Posted by Joe Barnes on August 2nd, 2011 in General

Albemarle County is known world wide for its beautiful countryside and for being the home of  Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia.  Now it can claim frame as being the home of one of the best pizzas in America.  Crozet Pizza, located just a few miles from Bundoran Farm, has always been a well known secret for local residents, but now it has it hit the big time.

Food Network named Crozet’s Pizza as one of the top 50 best pizzas in the county.  According to the NBC 29 segment, “The pizza that won editors’ hearts is a combination of shiitake and portobello mushrooms over a base of garlic, herbs and olive oil.”

Congratulations to Crozet Pizza on this well deserved honor.

What are your favorite places to get pizza in the Charlottesville/Albemarle County area?

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Posted by Leif Riddervold on July 12th, 2011 in Agriculture, Baldwin Center for Preservation, Education and Inspiration, General, Nature/Environment

Hello all!

I hope that this post finds everyone well and that you are staying cool through this very hot spell! The heat index today will be about 110 degrees, so the summer heat is certainly on. The rains have been plentiful this year at Bundoran Farm, providing good conditions for the pastures and orchards. Additionally, a small vegetable garden that we planted this year is thriving in these conditions. In fact, we presently have plenty of fresh organic cucumbers available for Bundoran Farm owners and nearby neighbors. So if you are in the area stop by the Baldwin Center and help yourself to a few. We also have a few zucchini and yellow squash available to the first few that arrive. Later in the season we will have some corn, sweet peppers, green beans and plenty of vine ripe tomatoes.

What a great way to enjoy and appreciate the bounty of the land.

Below are a few picture of our small garden and our recent harvest.

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Posted by Joe Barnes on June 28th, 2011 in Architecture and Design, General, Green Building

Matt Robb and his brother, Mark, grew up in this part of the county. This is also where they began building custom homes more than twenty-five years ago. Mark has since moved on to a career in wildlife management, while Matt has continued to maintain the craftsmanship and commitment to people that has made Robb Construction a highly respected and sought-after builder.

Over the years, an imaginative variety of projects have characterized the company’s portfolio. From the elegant lines of a expansive formal residence to the welcoming view of a country cottage—and just about everything in between—Matt’s goal is to express the owners’ vision for their new home and build it to last.

Robb Construction is also well known for its long history and expertise in constructing energy-efficient homes, particularly with the use of insulating concrete forms, as well as in the employment of geothermal systems. With their office just a quarter mile from Bundoran Farm, and their established practice of building just one home at a time, they are posed to make sure can a new homes built by Robb Construction at Bundoran Farm will receive the best of care in every detail.

For more information and to see photos of some of their projects, feel free to visit thief website at www.robbconstruction.com.

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Posted by Joe Barnes on June 16th, 2011 in Agriculture, Education and Inspiration, General, Green Building, Project Updates

Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards, situated at Bundoran Farm, opens to the public on Friday, June 17, 2011.

Design

Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards is posed to to be Central Virginia’s most comprehensive boutique winery and vineyard.  Located on Bundoran Farm and just minutes from the University of Virginia and Downtown Charlottesville, Pippin Hill Farm is envisioned as a fresh interpretation of the classic winery through expertise of a collaboration of artisans, winemakers, local farm producers and event designers.  Their design pays homage to the classic American form of farmstead house, barns and fields, and reflects on Pippin Hill and their design team’s vision for an understated structure that blends into the contours of the land, naturally enhancing the beauty of the property.

The design and construction reflects a commitment to their patrons, and equally important, to the environment.  The building incorporates a range of LEED and Green Engineering elements, including resource efficient timber and wood frame construction, cellulose insulation, geothermal heating and cooling system, rainwater harvesting and natural stone and wood finishes.

Wines and Vines

A member of the Monticello Wine Trail, Pippin Hill Farm is a boutique-scale operation defined by their signature wine production.  At its most basic level, their operational philosophy is to preserve and protect the rural agrarian nature of the farm environs.  Their five-acre vineyard is planted with Savignon Blanc, Petit Verdot, and Viognier varietals.  They will supplement their grapes with others from their co-op farm partners through a lease of their vineyard production.

Pippin Hill’s winemaking aims for quality and requires a high level of personal skill, experience and commitment.  It is structured as a unique partnership with recognized winemaker, Michael Shaps with Virginia Wineworks, utilizing their ‘custom crush’ production services for the range of Pippin Hill wines.  Custom crushing is an innovative process that allows individuals, grape growers and wineries to capitalize on an established winemaker’s facility and expertise to create distinctive wines for their own brands.

Pippin Hill sources all of their grapes regionally from Virginia’s finest vineyards.  For their premiere year, they are offering a range of wines including Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Meritage blends and seasonal sparkling Blanc de Blanc and Rose Wines.

Pippin Hill’s Tasting Room is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and features wine tastings and food pairings with the wines. Group tastings are available by appointment, in their Wine Bar Loft.

Here’s a link to a news clip that appeared on the local NBC affiliate about the opening of the Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards  - “Finishing Touches for Pippin Hill’s Opening”

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Posted by Joe Barnes on May 26th, 2011 in Architecture and Design, Bundoran Farm Events and Occasions, General, Geobarns Updates

For just over half a year now we have built Pippin Hill–and yesterday
with the spectacular (and intense) hanging of the grand entry doors, the
finishing of the main venue floor and the entry of an army of cleaning
and kitchen staff, interior decorators, final inspections and removal of
our wood stock and tools from the center to the perimeter–it is clear
our job is pretty much done.

As a hopeless romantic–it was no surprise to me that after we hung the
giant almost half ton doors on the grand entry gable that Dean asked me
on my way out last night if he could have my keys so that he could lock
up….in the old days once the doors were hung the citadel was safe and
they keys were passed to the keeper of the castle….a perfect metaphor
for the unbearably bittersweet transition from us winding down to Pippin
Hill ramping up–only two weekends this weekend.

What I will miss most–until coming back in a few weeks for the grand
opening–is the sweetness of a team of entirely disparate people all
pulling together to create and exquisite work of art venue in about half
a year of construction.  Not a miracle per se–but indeed  testimony to
what can happen when people love each other and work together to
accomplish something that matters to all of us.  I am blessed to have
been a part–and ache with the loss of departure-while leaving a huge
piece of my heart wit the people, the project, and the panoply of the
creation’s beauty here at Pippin Hill.

As a perfect symbol–yesterday the excavator pulled up in his bulldozer
to drop of a tub of his wife’s home made molasses cookies–what more
could anyone ask for?

I am going home now–until the next–but likely lesser odyssey.

george abetti – geobarns

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