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…
Blog Archives
Notice!! This is data about which features this issue contains. Delete this description to rebuild the list.[“2011-issue-4-augsept”,”voice”,”coal-report”,”editorial”,”viewpoint”,”across-appalachia”,”hiking-highlands”,”naturalistsnotebook-voice”,”av-bookclub”,”green-house”,”inside-av”]
Rabbits, 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…
Education: 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…
Turtle 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…
Draftwood 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…
No 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…
Community 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…
Threats 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…
TAGS: American Farmland Trust CAFOs concentrated animal feeding operations EPA National Resources Defense Council nitrate pollution Safe Drinking Water Act sustainability sustainable farming Water Pollution water testing
Your 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…
The 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…
