Interview by Kurt Dusterberg
Photos courtesy of Tom Brown

In 1999, while working as a research engineer at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Tom Brown and his wife made their usual Saturday visit to the local farmers market in Clemmons, North Carolina. Brown happened upon a man selling a variety of heirloom apples.

“And I was just totally fascinated by all the colors and taste and interesting names of the apples,” Brown says.

Ever since, Brown has been on a mission, one that has consumed his retirement. He spends most of his days in search of heirloom (or “heritage”) apples—varieties that were cultivated and grown in the past century. Some are extinct, while others have whereabouts unknown. That might sound like an unnecessary pursuit, but Brown has taken great interest in the historical significance of the varieties. Not only does he enjoy the detective work, but once he finds an existing tree from a long forgotten variety, he takes pride in giving it new life, if only for other enthusiasts and orchardists.

At 85, Brown has catalogued more than 1,000 forgotten varieties. “This is a unique love,” he says. “Even if people care about what you’re doing, there’s only so much they can contribute. I’m the one carrying the banner for all of this.”

Your first apple encounter at your local farmers market left quite an impression on you, didn’t it?

Well, I also found out that he had discovered a few of those himself. I asked him if there were any that he was looking for from my county (Forsyth), and he was looking for one called Harper Seedling. I had zero credentials and I had never found a heritage apple. But back then, a lot of people subscribed to the newspaper and I got quite a few responses to my ad. I eventually found four or five locations where the Harper Seedling had been grown.

What compelled you to keep doing it?

In my work, I was a researcher. And success breeds success. And everybody likes apples, so people responded kindly and were helpful. What really spurred me on was everybody kept saying, “You ought to go to Wilkes County and look for old apples.” What they didn’t know was that Wilkes County was the mother lode of old apple varieties. I eventually found 300 varieties related to the one county.

Were you just able to find existing trees?

People there really valued the old apple varieties. They had kept the old trees alive. They knew the varieties and could help identify them. Sometimes the people who had the tree knew the names, but in many instances, they didn’t know the name but maybe someone else seven miles away could. Maybe they used to have the tree and could help identify it.

So how did you set out to find all these apples?

Half of Wilkes County was only an hour drive from my house, and I was retired and could go up there three days a week. Eventually I found local people who would help me make the contacts. If there was a widow who had an old apple tree, (my contact) could knock on the door and she would invite us into her living room to talk apples.

Were you just interested in cataloguing them? How could you be sure you were identifying them properly?

What I wanted to do was get them back in circulation. When I was finding them most readily, I would collect real apples, and I would mail the apples to about six people who sold heritage apple trees. Any that they liked, I would get cuttings in the fall so they could graft them. So it wasn’t just finding them, it was to get a real tree growing at another location. I got probably 600 varieties to different people. Eventually I started selling apple trees myself.

How did you go about making contact with apple people?

One of my most productive methods was, I would go to festivals. I would have a display where I would have seventy-two apple varieties. I’ve gone to as many as fourteen festivals a year, probably about 180 total … way up into West Virginia and as far as Cadiz, Kentucky. I have a spiral notebook and I write down their comments, whether they tell me to go visit so-and-so. And to the best of my ability, I try to follow up on them.

I would think it’s difficult to locate these trees just based on a conversation with someone.

One attribute is I’m really, really persistent. There was one apple called the Barker’s Liner apple south of Nashville (North Carolina). Somebody south of Nashville remembered the apples. So I contacted these people, and I sent them maybe five different boxes that vaguely resembled the Barker’s Liner. The man actually asked me to stop sending the apples.

Do you grow your own trees?

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This week, we introduce you to an heirloom apple expert in North Carolina, preview the Apple Harvest Festival in Virginia, then cut to the core of apple pie variations throughout America’s history.

Speaking of apple-themed recipes, we shared our very own Spiced Apple Bourbon cocktail recipe with paid subscribers last week. If you tried it, let us know what you think by posting a comment.

Finding and Resurrecting Heirloom Apples

Meet Tom Brown, a man with a unique mission

Interview by Kurt Dusterberg
Photos courtesy of Tom Brown

In 1999, while working as a research engineer at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Tom Brown and his wife made their usual Saturday visit to the local farmers market in Clemmons, North Carolina. Brown happened upon a man selling a variety of heirloom apples.

“And I was just totally fascinated by all the colors and taste and interesting names of the apples,” Brown says.

Ever since, Brown has been on a mission, one that has consumed his retirement. He spends most of his days in search of heirloom (or “heritage”) apples—varieties that were cultivated and grown in the past century. Some are extinct, while others have whereabouts unknown.

KEEP READING

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Apple Harvest Festival at Albemarle CiderWorks

North Garden, Virginia
November 7, 2026

This weekend, celebrate apple season at the Apple Harvest Festival in Virginia’s foothills. Located at Albemarle Ciderworks in North Garden, Virginia, the festival is hosted by Vintage Virginia Apples and the Cove Garden Ruritan Club. Taste fresh apples, sparkling ciders, Brunswick stew, and apple butter; and enjoy artisan vendors, live music, and hayrides. You can also watch a cider pressing demo and learn how to make the perfect apple pie crust.

Speaking of America’s favorite dessert, the festival’s annual apple pie contest focuses on a traditional recipe this year: crust on the top and bottom with apples inside. To enter, email your recipe to Events@AlbemarleCiderWorks.com. The first prize winner will receive a $100 gift certificate from Vintage Virginia Apples and Albemarle Ciderworks.

Apple Pies for Every Era

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This month is front-loaded with seasonal festivals, heritage celebrations, and farm events across the Southeast. Enjoy art-centered events and holiday celebrations toward the middle and end of the month.

Urbanna Oyster Festival

Urbanna, Virginia
November 6-7, 2026

Located in the Oyster Capital of the East Coast, this festival features over 50 vendors serving oysters in every style amid a small-town waterfront setting, celebrating the region’s maritime and rural harvest traditions.

Hastings Fall Harvest Festival

Hastings, Florida
November 6-7, 2026

This agricultural celebration in a historic farming community near St. Augustine includes a guided tour of working farms, a free downtown market with local growers and artisans, antique tractor displays, food, entertainment, and a farm-to-table dinner highlighting Florida’s rural heritage.

26th Annual Mistletoe Market

Abingdon, Virginia
November 6-8, 2026

This multi-day market features artisans, crafts, holiday shopping, and community gatherings that emphasize Appalachian creative traditions. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the William King Museum of Art.

Little Debbie Hamilton County Fair

Sale Creek, Tennessee
November 6-8, 2026

This county fair held at Old McDonald Farm north of Chattanooga features regional food, pig races, lumberjack shows, a live rodeo, rides, and concerts featuring Rodney Atkins and Brandon Davis.

Richland Creek Antique Fall Festival

Ward, South Carolina
November 6-8, 2026

This three-day event at Richland Creek Farms in Saluda County highlights antique engines, operating steam tractors, sawmills, tractor pulls, threshing demonstrations, craft booths, wagon rides, syrup cooking, and kids’ activities centered on historic farm equipment and rural heritage.

WNC Pottery Festival

Sylva, North Carolina
November 7, 2026

This juried event in the small mountain town of Sylva brings together more than 40 master potters demonstrating techniques and selling handmade work, celebrating Western North Carolina’s rich craft and Appalachian artisan traditions in a downtown park setting.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Festival

Strasburg, Virginia
November 7, 2026

This food-focused gathering in the small Shenandoah Valley town features creative grilled cheese and tomato soup variations, vendors, and community activities that highlight local flavors and community traditions.

Montpelier Hunt Races

Montpelier Station, Virginia
November 7, 2026

Steeped in Virginia’s rural equestrian heritage, this steeplechase event on historic grounds near Orange features thoroughbred racing, tailgating, and hunting traditions at the former home of President James Madison.

Granite City Fall Festival & Tractor Show

Elberton, Georgia
November 7, 2026

Held on the downtown square of this small Northeast Georgia town, the festival pairs arts and crafts vendors, food, live music, and children’s activities with classic and antique tractors, celebrating local farming and community heritage.

NC Pecan Harvest Festival

Whiteville, North Carolina
November 7, 2026

This agricultural celebration in rural Columbus County honors North Carolina pecan growers with harvest-focused activities, food, and community events that spotlight the region’s farming traditions.

Madison County Harvest Festival

Danielsville, Georgia
November 7, 2026

Hosted at the county agricultural center in this small Northeast Georgia town, the festival features harvest-themed exhibits, local foods, and community activities rooted in the county’s rural farming culture.

Apple Harvest Festival at Albemarle CiderWorks

North Garden, Virginia
November 7, 2026

Celebrate apple season with fresh apples, sparkling ciders, Brunswick stew, apple butter, artisan vendors, live music, and hayrides on a working farm in the foothills.

4th Annual Christkindlmarkt

Collegedale, Tennessee
November 7-8, 2026

This European-style holiday market offers crafts, seasonal foods, live music, and festive atmosphere with a focus on traditional handmade goods and small-town holiday spirit.

50th Annual Fall Country Jamboree

Barberville, Florida
November 7-8, 2026

This milestone event at the Barberville Pioneer Settlement features live music on multiple stages, jam sessions, contra dancing, historical demonstrations, antique cars, farm animals, crafts, corn boils, and Southern foods celebrating Florida’s pioneer and rural heritage.

Veterans Parade

Tazewell, Virginia
November 8, 2026

This small town parade honors veterans in the heart of Southwest Virginia’s Appalachian countryside, featuring local participation, patriotic displays, and community spirit rooted in rural mountain traditions.

50th Anniversary Toe River Arts Tour

Mitchell and Yancey counties, North Carolina
November 13-15, 2026

This self-guided studio tour through the rural mountain counties features local artists, galleries, and makers in pottery, fiber, glass, and other crafts set against the Blue Ridge landscape, highlighting Western North Carolina’s creative rural communities.

WNC Festival of Trees

Hayesville, North Carolina
November 13-15, 2026

Hayesville’s Beal Center fills with 75–80 decorated Christmas trees, visits with Santa, and raffle opportunities, creating a festive community event that supports local scholarships and holiday traditions.

Christmas in Historic Granville

Granville, Tennessee
November 13–December 31, 2026

This ongoing seasonal celebration in the tiny historic town of Granville features lights, decorations, and holiday programming along its preserved streets, offering a classic Tennessee Christmas experience rooted in rural heritage.

Mistletoe Market Craft Show

Blairsville, Georgia
November 13-14, 2026

This North Georgia mountains craft market features local artisans and handmade goods, providing an early holiday shopping experience tied to the area’s rural and creative traditions.

Mountaineer Week Arts & Craft Fair

Morgantown, West Virginia
November 13-15, 2026

This juried fair showcases Appalachian artisans working in woodworking, pottery, jewelry, stained glass, photography, and more. Held during West Virginia University’s long-running celebration of Appalachian heritage, it highlights traditional mountain crafts and makers.

Claiborne County Christmas Festival & Lighted Tractor Parade

Tazewell, Tennessee
November 14, 2026

This rural East Tennessee event pairs a community Christmas festival with a lighted tractor parade, blending agricultural heritage, holiday lights, and small-town traditions.

Niota Holiday Bazaar

Niota, Tennessee
November 14, 2026

This bazaar in rural East Tennessee offers crafts, seasonal goods, and community vendors in a classic holiday market setting that reflects local Appalachian and farming-community spirit.

Highwall Harvest Festival

Delbarton, West Virginia
November 21, 2026

Held at The Farmstand at Highwall in rural Mingo County, the third annual Highwall Harvest Festival features hayrides, a petting zoo, carnival games, face painting, straw-bale soccer, a craft station, and a toddler play area.

Dahlonega’s Old Fashioned Christmas

Dahlonega, Georgia
November 27, 2026-January 7, 2027

Dahlonega’s historic square fills with lights, horse-drawn carriages, carolers, parades, tree lightings, Santa, and handmade markets, creating a nostalgic holiday celebration in the North Georgia mountains.

Small Town Christmas in Sweetwater

Sweetwater, Tennessee
November 28, 2026

This post-Thanksgiving celebration in the small East Tennessee town features holiday festivities, lights, and community activities that capture classic rural Southern Christmas charm.

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ELEVATE YOUR BACKROAD EXPERIENCE

By the Backroad Portfolio staff

From the historic depot in the National Historic District of Stearns, Kentucky, the Big South Fork Scenic Railway follows the old Kentucky & Tennessee Railway into the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Daniel Boone National Forest. The standard three-hour round trip covers roughly 16 miles, dropping about 600 feet through forested gorges, past mountain streams, through a tunnel, and over bridges before arriving at the restored Blue Heron mining camp for a 90-minute layover.

Enclosed coaches and open-air cars both offer great views, and the narration brings the region’s coal-mining and logging past to life. You’ll see deep valleys, thick greenery, and the remnants of an industrial world that once kept these mountains humming. At Blue Heron the National Park Service has set up interpretive exhibits and “ghost structures” that show where the mining buildings once stood. It also offers picnic spots and short trails.

Read more

This week, we complete our four-part series on scenic railways by hopping on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway in Kentucky, which includes a stop at Blue Heron Mining Camp. Of course, no journey to the Bluegrass State would be complete without a trip down the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. And paid subscribers will be able to access our very own Spiced Apple Bourbon cocktail recipe at the end of this email.

A Journey Through Time and Terrain, Part 4

The Big South Fork Scenic Railway journeys through Kentucky’s coal-mining and logging past

By the Backroad Portfolio staff

From the historic depot in the National Historic District of Stearns, Kentucky, the Big South Fork Scenic Railway follows the old Kentucky & Tennessee Railway into the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Daniel Boone National Forest. The standard three-hour round trip covers roughly 16 miles, dropping about 600 feet through forested gorges, past mountain streams, through a tunnel, and over bridges before arriving at the restored Blue Heron mining camp for a 90-minute layover.

READ PART 4

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Blue Heron Mining Camp

8249 Mine 18 Road
Strunk, Kentucky

The Stearns Coal and Lumber Company operated Blue Heron Mining Camp, also known as Mine 18, from 1937 to 1962. When the company abandoned the site, the original buildings were removed or decayed. During the 1980s, the National Park Service re-created the community as an outdoor museum of open structures built on the approximate original sites. Visitors can listen to audio recordings of former residents and view photographs and exhibits of the town’s past.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Frazier Kentucky History Museum
Starting point: 829 W. Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky

In 1999, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association launched a trail connecting seven founding distilleries: Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam American Stillhouse, Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, and Woodford Reserve. Twenty-seven years later, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail encompasses 60 destinations and attracts over two million visitors a year.

Visitors can enjoy tastings, tour distilleries and barrelhouses, learn about the bottling process, and even enroll in cocktail classes. Tour by region or take a more customized approach to hit your favorite distilleries.

Fall is an especially vibrant time to explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. You’re surrounded by rolling hills ablaze in gold and crimson as you enjoy seasonal cocktails flavored with pumpkin spice, maple, apple, and cinnamon. Read the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Fall Guide here.

Spiced Apple Bourbon

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This week, we’re in Tennessee, starting with the expansive skyline view of Chattanooga above, and continuing with the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s scenic rides through the Cherokee National Forest, the historic Bell Witch Cave in Adams, and the Miller Farmstead Autumn Celebration in Roan Mountain State Park.

A Journey Through Time and Terrain, Part 3

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum runs two trips that offer vintage valley views

By the Backroad Portfolio staff

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Delano runs two scenic rides along the old Hiwassee River corridor through the Cherokee National Forest. The Hiwassee Loop is a continuous 50-mile, roughly 4½-hour round trip that features the famous spiral loop near Farner, where the train climbs Bald Mountain and crosses over its own track.

The Copperhill Special extends this journey to about 94 miles lasting over 8 hours, continuing through Turtletown and Ducktown, all the way to the twin border towns of Copperhill, Tennessee, and McCaysville, Georgia, where passengers enjoy a 90-minute layover.

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The Bell Witch Cave

Adams, Tennessee

One of America’s oldest ghost stories, the Bell Witch Cave dates back to the early 1800s. Legend holds that the spirit of Kate Batts tormented the Bell family with physical attacks, strange noises, and prophecies. Part of the family’s former property, the cave was said to be used by the witch as a hideout. Visitors report eerie experiences like unexplained sounds and apparitions, luring paranormal enthusiasts and tourists. The true story of the Bell Witch Cave remains obscure, blending folklore with historical tragedy, such as the death of John Bell, who was supposedly poisoned by none other than the Bell Witch.

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By the Backroad Portfolio staff

The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Delano runs two scenic rides along the old Hiwassee River corridor through the Cherokee National Forest. The Hiwassee Loop is a continuous 50-mile, roughly 4½-hour round trip that features the famous spiral loop near Farner, where the train climbs Bald Mountain and crosses over its own track.

The Copperhill Special extends this journey to about 94 miles lasting over 8 hours, continuing through Turtletown and Ducktown, all the way to the twin border towns of Copperhill, Tennessee, and McCaysville, Georgia, where passengers enjoy a 90-minute layover.

Ride in a climate-controlled vintage car, with choices from standard coach up to Crown Class, lounge, observation, and dome cars that give you elevated views of the river gorge, forested mountains, rocky bluffs, and historic bridges. Narration covers the line’s days as part of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad’s Atlanta Division, when it hauled copper out of the Copper Basin. The scenery feels remote and untouched—the same lands that our ancestors might have seen from their train windows.

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By the Backroad Portfolio staff

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad offers two classic round trips into some of the Southern Appalachians’ most bucolic lands. The Nantahala Gorge Excursion starts at the depot in Bryson City, North Carolina, and covers 44 miles in just over four hours, rolling beside the Nantahala and Little Tennessee rivers, across the long Fontana Trestle over Fontana Lake, and into the deep Nantahala Gorge for a layover.

The Tuckasegee River Excursion runs 32 miles round trip in about four hours, following the river through quiet countryside and the 836-foot Cowee Tunnel (some say it’s haunted), and into the little mountain town of Dillsboro.

Ride vintage coaches and open-air gondolas, or step up to First Class and Crown Class cars featuring extra comfort and dining options. Steam locomotives are available for selected trips.

These are the old Southern Railway Murphy Branch tracks, and the onboard stories bring that history to life as you ride over rivers, valleys, and trestles, viewing scenery you simply can’t see from the highway.

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This week, we’re in North Carolina, where you can ride the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad through the Southern Appalachians, explore a lost village near Brevard, and attend the state fair in Raleigh.

A Journey Through Time and Terrain, Part 2

Take the scenic Smoky Mountains Railroad through a gorge, over a river, and across a trestle

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad offers two classic round trips into some of the Southern Appalachians’ most bucolic lands.

The Nantahala Gorge Excursion starts at the depot in Bryson City, North Carolina, and covers 44 miles in just over four hours, rolling beside the Nantahala and Little Tennessee rivers, across the long Fontana Trestle over Fontana Lake, and into the deep Nantahala Gorge for a layover.

The Tuckasegee River Excursion runs 32 miles round trip in about four hours, following the river through quiet countryside and the 836-foot Cowee Tunnel, and into the little mountain town of Dillsboro.

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A Lost Village

Brevard, North Carolina

The lost Cherokee village of Conestee near modern-day Brevard in Transylvania County, also known as Kanasta or Kana’sta, thrived along the French Broad River and trade routes in the early 18th century. British troops visited the settlement in 1725, but sometime between the 1750s and 1770s, it mysteriously vanished.

Cherokee oral tradition suggests supernatural spirit people, known as the Nunnehi, warned the villagers of impending danger. After a seven-day fast, the Conestee villagers followed them into a mountain and were never seen again, escaping the wars and displacement that followed European settlement. Today, a 1958 roadside marker and oral history commemorate the lost settlement.

The North Carolina State Fair

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By the Backroad Portfolio staff

There was a time when the low, resonant whistle of a train carried more than just freight or passengers—it transported the promise of elegance.

In the Southeast, silver coaches once glided through pine forests and past moss-draped oaks; dining cars served sophisticated meals on white tablecloths; and travelers watched the landscape unfurl at a civilized pace.

The journey itself was the point.

Today those same tracks still cross the region, yet most of us rush past them in cars or above them in planes, treating the train as a relic rather than a choice. Few still board for the simple pleasure of looking out the window. The routes remain, the views endure, and the slower way of moving through the South is still available to anyone willing to reclaim it. We invite you to journey down those tracks with us, starting with the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway.

Blue Ridge Beauty

The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway pulls out of downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia’s historic 1905 depot for a 26-mile round trip through foothills along the Toccoa River. You can ride vintage rail cars past rolling hills, dense forests, river bends, and preserved homelands.

Choose the two-hour Express with no stops or the four-hour Extended Tour that includes a two-hour layover in the twin border towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee. Open-air coaches deliver wide-open views and fresh mountain air.

Adults 18 and older can step up to climate-controlled Premier cars with padded seats, refreshments, and a few extra amenities on select trips. Rail bikes are available to anyone who wants to pedal a stretch of the line at their own pace.

During the early 1900s, these tracks hauled copper ore and timber. Conductors share those stories as you roll along. In McCaysville and Copperhill, you can explore downtown shops for crafts and antiques, grab a riverside meal, or stroll across bridges.

Fall rides are crowd favorites, as the mountains light up in crimson, gold, amber, and orange. Winter trips run in heated coaches with vinyl windows that keep out cold weather while still framing snow-dusted evergreens.

Holiday Express trains (about an hour) run on select dates from late November through December 24 and again after Christmas, complete with carols, a reading of The Night Before Christmas, hot chocolate, snacks, jingle bells, candy canes, and a visit from Santa. The longer Holiday Pavilion Tour adds the layover so you can enjoy the towns all dressed up for the season. Downtown Blue Ridge joins in with tree lightings, parades, and markets.

You can ride on a Trick-or-Treat Train in October, and choose private caboose options for groups or special occasions. The railway runs mainly March through December and keeps a wheelchair-accessible coach ready.

Know Before You Go

Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
241 Depot Street, Blue Ridge, Georgia
877.413.8724

Book online well ahead of your visit, because tickets for fall foliage and holiday trains sell out fast. Choose the two-hour Express or the four-hour Extended with layover. Coach tickets generally run $38 to $75 depending on the season and route length. Premier seats are higher (around $80 to $120). Discounts for seniors, military, first responders, and teachers are also typically available.

Arrive 45 to 60 minutes early; boarding starts about 30 minutes before departure. You should be able to park on the street or in a nearby paid lot. Wheelchair-accessible coach tickets are also available—call to reserve those. No pets; only service animals are allowed.

READ PART 2

Thanks for reading, and remember to always … take the long way home.

This week, travel with us to Georgia for a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway; experience life in the 1800s at Historic Westville Village; and watch pigs race for Oreos at the Georgia National Fair.

But first, a reminder that our Fall 2026 issue has arrived. View our updated print and digital subscription rates here. Print subscribers will receive their copy in the next few weeks.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

A Journey Through Time and Terrain, Part 1

Ride the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway through North Georgia and Southeast Tennessee

By the Backroad Portfolio staff

There was a time when silver coaches glided through pine forests and past moss-draped oaks; dining cars served sophisticated meals on white tablecloths; and travelers watched the landscape unfurl at a civilized pace. The journey itself was the point.

In this four-part series, we explore the railways that wind through southeastern mountains and forests, starting with the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. Its trains pull out of the historic 1905 depot in downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia, for a 26-mile round trip through the foothills along the Toccoa River with the option of a layover in the twin border towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee. It’s a journey everyone should experience.

READ MORE

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Historic Westville Village

3557 South Lumpkin Road
Columbus, Georgia

Step into a carefully assembled mid-19th-century Georgia town where original buildings—homes, a wooden courthouse, shops, and workshops—have been relocated and restored to show daily life before and after the Civil War. Interpreters demonstrate blacksmithing, leatherwork, quilting, and other trades while the village hums with the rhythms of a bygone community. The 1970s gathering held here helped launch the Artist-Blacksmiths Association of North America, now the world’s largest organization of its kind. The result is a living portrait of rural Southern craft and culture, and how it has evolved over the years.

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State Fair of Virginia

Doswell, Virginia
September 25-October 4, 2026

This agricultural fair at Meadow Event Park features livestock competitions, pig races, chainsaw carving, midway rides, concerts, food, and exhibits highlighting Virginia’s rural heritage, farming, and “Best of Show” traditions.

National Storytelling Festival

Jonesborough, Tennessee
October 2-4, 2026
storytellingcenter.net/festival/main

This premier event in what many consider America’s oldest town features master storytellers sharing folklore, personal tales, myths, and Appalachian narratives under tents. Ghost stories and evening performances create an immersive rural cultural experience rooted in oral traditions.

Carolina Renaissance Festival

Huntersville, North Carolina
October 3-November 22, 2026 (during weekends)

This large outdoor village re-creates a 16th-century European marketplace with jousting, comedy, music, artisan crafts, historical demonstrations, food, and interactive entertainment across 25 acres of woodlands.

Graves Mountain Apple Harvest Festival

Syria, Virginia
October 3-18, 2026 (during weekends)
gravesmountain.com/apple-harvest-festival-first-3-weekends-in-october

This multi-weekend event takes place on a 1,800-acre farm and offers apple picking, cider, hayrides, petting zoo, bluegrass music, crafts, and farm foods amid the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Suffolk Peanut Festival

Suffolk, Virginia
October 8-11, 2026

This agricultural festival at Suffolk Executive Airport honors Virginia’s peanut industry with rides, concerts, demolition derby, contests, fireworks, peanut butter sculpting, and family activities.

Georgia National Fair

Perry, Georgia
October 8-18, 2026

This state-sponsored fair emphasizes agriculture with livestock shows, Georgia Grown exhibits, rides, concerts, food, and youth events on expansive fairgrounds that showcase rural Georgia’s farming traditions and community spirit.

Apple Butter Festival

Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
October 9-11, 2026

The 51st annual event features apple butter stirred in copper kettles, a parade, over 200 vendors, crafts, beard and hog calling contests, and live music in the historic downtown. A Beer Garden Party kicks off the festivities on October 9.

Holiday Quilling Class

Bushnell, Florida
October 12, 2026

Expert volunteers teach the historic art of quilling during this class from 10 a.m. to noon at Dade Battlefield Historic State Park. The cost is $3 per vehicle (or Floridians can use a Florida State Parks Annual Pass) plus $10 per person. Ages 12 and under can take the class for free. Pre-register by calling 352.793.4781 or emailing dadeprograms@floridadep.gov.

North Carolina State Fair

Raleigh, North Carolina
October 15-25, 2026

This large agricultural fair includes livestock shows, antique farm machinery, a Heritage Circle, folk festival, rides, deep-fried foods, competitions, and exhibits celebrating the state’s rural and farming heritage.

South Carolina State Fair

Columbia, South Carolina
October 15-25, 2026

The annual fair on the state fairgrounds features agricultural displays, livestock, competitions, rides, concerts, food, and attractions rooted in the state’s farming traditions.

Shrimp & Grits Festival

Jekyll Island, Georgia
October 23-24, 2026

This coastal event celebrates a Lowcountry staple with chef demos and local foods, blending rural coastal heritage with regional culinary experiences.

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ELEVATE YOUR BACKROAD EXPERIENCE

Our Fall 2026 issue is wrapped up and ready for you to enjoy! Click on the cover image or link below to read the digital version. Print subscribers will receive mailed copies of this edition within the next two weeks. Preview the issue below.

READ THE DIGITAL EDITION

Autumn’s Rainbow

Travel the backroads through a visual story of fall colors

Written and photographed by Robert Clark

As a photographer, I’m often asked what I enjoy most about what I do, and my answer is always the same: experiences. The thrill of viewing something I’ve never seen before and discovering the history, people, and places that make a landscape unique. Keep an open mind, take the scenic route, and you never know what you’ll find around the next corner.

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Roughing It, Comfortably

A first-person account of Airstream adventures in America

Written and photographed by Betsy Tucker

Longtime subscriber Betsy Tucker shares her personal journey from backcountry purist to Airstream owner, describing the unexpected ways embracing a little comfort has opened the door to more adventure. Hop on her 20-foot Airstream Basecamp to explore the joys of downsizing, boondocking, public lands, and new places.

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A Journey Through Time and Terrain

Experience the South’s scenic railways

By the Backroad Portfolio staff

Silver coaches once glided through pine forests and past moss-draped oaks, dining cars served sophisticated meals on white tablecloths, and travelers watched the landscape unfurl at a civilized pace. The journey itself was the point. Today those same tracks still cross the region, yet most of us rush past them in cars or above them in planes, treating the train as a relic rather than a choice.

READ MORE

Harvest Tables and Mountain Roads

Take a taste tour of authentic Southern holiday meals

By the Backroad Portfolio staff

From a Relais & Châteaux farm resort and family-style country kitchen to a sustainable farm community and rustic adventure basecamp, our fall journey loops through the foothills and mountains of East Tennessee and North Georgia in search of authentic Southern holiday tables. Celebrate the season with heritage recipes, hyper-local ingredients, and the kind of unhurried rural hospitality only backroads establishments can deliver.

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Plus:

Resurrecting lost apples, the Colonel’s camellias, ambrosia’s layers of tradition, and the importance of helping others.

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Remember to always … take the long way home.

The Bill of Rights occupies a unique place in American history. Ratified in 1791 as the first ten amendments to the Constitution, each right was designed to protect individual liberty and limit government power.

While legal scholars and judges continue to debate the Bill of Rights’ meaning, some of the most memorable insights come from the founders who created them. Their words reveal both the hopes and concerns that shaped America’s creation as a constitutional republic.

Often called the “Father of the Constitution,” James Madison initially doubted whether a bill of rights was necessary but ultimately became its chief architect. In a 1789 speech to Congress, Madison argued that the protection of rights would serve as a powerful safeguard against government abuse, observing that “independent tribunals of justice will consider themselves in a peculiar manner the guardians of those rights.” This statement anticipated the important role that courts would later play in defending constitutional freedoms.

Thomas Jefferson was among the strongest advocates for a bill of rights. In a 1787 letter to Madison, he declared, “A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth.” The quote remains one of the most frequently cited statements in American constitutional history. Jefferson believed certain liberties belonged to individuals as a matter of natural right and should never depend solely on the goodwill of government officials. His words reflect the conviction that freedom of speech, religious liberty, due process, and other protections are fundamental rather than optional.

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This is the fifth and final installment of our series on the covert Southern missions that helped make America’s freedom possible. If you haven’t read Parts 1, 2, 3, and 4, access them below.

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Next week, we’ll begin sharing content from our Fall 2026 issue. But first, here’s the fifth and final installment of our series on the covert Southern missions that helped make America’s freedom possible, followed by five of of our founders’ thoughts on the Bill of Rights.

Revoluationary Secrets, Part 5

The Bermuda Gunpowder Plot

Early in the war, Washington’s Continental Army faced severe gunpowder shortages. In 1775, Patriot leaders became aware of supplies stored in Bermuda, a British territory. On August 14, 1775, local Bermudians—many of whom had trade ties with American colonies—assisted Patriot agents in removing gunpowder from British storage to supply Patriots with much-needed ammunition.

The operation involved covert nighttime transfers of barrels onto American ships. Col. Henry Tucker, a prominent Bermuda merchant and politician, played a pivotal role in the raid.

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The Bill of Rights

Five founders’ thoughts

By Elizabeth Poland Shugg

The Bill of Rights occupies a unique place in American history. Ratified in 1791 as the first ten amendments to the Constitution, each right was designed to protect individual liberty and limit government power.

While legal scholars and judges continue to debate the Bill of Rights’ meaning, some of the most memorable insights come from the founders who created them. Their words reveal both the hopes and concerns that shaped America’s creation as a constitutional republic.

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State Fair of Virginia

Doswell, Virginia
September 25-October 4, 2026

This agricultural fair at Meadow Event Park features livestock competitions, pig races, chainsaw carving, midway rides, concerts, food, and exhibits highlighting Virginia’s rural heritage, farming, and “Best of Show” traditions.

This photo of a male indigo bunting was taken by Betsy Tucker and included in our Summer Portfolio collection. The small songbird forages for seeds and insects, and visits feeders with thistle or nyjer. They migrate at night by the stars and often form large flocks during passage.

Thanks for reading, and remember to always … take the long way home.

Inside, you’ll find a perspective on RV life, a photo essay on the colors of fall, a roundup of scenic railways, and a journey through East Tennessee and North Georgia.

Here’s an early look at some of the photos in our fall Portfolio collection.

Keep an eye out for an email containing the digital edition on October 1. Print subscribers will receive mailed copies a couple of weeks later.

Reminder: In 2027, we’ll transition to a biannual schedule containing expanded Best of the Backroads issues published at the beginning of April and October. If you’d like to subscribe to our print and/or digital editions, click the link below. Questions? Email us at backroadportfolio@gmail.com.

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This is the fourth installment of a five-part series on the covert Southern missions that helped make America’s freedom possible. If you haven’t read Parts 1, 2, and 3, access them below.

Spain’s Southern Campaign

The Southern campaign of the Revolutionary War was not solely Anglo-American. Before Spain entered the war in 1779, Louisiana’s interim governor, Bernardo de Gálvez, smuggled critical supplies like gunpowder, muskets, uniforms, and medicine through the British blockade to Patriot forces via the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

After Spain declared war on Britain, Gálvez captured British ports in Pensacola, Mobile, Biloxi, and Natchez with little around 500 soldiers and two ships. His greatest victory was at Pensacola, where Spanish forces took the city by land and sea. The attack lasted from March 9 to May 10, 1781—greatly reducing the number of British forces and ships that could be sent to Cornwallis at Yorktown, which contributed to his impending surrender.

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This week, we head to Florida for the fourth installment of our five-part series on the covert Southern missions that helped make America’s freedom possible, with a focus on Spain’s campaign in the Revolutionary War. But first, here’s a brief history of the Amelia Island Lighthouse in Fernandina Beach, pictured above and included in our Summer 2026 Sentinels of the Shore travel feature.

The Amelia Island Lighthouse

215 O’Hagan Lane
Fernandina Beach, Florida

The Amelia Island Lighthouse, built in 1838, is Florida’s oldest surviving lighthouse and the only one built during the state’s Territorial Period (which began in 1821 after the United States acquired the wilderness territory) that escaped major reconstruction. The lighthouse guided sailing ships and, later, modern freighters and fishing boats into Fernandina Harbor.

In 2001, the Amelia Island Lighthouse was transferred from the U.S. Coast Guard to the City of Fernandina Beach, where it remains an active beacon maintained by the Coast Guard with local Auxiliary support. The city offers limited public tours of the historic landmark and Saturday ground access. Tours cost $10 per adult and $5 per child. It’s worth a visit if you’re in the area.

Revolutionary Secrets, Part 4

Spain’s Southern Campaign

The Southern campaign of the Revolutionary War was not solely Anglo-American. Before Spain entered the war in 1779, Louisiana’s interim governor, Bernardo de Gálvez, smuggled critical supplies—gunpowder, muskets, uniforms, and medicine—through the British blockade to Patriot forces via the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers.

After Spain declared war on Britain, Gálvez captured British ports in Pensacola, Mobile, Biloxi, and Natchez with around 500 soldiers and two ships. His greatest victory was at Pensacola, where Spanish forces took the city by land and sea. The attack lasted from March 9 to May 10, 1781 and greatly reduced the number of British forces and ships that could be sent to Cornwallis at Yorktown, which contributed to Cornwallis’ impending surrender.

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Hurricane Forces at Work

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This week, we share the third installment of our five-part series on the covert Southern missions that helped make America’s freedom possible. Then we travel to the Volunteer State to learn about a legendary gold discovery near Greenbrier Cove, navigate the Obed Wild and Scenic River in Wartburg, and preview the 48th Annual Mountaineer Folk Festival in Spencer.

Revolutionary Secrets, Part 3

A key double agent made big social moves

James Armistead Lafayette of New Kent County, Virginia, is remembered as one the most significant intelligence operatives of the American Revolution. With permission from his enslaver, Armistead joined the Continental Army and came under the command of a young French nobleman known as the Marquis de Lafayette. In 1777, the Marquis had anchored his ship at the entrance of South Carolina’s Winyah Bay, then rowed to North Island where he vowed to fight for America’s liberty. He recognized that Armistead’s ability to move between social worlds primed him for double agency, which is exactly what he asked him to do.

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After the Civil War, a blacksmith named Perry Shults became known as the wealthiest man in Greenbrier Cove, Tennessee. According to legend, Shults uncovered a shallow gold streak near Webb Creek with a pick and shovel. He secured a mining charter from the State of Tennessee in 1867, which was, interestingly, only licensed for mining silver, lead, copper, and zinc. Shults guarded the site carefully, taking different paths each time he journeyed to the mine and never sharing the details of its location with his wife. He also melted gold at his forge to produce counterfeit coins, using stolen plates he obtained from a former U.S. Mint worker.

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