Today at High Meadows

2012-01-12T04:24:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe, but we will soon have been here at High Meadows for 5 years! Still lots to do, but it's nice to sometimes be able to sit back and enjoy the beauty of the inn and vineyard.

Amazing also this 'winter' weather! Sorry for the skiers who are losing valuable time - and this can't be good for the ski resort industry...but from a purely selfish standpoint - it has been lovely to be able to be out in the garden, and by the pond tidying the trails and trimming back the spent flowerbeds...often, we are so busy and so cold - work that should be done in the fall gets put off to the spring - not this year! Even with a cooloff this weekend - it will be nice weather for walking.

This week - Charlottesville Restaurant week! http://cvilleyum.com/ If you are coming to see us - don't miss these great deals.

The 'quest for quiet' has always been here...

2012-01-04T06:28:00.001-08:00

Just saw a blurb on the 'Today" show regarding travel trends...the newest 'in' thing is being unplugged! Really??!! Yes, really - it seems people are finally realizing they need what we are offering: an opportunity to unplug yourself. The show highlighted amazing resorts that offered the visitors the option of no tv's, no cell phone service, no wi-fi, and most dramatically - no electricity. I like all of those things - and have enjoyed time myself at places such as these - and have found a nice happy, medium for our guests. Nearly everyone lauds our 'no tv' policy, and loves rediscovering puzzles, books, and games; I am not so sure everyone would or could leave their cell phones behind: we have a few square miles of 'dead zone' here in Central Virginia, and you'd think people were in the middle of the dessert with no food or water, judging by some folks' reactions to not having cell service! And then there is electricity: I admit I am not willing to forgo that here - this is also our home, as well as an inn.

I do think that we might be a good start for someone who craves some quiet, but can't quite be completely disconnected (I'd be uncomfortable with that myself - I have children I worry about). Come see how nice it can be to fall asleep reading instead of to the hum of a tv. Or how relaxing it is to take a walk in the woods, not watch daytime television. Or just to sit and really talk - in person - instead of facebook posts or tweeting!

I was raised in Florida. There is nothing I like more than a long walk on the beach, listening to the waves...now, here in Virginia, it's almost as satisfying to sit in the woods and listen to the quiet of the leaves falling, or the birds - even in winter - fluttering in the underbrush, near the small pond.

High Meadows is so close to DC and Richmond...if you are on a 'quest for quiet' look for us to help you find it in 2012.

2011-12-06T18:12:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are officially here at High Meadows! The decorations are up (and almost finished), the fountain has frozen at least once, parties are happening - and guests are shopping!

We have some wonderful local boutique shops - and a great new restaurant here in Scottsville...if you haven't visited us since spring, you should plan a visit this winter - see some new things, visit some new wineries or breweries, and try the new dining spots. SO much going on - including the Scottsville Festival of Lights thru this weekend - our Peacock Tree will be back at HMVI on the 12th - and in the dining room for all the guests to enjoy.

If you are looking for something fun for New Year's - look no further - we are planning a lovely weekend, with picnic lunch to tour the wineries, an evening dinner at High Meadows, complete with local award-winning sparkling wine, and late check-out on New Year's Day...rate is 750. for any room - and after Dec 15th, if we still have any rooms left available - check back for other special offers. Menu still to be determined, but will certainly include King Crab, Beef Tenderloin, and other fancies...

We hope to see our old friends in the new year - Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah - from all fo us at High Meadows Vineyard Inn.

pumpkin photos - and Carving Contest info!

2011-10-14T15:36:00.001-07:00

well, the rains weren't so good for the pumpkin crop in Virginia - but we did manage to get hold of some beautiful ones! Lots of fun gourds, too - goosenecks, which will dry hard and can be oiled or made into birdhouses; and fun colorful decorative little guys for Thanksgiving tables. I will say that we have been really needing to keep them up and dry - the last few days of rain have put several to rot - but the deer seem to like those when we put them in the field - and maybe they will sprout next season...

The weekend is going to dry out, and we have a couple of weeks left til Pumpkin Carving in Scottsville! This year, anyone who would like to enter can drop their pumpkin downtown at Victory Hall on Halloween anytime between 10am and 5pm...we will have a nice place spread out, starting from Victory Hall's main doors, and going down Valley street as far as our entries will go! The rules:

1) Bring your pumpkin, already carved, to the drop off site.
2) Provide a battery powered light inside - with batteries - we are avoiding candles this year, please!
3) Fill out a card and number your pumpkin - their will be several fun prizes - we are still rounding up our local judges, we need 3 unbiased locals to help pick the winners.

Categories are yet to be determined...we will need to see what we get - but probably something like: Most Original, Scariest, Best Classic Jack, etc.

Be creative - maybe we will invent a category just for you!!

October...http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

2011-10-12T07:09:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin time! Our Pumpkin Patch is open - and a great spot for picture taking. It's raining today (so I have time to write) and pictures wouldn't really capture much except...well, rain. So photos will come soon, I promise. In the mean time - the happenings for Scottsville are picking up!

Last week I enjoyed a Hill & Holler Farm Dinner at Blenheim Vineyards and I am looking forward to the next one at Caromont Farms...and hopefully, we will host in the spring! I will have a great package for our guests that will include dinner for two at the table - I am looking forward to participating with such amazing foodie and farmer women, and as a fundraiser for a local non-profit to boot! When the November details come out, I will post - hopefully we can entice a few guests to join us for the experience.

Also coming up - the Virginia Film Festival...lots of events sold out already, Oliver Stone will be here for one; if you are coming anytime from Nov 3 to 6th, check out their webpage - you might score something wonderful!

so - pictures of the pumpkin patch and fall 2011 coming soon. In the meantime, check out the Hill & Holler photos...happy fall!

Fall planting!

2011-09-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

Getting the fall garden ready...I can't believe how many weeds took over this summer - more weeds than veggies, really. We did get a few really beautiful butternut squash, one I am saving for Thanksgiving. And of course, through mid July we had a little zucchini...but August? I think I just let everything get taken over - and now I am paying for it! The worst is the long, strong grasses that send runner even under the heavy path mulch layers. There is not a good way other than just pure muscle to get it out...I am digging out the paths and building up the beds a bit, and we have LOTS of lovely compost! Thank you bunny...

So this week, putting in garlic, greens, and maybe a small bed of asparagus crowns...pictures will come soon!

In other High Meadows and Charlottesville news... The first Fluvanna County Wine Festival is coming up - I can't wait to taste the wines from our friends at Thistle Gate!

Pippin Hill continues to be a favourite place to visit - most guests don't want to leave! The wide porches, the beautiful views - and of course the wine and food - I didn't want the day to end when I was up there last time either!

So - life continues on with all of it's beauty, here and everywhere...see you soon!

fall is in the (morning) air!

2011-09-09T04:40:00.001-07:00

September...rain has been about all we have seen for a week - my daughter Sophia said just yesterday as the clouds began to break, 'wow - blue sky!'. I love the clear blue autumn skies - and they are in our forecast for the coming week, thank goodness. Nights are in the 60's, early mornings a bit foggy and cool. Days in the high 70's and low 80's - you can't get better apple picking weather!

Carter Mountain Orchard has been really working hard all summer - the peaches were the best ever, I am sorry to see them go - but the APPLES! Gala, Jonagold, Mcintosh - I don't think I have a favourite, til the Pink Ladies in October anyway. Morning crepes are now drizzled in Caramel Apple sauce, and the smell of gingerbread in the kitchen at dawn is so cozy. I am sure it won't be long til the hot cocoa requests are coming in...which leads me to my dream October kitchen purchase: a new cappuccino machine! Frothing milk for hot cocoa and lattes makes me happy, and I hope it will make our guests happy too.

Now, if we could just move a little faster to the crisp nights so we can light the fireplaces!

Thank-you!!

2011-08-13T07:24:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been so long since we posted anything on the blog! Scottsville has been so busy, High Meadows included...starting in the summer of 2010, with a simple Groupon offer (if you don't know what Groupon is - sign up now - it's fun, and you can get some really great deals!) we have been at nearly 80% occupancy ever since. For a small B&B, that is life changing. So many projects are completed, or started, or in the works - all thanks to the over 2,000 new guests we have seen in just over a year! We have so many new friends, guests who are returning again and again - and now, Scottsville (on the James - see above) is getting some great new dining and shopping options...the Brewhaus, the James River Taphouse, Amici's, Slice of Heaven - all either up and running or soon-to-be.

Did you notice the beer theme? For such a small town, in the heart of Monticello wine country, we are blessed to have among us a few very talented brewmeisters...and a committed group of community members determined to see an annual beer tasting festival succeed! This past year, we incorporated into our 4th of July festivities - and it was great. Onward and upward!

News at High Meadows - summer garden was kind of a bust, despite the rain, it was still quite hot. So, now, turning the soil to prepare for fall planting - kale, collards, spinach, garlic - all to enjoy over the next few months as it cools down.

We are soooo busy still - but October is open, and if you want a nice place to relax in the fall, you can't get better than High Meadows in October and November...and don't forget a winter escape - a nice present for the holidays.

2010-03-27T07:12:00.000-07:00

I seriously doubt it could look much SPRINGIER than this!! About the only thing still with fat buds are the dogwood. And only about 1/10th of the daffodils are blooming!

Easter week should be gorgeous - and we still have some rooms available.

I am headed today to Hilltop Berry Farm & Winery for some honey Mead!! Hopefully will get to stop at Basic Necessities for lunch, and if there is time I will call my friend Gail at Caromont for some of her amazing farmer's goat cheese - If not today, then for sure next weekend! Then calls to neighbors for lamb for next week's dinners, and our Easter dinner also - I am thinking about a braised or roasted butterflied leg of lamb, minted wheatberry salad, asparagus - something full of herbs and the fresh flavors of spring.

Plans are underway for our May Herb Festival - so many of our favourite herb growers are doing so well with their commercial sales, they aren't doing festivals anymore!! We couldn't be happier for them, but it also makes us want to get our greenhouse installed as soon as possible so WE can start our herb growing...we have a great location for a small shop, and if I ever get the bakery off the ground, the two things would work well together. Plus our guests would have something really nice and lasting to take home with them to remember us. Herbes de Provence anyone??

Happy spring!

2010-03-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

http://chofoodhub.blogspot.com/2010/03/plant-row-for-hungry-details-emerge.html

LOVE these photos and this blog! Gets me in the mood to really get my hands dirty.

Which is exactly what I'll be doing tomorrow - our veggie garden needs turning this year, and hopefully I will be getting more seeds in the ground by this weekend...and then I am looking for a good place for a couple of raised beds - strictly for greens and root veggies. Pumpkins/butternut/hubbard squash? I don't know quite where to put them - maybe outside the hen pens...and what grows really well under Black Walnut trees? Not veggies of course, too shady - I am looking for some low shrubs or perennials? Ideas?

2010-02-23T03:45:00.000-08:00

Wow...I returned from a nice little vacation in Florida to...snow still on the ground! I know that spring is around the corner, there are little bulb sprouts all over the place, trying to get above the melting slush - at least they will have enough water this spring. I was looking at the forsythia on the way home, hoping for a few fat branches - nothing there yet, but SURELY we are just a mere couple of weeks away!

I can't wait to get into the veggie garden - last year, it didn't get near the attention I should have given it, and this year my garden-loving sister is here working with us, so I KNOW I won't have any excuses. :) The blackberry mother plant is huge, and we planted loads of babies along the picket fence last fall - maybe enough for cobbler this summer? Definitely some heirloom tomatoes (my children still talk about the little sweet yellow ones they ate like candy last summer), basil, green beans, okra, peppers, onions, squash, pumpkins, spring greens - time to get out the seed catalogs. And also - we are replanting a couple of perennial beds near the gazebo - loading them with herbs - I am always needing something in the kitchen.

As soon as the slush is gone and we can get out there, hopefully by early March, I will turn the compost in the soil and lay the pathways...I can't wait!

MORE SNOW - but hoping for an early spring!

2010-02-01T07:19:00.001-08:00

More snow! Another foot of snow this weekend - that's more than 3 feet in a month - for Virginia, that is NOT very common....happens maybe once every 10 years or so...and the forcast this weekend? That's right - SNOW.

Good news is, I hear the groundhog may be seeing his shadow tomorrow, and I would welcome an early spring...there will be plenty of moisture for the tulips, crocus and daffodils to pop out big and happy.

This may not yet be the year for blueberry planting - hopefully our new barn/event space will be completed though! Tentative plans are for a 40x60 'barn' at the southern end of the Vineyard - big doors that slide open in good weather, or a cozy place in case of rain...we could hold events year round - up to 150 guests, with a gorgeous view of the vineyard and inn. First phase is just the basics, with bathrooms of course - then later I could even envision a commercial kitchen to make catering down there easier...and, as 'green' as possible of course! Still in the planning phases...but maybe ready for spring weddings in 2011?

In the mean time - so much to do with the gardens this spring! Lavendar varieties, more hydrangeas and peonies...anything with fragrance and flowers we love - the gazebo gardens are getting an overhaul this spring, along with the walkway to the backyard....I will post before and after photos when we get underway the first of March.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-07T08:19:00.001-08:00

WOW - the snowfall just before Christmas was truly spectacular...over 24 inches fell in Scottsville, more just west of us. We are expecting a couple of inches tonight, and maybe a few more next week - I would say that the skiing at Wintergreen is probably pretty nice right now! It is a nice drive of about 45 minutes - and we can steer you to a great apres-ski dinner at one of the breweries in Nelson county, or just west of Charlottesville. Have a great day skiing, then return to one of our cozy fireplace rooms to relax.

Of course, spring is really just around the corner - by mid February, we will be seeing crocus in the front lawn - purples and yellows carpeting the grass. So, if skiing isn't your thing, remember that a) we can always make your stay interesting with winery tours or dining and b) you can start spring off early with a visit to the country - early flowering bulbs and trees will definitely chase the winter blues away.

For anyone considering a visit from DC or NOVA - we have taken the train to and from Union Station several times now - nice, easy trip, affordable, and we can arrange for transportation to and from the Charlottesville Amtrak station...especially good for an overnight stay with dinner at the Inn, you can cozy up and not worry about going anywhere...2 days with no city traffic to deal with? Priceless...

AND - don't forget Valentine's Day...if you can't visit us that weekend, give a gift certificate for a warmer weekend getaway - just call, or purchase gift certificates online at www.highmeadows.com

One place I haven't mentioned in a while, but that has seen me often in the last 6 months again: Feast! A local shop, voted one of the Top 20 Cheese Shops by Saveur, you would be hard pressed to find better sandwiches for a picnic, or cheeses and charcuterie for in-room snacks. They sample nearly everything, and my latest favourite treats include chocolate dipped figs, and sea salt caramels. If you would like our Virginia wine and cheese tray added to your room stay, you can know that this is where your goodies will come from!

Happy New Year -

2009-11-19T11:24:00.000-08:00

A fiery fall sunset, and our beautiful Tom turkey...Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and though the leaves are just about gone (ok, everything is gray EXCEPT the row of Bradford pear trees in the back yard - they match this sunset!) there is still so much to do in the garden...all the perennials get trimmed back, the leaves are piled on the flower beds to keep them semi-warm, and them everything will be mulched for winter. December, January and into February all is quiet - then one day, the front yard will be covered in purple crocus blossoms, and we know it won't be long for the daffodils!

In the mean time, Christmas decorations go up - we are cutting a TALL tree this year for the Breezeway, and putting up a pretty one for the Festival of Lights (great to see in Scottsville - over 30 trees, each decorated so pretty - runs from Dec 12 thru 20) Also, if you are here in early December, the Charlottesville Gingerbread House competition is at the Paramount Theatre this year - you get to see the trains, houses, and get a tour of the renovated theatre also - it is really beautiful. www.theparamount.net Also some very good Christmas shows coming up there in December - let us know if you'd like us to get you tickets and dinner reservations for a holiday show! The Charlottesville City Market becomes the Holiday Market through December every Saturday morning - artisan crafts, food, great stuff for unique gifts.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving - think of us for a winter weekend! High Meadows gift certificates make a great present!

this weekend

2009-11-12T06:16:00.000-08:00

So we have had DAYS of rain and windy weather...but the weekend is going to be gorgeous! Saturday and Sunday both - high 60's/low 70's and SUNNY. The trees that are hanging on to their leaves are the beautiful big red oaks, and a few bright yellows up on the mountains. The roadsides are a blanket of color on the ground - I am hoping to get up to Skyline drive this weekend.

Seeing lots of buck deer along the roads, in the fields...of course, it's not unusual to see several females at dusk in the edge of nearly every pasture - this time of year, the single antlered males are what catch the eye - they have a way of running that is just beautiful. Most of the birds are gone or going now - til May - except the cardinals (which are so lovely when it snows!) and big black birds. Definitely feels like fall is wrapping up and winter is on the way!

The vineyard is completley put to sleep for the winter...every row has been cultivated beneath the vines - it looks lovely. Quiet, peaceful, and yet after it sleeps for just a few months - it will be lush and green and (hopefull!) loaded with grapes...it is one of my favourite places to walk, and to just sit and look at the quiet symmetry of it. I am hoping for a new bench this winter to place at the southern end - looking back up the vineyard to the house. There are some beautiful teak root benches up in Madison county...they look like old twisty grapevines actually - I may need to stop there on my way to DC in a few weeks, and pick one out!

I thought that between my mother and I, we had nearly every cookbook known...well, at least every one we could WANT to have...then I came across a book and website that I can't wait to try some recipes from... www.thepioneerwoman.com
It is kind of blunt sometimes, but I think she is so honestly trying to do the best she can with life - it makes me happy. There is a recipe for Tres Leches cake...omg, there is no way it can be healthy - but on the other hand, I do believe that anything made with lots of love and a little bit of decadance can probably help all of us to live longer. Her Blackberry cobbler is clafouti-ish to me, but it looks delightful. And some of the savory recipes made my mouth water just reading them...and then there are her photographs. WOW. Step by step, and artfully beautiful. I wish she were coming to C'ville for a book signing!

perfect weather continues...

2009-11-05T09:31:00.001-08:00

What a fall! I am sitting outside, warm sun shining, grass still lush and green - though quickly getting a covering of gorgeous leaves. The air is just cool enough that getting cozy is a pleasant thought! Fireplaces are definitely going to be in use form now on. Bonfire this weekend? If the rain holds off, most definitely.

Also happening this weekend - Cardinal Point Winery Oyster Roast, Saturday and Sunday...nice wine, good food, VERY fun music...how about some Cajun punk on Sunday?? Easy to get to, and you'll pass my favourite antique store on the way.

Virginia Film Festival happens this week - lots of good tickets still available. SO much to do this time of year - and, the breweries are introducing their holiday brews soon, so even non-wine drinkers have some fun ahead.

Farmer's markets are closed for the season now - even our chickens are slowing down a little bit. I guess winter will come sooner or later - we are putting in winter greens, though the last batch was devoured by a hungry groundhog - maybe a new fence to deter him?

The peacocks are so pretty too - no long tail feathers for the winter, but loads of down makes the birds seem twice their normal size! They have been feasting on the bugs that are getting sluggish in the cool air.

I am off to the orchard for a look at the view, and some more of my favourite apples...and cider for guests this weekend. Ciao!

Lovely fall...and gobbling turkeys

2009-10-25T07:16:00.001-07:00

well, the cold has been pushed back enough to feel comfortably cool - so far, a terrific fall, since the deep chill only lasted a few days. The leaves are JUST coming into their best color - I expect another 2 weeks (at least) of gorgeous reds, oranges and yellows...our big sugar maple in front has yet to even get going. As I sit and look into the back garden, the pear trees are just dusting with red at the tippy top of the trees...and the tom turkey is putting out a real 'gobble' now! It is so funny - I have never heard one in person - and about 3 days ago, as I was walking outside - it was as if he was talking...so cute, and the feathers are gorgeous - they are a pair of black and white 'Royal Palm' turkeys, and nearly full grown. Much better looking than when they were first given to us! These two (Turk and Caicos) will not be dinner - no worries for them, but I am hoping for some offspring next year that might be.

We have had many guests taking drives on Skyline drive this week - that is our part of the Blue Ridge Parkway - and they all said it was lovely, but the roads that wind through our part of Albemarle county are just as pretty. And the view on Carter mountain - plus the October 'pink lady' apples - shouldn't be missed if you are here!

The work here now revolves around the leaves, of course - cleaning up and tidying the perennial beds, mulching for the winter, and composting the leaves when the last have finally fallen. I look forward to a few late fall bonfires in the evenings, venison stew, and lighting the fireplaces, once the garden has been put to sleep for the winter...it is a peaceful and contemplative time, those few weeks before the holidays begin...oh, and of course pumpkin and squash recipes come out! I had forgotten how much fun it is to cook a big orange pumpkin into mush - and then something really fine like pumpkin cheesecake, or ravioli...the cheesecake I made this week is nothing like a pumpkin pie - just the smooth, rich flavor of the squash, with a bit of maple syrup and gingersnap crust...yum!

Cold already!!

2009-10-16T13:24:00.001-07:00

Autumn is starting...

2009-10-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was quite a breezy day - lots of early changing leaves, and dogwood nearly finished! It is so pretty to drive and watch the leaves fall; the view at Carter Mountain Orchard today was marvelous! Apples are ready, though my favourite 'Pink Lady' apples won't be in until late October.

I haven't seen the flower beds ever look so lovely this time of year - this is going to be a perfect October. Last season, the leaves were beautiful well into November and it looks like this year we might have much the same. SO much rain this summer (terrible grape season for our vineyard!) has made the trees lush and full - maybe a few hours on Skyline Drive? A tasting at Blenheim - I don't think any vineyard has nicer views...and darn good wine to boot! Gotta love a woman winemaker...

And last - but not least - we finally have our peacocks settled in...a beautiful India Blue named - well, we haven't named him yet. A Blue Pied male called 'Aqua', and a sweet female Cameo named - ok, no name for her yet either. The two turkeys are very happy, and the male is just getting his 'gobble' - I heard it for the first time this morning, and I don't know that I will like it quite so much as the sweet whistle the pair had as young birds. If it is too loud - there will always be next Thanksgiving...

More bounty...

2009-08-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

We have added a few rabbits - I hate to admit it, but they are primarily supplying us with fertilizer. They are cute, but squirmy - maybe after a few weeks of holding them they will come to appreciate us. Right now, the only time we get much of a reaction is when we bring them fresh veggies.

We also have 3 newly hatched chicklets!! A sweet hen from our flock was simply determined to sit on a clutch of eggs...a few others have tried to no avail, but here we are looking at these 3 little cuties...she seems to be a good mother, she has already taught them to eat and drink, and they are scratching around the hay looking for treats with their teeny tiny feet...so cute.

Next week, we are expecting to 'rescue' 2 peacocks, a mini goat, and another rabbit...I have heard the peacocks can be a bit noisy, but that as soon as they acclimate to their new home, they are good 'watchbirds' and will roost in the highest trees, so they won't need barn space. We shall see - too noisy and they will need to find new homes. The goat is called Lovey, and is really cute...she will earn her keep helping with some poison ivy removal near the vineyard.

Our guests love to visit the animals and they all love to feed and hold the little ones - I am sure Lovey will enjoy the attention. Come see us and the new additions! FALL IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER - and so is the reason so many people come to the mountains of Virginia - leaves will be changing soon, and the nights will be cool and crisp...great apple picking or winery touring weather. www.cartermountainorchard.com

The Bounty of August....

2009-08-17T05:03:00.000-07:00

https://www.greenwoodgourmet.com/blog.asp

This is a great little blog, from one of our favorite local shops...I hope they do another one looking back on 2009! It was a fantastic place to get pumpkins and gourds last fall (we will be back!), and also lunch on the way to wineries or Blue Mountain Brewery (unless you are having lunch there of course). We are looking into having a pumpkin stand of our own here, and with a little luck, we will have a nice place to take fall pictures and get a good jack-o-lantern pumpkin or some other interesting gourds...

I found myself with a little time this past month, and re-read 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle'. It was funnier this time around - maybe because I was having such a great summer and had time to appreciate the writing. What a book! What an experiment! Most people can't begin to do what this family did, living entirely off local foods for one full year (mostly what they grew, froze or canned). I appreciated their exceptions - coffee and olive oil I am sure I wouldn't want to do without.

It does make you think though - how much we take for granted, why DO we have to have mealy tomatoes out of season? I know that by making local purchases, and mostly eating in season, our food tastes much better than if we didn't. And even people who haven't ever thought about this idea before probably instinctively understand the basics: why do think people love bean soup in the winter and watermelon in July? Because we can keep dried beans in a pantry all winter, and watermelon needs long hot days to get good and juicy. I can't quite break from my Florida roots - I know that our Virginia strawberries are better than anything shipped 700 miles. And I buy them from a farm 2 miles down the road in May and June. BUT...I also know that in February, Plant City has warm, ripe juicy berries - and when I see them in the store, I give in. Same with Mangoes in August, and oranges in December. Those don't grow here and they never will - so I indulge, and remember living in Florida. What I do try to avoid is mangoes in January and oranges in August...that may be the season on the other side of the planet, but that's a little too much fossil fuel with my produce....700 miles is slightly better than 3000, but not as good as the farm next door, I know.

Some other good advice I keep in mind when shopping for family or the inn: if your grandmother would recognize it, it is probably ok to eat. Actually, Michael Pollan said pretty much if ANYONE'S grandmother would recognize something, it is probably ok...my grandma might not know what tofu was, but plenty of Japenese grannies would. On the other hand, which one of them would recognize much of what is on the labels of the foods people buy these days - some ingredients are downright unpronounceable - and we are supposed to EAT it?? For anyone wondering: American cheese is NOT cheese - "processed cheese food" doesn't equal anything near the fresh, local Virginia cow, sheep and goat cheeses we have available here, and in many other places also.

Take time to look around your area - you might be amazed at what you can purchase locally - and spending only $10 a week at a local farm instead of buying from a chain will help your neighbor and you! And if the mealy tomatoes in January sit there, well, maybe someone will get the message that we are standing up for our food choices and demanding better for ourselves.

whew...

2009-07-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

What a summer so far! We are so lucky to meet such wonderful people at the inn...just this past week, we have had several aspiring or new-to-the business winemakers. Democracy Vineyards was here for the 1st annual Wine Tasting at Wineworks - just a short drive up the road. They have a pretty vineyard in Nelson County, and make their wine at Michael Shaps' Wineworks. Also, a great couple from Montreal hoping to have a farm/winery up in the cold north in the next year or so! This week, we have a couple scouting locations to plant vinifera...the countryside here in Virginia couldn't be prettier, dotted with vineyard and rolling hills.

Biking - we had over 2000 people roll through Scottsville last month with Bike Virginia. Sometimes guests pack the bikes and head off for the day touring vineyards that way - most places will hold purchases for you to come back and pick up later. Weather - also perfect! 80's in the daytime, 60's at night...sunny and beautiful. And of course, tubing or canoeing on the James River is in full swing - that is another perfect way to spend a lazy summer day. (tip - plan a midweek trip...stay one night and get your second night half price here, and the river isn't nearly as crowded as on the weekends. Though here at the Horseshoe Bend, the river is WIDE enough to accomodate A LOT of tubers/boaters.

And the best news of all for Scottsville - drum roll please - our new pavilion is up and the Thursday and Saturday Farmer's Markets are in their new home! It is beautiful - open air post and beam, big enough for everyone to have some shade. Thursday evening there is a guy with terrific vegetarian Indian food - bring dinner from the market back to the garden at the Inn - we do it nearly every week!

SPRING!!

2009-04-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

It won't be long til the James River is teeming with canoes, kayaks and tubes again! What a perfect way to spend a summer day - and just think, you could end up back here for a delicious dinner, picked fresh from our garden or grown just a few miles away.

Caromont Farm (Gail Hobbs Page - the best!) is underway again for the season - I had some fresh farmstead cheese last week - delicious! - tasted like spring. Our farmer's market will be open in a few weeks - can't wait for that; and we will be spricing up Scottsville on April 18th planting all the town planters with fresh flowers for the spring and summer. Our little town is so quaint - needs a few more shops of course - but the streetlights, the river, the park - and the shows at Victory Hall, really add up to true small-town charm. We have great hiking trails too - and a beautiful reservoir right in the center of town that is lovely for a picnic.

The new visitor's center at Monticello is getting rave reviews - even in DC! I guess that means it MUST be nice! :) Wineries with new releases, art shows in Charlottesville - and the pretty outdoors - I don't know what more one could ask for - come visit!

So much to do...

2009-03-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

SO much I want to do here!!
1 year plan - survive this economy! open bakery; repair slate roof; plant pond with water-loving plant divisions; clear brush through woods to pond - generally improve the walking trails; begin hedge of hydrangeas along Baldwin lane through vineyard; add hoophouse to flat parcel at south end of vineyard; create soapstone patio outside north porch; install peagravel walkway to gazebo and cottage
3 year plan - renovate bathrooms; plant front meadow in blueberries, raspberries, seasonal veggie patch; evolve bakery - add lunch?; plant fruit-bearing trees in side meadow; add beehives; new wooden storm windows and screens built and installed seasonally
5 year plan - arbor from inn to gazebo with heirloom climbing roses, wisteria; build new barn with drive-in access (chicken coop under and around back, main level for canning, berry processing, flower drying) evolve bakery - fruit jams, etc available year round?; pool on east side of house
10 year plan - downstairs innkeepers quarters into restaurant or new guest room; pick-your-own berries/farmstand open seasonally; new color scheme?

And of course all along keeping rooms fresh, reupholstering, repainting, weeding, making beds and all the other mothering that is just a part of life...

Spring/farms

2009-03-17T07:03:00.000-07:00

Robins are here en masse, cardinals are flocking the feeders - spring surely must be here. We have had over a week of drizzly rain - perfect for soaking in...now we have a forcast of 10 days of 60s & 70s - I think the lawnmower might make a field appearance this week!

Bakery update: we aren't baking for Country Blessings any longer, but that gives me more time to FOCUS on finding a bakery case and planting outside the bakery door, fine tuning recipes and deciding on boxes...looks like May for grand opening. perfect timing for our Herb Festival May 9th!

As a big fan of the new Washington administration, I read with happiness many stories of encouragement for the new first family to tear up the lawn and install a garden...that's really good advice - and truly I wish they would...but we also have to understand BABY STEPS. The Obama's are from a ginormous city - what do they know about how lovely and easy and fabulous a home garden can be? What a great example for the nation it would be, I dream! But for city people, it might be hard to truly wrap their heads around it - what with all the other problems they are trying to solve. Maybe after living in a city, they are THRILLED to see so much green ANYTHING outside their windows. Let's let them get used to that first - then maybe, with some encouragement from letters and emails, and if the White House chef wants truly fresh salad greens - then MAYBE we can convince them what a wonderful thing it is to see your food grow.

I got an email of dire warnings about the new Food Safety Administration, and the potential evil effects on the small farmer. Maybe. But I don't mind waiting to see how it all plays out...I don't mind speaking up, but I am an optimist - and I believe that the motives are to HELP the small farmers...looks at the cigarette news!! How great is it that one of the worst products is finally being held accountable for the harm it produces! Maybe it won't be of any benefit for farmers to grow tobacco, and they will finally grow something useful and healthFULL...think of the acreage we could put to use growing food - what a concept.

Last thought:

"It is far better to be an optimist and be proven wrong, than a pessimist and be proven right."

Enjoy the early spring!

A couple of new links:

www.farmvisit.com

In like a lion...

2009-03-02T08:24:00.001-08:00

What a morning!! Guests awoke to a beautiful 6 inches of snow, clear blue sky, no wind and 30 degrees...a perfect late winter day. I am sure the skiing up at Wintergreen is about as good as it gets - they have had nice cold weather for making snow, but nothing compares to a new natural blanket!

It isn't going to last long enough to hurt the emerging flowers - I expect that when this is all melted in few days, the flowers will explode into bloom. And, if the month goes "out like a lamb" as the saying goes, we are in for a pleasant spring in a couple of weeks.

Our Spring Herb Festival will be Saturday May 9th, and the farmers markets will be gearing up in late April and May. But for now, anyone wanting to get a last ski in this season should come NOW! $125 any room, and a couple of really good breweries on the way up Afton Mountain to Wintergreen.

If you are planning to visit Monticello - the new visitor's center is FABULOUS. If you don't want to take the tour, do the hike (2 miles on a beautiful trail) that ends at the center, grab an espresso and a snack, then hike back down. Pretty in the snow, and in the spring!

Spring happenings...

2009-02-15T14:32:00.000-08:00

It isn't even March yet, and crocus are all over the lawn! Daffodils, tulips and iris have started sprouting - and the pear trees have fat buds ready to pop in just a few weeks. This is a great time to visit Charlottesville - restaurants aren't too busy, weather is fair enough to stroll the Downtown Mall, and we still have winter special rates.

Scottsville has a pretty interesting bluegrass jam the second Friday of every month at Victory Hall. You never know who will show up, but it's always a good time if you like old-time music (actually, it's fun to people watch even if the music isn't your thing) and it is free - sponsored by the Scottsville Center for Arts & Nature. I am teaching an art class there - SCAN has big plans for this small town!

Call us for more interesting ideas of things to do - lots of free hiking, second-hand treasure stores, and free music nights can keep a weekend getaway affordable...splurge on a nice bottle of Virginia wine, and watch the sunset over the James this spring.

special winter things to do...

2009-02-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

Here we are in the midst of that slow, sleeping time...but with our special winter rate ($125 any room)you'll be able to add a couple of extras to your itinerary. Winery tours continue to be our guests most popular daytime activity - and we have a few really special places within just a few minutes of the inn. Blenheim Vineyard is open now for tastings without an appointment - it has some of the best views around, and a woman winemaker to boot! First Colony has been getting good reviews lately from our visitors, and right next door to them is Michael Shaps' Wineworks...where you can really see how it's all done.

If you don't want to venture up to Charlottesville for dinner, we can arrange dining for you back here at the inn so your day can end up cozy and quiet - in front of your fireplace. Even without a full blanket of snow, the bare trees at sunset are a treat to enjoy from any room!

Our new website - and new photos of some of our favorite rooms willbe up and running in a couple of weeks...take a peek if you can't stand the wait before your visit.

2008-11-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

GORGEOUS fall leaves, perfect weather - anyone who hasn't taken a fall getaway, it's really not too late...the past weekend was ideal, but we still have lots of color! No crowds at the wineries either - and some really good wines being served.

We went to Blue Mountain Brewery for a tasting and lunch last week - for just $5 you get a sampling of all 6 or 7 of their beers...it was WONDERFUL! I had a beer-poached and then grilled bratwurst from local pork producers extrordinaire Double H farm, for $8...yum. The food was great, the views pretty, and the beer was all fantastic - it was about a 30 minute drive west of here, through rolling hills and farmland. A great afternoon trip you could combine with a visit to the Greenwood Gourmet Shop (the best pumpkin selection I have ever seen, wonderful wines and interesting gifts) and the Greenwood Country Store (one of my new favourite second-hand treasure stores!)

AND...in just a few short weeks WINTER will be here, bringing in delicious cold weather good for the cozy in-room fireplaces, hot chocolate & holiday decorations. We had only one REALLY good snow last year - thank goodness we took pictures that day! In Vermont, where we spent the last five years prior to coming to Charlottesville, there is no rush to get out and take snow pictures the first time it snows...you will have months and months to get the cameras out for that perfect winter shot. In March though, we are glad to be in the south, with daffodils and crocus erupting here with the Northeast still buried in feet of snow. That said, the winter here is gratefully enjoyed by the sleeping garden - and our holiday decorations go up the weekend after Thanksgiving! Glorious Christmas trees, spicy scents from the kitchen, and candy surprises everywhere - and our winter rates of course... Starting in early December, our rooms are just $125 per night, any room! We will probably be planning a little something for New Year's Eve this year - stay tuned, or check in with us by early December for details.

For an old-fashioned holiday experience, come stay from December 19th through the 21st and see Scottsville's 'Festival of Lights' - our Victory Hall Theatre has plans to host a multitude of trees, each one decorated by a local merchant, school or citizen...and our town tree is also a special one this year...check back on December 7th for pictures of the tree lighting and the story of the tree. All month from Thanksgiving to Christmas, we can provide you with a map of our favorite off-the-beaten-path shops and a picnic lunch for a day of shopping. Come back to the inn and choose from a variety of papers, boxes and bows to get the wrapping done before you leave!

Herb Festival!

2008-09-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Our Fall Herb Festival is happening in just 2 short weeks...it doesn't seem possible that summer is over already, and leaves will be starting to turn soon. Saturday October 11 we will host our second herb festival, the first in the fall. We are hoping for more herb and garden themed crafts and gifts, as well as our other guests from the spring. What better time to plant than fall? Tidy up the garden, and plan for next year, get rain barrels installed...and of course October weather is usually gorgeous.

Ducklings are nearly grown, and the fluffy chicks are teenagers - they eat all the time! Grass is their favorite, and when one spies a bug - watch out - the others come to fight over it...they should begin laying in a few weeks, so nesting boxes are on my 'to do' list for this month.

We are all trying to save money this year, I know - we are starting our winter special a bit early this year - stay from December 15th through March 30th - any room, just $125 per night...you can't get away from the city for better than that! Our breakfasts get you off to a great start - for locals, we can have you back to work and feeing like you have taken a much longer holiday than just a mid-week overnighter...don't forget about gift certificates too - great gifts for family or coworkers - and a great class gift for a teacher.

Enjoy the early fall winter will be here before we know it (cozy fireplaces anyone?)

2008-08-08T06:30:00.000-07:00

So much to do in Charlottesville now!! This weekend, we are planning to finally visit Sugarleaf Vineyards - www.sugarleafvineyards.com - and I couldn't be happier! As innkeepers busy not only with the day to day running of the inn and taking care of guests, but also still renovating house and gardens - it is often hard to find time to do the things we know our guests are enjoying. So, even though many guests have raved about it - and Lauren has visited us several times with kind invitations - we have yet to visit, and it isn't even that far! So - I will have pictures and a report on Monday.

This weekend is also a winemaking workshop at Monticello, with Gabrielle Rausse - who also happens to care for our vineyard and make our wine. We are crossing our fingers that this harvest will be a good one for a red from our grapes...we need rain, but if it can hold off a couple of weeks til harvest Gabrielle will be a happy man!

We are currently making plans to restore some of the vines that have been lost over the last 20 or so years...we dig the holes in the fall, and plant the new vines in spring. Gabrielle said that though Pinot Noir isn't the best grape choice for Virginia - he can ALWAYS use them in one way or another - last season for example, he blended ours with some from Barboursville...can't wait to try that.

2008-08-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

It is almost harvest time for our grapes...we have over an acre of Pinot Noir - not the best grape to grow in Virginia, as winemakers have discovered over the last 25 years, BUT - our vineyard was planted in the mid-80's when it was all still kind of an experiment here! Gabrielle Rausse helped get this vineyard started, and he still is THE MAN to talk to about vinifera in Virginia. He tends our vineyard and makes our wine - so I am sure it is pretty much the very best it can be!

Last year, we had big trouble with frost, drought, and beetles. That, plus the fact that so many trees have been allowed to grow up around our vineyard to house birds that will EAT the grapes and give too much shade, made for a pretty small harvest. This year, we have big, fat, full bunches of grapes everywhere - not as many as in years past, but it is beautiful! Hopefully, with our pruning and thinning of the cedars surrounding the vineyard, and replanting some vines, next year will be back in full swing. I also happen to think that just walking in the vineyard thinking happy thoughts helps them produce more...not very scientific, but maybe they know how much we love it here! (Remember those reports in the 70's that made people talk to houseplants? I still kind of like to believe that... ) Anyway, it is great fun to come watch the harvest - usually around the third week in August, and Gabrielle is giving guided tours at some local vineyards this weekend, if you are really into wine.

ducklings hatching!

2008-07-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

The ducklings are hatching! Reports from the incubator: out of 9 eggs, one wasn't viable, one has a pinhole and may not hatch, 4 have hatched and seem to be active and healthy, 3 to go! Plus of course the one lonely egg that Mama duck is still actually sitting on...if it hatches, it will be in the next day or 2.

The Scottsville Farmer's Market Tomato Festival was yesterday - what fun! Over 600 people attended, we had 16 tomato varieties to taste, and several demonstrations - including canning and Fried Green Tomatoes...yum! (late summer may find crispy, cornmeal-crusted fried green tomatoes on breakfast plates - if you are a fan, be sure to ask and I will make them for you!)

Also in Scottsville - coming up on August 9th, the 'Honey Dewdrops' return to Victory Hall. If you are planning a visit, include that show on your itinerary. They won the 'Prairie Home Companion' young artists competition this past year - and they live here!

If you are hoping to come in the fall - October 11 is our Fall Herb Festival, and the Saturday before that is Old Farm Days at Pleasant Grove...about a 15 minute drive, and a great way to spend a fall Saturday.

2008-07-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

Well, you wouldn't know it from this - but there is actually a pond for ducks at the edge of the yard in the woods....yet they seem to like being around the chickens and us, too. Mama is the one splashing in the tub...Papa is the brown and white one on guard. It is interesting - we started with a flock of 10 - they dwindled over the summer (there was a fox around for a while) to just these 3. Both females take time on the nest, they both sit at night and the mama gets a turn off her sitting duty a couple times a day. They have laid probably 5 nests - so many would get up to 7 or 8 eggs, and then something would eate every egg in one night. The girls would find another spot, again and again...til finally, they began REALLY sitting on this nest of 7 eggs. In the beginning of this nesting, the ducks would lay an egg, and then visit the nest several hours a day to check and turn the eggs. They would return to the pond or coop at night, after carefully covering the eggs with hay and grass. After witnessing their first several failed attempts, and knowing we had oppossum and skunks around, we decided to collect the eggs when the ducks went in for the evening, and put them back in the morning before the mama's came back to lay again. In this way, we collected 10 fertile eggs that we planned on incubating, and the ducks ended up with 7 to sit on. Well, of our 10, there are 9 that are growing and viable...and the mama ducks have ended up with 2 shiny, hard big beautiful eggs that we hope will hatch for them. (the other 5 were discarded by the mama's over the past 2 weeks) With a little (ok, a lot of) luck, we think the incubated eggs will hatch within a day or so of the other 2, so maybe we will be able to give the duckings to a mama!

Garden, vineyard, baby ducks and baby chicks!

2008-07-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

Too much time has passed since I wrote last!! The garden has exploded, the vineyard is FULL and beautiful, and we have ducklings being hatched. What to talk about first??

The garden...We have harvested beautiful romaine, leaf lettuce, beets, kale, collard greens, purple and white onions, garlic!, basil, strawberries, zucchini, yellow squash, snow peas, sugar snap peas, and now we are down to okra, and green beans. We just planted another batch of beets - oh, I forgot the corn! - and carrots, and we have tomatoes (lots of interesting varieties, including brown and white tomatoes), peppers and pumpkins still growing. The garlic is great - our neighbors at Best of What's Around grew LOTS of garlic....Matthew Holt said this is his 7th year I think for this garlic...this is just our first crop here. Every year, if you save and plant the garlic again and again, the bulbs will develop a distinct flavor unique to your yard, garden and soil type...no one else will have exactly the same flavor as their you! We are still of course attending the Scottsville Farmers Market every Saturday morning - this past week was just loaded with great stuff - including a very tasty granola made by a couple of young entrepeneurs...their free samples help their sales I am sure. :)

The vineyard...a little over an acre of Pinot Noir - not the best grape to grow inVirginia to be sure, but the original owners of the inn planted it over 20 years ago, and it still grows strong. We have the pleasure of Gabrielle Rausse as the man to tend the grapes and make our wine - who could ask for better?? The vineyard is gorgeous to stroll in the early morning, and late afternoon, and even in winter it is beautiful. We are planning to take out a few cedars beside the vines that, although they create a beautiful allee', house way too many birds and cast too many shadows. What began as a simple hedgerow 25 years ago is now a border of 30 foot trees - and it is time to remove some. I dream of paths between big hydrangeas and lilacs, that we can clip for flowers to keep in line.

I will post a few pitures in a week or so of our new little baby ducks and chicks -

Come see the glory of summer!

Scottsville Center for Arts and Nature

2008-05-12T13:38:00.001-07:00

Almost forgot...the Honey Dewdrops played a benefit for the Scottsville Center for Arts and Nature...WOW! They won the latest 'Prairie Home Companion' competition for musicians...and they were amazing. So were the dancers and friends who performed with them...

The Center is being built on property nearly neighboring ours...trails connecting us are not out of the question - check them out at http://www.scottsvilleartsnature.org

May flowers already!!

2008-05-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

What a glorious spring so far!! Except of course for the tornadoes and nickel-sized hail all round us last week...luckily for our peonies and iris, we didn't see any hail! The grass is growing so fast you can almost watch it...and everything is so GREEN.

Our little town had a meeting of more than a dozen people interested in 'local foodways'. There is a big idea circulating in Charlottesville about a multi-point need for our local food producers...a distribution center, processing/butchering/curing center, educational facilities/community kitchen, etc. We wanted to start to think about how Scottsville - with it's amazing history of agriculture and commerce, and current wealth of empty buildings - could play a role in this 'big picture'. For starters, our new Saturday Farmer's Market is going like mad! 2 weeks open, and it is already VERY strong. LOVE IT! Scottsville has acquired a $100k grant for a permanent farmer's market facility, and has the property set aside (exactly where the current THursday/saturday market is held under the tent). So, some of the discussion participants posed some bigger questions like - 'what is it that we WANT out of the market building?', and 'what role can we play?' We have a couple of great sites that could house 'satellite' distribution centers, or a retail space, or a community kitchen...and LOTS of great people to get involved with this. I would really like to see this happen - and my 'big idea' for High Meadows, as a non-profit garden/market/farm animal educational property as well as inn - could still fit right into this.

Since our gardens are so great, and we DO have a creek that flows into the James and the Chesapeake eventually - maybe our focus could be on JUST the water side of all this...could we show how to have gardens luch and pretty without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc. Can we show how to collect and use rainwater efficiently? What about wind/solar power for water pumps, etc. That side of responsible living, in addition to the chickens, goats, and other useful farm animals might make for a very interesting inn, and from Wednesdays through Fridays, maybe useful to local schools. Again, thoughts are still just floating around - nothing has come together yet as a formal 'mission statement' though I am getting closer!

For now, the ducks are happy, we are happy - and getting busier. Our guests continue to be interesting, well-read, informed and well-traveled people...just this weekend we had a couple get engaged in our gazebo, several others attending a wedding at Spring Hill (a 'commune' of sorts...I love the co-housing concept...Cobb Hill in Vermont!), and a couple who were making me drool with envy at their description of their trip to Portugal, in the wine country there and of the views of twinkling town lights over the vineyards that stretched as far as the eye could see in the river valley they were visiting. Which also happened to be in the port region, which I am sure made for some very nice wine drinking....but our conversation still kept bringing my thoughts back to little Scottsville - and the importance of local foods. The most memorable parts of their visit to Portugal was the food - local farmers, local foods, local cheeses and meats - the freshness was totally new for them, and very well-appreciated. Made me remember the beautiful cream from our friend's cow...and that if everyone did just a LITTLE bit to keep the food on their table as close to home as possible, it would make a difference in the big picture. I will continue to enjoy my mangoes in Virginia, of course - but no more store bought chicken eggs, thank goodness!

1st Herb Festival

2008-04-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

The day could NOT have been better - for our first of what WILL be many,many more spring and fall Herb Festivals. Our vendors were terrific, we had Rowena Morrell (publicher of "In the Kitchen") do a cooking demonstration - and the weather held out until afternoon. We did close a bit early due to the HEAVY storms that came rolling in - but all in all, we had great feedback, and lots of customers. We bought a rainbarrell for the inn (today in this rain, we could use that 1500 gallon underground tank that I am dreaming of), a worm composing bin is on the way, and lots of great tomato, herb and perennial plants. Bill Bonwell (Stony Mountain Nursery) was here - he is such a great source for water gardens - and has given us LOTS of advice for our pond. My favorite goat lady was here (Gail Hobbs-Page of Caromont Farm) with lots of yummy samples, and I met several other people I know I will be running to again for plants!

A word about my current work-in-progress: I am exploring the possibilities of creating a non-profit educational farm/display gardens/exhibit space...and who knows what else...here on our property. There is such a diverse group of VERY active farmers in this area - all with incredible products, of the highest quality - yet I know they are so busy, they can scarcely take the time to give tours, speeches, and educate people like I know they yearn to be able to do. So - since we are used to having visitors, and we love it, why not take this great, central, easy-to-get-to location and use it for the community? I can see school groups coming during the week to tour the wetland area, demonstration dairy animals, chicken house, (maybe even a windmill/turbine?), I can see our inn guests on the weekends having MUCH to look at and explore, I can envision the Herb/Green festivals here on the grounds, maybe a farmstore/ u-pick berry farm, orchards - the list goes on and on. It is a big project - and I am just starting to wrap my head around the possibilities...and also to explore funding, conservation of the property, setting up a non-profit...all the things I know very little about. I think it may be a good direction to head - and it will end up giving the community of Scottsville a piece of their history preserved and taken care of forever - and available to everyone. I would hate to see this place someday just as a private home. It is so beautiful here, Peter & Jae did so much work to get listed on the National Registry of Historic Places...we want that work to be appreciated way into the future!

this weekend...and more

2008-04-21T18:23:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for this Saturday - we are having our first - of what we hope will be - annual Spring Herb Festival. So far, considering it's our first attempt at this, it seems like it will be a wonderful day! A good amount of local vendors, lots of people calling and asking for directions and information...I hope we have at least 100 people turn out...in the fall, we'll do another one, focused a bit more on herb/plant/garden crafts - dried stuff I hope, jams, etc.

Also started plans for a 'Locavore Picnic Dinner'...not sure if I should do it on the 4th of July (it is SUCH a fun, classic, small-town day complete with parade and great fireworks over the river) or a day that won't already be loaded with fun...I am an excellent grill cook, and I love to smoke brisket, ribs, etc - AND we have a couple of wonderful local grass-fed beef producers, and of course Polyface farm is close by, and I get free-range chickens starting in May from a neighbor. I am sure the menu will be good - plenty of local wine and beer too! Maybe a table with community specialties? Giovanni is always cooking something wonderful, and Meredith makes an amazing eggplant dish to eat with fresh bread...the more I think about it, the better it sounds.

a year has passed here already!

2008-04-21T16:54:00.001-07:00

It is difficult to believe that already we have been in this heaven for a bit over a year...still every day I look out over the back yard, the vineyard or the pond and I see how beautiful it all is. And how much more beautiful we want to make it...What started as the exact business we always wanted has turned into a whole lot more. This community, this place - I want to make sure that this land - even this little slice of 13 acres - is preserved forever. I want what we add to this landscape to be improvements that will last many lifetimes. There are so many choices: a wind turbine for power (we are on a hill with constant breezes), berry fields, and orchard, a dairy cow, goats, a pony (or 2), rabbits...I don't know where to start. So I just get up and do what is in front of me, or at least the least onerous choice of what's in front of me.

For instance - yesterday we added ducks to our pond. I am hoping for some help in clearing up many years of sccumulated debris and quickly spreading pondweeds...it was amazing how much life they added to what was (I thought) a very nice place already. We have a LOT of pondweeds that need to be brought under control; and we have been planting cattails, iris, and other wetland plants around the edges all spring - mostly to add some color and for filtering the stuff that flows down the hillsides and into the pond. It is springfed; and the little creek that runs out flows for about a half mile, then into a larger creek, then in another 100 yards or so, into the James River. So, we do our best to keep the water clean and chemical free. The fish and frogs are abundant, and now the ducks have added another dimension. True, the water is a bit muddier from their munching, and they aren't picky about what they step on, but eventually I think it will all even out, especially as we take down the weedy saplings that keep dropping leaves into the pond, and replace them with plants better suited (ong term) to such a wet habitat...it looks better now than last summer, and it will look even better in the years to come.

I like sending guests down there in the woods for a walk, and now they have something to sit and watch for a while!

Oh, and we got 2 eggs this morning from them! Add that to our chicken eggs - and breakfast just got even more interesting!