For Your Benefit

New benefit exclusively for Virginia Farm Bureau members!

NEW!

Save on tried, true and new Bush Hog products

Since 1951, Bush Hog has offered dependable rotary cutters, finishing mowers, landscape tools and a wide variety of tractor-mounted implements. Its rotary cutters are perfect for cutting pastures and mowing fields, and they come with a 10-year gearbox limited warranty.

Bush Hog offers Americanmade equipment to meet all your agricultural and landscaping needs—like zeroturn mowers that reduce mowing time and allow you to cut more efficiently.

And now, Virginia Farm Bureau members can save $250 when they purchase Bush Hog products valued at $5,000 or more!

Visit vafb.com/benefits and log in as a member or create an account, then print out a Membership Discount Agreement Form and take it to any authorized Bush Hog dealer at the time of sale. The discount must be claimed at the time of purchase. Travel Services

Get out and about with trusted member benefits

Visit the Biltmore Estate—America’s largest home

Biltmore Estate in Ashville, N.C., is America’s largest home. Built by George and Edith Vanderbilt, this property offers visitors tours, carriage rides, beautiful gardens, kayaking, horseback riding, paddle boarding, biking and much more on 8,000 acres.

Farm Bureau members in Virginia will receive $10 off regular gate admission to the historic Biltmore estate. Members also can realize reduced rates at The Inn on Biltmore Estate, The Village Hotel and a variety of local accommodations.

While there, browse through unique estate shops for wine lovers, gardeners, bookworms and everyone in between. Savor complimentary tastings of more than 20 handcrafted wines; view rare treasures from the Biltmore collection; and learn about the estate’s barnyard animals.

Visit Biltmore.com/corporateperk for more information. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Members receive admission discount to top-rated Dollywood parks

Located in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., Dollywood is recognized as one of the world’s best theme parks. Spanning 150 acres and located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Dollywood offers more than 40 rides and attractions, including Lightning Rod, the world’s fastest wooden coaster. Dollywood has won more awards than that of any other theme park for its live shows featuring country, bluegrass, Southern gospel and classic rock. Master craftsmen demonstrate the area’s rich artistry, from hand-blown glass to blacksmithing.

Members can now purchase discount tickets to the Dollywood Theme Park. Visit Dollywood.com/Store/Special-Offers?promocode=VAFARMBUREAU or vafb.com/benefits.

Book hotels at a discount

Your Farm Bureau membership gives you access to two programs offering significant savings at thousands of hotel properties. Reservations are required, and blackout dates may apply.

Choice Hotels International

The Choice Hotels International program offers a 20% discount off “best available rates” for Farm Bureau members at more than 5,000 locations. To access this discount rate, call 800-258-2847 or visit choicehotels.com. Use the Virginia Farm Bureau identification number, available at vafb.com/benefits and from your county Farm Bureau, when making a reservation. Present your membership card when you check in.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Whether you’re looking for an upscale hotel, an all-inclusive resort or something in between, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has the right hotel for you! As a Virginia Farm Bureau member, you will save up to 20% off the “best available rate” at over 8,000 participating hotels worldwide.

To take advantage of this discount rate, call 877-670-7088 or visit wyndhamhotels.com/farm-bureau. Use the Virginia Farm Bureau identification number, available at vafb.com/benefits and from your county Farm Bureau, when making a reservation. Present your membership card when you check in.

Home/Business Savings

Save on goods, services and places to visit

Virginia Farm Bureau’s exclusive Member Deals Plus®* benefit uses the nation’s largest private discount network to save you money on meals, clothing, vehicle care, and other goods and services. It uses “show your phone” mobile deals that can be accessed anywhere and redeemed from a smartphone at the point of sale, or from a home computer.

Members can enjoy Member Deals Plus savings at more than 100,000 locations nationwide.

How to get started

To register as a Member Deals Plus user, visit vafb.com/benefits, and click the Member Deals Plus link near the top of the page. Then, on the Member Deals Plus website,

1Click “Register” in the top right corner, and use your Farm Bureau membership number.

2Once you’re registered, you can start saving immediately.

Then, to save with a mobile device,

1Download the “Member Deals Plus” app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

2Sign in with your email address and password you created on the website.

For assistance, contact Member Deals Plus customer service at 888-275-9136.

*Member Deals Plus and Member Deals plus are registered trademarks of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

Get up to 50% off on Xerox printers and supplies

Farm Bureau members interested in purchasing printers and supplies like cartridges, toner and ink will receive preferred pricing on the latest Xerox technology and services, including up to 50% off home and office products and production printers. To learn more, visit Xerox.com/FarmBureau, or contact a Xerox representative at 800-ASK-XEROX, ext. 232.

Users must present their Farm Bureau membership card or member number at the time of sale.

Healthy Living

Members save on prescription drugs

Virginia Farm Bureau’s free Prescription Drug Discount and Savings Program affords members discounts at more than 67,000 pharmacies nationwide, on all FDAapproved brand and generic drugs.

Members pay no fee to use the program, which is designed for individuals with no insurance coverage for prescription drugs.

The program works via what’s known as a “consumer care” or “point of sale card” that can be used by your entire household. There are no medical exams, no waiting periods, no claim forms to file and no exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

Your county Farm Bureau can provide starter card information and details on how to locate participating pharmacies near you. Farm Bureau representatives also can help you compare potential savings on generic and name-brand drugs.

For more information, visit vafb.com/benefits. You will need to register and log in as a member.

WATCH US

This month on Real Virginia:

State legislators are prioritizing agricultural trade

Featured this month on Real Virginia, Virginia Farm Bureau’s weekly television program: • Gov. Ralph Northam aims to double Virginia’s agricultural exports in the next 15 years. • Antique enthusiasts have amassed extensive collections of vintage farm equipment • Learn how to grill a skirt steak and dress it up with a chimichurri sauce in this month's Heart of the Home.

Real Virginia airs nationwide at 3:30 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month on RFD-TV on Dish Network and DirecTV, and on selected cable outlets around the state. It airs weekly on WBRA Roanoke, WHRO Norfolk, WVVA Bluefield and WTKR Norfolk, and on the first and third weekends of each month on WVIR Charlottesville and WRLH Richmond.

Watch Real Virginia anytime online at youtube.com/user/ VirginiaFarmBureau.

Learn about Medicare options through free virtual seminars

Virtual Medicare 101 seminars were so popular in 2020 that Virginia Farm Bureau is once again offering a series of free informational classes for its members.

“Medicare can be confusing, and it’s important that you have a good understanding of how Medicare works,” said Tracy Cornatzer, sales manager for VFB Health Insurance division. “We had a great turnout in 2020, and since the pandemic is continuing, we’ve decided to hold this year’s seminars virtually to minimize risk to our members, customers and staff.”

The virtual sessions are accessible from the living room couch or kitchen table— on a computer, phone or tablet.

Sessions typically last an hour, and a health insurance representative of VFB’s Health Insurance division will present the material. Cornatzer said the material covers the nuts and bolts of how Medicare and related plans work. Enrollment periods and plan timelines also will be explained during the sessions.

Virginia Farm Bureau has facilitated Medicare seminars since 2016, but last year was the first time the sessions were held online. “We will miss seeing everyone in person but are happy that with the aid of technology we can offer these classes through a computer, tablet or phone,” Cornatzer said.

To RSVP, email your name, county, email address, and the date of your chosen seminar to MedicareSeminar@vafb.com or contact your local Farm Bureau office. Participants can RSVP to the session of their choice and will be sent a Webex link to join that meeting virtually.

Seminars will be held at 10 a.m. on June 8, July 6, Aug. 3 and Sept. 7; and at 6 p.m. on May 27, June 24, July 29, Aug. 26 and Sept. 23.

If you are unable to attend and have questions about Medicare or need assistance signing up for a Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage, or Part D plan, contact a local Farm Bureau office or call 800-229-7779. You also can request a quote at vafb.com/health.

TRUE COLORS

Natural dyes are derived from an array of botanical and biological matter — some in our own backyards

Dye master Linda LaBelle says plants like this indigo create richly dyed creations.

BY NICOLE ZEMA

Our relationship with color and the desire to adorn ourselves in it is an ancient human trait.

While dye techniques and materials have evolved with civilization, an international community of dye masters still honor ancient methods, creating dyes from natural sources like roots, leaves, flowers, seeds, insects and wood. Indigo vats meld into fermented organisms that must be fed, stirred and left to rest, and can live for years.

Botanicals like woad and Japanese indigo flourish in Virginia dye gardens, but dyes also can be created with materials from your yard or fridge.

Like a sommelier’s sensitive palate distinguishes subtleties of fine wines, dye masters have an innate recognition of the color spectrum.

“I can’t sing, I can’t dance, but I can make and recognize color,” said dye master Linda LaBelle of Roanoke, who has traveled the globe learning and teaching natural dye techniques for two decades. “You might have 20 blues, and I can tell you which blue is which.”

Out of the blue

“Ma’am, do I need to get you to a hospital?” asked a concerned neighbor, staring at LaBelle’s indigo-stained hands.

Her blue-tinged fingers and richly dyed creations tell a story about color. Though dyeing precedes recorded history, LaBelle believes early man likely took a cue from nature.

“They saw bird feathers and butterflies, and thought, ‘If they can have those beautiful colors, why can’t I?’”

While studying natural medicinal plants, LaBelle found that many double as dyes. Her interest was stoked by master weavers and dyers she met in India and Mexico.

“You learn about new plants and mordants, things not written about in books, or in your language,” she said. LaBelle went on to teach natural dyeing in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, shared fiber techniques with Rwandan women, and led a children’s workshop in Italy.

Mordant, French for “to bite,” is often aluminum-based, and necessary for color to affix to fabric. A dye assist like cream of tartar is a color brightener that also prevents harshening of the yarn in the vat. The addition of tannins to a vat helps preserve color.

LaBelle’s 55-gallon indigo vat is now entering its third year in her home studio. “It’s a living thing, and you treat it like a pet or a child,” she said. “Even when it’s resting, I still feed

NICOLE ZEMA

NATURAL DYE GUIDE

PLANT: Madder (Rubia tinctorum) COLOR: Reds

SOURCE: Cochineal bug COLOR: Pinks/Reds

VAHE MARTIROSYAN

PLANT: Gardenia COLOR: Yellows PLANT: Japanese indigo (Persicaria tinctorial) COLOR: Blues

it sake. I keep stirring and checking to make sure it’s healthy. You never approach a vat when you’re angry or in a rush. Some days it’s not going to work; other days it works beautifully.”

The madder at hand

Red textile fragments dyed from roots of an old-world species of madder have been found in Pakistan from 2500 B.C., and in Egyptian tombs, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture ethnobotanists.

Madder root is still a popular natural dye. LaBelle sells the root whole, ground and as extract through her online retail business called The Yarn Tree. Some customers want the plant matter, while others prefer extracts.

Her online catalog includes other natural dyes like Osage orange shavings from the shredded heartwood of the Maclura Pomifera tree that leave a striking yellow hue. Luscious pinks and reds come from cochineal—scaled insects found on the pads of prickly pear cacti, farmed in Mexico, Peru and the Canary Islands. “I grind the whole bugs myself, and also sell extracts,” LaBelle said. “A little goes a long way.”

Small-batch fashion

Historically, certain colors were popular based on their availability, said fashion historian Dr. Dina Smith-Glaviana, assistant professor of fashion merchandising and design in Virginia Tech’s Department of Apparel, Housing and Resource Management.

“After the 1850s when synthetic dyes were introduced, the possible color range increased,” she said. “We historians say that people in the past loved color more than we do now, and if your eyes do not bleed looking at the colors featured on historical garments or on walls in historic homes, then it is not historically accurate!”

Before fast fashion, garments were re-dyed by indigo masters, Labelle added. Organic sources of natural dye are sustainable, but not suited for large-scale commercial production.

Smith-Glaviana said some dyes were harder to procure than others, like Tyrean purple dye produced from the glandular secretions of mollusks and discovered in 1500 B.C. It was expensive, as 12,000 mollusks were needed to produce 3.5 ounces of dye.

“Its scarcity is why it was used and restricted to royalty in Roman times and beyond,” Smith-Glaviana said. “People would put out yarns or fibers on a beach and wait for shellfish to wash up or crawl up on the beach and secrete on the fibers.”

A garden to dye for

Indigos are tropical plants, but some varieties, like Japanese indigo, perform well in Virginia.

“It’s super versatile, and I think everybody should grow it,” LaBelle said. “And bees love indigo plants.”

A few raised beds in her backyard produce three indigo varieties from Central America, India and Japan, and woad—one of the oldest-known dye plants. Until the introduction of indigo from India in the late 1500s, woad was the only blue dye used in Europe. “It’s a special and very recognizable blue,” LaBelle said. “The seeds hang down and turn a shiny purple. They look like little jewels hanging there.”

Stay-home orders associated with the COVID-19 pandemic heightened public interest in hand-dyeing. Dye kits and instructional resources abound for newcomers wanting to try this ancient art form.

Facing page under indigo: An indigo vat can live for years. LaBelle shows a hand-woven, hand-dyed scarf from India. Shibori is a Japanese tie-dying technique used in these pieces of hand-spun cotton. LaBelle sells indigo sticks through her online business, The Yarn Tree. She created an original garment that was accepted for a 2020 indigo exhibition in Japan.

diy dyes

Make natural dyes at home

Megan Nilsson, a graduate of the Virginia Tech School of Visual Arts, shared step-by-step instructions on how to create natural dyes at home using compost-worthy scraps.

“Some ingredients and fibers work a lot better than others in this imperfect process,” Nilsson said. “I have noticed that natural fibers like cotton or wool consistently work better than synthetics like acrylic yarn.”

INGREDIENTS • Choose one: pomegranate skins, red or yellow onion skins, or flowers like marigold, hibiscus and sulfur cosmos.

DIRECTIONS • Place a few tablespoons of alum (a mordant found in the spice aisle) in a large jar. • Fill the jar halfway with lukewarm water. • Place your fiber in the jar (yarn, cloth napkin, T-shirt), and soak it overnight. Add more water if needed to cover the fiber. • Simmer your dye material in water for about an hour until the water changes color. • Strain liquid dye into a clean jar. • Let fiber soak in dye overnight. • Rinse fiber with water until it runs clear, and hang to dry.

Pawpaw’s tropical flavors rooted in American landscape

Glenn Clayton removes a tray from one of his Nelson County beehives. Honey varieties reflect the flavor of the nectar source bees bring back to their hives. Beekeepers label the honey based on where most of the nectar came from, like clover, thistle or tulip poplar.

How sweet it is

Virginia’s varied landscape is reflected in locally harvested honeys | ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY ADAM CULLER

Between its coastline, mountains, rivers and valleys, Virginia’s diverse landscape makes the Old Dominion an ideal place for humans, animals and plants to live harmoniously.

Among the greatest beneficiaries of Virginia’s natural splendor is the western honeybee, which was first introduced to the Jamestown colonists in 1622 to improve their crop cultivation. Nearly 400 years later, the species is still busy producing unique honeys that are coveted by local consumers.

Honey begins with flowering plants

The process begins each spring when foraging honeybees collect nectar from flowering plants and use the syrup to produce honey in their hives. The nectar source determines the honey’s flavor, and the wide range of honey varieties made in Virginia are a product of the state’s floral diversity.

“There are a lot of different nectar sources out there—every plant is going to have a different concentration of sugars and flavors, so each will produce a honey with its own unique tastes and colors,” said Keith Tignor, state apiarist for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “And, because bees are generalist pollinators, they’re usually visiting multiple plant species and are likely to bring back lots of different nectars to combine in the hive.”

Tignor said beekeepers manage their harvests to determine whether their honeys will have a plant-specific produces sourwood and wildflower honey at Hungry Hill Farm in Nelson County. “You have all kinds of honey, but the sourwood has its own special flavor.”

Bob Wellemeyer, a Rappahannock County beekeeper who produces goldenrod and wildflower honey at Windsong Apiaries, noted locally produced honey is becoming popular with consumers for culinary and medicinal purposes.

Honey is a trendy yeast source and ingredient at Virginia breweries, distilleries and meaderies as well. Darker honey varieties are sometimes favored for their nutritional value.

Raw honey, meanwhile, is finding increased applications in medical settings because of its woundhealing properties.

“The thing you’ve got to remember about honey is that it’s pretty much perfect in the hive,” Wellemeyer said. “The honey that smaller producers are selling is strained, not filtered, and still has all the pollen grains and particles that make it the product people want to buy. Raw honey is the one thing smaller producers can offer that the big packing companies can’t.”

flavor or a culmination of flavors from several different plants. To influence their colonies’ pollination practices, beekeepers often place their hives in locations where plants are in full bloom. This encourages bees to feed on that plant’s nectar.

“Once that bloom is over, beekeepers will take the honey that was produced during that time, extract it and bottle it,” Tignor said. “They’ll label their honey things like clover, thistle and tulip poplar because that’s where most of the nectar came from that’s in that jar of honey.”

Sourwood variety called ‘Cadillac of honeys’

Buckwheat, clover and wildflower are among the most common honey varieties produced in Virginia, though the commonwealth is known for its production of sourwood honey. Named after the species of trees that are found in southern and western regions of the state, its nectar is available to honeybees in June and July.

The honey—revered for its sweet, buttery taste resembling caramel— typically makes its way to consumers in early August.

“It’s what we call ‘the Cadillac of the honeys,’” said Glenn Clayton, who

Beneficial bugs

Despite insects’ reputations as pests, most species play a key role in successful plant growth.

BY ADAM CULLER

Bees — Anthophila

Pfeiffer’s review: “Bees have a very positive role in the environment, including the role they have with humans. They’re good because they pollinate a wide variety of plants. Honeybees, bumblebees and mason bees are all useful pollinators.”

Pros

• Effective pollinators of cultivated crops and wild plants • Produce food and wax products (honeybees)

Cons

• Painful stings (some species)

Ladybugs — Coccinellidae

Pfeiffer’s review: “Most ladybugs are predatory, but a couple of North American species feed on plants, such as Mexican bean beetles. Ladybugs can be very effective in reducing mites and aphids. Ladybugs often hunt in ground cover and in trees. They help control pests on a wide variety of horticultural crops.”

Pros

• Effective predators of aphids, mites and other pest insects • Lay eggs among pests’ nests, allowing larvae to feed at high rates

Cons

• Some species are harmful to plants (Mexican bean beetles) • Retreat indoors when outside temperatures cool

Praying mantises — Mantidae

Pfeiffer’s review: “Praying mantises are almost entirely predatory, and they often catch pest insects. However, it’s hard for them to really put a dent in a pest population because they’re not all that numerous.”

Pros

• Effective predators of pest insects, especially flying insects like moths and mosquitoes • Prey on small rodents

Cons

• Sometimes prey on other beneficial insects • Known to prey on hummingbirds, which are important pollinators

There’s no way around it—insects are unwelcome guests in most people’s homes, and some residents go to great lengths to expel creepy crawlers from their dwellings.

But in the garden, it’s a whole different story. Whatever your definition, bugs are a crucial cog in supporting plant growth, serving as pest control, pollinators and facilitators of healthy soil regeneration. Of the 10 quintillion insects estimated to be living at any time on Earth, about 99% of them provide positive ecological benefits.

Dr. Doug Pfeiffer, a Virginia Tech entomology professor, offered a few impartial reviews of insects that may be misunderstood.

Ground beetles — Carabidae

Pfeiffer’s review: “Ground beetles are an interesting family because they’re mainly predatory, but some feed on seeds in the ground. Ground beetles often are good predators of caterpillars, and generally they’re good predators of pest insects that spend some part of their life cycles in the ground cover.”

Pros

• Effective predators of caterpillars and other pest insects at crops’ root level • Some species prey on snails and slugs

Cons

• Sometimes feed on planted grains

Vespid wasps — Vespidae

Pfeiffer’s review: “The vespid wasps, such as paper wasps and yellow jackets, have a mixed role, mostly because people are leery of them because they can sting. Some species are more aggressive than others, but they’re beneficial during most of the growing season because they feed on caterpillars and other pest insects in farm fields.”

Pros

• Effective predators of caterpillars and other pest insects • Pollinators of wild plants

Cons

• Aggressive defense response • Painful stings, which can be fatal in some cases

Lacewings — Chrysopidae

Pfeiffer’s review: “There are two main families of lacewings—green and brown. Their larvae are entirely predatory, and they’re sometimes called aphid lions because they’re voracious predators of aphids. Overall, they can be very effective predators of soft-bodied insects. Some species mainly feed on pollen, but I don’t know of any that cause injury to plants.”

Pros

• Aggressive predators of aphids, also hunt soft-bodied insects • Minor pollinators

Cons

• None

Visitors to the tasting room at The Hague Winery in Westmoreland County can enjoy scenic farmland as they sip crisp rosé.

ROSÉ ALL DAY:

Blush-tinted wines are ideal for summer sipping

Virginia has steadily been gaining a foothold in the wine world and is now home to 312 wineries. The state’s diverse climate allows growers to cultivate 28 varieties of grapes on more than 4,000 acres, from chardonnay and merlot to lesser-known varieties like petit manseng.

While producing award-winning reds and whites, many Virginia vintners also offer a popular in-between option— rosé.

Made from single grapes or complex blends, rosés can be sweet or dry, sparkling or still. Delicate hues ranging from a soft blush to deep salmon are reminiscent of warm days spent outside.

“Rosés lend such a beautiful shade to the table,” said Dr. Beth Chang, Virginia Cooperative Extension enology specialist. “Their versatility is extremely appealing. They can be consumed on their own or paired with many cuisines. From a wine production perspective, they can round out a portfolio nicely due to their intermediate body.”

Northern Neck is home to dry rosé wines

BY ALICE KEMP

Established at the historic Buena Vista Plantation on the Northern Neck, The Hague Winery’s tasting room overlooks a picturesque manor home, vineyard and farmland. The converted 1930s barn offers an intimate space to enjoy the peaceful landscape with a glass of crisp rosé.

“I joke I can plot rosé sales with outside temperatures,” chuckled Steve Madey, who owns The Hague Winery with his wife, Cynthia. “When the temperature gets into the 80s and 90s in July, the rosé is flying out of here. People are sitting out on the patio with a chilled bottle of rosé and some cheese.”

The winery’s French-style dry rosé made from cabernet franc grapes eliminates the sweetness many associate with pink-hued wines. Hints of strawberry accompany floral notes, giving it a unique complexity— something Madey aims for in his rosés.

“I like a little bit of fruitiness at the outset and some kind of mid-palate richness,” Madey said. “And then a finish that trails off. I’m looking for something that isn’t just one note.”

Winemaker Mark Misch makes rosé using the maceration method— crushing the deep red grapes and leaving the skins to soak for 12 hours to overnight, “just enough to get color in it.

“You ferment it like a white wine in a tank that you can keep cool,” Madey explained.

The Northern Neck’s warmer winters, blustery winds and welldraining soil are ideal for cultivating grapes. Positioned for maximum sun, Madey’s 5 acres of vines are handtended throughout the season.

There’s a flexibility in making rosé wines, he explained. The grapes don’t require the same amount of precision like they do for a red. He can choose to harvest early and make a rosé if

MOUNTAINROSE VINEYARD

Red grapes are primarily used for making Virginia rosé wines. This vineyard in Russell County is a secondary location for Wise County's MountainRose Vineyard. This is where it grows chambourcin grapes to make its Darby Blush.

ROSÉ ALL DAY

MountainRose's award-winning Darby Blush is the basis of Darby's Rose Colored Glasses, a "wine mint julep." Steve Madey stands in the tasting room of The Hague Winery, which he co-owns with his wife, Cynthia. He says customers enjoy rosé in warmer weather.

bad weather presents threats of rot or diluted grapes.

“You get to the early fall around here, and you’re looking at tropical storms and all kinds of other problems,” Madey said. “It’s a great stress reliever.”

Southwest Virginia rosé named for its coal country roots

BY NICOLE ZEMA

Hills once powdered with coal dust in deep Southwest Virginia have been reclaimed by MountainRose Vineyard‘s 10 acres of grape-bearing vines.

In tribute to the region’s coal-mining heritage, the Wise County winery’s Darby Blush rosé was named for a coal seam on the reclaimed mine lands. Made with straight chambourcin grapes, the blush is a hit with locals and wine connoisseurs alike.

“Our Darby Blush has some residual sugar, so it’s a semi-sweet,” said Suzanne Lawson, MountainRose Vineyard owner and sales manager. “Rosés in general are good for someone who wants a more full-bodied and flavorful wine than a white, or for people who are not red wine drinkers. White-wine lovers often begin enjoying red wines by first trying rosés, as they have some of the flavors and aromas of red wines without the tannins, making them a great a crossover from white to red wines."

Southwest Virginia wineries are

MOUNTAINROSE VINEYARD

MountainRose customer Angela Gibson holds a refreshing rosé cocktail.

not as well-known as those in other areas of the state, but MountainRose Vineyard is trying to change that.

Its chambourcin grapes are grown in neighboring Russell County at a second site called Grace Vineyard. Its lower elevation affords a layer of protection against late spring frost, creating a mesoclimate of warm days and cool nights.

“This makes our wines different from other wines in Virginia,” Lawson said.

Darby Blush won the 2008 Wine of the South silver award, and its tasting notes include grape aromas followed by strawberry flavors, with a crisp, clean green apple-candy finish.

Lawson said their rosé is best paired with any kind of seafood.

“Blushes are perfect with seafood, so I think in Virginia that contributes to their popularity,” she mused. “It’s light enough to have with chicken, and it has a little more versatility with food pairings than reds or even some of the whites.”

Rosé and recipes make quite a pair

Enology Extension specialist Dr. Beth Chang has pairings down to a science. In addition to white meats, fish and shellfish, rosés also compliment cuisines like Thai and Indian. Semi-dry varieties with some residual sugar are a great counterbalance to spicy foods.

“Rosés can be a fun choice for barbecue,” Chang noted. “The acid cuts through fatty meats, the red fruit aromas pair well with smoky flavors, and the body of the wine is typically a good weight to avoid overpowering the accompanying side dishes.”

Darby's Rosé Colored Glasses

A "wine mint julep" cocktail created at MountainRose Vineyard with Darby Blush, or using your favorite Virginia rosé.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Darby Blush wine ⅓ cup sugar, plus extra to coat the wine glass rim 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint 3 tablespoons lime juice 1 cup lemon-lime soda 1 strawberry

DIRECTIONS

Syrup: In a small saucepan, mix 1½ cups blush wine with sugar and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Add mint to the syrup, and let cool. Strain mint from the syrup, and store syrup in a closed container; refrigerate until ready to use. For each serving: Dip a wine glass rim in lime juice, and coat the rim with the extra sugar. In the wine glass, add crushed ice, 1 teaspoon syrup, ½ cup Darby Blush and ¼ cup soda. Garnish with fresh mint leaf and strawberry. Swirl and enjoy.

-MountainRose Vineyard

Poached Pears

INGREDIENTS

1 lemon 1 bottle Darby Blush wine 1 cup sugar 8 whole cloves 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt 4 Bosc pears

DIRECTIONS

Zest the lemon using a citrus zester, or cut off the zest and cut it into very thin strips. In a small saucepan, squeeze the juice of the lemon and add the wine, sugar, cloves, vanilla and pinch of salt. Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the pears to the liquid. Cover the pan, reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pears. Return the liquid to a low boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until it reduces and thickens to a syrupy consistency. Drizzle the syrup over plated pears, and garnish with mint leaves or fresh fruit.

-MountainRose Vineyard

Passionvine is a Virginia native and its flowers attract pollinators.

Crossvine is a perennial native that blooms in the spring.

Climbing plants:

Vines make the most of any space

BY ALICE KEMP

Picture this: Beautiful greenery twining up a fence, decorated with blooms of vivid yellow, pink or purple that produce a visual masterpiece without taking up much garden real estate.

“Vines are great for creating that vertical element in a landscape,” said Ed Olsen, a Virginia Cooperative

Extension horticulturist in Henrico County. “They can also be used to draw your eyes upwards in a landscape, creating the effect of height.”

Providing color, texture and unique form, they climb, cling and twist their way onto nearby structures. Ideal for small spaces, these creative climbers can cover an unsightly fence, add decoration to an arbor or column and provide privacy and shade.

“There’s one called woodvamp, which is a relative of climbing hydrangea,” said Mike Andruczyk, an Extension horticulturist in Chesapeake. “It grows in the shade by aerial roots and has fragrant little clusters of creamy white flowers in mid-spring. In the wintertime, it drops its leaves, but it has pretty peeling bark to look at as well.”

Virginia offers several beautiful native vines. Crossvine, a

Carolina jessamine is a twining vine with evergreen leaves and sunny yellow blooms. Woodvamp is a relative of climbing hydrangea and grows well in shade.

perennial native, blooms in the spring with warm, red-orange tubular flowers, adding colorful splashes as it climbs by gripping its tendrils onto surfaces.

Carolina jessamine, a twining vine, can add a sunny look with its evergreen leaves and bright yellow, fragrant flowers.

Another Virginia native is passionvine. With purple or yellow flowers, this is a “wonderful deciduous vine that flowers from late spring through summer. They attract many species of pollinators including native bees and butterflies,” Olsen said.

Training your climber

Clips or ties can be used to fix vines in place to train them to climb in a desired direction until they’re established and grow naturally. Trellises, pergolas, latticework or frames with netting make ideal ornamental structures for vines to scale.

“You could keep them within a small frame fairly easily, but you can allow them to get much bigger if you want,” Andruczyk said.

Some vines, like clematis, can grow alongside a tree, wrapping its leaf petioles around it for support.

“Because it’s climbing with those petioles, it’s not crushing the stem or overwhelming the trunk of the tree,” Andruczyk explained. “They can work together so you can kind of maximize your space.”

Keep in mind that vines can be tenacious, taking over if not maintained or pruned. Large vines like wisteria can overwhelm a structure with their ever-growing mass.

Use caution on important structures

Stately brick homes covered in sprawling English ivy are an idealized image, but there can be problems lurking beneath the beauty. Aerial roots can find their way into mortar and erode it over time. Vines also trap moisture, leading to mold, and can be an attractive haven for damaging pests like termites.

Removing established vines can strip away paint, leave residue and cause discoloration.

“You could put another structure up, such as a wooden structure or little brick wall for it to climb separate from the house,” Andruczyk advised.

Medicare Advantage plans include added benefits for 2021

BY ADAM CULLER

Medicare Advantage plans are growing in popularity among Medicare beneficiaries, as are the number of plans that offer supplemental benefits to subscribers.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has grown from 6.9 million participants in 1999 to 24.1 million in 2020. It’s now estimated that 39% of all Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Advantage plans.

Medicare Advantage plans, also known as Medicare Part C, are offered and managed by private health

As Americans live longer, healthier lives, more are enrolling in Medicare Advantage plans.

insurance carriers and are approved by Medicare. These plans include Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B benefits, and most include Medicare Part D prescription coverage.

These plans also provide a wide range of supplemental benefits not offered through original Medicare. Benefits

| MEDICARE ADVANTAGE cont'd on page 30 »

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Avoid costly repairs with homeowner equipment breakdown coverage

BY ADAM CULLER

Unexpected appliance and household system breakdowns can be a financial nightmare often requiring hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair.

Breakdowns caused by fire or weather events typically are covered under most standard homeowner policies, but common losses caused by electrical and mechanical failures aren’t.

However, by adding equipment breakdown coverage to their policies, homeowners are protected against sudden, accidental equipment breakdowns and the staggering repair rates.

“Homeowner policies are designed to cover direct damage to equipment that occurs outside of the unit, damage often caused by fire, lightning or hail,” said Lisa Whitus, personal and commercial lines underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.

“If your air conditioning unit burns up because of a house fire, that’d be a fire claim covered under your homeowner policy,” she said. “But if that equipment breaks down because the circuitry fails, that’s not a covered loss. Equipment breakdown coverage is designed to pick up where homeowner policies leave mechanical failure to endorsed equipment, but it doesn’t cover routine maintenance. Coverage is relatively inexpensive, making the endorsement a wise choice for homeowners.

“It’s going to cover all kinds of property in your home—your major systems, appliances and electronics,” Whitus said. “Insurance is there for those catastrophic losses, and equipment breakdown coverage is there to cover the losses that create a need to replace a whole system.”

Cosmetic endorsement ensures roof and siding match repaired areas

Virginia weather is unpredictable, and your home can be severely damaged by hail, rain and wind. Depending on your homeowner policy, weather damage to roofing and siding is a covered loss, but only to the damaged portion. In some cases, this can lead to mismatched materials being used for a repair, giving your home an undesirable appearance.

“Your insurance will pay to replace the damaged roofing and siding, but the problem is that you’re left with the undamaged roofing and siding that doesn’t match the repaired areas,” Whitus said. “If your home’s cosmetic appearance is important to you, it’s a good idea to consider paying a little extra for the matching of undamaged siding and roofing endorsement on your homeowner policy.”

In the event of a covered loss, the endorsement also will pay for matching services for the undamaged roofing and siding based on the coverage limit selected by a policyholder. Homeowners can purchase $20,000 in coverage with sub-limits of $10,000 each for roofing and siding for an annual premium of $50. Likewise, $40,000 and $60,000 in coverage with the same 50-50 sub-limit splits may be purchased with annual premiums of $75 and $100, respectively. off, and covers breakdowns and failures that occur inside the equipment itself.”

Coverage can be purchased on a wide range of equipment, including air conditioning and electrical distribution systems, furnaces and heat pumps, kitchen appliances, and water heaters and water treatment systems. Electronics, home solar systems, health equipment and tools also can be endorsed.

Equipment breakdown coverage covers damage caused by electrical and

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‘No mow’ accidents

Keep safety in mind throughout mowing season

BY NICOLE ZEMA

Lisa Barnett of Louisa County suffered a lawn mower accident in 2018. She said her scars have healed, but the memory still haunts her.

Barnett's accident severed a ligament in her left hand. She feels fortunate to have kept her fingers.

NICOLE ZEMA

May 6, 2018, was one of those gorgeous spring days perfectly suited for outdoor chores.

Lisa Barnett and her husband, Mathew, had both taken the day off to work on their property in Louisa County. She was driving their zero-turn commercial riding mower—the kind with differential steering controlled by two handles designed to cut closely around obstacles.

She was almost finished mowing, but the power take-off switch was not communicating with the pulley and belt, preventing the mower blades from spinning correctly.

“The lawn mower didn’t have the guard on the pulley system, and my husband always told me, ‘If you have to mess with it, never put your hands on it. Always make sure it’s not engaged and kick it with your foot.’”

She was focused on finishing the task.

“I was in a hurry and wanted to help it along,” she said. “I kept engaging and then disengaging the switch. But in my haste to hurry it up, I didn’t disengage, and when I reached down to pull on the pulley, it ripped my hand right through it.”

A deep laceration zigzagged through her left hand, severing a ligament. She remained calm and drove back toward the house, steering with her right hand and left elbow.

“We jumped in the car, and off to the emergency room we went,” Barnett said.

Fifteen stitches and a pin held her hand together until she had orthopedic surgery. The scars healed nicely, but the awful memory is still visceral.

“I have fairly decent usage of that hand, but I can’t make a complete fist or pick things up with it, and it gets really cold in the wintertime,” Barnett said. “But I was very fortunate to

The commercial riding mower's pulley ripped Lisa Barnett's hand through it when she failed to turn off the mower.

keep my fingers. I believe if I had taken the brunt a little higher where the bones are smaller, I may have lost part, or both of, my fingers.”

Spring and summer are prime times for accidents

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission estimates more than 37,000 Americans suffer a power mowerrelated injury each year, resulting in about 90 deaths.

“Unfortunately, lawn mower and bush hog injuries are frequent occurrences throughout the spring and summer months,” said Dr. Eric Kramer, a Rockingham County emergency physician.

He said mowing accidents tend to result in two categories of injury—lacerations and amputations, or blunt trauma.

“The most common are wounds to fingers and hands as the direct result

of people attempting to hand-clear debris from lawn mower grass chutes while the engine is running and the cutting deck is still engaged,” he said.

Blunt-trauma injuries occur when mowers and tractors upend while the rider is moving along a steep gradient, pinning them to the ground.

“Given the substantial weight of the machinery, patients sustain an array of physical damage ranging from severe arm and leg crush injuries, to more significant chest and abdominal trauma,” Kramer said. “This often necessitates rapid transfer to a trauma center.”

Children also at risk for injury

Riding with Grandpa on the mower is a cute photo op with underlying risk.

An estimated 9,400 children are injured by lawn mowers every year in the U.S., especially in rural areas, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Lawn mowers are responsible for 12% to 19% of traumatic amputations among kids. Dana Fisher, chairman of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s Safety Advisory Committee, advised against allowing children or pets to be nearby while mowing.

“Lawn mowers are powerful and potentially dangerous machines that are designed for one operator,” Fisher explained. “Adding an additional child rider makes it harder for the operator to control the machine, and could lead to the child falling off and being seriously injured.”

For more information regarding mowing and ATV safety, visit Farm Bureau’s safety resource page at bit.ly/38IVyzV.

More tips for safety while mowing:

• Wear close-toed shoes, fitted clothing and ear and eye protection. • Clear the area of all loose objects that could become projectiles. • Disengage the blade before starting the engine. • Make sure all guards and safety shields are in place. • Never disengage any safety switches or devices. • Never refuel the mower when its engine is hot or running. • Avoid mowing wet grass. • Turn off the engine before cleaning the area under the deck. • Disconnect the spark or electric plug before troubleshooting or repairing the mower. • Never leave a running mower unattended. • When mowing on a slope with a riding mower, mow down the slope. When push-mowing a slope, mow across the slope.

-Virginia Cooperative Extension Parents are advised to supervise children on ATVs and set a good safety example.

Children's helmets should fit properly.

Prioritize safety while enjoying ATV activities

Riding all-terrain vehicles is a recreational pastime, and ATVS are useful for landowners. But with a documented uptick in accidents, families are urged to take precautions as the weather becomes more favorable for outdoor activities.

A recent report from Marshfield Clinic Research Institute revealed ATV injuries among children are on the rise, and are likely linked to the pandemic, as more children have been at home.

“More home time means more opportunities to use ATVs, and unfortunately that means more opportunities for accidents,” said Dana Fisher, chairman of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation‘s Farm Safety Advisory Committee.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, approximately 40,000 children under 16 are treated in emergency rooms for ATV-related injuries each year. Most injuries are sustained when riders are thrown off an ATV, and in crashes or rollovers.

ATV-related deaths involving children under 16 accounted for more than 1 in 5 of the 15,000 ATV-related deaths in the U.S. between 1982 and 2017, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

VFBF’s safety committee shared some tips to prepare for riding ATVs: • Ensure an ATV that will be used by a child is sized correctly for the child. Children should be able to rest their feet on the footrests and easily reach the handlebars. • Wear properly fitting safety gear, especially U.S. Department of

Transportation-compliant helmets that fit a child’s head. • Enroll children in an ATV safety class through your local ATV dealer or Virginia

Cooperative Extension agent. Take a free online course at ATVsafety.org. • Parents should supervise children, ensuring they know how to operate an ATV safely, and demonstrate safe riding themselves. • Do not carry passengers. • Stay off public roads; only ride on designated trails at a safe speed. • Never ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Keep the focus on fun by properly insuring your recreational vehicles

BY ADAM CULLER

Boats, motorcycles and RVs all can be catalysts for carefree summertime fun, but it’s important that they’re properly protected with insurance coverage before they’re used.

Virginia Farm Bureau can provide coverage for a variety of recreational vehicles, offering policyholders peace of mind.

Boat insurance

With a properly endorsed boat insurance policy, also known as a navigator policy, boats are covered in and out of the water.

Boat owners can purchase coverage for personal-use watercraft such as fishing boats, motor boats, pontoon boats and Jet Skis, as well as coverage for trailers and other equipment needed to tow them.

A standard policy will cover property damage to a boat, its motor and other valuable on-board accessories, such as communication devices and radar instruments. The policy also provides liability coverage to help pay for injuries sustained by passengers in the event of an accident, as well as damage done to other boats.

Additional coverage that can be purchased includes towing and emergency services and personal property and uninsured boater protection.

For policyholders who intend to share ownership of a boat— or any vehicle—with family or friends, it’s important that each person on the title be listed as an insured and each operator listed as a driver on the policy. Otherwise, losses incurred by owners not listed on the policy may not be covered.

Motorcycle insurance

Motorcycle coverage is similar to what’s offered through standard auto insurance policies, and bikes can be protected under a preexisting policy or on a separate one.

Motorcyclists can opt for the same coverages available to passenger vehicles—liability, collision and comprehensive coverage, which offers protection against damage caused by other vehicles, thieves, vandals and weather. Additional protection against uninsured motorists, medical expenses and income loss due to an accident also may be purchased.

Lisa Whitus, personal and commercial lines underwriting manager for Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., noted motorcyclists should be mindful of liability coverage due to the dangers associated with motorcycles.

“Motorcycles are much smaller vehicles, so they’re not going to do a lot of property damage like other larger vehicles would,” Whitus said. “But, because motorcycles offer their drivers and passengers little protection, accidents can cause severe injury or death. That’s why it’s important to keep in

Navigator policies provide insurance for boats—both in and out of the water.

mind the potential costs of bodily injury.”

To compensate for above-average injury risks, Whitus recommended policyholders purchase liability limits of $100,000 per person per incident for bodily injury, and $300,000 in coverage for an entire accident. She also recommended bikers endorse their policies with $50,000 for total property damage.

Motorhome and RV coverage

Camper vans, travel trailers and full-size RVs also can be covered under an auto policy.

Insurance needs often depend on the type of vehicle, but liability, collision and comprehensive coverage are available on most recreational vehicles. Other optional endorsements include coverage for pets, electronic equipment and transportation and towing expenses.

ATV coverage

Most homeowners can endorse an all-terrain vehicle on their home insurance policies if the vehicle will only be used on the premises of the insured property. Coverage under a homeowner policy provides limited protection for damage, liability and theft claims.

However, if a policyholder plans to use their ATV elsewhere, it must be insured under an auto policy. Customers can then purchase coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability, collision and Other Than Collision, medical payments and protection against uninsured motorists.

To learn more about coverage options for ATVs, boats, motorcycles and RVs, contact your Farm Bureau insurance agent.