Jamestown Oyster Co. Emirates Team New Zealand Wins the 37th Annual America’s Cup
THE MEGA BROOKIES OF PATAGONIA STAG HUNTING IN ARGENTINA
HISTORICAL TOURISM IN JEFFERSON COUNTY
Some hunts are about more than just the pursuit—they’re about the moments that stay with you for a lifetime. The crisp morning air, the sound of wings cutting through the sky, the feel of a trusted shotgun that fits like a glove in your hands. At Syren, we craft shotguns designed for women who know that every moment in the field is part of a legacy worth passing down, where every flush, every shot, and every experience becomes a story worth telling. Built for balance, comfort, and precision, Syren shotguns aren’t just tools—they’re companions on the journey, ensuring that every hunt is as unforgettable as the last.
FEATURES THE SPRING 2025
24
THE MEGA BROOKIES OF PATAGONIA
Chad Agy’s firsthand encounter with giant brook trout in Argentina with Hemispheres Unlimited’s Trout Bum Rio Pico program will make you understand these meat-eaters have a penchant for mice and mouse flies. 36
37TH ANNUAL AMERICA’S CUP
Emirates Team New Zealand’s championship run in Barcelona, Spain, was legendary, and the team with its second-generation AC75 Tailhoro made history as the first team in America’s Cup history to win three consecutive titles.
PHOTO BY JAMAL JONES
12
DEPARTMENTS
THE SPRING 2025 ISSUE
THE SOUND
Veteran rockers My Morning Jacket collaborated with Brendan O’Brien—known for his work with Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam— to produce the band’s 10th studio album, “is.”
16
SPRING GEAR GUIDE
Spring has sprung, and our Spring 2025 Gear Guide, featuring our top picks for apparel, gadgets, guns, gear and more will make sure you’re properly outfitted for all the season brings.
20
RAISE A GLASS
Made in Vir-Gin-ia: Craft gin distilleries across Virginia are finding new and creative ways to make the botanical-forward clear spirit, and we raise a glass to our favorites made in the Commonwealth.
42 FROM THE FIELD
Quail Forever Journal
Editor-in-Chief Ryan Sparks chronicles his stag-hunting experience with Golden Stag Safaris in the rolling hills of the La Pampa region of Argentine Patagonia.
51
OPEN SPACES
Mark Goerner, Rhode Island native, former lobsterman and founder of Jamestown Oyster Co., embraces aquaculture and harvesting oysters in the West Passage entrance to Narragansett Bay.
60
DESTINATION
When it comes to walking in the footsteps of history— including those of radical abolitionist John Brown— it’s hard to beat Jefferson County, West Virginia.
64
WELL FED
To James Beard Awardwinning author Hank Shaw, turkey black bean chili sounds trendy, but it’s a stew with origins dating to before the Europeans arrived in the Western Hemisphere.
ON THE COVER
Emirates Team New Zealand harnessed the power of its second-generation AC75 Taihoro to make history as the first team in America’s Cup history to win three consecutive titles. Photo Courtesy of the America’s Cup
PHOTO BY JOSH LYKINS
PHOTO BY RYAN SPARKS
VICTOR VIDELA MAKES HIS WAY THROUGH ROUGH COUNTRY IN SEARCH OF RED STAG AT ARGENTINA'S GOLDEN STAG SAFARIS.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA, HAS DEVELOPED AN IMPRESSIVE FOOD SCENE.
Experience golf in its form.
The experiences you’ll take away can’t be recorded on a scorecard.
The Omni Homestead Resort & Spa is home to the award-winning William Flynn and Donald Ross courses, The Cascades and the Old Course and so much more. Enjoy exquisite culinary experiences such as thoughtfully curated wine flights and exclusive, private barrel bourbon tastings set amid breathtaking mountain views. Whether embarking on a sporting clays or fly fishing adventure or relaxing by the fire or in the mineral-rich, geothermal Warm Springs Pools, here, the memories linger long after the last putt drops.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Joe Shields
PUBLISHER
Blake DeMaso
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Melissa Kennelly FOUNDER Hay Hardy
— EDITORIAL & PRODUCTIO N —
MANAGING EDITOR John kelly
EDITOR-AT-LARGE Eric Kallen
LIFESTYLE EDITOR Jedd Ferris
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR monte burke
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR hank shaw
DESIGNER/ART MANAGER Rebecca Cencewizki
INTERN EDITOR Lilly Cove
— ADVERTISING & BUSINESS —
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Leah Woody
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Katie Hartwell, Anita Vere-Nicoll, Anne Coles
BUSINESS MANAGER Melissa Gessler
— DIGITAL MEDIA —
ONLINE DIRECTOR Craig Snodgrass
DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Shannon McGowan
VIDEO PRODUCTION
jay alaimo and phil Conserva
— CONTRIBUTORS
CHAD AGY, RYAN SPARKS AND ONNE VAN DER WAL
New Adventures Await in SoSi
Ready for your next great adventure? Cast a line in the Dan River, explore hidden gem fishing spots at Wayside Park� or paddle along Smith Mountain Lake for your next catch. Whether you're looking for a thrill or seeking to sit back and relax, SoSi offers endless opportunities to hook your next fin-tastic memory! After a day on the water� dive into our many delicious eateries� breweries� and wineries and keep the fun going all night long.
Southern hospitality meets the great outdoors in Danville and Pittsylvania County.
See what we're all about at visitsosi.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE
One of the intrinsic benefits of writing for The Virginia Sportsman is networking. As English-American author and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek said, “Life is beautiful not because of the things we do or see. Life is beautiful because of the people we meet.”
I met Ryan Sparks during a fly-fishing trip in Patagonia. We traveled there on respective magazine assignments to the southern end of South America to fish for giant trout. You may have read about the adventure in my “Fighting Giant Rainbows in Argentine Patagonia,” which appeared in our Winter 2022 issue.
After seven days of fishing together during the first week of winter with our friend Justin Witt’s Hemispheres Unlimited Trout Bum Jurassic program (think: reasonable price points, without the glitz), we assure you giants and treasures exist in Patagonia. Sparks’ “Welcome to Jurassic” was subsequently published in SAFARI Magazine, a bimonthly focused on big-game hunting and conservation.
Sparks is my kind of guy. He tells stories with writing and photography and is the editor of the Quail Forever Journal. He’s obsessed with Patagonia and tries to get back to Argentina as much as possible. He recently revisited the La Pampa region on a stag-hunting trip with Golden Stag Safaris in the rolling hills and sweeping dunes of Estancia Nehuen Mapu. I can’t wait for you to read his experiential account of hunting in that vast expanse. Similarly, we feature Chad Agy’s fly-fishing trip to Argentina
with Trout Bum Rio Pico, a program run by Hemispheres Unlimited. Rio Pico’s brook trout are legendary in size, and Agy’s firsthand encounter with them in “The Mega Brookies of Patagonia” will make you understand these meat-eaters have a penchant for mice and mouse flies.
In our Spring Issue, we also feature the 37th America’s Cup and Emirates Team New Zealand’s championship run in Barcelona, Spain. The team’s second-generation AC75 Taihoro slipped while being craned back after racing in the event’s Regatta. The sound of the boat smashing against her cradle was so loud, according to Yachting World, that “it reverberated around Barcelona’s Port Vell like an explosion.”
The damage, it turned out, was minimal—in stark contrast to the damage Emirates Team New Zealand would inflict on their opponents. The team made history as the first team in America’s Cup history to win three consecutive titles.
Oysters are a big deal in Virginia, and the industry is thriving in Rhode Island thanks to aquacultural efforts led by former lobsterman Mark Goerner. We cover his story and more as we look forward to spring and all it has to offer.
Life is beautiful because of the people we meet. Thank you for reading and for meeting some of them in these pages.
IN JANUARY 2025, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JOE SHIELDS WENT ON AN UPLAND HUNT AT PRIESTVIEW HUNTING PRESERVE IN NELSON COUNTY, VIRGINIA. PHOTO BY ERIC KALLEN
New MorNiNg
Veteran Kentucky rockers My Morning Jacket embrace collaboration on 10th studio album
STORY BY JEDD FERRIS | BAND PHOTOS BY SILVIA GRAV
Since forming in the late 90s, My Morning Jacket has straddled the worlds of indie and jam rock. With a loyal cross-scene fanbase that flocks to the band’s dynamic live shows, the Louisville, Kentucky-bred quintet has been afforded the freedom to push sonic boundaries. That’s manifested in myriad ways—from the Southern garage rock of the band’s 2003 breakout album “It Still Moves” to the electronic flourishes found on the landmark record “Z” to the Pink Floyd-flavored psychedelia heard on the group’s more recent 2021 self-titled effort.
To follow up the latter, the members of My Morning Jacket
decided to cede control to a producer, enlisting heavy hitter Brendan O’Brien—known for his work with Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam—to help them make their 10th studio album, “is,” which comes out March 21.
“Up until now I’ve never been able to let go and allow someone else to steer the ship,” Jacket frontman Jim James said in a statement on the album. “It almost felt like an outof-body experience to step back and give control over to someone who’s far more accomplished and made so many more records than us, but in the end I was able to enjoy the
process maybe more than I ever have before.”
The new record’s lead single, “Time Waited,” is a sentimental rock tune, built around a warm piano loop that features James waxing poetic about seizing the right moments during the inevitably fast passage of time. It’s a wistful love song with a laidback arrangement that matches the band’s attitude about being able to let go creatively.
Elsewhere, the record has more edge, especially on the guitar-heavy “Squid Ink,” which features distorted riffs and a stomping beat ready to rattle an arena.
“It feels really great to have a collection of songs we all love this much, and to know that we worked as hard as we possibly could on them,” James added. “Hopefully those songs will be helpful to people and give them some kind of peace as they try to deal with the insanity of the world—because that’s what music does for me, and doing the same for others is always my greatest dream come true.”
My Morning Jacket will celebrate the new release with a three-night hometown stand at the Palace Theatre in Louisville on April 25-27.
Five Essential Songs
“One Big Holiday”
This full-throttle rock anthem from the 2003 album “It Still Moves” is a riff-heavy calling card for My Morning Jacket fans to cut loose at the band’s dynamic live shows.
“Wordless Chorus”
The lead track from the 2005 album “Z” ushered in the band’s foray into experimental electronic sounds.
“Steam Engine”
This atmospheric rocker is originally found on “It Still Moves,” but to get a taste of the band’s extended jamming, check out the 11-minute version on the 2006 live album “Okonokos.”
“The Bear”
This lo-fi acoustic gem from the band’s debut album, “The Tennessee Fire,” came out back in 1999.
“Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2”
This spacey track from the 2008 album “Evil Urges” has a pulsing bassline that always gets crowds moving at Jacket concerts.
2025 Virginia Racing Calendar
FOR MORE INFO VISIT: CENTRALENTRYOFFICE.COM
Spring Steeplechase Circuit
RAPPAHANNOCK HUNT POINT-TO-POINT
Saturday, March 1, 2025, 1:00 p.m. Rain Date Saturday, March 9, 1:00 p.m. The Hill, Boston 540.547.2211, 540.270.8580, 540.547.2810, 540.229.7752
HUNTER PACE: April 12, 12:00 p.m. 703.989.9545, 540.229.7752
Saturday, October 11, 2025, 1:00 p.m. Glenwood Park, Middleburg Information: 540.687.9797 www.vafallraces.com
INTERNATIONAL GOLD CUP RACE MEET
Saturday, October 25, 2025, 1:00 p.m. Great Meadow Course, The Plains Information: 540.347.2612 www.vagoldcup.com
MONTPELIER RACE MEET
Saturday, November 1, 2025, 12:30 p.m. Montpelier, Montpelier Station Information: 540.672.0027 www.montpelierraces.com
Photo Credit: Douglas Lees
YETI, PANGA 28L WATERPROOF BACKPACK [1]
If your travels and adventures take you where you must protect your gear from the elements, Yeti’s Panga Waterproof Backpack has just what you need. This pack is 100% waterproof, airtight and submersible so your gear stays dry if you end up in the water. The removable chest straps and waist belt provide extra stability, security and comfort if you have miles to walk. The Panga’s rugged shell is made from high-density nylon that is puncture- and abrasionresistant, so rest easy if your bag goes through rough terrain. If you need more space, the Panga’s lash points are great options for securing extra gear to the bag or adding an optional Sidekick Dry Gear Case. $300.00; yeti.com
SPRING 2025 GEAR REVIEW
BY ERIC KALLEN
RADIUS OUTFITTERS, HEAVY DUTY TOTE BAG [2]
Built to withstand abuse, Radius Outfitters’ Tote Bags are rugged, functional and versatile. Available in 26-liter and 56-liter varieties, these PVC-lined totes are made of a rugged canvas-like material and equipped with a sturdy EVA base. They’re built to hold their form, easy to load and capable of withstanding a lot of abuse. The tote bags both have two zippered pockets to keep things organized if you need to keep a closer eye on car keys or other valuables. If you need to transport gear, these bags offer a great solution and are built to last a lifetime. $119.00 for the small tote bag; $149.00 for the large tote bag; radiusoutfitters.com
THOMAS AND THOMAS, AVANTT II FLY ROD [3]
When the shadow of a five-pound New Zealand brown trout appears just below the surface on a crystal-clear glacial stream, you better hold a rod that is up to the challenge. The Avantt II, a newly released, completely redesigned fly rod from Thomas and Thomas, fits the bill. This fast-action rod is powerful, accurate and lightweight. Handcrafted in Greenfield, Mass., these rods offer cutting-edge technology and beautiful craftsmanship. The Avantt II is available in a wide variety of sizes and configurations, ranging from eight-feet-six-inch 3-weights up to 10-foot 6-weights. If you’re in the market for a high-quality rod that’s suitable for any freshwater needs, grab an Avantt II and see what I’m talking about. $985.00; thomasandthomas.com
SITKA, DEW POINT JACKET [4]
No one ever wants to be caught in the elements without a good rain jacket if the weather gets ugly. Sitka’s Dew Point jacket is a threelayer GORE-TEX solution that’s completely waterproof, lightweight and packable. Engineered to be breathable, the jacket is suitable for a wide variety of temperatures and terrains. The jacket’s pockets offer numerous storage options to keep your essentials safe in the field. Available in a range of camouflage and solid colors, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where this jacket doesn’t offer hunters, sportsmen and sportswomen exactly what they need if the weather turns. As they say, it’s always better to have and not need than to need and not have. $349.00; sitkagear.com
THINK TANK PHOTO, DARKLIGHT BACKPACK
[5]
The Darklight, Think Tank’s new tactical-style camera backpack, is the perfect companion for urban or field photography. Available in 14-liter and 20-liter sizes, the Darklight comes with a MOLLE panel and tactical webbing so you can optimize for configuration and storage. The bag’s hip and shoulder straps keep it secure, which is critical when you’re moving fast with a full complement of camera gear. You can also access your cameras and lenses quickly through the zippered top lid or the back panel, which provides access to the full interior of the bag. The backpack’s adjustable dividers allow for total customization to meet all your carrying needs, and padded laptop sleeves and a variety of zippered pouches add to the pack’s versatility.
$170.00 for the 14L backpack; $200.00 for the 20L backpack; thinktankphoto.com
FIELD AND MOOR, LONG HUNTING AND SHOOTING BOOTS [6]
Finding comfortable, durable and functional boots doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. British bootmaker Field and Moor’s new Hunting and Shooting Boots are 17 inches tall, waterproof and ideal for all your shooting and hunting adventures. Made with thick leather uppers, the boots are comfortable right out of the box, and their sturdy Vibram sole will give you traction regardless of the conditions. To ease putting on and removing the boots, they come with a double buckle at the top and a half-zip around the ankles, which is very helpful for people with high arches. These hand-crafted boots are the quintessential British shooting boots, particularly if you pair them with colorful Field and Moor shooting socks. $453.00; fieldandmoor.co.uk
CAESAR GUERINI, INVICTUS I LIMITED SHOTGUN [7]
New for 2025, the Invictus I Limited shotgun enhances the popular Invictus I Sporting shotgun with a deluxe, hand-rubbed Turkish Walnut stock and a richly case-colored receiver. Like all models in the Invictus line, the Limited is built with durability and reliability in mind, but I struggle to imagine finding a better-looking shotgun on any sporting clays course. With a lifetime warranty, the Limited offers complete peace of mind, and Guerini’s PitStop Maintenance Program ensures your gun is ready to go after you break it in. Available in 12-gauge with 32-inch barrels, the Invictus I Limited is a work of art, engineered for decades of use. $9,725.00; gueriniusa.com
GIANTMOUSE, GMF2-SCOUT KNIFE [8]
This fixed-blade knife builds on GiantMouse’s award-winning GMF2 knife, offering improved versatility and durability. The Scout’s micarta handle provides a comfortable and secure grip, and the N690 steel is durable, holds an edge and is easy to sharpen in the field. The Scout comes with a Kydex sheath that is designed for scout-style horizontal carry, making it perfect for EDC. While this blade is a great option for opening your Amazon packages, make no mistake, this knife is the ultimate companion when you find yourself in the great outdoors. $235.00; giantmouse.com
RUMPL'S BACKCOUNTRY PUFFY BLANKET [9]
Whether sitting by a backyard fire pit, lying on the beach or in the wilds for an overnight camping trip, Rumpl’s Backcountry Puffy Blanket is the perfect accessory for any activity. Made to withstand the rigors of the outdoors, this adventure blanket adds comfort and versatility to all your activities. The blanket’s rip-stop liner and Nanoloft insulation provide the warmth and durability you require. You can also compress the blanket into a small stuff sack for easy portability. Best of all, if the blanket gets dirty, throw it into the washing machine and it's ready to go. $149.00; rumpl.com
MADE IN VIR- GIN -IA
Commonwealth distilleries put new spins on a classic spirit
STORY BY JEDD FERRIS
No disrespect to that blue bottle of Bombay in your bar cart. London dry still hits just right with the perfect amount of tonic and lime. But craft distilleries across Virginia are finding new and creative ways to make the botanical-forward clear spirit. So when you’re ready to mix up a spring cocktail, it’s the right time to try something made closer to home. Here, we raise a glass to four of our favorite gins coming out of the Commonwealth.
Trial & Error Distillery
Richmond
Sloe Gin
An offshoot business of the popular Bombolini Pasta market and café located in Richmond’s Fan district, Trial & Error is a small distillery focused on giving classic spirits an experimental twist. That includes making, as the owners put it, “delightfully complex gin.” For a taste of the goods, try the distillery’s Sloe Gin, a citrus-forward gin that mingles the spirit’s classical herbal character with a bit of sloe berry sweetness. The folks at Trial & Error recommend drinking this one on the rocks with a splash of soda. Trialanderrordistillery.com
Catoctin Creek Distilling Co.
Purcellville
Watershed Gin
Since opening in 2009, Catoctin Creek has taken home some serious hardware in spirits competitions, notably for the much-lauded Roundstone Rye, which boasts distinction as Virginia’s most awarded whiskey. The first legal distillery in Loudon County since before Prohibition also makes one of the most uniquely delicious gins you’ll find on shelves around Virginia. Watershed—a nod to Catoctin’s namesake being in the Chesapeake Bay watershed—is distilled from rye grain and features a secret blend of herbs and spices, resulting in classic juniper crispness enhanced by notes of citrus and cinnamon. Try it in your next G&T to get a fresh perspective on an old staple. Catoctincreekdistilling.com
Vitae Spirits Distillery
Charlottesville
Modern Gin
Ian Glomski, a microbiology professor at the University of Virginia, was long fascinated by fermentation, so he decided to start a side business making high-end spirits in downtown Charlottesville. At Vitae, he gets pretty heady with the scientific process, using “an unconventional hybrid production technique” to create the distillery’s popular Modern Gin. It’s made with American sugar cane molasses as the base spirit, as well as 16 botanicals, resulting in one of the most flavorfully crisp and clean gins available today. On the Vitae website, Glomski recommends using it in a spring cocktail he calls Unicorn Blood, which blends Modern Gin with Elderflower Liqueur, Crème De Violette and lemon. Vitaespirits.com
Filibuster Distillery
Maurertown
Dual Cask Gin
Filibuster is a distillery with D.C. roots now making spirits in the Shenandoah Valley village of Maurertown. The small outfit is best known for a variety of bourbon and rye whiskeys, but they’re also doing some interesting things with gin. A must-try is Dual Cask, which puts a creative spin on 18th century-style bathtub gin, aging the spirit in French Oak barrels so it gets a nice amber hue and some bright flavors of apple and pine. There’s also a limited variety of Dual Cask called Gin Rose, made with the addition of rose petals. Filibusterbourbon.com
MEGA BROOKIES OF PATAGONIA
Meat is on the Menu for Argentine Trophy Brook Trout
STORY BY CHAD AGY | PHOTOS BY CHAD AGY, JAMAL JONES AND BRIAN GALOVIC
CHAD
PHOTO BY JAMAL JONES
THE AUTHOR'S FATHER PETE AGY
LANDED THE LARGEST BROOK TROUT OF HIS LIFE NEAR RIO PICO. PHOTO BY CHAD AGY
Although I was thousands of miles from home, I found familiarity in the peculiarities of Argentine Patagonia. The fragrant odor of the earth reminded me of the Wyoming steppe after a summer downpour. The bare, scree-filled peaks of the Andes towered above me like the Uinta Mountains in Utah, where I learned to fish for brook trout as a kid. The streams and scenic lakes pockmarked the volcanic foothills, akin to a similar scene in eastern Idaho.
When I travel to Patagonia, I feel like I am in an alternate universe, eerily similar to the western United States where I have spent most of my life, though strangely different. Rather than bald eagles, Andean condors dominate the skies, searching for their next meal from a dying sheep or guanaco. Instead of pronghorn, ostrich-like rheas roam the
AGU AND HIS COMPANIONS DISCOVERED A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NORTH AMERICA AND ARGENTINE PATAGONIA: THE INSANE DISCREPANCY IN THE SIZE OF AN AVERAGE TROUT. PHOTOS BY
GALOVIC
countryside, fleeing at impressive speeds whenever we approach. I rarely see herons, but Chilean flamingos feed on crustaceans in the shallows while we cast our flies nearby. My favorite difference between the two regions is the insane discrepancy in the size of an average trout.
The thought of brook trout reminds me of my childhood, casting a fly and bobber into the high mountain lakes of Utah, where hardly a trout surpassed double digits in the inch department. It wasn’t long before I heard tales of larger brookies that could reach double digits in pounds. These fish inhabit only a few unique locales on the planet, and as a 10-year-old fisherman, venturing to such far-flung destinations seemed unlikely.
I never stopped thinking about those famous brook trout, so when the opportunity to chase them became a
BRIAN
reality, I jumped at the chance to visit Rio Pico, Argentina. This is one of those special spots where an angler might encounter a gargantuan brookie.
Our group experienced several premier fisheries near Rio Pico. The trip began at a spectacular lake nestled into the mountains near the Chilean border, which boasted many brook trout over 20 inches in length. Some of us fished breathtaking rivers filled to the brim with rainbow and brook trout. The occasional alpha brown trout savagely tried to steal smaller, struggling rainbows off our lines.
We experienced intimate lagunas hosting opportunities for some unreal sight-fishing. I witnessed mayfly hatches on tiny spring creeks holding fish with lengths nearly matching the creeks’ widths. A smothering flying ant hatch brought all the region’s trout to the surface on one warm, calm day. Though our guides had already outdone themselves, they saved the region’s crown jewel for the last part of the trip.
We spent those days on a lake that superseded all superlatives. Our group arrived at the lake to find ideal conditions: mild-to-moderate wind and chop with occasional cloud cover. Spanish fluency was not required to interpret our guides’ nervous chatter and knowing smirks. We could tell we were in for a special experience.
Before long, the rafts were ready and we raced to the guides’ preferred spots on the lake. My guide, Roge Casal, rowed us to a tempting drop-off on the eastern side. We
THE TROUT OF ARGENTINE PATAGONIA TEND TO INHABIT UNUSUALLY SPECTACULAR PLACES. PHOTO BY JAMAL JONES
could see smaller fish rising between the shallow reeds, but we weren’t there for normal-sized fish. As I set up my heaviest sinking line, I attached my favorite olive streamer to the tippet. My casts landed at the edge of the drop-off. I let my fly sink into the abyss before starting an erratic, fast retrieve.
The first strike revealed a brook trout so thick I may have mistaken it for a tire if it hadn’t fought back. Its sheer heft made the fish difficult to turn, even with my eight-weight rod, but eventually Casal scooped it into the net. At about two feet long, with rotund dimensions and splendid colors, this brookie was the fish of the trip for me. I chuckled as I pondered how many diminutive Utah brookies it would take to equal the mass of this singular fish.
As the day progressed, I caught one mega brookie after another, occasionally interspersed by voracious rainbow trout. Some of the rainbows were close to 30 inches in length. I stuck with my streamer while others in the group successfully targeted weed lines with hopper/dropper rigs. I had never seen a bunch of happier fishermen when the crew met for a late afternoon rendezvous.
The winds coming off the Andean foothills finally relented as the evening drew near. The water on the lake eased from a wind-strewn boil to a gentle chop, and finally to glassy tranquility. Intermittent rings punctured the calm waters, as a modest chironomid hatch attracted trout to the surface. At this point, we knew these mega brookies preferred meat over tiny hatching insects. Several of us worked a reed-lined bay by foot, tossing large terrestrial patterns that no self-respecting, unpressured brook trout could refuse.
My friend Jamal Jones was the first to hook up after a 22inch tanker of a brookie darted out from the reeds to consume his Fat Albert. He asked if I could net the fish, and I happily obliged. My line dangled lazily behind me as I walked toward Jones. While in motion, trout attacked my jumbo Chubby Chernobyl Ant not once, not twice, but three times in the 20 steps it took to reach Jones. Although I failed to connect on these strikes, the encounter produced a startling realization. These fish were meat-eaters, and they wanted the meatiest, most proteinaceous snack in the trout world: mice.
After releasing Jones’ fish, we quickly tied on mice patterns
RIO PICO OFFERS PLENTY OF PRIZED RAINBOW TROUT TOO. PHOTO BY CHAD AGY
with trembling, adrenaline-filled hands. A session of mousing mayhem ensued. The bay was full of murderous brookies, all waiting for a rodent to make a suicidal swim across their lair. We experienced multiple double hook-ups, as the fish did not attempt to hide their affinity for a struggling mammal. As the light faded, we told stories of the massacre that had unfolded before our eyes. Malbec in hand, we basked under the luminous sheen of unfamiliar Southern Hemisphere constellations, before realizing the sun would rise in six hours. Sleep would not come easy after such an experience, but we decided to rest. Soon, we would catch more fish.
Experience Rio Pico
The waters described here are known entities among the guides of Rio Pico; but in a world where almost nothing is secret, I decided to allow them anonymity. Most of these waters would be difficult for an outsider to access anyway. Insanely rutted access roads are interrupted by gaucho gates, many of them locked to all those who do not have permission from the landowner. Even the most intrepid traveling angler would need to mount a herculean effort to access these places unaided.
So, if you want to fish in the best waters here you need a guide.
My preferred outfitter there is Trout Bum Rio Pico, a program run by Hemispheres Unlimited. Led by Justin Witt, a guide who planted roots in central Argentine Patagonia decades ago, this program provides unparalleled access to the waters of the Rio Pico region, for a fraction of the prices charged by nearby luxury lodges. Even though you must travel by Toyota Hilux and not by helicopter, and anglers will not find hot tubs attached to their rooms, Trout Bum Rio Pico provides a surprisingly comfortable experience given the lower price point. Cozy rooms and beds await exhausted anglers after a long day of fishing, and meals include famous Argentine steak, lamb asados and milanesas. A spacious living area provides a special venue for telling tales from past adventures and tying flies for the coming days. Most importantly, this program provides affordable access to one of the best trout fisheries in the world, with professional guides who work as hard as any in the industry.
Check out hemispheresunlimited.com for more information.
Chad Agy is an avid fly fisherman and traveler who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.
OCT.18, 2024: EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND SAILED AGAINST BRITAIN’S INEOS
ON RACE DAY 5 OF THE LOUIS
BRITANNIA
VUITTON 37TH AMERICA’S CUP. PHOTO BY RICARDO PINTO / AMERICA’S CUP
37th Annual America’s Cup
Emirates Team New Zealand Makes History with Third Consecutive Title
STORY BY JOHN KELLY | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE AMERICA’S CUP
Just how dominant was the 37th America’s Cup championship run for New Zealand’s Emirates Team
New Zealand? Well, one could make the case that their most formidable foe might have been gravity.
Their second-generation AC75 Taihoro slipped while being craned back after racing in the event’s Regatta. The sound of the boat smashing against her cradle was so loud, according to Yachting World , that “it reverberated around Barcelona’s Port Vell like an explosion.”
The damage, it turned out, was minimal—in stark contrast to the damage tthe team would inflict on its opponents on its way to becoming the first in America’s Cup history to win three consecutive titles.
The complete transformation of the America’s Cup as a race and as a global event was on full display in Barcelona last August like never before.
The event began four decades before the start of the modern Olympic Games, in 1851. It was launched as an elegant race around the Isle of Wight between groups of British and New York yachtsmen at the helms of wooden schooners. Today the America’s Cup has exploded on the international sporting scene, drawing massive corporate sponsorship and millions of international fans fascinated by a sport now known as “Formula One on the Sea.”
Today’s multi-hull foiling catamarans are marvels of design and technology that fly over the water at speeds of more than 60 mph. Three of the six challengers in the 37th America’s Cup had an association with a Formula One (F1) team. Boat International recently pointed out that today’s entrants are a modern mix of aerodynamics and technology, featuring a complex array of interdependent electronics, mechanical systems, hydraulics and software that
provide the “beating heart of the boat.”
Geoff Willis, who heads the design partnership between INEOS Britannia and the Mercedes F1 team, recently told the Associated Press, “The great thing about the Cup and Formula One is the amount of overlap in this sort of technology space,” Willis says. “So yes, you’ve got a hull in water, and you've got foils in water, and you’ve got sails on one side, and you’ve got an engine and tires on the other. That’s sort of 10% of difference. There’s this 80+% overlap and that means that an F1 team can be involved in an awful large part of the whole program.”
Simply put, this is not your grandparents’ America’s Cup, and the see-and-be-seen shoreside scene in Barcelona signaled a new entrant on the “can’t miss” list of international sporting spectacles.
While not going the F1 route, the New Zealand team is hardly behind in
the innovation category. They are the masterminds behind the AC75 monohull, which changed the face of America’s Cup racing in 2021, and have decided to stick with their record-breaking success by keeping their design in house.
While technology makes for a compelling backstory, the real America’s Cup action last summer was where it always is—offshore, where the world’s leading boats and sailors were lined up to thwart the Kiwi “threepeat.” There, British sailing legend Sir Ben Ainslie and his crew
were chasing a bit of history themselves—a win would bring the Cup back to their homeland for the first time in 174 years.
After a dominant start by Team New Zealand, the Brits rallied back with two victories that cut the lead to 4-2 and had longtime sailing scribes musing about a “Miracle on the Med.” The dream was short-lived as the Emirates bunch pocketed two more victories on Friday and set the stage for their historic crowning moment.
New Zealand Team boss Grant Dalton
and his dynamic duo of Peter “Pistol Pete” Burling and Nathan Outerridge awoke Saturday with the wind at their backs. And by that, we mean virtually no wind at all. The gales and waves that had helped propel the British squad to their spirited challenge were replaced with glassy waters and wind speeds barely rising to levels needed to start the race.
To call the New Zealanders confident at this point would have been an understatement. The team sailed out to their date with destiny with a flourish that
THE PARTICIPATION OF TE KAWAU, A TRADITIONAL MĀORI WAKA (CANOE)
FROM NGĀTI WHĀTUA ŌRĀKEI, WAS A WELCOME SITE AS IT ESCORTED TAIHORO AND THE TEAM OUT TO THE AMERICA’S CUP RACE COURSE EACH DAY DURING THIS YEAR’S LOUIS VUITTON AMERICA’S CUP MATCH IN BARCELONA, SPAIN. PHOTO BY IAN ROMAN / AMERICA’S CUP
came complete with their own walkup music. Speakers pointing out from the boat blared a playlist of the team’s favorite tunes. Not your grandparents’ America’s Cup indeed.
The race was anything but a rout. Ainslie and Company pulled even at one point. However, Burling and Outteridge, known in yachting circles as “the wind
whisperer,” put their opponents away for a final time and clinched a 7-2 win in the best-of-13 competition with a comfortable 37-second margin.
Scores of rabid New Zealand fans, dressed in their team’s signature black shirts, roared their approval from fan boats and from the shore. Meanwhile, the Team New Zealand crew capped off
their 10-month quest with a champagne celebration, toasting a historic display of speed, strategy and what Yachting World called “ruthless dominance.”
“It’s just sinking in,” skipper Burling said of the victory, which gave him his third America’s Cup and his record 22nd finals. “What an amazing day. This team has been amazing, and this is just an
EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND AND ITS AC75 TAIHORO BATTLED IT OUT WITH ITALY’S LUNA ROSSA PRADA PIRELLI AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF BARCELONA, SPAIN. PHOTO BY HAMISH HOOPER / EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND
amazing feeling.”
His opponents, who fell short in their own bid for history, were quick to tip their caps. “We’ve got to give credit to Team New Zealand,” Ainslie said. “What an amazing performance to win three in a row. In my book that makes them the best team in the history of the cup.” Team New Zealand’s historic
success will next be put to the test in the summer of 2027. And while the location and opponent are yet to be determined, two things are certain: The Kiwis will be waiting, and the world is hard at work as you read this to crack the code that will end one of the sporting world’s most impressive streaks.
John Kelly is the managing editor of The Virginia Sportsman. He is a writer and public relations professional based in Charlottesville, Virginia, whose work has appeared in the UVA Arts Magazine, Albemarle Magazine and USA Today, among other publications. John also works regularly throughout Central Virginia as a singer-songwriter and recently released an album of original songs titled “In Between.”
EMIRATES TEAM NEW ZEALAND MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST TEAM IN AMERICA’S CUP HISTORY TO WIN THREE CONSECUTIVE TITLES. PHOTOS BY IAN ROMAN / AMERICA’S CUP
RACING TO THE TRACK THIS YEAR
$542M 5,300 9,000
Thoroughbred Racing at Colonial Downs in New Kent
Steeplechase Racing at the Virginia Gold Cup, Foxfield, Middleburg & Montpelier
Harness Racing at Shenandoah Downs in Woodstock
La Gitana que Brama or The Gypsy that Roars
STORY AND PHOTOS BY RYAN SPARKS
In the darkness, I hear a bellowing, guttural roar. As the wind dies, the hollow thud of hooves joins the roaring and my mind puts distance and direction to the sound. Moments later, another snarling roar sounds to the east, followed shortly by a third, fainter wail to the south.
“We are surrounded,” my guide Victor Videla whisper-yells towards me. In the gathering light, I can just make out the smile on his face.
We are on day five of a week-long red stag hunt in the La Pampa region of Argentina. Thus far, unseasonably warm temperatures have kept the stag silent,
but this morning’s sharp chill has them feeling their oats.
Videla blows a shrieking moan into the tube-like call he uses to imitate a roaring stag, and a fourth stag sounds off, much closer than the others. When the closest stag is nearly finished, the furthest cuts him off with another, more aggressive roar. There is just enough light to see through binoculars, and across a ravine I spot a set of antlers coming towards us, cutting through the brush like a periscope. Videla calls twice more and 10 minutes later I hear the snapping of twigs and turn to see a towering set of antlers alarmingly close. I ready the rifle on shooting sticks,
but the brush is so thick all I can see are antlers until the stag crashes through a clearing 100 yards away. I adjust the rifle scope to its widest field of view and track the sound of the animal as it circles downwind in search of the calling’s source. Just ahead there is a small opening, and I wait, hoping the stag will continue its current path.
When he steps into the clearing 50 yards in front of me, he turns and faces directly towards me. The world slows, his ears come forward, and I know the jig is up. I put the crosshairs on his chest and touch the trigger. The stag drops to the earth.
BOTTOM LEFT: JASON TANNER POSES WITH
STAG HE SHOT ON THE FIRST
OF HIS HUNT AT GOLDEN STAG SAFARIS.
Despite having the largest population of red deer in the world, red deer are not native to Argentina. Instead, they were introduced to La Pampa, a vast grassland plain stretching across the heart of Argentina, from Hungary and Scotland at the end of the 19th century.
La Pampa is reminiscent of south Texas—rolling country where every tree, bush, and plant is studded with thorns. The cliche that everything stings or pokes you is nearly true here. In the afternoon of the first day, we stopped to take a break. When I looked around, I could not find a blade of grass, bush or tree that didn’t have some kind of serrated edge, sharp thorn or stinging point.
Despite its ruggedness, or perhaps because of it, red deer found the landscape to their liking, and now they are as much a part of the country as gauchos and maté. Like most of the best things about Argentina— trout, malbec and most of the people—red deer came from somewhere else.
Golden Stag Safaris is situated near the center of La Pampa, nestled into the rolling hills and sweeping dunes of Estancia Nehuen Mapu. The ranch encompasses 15,000 acres that are a mosaic of rolling grasslands and scattered woodlands. Wildlife thrives on the estancia, with red deer, black buck, water buffalo, flamingos, rabbits the size of small dogs and nandu, an ostrich-like bird, all calling the ranch home.
The cuisine at Nehuen Mapu is similar to all Argentine food, which is to say, excellent. Once a week, the lodge holds an asado night, cooking a whole lamb as well as several other cuts of meat over an open fire in the traditional Argentine fashion. Argentines eat more meat than any country in the world, and along with asado you can expect dishes of red stag carpaccio, red stag sliders, black buck tartare, red stag milanesa, brimming trays of empanadas and grilled water buffalo steaks, all of which are washed down with generous pours of malbec and other Argentine wines. In short, this is life at its finest.
While Golden Stag Safaris offers a refined and well-established hunting experience, my journey extended beyond its comforts. I was particularly
intrigued by their developing hunting program at La Gitana, a 79,000-acre estancia that remains largely untouched—wild, raw and still shaping its identity as a premier red stag hunting destination. Located within a couple of hours’ drive from Nehuen Mapu, it offered an entirely different challenge—one I was eager to explore.
La Gitana, which translates to “the gypsy,” was once a sprawling cattle ranch that is now managed for free-range red deer. Prior to my visit, it had been hunted only a handful of times. The majority of Argentina’s red stag hunts take place within game-farm enclosures, albeit enclosures that often house thousands of acres, where males can grow enormous antlers and are sold as “estate” trophies. At La Gitana, the brushy habitat is conducive to red deer and the low cattle fences inhibit their movement as much as cattle fences inhibit whitetail deer in the U.S.
While the free-range stag at La Gitana might not grow freakish antlers like their high-fence cousins, they more than make up for it in the challenge of calling them close enough for a shot in such thick and brushy country.
GUIDE VICTOR VIDELA GLASSES DOWN A RANCH ROAD ON THE SECOND MORNING OF THE AUTHOR'S HUNT AT LA GITANA.
As I approached the downed stag, the echoes of the morning’s roaring still hung in the air. The long red fighting scars running along his flank told the story of a creature shaped by the land and a timeless battle for survival. While admiring the crowns of his antlers, I remembered dreaming of hunting red stag as a boy. At that time, it seemed like just that—a dream—and now, here it was. In the reality of the moment, it felt richer than the dream. This was a reminder that the best adventures are the ones that leave a mark long after they are over.
Ryan Sparks tells stories, through writing and photography, about the things he is passionate about: fishing, hunting, wild food, rivers, mountains, dogs. He is the editor of Quail Forever Journal and tries to get back to Argentina as often as possible.
Rhode Island’s Jamestown Oyster Co.
Former Lobsterman Succeeds with Oyster Aquaculture in Narragansett Bay
STORY BY JOE SHIELDS | PHOTOS BY ONNE VAN DER WAL
Rhode Island native Mark Goerner was a lobsterman. He worked out of Jamestown until the lobsters began vanishing from Narragansett Bay and the coastal sound.
“I believe lobsters moved northeastward to Newport, Port Judith and the colder waters of Maine,” Goerner said. “They weren’t happy here anymore. I guess it had to do with the local ecosystem being stressed, and lobsters are susceptible to events. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, I realized I couldn’t make a living as a lobsterman. Few people set traps here anymore.”
Around that same time, billions of mussels began dying in Narragansett Bay. Many died from hypoxia, or oxygen depletion.
Harmful algal blooms produced toxins that affected the physiology of filter-feeding bivalves, like mussels. Algae reduced mussel feeding and caused reproductive failure and massive mortality.
Harvesters also began discovering pea crabs, which are tiny parasites, in mussels. Pea crabs divert food form their hosts and affect the bivalve’s growth in various ways.
In 2004, Goerner made a career change and began working for Saltwater Farms in North Kingstown, a new venture started by the founder of American Mussel Harvesters. Saltwater Farms focused on aquaculture—the breeding, raising and harvesting of fish, shellfish and aquatic plants—and began raising a sustainable crop of oysters in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay.
JAMESTOWN OYSTER CO. OPERATES WITHIN A FIVE-ACRE SECTION IN DUTCH HARBOR NEAR JAMESTOWN IN THE WEST PASSAGE ENTRANCE TO NARRAGANSETT BAY, RHODE ISLAND.
Oysters provide significant environmental benefits by acting as natural water filters; the shellfish remove excess nutrients and algae from the water and improve water quality. The new line of work was right up Goerner’s alley.
“I started in aquaculture with Saltwater Farms and was grateful for the opportunity,” he said. “Oysters are a delicious, nutritious protein source. I learned a lot and enjoyed the independence of being on my own boat.”
Then in 2008, Goerner began the permitting process and worked to develop an aquaculture operation of his own.
“There was a lot of pressure from coastal waterfront homeowners,” Goerner explained. “People love the concept, but they don’t want to look at buoys and floating gear. The state doesn’t have hard set rules when it comes to gear off the water, and floating gear is designed to be low profile to mitigate the visual effect. Some consider floating gear visual pollution. I look at it like this: when you see low-profile floating gear in your peripheral view, the gear is a tiny, insignificant part of the picture.”
Eventually, Goerner secured a permit for a five-acre section in Dutch Harbor near Jamestown in the West Passage entrance to Narragansett Bay. His operation is visible from the Verrazano Bridge. Goerner said most growers pick a name that denotes a place for the variety of oysters they harvest. He selected Dutch Island, a 102.7acre patch of land between the dock and his site. Goerner placed gear in the water there in late fall of 2011 and never looked back.
DUTCH ISLAND OYSTERS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR MINERAL SALTINESS AND UMAMI FINISH.
“It takes 12 to 18 months for oysters to reach market size. When you anchor gear in the water, the cages must stay there and hold weight. Fouling issues are the biggest problem, and algae and mussels interfere with growth and compete with oysters for nutrients.”
Oyster gear has intricate design elements that enable harvesters to flip cages over to get the oysters out of the water in the dryer, warmer months when there is little wind. This practice helps kill fouling agents. The cages are attached to concrete anchors on the bay floor along wire lines. Each wire holds 20 cages supported by floating black buoys.
The oyster growth cycle begins in spring. During the summer, Goerner and his two part-time employees move and flip the oysters one-to-two times a week. In fall and winter oysters fatten up. Goerner sinks them to rest on the bay floor during the colder months.
“Oysters are a lot like grapes,” Goerner said. “Dirt, weather and other factors determine the flavor of grapes. It’s the same principle with oysters.”
Salinity affects the taste of oysters and so does the temperature of the water. Colder water produces sweeter oysters, while warmer water produces brinier oysters. Their diet also plays a role. Oysters that eat algae and phytoplankton have a milder flavor, whereas oysters that eat diatoms and other microorganisms have more complex flavor. Surface oysters have a sweeter, delicate taste, while deeper oysters are briny. Oysters can also taste different throughout the year.
Dutch Island Oysters are known for their mineral saltiness and umami finish. Goerner grows oysters in surface gear that promotes a more uniform shape and cup. Jamestown Oyster Co.’s proximity to the ocean waters also allows for a fresh, salty taste.
“I have a great location for harvesting oysters. We’re close to the mouth of the bay and ocean waters, which is very healthy for oysters. The water turns over a lot too, which helps.”
Foodies will tell you to only eat oysters in months with the letter “r”—from September to April—to avoid watery shellfish or food poisoning. This tradition originated when refrigeration
GOERNER SELLS MOST OF HIS OYSTERS TO THE OCEAN STATE SHELLFISH COOPERATIVE, WHICH BUYS DIRECTLY FROM 13 OYSTER FARMS IN FOUR DISTINCT WATERWAYS IN RHODE ISLAND.
OYSTER GEAR HAS INTRICATE DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT ENABLE HARVESTERS TO FLIP CAGES OVER TO GET THE OYSTERS OUT OF THE WATER IN THE DRYER, WARMER MONTHS WHEN THERE IS LITTLE WIND. THIS PRACTICE HELPS KILL ALGAE AND OTHER FOULING AGENTS.
wasn’t widely available, and oysters harvested in the summer spoiled in the sun.
Today, oyster farms follow strict environmental regulations, water quality monitoring and pathogen testing to ensure the safety of their oysters. Oysters are safe to eat year-round, but it’s still important to choose oysters from a trusted supplier.
When it comes to aquaculture versus
commercial fishing, Goerner said, aquaculture is less competitive.
“Lobster and other commercial fishing outfits are competitive, and people can get territorial. This can create conflict. In my experience, it’s not that way with aquaculture. We often have a cooperative approach, and growers help one another and share information.”
Goerner’s business model is simple.
He sells most of his oysters to the Ocean State Shellfish Cooperative, which buys directly from 13 oyster farms in four distinct waterways in Rhode Island. The organization promotes itself as a “microbrewery” for oysters.
“I don’t have any marketing costs—no website. I might be able to make a little more money selling directly to restaurants, but I enjoy being on my boat and on the
water. I don’t want to bother with all that. Sometimes I sell to people on the dock.”
Looking to the future, Goerner wants to start taking people out on summer sunset cruises.
“I have a 35-foot boat that can carry six passengers. I want to start hosting guests for a couple hours, maybe from 5 p.m. to 7 or 8 p.m. in the evenings. It’s a beautiful 15-minute ride to my site. It’s a nice spot for drinks and tasting fresh oysters.”
Sounds like a good plan to me.
Call (401) 924-1121 or visit Jamestown Oyster Co. on Facebook for more information.
Joe Shields is the editor in chief of The Virginia Sportsman. He is a writer and communications executive who lives in New Orleans and Virginia. He is also an award-winning, gallery-represented artist whose work is found in private collections and galleries. Whether fly fishing or surfing, drawing or painting, he celebrates sporting life and culture in his narratives and art.
Flyer II, van der Wal won all four legs of the 1981-82 Whitbread Round the World Race. Along the way, he took his camera with him everywhere he went, even to the top of the mast and the end of the spinnaker pole.
Onne van der Wal of Newport, Rhode Island, is one of the most prolific and talented marine photographers in the world of sailing. As the bowman and engineer aboard the Dutch maxi-boat
While he has an artist’s eye for composition and color, van der Wal is also a perfectionist when it comes to the technical aspects of his craft. As a member of the elite Canon Explorers of Light, a group of the most influential photographers and cinematographers in the world, he is always pushing the equipment and the technology forward. To see more of Onne van der Wal’s work, visit vanderwal.com.
Historical Tourism Abounds in Jefferson County
STORY BY JOHN KELLY | PHOTOS BY JOSH LYKINS
When it comes to walking in the literal footsteps of history, it’s hard to beat Jefferson County, West Virginia.
That’s just one of the things I learned on a recent blustery guided tour with Dennis Frye, the retired chief historian at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and the author of 11 books on the Civil War. The footsteps we walked that day were those of radical abolitionist John Brown, one of the most controversial figures in American history whose shocking and unsuccessful raid on Harpers Ferry signaled the inevitability of the Civil War.
Few historians on the planet know Brown’s footsteps like Frye, and for good reason. He’s literally been walking them his whole life. As we stood in his former
stomping grounds of the park, Frye offered what he called an eagle’s eye view of the world we would soon swoop down into–the place where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers converge, flowing between mountains representing Maryland on one side, and Virginia on the other.
That very spot represents the magic of Jefferson County as a destination. The same rivers and mountains that Brown saw and experienced are right there for the taking for all those who love the outdoors. There are miles and miles of trails (the near-halfway of the Appalachian Trail is right there in Harpers Ferry). The C&O Canal walking trail, which Brown surely knew, is a gorgeous option. Rafting and fishing opportunities abound, and for those looking for greener “pastures” there are three championship golf courses.
All that activity can work up quite an appetite, and the region has developed an impressive food scene, including at the Bavarian Inn. During the evening that I spent there, locals and guests gathered at Bavarian Brothers Brewing, part of Shepherdstown’s lovely and welcoming Bavarian Inn. Locals and guests gathered in the spacious Potomac Dining Room and in its cozy brewpub bar that conveys a warmth that goes even beyond its centerpiece fireplace, surrounded by comfy leather couches. From its signature brews and delicious bar food to award-winning international cuisine, the Bavarian Inn aims high and hits the mark.
“I grew up with John Brown,” Frye said. His father was long the unofficial historian of Washington County, where Brown’s headquarters of Kennedy Farm
A BIRDS-EYE VIEW OF HARPERS FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA, A SMALL TOWN AT THE CONFLUENCE OF THE POTOMAC AND SHENANDOAH RIVERS THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF AMERICAN HISTORY
was located. Frye remembers his father’s instrumental role in the preservation of that property, and many others. “Brown is so much more than a historical figure to me. He is infused in my soul.”
Even today, Brown remains among the most controversial figures in American history.
“I’ve led John Brown tours for literally thousands of people,” Frye said, “and never have I done a program where everyone was in agreement about him.”
Frye has always seen his job as encouraging people to think differently, to see different sides of one of our nation’s most complex men and stories. “My goal is to make this person of the past breathe and speak, to make him touch visitors and in the process, to humanize history.”
Breathing life into history is a specialty in the Eastern Panhandle. Take a short trip across the Berkeley County line into Martinsburg and you’ll find yourself in the middle of another historical tale that includes the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, has a forever impact on the American labor movement and includes cameos by iconic American figures like Davy Crockett.
History in Martinsburg literally begins with Revolutionary War General
Adam Stephen, who founded the town and is known for a stirring speech to the Virginia Constitutional Convention in 1788 urging delegates to ratify the United States Constitution. The General Adam Stephen House and Triple Brick Museum, a stately stone manor, is a highly popular tourist destination, lovingly restored and maintained to reflect its period and featuring artifacts and items reflecting the history of the town and region
Brown’s exploits were hardly the only cloak-and-dagger missions happening in the region. The Belle Boyd House offers a chance to visit the childhood home of the famed Confederate spy known for bravely traveling across enemy lines again and again to share intel on enemy movements with General Stonewall Jackson. She would be arrested twice before ultimately being sent to England, where in her literal second act, she became a noted actress.
The revolutionary impact of the railroad was more than evident in the Eastern Panhandle, and you can learn all about it at the Martinsburg Roundhouse, a National Historic Registry building with a storied history all its own and centerstage spot in two major moments
in our nation’s history. Completed in 1849 as part of the B&O Railroad, the roundhouse was a key cog in the growth of the young town until Stonewall Jackson and his men burned it down. The building was reconstructed in 1866.
The Martinsburg Roundhouse’s second turn in the historical spotlight came when it served as the launching point for the Great Railroad Strike in 1877, America’s first national work stoppage and a major catalyst for the rise of unions in our country. One of the historic roundhouses on the site was lost to arson in the early 1990s. The other stands today as the only one of its kind in the nation.
The railroad also played a critical role in the story of John Brown. Without it, Dennis Frye speculates, things might have gone very differently.
On the night of Oct. 16, 1859, when Brown and his 18 men came down Frye’s beloved boyhood mountain roads in the dead of night, they encountered a single nightwatchman who was tasked with guarding both the Armory, where tens of thousands of weapons were manufactured, and the storage facility where finished weapons were kept.
Allowing the nightwatchman to escape that evening was the first
A TRUE TREAT FOR HISTORY LOVERS, MARTINSBURG’S BELLE BOYD HOUSE IS THE CHILDHOOD HOME OF ONE OF THE AREA’S MOST COLORFUL HISTORICAL CHARACTERS – A DARING CONFEDERATE SPY KNOWN FOR CROSSING ENEMY LINES TO SHARE INTEL WITH GENERAL STONEWALL JACKSON.
PERCHED ON A SPECTACULAR BLUFF OVERLOOKING THE POTOMAC RIVER, THE AWARD-WINNING, EUROPEAN-INSPIRED
BAVARIAN INN IN SHEPHERDSTOWN IS A BOUTIQUE RESORT THAT COMBINES COMFORT, ELEGANCE AND WORLD-CLASS FOOD AND SERVICE.
mistake Brown and his men made, and it was a big one. The regularly scheduled evening train might have arrived and departed with its occupants none-the-wiser had they not been tipped off by that nightwatchman that there was something nefarious going on.
And if that wasn’t enough, there was the porter, a free African American who noticed the train staying longer than usual and went to investigate it. The man ignored multiple commands from Brown’s men to stop. A shot rang out, killing him in the silhouette of the train’s light.
The noise roused Dr. John Starry from his bed. The doctor quickly realized there was nothing he could do to save the man. Somehow, Frye explained, the doctor slowly backed away and disappeared into the night.
“He became the Paul Revere of Harpers Ferry.” Between Dr. Starry’s ride to neighboring Charles Town and the train’s arrival in Washington, D.C., the critically important element of surprise had evaporated.
Dr. Starry’s ride may have been one of the most consequential rides in Charles Town’s history, but there would be many more thanks to the Charles Town Races, a horse racing tradition that dates to 1933 as West Virginia’s first track. Today known as Hollywood Casino at Charlestown Races, the year-round nightly races draw some of the East Coast’s best trainers, horses and jockeys and are complemented by a world-class entertainment venue with more than 3,500 slot machines, over 100 table games, outstanding live entertainment and much more.
John Brown’s own gamble, meanwhile, was up against disappearing odds. Townspeople began picking off Brown's men, and soon Brown and his remaining soldiers were encircled by Virginia Militia in
M ASON
Never Miss An Issue
the Armory Fire-Engine House, accompanied now by some prominent hostages. U.S. Marines promptly arrived from Washington, headed by then Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Lee and including his soon-to-be Confederate cavalry commander, General J.E.B Stuart.
Shots were exchanged, taking 16 lives including those of Brown’s sons Oliver and Watson, as well as the Harpers Ferry mayor. Brown was seriously wounded and captured.
The end of one of the region’s historical chapters is the start of another as the Brown story moves to Charles Town, where he is tried in the courthouse that is still active to this day. The trial began on Oct. 27. Reporters from around the
country flooded to the town, their daily dispatches making front page news on either side of the Mason Dixon Line.
After a one-week trial, Brown was found guilty of murder, treason and conspiring with enslaved people to rebel. The judge sentenced Brown to death by hanging two weeks after his capture and only six weeks after Brown’s failed attack. He was executed on Dec. 2.
A visit to the Charles Town Museum can take you deeper into Brown’s story and to the town’s leading role in its final chapter. One of the first things you come across is the wooden wagon Brown rode in, astride his own coffin, on the way to his execution site. That site, marked by a small plaque, is
THE RAILROAD’S REVOLUTIONARY IMPACT ON THE REGION IS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE MARTINSBURG ROUNDHOUSE, A NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTRY BUILDING BUILT IN 1849 AND LATER BURNED DOWN BY CONFEDERATE TROOPS. REBUILT IN 1866, IT WOULD SERVE AS THE LAUNCHING POINT FOR THE GREAT RAILROAD STRIKE OF 1877.
in the yard of a private home, only three short blocks from the courthouse.
A long day of history is best accompanied with first-class relaxation, which is always on the hospitality menu at the Bavarian Inn, perched as it has been for the last 45 years on a bluff overlooking the Potomac. The AAA Four Diamond-winning property features 72 luxury rooms with amenities that make you feel at home and then some, including gas fireplaces, whirlpool baths and gorgeous river views. The property’s recent upgrades saw the addition of a glorious infinity pool, and it’s all located a stone’s throw from Shepherdstown’s lovely downtown, a shopper’s and peruser’s paradise full of
privately-owned shops, galleries and restaurants.
Martinsburg travelers can find the ultimate in small-town, first-class relaxation at the Apple B&B, a beautifully restored 1849 Greek Revival home in the historic downtown area. Opened in 2020, the lovingly restored getaway is the perfect launching point for your explorations and includes the Apple Blossom Gallery, launched in 2021. A vibrant restaurant scene awaits just outside the Apple’s doors, including highly rated American, Mexican, Thai options and more. Local highlight Brix 27 is a can’t-miss culinary experience, with a hand-curated menu boasting locally sourced ingredients and a rotation of delicious dishes delivering a delightfully diverse array of flavors to satisfy all tastes.
Weathering The Storms
TURKEY BLACK BEAN CHILI
STORY BY HANK SHAW
PHOTO BY HOLLY A. HEYSER
Turkey black bean chili is a great alternative to a traditional Texas chili. What’s more, you can make it either slow and low on a weekend, or you can speed things up with a few weeknight hacks.
Turkey black bean chili sounds like something some lifestyle magazine whipped together to impress the trendy, but it is actually a stew with origins dating to before the Europeans arrived in the Western Hemisphere 500 years ago.
Don’t believe me? Well, for starters, it was the Aztecs and Maya (or their predecessors) who domesticated the turkey. Black beans and tomatoes originated in Central America, chiles from South America. Oh, and the corn? Yep, that’s a New World ingredient, too. So this dish has a history.
What’s not ancient is the concept of chili as we Americans know it. Chili, to us, is normally ground or minced meat with all or some of those wonderful ingredients listed above, simmered into awesomeness and typically topped with green things and cheese.
I’d been tossing around the idea of a pre-1492 stew for a while when I landed on turkey black bean chili. And for those of you who know me, I take my chili seriously. I love my pork chile verde recipe, and my normal chili recipe has won untold awards in untold chili cook-offs, dating back nearly two decades.
Old School Turkey Black Bean Chili
This turkey black bean chili is a lighter, brighter chili, with more vegetables and no coffee or molasses. I like it almost as much as my One True Chili to Rule Them All. Almost.
I make this one old school most of the time, letting it simmer all day. The beans and field corn take a long time to cook. Dried field corn is wonderful: It’s starchy and hearty and can cook forever. You can nixtamalize it yourself, buy “pozole corn” that is already nixtamalized, or skip that step and simply boil the dried corn straight.
And if you can’t find good dried corn (look in Mexican markets), it is perfectly OK to substitute fresh or frozen sweet corn in this recipe.
You might also notice that I am using teeny black beans; they are black tepary beans, from the Sonoran desert. Just as the corn I use is from the Tohono O’Odham, so are the beans. That said, any black bean that makes you happy will work.
Finally, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t use real dried chiles in my chili. Unlike my other chili recipe, this chili relies only on either guajillo or New Mexican red chiles, which are sometimes sold as California chiles. The point is that they are very red, dried and mild-ish. If you can’t find them, simply use paprika.
Weeknight Hacks
If you are in a hurry, you can make turkey black bean chili in less than 40 minutes. Just use canned black beans and fresh or frozen corn, and use paprika or chili powder instead of the dried chiles.
What Meat to Use?
I prefer to use ground turkey thighs for my chili, but any ground light meat will work: turkey breast, pheasant or chicken, pork or rabbit would all be good substitutes.
If you have all day and are making the old-school version, I would drop whole turkey legs in the pot, fish them out and chop the meat when it’s falling off the bone. This is similar to how I make my turkey leg stew.
Serve your turkey black bean chili with whatever toppings you like, but I prefer melty cheddar or Jack cheese, some chopped onions and cilantro. Maybe a dollop of sour cream. It will keep for a week in the fridge and is better the day after it’s made. You can also freeze it, or pressure-can it in quart Mason jars for 90 minutes at whatever PSI is appropriate for your altitude.
Turkey Black Bean Chili
This recipe can be done in as little as an hour if you use the shortcuts, but I prefer it cooked with the dry ingredients, slow and low. Either way works well. Serve your chili with cornbread, rice or crusty bread.
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American Servings: 10 Servings
Ingredients
• 2 to 3 tablespoons bacon fat, lard or vegetable oil
• 2 to 3 pounds ground turkey
• 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 28 to 32-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 quart turkey or chicken stock
• 4 to 6 dried guajillo or New Mexican chiles, stemmed and seeded
• OR 3 tablespoons paprika
• Salt
• 1 to 2 cups cooked corn kernels (1 cup dry if using)
• 2 to 3 cups cooked black beans, or 2 15-ounce cans
Garnishes
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• ½ cup cilantro (optional)
Instructions
1. If you are using dried corn and dried beans, soak them in water overnight. The next day, you can either cook them with the chili, which will increase cook time to about 6 hours, or you can cook the corn and beans separately, which will take about 2 hours; the acidity of the chili will drastically slow the cooking of the beans.
2. If you are using the dried chiles, about 30 minutes before you plan on starting the chili, put the chiles in a bowl and pour boiling water over them to rehydrate.
3. Heat the bacon fat or oil in a large pot like a Dutch oven over high heat and, when it's almost smoking, add the ground turkey. Sear the turkey over high heat without touching it for a couple minutes, then stir and repeat that process until the meat is cooked and has some nice brown marks.
4. Stir in the onion and green pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook for 2 minutes more.
5. Pour in crushed tomatoes and stock and stir well. If you are using the dried chiles, buzz them into a puree in a blender and add to the chili. If you are using the paprika, add it now. Stir well and add salt to taste.
6. If you are using the dried corn and beans and want to cook them in the chili, add them now, along with another quart of water; it'll cook down over time. Simmer the chili until the corn and beans are tender, which will take several hours. Add more water as you go to keep the chili at the consistency you want.
7. If you are using fresh or frozen corn and canned beans, thaw the corn and rinse the beans. Let the chili simmer for 30 minutes, and then add the corn and beans and cook another 15 minutes. Serve with the garnishes once everything's nice and tender.
NOTE: Cook time reflects canned or frozen ingredients, not dried ones, which will take longer to cook.
PHOTO BY HOLLY A. HEYSER
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