http://bit.ly/1ERoUJj
You do not need to own horses or wish to own horses to win Rock Spring Farm. ANY animal, or NO animal is okay!
What are YOUR plans for Rock Spring Farm?
Visit our Facebook page to post questions about this incredible opportunity:
<https://www.facebook.com/virginiahorsefarm>
Please be careful not to reveal details about your plans; keep them secret to keep your essay anonymous!
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Friday, April 24, 2015
The trails are fun to ride, drive and hike!
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Privacy abounds at Rock Spring Farm
I snapped this image with my cell phone from the front porch. Across the road
is the only dwelling you can see from our property.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
Questions and Answers, Part 1
Question: I'm hesitant to enter the contest simply
because I feel like the odds of winning are greatly in favor of those who can
express themselves eloquently in writing versus those who might be able to show
their character and intent in some other context. An essay seems so subjective
and anyone with enough money can simply hire a writer to write a winning essay.
I feel like worthiness can't be fairly assessed based on an essay. Perhaps
you could help me understand how the scoring process will take into
consideration not just the writers' skills, but also their true hearts' intent
with your beloved farm.
Answer: Thank you for expressing your concerns. The
rules specifically state the person who writes the essay must be the name on
the entry form; this is an attempt to curtail those who might be tempted to
hire a writer. To make the contest legal, there must be a level of skill, hence
the scoring rubric for grammar, usage, spelling, content, etc. However, the
heart is what matters mostly to us. We want to feel the writer's passion; we
can't score "heart." That passion is something that will need to hit
us, and, yes, it is subjective. I can see where we have a pile of essays and
every score is a "4." So what will we do? We will have to read
between the lines and feel the writer's passion. My husband and I need to agree
on the 25 finalists, and then we will give that group to a panel of judges who
need to agree.
Unfortunately, this isn't a perfect model
because we are human. We have tried putting enough structure into the process
to enable the writer's character and intent to shine brightly. With that said, there is nothing unethical
with seeking help. Ask a teacher at a local school, or someone you trust and
admire to help you polish your writing. Most word processing programs have spell
checkers and grammar checkers; use them. Follow the writing tips I posted -
especially reading your essay aloud. The tips will help!
Click here to download contest documents!
I have posted contest documents on Google Drive. I enabled sharing, so downloading the documents should not be an issue.
Here is the direct link: http://bit.ly/1ERoUJj
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Read the Free Lance-Star article!
Fredericksburg's Free Lance-Star published an article today about the Rock Spring Farm essay contest. Click the link to read Cathy Dyson's story! Thank you, Cathy, for a wonderfully written article and thank you, Dave Ellis, for the beautiful photography!
http://bit.ly/1Dk2q13
http://bit.ly/1Dk2q13
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Monday, April 6, 2015
This 35-acre farm could be yours!
Virginia is for Horse Lovers! So where better than to own a horse/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 become the property of an essayist who can convince a panel of judges – educators, horse enthusiasts, and hobby farmers – he or she loves animals and wants to live in rural Essex County. The Rock Spring Farm Essay Contest will end Oct. 1, 2015; all entries must be received by Oct. 17, 2015. Entries received after that date will be returned. The new owner will be announced on or before Nov. 26, 2015.To learn more, scroll through the articles posted in this blog, or visit the Rock Spring Farm Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/virginiahorsefarm To download the entry form, contest rules, and FAQs, visit: http://bit.ly/1ERoUJj
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Are you struggling with writer's block?
You may have guessed that I am a teacher, and, yes, I have taught high school English. Currently, I am a private tutor during the day for a sixth-grade student, and after school I tutor students of all ages in reading, writing, and math. I tell my students their writing will improve the more they practice, and I give them strategies to improve their writing. I decided I would share with you the advice and the tips I teach them.
1. Don't stress.
2. This essay is not an academic paper; there is no research involved, and you do not have to write a traditional five-paragraph essay!
3. Write from your heart. Let us get to know you.
4. Grab our attention with your introduction.
5. Tell us stories; how did you get involved with your hobby?
6. Show us your passion for your horses, alpacas, sheep, goats, chickens, or whatever animal has captured your heart by describing how you interact with them.
7. Why do you want to live on a farm in a rural area? How will living here bolster your hobby and improve your life?
8. Spend time organizing your essay. This is the most important step! Taking the time now to organize your writing will save you hours of revising time and spare you hours of anxiety.
9. When you begin writing, think of the computer screen or the blank piece of paper as your best friend. What would you tell your best friend? Write it!
10. Arrange your ideas so your words flow from one sentence to the next. Each sentence should connect and not sound choppy. The ending sentence of one paragraph should flow into and connect with the first sentence of the next paragraph.
11. Print your paper and read your writing out loud! You will be amazed at how hearing your words will improve your writing, especially if you are not reading from the computer screen!
12. Give yourself plenty of time to plan, organize, and write your first draft. Begin now!
13. Improve your writing by allowing your words to settle and your mind to rest. After your break, whether a day, a week, or even one hour, reread your work - out loud - from a hard copy! Does your writing make sense and sound fluid? If yes, begin the editing process. If not, revise your writing until you're satisfied.
14. Edit your paper one step at a time. Is the first letter of each sentence capitalized? (Check the entire paper for just capitalization mistakes.) Are proper nouns capitalized? Does each sentence have the proper punctuation? (Go through a second time to check for punctuation mistakes.) It might sound tedious, but focusing on one area at a time means you will be less likely to miss a mistake!
15. Have your written complete sentences?
16. Check subject-verb agreement (They have, he has, etc.)
17. Did you write "your" when you intended to write "you're" for you are?
18. Are verb tenses correct?
19. Use a dictionary to make sure your word are spelled correctly; use a thesaurus to select the precise word!
20. Submit your paper BEFORE the deadline to ensure we receive it before the cut-off date!
I hope you have found these suggestions helpful! If you have questions, please post them on the Facebook page for all to see.
https://www.facebook.com/virginiahorsefarm
Good luck!
1. Don't stress.
2. This essay is not an academic paper; there is no research involved, and you do not have to write a traditional five-paragraph essay!
3. Write from your heart. Let us get to know you.
4. Grab our attention with your introduction.
5. Tell us stories; how did you get involved with your hobby?
6. Show us your passion for your horses, alpacas, sheep, goats, chickens, or whatever animal has captured your heart by describing how you interact with them.
7. Why do you want to live on a farm in a rural area? How will living here bolster your hobby and improve your life?
8. Spend time organizing your essay. This is the most important step! Taking the time now to organize your writing will save you hours of revising time and spare you hours of anxiety.
9. When you begin writing, think of the computer screen or the blank piece of paper as your best friend. What would you tell your best friend? Write it!
10. Arrange your ideas so your words flow from one sentence to the next. Each sentence should connect and not sound choppy. The ending sentence of one paragraph should flow into and connect with the first sentence of the next paragraph.
11. Print your paper and read your writing out loud! You will be amazed at how hearing your words will improve your writing, especially if you are not reading from the computer screen!
12. Give yourself plenty of time to plan, organize, and write your first draft. Begin now!
13. Improve your writing by allowing your words to settle and your mind to rest. After your break, whether a day, a week, or even one hour, reread your work - out loud - from a hard copy! Does your writing make sense and sound fluid? If yes, begin the editing process. If not, revise your writing until you're satisfied.
14. Edit your paper one step at a time. Is the first letter of each sentence capitalized? (Check the entire paper for just capitalization mistakes.) Are proper nouns capitalized? Does each sentence have the proper punctuation? (Go through a second time to check for punctuation mistakes.) It might sound tedious, but focusing on one area at a time means you will be less likely to miss a mistake!
15. Have your written complete sentences?
16. Check subject-verb agreement (They have, he has, etc.)
17. Did you write "your" when you intended to write "you're" for you are?
18. Are verb tenses correct?
19. Use a dictionary to make sure your word are spelled correctly; use a thesaurus to select the precise word!
20. Submit your paper BEFORE the deadline to ensure we receive it before the cut-off date!
I hope you have found these suggestions helpful! If you have questions, please post them on the Facebook page for all to see.
https://www.facebook.com/virginiahorsefarm
Good luck!
Saturday, April 4, 2015
The Free Lance-Star
UPDATE: The article ran April 8, 2015!
UPDATE: April 7, 2015.
The article did not run in today's paper. The reporter said it will run one day this week.
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