Latest news with #Fredericksburg
New York Times
18 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
$2.6 Million Homes in Virginia, New York and Illinois
Rapidan, Va., | $2.6 million This property, known as Cedar Mountain Farm, includes a three-bedroom, two-bathroom farmhouse, a studio-style guest cottage with a bathroom and several barns, including one from the Sears catalog. Another barn that has been converted into a flexible space that has been used as a wedding venue. The nearest grocery store is in Culpeper, about a 10-minute drive, and Shenandoah National Park is less than an hour away. Fredericksburg and Charlottesville are both an hour away, and Richmond and Washington, D.C., are both within a two-hour drive. Size: 3,184 square feet Price per square foot: $817 Indoors: The main house, at the end of a long private road, has a wide porch with ceiling fans. Inside a tall foyer a staircase rises to the second floor. The living room, off the foyer, has hardwood floors, a wood-burning fireplace and windows overlooking the porch and grounds. Also off the foyer is a formal dining room, with built-in shelves and porch-and-side-facing windows. Behind the staircase is the kitchen, with stainless steel appliances including a double-door refrigerator and a range with a gas cooktop. Off the kitchen is a mudroom with storage space, along with a full bathroom. The landing at the top of the stairs, with a ceiling fan and a wide window, is used as a sitting area. The primary bedroom, off the landing, has its own fireplace, and the full bathroom on this level has a claw foot soaking tub and a separate shower. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Texan Trio Aims To Bring Regenerative Meats To American Dinner Tables
Katie Forrest, Taylor Collins, and Robby Sansom of Force of Nature. About an hour outside of Austin, near Fredericksburg, Texas, amidst Hill Country, three successful entrepreneurs have decided to invest in a new venture -- one that includes 900 acres of open lands, currently occupied by bison, turkeys, and pigs to name a few. Katie Forrest and Taylor Collins had started Epic Provisions over a decade ago after being endurance athletes who had shifted to a Paleo diet for nutrition. Robby Sansom, a close friend who was also interest in the food industry, had joined them as CFO and COO at Epic. The trio grew the company, and then sold it to General Mills for reportedly $100 million. While they continued to work with General Mills on how to grow Epic (and learn the pain points along the way), it was with that success -- and some of those earnings -- that they set their eyes on what would be next: building a go-to supply chain of pasture-raised and grass-fed meats. They'd already been immersed in the world of jerky and dried meats, and were working with regenerative ranchers like White Oak Pastures in Georgia. So the world of regenerative agriculture was not new. But instead of creating a snack, they wanted to create a one-stop shop for healthier, grass-fed, pasture-raised meats (such as beef, bison, elk, venison, boar, and chicken). Thus, their latest venture is Force of Nature. And their home office, you could say, is Roam Ranch, where not only do they look after a herd of bison but also host events, run workshops, welcome guests, and even live full-time. As Collins pulls out the golf cart from the driveway, he points out the soil difference between his neighbor's and his. He jokes, 'Ours is full of weeds, and we kinda prefer it that way.' When they bought the land, he said it was sandy, drought-ridden dirt. Today, it's buzzing with activity, even though they've been dealing with drought in the region, Forrest explains. This regeneration of soil is partly due to the bison. 'Bison are nature's iteration of the perfect soil builders,' Sansom says. Their hooves press on the soil, with all their weight, 3,000 pounds worth, he explains. That chips away at the soil crust and incorporates organic matter. Plus, as they roll on their backs, they spread seeds into the ground, further encouraging native grasses and flowers to grow. It's mid-March on the ranch. 'If you come back in a month, this is a jungle, a real food forest. The diversity, the pollinators, there is just so much going on,' says Collins. Plus, there will be baby bison roaming around, says Forrest. 'The majority of the herd is females, and we had a 100% pregnancy rate, which is really incredible. That's a demonstration of health and contextual appropriateness. But imagine this being 70% more animals in a couple of months.' Bison, in the States, have gone from being in the millions to then in periods of near extinction (in the 1800s) and now are seeing a revival thanks to conservation efforts. Yellowstone, which has the largest herd, at about 5,000 animals is perhaps the best demonstration of conservation at work. But at Roam Ranch, Forrest and Collins are tending to Texas, or Southern bison, which are more compact animals than their northern counterparts -- albeit from the same family. And they too have roamed these lands wild in the past, as did black bears, mountain lines, and black panthers says Collins. But most of those are now extinct, he adds. Roam Ranch is an example of one of the many ranches, the Force of Nature team works with to procure their meat. These range from Kansas to South Dakota to Nebraska and Montana. Most are family-owned and they're focused on regenerative grazing and using livestock as a way to revitalize soils and the land. Now they're also tackling America's most popular meat: poultry. 'We didn't use to eat a lot of chicken one generation ago. We eat now 350% more chicken than people would have eaten in the 40s and 50s. And if you go back, historically, there would not have been tribes of people nomadically roaming the grasslands following flocks of chicken,' Sansom says. So it's a challenging problem to solve. Can poultry be done at scale and regeneratively? Not yet, he says, but they're trying. Ultimately, it may also require people to curb their chicken addiction. Much of the problem lies in human's tendency to want to dominate nature. 'When we foce corn to grow, soy to grow, or in this case, force chickens to flourish in a places and in quantities that would be inconsistent with the evolutionary context, we're out of sync.' But Force of Nature wants to be that one-stop shop for regenerative meat -- and that would include poultry. Thus, the trio are tackling one of the most popular meat sources in America and finding ways to do it more regeneratively. 'We're trying to justify making these changes so that we can be the first domino that cracks the door for others to follow,' says Sansom. 'It's not us alone that is going to solve this problem. It has to be a community of growers, producers, brands, and even consumers to find the solutions.' The Cornish Cross chicken, he explains, was the winner in the late 1940s, which was bred to be raised indoors and grew fast. 99% of the chickens consumed today come from this one breed. Force of Nature is not selling this breed; but instead a slow-growing heritage breed, where the goal isn't to multiply them in size in 5 weeks indoors, but allow them to have a more nutritious diet and a life outdoors. And Sansom says clearly that while they're working towards a better poultry industry, they don't feel that 'a regenerative chicken exists at scale today -- yet.' That's because chickens need feed as their main source of food. And for every one acre of pasture-raised chickens, almost 40 acres of food crops are needed. So the answer is not so simple, given the demand for chicken in today's diet. While the Force of Nature believes deeply in regenerative, Sansom says they don't use any regenerative claims on their packaging. 'We work with ROC, Regenify, Savory Institute's Land to Market, and other certifications because the ranchers we source from use those certifications, but we ourselves do not make those claims at this time.' Instead, it's something they do on the backend -- and they welcome questions from customers. But at the moment, they argue that the costs involved with adding certifications on the product could increase the prices further, which they're not keen to do. Plus, it means juggling expectations of different parties. Grocery store buyers, for example, he explains, want price points that are affordable while hitting these values. For them, velocity is a key word: how many units can you sell in a particular category. Given that the trio have been working in the food industry for over 15 years now, they're well-versed in the needs of the different parties involved in retail and distribution. That's why their meats today are available through their website directly and in over 4,000 retailers. 'We had one of the largest health food retailers out here in 2016 to talk them about a regenerative approach to meats. These things take time as people begin to understand that importance of what we're doing. And we want it to be a relationship and a partnership, not transactional,' Sansom adds. Forrest, Collins, and Sansom have all seen the ups and downs of building new supply chains; the challenges are endless. That said, they're not giving up on a vision where Americans eat less, but higher quality meat -- a real shift from the commoditized, industrial approach that has dominated in recent decades.
Washington Post
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Takeaways from AP's report on Afghan refugees in Virginia
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — The Trump administration's suspension of the federal refugee program has upended the lives of many Afghans who worked with the United States during wartime. The upheaval is particularly poignant near Fredericksburg, Virginia, which boasts both strong ties to the military and to resettled Afghans, along with faith communities that serve both groups. The city and its surrounding counties are home to tens of thousands of veterans and active-duty personnel. Virginia also has resettled more Afghan refugees per capita than any other state.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Takeaways from AP's report on Afghan refugees in Virginia
The Trump administration's suspension of the federal refugee program has upended the lives of many Afghans who worked with the United States during wartime. The upheaval is particularly poignant near Fredericksburg, Virginia, which boasts both strong ties to the military and to resettled Afghans, along with faith communities that serve both groups. The city and its surrounding counties are home to tens of thousands of veterans and active-duty personnel. Virginia also has resettled more Afghan refugees per capita than any other state. Here are other takeaways from AP's reporting: Policy changes and uncertain futures Refugee resettlement work is in peril. As part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, his administration banned most incoming refugees in January and froze federal funds for the programs. Across the country, resettlement agencies have been forced to lay off staff or close their doors. Many U.S.-based Afghans are still waiting for family members to join them — hopes that appear on indefinite hold. A subset of Afghans already in the U.S. may soon face deportation as the Trump administration ends their temporary protected status. Kat Renfroe, the spouse of a retired Marine, supervises the Fredericksburg migration and refugee services office, part of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington. 'I think it's tough for military families, especially those who have served, to look back on 20 years and not feel as though there's some confusion and maybe even some anger about the situation,' Renfroe said. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced in April that it was ending its decades-old partnership with the federal government to resettle refugees. The move came after the Trump administration halted the program's federal funding, which the bishops' conference channels to local Catholic Charities. The Fredericksburg Catholic Charities office has continued aiding current clients and operating without layoffs thanks to its diocese's support and state funds. But it's unclear what the future of the local agency will be without federal funding or arriving refugees. A legacy of faith-based service Religious groups have long been at the heart of U.S. refugee resettlement work. Until the recent policy changes, seven out of the 10 national organizations that partnered with the U.S. government to resettle refugees were faith-based. They were aided by hundreds of local affiliates and religious congregations. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington has been working with refugees for 50 years, starting with Vietnamese people after the fall of Saigon. For the last 10 years, most of its clients have been Afghans, with an influx arriving in 2021 after the Taliban returned to power. Area faith groups have been key to helping Afghan newcomers get on their feet. Volunteers from local congregations furnish homes, provide meals and drive families to appointments. 'As a church, we care deeply. As Christians, we care deeply,' said Joi Rogers, who led the Afghan ministry at her Southern Baptist church. 'As military, we also just have an obligation to them as people that committed to helping the U.S. in our mission over there.' Rogers' husband, Jake, a former Marine, is a pastor at Pillar, a network of 16 Southern Baptist churches that minister to military members. Their flagship location is near Quantico, the Marine base in northern Virginia, where nearly 5,000 Afghans were evacuated to after the fall of Kabul. With Southern Baptist relief funds, Pillar Church hired Joi Rogers to work part time as a volunteer coordinator in the base's makeshift refugee camp in 2021. Her position was under the auspices of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which the government contracted to help run the camp. Christians called to care for refugees, politics aside Veterans and members of the military tend to vote Republican. Most Southern Baptists are among Trump's staunch white evangelical supporters. For those reasons, Pillar founding pastor Colby Garman knows it may be surprising to some that his church network has been steadfast in supporting refugees. 'I totally understand that is the case, but I think that is a bias of just not knowing who we are and what we do,' Garman said after a recent Sunday service. Jake Rogers said, 'We recognize that there are really faithful Christians that could lie on either side of the issue of refugee policy.' 'Regardless of your view on what our national stance should be on this,' he said, 'we as Christ followers should have a heart for these people that reflects God's heart for these people.' The last Afghan to arrive Suraya Qaderi was the last client to arrive at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington before the U.S. government suspended new arrivals. She was in Qatar waiting to be cleared for a flight to the United States when the Trump administration started canceling approved travel plans for refugees. 'I was one of the lucky last few,' Qaderi said. She arrived in Virginia on Jan. 24, the day the administration sent stop-work orders to resettlement agencies. Qaderi worked for the election commission in Afghanistan, and she received a special immigrant visa for her close ties to the U.S. government. She was a child when her father disappeared under the previous Taliban regime. The return of the Taliban government was like 'the end of the world,' she said. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Associated Press
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Takeaways from AP's report on Afghan refugees in Virginia
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) — The Trump administration's suspension of the federal refugee program has upended the lives of many Afghans who worked with the United States during wartime. The upheaval is particularly poignant near Fredericksburg, Virginia, which boasts both strong ties to the military and to resettled Afghans, along with faith communities that serve both groups. The city and its surrounding counties are home to tens of thousands of veterans and active-duty personnel. Virginia also has resettled more Afghan refugees per capita than any other state. Here are other takeaways from AP's reporting: Policy changes and uncertain futures Refugee resettlement work is in peril. As part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, his administration banned most incoming refugees in January and froze federal funds for the programs. Across the country, resettlement agencies have been forced to lay off staff or close their doors. Many U.S.-based Afghans are still waiting for family members to join them — hopes that appear on indefinite hold. A subset of Afghans already in the U.S. may soon face deportation as the Trump administration ends their temporary protected status. Kat Renfroe, the spouse of a retired Marine, supervises the Fredericksburg migration and refugee services office, part of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington. 'I think it's tough for military families, especially those who have served, to look back on 20 years and not feel as though there's some confusion and maybe even some anger about the situation,' Renfroe said. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced in April that it was ending its decades-old partnership with the federal government to resettle refugees. The move came after the Trump administration halted the program's federal funding, which the bishops' conference channels to local Catholic Charities. The Fredericksburg Catholic Charities office has continued aiding current clients and operating without layoffs thanks to its diocese's support and state funds. But it's unclear what the future of the local agency will be without federal funding or arriving refugees. A legacy of faith-based service Religious groups have long been at the heart of U.S. refugee resettlement work. Until the recent policy changes, seven out of the 10 national organizations that partnered with the U.S. government to resettle refugees were faith-based. They were aided by hundreds of local affiliates and religious congregations. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington has been working with refugees for 50 years, starting with Vietnamese people after the fall of Saigon. For the last 10 years, most of its clients have been Afghans, with an influx arriving in 2021 after the Taliban returned to power. Area faith groups have been key to helping Afghan newcomers get on their feet. Volunteers from local congregations furnish homes, provide meals and drive families to appointments. 'As a church, we care deeply. As Christians, we care deeply,' said Joi Rogers, who led the Afghan ministry at her Southern Baptist church. 'As military, we also just have an obligation to them as people that committed to helping the U.S. in our mission over there.' Rogers' husband, Jake, a former Marine, is a pastor at Pillar, a network of 16 Southern Baptist churches that minister to military members. Their flagship location is near Quantico, the Marine base in northern Virginia, where nearly 5,000 Afghans were evacuated to after the fall of Kabul. With Southern Baptist relief funds, Pillar Church hired Joi Rogers to work part time as a volunteer coordinator in the base's makeshift refugee camp in 2021. Her position was under the auspices of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which the government contracted to help run the camp. Christians called to care for refugees, politics aside Veterans and members of the military tend to vote Republican. Most Southern Baptists are among Trump's staunch white evangelical supporters. For those reasons, Pillar founding pastor Colby Garman knows it may be surprising to some that his church network has been steadfast in supporting refugees. 'I totally understand that is the case, but I think that is a bias of just not knowing who we are and what we do,' Garman said after a recent Sunday service. Jake Rogers said, 'We recognize that there are really faithful Christians that could lie on either side of the issue of refugee policy.' 'Regardless of your view on what our national stance should be on this,' he said, 'we as Christ followers should have a heart for these people that reflects God's heart for these people.' The last Afghan to arrive Suraya Qaderi was the last client to arrive at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington before the U.S. government suspended new arrivals. She was in Qatar waiting to be cleared for a flight to the United States when the Trump administration started canceling approved travel plans for refugees. 'I was one of the lucky last few,' Qaderi said. She arrived in Virginia on Jan. 24, the day the administration sent stop-work orders to resettlement agencies. Qaderi worked for the election commission in Afghanistan, and she received a special immigrant visa for her close ties to the U.S. government. She was a child when her father disappeared under the previous Taliban regime. The return of the Taliban government was like 'the end of the world,' she said. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
