Something wild: A native habitat grows in Free Union
Sweat glistens on Amy Lewis’ brow as she cracks open a bottle of beer in the kitchen of her home in Free Union. It’s late August, and she’s just back […]
Bugged: Non-native insects threaten Virginia’s ash trees and fruit harvests.
With its metallic-green shell and wings, the emerald ash borer looks almost like a smaller version of a brooch your great-grandmother pinned to her lapel. But it’s not a decoration—it’s […]
“I was about to die!” Three writers recount terrifying close calls.
Exploring outdoors, whether in a city or the wilds, can be relaxing, exhilarating, ennobling—and sometimes, extremely dangerous. We’re not talking about the kind of danger one knowingly faces, for instance, […]
Urban wilderness: Jill Trischman-Marks brings her love of nature to McIntire Botanical Garden
Jill Trischman-Marks bears the title executive director in her new role at McIntire Botanical Garden, but she calls herself its chief cheerleader. Her enthusiasm for the outdoors and all things […]
Hometown hero: Angelic Jenkins breaks new ground on the local food scene
Angelic Jenkins felt worried as she walked into the community meeting. A big development, Dairy Central, was getting started on Preston Avenue, and talk among folks in the adjoining, predominantly […]
Taking root: An itinerant winemaker settles in at a new Earlysville vineyard
Jake Busching has a killer grin. It’s cozy and sly, a knowing, amused-by-the-world look that a salty old sea captain might wear. Except in Bushing’s case, it’s the smirk of […]
Trail nix: The Dominion pipeline should not be allowed to cross the Appalachian Trail
“Dominion’s pipeline would permanently affect the trail experience on these protected federal lands, carving up a largely forested mountain landscape with a cleared right-of-way the width of a multi-lane highway.” […]
Great harvest: A look at the economic impact of area wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries
Bordeaux, France. Napa Valley, California. Central Virginia? Possibly. Though Thomas Jefferson first attempted to plant a vineyard back in the late 1700s, our local wine industry is still young, only […]
“We all have a role to play”: More and more businesses take steps to go green
More and more local businesses and nonprofits are looking for ways to operate sustainably. While not everyone is familiar with the “triple bottom line” approach (gauging success by three rubrics: […]
Riding it out: Freestyle survives 36 years of change
Remember all those specialty shops that went belly-up when the internet came along? Freestyle wasn’t one of them. Founded in 1983, the local sporting goods store is way older than […]