SPRING 2020
Slow growth: Despite suburban creep, foxes still thriving.
The
Growth issue
Inside Plant, harvest, cook a perfect spring menu Modern medicine with an old delivery SPRING 2020
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IN THE
Spring 2020 – Growth
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36
PHOTO BY ROBIN EARL
LIFE & STYLE
PHOTO BY CHRIS CERRONE
FARE & FLAIR
14 Making housecalls to deliver healthcare direct to you
26 Homemade (and mostly homegrown)– start to finish
17 Midwife care, hospital safety at Fauquier Health
29 Cheers to the bright and light springtime beers
21 Dr. Suzanne Cliver’s Village Veterinary turns 25
32 Step by step: Make your own cute, useful, eggshell planters
22 Hear the Vos plan to save the earth with a trillion trees
36 These garden jewels are winning the race as fast-growers
EXTRAS ■ 6 .................. County tidbits ■ 18 .................. Side by Side ■ 38 ............... The Last Word
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ON THE COVER Last spring, photographer Joanne Maisano says she “was tipped off by a Blue Ridge Hunt member that there were some fox kits playing near a covert by Long Branch in Boyce each evening.” And she knew she had to go. Maisano was lucky the first try. As she pulled up in her car, she says she saw the little ones playing in the grass. She used her f2.8 70-200 lens on a Nikon D810 to capture the action. “The kits were wrestling with each other and didn’t have a care in the world, and when I got closer, they just looked at me then continued to play.” Maisano is a photographer from Front Royal who specializes in equestrian, family and pet photos. Locally, her work can be seen in Middleburg Life and In and Around Horse Country, and she’s been published in the Irish Times.
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spired
Where Spring brings new growth flowers bloom, there is hope – Lady Bird Johnson
There are so much growth to measure this time of year – garden growth, business growth, population growth, the growth of your kids, the growth of your spirit. From pea vines on a trellis to former Boeing executive Allen Atkins’ burgeoning resume, spring is the boom season. inFauquier’s writing and photo team brings the theme to life from beer to babies, cedars to spirituality. New Piedmont Media photojournalist Coy Ferrell meets David and Patricia Vos, helping to plant a staggering one trillion trees to save the planet from a choking carbon blanket, while John Toler, with Piedmont and predecessors more than 50 years, gets to know local veterinarian Dr. Suzanne Cliver on the 25th anniversary of her Village Veterinary Clinic. Robin Earl introduces Fauquier Health midwife Monica Freidline, and Alissa Jones takes on the rebirth of the doctor’s house-call with Dr. William Simpson. SPRING 2020
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In terms of growth, where do our Contributors stand? (Literally!) Published quarterly by Piedmont Media Address 41 Culpeper Street Warrenton, VA 20186 Phone: 540-347-4222 Fax: 540-349-8676 Publisher: Catherine M. Nelson cnelson@fauquier.com Editor: Betsy Burke Parker betsyburkeparker@gmail.com Managing editor: Robin Earl rearl@fauquier.com Advertising Call 540-347-4222 Consultants: Anthony Haugan ahaugan@fauquier.com Renee Ellis rellis@fauquier.com Patti Engle pengle@fauquier.com Tony Ford tford@fauquier.com Laura Rehaluk lrehaluk@fauquier.com Marie Rossi mrossi@fauquier.com Design Production designer: Sawyer Guinn sguinn@fauquier.com Ad designers: Vincent Sales vsales@fauquier.com Cindy Goff cgoff@fauquier.com Annamaria Ward award@fauquier.com
Betsy Burke Parker has worked for Piedmont Media and its predecessors for 30 years as Horse and Field Sports editor and, since 2013, as managing editor for the company’s lifestyle magazine. She’s 5 feet, 6 inches, “just tall enough - barely - to bridle the tallest horse in my barn.” At almost 5 feet, 3 inches, Vineeta Ribiero towers over her two sisters but not her one brother. Five of her six children are taller than she is, but none as tall as her 6 feet, 1 inch tall husband. She is a STEM teacher. STEAM teacher and writer Alissa Jones has two grown children – her son is 2 inches taller, her daughter is 3 inches shorter. Her 16 year old granddaughter is already her height, and she expects her two grandsons may outgrow her as well. A teacher at Hill School in Middleburg, beer and travel writer John Daum has been lugging all 190 centimeters of his frame around Europe for the past 10 years as part of his Daum Adventures. It’s just the right height, he says, “to view the great works of art hanging in Europe’s many fantastic museums.” Using the classic “Virginia Horse Country” measure, Mara Seaforest “stands 15 hands high at the withers,” she says. Her head makes her that much taller, she adds, plumped with imagination. John Toler is a former Navy brat who has been in newspapering for more than 50 years, a resident of Fauquier County for 60
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years. He writes about county history. In his prime (after Army Basic Training, 1971) he was 5 feet, 10 inches and 145 pounds. Writing about farmers and their markets helps to underscore how valuable they are for feeding folks healthy foods, says cook and food writer Sandy Greeley, who says she checks in at 5 feet, 5 inches. Fauquier native and newly minted reporter for the Fauquier Times, Coy Ferrell says when he’s not “slumped over a computer, or crawling on the floor to get a better angle for a photo, I’m 5 foot, 11 inches.” Fauquier Times editor Robin Earl has a startling story about personal growth. “I am 5 feet, 8 inches,” Robin says. “Which is funny, cause I’ve been 5 feet, 7 inches since I was 17. But last year I went to the doctor and they said I was 5 feet, 8 inches. I have not let them measure me since.” Freelance photographer Randy Litzinger had a doctor predict that he would be 6 feet, 1 inch when he was a very young child based on his toddler leg measurements. It turned out to be very accurate: Randy reached his full height of 6 feet around seventh grade and is still that height now. Middleburg-based photographer Chris Cerrone has a special interest in black and white landscape and street photography. He’s 6 feet, 4 inches. He was often encouraged to play basketball in high school but says his affinity was always for baseball and, newly, tennis, where he’s
discovering height can also be used to his athletic advantage. Master Gardener Sally Harmon Semple used her degrees in botany and environmental engineering to launch her 30-year career in environmental protection. An advocate for sustainable growth, she recalls being the second-shortest child in her elementary school, but now stands shy of 5 feet, 5 inches, well over the national average. At 5 feet 11 ½ inches, designer Sawyer Guinn never quite broke the 6-foot plateau. He hasn’t let this hold him back as he is constantly growing his skills repertoire from designing the pages of inFauquier, to photography, video and writing.
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SPRING 2020
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SPRING 2020
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COUNTY TIDBITS Get a head-start on the season Fauquier Education Farm offers classes on home-grown groceries The Fauquier Education Farm in Warrenton hosts a series of hands-on classes for beginning, intermediate and advanced gardeners. • April 4 – Damage control from deer in the garden • May 14 – Commercial strawberry production • May 19 – Regenerative agriculture • June 18 – Summer squash variety trial • June 30 – Garlic – the sweet smell of success • July 14 – Heirloom tomatoes • July 21 – Cut flowers • Sept. 9 – Pepper variety trial fauquiereducationfarm.org
Getting back to the backcountry at course in self-preservation
Sky Meadows also hosts the National Kids to Parks Day on Saturday, May 16. Full of interactive discovery stations from a nature scavenger hunt, milking a dairy cow, grinding wheat on a stone, fishing and more. skymeadows@dcr.virginia.gov
Sell, support, party (just remember to spay) The Fauquier SPCA hosts their annual rummage sale March 28 at Highland School in Warrenton. Proceeds support the Casanova-based shelter and animal programs in the county. fauquierspca.com The 25th annual Middleburg Humane Foundation benefit gala is April 11 at the Middleburg Community Center. The formal party benefits the new MHF location on the west end of Marshall. middleburghumane.org
A “backcountry crash course,” part of the Earth Connection Series, is planned April 4 and 5 at Sky Meadows State Park near Paris. Outdoor instructor Tim MacWelch will teach participants how to build a shelter using natural materials, start a fire with minimal tools, forage for food and medicinal plants, cook over the fire and more. dcr.virginia.gov
See how they grow at Virginia Garden Week events
It’s in the stars: Astronomy class planned April 18
Appalachian banana? Hillybilly mango? What the heck is it?
Local stargazers are invited to the historic Mount Bleak house at Sky Meadows for a stargazing session April 18. There will be lectures on dark skies, light conservation, astronomy, space exploration, a sky tour and viewing deep space through high-powered telescopes provided by local astronomy club members. skymeadows@dcr.virginia.gov
Love your mother ... Celebrate Earth Week in April A special Earth Week event is slated April 25-26 at Sky Meadows State Park. It is the 50th anniversary of the special conservation education day.
The Fauquier Loudoun Garden Club is hosting historic garden week and a house and garden tour in the area April 24-25. vagardenweek.org The 57th annual daffodil show is April 7 at Buchanan Hall in Upperville. Afternoon tea will be served during the event. uppervillegardenclub.org
Call it what you want – the native pawpaw may get new recognition Virginia’s House of Delegates is considering whether to name the naive paw paw the commonwealth’s official state fruit. Cidermakers and wineries are using fermented fruits from the native tree, with Virginia State University hosting an entire weekend pawpaw workshop fueling a wave of media coverage. Del. Elizabeth Guzman, D-Prince William, hopes to put the pawpaw in the limelight. In January, Guzman answered the request of the 53rd Barred Owls scout troop in Gainesville to present legis-
You oughta be in pictures Go with the flow of Goose Creek in this special benefit video The Goose Creek Association recently released a 10-minute documentary on the history and culture of Goose Creek, an integral part of the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. It also highlights the Goose Creek Association’s efforts to address threats to the open farmland and countryside drained by Goose Creek. Goose Creek begins in Fauquier County high above Markham and Linden, running through Delaplane and northeast to Leesburg and empties into the Potomac River. goosecreek.org/video lation to designate the pawpaw the official state fruit. There is currently no state fruit. VSU professor and horticulturalist Reza Rafie theorizes the current popularity stems from the local food movement – pawpaws are highly perishable and don’t ship well. This has largely kept pawpaws out of the commercial food system, but it makes them especially attractive to shoppers wanting in-season, local food. Pawpaws grow on small, deciduous trees that thrive along creeksides and river-bottoms. The fruit looks and tastes like a banana crossed with a papaya. The tree sports handsome, large, purple flowers in spring, sprouts young fruit in summer that ripens in early autumn.
Ride the Rappahannock – start out at the new Riverside put-in The Riverside Preserve is the county’s first river access to the Rappahannock offering a wide range of
Rainforest Trust: Think globally, act globally (from a local base) The world looked on with dismay as devastating fires destroyed millions of acres of forested land over the past year. As heartbreaking as photos of injured or displaced animals are, the true loss to the health of the planet is even worse. The sad truth is that many of the out-of-control fires were intentionally set to clear the land for agriculture. Headquartered at Vint Hill, Rainforest Trust fights to safeguard the planet’s remaining tropical forests. Rainforests provide water and oxygen, and mitigate effects of climate change. Despite this, less than half of the tropical rainforest biome remains as intact forested landscapes, and 70,000 more acres are lost each day. Rainforest Trust was founded in 1988 by Byron Swift, a dedicated conservationist. The trust helps purchase tracts of land across tropical Asia, Africa and Latin America for the purposes of protecting it, in a fashion similar to the Nature Conservancy by making use of land trusts. More than 18,000,000 acres have been protected. Comic actor Seth MacFarlane recently donated $1 million to the Fauquier County-based Rainforest Trust “to further the international conservation organization’s work to protect rainforests and tropical habitat,” the organization announced. rainforesttrust.org – By Mara Seaforest 6
SPRING 2020
recreational opportunities across 196 acres just south of Orlean. Amenities include fishing, canoe and kayak drop off access, picnicking and hiking trails. A state fishing license required for 16 and older who are fishing. dgif.virginia.gov/licenses
Go ahead – dig in the dirt (and maybe ditch the therapist) A University of Colorado study has determined that soil microbes have similar effect on the brain as Prozac, with no negative side effects nor potential for chemical dependency or withdrawal – something farmers have long realized was true. It turns out getting in the garden and getting dirty is a natural antidepressant due to unique microbes in healthy organic soil: working and playing in soil can make you happier and healthier. Looking at your garden or farm as your happy place is a verifiable fact. The soil microbe mycobacterium vaccae has been found to mirror the effect on neurons in the brain that drugs like Prozac can provide. Microbes cause cytokine levels to rise, which leads to the production of more serotonin. This bacterium is found in healthy soil and when humans are exposed to it, the microbe stimulates serotonin production. Lack of serotonin has been linked to depression, anxiety, OCD and bipolar disorder. Farmers and gardeners come in contact with this bacterium by having topical contact with it, inhaling it, and getting it into their bloodstreams when they have small cuts or other pathways for infection. There are no adverse health effects known to be caused by mycobacte-
COUNTY TIDBITS Pretty please, leave the dandelions be this season Poison these spring ‘weeds,’ and risk hurting helpful honeybees Dandelions are considered weeds. But naturalists are begging homeowners to reconsider that view. Dandelions are honeybees’ first food source in spring. When you spray weedkiller on dandelions, you’re not only killing the low-growing yellow flowers – by extension, you’re killing the most important pollinator in the world. The new rule of thumb is to leave dandelions alone until blackberries are blooming – mid-June. In Virginia’s piedmont area, weeds, flowers and early blooms on fruit trees are bees’ only source of food until early summer. rium vaccae other than dirty hands and fingernails. colorado.edu
Boo, hiss Snakes are your friends. Really! The Virginia Wildlife Management and Control office has a special snake identification hotline, and as reptiles emerge in the spring, area residents are urged to call the number for help identifying snakes before they are killed as “poisonous.” Snap a cellphone photo and text it to the VWMC hotline to help protect harmless, non-poisonous snakes so they can carry on controlling the rodent population. virginiaanimalcontrol.com
Support the Shenandoah The Shenandoah National Park Trust has thrown support behind programs and projects in the Shenandoah National Park to the tune of $1 million for 2020. The trust is the non-profit philanthropic partner of Shenandoah National Park. Executive director Susan Sherman says that funds are earmarked this year to protect wildlife and wildlands, maintain trails, preserve historic features, educate youth and support park rangers. snptrust.org
Water, water, everywhere Might as well catch it, and use it, with these SWCD rain barrels The John Marshall and Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District sells rain barrels for homeowners to catch runoff from roofs and downspouts which can be recycled and used to water gardens and foundation plants. stephanied@culpeperswcd.org
28th annual Graves Mountain music festival scheduled The annual Graves Mountain Music Festival returns to the historic lodge May 28 to June 1. Groups include the Price Sisters, Mile Twelve, Hogslop String Band, Breaking Grass, Seldom Scene, the Fitzgerald Family and more. gravesmountainmusic.com
Fauquier County Population Growth Fauquier County’s estimated population is 69,528, with a growth rate of 1.65% in the past year, according to the most recent United States census data. Fauquier is the 29th most populous county in Virginia. YEAR Population Growth Rate 2018 70,675 1.65% 2017 68,528 1.04% 2016 68,810 0.55% 2015 68,431 0.44% 2014 68,132 1.47% 2013 67,146 0.87% 2012 66,565 0.8% 2011 66,035 0.9% 2010 65,447 34.28% 1990 48,741 35.81%
See TIDBITS, page 8
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COUNTY TIDBITS TIDBITS, from page 7
Plastic or paper? Turns out, it matters a lot When plastic bags first appeared in the 1960s, they were considered gamechangers, better for the environment since plastic doesn’t require cutting down trees, and it takes less water and energy to manufacture. But now, the byproduct – plastic pollution – has overtaken the initial ardor. “It’s a plastic pollution crisis worldwide,” the Sierra Club’s Martha Ainsworth said in a news release. “We really can’t afford to wait to (act.)” Lidl and Aldi — both German grocery chains with stores in the area, do not offer shoppers single-use plastic bags. Paper is available, but each bag costs the shopper a few cents. Shifting the cost of bags onto consumers — who can choose to avoid the cost by bringing their own bags — has helped stores keep prices low, protecting the environment at the same time. Laws targeting plastic bags have taken off over the past decade. Ten years ago, Washington, D.C., was one of the first places in the nation to impose a fee on single-use shopping bags in an effort to curb pollution in the Anacostia River. Now, outright bans are catching on: Plastic bags are banned in hundreds of cities and counties as well as eight states. In Virginia, there are currently no bag laws — local governments don’t have the authority to require a bag fee. But that could change. Fairfax delegate Chap Petersen introduced a proposal to impose a 5 cent bag fee in areas within the Chesapeake watershed in an effort to prevent plastic pollution in the water. One unintended consequence, however, has been an increase in the purchase of small trash bags when plastic shopping bags are banned, since consumers still use small plastic bags in other areas of their lives, to line small garbage cans, for instance, or using, and re-using as lunch bags and laundry bags.
Remington garden recognition The Remington Community Garden received the 2019 Community Partnership Award from the Master Gardener Association. “In just five short years, the Remington Community Garden has established a fantastic real-world laboratory for training and developing gardeners,” said Master Gardeners president Tom Baughn. “Even more important, it has become an integral part of the community,
providing a place for residents to gather to learn from one another or just spend time together, significantly strengthening the sense of community in Remington.” John Waldeck, chairman and founder of the Remington Community Garden, called it “an incredible honor to be recognized by the Master Gardeners, an organization that does so much for the community. This award validates that we are beginning to accomplish what we set out to do — to create a very special place to bring people together in Remington.” The community garden started in 2014 on an unused, 1 ½ acre plot owned by the Remington United Methodist Church. The garden receives widespread community support: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church provides the water, and the PATH Foundation has provided two grants. The garden has with 35 plots — each 15 by 15 feet — leased annually for donations and maintained by individuals, families and groups. The Master Gardeners maintain three raisedbed, demonstration gardens, featuring seasonal vegetables and herbs, as well as two large flower beds. Produce from the Master Gardener beds are donated to local group homes and the herbs are available for the community to pick. This year, the community garden will add native pollinator beds between private plots to help attract more bees and butterflies that will in turn pollinate the plants and increase yield. The PATH Foundation grants funded development of the garden and construction of a pavilion for public events and gatherings. The community garden hosts musical performances, outdoor movies and special events. A farmers market runs July to October. remingtongarden@gmail.com
Big plans for PATH The Warrenton-based charitable grantmaking PATH Foundation has made $500,000 worth of program and planning grants available to the community, this latest round earmarked specifically for organizations that provide childhood and senior services, care access and mental health. “Funding projects and programs that are in line with our four priority areas is always exciting for us,” PATH president Christy Connolly said in a release. “We look forward to learning how local organizations are planning to help meet the needs of our community.” To date, PATH has invested nearly $17 million through grants and programs in its three-county service area, its mission to strengthen the health and vitality of the community. pathforyou.org
Feelings on fescue
Horse around, Fauquier style The annual Hunt Country Stable Tour is May 23 and 24 in and around Fauquier’s world-famous horse country. The self-driven tour includes a dozen intimate visits to some of the region’s bestknown training barns and equestrian estates. upperville.com 8
SPRING 2020
All grass is equal, but some grass is more equal than others From the Atlantic coast to Kansas, scientists named the “fescue belt” for the predominant grass, tall fescue, which feeds millions of beef cattle over of thousands of farms and ranches. Tall fescue was planted widely in the southeast in the mid-20th century as a hardy forage, resistant to drought and cold, and tolerant of heavy feeding, even over-grazing. But, as often happens with introduced plants, fescue hasn’t been the perfect new neighbor. Fescue seed-heads can harbor a fungus that can cause health problems in cattle and in pregnant horses.
Waterloo bridge project underway to restore 142-year-old truss structure
When it closed to vehicle traffic in 2014, many wondered if the very historic and very handsome Waterloo bridge spanning the Rappahannock River would ever reopen. Construction got underway in March to restore the 142-year-old truss structure at the FauquierCulpeper county line south of Orlean. Maryland contractor Corman Kokosing Construction won the $3.65 million contract. Piers will be repaired and approach spans bolstered with new steel beams and a timber deck. The look of the wrought-iron bridge, built in 1878, is not expected to change, including its green paint color. When it closed in 2014, it had a 3-ton weight limit, yet more than 600 vehicles crossed it daily. The bridge will reopen to traffic by April 30, 2021 with an expected 12-ton weight restriction. virginiadot.org/projects
And it’s an invasive European import that can crowd out wildflowers and other native plants. Scientists now blame the decline in bee and pollinator population partially on the pushy grass. A new study led by Megan O’Rourke, an associate professor at Virginia Tech’s ag school, is seeking definitive answers. The $1.8 million project is funded half by a federal grant and half by contributions of time, land, cattle and money by Virginia Tech, the University of Tennessee, farmers working with the researchers and Virginia Working Landscapes, a non-profit group. The team will test 20 different wildflowers native to Virginia and Tennessee and will measure which ones attract the most bees and, when planted alongside native grasses, produce the healthiest cattle. The work is getting underway this spring. virginiaworkinglandscapes.org
Fauquier Springs History Day planned May 31 The Fauquier Historical Society, Afro-American Historical Association of Fauquier County and Fauquier Springs Country Club will partner to recognize 250 years of history of the actual natural springs that drew residents and visitors to the area. The May 31 event features the unveiling of a historic marker, lunch, tours and lectures. Once a world-class resort, Fauquier White Sulfur Springs has been, in turn, an early health spa centered on the mineral springs, private military school, a hunting resort for the Chrysler family and, today, a country club. The mineral springs hosted Presidents Madison, Monroe and Buchannan, General Robert E. Lee and Chief Justice John Marshall. President John F. Kennedy played golf there several times during his presidency. rfdyer@gmail.com TIDBITS PHOTOS BY CHRIS CERRONE
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SPRING 2020
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The fox box
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is an opportunistic diner, equally appreciating a meal of a stolen hen, a field mouse or a spilled pack of Girl Scout cookies left near a construction site.
This fox rocks! Iconic symbol of Fauquier County’s wildlife ‘holding steady’ say experts Story and photos by Betsy Burke Parker The human population in Fauquier County is growing, with some resulting disruption in natural habitat for the region’s wildlife, say game department analysts. But at least one native critter has embraced the trend. Virginia Department of Game wildlife biologist Mike Fies says the red fox population is stable across Virginia, including – and especially – Fauquier. “Studies show statewide, but especially in the northern Piedmont, that red foxes are doing quite well,” Fies says. “They’ve actually thrived even with encroachment on their habitat from suburban creep. Foxes are opportunistic, and human settlement supports that. 10
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“Fauquier County has the highest density of red foxes anywhere in Virginia, and it’s been that way for years. “They’re very resourceful, and have realized to move in ‘closer’ to humans is a better bet, especially as coyotes have populated this area.” Fies explains that coyotes dislodge foxes by what he calls “competitive exclusion” – vying for the same living conditions and similar provisioning. “Coyotes don’t like humans and don’t like to live so close,” Fies maintains, “but foxes, on the other hand, learned that farms and quiet neighborhoods are actually quite good places to live. It’s away from the coyotes but still close to good food sources. “We’ve found that numbers are strong, especially where there are horses and horse farms yielding good
Red and gray foxes are small, agile carnivores belonging to the same family (Canidae) as the dog, coyote and wolf. Foxes are intelligent predators with extremely sharp senses of sight, smell and hearing: a fox can hear a mouse squeak from 150 feet away. The red fox is around 18 to 22 inches tall, 24 inches long, with an additional 14 to 16-inch tail. At maturity, they weigh 8 to 12 pounds, though they appear heavier – an impression created by full, thick fur and fluffy, flowing tail. The “red” fox can actually be lighter sand-colored to rich, deep orange, usually darker along the back, with black-tipped ears, legs and feet. The tail is usually white-tipped, and some red foxes have a white ruff on the chest. Foxes are swift runners and can swim if they have to. Both reds and grays are mainly nocturnal, though they can be diurnal as necessary. The gray can climb trees; it is the only member of the canid family with this ability. Gray foxes are sometimes seen in Fauquier, but they’re not as abundant in the northern half of the state, preferring brushy, swampy habitat as found in rural southwest Virginia and the Tidewater. Foxes are opportunistic diners. Foods include mice, rabbits, groundhogs, squirrels, domestic cats, chickens, insects, songbirds, eggs, fruits, seeds from hay and other grains and grasses. They also scavenge, feeding on road-kill and winter kill. Foxes cache uneaten food by burying it, teaching their young by hiding food for them to “hunt.” Males are called “dog foxes”, and females are called “vixens.” Foxes can be heard barking at night in town and country; anywhere, it is an unsettling cry that sounds like a young girl screaming. fox habitat. The northern Piedmont is full of that – pastureland adjacent to woodlands and rough coverts for food and protection. Southwest Virginia and the southern Piedmont is more enormous cropland or huge forestlands – not the right habitat for the red fox.” The red fox – vulpes vulpes – has a typical range of three miles, though most of the time they stick within a mile of their dens. Fox dens are typically re-purposed groundhog holes, under hollowed-out trees or in dug-outs under abandoned barns or sheds. Overall population density is tricky to calculate, according to Fies, with resources affecting how many foxes can reside in a given quadrant. Game department information places fox density at two to 20 foxes per square mile, less in rural habitat, more in suburban or urban areas. Loudoun-Fairfax Hunt huntsman Neil Amatt says, so far this spring, he’s seen more adult coyotes than foxes, but as a lifelong outdoorsman, he recognizes the annual flux and flow rhythm of wildlife numbers. “Last year the fox population was
Anecdotal evidence shows healthy red population in the area due to conservation practices that are keep the wild in the wildlands. adequate, and we didn’t see many coyotes. This year, the number of coyotes seems to be going up.” Goshen huntsman Robert Taylor hasn’t noticed any fox kits on his Warrenton farm so far this spring, but the resident vixen and dog fox raised a litter last year. “I know the babies are earlier this year because of the mild winter,” adds Taylor’s wife, Kathy. Area residents, Fies cautions, should be on the lookout for “wildlife movements” in spring, especially baby foxes and nursing vixens. He says, like most fur-bearing animals in this region, foxes give birth late February through mid-April in Fauquier. “The take-home message is to be alert for all sorts of wildlife moving about in the spring,” he says. “We’ve disrupted their territories with our own. We need to be respectful of the wildlands that are left.”
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Life & Style
THE WAY WE LIVE IN FAUQUIER Story by Alissa Jones Photos by Randy Litzinger
Out of the past, into the future: house calls might become the new normal • Taking childbirth to a settling place with modern midwife program at Warrenton’s hospital • Vos Foundation vows to save the earth, one tree at a time SPRING 2020
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Meet Dr. William Simpson
Dr. William Simpson examines Tim Burch in his home in Snow Hill, a return, Simpson says, to the old-fashioned ‘house-call’ which has multiple benefits for patient and doctor as well.
Boldly going where many have gone before
A Virginia native, Dr. William Simpson went to undergrad and med school at the University of Virginia. He has advanced training and experience in geriatric care, wound care, nursing home care, rehabilitation care, home care and health services administration. His wife, Patty, operates her own geriatrics care management company in the region, Care Connections for Seniors. He spent 25 years as medical director for Piedmont Internal Medicine, 25 years as medical director for Aerojet Rocketdyne, 20 years as medical director for Fauquier Health Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, 15 years as an officer for the Fauquier County Medical Society and 10 years as a volunteer at the Fauquier Free Clinic. Simpson was recognized “top doctor” 2007-2018 by the International Association of HealthCare Professionals. Costs range from $5 per minute plus travel fees.
It’s back to the future for Simpson and others who are taking healing to the house Former U.S. surgeon general Everett Koop once cracked that he “can learn more about a family's social, emotional and economic problems by spending five minutes with them over a cup of coffee in their home than you can with five exams in the office." Doctor home visits were common up to 50 or 60 years ago, providing direct medical attention to patients – it was as normal as an ambulatory veterinarian going to a farm for routine health care of animals. There was a distinct decline of doctor home visits in the 1960s, a change attributed to provider convenience, patient finance and ever-increasing insurance requirements. With aging baby boomers and stresses in navigating complicated insurance coverage driving an abrupt change, today, the home visit has been making a comeback, prompting a few Fauquier
It’s in the bag…
The leather Gladstone Bag used by doctors through the decades to carry surgical utensils and other necessary items was created in the mid-19th century by J.G. Beard, a leather dealer from London. Beard named the bag after the British Prime Minister, William Gladstone. This bag has been featured a great deal in movies, making it a familiar sight.
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physicians to pack their bags and hit the road. Fauquier-based house call doc Dr. William Simpson says home health care “reduces anxiety and optimizes quality of a patient’s life.” inFauquier caught up with Simpson, a Warrenton internist who brings the healthcare home to area residents, to find out what’s driving the abrupt change to a “new normal.” He agrees that it’s part return to the old ways of patient-doctor relations, part reaction to the new reality of health care. inFauquier: When did you begin making house calls? Dr. William Simpson: August of 2018. inF: Did you see patients in an office prior to home visits? WS: I’ve been in the medical field for 27 years, and I saw patients in an office setting for 25 years. inF: Why did you decide to leave the office and visit patients at home? WS: I had four reasons for doing this: One, to be able to spend whatever time is necessary with each patient, which was not possible in a busy office setting. Two, to be able to offer a wider spectrum of services, like navigational care, transitional care, palliative care and telehealth care (through video chat.) Three, it allows me to deliver care without the hindrances and restrictions of insurance companies, government, and administrators. And, four, I’m able to offer primary care at home or work – whether patients need it, due, say, to immobility, or simply prefer it, for convenience and privacy. I treat patients between 13 and 100-plus. inF: What types of illnesses and injuries do you treat? WS: Primary care, including physicals – your annual exam, work, school, scout. Also chronic care like hypertension and diabetes. I do acute care, like sore throats, fevers, rashes, migraines, back strains and the like. I can draw blood, perform EKGs, give injections, trim nails,
flush ears, repair lacerations, pack wounds, give breathing treatments, give vaccines and more. inF: What types of illnesses and injuries do you not treat in the home? WS: Without a proper exam table and a nurse, I typically do not provide gynecologic services, so I refer patients, and I do not provide services beyond primary care, so if someone needs a cardiologist, or a gastroenterologist, or an orthopedist, I refer them accordingly. inF: What are a few myths about doctor home visits you’d like to see debunked? WS: There’s four of those, too. Myth no. 1: One must be homebound to be eligible for a physician house call from me. This is not true. Because I do not participate with insurance or Medicare, there are no rules to follow with regard to being homebound or not, so anyone can call for a physician house call. Myth no. 2: One must give up their office-based physician to be eligible for a physician house call from me. This is not true. Each patient has the option to keep their office-based physician and call on me only as needed. If their doctor has no appointments available, or the office is closed, or if they feel too ill to go to the office, they can allow me to provide them with 100 percent of their primary care, including annual physicals and regular check-ups, labs, vaccines and so forth. Myth no. 3: One must pay hefty concierge fees to be eligible for a physician house call from me. Not true. While I offer many more so-called services than even premier practices, I do not charge a concierge or other membership fee. The patient only pays for the services they receive. There are no monthly or annual membership fees. Myth no. 4: One must abandon insurance for all services related to a physician house call from me. Not true. My time is the only thing not covered by insurance. All labs, X-rays, medications, procedures, hospitalizations, ER visits, therapy, referrals and most anything else prescribed by me
LIFE & STYLE can still be processed by insurance as usual. inF: On a more personal note, what are the greatest benefits of home care visits for your patients, and for you? WS: I believe the number one benefit of a home visit for both patient and doctor is being able to spend as much time as needed to address any and all issues. In the office, patients often have a list with concerns or questions they need or want to address, only to be interrupted due to lack of time. The rush of the office requires doctors to prioritize which often means ending the visit before the patient is finished. That never happens with a home visit. I can dedicate as much time as necessary to get through my list, and theirs! (And there are) other significant benefits of home visits, besides the obvious ones of not having to travel, park and be in the waiting room while being exposed to germs and sickness. Convenience, privacy, simplicity, comfort and more personalized care from un-distracted physicians is what you get. inF: What days and times do you see patients
‘The Country Doctor’:
The photo illustration on page 13 is a merge of the iconic 1948 Life magazine shot by W. Eugene Smith and one taken a few weeks ago for Piedmont Media by Randy Litzinger. Smith’s portrait of country physician Dr. Ernest Guy Ceriani making a house call near his hometown in Colorado melds perfectly into Litzinger’s similar shot of Dr. William Simpson visiting a patient’s home in Warrenton.
in their home? WS: I see patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, barring I may be out of town for a medical conference, or family event, but even then, I can communicate with my patients by phone, text, email and video chat. inF: Okay, so what really is in your doc kit? WS: I have four or five bags and in them, I carry supplies (like) a stethoscope, BP cuff, thermometer, scales, O2 saturation meter, ophthalmoscope, otoscope, tongue blades, ear currettes, strep swabs, flu swabs, ear flusher, nail trimmer, scalpels, needles, injectable medications of sorts, bandages, ace wraps, splints, blood draw supplies, urine specimen cups, foley catheters, EKG machine, nebulizer machine, defibrillator, referral forms, prescription pads and more. After 25 years of "playing the insurance game,” I witnessed first-hand how our nation's health insurance industry impedes the proper delivery of high quality health care – focusing more on treatment than prevention, more on specialty care than primary care, more on volume of care than quality of care. Worse, it’s more on saving money than saving lives. Like the other growing number of private pay providers, I choose to focus my time, energy and skill on patients, rather than insurance guidelines, pre-authorizations, medication formularies, denials, appeals, clicking all the required, but useless, checkboxes on computer screens and so many other obstacles to good care imposed by insurance plans these days.
Yes, there’s an app for that
Reported by Forbes magazine, the average wait time to get an appointment to see a doctor in his office is 24 days, and the average time spent with that doctor, less than 15 minutes. The great news is there’s a old way making a new comeback, and not just by private practitioners taking the plunge back into home health care. Heal, Plushcare, Pager, INOVA Senior Care, and a digital service called Pingmd, are just a few apps making it possible for doctors, care teams and patients to connect over the internet. Richard and Kristina Beitey used the Heal app when their toddler got sick. Using this app, they were able to secure an appointment in their home conducive to their work schedules, wiping away the anxiety of packing up baby essentials, and baby, traveling to and from the doctor’s office, and a long wait in the waiting room with a sick and cranky child. Richard Beitey reports that by keeping his son in his familiar and peaceful environment, it lessened his anxiety as well. And it worked – the online recommendations for at-home care successfully, and safely, took care of the minor illness, they said. heal.com pingmd.com inova.org plushcare.com pager.com
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Fauquier Health offers midwife care option Midwife joins hospital team Story and photo by Robin Earl As of March 15, Fauquier County families expecting a baby are now able to partner with a midwife in a hospital birth. Midwife services have been available in the county for births outside the hospital, but Fauquier Hospital’s decision to partner with a certified nurse midwife represents the first time those services are offered in the hospital’s Family Birthing Center. Currently, the closest hospitals with midwife services are Winchester Hospital and Inova Loudoun Hospital, says Cheryl Poelma, Fauquier Hospital’s director of women’s services. Monica Freidline, RN, NP, CNM, has joined Sumiya Majeed, M.D. and Barry Aron, M.D. at Fauquier Health OB/GYN in Warrenton. In Virginia, a certified nurse midwife like Freidline can do everything an OB/GYN physician can do, except surgery. She can prescribe medicine and meet with patients – from pre-pregnancy visits through the birth – in collaboration with OB/GYN physicians. “We can now offer pregnant women the comfort of a midwife backed up with the safety and security of a hospital birth,” Freidline says. Aron says Freidline will always collaborate with a physician in case there is a medical emergency or a C-section is necessary. A physician also must be present at a birth where forceps are required, since that is a “surgically assisted birth.” “You have the benefits of feeling at home with your
midwife there, and the doors to the operating room magically open if you need a C-section,” Aron says. He adds that he or Majeed would be present in all cases where the patient is having a vaginal birth after having had a C-section, known as a VBAC. Friedline says she works closely with patients before the birth, focusing on prevention and keeping an eye out for the red flags that might indicate a problem – high insulin or high blood pressure, for instance. People assume that a midwife would not be appropriate for a “high-risk” pregnancy, but Freidline and Aron agree that the term is nuanced and each patient needs to be evaluated on an individual basis. An older mom who is healthy may not be “high-risk” at all; a patient with high blood pressure can be watched closely throughout her pregnancy to head off any complications. “We have different training, but the same goal – to promote women’s health,” Freidline says. Her return to Fauquier Hospital represents a Certified midwife Monica Freidline bit of a homecoming. She was a candy striper as a teen, and for 12 years worked as an RN on one of the nursing units and in delivery. Aron describes three midwives employed at Fauquier Health. “We bring different skills. Partnering with Freidline as “our home-grown provider.” midwives means we can each concentrate on our A mother of four herself, Freidline did not have strengths,” he says. the opportunity to use a midwife while giving Freidline feels her strengths lie in providing the birth, but she calls 2020 “the year of the midwife.” emotional satisfaction in childbirth that women “People want options,” says Poelma. “They are looking for. During the prenatal period, she want autonomy when it comes to health care.” can spend more time with each patient, answering Aron agrees. “Women want to have control. They are well educated and want to have a say in their all the little questions that come up. She provides health care. Midwives are finding their voice in the education, helps with mother-child bonding and last 10 years.” Aron says he’d eventually like to see Freidline, assists with theCNM, breastfeeding Monica NP,process. MSN
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SIDE BY SIDE
PHOTOS BY RANDY LITZINGER
Former pupil Christian Laourdakis now works with teacher Amanda Harrington at Mountain Vista.
Taught becomes the teacher Harrison meets Laourdakis on a more level playing field later in life, as colleagues By Vineeta Ribeiro Both are graduates of Virginia Tech, attaining their undergraduate and master’s degrees there. Both are the first in their families to obtain college degrees, and both now work at Mountain Vista Governor’s School. Both teach the same set of 40 10th graders, and they first met at Warren County High School. The key difference is that, 15 years ago when they met, one was the teacher, the other, the pupil. Teachers are cautioned to be nice to their students, because they never know where they might encounter them later in life. While a teacher occasionally discovers that the waiter at a restaurant was a former student, more rare is a former student becoming a colleague. But this is exactly what happened four years ago when Amanda Harrington, who teaches humanities at Mountain Vista Governor’s School, encountered a former 10th-grade English student in the teachers’ lounge. Christian Laourdakis came to MVGS in 2016 as a chemistry teacher, joining Harrington on the staff of the advanced placement school located on the Lord Fairfax Community College campus near Warrenton. There’s just a 13-year age difference separating the former student-teacher duo – on the cusp of turning 30, Laourdakis is the youngest teacher at Mountain Vista. Harrington, with more than 20 years of teaching experience, joined MVGS in 2007, the school’s second year of operation. “I love my job and I love what I do,” Harrington says, adding that her humanities skillset is a little “weird, (though) ideally situated to the sometimes quirky goofball students” she teaches. “I really 18
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care about how people talk to kids, how they work with kids.” Still, she readily admits she’d never guess one of “her kids” would come back as colleague. Admitting that she felt a little self-conscious when she first learned that a former student would be her contemporary, Harrington says she’s “learned to let that go. What did I remember of Laourdakis as a student?” Harrington smiles and looks toward the ceiling, scanning her mental Rolodex of more than a thousand students, all of them 10th graders. Another Warren County-to-MVGS transplant, Allen Burton clearly recalls the young Laourdakis. Burton, a physics teacher, was the soccer coach and taught the school’s academic team, where Laourdakis shined. “He was obviously very smart,” says Burton. “A very tough competitor” in
both arenas, driven to success. “My passion is to teach chemistry,” Laourdakis stresses. He says he didn’t realize he wanted to teach until he was in grad school pursuing a masters degree in biochemistry. As much as he enjoyed doing research, he grew weary of “constantly begging for grant money” that is often the prelude to doing the truly interesting work. While teaching three sections of classes with 150 students and mentoring undergraduates in the lab, Laourdakis found his calling. He found himself drawn to biochemistry because he “wanted to study matter and to understand what everything that we call reality is made of,” he says. “Why do I exist?” is at the core of those questions, and this, he says, led him into the field. When Laourdakis first entered college, his goal was to attend pharmacy school and work with a pharmaceutical, but he reflected on the impact that teachers make on students and realized he wanted to impart knowledge, and the thirst for knowledge, to students. Laourdakis recalls one of his first students, one also taking a humanities course with Harrington. The pupil had this habit of drumming on the lab bench incessantly, he says. So Laourdakis, known for his biting humor, informed the student that he could stop drumming, because his rhythm was subpar. “What do you even know about beats?” Laourdakis says was the student’s retort. As it turns out, Laourdakis plays several instruments, and his uncle was a drummer in New York City. He’s attended more than 400 music shows, including his first at age 4 at the 25th anniversary of Woodstock in 1994. Laourdakis says he’s as passionate about music as he is about chemistry. The student stopped with the drumming. Unlike many of his age group, Laourdakis says he engages in no social media whatsoever, unless you include SoundCloud, which allows users to share their mix of music. It’s about the only aspect of his personal life he chooses to share with his students. But, as often happens, the less he shares, the more Laourdakis’ students seem obsessed with learning about their enigmatic teacher with the biting humor and strict standards. Who knows what impact he will have on them as they grow into their next phase of life? He laughs when asked if perhaps, one day, the drumming student may return as colleague rather than pupil.
It was “a little strange” to be joined by one of her former students on the Mountain Vista Governor’s School faculty, Amanda Harrington says, but Christian Laourdakis has fit right into his role as the magnet school’s youngest staff member.
SIDE BY SIDE
A tale of two Allens – the key to growth Former Boeing exec joins staff of local magnet school By Vineeta Ribeiro As vice-president of Boeing, Allen Atkins had thousands of employees and was in control of billions of dollars worth of company budget. Today, 10 years retired from the aeronautics industry giant at age 72, Atkins has discovered a new – and surprising – career he’s finding equally rewarding. Atkins, a pioneer of stealth technology and winner of the second-highest department of defense Civilian Meritorious Award, explains. He says he tried retirement for a decade, but being idle didn’t suit him. So when he got a call from Fauquier school system’s Pam Pulver, then in charge of science, health and physical instruction programs, Atkins was primed to say “yes” when she asked him to come on board as a physics teacher. This school year, Atkins moved to the Mountain Vista Governor’s School, a regional school for academically gifted STEM students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Atkins, known as "Doc" by his pupils, says he doesn’t mind being “the new kid on the block,” though he admits it was something of a shock after so many years at the helm of the gigantic Boeing corporation. His mentor is a much younger Allen – physics teacher Allen Burton. The pair quickly became two halves of what MVGS administrators call “their matching set of Allens.” Watch the two men work, you see a genuine
Known by fellow faculty at Mountain Vista as Allen B. (Allen Burton, left) and Allen A. (Allen Atkins, right), the pair of teachers often partners on field trips and other class projects.
PHOTOS BY RANDY LITZINGER
Allen Atkins, left, retired from Boeing but rejoined the work force at Mountain Vista alongside Allen Burton. warmth and respect between them, as well as a shared, compulsive obsession with science and engineering. “Allen A.” and “Allen B.” are the nicknames used -- in jest but in all seriousness -- by colleagues to avoid confusion in emails and discussions. The differentiation is somewhat critical, given that the two men play essentially the same role at their respective MVGS campuses – Allen A. at the Warrenton campus, Allen B. at the Middletown campus.
Two Allens, one focus
The two Allens are fun to watch, whether engaged in a demonstration, or planning a field trip for the sophomores to Verdun Adventure Bound or Blandy Experimental Farm. They come up with great “learning experiences” for their pupils, from robotics competitions to the iFly flight lab to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in West Virginia. “I'm learning as much or more from him than he from me,” says Burton, ever humble, and buoyed by the rewarding work relationship with
the older Allen. “We have more of a partner-incrime relationship rather than a mentor-mentee relationship.” Burton says Atkins “has a wealth of experiences that helps bring a new flavor to teaching physics. He looks at the classroom through fresh eyes.” As to how it feels to be mentored by someone who wasn’t even born when he was receiving his Ph.D. in electrical engineering, Atkins is unabashed in his admiration for Burton. He says he enjoys collaborating with the younger Allen. “This is a great learning environment for both students and teachers alike,” Atkins says. “I feel great having a group of teachers to ‘teach’ me also.” Noting the team and camaraderie, Atkins appreciates the support of the others in his new learning environment and their being “tolerant of the ‘new kid.’” Atkins credits his engagement with youth for keeping him energized and feeling young. Like Burton, Atkins often arrives at his Mountain Vista campus in the predawn hours, well before most other instructors, and long before the students. “I’ll never be too old to learn.” Born in Huntsville, Alabama, Burton had affinity for NASA from childhood. His father’s background in math lent itself well to telemetry work on the Apollo Missions. Self-described as coming from “a family of teachers and preachers,” Burton’s vocation as a physics teacher was clearly a matter of destiny. While at Auburn University, Burton became intrigued by “how to make things work,” he says. Burton pursued a degree in physics, followed by a degree in master's degree in science education. The advanced schooling served him well, he adds, lending dimension to his instruction to the advanced students drawn to Mountain Vista. Fueled by the desire to learn and grow, Burton continues to pursue knowledge and to impart it – to students and to fellow teachers. “You’re never too old to grow,” he says, “never too young to know.” SPRING 2020
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Veterinarian Cliver marks 25th year Full range of pet care offered at Warrenton clinic By John Toler This year marks the 25th anniversary of Warrenton’s Village Veterinary Clinic, owned and operated by long-time Fauquier resident Dr. Suzanne Cliver. Cliver graduated Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine in 1978, and completed a oneyear internship at the University of Illinois. She opened Village Veterinary Clinic in 1995. The clinic has been in the same location since it opened, and Cliver says she’s witnessed many changes in both the practice of veterinary medicine and in the community she serves. Cliver is assisted by two licensed techs. Rosalind Russell-Arrington, of Jeffersonton, started at the clinic in 1999, and earned her tech degree in 2002. Katrina Tomlinson, of Amissville, earned her LVT degree in 1991, and joined the team in 2004. The focus at the clinic has always been on curing illnesses and healing injuries, not “cosmetic treatments” like docking tails and cropping ears, Cliver stresses. For instance, de-clawing cats is never done at her clinic. “All of those procedures are fading away a bit,” she explains. “In Europe, it’s illegal to crop ears and dock tails.” Most of the patients seen at the clinic are typical companion animals, though Cliver treats plenty of “pocket pets” like guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters and the occasional ferret. “That’s about as exotic as I get,” she says. In recent years, “designer dogs” have been coming to the clinic. Cliver says poodles, in particular, are often being crossed with other canines to create “new” dogs. “I find this very curious, as these dogs have diversified backgrounds, like people do,” she says. Also like humans, these animals can have simple DNA tests to determine what breeds appear in their backgrounds. Another development has been the demand for veterinary dentistry, which now represents a significant percentage of the clinic’s surgeries. Veterinary medical equipment is undergoing continuous improvement. The clinic’s anesthetic monitoring equipment has been upgraded several times, but the biggest change has been the new digital X-ray system. “When I opened the clinic, we had to use chemicals to develop the film,” Cliver recalls. “Then we had an auto-
matic processor that had the chemicals in it, and then a computerized X-ray system – and now we’re digital.” Cliver says her new system, similar to those in human doctors’ offices, provides optimum resolution and is quick and efficient. “It’s also a lot of fun to work with.”
Network of specialists
Ultrasound technology did not exist when Cliver was in veterinary school, so she wasn’t trained in the procedure. Whenever an ultrasound is necessary, she has another veterinarian on call that comes to Warrenton to do the ultrasounds, bringing her own equipment. This helps to reduce the need for exploratory surgery, which is much better for the patient. “When I got out of veterinary school, either the vet could do what needed to be done, or couldn’t,” she explains. “We now have a wealth of referral doctors in this area, so it’s PHOTO BY RANDY LITZINGER not hard for people to go to competent, board-certified specialists.” Dr. Suzanne Cliver offers a lifetime of experience and a soothing bedside manner. Having experts in specific fields also provides educated second opinions.” Cliver says she loves the Warrenton Bypass location of her office. “I’ve always loved this place,” she says. “When we took it over, we completely gutted it and made it an open working space, which gives us the opportunity to communicate among ourselves as things are going on.” The clinic has downstairs dog runs and storage space.
What the future holds
Like other independent service providers, some veterinary practices are being bought up by corporations, which in turn are then bought up by bigger corporations. “This trend has benefited us only in the respect that most of our clients that come here do not want that corporate experience, where you don’t see the same vet all the time, prices are higher, and there’s less of a personal touch,” Cliver says. “We’re a client-friendly practice, and people appreciate that.” Reflecting on the years she has been a veterinarian – and especially the past 25 years at her own practice – Cliver notes that there have been many changes and challenges, but feels that she’s “moved with the flow. “Do I long for the old days? No, I don’t. We’ve been able to adapt to changes nicely, incorporating what we need, and not what we don’t.”
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“A fellow board member at Eden told me, ‘I came for the carbon, but stayed for the people’.” PATRICIA VOS
David Vos, shown at his home in Delaplane, aims to capture carbon, and save the earth, with help from trees.
David and Patricia Vos want to help plant a trillion trees Story and photo By Coy Ferrell “I think this is the most important stuff I’ve ever done,” says David Vos of Delaplane, and that’s saying something. Vos holds an M.S. and a Ph.D. from MIT and has worked on some of the most important problems in aeronautical engineering over his 30-year career. He holds a variety of patents in his field. He led Google X’s Project Wing, developing autonomous delivery drones. But his current work has nothing to do with futuristic aeronautics. Instead, he is putting his considerable creative energy toward finding a way to plant trees. One trillion trees. In 2018, David and his wife Patricia started The Vos Foundation with the goal of being a part of a worldwide effort to plant one trillion trees by 2030. Adding these trees to the three trillion that already exist worldwide is an essential way to absorb enough carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, Vos explains. He maintains that will give the world enough time to develop the technology and structures to eliminate the use of fossil fuels altogether. A native of South Africa and now a U.S. citizen, David Vos says his career was “a lot of fun” but he has always had a passion for finding solutions to environmental problems. Even at the most intense times of his engineering career he was thinking about the environmental degradation in southern Africa, he says. “I think it’s time that all of us humans started becoming much better citizens of the world than we have been. So that’s what drives me [now]. “It’s fairly straightforward. If you don’t [plant one trillion trees by 2030] then carbon dioxide keeps accumulating and global warming gets worse and worse and worse. We’re on a track right now to go to places where the world and humanity have never been before.” It is a simple numbers game – about 60 percent of emissions ends up in the atmosphere. To coun22
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ter it, some 22 trillion kilograms of carbon dioxide must be absorbed. One tree absorbs 22 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year. Do the math: that’s one trillion trees. “For every human on the planet, if we planted 15 trees a year for a decade,” then the goal could be reached in that time, Vos notes. “If we can absorb the current emissions with that many more trees, then holding [carbon dioxide levels] steady gives us those decades to figure out how to get off of the fossil-fuel habit.” Additionally, Vos maintains that a world without the burning of fossil fuels is feasible and necessary, but that the transformation to renewable energy will take decades. This emphasis on reforestation as a means of mitigating climate change is part of a greater scientific and political trend in recent years. In 2018, the United Nations said that, among other actions, a net of 2.3 billion acres of tree cover must be added to the world’s land surface by 2050 to limit global warming above pre-industrial levels. A 2019 study by researchers from ETH-Zürich intensified the push for a dramatic increase in forest acreage. Just this month, the World Economic Forum created a trillion-trees initiative backed by prominent business and political leaders from around the world.
The Vos Foundation currently funds work in Mozambique, led by Eden Reforestation Projects, an international NGO that organizes tree-planting initiatives in several countries. So far, the project has planted about 2.7 million trees in the country. Patricia Vos, who sits on Eden’s board of directors, says the project in Mozambique has gone “better than expected.” She was skeptical at first of the feasibility of the world reaching the trilliontree goal, but eventually decided data showed it was possible, and that The Vos Foundation could play a part. “A fellow board member at Eden told me, ‘I came for the carbon, but stayed for the people’,” Patricia Vos says. “In particular I want to see women empowered and children being given opportunities that perhaps their parents didn't have. And the tree-planting project very much allows me to feel like I'm making a huge difference at that level.” David Vos said The Vos Foundation’s vision is to reach people in developing nations as directly as possible, in order to reduce overhead costs and minimize the potential for corruption. “More than 90 percent of people in the world today are reachable with a text message. It’s crazy. It means it enables you to do this SMS-based transaction and then maybe once every month or so get the imagery to prove what’s going on,” he says. He advocates for carbon trading as a way to make the model sustainable, both environmentally and economically, and he has little doubt the cap-andtrade model will become the accepted standard worldwide in the near future. Firms whose activities emit carbon dioxide would, through the purchase of “carbon credits,” pay communities in developing nations to plant and maintain forests. “I fundamentally trust people. I think people are good creatures and try to do the right thing,” he stresses. “The world needs to think more altruistically than ever before. We all share the air. No one gets to say, ‘this is my molecule.’ “When you really look at that picture and you’re helping native wildlife, you’re helping combat poverty and combat climate change and the necessity to do all of those things is just to plant a trillion trees, it’s hard to see anything bad. The consequences if we manage them properly are phenomenally good. You look at it and you just can’t see anything bad about it. So we said, ‘we just have to do this.’”
Patricia Vos boards a helicopter in Madagascar during a tour of Eden Reforestation Projects’ initiatives on the island. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VOS FOUNDATION
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Fare & Flair
WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE GO Story by Mary Ann Dancisin Photos by Chris Cerrone
Easter brunch gets a lot more tasty, and fun, with our seasonal menu • Our wine shines - hear how Virginia has tailored offerings to earn national acclaim • Get in the garden early with our handy guide to timing it right. It’ll extend planting-time forward in the spring, and carry harvest-time late in the fall. SPRING 2020
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Ready with recipes
PHOTOS BY CHRIS CERRONE
Tender, young Swiss chard makes a perfect springtime dish to suit a seasonal farm-to-table brunch celebration.
There’s an indescribable freshness in the air as spring rolls into Fauquier: Find the flavor of the season with our Easter brunch menu Spring heralds the return to a wide variety of locally grown and flavorful produce. Be on the lookout for asparagus, lettuce, zucchini, beets, onions and the early berry crop at local farm markets in March and early April, peas and carrots mid-month, beans and greens late month. Early spring is the time to explore membership in community supported agriculture programs. CSAs offer consumers a direct subscription to an individual farmer’s produce and, sometimes, value-added products and home-raised meats. CSAs assure consumers the freshest local produce, and assure farmers pre-paid income, critical to the sometimes cash-poor profession.
Farm fresh brunch omelette
Serves 1 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) 1 or 2 pasture-raised eggs 1 cup spinach 1⁄2 cup mushrooms 1⁄2 avocado Sea salt and pepper to taste ӧ Heat ghee in a pan on medium heat and add mushrooms. Saute for 4-6 minutes or until soft. ӧ Add spinach and season with sea salt and pepper. Cook spinach 2–4 minutes. Remove veggies from pan. ӧ Crack eggs into the pan cook 4–6 minutes to your liking. Add veggies on top. ӧ Serve avocado sliced on top.
Fennel and roasted pepper salad
Serves 2 1 small head fennel, cored and cut into thin slices 1/3 cup sliced roasted pepper 1 green onion, thinly sliced Black olives for garnish–pitted and sliced Vinaigrette mixed with pesto or tapenade ӧ Toss ingredients together and season to taste
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with salt and pepper.
Sauteed swiss chard
Serves 2 1 large bunch Swiss or rainbow chard 1 small clove garlic, sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons water Pinch dried crushed red pepper 1 teaspoon butter Salt to taste ӧ Rinse chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk and chop leaves into inch-wide strips. ӧ Heat a saucepan to medium, add oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute. ӧ Add the chopped chard. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. ӧ Flip the leaves and cover again. Cook another 5 minutes, add salt to taste and a small amount of butter. Remove the swiss chard to a serving dish.
Pan-seared garlic ribeye
2 5-ounce boneless ribeye steaks 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves sliced garlic Salt and pepper to taste ӧ Bring steaks to room temperature. Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper. ӧ Heat a skillet on medium high heat, melt butter then pour into a small cup and set it aside. ӧ Turn the skillet on high. Once hot, add olive oil and the steaks. ӧ Cook 3-4 minutes then flip. Add the butter and allow it to foam. Add the garlic cloves. ӧ Using a spoon, baste the butter over the top of the steaks for 3-4 more minutes or until desired doneness. Let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
You too can do it – seasonal sweets Peeps Nascar It’s a sign of the season when marshmallow Peeps are in the grocery store check-out line. Instead of just buying the brightly colored confections -- and not eating them yet another year, set up a photo-shoot out of the bunnies and chicks for a fun family DIY project. You’ll need: Marshmallow bunny Peeps (as drivers), and chicks (as Nascar spectators, if desired) Mini pretzels Cream-filled cakes (like Twinkies, though you can use home-made) Decorator icing Chocolate mints (like Junior Mints, though you can use home-made plain chocolate cookies) Frosting Sprinkles ӧ Cut a small rectangle out of the top of the cream-filled cake about a third of the way back from the “front” of the car. ӧ Use the white decorator icing to adhere the bunny Peep, a pretzel “steering wheel” and Junior Mints as racetrack “slicks.” ӧ Use frosting and sprinkles to decorate your car if desired.
Chocolate bunny tumbler Try adult-ing with this Easter bunny chocolate delight. Cut the ears off a hollow chocolate Easter bunny to turn it into a grown-up highball glass. You’ll need: 1 hollow chocolate Easter bunny 1 shot Godiva dark chocolate liqueur 1 shot salted caramel vodka Splash of half and half ӧ Mix ingredients in a normal highball glass then pour carefully into the hollow bunny. Serve with a candy “stirrer” or a colorful straw. ӧ Variations: This can be made into a far less potent libation by mixing the vodka with plain chocolate milk, or even lighter, by using chocolate liqueur with plain milk. ӧ Make it a virgin cocktail by using milk, chocolate milk or kombucha.
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Got a spring in your step? Blame the season’s best on tap Story and photos by John Daum Spring is prime-time to celebrate the growth of the Virginia craft beer industry. With more than 200 breweries statewide and more on the way, there’s never been a better time to jump in your car and explore the beautiful scenery of Fauquier County while exploring the many diverse and unique breweries in the area. Virginia is currently ranked fourth in the nation for growth in craft breweries, and it’s easy to see why when you travel the back roads of the county where most of these small makers are located. Cedar Run Brewery, just outside of Catlett, is a great place to pull up a bar stool and begin a spring beer-break. With 15 fresh beers on tap, it is hard to know where to start. If the spring weather is still on the chilly side on the day of your visit, start with their banana chocolate stout. On the other hand, if temperatures invite lingering outside on the handsome
Broad Run Brewery ages their popular Virginia Viking beer in whiskey barrels.
stone patio, consider Space Barracuda, a bold imperial IPA made with Norwegian Kviek yeast. Try Cedar Run’s Ragnar’s Recipe, a beautifully balanced farmhouse ale brewed with locally foraged white pine, spruce, yarrow and mushrooms. It’s pretty inspiring, considering that just 10 years ago it was hard to find any beer made with local ingredients. Today, most local brewers source locally. Just down the road at Powers Farm and Brewery, discover a variety of easy sipping beers for anyone looking for something beyond the traditional IPA rotation. Powers is a great example of how the local beer scene has grown over the past few years – Their small taproom is now expanding to a second building that will free up space for their brewing operation and offer more seating for customers. A solid Powers offering is the Mirabelle Belgian, a table beer made with local ginger and refermented with plums for a nicely balanced libation that mixes sweet and tart accents in the pour. Sample their Wild Persimmon Ale, made from what you’d expect, and, if time allows, their Pyrus pear saison. Both are extremely refreshing and unlike beers you’ve had anywhere else. Culpeper’s Old Trade Brewery utilizes multiple bee hives, a small orchard and hop yard in its brewing operation, which is evident in some of the unique offerings on the beer menu. Old Trade also offers a wide selection of cider and wine made at the farm as well. Spring may be in the air, but the taste of a strong Belgian dark ale never goes out of style. Try the deep, rich Bourbon Night Watch, a slow sipper with a heavier alcohol mouthfeel and strong notes of plums and cocoa. Follow up with a pint of Old Trade’s Foggy Morning IPA for a smoother taste
Catlett’s Cedar Run Brewery is sourcing many local ingredients for their beer lineup. upfront than more traditional IPAs. Foggy has less hop overload and more malt for balance, making it a perfect companion for a few hours admiring the brewery’s expansive farm fields beyond the taphouse. For your final stop, head to Wes Nick’s Farm Brewery at Broad Run. Nick loves to push the boundaries of brewing which is evident in his popular Virginia Viking. Viking is brewed as a traditional braggot – honey beer, a style dating back to the Medieval period. Broad Run’s version is aged in whiskey barrels from MurLarkey spirits in Bristow to give it deep soulful taste. Other honey offerings from the brewer are Maibock and guava cream ale, both of which pair nicely with just about anything at the food trucks that come to the brewery every weekend. For something truly out of left field, try the Broad Run’s imperial stout with smoked ghost peppers, or their Ibrewpotion, an enticing ancient ale combining salt, spirulina, an assorted mix of superfoods like acai and baobab fruit and brewed with yarrow and mugwort instead of hops. cedarrunbrewery.com powersfarmbrewery.com oldtradebrewery.com SPRING 2020
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FOOD & WINE
Terroir terror? You won’t get far in any serious discussion of wine or winemaking without bumping into the tricky concept of “terroir.” To best understand what terroir is, first grasp what it is not. • Terroir does not describe grape variety, nor vintage. • Terroir does describe the sum total of a grape-growing site's constants, including soil composition, latitude, elevation, contour, sun exposure and climate. • It does not describe anything a human caretaker does – vine training, irrigation, leaf pulling, harvesting. • It does describe what the natural surrounding gives to the product. Thomas Jefferson planted grapevines at Monticello more than 200 years ago, hoping to inspire other Virginians to take the plunge into viticulture. It definitely didn’t take hold then – Virginia’s natural climate is too tough for grape-growing, but at last, some two decades into the flourishing of Virginia’s modern wine industry, Jef-
Fauquier winemakers and grape-growers have discovered, by trial and error, the correct varieties to plant, and the right wines to make, to shine on a national level with more established wine regions. 868 Winery won the Governor’s Cup. ferson’s dream has become reality. Fauquier-grown and -vinted wine takes advantage of the area’s exceptional granite-based soil. When mixed with the area’s warm summer temperatures that advance ripening, followed by cool autumn conditions (and hopefully not too wet) that extend ripening time, the result is high-quality product. The rolling Piedmont hills transition to mountainsides, much like worldfamous grape-growing regions in Italy, France and Chile, making viticulture and Virginia a natural pairing. As Lin-
Terroir: A French concept of tasting the “place” in the “glass.” den Winery’s Jim Law says, “a vineyard’s essentially a water evacuation system,” steeply sloping ground essential to wick away excess moisture that ruins delicate, ripening grapes. As the region’s wine business has matured, there are less pop-up vintners attracted by Virginia’s pro-business view to the industry, ones more interested in cashing in on tourism than quality. Serious vintners stress that Virginia wine’s reputation was severely damaged by wineries hosting loud alcoholic convocations that polluted bucolic byways, the real crop for them not grapes but lucrative events. Happily, say local winemakers, they’re shedding that reputation and gaining traction on a national measure. The proof was in the results from a major regional contest. The Virginia Wineries Associa-
Follow Fauquier’s terroir trail
Edie Grassi
REALTOR® ABR®, GRI, SFR Cell: (540) 878-1308 • Office: (540) 349-1221 edie.grassi@c21nm.com • edie.grassi.c21nm.com edie.grassi@c21nm.com • edie.grassi.c21nm.com edie.grassi@c21nm.com • edie.grassi.c21nm.com 30
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Crooked Run Terroir • Boxwood Estate Winery • Barrel Oak Winery and Farm Taphouse • Blue Valley Vineyard and Winery • Three Fox Vineyards • Delaplane Cellars • Slater Run Vineyards • Arterra Wines • Naked Mountain Vineyard • Fox Meadow Winery • Cobbler Mountain Cellars and Cidery
tion released Governor’s Cup gold medal winners on Feb. 18, National Drink Wine Day. Wineries in central Virginia claimed the majority by earning a total of 41 gold medals, but Delaplane Cellars claimed two golds. The competition, now in its 38th year, gauged 530 Virginia wines by 19 world-class judges. Gold medal wines scored 90 to 100; Loudoun’s 868 Winery earned the top score as overall Governor’s winner. Virginia’s vibrant wine industry is a significant agricultural sector in the state. More than 300 wineries cultivate some 3,800 acres of grapes, making this the sixth-largest wine region in the nation. Grape varieties like viognier, cabernet franc, petit manseng and petit verdot — relative obscurities in Old World wine traditions — grow best in Virginia. Both the Governor’s Cup and resulting Governor’s Cup case boost the visibility of the Virginia wines. Of the gold medal wines, 12 top-scoring reds and whites make up the case to showcase the commonwealth’s top wines. • Linden Vineyards • RdV Vineyards Free State Terroir • Aspen Dale Winery • Chateau O’Brien • Philip Carter Winery • Winding Road Cellars • Desert Rose Winery Warrenton Terroir • Mediterranean Cellars • Pearmund Cellars • Vint Hill Craft Winery Crockett Terroir • Granite Heights Winery
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Trending after Easter – what to do with all those leftover eggs? Try these cute, and environmentally friendly, planters Take hard-boiled eggs (dyed, or not), and carefully slice the top off, shell and cooked egg white. Using a small spoon, gently scoop out the cooked egg to eat it or feed to a pet. Using a sturdy straight pin or safety pin, prick a few holes in the bottom of the now-empty shell. Gently fill empty eggshells with light planting mix. Lightly press a seed or two in the soil and water. Place eggshells back in their egg carton and place in a sunny spot. Water regularly. When seedlings are a few inches tall – and the frost date has passed, if your plants are tender to the cold – plant out in the garden, directly in their eggshell cases. Lightly crush the eggshell with your hand just before placing it in
the prepared ground so the roots can reach into the soil. The calcium from the shell acts as a natural fertilizer, and the eggshell bits lighten the soil around the young plants. – By Betsy Burke Parker
HOME & GARDEN
Fauquier’s farmers markets
Fresh from the field direct to your table By Sandy Greeley Farmers markets are rampant in region, and growing, with a wide variety of choices with the traditional, seasonal pop-up shops offered from town squares to church parking lots.
Archwood Green Barns Farmers Market
4557 Old Tavern Road The Plains Phone: 540-253-5289 Hours: Sun., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 3 to Dec. 20 archwoodgreenbarns.com
Situated in a large horse barn courtyard near I-66, Archwood features an outdoors setting for vendors who set up their own tents. According to market manager, Elizabeth Melson, the market normally hosts about 24 vendors regularly but on some Sundays, up to 40 may set up their wares. Find seasonal vegetables to fruits, preserves, meats, eggs, olive oil, vinegar, teas and coffee, chocolates and mushrooms — most produce comes from Virginia and West Virginia farmers. Prepared foods, such as grilled sandwiches, tacos, empanadas, savory crêpes and more are for sale by vendors to tempt patrons. Non-food items include artisan goods such as candles, soaps and body-care cosmetics, wool blankets and honey. On some occasions, baby goats show up for yoga classes, 4-H chapters bring their alpacas, and pet adoptions for dogs have been scheduled. The market is so popular that Melson said the average number of shoppers is around 450 but the market has attracted more than 600 on a single Sunday in season.
Buckland Farm Market
4484 Lee Highway New Baltimore Phone: 540-341-4739 Hours: Year-round – Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sun., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. bucklandfarmmarket.com A rustic wooden farmhouse replica located on a hillside overlooking farmland out back, Buckland Farm Market welcomes shoppers with its huge assortment of fresh produce— most local or “imported” 25 miles or so from the Shenandoah Valley. There are locally baked goodies – bread, cookies, pies and more, plus aisles jammed with every need-to-have item home cooks might crave. There’s an extensive assortment of jams, jellies and preserves, many of which have the Buckland label. At the checkout counter, grab a homemade
PHOTOS BY BETSY BURKE PARKER
Fresh, and partially local, produce is available yearround at the Buckland Farm Market near New Baltimore, and at Messick’s Farm Market in Bealeton. Value-added products like locally hand-made soaps are available at weekly farm markets in season. treat like peanut butter brownies.
Messick’s Farm Market
6025 Catlett Road Bealeton Phone: 540-439-8900 Hours: Year-round – Mon-Sat., 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. messicksfarmmarket.com Owned and operated by brothers Jimmy and Ronnie Messick – third-generation farmers, says Jimmy, the market is surrounded by 50 acres of active farmland. Messick’s offers locally grown and produced fruits and vegetables plus local meats and dairy. “We grow everything—all types of tomatoes, eight varieties of peppers, cucumbers, squash, melons, potatoes, peas, beans and onions,” Jimmy says, and the farm sells local greens such as kale, lettuces and mustard greens. They have six acres devoted to strawberries, plus blueberries, blackberries, pumpkins and non-GMO sweet corn. Besides all the produce, the market sells fresh eggs from local farms, local non-homogenized milk, canned goods, popcorn, syrup, dried soups, salsa and meat from local producers. There are homemade baked goods such as pies, doughnuts and cakes, plus Messick’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner at their full-service restaurant. They also make homemade ice cream in eight flavors. Messick’s offers a 26-week CSA and hosts picnics, parties and field trips. There’s a big kids’ play area out back.
Middleburg Community Farmers Market
105 W. Federal Street Middleburg Phone: 540-687-5152 Hours: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – May through October middleburgva.gov
Middleburg business director Jamie Gaucher says a dozen or more local farmers bring a wide range of products from seasonal produce and fruits to handmade soaps, prepared foods and locally roasted coffee.
Warrenton Farmers Market
Fifth and Lee Street parking lot Warrenton Phone: 540-347-2405 Hours: Sat., 7 a.m.-12 p.m. — April to November. Note: A second location located at 800 Waterloo Rd. near the WARF operates Wednesday mornings. visitfauquier.com According to market manager Elizabeth Melson, both market locations focus on seasonal farm produce, but some vendors do sell craft items, such as soaps, candles and fiber products. Some 40 vendors take part, and once a month, the market holds kids’ day activities with games and prizes. In addition to seasonal produce, vendors sell preserves, micro-greens, frozen meats, breads and hot pies, even homemade pizza. In the first month of the market before the growing season really sprouts, cheeses, spices, and some greenhouse vegetables are sold. The markets uniquely offer SNAP credit, formerly the food stamp program, so that low-income shoppers can use their benefits to buy local, fresh food. SPRING 2020
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HOME & GARDEN
Too much growth in your ’hood? Battle growth with growth – privacy screen growth, that is By Sally Harmon Semple Whether you’re a been-here or a come-here – a lifelong Fauquier resident or a transplant seeking the open beauty of the protected countryside, there’s a certain allure to “fast growth” in the region. As long as you’re talking about plants, of course. With proper placement of the right plants, you can be rewarded with privacy along with a lovely view. Green Giant arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata) is a fast-growing choice for backyard privacy. Adding 3 feet or more per year to their height, these evergreens have soft dense foliage and may reach 40-60 feet. Green Giants look picture-perfect with light snow on their branches, but as they age the brittle limbs may split in heavy ice or snow. Deer are less attracted to Green Giants than to the Emerald Green arborvitae varietal. Nibbling on Green Giants is typically limited to the lean winter months, and a deer repellant will help. The strongly conical shape of arborvitae results in less screening at the top third of their height than at their substantial base. If you have a high view and need even more cover up top, layer your screen with native loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) or deciduous tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera). These fast growing trees can reach upwards of 75 feet and are tolerant of wet sites. Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) with its attractive spiral arrangement of soft evergreen awls is even more pest resistant. Bagworms, which plague Leyland cypress and arborvitae in some areas, are not normally a pest on Japanese
Fast-growing deciduous trees
<15 feet American hazelnut 40-70 feet River birch Red maple 50-70 feet Bald cypress 60-90 feet Tulip poplar 70-100 feet Dawn redwood
cedar, and it is seldom Screen-time damaged by deer. There are many What’s in for 2020 cultivars of Japanese Japanese cedar cedar with differ- Eastern red cedar ent growth rates and Virginia natives forms. Radicans and Mixed screens Yoshino are cultivars Staggered rows and that reach 30-50 feet cluster planting in height with a coni- What’s out for 2020 cal to slightly colum- Leyland cypress nar form. White pine To support local Running bamboo butterflies and song- Monoculture screens birds while screening Straight line fortresses out an unfavorable view, try the Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana). A moderate to fast grower, this tough and tolerant tree is a true Virginia native. Varying in both height and form, these trees may reach 35-60 feet, and can end up oval, columnar or pyramidal, depending on growing conditions and your site. Their dense pointy needles are unpopular with deer. Eastern Red Cedar is the alternate host for cedar-apple rust, so if you are growing apples, crab apples or even pears and serviceberries keep several hundred yards between red cedars and fruit trees. For an evergreen screen under 30 feet in height, Bracken's Brown Beauty Southern Magnolia is a beauty indeed. It is faster growing than the typical slow Southern Magnolia, and has good winter hardiness. Although leaves and flowers are about half the size of most Magnolia grandiflora cultivars, you will be rewarded with rich velvety brown undersides to glossy leaves, and wonderfully fragrant flowers. Foster's Holly (Ilex × attenuata Fosteri) is a conical evergreen shrub or small tree reaching 15-30 feet that makes an excellent screen and may be pruned shorter to create a privacy hedge. Its foliage and fruit provide good color in the winter landscape. Unlike most hollies, you won't need a boy and a girl tree to get berries. This holly is parthenogenic, meaning that the females can produce fruit
PHOTO BY TOM BAUGHN
Japanese cedar is a fast grower in the Piedmont. without pollen from a male. Foster's Holly is a naturally occurring hybrid between the Virginia native American holly and the more southern dahoon holly.
How-to tips
The placement of your trees is key to the longterm success of your screen. Staggered rows of different trees and shrubs, or clustered mixtures in groups of threes or fives create a healthier and better looking screen. Planting only a single row of one type of tree allows disease to be easily transferred between trees. And when an individual tree in the row breaks or dies, a seamless replacement is nearly impossible. Avoid the common mistake of planting screening trees too close together. This creates awkward crowding between neighboring trees, loss of lower branches and impairs the overall screening effect.
The tiniest members of your soil plot have the most to say Seminal Cornell study finds organic farm practices have lasting effect – to no one’s surprise Organic farming practices and plantings can have positive, and lasting, outcomes for soil health, weed reduction and increased crop yield, according to new Cornell University research. A 2019 study published in the journal Agriculture Systems also breaks down how specific components of soil health – such as the abundance and activity of soil animals and soil stability – affect crop productivity. “With growing interest from farmers in being able to harness and exploit soil health, this research re36
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ally helps us to get to the point of being more and more prescriptive about it,” writes Kyle Wickings, coauthor of the study. Soil mites play a critical role in soil health and crop productivity. Soil animals break down crop litter while indirectly affecting microbial communities in the soil. Findings suggest that measurements of soil invertebrates can inform assessments of soil health. In 2005, researchers started an organic crop experiment at the Cor-
nell research farm in Aurora, New York. The experiment compared four cropping systems that varied in fertilizer inputs, tillage practices and weed control. In June 2017, the entire site – including the alleyways between plots, was plowed and seeded with sorghum sudangrass, to understand long-term effects of previous management practices. The study discovered changes in weed populations, soil chemical, physical and biological properties, and crop productivity after 12 years
of different types of organic crop and soil management practices. Past nutrient input, soil disturbance, weed management and the preceding crops each produced lasting effects. For example, plots managed with a low-till system generally had better overall soil health, especially when looking at microbial activity. Alleyways between plots showed good soil health due to a lack of soil disturbance and high diversity of soil invertebrates. soilhealth.cals.cornell.edu
Taste: All in the timing Know your dates for highest garden yield
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The perfect garden depends on perfect timing. Last frost date in Fauquier County, considered Zone 7 on the USDA’s Hardiness Zone Map, is officially listed as April 15. Anecdotal evidence shows that May 1 is safer for tender plants that prefer warm soil. But you can push up the planting dates of the garden’s more hardy vegetables to extend the harvest season. By following this guide, it breaks up the sometimes daunting notion of “get in the garden” that comes with spring. Make a plan for an hour or two each week – according to this schedule – to sow seeds, tend young seedlings and prep beds for the following week’s rotation. ӧ Beans are safe to plant 2 weeks after last frost. ӧ Beets are safe to plant 3 weeks before last frost. ӧ Broccoli is safe to plant 2 weeks before last frost. ӧ Brus-
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PHOTOS BY RANDY LITZINGER
Plan to get in the garden as early as this week with early-season plantings to extend the growing season. sel sprouts are safe to plant 3 weeks before last frost. ӧ Cabbage is safe to plant 3 weeks before last frost. ӧ Collards and chard are safe to plant 4 weeks before last frost. ӧ Corn is safe to plant 2 weeks after last frost. ӧ Cucumbers are safe to plant 2 weeks after last frost. ӧ Eggplants are safe to plant 3 weeks after last frost. ӧ Lettuce and other greens are safe to plant in mid-March. ӧ Peas are safe to plant 4-6 weeks before last frost. ӧ Peppers are safe to plant 2 weeks after last frost. ӧ Pumpkins are safe to plant 2 weeks after last frost. ӧ Radishes are safe to plant 3 weeks before last frost. ӧ Spinach is safe to plant 4 weeks before last frost. ӧ Squash is safe to plant 2 weeks after last frost. ӧ Tomatoes are safe to plant 1 week after last frost. ӧParsnips are safe to plant 2 weeks after last frost. ӧ Parsley is safe to plant 2 weeks before last frost – By Betsy Burke Parker
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An Easter past leads way to Easter present
The author remembers the rhythmical liturgy from childhood church services, and her Mary Jane shoes.
Her personal growth began at Mass in her Mary Janes, but the author now follows an even more ancient rhythm When I was a small child, living near Cape Canaveral, Mother Nature threw herself at my feet: my front yard was the Atlantic Ocean. Out there with her every day but Sunday, I raced barefoot out our front door to climb over dunes, seaweed and wet piles of shells so I could smack right into the ocean’s churning waves. I pushed into them hard, until my feet no longer felt bottom. Time to dive under! For as long as my breath and imagination held out, I was not human. Back on the beach, I sucked at the salt water in my teeth and shivered until my skin dried tight under the sun. It was heavenly. Sunday Mass at the base chapel placed me in the circle of hell reserved for pink cotton dresses, socks and patent leather Mary Janes. On the other hand, once Mass began, the incense and candles became divine. The drone of the Latin liturgy, metered by trembling bells, was something a kid could almost dance to. I memorized it easily. My absorption of the preVatican II Catholic Mass ritual has made embracing a more earth-based spirituality some 30 years later both familiar and natural. It didn’t happen overnight. It started another Easter. My family had just been transferred to a military base near Baltimore. The nearest Catholic church was a Gothic hulk coated inside and out with layers of urban pollution and dank with whispers. We only went there on “Holy Days of Obligation,” when you must show up if you didn’t want to be condemned to Mary Jane hell for all eternity. The most popular high holy day was Easter. So we went. 38
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The Last Word BY MARA SEAFOREST I hadn’t paid much attention to the reason behind Easter celebrations in Florida, having been part dolphin, but I did remember Easters there had been more cheerful. I couldn’t wait for this one to end. When it did, and we were home again from lunch somewhere, Dad and I changed into warm civvies for an exploration of nearby fields and woods. I’d traded the ocean for the forest, and it was an acceptable earth-centric substitute. It was cold, but the sunny sky was breathtaking. Everywhere we went, there was something almost ready to bloom. I dashed with excitement from one to the other. I petted the first pussy willows I had ever seen. Dad pointed out a row of dead-looking trees. He said they would soon have leaves, pink flowers and then apples. We heard birds and saw bunnies. Dad said, “Rabbits are a symbol of Easter because they come out of hibernation around now, with babies. The cycle of life. Soon we’ll see wildflowers.” He pulled out a pocket knife and cut me a pussy willow branch to take home to my mother. A month later, bulldozers moved in to clear the whole area for 120 pre-fab houses.
I didn’t so much cry as scream until my throat was raw. The anger and helplessness I felt were agonizing. From that day forward, I promised Mother Nature I would try to protect her. That was folly, perhaps, but also a noble ideal for a child. Over time, with enlightenment from a friend, much study and a genuflect to the Catholic rituals of my childhood, I became a neopagan. Easter, sans Mary Janes, became Ostara, an ancient Celtic celebration of the vernal equinox when life renews itself. The word pagan comes from an ancient Latin word for country dweller. This is the word that Roman conquerors who “introduced” Christianity to Europe and the British Isles referred to the native people they encountered. Of course, the population already embraced their own various types of nature-based spirituality, but the Romans were rather persuasive in sharing their own deity. No matter how else I might keep my promise to Mother Earth, answering to the ancient naturebased spirituality was a satisfying way for me to honor the science of nature as well as its magic. The rituals I now create throughout the year can take place both indoors and out, wherever people choose to express their love of nature. It can be done in many ways, through art, music, dance and poetry. Often, candles and incense help to define the sacred spaces in our minds and hearts. To celebrate the season, we pay attention to the myriad gifts nature offers us and learn how to use them wisely and merrily — like kids playing in the ocean, or petting a soft, plump pussy willow bud for the very first time.
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Are You Ready?
Highland School Graduates are Ready Recent Highland graduates have gone on to attend the most selective colleges and universities in the United States:
Harvard • Yale • Princeton • Stanford • Dartmouth • Cornell • Brown
Columbia • Duke • Georgetown • University of Virginia • Swarthmore
William & Mary • Middlebury • Davidson • Carnegie-Mellon • Wake Forest Washington & Lee • Colgate • Bowdoin • University of North Carolina
James Madison University • University of Richmond • and many others!
Schedule a tour today at www.highlandschool.org/ready 40
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or call Donna Tomlinson at 540-878-2740