Marsha Waybright
 

Marsha Waybright is an entrepreneur, educator, conservation advocate, agricultural advocate, and nationally recognized speaker whose passion is helping people discover the possibilities that exist in rural communities. A native of Randolph County, West Virginia, she was raised on Middle Mountain and now calls the historic community of Jenningston, in Tucker County, home with her husband, Kendall. Together, they have transformed their family's property into a thriving destination where agriculture, education, conservation, hospitality, traditional skills, and entrepreneurship come together.
 

Marsha is the founder of Laurel Fork Farm, a 400-acre regenerative educational farm and living classroom; founder of Mama Bear Protection, which provides firearms safety and personal preparedness training; founder and property manager of Laurel River Club Bed & Breakfast; and Executive Director of the West Virginia School of Traditional Skills, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving Appalachian heritage through hands-on education.
 

Throughout her career, Marsha has built businesses by combining innovation with tradition. What began as a family farm has evolved into an award-winning agritourism destination where visitors experience regenerative agriculture, forest farming, wildlife conservation, traditional Appalachian skills, farm-to-table food, outdoor recreation, and authentic mountain hospitality. Every enterprise she leads shares a common mission: inspiring people to reconnect with the land, preserve cultural heritage, strengthen rural communities, and create opportunities for the future.
 

A lifelong educator, Marsha believes that learning happens best through experience. Laurel Fork Farm serves as the foundation for immersive educational programming where guests, students, families, organizations, and fellow entrepreneurs gain practical skills in agriculture, conservation, food production, outdoor recreation, traditional skills, and sustainable living. She is passionate about demonstrating that rural communities can thrive through creativity, collaboration, authenticity, and entrepreneurship.
 

Marsha's professional expertise spans an extraordinary range of disciplines. She is a Master Artisan soap maker, Master Gardener, herbalist, certified animal trainer, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Hunter Education Instructor, and certified firearms instructor through both the United States Concealed Carry Association and the National Rifle Association. She is also a
Bible teacher, avid hunter, and lifelong student and teacher of traditional Appalachian skills.
 

In 2026, Marsha was honored by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources as Hunter Education Instructor of the Year for District One. She has spent the past two years teaching Hunter Education throughout the region, regularly offering classes to the public through volunteer-led programs with Mama Bear Protection and the West Virginia School of Traditional Skills. Her commitment to education reflects her broader belief that responsible outdoor recreation, conservation, and stewardship begin with knowledge.
 

Also in 2026, Marsha was appointed Tygarts Valley Conservation District Supervisor representing Tucker County, expanding her leadership and service in conservation, agriculture, and natural resource stewardship. Her work in this role complements the conservation and agricultural education efforts she leads at Laurel Fork Farm, where regenerative agriculture, wildlife habitat, forestry, farming, and responsible land management are central to the farm's mission.
 

The Waybright family's businesses, including Laurel Fork Falconry, It's Kendra Paige, and Redhead n Mudboots, are integrated into the educational experiences offered through Laurel Fork Farm and Laurel River Club Bed & Breakfast. Together, the family creates unique opportunities for visitors to learn directly from people committed to preserving Appalachian traditions while embracing innovation and entrepreneurship.
 

Marsha is deeply committed to conservation, historic preservation, agricultural literacy, and the economic vitality of rural communities. She works with local, regional, and national partners to promote regenerative agriculture, sustainable tourism, environmental stewardship, traditional skills education, and rural entrepreneurship. Her work demonstrates that preserving the past does not mean standing still—it can provide the foundation for creating new opportunities for the future.
 

Her leadership has earned statewide and national recognition. Laurel Fork Farm became the first farm to receive Naturally West Virginia Agritourism Certification and was named Tucker County Conservation Farm of the Year. In 2023, Marsha was inducted into the West Virginia Women in Agriculture program. She has also been recognized as Tucker County Business Person of the Year.

Marsha has been featured in Countryside Magazine, Goldenseal Magazine, West Virginia Living Magazine, and numerous regional publications.

She was also invited by Meta Platforms to Washington, D.C., to share insights on digital marketing and rural entrepreneurship.

Marsha serves as a mentor for the Farm Fellows Program at Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College and is a frequent keynote speaker, workshop leader, panelist, and educator for conferences and organizations throughout West Virginia and beyond. Her speaking engagements have included the Governor's Conference on Tourism, West Virginia Women in Agriculture Conference, Homesteading-ish Conference, WV FCCLA Conference, Root to Table Conference, the West Virginia Small Farms Conference, Annie's Project, and numerous agricultural, tourism, entrepreneurship, and community-development events.
 

In 2024, Marsha was selected as a member of the inaugural West Virginia cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. She subsequently participated in the 10,000 Small Businesses Rural Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C., where she met with policymakers and advocated for rural entrepreneurship and small-business growth.
 

In 2025, Marsha was appointed to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices National Advocacy Advisory Board and returned to Washington, D.C., where she participated in the national 10,000 Small Businesses Summit and shared her perspective on rural entrepreneurship and small-business advocacy.
 

In 2026, Laurel Fork Farm reached another significant national milestone when it was selected for the CO—100, an annual recognition celebrating America's top 100 small businesses. The honor recognizes exceptional small businesses from across the country for their innovation, growth, resilience, and contributions to their communities. As a CO—100 honoree, Laurel Fork Farm was invited to Washington, D.C., to join fellow entrepreneurs from across the nation in celebrating the businesses shaping the future of American entrepreneurship.
 

Marsha has also successfully secured competitive funding to advance the educational and agricultural infrastructure at Laurel Fork Farm. In 2026, she won $19,000 through the IgniteWV Pitch Competition to help launch a new educational facility and commercial kitchen. She also won $5,000 through the Tucker County Development Authority Pitch Competition to help fund the concrete phase of the project.

Together, these investments are helping make possible a year-round Appalachian Food and Traditional Skills Learning Center designed to support farm-to-table experiences, agricultural education, workforce development, traditional skills education, food preservation, and expanded learning opportunities for people of all ages.
 

At the heart of everything Marsha does is her family. A proud homeschooling mother of three, she considers raising her children and watching them develop their own entrepreneurial paths among her greatest accomplishments. The Waybright family works together across multiple businesses and educational initiatives, creating a living example of how entrepreneurship, agriculture, education, and family can work together in a rural community.
 

Through speaking engagements, workshops, educational programs, media appearances, and a growing presence across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads, and YouTube, Marsha continues to share a message of hope, resilience, stewardship, authenticity, and entrepreneurship.

Her story is ultimately about possibility. Marsha believes rural communities do not have to choose between preserving their heritage and building their future. By honoring what came before, embracing innovation, and working together, communities can create places where families can build businesses, people can learn practical skills, visitors can experience authentic culture, and future generations can thrive.
 

Her message is simple: rural communities can do more than survive, they can flourish.