Author Archives: meredith
Help Helena, Arkansas win preservation funds in This Place Matters Community Challenge
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is sponsoring the This Place Matters Community Challenge wherein communities across the nation have the chance to win 25,000 to support their preservation efforts. Helena, Arkansas, located in the Delta, is one of the communities … Continue reading
The Milk of Less Wastefulness
I’ve been posting a lot about local foods and food production these days because I believe supporting local and regional foods is key to a sustainable economy and culture. As a folklorist I am interested in the culture of small-scale growing … Continue reading
Visiting with Gardeners Part 1: Sisters Jennifer and Sage
I’ve been spending some time lately visiting with gardeners, asking about not only what they grow but how and why they grow. This is part of a larger research project with Utah folklorist Nelda Ault. We will be presenting our … Continue reading
Garden Practice: Food, Flowers, Research, People.
It’s gardening season here in Arkansas, and both my daily life and research seem to be circling things in bloom. The tomatoes are ripe; the pole beans are taller than me, and the peppers are plentiful. I love coming home … Continue reading
Great article about women farmers and Farmlink.org, sort of like facebook for farmers.
Organic Gardening magazine has a regular facebook feed, and last week they posted this article from Rodale.com about women farmers. The article claims the growing trend of women in agriculture is a movement that could save the future of farming … Continue reading
Documenting Decoration Days
Beginning with the first weekend in May cemeteries throughout the Yell County area will hold their yearly decoration day, a time for families to decorate and clean their relatives’ graves. Decoration days continue throughout the month. I grew up watching … Continue reading
Great News, Technical difficulties, Center’s First Donation, and Crazy Days.
As you can see, something is wrong with the graphics on the site. Not sure what happened, but I hope to have them up and running again soon. I also plan on giving the updated information on the McElroy House … Continue reading
What’s In the Works ~ The McElroy House: Center for Regional Oral History and Folklife Research
After much thought and time spent wondering where to go from here, I have decided to begin the process of creating a small oral history and folklife research center in my hometown. I have included my plans and ideas for … Continue reading
Decoration Days and Mother’s Day—beginning research
In the next few weeks, people all around the Yell County, Arkansas area will be decorating family graves. For our family Saturday the 9th is Decoration Day at Brearley, Cottontown, and Chickelah Cemeteries. The following week is Decoration Day at … Continue reading
Folklorist, Activist Archie Green Dies. (contains links to recent articles)
Archie Green was a public folklorist unafraid to combine folklore and activism. He was instrumental in lobbying congress to pass the 1976 Folklife Preservation Act, which created the Folklife Center at the Library of Congress wherein countless stories and songs … Continue reading