Sunday, May 31 | 10:00am

Farm and Barn History Hours

Join us for the opening of the barn at Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm on May 31 from 10 AM - 12 PM. This was the showpiece of the working farm known as River View Farm. It is also one of the reasons that River View Farm is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with the contributions of the Carr/Greer family to their community. Come and learn about the family, their work, and the historic equipment used on the farm.

Sunday, May 31 | 4:00pm

Historic River View Farm Tour

Want to learn more about Ivy Creek’s historic past? Register for this guided tour of the site! River View Farm, home to the Carr/Greer family for over 100 years, is a rare surviving example of the Union Ridge/Hydraulic Mills community of African American farmers, pastors, and craftspeople who inhabited the area beginning in the late 1800s. This tour will follow the lives of the family who built the farm, beginning with farmer Hugh Carr’s journey to build the farm after emancipation. Learn about lifelong educator Mary Carr Greer and her husband Conly Greer, Albemarle County’s first African American extension agent. See the 1880s farmhouse and 1930s dairy barn, recognized on the Virginia Landmark Registry of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the National Register of Historic Places, the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network, and the African American Civil Rights Network.

Register here.

Saturday, June 6 | 7:30am

First Saturday Bird Walk

On the first Saturday of each month, the Piedmont Virginia Bird Club offers a bird walk, led by a club member, at Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm. May's walk will be led by Callan Bentley and Myrlene Staten. Participants gather in the parking lot at 7:30am.

Birders of all levels are welcome. The club has binoculars which participants may borrow. This event is open to the public and no pre-registration is required.

Saturday, June 6 | 7:30am

Young Birder’s Club

The Young Birder’s Club, a part of the Piedmont Bird Club, is available for youth between the ages of 7-16 interested in exploring Virginia’s natural world, with a focus on birds. With leaders and mentors, they explore various natural world settings seeking bird sightings in order to discover how to identify birds through sight, sound, behaviors, and habitat. It is free of charge. A parent/grandparent/guardian must remain on site with the minors and are welcome to accompany the group.

The group meets the first Saturday each month in the ICNA parking lot at 7:30 AM, and the third Saturday each month at another birding hotspot. The birding activity takes approximately two hours. This program was recently approved for a $500 grant from the VSO (Virginia Society of Ornithologists) to support the program. These funds will be used to purchase new binoculars! Group mentors and leaders include include Reed Keller, a graduate from the original bird club, Tom Rapp, Louis Sokolow, Carol Wise, and Janet Paisley, members of the Piedmont Bird Club. In September, the group is hopes to offer an offsite visit to Afton Mountain to observe the hawk migration. Parents and guardians are responsible for transporting their child/children.

For more information, please contact Janet at paisley.janet@gmail.com.

Saturday, June 6 | 10:00am

Farm and Barn History Hours

Join us for the opening of the barn at Ivy Creek Natural Area and Historic River View Farm on June 6 from 10 AM - 12 PM. This was the showpiece of the working farm known as River View Farm. It is also one of the reasons that River View Farm is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with the contributions of the Carr/Greer family to their community. Come and learn about the family, their work, and the historic equipment used on the farm.