INSIDE KEEP IVY OPEN page 2 POURHOUSE page 4 GROW IT RIGHT page 6 ANTI-CRIME SIGN page 7 IRISH TUNNELERS page 8
APRIL 2014 VOL. 8, NO. 11
CCAC Reacts to Barnes Lumber Report
SCIENCE WINNERS page 9
PEACHTREE page 10 PEACH CAPITAL page 12 CROZET PARK DAY page 13 MASS CROWD page 14 MASTER SWIM TEAM page 15 STABLE MATCH page 16 HOLLANDAISE page 17 SO WALK page 18 JAMES’S VOL. 2 page 19 YOUR DOG LOVES YOU page 20 WAHS LAX page 22 GARDEN ROCKS page 23 CROSSWORD page 24 PLAYSCHOOL page 26 WAHS SCHOLASTICS page 27 POOH’S HUMS page 28 SMELL & TASTE page 31
Sharon Holzwarth threw out the first pitch at Peachtree’s 2014 Opening Day. See story on page 10.
California Brewery Eyes Old Trail Location White Hall District Supervisor Ann Mallek asked the audience at the Crozet Community Association meeting March 13 to consider the possibility that a brewery might build on the undeveloped parcel at the corner of Old Trail Drive and Rt. 250. The property is currently zoned residential and was specifically discussed during both the 2004 and 2009 rounds of town master planning when Crozetians rejected the possibility of shopping centers along Rt. 250. Old Trail’s commercial area was put in the
center of the project to avoid repeating the sprawl pattern of suburban highway retail. “Is it reasonable for it to be zoned business?” asked Mallek. “We should be ready in case a proposal comes forward.” That hint was earnest enough for the topic to be added promptly to the Crozet Community Advisory Council’s meeting the next Thursday. Mallek told CCAC members that the county has been getting inquiries about the property. continued on page 31
The Crozet Community Advisory Council cleared its March 20 agenda to discuss among themselves a proposal from developer Frank Stoner for the Barnes Lumber property after receiving the county planning staff’s report on Stoner’s plan. “The CCAC needs more information,” began Bill Schrader. “Timing is key. We don’t have to jump at the first developer who comes a long.” Chair Meg Holden praised planner Claudette Grant’s eight-page report. “It’s realistic and it takes into account the desires of the community in putting together the Master Plan.” Grant’s report notes that Stoner’s plan uses half of the property for 200 residences, attached and detached, whereas the plan calls for commercial, research and development firms and light industrial uses that bring jobs. To use the property for housing amounts to “a lost opportunity” for downtown, Grant said, and is against the Master Plan which considers residential use in downtown as secondary. In Downtown Crozet District zoning, residences are typically apartments on the upper floors of buildings. “This is a small downtown, surrounded by a fair continued on page 2
Virginia’s First Organic Winery Opens in North Garden Loving Cup Vineyard and Winery, Virginia’s first organic vineyard, opened this month in North Garden under the hand of Karl Hambsch and Deena Morris Hambsch. The vineyard has four acres of vines under cultivation on the 150-acre Hambsch family farm and is growing three varieties of white grapes and two types of reds. “We’re planted for organic production,” said Hambsch. “We choose varieties that fit our system. They’re all hybrids with greater grape disease resistance. We want varieties that have a fighting chance in our system. continued on page 20
Loving Cup’s tasting room is open Friday through Sunday.
2
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
To the Editor Letters reflect the opinions of their authors and not necessarily those of the Crozet Gazette. Send letters to editor@ crozetgazette.com or P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA 22932.
Ivy Transfer Petition Presented to the Supes A petition to keep the Ivy Transfer Station open was presented to the Board of Supervisors at their morning meeting March 5. In spite of many obstacles they had to overcome during the seven weeks of the petition drive, a total of 2,518 concerned citizens enthusiastically signed the petitions. Paul Grady Crozet
Barnes Lumber —continued from page 1
amount of existing residential neighborhoods,” Grant wrote. She noted that the proposal was vague on how the project’s road would tie in with The Square and that the project’s road designs deviated from the design defined in DCD zoning, which includes onstreet parking, bike lanes and landscape strips. Stoner’s plan calls for a “community plaza” on the four corners of the project’s main intersection where Library Avenue and High Street would cross. Grant calls this feature and its ownership unclear. “How will it function as a public place with a road intersection going through the middle of it?” she
asked. The public plaza imagined for the parcel may have to be redesigned and proffered to the public, she suggested. She also found the plan vague on how it plans for surface parking, and cautions that a parking garage may not be feasible now, but could be the right solution depending on the commercial or office uses that emerge over time. White Hall District Planning Commissioner Tom Loach said three questions about the plan were critical to him. “Are we willing to accept a plan in which the developer says he will pay no proffers? That means we [taxpayers] help pay for the road. Are we willing to accept that the applicant does not emphasize job creation? Are we willing to accept a plan that is not
mixed use but is a mixture of uses? “There’s a lot more residential,” Loach pointed out. “The special use permit application asks for 200 units.” Stoner had put the number at 100 in his December meeting with CCAC. “It takes the Stonefield example of mixture of uses,” he said, referring to a large project on the corner of Hydraulic Road and Rt. 29 North in Charlottesville where buildings have single uses but are near buildings with different uses. “The Square is actual mixed use,” with both business and residential uses in the same building. Holden called Loach’s questions “cornerstone points” and said they deserved to be reiterated. “We appreciate that the report tries to protect the community and the
Creating winning smiles since 1960!
Visit our office in Old Trail. Complimentary shuttle service from Crozet schools. Patient Motivation Program In-Ovation Brackets Complimentary Sonicare Toothbrush
Photo by Peggy harrison
Premier Preferred Provider 2008–13 Elite Preferred Provider 2012–13 Invisalign Teen Provider
cvillebraces.com
CROZET gazette the
Published on the first Thursday of the month by The Crozet Gazette LLC, P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA 22932.
www.crozetgazette.com © The Crozet Gazette
MICHAEL J. MARSHALL, Publisher and Editor news@crozetgazette.com | 434-466-8939 ALLIE M. PESCH, Art Director and Ad Manager ads@crozetgazette.com | 434-249-4211 LOUISE DUDLEY, Editorial Assistant louise@crozetgazette.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: John Andersen, Clover Carroll, Marlene Condon, Elena Day, Phil James, Kathy Johnson, Charles Kidder, Dirk Nies, Robert Reiser, Ben Scheiner, Roscoe Shaw, Christina Shoup, Heidi Sonen, David Wagner, Denise Zito.
Call today for a free consultation
434-296-0188 Don’t miss any of the hometown news everybody else is up on. Pick up a free copy of the Crozet Gazette at one of many area locations or have the Crozet Gazette delivered to your home or dorm room. Mail subscriptions are available for $25 for 12 issues. Send a check to Crozet Gazette, P.O. Box 863, Crozet, VA 22932.
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
plan we adopted,” she said. “Let’s stick with the Master Plan. We put a lot into it.” “The emphasis should be on employment,” agreed Kim Connolly. Steve Kostiw, who was listening from the side chairs, cautioned that “when you apply terms like ‘flexibility’ to the Master Plan you invite lawsuits because you deviate from the plan.” “We don’t want detached single family houses on the Barnes property,” said Paul Grady, (who brought up the discussions he had participated in during the drafting of the Master Plan.) “We want residential on the upper floors of buildings.” Stoner and Grant are expected to be at the CCAC’s April 17 meeting. Parkway Pharmacy owner and CCAC member Brenda Plantz suggested that the traffic on The Square be made permanently one-way, headed toward Library Avenue or perhaps visa-versa, to relieve congestion there and allow for more parking places to be added in the empty travel lane. It was the last meeting for veteran CCAC members Nancy Virginia
Bain and Bill Schrader, who have served six-years and were not eligible for reappointment. Kim Connolly, Mathew Sposato, Janice
Applebach and David Stoner (no relation to Frank) joined the council for two-year terms. Jennie More was elected vice-
Come for the Charm Stay for the quality... 55 years and counting.
Model Homes Open Mon-Fri 12-6 & Sat & Sun 12-5
CRAIGBUILDERS.NET
|
434 .973 .3362
Avinity
Old Trail Creekside
Old Trail Golf Villas
from the upper $200’s
from the low $500’s
from the low $500’s
Foothill Crossing
Old Trail Village Homes
Old Trail Courtyard Homes
from the mid $400’s
from the low $300’s
from the upper $300’s
Hyland Ridge
Old Trail Georgetowns
Kenridge
from the upper $400’s
from the upper $200’s
from the low $600’s
3
chair with the expectation that she will run meetings in the upcoming year, the last year of chair Meg Holden’s term.
4
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
Crozet Pizza Expands with Pourhouse Now hear this: Crozet Pizza accepts credit cards! A 38-year tradition of being only a cash or check place ended March 27 when the iconic pizza landmark added its new Pourhouse room. Crozet Pizza expanded into space formerly occupied by Maupin’s Music and Video, which had shifted one door down into a former tile shop earlier in the year. When workmen opened the wall to make a passageway to the Pizza’s original dining room, they discovered an earlier door in the same location that had been closed off. The new Pourhouse room adds four high-top tables and four booths as well as a 12-seat bar, four large
TVs, two handicapped-accessible bathrooms and a storage closet. The floor of the room was found to have a double layer of wide-plank oak flooring and the top layer was removed and used to line the new space’s walls and build the bar. Collectable posters announcing band concerts line the walls. The original area of the shop, which has seven tables, is unchanged except for a few repainted walls, the addition of track lighting in the main space and the removal of the gas stove (which once replaced a Victorian-style wood stove) that sat in the middle of the room. The booth arrangement is slightly altered and there’s also a bench for
Inside the new Crozet Pizza Pourhouse space
A new doorway was cut to connect the original dining room to the new Pourhouse.
those waiting for a table or take-out orders. The shop has added a manager, bartender, and two wait staff. A computerized ordering system has been installed. “It feels like it has always been here. The wood has been here since the 1890s. It’s got the old pub, neighborhood feel to it,” said new manager Pete Kooken, who also worked on the renovation of the Pourhouse room. “What’s cool about it is the niche areas where you can get the ambiance you want. It just has a unique history and feel that you can’t get anywhere else. “It seems like Crozet is big enough for a couple of bars now,” said Kooken. “We’re often full, so now we have space. People come
from all over who have heard about us and they want to try us.” Beer selection will be “predominately crafts and locals, with six on draft,” said Kooken, who added that wine and liquor offerings are coming soon. The menu is mainly Crozet Pizza’s traditional pies, but they are developing an offering of appetizers and sandwiches as well. Kooken said the Pourhouse will host musical performances twice a week. Crozet Pizza’s new hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Mondays though Fridays. It will open for lunch on weekends, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. Parking is also available behind the store, Kooken noted.
FARDOWNERS BRINGS BACK “LIBRARY DAYS”
B e Pa r t o f t h e S t o ry Come out to Fardowners! WHEN: April 14, 15, and 16th WHERE: The Square, Crozet, VA for their 2nd annual Library Days! Fardowners will donate 15% of lunch & 10% of dinner food orders to the Crozet Library. Patrons will be able to make direct donations to the library as well. For more information contact: BuildCrozetLibrary@gmail.com Donate today at: buildcrozetlibrary.org/give On April 14, 15, and 16 Fardowners will donate a percentage of each meal to the Crozet Library.
1990’s
Library use more than doubled
2012
Construction begun for new Crozet Library at corner of Crozet Avenue and Library Avenue
2013
Funds successfully raised for all furnishings
2013 New Crozet/Western Albemarle Library opened in September
2014
Library use more than doubled
2014
Fundraising continues to fill library’s shelves with books
Available at:
Paint & Decorating Charlottesville 434.964.1701 Mon–Fri: 7am–6pm Sat: 8am–4pm
Builders Supply & Home Center Crozet 434.823.1387 Palmyra/Lake Monticello 434.589.2877 Mon–Fri: 7am–5pm Sat: 8am–1pm
Visit brbs.net for more information
6
APRIL 2014
CROZET gazette
“How Does Your Garden Grow” Lecture Series to Benefit Food Pantry The Crozet Farmers Market in association with the Crozet United Methodist Church (CUMC) will host a gardening lecture series titled “How Does Your Garden Grow” to benefit the CUMC Food Pantry. Crozet Farmers Market manager Al Minutolo has brought together expert gardeners Peter Hatch, Monticello’s retired director of gardens and grounds, and Lesley Sewell, a certified landscape designer, arboret Farm Mark ge ist and adjunct professor of horticuld Fu Homemade arlor ture at J. Sergeant Reynolds P Ice Cream Community College, to share their gardening knowledge. The lectures are for new and veteran gardeners alike. In recent years, vendor fees from Crozet, VA s ie rr e b the farmers market have been raw hen the st OPEN awre ripe for the pickin! donated to the food pantry. In 2013, the market donated $750 to the food pantry and to the soup program conducted by Tabor Presbyterian YOUR LOCAL SOURCE FOR LOCAL, ORGChurch. MEisAaTUSDA-approved NICpantry AThe S facility that serves 120 to 170 families monthly, feeding as many as 300
d a e h A ip r T d a o R
rie s! r e b w a r t Own S r u o Y k c Pi
Crozet
www.greatvalu.com
Where respect for YOU is ALWAYS in stock
YOUR HOMETOWN GROCERY STORE
This month’s featured items:
WE BUY FROM LOCAL FARMERS & PRODUCERS
LOCAL APPLES all varieties
3 lb. pound bag $2.99
ORGANIC BANANAS
$.89 per lb.
Check out our selection of EASTER CANDIES including new ORGANIC JELLYBEANS! Western Albemarle’s Local Grocery Store Since 1946
5732 THREE NOTCH’D ROAD • CROZET
Well Hung Vineyards Wine Now in a Tasting Room
Teaming up with wines from Michael Shaps’ Virginia Wineworks, Well Hung Vineyard wines are now available in the tasting room at Honah Lee Vineyard, 13172 Honah Lee Farm Drive, off Route 15 north of Gordonsville. Previously, wine tastings and products from Crozetbased Well Hung were available only at festival and in-store appearances and their website, www.wellhung vineyard.com. Tasting room hours are available on Honah Lee Vineyard’s website, www.berrywoodcrafters.com.
Relay Foods Opens Second Crozet Pickup Location
Charlottesville-based Relay Foods, an online grocery store that markets natural, locally sourced food and products, is expanding its delivery service in Crozet with a new pickup location at the Crozet Baptist Church on St. George Avenue. Customers can swing by the Relay
people, including more than 100 children. The average monthly food distribution is 3 to 4 tons. Cash donations are important to the food pantry and are a significant multiplier for the purchase of food at the local food bank. Although food costs vary, $1 will often purchase 8-12 pounds of food. Two lecture sessions will be held in the Fellowship Hall of the CUMC at 1156 Crozet Avenue. Each session offers two lectures. On April 15 at 7 p.m., Hatch will discuss “Fruits, Roots, and Leaves, My Favorite Garden Vegetables.” Minutolo will follow with “Gardening 101: Getting Started.” On April 15 at 7 p.m., Sewell will discuss “Gardening with Deer and Other Wildlife.” Minutolo will follow with “The Great American Lawn.” Donation is $10 per person for each session and will go to the food pantry. Seating is limited. RSVP to 434-823-1092 by April 10 if you plan to attend. Foods truck on Fridays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Relay Foods already has a Monday afternoon pickup spot at the Old Trail Shopping Center, as well as 26 other Charlottesville-area locations. Named the “leading startup” in online grocery by TIME Magazine, Relay Foods is now operating in Central and Northern Virginia, Metro D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis.
Crozet Orchestra Seeks String and Wind Musicians
The Crozet Community Orchestra Spring season runs April 2 through June 11. CCO has openings for string players and wind players. Sit in and try it out. Rehearsals are held Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. at Tabor Presbyterian Church in Crozet. No audition is required. The cost is $65. A limited number of scholarships are available (for financial assistance.) For more information, contact Denise Murray at murrden@gmail.com or 434-9875517, or Philip Clark at pclarkmusic@gmail.com or 434-979-3343.
ket Co-op CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
7 local veget
Crozet Safety Corps Seeks Members From All Neighborhoods
meats • cheeses • coffee & baked goods • artisans ables • grass-fed
HAPPY WEEKENDS BEGIN AT THE MARKET!
• live music • children’s activities • and more!
Just 11 miles south on Route 151 • 20 minutes from Crozet!
By Jim Crosby
®
saturdays 8 a.m. - Noon APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER
downtown nellysford under the big white tent
nelsonfarmersmarket.com
The Albemarle County Police have designed a new neighborhood sign announcing the presence of neighbors watching for criminal and suspicious activity within their communities to replace the old Neighborhood Watch signs, some of which are still seen throughout the county. This sign is available to groups who have at least one member of the Crozet Safety Corps in their group, neighborhood or subdivision.
bers are issued lime green safety vests with the CSC logo printed on them, navy blue baseball cap bearing the corps name and photo ID cards. The ACPD has designed a new neighborhood sign that announces the presence of neighbors watching for criminal and suspicious activity within their communities. The new signs will replace old Neighborhood Watch signs, some of which can still be seen throughout the county. The new signs will be available to neighborhoods that have at least one resident who is a CSC member who can act as the liaison between them, the Corps, and the police department. The CSC will hold its next quarterly meeting Monday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Crozet Firehouse. Anyone interested is urged to attend.
JUST LOOK FOR NELLY MAY!
The Crozet Safety Corps is launching a drive to recruit members in each neighborhood in the greater Crozet community. Their campaign will kick off officially at the May 8 meeting of the Crozet Community Association at 7:30 p.m. in the Field School. The CSC is recognized by the Albemarle County Police Department as its first community safety group. The corps’ liaison officer is Crime Prevention Specialist Andrew Gluba, Jr., who keeps corps members informed of crimes occurring in the county and advises citizens on how to avoid becoming victims. The return of warm weather in spring typically coincides with an increase in crimes of opportunity such as car break-ins, vandalism, home burglaries, and snatch-andrun crimes. “Our partnership with the Albemarle County Police Department is well established and their support and cooperation have been outstanding,” said CSC chair Tom Loach. “Police have responded to several members’ concerns and calls for service, resulting in excellent resolutions of those concerns. Our aim now is to grow our numbers and train for service to our neighborhoods. A number of our members have completed Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT) training through the 911 Center. We want to extend our corps into every neighborhood around Crozet.” Members of the corps work to heighten crime prevention awareness, boost participation in local anti-crime programs, strengthen neighborhood spirit and policecommunity partnerships, and send the message to criminals that Crozet’s neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. CSC mem-
“What Am I On Earth For?”
Sunday Worship @ 10 AM
6356 Hillsboro Lane, Crozet 434.823.1505 • www.hillsboro.cc
8
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
Lyons Traces Irish Lives at Blue Ridge Tunnel Charlottesville author Mary E. Lyons has had her account of the building of the Blue Ridge Tunnel published recently by The History Press. The Blue Ridge Tunnel: A Remarkable Engineering Feat in Antebellum Virginia is “a concise introduction for the general reader,” said Lyons, who is now at work on what she called a larger “documentary history” of the project that will have detailed annotations. The book is available in Crozet at Over the Moon Bookstore. Lyons, who has dual American–Irish citizenship, became interested in the history of the tunnel because her great grandfather, like the Irish who built the tunnel, was a refugee from the Great Famine that depopulated Ireland in the 1840s when a virus caused potato crops to die. “He migrated to America and worked in a coal mine,” said Lyons, “so the tunnel builders resonated with me.” Lyons has written two other books on the famine, both intended for young readers. She wrote this book as a residential fellow at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities in the fall of 2011. “The story of the tunnel grabbed me right away and it hasn’t let go.” The tunnel was part of a 34-mile project to
connect Richmond to Staunton and speed transport of Shenandoah Valley agricultural products into eastern Virginia. Besides the main tunnel under Rockfish Gap, three others were needed as the tracks climbed the ribbed east side of the mountain. Lyons also points to the competition between the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Virginia Central Railroad (later the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad) to be the first to reach the Ohio River and attract trade that was headed for New Orleans. B&O track-layers were also digging tunnels through the Allegany Mountains, and as the leader of the Virginia effort, Claudius Crozet was aware of their progress. “Crozet’s letters and annual reports are in the Library of Virginia,” said Lyons. “He goes into great detail about the problems. He expected to finish in three years. None of the tunnel builders of the time knew what they were getting into. “One word keeps repeating—energetic. It’s so American to me. It’s push ahead, make progress. And that’s how he treated the laborers. “I knew from the beginning I would write about it. The first thing I wanted to do was name the men, remember them. In six weeks I had identified 500 people. I give credit to Crozet. The
WE’RE MOVING! (just 200 yards from where we are now)
Mary Lyons
names of the cholera victims are known to us because of him.” Lyons’ book collects personal information on many of the Irish workers. “To me it’s one of the few instances where we have primary documents that will tell us something about the Irish and the enslaved laborers in the same railroad project. I have looked for proof of conflict between the Irish and the slaves and I’ve never found it. It’s perhaps an exception. “When the Irish went on strike for a raise in 1853, Crozet wanted to turn more to slave labor.” But tunnel digging was very dangerous, and slave owners were usually unwilling to hire their slaves out for that work. But slaves were rented continued on page 10
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
9
Crozet Trails Crew Helps Get the Dog Park Going Albemarle County is planning to build a fenced-in dog park adjacent to Claudius Crozet Park and is hoping to complete it in a year with the help of volunteers. The Crozet Trails Crew spent the morning of March 15 clearing the brush and small trees to allow the county’s crew to prepare to install the fencing. To join in this endeavor and other trail building projects, check out the Trails Crew’s website at crozettrailscrew.org or e-mail Jessica Mauzy at Jessica@crozettrailscrew. org. Everyone is welcome, even if you can spare only an hour.
ALL ENGINES POSSIBLE SMALL ENGINE REPAIR Now Offering Parts, Equipment Sales & Service
The green building between Brownsville Market & Warren James Auto.
Open Open Monday Monday -- Friday Friday 9 9 a.m. a.m. -- 6 6 p.m. p.m. Saturday Saturday 8 8 a.m. a.m. -- 1 1 p.m. p.m. Closed Closed Sunday Sunday
Quality Work Affordable Rates
Western Students Win at Regional Science Fair Western Albemarle High School junior Caitlin Dutta earned a Best in Show Grand Award at the 33rd Annual Piedmont Regional Science Fair held at the University of Virginia’s John Paul Jones Arena March 12. She was joined by Albemarle High sophomore Selena Feng, who earned seven awards for her exhibit, “I Click: The Development of a Practical Vision Based Virtual Mouse,” an exhibit featuring technology that empowers a person to use his or her hand in place of a computer mouse to manipulate functions on a computer monitor screen. Dutta’s exhibit, “The Effect of a New Long Non Coding RNA 2953 on Muscle Creation,” examined how to disable a genetic factor in muscle cells that inhibits healthy cell growth. Dutta and Feng automatically qualified for the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair in Los Angeles, which is being held May 11-16 this year. Albemarle public schools students won a total of 84 awards at the fair, including the first-place awards in 12 of 16 categories. Other first-place winners from Western were Xiaoran Zhu in Materials & Bioengineering, for the development of a nasal spirometer to diagnose and monitor pulmonary disease, and Lillian Xu in Microbiology for her research to find a genetic cause among stem cells for
New location! 6037 Rockfish Gap Turnpike Crozet, VA 22932
434-823-8392
www.AllEnginesPossible.com
Caitlin Dutta
atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. “The sophistication of the goals these students have set for themselves is beyond impressive,” said Carol Stutzman, who oversees Western Albemarle’s Science Fair exhibits. “All three of our first-place winners focused on projects that can save lives, dealing with long-time medical conditions that threaten public health. The discipline, focus and research that went into these exhibits offer a powerful statement about the ability of our next generation of leaders to enhance the quality of our lives,” Stutzman said. In addition to the high school competition, three students from Henley Middle School won awards in their division: Meg Richey, Mehdin Hossain, and Gauri Prakash.
“W
e are proud to be a downtown Crozet local business and are excited to serve you as we share our passion for running, fitness, and the great outdoors!” - John and Michelle Andersen, Owners
www.crozetrunning.com | 434-205-4452 facebook.com/crozetrunning | @CrozetRunning
Maundy Thursday Worship Service The Weeping Tree— a poignant portrait of the cross in song and story Presented by the clergy and choirs of
Crozet Baptist Church and
Tabor Presbyterian Church USA
April 17, 2014 7:00 p.m. Crozet Baptist Church St. George Avenue, Crozet
Riverfest Saturday May 3, 2014
Waynesboro, VA • Main St. at the South River 10 am to 4:30 pm • FREE admission
Join us for a day of river fun!
Road and River Relay• Canoe Rides • Great South River Duck Race Stream Safari & Electro Fishing • River Spirit Pageant • Cornhole Native Virginia Plant Sale • Reptile World Show • Fish n’ Fun Rodeo Wildlife Center of Virginia • Food, Games, Exhibits and MORE! For more information:
www.riverfestwaynesboro.org
10
APRIL 2014
CROZET gazette
Peachtree Opening Day at Holzwarth Field The lower baseball field at Claudius Crozet Park has been turned into a first-class Little League diamond thanks to a beautification campaign led by the Holzwarth family and named for Robert Andrew Holzwarth. His wife Sharon tossed the first pitch. The Holzwarths had spearheaded construction of the new dugouts and a press box previously. This season there are a new covered batting cage in the clearing beyond the right field fence and new covered stands for spectators on each side. The field seemed to be standing at
attention on opening day, March 15. White Hall Supervisor Ann Mallek greeted the crowd of parents and kids. “This is so exciting to see the players ready to go play ball! Crozet works together to make wonderful things happen!” Peachtree League President Cheryl Madison thanked County Parks and Rec for handling field maintenance and read off the names of local businesses that are backing the league and sponsoring teams. This year the league has 31 teams and 330 players.
Henley Scholastic Bowl Team Heads to National Tournament The Henley Middle School Scholastic Bowl Team won the Quaker Bowl at the Early College at Guilford, held at Guilford College in Greensboro March 22. Henley A went undefeated and has qualified for the national middle school NAQT tournament in Atlanta, Georgia. Three Henley students placed in the top ten for individual scores:
Caroline Koester, 1st overall; Jack Emery, 2nd overall; and Evan Sposato, 3rd overall. Henley A is composed of Caroline Koester (captain), Jack Emery, Evan Sposato, Russell Hunter, Camille Kielbasa and Gauri Prakash. Henley B combines Tyler Phillips (captain), Ethan Matthews, Kelsey Marks, Katherine Mata and Evelyn Garey.
Tunnel
Crozet died in Richmond in 1863, six years after the tunnel was finished, at age 74. “I was down on him for a long time because I thought he didn’t respect the Irish culture. He resented the time off the Irish took on Holy Days—there were 36 in a year—and because they would take off two days when they had a funeral for their children. Crozet didn’t dig his heels in. He was quick to lose his temper but he was also quick with praise. “I have a balanced view of Crozet. Some people want to make him into a big hero. He was a human and he had flaws. He doesn’t give any indication he cared about the slaves. It was the norm then, but our impulse would be to condemn him now.” More than a thousand Irish people were living in the Greenwood/Afton area while the tunnel was being built, but by the 1870 census none remained. “There’s more to be gleaned from the written record,” said Lyons. “It needs to be mined.”
—continued from page 8
out for one-year terms for other jobs. Most slave owners had labor needs themselves and not that many slaves were available in the area. “All the known instances of slave labor on the railroad took place in Albemarle County,” said Lyons. “When you look at the tracks in western Albemarle you’re looking at what slaves built.” About 200 slaves and 800 Irishmen worked on the Albemarle side of the mountain, she said. The Irish were more expendable than the slaves because if a slave died, he had to be paid for. “I think the tunnel broke Crozet,” said Lyons. “He was subjected to so much criticism and pressure. He quit before the first train went through. He always admired the Irish and pressed state officials to support them.”
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
11
by Phil James phil@crozetgazette.com
Virginia Mountain Peaches Growing peaches is not for the faint of heart! In early spring, one can’t help but fall in love with the sight of rolling hills blanketed with pink blossoms. But if the successful harvest of the fruit represented by those blossoms is the difference between staying in your own house or moving to the poorhouse, you’re living a gambler’s life. In the early decades of the 20th century, the flowering of peach trees along the lower slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains elicited high hopes among country folks that winter’s worst had passed. The seemingly endless orchards of pink also represented the prospect of cash-in-hand, a coveted asset in a barter society. From season to season and year to year, agricultural-based economies have always prospered or suffered by the timing of the natural elements. Once upon a time, Virginia newspapers broadcasted the growing conditions and prospects for prominent crops such as peaches and apples. “August 1905: Albemarle Peaches. Splendid Crop. The peach crop of Crozet and vicinity has been unusually fine. Prices obtained at New York and other markets have been very satisfactory... bringing to this community some $20,000 for summer peaches alone.” — “April 1907: Much Fruit Killed. Lynchburg in icy grasp. Severe sleet storm probably the worst in this month’s history... About 60% of peaches killed [in Crozet vicinity.] High up on the mountains peaches suffered very much from freezing.” — “July 1916: Rains Injure Early Peach.” In a 1976 interview, retired local schoolteacher Marguerite B. Washington, 81, recalled, “The women used to work in the peach orchards in the summertime, but if the frost killed the peaches they couldn’t work. Then they didn’t have money to buy textbooks for the children.” A minor inconvenience such as a pesky morning frost on our windshields still has far-reaching effects on the lives of those in the fruit industry. Newspapers also heralded the long-awaited bounty’s arrival to market. “October 1891: Lemuel Powers will sell at auction today 40 bushels of the Finest Peaches seen in Richmond this season... grown on the farm of Mr. Abram
Peach peeling time, c.1930, at George and Emma Lamb’s above the Lower Pocosan Mission on Pocosan Mountain in Greene Co. L-R: Rosetta Lamb Sturgill, Pollyanna Lamb Perryman, Lucy Lamb Monroe, Emma Meadows Lamb, George H. Lamb, Laura Lamb Breeden, and Annette, a family friend. [Photo courtesy of Larry Lamb]
Wayland near Crozet in Albemarle County.” — “August 1902: Fine Peaches. Ten crates received by C.E. Sydnor, a prominent Richmond commission merchant, and at once disposed of. Of the famous Elberta variety, they were grown by Mr. W.G. Barksdale of Batesville, Va... some of the largest measured a foot in circumference.” Excerpts from a Charlottesville Daily Progress August 1938 editorial titled “Golden Peaches” highlighted the vagaries of the fruit industry and the peach crop in particular. “Peach growing is a precarious business as anyone around Crozet, Afton and Greenwood will attest. It is a gamble, like everything that nature controls, but when one thinks of a draw of 320,000,000 bushels, the estimated aggregate of the north-Albemarle harvest, producing a jackpot of half a million dollars in a relatively small section of the county, the game is worth all the worries, the troubles and the setbacks.” During the 1938 fruit harvest, 1000 workers of all skill levels were required just to pick and pack the peaches. Half of that number were laborers from other sections of the county and around the state. Most of the resulting wealth from the successful harvest stayed in the local communities, settling debts, lifting mortgages, and being reinvested in the land and facilities. “My Dad was a farmer,” reminisced Brown’s Cove resident Clyde McAllister, “but when it was time to pick apples or peaches, he would hire himself out. My brother-in-law would put
together a working crew and go to the orchards. They would stay there at the orchards while they were picking the peaches, living in what they called a shanty, or barracks. I’m talking back there in the early ’30s. Lumber, saw mills had them, too.” Homer Sandridge, formerly of Mountfair, recalled that special era: “Picking fruit? That used to be an annual thing, the fruit business/peach business in Crozet after trucks came along. Everybody would work in the fruit for a couple continued on page 12
Above: E.L. Grasty’s peach label trumpeted Crozet’s mountain fruit heritage. For over 30 years, Grasty was an orchardist as well as one of Crozet’s Main Street merchants. [Image courtesy of Crozet Print Shop] Left: Ches Haden’s Cavalier brand of peaches employed an eye-catching label with a navy blue background and bold orange lettering, coincidentally, or not, the school colors of the nearby University of Virginia. [Image courtesy of Crozet Print Shop]
12
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
Peaches
—continued from page 11
weeks in peach season and then a few weeks in apple season also. Truckloads of ’em would go to Crozet. I did that a couple of years when I was growing up. Worked picking peaches for Charlie O’Neill. He had orchards up there in Mint Springs on the side of the mountain.” “At one time you could leave White Hall and go to Crozet [a distance of four miles] and never be out of sight of a peach tree,” said White Hall farmer Dan Maupin, whose family has been stewards of the same land since the 1700s. The early fruit industry created a diversity of jobs. Steward Walton recalled those days: “Yeah, I worked for John James, over there pulling spray hoses in Zirkle’s Peach Orchard near White Hall. Used horses or mules or whatever it was they had over there. Ten cents an hour. I worked there full-time. Alton and Freddie Morris worked
This peach picking crew had brought in a wagon load of Elbertas at the Montague-Zirkle Orchard near White Hall. [From the Phil James Historical Images Collection]
there, too.” Woodie Keyton also picked peaches in Zirkle’s orchards. “At that time they had these Georgia peach inspectors come around to your orchard,” he recalled. “Tell you when they was too green and when
When peaches ripened, picking crews from neighboring counties converged on the orchards surrounding Crozet. Pay rates of 30¢–35¢/hour for 10-hour days brought in men, women and children eager to make cash wages for a few intensive weeks of labor. [From the Phil James Historical Images Collection]
they was ripe enough.” Lemuel James, father of John James, was born in 1867 on the mountainside above Sugar Hollow. Like his father, he had a passion for honey bees. Purcell Daughtry grew up on nearby Pasture Fence Mountain and fondly recalled his old mountain neighbor. “Lem James would go in the mountain and hunt bee trees,” said Daughtry. “He had a big thing for finding them. How he cut ’em and got ’em, I don’t know. But he had a lot of bees. Must have been an expert with bees. And he rented them to the orchards for pollination. I reckon that’s one way he made a living. “I was working in peaches there at John James’s. His son Jack and, I believe, Cecil McAllister, asked me to go possum hunting with them one night. I hadn’t heard of him possum hunting before and I don’t know why they asked me to go possum hunting that night. I thought, well, I was five miles from home, and I’d have to walk home and get my stuff and walk back, and then walk back home. So I said, ‘I want to go, but I guess not.’ Well, anyway, they had an old fellow—Jim Sandridge was the night watchman there at the orchard—to keep people from coming in and picking peaches when they was ripe. He stayed there. He was from up [on the shoulder of Buck’s Elbow Mountain] in Sugar Hollow. I didn’t
Follow Secrets of the Blue Ridge on Facebook! Phil James invites contact from those who would share recollections and old photographs of life along the Blue Ridge Mountains of Albemarle County. You may respond to him through his website: www.SecretsoftheBlueRidge.com or at P.O. Box 88, White Hall, VA 22987. Secrets of the Blue Ridge © 2003–2014 Phil James
This order of 25,000 peach basket labels represents only a fraction of the baskets of fruit shipped in iced railcars and trucks during the frenzied days of peach harvesting. [Image courtesy of Crozet Print Shop]
go hunting, but next morning, first thing I heard, good thing I didn’t— they got shot at. Right up above the orchard, they treed a possum, could have been a coon but I think it was a possum, and the old man shot their lantern out.” So... it seems that, like growing peaches for profit, neither was possum-huntin’ in a mountain peach orchard for the faint of heart.
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
13
upcoming events
APRIL 6
Historic Tree Symposium
The Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards will present Historic Tree Symposium: Old Growth Forests and Presidential Estates on Sunday, April 6, from 1 to 5 p.m. at St. Anne’s-Belfield School’s Randolph Auditorium, 2132 Ivy Road, across from Foods of All Nations. Speakers include Dean Norton on Mount Vernon, Peter J. Hatch on Monticello, Tom Dierauf on Montpelier, and Joan Maloof, founder of the Old Growth Forest Network. Norton, Hatch and Dierauf will speak on Virginia presidents, their love of trees, and how their ideas and plans are continued at their estates. Tickets are $15 at the door.
APRIL 19
Junior Ranger Day
Shenandoah National Park will host its National Junior Ranger Day Saturday, April 19 at Harry F. Byrd Sr. Visitor Center (mile 51). Visitors will be able to examine nature items on touch tables, search for clues in indoor scavenger hunts, try on ranger uniforms, attend a ranger talk about wildlife, and meet a live screech owl, plus other events. For the complete program, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/shen. Junior Ranger Day activities are free and open to people of all ages. National Junior Ranger Day patches will be available. To open National Park Week, entrance fees will be waived at all National Park Service sites, including Shenandoah, on April 19 and 20.
APRIL 21
Jefferson in Paris at Crozet Library
James C. Thompson, local author of Thomas Jefferson’s Enlightenment, will speak on Jefferson’s experiences in Paris in 1785 at Crozet Library April 21 at 7 p.m.
APRIL 26
White Hall Ruritans’ Plant/Yard/Bake Sale
The White Hall Ruritan Club will hold its annual Plant/Yard/Bake Sale April 26, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the White Hall Community Building (2904 Brown’s Gap Road, at the intersection of Routes 614 and 810). Plants include flowering plants, shrubs, tomatoes, berries, and herbs. Yard sale items range from kitchen items to furniture. Proceeds will fund local scholarships and improvements to White Hall’s century-old Community Building.
APRIL 26
Comcast Cares Day at Crozet Park
Community volunteers will work side-by-side on a variety of improvement projects at Claudius Crozet Park, as part of Comcast Cares Day Saturday, April 26, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sponsored by Comcast, it’s America’s largest, single-day corporate volunteer effort. Activities range from painting and staining to weeding, mulching, brush clearing and general housekeeping in and around the park. “We’re truly excited to roll up our sleeves alongside families, friends and neighbors and make lasting changes at Crozet Park,” said Shawn Johnson, senior director of business operations at Comcast. “We welcome and encourage anyone in the community interested in contributing their time and talent to register and participate.” “Without volunteer support, many of the projects across our 22-acre park would have to wait,” said Crozet Park president Kim Guenther. “The benefits of being selected as a Comcast Cares partner flow in many directions. The park receives much-needed help to complete a variety of projects in time for its busiest time of the year and volunteers have a chance to provide their time and expertise to directly enhance their community park.” Anyone interested in volunteering for Comcast Cares Day at Crozet Park can register at www.comcastinthecommunity.com, or learn more about the event at www.crozetpark.org/about-us/ volunteering.
The Gazette’s Upcoming Community Events listing is intended for free, not-for-profit or fundraiser events that are open to and serve the broader community. Events are included at the editor’s discretion. Priority is given to special and unique events. Space is very limited. Submit event press releases for consideration to news@crozetgazette.com.
Annual Spring Barbeque Join us
Sunday, May 18 Pulled Pork, Grilled Chicken, Sides and Dessert from The Barbeque Exchange will be served from 12 - 5 p.m. Reserve tickets online, by phone or in the Tasting Room
www.kingfamilyvineyards.com 434-823-7800
14
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
First Mass in Crozet Held March 9
Join us for the 3rd annual
Crozet Lions Club
Pancake Dinner and Raffle
The first Roman Catholic Mass to be held in Crozet under the authority of the Bishop of Richmond was held at The Field School auditorium March 9, the first Sunday of Lent, by Fr. Joseph Mary Lukyamuzi, pastor of Holy Comforter Catholic Church in Charlottesville. Nearly 250 people attended. Following an appeal by lay Catholics in western Albemarle to Bishop Francis X. DiLornezo, and with his blessing, masses will be held monthly, on the second Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at 1408 Crozet Avenue. The next Mass is Palm Sunday, April 13. For more information, go to the Crozet Catholics Facebook page. To get on an email notification list, write to crozetmass@gmail.com.
JERRY & SUZY O’DELL
Blue Ridge Beads & Glass
TIZ BUTTERFIELD & JERRY FINAZZO
Sal’s Pizza
JAMES VAN GUNTEN & RICHARD MCGLOTHLIN
Fisher Auto Parts
Saturday, April 5
SERVING YOU
5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
At the Field School
(Across from Crozet Elementary)
Great Raffle Prizes + Talented Entertainers, Amazing Jugglers To support treatment and prevention of visual and hearing difficulties in Children and Adults Recommended donations: Adults $6, Children under 12 $3
NATALIE FICKLEY & TRACEY PUGH
Officequad
STEPHEN GRUBB & JANICE WOOD
Dollar General
RUBY & JOHN WATTS
Here We Go Again
JEAN AND DAVID WAGNER
Crozet Great Valu
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
15
JANICE APPLEBACH
Ballet Students from Crozet Arts Perform Seasons at The Lodge
Fifteen dancers from Crozet Arts, ranging in age from six to seventeen, performed a short ballet titled Seasons for residents of The Lodge at Old Trail on March 22. The ballet was choreographed by Sharon Tolczyk, artistic director. The performers, from left, were
Laura Gamett, Emilie Applebach, Zofia Leverette, Ella Barber, Libby Addison, Annie Boczek, Ravenna Barber, Emily Wright, Thea Louis, Zina Parker, Ainsley Shonka, Eleanor Hawkes, Lily Mitchell, Reagan Gresge (not pictured is Rachel Bird).
5117 Brook View road
Enjoy the Best Views in Old Trail! Absolutely the best views in Old Trail from rooftop widow’s walk! Very private space. Beautiful details throughout this 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home. Gourmet kitchen with 60” refrigerator and open, airy space on main level. Breakfast bar, center island, and eatin kitchen. Second floor boasts large master suite, private bath, plus two additional jack-n-jill bedrooms sharing a bath. Third floor is fantastic with rec room, private bedroom and full bath. Hardwood/ceramic throughout. Rear brick patio. 1 year home warranty. Built by Old Trail Builders. MLS#518552. $652,900.
KATHRYN HALL BENTLEY Realtor®
434.989.6769 Cell
434.951.5148 Office
kbentley7147@gmail.com www.RoyWheeler.com EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, PROFESSIONAL RESULTS!
Crozet’s Masters Swim Team
Saturday, April 26 1 - 4 PM Crozet PARC YMCA
FREE EVENT
Healthy Kids Day is a FREE community event to get kids and families moving! Includes: • 36-foot Inflatable Obstacle Course! • Family Fitness Class Demos, including Zumba, Strength Challenge and Yoga! • Healthy Food Samples! • 1-Mile Family Fun Run starting at 3 PM! • And More! Complete activity stations for YMCA gift bag!
APRIL 26 ONLY... 1/2 OFF JOIN FEE! Top from left: Brian Flamm, John Ratcliffe, Patrick McCann, Cherie Witt, Shannon Horridge, Coach Cameron Burr. Bottom from left: Melissa Miller, Michelle Adams, Nicola Ratcliffe
The Crozet PARC Masters YMCA Swim Team is in its first year of operation and is at home under the Blue Bubble. Coached by the knowledgeable and enthusiastic duo of Cameron Burr and Becky Franklin, masters swimmers (18-years-old and up) receive encouragement, a varied swim workout, drills, and swim tech-
nique and plenty of positive feedback. So far the team has competed in two masters meets in Richmond and Lynchburg. The team works out at 5:30 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday and a “late” 7 a.m. practice on Saturdays.
Become a member of the Crozet PARC YMCA: • Outdoor Summer Pool! • Fitness Center & Group SAVE Exercise Classes! $50! • Program Discounts!
CALLING ALL CROZET GATORS! The Crozet Gators Swim Team is gearing up for another great summer! Registration opens late April. Check website for additional info:
www.crozetpark.org/crozet-gators Crozet PARC YMCA 1075 Claudius Crozet Park 434 205 4380 piedmontymca.org
16
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
Parkway Pharmacy
BY DR. ROBERT C. REISER
crozetannals@crozetgazette.com
A Stable Marriage Accepting most third party plans, including Medicare Part D, sponsored by CVS and Walmart
CONVENIENT CARE URGENT CARE
YOUR HOSPITAL in Your Community (540) 332-4000
www.augustahealth.com
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
HEART & VASCULAR CENTER
I have seen the future of U.S. healthcare and it looks very bright. I attended Match Day ceremonies recently and found the most amazing energy and optimism in the senior medical students as they found out in one grand reveal what their future holds. The Match is unique to medicine; no other professional school graduates obtain their first job based on a computer algorithm. Unlike law school, dental school, business school or any graduate school, for medical school graduates there is no financial competition for the best graduates or the best jobs. No offers are made to be considered or rejected. Graduating medical students are offered no choice, just an envelope handed out at noon EDT on the third Friday in March with a single assignment to a job that will last for the next 3 to 7 years, depending on specialty. What a drama. Here’s how it works and why. Approximately 20,000 U.S. medical students (MDs and DOs) will graduate this year. By statute they will need at least one year of internship in a hospital in order to obtain a license to practice medicine and at least three years in a hospital residency in order to become board certified in a medical specialty. This ensures that U.S. physicians are very well trained. This also represents a large, cheap labor pool for U.S. hospitals. Salaries are fixed by the hospitals at relatively low rates and are not subject to negotiation by the residents. In the distant past, hospitals competed for medical school graduates. Because graduates could hold
several offers until the last minute, at the end of the process many hospitals found themselves without the requisite manpower when the new MDs finally committed to a single program. The hospitals responded by locking in medical students earlier and earlier in their training, eventually extending binding offers to second year medical students, many of whom were not even sure of their specialty choice, let alone the type of hospital where they wanted to train. In addition this forced the hospitals to gamble on the students too early in their medical school career before their academic or clinical prowess could be fairly judged. Many hospitals were eventually unhappy with their recruits and many medical students came to rue their choices as well. Economists call this result an “unstable marriage,” a matchup in which one or both partners would be happier with another partner who would also be happier with them. Like real marriages, economically “unstable marriages” frequently collapse with upheaval to the employer and worker. This flawed system existed for nearly 50 years until 1952, when the medical schools intervened and formed a central clearinghouse (the NRMP) to take over the process of matching graduates to hospitals. With no training in economics or mathematics they cobbled together a natural algorithm that attempted to create what game theory economists would later call a “stable marriage” between the residents and the hospitals. In a stable marriage no partner (resident) would be happier with a different partner (hospital) who would also be happier with continued on page 18
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
17
Seasonal Flavors
MEMORIES & RECIPES FROM AN ITALIAN KITCHEN [ by denise zito • denise@crozetgazette.com \
S
uch an abundance of eggs and spinach in April! A wonderful option is to prepare Eggs Florentine, but two things usually give a person reason to pause: many people are put off by poached eggs and how in the world do you make a good Hollandaise sauce? I’ve conquered the latter and I’ll give you another idea for the former. When I decided to write about Eggs Florentine, I was excited by the thought of learning the origin of the name and recipe, hoping that it had something to do with Florence, Italy. Alas, I found all kinds of crazy theories and ideas—so many that I decided that I don’t believe any of them! I did find one reference to Florence, claiming that the city is famous for its use of spinach. Well, I’ve been to Florence, and the food is wonderful beyond imagining, but I don’t recall eating spinach there. The most consistent fact I found was that Eggs Florentine is a variation on Eggs Benedict, substituting spinach for the ham. But my version doesn’t even include the English muffin and while I’m at it, I prefer a fried egg to a poached egg. So we
might just want to describe what follows as Eggs Zito. Now the hard part—that Hollandaise! I make Hollandaise sauce every Easter for the asparagus. And though my family very generously considers me a fine cook, it is the family joke that I botch the Hollandaise at least 80 percent of the time. If you’re working with eggs, butter and lemon juice, there aren’t many complaints if the sauce ‘breaks’ (separates) before it is served. But when you succeed in making it velvety smooth, there is almost nothing as sublime. I think I’ve found the secret to foolproof Hollandaise and I’m happy to spare you the embarrassment of the broken sauce. Note about the double boiler: Yes, in my younger days I used a stainless steel mixing bowl over a saucepan of water. I burned myself repeatedly, but the metal bowl and saucepan are an okay substitute for a real doubleboiler. Now that I’m a grown-up, I have a double boiler that I use twice a year: once on Easter for the asparagus and once on the day I make this recipe.
Zito-Style Eggs Florentine For the spinach: 10 cups fresh spinach 2 cloves crushed garlic
2 T olive oil
Wash and chop the spinach, sauté lightly in oil with the garlic. Cook it just till slightly wilted. Scoop the spinach into an oven-proof 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
For the eggs: Fry six eggs as you and your family like them, i.e. over easy, sunny-side up or whatever. If you’re a purist, then poach them. Arrange the eggs on the spinach. Sprinkle with a cup of grated parmesan cheese. Put under the broiler for a couple of minutes until brown.
For the Hollandaise: 3 egg yolks ½ cup softened butter
we’re
FARM FOCUSED
Feed • Fertilizer • Fencing • Mineral Animal Health • Garden Seeds Onion Sets & Seed Potatoes Grass Seed & Mulch • Live Plants Arriving Triple Crown & Legends Horse Feed & Pet Food by
Roundup® Pump ‘N Go Sale: 17.99 $
your ACE -$8 with Rewards Card You Pay 99
9
¼ cup boiling water from your tea kettle 1½ tsp. lemon juice
Whisk the butter and egg yolks together in the top of a double boiler set over the bottom pan of simmering hot water. Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the top pan and don’t let the water in the bottom pan boil. Keep whisking until the butter is melted then slowly, little by little add the ¼ cup of boiling water while continuing to whisk. After 7 to 10 minutes the sauce will thicken. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Pour this luscious sauce over the spinach and eggs and serve. Good for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. Amaze your family and friends with perfect Hollandaise sauce!
Wetsel & Other Garden Seeds Weed & Grass Killer Spray 77196520 Limit 2 at this price. 1.33 Gal. Valid thru 4/30/14
HOURS:
1000 W. Broad St. • Waynesboro (540) 949-8229 www.rockinghamcoop.com
Mon-Fri: 7:30 AM - 6 PM Saturday: 8 AM - 5 PM
90th Anniversary Event
thru April 7th
18
climate CLIMATE CONTROLLED UNITS climate controlled controlled units units Manager Resident Manager ••• Resident Resident Manager •• Monthly Leases Monthly Leases •• Tractor Monthly Leases • Tractor Trailer Trailer Accessible Accessible ••• Insurance Tractor Trailer Coverage Available Insurance CoverageAccessible Available • Passcoded Gate Access •• Passcoded Passcoded GateGate AccessAccess Access Available 24-hour Access Available •••• 24-hour 24-hour Access Available Packing Materials • Packing Materials • Packing Materials nnoow w
rreen nttiin ngg
RENTING NOW
434-823-2340
434-823-2340 www.charlottesvilleselfstorage.net www.charlottesvilleselfstorage.net www.charlottesvilleselfstorage.net
Bill 5390 Bill tolbut tolbut 5390 Three Three Notch’d Notch’d Rd Rd Resident Crozet, VA 22932 Resident Manager William E. Tolbut | Resident Manager
5390 Three Notch’d Rd | Crozet, VA 22932
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
Medicine —continued from page 16
them than another resident. The economists and mathematicians who solved the theoretical stable marriage problem received the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2012 based in large part on research showing that the game theory mathematical modeling that solved the stable marriage problem in theory was the same algorithm the NRMP had worked out empirically more than 50 years earlier. And so the Match was created and refined by hand computations. Students interviewed at hospitals and submitted a ranked list of programs in order of preference. Hospitals conducted the interviews and submitted their ranked preference lists. Factotums laboriously matched the top choices of the hospitals with the top choices of the students, going to the next best fit when the top choice was no longer available. Once all the calculations were done, the students and hospi-
tals were “matched.” In order to prevent gaming the system, the Match results, currently done by computer, are closely held and only released at a single time and date each year for the entire 20,000 students, creating a high drama indeed. Some students will get their first choice, some will get their last choice, and a few unfortunates will go unmatched. All this will play out as a surprise in front of all of the students’ peers, family, friends and faculty in a large auditorium. Mercifully, the unmatched students are notified a few days in advance and have a chance to make other plans. Many traditions have grown up around Match Day. Some schools call up students individually to open their envelope and read the result out loud to the assembled body. Since about 50 percent of students get their first choice, there is often great joy and relief expressed. On the other hand, some students will open the envelope, glare at the result and storm off the stage without announcing the result. Most
schools gather the students in an auditorium, distribute the envelopes and then all the students open them at the same time, seated with their friends and family. I like to go to the Match ceremony when I can. The students dash up to the stage to get their envelopes, usually mounting the stage in a single leap and dancing and hugging their way across the stage. They go back to their seats surrounded and supported by family and friends. They tear open their envelopes at noon with whoops and cheers and the occasional tear, which quickly turns into an accepting smile. Champagne flows. In the face of the frequent cynicism that seems to have infected modern medical practice, it truly warms my heart to see how delighted each new generation of medical students is to be given the privilege of long hours of grinding servitude at low wages in service to the most vulnerable in our society. The future of medicine is in very good hands indeed.
HOURS: Monday-Friday 8am-6pm X-Ray Services Available On Site
Mark Keeley, MD • Russ Sawyer, MD Amie Munson, MD • Peter Taylor, MD
New Patients Welcome!
434-823-4567 • 1646 Park Ridge Drive • Crozet
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
19
by John Andersen
Finding Your Pace (It’s OK to Walk!) Becoming familiar with what pace and effort you should run often takes runners years of trial and error to figure out. But it doesn’t have to. Let’s look at the terms “pace” and “effort.” Pace is simply what speed you are running, most often measured in minutes/mile, i.e. “I’m running at a 10 minute/mile pace.” However pace can be a deceiving tool. Consider “Jane Crozet.” She can run around the Western Albemarle track at a 9 min/mile pace comfortably. But when she runs through Old Trail and on Jarmans Gap Road, that same pace becomes a bit more difficult. Sometimes she goes trail running, but up on the AT, a 9 minute/ mile pace is not possible for her because of the steep mountain climbing. Jane also runs on treadmills from time to time–one at home and one at ACAC. Running at 6.5 miles/hour (approximately a 9 min/mile pace) feels totally different between the two machines, and running on these treadmills feels totally different from running on roads. Lastly, running a 9 min/mile pace feels much harder if she is stressed, tired, or hasn’t been sleeping well. Effort is how hard or easy it feels when you’re running and it’s a much better tool to guide workouts. If you are a newer runner or getting back into fitness, let effort, not pace, be your guide and do all of your runs at a conversational pace, where you can easily talk and breathe while running. A heart rate monitor is the best way to measure your effort, but it is not necessary if you learn to listen to your body. Let’s revisit Jane’s workouts with a heart rate monitor on her to better demonstrate effort. Jane is a fit, 40-year-old woman and wants to run at an easy, aerobic effort. Using the 180-age Maffetone formula (Google that!), this would be with a heart rate at or below 140 beats per minute. While running at the track at 9 minutes/mile, she is right at a 140 heart rate and feels easy. When she runs around the hilly roads of Crozet, she keeps her effort easy and her heart rate at 140, which slows her pace to 10 minutes/mile. When she heads up to the AT, that easy
effort takes her pace down to 14 minutes/mile. On her home treadmill, she can only run at 5.5 mph (approx 11 minutes/mile) at her easy 140 heart rate, but at the treadmill at ACAC she kills it at 6.5 mph. Her home machine is probably not calibrated right. Last, when feeling rested and relaxed, she can run 8:45 minute miles at the track at her 140 HR, but other days when she’s been sick or overtired, she runs a sluggish 9:45 pace. Running at an easy effort makes running more fun, puts less stress on your body, and reduces your risk for getting running injuries—achy knees, sore muscles, tendinitis. Gone are the “no pain, no gain” days! This was the old guard approach to working out. Exercise should be fun and easy, like play. This will allow it to become a lifestyle change versus a two-week whim. The traditional idea of “going for a run” means running, not walking. However for many newer runners, it can be difficult to run up the many hills we have here. Since you’re “going for a run,” you don’t stop, and hope to God your heart rate slows down before it bursts. A few miles of this leaves you feeling spent, discouraged, and possibly injured. Now let’s take the smart new runner. He is “going for a run” through Old Trail and hits the paved bike path going up to the town center. He has been running at an easy effort, but a little ways up the hill his breathing gets heavier and his heart rate rises to an uncomfortable level. Instead of pushing through, he simply walks with purpose (or ‘power hikes’ as we call it in the trail running world). His face says “I’m enjoying myself today” vs. “I failed to run up this hill, don’t I suck?” At the top he resumes running and repeats this process every time he gets to a challenging hill. After 3 miles of running, he is fresh and feels like he can do it all over again. If you own a heart rate monitor, use it! It is great biofeedback. Otherwise, keep all your runs at an easy effort. When you get to a hill, don’t be afraid to walk.
J
OIN US for the final days of Lent and the celebration of Christ’s victory over death… for the sake of all mankind.
For information call 434-973-2500 On U.S. Route 250 West www.stnicholasorthodoxchurch.org
St. Nicholas
orthodox church
Sharing the Love of Jesus Since 2002 A weekday ministry of Hillsboro Baptist Church
Visit www.hcpcrozet.com today!
• Half-day for 2 ½ years to Pre-K • Friendly, Loving, & Experienced Staff • Nurturing, Christian Environment • Affordable Rates • Arts and Crafts Daily
434-823-5342
Tabor Presbyterian Church (USA) Worship Service Sundays • 10:30 a.m.
FOLLOWED BY FELLOWSHIP adult sunday school at 9:30a.m. Rev. Dr. Jewell-Ann Parton, Pastor
Traditional in style, progressive in outreach and mission.
An Outreach of Tabor Presbyterian Church
Events for the Crozet Community Annual Tag Sale
April 12 • 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Kindergarten 911
April 26, May 3, and May 10 • 4 -6 p.m.
A kindergarten readiness program for parents and caretakers of preschoolers. For more information contact Maggie Morris: maggiemorris1@gmail.com. Register online at crozetcares.com.
Maundy Thursday Service
April 17 • 7 p.m. At Crozet Baptist Church
The Weeping Tree: A Cantata Performed by the Combined Clergy and Choirs of CBC and Tabor PC USA
Orchid Sale & Art Show
May 10 • 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and May 11 • 12 - 6 p.m. Sponsored by the Charlottesville Orchid Society
Buy orchids, get tips and troubleshoot problems with experienced orchid growers. Featuring the botanical drawings and prints of Sharon Morris Kincheloe.
Crozet Community Handbell Choir Concert May 14 • 7 p.m.
Camp Hanover Day Camp
June 23 - 27 • For Children entering 1st - 6th Grades For more information visit www.crozetcares.com
For more information visit
CrozetCares.com Click on Upcoming Events
Tabor Presbyterian Church
5804 Tabor Street • Crozet www.taborpc.org • 434-823-4255
20
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
Loving Cup
ing a fourth grade essay in terms of appreciating complexity. Chris Hill said he would go down the road with us. With his background he has seen everything about grapes. So many people have been generous and critical to us.” To be certified as organic, farming must be done without synthetic sprays, pesticides, or fungicides. “We can’t use any of those,” explained Hambsch. “We use botanicals or things that are mined; for instance a bacteria that makes a caterpillar sick. We can’t use the effective poisons. “We’re cognizant of the biology of the soil and we test a lot. We make compost tea ourselves. Composting will undo mistakes. “It’s a common misconception that organic farming is standing back and doing nothing, but that’s not true. We have to do with our hands what a spray cannot do. The sprays tend to be effective for only a short time. We try to keep nature’s equilibrium where it is. Nature will do things for you if you don’t kick it around. You want to keep predator insects around. They tend to be eliminated with other pest insects.” The National Organic Plan is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, so Loving Cup Winery is certified by the USDA, but farm inspections are done by private agencies and Loving Cup worked with Quality Certification Services, a Florida company. “It’s so complicated to get certified,” said Hambsch. “We had conversations for four years. They helped us a lot. You have to follow NOP regulations for three years before you can be certified. There are annual inspections. About five
—continued from page 1
Organic sprays don’t work that well. “We’re the first certified organic vineyard in the state,” said Hambsch, noting that Albemarle’s Blenheim Vineyards is in the process of getting certified. “Hybridization’s emphasis has been on cold hardiness and disease resistance. So we have cold-resistant varieties. One will survive down to 40 below. This has been the perfect winter for grapes and keeping the vines dormant. The cold kills lots of pests and bacteria and fungi. “All our wines are blends. I don’t care for one-dimensional wines. We opened with two wines and we’ll soon go to four, a rose, a dry white, a sweet white and a red. A history major at JMU, Hambsch learned viticulture by working at Prince Michel and Veritas vineyards. “I asked a lot of questions and I had good people around who tolerated me. They were generous to me and very candid. To learn, you need to find someone who knows what he is doing and be a sponge.” Karl and his father Werner, the former owner of The Crossroads Store in North Garden, began making wines from crab apples and other fruit several years ago. From that start they took on grape wines. “It’s harder to make a good fruit wine than a grape wine,” said Hambsch. “We want to be proud of every aspect of what we do. We investigated whether we could even grow grapes. I read everything I could and I made a proposal of how we would do it to [local vineyard guru/ consultant] Chris Hill. It’s like read-
Offering exceptional and affordable assisted living in the heart of Crozet • • • •
Managed by JABA Skilled staff on-site 24/7 Home-style meals, featuring local foods Reasonably priced, homey rooms with views
www.jabacares.org • 434-823-4307 Winner of the 2007 Governor’s Housing Award • Winner of the Commonwealth Council on Aging 2010 Best Practices Award
Karl Hambsch and Deena Morris Hambsch
percent of places also get surprise inspections. It needs to be challenging in order to mean something. It gives customers assurance that we do what we say we do. “There are no studies on the lack of spray residues in wines. So there’s nothing for or against organic wines. For us it’s about being good stewards of our land and to our neighbors. In Charlottesville we have enough like-minded people around us that we thought we could put our principles first and let the business follow. “The vineyard is certified organic and now we have to get the wine certified. They want to make sure anything the wine comes in contact with is not contaminated. The winery has to be inspected. They want to know how you will make the wine before you grow the grapes. That doesn’t make sense to winemakers because every year the grapes will be different and have to handled differently. So that’s the challenge for us. We’ll be certified before the 2014 vintages.
Matt Fitzgerald
Brandon Black
“In organic wines you are allowed to add very little sulfites, no more than 100 parts per million. Sulfites keep wines microbially stable. Most organic wine is not made for longterm aging, but to be drunk within five years. But every wine is different. An organic grower has fewer tools in the tool box. We are constrained in our ability to manipulate it. Most wine makers are trying to be true to the vintage and also to be consistent so people will come back to their brands.” The winery’s name was taken from a Rolling Stones song, Hambsch said. “We struggled over the name. I wanted something to reference the organic side. To me what we do is grow with a lot of purpose and love.” The label image of a white heart on a blue shield is derived from the symbol of Hambsch’s father’s home town, Weisental, Germany. “The heart represents our guiding principles of social and environmental responsibility,” said Hambsch.
Todd Wilmer
continued on page 23
Chris Kennedy
Chuck Kennedy
Contact us today for a free consultation!
434-531-2108
Chuck Kennedy, Owner, 1973
5792 St. George Avenue, Crozet,VA kenco292@gmail.com Licensed/Insured • State Registered • Commercial & Residential
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
21
James’s Second Volume of Local History Published
SUMMER SummerCamp Camp Ages 3-8 Preschool Summer Preschool Ages 2 1/2 - 5CAMP PRESCHOOL
Ages Ages 2 ½ 2½3 - 5- 6 -5 8 Sign Ages up for3-several days or for the A gentle, safeAges &Sign loving up by the week A gentle, safe & loving A gentle, safe & loving Sign up for one week or for the whole summer. whole summer. Creative weekly atmosphere for young atmosphere for young children Creative weekly themes. children to beginsummer. to Tom Noelke atmosphere for young or the whole themes. Private, in-ground wading to begin exploringchildren the world & towading Creative Private, in-ground explore theweekly world & to to begin themes. REALTOR® pool for swimming. forin-ground kindergarten. thedaily world & to prepare Private, wading pool for daily swimming.434-770-8902 prepare forexploring kindergarten. prepare for kindergarten. for daily swimming. HALF DAY & pool FULL DAY
Close Close to Charlottesville, Crozet Close Charlottesville, Crozet Crozet & totoCharlottesville, & UVA UVa& UVA NUMEROUS SCHEDULE OPTIONS NUMEROUS SCHEDULE OPTIONS (434) 979-2111 (434)434.979.2111 979-2111 www.millstoneofi vy.com | www.millstoneofivy.com www.millstoneofivy.com
A
uthor James Thompson will discuss a Thomas Jefferson not familiar to most Jeffersonians. This “savage from the mountains of America” aspired to join the world’s most elegant (and effete) society. He had a lot to learn. He changed as he did.
Local historian and Crozet Gazette writer Phil James has published his second volume of Secrets of the Blue Ridge, Stories from Western Albemarle, and came before his many fans to talk about Crozet-area history at Tabor Presbyterian Church March 11. “This is what I do for fun,” said James, “but it’s gotten serious in the last few years. I’m passionate about finding out about western Albemarle. Crozet was the newest place in Albemarle in 1876, but there was a lot going on here before then.” James, whose usual style is to interview older local residents, said he had had a surprise visit earlier in the day. “I had visitors who are descendants of a family that was displaced from the Shenandoah National Park. They still know the stories handed down from their parents, who lived on the top of the mountain above Jones Run. I have time to learn from them and to love one another.” James remembered his fourth grade teacher, Isabel Bing, showing her photograph and a picture of himself when he was in her class. “She introduced me to Virginia history,” he said. The cover shot, which shows a crowd eating watermelon at a 4-H event, includes her. “I like ordinary history,” said James, who asked his audience to let him see their family photo albums. He showed a photo of Blanche Standup, who died in 2010. “She never married. She was born near Boonesville in 1920. She’s in the first chapter. When I went to her funeral
the pastor started with Psalm 90: ‘We live our lives as a tale that is told. What good is a tale if nobody tells it?’ My heart lives for that. “I’ve been collecting local stories for 30 years. Everybody has got a piece of the story. What everybody saw is different. I gather the pieces and tell the story.” James read from his second chapter, which is about Miss Mattie Maupin, who lived on Pasture Fence Mountain. “She saw [Stonewall] Jackson’s troops come through Brown’s Gap. It was a 12-mile long column of men.” Then he told the story of her return late in life to visit the abandoned cabin where she had lived as a child. James was asked about AfricanAmerican history in Crozet before the Civil Rights movement. “Their stories are all behind the scenes,” he said. “I’m not aware of issues that were blatant, but Crozet was typical of the Jim Crow South. If an African American bought an ice cream cone at Crozet Drug—now the Mudhouse—he had to go outside to eat it. The only ‘colored’ sign at an entrance that I ever documented in Crozet was at the depot. The African Americans I’ve talked to have never disparaged the people of Crozet of their time.” James said he will be at Crozet Library May 7 at 7 p.m. for a Crozet Soiree evening with Lynn Coffey, a noted historian of the Blue Ridge who lives in Love, a small community in Augusta County above Lake Sherando.
Since 1927
Roy Wheeler Old Trail Village
Crozet, Va 22932 434-770-8902 • www.RoyWheeler.com
Thomas Jefferson in Paris Crozet Library
Monday, April 21 • 7:00 p.m. Meet the people Jefferson met in 1785 and hear what they talked about
Mr. Thompson will illustrate his comments with slides from his book. Signed copies will be available. Commonwealth Books of Virginia www.commonwealthbooks.org
22
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
By John Andersen, DVM gazettevet@crozetgazette.com
The Circle of Life Through the Lives of Dogs I recently had to put to sleep a dear family dog of one of my favorite clients. The dog was 14 and had lived the perfect dog’s life. The couple adopted him as a puppy when they first got married. He was their baby and lived that way for several years. Then a child came, then one more. He became the family dog, doting on the kids and playing the role perfectly. Then, he aged, slowed down, and eventually succumbed.
This began an introspective look at my own circle of life, lived through the lives of dogs, but centered on the here and now with one of my dogs, Boone, a four-year-old yellow Labrador retriever. Before Boone, there was Kaya. I have written about her before. She was the baby. Kaya was the dog I got from the pound as a young bachelor, who quickly became my best friend in all the wonderful and clichéd ways we talk about such things. Most of my fond memories of her were of hiking in the woods. There is a little piece of heaven out-
CLIP THI
S AD &
GET $2
Serving Crozet and all of Albemarle County
0 OFF YOUR
FIRST VI
Dr. Michael Rose Dr. Kim Bohne Dr. John Andersen Dr. Brad DiCarlo
Compassionate care for your pets! • Routine health care • Advanced surgical, medical & dental procedures • Family-friendly office—bring the kids! • Traveling Vet available for housecalls
434-979-DOGG Get to know us on Facebook!
www.cvillevet.com 1193 5th Street SW • Charlottesville, VA 22902 • 434-979-3644
SIT!
Boone and Kaya
side of Blacksburg in the Jefferson National Forest called Pandapas Pond. Kaya and I would hike for miles on these mountain trails along streams, rhododendron tunnels and sheets of mountain laurel. There was one problem with Kaya: she was not good off-leash. I was pretty much barely in control— as in not really at all. I never lost her, but when we would hike, I would let her off her leash and, sure enough, she eventually found the scent of a deer or bear and took off like a hound. I would sometimes sit down for 30 or 60 minutes before she would come back, exhausted. It drove me nuts, but I knew it brought her joy to run through the woods. Fast forward 10 years, and now Kaya is meeting the end of her line, battling cancer. I’m married with a child; our lives have changed, and she has played the role perfectly. Until one day in Crozet when we
saw an old friend who said her dog just had 13 puppies and she needed to find homes for them. Sometimes the best time to get a new pet is when you’re not looking. “No way,” I bartered with my wife. “Kaya is dying and the last thing she needs is a puppy to harass her.” “But she’s been doing well, and she can teach the puppy to be a good dog like she is,” pleaded my wife. The argument lasted about four hours before we decided to bring a new member into our family. We called him Boone. I have to admit that at first I resented Boone. He was a great puppy, but he relentlessly harassed poor Kaya. He would steal her food, bite on her face and neck and pester her like any good young pup. Looking back, I subconsciously refused to bond with him for those continued on page 39
Ser ving
• Free Oral Exams to ensure all of your pets are pain-free • Emergency Care after hours in Crozet • House calls available
the Croz
et comm
unity fo
r over 25
years
Our AAHA certification ensures you that our hospital facility and staff have demonstrated the best care available for preventative health and for medicine, surgery, advanced dentistry and pain relief including laser therapy. You will find our staff to be compassionate, highly skilled and thorough in meeting your pet’s individual needs.
Martin Schulman VMD 1263 Parkview Drive • Crozet • 22932
www.crozetvet.com | 434-823-4300
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
23
Warrior Sports News Boys Lacrosse Beats Salem in Home Opener by David Wagner The Western Albemarle varsity boys lacrosse team, under second year Head Coach Alex Witten, beat Salem High School 5-3 in their home opener March 20. In the first half, Western dominated time of possession, shots and virtually every aspect of the game. But after outshooting Salem 26 to 2, the Warriors managed only a 4-1 lead at the half. Salem’s defense was under tremendous pressure the majority of the half and held up rather well. In the third quarter Salem put together decent offensive possessions and slowed down the Warrior offense. Their defense kept the Western attack in check and the quarter ended scoreless. The Warriors added a fifth goal when Clark Sipe found the net. Salem scored two goals late in the fourth but never really challenged Western for the win. Luke Reilly had a hat trick for the Warriors and Holland Corbett had two assists and the other Western goal. Justin Haws had an assist as well, and Sam Wheeler led the way on defense with ground balls and a number of good plays to stifle the Salem attack. On March 22, the Warriors hosted the Lafayette Lancers, who came all the way from St. Louis, Missouri, to play STAB and WAHS.
Loving Cup —continued from page 20
The winery will produce cases annually in the hundreds. The 2012 vintage was 200 cases and the 2013 vintage was 400 cases. They will plant as many vines as they can prop-
Big and athletic, the Lancers jumped on the Warriors early and took a 6-2 lead into the half. Plagued by errant passes and dropped balls, Western turned the ball over often and had difficulty executing on the offense. The Warriors came out on fire for the second half and scored five straight goals to take a 7-6 lead. Senior Kent Henry won the faceoff and raced straight down the middle to score just nine seconds into the fourth quarter, giving the Warriors an 8-6 lead. The Lancers answered with back-to-back goals, tying the game. With just 27.9 seconds remaining in the contest, sophomore attackman Carter Elliot scored his third goal of the game on an amazing left-handed shot that cleared the goalie’s right shoulder and hit the back of the net. The Lancers’ Justin Perry won the ensuing face off and raced toward the Warrior goal but was forced to the left side by the Western defense. Perry wasn’t able to get a shot off and then turned the ball over to the Warriors on a crossfield pass. It was a huge stand by the defense. Western held on 9-8 for an exciting win. The Warriors traveled to Lake Braddock in Northern Virginia March 29 and suffered their first loss, 9-8, in another close game. The Warriors will face district foe Fluvanna County High School in Crozet April 11 at 7 p.m.
erly manage, Hambsch said. The winery is at 3340 Sutherland Road. Tasting room hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from April through December. For more information, visit their website, lovingcupwines. com.
Welcome to
AugustA Audiology AssociAtes
W
e are only a few stop lights away and easy access. Our friendly and professional staff is waiting to help you with your hearing healthcare needs. Hearing aids are in all budget ranges.
Thank you for allowing us to serve you! Please present this coupon on your first visit to select one of your choice: 1) FREE Hearing Aid Cleaning 2) FREE 8 pack of batteries 3) FREE battery tester ...As Our “Thank You” to You!
Call 540-332-5790 to schedule your appointment! Julie Farrar-Hersch, Ph.D., Clinical Audiologist
540-332-5790 • Augusta Health Medical Office Building 70 Medical Center Circle, Suite 204 • Fishersville, VA 22939
Shenandoah Valley's premiere outdoor store since 1987.
1461 E. Main Street • Waynesboro • 22980
540-943-1461 • RockfishGapoutfitteRs.com
24
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
inthegarden@crozetgazette.com
Rock Gardens... and Gardens with Rocks A garden with rocks
If you look at the accompanying photograph you’ll see a garden with a lot of rocks. But is it a “rock garden”? According to the purists, no. Before I say too much about this “garden with rocks,” a few caveats. Most important, gardens should please the gardener, not a garden columnist or other arbiters of taste. Some anonymous gardener put considerable work into the creation you see here and should be applauded for it. And by the way, don’t be looking for this garden in western Albemarle County. It’s a couple of hundred miles away. I just have to hope that one of our readers isn’t saying, “Hey, isn’t that Uncle Bob’s garden?!” If you’re seeking the gospel of rock gardening, one of the better places to look is the North American Rock Garden Society. NARGS consists of some 2,300 garden enthusiasts, all interested in rock gardening, but to widely varying degrees. Members are concentrated in North
America but also hail from all the inhabited continents. Membership in the national group allows you to attend the annual meeting—this year it’s in Santa Fe in August—and to receive the society’s quarterly. You may also choose to join one of approximately three dozen local chapters. For us, the closest chapters are the Potomac Valley in the D.C. area, and the Piedmont in Raleigh. According to a NARGS manifesto, “gardens in which rocks and plants appropriate to them are the chief landscape elements are called rock gardens.” (Kind of clumsy wording, but you get the idea.) They go on to say that if the plants are from either high altitude or subarctic environments, it would be considered an alpine garden. Such plants are not likely to do well around here, however. To have a “true” rock garden, the part about “plants appropriate to them” is most telling. Rock gardens were originally designed to mimic rocky summits in the Alps, with teeny plants clinging to life in cracks between the rocks. Forsythias aren’t going to cut it in your rock garden.
Plants are the fun part of gardening to most of us, but what about the possibly trickier part of The Rocks? And before you even decide about the rocks, what about the site? A slope is preferable since it mimics the conditions found on a mountain top, but if you’re working on level ground, consider bringing in sufficient topsoil to create a berm. As for the rocks, it might be tempting to use existing rocks on your property, but this really depends on what you’ve been dealt. A natural rock outcropping would make a good starting point for your garden, but only if you can find other rocks that are reasonably similar in appearance to add to it. If you look at the accompanying picture again, you can find many reasons why those rocks don’t really work in that garden. First, they’re too light in color; they really jump out at you, rather than blending harmoniously with the plants. Secondly, rather than the angular chunks you see here, the layered structure of a sedimentary rock such as sandstone is generally easier to work with from a design standpoint, as well as for the mechanics
of placing the rocks in the garden. As for placement, there’s a saying in the rock business: Bury your Money. Even though you’ve paid XX dollars for a really nice rock, it’s going to look much more natural if about half of it is under the ground. Again, as you can see in the picture, those rocks just look like they were plopped on top of the ground. Which I’m sure was the case. If you’re buying rocks, you’ll probably run into the distinction between rock and stone. At least from a landscaping perspective— rather than a geological one—rocks are typically cut from a quarry and tend to have sharp edges or even obvious drill marks. Stones, especially fieldstone, are objects that you might actually encounter when walking through a field. The edges typically have been worn down to some degree of smoothness, and they may have attractive moss or lichens growing on them. But using pea gravel, cobbles, boulders or other rounded rocks won’t look right unless you are trying to create the effect of a dry streambed. Why? Rocks that are worn smooth and
continued on page 34
John W. Clayton & Son Doublegrind Hardwood Mulch Pine Bark Mulch Composted Horse Manure Screened Topsoil Brick Sand Blue & Brown Driveway Gravel Custom Application of Lime & Fertilizer
P.O. Box 167, Ivy, VA 22945 johnwclaytonandson@earthlink.net
(434) 823-4877
www.jwclayton.com
CROZET gazette
So Many Ways to Pay! Across 1 Boy babies 5 Husks 10 Make a scene 13 Cain victim 14 Knitted in reverse 16 Gun lobby: Abbr. 17 Unvarying earnings 19 Word before hat or after big 20 Go in 21 Hamming it up 23 Huck’s dad 25 Grant opposition 26 Rodent 29 Chances to unload unwanted household goods 36 Ancient Greek coin 38 Lost fish 39 Word with whole and nothing but the 40 Divine Secrets of the _____ Sisterhood, 1996 novel 41 One impervious to pain or emotion 43 Nymph for Narcissus 44 Terminate a mission 46 _____ Domini 47 Plan to lose 48 Dentist’s inhalation sedation 51 MDs 52 Make a mistake 53 Despite the fact, briefly 54 And _____ grow on 55 Talked out of 61 Clumsy 65 Electronic home security co. 66 Most try to eat three per day 68 Curious George creator 69 Made like a snake 70 Small combo 71 Internal revenue, and word that can follow the last word of the puzzle’s four longest answers 72 Meat and vegetable mélanges 73 Small bills Down 1 Sound partner
25
APRIL 2014
1
2
3
4
5
13
6
7
8
9
14
10
10
15
16
18
17
21
22
23 27
28
36
27
29
24 30
31
32
33
45
48 45
50
55
56
57
65
40
68
51 58 66
59
52
53
60
51 54
61
62
53
54
63
64
70 72
Our friendly church invites you to worship with us. Sunday School • 10 a.m. Traditional Worship Service • 11 a.m. Dr. Sam Kellum, Pastor
67
69
71
Mountain Plain Baptist Church
47
50
52
62
43
46
434-409-1909
massagebyhelaine@gmail.com
42
49
44
35
39
41
44
34
25
38
40
12
22
24
37
11
19
20
26
Solution on page 30
by claudia crozet
63 71
73
4281 Old Three Notch’d Road Charlottesville (Crozet), 22901 Travel 2 miles east of the old Crozet Library on Three Notch’d Rd. (Rt. 240), turn left onto Old Three Notch’d Rd., go 0.5 mile to Mountain Plain Baptist Church
More information at
2 Haitian painter, Philome 3 Coming up 4 Shakespeare’s “death of each day’s life” 5 US Bureau of Labor Statistics measure of cost of goods and services: Abbr. 6 Search out 7 Eero Saarinen’s Gateway _____ 8 Drifting sheet of ice 9 Mare, sow, or ewe 10 Con 11 Gator cousin 12 Bugle farewell 15 Abominate 18 Lug 22 Raised up
Kids’ Crossword
missile 24 Reviews critically 56 Mental image 26 Kate, Will, or Harry 57 Underworld river 27 Addis _____ 28 Happy birthday _____ 58 Use a Swiffer 59 Lessen, as pain 30 Bronze all over again 60 Girl sleuth 31 In the midst of 62 Bring in 32 Taking off 63 Ballet bend 33 Clear and cogent 64 General _____ 34 Old school chicken inhalation sedation 67 Wood, McMahon, 35 Mug _____ and Sullivan (police photos) 37 Bigger than mediums 42 Paint layer 45 Bird class includes robin 49 Baghdad denizens 50 Wobble ender 54 _____ grow on 55 Finned or feathered
www.mountainplain.org or 823.4160
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD HISPANIC MARKET & GROCERY
$1 Tacos Tuesdays! | We Serve Breakfast!
Las Cabanas
OPEN Mon. - Sat. 5am - 7pm; Sun. 6am - 5pm
On Route 250 West Near WAHS
Solution on page 34
by Mary Mikalson
Across 8 You might get 3 points for this 2 Slam ____ Down 3 Shirt with your name 1 Basketball is played on a ___ on the back 2 Run and bounce the ball 5 This is often cut down 4 Basketall umpire 6 You get one point for this 6 Tripping, for example 7 Usual number of forwards 7 The Cavaliers, for example on 7 Down 8 The ___ Dance
Haircuts|Beard Trims|Shaves Free eyebrow, ear & mustache trim with haircut Straight razor shaves include hot lather, hot towels & aftershave
HAIRCUTS ONLY $12!
Mon. Tues. Thurs. & Fri. 7:30 - 5:30 Wed. 7:30 - 12; Sat. 7:30 - 3
Serving Crozet Since 1933 Walk-Ins; No Credit Cards
1202 Crozet Avenue | 434-823-4223
26
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
Crozet PlaySchool Preschool Expands to New Quarters Clare Winn opened Crozet PlaySchool last year in the basement of her home in Old Trail and took in six toddlers. Now she’s moving to a classroom in Crozet Baptist Church on St. George Avenue and expanding her enrollment to 13 children. “I got into it for the educational side, not for day care,” said Winn, who earned a B.S. and M.Ed. in early childhood education from Virginia Tech and taught in schools in Fairfax, Albemarle and Charlottesville before settling in Crozet four years ago. “I like the earlier ages. Early childhood is my passion.” When she began scouting for a new location in Crozet with commercial zoning but a house-like setting—with not much luck—the county’s social service agency suggested that she investigate the possibility of setting up in a church,
which can be well-suited for the use. “Crozet Baptist was very enthusiastic,” said Winn. She will have a large classroom in the church’s 1993 addition, plus an outdoor playground, a grassy yard, two gardening beds, and an asphalted surface. There’s a bathroom connected to the classroom and a kid-height sink. Winn said she will take field trips into downtown from the church. County building and state social services officials have inspected and approved the facility. “I’m eclectic. I was trained in Reggio Emilia—from Italy—when I was in college. We went on a 10-day visit to schools in Reggio, in northern Italy. It was transformative for me. It changed how I view education. “Reggio Emilia is about the image of the child. Children come with a lot of knowledge and our job
Clare and Ellie Winn
is to guide them and follow their interests. We view the child as a capable, competent learner. “I take children where they are and then we scaffold up to the next level. I do a lot of play-based things, building with blocks, dramatic play like “kitchen” or “vet’s office,” and sensory play like making play-
dough. It changes every two weeks. It keeps them engaged. It’s not playing with the same set of blocks all year. I’m very enthusiastic about it.” All ages are together in the classroom. “A big part of the week is process art, using materials without a set continued on page 29
BRUNCH and LIVE MUSIC on SUNDAYS! BRUNCH 11 am - 2 pm LIVE MUSIC 2:30 pm - 5 pm Providing compassionate, intelligent and up-to-date pediatric care for over 14 years
MUSIC SCHEDULE SUNDAY, APRIL 6 Travis Book SUNDAY, APRIL 13 Paulo Franco SUNDAY, APRIL 20 Bennie DoDD SUNDAY, APRIL 27 chris & Goose
Open for Lunch & Dinner 7 Days a Week Monday – Saturday 11 am – 10 pm Sundays 11 am – 9 pm
We are delighted that our Crozet office is now open!
It’s time to complete those summer activity and school forms. Schedule your child’s Kindergarten, camp or sports physical today.
} Always welcoming new patients } Specialized pediatric care from birth through the college years } Management of school, developmental and behavioral issues } Same day sick visits always available
Join us for
EASTER BRUNCH Sunday, April 20 11 am - 2 pm
Regular menu also available
9519 CRITZERS SHOP ROAD (RTE. 151) AFTON, VA 540-456-8020 BLUEMOUNTAINBREWERY.COM
L to R: Jocelyn Schauer, MD; Gretchen Wasserstrom Brantley, MD; Robert Michel, MD; Mary Anne Mayo, MD; Angella Stitely-Lamm, CPNP; Carol Boersma, MD; Arika Roy Cocke, CPNP Charlottesville: 900 Rio East Court Crozet: 1193 Crozet Avenue
Appointments available Monday - Saturday Pediatric nurses available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
434-975-7777 www.piedmontpediatrics.net
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
27
WAHS Scholastic Bowl Team Heads to National Tournament
Western’s Scholastic Bowl team at the Virginia championship in Williamsburg: James Boudoris, Daniel Du, Kelly Missett, Sam Lesesman, Tim Dodson, coach Eric Strezpek, Andira Li, Eric Xu, Louise Ferrall, Angela Li, Patrick Andrews, Chethan Shivaram, and Bennett Hull
Western Albemarle High School’s Scholastic Bowl team is headed to the national championship tournament in Chicago on Memorial Day weekend after winning the Virginia AA division championship February 22-23 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg. Western’s Eric Xu was named to the five-person All-State Team for being a top point-earner. “We have been on a run,” said team coach Eric Strezpek, who teaches American history at Henley Middle School. “We’re undefeated at every level of state competition, the district, the regionals, and now we’ve won our first Virginia High School League championship.” Western’s team is now ranked sixth in the country, he said, and has been as high as the fourth spot. Some 250 teams are expected to compete in Chicago. Last year the WAHS team placed 21st out of 256 teams when the same tourney was held in Atlanta. “This year we’ll definitely do much better. We are in contention for the national title,” said Strezpek. “I am beyond thrilled. The kids are excited. We are fundraising now to be able to pay for the trip.” He said Brixx Pizza in Barracks Road Shopping Center will host a fundraiser April 15. Customers who mention the Western Scholastic Bowl team will send 20 percent of their bill to the travel fund. The two-day contest in Chicago
will see 1,000 students competing. “You play until you get a winner,” said Strezpek, who has coached the team for eight years. “It’s amazing to see kids that are remarkably talented—and there is a skill to it—but are so dedicated to it that they become students of the game. Certain categories are predictable and you can study them and know them. It’s a question of speed. You get additional points for being fast. It’s a skill to know when to hit the buzzer. We have smart kids who love the game and do what it takes to win.” One member of the team is a senior and the rest are juniors. “The best teams in the country develop teams in middle school,” he said. “We’ve got blue chip freshmen coming in.” The contest format is essentially the same as that once seen on the TV shows It’s Academic and College Bowl. Fifteen toss-up questions where no consultation among team members is allowed are followed by other questions for the winning side, which can then confer over answers. Students train by competing in online games and by going over old question sets. “Most of the time you have to know what you are talking about,” said Strezpek. Western finished second in the state in 2013 and 2011. It also won the championship in 1998.
Call today to make an appointment at either of our two convenient locations! 5974 JARMANS GAP ROAD, CROZET
434-823-2385
2320 COMMONWEALTH DRIVE, C-VILLE
434-978-1510
Dr. John Schoeb
Dr. Nicholas Minutella
— We are a locally-owned practice with a community-based staff. — ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS AND INSURANCE ACCEPTED | LARGE PRIVATE ROOMS
28
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
A.A. Milne’s “Hums” by Clover Carroll | clover@crozetgazette.com
During one of our many recent storms (I’ve lost count), after I posted some sentimental lines from my favorite snow poem on Facebook (“Snowflakes” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow), my irreverent sister in California quickly undercut my English teacher gravitas by posting this more playful, but no less memorable, poem by A. A. Milne, which appears in the first chapter of The House at Pooh Corner and is appropriately titled “Outdoor Hum for Snowy Weather.” If you have children, and if you read aloud to them—as I suspect you do, knowing that reading aloud is the single most important thing you can do to improve their literacy—I hope you and they have discovered the enchanted world of Winnie the Pooh. Those of us of a certain age have magical memories of discovering these books as children and then re-discovering them as we shared them with our own children (and maybe grandchildren). Milne’s two books of stories—Winnie the Pooh (1926) and The House at Pooh Corner (1928)— and two books of poems for children—When We Were Very Young (1924) and Now We Are Six (1927)—are far more subtle, sophisticated, and funnier than the Disney movie version. Moreover, the delicate, whimsical, pen-andink illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard capture the gentle simplic-
ity of Pooh’s world far better than Disney’s bold, brash animations. This “hum” of Pooh’s seems to describe the winter we’ve just survived to a T. There is more nonsense than sense in this short snow poem, but that is part of its charm. The rhyme scheme is ingenious, the somewhat march-like rhythm echoes Pooh’s walking through the Forest, and the content inspires universal recognition. Most importantly, the tone of simple, stoic selfawareness is quintessential Milne. Not only are the Pooh story books peppered with songs and rhymes, but Milne’s two books of poems are a sheer delight. Their rhythms and rhymes, like Tiddely Pom, have an elegantly simple air that belies their originality. From “Vespers,” the most famous (“Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares!/Christopher Robin is saying his prayers”) to the psychologically insightful “Halfway Down,” to my personal favorite, “King John’s Christmas” (“And oh, Father Christmas, if you love me at all/ Bring me a big, red India-rubber ball!”), these beloved classics of children’s literature awaken the inner child in all of us. A(lan) A(lexander) Milne (18821956) was a prolific British writer and editor of Punch who wrote myriad plays, short stories, novels, poetry, and essays for adults. While he began his career as a playwright (Mr. Pim Passes By), it is only his four children’s books that are remembered today. When Winnie the Pooh was such a surprising success, he wrote the sequel, The House
at Pooh Corner, to put an end to this phase of his career (the Introduction is called a Contradiction because “Christopher Robin and his friends are now going to say Good-bye”) But, he admitted in his autobiography, It’s Too Late Now (1939), he spent the rest of his life trying to escape his reputation as a children’s writer, and he never met with such success again. These books continue to be bestsellers on both sides of the Atlantic—every bit as popular as Harry Potter back in the day—and have been translated into 20 languages. By the early 1930s, Pooh had already become an industry— of movies, clothes, party paraphernalia, and children’s toys. In Enchanted Places (1974), the adult Christopher Robin himself (19201996) reminisced about his childhood, but also lamented that he was “haunted” by the public’s identification of him with the fictional character his father created. Some critics found the books precious and overly sweet; Dorothy Parker, for example, writing in The New Yorker as The Constant Reader, quipped, “it is that word ‘hummy”…that marks the first place in The House at Pooh Corner at which Tonstant Weader fwowed up.” But we, and most of the reading public, beg to differ. Milne wrote these creative mas-
terpieces for his only son, starting when he was four years old, and incorporating the toy bear Christopher had received as a gift on his first birthday and named after a Canadian black bear they often visited at the London Zoo. The Hundred Aker Wood is based on Ashdown Forest, a natural area 30 miles south of London, on the edge of which the Milnes lived. Milne’s genius is to carry the safe, cozy, intimate world of the nursery out into the real forest where Christopher Robin and all the animals live in the hollows of trees. The stories about Winnie the Pooh and his friends (Christopher’s other toys)—Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga, Roo, and Tigger—capture not only the innocence of childhood, but also the deep rewards of friendship, generosity, and tolerance. Together, with an admirable spirit of camaraderie and mutual affection, they have all sorts of adventures involving bees, floods, heffalumps, and getting stuck in trees or rabbit holes. While Pooh might be seen as the main character of the stories— which the narrator tells to Christopher Robin as memories of events that actually happened, under the ruse that Pooh (a bear of very little brain) can’t remember and needs them retold— Christopher Robin is in effect the hero, rescuing members of the merry menagerie from their various scrapes, predicaments, and conundrums (as when Eeyore loses his tail or Pooh eats so much at Rabbit’s house that he gets stuck in the door). With these basic tools, Milne creates a sort of children’s paradise, in which Christopher Robin is the responsible adult and all the animals depend upon his generosity and
Now offering quality veterinary care in the comfort of your home!
Dr. Anne DAgner compassionate care, convenient for you comprehensive physical exams vaccines • parasite screening senior wellness • end of life care
forpawshousecalls.com
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
good sense. Milne creates a world of pure imagination, set in a Golden Age of carefree hours doing whatever strikes one’s fancy at the moment. His writings are steeped in wonder and nostalgia for the innocence of childhood. In some ways the anthropomorphized animal characters are stereotypes—Pooh the self-effacing bumbler, Piglet the timid, Rabbit the organizer, Eeyore (an onomatopoeic version of hee-haw) the pessimist, and Owl the pseudo-intellectual— but they are more psychologically complex than that. Their foibles, and Christopher Robin’s never failing forgiveness, reassure all of us that we are lovable in spite of our weaknesses; the stories model the joy of accepting and appreciating the special uniqueness of every individual. There are no bullies in this utopia. Milne’s prose has a conversational, almost conspiratorial tone that allows the listener/reader (usually Christopher Robin himself ) to join in the camaraderie and feel in on the joke. The tongue-in-cheek, winkwink-nudge-nudge humor appeals
PlaySchool —continued from page 26
outcome. There’s not a craft at the end. It’s open-ended. The things that leave here don’t look the same. “I’m really inspired by the Montessori style. I’ve read a lot about it and the practical life skills they do. The kids [at Crozet PlaySchool] wash their glassware and nothing has been broken. They treat things with respect. “No screens,” said Winn. “I don’t believe in screen time. They can’t have it with me.” She stresses music and dancing. “We’re outside a lot, too, and we do reading aloud.” Winn uses a handwriting program to develop the children’s ability to make print letters. “I use what’s called responsive classroom, a mini-version. We start the morning with a meeting, a greeting time with a rhyme. And we have
29
to adults and children alike, and often derives from the reader’s knowing more than the characters. For example, when Piglet declares that the broken wooden sign by his door saying Trespassers W belonged to his grandfather Trespassers William, Christopher Robin confirms “I’ve got two names.” “That proves it,” rejoices Piglet. We realize the original sign probably read “Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted.” The sense of fun also stems from the transformation of the negative confusions of childhood into delightful sources of silliness like this. This idyllic world must come to an end when Christopher Robin (now that he is six) goes off to school, and he and Pooh say a tender goodbye in Galleons Lap (based on Gills Lap, the highest point in Ashdown Forest). The House at Pooh Corner ends with one of the most famous lines in all of children’s literature: “But, wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the Forest, a boy and his bear will always be playing.”
a student share time.” The school provides a healthy snack, has parent-teacher conferences and Winn blogs regularly about what’s happening in school. The school follows the Albemarle school calendar and next year will start on August 26. Her hours are from 8:30 to noon weekdays. She will have an assistant when she moves to the new space “I think demand is high from new families and there’s not really a lot of preschools,” said Winn, who has three children, the oldest of whom is a first grader. She expects her students to go on to public schools. “I know what they need to be ready for kindergarten.” She has a few spots still open. Children must be three to five years old and potty-trained. For more information, visit the school’s website, crozetplayschool.com or call 434-242-8424.
Save the Date!
CROZET INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE & CELEBRATION Saturday, July 5, 2014 • Parade at 4 p.m.
David A. Maybee, DDS Family Dentistry $775,000,000
is the annual consumer spending on
toothbrushes. Why not get a free one from your dentist?
New Patients Welcome! No Babysitter? No Problem!
434-823-1274
Keep an eye on your children with our playroom cam
crozetdentistry.com Ad design and copy provided in part by fifth graders at Brownsville Elementary School
540 Radford Lane, #100 • Across from Harris Teeter, behind BB&T in Crozet
Brownsville your neighborhood market GRILL • MARKET • GAS STATION • CONVENIENCE STORE
Grab & Go or Made to Order! BREAKFAST
STARTING AT 5AM Biscuits Bagels Croissants Sausage Country Ham
Bacon Pork Tenderloin Steak Biscuits Egg & Cheese Fresh Coffee
Come Tr yO HOME ur Famous FRIED MADE CHICK EN!
LUNCH
Ready Coffee’s am! at 4:30 0 am)
(Sundays
at 5:3
Homemade Fried Chicken Homemade Sides (change daily!) Steak & Cheese
Chicken Filet Sandwich Corndogs Burgers Daily Specials
MON. - SAT. 5 am – 10 pm SUNDAY 6 am – 9 pm
Route 250 • Next to Western Albemarle High School • Crozet • 434-823-5251
McAllister Painting Licensed and Insured Over 20 Years Experience - Free Estimates
DOUG SEAL & SONS
Crozet Readers’ Rankings
GENERAL CONTRACTORS
Licensed & Insured Contractor Since 1964
All aspects of painting Interior and Exterior Gutter Cleaning & Power Washing “No job too small”
We Do All Home Interior & Exterior Remodeling & Repairs
Call Todd at 434-960-4775
Crozet ................................... 434-823-4167
Last Month’s Best Sellers at Over the Moon Bookstore
Plumbing, Electrical, Painting, Carpentry, Floors, Walls, Kitchens, Baths, Etc. We Also Buy Old Coins and Paper Money
ADULT
Virginia Is for Mysteries Sisters in Crime
The Impersonator Mary Miley
The Girls of Atomic City Denise Kiernan
A Burnable Book Bruce Holsinger
A c r o s s f r o m M u s i c T o d a y & N e x t t o t h e L a u n d r o m a t
4 3 4 - 8 2 3 - 4 5 2 3
The Blue Ridge Tunnel: A Remarkable Engineering Feat in Antebellum Virginia
P . O. Box 36 • 5370 T h r e e N o t c h ’d Rd • Crozet, V A 2 2 9 3 2
MASONRY, CARPENTRY & LANDSCAPE WORK
Mary E. Lyons
CHILDREN/YOUNG READERS
Class “A” Contractor Looking for Small Projects
Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library Barb Rosenstock & John O’Brien (picture book)
The Fault in Our Stars John Green (YA)
Divergent Trilogy
Veronica Roth (YA)
Bliss
Katheryn Littlewood (middle grade) RECOMMENDATIONS Recommended by Anne: Adult: Alenda by Rachel Pastan Young Reader: The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider Recommended by Scott: Adult: Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
A D I A
L
S
T
U A D
S
S
R
R
E
I
U G H R
O
A B
A
Y
Y A
L
O
O B
T
R A
E
T
N
E
E
X
I
F
L
E
A B
S
S O N
Q U A S N
A
E M E I
D T
N G G A T O
I
R
A
G
T I P C
H
N C U R H A
E
D E T
L
R A
S
E
E
E
L A E F
A E D
S T
O M E F
N
R
E I L P
S O S T
H O
C
E M O
P
R D
R
T
D
A N N O
T G A
P
E
E
D
R
I C U L I T N A
R E
S T
H O T E C O R C
H S S P A T
Class A Lic. #2705073818A
D
O N
E W S
www.robbconstruction.com
S
countrysidepetgrooming@yahoo.com countrysidepetgrooming.weebly.com
Find me on Facebook!
8803 Dick Woods Road Afton, VA 22920
S
By appointment only (434) 960-2219
T
Home Based Private Salon White Hall, Va
I
Owner/Groomer
Phone: 434.531.6060 Fax: 888.251.3406 EMail: matt@robbconstruction.com
S
Heather Dabney
H
MATT ROBB COUNTRYSIDE PET GROOMING
Y
10% OFF Bath in February Coupon
VERSATILECONTRACTOR.COM
X
References Available
(434) 823-9009 pgrady@nexet.net
E
Phone: 434-823-1420 Fax: 434-823-1610
OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE
Go! A Kidd’s Guide to Graphic Design Chip Kidd (middle grade to YA)
A
1186 Crozet Avenue In the Blue Goose Building in Downtown Crozet
PAUL GRADY
General Contractor
T
BY APPOINTMENT
Stonework, dry-laid or mortared Hardscape, including brick paths Small Additions or Remodeling Planting, Maintenance, and Drip Irrigation Systems
R
Accounting - Bookkeeping Tax Services - Notary Public
UVa Architecture Graduate Specializing in:
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
CLASSIFIED ADS
31
Brewery —continued from page 1
FOR RENT: Looking for responsible professional/ graduate student, to share home in Crozet. The master bedroom/bath and sunny lower level room with a walkout to backyard. Kitchen, dining, living room, and laundry are shared. Tenant should be responsible, reasonable, tidy, and relatively quiet. Dog lover a must. Full suite for 650/month plus 50% utilities. 804-467-2391 mycrozethouse@gmail.com ALTERATIONS AND TAILORING: Experienced seamstress with 30 years of tailoring and garment alterations experience, working from home in Crozet (Highlands). Call for a free consultation. Ruth Gerges: 434-823-5086. MATH TUTOR: I am an Adjunct professor at PVCC where I teach Developmental Math. I am available to tutor math for middle/high school students in the Crozet area. $25 per hour. Bill Millard: 804-874-5023. 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF BOOT CAMP FOR REAL PEOPLE: Come join the fun, exercise and group camaraderie. Boot camp is an outdoor exercise class for all ages and abilities. The class meets at Crozet Park from 5:50 - 6:50 a.m. on M/W/F. For more information call Melissa Miller at 434-962-2311 or visit www. m2personaltraining.com. Come try your first class for free! A new 6 week session of Results Driven Boot Camp at 9:15 on Tuesday/Thursday will begin on April 8. See website for more details.
GROUP EXERCISE INSTRUCTOR WANTED: acac Fitness & Wellness Center is looking for a Group Exercise Instructor at our location in the Old Trail Village Center. Ideal candidates will be energetic, friendly, professional, and have the ability to motivate and inspire class participants. Must be able to respond to the varying needs of members and work calmly under pressure. Call acac Crozet at 434.817.2055 or stop by 1055 Heathercroft Circle, Suite 100 during staffed hours: Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. acac is an Equal Opportunity Employer. HELP WANTED: APPS, leading paramedical service, is looking for healthcare professionals in Crozet and surrounding areas with phlebotomy experience (1 year) to conduct mobile exams, including medical histories, measurements, labs. Earning potential unlimited! Send resume to phlebotomy.va@ gmail.com CROZET PARC YMCA is now hiring for the following summer positions: pool manager, lifeguards, swim instructors, concession stand workers and summer camp counselors. Contact 434205-4380 for more information. WANTED: Dry, indoor storage for 2 to 3 classic cars in Crozet/Ivy area. Contact Eric: 434-760-3187 or elund78@live.com
Classified ads start at $16 (repeating) and include free online placement.To place an ad, email ads@crozetgazette.com.
“A brewery is interested in an East Coast location,” she said. “This particular company has a farm-to-table restaurant and a beer garden. There would be trucks involved, one or two an hour. It’s not suitable for downtown.” For now it’s assumed access would be off Old Trail Drive, but Mallek suggested that an access off Rt. 250 at the west end of the parcel (roughly in the vicinity of Las Cabanas grocery) might be possible. CCAC members seemed cool to the idea until Mallek said the company expected to work continuous shifts and have 376 jobs. That number made everyone pause. “They’re interested in Albemarle because of our local agriculture scene,” said Mallek, which goes with the company’s environmental sustainability ethos. The location is close to Interstate 64 for shipping and the site has good panoramas of the mountains. The company wants to be part of the Brew Ridge Trail that ties local breweries into an itinerary for tourists. “These businesses do well in a cluster,” Mallek said. “Being near Rt. 151 is good marketing for them.” To make it less conspicuous from the highway the brewery could be sited lower on the parcel’s slope, she said. When asked if the restaurant had to adjoin the brewery, Mallek passed around a photo of a post-modernist industrial building with a restaurant patio where diners looked through wall-sized windows into the brewery operation. Tim Tolson promptly photographed the picture and then Google searched it. It came up on the site of Stone Brewing Company in Escondido, California, the 10th largest craft brewer in the country which has developed an East Coast clientele. It uses a gothic gargoyle as its symbol. With 900 employees, Stone brewed 213,000 barrels of beer last year, and dozens of locations in the East are vying to attract its proposed new $29 million, 130,000- to 220,000-square–foot brewery. CCAC members asked what the brewery’s water and sewer requirements would be and expressed some ambivalence about increasing traffic in such proximity to schools. White Hall District Planning Commissioner Tom Loach suggested that the Old Trail HOA be asked for an opinion.
COME JOIN US AT THE
CROZET MOOSE LODGE UPCOMING EVENTS APRIL 4 DANCE WITH BORDERLINE APRIL 12 DANCE WITH THUNDER ROAD Open to the public APRIL 18 DANCE WITH HIGH AND DRY APRIL 20 FISH FRY 2 - 6 p.m. Open to the public MAY 2 DANCE WITH PRIME MAY 4 BBQ! Starts at 12 p.m. Open to the public MAY 10 DANCE WITH THUNDER ROAD MAY 16 DANCE WITH JEREMY STAUBUS Open to the public MAY 18 CRUISE IN CAR SHOW Starts at 12 p.m. Open to the public MAY 24 DANCE WITH BORDERLINE MAY 30 DANCE WITH HIGH COUNTRY
ALL DANCES 8:30 PM - 12:30 AM Open Wednesday - Sunday 434-823-2316 6135 Rockfish Gap Turnpike, Crozet
256
PROPERTIES WERE
SOLD IN
CROZET
LAST YEAR. Do you want to sell in 2014?
Call David TODAY!
434
-882
-526
3
Proud Supporter of Meals on Wheels
David H. Ferrall Associate Broker, Nest Realty
dhf@ntelos.net
434.882.LAND (5263)
32
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
© J. Dirk Nies, Ph.D.
Our Senses (Part Four): Smell and Taste Reflecting upon the nearly intractable, innate fixedness of his son, my dad once told me that he had been able to teach me only two things: how to build a fire and how to barbeque chicken! To this day, the smell of aromatic smoke wafting in the air can set my mouth to water. A warm, sumptuous, smoky fragrance magically conjures up memories of lively gatherings of family and neighbors in the backyard enjoying a meal al fresco on a summer’s evening. The photograph taken by my dad in 1965 captures just such a memory—with my best friend helping out, I’m bending over our impromptu barbeque pit attending to the chicken. Our senses of smell and taste are intimately linked. They are complementary forms of chemoreception. Unlike our other senses, smell and taste respond to the presence of individual molecules. Through olfaction (the sense of smell) and gustation (the sense of taste), we recognize and interpret the world at the molecular level! And what an immense world this is. The number of known natural and synthetic molecules is huge and growing rapidly. The Chemical Abstract Service of the American Chemical Society maintains the most authoritative collection of chemical substance information in the world. Its registry of substances contains more than 82 million distinct organic and inorganic compounds, with an astonishing 15,000 new substances added to the registry database each day! Although most are not edible or volatile enough to smell, these substances represent an immense pool of potential chemoreceptive possibilities. Molecules possess different sizes and shapes. They vibrate and flex at different frequencies. Some are
acidic, some are basic, and some are both (amphoteric). Some are positively charged while others are negatively charged. Some possess reactive groups that break apart or create links with other molecules. All these things can contribute to the smells and taste we perceive. Despite the huge variety of compounds present in food and drink, the number of tastes we can distinguish with our taste buds is very small – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, savory (umami), pungent and metallic. These are the primary notes, the musical scale of taste. Taste is perceived by taste buds found on the tongue, the back of the throat and the roof of the mouth. These protruding structures contain specialized receptor cells on their surface. Scientists have identified specific receptors for the primary tastes of sweet, bitter and savory. Sourness (acidity) and saltiness are sensed in our taste buds using ion channels, pores in cell membranes that permit the flow of charged ions across the membrane (acids and salts yield charged ions when dissolved in water). Bitter is our most sensitive taste category, which is very helpful for our survival because so many toxic compounds are bitter. Many pharmaceutical medicines also fall in this category, which is why they make such bitter pills to swallow. Given that our sense of taste is so limited in scope, what then imparts so many flavors to our food and drink? How do the varieties of flavors we savor and crave arise? What makes the delicious difference between sugar and maple syrup, vinegar and lemon juice, dark roast coffee and Earl Grey tea, between grape juice and Beaujolais, cottage cheese and blue cheese, between salsa and barbeque sauce? The answer is our prolific, precocious sense of smell. The vast array of gastronomical delights arises from the thousands of different smells we can distin-
thalamus—the structure perched on top of the brainstem that acts like a switchboard for information being sent to the cerebral cortex. Unlike most neurons in our bodies, olfactory receptor neurons can regenerate and do so frequently. Interestingly, it is primarily during exhalation that the olfaction contribution to flavor occurs, in contrast to non-food smells which occur during inhalation. Adding to the variety and perception of flavor afforded by our senses of smell and taste is chemesthesis. Chemesthetic sensaThe aroma of Chicken Barbeque tions arise in the eye, guish. Smell adds nuance and charnose, mouth and throat when acter to these fundamental taste catchemical compounds stimulate egories. Working together, our nerves involved in sensing touch, olfactory and gustatory perceptions inflammation, pain or temperature. define and create the array of flavors Examples are the burning, somewe enjoy at breakfast, lunch and times numbing sensation in our lips dinner, and during reviving snacks caused by capsaicin present in chili between meals. pepper, the cool feeling in our Odors are small, volatile molethroats by menthol in cough drops, cules. When we breathe in through the tingling of the nose and mouth our noses, airborne molecules come by carbon dioxide present in efferin contact with a layer of cells called vescent drinks, and the reactive, the olfactory epithelium. Covering tear-inducing amino acid sulfoxides roughly two square inches in our found in onions. nasal cavity, the olfactory epitheFlavor is highly influenced by lium holds thousands of olfactory temperature (fond of lukewarm nerves. Mucus, which acts as a solroot beer?) and texture (soggy vent for odor molecules, covers potato chips anyone?). Rounding these cells. To keep from getting out our experience of flavor are the saturated with odor molecules, the color, appearance and presentation body renews this mucus every 10 of food, our appetite, our palate, the minutes or so. Odor molecules distime of day, the season of the year, solved in the mucus are available to the occasion, and our personal assobind (like a key in a lock) to specific ciations of a particular food with receptor molecules found at the end pleasant or unpleasant experiences. of each olfactory neuron. The neuYears ago I once became nauseated ron recognizes this binding and fires after eating a certain candy, and the a message to the olfactory bulb situmere thought of that confection ated at the top of the nasal cavity still makes me feel queasy. and at the base of the brain. Smell and taste convey awareness The olfactory system differs from of the world at the exquisitely fine our other senses in remarkable ways. resolution of molecules. When It is the only human sense that is compared to a symphony, taste can connected directly to the forebrain, be thought of as providing the that part of the brain responsible for unadorned notes of the melody, receiving and processing sensory with smell providing the orchestrainformation, perceiving, thinking tion. Working in harmony, they and understanding. All other sense bring flavor into our lives. data is transmitted first through the
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
33
We Can Always Have Lettuce [ by elena day • elena@crozetgazette.com \ Lettuce is my favorite crop to grow and one of my favorites to eat. From October until mid-June, I generally eat lettuce at least 5 or 6 times a week. (In summer I can never get enough of tomatoes and green beans.) We always indulge the lettuce habit at the end of the main course, as in Italy. I rarely buy it from the grocery store. Since my husband constructed a hoop house we grow our own all winter. And it is possible to do so in Virginia in temperatures that fall into the teens and single digits nightly, as happened for weeks this year. (See photo from late February 2014.) Lettuce is an annual member of Asteraceae, the aster and/or sunflower family. About 2,500 years ago, Egyptians, who initially used lettuce seeds for oil, began cultivating it for the leaves. From Egypt, lettuce spread to Greece and then Rome. The Romans named it Lactuca referring to the “lac” or milk exuded when the stem is cut. In Egypt lettuce was a symbol of sexual prowess. It promoted love and also childbearing in women. Romans associated lettuce with male potency. The Greeks instead thought that it contributed to male impotency and female infertility. Today, we just know that lettuce is high in Vitamins A and K and potassium. Between the 16th and 18th century numerous varieties of Lactuca sativa (sativa means “cultivated” or “sown”) were developed in Europe. In 1586 Joachim Camerarius described three types of lettuce: head lettuce, loose-leaf, and Romaine or Cos. The latter were grown in the papal gardens and also on the Greek isle of Cos during the Byzantine period. Today, lettuce is reclassified into Leaf, Romaine or Cos, Crisphead, Summercrisp (midway between Leaf and Crisphead types), Butterhead, Stem (grown mostly in Asia for the seedstalk) and Oilseed (grown for cooking oil). Crisphead is better known as Iceberg. An eighth variety—a very small amount—is used in the manufacture of tobaccofree cigarettes. In 2010 23,620,000 metric tons
PALM SUNDAY APRIL 13 • 10:30 A.M.
The Field School • 1408 Crozet Avenue Fr. Joseph Mary Lukyamuzi Holy Comforter Catholic Church
Lettuce in the author’s hoophouse.
(a metric ton equals 2,204 lbs) of lettuce were produced worldwide. Half the tonnage was grown in China. The U.S. grows the second largest amount, but production is less than 1/3 that of the Chinese. About 25 pounds of lettuce are consumed per person per year in the U.S. Previous to the early 1900s, lettuce was raised and consumed close to home. With new packing, storage and shipping technologies, lettuce was soon shipped to markets further away. In the early 1900s lettuce was widely cultivated in eastern North Carolina and shipped to East Coast cities. In the 1920s, along came California visionary and owner of Fresh Express Bruce Churchill. He and his partners shipped Crisphead/ Iceberg lettuce from the Salinas Valley covered in ice to cities all over the Midwest and East, as far away as Maine. As the rail cars of lettuce arrived in each town or city, people cried, “Here come the icebergs” and the name stuck, or so goes the story. Crisphead or Iceberg lettuce has pale to white centers and contains few nutrients. It is more heat sensitive than other varieties of Lactuca sativa. It has little flavor and contains more water. By the 1940s, 95 percent of the lettuce grown in the U.S. was Iceberg. In the 1950s vacuum cooling, which allowed for field cooling and packing, advanced Iceberg production further. My husband speaks nostalgically of the wedges of Iceberg lettuce slathered with Russian dressing at family meals in his childhood. I relish finely cut Iceberg on bean tostadas even today. In the later 1990s, with the advent of Alice Waters (Chez Panisse) and microgreens and then the bagged salad/lettuce industry, the U.S. palette rediscovered the other lettuces. However, the same agricultural continued on page 34
Upcoming:
May 11 • Mother’s Day June 8 • Pentecost
Join in! Email crozetmass@gmail.com
Thursday, April 17, 2014 • 5:30 PM Behind The Scenes At Design House 2014 Would you give up your home for three months?
Each year, a Charlottesville-area homeowner generously extends the use of his or her house for the Design House event, allowing local designers to showcase their talents and the latest in interior design styles and techniques. The result is a popular fund raising event that provides a unique tour for visitors filled with endless and inspiring ideas for the home. Learn how Design House supports the Shelter for Help in Emergency (SHE). Don’t miss this stylish preview event!
RSVP to 434.823.9100 or rsvp@lodgeatoldtrail.com
330 Claremont Lane, Crozet, Virginia 22932 | www.lodgeatoldtrail.com
INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING • MEMORY CARE
34
APRIL 2014
Country Setting in Crozet Character galore in this 2100+ sqft, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath Cape Cod. Large garage, finished walk-out basement, abundant landscaping surrounds a large patio & fish pond. 1st floor master, fireplace, skylights. Call to see where you can view pictures. $206,000. Qualifies for 100% VHDA rural home financing. 434-466-4634.
For Sale By Owner
Season Locally Buy Peg’s Salt in local food shops today! www.pegssalt.com
NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS!
Longest Serving Dental Practice in Crozet—Locally Owned & Staffed Since 1975 New State-of-the-Art Facility Opened May 2013 Emphasis on Patient Comfort, Gentle Care, & Child Friendly
434-823-4080
www.crozetfamilydental.com MONDAY - FRIDAY 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
James W. Willis, DDS
Emery F. Taylor, Jr. DDS
5690 Three Notch’d Rd., Ste. 100 • Crozet (Beside PT Plus)
SHERAL FLOWER FARM, LLC Fresh Cut Flowers, Herbs & Plants Sherry & Al Minutolo Member, Assoc. of Specialty Cut Flower Growers
Crozet, VA
434-823-1092 Visit Us at The Crozet Market
34
APRIL 2014
Lettuce
—continued from page 33
model of big-is-better prevails. Currently, Romaines are grown primarily in Florida. Higher end microgreens and salad mixes are shipped in plastic tubs from California with familiar brand names like Dole, Fresh Express, and Earthbound Farm Organic. California’s share of lettuce production hovers around 70 percent (2007), although agribusiness production has moved into Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and even Mexico. Genetic modification of lettuce has been ongoing since 1992. Herbicide tolerance, slower bolting in higher temperatures and resistance to insects and fungi are traits GMers seek. The lettuce/salad packing industry has seen a number of product recalls due to E. coli and Salmonella contamination in spite of washing all greens (including those labeled organic) in a weak chlorine solution. I often find the lettuce served at higher end restaurants disappointing. If you look too closely there’s always a decomposing leaf or two in the mix. Yuck! I prefer my own and I prefer head lettuces to leaf lettuce. I germinate seeds in September and plant in October. (Optimal germination temps for lettuce hover at around 70 degrees F or slightly higher.) Seeds are germinated in the dark in the basement because it is often still too hot outdoors. I transfer seedlings to cell packs and grow these outdoors. I plant outside in rows and in the hoop house when I think they are ready and weather is appropriate; i.e. cooler. I germinate as early in January as I can, under grow lights. Depending on weather I’ll plant outside as early as mid-February. My favorite and best performing fall/winter/lettuce is Yugoslavian Red. It’s an heirloom native to the former Yugoslavia available from Cook’s Garden and locally from Southern Exposure. With repeated freezes the outer leaves of this butterhead get crinkly, but it remains delicious. Ask Crozet resident David West, whom I convinced to grow it this year. Apart from snails and slugs, occasional cutworms early in the spring, and the mildews in overly wet weather, lettuce is easy to grow.
Rock Gardens —continued from page 24
rounded by the action of water wouldn’t be found on the dry mountain top you’re trying to recreate. What about the material between and under your fancy new rocks? Rather than covering the spaces between them with an organic mulch, it will look more natural with a top-dressing of sharp gravel or rock fragments. Most rock garden plants prefer good drainage, so it’s best to also incorporate gravel into your soil. And take all this advice on rock gardens with a grain of (rock) salt. Although some rock gardeners could be accused of horticultural snobbery, most are idiosyncratic types that are accepting of a wide range of garden styles. You have to laugh at a group that refers to some of its less successful efforts as “almond pudding,” “dog’s grave,” or “peanut brittle.”
CROZET gazette
Crozet’s Favorite Flicks What’s hot now at Maupin’s Music and Video
Top Rentals in March Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Franchise with Jennifer Lawrence)
12 Years a Slave
(Drama with Chiwetel Ejiofor)
Hours
(Thriller with Paul Walker)
The Book Thief
(Drama with Sophie Nelisse)
Out of the Furnace
(Thriller with Christian Bale)
Saving Mr. Banks
(Drama with Emma Thompson)
Frozen
(Children’s/Family with Kristen Bell)
American Hustle
(Drama with Christian Bale)
April picks PETE’S PICKS
The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (new); On Any Sunday
RICK’S PICKS
Frozen (new); The World’s Fastest Indian
EVAN’S PICKS
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (new); The Book Thief (new) Maupin’s Music & Video 434-823-2244
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
35
Crozet
Weather Almanac
MARCH 2014
By Heidi Sonen & Roscoe Shaw | weather@crozetgazette.com
Cold & Snowy Winter... How Did it Rank? The beautiful wild cherry trees are finally starting to bloom in the Mint Springs Valley and you can watch the grass getting greener by the minute. The snow is finally gone from Buck’s Elbow. But it sure took a long time. Winter of 2014 was a mean one and it hung on right to the end of the March. This winter wasn’t the coldest ever (1978) or the snowiest ever (1960 or 2010), but it ranked solidly in both categories. Some winters are cold but not that snowy (1977) and some are snowy but not that cold (2010). This year was notable because of the one-two punch and the staying power right
to the end. March ranked strong just by itself but it may surprise you that it was nearly identical to last March. Both were about 5th coldest and 5th snowiest ever with a healthy 14.5” inches of snow. So, for two years running, spring has been very late. This is in sharp contrast to March of 2012 when spring came a month earlier during the second warmest March ever. So what does all this mean? Not much. The weather is always crazy. It was that way 100 years ago and it is now. The wild weather gives us something to talk about and it builds character.
Looking Ahead
March Precipitation Totals
April brings a lot to look forward to. The average temperature warms a full ten degrees and many folks list it as their favorite month around here. The ground is soaked so everything will grow like crazy.
Crozet 3.52” Old Trail 3.52” Greenwood 3.11” Univ. of VA 3.84” Nellysford 2.69” Waynesboro 2.80” CHO Airport 2.49”
Limited time offer!
FREE 10 YEAR
parts & labor WARRANTY On All York Equipment
CALL 434-823-4622 TODAY! Now Offering Duct Cleaning
Monday – Friday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. 24 HOUR ANSWERING SERVICE “Where Quality Counts”
Serving Crozet & Surrounding Areas Since 1980
36
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
The Blue Ridge Naturalist © Marlene A. Condon | marlene@crozetgazette.com
Put in a Pond for Wildlife I know warm weather is on the way when I hear a Wood Frog beginning to call in my yard where I have two small artificial ponds. These cold-tolerant, hardy little amphibians give me my first clue from the animal world that spring is coming, long before the American Robins that most people associate with this particular season. (In point of fact, some robins may be in the area all winter.) Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus, formerly Rana sylvatica) inhabit woods, but in late winter they come out of hibernation with mating on their minds. This is the best, and almost only, time you are likely to spot Wood Frogs as they come to shallow pools to breed. They will also use deeper ponds if they can attach their globular egg masses to underwater plant stems near the surface to prevent the eggs from sinking into the depths of the pond. Many amphibian species are losing ground nowadays as wetlands are destroyed by public construction projects and by citizens on private property. Although scientists recognize the value of wetlands, most people do not. Folks tend to want to drain and fill in such areas, but this wipes out the breeding grounds for many species of wild-
life. You can make a difference by putting in a pond for wildlife and it doesn’t even need to be particularly large. The little pond in my front yard is only about 2½ feet wide and about 4 feet long. The one in my side yard is about 3 feet by 6 feet. A pond brings in frogs, dragonflies, salamanders, and other waterloving creatures to your yard where they will help control the numbers of insects for you. I’ve watched frogs catch flies at the pond and wander around on wet days to eat insects off the plants in my nearby flowerbed. Dragonflies chase after gnats, sometimes right around your head! Whenever I mention yard ponds in a talk, the first question I get from most people is, “Won’t a pond bring in mosquitoes?” Yes, of course it will. But if mosquitoes lay eggs in your pond that is full of mosquito predators instead of on those rain-dampened tarps or water-filled children’s toys in your yard, the eggs will get eaten instead of producing an abundance of these biting insects. Select a site that is easily accessible to a spigot (for refills) and is in a location where you can look at it often. Otherwise you’ll miss all of the activity! Try to place the pond in a level area so that runoff will not normally collect in it. This is especially impor-
Eight Screen Movie Theater in Nearby Waynesboro. 100% Stadium Seating!
Conveniently loCated just off of i-64 at exit 94 on lew dewitt Boulevard
Movie Hotline: 540-416-0536
ZEUSTHEATERS.COM
This artificial pond in the author’s side yard teems with numerous kinds of wildlife all year round. Photo: Marlene A. Condon.
tant if runoff might contain contaminants that can poison the plants and animals in your pond. The pond should receive at least six or more hours of sunshine a day during the summer. Most aquatic plants need this much sun in order to produce blooms and to grow well. Your pond should have plants that live under the water (called “submergent vegetation”) as well as plants whose stems or leaves rise above the water. Submergent plants increase the amount of oxygen in the water, which helps underwater-dwelling animals survive. Above-water plants shade the pond, which keeps the water temperature from rising too much. Very warm water becomes oxygen-deficient. You can make a pond of your own design by trimming a liner made of a combination of polyethylene and rubber, or you can buy a pre-formed pond made of plastic or fiberglass. Whichever you choose, you will have to excavate an area deep enough and wide enough to accommodate the pond. To be sure that the pond water
does not completely freeze during the winter months, you should make the pond as deep as possible, and certainly no less than 18 inches in the deepest section if you live in Central Virginia. You can find out from an extension agent or the local soil conservation office how deeply the ground freezes in your area and use that as your guideline. Before putting in your lining or pre-formed pond, make sure that the sides of the hole you have dug are free of sharp objects, such as rocks and tree roots. Place a layer of sand at the bottom to create a level surface. The hardest part about putting in a pond is the labor involved in digging out the soil from the site. If you can’t do this yourself, you might want to pay someone else to do only the digging while you take care of the actual installation. If you don’t mind spending the money, you could hire a professional pond installer. Before doing anything, however, you should do some research about installing and maintaining ponds. Many books are available on this subject. How quickly you attract wildlife will depend upon where you live, but you may be surprised by how soon animals show up. Insects, such as water striders, will probably be the first to appear because of their mobility (they can fly), and with luck, frogs and salamanders will arrive soon thereafter. Birds will flock to the pond to drink and perhaps to bathe, if the underwater plant growth forms a mat thick enough to support their weight. And mammals will, of course, come for a drink of water. Your pond will be a little world unto itself and you can learn how it functions by being a keen and nonjudgmental observer of its inhabitants. If you haven’t already discovered how absolutely fascinating nature can be, you certainly will after you have put in a pond!
LOCAL MUSIC • LOCAL FOOD • LOCAL VIBE
www.fardowners.com 5773 The Square | Crozet, VA | 434-823-1300
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
37
Lions Club Pancake Dinner Set for April 5
BEREAVEMENTS Thomas Fox Birckhead, 86
February 19, 2014
Theresa Banks, 59
February 25, 2014
Mark Allen Easton Sr., 56
February 28, 2014
Van Harris, 88
February 28, 2014
Violet Dudley Harding, 82
March 3, 2014
Thelma M. Mitchell, 88
March 3, 2014
Barbara Ann Morris, 75
March 3, 2014
Donald Witcher Jr., 62
March 3, 2014
Mary Louise Burnett Breeden, 79
March 5, 2014
Andrew Jackson Crawford, 87
March 6, 2014
Dorothy Mae Gentry, 88
March 7, 2014
Ann May Via, 81
March 7, 2014
Lorraine Rath, 80
March 11, 2014
Cornelia McMurray Brooks, 88
March 13, 2014
Shirley Olivia Wharam Davis, 66
March 13, 2014
Christine Faye Vielguth Miller, 81
March 13, 2014
Thelma Gennie Durrette, 91
March 14, 2014
Gordon Garrison, 83
March 15, 2014
Arthur William Shifflett, 67
March 16, 2014
Robert Albert Jahrsdoerfer, 83
March 17, 2014
William W. Wright, 95
March 17, 2014
Peggy June Horton Blincoe, 75
March 19, 2014
John W. Stone III, 79
March 21, 2014
Norma Eugene Paquin, 74
March 24, 2014
Theresa Hall Shiflett, 53
March 24, 2014
Angelica April Bermudez, 36
March 26, 2014
Carroll E. Durham, 79
March 27, 2014
• New, state-of-the-art facility
Russell Warren Lohr, 85
March 28, 2014
• Full surgical, dental & anesthesia services • In-house electrocardiogram & digital x-rays
Anderson Funeral Services Inc. Serving Western Albemarle Families Since 1967
Lions Skip Thacker and Donnie McElwee working the grill for the pancake dinner
Breakfast for Dinner? Back by popular demand, the Crozet Lions Club will serve its Pancake Dinner at The Field School in Crozet on Saturday, April 5, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The fare is delicious pancakes with sausage, bacon, spiced apples and syrup. The event will also feature a raffle and talented jugglers. Recommended donations are $6 for adults and $3 for children under 12 years. Proceeds will go to the
many local charitable needs the Crozet Lions support. The Lions meet the second and fourth Monday of each month at the Meadows Community Building off Rt. 240. Anyone interested in attending a meeting is welcome. Please contact Karl Pomeroy at 9871229. Meetings start at 6:30 p.m. with dinner provided and typically are followed with a presentation.
DR. HILLARY COOK DR. COURTNEY JAGGER DR. NELLIE BIERLY
Call 823-8883 • Certified in veterinary acupuncture now to make your appointment! • In-house therapeutic laser • Preventative & geriatric care • Combining the best of conventional medicine with complementary alternative therapies for your pets
Robert S. Anderson & John W. Anderson, Jr., D I R E C T O R S
823-5002
crozetanimalwellnesscenter.com
5888 St. George Avenue Crozet, VA 22932
1100 Crozet Avenue | (434) 823-8883
38
Mary Baldwin College Adult Degree Program in Charlottesville ●
●
●
APRIL 2014
CROZET gazette
Orchard Acres Residents Get a Hand with Home Repairs & Energy Upgrades
Get college credit for what you already know Benefit from customized advising and flexible scheduling Earn your authentic degree
Apply by April 30
www.mbc.edu
New Patient Offer! Bring in this ad during April for an exam, any necessary x-rays, and consultation for just
$49
Total value of exam and x-rays: $194
Valid for new patients only. Offer transferable. Please share with your family & friends!
Call 823-2290 or 361-2442 NOW for an appointment! Crozet Dentist NellysfordDentist Offer not valid for previous services. New patients only. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts. Expires 4/30/14.
325 Four Leaf Lane–Suite 10, Charlottesville, 22903 | 2905 Rockfish Valley Hwy, Nellysford, 22958
Nancy Fleischman
This one ‘s fixed.
By Jennifer Jacobs Qualified homeowners in Crozet’s Orchard Acres neighborhood are getting help on major home repair needs and energy efficiency upgrades through a state grant to the Albemarle Housing Improvement Program, a local nonprofit. “Homeowners often struggle to cover the cost of big-ticket repairs, and it can be very stressful,” said Joyce Dudek, AHIP’s associate director who is managing the Orchard Acres project. “AHIP is a non-profit Class A Contractor, and our job is to help families get these repairs taken care of.” AHIP’s crews are addressing heating, cooling, insulation, electrical, plumbing, accessibility, and structural issues. “I was very happy with AHIP’s services,” said Nina Brackett, a mother of two, whose house has been repaired. “AHIP was very respectful of my home and property, and they were polite and
addressed my concerns right away. “They put on a new roof, replaced floors in two rooms with laminate, repaired electrical issues in my panel box, and repaired outlets that were brought up to code. They installed a more water-efficient commode and added installation in the attic. During the time that they were doing the work, my HVAC broke and needed to be replaced, and AHIP was able to install a new energy-efficient system, which improved my electric bill by $75 the first month! They made my house more energy efficient and my water bill decreased by $7 the first month.” AHIP is accepting applications from Orchard Acres homeowners for the two-year grant, which aims to help at least 20 families. Families must own their home and income restrictions apply. For more information, homeowners can contact Dudek at AHIP at 434.817.2447 x23 or at jdudek@ ahipva.org.
Principal
An independent agency offering a choice of companies.
Let us compare for you.
crozetinsurance.com
• Contemporary Worship • Home Group Fellowships • Biblical & Relevant Preaching • Prayer Emphasis 470 Twinkling Springs Road, Crozet, VA 22932
CROZET gazette
APRIL 2014
39
Crozet Farmers Market Opens May 3 The Crozet Farmers Market will open Saturday, May 3, in its traditional location, the now-renovated parking lot of Crozet United Methodist Church (CUMC). The Crozet market is a growers/ producers market that gives vendors the opportunity to sell their locally grown produce and handcrafted goods to the public. Market hours are 8 a.m. till noon every Saturday through mid-October. Reminders have been mailed to past vendors, and new vendors are welcome. Market manager Al Minutolo offered special thanks to the Tabor Presbyterian Church for hosting the market in 2013 and to everyone in the community who supports the market throughout the year. The market was very successful in 2013, he said, and proceeds from sales were returned to the community through donations to the Crozet United Methodist Church food pan-
try and Tabor Presbyterian Church’s soup program. The market offers a variety of locally grown vegetables, bedding plants, vegetable starts, cut flowers, homemade baked goods, handcrafted jewelry, woodcraft and pottery. A popular feature is the Horticulture Help Desk (HHD), staffed by volunteer Piedmont Master Gardeners every second and fourth Saturday. The master gardeners are available to answer questions about horticultural practices, plants and their diseases, and pest control, with the aim of safeguarding against adverse effects on people and the environment. You’re welcome to bring samples of pests or problem plants for the HHD to inspect. Make the market part of your Saturday morning. For more information, call Minutolo at 434-823-1092.
Gazette Vet
ran. Only Boone wouldn’t leave my side. He ran ahead of me steadily and checked back frequently to make sure I was keeping up. If he got too far ahead, he waited until I caught up and then headed off again. This was such a different experience. When I ran and hiked in the woods with Kaya, the reality was that I was giving her the freedom of the woods. But when running with Boone, he made sure in no uncertain terms that I knew it was about me. In school, I had had freedom and time and not many responsibilities, and I got to the woods a lot to make sure Kaya had time to play. But with work, marriage, a child and a home, running in the woods was a precious moment to cherish. Boone perfectly portrayed that to me each time he stopped and waited for me. We finally really bonded that day in the woods and he’s been “my good boy” ever since. I write this after putting my 7-year-old son to bed. As we read stories in bed, Boone jumped up and nuzzled down between us, resting his head on my son’s leg. “Aww, Boonie, I love you, you’re the cutest boy ever,” doted my son. Boone nuzzled closer, his tail whumping the covers.
—continued from page 22
first few months. I felt guilty for bringing him into our home while our dear old girl was dying of cancer. I also felt guilty sharing my attention and affection with something new and shiny while the old gal was fading away. But as Boone grew, Kaya rallied. She wasn’t going to get better, but she began playing with Boone, sometimes instigating a chase, and decided she had better just keep up rather than feel sorry for herself. She ate well, was the first to the door for walks, and made sure Boone knew who was the leader of the pack. Boone was fortunate to grow up under a strong matriarch, and Kaya was fortunate to have found a pupil and a friend as she reached the end of her line. Losing Kaya was hard. Probably the hardest thing I had done at that point in my life. Boone didn’t know what to do with himself. So, we went on a trail run in the woods. We headed up into the mountains as I did with Kaya so many years back. I let him off his leash and we
one heart — many voices
make a connection, make a difference
Maundy Thursday Service – April 17, 7:00 p.m. Good Friday Services – April 18, 12 noon and 7:00 p.m. Easter Celebrations – 8:45 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.
Need Office Space? Commercial Space Available At
Perfect Location Across from Harris Teeter Ideal for Offices and Small Business/Retail 2,800 sq. feet Available; Able to Subdvide Can Build to Suit Your Needs $16.67 Annual Rent per Square Foot*
Contact: ben@realpropertyinc.com 434.823.4408 *plus common area maintenace, taxes and utility charges per square foot
SATURDAY • MAY 10, 2014 Mint Springs Valley Park • Crozet, VA • 8:00 A.M.
C
ome experience the beautiful trails of Mint Springs Valley Park with the inaugural Crozet Running Trail 5K! Enjoy a great morning at the park as this challenging course winds up and down the mountain trails and finishes at the Pavilion at the upper lake. Who will be King and Queen of the Mountain? Prizes will be awarded for the top three overall male and female finishers, and mens and womens age group finishers for 12 and under, masters (40-49), and supermasters (50+). Kids and families are encouraged to enter! Walkers and hikers welcome!
For more information and to register go to www.crozetrunning.com/trail5K or register in person at Crozet Running. RegistrationState is required but FREE! All participants get a free t-shirt! of $avings.
SPONSORED BY: Lauren Morris, Agent 1207 B Crozet Avenue Crozet, VA 22932 Bus: 434-823-1800 www.laurenmorrisagency.com
1101282.1
Get discounts up to 40%.* Saving money is important. That’s why you can count on me to get you all the discounts you deserve. GET TO A BETTER STATE™. CALL ME TODAY.
Lauren Morris
*Discounts vary by state. State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL
www.crozetrunning.com/trail5K