From field to fork in the Piedmont

With each new issue of The Piedmont Virginian, we discover more and more about our amazing area. Our topography is perfect for vineyards, and its soil is fertile for both vegetables and livestock. When the first settlers recognized this, they traveled no further over the Blue Ridge to establish their homes and farms. Today we continue to enjoy the bounty of our Piedmont, not only with the fruit of its farms and its wine, but with its heritage, music, and art.

The Piedmont has some remarkable food and wine, right here on our doorstep. The Piedmont Virginian has sent our chefs out to four Piedmont restaurants to give you an idea of the amazing local food in our area and what the Piedmont’s talented chefs can create with this abundance. Some restaurants maintain their own kitchen gardens, but they all rely heavily on local farms for fresh produce and meats for their menus. Five of these Piedmont farms are profiled in this issue; everything from vegetables, mushrooms, fowl, and meats can be found locally at small, family-owned farms.

Keith Miller, our wine writer, gives us a glimpse into Ankida Ridge Vineyards, specifically their 2013 pinot noir which, he says, “made the hair on his arms stand up” and puts Virginia more firmly on the world-class wine map.

Summer can also be a time of music; festivals abound in the Virginia summer, with Lockn’ being the best known. Eric Wallace tells us about Dave Frey, the founder of Lockn’, and how the festival came to be.

Virginia prides itself on its southwestern region, “where America’s music began and continues.” If you’re up for a day trip, Glenda Booth brings us back to the past along the Crooked Road Music Heritage Trail. Not only does she tell us about the music that is indigenous to the area, but also the history of the area, museums, and other ways to enjoy the region’s unique appeal.

So enjoy your summer here in Virginia—it’s time for a staycation. There’s no better place to be!

—Pam