The Tygarts Valley Conservation District is pleased to recognize Seven Islands Farm as a West Virginia Century Farm. This designation is given to farms that have been owned and continuously farmed by direct descendants of the same family for 100 years or more.
The farm was established on May 25, 1847 when Aaron Loughry, Sr. was granted 30 acres on the west side of the Cheat River at Seven Islands in Randolph County, Virginia. Aaron and his family cleared the forested land and settled into a life of farming along the river.
In 1853, Aaron Sr.’s son, Aaron Jr. married and took up farming with his father on the Loughry Farm. During the 1860’s Aaron Jr. and his wife Julia built a hand-hewn log home and raised 11 children on the farm. For many generations, the farm produced a variety of fruits and vegetables, livestock and crops.
Following the death of Aaron Jr. in 1912, the farm passed to Aaron Jr’s son Charles A. Loughry, then to Charles’ son, Lewis F. Loughry, then to Lewis’ children Don, Roger, and Linda in 2013. Lewis, a beed cattle farmer, purchased adjoining land and increased the size of the Loughry farm from the original 30 acres to the 368 acres it is today.
The farm has seen many changes over the years. When granted in 1847 the farm was located in Randolph County, Va. which became Tucker County, Va. in 1856 and then Tucker County, West Virginia in 1863. It was also ravaged by the Flood of 1985, which washed away the log homestead, a second homestead, two log barns, farm equipment and fencing. However, the Loughry’s and the farm persevered.
In 2017, Eldon and Linda (Loughry) Plaugher and their son Tom and his wife Georgette acquired the farm. Tom and Georgette officially named the farm Seven Islands Farm in recognition of its location and all the Loughry’s who farmed “down on the river” over the past 176 years. Seven Islands Farm has three high tunnels, two large gardens, a flock of chickens, a Christmas tree patch, 20 acres of hay, 20 acres of pasture and 328 acres of woodland. Income is derived from the sale of hay, bedding plants, cut flowers, Christmas trees and evergreen wreaths for the holidays. You can find Seven Islands Farm on Facebook or call them at 304-621-3515.
If you would like more information about the West Virginia Century Farm program you can call the Tygarts Valley Conservation District at 304-457-3026 or visit the website at https://www.wvca.us/education/century_farms.cfm.