Is a too-small patio putting a damper on your parties? Or is the blazing afternoon sun making you sweat during that 5 p.m. beverage? It might be time for an outdoor space overhaul.

“You have to balance aesthetics with function,” says Rebecca Mahanes of Land Tech Group.

First, she says they usually address space issues. “The big thing is being able to have space for furniture and people to gather,” she says, adding that many standard new builds only provide a small concrete pad in the backyard. Their team will start by using pavers or concrete to make an area large enough for the homeowner’s entertaining needs.

Another common complaint that prevents patio usage—the sun. “In Forest, where a lot of newer homes are being built, there is not a lot of shade,” says Mahanes. “Pergolas are becoming more popular.” The slats or some type of fabric can provide the extra shade homeowners need to feel comfortable. Not only does it look good, it’s typically a very economical addition, she says.

Whether you have an unlimited budget or just enough money for one cool feature, we hope you can gain some ideas from this stunning project Land Tech completed a few years ago in Forest’s Ivy Lake neighborhood:

Overall Aesthetics:
It’s always trendy to have your outdoor entertaining area blend into its natural environment. Here, Mahanes says the homeowners wanted a rustic look. A stacked stone retaining wall adds to that vibe as well as the A-frame metal roof over the kitchen area.

In-Ground Hot Tub:
This custom in-ground hot tub has a water feature that runs on a pump and flows into the spa. It’s partially raised so that guests who don’t want to get in the water can still socialize with those who are.

Fire Bowls:
These run on gas/propane and can either be turned on with a wireless antenna or lit with a match. “I love these because they create a warm ambience,” says Mahanes. “It’s not just about having the space but also having the nice lighting at night.” Landscape lighting is another way to create a cozy atmosphere.

Outdoor Kitchen:
These are a highly popular addition to outdoor areas right now. Mahanes says those who seek one out always want a grill, but many are also starting to request smokers, such as a Big Green Egg. Outdoor kitchens function best if they are covered well and have enough counter space to operate like an indoor kitchen.

Fire Pit:
“This home’s fire pit is really the centerpiece that ties the whole area together,” says Mahanes. She adds that there’s about a 50/50 split between wood burning and gas fire pit installations. “People who like the smoky smell choose wood for the camping ambience. Those who choose gas just want to come out, turn it on and be done.”

Every September since 2016, Beaver Dam Farm—located a little over an hour from Lynchburg—has drawn in visitors from across the state as its fields of beautiful sunflowers reach full bloom.

The farmland was purchased in 1900, and the farm became a dairy in 1927. They switched to beef cattle last year. In 2016, to diversify the farm’s income, the family owners and operators planted 20 acres of black oil sunflowers. They invited guests to come walk the picturesque fields, and since then, their beloved Sunflower Festival has grown and expanded to include crafters, food vendors and much more.

The festival is still taking place this year, with precautions. Online ticket sales begin in early September, and there will be a limited number of people allowed on the grounds at one time, as well as a two-hour time limit.

Learn more at beaverdamsunflowers.com.

Lifting Black Voices

In our July/August issue, we asked members of the local Black community to submit essays that give us their voice as the country continues to wrestle with issues regarding race and equality. Nicholas George, local poet and nonprofit founder, submitted a poem that asks: “Is It Okay to Love My Skin?” Here is an excerpt:

“i’ve spent my life uncertain of my beauty.
like i was not comprised of cosmic dust
blessed with earth’s tone
and i just want to know
is it okay to love my brown skin…
or does that scare you?”

Read George’s full poem, as well as check out any future submissions to this essay campaign, at the Lifting Black Voices Here.

Remembering a Local Artist
When Inez Berinson Blanks passed away unexpectedly in July, her husband Norris’s life was forever changed. “The one true light in my life has gone and since that day my life will never be the same,” he said.

Born in Australia, Inez settled in Lynchburg via stops in Sydney, parts of Africa, India, Nepal and Washington, DC. In 2002, Norris and Inez traveled to Lynchburg and, after she fell in love with the city’s history, texture and more, they decided to relocate here.

For the past 14 years, Inez was deeply rooted in the local art community, working as a private employed artist, art teacher and part-time employee at the Art Box. She remodeled their historic home on Washington Street and created an art studio in the lower garden level. That’s where she would often work through the night creating art or teaching many of her art students. Inez also showed in two exhibitions and sold pieces of her work.

Inez was scheduled to have a show at the Academy Center of the Arts in 2021. Late summer, a slot opened up in October, and the Academy is now able to host a retrospective show to highlight her incredible works—from abstract pieces to beautiful portraits. “The greatest gift I could give Inez in her passing is the recognition of her art,” said Norris. “I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”

Royal Visitors
Pageant Queens Make Stops in the Hill City

In late July, Miss America Camille Schrier spoke at the International Athena Awards luncheon at the Virginian Hotel and took a few photos around town with local photographer Rick Myers. Schrier was crowned Miss Virginia in June 2019 and earned the Miss America title later in the year. She will be the first Miss America to serve a two-year tenure, since the next pageant has been rescheduled to 2021.

Mrs. Virginia American may be a recognizable face to some in Central Virginia. Dhomonique Murphy, formerly a news anchor/reporter at ABC-13, visited Lynchburg to talk about her July pageant win. She made rounds with an interview on talk radio station WLNI and an appearance on ABC-13’s “Living in the Heart of Virginia.” Murphy will compete in the Mrs. USA pageant later this year.

Cover Buzz
The July/August cover of Lynchburg Living was the most shared to date, particularly because of the familiar faces people saw: “Proud of our boy Patrick Hubble for raising the bar and making the cover of Lynchburg Living,” wrote Foulers Scooter Club on Facebook. “OMG,
@globelady (Kim Soerensen) you are too cute!” said Benjamin Cousins on Instagram.

You’re Welcome
“I just wanted to touch base with you and thank you for the page in Lynchburg Living (“Go With Your Gut,” July/August). I saw it late last week and it’s lovely. We appreciate the opportunity to share in depth with the community on such a large scale. Thank you again!” – Angie Chapman, Nature’s Outlet

Correction
In our July/August issue, we made an error in the Healthcare Hero article (page 59) about Carl Falls, RN. Falls received his nursing degree from Centra College of Nursing, not Liberty University. He received a psychology degree from LU. We apologize for this mistake.

Idea (Holiday) House
Due to some construction delays, we had to bump our 2020 Idea House to the November/December issue. The good news? It gets to become our annual holiday home! Stay connected on Facebook and Instagram for updates about the Colonial-style house, located on Clayton Avenue in Lynchburg’s Boonsboro neighborhood.

Community Outreach
For the fourth year in a row, Lynchburg Living donated to Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg in connection to our annual Lynchburg Restaurant Week (Aug. 1-8). This year, we pledged 25 percent of our sponsorship proceeds to the nonprofit. In early August, editor Shelley Basinger presented a $250 check to the organization’s executive director, Kris Shabestar.
We also want to extend a special thank you to our 2020 LRW sponsor, Forest Hill Endodontics!

Send us an e-mail to shelley@lynchburgmag.com. Correspondents must identify themselves; names may be withheld on request. Lynchburg Living may edit or condense.

Before the mercury drops, mark these items off your home to-do list

Heating & Cooling

Change your air filter monthly. “One of the leading causes of break downs are dirty air filters,” says Brandon Brown of Browns Heating and Air. He suggests setting a reminder on your phone for the first of the month to change filters. This will help your system work better and easier overall.

Line up a full system maintenance. This will clean your system inside and out. “A normal home HVAC system runs more than a car does per year and needs to be cleaned and maintained like a car needs its oil changed,” says Brown.

Fill gas or oil tanks. Do this now, “before cold hits and prices go up,” Brown says. It’s also a good idea to check on your gas logs and get them serviced if needed.

Have your ducts professionally cleaned. Brown says this is suggested for older systems that have been installed for a while. “This gets rid of all dust, dirt, mold spores and toxins in the duct system you breathe,” he says.

Exterior Upkeep

Check your roof for damaged shingles. According to All Phase Roofing and Construction, while roof damage happens throughout the year, the rough winter seasons in Lynchburg can be especially tough on your roof. Repairing damaged shingles now can prevent leakage once snow starts falling.

Clean and repair your gutters. This task needs to happen after all of the leaves have fallen and when temperatures are still above freezing. “If you [miss] cleaning gutters in the fall, you may have issues going into winter,” says The Brothers that just do Gutters on its website. “These issues are not always evident in the winter because your gutter is frozen, but during the first thaw they’ll show. The excess debris in your gutters that was not cleaned prior to winter will result in a sort of debris popsicle within your gutter system.”

Check around your windows and doors for air leaks. If needed, seal the leaks with caulk to keep out the cold air.

Inspect and clean your chimney to prevent fires. Statistics show dirty chimneys cause approximately 22,000 house fires each winter. Have a certified professional inspect your chimney annually, and make sweeps or repairs.

Miscellaneous

Store unused lawn care equipment. Local realtor and home renovation expert Dan Vollmer says whether it’s a mower or a trimmer, you should drain all of the gas before you put the equipment away.

Remove and store window screens. This is something else Vollmer does to prevent future, often costly, repairs. “Sometimes the weight of snow can stretch them out,” he says.

Replace smoke detector and CO detector batteries. According to the National Fire Protection Association, house fires occur more in the winter than in any other season, and heating equipment is involved in one of every six house fires.

is it okay to love my skin?
and i’m sorry-not-sorry if this discussion or topic makes your skin crawl
like mine does whenever i see police sirens
or confederate flags
or another black body running out of breath and time and life
i’ve spent my life uncertain of my beauty.
like i was not comprised of cosmic dust
blessed with earth’s tone
and i just want to know
is it okay to love my brown skin…
or does that scare you?
i throw paperbag tests in the trash
and retrieve my soul
WATCH ME GLOW
i don’t know if you understand how paramount this is to
my survival.

i’d like to think that there was room on this planet
for this onyx soul

is it okay to smile back in the mirror?
can i love this African inheritance
or would it be more comfortable if i were that transparent opaque you keep trying to turn me into
dismissing my royalty
forgetting my triumph
disputing the value of my existence
so pardon me for finding tones of glory in my melanin

these days
self-love feels like a rebellious act
pride fees like a hate crime
how am i to tell my children to own their flesh with heads held high
when our middle and high schools still hold virtual town halls over pigmentation
debates on the virtues of beyonces versus kellys
crying literal tears over the sun’s gracious rays
baptizing them in God’s gaze
like their blackness is something to avoid
like each step they take isn’t a dream realized
like their grandfathers didn’t die to wave posters proclaiming
I’M BLACK AND I’M PROUD

why should that scare you?

i tell them words that your magazines and tv screens and rap gods find hard to admit
the sin of truth
and say
you and your dark skin
your black skin
your god-kissed flesh
are TOO beautiful.
i will call my beautiful black boy by his name
tell him to stand strong
look each man in the eye when he speaks
walk with conviction
like the world already knows of your greatness.
i will let my beautiful, magical black girls know
they are daughters of an Amazon
and their lives do matter
and they are literally, statistically destined to be here
to exist
to take up space
despite all odds.
i will have them celebrate their kinky hair
their thick lips and full nose
own their identity and mobility
before someone else does.

should the day come when you hashtag me
be sure to include the letters B-L-A-C-K M-A-N
each one a vibrant verb
oh i love this skin I’m in
this trinidadian flesh
bred and fed by Newark streets
this is not anti-police
this is performative
because this is not a love waiting for someone else to validate
this fist has always been raised this high for me
sent from my ancestors
this is preparing a home cooked meal that i get to enjoy
this is crafting a new narrative for generations to come
this is my history, shaking inside my ribcage
like a calypso heart beat
you wish you could move like this

watch me
love my black skin
and if your response is hate
maybe you should ask yourself
why you love yours
so much.

– (c) Nicholas Steven George

SWEET, SAVORY, SPICY-AS-YOU-WANT-IT, TOMATO JAM IS AS DELICIOUSLY VERSATILE AS IT IS SIMPLE TO MAKE

As backyard gardens begin overflowing with sun-ripened beefsteaks and farm stands are boasting a rainbow crop of heirlooms and old favorites, tomatoes rightfully take center stage on summer plates. But what to do with that big basket of gorgeous—and sometimes delightfully ugly—fruits when you’ve drizzled balsamic glaze upon every imaginable variation of a caprese salad?

Sometimes the simplest preparation is the most delicious—and deliciously versatile. Sweet, savory, spicy-as-you-want-it tomato jam is the perfect example. A few basic ingredients slow-simmered in a single pot and you’ve captured summer in a mason jar. And, although farm-to-table seasonal beauties are best, the following recipe from cooking instructor Jacqui Renager is forgiving enough for even those suspiciously pink, mealy store-bought tomatoes available all winter long.

“This is a recipe you can whip up in no time and enjoy it all year if preserved by canning,” Renager says. “I prefer to leave the tomato skins on because it adds texture, and the acidity from the limes and clementines add the perfect brightness to balance out the sweet.”

Schmear the finished product on a right-out-of-the-oven biscuit and call it a great morning. Take avocado toast to the next level. Add dazzle to a grilled burger with a little tomato jam and smoked gouda sauce in place of the standard cheese slice and LTM. Pair it with pork, chicken, salmon or your favorite local BBQ. Generously top a wheel of brie with jam and bake for a quick and crowd-pleasing appetizer. Whisk it into a vinaigrette or add a dollop onto a freshly fried corn fritter. There are as many possibilities as there are tomato varieties.

Renager offers a few tips for success including choosing clementines over other types of oranges because they produce the most consistently plentiful sweet juice when squeezed and have less of the unwanted white pith when zested. She says “don’t get caught up in the small stuff” when chopping the tomatoes—it doesn’t matter how they look—but do use a serrated knife to make easy work of them.

Just as there are many varieties of tomatoes, there are plenty of variations on tomato jam. Change up the spice combinations or go skinless if you prefer a smoother texture. If you want a more jelly-like consistency, shorten the cooking time. Want more of a chutney? Add to the cooking time. Stir in crumbled bacon to take it over the top.

Dial back or turn up the heat to your liking with more or less jalapeños, pepper flakes or a dash or two (or 20) of your go-to hot sauce. However you make it, be sure to make enough to share with your friends and neighbors

BY LEONA BAKER, PHOTOS BY KATHY KEENEY

Tomato Jam

RECIPE BY JACQUI RENAGAR OF FUN IN THE KITCHEN WITH JACQUI (WWW.COOKINGWITHJACQUI.COM)

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds ripe local tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed clementine orange juice
2 tablespoons orange zest (for brightness)
1 tablespoon minced ginger or ginger puree
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 jalapeño or hot pepper stemmed and minced (seeded or not, your choice) OR 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. (Peeling the tomatoes first is a personal preference. Some like the skins in the jam, some do not.) Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture has consistency of thick jam, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then cool and refrigerate until ready to use or preserve in mason jars.

TO PRESERVE
Transfer the hot jam to your mason jars leaving 1/2 inch at the top unfilled. Wipe rims of the jars, cover with lids, and screw bands on until just barely tight. Put the jars on rack in a deep pot and cover completely with
water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, uncover pot, and allow jars to rest in water for 10-15 minutes. Remove jars from pot and allow them to rest undisturbed on countertop for six hours or overnight

Combining the nostalgia of an authentic farmhouse with 21st century amenities, the 2019 Lynchburg Living Idea House is a charming mix of old and new, traditional and modern, simple and ornate.

Located in the new Trent’s Landing subdivision off Waterlick Road in Campbell County, this farmhouse-style home fits in perfectly with Central Virginia’s gorgeous rural landscapes and country setting—but it also stands out, in a good way, with its modern black and white exterior.

The 2,832 square-foot, three-bedroom home is cozy, comfortable and convenient—without sacrificing sophistication and style. It’s a place you can lounge around with your family on Saturday morning… and host an elegant dinner party on Saturday night.32

Scott Elliott and the CS Custom Structures team were intentional in their design and plan, seeing that no space is wasted and no detail is overlooked—from the functional flow of the open floor plan to the high-tech master bathroom. Elliott’s wife, Meredith, created a vision for the décor—a subtle coastal style that uses white as its canvas and pops of gray and blue to calm the spirit.

As we take you on a tour, we believe you’ll find the 2019 Lynchburg Living Idea House is just… easy—easy on the eyes and, most important, easy to live in.

ENTRYWAY: A Welcome Sight
Nothing says “farmhouse” more than a spacious front porch—a place you can picture yourself sipping sweet tea while watching the sun set over the Blue Ridge Mountains. A driftwood gray semi-transparent stain on the deck gives you a taste of the distressed colors you will see inside, while black double doors with glass panels give this stately home the big reveal it deserves. Step over the threshold and your eyes are immediately pulled to the staircase with rustic treads (matching the distressed prefinished hardwood floors) and modern, square white pickets. To the left, a traditional foyer table and mirror from Virginia Furniture Market, similar to what you’d find in an authentic farmhouse generations ago. To the right, a powder room painted in a bright pop of coastal blue (Harbor Fog by Sherwin-Williams). You’ll wonder if Joanna Gaines is around the next corner when you notice what looks like shiplap on the walls throughout the downstairs. It’s actually something better—nickel gap siding, an easy-to-install and less finicky counterpart. The nickel gap siding and walls are painted white (Cotton White by Sherwin-Williams), to maintain a clean, neutral canvas for the home’s coastal décor.

GREAT ROOM: Something Old, Something Blue
All of the unique colors, textures and styles seen throughout the home come together gorgeously in the home’s great room, creating a warm and inviting place to sit down and prop up your feet. The creamy white sofa and chair not only look the part—with sleek lines and bronze button details—they are comfortable too. (We tested them out to be 100 percent sure.) Blue—from navy found in the woven jute rug to the light blue, distressed round coffee table—plays its strongest role in this room. A conversation starter for guests is the antique mantel, believed to be from a local home built in the early 1900s.

DINING ROOM: Everyone, Gather Round
Already comfortably seating six on a regular basis, the home’s dining table comes with a huge leaf that would add 4 to 6 more place settings—perfect to host Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. A large painting of the ocean—a serene mix of green, blue and white—gives the space a dramatic focal point. But your gaze will also shift upward to the unique fixture over the table made out of glass beads with rustic jute detailing.

KITCHEN: An Entertainer’s Dream
The heart of this home has the space and flow you are looking for when hosting friends and family as well as the gourmet amenities needed to whip up a top-notch meal. The kitchen mirrors the home’s modern farmhouse exterior with its white and black color palette. White shaker-style cabinets and “true white” quartz countertops offer clean lines, and several cabinets have glass fronts with lighting, perfect for displaying your favorite china. From a convenient pot filler over the range to a large apron sink (a farmhouse trend that’s maintaining its popularity), all fixtures and pro-style appliances are matte black. Drawing you into the room—and making the entire space sparkle—is the seashell-inspired, penny tile backsplash with a sand-colored grout. Barnwood-style shelving balances out the shimmer and brings a rustic touch to the room. It’s also what you don’t see that makes this kitchen charming. The microwave, typically placed above the range and oven, was relocated to the island and is pulled out like a drawer. You also can ditch your Keurig if you wish, because the refrigerator has a place to brew K-cups right in the door.

MASTER BEDROOM: Cozy Cocoon
Located on the lower level of the home—a floor plan requirement, Scott says, for many homebuyers of all ages—the master suite is within arm’s reach of the main living area but still feels like its own private retreat. Numerous windows make this room feel bright and airy and the white shiplap walls, continued from the main living area, add that extra touch of quality and class. Furniture is minimal to reduce clutter—and you don’t need more than one dresser because just around the corner is a massive master closet to serve as your main clothing storage area and dressing room.

LAUNDRY: It All Flows
Connected to the master bathroom is a huge walk-in closet. From there, you can access the laundry room, which includes more storage, including barnwood-style shelving with lighting.

MASTER BATHROOM: Forward-Thinking Oasis
Elegant finishes and details take center stage in the master bathroom. The overall color palette is calming—from a gray ceramic printed tile that looks like marble (but is much easier to maintain) to white floors and cabinetry. Instead of a typical walk-in shower with a curb to step over, there is a wet room—a European concept that incorporates the shower and tub into one area. A frameless glass wall and door separate the space and make the room feel larger, and the tile floor—the entire bathroom has the same flooring, which is waterproofed—gradually slopes to the back of the shower to a linear drain. Inside the shower area, black matte fixtures include a rain head, two body sprays, a wall spray… and a digital shower control system by Moen. Each person using the shower can set up a profile that saves their individual settings. It’s also wireless—so you could start your shower on your drive home, if you wished. A Mirabelle tub by Ferguson with straight, modern lines completes the wet room and is spacious enough for a relaxing bath for one or a romantic soak for two. A window over the double vanity and another at the top of the shower area let in plenty of light, making this space equally as bright as its connecting master bedroom.

UPSTAIRS: Some Breathing Room
While the second level of a home is often overlooked and underdesigned, this upstairs is a breath of fresh air with its versatile layout and attention to detail that is up to par with the rest of the Idea House. Hardwoods continue on the landing along with the shiplap-inspired walls. On the right and left are two identical bedrooms that lead into a Jack and Jill bathroom, with a twist. The shower area is shared—with the shower featuring a vibrant blue-and-white stripe penny tile—but each room has its own closet area, toilet and vanity. Also upstairs is an office, “flex space”—you could make this area into a mini guest room with a sofa sleeper or create a small TV nook—and a large bonus room with dormer windows.

The bonus room is large enough to be a play room for kids or, for older adults, make it another place to entertain guests by adding a bar area.

EXTERIOR FEATURES: Looking Sharp
The sharp contrast between the white siding and black windows make this home a head turner. The white board and batten siding draws your eye upward, instead of side to side; vertical siding is also less busy than its horizontal counterpart, allowing other exterior features to stand out. Black double hung windows and a black standing seam metal roof pop against the white backdrop while gray stone along the foundation and gray-stained hitters above the windows tone down the modern color scheme.

Connected to the front porch with exterior doors leading into the great room is a large patio area with a table for six and other places to rest—a grillmaster’s retreat. On the other side of the home, a “live driveway” leads to a two-car garage. This new idea from Finley Corporation adds visual interest to the driveway—it features concrete poured in square formations with sod in between.

2019 Lynchburg Idea House was Built by Custom Structures. Furniture by Virginia Furniture Market. Sponsors: Terry, Divine Designs and Delights.

View this article and ALL the Lynchburg Living Idea House Partners in our Digital Pub below.

Virginia’s Pony Herds

Darcy Cole takes off down a trail on Assateague Island in Virginia’s far northeastern corner. Here, she hunts horses.

And when she sees one? She starts shooting. Over and over. With a camera.

This photographer captures the famous Chincoteague Ponies in pictures and promotes these ponies with calendars, an identification book, baseball caps and T-shirts that showcase their beauty—and their beautiful surroundings in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island.

“I’m trying to do this as a business,” says Cole. “But I would do this anyway, because I just like to be out there and watch them.”

Cole likes seeing the babies. As many as 70 are born each year among this breed, she says.

But it takes work. Cole is gone for several hours a day—about 300 days a year—on treks that range from six to 16 miles, venturing to see the northern herd that chomp on grass and salt marsh in a seaside oasis just below the Maryland border.

“I describe it more as a passion,” Cole says. “I document the herd. I take lots of notes, so when a mare has a foal, I can look back at my notes last year and can tell who the probable sire is.”

However, the origin of the Chincoteague Ponies isn’t as well documented.

One story says the breed stems from a Spanish galleon that wrecked off the coast, and the ponies came galloping out of the sea onto the island. Still more say the ponies originated from early Virginians who let their horses graze on Assateague.

Cole subscribes to both theories, saying she feels the ponies must have come from a mixture.

“We know for sure that there was a shipwreck,” Cole says. “And we know that new ponies started showing up on the tax records after that shipwreck.”

While the Chincoteague Ponies are her passion (dating back to 2013), Cole has twice trekked to the other side of the state to search for Virginia’s other wild pony breed.
“They have a lot of lookalikes that look like ours,” Cole says of the Grayson Highlands Ponies. “Their ponies are smaller, and they have some colors that we don’t have. And the terrain is very different. So it’s a real contrast between the flat terrain and the mountain terrain.”

The Grayson Highlands Ponies are an increasingly famous breed in Grayson County, just above the North Carolina border in Southwest Virginia. These rock hopping horses live in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and adjacent Grayson Highlands State Park in what you might call an inverse environment compared to the marshy sea-level sands of Assateague.

Not much bigger than miniature horses, the Grayson Highlands Ponies stand about four feet tall and forage for food by nibbling grasses that grow between rocky outcrops at elevations nearly a mile in the sky.

These ponies arrived in 1974, thanks to horse breeder Bill Pugh, who put the horses on the mountain environment to help keep the bald areas open.

Those bald areas—crossed by the Appalachian Trail—were created when large-scale logging took place in this area about a century ago.

“But there’s not near as much grass on top of that mountain as there used to be,” says Wilburn Ridge Pony Association President Brother Moore. “There are hundreds of acres up there that used to have grass, and it’s gone.”

According to Moore, their ponies are scattered.

“And they just go wherever they want to. They can go from Elk Garden plum to Troutdale. There are no fences to stop them,” he says.

The Chincoteague Ponies have become a tourist attraction over time. However, this year, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, large-scale gatherings have been canceled, and that means there will be few if any spectators at the annual pony swim, held on the last Saturday of July, when “Saltwater Cowboys” of the Eastern Shore round up Chincoteague Ponies to swim from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island.

In turn, the annual pony auction is being held online (July 23-29), as a way to continue a tradition that began in 1924, says Denise Bowden, spokeswoman for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.

The auction thins out the herd and raises money for the fire department. But, due to the coronavirus, the annual carnival in Chincoteague will not be held, resulting in as much as a $500,000 loss for the fire department, Bowden says.

Each year, like the “Saltwater Cowboys” of Chincoteague’s fire department, members of the Wilburn Ridge Pony Association round up the youngest ponies and then put them up for auction.

Proceeds from the auction help pay for the remaining herd, as well as raise money for local fire departments at Troutdale and Rugby.

Unfortunately, the auctions of the past few years have been plagued by varmints: Coyotes are often to blame for the killing of young ponies—between their births in spring and when the auction arrives during the Grayson Highlands Fall Festival in late September.

“Coyotes get the best part of them,” Moore says. “They’ll just be disappearing a few at a time.”

Either breed—Chincoteague or Grayson Highlands—have about 150 in total; those numbers are kept in control by auctions.

On sale, a Chincoteague Pony might fetch $4,000. One pony sold for $25,000 in 2015.

Grayson Highlands Ponies sell for a few hundred bucks. And one has gone for as low as $35.

“We used to have a lot of dealers come there and buy a whole load,” Moore says. “And now it’s just individual people buying one.”

You don’t have to be in the market for a pony to take in the beauty of these mysterious animals. But there are some words of advice from locals.

The small ponies of the High Country are given dietary supplements during winter. But they are often also given treats by travelers on trails—what’s considered a no-no among officials at Grayson Highlands State Park.

“We recommend that you do not feed them anything at all,” says Theresa Tibbs, an office manager at Grayson Highlands State Park.

Healthy snacks such as carrots and apples can have dangerous chemicals, Tibbs says. “So we ask people to not feed them. It’s on signs and in brochures.”

Another thing: These shaggy creatures may appear playful. But be forewarned, Tibbs says. “Even though they come up to people, they really are wild. And people need to respect that.”