West Virginia
Local farm taking the leap into agritourism
ALDERSON, WV (WVNS) — Agritourism is booming in the Mountain State according to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.
Appalachian Arts and Crafts Fair returns for 59th year
Agritourism is any activity in any field of agriculture that is open to the public for entertainment or education.
The Alderson Strawberry Festival is a returning staple of interest here in West Virginia. Sunset Berry Farm has been the largest supporter since the start.
Now, in an age where tourism has become a billion-dollar industry in the state, according to West Virginia Tourism, Sunset Berry Farm has decided to make the turn into agritourism. Co-owner Jennifer Gilkerson said it is time.
“Sunset Berry Farm has decided to dive right into agritourism. Tourism all over West Virginia is huge right now, it’s just exploding,” said Gilkerson. “And so agritourism is also exploding right now and so it just seemed like the way to go right now.”
The state is now home to 38 Christmas tree farms, 27 U-pick farms, and over a dozen different farm stay/day visit farms.
Sunset Berry Farm already qualifies as a U-pick farm for their amazing strawberries! The opportunities for agritourism are endless.
Gilkerson said Sunset Berry Farm is going to start by focusing on the aspect they know best.
“We’ve been doing our Alderson Strawberry Festival for several years now and that’s been an amazing success, so we’re building on that and we’re going to add several more festivals to our program.” explained Gilkerson.
This includes the Monroe County Peach Festival coming up at the end of August, the West Virginia Watermelon Festival at the beginning of September, and the Sunflower Festival towards the middle of September.
Sunset Berry Farm is receiving a bit of help from another agritourist farm for their Peach Festival.
Orr’s Farm, in Martinsburg will be providing a large load of peaches to assist with festival produce. Gilkerson said switching up the focus of their farm will allow them to focus on fun!
“We really want to sort of specialize more in family entertainment and we want to be a destination for families with children to just get out of the house and explore West Virginia and just have a good time.” said Gilkerson.
One week out: State Fair of West Virginia final push
The next time you are looking for a day trip that would be fun and educational for the whole family, take a look at agritourism. You never know what you will end up enjoying!
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West Virginia
YSS offers West Virginia’s first transitional living recovery programs for young adults
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WHEELING, W.Va. — Wheeling is home to West Virginia’s first recovery program designed specifically for young adults, offering a new track aimed at people ages 18 to 24 who are working to overcome substance use disorders.
Youth Services System announced it will offer the recovery track at the McCrary Center in Wheeling for young adults dealing with opioid or stimulant use disorders. The program is designed to provide recovery-focused housing and support services, giving participants a safe, structured environment as they work toward long-term recovery and stability.
“Our transitional living program has been licensed by the Department of Human Services, as well as the Office of Health Facility Licensure. We also achieved the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residence certification so there will be a lot of oversight in this program. And we look forward to our continued work with them,” YSS CEO Jill Eddy said.
Youth Services System received a one-time grant through the West Virginia Bureau of Behavioral Health to help expand services and launch the new track in Wheeling.
“Research shows that the longer a person is provided a safe space while in recovery, the chances of their success in recovery and remaining sober is definitely increased,” Eddy said.
Services will include substance-free and MAT-friendly housing, peer recovery support, therapy, recovery planning, and overdose prevention education. The program also supports individuals with co-occurring mental health conditions and prioritizes high-risk and underserved populations.
More information about Youth Services System is available here.
BUCKHANNON, W.Va (WDTV) – WestCare West Virginia cut the ribbon for its Hope in the Mountains complex on 22 N. Locust Street. The new facility will treat men with substance abuse issues with the hopes of fighting the drug epidemic in West Virginia.
Each room in the complex includes 56 beds, a television set and clean bathroom. Stephen Wright spoke ahead of the ribbon cutting along with Buckhannon officials. He said this facility differs from others on how they approach treatment.
“We really focus on the individual and the individual needs and focus on their progress in the program versus a number of days that a person is in treatment. So it’s really individualized,” said Stephen Wright, chief operating officer of WestCare Appalachia. “So we still need aftercare, outpatient counseling, and those things. But this really gives an opportunity for an intervention to break that cycle for individuals struggling with addiction. Because lots of times they must be separated from the living circumstances that they’re in at that time.”
Copyright 2026 WDTV. All rights reserved.
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