My introduction to the Foxfire Series of books came by way of an Appalachian Studies class I took in college. The required book for the course was The Foxfire Book-and all these years later I still have it.
The Deer Hunter and I both love to read-and we both share an interest in old timey ways and of course the heritage of Appalachia. During the first years of our marriage, Miss Cindy helped us acquire the complete set of Foxfire books. She used the occasion of a birthday or Christmas to gift us a Foxfire book until we had the complete series-or at least that’s what I thought.
Since I was a fan of the Foxfire Series of Books, I was familiar with how they were made-how the information within the books was compiled by high school students from Rabun County Georgia. However I, wrongly assumed the program had run its course and ended.
I don’t reacall exactly what I was writing about here on the Blind Pig-but whatever the subject I found an online site that offered a free download of the Foxfire Book I was using as a source. I thought-I would mention the download to you-but then I decided I should find out if it was legal-I mean how do you give away someone else’s book?
I discovered Foxfire’s Website and was soon in contact with Ann Moore, who is President and Executive Director of The Foxfire Fund. Ann told me Random House was attempting to track down the people who created the electronic version and make sure it was removed permanetly-so needless to say I did not mention it to you guys.
Over the next few months Ann and I continued to email each other about one thing and another. In the process I discovered-The Foxfire Program is alive, well, still publishing books and a even publishes a twice yearly magazine.
Did you know there is a Foxfire Museum? I didn’t until Ann told me about it. One rainy cool morning last summer I headed over the mountain to spend a few hours touring the museum and visiting with some of the folks who are keeping the Foxfire Program alive.
The Gate House (in the photo above) is the entrance to the Foxfire Museum. It also houses the gift shop and a few administrative offices. As the rain began to pick up a little, Joyce Green and I set on the front porch and she told me about student involvement within the Foxfire Program.
Joyce became involved with Foxfire after her son went through the program when he was in high school. At that time, George Reynolds was running the music and folklore program and the class was divided between gathering material for the Foxfire Program and encouraging students to learn a musical instrument. Joyce was a teacher at Rabun High School and during those years she also edited the Foxfire Magazine. Joyce explained how the students benefit from being part of the Foxfire Program to me.
There’s the obvious education value-each student who passes through the program gains a first hand look into their past with each interview they conduct or work on. But Joyce pointed out a side of the program I would never have thought of-the business side. Students are not only interviewers, writers, photographers, and editors-they are also hands on business managers of the magazine. Students keep up with subscriptions, bulk mailings, take care of payments, marketing, and handle any issues that arise within each of the processes.
Students at Rabun High are not required to be part of the Foxfire Program-but those who are interested are eligible to be part of it for all 4 of their high school years. There is a scholarship aspect to Foxfire Program-the more hours a student works the more scholarship money they may earn. Over the years, the Foxfire Magazine Program has become such a success that other organizations come to them to learn how to develop their own program. Joyce said to date thousands of teachers have been trained around the country in the Foxfire Teaching Program and students K-12 have created programs using the teaching approach as well.
After my talk with Joyce I went upstairs to Ann’s cozy office to speak with her. Ann has been with Foxfire for 35 years. Even though I didn’t know the Museum existed-a lot of other folks do-Ann said on average they have 12,000 to 13,000 visitors each year. Ann told me a little more about the scholarship program-it was started in 1976. From 1989 forward the scholarship program was underwritten by a lady from California, Julia Fleet. Ms. Fleet passed away in 2005 and generously endowed the program further through her will. Especially interesting to me-Ann said over 60% of their revenue comes from online sales. In addition to the teaching program Foxfire also offers on site Heritage Days to public schools and have even taken the heritage day directly to the school campus in certain cases.
I enjoyed talking with Ann-but I was anxious to see all those artifacts. The rain had let up and I headed up the trail towards the museum with Barry Stiles for a personal tour. Barry told me for a small admission fee, folks are welcome to do a self guided tour of the museum and a guided tour may be possible upon request. The museum consists of several buildings which house a multitude of items. Many of the buildings are authentic themselves-having been donated to the Foxfire Program through the years-disassembled and reassembled on site by the Foxfire Students.
It would be impossible for me tell you about all the wondrous things the Foxfire Museum holds-or all the stories Barry shared with me about the items. But I can’t resist highlighting just a few.
I found the Alex Stewart displays especially interesting since The Deer Hunter and I had just finished reading a book about his life.
I felt drawn to the Moore House-since it was from Clay County-just up the road from me.
The museum had several sleds. I loved this big one. Pap has told me so many stories about using sleds pulled by horses or mules from when he was a boy-and I finally got to see exactly what one looked like.
There was an awesome collection of jars, bottles, and other cooking utensils.
Barry even let me peek into the archive room. Since Foxfire first started in 1966 they have made every effort possible to archive each interview done by the students-even the ones never used in the magazine or books. My heart did flip flops just thinking about them.
I tremendously enjoyed my visit to The Foxfire Museum. But most of all I was heartened and encouraged to discover they are still going strong. Just last fall they published a brand new book-Singin’ Praisin’ Raisin’ in celebration of 45 years of the program. The book covers a broad spectrum of musical families-from the Primitives to the Foxfire Boys-it also includes a how to section as well as a crimes and murder section. There’s even a cd accompaniment with the book.
I hope you learned something new about The Foxfire Program-like I did. Be sure to drop back by tomorrow-I’m going to share one of my favorite things from the day at the museum-and I’m going to give away a subscription to the Foxfire Magazine too.
Tipper
p.s. All photos in this post-except the first one were taken at The Foxfire Museum.
🙂 Greetings, All! A little late in posting but I was researching to send a link to a friend and saw this:) I’m John Singleton who wrote the article on the Moores in Foxfire 9. As an interesting side note, the John C. Campbell Folk School is on land that once belonged to some of our family–Lucy Moore married Bass Hyatt and if I am correct, the folk school is on land once owned by the Hyatt’s, who are great folks and kin. Both the work of Foxfire and the JCC Folk School are important for holding on to the “cultural” memory so my appreciation for your good work!
tipper
i love the foxfire books , however our library dont have them anymore i guess from so many being taken and never returned ,
they really did do a good job on those books and so much comes back to me as i go on down the road
those were truly the good old days..hard but truly the best , no one had much but we did enjoy what we had
have a great day and enjoy the pretty foliage
A new Appalachian book written by a Foxfire veteran. “It’s Not My Mountain Anymore” is available on Foxfire’s shop http://www.foxfire.org or http://www.itsnotmymountainanymore.com
Check it out! Sales help support those who preserve our heritage.
I want to visit that place so bad.. I may go over there soon.. those books are priceless..
My first husband loved the Foxfire books, and I bought him one at every gift-giving occassion up until we divorced which happened at about book 7 or 8 I believe. He poured over them often. I wonder if he still has them now, some 40+ years later. I bet he does…at least some of them maybe.
They’re wonderful books filled with lore and instructions for doing or making just about anything you could think of.
God bless.
RB
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After reading your article yesterday i called Foxfire Museum and ordered foxfire book no.4. now i will have the complete collection. the lady their was so very nice, she said she had been out on the porch talking with some one and came inside to take my call, she was so friendly made me feel like i had met a new friend, she invited me to visit their one day, being from Muncie Indiana and 79 years old i just knew that would probably never happen, as i looked at the picture you had of the museum i could just picture this friendly lady on the front porch,and thought i would love to be their on that porch, everything about that picture called to me. i dearly love reading your stories, i feel as though you are another friend i have not met. May the good lord bless you real good.
Tipper, and Ed…
I think I may have misled my description of the sled…the runners or skids were narrow..like maybe a 2×12 and at least 10 to 12 feet long..There is no way it would hang on the barn logs..no one could ever lift it up to hang it…It was used to bring in the tobacco from the many fields that my grandaddy owned…he also grew some sorgum..and corn..but was a big time tobacco farmer…I am sure he had his 5 boys get that ‘baccer in fore hit got too muddy…lol Even with the 5 boys helping he had to hire farmhands or use the ones already there to cut the tobacco.. The barn was huge, with rails all acrost to hang the ‘baccer on..all this was before tobacco allotments…I have actually helped my other grandfather stick tobacco…when I was a kid…At least I thought I was helping…sure wish I had some of those baskets…My Dad inherited part of the land and we drove all the way from Tennessee in the spring/summmer/fall every weekend to plant and raise tobacco with a little help from a local farmhand that watched over it during the week..On to the auction, (by then there was a required allotment)…to sell his tobacco..There is nothing more exciting for a kid than his first tobacco auction, walking the isles and watching the buyers pick up and feel the leaves and shout out their offers and hoping that our ‘baccer would bring a good price…and his usually did…
Thanks Tipper,
I love the Foxfire Books! We used some of them in the Appalachian classes that I took in college too. I think that my favorite was the one that focused on Aunt Arie.
Mitchell’s brother, Kelly, found an abandoned sled runner one long ago snowy day. Being the adventurous type, a light bulb went off in his head. Kelly attached a vertical pole to the runner & up to the top of the mountain he went. Balancing very carefully on the one runner, back down the mountain he came. Imagine the neighbor’s astonishment when he opened his back door & Kelly came gliding into his kitchen! Mitchell calls him the originial snowboarder-LOL.
I have a full set of the Foxfire books, bought my original first copy in the 1970s (it’s falling apart), but my favorite book is ‘Aunt Arie,’ a Foxfire portrait… I reread it about once a year.
I’ve only heard of the FoxFire books here from you.
They sound very interesting. You know how I am about the history of things.
What a gem! Good to hear they are still going strong.
I found the Foxfire books in our local library. We don’t have a full set, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the ones we do – some of them more than once! I had no idea that they’re still publishing, now that is good news!
I purchased Foxfire 1 soon after my parents purchased the mountain in WV during the late 60s then I eagerly awaited the release of the next two volumes. The information and stories within the series are a timeless tribute to Mountain Folks, their ingenuity, tenacity and way of life. Additionally, they are a good source of interesting recipes, useful instructions and old timey processes for the uninitiated. BTW I have also been a lifetime member to Mother Earth News whose theme closely parallels the Foxfire collection since the early 70s.
In the early 70s I considered purchasing additional acreage adjacent to the mountain and moving my young family there to live off of the land, so to speak. Instead, I chose a career in Telecommunications and although that was a rewarding choice in many ways I still regret not having taken the plunge to return to a simpler way of life.
The mountain is still intact and still in the family. I do not get down there as often as I would like but I must tell you that the political climate and uncertainty of the economy make the option of moving there more attractive daily. Two things that would most certainly accompany me if I do move there would be the three Foxfires and my library of Mother Earth News.
B Ruth-if you look close at the sled it is 4x4s with a split piece attached to the bottom. Looks like the runners were intended to be replaced when they wore out. Like getting new tires. My dad built a sled like that only it didn’t have the replaceable runners. But it had a rail around the front and sides with a removable tailgate. His runners were made of sourwood with a natural curve and the standards that supported the rails were mortised into it.
The reason the runners are narrow is to cut down on friction making it easier for the animal to pull. The sleds you speak of could have been for muddy or snowy conditions. So yours are like 4 wheel drive versus my dad’s faster but only 2WD.
PS: If you cut off a sourwood at the right time of year it will grow back sprouts around the stump that grow out at an angle, then turn up in the perfect sled runner shape. And sourwood is a fast growing tree so in 3 or four years you could have a new runner.
Thanks for the post Tipper. As I sat reading it, the first three books in the series are on the bookcase at my back. They are replacement copies of the originals I had back in the early ’70’s. They share space with the rest of my Appalachian Mountain library and are referred to as needed.
I guess I need to track down the rest of the books.
Tipper—Miss Cindy is a perceptive woman when she suggests that the interviewing skills of the Foxfire students, while perhaps lacking in depth and/or training, are also consistently without guile. On the other hand, far too many of the purported scholars on Appalachia either have an agenda and/or a deeply ingrained bias which flavors and flaws their perceptions. Someone, I think it was Lonnie, said many months ago that “too many scholars of Appalachia aren’t Appalachian” or something to that effect. In other words, they might have spent a lot of time in the mountains, but they aren’t of the mountains.
As for Bill Burnett wondering whether his boyhood use of things which are now considered antiques or collectibles, I suspect that are a lot of folks who regularly visit the Blind Pig who fit into that same shoe.
Jim Casada
Tipper,
We are very well familiar with the Foxfire books and I have all but last couple…My Dad having donated a”snipet of healing herbs” given to one of the Gillespies to use in the book back when they first started the books..His doctor was always amazed that he wanted to use a particular herb for his ulcers and kidney problems…I think they talked more of Appalachian life more than doctoring visits..LOL Mom had the rest of the books somewhere…LOL
I’m sorry but that sled looks like it would “mar up” in a wet muddy pasture..looks more like four by fours nailed together…The sled on the farm in Mars Hill (actually there were two) had large skids about 12 inches or so wide, much longer and was hand hewn rounded at the front, so hit would glide and not dig in..so to speak…I sure wish I had that big old sled…Every time we went up to the ‘baccer barn and jumped on that sled, (we would make it rock on the uneven hard, dirt floor) the mule would come to the front of the stall, raise his upper lip and show his big old teeth and snort!…I guess he thought he was going to work! We would laugh and wait awhile and go do it again…just to get him to come to the front…My old maid Aunt (love her soul) would catch us and ask if we were a’teasin’ her mule!
Thanks Tipper,
The issue of Foxfire with the Moore article was Fall 1980. Sorry for not noticing the typo. Of course, it is easier to find Foxfire 9. Since several of the Moores were shopkeepers, the records of sales and prices for items reprinted in the article are especially fascinating.
my family has had some of the foxfire books since the late 70’s, early 80’s- I have them now but they are sadly worn and coming apart- I need to replace them so I’ll check online-
thanks for the heads up!
Thank you so much for featuring us, Tipper! We appreciate it very much, and I invite each and every one of your readers to come visit us at The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center. For Jim Casada, the Moore house was, indeed, built by Abner S. Moore in Clay County, NC, and moved to the Foxfire Museum in 1975, where it now stands almost as when it was originally built. And, in the Fall 1980 issue of Foxfire Magazine, we published an article called “Eight Generations of Moores”, all of whom were from Clay, Rutherford, Macon, and other NC counties. The magazine is no longer available, but if you will contact me, I’ll make a copy of the article for you and email and/or mail it to you. For Rhonda, we do have a new book out entitled “Singin’, Praisin’, Raisin’: Foxfire’s 45th Anniversary Book. You may order it on our web site at http://www.foxfire.org or by calling us at 706-746-5828. It is also available in all major bookstores around the country, as is our books in the Foxfire series. The magazine can be ordered directly from us. Thanks to all of your readers for their kind messages about Foxfire! Ann Moore, President
I’m a huge fan of the Foxfire books! Thanks for letting us in on the program and the museum. So glad it’s still going strong today. A trip to the museum is now on our bucket list of new things to explore. Thanks Tipper!
Back in 1972, I visited a college classmate of mine (Pat Rodgers) was working with Eliot Wigginton on Foxfire and he gave me a tour. I think the first book was out by that time. They have preserved so much history with their work.
My interest became more personal with the Fall 1950 issue of Foxfire Magazine as it had a long article on the Clay County Moore family who are my ancestors. My Grandfather and Great Grandfather were born in Clay County and my Great, Great Grandfather is buried there.
I wrote John Singleton, the student who wrote the article, and ended up meeting and corresponding with members of his family who provided so much history. It also started me on a lifelong interest in family history.
For those with the Foxfire books, the article was reprinted in Foxfire 9. I must say that some of the family history in the article turned out to be in error. But that can be said of nearly all genealogical articles.
From a comment months ago by Don Casada, I know that this Moore family is also Don and Jim’s family. Our shared ancestor is John Moore (d.1857) who is buried in Clay County near Shooting Creek at the Union Hill Cemetery.
I don’t recognize the Abner S. Moore who built the cabin now part of the museum. Clay County I know from research did have Moore families not related to my line.
But you have definitely fired up my interest to visit again Raburn County!
Okay Tipper, you’ve added a new thread to our Appalachian Tapestry. You have become quite the weaver.
I love the Fox Fire books because they are us.
It’s interesting that the students my not have had high level interviewing skills but they also have no guile. They are accurate reporters without an agenda. That cannot be said of some of the writers of Appalachian tradition.
Thanks for telling us about the school.
Thanks for this, my husband and I are great fans of the Foxfire books, and had not idea about the museum…we will definitely have to go there!
Love, love,LOVE the Fox Fire books!
Another great job Tipper, new trip on my “Bucket List”. One thing that I find so interesting about these “Old” things is that I was raised using them. Does this mean I’m an “Old Thing” too?
I love these books. My favorite cookbook is the Foxfire Cookbook. Barbara
i luv this musuem. every year i go back and spend 1/2 of my gas money on books!!! how about aunt aire her book. wonderful. alex stewart his bio. i too own the original series of these books and re read every year. either u love old antique rustic stuff or u don’t. highly recommend this place. u always do a good job of our ancestry. hugs
What a wonderful historical journey and very educational. Thank you for sharing the museum photos and information.
Angie
Thanks Ethelene ! Foxfire 7 is now the top item on my “got to have” list. I read it years ago and didn’t think much about it then. Now I need to preserve it as part of my kids’ and grand kids’ family history.
i would love to visit this museum, so much to see, i like that table and chairs…. foxfire is all new to me
We were able to visit the Foxfire Museum in March of last year. I have all the books, and have loved them for years. I managed to get my son a set of the original books by finding them one at a time on eBay!
This is in answer to Mr. Ed Ammons’ inquiry about which Foxfire Book the Clyde Nations, Sr. and Jr. are in. Foxfire 7 is the “Church and Religion” issue, and Clyde Nations, Sr.’s story is on pages 77, 79-86, and Clyde, Jr.’s is on pages 77-87. For those who want to find out how Foxfire started in the first place, the very first volume of The Foxfire Book has Eliot Wiggington’s story of a bored English class and “what to do” to get them involved and interested. The story of how Foxfire was “born” is really worthwhile reading, and the whole program, from 1967 to the present, is a remarkable story of innovation in education that worked. Many other results, like preserving a vanishing culture and establishing a museum and an ongoing educational project have helped so many people gain a clearer understanding of mountain life. Hats off to the Foxfire idea, the projects, the books and magazines, all the entities of a program that have worked!
I am lucky to own two of the original published books but never got them all and I was not aware of a magazine but around the Christmas season I did order there Christmas Foxfire Book and I found quite of interest.
Dolores-yes you can find the Foxfire Books at book stores across the nation. And you can buy them online directly from The Foxfire Fund-go here to see their online store:
http://www.foxfire.org/thefoxfirebooks.aspx
Blind Pig The Acorn
Celebrating and Preserving the
Culture of Appalachia
http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
I am going to that museum, I have looked through a few of my friends Foxfire books and found them fascinating.
Tipper—I own all of the “numbered” Foxfire books, some issues of the magazine, and the 40th anniversary book, the Christmas book, and other “stuff,” but I didn’t know about the museum. Since Mom was a Clay County Moore, I was particularly intrigued by the Moore house. I am sure Don will be as well. I need to put a trip to Rabun Gap on my schedule. Over the years I’ve used the Foxfire books a number of times in my writing. Although some of the interviews and research fall short of the ideal, for students of high school age the material is truly impressive on a consistent basis. You can partner it with the books by John Parris and have a pretty darn good grasp of folkways from old mountain days. Once I get two books I now have under way out of the way, I hope to do an anthology of some of my mountain musings which have been published in various places over the years to offer my own perspective on life in the Smokies as I have known, studied, researched, and written about over the years.
Jim Casada
http://www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com
How wonderful to get the word out, again, about the FoxFire books. My mother started collecting them at their very beginning and I am doing the same. They are such wonderful resources/history/guidebooks and no one who has a love of all things Appalachia (or all things old-timey) should be without them. I did know that they were still going strong… but I forgot! Thanks for the reminder.
Janice
so glad that Foxfire is alive and well — what an incredible program and a treasured resource. I need to visit the museum – gonna put it on my “Need to” list 🙂
I was given several of the Fox Fire books years ago, my ex ended up with the books. I rediscovered them after moving to this area, now I am saving to start my collection once again. The museum is not that far from where I live and hope to visit this spring.
I loved your story; I am trying to become familiar with as much of the old history in the mountains of NC. Are the books only sold at the museum or can they be purchased from a regular book store?
I have looked through the Foxfire book #2 you show above — I was most interested in the ghost stories. what a wonderful thing that Foxfire is alive and well.
Thanks so much for this post Tipper, I found it truly fascinating!It is such a blessing to know that these things are preserved.
My father ‘turned me on’ to the Foxfire books, years ago, and with those books a much deeper appreciation of the Ozark land, traditions and people here where I live.
I am planning a trip ‘east’ to NC soon, and hope we can find a way to make a side trip to the Foxfire Museum.
I’ve been a fan of the Foxfire books since I received my first one in the mid-70’s. I THINK that I have all of them unless a new one has been published that I’m not aware of. Love, Love, Love them.
Wow, interesting story, I did not know about the museum, I have several of the foxfire books, and love each one..The stories my Grandmother and Grandfather use to tell can be referenced with pictures in those books.
I have read several of the Foxfire books but own only the Appalachian Cookery one. I’ve reread it a dozen times. It’s a paperback and it came apart in the middle, but I’ve got it taped back together.
My father in law Clyde Nations Sr. and brother in law Clyde Nations Jr. are mentioned in one of the Foxfire books in an article about Appalachian preachers. I don’t have the book and can’t remember which one it is in. If you happen upon the names let me know which book, I need to get it.
I was not aware of the FoxFire Museum. A road trip is in order soon 🙂
I was exposed to the Foxfire books when I was in elementary school when my father took an interest in reading them. He was especially fond of the 3rd book, which has a section on dulcimer building. He’s built several himself since then, including one that I play on a regular basis.
Knowing that I’ve wanted my own collection of The Foxfire series, my wife gave me the first book last year for Christmas. It went into such detail about log cabin building techniques that it had me thinking ” Man, I could build one of these!”. The same could be said about the section on moonshine stills 😉
Great series of books. A must have for anyone interested in the old ways.
Gerald