PORCH LIVING OPENS NEW SHOWROOM

If you are familiar with Porch Living, owned by Cathy Cannon, you know that the company offers custom porch enclosures. These incredible enclosure systems allow you to enjoy your outdoor living area 24/7/365! They add little to no weight to your existing structure, so it makes installation much easier. You get the look of glass without the added weight.

Demonstrating the product is something that Cathy is very good at. You’ll be amazed at the ease with which you can remove the panels if you prefer.They are super easy yet very sturdy. The nesting ability makes it perfect for large expanses as well. Don’t we all hate to walk out to enjoy an evening on the porch to find that everything is covered in a layer of pollen? I do. This product can eliminate that issue altogether. Imagine coming to your mountain or lake home and not spending half a day cleaning all of the pollen off your outdoor furniture!

Porch Living offers the best product line on the market made from a flexible glazed 10mil vinyl that never gets cloudy or yellowed. Open, you get the feeling of a screened porch. Closed, you keep out all the bugs, pollen, wind, and rain. You have to see it to believe it! So, stop by their showcase porch and see all the outdoor furniture, outdoor kitchens, grills, firepits, and much more. Working mostly out of her home, Cathy decided it was time for a retail location. She had a few displays here and there but she wanted a place where she could offer her customers a space to see the products and plan their projects. Porch Living began looking for a location all their own and in 2022 they found the perfect location. They purchased the building and began renovations to provide office space and a showroom. Clarissa Speed had joined the company in an administrative role to help with Cathy’s Porch Living business and husband Kurt Cannon’s Rabun Builders. They soon realized what an asset this young lady brought to the table and she took on a new role in the company. Clarissa has always had an eye for decorating and she had a secret dream that she shared with Cathy and Kurt. The showroom could be a retail space offering clients everything they need for true Porch Living! All agreed it was a great idea and Clarissa is the new General Manager of Porch Living. Need decorating help? Clarissa is available to help with your decorating dilemmas. She truly has a great eye and style. Consultations are free on outdoor living spaces and porch design. When visiting the new showroom, you will find it filled with all things Porch Living! No matter your style, you are going to find something you love. The showroom is welcoming with light, bright, airy, and versatile hues. Clarissa has added outdoor furnishings in teak, eucalyptus wood, nautical rope, and metal, perfect for the outdoors. They even have place settings for your table, while offering pottery, planters, Lake Burton, Lake Rabun, and Seed Lake décor, baskets, blankets, charcuterie, and butter boards. You’ll find indoor and outdoor rugs, lighting options, lamps, artwork, pillows, and everything you need for entertaining. Many wonderful gift ideas for home and porch exist in this space. They’ll be setting up a registry for Household and Bridal showers!

So, where is Porch Living’s new retail location and showroom? They are located at 1218 North Main Street just 1 mile north of town. They are open Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 5 PM and Saturday by appointment. Stop in anytime to check out the store and see the Porch Living showroom that beckons you to stay.

Nacoochee Valley Farm - It Could Be Yours

by Tracy McCoy

It’s not every day that you get a call to come see a property like Nacoochee Valley Farm. Dr. Scott Hancock doesn’t believe in “impossible”, that is how he was raised up in Kentucky and the way he has lived his life. That mindset is what has led him to be on this working farm in White County. He works the farm the way he learned to do it from his upbringing and from the influence of Amish friends. His story is a story in itself, never mind the incredible Nacoochee Valley Farm he and his wife Judy have created. There is a spirit of goodness and peace on this farm, reflected in the large hex sign, that hangs on the barn. I love to share people’s stories, it’s the Foxfire still in me from decades ago. So, I will attempt to share a story about Dr. and Mrs. Hancock and their farm. After deep thought and prayer, Dr. and Mrs. Hancock have decided to offer for sale, Nacoochee Valley Farm.

You’ll ask yourself as you read, is this about the man or the property. It’s hard to separate the two! To appreciate the property, you have to learn about the man and his wife who have made this their home. Dr. Hancock is what I would call “an old country vet”, but he is much more than that. He is a visionary, yet a man who appreciates the simple life. Raised in Kentucky, Dr. Hancock was no stranger to hard work. When he left home to go to vet school at the University of Kentucky, he had little to nothing in his pocket.

To pay his way through school he took down old log cabins and barns. He’d no sooner start on one until a farmer would drive by and hire him to take down another, and so it continued throughout his time there. After graduating from Veterinary school, he spent three years working in rural practice in Ohio, an area that included both Mennonite and Amish farms. Caring for the animals of several Amish families, he learned to appreciate their way of life. “I like the way they live and their way of doing things,” he told me during a recent interview. He made lifelong friendships in that Amish community.

After moving from Ohio to Suwanee, Georgia, he established the first private equine hospital in Georgia. He is known for his gentle nature, kind spirit and equine knowledge and he has made quite a name for himself. He ran his veterinary practice for a number of years before moving to the Sautee Nacoochee Valley. It was in Sautee that he met and soon married a lovely lady named Judy, a long time merchant in the area. He later worked for the Center for Disease Control and for a German owned Veterinary Pharmaceutical company.

Some years ago, we “Laurel Ladies” were invited for a horse drawn buggy ride in Sautee. We journeyed along a dirt road through the Sautee Valley to a quaint little church. Our driver and his wife were wonderful hosts, and the trip was very memorable. The gentleman at the reins was knowledgeable about the area and told us about each land owner along the way. He stopped and showed us remarkable views and shared a great deal of history about the area. Fast forward a half dozen years or more and I find out it was Dr. Scott and Judy who drove us around Sautee with their horses and buggy!

I could honestly go on and on about the Hancocks but the story here is about the farm on the Chattahoochee River. So, before I take you through the property, allow me to share a bit of the history. The land was originally owned by Dr. Tom Lumsden, a medical doctor who was a local celebrity in the area. He practiced in White and Habersham Counties for what seemed like three life-times. Dr Lumsden delivered most babies who were born in the area. Everybody knew, respected, and loved him. Dr. Hancock believes in asking, because “if you don’t ask, you’ll never know”. So, when he met Dr. Lumsden one day at a store in Sautee he mentioned in passing that if the property on Highway 17 was ever for sale, he’d sure be interested. The doctor said it was not for sale, but he’d keep that offer in mind in case he ever took a notion to sell it. Time went on and one day the old doctor called Dr. Hancock to come out to the property. When Scott arrived, Dr. Lumsden asked him what he had planned to do with the land if he bought it. Dr. Hancock told him he would put every inch of it to work. He would establish a farm and operate it in the old way, like he learned from his Amish friends. He would have livestock, horses, and mules to help him farm it. He knew of a couple of old log homes he’d like to buy and move to the farm and someday he would build a barn. He would respect the land and put his heart into it. Dr. Lumsden liked Dr. Hancock’s plan and he agreed to sell it to him. Dr. Hancock, with Judy by his side, has done exactly what he told Dr. Lumsden he would do.

Nacoochee Valley Farm is situated on gloriously fertile and usable land in the historic Sautee Nacoochee Valley. It comes with remarkable views of the nearby mountains. As you turn off the main road, you can see the primary house by the river on the far side of the property. The winding drive takes you by fenced pastures filled with sheep. The first structure is a small shed with fresh eggs sold from coolers on the honor system. A bit further on is the guest house (Circa 1844 Tennessee Dog Trot Log Cabin) that was moved to the property, reassembled, retaining its rustic heritage. This style was popular in the Southeast during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Hancocks enclosed the breezeway, maintaining the original look yet affording guests a nice foyer area. To the left they created a living room with a stone masonry fireplace. To the right of the breezeway is a single bedroom. A set of stairs leads to an upstairs that has 3 additional rooms. The home is simple, yet very pleasing. Judy is an excellent decorator, and her touches can be seen in both the guest house and the primary residence. No television, Wifi or telephone were noted in the guest house, but books were stacked around. This is a relaxing place to unplug and enjoy the animals, sounds of nature and a good book! “People need to sit around the fire, enjoy a glass of wine and chill,” Dr. Hancock remarked. I agree.

The property includes a smokehouse where the Hancock’s smoke their meat and the porch of their home has a salt box where the meat is cured prior to smoking. I was delighted when a slab of streak-o-lean and ham was sent home with us. The next structure was the barn. A 48’x72’ barn that had an interesting start that included old friends and new ones! Dr. Hancock notified his Amish friends that he was ready to build a barn on his property. He had done some work for the family decades before and instead of accepting pay for it, he asked if they’d help him with a barn raising someday, to which they agreed. In January 2007, a team of five Amish families came by train from Ohio to Georgia to help their friend. Their family members in Ohio cut and prepared the materials for the timber frame barn. Judy put a small ad in their local paper that they’d be having a barn raising and invited the community to attend. A day of barn building, good eating, fiddle playing and fun was planned. Unbeknownst to the Hancocks someone put it on the local radio station as well. Thinking they might have 40 or 50 show up, they were astounded when a crowd of several hundred came. The barn was built in a day. Ten hours of work, full bellies and tired feet that danced into the night and not to mention an old mason jar that might have been passed amongst friends. It was a good day in the valley, and one still talked about today.

Arriving at the main house we parked on the circular drive and sat in awe of the river running not far from the Hancock’s home. There is a greenhouse where they grow vegetables year-round, plus a fenced area with raised bed gardens. The mules and horses grazed in pastures nearby. Out in the field is a large windmill that pumps water from a well to water the animals when needed. Brick steps led us to a porch that wraps around the front of the home. This isn’t just any home. The hand hewn log home was built in 1798 in Bardstown, Kentucky. It was taken apart (remember Dr. Hancock took down log cabins to pay his way through college) and moved to this valley, where it was rebuilt. Each piece was numbered and carefully reassembled exactly as it was. The inside of the home is filled with history! The floors were milled and kiln dried by the Ohio Amish and include black locust, ash, hickory, and poplar. The hand rails on the staircase are natural hickory with the bark on. The attention to detail throughout the house is exceptional. Each room holds memories of solid relationships built over a lifetime.

The living area is cozy and centered on the stone masonry fireplace. Many of the stones in the fireplace are from the original 1798 Cabin. The kitchen is ideal for preparing family meals with granite countertops, custom Ash cabinetry, and stainless appliances. The dining area has ample space to enjoy a meal with family. From both living room and dining room you can access the glassed-in sun porch which is everyone’s favorite spot. The sun porch would better be called the “family room” and it overlooks the Chattahoochee River. Warmed by a small wood burning heater, and filled with comfortable furnishings and plants, it is too wonderful for words! Off one end of the sunroom is the “Cigar porch”, which is screened in. The other end leads to the Master suite, with a vaulted wood ceiling and views of the river, what a wonderful view to wake to! The home has a total of two bedrooms, three baths but does have a large loft that could easily be a third bedroom. You’ll find arched doorways, lovely shades of yellow, cream, tan and red accents throughout, and beautiful mountain and valley views! The home has central heat and air but the Hancock’s prefer the warmth of wood heat so there is a wood stove/furnace connected to the central heating system that can heat the home. It is very cost effective and comforting to know that your heat is not 100% dependent on power.

Why sell this paradise? Nearing retirement, Dr. and Mrs. Hancock plan to downsize, so they are moving… two miles down the road! “We are ready for the next chapter. I have one more project in me,” Dr. Hancock said. This working farm on 16.86 acres overlooking the Chattahoochee River, is an extremely rare opportunity. Designed to be as nearly self-sufficient as possible, this farm is a sanctuary for all time. The Hancock’s property is listed with Fourth Mountain Real Estate’s Owner/Broker, Teressa Greear Holtzclaw and she’d love to show you around Nacoochee Valley Farm. To reach Teressa please call 706-878-9337, e-mail teressa.holtzclaw@gmail.com or visit the office 7272 South Main Street in Helen, Georgia.

Nacoochee Valley Farm

This is a very RARE opportunity to purchase a truly unique property in the Nacoochee Valley. Located on 16 acres in the very HEART of “The Valley”, it is lush, fertile farmland with 600’ of Chattahoochee River frontage. As an active farm, the property consists of a primary home, a guest home, and a barn with assorted outbuildings. The primary home overlooks the Chattahoochee River from the sunporch, screen porch and master bedroom. Built in 2007, a portion of the primary home consists of a log cabin, circa 1798 which was carefully dismantled in Kentucky and reassembled near the river’s edge. The balance of the home is modern construction with rustic style. In the master bedroom you are greeted with a vaulted ceiling of natural wood, wide plank wood flooring, a wall of windows with Southern exposure, a full bath, a walk-in closet and year ‘round river view. The living area and the loft area are in the original log cabin section of the home. Amish milled Black Locust flooring, a stairway of Hickory and River Birch add to the natural tones. A Masonry fireplace in the living room incorporated the original “key stone” pieces that were in the 1798 log cabin. Spacious kitchen is fully modern with Ash wood cabinetry and granite counters. Professional 8 burner, double oven gas stove and custom Subzero refrigerator makes entertaining a breeze. The upper level features a loft that could be a 3rd bedroom and a separate bedroom and bath. One of the memorable features of this home is the independently heated and cooled 14’ X 28’ glassed-in sunporch overlooking the Chattahoochee.

The Guest house was constructed from a log cabin, circa 1844, that was dismantled in Tennessee and reassembled on site. Currently it has 1 BR/1 BA plus a living room with stone masonry fireplace, and room for expansion on the second story.

The working barn is 48’ X 72’ and is timber frame construction. This barn was built in 2007 and constructed by the process of an old-fashioned Barn Raising by Amish builders, using Amish milled wood. It has a 1 BR/1 BA efficiency apartment, a working hay loft, 2 box stalls, 3 tie stalls, and equipment sheds on either side. Other outbuildings and equipment sheds are also on the property, including a working smokehouse.

Come see this AMAZING property. You won’t find another farm that offers so many unique features!