Recipes

RecipesBrandi Delancey2024-11-19T10:19:01-05:00

Farmer Andrew’s Kale Salad

Sarah Uhrig2023-12-15T13:14:43-05:00From the Farmer, Kale, Recipes, Recipes By Ingredient|

Shakshuka, Potato Galette, & Seared Summer Vegetables

Gabriel Concordia2022-08-26T12:33:34-04:00From the Farmer, Potato, Recipes, Simmered, Summer, Tomato|

Swiss Chard Dolmas

Gabriel Concordia2022-06-09T12:28:09-04:00Chard, Recipes, Recipes By Ingredient, Simmered|

Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds

Gabriel Concordia2022-05-11T17:03:51-04:00Recipes By Ingredient, Spinach|

willowsfordconservancyandfarm

willowsfordconservancyandfarm

Jul 28

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Jul 22

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Meet the Monarchs

Our Land Stewardship interns have been caring for a tiny army of monarch caterpillars, watching them grow from tiny eaters into beautiful green chrysalises.

To keep them healthy, our interns collected fresh milkweed two to three times a day. Milkweed is the only plant monarch caterpillars eat, making it essential to their survival and one of the best native plants you can add to your landscape to support monarchs and other pollinators.

Now safely tucked inside their chrysalises, they're undergoing one of nature's most remarkable transformations. We can't wait to watch these monarchs emerge as butterflies and take their first flights.

Join us at our Pollination Celebration this Saturday, July 25th, for a chance to see them up close and learn more about the vital role pollinators play in our ecosystem!

Jul 21

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Hear what the buzz is all about!

Join us for our Pollination Celebration THIS Saturday, July 25th, from 9 AM–1 PM at the Willowsford Farm Stand

Come spend the morning with us and enjoy wagon rides, crafts, fresh produce, native plant sales, and local vendors. There will be plenty of fun for the whole family as we celebrate pollinators and our community.

Best of all, it's FREE and open to everyone!

Bring your friends, bring the family, and come spend the morning with us. We hope to see you there!

Jul 20

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Recently, Blake, Kasey, and Sabrina completed Project Learning Tree professional development, sponsored by the Virginia Department of Forestry. The training focused on creating engaging outdoor educational experiences for students in kindergarten through 8th grade with hands-on activities that encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and environmental stewardship.

As we continue growing our education offerings, we're excited to put these ideas into practice and help more students discover the wildlife, habitats, and working landscapes that make Willowsford so special.

Are there any programs or topics you’d like to see us offer? We’d love to hear your ideas!

Jul 16

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It is week 9 of the Summer CSA Season and it is an A week! Farmer Charlotte is here to tell everyone what you are going to find in your Farmer’s Choice box. She even tells us a nice cooking idea for the cabbage🥬 Come out to the Boat House tonight from 4-6pm or the Pollination Celebration on Saturday from 9am-1pm!!🦋🌸🌻

Jul 15

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Farmer Emma and Alyssa got the chance to travel down to Kinloch Farm this past Saturday to learn more about the history of Kinloch and see the products they offer in their farm store! We are super excited to have Kinloch at the Pollinator Celebration this Saturday! You can find their beef sticks and beef bundles at the farm stands🥩

Jul 9

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It is Week 8 of our Summer CSA season! This is what you can find in your Farmer’s Choice box this week. We hope you enjoy ☀️ Come and see us at the Boat House tonight from 4-6pm and the Farm Stand from 9am-1pm on Saturday!!

Jul 7

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Our summer crops are coming in hot!

We have cherry tomatoes, okra, cucumber, zucchini, and peppers growing on the farm right now! 🍅🫑🥒

What are your favorite summer veggies?

Jul 6

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Today's hungry garden helper. 🐛

We spotted this yellow woolly bear caterpillar enjoying a snack among the native plants from our nursery. Native plants provide food and habitat for countless insects throughout every stage of their lives, including hungry caterpillars like this one.

This little visitor has since gone home with one of our team members to continue its journey toward becoming a tiger moth.

Jul 1

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Caught on our trail cam: a pair of Barred Owls making their rounds through the woods. These striking birds are year-round residents in Virginia and are often heard before they're seen, famous for their call that sounds like, "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?"

Jun 30

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Farm fields to community kitchens! Through our Harvest for Good partnership with Anna Sudha Community Kitchens, fresh produce from Willowsford Farm helps provide meals for individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Loudoun County. Here, our first donation of farm-grown turnips is being prepared and transformed into community meals.

Jun 25

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It is the 7th week of CSAs and it is an A week! ☀️ Come out to the Boat House tonight from 4-7pm for Community Night. We will have Willowsford Honey and cherry tomatoes at the Farm Stand. See you there!

Jun 24

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Have you ever wondered how scientists learn where birds travel, how long they live, or how populations change over time? Bird banding helps answer those questions. Recently, one of our Rangers volunteered with the Clifton Institute to learn more about this important research technique and assist with bird monitoring efforts. #BirdBanding #CedarWaxwing

Jun 23

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Jun 17

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Wait... that's a Red-winged Blackbird?

While the males steal the spotlight with their black feathers and bright red shoulder patches, female Red-winged Blackbirds look completely different. Their streaked brown plumage helps them disappear into meadow grasses and wetland vegetation, where they spend much of their time nesting and foraging.

The contrast between males and females is a great example of sexual dimorphism in birds. This female was photographed beside Willow Lake in The Greens.

Jun 5

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A duckling at Willow Lake was recently found with a fishing hook lodged in his neck. It received care and was safely released back to its family.

Fishing line and hooks don’t disappear once they’re left behind. Monofilament line can persist in waterways for years, where it can entangle wildlife and cause lasting harm.

To help reduce these risks, fishing line and tackle disposal stations are available at Cedar Pond Pavilion, with additional stations coming soon to Willow Lake and Poplar Pond.

Please help us keep our waterways safe:
🎣 Use fishing line disposal stations when available
🎣 Retrieve snagged line and hooks from vegetation when it is safe to do so
🎣 Recycle old line through bait shops or designated drop-offs
🎣 Cut discarded line into smaller pieces if disposal is necessary
🎣 Keep disposal stations free of trash so they remain usable for fishing gear.

Read the full story in our latest field note

Jun 4

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Thank you for your patience! We are super excited to have our Farmer's Choice boxes starting this week. It's week 4 for the 2026 Summer CSA! Farmer Paul goes through to show what will be in the box and Farmer Charlotte tells us what she would cook using these different foods. We hope to see you at the Boat House tonight from 4pm-6pm or the Farm Stand on Saturday from 9am-1pm.

#agriculture #shoplocal #loudouncounty

May 22

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Current local celebrity: the Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) 🦎

Fast? Yes. Tiny dinosaur energy? Absolutely. These native lizards spend their days hunting insects and other small critters, making them a pretty helpful neighbor to have around.

May 19

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Farm stand season is officially back!

We kicked things off with two opening celebrations last week, and it felt great to welcome everyone back to the farm stands.

Thursday evening at the Boathouse was lively despite the chilly weather, and Saturday was a gorgeous day to be outdoors. Both days were filled with live music, great food and drinks, kids’ activities, and time for neighbors to connect with volunteers, farmers, and local partners.

We saw kids learning about termites at the activity table, meeting a few of our chickens with Farmer Paul, and plenty of great conversations throughout the stands.

Thank you to everyone who came out and helped make the start of the season feel special.

Farm stand season is now in full swing:

Thursdays at the Boathouse Farm Stand | 4–6 PM
Saturdays at the Grange Farm Stand | 9 AM–1 PM

We hope to see you this season.

May 6

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A red-bellied Woodpecker emerging from its nest at Cedar Pond.

Woodpeckers don’t build nests with twigs. They carve cavities directly into trees, creating a protected chamber for eggs and young.

Once abandoned, these holes can often become homes for other wildlife.