Bruce and Elaine Ingram to Lead Locavore Workshop (Blog 397)

Just a note that Saturday, July 14 on our Botetourt County land, Elaine and I will be leading a locavore workshop as a fund raiser for the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy. In case, you are interested, here is a blurb on what we will be doing and how to sign up.

I. Bruce and Elaine Ingram will be conducting a Locavore Workshop and Fund Raiser for the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy on Saturday, July 14  at their Botetourt County home and 38 acres. The Ingrams, who were the BRLC Landsavers of the Year in 2014, co-wrote Living the Locavore Lifestyle, a guide to hunting, fishing, and gathering for food, plus tips on raising chickens, fruit trees, and a garden.  Activities planned.

1. Elaine will explain how by using solar energy and a wood stove, the Ingrams only have an electric bill of about $10.00 per month.

2. Elaine will also share some of her favorite locavore recipes and prepare a locavore lunch for participants.

3. The Ingrams will share how they raise heritage Rhode Island Red chickens and keep them safe from predators.

4. Bruce, who won the forestry award from the Virginia DOF and Soil and Water Conservation Districts in 2005, will lead a tour of the Ingram's land, explaining how he creatively manages the land for wildlife.

5. Participants will gather wild berries for a cobbler.

6. The Ingrams will explain how they integrate raising chickens and growing a garden.

7. Bruce will discuss how he controls invasive plants on the land and discuss some of the worst invasives and how to eliminate them.

8. All participants will receive a signed, dedicated copy of Living the Locavore Lifestyle.

9. Bruce will identify edible wild foods on the property.

Here is also the link to sign up: 

https://www.blueridgelandconservancy.org/outdoor-adventures.html

Upcoming Events (Blog 396)

Yesterday, I turned in my first outdoor related blog to the Virginia Game Department. I'm excited to say that I will be blogging about various outdoor activities in the Old Dominion for the VDGIF. This is a wonderful opportunity for me, and I will be giving more details later about how to read these blogs.

Also, this Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00, I will be at Book No Further in Downtown Roanoke, www.booknofurther.com. I will be having a book signing for my two Young Adult Fiction novels, Ninth Grade Angst and Tenth Grade Blues.

And, finally, the rains have stopped, and I will be able to go summertime fishing for the first time this month. I have trips planned to the James, New, Shenandoah, and Rappahannock

Our 40th Wedding Anniversary (Blog 395)

Last weekend, Elaine and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary by having dinner at Liberty Station in Bedford and then spending the night at a wonderful bed and breakfast, Whitetail Lodge (www.wtlodge.com) operated by Dan and Lisa Lovelace. The B&B is situated near the rural community of Sedalia, and it was just the perfect romantic getaway for us.

The next morning we visited Tom Smedley's farm not far down the road. Tom's son Bob was one of the ushers at our wedding, and we wanted to hear from Mr. Smedley how Bob was doing.

Elaine and I had only had five dates when I asked her to marry me - the smartest thing I have ever done in my life. And she has given me the best 40 years of my life.

Elaine On Stage at the Barter Theatre (Blog 394)

Elaine and I spent Tuesday through Thursday morning in Abingdon doing magazine articles, one of which involved going to the Barter Theatre. We were able to have a tour of the Barter and as part of that tour, Elaine was able to go on the Barter stage with Amy Fiorini, one of the theatre's staff members.

So my wife now is able to say that she has appeared on stage at the historic Barter Theatre.  Here is a picture of Amy and Elaine documenting this momentous event.

Locavore Lunch on a June Saturday in Virginia (Blog 393)

Today's morning hours and lunch were great examples of why I enjoy summertime Saturdays - or any day - with Elaine so much. To start we turned our heritage Rhode Island Reds into the backyard to let them forage while we worked in the garden and yard.

I picked the last of the strawberries and also gathered spinach and onions for lunch while also pulling weeds. I forgot to gather some chives, but so it goes. The weeds were placed in our two chicken runs for our birds' green food and entertainment.

For lunch, we dined on venison burgers from a West Virginia doe I had killed last fall. The burgers were adorned with the onions and spinach from the garden. We also had sauteed asparagus from the garden and strawberry pie (obviously from our strawberry patch) for dessert. It was a really, really good morning and lunch.