This is a letter that a local CPA prepared for me explaining the proposed tax changes for 2011. For a lot of you it may be a great time to liquidate some of your retirement funds and purchase North Carolina or Virginia property. Check with your local CPA for all of the details today and click the link below to see the letter prepared by my personal CPA.
In a time when Ashe County is faced with the possible closure of Mt. Jefferson State Natural Area as a recreation venue, the opportunity to open another mountain to the public was completed in January with the transfer of Pond Mountain to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC).
With the mountains opening this August, Pond Mountain will serve the area as both a nature conservancy for protected species and game land for hunters. It will also offer trails for horseback riding and hiking as well as a primitive campground.
The four-year long effort to purchase the private lands and transform the mountain into a public resource was completed in five phases by the Blue Ridge Conservancy.
A Boone based nonprofit land trust the conservancys interest in the mountain was three-fold before it was eventually transferred to the state wildlife commission agency.
One of the reasons was Pond Mountains scenic value, Executive Director Walter Clark said. It is situated right in the middle of four other mountains (Mt. Rogers, Whitetop, Threetop and Mt. Jefferson).
Another reason was for the wildlife habitat because its adjacent to the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and it would be an increase in an already large area available for wildlife.
Conservancy officials realized the importance of protecting the mountains water quality as it is the head waters for Big Horse, Little Horse and Big Laurel tributaries that eventually flow into the North Fork of the New River, Clark said.
Land conservation and water quality go hand in hand, Clark said.
Previously owned by Dale Shepherd, the conservancy began purchasing the property after it was handed down to his heirs.
Clark explained the first stage of purchasing was completed with the contribution of a private donor in the amount of $1.3 million. Other phases were also completed in part through two state trust funds (CLEAR Water Management and National Heritage trust funds).
In these days of tight economic resources conserving land is challenging it takes time, creativity and the melding together of a variety of funding resources, Clark said in a press release. We hope its the first step in protecting surrounding properties, ultimately preserving thousands of acres in the northwestern corner of North Carolina.
With the paperwork finalized, the state resource commission, NCWRC, is aiming for an Aug. 1 public opening date.
Commission Supervising Wildlife Biologist Gordon Warburton said officials are still trying to establish gates and complete a parking area before it will be truly public accessible.
Unlike a state maintained park, Pond Mountain is a game land and will not be regularly staffed, but instead will be overseen by a group of tract managers based out of the Traphill area.
Although the nearly 1,800 acres of protected land will serve the local habitat as a conservancy, it will also offer local outdoorsmen new hunting grounds that in turn fund future nature conservancy efforts.
The two (hunting and conservation) are very interrelated, Warburton said. Hunting dollars provide money for conservations and is an integral part of our plan.
Hunting on the protected lands, should begin after the mountains opening in August and will be on a permit basis for this year to allow existing Christmas tree operations time to wind down as outlined in the transfer of the land, Clark said.
All seasonal hunts will be done in three-day blocks and information for permits can be found at www.ncwildlife.org under the regulations digest.
After the current stand of trees are harvest near the mountains peak, the conservancy plans on planting high elevation shrubbery for certain species of birds. A wetlands restoration project of the mountains ponds and other water sources should encourage the arrival of new species of frogs and salamanders, said Clark.
Through our work, we will enhance the habitat and existing species (bear and deer) should respond, said Clark. Our goal will be to maintain the current population levels of existing species.
This is an area we have had our eye on for a long time and are excited from a conservation standpoint to be stewards of the land.
Published: 1:37 PM, 02/04/2011
Last updated: 1:37 PM, 02/04/2011
by Jesse Campbell
With the passing of all the turkey and trimmings from the table, many High Country residents are now turning their attention to searching for the perfect Holiday centerpiece: a freshly cut Christmas tree.
Unlike millions of Americans, locals don’t have to venture far to find the Fraser fir of their choice, as Ashe County and the rest of the High Country pride itself as one of the nation’s leaders in the raising of Christmas trees.
But locals aren’t the only ones cashing in on the county’s leading cash crop. Glenn Davis, proprietor of Davis Tree Farm in Piney Creek, has served customers from the Piedmont and as far away as Nashville, Tenn.
"They come from all over," Davis said.
What happens if Davis can’t make it to the farm to serve customers on any given day during the Choose and Cut season? He simply refers them to his neighbor’s farm, Johnson Tree Farm.
"We help each other out," said Davis
Now in his fifth year of running his tree business, Davis does not believe the slumping economy has affected the sale of trees and expects another successful season by the end of the choose and cut extravaganza on Dec. 20.
Linda Shumate, of Lyn-Lynn’s Trees, Wreaths, and Christmas Crafts said the Thanksgiving Weekend and the following week are traditionally her farm’s best week with tourists comprising the majority of her customer base.
"I’ve had folks from Charlotte, Winston, Taylorsville and even a few regulars from Florida," Shumate said. "I usually have more out-of-towners than locals probably because most people around here have kin folk who can find them trees."
If trudging through a tree field isn’t exactly your cup of tea, Lynn’s Trees also offers ready to carry precut trees and hot apple cider along with handcrafted gifts at a nearby shop to complete your next holiday excursion.
"We sell more wreaths than trees and we even have one really big wreath that people love to have their picture with because it sort of frames their face," Shumate said.
Other growers, such as Bill Smith of Top of the Mountain Christmas Trees, said that weather usually plays a leading factor in what type of customer turnout he can expect on any day during the season although he added that "business has been really good" as of late. Soggy days like Tuesday usually keeps tree seekers in doors and away from tree lots.
Hayrides, cups of cider and even a few inflatable snowmen are just a few of the little extras offered to customers at lots around the county in efforts to draw in new faces.
Tom Mash, of Mountain Memories Christmas Trees in Jefferson, said the side attractions also help draw children into the Choose and Cut season to make it a holiday event for the whole family to enjoy.
Mash, who is now in his 12th Choose and Cut season, said the economy has hit all too close to home with the slumping tree sales.
"People are starting to go with cheaper trees than they normally would have five years ago," said Mash who explained that business was "going well" this year on the farm.
Like other growers, most of Mash’s customer base hails from ‘off the mountain’ and as in his farm’s case up to 95 percent of all buyers are tourists.
Ashe County’s 2010 Choose and Cut season continue this week and the weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday.
Still not sure where to turn this holiday season for the perfect tree? Check out this list of local growers.
Angel Hare Forest
841 W. Reno Road
Glendale Springs
(336) 982-3530
Davis Tree Farm
1620 Piney Creek Road
Lansing
(336) 384-3388
Grouse Ridge Trees
14911 Old Hwy 16
Grassy Creek
(336) 384-9688
High Country Tree and Wreath Co. Inc.
13705 Hwy 18 South
Laurel Springs
(336) 359-8999
Johnson Tree Farm
796 Piney Creek Road
Lansing
(336) 384-2768
Lee’s Trees
965 Helen Blevins Road
West Jefferson
(336) 846-1288
Lil’ Grandfather Tree Farm
15371 N.C. Hwy 18 South
Laurel Springs
(336) 372-9613
Long’s Choose and Cut Christmas Trees
8306 Hwy 16 S
Glendale Springs
(336) 246-3659
Lyalls Nursery
238 Mt. Valley Drive
West Jefferson
(336) 846-7516
Lyn-Lynn’s Trees, Wreaths and Christmas Crafts
104 Shumate Drive
Warrensville
(336) 384-2451
Mistletoe Meadows
583 Burnt Hill Road
Laurel Springs
(336) 982-9754
Mountain Memories Christmas Trees
500 Cox Road
Jefferson
(336) 246-7037
Reindeer Crossing Choose and Cut
153 Wiley Street
Jefferson
(336) 846-5249
Shady Rest Tree Farms
287 Trading Post Road
Glendale Springs
(336) 982-2031
Three Top Mountain Evergreens
240 Miller Street
(336) 973-7353
Tom Miller’s Tree Farm and Nursery
13893 Highway 18 South
Laurel Springs
(336) 982-3166
Top of the Mountain Christmas Trees
Glendale Springs
(336) 982-3507
Wayland’s Nursery
1003 Round Knob Ridge
West Jefferson
(336) 246-7729
West End Wreaths
2152 Beaver Creek School Road
West Jefferson
(336) 846-7300
Article courtesy of Jesse Campbell with the Ashe Mountain Times.
Blue Ridge Mountain cabins of N.C. & VA Large Acreage Tract purchases are a smart real estate investment!
At AsheMountainProperties.com and TheLandBook.com we exist to show you the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain cabins, properties, and large acreage tracts available to you, or help you find a beautiful piece of Blue Ridge Mountains, NC real estate property or VA Large Acreage for Sale. We have lovely cabins surrounded by exquisite natural beauty and an abundance of large acreage for sale. Look out the window of these Blue Ridge Mountain cabins and gaze on the captivating scenery only available in NC large acreage tracts as well as VA large acreage properties.
Find a NC Mountain home for sale or VA farm for sale from the information and resources we can offer for you to search a variety of Blue Ridge Mountains property listings both in NC and VA Mountain tracts of land for sale. Our available Blue Ridge Mountain cabins feature lovely architectural designs to highlight the unique natural environment, giving you the perfect atmosphere to create memories that will stay with you forever as well as an abundance of NC acreage and VA acreage that comliment all that these beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain Cabins for sale have to offer.
Browse each of our Blue Ridge Mountains NC real estate and VA large acreage tract possibilities to find the one that best suits you and your family’s needs. At AsheMountainProperties.com and TheLandBook.com, we work hard to provide you with the necessary information on all of our Blue Ridge Mountains NC property listings and large VA Farms for Sale. Let us be your answer to your search for extraordinary Blue Ridge Mountains real estate properties. Search our sites today!
All properties are offered by Heritage Properties.
Call: 828-406-4495
info@ashemountainproperties.com