Zenith Road, Gap Mills, WV 24941 - Monroe County

At nearly 300 acres, Lugar Springs Farm is a pleasant mix of agricultural fields and majestic forest located in the heart of the Sweet Springs Valley.

HIGHLIGHTS

One of the areas nicest farms with 297+/- acres nestled in the historic Sweet Springs Valley

Shares about mile of boundary with the Jefferson National Forest

miles road frontage on Zenith Road

150+/- acres of mature forestland high quality Appalachian hardwoods (veneer potential)

147+/- acres of corn, hay and pasture land

A proven natural mountain spring supplies water to the farm house

Miles of forest trails for hiking, horseback riding and ATV adventure

Exceptional songbird population including neo-tropicals, woodpeckers, owls, and hawks

Resident wildlife population density is unrivaled with rabbit, squirrel, deer, bear & turkey

Stocked acre pond with bass, bluegill and catfish

Elevation Range: 2585 ft. to 3629 ft.

Located in the lightly populated Monroe County, the largest sheep producing county in WV

Dark Skies for star gazing and planet observation

Nice 3 bedroom farm house recently updated with a great hay barn and machine shed

THE AREA

The charming village of Union, which is the Monroe County seat, is less than a 20 minute drive. Banking, healthcare facilities, drugstore, grocery shopping, farm center, auto parts store and a great family restaurant are readily available. Some of the friendliest people in West Virginia can be found in Monroe County. Monroe County has a population of about 13,000 residents and does not have a stoplight and has more cattle and sheep than people. There are no fast food restaurants but there is the local restaurant, Kalico Kitchen, in downtown Union that is packed each morning for breakfast and then again for lunch.

Lewisburg, which is the Greenbrier County seat, was voted the Coolest Small Town in American in 2011 and is just a 45 minute drive to the thriving downtown historic district. The downtown boasts a year round live theatre, Carnegie Hall, several fabulous restaurants, antique shops and boutiques. There is also a modern hospital and all attendant medical facilities along with all the big box stores.

The Greenbrier County Airport, which has WVs longest runway, is located just 30 minutes away and has daily flights to Atlanta and Washington DC. The world famous Greenbrier Resort is less than an hours drive and Snowshoe Ski Resort is about 2 hours drive. Covington, Virginia is about 50 minutes awan, Roanoke, Virginia, is 90 minutes, DC is 4 hours and Charlotte, North Carolina is 3 hours away.

The Greenbrier resort features an ever-expanding schedule of public events, including the Greenbrier Classic, a nationally televised PGA tournament held in early July, with the extra bonus of evening concerts with headliners like Jimmy Buffett, Brad Paisley, Aerosmith, Jon Bon Jovi, Carrie Underwood and Maroon Five. In 2014, the resort recently opened a new $30 million training facility for the New Orleans Saints, and the football teams practice sessions in late July and early August are open to the public. A 2500-seat tennis stadium to host professional matches was opened in 2015.

WATER

Peters Mountain is well known for its richness in water production forms the backdrop of the farm, generating year-round water sources. Several large hollows as well as many ephemeral streams flow during rain events and snow melt in the spring and create interesting topographic relief throughout the property.

There is a nice pond stocked with bass, bluegill and catfish and kids of all ages have fun fishing and skipping stones across the pond. Several large bullfrogs enjoy the pond as well and their nightly singing is a welcome sound.

***** FREE WATER***** A huge natural mountain spring flows year round and provides water to the farm house. The flow rate in gallons per minute is not readily known.

Public water may be available to the farm by securing a tap permit from the Town of Union.

FARM HOUSE AND OUTBUILDINGS

There is a recently updated farm house located at the end of an appealing private graveled driveway. The 1500+/- SF home has 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, sunny kitchen, mudroom, office and a spacious living room. The home has hardwood floors and a modern metal roof. The electric and plumbing were updated a few years ago.

A large hay shed and smaller machine shed are located near the home.

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES

There are approximately 147 acres of open land composed of rich cropland and excellent grassland suitable for haying or grazing comprised of native bluegrass, timothy and clover.

Fencing is good in most places and is adequate to turn cattle.

FOREST/TIMBER RESOURCES

Lugar Springs Farms 150+/- timber resource acreage is composed of unusually high quality Appalachian hardwoods. 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 of the timber and pulpwood has not been determined.

Species composition:

The forests 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: Black Cherry Sugar Maple Poplar/Basswood Red Oak Group White Oak/Chestnut Oak Soft Maple Hickory Ash A host of associate species (black walnut, birch, beech)

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.

The farms 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 40-120 year old stems ranging in size of 10-36 dbh. Portions of this stand have been thinned over the last several decades as prudent forest management called for. Many sections of this stand are ready for a selective thinning which will generate considerable income. More recently thinned areas are on the cusp of graduating into higher-value sawtimber diameter classes over the coming decade.

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 and will be reaching economic maturity in the next 20-40 years.

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

The Red Oak group, White Oak group, Yellow Poplar/Basswood, Maples, Hickory, Ash

The remaining value is spread across a diverse range of species including, Beech, Black Walnut, Birch 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 sawtimber products 12 dbh combined has not been determined.

Breakdown by diameter class measured 4.5 feet above the ground on the uphill side of the tree has not been determined.

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. The Emerald Ash Borer, which has inundated the entire Northeast US, is present and the Ash component will significantly decline 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

The farm has a mixture of hayfields/pasture, mature forest and abandoned farm fields, coupled with the abundant water supply from the pond, creeks and springs, which creates the perfect wildlife habitat. The miles of edge effect created between field and forest is the perfect habitat for all the resident wildlife. The edges create a miles long wildlife food plot. White tail deer, wild turkey, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, fox and many species of songbirds, owls 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, maple seeds, autumn olive berries and blackberries.

MINERAL RESOURCES

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

UTILITIES

Water: Spring

Sewer: Septic

Telephone: Frontier

Internet: Frontier

Cellphone Coverage: Good to fair

ZONING

There is currently no county zoning in this area of Monroe County. All prospective purchasers are encouraged to contact the Monroe County Health Department for answers regarding installation of septic systems and water wells. Further information on county zoning may be answered by contacting the Monroe County Commission.

LOCATION, LEGAL INFORMATION, and TAXES

Monroe County, West Virginia

Elevation Range: 2585 ft. to 3629 ft.

Coordinates (NAD83): 37.527239N, 80.434731W

Acreage: 297 Acres, more or less

Road Frontage: mile of frontage on Zenith Road, WV RT 15

Deed Book 218, page 179

Sweet Springs District, Tax Map 34, parcels 31,32 & 35

Total 2015 Real Estate Taxes: $396.18

Easements: Each of the tracts acquired by the Town of Union has an associated 15 feet right-of-way easement as shown on said plat which proceeds from County Route 15 through the property of the Lugar Springs Farm. The Town of Union further has easements and rights associated with the water lines as described in Deed Book 218 Page 179.

The property is being sold by the boundary and not by the acre.

Regional Information

Amtrack Station at Hinton, WV

Creekside Resort

Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory

High Meadow Farm Lodge

Monroe County Farmer's Market

Monroe County Health Center

Monroe County Historical Society

Monroe County Official Tourism Site

Monroe County Public Library

Monroe County Quilt Trail

Monroe County, West Virginia University Extension Office

Monroe County, WV

State of West Virginia

West Virginia Cave Conservancy

West Virginia Conservation Agency

Winterplace Ski Resort

WV Department of Natural Resources

State Information

State of West Virginia

West Virginia Government

West Virginia State Parks

West Virginia Tourism

Wonderful West Virginia Magazine

WV Department of Natural Resources

Directions

From Union, West Virginia: 11.7 miles +/-

By the Monroe County Courthouse in Union, turn onto WV Route 3 East toward Gap Mills; travel Route 3 for 8.9 miles to the community of Gap Mills; turn right onto Zenith Road, WV Route 15; travel Route 15 for 3.0 miles; the farm is on the left.

From Lewisburg, West Virginia: 33.1 miles +/-

Travel US 219 South 21.4 miles to Union, West Virginia; just before the Monroe County Courthouse in Union, turn left onto WV Route 3 East toward Gap Mills; travel Route 3 for 8.9 miles to the community of Gap Mills; turn right onto Zenith Road, WV Route 15; travel Route 15 for 3.0 miles; the farm is on the left.

From Covington, Virginia: 36.7 miles +/-

Travel from Covington, Virginia via VA Routes 159 and 311 and West Virginia Route 3 a total of approximately 33.9 miles to Gap Mills, West Virginia; at Gap Mills turn left onto Zenith Road, WV Route 15; travel Route 15 for 3.0 miles; the farm is on the left.