Three Letters about Saving Vint Hill Farms
Written by: Helen Ford
What’s the Future for Vint Hill Farms?
By Helen Ross Ford
A quote by Thomas Jefferson as found on our county Parks and Recreation website: “Exercise and recreation are as necessary as reading. I will say rather more necessary because health is worth more than learning”. Today, two hundred years later, as a nation we are fighting increasing health care costs and obesity problems, mostly from our sedentary lifestyles. As citizens of our beautiful northern Virginia county, we need to adopt programs such as those outlined in the USA Today article of 11/22/2006 “Nature programs’ goal: No child left inside”. Wow! This article educates us about the large back-to-nature movement that is happening with programs such as the U.S. Forest Service’s pilot program, “More Kids in the Woods”, the National Wildlife Federation’s “Green Hour” website, and the National Audubon Society’s many nature centers that serve elementary school children.
Here in Fauquier County we can take pride in our beautiful landscapes that feature our agricultural and historical heritage. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the open space needed to guarantee this vision. There is constant pressure for more housing and commercial development that certainly will destroy more than just the woods, the streams, and the wildlife.
More particularly, this letter addresses the need to adopt the Newer Shade of Green plan for Vint Hill as supported by the Friends of Vint Hill Farms. (www.vinthillfarms.org) . The name of Vint Hill dates back to 1772 when it was covered with vineyards. Later it was known for its international horse and cattle shows that were held annually. The barns that remain there are at least a century old, with lots of interesting stories to tell. At one time these barns even held top secret clearance when it was owned by the Army Military Intelligence from 1942 to 1996. As it is one of the gateways to Fauquier County, the Friends of Vint Hill Farms would like to see the historical and recreational aspects of the land that remains there to be considered. The vision of the current developer is to have a town center there where only a green village is needed. In looking at their website (www.vinthill.com ), I wonder why they are using the photo from a neighboring farm and not one that glorifies their own land. Perhaps their own vision of what they are selling is not very clear. The prevailing concept is that commercial development will generate a certain amount of tax dollars for the county’s benefit. There’s no argument there, it’s just that perhaps there is a better overall use for the land at Vint Hill Farms – one that will not only generate dollars, but also health, happiness and the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.
The remaining undeveloped acreage at Vint Hill Farms includes at least thirty species of Virginia native plants that have medicinal uses, as well as habitat for local animals. The antennae field that once provided listening capabilities for our armed forces worldwide now has the possibilities of health benefits beyond its borders. Organic herbal products, community gardens and school environmental programs could become a reality by preserving this land that is in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Simply walking around the acreage there on the existing trails provides cardiovascular and respiratory benefits, as well as relaxation for all ages. The historic barns that once housed cattle, horses and sheep in the 19th century, and then the military in the 20th century are waiting to be transformed into a museum and library for present and future generations to enjoy. As evidenced by Fauquier County’s new tourism website, there are many benefits to holding onto our past as well as looking to our future. Did you know that there are already school programs at Crockett Park that meet the Standards of Learning for our school children? We need to duplicate these programs throughout our county and insure that we have “No child left inside”.
Please support our desire for the “Newer Shade of Green” for Vint Hill Farms by joining the Friends of Vint Hill Farms. Our website: www.vinthillfarms.org The next meeting is Friday, Feb. 2nd at 9:30 a.m.in the activity room of the Gym at Vint Hill Farms. Please join us.
Subject: Vint Hill Farms
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 10:41:26 -0500
Fauquier Times Democrat
Now or Never - Preserving more than Open Space at Vint Hill Farms - Our Health and our Heritage
In 1967 a forward thinking science supervisor for Arlington County Schools, Phoebe Hall Knipling came to Fauquier County seeking land to teach hands-on science. She knew that within her lifetime there would be no more open space left locally for her county students to experience the real deal in nature. Since the school system could not own land outside of their county, she and others formed a non-profit to own and run the 210 acre Outdoor Lab. It's been almost forty years now and annually 9,000 students have what one student described as "the best day I ever had in school.". These Arlington County students come to land only 10 minutes from Vint Hill Farms. For further info, please visit their website: http://www.outdoorlab.org
So what can we do as local citizens to insure that future generations in Fauquier County can also experience their own hands-on science? We need to preserve the over 200 acres remaining at Vint Hill Farms in open space with a clear vision of that goal. Presently, the Economic Development Authority of Vint Hill Farms has a mission of creating jobs and getting on the tax rolls of the county, as they decide the fate of the remaining land at Vint Hill Farms. However, their consistent overspending of our county money (Vint Hill Farms is still owned by the county) is going to cost more than just our dollars. For example, in the first four months as the newly hired director of the Vint Hill Economic Development Authority, Mr. Reiss spent $400,000 for a Charleston, S.C. based park planner to begin developing a "world-class park". What does that have to do with Fauquier County's historical and agricultural heritage? As they are a self-governing authority, unless we voice our opinion to preserve the remaining land at Vint Hill in Open Space for use by local residents/students and neighboring counties, the money and land will be lost to this EDA staff, their friends, and their misdirection.
The Centers for Disease Control advocates open space as a way to encourage an active lifestyle and stem the national tide of obesity. Physical inactivity has enormous costs. The World Health Organization data suggests that 300,000 U.S. deaths/year are associated with obesity and overweight. Physically active adults save an estimate of $500/year on health care costs according to 1998 data. With our 55,000 Fauquier County residents, if 10% of us continued to walk/bike 30 minutes 5/day/wk, (by leaving Vint Hill Farms in Open Space with trails) we could see a personal savings of $2,750,000 for this county. If 10% of the 1,000 current workers at Vint Hill save $500/year, that represents an additional savings of $50,000. Just 10% of the current population using these trails represents quite a savings! Even today, the biking/walking trails at Vint Hill have been partially destroyed by current development. Where is the conscious thought outside of the development dollar?
Recent evidence also suggests that keeping ecosystems intact, with a variety of habitat for plants and small animals provides hosts -or "sinks" for viruses and bacteria that might otherwise spread to humans. Diseases such as Lyme's disease would have formerly been kept in check by the critters of forest, field and meadow.
Another consideration is the development of the transportation corridors around Fauquier County. As it stands now, the Board of Supervisors is considering approving the current New Baltimore Service District Plan to widen Rt. 215 (to take this proposed Vint Hill and Brookside development) as well as widen Rt. 29 to six lanes (only to further bottleneck the traffic into Gainesville), as well as destroy the historic Buckland Battlefield. The meeting is on October 12th at the Warren Green Building. It's coincidental being Columbus Day - a day to remember the courageous efforts of explorers many years ago! Please be courageous and voice your opinion to preserve Vint Hill Farms in Open Space for many generations. Email the Board of Supervisors at: bos@fauquiercounty.gov and the Vint Hill EDA at: info@vinthill.com and ask them to consider more time to develop transportation options for Rt. 215 and Rt.29 as well as to Preserve Vint Hill in Open Space. thank you, Helen Ford
Subject: Fauquier's Finest Entremanures
Date: Mon, 6 Nov 2006 14:23:09 -0500
Fauquier's Finest Entremanures,
Fauquier's Finest? Entremanures? " Newer Shade of Green"? What's it all about?
This letter is in reference to the remaining undeveloped acreage at Vint Hill Farms, and the barracks (Bldg. 160) and the barns. .
My proposal is to have use of the land for the benefit of Fauquier County residents by forming an Herbal Cooperative and producing herbal medicine, as well as retaining the land in open space with the existing biking and walking trails. The barracks would be remodeled and used as housing and teaching for educational groups as well as sports groups. My concept for Vint Hill Farms is to be a "Newer Shade of Green" (from military to herbal)
As growth is currently strong in Fauquier County, it would be a great advantage to retain this land as open space, with the purpose of benefiting county residents. The American Horticultural Society states this goal so simply in their motto: "Plant the Future". As Fauquier County is agricultural, Vint Hill Farms development should reflect this sentiment and produce useful local products, as well as have space available for family gardens.and community gardens. We already have interest from a youth tennis group interested in building more tennis courts as well as incorporating gardens around them for the public to enjoy.
Herbal medicine has proved itself to be a viable complement to conventional medicine. Vint Hill Farms has the capability to be of great benefit by producing herbal medicine as well as providing a beautiful relaxing place to enjoy the countryside. Herbal medicine has existed for thousands of years and luckily there is still enough available land at Vint Hill Farms that can produce high quality organics.
There is no reason that we can't go green with our school buses as well as more green local commuter buses. How about a biodiesel double decker w/wi that runs off soy and corn oils? This would reduce congestion problems on #29 and bring more peace to the roads, as well as provide an alternative to the current options.
As the barracks are in need of considerable repair, I am proposing to have student and community volunteers help remodel them "green" (from the leaky roof to the old basement!). The barns are of historical value and should be remodeled to include a museum, teaching space, and a living history exhibit. The Marine Corps in Quantico is opening their new National Museum of the Marine Corps this month. www.usmcmuseum.org . Vint Hill Farms' agricultural and military history is worth preserving as well, and would provide a haven for years to come.
For funding, seasonal fund raisers would be in keeping with the agricultural and historical theme, as well as having school groups visiting to learn about soil and water conservation and education, as well as green building technology. Grants would be written as well as the formation of the Herbal Cooperative. Volunteers and county-wide students would serve as a great resource for Vint Hill Farms. So if you consider yourself one of Fauquier's Finest Entremanures, please contact your local board of supervisors at bos@fauquiercounty.gov and ask them to consider this "Newer Shade" as well as the addendum for the New Baltimore Service District Plan that supports not widening rt. 215 or rt. 29 through Buckland. We appreciate your support at Thursday's meeting at the Warren Green Building at 7 p.m. Please visit our new website: www.vinthillfarms.org Thank you,
Helen R. Ford |
