2011 — Issue 4 (Aug/Sept)
Piggies in the Forest
By Jillian Randel The pigs at Buffalo Creek Farm give a whole new meaning to the term hog heaven. Located in central Virginia, this family-run farm operates on one concept: because pigs are descendants of wild boar, they are healthier and happier when they roam freely through the woods. Owner Bill Jones never has more…
Read MoreRabbits, Sheep, Alpacas, oh my! What to do with all that fur…
By Jillian Randel Situated alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway, in the mountain community of Meadows of Dan, Va., is a quaint building called Greenberry House. A fiber studio representing 26 artisan spinners, Greenberry House was started by local spinner Leslie Shelor. Shelor bred and raised German angora rabbits, a specialty breed, and spent years traveling…
Read MoreEducation: Appalachian Colleges Plant Seeds of Sustainability
By Meg Holden Many colleges and universities incorporate sustainability lessons into the classroom, but some exceed expectations. Take a look at three Appalachian schools that teach conscientious food habits through student-centered gardens. Warren Wilson College One of the greenest small colleges in the South, Warren Wilson College in Asheville, N.C., is known for its “above…
Read MoreTurtle Island: Living off the land With Intention and Integrity
By Jillian Randel Eustace Conway has cooked exclusively over a fire for the past 35 years—one of many skills that attract people to his home at Turtle Island Preserve to learn about living off the land. Conway lives on a 1,000-acre preserve near Boone, N.C. The preserve first opened in 1987 and serves as a…
Read MoreDraftwood Horse Logging
By Jillian Randel Somewhere on the line between clear-cutting a forest and leaving it untouched lies a practice referred to as modern horse logging. This sustainable form of forestry is simultaneously a kick back to the past and the standard of the future. Horse logging is an evolving industry driven by a close-knit community of…
Read MoreNo Longer A Rural Thing
By Jamie Goodman During the two days that my friend’s first batch of chickens were hatching, she barely left the incubator’s side, even to attend her own housewarming party. Katie Boyette, a fiber artist and kitchen manager at a local company that produces food bars, recently moved with her family to an old farmhouse in…
Read MoreCommunity Kitchens: Taking Food From Farm to Table
By Julie Johnson Jack Fischer had a great idea for a product, but no space in which to make it. “At home, I’d make nut butters out of raw, sprouted almonds and walnuts for my family,” he said. Fischer knew his nut butters were a marketable product, but because of health department regulations and the…
Read MoreThreats to the Land
By Jillian Randel Since large-scale farms of today have replaced the small farms of old, the bucolic nature of farming has given way to more industrialized techniques that may not always be better. Large-scale farming operations pose a huge threat to the health of America’s waterways. A major source of contamination in drinking water is…
Read MoreYour Reading Guide to Living Off the Land
By Meg Holden Do you daydream about living in the forest, hunting and gathering to eat? Would you find peace on a farm, raising chickens and corn? Does your imagination thrive in a back yard garden? Live vicariously through these books, or use them as stepping stones to a new life of sustainability. Some of…
Read MoreThe Art of Mushrooming
By Meg Holden From portabellas and button mushrooms to the more exotic truffles and shiitakes, there’s no “fun guy” like the edible mushroom. These tasty fungi bring flavor to stir fries, burgers, salads and more. But you do not have to go to a restaurant or the grocery store to take advantage of mushrooms—many edible…
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