Summer Memories Live On!

Dear Capon Friends,

Earlier this week as I, Jonathan (3rd generation family member and Recreation Manager), was sitting up at Sunset Lodge overlooking the rolling WV hills, I paused to reflect on the coming summer events.  This particular time I was surrounded by three generations of my wife Betsy’s family, all enjoying a big heaping slice of Americana….. literally.  We were all gathered for the traditional outdoor Chicken BBQ , slow-cooked on poles over a coal-fired pit.  After feasting on meat that just fell off the bone, we made sure we saved room for a piece of made-from-scratch Apple Pie (yes, crust is still made with lard!) topped off with a scoop of Hershey’s vanilla ice cream.

Then the teens and adults worked off the meal with lawn games like bocce, cornhole and Frisbee, while the elementary age kids played a friendly game of softball. Watching a feisty nine year old girl hit the first home run of the evening, I relived my own turn at bat over 40 years ago.  Then after the sun set over the mountain, we headed down to the Main House porch as various age groups took their turn to be pulled by a 1950s tractor in a haywagon around the grounds by my nephew Sam Brill.  The teens and collegians have fewer participants than in years past, but several reported the walk back from the golf course in the dark was still a thrill. 

In this setting it is easy to imagine those carefree days of summer when days stretched end upon end and time stood still.  When you would make plans with your friends to run around and explore, climb, build and have great conversations about imaginary adventures.  You never wanted to get out of the pool, discovery was around the corner and at the end of the day, food tasted better and refueled you for more fun.

Though June 21st marks the first official day of summer, here at Capon Springs & Farms we experience the freedom of summer over and over again each week as generations of reunions fill their time by building on these memories.  Yeah, you may not be able to go back to your own childhood, but you can certainly recreate those memories for your kids; keeping those wonderful times alive and real for those that come after you.

~Jonathan, For the Capon Family

Catch and Feast!

The time honored tradition of bringing home your own dinner is still alive and well at Capon Springs and Farms.  Long-time Capon guest Charlie Maddox treated his wife Dawn and their friends to fresh trout he reeled in from the Main pond.  The kitchen staff cleaned, cooked and served it to them at breakfast. The tasty catch was the perfect complement to the eggs produced from the free-range chickens on Capon’s Rivermeadow Farm.

Besides native trout, the Main half-acre pond is stocked with catfish, bluegill, bass and perch.  A pack of 3-foot carp also parole the waters daring the serious angler to wrestle them out.  For the old fashioned sportsman, Capon provides bamboo poles with a single fishing line and hook at the end.  While leftover bread is provided as bait from the kitchen, worms can still be found under most rocks around the grounds. 

Charlie’s adventure precedes the annual statewide WV Free Fishing weekend, which is this weekend (June 7 & 8).  In our neck of the woods, that means heading 4 miles down Capon Springs Road to the public access point on the CaCapon River for bass fishing and kayaking.  During this weekend, no license is needed to enjoy this relaxing past time.  (You never need a license to fish at Capon’s private pond!)

Sharing the Exclusive Use Capon Wedding Experience

Today we welcome our first “guest” blogger... Leah Rudolph!  Although Leah and her family have been coming to Capon for many years, last weekend was a very special visit for them.  Leah shares her experiences from this visit when her daughter and (now!) son-in-law were married at Capon during an exclusive use weekend...

The Campbell-Rudolph clans thank everyone at Capon Springs and Farms for the extraordinary weekend May 29-June 1, as we celebrated the marriage of Julia Kay Rudolph and Ryan Patrick Campbell! The funny thing is, it's always extraordinary there. As Capon guests for over 30 years, the only surprises were good ones!