Blandy Experimental Farm

09/01/2026

Sometimes you have to be in the right place at the right time to catch a glimpse of a phenomenon! These ant alates (winged ants) were emerging from their nest in the Pollination Garden by the hundreds . A colony of ants will produce alates at certain times of year (late summer and early fall in this case). They emerge to fly away from the colony and mate. A female can mate with several males before she chooses a suitable location to start her own colony.

08/31/2026

Listen in to today's Valley Today podcast to get all the deets on Blandy's upcoming Pawpaws & Pints event, then purchase your ticket, before the event sells out! https://thevalleytoday.libsyn.com/way-down-yonder

08/28/2026

Research at Blandy continues through the lingering days of summer, sometimes offering the office staff a chance to pitch in to help. Here, Piper, our admin assistant, helps monitor pollinator interactions with hibiscus plants.

08/26/2026

Ok...maybe we've gone overboard with September public programs.

But if you're looking to drink pawpaw beer, see 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 American Chestnuts, plant the best native plants, or find out what those 1950s scientists were really up to around here, we've got you covered.

Click through the photos on this post for dates and times, and check out our website for more information and to register:

https://blandy.virginia.edu/programs-workshops-walks

08/24/2026

Last week, Blandy’s Education and Science Engagement teams joined with other environmental educators at the inaugural Northern Shenandoah Valley Education Summit. Participants learned new teaching styles, collaborated and conversed about outdoor learning methods and practices, and showcased the unique aspects of each of the field sites visited. The Blandy team and other environmental educators left with new connections to each other and excitement for the upcoming fall season!

08/19/2026

Summer camp is over, but we hope our elementary and middle school age campers carry the recognition of what science can be into the new school year. Read more about these young environmental scientists in UVA Today.

Young students became environmental scientists this summer through a research camp at Blandy Experimental Farm.

08/19/2026

Granddaughter of former Blandy Director, Dr. Ralph Singleton, makes a visit to the arboretum and remembers 1970s family gatherings in the courtyard and playing in nature on Blandy's sprawling grounds. Read the full story. https://blandy.virginia.edu/bridging-blandys-past-present

08/17/2026

With school starting across our local area, it's good to remember that teachers love being students too! Every summer, Blandy hosts several educator workshops for curious local teachers. This group, participating in Project Learning Tree Workshop in July, had a lot of fun getting their hands dirty while exploring and learning more about the natural environment.

08/13/2026

Look who we found outside the Info Center this morning! How are the cicadas in your neck of the woods?

08/11/2026

As part of the Annual Research Forum that we shared about yesterday, two of the participants in Blandy's Undergraduate Research Program received Tom Callahan Awards. Tom was a friend of Blandy and huge supporter of research field stations. We are honored that these awards in his memory continue to support exceptional undergraduates. Congratulations to Madeline and Marguerite!