Our Story
In January of 2019, our boots first crunched a thin layer of snow on the pastures of what would become Basin Ridge Farm. We fell head over heels in love with the land, its hills and hollows; a gentle basin held in the shadow of a sweeping ridge. An old cedar frame cabin that needed more than a little bit of love and care, and barns that spoke to us of nearly 200 years of care for the land, hard work and ingenious re-use of old Folger coffee cans.
Over time, we’ve fixed up the cabin and evolved into a team of friends and neighbors, joining forces with Greg, Georgia and Ron to build on and expand their growing cattle operation, and Emilie, our incredibly talented wedding and events guru. Getting to learn from and work with each other continues to be one of the greatest blessings of this place.
To us and to those who come to share it with us, Basin Ridge Farm is a place for joy, and a place to reconnect with the rhythms of the land and our natural world. Whether it’s hosting a one-of-a-kind celebration or event, creating access to the highest quality sustainable meat and produce, or spending a weekend glamping and exploring our wooded trails, we’re excited to share all the goodness and bounty this place offers us everyday.
- Pier & Jess, Co-owners & Partners, Basin Ridge Farm
History of the Farm
Basin Ridge Farm sits in the hills outside Romney, West Virginia, the historic seat of Hampshire county. Settled in 1763, Romney was the first town in West Virginia, and with its comparatively gentle rolling foothills and rich soil perfect for pastureland, Hampshire county has a long history as a farming community.
The Capon River and Little Cacapon River (which flows on the western edge of our farm) were first surveyed in 1752 by a young fellow named George Washington working on what was then the Colonial frontier.
Starting sometime in the mid 1800s, the land that is today Basin Ridge farm was settled by the Haines family, who held it in continuous ownership until we were lucky enough to become the next stewards of the land in April of 2019. The Haines place had cattle, heritage peach and apple trees, and was more recently used as a family hunting camp.