suffolklivingmag.com
Gifts of the season Tasty turkeys, historical holidays and a second chance
november/december 2014 • vol. 5, no. 6
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FEATURE
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The turkeys at Full Quiver Farms have a good life. They're fed well, and they have lots of room to run. All that helps ensure a tastier bird on the Thanksgiving table.
contents nov.-dec. | 2014 15 35
through the lens | Michelle Rizzatti
WHERE AM I? | Guess the location correctly and you could win a $25 gift certificate.
Advertising rates and information available upon request. Subscriptions are $18 annually in-state; $22 annually out-of-state; $30 for international subscriptions. Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439
Holiday gift guide
28 This season, your gift purchase could help fund a deserving local nonprofit organization.
On the cover suffolklivingmag.com
Gifts of the season
24 ReRun Inc. gives thoroughbred racehorses a second chance at life after the track. The group has saved hundreds of horses.
38 Folks in Suffolk truly know how to enjoy the Christmas season, and the city's holiday spirit still shines in this historical collection.
TasTy Turkeys, hisTorical holidays and a second chance
november/december 2014 • vol. 5, no. 6
Photograph by R.E. Spears III
editor's note nov.-dec.
2014
Spotlight on SL staff Nathan Richardson Marketing Consultant Nathan is a renowned poet who also holds a black belt in karate. He once fought Bruce Lee's chauffeur — and won!
EDITORIAL R.E. Spears III Editor Tracy Agnew News Editor Matthew A. Ward Staff Writer news@suffolklivingmag.com
ADVERTISING Lindsay Richardson Sales Manager Earl Jones Marketing Consultant Nathan Richardson Marketing Consultant sales@suffolklivingmag.com
Let’s have some fun It’s our birthday, and we feel a bit like jumping on the bed to celebrate. Hey, we’re five years old this edition, so cut us a little slack, OK? Maybe when we’re 45, we can do the whole black tie thing, but this year we feel like doing something a bit childish, having some cake and watching “Frozen” for the 28th time this week. C’mon, sing along with us: “Let it go, let it go….” OK, let’s skip that part and go straight to the gifts, shall we? Long before we realized this would be our anniversary edition, we decided the theme for this issue of Suffolk Living magazine would be “Gifts.” It’s a Christmas thing, actually. The whole anniversary aspect of it was just a happy coincidence. But once we recognized how everything was coming into alignment, we decided to take advantage of the situation and prepare a little facelift for the magazine as our gift to the community. Suffolk Living has proved to be wildly popular, and we’re truly humbled by the kind words we hear about it, but even the best ideas occasionally need a bit of updating. Inside this edition, you’ll find all the features that have been popular during the past five years, along with a couple of new ideas we hope will become just as well loved. Are you a master of the art of the “selfie”? We’d love to share your masterpiece. Check out Pages 16 and 17 to see how it’s done. Maybe your photography has a way of capturing Suffolk’s beauty. Take a look at our popular “Through the Lens” feature for an opportunity to share your talents with our readers. If you just want to curl up for a good read, we’ve got some great stories on tap for you this edition. From retired racehorses getting the gift of a second chance to farm-bred turkeys that aren’t going to be so lucky, you’re almost sure to see a side of Suffolk you didn’t know about before. And if you’ve still got some Christmas shopping to do, look for our nonprofit gift guide for a few good ideas. Welcome to the new Suffolk Living magazine. Now let’s have some fun. Sincerely, Res Spears, Editor
PRODUCTION Troy Cooper Designer
ADMINISTRATION Steve Stewart Publisher Suffolk Living is published six times per year by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 www.suffolklivingmag.com • (757) 539-3437
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what to do Send us your news To submit your calendar or news item, simply email it to: news@suffolklivingmag.com
Suffolk Grand Illumination Friday, Nov. 21 The Suffolk Grand Illumination will take place at Market Park, adjacent to the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum, 326 N. Main St. Kicking off at 6 p.m., the free event features the lighting of the Christmas tree, horse and carriage rides, arts and crafts for children, hot cocoa and apple cider, Christmas carols, Santa and more. Bring your camera to capture the moments.
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what to do Through December 23
“Artfully Done: Gifts for All Seasons” will be on display at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. The center is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and the exhibit is free. The exhibit features a spectacular variety of original artwork from regional artists, which is available for purchase just in time for the holidays. Call 923-2900 or visit www. suffolkcenter.org.
Berenstain Bears LIVE! Family Matters, The Musical
Sunday November 23
Come on down to Bear Country for “Berenstain Bears LIVE! Family Matters, The Musical,” at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Starting at 2 p.m., the critically acclaimed off-Broadway show is hitting the road. Adapted from the classic children’s book series, the show brings everyone’s favorite bear family to life in a theatrical experience that kids will treasure for years to come. Join Brother Bear, Sister Bear, Papa Bear and Mama Bear on this adventure. Tickets are $20 for adults or $10 for children. Call 923-2900 or visit www. suffolkcenter.org. Saturday November 29
The Suffolk Humane Society will have photos with Santa Paws to benefit the humane society. Children of both the two- and four-legged varieties can have professional photos taken with Santa for a small fee. There will also be a drawing for a dog gift basket and cat gift basket and the opportunity to purchase personalized Christmas ornaments. Refreshments will be served. The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Call 538-3030 for information on location or other questions. Saturday DeCember 6
The Annual Downtown Suffolk Holiday Open House will take place at downtown restaurants, shops, museums and venues. Live entertainment, refreshments, discounts, open houses and more will be available from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., kick off your holiday shopping with handcrafted gifts at the annual artisan gift fair at the pavilion, featuring festive music, light refreshments and arts and crafts. Call 514-4130. Saturday and Sunday December 6-7
The Suffolk Nansemond Historical Society will hold its annual candlelight tour in the Riverview neighborhood from 1 to 5 p.m.
each day. Tour some of Riverview’s most unique and interesting homes. Tickets are available for $20 each at the Suffolk Visitor Center, Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum or A. Dodson’s or for $25 at each site on tour days. Call 539-2781. Saturday and Sunday December 6-7
A holiday tradition in Suffolk, “The Nutcracker Suite” by Ballet Virginia will take place at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. See young Clara’s dream come to life in this family favorite. Before the performance, join the cast at the Sugarplum Tea. Tickets are $15. Children can walk through the Enchanted Forest, create a holiday keepsake and get signatures from the cast. Call 923-2900. Saturday December 13
The Suffolk Holiday Parade will take place at 7 p.m. in downtown Suffolk. Find the best spot on West Washington Street or North Main Street to watch the floats, equestrian units, marching bands and, of course, Santa Claus. This year’s theme is “Musical Down Main Street.” Call 514-7267. Saturday and Sunday December 14, 20 and 21
Bring the kids and your camera to capture special moments with Santa and enjoy light refreshments. The event at the Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St., is free. On
Dec. 21, feel free to bring friendly, wellbehaved pets to meet Santa. Dogs must be on a leash. Pet owners are encouraged to bring a donation for homeless pets. Call 514-4130. Saturday December 20
“The Elf and the Reindeer” will be performed by the Children’s Theatre of Hampton Roads at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Tickets are $5 for this original show about what can go wrong when you don’t watch the reindeer. Call 923-2900 or visit www.suffolkcenter.org. Thursday January 15
Three new exhibits will open at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. “Folk Art of the Shore” will celebrate art from the shoreline region. “Timothy Giles: A Salute to Life” will feature art by Suffolk native Timothy Giles, who has no formal art training but uses his gifts to catalog his life experience son canvas. “Danny Doughty and Mama Girl: A Shared Legacy” will feature the art of Danny Doughty, a native of Virginia’s Eastern Shore who has been painting for 35 years. Still residing in the town of Willis Wharf, on the ocean side of the shore, Doughty reflects life on the shore in a simpler time and place. All of the exhibits are available for viewing from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call 923-2900 or visit www.suffolkcenter.org.
10 suffolk living
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12 suffolk living
Scott and Alison Wilson run Full Quiver Farm with their nine children — from left, Gabriel, Sam, Morgan, Rebecca, Will, Lucy, Katie, Madeline and Hannah.
Free range, Full Quiver Family’s farm provides Thanksgiving flavor story by Tracy Agnew photography by R.E. Spears III
O
ften in life, the destination is not as important as the journey. For the 300 or so turkeys each year that spend most of their lives at Full Quiver Farm on Suffolk’s Manning Road, it’s especially true. They will eventually wind up as a goldenbrown centerpiece on Thanksgiving tables, just like millions of other turkeys. But the difference between the Full Quiver turkeys and most of those other millions is the way they were raised. While most turkeys in America are raised inside big metal buildings on factory farms with little space to move, pumped full of antibiotics and fed food of questionable quality, the Full
Quiver turkeys have a much different experience. They arrive as chicks through the U.S. Postal Service. They get plenty of room to roam outside in the sunshine. They get feed made with non-genetically modified ingredients and are able to supplement it with all the grass and bugs they want. And they never are given medications that will eventually wind up in humans’ bellies. It all adds up to a turkey that’s not only healthier during its life and healthier for humans to consume but also better tasting, say Scott and Alison Wilson, who run Full Quiver Farm with the help of their nine children.
“What you have is a much more flavorful product,” Scott Wilson said. “It’s going to be a little firmer — not tough, but firmer — because there’s not as much fat because they’re getting exercise. It’s definitely a different experience.” The Wilsons started on the journey toward their family business in 2003, when the youngest of their children — now ages 8 to 23 — was not yet born. Scott was working in computers but looking for something different. “I really felt led that I wanted to get a family business going,” he said. “I wanted to be more at home with my children.” At the same time, the Wilsons started noticSee TURKEYS page 13
Turkeys continued from page 12
ing their children were getting a lot of infections. “We weren’t sickly people,” Alison said. “We started looking at why we were that sick. The more we found out, the more concerning it was to realize hat we were consuming.” With no farming background, the Wilsons started researching the benefits of a family farm and looking for land. They bought the Manning Road property and moved to it from Chesapeake in 2003, and Scott was able to leave his “day job” in 2007. “This is definitely a family affair,” Scott said. “The neat thing about farming is even the youngest ones can participate.” The children are homeschooled, and the oldest, Morgan Wilson, has used her free time after graduating to become the office manager for the farm. But even the youngest ones can do things like collect eggs, Scott said. The family eats all its own meat and gets its veggies from other vendors at the farmers’ markets where they sell their products, Alison said. Besides the turkeys, the farm also has broiler chickens, laying hens, pork, beef, rabbit and a “cowshare” program that provides customers with raw milk. But the turkeys are in high demand this time of year. The family starts taking orders for Thanksgiving on July 1 and usually sells out by mid-September, Alison said. The family slaughters the turkeys ahead of time and has a big event the Saturday before Thanksgiving, where families come to pick up their turkeys — sold at $5.49 a pound. Scott said the slightly higher price than what’s in the store is necessary, because the non-GMO feed is more expensive than regular feed, and the birds eat more feed than a factory-raised bird, because they’re getting more exercise. “It’s a whole lot better for you and better for them,” Scott said. Alison said it’s easier to cook a Full Quiver turkey, because it doesn’t need as much doctoring to bring out its true flavor. She prefers brining the bird before putting it in the oven, or just using some salt and pepper in a baking bag. She said the farm’s customers prefer Full Quiver meat from store-bought meat, and many buy meat only from the Wilsons year-round, not just on Thanksgiving. “There’s a big local food movement,” she said. “People are not trusting as much what’s in the store. They don’t know who raised it and what their standards are.” ←
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Scott Wilson shows off one of Full Quiver Farm's turkeys, which will be slaughtered the week before Thanksgiving and sold to a family that pre-ordered the bird this summer. Full Quiver Farm turkeys are raised in the outdoors without antibiotics, which creates a bird that's healthier and healthier for humans to eat — and better tasting, too, Wilson says.
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Turkey recipes Turkey brining The secret to the best poultry you have ever eaten is proper brining before cooking, according to this Wilson family recipe. No matter what you do after, brine it first. Fried, grilled, baked, roasted, potted, smoked — it doesn’t matter. Brine it first. Brining is the best way to ensure tender and juicy breast meat that doesn’t dry out from over cooking. Brining works for two reasons: First, salt breaks down proteins in the meat and, by doing so, tenderizes. You will notice the difference. Second, the liquid that gets loaded into the meat by osmosis makes the meat juicy.
Formula for brine ¼ cup kosher salt per quart of cold water ¼ cup white sugar per quart of cold water
large container (plastic or stainless steel is best; we use a cooler). Brine is not marinade. It is a tenderizer. You can add all your spices before cooking using your favorite recipe. Kosher salt is less dense than regular table salt. If all you have is table salt, halve the quantity (1/8 cup per quart of water) and buy kosher salt for next time. Procedure for brining: Do not try to brine partially frozen poultry. It does not work. If you will cut your turkey up before cooking it, do it after brining. Brine for an hour or so per pound to a maximum of 8 hours. Put the brining poultry in the refrigerator or a cooler with some ice floating. After brining, you can hold the drained bird in a plastic bag, marinate, cook immediately, whatever. Prepare for a radical difference! The Wilsons got this recipe from Kip Glass at Autumn Olive Farm.
Stir until completely dissolved. Make enough to cover the poultry completely in a comfortable but not over-
Sweet Potato Casserole
Wilson Family Dressing Recipe
Ingredients Casserole 3 cups sweet potatoes ½ cup sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla ½ cup melted butter Topping 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup flour 1 cup chopped pecans 1/3 cup melted butter
Ingredients 2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix or your favorite cornbread recipe Several bread slices ½ cup butter 1 cup diced onions 1 cup diced celery ½ tsp. sage ½ tsp. poultry seasoning 4 cups chicken broth Black pepper
Directions Mash cooked sweet potatoes until smooth in mixer. Add and beat until smooth sugar, eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Mix four topping ingredients together and sprinkle crumbs on top of casserole. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Yield: 8 servings.
Directions Prepare the cornbread according to recipe or directions on package. Let cool, then crumble. Set aside. Pull enough slices of bread apart into small cubes to make 3 cups. Set aside. In ½ c. butter, sauté diced onions and diced celery until tender. Mix together in large bowl cornbread crumbs, bread cubes and sautéed onions and celery. Add a sprinkling of black pepper, sage, poultry seasoning and chicken broth. Mix thoroughly and put in buttered pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Note: When you put finished mixture in the pan, it will seem too wet, but it firms up as it bakes.
suffolk living
through the lens: Michelle Rizzatti
M
ichelle Rizzatti has been a Suffolk resident for 18 years, and she has grown to love the city’s sometimes-spectacular scenery, she said when she emailed these photos for consideration for the Through the Lens feature. “From the lakes, the rivers or just walking through downtown, Surprising Suffolk definitely lives up to its name,” she wrote. Rizzatti especially loves spending time outside in Suffolk around dusk, which is when most of these photos were taken. But she has also caught some great sunrises over Lake Prince and Matoaka Road. Through the Lens is a monthly feature that highlights a single photographer’s views of Suffolk. Participation is open to both amateurs and professionals. To have your work considered for publication, email editor Res Spears at news@ suffolklivingmag.com.
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Suffolk Selfies
Clockwise from top left, Melissa Zona smiles for the camera; Reagan Colley shows off her class year; Amy Selby takes a selfie of herself in front of a cotton field; and Samantha Gizara shows off her Lakeland High School varsity softball jacket.
suffolk living 17
You look marvelous, and everyone needs to know about it! Show us your smiling face and your artistic expression in your best selfie pose, and you could be in the next edition of Suffolk Living magazine. Email your photos to news@suffolklivingmag.com, and don’t forget to smile!
Clockwise from left, Emily VanDorn, Ashley Parsons, Kenzie Parker and Haley Mathias clown around at the Suffolk Publications Peanut Fest tent; Karen Waddell and Michaela Waddell, 2, have fun at Peanut Fest; Jennifer Hobson smiles for the camera she’s holding; Melissa Zona and daughter, Arianna, share a moment in front of the camera; and Lisa Hamilton takes an expert selfie.
18 suffolk living
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on vacation
SL hits the road There’s no place like home. But even Dorothy didn’t realize how cool Kansas (!) was until she’d spent her vacation ducking flying monkeys. Whether you’re headed to Oz or the Outer Banks, we’d love to go along on your next trip. Snap a photo holding a copy of Suffolk Living, send it to us at news@suffolklivingmag.com and, like the folks below, you might be featured in our next edition.
Jon and Beth Chabot and daughter, Megan Blythe, visited all of Boston’s professional sports arenas during a recent trip north, and they even caught a Red Sox game while they were at Fenway Park, below.
Brian Saunders and girlfriend Mary Katherine Moore spent their vacation at the Sandals Grande Antigua resort in Antigua. Long walks, sunsets, warm temps and relaxation — we’re betting they miss all that right about now.
Dr. Robert F. Brewer, a retired Suffolk plastic surgeon, stopped in St. Petersburg, Russia, during the Prairie Home Companion Tour of the Baltic Sea ports with Garrison Keillor and his crew in August. Dasvidaniya.
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24 suffolk living
Hoofbeats of the heart
Horses get a second chance at ReRun Inc. story by Matthew A. Ward photography by R.E. Spears III
A
t Happy Valley Equestrian Center, outside downtown Suffolk on Whaleyville Boulevard, Shahla Mercer, Amy Ewing and Lisa Molloy are putting their backs into the reality of racehorse rescue. Mercer, 18, and Ewing, 43, run their plans for repositioning a portable pen past Molloy, also 43. Molloy approves, her Lincolnshire accent asserting itself in Southeast Virginia’s crisp autumn air. It quickly becomes clear the executive director of ReRun Inc. is in charge, and, Molloy getting on one end of a steel panel, that she leads from the front. “New horses that are just retired, we always put them in a smaller area to start with,” Molloy explains. Generally speaking, the retired thoroughbred racehorses that come to ReRun have known only the confined space of stalls. An open field is a concept worked up to gradually. “The aim of it is to evaluate any injuries or behavioral issues, and then start getting them turned out in a small area and gradually into a regular-sized field,” Molloy says. Sharing space with other horses is another area for acclimation. Then the retraining begins. For example, Molloy says, an exracehorse might be comfortable walking into the large trailers that are commonplace in the industry, but not the small ones used by recreational horse people. “You have to work with them,” she says. “You are teaching them a different outlook.” One of 23 accredited organizations for retraining and adopting retired racehorses in America, ReRun currently has 22 horses at its leased Suffolk facility. One of the newer arrivals, Radiohead, retired with an injured tendon. He started his career in England and was brought to the U.S. to run in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. “I think he’s won over $300,000,” Molloy says, adding that four See HORSES page 26
Lisa Molloy grooms one of the thoroughbred racehorses being kept at nonprofit ReRun Inc. while it awaits a suitable adoptive home. The organization has had remarkable success giving these high-maintenance animals a chance at life after the track.
26 suffolk living
The horses under the current care of ReRun Inc. at its location on Carolina Road in Suffolk have combined winnings of more than $1.25 million at the track. The organization got involved with them when their owners decided their earning potential no longer merited the investment.
HORSES continued from page 24
horses she’s currently working with have combined winnings of more than $1.25 million. In the past year at the Suffolk facility, 72 horses have been assisted, and homes have been found for 50, she says. The organization has strict adoption guidelines. New owners cannot be children or beginners. These are thoroughbred racehorses, after all. “We found out there’s a home for every horse. Some of the most difficult ones it takes a little time, but eventually we find one,” she says. The task isn’t finished when a new home is found. Adopted horses are tracked for 12 months before ownership is transferred, and they can always be returned if circumstances change. Commuting from Virginia Beach, Molloy spends 10 to 12 hours at the Suffolk farm, seven days a week, and rarely takes a day off. When she gets home, she’s answering emails, making phone calls and marshaling the power of social media. She gets help from a supportive board of directors and loyal volunteers like Mercer and Ewing — as well as the volunteers of Moneigh, a group that raises money for ReRun by auctioning paintings rendered by retired racehorses. Like many other people who’ve made horses their life, Molloy was born around them. She is a native of the large seaport town of Grimsby — an industrial center for fishing and fish processing in England — where her grandfather and other relatives used to bet on the horses. Both her parents worked in fish processing factories, while her grandfather was a fisherman. “My grandmother would bike over to the docks to clean offices until she was 76,” Molloy said. “She lied about her age so they couldn’t make her retire.” Though she clearly picked up her grandmother’s work ethic, Molloy knew from an early age that she wanted to leave the fishing industry for horses. She started riding lessons when she was about 4, and after completing school, she worked with racehorses in the winter and polo ponies in the summer. One of her first polo jobs, Molloy says, was taking care of Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford’s polo steeds, and she also rode some Arabian racehorses See HORSES page 27
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Lisa Molloy has been working with horses since she was a little girl. Acclimating a racehorse to a nonracing environment is a painstaking process that involves getting the horse comfortable around its handlers, getting it comfortable around other horses, getting it comfortable in open spaces and getting it ready for the move to a new home.
HORSES continued from page 26
belonging to Roger Taylor of Queen. Working on polo ponies brought Molloy to the U.S. in 1993, and she met her American husband in Colorado in 2003. His work brought them to Virginia, where ReRun Inc. thoroughbred adoption opened its Virginia center in 2012 on the grounds of a Suffolk farm that used to raise Standardbred horses for harness racing. Her charges today require a special expertise to be made ready for a life outside the race track, and that’s a big part of the purpose of ReRun. The vast majority of ReRun’s horses are “not rescues as such,” Molloy says. “A lot of them have had illustrious careers, and their owners want to provide them with a safe and happy retirement. “Others were high-dollar youngsters that just weren’t going to perform
on the track. The racing industry, and the owners and trainers, are pretty supportive.” In the worst situations, she says, horse come from the private homes of people who watch “Secretariat,” think they need a racehorse, go out and buy one and then discover how ill-prepared they are. “In the past 12 months we have taken three horses out of kill auctions,” Molloy says. “All had come via private owners. I also took two advertised for free on Facebook.” After a bit of re-training, some special TLC and a careful search for the right new homes, their names can be added to the list of placements on a whiteboard that occupies a prominent wall in the ReRun office. For the horses on that list, ReRun gave the gift of life. ←
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gift guide...
Artist Cynthia Quesenberry has a reasonably-priced selection of fused-glass jewelry for sale at Jester’s Gallery Shop, inside the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts on West Finney Avenue.
story and photography by R.E. Spears III
S
uffolk has a great selection of boutique retailers where you can find just the perfect — and unique — gift for everyone on your Christmas list. But there are a few places in town where your gift budget makes a real difference: the retail outlets at three of the city’s top nonprofit organizations. At the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, folks can visit Jester’s Gallery Shop for an eclectic selection of original art, including a regularly rotating collection from a featured artist, sometimes even one from Suffolk. Don’t leave the building without taking a look through the Center’s galleries, and be sure to get a schedule of upcoming events. At Riddick’s Folly, visitors can tour the massive Greek Revival home built by Mills Riddick in 1837, they can see one of Suffolk’s finest collections of Civil War artifacts, they can immerse themselves in the history of 19th-century Suffolk — and they can spend a few minutes in the tastefully stocked little gift shop in the home’s English basement. And at the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum, visitors can enjoy a two-room model train layout that is also a scale model of the original city of Suffolk or they can get up close and personal with a real train caboose. And there’s no place around with a better selection of train and railroad memorabilia for purchase. Best of all, proceeds benefit the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society, which operates the museum.
not for profit
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You won’t find a better selection of items for railroad lovers than what’s available at the Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum on North Main Street. Items range from trinkets for kids all the way up to collectibles and books for the serious enthusiast. You can even pick up a small model train set for the kids.
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Above left, Jester’s Gallery Shop offers a unique selection of art, from weighty to whimsical. Tending toward the latter end of that scale are these samples from a collection of oil paintings by Penny Duke, a.k.a. “Topaz,” who turned her artist’s eye on a favorite local comestible for this grouping. Above right, the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society covers the local bases with its selection of Suffolk’s finest products — peanuts, ham and history among them — at the Suffolk Seaboard Railroad Museum. At right, pottery pieces by Donna Proctor of Pebble Creek Pottery share the spotlight with the fountain at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts. Proctor is originally from Rocky Mount, N.C., but she and her husband “Button” have lived in Suffolk for eight years. Her pottery glazes include blue tones, deep reds and greens, and she has recently started a line of white pottery, which is very popular for wedding gifts.
suffolk living 31
It’s all about local history at Riddick’s Folly House Museum on North Main Street, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better selection of books about the history of Suffolk than is offered in the museum’s gift shop. But visitors can also find some fine pieces of consigned local artwork there, as well, like these pottery pieces by Suffolk artist Linda Bunch.
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images of
Peanut Fest
Suffolk Living readers grab their cameras
Readers of Suffolk Living and the Suffolk News-Herald headed to the 2014 Peanut Fest in October with their cameras, and they provided us with some great images of the fun that visitors had. Photos on this page are by Juelle Jiminez (background), Marsha Rooks (top left) and Harry Storms (above).
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Everybody had fun at Peanut Fest, but some people had more fun than others, and you could just see it in their eyes. Juelle Jiminez’ top two images on this page demonstrate just how important the eyes are to telling the story. Above, Harry Storms caught a shot of the Peanut City Cloggers’ take on “Newsies,” and at left, Marsha Rooks found an inquisitive goat.
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From camel rides to mechanical bull rides and just about anything in between, there were lots of thrills to be had at Peanut Fest. Marsha Rooks captured these images of a couple of those thrills.
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suffolk living 35
where am I?
I
n each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is. If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!
36 suffolk living
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suffolk living 37
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38 suffolk living
merry ol' time
T
he holidays in Suffolk have always been a special time. As far back as the 1890s, when the background picture of this spread is believed to have been taken, folks in Suffolk have celebrated the arrival of the Christmas season with parades, religious services and, of course, shopping opportunities. Photos courtesy of the SuffolkNansemond Historical Society
The background photo shows people playing in snow on North Main Street, believed to be around 1895. On this page from top, George Scott, manager of the Leggett's department store, prepares to open for Christmas shopping; a Christmas parade float tells paradegoers that "A stitch in time saves nine"; and carolers perform during a Christmas service.
suffolk living 39
From top on this page, a small paradegoer is bundled up to watch the festivities; tiny majorettes perform during a parade; snow covers the landscape in front of the Nansemond County Courthouse, now the Suffolk Visitor Center; and guests at the historical society's annual Candlelight Tour fundraiser visit a local historic home.
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suffolk scene
Driver Days Driver Days is the village of Driver’s annual fall festival. On Oct. 18, folks teemed in the village center, enjoying a parade, musical performance, vendors, professional wrestling and much more. Folks said it was the longest parade of the event’s 20plus year history. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW A. WARD
From left, Erin Van Fausien, Eric Aberle, Nick Leaver and Dick Lauver From left, Chuck and Valerie Anderson
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Taste of Suffolk The annual Taste of Suffolk street festival in downtown Suffolk brings out local eateries to offer samples of their fare, as well as activities, contests, vendors, a car show and more. PHOTOS BY TRACY AGNEW
suffolk scene
From left, Dwayne and Belinda Godwin from N'Dulge Eclectic Soul Cuisine
Mekaiyah Jefferson
From left, Damecia Skeeter, Pamela Waters, 8-month-old Lyric Waters, Kylar Waters and Cassandra Waters
From left, Grace Ann Lewis, Karen Hughes and Brent Parks from Plaid Turnip
From left, Kelly Mangubat, Kyle Tierney and Erin Tierney from Cosmic Pizza
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suffolk scene
Shrimp Feast Traditionally kicking off Peanut Fest, Shrimp Feast drew a large crowd to the Suffolk Executive Airport on Oct. 9. Unlike last year, skies were clear and the ground dry. Folks kicked up their heels to live music, ate a lot of shrimp and other tasty food, and shared a few adult beverages with old and new friends. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW A. WARD
From left, Mason Baker, Cheryl Simpson and Jason White From left, Mike Hubbard, Darleen Hubbard and Kathy Ramage
From left, Kris and Ruel Batacandole
From left, Danae Alston, Cassie Winborne, Zhariya Ashburn, Toni Elliott and Barian Alston
From left, Frances Stauffer and John Stauffer
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Oyster Roast The Boys and Girls Club held a barbecue and oyster roast at Constant’s Wharf on Oct. 4 to raise money for its programs, which give kids a safe place and a meal after school until their parents get off work. PHOTOS BY TRACY AGNEW
suffolk scene
From left, Aggie and John Dowd From left, Jenny Connell and Josh Piquette
From left, Danielle Jackson, Christine Coles, Alicia Jackson, Vanessa Skinner and Vickie Coles
From left, Maggie and Robert Kennedy
From left, Shelly Koziana and Brian Todd
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suffolk scene
Founders Day Chuckatuck’s third annual Founders Day, Oct. 25, saw folks come together for a street parade, musical performances and more. Held primarily at the Chuckatuck Volunteer Fire Department building, no one was a stranger during the celebration of shared history and community. PHOTOS BY MATTHEW A. WARD
From left, Robyn Lovell and Emma Grace, 5
From left, Brynlynn, 15 months, Miles and Camie Maiden
From left, Jim, Marsha and Dawson Holmes
Holden Winslow, 2
From left, Bug Richardson, Chief Barry Bass and Betty Bass
suffolk living 45
index of advertisers Academy Animal Care.......45 Airfield Conference Center...22 Anderson & Anderson, CPAs...19 Autumn Care....................11 Bayport Credit Union.........18 Beyond Shears Hair Salon ..18 Blair Brothers.....................36 Bradshaw Dentistry............11 Clem’s Heating & Cooling.. 22 Coastal RV.........................21 Chorey & Associates.........48 Christian & Pugh..............19 Consulate Health Care of Windsor......34 The Cove..........................23 Davis Lakes.......................19 D.B. Bowles Jewelers...........3 Drs. Jett, Sellers and LaRusso...10 Duke Automotive..............36 East End Baptist Church....19 Ellen Drames.......................2 Farmers Bank.....................21 Harbour Veterinary Office ...21 Harbour View Self Storage ... 21 Historic St. Luke’s Church... 45
Isle of Wight Academy.....10 Jani-King....................11 Lions Bridge Financial Advisors...23 L.W.’s Lawn Service...........23 Mega ‘Dors and Windows .. 19 Nansemond Veterinary Hospital...19 Producer’s Peanuts............40 Rawlings Mechanical.........21 R.L. Howell, DDS...............22 Rose & Womble................10 Southern Fin Charters........36 Steve A. Gwaltney, DDS.......7 Suffolk Animal Hospital.....36 Suffolk Christian Academy ...23 Suffolk Eye........................34 Suffolk Pest Control...........22 Suffolk Public Schools.......19 Terrance Williams..............18 The Village at Woods Edge ..47 Zoyo........................19
Last edition’s Where Am I? The sign says "Texaco," but folks who travel North Main Street know the old gas station where am I? badge at the top of I an exterior wall of the little building at the corner of North Main and Mahan is a remnant of an earlier time. Today, the site is a car wash. Suffolk's Carol A. Johanningsmeier wins $25 for having her name drawn from among the correct answers in the last installment Where Am I contest. For your chance to win, see Page 35. 32 suffolk living
n each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.
If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to news@suffolklivingmag.com. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!
Have your business listed here! Call 539-3437 to advertise in Suffolk Living.
THIS FALL DISCOVER
Academy Animal Care Wishes You and Your Pets
a Happy Stress Free Holiday!
Changes during the holiday season in a pet's daily diet, exercise routine and the surrounding environment, along with unfamiliar guests dropping by or staying overnight can all be stressful for your dog or cat. Travel can be stressful too, whether you are taking your pet with you or leaving them behind. Plan out your holiday itinerary keeping your pet in mind making their holiday season as familiar and stress-free as possible. Feel free to call us with any questions about changes in your pet's appetite or attitude during the holiday season.
5 Great Tips to Give Your Pet a Stress-Free Holiday!
Historic
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Plan Healthy Holiday Meals Exercise with Your Pet During the Holidays Introduce Your Pets to Friends/Family Find a Good Sitter/Boarding Facility Plan Your Pet's Holiday Travel & Accommodations Monday-Friday 7:30am to 6:30pm Sat 8:00am to 1:00pm
46 suffolk living
scrapbook
parade: A parade float with kids and adults in Santa hats heads through downtown. Local businesses including the Young Men's Shop, Western Auto and Brandon House can be seen in the background. — Photo courtesy of the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society
This relaxed and easygoing place called
Franklin is a community where people readily get to know one another. You go many of the same places and do many of the same things. That doesn’t change when you decide to live at The Village. There’s a level of friendliness and comfort you’ll find very familiar. At the same time, you get to enjoy a more carefree and secure lifestyle that includes modern, renovated apartments, new amenities, and new services. Get better acquainted with us by calling and planning a visit. Find us on Facebook.
The Village at Woods Edge
Small town charm. Engaging senior living.
1401 North High Street Franklin, VA 23851 757-562-3100 VillageatWoodsEdge.com