JOPPA ROAD COMMUNITY

We are so grateful to have found this wonderful home. We have gotten to meet most of our nearby neighbors, Bob and Sue, Debra and Neil, Val and Tony, Melanie and Glen, Perry and Geraldine, Laura and Rick, all of whom are friendly and have a ton of historical knowledge of the area. they have stories of the area when Joppa Rd was a dirt connector path and other details dating back to the 1700s. We understand much of this land was owned by Thomas Jefferson and sold off over the years. One of our favorite landmarks is the Gilley Cabin, about a stone's throw from our driveway

Apparently, Mary wanted her gravestone on this hilltop, all by itself. You can see this monument from our front porch and if you come for a visit via Cox road, you will pass right by the cabin.

Perry and Geraldine own this historical cabin. It is a great spot to sit and ponder life in general and imagine the world of the 1700s. Taking a peek inside, it was quite the showplace for the time-period.

January signals the start of the growing season. at least the beginning of selecting seeds and making garden plans for the year. I am in much better shape this year than last, as i do not have to cut out sod to create a garden. This year, I simply enriched the soil with local manure and started planning for the season. (I did actually double the garden space)

It is also time to decide when to get new bees and chicks. Tim is all about the animals and I am all about the plants. To learn more about each of our passions, check the links below.

I researched over 15 seed companies, gave a presentation to the Virginia Master Gardeners to give them insights of the different companies, then selected and purchased seeds. With my journal, I track the rate, speed and success of germinating for each of the seeds.