Optimism
"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow."
– Audrey Hepburn
We hope you are all safe and well in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here at Oak Spring, with all our immediate on-site programs cancelled, we are focused on keeping our staff healthy and supporting our local community, especially our local food banks. We are filled with hope for the future, and are working hard to make the most of the current situation while also looking ahead.
As part of this, we are strengthening our electronic communications. If you are in need of some virtual access to nature, we are posting short video clips of our site to our social media channels, and live streaming videos of our garden, farm, and landscape. Please follow our Facebook page, and check our website Virtual Garden for new videos and photos throughout the spring.
Read below to learn more about our specific programs to lend a helping hand and to see how you can continue to engage with us from a social distance.
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Priorities in Difficult Times
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Supporting Our Local Community:
Our new Biocultural Conservation Farm (BCCF) is scaling-up production to provide over 15,000 lbs of produce to the Fauquier Community Food Bank in Warrenton and the Seven Loaves Food Pantry in Middleburg in the coming months. We have introduced a Farmers for Food Relief program to support local farmers to supply fresh fruits and vegetables to the Fauquier Community Food Bank. We have also provided a supply of respirators and filters to the Fauquier Health Hospital.
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For some further thoughts on food, farming, and COVID-19, read our recent guest blog post by BCCF farmer Caitlin Etherton here >
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Supporting Artists:
Over the past three years, we have worked hard to develop programming for artists whose work explores the natural world and humankind's place in it. While, for the time being, we can't offer the Oak Spring site and its resources to artists in residence, our commitment to the arts remains as strong as ever. That is why we are introducing and currently accepting applications for our 'COVID-19 Artist Response Program.'
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This program will support 10 artists with $1,000 each to create and share content digitally on OSGF's website and social media, addressing how their artistic practice has been influenced by COVID-19 and who are examining the ways their relationship to the natural world has been altered by social-distancing and other measures pervasive to this moment in time.
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Earth Day:
Of course, one constant source of hope – and the ultimate role model for resiliency – is our own planet. Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, a time to demonstrate support for environmental action. This year's theme is Climate Action, and to celebrate, we've created a list of several actions we've taken at Oak Spring to benefit the environment that you might be able to do on your own property. Read more >
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Visit our Garden Virtually:
This week is also the Centennial of Historic Garden Week in Virginia. We had been looking forward to participating in this event, which has sadly been cancelled due to the pandemic, by welcoming over 1,000 guests to our site on Friday and Saturday. In lieu of this in-person tour, and in order to showcase the amazing work our garden team did to prepare for Garden Week, we have put together a comprehensive virtual tour of the Oak Spring Garden! Join us this Saturday at 10 a.m. as we premiere the video tour on our Facebook page. We will be online to greet "visitors" and answer questions live.
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This too shall pass, and when it does, we will be thrilled to welcome guests back onto our site for our regular programming. We're currently accepting applications for our 2021 Fellowship and Residency programs. These paid programs are our most robust and expansive yet, and will offer support to artists, writers, conservationists, scientists, scholars in the humanities, and more. Visit the web pages below to explore these programs and apply!
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If you are looking for ways to support the local community, visit the PATH Foundation website for information about how you can support those in need in Rappahannock, Fauquier, and Culpeper Counties. To support the local food system, you can find information on local farms and farmers through this interactive map on Future Harvest or by visiting the Piedmont Environmental Council's Buy Fresh Buy Local map. Many local farms and farmers, who previously supplied local restaurants are now providing CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) shares, produce drop-offs, and produce pick-ups.
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In addition to our videos, live streams, and photos, we have also been keeping busy on our blog. Check out some of our recent posts for more content to keep yourself occupied:
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