SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – “The 2013 West Virginia Wildlife Calendar  is now available for everyone to enjoy,” according to Curtis I. Taylor, Chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

The cover of this award-winning wall calendar features an outstanding painting of a male and female goldfinch painted by West Virginia artist Rhea Knight. This highly detailed work of art is only one of the 12 beautiful paintings in this year’s calendar. A variety of wildlife are depicted including a black bear and her cubs, a family of squirrels, a swallowtail butterfly, a musky, and ruffed grouse. Two months feature white-tailed deer and December highlights the snowy owl, a species which makes an appearance in West Virginia every few years.  Paintings of cottontail rabbits, a hooded merganser, and a praying mantis round out the year.

Accompanying each painting is a brief description of the featured animal and the artist’s contact information. Feature articles include the importance of white-tailed deer in West Virginia, DNR’s trout stream restoration program and the improving fisheries in Cheat Lake. The calendar also contains the 2013 hunting and fishing license fees.

“The calendar is full of interesting daily facts, best fishing days and times, and monthly tips to help you fully enjoy the outdoors,” Taylor said. “Its $10 price tag makes it a terrific bargain and a great holiday gift.”

The 2013 West Virginia Wildlife Calendar is available at DNR district offices, department stores, newsstands, convenience marts and food stores throughout the state or through the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 67, Elkins, WV 26241; phone:  304-637-0245. A list of vendors selling the calendars is available online at www.wvdnr.gov/Wildlife/WildlifeCalendar.shtm. If buying through the mail, make checks payable to WVDNR in the amount of $15.50 for each calendar, which includes shipping and handling (West Virginia residents add $.60 tax for each calendar; VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are accepted).

Organizations, clubs and civic groups can profit by selling the West Virginia Wildlife Calendar as part of their fund-raising activities.  Interested organizations should contact the DNR at the above address for more information.

“The 2012 calendar won a Gold Award in an annual contest sponsored by the Calendar Marketing Association,” Taylor noted. The award was in the most informative wall calendar, retail division.

Related articles

• 2013 W.Va. Wildlife Calendar goes on sale (wvgazette.com)

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The Mountain State Forest Festival is the largest and oldest festival in the state of West Virginia and is considered a major homecoming for those individuals who previously lived in the Elkins area. It’s also a time when first time visitors, young and old alike, come to the area to participate in the many festival events and activities.

This year’s celebration will mark a significant milestone in the history of the festival association and will once again afford us the opportunity to share with our community and state the important role West Virginia’s natural resources play in our economic development. Rich in tradition, the festival also plays a major role in our local and state economy and offers something for everyone to enjoy, such as, the carnival, parades, exhibits, arts and crafts, delicious food, and of course, the Royal Court and coronation of Queen Silvia. ~ Mountain State Forest Festival.

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“Almost heaven” — it’s more than a line in a John Denver song. When you travel along West Virginia’s Highway 20 you may come as close to heaven as you can get and live to tell about it. Just beyond the cluster of stores, restaurants and hotels near the turnpike in Princeton, this country road leads you to some of the Mountain State‘s greatest treasures.

A large rock sign marks the entrance to Pipestem State Park, considered the “crown jewel” of West Virginia’s state park system. It gets its name from the hollow stemmed shrub Native Americans and later white settlers used as tobacco pipe stems.

via Gorges, falls and wooded hillsides highlight West Virginia retreat » Knoxville News Sentinel.

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These rare and protected Showy Lady Slipper Orchids are found deep in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. Video: Brian La Fountain

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FAIRLEA, W. Va.—

Every August, thousands of people flock to the State Fair of West Virginia, and many of them don’t even call the Mountain State their home.  The summer tradition has become a favorite for folks on the other side of the state line.

Whether you crave the thrill of a carnival ride, the speed of harness racing or the unique sound of a one man band,  there’s something for everyone at the State Fair of West Virginia. Between 20 and 25 percent of fair goers come from Virginia.

“It’s geography and travel distances,” said Chief Executive Officer Marlene Jolloffe. “We’re a good family destination and we’re two hours from Roanoke. We’re really dialed into the Virginia market and we love having everyone here.” ~ State Fair of West Virginia brings western Virginia along for the ride.

The State Fair of West Virginia traces it’s history back to 1854 when it was the Greenbrier County Fair. That first Fair was organised by the Greenbrier Agricultural Society and held in Mr. Nesmith’s Grove. You can read the history of that first fair at the State Fair’s website.

LEWISBURG, WV (08/29/2012)– The 88th annual State Fair of West Virginia, themed “Memories that Grow…Year After Year,” proved to be a success, while providing thousands of great memories for fairgoers! “I think people needed to exhale and have fun!” stated Chief Executive Officer, Marlene Jolliffe. “It was a long challenging summer and we are grateful that people decided to celebrate the end of summer by visiting the fair. Good weather combined with a strong free entertainment program, and a popular grandstand concert series proved to be a winning combination.”

Final audited gate attendance is not available, however, attendance is projected between 185,000 and 190,000. Ticketed grandstand events drew over 25,000 with one sellout and one “near” sellout. Fairgoers boosted food sales by 3% setting another food gross record and the Reithoffer carnival midway saw a 1% increase in carnival revenue despite rain on opening day.

via 2012 State Fair of West Virginia a Success | The State Fair of West Virginia.

And while it’s too late to attend this years fair…It’s not too early to start planning for next years Fair. Mark your calendars – August 9-17, 2013

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• Vendors Begin Packing Up at State Fair – WVNS-TV – WVNSTV.com (faircarnivals.com)
• Murphy, state fair announce food bank promo (wvgazette.com)

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I’d heard about Flying  W Farms in Burlington, West Virginia from my parents, who regularly bought butchered meat from them over the years. However, I’d never been to their store.  This summer, I got that chance when my dad suddenly decided he wanted a lamb.

Flying W is a local meat butcher and seller located in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in an area that used to be very agriculturally based.  When I was a child and visited West Virginia, we could regularly get local meat and usually experienced amazing home cooked food both from relatives and family friends we visited, even small stores. As the decades have passed, most small farms have gone out of business, traditional dishes are scarce and chains are dominant and any local restaurants in the area usually serve frozen and processed foods with zero local flavor or tradition.

via Looking for Local in a Rural Food Desert: Flying W Farms | Flavor Magazine: The only independent publication dedicated to local food, Virginia wine, and sustainable agriculture in the Capital foodshed..

Related articles

• Celebrate the Farmer! (opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com)

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Moving to wild West Virginia land might have seemed like an irresponsible thing to do with 4 little boys and absolutely no idea of what hardship could be ahead or what I was doing. But somewhere there was a voice calling me home, calling me to this hilly piece of land that some called worthless, and holding me here to grow roots. ~ Granny Sue’s News and Reviews: About Land.

Those words I read this morning touched me…Go read the whole tribute to her land at the link.

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The National Park Service is beginning the process of making parts of West Virginia’s Monongehela National Forest a national park, something the state does not have currently. The process starts with a survey, scheduled for next month and planned to be complete in September 2012, to determine if the area is viable for a national park. Specifically, the survey would, “determine whether the historic, natural and recreational resources in the project area are ‘likely’ or ‘unlikely’ to meet Congressionally-required criteria for a national park.” That statement is per a press release from the National Park Service. The survey was requested by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin D and the proposed park is being referred to as High Allegheny National Park. The proposed area would also include parts of Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley state parks and well-known sites like Seneca Rocks, the Dolly Sods and Spruce Knob.

via The process to bring a national park to West Virginia has begun — Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine.

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We’re “walking into spring” with New River Gorge National Park Rangers. They’re pointing out the simple gifts that grow in the gorge–wildflowers for which our state is famous.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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The New River Gorge National River is a unit of the United States National Park Service designed to protect and maintain the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia. Established in 1978, the NPS-protected area stretches for 53 miles from just downstream of Hinton to Hawks Nest State Park near Ansted. Recorded on June 4, 2003. The video begins on a cloudy morning at the Grandview scenic overlook. Next I pass over Sandstone Mountain on I-64 and that is followed by Standstone Falls. There is a brief stop at Bluestone Dam and Lake before proceeding to Pipestem Resort State Park. At Pipestem I ride the tramway down the mountain to the edge of the New River. Next, the New River Gorge Bridge, which carries US Highway 19 over the New River at a height of 876 feet, making it the highest vehicular bridge in the Americas, and the second-highest in the world. The video concludes at Hawk’s Nest State Park where I ride the tram down to the River and board a jet boat for a turbulent ride down the New River to the New River Gorge Bridge. From: timvp.com

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