Burning Fork residence recognized as official backyard habitat

By Terry L. May Staff Writer

WINNS BRANCH — Nestled into this secluded community lies a roughly seven-acre property that provides refuge to a wide variety of native flora and fauna. The focal point of this residence is the circa 1840 log cabin belonging to pioneer Henry Helvey.

Across the mostly dried up hollow beyond the cabin an old barn and former hen house — that were among the structures that comprised the old Pinson Farm — sit against the rising mountain and evoke a nostalgia of a forgotten time. In front of the cabin, casting its welcome shade, is a wonderful box elder that beckons visitors to sit a spell in the swing suspended from its branches and peacefully lose the busy world around them. A mountain cascade, which is not part of the property but is just across the creek, can be seen and heard from this swing and other vantage points on the property.

Standing on this setting, it did not take Pikeville attorney and former family court judge Kathryn Burke long to decide that she had to have this property when it came up for sale. She, along with her mother Faye Helvey Burke, established their home there some two decades ago. Living in a manufactured home, Kathryn set about building her current house that is attached to the log cabin and designed to architecturally compliment the older structure.

The Helvey cabin — while not an original building on the Pinson Farm — was built and owned by Kathryn’s great-great-great grandfather. The cabin was dismantled at its former location on the Road Fork of Raccoon Creek with every log and plank being numbered by a team of house movers that specializes in the relocation of historic log cabins. It was then reassembled to its former state after which the new house was attached.

While the younger Burke was involved in the details of construction, Faye set about working the grounds — creating various gardens and vignettes, setting beds, relocating native plants and planting new ones.

“This is my mom’s yard,” Kathryn said. “I own the property, but this is my mom’s yard. I give her all the credit.”

Until recently suffering a stroke, Faye kept a private residence in the double-wide mobile home. She is now convalescing at the Pikeville Healthcare Center.

Kathryn said her mother loved all the flowers, trees and shrubs on the property. But, more than that she loved the wildlife the gardens attracted. The elder Burke painstakingly recorded various animals found on the property. Her well-used copy of “Field Guide to Birds” holds notations of between 100 and 150 species of birds that either dwelled on the property or stopped by for visits.

In 2001, Kathryn began the process of having her property designated as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. On Dec. 27, Kathryn was notified her application had been approved. She gave the commendation to her mother as a special Christmas present. The official certificate is signed by then-first lady Judi Patton.

Among the plants gracing the property are day lilies and peonies that are heirloom plants. Other include Japanese irises, bleeding hearts, azaleas, August day lilies, four o’clocks, roses, bridal wreath, a snowball bush, forsythia, flowering quince and holly.

However, ground plants do not take all of the show on the Burke property. Redbuds, dogwoods and a weeping cherry tree provide a colorful canopy in the spring. Other trees that can be found on the property including the hillside acreage are ash beech, birch black walnut, hickory, maple, mulberry, oak, pawpaw, pine, sumac and sycamore.

The dogwoods and redbuds that punctuate the level portions of the property are native to the farm and were relocated from the mountainside, according to Kathryn.

“The flowers and trees all bloom at different times, so there is a lot of color throughout the year,” Kathryn said. “It is pretty spectacular. Mom has really worked hard. It was her passion before she had her stroke.”