The 1974 Winter Edition of the Foxfire Magazine contains a compilation of newspaper articles written by Harvey Miller. At the time of the magazine’s publication Miller’s weekly column had been around for sixty years and was till being published in the Tri-County News located in Spruce Pine, North Carolina.
Here are two of the July excerpts from the magazine.
1962
When Clifford Barnett, a farmer in the Byrd Creek section of Pigeon Roost, went out to his burley tobacco patch early Friday morning and to his great surprise he found that a row and a half of his tobacco had been cut and was gone. The tobacco was half as high as his leg.
Barnett said it was the two first rows that stood next to the creek bank and when he found the road the way the tobacco had been carried, he then soon found a den of muskrats.
Much growing corn in this section down through the years has been destroyed in this same way by the muskrats. But I believe this is the first time that the farmers around here have reported that the muskrats were destroying their tobacco. He said that he wouldn’t of cared so bad for the muskrats destroying his tobacco if it wasn’t too late in the season to reset it.
Mrs. America Griffith, who lives on Brummetts Creek, reported to us that her dog name Biss killed a muskrat at her place the other day. She said the muskrats had been cutting down the sugar corn in her garden patch.
But Mrs. Griffith said a few nights after the dog killed the muskrat, there was some kind of a varmint that got in a pen where she had an old hen and gang of seven chickens and it killed the hen and 4 chickens. It eat or carried away the chickens, but left the hen laying dead on the spot and about half of her feathers was torn off, which she may have lost in the fight.
Bee owners here report that they are hiving very few bees swarms this summer. There is an old time story which says that bees can’t blow comb after dog days set in, which the old timers says that the forty days of dog days begins July 3rd. One old timer told me Sunday that we will either have an abundance of rain or really dry weather during the dog days.
There was another old time saying in effect when I was a boy that the women folks wouldn’t set a hen during dog days as they claimed the little chickens that did hatch out would all just stand around and sleep their selves to death.
Root digging and herb gathering should now be at its best for the roots and herbs are at full maturity. What is being gathered here the most now is witch hazel or bead bush leaves, bright green color and the extra high price paid for it at this time is 12 cents a pound. I noticed that one man had three large burlap bags full that brought him $14.00. I imagine all put together there was about a day and half’s time was spent in gathering this many leaves.
7/12/62
1964
The whippoorwills are getting more noisy in this area as the years roll by. You know the whippoorwills are night-hollering birds. Old timers here said for several years only the call of one whippoorwill could be heard every once in a while during the summer time. But it’s not that way now — sometimes as many as five can be heard hollering at one time and some can be heard hollering every night. There is an old saying that has been going the rounds here for as long as anybody can remember — that where whippoorwills abounds also do poison snakes.
The first cutting of meadows in this area turned out the best hay crop in many years, several farmers reported.
7/9/64
I hope you enjoyed the peek into Pigeon Roost. Be sure to jump over to the Foxfire website and poke around. They are still publishing the magazine and those wonderful Foxfire Books too.
I guess this is going to be the a year that dog days are full of wet weather since we’ve had so much rain.
I thought our whippoorwills were gone for this year, but one morning over the weekend I heard the lonesome call just out the ridge.
Last night’s video: Celebrating Old Words and Phrases in Appalachia.
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Tipper’s writings and videos are so much better than television. For me, watching and reading bring me a comfort much like eating comfort food. Although I live in eastern NC, I recall many things you mention from my Daddy’s mother. She lived in a house down a winding path so deep in the woods they had to “pipe the sunshine in.” Reminds me of Tipper’s hollers. No electricity until I was close to my teens. I remember doing my homework by kerosene lamp light when our visits ran toward dark. Recalling her hog killings and some kind of “white sausage” made from cornmeal seasoned with sage and other ingredients that slip my mind but it was so good (as Tipper often says). I always dreaded a long bean row to be picked and would rather have 2 short ones. I would start picking from one end and my sister would start at the other on long rows and we would pick till we met. After finishing our garden chores, on our drive back to town where we lived, we would stop by Cousin Harvey’s store to pick up Nehi sodas from his cooler. I guess those were our equivalent of Matt and Tipper’s popsicles. We called these trips “going to the country”. God bless and prayers for the family as they miss Miss Cindy. They did a wonderful job of “walking her home.”
I visited Foxfire a couple years ago for the first time, I had been wanting to go there for several years. I still own several of their books. As for whippoorwill’s I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I heard one.
. love hearing the whippoorwills but forget the snakes. Seems like alot more different birds are around here than normal. I’m glad I love .em. Remember the little woman I took care of she fell. No one was with her when it happened. Her daughter hadn’t gotten there yet. But she’s not eating a d barely drinking. She almost 99. She a special sweet woman. Her name is Annabelle. Hospice has come in. Remember her in your prayers, please. Her daughters and granddaughters are taking care of her. It’s just a matter of time.
Im so glad your whipporwill is still around. I sure enjoyed the recording you made and shared. Ive yet to hear one this year, except for yours.
It sure has been wet here! Hard to kee up with the mowing. They finally came today to weedeat the bank and and mow. It looks like hay laying out there because it had gotten so tall. Im exaggerating, but to some degree it just isn’t as tidy and nice looking.
Thank you for sharing! I really enjoyed it. I have the Foxfire collection and subscribe to the magazine. I thoroughly enjoy them. I’m reading More than Moonshine by Sidney Saylor Farr. I borrowed it from the library and it is a signed copy. I thought that was exciting. Her life and recipes remind me so much of Momma and her family. I’ve heard Momma and Mamaw talk about sulfuring apples and she had a recipe for that.
I pray all y’all are getting along well since Miss Cindy’s crossing over. Blessings and prayers!!
I bought the Foxfire books back in the late 80’s and gave them as a present to my Daddy. He loved reading them and would tell me “that is just how we killed our hog’s and put up the meat.” I’ve heard or used a lot of the old words and phrases you read. I was watching a cooking show last night where one of the judges said you could have added a “Titch” of the spice. The other judges said what is a Titch? She said it was an Oxford Old English word meaning like “smidge.” Although I had never heard a Titch, I have used a smidge or a tad a lot:)
Debbie, you ‘d also enjoy reading My Appalachian by Sydney Saylor Farr and Dorie Woman of the Mountains written by Dorie’s daughter Florence Cope Bush. Good reading.
I will write that down and ask at the library. Thank you so much!!
Thanks for checking in with Pigeon Roost. I never knew muskrats could be such a problem, cutting down tobacco and corn, wow! Tough little critters!!
Tipper, this post was very interesting with these excerpts from Foxfire magazine. I had no idea muskrats would cut down tobacco or sugar cane like that, then I really don’t know all that much about muskrats. I’m guessing since that one lady found white milky foam on the pen after the muskrat killed her chickens, that muskrat had rabies. I’ve hear Whipporills once in a while, so hopefully that old saying is not true and there are no poisonous snakes around. Then it’s been so hot lately it’s just to hot to go out and I doubt the snakes aren’t either. Hopefully y’all are keeping cool! Oh, we finally got our first ripe tomato, but haven’t had it on our Mator sandmich yet, maybe today!
Thank you for the articles! I and my hubby bought all the Fox Fire books and read them cover to cover before we bought land(35) acres outside Linden, TN. We subscribed to the magazine for years. I have such great memories of living off the land for 3 years until the parents’ bad health moved us back home to Indiana to help. We raised a huge garden up here also, it supplements the groceries so well. Now I am widowed, 72 years young and moved off our farm, I garden with my daughter!
Prayers continue for your family. God bless you and yours❤❤
Thanks so much for these wonderful stories. I always enjoyed reading small town newspapers. This was one way to stay connected with your community. That tomato sandwich Matt was eating looked delicious. Take care and God bless ❣️
What is sugar corn? Is it sweet corn, sorghum or sugar cane? I thought I knew everything and here comes sugar corn!
Ed, I think sugar corn is sweet corn. I have heard field corn called mule corn. My name for it may not be correct but this is corn grown to feed the farm animals and I think it would also be ground for grits and cornmeal.
The Foxfire books and magazines are the best. I first heard about them here on The Blind Pig and The Acorn when I won a subscription on one of the giveaways. The old timers in my family believed an open wound would not heal during dog days. Today is going to be another rainy day here in KY, making it at least two weeks that the ground hasn’t dried enough to work in the garden.
When I was a kid, I always knew when my parents said it was dog days, it was the end of going swimming, at least for a while. I remember it had something to do with the rivers being low and not swimming with cuts or scrapes for fear of infections. Still, I have such fond memories of lazy summer days spent riding bikes, sitting on the front porch drawing pictures, catching fireflies, playing ball and badmitten with my brother and sisters, and oh so many more ways we occupied our summer days. This was, of course , after chores!! Happy Summer to all!!
I live in the suburbs, and the squirrels are the ones who destroy gardens. It wouldn’t be so bad if they ate the whole tomato, but they take a bite and leave it. I’ve been told they do it because they are thirsty. We tried growing a few rows of corn one time, but the squirrels took care of that too.
Ed, I think sugar corn is sweet corn. I have heard field corn called mule corn. My name for it may not be correct but this is corn grown to feed the farm animals and I think it would also be ground for grits and cornmeal.
Since I sit on my back porch in the evening, I would love to hear a whippoorwill call! Haven’t heard one in a long time.
Never heard of witch hazel leaves but Aunt Peon sure used lots of witch hazel in her beauty shop next to the Esso station on New River in Tennessee.
I’m tickled pink you heard a whipoorwill. Wish I had some here, and a wood thrush. Just two more indicators I’m in the wrong place. As for critters, Lord amercy they seem to be getting the upper hand, at least until development ends fields and gardens. Then they’ll eat the landscaping. Makes me sympathize with the pioneers trying desparately to protect their crops.
Tipper, I enjoyed the excerpts this morning. I especially liked hearing about bees not blowing comb during dog days and hens a sitting will brood sleeping to death baby chicks. The older I get, the more mysteries of life tend to sprout up! I’m sorry about your wet weather, but now maybe you’ll be able to understand my sadness of all the rain. I’ve watched it kill and rot and destroy beyond what you’re being told or most are even aware of. If I was a control freak, I’d set out to control every aspect of one’s life-weather, food, tv, school, courts, officials, 3 initial agencies and especially ways to make them sad, down, depressed and easy to force my will upon… just saying-think about it or deem me nuts. I don’t care. I speak only truth.
Sure enjoyed the two ‘memories’ written by Harvey Miller, thanks Tipper.
I ‘spect it’s true about the snakes…..I used to hear them over across the road from Poppy’s farm. The Bucannons have a pond near the woods and I wouldn’t step near it, but the whipoorwills are in the trees and the water moccasins prefer the water. Thanks for conjuring up that memory!
Thank you. I enjoyed reading these. Have a great day!
I’ve always enjoyed the Foxfire series since I was a kid. In my area of northeast Alabama we’ve never had many whippoorwills, but I miss hearing bobwhite quail calling each other. Our quail population is gone.
Robert, I am in full agreement with you concerning the bobwhite quail. Quail hunting was the joy of my life, I also liked rabbit hunting with my father in law and squirrel hunting with my daddy. Like you, bobwhite quail are a thing of past in my area. My son designed my wife and my marker/memorial for our grave, along with praying hands on on both sides mine has a emblem of a hunter and a pointing bird dog.
Randy we have plenty of Bob White quail in our area. We hear them calling after each other every day. It’s wonderful!
I love the Foxfire books. Especially, the early stuff. I grew up around many people who could have walked right out of that book.
Speaking of Whippoorwill’s, an old superstition I heard growing up was hearing a Whippoorwill during daylight was a a bad omen and was a sign that someone would die (same for an owl). Some years we have more than others, but there seems to be plenty. I have seen my my daddy whistle them up at night. Sometimes they would get so close, I would think the bird was going to land on his head or shoulder. As I got older he taught me to call them.
Thanks Tipper, I really enjoy Mr. Miller’s articles.
I still have whipporills around my house. I hope it’s not true about the poisonous snakes.
I’ve never read any of The Foxfire Books but did see the 1987 movie starring Jessica Tandy called Foxfire. It was originally adapted as a play from The Foxfire Books and then later turned into a movie. I will definitely have to read more of the Foxfire Books and Foxfire Magazine articles.
Summer, you may want to check your local library. That’s where I get mine!
Thank you Brenda! I will definitely do that. I’ve already reserved These Storied Mountains by John Parris. I can’t wait to read all of these!
Summer, thanks for reminding me of that movie. It also starred Ms. Tandy’s husband Hume Cronyn as well as John Denver.
I really enjoyed that movie Melanie. His made me want to rewatch it.
I was born in 1954, so I was 8-10 years old when these articles were written. Never knew of a muskrat problem, but nowadays the deer are doing similar damage to the crops. Back then I think rabbits were the only thing that would bother your crops, now rabbits are as scarce as hen’s teeth. At church Sunday, a neighbor told me something had killed 7 of her chickens and 4 guinees (maybe misspelled). After a wet cold spring, summer around here is starting out to be hot and dry although some places are getting rain along with some bad storms. I can’t remember the last time I heard a whippoorwill. I had a up nawth city slicker supervisor back in the 70’s that thought we were pulling his leg when we told him about guinees. He was a good man that we all liked.
Guinea, you missed by one letter.
Randy, the rabbits all moved to the Dallas-Ft.Worth area! I have never seen a place so overrun with little white cotton tails.
God bless Tipper Pressley and her family, God bless you and your family, God bless me and my family!
Interesting. I love my collection of Foxfire books…haven’t read the magazines. Loved your reading also of the ‘Big Book’…I use them myself sometime. God Bless you guys…say hi to Granny!!