. Add a side of pita bread or crackers and cheese, and call it dinner.

Corn chowder with bacon and jalapeños This snappy soup showcases a midsummer favorite – hot peppers, and the darling of the late summer – sweet corn. Source some local pork belly to make your own homemade bacon bits, and you’ve got a Fauquier feast, bright flavors in a simple-to-assemble chilled soup that makes a light main course.

Serves 3 to 4 Ingredients One 10 ½-ounce can cream of corn soup 2 cups corn kernels, available locally starting in August 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream, available locally 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 cup shredded cheese ½ cup salsa, optional (homemade preferred) 2 to 3 tablespoons diced bacon bits as garnish (available locally as fresh pork belly) Diced jalapeños to taste as garnish (available locally starting mid-July) Crumbled crispy tortilla chips as garnish (make your own by slicing fresh corn tortillas and swiftly crisping in a pan with the pork belly drippings) Instructions Combine the cream of corn soup, the corn kernels, milk, lime juice, onion powder, garlic powder and chili powder in a souppot. Cook over medium heat, and add the shredded cheese and salsa, if desired, and continue stirring until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and chill in the refrigerator.

To serve, ladle portions into the soup bowls and garnish with the bacon bits, jalapeños and tortilla chips.

Carrot and fresh ginger soup

Carrots are easy to grow in the Piedmont; they shine as the main ingredient in carrot-ginger soup.

PHOTO

BY BETSY BURKE PARKER

Chilled tropical soup with crabmeat This one won’t feature homegrown or locally sourced ingredients except your slivered mint garnish, but this soup can be an exotic and very rich start for a formal summer dinner. Add extra crabmeat or toss a few cooked shrimp on top and it becomes your main course.

For an extra flavor kick, drizzle each serving of prawns with ginger-based salad dressing.

Serves 4 to 6 Ingredients 2 cups mango cubes 2 cups papaya cubes 1 1/2 cups mango juice 1 cup coconut milk 3 tablespoons lime juice, preferably fresh 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 cup fresh crabmeat, picked clean of shell and cartilage Julienned mint leaves for garnish Instructions Combine the mango and papaya cubes in a blender or food processor, and add the mango juice, coconut milk and lime juice. Process until smooth and chill.

Toss crabmeat with the 1 teaspoon curry powder and set aside. To serve, spoon the soup into individual bowls, and put a dollop of crabmeat in the center and sprinkle the soup with julienned mint leaves.

Float a few cooked shrimp on top to plump up the protein for a filling dinner dish.

WINES, from page 35

with simple grilled fish or garlic shrimp.

• Crisp and bright Slater Run Nest 2021 is Chardonnay-Viognier blend. The wine was fermented in stainless steel to retain all the crisp fruit character of the grapes. Citrus flavors combine with honeysuckle aromas in this perfectly balanced wine. It pairs nicely

• For club members only You’ll have to join Slater Run’s Wine Club to get Slater Run Petillant Naturel Rose 2021.

This pink sparkling wine is made with red grapes. Ripe strawberry and cantaloupe notes abound. Festive and refreshing, this wine makes any gathering a party.

36

Summer 2022

Fare & Flair

According to the owner and soup creator of 100 Bowls of Soup, a small take-out soup business, Katharine Mardirosian says this tasty treat is the store’s most popular offering. She says they add a flourish before serving, garnishing each bowl with a swirl of yogurt, cream or goat cheese.

Carrots and onions could come from your own garden, and you can add a sprig of homegrown parsley or thyme on top to dress it up.

If you’re enterprising and have a lot of garden space, grow sweet potatoes, harvest before the first killing frost (usually mid-October) and cure your sweet potatoes to concentrate the flavor and conserve freshness that will last until summer if properly stored.

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped, available locally from spring through early winter 2 celery stalks, sliced 2 cloves garlic, diced 4 large carrots, sliced, available locally from early summer 1 sweet potato, sliced 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 2 tablespoons lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste Yogurt, cream or goat cheese as garnish Instructions Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized stockpot. Add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add half the grated ginger and the sweet potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 ½ to 2 quarts water, just enough for the vegetables to be floating. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Puree the vegetables in batches with remaining fresh ginger.

Transfer the mixture to a pot to cool and refrigerate. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, and garnish.

• Sangria slushee Available only at the Aspen Dale Winery in Delaplane, get Aspen Dale sangria slushee by the cup or by the carafe. Based on their Mary Madeleine Rose, this frozen treat is slightly sweet but with tart, tangy notes, making it a good choice for sipping in the vineyard.

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Recognizing the family ties that bind Reading and writing were part of the plan Although I had no idea that I would become a writer until I became one, my affection for the printed word was always a family affair.

My mother, herself a voracious reader, fed me books (hardcover and comic) as soon as I could distinguish one word from another. My father’s domain was newspapers, and we’d pore over the comics and sports sections. As for other family influences, an aunt was a musicologist; she wrote a book on improvisation that’s still in use today.

An uncle who owned a bookshop kept me well supplied with reading materials.

Equally welcome were our conversations about what I read: Uncle Bill was my introduction to developing a critical appreci-

Steve Price The Last Word

ation of style and content.

A family friend who worked at Random House found me a college summer job at their dictionary division. Remember, this was the pre-computer era – I alphabetized shoeboxes full of examples of newly coined words that had been clipped from periodicals and taped or glued to index cards. Realizing how boring a task I had, others in the department were kind enough to stop by my desk and divert me with amusing conversation. These were bright and

A literary bent must be in the genes • Alexander Dumas senior wrote “The Three Musketeers” and “The Man in the Iron Mask” while Dumas junior wrote “The Lady of The Camellias” on which the opera “La Traviata” was based, as well as other lesser-known works.

• The three Bronte sister were all novelists. Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre, Emily Bronte penned “Wuthering Heights” and Anne wrote “Agnes Grey.” All three died of tuberculosis.

• Playwrights and screenwriters Phoebe and Henry Ephron’s daughters Nora, Delia, Amy and Hallie all produced best-selling works. Nora Ephron wrote the films “Sleepless In Seattle,” “You’ve Got Mail” (on which she collaborated with sister Delia) and “When Harry Met Sally.” Amy Ephron is a novelist, and Hallie Ephron writes suspense novels and mysteries that include the Dr. Peter Zax series.

• Kingsley Amis (“Lucky Jim”) and son Martin (“The Rachael Papers”) are British novelists.

• Novelist Stephen King (“Christine,” “The Tommyknockers,” “Pet Semetery”) paved the way for sons Joe Hill (“The Fireman”) and Owen King (“Sleeping Beauties” written with his father). articulate people, and I began to harbor the thought that publishing was the life for me.

But not right away.

I went to law school, after graduation toiling in the offices of a small intellectual property firm. The most charitable way to describe the senior partner was certifiably mad, and my never-overflowing affection for the practice of law rapidly disappeared.

I phoned our Random House friend and found an out: they’d just hired a house counsel who was looking for an assistant.

I did legal stuff for three years before going into the business side of publishing.

A few years later a magazine hired me as a sort of literary agent. That job lasted a little over a year before bankruptcy

landed the staff on the street.

A mini-recession was going on, and jobs were hard to come by. Several publishing pals suggested that I write a book.

When I protested that I didn’t know enough to write a book, they replied: “You’ve been in publishing long enough to know that you don’t have to be an expert to write a book.

“Just write about something you know about,” they said.

For me, this meant horses, country music, fishing or witty quotations. Forty-five books and innumerable magazine and newspaper pieces later, I recently retired from writing and now regard books as things that other people write.

But as I look back, it was a wild ride, and one that was inevitable from the very start.

Writer and editor Steve Price was born into a family of bibliophiles, something that, eventually, framed his professional trajectory.

PRICE FAMILY PHOTO

38

Summer 2022

The Last Word

“It’s all about people … and always will be.”

At Virginia National Bank, we have an unwavering commitment to invest in the long-term financial health and stability of individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations. From the beginning, our mission has been to provide great personal service, local access to decision makers, fast response, and continuity in your relationship.

We believe that excellent customer service begins and ends with our people, which is why we say, “It’s all about people . . . and always will be.”

www.VNB.com Make an appointment today by calling 877.817.8621.