This outstanding 458 +/- acre farming, timberland investment and recreational opportunity is located in the scenic, mountainous region of south-central West Virginia.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Large 458+/- acre parcel surrounded by large farm and woodland tracts offers complete privacy
• 75 acres of fertile crop and pasture land
• 383 acres of mature timber ready for harvest
• Easy access to I-77, I-64, US Route 19 and US 460
• Daily jet flights from the 3 nearby airports including Charleston, Beckley and Lewisburg
• 10 minutes to Winterplace Ski Resort
• ½ hour to the mighty New River, the East Coast’s whitewater rafting and fishing mecca
• Land legacy of careful wildlife management and outstanding long-term forest stewardship
• Harvest-ready high quality hardwood timber
• Little Bluestone River flows for about one mile along the southeast boundary
• A second beautiful blue line clear water stream flows in the interior for 1/2 mile
• Known as one of the premier wildlife habitats in Summers County
• Nearby are the Greenbrier River, Little Bluestone River, New River, and 2000 acre Bluestone Lake – perfect for anglers and water recreation enthusiasts
• Spectacular 360 degree long range views approaching 40 miles
• High percentage of commercially – operable ground supporting farming, forestry and recreation * Potential for numerous residential homes or cabin sites
• Elevations range from 2379’ to nearly 3168’
• Excellent year round paved state maintained access
• Electric and phone onsite
• Cell phone coverage excellent with 4G
• Public water is available
• Potential conservation value
• Low taxes, low population density
• Little or no light pollution offers unparalleled star gazing and planet observation opportunities
• There are several types of mushrooms, medicinal plants, wild ginseng, ferns and mosses
• The Hatfield-McCoy Trail is nearby

OVERVIEW

The 458 acre Pridemore Farm represents an opportunity to create a classic family ownership legacy for the next tenure, or to carefully craft a rural residential project for future home sites. Terrain is typical of the region and considered rolling to mountainous, with upland hardwood flats and ridges separated by narrow hollows that flank the lower lying drainage of the beautiful stream.

Pridemore Farm is a quality oak and yellow poplar-dominated Appalachian timberland investment with a ready-to-harvest timber resource. Situate near the heart of the recreation mecca of the Greenbrier River and New River Gorge, the property offers rural estate qualities with the upside potential for future residential development.

This well managed timber resource can provide a great deal of flexibility to the next ownership in terms of potential harvest revenue and can be managed to provide cash flow opportunities to offset holding cost and long-term asset appreciation.

Mountain wildflowers can be enjoyed every spring and summer including the spectrum of mountain irises to daffodils. Spectacular 40 mile long views from the upper reaches rival any in WV.  There is little light pollution and the night sky is filled with millions of stars for hours of serenity in your personal mountain retreat.

The ridges and high knobs tower above the valley floor with elevations approaching 3200’. Spectacular distant views from the upper reaches are reminiscent of the vistas in West Virginia’s northeastern highest mountains.

Not surprising, the trees, shrubs and pasture grasses are highly productive in producing tons and tons of oxygen while at the same time eliminating huge amounts of Carbon Dioxide; Nature’s way of reducing our Carbon Footprint.

LOCATION

This 458 +/- acre farming, timberland-recreational opportunity is located in the scenic, mountainous region of south-central West Virginia. The surrounding Summers County landscape is part of the southeastern Ridge and Valley Region, a scenic tapestry of elongated hardwood Allegheny & Appalachian mountain ranges. Much of Summers County remains undeveloped and is characterized by its scenic farm valleys, small communities and large expanses of hardwood forest.

Charleston is West Virginia’s state capitol and is an easy 90 minute drive from the Pridemore Farm. Charleston is WV’s largest city with a population of some 50,000 and a metro area of 225,000. It is the center of government, commerce, culture and industry. There is a commercial airport with daily flights to most major hubs.

Beckley is a 35 minute drive, has a population of 34,000, and is the county seat of Raleigh County. All amenities are available in Beckley. Beckley is located at the intersection of I-77, I-64 and US 19, so easy access to Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Charleston and Cincinnati is just around the corner.

Princeton, the Mercer County seat, is 35 minutes’ drive. All amenities are available in Princeton including banking, excellent healthcare facilities, pharmacies, big box stores, grocery shopping and great restaurants.

The quaint village of Athens, home to Concord University, is just 30 minutes away.

Historic Lewisburg is located just 90 minutes away with all the charm of a small town and all the amenities of a larger city. Voted “Coolest Small Town in America”; fine dining, arts and entertainment flourish in the Lewisburg area while “big box” stores like Walmart and Lowes are also available along with the Greenbrier Valley Medical Center and other medical services. The Greenbrier Valley Airport has direct flights to O’Hare and Dulles.

Within an hour to two hour drive are located some of the finest recreational facilities in West Virginia. Winterplace Ski Resort (10 minutes), Snowshoe Ski Resort, whitewater rafting / fishing on the Greenbrier, New River and Gauley River, 2000 acre Bluestone Lake, 3000 acre Summersville Lake, 919,000 acre Monongahela National Forest and the 80,000 acre New River National Gorge National Park. Five other area state parks and state forests offer unlimited hiking, horseback riding, ATV riding and rock climbing opportunities.

Located just 15 minutes from I-77, year round access to the property is excellent. The property fronts both sides of the paved – state maintained Daisy Trail Road RT 25 for about 2/10ths of a mile.

Internal access is considered excellent. Several forest trails provide access to nearly all corners providing for recreational opportunities including nature viewing, hiking, horseback riding and ATV riding. They also provide access to valuable stands of timber.

Google Coordinates: 37.613635°(N), -81.064466°(W)
Address: Daisy Trail Road RT 25, Ghent, WV 25843
Elevation Range: 2379 ft. to 3168 ft. +/-

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

A visit to Pridemore Farm is like stepping back in time some 130 years. This early farmstead is an excellent example of the how the early settlers lived and is a testament to hard work, perseverance and ingenuity. Manpower and horsepower were the tools of the trade in the late 1800’s. Areas previously in fields are now regenerated to quality timber. The clearing of the fields is preserved with some split rail fence and stone piles found around the property, a testament to the countless hours of backbreaking work.

There are about 75 acres of cleared land consisting of pasture, meadows and cropland.  The fields lay well and would be perfect for raising vegetables, pumpkins, grapes, fruit and a host of other agricultural crops. Presently, the fields are being used as pasture for grazing several head of cattle and hay production.

Three small farm ponds provide water for the cattle. There is some pretty good fencing on some sections of the property.

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

The distinguishing features of the Pridemore Farm’s timber resource include its unusually high hardwood sawtimber and pole stocking with a solid basal area/ acre. This stocking is well above average for the region. This well managed timber resource can provide a great deal of flexibility to the next ownership in terms of potential harvest revenue and can be managed to provide cash flow opportunities to offset holding cost and long-term asset appreciation.

Capital Timber Value has not been assigned by the owner at this time but can be considerable as there has not been a commercial harvest in several when the forest was lightly thinned only in certain areas.

The forest’s predominately well-drained upland terrain has led to a resource dominated by hardwood species. Overall, the species composition is highly desirable and favors Appalachian hardwood types, consisting primarily of White Oak/Chestnut Oak, Red Oak Group, Poplar/Cucumber/Basswood, Sugar Maple/Soft Maple and a host of associate species.

Forest-wide, most stands are fully stocked, providing the next ownership with a great deal of flexibility in shaping their own silvicultual legacy. Stem quality forest-wide can be considered excellent with the forest containing an abundant current and future veneer source.

The timber component has been well managed over the years and generally consists of two age classes that have been managed under even-aged silvicultural guidelines. The predominant timber stand comprises 90% of the forest and contains 40-80 year old stems ranging in size of 10”-28” dbh. This stand was thinned several years ago. This stand is on the cusp of graduating into higher-value sawtimber diameter classes over the coming decade.

The second distinct stand was established in the when the farm fields and pastures were abandoned in the 1940’s and the forest began to naturally regenerate. These stands represent a quality hardwood resource with a small pine component and will be reaching economic maturity in the next 20 years.

The Red Oak group, White Oak group, Yellow Poplar/Basswood and the Maples, dominate the sawlog and veneer value, collectively representing nearly all of the total sawlog value. The remaining value is spread across a diverse range of species including Hickory, Beech, White Ash, Black Walnut, Hemlock and other associates.

Diameters are well represented across the commercial spectrum with a notable mature size class, as well as abundant pole size timber and growing stock. Average diameter with all products combined is estimated at 14”dbh.

Some trees are well over 100 years old and classify as “Heritage Trees”. These amazing trees have withstood the test of time and lend an air of grace and permanency to the property.

The forest is healthy and there are no signs of pest infestations of Gypsy Moth. The forest pests called the Emerald Ash Borer and the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid are present. The majority of the Ash and Hemlock trees are severely stressed and will die out over the next decade. There have been no forest fires in the recent memory.

The forest floor is home to several types of mushrooms, medicinal plants, wild ginseng, ferns and cool green mosses. One could spend a lifetime getting to know this inviting environ.

WILDLIFE

Pridemore Farm is known locally as an excellent wildlife habitat. The wildlife management parameters have remained consistent over the years providing for a well-established wildlife population.

The mixture of mature forest, abandoned farm fields, present farm fields and the abundant water supply from creeks and springs, create the perfect wildlife habitat. The hardwood forest produces tons of acorns, hickory nuts beech nuts and black walnuts. White tail deer, black bear, wild turkey, squirrel, raccoon, fox and many species of songbirds and raptors make up the resident wildlife population. It is hard to find a property that has a better mix of wildlife as there has been excellent wildlife management for many years.

A number of Bald Eagles have been spotted up and down the Greenbrier and New Rivers and are a thrill to see with wingspans of 6-7 feet.

Pridemore Farm is blessed with a year-round water source. The Little Bluestone River is a beautiful blue line, clear water stream that flows for 1 mile along the southeastern boundary of the property. Another blue line feeder streams flows from the interior for about ½ mile. Many smaller ephemeral streams flow during rain events and snow melts.

MINERAL RESOURCES

All mineral rights the seller owns will convey with the property. All buyers are encouraged to have a mineral title report conducted by an attorney to ascertain the status of the mineral rights.

BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

The 458+/- acre property has been partially surveyed in times past and some of the deeds recorded in the courthouse have metes and bounds calls. There is not a current survey plat on file. The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre. Buyers are welcome to conduct a survey at their expense prior to closing. Old fences, roads, streams and fields can be found along some of the property lines.

UTILITIES

• Electric – On property
• Propane – can be delivered
• Landline Phone – Nearby
• Internet – May be available through land line
• Cable TV & Internet – DirectTV or Dish Network
• Sewer – No public sewer available at this time. Septic system commonly used
• Water – Public water is available. Drilled water wells commonly used or develop springs
• Trash Pickup – at curbside
• Cell phone coverage is fair to excellent in this area
• USPS and Overnight Couriers deliver to the area

ACCESS/FRONTAGE

About 2/10 mile of Daisy Trail Road RT 25 runs through the property, providing direct access to the public road system.

ZONING

Summers County currently has no known zoning or subdivision regulations. However, all prospective buyers should consult the County Government and also the Health Department for any changes and details regarding zoning, building codes, and installation of water wells and septic systems.

PROPERTY TYPE/USE SUMMARY

The property has a vintage home and barns, 2 small stock-watering ponds, 8 separate pasture fields ranging from 1 acre to 26 acres in size for a total of about 46 acres of grazing land, plus 2 fields that have been used for hay production, one containing 22 acres and the other containing 4 acres, to provide about 26 acres available for crop production. In addition to the 75-acres in the center of the property being used for the farm home and farming activities, the property abounds with forestland, being nearly 383 acres.
(This summary is an estimation of current property use as determined from aerial photography. It is made subject to the estimation of property boundaries and any errors in the interpretation of land use type from the aerial photography utilized.)

DEED AND TAX INFORMATION

Deed Information: DB 257 Pg. 520
Summers County, West Virginia

Acreage: 457.91 acres +/-
Real Estate Tax ID/Acreage/Taxes:

Summers County (45), West Virginia
Jumping Branch District (5)

Tax Map 17 Parcel 3; 345.91 A LITTLE BLUESTONE (3 TRACTS) “SURF”; Class 3; $1,408.79
Tax Map 18 Parcel 1; 113 ACRES LITTLE BLUESTONE (3 TRACTS); Class 3; $758.17

2017 Real Estate Taxes: $2,166.96

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Raleigh County School District
Public Elementary School:
Ghent Elementary School – Raleigh County

Public Middle School:
Shady Spring Middle School

Public High School:
Shady Spring High School

HATFIELD-MCCOY TRAILS

The Hatfield-McCoy Trails System (HMTS) is made up of over 600+ miles of trails and located in the rich mountains of southern West Virginia. The 600+ mile HMTS is second only to the 2000 mile long Paiute ATV Trail in Central Utah.

As one of the largest off-highway vehicle trail systems in the world, HMTS is open 365 days a year and offers something for every skill level. The trail system caters to ATV, UATV, and motorbikes (dirt bikes), but hikers, mountain bikers, and horse riders can also use the trails. The trail system is a multi-county project, including West Virginia counties Logan, Kanawha, Wyoming, McDowell, Mercer, Wayne, Lincoln, Mingo, and Boone.

The name of the trail system is derived from the names of two families, the Hatfields and McCoys, who famously feuded near the West Virginia and Kentucky border after the Civil War.

Law enforcement officers patrol the trail to assure compliance with safety regulations. Motorized users of the trail system must wear a DOT-approved helmet and are prohibited from “doubling” (having a passenger), unless their vehicle is designed for two people. These rules, and a host of others, have allowed the trail system to enjoy a quality safety record, despite an increase in ATV-related injuries around the country.