WV Homesteaders.

Ok guys there is several different ways to get to Jackson Mills. It really isn't a town per say but got it's name from Stonewall Jackson if I recall right. A piece of history there. If you look at a good road map find RT19 from Weston north. I will find out the name of the road and post it later or get the directions from ARRL and post the here. It is easy to find and will most likely be marked the day of the fest. Just look for an old white bearded guy with an O2 bottle. Sam

http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-vi...ate-convention This link will take you to the ARRL page with a map how to get there. The road name is not clear on the map and I will get it later and post. There is a Restrant on 19 where you turn off 19. Give me until at least Wednesday to get the street name as my son works on that road and is out of town until Tuesday. My phone number is 304-782-3031 if you need to call for better directions after Tuesday. Hope to see a bunch there. Sam

Well, I'm in Braxton near Wilsie. I'll tr to make it. Where at J's Mill r y'all meeting?

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Vicker
If you're born to hang, you'll never drown.

Here's directions to Jacksons Mill.

http://jacksonsmill.ext.wvu.edu/directions

I agree with the directions with the exception of going east on Rt 33. There is a faster way which involves turning North on Gee Lick Road way before you get to Rt 19.

Hello all!

New to WV and "homesteading"! We've just moved onto a semi-overgrown 53 acre mountain top farm in Summers County. We bought it two years ago, with the expectation that we'd move there when I retired from the Navy. In June, we made it so! We came from Virginia Beach, where we lived for 12 years. We deconstructed the house that was on the property and built a 32X48 insulated concrete barn/house. We're living there while I cut and mill the lumber for our new house. So far, we've aquired 10 chickens (hoping to be up to 30+ by summers end), waiting on delivery of 3 Scottish Highland cows, and still looking for 2 or 3 pigs. Our goal is to be as self sufficient as we can comfortably be, while we raise our two boys in the clean, fresh mountain air.

For anyone close, I have a fully hydraulic, portable bandsaw mill, back-hoe with a large brush grapple, pallet forks and bucket. Also have a myriad of implements for clearing trees/brush and plowing/tilling soil.

For my "temporary" job, I'm flying the HealthNet 5 helicopter out of Beckley , so wave if you see me! I love to look out at all the small farms out there!

~Mark

Good luck with your pigs! We just started raising pigs last year. This spring, we had our first litter butchered and are enjoying the best pork we've ever had! We have two we kept for a fall butcher and our sow is bred for the fall. Our pigs are pastured except for the boar right now is in a pen until we can fence in more pasture. It's amazing how clean pastured pigs are. And how much easier it is to raise them.

Hey neighbors... I'm a new West Virginian! Bought a small farmstead about a month ago and the guy threw in two horses, a miniature horse, eleven chickens, a turkey and all the farm equipment. He was moving into a town and didn't want to mess with trying to sell or store everything.

I'm located near French Creek about 15 miles south of Buckhannon. You take a one lane country road about five miles and when the pavement ends you just keep on going (about 2 miles of uphill switchback curves... through the woods... on a dirt road).

I'll keep an eye on this thread (no internet access at the farm yet... I bring the laptop with me and get on BurgerKings wi-fi when I come to town) and hopefully can make it to meet with everyone.

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"We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid".

New to the site, but I am from Braxton County, WV I am between Flatwoods, Weston & Buckhannon.

I have goats, chickens, turkeys, guineas, ducks, geese, pigeons, and dogs. WIll be getting a cow and pig soon.

The poultry is my main project. I have over 300 breeds of poultry. They range from Heritage to fancy.

@Homesteadforty, your not too far from me, being at French Creek.

Hey Mark!
I work at Princeton Community Hospital! I'll be wavin' from the 3rd floor!

Everybody..... I'm off that weekend, I'll try to be there! (I don't know a dot from a dash.... Think they'll let me in anyway?)
Josie

OK guys here is the directions that I have and have been there several times. If going south on RT19 from Jane Lew turn right on Jacksons Mill Rd to the Mill. There is no fee for admittance. The wife and I will be walking around as much as my legs and lungs will allow. We both will have our name tags on and of course I will have my O2 bottle and may even have a wheel chair to get around on. I guess we could all make a little sign to put on our hats or something to say we are WV Homesteaders. Hope to see all there. Sam
Opps if coming north from Weston Turn left onto Jacksons Mill Rd. If you bring up the map on the link I posted and zoom in on the Jacksons Mill Rd it is very clear.

Turns out I have a class that day near Jacksons Mill so I may only be able to get there around noon for a short time.

Although most of the posts on this thread are related to everyone meeting up, I figured this would be the best place for my post instead of creating a new thread for it. I'm currently saving up to be buying some property and land in West Virginia for quite a few reasons (low property taxes, price range, family in VA/DC and so on), but honestly I have little clue as to what area in West Virginia I'd be best off looking around in. I'm looking to find about 40-50 acres with at least 10 of it land I'm able to grow crops and keep animals on and not looking to spend more than $125,000 maximum between the land and buildings on the land. Any suggestions? It'd be greatly appreciated.

This is about as close to what you're looking for locally. Note that there's a trailer. Finding ten acres of level ground around here is wishful thinking. As far as desirable ... that depends. It's off the beaten track. Way off.

http://www.rtol.net/townandcountry/acreage-gc.html

Thanks Darren, I'll start looking around in that area; it's not for a couple years still, so I have the time. Honestly, my goal is to get as close to ten acres as possible, and then level what I have to. I'm looking for roughly around there, but if it's a bit less I can certainly live with that.

I wouldn't plan on leveling. If you dig out the toe of the slope, the hillside will start to slip. If you do have a bottom, that will probably be the most fertile property. Why cover it up with less fertile soil. It may also flood occasionally. There are properties around here that have changed hands several times. Usually the owner puts it up for sale after a flood.

The listed property to my mind has never flooded. I've seen it once. One hundred mostly timbered acres at that price is about as good as it gets. FWIW, that property was just listed today. I hadn't seen the owner for a few years when I ran into her at a local business yesterday. If she hadn't mentioned that she had just put the property up for sale, I wouldn't have known it.

Thanks for the advice, I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I actually get started to avoid unnecessary problems. That does sound like a great deal, I wish I had the downpayment together now; but my goal is a minimum of a third down, which I don't have yet.

Watch out for some of the worst lightning storms we ave ever seen crossing route 79 between Parkersburg and Charleston now .... 240 PM

So I have the 9th off does anyone plan on trying to make it to Herb Fest? Also WVHomesteader what kind of pigeons you have any Squab producers? So What is everyone favorite Farmers Market I try to make it to most of them I can if I have time. I would rather buy off local farmers then but stuff from WalMart even tho I work there.

New homesteader, just getting started. I'm located in Wayne, WV.

Welcome to HT, forphase1! You're gonna love it here!