It is a hot one here on Edgewood Miller Farm in this very dry July! It feels like we are living in the dust bowl! Nevertheless, we are striving to keep everyone and everything alive amidst this current drought! Our crops include heirloom and cherry tomatoes, summer squash and zucchini, winter squash, melons, watermelons, potatoes, several different varieties of peppers, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, garlic, peaches, plums, herbs of many different varieties, eggplants, haricot vert beans and edamame and more! Our chickens are laying nicely and we have beautiful chicken and duck eggs available for purchase. We are looking forward to cooler days and the construction project on the main house and pool house cabana to be completed. If you are interested in purchasing produce of any sort, please reach out to Barbara at barbara@edgewoodmillerfarm.com.
As summer winds to a close and Labor Day is upon us, we are thrilled with what the farm produced this summer season. The watermelons are completely incredible and we have so many heirloom and cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, winter squash and pumpkins that we are overloaded with amazing produce! We are grateful our restaurant partners continue to support our business, namely Barboursville Vineyards, Early Mountain Vineyards, Jackson and Co. Market in Gordonsville, Exchange Cafe in Barboursville and Orzo Restaurant in Charlottesville. We are open to the public for on site sales. Please e-mail Barbara at barbara@edgewoodmillerfarm.com to make an appointment to come on by and load up on incredible produce. All of our staff have been putting their hearts into caring for the farm and animals and it shows. We are so thankful to have such an incredible team here and on Crescere Farm to keep things running smoothly, looking beautiful and keep everyone and everything healthy! The hot days have been a challenge, no doubt, and we are so looking forward to fall and cooler temps. Stay tuned for more updates on availability of fall produce and thank you for supporting local farmers!
Hello everyone! It’s been an eventful autumn here at Edgewood Miller Farm and we are busy getting ready for winter and the holiday season.
Kat capturing content for marketing our produce
The crew spent the final few days of summer and beginning of fall harvesting a plethora of beautiful pumpkins, butternut squash, honeynut squash, delicata squash, candy roaster squash, and kabocha squash. Thankfully, none of our crop got eaten by deer this year due to the large fence now surrounding the crop field. We also planted garlic in our raised beds estimated to be ready next June as well as a variety of greens, including arugala, spinach, lettuce, and kale in the covered beds to munch on throughout the winter months. We’ve had the pleasure of selling our produce and eggs this year to ACAC, Early Mountain Vineyards and Barboursville Vineyards. We kindly thank them for supporting our growing business.
Moonshine and Summer
In animal news, Canadian Summer injured her back left hock and after an assessment from our Equine Vet, was sent to the Veterinary Rehabilitation Services of Virginia to heal. She received laser treatments three times a day and was mainly on stall rest. We welcomed her home in early December and she’s doing well as we maintain stall rest for a few more weeks. Although she’s apart from her field companions, Dr. Marty and LuLu, she has sweet Moonshine keeping her company. Jeanne, Kat, Kaylee, Kaleb, Jes and Barb have been doing an excellent job keeping her comfortable during her recovery.
Rusty, Lulu and Dr. Marty
Another horse has been added to our family, a sweet Appaloosa named Rusty. Rusty is originally from out west somewhere, most likely Texas. He is 19 years old and a great trail horse. He is very patient as for the last few years he spent his summers as a summer camp horse for kids and is used to novice riders. He knows how to ride Western and English. He and Trooper are the riding horses on the farm.
Mini donkeys grazing on a frosty morning
In other animal news, we celebrated Ruby’s second birthday on Saturday November 12th! She has finally lost all her long, shaggy baby hair over the summer and she is officially full sized! Pluto, her half brother, still has an affinity for treats and TLC. He is always first to greet you with a hee-haw whenever you patrol through the small barn and paddocks. Trixie and Marley continue to graze the pasture together every day, side by side. One of the beautiful components of Edgewood Miller Farm is that some things never change and there are consistencies you can count on! Observing our peaceful animal family enjoying their meals and enjoying the simplicities life has to offer are one of many examples.
Blue Ball McGee
Sadly, the Chicken Palace has suffered a few losses due to a fledgling brown eagle and a couple hawks seeking a quick meal. To deter the raptors from attacking, we built a scare crow, named Blue Ball McGee, and our dear friend Greg Redfern came up with the genius idea of tying CDs and reflective objects to the branches of the tree in the palace yard. They have been a good deterrent. We are hopeful the rest of our flock can continue about their business of laying eggs in peace. To make up for our recent shortage of laying hens, we ordered twenty new chicks which we are raising over the winter. They are cute as a button and growing so quickly! By May of 2023, they will start laying along with the other girls in the flock and our egg count will bounce back to multiple dozens a week!
Jes pruning the viburnum hedges on Scuffletown Rd
Henry, our farm manager, has diligently worked the ground of our hay field by tilling, leveling it, and spreading compost courtesy of our animals. He then planted orchard grass, which will provide us with plenty of hay this coming year. One of the wonderful things about farming is how cyclical the process is! Just like nature has four seasons…farming goes through stages that require planning and hard work, while always keeping an eye on the weather.
Jes and Kaleb have been keeping up with the enormous task of pruning the various bushes and shrubs in the gardens as well as pruning all the fruit trees in our orchard and variety of native trees growing around the farm. Cutting off the dead twigs and limbs while removing “suckers” from bushes and trees allow for better air flow and optimal health for the plants during the next growing season.
Barbara’s Greenhouse Tomatoes
Barbara is growing tomato plants in the greenhouse over the winter. It is our first year experimenting with greenhouse vegetable growth and so far, so good! Jes suggested we conduct an experiment using three different types of soil to see which produced the best fruit. The experiment has been a success and now we can see which soils are most efficient. Barbara had to hand pollinate each flower on each tomato plant with an electric tooth brush (due to the lack of bee pollination in the colder months) and thanks to her diligence we have fully grown ripe tomatoes just in time for Christmas!
Crescere Cattle Breeding
At our sister farm, Crescere, the crew has taken on the process of artificially inseminating our herd of cattle. This major task takes all hands-on deck led by Kaleb Tinder, our cattle manager, to successfully and safely complete over the span of a couple weeks. First a CIDR device is inserted into the heifer or cow, along with a shot of cystorelin in the neck muscle. A week later, the CIDR is removed and the heifer or cow is given a shot of Lutalyse as well as a heat patch placed on the lower back above the tail. Shortly after this process, the animal will come into heat and when the heat patch turns bright pink… she is ready for insemination! Melinda McCall arrived one chilly morning with her handy vet tech, Bekah, and started the AI process. For this fall calving season, we’ve bred our Belted Galloways and conventional cows with Waygu semen while our Texas Longhorns received Longhorn semen. In mid January, we will proceed with a pregnancy check to see how many mamas we will have in the upcoming year. It truly has been an interesting and intriguing process we are grateful to be a part of.
Holly Jolly Ollie
From all of us at Edgewood Miller Farm, we wish you a very happy holiday and joyous new year! Thank you for following our adventures and stay tuned for all that is to come as we prepare for spring. A friendly reminder that you can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for fun farm footage, interesting facts and more! Again, we send all the best to you and yours during this cold, yet special and festive time of year.
Another summer is almost under wraps here at Edgewood Miller Farm. It’s been a busy one too! Our summer harvest yielded a plethora of tomatoes, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, haricot vert green beans, okra, shishito peppers, zucchini, crook neck summer squash, kabocha squash, candy roaster squash and a wide variety of melons. We are in the process of planting kale, lettuce and a few different kinds of hard neck garlic!
Photo courtesy of Early Mountain Vineyards
This season we’ve happily sold our produce to Early Mountain Vineyards, Barboursville Vineyards and ACAC on a weekly basis. It is so nice to be able to partner with these wonderful establishments and be a part of the “farm to table” process in Virginia. Many thanks for supporting our business!
Hibiscus Bloom
Our Bella Vista AirB&B Guesthouse has been booked throughout the summer! Visitors are thoroughly enjoying the pool, the gardens in full bloom and exploring the farm. It’s so nice to host so many people and witness their joy when they first see the animals, hear the birds singing, and take in the views full of rolling hills and trees as far as the eye can see. Book your countryside getaway today at edgewoodmillerfarm.com/guesthouse !
Kaylee
At the beginning of spring, we had the pleasure of hiring Kaylee Williams as an animal caretaker. She is a Virginia native and has always had an affinity for working with animals. Her first job was at PetSmart where she was in charge of bathing pets. She eventually moved on and worked at a boarding facility in Charlottesville as an assistant manager. When she found the listing for the animal caretaker position she felt the need to expand her passion for learning and caring about animals. With her sweet personality, positive outlook, and eagerness to learn, Kaylee has been a wonderful addition to the Edgewood Miller Farm family!
In animal news, one of our beloved roosters, TransJammie passed away earlier this summer. He was one of our favorites with his unique look and high pitched crow. Even in his old age, he did a good job socializing and looking after the hens. Black Jack is our reigning rooster and maintaining order in the Palace for now. He keeps a sharp eye on his girls while hunting for bugs in the Palace yard throughout the day. He never lets you go unnoticed either - you’re bound to get a couple clucks or a crow when you walk by him.
Milo
Romeo Beanie
In other animal news, we have two new cats in the big barn! Milo and Romeo Beanie are two beautiful boys we’ve acquired over the late spring and summer. First came Milo, a handsome grey tomcat (still sort of a tom kitten) who was adopted from a nice family in the area. Barbara was looking to find Lainie a companion and low and behold - Milo came up in her searching. He spent the first few weeks in the tack room in the big barn before getting to explore the outdoors. He has a very playful and curious nature and was giving Lainie a little more attention than she would have preferred. Then, all of a sudden, a very tiny kitten showed up one evening outside of the main house. Ollie, our residing house cat, found him and greeted him with an obligatory hiss. When Barb came out to see what was happening, she was surprised to see the little one, too young to be away from his mother, meowing for food and completely helpless. After a couple vet visits to take care of a respiratory infection and ear mites, little Romeo Beanie has been growing quickly and packing on some weight. He is extremely friendly and quite the lover. You can catch him and Milo playing most of the day throughout the big barn as Lainie watches over them.
Banjo
Last but not least, Banjo, one of our mini horses had a major operation at the end of spring. His cecum (similar function to a human appendix) inverted into his colon and he began to colic. After noticing his distressed behavior, we rushed him to the emergency equine vet in Richmond where they operated on him immediately. By removing most of the cecum, his bowels were able to return to normal and after a week of monitoring at the hospital, he was able to come home. After many weeks of isolating in his own paddock with various medicines and supplements he had 100% recovery. He’s on a strict diet of wet hay and limited field time but seems as content as ever. We are so lucky and grateful to still have him with us!
Photo courtesy of Sue Miller with Nocturne App
Our sister farm, Crescere, has been hosting a series of stargazing events throughout the summer with the next one coming up this Saturday, September 10th from 7:30-9:30! Visit crescerefarm.com for ticket link and more information.
With autumn just around the corner, we want to wish you all a very happy end to summer full of fun and festivities. Stay tuned to our Facebook, Instagram and website for awesome animal content, produce available for sale and more! We send a sincere thank you for your continued support throughout the years.
Join us at Crescere Farm on Saturday, September 10th from 7:30-9:30PM and learn the latest about the missions sent to the Moon by NASA, China, and India including crewed efforts. We will also learn about the Moon's origin and evolution.
Sky Guy Greg Redfern's presentation will be followed by a visual orientation as we watch the Full Harvest Moon and Jupiter rise in the east under the gorgeous night skies of Crescere Farm and enjoy close-up views from Greg’s Unistellar telescope on our Star Theater!
BYO blanket, chairs, pillows, binoculars, telescope and/or red flashlight if you have it! Light refreshments available for purchase around the campfire.
This event is weather-dependent. Please check www.crescerefarm.com for cancellations due to severe weather.
Dress warmly. Farm evenings can be cool. Remember your bug repellent!
Event appropriate for ages 8 and up.
No pets please, with the exception of service animals.
Photos of Crescere Night Sky courtesy of Greg Redfern.
Celebrate the Summer Solstice under Crescere skies!
Summer begins and the Milky Way Galaxy returns to our evening skies. During this presentation, Sky Guy Greg Redfern will teach the audience basics on how to photograph the sky. With the right camera set-up, you can photograph our home galaxy!
Presentation will be followed by a visual orientation of the gorgeous dark sky above Crescere Farm and close-up views from Greg’s Unistellar telescope on our Star Theater!
BYO blanket, chairs, pillows, binoculars, telescope, cameras and/or red flashlight if you have it! Light refreshments available for purchase around the campfire.
This event is weather-dependent. Please check www.crescerefarm.com for cancellations due to severe weather.
Dress warmly. Farm evenings can be cool. Remember your bug repellent!
Event appropriate for ages 8 and up.
No pets please, with the exception of service animals.
Purchase tickets in advance here!
TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE and Blood Moon Over Crescere Farm on Sunday, May 15th from 8:30PM-12AM!
What is a total lunar eclipse? How do we watch it happen? Photograph it? All you need to know will be provided in this engaging presentation by Sky Guy Greg Redfern, followed by seeing the Blood Moon over Crescere.
The full eclispse peaks at Midnight! You won't want to miss it!!!
Greg will provide a visual orientation of the gorgeous dark sky above Crescere Farm and close-up views from his Unistellar telescope on our Star Theater!
BYO blanket, chairs, pillows, binoculars, telescope and/or red flashlight if you have it! Light refreshments available for purchase around the campfire.
This event is weather-dependent. Please check www.crescerefarm.com for cancellations due to severe weather.
Dress warmly. Farm evenings can be cool. Remember your bug repellent!
Event appropriate for ages 8 and up.
No pets please, with the exception of service animals.
Info & Tickets: https://app.promotix.com/.../Total-Lunar-Eclipse-tickets
RSVP & Invite Friends: http://fb.me/e/6p8i0EpTz
NEW EVENT ALERT! FRIDAY, APRIL 22nd from 8 to 10PM at CRESCERE FARM (2423 S Blue Ridge Turnpike, Rochelle VA 22738)
Kick off the Crescere Stargazing Season by attending our first of seven stargazing events!
Join “Sky Guy” Greg Redfern as he shares the incredible story of the sixth largest impact crater in the world. With photos and a personal narrative, you will be there as scientists explore this 57-mile-wide beast more than 1,000 feet under the waters of the Chesapeake Bay! The presentation will be followed by a visual orientation of the gorgeous dark skies above Crescere and a viewing through Greg’s Unistellar telescope with close-up shots shared on our outdoor Star Theater!
BYO blanket, chairs and/or pillows! Refreshments available around campfire.
This event is weather-dependent. Please check www.crescerefarm.com for cancellations due to severe weather.
Dress warmly. Farm evenings can be cool. Remember your bug repellent!
Event appropriate for ages 8 and up.
No pets please, with the exception of service animals.
Please share this stellar event with your friends and family! We hope to see you there!
For more info/RSVP: https://fb.me/e/5inZlYPXw
Tickets: https://app.promotix.com/.../det.../New-cloned-event-tickets
Photo courtesy of Greg Redfern
Farm fresh, organic heirloom eggs rich in omegas. Delivery may be available or come visit Edgewood Miller Farm! $6 a dozen for standard size eggs, $5 a dozen for bantam size eggs. Contact Barbara at (917) 570-0155. Buy local…it doesn’t get any fresher! #organiceggs #farmfresh #buylocal
Hello all, it’s officially fall here in Barboursville, Virginia! We’ve been busy on the farm wrapping up the summer season and preparing for the colder days.
Dartanian the Rooster
In animal news, Ruby, our baby donkey, turned 1 on November 12th! She is still just as curious and loving as the day she was born. Trooper, Barbara’s riding horse, has settled in quite nicely with the Edgewood Miller Farm Family. He has enjoyed getting exercised a few times a week whether that’s being ridden or lunged. Even our mini horses, Banjo and Moonshine have gotten in some lunging time! Our flock of chickens is doing well. Dartanian, one of our roosters that hatched last spring, has grown up beautifully. The way the sunlight captures the color in his feathers is truly remarkable. Great news! We’ve got organic eggs for sale! $6 for a dozen standard size eggs or $5 for a dozen bantam eggs. Email barbara@edgewoodmillerfarm.com or message us on Facebook for inquiries!
Firewood Crew
Our crew has been busy working on next season’s firewood supply, winterizing farm equipment, tending to the final mow of the year and working on cleaning and maintenance projects.
Our raised beds produced a lot of delicious veggies that we sold to Barboursville Vineyards and Jack’s Shop Kitchen. The beds have now been cleaned up and ready for annual soil amending to prepare for the next growing season.
Hibiscus blooming beautifully in the Greenhouse
Our order of soil and garden supplies has arrived as well! We have lots of worm castings for amending the beds and potting soil for starting flower and vegetable seedlings in the greenhouse. All of our potted plants have been moved into the greenhouse so they may stay cozy and continue to grow as Mother Nature becomes dormant outside. We were so impressed with how many breath-taking blooms our hibiscuses produced this summer and they are still going!
We noticed more deer on the farm this year than previous years. They really enjoyed munching on our crop field so we were unable to grow our usual batch of watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydews, or any variety of squash. In the winter months to come we will be working on a fencing project to ensure that next year’s crop can be enjoyed by humans, not just nibbled on by deer!
Porch at Bella Vista B&B
The Bella Vista B&B Guesthouse has really been a hit! Our summer guests had a blast playing in the pool and enjoying the hot tub. We love seeing their reaction to the animals and the property - especially as all the foliage has changed. Winter is booking up quick so reserve your countryside getaway today at edgewoodmillerfarm.com/guesthouse. A special thanks to all those who have visited and left lovely reviews. We truly appreciate your stay and kind words!
Flowers & Honey at our Summer Sale
We had two successful farm sales this year, one in spring and one in summer. It was so lovely to meet more people in the area, have them see our farm, and share our goods with them. We look forward to hosting more next year!
Barbara Miller welcoming everyone to our First Fundraising Festival
Our sister farm, Crescere Farm, held its First Fundraising Festival to benefit the Madison County Emergency Services. We raised over $15,000 for the combined efforts of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Madison County Fire Department and the Madison County Emergency Services. Over 300 people attended the event and we had the support of 39 generous sponsors to help put it on! Read more here. In other great news, Judge David B. Frazen ruled in favor of Madison County and Crescere Farm over a civil suit filed by a neighboring property to Crescere. Read more here. We’d like to send a huge thank you all the support we’ve received this year and we look forward to seeing you at our next events.
Crescere Farm 2021 Fundraising Festival to benefit the Madison County Emergency Services
Article By Kim Smith, Contributing Journalist for MadRapp.com
A highlight of Wednesday’s meeting of the Madison County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors was a report by Crescere Agri-Resort owner Barbara Miller on its Madison County Emergency Services Festival held Saturday evening, September 25.
The benefit raised money for three county public safety organizations including the Sheriff’s Office, EMS, and the Fire Department and included beer and wine tastings, food trucks, fishing for children along with the ambiance of the farm and property.
Children also could play in a bouncy house and families could take a hayride around the farm while adults enjoyed a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, a chance at a fantastic door prize, and shopping at the stands of local vendors.
Miller also had live music playing from the pavilion located in the hollow next to the lake on the property.
That proved the consternation of several neighboring property owners who complained about noise pollution during the Special Use Permit process Miller endured in 2020 when she got her Rural Resort permit and one, who currently has several civil suits pending in Madison County Circuit Court against Miller’s two limited liability companies (Crescere Resort LLC and Crystallis LLC, that owns the Uno property along with the county supervisors who approved the SUP.
The county has no noise ordinance, but commissioners and the supervisors had concerns during the SUP process to place several conditions on the permit pertaining to the issue.
Miller used the joint meeting to keep the board and commission updated and the county’s residents informed by outlining some of the events held during the celebration.
To get a better understanding of the noise issue, Miller’s planning team which includes Kesewick-based Innovative Audio and Sound owner Brain Thompson.
Thompson performed decibel testing before and during the event using professional equipment. He also tested the sound level at Wednesday’s meeting, telling the bodies the sound at the meeting was louder than when the two bands played "94% of the time”.
All readings – except two – were well beneath the maximums allowed in other jurisdictions – 65 decibels during the day and 55 decibels at night.
After Thompson established a baseline pre-event and at various times during the event, a number of measurements were taken at the resort’s two entrances, on Race Ground Road that borders the property, at the border underneath the power lines, and at the pavilion/stage (the two highest on-site readings during band performances).
Miller provided these readings to the Board and Planning Commission as well as noise levels and their impact on humans – from jet take-off down to breathing.
Those who attended the event – paying adults, children at no charge, vendors, and volunteers – as well as representatives from the benefitting organizations, enjoyed their day, helped raise over $15,000 for our public safety departments.
The donation to the Sheriff’s Office will support anti-drug programs, Project Lifesaver (designed to help track people with cognitive disorders who wander), and its Rape Awareness Defense (RAD) program.
EMS will gain more toward its building; ambulance bays and bunk rooms and the fire department will have additional funds to upgrade and update essential equipment.
Crescere focuses on sustainable agriculture – particularly its hemp operation (think clothes and rope plus hundreds of other uses to minimize deforestation and plastics)– didn’t skimp on educational offerings either.
The Fire Department provided training on the proper use of fire extinguishers – and appropriate types – through the PASS (Pull – the pin; Aim – low: Squeeze – the nozzle; Sweep – from side to side) method.
EMS, which recently won a grant to purchase a number of defibrillators so as to have more throughout the county, demonstrated how to use the talk-you-through-it equipment, and the Sheriff’s Office held a RAD training class for women. One lesson learned during the training – a proper defense can be quite painful to someone with criminal intent.
Link to article here.
Have you heard about Crescere Farm’s First Fundraising Festival to benefit the Madison County Emergency Services on Saturday, September 25th?! There will be…
Food & Beverage Vendors – All Day
Beer and Wine Available for Purchase
Silent Auction
Raffle
Community Vendors
Arts & Crafts
Bouncy Bounce for Kids
Hay Rides /Resort Tour
Farm Displays
Fire Prevention Safety Demo
R.A.D. Self Defense Class
Fishing in the Pond (Bring Your Pole)
Live Music:
Karl Stoll Power Trio 4:00 – 6:00
The Dundie's 6:30 - 9:00
Bring your chairs and blankets!
*Rain or shine event.
*No outside food or beverage allowed.
*Pets prohibited - service dogs allowed.
Event Organized by:
Crescere Resort, Innovative Audio & Sound, Madison County Fire Department, Madison County Sheriff Department, and Madison County EMS.
Proceeds Support Madison County’s Sheriff Dept, Fire Dept, and EMS.
For more info and ticket purchases visit: https://app.promotix.com/.../Madison-Emergency-Services...
Interested in volunteering? Email hello@crescerefarm.com
RSVP: https://fb.me/e/1yBkqdXiU
Please share this exciting event with your friends! We hope to see you all there!
Industrial Hemp Planting 2021
Greetings and happy summer from all of us at Edgewood Miller Farm! The season is in full swing here. We’ve already had one hay cutting and another is on the horizon. We’ve planted seven acres of industrial hemp at our sister farm Crescere and it is growing great so far. Our tomatoes are starting to produce too! We harvested and hung four different types of garlic that will soon be groomed and ready to consume. We’ve also harvested our first batch of peas. Our raised beds are full and include four beds of cut flowers so we can make weekly fresh bouquets for our air b&b guests.
Honeybees
In our crop field we have planted potatoes, watermelons, honeydews and summer squash. The blueberry bushes are loaded with almost ripe berries as well! Interested in enjoying some? Pick your own organic berries for $7 a pint! Email us at Barbara@edgewoodmillerfarm.com or message us on Facebook to schedule a time. We also have a field of sunflowers and zinnias to support our bee hives. Our beekeeper, Allison, harvested our first batches of honey from the Edgewood Miller Farm and Crescere Farm hives. We have 4oz jars for sale at $5 and 8oz jars for sale at $10. Please send us a message if you’d like to enjoy some delicious, organic honey!
View from Bella Vista B&B Guesthouse
Our Bella Vista B&B guesthouse has been booked throughout the summer. The guests are loving the pool and outdoor fireplace at night. We’re now booking through fall. Did we mention we have a 5 star rating and its the perfect place for star gazing? Be our guest and reserve your countryside getaway today at www.edgewoodmillerfarm.com/guesthouse.
Our spring farm sale was a success and we have another farm sale coming up this summer! Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 31st from 10:00 - 3:30 PM. We’ll have plants, vegetables, honey, baked goods, bantam chicken eggs, quail eggs, arts and crafts, jewelry, custom greeting cards, vintage wares and more! Cash and credit cards accepted. Please use the farm entrance and follow the signs to the designated parking area. We hope to see you there!
Our new horse, Trooper
In animal news, the mini horses and mini donkeys got baths. The chickens are really enjoying the ripe mulberries in the Palace yard and we have a new addition to the equine family… Trooper!
Trooper is a trail riding horse from Amish Country, Ohio. He was purchased at Windy Knoll Farms. He is somewhere between 12 and 15 years old and he is almost in the pony category with a height of only 14.1 hands.
Barbara went to Ohio considering purchasing a horse but was not set on it. Out of 99 horses at the sale he was far and away the most perfect purchase for her. It’s most definitely safe to say that destiny and good luck brought them together. He is the sweetest, most affectionate, calm, and incredibly well trained horse Barbara has ever met.
He passed his first vet check up with flying colors. Barbara’s plan is to ride him daily to survey the farm. Everyone can’t get over how wonderful he is and we are so happy to welcome him to the Edgewood Miller Farm family!
Fountain Flowers
We hope you all have been doing well and enjoying the summer so far! Thank you so much for following our journey and supporting our farm. Stay tuned on our Facebook and Instagram pages for updates and enjoyable content of life on the farm. Again, we wish you all a very happy summer and hope to see you at our farm sale! Take care!
Spring is here and we are truly enjoying the warmer days. It was a very wet winter in Central Virginia with snow, ice and freezing rain almost every week in February. Amidst the weather we stayed busy with several projects including seasonal deep cleaning and prepping for our next grow season. Our covered raised beds got a full repair thanks to Kaleb and Jes. We also had a major tree moving project on the farm where we transplanted over 30 trees with the help of Sarah Mahlandt from Blue Top Gardens.
We are currently getting ready for our First Annual Spring Farm Sale coming Saturday, May 8th from 10:30AM - 3PM! Plants, baked goods, bantam chicken eggs, quail eggs, arts and crafts, jewelry, and more will be available for sale! A perfect place to get your mom something special for Mother’s Day. Free to attend. Social distancing and masks are highly encouraged. Cash and credit cards accepted. Please invite your friends and join us for a beautiful day on the farm. Rain date is scheduled for Saturday, May 15th from 10:30AM - 3PM.
Our greenhouse is packed full of plants! In March, we planted a mixture of flower seeds for our upcoming sale consisting of snapdragons, coleus, gomphrenas, Chinese Forget Me Nots, English Daisies, zinnias, Black Eyed Susan daisies, calendula flashbacks and balsam peppermint sticks. We also have numerous elephant ears, angel wing spotted begonias, Swedish Ivy, spider plants, aloe, wisteria and peach trees that will be available for purchase at our sale.
In animal news, our chicks have hatched that Barbara and Kat incubated! So far we have 8 little ones. The Chicken Palace just got a good spring cleaning with fresh bedding across the entire floor and a thorough ceiling scrub. Needless to say the King of the Palace, Black Jack, is quite pleased.
All of our mini horses and mini donkeys got a good report on their dental visit. They’ve all been enjoying the fresh grass and warmer days along with our five rescue horses. Baby Ruby is growing so fast too! Her fuzzy coat is the perfect velcro for bedding and hay.
Sadly, we had to say goodbye to our beloved Cattle dog, Pickles. In 2020, Pickles tore her back knee and had to have surgery. All went well and after a few months of recovery she was chasing the Longhorns and back to normal. By the end of 2020 her vision started to slowly go and in January of 2021 she went fully blind. One day playing ball, she tore her other knee and could not efficiently lift the back half of her body or get around. With saddened hearts we had to let her go on January 25th, 2021. In her 8 years of life, Pickles was totally ball crazy and lived her life running next to the ATV, playing in the river, sitting on the back porch looking out over her farm, snuggling with her brother Sid and getting tons of love from Barbara, friends, family and every person who came to the farm. She was a wonderful, sweet loving dog and we will desperately miss her and love her forever. You can read her full bio here.
The Bella Vista B&B Guest House has stayed booked every weekend with guests from all over. Everyone has left lovely reviews and thoroughly enjoyed their stay. The hot tub has been a hit as well as the farm tours! Did we mention that the pool is officially open? Book your Bella Vista vacay today!
Great news! Farm tours will soon be available to book online! This is a great opportunity to visit our gardens, raised beds and greenhouse, meet the animals, and check out the Radian river. Farm tours are about an hour to an hour and a half long with the ticket price at $15 per adult and $8 per child (no one under the age of 5 encouraged for safety purposes). Interested in scheduling an Edgewood Miller Farm tour today? Email barbara@edgewoodmillerfarm.com . You can also book a tour at our sister farm, Crescere, which is a brief 15 minute drive away! Crescere tours are $20 per adult and $8 per child (no one under the age of 5 encouraged for safety purposes).
We hope everyone has been doing well and staying safe throughout this new year! Stay tuned for more of our farm adventures on our Facebook and Instagram. We hope to see you all at our Spring Farm Sale (5/8)!
Greetings and happy new year from all of us at Edgewood Miller Farm! We’ve been very busy preparing for next season and tidying up from this past harvest. Since our last blog, we have two more team members on our crew! Kaleb Tinder and Kat Russell have been wonderful additions to Edgewood Miller Farm with their kindness and positive energy.
Save The Earth Hemp
In the middle of December, we sent over 2,000 pounds of hemp (one ton!) to Halcyon Holdings, a processing facility in North Carolina. Four different strains, lots of planning, determination and teamwork saw the project through. We’re very grateful to have the opportunity to grow hemp in Virginia and be a part of an industry in its infancy.
In animal news, our barn cat, Dex, went on a big adventure for a week! He went missing and we searched for him all over the farm and throughout the woods for days. Much to our surprise, Kat found him outside of her house in Culpeper. Apparently, one day Dex jumped into the wheel well of her vehicle and stowed away until he got to her place. Crazy! We’re so grateful he made it home safe and sound.
Baby Ruby
We’re excited to announce Trixie gave birth to baby Ruby on the evening of November 12th after carrying her for 13 and a half months. It was a quick birth only lasting for about 17 minutes from the time she went into labor. Ruby came out very healthy! She is getting bigger each day and we love watching her run around the paddocks and roll in the dirt.
Our herd of Longhorn cattle increased by six calves, including a set of twins! They’ve been very happily grazing alongside our Belted Galloway cattle over at our sister farm, Crescere.
Amigo & Dex
Sadly, we lost two amazing horses, Manny and Amigo, this past autumn. Manny suffered from an abscess in his foot that would not heal and the infection started to spread to his leg. Amigo suffered from an abdominal mass that had slowly been getting worse until he lost his appetite and refused to eat. Unfortunately, there was nothing more we could do for either one of them than to lay them to rest. Both were so loved and are missed deeply.
Manny
To honor all the equines that have lived and passed on Edgewood Miller Farm, the 200 hundred year old oak tree next to the main house (that died after years of trying to save it) has been memorialized into a beautiful horse sculpture by chainsaw artist Andrew Mallon with AM Sculptures. It is a wonderful addition to the gardens and well admired by our crew, Bella Vista B&B guests, friends and family.
We’d like to send a sincere thanks to all of you for following our journey and supporting our farm. Our hearts are with everyone during these challenging times of Covid 19. Please remember to stay safe and look out for one another as we forge forward in the new year. Stay tuned on our social media for more animal fun, greenhouse endeavors and Edgewood Miller Farm adventures!
Horse Sculpture by Andrew Mellon
This summer has been an incredibly productive season so far at Edgewood Miller Farm! Between growing organic produce for local restaurants and food pantries, cultivating organic CBD and CBG hemp, cutting and bailing hay and industrial hemp, raising piglets and taking care of the EMF animal family, hosting guests at the Bella Vista B&B guesthouse, giving farm tours, and planning and preparing for next season we have stayed very productive and utilized the longer days.
Edgewood Miller Farm Organic Produce
Our gardening crew has been very busy harvesting a plethora of crops. Tons of assorted tomatoes including heirlooms, cherries, artisan pink bumbles, Brad’s atomic grapes, and orange cocktails to name a few. Multiple varieties of peppers like shishitos, purple Murasakis, sweet red peppers and mini chocolate peppers. As well as green and golden zucchini, patty pan squash, butternut and butterscotch squash, candy roaster and delicata squash. A variety of melons including strawberry watermelons, kiku and tigger melons, cantaloupes and honeydews. Plus, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and huckleberries! Let’s not forget potatoes and harvesting many acres of hay!
We’re very grateful for the opportunities to sell our organic produce to multiple restaurants including Jack’s Shop Kitchen in Ruckersville, Barboursville Vineyards in Barboursville, Orzo Kitchen and Wine Bar in Charlottesville, and Real Food in Orange. We’ve also made multiple donations to the local food pantry MESA, the Madison Emergency Services Association. It has been our pleasure to give back to the community and help others.
Save The Earth Hemp
Not too far from our vegetable crops we have been growing and cultivating hemp plants! Four strains of the CBD hemp variety and one strain of CBG were started in the greenhouse at the beginning of May coming to a total of 3,800 plants. In the middle of June, the stout seedlings were planted on two ½ acre fields at Edgewood and the rest on 4 acres at our sister farm, Crescere. Once harvested, the flowers from the plant will be removed, packaged and sent to North Carolina where they will be extracting and bottling up the CBD oil. Harvest time is coming soon so you’ll definitely want to stay tuned to our social media to see the process!
Caramel & Cocoa
In the Edgewood Miller Farm animal family news, we now have cattle! Two Texas Longhorn adult females, Speckles and Caramel, one female Longhorn calf, Cocoa, and a Belted Galloway calf named Franklin occupy the front field. The small herd is a stunning view amidst the green fields and rolling blue mountains. We’ve even noticed drivers slowing down on the road to admire their beauty! They have been a lovely addition to the EMF family and we look forward to watching the little ones grow. Did we mention that Speckles is pregnant?!
We’ve also welcomed two new horses, George and Amigo! They once lived at our sister farm, Crescere, but moved at the beginning of summer. They’ve been loving their new home and grazing alongside the mini horses and donkeys. It is so lovely to watch them play with one another and frolic in the fields. We are grateful to have them at Edgewood and we look forward to taking them on long walks once the weather cools down!
Our sow Hammie gave birth to seven piglets and one still born at the end of June. Unfortunately, we lost one piglet and three weeks after the birthing, Hammie passed away from medical complications. The remaining six piglets are healthy, strong and officially on grain full time! Three have recently gone to other happy homes and their father, Spunky, is currently having fun at a breeding farm.
Sadly, we also lost our beloved cat, Shirkon. Shirkon came with the farm and was about 6 in 2013 when Barb bought the farm. She lived in the big barn and was the matriarch of all the cats. She was sophisticated and self-assured and lovable. She was a good hunter and a cool character that rarely got irritated. She loved her electric bed and cuddles. She was such a sweet girl and is dearly missed.
Spunky & Company
As far as the rest of the EMF family, everyone is doing well! Pickles and Sid are having a blast playing in the river. Our rescue horses are most definitely appreciating the fast-growing fresh grass from all the rain we’ve been having. Our bees have been super busy collecting pollen from all of the sunflowers. The chickens are still producing tons of eggs and enjoying leftover melons and tomatoes. The donkeys and minis are getting extra cuddles from staff. Did we mention our donkey Trixie is pregnant too?! That’s right! Another baby is coming this November! Needless to say, we are extremely excited!
The Bella Vista B&B guesthouse has been booked ALL summer! We’ve had numerous guests from various locations come stay for a relaxing countryside getaway. Our guests have left multiple rave reviews of their stay. So far, the pool has been a highlight of their experience and the complimentary educational farm tours. We are now officially recognized as a “Super Host” on Airbnb.com and the bookings keep coming! It has been wonderful to be able to provide the rest, relaxation, and farm education to others near and far. Interested in reserving your stay at this home away from home? Check out edgewoodmillerfarm.com/guesthouse for more info!
Amigo says “Hello and be safe!”
On a final note, we are grateful to have stayed busy during these challenging times in history. We hope that life for the entire global community will get back to normal soon and COVID-19 will be nothing more than a memory of a time where we all had something in common and we all had to look out for one another. We send a kind reminder to practice safe social distancing, wear a mask when around others and that this too shall pass! We also send a sincere thanks for your continued love and support! We welcome you to stay tuned to our future endeavors with a little bit of E-I-E-I-O spirit!
Spring is finally here at Edgewood Miller Farm! So many of our plants are already blossoming including our hyacinths, daffodils, strawberries, and magnolia trees. The peach, plum, and cherry trees in our fruit orchard have such beautiful buds bursting open every hour. It is simply magical out here!
The seedlings in our greenhouse are getting bigger! The tomatoes are in the lead for fastest grow time and the peppers aren’t too far behind. We’ve propagated many offspring while transplanting our amaryllis and elephant ear. The daisies, forget-me-nots, and orchid cream nasturtium we’ve grown from seed are also thriving and we can’t wait to plant them outside! The outdoor raised garden beds are being prepped with fresh compost. Everyone is hustling and bustling to get ready for another grow season and we couldn’t be more excited!
In Edgewood Miller Farm Animal news…we’ve got quite the bundle of chicks! We’ve got a Blue Silkie, Blue/Black Splash Favaucana, Blue/Black Splash Orpington, Lavender Orpington, Mottled Cochin, Mille Fleur d’Uccle, Blue Easter Egger, Porcelain d’Uccle Bantam, Speckled Sussex, Blue Splash Marans, Light Brahma, Cuckoo Bluebar Blue Egger, Partridge Olive Egger, Porcelain d’Uccle, Speckled Sussex, Blue Splash Marans, Light Brahma, Cuckoo Bluebar Blue Egger, Partridge Olive Egger, Black Frizzle Cochin, Easter Egger and a Jubilee Orpington! They are growing up so fast too! In just a few weeks they will meet the rest of the flock who is already very curious about the new additions. * We are currently selling organic eggs for $5 a dozen. Please email barbara@edgewoodmillerfarm to schedule a pick up if you’re interested. :)
Our two Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs are spending lots of time together grubbing on kitchen scraps and cuddling in the mud. Hopefully we will have piglets this summer! Our horses, donkeys, and minis are definitely enjoying the warmer weather and fresh green grass. Everyone is relieved that winter is over and spring has finally sprung.
From all of us at Edgewood Miller Farm, thank you for supporting our business and following our journey. Stay tuned and HAPPY SPRING!
Happy New Year friends! The time has come again to start prepping for another growing season. We’ve ordered all of our #organic seeds including tomatoes, sweet peppers, sweet corn, Indian corn, several different kinds of spinach and lettuce, arugula, kale, summer squash, winter squash, watermelons, eggplant, honeydews, cantaloupes, English peas, green beans, huckleberries, lemongrass, carrots, parsnips, broccoli rabe, potatoes, herbs, sunflowers, and many different varieties of flowers! Plus we’re growing luffa gourds for the first time! We’re really excited to see how it all turns out. In a couple weeks we’ll start planting our seeds in the greenhouse. Stay tuned to see them sprout!
Winter maintenance is in full swing here at Edgewood. Our crew has been busy cutting firewood, maintaining all the farm equipment, and taking care of the animals.
Our donkey Pluto has really grown up fast. Along with our new piglet! Did you know this summer we’ll have even more piglets? That’s right! No one’s kitchen scraps will go to waste with so many mouths to feed.
Our Bella Vista B&B Guest House is now booking winter into early spring. If you or a friend you know need a little countryside rest and relaxation, be our guest and book your stay today! Like good vacay content? Follow us on Instagram @bellavistabnbva.
Interested in events happening in Barboursville and Orange? Check out our calendar. We keep you posted on special wine tastings and dinners nearby, community and museum events, theatrical performances and more!
If you’d like a little window into our world and story, follow us on Instagram @edgewoodmillerfarm. Wishing you all a happy winter!
Mornings by the Greenhouse. Photo: Jessica Bradley
“The Montpelier Hunt Races are an annual tradition that brings together locals & visitors to view the wonderful spectacle of the horse races whilst “tailgating” around the race course with old friends and new. Set on the beautiful Montpelier property next to James Madison’s historic house, one can wander around greeting people and shopping at the small stands selling Virginia items (most associated with the horse world) and sample some food from the food stands if you are still hungry after consuming all the homemade items that people fill their tables with. Of course, the horse racing is magnificent and very exciting as the horses come thundering by you. It is always a fantastic time.” - Barbara Miller, Edgewood Miller Farm
Follow Montpelier Hunt Races and visit montpelierraces.org for information about the races. Follow James Madison's Montpelier and visit montpelier.org for historical info, tour schedules, and to check out their store!
The amber, red, and gold leaves are falling off the trees dancing in the crisp autumn breeze. Fall is upon us. We have finished harvesting our summer crops and we have planted our raised beds with organic lettuce, kale, spinach, arugula, and garlic. Over the summer we rescued three more horses; Lulu, Dr. Marty, and Desi. Our four Gloucester Old Spot pigs are getting very fat! The kitchen scraps have not gone to waste. After two months of drought, we finally have water back in the Rapidan river. Edgewood Miller is delightfully decorated for Halloween but soon will switch over to Thanksgiving splendor. Our Air BnB, Bella Vista, has been busy with guests enjoying the fall Piedmont region. We are grateful for another successful summer growing season!