Folkways are alive and well in Appalachia. Throughout Western North Carolina, the people have maintained their traditions and stayed true to a unique way of life for more than two hundred years.
Remarkable, hardy people settled here in the early 1800s and some of their descendants continue to rely on the ancient knowledge and skills that allowed their ancestors to thrive in the isolated mountain country. They practice the mountain arts of music and dance, as well as grow their own food, cook on wood cookstoves, plow with horses, grind cane to make molasses and keep bees. Award-winning author Lynn Salsi captures the personal stories of six of these extraordinary people who keep the old ways alive. With warmth and humor, their anecdotal reflections honor the culture and tradition of the southern Appalachian Mountains.