HERITAGE FARM WEBSITE — In 1973, co-founders Mike and Henriella Perry decided to relocate from, in Mike’s words, “a beautiful brick home in Huntington, West Virginia, to a burnt log cabin on a 150-acre farm.” It was in the process of making their new home livable that they discovered the old, hand-hewn logs hidden behind the farmhouse walls. “We fell in love. There’s no other way to put it,” Mike wrote. “We fell in love with our Appalachian ancestors, those men and women who came over the mountains into what is now West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and southern Ohio. We imagined them clearing the land, building their homes, raising their own food, and making their own clothes from materials they processed themselves. Our ancestors’ hard work and perseverance have given to us a quality of life that, unfortunately, many of us take for granted today. As a tribute to these remarkable people, our family developed Heritage Farm Museum & Village.”

ORR’S FARM MARKET WEBSITE — During the depression days in the mid 1930’s, George S. Orr, Jr. helped his grandfather by working on his small fruit and berry farm. This farm was located just west of Martinsburg on the east side of North Mountain (Arden). As a young man George joined the U.S. Navy and traveled to California where he met his wife Juanita. With fruit growing in his blood, George S. Orr, Jr. returned to West Virginia and purchased a 60 acre orchard in 1954 and began a lifetime of growing fruit. With help from his family he increased the size of his orchard to 350 acres by 1979.

The time period of the 1980’s brought progress in several areas. The size of the orchards grew as the farm acquired adjacent properties to lease or buy for production acreage. The diversification of fruits and varieties grown increased as well. The packing facility was updated and enlarged and the brand “My Three Sons” was developed in honor of Mike, Mark, and G.W…George and Juanita’s three sons. When George S. Orr, Jr. passed away in 1989, he was 62. He left his business to his wife Juanita, and their three sons (Mike, Mark, and G.W.). The corporation George S. Orr & Sons, Inc. owned 1,100 acres of orchards at that time, producing 500,000 bushels of fruit annually. The brand was “My Three Sons”.

In 1995 the family opened Orr’s Farm Market, a retail market to serve our local community. As the word spread about the fruits and vegetables being grown, the local customer base multiplied rapidly. The new farm market was needed to accommodate the growing number of customers. Throughout the early 2000’s the retail farm market continued to expand and grow. In 2007, Katy Orr-Dove returned to the farm to help manage the retail operation. She increased the retail farm market, added a bakery, and brought in the school tours and field trips. The pumpkin patch was also added at this time at the request of many customers. A small herd of bison was purchased at the request of animal-lover, Mark Orr. The farm produced bison meat and added that to the farm market offerings for the next decade. The relocation of the cherry patch from Loring Hill Orchards to the Orr’s Farm Market area also occurred at this time to create a more centralized location for all pick your own crops.

WITTEN FARM MARKET WEBSITE — At the Witten Farm Market, our roots run deep. We have been building on a tradition of farm, family, and healthy living since 1958. What started as a small farm stand in the front yard of the Witten home is now 23 seasonal produce markets, 8 flower markets, and one year-round market, located throughout Ohio and West Virginia.

JQ SALT WORK WEBSITE — A 7th generation salt-making family harvests an all-natural salt by hand, from an ancient ocean trapped below the Appalachian Mountains of the Kanawha Valley in West Virginia.

APPALACHIAN ABATTOIR WEBSITE — From Food Service Distributor to Live Animal Harvest

Buzz Food Service doors opened its doors in the 1940s as a Food Service distributor. Unlike most food service distributors, Buzz Food Service never had access to live animal harvest.

Buzz heard for years from chefs who wanted access to locally raised meat. However, with most animals being fed in the Mid West and West Virginia not having access to a modern meat processing facility, significant challenges were in the way of making locally raised meat a reality.

When Buzz heard of the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Pilot Program award administered by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, the idea was born for Appalachian Abattoir. To make the harvest facility a reality, Appalachian Abattoir has been working with several partners including the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, WVU Extension, Charleston Area Alliance, the West Virginia Small Business Development Center, the West Virginia National Guard, and Refresh Appalachia to facilitate the project. The new facility will create an estimated 25 to 30 full-time jobs and an additional 15 to 20 temporary jobs.

Project goals include supply-chain development, job training, workforce and business development and opportunities for local farmers to participate in value-added product expansion. Costs covered by the grant include AML reclamation and remediation costs, land acquisition and related costs, site development, facility construction, meat processing equipment and operation costs.

NEW RIVER GORGE WEBSITE — Established in 1978, New River Gorge National River was redesignated as New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in 2021. The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along 53 miles of the New River from Bluestone Dam to Hawk's Nest Lake. A rugged, whitewater river flowing northward through deep and spectacular canyons, the New River is actually among the oldest rivers on Earth. Here in southern West Virginia, the New River has carved and continues to carve the deepest and longest river gorge in the Appalachian Mountains.

ADVENTURES ON THE GORGE WEBSITE — Whitewater rafting…and so much more.

Whitewater rafting is how we started, but there is so much to explore in the New River Gorge with Adventures on the Gorge. Whether your ideal adventure is lounging by the pool or taking on hard hitting, class V whitewater, we can help you create your best New River Gorge National Park vacation.

Fly high on one of our three aerial experiences, explore the New River Gorge on a guided driving tour, or glide on the New River on a leisurely jet boat ride. The adventures you can have are nearly endless; the memories you create will stay with you for a lifetime.

Oh, and we can’t forget about rafting. With trips for kids as young as six on the Upper New River, to the fall-released Upper Gauley River, our rafting trips encompass both ends of the adventure spectrum (and everything in between).

ACE ADVENTURE RESORT WEBSITE — Are you ready for your best vacation ever in the New River Gorge in West Virginia with ACE Adventure Resort? Choose to explore our spring-fed mountain lake water park, new river gorge cabins at our resort, whitewater rafting and other adventures, vacation packages and more!