Laurel Fork Farm Named Among Top 100 Small Businesses in America

Laurel Fork Farm Earns National Recognition in Tucker County

Laurel Fork Farm in Tucker County has earned a spot among the top 100 small businesses in America, recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce under the category Champions of Adaptability, WDTV reported. Owner Marsha Waybright and her family have expanded the third-generation family farm since opening it to the public, turning an operational agricultural property into a destination for visitors from all fifty states and over 70 countries.

The farm hosts the West Virginia School of Traditional Skills, a nonprofit organization teaching practical crafts including planting, harvesting, hunting, and fishing. Travelers looking to experience the working property can also stay at the Laurel River Club Bed and Breakfast, where they can eat a farm-to-table breakfast and explore the grounds. Waybright noted that the widespread interest stems from a growing public desire to learn about authentic and regenerative farming lifestyles.

Farm Provides Training and Internships for Rural Students

Beyond tourism, the farm serves as an operational training ground. It provides internship opportunities for students from colleges across the state, including WVU and Davis and Elkins College. The property also hosts hunter safety education classes for residents seeking a hunting license. Waybright stated that her goal reaches beyond the national accolade itself, aiming to establish a sustainable avenue for the next generation of farmers to acquire the practical skills needed to thrive in rural communities.

Whenever you come here, we don’t necessarily, you know, force people to learn what we have, Waybright told WDTV. We meet them where they’re at and teach them what they can do to take home and change their own lives.

To support that mission, the farm is currently developing a new educational facility and a commercial kitchen dedicated to the School of Traditional Skills. Prospective visitors and students can find additional information regarding farm operations and bed and breakfast reservations at mountainlifewv.com.

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