RENICK VALLEY FARM DESCRIPTION

Welcome to the Renick Valley Farm. Historically, this 445+/- acre farm is one of northern Greenbrier County’s better grazing and timber boundaries. The farm has spectacular views from every direction, sweet limestone soil and exceptional year round springs. The farm was homesteaded in the 1800’s and has remained a productive agricultural and timber property for well over 100 years.

Located 20 minutes to Lewisburg and 1 hour to Snowshoe Resort, the property is well situated in the beautiful Renick Valley. The Greenbrier River and River Trail is just a 10 minute drive and the Monongahela National Forest and Watoga State Park is nearby as well.

LOCATION – ACCESS

Address: No 911 address is currently available
Renick, WV 24966

The Renick post office is 3 miles south.

Excellent access. Property is fronted by state maintained paved US Route 219 for nearly one mile. It also fronts on paved CR 7 (Brownstown Rd) for 6/10th mile. Several farm roads and timber trails provide excellent internal access.

Situated within a 20-minute drive of Interstate 64 and 90 minutes of Interstates 81 and 77, the property is easily accessible from major population centers throughout the east. Washington DC is 4.5 hours, Charlotte 4 hours and Richmond is 3.5 hours.

Google Coordinates:
LAT 38.023035N
LON 080.3249851W

Elevation range: 2,223’ to 2796’

TAXES, DEED, LEGAL INFORMATION

Total Acreage 445+/-

Taxes 2013: $321.77
Class II tax classification

The property is recorded as two tracts in Greenbrier County

1st Tract

Owner: Falling Springs LLC
Greenbrier County
Falling Springs District (#4)
240 acres +/-
Map 53
Parcels 12 & 13
Deed Book 502, Page 202

2nd Tract

Owner: Renick Valley LLC
Greenbrier County
Falling Springs District (#4)
201 acres+/-
Map 46
Parcel 22
Deed Book 519, Page 146

UTILITIES

Electric and phone service is on site.

Cell Coverage is marginal in this area but is improving as new towers are installed along the major US 219 corridor.

AGRICULTURE RESOURCES

There are a total of 230 acres in open land. There is a level 40 acre hay field on the northern boundary. The remaining 190 acres is dedicated to permanent pasture.

Presently, the boundary is supporting about 80 cow/calf pairs.

The fencing on the property is considered good. With over 1 ½ miles of hardtop frontage, the access is considered excellent.

WATER RESOURCES

There are several springs located throughout the property. One spring in particular is located in a rock outcrop higher up on the hill that could be developed as a domestic water source if so desired.

A small farm pond is located on the northeastern boarder of the property.

Several ephemeral streams are located in the hollows and interspersed throughout the property creating a dynamic environment. Large trees, moss, ferns and wildflowers growing along the streams create a serene and tranquil setting.

TIMBER & WILDLIFE

The Renick Valley Farm has approximately 215 acres of forestland. The forest is an interesting mix of majestic old growth “Heritage Trees”, valuable timber stands and emerging forest. The property’s agricultural and scenic terrain is complemented by a richly diverse temperate forest ecosystem. Major commercial species include white oak, red oak, yellow poplar, hickory, the maples, ash and black cherry. Along field edges, cathedral oaks and maples provide a scenic backdrop while creating ideal mast sources for wildlife.

Valuable Timber– Complementing the property’s strong aesthetic attributes is a timber resource that is well positioned for value appreciation over the coming decade. With an attractive species mix, adequate stocking levels, and favorable diameter class distribution, the timber amenity represents a strong component of value to the investor.

A timber inventory for the purpose of forest management planning was conducted by Clear Creek Forest Management, LLC in 2013 using systematic point sampling with 88 BAF 10 factor points taken. This highly detailed inventory data report may be found under the Maps and Documents section on this page. As this data is based on an inventory not intended for timber valuation, investors are advised to consult with a professional forester who understands inventory and valuation issues.

Roughly one half of the forest experience active forest management in the mid 1990’s in the form of a silvicultural thinning & selective harvest under the supervision of a professional forester. Since the time of the thinning, the residual trees and young seedlings have grown at a rapid rate. Most of the forest stands are 50-80 years in age, containing pole-size to medium sawlog-sized stems, which display overall good vigor, form and crown health.

The near-term harvest potential provides modest revenue opportunity early in the investment cycle to hover holding cost while also improving recreational trail access and bolstering long-term forest productivity.

Old Field/Emergent Forest– Many mountain homesteads were abandoned after World War II when the mountaineers left the state to find employment in the northern cities. This was also the time when the horse/oxen drawn farm machinery was replaced with the “modern” farm tractor. The steeper fields and pastures where no longer tended as the tractors could not navigate the hillsides like the horses and oxen could. There was twice the acreage involved in agriculture in Greenbrier County in the 1950’s than there is today. The old fields have been transformed into a forest dominated by Hickory, Oak, Black Cherry, Yellow Poplar, Black Walnut and Black Locust.

Legacy Trees– Some of these trees would be considered “Legacy Trees”, those trees that were here before the mountaineers settled the mountains in the late 1800’s and have withstood the test of time. Huge sycamore, white oak, red oak, hickory, sugar maple, chestnut oak and yellow poplar trees are scattered over the property. One 120’’ in circumference Red Oak standing on the field edge towers over 100’ and an one ancient white oak has a circumference of over 7 feet with a crown spread of 40’.

Carbon Footprint– Each year, the forest and agricultural grasses produce tons of Oxygen while taking in tons of Carbon Dioxide, helping to lessen mankind’s Carbon Footprint. This is an important long-term value so often overlooked when thinking about the forest and attendant farm grasses.

Wildlife– The forest produces tons and tons of acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts, wild grapes, blackberries, beechnuts, poplar and maple seeds. Because there is such an amazing food source, there is an abundance of wildlife, including wild turkey, white tail deer, raccoons, opossums, squirrels and chipmunks. The dense forest, with its closed canopy, is home to a variety of song birds, owls, ravens, buzzards, woodpeckers and hawks. Many of these birds nest in the “den trees”, which are full of holes and cavities. The birds feed on a variety of insects, including hundreds of thousands small caterpillars that inhabit the upper reaches of the canopy.

MINERAL RESOURCES

All mineral rights the seller owns will be conveyed with the surface. There are no gas wells on the property and the owner is not aware of any past coal mining. The rights have not been leased by the present owner.

The Marcellus Shale may underlay the property at a depth of 5000’+ and oil and gas companies in the past have done some leasing in the area for natural gas. The east coast Marcellus Shale Region is thought to contain enough natural gas to power the United States for over 100 years. The horizontal drilling technology necessary to reach the mile deep shale strata has rapidly evolved and drilling in the Marcellus strata is a reality in WV.

The presence of any coal reserves underlying the property is unproven and there has been no known mining activity on the property.

LOCAL AREA & RECREATION

Historic Lewisburg is located just 20 minutes to the South 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.

Lewisburg is also home to Carnegie Hall, Greenbrier Valley Theatre, the WV School of Osteopathic Medicine, a community college, and is the county seat for Greenbrier County.

The Greenbrier Valley Airport with daily flights to Atlanta and Washington, DC is located just outside of Lewisburg and just 20 minutes from the property.

The world famous Greenbrier Resort and Snowshoe Ski Resort is within a 45-minute drive as well.

The Greenbrier River and River Trail is just a 10 minute drive and the Monongahela National Forest and Watoga State Park is nearby as well.

Within an hour to two hour drive are located some of the finest recreational facilities in West Virginia. Snowshoe Ski Resort, whitewater rafting / fishing on the Greenbrier, New River and Gauley River, 2000 acre Bluestone 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.

ZONING

Greenbrier County has no formal zoning in this area of the county. A countywide major and minor subdivision code is in place that all prospective buyers who wish to subdivide the property should consult with the Greenbrier Planning Commission.