A Note from Tracy If you know me, you know that I love Foxfire. I am fond of the folks that work behind the scenes to preserve the heritage of the southern Appalachian people. I adored all of the contacts, but especially those that I had the privilege to interview as a Foxfire student. There is just something special about a Foxfire student, they have heard the tales from generations gone by; they have seen the calloused hands and the laugh lines around eyes that sparkled while sharing their lives with us. We transcribed those interviews from cassette tape recorders when I was in the program; today I am sure it is done much differently as times continue to change. I have memories of sitting upstairs in a log cabin on the Foxfire property in Mountain City one summer listening to hours of tape and trying to figure out how to put down on paper the rich southern dialect. I sat in the living room of Ed and Martha Roane’s home in Tiger to talk about their lifetime spent running a general store and talked with Lester Baker about spring houses and my own grandmother Samantha Speed about recipes for the Foxfire cookbook. The people of the mountains were resourceful and wise people. They found ways to meet their needs when money was scarce. Mr. Roane talked to me about trading flour for eggs or sugar for fresh meat. He told me of families that he knew didn’t have any way to pay for the goods they needed to feed their children so he would let them GML Staff and Contributors take what they needed or trade sometimes for things he didn’t even need. He kept it written down but after a time he’d forgive the debt Publisher - Tracy McCoy - tracy@gmlaurel.com for the good of the family. There are life lessons in these interviews Art Director - Dianne VanderHorst that can’t be learned in today’s world. For this reason several years ago I decided to dedicate one issue a year in support of the Foxfire Fund, Inc. and the students and community of contacts. Foxfire was “born” in Eliot “Wig” Wigginton’s classroom the same year I was born, 1966. It has stood the test of time and continues to do the work that started there. I am both grateful and humbled by the program and my mountain roots. I love these mountains and the people who have walked through them for lifetimes. We know you will enjoy our Foxfire issue. The color is coming next month along with festivals, apples, pumpkins, hot cider and cool crisp mountain air! I am ready how about you? Be a blessing, Tracy
Office Manager - Cindi Freeman Copy Editor/Writer - Jan Timms Photographer/Writer - Peter McIntosh Marketing Executives (Advertising) Melissa Williams - 706.982.4777 - melissa@gmlaurel.com Cindi Freeman - 706.782.1608 - cindi@gmlaurel.com Contributing Writers: Jean Hyatt, Melissa Williams, Carla Fackler, Mark Holloway, Bob Justus, Jo Mitchell, Steve Jarrard, MD, Lisa Harris, Kitty Straton, Larry and Gail Allgood, David Darugh
September 2015
Volume Twelve • Issue Nine Copyright 2015 The Georgia Mountain Laurel is a publication of Rabun’s Laurel, Inc. Mailing: PO Box 2218, Clayton, Georgia 30525 Office: 633 Highway 441 South, Clayton, Georgia Phone: 706.782.1600 Website: GMLaurel.com E-mail: gmlmagazine@gmail.com Copyright 2015 by Rabun’s Laurel Inc. All rights reserved. The Georgia Mountain Laurel Magazine is published twelve times per year. Reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publishers and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material and it will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication subject to GML magazine’s right to edit. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, photographs and drawings. Every effort has been made to assure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither Laurel magazine or any of its staff is responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. The Georgia Mountain Laurel maintains a Christian focus in their Faith section. Rabun’s Laurel, Inc. reserves the right to refuse content or advertising for any reason without explanation.
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