Second Appalachian Heritage Festival September 22 will celebrate the spirit of the mountains

Richlands/Clinch Valley Lifestyles
Wednesday, August 22, 2001

Mark the calendar, save the date and plan to spend Sept. 22 at the second annual Appalachian Heritage Festival at Thistle Cove Farm in Tazewell County.

The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event celebrates the spirit and tradition of the Appalachian Mountains with handmade crafts, mountain music, farm animals for petting, wagon and pony rides, plus a pumpkin patch to explore.

Admission is free and off-road parking will be available for $2 per vehicle.

Organizer Sandra Bennett first started the festival to showcase the customs and art unique to the Appalachian Mountains. She continues to follow her main principle that requires each vendor to sell only those objects handmade, one-at-a-time.

Highlighting the festival are Appalachian crafts on display and available for purchase from over 50 vendors.

Festival-goers can expect to see corn husk dolls, pottery, hand-woven baskets, soaps, rugs, quilts, hand-tooled saddles and leather, dulcimers fashioned from local wood and more. Throughout the day, different artisans will demonstrate making their products.

Farm animals, including curly horses, ponies and sheep, will be available for people to pet. Wagon rides down the valley and carousel pony rides will be provided throughout the day.

Attendees can also find the perfect pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn for sale at the festival.

The entire day will ring with mountain music featuring the mandolin, guitar, bass and dulcimer. An area has been set aside for clogging, should the spirit move you.

Traditional festival refreshments will be available.

For directions or more information about the Appalachian Heritage Festival, please call 540/988.4121 or check the Internet at www.thistlecovefarm.com

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The Free Lance-Star

Thursday, September 20, 2001

Mountain heritage celebration just a drive away

If you want to get away from the area this weekend, consider a day trip to the second annual Appalachian Heritage Festival in Tazewell County this Saturday.

The festival will celebrate the spirit and tradition of the Appalachian Mountains. Appalachian crafts on display and available for purchase will include handmade split oak baskets, handcrafted dulcimers, hand thrown pottery, leatherworks (hand tooled saddles and tack), spinning, weaving, rug hooking, knitting, felting, quilting and more. Artisans will demonstrate their skills throughout the day.

Farm animals, including curly horses, ponies and sheep, will be available for petting. Wagon rides down the valley and carousel pony rides will be provided.

The festival will feature continuous mountain music; with the sounds of the mandolin, guitar, bass and dulcimer.

Food items will include pit baked brown beans, corn bread, honey, local produce, organic beef and chicken (bring a cooler), fresh eggs and more.

Thistle Cove Farm, which will hosts the festival, is nestled in the Appalachian mountains of southwest Virginia. Sandra Bennett with her husband, Dave Bricker, have lived there since 1995 and are restoring the 100 year old farmhouse to its former glory. They also breed American Bashkir Curly horses and raise Romney and Shetland sheep.

Thistle Cove Farm is off Interstate 77 near Tazewell. Admission to the festival is free, and off-road parking is $2.

For more information, call 540-988-4121 or visit www.thistlecovefarm.com on the web.

Peggy Carlson

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
September 23, 2001

Martin James Bowers looks on as richard Vogel of Tazewell demonstrates the art of making a dough bowl from a block of wood during the Appalachian Heritage Festival at the Thistle Cove Farm Saturday.

staff photo by Eric DiNovo

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Leaves from the Orchard: Attacks affect area

by Ross Weeks, Clinch Valley Press, October 2001

The terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington have dominated the news since September 11, and in addition to other effects on all Americans, they are having a ripple effect throughout the nation.

After the time of national mourning ended, with flags no longer at half staff, American leaders have been trying to encourage people to begin to return as much as possible to their normal lives.

It is hard to assess the economic impact of the tragedies on Tazewell County, so far removed from the strategic targets that now are faced with strict new security standards.

Tourism as an industry is Virginia's second larges. Officials of the Virginia Tourism Corporation are trying to estimate how much the state will lose in tax income, now that the public doesn't seem to be traveling as much.

At Historic Crab Orchard Museum, there was a noticeable decline in ticket sales during Stepember. Compared to September 2000, the Museum sold 34 percent fewer admission tickets last monoth.

Because their teacher had been called up for army duty, a class from Buchanan County was unable to visit as planned. School visits usually begin later in the fall, byut this one had been scheduled for late September.

Attendance at the Appalachian Regional Festival in the Cove was also off from a year ago, but was still strong. The Festival, privately sponsored and well publicized, benefits a variety of vendors who sell their crafts on the farm owned by Dave Bricker and his wife, Sandra Bennett.

Elsewhere in Virginia and along the nation's east coast, tourism is being hit even harder.

Officials in and around Washington, D. C. are pleading that the Reagan National Airport be reopened in the hope that tourists will again begin flying in for visits. It is the only airport in American that remains shut down after September 11. since nearby lie major targets for potential terrorist attacks.

The decline in visitors to the Museum suggests that so far, those who usually travel by car for their vacations are somewhat hesitant to get on the highways. Even day-trippers from the immediate region seem to be staying at home.

According to last report, tourism in Tazewell County brings $26 million a year into the local economy. If tourism is being hurt, so are other businesses that serve visitors. About $500,000 in sales tax income is sent back to the county's schools each year from the $26 million, and this would also decline.

Although the county was required by state law to establish a County tourism Development Committee in 1994, for various reasons the Board of Supervisors has provided funding only for a basic marketing brochure, for its distribution, and for limited paid advertising.

Appointment of a County tourism Director has been postponed by the Board of Supervisors year after year.

Because Tazewell County is so far removed from the threat of terrorism and related violence, it stands a good chance of increasing its tourism business in the "new economy" that is emerging after September 11.

But a qualified, energetic professional is needed to help develop this new market potential.

Ross Weeks is director of Historic Crab Orchard Museum at Pisgah. the museum is a member-owned and directed facility which welcomes visitors year-round.
 

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Tazewell County Free Press

Wednesday, July 16, 2003

Educators tour ostrich farm by Warren Hinkle

A group of teachers from the Virginia Association of Agricultural Educators visited Sandy Head Ostrich Farm last week to learn about sustainable farming on small acreage.

Sandy Head owner Sue Carr, and Sandra Bennett, owner of Thistle Cove Farm, gave the educators a lesson in how they have used out-of-the-ordinary animals to make their farms a success.

"I use sustainable farming of alternative livestock," Carr said. "At Sandy Head, this includes ostrich, emus, turkens and rare and unusual chickens. Ostriches are now considered a regular livestock commodity like cattle and sheep," Carr said, "but you don't need the same amount of acreage. What we're trying to make people understand is that you can make money with small acreage."

Carr doesn't believe that the land must be cleared, dozed and remade into farmland.

"One thing I stress is using the environment you already have," Carr said. "We're just working with what we have and trying to enhance it."

Carr works with diverse ecosystems to minimally impact the land and produce healthful food. She has also tapped into the growing tourism market to increase her farm's potential.

"Sandy Head Ostrich is a designated site on the Mountain Heritage Loop of the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail," Carr said.

Birding is a $400 billion per year business, according to Carr. She explained that the figure is reached by including all the money spent by the bird watchers when they visit an area.

Carr has also created a small garden where anyone can pick their own fresh strawberries or cucumbers in season.

"Our tours here are handicapped accessible," Carr said. "We have even created a container garden for our U-Pick vegetable garden for handicapped and elderly."

Another large part of Sandy Head is educational tours.

On her 30-acre Thistle Cove Farm, Bennett, who also serves as chairman of the Tazewell County Tourism Committee, raises American Curly horses and a variety of sheep.

"By having diverse animals I can make money using small acreage," Bennett said.

Bennett also uses her farm to showcase traditional Appalachian farm life. Both of the farms hold festivals in the fall and are open for educational tours most of the year.

"I recently had a tour from Serbia and Montenegro," Carr said.

"We try to make the children understand this is their heritage by explaining to them that when their Scottish and Irish ancestors moved here, it looked like the land they had in Great Britain," Bennett said as she sat at her spinning wheel.

Carr is also proud that her farm products are Certified Virginia Finest, a designation that must be earned. She raises the ostriches from the egg until the time they are 10 to 16 months old when they are sent to be processed.

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Hobby Farms, May/June 2004

Thistle Cove Farm by Sandra K. Bennett

Since it's creation in 1870, my husband, Dave, and I are the third owners of our farm and the first people to name it - Thistle Cove Farm. After city living and corporate jobs, nine years ago we bought the remaining 30 acres of a 1,000-acre farm and moved to the Appalachian Mountains of southwest Virginia. My husband's familysettled this valley in the late 1700s and my dady's family settled in West Virginia in the mid 1700s. In a way, buying this farm was coming home-home to the mountains.

Neither Dave nor I had much in the way of farm experience. Actually, Dave and none and mine was limited to spending summers on my relatives' West Virginia homestead farms were I was in the way more than I helped. The only job at which I excelled was giving the lambs their bottles, and during those summers my great love for farming and mountains was nourished.

In July 1995 Dave and I were married on the front lawn of Thistle Cove Farm and immediately began restoration. At first we focused on the house, but by the following April fencing became a priority due to the goats I choose as a birthday gift. Little did I know those goats would put my feet on a path already worn smooth by distant kinfolks.

The goats were Angora-Pygmy crosses and, as a hand knitter, they fascinated me with their white fluffiness. A neighbor introduced me to spinning wheels land fiber festivals and now I raise and breed rare Shetland, Romney and Merino sheep. The majority of my wool clip is sent to be mill processed into blankets and yarn. A few choice fleeces are kept for personal use and special projects.

Our farm's Sheep Shearing Day is the third Saturday in April and open to the public. Visitors watch as our woolies are shorn of their winter fleeces and a hand spinner demonstrates how a fleece is taken from raw to finished product. To the delight of visitors, Lost Arts Guild members-traditional mountain artisans- demonstrate how to make a 4-string mountain dulcimers, brooms and other hand-crafted items.

Last year we opened a farm store where we sell 100 percent virgin wool blankets, yarn, knitted hats, knitted and woven shawls and the crafts of Guild members. The store specializes in traditional mountain arts and crafts from folks who are keeping the old ways alive.

I breed and raise American Curly horses for companion animals and pleasure riding. The Curly fiber is blended with wool and used for spinning, knitting and weaving. No-kill practices are in use here-all of the sheep and horses are utilized "on the hoof" or sold as breeding stock.

Because of choice and necessity I've chosen non-traditional farming practices to complement my non-traditional livestock. Thistle Cove Farm operates first as a horse and sheep farm, but is also used as an educational too. I offer several different farm tours (by appointment only) and market to classrooms, home schools, seniors, Scouts, families and others interested in farming. While everyone pets and feeds the sheep and horses, I talk about the importance of rare breeds, from where our livestock originates, how they earn their keep, et cetera. Several families have spent afternoons with us and learning what we do has helped them make decisions about starting their own farms.

Years after moving to our farm, I found a photography of my dad, Jim Bennett. In it, he's a 7-year old boy, kneeling on the ground, with his arms wrapped around twin black lambs. He's surprised when I tell him about the photo; he hasn't thought about those lambs in years. He tells me stories about his youth and I tell him about a distant cousin who has written a book about Daddy's mother's family. The book's cover is of Jane Hamrick, circa 1880, and she's sitting at her Saxony spinning wheel in her garden. Daddy and I wonder at our journeys, at the sameness and differences and how I've come full circle back to the farm. He was glad to leave the cold, hard work and it amuses him that I love it dearly.

Now, most of the farm fencing has been replaced, the house is almost finished, the herb garden thrives and more chores are planned. I'd like to plant a heritage fruit orchard (the old orchard is reaching the end of its years), more shade trees are needed and some nut trees would be nice. Perhaps a fiber studio would be a good addition as would offering classes in spinning, weaving and natural dyeing. Another horse shelter is needed and the stable and barns need to be re-sided.

I've never worked so hard and have never had so much fun. For the first time in my life I know what it means to be passionate about work and understand it's a blessing and a responsibility to live here. The hardest farm lesson I've learned is that work is never finished. I just reach a stopping point and then ... stop. Work will wait until tomorrow but I must always make room for a little living today.

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Joey Rambles

sheep! The Voice of the Independent Flockmasters
July/August 2004

Naming Sheep
When a Number Just Isn't Enough
Sandra Bennett

Usually I wake up as soon as my feet hit the floor, sometimes as soon as my eyes open, but on this day I was slow getting started. The day started out normally enough; woke up, got coffee, checked to see if the clothes from yesterday are still clean enough to wear to the barn today.

Something's Up

When the dogs and I walked onto the back porch, Shad, the sight hound, went on point as pretty as any bird dog I've ever seen. Well, okay, she didn't lift her front leg but that's because she's a stout girl and she didn't want to tip the scales and fall over. I looked where she was looking, didn't see anything, so I walked on to the barn. Shad disappears, not a good sign, but the coffee hadn't kicked in yet so the alarms didn't go off.

The others dogs, Abigail and Grace are wandering around, doing dog things, the barn cats are meowing for kibble, horses are trumpeting that food is night and sheep are bleating as furiously as if they had been starved. All in all, a normal day with normal sights and sounds. Except...Shad has disappeared.

Nice, Bordering On Great

In the middle of putting food in front of various members of the farm family, a truck pulls into the driveway. It's Joey T., a friend who is also an incredible leather worker and he builds fences. An all-round nice, bordering on great, guy to know and have as a friend. I comment on his nice new boots, tell him to stand and talk to me while I finish chores. Joey, being an all-around nice, bordering on great, guy starts throwing feed to the farm family. Joe's a regular at the farm so he knows the routine.

Once everyone has their face in their food I start counting noses. The right number of horses are here, same for barn cats, 1 dog missing and 1 sheep. It's Chocolate, a black/brown Romney ewe Joey mentions he saw such a ewe out toward the main road fence so we gather up a can of corn and head for the road fence. As we're walking he adds she was lying down. Hmmmm...distant bells are beginning to faintly ring.

The New Lamb

Over the hill I spot a tiny, fuzzy white (Reminder: I simply must get a good book on genetics!) lamb with Shad trying to herd "it" away from it's rightful mother. Lambing is hard on Shad. She's never had pups, never will for that matter, and she's a frustrated wannabe mother. She feels if it's born on this farm, it belongs to her and her alone.

Chocolate, the rightful mother, is frustrated and frantic. The natural order of things has been disrupted by Shad trying to herd the lamb. The poor lamb, frustrated, is trying to nurse Shad-who patiently stands still while the lamb nuzzles her-and getting zip in the process. Meanwhile, the other gluttons (or sheep, as the unknowing call them) have figured out where we are and have run over the hill to us. Heavens! We just might have more corn.

In the midst of this madness, I scoop up the new one and start walking, backwards, to the barn, which is a football field away. Oh joy.

My calves (and I do not mean moo-moo's) feel the pain already. In the meantime, Shad is crowding me, trying to smell "her" lamb and keep the mother away all at the same time. Not bad for a dog who sleeps under a "blankie" at night.

All's well that ends well and, eventually, mother and lamb are safely ensconced in the barn. Lamb has suckled successfully on the mother and, unsuccessfully, on Shad. It's a boy, big and sturdy and a single.

...Now To Name Him

Today was my fiber guild meeting, which I have missed, so I send an e-mail asking who wants to give name suggestions on my first lamb of the season.

Diane sends back "Rambles, the Rambunctious Romney Ram".

Hmmm...Sounds good, but not quite. This little fellow is big and deserving of a big name.

I visit him in the barn and study on the situation. (Yeah, I know...I use up waaaay too much time on trivial things such as names. Most folks use numbers.)

It hits me! Joey Rambles is his name and what a great name it is! Joey for friend Joey and Rambles because he was minutes old and being "rambled" by Shad.

All of that plus he looks like a thug.

Now it's six weeks later and Joey Rambles has grown into his name. He reminds me of a heavyweight contender, especially when he's staring me down, thinking, "You wanna piece of me?" Why, yes I do and it's called fleece. Joe Rambles will have an especially beautiful fleece, I can tell already!

3 Bags Full

Clinch Valley News Wednesday, November 17, 2004 by Jim Talbert

Cove - A local woman is extending the thread of love to Russia.

While in Russia for a conference on tourism last year, Sandra Bennett visited an orphanage. The children who live there sew and knit their own clothing and Bennett observed them at work.

The image of a young girl knitting socks with sharpened bicycle spokes stuck with Bennett long after she returned home. "I belong to several groups of spinners, weavers and wool producers and I sent out e-mail asking for donations of thread to send to Russia. She said.

A wool producer herself, Bennett was amazed at what she received and where it came from. "I have over four large skeins of yarn not to mention all different kinds of needles," she said.

The donations came from several states as well as Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Bennett was overwhelmed with emotion when she began preparing the yarn for shipping. "As it came to me I just kind of put it off in a corner and said I will take care of it later. When I got it out and started looking at it it just tugged at my heart," she said. Part of that was the generosity of people all over the world and another part was the fact so much of the yarn was hand spun.

"A lot of this is hand produced and came right from the farm of the person who sent it," Bennett said. Part of what makes the generosity mean so much to Bennett is that she owns sheep and spins wool herself.

Since the producers and other folks who read about it on the Internet are donating the thread, Bennett is taking on the job of shipping it to Russia. "I am hoping Federal Express or UPS will either ship it free or give me a discount," she said.

Bennett said the children in the orphanages in Russia learn skills that will enable them to survive once they become adults. "They have to leave the orphanage once they turn 25 regardless of their condition," she said.

She explained that many of the children in the Russia orphanages are either physically or mentally handicapped.

Because the country's economy has nearly collapsed there are also many children that wind up in the orphanages because the family cannot take care of them.

Bennett said the visit made her aware of how fortunate people are to live in this country. "It is a challenge for them to survive each day."

Sheep Shearing Day at Thistle Cove Farm is April 16th, and always open to the public. the shearing begins around 9:00 a.m. and continues until the sheep are naked, the shearers are exhausted, and Thistle Cove Farm owners, Sandra and Dave, are finished!

Additionally, members of Lost Arts and Indigo Fiber Arts Guild always come to demonstrate and sell their heritage crafts, Sandy Head Ostrich Farm provides a terrific lunch for sale, and Sandra's "The Blue Ewe Shop" is open to sell hand thrown pottery and 100% virgin wool yarn and blankets.

Do call for more information, 275-988-4121 or visit www.thistlecovefarm.com on the web.

Under the photo: "Zacheous, Romney ram, at Thistle Cove Farm"
photo credit: Sandra Bennett, www.thistlecovefarm.com
 

Bennett participates in 67th National Folk Festival

Richlands News Press/Clinch Valley News

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Thistle Cove Sheep Shearing Day will be April 10

The 15th AnnualLSheep Shearing Day at Thistle Cove Farm is April 10. We begin shearing around 9 a.m. and are finished around noon. This is an opportunity to visit a working horse and sheep farm and see rare breed animals.

Lost Arts Guild members will demonstrate heritage crafts such as basket making, spinning, weaving and more. A professional photographer will be on hand to take photos of you, yours children and spring lambs. Cove Community Association will sell hot food and drink with proceeds to benefit educational programs.

Wear warm layered clothing; comfortable shoes and bring a camera. Service dogs only please, this is a working farm.

for more information or directions, please visit our Web site, www.thistlecovefarm.com or blog, www.thistlecovefarm.blogspot.com.

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