By Paula Mitchell
Sugar Grove
The chestnut industry began in the early 19th century, becoming very quickly a major economic force. By the late 19th century, the industry employed thousands of people and was worth millions of dollars. The tree itself was of a dominant species making up an estimated 25 percent of the hardwood forests, and being prized for its strong durable wood. The sash-like region could be traced from New England to Ohio and Pennsylvania, to West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana. It was a beautiful sight to behold the Blue Ridge Mountain landscape looking as though it had been blanketed by snow when they began to bloom each summer.
For the people of Appalachia, the chestnut was economically important. The reddish-brown wood was soft, easy to split, very resistant to decay, did not warp or shrink, and was lightweight. Because of the resistance to decay, industry quickly sprang up throughout the area to use the wood for posts, poles, piling, railroad ties, musical instruments, houses, flooring, telephone and telegraph poles many of which can still be seen today, and split rail fences, which can still be found along country roads throughout the region. The straight grained wood was ideal for furniture, caskets, and log cabins and their foundations. Builders and furniture makers prized this straight-grained wood, which was rot-resistant, light, and easy to work with. The tree was a graceful shade tree, mostly found in city squares and rural homesteads.
The fruit that fell to the ground was an important cash crop. Families raked them up by the bushels and took them by wagon loads to sell in nearby towns. Chestnuts were cooked of their own consumption. They are dense with calories, rich in vitamin C and antioxidant. The wood and bark were rich in tannic acid which provided tannins for use in tanning of leather.
The population of game animals, such as squirrels, grouse, black bear, racoons, and wild turkeys, that had once fed on abundant chestnuts were in peril when a devastating chestnut blight fungus was introduced from Asia in the early 1900s. This blight quickly spread throughout the forests, taking on a frightening twist as the trees began to show signs of the disease, killing billions of trees in a relatively short time. The loss had a significant ecological and economic impact, virtually collapsing the industry, and having a significant impact on the environment.
Despite the challenges, there is still hope for the future of the American chestnut. Researches are working to develop blight-resistant chestnut trees, restoring the chestnut to its rightful place in the eastern forests.
Life’s little instructions include the following:
- Avoid all unnecessary meetings.
- Write everything a person wants to achieve in a day.
- Offer to take someone’s empty shopping cart to its resting place.
- Burn candles.
- Use the nice sheets.
The writer saw her first hummingbird this past Wednesday. Seeing the friendly bird brings a smile to her face.
Sunday morning temperatures were 38 with a beautiful blue sky. The red bud trees are of a dim color this year, due to the frosty mornings.
This week’s quotes are as follows: “All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific.” — Jane Wagner “My father said that there were two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers.” — Marlo Thomas “If you want to make enemies, try to change something.” — Woodrow Wilson “A man who stands for nothing, will stand for anything.” — Malcolm X “Some trash is recycled, some is thrown away, some ends up where it shouldn’t end up.” — Carlo Ratti
Sitting on the porch swing is a great place to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
When traveling Reddish Knob, one will note that the flag that had been flying at the spring, is no longer there. Perhaps it was the vicious winds that allowed it to take off.
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follow:
- The armhole in clothes, where the sleeves are sewn, is called armscye.
- Illegible handwriting is called griffonage.
- If all the books in the New York Public Library were lined up, they would stretch 8 miles.
- Virginia Woolf wrote all her books while standing.
- Chickens sweat.
Birthdays for May include the following: Betty Kimble, Dave Basagic and Krista Simmons, third; Connor Hedrick, fourth; Sandy Simmons, fifth; Linda Fay Rexrode, Ashlyn Wimer, Shalee Wilburn and Dwight Moyers, sixth; Bobby Bodkin, seventh; Grey Cassell, Jean Hudson, Kay Simmons and Donna Evick, eighth; Linnea Fisher, 10th; Willard Rader, Susan Kiser and Juanita Scott, 11th; Jean Ann Homan, 13th; Missy Harrison, Dinah Beverly and Orville Harper, 14th; Liam Simmons and Lori Lambert, 15th; and Tina Via and Reagan McConnell, 16th.
Concerns for the week are for Charles Anderson, John Ashley, Roger Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Dave Basagic, Allen Beachler, Liz and Mick Bodkin, “Bo” Boggs, Joyce Calhoun, the Mario Claro family, Marie Cole, Stanley Dahmer, Phil Downs, Jennifer Errett, Isaac Eye, Marie Eye, Mary Eye, Carl Gant, David Gillespie, Patsy Green, JC Hammer, Sharon Harr, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Hannah Hedrick, Jack and Starr Hedrick, Larry Hedrick, George Hevener, Chuck and Tracy Hiett, Jim Hiner, Evan Hise, Tim Hively, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Julia Homan, Keith Hoover, Myrtle Hoover, Debbie Horst, Linda Jones, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, Tom and Kim Kline, Tracie Knight, Laura Kropp, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Rex Landis, Donna Mallow, Roger and Skip Mallow, Audree Marsh, Ed May, Gene and Joan McConnell, Gary McDonald, Neil McLaughlin, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Tom Mitchell, Barbara Moats, Gloria Moats, Jim Moats, Helen Nash, Rick Neil, Aaron Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryl Paine, Terri Parker, Andy Pond, Janice Propst, Alda Propst, Janis Propst, Marilyn Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, Virginia Propst, Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger, Tom Rader, Willard Rader, Brandon Reel, Jason Rexrode, Jimmy Rexrode, Linda Fay Rexrode, Brittany Shriver, Annie Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Greg Simmons, Judy Simmons, Nelson Simmons, Tonya Simon, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, Ed and Carolyn Smith, Natalie Stephenson, Tina Stuben, Steve Stump, Linda and Larry Vandevander, Sandra Vandevander, Amy Vaus, Estelle Wagner, Mary Louise Waldschlager, Amby Waybright, Jr., Rene White, Sherry Wilfong, Judy Williams, Ann and Ed Wimer, Christians persecuted around the world, people of war ravaged countries and families affected by natural disasters.
