The Appalachian Voice
Environmental issues concern faith leaders
Although the statements and sermons rarely grab headlines, religious leaders in Appalachia and throughout the world are becoming increasingly concerned about the moral dimensions of coal mining, climate change and environmental stewardship. In March, 2008, leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Nashville said that Baptists have a moral responsibility to combat climate change.…
Read MorePreservationists win second battle of Blair Mountain
A twenty year battle to preserve the site of the historic Blair Mountain miners uprising is ending with a victory for labor and the environment. In a hearing February 22, the West Virginia Archives and History Commission gave its unanimous final recommendation for the preservation of 1600 acres of the Blair Mountain Battlefield as a…
Read MoreBaseball and rebellion: The treason trial of Bill Blizzard
Nothing matches it in the history of baseball, if the visting players’ lineup is any clue: • Bill Blizzard. Right field. Treason, murder. • Cecil Sullivan. First base. Murder. • Okey Burgess. Second base. Murder. • W. Lacey. Third base. Treason. • Okey Johnson. Pitcher. Treason • Joe Rhodes. Shortstop. Murder. • A.C. McCormik. Left…
Read MoreAg-Ventures: Appalachian Sustainable Development
Their motto: from field to table. In the case of agricultural work, this means the food that goes on the table. For the logging and forestry portion of the enterprise, it means the table itself. Appalachian Sustainable Development first came together in 1995 to address the question of jobs versus environment, and the solutions that…
Read MoreNew river organic growers find themselves growing
Organic farming is one of the fastest growing markets in the agricultural industry, and the New River Organic Growing (NROG) cooperative wants to fill this niche. “The demand is here,” Charles Church, an original member of NROG, said. “People eat everyday and somebody has to grow food. That’s one thing you know people will buy.”…
Read MoreNew perspectives on a platter
The lofty vision of the Harvest Table Restaurant in Meadowview, Virginia can be served up in two different ways. One, you can catch the drift by reading some of the comments on the menu and getting into a heated debate with the restaurant manager. Or two, you can read the runaway bestseller, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle,…
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Hanging Out in Hanging Rock State Park
By Joe Tennis Among the picturesque plains of the North Carolina Piedmont, the Sauratown Mountains rise north of Winston-Salem. Capped by cliffs, these peaks on the east side of the Blue Ridge are known locally as the “mountains away from the mountains,” and take their name from the Saura Indians, who lived in this area…
Read MoreGreenest Holiday Gifts You Can Buy
By Sarah Vig and Melanie Bianchi It’s enough to turn anyone into a Scrooge! So many potential gifts ignore concerns about natural ingredients, fair labor, the carbon imprints of production and shipping, wasteful packaging, and so on… Enter Appalachian Voice’s Green Gift Guide! With nine suggestions for eco-conscious giving, your Christmas tree won’t be the…
Read MoreA ‘Greener’ Christmas Tree
Integrated Pest Management and Fraser Fir Farming By Sarah Vig For most people, the quest for the perfect Christmas is not so different today than it was 150 years ago. People have been cutting their own Christmas trees since the 1850s. At the time, trees were chosen from forest, not farms. The first Christmas tree…
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