What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
Plenty of Solar and hydro electric power (100% off-grid). Fresh, gravity fed spring water (45psi). Hydronic radiant floor heat. Extremely efficient wood burning stove with forced air blower to floor registers. Energy efficient appliances. Septic. Very rich soil for gardening. Mature Walnut and Apple trees along with lots of wild blackberry. Totally self-sufficient.Property Description
This "green" self-sufficient 11.6 acre property and home has many unique features, both natural and man made. You will enjoy privacy and be far from major cities, in the North Carolina mountains. The property joins a National Forest and features an 80+ ft waterfall, 2 trout ponds, a creek, springs and lush flora and fauna. Power is solar and hydro, with a Lister Petter diesel backup generator. There is more than enough capacity to run existing buildings plus a large future home. Standard power is also present on-site but not connected. There is a terraced area for fruit trees. One of the most unique features of this property is the NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) shelter, which contains a toilet, shower, cooking and sleeping facilities. The totally rebuilt 2 bedroom, 2 bath home has gravity-fed, pure spring water, radiant floor heating system, large JUCA wood-burning stove connected to heating ducts throughout, and all energy efficient appliances.
Location- Celo, NC:
The property is very private, you are surrounded by lush flora and fauna and also border the Pisgah National Forest - but you are not isolated. You will not see your neighbors when you are on the property, but you will pass their homes on the short gravel road, which ends on the property. You are 10 minutes north of Mount Mitchell (tallest peak east of the Mississippi) and the beautiful (public) Mt. Mitchell Country Club. Twenty minutes away is the town of Spruce Pine that has a major hospital, another public golf course (Grassy Creek) and a Super Wal Mart. Burnsville (downtown is 15 minutes away) is the county seat and your mailing address. A convenience store is less than 5 minutes away and 3 major, full-featured grocery stores (Ingles and Bi Lo) are all 15-20 minutes away.
The famous Penland School of Crafts is also 20 minutes away. This area of North Carolina is home to many artists, craftspeople and writers. Additionally, Asheville, NC is 45-60 minutes away to the West on the other side of the Black Mountains. Snow ski resorts are also scattered around this area of the NC Mountains.
The nearest major city, Charlotte, NC is 2.5 hours away to the southeast.
The property has a view; it has the tallest waterfall in the county, Roaring Spout Falls (80+ feet), two ponds and a creek, unique flora fauna wild turkey & deer, perfect altitude 3100 feet (temperate zone -- cool in the summer but not too cold in the winter).
"Green" and Self Sufficient Features:
This property is totally powered by alternative power - and there is more than enough capacity to run everything on the property. The system was designed to be more than adequate to run all existing buildings, plus a large future home on the south-facing slope, above the larger of the two trout ponds. Additionally, the property also has standard grid power available as another option.
The power systems include solar, with three tracking panels, hydro-electric, with two "stream engine" turbines that dump their "spent" oxygenated water into the large trout pond and two back-up diesel generators (battery started). One of the diesel generators is a S.C.U.P.P. (Self Contained Underground Power Plant) that is located underground, along with its fuel tank. The other, larger generator is a Lister Petter, which is known for its reliability. The future home site on the south-facing slope was selected for the ability to have passive solar heating of the house, along with the generation of plenty of hot water for radiant floor (and driveway) heat.
Other Land Features:
The property is located where two ridges come together; ultimately intersecting where the 80+ feet tall waterfalls are located.
There is a north-facing ridge (cooler in summer) with a home that was completely rebuilt in 1999-2000, inside and out.
This mountainous area is considered a temperate rain forest, thus the lush growth of all kinds of plants, many which will be totally new to you. Even the moths and caterpillars are unbelievably colorful and large - like nothing you have ever seen. It is always interesting to see the many kinds of varied species that nature offers in such a unique microclimate. Even the locals do not normally see many of the same things, as their homes are not located in the same type of unique environment as this (waterfall & stream "coddled" between two intersecting ridgelines).
The Roaring Spout stream is a prominent feature that runs alongside the road/driveway. The concrete bridge going across the stream to the big pond and future home site was designed to support a fully loaded concrete truck for future building.
On the north-facing slope, there is an area that has been terraced for fruit trees. The terraces are angled back into the slope in order to retain as much rain water as possible for the trees and lessen the run off onto the road below. Planting fruit trees on the cooler north slope will prevent the trees from blossoming too soon, thus preventing a late freeze from destroying the crop.
There are two "antique" apple trees on the proper that produce profuse amounts of fruit. We do not know what the particular species of tree these are, but they are not any of the modern hybrids. This is in addition to the very large, mature walnut trees forming a canopy in front of the house.
We have had state botanists from North Carolina go into the waterfall's microclimate to observe what is growing in there. This specific climate is unique due to the moisture and negative ions generated by the falls. We have been told that they have seen species of plants that they had only seen in the State's greenhouses - they did not realize that they were still growing in the wild.
The stone that is all over the property is also seen in buildings in the area. The Micaville Elementary School (you will drive by it) is built out of this stone as are the stacked stone retaining walls on the property.
Existing Buildings:
The totally rebuilt house is under a canopy of walnut trees, and the back bedrooms look out at large Hemlock and Rhododendron. Due to its north-facing location, this house could not use solar heated water for its radiant floor heating system. Propane is used instead.
The house also has a large, very efficient, very unique JUCA wood burning stove, that has a blower on it to distribute the heated air throughout the house via floor vents that were installed for that purpose. The large wood shed at the back of the house holds a prodigious amount of firewood.
An energy efficient washer and propane dryer are included. The washer spins the clothes at such a high rate of speed that minimal energy is needed to finish the drying process. Also included is an efficient chest-freezer and a Sun Frost RF-16 refrigerator-freezer, which uses minimal power to operate.
The house has a primary hot water heating system using the extremely efficient Voyager hot water system. Both potable water and the radiant floor heating water are provided by this system that never runs out of hot water. The radiant and potable water systems never come into contact with each other due the system design
The two-story garage houses the batteries, generator and electrical systems for the property. There is plenty of storage room. The upstairs is ideal for a shop or simply storage. The outside siding is done with Hardie Board (concrete composite) for good looks and minimal maintenance.
The "old" house is not habitable. However, it is an ideal site for a new home as it's front porch looks down between the two ridges towards mountains in the distance. The old maple trees that are next to it glow like fire during the fall when the sun backlights them. If you are standing at the big pond, during late afternoon in the fall, the view of those trees plus their reflection on the pond's surface is breathtaking.
Water Supply:
There are pristine springs on the property. The potable water is all spring water. The last time it was tested, it was totally devoid of any measurable chemical or biological pollutants. We use non-electrical means to pump the spring water up hill to underground 1000-gallon water tank storage using a non-electric, non-fuel "High Lifter" pump. The elevated location provides the water pressure for the entire site - no pumps or pressure tanks are required. This is the same concept that cities use - elevated tanks provide water pressure to homes and businesses.
NBC Shelter:
Probably one of the most unique features of the property is the so-called underground "bomb shelter". This Radius Defense model "P10" shelter protects your family from nuclear fallout, and biological/chemical agents. The underground S.C.U.P.P. (diesel generator) is connected to it and can be started from the shelter to recharge the shelter batteries as necessary. The shelter has a toilet, shower, cooking and sleeping facilities.
This is truly a one-of-a-kind property that is very beautiful and private without being remote. For those that are environmentally conscious, it has robust alternative energy and water systems. You do not have to worry about not having enough power or water as the systems were generously designed.
Additionally, during these uncertain times, there is the added security of knowing that you have a "state of the art" NBC shelter system immediately available to you and your family.
Environmentally responsible, private, beautiful, secure and accessible - all on 11+ acres. Also, fully furnished, including towels, sheets, dishes and pots and pans -- ready to move in today. What else can you ask for?
If you want to click on hyperlinks that provide much more detail (since greenhomesforsale.com does not allow links), please go to: survivalrealty.com/2008/12/waterfall-retreat.html 704-579-2905 cell [email protected]
Neighborhood Description
Roaring Spout Lane is off Hwy 19E in Celo, NC. It passes by our neighbors homes on the way to our property which is at the very end. Their properties are approx. 1/2 to 4 acres in size.Market Area
We are 15 minutes away from town (Burnsville or Spruce Pine). Asheville is 50 minutes away, Charlotte is 2.5 hours to the S.East. Mt. Mitchell Golf Club is 10 minutes and the Blue Ridge Parkway is 15 minutes away. Area is home to a number of artisans and writers.Location of Home or Land
Rural
Elevation of Home
Mountain
Air Quality
| Agriculture in Area | yes |
| Industry in Area | no |
| Air Pollution in Area | no |
| Pesticide Free | yes |
| Fragrance Free | yes |
| Cleaned with Green Products | no |
Interior Environment
| Heating System | Hydronic Floor Heat (radiant) |
| Cooling System | Passive Cooling |
| Ventilation System | Part of Heating System |
| Whole House Filtration | None |
| Whole House Vacuum | no |
Energy & Water
| Energy System | Photovoltaic (PV) |
| Water System | Other |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Exterior Finish | Wood |
| Interior Finish | Gypsum Board - Sheet Rock |
| Interior Paint | Other |
| Floor Material | Carpet |
| Roof Material | Asphalt Composition Shingle |
| Window Material | Wood Dual Glazed |
| Insulation Material | Cotton Batt |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | yes |
| Garage Type | detached |
| Number of Cars | 1 |
| Garage Area | 800 sqft |
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