DESCRIPTION

Sassafras Mountain Farm is a 141 acre country property offering everything you need to “get back to the land”.   With about 12 acres in fields and the remainder in mature forestland, this mountain farm includes seasonal streams, spring, woodland pond, owner-built farmhouse, barn, garden areas and plenty of space to roam.

The 121 acres of forest is lush with many old growth trees and has not had any timbering activity in over 40 years. The capital Timber Value of the timber and pulpwood is approximately  $102,581.77 as of February 2015.

Secluded yet accessible, Sassafras Mountain Farm is located just one mile from WV Rt. 3, the Greenbrier River and is accessed by a paved county road the ends just half a mile further up the mountain.  The surrounding mountainside forms a self-contained watershed featuring seasonal streams, a woodland pond and a stone-lined spring.  Garden areas total about a quarter acre. With about 12 acres open, the remainder is in upland second growth mixed forestland, which the owners estimate has not been harvested in 100 years.  Of the 12 acres open, about 5 acres currently used as hayfields is tillable ground and could be used for growing other crops with the remaining 7 +/- acres in mountain pasture.

Nearby Hinton is the county seat with grocery stores, places to eat, banks and the court house. Summers County Hospital is just down the road. Within 10 minutes you can have access to New River plus the 2,000 acre Bluestone Lake. The Willowood Country Club and Golf Course is just across the river, too.

To help you start “living off the land”, Sassafras Mountain Farm has two gardens.  The front garden is approximately 40’ by 180’ with apple trees, blueberries and raspberries.  The rear garden is about 1,000 square feet with established beds.  Two garden areas are serviced by freeze proof water hydrants.

The farm has several seasonal streams and a woodland pond.  A spring has been developed as a supplemental water source for the home.

The barn is a pole frame barn and is featured in Barns of Summers County by Phyllis Campbell Whitley.  The barn has electricity and a freeze proof water hydrant and the center area has a raised wooden floor has been used as a workshop.  Each side has a dirt floor and stalls.  The barn has adjacent pens on three sides and the adjoining hillside pasture is fenced with box wire.

Additional structures on the property include two open wood/tool sheds and an additional small cabin with electricity that was used for making stained glass windows in the past.

FARMHOUSE INFORMATION

Custom-Designed, Owner Built
Frame 2-Story Home with Basement
Approx. 2700 sq. ft.
Year Built: 1975, 1981, 1997

Total Finished Sq. Ft. – 2150 +/-
Main Floor Sq. Ft. – 1250 +/-
Upper Floor Sq. Ft. – 900 +/-
Basement Sq. Ft. – 550 +/-

Rooms: 9
Bedrooms: 5
Total Bathrooms: 2
Full Bathrooms: 2

Garage Type: 1-Car  Carport Attached

Foundation:  Concrete
Roof: Asphalt Shingles, Asphalt Rolled, Metal
Date of Roof: Late 1990’s, 2012, 1980’s
Floor: Hardwood, Tile, Vinyl, Concrete, Plywood
Heat: Forced Air, Wood & Oil Furnace, Fireplace, Wood stove
Air Conditioning: None

Items to Convey: Refrigerator, Ashley wood stove, washer, dryer, 2 wall-mounted LP gas heaters

The owner-built farmhouse is custom designed, and offers a rustic, imaginative, sun filled and comfortable home.   The living space is 2150 +/- square feet plus a large basement.  The first phase was constructed in 1975 and the western addition put up in 1984.

The main level features an open plan five-sided layout, optimizing solar exposure.  The kitchen, dining and living areas are all open with oak floors.  The kitchen is set up for LP gas cooking.  This level also includes an airlock entry, two partially finished rooms, and an attached one-story addition bonus room which can also be used as a main level bedroom.  Attached is an oversized enclosed carport which has been framed for a garage door.  In front is a large deck with a small deck and large concrete patio in the rear.  The concrete patio is large and has been used for playing basketball.

The second level offers four bedrooms, one with adjoining office/dressing area and private balcony, and a ¾ bath.  Floors are pine and maple.

The basement has concrete floors and walls with an unfinished ceiling.  A large full bathroom included an antique cast iron tub and an oversized tiled shower.  The attached earth-sheltered greenhouse was built in 1980.

Forced air heat comes from a multi-fuel furnace that burns wood or oil and has two thermostats.  The main living area next to the kitchen has a large stone fireplace with a Heatilator insert.  The main room also has a wall-mounted LP gas heater if you just want to “take the chill off” in the morning.  The bonus room/ main level bedroom also has a wood stove chimney and a wall-mounted gas heater.

LOCATION

East Woodrumtown Road
Hinton, WV 25951

Latitude: ­­ 37.6377518
Longitude:  080.8157315W

Elevation Range: 1,730’ – 2,655’

RECREATION AT SASSAFRAS MOUNTAIN FARM

Sassafras Mountain Farm offers unparalleled recreational opportunities.  Numerous soft recreational activities are anchored by the adjoining Greenbrier River and proximity to the New River, Bluestone Lake and Summersville Lake.

Water-sports enthusiasts will find the Greenbrier River ideal for swimming, canoeing, fishing, kayaking, tubing, snorkeling, paddle boarding and windsurfing. Great fishing is found in the Greenbrier River with small mouth bass, crappie, catfish, muskie and bluegill present in good numbers. Ice skating is occasionally a fun activity during the winter months.

Nature viewing is first in line of recreational activities. Attentive wildlife management has been geared not to just larger animals. Equal consideration has been extended to increasing the numbers and diversity of species including neo-tropical songbirds, butterflies, turtles, frogs, rabbits, chipmunks, dragonflies, owls, eagles and hawks. White tail deer, black bear, red/gray fox, bobcat, wild turkey, grouse, duck, squirrel, raccoon, fox and rabbit make up the resident wildlife population. It is hard to find a property that has a better mix of wildlife.

Stargazing-Planet Observation
Total or near total darkness can be still be found on the property, thereby affording the opportunity to view the night sky in all its brilliant wonder.

Shooting-sports devotees find all the land and privacy needed to enjoy:

• Paintball-Airsoft-Laser Tag-Archery tag
• Shotgun sport shooting including Skeet, Trap, Double Trap and Sporting Clays
• Rifle & Handgun shooting: bullseye, silhouette, western, bench rest, long-range, fast draw
• Archery and Crossbow competition shooting
• Plain ole’ plinking: Grandpa’s old 22 single shot rifle and a few tin cans make a fun day

All Terrain Motorsports
Sassafras Mountain Farm is perfect for experiencing the property from an ATV or UTV. Riders are welcome to ride all public roads that do not have a painted dividing line and there are miles and miles of open roads in the area. These exciting machines handle the wide variety of the forest’s terrain.

Dirt bikes can also be a lot of fun and they come in all sizes and horsepower to fit anyone who enjoys being on two wheels.

Mountain Biking, Horseback Riding and Hiking
The gently laying land may be used for conventional and mountain biking, hiking or horseback riding and the area offers several state and national parks geared for these activities.

WILDLIFE

The nearby Greenbrier River is a major contributor to the local ecosystem richness and diversity for both plants and animals. There are many animals that live year round and at other times in the water and around the edges of the river, including beavers, otters, minks, raccoons, opossums, blue herons, Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, king fishers, minnows, native fish, turtles, salamanders, newts, crayfish, muskrats, bull frogs, eagles, owls, hawks and redwing blackbirds.

The miles of “edge effect” created between the river, forest, and fields benefit all the resident wildlife. In addition to those listed above, white tail deer, black bear, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit, bobcat, fox, chipmunk, and many species of songbirds make up the resident wildlife population.
Of equal importance, there is the insect and microscopic world including butterflies, dragonflies, water skaters, water beetles, damselflies, hellgrammites, tadpoles and various insect larve.

Great fishing is found in the Greenbrier River New River and Bluestone Lake with small and large mouth bass, crappie, catfish, muskie, walleye, pike and bluegill present in good numbers.

The rivers, lake, and creeks, and their surrounding aquatic plant life, create a water a water-supported community with a wide variety of wildlife. Much of their margins are fringed by wetlands, and these wetlands support the aquatic food web, provide shelter for wildlife, and stabilize their shores. The plant life associated with the wetland includes rushes, sedges, cattails, duckweed, bee balm and algae.

The hardwood forest of the surrounding mountains provides the essential nutrient source and produces tons of hard mast including acorns, hickory nuts, beech nuts and black walnuts. Soft mast includes stag horn sumac, black cherry, tulip poplar seeds, maple seeds, autumn olive berries and blackberries.

SELF-SUSTAINING LIFE OFF THE GRID

Just like 200 years ago, when the first mountaineers settled the area, the property can be self-sustaining in times of necessity – even without on-grid electricity.

• Solar or wind power could provide an endless supply of off grid electricity
• Fresh water for drinking and cooking would come from the drilled water well (hand drawing water from the well using a cylinder well bucket)
• Deer and turkey can supply fresh meat
• Raise livestock of all kinds (chickens, pigs, cows, sheep, goats, rabbits etc.) and could be farmed with horse drawn equipment. The land would support vegetable gardens, berry patches, fruit orchards, and row crops of corn, oats and barley
• Beehives would provide honey and beeswax for candles
• The forest would provide firewood for heating and cooking and pounds of walnuts

FOREST FARMING

The most common crops are medicinal herbs and mushrooms. Other crops that can be produced include shade-loving native ornamentals, moss, fruit, nuts, other food crops, and decorative materials for crafts. These crops are often referred to as special forest products.

Here are some specific examples of possible crops:

• Medicinal herbs: Ginseng, goldenseal, black cohosh, bloodroot, passionflower, and mayapple
• Mushrooms: Shiitake and oyster mushrooms
• Native ornamentals: Rhododendrons and dogwood
• Moss: Log or sheet moss
• Fruit: Pawpaws, currants, elderberries, and lowbush blueberries
• Nuts: Black walnuts, hazelnuts, hickory nuts, and beechnuts
• Other food crops: Ramps (wild leeks), maple syrup, and honey
• Plants used for decorative purposes, dyes, and crafts: Galax, princess pine, white oak, pussy willow branches in the spring, holly, bittersweet, and bloodroot and ground pine (Lycopodium)

THE AREA

Sassafras Mountain Farm is an easy drive to the higher population areas of Charleston, Roanoke, Blacksburg, Beckley, Princeton and Lewisburg.

Nearby Hinton is the county seat with grocery stores, restaurants, banks, auto parts stores, hardware, hospital, dentists and most other small-town amenities. Hinton is also the Summers County Seat and the economic and governmental hub of the county. The county’s total population is about 14,000.

Charleston is West Virginia’s state capitol and is an easy 90 minute drive. Charleston is West Virginia’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 30 minute drive, has a population of 34,000, and is the county seat of Raleigh County. All city 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.

The surrounding area offers unlimited recreational activities including white water rafting, golfing, fishing, camping, hiking, bird watching and rock climbing and snow skiing.

Highlights:

• 10 minutes to Hinton
• One hour or less to Beckley, Princeton, Lewisburg, 80,000 acre New River Gorge National Park, 2,000 acre Bluestone Lake, Pipestem Resort and Bluestone State Park, Sandstone Falls, Winterplace Ski Resort and the 4-Star Greenbrier Resort
• A picturesque Amtrak train ride from Hinton connects the area to DC, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, and many other locations
• Washington, DC is 5 hours away and Charlotte only 3
• Charleston, Beckley, Lewisburg airports offer jet service to main hubs
• Charleston, the state capitol, is 1.5 hours’ drive and offers all large city amenities
• Easy access to I-64, I-77, I-79, US 460, US 19
• The Bechtel Summit Reserve, the12,000 acre Boy Scouts of America’s high adventure camp, is also an hour’s drive
• The 14,000 acre Wildlife Management Area is just down river at Bull Falls

Historic Summers County
Hinton, the county seat of Summers County is a 15 minute drive. Hinton, founded in 1871, grew rapidly as the hub of a growing railroad industry serving the New River coal fields, passenger travel and coast to coast freight lines. Today, Hinton serves the growing tourist and technology industries.

Summers County (2014 population—13,417) is located in the southeastern region of West Virginia, scenically placed between the beautiful Greenbrier and New River Valleys. The City of Hinton (2013 population—2,588) serves as the county seat and is the sole municipality within Summers County.

The railroad boom of the early 20th century helped to build Hinton and Summers County. However, the county’s current economy is based primarily on tourism thanks to the Bluestone Dam and Lake along with the Bluestone, Greenbrier, and New Rivers which converge in Hinton. Further, the New River Gorge National River begins at Hinton and flows northward into neighboring Fayette County.

Summers County is also home to Bluestone State Park, Pipestem Resort, and a number of other facilities that provide lodging, camping, and a variety of recreational activities. The Hinton Railroad Museum, the Graham House, the Campbell Flanagan Murrell House, and other museums provide glimpses into the county’s history. The architecture of buildings in Hinton’s nationally-registered historic district is of interest to many. A solid core of retail stores and professional service providers meet the needs of residents and visitors alike.

Residents of Summers County enjoy a wonderful small town, laid back quality of life. Service clubs such as the Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary, and Ruritans support a number of community initiatives, school programs, and special events. The Summers County Library supports the county school system and provides visitors with Internet access and other services. Several denominations of churches meet the Summers County community’s spiritual needs.

Summers County is served east-west by Interstate 64 and by north and south connections to Interstate 77. The New River Parkway, when completed, will improve access to Sandstone Falls by upgrading River Road from I-64 near Exit 139 Sandstone into Hinton. West Virginia Routes 3, 12, 19, 20, and 107 are the primary highways within the county. Amtrak also provides an important transportation link to Summers County with its Cardinal line from New York to Washington DC to Chicago. Stops are made three times per week to pick up and disembark passengers at Hinton’s historic Rail Depot.

The Summers County Appalachian Regional Hospital provides a fully-staffed emergency room and a variety of medical services. Summers County Emergency Services provides ambulance service. Law enforcement is provided by the Summers County Sheriff’s Department, a detachment of the West Virginia State Police, the City of Hinton’s Police Department and park rangers with the US Army Corps of Engineers, the National Park Service, and the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources. Similarly, the City of Hinton has a new fully-manned and equipped fire station complemented by six other volunteer fire departments throughout the county.

Historic Greenbrier County
Lewisburg, (45-minute drive), which is the Greenbrier County seat, was voted the Coolest Small Town in America, combining the warmth of a close community with the sophistication of more urban locations. The thriving downtown historic district offers year-round live productions presented at the State Professional Theatre of WV, Carnegie Hall, distinctive dining venues, antique shops, award-winning galleries/boutiques, a year-round farmer’s markets. Greenbrier Valley Medical Center is a modern hospital and all attendant medical facilities, along with the many big box stores.

The county and city host several fairs & festivals throughout the year including The WV State Fair, a professional 4-weekend Renaissance Festival, Chocolate Festival, Taste of our Town Festival (TOOT), antique car shows, Jeep Rally’s, Airstream Rally, WV Barn Hunt Competition, PGA Tour @The Greenbrier,

Lewisburg is also home to the modern Robert. C Byrd Medical Clinic (300 employees), the WV Osteopathic Medical School (600 students) and the New River Community and Technical College. The area is a strong economic generator with a solid workforce employed in county/state government, tourism, hospitality, medical, education, retail, construction, wood products, mining and agriculture.

The world-renowned Greenbrier Resort, with 800 rooms and 1600 employees, is located in the sleepy little town of White Sulphur Springs. The 4-Star resort has a subterranean casino and is home to the PGA tour, NFL Summer Practice Event, Tennis Exhibitions (Venus Williams, John McEnroe etc.). Several other area golf courses are available in the area – including Oakhurst Links, America’s first golf course, where guests play using old style hickory-handled clubs and ground-burrowing golf balls.

A picturesque Amtrak train ride from Hinton connects the area to DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, and many other locations. By car, DC is 5 hours away and Charlotte is only 3.

Within a two-hour’s drive are located some of the finest recreational facilities in West Virginia. Winterplace Ski Resort, whitewater rafting / fishing on the New River and Gauley River, 2000-acre Bluestone Lake, Pipestem State Park and Resort 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. Snowshoe Ski Resort is 90-minute drive through some of the most scenic country on the East Coast. The new 12,000-acre Boy Scout High Adventure Camp and home to the US and World Jamboree is an hour’s drive.

THE NEW RIVER AND BLUESTONE LAKE

Sassafras Mountain Farm is a 10-minute drive to the New River, 80,000 acre New River Gorge National River Park and the 2000 acre Bluestone Lake at Hinton. The New River is the second oldest river in the world, preceded only by the Nile; it is the oldest river in North America. The New River is unique because it begins in Blowing Rock, N.C. and flows north through Virginia into West Virginia. The Nile and Amazon are the only other major rivers that also flow north. Year after year, it produces more citation fish than any other warm water river in WV. Smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish, hybrid striped bass, walleye, pike and muskie are all common species of fish found in the New River and Bluestone Lake.

Bluestone Lake is over 2000 acres at summer pool and is the state’s third largest body of water. Great hunting and fishing opportunities abound at the 17,632-acre Bluestone Wildlife Area adjacent to the park.

THE GREENBRIER RIVER

The lower Greenbrier River possesses the excitement of life on one of the nation’s great wild rivers. The focus of a vast outdoor-recreation destination, it flows untamed out of the lofty Alleghenies, attracting anglers, paddlers, and naturalists from across the globe.

At 172 miles long, the Greenbrier drains over 1.5 million acres and is the longest undammed river left in the Eastern United States. It is primarily used for recreational pursuits and well known for its fishing, canoeing, kayaking and floating opportunities. Its upper reaches flow through the Monongahela National Forest, and it is paralleled for 77 miles by the Greenbrier River Trail, a rail trail which runs between the communities of Cass and North Caldwell.

It has always been a valuable water route, with the majority of the important cities in the watershed being established river ports. The river gives the receiving waters of the New River an estimated 30% of its water volume. Over three-fourths of the watershed is an extensive karstic (cavern system), which supports fine trout fishing, cave exploration and recreation. Many important festivals and public events are held along the river throughout the watershed.

The Greenbrier is formed at Durbin in northern Pocahontas County by the confluence of the East Fork Greenbrier River and the West Fork Greenbrier River, both of which are short streams rising at elevations exceeding 3,300 feet and flowing for their entire lengths in northern Pocahontas County. From Durbin the Greenbrier flows generally south-southwest through Pocahontas, Greenbrier and Summers Counties, past several communities including Cass, Marlinton, Hillsboro, Ronceverte, Fort Spring, Alderson, and Hinton, where it flows into the New River.

Along most of its course, the Greenbrier accommodated the celebrated Indian warpath known as the Seneca Trail (Great Indian Warpath). From the vicinity of present-day White Sulphur Springs the Trail followed Anthony’s Creek down to the Greenbrier near the present Pocahontas-Greenbrier County line. It then ascended the River to the vicinity of Hillsboro and Droop Mountain and made its way through present Pocahontas County by way of future Marlinton, Indian Draft Run, and Edray.

ARCHEOLOGY AND GEOLOGY

Sassafras Mountain Farm is nestled between the folded Ridge and Valley Province to the east and the younger Allegheny Plateau to the west. The Greenbrier River flows 162 miles southwest through numerous mountain valleys and empties into the world’s third oldest river, the New River, just a few miles downstream.

The area has many interesting “riches from the earth” in the form of sandstone, limestone, agates, fossils, geodes, caves and curious rock outcrops. The river’s bottom and banks have numerous types, ages and classes of rocks that originate from several diverse geological regions along the 172 mile long river basin draining about 1.5 million acres.

The Droop Sandstone, a very hard, quartz-rich rock originally deposited as sand beaches along an ancient shoreline, is especially prominent in the area. Numerous sheer rock cliff formations are created by the erosion-resistant Droop Sandstone. Locally, the Muddy Creek Mountain quarry produces decorative sandstone from the Droop that is known worldwide for its beauty and durability.

The area is well known for the healing waters of the numerous “Sulphur Springs”. During the 1800’s and early 1900’s, several “Sulphur Springs Resorts” flourished in the area. Most notably and still in existence are White Sulphur Springs, Warm Springs, and Hot Springs. Others included, Sweet Springs, Blue Sulphur Springs, Red Sulphur Springs, Green Sulphur Springs, Salt Sulphur Springs, Pence Springs and, Sweet Chalybeate Springs.

UTILITIES

Electric: On property
Water: Well and Developed Spring.  The well is complemented with a gravity fed spring and a  2,000 gallon rainwater cistern which are all plumbed into the home.  Water is heated  with an electric hotwater tank and in the winter the water could be preheated by the furnace  which would enable hot and cold water to flow in the winter even when the electricity is out.
Sewer: Septic
Telephone: On property
Cell phone Coverage: very good in most places
Internet: HuhesNet Satellite or wireless mobile broadband air card
Television: DISH or DirecTV satellite

TAXES, DEED AND LEGAL INFORMATION

Summers County
Greenbrier District
Tax Map 14, Parcel 26.3

Deed Book 268, Page 625

2019 Taxes: $626.58

Property surveyed in May 2013 by David Holtz, Licensed Surveyor.

At this time, Summers County has no zoning.  Permits for drilling a water well or installing a septic system need to be obtained from the Summers County Health Department.

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

The distinguishing features of Sassafras  Mountain Farm’s timber resource include its unusually high hardwood sawtimber and pole stocking with a basal area/ acre of 120. 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.

2015 Timber Inventory:

Timber data in this report are based upon a 2015 timber inventory that was conducted for the ownership by an outside professional forestry consultant. Points were sampled on a grid system using a 10 factor prism resulting in a total sawlog volume property-wide of on 121 acres of 390,312+/- BF Doyle scale with 5366+/- pulpwood tons. Details of the timber inventory report, maps and are available in the Sassafras Farm Timber Inventory Report under Maps and Documents section.

Capital Timber Value of the timber and pulpwood is approximately  $102,581.77 as of February 2015.

Species composition:

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:

• 13% White Oak/Chestnut Oak
• 8% Red Oak Group
• 59% Poplar/Cucumber/Basswood
• 1% Hickory 12% Sugar Maple/Soft Maple
• 5% Ash
• 1% Black Walnut
• 1% A host of associate species

See report for details.

Stocking, Stem Quality, and Forest Structure:

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.

Sassafras Mountain Farm’s 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 contains 80-120 year old stems ranging in size of 10”-38” dbh. This stand has not had any timber harvesting activity in the past 60 years. This stand has graduated into higher-value sawtimber diameter classes and has some very nice veneer quality trees scattered throughout the forest.

The second distinct stand was established over the past 50 years when some of the farm fields and pastures were abandoned and the forest began to naturally regenerate. These stands represent a quality hardwood resource with a small pine component and has already reached economic maturity.

Sawlog & Veneer Value: These species dominate the sawlog and veneer value, collectively representing nearly 80% of total sawlog value.

Diameters are well represented across the commercial spectrum with a notable mature size class, as well as abundant pole size timber and growing stock.

Several “Heritage Trees” are scattered throughout the forest and field edges. These ancient trees, some 200-300 years old, have withstood the test of time, weathering ice, wind, lightning strikes and fire.

The forest is generally healthy and there are no signs of pest infestations of Gypsy Moth. There is some sign of Emerald Ash Borer and the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid can cause these species of trees to be severely stressed and may 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.