Ayrshire Farm

Turkeys are still available.  These scenes from the farm will put you in the mood for Thanksgiving…

This week, Ayrshire Farm, located in Upperville, Va., delivered 5,000 lbs of certified organic, certified humane, heritage breed turkeys to be used in the 4,500 Thanksgiving meals DC Central Kitchen will prepare and provide to area shelters, agencies and non-profits across the city.

The heritage breed turkeys, in addition to dozens of turkeys donated by United Praise Youth Choir, McKean Defense Group, Lockheed Martin, AMYX, Federal Schedules and City Year, will be accompanied by sides prepared by DCJCC’s Everything but the Turkey event.  In its 11^th year, DCJCC volunteers will prepare 9,500 servings of sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, coleslaw and harvest bean salad.  For dessert, 450 pies baked by volunteers from the Beauvoir School and Georgetown Day School will be served. 

Ayrshire Farm (21846 Trappe Road, Upperville, Va, 20184), will be open to the public for an old-fashioned apple festival and family day on the farm on Saturday, October 16 and Sunday, October 17. The farm will open from 10 – 4 each day, and there is no charge for admission.   All are welcome, but pets should be left at home and will not be admitted.

Ayrshire Farm is a certified organic, certified humane producer of heritage breed livestock, including Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs; Scottish Highland and White Park cattle; and Bourbon Red, Standard Bronze, and White Holland turkeys, many of which will be on display. Ayrshire Farm’s antique carriage collection will also be on display.  The famous Ayrshire Farm Shire horses will be providing the “horsepower” for a rare, antique stone cider press as well as pulling the wagons for hayrides around the farm. 

Children will find plenty to see and do, with a variety of children’s activities and games, including face painting, pumpkin and apple decorating. There will also be lots of baby farm animals to see.

Local apple growers will be on hand, offering tastings of apples, cider and selling their products.  An apple-baking contest will be held each day for the public. Entry categories are “Best Apple Pie”, “Best Apple Dessert”, “Best Apple Savory Dessert”, and “Most Creative Use of an Apple”.    To enter, email your name, address, telephone number, and email address along with your entry category to info@ayrshirefarm.com.  Prizes in each category will be awarded each day and entries must be on the judges’ table by noon each day of the festival.

“October is traditionally the month when farm communities come together to celebrate the harvest.  This is a great opportunity to show we are doing right here in Loudoun with certified organic, certified humane, local agriculture and our work for the preservation of traditional-breed livestock,” stated Sandy Lerner, owner of Ayrshire Farm. “We at Ayrshire Farm have been working for more than a decade to bring our farm and our community together in support of our local, family farms and to provide this community with more wholesome food, reduced food miles, and make our shared environment a healthier place to live and grow. 

Farm food will be available for sale and will include Sloppy Joes, pork BBQ and hot dogs — all featuring Ayrshire Farm’s organic, humanely raised meats and other produce.

Directions to Ayrshire Farm: Route 50 West to Middleburg, Virginia, continue on Route 50 for approximately 8 miles through the village of Upperville and turn right on Trappe Road (Rt. 619), drive 1.4 miles, parking entrance is on the right just past main drive.

Ayrshire Farm announced today that Mountain Gap Farm, a 350-acre farm located in Leesburg, has been placed into a protective conservation easement with Loudoun County.   Mountain Gap Farm serves as an extension of Ayrshire Farm, a certified organic and certified humane farm in Upperville, Virginia owned by Sandy Lerner.  “I am committed to ensuring that this historic, working farm remains a sustainable, working farm forever,” stated Lerner.

The property was purchased by Lerner in 2008 when she rescued it from development where it had been approved for a 68 lot subdivision. The farm is a historic property listed with the Virginia Department of Historic resources and dates back to 1741.  It contains a 19^th century historic archeological site with a standing 19^th century dwelling and six contributing ancillary structures that are potentially eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places due to information the site may contain about rural life in Loudoun County in the 19^th century.   The lack of modern alterations to the structure makes it an interesting specimen for showing the 19^th century evolution of amodest log and frame residence in Loudoun County.

Recognizing that the property had historically been used as a cattle operation, Lerner brought in some of her heritage-breed Scottish Highland and Ancient White Park cattle.  The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors worked in partnership with the landowner, Oatlands, Inc., and The Journey through Hallowed Ground to finalize the conservation easement.  “I strongly support what Sandy Lerner is doing.  She has proven herself a wonderful steward of the land and of Loudoun’s agricultural history,” stated Loudoun County Supervisor Jim Burton.

 Oatlands’ executive director, David Boyce, concurred, “We believe that Mountain Gap Farm is of significant historical value due to its close proximity to the Oatlands Historical District.   Saving this farm was critical to the history of the region.  I salute Sandy Lerner for her commitment to stewardship.”

Lerner was recognized last month by the Land Trust of Virginia for her conservation efforts in placing Ayrshire Farm’s 800 acres into easement, currently the largest single parcel under Land Trust of Virginia (LTV) easement.

Ayrshire Farm will be a participant of one of the region’s largest food and wine festivals on June 12 and 13.   The event takes place at on the waterfront at National Harbor and will feature artisanal and organic products, and boutique wines. There will be tastings, cooking demonstrations and educational seminars on culinary and wine trends, sustainability issues, and supporting local farmers and resources.  More than 100 exhibitors are expected and approximately 10,000 attendees over the two days.  Many are expected to get there by Alexandria’s water taxi.

 Ayrshire Farm will offer veal tastings and will have products for sale.  Veal at Ayrshire is organic and humanely raised and calves range freely at the farm.  In addition to veal, the farm produces pork, beef, chicken and is beginning to take orders for turkeys for Thanksgiving.  Ayrshire Farm was the first Virginia farm to be certified both organic and humane. 

 “We are looking forward to participating in the National Harbor Food & Wine Festival,” stated Susie Hass sales manager at Ayrshire Farm.  “As suppliers to some of the D.C. region’s top chefs, we want to educate the region on our excellent products and services.”

 In addition to providing organic and humanely raised meats and organic produce to regional restaurants, Ayrshire Farm also supplies product to its sister companies—Home Farm Store, in Middleburg, Va., Hunter’s Head Tavern in Upperville, Va., and Ayrshire Catering, which caters to events throughout Northern Virginia.

 The National Harbor Food & Wine Festival takes place from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 12 and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 13.  For more information, visit www.foodandwinenh.com.

Ayrshire Farm has named Sheree McDowell pastry chef for the farm,  its store (Home Farm) located in Middleburg, Va., and restaurant (Hunter’s Head Tavern) in Upperville.  Her duties will also include creating pastries and desserts for Ayrshire Catering.

 “We are excited to have Sheree join our culinary team,” stated Sandy Lerner, founder and proprietor of Ayrshire Farm and its sister operations.  “Her experience and talent will provide exceptional culinary delights for our customers.”

McDowell was the pastry chef at the Woodlands Resort & Inn in Summerville, SC, which is a Five Star/Five Diamond property.   She also served as pastry chef for Port Bakery in Kennebunkport, Me.

 McDowell began her career as assistant pastry chef at Porcini of Louisville, Ky. and became known for her expert creations of Italian desserts and pastries.   She also served as assistant innkeeper at The Columbine Bed and Breakfast of Louisville where she gained operational experience.

Following her work in Louisville, McDowell served as chef de partie for The Inn at Little Washington in Virginia where she had the fortune of creating a celebratory dessert for Julia Child on her 90^th birthday.

 McDowell graduated from Sullivan University in Louisville, Ky. with honors and received a degree in baking and pastry arts.    She is a resident of Middleburg, Va.