Green Acres
In the 1960s sitcom Green Acres, the conflict between the urbane lawyer Mr. Douglas and the wily Mr. Haney was the catalyst for comedy. After 5 straight years of city folk moving into rural areas of Virginia, it’s no laughing matter.
There has been what some have called a “Rural Renaissance” happening here since 2000. Somewhere between a Zoom call and a Zillow alert, a city dweller near you decided to pack up and move to the hills in the last few years. They traded in the 600k condo with a view of I64 for a 300k cabin with 20 acres of solitude.
Yep, another thing we can blame on Covid. Remote work gave them the idea and living in the city became more expensive and less safe. So, they packed up and left big city life behind. “Green acres is the place for me, farm living is the life for me…”
75% of rural counties in Virginia had an increase in population last year. That reverses a trend in rural communities that have been declining for decades. New Kent County and Goochland County are seeing the fastest growth rates in the Commonwealth. Tens of thousands of urban folk have become rural folk, and the vast majority of them have been younger, aged 25-44.
Rural county governments have been strained, from schools to infrastructure. Higher income urbanites have driven up home prices and rents, often pricing out long time residents. Newcomers are mostly working remote jobs, and they are not taking local jobs, so unemployment remains high. The money that these newcomers bring in is helpful to local economies, but they buy almost everything they need from Amazon and not from the local shop or Southern States Co-op, so the positive economic impact is minimal.
In Nelson County – once famous for being the last county in Virginia to get a traffic signal – they now have traffic jams on Route 151. They’ll soon remedy this with road improvements (traffic circles) that cost more millions. And to pay for this, Nelson County homeowners will find that their Real Estate Tax bills will rise 27% on average in 2026. That’s what happens when a county with only 12,000 people grows into one with 15,000, in a short period of time.
The ultimate irony is this; people are moving from the city to the country for a better life. Yet once there, they make life more expensive and difficult for the communities they landed in.
MONDAY:
SIMPLY THE BEST (OF RICHMOND
Virginia Living’s Best of Virginia 2026 poll is officially open—and we’re shouting out our friends and clients at Carroll Plumbing and Heating!
Each year, thousands of Virginians help spotlight the businesses they trust most across the Commonwealth. Carroll’s expert team has helped keep Richmond homes comfortable, safe, and running smoothly, and we’re casting our vote for them in the Central Virginia Plumbing and Heating category!
Don’t miss the chance to shout your own local faves and see who’s simply the best – chosen by the people of VA! Vote today!
TUESDAY:
‘TIS THE (FLU) SEASON
This season has been a rough one for the team with multiple strains of crud making their way through – so the office was a little quiet this week. It says a lot that the Madison+Main-iacs have still turned out great work for our clients, with several new ones recently added to the roster. So proud of the effort and ethic of our team, and keep an eye out for some exciting new client announcements!
WEDNESDAY:
CLICK IT – AND INSPIRE WHAT WE CREATE!
We’re (safely) putting the pedal to the metal with our partner Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, working with citizens locally to help create messaging that gets Richmonders to buckle up. Both Drive Smart and IIHS have stepped in to elevate community voices– meaning we need you! Take a look at the schedule for the upcoming community meetings and make sure your voice gets heard.
THURSDAY:
STOP BY THE INN IF YOU’LL BE OUT
We know folks all over Virginia are gearing up for a historic snowfall, especially compared to recent years, so just a reminder if you’ve left it a little too late to raid the bread aisle: get your boots on and come grab a tasty meal with your neighbors at the counter at Texas Inn! As long as it’s safe for our amazing staff, we’ll be slingin’ cheesies and keeping folks fed and warm at all four locations, so come pull up a stool and see us this snowy weekend.
FRIDAY:
DAVE ON THE (AIR)WAVES – OR SNOWDRIFTS!
It’s Friday, again, and as mentioned above, we seem to be headed into some heavy weather! But neither rain or snow, nor sleet or hail, stopped me from joining Rich Herrera on Richmond’s Morning News (virtually) this morning to make sure what events are coming up, other than this ice storm. ICYMI, here’s the link. Stay safe out there!
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE EVENTS
January 20–25
Both Zorch Locations: 7524 Forest Hill Ave | 2923 W Cary St, Richmond
It’s Vegan Week, baby — and Zorch pizza is going full power-up mode.
For Vegan 72, Zorch is slingin’ 100% vegan specials for six glorious days. No cheats. No compromises. Just absurdly good food that’s based. Plant based, that is.
Vegan 72 partners with Vegan Action to support Matchbox Mutual Aid, benefiting RVA Community Fridges and Food Not Bombs — organizations fighting food insecurity right here in Richmond.
Dine in. Take out. Every slice helps.
Tell your vegan friends (and your non-vegan friends too).
EAT GOOD. DO GOOD. SO GOOD.
“In the future, all farmers will not have to depend on people like myself to get information about farming. I will be replaced by a computer.” – Hank Kimball (County Agent), “Green Acres”