Author: REW Writers

The natural beauty of our area attracts many different individuals and families looking for vacation properties where they can enjoy our region’s many recreational activities or hide away in a quiet place and retreat from the noise and distractions of a busy lifestyle.

Some prefer a cabin in the woods while others choose a home in one of our resort subdivisions where they can stay during the summer months, leaving it behind in the winter for warmer temperatures further south. Still others look for a weekend place they can use now with the intention of making it their permanent residence after retirement.

Whatever your reason, if you want a second home, central Virginia is a great place to find just what you are looking for; and depending on your needs, you can find everything from a condo to a single family home on a ski slope to a rustic cabin on several acres. And while your neighbors are most likely to come from places such as DC, Richmond or Tidewater, they may also come from as far away as Baltimore, New York or even Maine and Florida.

Like the rest of the real estate market, the one for vacation properties is picking up, and REALTORS® report improving sales, higher prices and in some instances a shortage of inventory. Nevertheless, it’s still a great time to buy your second home as interest rates continue at all time lows, and prices, while inching up, are still favorable compared to the hot market of a few years ago.

The Market for Second Homes
Nationally the market for vacation properties is booming, jumping almost 30 percent in 2013 compared to the previous year according to a survey conducted by the National Association of REALTORS®. In contrast, the market for investment properties fell last year, and that for owner occupied homes rose only 13.1 percent. As impressive as the growth in vacation home purchases was, total sales were one third less than they were in 2006, suggesting there is still room for appreciation making vacation homes a good investment.

Locally, vacation homes sales are also up compared to the slow market of the recession years. Amy Smith with RE/MAX Specialists works in Louisa and does business in Blue Ridge Shores, a private gated community built around Lake Louisa. “Many of the properties right on the lake are second homes, and the market for them is good when they are priced correctly,” she said.

The vacation market is going well, agreed James Dickerson with Charlottesville Solutions. He referenced Lake Anna and Blue Ridge Shores as well as Shenandoah Crossings, a 500 home subdivision of single family homes plus a year round resort located in Louisa County near Gordonsville, which Dickerson called the “best kept secret in central Virginia.”

In Massanutten, a popular resort area near Harrisonburg, last year’s residential sales were the best they’ve been since 2007, said Dave Cureton with Massanutten Realty, who reported a total of 49 residential sales. This year is also off to a good start with 11 sales and 11 homes under contract, year to date.

“There were some healthy signs in last year’s market,” said Brian Chase a REALTOR® with Wintergreen Resort Premier Properties. However, he explained that business suffered some from last year’s government shut down that affected lots of people in Northern Virginia, home to many vacation home buyers. While he feels that the Wintergreen market has picked up, it has not experienced the boom reflected in the nationwide sales.

Chase also said that the good news is that there are now “unprecedented opportunities” for buyers at Wintergreen. Resale prices are 10 to 20 percent less than the cost to build, and interest rates are still very low. “There is a good bit of equity available for the smart people who get into the market now,” Chase said.
Jeff Konstant, with Massanutten Realty, described the market of the last 1.5 to 2 years as “normal,” or about what it was in 2001 and 2002. “We’re seeing appreciation,” he said, “which is very normal.”

Vacation Home Buyers
Clearly these buyers are relatively affluent with enough disposable income to own at least two homes.

They range in age from 30 to 60, Dickerson said, and at least 50 percent of them pay for their vacation home with cash. Some are looking for a place to get away for the weekend, while for others their purchase is part of a long term strategy to provide a place for retirement. Many of these people have fond memories of summers spent here when they were young, while others went to UVA and enjoy having a place to stay in the fall when they come for the colorful leaves and UVA football.

Many second home buyers are what Konstant calls pre-retirees; people who have survived the housing crash and have been waiting for the economy to turn around again before making a purchase. “There is a lot of pent up desire for this kind of property,” he continued. They come primarily from northern Virginia and Baltimore, but increasingly also from Tidewater, he added.

While some of them may have intentions to live in their second homes full time after retirement, Konstant explained that many Massanutten properties that make desirable second homes are less inviting for retirees. For example, the vacation home buyer may appreciate a condo or a two story home high up on the mountain with great views, while the retiree may want the convenience of being lower down the mountain and all on one level.

The result is over time there is lots of turn over of properties. Cureton explained that at any given time in a Massanutten neighborhood there will be a mixture of full time residents, weekenders, and renters. The rentals may be occupied full time by tenants or they may be what he called a hybrid situation where the owners are there part time, leasing the property to vacationers when they can’t be there; a strategy that helps offset the cost of their second home.

Financing Your Second Home
Most second home buyers are financially stable and obtaining a mortgage is relatively easy. However, if you are in the market for a second home and you don’t plan to pay cash, talk to your agent about the best sources for these funds.

While Konstant agreed, “financing is easy,” he added that there are definitely some banks that make the process more difficult.

According to Chase as well, “financing is easy if you work with the right lenders,” in which case funds are readily available. Most second home buyers “have their financial house in order,” he said. However while his buyers have had a nearly 100 percent success rate working with lenders familiar with the second home market, sometimes this rate drops to as low as 50 percent, he said, for buyers who try to find their own source of funds.

What Brings the Buyers to Our Area
There are many reasons why vacation home buyers prefer our area. Most people want mountain views or to be near water, or both. Our area offers it all and buyers can choose from waterfront communities like Lake Anna, Lake Monticello or Shenandoah Crossings, to ski resorts like Wintergreen or Massanutten.

Recreational opportunities and activities are also important and the year round resort facilities associated with Wintergreen, Massanutten and Shenandoah Crossings attract home buyers who can live in the nearby subdivision and take advantage of all that these places have to offer.

The ski slopes at Massanutten and Wintergreen attract skiers and snow boarders in the wintertime. In the boom days, vacationers “bought condos before breakfast,” during the ski season, Chase said. Even with today’s slower market, though, fourth quarter sales are solid. However, people are out looking prior to the season. They want to be closed by the 15th of December, Chase said, so they can be ready to enjoy their favorite winter sports as soon as there is enough snow.

Wintergreen is more than a ski place, though, Chase explained. Spring and fall are very busy there with people enjoying the natural beauty as they come for reunions, meetings and big events like weddings. The natural beauty appeals to hikers and golfers, both of who appreciate the cooler temperatures during the summer months. Wintergreen is very much of a family place with lots of activities for children. It also attracts grandparents who enjoy entertaining their extended family in a central location with lots of amenities.

Often people who come for the skiing are pleasantly surprised at what Wintergreen has to offer during the rest of the year, Chase added, saying “it would be hard to duplicate what we have here in the way of year round activities and amenities.” One highlight of the summer months is the fireworks display on July 4th when people from all over the area join local residents to watch the show.

Massanutten is also busy in the summer. Konstant, who has lived there “off and on” since 1978 said it’s actually busier there in the summer than during the ski season. Kids are out of school then so it’s a much more popular time for family vacations. There are plenty of activities as well including golf, a health club and an indoor/outdoor water park. With the water park, which is open year round, people can “ski in the morning and enjoy a tropical water experience in the afternoon,” Cureton said.

The local wild life is also a part of the mountain experience. Cureton lives in a house on the ski slope half way up the mountain at Massanutten. During the season he enjoys sitting in front of his fireplace and watching the skiers fly by. However, he also sees wildlife including a mama bear and her cub that once stopped by for a visit. They took off when he yelled in surprise.
Often people come to our area first as tourists and then as vacation home buyers before they move here permanently. Shenandoah Crossings offers activities such as horseback riding, pools and playgrounds, however a lot of what brings people there is the history and the events such as wine festivals, Dickerson said. They enjoy these activities and then retreat to their “little cabin tucked away in the woods, their house on the water and their mountain views,” he continued.

Is A Second Home for You?
If you have been imagining the joys of owning a second home, now is a great time to buy with prices still reasonable and interest rates low. The hardest part will be choosing amongst the many possibilities available to you. Don’t let that stop you, however. One of our local agents can help you sort through the choices and find the perfect second home for you and your family.

Celeste Smucker is a writer, author and blogger. She lives near Charlottesville

It’s easier than you think to create a healthier yard.

Homeowners are realizing the cost of expansive lawns in terms of water usage as well as expensive and environmentally unfriendly chemical fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides. Plus the human time expenditure and fuel for lawn mowers, weed whackers, and leaf blowers.  People are also becoming more aware about the potential bad health effects of these chemicals on children and pets playing in their yards.

The answer lies in “beneficial landscaping,” that is, planning a yard to suit your environment while saving time and money, too. For instance, maintaining a wildflower patch costs less than 10 percent of the same area of lawn so the slightly higher installation cost of soil preparation and buying the flowers is quickly recovered.

A very effective first step to limiting chemicals is to downsize your lawn. If you are landscaping from scratch, minimize the lawn area by developing vegetable, herb, and flower gardens to provide fresh blossoms for your table and the freshest food possible for your kitchen.

Other attractive strategies include the use of groundcovers, wooded glens, or rock gardens. If you already have a lawn, leave parts of it un-mown to grow naturally into a meadow where wildflowers will eventually appear. Consider converting a section of lawn each year to groundcover or natural areas to save time and money in the long run. Use native plants as much as possible. They generally require less maintenance because they can basically fend for themselves. Already adapted to our climate, they are usually less susceptible to pests and require less water and fertilizer than purchased annuals.
Non-native plants require fertilizer and quick-acting fertilizers often result in weak plants, which are susceptible to pest attacks. Even worse, some fertilizers can build pest resistance in plants, destroy useful microbes in the soil, and run off into waterways.

Composting is an excellent alternative. Compost loosens soil, improves its water-holding capacity, and stabilizes nutrients so they feed your plants instead of being washed away. Compost is simply the end result of a mixture of organic materials—such as grass clippings and kitchen waste—put in a pile or box, kept moist, and mixed periodically. Natural decomposition heats the mixture up to 130-140 degrees, which kills pathogens and weed seeds, leaving behind nutrient-rich matter.

It’s easy to find an out-of-the-way corner for a compost pile on a large lot, but in a small yard, it can be a challenge. The compost boxes sold at garden stores may not have enough room to provide the requisite heating, and if you use material that hasn’t gone through the pathogen- and seed-destroying process, you might introduce pests to your garden. Compost can be purchased in solid or liquid form at a local gardening supply store.

Here are some nontoxic tactics to take in place of harsh pesticides:
– Rotate plants. Insects tend to favor specific plants, and their life cycles mean larvae or eggs are often in the ground waiting to attack. Thwart them by changing plants location annually.
– Set insect traps. Pests can’t build up a resistance to them. Traps usually use pheromones or food to attract the pests they target, so keep traps away from the gardens they are protecting.
– Handpick and dispose of larger pests.
– Use feeders and a water source to attract pest-snacking birds as your allies.
– Plant marigolds, garlic, and horseradish, which are known to repel pests.
– Apply sticky barriers (like Tanglefoot), insecticidal soaps, or horticultural oils that suffocate pests.
– Use an insect field guide to get acquainted with beneficial insect predators such as ladybugs and praying mantises and protect them.
– Employ biological agents such as nematodes, milky spore, or a bacillus. Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) attacks the digestive systems of certain insects, but it is harmless to humans, pets, and beneficial insects. BT can control mosquito larvae in a backyard pond without harming the tadpoles that will become bug-munching frogs. In addition, BT can be used on vegetables up to within one day of harvest because there are no residuals.

With a little study and effort, homeowners can cut back on chemicals and still enjoy a healthy, vibrant yard.

Marilyn Pribus and her husband live near Charlottesville where they rely on birds and “good bugs” to control plant pests.

Real Estate News

Local Fire Fighters, Nurses, Police Officers and Teachers Have More Home Purchasing Power through CAAR Workforce Housing Fund
Changes to Workforce Housing Fund Guidelines Result in Six New Home Ownership Success Stories

CAAR, the voice of real estate in the Central Virginia region, has announced changes to the guidelines for its signature program available to local residents who are employed in important public service roles.

Now in its 10th year, the CAAR Workforce Housing Fund (WHF) was established by the real estate community and is administered by Piedmont Housing Alliance. WHF supports fire fighters, nurses, police officers and teachers who want to own a home near their work but find their income levels do not meet lending criteria. This vital community partnership helps eligible homebuyers with down payment and closing costs. Since its establishment, WHF has helped 46 families become homeowners, but the pace of applicants has dwindled in recent years.

“An unfortunate side effect of the recession was receiving only two applications in 24 months. This showed the CAAR Board of Directors that it was time to make changes so that Workforce Housing Fund opportunities could be utilized by more hard-working residents and families,” John Ince, CAAR president and associate broker at Nest Realty Group, said.

The CAAR Board approved two modifications to the WFH to encourage more participation:
• The first change opens up the Workforce Housing Fund to borrowers who purchase and serve anywhere within the Thomas Jefferson Planning District, which includes the City of Charlottesville and counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson. Previously, purchasers were limited to purchase in the specific community in which they worked.
• The second change brings the interest rate in-line with those of the Albemarle County Housing Assistance Program, which currently has a 3 percent simple interest rate. The original WHF guidelines required a 6 percent simple interest loan.
In the six short months since those revisions went into effect, Piedmont Housing reports the following Workforce Housing Fund success stories:
A police officer was able to buy an affordable home in Charlottesville with $11,495 in CAAR WHF down payment assistance.
Another police officer and his family bought a home in Fluvanna County, with $7,000 in down payment assistance from the CAAR Fund.
A Louisa County teacher’s loan was approved by using $4,870 from the CAAR WHF.
A Charlottesville teacher was able to buy an affordable home in Ruckersville with $9,950 from CAAR.
Another teacher bought a home in Albemarle County with $10,295 from the CAAR WHF.

The most recent closing was by a nurse who bought a home in Albemarle County with $10,950 in assistance from the CAAR WHF.

“Often times the funds available from CAAR make it possible to leverage additional funds at the county level,” Frank Grosch, Piedmont Housing’s executive director, said. “Our partnership helps public servants in our communities put roots down in the area that they serve, and Piedmont Housing is proud to work with local real estate professionals to make that happen.”

“As part of the CAAR leadership team nothing has impressed me more than the willingness and desire of our members to give back to the community, especially on housing related issues like the Workforce Housing Fund,” Ince added. “It is so rewarding to witness the positive impact these 1,000 members have in virtually all the communities served by CAAR.”

Contact a local REALTOR® to learn how to start the qualification process.

About CAAR: The Charlottesville Area Association of REALTORS® (CAAR) represents more than 1,000 real estate professionals in Charlottesville and Albemarle and the surrounding areas of Greene, Fluvanna, Nelson, Louisa counties. For more information on CAAR, pick up a copy of the CAAR Real Estate Weekly, visit www.caar.com, or contact your REALTOR®.

About PHA: Piedmont Housing Alliance is a non-profit affordable housing provider for the Thomas Jefferson Planning District in Central Virginia, including the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa and Nelson counties. It is a “one-stop-shop” for the full range of affordable housing services, including free housing counseling, free first-time homebuyers classes, access to affordable financing and down payment assistance. PHA also develops and manages properties to ensure a supply of high-quality affordable housing to both renters and buyers. PHA is a HUD-certified housing counseling agency and a VA state Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO), and is certified by the US Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). For more information, visit www.piedmonthousing.org.

Events Around Town

Healthy Boys: A Talk and Discussion with Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm
The Field School of Charlottesville is pleased to announce “Healthy Boys: A Talk and Discussion with Joel Salatin” on Saturday, May 17th at 10:30 a.m. at the Paramount Theater.

Salatin, of Polyface Farms, is an internationally known farmer who celebrates local food and its connection to healthy communities. His farming ideas-deemed radical by some– have been highlighted in Time magazine, the New York Times, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and other outlets. He was profiled by Peter Jennings on ABC World News as part of Lives of the 21st Century as well as Michael Pollan’s bestseller, The Omnivore’s Dilemma.

Salatin will share his unique perspective on cultivating healthy boys through practical strategies including:
• nutrition
• school lunches
• exercise
• thoughtful decision making

Event Sponsors: The Field School of Charlottesville is a middle school for boys with the mission of developing well-rounded boys of character and accomplishment. Additional sponsors include Field Camp, Blue Ridge Swim Club, Ashtanga Yoga Charlottesville, Local Food Hub, and Mudhouse Coffee.

TICKETS: $12 Adult, $8 Youth 14 & Under and includes lunch provided by Field School Chef Patrick Critzer to all participants at the conclusion of the event.

ONLINE: www.theparamount.net/2014/healthy-boys-a-talk-discussion-with-joel-salatin-of-polyface-farms/

PHONE: 434-979-1333

BOX OFFICE: 215 East Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902 Monday – Friday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
More Info:  www.fieldschoolcv.net or call 434.823.3435

 

What was life like in early 19th century Nelson County? What did it take to cook a meal over an open hearth fire? How were bricks and mortar made? What mourning rituals were observed when someone died? Pharsalia Plantation will celebrate its 200th anniversary the weekend of May 17 and 18 with an educational festival designed to step back in time – and to feast, frolic, and take the air on a flower farm surrounded by fields planted with apples, grapes, peaches, and corn.

Pharsalia’s 2014 Folk Life Festival will bring artists and artisans, chefs and musicians, authors and historians and all manner of aficionados of country living to a working farm in Tyro with an historic home constructed in 1814-16 by a man who served under George Washington in the Revolutionary War. Over 90 vendors will teach and demonstrate skills like basket making, cider pressing, and limestone plastering.

Major Thomas Massie situated Pharsalia’s 11-bay, Federal style, frame manor house at the foot of dePriest Mountain, naming it after an epic poem by the Roman writer Lucan on the war between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great in 48 B.C. “Pharsalia was originally built as a wedding gift for my great-great grandfather, William Massie,” says Foxie Morgan, current Pharsalia owner and conservator with her husband Richard. “It stayed in the family till the late 1800’s, then it had two owners, one for a brief time and another, a dentist, for about 55 years. When he died his family did not want Pharsalia, so it came up for sale and my grandparents helped my parents buy it back into the family in 1951.”

“The original at one time included four farms and up to 10,000 acres that William Massie owned. Today it is about 20 acres. It has always been a farm of some sort.” The house, as Morgan describes it, “has four large rooms, with a center hall across the front and a T with a hall and two large rooms and an added large kitchen at the back of the house. An upstairs was added on the T about 1840 or so. The panes in the windows across the front are very interesting. Each window has a narrow panel of glass on each side and a wide pane in the middle.”

“Pharsalia is an amazing place,” says Steve Crandall of Tectonics II Construction, and of Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company, which is presenting a farm to table meal and wine tasting there on August 9. “It still has all the infrastructure buildings – slave hospital, outdoor kitchens, ice pits four-seater outdoor potty – in place. And it sits on this amazing bucolic hill overlooking vineyards and apple orchards. The house is kept up pristine. Foxie Morgan has done an amazing job restoring it and bringing in period furniture. It’s a neat asset for Nelson County.”

As with any property, historic or not, Pharsalia requires continual maintenance and rehabilitation to be kept in such great shape.  “We’ve taken a room at a time, one a year, to restore,” Morgan says. “We’ve documented things we’ve found, like pig and horse hair in the plaster, but we’ve also left things in the wall. We put in a little bag of money and a note – somebody else will find it in another 100 years.”

“My parents did a wonderful job of keeping good roofs on buildings. Some things are preserved correctly, and some things haven’t been touched. So I feel like we’re a good teaching plantation. Last week Monticello was here studying our slave quarters. Ours are called saddleback design. They took measurements and pointed out a lot of things I never realized.” Ever the historian, Morgan is asking everyone coming to a family reunion this June to bring their photos of original Pharsalia items, “so we can make a book of Massie pieces and know where they are.”

Pharsalia back in William’s day was a bustling, multi-faceted enterprise made possible by as many as 170 African-American slaves. “William had successes and failures, but agriculture was pretty much how they survived,” Morgan says. “Apples were big. He raised hogs. Salt curing meat was big business. William tried everything,” including cranberries and potatoes. “He was way ahead of his time.”

Two hundred years and five generations later, Pharsalia is a flower farm, a wedding site, and a treasured parcel of Nelson County listed on the National Registry of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Morgan grows annuals and perennials mainly for cutting; her biggest crop is peonies. William Massie’s papers are in far flung historical society holdings. Groups of ten or more can arrange tours of the grounds, but the folk life festival is the rare chance for individuals and families to see both house and grounds in something like its original atmosphere and antique manner.

“We’re not making this just another festival,” says 19th century cooking expert Rachel Deddens. “This will be an opportunity for patrons to step back in time to an early 19th century plantation site, with tradespersons and crafters who will share their artistic talents, educating the public on how their particular craft was created in the past, and is being created today. We asked participating tradespersons and vendors to dress in Federal period costumes. Costumed interpreters will walk the grounds as Massie family members. Patrons will have a special treat seeing mourning practices of the period.”

Deddens herself will be in the original kitchen, “demonstrating and preparing foods of the period at the hearth. I teach people how you cooked on an open fire. Make sure you step in to see and smell the aromas of early 19th century cooking.”

Two big tents on the grounds will save the day in case of inclement weather. Tradespeople will ply their trades in buildings around the property – most of them original – including the weaving house, brick kitchen, smokehouse, and slave quarters. Traditional acoustic musicians Kim and Jimbo Cary will help kids make music.Wandering minstrels Jim Robertson and Corbin Hayslett will roam the grounds and also perform on stage. Octogenarian basket maker Paul Younger will show and sell his wares. Morgan promises homemade oyster ice cream available for sampling “at your own risk,” plus “a chicken whisperer, rabbits, and a sheep or two.”

The following is a list of festival participants:

Tradespersons, Demonstrators and Vendors

Olion Bare (arrows); Ted Batt (pottery); Jeff Bibb and Sheets (horns and leather products): Bethlehem Farm (goats and lambs, wool products); Buzzards Roost Antiques; Jim Call (photographer for dress up activity); Cane Creek Country Crafts (handcrafted folk art and paintings); Doris Cann (period clothing for dolls and children, and mob caps); Mike Crabill (historic maps); Aaron Driskill (cutting boards); Ric Davila (grist mill/corn grinder); Deniece’s Stained Glass; James River Association; R. A. and Sharon Flick (historical clothing and leather); Falling Acre Timber Framing; Patricia Foreman (Chickens and More, featuring “Oprah Hen-Free”); David Gillespie (stonecutting demos, gravestone etchings and 18^th century sutler); Judi Harvey (mourning practices); Alice Higgins (chair caning and antiques); David Hoffman (understanding foraging); John Hoskins (hand hewn logs on Saturday, cider press on Sunday); Gene Hughes (Nelson County farmers and soldiers); Ted Hughes (master wagon maker and farm equipment restorer); Sherry Huffer (rabbits, spinning and knitting with rabbit fur); Hungry Hill Bee Farm (honey, honey bees with observable hive); Donna Kincaid (pottery); The Lofard Peddlar (period sutler): Lynchburg Parks and Recreation; Massie Family Stories; Doug MacLeod (flint knapper – Sunday only); Dian McNaught (primitive campsite); Mark McQuarry (soapstone master); Victoria Mattison (storyteller); Patsy Meyer (new and antique quilt sales and demonstrations with kids activity); The Nature Zone; Pat Nickolino (18th century-style broom maker); Virginia Lime Works (period building of an outside beehive and brick oven); Allan Raasch (photography); Jim Rhyne (primitive camping, Native American culture); Paul Saunders (Native American artifacts); Shanatara’s Soaps; Meg Smith (chair caning); Jannet T. Spearman (jewelry); Clinton Spencer (wooden bowls and lathe turned object – will demonstrate with a lathe); Feather Stein (bark baskets and gourds); Sunrise Forge (blacksmithing); Dee Tinsley (stones, jewelry, and the history of stones and minerals); Jewel Tumas (weaving); Penny Wilson (broom maker); Randolph Williams (walking sticks and wooden toys); Anita Wilkerson and Wymyns Wyrks (bird feeders); Paul Younger (basket maker).

Authors and Books

Tom Burford (“Professor Apple”); Lynn Coffee (“Backroads”) ; Rachel C. Deddens (“Cooking at the Hearth”); Nancy Marion (“Lynch’s Ferry Magazine”); Jessica Ward (“Food to Die For” and “Food to Live For” cookbooks).

Food and Drink

Albemarle Cider Works (bottled cider sales); Tommy Ashley (BBQ); John Brock (kettle corn and boiled peanuts); Ann Scott Cardwell (tacos and soft drinks); Catering by Claudia (vegetarian and finger foods); Chateau Z Vineyard; Chuck Wagon (dogs and burgers); Empirical Herbs (veggies, berries, and medicinal herbs); Kondo Jenkins (cakes and chocolate creations); Cindy Morris, jams, jellies, bread); Philippine Delight (Asian fare); Rhodes Creations (jams, jellies, herbal teas and baked goods); Rock Barn at Oak Ridge (smoked meat); Uncle Bob’s Self Storage (snow cones and cotton candy); Veritas Winery; Wymyns Wyrks (jams, jellies, relishes).

Historical Societies

Cabell Foundation; Nelson County Community Fund; Nelson County Historical Society; Old City Cemetery; Rockfish Valley Foundation; Wintergreen Performing Arts.

Artists and Craftsmen

Art Club and Blue Ridge Plenair; David and Ron Heath Jimmy Price (on the composition of bricks and mortar).

Music

Kim and Jimbo Cary; Farm Use Band; David Frank with Root 2; Corbin Hayslett; The McKenzies; Nina Pinto and The Santa Marias; Proffit and Sandage; Riddle on the Harp; Jim Robertson; Rockfish Gap.

Children’s Activities and Period Games

Storytelling, rolling hoops, wagon rides, jacks, marbles, nine pins, cup and ball, checkers.

The 2014 Pharsalia Folk Life Festival will take place 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 18. The price of admission each day (there are no weekend passes) is $20 for adults and $7 for children. Kids under 6 get in free. Morgan recommends consulting MapQuest or Pharsalia’s own directions page rather than relying GPS directional systems to find the plantation.

The Folk Life Festival is just one of several events this spring and summer celebrating – and carrying on! – old-time folkways in Nelson County. The Grand Squares of Nelson will sponsor a Spring Flowers Square Dance on April 18 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Rockfish River Elementary School, with a real live square dance caller, and line dancing during breaks. Refreshments will be served. A donation is requested at the door. The Grand Squares have hosted dances since 1985, and members have been invited to take part in a square dance scene in the movie “Altar Egos,” to be filmed April 23.

The 40th Annual Nelson County Fair takes place July 14 through July 19 at the Nelson County Fairgrounds on Route 31 East. A $10 daily ticket price provides admission for everything from clog dancing and cowboy mounted shooting, to the Miss Nelson County and Tiny Tots pageants and the Pig and Youth Market Lamb shows. Nelson County is remembering its history this year, and celebrating its culture. Tourists welcome!

by Ken Wilson

This spring’s Foxfield Races are slated for Saturday, April 26^th, continuing an outstanding tradition that has been highly popular in Charlottesville for more than 30 years. The beautiful and challenging Foxfield course attracts Thoroughbred owners, trainers, and jockeys from several states to a full day of racing near the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Foxfield Races also focus attention on the increasing demand for horse properties in Central Virginia.

REALTOR® Donna Patton of Better Homes & Gardens Realty III, a rider since she was five years old, notes that people travel a considerable distance to race their horses or simply to enjoy a day of racing. “They come from other areas and the races may spark an interest in living here,” she declares. “A lot of people go to the races, so it’s always a good time to reconnect with people and see the horses—magnificent animals!”

The site of today’s Foxfield racecourse was once Charlottesville’s local airport and the hangar is still there. For the past three decades, however, this has been home to steeplechase and is recognized by the National Steeplechase Association for maintaining an excellent equine course. The term “steeplechase” dates back about 200 years to the days when riders racing cross-country navigated from town to town by sighting on church steeples.

Patton observes that some people like to get close to the starting point for a good look at the horses, while others prefer to watch from later in the course. “Then, “ she says, “you see them just flying past.” There are both steeplechases and flat races.

“Lots of people tailgate,” she adds. “Some pay extra to be on the rail in a special section where there’s a contest for the best tailgate set-up. Some people bring a picnic basket and there are also caterers. The whole day is just a lot of fun.”

Central Virginia is Horse Country

“Our area in Central Virginia is probably one of the top five horse regions in the country,” observes John Ince, President of the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors, an Associate Broker at Nest Realty, and President of Charlottesville Country Properties. Ince, a long-time “horse person” and Foxfield fan, lives on his own small horse farm near Barboursville. He spent ten years of training, breeding and showing Arabian horses before embarking on his real estate career.

“There are Olympic quality trainers and breeders, excellent farriers, and many purveyors of feed and tack,” he says. “There are a great number of equine vets and you couldn’t ask for better. They make middle-of-the-night house calls like old country doctors.”

“The area around Charlottesville has a history of horse keeping and breeding back to the seventeenth century,” chimes in Janet Matthews, founder of Charlottesville Town and Country Homes. Matthews has ridden all her life and bred and raised thoroughbreds and A-show ponies. “We have a mild climate, we’ve got a central location between New York and Florida, and many equine disciplines are practiced in the area.”

There are hundreds of different horse shows in the area, she continues, from “A” shows to back yard shows. “No matter what your specific equine interest is you can find it in our region,” she says, listing polo, fox hunting, eventing, hunter/jumpers and a number of top Western trainers.

“The region has everything from hobby farms perfect for people that want to have their horses at home to large estates with full facilities including indoor arenas and cross-country courses run by professionals,” she explains. “Olympic medalists live and train here and you will find trainers of all levels in your discipline to suit your level.”

Central Virginia is also fox-hunting country, including the Keswick Hunt, the Farmington Hunt, and hunts in Madison and Nelson Counties. In fact, most rural areas of the Commonwealth have hunts. They make a point to be sensitive to their neighbors and always have landowners’ permission to be on their properties.

Patton, a Foxfield fan, is one of many enthusiastic trail riders in the region. “There are many wonderful trails in the area, both public and private.” she says. “There’s Preddy Creek Trail Park with ten miles of trails in Albemarle County,” she says. “Fluvanna County has 1000 acres with horse trails and in Louisa, there are horse trails at Lake Anna.  You can even ride from Crozet all the way to the Blue Ridge.”

Mild Virginia summers prompt some horse owners from deep southern states to bring their animals here during the summer’s heat and humidity. Since there are so many hunts in our area, some owners even purchase a second property in this area to pasture their horses during the hunt season.

All these activities make a very positive contribution to Virginia’s economy. A major study, completed several years ago by UVa’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, showed that Virginia’s horse industry has an economic impact of well over one billion dollars annually.

Finding a Horse Property

Is it difficult to locate a great horse property? Fortunately, there are a number of REALTORS® in the area in and around Charlottesville who are themselves “horse people.” They end up specializing in farms and horse properties because they understand exactly what potential buyers of horse properties are looking for. For example, CAAR president Ince, who has his own small horse farm, knows what just is needed to keep horses.

“There are always ‘turn-key’ listings in Albemarle and the six surrounding counties where you could move your horses today,” he says. He adds that the closer to Charlottesville a property is, the more expensive it is likely to be. “The important thing is how comfortable your animals will be.”

Requirements generally include a minimum of two acres per horse and it’s good to have enough land to rotate stock among pastures to maintain healthy grass. Other necessities are secure fencing, provision for water, and sufficient weather protection for animals such as a barn or at least a run-in shed. Beyond the basics, some people might want a riding ring, tack room, level land, easy access to riding trails, or even a specific school district.

Ince recommends purchasing an established property. “It’s better value-wise to find a property with existing fences and horse shelters,” he says, “because ‘horse’ improvements depreciate more rapidly than houses.” An added bonus when moving into an established property is that you don’t have to board your animals while improvements are made with their almost inevitable delays.

On the other hand, many people buy something suitable for turning into a horse farm because they love the property and are willing to undertake the necessary improvements.  Fencing and shelter are immediate needs, but other improvements can be made over a period of time.

Of course, buying any horse property is considerably more complicated than simply buying a house, points out Matthews of Charlottesville Town and Country Homes. Different jurisdictions often have different requirements for keeping horses and those requirements can change from one year to the next. In addition, there may be restrictions or easements on an individual property.

“When looking at horse properties be sure to keep in mind the expense of any deferred maintenance which can be quite costly,” she cautions. Fencing, water lines, painting, and pasture maintenance all fall in to this category. “The acreage of your property will determine how many horses you can keep. The average rule of thumb is two acres per horse, but ideally you will have adequate fencing to rotate your pastures so they can recover after grazing. Running water in the pastures is always a bonus. Creeks are ideal, while ponds are not.”

It’s interesting to note that potential buyers often ask to see the facilities for horses before they even look at the house. “Shelter for the animals can range from a run-in to a center-aisle barn with dozens of stalls,” observes Matthews. “As you inspect properties, decide if you want room for expansion and choose something that accommodates that. Conversely, if you are downsizing, be sure you are comfortable with existing facilities for your planned move.”

Some developments in the region are specifically designed as equine properties, continues Matthews. “Glenmore—once a famed horse farm—is now home to an on-site equestrian center with a boarding barn, training arena, and professional show ring,” she says. “The Farms of Turkey Run is also a development well-suited to horses,” she says. In addition, a number of properties in Keswick have direct access to community riding trails and lots up to 12 acres.

Finally, “horse” properties can also be home to ponies, llamas or even alpacas.  So whatever a home buyer’s motivation—whether seeking a property just large enough for a child’s pony or a professional operation with stables, rings and spacious pastures, Central Virginia is prime horse country.

“The variety of available properties in our area is significant,” concludes Matthews, “but finding something on the market at the time you need to buy might be a challenge. Be patient and be willing to compromise.”

Marilyn Pribus, an active volunteer at the Paramount Theater, is delighted to know the Paramount will be the recipient of some of the proceeds of this spring’s Foxfield Races.

We are pleased and honored that parents consider Greene County Public Schools as an educational option for their students.  We are proud of our entire school community and the high quality services, staff, and educational experience that we provide.  Not only are our facilities, programs, and staff top notch, but the Greene County community is an incredible place to work, live and raise a family. 

We are passionately focused on providing individualized education programs for our students. We believe that, as a result of our dedicated teaching staff and quality our curriculum and programs, Greene County Public School students are well prepared to succeed in the world of work.  Our character education programs are designed to build a foundation for students to succeed in a diverse world while holding true to core virtues and principles.

We do our very best to communicate with parents and families to nurture a strong school/home partnership.  We value our school and broad community, therefore we work to keep the community informed of district initiatives and events.  

Greene County Public Schools (GCPS) educates 2,925 children in grades PreK through 12 in one primary school, two elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and one technical school.  Greene County Public Schools has five Nationally Board Certified Teachers; 84 percent of the division’s professional staff has a masters or doctoral degree, while 98.87 percent of its professional teaching staff are considered “highly qualified.”

GCPS has a lot to be proud of: 

• The class of 2013 had 36 Commonwealth Scholars & 53 Early College Scholars.
• Eighty-four percent of the class of 2013 will continue their formal education after high school.
• The class of 2013 collectively earned over 1,086 college credits through PVCC and Advanced Placement classes prior to graduating from high school.
• The class of 2013 earned an impressive $851,752 in scholarships.
• Mary Cave and Becky Spencer were recognized as2012-2013 Educators of the Year for the 2012-2013 school year.
• William Monroe Middle School has dominated National History Day competition at the state level.
• William Monroe Academy, a project based application program continues to demonstrate strong student engagement and achievement. GCPS will offer courses in 7^th-10^th grade for the 2014-2015 school year. Students in this program learn skills as well as core content through different learning experiences, field trips, service learning, etc.
• National Merit Finalist at William Monroe High School.
• William Monroe Dragons baseball team has won the state championship.
• Fifty-eight percent of the class of 2013 earned advanced study diplomas. Thirty percent were Honor Graduates.
• The on-site Governor’s School program at William Monroe graduated 13 students in 2013.
• New Athletics and Performing Arts facilities.
• Rachel’s Challenge and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports) implemented to promote kindness and respect.
• 137 students earned Industry Certification at the Greene County Technical Center/William Monroe High School.
• Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) History Teacher of the Year at William Monroe Middle School.

 Partnership with Piedmont Virginia Community College

• Through a comprehensive curriculum at William Monroe High School and PVCC, students have the opportunity to graduate with an Associate of Science Degree at the same time they graduate from high school.
• WMHS students take courses at the high school, technical center, online or at the Eugene Giuseppe Center (PVCC) in Stanardsville.
• Students begin taking college courses in the 10^th grade. A flexible schedule and close proximity to the Giuseppe Center allow for many academic courses during the school day.

GCPS Community Outreach

• 500 letters & 35 care packages to troops in Afghanistan
• 250 books to the Toy Lift
• $1,404 to UVA Children’s Hospital
• $4,456 to Jump Rope for Heart
• $393 to Ronald McDonald House
• 1,000 food items collected for Thanksgiving food baskets
• Partnership with Neighbors-4-Neighbors and Feinstein Foundation. The first school division to include all their schools and central office in their food drive.
• $1,400 to Bayhead Elementary School for Hurricane Sandy relief
• $100 to Sandy Elementary School
• 100 clothing items donated to Skyline Cap Thrift Store

By Dr. Seth Muraskin, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction