September is a beautiful time in Nelson County and Wintergreen Resort.  The weather is cooler with crisp mountain air—the perfect time for hiking, biking, tennis and mountain golf.  Apples and grapes are both being harvested and its time to celebrate the bounty of harvest with festivals.

Order a Fall Visitors Kit by sending an email to kim@ExperienceNelsonCounty.com

Labor Day Weekend in Wintergreen

Welcome Fall to the Blue Ridge Mountains with a visit to Wintergreen Resort and Nelson County for Labor Day Weekend.  Wintergreen is offering a lodging special starting at only $99 a night.  Visit the web site at www.WintergreenResort.com for all of the information on this special. 

Here’s a taste of the activities planned for Labor Day in Wintergreen:

International Wine Festival on Saturday

Arts & Crafts Show on Saturday and Sunday behind the Mountain Inn

Live Music on the Blue Ridge Terrace (see below)

Lots of family-friendly events such as music, movies, a kids block party and chairlift rides.

Holiday Weekend Real Estate:  Wintergreen Resort Premier Properties will host a Real Estate Information Tent behind the Mountain Inn on Saturday and Sunday.  I will be there on Saturday and Sunday from 10AM-Noon.  Stop by and say, “hello” and pick up some real estate information.  There will also be many open house events over Labor Day weekend.  Stop by the Mountain Inn and pick up an Open House Guide from the lobby kiosk.

Live Music for Labor Day Weekend

Wintergreen will be showcasing live music over the Labor Day weekend.  There will be live music on the Blue Ridge Terrace on Sunday, September 6^th from 3PM-7PM

Who’s playing?  Matty Metcalfe and Crew D’Bayou plus Bio Ritmo

Matty Metcalfe and Crew D” Bayou:  The best Louisiana music!  Matty Metcalfe plays Bouisiana-based Cajun and Zydeco music.  The band recreates the feel of Bourbon Street on Fat Tuesday.  This band has a repertoire of over 100 songs.  Sounds like a great way to say “good-by” to Summer in style!

Bio Ritmo:  This is vintage salsa with a mix of many other music styles.  It will be salsa like you have never heard before and will have you dancing on the Blue Ridge Terrace.

The Daily Blog and The Annual Fall Foliage Guide

Thanks to all of the daily blog readers!  Readership has really grown in the last six months.  If you have any questions about Nelson County and Wintergreen Resort, send them to kim@ExperienceNelsonCounty.com  I love receiving your emails.  Also, please send any story ideas.  I will be posting my Annual Fall Foliage Guide right after Labor Day on both www.ExperienceNelsonCounty.com and www.ExperienceWintergreen.com   This year’s guide is the largest yet.  Print it out and plan your visit to Nelson County.  There will be information about special events, leaf watching, apples, pick-your-own pumpkins, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Virginia Wine Month.

Plan for Fall Foliage Season

Recently, I read a list of the Top 10 Places in Virginia to view Fall Leaves.  Wintergreen Resort and the Blue Ridge Parkway were two of the Top 10 Places.  Stay in Wintergreen and be close the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

When is the best time to visit Wintergreen for Fall Foliage Season?  It’s a little bit too early to predict when to see the best color and leaves, but it is usually from the second week of October through early November in Nelson County.  We have received a lot rain this Summer which should bring beautiful Fall color. 

When should we make Fall reservations in Wintergreen or Nelson County?  NOW.  Make your reservations now.  We are already starting to get a lot of calls from visitors planning to visit during the Fall season.  To make lodging reservations in Wintergreen Resort, visit www.WintergreenResort.com or www.VRBO.com  (visit VRBO to find homes and condos that allow dogs)  Where can I find a rental that sleeps more than 10 people?  Call the reservations department at Wintergreen Resort.  The resort does have rental homes that sleep more than 10 people that are not shown on their web site.

Virginia Fall Foliage Information:  Here are some resources to plan travel through Virginia for Fall 2009:

Check out these two web sites:  www.FallInVirginia.org  and also www.Virginia.org  or call a toll free number that releases updates on Fall colors:  1-800-424-LOVE

For information about Nelson County, visit www.ExperienceNelsonCounty.com,  www.NelsonCountyLife.com  or www.NelsonCounty.com  (For complete updates on local weather, visit NelsonCountyLife)

For information about Wintergreen Resort, visit www.ExperienceWintergreen.com  or www.WintergreenResort.com 

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through Nelson County.  There is not a charge to drive on the Parkway.  For information on the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit my blog at www.ExperienceWintergreen.com and click on the link in the right navigation bar.  I have written several stories and also have a sub-blog about the Parkway. 

Nelson County Apples

October is the official Virginia apple month, but I have already started receiving many requests for information about apple orchards in Nelson County.  There are many varieties of apples, there is apple butter, apple pies and muffins….  Later in the season, I will be posting some of our favorite Nelson County apple recipes.

Nelson County families have been growing apples for generations.  The apple orchards have been a source of Nelson County commerce since back in the late 1700’s.  There are even family stories of our ancestors trading land for the promise of growing apples in Nelson.   My grandmother often spoke about getting days off from school in Nelson County to assist in the apple harvest.

Many of the families are still growing apples and exporting them outside of Virginia.  The orchards also have farm markets that are always popular in the Fall season.  You can purchase apples by the bag or bushel, apple cider and home-made apple butter.  Some of the orchards have pick-your-own apples.  (a great family activity)  Saunders Farm Market & Orchard sells apple pies, muffins and turnovers baked locally.  They also sell many jarred apple products in the farm market.  I have created many gift baskets for gifts at this market.

Apple events are starting this season in mid-September

Shop Local and visit any of these Nelson County orchards and events:

Critzer Family Farm:  in Afton, 540-456-4772

Dickie Brothers Orchard:  Massies Mill, 434-277-5516

Drumheller’s Orchard:  Near Lovingston,  434-263-5036

Fitzgerald’s Orchard:  Tyro, 434-277-5798

Flippin-Seaman Orchard:  Tyro, 434-277-5824

Saunders Brothers Orchard:  Piney River, 434-277-5455

The Apple Shed: Lovingston, 434-263-8843

Paper Bag Apple Pie

This recipe is very popular in Nelson County.  If you ask a local for their favorite apple recipe, this will be one of the traditional recipes provided. 

1 unbaked 9-inch pastry shell

½ Cup Sugar (for filling)

½ Teaspoon Nutmeg

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

½ Cup Flour (for topping)

3 or 4 Large Baking Apples

2 Tablespoons Flour (for filling)

1 or 2 Teaspoons of Vanilla

½ Cup Sugar (for topping)

½ Cup (1 stick) butter for topping

Make an unbaked 9-inch pastry shell.  Pare, core and quarter apples.  You should have about 7 cups.  Place in a large bowl.  Make filling:  Combine ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and nutmeg in cup:  (Add lemon juice and vanilla to apples)  Sprinkle over apples and toss to coat well.  Spoon into pastry shell.  Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup flour for the topping in a small bowl.  Cut in butter.  Sprinkle over apples to cover top.  Slide pie into heavy brown paper bag.  (Large enough to cover pie loosely)  Fold over twice and fasten with paper clip.  Place on cookie sheet.  Bake in hot over (425 degrees) for 1 hour.  Split bag open.  Remove pie.  Cool on wire rack. 

Albemarle CiderWorks

The next time you are visiting Nelson County’s Red White and Brew Trail (wine and beer trail) go a little north and visit Albemarle CiderWorks. 

Just north of Nelson County, in North Garden (Albemarle County) is Albemarle CiderWorks.  Check out their web site at www.Albemarleciderworks.com  or give them a call at 434-277-2326. 

Albemarle CiderWorks is reviving the art of fine cider making.  Taste cider like that served at Monticello, Mt. Vernon and at estates and homes the colonial period in the United States.  Cider is fermented apple juice.  Albemarle CiderWorks is the latest venture of Vintage Virginia Apples, llc.  Vintage Virginia Apples grows more than 250 unique and heirloom apple varieties.

Albemarle CiderWorks is only 8 miles from Charlottesville and would make a great stop after a day trip to Monticello.

Stop by Albemarle CiderWorks in North Garden and taste their fine ciders.  They are open Wednesday through Sunday 11AM-5PM.

What’s Going On with Real Estate in Wintergreen?

We are seeing a little bounce in the market in Wintergreen Resort.  What does this mean?  If you have been thinking about purchasing real estate in Wintergreen, now is the time to get serious about a purchase.  Don’t miss the best buyers market in ten years!

The bounce also means that we are seeing multiple offers on some properties and the market is picking up for value-priced properties.  I think that we are beginning the climb off the bottom…

Here is a sample of my listings in Wintergreen Resort:

Building Lots:

487 Cedar Glen Close in Stoney Creek for $88,000

5 Dripping Rock on WTG Mountain for $75,000 REDUCED

78 Deer Springs Lane on WTG Mountain for $89,900

781 Cedar Meadow Drive in Stoney Creek for $104,000

4 Logan Place, Stoney Creek for $179,900  NEW

Condos:

2210 Tanner’s Ridge on WTG Mountain for $115,000  REDUCED

2204 Tanners Ridge on WTG Mountain for $120,000

3216 North Ridge on WTG Mountain for $169,000  NEW

186 Mountain Inn on WTG Mountain for $170,000

490 Three Ridges on WTG Mountain $174,900  REDUCED

754 Laurelwood on WTG Mountain for $219,000  NEW

801 Laurelwood on WTG Mountain for $225,000

2006 Stone Ridge Woods on WTG Mountain for $266,600

1416 Highlands on Wintergreen Mountain for $275,000 REDUCED

Townhouse Listings:

The Seasons at Wintergreen starting at $690,000  REDUCED

Resort Homes:

25 Stem Lane on WTG Mountain for $339,900

26 Den Tree on WTG Mountain for $355,900

441 Deer Springs on WTG Mountain for $349,000  REDUCED

24 Stone Crop Lane on WTG Mountain for $675,000

148 White Oak on WTG Mountain for 875,000

21 Indian Point on WTG Mountain for 1,299,000

Hope to see you in Nelson County this Fall…

Kim Chappell is a graduate from the Realtor Institute and is an Associate Broker with Wintergreen Resort Premier Properties, the official real estate office of Wintergreen Resort.  Kim also lists and sells property in beautiful Nelson County.  Contact Kim Chappell at kim@ExperienceNelsonCounty.com or 434-238-2430.  The Free Daily Blog is posted on both www.ExperienceNelsonCounty.com and www.ExperienceWintergreen.com