Washington the Magazine May/June 2020

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sweet recipes for strawberry season

STRAWBERRY FIELDS

Beaufort County strawberry picking rooted in rich history

MAY/JUNE 2020 WASHINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 1

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In this issue

FEATURES & DEPARTMENTS WELCOME EVOLUTION OF PORCHES: 22 From appreciating nature to meeting neighbors, porches are staple of the south.

22 PLANTING SEASON 32

IN EVERY ISSUE 6 10 18 50 54 56 58 60 66

Publisher’s Note The Scene What’s in Store What’s to Eat Dining Guide Wine Column Cast a Line Travel & Leisure Why I Love Washington

SIXTH-GENERATION FARM: Discover the hidden gem of Raindrop Ridge herb farm.

32 COLLECTING HISTORY 38

BOYD BUILDINGS PRESERVED: Some people collect baseball cards or old cars. James Russell Boyd and his family collect old buildings.

38 FIELDS OF FUN 44

44 4 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

BERRY PICKING: Strawberry picking at Black Brothers and Southside farms offers the opportunity for families to come together.

ON THE COVER Collins Smith enjoys a bite from a tasty treat while picking strawberries with her family at Black Brothers Farm. May marks the peak of strawberry season in Beaufort County, and for many families, picking berries has become a beloved tradition.

Read more about our local berry farms on page 44. (Photo by Brooke Newman)

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A NOTE FROM ASHLEY

SIMPLE THINGS

to be appreciated

T

he past couple of months have been trying times for a world fighting a global pandemic. Shutdowns have strained the economy. Stay-home orders have tested our resolve. But, as they often do, this crisis has also shined a light on some of our better qualities as a community. Amidst the many significant challenges are stories of hope, perseverance and love.

Enjoy the smiling faces from some of the last times we were able to safely gather in large numbers as we look forward to the time when we can do so again. Until then, we find new and creative ways to connect. Check out The Scene on page 10.

More time at home offers reflection on a centuries-old feature popular on houses throughout the Pamlico region. The porch is a place of comfort. What better way to greet the neighborhood as it wakes to meet the day, or relax in the twilight of an afternoon? Sit a spell on page 22.

Sunny spring days have a way of pulling us back to our roots.

In Beaufort County, those roots are steeped in agriculture. Dorita Boyd’s family has been farming the land at Raindrop Ridge for generations, dating back to a land grant by King George to her sixth great-grandfather. She has grown thousands of herb plants in need of home gardens. Join her on the farm on page 33.

Strawberry fields don’t last forever, but they are a favorite for local families each year. People pick their own in an annual tradition at a handful of Beaufort County farms. Grab a basket and hit the fields on page 45, then put those strawberries to good use in a host of delicious recipes starting on page 50.

In a stressful and chaotic time, I hope you enjoy this issue of Washington the Magazine and its focus on some of the simple things to be appreciated in our community. Until next time, be safe, stay hopeful and enjoy your friends, family and neighbors.

Ashley Vansant, Publisher We would love to hear what you think about Washington the Magazine. Email us at news@

Write thewashingtondailynews.com or write to P.O. Box 1788, Washington, NC 27889. Letters chosen for publication to us may be edited for length and clarity. All submissions become the property of Washington the Magazine.

6 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

Publisher Ashley Vansant Editorial Matt Debnam Vail Stewart Rumley Mitchell Thomas Contributors Richard Andrews Greg Cushing — East Wind Photography Brian Fuller Tessa Gibson Aaron Lewis Brooke Newman Mary Mehlich Geri Simpkins Advertising Director David Singleton Marketing & Sales Kristen Smith Amy Whitaker Scott Williamson Distribution Sylvester Rogers Art Direction Elizabeth Reed Contact information Washington the Magazine P.O. Box 1788 Washington, NC 27889 Advertising inquiries 252-946-2144 Ext. 221 Subscriptions & change of address 252-946-2144 Washington the Magazine is published six times a year by Washington Newsmedia, LLC. Copyright 2020, Washington Newsmedia, LLC.

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THE SCENE PROGRESSIVE BLOCK PARTY While many scheduled events in March and April fell victim to cancellations stemming from COVID-19, Arts of the Pamlico was able to squeeze in one last hoorah with a Progressive Block Party on March 13 in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Sponsored by local real estate agent Abbot Tunstall, the centerpiece of the block party was the Shake Your Shamrocks celebration at the Turnage Theatre.

Featuring the tunes of Rivermist, plenty of good food and a photo booth manned by Greg Cushing, of East Wind Photography, the event brought a little ‘luck o’ the Irish’ to downtown Washington.

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The evolution of porches and the return to their roots

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STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

comfortable place to watch the waning light of sunset, to greet a new day with a steaming cup of coffee, accompanied by birdsong, to gather with friends over a glass of wine — porches have been a part of our homes and lives for centuries. Each porch has its own story of romance and laughter, family and memories long faded, yet all share a common history, an evolution from status symbol to a sign of neighborliness to a gradual retreat into more private lives.

In the earliest of Greek, Egyptian and Roman architecture, porches were present, but it was during the Renaissance that they gained prevalence. The American porch’s roots, however, hailed from the Caribbean islands, where outdoor spaces were prominent in the humid climate.

Trade with the islands ensured the style was brought back to the fledgling American colonies, and wide porches with pavilion roofs, often stretching across and around a home, became an architectural symbol of the South.

A porch was also a sign of community, one that, in many places, remains today.

Gail and Pat Kenefick bought their South Main Street home in the early 2000s. Living in North Carolina’s oldest town was not their original intention, but after renting a home in Bath, their plans changed.

“Our plan was to build down on the river, but we just fell in love with Bath. Then this little house came on the market,” Gail Kenefick said. “The porch is my favorite thing about the house.”

Surrounded by azalea bushes and peppered with containers bursting with flowers, “Gail’s Porch” is just big enough for the two of them and a couple of guests, and it’s become a way to connect to the community around them.

“Pat and I like to sit out here with our morning coffees; people walking by would always stop and talk. It’s just always had a good feel to it. Porch time is obviously a big thing in Bath,” she said. “We like coming out here at sunsets, because we can see the sun setting over the creek.”

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Gail and Pat Kenefick relax on the front porch of their South Main Street, Bath, home. Surrounded by bountiful azaleas in the spring, the porch becomes a haven for potted plants and flowers by summer and the place to watch the sun set over Bath Creek.

Linda Poore celebrated Easter Sunday on her porch on South Main Street in Bath, surrounded by a few of her favorite things: birds, bunnies and beautiful flowers.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 23

Your porch is your own safe space. It really has come to that. — Gail Kenefick

Lady Banks roses make a spring frame for this traditionally southern porch, complete with columns and porch swing, on Riverside Drive in Washington Park.

The Taylor home on Riverside Drive in Washington Park is an ideal spot to watch the sun set over the Pamlico River.

26 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

The Keneficks’ porch is a holdover of the Victorian era, when a love of the outdoors was partially prompted by the Transcendentalist romance with nature, but also by primitive, unfiltered coal heat — getting outdoors and away from fumes was healthy. Built in 1926, the Keneficks’ home — like so many homes found in the historic districts of the South — is of a time when walking was the primary mode of transportation, before the car culture took off in the U.S. There was no air conditioning; porches were where a fresh breeze could be found.

There was no modern refrigeration, so daily walks downtown to the grocers meant porch-dwellers would often invite neighbors passing by to “come up and set a spell” — a resting place on the walk home.

Then, porches were a part of the social fabric of community,

a place to share the local news, protected from a hot summer sun; a place to gather with friends and family to talk and sing and keep an eye on the children playing outside.

As life sped up, porches began to evolve. Porches built on the sides of houses provided an element of privacy. Innovation, in air-conditioning, radio and finally TV, pulled people from their front porches, inside, and the living room replaced the porch as the gathering place. As community became a more distant prospect, porches began to migrate to the backs of homes. Most modern home architecture bypasses a front porch altogether.

But in some places, as on Bath’s Main Street, and in the new subdivision of Moss Landing Harbor Homes on the waterfront in downtown Washington, porches and the people gathering on them are experiencing a comeback.

Mike Baker and his dog River watch the Easter Sunday traffic go by from the comfort of their porch on South Main Street in Bath.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 27

The porches of the new Washington waterfront neighborhood of Moss Landing hearken back to another era, when more people walked and stopped for a chat — or to “set a spell.”

“Before we moved here from Charlotte, there was a new development up there that was trying to recreate the front porch, that atmosphere.

The garages were built behind the homes, and the streets were really narrow. They were trying to get people out on their porches,” said Pat Kenefick.

As spring turns to summer, porches across the nation are serving another purpose: a revived connection to community. Though the threat of the COVID-19 virus has required people to socially distance themselves from one another, it’s also allowed for innovation of ways to bridge that distance. On a sunny spring afternoon in Bath, singer and guitarist Dave Raducha played an impromptu concert on the front porch of one South Main Street home, pulling an audience of neighbors out of homes up and down the street — listening together, though apart.

“Everybody sat on their porches and listened to the music,” Gail Kenefick said. “Your porch is your own safe space. It really has come to that.” ⋇

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“Gail’s Porch” on South Main Street in Bath offers a warm welcome to any visitor to Gail and Pat Kenefick’s home.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 29

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PLANTING SEASON

Herbs galore await visitors to Raindrop Ridge Farm on Camp Leach Road, east of Washington. Owner Dorita Boyd grows more than 15,000 herb plants every year, which are sold across the state at festivals and fundraisers.

Raindrop Ridge Farm owners Dorita Boyd (right) and husband Jan Pernov are usually on the road at festivals this time of year, but these days are sticking close to home.

Sixth-generation farm AN HERBAL WONDER

F

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

or most growers of gardens, April is the start of the planting season. Days and night are warmer; the last frost of the year is a thing of the past. But for Raindrop Ridge owner Dorita Boyd, the end of her season in sight, as the 15,000 plants she’s nurtured from seed are making their way into pots and plots.

“I’ve got the prettiest plants I’ve had in a decade — because we didn’t have a winter this year,” Boyd said.

Every year, Boyd and husband Jan Pernov load up a trailer with pallets of plants, making the rounds of festivals, selling herbs from the mountains to the coast of North Carolina. They supply garden clubs with plants for their annual fundraising

herb sales.

This year is different. With coronavirus shutting down festivals and fundraisers statewide, Boyd has thousands of herb plants in need of home gardens. Before, she’d be on the road; now she’s on the farm to greet the many Raindrop Ridge fans who’ve come to browse through the immense selection.

“I have met more customers this year, in the past week — and they’ve been customers for years — but we’ve never met because I’m never here,” Boyd laughed.

It’s been 25 years since Boyd grew her first crop of herbs.

With a degree in forestry management, she transitioned from a job with Weyerhauser to working the family land when she and MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 33

A visitor to Raindrop Ridge fills a basket full of herbs to plant in her home garden. Parsley, chives, mint and others are just tiny fraction of the herbs and varieties found at the farm.

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Pernov started a family.

“I started it when my youngest went to kindergarten. I didn’t want to go back to work, even though they wanted me to. I wanted to be home,” Boyd said. “When I was looking for something to do, that would have been 1995, and everything kept coming back to herbs, because herbs were just then getting popular. … I knew I could do it. I was always a gardener, and my dad was a farmer.”

Just off the curving Camp Leach Road, Raindrop Ridge has history — the land was part of a land grant by King George to Boyd’s sixth great-grandfather, Robert Cutler, of Bath. Boyd is the sixth generation of her family to farm the land, giving Raindrop Ridge the distinction of being a North Carolina Century Farm. Passed down through her mother’s side of the family, Boyd grew up learning from her father, Arthur Lee Boyd, who grew corn, tobacco and soybeans, and owned a machine shop in town.

“He put us all through college growing tobacco — all four of us,” Boyd said. “He tried to farm this little piece of land. He tried to grow tobacco here when I was about 5, but he never could get tobacco to grow here.”

Now, plants grow above the soil in cold greenhouses; only when the temperature dips below 45 degrees do the heaters turn on. The selection of herbs is astounding: there are annuals and perennials, aromatic herbs and medicinal herbs, in addition to the more traditional culinary herbs. There are the common, known by anyone with a passing knowledge of herbs, and the uncommon — herbs you’ve probably never heard of. If there’s one variety of basil, there’s another 10 lesserknown varieties in the basil greenhouse. The same goes for thyme, lavender, oregano and many, many others. Sixty percent of Boyd’s plants come from seeds; the other 40% from tip cuttings, root cuttings or plugs. They’re all Certified Naturally Grown, a peer group organization that performs yearly inspections, and are grown using organic fertilizer, organic potting soil and no pesticides.

For Boyd, the growing season starts in October propagating stock plants. In January, she’s seeding out those herbs in the propagation greenhouse. By April, the

Every day, Dorita Boyd makes the rounds of watering plants through the eight greenhouses that make up Raindrop Ridge Farm.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 35

Culinary herbs abound at the farm, along with medicinal and aromatic.

Boyd doesn’t limit her crop to just one variety of an herb — she offers many.

Dana Carlough takes a swing, moving the ball downfield toward the opposing team’s goal.

36 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

From bee balm to lemongrass, Thai basil to mole plant and aloe, the greenhouses of Raindrop Ridge Farm are bursting with new growth every spring.

greenhouses are bursting with new growth.

“You come out here in the morning and the oxygen is just like — ‘Huh’ — especially after a good rain.

Makes it seem like one of those New York salons, or the casinos in Vegas, where they pump oxygen into the place,” Boyd laughed.

She loves her herbs and is stumped when asked which herb is her favorite to grow.

“I really couldn’t tell you,” Boyd said.

She does, however, have some least favorites: “Cilantro and dill. They like to be direct seeded in the ground. They don’t transfer well. When I try to grow them in these little pots, they just don’t like it.”

From one greenhouse in 1995 to eight in 2020, Raindrop Ridge is a tribute to family and farming. It’s both hard work and a labor of love.

“I love the energy of the plants,” Boyd said. “I love being able to work from home, and I love being able to be on my farm.”

Raindrop Ridge Farm is located at 1356 Camp Leach Road, Washington. It’s open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily. ⋇

Rosemary, parsley, thyme, Cuban oregano and more will be planted in this Raindrop Ridge shopper’s garden.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 37

Incorporating buildings passed down through the generations and others acquired through purchases of property, the Boyd family’s collection of historic buildings in Pinetown offers glimpses of the past, including this smokehouse.

Boyd buildings preserve ways of life from days gone by WRITTEN BY MATT DEBNAM PHOTOGRAPHS BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

S

ome people collect baseball cards. Others collect old cars or boats. And then there’s James Russell Boyd, who collects historic buildings, old tractors and World War II memorabilia.

“We’re kind of nostalgic people when it comes to heritage and local history,” explained his son, Doug Boyd.

The first building in Boyd’s collection served a few purposes in its lifetime. Most recently, local folks might remember it as Wade Lilley’s

38 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

James Russell Boyd and Doug Boyd, along with the rest of the Boyd family, maintain an eclectic collection of old buildings and farm equipment. Much of their collection carries important historical significance, both for the family and the community as a whole.

COLLECTIONS

of History

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 39

The house pictured was the home of James Russell Boyd’s aunt, Polly Boyd Wallace. Mrs. Wallace lived in the house on White Plains Road until the ripe age of 100, when she moved into a nursing home for the final year of her life. Following her passing in 2007, at the age of 101, James Russell Boyd bought the property and added her home to his collection.

Store, a hub of community life in the Five Points area of N.C. Highway 32. But before that, the building actually was a school in the Woodard’s Pond community.

“It was the Woodard’s Pond school, and my grandmother, my mother’s mother, went to school there,” Doug Boyd said.

“She was born in 1918, so you’re talking mid-1920s when she went to school in this building. Then sometime in the ’50s or early ’60s, Wade Lilley from Five Points moved this school to Five Points, where he had a really successful little grocery store and laundromat. He sold fertilizer and sugar to the bootleggers and all that kind of stuff.”

In the 1980s, James Boyd ended up buying that property, along with the historic building sitting on it. With the significance of the school/store both to his family and the community as a whole, he didn’t want to see the old building fall into ruin. So for the second time, the building was moved, this time to an area behind his home.

Though he might not have realized it at the time, moving that structure to his property was the start of something bigger.

40 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

“He started moving these cool structures from the farms we owned all to one location so he could build a working farmstead,” Doug Boyd explained.

Next came three more historic agricultural buildings that belonged to Mr. Carmer Boyd, James’ father-in-law. The first was a livestock barn where the elder Boyd kept his mules, complete with a hayloft. Shortly after, James moved his father-in-law’s stick tobacco barn and tobacco grading room to the property.

After acquiring another farm on Acre Swamp, the Boyds obtained a truly unique piece of architecture — a chicken coop with a built-on two-seater outhouse.

But the final piece, now under construction, is something special. The crown jewel of the James Boyd’s little village will be a 24-by-34 foot church. Based off of other country churches in the area, the Boyds are building that structure from scratch, with timber cut from their own land.

“It’s in the process right now,” Doug Boyd said. “It’s not complete, but you can recognize it as heading toward being a church.”

An old bullet hole in an antique Firebird Oil Co. gas pump, like everything in the Boyds’ collection, has a story to tell.

From old signs and photos to pieces of uniforms worn by American soldiers, the old Woodard’s Pond School building serves as a showroom for items left behind by Beaufort County’s World War II veterans, some of James Russell Boyd’s boyhood heroes.

Aside from their historical significance, each of the buildings holds a deeper meaning for the Boyd family. In preserving these structures, the Boyds are also preserving a way of life. From old-school farming practices to the traditional country school and store and rural religious life, each piece of James Boyd’s collection has a story to tell for future generations.

“We’re from an ancestry of farmers,” Doug Boyd said.

“The neat thing is, he can take his grandchildren and we can carry them to a stick tobacco barn and show them what we’re talking about. … It seems more important as you get older.”

Coming soon, Doug Boyd is continuing his dad’s tradition.

He recently purchased four circa-1960s tobacco barns to add to the collection. The plan is to build a shelter between them to display the family’s extensive collection of historic tractors.

“Some folks own boats and airplanes and throw their money away,” Doug Boyd laughed. “This is how we’re throwing ours away. But we love to do it.” ⋇

A photo of James Russell Boyd’s father-in-law, Mr. Carmer Boyd, hangs beside same hat he wore in the picture. Many of the buildings in the Boyd family collection came from Carmer Boyd’s farm.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 41

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strawberry

FIELDS OF

FUN

Berry picking offers outdoor bonding for families WRITTEN BY MATT DEBNAM | PHOTOGRAPHS BY BROOKE NEWMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

A

s the temperatures warm and the fields of Beaufort County spring to life, little bright spots of red begin to dot the landscape at Black Brothers Farm and Southside Farms.

Spring is strawberry season in Beaufort County, and for many families, picking the delicious crimson fruit is a family tradition, just as growing the berries has become tradition for the Black and Harding families. Both have been growing strawberries for close to two decades, welcoming the public to their lands to pick their own berries or grab up a container of pre-picked fruit.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 45

People love to come out and pick, especially on nice spring days.

— BILLY HARDING

Year after year, it’s an activity that brings families together, and gives them a chance to experience agriculture in a way they might not otherwise, putting them in touch with the land and an important part of Beaufort County’s roots.

BLACK BROTHERS FARM Named for brothers Frankie and Bill Black, Black Brothers Farm is the place to go for strawberries on the north side of the Pamlico River. Today, Frankie’s son Taylor Black and his wife Heather continue a tradition that goes back nearly 20 years.

While the family still grows commodity crops such as soybeans and corn, Taylor Black says strawberries are a different kind of agriculture.

“It’s a lot less acres, but there’s potentially more revenue in those couple of acres versus several hundred of another crop,” Black said.

It’s also a type of agriculture that is more accessible to the public. With families coming out to the farm year after year to pick berries, children have the chance to learn about farming and where their food comes from.

“I think it’s a good thing for folks to get out and enjoy the farm like that, and we enjoy being able to be there for people to come out and pick strawberries,” Black said. “I think making the public aware of where the food actually comes from is a very important thing for local agriculture in Beaufort County.”

It’s also a chance for families to bond over an outdoor activity and make a new tradition. Black says the farm sees a lot of families return each year, with approximately 85% of his business being repeat customers. Heather Black is also using social media to help increase the customer base.

While Black says the recent outbreak of COVID-19 has given him some pause, he is still welcoming visitors to visit 46 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

his farm while following guidelines from the N.C. Department of Agriculture and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

“I’m hoping, with schools out, if people are wanting to get out of the house and do an activity where they’re outside, where they’re not in contact with other people, this will be an opportunity for them to do that and feel safe about it,” Black said.

Black Brothers Farm is located at 604 Black Road, Washington, right across U.S. Highway 264 from Beaufort County Community College off of Neck Road. The farm is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. most days, subject to how many berries are available and the weather. Find them on Facebook by searching “Black Brothers Farm.”

SOUTHSIDE FARMS While Black is the strawberry king of the north side, another berry monarch reigns on the south side of the Pamlico. Billy Harding stepped into that role last year at Southside Farms, after his parents, Shawn and Tracy Harding, moved to Raleigh.

In doing so, he took the reins of an operation now in its 21st season.

“People love to come out and pick, especially on nice spring days,” Billy Harding said. “We’ve already had a lot of business this year with people just wanting to get out of the house. The governor has told everyone to get outside and support local farms. … People love the pick-your-own stuff.”

While strawberries are a popular crop at Southside Farms, Harding says they try to grow everything they can in terms of vegetable crops. Blackberries and blueberries provide pick-yourown options at the farm during the summer once strawberries are done for the season, and the farm sells a steady supply of

Katherine Grace Pinkham snags a bite from a fresh berry while picking at Black Brothers Farm.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 47

Taylor Black prepares for a day in the fields at the farm started by his father and uncle.

fresh produce at the Washington Harbor District Market.

“We grow all kinds of vegetables,” Harding said. “Pretty much anything you can think of you can find in the grocery store, if you can grow it, we try to grow it here.”

Of course, no trip to Southside Farms would be complete without a scoop of Grandma Betty’s Ice Cream, named for Harding’s grandma, who makes the tasty treat from scratch. Using produce from the farm and cream from Simply Natural, the ice cream is 100% local, from start to finish. From picking berries to enjoying that homemade snack, it’s all part of the experience.

“People come out and I get to show them when strawberries come off here and what comes off when with our seasons, as far as cool weather crops and hot weather crops,” Harding said. “A lot of people see it in the grocery stores and think it just gets there. But we have school trips where we teach kids how the seasons work, how bees pollinate and all kinds of stuff like that.”

Southside Farms is located at 320 Harding Lane, a few miles south of Chocowinity. The farm is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays. For more information, visit their website at www.southsidefarms.com. ⋇ 48 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

Jonah Harris finds the perfect strawberry to add to his collection.

Anna Reed Newman enjoys her yearly strawberry picking adventure at Black Brothers Farm.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 49

WHAT'S TO EAT

SENSATIONAL

season of strawberries

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STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

y mid-April every year, fields across Beaufort County are laden with strawberries, and those who love to make a family adventure out of picking them. For generations, that locally grown bounty has been a main ingredient for late spring/early summer recipes, both savory and sweet.

Here, we pulled a few of these most delectably, delicious seasonal recipes from cooks and cookbooks across Beaufort County. For breakfast, lunch or dinner, these dishes are bursting with flavor and color. Start your day with a delicious whole grain alternative to traditional pancakes — banana oatmeal pancakes, topped with fresh, sliced strawberries or the simplest strawberry compote. Or make a mid-afternoon snack of triple-cream or brie cheese on crackers with brandied fig/strawberry jam. Add a spinach salad with strawberries and poppy-seed dressing to the dinner menu, then top dinner off with one of these scrumptious, strawberry desserts.

North Carolina is the fourth-largest producer of strawberries in the nation, and good crop will be producing berries until Memorial Day. ‘Tis the season of strawberries, so take to the fields to pick some of your own! ⋇

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE COBBLER Carolyn Coltrain “Traditional Treasures” First Free Will Baptist Church, Washington

1 stick butter; 1 cup milk; 1 cup sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 4 ounces cream cheese (cut into pieces); 1 egg, slightly beaten; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 2 quarts strawberries.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and pour in a 9-by-13inch glass baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, milk, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour directly over the butter in the baking dish, but DO NOT STIR. Add strawberries, arranging in a single layer as much as possible.

Sprinkle cream cheese pieces over strawberries. Place in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes or until top is brown.

(Note: this recipe doesn’t say what you should do with the strawberries. I sliced them and layered them across the top. That worked for me!)

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STRAWBERRY CAKE Brenda Tripp

“Scent from Heaven” Smyrna OFWB Ladies Auxiliary, Blounts Creek

1 box yellow cake mix; 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry Jello; 4 eggs; 3 level tablespoons flour; 3/4 cup salad oil; 1/4 cup water; 1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen.

Mix cake mix, flour, Jello, oil, water and eggs.

Blend and beat for four minutes. Fold in strawberries.

Pour in three wax-paper-lined round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool and frost.

Frosting 1 stick butter; 1 box powdered sugar (may take more); 1 cup strawberries (may take less) Whip butter, sugar and a little of the berries at a time. To make more frosting, use more sugar. It will not take the whole cup of berries.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 51

SPINACH SALAD WITH STRAWBERRIES Janet Braddy Guyer “Country Favorites” Tri-Community Ruritan Club, Winsteadville

1 package fresh spinach; 2 cans mandarin oranges; 1 red onion, chopped; slice fresh strawberries; sliced toasted almonds; feta cheese.

Mix all ingredients well. Serve with poppy seed dressing.

Poppy seed dressing: 1 cup sugar; 1 teaspoon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1/4 cup cider vinegar; 1/4 cup red wine vinegar; 1 1/2 cups olive oil; 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Blend well.

(Note: I replaced the canned mandarin oranges with fresh clementines, peeled and segmented.)

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BANANA OATMEAL PANCAKES BRANDIED FIG/STRAWBERRY JAM Irene Forbes, Linda C. Miller “Plate and Palette” Arts of the Pamlico, Washington

5 cups fig chunks; 2 cups quartered strawberries; 5 cups sugar; 5 tablespoons brandy (divided); 1 tablespoon whole crushed allspice or two teaspoons ground allspice; 1 lemon, juice and zest; 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract.

Combine and crush fruit lightly. Place in large stainless steel or enamel pot over heat. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add 3 tablespoons brandy and allspice.

Simmer and stir to prevent sticking until jelly stage is reached — jam will sheet off a cold metal spoon and break away. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of brandy and the vanilla. Fill sterilized jelly jars. Process in hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Yield: 8 half-pints.

“Med Instead of Meds” North Carolina Cooperative Extension

2 eggs, beaten; 2 bananas, mashed; 1/2 cup of old fashioned rolled oats, uncooked; ½ teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon olive oil; 1/2 cup fresh, sliced strawberries.

In a medium bowl, combine eggs, bananas, rolled oats, baking powder, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Batter should be cohesive and without lumps.

Heat olive oil in medium skillet on medium-low heat.

Once heated, spoon 1/4-cup portions of the batter onto skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides (about four minutes on each side).

Heat fruit in small skillet until warm, stirring occasionally. Serve over pancakes. You can also serve pancakes with chopped nuts or peanut butter on top.

(Note: This recipe is pictured with a minimalist strawberry compote: place a cup of sliced strawberries in a small pan, add a little water and simmer until soft.)

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 53

STRAWBERRY PUDDING

STRAWBERRY PIE

Francis Potter

Pat Axness

1 quart sliced strawberries; 1 large package strawberry Jello; 1/2 cup sugar; 2 small packages instant vanilla pudding; 3 cups milk; 1 cup sour cream; 2/3 of a 12-ounce container whipped topping; 1 box vanilla wafers.

Mix first three ingredients in saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat until Jello is dissolved well, while stirring constantly. Set aside to cool.

Pour cold milk in a large bowl. Add pudding mix and mix well. Add sour cream and mix. Fold in whipped topping. Set aside or refrigerate for a few minutes.

In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, layer vanilla wafers, then pudding mix and strawberries. Use half of each. Repeat with vanilla wafers, pudding and strawberries. Put remaining 1/3 of container of whipped topping on top and refrigerate. (Recipe from Faye Corey)

Sister’s Pie Crust 2 cups sifted flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup shortening; 6 tablespoons ice water.

Mix flour and salt. Cut shortening into flour. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, using only enough to make a workable past. Too little will leave pastry crumbly. This pastry is very rich—handle deftly. Thoroughly chill before rolling to make for easier handling. Makes two, 9-inch pastry shells.

Strawberry Pie Filling 1 1/4 cups white sugar; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 4 cups fresh strawberries (cut large ones in half); two tablespoons butter.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place one crust in a 9-inch pie pan. Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon together. Mix lightly through the berries. Pour filling into pastry-lined pan and dot with butter.

Cover with top crust, cutting slits in pastry. Seal and flute edges.

Bake 35-45 minutes, or until crust is slightly brown.

“From the Pages of Time” First Free Will Baptist Church, Washington

54 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

“Without A Doubt St. Thomas’s Best” St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Bath

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 55

WORD ON WINE

A PERFECT PAIR of wine & cheese WRITTEN BY MARY MEHLICH | PHOTO BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

W

hat better match for entertaining on a balmy afternoon in the summertime than wine and cheese?

Cheese is one of the most versatile foods when it comes to pairing, wine is the perfect complement. In this column, we are going to explore the delights of a pairing wine and cheese and the condiments to serve alongside.

The weather is warm and the great outdoors beckons. The sweet, salty smell of the ocean calls you for a stroll down the beach, a quick swim in the warm waters or a day spent on the river, followed by an afternoon spent with your friends and family.

Here is where the fun begins. The first thing to remember: it is not complicated to put together a cheese board. You merely need to understand what wine pairs best with your selections. Wine and cheese pairings are a time-tested culinary marriage! Few things are so sure to please most palates and save you more time to enjoy your guests. So let’s begin …

Cheese always tastes best at room temperature. Aromas and flavors emerge that are typically muted when your cheese first comes out of the fridge. The texture becomes softer and easier to cut or spread.

56 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

DINING GUIDE It generally takes about an hour after you take it out for your cheese to come to room temperature. Make sure to unwrap your cheese, so as not to trap moisture but leave the rind on.

The best surfaces for your board are bamboo, granite, marble or glass. If you have fresh grape or fig leaves, they make a lovely foundation for cheese. Use a separate knife or spreader for each cheese. You don’t want your goat cheese contaminated with bleu cheese.

Perfect companions for your board are fresh or dried fruits such as dried figs, dates, mangos, pears, apples, etc.

They pair well with pecorino, Parmesan-Reggiano and other dried, salty aged cheeses. Strong bleu cheeses (Gorgonzola, Stilton) do well with a drizzle of honey to tame the tanginess.

It is best to have a small bowl with a honey drizzler sitting nearby. Some folks may prefer it plain. Chutneys and olives are always a good match for cheddars and aged sheep milk cheeses such as Manchego or Idiazabal from Spain. Olives, toasted nuts and fig jam are also fantastic pairings with goat cheese. You can also have prosciutto or a dried salami or two on hand. If you decide to add the meats, make sure to offer a good grain or Dijon mustard alongside. Don’t forget to have crackers, crostinis or a baguette. These ingredients make for a beautiful cheese board that will be sure to please.

The wines that pair best with Pecorino are crisp whites such as a Pinot Grigio Fiano di Avellino; for reds, look to Tuscany, such as Chianti classico or Sicily for Sangiovese.

The wines that pair well with Parmesan-Reggiano: a nice dry sparkling wine or a medium to full-bodied red such as Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel or a dry Amontillado Sherry.

Wines that pair with Gorgonzola should be on the sweeter side such as a Tuscan Vin Santo, Malvasia, late-harvest Riesling or a fortified sweet sherry or port.

You can’t go wrong with port or a luscious Amontillado sherry for the Stilton.

The sharp and pungent flavor of cheddar will pair well with Riesling, Pinot Grigio, or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Red wine lovers can enjoy Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Cheddar also pairs well with brandy, port or madeira.

Wines that pair well with either Manchego or Idiazabal: a refreshing Spanish cava, a young rioja from Spain or a Corbieres from France.

Wines that pair well with goat cheese are an elegant Sancerre (Sauvignon Blanc) for white wine drinkers or a Bourgueil (Cabernet Franc) from France.

Remember, whatever occasion, the key is good friends, good wine, good food and laughter.

Mary Mehlich is the owner of Wines & Words & Gourmet in downtown Washington. ⋇

KNOW WHERE TO GO T

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MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 57

CAST A LINE

Fishermen Nathan Summers (left) and Joe Albea (right) hoist a pair of hickory shad in Weldon after completion of the Four Rivers Shad Adventure.

Four rivers, one day,

I

COUNTLESS SHAD STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY CAPT. RICHARD ANDREWS

n 2018, my friend Joe Albea, the producer of Carolina Outdoor Journal, had an unusual and ambitious idea and asked me to tag along on a great adventure. Joe is a shad nut just like me. There is a subculture of shad nuts who fish for shad religiously across eastern NC. Some even fish for shad at all of the major hotspots across the country during the spring shad run. Shad enthusiasts share a great passion, and when Joe Albea approached me about his idea, there was no hesitation in taking on the challenge. He also invited Nathan Summers, who is the sports editor for the Greenville newspaper, the Daily Reflector. Nathan is an avid fisherman and fly tyer, and he wanted to come along to document the story.

58 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MARCH/APRIL 2020

Joe wanted to catch shad in all four of the major eastern NC shad rivers in one day. Those rivers are the Cape Fear (which is an American shad fishery), the Neuse, the Tar and the Roanoke (which are all 3 primarily hickory shad fisheries but have a few American shad, especially in the upper reaches above where most of the hickories are caught). It sounds simple, but to pull it off, it takes lots of planning, hard work, and a little bit of good fortune. In 2018, we made our first attempt at it and failed at our second stop on the Neuse River. After catching out shad in the Cape Fear, we headed to the Neuse and the shad were difficult to find, stopping us in our tracks and turning us home with great disappointment and a slight dose of humble pie.

On Mar. 23, 2020, we made our second attempt. Our plan was to start south and head north, so our first stop was the Cape Fear River at Lock and Dam No. 1 near Riegelwood, just outside of Wilmington. After launching at first light in the pouring rain, we were back in the truck about 30 minutes later, and all three of us caught our American shad. I found it a little strange to catch a couple of fish and leave them biting, but we had a long day ahead of us. Our second stop was the Neuse River.

We launched at a backwoods ramp called Pelican Landing near Pitch Kettle Creek upstream of New Bern. We ran up to Pitch Kettle and due to the lower water level, there was no current in the creek, which proved unproductive for shad fishing. There were a few scattered fish being caught at the mouth of the creek where the black water was mixing with the river water, but there were several boats already there fishing, and the prime real estate was gone. I took a risk and suggested we run up to the mouth of Contentnea Creek, a 9.5-mile run, which is not a short run and consumed some time. Upon arrival, we fished for about 20 minutes with no bites at the mouth of the creek where the black creek water was mixing with the brown river water, a classic scenario for catching shad. After still no bites, Joe mentioned that he had sometimes caught them on the other side of the river from the creek mouth, so he made a cast to the opposite side of the river and bam, he hooked up on the first cast. Nathan and I followed Joe’s lead and quickly caught our fish. Two decisions, one by me and one by Joe, led us to our fish. It was interesting how that all played out.

The next stop was the Tar, and it was the least dramatic stop out of the four. We launched in Falkland, upriver of Greenville, ran downriver, and quickly caught our hickory shad. We were back on the trailer in 45 minutes. Joe and I both fish Falkland frequently and know the river there well. After we got our fish on the Tar, I knew we had this one in the bag because the Roanoke in Weldon was a sure thing. I had been fishing up there every day prior and had been blistering them.

When we arrived in Weldon at about 3 p.m., we launched the boat and eased down the river to where I had been catching the fish all week.

In about 30 minutes, we had about 25 fish, so our goal was officially accomplished. After the first fish were caught by everyone, we shared lots of high fives, and there was a great sense of relief shared among the group. We had done it, and to our knowledge, no one else had ever accomplished such a feat. We joked that this had to be some sort of new world record, but it would only be important to just a few people in the world who were as crazy as we were about shad. I assured the others that, at the very least, there was no one else that day who was doing what we were doing. After getting home around 9 p.m. and reflecting on the many miles we traveled that day, I was overwhelmed with a sense of appreciation for not only the shad but also the great diversity that the rivers of eastern North Carolina offer. This accomplishment was truly a showcase of our great resources here. I hope everyone else can appreciate them as much as I do.

Capt. Richard Andrews is a resident of Washington and the owner of a local year-round guide service offering fishing excursions on the Pamlico and nearby rivers. He can be reached at 252-945-9715 or richard@ tarpamguide.com. ⋇ MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 59

TRAVEL & LEISURE

DESTINATION: GOOSE CREEK STATE PARK LOCATION: WASHINGTON ADDRESS: 2190 CAMP LEACH ROAD

Many people have taken to the nature trails at Goose Creek State Park as a way to get out of their homes and remain active.

Angela Fox (left), Casey Boyd (middle) and Brodie Wells took a stroll towards the Tar Kiln Trail with their pups, Paisley and Copper.

TAKE A WALK

with nature

O

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY MITCHELL THOMAS

ne of the more scenic areas of Beaufort County are the nature trails at Goose Creek State Park. Shadows are cast from the high-rising pine trees, turtles nestle themselves on the logs that lay across the creek bed, and the sounds of nature echo throughout the forest.

While most folks are staying at home during the COVID-19 outbreak, many may be searching for something to get them out of the house. Despite Goose Creek closing off portions of the park for safety reasons, the eight miles of trails meandering through the park remain open.

60 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

Before European settlement, the Secotan and Pamlico Native Americans, members of the Tuscarora tribe, occupied the area between Goose Creek and Bath where the park sits today. The Tuscaroras were the dominant tribe during the colonial period, and conflicts arose between the Tuscaroras and settlers along the Pamlico, Neuse and Trent rivers. Well-known inhabitants of the area included several royal governors and the notorious pirate, Blackbeard.

More recently, the park was home to subsistence farming, commercial fishing and timber production, until it opened as a state park in September of 1974.

Goose Creek State Park Park Ranger Melanie Riley said they’ve recently opened up cabins and a new campground, but reservations are currently on hold due to virus concerns.

“We have boat ramps for people to put their boats in, kayak ramps; we have prominent campgrounds, a new RV campground, as well as cabins that offer a new bathhouse in that campground,” Riley said.

“There are lots of hiking trails. We have an area for people to swim and our visitor’s center. It offers a lot of displays, history, and shows all the natural resources in the area. We have a Discovery Room with lots of animal mounts, and we offer a lot of programs on the weekends, as well.”

There is plenty of history in the area, including an old railroad track, tar kilns once used to make turpentine and shipping stations to transport tar.

“We have lots of remnants of tar kilns around the park. We even have a trail called the ‘Tar Kiln Trail.’ We talk a lot about that in our programs in the visitors center about how tar kilns were made and how they worked,” Riley said. “There are also some old cemeteries that we don’t have much information on. However, some people will come just to visit them because they have an old relative buried there.”

There is an abundance of wildlife waiting around every corner in the park, according to Riley.

“Most commonly, you’ll see a lot of white tail deer. You’ll see some turtles or yellow belly sliders on the creeks, we’ve been seeing some black bear around here a little more recently, lots of different types of song birds that people come out here to see, turkeys and other large birds, as well. There’s also a lot of water animals like otters, beavers — things you wouldn’t normally see. King snakes, copperheads and cotton mouths (are also prevalent).” Riley explained.

During the age of social distancing, Goose Creek State Park encourages families to visit the hiking trails.

“As of right now, all we have open is our trails. So in order to deter people from being around others, we have had to close all of our bathrooms, the visitor’s center and campgrounds, but it also presents a perfect time for you to come out with your family and just getting out there to hike for a little while. Being out, getting fresh air, is the healthiest thing you can do right now. As long as the governor’s orders are being met, and we don’t have any health issues here, the trails will remain open.” ⋇

Four-year-old Ethan Hill takes a bike ride along the trails of Goose Creek State Park.

MAY/JUNE 2020 | WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE • 61

CALI-BAGGER:

The Old Man & the Pamlico WRITTEN BY BRIAN FULLER | ILLUSTRATIONS BY TESSA GIBSON

T

he U-Haul’s engine was still warm when I made my way to the end of the pier, beer in one hand, fishing rod in the other. There were a lot of reasons I moved to Washington from San Francisco, but fishing the Pamlico was high on the list. Here, the wretched curse would be broken.

My son the bartender knows a good fish story when he hears it, and he doesn’t fail to remind me that mine are fraught with failure. When he arrived for Thanksgiving and walked to the end of the pier with me, he said sarcastically, “You’ve still got the gift, don’t you?”

You see I’d been here several weeks, and that first trip to pier’s end started so promisingly. Within a few minutes I’d gotten a tremendous hit on the line. The little casting pole bent violently and suddenly toward the water with that exciting shock vibrating up into my hands and soul. The bountiful Pamlico indeed! “Got one!” I yelled. Until I didn’t. I reeled in the line to see my new lure gone and a long white line of filament dancing on the breeze.

Dang. This bad luck streak was getting, well, bad. As kids, my brother and I caught anything we wanted out of the lake near our family’s Northern California cabin. In Alaska, I’d caught salmon on a fly line and halibut with a rod so big it looked like it could haul up sunken ships. But since then, decades of drought.

On a fishing boat in Mexico last year, the love of my life (let’s call her Chatterina) caught our sole prize, a small tuna.

But all curses die, don’t they? Boston Red Sox (Curse of the Bambino), Chicago Cubs (Curse of the Billy Goat). So it was to be with mine, but I needed local knowledge.

62 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MARCH/APRIL 2020

Billy, rocking in a chair, coffee steaming from his mug, told me, “All the fish are at the mouth of these creeks, Broad Creek, Blount, Goose Creek. Don’t go in ‘em; just hang out at the mouth. Won’t take but a minute. Anything anybody else tells ya is just foolishness.”

Chris, teaching me how to steam and shuck oysters outside in the 40 degree night, said, “You don’t need a boat! Just cast out from your pier there! Why do you think God gave us piers?!”

Another source put a finer point on it: Cut a hole in the pier, drop a line and wait. “That’s where they hang out,” he said.

When I related that strategy to yet another local, he said, “You know he ain’t caught nothing in 20 years.”

I tried it all in the intervening months (except cutting a hole in the pier). I bought lures with names that sounded like Krazy Crock, Zippity Zit and Jiminy Jitterbug. I used night crawlers, power bomb bait and pieces of hot dog. From the pier, off the boat… nothing. Until…

Until one night I found myself in this fella’s kitchen, watching him pull clear jars with various-colored liquids from his refrigerator. He filled Styrofoam cups and handed them to me like they were some type of spiritual elixir.

I sipped from a pink-colored one. It burned my throat but warmed my soul.

“They’re all jerking your chain,” he said to me. “Ain’t nothing to it, understand? You cast. You reel in. You pick up your net and you pull in the fish. All this other advice they’re givin’ you is just silliness. You listen here now….”

For the next hour, I sat, sipped and sampled these colored concoctions while my host offered chapter and verse, the sure-

fire secrets of success for fishing the Pamlico. My throat burned more, but my soul soared even higher on the wings of his wisdom. If only I’d had my notebook.

My next memory was the next morning: I awoke and literally had to pry my eyelids off my eyeballs. I seemed to have eaten a box of cotton, and it felt like someone was bashing my brain with a baseball bat.

Chatterina stood over me, a pint glass of water in one hand and small, important-looking tablets in the other. A smile formed on her lips.

“Have a good time last night?”

“What the heck happened?”

“I found you on Main Street screaming at a telephone pole ‘the curse is dead! The curse is dead!’”

Fragments fluttered into my mind. A kitchen, Styrofoam cups… fishing redemption, I had a vague recollection, was now to be mine thanks to my new-found friend. But there the trail went cold.

“What secrets did he tell you?” she asked.

I shook my throbbing head.

“Can’t remember a thing,” I muttered.

Later that day, I stood at the end of the pier, sipping Gatorade, fishing poles safely stored in the garage. That damn curse. I’m doomed. I thought of changing my name to Santiago. Hemingway would have chuckled. Suddenly the biggest trout I’d ever seen wiggled out from under the pier, paused for a moment as if to size me up and then slipped off into the rusty murk of the river.

As of this writing, I’m still waiting to catch that fish. ⋇

64 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

ADVERTISER INDEX Alton, Nationwide

16

Jones & McKinney, P.A.

21

Beaufort County Economic Development

14

Kari Hall, Century 21

59

Beaufort County Schools

29

King Chicken

3

Bertie Ambulance Service

14

Little Washington Sailing School

59

Bertie Peanuts

16

Marabella 43

Big Bargain Furniture

21, 67

Mauri E. Alligood - State Farm Insurance

42

Bloom Women’s Apparel

21

Nan McClendon - The Rich Co.

14

Century 21 Real Estate

43

River Street Networks

8

Coastal Insurance

30

Robinson Jewelers

17

Coldwell Banker Coastal Rivers Realty

68

Rod & Jordan Cantrell - Edward Jones

16

Cottage Junkies

21

Ryan Whitford - AssureVest Insurance Group

43

Daughtridge Patio

17

Slade Landscaping

43

Dellinger’s Pawn

21

Sloan Insurance

21

Dowry Creek Marina

55

Scott & Stringfellow BB&T

8

El Charrito

57

Stewart’s Jewelry Store

7

Executive Personnel Group

14

The Rich Company

5

Feyer Ford

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Tideland EMC

9

First Bank Wealth Management

42

United Country Respess Real Estate

8

Gail Kenefick - Coastal Rivers Realty

16

Vidant Health Systems

2

Greenville Marine & Outdoor

42

Washington Funeral Home

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Wine & Words ... & Gourmet

8

Iconic 31

WHY I LOVE WASHINGTON

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WRITTEN BY AARON LEWIS | PHOTO BY VAIL STEWART RUMLEY

eing born and raised in the incomparable inner city of Baltimore, Maryland, has allowed me the benefit of experiencing all that a big city has to offer. As a child and even as a maturing young man, I have enjoyed the people, the places and the experiences I encountered which have all shaped me into the person I am today.

As a part of that inner city living experience, I attended and later worked for the Baltimore City Schools; but during the summer months I spent some of my vacation days with my grandmother, who then lived in Pantego.

Because of that seasonal city-country transition, I feel that I have been able to glean the better of two similar, yet contrasting, lifestyles. During the school year, it was the hustle and bustle of city life. But some of my summer days were spent enjoying the laid-back atmosphere of country living. I can remember that on some of my summer days of yesteryear, I would drive from Pantego into Washington to admire and enjoy the beautiful waterfront, which is even more enjoyable today. Then and even periodically now, the quiet walks through Main Street, Havens Garden and historical sites still bring a relaxing pleasure. Friendly residents, then and now, show kindness and brotherly love by throwing up their hand saying “Hey!” The people of Spring Garden Missionary Baptist Church, which has been and remains “a friendly church in the heart of a friendly community,” have become my family and perhaps this connection is the greatest example of what I love so much about this little

town. The generosity and authenticity of the people in this town are things I have often found to be unmatched.

Even as I write this article, I am remembering that while living in Baltimore, I worked for a great BCS (Baltimore City Schools) and today, some 20 years later, I again work for another great BCS (Beaufort County Schools). I mention this similarity because it often reminds me that this little town, out of

66 • WASHINGTON THE MAGAZINE MAY/JUNE 2020

all of the places that we could have moved after leaving Baltimore, is where we were meant to be.

When my children were younger, our family would often travel out of town.

When crossing back into the Washington city limits from wherever we had been, we empathized with the familiar sigh of relief echoed by Dorothy from the “Wizard of Oz” in proclaiming “There’s no place like home!” ⋇

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