Owie Samuels is a native of Albemarle County where she grew up in a sporting environment that included fox-hunting with the Farmington and Keswick Hunt Clubs.

After graduating Hollins University, Owie moved to Europe and lived in Germany and The Netherlands for over a decade. While there, in addition to learning the history and languages of her adopted countries, she trained in classical equestrian skills which she passed on to her daughters.

Owie returned to Albemarle County in the mid 1970’s to found and operate Virginia’s first cheese-making dairy where she achieved national recognition for her production of Gouda.

Owie is a devotee of local lore, all things horses and hay as well as gardens and landscape composition. Owie is a member of Albemarle Garden Club with a determined interest in conservation. She has served on the Board of Region Ten, a non-profit community of health services, and on the Board of the Learning Center a long-time non-profit for the benefit of those with learning disabilities.