Family Farm 2.0

Mike Watson grew up on a family farm in rural southwestern Virginia. Having made a career at the electric company, he never imagined himself – let alone his children and grandchildren – back on that farm. Read more

After Tobacco: In Appalachia, Farmers Hope the Future is Organic Vegetables

This still looks like tobacco country. Tractors still slow traffic on the roads. An autumn celebration is still called the “Tobacco Festival.” And family farms still have the region’s trademark tall barns where the harvest’s giant green leaves once cured in the rafters until they were rusty brown and ready for market.

But despite decades of tradition, tobacco farming is on the wane in Appalachia. The elimination of government price supports and increased costs of production have prompted many tobacco growers to seek out new crops in order to get by. What some have found may change the face of agriculture in this remote region. Read more

The Last Man in the Mountain

You’ve heard of the “Old Man in the Mountain,” the giant stone face that fell off its New Hampshire perch in 2003. But have you heard of “Stone Face Rock?”

Tucked away in the mouth of a cramped mountain pass near Pennington Gap in southwestern Virginia, this naturally face-shaped outcropping looms just 150 feet above the road that passes directly underneath. It enjoys far less fame than its former rival up north, but it is equally impressive. Read more

Crossing Copper Creek

Driving through Clinchport on our way to Jonesville, VA we passed the Copper Creek Railroad Trestles. These double trestles span the Clinch River and are still in use by CSX Transportation.

A scenic marker says the upper trestle was built in 1908 by the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railway and stands 167 feet over the Copper Creek – Clinch River junction. It used to be one of the tallest railroad bridges in the eastern US and opened up coal delivery from Virginia and Kentucky to cities in the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. An average of 18 to 24 coal trains still travel over the bridge daily. Read more

Fighting Hunger at Home

Their stories begin with the loss of a job, an injury or illness, or the simple realization that Social Security retirement income alone isn’t enough to feed a family. Whatever the circumstances, in the mountains of rural Southwestern Virginia, the stories intersect on the third Wednesday of the month at the Patrick County Community Food Bank. Read more

A Walk in the Woods

I’ll fess up: I used to laugh every time I heard the word “staycation” on the news. It was the overuse of the word these past few years that amused me, not the concept. I actually think we all need to look around our backyards more and appreciate just where we call home. Too many times did I realize while living in Washington, DC that I only ventured out to see monuments and museums (most free to boot!) when I needed to play tour guide to visiting friends and family. Read more

Stitch by Stitch

The area around Martinsville, Virginia once teemed with busy factories churning out raw fabric, underwear and countless sweatshirts. This town once proudly called itself “The Sweatshirt Capital of the World.” Read more

Beauty along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Whether on the back of a motorcycle or in our case, behind the wheel of The Escaper, the Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles through some of the prettiest meadows and majestic mountains one could ever hope to find. The brilliant orange wild azaleas alone made the stop worthwhile. Read more

On the Hunt for Fairy Stones

In a rural part of southwest Virginia, unique geology creates naturally cross-shaped stones that have become a local legend. Along the way we’ll be taking the occasional break from stories of hard times to show you the interesting attractions we see on the road.

One of the few spots where the stones are easily found is behind the “Haynes 57″ gas station on state route 57 north of Martinsville. Owners Mary and Ronnie call their business the “Home of the Fairy Stones” and share their fascination with visitors who drop by. Read more

The High Road in Hard Times

When Rick Percival was laid off from his job in Kansas City, he decided to return home to New Zealand by an unusual route: a 2,175 mile hike along the Appalachian Trail. Read more