January 2026 Hickory Farms Newsletter

Editor - Kiera Stark (Cotton Farm Rd)

Greetings from the Hickory Farms President

Greetings Neighbors,

Happy New Year! As we step into 2026, I want to thank you for helping make this neighborhood a solid place to live; safe, respectful, and well cared for.

Remember, we are not just a collection of houses. We are a community. Little things matter like looking out for each other, being patient, and assuming good intent when issues come up.

A quick ask as we head into the new year: please keep up the appearance of your property. Small, steady upkeep—lawns (including leaves,) trash/recycling bins, exterior clutter, and basic maintenance—goes a long way toward keeping the whole neighborhood looking sharp.

As always, the HOA runs best when more people participate. If you can spare some time this year, we are always looking for volunteers to help with simple, practical needs like walking the neighborhood to flag maintenance items, helping with communications, serving on a committee, or lending a hand when projects come up.

Wishing you and your family a healthy, peaceful, and prosperous 2026.

Steve Kubrak
President, Hickory Farms Community Association
president@hickoryfarms.org

Hickory Farms Annual Assesment Due January 31, 2025

- By Judy Deng, HFCA Treasurer

This year’s assessment is $300.00 and is due no later than January 31, 2026. Pay electronically or pay by mail.

Payment details are as follows:

Ensure payment reaches HFCA Treasurer no later than January 31, 2026.

PAY ELECTRONICALLY:

You may pay by e-check or credit card at: https://hickoryfarmshfca.cheddarup.com Cheddar Up is a secure digital payment method that is integrated with our MoneyMinder web-based accounting software
No fee for e-checks. E-check is an ACH debit from a payer’s bank account, which involves payers entering their bank account and routing numbers.
Credit card payments will include an additional processing fee.

PAY BY MAIL:

Mail your check or money order to:
Hickory Farms Community Association
P.O. Box 2239
Fairfax VA 22031
Ensure the property address is written on your check or money order.

Moved? New homeowner? Email owner's name, address, and telephone number to secretary@hickoryfarms.org, who maintains Hickory Farms records.

Help us stay in touch by joining the HFCA email list (listserv). This is a private list for HFCA only.

THANK YOU! Your assessment payments help keep our community beautiful and safe.

Questions? Contact Treasurer@Hickoryfarms.org

Hickory Farms Community Association Bylaws Article VII, Section 2(c) governs annual assessments. Assessment payments are the responsibility of the property owner. Payments that are not postmarked or in the physical possession of the Treasurer by February 7, 2026 are late and the homeowner will be charged an additional $50. Payments received after that date that do not include the additional $50 charge (total payment of $350.00) will be returned to the homeowner for non-payment. On March 1, 2026, delinquent accounts will be turned over to the Association's attorney for collection. At that point, the amount owed by the delinquent homeowner will be $350.00 plus all associated attorney fees and could include significant court costs if HFCA files a lawsuit. These procedures are in accord with the Hickory Farms Community Association Bylaws, which have no provision for waiver.

When It Snows!

As snow falls across our neighborhood this winter, here is some helpful information about snow removal from Fairfax County.

Besides the sidewalk in front of your home, there are other, community-focused places to consider shoveling snow:

Fire hydrants – every second counts; clear at least three feet around
School bus stops in the neighborhood
Walking or bike trails
Storm drains

Snow shovel safely. Take breaks while shoveling and do not overexert yourself, especially if you are usually inactive. Shovel small amounts of snow at a time. Push the snow instead of lifting where possible.

About salt: While salt helps get rid of ice, too much can be harmful to our drinking water, aquatic life, trees, vegetation, vehicles, pipes and infrastructure. So, don’t overdo it. Make sure you’re using just enough to get the job done. For example, a 12-ounce mug of salt should be enough to treat a 20-foot driveway or about 10 sidewalk squares. Also, consider how salt can impact neighborhood dogs; if possible, try and use pet-friendly kinds.

Source: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/snow/remove

The Birds of Hickory Farms

By Bob Cosgriff

December provided a few highlights in terms of backyard birds. On 7 December, we spotted a Northern Mockingbird (NOMO) which brought our yearly total to 62 species. Later in the month, arriving with a cold front, we saw a female Purple Finch (PUFI) and a male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (YBSA). While these are not new birds for the year, it was nice to see them again since their last appearance in early spring. Hopefully they will be returning over the winter.

The Bird of the Month is Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Learn all about this attractive woodpecker by clicking on this link:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/id

Now that the winter solstice has passed, each day will get slightly longer. However, the weather is likely to get worse in terms of temperatures and snow. Birds are well-adapted for cold weather, but they definitely need to eat to sustain their high metabolism. Bird feeders can provide a needed food supplement if conditions like heavy snow or ice make it hard to find natural food such as seeds or nuts. If you decide to feed birds, I recommend using black-oil sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, white millet, split peanuts, and suet. Don’t waste money on mixed seed varieties as they often include products that are not preferred by the birds. Your feeders should be placed where squirrels cannot jump onto them from a tree or a deck. Pole-mounted feeders with raccoon baffles work best for keeping squirrels from climbing up from the ground. Hot pepper suet is an effective squirrel deterrent. Birds do not taste the hot peppers so it will not hurt them. Ideally, you will have a feeder for each type of food: platform or hopper feeders work best for sunflower seeds. There are vertical cylindrical feeders for split peanuts. Suet baskets are the best way to present suet cakes. If you use hot pepper suet, you can hang the basket anywhere. As for the millet and safflower, they can be sprinkled on the ground or placed in the platform/hopper feeders with sunflower. Many birds, including White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Slatecolored Junco, and Eastern Towhee love to scratch in the leaves for seeds but will also readily use platform feeders. As for where to buy feeders, local bird supply stores, hardware stores, and Walmart all carry various products and there are numerous online sites where you can purchase feeders at a competitive price. It’s a great way to get your kids interested in nature by letting them fill the feeders and try to identify the birds that show up.

On 1 January each year, we begin our daily species count. So watch for the February newsletter which will let you know which bird got the honors as the first species spotted in 2026 and how many species overall showed up. Until then, try to explore our beautiful common areas or nearby parks to see what birds you can see. As always, if you have an interesting sighting or an identification question, please contact me at bandjcoz@gmail.com. Happy New Year!

Neighborhood Holiday Lights Contest!

By HFCA Social Commitee

Thank you to everyone that participated in the Hickory Farms Holiday Lights Contest – whether you decorated, voted, or both, you helped make the contest a success! The winners of each category are: