Blue Ridge Life, Issue #174

SEPTEMBER 2019 

NO. 174 

PRICELESS (FREE!) 

HEMP IS HERE • COURAGE AND CONVICTION • HASTA PRONTO 

10 20 SEPTEMBER 2019 Blue Ridge LIFE 261

360° Mountain Views Overlooking James River 

Greenbough by the James | Amherst County 

70 acre Luxury Retreat Offered at $560,000 

NEW LISTING - Designed 

and maintained by a retired 

surveyor and forester, build 

your luxury home or getaway 

on this private mountain top 

boasting spectacular sunrises 

and sunsets. Abundant with 

game and wildlife, this property 

is currently in land use. View 

canopy on top has been 

selectively thinned. 

Available as dual mountain top tracts 

totaling 44+ acres (MLS 594371 - 

$375,000), or bundle it with adjacent 

26+ acre tract (MLS 594375 – $185,000) 

for 70 acres of mountain solitude. 

Private 30 acre Paradise 

Old Glade Estates | Amherst County 

Offered at $160,000 MLS 594363 

NEW LISTING - Consider the investment 

possibilities as this property is divided into 

six 5-acre lots. Take advantage of the land’s 

westward slope and add a lake. Itching to farm? 

Potential exists for a silvopasture grazing model 

as the property has been selectively managed 

to thin out smaller 

trees while preserving 

hardwoods, providing 

a mixture of pasture 

and shade for livestock. 

Convenient to US 

29, Old Glade is less 

than 30 minutes to 

Lynchburg. 

yvette@blueridgelife.com 

434.760.4181 / cell 

2788 ROCKFISH VALLEY HWY NELLYSFORD, VA 

YvetteStafford 

REALTOR 

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2 Blue Ridge LIFE SEPTEMBER 2019

Nelson County… it’s a lifestyle! 

N e lson Co u n t y 

Dutch Creek Parcel Situated between 

Sugarloaf and Mosby Mountains, this 94- 

acre parcel has the perfect combination of 

hardwood forest and open pasture. Follow 

Dutch Creek to this small community 

created with conservation and preservation 

in mind. Private yet an easy commute to 

Charlottesville (only 50 minutes) and only 

20 minutes to Lovingston. Underground power and beautiful building sites 

overlooking the pond. There are two old tobacco barns on the property 

which add historic character along with the massive rock outcroppings and 

75–95-year-old trees. Part of a 3000-acre ag/forest district and a portion of 

conservation easement. CVEC-fiber internet coming soon. $495,000 

1887 Fork Mountain Lane 

Stunning 77-acre, old Montebello 

farm full of gorgeous vistas, lovely 

woods, hiking trails, camping 

spots and outstanding hunting? 

Many attractive homesites… pick 

your favorite view! Electric on the 

property and an old root cellar 

and a equipment shed. Much is 

open with pasture. The perfect getaway and could also be a hunting camp or 

family enclave. Close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the AT, Crabtree Falls, Tye 

River with trout fishing (and swimming holes!). Hop down to the Valley to 

orchard happenings, breweries, cideries and musical events! $399,000 

Williams Creek Lane Ten beautifully 

wooded acres in a gated community 

of fine homes in Afton. Minutes from 

Charlottesville, Waynesboro and I-64, 

these 10 acres offer plenty of room 

to build your home. Gentle 

covenants guide your planning. A 

bold spring issues on the property 

and forms a charming stream as it 

flows off onto Lot 1. Nestle your 

home in near wooded privacy and selective clearing will provide views out 

toward Afton Mountain. Cannot be seen from the state road. Must have 

appointment to view, call your agent now! $249,000 

161 Apple Lane One-level living with 

panoramic views! Perched on a gently 

rolling, south-facing hillside with views 

and privacy. Relax on the covered front 

porch with views or on the back porch 

overlooking the fenced backyard. Bring 

your horse, too. There is also a run-in 

shed and paddock. Love the flow with 

an open great room, kitchen and breakfast nook within the heart of the 

home. Bedrooms are on opposite ends for maximum privacy, with the 

master boasting two walk-in closets and a large bath with separate vanities, 

jetted tub, and shower. Use the front room as a den or home office; has fiber 

internet! Afton location within 25 minutes of Charlottesville. $379,000 

57 Pounding Branch Road Wellmaintained 

home with an open 

concept design located in Afton. 

Main level has 9' ceilings. Living 

room with gas fireplace. The kitchen 

features maple cabinets, granite 

countertops, and an island for 

additional seating and work space. 

Upstairs you will find a master suite 

with vaulted ceiling and walk in closet, plus two additional bedrooms, full 

hall bath and the laundry area. Large fenced area for the kids or family pets. 

Attached garage for added convenience. Make this your dream home today. 

Only 25 minutes to UVA! $279,000 

18 Pheasant Run This 

COMMERCIAL • REDUCED! 

commercial property is in the 

heart of Nellysford, near the 

village services, breweries, 

wineries, and cideries. A 

popular brewery is right next 

door! This is zoned B-1 under 

the Nelson County Zoning 

Ordinance, and accordingly, a 

variety of uses are permitted. On the corner of Rockfish Valley Highway (VSH 

151), this prime location offers exceptional visibility to resort visitor and 

business traffic. Most recently, the main floor has been used as an Art Gallery, 

and the upstairs apartment has been a popular rental on Air B&B. $295,000 

945 Diamond Hill Condo 

Mountain and slopeside views from 

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Lots of upgrades! 

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Extras include a stone arched entry, chimney and 

foundation, more than 1000 square feet of decking with 

views, level parking, 2 master suites with balconies, kitchen 

with double ovens and refrigerators. $699,000 

P R I C E R E D U C E D 98 Laurel Springs 

Drive If you have 

ever played the 

Devils Knob Golf, you 

have admired this 

beautiful home 

perched above the 

10th Green with exceptional architectural lines and 

sense of place. The soaring wood-paneled ceiling, 

massive floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, wall of glass 

with decks beyond, updated kitchen, and 

handsome furnishings are just part pf the allure. 

The spacious main floor master also has a stone 

fireplace, large master bath with access to the deck 

and golf views! Downstairs is a family room with 

fireplace, 3 bedrooms and baths and first floor 

deck. Beautifully maintained, turn key and ready to 

enjoy summer 2019 and years to come. $549,500 

(800) 361-5155 • (434) 361-2440 • www.MountainAreaRealty.com 

2788 Rockfish Valley Highway • Nellysford, VA 22958 

SEPTEMBER 2019 Blue Ridge LIFE 3

Custom Homes | Major Additions | Renovations 

434.316.0090 RMGantt.com 

License Class A - (BLD) 32216A 


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Editors & Publishers 

Yvette Stafford, Tommy Stafford 

info@blueridgelife.com 

a mom & pop since 2005 

Blue Ridge Life magazine (formerly Nelson County Life) is published monthly by The Afton Group, LLC and is distributed free of charge. No portion of this publication may be 

reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. 

Advertising deadlines are the 15th of every publishing month. For advertising information, download our ratecard at BlueRidgeLife.com or contact us at info@blueridgelife.com. 

Views reflected by our advertisers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or the company. 

Blue Ridge Life Magazine, published by The Afton Group, LLC is pledged to the letter and spirit of Virginia’s policy for achieving equal housing oppotunity throughout the 

Commonwealth. We encourage and support advertising and marketing programs in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, national 

origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, or handicap. 

All real estate advertised herein is subject to Virginia’s fair housing law which makes it illegal to advertise ‘any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, 

religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, or handicap, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.’ This magazine will not knowingly 

accept advertising for real estate that violates the fair housing law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this magazine are available on an equal 

opportunity basis. 

Contributors 

Linda Crowe 

Victoria Beecher Godfrey 

Stephanie Gross 

Kate Simon 

Advertising 

sales@blueridgelife.com 

Address: 

The Afton Group, LLC P.O. Box 455, Wintergreen, Virginia 22958 434.361.0104 

Have a story idea? Email us at info@blueridgelife.com 


september 2019 

Get Your Pork On 

Your grill or smoker is going to fall in love with our 

Maple Brook Farm pastured pork! 

BONE-IN PORK CHOPS: SOLD OUT 

BRATWURST: $8/pack (4 jumbo links/pack) 

BREAKFAST LINKS: $7/pack (7 links/pack) 

GROUND PORK: $7/pack (1 lb pack) 

10 

hemp is here 

Jay Rostow is one of many growers in the 

Commonwealth growing hemp this year. 

Available now at Tuckahoe Antiques on 

Rt. 151 in Nellysford. 

Maple 

Brook 

Farm 

ROSELAND, VIRGINIA 

20 

26 

inside 

basic necessities ................. 9 

cover story ...........................10 

ask the dr. ......................... 18 

at home with marlo ......... 19 

brain builders ..................... 30 

courage and conviction 

Years in the making, a distillery honors its 

founder. 

hasta pronto! 

Medical care to migrant workers goes mobile, 

thanks to the Rural Health Outreach Program. 

on the cover 

Photo credit: Yvette Stafford 

Jay Rostow examines the rows of 

hemp he has planted along the James 

River. Story starts on page 10. 

fromthepublishers 

You could have imagined the 

excitement Adam felt when he saw 

a four legged animal running around 

the yard. 

“Mommy! Did we get the new 

puppy? Is that our new puppy?!” 

Far from it. 

“Adam, you need to stand back,” I 

yelled toward him as Tommy jumped 

on the tractor and revved it up. 

“This is how Tommy goes,” I said to 

myself. “Falling off a tractor, chasing 

a pig.” 

Trust me. You never, ever, ever 

want to chase a piglet. Or even 

worse, two of them. 

They were born in the valley and 

did nicely inside the camper-covered 

bed of my truck. Buried in piles of 

fresh straw, feeder pigs are adorable. 

And mighty fast and mighty 

strong. Granted, this was probably 

the youngest we’d ever gotten any 

and we didn’t make sure the bottom 

strand of electric fence was low 

enough. Within seconds of carrying 

them from the truck to their 

paddock, a tense Tommy told me, 

“They’re out. Both of them!” 

Tommy runs on the farm several 

times a week but this was the first 

time we chased pigs. Quick! Grab 

the poultry net! Nothing was work- 

ing so in a last ditch effort, lacking 

a lasso and a horse, Tommy jumped 

on the tractor, which by the way was 

never designed to chase pigs. 

“Is he an idiot?” Adam asked me, 

ever so innocently. “No, Adam. We’re 

just desperate.” And there went 

Tommy on a green tractor, driving it 

around the field like a DeLorean on 

a damp shopping mall parking lot. 

We wore those pigs out. They finally 

ran out of breath and stumbled 

into their paddock. 

After an adult beverage or three, 

we stumbled back into our paddocks 

as well. 

Enjoy! 

Yvette and Tommy Stafford 



asicnecessities 

By Kay Pfaltz 

www.basicnecessities.com 

www.kaypfaltz.com 

Forbidden Fruit 

There is something wonderful and 

deeply affecting about the feel of 

late summer as it slips into Autumn. 

Often, in September, I leave for 

the south of France — a great time 

to go as the tourists begin their 

departure, the ocean’s indulgently 

warm from long summer days, and 

a golden light casts its glow across 

the land. There’s a hint of something 

that signals lengthening nights, 

shortening days, yet days whose 

beginning brevity is filled with 

brilliant clarity of light. 

But it is the market fare, perhaps 

most of all, that keeps me returning. 

And with the exception of olive oil 

and lavender in abundance, the good 

news is, we have it all right here in 

our Blue Ridge backyards. Queen 

Anne’s Lace and Goldenrod join 

floral bouquets, and root vegetables 

start appearing beside end-ofsummer 

tomatoes. A few vendors 

will begin offering che—and then 

there are the figs. Or as Liz Gilbert 

put it in Eat, Pray, Love, “Dear 

God, the figs.” Amen to that; I go 

gaga over figs. And yes, there is D. 

H. Lawrence, too. But he takes us 

down a slippery, if juicy, slope and 

I fear next we’d be on to Italian 

words for fig, with their cognates 

and homonyms — particularly 

dangerous for the unwary foreigner. 

(And who said the forbidden fruit 

was an apple, anyway? Don’t fig trees 

dot the Mediterranean, and didn’t 

Adam and Eve wear fig, not apple, 

leaves?) Italian Lotharios aside, if 

you’re lucky enough to have a fig tree 

laden with the world’s most sensuous 

fruit, or even a neighbor’s tree from 

which to indulge, or simply a good 

market ... go on, pluck luscious figs, 

and gobble (I mean eat) then sate 

yourself with September’s pure light. 

For the proper way to eat a fig, 

you may refer to Lawrence, or you 

can listen to us at Basics extoll the 

virtue of figs at any occasion. For 

appetizers: stuffed figs with chèvre 

or blue cheese. Add salty almonds 

for crunch and contrast; the sweet/ 

salty combination is a palate pleaser. 

Nut Allergy? Replace almonds 

with salty prosciutto. To pop flavors 

even more and increase eye appeal, 

paint with Tili Balsamic vinegar, 

or drizzle with honey and you’ve 

transformed your versatile appetizer 

into a cheese course or dessert. Pair 

with White Hall Pinot Gris, 2017, 

$26.99 – Notes of peaches, pears, 

almonds, honeydew and honeysuckle 

compliment the sweet fig and 

provide contrast with salty flavors. 

For main courses, pair raw or 

cooked figs with pork dishes or root 

vegetables for added richness. Pair 

Autumn stews with Pinot Noir or 

Syrah. 

Let’s not skip dessert, especially 

when figs abound. Some of the 

best desserts I’ve had celebrate the 

simplicity of fresh fruit in season. 

You need nothing more than a 

basket of fresh figs and a bit of 

wine or brandy. Poach figs lightly, 

spices optional. Pair with Maury 

from France’s Roussillon, or for 

true decadence and palate-blowing 

experience, pop the cork on Tessa 

and Monique LaRoche’s Domaine 

aux Moines, Savienneières, Roche 

aux Moines, Cuvée de l’Abbesses, $60. 

Happy September. We’ve come a 

long way from Fig Newtons. 

Café 

Wine and Cheese Shop 

A taste of Europe in the Blue Ridge! 

Wine tastings offered on 

Wednesdays and every other 

Tuesday. Call for more information. 

Tu-Th 10am-6pm 

Fri-Sat 10am-10pm 

Sun 10am-3pm 

Reservations advised for 

weekend dinner and brunch. 

2226 Rockfish Valley Highway 

Nellysford, Virginia 

ph: 434.361.1766 

www.basicnecessities.us 

Friend BASIC NECESSITIES 

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JAMES RIVER [ nelson county ] 

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY by YVETTE STAFFORD 

Hemp Is Here 

Nelson County growers reclaim 

one of the Commonwealth’s most viable crops. 


As permit holders number 635, Stephanie and 

Jay Rostow stand in their hemp field just south 

of Howardsville, a few weeks before harvest. 

As any seed saver will tell you, preserving and breeding 

the best stock is a game of trial and error. For every pinch 

of precious seed you store in a packet, there are many more 

plants that fail to make the cut. Thin and pitiful underperformers, 

the runts in these hemp rows are the ones that 

get unceremoniously yanked from the ground. And it is 

with that spirit of experimentation that what Jay Rostow 

is doing along the banks of the James River just south of 

Howardsville can quite simply be described as Jeffersonian. 

“This is not a drug plantation,” he tells me under a 

shade tree. “It’s a plantation of utility and a plantation of 

experiment right now.” 

Jay is permit holder number 635 in the Commonwealth 

of Virginia and there’s a sign as you enter his field alerting 

you that the site is monitored by The Virginia Department 

of Agriculture and the Virginia State Police. And though 

Thomas Jefferson never had to ask for permission to 

grow hemp –– his farm books and letters are riddled 

with mentions of the plant as it related to his agricultural 

endeavors and the clothing needs of his slaves — along with 

the freedom to grow comes the freedom to fail. But every 

farmer begins with the best of intentions. 

“It’s great river bottom land, very nice sandy loam soil and 

it represents a really good spot for us to grow on.” 

And it is conveniently sited in that no man’s land often 

created by railroad tracks that follow a waterway. Poor 

building sites along a river can be great for growing and 

that’s the plan. While some permit holders focus on the 

processing or dealing of hemp, Jay’s initial aim is to grow 

and cultivate the best seed for CBD oil, hence his eagerness 

to rid his field of under-performers. 

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continued from page 11 

“As we were walking through the rows there you could see 

where some of the plants .. they were very healthy and happy, 

branched out nicely, had good color. Then you saw plants right 

next to that that were pretty spindly, didn’t even branch out, maybe 

had a totally different color, turned purple. Those are your culls. 

Those are the things you’re going to pull out because they don’t 

perform for you the way you want.” 

For Jerry Thornton, the hemp field he planted isn’t focused 

on seed production but rather as an amenity for people visiting 

Bryant Cider. 

“The idea was it would be cool at a minimum to just grow it, 

see how it grows, see how it reacts to growing here which has been 

spotty. But then mow through like a corn maze and let people 

wander through it in the fall which is when it’s ready.” 

Toying with the idea of hemp as a viable cash crop isn’t new 

to Jerry, who was an early part of Virginia’s hemp legalization 

movement. As a means of managing his family’s farmland to keep 

it financially viable, hemp was one way he planned to do that. But 

as hard cider experienced a revival, Jerry jumped in and capitalized 

on the farm’s existing orchards, launching a cidery in 2018. It wasn’t 

until after Jerry began bottling hard cider that the state released a 

permitting process allowing farmers to grow hemp legally. So in 

theory, Jerry’s farm could one day pay for itself with not only apples 

grown on site — some of which become hard cider — but it could 

also develop a healthy income stream from the hemp plot. 

“That would be the dream for it,” he says. “I think we are a long 

ways from doing it effectively.” 

In fact, if you go back and read Jefferson’s writings, even the 

third President of the United States didn’t have his hemp game 

together, but he was trying. 



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Jerry Thornton planted hemp from China by way of California 

in a field near the tasting room at Bryant Cider. 


“… it is vastly desirable to be getting under way with our 

domestic cultivation and manufacture of hemp, flax, cotton and 

wool for the Negroes,” Jefferson wrote in a letter to Nicholas 

Lewis in 1790. 

Years later in 1811 in a letter to the managers of his Poplar 

Grove estate, Jefferson instructed them to devote “an acre of the 

best ground for hemp, is to be selected, and sown in hemp & to 

be kept for a permanent patch … Hemp should be immediately 

prepared to set them [the spinners] at work, & a supply be kept 

up.” 

More than 200 years later, Jay and Jerry are as keen on 

growing the plant as was Jefferson though nowadays, hemp’s 

uses have branched out from clothing needs. 

“CBD is just in this ridiculous boom right now,” notes Jerry. 

“In Richmond at least every single market has counter tops and 

register space bombarded with CBD stuff. So it is questionable 

how long that will last until it gets regulated into submission 

because it’s kind of a Wild West right now.” 

A Wild West that has certainly caught the eye of regulators. 

Even so, Jay’s mind races with the idea of one day launching a 

hemp farm dispensary. 

“It all stands to reason that you should be able to go to a farm 

that specializes in growing a particular type of thing just as you 

would go to Caramont for a goat cuddling session, or go to 

Silverback to taste their distilled products, or Virginia Distillery 

Company which has a completely different distilled product. 

Why not make cannabis an avenue for that as well?” 

In the mean time come harvest, Jay will be busy sorting seed 

grown on the banks of the James and Jerry will take his tractor to 

the hemp field to carve up a maze, dedicated thinking space for 

the wheels that churn inside the mind of a hopeful farmer. BRL 


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TAYLOR MADE 

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asktheDr. 

By Dr. Charles Cole 

Afton Family Medicine 

Summer is over, the days are 

getting cooler and shorter and the 

kids are back in school. That can 

only mean one thing – LICE! This is 

every teachers’ and parents’ bugaboo, 

pun intended. 

Lice are parasitic creatures that 

live on human blood. They can be 

found on the head (head lice), the 

body (body lice) and in the pubic 

region (crabs). Lice move from place 

to place by crawling – they cannot 

jump or fly – and are usually spread 

by close person to person contact. 

Animals and pets do not play a role 

in the spread of lice. 

This article addresses head lice 

which are mostly seen in preschool 

and elementary school children. It is 

estimated that there are 6-12 million 

head lice cases per year in America. 

The most common symptom is 

itching of the scalp but often there 

are no symptoms. You may also have 

a sensation of things crawling in your 

hair, disturbed sleep or sores on the 

head from infected louse mites. Head 

lice do not transmit disease but body 

lice can. 

Head lice attach their eggs to 

the base of hair shafts – these are 

known as nits. A female louse may 

lay up to 8 eggs per day and they 

hatch in about 1 week. Nymph lice 

become adults after 1 week and 

adults can live for about 30 days. 

Adults need to feed on blood several 

times per day in order to stay alive. 

To diagnose head lice you can look 

for live lice in the hair but this can 

be difficult. You can also look for 

nits within ¼ in of the base of hair 

shafts but these can be difficult to 

identify. 

Lice are treated with medications 

that kill the lice and sometimes 

the eggs. There are several over the 

counter medications available. If 

you have questions ask your doctor. 

I have to go scratch my head now! 

Dr. Charles Cole is a licensed medical doctor based in 

Afton. This column is provided as a service to readers 

of Blue Ridge Life Magazine and it does not necessarily 

reflect the views of the publishers of this magazine. 

If you have a question about your personal health, 

please consult your doctor. 

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athome 

withMarlo 

By Marlo Allen 

Marlo Allen is a licensed Realtor residing in Nelson County 

Fact or Fiction 

The truth behind several home buying myths 

When buying a home it seems 

everyone has a story to tell and 

advice to offer. With so much 

information circulating around, 

it can be hard for a prospective 

buyer to glean the “golden nuggets” 

of information. In reality, many 

buyers get bogged down with halftruths 

and myths that can severely 

impede the purchase process. If 

you are thinking about buying 

a home, avoid falling for these 

common misconceptions. 

Myth: You don’t need a real 

estate agent. Truth: While good 

information can be acquired from 

friends, books, and the Internet, 

it cannot replace the wealth of 

knowledge of an experienced 

professional. 

Myth: You should buy the house 

with the listing agent. Truth: 

The listing agent is contractually 

bound to represent the seller. You 

can choose an agent to represent 

you for FREE! As long as the 

property is listed (not a for sale by 

owner), the seller is offering to pay 

the buyer’s agent. A buyer’s agent, 

representing your best interest, can 

negotiate for you and guide you 

through the ins and outs of working 

with sellers, lenders, appraisers, 

attorneys, and inspectors. 

Myth: You can afford it! Truth: 

Owning a home is a financial 

commitment. You need to know 

that you can handle the payments. 

Have a lender verify what you can 

afford and grant pre-approval before 

beginning to search. 

Myth: You won’t be able to get 

financing. Truth: The “everybody 

buys” approach to lending is a 

thing of the past. However, it is 

not impossible to secure financing. 

There are loan programs available 

for borrowers with less than 

perfect credit and little to no down 

payment. 

Myth: If there is an inspection 

issue, the seller has to fix it. 

Truth: Having a home inspection 

contingency allows the purchaser 

to determine the condition of the 

home. Based on the inspection 

findings, the buyer can terminate 

the contract or make a repair 

request. The seller has the option 

to accept, deny, or negotiate the 

requested items. If the seller does 

reject or renegotiate the repairs, 

the purchaser can decide to accept 

the repair response, or if still 

unacceptable, can terminate the 

contract. 

Myth: You can do anything you 

want with your new home. Truth: 

If the property is part of a property 

owners association, there will be 

some limitations. You may not 

be allowed to put in a pool, park 

your travel trailer in the driveway, 

or even paint the exterior of your 

home without first gaining approval. 

Be sure to read the association 

disclosure packet to make sure that 

you are fine with the restrictions. 

Once the packet is provided there 

is only a small window of time to 

object. On the bright side, those 

rules can help ensure that you don’t 

have to put up with a potential 

eyesore next door. 

Myth: The closing date on 

the contract is firm. Truth: The 

settlement date is typically written 

so that the closing shall occur “on 

or about” a specified date. Issues 

might occur in relation to the loan, 

title, and/or inspections that can 

create a delay. Establish a flexible 

plan of action to ensure that you are 

not stuck with “no place to go”. 

There are many more myths, so 

enlist the help of a buyer’s agent so 

you can buy with confidence! 

Marlo Allen, frequently referred to as “That Girl,” 

calls Nelson County home. In fact, she grew up in 

Nelson County and helped found Hill Top Berry 

Farm & Winery of Nellysford. Marlo provides real 

estate services in Nelson and surrounding counties. 

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Specializing in: 

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Enjoy the peace and quiet of this large parcel 

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speed internet; 30 min to Charlottesville! 

Marlo is a top-producing agent throughout Nelson County, Stoney Creek and Wintergreen. 


LOVINGSTON [ nelson county ] 

STORY by JESSICA LAWRENCE 

PHOTOGRAPHY by STEPHANIE GROSS 

Courage 

Conviction 

and 

Brought to you by science and a little magic. 

20 Blue Ridge LIFE SEPTEMBER 2019 


You could say Dustin Caster is as passionate about making whisky 

as his beard is thick. 

“It’s predictable. It’s science,” says the assistant distiller at Virginia 

Distillery Company. Tucked away in serene Nelson County — with 

the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains as its backdrop — the American 

single malt whisky distillery is part of the country’s booming spirits 

industry. To reach Virginia Distillery Co., one must travel on Route 

29, Virginia’s major north-south route. The transition from busy 

highway to calm beauty mirrors the essence of what happens when 

whisky is produced at the distillery as modern, energetic influence 

blends with peaceful, diligent tradition. 

For instance, not every distillery uses an underback, a balancing 

tank that both cuts down on foam and allows distillers to directly 

control CO2. The underback is just one of many features tat makes 

Virginia Distillery Company more in-line with old-world techniques 

when distilling its products, including a special release called Courage 

and Conviction which has been maturing since 2015. 

When you enter the distillery, a quick glance to the left brings 

several framed awards into view. A huge fireplace stands in the 

tasting room, and one can imagine how cozy the space must be in 

the fall. Jessica Bullard, Marketing and Brand Director, explains the 

bittersweet history of the distillery in the upstairs Dr. George G. 

Moore Room. The room itself gives off an air of stately remembrance 

and hints at the legacy on which both Virginia Distillery Co. and its 

Courage and Conviction have both been built. 

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The late Dr. George G. Moore envisioned a premium American 

whisky that would be made in central Virginia where he called home 

after immigrating from Ireland in the 1970s. In 2011, after a period 

of successful entrepreneurship, George bought the Eades Hollow 

Distillery assets and began the Virginia Distillery Company with 

the hopes of creating an American Single Malt Whisky. 

Jessica explained that while Dr. Moore did not live to see the 

fruition of his dream, his son and current CEO of the company, 

Gareth Moore, is ready to unveil the finished product of years of 

patience, an American Single Malt Whisky produced in the heart 

of Virginia named Courage and Conviction. The title pays homage 

to Dr. Moore, whose mantra, “Have the courage of your convictions” 

inspired the name of the whisky, the resolve of his family, and the 

dedication of Virginia Distillery Company’s entire staff. 

Dr. Moore’s dream has certainly grown into a successful venture. 

Bullard notes that Virginia Distillery Company, in fact, is the 

largest of its kind in the state, and it is the biggest producer of single 

malt whisky in the United States. The production of Courage and 

Conviction via the distillation process itself is as both exciting and 

fascinating, she says. 


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Gareth – who is today shadowed by his young son, 

George – continues the praise from the Whisky War Room 

that oversees the distillery operations on the floor below. 

He proudly lists a few of the distillery’s most recent awards, 

some of which hang in the before-mentioned entryway 

of the building. Virginia Distillery Company’s Port Cask 

Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky won Best American 

Blended Malt at the World Whiskies Awards three years 

in a row, and the Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland 

Whisky made Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 whiskies of 2018. 

On the Virginia Distillery Company’s website, many other 

accolades are featured, including gold medals in both the 

Denver International Spirits Competition and in the North 

American Bourbon and Whisky awards. It was also named 

one of the best places to work in 2018 by Virginia Business. 

The New York International Spirits Convention honored 

the company with the title of Whisky Distillery of the year 

in 2017. 

Both Gareth and Ian Thomas, Distillery Director assert 

that Dr. Moore’s choice of Virginia for such a venture was a 

wise move considering the state’s climate. According to Ian, 

Virginia’s weather extremes give the product more flavor 

and ages the whisky faster. As Courage and Conviction 

ages in its Bourbon, Sherry and Cuvée casks, Virginia’s 

temperature changes work their magic on the barrels. 

Anyone who has lived in the Central Virginia area can 

attest to the wild temperature swings, where a person might 

experience all four seasons in one day. “These temperature 

changes,” Ian explains, “create overall fluctuations between 

20 degrees windchill and a heat index of 110.” 

Gareth and Ian tirelessly analyze temperature and 

humidity and their effects on the maturation of the whisky. 

Single malt whisky, as a rule, is made in a single distillery. 

Once it’s made, it is then aged for at least three years in 

oak casks. Marlene Steiner, the distillery’s Brand Director, 

remembers when the stills were turned on in 2015 when 

Courage and Conviction was still years away. Now it is set 

to be introduced within a year’s time, and the Prelude to 

the series will be available as soon as September. Until then customers have 

been purchasing from the Virginia-Highland Whisky series, which blends 

aged malt whisky from Scotland and whisky that is made on-site at Virginia 

Distillery Company. 

Courage and Conviction itself is described as a premium whisky made 

from 100% malted barley, and is currently being produced on-site using fresh 

Blue Ridge mountain water. Marlene muses on the name. 

“Always have the courage of your convictions,” she says. “That was 

George’s mantra, and the main principle of the product comes from this 

mantra.” She adds that there is an emotional component of the product that 

no one on the Virginia Distillery Co. team can ignore. It comes from seeing 

the product come to life. She believed so much in it that Marlene relocated 

to Nelson County to help get the distillery up and running. She also shares 

the sense of pride that the entire team shares. “Everybody’s going for the 

same goal,” she explains. “It’s a new line. Everything about it is 100% ours.” 



Apple Festival Season is Here! 

Sept. 28 & 29, 2019 9 am - 5 pm 

Saturday 

James River Cut Ups 10am – 5pm 

Amherst Dance Academy 11am 

Food Vendors • Crafters 

Fresh Baked Goods • Hayrides 

Apple Sling Shot • Corn Maze 

Apples • Apple Butter 

Fresh Cider • Country Hams 

Side Meat • Pumpkins 

Bouncy Houses • Kids’ Corner 

Sunday 

Little Mountain Boys 

10am – 5pm 

Open through December 21 except 

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Autumn Harvest 

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Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019 

Flower Arranging with 

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Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019 

Dahlias and Edibles with 

Meg Laughon and 

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Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019 

Dried Flower Arranging 

Workshop w/ Maria 

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Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 

NELSON COUNTY, VIRGINIA 

Register for events online: 

www.PharsaliaEvents.com 

434-277-5231 



Regarding Prelude, a product meant to be a sneak-peak of the 

flagship release that will be available this September, Marlene says 

it is made from 100% malted barley and is aged for at least three 

years in Bourbon, Sherry, and Cuvée casks. The limited edition 

will be out for the month of September and will be available until 

all of it is sold. “The Prelude is the core profile for any whisky 

that is part of Courage and Conviction. It’s a snapshot of what to 

expect,” Marlee adds. 

And daily tours are part of the tasting experience. Beginning 

in the building’s museum and ending at the barrels, the tour 

introduces whisky novices and enthusiasts alike to the unhurried 

production that is founded upon care, attention to detail, and years 

of patience. 

A maze of pipes and stainless steel containers, with the shining 

copper stills brought over from Scotland stealing the show, 

the distillery floor is where we find Operations Manager Erik 

Skaar. He points out on the tour that copper is in ideal vessel for 

distillation because of its heat conduction and ability to remove 

Sulphur-based compounds. The working red Boby mill from the 

1920s and a brass spirit safe made in Elgin stand as a testament 

to the past. During the tour, Erik explains the process in which 

Courage and Conviction is made, beginning with the American 

two-row barley that is stored in two 36-ton bins until it is milled, 

which produces the grist. Water is added and the grain germinates 

and the subsequent enzymes convert starch to sugar. When 

yeast is added, this mixture becomes “wash,” which is similar to 

unhopped beer. 

During distillation, Erik explains, the wash is then moved to 

the copper pot stills and distillation begins. Alcohol has a lower 

boiling temperature than water, so when the wash is heated the 

alcohol is boiled, then collects and cools, turning back into a 

liquid. It is then moved to the second still, which further purifies 

it. At the end of the process, the young whisky is diluted with 

Nelson County water before it is placed in casks to mature. At the 

end of the distillery portion of the tour, visitors can see the casks 

containing Courage and Conviction, which offer a stark contrast 

to the technology and machinery that surrounds them. 

The type of casks selected affect the character of the final whisky, and science 

again explains this. Molecular bonds in the wood casks affect the flavor exchanged 

between the wood and the liquid, Dustin says. Even shaved barrels that have been 

re-toasted, which are technically new barrels, still hold flavinoids from what they 

held in them before. The flavor is “pulled through” the wood. “Wine has inundated 

those barrels.” 

Science is utilized to find the right barrels and make the best whisky, but as 

Erik points out during the tour, science can’t explain everything about whisky, 

and how it is made. Perhaps tradition can complete the spaces that science can’t 

fill. And though the massive production of brand-new spirits seems impossibly 

complex, nothing seems to halt the determination of two generations of men who 

knew – and know – how to make a vision a reality. When seeing Gareth standing 

with his young son, it is easy to see that Courage and Conviction is already three 

generations into a dream. Perhaps that’s where the magic in these spirits lie. BRL 


1997 – 2019 

Come Celebrate with us ! 

22 years of supporting 

local farmers 

NELSON Farmers Market 

MORE THAN 50 VENDORS 

SaturdayS 8– 12 

IN THE HEART OF NELLYSFORD 

LIVE MUSIC UNDER THE TENT 

sept. 7 – buzzard hollow boys 

sept. 14 – rockfish gap 

sept. 21 – sue harlow 

sept. 28 – justin storer 

Join us in welcoming 

Dennis C. Bailey, CPA 

Small Business Manager 

We are pleased to have Dennis join our team as 

we continue to grow our small business services. 

Nelson Farmers Market Cooperative 

www.NelsonFarmersMarket.com 

SPONSORED BY 

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Over 70 artists, artisans, writers and 

musicians – We are unique! 

Part Of Our Mission Is to Allow As Many As Possible Local And 

Extended Local Artists And Artisans To Display Their Work and 

to Promote Art in the Community at Large. 

Rockfish Valley Community Center 

190 Rockfish School Lane, Afton, VA 22920 

We are open all year Weds. through Sat. 10 AM to 4:30 PM. 

Check our website for info, map and news. 

www.RockfishRiverGallery.com 434-294-4668. 

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ROSELAND [ nelson county ] 

STORY by LINDA CROWE 

PHOTOGRAPHY by STEPHANIE GROSS 

Hasta Pronto 

Medical care to migrants, mobilized. 


Jose Antonio sits calmly on the porch of the bunkhouse as Ben 

Nissley presses a stethoscope to his heart. The summer air holds less 

humidity than usual, hinting at fall, while the oak leaves shine like 

emeralds in the slant of early evening sun. Perhaps that’s why spirits 

are high tonight among Toño (as he is called) and his fellow workers, 

who also sit outside waiting their turn with the nurse practitioner. 

Work is over for the day and mouth-watering aromas drift 

outside from the kitchen, where Roberto is preparing supper. Pots 

of chorizos and green and red peppers simmer on the stove, while 

chicken breasts sizzle in a skillet. Some of the men head to a field 

down the road for a game of soccer. Daniel tends to a herd of 

mountain bikes, making sure they’re trail-ready for the weekend. 

Soft-spoken and articulate-bordering-on-poetic, the 39-year old 

Toño is unfailingly polite. Tell him that you are embarrassed that 

you don’t speak Spanish, and he will tell you that he is even more 

embarrassed that he doesn’t speak English. 

His day began at 5:30 with a cup of coffee before heading out to 

pick peaches in temperatures that would climb to 90 degrees. Today 

was an eight-hour day, but here in the orchards of Nelson County, 

everything hangs on the timing of the fruit. Eight-hour days turn 

to 10-hour days, as the workers chase daylight along with ripening 

peaches, pears and apples. The work must be done with care – the 

fruit bruises easily – and bruised peaches bring far less on the market 

than the perfect ones that consumers expect. 

434-263-4881 

434-946-5059 

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North Branch School 

Preschool – 8th grade 

Toño has diabetes and thanks to the Rural Health Outreach 

Program (RHOP) of the Blue Ridge Medical Center (BRMC), the 

Mobile Clinic travels to meet the migrant workers where they live 

to deliver essential health care. The nurses and nurse practitioners 

on the van can screen workers for conditions which include high 

cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes – serious issues 

which, as Ben Nissley explains, can exist with no real symptoms 

until it’s too late to easily manage them. 

Nissley, who has been with BRMC for three years, loves the 

time he spends with the Mobile Clinic. “This program is one of 

the reasons why I was excited to work at Blue Ridge, he says. “It’s 

really meaningful work that not a lot of other places are doing.” 

Without the van, he fears, “a lot of care would go out the window.” 

Vanessa Hale is RHOP’s Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker 

Outreach Coordinator, and the interpreter for this trip. Over time, 

she has come to know many of the returning workers and it’s clear 

that they have developed a comfortable rapport as they laugh and 

joke with her and share news from home. 


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She explains the many services that RHOP 

provides. “We serve approximately 525 migrant 

and seasonal farm workers, most of whom are 

here on H2A visas (temporary, non-immigrant 

agricultural permits). After we introduce ourselves, 

we explain about community health care, and the 

medical, dental and behavioral health services that 

are available at BRMC. We offer free screenings 

for blood pressure and blood sugar, and this is 

where we do a lot of our education on diabetes and 

hypertension, on pesticides, on hand washing, heat 

stroke - anything relevant to the workers. 

“Most workers have no access to their own 

transportation,” she says, “and are often unable to 

take off work as they need to meet the expectations 

of farm labor, working long days in isolated fields.” 

That’s when RHOP staff hit the road. 

Jim Saunders of Saunders Brothers Nursery, 

Orchards and Farm Market appreciates all of the 

services that RHOP provides. Like so many of us, 

he explains, the workers often don’t like to take 

time off to go to the doctor for seemingly minor 

issues. Mobile Clinic visits can treat the minor 

conditions and diagnose more serious conditions. 

“I especially appreciate the annual physicals 

they provide for our drivers,” he says. The US 

Department of Labor requires doctor certifications 

for anyone who drives migrant workers. “The 

Mobile Clinic basically parks here for a day and 

checks everybody out,” he says. “It’s a huge help.” 

The Mobile Clinic diagnosed Toño, made 

doctor appointments for him, and helped him 

navigate BRMC’s sliding scale so that he could 

afford the prescriptions to treat his condition. 

With Vanessa as interpreter, Toño explains why 

he is here. “Even if it were possible to get work in 

Mexico, we make more here in a day than we do in 

a week at home.” His wife, 10-year old daughter 

and 13-year old son reside in Jalisco. He’ll miss 

his son’s birthday this coming Saturday. “I come 

here, he says, “because of the necessity of making 

ends meet back at home. I am grateful for this 

program.” 

The peaceful Blue Ridge mountains remind 24- 

year old Jose Salvador of his home, also in Jalisco. 

“Niño” (baby), as the men have nicknamed him, he 

has wavy combed-back hair and matinée idol good 

looks. He’s been working in the US for 6 years. 

Do the math and you realize that he first arrived 

when he was a mere teenager. 

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A peach wagon rolled over his foot and broke it 

his first year here, requiring surgery to insert four 

screws to repair it. Since then, the Mobile Clinic 

has helped him with follow up from the operation. 

Health care workers also diagnosed the beginnings 

of a gastric ulcer and helped him treat it with 

medication. He wears glasses thanks to the vision 

program at Blue Ridge Medical Center. 

Twenty-nine year old David is also from the 

countryside of Jalisco where his mother runs the 

family farm, raising cows, chickens and pigs, selling 

meat, cheese and other goods in a small store that 

she operates. When he suffered from crushing 

headaches, RHOP provided referrals to UVA 

where he received CT scans. They helped him 

figure out a payment plan and provided him with 

transportation. Without the Mobile Clinic, he says, 

“I would not have had access to that kind of care, 

and I might have had to return to Mexico to seek 

treatment there.” David has also been here for six 

years, leaving behind his partner and the rest of his 

family for most of the year. 

Some workers have returned for 20 years. Do 

a little more math and you realize that in all that 

time, these people have been able to spend a total 

of only 5 years with their families. “We all say that 

we’re coming here for one year – two at the most,” 

Niño jumps in. “And we end up coming here for 

the rest of our lives,” he says. Back at home, his wife 

and his mother have both had to have surgeries, 

which he has had to miss. 

For him – for all of them - it’s a question of 

financial viability. They all send money home. 

Nino’s father is unemployed. “If I send back a day’s 

wages here, I can help him for a whole week,” he 

explains. His smile saddens. “You come here to 

make money, but you leave your life in Mexico.” 

That much time away from family is stressful 

and that kind of prolonged stress is not good for the 

immune system, making the need for the Mobile 

Clinic all the more apparent. Funded largely 

through state and federal grants, along with private 

donations, portions of the almost $76,000 annual 

budget are at risk in any given year. In 2019, for 

example, the United Way turned down an RHOP 

grant application for the first time. 

Former CEO of BRMC, Peggy Whitehead, 

explains why RHOP is critical. “Migrant workers 

are key to the local economy. It’s all about 

agriculture here. They make it possible for the 

orchards and the landscaping businesses to operate.” 

Retired from her former job as director, she now 

writes grants for the program. She is hopeful that 

the lost United Way grant can be replaced with 

private donations or other sources of funding. For 

her, it’s personal. “These are people who live here 

with us. We care about them and want them to be 

healthy productive members of our community,” she 

says. “They provide a wonderful diversity for Nelson 

County. They expand our horizons.” 

In a perfect world, the men all agree that they 

would have meaningful work in Mexico and 

live with their families. “It’s good because we 

have work,” Toño says. “Better than the work in 

Mexico, unfortunately. But the thing that weighs 

on us the most is just being away from our families 

for so much time. And for those of us with 

children, we lose everything.” He pauses and looks 

out at the trees. “Everything,” he continues softly. 

“The first day of school, birthdays, when your child 

is born.” 

It’s time for Nissley to pack up his stethoscope 

and he and Vanessa say their good-byes in English 

and Spanish. They drive past ripening apple trees 

and wave at the field of soccer players. Hasta 

pronto. See you soon. BRL 

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elkmountaincontracting.com 


BRAIN BUILDERS 

ANSWER KEY 

30 Blue Ridge LIFE NOVEMBER 2018 


Y 

OWNER FINANCING 

4.5+ ac Old Stoney Creek 

Nellysford 

Offered at $47,500 

CLOSE TO NELSON 151 

Adial Rd, near Lakeland 

Nellysford area 


Enjoy 4.5+ acres of wooded 

wonderland that adjoins 

Wintergreen Resort, but 

without the restrictions of 

an HOA. Owner Financing 

available to qualified buyer. 

(592498) 

3 WOODED ACRES 

Durrett Town Rd lot 

Afton 


Elevated 2.41 acre building 

site has potential for serene 

south-facing Rockfish 

Valley views once clearing 

for home has taken place. 

Paved shared driveway. 

(591335) 

STREAM & PRIVACY 

Green Creek Road lot 

Schuyler 


UNDER CONTRACT 

Rare and affordable 

wooded parcel in soughtafter 

Afton with no HOA. 

Near Cardinal Point Winery. 

(593680) 

Build your home or getaway 

on 6.5+ secluded yet 

accessible acres w/ stream, 

convenient to US 29. (591962) 

718 Shamokin Springs Trail 

LOWER PRICE 

718 Shamokin Springs Trail 

Wintergreen 


AFFORDABLE 1 AC. 

Thomas Nelson Hwy 

Arrington 


0.44 0.45 Acres acres 

UNDER CONTRACT 

May 29, 2019 

Enjoy potential seasonal 

views from this 0.45 acre lot 

in Wintergreen. Convenient 

to Chestnut Springs pool 

and play area. (591124) 

1:1,128 

0 0.015 0.03 

0.0075 mi 

0 0.03 0.06 

0.015 km 

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus 

DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community 

US 29 road frontage. 

Located on the Colleen 

curcuit, Firefly Fiber internet 

available Summer of 2020. 

(591613) 

yvette@blueridgelife.com 

434.760.4181 / cell 

YvetteStafford 

REALTOR 

2788 ROCKFISH VALLEY HWY NELLYSFORD, VA 


InsistOnThatGirl.com Marlo Allen 434-996-3525 

Two great deals! 

Investment, Residential, and/or Business in Shipman 

ç 

Office Building 

1,480 Sq Ft 

$69,000 

Post Office and 

3Br dwelling 

2,180 Sq Ft; $99,000 

è 

STONEY CREEK 

Live beautifully in Nelson County 

Marlo G. Allen, Assoc. Broker 

434-996-3525 

InsistOnThatGirl.com 

65 Rosewood Dr, Nellysford; #593919; 3Br/2Ba; 2,182 Fin Sq Ft; $349,000 

Convenient & care-free in coveted 55+ community! Features: Superior construction, one level living, open 

flow, hardwood floors, fireplace, gourmet kitchen, optional 3rd bedroom/den/office, sunroom and patio 

with privacy, front porch with mountain views, two car garage, high speed internet; 30 min to Charlottesville. 

434-996-3525 Marlo Allen InsistOnThatGirl.com 

Blue Ridge LIFE 

SEPTEMBER 2019

Blue Ridge Life, Issue #174

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