The Appalachian Voice
Across Appalachia
Rays of Solar Progress Peeking Out in Appalachia By Jeff Deal While Appalachia has not yet realized the progress made in solar electricity generation in the United States’ West Coast or Northeast regions, solar energy development within our region is slowly moving forward. The town of Newland, N.C., will host a 900kW solar electric facility…
Read MoreHiking, Biking, Running, and Skiing on West Virginia’s Greenbrier Trail
By Joe Tennis Near a quiet place called Renick, W.Va., though the railroad is long since gone, a crossing sign remains. And so does the former path of the Greenbrier Division of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, now the Greenbrier River Trail. Stops called Horrock, Beard, Thorny Creek and Stony Bottom line this railroad path,…
Read MoreThree Weeds to Feed Your Needs
By Meg Holden Interested in going “back to the land”? What about “back to the lawn”? Build a self-sufficient salad out of greens available in your own back yard. Here are three plants that grow as weeds in our region, but are edible both raw and cooked. Lamb’s Quarters Chenopodium belandieri Lamb’s quarters, also known…
Read MoreSkip the Lawn Mower This Season, Eco-Goats is On The Way
If you are looking for a new twist on farm life, here is one: using goats to clear brush, mow lawns and remove invasive species. Brian Knox, founder of Eco-Goats, one of the East Coast’s leading goat clearing companies, became interested in goats when he bumped into a friend who had gotten to know his…
Read MoreBison: The Healthier, More Sustainable Meat
By Jillian Randel With large agriculture squeezing the market on more traditional farming methods, small agriculturalists are finding newer and more creative ways to make a living from the barnyard. Pink is the new black, tempeh is the new tofu and bison meat is the new cow beef. While modern farming techniques pose many environmental…
Read MoreBathroom Suds With a Touch of Sass
When a long-time customer sent an email from Afghanistan asking about a remedy for raw and bleeding feet—the result of wearing combat boots for 14 hours a day—Sassy Goat Milk Soap owner Jill Wyse set to work on a batch of lotion to help. Wyse created Sassy Goats in 2005 after she added three goats…
Read MorePiggies 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…
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