Suffolk Living November-December 2021 by Suffolk News-Herald

suffolklivingmag.com

Mushrooms FUNKY FUNGI AND GOBBLIN’ GOATS november/december 2021 • vol. 12, no. 6

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Artful Living Artful Living

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FEATURE

Goats and sheep make for a natural landscaping crew, helping caretakers of land — such as at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve — keep it beautiful.

CONTENTS nov - dec | 2021 13

WHERE AM I? | Think you know Suffolk well? Then see if you can identify this photo.

Advertising rates and information available upon request. Subscriptions are $20 annually in-state; $25 annually out-of-state; $30 for international subscriptions. Please make checks payable to Suffolk Publications, LLC P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439

12 Mushrooms

Mushroom enthusiasts and mycology newbies gathered in Suffolk to discuss spectacular spores.

ON THE COVER

26 In the News

A new section of the Seaboard Coastline Trail opened recently, with amenities like a picnic table and bike repair station.

Cover by Troy Cooper

editor's note nov - dec

2021

Get outdoors — yes, this winter!

EDITORIAL Tracy Agnew Editor

Jen Jaqua Photographer Jimmy LaRoue Writer Rachel Austin Writer news@suffolklivingmag.com

ADVERTISING

Earl Jones Marketing Consultant Lindsay Richardson Marketing Consultant Dana Snow Marketing Consultant sales@suffolklivingmag.com

PRODUCTION Troy Cooper Designer

ADMINISTRATION

As you read this November/December edition of Suffolk Living magazine, you may notice that the stories focus on topics that are what one might call “outdoorsy.” With that in mind, we’d like to encourage you to bundle up and get outside this winter, as often as you can. We’ve all been stuck inside for too long for almost two years now, and even winter is a good time to reverse that trend. If you’re the type of person who knows what the word “mycology” means without having to look it up, you will love the story starting on page 12. An avid mushroom expert recently showed a bunch of mushroom enthusiasts, and even some newbies, around Sleepy Hole Park after a rainy period to discuss the different types of mushrooms that grow in our area and whether any of them are edible. The short answer is that some are, indeed, edible, but we implore you to heed this expert’s sage rhyme: “Don’t munch on a hunch.” For a story about munching animals who are helping to keep outdoor areas clear for us humans, turn to page 20. Chico, Pesto and their crew of other goats and sheep recently helped clear an area at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve of invasive wisteria to help the humans keep it at bay. And our In the News feature this edition focuses on a new section of the Seaboard Coastline Trail. This story about the trail starts on page 26, but this is just one of many trails in our area — which, of course, brings us back to our original point. Anytime there is a nice day this winter, when rain, snow and ice don’t threaten, get out and enjoy Suffolk. There’s a little bit less greenery, and you probably won’t work up a sweat, but we think our beautiful city is just as enjoyable in the wintertime. In addition to getting some fresh air, you can work off all that turkey at Thanksgiving, all the ham at Christmas, and all the sweets in between. We’ll see you again in January. Until then.

Betty J. Ramsey Publisher Hope Rose Production

God bless, Tracy Agnew, Editor

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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Downtown Suffolk 102 Western Ave Suffolk, VA 23434 757.539.7695

Harbour View

5837 Harbour View Blvd Suffolk, VA 23435 757.686.3636 www.howell.dental Ralph L. Howell, Jr., DDS I R. Leroy Howell, Sr., DDS C. Danielle Howell, DDS I Melissa L. Campbell, DMD

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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

2021 Annual Juried Exhibition THROUGH DECEMBER 3

The Suffolk Art League and Suffolk Art Gallery’s 2021 Annual Juried Exhibition is on display through Dec. 3 at the Suffolk Art Gallery, 118 Bosley Ave. Pictured is first-place winner John Alan Stock with his mixed-media work, “Neuroplasticity #17.” The show encompasses 93 works by local artists. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

NOVEMBER 26-DECEMBER 19

NOVEMBER 26-DECEMBER 30

Christmas in Driver will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 26 to Dec. 19 at 3156 Kings Highway. Photos with Santa, lights, music, craft and food vendors, holiday hay ride, hot cocoa and more will be on site, plus the chance to walk the Peppermint Path. Admission to the Peppermint Path is $10; photos with Santa are $5; the hay ride is $5. Buy all three for $18; further discounts when buying all three for multiple people. Visit the Christmas in Driver Facebook page for more information.

Come visit the Festival of Lights at Sleepy Hole Park, 4616 Sleepy Hole Road. The festival is free and open to the public from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This special holiday event is produced by Suffolk Parks & Recreation.

soaps, fine art, candles, woodcrafts, crocheted items, jams and jellies, holiday ornaments, wreaths, baked goods, seasonal produce, meats and more. Santa Claus will be inside the Suffolk Visitor Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for free photos with the kids. Live music and light refreshments included. Call 757-514-4134.

DECEMBER 4

DECEMBER 9-JANUARY 21

The annual Artisan Gift Fair at the Suffolk Visitor Center Pavilion, 524 N. Main St., will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. This market features artisan-quality crafts, jewelry,

The Suffolk Art Gallery, 118 Bosley Ave., will present an exhibit from the Elizabeth River Artists. The group meets each Tuesday at the gallery to paint and socialize while serving the community through yearly

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what to do WHERE’S SANTA?

Santa will be all over Suffolk in December! Below is a brief look at his itinerary. Don’t be surprised if he pops up other places as well! DEC. 4 — 10 a.m. to noon, East Suffolk Recreation Center, 138 S. Sixth St. Join in a fun morning of cookie decorating, holiday crafts and visiting with Santa. The event is free and open to the public; pre-registration required. Call 757-514-7250 DEC. 4 — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Northern Shores Recreation Center, 6701 Respass Beach Road. Children can play games, win fun prizes and have a free professional photo taken with Santa. Children under 12 are free with a donation of unwrapped toy; adults are $5. Call 757-514-7250. DEC. 5 — 1 to 4 p.m., Suffolk Seaboard Station Railroad Museum, 326 N. Main St. Bring your cameras to capture Santa and the kids surrounded by beautiful holiday decor. This event is free and open to the public. Call 757-514-4135. DEC. 14 — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Whaleyville Recreation Center, 132 Robertson St. The Holiday Jingle Mingle will feature hot cocoa and coffee, fun games and crafts, dinner as well as a visit from Santa. Children are free with a new, unwrapped toy for donation; adults are $6. Call 757-514-7105. DEC. 18 — 1 to 4 p.m., Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St. Bring the kids and your camera to meet Santa. The event is free and open to the public. Call 757-514-4130.

DEC. 19 — 1 to 4 p.m., Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St. Bring your pets to meet Santa! All friendly, well-behaved critters are welcomed. Dogs must be leashed. The event is free, but pet owners are encouraged to bring a donation for the Suffolk Animal Shelter. Needed items include cat litter, cat food/kitten chow, dog food/puppy chow, leashes and collars, grooming supplies, toys, crates, towels, blankets, bleach, hand sanitizer and wipes, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, trash bags and carriers. Call 757-514-4130 for more information.

Needs. Wants. Savings. While budgeting can seem tricky at times, Farmers Bank can keep you on track to ensure that you set yourself up for financial success. Please contact us for details— we are here to help.

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what to do lectures and workshops, as well as providing scholarships for aspiring artists. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Call 757-514-7284. DECEMBER 11

View the sights and sounds of the 2021 Suffolk Holiday Parade starting at 7 p.m. Find the best spot to watch the floats, equestrian units, marching bands and festive vehicles as they make their way down West Washington Street, and turn up North Main Street, with the parade route ending at Finney Avenue. This year’s parade theme is “Home for the Holidays.” The grandstand will be in front of the SunTrust Building in the 100 block of North Main Street. Be there to catch the performances of the local bands and groups. Free parking for the event is available in all city public parking lots, including the Godwin Courthouse parking lot, Commerce Street Lot, and Market Park parking lot.

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Come visit Paint and Sip, a paint party where you can kick back, relax, paint and take home a piece of art worthy of a place on your wall! Paint and Sip will be held the second Tuesday of each month at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave., from 7 to 9 p.m. Each month, you will paint a different picture 16x20 inches. Registration is $45 and includes all materials as well as wine, coffee and tea. Learn more at suffolkcenter.org/paint-sipat-the-suffolk-center.

The bold sounds of the Virginia Symphony brass section will ring in the holidays with a blast starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave. Experience the festive sounds of the season in a concert filled with wit, virtuosity and the glorious music of the holidays, featuring the VSO brass and percussion sections in an all-new program. You’ll enjoy music from a variety of styles that have made this concert a new holiday tradition. This year, the Suffolk Center will add special seasonal surprises too! Reserve tickets at suffolkcenter.org/ vsoholidaybrass.

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where am 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 card. So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner. Go out and enjoy Suffolk!

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For the love of spores, ‘don’t munch on a hunch’ Sleepy Hole Park alive with mushrooms

Story by Jimmy LaRoue Photos by Troy Cooper

ushrooms abound and liven up the ground at Sleepy Hole Park. And after an avid mushroomer such as Theresa Augustin shows off more than a dozen different types, they suddenly seem like they’re sprouting all over. Augustin, the director of environmental engagement and outreach at Norfolk Botanical Garden, is a self-avowed mushroom expert and enthusiast. Her curiosity about mushrooms piqued when she was studying at Old Dominion University and she took a class on them. Since then, she’s expanded her knowledge of them and has been taking people on mushroom walks in the gardens for about 20 years. “The more I learn, the more I share,” she said. But that doesn’t mean she’ll eat any mushroom she finds. For starters, she won’t eat any mushroom that isn’t cooked. More importantly, she has to find out if the mushroom she picks up is even edible. Some edible types can look very similar to ones that are toxic. “I don’t ever assume something until I’ve ID’d it and I actually look for certain physical features on it,” Augustin said to a group of mushroom enthusiasts during a fall mushroom presentation at the park. “And that’s what I encourage you guys to do. Never take a picture of this and then go out into the woods and be like, ‘but that was on her table. That’s what that is.’ You have to educate yourself, read the books, understand what you’re looking for when it comes to an edible mushroom, or just mushrooms in general.” That’s a good enough reason to take a spore print of any mushroom found in the field, but that requires patience, as it can take anywhere from 40 minutes to several hours, or even days in some instances, before discerning whether it’s toxic or tasty. In other words? Don’t munch on a hunch. See MUSHROOMS page 14

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Theresa Augustin, the director of environmental engagement and outreach at Norfolk Botanical Garden, talked about the different kinds of mushrooms that can be found in Sleepy Hole Park and the region during a fall workshop, which drew enthusiasts from Suffolk, Hampton and North Carolina. MUSHROOMS continued from page 13

It’s a phrase she would repeat over the course of about two hours during her presentation and subsequent hike through the park. “Every mushroom is edible — once,” Augustin quips. The color of a spore print is unique to that mushroom, she says. She used a honey mushroom as an example — a normal one has a white spore print, while the deadly lookalike’s print color is brown. “Sometimes when you have those identical twins and you want to just double-check, doing a spore print can be a lifesaver and super helpful in ID’ing,” Augustin says before explaining how to do it this way: “Pop the cap off, sit it on a piece of white paper — you want to use white paper because you can get the true color of the spore. If you use colored paper, it might influence it a little bit.”

Some people will use glass so they can put it under a microscope for closer inspection. She advises doing the spore print outside or in a garage due to the “little creatures” that like to live in the mushrooms. “You may find out how squiggly and wiggly they all are,” Augustin said. The American composer John Cage had a fascination with mycology and all things mushrooms, and had a brush with how dangerous misidentifying them could be. In 1954, while at the Stony Point artists’ colony in upstate New York, he became sick after eating hellebore, a poisonous mushroom he thought was skunk cabbage. Though Cage liked to eat mushrooms, even after his poisoning, he shared the common challenge about mushrooms that Augustin and others on the walk run into — being less

than sure of what they’re seeing. “The more you know, the less sure you feel about identifying them,” Cage once said about them. “Each one is itself. Each mushroom is what it is — its own center. It’s useless to pretend to know mushrooms. They escape your erudition.” Augustin brought paper bags filled with different types of mushrooms foraged in Suffolk. But the walk through the park’s woods was illuminating for the multitude of types of them on trees and in the ground. And participants, including one wearing a mushroom-themed T-shirt, shared her enthusiasm for them. “Mushrooms are super cool,” Augustin said. “They are actually the fruiting body … of a fungus that lives underground. This is the structure that comes up solely to release the spore so the next generation can start.” See MUSHROOMS page 15

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MUSHROOMS continued from page 14

Mushrooms tend to grow in the ground and on trees, and fall is usually the best time to forage them. And better yet, you can pick as many mushrooms as you want and not destroy the fungus. And once the group got to exploring the park, they found plenty. There’s nothing sleepy about mushrooms here, especially in their peak season of fall, but they do keep secrets in the underground world in which they grow. The mushrooms we see above ground are just a hint at the secrets that lie beneath. But we do have evidence of what helps that underground world thrive for them: copious amounts of rain. Even someone who was dropped into the park and didn’t know what the weather had been like would have been able to discern that it had rained plenty over the previous few weeks. “Mushrooms pop up from environmental conditions,” Augustin says. “It’s a certain temperature in the air, a certain temperature in the soil, its pH, it’s the amount of moisture — moisture is probably the primary thing. “No rain, no mushrooms.” See MUSHROOMS page 16

At left, Theresa Augustin, the director of environmental engagement and outreach at Norfolk Botanical Garden, shows off some mushrooms found in Sleepy Hole Park with some of the people who came from Suffolk and the surrounding region for the workshop.

16 suffolk living MUSHROOMS continued from page 15

They also have something in common with something much easier to eat when picked. “Mushrooms are like apples on an apple tree, right? The apple is produced as the reproductive structure to get the seeds disseminated out,” she says. “Same with the mushroom, right? So you can pick apples all day long and the tree is fine. There’s no damage to it (and) it continues to thrive. “Same with the mushroom. The fungus underground is doing its thing and will not be impacted by you pulling up a mushroom.” She didn’t dive too deep into the types of mushrooms; rather, she wants people to appreciate and understand them, and provide people with a base layer of understanding if they want to go deeper into identifying mushrooms. Cage connected his two loves — music and mushrooms — though he joked the only thing the two had in common was their proximity in the dictionary. Though it’s unclear whether anyone in the group during Augustin’s presentation felt like Cage about the fungi, they were clear in their enthusiasm for finding myriad mushrooms all over the lively Sleepy Hole Park ground. “Often I go into the woods thinking, after all these years, I ought finally to be bored with fungi,” Cage wrote in a diary of his. “But coming upon just any mushroom in good condition, I lose my mind all over again.”

More than two dozen people turned out for a mushroom workshop at Sleepy Hole Park with Theresa Augustin, the director of environmental engagement and outreach at Norfolk Botanical Garden. She talked about the different types of mushrooms that grow in Suffolk and throughout the region and the challenges in identifying them.

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How do you see Suffolk? Submit your photos to Through the Lens

news@suffolklivingmag.com

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In Tribute ... In Memory of Sandra Krise Angus Hines, Jr.

In Memory of Jane Spivey Robert E. Gillette

In Memory of Aleck Winslow Robert E. Gillette

In Memory of Bob Marr Lisa and Harry Cross

In Memory of Jerry Saunders Robert E. Gillette

In Memory of John C. Harrell Judge and Mrs. James C. Godwin

In Memory of Rev. Myrtle Frances Hatcher Angus Hines, Jr.

In Memory of P. B. Piland Robert E. Gillette

In Memory of Sue Birdsong Sarah Walden Sara Ann and Bill Johnson Angelica Light

In Memory of Mary E. Blair Sandra Reynolds In Memory of Alice H. O’Connor Heather and Scott Carr In Memory of Randolph Raines, Sr. Kim and Randy Raines Mabel Raines In Memory of Dwayne Earl Casper Heather and Scott Carr In Memory of George Barnett Angus Hines, Jr. In Memory of Yancey Birdsong Heather and Scott Carr Main Street United Methodist Church Obici Healthcare Foundation Juanita and Charles Pond, III In Honor of Whitney & Ellen Saunders Robert Saunders In Honor of Kim Raines Samuel Goldenberg In Honor of Les & Wanda Hall Paul Venable In Honor of George Birdsong Obici Healthcare Foundation In Memory of Mary B. Sherard William Hill In Memory of James Turner, Jr. Angus Hines, Jr. Elizabeth Turner In Memory of Wayland T. Pond, III Angus I. Hines, Jr. Family

In Memory of Wilbur Wright Robert E. Gillette In Memory of Anthony Mathews Robert E. Gillette In Memory of David and Jeffrey Halley Carmen and Michael Halley In Memory of Ruth Phelps Lynn and Marshall Bradley Stephen and Christine Cole Glenn and Sarah Rawlings Timothy and Judith Spear A. Wayne Vargo Eliza and James Rainey In Memory of Albert E. (“Buddy”) Krise, III Angus Hines, Jr. In Memory of Elsie Copeland Chuckatuck Class of 1961 In Memory of Elwood Matthews Chuckatuck High School Class of 1961 In Memory of Bobbie Chapman Cindy and Phil Ferguson In Honor of Frank Bray Susan and James Garrett In Honor of Charles Birdsong Pee Dee Peanut LLC In Honor of Ellen Harrison Saunders & Lisa Thompson Cross Katherine Rawls In Memory of Lorraine Skeeter Alice T. Cross In Memory of Bobby Spivey Robert E. Gillette

In Memory of William Cartledge Margaret Reeder-Thornton In Memory of Arthur Woolford Raine Robert E. Gillette In Memory of Susan Redmond Kilby Jackie Overton In Honor of William (Billy) L. Whitley Lynn K. Rose In Memory of Beverly R. Whitley Lynn K. Rose In Memory of Jack C. Knight Robert E. Gillette In Honor of Jack C. Knight Art Latimer In Honor of Barbara Parker Art Latimer In Honor of Deceased Classmates Chuckatuck Class of 1958 In Memory of R. Curtis Saunders, Jr. Eric Anderson Lynn and Joe Barlow Maxine Barnett BB&T Whiteville Office Patricia Bennett Sue and George Birdsong Sandra and Mac Birdsong Nancy and Robert Brewbaker Elizabeth Brooks Heather and Scott Carr Gloria and William Chorey Reginald Corinaldi

Jean Cross Lisa and Harry Cross Anna Maria D’Antonio Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dankmyer William Darden Hunter and Bill Duggan Duke Automotive E. V. Williams, Inc. Environmental Controls of Virginia Mary Ann and Jack Eure J. Jerome Felton Frank Edward Sheffer & Co. Mr. and Mrs. Manfred Freeman, Jr. Sarah and Nathan Gardner Cecilia Gerloff E. Brooks Godwin and David Olli Ellen and James Godwin Wanda and Les Hall Mr. and Mrs. John Harlow Pearl and Robert Harrell Mollie Hassell Robert Hayes and family HBA Architecture & Interior Design, Inc. Donna and Charlie Henderson Pam and Billy Hill Angus Hines, Jr. Esther Jett Holland Mr. and Mrs. John Holland Martha James Asa Johnson William and Margaret Godwin Jonas Betsy and Tom Jones Mr. and Mrs. C. Frank Jordan Emeline and H. L. Keith Betty Kyle The Lane Construction Corp. Anne and George Lankford W. Ashton Lewis Marvin V. Templeton & Sons, Inc. Bessie and Christina Mathias Mr. and Mrs. John McLemore Mardane McLemore Margaret Moring Nansemond Pre-Cast Concrete Joan Nelms Ann and Jack Nurney Alice O’Connor Jeanette Ojeda and Martin N. Speroni

To find out more about tributes through The Suffolk Foundation contact:

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The Tribute page (www.suffolkfoundation.org/tributes) will be updated monthly reflecting donations in memory/honor/tribute of honorees, as well as published annually in Suffolk Foundation communications and in the Suffolk Living Magazine. Tribute donations are placed in the Suffolk Foundation Community Impact Fund to support charitable needs in and around the Suffolk community. Every gift is 100% tax-deductible When a tribute or memorial gift is received, the Suffolk Foundation will send an acknowledgment to the person or family Indicated, notifying them of your thoughtful donation, but will not reveal the amount of the donation.

J. N. Owens Lynnete Holmes Park Mary Park Mr. and Mrs. Edward Peabody, Jr. Phyllis Pruden Mr. and Mrs. James Rainey Reasor Enterprises Mrs. Woodrow Reasor Riddick Babineau, PC Saunders & Ojeda, P.C. Anne Saunders Emily Saunders Rob and Mary Ann Saunders John Sebrell Polly and Henry Simpson Mr. and Mrs. William Spain, Jr. Virginia Sullivan Sweetbriar Development Corp. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Taylor, Jr. Terry Peterson Residential Companies Mr. and Mrs. Howard Tripolsky Joyce Trump VA Transportation Construction Alliance Dean Vincent Alvis and Burwell Winslow Jane Womack Mr. and Mrs. Basil Yost, III Arlene and David Zeiler In Memory of Audrey Billups Butler Tracy P. Carr William L. Chorey Mary Lawrence Harrell Elizabeth W. Jones MLB of Glenview Public Charity Suffolk Sheet Metal, Inc. Audrey and Robert Tippett Mrs. Margaret J. Smith Mary and Joe White Anne R. White Parker’s Produce Rita and David Salmon Carolyn, Don and Turner Hodgins Mary and Sam Sheard

Pam and Bruce Tinker Vincent Wood Pearl Harrell Cynthia and Frank White, Jr. Scott Bradshaw & Rawls, P.C. Ann and Jack Nurney, Jr. Daryl, Kim, Tyler and Cody Billups Robert R. Chapman, III Duke Automotive Thera O. Palmer, IV Arlene and T.O. Palmer, III Jackie and Eddie White Charles Edward White, III Linda and Chad White Julianne Farricker Lindsey White Larry J. Butler Ann and Jeff Davies Michael Carr Danine Hopkins Brooke Abrams Lynn and Win Dale Sara Ann and Bill Johnson In Memory of Martha Saunders Anonymous Nita and Everett Bagnell Lynn and Joe Barlow Maxine Barnett Beazley Foundation, Inc. Patricia Bennett Birdsong Peanuts Sue and George Birdsong James Blair Elizabeth Brooks Martha and Linwood Callis Heather and Scott Carr Sue Chandler Gloria and William Chorey Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Clement Reginald Corinaldi, III Mary Hart and Austin Darden Duke Automotive Jacqueline Edwards Mary Ann and Jack Eure Sarah and Nathan Gardner

Cecilia Gerloff Robert Gillette Katherine Godwin Marion Grigg and Diane Grieder Becky and James Habel Wanda and Les Hall Hampton Roads Bankshares Pearl and Robert Harrell Sandy and Chet Hart Pam and Billy Hill Mr. and Mrs. John Holland Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Jaffe Asa Johnson Sara Ann and Bill Johnson Betsy and Tom Jones Mr. and Mrs. C. Frank Jordan Linnie and C.F. Jordan, Jr. Brenda and Doug Kincaid Erline Kingsbury Betty Kyle Alice McCarley Mr. and Mrs. John McLemore Mardane McLemore Jane and Jim Moore Margaret Moore Diane and Robert Nelms T. E. Norfleet Ann and Jack Nurney Tommy O’Connor Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Pollard Robert Powell, III Phyllis Pruden Kathy and David Rawls Dr. and Mrs. Mallory Read Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Stiff Suffolk News-Herald Pearl Taylor Terry Peterson Residential Companies Joyce Trump Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Williams Alvis and Burwell Winslow Cynthia Winslow Jane Womack Sue and Tom Woodward Thomas Woodward, III Mr. and Mrs. Basil Yost, III

In Memory of Angus I. Hines, Jr. Scott Dean Waitzer Katherine Bennett Maxine Elder Barnett Susan Bowden Neri Jane Wommack Henry G. Simpson Ann and Robert Story Greta Gustavson and Gary Naigle Sue and George Birdsong Irma and Terry Mottley Carroll G. Frohman Patricia and Dennis Dehainaut James E. Floyd, Jr. Alice T. Cross Nansemond River Power Squadron Cheryl U. O’Connor Lauren Herterich James Reightler Leslie Friedman Christa Folkes BJ & AW Strattner Nancy and Joseph Webb Margaret and Stewart Boyce Judge and Mrs. James C. Godwin In Memory of William P. Blair Mardane McLemore Martha and Linwood Callis, Jr. Linda and George Consolvo Anne and John Council C.W. Brinkley, Inc. Construction Alice T. Cross Nancy and Arnold Dempsey Mary Ann and John Eure Kay and Donald Goldberg Sandy and Chet Hart Nansemond Pre-Cast Concrete Co. Nancy and Wesley King Nancy and Joseph Webb Joyce Trump Lydia, Eley and Duke Automotive Juliet and Calvin Fancher Mary Lawrence and John Harrell Charnell W. Blair Peggy and Robert Colgin, Jr.

Win Winslow, Executive Director, The Suffolk Foundation 757-923-9090 or wwinslow@suffolkfoundation.org

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No job too big, no goat too small Story by Phyllis Speidell Photos by John H. Sheally II

hico and Pesto could be the cuddly stars of a petting zoo, but their mid-September visit to Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve was all business. The two young goats, each just 16 weeks old, are the advance guard of a working herd of goats and sheep hired to eradicate unruly wisteria encroaching on four acres of the preserve, rendering it unusable. Half-brothers and best friends, Chico and Pesto eagerly sampled the greenery along the banks of Hoffler Creek where it divides

North Suffolk from western Churchland. After taste-testing the foliage, the pair determined, ah yes! — these bushes would appeal to their flock of more mature, experienced goatscapers. At the age of about 7 months, the two kids will be strong enough to fully join the working herd from RVA Goats and Honey in Chesterfield. Kristi Orcutt, an environmental education specialist, owns and manages the farm-based RVA Goats and Honey. She suggests, “Put away the herbicide and hire herbivores,” as an ecologically responsible first step in landscape control. See GOATS page 22

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See BELLEVILLE page 22

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GOATS continued from page 20

Of the 100 or so animals on her farm, about 90 are goats and sheep, all rescues skilled in quietly and efficiently defoliating an area. She considers the animals working pets, with full health care benefits. At the jobsite, a guard dog provides protection from predators. A human caretaker stays with the herd as well to check on their progress, make sure they have clean water and extra hay or weather tarps as needed. Orcutt added that the goats are with the business for life — never retired and never sold for meat. In the rare event that one finds a new home, the new owner is fully vetted, with follow-ups after the adoption. Goats nimbly negotiate obstacles such as stumps, fallen trees and steep inclines. If they cannot reach the tallest leaves, Orcutt said, they climb the bush and munch their way back down. While goats look up to clear the bushes, sheep look down to clear the ground, grazing on grasses and weeds. In hot weather, the goats will sleep during the day and eat all night. Orcutt explained that as goats munch, their

bellies swell. They eat continually for an hour or so and then rest, chewing their cud as the food ferments in their four-section stomachs, before resuming their work. Their tiny pellets of waste restore the soil source, with any seeds in their excrement so decimated that there is little potential for foliage regrowth. Two days after Chico and Pesto surveyed the jobsite, the working flock arrived, greeted by several neighbors from the Rivershore Road cul-de-sac where the goatscapers made their entry into the Hoffler Creek preserve. Richard Walters was delighted to finally have help battling the overgrowth creeping into his backyard from the preserve. He trims back the encroaching vines threatening to engulf his stack of firewood and rack of kayaks — but it’s a lost cause. “You cannot bushwhack your way into there now — it’s a mess!” he said. The goats and sheep waited restlessly in their two trailers as Orcutt, assisted by a couple helpers and the neighbors, unrolled low-voltage electric fencing to create a corridor. The path guided the animals to the

preserve with little opportunity to wander into the neighborhood. The creek was less of an escape option because goats don’t like wet feet and the volunteers were ready to corral any would-be runner. Just in case, Orcutt carried her secret weapon, a plastic treat bag filled with Cheerios — effective, she said, “Because goats like anything that crunches and will run to the crinkle of the bag.” The four-legged landscapers hit the ground ready to work, but first — lunch! They munched their way along the path like it was a salad bar. The sheep sedately sampled the grasses while the playful goats ran from bush to bush, eager to taste each one before trotting into the preserve’s tangle of bushes, vines and small trees. The herd went to work with an audible chorus of munching and chomping. When Billy, the lead goat, plunged into his chosen bush, the others gave way. “They listen to Billy,” Orcutt said, “And Billy listens to me.” Once the goatscapers clear the greenery, Orcutt explained, it’s possible, with an See GOATS page 24

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A herd of sheep and goats can make quick work of unwanted vegetation, such as in this area at Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve.

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Above, Billy Hargroves and Richard Wentz visit with Chico and Pesto the goats. At right, Kristi Orcutt and Ashley Morgan with Chico and Pesto. GOATS continued from page 22

unobstructed view of the property, to maneuver into the area to cut out invasive vines attacking the mature trees. Defoliated plants are weaker and more susceptible to manual pulling or herbicides if those are the next chosen step in the landscape control plan. The Hoffler Creek preserve was once the Ballard family truck farm that predated the Civil War. The farmhouse sat on the four now overgrown acres. Mrs. Ballard loved flowers and planted gardens around the house — and possibly a few decorative wisterias. After the goats left Oct. 1, Ashley Morgan, executive director of the preserve, said that the goats’ mission was to take the first step toward managing the wisteria — and it was a success. “The goats cleared enough to allow volunteers into the area to take the next step,” she said. “We will be working with volunteer groups throughout the fall, winter and early spring to cut vines from the trees and remove as much of the defoliated vegetation as possible. We hope to have RVA Goats back in the spring to manage the new growth.” The Southeast Virginia Community Foundation and the Rotary Club of Portsmouth funded the goatscaping project. Patrick Ball, senior project scientist for Old Dominion University’s Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center, shot drone footage of the goatscaping progress to create a report for the university on the environmental value of using goatscapers. “When I looked at the before and after footage, I was gobsmacked,” he said. “I have never seen anything like that before — it looked to be that effective.”

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