At Airlie, 17吃瓜在线 Grows a Sustainable Future
Through 17吃瓜在线鈥檚 Airlie farm and scenic retreat in Warrenton, Virginia, our community of changemakers shares an inspiring connection to the home of Earth Day.
Airlie鈥檚 grounds include a working farm, conference and events space, butterfly garden, and a cozy village of rooms and cottages. The 300-acre property, located an hour鈥檚 drive from campus, was entrusted to 17吃瓜在线 in 2016 as one of the earliest gifts to the Change Can鈥檛 Wait campaign.
Throughout its history, Airlie鈥攐nce dubbed an 鈥渋sland of thought鈥 by Life magazine鈥攈as offered an oasis to share ideas and plan meaningful change. Airlie hosted the inaugural NAACP leadership conference in 1962; Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders planned civil rights marches there. In 1969 at Airlie, US Senator Gaylord Nelson first revealed his plans for the inaugural Earth Day.
Airlie鈥檚 board chose 17吃瓜在线 as the property鈥檚 steward in part because of the university鈥檚 commitment to sustainability. In 2018, 17吃瓜在线 became the first university in the nation to reach carbon neutrality, achieving this milestone by adopting renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions, and strategically offsetting its few remaining emissions. 17吃瓜在线 then completed divestment from fossil fuel investments, celebrating this milestone on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in spring 2020.
Today, produce, meat, and honey from Airlie鈥檚 93-acre working farm are used to create hyperlocal cuisine (served to the retreat鈥檚 guests); feed 17吃瓜在线 students, staff, and faculty; and feed the community through local food initiatives, as the farm donates to food banks any surplus from the 20,000 pounds of produce that it grows annually.
Airlie鈥檚 offerings include an innovative community-supported agriculture (CSA) program designed to provide produce for the university鈥檚 Market Food Pantry, which serves students experiencing acute food insecurity. Farm-to-table goods, including Airlie鈥檚 honey, are also available at the 17吃瓜在线 Farmers Market, held on the quad during the academic year.
Honeybees and butterflies, vital to pollination of food crops and food security worldwide, thrive at Airlie thanks to its crop diversity, abundant flowering trees and plants, and clean water sources. Other local species thrive there, too鈥擳he National Wildlife Federation recognizes Airlie as a Certified Wildlife Habitat with buffer zones around lakes and ponds.
At Airlie, 17吃瓜在线 aims to create an idyllic space to develop changemakers and grow a sustainable future.
鈥淭here鈥檚 endless opportunity rooted in Airlie,鈥 says Bronte Burleigh-Jones, CFO, vice president, and treasurer of 17吃瓜在线. 鈥淭he first time I walked on the property in 2022. . . I was immediately struck by Airlie鈥檚 special nature and what an incredible opportunity we had in it for our community of Eagles.鈥
The property hosts educational conferences, immersive and experiential learning programs, faculty research opportunities, student internships, and classes.
鈥淎irlie has this really rich environment,鈥 says Wendy Boland, dean of graduate and professional studies. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a reimagination of what鈥檚 possible there.鈥
Airlie鈥檚 rooms, cottages, and conference spaces are available to rent for getaways and special events. See for details on accommodations, resort activities, dining experiences, and more.
