With the recent increase in reports of unwelcome visitors trespassing on our friend's properties, I think that it is prudent to shine a light on a commonly overlooked component of property management: Property Security.

When examining property and physical asset security, it is important to understand that each property, and the goals of those that love and manage said property (and the animals/ goods fostered therein), are unique in terms of risk and countermeasure. When discussing "risk," the variables are as unique as the properties themselves. Universal concerns in terms of risk include public intrusion, trespassing, poaching of cultured goods or wildlife, asset loss or damage, personal safety, and the invasion of privacy. Now, I just offered a number of alarming terms, but please don't reach for the Rolaids, or the shotgun, just yet. As everyone who has land and animals is aware, security concerns usually arise from benign behavior. Given the unparalleled beauty of the Piedmont, we welcome many tourists, cyclists, and wine enthusiasts. These welcome visitors are not always aware of the liabilities, or risks that exist in our countryside. I can offer two examples. Not long before my wife and I were married, we had a farm in Bluemont. The farm was on a popular cycling route, and one splendid April morning, my wife woke to our dogs alerting to three cycling enthusiasts in our roadside paddock, walking toward a mature, in-season breeding stallion who was not keen to share his space. When we ran out to warn the do-gooders of their impending injuries, we were met with skepticism. On private property. Had they been injured, I have no doubt that the horse, and our business, would have been blamed. My second example is staged about one year later. Once again, several weekend enthusiasts were relaxing on a pile of fieldstone on our property. I should mention that this particular pile of stone had copperheads living in and on it for several years. We became aware of their presence only because we happened to drive by. It is in moments like these that I always thought "I never thought that I would need surveillance." I am so happy that we made the decision to install motion-activated cameras, not because I wanted to implicate anyone, but because I wanted to protect myself, my family, our animals, and our operation. Taking this lesson deeper, I have learned the value of cameras with activity and environmental analytics when on foal watch. These units were sourced through Active Security Consulting (a local, veteran-owned company) and are worth their weight in foaling stalls, whelping sheds, chicken coops, lambing runs, and even in greenhouses. A two-degree temperature variance can be detected, among other metrics, and the information appears in the palm of your hand, via your phone.

It is no secret that our current farm is on a very visible road off of Rt. 50. I cannot tell you the number of unknown visitors that we have had over the past three years. I was always taught that if you would like to drop in, call first. That that does not work, swing in and knock. Some seem to think that pulling into someone's home, and taking a self -guided tour of their facility is acceptable. More than once have I found a stranger in our barn, and upon questioning, I hear "Oh, I rented this barn back in '89, and I was curious as to the work that is being done." Not okay. The installation of entrance gates has mitigated that liability. Access control is one of the easiest, and outwardly effective methods to secure your property. A word of warning when installing gates; You get what you pay for. A rule of thumb is the thinner the metal, the thinner the security. This adage applies not only to the physicality of the gate but also to the reliability of the operational mechanisms.

As the features, needs, and offerings of our properties continue to evolve, our tools of stewardship will also continue to mature. The security profile of a property says a great deal about the value of the property, through the eyes of those that are responsible for it.

Thank you for reading. I will see you in the field.