At the southern-most, narrowest tip of one of the prettiest mountain valleys in Virginia.
Our 50 acre family homestead is nestled into the southern tip of the beautiful Rockfish Valley, in the Piedmont region of central Virginia, south of Charlottesville.
It includes two family homes, our guest cottage, some small barns and paddocks, and some noble, Very Old trees. A large south-facing field currently serves for hay, and 39 acres of mature woods host wildlife and hiking trails. We back up to hundreds of acres of undisturbed forest kept under conservation easement, and with George Washington National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway across the highway, we are in a lovely spot that promises to keep its rural character for our lifetimes.
One of our favorite neighborhood features are the miles of flat, public walking trails stewarded by the Rockfish Valley Foundation. Our dirt road is part of the trail system, and we walk the wide, well-maintained trails nearly daily.
Fiber, Fruit, and Flowers.
We keep a flock of about 20 hens for eggs for ourselves, guests, and friends, and farm fruit and vegetables for our family and guests. We have a few goats, cats, and an old farm dog.
Animal Husbandry
(Why Husbandry? This feels more like a sub-set of mothering.)
For the first 8 years we kept a small flock of Leicester Longwool sheep, and although they have moved on to greener pastures, we are still processing their beautiful fleece to sell as spun wool and as locks. See some of our current farm products here.
We currently have some miniature goats who help with lawn maintenance.
Children & Animals
Raising animals with the help of your children is every bit as wonderful as you'd imagine. But complicated, too!
We've bottle-fed lambs, helped birth both lambs and kids, watched coyotes pick off animals born on our farm, and nursed injured hens by the wood stove. Boxes of baby chicks spend weeks inside with us, and we know the histories of many local cats, snakes, and birds. Bears are a part of life, and part of how we make decisions. Fences are an ally you can't over value. Everyone understands how much each we work for each stick of firewood.
You don't need televised drama when you have farm drama.
Plant Allies & Kitchen Fodder
It's a slippery slope from being a city girl watching Martha Stewart, Julia Child, and teaching herself to cook to owning a small farm. Beware of the whisk!
Cocktails are better when you make your own bitters, and the line between cooking and medicine is thin and easily transgressed.
Flower gardening is an abiding passion inherited from my grandparents.
Current projects include transitioning our main paddock into a large cutting garden and installing a hoop house for propagation.
