Mouthwatering way to serve

Farmville Police Chief Andy Ellington, on left, recruited his friends Michael Strasburg, center, and David Shores to help cook the meal for the Lions Club Shrimp Fest.

Farmville Lions Club finds a mouthwatering new way to serve

Story by Rachel Austin Photos by Connor Thompson

The Farmville Lion’s Club has served the town for almost 100 years. This year, the club found a tasty new way to bring people together and raise money for a good cause.

In the past, the Farmville Lion’s Club was known for its annual golf tournament fundraiser. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic created a pause for many annual events, the club decided that this was a good time to go in a different direction.

“We wanted to create a new event that the community could come out and enjoy for a fundraiser,” said Farmville Lion’s Club President Dr. Scott Davis. “We want to do a festival or something so we came up with Shrimp Fest.”

On Thursday, Oct. 27, the Farmville Lions Club hosted the first Shrimp Fest at the Sports Area. Luckily for those who attended the venue was changed to indoors to save everyone from the cold fall weather. For this event, tickets were $35 and included a large plate of steamed shrimp, baked beans, coleslaw and hushpuppies along with allyou-can-drink beer and wine. This gave an opportunity for folks to eat good food, listen to live music and catch up with their neighbors.

Michael Strasburg adds Old Bay seasoning to the shrimp as part of the kitchen prep.

ALMOST A CENTURY OF WORK

The money from this fundraiser will go back into the community. That’s a normal thing for the Lions, and has been ever since their creation almost 100 years ago. The Farmville Lions Club was chartered on June 23, 1923, made up of 31 people from local government, business and education. The goal at the time was to support community projects, “designed to enhance the area’s amenities to residents, guests and prospective commercial interests.”

Several landmarks in Farmville came about due to the Lions Club’s goal. Soon after being chartered, the club received a number of grants and helped fund what was then known as Southside Hospital. Now, that’s known as Centra Southside Community Hospital, providing help for people across the entire region.

Then came Hotel Weyanoke. The Lions helped provide grants for that project as well, seeing it open in 1925. And it had a major impact on the area. Once the doors opened, with train service both east and west, Farmville became known as a convention center. Statewide groups took notice. Between 1926 and 1928, the town hosted 10 statewide conventions.

Flashforward to 2019 and the Lions Club was responsible for another project going up. They cut the ribbon on Lions Park, which the club had installed right next to Wilck’s Lake here in Farmville. This was a project that planning started on in 2015. By 2017, the club decided to build the playground, getting a matching grant from the Lions of Virginia Foundation. By the fall of 2018, the Lions gave $65,000 to the town to buy the needed playground equipment.

A LEGACY OF SERVICE

Over the years, this club has amended the intent, building a legacy of service. Their yearly fundraising projects, like the Shrimp Fest we mentioned earlier, provide money for vision screenings, vision exams and help buy eyeglasses for local children, as well as some residents referred by Social Services. They help fund

Burkeville Lodge, Virginia’s only camp for the blind, and coordinate with Social Services and the Longwood Speech, Hearing and Learning Services to provide hearing aids for residents that can’t afford them on their own.

“We help people meet the criteria they need to get the glasses and hearing aids they need,” said Davis. “Especially when it comes to kids.”

Other work in the community includes donating to Blue Christmas, which allows police officers to shop with children for Christmas presents. They also host blood drives, donate to the food pantry at the public schools and assist with other needs in the community as they come up.

“Our motto is ‘we serve’ and we do that in many different ways,” said Davis.

Now with 100 years under its belt, the Farmville Lions Club is ready to continue its service for another 100 and hopefully more.

From left, Molly Kinahan, Hannah Ramsey and Anne Tyler Paulek were just some of the residents who came out to enjoy the Lions Club’s latest event.

Where Am I?

LAST ISSUE'S WINNER: Gene Watson, of Farmville, is the winner for the October edition of Where Am I? He knew that the last photo was the Love sign in The Virginia Tasting Cellar. Watson wins a free subscription to Farmville the Magazine.

The Heart of Virginia offers beautiful scenery and architecture throughout downtown Farmville. “Where Am I?” offers residents a chance to identify one of our hidden gems across town. If you think you know where this photo was taken, email your answer to WhereAmI@ FarmvilletheMag.com. We’ll draw one lucky name from among the correct answers for an annual subscription to Farmville the Magazine.

Why I Love Farmville

Prince Edward County Administrator Doug Stanley joins us this month to share some of his favorite memories about Farmville and the surrounding area.

1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN FARMVILLE AND WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU REMEMBER NOTICING ABOUT THE AREA? I started my position as County Administrator in November 2020 and moved my family to Prince Edward in July 2021. The first thing I noticed is how everyone in the community seems to be connected.

2. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE FARMVILLE MEMORY? The support my family received while my wife was in the hospital with COVID.

3. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE FARMVILLE GROW OR CHANGE? The Farmville/Prince Edward community has so much to offer. Among the biggest complaints I hear are lack of housing and shopping opportunities and employment options. Working with our Board, IDA, and community partners like Longwood, HSC, and Centra, we are working to address these issues and I am hopeful in the coming years we will be able to provide options and opportunity for our residents.

4. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE FARMVILLE TO PEOPLE NOT FROM HERE? A warm and friendly college community with a healthy and vibrant downtown.

5. IF YOU HAD TO LEAVE FARMVILLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST? The sense of community pride…people are proud of being a progressive, diverse, and inclusive community.

Doug Stanley

Prince Edward County Administrator

Serving It Up

This Thanksgiving leftover fettuccine alfredo with crispy stuffing breadcrumbs and garlic green beans is sure to send you into a welcomed food coma.

Thanksgiving fettuccine alfredo

Story and photos by Alexa Massey

It’s November, meaning many of us will soon be stuffing our face with turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and, well, stuffing.

If you’re anything like me, you spend each Thanksgiving dreaming up new and inventive ways to utilize leftovers. In this edition of Farmville the Magazine, I’ll be showing you how to take leftover turkey and stuffing mix and turn it into an out-of-this-world fettuccine alfredo, complete with a side of garlicky green beans that will absolutely melt in your mouth. If you’re not trying to get rid of any leftovers but this recipe sounds equally enticing, I’ll also tell you how to make this dish from scratch.

You may be wondering why you’d ever feel like eating something as rich and calorific as fettuccine alfredo just after celebrating the most fattening holiday of the year. All I can tell you is that there are four days each year when calories don’t count -Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and your birthday- so you might as well take this opportunity to enjoy a dish that’s extra delicious!

Thanksgiving fettuccine alfredo with crispy stuffing breadcrumbs and garlic green beans

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

For the pasta • 1 lb. leftover Thanksgiving turkey or 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast • 16 oz. fettuccine noodles • 1 cup unsalted butter • 1/2 cup heavy cream • 1/2 cup half and half • 5 oz parmesan cheese • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced • Salt and pepper, to taste • Optional: thyme sprigs for garnishing For the green beans • 16 oz. fresh green beans • 1 tbs. Olive oil • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 tsp. Onion powder • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the breadcrumb topping • 1 cup uncooked Stove Top brand stuffing mix • 2 tbs. Salted butter

Recipe:

This recipe is an ideal way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey and vegetables such as green beans or brussel sprouts, but you can also make this dish any day of the year using fresh ingredients. If you don’t have any leftovers hanging around, you’ll want to begin by preparing your meat and veggies for the oven.

First, preheat your oven to 450o. If opting

to use fresh chicken breasts in place of leftover Turkey, season your chicken breasts generously using olive oil, paprika, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, garlic powder and a bit of brown sugar. Place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook it in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165o .

On another foil-lined baking sheet, place your fresh green beans. Toss with olive oil, minced garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper. Place the green beans in the oven to cook for 12-15 minutes or until cooked to desired level of crispiness.

If you’re using leftover turkey, no need to place the bird back in the oven. You can reheat your leftovers in the microwave just before serving.

To make the fettuccine alfredo, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add in your fettuccine noodles. Boil the pasta according to the package instructions, draining the fettuccine just one minute before becoming al dente. Our pasta will finish cooking in the alfredo sauce.

As the pasta is cooking, prepare the alfredo sauce by melting your half cup of butter in a pan over medium heat. Add in your minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and slowly add in your heavy cream, half and half, salt, pepper and italian seasoning. Allow this mixture to simmer for two minutes before stirring in your parmesan cheese. Once the cheese is added, whisk the sauce until everything is incorporated and the cheese has fully melted. Add the cooked fettuccine noodles to the sauce and stir for another 1-2 minutes to allow the noodles to finish cooking.

To make the crispy breadcrumb topping, melt two tablespoons of butter in a pan over mediumhigh heat and add in one cup of uncooked Stove Top brand stuffing mix. Toss the breadcrumbs in the butter until crispy, golden and delicious. Hint: if you have some leftover cooked stuffing/ dressing you also need to use up, you can turn cooked stuffing into breadcrumbs by placing a thin layer of the stuffing on a baking sheet and baking at 375o for about 20-30 minutes or until all moisture has evaporated from the stuffing. Make sure to flip the stuffing once or twice as it bakes to allow the breadcrumbs to dry out properly.

Finally, assemble your dish by using tongs to nestle the fettuccine alfredo into a wide bowl. Add your reheated turkey or cooked chicken breast and top with your stuffing breadcrumbs and an optional sprig of thyme. You can serve your fresh green beans on the side topped with french fried onions or mix leftover green beans directly into the noodles before serving.

I recommend following this delicious dinner with a slice of pumpkin pie and a nap so long you will wake up two hours later wondering what day it is.

18 Farmville the Magazine

From the Ground Up

GREEN ON GREEN

A classic, low maintenance garden design

Sparsely planted borders with undulating edges are aesthetically pleasing.

Bright pink crape myrtle blooms signal summer and hot sunny days.

Story and photos by Dr. Cynthia Wood

Traditional gardening has always been about wrestling nature into submission, an approach that’s labor intensive and somewhat like warfare. Gardeners have to be vigilant in case nature decides to upend their best plans, especially those involving finicky plants from faraway growing zones. Some gardeners, however, have always known that they don’t want to spend hours weeding or tweaking the height of the grass borders in their yards.

When they moved to Farmville, Sherry and Jack Honeycutt knew that they didn’t have the time or inclination to do yard work; they just wanted an attractive space where they could relax, and their kids could gather with friends. By working with Nan Colvin, a local Master Gardener and landscape designer, they developed a landscaping plan that has served them well for many years and that has eliminated most repetitive weeding, watering, and edging.

Their overall plan was to think green, as in

evergreen shrubs with varying leaf shapes and textures. They chose easy to grow, sturdy shrubs that don’t require extensive pruning or fertilizing. There are hollies planted along the front of the house; they serve as a frame and are supplemented with an American holly and blue spruce, which both have interesting textures and colors. They are focal points.

Along the sides of the house, there are beds with wavy, curving edges that encourage the eye to wander from beginning to end. The beds are sparsely planted and feature a Japanese maple, a huge, gnarly dogwood, and some grasses, which are low maintenance and add a sense of movement. There are also several crape myrtles that have highly textured bark and bright pink frilly blooms in late summer. They're basically punctuation marks.

There is also a large oak leaf hydrangea that serves as a privacy screen for a side window. The panicles of flowers are pretty all year, even after they have turned brown. And this theme of green leaves, bark, and texture continues on to the edge of the yard. Rather than a privacy fence, there is a row of birch trees that have been planted close together and serve the same purpose.

In addition to a unifying theme and plan, every garden needs a generous space for relaxation. It can be a porch, patio, or just an area that’s defined by plantings. Here’s it’s a simple deck facing an expanse of green. Every garden also needs some sentimental elements, things that link the owns to family or fond events from their past. Here there’s a very thorny osage orange passed on from a family member, as well as a statue of St Francis.

Lessons learned from this “simple” theme of green on green? Use lots of mulch to cut down on the need for weeding and to help define beds. For maximum impact, use large plantings rather than small ones. Use annuals in a few containers to indicate the changing of the seasons. Above all, keep everything simple and stick to the theme of green on green supplemented by different textures and leaf shapes. It’s classic!

Top, the massive blue spruce is much loved by the family. Above, the house is framed by low plantings and accented with specimen trees, all with different colors of green and different textures.