ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VA (RealVirginia) — In Virginia, spring is bringing more than warmer weather.
Two family farms are turning fields of tulips into seasonal destinations, drawing visitors from across the region and creating a new way to connect agriculture with the community.
At Chiles Peach Orchard in Albemarle County, Henry Chiles and his sister, Ally Whitmer, are carrying on a family farming legacy that spans more than 100 years.
Just over the Blue Ridge Mountains in Augusta County, thousands of tulips are also helping continue the legacy of Bill Patterson’s family operation, Endless View Farms.
Their biggest weekend is expected to draw more than 1,500 visitors, all coming out to see the tulips in full bloom.
Both families say much of the work for this year’s festival began last fall, long before the first flowers opened in the spring.
As we continue our Countdown to Convention presented by Culver’s, we meet some of the people who help bring the event to life.
October 28, 2025 12:14 PM
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Jacob Wheeler and Dustin Connell of Team O’Reilly Auto Parts capped off an unforgettable week on the Alabama pro’s home waters with a dominant performance on Monday, cruising to a win at the Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches on Logan Martin Lake.
October 28, 2025 10:49 AM
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Team Knighten Industries – Alton Jones Jr. and Jake Lawrence – dominated from start to finish to win Knockout Match 2 and advance to the Championship Round at the Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches.
October 27, 2025 10:23 AM
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Team Ferguson’s Takahiro Omori and Dean Rojas, who surged from below the cut line with a late third-period flurry to win Knockout Round Match 1 of the Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches.
October 26, 2025 10:35 AM
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Team Knighten Industries’ Jake Lawrence and Alton Jones Jr. lived up to their billing as one of the most dialed-in duos in the game on Friday, during Elimination Match 3 of the Patriot Cup.
October 25, 2025 02:50 PM
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For aging operators and their rural neighbors, staying socially engaged is a practical strategy to preserve decision-making capacity and farm vitality.
October 24, 2025 01:37 PM
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