Community Cultivates Its Neighborly Ways

As a sixth grade teacher, Milstead also was thrilled to find pottery shards on her property that date to the Civil War. She had the pieces evaluated by experts. "The theory is that they came from an officers' encampment . . . possibly during the first battle of Manassas," she said.

Although it's only 10 minutes from downtown Vienna, Berryland Farm does seem rather remote at times. During a major snowstorm several years ago, Tinley said, an ambulance could not navigate the neighborhood's winding roads and rolling terrain to assist a woman about to have a baby. Several residents piled blankets on a child's sled and pulled the expectant mother uphill to meet the waiting medical staff. "It was a pretty hard climb," Tinley said.

"We just prepare when storms are coming," said Laura May, an elementary school counselor. "It's surreal," she said. "When we're holed up and can't go anywhere, we walk around the corner onto Vale Road where folks are traveling along fine. You feel isolated, but you're really not."

While Berryland Farm offers quick access to Interstate 66 and the Dulles Toll Road, many residents have become experts at navigating back roads. Marty Fertal has a 15-minute commute to Reston via winding lanes that snake past horse farms and over a one-lane bridge. "I've paid my dues with rugged commutes," he said. "This is a piece of cake."

Fertal, another former association president, describes Berryland's board as having "a healthy turnover in leadership."

"People want to help but then move on," he said, taking with them "an appreciation for what is involved in running a community." His wife, Linda Fertal, who has served on the community's social committee for three years, said: "Some people move into a neighborhood and really bring things together. We've had a long string of such people." She said she would relinquish her post after the current term to make way for someone with new ideas.

Association dues of $147 per year are used to pay for social events and maintain the common areas, tennis courts and playgrounds.

As the Heisigs approach their one-year anniversary in Berryland Farm, Britt Heisig noted that even though his commute to Ballston is 45 minutes, his former trip from Annandale took at least that long, even though the distance was shorter. However, he said, the main difference is what awaits him at the end of the drive home.

As parents of a 20-month-old daughter, the Heisigs have found an extended family in their new community. "There's a nice mixture of ages here -- new babies, young families and mature couples," Angela Heisig said.

More important, Britt Heisig said, "There's a lot of warmth and affection among neighbors."