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James and Spot.
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Ewell and his wife have ten Nigerian dwarf goats.
James Ewell has always had an affection for animals and nature. Ewell, a veterinarian assistant at Godspeed Animal Care, still has his first pet, a 20-year-old red-tailed boa constrictor from South America named Spot. Ewell and his wife, Paige, owners of Wildwood Farm on Ironbound Road, also treat their goats and chickens as part of the family. So, what would a perfect day in Williamsburg be like for Ewell and his brood?
An Early Morning on the Farm
“We wake up early every morning to milk our goats, and feed them hay and grain,” says Ewell. He and his wife have ten Nigerian dwarf goats, who must be milked twice a day. They use the milk to make and sell handcrafted goat milk soap. “It’s just really healthy for your skin,” Ewell says. After tending to the animals, the pair would hop on their bicycles for a morning ride on the Virginia Capital Trail. “It’s right by our house, and we love riding on it on a cool morning,” Ewell says. “We’d ride down to Historic Jamestowne Island, ride along the loop road and back.”
An Afternoon of Eating and Drinking
For lunch, Ewell would make a pit stop at Gold Taste Sushi & Japanese Rice Bowl in Monticello Marketplace. “The owner is very personable and just a great guy,” says Ewell. “I also think they have the freshest sushi in Williamsburg.” Afterward, it is back to the farm, where Ewell would harvest some vegetables for the evening’s dinner and enjoy some playtime with the goats. “I’d pick some spaghetti squash and my wife would make a pesto sauce using some fresh herbs from the garden,” Ewell says. “Then, we’d come outside and play with the baby goats. They like to climb on us and are just a lot of fun.” Ewell would also plan a visit to Oak Tactical, an outdoor and sporting goods store on Richmond Road, in the afternoon. “Theowner is great, and it’s a nice place where I can make relationships with fellow Williamsburgians with a common outdoor interest,” he says.
An Evening of Playing Tourist
Ewell and his wife would then head over to Silver Hand Meadery for tastings. “We like to do their honey tastings,” Ewell says. “We like their avocado honey, which is just delicious, and also their clover honey. And all of their meads are delicious as well. It would be hard to pick just one.”
A perfect day in Williamsburg wouldn’t be complete without a visitto Colonial Williamsburg. “We like to sit under one of the trees there and people watch, and then I’d hit Wythe Candy,” Ewell says. “After that, we’d take a scenic drive on the Colonial Parkway and maybe catch some fish in one of the creeks to go with our spaghetti squash dinner.” Ewell’s perfect day would end just as it began right back on Wildwood Farm. “We’d feed our goats again and watch them play with each other and nibble on the grass,” Ewell says. “Our goats have a lot of energy in the morning and in the evening. We love our life here on the farm and homesteading. I love living off the land. My passion is farming. I wake up thinking about it and I dream about it when I go to sleep each night.”
Want to tell us about your perfect day in Williamsburg? Email us at natalie@localscoopmagazine.com.