Food Free Halloween Sponsored by Food Allergy Families of the Triad

Flu Shot Available in Forsyth and Guilford Counties

Who should get a flu vaccine?

Health experts now recommend that everyone 6 months of age and older get vaccinated against influenza. While everyone should get a flu vaccine each flu season, it’s especially important that the following groups get vaccinated either because they are at high risk of having serious flu-related complications or because they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications:

• Pregnant women
• Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
• People 50 years of age and older People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and other long–term care facilities
• People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
• Health care workers
• Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
• Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

Click the picture above for more information about Forsyth County's Flu Shot program.

Flu shots are also available at the Guilford County Department of Public Health, for a fee.  An appointment is necessary.  Please see their page here for additional information.  

Join Step Up Forsyth and the Humane Society for a Dogwalk Around Reynolda Gardens!

Dewey's, Winston-Salem's Hometown Bakery, Goes Online

Oh, Dewey's.  

Ooooooooooooh, Dewey's.

Dewey's,

 you had me at 

"Free Cake Square Day Mondays"

And now this.

Yes!  Dewey's Bakery has gone online!

Founded in the middle of the Great Depression, Dewey's was the area's first all-electric bakery.  The original store was in Downtown Winston-Salem, and specialized in Moravian baked goods.

Cake squares, creme horns, eclairs, turnover, danishes, Moravian cookies, sugar cake, oatmeal cookie sandwiches, brownies, lemon squares...

Birthday cakes, wedding cakes, retirement cakes, anniversary cakes...

Oh...

Did I mention that Blue Ridge Ice Creams is now a part of Dewey's Bakery at Thruway Center?

Both are homegrown companies born in Winston-Salem, etched into the memories of all who grew up here.  The Dewey's on Reynolda Road was where our Mom brought us.  An eclair was her treat to herself, and each of us kids would take about 10 minutes to decide what we were going to get.  Decisions, decisions.

I digress.

Nothing beats walking into the local bakery and picking your treats right out of the showcase.  But if you're no longer in the area you now have the option to drool over the website, make your choices, and have your deliciously fabulous baked goodies 

on your doorstep in just a few days.

Visit their new website here.

And wipe your chin.  You're drooling.

Fall Festival Benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Seeking Vendors!

National Alpaca Farm Days this Weekend! Participating Farm List

Here's an interesting experience...

Celebrate National Alpaca Farm Days

this weekend Sept. 29 & 30. 

Alpaca farms all across America 

welcome visitors of all ages to meet the alpacas 

and learn about the alpaca lifestyle.

Even if you aren’t interested in raising alpacas, National Alpaca Farm Days is a great way to spend the day out in the fresh air with the entire family.  

It’s fun AND it’s free!

Learn more about Alpaca Farm Days here.

Participating Alpaca Farms close to the Piedmont Triad:

Palomino Alpaca Farm Inc.
Timothy Planer & Susan Jaeckle
271 Palomino Trl
Lexington, NC 27295-8915
Phone: (336) 775-2409
Cell: (305) 509-2128
Fax: (336) 775-2409  

Hours of Operation for 2012 National Alpaca Farm Days:

Sat hours:

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Sun hours:

10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Visitor Info:

Old hwy 52 to Midway School Road turn East travel 2/10mile to Palomino Trail turn South to cultisac at the end of Palomino Trail, the gate will be open. Turn right on gravel drive to the barn. Some parking available at the barn. See you there!!

NC Alpaca Farm of High Meadow
Brenda Jones & Jesse Jones
2102 Spero Road
Asheboro, NC 27205
Phone: (336) 672-2118
Phone 2: (215) 416-0281
Web: www.ncalpacafarmofhighmeadow.com  

Hours of Operation for 2012 National Alpaca Farm Days:

Sat hours:	10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Sun hours:	"By Appointment Only"

Ocotilla's Mountainside Alpacas
Robert James & Tia James
4388 BUFFALO MOUNTAIN RD SW
WILLIS, VA 24380-4972
Phone: (540) 593-2143
Cell: (252) 258-2244  

Hours of Operation for 2012 National Alpaca Farm Days:

Sat hours:	9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sun hours:	1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Visitor Info:	Monday thru Friday call for an appointment. Thank you.

Walkapaca Farm
Jeanie Zirrolli & Clare Rocheford
339 DARK SPRINGS MOUNTAIN TRL
Troy, NC 27371-1933
Phone: (336) 461-0056
Phone 2: (910) 572-3360
Cell: (910) 571-8485
Web: www.walkapacafarm.com  

Hours of Operation for 2012 National Alpaca Farm Days:

Sat hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Sun hours: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm Visitor Info: farm tours every 3hrs, meet and touch the alpacas. face painting for the kids, pony rides, hay rides, farm store selling alpaca goods will be open.

Landmark Farm Alpacas Ralph Bridges & Rachelle Bridges 1118 Landmark Church Rd. Grassy Creek, NC 28631-9231 Phone: (336) 384-1616 Cell: (828) 406-2437 Web: www.AlpacaNation.com Hours of Operation for 2012 National Alpaca Farm Days: Sat hours: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Sun hours: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm Visitor Info: Join us at the farm and meet the alpacas! Help us raise funds for the Mountain Animal Safe Haven! Enjoy educational exhibits and demos, and shop for products made from alpaca. Raffles to benefit M.A.S.H. Admission is FREE...optional donations to M.A.S.H would be appreciated. Handicapped parking. Port-a-Jons. No dogs allowed.

Museum Day Live! List of Piedmont Triad Participating Museums

Admission to a Museum can be costly; that's why I'm so excited about Museum Day Live! sponsored by Smithsonian Magazine.  In the spirit of Smithsonian Museums, who offer free admission everyday, Museum Day Live! is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian magazine in which participating museums across the country open their doors to anyone presenting a Museum Day Ticket...for free.

The ticket is good for two people only, and it must be printed out and presented for admission.  Decide TODAY which museum you'd like to visit, request your ticket and mark your calendar!

This list is for all the participating museums in the Piedmont Triad.  This is a national event, and if you'd like to travel a bit you can find the full list here. 

Blandwood --Greensboro  

Green Hill Center for NC Art --Greensboro 

 Greensboro Historical Museum --Greensboro 
  High Point Museum --High Point 
 Museum of Anthropology --Winston-Salem 
 Old Salem Museums & Gardens --Winston-Salem 
 Reynolda House Museum of American Art --Winston-Salem 
 Rosetta C. Baldwin Historical African American Museum --High Point 
Weatherspoon Art Museum --Greensboro 

We're going to visit the Reynolda House Museum of American Art. It's been y-e-a-r-s since I've visited.  My girls are going to LOVE the bowling alley in the basement and the dresses in the attic! With Reynolda Village and Reynolda Gardens on the grounds, I think we'll pack a picnic and make this an all day event!
 
What museum will you visit this weekend?

Special Event at the Natural Science Center: Dinosaur Train!

 

 Dinosaur Train Nature Trackers Special Event

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM  Sep 29, 2012 

Every parent with a kid under the age of eight knows Dinosaur Train!  

Buddy the Dinosaur will be at the 

Natural Science in Greensboro 

to meet and greet with your child!

Fun-filled Dinosaur Train activities, giveaways, and a door prize.  Kids will become an official member of the Nature Trackers Club, receive their own special guide book and membership card, and see a sneak preview of the new Dinosaur Train Nature Trackers' episodes. Guests are encouraged to bring in recyclable aluminum cans to help raise money for the zoo! Event is free with general admission and/or membership.

General admission includes admission to the Museum and Animal Discovery.

Members: Free
Adults (ages 14 - 64): $8
Seniors (ages 65+): $7
Children (ages 3 - 13): $7
Children 2 and Under: Free

★ Greensboro Residents receive $1 off general admission.

Natural Science Center of Greensboro, 

4301 Lawndale Drive, Greensboro, NC 27455

NC Fall Color Forecaster and Where to Best Enjoy The Brilliant Autumn Colors

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower...

                                                                                                                                                              Albert Camus

In North Carolina, we enjoy vibrant color starting in the first weeks of October through early November.  Because our state has the mountains, foothills, piedmont and coastal elevations, you can truly enjoy the "changing of the season" for weeks on end.  

VisitNC.com has a brilliant Fall Color Forecaster Map.  When you open the map, you can scroll along and you will see exactly where and when the fall leaf color is predicted to peak. 

{Edit 10/11/13: the Fall Color Forecaster Map on VisitNC no longer exists.  This year, you can find a Fall Color Map here.}

You can also visit the Fall Color Guy on facebook.  The page is written by a professor at Appalachian State University, and shows fall foliage predictions and weekly updates on the status of fall color development for the mountains of western North Carolina.



North Carolinian's have a gift in the Blue Ridge Parkway, also affectionately known as America's Favorite Drive.  There is no better way to experience Autumn color at it's best and brightest.  The parkway can be enjoyed as a one-day outing, or a week long road trip!  Check out this page for more information about the parkway, as well as highlights to see along the way.

Eeeek!  Autumn also brings more of these big guys!  

 Decidedly NOT my favorite part of Fall!

 What do YOU enjoy most about Autumn?

Block Party to Benefit The Children's Center in Winston-Salem!

Join the Piedmont Triad Living "Step Up Forsyth" Team!

My favorite way to be active?

Bring the kids to the playground 

(And do more than sit on the bench and watch them play!)

There's still time to join the Piedmont Triad Living 

"Step Up Forsyth" Team!

This is a free, 8-week Community Exercise Program, 

and you can win great prizes!

Join Today!

If you've already joined,

be sure to log in and track your activity daily.

Record all physical activity time for each day be entering the total number of minutes for the appropriate day.

Pledge: I will engage in physical activity 30 minutes per day at least 5 days each week for the next 8 weeks. Any form of physical activity may be recorded (walking, biking, gardening, swimming, etc.).

Step Up Forsyth 2012: JOIN MY TEAM!

Farmers Markets and What's In Season: Fruit & Veggie Availability in NC

My favorite part about visiting a Farmers Market?  

I get to visit with 

REAL PEOPLE

 that grow 

REAL FOOD

that is 

HEALTHY FOR MY FAMILY.

And...

They can give me advice on the best way to grow the food myself.
  

I bought a bed of lettuce plants at the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market, and the local seller spent quite a bit of time with me.  She explained how to plant and care for it, and how to harvest it.  

The whole bed was $10.  
I'm gonna save a whole lotta money growing my own lettuce.  

I also got two mum plants, $5 each.  There were a lot of colors available, but this red reminds me most of fall, and will complement my yellow house.  
Can't wait 'til they are in full bloom!

We enjoyed lunch at Moose Cafe, which integrates farm fresh veggies picked daily by market vendors.  I was very surprised to see a packed dining room for Monday lunch... but their reputation is excellent and I shouldn't have been surprised.

For a full list of 
farms, farmers markets, nurseries and gardens in North Carolina, 
 go here.

W. Kerr Scott Lake's 50th Birthday Celebration

When I wrote about the Belo House and the Flood of 1940, I had no idea that this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir.  This morning, on the front page of the Winston-Salem Journal, there was a very detailed article about the dam's history and the celebration that is taking place next week. 

The celebration will be at Dark Mountain Park, located near the Visitor Assistance Center at the dam on September 15.  There will be a cake-cutting at 11am, and exhibitors will be in the Dark Mountain fields from 1-3pm.  There will be games and activities for children, as well as tours.

For more information about the park, this event, and directions please go here .

North Carolina Agricultural Fairs

 North Carolina Association of Agricultural Fairs

We've got a bunch of agricultural fairs in our neck o' the woods!  Here's a link to those that are within an hour (or so) drive:

Forsyth County: Dixie Classic Fair 

                                    September 28 - October 07

                                                      421 W. 27th Street
                                                      Winston Salem, NC 27102
Guilford County: Central Carolina Fair
                                                        September 14 - September 23
                                                        1921 West Lee St.
                                                        Greensboro, NC 27435

Davidson County: Davidson County Agricultural Fair

                                     September 17 - September 22

                                                       400 Greensboro Street Ext.
                                                       Lexington, NC 27295

Stokes County: Stokes County Ag Fair

                                                       September 10 - September 15

                                                       4366 S. Main Street
                                                       King, NC 27021

Surry County: Surry County Agricultural Fair 

                                     August 28 - September 01

                                                       691 W. Lebanon Street
                                                       Mt. Airy, NC 27030

Rowan County: Rowan County Agricultural & Industrial Fair

                                                       September 17 - September 22

                                                       1560 Julian Road
                                                       Salisbury, NC 28146

Iredell County: Iredell County Agricultural Fair

                                                       September 03 - September 08

                                                       630 N. Main St.
                                                       Troutman, NC 28166

Vintage Carousel Unicorn brooch

 

For the full listing of Agricultural Fairs in North Carolina, please go here. 

History Recorded on a Postcard: Belo House and the Flood of 1940

While looking online for old postcards of our area, I came upon this one of the Belo House. Located at the corner of Main and Bank Streets in Old Salem, Belo House is currently owned by the Salem Congregation.   The home was completed in the 1860s by one of the wealthiest residents of Salem.  You can read more about it's history at Digital Forsyth.  This postcard was postmarked August 25, 1940. 

Built for cabinetmaker Edward Belo, this home represents Old Salem's adoption of the Greek Revival Style.

The house is beautiful, but it was not the most interesting part of this postcard... what I found interesting is what was written on the back.

Dear Art, Well we really got in the middle some some excitement this time.  Water up to the roof of a house.  A land slide + many other things.  Love, Florence

Water up to the roof?

Land slide?

This history of the Yadkin River is from Yadkin River Story's Blog.  It was researched and written  by students at Wake Forest University, and each paragraph is credited to the student that wrote it.

"The 1940 flood of the Yadkin River was the effect of a category one hurricane that hit the region of North Carolina very hard.  Citizens who live along the river rely on it very heavily.  They use the water to irrigate their crops if they are farmers; also there are many fishermen who use the plentiful fish population for food.  Whatever the case may be, the river provides many things to many diverse people.  Everything the river gives can be taken away just as quickly.  In one night, a whole year’s tobacco crop can be lost to the churning flood waters of the Yadkin River. Matt Marsh

The Kerr-Scott Reservoir in Wilkesboro was built in response to the floods of 1899, 1916, and 1940, as a way to reduce flood damage.  I was surprised to find that the citizens of Wilkesboro waited until the flood of 1940 to prevent the recurrence of these floods.  As a result of the massive destruction caused by flooding on the Yadkin River, I thought citizens would have been more prompt in taking actions to protect their city.  Molly Rozeboom"

There are fascinating photos of damage from the flood at Digital Forsyth.  Train cars overturned, houses nearly submerged,  bridges inundated.

History recorded... on a postcard. 

Digging a little deeper, I think I've found a little bit of history about the writer of the postcard herself, and the man to whom she sent it.  
I could be completely wrong about this information, but it does seem to make sense.

Florence Prihoda would have been 30 years old when she visited Winston-Salem.  According to the records I discovered, she came through Ellis Island on October 11, 1922 at the age of 12.  She arrived with her parents, Rudolf and Julia Prihoda.  

And Arthur Prihoda, to whom the postcard was sent, was a USNR World War II veteran.  He died on November 22, 1966 and is buried in Ridgelawn Cemetary in Elyria, Ohio.

Yes, I was able to dig all this up from a postcard.  The magic of the internet.

Find a Farm, Farmers Market, Nursery or Garden Center in the Piedmont Triad

Photo shared by  Buffalo Creek Farm and Creamery in Germanton, NC

Visit NC Farm Fresh to find a Farm, Farmers Market, Nursery or Garden Center closest to you!