Our September seminar took us to Northern Neck and I was very excited about the visit. As much as I complain about how few people travel to SW, it was a great personal reminder that there are many areas of Virginia that I have never been to. Northern Neck is one of those areas. I really enjoyed our time there and it’s probably been my favorite seminar for a few reasons.
Northern Neck in September is beautiful. The temperature was perfect, and the water was sparkling. Our seminars are always so busy but this one felt a little different. I’m not sure if it was just the Northern Neck vibe rubbing off on all of us or if it was the schedule. It was probably a bit of both. After successfully navigating thousands of miles in a van together over the past year, our group decided we were ready for the next step and chose a house rental over a hotel. I loved the flexibility of the house…. and we quickly learned that flexibility was a concept that our group would need to excel at!
FOOD
Our first day was a busy one and included a stop at the Healthy Harvest Food Bank to learn about their aquaponics program. We also had the opportunity to tour the entire facility and to learn more about their food bank operations. I think everyone should have the opportunity to visit these facilities because it really changes the way you look at food drives/ food banks. I’ve had the opportunity to participate in several programs over the years through my involvement with Junior League and learned more than I ever wanted to know (because I wish these issues didn’t exist) about the prevalence of food insecurity. It’s important to understand the wide range of populations that are served by these community assets and to ensure that all have access to healthy and nutritious food. It’s always sobering to be reminded of the needs that exist all around us.
In SWVA it’s easy to forget about the role that aquaculture and fishing play in Virginia’s economy. This seminar gave us the opportunity to dip our toes into the world of oysters and commercial fishing. I am NOT a fan of oysters no matter how they are cooked (or not) but it was interesting to visit both a farm raised operation and a more traditional harvesting operation.
Without a doubt this seminar wins the “best food” award. I may not like oysters, but I love crab cakes and we definitely ate our fill of crab cakes (each one better than the one before). Our Northern Neck visits were so generous with providing us with meal after meal, including a steak dinner at the Northern Neck Farm Museum in partnership with Colonial Farm Credit.
FLEXIBILITY
When I saw the agenda for this seminar, I was thrilled to see that we would be spending our first full day on Tangier Island. I’ve been curious about Tangier for years, probably since I first learned about it way back in elementary school. I think it’s fascinating that such a place, so unique compared to the rest of Virginia, still exists in 2023. I’ve always heard about the island’s dialect and was looking forward to hearing it for myself.
During dinner on our first night we were notified that the ferry would not be running the next day due to high winds. It was disappointing news, but you really can’t control Mother Nature and I’m not sure any of us would have enjoyed a ferry ride in high winds/ seas. I tend to like my life to be structured and well planned so I was probably due for a lesson on flexibility.
The change in plans allowed us to have a slower morning at the rental house. I had been battling a migraine since the night before and was grateful for the day’s lighter schedule. We had a virtual lesson on Tangier and then spent the rest of the morning discussing our international trip. Last year our group decided on Israel for our trip. We were so excited to learn more about what our itinerary might look like. Looking back, it seems our Tangier experience was somewhat prophetic. Plans can change quickly!!
This seminar felt, at times, like a mini vacation. It was an opportunity to step away from the day to day and spend time in one of the most beautiful areas of Virginia that I have visited. We saw a lot and learned even more but I was reminded that sometimes the best lessons are the ones that are taught through experience.
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