Mushrooms are a strange, complex, and often delicious gift from nature. Fleeting and particular, foraging for them in the wild serves as a great way to get the family engaged in an outdoor treasure hunt. But there’s another way to access these tasty morsels—and help out an important cause along the way.

Here in Virginia, many delectable and highly prized mushroom varieties grow right under the forest canopy. There are over a thousand varieties of edible mushrooms out there. But, before we go any further, it is important to note that many mushrooms are not edible (most, even), and are in fact very dangerous. NEVER eat a wild mushroom unless you are absolutely certain that it is safe for consumption.

With that out of the way, let’s get down to business. When and where can you find these edible wild mushrooms?

In Virginia, certain varieties of mushrooms can be found all year, but there are a few that seem to be most highly prized among hunters and connoisseurs. Mushrooms are a fungus and they tend to grow on decaying organic matter, like logs and leaf-littered forest floor, in damp areas or just after a rain. And while the fungus that produces the mushrooms is usually very large, healthy and active underground, the fruiting bodies that we eat don’t last long, so it’s important to get out there as soon as the rain stops, but before the air/ground dries out!

It may be a little late in the season for morels, but if you’re looking for this coveted mushroom, here are a few tips:
• Hunt when the air and soil temps are not too cool, but not too warm: about 60 – 70 degrees during the day, 50 degrees overnight.
• Wait until after a good rain storm or two, and look for an area of recently disturbed or burned forest.
• Morels love decaying yellow poplar, ash, elm, a nd oak. They’re also known to pop up around spicebush.
• And a great tip for ALL mushroom foraging: find a friend (or make a new one) with experience hunting these and other mushrooms! They can help you find good hunting grounds, and help you identify true morels.

Chanterelles are a different character. Unlike the morel, they love to emerge in warmer weather, and can be found all through the summer. Their yellow/orange color makes them easier to spot on the forest floor, and, like most mushrooms, they can be found in moist, shaded areas with lots of healthy organic matter. Fallen logs and leaf litter are good signs for finding chanterelles. A great place to spot these delectable mushrooms would be along creek beds and places where ephemeral streams form after showers. They tend to grow individually, or in small clusters, but where there’s one, there’s usually more. Look closely, though, and have your identification guide handy. Chanterelles have a poisonous look-alike called the jack-o-lantern. The biggest difference between the two is the gills on the underside of the mushroom head. The chanterelle has pale-colored false gills, which look more like wrinkles, whereas the jack-o-lantern mushroom has true, deep gills similar to the color of the mushroom head. The jack-o-lantern also grows in heavier clusters, and has a deeper orange color all over, whereas the chanterelle has a paler stem. Not to mention, the jack-o-lantern glows in the dark!

When you find your prize, it’s best to snip the mushroom at the stem rather than pull it from the roots. This way, the fungal system underground can continue to grow and produce more mushrooms. You’ll want to bring along a basket for collection, or something in which you can place the mushrooms so they can breathe and not crush one another.

But wild foraging isn’t the only way to enjoy these colorful culinary treats. We caught up with Bethshan McLeod, who along with her husband, James, serves as the director of Providence Veterans Farm and Mission Mushrooms in Concord, VA. Their non-profit has found a unique way to finance their critically important cause: mushrooms!

That’s right, the McLeods oversee an operation employing veterans who grow and sell top-quality mushrooms and mushroom grow kits. Their mission is to serve the families of service members who have experienced trauma during service. Military trauma tends to affect the entire household, and leads to high rates of divorce, mental health struggles, unemployment, and other problems regularly faced by these incredibly important members of our community. Mission Mushroom seeks to strengthen these families, and stop the spread of generational trauma so that service can continue in a healthy way, one mushroom at a time.

Their 90-acre farm offers four transitional homes for those in need, as well as opportunities for engagement, trauma healing, and mentoring. Bethshan said that mushrooms and farming are a natural fit for trauma recovery because of the intrinsic healing and calming qualities of gardening and agriculture. They also have two highly specialized mushroom growing facilities designed to grow specific mushroom varieties, particularly oysters and lion’s mane.

If you’ve been reading this as someone who doesn’t particularly care for mushrooms on their plate, you’re in good company with Bethshan! But she likes the ones they grow at Mission Mushroom because unlike most commercially grown mushrooms that are grown in manure outdoors, theirs are grown on a non-manure, non-chemical substrate in an indoor, controlled environment. They are never chemically treated or sprayed, and don’t even need to be washed before they’re cooked!

Mission Mushroom can be found at both the Downtown Lynchburg and Bedford farmers markets. They also have an online store offering a monthly subscription box! Every month, you’ll get a few pounds of mushrooms delivered to your door, and you’re helping out a really important cause in the process.

Mission Mushroom also offers an at-home grow kit. Visit their online store, choose the type of mushroom you’d like to grow, and have the kit delivered to your home. It’s a tiny version of their operation at Providence Veterans Farm, and you can grow about a pound to a pound and a half of your very own mushrooms. After the mushrooms are all gobbled up, Bethshan says the mycelium left over in the substrate makes excellent fertilizer! Just break up the grow bag, toss it into your garden,
and it’s a gift that keeps on giving.

Who knew the mighty mushroom could be the vehicle for inspiring healthy bodies and minds for warriors and their families right here in our community?

No matter how you come by them, if you’re looking for a fun new way to spice up your dinner plate, mushrooms are a great place to start.

Crossing the Potomac River along I-395, a quintessential D.C. landscape fills the foreground. Drive by landmarks like the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the way to something new in a historic part of our nation’s capital.

Scenically and conveniently located near downtown Washington D.C. and Dupont Circle, the Kimpton Banneker Hotel offers relaxation and sophistication in the historic area. Rounding Scott Circle, the modern hotel that opened late June 2021, is situated along the charming tree-lined streets.

Before the Banneker, the location was the site of the former Kimpton-run Hotel Rouge. After a $20 million renovation, the accommodation was completely transformed into a 10-story boutique property. The Banneker embraces the spirit of D.C. through an appreciation for its history, art and culture.

Contrasting the Banneker’s contemporary, slate-colored exterior is a warm and comfortable vibe in the hotel’s lobby. Showcased on the wooden wall opposite the front desk is an abstract portrait by D.C.-based artist Rob Matthews that is not only a representation of the Banneker’s art collection but is a portrait of the hotel’s namesake.

The Banneker’s name is a nod to one of the country’s major Black innovators, Benjamin Banneker. Banneker made significant contributions to astronomy, mathematics, and civil rights. He also played a key role in surveying the land that would become Washington D.C. in 1791, specifically identifying the meridian line for D.C.—a line that is now 16th Street, where the hotel is located. To honor Banneker, the hotel has several constellation motifs and even provides guests a card that describes which constellations will be visible during their stay.

The Banneker portrait is just one of the many original works of art within the hotel. The Banneker has thoughtfully curated an art collection highlighting D.C. natives and international artists in a variety of mediums. From the lobby mural by D.C.-based Nigerian-American artist Victor Ekpuk to abstract paintings, photographs, and more throughout the hotel, the Banneker could also double as an art gallery.

Complementing the hotel’s collection of art is the refreshed interior design led by Toronto-based firm Mason Studio. Each of the 144 spacious guest rooms presents a blend of warm tones and cool minimalism, designed with lush materials like corduroy and velvet.

Once you settle in and decompress from the inevitable traffic on I-95, mosey back down to the lobby for a complimentary evening wine hour in the adjacent sitting area. The wine hour is a perfect precursor to dinner at the Banneker’s in-house restaurant, Le Sel.

You may forget when you first walk into Le Sel that you’re in Washington D.C. The restaurant’s wall-to-wall windows fill the dining room with light and open up to 16th Street NW, drawing inspiration from Paris bistros. The 750-square-foot outdoor patio attracts pedestrians to dine at the inviting restaurant.

Le Sel, with a name that translates to “the salt,” features a menu that blends contemporary French fare with elevated comfort food. Executive chef Laurent Hollaender, a native of France, conceived an upscale, yet approachable, menu that utilizes locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.

Tomatoes from a farm in Maryland are the star of the restaurant’s Heirloom Tomato Carpaccio, served with crushed pistachio, buttery sweet Castelvetrano olives and balsamic glaze. The mushrooms served with the Roquefort Crusted Filet Mignon are sourced from a farm in Pennsylvania, while the apples used in the Pork Belly entrée’s fennel and apple salad hail from neighboring Virginia.

Hollaender put a spin on French staples by adding a mid-Atlantic twist. Steak Tartare is made with smoked oyster mayo and topped with an oyster to add a briny flavor to the savory appetizer. Seafood entrees include Seared Diver Scallops, served with an “eggplant caviar,” and flounder wrapped in thin slices of prosciutto.

Hollaender explains that after spending years in Orlando, Florida, he was eager to move back north and take advantage of the regional offerings from the water. “There was a bounty of seafood to choose from,” he says.

Additionally, Le Sel indulges diners with classic French dishes—onion soup overflowing with Emmental cheese, escargot in bubbling garlic butter, niçoise salad, Moules Frites and crème brûlée.

The Banneker’s location makes it easy to tour D.C. by foot. Historic hotspots, along with the National Museum of African American History, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the National Gallery of Art, are just a few miles away. The Banneker even offers complimentary bike rentals so you can pedal your way around the nation’s capital.

Follow the stars, much like Benjamin Banneker did more than 200 years ago, for a much-needed getaway.

---

Kimpton Banneker Hotel is located in downtown D.C., a three- to five-hour drive depending on your starting point in Central Virginia. Learn more or make a reservation at TheBanneker.com.

A Family of 5 Brings Urban Homesteading to a Historic Rivermont Home

Jennifer Woofter opened the door of her circa 1907 Rivermont Avenue home in Lynchburg wearing red lipstick and a wisteria-colored linen dress she sewed herself, looking every bit the chic urban homesteader she appears to be on Instagram (@weboughtamanor).

“I am living my best ‘Lady of the Manor’ life!” she said with a laugh, as she ushered us inside the impressively proportioned property she shares with her husband of 13 years, Bill Bohn, and their three children. The grand dame of the home, with its red brick and soaring white columns, cleverly conceals a large swatch of land out back that is host to a lush garden and a gaggle of pets, all living happily in the center of the city. It’s a place that invites life at every turn, and the story of how the family landed at such an address is just as surprising as the way they have chosen to live in it.

“The Manor House”
“We were living in Northern Virginia, and we had just adopted two of our kids and were suddenly going from a two-person household to a four-person household and paying outrageous fees for daycare and it was just really expensive and a fast pace of life,” Jennifer said as she began the story of their big life change in 2013.

One day Bill found the stately Georgian-style home on a website for old houses and sent it to Jennifer with a text jokingly saying, “We should buy this house.” But things quickly got serious at Christmastime when the family visited Bill’s parent’s home in Charlottesville and decided to drive down for a look.

“We left the kids with their grandparents, and came down to Lynchburg and spent the night. And we toured the house and we were like, ‘This is really cool, we should buy it’—so we did!” Jennifer exclaimed.

Within 60 days, the family had uprooted their old lives, sold their home in NoVA, and moved into their new-old home in Lynchburg.

“We didn’t know a single person, we had no connection to the community, but I think what we quickly found is that Lynchburg is a place where you can make a home and find your community. That was 8 years ago and we have been here ever since,” Jennifer recalled.

One of the aspects that attracted Bill and Jennifer to the home is its rich history. The 115-year-old property has had many chapters, beginning as a single family residence before transforming in the 1960s into part of a private girls school known as the Seven Hills School. Later, it became rooms and dormitories for the Virginia School of the Arts, then had a stint as a commercial office space before finally being converted back into a single family home.

“I think a lot about honoring the history of this house,” Jennifer said. “I think a lot about what was happening in this house when women got the right to vote. Who was living here and what did that feel like? What happened on Pearl Harbor? Throughout all of these momentous points in history, people were living here, living through it.”

The Kitchen
In a home this large and this old, there will always be projects. But Jennifer and Bill decided right after moving in that the only major renovation they wanted to undertake was the kitchen. What used to be two rooms—“a tiny little breakfast room and then a quite small kitchen”—soon joined to make space for an expansive kitchen the family could comfortably enjoy for years to come.

“We’ve got three kids and Bill loves to cook and while [the former kitchen] was beautifully done, it just wasn’t functional for the way that we live,” she said.

It took 11 months, but the result is a kitchen that remains aesthetically true to the home. Among the many thoughtful changes to the footprint is an expanded door frame with custom pocket doors made to match the originals that opens to the area they now use for dining. They also married in multiple modern amenities, including a few splurges. For Jennifer, that included two dishwashers and two sinks—one for cooking prep and one for washing produce.

“Bill is the cook of the family, so he definitely had a perspective of the kind of stove he wanted and the functionality of the ovens, and I just wanted it to be pretty,” she said.

Throughout the kitchen are reminders of the vibrant life happening just out the window, from leafy greens soaking in a sink and canning preserves in glass-front cabinets, to chicken and duck eggs resting on a custom egg holder made by Jennifer’s dad. A little bit country, a little bit glamour, the kitchen at the heart of the home now represents exactly the kind of life the family has worked to build there.

The Animals
To visit the manor is to run straight into animals of all varieties. Greeting you at the door is Lucy, the black rescue dog. Four black cats also flit throughout the home because “we are an only black pet household,” Jennifer said unapologetically.

Out back in an expansive gated area next to the even more impressive garden space are even more critters—three goats and about 14 chickens and ducks to be precise.

“Hello friends,” Jennifer greeted the goats, Jezebel, Charlemagne, and Scheherazade, as she walked past a teal chicken coop while the yardbirds scrambled around underfoot.

The coop’s bright color was at one point a topic of much debate, Jennifer said, but she loved it and won that round. Where she often concedes is the “how” of what Bill prefers when it comes to structures.

“Because Bill’s profession [as an engineer] is dealing with natural disasters, everything he builds is apocalypse-ready. Everything is sunk into concrete. If there’s a hurricane, we are coming out to the chicken coop,” she said.

With this many living creatures in one place, funny stories are never far behind. A memorable one took place right after the family first got the goats.

“When we first brought home the goats six years ago, they escaped and got on the roof of the house. People were calling us, like ‘There are goats on your roof!’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I know… I will get to that later!’” she laughed.

The Garden
“I don’t think I ever saw myself as a farmer,” Jennifer conceded as she walked under the kiwi-vined arched trellis into the family’s massive garden project.

The family has taken full advantage of their 1.7 acre lot, which now boasts 1800 square feet of garden area with 52 raised beds and a full drip irrigation system. An area is cleared for a future greenhouse build. The space is verdant with growth, and each season brings something new to do.

“Our process is, Bill grows and plants and I harvest and process in whatever format that looks like,” Jennifer said.

The backyard didn’t always look like this. It once held three tennis courts and, by the time Jennifer’s family moved in, the two remaining tennis courts were in bad shape. So they saved up and removed them and built the raised beds in their place.

Jennifer relayed that many lessons have been learned as she and Bill have dialed in what they wanted in the garden and how they wanted it to function for their daily life. Some of those lessons came down to marital compromise.

“Bill has the patience of a saint,” Jennifer said. “I decided I wanted all those raised beds painted white instead of natural wood, and heavens if he didn’t spend all summer painting those, along with the kids.”

---

How Does Your Garden Grow?
In any one calendar year, about 75 different herbs, vegetables, and fruits grow in the family’s garden, including:
Peas, Lettuce, Bok Choy, Garlic, Shallots, Scallions, Asparagus, Soybeans, Strawberries, Blackberries, Kiwi, Peach, Pear & Apple Trees, Rhubarb, Jerusalem Artichoke, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Chives, Fennel, Oregano, Sage, Rosemary, Curry, Thyme & more!

---

The Mission
Perhaps the most rewarding part about the work of their hands is that the family is able to benefit others from it as well. With so much shareable produce growing, they set up a self-serve stand on the porch for people to come year-round, with the goal of one day building a full farm stand. They also donate a lot of their bounty to the Lynchburg Daily Bread. The rest sustains them throughout the year.

While the historic home and its grounds have certainly been a major undertaking, the benefits of the lifestyle they created have also helped them to put down intentional roots in their adopted city.

“One of the most rewarding parts of having the animals and the garden is it has really connected us to our neighbors, people who stop by and say hi all the time, the neighbor kids come by. Moms walking their kids around in the afternoon stop by and feed the goats,” Jennifer said. “It’s just been fun.”

---

Simple Chive Blossom Vinegar Recipe
Jennifer discovered that the chive blossoms from her garden “make a beautiful pink vinaigrette.” Using the guidance of The Spruce Eats website, she places the chive blossoms in a clean jar and pours white wine vinegar over them until they are completely covered. “Let it steep for a few days and voilà, so easy!” she said.

Grooming basics that pamper your pet

What we consider self-care, most pets are…less than thrilled about. Whether you’re bathing an uptight pup or clipping the nails of a rambunctious kitten, grooming can be easier for you and for your pet. We’ve rounded up the grooming tricks that’ll keep you and your pet calm.

BATHS
Before you even fill up the bathtub or sink, get your space ready. A towel on the floor will keep your dog from slipping after their bath, and one or two of their favorite waterproof toys will keep them distracted and entertained. If your pup is fond of peanut, almond, or cashew butter, a swipe or two along the side of the tub will keep them busy. Of course, if nut butters aren’t their favorite snack, just having a treat or two on standby will work just as well.

Brush out your dog’s fur and wet their face with a damp cloth before the bath begins. This will get them used to the movements of the bath first, without the surprise of the water. Fill a pitcher full of warm water, and use that to gently wet your dog’s fur. If your dog starts to shake their fur out mid-bath, place your hand on their head to keep them still—maybe even give them a scratch or two behind the ears while you’re at it to let them know how well they’re doing.

Cat owners, you can skip bathtime! Cats are excellent groomers and can be left to their own devices when it comes to keeping themselves clean. In fact, baths have a tendency to rid a cat’s fur of important oils, so baths should only be reserved for when your cat is particularly dirty or smelly.

NAIL TRIMS
Most cats need a nail trim every two to three weeks, and most dogs need one every three to four weeks. Ideally, you would tag team your pet’s manicure with a second person—one person to hold the pet and keep them calm, and another to trim the nails. But nails can be trimmed solo, too! You’ll learn what’s best for your specific pet over time, but as a general rule, pets respond better when you hold their paw while you’re sitting beside them or behind them. While you’re holding their foot, place your forefinger on a toe’s pad and your thumb on the top of the toe. Gently and slightly push your forefinger up and backward on the pad to extend the nail away from the foot. This will give you plenty of visibility so you can see just how much of the nail you’re trimming. This visibility is important because you need to ensure you’re not trimming the quick, which is the pink part of the nail and contains a nerve.

TOOTHBRUSHING
Just like their humans, daily toothbrushing is best for cats and dogs. Of course, that isn’t often the reality. If you’re like most of us and don’t brush your pet’s teeth every day, there is still an opportunity to start the habit. First, put a small amount of pet-friendly toothpaste (toothpaste for humans contains too much sodium and Xylitol) on your finger and let your pet smell or taste it. This will help them get acclimated to something new without the toothbrush. Once they’ve warmed up to the scent and taste, progress to dabbing a little bit of toothpaste on their tooth. From there, you can introduce the toothbrush and first have your pet lick the toothpaste off of the toothbrush. Over time, your pet may even come to expect or enjoy the experience. If they don’t, talk with your vet about food or treats that are best for oral health. They may even have oral chews that they can recommend as a toothbrushing alternative.

How do you define a top level attorney?

While a substantial number of wins or taking on high-profile cases can earn you recognition, it’s a lawyer’s reputation—both inside and outside of the courtroom—that really sets them apart.

For the sixth year in a row, Lynchburg Living has partnered with DataJoe Research Company to bring you Top Lawyers of Greater Lynchburg. This is a peer-to-peer survey—the lawyers included on this list were nominated by fellow lawyers, which speaks volumes about their integrity and professionalism.

NOMINATE HERE

Dear Best of Lynchburg Best of Participant,
Congratulations on being nominated as one of the BEST OF THE BEST in Lynchburg!  In order to help you have as much exposure as possible, we’ve designed a marketing toolkit available for your use. We have created separate campaigns below. Please feel free to use these marketing materials in any way you see fit. If you have social media channels and you will be posting about your Best Of nomination, please consider using the hashtag #LynchburgBestOf. We hope these materials aid in spreading the word of your Best Of participation!

---

FACEBOOK COVER: (DOWNLOAD HERE)

INSTAGRAM POST: (DOWNLOAD HERE)

INSTAGRAM STORY: (DOWNLOAD HERE)

EMAIL HEADER – 1350 X 650 : (DOWNLOAD HERE)

WEB HEADER 590 X 640: (DOWNLOAD HERE)

 

QR CODE (DOWNLOAD HERE)

 

Voting in the Lynchburg Living Best Of Readers’ Choice Awards is a great way to support the places you frequent and the people you love here in the greater Lynchburg area. We rely on readers like to you to determine who the best businesses and individuals are in our region in a variety of categories from everything Food & Drink to Home & Garden and beyond. Winners will be those who receive the highest number of votes overall in their categories at the conclusion of the contest. We thank you in advance for your participation and look forward to sharing the results with you in our January-February 2025 issue of Lynchburg Living!

The Lynchburg Best Of Awards: 
VOTING PERIOD: July 26 – September 13, 2024
Note: If you do not see your favorite business in the ballot, you may nominate them until August 12. This nomination will also serve as your vote. Please allow 48 business hours for your approved nominated vote to appear in the pre-populated choices on the ballot. 

Rules and Regulations

• You may vote one time per category for the duration of the contest (a nomination counts as a vote!).
• Duplicate Submissions by the same entrant will be subject to disqualification. Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different social media or email accounts, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that entrant’s entries and that entrant may be disqualified. All terms and conditions of any utilized social media apply. Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same social media or e-mail account. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. In the event of a dispute as to any social media or e-mail account, the authorized account holder of the email address used to register on the platform will be deemed to be the entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Each potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder.
• Lynchburg Living reserves the right to modify any categories and/or contestants.
• A contestant may be nominated in a maximum of six categories. Any nominations following their sixth category will be removed.
• A contestant will be immediately disqualified if they are found guilty of violating one of the following contest rules:

  • Exchanging a good or service for votes (including bribes, sales, discounts, free, etc.)
  • Exploiting a competing contestant negativetly for personal gain or votes
  • Participating in fraudulent voting (3rd party resources, fraudulent emails, etc.)
  • If you see someone guilty of any of the above, please report to bella@vgnet.com. 

Were you nominated and want to promote? Use our complimentary voting toolkit to help spread the word!