Is anyone here from West Virginia?

[AMKuska]

Well our decision is final, and I am about it!

In two years we will be selling our house here in Washington state and moving across country to West Virginia, where we will be able to afford acreage and finally get our chicken farm! We plan to grow as much as we can of our own food, but we have a few questions for anyone who might live in that zone. (In fact, figuring out what zone that actually is is on my to-do list for the day. )

What grows well in WV? What kind of fruit trees could we grow is what I'm wondering in particular? I vaguely recall my grandmothers garden having epic broccoli, but I don't remember anything else.

What grows poorly?

What is winter like there? I've only ever spent summers.

 

[thistlebloom]

AMKuska, @journey11, lives in West Virginia. And you can see from her journal
that her garden is hugely productive. I'm sure she'll be a great resource to you. And congratulations!

 

[AMKuska]

Thanks so much for pointing that out @thistlebloom

I am reading every last page and taking notes now!

 

[ninnymary]

Wow Amkusa, clear across country! You will have soooooo much gardening space, and chicken space, and duck space, and pig space, etc!

Mary

 

[AMKuska]

I'm very excited about it. Lots of space, my husband can be a stay-at-home-dad, and I will be close to my sister. I can't wait!

 

[baymule]

Sounds like an adventure!

 

[journey11]

That's really neat, @AMKuska . We could be neighbors! What region of WV are you moving to? I'm about halfway between Charleston and Parkersburg from I-77, near to the Ohio river too.

For what you are wanting to do, I think you will really like it here. There is a lot of good cropland where I am. We get plentiful rain most years and many things grow well here, with the exception of some of the longer season southern crops like watermelon and sweet potatoes. You'll be either zone 6a or 6b. It's a long enough season for most things, frost-free from about May 1st to Oct 15th where I am specifically.

Some of the farm to market crops grown around here are pumpkins, corn, apples, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, tomatoes, peppers and cantaloupe (I'm talking bigger farms that I know of that sell to grocery stores, u-pick or farmers market.) One family I go to church with has a Grade A certified goat milk dairy and sells milk, cheese, soap and ice cream. And another family has a pastured poultry business selling eggs, turkey and Cornish Cross chickens. Both have been very successful and open for several years now.

We have the best of all 4 seasons. Unless you're in the eastern mountains, winters are usually pretty mild, cold, but with just enough snow for fun, not too much of an inconvenience. Summers are usually avg. 85 degree days, a bit humid at times. We get a really nice springtime and the most beautiful falls. The fall foliage is epic here.

I think you'll like it here! Especially if you enjoy outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, etc. We are pretty famous for our whitewater rafting too.

 

[AMKuska]

@journey11 What about tornadoes? My husband asked me about them, and we looked online and saw you guys have an average of 2 a year...but I don't recall ever hearing anything about them while I was actually there. Are tornadoes a big deal there?

I know I'm going to love it there. I'm not sure what part yet. My sister is planning to move there this year, and we will be staying at her house (she's been looking around Elkins) while we search the state in general for affordable property. Where we find the right piece of property is where we will settle down.

Also I have to ask...uh...how are the ticks? Do you have a lot of them?

 

[journey11]

Tornadoes are pretty rare, isolated and don't amount to much damage usually. It's too hilly here for them to really take a run, so it's mostly a brief touch down when it does happen. The only one I know of with substantial damage was in Belleville, WV (about 45 min. N. of here) in 2010. As far as natural disasters go, odds are low here for everything except flooding.

Ticks, yes, we do have lots of those! As long as you stay out of the tall grass or woods, you don't regularly have to deal with them. Use a repellant if you do. Keeping your property clean and trimmed up around your house and barns will control them. Lyme disease is not a frequent problem here either. If you check the CDC you can get the numbers.

I have extended family that used to live near Elkins. Not too far off the beaten path.

 

[AMKuska]

Ugh, I hate those things! I guess I'm going to have some VERY well manicured acreage.