About Transylvania County, NC

When I first moved to western North Carolina it was August and I had just left steamy, hot, overcrowded Florida. I had always loved North Carolina and was over the moon about finally living here. But when I discovered the bounty of local summer vegetables and how easy it was to get fresh ripe South Carolina peaches, I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

A short drive east of the Brevard area you'll find yourself in apple country. More apples are grown in eastern Henderson County, around Hendersonville, NC than anywhere else in the state. You'll enjoy that crop this fall. But the summer crops, the ones that are in season now, are a real highlight. The other day I stopped at my favorite road side market and picked up yellow squash, zuchinni, white corn,and cucumbers that had just been picked from local fields that morning. And the tomatoes....oh my gosh...the tomatoes are like big red juicy bits of heaven. They will make you wonder what restaurants have been passing off as tomatoes in your salad.

But this is also peach season in South Carolina and since we're only an hour or so north of the NC/SC border, we get what I consider the best peaches on the planet. We're now into freestone season so after I got my veggies, I picked up a basket full of peaches that had also just arrived that morning.

I love peaches as they are or cut up with some vanilla ice cream. But one of my husband's favorite things is peach crisp. I admit to not being a baker so as much as I love good cobbler, I stick with crisps. My mother made the best cobbler so maybe I'll just cling to that memory. So, if you are pie crust challenged like I am, give this a whirl. I have some baking in my oven right now which I'll be taking to a friend's house tonight. The aroma is.....(((wuuunddderrrrful)))

PEACH CRISP

Caveat: Like most of my cooking, I don't measure but this is pretty close. Feel free to adjust to your own tastes. This should make enough for 4-6 people.

About 3lbs +/- of good peaches. Slice them into sections (maybe about 1/2" or so) into a large bowl. This should be enough for a 6x9 pan. But, if you have a specific baking pan you want to use, adjust the amount of peaches accordingly. Just remember you'll need to reserve about an inch at the top for the topping.

Combine:
About 3/4 cup of sugar
About 1 tsp cinnamon

Toss peaches with this mixture. Adjust sugar and cinnamon to your personal taste and how sweet the peaches are.

Then toss with about 1/4 cup flour. The sugar makes the peaches juicy and the flour will help it thicken as it cooks. The result at this stage should be slightly syrupy.

Fill the baking dish with the peaches, and press down slightly so the peaches are nice and cozy. Top with crisp mixture and bake at 375 for about an hour or until the crisp is slightly brown and the peaches are bubbly. NOTE: Put your baking dish on a cookie sheet or aluminum foil. It will probably bubble over on the edges. To die for with fresh whipped cream or ice cream...or both!

Crisp Toppping

Approx. 1 cup of flour
Approx. 1 cup of old fashion oats - not instant oatmeal!
Approx. 1 cup of sugar (sometimes I'll use half white and half brown
About 1/2 tsp of cinnamon (If you have apple pie spice in your spice drawer, this works great, too)
1 stick of cold butter cut into small pieces

Using two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until you get a nice, course texture. Spread evenly on top of the peaches. Tap the dish on the counter to settle the topping.

Transylvania County, in western North Carolina, is aptly named "Land of Waterfalls" because of the 250+ waterfalls that dot the 379 square miles of the county. Nearly one-third of the area is national forest land, making this an ideal location for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. Transylvania County is made up of a number of small towns including Brevard and is about a 45 minute drive southwest of Asheville and about 30 minutes east of the popular Cashiers-Highlands area.

One of the most popular waterfall destinations is Dupont State Forest where you will find three spectacular waterfalls - High Falls, Triple Falls, and Hooker Falls. The hiking trails that get you there vary from easy to moderate so they suit just about anyone. And during the popular fly fishing season, you'll likely see fisherman along the way as the attempt to entice a trout or two.

Another very popular waterfall hike is to Graveyard Fields. This is a 3.2 mile hike that reaches an elevation of 5320 ft. It begins at one of the scenic overlooks along the Blue Ridge Park way and loops through a flat valley with two spurs that will take you to some of the best photo opps around.

One of the more difficult waterfall hikes is Panthertown Valley. This is a more difficult 8-10 mile hike that starts at Cold Mountain trailhead but rewards you with 5 waterfalls.

Discover all the things to do and places to go in the Brevard area...Discover your life in the mountains!

A few days ago some friends of ours who live in the Etowah area, (about a 45 min drive from here) came to visit us. They relocated to western North Carolina from Florida about 6 months after we did but had never really taken the time to discover what the Lake Toxaway, Sapphire, Cashiers area is all about. We were more than happy to play tour guide and Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors. As it turns out, it was as if the Chamber of Commerce had made special arrangements for the weather that particular day. It was a spectacular day with clear North Carolina blue skies, a light breeze, low humidity, and temperatures around 75. Perfect June weather in the mountains. We all still recall how hot and humid Florida is this time of year and there was a collective sigh of appreciation as we ventured out with our car's sun roof wide open.

As we made our way west on Hwy 64, we pointed out the various golf courses and made a brief stop at Fairfield Lake where people were enjoying a day of canoeing, swimming, and picnicing.

The highlight of our afternoon was the Cornucopia restaurant in Cashiers. There's no better place for great food and their house speciality...buttermilk pie. Yum Yum. This building has been a part of the landscape here since the early 1900's. They don't have a website so if you're in the Cashiers area and need directions, let me know.

Our regional MLS Board recently launched a regional website. From what I can tell, there is some confusion about its purpose and I'm sure it's going to be a work in progress for a while. But, on my first visit, I found some pretty interesting stuff. If you like graphs and numbers, you'll like this.

These numbers pertain to Transylvania County which includes Brevard, Pisgah Forest, Connestee Falls, etc. Our market base is a blend of year round residents with a good dose of seasonal residents. I'll be posting similar information for Buncombe County (Ashevlle) and Henderson County (Hendersonville).

In the first chart, you'll see the number of residential closings that have transpired this past year based on price range. As was expected the biggest selling price range is $100K - $300K. As a Realtor, the tough pill to swallow is that there were 65 closings in May 2007 compared only 20 in 2008. OUCH. That's the bad news.

The good news is that the average selling price has gone up over $36k this past year.

And last but not least, the average number days from the time a property is listed until it closes has seen some fluctuation over the year, but compared to the same time last year, remains the same.

Information provided by and copyrighted by WNC Regional MLS, LLC

There are many things that make Brevard, North Carolina an ideal destination for a summer visit. The higher elevation means cool mountain air, but it's also the kind of place where you can do as much...or as little as you choose because sometimes, just being here can be enough. As the saying goes, if you're lucky enough to be in the mountains...you're lucky enough.

So if you're looking for a way to escape the summer heat, check out our Top Ten list of things to do in Brevard, North Carolina

1. Rent a mountain bike (or bring your own) and discover Dupont State Forest on two wheels. It is considered by many to be ground zero for some of the best mountain biking in the southeast.

2. Take in a performance at the Brevard Music Center. Every summer, 400 of the worlds's most talented music students join professional musicians for a rigourus schedule of instruction and collaboration. This years "class" will present more than 80 public performances between June 27 and August 10.

3. Cool off and have a blast at Sliding Rock a 60 ft natural rock waterslide.

4. Go canoeing or kayaking on the French Broad River.

5. Learn to fly fish. This part of NC offers up some of the best fly fishing you're going to find in western North Carolina.

6. Shop...eat...shop some more...stop for a gelato or a piece of fresh made local chocolate...shop...then finish the day with a bite to eat at any of our great downtown eateries.

7. Go hiking. With Dupont State Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and Gorges State Park all nearby, you'll have plenty of choices.

8. Learn something new at the Cradle of Forestry. The story of the birth of forestry in America is told here through exhibits, guided tours along historic sites, and interpretive programs. Or stop off at the Pisgah Center of Wildlife Education and take in one of their programs or events.

9. Pick up local made pottery at one of the many craft studios in the area. Many also offer classes throughout the summer months for all ages.

10. Discover Transylvania County's waterfalls. There are over 260 in the area to keep you busy.

For more ideas, visit us at www.brevardncproperty.com

Caution: Once you're here...you may find you never want to leave!