Dragon Run Inn

Virginia ranks seventh in the nation for wine production.  The Travel Industry Association (TIA) rates Virginia 8th for wine tourism and 15th for food-related travel.  There are many reasons for the honors and now you can see for yourself. 

Oct. 1 Yorktown Wine Festival featuring Virginia Wines http://www.villageevents.org/

Oct. 22 Gloucester Wine Festival http://www.gloucesterwinefestival.com/.  Virginia wines, food, live music, art, jewelry, house tours and more.

October 9Sunday Afternoon Music & Wine Saudé Creek Vineyards, 16230 Cooks Mill Rd, Lanexa, VA Sunday at the Winery, 2 pm - 5 pm, rain or shine
http://www.saudecreek.com/eventsin.html

 Nov. 12 Fall Barrel Tasting at Ingleside Winery. http://www.ipwine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75&Itemid=40

Plan a Fall Getaway Weekend, we'd be glad to have you stay with us www.dragonruninn.com

 

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August 8, 2011 will mark the Annual Buyboat Homecoming in Urbanna.  Urbanna will be the final stop on the CBBA, Chesapeake Bay Buyboat Association. cruise.  Much like other reunions this will be a gathering of old oyster buyboats that have gone into retirement.  Buyboats have been around since the early 1900's and average between 55 and 65 feet in length, with the largest still afloat being the O.A. Bloxom, measuring 84 feet.  Buyboats have been used to haul all type of goods before the onset of bridges and modern roads.  The CBBA consists of two fleets - northern and southern - and each year the buyboat cruises switches off traveling either north or south.  This year is the south's turn.  Approximately 30 buyboats remain on the Chesapeake Bay.  Some boats are owned by museums, but many are owned and maintained by members of the Chespeake Buyboat Association. 

Cruise Schedule:  August 2 will begin at Tangier Island; they will depart on the 4th for Cape Charles Town Harbor where the reunion will take place.  The reunion will be held Aug. 5 through 8 and will include boat tours, live music, food and games.  Next the boats are off to Deltaville where they will dock at the Poquoson Yacht Club before moving on to ther final stop in Urbanna.  While in Urbanna the boats will be open to the public for tours on Aug. 12 from noon to 4 p.m. and on Aug. 13 from 10a.m. to 5p.m.  Come and visit Urbanna and get the feel of a little history as you talk with the boat owners.  Hope to see you there.

Tags: Urbanna, buyboats

Look for bald eagles at the Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge located at 336 Wilna Road, Warsaw, VA.  This is one of four refuges that comprise the Eastern Virginia Rivers National Wildlife Refuge Complex.  It protects 20,000 acres of wetlands and associated uplands along the river and its major tributaries.  Archeological and historic sites are abundant.  At least four federally-listed threatened or endangered species may be found, including the American bald eagle, peregrine falcon, shortnose sturgeon and sensitive joint vetch.  Virginia's largest wintering roost for bald eagles is located within the refuge.  Shorebirds, neotropical migrant songbirds, raptors, and marchbirds rely on the  Rappahannock River's corridors during the spring and fall migration periods.  The Refuge hosts three sites on the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail.  Picture of the eagle was taken by Tina Phillips   http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=503nnock.

For more information on the wildlife refuge check out http://www.fws.gov/northeast/rappahannock/.  Plan a getaway weekend and stay at the Dragon Run Inn in Church View, VA and explore the nature that abounds.

 

Tags: eagle, Rappahannock River

Virginia Grown Oysters, come visit and enjoy locally grown.  The Deltaville Oyster Company is the culminatioin of experience and knowledge gained through hobby-level oyster growning.  Since 2000 Donnie Aberthany has perfected the delicate and slow-process off the pier of his Deltaville cottage (with plenty of help from Marty).  With encouragement from friends the business was born and has grown.  Check them out at www.deltavilleoystercompany.com.

Crassostrea virginica (the Virginia native oyster) can filter up to 55 gallons of water in a single day!  These amazing bivalves filtered the entire Chesapeake bay twice daily back when John Smith first landed.  (Thats 15 billion gallons!)

Oysters can be found in the bay from depths of 8 to 35 feet.  They live in colonies called beds, bars, or reefs.  The oysters attach to one another and form dense reefs, providing a habitat for numerous other life-forms. 

Oysters are filter-feeders.  That mean they open their shells and pump water thrugh their gills to catch plankton, algae, and other particles.  These other particles include the extra phosporus, nitrogen and potassium from agricultural fertilizers which have drained into the bay.  This is the main reason why Oysters are so ecologically sustainable.

The Virginia Oyster is also known as the American Oyster and the Eastern Oyster.

Watch our blog for future recipes using the nutritious oyster.

 

Tags: Chesapeake Bay, oysters, local grown, ecology