Middleburg Life | November 2020 by Middleburg Life

Volume 37 Issue 11 | November 2020 | middleburglife.com

MIDDLEBURG

LI F E THE FOXHUNT ISSUE + 50 Years of Horse Country + A Thanksgiving Day Feast & European Charm in Hunt Country

POSTAL CUSTOMER PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE ECRWSS PAID FREDERICKSBURG, VA PERMIT NO. 75 EDOM

MIDDLEBURG REAL ESTATE

ATOKA

PROPERTIES

S I M P LY B E T T E R .

LEGACY FARM | THE PLAINS

21167 TRAPPE RD | UPPERVILLE

$6,000,000 | 450 acres in Orange County Hunt's most prized territory. Build your dream estate amidst rolling, park-like ﬁelds, stone walls, a lazy little creek (Cromwells Run) and framed by unmatched mountain views. Conservation easement and fox-hunting easement.

$3,950,000 | Stunning manor home with 4 BD, 3 bathrooms, & 3 half bathrooms w/ a beautiful lake view on 166 lush acres. This light-ﬁlled home features exposed beams, exquisite HW ﬂoors, updated bathrooms, custom cabinetry, & countertops. Large kitchen island, numerous living spaces, & back porch make this home an entertainer's delight.

Scott Buzzelli 540.454.1399

Peter Pejacsevich 540.270.3835

Scott Buzzelli 540.454.1399

UNDER CONTRACT

1601 HATCHERS MILL RD | MIDDLEBURG

721 KENNEL RD | BOYCE

$1,475,000 | “Heronden" is situated in a park-like setting on 10 acres in Fauquier, conveniently located between Middleburg and Upperville. Built in 1970, this 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath Colonial features a freshly painted interior, 9' ceilings in the living room and dining room, crown moldings, and chair rail, with beautiful wide hardwood ﬂoors in the living room, center hall and dining room.

$950,000 | Rare opportunity to build your ideal home in a super private setting in southern Clarke Co. 87 acres, partially wooded, open farmland, beautifully maintained. Small farm building exists on property (2017) w/ bathroom, good well & septic ﬁeld for 3 BD, could be expanded. Spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the heart of Blue Ridge Hunt Country. In Clarke County Conservation Easement.

Ted Eldredge 571.233.9978

Anne McIntosh 703.509.4499

Maria Eldredge 540.454.3829

UNDER CONTRACT

201 FAIRMONT AVE | WINCHESTER

10995 HARPERS FERRY RD | HILLSBORO

$495,000 | Step back in time into a charming all-brick Colonial built in 1933 with beautiful architectural detail! The grand center hallway & large formal dining room with built-in corner cabinets and a sparkling chandelier are ideal for entertaining! Formal living room oﬀers a cozy wood-burning ﬁreplace w/ an adjacent library & private patio.

$369,000 | Completely renovated Cape Cod with mountain views and scenic vistas from the front porch. Hardwood ﬂoors throughout, brand new paint, upgraded appliances & counters, newly tiled bathrooms, loads of storage basement. Enjoy the country and be close to commuter routes.

Scott Buzzelli 540.454.1399

Mary Kakouras 540.454.1604

Peter Pejacsevich 540.270.3835

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Greenbrier, WV 304-956-5151

Middleburg, VA 540-687-4646

Charlottesville, VA 434-245-2211

Annapolis, MD 410-990-1700

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MIDDLEBURG

LI F E NOV. 2020 middleburglife.com

PUBLISHER: Greenhill Media LLC EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jennifer Gray | editor@middleburglife.com COPY EDITOR: Chelsea Rose Moore ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Christian Bentley | christian@middleburglife.com ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES Rebekah Greenhill | info@middleburglife.com Vicky Mashaw | vmashaw@middleburglife.com Jennifer Richards | jennifer@middleburglife.com Andrea Ryder | andrea@middleburglife.com ACCOUNTS ADMINISTRATOR: Joanne Maisano DIGITAL SALES & MARKETING SPECIALIST: Laura Luck DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR: Laticia Headings DESIGNER: Elisa Hernandez PRODUCTION DIRECTOR: Nicky Marshok ON THE COVER Huntsman Jordan M. Hicks and the Piedmont Fox Hounds during the start of the 2020 cubbing season. Photograph by Joanne Maisano. Read the full story on page 10. ON THIS PAGE International Gold Cup winner “Curve of Stones” ridden by Barry Foley, owned by Rebecca Shepard and trained by David Bourke. Photograph by Liz Callar. CONTRIBUTORS Heidi Baumstark, Chelsea Moore, Richard Hooper, Kaitlin Hill, Laticia Headings, Shayda Windle, and Dulcy Hooper. ADVERTISE IN MIDDLEBURG LIFE Greenhill Media, LLC P.O. Box 328 | Middleburg VA 20118-0328 540.687.5950 | info@middleburglife.com All editorial matter is fully protected and may not be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. All unsolicited manuscripts and photos must be accompanied by return postage; the publisher assumes no responsibility. Middleburg Life reserves the right to reject any advertising. Distributed in Aldie, Alexandria, Ashburn, Boyce, Delaplane, Dulles, Front Royal, Gainesville, Haymarket, Leesburg, Manassas, Marshall, Middleburg, Millwood, Paris, Purcellville, The Plains, Rectortown, Reston, Tysons, Upperville, Warrenton, Washington, D.C., and Winchester. FIND US ON: Instagram @middleburglife Twitter @middleburglife Facebook.com/middleburglife LOOKING FOR MORE?

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MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS:

Philip and Jessica Miller of Colony Cocktails offer Community in a Can Written by Kaitlin Hill Photos by Jennifer Gray

amed photographer and Academy Award-winning costume designer, Cecil Beaton, wrote in 1957, “Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of commonplace …” His call to creativity is the fitting slug line of Colony Cocktails, a wine-based cocktail company and brainchild of Middleburg residents Philip and Jessica Miller. With whimsical flavors and punchy brand designs, including a jovial narwhal, the Millers are certainly daring and delightfully different. Though, they might add a line about their love of community too. In addition to their imaginative vision, being Middleburg-minded is a driving force in their company, and a shared personal practice. “Christmas in Middleburg is when we fell in love with the town,” Jessica says. “It was

2009 and the Christmas in Middleburg Saturday had a big snowstorm.” Nervous about driving conditions yet determined to see the small-town sights, the Millers came the Sunday after the parade for a day trip that would turn into a life goal. “It was gorgeous – snowfall on everything, the shops are all decorated,” Jessica says, reminiscing. “After that, we thought, ‘Wouldn’t this be a great place to live?’ We were living in Arlington, and we just had to maneuver some things in our lives to make [moving to Middleburg] happen in terms of work and commute.” With logistics sorted, the couple wasted no time making Middleburg their home. “We got married here, at the Red Fox Inn, on a Friday and the next Friday we moved into our new place,” Philip says, laughing. “We’ve kind of built our life around the town,” Jessica says.

For Philip, building a life in Middleburg is both personal and professional. “I worked for Mark at Highcliffe for many years, and in 2014, I joined the board of the Middleburg Professional Association,” he says. “In 2016, I ran for town council and was elected then. I’ve been on various committees, including economic development. I just love it. I love this town. I love the community that it serves.” His love of community led him to the vice mayorship of Middleburg, a post he took on this year after being nominated by his predecessor, Darlene Kirk. In 2017, the Millers conceptualized their own business, Colony Cocktails, to be based in Middleburg. “The brand was born in Middleburg when we had the idea back in 2017,” Jessica says. “We are big cocktail enthusiasts, the two of us, and we have a fully stocked bar. We would get Neighbors | Page 4

Philip and Jessica Miller in Market Salamander. Photo by Jennifer Gray.

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Neighbors | From page 3 really creative with different types of bitters, making our own simple syrups with infusions of this and that. We realized, most people aren’t going to do that at home, but should these people be denied a good cocktail when they are not at a bar?” With the category of “ready-to-drink” growing in popularity, Philip’s bartending experience dating back to his college days at Tulane, and Jessica’s 20-some years in marketing, they began the process of transforming their business vision into a chicly canned reality. “It was an evolution as we started to do our research, before we even put our formulas together,” Jessica says. Wanting to provide an authentic cocktail experience with a higher alcohol percentage and wider distribution in mind, the Millers had to reframe their idea of what a canned cocktail could be. “A lot of the canned cocktails we knew that were already out there used distilled spirits,” Jessica says. “When you get into the laws, we’re in a controlled state here in Virginia. We realized we would have to be in ABC Stores if we used distilled spirits. We quickly pivoted to wine-based cocktails … because that would allow us to be in any sort of market.” “It really opened up our distribution channel,” Philip says. “We worked with a flavor development company … and we asked, ‘Can you get the same spirit, the same flavors as the original [cocktail] being wine-based?’” Jessica says. “And they said, ‘Absolutely.’” For the Millers, achieving those flavors played to Philip’s bartending background and their undeniably fun personalities. “We were really having fun and messing around with flavors,” Philip says. “We knew we wanted to have something that appealed to the whiskey drinker with the Charleston, which is more bitter aperitivo, herbal forward. We wanted to have something more fruit forward like the Tangier, which is grapefruit balanced by cardamom and rosemary. And we knew we wanted to do the French 75. We were just looking for things that stuck to different people’s tastes.” Their three offerings – The Charleston, The Tangier, and their original The Biarritz, based on the French 75 – are all made with a base of Sonoma wine. The wine is blended with all-natural simple syrups and botanicals,

achieving a refined cocktail experience that just happens to have a pop top. The 250-milliter cans pack punch too, with between 10 – 11.5% ABV depending on the flavor. And while Colony Cocktails don’t contain distilled spirits, community spirit is at the heart of what they offer. “What we stand for as a brand is bringing people together … we feel very passionate about that,” Jessica says. “We all get so wrapped up in our lives and we are very busy as a culture. We need to spend more time connecting with each other. That’s really the brand’s main goal.” And it remains their goal, even during COVID, where gatherings are challenging and require safety protocols. “Hopefully, this offers people an opportunity to do some socially distanced outdoor gatherings with family and friends and not have to worry about glassware,” Philip says. “And that goes for the spring too. Hopefully, we’re able to do the spring races, picnics, polo matches, and all the fun stuff we all miss right now. Because the idea of Colony Cocktails was to take something complicated, make it simple, so that you can just enjoy, bring people together, and live vibrantly. That’s it.” Colony Cocktail products are available from Arlington to Occoquan and beyond, as they were recently picked up by Whole Foods Market in Virginia. In Middleburg, Market Salamander and Salamander Resort and Spa carry the cocktails. And nearby, they can be found at The Whole Ox, The Locke Store, and The Market at Bluewater Kitchen. “Around here there are so many little markets that we respect, and we shop at ourselves,” Philip says. “They were incredibly supportive from the very early stages. Now we have a distributor for Northern Virginia and other parts of Virginia, but we wouldn’t have been able to get there without all the support. It’s been really wonderful, and I can’t thank people enough for their support as we launched this.” And Middleburg should be thankful for the Millers too. They truly embody all the best qualities that make Middleburg what it is. Their community engagement, ability to bring people together, imaginative small business, and love of where they live are all the makings of great neighbors, and a good cocktail hour too. ML

Bottom: Philip Miller in Market Salamander. Photo by Jennifer Gray.

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“It was an evolution as we started to do our research, before we even put our formulas together,” Jessica says. Wanting to provide an authentic cocktail experience with a higher alcohol percentage and wider distribution in mind, the Millers had to reframe their idea of what a canned cocktail could be. — Jessica Miller

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A SPECIAL CELEBRATION OF FILMS FOR THE TIMES Written by Laticia Headings

he Middleburg Film Festival (MFF) celebrated its eighth year, despite a global pandemic greatly affecting the way national movie theaters and film festivals operate this year. Rising to the challenge, the MFF team found creative ways to showcase a critically-acclaimed lineup of virtual films and establish safe, socially-distanced in-person screenings at the Salamander Resort throughout the four days of the festival from October 15-18th. “I’m thrilled that they kept it going so we could enjoy the whole movie experience, because the quality is a big 10,” Rob Banner says, an Orlean resident who has been attending the film festival since it began in 2013. He has Photos by Shannon Finney.

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served as a festival volunteer and venue manager in the past. “I love that they were able to accommodate these crazy COVID times and make it work,” Verna Stern says, a first-time festival goer. “It’s a great time of year to do it.” For those opting to do in-person screenings, films were shown at 6:45 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. on 40-foot blowup screens in two Salamander Resort locations, the grand lawn and the lower parking lot. The drive-in “theater” located in the lower parking lot proved to be popular, selling out almost immediately when tickets went on sale. Pass holders got first priority, followed Films | Page 7

Films | From page 6 by first come, first serve ticket buyers. “I was partial to the drive-in because I’ve never been to one before,” Charles Bright says, an Arlington resident who has been coming to the festival since 2016 and saw films at both venues. “Volunteers were taking temperatures before you parked your car. I thought the actual physical part was extremely well run and safety was taken very seriously.” Patrons were given a “Movie Night” gift bag containing popcorn, movie theater candy, and a bottle of water. For some, the experience felt reminiscent of 1950s drive-ins. At the height of its popularity, drive-ins were located in over 4,000 rural areas throughout the U.S., made popular by the Baby Boomer generation. “We loved it, it was really fun to be in the car with friends,” Julie Banner says, “It was a great way to see a film and had such a nostalgic feel. We had a great time!” Food trucks were also part of the novel event. Ford’s Fish Shack, Eugene’s Sausage & Fries, and Lombardo’s Detroit-Styled Pizza had food offerings for purchase, and a bar was set up for those who wanted to imbibe. There was also an onsite restroom trailer. Simultaneously, on the grand lawn of the Salamander Resort, ticket holders had a unique outdoor experience. Sitting on chairs and cozied under blankets provided by the resort, enthusiastic patrons weathered three clear, but brisk nights under the stars. “Being out on the lawn was very unique and just lovely, almost like summer camp,” Gordon Dale says, a part-time Middleburg resident. Every effort was made to keep film goers safely socially-distanced on the lawn. In addition to mandatory temperature checks, the festival team installed bright yellow ground markers to indicate areas where viewers could set up to watch the film. “The layout was great. Everyone was wonderfully spaced,” Dale says, who saw early and late films on the lawn and at the drive-in. “It’s a beautiful place to watch the sun go down. You could gradually see the Middleburg Film Festival logo appear on the screen as the sun Films | Page 8 Photos by Shannon Finney.

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Films | From page 7 dropped down which I thought was cool.” Patrons on the lawn were also given movie gift bags and had the option to purchase a hot meal or snack at the food tent or grab a glass of wine from the Ta-Da! Travel Bar. Guests staying at the Salamander with rooms overlooking the grand lawn were able to watch films from their balconies, all part of the charming ambiance. Virtually, those who purchased tickets had a 24-hour watch window to view films in the comfort of their own homes. There was a diverse selection of MFF award tributes, as well as Q&A’s with filmmakers and actors. Kris Bowers, this year’s distinguished film composer honoree, recorded a concert at the Capitol Records studio in Los Angeles, playing on the same piano used by Nat King Cole. Special guest Andra Day accompanied him on two songs, making for a memorable performance. Though special accommodations were made this year because of current events, some hope to see the same setup in the future. “I’m really hoping they continue with the outdoor venues. The popular support is there,” Banner says. One thing is for sure: the Middleburg Film Festival is here to stay! ML Top photos by Shannon Finney. Bottom: Julie and Robert Banner with Verna Stern. Photo by Laticia Headings.

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Laura Farrell | Bundles Murdock

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The Oldest Hunt in America is in Middleburg

Written by Heidi Baumstark | Photos by Joanne Maisano

ave you noticed that local street names, establishments, and entire subdivisions are christened with words that revolve around the region’s reputation as “hunt country?” And for good reason. Because the first fox hunt was founded in Loudoun County; not just the first one in Virginia — but the first hunt nationwide. Of all the fox hunts in North America — 145 registered packs — the oldest one in the United States was established in 1840 as Piedmont Fox Hounds right in the Middleburg/ Upperville area. It was founded by Col. Richard Henry Dulany (1820-1906) who lived at historic Welbourne, a well-known fixture in premier horse and hunt country, just west of the town of Middleburg. And the Dulany family has much to do with why the area has earned this favored distinction. While fox hunting existed in the United States well before 1840, Dulany is credited with establishing the nation’s first organized hunt, now in its 180th season. And he did it as a mere 20-year-old. But he didn’t stop there.

A decade later in 1853, he continued his passion for agricultural pursuits by establishing the Upperville Colt and Horse Show. The story goes like this. It was in the early months of 1853 when he spotted a colt stuck in the fence in a snow drift. This scene spurred his desire to raise the level of horse care and improve the overall local breeding stock. Just a few months later in June 1853, the Upperville Colt and Horse Show was held at Grafton Farm (a former Dulany property) and holds the record as the oldest, longest-running horse show in America. Today, tens of thousands come out every June at the same location to witness the competition ranging from local children on their mounts to Olympic horses and riders. So, who was Col. Richard Henry Dulany? He was born in 1820 at a property called Old Welbourne, near the village of Unison in Loudoun and close to the Fauquier border. His parents were John Peyton Dulany (17871878) and Mary Ann deButts Dulany (17861855). John Peyton Dulany’s profession was in the financial industry and farming. Typical of the wealthy elite, young Rich-

Left: Piedmont Fox Hounds at Old Welbourne. Right: Owner of Old Welbourne, Brad Bondi.

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ard was sent to boarding school up north; however, records do not indicate that he completed his studies, instead preferring agricultural pursuits and becoming an avid horseman and prosperous farmer. In 1833, he moved with his parents from Old Welbourne to another property three miles away called, simply, Welbourne, which dates to 1775. It is here at this Welbourne property in Upperville that became the birthplace of the nation’s oldest hunt: Piedmont Fox Hounds (PFH). Both Old Welbourne and Welbourne are listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and are registered as Virginia Historic Landmarks. In 1847, Richard married Rebecca Anne Dulany. They lived at Welbourne and had five children, four of whom who lived to adulthood. When the Civil War broke out, Richard served in the Confederate army, survived several wounds, and rose in rank from captain to colonel of the famous Laurel Brigade, 7th Virginia Cavalry. Dulany Morison is the great, great, great grandson of Col. Dulany and is carrying on Oldest | Page 11

Oldest | From page 10 Piedmont’s 180-year-old fox hunting tradition. In 2019 he was elected to their board of trustees. His uncle was the late Nat Morison (great, great grandson of Col. Dulany) who was on PFH’s board for over 30 years and lived at Welbourne until his death in 2019; the property is still in the Dulany family. He regularly opened up his property for social gatherings, dinners, and hunt breakfasts. “Though Uncle Nat didn’t fox hunt, he hosted a hunt breakfast every Saturday after Thanksgiving,” Morison says. “No Thanksgiving was complete without seeing the hunt off on Saturday morning at Welbourne. Like Uncle Nat, my father didn’t fox hunt, but they were both admirers from the ground. I remember holding onto my father or uncle; it was so exciting to see all the horses and hounds.” Clearly, Welbourne is significant due to its association with the establishment and continuity of rural Virginia traditions of agriculture and fox hunting. Col. Dulany was the Master of Fox Hounds (MFH) for almost 30 years from 1840 through 1872 (minus the four years of the Civil War). Masters succeeding him include his son, Richard (“Dick”) Hunter Dulany (1873-1904). (For a brief stint, Arthur C. Marshall was master from 1904-1905.) Harry Worcester Smith (1905-1907) of Worcester, Massachusetts is credited as the first to hold the master title outside the Dulany family, over 60 years later. Smith is also known for establishing the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) in 1907, which serves as the governing body of organized fox hunting in the U.S. and Canada, promoting and preserving the sport and maintaining proper standards of conduct. MFHA’s headquarters is in the town of Middleburg. Other surnames of PFH masters include Townsend, Sands, Thomas, Richardson, Randolph, Glascock, Norman, Mellon, and Bedford. Mrs. A.C. Randolph (wife of Dr. Archibald Cary Randolph) appears in the hunt records as the first woman master beginning in 1954 and is often referred to as the “first lady of foxhunting.” During 1955-1958, Mrs. A.C. Randolph (Theodora Ayer Randolph) and Paul Mellon — philanthropist, thoroughbred horse breeder, and son of Andrew W. Mellon who served as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury — were joint masters. Over 40 consecutive years, Mrs. Randolph was joint master through 1996. Currently, her grandson, Shelby W. Bonnie, is Piedmont’s joint master along with Arthur A. (“Tad”) Zimmerman and Colvin G. Ryan. Fox hunting history books reveal more

about Piedmont. A small red booklet at the National Sporting Library titled “The Piedmont Fox Hounds 1914” contains the hunt’s constitution and by-laws. Under the heading “Uniform and Colors,” it states the colors are scarlet and “old gold.” It provides more detail, including: “Field—Scarlet coat with old gold collar and waistcoat. The same hunt buttons to be used on coat and waistcoat as adopted in 1905. Evening Coat—Scarlet coat with old gold collar with flat silver buttons on which shall be engraved the letters P.H.” (The booklet’s last page includes an important charge: “Do not criticise [spelled this way] harshly or unjustly. Gossip not at all.”) Another historical resource, “Hunting in the United States and Canada,” (1928) explains the symbolism behind the hunt’s button design, which includes a fox’s mask (face) with two brushes (fox tails) underneath, and a “P” (on the left) and “H” (on the right). The book states, “… there is a quaint legend to the effect that somewhere in the dim past the hounds periodically — usually when the moon was full — found and hunted a fox with two brushes!” This is likely a tale, but it accounts for the crossed brushes under the fox’s mask in the design of their button. Today, Piedmont remains as dedicated as ever to the preservation of horse, hound, and generous open spaces. Since 2015, Jordan M. Hicks has been Piedmont’s huntsman who manages the breeding and training of the hounds at the kennel on Newlin Mill Road; a new kennel was built that year, Piedmont’s 175th anniversary. There are approximately 50 couple (100) of entered hounds, which are American Foxhounds and American Crossbred. “They’ve been bred to be biddable, to follow instructions — that’s their job, and they want to please you,” Hicks says. As a professional huntsman, Hicks is responsible for controlling and directing the pack on the hunt field, using a horn to communicate to the whippers-in and hunt followers. PFH’s territory includes 95,000 acres in northwestern Fauquier and southwestern Loudoun amid a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, open meadows, forests, streams, and rural routes with old stone walls. About a third of that — over 30,000 — has been protected with permanent conservation easements. To encourage land preservation, a reduced subscription rate is offered to landowners who have put their land in a perpetual conservation easement. According to JtMFH Zimmerman, PFH has 85 subscribers, the vast majority of whom are landowners. Oldest | Page 12

Top: Jordan M. Hicks, Piedmont’s huntsman stands in front of the late Nat Morison’s Welbourne. Middle: Michelle Nagle, whip for Piedmont. Bottom: George Kuk and Devon Zebrovious.

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Oldest | From page 11

been hunting with Piedmont since I was five years old,” she says. “My dad was friends with Practicing what they preach, Piedmont’s own Mrs. A.C. Randolph. Back then, they hunted 90-acre property near Unison is under cononly on Tuesdays and Fridays and we couldn’t servation easement, and corn and soybeans get off school. So we could only hunt on holare grown there. idays.” “Fox hunting is tied into farming,” Hicks In college, Dillon taught her friends how says. “Hay production, corn, beans, cattle to fox hunt. Then she taught her kids and — we all work hand in hand. It’s farming — their friends. And the teaching continues tothat’s what saves the land.” day. “I’ve taught Shelby’s [Bonnie] children to PFH’s opening meet is the first Thursday ride. I’m teaching Tad’s [Zimmerman] grandin November at Oakley Farm in Upperville, children now; they come over every Monday. owned by Jt-MFH Bonnie. Hunts are held And the Bondi family [owners of Old Welthree days a week at various landowners’ bourne] comes for riding lessons,” she says. properties and the season runs through midOver the years, Dillon hunted with Paul March. Point-to-Point races are held the third Mellon, Jackie Kenneweekend in March. Pieddy Onassis, and Mrs. mont also has children’s “I’ve been hunting with A.C. Randolph. “I knew hunts on Labor Day, Jackie through the hunt Piedmont since I was five Columbus Day, and at and her grandchildren years old. My dad was Christmas time that are came, too,” she says. “But intended to instill love of friends with Mrs. A.C. the saddest part is when the sport, respect for the farms are sold because Randolph. Back then, they land, and ensure the futhe children didn’t grow ture of foxhunting. hunted only on Tuesdays up loving and working Preservation is key to the land. [My] Daddy and Fridays and we couldn’t the future of fox hunting. raised racehorses and get off school. So, we could A spring 2009 issue we all had to help, balof Covertside, a MFHA only hunt on holidays.” ing hay, working on the publication, states that farm, so I’ve been with — Nancy Dillon the Hunting Habitat horses all my life.” DilConser vation Award lon grew up in an 1800s was presented to PFH and the Bonnie famstone house in Purcellville called Tranquility. ily for accomplishments in preserving their In “The Story of American Foxhunting: hunting country. This includes educating the From Challenge to Full Cry,” (1940), J. Blan next generation to ensure land conservation van Urk sums up the fox hunting experience remains a top priority. The article states, “… like this: “… fox hunting may be the king of despite intense pressure to develop Loudoun sports, or the sport of kings … I have had County — a mere twenty miles from Washsome fairly exciting experiences in my life: I ington, D.C. — the Piedmont Fox Hounds have been in a yacht race; I killed a mountain boast arguably the most open, the most lion; and I heard, unexpectedly, of a fortune lovely, and the biggest galloping fixtures of being left me; but nothing, for delirious exany in North America.” The article explains citement, can approach that gallop, and I shall how the late Mrs. A.C. Randolph “was one of remember those twenty minutes as long as I the early exponents of conservation through live.” easements in the Piedmont country. She had Others agree. “You can still stand at Wela muscular ally in her neighbor, the late Paul bourne and the vista is unchanged since the Mellon, an equally zealous conservationist.” first time they gathered in 1840,” Morison Another key to ensuring that fox hunting says. “The sense of community is still strong continues is teaching the youth. In MFHA’s and lives on.” book, “A Centennial View: Foxhunting in Heritage, traditions, and respect are what North America Today” (2011), a photo feayou hope to gain with age. When it comes to tures three generations of a family at Piedthe oldest fox hunt in America, Piedmont Fox mont’s 2006 opening meet: Nancy Dillon, Hounds has all three. her daughter, Daphne Alcock, and Dillon’s When Dillon was asked what her favorite grandchildren Beverly and Haley Alcock. The thing is about fox hunting, her answer was book states, “Dillon has been hunting with simple. “Just all of it…” Piedmont for more than 60 years and teachCol. Dulany would agree. ML ing youngsters the joys of hunting for over 30 of those years.” To learn more about Piedmont Fox Hounds Dillon, now 85, lives in Philomont. “I’ve and other hunts, visit mfha.com. Top: C. Dulany Morison. Middle: Nancy Dillon and students. Bottom: Sydney Pemberton riding side saddle.

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in a place where horses are so cherished, thank god someone loves donkeys.

For decades, Thomas & Talbot Real Estate has helped people find their home in Hunt Country. On occasion, they’ve also found homeless donkeys a place among some of their well heeled equine cousins. In Hunt Country, you’ll find that these real estate agents aren’t alone in their passion for creating a more rewarding way of life for everyone who lives here, from equine to human and everyone in between. Contact Thomas & Talbot today to start your own charmed life in Hunt Country. We’re here to show you the Hunt Country lifestyle with social distancing in mind.

THOMAS & TALBOT REAL ESTATE Opening the door to Hunt Country for generations

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CUBBING SEASON 2020 Photos by Joanne Maisano

BLUE RIDGE HUNT | Left: Blue Ridge Huntsman, Graham Buston. Bottom left: Blue Ridge Hunt. Right: Barb Batterton. Right middle: Blue Ridge Hounds. Bottom right: Shannon Venezia.

SNICKERSVILLE HUNT | Above: JT. MFH Gregg Ryan of Snickersville Hounds. Below: Mariya Kruseck with the rest of the Snickersville field.

VIXEN’S HUNT FUNDRAISER FOR ORANGE COUNTY HUNT | Left and middle: Ladies from the Vixen’s Hunt. Bottom right: Cleo Gerwitz.

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MADE IN MIDDLEBURG:

Fields of Athenry Short Ribs with Parmesan Polenta and Glazed Green Beans

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Story and photos by Kaitlin Hill

ring a little bit of Middleburg into your kitchen by using locally sourced short ribs from Fields of Athenry Farm, and a bottle of your favorite Middleburg-made wine to make this easy and elegant dinner. The short ribs simmer for hours in the wine-based aromatic broth, resulting in meat so tender it falls off the bone. For crowd-pleasing sides, try parmesan polenta and glazed green beans. The polenta is rich, creamy, and an ideal vehicle for soaking up a bit of short rib gravy in each bite. Round out the meal with the fastest green beans you’ll ever make. Fresh green beans glazed in butter and garnished with flakey sea salt are wonderfully crisp and offset the richness of short ribs nicely. This Middleburg-inspired meal is the perfect cozy dish for cool November nights in Hunt Country.

Serves 4 Short rib ingredients

Directions:

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2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

For the short ribs, heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

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3 pounds of Fields of Athenry bone-in short ribs

While the oil heats, generously season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.

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salt and pepper

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1 small onion, diced

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2 celery stalks, diced

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1 medium carrot, diced

Place the short ribs in the pan and brown on all sides in batches. This will take 6 to 8 minutes per batch. When the short ribs are browned, transfer them to a plate and set aside.

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6 cloves of garlic, peeled

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1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste

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2 cups of dry red wine from your favorite Middleburg vineyard or winery

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2 cups of beef broth

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2 sprigs of thyme

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4 tablespoons of cornstarch

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handful of parsley, roughly chopped

For the parmesan polenta •

5 cups of water

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1 cup of medium grind cornmeal

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salt

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6 tablespoons of butter, cubed

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1/2 cup of parmesan, freshly grated

Glazed green beans •

1 pound of green beans, trimmed and rinsed

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3 tablespoons of butter

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flakey sea salt

Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat from the Dutch oven and then return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, and the onions are translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Next, add the garlic cloves and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden. Add in the tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook the tomato paste for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly caramelized. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in the red wine and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. This is called deglazing. Let the red wine simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until some of the alcohol has cooked out and the flavor has mellowed. Add the beef broth and stir to combine. Return the short ribs to the pot along with any drippings that may have collected on the plate. Cover the pot and place in the preheated oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and the internal temperature reaches 205°F. When the short ribs have about an hour of cooking time left, make the polenta so everything will be ready to serve simultaneously.

In a large pot, bring the five cups of water to a boil over high heat and generously season with salt. While whisking, slowly pour in the cornmeal. Continue to whisk as the mixture comes to a boil and starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the polenta simmer for 45 minutes, stirring it every 10 minutes so it doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn. After 45 minutes, taste the polenta to make sure the cornmeal is soft, and the mixture is creamy. If it feels a little al dente, cook for 5 additional minutes. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the cubed butter until it is completely melted. Follow with the parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Cover the pot and set aside to keep warm. About 5 minutes before the short ribs are ready, you can quickly make the green beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the green beans and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the green beans of the water and return them to the pot. Add the butter and sauté on medium-high heat until the butter is melted, and the beans are glazed. Season with flakey sea salt. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm. When the short ribs are finished cooking, carefully remove them from the pot, keeping them intact and transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve. Discard any solids. Return the cooking liquid to the Dutch oven and place over high heat. In a small bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1/2 cup of cold water. Whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk the cornstarch slurry into the hot short rib cooking liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for a few minutes until the juices have thickened slightly. To serve, mound the polenta on a serving platter and make a shallow well in the center in which to nestle the short ribs. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and a last flourish of flakey sea salt. Serve with glazed green beans and gravy alongside. ML

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John Coles 540-270- 0094 Rebecca Poston 540-771-7520 Specializing in Large Land Holdings

Heronwood

501 Acres $19,500,000 Upperville – Private 18 hole golf course built to USGA standards. 2 world class stables, 45 stalls, arena, 28 fenced paddocks. 500+ spectacular acres with Blue Ridge Mountain views. Convenient to Dulles International Airport, Reagan National Airport and Washington, D.C.

Deerfield Farm 181 Acres $4,500,000 Upperville – Gracious Hunt Country Estate with and impeccably restored brick manor house, ca. 1844, perennial gardens and orchard, guest house with theatre, guest/pool house, pool, 2 tenant houses, 5 bay garage, workshop, 2 ponds, high elevation with fenced fields and paddocks.

Holly Hill

37 Acres $3,299,000 Middleburg – A gracious stone manor conveniently located on 37 private acres just 2 miles from Middleburg. Historic property has been meticulously renovated with luxury finishes and tasteful upgrades throughout. 4 bedrooms / 4 ½ baths. Formal dining room, large garden / family room with stone floor, Ballroom, Chef’s kitchen, library, 6 fireplaces. Charming guest house, pool, 2 barns. Large exercise / art studio. Dressage arena and grass jumping arena. Gardens, ponds and views. OCH hunt territory.

Muster Lane

108 Acres $6,950,000 This stately and historic estate with its grand rooms is in prime Orange County Hunt territory, minutes to Middleburg. It also features a pool and pool house, 5 bay garage with office, 2 tenant houses, newly remodeled 11 stall center aisle stable with apt. & office, riding arena and exceptional ride-out to wooded trails and open pastures.

Windsor Farm

115 Acres $4,500,000 Upperville – Windsor Farm is an extraordinary horse property specializing in the training of Grand Prix horses. The elegant Manor House dates to the 1700’s and has been expanded through the years to create the current gracious home with formal gardens and expansive views. In addition to the main home, the estate includes 3 tenant houses, and 3 apartments.

Spring Hill

20 Acres $2,250,000 Spring Hill Farm offers a charming setting for its main residence, accessory dwelling and it’s office/gathering house, with stone walls, gardens, pastures, pond and pool. Below the guesthouse is a 4 stall stable with it’s own parking area and driveway. The original 1870 log cabin was expanded several times creating a very welcoming home. This farm and its prime location, halfway between Middleburg and The Plains, provides the perfect way to social distance while being able to keep family and friends close.

Sweet Bay Farm

127 Acres $6,800,000 The Plains – Exquisite estate features the custom designed residence built in 2004 with first floor master suite. To the right of the home, a relocated bank barn, ca. 1795 serves as a 2 bedroom guest house and pool house. To the left of the home there is a 3 bedroom caretaker cottage with garage. Horse facilities include a 7 stall stable, board fenced paddocks and fields. 2 ponds. Orange County Hunt Territory.

Chilly Bleak

152 Acres $3,250,000 Marshall – This horse farm features beautiful open gently rolling pastures and fields in prime Orange County Hunt Territory. The historic fieldstone home dates to 1820 with later additions creating a 5 BR / 5 BA home with stone terrace and pool. Two Stables - 15 stalls and 6 stalls, Kraft Walker, 8 paddocks, 6 fields, 3 cottages. The home is perfectly sited for privacy with easy access to I-66 and Rt. 50. VOF Easement. Shared listing with Sotheby’s.

O’Bannon Land

50 Acre $995,000 This parcel of land has a perfect building site for your next country get away. Conveniently located between I-66 and route 17. The well maintained trails that surround the property make for great potential ride out. The gently rolling hills offer numerous building sites with amazing views. The land is in Land Use but not in Easement. Cannot be divided.

Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

m i d d l e b u r gAlll Pages i f e . c o m • N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 0 2010-27_ML_JohnColes-DT.indd

John Coles 540-270- 0094 Rebecca Poston 540-771-7520 Specializing in Large Land Holdings

Tuleyries

406 Acres $5,000,000 Boyce – Exquisite Federal Style Mansion, c. 1833, features 12’ ceiling height, dramatic curved stairway and 5 en-suite bedrooms. Sited on 406 Acres in 3 parcels with Easement Potential. Built by Joseph Tuley, Jr., it was later purchased by Graham Blandy, who bequeathed over half of the original estate to the University of Virginia (State Arboretum of Virginia). Estate also includes 3 tenant houses, 12 stall stable with renovated 3 bd. apt. & numerous historic structures.

Hidden trail

107+ Acres $4,900,000 Magnificent horse property in the midst of the serene countryside. From the picturesque Young Road two driveways access the 107 acres of Hidden Trail Farm. The first leads to one of the finest indoor arenas surrounded by exquisite ride out. The second is the graceful, park-like drive, which parallels a creek and then gently curves up to the elegant manor home.

Logans Mill

200 Acres $3,272,973 This spectacular 200 Acre parcel is located in prime Orange County Hunt Territory. Rolling fields, stone walls and scenic views provide the perfect backdrop for your country home. This property is protected by a Virginia Outdoors Foundation Easement.

Smitten Farm Lane

$2,950,000 The Plains – Finely built custom residence minutes from Middleburg in Prime Orange County Hunt Territory. Designed for Grand Entertaining both inside and outside. The rooms graciously open into one another and lead out to the deep porches, which wrap the home and overlook the pool, grounds, gardens and conservatory.

Cross Winds

Co Saw

69 Acres $1,790,000 Minutes from Middleburg, in the heart of Orange County Hunt Territory, this parcel offers 69 pristine acres with tenant house, track and kennels. This property is protected by a VOF Easement.

Destinaire

118 Acres $1,950,000 Hume – Impeccably maintained, exquisite 118 acre horse farm with ten fields and paddocks of 4 board fencing, gently rolling land & panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains with glimpses of Skyline Drive. In addition to the stucco and stone main residence, there are guest and tenant homes, numerous barns and run-ins to house 25 horses comfortably, and an indoor dressage ring.

Hathaway

90+ Acres $4,475,000 Sweeping panoramic views and grand trees surround this recently renovated, turn-key residence set on a private 90-acre estate. The home has been finished to the highest standards and features three meticulously finished levels with a modern floor plan, which includes a first-floor master bedroom suite. The location is in prime Orange County Hunt Territory.

72 Acres $1,050,000 Delaplane – Exceptional 72 Acre Horse Property in Piedmont Hunt Territory. Features Handsome 7 stall stable perfectly sited for cross ventilation, built by P. J. Williams and features an upscale 1 bedroom + den apartment with screened porch. Generator. Perfect for training Cross County/Eventing. Uphill gallop with good elevation, 100’ x 200’ riding ring with all weather footing, 5 fenced paddocks and 2 run-in sheds. In Piedmont Hunt Territory.

Delaplane grade

49 Acres $875,000 Delaplane – This parcel features beautiful rolling land in prime wine and horse country. Piedmont Hunt Territory. Fronting on Delaplane Grade Road and identified as Lot 2, it offers a 70’ private access and utility easement to Lot 1, which sets east of this parcel. Lot 2 has a portion of the property subject to building restrictions; however, the remainder of the land sits high with Blue Ridge Mountain views providing gorgeous home site potential.

Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

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Marion Maggiolo and the Anniversary of Horse Country Written by Richard Hooper

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ortunately for us all, there are still moments worthy of celebrating even in the midst of this pandemic. One of these is the 50th anniversary of Horse Country in Warrenton, Va. It is the legendary saddlery, clothing and book shop, as well as a retailer of horse and hound related antiques and a jewelry store. There are also decorative and warming items for the home, including pillows, throws, and lamps. For women attending the Gold Cup, there is an abundant selection of proper “chapeaux.” It is owned and run by Marion Maggiolo, astute businesswoman, always congenial lady, and “bonne vivante” (the Italian incarnation of the French “bon vivant”). Before Maggiolo’s family moved to Virginia, her mother owned a feed mill in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, that also sold hay with a farm store as a component. With huge mobile grinders that serviced local farms and a railroad siding for picking up bulk deliveries, she registered her own feed formulas, selling them primarily to dairy and poultry farms. In 1970, several years after moving to Virginia, Maggiolo’s parents opened Horse Country at the intersection of Routes 17, 211, and 15 in Warrenton. It was a great location for highway business. Maggiolo helped out at the store that first summer, returning to her final year at college in the fall. After graduation, she returned home. With a recession stifling the economy, she thought it would be a while before finding a job. However, the morning after her return, a job found her. At 6 a.m., her father called up the stairs, “Marion, time to go to work.” “I worked with Mom for a year. One day she said that she couldn’t go in and handed me the keys,” Maggiolo said. “She never asked for them back, and I’ve opened the store ever since. A few months after handing me the keys, she handed me the invoices and checkbook.” “Has there ever been a better business decision,” one justifiably may ask? In the early years, Maggiolo was also a traveling saleswoman. A typical trunk show road trip would stop at Richmond, Virginia Beach, Raleigh, and Atlanta. Trainers and customers she had met at the store or at horse shows would invite their students and friends to their homes. Afterwards, they would join together at a local restaurant, up to twenty at a table for dinner. “It was all great fun in the 70s and early 80s, all family oriented,” Maggiolo said. By 1985, Maggiolo realized that fox hunt-

“I’m not sure people realize all the unique items that Marion has developed under the Horse Country label. She creates new items with her vendors every year, all with special detailing and thoughtful touches. She has exquisite taste and truly makes shopping an adventure.” – Sandra Ranke ing needs were being underserved. She began to place less emphasis on riding show jackets, switching instead to tweeds and hunting coats. While expanding her inventory, she also expanded her market by creating her first catalogs. They were on newsprint, illustrated with lovely, enticing drawings. Glossy paper, color, and equally enticing photographs would come later. After 20 years, Horse Country moved to 60 Alexandria Pike in the heart of Warrenton, a move that tripled the floor space. Ten years

later, the business expanded again through the purchase of the adjacent, connected building, gaining additional parking space as well. The move took the store away from the convenience of the highway, but the expanded merchandise, new clientele from catalogs, and Maggiolo’s personality and welcoming staff had made the store its own destination. “We’re a regular stop for folks driving Country | Page 26

Left: “Bonne vivante” Marion Maggiolo with her Scotties, Aga and Bunsen, in the boot department. New York photographer M. Sharkey captures the spirit of Horse Country in one photo. Above: Marion Maggiolo, guiding light and owner of Horse Country. Photo by Richard Frasier.

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Country | From page 25 north and south, and Europeans in the area for events or meetings,” Maggiolo said. “I’ve always wanted to have a big inventory and offer people lots of choices. When your customers cover the whole of North America, different climates influence purchases. We stock four weights of cloth, from lightweight for the deep south to heavyweight for the Northern states. And, I am embarrassed to say, I try to keep a two-year supply of hunt attire in stock.” That practice worked out especially well this year since most of her suppliers were in lockdown. “We didn’t miss a beat as far as fulfilling orders,” she said. In 1990, Maggiolo launched In & Around Horse Country, a quarterly publication. With a circulation of 25,000, the paper covers fox hunting, of course, but also includes the topics of flat, steeplechase, and point-topoint racing, carriage driving, and showing. As the paper’s website states, “The ‘country’ covered by In & Around Horse Country has no physical borders. The territory consists of like-minded enthusiasts who share a love of horse sports …” It is, in fact, the same territory as that of her store. Quality has always been foremost for Maggiolo, and she has always carried superior merchandise. The store takes its unique personality, however, from Maggiolo’s enthusiasm for discovery. Renting a car after arriving at Heathrow, she would drive off (there was no GPS service or cell phones) in search of what she might discover, stopping here and there. “A conversation with a sculptor led me to a maker in a small town,” Maggiolo said. “That maker sent me to a maker in Wales who had small premises. In those years, some of the places had no heating, dirt floors, and were down single-track roads.” With the same dedication to quality, those connections led to her own brand of merchandise, the Horse Country Collection. “I’m not sure people realize all the unique items that Marion has developed under the Horse Country label,” Sandra Ranke, of Sandra Ranke Creative, said. “She creates new items with her vendors every year, all with special detailing and thoughtful touches. She has exquisite taste and truly makes shopping an adventure.” Others concur. “My favorite stores are Bergdorf ’s in New York, Fortnum and Mason in London, Horse Country in Warrenton,

and Tractor Supply,” Rebecca Baldridge said, a contributing editor at Equestrian Living. One early customer, now another friend made at the store, is Zohar Ben-Dov. “[Maggiolo] was the kindest, most welcoming, knowledgeable person,” Ben-Dov said, describing the first time he met Maggiolo at the original location. “She has a generosity of spirit. I can’t say enough good about her.” Maggiolo exemplifies this spirit in talking about her business. “I have to mention all the girls who worked with me over the years. From our 2,400 square foot building on the highway with the 3x5 card inventory system, hand writing thousands of address labels or hand sorting bulk mailing of the newspaper and catalogs, packing boxes for UPS shipments, and to computerizing the store, they have worked hard. They have cared about the vision and the ideas ‘du jour’ tossed to them every week. And, you can never underestimate family. From mom and dad, to my sisters and brothers not only doing the heavy lifting, but giving needed perspective on the business, to my dear friends whose

advice and counsel helped through the many recessions (five, I think) we’ve weathered.” Not only does Maggiolo praise her employees and family, she acknowledges her customers, stating, “I’ve always said we have the best customers in the world.” And what does all this make? As unequivocally stated by Meg Gardner, former joint master of the Middleburg Hunt, “It is the best tack store in the world. And I mean it.” ML

Top: Scarlet Fever. The Hunt Room displays hunting attire for men and women. Photo by Richard Frasier. Second: The Saddlery stocks preparations, stable requisites, and horse blankets. The space is used for book signings, lectures, meetings, and other events. Photo by Richard Frasier. Third: A launch and book signing by author Rita Mae Brown. Horse Country is involved in murder and mayhem in several of her novels. Horse Country librarian, Jenny Young (r). Photo courtesy of Horse Country.

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ALPINE MEETS HUNT COUNTRY

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There’s comfort in knowing your loved one is part of a strong community like Ashby Ponds in Loudoun County. We’re managed by Erickson Living,® a leader in senior living and health care. Despite social distancing, our residents never lacked care and connection. • Feel safe and secure in a community of friends, neighbors, and caring staff • Telehealth appointments and house calls from our on-site doctors • Virtual faith services, fitness classes, entertainment, and more

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Learn more. Call 1-800-714-5842 or visit AshbyPonds.com for your free brochure.

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ANTHONY BARHAM BRINGS EUROPEAN CHARM TO HUNT COUNTRY

“For many years we have sold our paintings at The Inn at Little Washington as well as done commissioned work for the Inn.” – Barham

Written by Shayda Windle

orn and raised in London, England, Anthony Barham grew up in his family’s antique business on Notting Hill’s famous Portobello Road. His father, Alfred, started the business over 70 years ago with just a wheelbarrow and 3 pounds. As a child, Barham traveled alongside his father, observing him as he purchased antiques and restored old paintings and frames to sell in the shop. Alfred moved the shop a few times before finally settling at 83 Portobello Road, where the business still thrives today. Perhaps most importantly, it was here in the shop that Barham says he “learned how to paint by observing and restoring paintings we sold in the business.” It wasn’t until 1995 that Barham took a leap of faith and decided to leave England for the United States in pursuit of a career as a professional artist. Since then, he has risen in the ranks as one of the top fine artists in the D.C. metro area, and has consistently exhibited and taken commissions. After settling in Middleburg, Barham met and married fellow artist Misia Broadhead, also a professional fine art oil painter. Together they formed the Broadhead-Barham studio in Middleburg, where he says they “sell from [their] studio through Facebook and Ebay and have a permanent display cabinet at

The Antique Emporium in Middleburg.” The Antique Emporium is located in the heart of Middleburg and represents 45 dealers with an ever-changing selection of local, stateside, and European antiques. And their paintings are sold many other places too.

“For many years we have sold our paintings at The Inn at Little Washington, as well as done commissioned work for the Inn,” Barham says. Barham has become a widely popular artist in Middleburg for a number of reasons. He likes to focus on “classic realism in order

Above: “Smoking Fox,” 12”X10,” oil on panel.

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to fully portray the beauty of nature and its animals,” he says. “Since I have lived here, I have painted everybody’s dogs, cats, horses, pigs, cows, and numerous foxes due to their great popularity.” His style is unique in that he sometimes adds a whimsical touch or some European flair to his animal paintings. On top of this, Barham is an active member of the arts community in Middleburg and has participated in auctions at The Hill School and the Art of the Piedmont. He’s taught classes through the Artists in Middleburg, and “worked on very large murals for numerous clients.” He says he “continually has projects to work on.” “Hunt Mural,” shown here, is one such commissioned piece Barham created for the entrance of a local farm. When the owner sold the farm, Barham tells us, “he had the canvas taken off the wall so that he could stretch and frame it for his new home.” Barham regularly posts tutorials on YouTube where art enthusiasts and fans can follow along and watch the calming nature of his brushstrokes as they glide across the canvas. Find his YouTube channel by searching “Anthony Barham.” All the pieces pictured here are sold, but Barham is open for commissions and can be contacted through his website broadheadbarham.com. ML

Top: “After The Hunt,” 16”X10,” oil on panel. Second row, from left to right: Left: “Kits,” 12X12,” oil on panel. Middle: “Hounds Pair,” 12X10” each, oil on panel. Right: “Fox,” 11X14,” oil on panel. Bottom row, from left to right: Left: Horses visiting. Commission. Middle: “Hunt Mural,” 15’ X 10’, oil on canvas. Right: Barham’s Studio.

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Washington St. | P.O. |Box 1380 | Middleburg, VA 20118 | 540.687.5588 | sheridanmacmahon.com Washington St. |110PE..O. Box 1380 Middleburg, VA 20118 | 540.687.5588 | sheridanmacmaho

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Prime Fauquier County location minutes from Middleburg | Unbelievable finishes throughout | Antique floors and mantels, vaulted ceilings | 6 BR, 5 full BA, 2 half BA | 6 FP, gourmet kitchen | Improvements include office/studio, stone cottage with office, spa, guest house, pool and lighted tennis court | Landscaped grounds with stream, waterfalls, boxwood and special plantings | 61 acres

Gracious Georgian Manor home, 11,000 sf, built in 1930 | Updated and suitable for large scale entertaining | 7 BR, 7 1/2 BA, 7 FP | High ceilings, formal gardens & private setting | Belmont style stable w/30 stalls and 2 apartments | 4 BR guest house/entertainment complex, 4-car garage w/office | 4 restored tenant houses, skeet range, pool & tennis court | 167.59 acres mostly open & rolling with bold mountain views and large spring-fed pond | Also available with 241 acres for $8,500,000

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French Country home, with renovations in 1999 $8,750,000 $6,500,000 & 2017 | 4 BR, 5 full & 2 halfPaul BA, 5 FP, hardwood Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 MacMahon 703.609.1905 floors, flagstone terrace | Beautiful drive to hilltop stetting overlooking pond, lake & mountains | Improvements include pool, 2-car garage, 2 BR guest house & apartment | Lovely boxwood gardens | Kitchen allowance to be provided | 79.89 acres

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Solid stone home c. 1790 expanded to 5 BR | First floor master suite and large family room additions | 9 FP, antique floors and millwork | Extensive outdoor living spaces, large pool and terrace, multiple outbuildings | 2 car barns used to garage 20+ cars | Accommodates large scale entertaining

$3,200,000 Helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

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MARSHALL, VIRGINIA

Lovely brick home on hilltop setting, completely redone by current owners | Wood floors, high ceilings, lots of light | 6 BR, 5 1/2 BA, 5 FP, sweeping stair case in foyer | Basement level finished for family enjoyment w/ media room, office, gym, billiard room, full bar w/ kitchenette, full bath & outside entrance leading to pool and spa | Improvements include 3-car garage, heated 4-car garage w/car lift | Potting shed/studio w/ attached heated green house | 20 car barn for serious collector | Swimming pool with spa | 5-stall barn | Property fenced and cross fenced | 68.23 acres

$2,375,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

181 acres | Brick manor house c. 1844 | 4 bedrooms, lovely kitchen, multiple porches, pine floors, 7 fireplaces, original mantels, large windows, detailed millwork | c. 1810 log cabin/pool house, guest house with theater, 2 tenant houses, 5-bay garage and workshop | Sizable pond

SALEM HILL

$4,500,000 MARSHALL, VIRGINIA

Helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

$3,690,000 HILLCREST Spectacular hilltop setting, bold mountain views and Paris valley views | Home updated in 2017 | 4 BR, 4 BA, 3 FP, gourmet kitchen, vaulted ceilings, skylights, lovely gardens, walkways and terrace | Improvements include in ground pool with spa | 2 stall barn with tack room, room for horses, spring fed pond | 13.37 acres next to parkland surrounded by large estates

$1,425,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

ALDIE, VIRGINIA

Quiet country living on 33 acres with great proximity to the conveniences of nearby shopping, restaurants, schools & hospital | Rare find to get this acreage and have FIOS - work from home while enjoying the privacy of your own farm | Rolling acreage, stable, fencing & bold creek | 5 BR home has been well maintained | Southern exposure with great light & lovely views | Main floor master suite & 2-car garage

$1,395,000 Marqui Simmons 703.609.6109 Helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

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Helen MacMahon 540.454.1930

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$1,250,000 Alix Coolidge 703.625.1724 $2,650,000

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A remarkable property located within a private FIRETHORN LANE enclave just minutes from townTHE | Stone and stucco MIDDLEBURG, VIRGINIA PLAINS, VIRGINIA Farm house privately situated on 2 private manor house master suite | 7 acres | The Old Middleburg Pharmacy with | Built in main level Renovations w/ newly redesigned interiors, between 1934 | Wonderful old stone building on additional BRwith| endless 5 stone FPMiddleburg | Beautiful and The Plainsgardens, | 3 BR main residence, Madison Street in Middleburg primary BR w/ large walk in dressing room & attached options | Main level retail, water full basement terraces, salt pool, cabana, carriage & nursery/primary bath en suite | house Lower level comprised for storage or separate entrance and of large open eat-in kitchen w/ bar & center island, stable with 2 paddocks | Lovely finishes throughout 3 rental apartments upstairs | living room w/ fireplace, formal dining room, & space Approximately 7,000 sf | C-2 zoning fortrails home office or first floor bedroom & fireplace| | 1 BR &provides sweeping lawn to private to Goose Creek for many uses | Rear parking guest house | Elegantly decorated and appointed | Lovely gardens && multiple areas for outdoor socializing both 31$1,300,000 acres | Private, elegant convenient

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GAME CREEK 11 SOUTH MADISON STREET

296 acres of farmland off the Atoka Road | Working farm in crops and hay and improved with multiple large farm buildings and 3 cottages | Beautiful building site for a main house if desired | Conservation easement allows for 1 division and permits construction of an indoor area and additional equestrian and farm buildings | Mix of open land, creeks, pond, woods, pasture, crops and rolling topography

17 acres of rolling pasture land in the village ALDIE SPRINGS 10 CHINN LANE of Rectortown | Convenient toMIDDLEBURG, both Routes 50 ALDIE, VIRGINIA VIRGINIA & 66 Newly renovated Charming home |w ith 3 bedrooms, 2 full BA & 2 half | Private In town livingsetting w /main level with primary bedroom w/ BA, FP with insert in family room | Rear deck for pocket doors that open into the living room | 3 BR, mountain 4 hardwood bedrooms, outdoor magnificent entertaining & front porch add to the charmviews 2 half| BA, floors & fireplace | French | Attached 2-car garage | Large1Morton for 2 fireplaces doors open to private patio w/ mature gardens & 4 full bath, halfbuilding bath, | Heated storage, workshop or more garage space | 28.34 mostly space for expansion | Great full time or weekend pool spasprings | 2& creek bedroom guest house | distance to town. wooded & private acres,& multiple plus getaway property within walking waterfall | Trails throughout, hunters paradise | $899,000 Large shed & 2-car garage Minutes to Route 50 and Route 15 | Property has Fios $1,010,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905

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Learning for an Unconventional Year By Chelsea Rose Moore | Photos by Jennifer Gray

f anything best characterizes the year 2020, it might be our ability to pivot. While we’ve all reinvented plans on some level this year, schools and education centers have especially worked to overcome big challenges. And children’s museums, farms and camps relying on steady streams of students have changed up their learning programs to meet the needs of distance learners and homeschool families. Nestled in Middleburg, Camp Highroad has certainly done its fair share of pivoting. Before COVID, Camp Highroad served 80200 students per day each fall, with between 200-400 students staying overnight on Saturdays. Now, unable to offer overnight camps, the team has focused on serving homeschool and distance learning families. “Now that things have changed, and homeschooling is the way to go for a lot of families, we have said, ‘We have some pretty cool options for you guys,’” Adam Davis, Camp

Highroad’s director, said. “It’s fun to learn when you’re splashing around in the pond or riding horses. Because of that, we’ve had a surge in homeschool families. We need to get outside, [and] we need to run our energy off.” One of their new concepts is bubble camps. Similar to a pod, the bubble camp allows families to enjoy the camp’s activities with a group of friends. Bubble camps last for eight weeks, and families attend once per week, although many families have already signed up for a repeat session. Today, half of Camp Highroad’s midweek traffic is from homeschool or distance learning families. The rest is from local private schools. “From what I’ve seen with my own kids, having [kids] glued to a screen, they are cranky, grumpy and tired,” Davis said. “They honestly weren’t learning. It’s been hard for them to do online school in a way that keeps a 6- or 7-year-old engaged. What I’ve defi-

Above: Girls riding at Camp Highroad.

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nitely seen [in] kids coming out [here], they are playing with sticks, climbing on a tower, throwing rocks into a pond. It’s a way for them to get a break from the screens and get dirty and be OK with it.” Day campers will learn to canoe, ride horses, go mountain boarding, practice archery, and learn survival skills. Activities are suited for preschoolers through 12th graders. “We are doing everything asked of us from the CDC,” Davis said. “We understand that we all have to be careful, but at the same time, we all have to live our lives.” JK Community Farm in Purcellville has also switched up their group field trips to offer self-guided, socially distant field trips for individual families. “We’ve seen kids have so much energy when they get to the farm,” Samantha Kuhn, the farm’s executive director, said. “Just getUnconventional | Page 35

Unconventional | From page 34 ting some fresh air and away from the stress of distance learning and trying to navigate that whole process.” Their farm is 150 acres, allowing people to spread out across its designated learning stations. Each hour is limited to 30 students. Since starting the self-guided field trips in September, they’ve had 120 students on the farm every Monday. The farm is currently developing a winter curriculum, which will begin in November. The program will center around the seasonality of farms, cover crops and winter planters. Collaborating with the Children’s Science Center in Fairfax, they plan to build a strong food education program. The science center will be unveiling an exhibit at the farm in late winter or early spring. Everything grown at the farm goes to local food pantries. This year, they donated over 140,000 pounds of organic produce and protein. Their field trips are donation-based to help the farm continue to “grow more food for more families.” When a family signs up for a field trip, they select their child’s age level (from preschool through high school) and are sent appropriate activity guides. Once they arrive at the farm, they do hands-on activities and learn about food education and other age-appropriate skills. Places like Camp Highroad and JK Community Farm are learning to thrive during this challenging season and still giving children the opportunity to be kids, get their hands dirty, and discover the wonders

of nature. ML

Discover Loudoun’s agricultural history through daily programs introducing kids to Loudoun’s rich heritage. Or pick up a $10 “Museum in a Box” to learn from the comfort of your home!

If you’re in search of COVID-safe, kid-friendly adventures, consider these local attractions. Camp Highroad camphighroad.org 21164 Steptoe Hill Road, Middleburg, Va. Adventure awaits at Camp Highroad! Learn to horseback ride, explore bamboo forests, practice archery, learn about local ecosystems, and so much more.

Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum discoverymuseum.net 19 W Cork St., Winchester, Va. Spark your child’s curiosity, inspire learning, and build STEAM skills through hands-on exploration and creative play.

JK Community Farm jkcommunityfarm.org 35516 Paxson Road, Purcellville, Va. Tour the farm while learning about sustainable vegetable production and the value of food security. Great Country Farms greatcountryfarms.com 18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont, Va. Learn about farm life up close while enjoying a cow train, jumping pillow, putt putt course and apple cider donuts. Dinosaur Land dinosaurland.com 3848 Stonewall Jackson Highway, White Post, Va. Walk through a prehistoric forest and see lifesize dinosaurs and other creatures. Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum heritagefarmmuseum.org 21668 Heritage Farm Lane, Sterling, Va.

Above and bottom: Children at Camp Highroad.

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23595 WINERY LANE MIDDLEBURG, VA 20117 GREENHILLVINEYARDS.COM

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SHELTERS TO SHUTTERS

Homelessness is a Circumstance, Not an Identity Written by Laticia Headings

he Shelters to Shutters non-profit was born almost by accident when Chris Finlay, managing partner and CEO, Middleburg Communities, was perusing Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine looking for information about mountain biking trails. Finlay, a former Marine, was struck when he came across an article about a man who chronicled his experience of being temporarily homeless while living in Asheville, North Carolina. Like most people, Finlay had a stereotypical view of what it meant to be homeless. “We all see the people who are panhandling and living under the bridges in D.C., but it wasn’t until I read this article that I opened my eyes,” he says. “Most people live paycheck to paycheck, so there’s a lot of fragility in terms of a person’s ability to take care of themselves … if they have a financial catastrophe.” Homelessness in America is a complex issue that affects over three million people every year. Of the people who are afflicted by this crisis, a staggering 83% of them are situationally homeless. “Situationally homeless refers to individuals who have been in the work force before and have marketable skills, but through a series of circumstances or bad luck, find them-

selves without a place to live,” Andy Helmer, CEO of Shelters to Shutters, says. In fact, 70% of Americans have little or no savings at all set aside for an emergency situation and live on the brink of life-altering financial disaster, which often results in the loss of housing. Most end up in shelters, live in cars, or find themselves on the streets. “It’s this hidden homelessness because people are out there looking for work, they’re finding day labor, going to job fairs, trying to get back on their feet … they’re not panhandling,” Finlay says. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development categorizes homelessness into three patterns. The first, episodic, is defined as an individual who is having recurrent problems with housing. The second, situational, is a person facing a housing, health care, financial, or job loss crisis. The last is chronic, someone who has a disabling condition that leads to being homeless for more than a year or has at least four episodes of homelessness in three years. Resources at a local, state, and federal level are almost entirely focused on people who are chronically homeless. Even though situational individuals represent more than 80% of

all homeless people, they only receive about 20% of the available resources. After reading the article, Finlay, who has been a real estate investor and developer for 20 years, pondered the question: How do you get a job without an address and how do you keep an address without a job? The realization that he held the answer within his own apartment business struck him. By pairing displaced, hard-working individuals with jobs at his apartment properties, Finlay found the solution. “There are really qualified people out there who are looking for a hand up, not a hand out,” he says. Shelters to Shutters offers people who are situationally homeless two of life’s critical necessities. “We help people find both housing and employment within the apartment industry,” Helmer says. “We’re getting individuals help before they’ve gone so far down that it’s really hard to get back on their feet.” From 2014-2015, Finlay piloted Shelters to Shutters at his properties in Charlotte, N.C., and Nashville, Tenn. Based on the success, he rolled it out to his industry peers who shared the same philosophy of empowering communities. “It’s a private market solution

On bench (left to right) — Shelters to Shutters CEO, Andy Helmer, with founder and president, Chris Finlay. Photo by Laticia Headings.

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Shutters | Page 39

Shutters | From page 38 to a public issue,” Finlay says. “I love that as a private industry we can find a solution that makes business sense.” “The multi-family apartment industry is a trillion-dollar industry in this country that is in every city and every town across the nation,” Helmer says. Demand for this type of living is largely driven by older and younger generations who want to live close to an urban center. An “apartment community” generally consists of 200-300 apartments in one location, sometimes with centralized amenities and a clubhouse. Depending on the size, these complexes have 6-8 people working onsite as groundskeepers, maintenance techs, property managers and leasing agents. “We’re always looking for people in our industry, it’s hard to find quality individuals who are loyal, stable, and look at it as a career,” Finlay says. Shelters to Shutters has 44 industry partners around the country, ranging from family-owned businesses to publicly traded companies who refer potential candidates to

them. The non-profit then does a background check and in-depth screening to determine eligibility for the program. “The industry partners are the ones who are providing housing and employment. Our individuals get to live where they work,” Helmer says. To help break down the stigma around homelessness for their partners, Helmer, who has been with the non-profit for four years, initiated “hiring events” that frequently happen throughout the year. Pre-screened candidates are able to interface in a casual business setting with industry partners who have open positions in their complexes. The average starting wage is $15.50 per hour and every level has upward mobility. About 72% of individuals receive wage increases or promotions. “This doesn’t have to be just another new job, it could be an entirely new career,” Helmer says. Individuals also receive a significant discount on their first year of rent, about 70%, allowing them the opportunity to get financially solvent again. After the first year, they generally get the standard employee discount of 20% if they choose to stay on, which many

do. The overall success rate is 93% and about three fourths of individuals remain with employers after 15 months. Shelters to Shutters also believes in empowering individuals through education. Each participant is required to take financial and continuing education classes, done mainly through their employer. “We aren’t a bandaid situation. We want to get individuals back to self-sufficiency,” Helmer says. “My hope is to … break down stigmas around homelessness,” Finlay says. Since it launched in 2015, Shelters to Shutters has expanded into 12 cities and impacted the lives of over 360 people. “Making an impact is really this circular equation. It’s about being more reflective and responsive to community needs, and as a result, you’re better able to serve your customers and have better financial performance.” “There’s plenty of opportunity for us to grow, but we want to do [it] in a way that we can continue to find success and have the support of local communities … that way, it’s a win-win-win!” Helmer says. ML

Left: A gang member from a young age, Vonley was often in and out of jail. When his mother died while he was incarcerated, he vowed to get on a better path. He graduated from Thomas Nelson Community College, but found employment was difficult. Because of his positivity and determination, Vonley was invited to attend a local S2S where he met employers and was offered a job. Top Right: Moma won the immigration lottery and came to the U.S. from West Africa. He settled in Atlanta, worked the night shift at McDonald’s and lived out of his car. He enrolled at Atlanta Tech College, a partner of S2S, and with his positive attitude, found gainful employment as a maintenance tech. Bottom: Avalon Tysons Corner Apartments, an AvalonBay Community. Photo by Laticia Headings.

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Thrill of the

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Steeplechase in Art

Sept. 9, 2020 - Mar. 21, 2021 NSLM has added a third self-guided tour time: 11am, 12pm, and 2pm

Edwin Benjamin Herberte (British, 1857–1893), Close Field over the Sticks and Water Jump; a pair, 1888, oil on canvas, 9 /4 x 25 inches, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Seilheimer, Jr.

NATIONAL SPORTING 102 The Plains Road | Middleburg, VA

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This Thanksgiving Day, join MHF at its first

Run for The Rescues 5000 Cunningham Farm Drive, Marshall VA Registration required! https://www.middleburghumane.org/run-for-the-rescues-2020 No outside pets please, due to our onsite shelter animals

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November 26th 9:00 AM: 5K Race

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THOMAS & TALBOT REAL ESTATE Opening the door to Hunt Country for generations R CT DERA UN NT O C

E D IC VE R P RO P IM

Rock Ridge 94+ Acres $3,674,999 The Plains – French Country stone manor with magnificent views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 5 BR / 6 BA. 5 fireplaces. 1st floor luxury Suite. Great Room opens to the terrace, formal Living and Dining, gourmet Kitchen and paneled Library. Lower Level with Rec Room/Office and Fitness Room. 2 guest houses. 22-stall center aisle barn, fenced paddocks and riding ring. Easy access to I-66 & Dulles Airport. Cricket Bedford | 540-229-3201

Fox Ford Farm

Rock Hill Mill

$1,991,000 on 239+acres or $1,443,000 on 142 acres Jeffersonton – Unique 4 BR country house with pool and outbuildings. One and 1/2 mile of Rappahannock river frontage. Open, rolling fields. Investment, horse farm, brewery, B&B, or winery potential. All around views, flowering gardens, privacy and peace. 15 minutes to Warrenton. Rein du Pont | 540-454-3355

18+ Acres $1,250,000 The Plains – Tremendous privacy and serenity on 18.67 acres in 2 parcels, both fronting on Rock Hill Mill Road. This wooded country retreat with views over-looking Little River features a custom built French style home and a 4 stall barn with spacious 1 BR apartment. Orange County Hunt Territory. Rebecca Poston | 540-771-7520

Dover Road 3.16 Acres $999,000 Middleburg – Immaculate, solid brick home only minutes to town. Custom built by a well known Northern VA builder for himself. Features over 5,000+ sq. ft. to include 5 BRs, 4.5 BAs with oak flooring throughout the main level, cherry paneling and Pella windows and doors. Extras include: wet bar, built-ins, fireplaces, bay window and walk-in closets. Expansive fully finished walk out lower level. Off the back of the house is a large open deck and a lower terrace that overlook the sweeping lawns. Ideal commuter location. Cricket Bedford | 540-229-3201

Fox Flight 5+ Acres $899,000 Marshall – Renovated by the owner, a well known local kitchen & bath designer, the interiors are sure to delight! Charming c. 1840’s 2 BRs, 2 BAs home features state-of-the-art kitchen, baths & unique interior w/custom painted ceilings, decorative columns & 4 fireplaces. Extensive garden offers outdoor ‘rooms’ for entertaining, koi pond & fountain. Other features include a vegetable garden, fire pit & a barn converted into a separate Studio. Detached garage, potting shed & outdoor shower. Cricket Bedford | 540-229-3201

3.9 Acres $695,000 Upperville – Spacious brick home, updated and expanded to create ideal spaces for everyday living. Main level offers an eat-it kitchen w/island, tile flooring, updated appliances and custom cabinetry, living rm, dining rm, the primary BR, a guest BR and a full BA. Lower level is the family rm w/fireplace, guest BR, full BA, laundry/mudroom, bonus rm and separate office with custom built-ins. Fenced in pool w/small pool house. Detached brick 2-car garage and separate storage shed. Wonderful commuter location. Parcel may be subdivided. Cricket Bedford | 540-229-3201

46 Acres $700,000 Build your country house on 46 acres on the Shenandoah River. Located on Wiley’s Neck, where the river doubles back on itself. There are several building sites with beautiful views of fields and mountains. There is a well in place and underground electric already installed. Cary Embury | 540-533-0106

Parker Street

Hummer Farm

Old Post Office 1 Acre $625,000 Paris – Charming!!! This single family home served as the Post Office from the 1800’s to the 1980’s in the historic village of Paris. Offered on 1 Acre, subject to Boundary Line Adjustment process. Beautiful lawn and mature trees. Extensive renovations include NEW: separate HVAC system for the second level, kitchen, bathrooms, thermopane windows, gutters and shutters. The antique wood floors have been refinished. Minutes to the Shenandoah River. Easy access to Rt. 50, I-66 and I-81, convenient to Dulles International Airport and Washington, D.C. Rebecca Poston | 540-771-7520

205 Sycamore .26 Acre $585,000 Middleburg – Charming, fully renovated 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath house on quiet street in the village. Updated kitchen and bath on main level. Hardwood floors. New Recreation Room, full bath, laundry room and storage area in the walk out lower level. Spacious fenced in back yard with rear deck ideal for entertaining. Walk to downtown amenities. Cricket Bedford | 540-229-3201

Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed.

10/20/20 10:51 AM