Category Archives: Watauga County

Let ‘Chefs of the Mountains’ be your guide

First, there was the “Food Lovers’ Guide to the Triangle.” Now there’s “Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants & Recipes from Western North Carolina” (John F. Blair, $19.95), by food critic John E. Batchelor. John doesn’t know it, but he helped … Continue reading

Posted in Ashe County, Avery County, Books, Buncombe County, Cooking, Family travel, Haywood County, Henderson County, Recipes, Road travel, Watauga County | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Llamas, alpacas, and tigers, oh my!

With school out, it’s time to take the family to FARMS! Children of all ages (as they say) love llamas and alpacas. (I was just kidding about the tigers in the headline.) Below are three of my favorite fiber stops … Continue reading

Posted in Buncombe County, Rockingham County, Watauga County | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Green-light specials at holiday markets

Thanksgiving shoppers can be grateful for the number of farmers’ markets holding special market events specifically for the holidays. Not only that, the Triangle and Western NC local-food communities have put together websites giving overviews of holiday markets.  The mountain version, organized … Continue reading

Posted in Buncombe County, Chatham County, Durham County, Henderson County, Madison County, Orange County, Wake County, Watauga County | Leave a comment

Food and race; High Country tour; learn to write, paint and cook in a day; food classes; and more!

Mark your calendars for these farm-food events in the Tiangle and the mountains:  Thursday, Aug. 4: “Eating the Other: Food, Race and You,” discussion of race as it relates to agribusiness, farmers’ markets and the slow food culture. At Southwest Regional … Continue reading

Posted in Alleghany County, Ashe County, Avery County, Bicycling, Cooking, Dining, Durham County, Family travel, Farmers, Food, Road travel, Watauga County, Wilkes County | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A deluxe Farm Fresh backroads mountain tour

I wrote this very detailed story  with lovely photographs for Blue Ridge Country magazine. It’s in the current (July/August) issue. The four-night roadtrip, with itinerary, takes you from Asheville to Ashe County, with great sights and food stops in between. Check it … Continue reading

Posted in Ashe County, Buncombe County, Watauga County | Leave a comment

Sharpen your ax for choose-and-cut Christmas trees

When I visited nearly every choose-and-cut tree farm in the NC mountains two years ago, I headed out on the first Saturday in December. Much to my delight, every other car had a Christmas tree strapped to its roof. That … Continue reading

Posted in Alleghany County, Ashe County, Avery County, Chatham County, Christmas trees, Lincoln County, Watauga County | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments