Photo courtesy of Becky Pomponio

SustainFloyd's Haden Polseno-Hensley led a crowd at the first SplitRail Eco-Fair in Floyd in taking a bite Saturday from locally grown apples.

SustainFloyd's Haden Polseno-Hensley led a crowd in Floyd in taking a bite Saturday from locally grown apples at the first SplitRail Eco-Fair.

Following the environmentally themed fair, the town dedicated its new Floyd Community Market.

Woody Crenshaw, developer of the Community Market, led the dedication.

"This new pavilion is not simply a farmers market, but represents something broader and more comprehensive," Crenshaw told the crowd, according to a news release.

"I see it as a symbol of a new economy for Floyd. That success may not be realized in a month or a year, but this market is an investment in Floyd's future.The construction is somewhat equivalent to a new commercial building, because it signals economic growth -- in this case the growth of a sustainable economy."

The 3,000-square-foot pavilion was built with ecofriendly timber frame construction, according to the news release.

The project included collaboration from several community members: green-certified forest products came from the Healing Harvest Forest Foundation in Floyd, directed by Jason Rutledge; Streamline Timberworks donated its services; Turman Lumber Co. Inc. provided timbers and milling operations; Crenshaw Lighting built and installed the metalwork and lighting; Wills Ridge Supply Inc. contributed the roofing materials; Professional Builders, led by Ed Erwin, provided the contracting services; and the investors of the Station provided the land.

Blacksburg Country Club to hold fundraising 5K

The Blacksburg Country Club will hold two running events this weekend to raise money for the Montgomery County Christmas Store.

The event will be called the Halloween Hustle and will take place Saturday.

BCC will have a 5K, kids mile, pancake breakfast, Moon Bounce and face-painting, and the Hokie Bird will be on hand for pictures. It is open to anyone in the community.

The Christmas Store anticipates more people being eligible this year and needs help, organizers of the event said.

Cattle sale planned at NRV Fairgrounds

The New River Valley Polled Hereford Association will hold its annual Pride of the Valley Fall Sale on Saturday.

The brood stock sale will take place at the New River Valley Fairgrounds at 11 a.m.

Association spokesmen say that this sale offers both purebred breeders and commercial cattlemen a chance to buy quality cattle for their herds, according to a news release.

The association members will be selling purebred Hereford bred cows, cow/calf pairs, bred heifers and open heifers.

An added attraction is the opportunity to purchase by private-treaty-polled Hereford breeding-age bulls.

For more information or a sale cattle log, contact Stanley Reynolds, association president, or Mildred Reynolds, association secretary, at (434) 432-3262 or fax (434) 432-3262.

-- The Roanoke Times