OVERVIEW

Appaloosa Farm – 214 +/- acres is a beautiful recreational property and the perfect retreat for the outdoor enthusiast wanting a place to hike, hunt, watch nature or kick back and relax. The 25 acre field, old barn, nice creek, hiking and ATV trails and long mountain views make for a nice place to invest in for the long-term. The property offers rural estate qualities with the upside potential for future home or cabin site development.

The unspoiled hardwood forest offers a timberland investment opportunity with a ready-to-harvest timber resource. The 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 30 mile long views from the upper reaches rival any in WV.  There is little light pollution and the night sky is filled with millions stars for hours of serenity in your personal mountain retreat.

There is over a mile of walking or ATV trails winding through the forest with the potential to add several more miles if desired. As you walk along the trails you will find many ancient “heritage” trees. These trees were here when the homesteaders moved in during the late 1800’s and have withstood the test of time and the elements.

Wildlife is abundant in the area and includes white-tailed deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbits and many species of song birds. Tree species include white oak, red oak, sugar maple, black walnut, hickory, tulip poplar, black cherry and mountain ash.

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.

HIGHLIGHTS

*Large 214+/- acre parcel offers privacy and seclusion.
*25+/- acres of crop field and pasture.
*10 minutes to Winterplace Ski Resort
* ½ hour to the mighty New River, the East Coast’s whitewater rafting and fishing mecca
*Mature forest with some harvest-ready hardwood timber.
*Little Bluestone River a blue line clear water stream flowing for about 2400 feet along the northwest boundary.
*3/4 mile of second blue line creek runs along the eastern boundary and several ephemeral streams create and interesting terrain.
*A premier wildlife sanctuary.
*Land legacy of careful wildlife management coupled with outstanding long-term forest stewardship.
*Spectacular long range views approaching 20 miles with a 360 degree view shed.
*High percentage of commercially – operable ground supporting farming, forestry, recreation.
*Potential for residential/recreational development.
*Elevations range from 2480’ to nearly 3100’
*2800’ road hard top frontage on year-round state maintained road.
*Electric and phone available on site.
*Nice barn.
*Low taxes, low population density,
*Little or no light pollution reveals a canopy of stars overhead.

LOCATION

Charleston is West Virginia’s state capitol and  is an easy 90 minute drive from the Appaloosa 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 30 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 20 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. Designated the “Coolest Small Town in America” in 2011; 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 Atlanta and Washington, DC.

Within an hour to two hour drive are located some of the finest recreational facilities in West Virginia. Winterplace Ski Resort, 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.

This 214 +/- acre agricultural- 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.

Appaloosa 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 cabin 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 stream drainage of Little Bluestone River.

Google Coordinates at the barn are 37.6020716N -081.0489433W

ACCESS

Located just 10 minutes from I-77, Appaloosa Farm has excellent year round access. The property fronts the hard-top state maintained WV RT 25 (Ellison Ridge Road) for 2800’ on the southwestern portion of the property.

Internal access is considered excellent with over one mile of forest trails that access nice stands of timber.  These trails provide access to nearly all corners for recreational opportunities including nature viewing, hunting, hiking, horseback riding and ATV riding.

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

A visit to Appaloosa Farm is stepping back in time some 100 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.  There are some 50 acres of old fields now regenerated to timber, the result of countless hours of backbreaking work. The work is preserved in stone piles found around the property.

The 25 acres of 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 the horses.

FOREST / TIMBER RESOURCES

The distinguishing features of Appaloosa Farm is the rich mix of hardwood sawtimber, pole timber, rhododendron thickets and regenerated farm fields. The stocking level of trees 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.

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 healthy and there are no signs of pest infestations of Gypsy Moth or Emerald Ash Borer. The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid is present and the majority of the  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

Appaloosa Farm is renowned locally as a premier wildlife sanctuary in Summers County. The mixture of rhododendron thickets, mature forest and abandoned farm fields, coupled with a steady water supply from creeks and springs, create the perfect wildlife habitat. The “edge effect” created between old field and forest is the perfect habitat for all the resident wildlife. White tail deer, wild turkey, squirrel, raccoon, fox and many species of songbirds and raptors make up the resident wildlife population.

The hardwood forest 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, autumn olive berries and blackberries.

Appaloosa Farm is blessed with a year-round water source. Little Bluestone River is a blue line stream running for about 2400’ on the property’s northern edge. Another un-named blue line stream runs for about ¾ mile on the eastern boundary of the property. There are several ephemeral streams that flow during rain events and snow melt.

Near the barn, a small pond and surrounding bog is filled with bullfrogs, newts and crawdads, all protected by a thicket of rushes, sedges and cattails.

MINERAL RESOURCES

The owner has chosen not to lease out any mineral or oil and gas rights and all rights the owner has will convey with the property.

BOUNDARIES AND SURVEY

The 214+/- acre property has been 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.

Google Coordinates at the barn are 37.6020716N -081.0489433W

TAXES AND ZONING

Property taxes for the 2013 tax year were $1,542.96. The tract is listed in Jumping Branch, Summers County, on Tax Map 18, parcels 11, 12, 13, 15 and Tax Map 23, parcel 1. The deed for the property is found in Deed Book 104, page 251.

911 Address: none assigned at this time

Local Post Office: Flat Top WV 25841

As of October 2014, there is no countywide zoning in effect in Summers County. However, all prospective buyers should contact the Summers County Assessor in Hinton regarding any issues involving zoning, developments or building codes.

UTILITIES

Electric – yes
Propane – can be delivered
Landline Phone – yes
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 – no public water available at this time. Drilled water wells commonly used
Trash Pickup – Curbside
Cell phone coverage is excellent in this area.
USPS and Overnight Couriers deliver to the area

CEMETERY

As is very common on old mountain farms, the Birchfield cemetery sits on the western boundary of the property. The cemetery is well kept by the families of loved ones buried there.

Please call Richard Grist @ 304.646.8837 or email to Richard@foxfirenation.com to schedule a tour of this fantastic old mountain farm and woodland property.