On a sunny Sunday, July 29, members of the Shenandoah Region PCA (plus Carlos and Adaire Toro from Chesapeake) drove from the Mountainside Grill in Crozet to Pharsalia, an antebellum plantation nestled high on the slopes of de Priest Mountain in Nelson County with spectacular views of the Tye River valley, orchards, and vineyards. Rich in history, Pharsalia was originally built in 1814 by Thomas Massie and was given to his son, William, as a wedding gift. The property is now in the hands of the fifth-generation Massie family. Many of the plantation’s original dependencies remain including the brick kitchen, laundry, slave quarters, and ice and smoke houses. Pharsalia is only open to the public by group reservation or for private events, so we had a special opportunity to experience one of Virginia’s grand old homes. After a southern-style catered lunch, owner “Foxie” Morgan gave us an extensive tour of the plantation house and grounds. Pharsalia is another of our region’s hidden gems; if you didn’t go on the tour, you should have.