It is only fitting that a colorful bouquet of dahlias from Meadowpoint Dahlias adorned Mayberry Presbyterian Church recently for their Sunday morning service. Dahlias, symbolic of elegance, creativity, positivity, and growth, flourish in a delightful farm situated just a few miles from Mayberry Church. The history of both the church and the farm is deeply intertwined.
Mayberry Presbyterian Church is one of the rock churches built by Bob Childress, the inspiration for the book “The Man Who Moved a Mountain.” The dahlia farm is located in the yard of the former Charles Langhorne “Tump” Spangler, the first representative from Patrick County to the Virginia House of Delegates, where he served for five years. The current owner of the farm, Debra Spangler Shelor, and her husband, Rob, are continuing the family legacy. Debra is the granddaughter of the elder Spangler.
After retiring from thirty-one years of service with Tri-Area Community Health Clinic, Debra found more time to indulge in her passion for planting and growing dahlias. Her son, Aaron Shelor, soon discovered his own joy in flower gardening, planting a few dahlias at his house. Aaron, a Virginia Tech graduate and the manager of Meadowpoint Cattle Company, became so involved in growing dahlias that he explored online sales.
The business quickly expanded, and they now grow and sell over 400 varieties of dahlia tubers, shipping them to all fifty states. However, running this small business requires significant effort. In spring, beds must be prepared, and the tubers, which were dug up in the fall, washed, meticulously sorted, labeled, and stored in the basement in shoeboxes, must be replanted and tended throughout the summer.
Dahlias begin blooming in June and continue until the first frost. During this period, they need to be fertilized, watered, weeded, staked, netted, protected from varmints, and deadheaded. While the Shelors generally do not sell cut blooms, they do provide flowers for special events on occasion. Selling tubers involves cataloging, packaging, mailing, and accounting. Marketing the tubers online with photos of each beautiful variety is crucial, with Aaron handling much of the computer work and Debra managing much of the outdoor labor.
Discoveries can be found around every curve, and this fascinating dahlia farm is no exception. Located on Route 58 beside Quakerfield Creek, which happily hops over nearby rocks, the farm’s charm is undeniable. While sales are currently closed for the season, Meadowpoint Dahlias continues to captivate visitors and customers alike. For more information, visit their website at Meadowpoint-dahlias.square.site or their Facebook page, Meadowpoint Dahlias.
