The Allegheny Mountains - Geology

When you look at a topographical map of the central-eastern United States, in western Virginia and eastern West Virginia, there is a large range of mountains that are part of the Appalachian Mountain system. The entire Appalachian range was formed in three distinct geological events over hundreds of millions of years. Around 1.2 billion years ago, the Eurasian and North American plates came together to form the Grenville Mountains as the crusts of the two plates buckled. Heat generated by the collision melted crustal rocks into magma that now forms the backbone of the Appalachian Mountains. Over the next several hundred million years, these mountains eroded quickly, as there was no vegetation to slow the process. Approximately 750 million years ago (Ma), the supercontinent formed by this collision broke apart, leaving the Iapetus Ocean (vide infra) in its wake. About 450 Ma, in the Ordovician period of the mid-Paleozoic era, the Eurasian and North American plates collided again, and this time the Eurasian plate was subducted. The sediments formed by the erosion of the Grenville Mountains were lifted up, forming the northern Appalachian Mountains. This event was known as the Acadian orogeny (from the Greek: oros = mountain; genesis = formation). About 250 Ma, during the late-Permian period at the end of the Paleozoic era, the African plate collided with the combined Eurasian/North American plates in an event known as the Allegheny orogeny, which formed the southern Appalachian Mountains, of which the Allegheny Mountains are part. This was a temporary collision, and as the plates drifted to their present positions, the Atlantic Ocean was formed. [Iapetus was the father of Atlantis in Greek mythology.]

Avian Wildlife

Indigo Bunting

The diversity of bird species in West Virginia is truly remarkable. The Atlantic Flyway includes the Allegheny Mountains in northern West Virginia, and many migratory birds use this flyway. There is a bird-banding station near our property in the Dolly Sods Wilderness. However, West Virginia is also unique in that it includes the northernmost area of south-wintering species like the Dark-eyed Junco and the southernmost area of north-summering birds like the Baltimore Oriole, Eastern Phoebe, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, or Brown Thrasher. Other birds like the Wood Thrush or Ruby-throated Hummingbird are truly seasonal. Since building our house in 2005, we have kept a log of bird sightings on or near our property. In no particular order:

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

The most useful application I have on my iPhone is iBird Explorer PRO. My version was $30, but well worth it. It contains descriptions, drawings, photos, identification parameters, and songs of all North American bird species. It isn't internet-based, so it can be used anywhere. Several versions are available from iBird.

The Allegheny Mountains or Allegheny Front are among the oldest mountains in the world, formed 250 million years ago from the collision of what is now Africa and North America. They extend a unique climate from Canada far into the south, and thus there are many species of plants and birds unique to this area.

Rain - 12.6" in a Month

Between 3-19 May, since we were last on the property, we received 6.8" of rain. This was on top of the 5.6" we had received since April 19. The road up to the house had further erosion well past that due to a deluge in late April, and the garden was a big mess. About half of the asparagus had washed out (some was downhill in the potatoes), and one row of potatoes was a big trench with seed potatoes sitting at the bottom. We repaired the damage and planted beets, corn, beans, carrots, pumpkins, sunflowers, and parsnips, and got a nice 0.1" rainfall overnight to set the seeds. The area where Dogs Run Farm is located gets between 52-55" of rain per year. Over the mountain above us at White Grass Ski, they have received well over 200" of snow in each of the past two winters. This part of WVa is a temperate rain forest.

Outside of rain and its effects, we did get some work done. The split-rail fence is finished up to the house, and will need to be extended at the bottom of the meadow. This is low priority. We finally sealed the deck, a job that has needed done for a while. On Sunday, we spent most of the afternoon clearing trees along the edge of the clearing where the house is located, partly to improve the view, partly because we need to stock-pile firewood the winter of 2012-2013 (it needs to dry at least one year), and partly because this is where Cathy wants to build a chicken/fowl coop. It will get mixed sun/shade and is relatively flat. All the trees felled were hickory, which is our predominate hardwood.

Work Weekend

We are off to the property this evening for a long working weekend. We need to finish planting the garden, all seed plants now, check on the potatoes and mound up soil, and probably pull up some weeds and till around the existing plants.

The split-rail fence needs to be finished, so we will have to head into Beverly to get more fencing. Yes! Digging holes. Rob's favorite thing to do.

Hopefully, we will find some time to at least hike around the property, if not head up into Dolly Sods or Red Creek Plains for a longer hike. The woods should be beautiful now, with all the trees either out of leafing out. There will be lots of new wildflowers, and the fruit trees should be fully in leaf. To the right is a map of the SW corner of Dolly Sods, the part closest to us.

The wood-stove was cleaned-up last visit, assuming* that the need for heat was past, but given the forecast, we may be burning it at night. It's hard to get good forecasts for the property, because of the microclimate that exists in the valley we live in. The nearest "big" city is Elkins (population 7,000), and it is over four mountain ranges, 1000' down in elevation, and 30 miles away, so the Elkins forecast is largely useless. At least we can get internet signal to look at wunderground.com and the local radar.

We will certainly get over to Davis to have dinner at Sirianni's Pizza one evening.

* "In every assumption is contained the possibility of its opposite." Pam Houston, How to Talk to a Cowboy

The Garden, Spring 2011

This is the 2011 garden in mid-spring, looking north, uphill. It's about 35' x 70', located in a small clearing above our house. Garlic is along the right side, potatoes in the front, 25 asparagus plants along the upper left side, and 24 raspberries (four varieties - two red and two black) along the very back, all of which were planted on 30 April and 1 May. The ATV and a 110 gallon water tank for collecting rain water are at the back. We keep it critter- and dog-free with a solar-powered electric fence. Soon to be planted are carrots, parsnips, corn, green beans, and two kinds of beets. The potatoes should be up by now.

We will be over this weekend to finish the planting. It's been wet and cold most of the time, but hopefully the potatoes, asparagus, and raspberries have sprouted.

Incredible View

This is the view from the deck of the house, looking due south. It has been called a "million dollar view" by others. It changes on an hour-by-hour basis as clouds roll over the ridge or move up the valley below. The hike up the middle of the hollow is via Flatrock Run Trail, and follows the rapidly flowing stream of the same name, with numerous waterfalls cut into the limestone. The ridge-top is Roaring Plains, which gets its name from the roaring winds. Just out of the picture to the right is Mount Porte Crayon, the sixth tallest peak in WVa (4771 feet). We never get tired of the view; it is different every day. Roaring Plains West is one of the newest NFS Wilderness Areas, signed into law by President Obama in 2009.

The Dogs

Rosso (left) and Lucca (right)

Rosso and Lucca hanging out on a warm early fall day. Both of these guys were raised in WVa, coming over as early as ten weeks old. Consequently, they don't have much in the way of manners on leash. Big dogs such as Doberman Pinschers need room to run. Lucca tires easily, having short stubby legs and a somewhat rotund body, but Rosso never stops. I've taken him on a six mile cross-country ski in 15" of new-fallen snow, and of course, he probably ran 10 x 6 miles.

Dobes are "Velcro" dogs, and despite having acres of land to roam, they will always stay close to us. Lucca had a very strong prey drive, and tore ACLs in both her knees chasing deer. She has been largely cured of that bad habit, but not before she taught it to Rosso.

Back of the House and View of Roaring Plains

From behind the house, you can see across the valley on to newly-designated National Wilderness Land. This photo was taken early in the building process in the summer of 2005. Approximately the top half of the distant ridge, named Roaring Plains, was designated wilderness in 2009. From the valley floor to the ridge is five miles and a 2500' climb, the steepest trail in WVa. There is a housing development on the lower part of the ridge, but it is hidden from direct view from the house by trees. The house was strategically sited to achieve this view.

The House

Here is a photo of our pedestal home with our new split rail fence. The house was sited in the middle of a 1.5 acre clearing close to the center of the property. This has its advantages with respect to view, but there isn't much shelter from the winter winds. To date, we have probably used 60-80 tubes of silicone caulk trying to seal the house, with some success. Dogs Run is located in an unusual east-west valley that funnels winds between ridges of the Allegheny Mountains. The highest wind clocked by the anemometer on top of the chimney was 70 mph, and it is typical for gusts to reach 55 mph in the winter. The house faces due south and has near 180° views of NFS lands.

This is a larger view of the house itself.  The front is faced by floor-to-ceiling windows, which provides lots of natural light and an incredible view of the valley below and the ridge across the valley. The house was designed and pre-manufactured by Topsider Homes in North Carolina, and shipped to the building site via flat-bed trucks. It is post-and-beam construction. It is only 800 sq. ft., but seems bigger because it is so open inside. In any event, we spend most of our time outside rain or snow or shine.

Horses

What farm would be complete without a horse or two? Dante is retired and getting practice being a farm horse; Vald'o is in training to be a future jumper. Dante is 19 and Vald'o is 5.

Vald'o

Dante

Carbon Neutral

You're Lying

Despite what the coal industry would lead you to believe, and despite it being unbelievable, coal and the electricity is produces are not carbon neutral. Burning wood to heat your home is carbon neutral. The carbon in wood was stored as organic material via photosynthesis from carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, carbon dioxide that was present in the atmosphere 30 years ago, not 300 million years ago. Wood stoves are inherently more efficient on a BTU/CO2 basis than using large diesel-driven equipment to tear the tops off mountains, diesel-driven locomotives to haul the coal, and an inefficient coal-fired power plant to make electricity, which is shipped with significant losses via power lines to your home. Not to mention which, but burning coal releases more radioactivity into the atmosphere than all nuclear plants combined.

One of the Dogs - Running

This is our boy Rosso. He is three years old today. Someday, he may stop acting like a puppy, although probably not.

Planting/Planning for the Future – Apples

Yellow Transparent apple

In the spring of 2009, we planted four varieties of apples, eight trees total. We planted Grimes Golden, Yellow Transparent, Summer Rambo, and Northern Spy. We bought the trees from Miller Nurseries in New York.

Grimes Golden is a West Virginia native, discovered by Thomas Grimes in Brooke County in 1804. It is one half of the Golden Delicious hybrid. Yellow Transparent is another old variety, originally from Russia or the Baltics, which was introduced in Europe in the early 1800's and to the United States in 1870. Summer Rambo is a French apple, recorded as early as 1535 in the town of Rambure. It was planted as early as 1767 in colonial America. Northern Spy is a pie apple, also known as Red Spy. It was discovered in an orchard in New York, and is originally from Connecticut, circa 1800. Several of the trees bloomed this year, and the trunks are about 1" in diameter. Apples in another couple of years.

The difference between "planning" and "planting" is just one letter, yet they are unrelated etymologically.

The First Potato Crop

In mid-May of 2010, we planted 3.5 lbs of seed potatoes from the  Potato Garden. Seven varieties. We harvested about 30 lbs of delicious, heirloom potatoes, despite planting late and harvesting too soon. This year, we planted 20 lbs of four varieties of potatoes at the end of April. Do the math.

We have found the best way to oven-roast potatoes to get the crispiest outside and creamiest inside is:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
2. Cut potatoes into 1" pieces, as uniformly as possible.
3. Place some olive oil in a glass baking dish large enough to hold all the potatoes in a single layer (this is important).
4. Toss the potatoes with the oil to uniformly coat them.
5. Turn the potatoes cut side down.
6. Cover the baking dish with Al foil.
7. Roast for 15 min.
8. Remove the Al foil and roast for an additional 15 min.
9. Gently turn the potatoes cut side up and roast for another 15 min.
10. Remove from the oven and season with NaCl and pepper, and a little chopped rosemary, if you wish.