MAY 2018 NO. 158 PRICELESS (FREE!)
PASTA & PUPS • FREEDOM AROUND 1750 • VEGGIES LOVE FLOWERS 25 11 MAY 2018 Blue Ridge LIFE 31 1
Quality Builders of the Finest Homes
Building Award-Winning Homes in Central Virginia For the Past 35 Years
434.361.2525 admin@Tectonics2.com Tectonics2.com 2
Blue Ridge LIFE
MAY 2018
Independent dealer of
Nelson County… it’s a lifestyle! Nelson County
PR IC E R E DUC E D!
a permanent home or a getaway property.
780 Old Stoney Creek Road This 3 BR, 3 BA home is situated on 12 acres with frontage on Stoney Creek and just minutes from Nellysford and Wintergreen. There are several sheds and outbuildings as well as a large fenced yard. Great for $259,900
84 Little Stoney Lane Located minutes from Nellysford, Wintergreen, breweries, cideries and shopping and with extensive frontage on Stoney Creek, this modular home has 4 BR, 2 BA and lots of living area. Open, sunny area for gardening but it also is very private with no other homes in sight! The bathrooms, kitchen and mudroom all have tiled floors. There is a spacious great room as well as two decks. Sitting area by a very bold Stoney Creek. $179,000
Wintergreen Resort 770 Devils Knob Loop A mountaintop paradise with spectacular views of the mountains and valley. Relax in the warm and casual elegance beside one of the two stone fireplaces. Spacious open layout on the first floor with a large gourmet kitchen, granite counters and pantry, grand living room with fireplace and cathedral ceilings, and a master suite with direct access to a balcony. The lower level offers a family room with stone fireplace, a second master suite, 3 BRs, and a full bath. Three large decks afford opportunities for you to savour the year-round views. A perfect getaway! $775,000
14 Trails Edge This move-in ready contemporary 4 BR, 3 BA home with an attached 2-car garage is centrally located in Wintergreen Resort. Home features a great room with floor-toceiling fireplace and vaulted ceilings, kitchen with island, two master bedroom suites, and a spacious deck. Beautiful hardwood flooring in the living areas and ceramic tile in the baths. Many improvements in the past two years—exterior painted, paved driveway, added landscaping and patio, new gutters, and stained decks. A fabulous mountain home just waiting for you! $425,000 11 Ravens Roost Point Seasonal views from this custom-built home which adjoins the National Forest and open space. Large enough for two families and an excellent layout for a rental. Main level features a living room with a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, large updated kitchen with granite countertops, and master suite. Upper level has 2 BR and a full bath. Lower level is a walkout with family room with a fireplace, second kitchen, 2 BR and bath. Improvements include 50-year shingle roof, lower level flooring, baths new flooring, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave and range, painted exterior and interior, replaced deck, and more! $410,000
Sto n e y C r e e k
887 Cedar Meadow Drive One-level 3 BR, 2 BA home close to resort amenities as well as Nellysford shopping, craft breweries, cideries and restaurants. Spacious great room with vaulted ceilings, soaring windows, and access to rear deck. Large master suite and a four-season sunroom with seasonal mountain vistas and views of the private backyard. Sunny garden spot in the backyard is screened from the deck view. Adjacent lot is available (lot #40). $299,000
112 Blue Chicory Lane This 5 BR, 4.5 BA architectural stunner in Stoney Creek is warm and welcoming. True craftsmanship and character are seen throughout the 3,384-square-foot home on 1.2 acres. Boasting mature landscaping, a paved drive, courtyard area, pool, and a 3-car garage with finished living space. Every detail was inspired with luxury and comfort in mind, with 3 fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, oversized decks for entertaining, sauna, steam shower, sunken den with built-in bookcases, synthetic slate roof, and much more. The garage has plenty of room for additional storage and is finished with an upper level bedroom, office and full bath. $549,000
299 Crawfords Climb lot Attractive 1.8-acre lot with view potential. Easy access for building. Minutes into Nellysford restaurants, services, breweries, cideries and wineries. Hop over to the clubhouse for lunch overlooking the golf course. Stoney Creek has 27 holes of golf in an amazingly beautiful setting. Tennis, hiking, swimming, biking and so much more. Just 30 minutes to Charlottesville! $47,500
1032 Stoney Creek East This lovely, PR IC E R E DUC E D! remodeled 4 BR, 3 BA home sits on a private, extra-large lot in Stoney Creek close to all of the area's amenities and attractions. Enjoy main floor living with beautiful extra living spaces and lots of room! All updated flooring, kitchen, baths, light fixtures, and newly painted throughout make this ready to move in. Minutes into Nellysford shopping and restaurants as well as breweries, cideries and lots of other services. $319,000
245 Cedar Glen Close lot Ideal setting for your dream house! Three incredible views featuring mountains, water, and golf front views. Easy to build on .86-acre lot with access to public water and sewer. Short stroll to clubhouse, golf, pool, and Nellysford. Custom building plans and pricing available.
$99,000
(800) 361-5155 • (434) 361-2440 • www.MountainAreaRealty.com
2788 Rockfish Valley Highway • Nellysford, VA 22958
MAY 2018
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Building Dreams.
R.M. Gantt Construction goes to great heights to please its clients.
We are a family-owned business helping Central Virginia families build the home of their dreams since 1992. Custom Homes • Major Additions • Renovations
gantt@centralva.net RMGantt.com
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License #32216A
(434) 316.0090
Come Relax with us !
new release...
13 Beers on tap Sports Dining Area Dog and Family friendly Corn Hole Sports Bar Farm to Fork Dining Call Ahead Wait List
2461 ROCKFISH VALLEY HWY • NELLYSFORD, VA • WILDWOLFBEER.COM MAY 2018
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Editors & Publishers Yvette Stafford, Tommy Stafford info@blueridgelife.com
a mom & pop since 2005
Blue Ridge Life magazine (formerly Nelson County Life) is published monthly by The Afton Group, LLC and is distributed free of charge. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. Advertising deadlines are the 15th of every publishing month. For advertising information, download our ratecard at BlueRidgeLife.com or contact us at info@blueridgelife.com. Views reflected by our advertisers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or the company. Blue Ridge Life Magazine, published by The Afton Group, LLC is pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing oppotunity throughout the Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, or handicap. All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise ‘any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, or handicap, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.’ This magazine will not knowingly accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this magazine are available on an equal opportunity basis.
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Contributors Lois White Cole Victoria Beecher Godfrey Stephanie Gross Kate Simon Advertising sales@blueridgelife.com Address: The Afton Group, LLC P.O. Box 455, Wintergreen, Virginia 22958
434.361.0104
Have a story idea? Email us at info@blueridgelife.com
2018 11
These border collies have the life.
25
master engraver Keep this one in your pocket and don’t lose it.
35
vegetables love flowers So let nature do the dirty work.
inside
basic necessities ................. 9 cover story ...........................11 at home with marlo ......... 23 sam’s garden ..................... 35 ask the dr. ......................... 35 event calendar ................. 36 business directory ............ 37 classifieds .......................... 38 games .................................. 39
on the cover Photo credit: Stephanie Gross Amanda and Jim Winecoff at their farm in North Garden, where border collies are a must. Story on page 11.
registration: 10 am scavenger hunt: 11 AM bike race: 12:30 pm
AL
pasta & pups
kids, bring your bikes !
food and music! rain or shine! no dogs please!
! T U O E K BI
3RD ANNU
may
HELMETS ARE A MUST! lovingston SUNDAY, MAY 20, 2018
on FRONT Street in DOWNTOWN Lovingston
SPONSORED BY
FREE ADMISSION FOR ALL AGES! HIGH-FLYING STUNT SHOW BY FREECYCLE ACTION SPORTS TEAM! GOOGLE #BIKEOUTLOVINGSTON FOR MORE INFO MEDIA SPONSOR
from
thepublishers Freshly seeded with grass, we’re trying to let that dirt patch germinate but couldn’t resist trampling over it for a photo on what used to be our big, bold maple. Lose a tree, plant 22. Not 22 maples, thought that’s not out of the question one day. Momma went (chest)nutty and planted a couple of rows on the back field. Why? Because not all things on a farm have legs. People have this romantic vision of family farms that often runs contrary to reality. I blame large scale organic dairy packaging. Before twinkling sunsets and happy cows, there is usually plenty of boot-sinking mud and sunburned shoulders from pounding in fences. But these sorts of large scale (to us) projects force you to think and plan. For the student struggling with numbers, we used multiplication and geometry to plot this year’s fence rows and chestnut crop. So yes, there is a real and dirty application for math! The same goes for science. Peyton got an early lesson on poultry genetics when we had to perform a postmortem on a hen who had suddenly died. Catching me by surprise, she wanted to see me cut into the “sleep-
ing chicken” for clues on her passing. Squealing from disgust when I showed her the hen’s private parts, she leaned in for a closer look. A few cuts revealed a collection of yolks, hopelessly trapped in the wrong part of the hen’s body. Our entire flock may be affected. Genetics 101, Econ 101. “How can an animal eat her now if she’s flying around Heaven so happily?” she asked me as we pulled off to a wooded ridge for the disposal. And that’s when we talk about bodies and souls. Why when a chicken keels over – like a maple – you can honor its life by replacing it with abundance. Lose a chicken, get 22. Enjoy! Yvette and Tommy Stafford MAY 2018
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Spring is a Great Time to Tour the Best of Wintegreen
MLS# 570887
$139,900
MLS# 569127
$419,000
6 Ivy Glenn Ln
1042 Blue Ridge Dr
Charming 2 BR, 2.5 BA townhouse at a walk to the Wintergreen Spa & Fitness and the Nature Foundation. Spacious and bright.
Craftsman mtn home offering 5BR, 3.5 BA, entertainment room for a total of 3334 sq ft. Built in 2008. Furnished. Next to pool.
MLS# 567922
$495,000
302 Pedlars Edge Dr Spacious mtn home with year round mtn and valley views. Lot backs up to open space for great privacy. Walk to Tyro ski slope.
Dima Holmes 434.962.2252 DimaDHolmes@gmail.com
MLS# 560176
P.O. Box 706, Wintergreen VA 22958 WintergreenResort.com
$565,000
MLS# 567894
$749,000
MLS# 574674
$39,000
2173 Laurel Springs Dr
300 Cedar Dr
88 Deerberry Ln
Luxury mtn home built in 2010. Energy efficient with south orientation. Lot backs up to GWNF, short walk to hiking trails.
Craftsman home on a large, secluded 1.3 acre lot. Borders National Forest. Detached garage. Great year round mountain views.
Golf front homesite. Located at the tee of hole #6 at the Devils Knob Golf Course. Level building site. Great fairway views. 0.32 ac.
Specializing in log cabins, stone work, and historical restorations. Also buying log cabins and barns
Meade Shirley 540-241-9075 CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEBSITE:
elkmountaincontracting.com
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basicnecessities By Kay Pfaltz www.basicnecessities.com www.kaypfaltz.com Wine tasting terms: grok Do not the most moving moments of our lives find us without words? — Marcel Marceau With a term like “grok” it may sound as if we haven’t left April Fool’s far behind, or maybe we just prefer easing back into the more serious world gently. Grok (to understand something intuitively or by empathy) while not limited to wine description, is used with the more ethereal and sensory experiences. The verb is often and incorrectly used in place of “grasp” but its essence goes deeper, and is therefore perfect for something as subjective as wine. When trying to talk about wine, we’re often reaching for the indescribable, as in, one can grok a great Burgundy but how do you put into words what you taste and perhaps most of all smell? I’m not sure you can. The greatest wine experiences like the greatest life experiences cannot really be put into words; they have to be felt. And in the presence of the
greatest wines, silence often seems most apropos. But silence brought on by awe can get somewhat tricky for a writer when the point is to describe emotions and sensations. Wine geeks will resort to “grok”, first coined in Stranger in a Stranger Land in 1961, but used since in reporting events and politics around the world as the world gets ever more strange. There’s a fine line between enthusiasm and pretension, the latter often seeming to hover never far from wine speak, but sometimes what comes across as too twee is no more than a yearning to put into words one’s enthusiasm for a certain wine. Four outstanding Chenin Blancs with which to practice grokking: La Grange Tiphaine “Bel Air”, 2015 (organic) – Perhaps the truest expression of Chenin Blanc lies in the Loire Valley, the grape’s ninthcentury birthplace. Like Pinot Noir, Chenin’s style is dictated by its terroir. While Chenin makes dry, offdry, sweet, very sweet and sparkling wines in the Loire, the Bel Air is dry, yet there’s an edge of tart fruit: apple and quince. $21.99
Damien Laureau, La Petite Roche, Savennières, 2015 (organic) – Chenin, like Riesling, is one of the great food wines, and I think Savennières makes better Chenin Blanc than anywhere else. Look for a creamy sensation on your palate that might surprise you with a wine of such high acidity, and a nose of pear, with nutty aromas, wet straw and earth. $22.99 Damien Laureau, Le Bel Ouvrage, Savennières, 2015 (organic) – A serious Chenin for Savennières lovers. What is it you taste? Ah yes, that’s just it. You grok it but can’t explain it. If you never “got” the lanolin or wet wool, here’s your wine. Creamy, rich and unctuous, with layers of complexity, this is a wine that will evolve greatly over the course of a meal. Le Berceau des Fées, 2015 (organic) – Made by Tessa and Monique Laroche of the renowned Domaine aux Moines in the Savennières subappellation of Roche aux Moines. Creamy with notes of Anjou pear. Let it linger in your mouth and there is a sweet-sour sensation on your tongue. I adore this wine. $21.99
Café Wine and Cheese Shop 2226 Rockfish Valley Highway Nellysford, Virginia ph: 434.361.1766 www.basicnecessities.us
A taste of Europe in the Blue Ridge!
Greek Night! Join us for an evening in Greece, or the closest thing to it. For more information or for reservations, please call. Tu-Th 10am-6pm, Fri-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-3pm Reservations advised for weekend dinner and brunch.
Friend BASIC NECESSITIES Visit us on Foodwaze Review us on Trip Advisor and Yelp
FAT HOM
Encaustic works by
Amanda Smith MA Y – J UN E R E CE P T I ON SAT U R DA Y • MA Y 5 • 3 T O 5 P M
CELEBRATE DERBY DAY WITH A VIRGINIA JULEP SATURDAY, MAY 5TH 11AM - 6PM
I N
T H E
G A L L E R Y
AT
MUSIC BY GARY RANDAL 2PM-5PM COTE-ROTIE FOOD TRUCK ALL DAY WEA R YOUR FAVORITE DERBY HAT!
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR TOURS & TASTINGS 71 River Road • Faber, Virginia (Corner of RT29 and 6 West) Phone:(434) 806-8058 Hours: Thursday–Sunday 10am - 5pm ebbandflowcottage.com
MON-SAT 11AM - 6PM, SUN 12PM - 6PM 299 EADES LANE, LO V INGSTON, VA WWW.VADISTILLERY.COM P: 434,285.2900
MAY 2018
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Brady S. Nicks Attorney-at-Law,
Counselor, and Officer of the Court, serving Citizens of Nelson and Surrounding Counties in Matters before the Courts, Civil or Criminal, or between Parties.
Jessica Ligon DVM Krisha Golla DVM Pick Your Own and Pre-Picked:
Strawberries: Mid April - June Cherries & Blueberries: June Mother Nature determines when our Cherries and Berries will be ripe !!! Please call to confirm availability !!!
Consultations are Confidential and Free. 434-263-4141 All Client calls returned within 24 Business Hours. Office Located on the Courthouse Grounds, Lovingston. nicksatlaw.com 10
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Come enjoy ice cream as well as our farm-raised beef and pork! From Amherst: Take 29N to 56W, go 1
Hours:
– Friday mile, turn right onto Roseland Road. Watch Monday 8am to 7pm
for signs. From Lovingston: Take 29S to 56W, go 1 mile, turn right onto Roseland Road. Watch for signs.
For more information call
Saturday 8am to 4pm Sunday 12:30pm to 5pm
434-277-8130 www.seamansorchard.com
What’s on YOUR mind this Spring? May is Heartworm and Lyme awareness month Free Nail Trim ($16 value) when your dog is combo tested for heartworm and Lyme disease during their appointment.
434-263-4881
Located on Highway 29 just South Of Lovingston
PASTA and PUPS
NORTH GARDEN
[ albemarle county ]
STORY by VICTORIA BEECHER GODFREY PHOTOGRAPHY by STEPHANIE GROSS
MAY MAY 2018 2018
Blue Blue Ridge Ridge LIFE LIFE
11 11
There’s an immediately engaging feel to Amanda and Jim Winecoff’s 22-acre farm. It’s tidy but not precious, a direct hit on the comfort zone target.
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Sunday, May 13
Wine and Chocolate Pairing
Join us in the Pavilion from 1-4pm as the folks from Altus Chocolates in Lynchburg pair each of 5 wines with a special chocolate. $15 per person. No reservations, no parties more than 6. Tastings on the ½ hour intervals. Regular wine tasting flights also available in the Tasting House.
Saturday, May 26
Afton After Hours with Eli Cook Food available from 106 Street Food and Spice Sea Gourmet.
Saturday, June 23
Afton After Hours with Jimmy O Food available from 106 Street Food and Spice Sea Gourmet. .
Saturday, July 7 Sunset Saturday with Erin Lunsford
Food available from Cote-Rotie food truck.
Saturday, July 28 Afton After Hours with Chamomile and Whiskey
Food available from 106 Street Food and Spice Sea Gourmet.
Saturday, August 4 Sunset Saturday with live music from 6-8pm
Food available from Cote-Rotie food truck.
Saturday, August 25 Afton After Hours with live music from 6-8:30pm
Food available from 106 Street Food and Spice Sea Gourmet.
Saturday, Sept. 1 Sunset Saturday with Will Overman
Food available from 106 Street Food and Spice Sea Gourmet.
Wherever the eye looks there’s a task in progress, the chicken coop (which started out as a playhouse for the kids), the fenced garden, compost heap, and lambing pens. In a far pasture, black and white dog faces are silently considering my arrival. It’s peaceful, no barking or bleating, Clearly, everyone and everything has been well-attended. A sense of contentment prevails. “You can lead sheep pretty easy with a grain bucket,” says Amanda, but it’s a lot more fun to move them with a trained border collie. Enter Floyd.
No cover charge for Sunset Saturday events (6-8pm). $5 cover charge for Afton After Hours events (6-8:30pm). Wine available for bottle purchase only, at these events. Under 18 free. Rain or shine. www.AftonMountainVineyards.com
234 Vineyard Lane Afton VA 22920 540-456-8667 continued on page 14
continued on page 14
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Pack A Picnic!
MAC’S Country Store FRIED CHICKEN The Best Around Conveniently located near Crabtree Falls, the Appalachian Trail, Wintergreen, & The Tye River Featuring a deli, homemade foods, Virginia products, local wines, seating for 14. 7023 Patrick Henry Hwy, Roseland
434-277-5305 Mon-Sat 6am-8pm Sun 9am-8pm EXXON GAS 24/7
continued from page 13
The image of a cartoon I came across years ago flashes before me. The hostess of a sheep cocktail party says to the host, “Henry! Our party’s total chaos! No one knows when to eat, where to stand, what to . . . Oh, thank God! Here comes a border collie!” A collie stands panting at the open door. Floyd waits on the field’s perimeter for a command. The small flock bunches up as herd animals do when confronted with a predator. Amanda originally trained her dogs with voice commands, but today she puts the crescent-shaped dog whistle she wears attached to a lanyard in her mouth to blow the high-pitched, long-carrying trills that comport to natural whistling or voice commands. This sound travels faster and is more precise. Where it gets tricky is when working a “brace,” two dogs in tandem with separate whistle controls. But today it’s all Floyd’s show and he’s lapping it up. The most commonly used commands are “Come by,” meaning to move clockwise, relative to the sheep. “Away to me,” is counterclockwise. “Walk up,” is to move the sheep toward the handler. Running in broad arcs Floyd gathers the flock and moves them about the field. On the down command, he does the characteristic border collie drop that has nothing to do with relaxing but rather holding the hairline position of the flock’s flight zone. Unwinding comes after Floyd’s run with an exuberant roll in some manure. continued on page 16
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continued from page 14
The sheep, Cheviots and Katahdins, are in Amanda’s care from birth to about one-year when they step on the trailer which is where Jim takes over. Amanda says, “From the day they’re born, to the day they die, I give them the best life possible.” As to the butchering, “I don’t do that end.” She follows a mostly vegetarian diet, trying her lamb on occasion. The lamb’s afterlife folds into Jim’s business, Mona Lisa Pasta on Preston Avenue in Charlottesville. There he sells legs, racks, and his signature lamb sausage. Jim’s been in business for 16-years making fresh pasta and sauces for a community that seems to have an insatiable collective appetite. Mona Lisa’s offerings also include wines, cheeses and specialty packaged items.
To further the keen balance of this operation Amanda works full time as a therapist at Region Ten, assisting the severely mentally ill. A job where strain is a given makes coming home to fuzzy lambs and attentive dogs a stress release. When they’re puppies she takes them to work with her, “So they get used to walkers and wheelchairs. People just love them. They fight over who gets to hold them.” continued on page 18
Join us for the Run & Remember 5K May 12 at 8 a.m. at Keswick Club Register at hopva.org/5K
Many Thanks to our Generous 2018 Sponsors! Diamond
Platinum
Photo: Norm Carter
16 16
Blue Ridge LIFE Blue Ridge LIFE
APRIL 2018 MAY 2018
Learn more and sign up at hopva.org/5k
MAY 2018
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continued from page 16
We move to the back pasture where Scott has been watching the activity. “He was my first, and best, working dog, my most handsome dog too. Scott is a natural dog,” says Amanda. Meaning highly instinctual, and quick to associate commands to actions. At fourteen he can no longer hear well but there’s a place for everyone on the farm, even the reddish-brown fellow, Gus, aka, “The Silencer of the Lambs.” “Gus is a little too exuberant with the flock,” says Jim. So how does he get to stay? Amanda replies, “Jim,” and there’s a good-natured laugh all around. The Chaos Invitational begins. Scott is joined by Chet, Gus, Lucy, Floyd, Stella, Rye, and finally three-month-old Sadie. Trying to arrange all eight around Jim and Amanda goes something like this: “Sit. Lie down. Gus! Guuuuus! Sit. Sadie, come here. Stella, knock it off! Lucy, come here. Floydie? Lie down. That’ll do.” Then THWAP! The sound of the once kneeling Stephanie being body slammed. She’s flat on her back with one arm raised supporting a kind of pricey Nikon periscope, giggling. “These twins were just born this morning,” says Jim leaning over a sheep pen, “they’re not even completely clean yet.” The cuteness factor just went over the top as little tails twitch in nursing satisfaction. Jim explains, “We shear the Cheviots in February to make lambing easier. Easier for the little ones to find udders too.” The Katahdins are hair sheep and shed naturally making them a popular breed for easy keeping. However, Amanda likes the perky ears of the Cheviots.
Where miracles are performed daily! Call for an appointment.
Beech Grove Salon 434-361-1810
910 Beech Grove Rd (Rt. 664) Roseland, VA
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Chet sidles up to Jim for a treat, a bite of egg linguine fresh from the shop. Jim says, “I started out in the woodworking and cabinet making business. But I always liked to cook,” when the time came for a career move Jim visited a new pasta shop in Charlotte, North Carolina. “I said, ‘I could do that and hired the company to consult with me.’” In a matter of months Mona Lisa was up and running and Charlottesville has been happily carbo-loading since. Chet on the other paw is under the watchful eye of Amanda who keeps her dogs in top athletic shape. His linguine line has been cut off. We stroll back toward the house pausing to stare up into the lopsided, gnarly branches of a Bradford Pear tree; it’s not your typical median strip variety. This tree seems to have reached into its genetic depths to appear to be more like its pollinating, fruiting ancestor. With a degree in arboriculture, Jim quickly points out the tree was on the property when they acquired it 20 years ago. On the terraced stone patio Amanda sips her wine from a NASA glass. Who knew NASA had wine glasses? The Winecoffs have two sons in their mid-twenties. One writes computer code for NASA and the other cooks and bakes in Portland, Oregon. This couple seems to possess a remarkable aptitude for encouraging and embracing diversity. The stonework that surrounds us is technically very good, but it’s organic in the way that nothing suggests there was ever a master plan, just flowing with where the next rock would fit, it is without pretense. It’s a lovely way to build something approachable and enduring. That seems to be the very tone of Jim and Amanda’s sustainable idyll. BRL
Looking for Something Unique to Do With Dad on Father’s Day Weekend? The South’s Premiere Artillery “Living History” Organization
KNIBB’S BATTERY
Will Be Having 3 Days of Cannon Shooting and Recruiting At Hickman’s Grocery at 1311 Beech Grove Road in Roseland From 10:00am till 6:00pm on the 15th, 16th and 17th of June
For More Info, Contact 804-356-8868 or Commander@KnibbsBattery.Org
MAY 2018
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Mountain Homes for Your Outdoor Lifestyle. HOMES ON THE MOUNTAIN
$309,000
MLS# 567101
MLS# 568647
$595,000
CONDOS AND TOWNHOMES
MLS# 568428
$85,000
475 East Catoctin Drive
265 Black Walnut Drive
170 Mountain Inn Condos
This charming 4 BR, 3 BA home, located at the end of a quiet street, is beautifully landscaped & set in a private wooded setting. Meticulously maintained and sold fully furnished; this home features seasonal golf fairway views, over $150,000 in upgrades, & a newly installed roof!
This beautiful, spacious 5 BR, 4 BA custom home sits on the 8th Fairway of the Shamokin golf course. Generous decking & many flower beds. Stream and bridges along West property line. The 3rd level has a tower room (sunroom) with “widows walk�. Adjacent lot available.
This loft style condo is in excellent condition, updated, and in the Wintergreen Rental Program! This fully furnished condo is located in the heart of the Mountain Village, The Mountain Inn, & within walking distance to the slopes, restaurants, shopping, and more!
$384,000
MLS# 574106
MLS# 574421
$619,567
MLS# 565532
$174,900
1735 Laurel Springs Drive
1270 Glenthorne Loop
1419 Highlands Condos
This spacious 5 BR, 3.5 BA home has been well maintained & updated; offering a great opportunity for your family to enjoy all that Wintergreen has to offer in a quiet private setting. Featuring multiple decks & a screened in porch make this a retreat for all seasons!
This beautifully built 4 BR, 4 BA home has an open floor plan with year round views from every room. Situated on over 31 acres and set on a hill overlooking the Rockfish Valley, this home is very private and yet close to the village of Nellysford and all the area attractions.
Change your life with style! Life is more fun at Wintergreen! This unit has a wide-ranging view, upgraded furnishings, granite counter tops and ceramic tile. Spend the winter season overlooking the ski slopes and enjoy the panoramic mountain & valley views all year!
$749,000
MLS# 556661
MLS# 573686
$995,000
MLS# 572162
$189,500
137 Pedlars Point
271 Falls Road
128 Eagles Court Condos
Enjoy gorgeous year-round panoramic views from this custom 5 BR, 5 BA luxury mountain home! Fully furnished & located on a quiet culde-sac, this home features two master suites, two family rooms, a stone to ceiling fireplace, an upgraded gourmet kitchen, and more!
Classic informal mountain lodge, very private, trout stream at entrance, magnificent high meadow, and future building site with excellent views. Approx. 140 acres rises extremely high on the mountain. ATV trails to top of property. Property is bordered on 2 sides with streams.
Beautifully renovated and fully furnished two bedroom ski-in/ski-out condo. This unit boasts nice mountain views and an open and bright floor plan. Currently a gold rated rental on the Wintergreen Resort Rental Program; this unit is conveniently located close to everything!
434.325.8018 / (800) 325.2200
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STONEY CREEK AND NELSON COUNTY
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wintergreenrealestate.com
To Learn More, Contact Us Today! 434.325.8018 / (800) 325.2200 FEATURED PROPERTY
MLS# 569949
$144,900
1509 Cliffs Condos Rare find! This gorgeous & well maintained turnkey ready condo could be featured in the latest interior design publication! Totally renovated with upscale contemporary styling; this unit boasts great panoramic views of the majestic Blue Ridge from the walk out patio.
766 Blue Ridge Drive $769,000 MLS# 570170
MLS# 571629
$179,000
1619 Overlook Condos Enjoy some of the best views at Wintergreen from your deck or living room. Spacious twobedroom, two-bath condo with only a few steps up from the private parking area. Close to everything, this is a premium location and amazing views for a great price!
Elegant, Private, and Grand This beautifully renovated 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home, situated on a 1.39-acre parcel, comes fully furnished and boasts fantastic 180 degree mountain & valley views and unparalleled privacy for quiet and peaceful enjoyment. Completely renovated in the last 3-4 years with new hardi plank siding, all new windows and doors, and a designer inspired interior. The top floor master offers a large, luxurious bath with soaking tub and some of the most breathtaking mountain views Wintergreen has to offer. Call for an appointment or stop by during an Open House.
Open House MLS# 572284
$235,000
1610 Overlook Condos Beautifully renovated 2BR, 2 BA villa with spectacular mountain and valley views. This ground floor, end unit boasts glorious sunrises, a spacious, open and bright floor plan, and a large wrap around deck that has access to the grassy yard behind the condo. A must see!
Every Friday in May Noon to 5pm
For more information, we invite you to contact Dima Holmes at 434.361.0500 / 434.962.2252 wintergreenrealestate.com
3079 Rockfish Valley Highway, Wintergreen Resort VA 22958
MAY 2018
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Top Rated Quality Care 4 Straight Years
www.augustahealth.com
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athome
Starting Strong A Nelson County real estate summary for Q1 2018
withMarlo
By Marlo Allen Marlo Allen is a licensed Realtor residing in Nelson County
The first quarter is historically a slow quarter for Nelson County residential sales, but it sure wasn’t for the start of 2018. The market showed positive strides in all fronts with an increase in the number of sales and median price, while improving the time required to achieve a sale with fewer days on market. Here is a quick residential market summary for Nelson County. *Sales figures were pulled from the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors (CAAR) Multiple Listing Service (MLS). Q1 Countywide Overview: 67 residential properties sold in Q1 of 2018 which represents a 49% increase from the same time period in 2017 when 45 properties sold. Q1 Statistical Comparison: Q1 2017 recap: 45 sales, median $194,000, average price $246,140, average price per sq ft $131.06, average days on market (DOM) 183, median DOM 100, average cumula-
tive DOM 236. Q1 2018: 67 sales, median $215,000, average price $259,340, average price per sq ft $131.19, average DOM 151, median DOM 119, average cumulative DOM 165. In the year-end report, I mentioned that the market appears to be shifting in favor of sellers. That trend continues to hold as 2018 kicks off. In fact, this is the strongest start to a year in terms of sales since back in the hay day of real estate in 2005 when there were 85 sales in the first quarter. It is encouraging that sales increased along with the median and average selling price. The price per sq ft basically held the same. While growth occurred in comparing Q1 2018 with Q1 2017, it is important to mention that these factors are not necessarily higher than where we ended the year. As you will recall, the 2017 year end median was $233,000, average price was $288,881, and average $ per sq ft was $135.86. Hence, it is
Marlo Allen
okay to exhibit excitement about the positive start to our year, but remain grounded on price. Setting the right price remains a critical component to getting a home sold and not having to accrue unnecessary days on market. While inventory is down from this time last year, inventory has had a marginal increase since the start of the year. There are currently 230 residential properties for sale. If planning to sell in 2018, success will still be measured by the price, condition, and marketing of your property as buyers still have options. Q1 Sales Summary by Locality: Nelson County sales encompass 3 main markets, Wintergreen (mountain) with 37 sales, Stoney Creek (valley) with 10 sales, and all other non-resort or county properties with 20 sales. When comparing Q1 2018 sales with Q1 2017 sales, all localities experienced growth. Stoney Creek experienced the largest growth with sales more
434-996-3525
Stoney Creek real estate market is on the RISE!
than doubling (150% increase), followed by Wintergreen with a 42.3% increase, and the county at a 33.3% increase. Condos account for majority of the Wintergreen sales at 70% of the Q1 sales. County (nonresort) sales were scattered with no particular locality accounting for the bulk of the sales. Distressed sales (foreclosures and/or short sales) are still present in the marketplace, but dwindling. Within all of Nelson County sales, 7.4% were distressed sales in Q1 2018 compared to 8.9% in Q1 of 2017. Variables such as location, views, acreage, condition and features can affect values. For further explanation and comparison relative to a property you want to sell or purchase, contact a real estate professional. Marlo Allen, frequently referred to as “That Girl,� calls Nelson County home. In fact, she grew up in Nelson County and helped found Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery of Nellysford. Marlo provides real estate services in Nelson and surrounding counties.
InsistOnThatGirl.com Stunning Home in Stoney Creek! 1381 Monocan Dr; #573001; $799,000 3Br/2.5Ba Main House & 1Br/1Ba Guest; 6.3 acres
Q1 2017: 4 residential sales; median selling price $353,250 Q1 2018: 10 residential sales; median selling price $427,500 Now is a great time to get a property sold and a great time to buy before prices increase more. Call on your area expert, Marlo! Marlo G. Allen
Associate Broker Cell: 434.996.3525 Web: InsistOnThatGirl.com Email: Marlo@InsistOnThatGirl.com
Insist on that girl!
Rare opportunity to own a circa 1810 Georgian style brick two over two that has been fully reconstructed and expanded to provide old world charm with all of the modern day efficiencies and luxuries. Perfectly sited with mountain views, incredible privacy and serenity of the 6 acre estate to include a connecting guest cottage and garage/workshop. Features: vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, 4 fireplaces, gourmet kitchen with custom cherry cabinets and quartz counters, master suite with his/her walk-in closets and luxurious bathroom, den and/or library, home office, loggia or garden room with view of grounds and patio. Premier construction: 2x6 walls, copper roof, climate controlled crawl and attic, and new dual fuel, 3 zone HVAC system.
Marlo is a top-producing agent throughout Nelson County, Stoney Creek and Wintergreen. MAY 2018
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DAYTON
[ rockingham county ]
STORY by VICTORIA BEECHER GODFREY PHOTOGRAPHY by LOIS WHITE COLE
Freedom around 1750 on the North American continent meant many things, namely the ability to feed and protect oneself. In 2018 that original “freedom” is what captivates Mark Thomas to recreate the tools that sustained a fledgling society as Europeans insinuated themselves on Native American soil. continued on page 26
MAY MAY 2018 2018
Blue Blue Ridge Ridge LIFE LIFE
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Mother’s Day is May 13
Your neighborhood florist serving Nellysford, Afton, Roseland, Wintergreen, churches and funeral homes in Nelson County, VA.
It is here this writer finds herself on the thin ice of indigenous sovereign land rights, gun control, and modern massacres.
Call us to deliver color, fragrance and living art to someone special in your life.
FreeSpiritFlowers.com
434-361-1280
I lay a disarming cornerstone before continuing, it is to reference an endeared authority on old firearms, Joe Kindig Jr., considered the consummate collector of the longrifle, the Kentucky Rifle. In the preface of his 500+ page tome on the gun (Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in its Golden Age, 1960) Kindig writes, “Since it may well be considered the most artistic product of eighteenth century America, and since it was tremendously important to the expansion of our country, the Kentucky rifle unquestionably merits serious research and thoughtful study by students of beauty. No final word will ever be written about the Kentucky as art, however, because man’s works of art are very closely bound to the spirit, and the spiritual aspect of any thing can never be known completely.”
$
Upcoming Events
There’s a long rifle leaning against the counter in Mark Thomas’ kitchen. Its presence is casual but it is commanding silent attention. The elephant (gun) in the room. This particular firearm, of Thomas’s creation, is relatively simple. Although exquisite, the inlay is reserved as not to overpower the natural richness of the curly maple stock.
n May 2 - Dahlias and More Dahlias with Bev Lacey n May 3,9 & 16 - Outrageously Beautiful Peonies with Foxie Morgan n June 20 - Lavender Day with Annie Baggett Thomas says, “I work in gold, sterling silver, copper, brass, ivory, tortoise shell,”. Does he create duplicates of original tools? A big belly-laugh and Thomas replies, “I’m not that interested in style changes and fashion. Go figure?” He looks down a blonde beard draping over his Liberty bib overalls. His artistic interest is planted firmly between 1750 and 1800 between the French Indian War and the Revolutionary War. His efforts are to create pieces that are evocative of that era, but not necessarily direct replicas.
For info and registration, visit PharsaliaEvents.com Come see us Saturday mornings at the Nelson Farmers Market.
NELSON COUNTY, VIRGINIA
www.PharsaliaEvents.com
434-277-5231
continued on page 28
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continued from page 27
However, if Thomas is moved to he is capable of remarkable reproduction work. Consider the Céloron plate. Each solid lead plaque, the originals numbering six total, approximately 11” x 7’’ inch dimension, was created by the French and placed by Pierre Joseph Céloron in 1749 at the junction of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers stating France’s claim to all of the land serviced by these waterways. Leaden lines in the sand, they were of the sparks that ignited the French Indian War. Thomas holds a dead-ringer replica, of his creation, in his hands. He has never touched the original but his stunning accuracy has been confirmed by esteemed 18th century Virginia military artifact collector Giles Cromwell. The only intact original is housed at the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond and is valued well into seven figures. There’s a subculture among these creators and collectors, the patriarch of which may be Gordon Barlow founder of the Contemporary Longrifle Association. Of this Thomas, a charter member, says, “Gordon started the CLA with this premise in mind, he wanted an organization that would help the artist make a living wage in what we do. It’s helped some. I know it’s helped me some,”. It was Gordon Barlow who commissioned, on behalf of the CLA, to have Thomas create a powder horn for actor, Fess Parker. Parker was recognized for portraying the character of Davy Crockett for Disney Studios. This endearing coonskin-capped trail-blazer introduced the American public to the notion of the Mississippi as the western frontier. Thomas recalls, “Gordon said ‘We can’t pay you much,’ Well who gives a damn? The opportunity to
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do something for somebody you’ve enjoyed most all of your life? So, I made the horn up.” Parker accepted the engraved powder horn on behalf of Disney with a note of thanks to Thomas. After some thrashing about Thomas pulls out a carved maple breadboard and lays some small engraved and inlaid knives on it. The work is both naïve and spectacular. Alongside his signature breakfast of bacon redeye gravy this fellow has a cup of self-deprecation. Any of his pieces lifted out of his humble surrounds would hold their own in the finest early American collections. Although the respect of authorities like Barlow and Cromwell could suffice, I chat with Bernie Fox, another collector and friend of Thomas’ for 20 years. Fox says, “I met Mark when I hired him to restore the horn muzzle cap on a German rifle. He is a first class craftsman and artist. Mark is willing to share information,” a trait that’s not altogether common among craftsmen. There’s a thread of gentleness that runs through this fraternity. Thomas says, “I’m afraid of being hurt, I don’t fight,” he looks down at his hands, the most irreplaceable tools at his bench. He’s not alone, possessing the largest collection of longrifles amassed, Joe Kindig never fired one. It seems quite natural that the next time I will see Mark Thomas is to bring him my husband’s sterling baby cup to engrave for our granddaughter’s first birthday. Someday her little fingers may run over the delicate etched lines and her other grandmother Lois and I will tell her how we followed a black cat down a wooded drive to find a man who could make flowers bloom on gunstocks. BRL
Is it Time for a Better System? Your pup may have fun with this but your business needs modern bookkeeping. Call us today to learn about setting up an easy to manage system.
CALL US TODAY! C e r t i f i e d P u b l i c Ac c ou nt a nt s
Providing Quality Tax Services for Individuals, Trusts, Estates, and Small Businesses 2741 Rockfish Valley Hwy • Nellysford, Virginia • 434.361.9650 www.R-CPA.net
434-263-4500 8535 Thomas Nelson Hwy Lovingston, VA 22949
FOSTERFUELS.COM PROPANE • GAS LOGS • TANKS • HEATERS • GRILLS & MORE
Rockfish River Gallery Fine Art and Exquisite Crafts from Virginia
55 Artists & Artisans – We Are Unique ! Here are a few of the items that we have: lots of cards, five different jewelry makers’ jewelery, local Virginia authors’ books, witches, fairies, watercolor, oil, acrylic, pencil sketches and mixed media paintings, hand-made clothing, dolls, hand-made wooden toys, local music, blown glass and stained glass, strange fish, pottery and on and on ...
Part Of Our Mission Is to Allow As Many As Possible Local And Extended Local Artists And Artisans To Display Their Work and to Promote Art in the Community at Large. We now have more than 50 artists, Artisans and Authors Displaying their Work
Rockfish Valley Community Center 190 Rockfish School Lane, Afton, VA 22920 We are open all year Weds. through Sat. from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. 434 - 294 - 4668 Check our website for info, map and news. www.RockfishRiverGallery.com
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1997 – 2018
Come Celebrate with us ! 21 years of supporting local farmers NELSON Farmers Market
Season is Here
SaturdayS 8– 12 IN THE HEART OF NELLYSFORD MORE THAN 50 VENDORS May 5 2Wishes May 12 Keith Bradley and Friends May 19 Blazing Saddle Tramps May 26 New Half-Grassed Revival
SPONSORED BY
Nelson Farmers Market Cooperative www.NelsonFarmersMarket.com
TAYLOR MADE BUSINESS SERVICE, LLC Offering Bookkeeping, Payroll, Personal Finance, and Notary Services. p: 434.361.2208 • f: 434.361.2131 TaylorMadeSvc@gmail.com
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MASSIES MILL
[ nelson county ]
STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY by YVETTE STAFFORD
Letting nature do the
MWORK
DIRTY
continued on page 32
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“This is too wet. I need to pour some of this water out,” says the woman with the salt and pepper hair, clearly on a deadline. The Pharsalia event space in Massies Mill just erected its tent for the season and under it today, dozens of gardeners will gather.
NORTH BRANCH SCHOOL presents
BandFair XV
Sunday, May 20, 1-6PM Cardinal Point Winery Local bands! The Humbleloos, The John Marshall Mays Band, The Jen Tal Band, and more! Local foods ] Cardinal Point wine Children’s activities ] Wine raffle Silent Auction ] Cake Walk ] Lip Sync Contest Advance tickets: $10 adults/$5 students/$30 family. Call 540-456-8450 for more information. Proceeds benefit North Branch playground upgrade and needs-based assistance. Sponsors include: Blue Ridge Life, Little Planets, Skyline Tent Company North Branch School does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color or income & actively seeks minority students.
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BECERRA LAWNCARE Now taking appointments for Chipping and Leaf Removal Contact: Carlos Becerra
434-962-3266 Firewood • Debris Cleanup • Wood Chipper Mowing • Weed Eating • Pruning/Weeding Tree Trimming • Planting/Fertilizing • Mulching Spraying Weeds • Raking Leaves • Much, much more ...
“And then you feel like a double disaster because you’ve spent a lot of money on seeds.” Because there’s a huge learning gap between catalogue and harvest, and many gardeners — the writer included — find themselves frustrated with stubborn seeds that won’t germinate, surrendering seed starting ambitions and appease their heartbreak with a trip to the nursery, now flush with beautiful greenhouse-grown tomato plants. And even though you may wince when you see the seed catalogue sitting in the kitchen, at least your garden looks alive. Though she has earned an impressive following in the gardening community, Lisa will tell you she wasn’t born with the knowledge. When she married into a Mennonite farming family and took over the garden plot, she had some catching up to do. The gardening thing, you see, had skipped a generation.
“We often say that we have a seed starting support group.” Because gardening can be tricky and seed starting is basically conception, the shallow plastic tub in Lisa’s hands is the promise of fertility: a muddy mix of compost, peat moss and nutrients. A self-admitted recovering “disastrous seed starter,” Lisa swears by the method of seed starting she’s about show me. She again mixes the mud in the tray, still watery but not drenched as before. She then reveals a metal object – a trusty tool of the trade by the looks of it — “the original soil blocking tool I bought 20 years ago,” Lisa adds. Spreading the bottom of the tool with the mud, she pushes down the plunger-like handle to form a block, perforated with spongy squares that will receive the seed. The soil block, sitting on a small Styrofoam tray — about the size of the ones at the grocery store used to display ground beef — will rest on a heating pad and then be moved to grow lights. “I have no greenhouses. I’m an urban farmer in the middle of the city,” Lisa explains. She lives in Newport News and her neighborhood prohibits greenhouses and hoops. “You can do this in a spare bedroom, your laundry room, because you don’t have to worry about water running [off the Styrofoam].” And here Lisa is, in her black leggings and brown garden boots, about to lob an arsenal of truth bombs in the heart of Nelson County orchard country. Are we chatting under a wedding tent or one pitched for a revival? “There are people with their eyes filling up with tears …I think that everyone is drawn to start seeds,” Lisa explains. “It’s just such an amazing miracle and we all want to do it but few people will confess that they can’t … that they’ve been secretly buying seeds all these years and they’ve had horrible [experiences]. It’s been a disaster!” A disaster that naively begins with the romance of seed catalogues pouring into one’s mailbox during late winter, a tease to warmer months ahead. Add to cart.
“Our grandmas did this. My parents were not gardeners. My parents had landscape … to them it was like coming up in the world to be able to buy stuff in the grocery store so the gardens fell away.” The book Lisa just published, on display on a table inside the tent, is a hint of grandma’s garden making a comeback. “I saw nature come alive in my garden and the pollinators and the beneficial insects which really took me down this road that I share in Vegetables Love Flowers. Let nature do the heavy lifting for you.” That’s truth bomb number one. “I was treating with pesticides, just like everybody else was,” Lisa admits to me. That backfired. “Plant flowers because why would pollinators come to your garden if you don’t have a constant source of flowers?” “She’s articulate, to the point, confident in what she knows but doesn’t pretend to know things she does not know. She’s an excellent teacher in that way,” says Bev Lacey, outside of Lisa’s earshot. Bev and her husband Keith Dix own Blue Heron Farm in Nellysford (Bev is leading a workshop of her own, on dahlias, at Pharsalia on May 2). continued on page 34
OLD WORLD CARPENTRY “hoch die zimmererkunst” Jens Müller
6997 Rockfish River Road Schuyler, VA 22969 434.831.5998 CUSTOM SAWING WITH A WOOD MIZER PORTABLE BAND SAW
Where miracles are performed daily! Call for an appointment.
Beech Grove Salon 434-361-1810
910 Beech Grove Rd (Rt. 664) Roseland, VA
oldworldcarpentryvirginia.com MAY 2018
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ANTIQUES
continued from page 33
“Our farm started with organic vegetables that Keith was doing … He said ‘Maybe you would want to add some flowers to the veggie CSA.’ And I have now taken over 3/4 of the land!” Bev spent a day with Lisa a while back, before Vegetables Love Flowers had gone to the printer. Over the years, Bev’s flowers have bloomed and her business has blossomed. Though because she needs to manage pollination on her farm carefully (to extend the life of her cut flowers for her clients), she says the benefits of companion gardening are clear, and like a marriage, sometimes a challenge. “There is a little bit of the push/pull. They do well together. The flowers bring in beneficials which certainly aid the vegetables.” Back to the book and Lisa, who is loading up her Power Point presentation as Bev sneaks away to grab a cup of coffee. “This is the perfect book for the hardcore vegetable growers in your life that think that flowers don’t belong. This tells them why you have to grow flowers.” No more disasters. No more frivolous seed orders. “This is a big picture book. This is how the world was meant to work until we started screwing up, interfering and trying to get things quicker, faster with chemicals.” The vegetables here at Pharsalia do indeed like flowers, and these gardeners do like Lisa. BRL
TuckahoeAntiques.com Rt. 151 Near Wintergreen
CovesvilleStoreAntiques.com Rt. 29 south of Charlottesville
VeronaAntiques.com Rt. 11 north of Staunton
feel the festival LOCKN’ Festival Locknfestival.com
|
August 23-26
Devils Backbone Hoopla
|
The Festy Experience
October 5-7
dbbrewingcompany.com Festy.com
|
September 28-30
nelson county VIRGINIA
nelsoncounty.com Register for a weekend getaway: 800.282.8223
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sam’sgarden By Sam Saunders Edge, LLC
Outdoor Lighting Tips Outdoor lighting has long since evolved from the traditional lamp post and flood light found both at the end of the front walk and on the corner of the house, respectively, to a much more attractive blend that produces both ambiance and safety lighting requiring a lot less power. LED lights running on power that has been reduced to provide just 25 volts of current has aggressively moved into the landscape and outdoor living areas. With today’s advancements in lighting, one transformer can handle 50-100 fixtures and, since they are LED, cost significantly less than traditional lighting, in fixtures, power output and time spent changing bulbs. However, moving towards more lights can be a tricky endeavor – balancing ambiance, taste and navigation lighting with a Christmas type of montage of lights you would see in a Doctor Seuss movie. The key to successful lighting is a marriage of high voltage (using a dimmer) and low voltage, separated gracefully by space, angles and structure(s). I consider 110 voltage lighting to welcome the guests, while low voltage lighting sets the mood. Traditional 110 voltage lighting is still as necessary to the landscape as it has been since the dawn of gas street lights being lit by a man walking on stilts. Certain areas dictate the need for bright lighting, in particular parking areas, outdoor living areas (including dining) and yes, the occasional corner house flood light. Their need is easy to understand while the amount of light they produce can be altered greatly to provide the same safe passage. Adding dimmers gives the homeowner the ability to vary the light, dimming on a summer evening while enjoying outdoor dining with friends, or increasing the light on a winter night as your grandchildren watch snow blanket the patio.
Low voltage, then, can be more of a navigational, for safety, and ambiance tool to illuminate objects during the evening. As terrain changes grade, tucking in a low voltage light under the tread of a step(s) can eliminate the need for traditional overhead lighting and provide a much more enjoyable atmosphere while not negotiating safety. As the terrain stabilizes, low voltage can then be used in greater distances apart (30-40 feet) as just ambiance lighting, perhaps underlighting a tree or downlighting on a wall or other structure. Sold as freestanding lights, bars and a host of other configurations, the amount of light they produce and how the light leaves the unit varies according to light length (bars) and lamp shape. A key tip in arranging your low voltage lighting; if you have 10 lights in your landscape, you must first run a supply, or trunk line, to the 5th light (middle) and then go to the 4th and 6th light and so on so as to reduce voltage drop on the last light connected. Use non-navigational, low voltage lighting like you would structures in your landscape – separate them by corners and outdoor rooms remembering a faint glow, not a stadium light. Lastly, don’t underestimate a faint hue or glow in your landscape as a simple match in a dark cave makes a world of a difference. Illuminating current vertical structures (i.e. a birdhouse, the ceiling of a gazebo or adding a light to a 6 x 6 post) can be challenging since getting the wire from the ground or patio to the top of the post means its visible by day. This can be fixed by first wrapping the post, like a vine winding around it, with ½ or ¾ inch copper tubing and then adding the wire to the inside of the tubing. By doing this, you add a handsome copper wrap to the post and don’t compromise safety since the wire is embedded in “code compliant” copper tubing.
asktheDr. By Dr. Charles Cole Afton Family Medicine It has been a long winter, and like many other people I spent this past weekend outside doing yard work. It’s a wonderful time to be outside but sun exposure on these beautiful days can be a problem and it is important to take precautions. Ultraviolet rays from the sun can go through the outer layers of our skin. A certain amount of ultraviolet rays are used by the body to create vitamin D which helps absorb calcium and keep our bones strong. Too many ultraviolet rays can cause damage to the inner layers of skin – a sun burn. This can cause skin cells to die, get damaged or become cancer. Most of us have had a sun burn at some point and swear we will never get another, although few of us are good at protecting ourselves adequately. Sun exposure can cause skin changes like freckles and moles. It can also cause early aging of the skin with wrinkles, leathery skin and dark spots. Sun exposure can cause eye problems and increase the risk of cataracts. Of course, skin cancers are the biggest problem related to
sun exposure. Most skin cancers are not melanomas and are very treatable, but the bad kind of cancer is melanoma which can be very serious. Everyone is at risk to the effects of sun exposure and should protect themselves, but people with fair skin, a family history of skin cancer (especially melanoma) and those who work in the sun all day should be especially cautious about protecting themselves. If possible, you should avoid sun exposure in the middle of the day when the rays are strongest. Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and remember to reapply frequently. Wear clothing that keeps you covered and create your own shade with wide brim hats or umbrellas. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the harmful effects of the sun. Dr. Charles Cole is a licensed medical doctor based in Afton. This column is provided as a service to readers of Blue Ridge Life Magazine and it does not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers of this magazine. If you have a question about your personal health, please consult your doctor.
Discover Why
People Trust
Sentara Afton Family Medicine
OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm For more information or to schedule an appointment, CALL (540) 456-6710 10950 Rockfish Valley Hwy (SR151) • Afton, VA • www.sentara.com MAY 2018
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eventcalendar MAY 1 TUESDAY
MAY 5 SATURDAY
12TH ANNUAL FVC GOLF TOURNAMENT Start: May 1, 2018 8:00 am End: May 1, 2018 5:00 pm Venue: Heritage Oaks Golf Course Contact: 540-246-8174 Address: 680 Garbers Church Rd Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (ROCKINGHAM)
DERBY DAY PARTY Start: May 5, 2018 11:00 am End: May 5, 2018 6:00 pm Venue: The Virginia Distillery Company Contact: 434-285-2900 Address: 299 Eades Lane, Lovingston, VA, 22949 (NELSON)
MAY 6 SUNDAY
MAY 2 WEDNESDAY DAHLIAS WORKSHOP Start: May 2, 2018 10:00 am End: May 2, 2018 1:00 pm Venue: Pharsalia Contact: 434-277-5231 Address: 2333 Pharsalia Road, Tyro, VA, 22976 (NELSON)
NELSON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS ANNUAL PLANT SALE Start: May 6, 2018 9:00 am End: May 6, 2018 2:00 pm Venue: Devil’s Backbone Basecamp Contact: 434-361-1001 Address: 200 Mosby’s Run, Roseland, VA 22967 (NELSON)
MAY 3 THURSDAY
MAY 11 FRIDAY
OUTRAGEOUSLY BEAUTIFUL PEONIES WORKSHOP Start: May 3, 2018 9:30 am End: May 3, 2018 12:30 pm Venue: Pharsalia Contact: 434-277-5231 Address: 2333 Pharsalia Road, Tyro, VA, 22976 (NELSON)
A NIGHT WITH GATSBY: A ROARING 20S AFFAIR Start: May 11, 2018 7:00 pm End: May 11, 2018 11:00 pm Venue: Hotel Madison Contact: (540) 564-0200 Address: 710 S Main St, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (ROCKINGHAM)
RETRO GAME NIGHT Start: May 3, 2018 6:30 pm End: May 3, 2018 9:00 pm Venue: Bold Rock Hard Cider Contact: 434-361-1030 Address: 1020 Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford, VA, 22958 (NELSON)
MAY 12 SUNDAY 15TH ANNUAL CHARLOTTESVILLE FESTIVAL OF CULTURES Start: May 12, 2018 10:00 am End: May 12, 2018 4:00 pm Venue: Booker T. Washington Park Contact: zakira@ festivalofcultures.org Address: 1001 Preston Ave, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (ALBEMARLE)
MAY 5 SATURDAY NELSON FARMERS MARKET COOPERATIVE Start: May 5, 2018 8:00 am End: May 5, 2018 12:00 pm Venue: Nelson Farmers Market Contact: 804-761-7581 Address: 3079 Rockfish Valley Hwy, Nellysford, 22958 (NELSON)
BROWSE MORE EVENTS: blueridgelife.com/events
COMMUNITY BREAKFAST Start: May 5, 2018 8:30 am End: May 5, 2018 10:30 am Venue: Rockfish Valley Community Center Contact: 434-361-0100 Address: 190 Rockfish Lane, Afton, VA, 22920 (NELSON) NELSON DOWNRIVER RACE Start: May 5, 2018 9:30 am End: May 5, 2018 3:00 pm Venue: Lower Tye River Contact: 434-263-7130 Address: Route 622 South Powell’s Island Road (2 miles from Tye River Road), Arrington, VA, 22922 (NELSON) WOODSON’S MILL OPEN HOUSE Start: May 5, 2018 10:00 am End: May 5, 2018 4:00 pm Venue: Woodson’s Mill Contact: 804-803-1794 Address: 3211 Lowesville Road, LOWESVILLE, VA 22967 22922 (AMHERST) 36
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LIST YOUR EVENT Want to be included in our event calendar? Visit BlueRidgeLife.com/events and click on “Submit an Event.” We’ll try to publish as many events as possible (see opposite page), space permitting. Deadline for next month’s issue is the 15th.
businessdirectory Accounting ROGERS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 434-361-9650 2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy Nellysford, VA NELSON COUNTY Call today to schedule your complimentary “get-acquainted” meeting with one of our CPAs. Specializing in quality tax and accounting services for individuals, small businesses, trusts and estates. Visit www.R-CPA.net for additional information.
Construction
Real Estate
ELK MOUNTAIN CONTRACTING, LLC 540-241-9075 221 Old Tyro Lane, Tyro, VA AUGUSTA COUNTY
MARLO G. ALLEN, ASSOCIATE BROKER 434-996-3525 Nellysford, VA NELSON COUNTY
Elk Mountain Contracting has been building custom log cabins and barns for 14 years. Using stonework and reclaimed materials to compliment your project allows us to provide a historic appeal to your structure. Services Provided: Reclaimed building materials, Custom log cabins and barns, Chinking, Stonework, General Construction, Cabin and barn restorations.
When buying or selling real estate in Nelson County or Wintergreen, you can count on “That Girl” to get you results! Besides being a family business partner at Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery of Nellysford, I am also a recognized and trusted name in real estate throughout Nelson County and Wintergreen.
Breweries BLUE MOUNTAIN BARREL HOUSE 434-263-4002 495 Cooperative Way, Arrington, VA NELSON COUNTY Come visit us at the Barrel House brewery and tasting room and discover where tradition meets innovation. Our tasting room is open Sunday-Thursday, 12PM-8PM, Friday 12PM-9PM, & Saturday, 12PM-8PM. You can enjoy a tasting flight of our available beer selections, relax with a full glass of one of our fine ales or lagers, and take a complementary tour after your purchase if you’d like to learn about our special brewing process.
R.M. GANTT CONSTRUCTION 434-316-0090 www.RMGantt.com NELSON COUNTY R.M. Gantt Construction is a family owned business which has served the Central Virginia area since 1992. We concentrate on higher end residential construction by providing our team of professionals, consisting of our well trained and specialized Framers, Millwork Specialists, Project Managers, Estimators, and Interior Designers. We offer a turn key project.
MOUNTAIN AREA REALTY 434-361-2440 2788 Rockfish Valley Hwy, Nellysford, VA NELSON COUNTY Mountain Area Realty offers full real estate services for Nelson County, Wintergreen Resort, Stoney Creek, and surrounding areas. Call our office 7 days a week for immediate professional service from one of our experienced agents.
Blue Mountain Brewery is open 7 days a week bringing the revolution of real hand-crafted American beer to our corner of the world. Eight to ten Blue Mountain drafts available at all times, local foods for lunch and dinner, local wines & family friendly.
SENTARA MARTHA JEFFERSON AFTON FAMILY MEDICINE 540-456-6710 10950 Rockfish Valley Hwy Afton, VA Family Medical Physician’s office specializing in preventive care, acute care,chronic illness care, pediatric and newborn care, women’s health, sports medicine, and geriatric medicine. All ages are welcome.
WINTERGREEN MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY PROPERTIES 434-361-1490 726 Beech Grove Rd, Roseland, VA 22967 NELSON COUNTY Wintergreen Mountain and Valley Properties is proud to serve the Wintergreen mountain area as well as the Stoney Creek and Nelson County areas. We are committed to providing excellent customer service to suit all of your real estate needs. We pride ourselves in trust, market leadership, and cutting-edge marketing to best serve you. Give us a call today!
Plan a visit to Wild Wolf and experience Chef Chris Jack’s amazing creations made with locally sourced ingredients, enjoy your meal inside or out with one of our 13 craft beers on tap then take your favorites home with you our awesome to-go beer selections. For private events contact aj@wildwolfbeer.com
Most insurances accepted!
On Route 29 N. in Colleen (4038 Thomas Nelson Hwy)
Call today for an appointment!
434-263-4000 WINTERGREEN RESORT 855-245-5011 39 Mountain Inn Loop Wintergreen, VA NELSON COUNTY Wintergreen Resort is a four-season mountain retreat on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Championship golf; seasonal skiing, snowboarding and snowtubing; an award-winning tennis program; a full-service, destination spa; indoor and outdoor pools; miles of marked hiking trails; 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space; charming lodging; and a variety of enticing dining options.
Visitor Centers
Music WILD WOLF BREWING COMPANY 434-361-0088 2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy Nellysford, VA NELSON COUNTY
Family Practice• Pediatrics • Dental• Pharmacy • X-Ray • Laboratory • Physical therapy • Counseling & behavioral health • Referrals to specialists near you• School-based health care in Nelson County Public Schools • Rural Health Outreach Program
Resorts & Recreation
Medical BLUE MOUNTAIN BREWERY 540-456-8020 9519 Critzers Shop Rd Afton, VA NELSON COUNTY
Your local answer for primary & preventive health care needs!
BLUE STAR MUSIC 434-263-6746 177 Main St. P.O. Box 493 Lovingston, VA NELSON COUNTY 434-277-9209 2nd Stage, Amherst, VA AMHERST COUNTY
WINTERGREEN REAL ESTATE 434-361-0500 39 Mountain Inn Loop, Wintergreen Resort, VA and 3079 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford, VA 22958 NELSON COUNTY
NELSON COUNTY’S FAVORITE SINCE 1988 Musical instruments, service, repairs, rentals and supplies. Lessons: all styles and levels of guitar, including advanced jazz, banjo, bass, vocals, keyboard, drums, beginning mandolin, dobro and accordion. Mon. Wed. Thurs. 12-8 bluestarmusicva.com
The official real estate office of Wintergreen Resort. Contact us for sales and purchases of lots, homes and condos in Stoney Creek and on the mountain.
NELSON COUNTY TOURISM 434-263-7315 8519 Thomas Nelson Hwy Lovingston, VA NELSON COUNTY Experience the Sunrise Side of the Blue Ridge. From our mountains to the mighty James River. Wear yourself out at our wineries, breweries, cidery, and eateries. Then hit the sack in a cozy cabin or bed & breakfast.
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Priceless Classifieds for the People!
G REAL ESTATE Level lot in Stoney Creek This 1.48 acre lot on Monocan Dr. in Stoney Creek is level with a roughed in driveway. The underbrush was removed last year and there are lots of nice rocks for foundation or walls. There is a current soil study with approval for a septic system. Lake Monocan is nearby and the lot is bordered on one side by a pretty creek. Posted By: Richard Bell 22958 - Nellysford/Wintergreen 434.960.2332 $55,000 Small Country Home Small home for rent three bedroom one bath pets negotiable references security deposit. Can be purchased at $90,500 also Posted By: DONDI BRANDON 22938 - Faber 540-456-7127 $850 a month Building Lot Residential building lots. Afton area of Nelson, close to Rt. 151 and Wintergreen. Beautiful mountain views. 2 non adjoining building lots. 2.5 acres and 3 acres. Posted By: David Marshall 22920 - Afton (540) 456-6046 $55,000 Wintergreen Ski Chalet Lovely 3 bedroom house, 2 bathrooms (king, 2 twins in 2 rooms). Living room with gas fireplace, new washer
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and dryer. Located on quiet area of mountain. Fully furnished, including kitchen items. Large deck, parking for several cars. Includes guest passes for access to spa/ lake/ pools. Will consider short term/ winter rental. Posted By: Mary Fedorochko 22958 - Nellysford/ Wintergreen 703-451-9969 $1000/ per month plus utilities Nelson County Home for Rent with Mountain Views 3-4 bedroom; 2 full bath, hardwood floors, open fireplace, screen porch, no appliances provided, large yard oil furnace heating system/heating oil included in rent, 45 minute drive to Lynchburg, 60 minute drive to Charlottesville Posted By: Ruth Saunders 22976 - Tyro 434-277-5865 $1000/mo Country Home with VIEWS!! 3 Bedroom; 2 bath; kitchen; 2400 sq ft; washer & dryer hook ups; gazebo with large deck; basement; one car garage & storage, Coy fish pond; paved driveways; VIEWS!!! Posted By: DIane Harvey 22920 - Afton 434-906-2136 $1500/mo Wintergreen Two Bedroom, Two Bath Two BR, two Bath condo, close to Spa and Nature Foundation. Fully furnished. Utilities and basic cable provided. Internet
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not provided, but is available. Posted By: Erlene Hendrix 22958 - Nellysford/ Wintergreen 757-377-1209 $875 monthly, off-season rate
HELP WANTED B&B Housekeeper Duties require dependability, meticulous attention to detail, cleaning guest rooms and bathrooms, plus laundry/ironing, and cleaning common areas. Core hours and days are 10:30 am to 2:30 pm Tues, Thurs, Saturday and Sunday.Respond with a summary of work experience and how to contact you. Posted By: Orquida Ingraham 22920 - Afton aftonmountainbb@ gmail.com $10-12 per hour Depending on Exp.
ANTIQUES Vintage Cast Iron Farmhouse Well Pump Rare vintage cast iron windmill well pump by Goulds Pumps Inc., Seneca Falls, N.Y. This item was salvaged from my godfather’s former homestead and farm in Buckingham Co. I believe it is in working condition as I used to play with it as a child when it was plumbed to a well. All mechanical parts of the handle linkages and valve move freely. There is one crack on the flange underneath the spout assembly. Local pick up is preferred but delivery options may be negotiable. Posted By: Ben Bennett 22958 - Nellysford/Wintergreen 434-989-2781 $500 OBO
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CARS & TRUCKS 1926 Ford Model T 4-Door Touring Car ( Grandkids Parade Car) Serial #12229528 Manufactured 08/05/1925.By using reprinted Model T Service Manual, the owner finds Ford made it relatively easy to maintain. Using that manual, the following items have been repaired or replaced–Modern distributor, 4 tires with tubes & flaps, Antique tire changing tool, Rear wheel puller tool, Starter switch, Ignition switch, Fan Belt. Original radiator rebuilt, soldered with modern core fins, fuel tank internally coated plastic. Car is not Pristine complete restoration .Posted By: Robert Deames 22932 - Crozet 434205-4234 $7500 2002 Ford F-250 Lariat Diesel 7.3 Pickup Truck 2002 Ford F-250 Lariat Crew Cab Short Bed 4x4 with a 7.3L Powerstroke Turbo Diesel Engine and an automatic transmission. With only 103,911 original miles. Posted By: Ruth Wilson AUGUSTA COUNTY 312-509-8750 $60619
ELECTRONICS Home Theater Granger Bessel Bluetooth Home Theater System; Ikon LED projector; Ikon scree. New--boxes open but never installed. Posted By: Dan Nettina 22958 - Nellysford/Wintergreen 443-538-8252 $790
FURNITURE Grandfather clock Emperor tall clock. Posted By: Charlotte Chapman 22920 - Afton 434-465-0020 $100 China cabinet Oak cabinet with glass front and three shelves. Posted By: Charlotte Chapman 22920 - Afton 434465-0020 $300
HOME & GARDEN Vari-Kennel, extra large extra large, airline approved for dog 70-90 lbs.; chrome has rust, but could easily be painted or replaced, otherwise in excellent condition; used once to ship a dog. Posted By: Susan Gardner 24581 Norwood 434-996-7028 $75
SAVE THE DATE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT STONEY CREEK GOLF COURSE MONDAY JUNE 4, 2018. Posted By: Fred McGee 22958 - Nellysford/Wintergreen 434-760-2089
SERVICES Piano Tuning & Repair Piano Tuning & Repair - Excellent quality work since 1989. Many references available. Andy’s Piano Service. Posted By: Andy Aeschbacher 22958 - Nellysford/ Wintergreen 434-851-4790 $150
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434.263.4805
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We have room for your STUFF.
Call today for our competitive rates. FOUR SIZES: 5 x 10 10 x 10 10 x 15 10 x 20
200 Afton Mountain Rd, Afton, VA 22920
434-361-2445 or 800-361-5155
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287 Hidden Springs Ln; $489,000 Situated on large parcel with privacy! Quality construction with many recent improvements and updates; 2 master suites; garage, screened porch, deck; 3,500 sq ft
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Achieve your dream of homeownership with The Zemon Team at Waterstone Mortgage.
Braddock Ln; #564065; $19,900
18 Squirrel Tree Ln; #571239; $214,500
Walk to ski slopes! “Tree House� feel w/ seasonal view of slopes and mountains; Open & bright w/ vaulted ceilings, fireplace, deck; 3Br/2Ba
Build dream home and have great privacy and additional parcels for future development or investment resale; 7 parcels; 6.8ac
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ANDY ZEMON NMLS #208916
8301 Thomas Nelson Hwy; #573505; $129,000
Cottage w/ fenced back yard, covered front porch, private back deck, hardwood floors, fireplace, high speed internet; 2 or 3Br/2Ba
TheZemonTeam.com 434.529.8434 Subject to credit approval and program guidelines. Equal Housing Lender. Waterstone Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #186434) is a wholly owned subsidiary of WaterStone Bank SSB (NASDAQ: WSBF). State of Virginia Licensee Exempt.
48 Coleman Pl; #569733; $489,000
Live on one level w/ overflow for guest and entertaining; in-law suite and full basement with rec/family room; built 2012; 5Br/4.5Ba; 1.19ac
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485 Crawfords Knob Ln; #574760; $264,900
Private - nestled at the end of a cul-de-sac with woods and stream! Open flow with home office, wrap around porch, back deck, full basement. 3Br/2.5Ba
Livebeautifully in Nelson County Marlo G. Allen, Assoc. Broker 434-996-3525 InsistOnThatGirl.com
434-996-3525 Blue Ridge LIFE
Marlo Allen
InsistOnThatGirl.com MAY 2018