Betty's Critters - & History Views

In 1925, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company began their management of the annual Pony Penning that had been taking place on Assateague and Chincoteague Islands in Virginia for over a hundred years.  Pony Penning was an annual event when the owners of the livestock, running free on both islands, were rounded up and identified.  The stock that the owner did not need in the foreseeable future, was sold off at an agreed upon price, and was usually removed from the islands.  It had been a well-known event for many years, with people gathering from the Carolinas, Virginia, Washington D. C., Delmarva, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.    When the CVFC began managing Pony Penning, they got county and state permission for a Carnival, set up games and different types of races (boating, swimming and horse and pony), as well as having the Pony Sale.  And the CVFC advertised the Carnival and Pony Penning events in newspapers.  It became a big event ....

The Farmers' Register  was a monthly publication "devoted to the improvement of the practice, and support of the interests of agriculture" that was founded by Edmund Ruffin and edited by him from 1834 until November 1842, the last issue.  Ruffin had the magazine printed and mailed out for 9 and a half years.  Edmund Ruffin served as President of the Virginia State Agricultural Society, and identified himself as "a practical farmer of Virginia from 1812."  The first issue of each year began with page number 1, and with each new month's issue, the page number began where the previous month had ended. The cover of the first issue of The Farmers' Register    This is a letter from Thompson Holmes, who moved to his farm named "Pharsalia" on Chincoteague Bay in 1811.  His farm was in Accomack County, and covered a large portion of what is now the community of Captain's Cove.  Soon after writing the letter published in The Farmers' Register , H...

 Well, the 97th Annual Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company's Pony Penning Auction is in the record books - and it did set some records!  First, at least 8,000 raffle tickets for King Neptune were sold before Wednesday night's drawing, at $1 apiece; and Debra Hughes was the very lucky winner, taking home a bay pinto colt, born 27 April.  He was sired by Tornado's Legacy, and out of the dam Tawny Treasure, foal 19 this year.    There were 14 donated items of art, handicrafts, and other items given to the CVFC to help raise funds for equipment, training, a few full-time employees, and pony care.  These works of art, crocheted items, and antiques brought in $8,650.    ** Maureen Beebe's personal Steuben saddle was auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the Maureen Beebe Hursh Scholarship Fund for students for Chincoteague High School.  Her saddle brought a high bid of $7,400. **    There have been 67 foals born this year to the CVFC ...