INSIDE Parade day page 3 Associates page 8 young farmers page 10 Hard Cider page 11 Fine Fleece page 12
Crozet gazette the
crozetgazette.com
June 2012 VOL. 7, NO. 1
New Management Takes Over Old Trail Development
Cornerstone page 13
satisfaction page 14 fast cars page 16 John James page 17 Watering page 19 pet top 10 page 20 mountainside grille page 22 old glory page 23 there’s bears page 24 graduates page 26 superlatives page 27 summer at the library page 28 chard tips page 29 feather recognition page 30 stay put page 31 green magic page 32 WAHS CREW page 35 The Painted Veil page 42
Mint Springs on this year’s opening day, May 26.
Mint Springs Valley Park Turns 40 by Scott Hilles Just a trickle of spring water meanders over the moss-draped stones at 1,500 feet of elevation and beneath the wild grape vines and Virginia creeper. It flows into Mad Run Creek and through the loamrich soil of apple orchards 700 feet below, channels under the entrance road into Mint Springs Valley Park, and joins other streams from the west side of Little Yellow Mountain. The waters pool in the lower of the three lakes, the one hidden in the woods and whose banks are largely untrammeled by those hiking and
fishing in the park. The lakes of Mint Springs are habitat to several species of fish, including stocked rainbow trout, native bluegill, bream, largemouth bass and black crappie. The shores are combed by a tree-gnawing resident beaver and by Red-Winged Blackbirds that fly in and out of cattail plants in the marshy edges. Here, as elsewhere, it’s all about water. We drink it, bathe in it, and enjoy swimming holes like the Upper Lake at Mint Springs Valley Park. Long before reservoirs were built to sustain Crozet, and eons before man continued on page 6
The next stage in the development of Old Trail will happen under a new management team. Manchester Capital Management LLC has been hired by the principal financial backers of Old Trail, Jay and Suzanne Jessup, to revisit the master plan for the 2,200-unit project and to arrange for a fulltime project manager who will operate out of an office in the commercial village, according to Andy Bush, one of the new management team members. Gaylon and Justin Beights of Beights Development Company, who have seen the project through its first 10 years, retain stakes in the project, but will not be active in directing it. Manchester Capital Management with offices in Manchester, Vermont, New York City and Montecito, California, oversees $2 billion dollars in investments according to Jeff Hall, who handles real estate assets for the group. The company describes itself as a family-oriented, consulting firm that focuses on wealth stewardship that is tailored to the specific needs of clients. “We’re focused on making Old Trail successful,” Bush said. The firm did an analysis of the project’s strategic and capital plans earlier this year. Bush said that the team, which began organizing in April, is finalizing the seleccontinued on page 9
Barnes Lumber Goes Into Foreclosure J. Bruce Barnes Lumber Company will go on the auction block June 27 after Union First Market Bank decided to foreclose on the wholesale hardwood supplier, which for decades has been one of Crozet’s most important businesses. “I owe money and I can’t pay it. I cannot fault them for what they are doing or be mad at them,” said owner Carroll Conley. “I kept people on too long and kept wages up too long. Those were bad decisions.” Conley said he made his last loan
repayment to the bank in February. That payment was not properly posted at first. “I raised cain with them about that. They were holding the money. But they have been a pretty good bank.” Conley said his lawyer had recommended that he declare bankruptcy. “But I’m not going that way,” he said. “Why fight it for a year and still owe the money? I’m hurt. I’m very hurt. The economy is terrible. It’s happening all over the country.” continued on page 31
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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
5/29/12 2:27 PM
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, Robert Reiser, Heidi Sonen, Roscoe Shaw, David Wagner.
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
From the Editor Fourth of July Parade and Celebration in Crozet Park Set for June 30 Crozet’s traditional Independence Day parade and town celebration is set for Saturday, June 30, and promises to be the real deal of Americanstyle family fun. The parade will organize at Crozet Elementary School at 3 p.m. and begin marching toward Crozet Park at 4 p.m. Any one interested in joining in the parade should call the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department at 823-4758 to get a parade unit sign-up form. Carroll Conley will serve as the parade’s grand marshal this year. The parade, which typically requires about an hour to pass through downtown Crozet, is expected to reach the park at 5 p.m., where the town celebration will be held. Music will be provided by the bands Lock Jaw, up first, and Second Draw. Other events include a doubleheader softball game for town bragging rights between the volunteer
June 2012 firefighters and the coaches of the Peachtree League. There will be rides, athletic games and amusements for young kids, including bounce and play inflatables. The fireworks show is set for 9:30 p.m., when it will be sufficiently dark but not so late that youngsters can’t stay up. Bring a lawn chair if you want to be comfortable as you watch events. Traditional American Fourth of July fare will be available, including pork barbeque, hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob, popcorn, apple pie and more. Crozet-area breweries and wineries will also be on hand to offer beverages. Donations are being sought to pay for the fireworks and event expenses. Cars entering the park will be asked to make a suggested parking donation of $5 per car and 50/50 raffles will also be held throughout the evening. This year, proceeds from the celebration, after expenses, will go to create the Crozet Historic District and to establish a budget for next year’s event. The celebration is a combined effort by Crozet’s civic organizations
who have teamed up to put on the Fourth of July celebration, a task that in the past fell solely to the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department, which for many many years sponsored the celebration as a fundraiser. Joining the CVFD in sharing the burden now are the Crozet Community Association, Claudius Crozet Park (which is communityowned and led by volunteers), the Crozet Lions Club, the White Hall Ruritans, the Peachtree League, the Crozet Community Advisory Council, and the Downtown Crozet Association, as well as many local churches and citizen volunteers. Yeah USA! Yeah Crozet!
To the Editor Letters reflect the opinions of their authors and not necessarily those of the Crozet Gazette.
Canoe Theft For the fourth time in a few years people have come to our property at Beaver Creek Reservoir to steal one of our canoes. An expensive power outlet was also destroyed. The outlet was installed for the Western Albemarle Rowing Team several years ago when the team used the
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land to get access to the lake. It makes us sad that our wonderful community gets affected by people who have no respect for other’s property by stealing, destroying and dumping their beer cans. Paulien & Gérard Brikkenaar van Dijk Crozet Crozet Historic District The Crozet Historic District will enable property owners in it to be eligible for state and federal tax credits for renovations to their properties. The credit is meant to encourage owners to save their older buildings. The district promotes the prosperity of the older village of Crozet and imposes no conditions on any property owner. The Crozet Community Association and the Downtown Crozet Association are making a joint appeal to the future property owners in the district, trying to raise $4,000 to see that the final application documents of the district are submitted and then ratified by state and federal officials. A valuable inventory of the historic district properties will fall out of date this continued on page 5
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Crozet gazette
To the Editor —continued from page 3
year and much expensive work would have to be repeated to make a later application. Now is the time to make the district happen. To the owners of these parcels, I make this challenge: If 25 owners of parcels in the future historic district donate at least $25 to the fund, I will donate $250. If 50 owners of parcels in the future historic district donate at least $25 to the fund, I will donate $500. Donations from anyone wishing to support this cause are welcome. Send contributions to the Crozet Community Association, P.O. Box 653, Crozet, Va., 22932. Please put “Historic District” in the memo line of your check. Thank you. Ann Mallek White Hall District Supervisor 434-996-6159 I Feel Cheated For the past several years, I have paid about $60 to join the Crozet PARC pool for the summer. This was the senior price for single adults over 60. I was a big supporter of the campaign to build a dome over the pool to enable year-round swimming. I attended fund-raisers, bid at silent auctions, and donated in the hundreds. Imagine my dismay when I attended the May 5 open house to discover that the PARC project has been taken over by the YMCA, and the price of swimming has doubled or tripled! I have to join an “athletic club” in which I have no interest, subscribe to classes that I may or may not like, and pay the full adult price of $45/month until I am 65, all in order to swim at the pool I helped to improve! When I asked
June 2012 the YMCA representative why the “pool only” membership (which is not even available during the winter months) actually costs more than the regular monthly rate, she confirmed that “we are trying to encourage year-round monthly membership.” While the Y may claim to be a non-profit, this is essentially the same monthly rate as the for-profit ACAC. The clear solution is to offer a reduced-priced, year-round, poolonly membership, and perhaps a discount and waiver of the steep “joining fee” for those of us who donated generously to make the dome project a reality. We just wanted an affordable year-round pool, but we got way more than we bargained for. Clover Carroll Crozet House of Hope We at House of Hope Central Virginia would like to thank all the community, volunteers, and businesses that donated to our first annual House of Hope Benefit.The event was a huge success, raising over $4000 to start a home for healing teens in the local area. The main purpose for the rally was to begin to raise funds for land to build on. We have a verbal commitment from Lowe’s and Habitat for Humanity to help us build once we secure the land. The need for this home is critical. We already have many young people on our waiting list with issues ranging from abuse, to drug and alcohol addiction, cutting, and learning disabilities. This home will give them a safe environment to heal and receive counseling along with their parents, healing the whole family. In particular we would like to thank the following individuals and
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SATURDAY, JUNE 23 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The Field School A fantastic raffle, too! Recommended donation: Adults $5, Children $3 FREE SAUSAGE AND DRINKS!
businesses for donating to our silent auction: Wintergreen Resort; Massanutten Resort; Holiday Inn University Area; Montpelier; Applebees Pantops; Shenandoah Caverns; Monticello; Mary Lou Troutman; Free Bridge Auto; Lake Monticello Golf; Ben & Jerry’s Charlottesville; Charlottesville postal Federal Credit Union; Woodforest Bank; Albemarle Ciderworks; Benessere Spa Services; Bark Avenue-Pet Grooming; Tammy Bradley; Blue Ridge Builders; Bangkok ’99; Clover Lawn Salon; Green House Coffee; Couture Design; Crozet Eye Care; Ivy Commons Chiropractic; Modern Barbershop; Sal’s Pizza; Ivy Corner Garden Center; Crozet Beauty Salon; Secrets of the Blue Ridge (Phil James); Hair Cuttery; Critzer Family Farm; Fisher Auto Parts (Crozet); Crozet Hardware; Harris Teeter (Crozet); Sharp Shopper; Dairy Queen; Robert and Marjorie Canady; Dean and
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Clythene Selzer; Dorothy Lilley; Ruby Dillow Avon; Fisher Auto Parts (Charlottesville); Sarah Canady Shultz; Robin Cole; David Ashcom Heating and Cooling, LLC; Salon E; Milmont Nursery; The Center for Family Counseling; Virginia Townsend-Gray Hawk Designs; Arch’s Frozen Yogurt; Adam Sylvester Lawn Care; Minda’s Boutique; Donna Canady; St. Peter’s Attic; Richey and Co. Shoes; Lorenzo Ramirez; Heidi Davis; Scott and Becky Selzer; Wild Earth Encounters; and Bounce Around Amusements. We would also like to thank the bands Sanctified Power, Refuge Band and Full Surrender for donating their time and talents for this event. It’s great to be part of a community that cares enough to help hurting teens! Blessings! Brenda Miller Crozet
Crozet gazette
June 2012
Mint Springs
watch, hike, or picnic, this story is for you. And this park is for and about us.
arrived, this valley beneath the shadows of the Blue Ridge has been the beneficiary of the Mother Mountain, the ancient Appalachians, and has also felt the wrath imposed from above it by weather, erosion, volcanic eruption and plate tectonics. Mint Springs Valley Park was officially opened to the public in the summer of 1972, and soon closed, a victim in the destructive path of Hurricane Agnes, which devastated Virginia that June. The storm’s damage was greater in areas east, but the rain dumped on Buck’s Elbow Mountain, inundated Mad Run Creek and the reservoirs, and washed out the newly built road into the park. Mint Springs did not stay closed long, however, and this year the area celebrates 40 years of its contribution to Albemarle County and its help in fostering Crozet’s community spirit.
Pre-Crozet Period The slopes of Bucks Elbow and Little Yellow Mountains are a section of the Blue Ridge Mountains and part of a story that goes back to the period in which the more extensive Appalachians were formed, nearly 500 million years ago. Picture for yourself the reptiles and amphibians swimming in a shallow inland sea covering present day Crozet, all the way to Virginia Beach. The Earth had been rifting and uplifting, and there was just massive bumping around of continents to create these mountains. They eroded, and there were volcanic eruptions, meteor strikes and massive animal extinction. Dinosaurs disappeared, and mammals came into being 60 million years ago. Man arrived less than 100,000 years ago. Signs of ancient times at Mint Springs mostly lie buried below our view. Look for the granite boulders, though, above the beach near the playground. The trucked-in beach sand is just ground-down, very old rock. Igneous and metamorphic rocks make up the area’s bedrock, which is buried and under a thick blanket of gritty saprolite, or chemically weathered rock. In the meadows and forests, the loamy soil, a mixture of sand, clay, silt and organic matter, developed over time ultimately to sustain generations of local farmers. Along the trails you might discover fossils of common mollusks. It seems odd to find these shells up on the trails, until you imagine the area when it was under water.
—continued from page 1
The Park Parks are a government’s commitment to preserve and develop land for the common good. Our county parks, like the national parks, are not blank slates, but come with a pedigree of sorts and the scars on the land from nature and generations of human disturbance. Mint Springs, the county’s second oldest park after Chris Greene Lake, which opened in 1969, has such a history. Youngsters and oldtimers visit, as do newcomers to the region who have not learned its history. Most of us drink in its splendor, temporarily quenching our thirst, and bathe in its vistas. Whether you fish, swim, bird
The Big Survey In the 1800s, pioneers surveyed
the area, moving in from the Shenandoah Valley or from the east, and settled here before there was a Crozet or a railroad. The old Via and Roach home sites from 100 years back can still be seen in the park. A cemetery near the park’s northern Via home site is bedded with non-native periwinkle, a traditional planting around graves; the gravestones are simple and the names of the deceased are unidentifiable. Shards of glass from kitchenware, relics from families who once lived there, lie scattered on the ground. A recently placed geo-cache treasure box is hidden nearby. A second home site, that of Henry Roach, faces southwest towards Greenwood, and a bench on its foundation overlooks existing local orchards. Families like the Ballards and Farishes made their homes in the valley of Bucks Elbow Mountain long before the area was coined Mint Springs. The Waylands and Jarmans arrived in the mid 1800s, settling west of what would become Crozet and establishing the first commercial orchards. David Wayland, whose home is beside the park, explained that the Mint Springs Valley name was likely chosen by his parents and their neighbors, the Pietches, in the early 1900s. He said that while it was true that there are springs and there is an abundance of mint in the area, the name Mint Springs Valley is not derived from any ancient story or unique species of plant or specific water source in the area. Jeremiah
Wayland, David’s great-grandfather, was a founding father of Crozet, and David’s grandfather road horseback seeking signatures for a petition to have the developing village named Crozet. Pete Farish spent much of his childhood living on Bucks Elbow Mountain and in the valley of what would one day become the park. When his family moved to this area in 1936, they rented a log home from T.S. Herbert, then owner of the property and of the Crozet Cold Storage facility. Several families were already living in the hills and hollows, and Pete played with the neighboring children whose last names were Bain, Via, Zellas, Tomlin, Rea, Roach and McAllister. They fished in the lake behind the now abandoned pumping station to the left of the entrance to the park. Pete’s father eventually purchased their rented house and the surrounding 550 acres for $7,000 and built a successful orchard operation. Farish confirmed that the area was not known as Mint Springs Valley until later. Their property was generally identified as the Ballard place. He remembers that his father paid workers two cents a bushel to pick apples. Over 5,000 trees include varieties such as Winesap, Delicious, Yellow Transparent, and Albemarle Pippin. While his family also grew a few hundred peach trees, the peaches did not keep as well, and therefore there was less of a market for them. Today a handful of trees that descended from those original trees Becky Ruscher
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Crozet gazette are all that remain of the orchards that once blanketed the hills of the property. An original orchard apple tree grows nearby the upper lake parking area, slightly obscured by other neighboring trees that have grown up around it. In the 1940s, when Pete was fighting in WWII, the orchard operation flourished. Apples were transported to town and loaded on railroad cars. Water for household use and irrigation was in demand as Crozet and the orchard operations grew. Cisterns farther up in the park irrigated the Farishs’ orchards. The irrigation heads of these cisterns are still visible in the winter and are identified on the park’s trail map. Crozet Water Company The private Crozet Water Company first impounded water from the mountain springs in the early 1900s, though for many in and around Crozet the main sources of water were from family wells. In 1945, the first substantial dam was constructed for what is now Middle Lake. At that time the watershed acreage around the lake was still owned by the Farish family. In 1947 the county purchased the water operation. Farish remembers that the water needs for the growing area and general drought conditions of the time created a problem for the county. Several wells were drilled, but the demand for water was no longer easily met. Acme Visible Records and Morton’s Frozen Foods arrived in 1951 and 1953 respectively, placing further water demands on the area. In 1952, the county approached Farish’s father intent on purchasing his property in the watershed. The Farishes had little choice but to accept the price that was offered. They moved off the property and relocated to Greenwood. The Upper Lake was built in 1955, and the county continued to purchase land in the watershed from neighboring farmers, accumulating the 520 acres that currently constitutes the park’s acreage. Beaver Creek Reservoir, built in 1970, ultimately replaced the lakes as Crozet’s main source of water. County Park I asked Farish, a retired plant operations director at UVA, what he would wish for the park. He was complimentary of county staff, who he said have continually improved the park, even in tough financial
June 2012
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times. Joe Goldsmith, former acting Albemarle County Parks director, and Matt Smith, current parks superintendent, reflected on how quickly the past 40 years have flown by. Many have lent a hand in developing the park’s amenities. Park maintenance staff work daily to keep the park looking tidy. Albemarle County Outdoor Recreation Supervisor Dan Mahon and Tucker Rollins, county trails maintenance supervisor, continue to work with volunteers, such as those from the Crozet Trails Crew, to maintain and develop trails, keeping in mind the goals of offering ways for visitors to experience the beauty of the park with minimal impact on the flora and fauna. A common mantra: “Walk softly and leave no trace.” I walked one of the trails one May morning and upon almost landing on top of a young black snake, I yelled out. (Wonder what the snake thought.) Our footprint on what is now Mint Springs Valley Park has been brief and relatively insignificant. There is no record yet of ancient cave art, Native American burial grounds, or Civil War skirmishes. Orchards and farmland gave way to a growing county’s need for water. The park area made the news in 1959 when 26 people died on a Piedmont Airlines plane that crashed into the side of the mountain just north of the current park. A memorial monument was built in 1999 near the park’s entrance. Though our time in the park may be fleeting, our presence is nevertheless felt. The children are swimming again in the cold reservoir waters of the spring and stream-fed Upper Lake. Their feet touch the slimy algae on the bottom of the clear lake; their legs occasionally are bumped and explored by little fish. Trout fishing is reaching its spring conclusion; the water will soon be too warm for the recently stocked trout. The picnic grounds are bustling with the sound of family gatherings, happenings perhaps not too unlike those shared here by generations before. A lone hawk flies high overhead; his view is more expansive. He clears the treetops and comes to perch on a rock overhang. He will not be here long either, but the Old Red Oak on Fire Trail may still be. For information about the park, go to www.albemarle.org or pick up a trail map at the park kiosk.
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
Congratulations, Local Graduates of PVCC!
upcoming community events
Nine graduates from the Crozet Gazette readership area were among the 569 graduates who received degrees and certificates at Piedmont Virginia Community College’s 39th annual commencement May 11. The graduating class is the largest in the college’s history. Honors, or academic distinction based on a 4.0 grade point average, were cum laude (with honors) for those who earned 3.2-3.499, magna cum laude (with high honors) for 3.5-3.799, and summa cum laude (with highest honors) for 3.8-4.0. Isaac Reid Davis, cum laude, of Crozet was awarded an Associate of Science degree in general studies. He plans to attend Old Dominion University to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in professional communication. He is the son of Alexandra Clarke and Edward Davis of Crozet. Heather Fink, cum laude, was awarded an Associate of Science degree in education. She is employed with Kohl’s Department Store and plans to attend Virginia Tech in the fall. She and her husband, Richard, reside in Crozet. She is the daughter of Ben and Sue Houchens of Crozet. Richard Fink was awarded an Associate of Science degree in general studies. He is employed with Omni Hotel Charlottesville and plans to attend Virginia Tech in the fall. He is the son of Glenn and Susan Fink of Crozet. Miranda Lacy, magna cum laude, was awarded an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing. She plans to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. She is the daughter of Debbie and Ashley Lacy of
June 9
Crozet. Rachel Marshall, magna cum laude, was awarded an Associate of Science degree in education. She is employed with Bounce n’ Play of Charlottesville and Life Journey Church. She plans to attend the University of Virginia Curry School of Education. She is the daughter of Lela and Rick Marshall of Crozet. Samantha Maynard of Crozet was awarded an Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts. The daughter of Patricia and Dan Maynard of Crozet, she plans to attend Virginia Tech. Allison Miles, summa cum laude, was awarded an Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts. She is employed with the City of Charlottesville Parks and Recreation as a volleyball referee and plans to attend U.Va. in the fall. She is the daughter of Diane and Fred Miles of Ivy. Charlotte Russell, magna cum laude (honors program), was awarded an Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts. She plans to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology and creative writing at U.Va. She is the daughter of Wayne Russell of North Garden and the late Kathryn Russell. Alana Danielle Yuhasz, magna cum laude, was awarded an Associate of Science degree in education. She will attend James Madison University in the fall and pursue a bachelor’s degree in social work. She is the daughter of Karen and Michael Yuhasz of Crozet.
a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on 596 Half Mile Branch Road for $7.00 per plate. The event is sponsored by the Trustee Board to benefit the church’s Building Fund
Mud Bug at Rockfish Valley Volunteer Fire Department The “Pit of Dreams” Mud Bog will be held June 9 at the Rockfish Valley Volunteer Fire Department at 11100 Rockfish Valley Highway in Afton. Gates will open at 9 a.m. and the first truck will go in the mud at noon. Admission is $10; children 12 and under free with a paying adult. Bring a lawn chair and watch the mud fly! Concessions available. For more information, call 434361-1826 or 434-962-8302, or visit www.rockfishfireandrescue.com.
June 16
RVCC Art Reception
Rockfish Valley Community Center in Afton will host a “Welcome Summer” art reception Saturday, June 16, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Local artists’ work reflecting summer themes will be on display. Complimentary refreshments will be served.
June 26
Crozet Library Groundbreaking
June 9
Church Barbeque Fundraiser
A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Crozet Library will be held at its site on Library Avenue Tuesday June 26 at 11:30 a.m. Local government and library officials will make brief remarks before putting shovels to work. The public is invited.
Piedmont Baptist Church in Yancey Mills, is having a Barbeque on Saturday, June 9, from 11:00
Kiwanis Awards Crozet Resident Scholarship Kyle Harvey, 2012 graduate from Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro has been awarded a Kiwanis Club of Waynesboro Key Club Scholarship in the amount of $500. Harvey is the son of Greg and Tracie Harvey of Crozet. Harvey will be using his scholarship to attend Virginia Tech this Be healt
fall and will study Mining or Biological Systems Engineering. Harvey spent the last five years at Fishburne where he participated in the Kiwanis Key Club for the last four years, serving as club secretary for two years and as club president this year. Prior to that Harvey attended Crozet elementary.
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—continued from page 1
tion of the new project manager. “The scale has gotten to the point where it needs more day-to-day management,” he explained. “It’s been a decade at Old Trail now. We’re positioning it for the next decade. “We’re starting with easy things and proceeding to complicated things.” For starters, he said, they will be doing more to ensure shade around the Old Trail swimming pool and they are making turf and tee improvements on the golf course. Two complete blocks of the project between the village center and Rt. 250 are about to start construction, he said. Each block will have 35-40 houses in it, mainly singlefamily homes with some townhouses facing Old Trail Drive. Bush said he expects eight foundations to be put in in the first block in June. The lots in both blocks are completely sold out to builders, mainly the same companies that have been building in the project in recent years.
Bush said new development will put an emphasis on urban parks and increasing the green space in the plan. The team has hired the noted Charlottesville landscape architecture firm Nelson Byrd Woltz, which was instrumental in the creation of the Crozet Master Plan in 2004, to imagine the future features of the project. The firm won prizes for its design of a planned community named WaterColor, similar to and next door to Seaside, Florida, an admired New Urbanist-concept project. “They are helping us create a framework of urban blocks with urban parks,” said Bush. “It’s a refinement of the master plan for the project.” Bush said that planning for the next set of commercial buildings in the village is underway and that three separate structures are being contemplated. “The goal is to create independent buildings that feel more like a village,” he said. “We’ll sell those as independent parcels.” He said details for the new buildings will not be finalized for another six months.
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CROZET NIGHT
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Old Trail
June 2012
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Sat., June 16 | 7:00 p.m. Generals vs. New Market Kate Collins Field
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
Free Union Grass Farm Rejects the Factory Farm Model Joel Slezak and Erica Hellen have stepped up to the front lines of the local food movement. Joel, who grew up in Free Union with small farm experience, and Erica, who worked under organic food crusader Joel Salatin at his Polyface Farm in Augusta County, are now managing 33 acres they call the Free Union Grass Farm off Blufton Mill Road. They are raising chickens, ducks and beef that local buyers can have confidence were raised wholesomely and humanely and slaughtered responsibly. They started in April 2010. “Our idea is to grow slowly.” They are on 13 acres of land owned by Slezak’s mother, Denise Zito, and they rent a 20-acre parcel next door to have enough land to farm. They come over every day to manage the farm from their home on Garth Road. It takes them an hour every morning to do their moving chores and fill waterers. They can reach some tanks with hoses, but some water must be carried. In the winter Erica works for Hunt Country Corner Store and Joel does carpentry and painting. As with Salatin’s method, it’s all about pasture management and daily rotations of the animals to keep them on fresh, rested land. The egg-laying chickens lead the way. They have 65 laying hens, Barred Rocks and Anconas, known as dependable layers, that roost and lay in a shelter built on a farm wagon frame. The rest of the day they spend outside hunting bugs inside a circle of 164 feet of portable netting. “Since November we’ve tracked
every egg and it seems to be profitable,” said Slezak. “The egg market is growing. The chickens fertilize like crazy. They scratch aggressively and work manure into the soil. We manage completely with animals.” They do not own a tractor or bush hog. They shift the location of the wagon they call “the egg roll” with their pick-up truck. “We’re going to try Golden Comets,” said Slezak. “They are supposed to be not skittish. We tried a mixed set of hens and found we lost some production. I’m thrilled about eggs.” They are getting about four dozen eggs a day this time of year. The layers are watered from a 50-gallon drum in the shelter that will hold five day’s supply. One of the complications with their goal of maximizing their pasture health and their method of moving their stock daily is maintaining the animals’ easy access to water. In the next field are nine head of cattle, including five cows and one heifer.
Joel Slezak and Erica Hellen
“The beef is a slowly growing enterprise,” said Slezak. “Using a single strand of electric fence makes it important to have a tame herd. We take pride in how calm they are. We are with them everyday.” The breed is called British White, a relatively unknown breed that is moderately large, naturally hornless and considered very docile. “The story is that it’s part of a royal herd that was brought to Virginia during a plague,” said Slezak. It is considered a dual-purpose breed, meaning reasonably good at both meat and milk production. They are white with black speckles across their chests, and black muzzles and tips on their ears. “Flies are bad,” Slezak noted as he patted one cow. “We want to be natural and we also want the cattle to be comfortable. We wrestle with that all the time.” The cattle were in a small pasture
that the meat chickens had thoroughly scratched over the year before. The pasture grass was thick, lush and deep green. Slezak said his pastures are so healthy that they need only to feed hay to the cows for about about 60 days over the winter. They buy round bales and in the spirit of keeping things moving they allow the bales to stay on the same spot for only a day. In another field are ducks. They are raising straight-run (meaning both boys and girls) Pekins that they get as day-old ducklings. They have five coops for ducks, each 12-by-12 feet, that they designed themselves. Ducks use 20-gallon waters and they need a secondary water source where they can dunk their heads. “We love them,” said Slezak. “They put down a lot of manure and they’ll eat weeds. Cows really only want grass.”
LOVE The laying hens outside their “egg roll”
continued on page 34
Crozet United Methodist Church and the Kingswood Christian Preschool 1156 Crozet Avenue 823-4420 www.crozetumc.org @crozetumc
You are welcome here.
Crozet gazette
June 2012
11
Nellysford’s Bold Rock Cidery Begins Bottling Bold Rock Cidery in Nellysford, coming off a deal to distribute its four varieties of hard cider through Anheuser Busch, has begun commercial-scale bottling its crisp tasting apple beverage. Demand for the cider from Virginia beer distributorships caused cidery owners John Washburn and Brian Shanks to delay plans to construct two buildings designed for visitors to the operation and build instead a building that expanded the cidery’s capacity to crush and juice apples prior to fermentation. That building, which looks like a barn near the barn that houses the cidery’s original tanks and bottling line, now houses a continuous belt press apple crusher capable of processing up to one ton of apples per hour. Five of Anheuser Busch’s regional distributorships in Virginia, covering nearly all the state except for Roanoke and a distant part of Southwest, have placed orders for
roughly 55,000 cases of Bold Rock cider over the next year. Last year, total hard cider production in Virginia was just 16,000 cases, according to Shanks. Two varieties of cider will be sold in longneck 12-ounce bottles. One named Virginia Apple, with a pale gold-green appearance, is 4.7 percent alcohol by volume. The other, called Virginia Draft, is amber tinted and has 6.9 percent alcohol. They will be in six-packs that sell for $8.95. Two premium hard ciders will also be sold under the names Crimson Ridge Vat No. 1 and Crimson Ridge Vintage Dry. Those will be in 750 milliliter bottles, resembling champagne bottles, with foil caps. “We’re trying to get [supplying] Virginia squared away before we think about going out of state,” said Shanks. “We believe we can satisfy Virginia demand.” Shanks said the distributors are looking for a cider that can meet customer interest in drinking a locally made product that also uses local apples. “They all want us now,” said coowner Robin Washburn. “It’s been marvelous. We’re thrilled. We’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the demand. We don’t want to disappoint anyone. We want everyone to like the products.” Washburn said national brewing companies came calling on Bold Rock because of Shanks’ international reputation as a hard cider maker. A New Zealander, Shanks is living in the U.S. on an “O” visa, the designation for individuals who are among the world’s leading experts in their specialties. He has studied and worked out his formulas with precise care. Shanks is secretive and protective about his recipes
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for cider. That Virginia Apple “is a mix of varieties predominated by Granny Smiths,” was as much as he would say. Virginia Apple gives off a clean apple scent when it’s opened, as if a pippin apple were being peeled, and it has a fresh, smooth thirst-quenching flavor with a light carbonation to it. Virginia Draft looks more beer-like. Neither style is particularly sweet. “They are tailored to majority tastes,” said Shanks. “We’re looking forward to the customer reaction. We think they’ll stand up. “Cider is between beer and wine. It crosses over occasions. It’s a good thirst-quenching drink. Crimson Ridge is more toward the wine side. Ours will be on tap at hotels and taverns.” The bottling line, built in Italy and set up in the cidery by an Italian technician, will label, fill and cap 55 bottles per minute. Bold Rock is also bottling in kegs. “The cider market is moving bullishly and we expect the [sales] figures to double in the next couple of years,” said Shanks. “We’re just
beginning here. Virginia has a wonderful climate for apples and there is no shortage of apples here. We have generations of experience in our apple growers and that was a big consideration in locating here. “Cider has a history going back to colonial days. There’s been a resurgence of interest in it in the last four years. We’re adding something extra by being able to make it on a commercial scale while keeping its artisanal style, the handmade, craft manufacture. “Our path makes economic sense. For Virginia to have its own cider brands, we need to move the goal posts a little. Eight months ago we were in Winchester and noticed a woman drinking cider on tap. We knew we have to move faster. We made a bold decision to invest in the [juicing] machinery and bottling lines. John Washburn said construction of the timber frame cidery and restaurant originally expected to be underway now will begin as soon as possible. He expects it to be open in a year.
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
Misty Mountain Alpacas, A Retirement Dream Come True by Kathy Johnson When Ralph and Sandra Muraca retired, they had an idea of what they wanted to do and after a few trips of exploration they found what Sandra calls “heaven on earth,” the small farm near Avon they named Misty Mountain. There is a distinct hum in the air at Misty Mountain. Really. It’s a soft, gentle sound somewhere between a hum and a purr, sometimes described as a musical purring, that comes from the Muraca’s herd of Suri alpacas. “We retired from NASA in the Hampton Roads area,” said Sandra. “We moved up here about five years ago to get away from all that congestion, to this beautiful country in the mountains. I mean this is heaven to us.” The view out their windows is one of rolling lands on one side and the Blue Ridge Mountains on the other. “We’ve always loved animals and we bought a little bit of land and we then considered many different things – miniature donkeys, rescue horses, potbellied pigs,” Sandy said. After weighing all the options, they
decided on alpacas. “They are a wonderful lifestyle for us. It was right up our alley.” Alpacas are native to the Andes in South America where they have been raised for their fleece for more than 6,000 years. They were first imported to the U.S. in the mid1980s and have become a premier livestock in North America and abroad. In the U.S. they are raised primarily for their soft fleece and their companionship. There are two types of alpaca, the Suri (pronounced surrey) and the Huacaya (pronounced wah-KI’-ya). “The only difference between the two is in the fleece,” explained Sandra. The Suri fleece lies flat against the body and creates what are call “pencil locks” that hang down from the body in gentle cascades. The Huacaya fleece is flatter and lies or hangs against the alpacas with a certain wave or curl to it that causes them to look fluffier. Alpacas are not pack animals like Llamas and they are smaller. Sandra showed samples of the fleece (the unprocessed fur-like hair), which feels incredibly soft.
Sandra Muraca
“Alpaca fleece is as soft as cashmere, has the luster of silk and is warmer and stronger than wool, and because it contains no lanolin, it is easier to process and is hypoallergenic. Suri fiber is virtually itch-less, easy to dye and comes in 22 natural colors (or shades). There are even alpacas that are colored like appaloosa horses with their spotted coat pattern. It’s unbelievable to look at that color combination,” said Sandra.
“People buy the yarn or the fiber and some want the whole blanket,” said Ralph, who acknowledged that they had some trouble finding a mill that can properly spin the fleece into yarn. The fashion industry likes the fiber and it is in high demand in the fashion industry because it is lightweight, warm, durable, soft and not itchy, Sandra said. Hand-spinners continued on page 21
Alexander Salomon, MD, Joins UVA
Dr. Salomon brings to the community his extensive experience in caring for those with diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. He also specializes in addressing the unique needs of geriatric patients. Dr. Salomon attended medical school and completed residency training at Georgetown University and worked in private practice for 12 years before joining UVA. Same day appointments available 434.243.0700 (office hours include Thursday evenings 5 to 7 p.m.)
UVA Family Medicine, Internal Medicine & Specialty Care - Crozet Suite 103, 375 Four Leaf Lane (250 West) Crozet, VA
Crozet gazette
June 2012
13
Winans Becomes New Pastor At Cornerstone Church
Chris Winans is the new pastor at Crozet’s Cornerstone Church. He calls himself “bi-vocational” because he has a regular job with Dominion Virginia Power working its operations center in Richmond, where he and his wife and three children are living, at least for now. Winans comes to Crozet on Fridays and spends the weekends. He is in town often on Tuesday afternoons, too. Winans has been in the ministry for more than 30 years, mainly in churches in North Carolina and Virginia, but he also has spent years as a missionary in Mauritius and Japan. He did his undergraduate work in sacred music (he plays the piano) and went to seminary at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He has moved 17 times following God, he said. He is waiting for “clearance from God” before making the move to Crozet. “It’s a God-thing,” Winans said about his coming to Cornerstone. “When you walk with Him on a
consistent basis, every day, there is a pattern. You follow the pattern it is showing you in your life. You do the last thing God told you to do and you keep doing it until he tells you to do something else.” Winans said he writes in his journal daily to help himself observe the pattern. He had been serving at Bethany Place Baptist Church, in Chesterfield, and started reading about cell-based churches in which the emphasis is placed on small groups that congregate for worship services on Sundays. This is Cornerstone’s style. Cells have 12 to 15 members who meet one evening during the week to talk about their spiritual life and what’s happening in their daily lives. If cells get too large, new ones are formed from them. “The cell is where the ‘body life’ takes place,” Winans said. “It’s a great model.” Cornerstone is one of several similar churches organized in two networks. “It is non-denomina-
Chris Winans
tional,” said Winans. “It spun off from Mennonite roots. It was started about 25 years ago by Gerald Martin, a minister in Harrisonburg.” The network’s apostolic council, which is composed of pastors from Cornerstone churches, called Winans last fall about taking up the Crozet church. “My vision is to have the church reach out to the community,” he said. “How can we help you?” He asked members of the congregation to choose five people to pray for and
to ultimately settle on one of them to develop a stronger relationship with. “Over time, you see where you can help them,” he explained. “My job is to train and encourage people to be disciples and to make disciples of others.” Cornerstone has six cells now and regular attendance on Sunday ranges between 70 and 80 worshippers, Winans said. “Some traditional churches are dying because they don’t want to do continued on page 43
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
By Dr. Robert C. Reiser crozetannals@crozetgazette.com
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction The beginning of my professional career in Emergency Medicine was not auspicious, but it was instructional. I had moved to Pittsburgh in June of 1988 to begin internship at a big city hospital. The day before I was to start, my son got very sick with a high fever—105 degrees. We had no pediatrician yet and so I took him to the one place I knew would help us, my new workplace, the ER. I explained to the triage nurse why we were there and, oh, by the way, I am starting internship here tomorrow morning. She didn’t even glance up at this exciting news. Well, I was sure this information would get passed along eventually and I would be warmly greeted and my son expeditiously cared for. About two hours later it occurred to me that this happy procession was not in the immediate offing and I approached the same triage nurse again. “Excuse me, my son has a very high fever, when do you think someone might be able to look at him?” “Sirrrr,” replied the massively overweight, manners-challenged triage nurse, venom dripping off her every word, “This is a trauma center. We have very sick people here who need care.” “Yes, but my son has a fever of 105. I think he might be very sick too.” “Oh, and what medical school
did you graduate from?” she asked with obvious sarcasm. “Uh, Georgetown, actually, I am starting internship here tomorrow,” I reminded her. Now she glared at me, her broad face pinching tightly and her beady little eyes narrowing. Hot flares of ruddy red erythema erupted on her greasy cheeks. Her breathing became labored and wheezy. “Oh, an intern! Well let me just move you up to the head of line then, in front of all these other sick people, hmmm?” Jeez, what kind of place was this I was about to commit three years of my life to? I slunk back to my seat and assured my wife that I was told we were next in line. Finally, desperate enough to buck the system, I flashed my brand new hospital ID badge to the security guard while the triage nurse had her back turned and casually sauntered back to the treatment area. I was recognized by several of the medical staff from my previous interview visits and they were quick to get my son called in from the waiting room. This earned me dagger looks from the triage nurse, who my wife promptly christened with the nick name “Red Cheeks.” It was clear I had made an enemy before even starting in my new workplace. Great! Years later Red Cheeks would get arrested and fired for physically assaulting one too many patients, but that was after I left the program. That was 24 years ago. Most ERs operated on a somewhat similar ethos; only the truly sick were at Crozet Children’s Health Center P.C.
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deemed worthy of ER attention and the patients seemed to accept this social contract as well. The emergency department was for emergencies, routine medical conditions were to be cared for in routine medical offices. How far we have come since those early days of the specialty. Twenty percent of Americans will visit an ER this year. A 2010 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that emergency visit rates have increased at twice the rate of growth of the U.S. population from 1997 to 2007. With this exploding popularity (some would say mission creep) has come an increased focus on patient satisfaction. Patients are surveyed weekly to generate patient satisfaction scores for each ER doctor. Many ERs tie physician salaries to high patient satisfaction scores. Patient advocates are available 24/7 to mediate conflicts between unhappy patients or families and their caregivers, like UN peacekeepers trying to navigate the rifts between Bosnia and Serbia. Marshall Field, the Chicago department store tycoon, once famously proclaimed that the customer is always right. This sentiment has crept into healthcare as a
business as well. When I graduated from medical school I was told the secret to a successful medical practice was affability, availability, and ability, and in that order. Of course there is a fundamental difference between patients and customers. Sometimes doctors have to hurt in order to heal. Not everything we tell patients is good news. Certainly no one appreciates my sound advice to modify their lifestyle choices in order to be healthier. But I still mention it occasionally, gently, I hope (for the sake of my patient satisfaction scores). Which brings me finally to the point of this month’s column, the tongue in cheek advice about affability being more important than ability was meant to highlight the opposite truth. Patient satisfaction is a two-edged sword and it can be deadly for patients. An intriguing study, published in March in the Archives of Internal Medicine followed 52,000 patients over five years. The most satisfied patients were 8 percent less likely to visit ERs, (which may explain my sagging patient satisfaction scores; happy patients are staying home) but the most satisfied patients had an increase in mortality of 26 percent. Oops.
continued on page 25
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June 2012
Crozet gazette
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About 65 fancy cars and trucks came out for a cruise-in car show in the parking lot of the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department May 19. The event raised about $1,200 for the firefighters, according to organizers Richard “Boogie Man” Raemsch and Richard McGlothlin. The show included several ‘60s muscle cars, mainly Chevys, and a couple of Shelby Mustangs. Randy Layman brought his Brookeville Roadster, a 1931 Ford Model A pickup that he rebuilt with his best friend, Glenn Gibson, who died six years ago. “He was a genius at whatever he set out to do,” Layman said of Gibson. They spent more than three years building the car together and Layman has not shown it off much since Gibson’s death. It has a small block Chevy ZZ4 engine in it that produces 350 horsepower. “It will go as fast as you are brave,” said Layman. The car has won prizes and been written up in national magazines. Layman drove it once on the track at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Kim Stone of Fishersville brought his ’68 Chevy Camaro for folks to
gawk at. He used to race it at Eastside Speedway in Waynesboro. The engine, which Stone built, is 427 cubic inches and has between 550 and 600 horsepower. It will do 130 mph on a quarter-mile track. “It will take you sideways uphill,” Stone said. “It will scare you. But you can’t outrun the police radio. We found that out when we were kids.” It has a fantastic sound system in it. “It has to be good to be heard above the engine,” Stone explained. The engine noise is a spooky, cavernously deep rumble, as if Thor is growling beyond the clouds. “If I sold it, I’d just have to buy another one,” Stone said. He takes it around to shows on weekends now. “This event is all about the fire department,” Raemsch told the crowd. “When you hear sirens at night and you’re in bed, these firemen are out there keeping us safe.” An elegant grandfather clock was raffled off and won by Wayne Craig of Waynesboro. Paul Seal handled the DJ duties for the show and played a lot of songs that talk about cars.
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
17
by Phil James phil@crozetgazette.com
Roundabout Sugar Hollow Road dust covered John James’ well-worn shoes as he finally stepped into the shady relief of Dr. L. G. Roberts’ covered front porch in White Hall. July 1913 was a typical dry scorcher in central Virginia’s Blue Ridge foothills and the trek left the 73-year-old’s handkerchief soaked with perspiration. His jacket pocket held an important document that only his physician could complete. The 5½-mile walk from his home in Sugar Hollow was nothing, really, for the aging but still vital mountain man. After all, he had made his roundabout way into these mountains more than a half-century earlier, all the way from his boyhood home in South Carolina’s Piedmont foothills. When the South’s newly-minted Confederate government issued a call for able-bodied men, Johnny and his younger brother James bid their parents a teary goodbye and left the family farm
John N. James, on left with walking cane, in Sugar Hollow visiting with campers from the city of Charlottesville, c.1920. [Photo courtesy of Thelma Via Wyant]
John Napoleon James, 1839–1926, a Civil War veteran originally from South Carolina. He met his wife-to-be in 1861 at a soldiers’ hospital in White Hall. [Photo courtesy of the James family]
to go soldiering for a year. But that year turned into “the duration,” and the hardships and deprivations imposed by the conflict would forever affect their lives. The brothers’ paths led to places with names including First and Second Manassas, Williamsburg, Sharpsburg, Seven Pines, Seven Days around Richmond, Sailor’s Creek, and the infamous Point Lookout, Maryland, POW Camp. Their separation from home was made more difficult when word came that first one and then the other of their parents died during their absence, leaving the younger siblings still at home to be cared for by others. On the 22nd of July 1861, immediately following the Battle of Bull Run at Manassas, Johnny, sick and feverish from a measles outbreak in camp, was sent with other casualties to the CSA General Hospital at Charlottesville. To make room for others, when the soldier-patients were ambulatory they were moved to private homes and public buildings to recuperate until they could return to full service. Johnny was with a group sent to Mount Moriah Methodist Church in White Hall to be looked after by the caring people in that community.
Among the locals who brought in food items for the soldiers was the family of Hiram and Harriet Via from Sugar Hollow. But it was their 16-year-old daughter Frances Anna who brought the most improvement to Private Johnny James’ outlook. Whether it was her apple pies or her twinkling eyes, the two developed an interest in one another that helped them endure the bleak war years. In January 1865, having obtained a 21-day furlough from his winter camp near Fredericksburg, Johnny made his way back to Charlottesville where he applied for a marriage license. Four days later, John Napoleon James and Frances Anna Via were wed at her daddy’s house in the mountain hollow. Their nuptial day was likely festive, based on writings by Elizabeth Via Gochenour who recalled her own wedding day: “I was married [in 1899] at my house in Sugar Hollow. That was a busy day for everyone except me. My Mother and Aunt Fannie James were busy making preparations and getting the meal all planned, to be served after the wedding ceremony... Aunt Fannie was very artistic in doing things. Of course, preparations had been
continued on page 18
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Sugar Hollow —continued from page 17
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
going on for some time. They baked cookie dough in strips maybe eight or ten inches long and iced them and built up three corner pans. In the center of the table Aunt Fannie took four or five pounds of butter and made it look like a pitcher. She even had flowers made out of butter.” John-N and Fannie endured nearly four years of separation by the war, and then embraced the joys and hardships of married life for 52 years. During their first twenty years of marriage their home was enriched by the births of twelve children. Each day when he stepped outside, John had the responsibility of providing for that growing family. He farmed the hillsides, raised honey bees and ran trap lines. He stripped bark and cut extract wood to sell to the tanning trade. His grandson Emory Wyant recalled: “The people over here in the valley had grazing farms on the mountain and he looked after their cattle. They’d drive fifty or sixty head of cattle in a bunch. Bring ‘em over in the spring and take ‘em back in the fall. It required a lot of repairing of fences. He also had hogs and chickens and things they had to feed, cows to milk.” Cora Grim Bowen, a granddaughter, said, “Oh, I remember him real, real good. My daddy had a log house up on the upper end of his place. I remember one time I was up there and it come up an awful ‘lectric storm. It liked to
scared me to death. I was walking the floor—I was so nervous. He come and said to me, ‘I’ve been around an awful long time and I’m an old man. This little log house will stand three times more than what your big house down there will stand.’ It was such a comfort to me. He was the nicest old man. I was fond of Granddaddy.” Another granddaughter, Lizzie Wyant Wood, remembered visiting with her James grandparents when their house stood where the Sugar Hollow Girl Scout Camp is today: “It was two stories, ‘cause we slept upstairs. It was a pretty good-sized little old house. You’d go through a little hall onto what we called the back porch. But it was closed in like a room. Grandma kept her [pie] safe there. I could smell them cookies and things. You’d go out of that room and into the kitchen. She kept pies cooking. Cake or something cooked all the time. Momma would say, ‘Well, Grandma’s been sick. Ya’ll eat before you go and don’t ask Grandma for nothing to eat.’ We’d go up there to Grandma’s for something, or Momma would send us up to check on her. She’d say, ‘Don’t ya’ll want something to eat?’ We’d say, No Ma’am. We done eat. ‘Well don’t ya’ll want a little piece of cake? Want a cookie or a piece of pie?’ Grandma asked us to get it, so we’d get it!” “Grandad wasn’t satisfied anywhere after Grandma passed away,” recalled Emory Wyant. “He had a bunch of children and he would just go from one to the other. He’d go get a walking cane. First thing
These tent platforms at the Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline’s Sugar Hollow Program Center are located near the last homeplace of John N. and Frances Via James. [Photo by Phil James]
Frances Anna Via James, 1845–1917. A lifelong Sugar Hollow resident known for her love of family and delicious baked treats. [Photo courtesy of the James family]
you would know, we would miss him. Wouldn’t know where Grandad was. We figured he’d just took off. Get a letter next week and maybe he’s over at Aunt Emily’s or Aunt Hattie’s. He’d have gone from one to the other. He’d walk across the mountain or catch a ride over there. People up in the hollow, everybody knew Grandad. Here he’d go with his cane, chewing his tobacco. He never smoked but he did chew.” By 1913, the old soldier and family man had slowed considerably. The value of his real estate was $300 and his total annual income was about $75. He had determined to see if he qualified for a pension from the State as a “disabled Confederate soldier”. The lengthy form that he carried to Dr. Roberts included financial disclosures and affidavits from commanding officers, comrades from the war, and the local Veteran’s Camp. The doctor’s examination determined that he suffered continuing effects from a shell fragment which injured his hip in a battle at Williamsburg in May 1862. He also noted various other scars and evidences of injury. The resulting pension was initially approved for $3/ month, but was reduced without explanation to $2 monthly. When Mr. James passed away in 1926 at the age of 86½, eleven of his beloved children survived him. They in turn had enlarged his earthly quiver with 98 grandchildren and 94 great grandchildren.
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 © 2003–2012 Phil James
Crozet gazette
June 2012
inthegarden@crozetgazette.com
Water-Wise Gardening Precipitation for 2012 has been running somewhat below normal, although we do seem to be doing fairly well recently. And by the time you read this, it’s possible that we may have either endured a deluge or be back into hot, dry weather. Given these typical uncertainties, it’s not a bad idea to reexamine some ways for gardeners to deal with erratic rainfall. One of the most basic ways to address water-use in your garden is by improving your soil. To many gardeners, soil is the least appealing part of what we do, but it’s critical to plant survival. If you’re either putting in a new bed or an entirely new garden, that’s your best opportunity to improve your soil. Bringing in loads of topsoil is the quick and dirty method of starting a new bed; however, it may not be the best course of action. You’ll achieve better results by incorporating organic matter and fertilizer into your existing soil. This is a major undertaking, requiring tilling
four inches of compost or manure into the top eight inches of soil. However, it’s not a good idea to merely amend the soil of the planting hole. This leads to the “clay pot syndrome,” where water is trapped in the hole by the surrounding unamended clay, leading to plant rot. Most of us are just trying to improve the soil structure in our existing beds. You can accomplish this by adding one or two inches of compost to the surface every three years or so. Ideally, this should be scratched down into the soil, but this is tricky around existing plants, and requires a lot of labor. Many of the same benefits can be achieved by mulching your beds periodically. Mulch helps to retain soil moisture and also improves the structure as it breaks down. It’s best applied after the soil has warmed up a bit and is thoroughly moist. Too much mulch is not good; avoid the tendency to add more just to freshen up its appearance. Three inches should be the maximum depth around woody plants, two inches around perennials. And in either case, mulch should not be piled around tree trunks or on the crown of a peren-
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nial. Putting mulch there can lead to rot and death. So, how much water do plants need? You’ve probably read plant descriptions that say, “Once established, Herbus virginicus is very drought-tolerant.” Don’t gloss over the first two words of that sentence. You must be prepared to provide a reliable supply of water for the first season of a perennial’s growth, and ideally, two to three years for trees and larger shrubs. This means about one inch of water per week, either from the clouds or from a hose, from spring through fall. And don’t trust your eyes to judge how much falls during a brief downpour. Put out a rain gauge, even if it’s just an old tuna-fish can. Just empty it once a week to prevent mosquito breeding. The one inch per week rule is just a rough average for most plants and is not meant to indicate the frequency of watering, only the amount. For the first month after plants are in the ground, keep a
19
watchful eye on soil moisture. In very hot weather and absent significant rainfall, you may have to water every two or three days, especially for small plants. Apply water both near the plant’s crown and away from it in order to encourage the roots to spread outward. Deep watering will encourage root penetration farther into the soil. The one inch per week rule applies primarily to new plantings. Following the establishment period, most plants should be able to go two or three weeks without water. Growth will slow down or cease, but they will survive. Remember, that’s what plants out in the woods are putting up with. Conventional sprinklers and automated irrigation systems are not the ideal ways to provide water to plants, since both lose considerable water to evaporation and tend to have spotty coverage. The worst thing about automated irrigation continued on page 25
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
By John Andersen, DVM gazettevet@crozetgazette.com
Ten Random Things Ok, I’m at a loss for a column this month. So, taking a page from many neatly packaged columns and periodicals, here are 10 random thoughts that came into my head tonight. 1) The heat is here, so be careful for heat stroke! Remember that dogs are very heat sensitive compared to us. They don’t sweat and they are wearing fur coats. In my opinion, a temperature above 75 degrees is way too hot to take your dog jogging. Also, be careful with other types of active dogs playing in the heat. I recall my neighbors in Blacksburg calling me in a panic one evening. It was about 75 degrees and they were throwing the tennis ball for their
Clip th
Border Collie in their backyard. The dog was panting heavily and lying down every chance he got, but would still go chase after that ball every time they threw it. Finally he began to stumble and collapsed. He recovered after several days of illness. But for every case of heat stroke we see, there are probably a hundred heat exhaustion cases where the dogs come to us ill with vomiting and diarrhea after exercising in the heat. 2) I had to euthanize a dog this month because he was bitten by a raccoon that was positive for rabies. The dog was unvaccinated. It was very sad, and very preventable, and the dog was very sweet. Remember that rabies is NOT a rare disease around here. Virginia is typically in the top three states in the country
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for rabies cases in wildlife. So far in 2012, there have been over 200 confirmed cases in Virginia, four of those in Albemarle County (and these are only the reported, confirmed cases; surely more occur undocumented in the woods). But this is nothing new, so do not be afraid of going outdoors. However use your common sense. You should never try to approach raccoons, skunks, or foxes. They are wild and are the three most common rabies vectors in the state. Most importantly, keep your dogs and cats up to date on rabies vaccines, especially indoor/outdoor cats and dogs who are outside unsupervised. The main purpose of vaccinating our pets is to protect people! 3) We were presented a “feral” cat to spay for a rescue group we work with. We quickly found out she wasn’t so wild and I was able to give her a decent presurgical exam. I thought her belly was a bit distended, so I brought her into ultrasound and found that she was very pregnant! I did not spay her, and she is currently in the Monticello Animal Hospital maternity ward expecting four kittens any day now. We are all pretty excited to have some newborn kittens around. Cats make awesome moms. And momma is now a total lap cat. 4) A Jack Russell Terrier was very sick a few weeks ago and I suspected an intestinal foreign body. I took him to surgery and removed a black walnut from his small intestine. Good news: the dog made a full recovery. Bad news: there are black walnuts everywhere! 5) Lyme disease really is the bane of our existence these days. Both of my dogs are vaccinated against this and I use Frontline monthly. Last week I took my dog running (65 degrees!) through the Old Trail XC
course. I found three ticks when we got home. The next morning there were four more dead ticks in his crate. Thank you Frontline! I do not mourn the death of ticks. 6) I also had a chocolate toxicity case this month. A medium sized dog ate a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. She came in having vomiting, full body tremors, and a heart rate of 220 beats per minute (way fast!). Good news: the dog made a full recovery. Bad news: the dog regrets nothing. 7) Thunderstorms are here, and so is thunderstorm anxiety in dogs. For mild to moderate cases, just ignore your dog (don’t try to console them, it only feeds the anxiety) and make sure they have a dark quiet place to hide (if they choose to). For many dogs though, the anxiety is extreme, breaking out of the house, chewing through doors, or just suffering with extreme anxiety. Thundershirts are all the rage (Google it: a tight-fitting compression jacket), but they don’t work for everyone. Many dogs do well with gentle sedatives like alprazolam, but it’s hard to get it in them before the storm comes! 8) Spring allergy season seems to be coming to a close; it was a really bad one. Unfortunately, it’s now summer allergy season. 9) I have to admit it, I have jumped right in to the barefoot running movement. I figure if my dog can do it, then so can I. I’m up to four miles barefoot on pavement, no blisters! My dog thinks I’m a wimp when I run with shoes on. 10) Living in Crozet, there are few activities more enjoyable than a hike at Sugar Hollow with my family and my dogs. My son is infinitely entertained by all the nature and our dogs are in heaven. It’s the way play should be. We are blessed!
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Crozet gazette
Alpacas
—continued from page 12
also appreciate the quality of the fiber. “There has been a small movement in the textile industry to bring big production back into this country,” said Sandra. Some foreign markets use a lot of alpaca, but, like many things, that’s not happening in this country. “So instead of us sending our beautiful yarn to Europe,” she said, “--actually, Peru is buying our [U.S.] yarn, because it is better quality than what they can do because of our environment and we take better care of our animals here--we really want to start a movement, the Alpaca industry, to get back to the textile industry in America. Let’s use this wonderful fiber. This is a new market for us.” Still, breeding stock is more important and valuable to the Muracas than fleeces. “We bought high-end breeding stock and we are interested in selling breeding stock,” said Sandra. Their animals came from a lineage bred by Don Julio E. Barreda, from Peru. Barreda died in 2006
June 2012 but he was passionate about the importance of maintaining pure bred Suri alpacas because of their superior quality fiber. “We wanted to pick up on that 40 years of experience he already had by buying his animals.” The Muracas share Barreda’s passion for careful breeding and husbandry. They attend shows around the country (much like registered dog shows) where they see “the best of the best,” Sandra said. In Peru, Sandra explained, “They only wanted white alpaca. So Don Barreda bred out all the color. So they’re all-white. If you get a colored one, that one is now very valuable in Peru.” “Now they are specifically trying to get color back into the line,” Ralph added. Alpacas are earth-friendly farm animals. “They are really green animals,” he said, “because their padded feet, which only have two toes, don’t damage the soil in the pastures.” They eat grass and hay with small amounts of grain. Alpacas also have a three-compartment stomach that efficiently converts their food into energy, Sandra said. “The annual cost to feed them is less than
21
Ralph and Sandra Muraca
the family dog.” September will be a big month at Misty Mountains with five new cria (baby alpacas) expected. Typically alpacas have a single cria after approximately 11 and a half months of gestation. Twin births are very rare and cria typically weigh 15 to 20 pounds. A full grown alpaca weight averages 150 pounds and 36” high at the withers (shoulders). Healthy alpaca have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years as well as a
long reproductive life. They provide fleece annually. The Muracas started with just two pregnant females (Kallista and Venus) and then added another female. They plan on limiting their herd size to about a dozen Suri Alpacas. “We really want people to know about them,” says Sandra. “I call it the huggable investment. They are absolutely wonderful animals, very
continued on page 25
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
Kara Evans and Jon Gianakos
Mountainside Grille Opens in Clover Lawn
Ashleigh Pugh & Evan Taylor Ashleigh Schuyler Pugh and Evan Mawyer Taylor were united in marriage on May 19, 2012, at Hebron Baptist Church by Pastor Sam Kellum. The Maid of Honor was Juleigh Bolton (cousin of the bride) and the Best Man was Lorenzo McAllister (cousin of the groom). Johnathon Maupin (cousin of the groom) and Dallas Pugh (brother of the bride) served as ushers. Ashleigh is the daughter of Brian and Judy Pugh of Crozet and granddaughter of James Pierce and the late Irene Pierce, and Patricia and Edward Pugh. Evan is the son of Charles Taylor of Fluvanna and Beth Wilson of Crozet and the grandson of Barbara and Charles Taylor, and the late Mary and Dewey Mawyer. The couple will reside in Crozet.
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Kara Evans and Jon Gianakos, joined by Kathy Daggett, opened Mountainside Grille in May in the location of the former Pesto Mediterranean Grill. Gianakos, who was a manager at the Riverside Lunch on High Street in Charlottesville for 12 years, a place famous for its hamburgers, comes from a family in the restaurant business, among them the Aberdeen Barn and The Virginian, and since he was a boy he has wanted his own restaurant. “We want a place for people to have a good meal. We’re family-oriented,” he said. Their “crack dip,” a homemade queso dip, has proven popular. The menu features hamburgers, Phillies and cheese Phillies, hot dogs, a traditional assortment of sandwiches,
the usual side dishes, and a selection of popular salads. Beer, including local and national favorites, is available in bottles, and wine comes by the glass. The dinnerware is disposable. The restaurant is full service and offers carry-out, but does not do catering. Evans and Gianakos refurbished the interior and added three TVs, some bench seating, and new chairs and tabletops. Inside they can seat 45. Outside, tables under umbrellas accommodate another 25. They are open for lunch and dinner from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. “It’s been going good,” said Gianakos about the grill’s first three weeks.
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
23
Flag Raising Ceremony Marks Opening of The Lodge
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
Now offering Thursday morning classes at Crozet Arts. Call us to schedule your free trial class! Eddie Shifflett raised a flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol.
Nearly 300 people turned out May 19 for a ceremony to raise a flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol on the pole near the entrance to The Lodge at Old Trail. The senior living complex, which promotes intergenerational connections for its residents, opened a few days later. “We’re here to honor the flag and to show the respect we need to give each other and to our veterans and first-responders,” said Lodge developer David Hilliard. A color guard from the Albemarle County police department paraded the flag to the pole and Eddie Shifflett of Crozet, representing American Legion Post 74, did the honors of raising it. Fifth graders from Crozet and Brownsville Elementary Schools combined to lead the crowd in singing The Star Spangled Banner. Everyone also recited the Pledge of Allegiance when the flag was raised. Scott Leake, representing Fifth District Congressman Robert Hurt, reminded the crowd that America is the only country that honors its flag with a pledge and a holiday, coming up June 14. Hurt had arranged for the flag to fly first over the Capitol. County Police Chief Col. Steve Sellers, who lives nearby, said, “This flag-raising symbolizes the arrival of new neighbors and the excitement of welcoming them.” He also drew attention to the 166 police officers killed in the line of duty last year across the country. White Hall District Supervisor Ann Mallek said the flag ceremony “represents our sense of community. David Hilliard could have built The Lodge anywhere. He understands
what we have here. This community values its past and is prepared for its future. Our citizens are friendly and engaged in their community.” Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade James Cheng, the event’s keynote speaker, congratulated The Lodge for bringing nearly 100 new jobs to the area and noted that Virginia has been named the best place to do business by CNBC, a television financial news channel. He credited right-to-work laws for that distinction. “Entrepreneurs are the backbone of the economy,” said Cheng. “The can-do spirit is the essence of the American spirit and the American Dream. “Quality of life is paramount in attracting business. The Lodge has classic small-town living,” Cheng said. The Lodge has 45 commitments for its 123 apartments so far and seven residents had moved in by the end of the month. Sixty-seven units offer one or two bedrooms, 40 are designed for assisted living (they do not have kitchens) and 16 are available for those with memory problems. A basement parking garage has 80 spaces. Monthly rates for apartments range from $3,295 to $5,495 (including a $600 food allowance) and assisted living rates range from $4,595 to 5,495 per month. The Lodge has no entrance fees. It offers transportation around the area and to medical appointments. Programming for residents includes educational and art classes, fitness programs, sightseeing excursions, concerts, movies, book and hobby clubs and prayer groups.
Tabor Presbyterian Church (USA) Celebrating the Opening of the Pickford-Chiles Fellowship Hall
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24
Crozet gazette
June 2012
There’s Bears! Three concrete statues of black bears appeared on a pond dam in view of Rt. 250 on Ridgeley Farm in Greenwood in May. They were a birthday present for farm owner Joann Hammer. “I love statues,” she said, and she has other more classical ones in the gardens around the farm’s main house. “I put them out near the road for people to see them and have a smile. The intent is to bring smiles. I worried that they could cause accidents, but so far they haven’t. I hope they don’t. I think they are lovely.” The mother bear weighs 3,200 pounds. The two cubs are also too heavy to lift without help. Hammer painted them to resemble local bears and named the cubs “Adventure” (the sitting one) and “Prowler.” Her husband, Dice, had been uncertain about putting them in sight of the highway. He worried someone might shoot at them, she said. But so far there’s no sign of that. In the last week of May a thief made off with the two cubs. A
motorist was a witness to the crime and county police told Hammer they believed they knew who took them. When she talked to them the next day they backtracked, but overnight the cubs reappeared near their original locations. They were scratched up from being rolled and Adventure was missing its ears. Apparently the thief believed they were made of metal and could be melted down. One ear she could reattach and she painted them again. Hammer was mad about the theft, but after the cubs were put back she decided to drop the matter. “I like bears,” said Hammer. “In the wild they are my favorite. They eat healthily. They are graceful and their expressions say they want to be left alone.” She said live bears are occasionally on the farm as well as coyotes and cougars, though no cougars recently. Hammer said she has some other locations in mind for art offerings to the public. “Perhaps they’ll get company,” she said.
Anne Scarpa McCauley
Crozet Arts and Crafts Fair Draws Big Anne Scarpa McCauley of Free Union, who makes distinctive baskets out of honeysuckle vines, was at the Crozet Arts and Crafts Fair May 12 and 13, one of several artisans representing our local talent. She first conceived of honeysuckle as a basket material as a 12-year-old when she was tending goats on her parents’ farm. “I saw a honeysuckle vine and I decided to make baskets. It’s a good use for honeysuckle. It was quite by accident that I came upon the pattern. It’s all in the coil pattern. That gives the basket its look. It’s neat because you make any shape with the coil pattern.” She is completely self-taught as a basket maker and her children help her these days. McCauley soaks the vines to make them more workable. Some vines she skins and some she uses unskinned. “I pick vines in the wintertime and skin them. They would
be dead, but now they live on. “I make them to be used,” she said. “They are very strong. The coil is twisted in certain ways that give it its strength.” The baskets can be washed too. “They really hold up well,” she said. The baskets are surprisingly light and tough. McCauley said she did well at the fair. She said the baskets she makes to hold bread and rolls are popular. Those sell for $45. She made herself a honeysuckle hat that several customers tried to buy. She also sells online at www.honeysucklebaskets. com. The weather was clear and warm for the fair, which is always the key to attendance and sales. Crozet Park treasurer Jo Ann Perkins said the fair did well—the twice-annual fairs are the park’s most vital fundraisers—but that good luck for the fall fair is still critical for the park’s finances. DR. HILLARY COOK
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Crozet gazette
Alpacas
—continued from page 21
social. They are as social to you as you are to them.” The alpacas’ curiosity causes them to look directly into your eyes, not simply at you, and with their big eyes and long lashes they appear to ‘flirt’ with visitors as they “hum” with interest and show a desire to make friends. They approached their fence, letting their natural curiosity overcome their initial shyness. Because they are herding animals, they enjoy companionship and friends, those with four legs and those with two. The Muracas said that a great deal of pleasure comes from just being out with the alpacas or even watching the barn’s closed-circuit
25
June 2012 camera from the living room. They enjoy watching them eat, socialize and frolick across the field. “They aren’t hard to take care of,” Ralph says, “maybe a total of two hours a day. The rest of the day they are out in the pasture.” Sandra said alpacas do spit, but mostly at each other when they are annoyed or displeased. “Mostly just to keep each other in line,” Sandra said. “Unlike camels or llamas, they rarely spit at their humans. Sometimes a female will spit at a male to indicate she is ‘not interested.’” The Muracas are happy to have guests and love to introduce people to their Suri alpacas, but visits to the farm should be scheduled. For more information, visit their website at www.mmasalpacas.com or call 540-456-6777.
In the Garden Medicine —continued from page 19
—continued from page 14
systems: many pop up and spray two or three times a week, regardless of the water needs of the plants. I remember all too well visiting one person’s property where the sprinklers had turned one area into a mucky bog. Learn how to reprogram your system’s timer, or better yet, turn it off. Either lugging a watering can or dragging a hose around your garden is arduous, but it gets the water to the plants that really need it. Handwatering is good for you, both physically and morally! A shower-wand extension on your hose provides a gentle spray and also gives you an extra three feet of reach to get under the branches of shrubs. Give each plant a good dose; then move on to the next plant or two, returning to the first plant after the initial watering has had time to soak down. The single largest step most of us can take toward wiser use of water is reducing turf. Lawns are by far the biggest water guzzlers in the average landscape. Even as a tireless—or some would say, tiresome—proponent of the “Kill Your Lawn” philosophy, I would confess to admiring perfect lawns on occasion. But I realize that it’s an ideal that’s difficult to achieve this far from Ireland. Despite that, we continue to pour on the water, dump the fertilizer, mow the grass, and then repeat ad infinitum. Relax. Don’t be afraid to let your lawn go dormant during dry spells. It will recover. Better yet, put some “real” plants where the fescue once was. *In last month’s column I mentioned that Cole Burrell of Free Union conducted garden trips, but neglected to include his email, which is nldr@aol.com.
After adjusting to match for age, illness, insurance, race and income, the most satisfied patients had higher drug expenditures, more procedures and tests and more inpatient hospital care. All of this extra care resulted in 26 percent more deaths. It seems from other related studies that physicians whose salaries are tied to patient satisfaction order more discretionary tests and drugs for their patients. It is also clear that patient satisfaction is increased by such discretionary testing and even more so by increased prescribing. But mortality is also increased. Well, you can’t have everything. Sorry, Marshall Field. In fact you can’t even have Marshall Field’s anymore; it closed in 2006 after 120 years in business. Perhaps that’s what Red Cheeks was trying to convey to me all those years ago in her inchoate way. Tough love. I still think she needed to work on her people skills, though. Now where is that satisfaction survey?
Mountain Plain Baptist Church Our friendly church invites you to worship with us. Sunday School • 10 a.m. Traditional Worship Service • 11 a.m. Rev. Sam Kellum, Pastor 4281 Old Three Notch’d Road Charlottesville (Crozet), 22901 Travel 2 miles east of the 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
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Class of 2001
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Madison Ashlei Ebanks Calvin Josef Eckerle Austin Blake Ellis Brett Timothy Engle Joshua Stephen Epstein John Grayson Evans Kathryn Ann Farina Sydney Leigh Fewell Sydney Marie Fischer Shannon Lee Flanagan Patrick Ryan Flynn Michael Washburn Foster John Harrison Friday Alexandre Grace Funk Alex Gabriel Garcia Ignacio Antonio Garcia Pretelt Sadie Lee Garner Alexandra Nicole Gay Daniel Logan Gentry Jonathan Daniel Gilliland Lauren Elizabeth Giovanoli Travis Lynn Godfrey Anna Margarita Gomez Luis Antonio Gonzalez Morquecho Quentin Neil Goodbar Patrick Erwin Gorman Miranda Logan Graves Henry Hodgkins Green Lillian Marie Groth Christopher Garrett Grover Hayley Mackenzie Guess Samantha Jane Haling Arthur Malcolm Halliday Zachary Donald Harding Dylan Jeffrey Harris Jonathan Dennis Hashisaki Sierra Sky Helmbrecht Alora Dannon Henry Kevin Rea Hensley Matthew William Robinson Hensley Meredith Scott Higgins Thiana Rachel Higgins Candice Morgan High Kerstain Leigh Holland Maxwell Lake Honosky Tyler Edward Hoover Christine Yvonne Houff Katharine Carmel Houff Joseph Wayne Howard Ryan Michael Hoylman Casey Jane Huckstep Christian Alphonso Hughes Grace Huh Madeleine Olivia James Kaleb Luke Jessee Arthur Alexander Johne Ashly Nicole Johnson Rebecca Janavs Jones Harang Ju Emmanuelle Talia Kahn Tiffany Anne Kardys
Gavin Michael Ratcliffe YMay 28, 2011u n e Natalie Stewart Raynor a r R e Kailey Nicole Reid Christopher Alexander Rivera Zachary Matthew Robb Ryan Terry Roesch Charlotte Mae Roland Anna Townsend Romness Katherine Louise Rossberg Andrew Daniel Russell Sara Megan Sacra Kirsten Elizabeth Sams Brian Anthony Sapino Riley Preston Saunders Adam Victor Schiller Benjamin Joseph Schiller Cameron Todd Scot James Jackson Shannon Kyle Andrew Shifflett Tiffany Rose Shifflett Hunter Davis Shiflett Alexander Frantz Simpson Adam Carrington Sipe Allison Paige Slechta Caroline Haskins Smith Richard Howard Smith Abigail Lee Starns William David Stell Yue Tian Stilphen Caleb William Strickland Matthew Ryan Strong Connor Ryan Swank Constance Elaine Taylor Tamara Lynn Thacker Amanda Christine Toft Emma Trowell Trentanove Benjamin Gordon Turner Miranda Elise Ulmer Holly Nicole Via Nicholas Robert Vial Benjamin Eastman Vidal Erin Rebecca Voss Shimiao Wang Brett Spencer Warnick Tiffany Nicole Washington Rebecca Suzanne Marie Waters Mary Lyttelton Watson Blake Mountain Weesner Landon Vandenberg Weis Taylor Elizabeth Welch Janie Forsyth Day Whitworth John Louis Wilder Kathryn Lee Willgus Cabell Lancaster Williams Colin John Williams Rachel Joy Williams Matthew David Wilson Megan Frances Wright Moira Eileen Wright Christopher Vincent Yeaton Hai-Yu Zhao Kaitlyn DeNeil Zimmerman n
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Seana Louise Acker n Ye ar Reu Megan Leigh Adams Kurt Allen Adcock Tyler Charles Amato Jason Bridges Andersen Connor Bailey Andrews John Mack Apperson II Whitney Lauren Ashley Emily Rubi Avila-Flores Madeline Hill Baker Jacob Damien Ball Peter MacNeil Barber Aidan Surya Barkley John Quentin Barnes Adriel Joy Barrett-Johnson Jayden Jerome Becker-Norman Daniel Christopher Benish Emily Alexandra Barnett Berg Alexandra Lauran Berr Mariellen Beverly Orion Danzig Bibb Cari Ayana Bland Christopher Kai Boissenin Cole William Bowser Peyton Elizabeth Brandt Peyton David Bright Emma Louise Brown Jordan Kaye Bullock Sean Michael Burke Kevin Linn Burns Haley Spencer Burton Matthew Alexander Callahan Wellesley Ann Cardwell Benjamin Greenwood Carew Rachel Alexandra Carlson Maegan Leigh Carvajal Kyle Richard Casey Alexander Jacob Chacko Hannah Rose Chiarella Morgan Nicole Clark Edward Sutherland Clarke Amanda Paige Coleman Brad Russell Collier Amanda Michelle Collins Natalie Anne Cronk Marin Sarah Crowder Michael Forrest Crowley Tyler James Curran Elizabeth Victoria Daidone Danielle Lauren-Hunter Daniels Michaela Brooke Davis Gabrielle Selina De Janasz John Alexander De Jong Bryce Tyler Deering Jessica Lynn DePaul William Scott Diamond Schuylor Jonathan Dickerson Reba Lynn Dollens John William Donnelly Alexis Ann Drapanas Thomas Waugh Dudley Alexandra Lindsay Sargeant Duncan
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Western Albemarle High School Class of 2012
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Rebecca McNulty Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award
Benjamin Schiller Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award
Seana Acker DeDe Owens Leadership Award Nominee
Seana Acker WRIC-TV Best Student Award Nominee
Shimiao Wang Claudia Dodson Citizenship Award Nominee
Madeline Baker UVA Community Credit Union Scholarship
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VHSL Male Scholar Athlete Nominee
Adam Schiller VHSL Courageous Achievement Nominee
Gavin Ratcliffe Choose or Lose PVCC Scholarship
Megan Adams St. Paul’s Book Scholarship
Ashly Johnson St. Paul’s - Ivy Episcopal Church Scholarships
Richard Smith, Kevin Hensley U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Female Athlete Award
Noelle Pugh
Sydney Fewell
Colonel Charles E. Savedge Scholarship for Excellence in Journalism Nominee
U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Male Athlete Award
Connor Andrews
Peter Barber
Principal’s Leadership Award Nominee
U.S. Marine Corps Semper Fidelis Music Award
Alora Henry Claudia Dodson Integrity Award Nominee
Paige Rammelkamp
Alora Henry
U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award
ViHSL Female Scholar Athlete Nominee
Connor Swank
Kathryn Farina
VHSL Past Presidents’ Leadership Nominee
John C. Youngblood Scholarship Nominee
Dallas Pugh
Katherine Rossberg
Wells Fargo Athletic Citizenship Nominee
Lion Jim Stork Scholarship
Riley Saunders, Alexandra Berr
Alanna Mahon Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award
Charlotte Roland VHSL Exceptional Academics and Activities Award Nominee
Joshua Mandell Green Olive Tree Scholarships
Christopher McCann, Kaleb Jessee, Orion Bibb, Kurt Adcock White Hall Ruritan Scholarship
Kaleb Jessee, Dallas Pugh Great Valu Scholarship
Michael Patashnik Minor Preston Educational Fund Scholarships
Richard Smith, Kathryn Willgus Ruth B. and George T. Huff Scholarships
Riley Saunders, Kathryn Willgus Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Nominee
Riley Saunders Masonic Temple Book Scholarship
Kaleb Jessee Grand Lodge Scholarship
Kaleb Jessee Widow’s Sons’ Lodge Scholarship
Kaleb Jessee
J. T. Graves Memorial Youth Scholarship
Alexandra Berr National English Honor Society Scholarship
Jacob Ball, Alexandra Berr, Peyton Brandt, Thomas Dudley, Joshua Epstein, Patrick Gorman, Arthur Halliday, Maxwell Honosky, Joseph Howard, Harang Ju, Derek Porter Koolman, Spencer Kulow, Matthew Loman, Michael Patashnik, Charlotte Roland, Brett Warnick, Landon Weis National Merit Scholarship Competition Finalists
Emily Berg, Joshua Mandell, Paige Rammelkamp, Connor Swank, Erin Voss, Megan Wright Randolph-Macon College Trustee’s Award, Alumni Legacy Grant
Thomas Lewis Randolph-Macon College President’s Award
Jenna Meeks Lees McRae College Pinnacle Scholarship, Lacrosse Scholarship
Harang Ju
Schuylor Dickerson
Emily Couric Leadership Award
Kenyon College Trustee Opportunity Scholar
Class of 2001
May 28, 2011 Lynchburg University Trustee Scholarship n Ye ar Reu John William Donnelly
St. Olaf College Service Scholarship
James O’Leary Susquehanna University Salutatorian Scholarship
Joseph Howard Paul Goodloe McIntire Award
JOSH MANDELL Connie Y. Fix Memorial Awards
ALORA HENRY, CHARLOTTE ROLAND Joe McDowell Fix II Memorial Scholarship
RILEY SAUNDERS Frances Witt Memorial Scholarship
ASHLY JOHNSON Charles S. Armstrong Award
DALLAS PUGH Principal’s Award
JOSH MANDELL President’s Awards for Educational Excellence and Achievement For excellence in Art
CAITLIN PAYNE For excellence in Band
PAIGE RAMMELKAMP For excellence in Computer Aided Drafting
MICHAEL LEFANOWICZ For excellence in Crafts
ALLISON SLECHTA For excellence in English
ERIN VOSS For excellence in French
Kathryn Willgus
Anna Gomez
CABELL WILLIAMS
James & Nellie Butler Scholarship
Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business Freshman Merit Scholarship
For excellence in Information Technology
Kathryn Willgus Harry F. Byrd Jr. Leadership Nominee
Gray Evans National Honor Society Scholarship Nominees
Emily Berg, Spencer Kulow, Erin Voss National English Honor Society Writing Contest Winner
Erin Voss Bowdoin College Faculty Scholar
Erin Voss Charlie Mitchell Scholarship
Kyle Shifflett Nicole Leigh Thompson Scholarship
Wellesley Cardwell
For excellence in Japanese
RACHEL WILLIAMS
Seana Acker
EMILY BERG
Kevin Purdy Christopher Newport Leadership Scholar
Kirsten Sams JMU Second Century Scholar
Kevin Burns Tulane University Founders Scholar
Henry Green
Emma Brown
Washington State University Cougar Academic Award
Tros-Dale Scholarship
Devin Long
Elizabeth Daidone
American University Presidential Scholarship
Bridges Wellness and Physical Therapy Consultants Scholarship
Paige Rammelkamp
Tanner Knight, Emma McKinley
RYAN KELLEHER
Towson University Athletic Grant, Honors College Scholarship, Provost Scholarship, Sarah Elliot Tolson Scholarship Christopher Newport University Smithfield and Goodwin Scholar
University of Mary Washington Virginia Access Grant
Rachel Carlson
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For excellence in Latin For excellence in Marketing
RICHARD SMITH For excellence in Manufacturing Technology
MYKOLAS LENGEL For excellence in Mathematics
ADAM SCHILLER For excellence in Orchestra
ALEXANDRA BERR For excellence in Photography
HANNAH LAUB For excellence in Science
GRAY EVANS For excellence in Social Studies
PORTER KOOLMAN For excellence in Spanish
SAMANTHA HALING
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
Crozet Library Summer Programs For more information, call 434-823-4050 Where in the world are the Crozet patrons? Crozet Library wants to hear from you as you vacation this summer. Send a post-card to: Crozet Library, 5791 Three Notch’d Road, Crozet, VA 22932. Crozet Library will keep track of your travels by adding your postcard to our evergrowing postcard display at the library. Claudius Crozet – Don’t Leave Home Without Him! Photo Contest Entire Months of June, July, and August. For ages 6 to adult. His bags are packed and he’s ready for adventure! Come into the library to get your own Claudius so you can take a little bit of Crozet along with you wherever you go. Submit a photograph of him taken somewhere during your travels (even if it’s in your own back yard) and you could win a fun prize. For full details, call or visit the Crozet Library.
Family Programs Best for ages 3 & up. No registration required for families. Space is limited. Groups of 10 or more, please call ahead. Family Programs will be held at Crozet Elementary School. Wildlife Center of Virginia: Critters Don’t Need Litter June 20, 10 a.m. Liven up your day with a visit from real live wild animals. You wouldn’t dare litter after meeting these charming critters. The Healing Force June 27, 10 a.m. Embrace the spirit of Africa! Join the Anderson family in this rousing celebration of African culture. With the rhythms of drums, shekeres, and thumb pianos, the Healing Force brings traditional stories to life. Lulu’s Let’s Make a Circus July 11, 10 a.m. Come see the amazing Jeanne Wall! Goodlife Theater presents “Lulu” (aka Jeanne Wall) to wow you. Juggling! Unicycle feats! Musical treats!
Cathy and Ross Bollinger July 18, 10 a.m. Join this charming mother and son duo in a wonderfully unique musical performance that brings together a mother’s wisdom and a son’s rambunctiousness. Didgeridoo Down Under July 25, 10 a.m. Darren Liebman of “Didg Revolution” will “edu-tain” you and transport you to Australia to the tune of his amazing aboriginal didgeridoo.
Kids’ Programs Stitches: A Handcraft Group for Ages 8 to 108! Meeting the last Tuesday of every month at 4:30 p.m.: June 26, July 31, and August 28. Knitters, beaders, stitchers, bring any project you’re working on (or interested in learning) and join this fun group for an hour of handcrafting and sharing. Drop-ins are always welcome. A Girl’s Guide to Living Well: A Free Workshop! June 19, 1 to 4 p.m. For ages 10 – 14. Wellness Coach DeeDee Stewart will conduct this special four-hour workshop for girls. A combination of fun exercises and communication tools is employed to encourage conversation on self-esteem, body confidence, eating mindfully, and basically all the skills to be unflappable! This is an internationally recognized program created by the Dove SelfEsteem Fund. A parental permission form is required for all participants. Registration is required. Music and Stories From Around the World with Jim Gagnon! June 21, 2 to 3:30 p.m. For ages 6 -10. Drums, didgeridoos, and flutes are just a few of the instruments you will hear. Throw in a few humorous stories and some group participation and you have one memorable show. You will also make musical shakers out of recycled materials. Registration is required. Once Upon a Toon: A Cartooning Workshop! Wednesday, July 11, 2 – 3 p.m. For ages 6 – 12.
Cartoonist Joe Wos will inspire and entertain as he shows you how to create and develop some incredible cartoon characters. Registration is required and begins on Monday, June 25. “Movie” On Over to the Crozet Library! July 19, 2 p.m. For ages 6 - 11. Meet up with your friends at the Crozet Library for an afternoon movie (rated G or PG). JMRL will provide the popcorn and drinks. You bring a friend and some getcomfortable pillows. Call Crozet Library for movie details. Registration is requested and begins on Monday, July 2, but drop-ins are always welcome. Tuesday Crafternoon! July 24, 2 p.m. For ages 8 - 11. Feeling a little bored? Looking for something to do on a hot summer afternoon? Come cool off in the library and have a great time making a fun craft. Registration is required and begins Monday, July 9.
Teen Programs Musings: a Teen Writer’s Workshop First Tuesday of the month: June 5, July 3, August 7. 6:30 p.m. Interested in creative writing? This group is a chance to practice your writing skills, learn new techniques, read what other teen writers are working on, and hear helpful comments about your own writing. Drop-ins are always welcome. Ages 13-18. Teen Advisory Board (TAB) June 12, July 10. 6:30-7:30 p.m. (no meeting in August) Your ideas are needed! Be a part of the Crozet Library Teen Advisory Board. Help plan teen programs, displays, and activities. Members will enjoy yummy snacks and receive volunteer hours for their participation with TAB. Registration recommended. Grades 6-12. Crozet Teen Book Club June 26. 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, July 17. 6-8:30 p.m. (Movie & Book Discussion) Join other teens for an out-ofthis-world book club featuring lively discussion, activities, and
crafts. Snacks will be served at each meeting. Registration is required and a free copy of book is included. Limit: 15 participants. Grades 6-12. Needle Felting, Japanese Style June 28. 2-4 p.m. Using a barbed felting needle and dyed wool roving, Janice StegallSeibert will show you how to fashion sushi rolls that look good enough to eat. Then create a simple Japanese-style needle-felted doll that you might want to give as a gift. Materials provided. Note that the process involves repeatedly poking wool with a sharp felting needle to sculpt it into shape. Required registration begins Tuesday, June 14. Limit: 12 participants. Grades 6-12. Theatre Games July 12. 2-4 p.m. Are the bright lights of the stage calling your name? Don’t let stage fright keep you away. Professional actor and musician Koda Kerl will present an acting workshop with new and classic activities. Theatre games, improv, stage combat, and lots more. Required registration begins on Thursday, June 28. Limit: 20 participants. Grades 6-12. One World Drumming Workshop July 16. 3 - 4 p.m. Join musician and performer extraordinaire Jim Gagnon for an interactive drumming class designed for beginning and advanced drummers alike. Using djembes, doumbecks and congas, explore some exciting rhythms from West Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and beyond! Drums will be provided. Required registration begins on Monday, July 2. Limit: 15 participants. Grades 6-12.
Crozet gazette
June 2012
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Seasonal Flavors
Memories & Recipes from an Italian Kitchen [ by elena day | elena@crozetgazette.com \
Cooking Swiss Chard Happily, May proved “gentle” enough and one hopes that June will treat us kindly as well. Evenings are long and the scents of honeysuckle and roses both arouse and calm the senses. And then, of course, there are the firefly light shows. Tomatoes, corn, and squash are eagerly awaited, but if one is a “locavore” we have to be satisfied with chard, radishes, beets, cabbage, broccoli, and peas. Chard is a vegetable heavily used in Mediterranean cooking. It is kin to beets, but without the root. Recently Americans have discovered its nutritious value. I even see long rows planted at the community gardens on Monticello Road. Wikipedia reports that “Swiss chard is high in vitamins A, K and C, with a 175 gram serving containing 214%, 716%, and 53%, respectively, of the recommended daily value of each. It is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber and protein.” Years ago Swiss chard was a tough sell at the City Market. We would make signs like “Chard Festival Today – Buy Some,” hoping customers would ask about the sign and then we could convince them to try a bunch. Nowadays Swiss chard is stocked in both health food stores and conventional grocery stores. And people tell me their recipes for Swiss chard rather than my giving them a Swiss chard tutorial. *
Basic Swiss Chard 1 large bunch of chard 1 Tbsp. butter 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 or 2 cloves of garlic Salt and pepper
Heat butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add chopped or sliced garlic. (One could sauté a medium onion with the garlic or skip the garlic altogether and just do the onion.) Cut chard stems from leaves and chop stems into ½- to 1-inch pieces. Add to sauté until desired tenderness. Add chopped leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
Baked Swiss Chard and Eggs 1 very large bunch Swiss chard 1 large onion 1 clove garlic 2 Tbsp. butter 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup of grated Parmesan or Romano or Asiago cheese Salt and pepper Sauté sliced onions with chopped or sliced garlic until translucent in 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add chard and cook as described in the previous recipe. Remove from heat. Butter a small baking dish. Stir the beaten eggs and ½ cup of grated cheese into the chard mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with the other ½ cup of grated cheese. You can dot this with the other Tbsp. of butter (or you can skip the extra butter). Bake at 375 degrees for about 12-15 minutes. Serve hot. *One chardophile adapted Swiss chard to the Curried Spinach Soup recipe that is easily googled. Another sautés it with chopped tender young cabbage in olive oil.
Fostering a Love of Learning Since 2002 A weekday ministry of Hillsboro Baptist Church Visit www.HBCnet.org and click “Preschool” • 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
Hunger-Free Crozet The Churches of Crozet are joining together to
End Hunger in Our Area at
The Food Pantry of
Crozet United Methodist Church at the corner of Crozet Avenue and Jarmans Gap Road (1156 Crozet Avenue)
Schedule Starting July, 2012: 1st Tuesday of the Month: 4:30 to 6:30 PM 2nd Tuesday of the Month: 4:30 to 6:30 PM 3rd Saturday of the Month: 7:00-9:00 AM 4th Wednesday of the Month: 9:00 to 11:00 AM
5th Tuesday of the Month: 4:30 to 6:30 PM
Questions? Want to Volunteer? Call 823-4420
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
The Blue Ridge Naturalist © Marlene A. Condon | marlene@crozetgazette.com
Bird Feathers, A Book for Those Who Love Birds I’m someone who always wants to identify and then learn more about any organism or object that I come across outdoors. As a result, I probably own more types of field guides than anyone else in the world! The one guide book that I had always felt needed to be written was one to help folks to identify feathers. Probably everyone finds a feather occasionally, but until recently, there hasn’t been a good way to figure out for sure which kind of bird a feather came from. Well, I’m so happy to report that now there is. Bird Feathers was published by Stackpole Books, a Pennsylvania company that has brought to market many a nature book (including mine). Written by S. David Scott and Casey McFarland, this paperback is dense with information and photographs, weighing in at over 1½ pounds! For anyone who loves watching and identifying birds and learning about them, this book is a musthave—especially if you entice birds to your yard with landscaping and/ or feeders. Over time you will undoubtedly find feathers, some of which can be identified without a book, such as the gorgeous blue-and-white feath-
ers of a Blue Jay. But other feathers, such as those from hawks that you rarely get to study up close, will require research. Why bother identifying a feather? One reason is to know what kind of bird flew over your yard or perhaps landed there. In this way you learn which species are sharing your world, even if you didn’t get to see them. If you have put up wildlife boxes for birds and other critters that use natural tree cavities, you may find feathers or other debris inside them when you clean them out in late winter every year. These clues can tell you what animals made use of the boxes and for what purpose. For example, you might find a box littered with acorn remnants, the result of Gray Squirrels having used the box as a safe place to eat. Or you may find a nest that includes dried green leaves in its construction, a clue that you have Southern Flying Squirrels on your property. I have almost two dozen wildlife boxes in my yard, several of which have been used at different times by Eastern Screech Owls for nesting in late winter or early spring. These nocturnal birds have also used some of the boxes for roosting and eating. By being able to identify the feathers and other animal remains that I’ve cleaned out of the boxes, I have learned what these little owls consume. In addition to frogs, cray-
The author found these Yellow-bellied Sapsucker feathers inside a box used by Eastern Screech Owls. [Photo: Marlene Condon]
fish, and mice, their menu has included birds, such as Cedar Waxwing, Northern Cardinal, and even Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Bird Feathers is so chock full of information that even the inside covers are employed to deliver it. On the inside front cover, you find wonderful diagrams that clearly delineate the various names and locations of feathers on a bird, under the heading of “Basic Bird Topography.” This is useful information to learn, not only so you will know where exactly a particular feather came from on a bird, but also so you can more easily use a guide book to try to identify one of these creatures. Bird field guides often mention such things as “wing coverts” and “primaries,” so it’s quite helpful to know what these terms are referring to. The inside back cover of Bird Feathers depicts the “Topography of a Bird Wing” and both inside covers supply a ruler so you can conveniently measure the feathers you
find. The book consists of two parts. The first 66 pages cover such topics as the history of a feather, how feathers became tools for flight, bird anatomy, feather types and wing shapes, and the explanation for why blue birds, such as the male Indigo Bunting, look black when the sun is not shining on them (their blue color is not the result of pigments, as other feather colors are). Pages 69-340 contain photos of bird feathers, covering 397 bird species! Feather measurements are provided, along with the variation in them. Range maps illustrate which birds are in what areas of the country and during which seasons, so that you can narrow down the choices appropriately. Be sure to read pages 64-66, which explain how to use the book. Then you’ll be on your way to learning even more about your avian guests. After all, you may not be home when a particular bird visits, but if it drops off a feather, you’ll have its calling card!
UVA Family Medicine – Crozet
Catherine Casey, MD Tim McLaughlin, MD Caring for family members of all ages. Now accepting new patients. Same day appointments available.
UVA Family Medicine – Crozet The Shops at Clover Lawn 375 Four Leaf Lane, Suite 103 Charlottesville, VA 22903 Across from Blue Ridge Builders Supply and Harris Teeter
434.243.0700 UVA Family Medicine – Crozet | 434.243.0700 | uvahealth.com/crozetfamily
Crozet gazette
June 2012
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Emergency Preparedness: “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” by Larry Miles “On September 1, 1859, 33-yearold amateur astronomer Richard Carrington observed a solar flare that heralded a solar super-storm, an enormous electromagnetic outburst that sent billions of tons of charged particles hurtling toward earth. Since then no storm as powerful has occurred. However, on March 13, 1989, a storm roughly a third as powerful as the Carrington event hit Quebec and knocked out the power grid serving more than six million customers in less than two minutes. Though no one knows what would happen if a Carrington-class storm hit today, current operators of our communications systems and power grids predict that a similar event would fry more transformers than the power companies keep stockpiled, leaving millions without light, potable water, sewage treatment, heating, air-conditioning, fuel, telephone service, perishable foods, and medication during the months it would take to manufacture and install new transformers. That paragraph you just read is a very close paraphrase of the opening sentences from the cover article in the June 2012 issue of National Geographic Magazine. After pointing out the perils we all face from the possibility of a major solar storm, the writers go on to point out that 2013 is the peak year of solar activity in the current solar cycle. While the threat of solar storms is rising, NOAA predicts a normal year of hurricane activity in the Atlantic. Unfortunately, “normal” means 9 to 15 named storms with 4 to 8 actually strengthening to hurricanes. We all know it takes only one Andrew, or Katrina, or Camille to make things pretty dicey pretty quickly. Whether it’s solar storms or hurricanes, or just the threat of micro bursts sprouting up on hot afternoons, it seems like there are more reasons than ever to take some basic precautions and prepare ourselves and our community for what could be the worst, as we continue to hope for the best. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management, which is tasked with helping us cope with emergencies, advises us to be ready to take care of ourselves. They tell
us that the basics of emergency preparedness are: “Get a Kit – Make a Plan – Stay Informed.” First, put up a three-day store of water and food, as well as some commonsense things like flashlights, first aid kits, etc. But what does “Make a Plan” entail? The most basic question everyone faces when confronted with some type of emergency is: evacuate or stay? You might also ponder how the contingencies of an emergency, such as whether it happens while you are at home or at work or in your vehicle, factor into your readiness. A lot of emergency preparedness advice tells you to get a “go-bag” or “bug-out-bag.” The “go-bag” is simply a bag (or bin, or box) that you keep packed and ready at all times should you suddenly need to evacuate your home. You can also get advice on the ideal contents for the ultimate bug-out-bag. Personally, having thought about the evacuation question pretty hard, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are very, very few situations where it ever makes sense to evacuate your home in a hurry. A raging wildfire that threatens to envelope you is certainly one (and a wellpacked bug-out-bag would certainly serve you well in that situation). Another possible scenario is rising flood water. It certainly makes no sense to stay in your home if it’s about to be under water. With these exceptions, I really can’t think of any other conditions where it makes more sense to flee than it does to stay. While I do believe the concept of a “go-bag” is sound and reasonable, you wouldn’t want to use it just because you had it and make what amounts to a mistake in the circumstances of the emergency. You say, what about a nuclear meltdown, or terrorist attack? What if we had an earthquake and it caused a meltdown at the Lake Anna nuclear facility? (I know, that’s ridiculous.) These are a couple of the circumstances that are most frequently raised to me every time I discuss this topic with someone. When I think about an emergency evacuation of my home, I’m always reminded of our trip back from the beach in July of 2010. We were heading up from North Carolina into Virginia on I-95. Suddenly all traffic came to a complete standstill. Two hours later, we
were on back roads going northwest as best we could. Road construction on I-95 had the highway down to one lane. The resulting back-up was 10 miles long and there is no telling how many hours we’d have been in it if we hadn’t gotten out of it when we did. Think through this scenario: Some sort of disaster occurs that causes you to decide you need to evacuate. Here’s the question to ask yourself before you decide to grab your “bug-out-bag,” pack mama and the kids in the van, and head out. Are you better off in your house (with the food and water you’ve already stored) or stuck on I-64 half way up Afton Mountain with hundreds of other people who are all panicked, mad, and have to go to the bathroom. Imagine an evacuation scenario from Crozet.
Say you want to get from Western Ridge to I-64 on a school morning, going past Brownsville, Henley, and Western. Unfortunately, our road system is simply not designed for a large-scale evacuation. So, “Get a Kit.” Get some extra water, food and supplies. Then, “Make a Plan.” Just don’t let the crux of your plan be a quick evacuation. And finally, “Stay informed.” We’ll talk more about this next month. Your ability to survive and thrive during an emergency is greatly dependent upon how well you prepare before that situation arises. In the event of a real emergency it’s most often our fellow members of the community, our friends and neighbors, who provide the greatest care, comfort, and assistance. So build those relationships.
Lumber Yard
A development scheme presented to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors by Katurah Roell of Piedmont Development Group imagines a mix of commercial buildings with apartments or offices on upper floors and with light industrial uses in some buildings near the railroad tracks. A central pedestrian space between new buildings near The Square is conceived of as similar to Charlottesville’s downtown mall. Parking lots would border the railroad. Library Avenue would extend east to Parkside Village and ultimately connect with Park Ridge Road. “I hope whoever buys this place will respect the community and think about the neighbors. We always kept good setbacks from them. “I don’t have any plans for after the sale. I’ll work around the house. I’ll support the community one way or another.” Conley will be the grand marshal of the Crozet Independence Day parade to be held June 30. Organizers wanted to honor his many years of quiet philanthropy in the community and his wise counsel in civic affairs. For years Conley allowed employees who were CVFD volunteers to walk off their jobs at a moment’s notice to answer fire alarms. “I’ve never treasured money,” Conley said. “I’ve always tried to be free-hearted and help people.”
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The downtown lumberyard employed 52 workers as recently as 2009 and its kilns worked around the clock. It mainly supplied high quality Appalachian hardwoods for flooring and cabinets. The collapse of new housing construction dried up demand. Conley said he got a letter from the bank May 31. He thought he had a buyer for the 19-acre parcel, currently zoned heavy industrial but recommended for the same zoning as the downtown commercial area, but that buyer called a few days before and withdrew. Conley said he had thought he had at least through June to find another buyer. He said he had given it to four different realtors to sell since 2010, but none had found a purchaser. “When I leave Crozet, I’m leaving respecting people,” Conley said. “I don’t plan to have hard feelings.” Tools and equipment will go on auction at 10 a.m. on June 27 and the real estate will go under the gavel at noon. The sale will be conducted at the lumberyard. The county assessment sets the lumber yard’s real estate value at roughly $3.2 million. “I was hoping to be part of the new plan for this property,” Conley said. “It’s a super plan. But it’s not going to happen.”
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
© J. Dirk Nies, Ph.D.
Photosynthesis: The Economy of Green Plants (Part One) Summer is the season of abundant sunshine, warm days and afternoon showers, and it is a good time of year to consider what is happening in plants all around us. Everywhere lawns, gardens, orchards and farms display verdant life. Spring has completed painting the Blue Ridge with upward strokes of pastel green and each tree of the forest is adding another ring to its girth. Starting as a mere acorn, perhaps one hidden in the ground by a squirrel when Thomas Jefferson was tending his gardens at Monticello, a majestic white oak now casts a cooling shade. But from where has this Quercus alba derived enough energy and obtained enough raw materials to make its massive roots and trunk, spreading branches, and countless leaves and nuts? We can contemplate this same question as we sow seeds and tuck tender plants into our garden beds, and perhaps as we pull weeds and cut the grass again in the yard. The answer may astonish you as much as it does me. If you think that soil–dark and rich in organic matter, teeming with an intricate web of life, and well stocked with vital nutrients and minerals such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and iron–is the principal source of food and raw materials for plants, you are in good company. Aristotle thought so, too, and during the intervening 2,000 years this was the widely presumed and accepted answer. But soil is neither the source of food calories for green plants nor the source of most of the materials that constitute their organic infrastructure. How do we know that the mass of a plant is not coming from the soil? Can you think of an experiment that you could do to answer this question using readily available supplies? Jan Baptista van Helmont, a seventeenth-century Belgian physician and chemist, tackled this question
in the following way. First he filled a large pot with 200 pounds of thoroughly dried soil and planted a 5-pound willow shoot in the pot. He faithfully watered his willow with distilled water and rainwater for five years, all the while keeping the soil covered so that the plant did not have access to any other solid or liquid materials. Van Helmont completed his experiment by removing the tree and its roots from the tub. After he meticulously cleaned the roots and returned this dirt to the tub, he weighed the willow and determined that his tree now weighed 169 pounds and about 3 ounces. He dried the residual soil in the pot and found that it still weighed 200 pounds, less 2 ounces. His experiment showed that his willow tree did not gain 164 pounds (not including all the leaves that grew and fell) by extracting and incorporating materials from the soil itself. But where did the weighty solid materials of the roots, wood, bark and leaves come from? Van Helmont thought that it must be from the water he provided the tree. But here he was mistaken, in part, because the composition of air was unknown at that time. Nitrogen (78.08%) and oxygen (20.95%) comprise 99 percent of the earth’s atmosphere. Carbon dioxide (CO2) comprises a little less than 0.04 percent (when van Helmont did his experiment, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was a little less than two-thirds of its present level). Through the process known as photosynthesis, we now know that green plants such as willow trees make their food and the organic compounds that comprise their structure using atmospheric CO2, combined with hydrogen, obtained by splitting apart liquid water (H2O). Unbeknownst to van Helmont, during his experiment carbon dioxide entered the undersides of his willow leaves through tiny pores called stomas. Liquid water and dissolved nutrients from the soil in the tub were transported upward to the
leaves from the roots via internal tubes called the xylem. Sunlight was absorbed by chlorophyll in microscopic lens-shaped organelles called chloroplasts found within the cells of the willow leaves, and this energy was used to split water apart. The freed hydrogen derived from water was added to the energy-transferring molecule nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) to form NADPH. Then through a series of steps, hydrogen from NADPH was added to carbon dioxide to make glucose (more than 93 percent of the weight of glucose is derived from CO2, the rest is hydrogen). Once this simple sugar glucose was available to the synthetic machinery of the plant, other larger carbohydrates such as sucrose, starch, cellulose and ultimately all the other organic compounds of the willow tree were made. Thus, the trace atmospheric gas carbon dioxide actually was the raw material that provided most of the dry weight gain of his willow tree! The discovery of photosynthesis has a fascinating history. Building on van Helmont’s work, in the early 1770s the British scientist Joseph Priestly demonstrated that plants could restore air that had been made harmful by the respiration of animals. A few years later in 1779, the Dutch physician Jan Ingenhousz demonstrated that plants kept in darkness breathed and fouled the air just like animals did. To purify air, Ingenhousz showed that plants needed light. We’ll explore more about photosynthesis and its history of discovery next month. Photosynthesis is the most vital natural process supporting our economy and our lives. By storing sunlight as chemical energy via the
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conversion of an inorganic gas and liquid water into edible organic compounds such as sugars and starches, green plants directly and indirectly are the source of all food calories we eat. They also are the principal source of renewable and fossilized carbon-based fuels that power our energy intensive economy. What’s more, through photosynthesis, green plants have fundamentally altered and shaped the soil, atmosphere, weather and climate, making human life on earth possible. Along with photosynthetic algae and oceanic phytoplankton, they generate all the oxygen we breathe and without them, the earth’s atmosphere would revert back to being devoid of O2. And further, their biologically-generated O2 released at ground level is the raw material for the stratospheric ozone (O3) layer that protects us and other life on the surface of the earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. For those who wish to learn more on their own, I have found these two reference books on plants and photosynthesis to be informative: Science Concepts – Photosynthesis by Alvin Silverstein, Virginia Silverstein, and Laura Silverstein Nunn which is available in the juvenile section of Jefferson-Madison Regional Libraries; and Time-Life’s Understanding Science & Nature – Plant Life. We need a deeper understanding of the economy of green plants. Awareness of this aspect of nature’s renewable, sustainable, and green economy will help us better grapple with issues that confront us regarding our own human economy, food and energy production, and our interactions with the environment.
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
33
Crozet
Weather Almanac May 2012
playing is our game
By Heidi Sonen & Roscoe Shaw | weather@crozetgazette.com
Blame It on the Weather Fairies
Many people suspect that meteorologists study things like “Hairspray 101” and “Happy Talk Lab.” However, the reality is that the college curriculum for atmospheric science is very demanding and loaded with horrendous things like calculus and physics and fluid dynamics and mathematical modeling. Most of the professors Heidi and I had went out of their way to take the fun out of weather. Hard-core science combined with modern computing power has steadily improved weather forecasts. Heidi likes to say, “We are right on the money six days a week.” It’s that seventh day that has proven elusive, but I think we have stumbled on the problem. Weather Fairies! I just found out that weather fairies control everything. They never taught us this in college, so we had to find out from our sevenyear-old daughter. Since Heidi and I met in front of a weather map and both have degrees in meteorology, it figures that if we begat offspring, they just might be slightly above average at weather acumen. Isabella certainly seems that way and is well-schooled in things like the three necessary ingredients for a rainbow (sun, rain, low sun angle) or the difference between rain and drizzle (droplet size). So often, the younger generation sees things that the old folks just plain miss, and so it is with weather fairies. Recently, Bella explained to
me that weather isn’t controlled by things like the downstream propagation of baroclinic instability at all. Instead, seven weather fairies control everything. The seven weather fairies are: Chrystal, the snow fairy; Abigail, the breeze fairy; Pearl, the cloud fairy; Goldie, the sun fairy; Evie, the mist fairy; Storm, the lightning fairy; and Hayley, the rain fairy. Bella explained that Jack Frost sends evil goblins after a rooster named “Doodle,” whose tail feathers control the weather fairies. When I seemed confused, she suggested that I study more about it. You and your kids can learn more, too. Just google “Rainbow Magic Weather Fairies” or ask about it at Crozet library. May Recap May was another warm month, averaging about four degrees above normal. A warm May is still pleasant, though. The hottest was just 90 on the 28th. The coldest morning was 47 on the 12th. Rain was near normal at 3.72” with almost half of that falling in an all-day downpour on the 14th. Our water table is normal and should be adequate to last in the hot weather for the next few months. Rainfall Totals UVA 6.94” Charlottesville Airport 3.89” Afton Summit 3.84” Crozet 3.72” Waynesboro 3.42” Greenwood 2.43” White Hall 2.31”
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
Grass Farm —continued from page 10
The duck market is strong. “We kill and pluck them. Restaurants can’t get enough of them. They are relatively good money. The market is competitive, though. We measure our labor. It takes about 30 minutes per bird for processing. Ducks don’t want to give up their feathers. Chickens are easy comparatively.” The meat breed of chickens they are raising now is Cornish Cross, the most common breed for meat birds because, amazingly, they reach market weight in seven to nine weeks. “But they will gorge themselves,” Slezak explained. They are thinking of going to a breed known as Poulet Rouge or with Freedom Rangers, a breed popular with other small farmers because they are thrifty and hardy outdoors and known for tastiness. But they are slower growing. Chickens can be slaughtered as young as six weeks old, but usually it is at eight weeks and not later than 10 weeks. “It doesn’t taste as good as they get older,” Slezak said.
The chicken pens are 10 by 12 feet and could be moved twice a day, he said. “It reduces their feed requirement by 30 percent to have them on grass,” he said. Recently a bear had broken into their barn and eaten more than two dozen two-week-old chicks. It was the second time this year they have experienced losses to bears. They can tell it’s a bear by the heaps of scat left behind. And by the way stout wood structures are casually ripped apart. The bears killed 50 birds in their first attack, among them eight ducks, and 27 in their second. “They got 40 birds that we reserved for a wedding. Raccoon and fox attacks we don’t worry about.” But the losses to the bears are directly affecting their income and represent the loss of all their effort raising the birds. “We have a kill permit for the bears,” he said. “There’s two of them, a mom and a cub. The bears seem hungry. They have a taste for flesh.” The bear broke through barricaded doors and tore down partition walls in the barn to get to the
Erica Hellen examines the barn door pried open by bears.
Crozet
www.greatvalu.com
Hellen and Slezak plan how they will secure the moveable chicken pens.
chicks. “The chicks get traumatized,” said Slezak. “You can feel their hearts racing. It really sucks.” For two weeks they spent every night in their car at the farm waiting for a chance at the bears. “We’d hear them coming and we could hear them rattle the cages. Then we’d turn the lights on, but we couldn’t get a shot. It ain’t easy. That’s for sure.” They had 75 chicks to start April and then had only 30 left. They had set out traps around the chicken pens for the bears, but the bears’ feet are big. The problem of the bears goes on. The farm is licensed by the state to process up to 20,000 birds a year. Slezak said they are hoping to process 2,000 birds this season, meaning between March and November. “The bears are cutting into that.” They sell at the Charlottesville city market and to restaurants and other local stores. Typically they would kill 30 birds for the city market. “It really takes a long time to get ready for the market,” said Slezak. In total, they are selling roughly 75 birds a week. They sell at Crozet Great Valu, providing the store about 12 birds a
l plus locaarm F Currituckf! e Be
week. “They are good to us and they sell what they can get.” Chickens are available fresh or frozen. Duners restaurant in Ivy also buys from them. “There’s a generation of people now who think that if it isn’t inspected by the government it isn’t safe. Our chickens never live in their own feces. If we had somebody get sick we would have to shut down. It doesn’t happen. They taste amazing. It’s an amazing product.” For now they are plenty busy, but there are questions about their future and what they can afford. “We’re trying to figure out if we can farm in Albemarle or not. Maybe in the Valley. But you have to build a name for yourself. Our landowners around here can be very difficult. They want things trimmed up, but they don’t want them farmed.” Slezak and Hellen are focused on the economics of the operation and do careful studies of their costs and efficiency. “We don’t want to be industrial farmers. People need to realize that they have to pay the cost of the food they eat. Factor in weather and predators. This is what it costs. It’s a lot of labor. We need an evolution of local producers who are feeding their own areas.”
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
Warrior Sports News
35
Grasshoppers Three-peat as Greenwood Peachtree Babe Ruth Champions
Back row: Coach Rick Maupin, Coach Justin Pugh, Jeremy “the Engine” Pugh, Brady “Big Un” Pittman, Ben “the Professor” Donovan, Jonathan “Just Pitch, Don’t” Dance, Justin “Still da man” Barbour. Kneeling: Drew “Big Stick” Williams, Will “Jeter” Kinlaw, Austin “Big Heart” Germani, Kelly “Always Clutch” Kirby, Isaac “Maestro” Rowlingson, Coach Jason Crutchfield. (Not pictured: Coach Jeff Pugh, Noah “Gator’s Brother” Crutchfield)
At Nationals, from left to right: Samantha Mangum, Jenny Alcorn, and Coach Jake Willstatter.
Western Rowers Place Third at National Race by Connie Mangum The Western Albemarle High School rowing team had a great performance at the SRAA (Scholastic Rowing Association of America) Championship—also known as “Nationals” in the rowing world— on the Cooper River in New Jersey, May 25 and 26. Western had three boats in the races. Samantha Mangum and Jenny Alcorn raced in a women’s varsity lightweight double boat, and came in third place, just two seconds behind the first-place boat. Danielle Lucas raced in a women’s varsity single boat coming in third. Carter Spradlin and his brother Walker came in sixth, racing in a men’s junior double. Right after school lets out, Lucas will participate in the Junior National Team Sculling Development camp at the invitation of the junior national team coach. The team, which has 19 rowers and nine volunteer coaches, raced in three regattas held on the Occoquan Creek in Fairfax County during their regular season. This year, for the first time, Albemarle High School was invited to start rowing out of the WAHS boathouse, and two AHS rowers, as well as AHS Coach Cathy Coffman,
joined rowing practices and regattas. Crew practices on the Beaver Creek reservoir five days a week right after school. The team attended the Virginia Scholastic Championships in Fairfax May 12 and had five boats compete. Next, the team competed at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta May 18 on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. This regatta is the oldest and largest high school regatta in the world, with 198 schools attending. Western was selected to have four boats enter the regatta. Mangum and Alcorn won second place racing in a varsity lightweight double boat. Lucas won ninth place in a single’s boat. Two boats, one with Cole Bowser and Luke Von Hemert rowing, and the other with Carter Spradlin and Mark Simonds, raced as men’s doubles. Considering that more than 5,000 athletes participated, this is quite an accomplishment. Both seniors, Mangum and Bowser will continue rowing in their college years. The team will offer a summer rowing camp starting July 2, followed by an invitational sculling camp at the Outer Banks. For more information, visit the website at wahscrew.org.
by Rick Maupin The Peachtree Grasshoppers of the Babe Ruth Division have repeated as champions for the third consecutive year. Led by solid pitching, hitting and defense, the Grasshoppers were the regular season and tournament champions. Coach Jeff Pugh said the team was fortunate to have eight 15-year-old players who knew what was expected of them and played hard every game to achieve the goal of being champions. The blend of new coaching from Jason Crutchfield, new players, and people performing at new positions provided a winning formula. Having seasoned WAHS JV players helped tremendously as two young pitchers threw no hitters, Ben Donovan (on May 14) and Jonathan Dance (on May 20). Hitting-wise, the Grasshoppers seemed to improve, with the season highlighted by a three-run homer by Kelly Kirby on May 29. Tucker Herr also went out of the yard on May 24. Special thanks are owed to Johnathon Maupin, Daphne Kirby, and Mrs. Rowlingson.
Thanks are also due to Scott Baker, Roberta Whitehurst and Cheryl Madison, who have breathed new life into Babe Ruth League baseball at Greenwood. With four exciting and talented teams, it appears the quality of baseball will only get better for this division of Peachtree League. The league’s three other teams, The Thunder, RiverDogs and Scrappers, comprised mostly of 13and 14-year-old boys, played fantastic baseball over the last three months. All three coaches—Scott Baker, Luis Carrazana and Kevin Kennedy—are extremely proud of their players and parents. The field has been given a facelift by Scott Baker and friends, including Albemarle County Parks and Recreation. The venue truly has become a diamond (pun intended) for the western part of Albemarle County. We all look forward to watching the All-Star teams of Peachtree in the District 5 tournament for 13-year-olds, which will be played at Greenwood.
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
Noel A. Schweig Noel A. Schweig, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, died June l, 2012, at home in Nellysford. In addition to his parents, Joel Schweig and Sidonia Gelles, who emigrated from Vienna in the early 1900s, he was preceded in death by his sister, Stephanie Barach. He attended The Columbia Grammar School in New York, and graduated from Wesleyan University. He studied medicine at Utrecht University in the Netherlands and graduated from Duke University Medical School in 1956. He spent one year in a rotating medical internship at the Long Island Jewish Hospital, and then moved to Washington, D.C., with his wife at the time and two children. His post-graduate work in psychiatry was divided between St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and George Washington University Medical Center. Following two years as a fellow in the National Institute of Mental Health, he established a pri-
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vate practice and began 10 years of psychoanalytic training. He ultimately became a faculty member and teaching analyst with the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute and was associate professor of psychiatry at the George Washington University Medical School. For over five decades, he practiced psychiatry and psychotherapy, where he remained committed to a psychoanalytic orientation even as the psychiatric profession itself turned increasingly to psychopharmacology. In 1988, he established a second office in Middleburg. In 2006 he moved to the Crozet area, where he maintained an active practice until his death. He was an avid photographer for his entire adult life and pursued it vigorously around the world. His work was displayed in shows and galleries and can be viewed on his website, noelschweig.com. Dr. Schweig was previously married to Nannette Hertz and Dallal Richards. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Lois A. Vitt, his children, Graham M. Schweig and Gwen A. Seidlitz, his stepchildren John Alan Vitt, Michael Vitt, Ginny Plumeau, Lois Vitt Sale, Elle Vitt and Pati Vitt, eleven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, 717 Rugby Road, Charlottesville, Saturday, June 16, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested for the Noel A. Schweig Memorial Internship Fund at the Institute for Socio-Financial Studies (ISFS.org), 325 Four Leaf Lane, Suite 7, Charlottesville, VA 22903. Dr. Schweig supported over a dozen internships at ISFS since its founding in 1991. He strongly believed in, and practiced, furthering the extraordinary possibilities inherent in each individual.
Broadus Lacy Wood Broadus Lacy Wood “Brody-Uncle B” Wood,” 67, of Crozet passed away May 14, 2012, at the Harrisonburg Health and Rehab Center in Harrisonburg. He was born on January 19, 1945, in Albemarle County, the oldest son of the late Marvin and Beatrice Wood. He was preceded in death by a niece, Tracy Lamb. He was employed for twenty-six years at Serven Farm in Free Union. He is survived by two brothers, Daniel Wood of Lyndhurst and Harold Wood of Stuarts Draft; nine sisters, Joyce Sprouse of Charlottesville; Nancy Kegley of Narrows; Brenda Garrison, Bernice Thacker, Karen Wood, Janice Wood, all of Crozet; Helen Wood of Scottsville; Margie Wood of Ruckersville; and Debbie Brown of Nelson County, He is also survived by twenty-three nieces and nephews, Danny, Lisa, Frankie, Frances, Tammy, Rodney, Chad, Rebecca, Kevin, Tiffany, Melissa, Keith, Buckie, Bradley, Melvin, Jamie Jr., Ashley, Katherine, Harold, Brandy, Randy; and two special nephews, David and Dennis Wood. He is also survived by twenty-six great nieces and nephews, Melissa,
Tink, Alexandria, Zach, Caitlin, Simon, Zoe, Cordell, Riley, Bridgette, Jesse, PJ, Brittni, Lauren, Alyssa, Jerry, Hunter, Logan, Hannah, Christian, Madison, Jaden, Lucas, Achillas, and Ares, as well as a special great-niece Anevay Wood, one great-niece on the way. Pallbearers were Gene Sandridge, Kenny Morris, Cecil Fisher, Doug Marvin, Kevin Morris, and David McCauley. A funeral service was held on Friday, May 18, at the Free Union Church of the Brethren with Pastor Dwayne Johnson officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Anderson Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
Gazette obituaries are only $25 for up to 500 words, including a photograph. Call 434-466-8939 or emails ads@crozetgazette.com for details.
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Crozet gazette
Steven Wayne Carter
Steven Wayne Carter, 59, of Crozet, died at his residence May 25, 2012, after a short illness. He was born in Richmond on January 5, 1953, the son of the late Lester W. Carter and Martha Alene Carter. He was also preceded in death by one brother, Alan Carter. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Hilda (Murt) Carter: one son, Kevin Carter and his wife Michele of Palmyra; one daughter, Kimberly Carter of Crozet; a sister, Wanda Horner and husband Jack and their children Ian and Megan of Glengary, West Virginia; and five grandchildren, Hailey, Zach, Cati, Drew, and Ryan. He started in the Carter Plumbing Business in l971 with his father and took over the business in 2000. He loved his job and worked until October 2011, when he became very ill. He graduated from Albemarle High School in 1971 and was a member of the Crozet Lions Club, and the Crozet Volunteer Fire Department, a lifetime member where he was named firefighter of the year in 1986 and 1988. He was a member of Crozet Baptist Church. He was a devoted son, brother, husband, father and grandfather. He was a devoted NASCAR fan, enjoyed reading, and loved spending time with family and friends. The family extends special thanks to Legacy Hospice staff member Karen McLean, RN, Charlottesville Health and Rehab, Louisa Health and Rehab, and UVA Hospital staff and family and friends for their love and support. Family suggests that any donations be made to Crozet Baptist Church, Crozet Volunteer Fire Department or the Western Albemarle Rescue Squad.
June 2012
Bereavements Frederic John Drake, 67
April 25, 2012
Roy H. Durrette, 86
April 27, 2012
Richard T. Ergenbright Jr., 79
April 27, 2012
Dean Edward Birch, 52
April 28, 2012
Helen Mae Clark Roy, 92
April 28, 2012
Thomas Hugh Scott, 83
April 29, 2012
Claude Twyman Johnson, 84
May 2, 2012
Joseph Lloyd Spivey Jr., 60
May 2, 2012
Robertson Alfonzo Berry Jr., 63
May 3, 2012
Mary Jane Clark, 65
May 3, 2012
Bobby Gray Wilson, 79
May 3, 2012
Steven George Bantz, 46
May 4, 2012
Irene Gibson Darrell, 67
May 4, 2012
Merval J. Snow Harlow, 94
May 4, 2012
John Flick Sheridan, 82
May 4, 2012
Elizabeth Whiting Woodfolk, 86
May 5, 2012
Ronnie Junior Morris, 67
May 6, 2012
Ralph James Bartholomew, 95
May 7, 2012
Edward Brooke Johnson, 51
May 7, 2012
Coleman Clarke Colvin, 86
May 8, 2012
Mary D. Peters, 92
May 9, 2012
Larvinia Arminta Porter Brooks, 81
May 10, 2012
Corey Otis Morris, 34
May 10, 2012
Kenneth Odal Morris, 68
May 10, 2012
Mattie B. Shifflett, 86
May 10, 2012
Stuart Brownlee Farrar, 88
May 12, 2012
Helen Powell Fitzgerald, 86
May 13, 2012
Broadus Lacy Wood, 67
May 14, 2012
Susan Allen Copeland, 65
May 15, 2012
William Howard Grimm, 76
May 15, 2012
John Jacob Pumphrey Jr., 80
May 15, 2012
Victor Franklin Sampson, 62
May 15, 2012
Althea Anne Wyant, 87
May 15, 2012
Carol Joyce Chapman, 85
May 17, 2012
Helen Dixon, 83
May 17, 2012
James Charlie Shifflett, 76
May 17, 2012
Elvin Roy Shifflett, 79
May 18, 2012
Jean Brundred Murray, 91
May 19, 2012
Louise W. Shifflett, 86
May 21, 2012
Lucille Weaver Long, 81
May 23, 2012
Carl F. Barnes Jr., 76
May 25, 2012
Steven Wayne Carter, 59
May 25, 2012
Hazel Wood Parrott, 89
May 25, 2012
Bradley Micklem Durham, 81
May 26, 2012
Janis Elaine Dudding Beale, 73
May 27, 2012
Walter Keith Oslin, 87
May 30, 2012
37
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Crozet gazette
June 2012
Crozet’s Favorite Flicks Here’s what’s popular at Maupin’s Music and Video with a few recommendations for this month from the experts there.
Top Rentals in May Haywire
(Action with Gina Carano)
Rampart
(Drama with Woody Harrelson)
One for the Money
(Romantic Comedy with Katherine Heigl)
The Grey
(Thriller with Liam Neeson)
Underworld Awakening (Sci-Fi with Kate Beckinsale)
The Vow
(Drama with Channing Tatum)
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$25/year for 12 issues. For more info: (434) 249-4211
Albert Nobbs
(Drama with Glenn Close)
Joyful Noise
(Romantic Comedy with Dolly Parton)
This Means War
(Romantic Comedy with Reese Witherspoon)
June picks Pete’s Picks Rampart (new) Fargo
Rick’s Picks The Grey (new) The Prestige
Evan’s Picks Haywire (new) Warrior Maupin’s Music & Video 5796 Three Notch’d Road 434-823-2244
Crozet gazette CLASSIFIED ADS Computer Care: Computer repair at your home or office. Virus removal, wireless networking and more. Reasonable rates. Over 15 years’ experience. 434825-2743.
Experienced seamstress with 30 years of tailoring and garment alterations experience. I work from home in Crozet (Highlands). Please call for a free consultation. Ruth Gerges: 434-823-5086. For Rent: 1 BR apts CROZET, in country, small complex with lawn & trees, separate office or small BR, W/D, 3 avail from $640-$695 all different. No pets. 540-447-4476 For Rent: Stylish 1940s house in Tree Streets, Waynesboro. 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 2 half baths, library, screened porch, 2-car garage. $1900/mo. 434981-4705. Work your own schedule, from your home! The premier Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival is looking for a director to oversee the twice a year Festival that serves as a fundraiser for Claudius Crozet Park. This is a 12-month, part time position, with responsibilities for all aspects of the Festival. This is a rare opportunity as we have only had three directors in the past 30 years. For specific information, please see Crozet Arts and Crafts Festival on www.crozetartsandcrafts.com. Resume and letter of introduction should be sent to PO Box 171, Crozet, VA 22932. HOMEMATE WANTED: Female non-smoker wanted to share large house near Crozet center with professional female & dog. 2 unfurnished rooms available w/bath, Wifi, large yard & porch. No pets. $600+Utils. 617429-9737. NEED MOTIVATION TO EXERCISE? Come try out Boot Camp for REAL People, and outdoor exercise class for all ages and abilities. Have fun and get in shape! M/W/F at 6 a.m. held at Crozet Park. Come try your first class for free. For more information or to register call Melissa Miller at 434-962-2311 or visit www.m2personaltraining.com.
June 2012
C-3PO
Across 1 Buds 5 “Ere I saw ____” 9 Chicago high train unit 14 Sedgwick or Falco 15 “Raven” writer relatives 16 Charlottesville park or avenue 17 Noisy internet ad? 20 Tumultuous battle 21 One is of two cities 22 Unwell 23 Large flightless bird 25 Skinny fish with needle-like teeth 26 Sow site 27 Henny Penny decision not to warn anyone about the sky falling? 33 Wife to Charlie Chaplin and daughter to Eugene O’Neill 34 VCR or DVD maker 35 Anagram of hockey greats 37 Capitol of West Germany 38 Chapters for retirees 41 Food, casually 43 1993 Nobel Prize winning novelist Morrison 45 Alley _______ 46 Golden Rule preposition 47 Dancers’ rideshare? 51 FDR and HST successor 53 Crozet pizzeria namesake 54 Loneliest number 55 Charged particle 56 Superlative endings 58 Butler player 62 Blogs about No. 5? 66 Pick up the tab 67 Lady’s man, old school 68 Surfeit 69 Mgrs. helpers 70 Went over 65 on 64 71 Daze
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6 London john 7 Not straight 8 Parmesan cousin 9 Napoleon, e.g. 10 It’s a sign 11 Where swallows return 12 Mature one 13 Email option 18 Look too soon? 19 Applause component 24 Donald to Huey, Dewey, and Louie 27 Corny setting 28 Owl sound 29 Three faces of naivete? 30 Tropical ornamental 31 Leslie who played Gigi 32 Exhaust
Down 1 Chest muscle, briefly 2 He fell first 3 Former nits 4 Heidi Klum’s ex 5 Fleeting things
Kids’ Crossword Across 1 Babyfood catcher 2 “Green Eggs and ___” 4 Poodle or Dachshund 6 Fun fruits or goldfish 7 Apple and pumpkin, for example 8 This Mexican food can be hard or soft 9 Opposite of closed
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by Mary Mikalson
10 Baseball for beginners Down 1 Angry _____ (game) 2 Home 3 Your cousin’s Dad is your _____ 5 Present 7 Where Gators swim
36 Bismarck moniker 39 A little in Liguria 40 Banner-like 42 Test for public school students 44 Stink bugs, among others 48 Carry partner 49 Sacramental tables 50 Harvest 51 Remarks or comments by a Judge 52 Jim Morrison’s band 57 Cereal sound 59 Supervisor 60 Hurdle for would be attys. 61 Section of Caesarean speech 63 Mare morsel 64 Barely stretch out 65 US lawmaker
40
Crozet gazette
June 2012 ALL ENGINES POSSIBLE SMALL ENGINE REPAIR MARK PUGH
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Last month’s best sellers at Over the Moon Bookstore, with a few recommendations for this month from the experts there
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PLUMBING REPAIRS, ADDITIONS & REMODELING WATER HEATER INSTALLATION & REPAIR GAS LINE INSTALLATION, AND MORE!
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The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
McAllister Painting Licensed and Insured Over 20 Years Experience - Free Estimates All aspects of painting Interior and Exterior Gutter Cleaning & Power Washing “No job too small”
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Turn Right at Machu Pichu: Rediscovering the Lost City [...] Mark Adams
State of Wonder Ann Patchett
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail Cheryl Strayed
10 1/2 Things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said Charles Wheelan
The Forgotten Waltz Anne Enright
Unlikely Friendships [...] Jennifer S. Holland
In the Garden of Beasts Erik Larson
Minding Frankie
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My Extraordinary Ordinary Life Sissy Spacek
June Recommendations
Recommended by Anne: Adult: The Newlyweds by Nell Freundenberger Children: Arlo Needs Glasses by Barney Saltzberg
Recommended by Elizabeth: Adult: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed YA: Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Recommended by Scott: Adult: Horseshoe Crabs & Velvet Worms: The Story of the Animals & Plants that Time Has Left Behind by Richard Fortey
Crozet gazette
June 2012
41
Rockfish Natural History Center Becomes Affiliate of the Virginia Museum of Natural History The Rockfish Valley Foundation Natural History Center in Nellysford is now an affiliate of the Virginia Museum of Natural History (VMNH), which is based in Martinsville. VMNH serves citizens of the Commonwealth through exhibits, education programs, scientific research and collections, and partnerships with other institutions. Officials with both VMNH and the Rockfish Valley Foundation (RVF) recently formalized the affiliation agreement that provides the Rockfish Valley Foundation’s Natural History Center with loans of exhibits, discounts on traveling exhibits, collaboration opportunities for education programs, and free or discounted programs and lectures by VMNH curators and other staff members. “We believe Nelson County is the right place for this program, with our abundant natural resources on the east side of the Blue Ridge and our rural cultural heritage,” said Peter Agelasto, president of the RVF. The mission of the Rockfish Valley Foundation is to preserve the natural, historical, ecological and agricultural resources of the Rockfish Valley. The organization supports the Rockfish Valley Loop Trail system, Spruce Creek Park and the lands associated with them. The RVF also sponsors the Nelson Scenic Loop, the Natural History Center, and a number of community events including a kite festival, stargazing nights, and others. “We want the community to understand the natural world and be able to make their own decisions as to how they interrelate with natural resources,” Agelasto said. The Rockfish Valley Foundation’s Natural History Center was formerly home to the Spruce Creek Gallery and is a state and national registered historic landmark. It was built in 1903 by the Harris Family as a general store, survived the flood resulting from Hurricane Camille in 1969 and served as the first sales center for the Wintergreen Resort. As the Natural History Center, it will host exhibits enhanced by cut-
ting-edge technology, allowing audiences to interact with VMNH curators and staff in Martinsville. The RVF hopes to host two exhibits per year at the Natural History Center. As part of the grand opening of the new RVF Natural History Center on June 16, VMNH staff will be installing elements of the recent “Living off the Land” exhibit, which recently wrapped up a sixmonth run at the VMNH. The exhibit includes an array of taxidermied native wildlife, including black bear, wild turkey, squirrel, possum and others. Other displays will give young visitors the chance to experience animal pelts, insects, rocks, and other artifacts. “There will also be a dugout canoe set in front of the animals. It’s a great photo op to have your child’s picture taken in the canoe,” Agelasto said. The RVF was founded in 2005 and dedicated its first birding trail with the help of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in September 2006. In May 2011, it established its headquarters at the Wintergreen Country Store. “Nelson County is indeed fortunate to have the engagement of so many of its residents who care about our culture, arts, history and natural resources,” said Connie Brennan, central district member of the Nelson County Board of Supervisors. “The establishment of the Rockfish Valley Foundation Natural History Center is another jewel in our crown, and will contribute much to our community’s and our visitors’ appreciation of this precious and special part of Virginia.” The Virginia Museum of Natural History, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, became a state agency in 1988 and opened a new state-of-the-art facility in 2007. The museum is recognized as one of the nation’s leading museums in its field, with award-winning exhibits, active scientific research and collections programs in a variety of disciplines, and educational programs
www.facebook.com/crozetgazette
Photo courtesy Rockfish Valley Foundation
offered both at the museum and though outreach programs statewide. The museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums, a distinction earned by fewer than 10 percent of museums in the United States.
For more information about the Rockfish Valley Foundation, visit www.rockfishvalley.org or www.nelsonscenicloop.com. For more information about the Virginia Museum of Natural History, visit www. vmnh.net.
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470 Twinkling Springs Road, cornerstonealbemarle.org Crozet, VA 22932
42
Crozet gazette
June 2012
Beauty Out of Chaos: A Review of The Painted Veil Norton. The Painted Veil, like other novels of the 19th and early 20th centuries, chronicles yet another seduction that threatens to ruin the life of its trusting, innocent female victim—but takes that familiar formula to a new level. Kitty is a willing participant, but only because she believes Charles loves her; by the end of the novel she has forgiven herself. Through her redemption Maugham, and in turn the reader, feel sympathy toward his anti-heroine’s plight. “Kitty thought that perhaps a generous heart might pity rather than condemn her” (ch. 78). But the resolution of this tangled plot might well be considered proto-feminist – departing from a long line of fictional “fallen” women (including Tess, Anna Karenina, Emma Bovary, and Lily Bart, to name a few) whose creators, mirroring their current social morality, felt must be punished with the most drastic outcomes. The ending of The Painted Veil provides a different and original plot twist that reflects the changing views of women at this time. Maugham’s brilliant little gem of a novel somehow manages to be subtly witty and deadly serious at the same time, combining pathos, psychological growth, and spiritual awakening in a most delightful way. “The only thing which makes it possible to regard this world we live in without disgust is the beauty which now and then men create out of the chaos” (ch. 66). Maugham knows whereof he speaks, showing us how beauty can indeed arise from the pain of chaotic relationships.
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has little difficulty in seducing her. Kitty, duped into believing that Charles truly loves her and that he will eventually leave his wife and marry her, risks everything to pursue the affair—but in reality nothing could be further from the truth. When, as punishment for his wife’s infidelity, Walter forces her to accompany him on an arduous journey and extended stay in a cholera-infested province of China, Charles cheerfully abandons her to her fate—which she believes is certain and intended death. With mounting horror, the reader witnesses the presumed sacrifice as the pair travels upriver and then overland past desolate rice fields and abandoned dead bodies to the remote bungalow that will serve in effect as Kitty’s prison while Walter tends the scores of sick and dying. Under such circumstances of extreme duress, Kitty reveals a surprising depth of spirit and resourcefulness. Rather than wilting under the shadow of death and disease, she awakens to a sense of purpose. Through her friendship with the wise and supportive Deputy Commissioner Waddington, and her association with the French nuns who run a local convent, she begins to see herself, her potential, and her husband differently, and to grow beyond the trivialities of her spoiled aristocratic life. “She had never felt so light of heart and it seemed to her as though her body were a shell that lay at her feet and she pure spirit” (ch. 33). Kitty’s most fundamental values change as she begins to recognize and sorely regret the shameful way she treated her well-meaning husband. But is it too late to save such a damaged relationship? The title of the book may refer to this fundamental, psychological change that Kitty undergoes—as if a veil had fallen from her eyes so she can see not only the true natures of her husband and her lover, but also the true baseness of her own behavior. Through a rivetSUMMER SummerCamp Camp Preschool Summer chool Ages 2 1/2 - 5CAMP PRESCHOOL ingAges story3-8well told, the novel conAges 3 - 6 Ages 2 ½ -several 58 Ages 2 ½ 5 Ages 3 Sign up for days or gentle, safe &Sign loving vinces for us the of the human potential for up by the week A gentle, safe & loving A gentle, & loving Sign up for or forsafe the whole summer. atmosphere whole summer. Creative weekly for one youngweek phere for young children change and redemption. Creative weekly themes. children to beginsummer. to atmosphere for young or the whole themes. Private, in-ground Thewading novel ends with a cosmic n exploringchildren the world & towading Creative Private, in-ground explore theweekly world & to to begin themes. pool for daily swimming. prepare for kindergarten. the world & to Private,pool in-ground wading irony that I won’t reveal in order not for daily swimming. pare forexploring kindergarten. prepare for kindergarten. for daily swimming. to spoil the ending for those who HALF DAY & pool FULL DAY Close Close to Charlottesville, Crozet & UVA intend to read it. (Along the same ClosetotoCharlottesville, Charlottesville, Crozet Crozet & & UVA UVa NUMEROUS SCHEDULE OPTIONS line, I recommend saving the NUMEROUS SCHEDULE OPTIONS (434) 979-2111 Preface until after you have finished (434)434.979.2111 979-2111 www.millstoneofi vy.com | www.millstoneofivy.com www.millstoneofivy.com reading the book). Whether or not you plan to attend the Crozet Library Book Club’s sure-to-be-lively discussion of W. S o m e r s e t Maugham’s 1925 novel The Painted Veil on Monday, July 9 at 7 p.m., you should rush right out and get your hands on a copy. A more thoroughly enjoyable book I have not read in a long time. Simultaneously romantic and grisly, it is hard to know whether to classify this pageturner as horror fiction, romance, or psychological novel. Replete with exotic locales, aristocratic lifestyles, adulterous affairs, life-and-death decisions, psychological insight, and spiritual growth, this jam-packed 240-page novel tells a compelling story of betrayal and redemption while giving us a fascinating historical perspective on the evolving view of women in British literature. The setting is China at the height of British colonialism. The novel begins in medias res, as Kitty and Charles’ adulterous liaison is interrupted by the rattling of a door handle, signifying that Kitty’s husband, Walter, has discovered their secret. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that young, beautiful, but shallow socialite Kitty Garstin married shy, kind, and dutiful bacteriologist Walter Fane for all the wrong reasons, after which she followed him from England to the exotic and rarified colony of Hong Kong. Bored by Walter and failing to appreciate his devotion to her, Kitty soon falls head over heels in love with the debonair Assistant Colonial Secretary, Charles Townsend, who
It is not often that I am able to write about a poem and a novel in the same column, but late in the novel, Walter quotes from the poem “An Elegy on the Death of a Mad Dog” by Oliver Goldsmith (17281774). As this mainstream poet would have been included in the standard British school curriculum, Maugham could assume that many readers would have recognized the allusion. It is an eight-stanza, light-hearted ballad about a man and his dog that makes a wry comment on the tragic story of Kitty and Walter and enriches our understanding of their relationship. W. Somerset Maugham (18741965) was one of the most popular British authors and playwrights of the early 20th century, best known for his novels Of Human Bondage (1915) and The Moon and Sixpence (1919), a fictional account of the life of artist Paul Gauguin. While the critical assessment of Maugham’s work as a whole has been decidedly mixed, there is general consensus that Of Human Bondage is one of the 20th century’s finest novels. Maugham’s prose style is lucid and easy to read, while at the same time conveying deep meaning. In this novel, he presents that rare combination of a riveting plot, psychological insight, and superior writing that is so skilled as to seem effortless. The novel has warranted two film versions, one directed by Richard Bowleslawski in 1934 starring Greta Garbo and Herbert Marshall, and the second directed by John Curran in 2006 starring Naomi Watts and Edward
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by Clover Carroll | clover@crozetgazette.com
Crozet gazette
June 2012
43
Six Earn Pop Warner Scholar Honors Patashnik Tapped for CGV Scholarship Five young men from Crozet have been named Pop Warner AllAmerican Scholars. Only two percent of the 400,000 middle-schoolage boys across America who play Pop Warner football meet the standards to receive the status. The distinction recognizes athletic endeavor, academic achievement, and participation in other nonsport or volunteer activities in their community. A minimum 96 percent gradepoint average is required to apply for All-American status. The top 35
Cornerstone —continued from page 13
the things you have to do to grow,” he said. “You don’t just go to church now and sit. It’s a challenge. Younger people especially want to make things happen. “We want to minister to people where they are. The mindset used to be, ‘We’re here. Come visit.’ But you have to make a connection with folks. The cell is a little community
scorers in each grade level are named National First Team AllAmericans. Named as National Second Team All-Americans from Crozet are: Jack Lesemann and Jack Weyher (fifth grade), Sebastian Crescimanno (sixth grade), and James Beutow, Bennett Hull, and Wiley Martin (seventh grade). The award ceremony took place over Memorial Day Weekend. for them where they can talk about what’s going on in their lives and take care of each other.” He said cells will discuss marital problems and problems involving kids. “There are lots of problems of communication,” Winans said. “We live in a non-communicative society. God created us for fellowship and interaction and we’re losing it.” The church sponsored the House of Hope rally in May, a fundraiser to build a home for teens.
Crozet Great Valu co-owner Jean Wagner presented Michael Patashnik with the store’s $1,000 scholarship June 4. A member of this year’s senior class at Western Albemarle High School, Patashnik will attend Cornell University in the fall, where he intends to study math and computer science. He graduated with a 4.0 GPA and numerous prizes in math, English, French and jazz band. He was on the academic team that placed second in the state in 2011 and has racked up a series of top scores on Advanced Placement exams. Patashnik was a National
Merit Commended Scholar in 2011. He developed a vocabulary-building game for the Boys and Girls Club and has researched how to enhance the characteristics of ice in the lab of U.Va. physics professor Louis Bloomfield. Patashnik was on the team that worked up Albemarle County Schools’ schedules and teaches Sunday School. He is an avid Ultimate Frisbee player and president of the magic club. He will be a camp counselor in Massachusetts this summer. He is the son of Eric and Debbie Patashnik of Ivy.
Saturday, June 30 4 p.m. Parade to Crozet Park Through Downtown Crozet
Parade Grand Marshal: Carroll Conley
5 – 10 p.m. Community Celebration at Crozet Park • Live Music: Lock Jaw 5 to 7 p.m | Second Draw 7:15 to 9:30 p.m. • Softball Game: CVFD Firefighters vs. Peachtree Coaches Game starts at 6 p.m.
• • • •
Kids’ Games & Amusements BOUNCE -N-PLAY SLIDE & TRAIN RIDES Raffles Traditional American Fourth of July Fare Including Pulled Pork BBQ, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Corn on the Cob, Popcorn, Apple Pie and more!
Firew orks Cr ozet P June ark 9:30 p 30 .m.
Bring a lawn chair to watch the bands and ballgame!
Bill Su
blette
• Fireworks: 9:30 P.M.