Solar Kiln at St. Pierre Woodworking , Floyd, Virginia

Click on photo to enlarge

Bill & his New England style Shop 

St. Pierre Woodworking is on a beautiful mountain top location in Floyd County, Virginia and operated by Bill St. Pierre. Bill has been developing his business on this property for 12 years.  He started with a cabinet shop and now has a full range of equipment that allows him to start with logs or reclaimed wood from old buildings and do all the processes from start to finish.

Bill's own description of his woodworking business. Here you can find furniture hand crafted in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia. I enjoy creating quality, custom furniture with the finest materials through precise techniques and craftsmanship. Browse around at my work, I'd love to add a lifetime of beauty in your home with a custom piece just for you. Call Bill for your next custom wood project at 540.797.3496

Virginia Tech Solar Kiln 

St. Pierre Woodworking has 2 kilns Solar & Electric.

The Virginia Tech style solar kiln is used to dry the larger 2" slabs 

Wood Drying Solar Kiln plans
Virginia tech Solar Kiln Publication 420-030

Virginia Tech Solar Kiln 

Front side of solar kiln with big insulated doors - large pieces can be dried in this kiln.

Bill St. Pierre Describes his Solar Kiln

Nyle kiln 

The Nyle kiln is used mostly to dry lumber and to sterilize the reclaimed lumber.

Controller for Nyle kiln

Controller for Nyle kiln. This kiln uses electric heat for drying.

Timber King 2000 sawmill.

Bill has 2 sawmills this one is the Timber King 2000 .

Air drying shed

Large air drying shed for logs, reclaimed wood or sawed lumber.

Large Oak burl 

A large burl from Oak tree. This will make a  beautiful custom table.

                                         A video of BillSt Pierre Woodworking Making a
                                         spiral Wooden Leg  - this video  has over 800,000
                                         views.  Woodworkers love this.

large selection of slab wood

You can also choose from a large selection of slabs and reclaimed wood. Showroom has slabs cut from many different types of wood.

View of Buffalo Mt from St.Pierre Shop

This is the view from the St. Pierre property - That is Buffalo Mountain in the background about 25 miles from shop. Buffalo Mountain is the highest point in Floyd County, Virginia at 4000 feet.

David Larsen

We are pleased to work with Bill St. Pierre Woodworking. Bill shop is only a few miles from our Chantilly Farm and Bill brings one of his sawmills to some of our events at the farm.

.^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   

Chantilly Barn construction progressing nicley and will be fully ready for the next year's operation

We have been very busy with building infrastructure this year at Chantilly - New projects includes camping facilities for Rv's and Tent campers - completed ; New mulitpurpose barn getting closed to being finished. The Country Store constructed their annex at Chantilly Farm.  More roads and a third Commercial entrance off Franklin Pike. Chantilly water system  approved for public use. The barn construction is still in progress and  a few pictures below show it looks on the festival grounds.

Click on Photo to enlarge

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

View of Barn, County Store annex and bath house from hill.

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

View of Stage, Barn and Country Store annex from shade area in the woods.

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

View of barn from festival field - the mezzanine is accessed thought the white door on the side at ground level. 40 foot deck on the festival side of building accessed though 3 sliding glass doors off the mezzanine.

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

Better view of the 40 foot deck.

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

The back side of barn has a 12x12 door - we can drive about any vehicle into the building.

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

Laying the heating coils for the heated floor in the barn.

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

Finishing the 5 inch concrete floor.

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

Floor and mezzanine from the back inside the barn. The ceiling is at a height of 18 feet.

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

Mezzanine and the 3 sliding glass doors entering onto the 40 foot deck.

Barn at Chantilly Farm - Floyd Virginia

Looking toward the back inside the barn from the mezzanine.

Chantilly Farm entrance by Nathaniel Frissell

Going home - just passing the farm office at the entrance gate. The fog and night light are an interesting effect.

David Larsen

The LCF Group has been enjoying developing Chantilly Farm into a music and events venue in Floyd County, Virginia.

.^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   

Floyd VA Computer Museum provides Graduate Independent Study class room for Virginia Tech student

info click

We are delighted to be working with Grayson Van Beuren in a Virginia Tech -  Graduate Independent Study program at the museum. Grayson became interested in doing a study after seeing the "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum"  article in the Roanoke times by  Catherine Van Noy.  Grayson also visited our museum during open house last month.  He started his study by making several of our historical microcomputers operational and encouraging folks to give the operating historic computers a try.

Click on photo to enlarge

L-R Grayson Van Beuren, David Larsen-Curator

Here is Grayson's Study plan.
Grayson Van Beuren

Material Culture and Humanities
Computers and Museums Material Culture Project
Independent Study Proposal

This independent study’s purpose is to explore the history of the electronic computer through its material culture. It also aims to facilitate a better understanding of the unique preservation and presentation problems surrounding this delicate and largely esoteric field of material culture.
                                                               

L-R Emily Wilson -Assistant Curator,
 Grayson Van Beuren

The independent study will occur through a partnership with the Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum in Floyd, Virginia. The museum’s founder, retired instructor of instrumentation at Virginia Tech David Larsen, has agreed to host a part of the IS. The museum’s collection represents forty years of collecting on the part of Mr. Larsen. From the museum website:

Mr. Larsen’s expertise in the field of microcomputers, and especially the collection and preservation of microcomputers, should make this a valuable independent study for the student.

Grayson with Apple 1 computer project

The independent study will be comprised of two parts: weekly visits to the museum of three to four hours during which the student will act as an intern, learning about the presentation and preservation of computer material culture in the process, and outside research into the history of the preservation of computer hardware and other forms of material culture associated with the computing field. These two parts of the study will culminate in the student writing a 10-15 page paper summing up his experiences at the Bugbook and examining the problems surrounding preservation and presentation of computer material culture in museums and other historic institutions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David Larsen

The curators here at the museum are looking forward to working with Grayson. I am sure we will all learn from this independent study.

.^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}   
   Join museum on Twitter   Join museum on FB

Grand Opening - Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum - Floyd Virginia 8/30/14

This Saturday is Grand Opening for "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum" in Floyd Virginia.

Saturday August 30th 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the Village Green in Floyd Virginia - Grand Opening.

Museum Curator David KK4WW

Here is the story in the Roanoke Times about open house at the "Bugbook Historical Micrcomputer Museum"


Hear the Curator David KK4WW introduce you to the museum.




"By David Larsen"

Floyd Auto FAIR at Chantilly Farm in Floyd Virginia August 15,16 & 17 2014

The weather was just great - 250 or more curize-in cars for the show and several hundred parts vendors. Good food and the Country Store annex at Chantilly Farm was busy serving the " Chantilly Farm Meat Ball Sub" .

Video of Cruse in Muffler Sound OFF "CLICK"

 

                             Cruize-in cars at Floyd Auto FAIR


Click photo to enlarge

Floyd Auto FAIR

Floyd Auto FAIR

Floyd Auto FAIR

Floyd Auto FAIR

Floyd Auto FAIR

Floyd Auto FAIR

Floyd Auto FAIR

"By David Larsen"

Chantilly Farm, Floyd Virginia some good things at the farm -Auto Faire - camping - Floyd County Store Kitchen

Coming up this weekend at Chantilly Farm!

The annual Floyd Auto Fair is making its return to Chantilly Farm this coming weekend! The show's organizer's, ChasingSSCars, have even added a third day to the event! Trophies will be given in a variety of categories during the judged car show on Saturday and Sunday will feature a free cruise-in! More than 100 parts vendors have already signed up! Live music from Cadillac Ranch and Casino Cruz will be featured on the main stage at Chantilly on Saturday from 12:30pm until 8pm. Come see vintage racing legend Jimmy Johnson's simulated race car--you can even take your turn behind the wheel! Admission is $6 per day and kids 12 and under are admitted for free with a paying adult. Camping is available throughout the weekend. Those with questions should contact Erik Herdman at (540)789-7898. Click to learn more  >

Expanded Camping Facilities and New Dump Station at Chantilly Chantilly Farm would like to extend a huge thank you to Brooks Brothers Excavating for all their hard work on the new campground expansion at Chantilly Farm! The new pull-through spaces are nearing completion and will feature full electrical, water, and sewage hookups for RV's and travel trailers. Construction on a second bath house facility will begin sometime this autumn. This additional infrastructure will make Chantilly Farm a prime location to pitch your tent or park your RV while passing through our part of the Blue Ridge Mountains! Don't forget, we're located only 6 miles from Downtown Floyd and just minutes from both the Blue Ridge Parkway and Crooked Road Music Trail! A newly completed dump station is also now available for use. Camping at Chantilly Farm is not a requirement for use of the dump station, but a small fee will be assessed. For more information about camping at Chantilly Farm, give us a call at (540)808-4984 or email us at chantillyfarm@gmail.com . Click to learn more >

2015 Bluegrass & BBQ Festival to Expand to Two Days Chantilly Farm's largest annual outdoor event will be expanding to two full days in 2015. The 5th Annual Chantilly Farm Bluegrass & BBQ Festival will feature an all-star lineup of some of the most acclaimed performers in bluegrass and mountain music, along with arts and crafts vendors, camping, children's activities, jamming and more! Mark your calendar's now for Friday and Saturday, May 22-23, 2015 and join us for the region's hottest bluegrass festival! Ticketing and a full festival lineup will be announced later this year, so stay tuned!

Floyd Country Store Annex is Adding a Kitchen Many of you have heard about the new Floyd Country Store annex that was recently constructed in the main festival fields at Chantilly Farm, and believe it or not, the store is already expanding! Woody Crenshaw, owner of the Floyd Country Store and a local entrepreneur, is adding a kitchen to the existing building which will allow for better and more efficient service of patrons during events at the venue. The new kitchen will allow the store to serve a wider variety of both hot and cold dishes. Make sure to stop by and check out what they have to offer next time your visiting Chantilly for an event! Newsletter "byJason Gallimore" Chantilly Farm

New Breakfast In Town at Mickey G's

Mickey G's in Floyd Virginia is now open for breakfast !!
My wife and I with some out of town guest went for our first breakfast at Mickey G's last Saturday 4/26/14 and it was a new AWESOME breakfast experience for us in Floyd. Many great restaurants in Floyd but this was the best early morning meal dining out we have had in a long time.

Click  on photo to enlarge

3 Farm Fresh Egg Omelet with Wheat toast

Take a look at this --- a plain 3 egg farm fresh egg omelet with craft wheat toast. The toast was nice, fresh and really thick - not the normal thin slice of commercial bakery bread.  Plenty to eat with the good Southern Grits to round out the meal.

French Toast with pure Maple Syrup

Take a look at this French Toast - two big slices of thick craft bread cut in half filled the plate ---- and WOW - get this - with pure Maple syrup and delightful service from the staff.

show up for breakfast at this time

Here are the hours - good for early folks during the week.







Click Photos to enlarge

Breakfast Menu on 4-26-14 

Here is the menu on the day we had this breakfast.

Please note that this may change and be some different on the day you visit.

Mickey G's next to Family Dollar, Floyd VA

Located a little more then 1/2 mile North of stop light on Webbs Mill Road then turn on Parkview Road.






Here is Google map if you need more help to find "Mickey G's"   "CLICK"

David Larsen

Going out for breakfast on Saturday morning is a great way to start the weekend.  Breakfast at Mickey G's will give you a smile and a so much food you may not want to have lunch.


 ^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}