Grayson County Tourism invites you to “choose your own adventure” this fall with a self-guided tour that extends from Matthews Living History Farm on the eastern side of the county to the Whitetop Station on the western end.
The 3rd Annual Ag & Art Adventure is set for Sept. 7-8.
Since the tour or farms and art studios extends approximately 75 miles, visitors are encouraged to pick and choose the stops they would be most interested in visiting, as it would be difficult to manage every one of the 16 stops in one day, said Grayson Tourism Director Tracy Cornett.
Farm and studio tours will be conducted Sept. 7 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
This year, two curated bus tours of the route, guided by members of the Grayson County Historical Society, will be offered on a ticketed basis. The ticket will include a light breakfast and lunch, and the bus will stop at select farms and studios along the route.
Reservation details will be announced later this summer.
Baywood Community
Just outside of Galax, in the Baywood community, there are four stops.
Kurt Card at Drac Studio will be demonstrating pottery techniques on one of the area’s only fire kilns. Stop by to see his one-of-a-kind pottery, jewelry, stained glass and ceramics at his own studio on Delhart Road.
Matthews Living History Farm Museum will be hosting Heritage Day and Stories of the Stitch. Enjoy farm demonstrations, animals, gardens, vendors, music, and beautiful handmade quilts with the stories behind them.
Every year, an artist is selected to be honored for continuing contributions in preserving Appalachian arts. This year’s honoree, John Alexander, and his family use centuries-old methods to create useful brooms and Appalachian toys. He will be at Matthews Farm demonstrating his craft on Sept. 7 and at the Historic 1908 Courthouse in Independence on Sept. 8.
Also, in the Baywood Community, visit the Permaculture Garden at the Church of the Good Shepherd to learn about this sustainable and regenerative way to grow food and ornamentals. The garden should be in full bloom this time of year.
Finally, stop by Cresthaven Farms, a family-owned and operated dairy farm. Learn about this Century Farm’s milking process, pet some animals, and enjoy story time for the kids (times to be announced).
Independence Artists
Several farms and artists are centered in and around Independence. Many artists will be set up at the Historic 1908 Courthouse.
Laura Bryant will be selling her quilts and wall hangings for the third year, with all proceeds being donated to the 1908 Foundation for the upkeep of the historic building.
Also for the third year, Louise Rascoe of Covered Bridge Glass will have her shadow box art depicting scenes using rocks collected from the New River and Grayson County creeks.
Gourd artist Anita Simpson, also returning for a third year, creates bird houses, decorates gourds and sells goods from her farm.
Several new artists will be located at the 1908 Courthouse, including painter Avery Lindsey, who specializes in outdoor florals and landscapes using oil, acrylics and watercolors. She has won several ribbons at the Grayson County Ag Fair.
Also new to the tour this year is Vanessa Hollyfield, an artist creating contemporary glass works including stained and fused glass. She has created windows for churches and will commission pieces for individuals.
Photographer Sue Neugent of Already Snapped specializes in Grayson County photos, including note cards, canvas prints and black-and-white framed prints.
Joyce and Richard Rouse will be on hand to sign copies of Joyce’s CDs and Richard’s new book.
You also can enjoy quality handmade knives by David Walton. These are not only beautiful works of art, but also useful tools.
Also back for a third year, Kathye Mendes’ art includes local elements, such as Galax leaves and scenes of the New River. She will be demonstrating at the Independence Art Gallery, and other artists’ work will be available for purchase there, as well.
Independence Farms
Several farms will be hosting tours near Independence.
Rosemary Cornett and family will be conducting tours of Rolling Acres Farm just north of Independence. Hopefully, there will be some baby lambs just born and Rosemary will need some help feeding them. Her beautiful agrarian photography will be on display, as well as John Taylor’s hand-carved woodwork.
Another farm just outside of town is River Ridge. Weather permitting, they will host berry picking by the scenic New River. Raspberries will be in season.
Osborne’s Farm and Nursery will have lots of fall flowers, pumpkins and gourds for autumn decorations. They also have kids’ agricultural activities and photo backgrounds on-site.
One of the most popular farms for tourists in Grayson County is New River Highland Cattle Farm. Visitors come year-round to see the beautiful Scottish Highland cows and interact with them. Visitors here can pet the cows and have photos taken with them.
You can visit Rock Spring Farms for a pony ride. Most of the horses here have been rescued from kill pens. Talk to Becky about horseback riding lessons while you’re there.
Elk Creek
North of Independence on Highway 21, in the beautiful Elk Creek Valley, is Summerfield Farm. This is a cow/calf and sheep/lamb operation specializing in sustainable agricultural practices. On the informative tour, visitors are certain to learn something they didn’t know from John Fant. Summerfield is another of the Century Farms included in the tour.
Anne Rost, of Anne’s Mountain Quilting, invites visitors to her studio to see her quilt making in progress.
A final stop in Elk Creek is Stone Farm, where Dr. Robert Lazo and his wife Theresa will welcome visitors to tour this beautiful farm and see the art created by its owners, including paintings and glass art.
Grant Grange
A new stop on this year’s tour is The Grant Grange. With deep roots in American agriculture, the Grange is a perfect stop for the tour. Several artists will be set up throughout the day. Check the website for specific times demonstrations might occur.
Enjoy the spinning of Deb Clark and pick up a signed copy of her latest book. Check out the unique art of Terry Clark, a talented woodworker and has expanded into steampunk designs or fantasy-industrial pieces including lamps and other sculptures.
Vera Young, who was last year’s Appalachian Cultural Artist Honoree, will be set up this year with her quilts at the Grange.
Finally, enjoy the honeybee demonstration by Mickey Cunningham of Bear Tree Farm and participate in their interactive educational opportunities. Local honey will be for sale. Throughout the day, various fiber artists, knitters, weavers and more will be demonstrating their craft.
Rugby
Rugby Creek Animal Rescue was a popular stop last year. Ashley Smart welcomes visitors to interact with her rescue animals, including the famous Fabio, a wild pony who is living the easy life after many years of being the head of the herd in the Highlands.
Rugby Creek Rescue takes in all kinds of farm animals and dogs, as the need arises. They have the animals displayed for visitors to view.
Several artists will be set up at Rugby Creek, as well.
Kyle Yuditsky of Honeybird Hill will be there with his beautiful woodworking, including handmade earrings, furniture and custom signs. Pick out something he has already made or commission a new piece.
Elizabeth Wegmann has a huge social media presence, the Feral Ponies of Grayson County. She will be there with photos and products of many of the county’s wild ponies, as well as other scenes from the high country.
Robin Geisel of Highlands Laser will display her custom laser-engraved products using a variety of materials, from wood to glass to leather.
Julian Owen uses mostly reclaimed wood to create hand-tooled wooden boxes.
Music at the 1908 Courthouse
In an effort to include performing arts, this year’s tour will add a free gospel music concert and traditional music jam at the Historic 1908 Courthouse in Independence on Sept. 8, beginning at 1 p.m.
The courthouse will host an old-time Sunday Sing-n-Pic featuring Tim & Debby Yates and Family, along with Granny Turnmire & the Horse Creek Girls. The free concert, produced by Legends of Grayson, will close out the 2024 Grayson County Ag & Art Adventure.
Some artists and farms from the tour have chosen to set up on the grounds of the courthouse during the concert, as well. Food trucks will be on hand for lunch and snacks.
More Information
Admission to all exhibits is free, but art and farm products may be purchased. There will be no farm or studio tours on Sunday.
Grayson County thanked the tour’s sponsors: Skyline Bank, Ches Helmick of Edward Jones Investments, Grayson LandCare, River Ridge Farms, Summerfield Farms, Cresthaven Farms, Grayson County Farm Bureau, Morton Realty & Auction, Corner Market Café, Grayson Highlands General Store & Inn, Independence Gallery, Town of Independence, Grayson County Historical Society, Legends of Grayson and Virginia is for Lovers.
Questions about the tour should be directed to the Grayson County Tourism Department by calling 276-773-8002 or by emailing visit@graysoncountyva.gov. The website is currently being updated with 2024 details. Visit graysoncountyva.com/ag-art-adventure/.