The Latest Happenings at Beta Verde

Hello everyone,

As you all know, we are always game to collaborate with talented folks who would like to share their gifts- be it music, film, literature or art with our ever interested community. We have had the pleasure of hosting retreats and think tanks, educators and their students, filmmakers, songwriters and of course, food folks, who bring us all to the table! 

Coming up at BV next Tuesday, October 20th is a preview of the Unheard Voices Project. In early 2016 (exact dates TBA), we look forward to hosting Beth McKee and Jeffrey Dean Foster. These two immensely talented and beloved artists of music seem to have an extra dimension when they get together. Stay tuned for a very special house concert! 

(Note: Lynn Book, performer extraordinaire and BV concert 'alum', will be debuting her new concert project – PLOT –  in Chicago, Oct 22, 8 pm, Logan Performing Arts Center, University of Chicago)

Tuesday, October 20th, 6:00pm - 7:30pm. Screening preview at 6:30pm

The Unheard Voices Project will preview their documentary film, UNION TIME at BV. Please join Cornelia and Matt Barr as they share the back story of their film which tells the story of a successful campaign by and for the union workers at the Smithfield plant in Tar Heel, NC. We are pleased to provide a few nibbles to go along with this. 

BV Kitchen:

Where is the jam, the pickles??? We have been making some new jams and of course Green Martini Maters, limited editions plus a few favorites which we will roll out later this fall at the Cobblestone Farmers Market's Holiday Pop Up on December 5th and a few other places which we will announce soon.  For sure count on Apple Chili Ginger, Mountain Cherry and Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper plus Black Currant and Gooseberry! 

Also, sharing the BV kitchen is Village Juice, THE delicious cold pressed juices and almond milks you are seeing around town, at Cobblestone, Krankies Airstream, and events at Bailey Park in the Innovation Quarter are JUICING in the BV kitchen! What a great crew led by VJ owner and creator, Lonnie Atkinson!

Please feel free to share this email with friends and family. Wishing you all the very best of FALL and hope to see you at BV and around  town or beyond!

Margaret and Salem

Southern Heirloom Apple Tree Planting Project

The 20th Conference on Restoring Southern Gardens & Landscapes was especially wonderful in remembering Flora Ann Bynum and all she meant to landscape restoration in Old Salem. Her mission was the whole landscape, including gardens, meadows, fields, historic fencing styles, native trees and shrubs and, of course, fruit trees.

At this year's conference, the Southern Heir- loom Apple Tree Planting Project was featured. This initiative of Beta Verde (Margaret Norfleet Neff and Salem Neff -- the creators of the Old Salem Cobblestone Farmers Market) was inspired by C. Lee Calhoun, author of Old Southern Apples, and Slow Food's Ark of Taste. Through the project, Beta Verde seeks to revive cultural heritage and regional diversity by en- couraging the growing of heirloom apple trees on public and private land, such as colleges and universities, organizations, neighborhoods, and farms.

The inaugural planting was in Reynolda Gardens last year, with the second planting (photo above) two weeks ago in Old Salem during the conference. Two trees sourced from Horne Creek Farm were planted by conference atten- dees on the Reuter/Vogler lot at the corner of West and Salt Streets: the Magnum Bonum apple tree originated in 1828 in Davidson County and is sometimes called the "king of all fall apples," and the Aunt Rachel is a little known tree from Chatham County, North Caro- lina, that Mr. Calhoun has promoted as a fast growing, disease resistant tree producing a delicious summer apple.

A third tree will be dug from Century Farm Orchards in Rockingham County for a Novem- ber planting to complete the addition of fruit trees to the lot!

—Contributed by Martha Hartley 

The Longrifle

A Newsletter for staff and residents at Old Salem Museums & Gardens