Category Archives: Road travel

‘Farm Fresh Georgia’ joins the family

Posted on March 20, 2014 by didaniel

I’m very excited to announce the arrival of “Farm Fresh Georgia,” another sister book, after Tennessee. This one has a North Carolina component — it was researched and written by Charlotte journalist and travel writer Jodi Helmer. Jodi is as … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Family travel, Farmers, Farmers' markets, History, Livestock, Lodging, Recipes, Road travel, U-pick farms, Wine | Leave a comment

Flurry of farm-fresh fall festivities

Posted on September 5, 2013 by didaniel

Wow, there’s so much going on that I feel compelled to do a round-up. Typical fall in the Carolinas! The 8th annual and always entertaining Eastern Triangle Farm Tour is happening Sept. 21-22. Six new farms are included among the 27 … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Charlotte area, Durham County, Family travel, Farmers' markets, Food, Franklin County, Johnston County, Lincoln County, Mecklenburg County, Road travel, Stokes County, Wake County, Wine | Leave a comment

Let ‘Chefs of the Mountains’ be your guide

Posted on October 9, 2012 by didaniel

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

Vollmer Farm returns with even more fall festivities

Posted on September 30, 2012 by didaniel

Happy fall, y’all! … One of my favorite photos taken for my “Farm Fresh North Carolina” guidebook is this one, of a boy we spotted at Vollmer Farm carrying a load of pumpkins. It might look staged, but it’s not.  And … Continue reading →

Posted in Family travel, Food, Johnston County, Road travel, U-pick farms | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Farm tours on two wheels

Posted on August 26, 2011 by didaniel

We need to do this in NC — mix farms and bicycles! The Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network, or ACORN, which promotes organic agriculture and education in the Maritime Provinces, has developed a series of one-day bicycle tours to organic … Continue reading →

Posted in Bicycling, Road travel | Leave a comment

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

Posted on August 2, 2011 by didaniel

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

Guidebook author’s dream come true

Posted on July 29, 2011 by didaniel

A guidebook writer couldn’t ask for more than this blog post   from pastry chef and local-food lover Jenni Field for SavorNC magazine.  She writes about how her husband bought her my book for their anniversary (thank you, husband!) and, more importantly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Family travel, Farmers, Food, Granville County, Livestock, Meat, Road travel | 2 Comments

Take the survey: how far will you go for food?

Posted on March 24, 2011 by didaniel

Survey says! I just took this nationwide one on tourism and food choices. Deadline is March 31 and it’s being conducted by my friends at Animal Welfare Approved and at the Center for Sustainable Tourism at East Carolina University. The project aims … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Road travel | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

View farm-inspired functional art firsthand

Posted on December 10, 2010 by didaniel

If you’re in the market for original, beautiful off-the-farm functional art, this weekend is your chance to visit my farm-fresh friend Roger Dinger of Reinbarnation. An artisan and all-around great guy, Roger finds new uses for old barns. He’s one … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Chatham County, Family travel, History, Road travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

White stuff blankets parts of North Carolina

Posted on December 10, 2009 by didaniel

While I realize the snowstorms this week in the Midwest and the Northeast can be dangerous and are not necessarily desired by most people, Wessel and I have snow envy! We love watching it fall and playing in it. (We’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in Road travel | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Big reward for little effort at Great Smokies

Posted on October 13, 2009 by didaniel

October is a peak season at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most heavily visited national park in the country, with more than 9 million visitors a year. Despite all those people milling about, it’s still amazingly easy to get … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental, Family travel, Road travel, Tennessee, US/Canada national parks | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Secret location of ‘Secret Life’

Posted on July 27, 2009 by didaniel

North Carolina, which has an active film industry based in Wilmington, has not done a very good job of promoting sites in the state that have been in films. So let me fill you in on one I thought was … Continue reading →

Posted in Bees, Films, Road travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

A joy ride, complete with pain

Posted on July 23, 2009 by didaniel

At 74 years old, our beloved Blue Ridge Parkway has its problems. But it is still a glorious 469-mile joy ride along the Appalachian Mountains, from Virginia to North Carolina. Next year, during the 75th-anniversary hoopla, there will be the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bicycling, Environmental, Road travel, US/Canada national parks, Virginia | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments