Figs have grown on Ocracoke Island for over two-hundred years. The fruit is an important part of island history as well as family memories for Ocracoke residents.
Community led book boxes are becoming popular across the state. North Carolina has more than 500 of these registered as Little Free Libraries (LFL). These libraries are often started by individuals who possess a love of reading and want to share it with others, while developing a sense of community.
A growing number of bean-to-bar chocolate makers in North Carolina purchase cacao beans from international cooperatives and create signature chocolates to sell in local shops. Several of these artisan chocolatiers are helping their local economy, and winning awards at national and international competitions.
Fading D Farm is the only water buffalo farm and creamery in North Carolina. Owners David and Faythe DiLoreto started a herd to make the rare and coveted Mozzarella di Bufala cheese after they could not find a place which sold it near their home in Rowan County. The couple talks about their farm and creamery, the work they do to raise the animals and make the cheese, and how they got started in the business.
The Butterfly Highway is a program that was started by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation in response to the decline of Monarch butterflies. The program works to restore habitat for the butterfly and other pollinators, including bees. The statewide conservation initiative, its history, and its successes are detailed.
In late spring, summer and fall, numerous farm operations in North Carolina are open for visitors, as well as for annual tours and events. Diverse forms of agritourism offer a way for farmers to teach people about food production and the importance of family farms.
According to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, there are more than three-thousand small food businesses in the state dedicated to locally-sourced food products. Local food sales have grown significantly in the last five years, particularly in western North Carolina. This article highlights several local businesses and homegrown products relevant to the holidays.
Leah Chester-Davis proposes the value of this event for the town containing the largest independent pickle company in the United States is measured in more than dollars and cents. Its greatest value: as a community festival and family reunion site.
As Leah Chester-Davis asserted, more shades of purple than royal hold value for North Carolina. For the Tarheel State, this shade’s value is expressed in lavender farms such as Sunshine Lavender Farm, Hauser Creek Farm, and Bluebird Hill Farm.
Leah Chester-Davis asserted this dairy product's appeal among North Carolinians. Among its appealing features are two categories of cheese found in Tar Heel State cheesemaking businesses (artisan and farmstead) and the growing number of cheesemakers.
Gifts appealing to connoisseurs of chocolate, confection, and cheese, pickle and preserves, and seasonings were featured in Leah Chester-Davis' article, which showcased examples of holiday recipes from local award winners.
Imparting the importance of baseball in Eastern North Carolina includes the history of Edenton’s Hicks Field and the ten North Carolina leagues part of the Coastal Plain League.
Ocracoke’s cultural traditions are worth keeping alive, as the author proved in her description of one of its community symbols. She also illustrated this through James Barrie Gaskill, whose life reflected the Outer Banks’ identity, unique to the rest of the state.
Rebecca Story is owner of Story's Seafood Market and Grill in Hertford. A longtime local fisherman on the Albemarle Sound,, Story is assisted by husband Paul in running the restaurant and crabbing business. She plans on expansion with a supply store for the are's fishing community.
Hart Square is billed as the world's largest collection of 18th and 19th-century structures. For nearly all the 100 structures on the site, approximately 200 artisan s demonstrate elements of early American life. Hickory, N.C. physician, Dr. Bob Hart started the venture back in 1967, originally as a wildlife refuge. An educational center was added in 2020. Hart Square opens to the public annually with a fall festival held on the fourth Saturday in October.