NOVA VOLUNTEERSVISIONARYPARKS: Volume 39 Issue 9 | September 2022 | middleburglife.com Subscribe Here MartyRememberingMartin Seven LoaveS ServiceS: FEEDING The COMMUNITY ANBENEFITSLOCALMAKINGIMPACT
middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022 MIDDLEBURG BETTER. MIDDLEBURG, MARSHALL, PURCELLVILLE, LEESBURG, ASHBURN & CHARLES TOWN | CORPORATE: 10 E WASHINGTON ST, MIDDELBURG, VA 20117 | 540.687.6321 LICENSED IN VA + WV + MD | VA PRINCIPAL BROKER, PETER PEJACSEVICH | WV + MD PRINCIPAL BROKER, JOSH BEALL SIMPLY BETTER. | MIDDLEBURGREALESTATE.COM Peter Pejacsevich 540.270.3835 Scott Buzzelli 540.454.1339 WINCHESTER ROAD #LOT 14 | DELAPLANE, VA $700,000 | Build your dream home on 52+/- partially wooded acres offering unobstructed eastern views and Crooked Run Creek access. The parcel is partially surrounded by land in conservation easement and is conveniently located off of 17 just past Sky Meadows State Park. 8231 TINSLEY PL | CULPEPER, VA* $749,900 | Lovely custom built, all brick Colonial on 3 acres in Rillhurst Subdivision. The home has a large great room with gas fireplace and open kitchen with Wolf appliances, the adjacent dining room (with cast iron stove) opens to large rear deck. The house was recently painted and new carpet was installed. Photo used with permission of listing brokerage. SOLD $4,475,000 | This tranquil 229.52+/- acre estate of significant historic importance offers a main house, guest house, and several out buildings in an 18th century setting. It overlooks Oliver Lake and has broad views to the west of the Blue Ridge. Add’l acreage available upon request. 1702 & 1682 WINCHESTER RD | DELAPLANE, VA $2,700,000 | Fleetwood Farm showcases the rolling hills and majestic mountain views of Virginia's Hunt Country. Comprising of 225+/- acres of mature farmland, this property is a mere 60 miles west of DC and includes 2 tenant houses, a historic stone mill, and Crooked Run Creek. Peter Pejacsevich 540.270.3835 Scott Buzzelli 540.454.1339 Rare find in historic Millwood: two cottages on one property that were renovated by a local architect in 2016-2017. No detail was left unturned while adhering to historic regulations. The main house was built circa 1870 and the smaller cottage was built in 1880s. Both have renovated kitchens & baths as wel Maria Eldredge 540.454.3829 36995 GAVER MILL RD | HILLSBORO, VA $944,000 | Historic Gaver Mill is a 5 bed/2 bath, 3,700 sq ft, 3-story stone home with 4 fireplaces, original heart-of-pine floors, and 3 porches on 4 park-like acres backing to a century farm. Grounds include an in-ground pool, guest house, 4-stall barn, multiple outbuildings, and stone walls. An ideal location for a B&B. Mary Kakouras 540.454.1604
Where does true happiness come from? From living in a luxurious, custom-built home nestled in a beautiful private club community? From sharing a calendar full of special events and activities with family and friends? From having one of the region’s best golf courses and a state-of-the-art golf performance center right outside your door, along with an enviable list of resort-style amenities? At Creighton Farms, happiness stems from finding luxury in the little moments We invite you to visit our club community and see for yourself: At Creighton Farms, home is where the smiles are.
HOMESITES AVAILABLE
YOU’RE HOME.
HAPPINESS — ON A GRAND
1SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com
Juno Loudoun, LLC is the owner and developer of the project. Access to and use of recreational amenities are not included in the purchase of real estate in Creighton Farms and require separate club membership which is subject to application, approval, and payment of applicable fees and dues. This is not an offer to sell property to, or a solicitation of offers from, residents of NY, NJ, CT, OR or any other state that requires prior registration of real estate. Obtain the property report or its equivalent, required by Federal and State law and read it before signing anything. No Federal or State agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of this property. SCALE 703-957-4800 | CreightonFarms.com
PUBLISHER: Greenhill Media, LLC EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kaitlin Hill | kaitlin@middleburglife.com COPY EDITOR: Victoria Peace ADVERTISING DIRECTOR | PUBLISHER Christian
AlltheirCreightonbusygatherMembersJenniferVickyADVERTISINGchristian@middleburglife.comBentleySALESREPRESENTATIVESMashaw|vmashaw@middleburglife.comRichards|jennifer@middleburglife.comACCOUNTSADMINISTRATORJoanneMaisanoINTERN:StephanieWrightDESIGNER:ElisaHernandezPRODUCTIONDIRECTOR:NickyMarshokONTHECOVERofSevenLoavesServices,Inc.leadershipatMiddleburgUnitedMethodistChurchwhilethepantryisinfullswingdownstairs.Formoreonthefoodpantryandwaystogetinvolved,turntopage6.ONTHISPAGEFarmsfamily,theGroupes,shareatypicaldayinbelovedneighborhood.FormoreonwhattheyloveaboutlivingintheAldiecommunity,turntopage22.ADVERTISEINMIDDLEBURGLIFEGreenhillMedia,LLCP.O.Box328|Middleburg,VA20118-0328540.687.5950|info@middleburglife.comeditorialmatterisfullyprotectedandmaynotbereproducedinanymannerwithoutthewrittenpermissionofthepublisher.Allunsolicitedmanuscriptsandphotosmustbeaccompaniedbyreturnpostage;thepublisherassumesnoresponsibility.MiddleburgLifereservestherighttorejectanyadvertising.DistributedinAldie,Alexandria,Ashburn,Boyce,Delaplane,Dulles,FrontRoyal,Gainesville,Haymarket,Leesburg,Manassas,Marshall,Middleburg,Millwood,Paris,Purcellville,ThePlains,Rectortown,Reston,Tysons,Upperville,Warrenton,Washington,D.C.,andWinchester.FINDUSON:Instagram@middleburglifeTwitter@middleburglifeFacebook.com/middleburglifeLookingformore?www.MiddleburgLife.comGetadditionalcontentonline!
SEPT. middleburglife.com2022
SEPTEMBER2022 • U p p e r v i l l e V A t h e m a r k e t a t b l u e w a t e r k i t c h e n c o m F R E S H C A U G H T S E A F O O D & L O C A L M E A T + D I N E I N & T A K E O U T P R E P A R E D M E A L S + W I N E & C R A F T B E E R + L O C A L L Y C U R A T E D G O O D S T h e M a r k e t a t B l u e w a t e r K i t c h e n e x t e n d s i t s m i s s i o n o f s e r v i n g h y p e r l o c a l l y s o u r c e d f o o d a t T h e R o o s t e r H u t - t h e p r e m i e r f r e s h c a u g h t s e a f o o d & l o c a l m e a t d e s t i n a t i o n o f t h e a r e a P u l l i n g i n s p i r a t i o n f r o m y e a r s i n t h e c u l i n a r y a r t s , o u r c h e f c u r a t e d s e l e c t i o n a l l o w s y o u t o t a s t e & t h e d i f f e r e n c e o n y o u r p l a t e Taste & Sea sea
Gracie Withers is a local photographer who grew up in the village of Aldie and has been photographing local weddings, portraits, and events since 2016. She was a contributing photographer at Georgetown University for over three years and also has a wide variety of experience in sports photography. Her passion began when she re ceived her first camera in middle school and she contin ued to study the craft in high school and in college. She joined Middleburg Life as a contributor in the spring of 2022 .
Callie Broaddus is a Warrenton native and graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in Architecture. After seven years as a book designer at National Geo graphic Kids, Callie founded the nonprofit, Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, in 2019. Callie’s land preservation proj ects and focus on youth empowerment are aided by her talent for storytelling through her camera lens as a professional photographer. In her spare time, Callie enjoys Earl Grey tea, Harry Potter trivia, and dreaming of getting back into the jumper ring.
CONTRIBUTORS
Lia Hobel is a freelance journalist, known in town for her blog, Uplift Loudoun, which she launched during the start of the pandemic to share uplifting stories. In ad dition to her work for Middleburg Life, Lia writes peri odically for online platforms with articles appearing on GOBankingRates, Forbes, Huffington Post, and Yahoo!
Bill Kent’s journalism has appeared in more than 40 na tional and regional publications including the Washing ton Post, Art & Antiques, Philadelphia Magazine, Balti more Magazine, New Jersey Monthly, and The Hunt. A former correspondent for the New York Times, he taught writing and journalism at the University of Pennsylva nia, Rutgers, and Temple universities, and is the author of seven novels, a Fodor’s Guide, and a history of Atlantic City. After graduating from Oberlin College with majors in English and Religion, he published his first piece in The Georgetowner. When not writing, he enjoys walking his westies on Washington Street.
Austin Kaseman grew up along Snickersville Turnpike in a foxhunting household. He took a liking to photography when his mother asked him to take photos of her before each meet. Eventually, Austin bought his own camera and some business cards to stick on riders' windshields and the rest was history.
Heidi Baumstark has been writing for several lifestyle magazines and newspaper publications since 2005, spe cializing in history-related articles highlighting Virgin ia’s Piedmont. She has been with Middleburg Life since 2014. Over the years, she has featured hundreds of busi nesses, leaders, residents, historical sights, lectures, her itage programs, and museums in her work. Heidi hopes to inspire readers to pause and consider the people, places, and events that have shaped the story of our local history.
Will Thompson is a writer and photographer interested in all things related to nature, conservation, and outdoor recreation. He has worked in communications and proj ect management roles in renewable energy, international development, and mission-driven journalism. Will grad uated from the College of Charleston in 2010 with a B.A. in Communications.
4 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
Diane Helentjaris chose Loudoun as her “forever home” in 1990 after experiencing Ohio, Michigan, Montreal, San Francisco, and New Jersey. Following years as a clinical physician and public health administrator, she returned to her humanities roots. A finalist in the 2020 Icelandic Writers Retreat, her book “The Indenture of Ivy O’Neill” comes out in June. Diane also writes a monthly newslet ter, The Silk Mill, which is dedicated to those in love with fabric in all its glory.
Also in this issue: Stephanie Wright.
Dulcy Hooper and her husband Richard moved to the country from Washington, D.C. nearly ten years ago. Shortly thereafter, both began writing occasional articles for Middleburg Life. Dogs are a big part of the Hoopers’ lives and several of Dulcy’s earlier articles focused on the couple’s Chinese crested powderpuffs!
Lia began her career as a broadcast journalist, but left TV news when she moved to Leesburg, Virginia, with her family. She is a Loudoun 40 Under 40 honoree and a Certified Tourism Ambassador for the county. Shayda Windle is a freelance writer covering the arts, people, and places that make Hunt Country so special. Her work has been featured in Plein Air Magazine, the Fairfax County Times, and several online media outlets. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors and exploring Northern Virginia with her hus band and two children.
Victoria Peace is a recent graduate of Georgetown Uni versity and holds a degree in French and Art History. On the weekends, she frequently visits her family in The Plains. In her free time, she enjoys playing polo with Twi light Polo Club, riding with the Georgetown Equestrian Team, gardening, walking her family's dogs at Sky Mead ows State Park, and visiting her retired horse, Taco. Her perfect “Hunt Country” day would include a stop at the local farmers market in The Plains, a trip to her favorite Middleburg antique stores, and a sunset trail ride in the Virginia countryside.
Michael Butcher is the owner of Butcher Photography. Originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, he resides in Springfield, Virginia, with his family. For the past 15 years, Michael has specialized in portraiture, event, and editorial photography. When not behind the lens, he en joys gardening and swimming.
5SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com Washington St. | P.O. Box 1380 | Middleburg, VA 20118 | 540.687.5588 | sheridanmacmahon.com from throughout | | 6 kitchen | lightedcottage stream,acres MIddLEBuRG, VIRGINIA French Country home, with renovations in 1999 & 2017 | 4 BR, 5 full & 2 half BA, 5 FP, hardwood floors, flagstone terrace | Beautiful drive to hilltop stetting overlooking pond, lake & mountains | Im provements include pool, 2-car garage, 2 BR guest house & apartment | Lovely boxwood gardens | Kitchen allowance to be provided | 79.89 acres Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 helen MacMahon 540.454.1930 SPRING GLADE MARSHALL, VIRGINIA Well protected Fauquier location | 6 bedrooms | 4 full and 2 half baths | 3 fireplaces | Great views | Pool with large flagstone terrace | Large county kitchen | 4-car detached garage with apartment/ office | 9-stall barn | Covered arena | Outdoor ring | 4 stall shed row barn | 51 fenced acres $3,690,000 Mahon SALEM HILL 203 acres in River frontage 4 full & 3 1/2 Gunnite pool and private | 5 stall Jim paddocks, pasture | Old d alix Plains Orangerecently| house/studio,water MIddLEBuRG, VIRGINIA A remarkable property located within a private enclave just minutes from town | Stone and stucco manor house with main level master suite | 7 additional BR | 5 stone FP | Beautiful gardens, terraces, salt water pool, cabana, carriage house & stable with 2 paddocks | Lovely finishes throughout & sweeping lawn to private trails to Goose Creek | 31 acres | Private, elegant & convenient $2,650,000 helen MacMahon 540.454.1930 GAME CREEK RECTORTOWN, VIRGINIA 17 acres of rolling pasture land in the village of Rectortown | Convenient to both Routes 50 & 66 | Newly renovated | Private setting with magnificent mountain views | 4 bedrooms, 4 full bath, 1 half bath, 2 fireplaces | Heated pool & spa | 2 bedroom guest house | Large shed & 2-car garage $2,475,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 h M M 540.454.1930 HALCYON HILL rebuiltCircadELAPLANE,1850’sat beams and Barn also 2 multiplebedroombuilding outside Paul 110 E. Washington St. | P.O. Box 1380 | Middleburg, VA 20118 | 540.687.5588 | sheridanmacmahon.com MARSHALL, VIRGINIA Prime Fauquier County location on the Atoka Road | 88.34 acres with bold Blue Ridge views Neoclassical brick home with slate roof completely updated & expanded 5 BR, 5 full, 2 half baths, 5 fireplaces, gourmet kitchen 10 stall barn with attached indoor arena Pool, pool house, tenant house | Beautiful gardens | Superb condition $6,500,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868 ALL’S WELL FARM MIDDLEBURG, VIRGINIA circa 1853 colonial 8 BR, 9 BA & 3 half BA 9 FP, pine floors, high ceilings, detailed millwork, gourmet kitchen | 466 rolling acres Mountain views & frontage on Goose Creek | Guest house, office, 8 stall barn w/apt, 4 additional stalls, lighted sand ring, tenant houses, greenhouse, circa1800 cottage | Ponds, creeks, and woods w/trails $13,200,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868 WIND FIELDS FARM MIDDLEBURG, VIRGINIA Premier Middleburg estate Main house of stone and frame construction circa 1740 w/addition in 1820. 6 BR, 3 1/2 BA, 5 FP, high ceilings, moldings & detailed woodwork Equestrian facilities are unmatched | 85 lush acres. 4 barns totaling 27 stalls 14 paddocks | Derby field | 218 x 80 indoor arena | 250 x 150 all-weather outdoor arena | 80’ lunging arena Polo field (or 2 grand prix fields) 4 board, double fencing & automated nelson waterers Other improvements include 3 BR, 2 1/2 BA guest house Farm office attached to 3 BR house | Machine shed Carriage house w/apartment Stone spring house/office 3 BR apartment | Pond with gazebo $5,450,000 (also available with 113 acres for $6,685,000) Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 Sandra Bravo Greenberg 202.308.3813 RUTLEDGE FARM WARRENTON, VIRGINIA Gracious home with impressive renovated kitchen. Hardwood floors, substantial millwork and fine finishes and 4 fireplaces | Perfectly sited to enjoy the views of surrounding farmland 5 bedrooms, home office, large family room, newly resurfaced tennis court, wonderful pool with cabana and 4 bedroom guest house with workshop/3 stall stable | Large field for turn out, 1 paddock and lovely hay field 32 acres in 2 recorded parcels $3,000,000 Helen MacMahon 540.454.1930 OUT WEST MIDDLEBURG, VIRGINIA First time available guest house and broodmare barn on 28.62 acres House completely updated, stucco exterior, metal roof, 3 BR, 2 1/2 BA, fireplace, 2-car garage. Barn, center aisle, 8 stalls, Blackburn designed, updated in last 5 years| Pastures in prime condition. 5 paddocks all with new board fencing. $2,150,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 Sandra Bravo Greenberg 202.308.3813 RUTLEDGE FARM COTTAGE UPPERVILLE, VIRGINIA 44.55 acres of which 15 acres are producing grapes 8.5 acres of Chambourcin, Traminette on 4.3 acres and Vidal Blanc on 2.1 acres Vineyard infrastructure includes fencing, irrigation system and computerized well Perc site for 4 bedroom home Property is in conservation easement | Property can be converted to Residential use $1,300,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868 CATESBY VINEYARD THE PLAINS, VIRGINIA Complete privacy on 20 acres | Substantial Victorian home of impressive materials: all brick, heavy gauge steel infrastructure and standing seam metal roof Gracious room sizes and high ceilings Commercial grade kitchen with brick floor and fireplace, elevator, massive wine cellar, 3 bay garage, generator, screened-in back porch and beautiful front porch facing Bull Run Mountain and pond | Very well cared for property | Fantastic location offering easy access to Middleburg, The Plains, Haymarket & Gainesville | Excellent internet with TMobile 5G $1,500,000 Helen MacMahon 540 454 1930 Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868 ROCKY KNOLL MARKHAM, VIRGINIA 49.16 acres in 2 recorded parcels Frontage on Goose Creek, land rises to great views, mountain meadows on upper portion | Access over Railroad and creek Excellent hunting land, surrounded by large tracts $300,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868 JOHN MARSHALL HIGHWAY WATERFORD, VIRGINIA 74.11 acres | Frontage on Catoctin Creek, sweeping views, pond | 3 homes, all updated in excellent condition “Stabler House” 3 BR, 1 1/2 BA, fireplace and wood floors | “Oak Grove” Stone and frame construction, 3 BR, 1 1/2 BA & wood floors | “Tenant House”, Frame construction, 2 BR 1 BA, fireplace Historic stone Quaker barn completely restored, 12 stalls, 4 stalls adjacent, 4 mores stalls in pony shed Board fencing, 8 paddocks, 6 run in sheds, water in every field Property in Conservation Easement $2,500,000 Paul MacMahon 703.609.1905 Brian MacMahon 703.609.1868 BELLE VIEW FARM
Seven LoaveS ServiceS: Fighting Food inSecurity For 28 yearS
Written by Victoria Peace | Photos by Gracie Withers
| Page 8
7SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com
If there is one thing that Tami Erickson, the pantry manager of Seven Loaves Services, wishes Hunt Country residents would keep in mind, it’s that despite living in one of the rich est counties in America, surrounded by wealth and opportunity, there are still people in the community who struggle with food insecurity on a daily basis. “It’s hard in our area to remember that the need still exists,” Erickson emphasizes. “I wish people recognized how quickly any of us could be food insecure.” In Loudoun County, over 15,000 people experience food insecurity on an annual basis. Unfortunately, this number only increased as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven Loaves Services was established in 1994 in order to help combat food insecurity by supplying nutritious food to those in need in Middleburg and the surrounding area. Today, the pantry provides ap proximately 90 families per week with shelf-sta ble goods, dairy items, meat, breads, and pastries, in addition to special snack packs for households withThechildren.foodis primarily donated from four lo cal, Loudoun County grocery stores that Seven Loaves has formed partnerships with. The stores donate items to the pantry which would other wise go to waste including deli items, frozen foods, and meat. Seven Loaves also purchases some canned goods and fresh fruits and vege tables wholesale and receives large quantities of donated vegetables from local farmers. In fact, the day of this interview with Middleburg Life, Erickson received 300 pounds of fresh produce from the Oak Spring Garden Foundation. About 50 percent of the families that the pantry serves live in Loudoun County. The oth er 50 percent come from 15 other surrounding counties. According to Erickson, this sets Seven Loaves apart from many of the Loudoun-based pantries that exclusively serve local households. The majority of patrons travel to Seven Loaves each week to pick up groceries from the pantry located in the basement of the Middleburg Unit ed Methodist Church. However, Seven Loaves volunteers also do weekly home deliveries to a small group of Middleburg-based at-risk seniors. Currently there are around 50 to 60 Seven Loaves volunteers. According to Erickson, they do everything from food distribution, to repack aging food, to sorting grocery store donations, and driving to pick up food from local stores. If you’re looking to get involved, the best way to find opportunities is through the volunteer tab of the Seven Loaves website. The biggest vol unteer need that the pantry currently has is for drivers. However, they can always use people to help out with assembly and organization on dis Loaves
Left page: Seven Loaves Services leadership from left to right: Mindy Abrams, Teresa Stine, Tami Erickson, Caroline Nash Helmly, and Marion MacMahon. (On this page) Left: Pantry operations manager, Tami Erickson. Middle: To find Seven Loaves Services, just follow the sign outside Middleburg Methodist Church. Right: Marion MacMahon is the vice president for Seven Loaves Services and a frequent volunteer.
– Erickson
tribution days.
8 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
“It sounds crazy to say this but we are begin ning our holiday food collection,” Erickson says. “Every year we give our families a special bag around Thanksgiving and the winter holidays that includes everything for a holiday meal.” Sev en Loaves is specifically looking for donations of boxed mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, canned yams, cranberries, green beans, oil, chicken broth, and canned pumpkin. People can reach out to the pantry at sevenloavesservices@gmail. com if they are interested in dropping off one or more of these items.
Monetary donations can be made through Paypal on Seven Loaves’ website, and shelf-stable food donations can be dropped off at the pantry on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and on Thurs days from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Right now, the Seven Loaves team has al ready started gearing up for the holiday season.
Erickson has been the pantry manager at Seven Loaves for almost a year now. For her, the most fulfilling aspect of her job is “providing for families what they wouldn’t otherwise be able to have.” With the rising costs of fruits, vegetables, and meats, it has never been more important to have an organization that ensures that all mem bers of the community can have access to healthy, nutritious meals.
If you are looking for a way to have a direct impact on the lives of your fellow community members, consider donating to or volunteering with Seven Loaves this fall. Even here in Hunt Country, “There are still families in need,” Er ickson says. “Don’t forget about your local food pantries.” ML For more information about donation and volunteer opportunities, please visit sevenloavesmiddleburg.org.
“Don’t forget about your local food pantries.”
Top: Fresh produce is an important staple in the pantry. Bottom left: Bags of groceries line the hallway and are ready for delivery. Bottom right: Volunteers shuffle from pantry to parking lot to aid in distribution. Loaves | From page 7
“I wish usrecognizedpeoplehowquicklyanyofcouldbefoodinsecure.”–Erickson
If you can’t volunteer but you are still look ing for a way to support Seven Loaves, the pantry also accepts both food and monetary donations.
9SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com O S T E D B Y an H for more5K S T E R ! rg/events/sprout 5k/ RACE BEGINS @ 9AM PACKET PICKUP SAT NOV 5TH 11AM-3PM @ CLYDE'S RACE DAY REGISTRATION SUN NOV 6 @ 7:30AM All proceeds benefit Sprout a 501(c)3 n icated to chan ough partne orses! 1K $ 2 0 : $ 3 0 nch from Clyde's, dals for all kids, team prizes and raffles! I N A S H B U R N , V A 5K R E G I S T E R ! www sproutcenter org/events/sprout 5k/ RACE BEGINS @ 9AM SAT NOV 5TH 11AM 3PM @ CLYDE'S GISTRATION SUN NOV 6 @ 7:30AM All proceeds be 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to changing lives through partnerships with horses! 1KP R E R E G I S T R A T I O N : $ 3 0 S T U D E N T S : $ 2 0 R A C E D A Y : $ 4 0 P R E R E G I S T R A T I O N : $ 2 0 R A C E D A Y : $ 3 0 Includes: Race t shirt, lunch from Clyde's, age group awards, medals for all kids, team prizes and raffles! H O S T E D B Y I N A S H B U R N , Scan Here for more info! 5K R E G I S T E R ! www sproutcenter org/events/sprout 5k/ PACKET PICKU RACE DAY All proceeds benefit Sprout a 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to changing lives through partnerships with horses! 1KP R E R E G I S T R A T I O N : $ 3 0 S T U D E N T S : $ 2 0 R A C E D A Y : $ 4 0 P R E R E G I S T R A T I O N : $ 2 0 R A C E D A Y : $ 3 0 Include age gro prizes a H O S T E D B Y I N A S H B U R N , V A Scan Here for more info! 5K R E G I S T E R ! www sproutcenter org/events/sprout 5k/ RACE BEGINS @ 9AM PACKET PICKUP SAT NOV 5TH 11AM 3PM @ CLYDE'S RACE DAY REGISTRATION SUN NOV 6 @ 7:30AM All proceeds benefit Sprout a 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to changing lives through partnerships with horses! 1KP R E R E G I S T R A T I O N : $ 3 0 S T U D E N T S : $ 2 0 R A C E D A Y : $ 4 0 P R E R E G I S T R A T I O N : $ 2 0 R A C E D A Y : $ 3 0 Includes: Race t shirt, lunch from Clyde's, age group awards, medals for all kids, team prizes and raffles! H O S T E D B Y I N A S H B U R N , V A Scan Here for more info! 5K R E www spro PACKET PICKUP SAT RACE DAY REGIST All proceeds benefit Sprout a 501(c)3 non profit dedicated to changing lives through partnerships with horses! P R E R E G I S T R A S T U D E N T S : $ R A C E D A Y : $ 4 P R E R E G I S R Includes: Race age group aw prizes and raf H O S T E D B Y I N A S H B U R N , V A Scan Here for more info! 5K R E G I S T E R ! www.sproutcenter.org/events/sprout 5k/ 1KP R E - R E G I S T R A T I O N : $ 3 0 S T U D E N T S : $ 2 0 R A C E D A Y : $ 4 0 P R E R E G I S T R A T I O N : $ 2 0 R A C E D A Y : $ 3 0 Includes: Race t shirt, lunch from Clyde's, d d l f ll k d t Scan Here for more info! Licensed Realtor with Thomas & Talbot Estate Properties Direct (540) 229-1452 Office (540) snowden@thomasandtalbot.com687-6500 2 South Madison Street, Post Office Box 500 Middleburg, Virginia 20118 Home is where the horse is.
Middleburg’sofCommunityShop by Kaitlin Hill
“The whole idea was to make it for the community,” shares Cin dy Thompson, owner of the aptly named Community Shop on South Madison Street. Thompson, a practicing surgeon, opened the part-consignment, part-thrift shop at the end of 2019 as an escape from her day job and a way to give to local charities. For patrons, the stocked shelves and purposefully cluttered cor ners are a mesmerizing treasure hunt with a little bit of everything for everyone, making it well worth a Thompson,visit.an Ohio native, came to Mid dleburg for the same reason as many who settle here — horses. “I was always a horse lover,” shares Thompson. “My mother sent me to a YMCA camp where I learned to ride. It was Western.” While earning her undergraduate degree, she learned to ride English, and in medical school at the Medical College of Ohio, she was introduced to foxhunting.Adesire to blend jumping and riding cross-country, a college friend, and her Irish her itage all culminated in a foxhunting trip abroad. She says, “I had this girlfriend in college who rode horses…and we’d go through this catalog of horse vacations. [The catalog] had foxhunting in Ireland and so I’m like ‘bingo.’” Though the col lege friend missed the trip, Thompson met plenty of like-minded equestrian enthusiasts, including her future “Therehusband.wasthis really attractive guy at the bar, but he was with a girl,” Thompson explains. Thinking that particular romantic avenue was un available, Thompson instead made friends with a different Englishman she met the same trip. She says, “This English guy and I became friends, and we went foxhunting together. I didn’t know any thing, I didn’t have the right clothes, and he lent me his shirt, his vest, his stock tie, everything.”
The couple connected, unsurprisingly, over their love of foxhunting. “He said, ‘If you want to foxhunt, you have to live where it is.’ So, he sent me the yellow pages of Northern Virginia and on a map, he circled Leesburg, Winchester, and Warrenton,” Thompson remembers. Thompson relocated from Ohio to Warrenton where she landed a job as a general surgery specialist. The couple married in 2001, and Thompson joined her husband in Middleburg where they still live with their Thoughfamily.stilla practicing surgeon in Warren ton, Thompson jumped at the chance to open the Community Shop when the retail space became available. She says, “I was going to do it when I retired…but then the space opened up and there was this opportunity.”
10 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
Having forged a new friendship in the field, Thompson would visit her English pal three months later for another foxhunting excur sion. She shares, “I went to England to visit my friend…and we go foxhunting down in the West Country.” She continues, “I came home…and the English guy calls me up and says, ‘Remember that guy from the bar in Ireland? He called me and wants your number.’”
|
Meet your neighbor: Community | Page 11 Thompson at the Community Shop.
Written
She adds, “It’s just fun to have a shop, but I wanted to figure out how to accommodate the community.” The Community Shop invites both consignment and donation, and it is up to the pa tron to choose which they pursue. “You can bring
ThompsonCindy
Photos by Michael Butcher
When open, the Community Shop is cer tainly a must-visit. Stop by to browse Thomp son’s impressive collection of “a little bit of ev erything,” make a donation, consign an item, or simply share a chat with this lovely Middleburg neighbor. ML
Top: The Community Shop has a variety of framed art work. Bottom left: Visitors will find plenty of items from local artists. Bottom right: A beautiful set of bowls is waiting to be purchased. Community | From page 10
A sign in the front window indicates with a smiley face that the store is open Friday, Satur day, and Sunday “based on volunteer availabili ty.” Thompson hopes to expand on those hours and the shop’s offerings when she retires from her post as a surgeon. She says, “I keep thinking when I retire, I’ll have a little more time. I’d like to add an online aspect.”
As for what Thompson accepts for resale, “Whatever I think is good quality.” She adds, “It doesn’t necessarily have to be old; it could be new. It just has to be good quality, interesting, or un usual.” For Thompson, interesting and unusual could come in the form of artwork, clothing, jew elry, glassware, home accents, holiday décor, and even pet collars and catnip. Whatever it is, once sold she turns over a por tion of the profits to local charities. “Middleburg Humane is our big one. But there is a horse res cue, a cat rescue…I have a couple churches, Pot ters House in the Plains. It really could be any thing, as long as it’s local.” While Thompson’s work certainly benefits the community, it is also of benefit to her. She consid ers her days at the shop as “time off” and insists, “Why do something if it is not fun?” When asked what she likes most about running the shop, she offers a long list. “I like all of it,” she laughs. “I like talking to people when they come in, seeing what they bring in. It’s always exciting and a surprise to see what people bring and what people buy.” She adds, “I definitely like hunting for the stuff. It’s exciting to find something and see what you can sell it for. It’s like treasure hunting.”
11SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com your stuff in, and you don’t have to decide one way or the other. You could have some things you want to consign and the rest you want to donate.”
12 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022 Paragon Philharmonia Sunday, October 2, 2022, 5:00 pm Grace Church Concert Series Sunday, October 16, 2022, 5:00 pm For tickets please visit: http://artsintheplains.org/ Autumn Hues Britten Simple Symphony Copland ‘Quiet City’ for English Horn, Trumpet and Strings Haydn Symphony No. 44 in E Minor, “Trauer” VOCES8 There is for us something inherently comforting about the sound of unaccompanied voices in harmony, and if this program shows one thing, it is that composers across the ages have felt the same way. Paragon Philharmonia Sunday, October 2, 2022, 5:00 pm Grace Church Concert Series Sunday, October 16, 2022, 5:00 pm For tickets please visit: http://artsintheplains.org/ Autumn Hues Britten Simple Symphony Copland ‘Quiet City’ for English Horn, Trumpet and Strings Haydn Symphony No. 44 in E Minor, “Trauer” VOCES8 There is for us something inherently comforting about the sound of unaccompanied voices in harmony, and if this program shows one thing, it is that composers across the ages have felt the same way. GRIFFIN & ORTHODONTICSERRERA WARRENTON, VA 179 Broadview Avenue Warrenton, VA 20186 540 347-1888 CULPEPER, VA 505 Radio Lane Culpeper, VA 22701 540 825-8001 MIDDLEBURG, VA 107 W Federal Street #14 Middleburg, VA 20118 540 687-4000 ADVANCED ORTHODONTICS FOR ALL AGES BOARD CERTIFIED 50+COMPLIMENTARYSTATE-OF-THE-ARTORTHODONTISTSTREATMENTCONSULTATIONSYEARSOFCOMBINEDEXPERIENCE Se Habla Español info@geortho.com | www.geortho.com & Hunt Country @MIDDLEBURGLIFE STAY IN THE KNOW WITH HUNT COUNTRY’S NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE. Subscribe today to get the magazine delivered straight to your door for just $28 a year! JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TODAY AT WWW.MIDDLEBURGLIFE.COMSUBSCRIBEHERE & Hunt Country @MIDDLEBURGLIFE STAY IN THE KNOW WITH HUNT COUNTRY’S NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE. Subscribe today to get the magazine delivered straight to your door for just $28 a year! JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TODAY AT WWW.MIDDLEBURGLIFE.COMSUBSCRIBEHERE & Hunt Country @MIDDLEBURGLIFE STAY IN THE KNOW WITH HUNT COUNTRY’S NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE. Subscribe today to get the magazine delivered straight to your door for just $28 a year! JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TODAY AT WWW.MIDDLEBURGLIFE.COMSUBSCRIBEHERE & Hunt Country @MIDDLEBURGLIFE STAY IN THE KNOW WITH HUNT COUNTRY’S NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE. Subscribe today to get the magazine delivered straight to your door for just $28 a year! JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TODAY AT WWW.MIDDLEBURGLIFE.COMSUBSCRIBEHERE
13SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com Design-Build • Remodeling • Additions • Custom Homes • Showroom GoldenRuleBuilders.com | 3409 Catlett Road, Catlett, VA | 540.788.3539 Is it time to remodel? Locally Sourced for the Passionate Palate Discover a feast for the senses with Market Salamander’s full-service catering, custom cakes, and more in the heart of Virginia’s horse and wine country. SalamanderResort.com 540.687.9726 October 14th: Early Buyer Hours 8:30 am - 12:30 pm General Admission 12:30 pm - 5:00 pm October 15th: General Admission 10:00 am - 5:00 pm October 16th: General Admission 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
14 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
2022 NSLM POLO CLASSIC Sunday, September 11 | 10 a.m. Great Meadow, The Plains, VA Gatherings
| Page 15
According to Elizabeth von Hassell, executive director of the NSLM, “Not only does the event benefit the library and museum, but it is also a fun way for people to experience our mission first-hand and to enjoy an exciting day of polo at the beautiful Great Meadow.”
Visit nationalsporting.org for more information.
As summer cools off, charitable giving is just heating up for Hunt Country residents. From sig nature polo matches to exceptional galas boasting fine dining and entertainment, September is the start of sizzling fun and fundraising for notable causes. Read on to learn more about the biggest local benefits and the organizations they support.
Proceeds from the NSLM Polo Classic benefit the NSLM in its mission to “preserve, promote, and share the literature, art, and culture of eques trian, angling, and field sports,” as well as help ing to fund dynamic exhibitions, programs, and community events throughout the year.
The National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM) will host its largest fundraising event of the year — the NSLM Polo Classic presented by MARS EQUESTRIAN™ — the second Sunday of September at Great Meadow. The renowned re search library and fine art museum is dedicated to highlighting the rich heritage and tradition of countryGatespursuits.willopen at 10 a.m. with two exciting matches taking place. First up is the Founders Cup at 11 a.m. followed by the Mars Cup at 2 p.m. The event will feature all the favorite NSLM Polo Classic traditions with the Dog Divot Stomp sponsored by NUTRO,™ a parade of the Middle burg Hunt hounds, and more.
GATHERINGS FOR GOOD: Local Events Impacting Important Causes
Scenes from the 2021 NSLM Polo Classic. Photos by Erin Gilmore Photography.
Written by Lia Hobel
CLOVERLEAF (FORMERLY NVTRP)
Middle
Executive director of Cloverleaf, Kelsey Gal lagher, notes that the new name reflects the growing range of services the organization offers to the“Thiscommunity.eventisthe perfect opportunity to cel ebrate the power of equine-based services to im prove lives,” Gallagher says.
Thomas notes that the fundraising as a result of this event allows Cloverleaf to serve more than a hundred weekly clients from the D.C. Metro region. Visit nvtrp.org/polo for more information. Riding Gallop Gala. According to Founder and Executive Director Brooke Wal dron, 2022 gala the magic of Sprout of barn’s ‘King of Hearts’—
Photos
Photography. Gatherings | Page 16 Gatherings | From page 14
Saturday, September 24 | 12 p.m. Great Meadow, The Plains, VA
15SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com
the
This year’s Polo Classic is a chance to celebrate the new name of Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program (NVTRP). The Cloverleaf Polo Classic is the nonprofit’s largest annual fundrais er. It will include live and silent auctions and a rider demonstration by military riders and stu dents of the therapeutic riding program.
the
at the
will “celebrate
POLO CLASSIC
in honor
Top: Cloverleaf (NVTRP) Executive Director Kelsey Gallagher and her team. Middle left: Awards for people and ponies from the 2021 Polo Classic. right: High fives for excited spectators at the 2021 Polo Classic. by Tony Gibson. Guests dance the night away 2021 Sprout Gallop Gala. by Tara Jelenic
Cloverleaf focuses on helping individu als realize their highest potential by providing equine-assisted activities to people with disabili ties, youth-at-risk, recovering military personnel, and others in need of an inclusive, community setting. Founded in 1980, Cloverleaf operates out of a 17-acre farm in Clifton, Virginia, with the help of 15 dedicated staff members and 20 equine partners.“It[has] become a cherished tradition for hun dreds of people who return year after year for a dazzling day of polo, food, and wine to support Cloverleaf Equine Center,” says Will Thomas, Polo Classic co-chair and Cloverleaf board member.
SPROUT THERAPEUTIC RIDING GALLOP GALA September 17 | 6 p.m. Sprout Center, Aldie, VA Get ready for a whimsical evening at Sprout’s Therapeutic
Bottom:
Photo
16 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
DININGTHERAPEUTICLOUDOUNRIDINGINTHEDARKGALA
Thursday, October 13 | 6 p.m. Bourbon Bayou Kitchen, Ashburn, VA
Left: Chef Jazz of Bourbon Bayou Kitchen. Courtesy of Bourbon Bayou Kitchen. Top right: Dining in the Dark preview night. Courtesy of Loudoun Therapeutic Riding. Bottom right: Chef Christine Ha. Courtesy of MasterChef Season 3.
Left: Sprout horses greet guests at last year’s event. Right: The indoor arena was transformed into a black-tie event venue with the help of partner company Pristine Acres.
Snag a seat at a truly unique culinary ad venture in October while supporting Loudoun Therapeutic Riding. On October 13 (don’t wor ry, it’s a Thursday), put your taste buds to the test with an opportunity to dine while wearing eye shades in low light conditions — and raise awareness and resources for Loudoun Thera peutic“DiningRiding.in the Dark will be an exercise in ‘experiential empathy,’” explains Executive Director Paul Shane. “For one night only, our guests will have a unique opportunity to experience what it means to have a disability by having their vision taken from them and will gain a small level of understanding into what our clients struggle with on a daily basis.”Located in Lovettsville, Loudoun Therapeutic Riding “embraces the power of horse-assisted services to promote well-being and community inclusion for people with phys ical, cognitive, and mental health challenges.” The founda tion has been serving the community for 47 years. The Dining in the Dark Gala will bring together com munity leaders, industry professionals, and caring citizens for an evening of fine dining and entertainment. Celebrity chefs will be part of the fun including Chef Christine Ha, “MasterChef” season 3 winner, who is visually impaired. Additionally, executive chef for Bourbon Bayou Kitchen, Jazmin West, who recently appeared on a TBS cooking show, will be present. Guests of honor from the visually im paired community will include musician Scott Macintyre and YouTuber Tommy Edison, known for his channel, Blind Film Critic. Visit dininginthedark.net for more information. ML Peter, a Dartmoor x Thoroughbred, Middle burg-bred horse.” Guests are invited to dress to impress and embrace the magic of Sprout. The gala includes drinks and dinner, a professional ma gician, auctions, and live music that will have attendees dancing all night long.Sprout’s mission is to provide hope, healing, empowerment, and recovery through equestrian-assisted activities and therapies. The organi zation serves individuals with dis abilities and provides life-changing opportunities and treatment in a farm environment.“Together, with Middleburg’s sup port, we will pursue the ‘impossible’ and make magic for those needing hope, healing, empow erment, and community,” Waldron says. Visit sproutcenter.org/events/gala/ for more information. Gatherings | From page 15
17SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com jar 0822 Discover Fauquier Visit us on Facebook and Instagram! jar 0822 Discover Fauquier Healing the way it’s meant to • Overall Health & Wellness • Lyme Disease • Long-haul COVID • Athletic Performance/ Rehab • Pre/Post-Surgical Healing • Arthritis Visit us on Facebook and Instagram! There are a million reasons to breathe a sigh of relief. Help your body repair itself by experiencing the healing powers of oxygen. It’s the best you will feel under pressure! “I had been experiencing lasting symp toms from COVID-19 making it difficult to take a deep breath…after 5 sessions I was finally able to breathe deeply again…. thanks WOW!!!” “I found pain relief from arthritis which has troubled me for 10 years giving me the mobility in my hands I only dreamed I’d have “Regularagain”HBOT sessions have allowed me to relieve aches and pains after a fall off my horse allowing me to get back to the barn and my riding life” • Overall Health & Wellness • Lyme Disease • Long-HaulVisitCOVIDusonFacebook and Instagram! 540.216.3474 | WarrentonWOW.com 170 West Shirley Avenue, Suite 101, Warrenton, VA 20186 • Athletic Performance/ Rehab • Pre/Post-Surgical Healing • Arthritis jar 0822 Discover Fauquier Healing the way it’s meant to be • Overall Health & Wellness • Lyme Disease • Long-haul COVID • Athletic Performance/ Rehab • Pre/Post-Surgical Healing • Arthritis Visit us on Facebook and Instagram! Healing the way it’s meant to be Call today to speak with our highly trained staff and learn how Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can help you! Be sure to ask about our package deal
18 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022 Offers subject to errors, omissions, change of price or withdrawal without notice. Information contained herein is deemed reliable, but is not so warranted 10 acres $1,695,000 Upperville – Ideally located on a picturesque country road in the heart of the renowned Virginia Horse Country, meticulously updated with extraordinary quality and beautiful detailing, this charming colonial offers privacy in a storybook setting. Jim McGowan | 703-927-0233 2022SEPTEMBER 93 acres $950,000 Marshall – This property is comprised of multiple parcels (4 DURs), includes 32 cleared and fenced acres. And UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC - No power lines to ruin your views! The lots have significant easement value. Seller is related to the listing agent. Isabella Wolf | 703-338-7452 19+ acres $1,580,000 The main house was built in 1815, it is listed on the Virginia and National Historic Regis ters. Rolling pastures, large old trees, a pond, and complete privacy. Custom designed stable built in 2011. 3 board fenced pastures, run-in shed with electricity and water. Susie Ashcom | 540-729-1478 50 acres $2,695,000 In the heart of Virginia Wine Country, 8,300 sq ft house custom built in 1996 by Castlerock Enterprises. 5 BRs / 5 1/2 BAs, 5 fireplaces, 12-foot ceilings, open floor plan. Views of vineyards, woods, mountains and farmland. Very private, yet not remote. Chris Malone | 540-253-5050 Wilson Road 67+ acres $1,995,000 Reconfigured acreage, beautiful views! 4 BR / 5.5 BA fully restored estate 3 miles from Marshall and rte. 66. Potential easement value, composed of 3 parcels for a total of 67.58 acres. Additional adjacent acreage available. Agent related to seller. Isabella Wolf | 703-338-7452 Swain Mountain Farm .63 acres $1,275,000 Upperville – Historic residence in lovely setting. Beautifully updated, high ceilings, 2 kitchens, a conservancy w/brick floors, walled in terrace w/gardens. Ideal for gracious entertaining. Guest cottage w/front porch, comfortable rooms and mountain views. Mary Ann McGowan | 540-270-1124 Locust Grove c.1815 Wayside .5 acres $1,050,000 Extraordinary opportunity to own an income producing property on John Mosby Highway in Aldie. Ideally located with great visibility, excellent parking and commercially zoned. A fantastic investment opportunity in this charming historic village! Brian McGowan | 703-927-4070 Aldie Commercial 5 acres $950,000 The Plains – Pristine brick rambler, wooded and private. Renovated with 4 BR and 4 Full BAs - over 3,300 sq ft. LL walkout suite with kitchenette. 2-car attached garage, rear deck & fenced lawn area, detached workshop/shed. Cricket Bedford | 540-229-3201 AylorWillisvilleHouse 541 +/- acres $8,000,000 Beautiful rolling hills and pasture located in Flint Hill, Virginia. This scenic property is surrounded by unspoiled countryside and expansive views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering a private and quiet escape to enjoy. John Coles | 540-270-0094 Alnell 107+ acres $5,750,000 The Plains – Exceptional and surrounded by magnificent countryside with views. Stone and stucco residence, beautiful terraces. Geothermal heating/cooling, heated 20’ x 40’ pool, 8 stall center aisle stable with 14’ x 14’ stalls. Stunning indoor riding arena. John Coles | 540-270-0094 Hidden Trail 18+ acres $3,095,000 Stunning Estate on a picturesque country road minutes from Middleburg! 7 BR / 8 BA, 10,000 SF of spectacular living space for a gracious & luxurious life style. Sweeping lawns & brilliant gardens, plus a free form heated pool & spa. Jim McGowan | 703-927-0233 Sanctuary 30 acres $5,900,000 Spectacular Country Estate with manicured lawns, lush woodlands and towering trees. Superbly built in a classic Tuscan style architecture, it includes 5 bedrooms 8 1/2 baths, 8 fireplaces and wood, stone and marble floors. Mary Ann McGowan | 540-270-1124 CountryMiddleburgEstate Eagle Rest UNDERCONTRACTCOMMERCIAL
19SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com warranted nor is it otherwise guaranteed. THOMAS & TALBOT ESTATE PROPERTIES Opening The Door To Horse Country For Generations 2 South Madison Street | PO Box 500 | Middleburg, VA 20118 | Office: 540-687-6500 | thomasandtalbot.com experience, international reach & local connections When you’re ready to sell your property, list with the firm whose agents are well connected with a wealth of experience. Paired with extensive international reach, Thomas & Talbot is here to match your home with the people who will love it, no matter where they are. Contact us today! 51+ acres $2,800,000 Middleburg – Charming Country Estate in prime Orange County Hunt Territory. Geothermal heating, salt water pool. Horse facilities include 10 stall stable, 2 wash stalls, feed room and large hayloft. Perfectly sited to enjoy privacy and lovely views. John Coles | 540-270-0094 17+ acres $1,325,000 Elegant French Provincial style house located near the small and lively village of Millwood. Designed and built In 2000 by architect/owner with high quality materials inside and out. Seven stall center aisle barn, four turn-out fields. Cary Embury | 540-533-0106 WoodlandLockwood .41 acres $895,000 Middleburg – c.1820 remodeled Victorianera frame house with 3 BRs / 3 full BAs. Unique 2-story portico w/ balcony. Many upgrades and renovations. Standing seam metal roof, 4 fire places, wide board pine floors. Fenced back yard. 1 car garage. Cricket Bedford | 540-229-3201 Glatton Folly NEWNEWNEW
20 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London has a tea cosy on display that is decorated with glass beads and is described as a typical example
Photos by Richard Hooper
COSYING UP TO A LOCAL COLLECTOR
Top: There are three tall coffee cosies along the bottom row. Bottom: A bead and wool work tea cosy edged with gold rope work and bearing a royal coat of arms.
Collector | Page 21
The current collecting interest of Margaret Gardner, long-time Middleburg resident and former Joint Master of the Middle burg Hunt, is something she discovered only quite recently but has delved into with character istic vim and vigor: Victorian beaded tea “cosies,” spelled with an “s” as the British do. Gardner, who spent her early years in En gland and Ireland, said that she “grew up drink ing tea and knew all about tea cosies” from a very young age — but not the kind of cosies that began to capture her attention around six months ago. “I had no idea these even existed,” she recalls. “I came upon them by accident.”
The first documented use of a tea cosy in Britain was in 1867. More than a midday snack, afternoon tea was a social event intended for networking and gossip. With all the talk, tea pots turned cold. The solution: a dome-shaped cosy made of heavy fabric and layered with a puffy insulating material that could be fitted over a teapot in order to keep tea warm.What was born out of a utili tarian need quickly became an op portunity for hosts and hostesses to make a stylish statement. Jeweled cosies replete with embroidery, beadwork, and other decorative embellishments were created in order to wow guests at England’s most fashionable tea parties.
|
Written by Dulcy B. Hooper
21SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com of mid-19th-century embroidery. Glass indus tries in Germany and Italy produced vast quanti ties of glass beads in a wide variety of colors that were used in creating the decorative British tea cosies.Gardner remembers that when she found the first of her cosies, many of them were in bad shape. However, by coincidence, Gardner was made for the job of fixing them. “First, I have al ways done handiwork,” she says. “We had to learn it in school. And second, many years ago, I began collecting glass beads.” This interest in glass beads is a story in its own right. One of Gardner’s many ongoing interests centers around the history, textiles, and handi crafts of Native Americans. Many years ago, she came upon a book that included a photograph of a rare beaded deer head and antlers — a historical piece produced by Plains Indians around the turn of the 20th Gardnercentury.challenged herself to create her own beaded deer head. In preparation, she began searching far and wide for Victorian glass beads with which to carry out the project. “The beaded deer head and antlers required so many colors of glass beads to create the design so I bought them wherever I could,” Gardner says. “Eventually, I couldn’t find any more glass beads and so I went in search of old beaded evening bags.” Gardner kept some of the nicer evening bags intact but took apart many just for the beads in order to complete her projects.
“Because I was still riding, I didn’t have much time to work on the deer head and antlers,” she notes. The time-consuming process involved painstakingly wrapping strings of glass beads around the deer skull and antlers, an endeavor that Gardner estimates she worked on for at least five years before it was completed. With beads in hand, her attention turned to cosies. Over the last few months, Gardner has ac quired 22 cosies, many of which needed the kind of repair that she is so capable of providing. Her collection also includes three taller cosies that were used for coffee pots. In fact, Gardner says that her favorite in the collection is a coffee cosy with a peacock design. Antique cosies have become highly prized by collectors and therefore difficult to come by.
“But I haven’t given up. I think I am becoming the ‘Tea Cosy Queen!’” ML Collector | From page 20 Gardner’s collection of tea cosies.
“There must still be some out there that I haven’t been able to get my hands on,” Gardner shares.
A Day in the Life of a FarmsCreightonFamily
– Katie Groupe Farms | Page 23
Written by Stephanie Wright | Photos by Gracie Withers
“People see Creighton when they see the gates and they think it's stuffy, and it couldn't be farther from that,” Katie says. “It's really laid back and enjoyable and stress free.” The Groupes were attracted to the slower country lifestyle in Loudoun County after living in Old Town, Alex
Early on a summer morning, the Groupe family can be found relaxing on the back porch of their home in the Creighton Farms community, overlooking the golf course as they enjoy coffee and breakfast in the sunshine. Katie and Johnny Groupe have lived with their three children in Creighton Farms for the last two years in an atmosphere that Katie Groupe describes as “almost resort living without being at a resort.” Creighton Farms is a gated club com munity nestled in the rolling hills of horse coun try just outside of Aldie with abundant amenities including the Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, tennis and pickleball courts, a pool, a social club, year-round events, and weekly activities for chil dren and adults alike.
• SEPTEMBER2022
Top: The Groupe kids. Bottom left: The Groupe family outside their Creighton Farms home. Bottom right: Katie and Johnny Groupe.
“The view, the horse country, it's just so peaceful to me, and also Johnny as well.”
Katie says that the family has everything they need within the gates of the community or just a short drive away. “Living in here, we always laugh, we really don't want to leave the gate,” she says. “It's wholesome.”
While all lots in Creighton Farms come with a club membership offer attached, it is optional, but most residents embrace the social opportuni ties of the sports and activities. “I'd say 95% of the residents are members, so you get to know your neighbors very well,” Johnny explains.
SEPTEMBER2022 • andria. “When you're in the city, it's such a dif ferent mindset… from being in an urban envi ronment to being out here where you can see the mountains and the rolling fields. And, I was al ways drawn to the Middleburg area,” Katie notes. “The view, the horse country, it's just so peaceful to me, and also Johnny as well.” Johnny, who is originally from the Northern Virginia area and runs a civil engineering com pany, is a long-time golfer and was drawn to the golf program at Creighton Farms. “I never knew about the [golf] community in Loudoun Coun ty so it was a pretty easy decision for us once we got to meet the members and our friends that we have now,” he says. He highlighted the golf tour nament opportunities for adult and junior play ers, including charity tournaments. As parents of three young children, Katie and Johnny Groupe appreciate the safety of the community and the youth opportunities that are offered by Creighton Farms. Katie grew up in a similar community in Augusta, Georgia, and wanted the same environment for her family. “I know what it feels like to grow up in a commu nity where you just feel safe, where you ride your golf carts around and meet your friends and ride your bikes everywhere. It's just wonderful, so it felt like coming home when we started building here,” Katie Creightonremembers.Farmshosts plenty of events and activities for families including summer camps, holiday parades, and even weekly movie nights on Friday evenings. “You drop the kids down stairs and they show a movie while the adults can have a nice dinner upstairs and enjoy two hours for ourselves which is kind of like a little built-in babysitter,” Johnny says.
The Groupe’s children attend Loudoun Coun try Day School where Katie is an active member of the school board, but during the summer they have made the most of Creighton’s golf camps and visiting the club’s pool. Additionally, the club offers fine dining with weekend specials and plenty of family-friendly options. Katie recalls a time when she requested lemon pepper chicken fingers although they were not a listed menu op tion. “The chef [whipped] up his own lemon pep per seasoning. It was just wonderful. [It] makes you feel special.”
– Johnny Groupe
“I’d say 95% of the residents are members, so you get to know your neighbors very well.”
The Groupes appreciate the relaxation and fun of Creighton Farms and encourage others to come experience it. “When the right lot and the right builder and the right house all came togeth er, we jumped on the opportunity. We couldn't see being anywhere else,” Johnny says. ML
Farms | From page 22 Top left: Teeing up for another drive at the Creighton Farms golf facility. Top right: Taking advantage of the driving range. Bottom: The Groupe family relaxes by the golf course.
About three times every week, more often in the warmer months, Gillespie makes that point to as many as 200 visitors at a time. They come from as far away as Europe, Asia, Africa, and Central and South America to discover what Northern Virginia Parks Authority (NOVA Parks) Direc tor Paul Gilbert calls the “string of pearls:” the Middleburg regional parks of Gilbert’s Corner, Mount Zion, Aldie Mill, Mount Defiance, and Goose Creek Bridge. Rich Gillespie has been a guide, researcher, Rich Gillespie leading a tour at Mt. Defiance Battlefield. Photo courtesy of NOVA Parks.
Visionary | Page 25
Written by Bill Kent Rich Gillespie knows what has happened along nearly every inch of Route 50, from Gilbert’s Corner all the way to Goose Creek.Atthe very least he can show you where sol diers fought and died during crucial Civil War battles. Ask him and he might mention how he was inspired to become a historian from listen ing to his grandfather tell him that he met former Confederate cavalry commander John Mosby in Massachusetts, long after Mosby became a law yer and a prominent member of the Republican Party.The elder Gillespie found Mosby admiring the
Minute Man statue that overlooks Massachusetts’ Lexington Green. “I just loved hearing about that,” says Gillespie, who was born in Lexington. “I was eight years old when I gave my first tour of Lexington Green. I had to tell everyone about my grandfather and Mosby.” A retired Loudoun Valley High School history teacher, emeritus historian, and board member of the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Associ ation, Gillespie adds that he “was fascinated that what we read about in textbooks or hear from our grandparents is real, accessible, and connected. It’s not about who these people were. It’s about who we are, right now, today, at this very moment, because of them.”
24 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
viSionary
voLunteerS PreServe MiddLeburg’S String oF PearLS
Top: Aldie Mill. Middle: Goose Creek Bridge. Bottom: Mt. Zion Church. Photos by Kaitlin Hill.
SEPTEMBER2022 • lecturer and uncredited copywriter for NOVA Parks for a dozen years and he has yet to make a dollar from it. He jokes that his wife Tracy Gilles pie, NOVA Parks site manager for the “pearls,” simply gave him a free hat and a name tag before putting him to work.
Rich Gillespie is one of 70 volunteers who lead tours, care for the landscape, throw parties, and otherwise commit sweat equi ty to these five Middleburg parks. “Many of these people are like family to us,” Tracy Gillespie says. Without them, “I wouldn’t be able to do this.” Tracy Gillespie is the only NOVA Parks fulltime employee responsible for the five parks. Her paid staff consists of two part-timers — a janitor, and Mike Devine, a professional miller who op erates the Aldie Mill’s machinery. Over the years, Tracy Gillespie’s volunteers have traveled from as far away as Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia to lend a hand. They’ve ranged from retirees to an Aldie Elemen tary School child who wanted to help read during the mill’s story hour. “She did a great job!” Tracy Gillespie recalls with pride. Unlike county and state organizations that manage parks, wildlife habitats, historic sites, and recreation areas, NOVA Parks gets only 12 percent of its operating budget from government funds. While it raises some revenue from usage fees, the majority of NOVA Parks' budget comes from private sector grants and donations.
Last June, Elizabeth Padgett, a recent gradu ate of Loudoun County’s Banshee Reeks Virginia Master Naturalist program, decided that invasive, potentially toxic plants at Goose Creek Park were getting out of hand. After securing approval from Tracy Gillespie, Padgett bought several flats of native Virginia wildflowers from the Watermark Woods garden center in Hamilton, and along with seven other master naturalists from the program, replaced the invasive species with a native wild flower walk. Martha Midolo, a Loudoun County Public Schools special education aide and Virgin ia master naturalist, recalls it was a “pleasure to spend the day with like-minded conservationists and naturalists committed to beautifying and im proving one of Loudoun's most historical parks.” Tanya Finch, who was also among the Goose Creek volunteers, is now spending a portion of her Sunday mornings removing invasive vines from Mt. Defiance. “What I enjoyed the most was the camaraderie: all of us together, digging in the dirt, planting native plants to help native bugs and birds and also to beautify the park for visitors. The question is how to get others moti vated to help. How to get them to change their viewpoint from ‘the parks should pay people to maintain this’ to ‘we own this property collective ly. How can I contribute and make sure it stays maintained for future enjoyment?’”
Cate Magennis Wyatt thinks she has the an swer. The former Virginia Secretary of Commerce visited Aldie Mill frequently with her family and remembers Paul Mellon providing funding to help preserve it. She emphasizes that these sites have a special quality, a personal history that for those who learn to value it, is just as important as the national history they commemorate. Because of her experiences at Aldie Mill, Wy att joined other Northern Virginia visionaries in creating the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area, a 75-mile trail that links Gettysburg to Charlottesville designed to in crease awareness of “smaller sites of significant history, like [Middleburg’s String of Pearls], that would not otherwise be on maps used by national and international visitors.” As chairperson of NOVA Parks, she presides over the 1863 Fund which is dedicated to car ing for, maintaining, and preserving the String of Pearls in perpetuity. “I don’t think you have enough ink to publish all [the] visionaries and volunteers who have made the String of Pearls possible,” she says. This would include those who are lucky enough to score what are among Middleburg’s hottest tickets: the “Outlander” and “Downton Abbey” tea parties, held in June and October, and the September “Spirited History” whiskey dinner. All are in their eleventh year at Aldie Mill and sell out Middleburgquickly. native Melissa York came up with the idea of themed, costumed gatherings that have a distant historical connection to the mill. The “Outlander” TV series is appropriate “be cause the original owner of Aldie Mill was Scot tish, and, depending on how you travel in time, the period is roughly similar. And as for Down ton, we know the mill was open and running around when the series began.”
Visionary | From page
The items that have been raffled off during these events include Outlander branded coffee mugs and life-sized cardboard effigies of ac tor Sam Heughan as James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser and books by Lady Fiona, Visionary | Page 26 24
The Beceks buy their own tickets to the whis key dinner, as well as the tea parties. And when anyone offers him a gratuity, he points to the mill’s cash donation box. “They need every penny they can get.” ML For more information on how you can help visit: novaparks.com/donate-volunteer.
Visionary | From page 25 Outlander tea at Aldie Mill. Photo courtesy of NOVA Parks.
Eighth Countess of Carnarvon, whose fami ly owns Highclere Castle, the English country house at which the Downton Abbey series and movies were filmed. Tracy Gillespie got the Outlander goodies from a company affiliated with the series. As for the books, “I wrote Lady Carnarvon and told her it was for a good cause but I didn’t expect any thing,” Tracy Gillespie says. “And then the books came,Becauseautographed!”someof the grains that Aldie Mill ground were turned into whiskey, Purcellville’s Catoctin Creek Distillery founder Scott Harris has been a regular contributor of whiskey for a tasting during the whiskey dinner as well as bot tles for raffling. This year’s dinner, scheduled for September 10, is already sold out. “We obviously have a close tie to historical milling,” Harris says. “And, over the years, Tracy and Rich have become my friends. We just want to keep the place going.”
26 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
Joe Becek also wants to keep the mill going and is fiercely proud of his “perfect attendance” record at every whiskey dinner. A retired Lock heed Martin aerospace engineer, Becek gave his first tour of the mill in 2003 and now has the dis tinction of being the longest serving volunteer. “It has been a joy. The people you meet, the things you learn, and the human interaction. Ev ery tour is different.”
27SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com Mattingly’s Hand Crafted by select Western Pa. Old Order & Eastern Pa. Amish Craftsman families Family Owned & Operated Since 1973 Dealing in Amish Outdoor Furniture Located in Loudoun County Since 1973. 540-338-2060 55 E. Colonial Highway (Old Rt 7) Hamilton, VA 20158 Parking in rear Evveryday Low Prices Amish Lawn Furniture Premium Quality PolylumberWe’veMoved!! totheTownofHamilton! INSTAGRAM 90k ImpressionsTotal WEBSITE 63k Pageviews FACEBOOK 16kReachedAccounts EMAIL 13k Users P R I N T AN D D I G I T A L OPTIONS AVAILABLE CONTACT INFO@MIDDLEBURGLIFE.COM CONNECT WITH THE RIGHT AUDIENCE REACH AN AVERAGE OF INDIVIDUALS150KEVERYMONTHWITHMIDDLEBURGLIFE
William Henry “Marty” Martin III was known as the world’s authority on Timber Rattlesnakes — a species of pit viper native to mountainous areas throughout the east coast and as far west as Texas. He unex pectedly passed away on August 3, surrounded by his wife and daughters, after receiving a bite from one of his captive rattlesnakes. Born in Leesburg, Virginia, on December 24, 1941, Martin discovered den sites, studied be havior, and monitored the populations of these often-vilified creatures with dogged consistency for decades. At 80 years old, he was still pursu ing his research with an eye to the species’ future, documenting the impacts of habitat loss, climate change, and other human pressures on his study populations while trying to instill a love for ven omous snakes in the next generation.
— An excerpt from Marty Martin’s email to me and other field-ready friends on October 8, 2020
Written by Callie Broaddus Martin | Page 29 Marty Martin. Photo by Callie Broaddus.
“Marty was a guest educator for our herpe tology camps for the past 23 years and inspired countless budding herpetologists,” says Michael Kieffer, the longtime executive director of the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy. “While his research firmly establishes his legacy as a conser vationist for Timber Rattlesnakes in the Eastern U.S., his work with kids will have lasting benefits, inspiring conservationists of the future. He was a dearMartin’sfriend.” own journey as a naturalist began as a young boy; by the age of 13, he had already made his first mark on the scientific communi ty, proving the existence of a Timber Rattlesnake population in the Bull Run Mountains. At 17, he was a founding member of the Virginia Herpe tological Society. He put his scientific career on hold to join the military, fighting for his country in the Vietnam War as a paratrooper for the Ar my’s 101st Airborne Division and for his armed service division as a bantamweight boxer. But when this chapter in his life ended, Martin re turned to study snakes — and he never stopped. He received his biology degree from the University of South Florida before traveling the world to conduct independent research on ven omous snakes in Africa and South America. His travels would become fodder for conversation later in life, and those who spent time in the field with Martin were treated to storybook-style tales — fleeing a Colombian prison by traveling on foot through the rainforest to Ecuador, escaping the epicenter of the first Ebola outbreak in the dead of night, witnessing the start of a civil war in Somalia, narrowly avoiding a deadly plane crash, bringing Australian TV host Steve Irwin to one of his Shenandoah den sites for an episode of “The Crocodile Hunter,” receiving his first and second rattlesnake bites — the list goes on. While his spirit of adventure and his passion for all venomous snakes took Martin around the world, it was his hometown habitat that com prised the bulk of his life’s work and made him “The plan is Catoctins tomorrow. I do not have high hopes even though a colleague saw 25 at my focal den in [redacted] on Wednesday when I was at a South Mtn, Pennsylvania site and got skunked… Forecast is for upper 30s tonight and I think it may push those Catoctin snakes under. However, if I don't get out there it is just idle speculation. Having seen over 20,000 rattlesnakes plus about 1000 litters, figuring out exactly what is going on is more important to me than seeing a pile of rattlesnakes.”
28 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
RemembeRing maRty maRtin: LocaL Legend & gLobaL expeRt on timbeR RattLesnakes
Martin shows a Timber Rattlesnake to young naturalists at the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy herpetology camp this June.
Martin | From page 28
Open Monday - Friday 9-4 & Weekends by Appointment Museum Level Conservation and Custom Furniture for 44 years
29 Greer’s Antiques n ourforusJoin Annu2nd Holiday O 20149,&8November 10am-4pm www.greersconservation.com n RoadSchoolAllder37627 20132VAPurcellville, Greer’s Antiques Quality you can trust HolidayOpenHouse November 8 & 9, 2014 10am-4pm www.greersconservation.com n 37627 Allder School Road Purcellville, VA greersant@aol.com540.338.660720132 Regular hours are by Open Monday - Friday 9-4 & Weekends by Appointment Museum Level Conservation and Custom Furniture for 44 years www.greersconservation.com37627AllderSchoolRoadPurcellville,VA20132540.338.6607greersant@gmail.com GREER’S ANTIQUE CONSERVATIONGreer’s Antiques Quality you can trust n Join us for our 2nd HolidayAnnualpenHouse November 8 & 9, 2014 10am-4pm www.greersconservation.com n 37627 Allder School Road Purcellville, VA greersant@aol.com540.338.660720132 Regular hours are by appointment only Open Monday - Friday 9-4 & Weekends by Appointment Museum Level Conservation and Custom Furniture for 44 years www.greersconservation.com37627AllderSchoolRoadPurcellville,VA20132540.338.6607greersant@gmail.com
GREER’S ANTIQUE CONSERVATION
You’re Invited to an Open House known throughout the herpetological communi ty as a leading expert on Timber Rattlesnakes. “A human of mythic proportions,” writes Joe Villari, preserve manager at VOF’s Bull Run Mountains Natural Area Preserve, in his touching personal tribute to Martin. “His love for snakes connected him with humanity, and he connected so many of us to the beauty and joy of rattlesnakes.” Martin continued to work independently, preferring his own strictly field-based research methods to a life in academia, and spent more than four decades visiting the same den sites over, and over, and over again. He learned to predict how weather patterns could influence snake be havior. He saw den sites diminish and ultimately disappear due to human disturbance. And he saw how climate change was altering even the most reliable den locations. Much of Martin’s knowledge has been pub lished; he contributed to rattlesnake conservation as a member of the Timber Rattlesnake taskforce for the International Union for the Conserva tion of Nature for 30 years, and in 2021, Martin co-authored the 475-page book, “The Timber Rattlesnake: Life History, Distri bution, Status, and Conservation Action Plan,” with the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conser vation. But he recorded his raw data the old-fashioned way — in decades of small, spiral-bound notebooks — and researchers will likely continue to learn from the late great herpetologist long into the Whilefuture.hewill certainly be re membered for his contributions to science, those who knew him will never forget the deep rever ence he held for nature and the passion that drove his work. BRMC founder An drea Currier recalls turning to Martin at an eve ning event on a beautiful hilltop in Front Royal and remarking, “Isn’t this pretty perfect?” Martin replied, “Actually, no,” and explained, “There are no rattlesnakes here!” “Marty’s happiness was intrinsically tied to the presence and well-being of venomous snake populations,” Villari explains, “especially his be loved timbers.” ML A celebration of Marty Martin’s life will be held at Morgan’s Grove Park in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, on September 25 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Catoctin Land Trust (catoctinlandtrust.org) or the Bull Run Mountains Conservancy (brmconservancy.org).
www.greersconservation.com37627AllderSchoolRoadPurcellville,VA20132540.338.6607greersant@gmail.com
Photo by Michael Kieffer.
In 1782, during the final stages of the Revolu tionary War, two men struck out on a busi ness venture - the Burwell-Morgan Mill - which became one of the most successful mer chant mills in the colony of Virginia. Continuing a 200-plus-year legacy in the heart of the Shenan doah Valley, its wheels still turn today to produce freshly ground grain.
Written by Heidi Baumstark
Photo by Joanne Maisano.
History | Page 31
The two founders - Nathaniel Burwell (17501814), a Tidewater planter and great grandson of former royal governor of Virginia, Robert “King” Carter, and Daniel Morgan (1736-1802), honored Revolutionary War hero and wagoneer - came together to initiate the project in the tiny hamlet of Millwood, just 23 minutes from Middleburg.
ART OLD AND NEW
hiStory & art coLLide at burweLLMorgan MiLL
The mill itself is a piece of art. Its lower por tions are built of rugged, native limestone, and a walk through the front door opens to 200-yearold scroll and block lettering on the rustic walls. The structure is listed on both the National Regis
The power of water on display at Burwell-Morgan Mill.
31SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com
“The first [art] show was in 1990; it started as an idea to raise money for the mill’s restoration,” Campbell explains. “We have a little bit of every thing in the art pieces: horses, barns, landscapes, foxes, nature scenes, abstract art. The jury works hard on picking different things to showcase.
The mill was built between 1782 and 1785 when the changing economy in Europe caused a sudden demand for grains. With Burwell’s 8,000 page 30 32
THE MILL’S HISTORY
This team is led by Snow Fielding who has been involved with the show in many capacities since the early Kathydays.”Hudson of Berryville is on the CCHA board and currently chairs the art show commit tee. “We get local artists and many others from out of state,” she notes. Hudson came to Clarke County in 1985 from Pennsylvania. When she first spotted the mill, she remembers, “I was in stantly enamored and taken with the area’s histo ry.” She credits the mill as the reason she chose to stay in “OverVirginia.theyears, the caliber of the art [has been] amazing,” Hudson says. Local artist Gwen Casey-Higgins supports the art shows behindthe-scenes by responding to artists’ inquiries and handling all the advertising. “She’s my right-hand person; I’d be lost without her,” Hudson shares. The show is juried, requiring artists to submit photos of their work for possible inclusion. Art is displayed on the main and upper levels; extra wall units are installed for additional space to hang the multitude of pieces. “People make it an annual event to come here,” Hudson says. “Art is one way to bring people together.”
Kathy Campbell is a former CCHA board president and in the past has chaired the art show committee. She lives in neighboring Boyce and is an artist who taught art at Clarke County High School for 12 years.
History | Page
A whole team of people set up the show which includes hanging each piece (a puzzle in itself).
Left: Art at the Mill installments can be found around every corner of the historic building. Middle: A variety of themes come together for an intriguing gallery wall. Right: Wood work, ceramics, paintings, and more grace the space during the biannual event. Photos courtesy of Kathy Campbell.
Nathan Stalvey is the director of the Clarke County Historical Association (CCHA), the or ganization that owns the mill. Stalvey earned a Master of Arts in Public History and Museum Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Histo ry from the University of South Carolina where he worked as curator of traveling exhibits and graphic design at McKissick Museum. “Art at the Mill is our primary fundraiser,” Stalvey says. “Funds generated help keep the wa ter wheel turning now and for future generations so they can understand the important history it plays in the story of Clarke County and the Com monwealth of Virginia.”
ter of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.Twice a year, the mill transforms into an art venue for the Art at the Mill show. Fine art in various forms - paintings, metalwork, pottery, ceramics, woodwork, and sculptures - is on dis play and for sale from over 300 gifted artists. The 2022 fall show will be held from October 1 to 16. Patron’s Night, a ticketed evening gala event that includes local eats and spirited beverages, will kick off the exhibit on September 30.
History | From
PRESERVATION FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
With regard to the art show, Hudson empha sizes, “It’s a labor of love for the mill and the com munity.” ML Burwell-Morgan Mill is located at 15 Tan nery Lane in Millwood. For tickets to Patron’s Night (September 30, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.) and more information on Art at the Mill (October 1-16, Saturdays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday through Friday, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.), please visit: clarkehistory.org/art-mill.html.
To walk around this mill is to witness the vi sion of Burwell and Morgan and appreciate the investment and hard work by many villagers to make it a success. As the nation was just breaking free from Britain, the mill was busy providing a valuable resource for those who lived here. Stalvey points out, “Millwood sprung up around this mill and was a center of economic activity. In its heyday, the mill served as a local gathering place. And it continues to serve as an anchor for Millwood, bringing in people from all over. Making sure the mill is preserved and oper ational for present and future generations is at the very heart of CCHA's mission.”
32 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022 acres, he had the land, but he needed a partner. Enter Daniel Morgan. Before the war, Burwell was a 1774 graduate of the College of William and Mary. Morgan was from the north but his exact birthplace is un known; he lacked a formal education and was a farmer. He became an experienced wagoneer who hauled freight to the eastern part of the Vir ginia Colony. Though Burwell and Morgan had very different starts in life, they shared one thing: their military service in the Revolutionary War (1775-1783).When Burwell chose Morgan as his business partner, he had already known of Mor gan’s success in the military and as a business man. Thus began a partnership between the Col onel and the General. The lowest level of the four-story mill houses the mechanical gears including the huge wooden water wheel that is 20 feet in diameter and turns the French buhr stones on the main level for grain grinding. These gears rotate as a result of falling water provided by Spout Run. The wooden third and fourth stories were added in 1877. “The mill’s number one purpose was to make money. This mill was used for mass production. Its [products] were put in hogshead [barrels] for export,” Stalvey shares. Flour produced here was sent to ports in Alexandria and Dumfries for shipment to Europe and the West Indies. According to the 1969-1970 “Proceedings of the Clarke County Historical Association: The History of The Millwood Mill 1782-1785” booklet, the area “mushroomed into a thriving post-Revolutionary village with the large mer chant mill as its economic heart, including also a tanyard, a fine extensive manufactory of leath er, a boot and sow maker, a large store, a tailor, a blacksmith, a waggoner, one tavern, two distill eries, and a post office.”
Exterior of Burwell-Morgan Mill. Photo by Joanne Mai sano.
Carl Maples of Berryville has volunteered at the mill for 20 years. “The Buttery [Restaurant] across the street was originally the grog shop,” he confirms. “That’s where they stored barrels [of spirits].”OnSaturday mornings, local volunteer mill ers and Stalvey stay busy grinding various grains including corn varieties, buckwheat, rye, ninegrain, and wheat, all of which are available for purchase at the mill. The mill also sells recipe books so customers can bake up a fresh batch of bread at home. According to Jess Foltz, wine manager at Locke Store across the street, “The Buttery uses the mill’s rye flour in their sour dough breads.” In addition to owning the 18th-century mill, CCHA owns two more 19th-century structures on the property: the miller’s house and a toll house that allowed paying passengers through on what was then a section of the original U.S. Route 50. The meadow surrounding the mill is an invit ing space with picnic tables dotted around Spout Run, a tributary of the Shenandoah River.
History | From page 31
33SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com Our Favorite Local Gifts for Getting Outside Herbarium Press Kit, $75, Available at Crème de la Crème Assorted Wool National Park Throws, $200, Available at Brick & Mortar Mercantile Kids' Nature Gifts, $12 - $16, Available at the PLAYroom Hults Bruk Axes and HatchetsMade in Sweden since 1697, $154$215, Available at HighcliffeClothiers Assorted Camp Craft Cocktail Kits, $25 Availableeach,atChloe'sofMiddleburg Joules Duck Print Wellies, Available$84.95,atTheFunShop BritchesatHoodie,Expedition$55,AvailableBritchesGreatOutdoorsBarbour Olive Wax Bushman Hat, $120, Available at Horse Country
Boxwood Estate Winery will host its Second Annual Oyster Riot in the Vineyard Pavilion on September 3. The event will include lunch from Salerno's on the Chesapeake Bay with a Boxwood Estate Sauvignon Blanc Half Bottle and music from Northern Virginia musician Matt Waller.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Calendar |
MYSTIQUE JEWELERS ESTATE BUYING EVENT
Waller will play Classic, '80s, and '90s rock favor ites set amidst the vines. Tickets are $95 per per son. Wine Club members receive a 10% discount on tickets.
The Annual Highland Games are a celebration of Scottish culture and heritage. Weekend com petitions will include the Pipe Band Competi tion, Heavy Athletic Competition, and Highland Dance Competition. Spectators will enjoy the “Parade of Clans,” Celtic crafts, merchandise, collectibles, and Scottish food. Single day adult admission starts at $20 per person with whis key tasting add-ons and special package pricing available as well.
Page 35
VIRGINIA SCOTTISH GAMES AT GREAT MEADOW
September 3 | 12 - 3 p.m. | boxwoodwinery.com/events
September 6-8 | Tues. - Wed. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Thurs. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | mystiquejewelers.com Save the date and start preparing for Mystique Jewelers’ Estate Buying Event. Come to either the Old Town, Alexandria, or Middleburg loca tions for a free, no obligation offer. The team of estate buying specialists will meet with you for an evaluation of your valuables. Bring jewelry, coins, collectibles, fine art, watches, and more. If you cannot make the event, send photos of your valu ables to mystique@mystiquejewelers.com.
PARAGON POPS: “MUSIC FROM STAGE AND SCREEN” September 10 | 7 p.m. | gracetheplains.org/paragon-philharmonia Join Grace Church for an evening of music from the silver screen and Broadway musicals over the last century. This special event kicks off the sec ond season of Paragon Philharmonia as ensem
The Byrne Gallery is pleased to present “Vibe Shift,” an exhibit showcasing a collection of paint ings by Andy Hill and sculptures by Drew Storm Graham. This exhibit features abstract-style art work that departs from the traditional. There will be an artists’ reception on September 17 from 4-7 p.m. and a gallery talk with the artists on Septem ber 24 from 2-4 p.m. Both events and the exhibi tion are free and open to the public.
September 3 - 4 | vascottishgames.org
34 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022
September 1 - 30 | thebyrnegallery.com
“VIBE SHIFT” AT THE BYRNE GALLERY
SECOND ANNUAL OYSTER RIOT
BIKE THE GRAVEL: TOUR DE CONSERVATION EASEMENT
OKTOBERFEST
Register now for the Tour de Conservation Ease ment bike ride starting and ending at Buchanan Hall in Upperville, Virginia. There is a ride for every level of biker at 18, 34, and 65 miles. Reg istration includes a pre-ride breakfast, post-ride lunch, and beer. 100% of the proceeds benefit the Land Trust of Virginia’s mission to preserve small country back roads and open spaces for all to enjoy. Registration ends on September 22, 2022, at 5 p.m. and there is a 500 rider limit to this event. ML
35SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com ble-in-residence at Grace Church and celebrates the partnership between the organizations and the community. Vocalists Emily Flack, Shannon Tierney Flack, and Jason Labrador join Paragon Philharmonia's String Quintet in this celebration of musical theater and film music. Tickets include refreshments provided by Amanda Seitz Ca tering. All proceeds and donations will directly benefit Grace Episcopal Church’s Peas and Grace Outreach Program and Paragon Philharmonia's classical concert series.
September 17 | 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. | osgf.org The Oak Spring Garden Foundation is thrilled to host this one-day workshop during which partic ipants will learn about foraging for mushrooms and techniques to draw or paint these mycologi cal wonders! Participants should bring their own art supplies. The focus of the class will be sketch ing and painting in a sketchbook. This course is well suited for experienced or novice artists, and the only prerequisite is an enthusiasm for mush rooms! This event will take place on the Rokeby Farm portion of OSGF. Participants should be prepared for moderate walking across hilly fields and similar uneven terrain. Participants should arrive with proper footwear, sufficient water, and rain/sun protection. Tickets are $125 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
September 24 | 9 a.m. | landtrustva.org
ILLUSTRATING FUNGI
CALENDAR OF EVENTS Calendar | From page 34
September 17 | 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. | middleburgva.gov/366/Oktoberfest Don’t miss the Town of Middleburg’s 2nd Okto berfest Celebration! Festivities will take place on Madison and Federal Streets. New this year: two biergartens, traditional German food, live music, and festival games. Local beer, wine, cider, and traditional German foods will be available for purchase from local vendors. This year's event will also feature an art fair. Artwork from local and regional artists will be available for purchase in Artists Alley (Federal Street) consisting of fine art, pottery, jewelry, wearable art, and more.
36 middleburglife.com • SEPTEMBER2022 Experience 100% Virginia Grown Wine in the heart of Hunt Country Open MondayDaily-Thursday: Noon to 6 pm Friday - Sunday: Noon to 7 pm info@greenhillvineyards.comexperiencegreenhill.com 23595 Winery Lane, Middleburg, VA 20117
SEPTEMBER2022 • middleburglife.com SalamanderResort.com 888.783.4832 Discover the vibrant beauty of Virginia’s horse and wine region. Explore hundreds of acres of scenic trails, fresh local cuisine, restorative wellness at Salamander Spa and much more. The bespoke experiences are endless. Your Life is Now
I
I
Laticia Headings I 11 West Washington Street, Middleburg, VA 20117 I tel. 310.869.9395 LHeadings@McEnearney.com insta: @gablesandstables Arlington Clarendon Spring Valley 14th Street Housing with her dog Sadie
I
Middleburg I Leesburg I McLean I Alexandria I North
There’s a common appreciation in hunt country that sometimes comes with just a smile and nod to friends and neighbors. It’s a mutual understanding that Middleburg is both a unique and extraordinary place to live. Laticia discovered Middleburg ten years ago and started falling in love with the place that she now calls home. After a successful career in television, Laticia now thrives on sharing the Middleburg mystique with her clients. She hosts a docu-series called The Middleburg Life and is a compelling advocate for the community. For a trusted neighborhood expert, connect with Laticia to find your own sanctuary in hunt country and beyond.
I
I Vienna I
TV Producer & Writer I Host, The Middleburg Life I McEnearney Realtor®
I
I
I
TV Producer & Writer I Host, The Middleburg Life I McEnearney Realtor®
I Vienna I
I Kensington I Equal
There’s a common appreciation in hunt country that sometimes comes with just a smile and nod to friends and neighbors. It’s a mutual understanding that Middleburg is both a unique and extraordinary place to live. Laticia discovered Middleburg ten years ago and started falling in love with the place that she now calls home. After a successful career in television, Laticia now thrives on sharing the Middleburg mystique with her clients. She hosts a docu-series called The Middleburg Life and is a compelling advocate for the community. For a trusted neighborhood expert, connect with Laticia to find your own sanctuary in hunt country and beyond.
Opportunity Laticia
The Middleburg Life with Laticia Headings
Middleburg I Leesburg I McLean I Alexandria I North
I
Laticia Headings I 11 West Washington Street, Middleburg, VA 20117 I tel. 310.869.9395 LHeadings@McEnearney.com insta: @gablesandstables Arlington Clarendon Spring Valley I 14th Street Kensington I Equal Housing Opportunity Laticia with her dog Sadie
The Middleburg Life with Laticia Headings
