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Breaks Interstate Park
I’m not afraid of heights. And yet … as I approached the edge of Towers Overlook, one of a series of dramatic scenic observation points at Breaks Interstate Park, I felt unexpectedly breathless and giddy.
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The Kettle
My mother’s youngest brother, John Ray, was our family historian. For years, he worked as a meat cutter at local grocery stores, where he chatted with old timers who had known past generations of our family.
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To Be or Not To Be
In a book dedicated to his grandchildren and “grandchildren everywhere that will inherit their own watersheds,” John E. Ross us a more or less complete written and pictographic profile of our immediate bioregion.
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John C. Campbell Folk School
It began with a trip to the mountains over one hundred years ago. A place many considered a mission field, a fertile land for both agriculture and cultural experiences.
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Top 10 Things to Do in Maryville, Tennessee
If you’re looking for a getaway that combines rich Appalachian heritage, mouthwatering food, and a gateway to outdoor adventure, you can find it all in Maryville—pronounced “MUR-vul” by locals.
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Armadillos make a home in the Smokies
With their tough, leathery shells, unique digging habits, and pattern of giving birth to identical quadruplets, nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) are full of quirks.
Regional Content:
The Wonderful Versatility of Nuts
Native nuts—black walnuts, the now vanishing butternut, the vanished American chestnut, hazelnuts, chinquapins, and hickory nuts—have long been an integral part of mountain culinary culture.
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
A Bird for Each Season
Sundays in the mountains traditionally involve chicken, often breaded and fried, and served with mashed potatoes and a hearty gravy. French families also serve up chicken, usually weekly.
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
Longtime Friend Back Again
Not far from the tiny town of Floyd, Virginia, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the childhood home of The Wildmans. The sibling duo are currently navigating the release of their debut album, “Longtime Friend,” for New West Records.
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
Word from the Smokies
I was at least an hour and a half into my conversation with June Goforth when I joked that she hadn’t given me a chance to ask any questions. She paused a moment before laughing and said, “Oh, I didn’t know you had questions.”
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
On the Trail in the Smokies
“Something for everyone” is often an overused phrase, but when it comes to recreation in the Deep Creek section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the expression seems to fit quite nicely.
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
Armadillos make a home in the Smokies
With their tough, leathery shells, unique digging habits, and pattern of giving birth to identical quadruplets, nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) are full of quirks.
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
John C. Campbell Folk School
It began with a trip to the mountains over one hundred years ago. A place many considered a mission field, a fertile land for both agriculture and cultural experiences.
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
Chunking Punkins Warms the Familial Heart
The internet is filled with popular YouTube videos documenting festivals called “Punkin Chunkin,” which is a competition held around the country in places such as Clayton, New York, Vinita, Oklahoma, and Bluemont, Virginia.
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
To Be or Not To Be
In a book dedicated to his grandchildren and “grandchildren everywhere that will inherit their own watersheds,” John E. Ross us a more or less complete written and pictographic profile of our immediate bioregion.
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
The Kettle
My mother’s youngest brother, John Ray, was our family historian. For years, he worked as a meat cutter at local grocery stores, where he chatted with old timers who had known past generations of our family.
Oct 1, 2025
12:00 AM
Breads for the Sweet Tooth
One of many memorable aspects of my mountain boyhood focuses on what were simply known as “sweets.” By today’s health standards virtually everyone I knew during my youth consumed an inordinate amount of desserts, jams and jellies, honey and syrups.
Aug 1, 2025
12:00 AM
There are no Eggs in Aubergine
Eggplant or aubergine? Depending on your country of origin, you might have strong feelings as to the name of this fruit disguised as a vegetable (eggplant for North America and Australia; aubergine for France and Britain and neighboring countries).
Aug 1, 2025
12:00 AM
© Birthplace of Country Music, photographer: Leah Prater
GMSF_2025 Hawk Watch_Volunteers_Courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation: More than 230 observation hours were invested in Grandfather Mountain’s Hawk Watch in September of 2025, between both volunteer and staff time. (Photo Courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
