Grace Episcopal Church | P.O. Box 67, Keswick, VA 22947 | 434.293.3549 | Fax 434.293.9711 | www.gracekeswick.org

Chairmen: Bill Anda and Rachel Harrison |

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Historic Grace Episcopal Church Keswick Announces 5th Annual Historic Farm Tour and Country Fair, June 14, 2014

History speaks to us through this beautiful place we call Albemarle County and invites us to listen and dream back to American life in the Mid-1700’s… For the 5th time, we ask that you join Historic Grace Church and our generous Keswick neighbors as we welcome guests to a special day in the country and a peek of what lies “Beyond the Gates”, those rock walls and those tree lined paths leading to some of ’s most respected historical farms.

Grace Church will host its 5th Annual Historic Farm Tour – beyond the gates and Country Fair on June 14, 2014. Farm gates will open, the Church grounds will transform to an earlier era Country Fair featuring local artisans, food vendors, and foot tapping bluegrass music, jugglers, children activities, civil war reenactors and 4H livestock presentations. Gates open at 10:00 AM and close at 4:00 PM

Five Historic Albemarle County Farms To Open For Public Tours

Keswick, VA -- Members of the public will have an opportunity to tour four farm estates in Albemarle County, as well as the Keswick Hunt Club, the Montanova Stables and Grace Episcopal Church, on Saturday, June 14, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The tours are sponsored by Grace Episcopal Church, which is located near the farms in the Cismont/Keswick area. At Grace Church, participants can visit a country fair, tour the historic church and grounds, and enjoy organ music. The fair will feature food and craft vendors, pony rides, bouncy castle, Civil War reenactors and a raffle for prizes.

The five estates on the tour are Edgeworth, Linden Lane, Old Keswick, The Meadows and Tufton. The farm tour event, entitled Beyond the Gates, provides a rare opportunity to visit a selection of historic sites near Charlottesville. Highlights of the tour include presentation of the Keswick Foxhounds, antique automobiles, exhibitions by area equestrians, livestock, wildlife and much, much more.

Miles Smith, Rector of Grace Church, said: "All of us at Grace look forward to welcoming the people of Central Virginia to our Beyond the Gates historic farm tour. We hope that both individuals and families of all ages will enjoy the events and fun of this day in the country." Added the Senior Warden, Stevia Anda: "We want our visitors to know that proceeds from the farm tour will go to support our community ministries, including support for non-profit organizations like Hospice of the Piedmont, Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity."

Historic Grace Episcopal Church stands at the site of one of six colonial churches in Virginia that still have active congregations. served on the Vestry of the original parish from 1767 to 1770. Every Thanksgiving Day since 1929, the church has conducted an outdoor service known as the Blessing of the Hounds. This colorful ceremony brings together foxhunters and their horses and hounds in the church yard for prayers and thanksgiving.

Angus cattle and sheep are raised on 1200-acre Edgeworth Farm. Previous owners include the Rev. James Maury, who operated a school attended by Thomas Jefferson and ; and Major-General William Fitzhugh Gordon, who fought in the War of 1812. Sheep Dog Demonstrations are scheduled promptly for 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM.

The Meadows estate was formerly owned by John Mercer Patton (1797 – 1858), who was Acting Governor of Virginia in 1841 and also the great-grandfather of famous World War II General George S. Patton, Jr. During the Farm Tour rabbit- hunting dogs from the Farmington Beagles will be present at The Meadows. Beagling demonstrations are scheduled promptly for 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM.

Linden Lane is an international dressage facility that was once a portion of historic Castle Hill plantation. The farm occupies a section of a tree-lined lane that formerly connected Castle Hill with the community of Cobham.

Old Keswick is part of a tract that was given by to his daughter. The estate’s residence was built in stages, beginning with a log house in 1736. Keswick Stables was formed here as a major Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation. Old Keswick is home to eight foster horses from the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, which will have horses available for adoption during the Farm Tour. The Wildlife Center of Virginia will display various rescued animals at Old Keswick.

Tufton Farm was one of the “quarter farms” that made up Thomas Jefferson’s plantation. Originally purchased by Jefferson’s father Peter and later given to Jefferson’s daughter Martha, Tufton served as important agricultural land for Monticello, providing large amounts of crops and food for the plantation. Tours of Preservation Gardens are scheduled for 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM; Bee Keeping and Mushroom Growing presentations at 11:45 AM and 2:45; and Cattle Presentations at 12:15 PM and 1:30 PM

Montanova Stables Foundation’s facility is located at Belvoir Farm, and it features 45 acres of paddocks, access to trails, a sand riding ring with an adjacent “jumping field,” and a beautiful 16-stall barn. The Foundation’s after-school programs and week-long summer camps benefit children as they learn to ride and care for horses, helping them to develop valuable life skills such as patience, trust, responsibility, self-confidence, and a strong work ethic. The Keswick Hunt Club’s kennels are home to roughly 70 American Foxhounds that lead mounted club members on chases in designated territory in four counties. Founded in 1896, the Hunt Club has hosted at least one horse show every year since 1904. Foxhound presentations are scheduled for 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM; Hunt team jumping demonstrations are scheduled for 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM.

Tickets for the Beyond the Gates historic farm tour cost $15 in advance through June 13 or $20 per individual on the day of the event, and may be purchased at Grace Church and any of the tour sites on June 14th. Children ages 12 and under are admitted free. Each ticket allows admission to all sites, exhibits and demonstrations. The Farm Tour will take place regardless of weather conditions. Proceeds will support the church’s numerous community ministries, which benefit the church’s food closet and organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, Hospice of the Piedmont, Meals on Wheels, and others. Ticket information and other details are available at www.gracefarmtour.org.

Contact:

Bill Anda Publicity Chair c/o Grace Episcopal Church P.O. Box 67 Keswick, VA 22947 Phone: (434) 293-3549 www.gracekeswick.org