John Dilbeck Musings

(From the Folk School Website:)

The new Blacksmith studio fundraising campaign has begun!

Timber framers from all over will gather at the Folk School for an old fashioned barn raising!

The John C. Campbell Folk School is proud to announce plans for an annex to the historic Blacksmith Shop, originally dedicated to Francis Whittaker in recognition of his two decades of teaching and demonstrating at the school.

Whittaker, known as the “Dean of American Blacksmiths,” devoted his life to keeping the art of blacksmithing alive in this country and the existing studio stands as his symbolic legacy. But, while Blacksmithing has long been the most popular of some 50 programs the Folk School offers, the shop has suffered decades of wear and its space is no longer adequate for the size and diversity of classes such a premier program should offer.

The solution is to renovate the Whittaker Studio and to build an annex with the help of the Timber Framers Guild, which has offered to assemble close to 80 timber framers to do a traditional barn-raising in June 2008.

Fundraising for the project kicked off with a $1000 gift from longtime instructor Lou Mueller. Clay Spencer, nationally known blacksmith and fixture at the school also donated $1000. Not to be outdone, Don Neuenschwander, a long time student and friend of the Folk School from Indiana, donated $5000. Julie Clark, Folk School blacksmith instructor, donated $10,000!

While the full architectural plans have not been finalized, the project cost is estimated at an ambitious $500,000. With the strength and spirit of the Blacksmithing community, we are confident the goal can be met. Ours is a community that is resourceful, creative and, like the Folk School, dedicated to the spread of knowledge and education about blacksmithing.

Please contact Susi Hall, Development Manager, at susi@folkschool.org or at 828-837-2775 ext. 118 to contribute or to discuss making a gift and Paul Garrett, Resident Artist for Blacksmithing, at pdg86@hotmail.com or 828-835-8441 with ideas to assist with the project.

Learn more about the new Blacksmithing annex on the Folk School’s website.

I watched Sing Behind The Plow last evening and enjoyed it greatly.

It is an outstanding production and anyone who loves the Folk School and what people have been doing there for decades should get a copy of this DVD.

Hopefully, it will be rebroadcast on UNC-TV and other public stations in the future.

It was nice to see old friends and familiar places and to learn more about the early history of the school.

The John C. Campbell Folk School is one of my favorite places on the planet and attending classes there has the definite possibility of changing your life for the better.

Instead of competing for ranking and grades, students at the Folk School are welcomed into a friendly, supportive atmosphere of learning, trying new things, and helping each other. This supportive environment continues from Morning Song, through the classes, family style meals in the dining hall, and on into the evenings spent talking, dancing, and enjoying the beautiful mountain scenery.

If you immerse yourself in what is available, you may well be a different person at the end of the week.

I highly recommend the Folk School and the Sing Behind The Plow documentary to you.

Sing Behind The Plow will be available for purchase on DVD from the Folk School’s Craft Shop.

My ancestry is partly Scot-Irish, as is the ancestry of many people who live in western North Carolina and the surrounding area. Our Appalachian heritage derives much of its richness from our ancestors in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and England.

I’ve been interested in fairy tales, druids, dragons, Celtic symbols, an other similar topics since childhood. I recently found a great website that provides information on these topics.

I’ve told you many times that I am a huge fan of Sitesell’s flagship product Site Build It! and I’m a very satisfied customer. I have one SBI site and am in the process of planning a couple more.

Recently, I was looking at other sites built on SBI to see what people were doing. That’s when I came across Celtic-Culture.com.

Instantly, I liked the site and spent some time reading it. I subscribed to the newsletter, too.

I am interested in Celtic culture and I think Ron picked the perfect name for his domain.

Ron already has very interesting information on his site and blog and I look forward to reading more as he has time to add it.

If you have any interest in Celtic culture, or know someone who does, I recommend Celtic-Culture.com to you.

I’d like to welcome Appalachian Heritage Crafters as the latest Gold Member at the new Murphy, NC Business site.

Appalachian Heritage Crafters are having a 10% Off sale on everything in their crafts store from December 26-31, 2004. Then, they’ll be closing the store in January and February and will reopen in March, 2005.

Thank you for all your business and your support in 2004.

Appalachian Heritage Crafters, a non-profit arts and crafts cooperative, is holding a yardsale on Saturday, November 20, 2004, starting at 8:00 am and going most of the day.

A wide variety of items will be available, some at bargain prices.

The members will be selling snacks, coffee and hot chocolate.

Proceeds go to the cooperative to help offset expenses.

Appalachian Heritage Crafters, founded by craftspeople in and around Cherokee County, North Carolina, is a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Appalachian crafts and heritage.

The specific purpose of the corporation is to preserve and promote the Appalachian heritage of quality hand-made crafts. This goal is achieved through training programs, educational programs in the schools and senior centers, programs providing outreach to youth and homebound seniors, and programs enabling crafter members to create, market, and sell handmade Appalachian crafts.

You are invited to our yard sale, which will be held at our crafts store, located a couple of miles west of Murphy at 2016 Highway 64 West, Murphy, NC 28906. While you’re there, browse through the items in our store to find great gifts for the holidays.

For more information, visit their website at AHCcrafts.com or call 828-835-3500.

Admission Is Free To September 4 Heritage Walk and Festival in Murphy, NC

What began in 2001 with fewer than 100 souls braving the pouring rain to take a “heritage walk” through historic Murphy has blossomed into a 4th annual series of events coming Saturday, September 4, 2004.

Last year over 3,000 people turned out for a day long celebration of traditional mountain music, arts and crafts, blue ribbon memories of the county fair, and the heritage walking tours with characters from times past. Produced by Heritage Partners of Cherokee County in collaboration with a host of volunteers and sponsoring organizations, this year’s Heritage Walk and Festival features:

• The Heritage Walk — historic trade and commerce tours departing at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.; pyramid tours departing at 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. from the Old LandN Depot

• The Cherokee County Heritage Fair — blue ribbon competitions in the traditional home survival skills, special events and community exhibits on display at the Old L and N Depot and outdoor county fair tent (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
• The Appalachian Heritage Crafters Show — area artists and crafters on the Railroad Street festival grounds, behind the Old LandN Depot and Hackney Warehouse (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
• Mountain Song — all day live stage performances feature traditional bluegrass, old-time and more on the Railroad Street festival grounds, behind the Old Hackney Warehouse (10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
• Becky and the Robber of Buckhorn Ridge — one act play performances by the Murphy High drama students, based on Jean Bravick’s story of pioneer life in Cherokee County’s 1840 Valleytown (First United Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 1:00 p.m.)
• Cherokee County Historical Museum’s Heritage Day — a celebration of pioneering history and Cherokee Indian culture, on Peachtree Street
• Farmers Market
• Food Vendors
• Pocket Parks Collectibles Fair
• rides and activities for children
• and more.

And, it’s all free.

The public is invited to come out, and all festival guests are encouraged to park in town and walk to all events. Visit heritagepartners.org for more information.

The one day event will be held on Saturday, September 4 from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm at the Old L&N Depot, Railroad Street Park and the Pocket Parks in the historic town center of Murphy.

Produced by Heritage Partners of Cherokee County, the annual event began in 2001 with the Heritage Walk and a group of 100 enthusiastic walking tour guests. Last year’s festival events drew more than 3,000 people and organizers are gearing up for an even larger crowd on September 4.

More information is available online at:

http://www.heritagepartners.org/hwf.htm

and in Murphy at the Appalachian Heritage Crafters shop on Hwy 64 West, the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce on Hwy 64 West, and The Pickled Parrot in town on Valley River Avenue.

For more information, artists and crafters may contact Claire Groff at 828-837-9636 or by email at clairepg@aol.com; all other vendors and exhibitors may contact Barbara Darling at 828-837-9636 or by email at daraff@dnet.net

“Our volunteers and sponsors are looking forward to the big day. We hope everyone will come out and enjoy this celebration of our local history and heritage of music, artistry, craftsmanship and traditional home survival skills,” said event director and Heritage Partners president Barbara Hughes.

Community clubs and individuals interested in entering the products of their home canning, baking, quilting, vegetable and flower gardening skills in this year’s Heritage County Fair blue ribbon competitions and exhibits may contact Jessica Roberson at the Cherokee County Cooperative Extension Service at 828-837-2210 or by email at jessica_roberson@ncsu.edu for more information and registration details.

This year’s Heritage Walk & Festival includes the Heritage Walk tours, the Appalachian Heritage Crafters Show, the Heritage Music Festival, the Heritage County Fair, produce and plant growers, food vendors, and special fun for children.

Admission to all events remains free of charge and open to the public.

Heritage Partners is an all volunteer, nonprofit organization building on the heritage of Cherokee County — North Carolina’s first, last, and finest place to be.

Appalachian Heritage Alliance — Dedicated to the documentation and preservation of Appalachian history and culture, traditional and modern uses of native plants, and wild-crafting — announce their 2004 Lecture Series Calendar.

Join them for dinner, musical entertainment, and educational programs every third Thursday of the month at 6:00 pm in the Topton Community Center, Topton, NC 28781. $10.00 per person.

March 18, 2004 — American Bonsai*

April 15, 2004 — Ramp Romp*

May 20, 2004 — Butterfly and Hummingbird Gardens*

June 17, 2004 — Edible and Medicinal Herbs*

July 15, 2004 — Cherokee Chair Caning and Baskets*

August 19, 2004 — Owl Prowl — Sights and Sounds of the Night*

September 16, 2004 — Ginseng — Conservation through Cultivation!

October 21, 2004 — Autumn Leaves and Winter Tree Identification*

November 18 — AHA Holiday Gift Fair

* This lecture has a corresponding workshop and/or field trip (dates to be announced).

Other programs available to your garden club, civic group, or organization include: Lady Slippers and Other Native Orchids*; Trilliums*; How to Make Soap*; How to Make Dipped Candles*; Appalachian Music and Storytelling; and Landscaping with Native Plants.

Wildflower Walks and Photography Tours by appointment.

Call Donna Looper at 828-479-8642 or Eve Miranda at 828-321-1612 for more information or to place your reservation.

Email: AppalachianHeritageAlliance@hotmail.com

Appalachian Heritage Alliance will present their First Annual Ramp Romp on April 15, 2004 at the Topton Community Center, Topton, NC 28781.

Starting at 6:00 pm with a Ramps and Trout Dinner to be followed by Live Music and an informative program by wild-crafter Wild Bill Elliot: “Ramps: How to find them, how to grow them, and how to eat them!”

$10 per person covers it all. Reserve your place now.

For more information, call Donna Looper at 828-479-8642 or Eve Miranda at 828-321-1612.

Appalachian Highland Games will be moving to a new venue for their 4th annual presentation of Irish, Scottish, and Celtic heritage.

From their web page:

“In 2004, Appalachian Highland Games will move to Andrews, NC 28901. All events will be held in the Andrews Recreation Park. Our new venue is larger, more people friendly, and easier to get to than ever before. Large parking areas adjacent to the Park make for easy access. Parking is FREE! There is ample seating around the securely fenced athletics area. Take a stroll under the oaks and sample the wares of our vendors. Enjoy a variety of acts and entertainment such as sheep herding, Highland dancing demonstrations and singing, youth events and pipe and drum bands. Tour the Heritage tent and learn about the early Scottish settlers whose descendants still populate these mountains, visit with the mountain crafters as they practice ancient skills. Come by the Tartans Museum booth and discover your tartan. Talk to Clan representatives and learn more about yourself and your forbears.”

The gates open at 8:00 am on September 11, 2004. Visit their website for more information about pricing and for driving directions and a map.

The 4th Annual Appalachian Highland Games will be fun for your whole family.