About Cedarmere
Bob & Christa
We met at UVA, moved to Washington, D.C., to build our careers, then moved to Arlington, VA, to raise our family. As soon as our oldest child was accepted by UVA, we bought Cedarmere. Patiently designed, Cedarmere offers beautiful mountain views, well-maintained large paddocks with run-in sheds, a large spring-fed pond for recreational activities, quiet gardens for meditation, and miles of wooded trails for hiking. What I love most about our farm is its wide open sky that displays a multitude of colors at dusk and dawn. We hope you will come for a visit.
Stewardship
Bob and I consider ourselves to be the latest lucky stewards of beautiful Cedarmere. Since coming to Cedarmere in 2010, we have been carefully enhancing the grounds for two- and four-legged creatures to call home, be it a quiet shaded tree for us to enjoy a good book or a quiet nectar garden for the local pollinators to flourish. We feel that it’s important to create a haven not only for us, but also for the wildlife that shares this beautiful space with us. Wild turkeys, ospreys, hawks, and herons, monarch butterflies and damselflies, and virtually every eastern songbird you can imagine, abound. One of the projects we are passionate about is providing a habitat for monarch butterflies as they complete their annual migration. With their brilliant orange-and-black wings, the monarch butterfly is one of the most iconic species in North America. For information on these fascinating and endangered beauties and to learn how to help them, visit US Forest Service, Monarch Watch, or National Wildlife Federation.
Visit our farm
Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Cedarmere is surrounded by the rolling hills and beautiful mountains of the Virginia Piedmont. Our 100+ acres of land include stunning mountain vistas, rolling pasture for our rescue horses, homestead, guest cottage, pond, organic flower gardens, turn-of-the-century barn, and peaceful hiking trails. Our close proximity to Charlottesville, Richmond, Lynchburg, and Washington, D.C. make Cedarmere an excellent and easily accessible venue. Clearly visible from Skyline Drive’s Loft Mountain Overlook, we are 30 minutes from the Rotunda of the University of Virginia and just 20 minutes from the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport.
Farmhouse & guest cottage
The original farmhouse was built in 1850 by the Gentry family and served as the U.S. Postal Office for the unincorporated town of Cedarmere from 1903 to 1935. Cedarmere today is part of the Free Union postal area. The town of Free Union is named for its still-standing Union Church. The farmhouse has been lovingly renovated to provide modern comfort while preserving the cozy feel of a farmhouse. This project took two years and was finally completed in 2019. The attention to detail and craftsmanship are evident in the final product.
The current guest cottage is another project of love. Built around the same time as the farmhouse, the cottage used to be where the family smoked their meats. The old smokehouse was significantly damaged through lack of general care. The restoration of the smokehouse took some time, but it was worth the effort. Like the farmhouse, the attention to detail and craftsmanship are evident in the final product.
Spring-fed pond
The very first improvement we made at Cedarmere was building our two-acre pond. Under the guidance of the Virginia Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, we stocked our pond with native fish. Over the years, we slowly and mindfully added trees and plants around the pond. The pond area is now a fun and relaxing “park” (as some of our friends refer to it) where we can relax, fish, practice yoga and meditation, and enjoy water activities.
Quiet gardens
Our gardens, thoughtfully appointed in harmony with the natural contour of our land, provide restful retreats where you can sit and enjoy the vast open vista of the gentle rolling hills and magnificent mountains that surround Cedarmere. Observe the day-to-day activities of the flutter-bys and experience visits from native songbirds. In these gardens you will also find the beautiful flowers, herbs, fruits, berries, and foliage that will adorn your special event as stunning and dynamic arrangements.
Barn & rescue horses
Our turn-of-the century horse barn has been updated to provide comfort to our rescue horses Kahn, Peaches, and Wee. On the top floor is a large space with exposed original beams and panels that preserve the simplicity of the original construction.
Wooded trails
Approximately half of Cedarmere’s acreage consists of wooded trails for quiet hikes and natural enjoyment. Our well-maintained trails provide beautiful vistas of the farm, pond, and surrounding valley.
