Walnut Hill Farm Creamery, located in Kearneysville, is beginning its 35th year of operation, and remains the only cow dairy in West Virginia that milks, pasteurizes, and then bottles its own milk. Established in 1983 by Mark and Donna Butcher, Walnut Hill features registered Holstein and Brown Swiss Cattle. “Both my grandparents were farmers; my Read the Full Story >>
Economy & Environment
Berkeley County Waste-to-Fuel Plant Sets Example for the Nation
Berkeley County Solid Waste Authority (BCSWA) Chairman Clint Hogbin is very proud of his organization’s efforts to adhere to the West Virginia Legislature’s requirements that all solid waste authorities reduce landfilling. In fact, it could be argued that, with Hogbin’s influence, BCSWA is one of the most progressive authorities in the state—making great strides in recent years towards sustainability and recycling. Read the Full Story >>
Geothermal Energy Switch Brings Major Savings to Berkeley County Schools
The second-largest school system in West Virginia has converted approximately one-fifth of the heating and cooling systems in its district to geothermal power, making it a leader in alternative energy in a state known for its once-booming coal industry. Read the Full Story >>
A Winter Bird Walk at the National Fish Health Laboratory
I recently toured the grounds of the National Fish Heath Laboratory, a beautiful facility in Leetown (WV). There are numerous freshwater ponds, a natural wetland, and a woodland trail. The Fish Health Lab belongs to the U.S. Geological Survey. Grounds are closed to the public except by appointment, and visitors must be accompanied by a member of USGS staff. My host was staff member Heather Walsh. I came to familiarize myself with the place so I could help lead a winter bird walk there later this month with the Potomac Valley Audubon Society (PVAS). Heather has been leading nature activities with various organizations for the past year—part of an educational outreach program to the public. Read the Full Story >>
Jefferson County Leading the Way for Clean Water in WV
A family film festival isn’t the first thing that comes to mind to spread the word about protecting water supplies. And that’s exactly why West Virginia Rivers Coalition sponsored the series as part of its Safe Water for West Virginia. “Most of what impacts water supply happens upstream of the intake, where the majority of county residents live and work,” said Autumn Crowe, program director for WV Rivers. “What we do on our lawns and parking lots matters, too.” Read the Full Story >>
Clean Energy: Saving Lives and Livelihoods
Coal is the word on everyone’s lips right now, especially in West Virginia. What began as a thriving solution for powering America so many years ago has become an unsustainable industry that has been steadily declining for several decades. Read the Full Story >>
Your Neighborhood Wren
As the sun broke through the rain clouds recently, a Carolina wren sat on the arm of a wooden yard chair next to our big forsythia bush, singing for all he was worth. His wet and molting feathers looked bedraggled, but the sun was shining, his mate was perched nearby, and all was right in his world. I love wrens. They go cheerily about their business hunting spiders in shadowy places, tails cocked upwards, wings quivering, and eyes aglitter. Hereabouts, we have the house wren, the Carolina wren, and the winter wren. Two others, the marsh wren and the sedge wren, are less often seen. Read the Full Story >>
Charles Town’s New Fresh Food Market
October 7 saw the launch of Bushel & Peck in the historic Charles Washington Hall, returning the site to a use it hasn’t enjoyed since the 19th and early 20th centuries. Read the Full Story >>
Affordable Housing Through a Different Lens
Since the 1980s, housing has ballooned in square footage. For growing families, the standard 2,200-square-foot house may be a necessity for now. However, that range is pricing many locals out of affordable options. That’s where tiny home communities can offer unique housing solutions. Read the Full Story >>
Shepherdstown Juggles Recycling Issues
Due to a national trend that is now affecting Shepherdstown, the state of West Virginia, along with Apple Valley Recycling Center (Shepherdstown’s recycling vendor), can no longer accept glass of any color. Read the Full Story >>
Stories in Tree Bark Announce More Than Just the Season
The big tulip tree in the front yard has beautiful bark. Like most mature trees, its bark has deep furrows or cracks, but is smooth in between. The fractures in the corky bark surface interconnect like chains in a wonderful pattern. On the widest part of the trunk, next to the ground, lichens and mosses Read the Full Story >>
Celebrate the Birth of a New Year
In the dark hours of morning, the first snow fell, unannounced and unpredicted. Barely a dusting, it whitened the ground and stuck in the crevices of tree trunks. Read the Full Story >>
Bavarian Inn Goes Green, and Beyond
Late last year, The Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown (WV) joined Jefferson County’s solar community by debuting a rooftop array of solar panels on one of their alpine-style hotel buildings. The energy system was designed and installed by Mountain View Solar (MTV) of Berkeley Springs (WV), and consists of 105 SolarWorld 300W modules. The 31.5kW system Read the Full Story >>
W-elk-ome Home
Don’t be fooled by your friends and family in the southern part of West Virginia this holiday season if they post pictures or videos of wildlife with captions like “I believe,” or #Blitzen. We are a little south of caribou territory, but it turns out that due to some recent environmental changes, and the persistent efforts of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR), we will soon be inviting some old friends back to the state. Read the Full Story >>
Shepherdstown Teams Up With TerraCycle to Address Litter
Shepherdstown Mayor Jim Auxer cares a lot about the environment. And as one of the Panhandle’s greenest, most outdoor-friendly locations, he feels it’s everyone’s responsibility to help keep Shepherdstown clean. Read the Full Story >>