Southern Collector Road

Continued Phased Roadway Construction across Purcellville Gateway entrance at Main Street

As an update to the previous notifications released regarding the roadway construction of the Southern Collector Road project, the Town of Purcellville’s Contractor will be continuing to implement traffic work zone patterns. Starting on or around Monday, January 21, and continuing for a period of approximately one week, the contractor will be utilizing lane closures to install underground storm sewer pipe work across the entrance of the Purcellville Gateway shopping plaza along Main Street. During this period the contractor will be working in the entrance from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Note that while installing this required work, a single lane will be open and the contractor will be utilizing flaggers to direct traffic in the appropriate direction through the entrance.

In cases of inclement weather this work may be extended or postponed. … Continue Reading

Not Built for Earthquakes

Our house is shaking. You can feel the floors vibrate when you walk on them, or the chair shaking as you sit and write a letter. The glasses on the shelves rattle against one another with a delicate tinkling sound. It happens every day of the week, for hours on end.

Only once did I feel the same kind of vibration in the house. That was the August before last, when for several seconds, the 5.8 earthquake near Mineral Virginia shook the house for a few seconds, at most. My son came downstairs and we looked at each other and I said, “Is that what an earthquake feels like?” And he nodded, (*having lived for years in L.A.), “That’s exactly what it feels like.”

Now it’s constant. Heavy machinery much too close to our 1908 house to be safe for the foundation, building a road, pounding the earth, crushing whatever is below, including whatever archeological artifacts that might have been recovered (two arrowheads have been found on the farm). And, it will continue for many more weeks.

The house has stood for over one hundred years. It’s a very well-built house. But then, it wasn’t built for earthquakes.

Uta Brown
Purcellville

The Real Meaning of Aloha … Lost

I have come full circle from Moloka’i, Hawai’i back to the old Quaker Brown Family Farm, where I once lived and worked in the late seventies. Much has remained the same, but there are some drastic changes.

The heritage of the farm dates back 250 years. By all rights it should be made a state if not a national treasure in our historical records of Virginia.

The farm is still alive with orchards of apples, pears, blackberries and cherries. Stands of walnut trees date back to the early part of the last century. Families and droves of school children come to enjoy a day of picking, picnicking, and learning about the orchards.

However, due to the blind vision of local officials, the Brown Farm is being split in two by ambitious, unnecessary road construction.

It saddens my heart that this once quiet, peaceful farm is being disturbed by the sound of heavy equipment and construction cutting through the tranquil orchards. I am left with the bittersweet thankfulness that Howell and Irma Brown, who I consider my second parents, are not here to see their farm devastated by so called progress and disregard of private property.

Officials may often be blinded by false progress and revenue. Perhaps they need to take a stroll though the rows of Quaker Heritage and find the real meaning of Aloha.

John David Myers
Purcellville

From the Farm

When the heat index reaches 110 degrees, as it has been doing recently, I try to keep in the shade, or stay indoors. But my lavender, about halfway from full bloom, seems to thrive in it. Hot and dry, I walk by the lavender patch and smell the pungent odor. (I can smell the fennel also, but its more subtle.)

If you love lavender we will be cutting the long stems and tying bunches up during pick-your-own. I will never forget the wonderful lavender-rhubarb tea that Judith Thieman made me years ago. Although I grow both lavender and rhubarb, I haven’t a clue as to how she made it. … Continue Reading

Farmer Forced to Detour Through Town

Sam Brown is forced to take his farm vehicle on a dangerous 2+ mile detour to access his back fields.

Temperature … Temperature

By Uta Brown

Everyone knows that it has been a strange year weather wise. Growers feel this even more intensely, as the broccoli you usually plant and watch go seedy too soon is doing fine this year. The lettuce is booming but the asparagus, even though it showed up early, is now slowing down. Since seeds need temperatures about 10 degrees higher to germinate than they need to “grow on”, it’s tricky to plant them outside if you don’t get a sufficient warm period. Soaking the bean seeds for two hours hurries the germination. But, if the nights dip into the mid-thirties or low forties, they might not make it. … Continue Reading

From The Farm – June

Everyone knows that it has been a strange year weather wise. Growers feel this even more intensely, as the broccoli you usually plant and watch go seedy too soon is doing fine this year. The lettuce is booming but the asparagus, even though it showed up early, is now slowing down. Since seeds need temperatures about ten degrees higher to germinate than they need to “grow on”, it’s tricky to plant them outside if you don’t get a sufficient warm period. Soaking the bean seeds for two hours hurries the germination but if the nights dip into the mid-thirties or low forties, they might not make it. … Continue Reading

Little Lambs Visit Crooked Run

Little Lambs pre-school group from Round Hill made a visit to Crooked Run Orchard and helped plant a raised bed of carrots, lettuce and beans. They also walked with Uta Brown across the creek (getting their feet very wet on purpose) and picked mulberries and tried some raw asparagus straight from the field in back. They enjoyed all of Crooked Run’s hidden treasures.

Goodbye Kieffer

A Kieffer tree, planted in 1910 by my grandfather, Edwin Brown. was killed to make way for the SCR. It was 102 years old. Kieffer is an old time favorite found by many older homes and farmsteads. One stands behind Mary Eleen Stover’s houses on Maple Ave. In its makeup, the pear has genes from Asian pears. It is a gritty pear and my father used it to make pear sauce for his breakfasts. I shall miss this tree.

Sam Brown
Crooked Run Orchard
Purcellville

“Mr. Lazaro, Tear Down This Wall!”

When President Ronald Reagan uttered his famous words at the Berlin Wall in 1987 asking Chairman Gorbachev of the Soviet Union to “Tear down this wall,” he was responding to the despicable cold war symbol of oppression.

Well, we have our own “Berlin Wall” right here in Purcellville. As these photos show, the Mayor and the Purcellville Town Council have decided to erect a “Berlin” wall around the land they annexed by “quick take” for the Southern Collector Road.

Just look at these pictures of the hundreds of feet of the fence the Town put up and how it prevents the Browns from freely operating their 250 year old working farm.

The fence goes right across the road Sam uses to access the remainder of his property. This stops Sam from farming and harvesting his crops on the southern forty four acres and conducting the annual hayrides that thousands of children have loved over the years. … Continue Reading

Update: Crooked Run Condemnation Hearing Scheduled for Jan. 11

*UPDATE: At last night’s Purcellville Town Council Meeting January 11, 2011, a public hearing was held regarding Condemnation-Quick Take of the Crooked Run Orchard property. Over 50 Town and County residents attended, and more than 20 people spoke at the hearing. Only two speakers were in favor of the agenda item. In a 7-0 vote, the Purcellville Town Council voted to Condemn via quick take condemnation powers over seven acres of Crooked Run Orchard for the Southern Collector Road. (the parcel is 16 acres)

Town Council members kept repeating that this was the “original” alignment. It is not, it is an entirely new alignment. The road has been moved entirely onto the Brown property, locating the road less than 75 feet from their home and making the annexation of the O’Toole property unnecessary. In preparation to seek State and Federal funding the Town has submitted documents for 4 lanes and 40 mph. The original alignment only required 3.08 acres, the new alignment will take almost half the 16 acres and destroy the main barn and farm road to the back 40 acres.

… Continue Reading

SCR Chronicles

It is quite hard to follow the story, and if it were not such a serious subject one might find some “Abbott and Costello” style comedy to it. So, if you are one of the 500-1000 residents who moved here in the past 10 years, you might be confused. How else to explain how Town Council Members can be against something, then for something, and, then, well, who knows what their position will be in the future.

In 1992, a letter signed by Howell Brown (father), Tim Brown (brother), and Sam Brown (brother) provided “a list of concerns regarding our property and the proposed Southern Collector Road.” This was sent to the Town. This letter has never been answered or addressed by anyone at the Town.

… Continue Reading