A family tradition my mom kept was to seek out young poke sprouts in the spring and make poke salad, a king of cooked greens. Back before grocery store chains and refrigeration, country folk came out of winter craving a fresh green to eat, and poke was one of the newly sprouted plants that were sought out, along with “creesies” or spring crest. The lack of fresh green vegetables during the winter months ...

It was just before dawn when Peter tumbled out of bed to start his day. He moved as quietly as possible so as not to wake his four children sleeping in the loft of the small cabin. He and other men of the settlement had worked hard to complete the cabin before the cold winter weather set in.
Situated near the Clinch River, on the side of Lone Mountain, and neighboring the Sharps Station blockhouse, it was an ideal location for raising crops in the warm months and hunting in the winter.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon and drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in skillet. Cook chopped sweet onions in drippings over medium heat until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir into skillet the beans, brown sugar, ketchup and cooked bacon. Pour mixture into an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake uncovered, until heated through and bubbly, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

“No, No, Tip,” is from a 1940s -1950s primer school book called “Tip and Mitten.” Tip was, as best I can remember, a devilish scatter-brained puppy who romped and played as most puppies do.
Tip was a boy dog puppy who was scolded for his antics. Tip’s buddy was a kitten named Mitten. Those primer books were written by Paul McKee, who was a professor at the Universities of Iowa and North Colorado. Tip was my first dog encounter.

My daddy taught me how to play ball and to not be afraid of it. But as for my momma, she taught me not to go out into public unless I looked my best. While that included when I wasn’t feeling well, being in pain was another story.

In the 1900s means for communicating changed drastically. Initially, telephones were one to a house (for those who could afford them). They were connected on “party lines,” meaning that several people shared service. Anyone could listen to the conversations of anyone who had access to the line.
Not only was there no expectation of privacy in this manner, but the phone in a home was usually centrally located in the house where anyone could hear at least one end of any conversation.

Invites the community to participate in Decoration Day on Saturday, May 25 at Big Barren Cemetery 515 Little Valley Road, Maynardville from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Join us in a special event honoring our brave veterans, decorate their graves with us, meet association leaders, and make meaningful contribution to honoring our heroes. Light refreshments provided by volunteers. In case of bad weather, the event will be rescheduled for the fall. If you need to be seated, please bring a chair, Thank you

UT Extension and the Union County Farmers Market are at it once again, partnering to create healthier, more active lifestyles. Opening Day at the market will be Saturday, May 4 with a Cinco de Mayo theme – come prepared for some fun! Due to more construction at Heritage Park and the pavilion, the market will be located in the Union County High School student parking lot for the 2024 season. Following are some of the popular programs to look forward to once again this year.

The Union County Lions Club will be setting up shop at the Union County Farmer’s Market on May 4, May 11 and May 18 !! We are so looking forward to meeting all the vendors and our neighbors who will be attending the market. We will have tickets for the Reverse Raffle for sale for $10 each for a $500, $1000 or $2000 prize. AND we will have tickets for The Freedom Concert with the popular Poet Voices and the UCHS Band for $20 each! If you have any eyeglasses or eye glass cases in good shape, there will be a drop off box for your donation!

A car accident or other serious trauma, like a fall, are likely causes of back pain. But the pain can develop from a variety of sources that are not quite so obvious. Here are a few of the conditions that can play a role in creating back pain:

Spinal stenosis: a narrowing of the space around the spinal cord. It’s a condition often caused by arthritis. In the narrowed chamber, pressure can build on the spinal cord.