The Old Family Farm
March 3, 2022
Many West Virginians grew up on the old family farm – the place they worked, hunted, and played in the creek… the place they love. This love never leaves our blood… but sometimes life takes us far away from the old homeplace. One such place is Ed and Bettye DeBerry’s 110-acre farm in Marion County. A lot of good living and family memories happened here but now it is mostly just a quiet home for wildlife… which is exactly part of the legacy that the DeBerrys wanted to share with future generations. The family wanted the public to be able to enjoy their property and WVLT is pleased that the DeBerrys donated their farm and put their faith in our organization to ensure those wishes.
Located only 30 minutes from downtown Fairmont, the DeBerry Farm is a quiet and secluded landscape that is mostly wooded, but still has evidence of fields that once pastured cows and supported a garden. The trees on the hillsides surround the old homestead and guardian the farm from above. Old roads and trails traverse the forest and hold potential to be developed into hiking and biking trails. The farm borders the 600-acre Curtisville Lake Park and Campground, adding to a larger protected landscape—a benefit for wildlife and recreationists alike.
While it is WVLT’s obligation to preserve the natural features of the landscape, we also want to provide additional public benefits. There are lots of possibilities and we are considering ways to reinvent this old family farm—a place for new or veteran farmers, for parkland, trail development, outdoor education, and more. Until then, the farm is in good hands… err… hooves, claws, and paws… as the deer, birds, and opossums stand guard.