by Judy Weigand Traveling west on 58 from Galax, up gentle hills and down again, snaking through the many twists and turns, I felt myself slowly folding into the mountain scenery. Dipping down into the lush farms and hardwood forests along the road leading to  the little town of Independence. The seat of Grayson County, Independence is a very modest, friendly, and sparsely populated village. Many families have been here for generations and they understand the importance of supporting each other and their community.  Things move slowly here and I began to fall into pace. Continuing west on 58 from Independence, it was not long before I happened upon Rixey’s Market, a country store founded in 1957by Rixey and Norine Anderson Sr. I had tostop and explore. Better known as “Rickey,” Rixey Fielden Anderson Jr was there to greet me with his warm smile and friendly attitude. “Where good friends come to tell stories, laugh, talk and come to trade.” That’s exactly what I encountered. Wandering the aisles of this small, very well organzized store, I found dilly beans, pickled vegetables, a large array of jams and jellies, local honey, and seasonal fruits and vegetables, in addition to regional dairy products. I also found Whitetop Syrup sold in support of the nearby rescue squad. Bread, butter, peanut butter, chocolate milk, hot sauce, cornmeal muffin mix—you name it, it’s there. Ricky also carriesfeed and other goods for farm animals, hardware, magazines, gardening gloves, soda in glass bottles (it tastes better you know) and a wide array of sweets including New River Chocolate Rocks. You can even rent a storage unit. Ricky takes great care to provide what is needed and wanted by his customers while promoting regional farmers and entrpreneurs. Ricky was ten when his father opened Rixey’s Market. Most boys his age were busy with after school activities and sports, but not Rickey. He couldn’t wait to get home to work in the store. He worked behind the counter any chance he got, pumped gas, washed windshields, checked oil, and whatever else was needed to insure good service.To this day his favorite pasttime is interacting with his cusomers. He just likes being around people and hearing what they have to say.Part of his calling, Ricky feels the store provides an important service to the local people. After graduation from Appalachian State University with a BA in Business Administration, Ricky tried teaching school for a while, but his heart was with the store. After meeting his wife, Martha, they married and had a son. Together the continued to nurture the community they love. Ricky demonstrates hs commitment to community with various volunteer activities. The Grayson Volunteer Rescue Squad counted him as their Captain for ten years and he is still a member today. Because Ricky is eager to insure that ll interested young people have the educational opportunities they deserve, he serves on the Wytheville Communit College Board of Directors. He also regularly participates as a panelist and speaker for Appalachian State University Entrpreneur and Alumni Days. As a member of the Industrial Development Authority Board in Independence, Ricky is active in assisting businesses secure low interest loands, promoting job creation and retention, and supporting the local tax base. He is also scheduled to begin membership on the Matthews Living History Farm Museum Board of Directord in 2009. As we talked about his early life in Grayson County, it became clear that the values of his parents and his community produced more than a well organzied and productive country store. It produced a man who cares deeply about his fellow man, takes great joy in doing the right thing and believes in serving his community. Ricky will tell you he’s very partial to Grayson County. When he travels he sees what others have to offer but says it’s hard to beat these good old hills. People ask him at times when he will retire. Ricky says he has no plans to retire, that he would miss being in the store and visiting with customers. After all, his mother worked the store until she was 85 years old.

by Big Blue Author Mastin Fayne “Buster” Osborne is a gentleman.  His caring expression, thoughtful remarks, well mannered family, and perfectly appointed attire replete with cap and penny loafers, all manifest the kindly, respectful, manner typical of his generation.  His ancestors arrived here prior to the revolutionary war and true to fashion, Buster has taken poignant steps to honor his family, their traditions, and the “stillness” of the land on which they lived. Mr. Osborne stood to greet me upon my arrival, and after a brief tour of his lovely home, we sat down on his front porch with a panoramic view that in spite of failing eyesight he vividly described in detail.  “Over here were so many cherry trees that became huge and were finally lost, the pear tree standing in front of the house was here when my parents built the place in 1900, and the hickory and apple orchards were all around.” The remaining tree from which his niece makes apple sauce is clearly a favorite.   Pointing to our left he continued by describing a breathtaking view of the New River from Buzzard Hill.  This is the hillside and river across which he traveled daily for many years to attend school in Independence. Buster was born in 1916 to Preston and Ruth Cox Osborne, making a family that included 10 children.   As with many rural families of their time, the Osbornes farmed and lived along side their neighbors with the common understanding that they would survive and flourish only with the help of each other.  Construction of new homes, barns, and out buildings was the product of the community at large. Buster noted the speed with which their home was built, “it wasn’t perfectly complete, but my parents moved in and were living there within 40 days after they started.  It was the way they got things done back then.   Everyone helped each other.”    One of the Osborne family’s closest neighbors was the …………..Rose family.   They too built a grand home for their family.  It still stands on a hillside overlooking the New River where a ferry once crossed.  The only other access to this point was, and remains, through the Osborne farm.   After a tour in the Pacific during World War II  Buster lived and worked in Northeastern Virginia for many years as a real estate appraiser.   At age 65 he retired and returned home to his beloved family farm just adjacent to the New River.  For a long period of time he lived along side his neighbors, family, and friends in peace.   It was a surprise to Buster and his family when they learned two years ago that the old Rose family farm was the slated site for a new state prison.  As one might expect, community came together again, protests ensued, and after a time the prison site was repositioned leaving this portion of the New River untouched.   Knowing that there was always a risk of development on or near the land contiguous to his and that of the river, Buster decided to purchase the 170 acre piece of land and place it, along with his own farm, in the New River Land Trust conservation easement program.   While garnering significant state tax credits and federal tax deductions, these 540 acres are now protected from development.   To date, the scenic beauty and water quality of over 30,000 acres along 18 miles of the New River are now preserved through the combined efforts of landowners, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, the National Committee for the New River, and the New River Land Trust.  Considered to be the oldest river in the United States, the New River extends 337 miles long through Virginia and North Carolina ultimately flowing into the Mississippi.   Buster Osborne loves this place his family has called home for generations.  “Listen to that, what do you hear?” said Buster Osbourne. “its the stillness that I love about this place.”  We have Buster and others like him to thank for that peace and “stillness” that he honors and that, fortunately, we may continue to listen for and enjoy along the banks of our extraordinary New River.