Suffolk Living Nov. - Dec. 2011 edition

november/december 2011 • vol. 2, no. 5

suffolk livingmag.com

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The Village at Woods Edge

Small town charm. Engaging senior living.

contents | nov. - dec. 2011

InsIde thIs edItIon

It’s the holiday season, and as Andy Williams said in his popular song, that means a whole lot of “whoop-de-do and hickory dock.” We’re not exactly sure where to find those things, but if you’re looking for something fun to do during the holidays in Suffolk, start your search with our calendar.

suffolk events7

keep it simpleJoe Steinert could make some pretty elabo-rate meals for his family holiday celebrations. But simple and traditional are the keys to the palate-pleasing creations the head chef at Vintage Tavern is most likely to provide at home this year.

30

Deck the hallsMore than 150 years after the house got its first Christmas tree, Riddick’s Folly is still a

showcase for some of the most fashionable 19th-century holiday decorations in town.

23

Get to knowEverybody knows St. Nick. What you might not have known, however, is that Santa Claus has a special helper right here in Suffolk. John Hughes dons a red suit about this time every year and makes the rounds in a support role for Santa. But there’s really no off-season when you look like Santa.

20

EDITORIALR.E. Spears III

Editor

Tracy AgnewNews Editor

Emily R. CollinsStaff Writer

Beth Beck LandStaff Writer

[email protected]

ADVERTISINGSue Holley

General Manager

Sue BarnesMarketing Consultant

Earl JonesMarketing Consultant

Tina Louise HarrisMarketing Consultant

[email protected]

PRODUCTIONTroy Cooper

Designer

Suffolk Living is publishedsix times per year

by Suffolk Publications, LLC. P.O. Box 1220,

Suffolk, VA 23439www.suffolklivingmag.com

(757) 539-3437

Advertising rates and informationavailable upon request. Subscriptions are $16 annually in-state; $20 annually out-of-state; $24 for international subscriptions.Please make checks payable toSuffolk Publications, LLCPO Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439

november/december 2011

SANTA’S

DAY OFF

on the cover:Photograph bytroy Cooper

niGht RiDeRsYou may have seen the midway at Suffolk’s 34th annual Peanut Festival this year, but you probably didn’t see

it this way. Get behind the lens with us as we slow down the action a bit.

42

suffolk living 33suffolk living 33

In each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible

and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.

If you know where this photo was taken, submit your answer, along with your name and contact information to [email protected]. If you’re right, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to any one of our partner advertisers.

So, if you know where this is, let us know. If you’re right, you could be a winner.

Go out and enjoy Suffolk!

where am I?

38You might have bought your Christmas tree from some asphalt tree lot, but some folks in Suffolk cut their own at the city’s only tree farm.

38 suffolk living

�e only thing is, they usually keep it only about two months before throwing it away.

Helvestine and his wife, Sveta, run Santa’s Forest and Nursery on

Carolina Road. �ey spend most of their free time throughout the year caring for thou-sands of pine, spruce, �r and cypress trees that will eventually be chopped down, loaded onto vehicles, carried into homes around the area, mounted on stands, strung with lights, hung

with ornaments and surrounded by presents.

But Helvestine doesn’t mind that his life’s work eventually gets un-decorated and tossed to the curb.

keeper of the trees

Mike Helvestine loves to see his artwork gracing the living rooms and dens of Suffolk residents.

See TREES page 37

Suffolk couple’s nursery stocks Christmas cheer

33You might need a little divine help to figure out the location of this edition’s “Where Am I?” It’s a real stumper.

www.suffolk livingmag.com

WINTER 2010

BRIDES & BRIDLESALSO SWEET TREATS & SMASH-UPS


SPRING 2011

A TASTEOF SPRINGPLUS STYLISH SPACES ANDPOSTCARDS FROM THE PAST


SUMMER 2011

THEMEN’SISSUE

PLUS SOMETHING

HERE ABOUT OTHER STUFF


FALL 2011

AT HOMEIN SUFFOLK

Give the gift of LivingNow through Jan. 1, 2012, Suffolk Living can be delivered to your door at a discounted rate. Don’t miss out.

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what to do

CaLEnDaR of EVEntS11/5 — LEgEnDS of Main StREEtLocation: Downtown SuffolkThe Legends of Main Street: A Suffolk Ghost Walk will be held at 6 p.m. The 90-minute walking tour will begin at the Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 514-4130.

11/5 — fibER aRtS fEStiVaLLocation: Cornerstone Farm Alpacas, 26298 Spivey Town RoadCornerstone Farm Alpacas will host its second annual Fiber Arts Festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the farm, 26298 Spivey Town Road. Workshops on knitting, crocheting, felting and spinning will be held. Vendor tables will be set up selling fiber crafts. Registration is $15 and includes lunch. Workshops are priced individually and are for ages 12 and up. For more information, call 651-6335 or visit www.cornerstonefarmalpacas.com.

11/6-11/12 — REStauRant WEEkLocation: Suffolk restaurantsThe Fall Suffolk Restaurant Week will be held Nov. 6 - 12. Restaurants citywide will offer special fixed-price, three-course meals. For more information, call 514-4130 and suffolk-fun.com/restaurantweek.html.

11/12 — CaSino night funDRaiSERLocation: Hilton Garden Inn, 100 E. Constance RoadCare Advantage of Franklin and Chesapeake is sponsoring a Casino Night to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. The event will be from 7 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $30 each or two for $50. Call the Care Advantage Franklin Office at 562-3065 or the Care Advantage Chesapeake Office at 436-1711 to order tickets.

11/13-12/22 — SuffoLk aRt LEaguE JuRiED ExhibitionLocation: Suffolk Art Gallery, 118 Bosley Ave.The Suffolk Art Gallery, 118 Bosley Ave., will host the Suffolk Art League's 2011 Annual Juried Exhibition Nov. 13 through Dec. 22. The grand opening will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 12. For more information, call 925-0448.

11/18—SuffoLk gRanD iLLuMinationLocation: Market ParkKick off your holiday season with the lighting of the Christmas tree, hot apple cider, Christmas carols and more signs of the season. The Suffolk Grand Illumination Tree Lighting Celebration will be held

from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Market Park across from the train station on N. Main Street. The event is free. For more information, call 514-7267.

11/19 — PoRtRait of ChuRChiLLLocation: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave.Edmund Shaff brings Sir Winston Churchill to life in this two-act, one-man play. The show opens in April 1955 as Churchill agonizes in his wartime bunker below London whether to resign as Prime Minister. Come witness all the wit and wisdom that has made Churchill into an imperishable legend. Cost is $25 for premier seats and $20 for rear orchestra. For more information, call 923-2900.

11/30 — ViRginia oPERa EnCoRE MatinEELocation: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave.The SCCA will host the Virginia Opera Encore Matinee concert at 2 p.m. Cost is $5 and includes an intimate afternoon of opera performances from young rising stars, followed by open discussion and a question and answer session. For more information, call 923-2900.

12/2 — hoLiDay oPEn houSELocation: Downtown SuffolkThe Downtown Suffolk Holiday Open House will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Merchants and restaurants in downtown Suffolk will offer special holiday discounts, door prizes, restaurant gift

Send us your newsTo submit your calendar

or news item, simply email it to:[email protected]

suffolk living 7

CaSino night funDRaiSER

SuffoLk gRanDiLLuMination

fibER aRtSfEStiVaLhoLiDay tEa

PoRtRait of ChuRChiLL

baLLEt ViRginia’S thE nutCRaCkER anD SugaR PLuM tEa

Give the gift of Living

8 suffolk living

what to docertificates and more. For more information, call 925-4321 or visit www.suffolk-fun.com.

12/3-12/4 — baLLEt ViRginia’S thE nutCRaCkER anD SugaR PLuM tEaLocation: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave.The region’s premier dance academy will create holiday magic in “The Nutcracker,” chronicling Clara’s journey through the Land of Sweets. The show starts at 3 p.m. Cost is $25 for adults and $15 for kids. The Sugar Plum Tea, held before each performance at 1:30 p.m., invites children to meet the dancers and wander through the Enchanted Forest before entering the Sugar Plum Castle and making a keepsake. Cost is $15. For more information, call 923-2900.

12/3-12/4 — SuffoLk-nanSEMonD hiStoRiCaL SoCiEty CanDLELight touRLocation: Downtown SuffolkThe historical society’s annual candlelight tour opens Suffolk’s most historic and interesting homes and businesses to the public. Featured this year will be College Court, Riddick's Folly and others. Tours are from 3 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for well-behaved children under 12. Tickets are available at the Suffolk Seaboard Station Museum, 326 N. Main St., the Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St., and A. Dodson’s, 2948 Bridge Road.

12/3 — hoLLanD ViLLagE tREE LightingLocation: Holland village ballparkThis annual gathering of friends and family in the village of Holland features Christmas carols, hot cocoa and the lighting of the Holland Christmas tree, all sponsored by the Holland Ruritan Club. The free event starts at 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.hollandruritanclub.com.

12/9 — DRiVE-thRu PanoRaMaLocation: Wilroy Baptist Church, 306 Williams RoadWilroy Baptist Church invites you to tour its Christmas Drive-Thru Panorama from 6:30 to 8:15 nightly Dec. 9-11. The panorama traditionally shows scenes from Jesus’ life and ministry, including the nativity, miracles, crucifixion and resurrection. Live actors from the church perform the scenes as motorists drive slowly through the church parking lot. There will also be Christmas carols and a tent for viewers to discuss what they have seen. For more information, call 539-5658.

12/10 — SuffoLk hoLiDay PaRaDELocation: Downtown SuffolkThe annual downtown tradition continues this year with colorful floats, marching bands, dancers, equestrian and civic groups, and more to entertain the entire family from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The parade is free and open to the public. For more information, call 514-4130.

12/17-12/18 — hoLiDay tEaLocation: Suffolk Visitor Center, 524 N. Main St.The Historic Nansemond County Courthouse and Suffolk Visitor Center will host a classic Holiday Tea from 2 to 3 p.m. Cost is $15 per person. Reservations are required. For more information, call 514-7130.

12/13 — gEoRgE WinSton in ConCERtLocation: Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, 110 W. Finney Ave.George Winston will perform at 7:30 p.m. Winston will perform from his albums in his signature melodic folk piano style, as well as a mix of R&B piano, stride piano and songs by the Doors and more. Cost is $45 for premier seats and $35 for rear orchestra. For more information, call 923-2900.

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Mutt StRutThousands of people and hundreds of dogs attended the Suffolk Humane Society Mutt Strut fundraiser in September. Clockwise from top left, a turtle collects donations for Virginians Interested in Protecting Every Reptile; Daisy is dressed up like a banana split for the costume contest; rat terrier Lucas sports a leather jacket and sunglasses; and Kailee Bright is the jailkeeper for her prisoner pups during the costume contest.

Photos by tRACy AGNEW

suffolk scene

10 suffolk living

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suffolk sceneQuEEn'S LunChEonTo kick off Peanut Fest, the Suffolk Pilot Club hosted the annual Queen’s Luncheon to honor the newest Peanut Fest Queen and her court. Clockwise, starting from below, Ravynn Stringfield, a senior at King’s Fork High School, was crowned the 2011 Peanut Fest Queen; Susan Perez, left, and Janell Williams enjoy the luncheon; from left, LaVerne Flythe, Teresa Austin, Donna Wolfensberger and Dorothy Wood socialize before the festivities begin; Peanut Fest Princess Amber Ballance’s grandmothers Patty Dillon and Judy Ballance, left and right, and mother Tate Ballance and Judy Ballance attend the lunch to support the First Baptist Christian School senior.

Photos by Emily R. ColliNs

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12 suffolk living

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suffolk scene

taStE of SuffoLkMain Street in Suffolk gets hit with an incredible dose of herbs and spices in early September during the city’s Taste of Suffolk event. Top left, Felton Mann, right, gets a helping of baked ziti from Al Forno’s Nunzio Misseri. At far left, Bubbles the Clown takes a break from delighting the crowd to enjoy some ziti. At left, David Banyai, chef at Mosiac Cafe, presents his offering of pecan-crusted chicken and waffles at his booth. Below, from left, Mike Bradley, Katy Muncher, and Diane Bradley grab some treats across from Plaid Turnip during the event.

Photos by tRoy CooPER

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14 suffolk living

MAKING MEMORIES

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Making Memories

for a Lifetime,

suffolk living 15

hoMEaRaMaTribute to the City of Suffolk — at Homearama in The Riverfront during October. Clockwise from top left, Bruce Bowles of D.B. Bowles Jewelers helps himself to refreshments with chef David Banyai in the background; Stacy and Daniel Kucharczk enjoy drinks on the home’s porch; Deanna Holt, left, and Diana Klink, center, with the city of Suffolk chat with Jennifer Groves of Embroidery Etc.; and Cristin Pond, left, alumni coordinator at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, and Ginny Hedger, marketing manager at Elizabeth Manor Country Club, enjoy each other’s company at the reception.

Photos by tRACy AGNEW

suffolk scene

16 suffolk living

suffolk living 17

on location

SuffoLk LiVing gEtS aRounDSuffolk Living magazine took its own vacations in October, when staff members carried copies to friends away from Suffolk. Above, the folks at Drumheller’s Orchard in Lovingston, Va., took a break from their farm chores to show off their fall display. From left are Haley Snapp, Shelia Wood, Destiny Drumheller, Kasey Thompson and Doris Drumheller. At right, Madeline LaPorte of Greenfield, Massachusetts reads a copy of Suffolk Living while on a break at Greenfield Coffee.

Photos by R.E. sPEARs iii & tRoy CooPER

SL goES on VaCationAt left, Hannah Bartholomew holds a copy of Suffolk Living magazine while standing in front of a mural while visiting Bucyrus, Ohio, in July. Below, on a February vacation to Belize and Honduras, Colleen and Rory Nicholson stand with Suffolk Living magazine in front of an ancient carving.

submittEd Photos

18 suffolk living

news happenings

If you were standing at the spot near where the Nan-semond and James rivers intersect 150 years ago, you might have witnessed the clash of the USS Monitor and

the CSS Virginia during the Civil War.Fast forward 100 years from that time and you’d likely

be surrounded by a sea of fresh-faced collegians attending what would become the “Portsmouth” campus at Tidewa-ter Community College.

Twenty years from now, a visit to the 444-acre site in North Suffolk could reveal residents of a thriving apart-ment and retail complex, out for a stroll before catching a riverside concert from their seat in an open-air amphithe-ater.

After changing hands several times through the years, the site, currently owned partly by the city’s Economic Development Authority and partly by the Tidewater Com-munity College Real Estate Foundation, is on the road to achieving a new vision.

City and college officials hired the Urban Land Institute earlier this year to develop a solution for the site.

The consultants came up with a comprehensive mixed-use plan that includes retail space, office buildings, restau-rants, hotels, a variety of residences and public use space.

“This is the best property in Hampton Roads,” said Al-len Folks, one of the panelists who visited the city. “This is Suffolk’s moment. This is your time.”

In a presentation to city leaders, the ULI panel out-lined the location’s benefits — the large site, the area’s rich history, its gateway location, the waterfront property and more. But the property also has challenges — it’s an active Superfund site, there are large, unusable buildings, there’s limited potential for expansion and the possibility of shoreline erosion and archeological finds exists.

“This is not going to be easy, but if done properly, it’s going to be great,” panel member Donna Lewis said.

In its recommendation, the group suggested a wide vari-

a grand visionGroups expect a bright future for TCC property

See VISION page 19

story by Beth Beck Landsubmitted images

An artist’s rendering of a plan proposed by the Urban Land Institute shows an amphitheatre and beaches at the end of a grand parkway on the old Tidewater Community College property in North Suffolk.

suffolk living 19

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Suffolk LivingNovember 2011half page horizontal7.5 x 4.93$600

ety of uses — 1.3 million square feet of office space for research and development for medical and military uses; 500,000 square feet of retail, restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues and highway-oriented space; and 2,100 units of apartments, townhomes, condominiums and houses. The plan uses about 319 of the available 444 acres.

The proposal focuses on interconnected streets, walkability, well-designed landscapes, a public waterfront area and a variety of public use space — everything a growing community needs to satisfy its residents.

“This really validates the energy and excitement we’ve had all along,” City Manager Selena Cuffee-Glenn said.

Since the ULI proposed the mixed-use development in Febru-ary, two hurdles already have been overcome.

First, the city helped the Economic Development Authority pay off the 55 acres it purchased in 2006. The acreage combines with the TCC-owned land to create the development.

And seven companies responded in October to a request for proposals from the city to make the site “shovel-ready.”

So what’s up next for this prime sample of North Suffolk real estate?

TCC president Deborah M. DiCroce said there are many steps on the road to realizing the group’s vision.

“I think it’s a good first step in taking it to this next level of looking at best use,” DiCroce said. “It’s a compli-cated, complex process.”

Perhaps the most important component will be bringing Suffolkians in on the vision. DiCroce said she wants to ensure the community will be happy with the decision.

“When someone sees it in 20 years, they should look at it and say, ‘They did the right thing,’” she said.

Planners from the Urban Land Institute suggested that the old Tidewater Community College property include an educational center where folks could learn about the history and ecology of the rivers that converge there.

VISION continued from page 18

20 suffolk living

get to know

one Christmas season not that many years ago, a friend of John Hughes had a problem with his three sons, one that many parents would recognize.

“My kids don’t believe in Santa anymore,” he told Hughes. “Would you visit them and talk to them?”

Hughes agreed, and a few days later, he knocked on the door of the family’s home.

The three boys stared in disbelief at the man standing in their doorway. Even without his signature red suit, they knew exactly who it was.

His brilliantly white beard, jolly smile and wire-rimmed glasses said it all.

“I hear you boys don’t believe in me anymore,” he said.The boys stared back, looking ashamed for their doubts

about St. Nick’s existence.Hughes crouched down and asked the two youngest boys

what they would think about him if he told them exactly what they wanted for Christmas.

Eyes wide, the boys quickly put away their skepticism when Hughes told them the gifts they were hoping for. But the oldest son wasn’t budging.

Santa’s helper in Suffolk

john hughes

“What do you want for Christmas?” John Hughes asked the little girl.

“Santa, I have enough toys,” she replied. “Give them to children who need them.”

His heart swelled, and he replied: “Don’t worry. I will, and I’ll tell them they’re from you.”

See HUGHES page 21

story by Emily R. Collinsphotography by Troy Cooper

suffolk living 21

“What do you think I want?” the boy asked.Hughes turned to him: “I hear you want an

iPod. I think I can do that.”The boy’s jaw dropped.Recalling the occasion today, Hughes smiles.“They believe now,” he says.Not just anyone could convince such a chary

group of young “experts” to put their faith back in Santa. But it’s something Hughes has been doing for years.

John Hughes radiates the aura of Santa Claus.

Children gawk in wonder even in the sum-mer, when they see him wearing flip-flops and tattered shorts, convinced they’ve spied Santa on vacation.

“I tell them I’m checking on them,” he says with a wink.

Even before his beard (which he’s had for almost 40 years) turned white, Hughes’ friends had nicknamed him “Santa.”

But the persona goes deeper than just the look. It’s also about Hughes’ jolly demeanor, the twinkle in his eye and his way with children.

“I just love kids,” he says. “Seeing them smile makes you melt. You just can’t describe it.”

Decked out in his classic red suit and hat, Hughes visits children throughout the area to hear their Christmas dreams and keep Santa’s spirit alive, easing the seasonal workload for

the real Santa.One of his favorite things to do is visit

children at Christmas parties, because he gets to spend individual time with all of the kids. When Santa arrives at the door, he says, most children stare in disbelief and amazement.

“They are a little scared and a bit shy,” Hughes says.

Still, it doesn’t take most children long to

catch on and start making Christmas requests. After nine years of taking orders for Santa, Hughes says, he’s heard every request in the book.

“It’s whatever is big that year,” he says. “Recently, a lot of kids want iPods.”

But the children usually have more on their minds than Christmas presents when Hughes shows up as Santa.

“You never know what they are going to ask,” he says.

Can we see Rudolph? How do you get in my house if my chimney is too small? How did you get here if there isn’t snow?

Here’s a little secret: When it isn’t snowing, Hughes says, Santa just takes his car. And he can show children his Santa Claus driver’s license to prove it.

“They believe then,” Hughes says.His look, his attitude, his answers — every-

thing Hughes does is designed to keep kids believing in the guy who does his work once a year on Christmas Eve.

He even lets them tug his beard to double-check.

“It helps them believe a little longer,” Hughes said. “It just makes my day to make the kids so happy. If you spend time with a child, that’s all it takes to show them you are Santa Claus.” ←

As a special treat one year, John Hughes had been asked to visit a home and place gifts under the tree before the children awoke. To add a little extra magic, he took a seat in a nearby chair and pretended to sleep as the children came downstairs. When they saw him, they stopped and gasped in wonder, and he appeared to awake in a panic. “Oh, goodness!” he said. “You can’t tell Mrs. Claus about this, or she’ll never let me live it down!”

John Hughes’ long white beard is completely real, so he usually encourages children to give it a little tug. At one elementary school, the entire class wanted to check his credentials by pulling his beard. When Hughes finally stood up, one little boy was still hanging on. Then, with a quick yank, the boy’s feet hit the floor again, but he took something with him — a chunk of Santa’s beard. “He looked at his hand and back at his teacher, and he was shocked.”

HUGHES continued from page 20

22 suffolk living

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suffolk living 23

©2011 Charter Communications, Inc. †Speeds compared to 1.5 Mbps DSL. Services not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.

FIGHT OVER THE COOKIES.NOT YOUR BANDWIDTH.

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Call or click today for speeds up to 8X faster than DSL†.1-888-GET CHARTER | charter.com Among the other excitements of the season,

Christmas during the mid-19th century would have given folks a good excuse to

decorate their homes in the latest fashions.Nowhere in Suffolk would that fashion have been

more on display than in the home of Missouri Rid-dick and her husband Nathaniel, the place the city knew even then as Riddick’s Folly.

“They were one of the most prominent families in

Suffolk, so if something was fashionable at the time, they were doing it,” said Lee King, curator of the museum that was once home to several generations of Riddicks.

Much of what we have come to consider Christ-mas tradition in America was just beginning to be seen during the time the Riddicks lived in their grand home at the corner of Front Street and First Cross Street.

Deck the hallsat Riddick’s Folly

See RIDDICK'S page 24

story by Tracy Agnewphotography by Troy Cooper

24 suffolk living

During the 1840s, Missouri Riddick and her daughters, Anna Mary and Missouri Taylor, would have spent part of the holiday season carefully trim-ming their Christmas tree in the back parlor, while Nathaniel worked late at his law practice next door.

Christmas trees were the latest fad at the time, brought to Virginia by im-migrants from Germany, and the ladies used small toys, strung cranberries, dehydrated orange slices, paper orna-ments, pinecones and other embellish-ments to decorate their trees, King said.

They decorated the home’s mantel and fireplace with all manner of natural greenery from their own garden — cypress, magnolia, English ivy and, for a splash of color, winterberry.

A wreath of greenery went on the door, because it was fashionable, but no other outside decorating would have occurred.

On Christmas morning, the girls would have awakened to find their gifts on the tree, rather than under it — paper cones full of nuts and sweets, tiny rocking horses, origami figures and other decorative presents.

But Christmas Day was only the beginning of the sea-son. Holiday merriment would have continued through Jan. 6, the Day of Epiphany.

King’s descriptions of the Riddicks’ holiday décor are largely assumptions, but they are based on the customs that were typical of the region, time period and social class to which the Riddicks belonged, he said.

Plantation owner Mills Riddick built his home near the road to Norfolk in 1837 with the funds from an insur-ance payoff from a fire that had swept through town and destroyed several of his buildings. Locals dubbed it “Rid-dick’s Folly” because of its size.

When he died in 1844, Mills’ widow, Mary Taylor Rid-dick, chose not to live in the large home by herself. She moved into a small house a few blocks away and left the grand structure to her 10 children in equal shares.

Son Nathaniel Riddick purchased his siblings’ shares at the age of 25. He and Missouri moved in with their two daughters, and he built a law practice next door. It was this young family that decorated the home in the 1840s, when Christmas trees first came into fashion.

No records exist of what exactly the Riddicks did to celebrate the holiday, King said. However, assumptions can easily be made based on what contemporary families did.

Today’s Riddick’s Folly models its decorations and cel-

RIDDICK'S continued from page 23

See RIDDICK'S page 26

suffolk living 25

Opposite page, Sherri Pelletier, portraying Missouri Riddick, decorates the mantel at Riddick’s Folly with natural greenery. The Riddicks would have grown plants they could use, museum curator Lee King said. The tree, opposite page, was decorated with paper ornaments, dehydrated orange slices and other natural decorations. This page, Pelletier holds 1-year-old Emerson Creef, portraying Missouri Taylor Riddick, with older sister 6-year-old Lynlee Creef, portraying Anna Mary Riddick, admiring the Christmas tree. Inset, small toys like horses and dolls were popular in the time the Riddick family lived in Riddick’s Folly.

ebrations after the mid-1840s style that Nathan-iel and Missouri Riddick would have used, which featured natural greenery, modest ornaments on the tree and gifts on the tree rather than below it.

“They didn’t do any decorating outside, except for maybe a wreath on the door,” King said. “That’s why we don’t allow it here.”

King and his staff usually do the Christmas decorations in about a day, using much the same materials as the Riddicks would have used.

“Of course, we have wood cranberries that don’t have to be strung,” he said.

The Riddicks may have had more decorations than what is done now, King said.

“We don’t decorate quite as much as we have in the past,” he said. “We will carry a little bit

upstairs.”Just as the Riddicks likely grew plants they

could use to decorate, King uses plants from his own yard to decorate the historic house.

“I think they tried to grow things they knew they could use,” he said.

Modern-day celebrations at Riddick’s Folly attempt to recreate the Riddicks’ holidays with a green-robed St. Nicholas, rather than Santa Claus, representing the spirit of the season, as well as costumed re-enactors depicting the vari-ous members of the Riddick family.

It’s all about style to honor one of the most stylish historical families in Suffolk, King said.

“I think the Riddicks would have been deco-rating pretty lavishly,” he said. ←

26 suffolk living

RIDDICK'S continued from page 24

suffolk living 27

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28 suffolk living

Most everybody remembers the joy of seeing gifts under the tree on Christmas morning, tearing the bows and paper off of them, ripping

open boxes and playing with their new toys.But thousands of children in Suffolk are at risk of not

knowing that thrill this Christmas.“The need is as great or greater than ever,” said Frank

Rawls, a local attorney who sits on the board of the Cheer Fund.

The Cheer Fund was started by the Suffolk News-Herald

sometime last century — during the Great Depression, it is believed — and initially provided money for clothing and food for needy Suffolk residents.

Over time, its mission changed to provide money to purchase toys for children who might otherwise find noth-ing under the tree on Christmas morning.

Money raised through the effort goes directly to the Toys for Tots organization, which purchases and distrib-utes toys to families of boys and girls in Suffolk.

In 2010, the Cheer Fund collected $36,735 and served

cheer fundMany years supporting Toys for Tots

giving back

See CHEER FUND page 29

John Woleben, coordinator for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots efforts in Suffolk, loads donated toys into a box at a Toys for Tots collection event last year. The Cheer Fund provides funds for most of the Toys for Tots given out in Suffolk each year.

story by Tracy Agnewfile photos

suffolk living 29

5,260 children — a 10-percent increase from 2009.“We anticipate we will serve at least that many and probably more,

because Suffolk’s population has grown, and the economy remains in the doldrums,” Rawls said.

The Cheer Fund is an all-volunteer organization. Necessary profes-sional services are provided pro bono, and the newspaper staff does the publicity, bookkeeping and other functions. The only expense the Cheer Fund has is about $50 in fees to the State Corpora-tion Commission each year, Rawls said.

“Essentially 100 percent of every dollar given is available for the purchase of toys,” he said. “In terms of bang for your buck, it’s fully there. Please give generously.”

Donations may be given by check made out to the Cheer Fund and mailed to the Suffolk News-Herald, P.O. Box 1220, Suf-folk, VA 23439.

Checks may also be hand-delivered to 130 S. Saratoga St. People who would like to be photographed making a donation may do so by bringing a check to the newspaper’s office between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Donation photos will run in the News-Herald throughout the holiday season.

Business donors can also make arrangements to have their donations picked up and a photo taken by calling 934-9616. ←

Students at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy donated lots of toys for last year’s Toys for Tots drive. The Cheer Fund provides funds for most of the Toys for Tots in Suffolk.

CHEER FUND continued from page 28

30 suffolk living

Keep it simple

‘I like to take three or four ingredients and make something

simple but with good ingredients.’Joe Steinert — Chef, Vintage taVern

Joe Steinert, head chef at Vintage Tavern, one of Hampton Roads’ top-ranked restaurants, prepares the warmed apple slaw that will be a base for his stuffed pork loin. Pork is a good option for folks who don’t want the hassle of preparing a turkey dinner, he said, as it retains a bit of the traditional flavor important for holiday meals.

story by Emily R. Collinsphotography by R.E. Spears III

suffolk living 31

Keep it simpleWhen it comes to planning

holiday meals, Joe Steinert likes to stick with the classics

and keep things simple.Vintage Tavern, the North Suffolk

restaurant where he serves as head chef, may be known for its grilled bison ribeye, its tavern-cured pork belly and its jumbo lump crabcake with tasso rice and smoked tomato tartar, but you won’t find those things on Steinert’s holiday table.

Steinert said most people have their own definition of holiday fare, and they are looking for certain flavors. Omit those things, and the hostess could face a mutiny.

But keeping the holiday menu traditional doesn’t mean one can’t be a little creative.

As a child in Pennsylvania, Steinert said, his family always had the turkey dinner for Thanksgiving and a ham feast for Christ-mas. But after they moved to Virginia, when he was about 10 years old, Steinert

became acquainted with Southern cooking.“It was just biscuits and gravy, and I

loved it,” he said. “That was my first real taste of Southern food.”

Now, Steinert, who lives in Suffolk, puts a little Southern accent on most of the food he makes, whether it’s for the restaurant or for his family.

As a professional chef, he said, the holi-day cooking is normally his job.

“I usually get roped into it,” he said.Celebrating the holidays with his parents,

siblings and grandmother, he has become sensitive to the desires of his family.

His non-negotiable for the season: “Probably wine,” he said, laughing.

Sweet potato ham biscuits also make an appearance on every Thanksgiving menu. Those savory little sliders offer the perfect play of salty-and-sweet.

The pink meat peeks from underneath the biscuit, which has the slightest orange

tint from its special ingredient. Every bite of the biscuit pops with a hint of sweet potato, which perfectly balances perfectly balances the ham’s salty nature.

But there’s another sudden surprise of sweetness slathered between the pork and the dough — a bed of grape jelly hidden between the layers.

Sweet potato is a staple in holiday cook-ing, he said, and it makes a dish like ham biscuits seem more appropriate to be piled next to the stuffing and across the table from the turkey.

As a chef, Steinert said, he aims to make simple food taste extraordinary.

“I like to take three or four ingredients and make something simple but with good ingredients,” he said.

His favorite part of cooking a holiday feast, however, is the one that strikes fear into the hearts of many young chefs hosting their mothers-in-law for the first time.

Traditional holiday flavors satisfy most palates

See HOLIDAY page 32

32 suffolk living32 suffolk living

“I enjoy roasting the turkey,” he said.Steinert said after years of loathing the task, he

has learned to love it.His tradition is to head down to Bennett’s

Creek Farm Market to pick up a plump bird.“I tried to cook heritage breeds for a while,” he

said. “But they never tasted very good.”Now, he looks forward to the long process of

perfecting the poultry.But for people who might not have the time or

the skill to roast turkey, Steinert offers a different solution — pork loin stuffed with sausage and cornbread.

Plated, his dish looks like a giant beige jellyroll, with a spiral of savory, yellow and green-speck-led filling stuffed inside.

Each savory bite gets a spicy kick from the sausage in the filling.

Despite the other strong flavors featured in the dish, the cornbread shines through. Its buttery tinge asserts itself, and the texture is reminiscent of a crumbly muffin.

Steinert opts to serve the pork over warmed apple slaw, which features another Southern specialty, cole slaw, along with a flavor of fall — apples.

A holiday feast that draws on Southern tra-ditions would hardly be complete without Bruns-wick stew, and it’s a staple of the fall and winter menus both at Vintage Tavern and at Steinert’s home.

Steinert said the stew is traditionally made with rabbit or squirrel, but the answer to the best meat for the stew depends on whom you ask. In fact, even Vintage Tavern’s chefs disagree about the best protein for the homey stew.

Steinert thinks pork makes the best addition, but his associates argue beef or chicken are better options. But, he said, there’s really no need to worry about the “right” meat for Brunswick stew.

“Any meat will work in it,” he said. Or even skip the meat entirely and enjoy the medley of veggies by themselves.

A good holiday feast delights all the senses, and Brunswick stew helps meet the need. Its sweet aroma and complex flavors are only part of the experience. Especially for a Thanksgiving table, Brunswick stew’s orange shade is as attrac-tive to the eye as its flavors are to the mouth.

But no matter what you’re cooking during the holidays, Steinert said, at the end of the day, the food on the table is all about the shared experi-ence.

“It’s the glue that brings everyone together,” he said. ←

bRunSWiCk StEWIngredients41/4 cup olive oil41 cup onion, medium diced41 cup celery, peeled and medium diced41/2 cup carrots, peeled and medium diced41 tablespoon minced garlic41 tablespoon thyme, chopped finely44 cups red potatoes, medium diced42 cups frozen corn42 cups frozen lima beans42 quarts chicken stock or broth41 tablespoon soy sauce41 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce42 teaspoons salt41 1/2 cups diced tomatoes42 tablespoons cornstarch42 tablespoons water42 cups tomato juice

directionsIn a large stock pot, cook onion, celery, carrots and garlic over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until soft. Add potatoes and thyme. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes. Add salt. Stir in tomato juice and simmer. Add corn, lima beans and stock or broth and simmer. Cook until potatoes are done. Add Worcestershire sauce and tomatoes then simmer. Add cornstarch slowly to thicken. Taste and allow to cool.

WaRMED aPPLE SLaWIngredients41/2 head of small green cabbage, shredded finely41/4 head of small green cabbage, shredded finely48 oz. bacon cut into short, thin strips, cooked until crispy, reserve fat41/2 medium sweet onion cut into short, thin strips41 apple cut into short, thin strips41/2 cup apple cider

directionsIn 1/4 cup of reserved bacon fat, wilt all ingredients except apple cider until vegetables soften. Add apple cider and serve.

SauSagE anD CoRnbREaDStuffED PoRk Loin

sausage and Cornbread stuffingIngredients42 cups crumbled cornbread41/2 pound country sausage, loose41/4 cup chopped onion41/4 cup chopped celery41/2 cup chopped apple

41/4 cup fresh sage, chopped42 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped42 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless center cut pork loin with sausage and cornbread stuffing4Salt4Pepper

directionsFor stuffing, brown sausage – add onion, celery and apple. Cook until onions are translucent. Allow mixture to cool slightly. Then, mix in cornbread and fresh chopped herbs. Refrigerate until needed.

For pork loin, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay pork loin on large cutting board and make a long even cut 1/2-inch thick on the front of the pork loin to within 1/2 inch from the bottom. Flatten the flap and proceed by cutting across the bottom toward the back of the loin to within 1/2 inch. Roll the loin back and continue to make cuts until the loin is a flat sheet. Cover counter top with plastic wrap and lay out sheet of pork. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Cover 2/3 of the pork loin with the stuffing and carefully roll the loin up, like a jellyroll, with the plastic on the outside. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil (shiny side in). Place on a sheet pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes at 350 or until internal temperature of 155 degrees is reached. Allow to rest for 20 minutes. Then, remove foil and plastic and slice.

SWEEt Potato biSCuitSIngredients42 cups flour43 teaspoons baking powder41/2 teaspoon baking soda43/4 teaspoon salt43 tablespoons brown sugar41/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon41/2 cup or 4 oz. butter, cubed and cold41 cup sweet potato puree (see recipe)41/2 cup buttermilk

DirectionsPreheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift dry ingredients. Add butter cubes to the dry mixture. Heat the puree until loose and mix with the buttermilk. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry. Be careful not to overwork. Pat out mixture to about 1-inch thickness and cut biscuits. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Yields about 12 to 14 biscuits. Serve as slider with ham and grape jelly.

HOLIDAY continued from page 31


In each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know. We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible

and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.




where am I?

34 suffolk living

What do you get when you combine a fanatical devotion to college football and season tickets to your favorite team’s home games? Tailgating, of course.

It’s a staple of the college football scene, and fans take part in the tradition all across the nation, with lively debates over who does it best. Are the linen tablecloths and catered appetizers at one school more appropriate for the pregame celebration than plastic cups and grilled bratwursts of another? It might be harder to reach an agreement on that topic than to get Democrats and Republicans to agree on a way to reduce the deficit.

Clearly, the ways to enjoy a good tailgate party are as varied as the universities and colleges where they spring up on Saturdays throughout the fall. After putting out a call to veteran tailgaters from several of Virginia’s top schools early this fall, the Suffolk Living staff tagged along one cold Saturday with the first to call us back with an invitation.

Our assignment could have taken us to the University of Virginia, James Madison, Old Dominion, William and Mary or any one of the commonwealth’s other fine institutions of higher learn-ing. But the Hokies were quickest on the draw, so we

headed to Blacksburg, where for years the Edwards family has been setting up an elabo-

rate spread on football Saturdays in a parking lot near Lane Stadium.

To say that Virginia Tech fans enjoy their pregame festivi-ties is about as much an understatement as saying they get excited when “Enter Sandman” blasts throughout Lane Stadium and the Hokies storm onto the field a couple of minutes before kickoff.

For people like 1984 Tech grads Mark and Lina Edwards, the tailgate party is an art perfected through years of devo-

Football?

You bet!

For these fans,the party is almost as

important as the gamestory by Andrew Giermak & R.E. Spears III

photography by R.E. Spears III

Clockwise from above: Mark Edwards lays out a line of bratwursts for his son, Will, to cook on the grill; even on a cold and windy day, it’s important for a good tailgate party to have the right decorations; Lina Edwards prepares to stir the chili she’s been working on for a couple of days ahead of the Blacksburg party; and guests cannot miss the seven-foot-tall, inflatable turkey that greets them as they approach the Edwards’ tailgating tents.

See TAILGATING page 35

suffolk living 35

tion. They’ve been tailgating at home games and bowl appearances for so long that the art has become science.

Every time there’s a home football game, the Edwards family packs up the Yukon and heads to Blacksburg. Grill, card tables, slow-cookers, radios, blow-up decorations, tents and a variety of beverages fill the back of the vehicle, with Mark and Lina and 15-year-old Will sitting up front. In Blacksburg, they’ll meet daughter Carly, a Nansemond-Suffolk alum and Virginia Tech senior, and son Tyler, who is a couple of months into his freshman year at Tech. By the time the game starts, the tents will be full of food and dozens of old and new friends there to enjoy the party.

“I graduated in ’84 and have been coming to every (home) game possible ever since,” Mark said. “We go to most of the games at Virginia, Wake, Carolina. We’ve been to Charlotte for the ACC championship, Atlanta and Miami for bowl games.”

Each football weekend is a family reunion. It’s always, homecom-ing or not, a class reunion, as well.

On this Saturday, with a kickoff under the lights against Clemson drawing closer, friends from Dallas, Seattle and New England know

where to find the Edwards’ tailgate party.Beneath a pair of large tents a long field goal attempt away from Lane Stadium, they

find enough chili, brats, nachos, ham biscuits and fried chicken to make any Southerner happy, along with snacks, sweets and beverages of all types.

Will, 15, is the grillmaster and true Hokie football historian. He’s right on point for anything Virginia Tech’s done on the gridiron in the last decade. Dad turns to him for any score, stat or trivia that stumps him, even if they were both at the same game.

The opportunity for joking, remembering, razzing and breaking down football with friends — as though 30 years is the same as last weekend — is what draws everyone to the food and the seven-foot-tall inflated orange and maroon turkey that stands beside the Edwards’ tents. Camaraderie spreads equally from father to son, as well as between classmates who’ve seen the Hokies for decades.

Ray England, also VPI Class of ’84, made a 24-hour round-trip drive, leaving Rhode

Football?

You bet!

TAILGATING continued from page 34

See TAILGATING page 36

36 suffolk living

Island on Thursday to make it to the game. “The stadium, both sides, were wooden

grandstands,” England recalled of his years at Tech.

Now, Lane Stadium rivals an NFL stadium with the number of luxury suites and can hold just under 70,000 fans.

“It was nothing at all like it is now,” England said. “We were big fans. We loved coming to the games, but you’d come to the game, and that was about all.”

Things are, indeed, different today.Early in the afternoon, there seems to be

an incredible amount of food arrayed beneath the Edwards’ tents. But about two hours before kickoff, the younger Hokies show up and suddenly, the buffet seems smaller. The chili doesn’t stand a chance of returning to Smithfield.

“I think Tyler goes into the dining hall, stands up and says, ‘Hey, does anyone want free food?’” Mark joked.

Once a friend, or even a friend of a friend, joins the Edwards tailgate, he or she is invited back for good.

Even opposing teams’ fans are invited into this Hokie huddle. Clemson fans, met while hanging out in Blacksburg Friday night, were invited. Texas A&M and Nebraska fans, when the vaunted Aggies and Cornhuskers traveled to Blacksburg, were outstanding people to get to know, Mark said.

“At the end of the day, it’s just a football game. You’ve got to have fun. It’s all about enjoying the time here,” Edwards said.

But football is still the reason for the party, and these are hardcore football fans.

With kickoff nearing, Mark puts on his lucky

No. 50 Hokie jersey, a jersey old enough to have a Big East logo on it. Will recalls that it hasn’t always been so lucky, mentioning a Mi-ami game in 2005 and the 2010 James Madison game as blemishes on the power of the jersey.

And on this cold, rainy Saturday night, be-fore a crowd of 70,000 and a national audience via ESPN, the lucky jersey proved powerless before the might of a Clemson team destined to be ranked in the Top 10 and set on making the Hokies’ tailgate parties the highlight of the home fans’ day.

Sunday would find the Edwards family saying their goodbyes, packing up the Yukon and heading back to Smithfield, mourning the Hokies’ first loss of the season. But there would be other Saturdays, and, as the University of Miami would learn the following week, there’s still a bit of luck left in Mark’s old jersey. ←

TAILGATING continued from page 35

Every tailgate party the Edwards family hosts in Blacksburg is part family reunion and part cross-generational celebration. Lina Edwards and her husband meet daughter, Carly, a senior at Tech and a graduate of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, for every game. Carly and her brother, Tyler, a freshman at VPI, bring along or invite dozens of friends to each tailgate, so the parties have grown through the years. Joe Barlow, left, and Zach Daly, right, joined them at a recent game.


taiLgating at Va. tECh1) Name: Mark and Lina Edwards2) Alma mater and graduating class: Virginia Tech, Class of ‘843) Years holding season tickets: 18 years4) Years tailgating: Since Freshman Year — 1980 (31 years)5) Farthest traveled for a tailgate party: Miami & New Orleans, (3 Orange Bowl games and 3 Sugar Bowl games)6) Favorite tailgating food: Depends on the game time, “B.S. Smithfield Pork Barbecue,” Hot sausage, Lina’s chili and nacho bar. For early games, Smithfield ham biscuits, eggs, bacon, sausage burritos, with Bloody Marys.7) Favorite tailgating beverage: Depends on the game, sometimes it’s ice-cold golden beverage and the “Hokie Hooch” mixed specialty. Other times it’s a variety of mixed beverages.8) Coldest tailgating experience: Had to be 1996, Saturday night game against East Carolina when the snow during the game turned to sleet; 30 degrees at kickoff, but with the wind chill the temp felt much colder. Tyler was 3, and my Dad went with us. Tech won 35-14. Now, we take multiple space heaters and enclose the tents for tailgates during cold weather games.9) Most important team to beat each season: Either Georgia Tech or Miami (whoever is contending for first place in the Coastal Division)10) Best advice to novice tailgaters: Always

prepare for more people than you are expecting. We prepare for 30 more than we expect, since we have two kids enrolled at Tech.11) Most important item of clothing at the tailgate party: For me, it’s one of Tech’s old, game-worn jerseys. Lina is the one that dresses for the fashion show. ANYTHING of orange and maroon clothing. 12) One thing you bring to every tailgate party: Bose Music & Sound System, with subwoofer.13) Your most famous tailgate guest: Gov. Bob McDonnell came by once.14) Best tailgating memory: That’s a hard one — too many great

memories. One recent rewarding memory is seeing these college seniors that are Carly’s friends continue to

return to our tailgates over other options. There are some who’ve been coming since freshmen

year. Now the legacy continues with our freshman son and his friends.

15) Ever missed the game because the tailgate party was so much fun?

NEVER. We have to be in our seat for “Enter Sandman,” anyway, the best entrance of a team onto a field in

college football.The only time my wife missed the

“game” was a recent Spring Game tailgate where my wife and friends stayed at the tailgate while I went in to see the Maroon team scrimmage

the White team in late April … I guess that doesn’t count,

though.

taiLgating at uVa1) Name: Billy Chorey 2) Alma mater and graduating class: UVA (Commerce 1973)3) Years holding season tickets: 204) Years tailgating: 425) Farthest traveled for a tailgate party (and why): Atlanta, GA for the annual “Bull Roast”, followed by the Georgia Tech game 6) Favorite tailgating food: Ham biscuits from the Virginia Diner7) Favorite tailgating beverage: Anything cold8) Coldest tailgating experience: November, 2008, 15 degrees and windy9) Most important team to beat each season: Virginia Tech10) Best advice to novice tailgaters: bring plenty to eat and drink 11) Most important item of clothing at the tailgate party: anything with orange and blue12) One thing you bring to every tailgate party: My camera13) Your most famous tailgate guest: Ryan Zimmerman, third-baseman for the Washington Nationals14) Best tailgating memory: Too hard to choose; any chance to be with friends and family is unforgettable15) Ever missed the game because the tailgate party was so much fun? Rarely

during a tailgate party at the University of Virginia prior to the game this year against southern Miss, friends, from left, dave Johnson, Chrissy Johnson, Jim Moore, Billy Chorey, Charlotte Pierce, Pat Coffield and Lynn Pierce gather for a bit of fun.

tailgaters' face-off

38 suffolk living

The only thing is, they usually keep it only about two months before throwing it away.

Helvestine and his wife, Sveta, run Santa’s Forest and Nursery on

Carolina Road. They spend most of their free time throughout the year caring for thou-sands of pine, spruce, fir and cypress trees that will eventually be chopped down, loaded onto vehicles, carried into homes around the area, mounted on stands, strung with lights, hung

with ornaments and surrounded by presents.

But Helvestine doesn’t mind that his life’s work eventually gets un-decorated and tossed to the curb.

keeper of the trees

Mike helvestine loves to see his artwork gracing the living rooms and dens of suffolk residents.

See TREES page 39

suffolk couple’s nursery stocks Christmas cheer

story by Tracy Agnewphotography by Troy Cooper

suffolk living 39

“It’s a labor of love,” he said. “I want everybody to enjoy it. I enjoy seeing people happy.”

The business, which he and his late wife Kathy started in 1999, began as a way to do something unique and fun with his 12 acres of land.

“I wanted to find something to do that nobody else was doing,” he said. “I decided, I’ve got all this land, let me do something with it besides cut the grass.”

Not knowing what he was getting into, Mike sowed the seeds of what is now the only Christmas tree farm in Suffolk. Allowing for growing time, both for the trees and his tree-raising knowledge, it was six years before he could gather his first harvest.

“Everything is trial and error — more error than anything,” he said. “I will do something, and then I figure out what I did wrong.”

The trees cost about a dollar to get started. They are grown in the on-site greenhouse

from seeds. Tiny seedlings are trans-ferred to larger pots, and those in the larger pots go out into the field in the spring, about a year after first sprouting.

From there, it’s all a waiting game. But there’s plenty to do in the meantime.

Mike figures he spends about 30 hours a week on the farm, not to

mention the hours Sveta works in the greenhouse. There’s grass to cut, trees to shape, ground to fertilize, bad bugs to kill, good bugs to encourage and all man-

‘I wanted to find something to do that nobody else was doing. I decided, I’ve got all

this land, let me do something with it besides cut the grass.’

Mike helVeStine — tree farMer

TREES continued from page 38

See TREES page 40

40 suffolk living

ner of other chores — and they never end.

“You cut the grass and look be-hind you and the grass is already grown,” he said.

Many insects can be detrimen-tal to the trees, but Mike does his best to encourage their natural deterrents — ladybugs and pray-ing mantises. If he spots a praying mantis nest in a tree he’s about to sell, he carefully picks it off and attaches it to a younger tree still in the field.

“All the praying mantises I can get, I’ll take them in a minute.”

As with any type of agriculture, the weather is always an issue for Christmas tree farms. It’s either too hot, too wet or too dry.

“It seems like maybe one out of every six years cooperates,” Mike said.

But it’s all worth it when Black Friday rolls around every year. That’s when the ordinary tree farm turns into Santa’s Forest, where magical things happen.

Mike recalled one time when a boy insisted on cutting down his own tree with a toy saw. His parents chose one that was already cut, and Mike slowly let the tree down by its string as the boy sawed away.

The farm is open Black Friday and every Saturday and Sunday af-ter that until Christmas. The farm is packed every day it’s open, Mike said, even the weekend before Christmas.

“People want to get back in tra-dition,” he said. “They want to get out with the family and have fam-ily time. That’s what they enjoy.”

All the hard work, lost trees and disappointing weather melt away when Mike sees a family having a good time, he said. That’s why he gives out free hot chocolate, candy canes and coloring books to tree shoppers.

“To see somebody smiling and having a really good time here, that’s why I do it,” he said. ←

Sveta Helvestine nurtures the Christmas trees from seedlings in an on-site greenhouse at Santa's Forest and Nursery until they are ready to be planted in the field.

TREES continued from page 39

suffolk living 41

Experience the Duke difference.

Lydia Duke, President

dukeauto.comMain Street Suffolk 1-800-733-9325

42 suffolk living

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night riderstens of thousands of people attended the 34th

annual suffolk Peanut Festival in october. Behind all of the hustle and bustle, there was a festival of lights that few would have noticed. A camera, tripod and slow shutter speeds helped capture the scene.

photography by R.E. Spears III

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the midway at suffolk’s Peanut Festival is always a place of frenetic energy, punctuated by the beat of the music that pulses from each of the rides. But at night the excitement increases, and the eye struggles to remain on one thing for long, moving from one diversion to the next. When things get slowed down, though, there are Christmas trees, UFos and all manner of other spectacles to be found.

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index ofadvertisers18th century merchant........8

anne of smithfield............13

atlantic urogynecology.....10

array 700.............................8

autumn care.....................27

charter communications..20

chorey & associates..........48

D.B. Bowles Jewelers........12

Denison’s.....................29

Duke automotive.........12, 41

east end Baptist church....14

edward Jones...................14

ellen Drames.......................2

franklin Biz incubator........13

harbour veterinary office..13

holland's /mosiac..............10

holiday inn express...........41

isle of wight academy.......14

mike Duman......................27

nancy’s calico patch..........16

nansemond suffolkacademy...........................11

peanut patch....................46

Rawlings mechanical.........16

Rl howell & associates....16

sentara healthcare..............3

smithfield & isle of wight..19

state farm insurance -ken Deloach.....................29

suffolk insurance...............15

suffolk Quality cleaners....16

suffolk public schools........15

suffolk sheet metal.............9

village at woods edge.......4

virginia soaps & scents.....11

Zuni peanuts......................14

Last edition’sWhere Am I?Either the fall edition’s

Where Am I? contest was one of the tougher ones, or most folks just haven’t driven through downtown Holland. We’re assuming the former must be true, since Holland is one of the places that make Suffolk unique in Hampton Roads. If you didn’t recognize Holland’s old bank/drug store building in the contest photo, you should hop in the car and cruise over to the little village for a look at some of the old architecture. Along the way, you’ll see some of Suffolk’s most fertile farmland. Our winner was Dawn Evans, who recognized the buildings’ entry right away, and had her name chosen randomly from among the correct guesses. We’ll be sending her a $25 gift certificate to the advertiser of her choice. Look on page 33 of this edition for a new photo and instructions on how to enter.

In each edition the Suffolk Living staff provides a challenge of sorts, testing how much of Suffolk you really know.

We photograph some location in Suffolk that is readily accessible and open to the public, and see if you can tell us where it is.




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sChooL FAIr: Members of the Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society believe this to be a photo of the Box Elder School Exhibit at a school fair held for schools in the city of Suffolk and Nansemond County,

possibly in November 1911. The fairs encouraged and rewarded performing a useful task well, providing recognition for, among other things: Best Apron, Best Pound Cake, Best Yield for 1 Acre of Cotton (by October 20), Best Yield of Soya Beans, Best Glass of Apple Jelly, Best Machine Made Shirt Waist, Best

Reed Basket, Best Doll House and Best Relief Map of North America.— Photo CouRtEsy of thE suffolk-NANsEmoNd histoRiCAl soCiEty

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Documents

Suffolk Living Nov. - Dec. 2011 edition