Have you ever dreamed of owning a hobby farm?

Virginia is for Horse Lovers! So where better to own a horse or hobby farm – especially one you can own for a 1,000-word essay and an entry fee of $200? The 35-acre Rock Spring Farm will be “sold” to an essayist who can convince a panel of judges he or she loves horses, alpacas, sheep, etc. and wants to live on a hobby farm in rural Essex County. The essay contest will end Oct. 1, 2015. All entries must be received by Oct. 17, 2015; the new owner will be announced on or before Nov. 26, 2015. 

To enter the Rock Spring Farm Essay Contest, participants must write an essay of no more than 1,000 words describing their desire to live in a rural area and own a hobby farm. The entry fee is $200. The owners, who for health reasons are retiring and downsizing, hope to receive at least 5,000 entries. Proceeds from the essay contest will pay off the existing mortgage, purchase a retirement home for the couple, and establish college funds for their grandchildren. 

The 35-acre farm has more than two miles of trails designed for carriage driving, horseback riding, and hiking. In addition to the main house (built in 1996), the farm consists of an income-producing, two-bedroom cottage (built in 2007), a late 1800s cook house, a five-stall barn, a carriage barn, a woodworking shop (built 2012) with central heating and air, a shed, a run-in, and an equipment barn. The farm has about 10 acres of open land, 25 acres of mature hardwood trees, excellent soil, and water to three of the four pastures.

The current owners will read each of the essays and select 25 finalists. A panel of educators, horse enthusiasts, and hobby farmers will select the winner. A trustee is handling the finances and coding the essays. 

To enter the contest, click here!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this essay contest for real? 

           

Yes. This essay contest is for real. The owners are retiring and downsizing because of health reasons. Since they are creative, “out-of-the-box” sort of people, they decided to sponsor an essay contest instead of using the more traditional method of contracting with a real estate firm.

Is it legal?

Essay contests are legal because they require skill – not luck or chance as with raffles and lotteries, and they are not pyramid schemes.  The entry fee of $200 is stated clearly.

How did the owners decide to sponsor an essay contest?

More than 20 years ago one of the owners heard news coverage about the essay contest Bil and Susie Mosca were holding to find a new owner for their beloved Center Lovell Inn in Maine.  She loved the idea!  Recently, she learned through the media that Janice Sage, the winner of that 1993 contest, is retiring and “selling” the Inn again via an essay contest. The second winner will be announced May 21. She and her husband discussed the idea and decided to sponsor a similar contest.

Why didn’t they list their property with a real estate agent?

Simply put, they want to fulfill someone’s dream. They love their farm and want to pass it along to someone who has a passion for country living, hobby farms and animals – horses, alpacas, sheep, etc. – as much as they do. This contest will enable someone, who otherwise might not be able to afford to do so, to own an incredible piece of property.

How do I know this isn’t a scam?           

      

The owners are aware that people often receive offers for deals that seem too good to be true; many times those deals are too good to be true. As with the Maine essay contests, the Rock Spring Farm Essay Contest is not a scam. The owners discussed the contest with state and local government officials, and the contest rules includes the tax map location of the property, which can be verified by the Essex County, Virginia, Commissioner of Revenue. 

How is this contest different from the ones in Maine?

The biggest difference is this contest is for a hobby farm, not a bed-and-breakfast. Therefore, the participants will not need those entrepreneurial skills. Instead, they will need to love their animals and possess the knowledge to care for the animals and the land. They will need to love country living since this will be their new home. They also will need to know how to manage the cottage as rental property, if they decide to lease it.

Other differences: The entry fee for the 1993 contest was $100 and the Moscas limited their contest to 5,000 entries.  Ms. Sage raised the entry fee to $125, set a goal of 7,500 entries, and decided not to limit the number of entries. Both contests set a word limit to 200. The owners of Rock Spring Farm raised the entry fee to $200, set a goal of 5,000 entries, and increased the word count to no more than 1,000. As did Ms. Sage, they decided not to limit the number of entries. (FYI—This FAQ is about 1,000 words.)

What happens if they don’t reach their goal?        

Contest Rule 8 states “…. All entry fees shall be returned, if at least 5,000 entries are not received; however, the sponsors reserve the right to accept fewer than 5,000 entries.” (Bold, italicized type added here for emphasis.)

Why can’t people put their names on the essays? 

All the entries will be mailed to a trustee who will deposit the checks and code the essays. The owners will not know the identities of the essayists. Many people have said on the essay contest’s Facebook page they plan to enter; the owners want to be fair to everyone and remain impartial. They will judge the contest on the merits of the essays and the passion and enthusiasm the writing conveys. They ask that essayists not include specific identifying information, to write in general terms, and use pseudonyms, if necessary. 

How do we know they will remain impartial?                    

They will not select the winner; a panel of judges will select the winner. The owners will read each of the essays and select 25 finalists. Once they agree upon the 25, they will give the essays to the panel of judges to select the winning essay. Mr. and Mrs. Mosca recently published a book, Passing along a Dream: The Story Behind the Center Lovell Inn Essay Contest, about their experience with the 1993 contest. The owners enjoyed the Mosca’s story about how difficult it was for the two of them to agree on the 25 essays they both liked. The owners of Rock Spring Farm expect not to find that an easy task either!

How much are the annual property taxes?

The annual real estate taxes are approximately $3,800.

Is the property eligible for land use?   Yes.

Is there a current tenant? What are the lease terms?

Yes, a tenant lives in the cottage. Out of respect for the tenant’s privacy, the rental agreement details will remain private. The owners will disclose the details to the winner of the essay contest.

Are there any easements on the property?

Yes. There is a cemetery easement.

What will the legal sale amount be for purposes of transfer?

The tax value of the land and improvements is approximately $600,000. If they had listed the property with a real estate firm, they would have asked for more than the tax value.

How much will the real estate transfer taxes and fees cost?

The owners suggest you consult with a knowledgeable real estate attorney.

 Where can I see pictures of the property?

rockspringfarm.org

https://www.facebook.com/virginiahorsefarm

How do I enter the contest?

Here is the direct link: http://bit.ly/1ERoUJj

Download the Entry Form and the Rules for the Giveaway!

Check out the Rock Spring Farm Facebook page!

https://www.facebook.com/virginiahorsefarm

Please "Like" us and share this information with you family and friends!

One lucky hobby farm enthusiast will receive a 35-acre Virginia farm

Virginia is for Horse Lovers! So where better to own a horse or hobby farm – especially one you can own for a 1,000-word essay and an entry fee of $200? The 35-acre Rock Spring Farm will be given to an essayist who can convince a panel of judges he or she loves horses, alpacas, sheep, etc. and wants to live on a hobby farm in rural Essex County. The essay contest will end Oct. 1, 2015. All entries must be received by Oct. 17, 2015; the new owner will be announced on or before Nov. 26, 2015. 

To enter the Rock Spring Farm Essay Giveaway, participants must write an essay of no more than 1,000 words describing their desire to live on a hobby farm in a rural area, their love for their animals, and their ability to care for them and the farm. The entry fee is $200. The owners, who for health reasons are retiring and downsizing, hope to receive at least 5,000 entries. Proceeds from the essay giveaway will pay off the existing mortgage, purchase a retirement home for the couple, and establish college funds for their grandchildren. 

The 35-acre farm has more than two miles of trails across rolling hills and steep slopes designed for carriage driving, horseback riding, hiking, and training for marathons. In addition to the main house (built in 1996), the farm consists of an income-producing, two-bedroom cottage (built in 2007), a late 1800s cook house, a five-stall barn, a carriage barn, a woodworking shop (built 2012) with central heating and air, a shed, a run-in, and an equipment barn. The farm has about 10 acres of open land, 25 acres of mature hardwood trees, excellent soil, and water to three of the four pastures.

The current owners will read each of the essays and select 25 finalists. A panel of educators, horse enthusiasts, and hobby farmers will select the essayist to receive the farm. A trustee is managing the finances and coding the essays to ensure anonymity. 

The Horses

Zeus and Apollo are two adorable miniature horses.

The Whip drives the minis through an obstacle course he built in

one of the front pastures. He let the grass grow tall and mowed

the path with the tractor.

Sebastion and Byron zip through the obstacle course.

The horses pull carriages along the more than two
miles of trails carved throughout the 25 acres of woods.

We love watching the horses as the summer sun prepares to set.

This is Hot Road - an appropriate name for an amazing horse!

Belle, a Missouri Fox Trotter, is so well-trained that she
responds to hand gestures and doesn't need a bit!

Playing in the Snow!

An Abundance of Wildlife Lives at Rock Spring Farm

The Structures on the Farm

The front view of the main house - built in 1996.

The pump house

The rear view of the main house. The room over the stone arch is a sun porch.
The propane grill is inside.

A snowy day glimpse of the house, the old kitchen house, and the horse barn.

The woodworking shop, built in 2007, has central heating and air conditioning. 

The 1800s kitchen house no longer is used.

The front pasture has a two-stall run in and water.

A view from the sun porch of the carriage barn, workshop, and horse barn.
The shed and equipment barn are down the hill behind the horse barn.
The obstacles in the field are for training purposes.

This income-producing, two-bedroom cottage was built in 2007.

The barn has five stalls, a loft, a feed room, and a tack room.
The equipment barn is shown in the background.

The History of Rock Spring Farm

William Pilkinton arrived in Virginia in 1697 as an indentured servant of Thomas Tinsley; seven years later he had paid his debt and began saving his money. In 1726, William bought 100 acres of property from Robert Brooke of St. Anne's Parish and named his property Rock Spring Farm. For the next 22 years he lived the life of an yeoman farmer. He had a good-sized farm and no slaves.

William died in 1748 leaving everything to his wife, Appilonia. His estate included eight cows, 11 sheep, 14 geese, 20 pigs and hogs, two old horses with saddles and bridles, earthenware, three beds, carpenter’s tools, one gun, clothing, 38 yards of Virginia cloth, old books, lumber, pots and pans, cards for wool, and a parcel of other things. 

By 1790, William’s grandson, Parmenas Pilkinton, had built a house described as having a high English basement. The house was frame with a center hall and two rooms on the main floor. There were three dormers across each side of the roof. A porch ran across the front of the house. Unfortunately, the house burned in 1917 and was replaced in 1920 by a two-story frame home that the present owners of Rock Spring Farm demolished in 1995. Land had been bought and sold throughout the years, and at one time Rock Spring Farm encompassed more than 400 acres of fertile soil and hardwood trees. By 1995 the farm consisted of 35 acres - 10 acres of open land and 25 acres of hardwoods. 

The current dwelling, built in 1996, is a three-story, four-bedroom brick-and-frame home with three full bathrooms and two half bathrooms. A porch runs across the front of the house. One of the farm’s previous residents visited in 1997 and said the house has a strong resemblance to the house where she grew up – the house that Parmenas built – and sits nestled among a grove of Osage Orange trees, shrubs and flowers on the almost identical footprint. Researchers from the College of William and Mary confirmed the existence of the 1790 home’s foundation.