Amalthea Ridge Homestead in Great Falls, VA

I'm very excited to announce that Amalthea Ridge Homestead will be releasing a new line of bath and body products. The release of the new goat milk soaps and lotions is their very first of the season!  All of the creations are hand crafted on the homestead using fresh goat milk that is produced by Amalthea Ridge goats.

Amalthea Ridge is owned and operated by my good friend Sarah. This was a great year for Amalthea Ridge Homestead with their first kid being born in April and it looks like next year we will see several new additions to the Homestead. Check back next year for photos of new kids and exciting new goat milk soaps and lotions!

Riverbend Park in Great Falls, VA!

Riverbend Park in Great Falls, VA located in Fairfax County lies just above Great Falls National Park. In fact you can walk from Riverbend Park all the way to Great Falls National Park via the Potomac National Heritage Trail along the Potomac River. Unlike Great Falls where you pay a park fee Riverbend is a free regional park and open from dawn till dusk with gates closing promptly at 8:30 p.m. Riverbend Park is located off of Georgetown Pike in Great Falls, Virginia. You follow Riverbend Road through magnificent neighborhoods filled with custom Estate homes and single family homes on large wooded lots. Regional Park signs will navigate you towards the park.

The Nature Center is a neat place for the kids to see local wildlife like snakes, skinks and frogs. For the adults and older kids there is historical information about the people that once inhabited the area before the settlers took over. The Nature Center has a small snack bar, ice cream and gift shop. Outside the nature center they have an observation deck with Adirondack chairs and tables to sit and watch the river. Public restrooms and water fountains are available just outside the nature center. A small frog pond is located below the nature center and at this time of year it allows visitors to check out the newly hatched tadpoles that will eventually turned into frogs.

 Once you have finished exploring the nature center you can head out on the trails. Riverbend park has 2.5 miles of Potomac Heritage Trail along the Potomac River which if you head south will take you directly into Great Falls Park. The trails are great for walkers/joggers but strollers and bikes would have a hard time getting through. More trails are available through the upland forests and a few are challenging. If you enjoy geo-caching this park has plenty hidden for you to find. A picnic area is also available right next to the river and offers grills to cook out. This upper portion of the Potomac River is a good place to drop in a kayak or canoe and a launching area is available.

The kids and I love this park! The trails offer plenty of shade and we always see lots of wildlife on our walks. Walking along the river is a great way to get away and is a very convienent location to Northern Virginian residents.

Next Stop....Lyndora Park in Ashburn, VA!

Amalthea Ridge Homestead in Great Falls, VA!

Northern Virginia is filled with local homestead owners. My good friend Sarah is one of them! She lives in Great Falls, Virginia and owns and operates Amalthea Ridge Homestead. Growing up in Ohio she was always surrounded by farm culture. She is an awesome cook and very creative in the kitchen. Fresh eggs and milk on site were the goal last spring and her first purchase included chickens and turkeys.  Five months later eggs were laid, now she has plenty of eggs for cooking and baking. The ambitious person that she is she decided to purchase two female Alpine goats for the purpose of producing goat cheeses and yogurt. Her daughter Stella named the goats "Babe" and "Baby" (her favorite movie is Babe the pig hence the names). I didn't know this tidbit of information but apparently you need a female goat to have kids to start the milking process. After having both females bred 5 months later she has her first buck born on 4/6/2011 at 11:00 p.m. weighing in at 12 lbs. Meet "Penske"!

"Penske"

Proud Mama-"Babe"

If you ever run into Sarah you'll have to ask her how "Penske" got his name. I promise you it's a very funny story. In about two weeks she'll be able to start milking "Babe" for extra milk and start creating different types of goat cheeses and yogurts. In the future she hopes to start a Goat Share Program where people will purchase a share of the goat. In return they will receive fresh goat milk. The money paid will support the  feeding and maintaining of each goat.

UPDATE!!! Now Amalthea Ridge Homestead offers bath and beauty products made from goats milk including lotions and soaps! Check out their product you won't be disappointed!

Great Falls Grange Park

The past few days have been awesome! The weather gave us a nice break from the wicked winter temperatures. My boys couldn't wait to get out and go to the local parks. One park that never lets us down is located just inside Great Falls Village,  Great Falls Grange Park.

The park has a large piece of equipment for older kids along with a smaller set for the little ones. THe park also has a merry-go-round, regular and toddler swings. This park has plenty of shade and benches to bring a picnic lunch. It also has a baseball field and plenty of room for soccer. During the weekends, the historic Grange building can be rented out for wedding receptions and banquets. If you're a history buff check out this link to their site, Great Falls Grange.