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Organic Plum Studio • Organic Body Treatments • • Hair Removal • • Facial Offerings • • Microdermabrasion & Enhancements •
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INSIDE THE OBSERVER FEATURES Checkmate Farm in Bluemont is All About the Yarn
by appointment 30 West Main Street, Berryville | 703-967-8719 www.organicplumskincare.com
By Rebecca Maynard
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vaobserver.com Bees Abuzz at Clermont By Jennifer Lee
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ON THE COVER Algae blooms on the Shenandoah caused by excess nutrients have prompted a lawsuit against EPA. Photo by Jennifer Lee.
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Healthy Outlook
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Wetlands
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Around Clarke County
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Second Annual Cruise-In
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As the Crow Flies
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Trivia Night at The Barns
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Hear that Whistle Blow
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The 4 Box Inventory System
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News Briefs
AUGUST 201 7 :
Clarke STAFF
David Lillard, Editor/Publisher Jennifer Welliver, Associate Publisher Aundrea Humphreys, Art Director Hali Taylor, Proofreader Sinead Juday, Intern
Clarke
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FROM THE EDITOR Time For More Conversations On Environment
CONTRIBUTORS Karen Cifala Wendy Gooditis Jennifer Lee Rebecca Maynard Doug Pifer JiJi Russell Claire Stuart
COVER PHOTO Jennifer Lee
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Jennifer Welliver, 540-398-1450 Rebecca Maynard, 540-550-4669
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Healthy Outlook
Just for Girls GOTR Helps Build Strong, Confident Girls by JiJi Russell
A Community of Integrative Therapists Dedicated to Restoring Health, Vitality, & Joy to Those Who Gather Here 208 N Buckmarsh St, Berryville, VA info@sanctuaryberryville.com
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VAOBSERVER.COM Private Parties Events Fundraisers Open House August 19, 3–6pm 6 Springhouse Lane, Berryville
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Beginning this September, Girls on the Run, a national nonprofit girls’ health and wellness club, will offer a chapter at the Clarke County Parks and Recreation facility. The 10-week program will take place twice a week after school (see sidebar for details), with engaging lessons and activities carefully planned to help thirdthrough fifth-grade girls navigate life challenges; build confidence; and work positively and collaboratively with others, including peers, teachers, parents and community members. The GOTR Mission Statement asserts that the program “inspire[s] girls to be joyful, healthy and confident, using a fun experience based curriculum which creatively integrates running.” At the end of the 10-week session, all participating girls from across the Shenandoah Valley GOTR Council will take part in a non-competitive 5k run. Says Council Director, Allison Major:
Ready…set…GO! Who can join GOTR in Clarke? Girls in 3rd – 5th grade in the 2017/2018 school year; there are 16 slots available for the fall session Where: at the Clarke County Parks and Recreation Center, 25 Al Smith Cir, Berryville, VA, (540) 955-5140, pre-registration required When: Each Monday and Wednesday for 10 weeks beginning Wed., Sept. 6 through Nov. 17, from 3:30 - 5pm. Bus transportation provided directly from Cooley and Boyce Elem. How to register: Visit girlsontherunsv.org How much: The 10-week program is offered on a sliding scale of $10 - $150 per participant (5k registration is included with 10-week program registration)
(540) 450-8110
Who’s in charge: Head Coach: JiJi Russell, jijiyoga@yahoo.com, SV Council Director: Allison Major, allison.major@girlsontherun.org Or call 304-283-6188
“The 5k is the best two days of the year for me. It is an amazing sight to see 300 girls all completing a 5k, some for the very first time...It’s a lot of positive energy.” Since her five years as council director, Major has seen how the program and the 5k help bolster girls by giving them tools to set their own goals and work to their own best abilities. Major believes that finishing a 5k builds confidence that can endure for many other life challenges. This year’s 5k will take place on Saturday, Nov. 18 at Jim Barnet Park in Winchester. The run is open to the public, and serves in part as a fundraiser that enables GOTR to offer scholarships for families who need financial assistance with the 10-week program fee. Participating GOTR girls also collaborate on another important project, which focuses on community service. The girls plan and carry out a service project within their weekly sessions together by first sharing ideas about what is important to them in their community or in their world, and asking themselves how they can make a positive change. From this teamwork has sprung a bake sale for the SPCA; a care package sent to a member of the US Army; greeting cards for hospitalized children; and more acts of community caring. According to the area GOTR web site: “Girls on the Run of the Shenandoah Valley is an independent council of Girls on the Run International, which has a network of over 200 councils across 50 states and the District of Columbia. Girls on the Run of the Shenandoah Valley was established in 2010 to serve the Cities of Winchester & Harrisonburg and Clarke, Frederick, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah & Warren Counties in Virginia and Berkeley, Hardy & Jefferson Counties in West Virginia. GOTRSV has served over 1,000 girls since our first season in Fall 2011. GOTR International was established in 1996 in Charlotte, North Carolina by Molly Barker.”
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Wetlands By Rebecca Maynard
WETLANDS, a sculpture exhibit featuring the work of Sally Myers, will be displayed from September 9 to 27 at Barns of Rose Hill in Berryville, sponsored by the Clarke County Conservation Easement Authority. An opening reception will be held Saturday, September 9, from 5 to 7pm. This stunning exhibit is a celebration of the wonders Opening Night exhibit-goers may want to make a “night of it” at the Barns, staying on after the exhibit closes to watch The Million Dollar Duck, a documentary that focuses on the strange and wonderful world of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, the only juried art competition run by the U.S. government. The film explores the eccentric nature of the contestants who enter each year for a chance at wildlife art stardom, while also reflecting upon the history and challenges facing the continued existence of this successful conservation program. (Admission $5.)
found in wetlands and a call to halt their disappearance. The U.S. has lost over half its wetlands in the lower 48 states, and an additional 60,000 acres disappear every year. Can art influence action? That’s what sculptor Sally Myers wanted to find out. Last year, a neighbor asked Myers for a piece of a hickory tree that had fallen on her property. As they walked towards the tree, he noted the damp, soggy ground beneath their feet, commenting that he’d “filled all this in” on his land. She felt compelled to say that “soggy” lands like this are called wetlands. They occur naturally, some are centuries old and all are brimming with life. She knew these remarks alone wouldn’t change his or anyone’s mind. But she wondered if she could use her art to increase understanding about the importance of wetlands. Her first try, an exhibit at the Gray Gallery in Winchester, debuted last November. The exhibit featured Myers’ stunning re-creation of a wetland complete with birds, snakes, and a soaring blue heron. Myers decided that education needed to be embedded into the design. Without it, the exhibit was like a photograph without a caption or movie without sound. Visitors could savor the exhibit’s artistic beauty but were left clueless about the vital importance of the land that inspired its creation. Also, both the size of the audience and its geographic reach needed to be increased. This could be achieved by “taking the show on the road,” inviting organizations in Virginia identified with land and resource conservation to host the exhibit in their cities or towns. The Clarke County Conservation Easement Authority
has enthusiastically embraced the project as a sponsor and the Barns of Rose Hill gladly found a spot for it in its fall exhibit lineup. This new exhibit is designed by Jeanne Krohn, who brings five decades of graphic art and design experience to the job. Included among her clients is SITES, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, which is the largest traveling exhibition operation in the world. Krohn is creating an exhibit that evokes the look and feel of real wetlands, blending Myers’ flora and fauna with freestanding panels offering facts and figures that pack a punch about the need to protect these “soggy” lands to ensure our continued survival. After the show closes on September 27, Wetlands will travel to other destinations throughout the state. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org for details.
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Around Clarke County Promote your event in Clarke. Send notices by the 1st of the preceding month to jennifer@vaobserver.com. Keep event descriptions to 125 words, following the format of these pages. One or two CMYK photos, saved as tiff or jpg at 200 dpi, are always welcome.
August
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–19 Clarke County Fair
Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds. 890 W. Main St. Berryville. Every day through August 19. See fair schedule online or at most town businesses for details on events all week. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children 5-15, and free for preschoolers. 540-955-1947. www.clarkecountyfair.org.
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Mapmaking Presentation
Blandy Experimental Farm library. 400 Blandy Farm Lane. Boyce. Learn how park maps are made and how they have changed over the years. 7–8:30pm. Free. Reservations recommended. 540-837-1758, extension 224. www.blandy.virginia.edu.
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Outdoor Movie: Ghostbusters
Chet Hobert Park Stage. 255 Al Smith Circle. Berryville. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and pack your own snacks to enjoy free family friendly entertainment. 8:30pm. 540-955-5140. www.clarkecounty.gov/parks.
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Music in the Park: Brass Quintet
Rose Hill Park. Main St. Berryville. Brass quintet performs. Free. 6:30–8pm. 540-955-4001.
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Summer’s End Cruise-In
Main St. Berryville. Main Street will be closed to traffic to show over 200 cars, along with music, fun, raffles and sales and special menus at downtown businesses. 4–7pm. No pre-registration is required. For more information, call Berryville Main Street at 540-955-4001.
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“Almost, Maine” Play
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. John Cariani play comprising nine short plays that explore love and loss. Complimentary coffee and cookies. Doors open at 12:30pm, show starts at 1pm. Suggested donation of $8. Auditions held after performance for cast of next performance. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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–31 Open House/Fall Registration
Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts. 5 E. Main St.
Brian Ganz Piano Concert at Barns of Rose Hill September 15.
Berryville. Learn about classes for ages 3 to adult. 540-955-2919. www.blueridgestudio.org.
September
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Music in the Park: Sing- Along With Nita
Rose Hill Park. Main St. Berryville. Sing along with gospel and folk music. Free. 6:30–8pm. 540-955-4001.
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Artist Reception
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Trio Sefardi Performance
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Meet the six artists featured in the Central Virginia Textile Artists exhibit. Free. Doors open at 4:30pm, reception starts at 5pm. Free. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Journey of discovery to the Sephardic communities that thrived in the Mediterranean until the middle of the 20th century. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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Music in the Park Rose Hill Park. Main
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Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts Open House/Fall Registration will be held August 28-31. St. Berryville. Matt Szechenyi and Cornelius Conway perform. Free. 6:30–8pm. 540-955-4001.
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Sculpture Exhibit Opening Reception
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Sculpture exhibit featuring the work of Sally Myers is a celebration of the wonders found in wetlands and a call to halt their disappearance. Exhibit runs from September 9–27. Free. Visit www.barnsofrosehill. org or call 540-955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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Million Dollar Duck Documentary
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Documentary focuses on the strange and wonderful world of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, the only juried art competition run by the U.S. government. 7pm. Tickets are $5 per person. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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Rally Against Suicide
Clarke County Fairgrounds. 890 W. Main St. Berryville. Free event to raise awareness of suicide. There is a $5 charge to enter a motor-
cycle in the competition and $5 to play in the corn hole tournament. There will be many activities for all ages. There will be a Banner of Hope to remember those lost to suicide. Anyone can submit a request to have their loved one included on the banner. Submissions can be made at www.ClarkeCountyCares.org.
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Book Release Presentation
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Hear about Alicia Cahalane Lewis and Winslow McCagg’s book, nebulous beginnings and strings, with a reading and insights on creating and envisioning a new earth. Doors open at 3:30pm, show at 4pm. Free. Visit www. barnsofrosehill.org or call 540955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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Trivia Night
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. The Clarke County Historical Association is partnering with the Clarke County Library for a fun night of live trivia for all ages. Doors open at 6:30pm, trivia begins at 7pm. Free. Visit www. barnsofrosehill.org or call 540955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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Brian Ganz Piano Concert
Barns of Rose Hill. 95 Chalmers Ct. Berryville. Ganz, widely regarded as one of the leading pianists of his generation, performs with authentic emotional power. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. $20 in advance, $25 at door, 12 and younger free. Visit www.barnsofrosehill.org or call 540-955-2004 (12–3 pm Tuesday to Saturday).
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October
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Friends of Blue Ridge Mountains Benefit Friends of the Blue Ridge Mountains celebrates its 10th Anniversary with an afternoon of live music featuring Danny Knicely and Furnace Mountain Band at Franklin Park Arts Center, 46:30pm. A reception following the concert will feature delectables catered by Savoir Fare and wine from Twin Oaks Winery. Tickets are available at www.friendsofblueridge.org
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A UGUST 201 7
Clarke
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Checkmate Farm in Bluemont is All About the Yarn By Rebecca Maynard
The Clarke County Farmer’s Market is the place to be in Berryville every Saturday from 8 to noon, but August 19 will feature something new — Karakul sheep. Kathy Donovan bought Checkmate Farm in Bluemont in 2002 and turned it into a sheep farm in 2004. Karakul, she explained, are a breed of domestic sheep which originated in Central Asia. Some archaeological evidence points to them being raised there continuously since 1400 BC. “I have been thrilled with the breed,” Donovan said. Karakul sheep are quite rare in the U.S., however, and Donovan said she believes she is
the only person in the country raising this breed specifically for the purpose of making rug yarn. At the Farmer’s Market, she will have sheep at a safe distance from the other vendors and will also be displaying frames and some of the yarn and rugs she produces. Twice a year, in April and October, Donovan’s Karakul sheep are shorn. The fleece is sent to a mill where it is processed to create a course yarn for rug making. 88 to 100 pounds of fleece are processed at a time, and Donovan hand dyes the resulting yarn herself. “Karakul accepts the dye magnificently and creates beautiful colors,” Donovan
said. “I just designed a wedding rug today and the colors are gorgeous.” Donovan has passed the Teacher Certification Program for The Oxford Company and is a certified rug hooking instructor. She loves sharing her training with students and offers classes at the farm for ages 8 and older. She is also willing to travel to other locations to teach classes. One of her students, a 13-year-old boy, is entering his rug in the Clarke County Fair. She will also be participating in the upcoming Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, held September 23 and 24 at the Clarke County Fairgrounds. The
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festival, she says, will be a wonderful way to learn more about the fun world of traditional rug making. Rug hooking started circa the 1830’s and traditionally uses fabric strips and a rug hook, which is a short crochetlike hook in a wooden handle. A rug hooker pulls loops up with his or her hook. Punch needle, which is Donovan’s specialty, started in the 1880s. Because punch needle isn’t done with a hook, it isn’t technically “hooking” but many people call punching “hooking” because it forms the exact same running loop stitch. Details about the content of Donovan’s classes can be found on her website, and she encourages anyone interested to email her. She is flexible with timing and wants to hold classes when people are available to attend. “Anybody can do it; that’s the beauty of it,” Donovan said. Visit www.checkmatefarm. com, email kathy@checkmatefarm.com or call 540-454-4898.
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Wine & Hunt Country are Home
Berryville Main Street will be presenting the second annual “Summer’s End Cruise-In” on Saturday, August 26, from 4 to 7pm. More than 200 cars and motorcycles are anticipated to be on display on Main Street in Downtown Berryville. The street will be closed off for this special event, one of the largest held downtown. There is no pre-registration, but registration is required the day of the event, with donations appreciated. Proceeds go to Berryville Main Street, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to revitalize and energize the downtown historic district of Berryville. Bring your car or come stroll down Main Street to check out some of the coolest cars around and listen to music provided by Brett from Big Daddy’s and Banshee Car Sales. There will also be a raffle for a Mini Green Egg Tailgate Grill with large bag of organic charcoal donated by
Blossman Gas. Raffle tickets are $1 each and can be purchased before the event at Tripp’s Auto Sales, Berryville Main Street, and Berryville Auto Parts, and also at the registration table the day of the event. While you are in town, you are encouraged to have dinner at one of Berryville’s great restaurants, and shop its numerous unique shops. You can even vote for your favorite car with a small donation towards Berryville Main Street. Berryville Main Street thanks all the businesses sponsoring this fun event. Special thanks to Bank of Clarke County, Ellis Chapman of Blossman Gas, CT Hardesty of Tripp’s Auto Sales, Berryville Service Center and their media sponsor, Sengpiehl Insurance Group/Allstate. All over town, restaurants will be having sales and specials. Don’t miss out! For details, call 540-955-4001.
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As the Crow Flies
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The morning air was full of birdsong and wildflowers were blooming. But the bright orange fungus that caught my eye outshone anything with feathers or petals. A sulfur mushroom, as big as a head of cabbage, had sprouted from the base of an old hackberry tree. Half hidden by the green leaves of ground ivy, its colors almost screamed “look at me!” To me all fungi have a mystique that’s inscrutable and mysterious. A brightly colored mushroom may be innocuous, edible and tasty, or deadly poisonous. But very few strike the eye with the lurid intensity of the sulfur shelf. The sulfur shelf appears from late spring through early fall in the woods, usually after a rainy spell. It starts as a pale-yellow knob growing on the trunk of a tree and gradually spreads into tiers of fan-shaped brackets or overlapping shelves. The shelves have ruffled or fluted outer edges, creating a remarkably sculptural effect. Often these shelves are semicircular and grow in concentric layers, looking like a head of cabbage or a big bird with its feathers ruffled. On this fungus, the upper surface of each shelf had bands of alternating bright orange and sulfur yellow, paler toward the interior. The underside of each shelf was pure yellow. Equally remarkable was the firm but suede-soft texture of each shelf. The underside was composed of tiny tubes that looked like terry-cloth when viewed up close. This is where the reproductive spores are created.
Sulfur shelf mushroom can grow enormous, some weigh several pounds and hundred-pound individuals have been reported. The biggest one I ever saw was about the size of a bushel basket. An old friend had discovered it growing from a sycamore tree on his farm. By the time he picked it, the fungus had faded from bright orange and yellow to shades of pale salmon pink, which in some ways was even more impressive. I’m not in favor of getting people to eat things they gather in the woods, especially mushrooms. Sulfur shelf is considered one of the foolproof four mushrooms. It’s supposed to be delicious when picked fresh, and can be prepared and served in many ways. Its texture and flavor have been compared to both chicken and crab meat. Cookbooks and articles online give recipes for cooking it and describe it as safe to eat and delicious. However, some people are allergic to certain mushrooms, and the sulfur shelf, growing as it does on living tree trunks, can contain toxins absorbed from the host tree. Some people become sick in the stomach or feel swelling in the lips or tongue after eating it. My advice about any mushroom is to appreciate its beauty and mystery. Take pictures, draw or paint it, admire it from a distance, examine it up close, and show it to your kids. But don’t eat it.
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Bees Abuzz at Clermont Farm Partnership with Beekeeper Club Provides Hands-on Training to Newbees Story & photos by Jennifer Lee
Honey bees, and pollinators in general, are in the news a lot lately, and it’s not good news. Studies by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies conducting research on pollinators in recent years indicate an annual average loss of 45 percent of honeybee hives kept by beekeepers in the United States. So why worry about keeping a bunch of stinging bugs alive and healthy? Well, if you eat fruit, vegetables, or nuts, your life depends on it. This alarming news has had its benefits, though: Scientific
research and resources are being invested to better understand the role of pollinators and the threats they face; public awareness on the deleterious effects of herbicides and pesticides has increased and farming practices are evolving; and individuals are being drawn to take up beekeeping as a hobby. Beginner beekeeping classes around the region, including those sponsored by the Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah (BONS), are full every spring, unleashing dozens of eager new beekeepers into
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backyards and fields in hopes of raising healthy bees and harvesting delicious honey. But it’s not that simple. The most seasoned of beekeepers will tell you that there are (at least) a dozen different answers or approaches to any single question. The threats honey bees face — the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder, Varroa mites and associated disease, pesticide and herbicide applications, among others — are many, and often difficult to identify or manage. And the mere complexity of
the bee itself, their colonies, and their interdependence on environmental health factors is enough to keep one’s head spinning with more questions than answers.
Branson to the Rescue!
To answer one big need — continuing education for the new beekeeper — Clarke County native and BONS member Branson McKay set up four new bee hives this spring at Clermont Farm, just east of
Berryville, to provide real-life, up-close, hands-on training to anyone interested in and new to beekeeping. “It’s also a great way to find out if one wants to keep bees before spending the $800 to $1000 needed to get started,” McKay says. Every other Saturday, McKay and a handful of beeobsessed people wearing their funny white suits gather at the farm to look into the hives, feed them, discuss what they’re seeing, and determine next steps on how best to care for them. “Training hive inspections on
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a routine schedule allow people to see how the hives change as the season progresses. This can help in determining how their own hives are doing. Process and technique can be demonstrated . . . disease, mite, and queen issues can be assessed,” McKay explains. “The collective experience and questions from the group are always broader and more interesting than a one-to-one mentoring system,” he says. These training hives were set up just as what most new beekeepers experience — purchasing “packages” of bees from the club and installing them in new, empty hives. In addition to two of these hives, two local swarms were captured this spring and installed in bee hives at Clermont, demonstrating yet another element of beekeeping. “The two packages have now both had queen failures, and the recovery from that (installing new queens) was a teaching opportunity.
The use of swarm catch boxes was new to most, too,” says McKay. Eugene Kraybill experienced beekeeping in his early teens and revisited his interest 35 years later by taking the Beginning Beekeeping course at Blandy Farm, the Virginia State Arboretum, this spring. He now keeps two hives in his yard at his home in Berryville. “I consider this experience at Clermont Farm an amazing privilege to participate in. I don’t feel so far out there in left field as a beginner beekeeper, wondering and worrying about what might I be doing wrong, not enough of, or not needing to do anything at all, because it’s a part of the bee’s life when there is an experienced beekeeper sharing his love and appreciation of beekeeping to others in a nearby location,” Kraybill says.
Why Clermont
Farm?
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Clermont Farm is a fascinating story in itself. Surveyed by a young George Washington in 1750, the plantation was established shortly thereafter, built largely by enslaved African Americans. The last private owner, Elizabeth Williams, whose McCormick/Williams family owned the farm for 185 years, bequeathed the 360-acre farm to the Virginia Deptartment of Historic Resources (VDHR) at the time of her death in 2004. The Clermont Foundation, established in 2004, has an educational mission in agriculture, history, and historic preservation, in partnership with the VDHR. Clermont also partners with Virginia Tech to allow the university to broaden its research activities with cattle, sheep, and pigs as well as supporting Extension Service activities for working farmers. As well, Clermont serves as an outdoor classroom site for Clarke Sale Ends August 31, 2017
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TRIVIA NIGHT
September 13, 2017 • Barns of Rose Hill, Berryville Doors open at 6:30 • Trivia starts at 7
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County High School agricultural classes and a vegetable garden site for Grafton School students. Pat Legeer, Grafton’s career and tech ed coordinator, introduced a mason bee house to the vegetable garden site after consultation with McKay. While they do not make honey, mason bees are extremely prolific pollinators and, like honeybees, are gentle to be around. “Mason bees are being encouraged to breed because they help fill in for and support the work
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of honey bees, whose populations have been under threat,” says Bob Stieg, CEO of The Clermont Foundation. “The agricultural sector depends heavily on strong populations of pollinators. Clermont has land and good conditions to support breeding more and more pollinators to address the population problems and we wanted to contribute to the overall effort,” Stieg explains. “The animals here are not just a product (beef, pork) or
providers of a product (wool), they also help take care of the land that is the farmer’s permanent asset. They fertilize the fields, they eat different types of forages, the pigs will aerate a field, etcetera. Bees are the same: some of them produce a product (honey), but they all help take care of the farm, making it more productive and profitable if, like the other species, they are properly managed. One of the most interesting things about farming is that multiple species, including the human one, get together to make it work; bees as a species are a key part of that,” Stieg says. “I could go on about how well-received this way of teaching has become but the best way to find out if it will work for you is to join the gang for a couple hours on these Saturdays,” McKay invites. “Everyone has a good time and the site is beautiful.” This project is an exemplary demonstration of Clarke County’s dedication to agriculture, education, and cooperation: a pollinator for more endeavors of a similar nature! Clermont Farm is not open to the public except for scheduled events, and is open to researchers, teachers, and students by appointment only. For information about Clermont and its activities, visit www.clermontfarm.org. Anyone interested in joining the beekeepers every other Saturday morning is welcome and should contact Branson McKay at beekeeper@ buzzwordhoney.com.
Resources
Facts & stats on pollinators - https://www.fws.gov/ pollinators/PollinatorPages/ AboutPollinators.html Beekeepers of the Northern Shenandoah Valley - http:// valleybees.org/ Information on helping pollinators: www.pollinator.org
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Trivia Night A Fun Time for All at Barns of Rose Hill
???? By Rebecca Maynard
The Barns of Rose Hill is delighted to be hosting Trivia Night, back by popular demand. The Clarke County Historical Association is partnering up with the Clarke County Library for another fun night of live trivia on Wednesday, September 13, at 7pm. Funny team names are encouraged and prizes, provided by local businesses, will go to the top three teams. The five categories will be Dewey
Decimal Potpourri, Books for Reels, Battle in the Books, May the F = ma Be With You, and From “S”ullivan to “S”wift. Each category will include ten questions. Clarke County Historical Association director Nathan Stalvey and Clarke County Library branch manager Laurine Kennedy have worked together to come up with interesting questions pertaining to the historical and library themes.
Stalvey said that while the CCHA has done trivia events in the past, this is their first time partnering with the library. While prizes will be given to the top three teams, Stalvey also said that the plan is to have something to give to everyone who participates. “Every trivia night has a team that comes dead last, but everyone has a blast,” Stalvey said. “It’s competitive but it’s all in good fun.” Existing trivia teams of 2 to 6 players are welcome, but it is not necessary to belong to a team. Players can simply show up and be assigned to a team. All the questions will be family friendly and all ages are welcome. Stalvey and Kennedy said that they have worked to choose a range of questions suitable for a variety of ages. The doors open at 6:30pm
and contestants are encouraged to arrive early to secure a table. No signup is required and the event is free. Refreshments will also be provided. Trivia Night promises to be a fun family event, and the CCHA and Clarke County Library warmly invite any and all
to come out and see what it’s all about. “It’s a great community event for all ages,” Kennedy said. Call 540-4001 or visit www.barnsofrosehill.org.
Clarke
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BATTLETOWN ANIMAL CLINIC
16
Hear that Whistle Blow By Karen Cifala
Serving the community for over 30 years. 3823 Lord Fairfax Hwy, 1/2 mile north of Berryville
(540) 955-2171
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612 East Main Street, Berryville Serving Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and D.C.
Everyone that moves to this area encounters the train somewhere as it meanders through Clarke County. Trains have a way of fascinating both the old and the young. A couple of months ago, I had read about the farewell of the famous Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey Circus. Soon thereafter I looked up from my garden, as I heard the train whistle blow, to witness that exact train heading north, performers, animals and equipment in tow. I was watching a piece of train history (146 years) pass right in front of my eyes, heading to their final show at Nassau Coliseum in the suburbs of New York City. The Norfolk Southern Railroad, formerly known as the Shenandoah Valley Railroad and then Norfolk and Western, was constructed in 1879 and ran from Hagerstown Maryland south to Roanoke, Virginia. By 1910 a Berryville railroad depot was constructed, (mile post 39.9) near the industrial area off First Street. It served both passenger and freight rail service. The coming of the railroad
had a considerable impact on the Berryville community with a boom in construction of houses, commercial buildings and churches. At the junction of the railroad and East Main Street a small industrial area sprang up. Formerly known as the H.W. Baker Grain Warehouse, Berryville Farm Supply store was opened for business on July 20, 1957. Owned and operated by Ruth Loughborough, a longtime Berryville native, the farm supply store is still located at the same site and run by the same woman, northeast side of the train tracks in Berryville. For over 60 years Berryville Farm Supply has been a stable bastion of the Clarke County farming community. 30 years have passed since the feed store side doors opened to accept the on and off-loading of grains to the rail cars. Today, most of the farming supplies and grains are trucked in. Ruth further explains the transitioning of the business inventory has changed as well to accommodate the more residential nature of the community. With the arrival of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad,
six miles south of Berryville, a new town named Boyce sprang up in 1881 (mile post 46.2). Not to be mistaken for Berryville, the Shenandoah Valley Railroad discouraged the name “Boyceville” because of the potential for mistaken train orders. Were it not for the early road and railway transportation, the town of Boyce would not have existed at all. Much of the marketable goods from the local farmers had to be taken to and from places like Winchester in order to be shipped outside of the county. As with Berryville and Boyce, the arrival of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad to Clarke County accelerated the building of grain elevators and stockyards around the stations as well as a thriving village life. With the advent of new businesses, churches and schools in Boyce the train station also served as a passenger railway, a Western Union telegraph office, Railway Express Agency, a FISH charity, as well as handling livestock loading and other freight, and transport of U.S. Mail to different post office routes. A newer more pretentious
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Boyce station was erected and completed in 1913. Because the community wanted a larger and more elegant station, they helped fund the construction themselves. The new “first class” station included electric lighting, central heating and inside restrooms. The community-railway joint venture for the new Boyce station represented a particularly remarkable and historic event and reflected the appreciation and generosity of the community. Here is how The Clarke Courier described the new Boyce railroad station in their November 1913 article: “The new N&W station, with fine concrete platforms, and promenade, long train shed, electric-lighted throughout, with all the modern conveniences for the comfort of patrons, is a great addition to the town.” The distinguishing attributes of the building and the strong community appreciation paid off over the years. After 1950
the building was used for a local feed storage, the town Post Office from 1955-1984, a restaurant that operated 1987 until 1991 and a woodworking shop. It is now under the stewardship of the Boyce Railway Depot Foundation and hopes to continue to be a building for community use and future preservation. As with many old buildings that have lost their original use, some have come into their
time again and have been repurposed. For example, the Hip and Humble Interiors located in the large grey mulit-story Aylor Mill building opposite Berryville Farm Supply. The rumble of the train going by is a novelty there, not a noise. Hip and Humble is owned by Julie Ashby and Steve Scott and they specialize in antique and architectural salvage furniture and decorative items for homes. You can visit their website at: http://hipandhumble.net. The Berryville station was demolished in 1980. However the Boyce train station still survives and is one of few that remain in this area of Virginia. Whenever I see a train pass by or hear that whistle blow, even though I have never ridden a train except to New York or Baltimore and back, I always romantically imagine me (instead of Meryl Streep, the Danish baroness) standing on the back of the train in the 1985 Out of Africa movie meandering through Africa reminiscing “I had a farm in Africa”. Who’s with me? Karen Cifala is a realtor (not a historian by a long shot) out of the Berryville Remax Roots office located at 101 E. Main Street. And yes, she can hear the train go by everyday! She can be reached by email Kcifala@gmail.com or her call 303-817-9374.
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CELEBRATING OUR 22ND YEAR SERVING THE TRI-STATE AREA
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Clarke
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The 4 Box Inventory System Helping parents with their stuff Ever wonder how stuff grows and grows and grows. Some people call it stuff and others call it their possessions or assets or collections. Whatever your family calls it, it will at some point need to be sorted through, valued, liquidated or disbursed. Maybe your estate planning is done and that might include your wills and trusts, but you have adamantly decided to age in place with all of your stuff. Usually a move or a downsize will prompt and encourage families or parents to start the process…but what if there is not that enterprising event to get the ball rolling. Possessions seem, in part, to help define who we are and everyone wants their life to be understood,right? And there’s always a great story to be told, right? So here’s a great idea I ran across that I’ll share with you. To be clear, explain to your family that you are not contemplating your parent’s death or trying to steal their assets. Instead it is about hearing the stories that go along with all of their possessions they’ve collected all their life. Not to mention this is not only a “tidying” exercise, it’s also a financial exercise. Step one: Buy a lot of boxes (four for each room of the house). Step two: Put four boxes in each room. Step three: Label the boxes: “Keep Until I Die” for sentimental items, personal letters, photo albums, family heirlooms. “Appraise and Sell” for valuable unwanted items. “Keep with Me” for furniture and art and nonsentimental items. “Garage Sale/Donate” and you can put everything else in here. For large items like furniture and art, pianos etc. take pictures of them or use index cards to describe and drop them in the box. Then go room to room with your parents. Take your time, relish and (ketchup) about the stories behind the pieces. You might be amazed as to what you have unleashed and the things you might learn about your family history. How do you know if something is valuable or not? I’ve uncovered some tips from the experts at Next Avenue: Furniture – other than the “brown furniture” category, look for a sign or a label possibly in the top left drawer or left cabinet door, and under chairs and tables. Look for solid wood construction and dovetails, chamfering (a technique where edges appear to be cut down into wedges
to fit into the grooves of the side rails), circular cut marks, if the board looks wavy they were most likely hand-planed. All this adds up to value and period pieces. Silver – don’t’ be upset to hear that generally since 2008, most sterling silver flatware sets have become uncollectable. After WWII the bulk of what was sold as silver was silver plated, so look to see if it says sterling on the bottom of each piece. Coins – find out if your collections have been rated by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) and the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC). For other coins, look for the 1964 date which was generally the cut-off date for the use of silver in quarters, dimes and half dollars. And there are exceptions as always; the Kennedy half-dollar was made with silver until 1969. Art – look for a signature or a note from a gallery or a framer. You might need a black light in a dark room to help illuminate this. Check Artprice.com, Findartinfo.com and Askart.com for values. Rugs – 10 percent of the purchase price for resale unless you have a real handmade rug. Look at how the rows of knots line up. If they are uneven with irregular stitching it’s probably handmade. Also if there is a label on the corner it’s probably machine made. China – do your research. Google and eBay are good places to start, but don’t expect to get retail prices when you sell. If you can find a name like Wedgwood, Royal Copenhagen, or Meissen there will be some value to someone looking to buy. But a finer hand-piece has a few slashes or symbols on it. For instance, Meissen is crossed swords or a pair of interlaced L’s for Sevres. The words “Made in” wasn’t required pre-20th century and your piece will be more valuable when those words are absence. Glassware – turn the piece over in sunlight to find an acid-etched maker’s mark on the center or the rim. If it’s good glass, you will find it. According to the experts, again, forget what you paid for it and look at the price from a perspective third party with no emotional attachment. Once that financial expectation is removed it will be far easier to part with the items. Karen Cifala, a Realtor for Remax Roots wants you to know that she has an entire household of brown furniture in her house. Little did she know? She can be reach by email kcifala@gmail. com or by cell 303-817-9374.
AUGUST 201 7
Clarke
19 Love at First Bite
News Briefs
Catering & Event Planning Creative Menus Adorned with Flair
BRCTH seeks help with horses
27 Years of Experience
Blue Ridge Center for Therapeutic Riding is seeking a responsible and experienced person to feed five horses and ponies on weekday mornings at our facility in Millwood, VA. This is a paid position that will continue through the winter. Can be a high school student with reliable transportation. Equines live out in paddocks that are easily accessible from barn. Occasionally may be asked to do other minor chores or work an occasional evening or on a weekend if available. Interested persons should contact Margie Youngs, Executive Director, at 540-533-2777 or at brcthinc@hotmail.com.
Main Street seeks new director
Berryville Main Street, the nonprofit booster of all things Berryville, is looking for a parttime Executive Director starting around September 1. For information, send and email to maplespatty@gmail.com.
Shepherd is local pick to play at fair
When the county fair learned that headline act Jana Kramer would not perform, they asked Clarke County residents to weigh in to select a local performer. Brian Shepherd was chosen after his local following launched a social media campaign to get him on the boards. He will perform Saturday, August 19 at the fair. The show begins at 8pm. Admission to the fair is $7. The concert is free. Speaking of the fair, Patsy McFillen shared a photo of herself (then Patsy Whetzel) and the other Miss Clarke County Fair contestants in 1956. She was number 26, and the winner was number 10, Barbara Jenks. “Everything was on a much smaller scale, and there was no grandstand,” McFillen said. “All of Berryville loved it when it was fair time! You would see friends and neighbors gathering at the fair enjoying the carnival and most of all the competition to see who would get a blue ribbon in all the different categories in baking, canning, and all the livestock.”
Sanctuary hosts Meditation Mondays
Sanctuary Wellness Center is hosting a weekly mediation. This series will be led by Bill Giordano, Energy Healer and co-Founder of The Berryville Sanctuary Wellness Center. Mr. Gior-
540.955.4462 Lisa Trumbower-Sheppard, Owner | loveatfirstbitecatering.com
Poe’s Home Improvements New Building & Remodeling Est. 1976
No Job Too Small Bobcat and Small Backhoe Work Land Clearing • Snow Removal Tree & Brush Removal • 60’ Man-Lift Service Sanctuary Wellness Center hosts weekly meditation series on Mondays. dano has been influenced by numerous forms of meditation since adopting the practice over 50 years ago. His periods spent with the monks at the Dai Bosatsu Kongo-Ji Zen Buddhist monastery since the early 1990s were perhaps the most influential. The group meets Mondays, 7–8pm at Sanctuary Wellness Center, 208 N. Buckmarsh Street, Berryville.
A.B. Poe, Jr. “Pig Eye”
540-955-3705
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Blue Ridge Studio hosts open house
The Blue Ridge Studio for the Performing Arts is holding an open house/fall registration on August 28-31 from 5 to 7pm each day at 5 East Main Street in Berryville. The studio offers ballet, jazz, tap, modern, creative dance and hip-hop classes for ages 3 through adults. Classes begin September 5. The Blue Ridge Studio, a nonprofit organization, is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Some of their full length ballets have included Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. In spring 2018 they will perform Peter Pan. The Studio is committed to providing an enriching and stimulating experience in dance training. They offer a challenging program while maintaining a sensitive attitude to the individual needs and abilities of their students. They believe that a strong foundation in dance must include traditional techniques, classical style and an opportunity for creative expression. They strive to teach through success, meeting the demands of each student’s potential and building self-esteem and confidence through accomplishment. Their goal is to expand and enhance the
Open House / Fall Registration August 28-31 5 – 7 pm
Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop Modern, Creative Dance Ages 3 though Adult
Classes begin September 5 5 East Main Street • Berryville, VA 22611
540-955-2919
www.blueridgestudio.org
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cultural experience of the community by providing a facility for professional, dedicated dance instruction. Dance is a highly visual art, and as such, students are encouraged to participate in public performances each year. These performances act as a focal point for students who have spent so much of their time and energy learning a difficult craft, and as an opportunity for the community to reap the benefits of this hard work. For information, call 540-955-2919 or visit www.blueridgestudio.org.
Rally Against Suicide event planned
A group of concerned citizens has partnered with the Clarke County Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to end suicide in Clarke County. The citizens group, Clarke County Cares, was formed after the memorial service for the Johnson-Williams Middle School student who died of suicide last October.
Clarke The inaugural event, Rally Against Suicide, is set for September 10, 10am to 4pm, at the Clarke County Fairgrounds. The event is to build awareness, not raise funds. Admission is free. There is a $5 charge to enter a motorcycle in the competition and $5 to play in the corn hole tournament. There will be many activities for all members of the family. Because the event is to raise awareness of suicide, there will be a Banner of Hope to remember those lost to suicide. Anyone can submit a request to have their loved one included on the banner. Submissions can be made at www.ClarkeCountyCares.org.
LFCC named to Great Colleges to Work for Honor Roll
For the sixth straight year, LFCC has been named a Great College to Work For® based on the latest workplace
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satisfaction survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education, a top trade publication for colleges and universities. This also marks LFCC’s fifth time as an “Honor Roll” institution. Among two-year colleges, the 12 colleges that were cited most often across 11 recognition categories were named to the honor roll. LFCC was one of just three community colleges in the nation to be cited in 10 of the 11 categories, and the only one in the medium-sized category (3,000-9,999 students). LFCC received high marks for collaborative governance; compensation and benefits; confidence in senior leadership; facilities, workspace and security; job satisfaction; professional/ career development programs; respect and appreciation; supervisor/department chair relationship; teaching environment and work/life balance. “LFCC is a great place to work because the college highly values its employees and creates a caring, positive
work atmosphere,” LFCC President Dr. Cheryl Thompson-Stacy says. “Their concerns, opinions, and thoughts about the college are solicited through various forums and college-wide events. We also offer a work atmosphere that supports a proper work/life balance through flexible work schedules, professional development opportunities, free fitness classes, and wellness initiatives, and we encourage employees to build relationships with co-workers and the community.” Cybersecurity program manager Dr. Henry Coffman’s job satisfaction has continued to increase after more than a decade at LFCC. “I have been at the college for almost 13 years, and the working environment continues to grow through outstanding quality of leadership,” he says. “Everyone holds each other in high regard through collaborative discussions, superb technology support, and excellent administration and faculty interaction.”
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