Carolina Shore, Fall 2016

CAROLINA shore

Fall & Winter 2016

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contents fall/winter 2016

14 In the Scene

The art scene in historic downtown New Bern draws both artists and spectators.

22 Fall Into Fishing

Fall fishing along the Crystal Coast keeps anglers busy during the cooler months.

24 Gardener ’s Notebook

Unsure what to do with your garden this winter? Our expert Master Gardener has enough chores to keep you busy all season long.

26 Gliding the Coast

Local marketing manager Christine Chadwick shares her experience soaring above it all with Kitty Hawk Kites.

32 Book Bites

North Carolina authors explore things two of our favorite things about our great state - beer and waterfalls.

34 Celebrating Jonkonnu

This historical African American holiday celebration is recognized throughout the year at Tryon Palace in New Bern.

38 The Artisans

From jewelry designers to boat builders, art comes in a variety of forms in Eastern North Carolina. In this issue we celebrate some of our local artisans and enjoy a peek behind the scenes.

38 40 46 52 62

Metal Works - Rachel Crooms The Sound & the Brewery - Mill Whistle Brewery Moving Colors - Sally Anger Oh, Brother - Brother Gaskill Art in Motion - Lewis Brothers

68 We Can be Heroes

A group of masked crusaders spread encouragement, empowerment and hope with youngsters in need of a lift.

78 On Deck 81 Closing View

H A N D M A D E

ONE-OF-A-KIND J E W E L R Y

Scene

In the

New Bern’s growing art scene draws artists and art lovers

by Crystal Garrett

R

ooted at the confluence of the Trent and Neuse rivers, the City of New Bern is well known for its colorful historic downtown and picturesque waterfront. In recent years, however, it has also gained attention for its ever-growing, vibrant art scene. With more than a dozen dedicated galleries and studios in the downtown area alone and several events celebrating the arts each month, New Bern is quickly becoming a hub for those seeking a little culture.

Evidence of this can be seen on the second Friday of each month during ArtWalk – when art venues, restaurants and shops extend their hours for a host of festivities celebrating local artisans – and ARTcrawl, held concurrently between Broad and Hancock streets with a focus on emerging unrepresented artists.

“It’s one of the most varied arts scenes I’ve seen in North Carolina,” said Jonathan Burger, marketing and gallery director for the Craven Arts Council and Gallery Inc. “Despite that – and because of it – we’re a very close art community.

Visitors can find everything from plein air oils and contemporary abstracts to mixed media collages, classic silver jewelry, glasswork, metal sculpture and more in downtown New Bern. The September ArtWalk features more than 20 stops, each with a different focus or special event, including a wine tasting.

“Our multiple galleries mean artists don’t have to compete or compromise for space to show their work,” Burger said. “Most of the artists know each other personally and make sure to see their new shows or work around town on ArtWalk nights.”

It’s that type of spirit that is helping the downtown area gain traction.

“When we opened Fine Art at Baxters Gallery our goal was to distinguish (Continued on page 16)

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(Continued from page 14)

16

the gallery and New Bern as “the unique art destination” in eastern North Carolina,” said co-owner Donna Slade.

“Art walks and special exhibitions featuring art created by local, national and international artists help create a positive impact for a vibrant arts environment. This vibrant art environment bridges groups within the community. It cuts across all communities as a common denominator, providing visual, musical and verbal language that speaks to the soul.”

While both art events happen on the same night, ARTcrawl takes the focus and extends it to emerging artists who aren’t yet represented by a gallery, said Lisa Bisbee Lentz of the Greater Good Gallery, who was involved in its conception. It’s an important exercise for the artist as they stretch their legs and share their work for the first time, and it’s mutually vital for the local galleries, who may get to see the work of someone they may want to represent.

“For the four years since we started it has been incredible seeing how many artists there are in the area,” said Lentz. “I think I know them all and then the following month I meet 10 new ones.”

The artist added that just this week she learned of a studio she had never heard mention of before, tucked away above a popular business. Artists like to hide – Lentz has made a mission of bringing them out of their shell.

For years, she said, she has had the idea that art, which surrounds all that we do from architecture to furniture design, is more of a performance than many artists realize.

People love to watch an artist at work.

“Finding the artists and bringing them out has been a lot of the fun,” said Lentz. “There’s a lot to be said for being with like minded people.”

Coordinated by the Community Artist Will, ARTcrawl swings the doors a little bit wider, welcoming all artists and inviting all types of businesses to participate as a host. A restaurant might have a musician while a gift shop features a painter demonstrating her craft. The historic Isaac Taylor Garden might make room for a gathering of painters and a book store will feature literary artists. It all blends together seamlessly to create something of a street fair atmosphere.

Businesses stay open later, restaurants offer specials and art lovers are connected by their appreciation for the sheer multitude of art in one place. More than 400 artists, crafters, performers and authors have been afforded the opportunity to share their creative talents with New Bern.

“As you’re walking through town there are little galleries tucked away in alleys and behind parking lots and artists in just about every nook and cranny,” said Lentz. “It’s so much fun and there is so much happening everywhere.”

In addition to ArtWalk and ARTcrawl, there are a variety of arts organizations in New Bern. The Twin Rivers Artist Association represents more than 120 artists with New Bern ArtWorks & Co. Gallery and Studio exhibiting more than 70 artisans. The Greater Good Gallery, located in the Isaac Taylor Building on Craven Street, represents about 100 artists.

“Many of the galleries and shops feature artists each month and will offer space if they like the work,” Burger said. “Artists who are looking for ways to become involved can also contact the Craven Arts Council. “We talk to many of the galleries and stops almost weekly and can help give some recommendations as to where to go based on the artist’s work and current openings.”

For those who are more interested in creating their own piece of art, there are plenty of galleries downtown that offer regular classes, including The Accidental Artist, which allows novices to paint their own pottery.

Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

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Fall into Fishing

O

K folks fall fishing has arrived on the Crystal Coast. Just because the warm summer days and tourists are gone doesn’t mean the fish went with ‘um. Fall fishing in Eastern Carolina is some of the best we have throughout the year. September through December and on into January fishing remains good. This is the time of year to start catching spots, flounder, speckled trout and king mackerel just to name a few.

For all you inshore fishing guys load up on blood worms for the spot bite. The best places to catch them are around the port in the turning basin and by the Grayden Paul Bridge in Beaufort. Bait shrimp works pretty well also but the blood worms are the best. If you are targeting speckled trout, live shrimp and minnows work well when you can get them, however, artificial lures work really well too. Gulp baits and Mirrorlures are always my choices but check with your local bait shop for their recommendations for the best results.

The same baits and lures tend to work pretty well on the flounder also. Just remember that the colder the water gets the slower you need to fish those artificial baits. Try fishing around the bridges and the rock jetties at Cape Lookout, Radio Island and Fort Macon. These fish like structure so if you aren’t having any luck, move to another spot. If you are fishing along the beach don’t be surprised if you pick up some drum also.

For those of you who want to go out and do some near shore and off shore fishing say hello to the smoker King mackerel.

You’ll find these speed machines cruising around chasing bait from the beaches out to 20 miles or more. The best places to catch them will be around the near shore wrecks and reefs.

Find the bait and they shouldn’t be far. Live menhaden are their number one choice but dead bait rigs with cigar minnows work well also. Be prepared though, these guys can literally make your reel smoke because they are so fast.

Early fall is a great time to cruise up and down the beaches and around the inlets looking for the schools of bait fish with the Spanish mackerel, blue fish and false albacore crashing through them. Both Spanish mackerel and blue fish make decent table fare especially when cooked fresh. Even though the albacore aren’t known for their taste they most definitely are known for how much fun they are for anglers. These mini torpedoes are really fun to catch especially on light tackle. When targeting these fish troll Clarkspoons or mackerel trees around the schools of bait fish or cast shiny jigs into the blitz. Just remember to try and use lures similar in size to the bait the fish are eating for best results.

Cruise on out a little bit farther into the deep blue water and you’ll come across the faster and larger cousins of the king mackerel, the wahoo! If you thought the kings were fast fish you ain’t seen nothing yet. These guys are like hooking into a missile and they consistently get to 90 pounds or more – so there’s a lot more weight behind their pull. Troll large horse ballyhoo on dark colored skirts for the best luck.

December and January will bring the blue fin tuna just off the coast of North Carolina. You better be prepared when going after these monsters they are fast and big! The state consistently sees blue fin up to 800 or 900 pounds, it’s pretty much like trying to reel in a supercharged VW Bug. When fishing

22

Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

by Mark Farlow

for these bruisers you’ll need some heavy duty tackle 80-130lb class reels are what most people use. Trolling horse ballyhoo on skirts is a good starting point, but check in with your local bait shop and see what everyone else is having the best luck with.

No matter what type of fishing you prefer in shore, near shore or off shore, North Carolina has you covered in the fall. Make sure you have a valid fishing license and that you check the local size and catch limits.

You can purchase your fishing license by visiting www.ncwildlife.org or calling 1-888-248-6834 or at most bait and tackle shops. If you decide to go out and give those blue fin tuna a try, just remember that special permits and licenses are needed. Good luck and tight lines to you all!

Tournament Trail Looking for a little more a challenge while casting along Eastern North Carolina? Here is a listing of some of the area’s largest annual fishing tournaments so you can prepare for 2017: APRIL Reelin’ For Research. Charity fishing tournament in Morehead City for UNC Children’s Hospital Research Division. The entry fee is $1,000. Details: reelinforresearch.org or info@ reelinforresearch.org.

MAY *Hatteras Village Offshore Open. The annual kick off for the NC Governor’s Cup Series Tournament brings prizes for marlin releases and weigh-ins for tuna, dolphin and wahoo. Details: 1-888-544-8115.

JWR Gaffer Dolphin Tournament. With boundaries from Hatteras to Morehead City, this contest for billfish, wahoo, tuna and cobia includes women’s and youth divisions. Details: www. hillsboroughsfc.com. *Swansboro Rotary Memorial Day Bluewater Tournament. NC Governor’s Cup Series Tournament with prizes for marlin releases and weigh-ins for tuna, dolphin and wahoo. Weigh-ins at Big Rock Landing in Morehead City and Casper’s Marina in Swansboro. Details: 252-4229100 or www.kingbluewater.com.

JUNE Fisherman’s Post Spring Inshore Challenge. Offers flounder and speckled trout divisions, as well as divisions for aggregate weight, senior angler, lady angler and junior angler. Wrightsville Beach Marina, Wrightsville Beach. Details: 910-409-8379 or www.fishermanspost.com.

Invitational Blue Marlin Release Tournament. Tuna, dolphin and wahoo weigh-ins daily during this five-day event at the Hatteras Marlin Club. Details: 252-986-2454 or www.hatterasmarlinclub. com. *Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. NC Governor’s Cup Series Tournament with prizes for marlin releases and weigh-ins for tuna, dolphin and wahoo. Total prize money tops $1 million.

Weigh-ins on the Morehead City waterfront. Details: 252-247-3575 or www.thebigrock.com.

CCCF Spanish Mackerel/Dolphin Fishing Tournament. Carteret Community College Foundation tourney helps raise funds for college programs and scholarships. Weigh-in is slated

at The Boathouse in Beaufort, a sponsor of the event. Details: Wes Daniels, 252-222-6222. *Cape Fear Blue Marlin Tournament. NC Governor’s Cup Series Tournament set in Wrightsville Beach with prizes for marlin releases and weigh-ins for tuna, dolphin and wahoo. Details: 910256-6666 or www.capefearbluemarlintournament.com.

JULY Hatteras Grand Slam Billfish Tournament. Raising awareness of the offshore billfish fishing in Hatters during the summer, this tournament continues to grow with each passing year. Details: 252-986-2500, www.hatterasgrandslam.com. *Barta Boys and Girls Club Billfish Tournament. NC Governor’s Cup Series Tournament set on the Beaufort waterfront with prizes for marlin releases and weigh-ins for tuna, dolphin and wahoo.

Kid-friendly event offers low entry fees, trophies instead of prize money and junior angler prizes.

Details: 252-808-2286 or www.bartabillfish.com. *Ducks Unlimited Band the Billfish Tag and Release Tournament. NC Governor’s Cup Series Tournament with prizes for marlin releases and weigh-ins for tuna, dolphin and wahoo.

Weigh-ins at Big Rock Landing on the Morehead City waterfront. Details: 252-237-3717 or www. bandthebillfish.com.

AUGUST *Pirates Cove Billfish Tournament, NC Governor’s Cup Series Tournament in Manteo with prizes for marlin releases and weigh-ins for tuna, dolphin and wahoo. Details: 252-473-1015 or www.pcbgt.com.

SEPTEMBER Atlantic Beach King Mackerel Tournament. Presented by Blue Water Promotions, this annual tournament is headquartered in the Atlantic Station Shopping Center. Details: www.bluewaterpromo. com.

Flounder Surf Fishing Tournament. Free registration. All flounder must be caught on foot (surf, pier, inlet or sound) from Fort Macon to Emerald Isle. Sponsored by the Emerald Isle Park and Recreation Dept. and The Reel Outdoors. Details: 252-354-6350.

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gardener’s notebook

The Long Days of Winter

S

24

ure many of the pretty flowers have faded and the grass is going dormant, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything for a gardener to do during the fall and winter. There is plenty of work to be done.

Start with cleaning up the garden. This might include raking up leaves and using them as mulch in and around flower and shrub beds. Leaves that fall from the trees can be used as a blanket during the cold months. Applying a 2-3-inch layer of leaves as a mulch in the fall will reduce winter weeds, keep the soil from drying out and keep the soil from freezing. As the weather warms in the springtime the leaves will decompose returning valuable nutrients back into the soil. If the look of decomposing leaves isn’t the desired look, use the leaves as a 2-inch thick base and add an inch of the desired mulch on top. This saves money and serves a purpose.

Many gardens have perennial plants that come back year after year and die back to the ground each winter. For those perennials that bloom in the spring or early summer, fall is a good time to divide the plants. Dividing is the process of digging up the plant and cutting it into smaller sections to replant.

Why would anybody want to destroy a plant like that? Most herbaceous perennials need to be divided every 2-5 years, depending on the plant, to keep it from becoming too thick or dense and reducing the flowering of the plant. A good example is a beautiful bed of Lilly of the Nile plant a friend of mine planted about five years back. For the first three years the flowers were numerous and beautiful. Year four there were very few flowers and year five there weren’t any. My friend asked me what to do to get the plant to flower again. I recommended we divide and replant it. The next year each of the smaller plants began flowering again.

Other perennials such as beebalm, black-eyed Susan, cannas, daylily and many others may spread out of bounds and need to be divided so they don’t push other plant right out of the garden.

If this is the case, simply digging up the plants on the perimeter will solve the problem.

What can be done with these extra plants? Some people simply discard them, while others share them. If sharing is the preferred option, ask friends and neighbors if they would like a plant or two. Be sure to let the recipient know ahead of time when you will be dividing the plant so they can prepare the soil and have the area ready to plant the gift when it arrives.

Aesthetics is important to any garden. I don’t know many yards without a few trees and shrubs to beautify the landscape.

Many of these plants need to be pruned to keep their lovely shape or to keep them from growing larger than they were intended to become. Summer blooming plants such as gardenia, butterfly bush and late blooming hydrangea can be pruned during the winter, generally between December and March, to give them some shape or rejuvenate them for better flowering. Evergreen shrubs such as Nanina, privet (Ligustrum of any kind), juniper, arborvitae and true boxwoods can be pruned in the winter to shape them or correct their size.

Yes. Crape Myrtles can be pruned at this time as well, but please don’t just hack off the ends of the stems. The only real pruning needed on a crape myrtle is to remove limbs that are dead, crossing and those that may be hanging down and getting in the way. If the crape myrtle has gotten too large for the space where it was planted, it may be a good idea to remove the overCarolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

by Shawn Banks, NC Cooperative Extension

sized plant and replace it with one that will stay where it is intended.

There are crape myrtle varieties in almost any color that will grow to be almost any height ranging from those that only get two2 feet tall to those that reach heights of 30 feet or taller.

Which brings me to another garden task for fall; planting. Most trees and shrubs will do best if planted in the fall. The tops are not growing so the roots have the opportunity to spread out during the cool fall and spring months. Even though the top of the plant has gone dormant, the roots will continue to grow well into the fall while the soil temperature is above freezing. Here at the coast, that may be all winter. One thing to remember is to water these newly planted trees and shrubs. Winter winds will dry the plants by pulling the water out of the stems or evergreen leaves. The plants will need to replace that water. The soil shouldn’t stay wet, but it shouldn’t be allowed to dry completely either.

For more information on any of these topics, contact your local county office of NC Cooperative Extension. Every county has an office, and many have Master Gardener volunteers who have been trained to help answer questions on these and many other gardening topics. Find your county office by going to ces.ncsu.edu/local-county-center/ click on your county to find contact information.

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Gliding Coast the

26

Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

E

written & experienced by Christine Chadwick Kitty Hawk Kites photos

ver have that dream where you feel like you’re flying? It’s one I have frequently, except the last time I was wide awake, utterly riveted, and unquestionably flying.

It was just after 9am and the stillness of daybreak had not yet faded when I arrived at the Michael J. Smith airport in Beaufort with my husband Will and our two kids. The air was fresh, the grass was calm in the soft morning light, and the Carolina blue skies were dotted with cotton ball-like clouds.

I stood quietly taking it all in – the hum of plane engines, the thud when wheels hit the ground – when something caught my eye. In the center of the airfield, stood a freedom 220 tandem hang glider tethered to an Ultra-light plane, called a Dragonfly.

The crew from Kitty Hawk Kites of Beaufort had started their day around 7am and were preparing for their second flight. The inaugural flight of the day was piloted by none other than a true pirate, a fearless bandit indeed. I laughed a little at the image, understanding how odd it must seem to anyone unacquainted with Beaufort. However, with the annual Pirate Invasion about to kick off, it seemed completely suitable for a pirate to invade by air.

Swashbuckling and pillaging aside, I was ready to follow in the pirate’s adventurous footsteps. I was greeted by James, who gave me the low down on what to expect as well as pump me up for my adventure. We made our way to the middle of the airfield where we found the crew with a hang glider in tow.

Chris, the pilot of the Dragonfly, and Rich, the pilot of the hang glider, walked up and introduced themselves.

I fell into my own thoughts for a moment and inspected the green-edged, metal framed glider. My thoughts were interrupted when Rich, the pilot, asked “So, who’s our pilot for today?”

Awkwardly and a bit slowly, I raised my right hand, and for a slight instant, I hoped he didn’t see it.

That instant quickly passed and I soon found myself strapped in and ready to go. One last check from James gave us the go ahead. At first I didn’t notice the pull of the Dragonfly or the drag of tires through the grass, having been consumed by a rush of nerves and muscles taut as the rope in front of us.

Exhilaration overcame anxiety and soon I was feeling light as a feather. It didn’t seem to take much time before gravity released its grip on us. Drifting below were the grass and tall trees, and, like our shadow, the buildings, bridges and roadways shrank beneath us. Like a songbird on the wind, alight with freedom, I heard Rich, the pilot, begin to sing “I Believe I Can Fly.” Well, maybe not so melodically and ear-pleasing as the songbird, but I’ll credit him with having the same wonderment.

When we soared up to what I think was about 800 feet, I began to really relax. Size and time held no reference. Water and land interspersed making distances between them indecipherable. There was such a closeness from Atlantic Beach to Emerald Isle. The water was blue and green and crystal clear.

The sand lines shifted through the inlets, marshes and water(Continued on page 28) nccoast.com

27

(Continued from page 27)

ways. Sections of islands normally submerged were visibly silhouetted in the waterline from such heights. The inlet embraced a huge pirate ship prepped to invade Beaufort. Even farther away, tucked between Shackleford Banks and the horizon, was Cape Lookout and the rest of Core Banks. The beauty was truly breathtaking, splendor consuming the vast landscape.

In a daze, I was in awe at the scenery to which I was privy. We must have been at the 2,000 foot mark when a quick rush of air blew past followed by a marked slowing of speed. Chris and the Dragonfly had let us loose from the tether. Just like that, it’s us, the hang glider and the wind. No motor, no more tether, and it was beautifully quiet. It was as if reality had been suspended and I was back in that flying dream.

The winds were surprisingly light and I found Rich and I could speak to each other in a normal voice.

I began asking questions about everything. When I inquired how long Rich had been hang gliding he answered, “I got my very first hang glider when I was 12. I’ve only been teaching for five years but I’ve been around it for quite some time.”

After explaining to me that he moves around quite a bit depending on the season, he asked me a very interesting question. “So, let me ask you Christine, do you like roller coasters?” I hesitated for a second. I had a slight suspicion of what was coming next and blurted a reluctant, “Yes.” He responded with an excited “OK!” I was instructed to push the front bar out as far as we could get it, and, as he pulled the bar back in, I heard him call, “Let’s go for a ride!”

The world shifted. Going headfirst to the ground, the sky flew behind us and my stomach came up to my throat and with a quick gasp, I clutched onto the last bit of air in my lungs. I still managed to expel some sort of uncontrolled “woohoo!” noise as we fell. It was the clos-

28

Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

est sensation of free falling I have ever experienced. We leveled out but I was quickly re-acquainted with the stomach-in-throat feeling as we went for another dive.

My uncontainable smile beamed. By far one of the most thrilling things I’ve ever experienced and I realized this is what it’s all about.

The freedom and simplicity of it all. The countless times I have seen pelicans and seagulls flying overhead and wondered what they saw or how beautiful our coastline must be from up there. Now, perhaps, the birds were asking themselves the very same question of me.

As we made our descent over the airfield, I spotted my husband and kids, waiting for me on the ground. “Let’s give the kids a show,” Rich said slyly. We made one final turn, pushed the bar out and then pulled back in, soaring just above my family as I belted out another “woohoo!”

I didn’t even feel the landing. “Awesome!” I shouted. Consumed by the adrenaline pumping through me, I was at a loss for any other word to describe my experience. I unhooked myself from the glider, thanked Rich, Chris and James repeatedly. Sprinting over to my family I asked my kids, “Did you just see Mommy fly?”

“Yes!” they exclaimed in unison. We began to walk back when my daughter asks, “I want to fly too, please?”

Smiling, I lovingly looked down at her, knowing that my husband will be joining the fine folks with Kitty Hawk Kites of Beaufort for his flight, along with other friends and family. Of course, when the kids are old enough, they’ll have their turn. As for me, it was quite literally a dream come true. If you ask if I would ever do it again, I would say, enthusiastically, “A hundred more times.”

For a video of Christine’s flight, visit youtube.com/realtyworldfirstcoast.

Christine Chadwick is Marketing Director at Realty World – First Coast Realty and overall Experiencer of the Coast.

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book bites

State Authors Update Efforts

There were 11 years between the first and second editions of nature photographer Kevin Adams’s “North Carolina Waterfalls.” Now, with another 11 years of exploring and research under his belt, Adams has released a third edition. Updated and expand- ed, the book contains information about 1,000 waterfalls and contains more than 300 full listings that showcase his color photography. In addition, readers will find GPS coordinates and updated information on how to find each waterfall from the man who hiked to all 1,000 over the last two years More than 400 waterfalls are new to this edition, including: • High Falls on the West Fork of the Tuckasegee River • Carvers Falls in Fayettevelle • Lanier and Fish Jump Falls in Raven Rock State Park • Fall Creek Falls in Mayo River State Park • Many falls hidden away in Pisgah and Nantahala national forests unknown to the public After years of talking with his family about the need for a book on North Carolina waterfalls, Adams was inspired to write the first edition in 1994 simply because "the book was needed." The information did not readily exist at the time. Adams updated the book in 2005 after discovering how much misinformation was available online, especially in regard to waterfall locations around the state. With almost 65,000 copies sold, he was glad to be able to update the book yet again with expanded information and an emphasis on the color photographs of the state's many wonders.

The author of seven books in all, Kevin Adams teaches nature photography seminars and leads popular tours in the North Carolina mountains to photograph waterfalls.

With a list price of $29.95, this definitive collection of waterfalls contains more than 300 color photos in its 560 pages.

While Kevin Adams was busy trekking through nature, Erik Lars Myers and Sarah H. Ficke were penning a second edition at well – but they wrote there new release at a bar near you. Their expanded "North Carolina Craft Beer & Breweries" is dubbed the "most complete guide to the North Carolina craft beer scene."

At the heart of the book are short profiles of 136 North Carolina breweries stretching from the mountains to the coast, including Mill Whistle Brewery in Beaufort and Brewery 99 in New Bern. From small nanobreweries to regional players, quirky brewpubs to polished production facilities, these authors provide a comprehensive picture of North Carolina's quickly evolving craft beer family.

The book contains each brewery's story, told by the brewers themselves, as well as its history and the vision of the founders.

Going beyond the usual regional guidebook, the second edition also serves as an introduction for newcomers to the craft beer movement with a glossary of beer-related terms, a beer-styles reference section and an introduction to craft beer and how it is made. Locals and tourists alike can us the brewery profiles to find locations, hours of operation and tour times.

When Myers, president of the NC Craft Brewers Guild, wrote the first edition in 2012, profiling 45 breweries, his goal was to use the book to help North Carolina become an east coast destination for beer. Four years later, North Carolina has exceeded expectations with its growing and thriving craft beer industry. North Carolina breweries have won more medals from the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival than any other southern state. These breweries are leading the craft beer industry in the south and distributing their popular brews to others states.

North Carolina now has roughly 10,000 jobs related to craft beer and the industry brings in an estimated $1.2 billion a year.

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Celebrating

Jonkonnu

The African-American holiday tradition raises voices of joy each Christmas at Tryon Palace

M

by Crystal Garrett

en in straw hats pound primitive drums as a little girl makes her way to the front of the crowd.

She hesitates for a moment, timidly summoning up the courage to speak.

“Our deepest fear is not that we’re inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we’re powerful beyond measure … You are a child of God. Not just some of us but all of us.”

And with those words, the celebration of Jonkonnu begins. More than 100 Tryon Palace volunteers and staff members, dance, chant and clap their way through the rhythmic paces of joy

and jubilation.

Her words are powerful.

Jonkonnu (pronounced “John Canoe”) is an African American holiday that traveled to North Carolina by way of Jamaica. Records indicate that plantation owners would allow their slaves one day of celebration per year – the day after Christmas, Boxing Day. For this one day, the enslaved people were allowed to experience the feeling of freedom, according to Sharon Bryant, African American outreach coordinator for Tryon Palace.

“During the festivities, the performers could lay aside their daily toils and enjoy themselves in the celebration,” Bryant said. “This was the only time during the year that an enslaved person could expect to meet his or her master on terms that ‘seemed’ level or equal.”

Birthdays, anniversaries and special events accumulated throughout the year – and during Jonkonnu they would joyfully explode in a burst of colorful clothing, drums and voices lifted in praise. All ages participate at the Tryon Palace performance, from youngsters of 6 or 7, to grandparents. The costume of the day ranges from bright and colorful to Sunday best and the celebration is as much physical as it is vocal. Hands are clapped, feet are tapped and the dancing has been known to draw in more than a few bystanders. It is electric and vibrant, yet solemnly sobering.

Traditionally, one of the troupe members – the Fancy Man – whose attire signifies his place in the community, joyfully leads the masses from town to town, like a band majorette, drawing people into the celebration.

“The Fancy Man, who is dressed in a black tuxedo with a top hat, is considered the leader of the pack,” Bryant said. “When issues would arise, this was the main person someone could go to for assistance in facing the anxiet(Continued on page 36)

nccoast.com

35

(Continued from page 35)

ies and uncertainties of their life in slavery.”

He is joined by the ragman, often the most memorable member of the troupe, whose tattered rags represent their ancestors’ heritage as well as each family’s spirits.

Researchers have found mention of Jonkonnu celebrations as early as 1824 in Edenton, however, not much has been found documenting the tradition. One 19th century reference touches on a celebration in Suffolk, Va., but other than that, historians have not found any documentation that links Jonkonnu to any state other than North Carolina.

What is known, is that African slaves first started celebrating Jonkonnu in Jamaica during colonial times. When Africans were captured and sold as slaves, they brought their culture with them – their religious, ceremonial and festival traditions, Bryant said.

Jonkonnu was a celebration with African spiritual roots, combining costumes, music and dance used in West African religious practices. Over the years, Jonkonnu also came to resemble English Christmas caroling and “mumming” traditions, Bryant said, and North Carolina’s version of the annual holiday began to take shape.

“By the 1800s, Jonkonnu celebrations combined all these traditions,” she said. “There was also certainly an element of resistance and rebellion inherent in the Jonkonnu celebration.”

During the performance, participants might be heard mentioning everything from Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad to the slave owners.

“It seems that Jonkonnu provided a chance to get away with

36

Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

picking on the social order of the day in a joking way,” said Matt Arthur, Living History Program coordinator at Tryon Palace. “In a world turned upside down, this would be the one day the enslaved could get away with doing this. And they would do it in a way that they wouldn’t seem to be poking fun of it.”

The similarities of the costume, music and dance to the West African religious practices also strongly suggest a spiritual component.

While the details weren’t written down, the celebration was passed from generation to generation. Due to increasing racial tensions, the celebrations died down beginning in 1900. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that Jonkonnu returned.

“It is celebrated at Tryon Palace to educate others on what an enslaved person would do the only day they could celebrate with their family,” Bryant said.

Want to Experience Jonkonnu?

Workshops occur in the summer months at the Waystation Auditorium, just outside the palace gates at Pollock and George streets.

Workshops cover dancing techniques, drumming and the cultural importance of this annual tradition. The program ends with a live performance at the NC History Place.

Volunteers also take an active role in the annual Christmas Candlelight festivities. This year’s event, which steps back in time through vignettes focusing on significant moments in history, begins at 4:30pm on Saturday, Dec. 10 and Dec. 17. For information, visit www.tryonpalace.org.

When Was the Last Time You Explored Tryon Palace?

Days should always end with a walk through the Palace gardens and a picnic on the South Lawn.

Become a tourist in your own backyard by joining the Tryon Palace Foundation. Members of our foundation are granted free admission to Tryon Palace’s historic homes, gardens, the Governor’s Palace, and interactive exhibits inside the North Carolina History Center.

Members also receive discounts to special and exclusive events held throughout the year.

Contact us today for more details on how your membership helps supports our state’s first capitol.

Membership Makes A Great Holiday Gift!

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ARTISANS

Metal Art is alive and well along the Carolina Shore, from jewelry designers to boat builders.

In this fall issue, we celebrate those artisans and crafters among us who create so beautifully so that we might enjoy.

Works

R

by Amanda Dagnino

Rachel Croom is a woman with stories to tell. There’s the one about her friend that married Lee Iacocca and the time she watched the New York Yankees game from a private box with George Steinbrenner. There are stories of high seas adventures, including the time she was plucked from the 41-foot sailboat Covenant during Hurricane Josephine off the coast of Aruba by a ship from the Philippines and the trip to Majorca aboard Simon LeBon’s (yes, of Duran Duran fame) Maxi race boat. And who can forget Sally Lee’s Sailing School in downtown Beaufort exclusively for women? Croom was a member of her first class.

World traveled with more than a lifetime of experiences under her belt, Croom, now uses her life well lived as inspiration for a line of intricately detailed silver and bronze jewelry she creates from her Beaufort home. An extra bedroom provides a perfect in-home studio space, with plenty of natural light streaming through the window on to her workspace. A small desk and nearby bookshelves are filled with her tools of the trade, beads, chisels, sandpaper and paintbrushes. There are also tools a little less suspect, from dental plaque scrapers and light bulbs to an old deck of airline playing cards and a plastic case to a long ago forgotten cassette tape.

“They sell tools to do all the things these do,” admits Croom. “But why? These have been with me since the beginning and they’re perfect for what I need. So I’ve never seen the need to purchase something to replace them.”

She’s at home here, with everything she needs within an easy arm’s reach, creating small works of art from precious metals.

After a career at sea and another as an engineer with Carolina Telephone, Croom found herself back at home in Beaufort in retirement with little to do.

“A friend had started making jewelry for fun and it seemed like a good way to pass the time,” she said. “Beaded jewelry primarily, but one night on television I saw a commercial for precious metal clay (PMC) and ordered a starter kit.”

Created in the 1990s by Mitsubishi Materials Corp., the metal clay consists of small microscopic particles of metals with organic binders to create a pliable dough that can be shaped using molds or by hand. When fired in a kiln or with a hand-held torch, the binders melt away leaving, in the case of silver, .999 pure. Bronze and gold are also available in a clay form, making it much easier for hobbyists to mold any type of jewelry they like. There is shrinkage involved during the firing process, anywhere from 12-30 percent depending on the quality of clay of used, however, the often allows artists to create even the finest of details.

“It’s a game changer really when it comes to making jewelry,” said Croom. “I made myself a necklace with that starter kit and someone wanted to buy it right off my neck. I knew I might be on to something then.”

That’s not to say it isn’t still a challenging process. Watching Croom at work it’s easy to see that this isn’t a project for everyone. It takes a creative mind to come up with ideas and the steadiest of hands to add the details to the molded clay. Croom went on to take classes with a metalsmith to learn as much as she could about working with precious metals and making wearable art and admits, those first projects weren’t nearly as polished as her work is today.

“It doesn’t require any large equipment and as you can see I have made tools out of random things around the house. It’s been a great outlet for me, a great way to be creative and express myself,” she said.

Many of her ideas come from her travels. After returning from Bali and China, her designs took on a more Oriental influence, for example, and when she returned from Guatemala and Honduras, elements of those cultures became integrated into her jewelry. Architecture, wildlife, plants and flowers and, of course, the ocean are all represented in her work.

Jewelry lovers can easily find some for themselves. Croom is a member of the Carteret County Arts and Crafts Coalition and participates in their shows at the Beaufort Historic Site several times each year, including the Christmas show. In addition, her work can be found at Handscapes in Beaufort as well as on her facebook page, Jewelry Designs by Rachel Croom.

nccoast.com

39

ARTISANS

The

Sound & the

Brewery

story by Ben Hogwood photos by Casey Futrell

A

And then one day a strange sound moaned across Beaufort.

It cut through the rumbling tourist traffic crawling through the town’s historic arteries. It silenced the bugs and frogs that typically chirp from the wetlands by the fire department on Cedar Street. It ducked under the branches of cedar trees and twisted around arthritic live oak limbs, it filled up Caribbean-style porches and crashed through windows on white paneled coastal cottages, and finally it swam into the ears of town residents as they made dinner or turned on the TV or tried to put their babies down for a nap.

This sound — this low, throaty whistle — delivered a special message to those who could interpret it.

It said: “Beer.”

You can either thank or blame Tom Backman for that noise. He is the man behind Mill Whistle Brewing, a nano-brewery and taproom located off Lennoxville Road in Beaufort, and both the town, and that whistle, are integral parts of this business.

Backman, a thick-bearded beer enthusiast with an accent that still betrays his Minnesotan roots, has been sitting in the taproom on an August afternoon watching thick gray clouds that have been pummeling Morehead City, Havelock, and other points west, but, as often happens, have so far completely bypassed Beaufort. Behind him are 22-ounce bottles of the various beers he’s made, to the rear of the building are barrels stuck with taps, and in front of him is a slab of beautiful red cedar that is the bar.

“This is proof any hobby can get out of control,” said Backman, who first got into homebrewing more than 20 years ago when his wife, Barb, bought him a “Mr. Beer” kit. Barb is also involved with the business; she runs the taproom and is one of the five partners of Mill Whistle Brewing.

The business is located in a beige, corrugated metal building at the back of a long driveway. It’s obscured by a weeping willow and a pile of brown mulch. Next door is the lumber yard of Safrit’s Building Supply. In fact, there are no sidewalks leading up to the business. It is almost as if the brewery is intentionally hidden.

For Backman, that’s OK. “Our business model is to be a hyper-local brewery,” he said. “I think we’ve accomplished it. More than half our clientele come by foot or bicycle. They don’t drive here. We’re in a place you just can’t find.”

But Beaufort people can. “They come out of the woodwork and they drink my beer,” he said. This was obvious from day one, when the taproom opened on April Fool’s Day, 2016 and 350 people showed up. The line stretched from the bar, out of the door, and down the driveway.

“It was crazy,” he said. “I think there was pent-up demand in Carteret County.”

Even now, as the first summer in business is coming to an end, Backman can’t keep up with the consumers. In fact, the business is only open from 3-10pm on Friday and 2-10pm on Saturday. “The demand is way stronger than I can manufacture,” he said. “We’re only open on weekends because I can’t keep up. They are drinking it as fast as I can go.”

The town and the brewery seem to share similar philosophies. Beaufort, said Backman, has a habit of doing its own thing, and not only does his beer reflect that, he makes it specifically for the 4,000-resident community. You can tell this by looking at the names of the beers. While other companies fight over naming rights, trying to come up with an new play on the word “hops,” Backman takes a different approach. The Mill Whistle beers are named after places and people.

We’ll start with the obvious: Bofirt, an IPA. Then head to Harkers Island with Hoi Toide, Low Toide and Ebb Toide, a sour, an ale

and a porter, respectively.

Cross the sound and we have “Lidey,” a low-alcohol, fruity beer bearing the image of Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Then there’s “Pennywort,” a saison the color of a new penny named after the weed that is the bane of local gardeners in Carteret County.

“I’ve not run into another beer called ‘Hoi Toide,’” he said.

Backman even feels that his beer “Transgender Blond” has a certain connection to the town. The beer is named in protest of the law the NC General Assembly passed in 2016 that restricts bathroom usage to the specific sex of the user.

“We [the partners] decided as a group that it’s ridiculous for the State of North Carolina to tell people what bathroom they have to use,” he said. He was worried about how it would be received by the beer drinkers in town, but not because of any political fallout.

“It’s super fruity and I thought it would freak people out,” he said.

He believes if the brewery was located in a different part of the state, or even a different part of the county, patrons might not be so receptive. But not here.

“Beaufort’s about tolerating eclectic, strange people,” he said. “I sit in the brewery and I meet billionaires and I meet PhDs and I meet scientists with worldwide acclaim, and I meet artists, and I meet postmasters. It’s crazy who’s in Beaufort. There’s really interesting people all over Beaufort, a town of 4,000.

“A guy walks in and he looks rough. I later learn he’s a multibillionaire.

(Continued on page 45) nccoast.com

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Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

ARTISANS

(Continued from page 41)

He’s sitting in here in a torn-up T-shirt. That’s Beaufort, man. It’s this juncture where the rest of the world meets this Down East, almost cloistered culture of North Carolina. It’s really interesting.”

Backman also bought a solar-powered water heater for the brewery that gets water up to 165 degrees. Like the location, the heater doesn’t really make sense from a business perspective, but by doing this, Backman can cut back on chemicals used in the brewing process.

And this process, and the resulting beer, is what he loves. His goal, with each beer, is for it to be its own thing. He isn’t trying to make a knock-off version of something else. He refers to “Lidey” as his beer for Bud Light drinkers, but while it’s light in both alcohol and color, it is crisp and fresh and — dare I say it — tasty. He made it because he knows that hop-heads pull people out to a nano-brewery like Mill Whistle, and no doubt someone in the group will not like hoppy beers.

“If there’s nothing for them to drink, everyone gets one beer and then they’ve got to leave. I tried to find something for them to drink.”

There’s Gas Can Red, a malty ale that’s the customer favorite. There’s Beerskool, a pale ale he made in conjunction with a Carteret Community College homebrew class.

And, for now, there’s Wet-Hopped Old Plane.

So, about a year ago, a local guy named Michael Jordan came to the brewery with a bucket of hops he grew. “They’re brown and anemic and pathetic and tiny,” said Backman, who was not impressed; he declined the

offer to buy them. He came back this year with that bucket, but this time it was full of beautiful, bright green flowers. Not only did Backman buy them on the spot, he paid the man six times the standard amount he pays for hops. And, rather than drying the hops in the traditional way, Backman decided to just throw them in fresh to the latest batch of beer he was making: the Old Plane IPA. So many hops went in that it made the beer cloudy, an occurrence known as “hop haze.”

“It’s just rockin’ good,” said Backman, sipping from a glass. “It’s just fresh. It’s green fresh. You can tell it’s fresh hops. I love that. I just love that.”

But what about that whistle? Why does it cry out at the same time, 4:45pm? The location of the business has a lot to do with it. Mill Whistle Brewing stands on property that was once part of Safrit’s saw mill. Workers sawed lumber at the mill for 120 years, and at 4:45pm every day the whistle sounded to announce the shift change. The mill eventually shut down sometime around 1974 — Backman has had difficulty finding an exact date — and the whistle went quiet.

Until now. While it’s a new whistle that Beaufort residents are hearing, the original whistle is inside, mounted to the wall.

Despite holding down a full-time job and traveling across the globe with Bally Refrigerated Boxes, in Morehead City, Backman still manages to spend 20 or 30 hours a week at the brewery.

“I chose Beaufort for a very specific reason,” he said. “I travel a lot. I see the whole world, but I also see our country, week after week.

“Beaufort is one of the only towns that gets it.” nccoast.com

45

ARTISANS

Moving

COLORS

story by Amanda Dagnino

I

In a comfortable black sundress with a straw hat pulled down to shade her eyes from the bright September sun it’s not hard to notice the parallels between artist Sally Anger and one her favorite painters, Georgia O’Keeffe.

Slight in stature, Anger exudes a similar peacefulness, especially while discussing painting or the scenic beauty that surrounds her home along the Newport River.

Walking into her river-front home, Anger admits, she has somewhat given up on the idea of home in the traditional sense. There is a small sitting area, a kitchen toward the back and then what may have once been the family room has been transformed into her studio. Small paint splatters dot the coated concrete floor and shelves with tools and paint fill the back of the room. Natural light pours in from a wall of windows that face the water, protected on one side by a permanent work bench. Here, next to a small bistro table, stands Anger’s easel.

The environment and nature have always served as an inspiration, however, it is her giant three and four feet wide faces that people often recognize.

Haunting and ethereal, Anger’s popular faces demand attention – it’s hard to simply walk by without stopping to gaze into their often sad eyes. They have changed and evolved through the years – there were darker periods, heavy in blues, grays and purples, and there were months when the faces were bold and colorful. Anger experimented with metal leaf and added various types of texture through the years. A variety of techniques and styles of painting, even different mediums and brushes, were incorporated, but the faces persist.

Until this year, that is. After a four-month road trip across the country and back, Anger has introduced Moving Colors, large abstract expressions of color that appear almost wet to the touch.

“Some people have a tendency to get a little irritated when you try something new, but others understand the need to continually learn and grow as an artist.”

Growing up in Beaufort, the East Carteret High School graduate admits that as a child art wasn’t always the first outlet she went to. Her friend Pam Morris was always the one drawing horses, she said. She liked art, she said, and played around with it on the side, but it wasn’t the outlet that it provides today.

Anger went on to a career as a nutritionist, earning a master’s degree and coming home to work at the Carteret County office of the NC Cooperative Extension Service. It wasn’t until 2002 when she and husband Jim paid off the mortgage on their home, that she put the wheels into motion.

At this point, art had become a large part of her life and while she was eager to jump in with both feet, her husband’s encouragement was paramount.

“The market was so much better then,” shared Anger. “It made it easier than it would be today. Trying to start now would be hard.”

The portraits helped, she said. Everybody has somebody they would like to have a portrait of. And the welcoming arms of the local art community embraced her – that, she said, has also been vital to her success.

“Local artists are all very welcoming and encouraging,” she said. “You couldn’t ask for a better place to be an artist.”

Upon leaving her job, Anger enrolled at Carteret Community College, where she earned an associate’s degree in art. She transferred to ECU and took the studio classes, but ended her academic career shy of a second degree.

As she accumulated a body of work word spread – and with that, slowly, Anger was able to call herself a working artist.

“It’s the hardest thing – and it’s the one thing that all artists hope to achieve – to be able to support yourself with your art,” said Anger. “I am thankful every day that I have been allowed to do this.”

When she felt stifled in 2015, Anger began the quest that would lead her to Moving Colors – a four month road trip across the country and back again.

“I remember reading something once that encouraged artists to travel – to get outside of their comfort zone and make new connections,” said Anger. “I had shared this with some friends in the art community and wound up with a challenge.”

Contacts at the Craven County Arts Council said if she traveled and did a painting a day, they would hang a show of her work at the Bank of the Arts upon her return.

It was all the encouragement she needed.

“I had always wanted to do a cross country trip, there was so much that I wanted to see.”

So she loaded up her small RV with supplies and her constant four-legged companion Theo and set off on a four month trek to visit friends and family out west.

“It was so great – and so real,” said Anger. “It really inspired me.”

She tried painting full-sized works at first, but soon found that it was much easier, and took up much less space, to mock up small studies while on the road that she could work up into full pieces when back in the studio.

She also found small canvas postcards ready to be mailed, once a painting has been added.

“It’s hard to spend too much time in one spot on one thing. I’d rather get a quick study done and keep moving,” she said. “My goal was to see as much as I could.”

The resulting work, from landscapes and animal studies to the emotional Moving Colors, show that there are many faces to Sally Anger.

“I was already playing with the concept of flow, flowing water, flowing ideas, flowing conversation, even the flow of traffic while traveling, so this seemed like the right title. All things flow.”

While travel isn’t possible, Anger said it’s important to go through the motion – smear some paint around and see what comes out of it. Sitting and doing nothing simply isn’t an option at all.

Next up for Anger, a trip to South Africa for five weeks, including a safari and time in Botswanna. We look forward to seeing what inspiration she brings back, new landscapes, new experimentation, and surely new faces.

“Of course it always comes back to the faces,” she said with a laugh.

“I’ve decided they are my haystacks,” referring to Monet’s popular subject matter.

To learn more about Sally Anger, as well as her travels, follow along on her blog at www.sallyanger.blogspot.com. nccoast.com

47

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ARTISANS

Oh,

Brother story by Elizabeth DeVan photos by Casey Futrell

Down East Carteret County’s ‘Brother’ Gaskill shares his love of decoys

W

Walter “Brother” Gaskill’s living room is part sitting room, part museum.

It’s hard to stop your eyes from quickly roaming from the comfortable sofa and cheerful wall colors, to the multiple shelves displaying decoy after decoy. Some, he carved himself, while others were gifts or purchases from other carvers. All, however, are beautiful.

Brother is the nickname Gaskill has carried since his childhood on Harkers Island.

“It’s one of the better nicknames I’ve been stuck with,” he grinned.

Recognized nationally, internationally and, of course, in Down East Carteret County as a prize-winning decoy carver, Brother admits it started out as a casual hobby to help him relax after work. Carving, however, has become a way of life for Brother over the past 20 years.

As practical as they are beautiful, decoys, once carved out of need, have become an artistic representation of the rural Down East region of Carteret County. In these remote villages and islands, residents traditionally harvested not only their living, but their dinner as well, from the marshes and sounds that surround them. Decoy carving was once a way of life and thanks to dedicated artisans, the traditional craft continues to thrive.

“I worked at Cherry Point for 30 years as a plastics worker.

It’s called ‘composite worker’ now. Did cosmetic work on helicopters and planes, using fiberglass and sometimes metal,” said Gaskill. “Work was satisfying. But you have to do something on the side to keep your head on straight. I’m not the type to sit around watching TV, just waiting to go to work the next morning.”

Brother had been building wooden boats in his back yard since his high school days at East Carteret. He held several jobs, including building wooden and fiberglass boats with his cousin at Parker Boatworks.

“My thing growing up, I was a wood hoarder,” said Gaskill.

“I like to do things with wood. When you build boats, you need people to help turn them over – they’re heavy. I went to decoys because you can do them by yourself.”

Brother learned by watching other Down East carvers and experimenting a lot by himself. “I’d learned things from boat building, figuring things out, how to see things in your mind before you even start. You have to be able to see three dimensions instead of just one,” he explained.

Gaskill draws ducks and shorebirds from photographs he takes. He then uses the drawings to make patterns, some life size, some miniature. So that he never runs out of material to study, his backyard is home to a wire-enclosed aviary with a poured concrete pool and a menagerie of waterfowl, including two whitefaced tree ducks from South America.

“Miniatures have to be drawn down, everything on the same (Continued on page 58) nccoast.com

53

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ARTISANS

(Continued from page 53)

scale,” he said. “The feet are especially hard, because the birds are often standing in mud when they’re photographed.

Every year, he enters five or six shows, he said, often in different categories (life size, miniature, ducks, shorebirds).

“I send the ducks to California, Oregon, Maryland, Connecticut, Michigan, Louisiana, wherever there are flyways,” he said. Flyways are flight paths used in bird migration.

Gaskill’s eye for details is apparent in his meticulously neat and tidy office. A large area of work space gives him room for drawing and painting while high shelves surround all four sides, filled with gorgeous carved birds of every size, shape and color. Brother can tell you the species of each bird, where it lives, when he carved it, and where he entered it in shows faster than you can write “red-breasted mergansers.”

When he talks about his award-winning decoys, Brother has the same matter-of-fact way of speaking that he uses when speaking about the ones that didn’t win.

“A world competition (Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition) is held every April in Ocean City, Md. I didn’t place this year. In 2014 and 2015, I came in second in the world in my category of 3-Bird Rigs, full size. Half the judging is done on a table, the other half in the water,” he said.

“It’s interesting to watch them judge. I make my birds extra heavy on the bottom in case of wind, since this competition has the waterjudging outdoors. But this year no wind came up, so my entries didn’t have any extra advantage.”

The workshop behind Brother’s house is huge, a former garage now full of the sweet smells of wood-working. This is where the sawdust and woodchips fall, the blocks of juniper and pine piled up on

58

Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

high shelves take new shape as mallards or eiders or herons or even woodpeckers.

An electric drill press is used to drill the eye holes, into which purchased glass eyes are positioned and touched up by Brother.

Using a larger drill bit, Brother can also hollow out the top half of a decoy so that it is lighter than the bottom half.

In a smaller back room of the workshop, the tools for carving details by hand share space with prize ribbons which hang on the wall, more decoys on display shelves, and a variety of beak models made of plastic which can be copied for accuracy.

“My favorite part is definitely the actual carving. I like working with the wood, seeing the grain come out,” said Gaskill. “I like making the pattern too, but then when I start carving, it may turn out a little different because the wood demands it. The wood may want the bird to face another way instead of the way I had planned in the pattern. The painting stage is my least favorite. I have a lot of carved decoys waiting to be painted.”

The room also contains a collection of the popular Core Sound Decoy Festival posters through the year. For the past 16 years, the festival has held a poster contest which members and board of the

Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild vote on. Brother Gaskill has won the poster contest in six of those years, including 2016.

The Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild, in which Brother is very active, hosts a variety of annual events to celebrate the traditional art of decoy carving in the Core Sound area – a craft that is continued, much through the efforts of the Decoy Carvers Guild and volunteer carvers.

“Every third Saturday at the Guild, we have from one to 10 kids show up to learn carving,” the carver said. “During the summer, I join other Guild members in demonstrating decoy carving on Wednesday mornings at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum on Harkers Island, next to the Cape Lookout Visitor Center, on the east end of the island.”

According to Gaskill, a lot of people Down East still carve in the “Core Sound” style. “It’s plain, with straight lines. No eyes, no blended paint, very simple. It’s for hunting use, but people collect them, too.” In fact, he knows of a Core Sound style decoy that went for $18,500 at auction. These decoys, he said, are stronger than decorative decoys, and much less expensive.

The importance of decoy carving to the history of the Core Banks area of North Carolina has also been heralded and preserved by the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum, founded almost 25 year ago by an alliance of carvers, local business people and support from local government, grants and private donations.

Each December, the Decoy Carvers Guild and the Waterfowl Museum host their largest events of the year. The 29th annual Core Sound Decoy Festival will take place Dec. 3-4, at Harkers Island Elementary School, 1163 Island Road. The festival brings together carvers from up and down the Eastern seaboard for two days of contests, auctions, demonstrations, food and fun. Carvers, vendors, artists and authors fill the hallways and gymnasium with their work. Attendees may compete in a carving contest, bid on items in the auction, watch the hunting dog competition, the children may paint a decoy of their own, or folks can sit back and enjoy some homemade banana pudding.

The museum hosts its Waterfowl Weekend the same weekend, bringing a festival feel to tiny Harkers Island. The celebration of heritage allows the Harkers Island community to share the natural beauty and maritime heritage beyond decoys. Visit community exhibits, browse the wares of regional artists, take in some live entertainment, tour the education tent and chat with decoy carvers and artisans.

Brother Gaskill will surely be there, sharing his love of decoy carving as well as his appreciation for Down East Carteret County. nccoast.com

59

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nyone who meets Gerardo Rodriguez, owner of Pullmann’s Landscape Associates and the new addition, Seventy West Landscape Supply, can surely tell that he didn’t grow up in Carteret County. But for Rodriguez, it was love at first sight when he arrived on the Crystal Coast. He loved the environment, he loved the people, and he knew this was where he wanted to build a life and carve out his own American Dream.

Born and raised in Costa Rica, Gerardo came to the United States at the urging of a local friend, Michael Farrell, who had traveled to Costa Rica to surf. In turn, Gerardo came to the Crystal Coast to visit his buddy and check out the local surf environment and instantly felt at home along our shores. He returned to the United States to attend college in Florida, mowing lawns along the way, like any college student might, to help put himself through school. It was a career choice that stuck with him.

It was the Crystal Coast, however, that remained in the forefront of his mind. In 1991 he opened Pullmann’s Landscape Associates – a curious name for a Costa Rican transplant. But Gerardo explains he was having trouble with his American accent during those early years. Some folks would even tease him by calling him Ricky Ricardo, because his accent was so similar to the beloved “I Love Lucy” character. It made him feel that the business name should have a more English ring to it – so, on his late father’s advice, Gerardo opted to use his mother’s maiden name, Pullmann.

It was a decision that has worked wonders for this busy landscape company. More than 20 years later, now a proud United States citizen, Gerardo also owns Seventy West Landscape Supply, which offers an array of products for landscapers and homeowners.

There were plenty of naysayers at the beginning, he remembers. There were those who said he couldn’t do it. But there were also plenty of people cheering him on. Through it all, he said, he stayed focused and worked to provide the best customer service possible for his client – customer service that would keep his clients coming back for more. And service that allowed him to see his own American Dream come to fruition.

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Art in

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T

The Harkers Island brogue is thick with Jamie Lewis. Leaning against the stern of a 33-foot wooden skimmer in the workshop at Lewis Boats in near stifling August heat, he is modest about his accomplishments. Quiet and unassuming, he reminds us that sometimes the best things in life are just that – they’re subtle. And you have to remember to watch for them or they might just slip on past in the blink of the eye.

Boat building in Down East Carteret County is certainly one of those things – a craft once prevalent that has become more rare with each passing season. A handful of builders, in small backyard shops, strive to keep that tradition alive today, but it’s an ongoing battle to make a living at the craft.

In May of this year, Jamie, his brother Houston, and son James, found themselves in Raleigh, the recipients of a NC Heritage Award.

In addition to their lifelong achievements, it was the construction of the Bobby D for Florida resident Greg Davis that brought them here.

According to Karen Amspacher, executive director of the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum, who nominated the trio for the award, Davis remembers fishing trips with his father aboard the Albatross, a “true Core Sounder easily identified with its flare bow and round stern.” In his 40s now, Davis, a charter boat captain, felt there was no better way to honor his father than with the construction of a similar vessel. Through the grapevine of recommendations he found his way to the Lewis brothers.

It was, as Amspacher recalled in her nomination, a bittersweet affair.

“The building of this boat evolved into a mission, a return to the days of Harkers Island boatbuilding. It was a step back to the time when boat building was an art form, the careful mix of form and function, known best by those who had worked the water, understood the elements, held that innate knowledge of engineering and design that is a true boat builder. This kind of boat creation requires

story by Amanda Dagnino

craftsmanship in every detail that cannot be hurried,” she wrote.

Four years in the making, the 45-foot vessel drew the attention of the community. They would stop by the workshop for a look and discuss her progress down at the store where folks gather to talk over coffee. “‘She’s the last round stern that will ever be built on Harkers Island,’ was the general consensus among the locals,” Amspacher shared. “The local people came with a mix of pride and sadness, telling stories, many of them remembering the days when boats were built under oak trees in most every yard on the Island. Men and women whose fathers and grandfathers had established the time-honored tradition of backyard boatbuilding on the Island came reverently and regularly to watch as Jamie and his son, ‘took the numbers’ and began to build. They understood the meaning of what was taking place.”

It was a process Jamie Lewis had been through a time or two.

Different, yes. Nostalgic, most certainly. But boat building is in his blood. It’s what he knows.

His father Burgess had built his fair share of boats, young Jamie at his heels. He wasn’t as active as Jamie and Houston, but it was a job he could always go back to.

Inevitably, Jamie would get pulled in to help, although he admits, it wasn’t always something he wanted to do.

“The boys would be out there playing baseball behind the Mormon church and we’d be in the yard working with dad,” said Jamie.

“We could hear them – it was bad. It wasn’t what young boys wanted to do on a Saturday” he added with a laugh.

He built his first boat on his own in 1954. He was 15. His only power tool was a band saw. Brother Houston joined him in his efforts in 1960 and Lewis Boats was officially born. There was no big fanfare. It was just the next stage in the process. At the time, the men – well, boys really – had no idea that they were launching the busi(Continued on page 64) nccoast.com

63

ARTISANS

(Continued from page 63)

ness they would run for their entire adult life. Nor did they realize the impact of the craft they were carrying forward. There weren’t many opportunities for young men and this was a craft they had been raised with.

“It just happened naturally, this was something we could do and something we were good at. It was what we knew,” said Jamie.

And business was good. In those early days it was primarily work boats, although changes in the fishing industry and the cost of construction materials has brought a slow transition to more sportfishing vessels and less commercial over time.

In 1989, Jamie’s son James came into the fold. He had planned on entering the military, but learned during his physical that he had glaucoma. Fortunately, he had another option – and he was soon in the shop with his dad and uncle, further building the family’s tradition.

It wasn’t a hard transition. He had helped out through the years off and on and he had been around boats and boat building his whole life.

It’s hard to pinpoint when he began helping his dad, he said.

“It’s just always been – ever since I can remember anyway.”

For more than 25 years James has been an active part of the team, watching the raw construction of maybe 20 or so boats during that time.

“There’s been a lot of big boats, so they do take a bit of time to finish, a year or better,” said James. “And we do a lot of repair and

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Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

restoration work, too.”

Like the Lewis men that have come before him, the skill is almost innate. There are no master plans, no project board, just an idea and perhaps a basic sketch. From the laying of the keel to the gel coat that protects the boat’s exterior, the skills are ingrained almost since birth.

“You have to want to do it – that’s the most important thing. And if you’re interested and if you’re around it all the time, you just pick it up,” said Jamie. “There’s lots of figuring involved, arithmetic, and you’ve got to get it here,” he added, pointing to his head. “You have to get it in your head.”

A boat is a boat, he added, some people may want them bigger and some may want them taller, but they’re basically all the same.

“It’s just a matter of figuring what you have to change for the size.”

Construction has come a long way from those early days. Sawdust covered power tools now line the walls the of the two-story workspace. Materials have changed as well. The glue is better today, the nails are better today and there is no comparison to the epoxy on the market. But the wood has degraded through the years somewhat.

The men still use juniper, also known as white cedar, for construction although the wood of the early days was old growth with limited knots and today’s wood tends to be younger growth with more knots.

The first boat Jamie built some 60 years ago, is still around, which speaks volumes about the old-school methods used in construction. Their hands touch every inch of the vessel with a level of craftsmanship that can’t be outdone even by today’s standards.

Construction methods have changed little. Sure, the men can build a sportfisher that will rival even the most prestigious yacht company’s offerings, but it is in those old round stern Core Sounders where their heart lies.

It might be hard for folks in many parts of the country – or perhaps even the state – to understand how two men can spend years inside a garage, often in stifling heat, painstakingly piecing together a floating work of art. But in this community, where so much of life is dictated by the wind and the tide, where life once, in fact, depended on those things, it is everything.

“Building a boat isn’t the right thing for everyone,” said James.

“When people decide they want to buy a boat, they want to go buy a boat. Fiberglass boats have hurt wooden boats and backyard builders a lot. When you build a boat, it’s a long drawn out process.

You place the order, or discuss the boat, and then you wait until the builder is available. Then you wait again while the boat is being built. It’s not like going to the dealer and picking out something.”

“The Lewis family exemplifies what Harkers Island boatbuilding has stood for over the generations. Their knowledge is experience-based and their integrity solid. Their talents go back generations and they operate in much the same way their father and grandfather did before them; a honest day’s work for a day’s pay,” said Amspacher. “They do not consider themselves extraordinary because ‘they are what they are and always have been.’

“I was proud to be part of them receiving the NC Heritage Award. They are the best of North Carolina, the best of Harkers Island, the best of the best.”

James admits he didn’t know much about the award when Karen told him she had nominated him so he had to do a little research. He soon learned he’s in good company – decoy carvers Julian Hamilton, Jr. and Homer Fulcher, model boatbuilder James Allen Rose and boat builder Julian Guthrie have been bestowed with the Heritage Award through the years, as well as Beaufort’s Menhaden Chanteymen.

“It’s a great honor, but there are lots of other boat builders out there who do the same thing as us, maybe even better,” he said with a humble chuckle, as if uncomfortable with the spotlight that has caught him.

Houston semi-retired in 2007 due to health issues, but he was there regularly during the building of the Bobby D. It would be hard not to be a part of the history. As the father of three girls, there is no one for Houston to pass his craft to. Now the responsibility lies squarely on James.

But a shred of hope sits quietly in the back of the barn-like workspace. A boat Jamie Lewis built some 43 years ago has made its way back into the fold by way of James’s son Dereck. The original owner of the boat sold it to the young man and he has embraced the project. He’s raising the gunnels and making it a little bit longer, and plans to keep it for himself – a lasting illustration of the family’s craftsmanship that will inevitably be their legacy.

He works at nearby Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point so no one is holding their breath just yet. But even if the young man doesn’t break into a sprint down the path that has been carved in front of him, he will, if even in a small way, follow in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great-grandfather. What they know, will become what he knows.

Jamie Lewis

nccoast.com

65

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We can be HEROES

We can be heroes, just for one day.” For the volunteers of Project Superhero, that line from the classic 1977 David Bowie song is the synopsis of a day spent with one of the many lives they have touched in the past year since their nonprofit organization’s founding. These superheroes have one day to help a child dealing with a physical or mental illness escape from their reality, and live in a world where everyday superheroes exist.

Standing outside the baseball diamond at Swinson Park in Morehead City, dressed in his movie-quality Captain America costume, Project Superhero co-founder Rodney Leary recounts how the adventure began with a “puffy” Batman costume. That “puffy” costume made two appearances that sparked the idea for Project Superhero — one when he wore it to his eldest daughter’s school to read books, and the other in an effort to give back to the Ronald McDonald House in Greenville.

The need to give back to the charity came after he and his wife and Project Superhero co-founder Sarah Leary were there for a week while their newborn daughter underwent procedures for lung complications.

“While we were there we … saw a lot of families that were there

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Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

by Cole Dittmer

and had been there for months,” Leary said. “We were thinking about ways to give back to the Ronald McDonald House, and my wife and I started thinking about the superhero idea.”

In addition to playing Batman for his daughter’s school, Leary and his wife also drew inspiration from viral Internet videos of people dressed as superheroes bringing joy to the lives of friends, loved ones or their communities.

With that idea in mind, the Learys jumped in and haven’t looked back since.

“We started the nonprofit and then began soliciting the community for sponsorships and we have a bunch of wonderful sponsors that are local businesses,” Leary said. “With their sponsor money we bought all these amazing costumes and in the past year we have been to the Vidant James and Connie Maynard Center twice … the Duke Children’s Hospital, the University of North Carolina Children’s Hospital, and locally we have done everything from the Boys and Girls Club to all the Relay for Life races.”

The costumes have come a long way from the “puffy” Batman suit, and the Learys have recruited a small group of volunteer superheroes

along the way to play the different characters. Leary usually plays the role of Batman, Captain America, or Spiderman, while Sarah either dons the Supergirl or Wonder Woman costume. The additional volunteers have helped fill the gaps with other popular superhero characters.

The cause of the day was League of Their Own and Captain America, Supergirl, Catwoman and Spiderman had spent a warm July afternoon with the families in attendance. Catwoman and Spiderman’s secret identities for the day were Austin Purifoy and Sean Willis – two teenagers that attend martial arts classes with Leary’s daughter.

Leary said their 8- and 3-year-old daughters love the fact that mom and dad have alternate superhero identities, and are eager to participate.

“They love it … they want to be as involved in it as they can be,” he said.

“They volunteer now, helping us hand out cards and fliers at festivals, and they both have their own superhero suits to wear at the appearances that make sense.

But when we are working they know not to call us mom or dad.“ While they did not expect to be as in demand as they are now, Leary said they knew there was the potential for big success.

“At times I feel a little overwhelmed, it has blown up a bit quicker than we thought,” he said. “We thought it would be big because everyone loves superheroes, but for the amount of people who have asked us to come it has been a lot — almost every weekend.”

With each of the Learys having day jobs, Project Superhero consumes a lot of their free time, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“When I am using a vacation day or a sick day from my regular jobs I would rather use that time to go do something wonderful like this,” Leary said looking out at the crowd of families gathered for the League of Their Own event.

During a lull in the conversation, Leary’s (or Captain America’s) keen eyes spot a child across the field that may have fallen. Summoning the speed of Supergirl, Sarah darts across the field to lend a helping hand. It’s par for the course for this duo.

At each and every appearance the Learys have a moment that sticks with them. Rodney Leary said often the visits to the children’s hospitals have the most profound effect on their team of superheroes.

“We had one visit with a little boy who was undergoing cancer treatment and we came in, he was shy at first, but then he smiled and gave us hugs, started taking pictures with us, and the mom started crying,” Leary said. “She told us that was the first time he had smiled in days. When a group of superheroes walk into the room and give him a Captain America toy to play with it turns his day around for a little while and make his day brighter. That is what touches us.”

“That reaction comes from kids of all ages too, not just the little ones,” added Sarah. “We have seen teenagers close to 20 years old that are in the hospital that have just as much enthusiasm about it.”

When the superheroes make hospital visits they usually bring superhero toys to give to the children, generally items donated from supporters. The group is taking donations now in preparation for visits to Chapel Hill and Duke this fall.

With the sheer number of events they are asked to attend, the superheroes interact with a wide variety of groups — from children’s hospitals to elementary schools. When the superheroes visit a school they conduct “Sidekick Training,” where they go through what it takes to be an everyday superhero, like ensuring physical fitness, getting outside, helping others and helping their community.

With more and more appearances on the horizon, Leary said the superheroes are looking for a new mode of transportation, pointing out the non air-conditioned trailer they currently haul their gear in and use as a changing room. The vehicle of choice for Leary would be a used ambulance the group can outfit, use for storage, as a changing area, and adorn with decals to let the community know it’s no ordinary ambulance. Then, the superheroes will be able to attend more events while arriving like any good superhero vehicle — with style, flair and air conditioning.

One year in, the Learys cannot believe the number of lives they have touched. At each event Rodney Leary said the superheroes try to make sure they spend a moment with every single child or adult that is interested. Those are the moments that can make a difference in a child’s life, if just for one day, Leary said.

“There are moments at each of our visits that are special,” he said. “If we are just a little bright spot in someone’s day that is what sticks with us.” nccoast.com

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Family BUSINESS 2017

If there is one thing we’re proud of in Carteret County it is our sentinel businesses that have nurtured our community for generations. Many of our restaurant owners, shopkeepers and service providers are keeping up a tradition – a family tradition carved out by their parents and grandparents before them. Ready to introduce your family business and share your story? There has never been a better way than NCCOAST’s Family Business.

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Near the center of Bogue Banks, a barrier island off Morehead City, you pull into the parking lot of what looks like a 1960’s burger stand.

There’s no dining room, just a small easy-to-miss brick building. At the window, you place your order (trust us, make it a shrimpburger). The server writes the order on a paper sack, which soon will be handed out with your meal inside: fried shrimp, tartar sauce, coleslaw, and ketchup, all piled on a steamed bun.

Messy and totally yummy.

- Coastal Living Magazine

Home of the BEST Shrimpburger on the Crystal Coast SEAFOOD SANDWICHES Shrimpburger Oysterburger Scallopburger Clamburger Crab Cake Sandwich Fresh Flounder Filet Sandwich Soft Shell Crab SANDWICHES Hamburger Cheeseburger Big Oak 1/3lb. Superburger Hot Dog Corn Dog Barbecue Chicken (Grilled or Fried) Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato Chicken Salad

Grilled Cheese Steak & Cheese

w/lettuce & tomato or peppers & onions

PLATES

Served with french fries, slaw, hushpuppies and tea

Fried Shrimp Scallop Flounder Clam Oyster Crab Cake Soft Shell Crab Combination of any 2 Seafoods Combination of any 3 Seafoods Barbecue BBQ & Brunswick Stew Fried Chicken (1/4) Dark or White BARBECUE TAKE HOME PACKS

1pt. BBQ, 1pt. Slaw, 2 doz. Hushpuppies

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1pt. Brunswick Stew BBQ Tray with Slaw SIDE ORDERS French Fries Onion Rings Hushpuppies Slaw (Pt.) Apple Stix Corn Stix (6) Brunswick Stew Chicken Bites Cheese Stix Fried Pickles Chicken Tenders Sweet Potato Waffle Fries

BIG OAK HOT WINGS 6pieces 12pieces 24pieces

BIG OAK CATERING Whole Pig (Cooked & Seasoned For Pickin) Whole Pig (Chopped & Seasoned) 1/2 Pig 1/2 Pig (Chopped & Seasoned) Bar-B-Que (By the Pint) Chicken - Fried (Whole) Hushpuppies (By the Doz)

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Corn Bread Stix (By the Doz) Potato Salad (By the Pint) Slaw (By the Pint) Baked Beans (By the Pint) Hot Dog Chili (By the Pint) Brunswick Stew (By the Pint or Quart) Gallon of Tea Banana Pudding (Serves 30-40 People)

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Gull Isle Realty

Gull Isle Realty opened it’s doors in 1964 making it one of the oldest real estate companies in the county. It is also the first real estate office when you come over the Atlantic Beach Bridge.

All employees are dedicated to providing the finest service available as they are constantly researching the market and property values so your home can be priced effectively from day one and make sure the public knows your home is for sale by using innovative advertising and marketing techniques to attract potential buyers. Give Gull Isle Realty a call when you are ready to purchase a home, or ready to sell yours!

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GULL ISLE REALTY RENTALS

The Rental Department manages approximately 180 rental properties that range from apartments, houses, condos, lots, townhomes, boat slips, and commercial spaces within Carteret County. There is much pride in how our office is managed for our Property Owners and tenants. Our #1 goal is to make sure rental properties stay occupied with great tenants who treat an Owner’s property like their own. If you are thinking of turning your property over to management, please give us a call for a no obligation meeting.

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Winter’s Stew

Like any good Southern tradition, there are numerous people who want to claim ownership. Brunswick stew, of course, is no different.

Folks in Virginia and Georgia both claim to be the birthplace of this hearty winter stew.

In Brunswick, Ga., a 25-gallon iron pot on St. Simons Island declares the region as the original founder, noting that the pot on display was used to first cook up some stew in 1898. In Brunswick County, Va., however, the credit goes to chef Jimmy Matthews who supposedly created the original batch in 1828.

The one thing we can safely assume is that North Carolina, smack dab in the middle of the debate – quite literally – is the one that reaps the benefits. Throughout North Carolina, on any given winter weekend, there are signs promoting a Brunswick stew fundraiser of one kind or another. One group, the Elon Exchange Club, has gained fame for cooking up about 1,000 quarts each February with London broil, turkey and a variety of vegetables.

The recipes are as varied as the fundraisers and restaurants that serve it. The basics, corn and lima beans, are always present, and the recipe is always tomato based. Some add celery, some do not.

Some regions include okra, while others do not. And chefs use any

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Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

variation of a number of meats. Traditional recipes drip with mentions of squirrels and rabbits and venison. Today’s Virginia recipes tend to lean toward chicken as the primary meat, while Georgia opts for pork and beef.

Along coastal North Carolina, of course, we love to add some good old fashioned Carolina barbecue. We love our corn and lima beans, but it’s not uncommon for people to toss in whatever leftover vegetables they have on hand. We also have a tendency to add a little heat.

With all these ingredients, one might think Brunswick stew is a challenge to make. It is not. Well – it doesn’t have to be. There are recipes that call for a long day of simmering meat in a slow cooker, and perhaps that is the way to get the best flavor. But there are also faster ways to get to the end result, especially if you have a barbecue restaurant nearby to pick up some port barbecue. We’ve included two recipes – one for those cooks who prefer to take the slow route, and another who want to enjoy the hearty flavor of Brunswick stew without all the wait.

Traditionally, the dish is served with hushpuppies or bread, which is great for sopping up anything left in the bowl. We suggest a nice warm loaf from the deli.

Coming Soon Brunswick Stew - Two Ways

Ingredients: 8 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless 1 pound stew meat (beef or pork), in large chunks 1 tsp vegetable oil 1 pound frozen white corn, thawed 20 ounces baby lima beans, thawed 2 cans diced tomatoes 2 cups chicken broth 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp prepared mustard 1 tbsp paprika 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cayenne

The Clamdigger Inn will have a new name and a new look

Directions

Brown chicken and stew meat on both sides in vegetable oil and simmer slowly, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes. In a separate pan, bring chicken broth, corn and lima beans to a boil and cook through. Add chicken, stew meat, vegetables in broth, tomatoes and spices to slow cooker. Stir to mix, reduce heat to medium high and let simmer for six hours, stirring occasionally. Shred chicken and stew meat just before serving.

Ingredients 1 whole chicken 1 lb. pork barbecue, fully cooked.

1 lb. baby lima beans 1 lb. corn 6 medium potatoes, diced 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce 2 4 oz. cans tomato paste 1/2 stick butter 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup Texas Pete Hot Sauce 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp salt

Directions

Rinse the fryer and place in large stock pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let cook one hour. When cooked, set aside. Add beans and corn to the pot. Peel and cut potatoes and add to pot. Add enough water to cover vegetables under cold running water. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until vegetables are tender. While the vegetables cook, pull the chicken meat from the bones and shred into small pieces. Remove excess liquid once the vegetables are done, leaving just enough to reach the top of the veggie. Add tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, butter, Texas Pete, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Add chicken and stir well. Add pork barbecue. Add ketchup and stir well. Heat on medium, stirring often, until warmed through.

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s ’ t a h W up dock?

Kite Fest Takes Flight

Folks along the Crystal Coast will be trading fishing lines for kite strings as the Carolina Kite Fest colors the skies surrounding the Sands Villa Resort, Atlantic Beach, Oct. 29-30. With cooler daily temperatures and a nice ocean breeze to keep the kites aloft, the beach fills with kite enthusiasts and spectators for the only kite-oriented local event. Free to attend, the Kite Fest runs from 10am-4pm Saturday and Sunday with a night fly scheduled for around 8pm on Saturday. A special time is set aside each day for youngsters interested in building a kite of their own. Also scheduled throughout the weekend are mass ascensions, stunt performances and team flying. For more information, call Kites Unlimited at 252-247-7011 or visit kites-birdstuff.com.

Birds of Winter

As the holidays roll around, many of our thoughts navigate toward home and family and tradition. With that in mind, one of the most prolific traditions in the Down East communities of Carteret County, decoy carving, is celebrated the first weekend in December, bringing natives home and visitors to the island in droves. In its 29th year, the Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild will welcome guests to the Decoy Festival Dec. 3-4, 2016 with events at both the guild office as well as Harkers Island Elementary School. The smell of burlap hangs heavy in the air at the school where more than 90 exhibitors from around the country join members of the local organization as they show off their carving skills, displaying, selling and competing in various competitions.

The festival features a live auction, retriever demonstrations, raffles, food and plenty to keep the family busy. For additional information call 252-838-8818 or visit decoyguild.com.

Just down the road and around the bend, the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum celebrates the folk arts and heritage with Waterfowl Weekend, held simultaneously. Free to attend, this annual festival draws festival into the folk arts, crafts, history and culture of Down East Carteret County. Look at regional artifacts, visit with decoy carvers at work and listen to traditional music on the grounds of the museum. From boat building to duck hunting, the rural heritage of this community is celebrated and shared annually during the three day event.

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Carolina Shore • Fall/Winter 2016

Free Aquarium Admission

Don’t miss your chance to visit the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and help the community at the same time.

Twice during the fall and winter, the aquarium swings back its doors with no admission cost.

All they ask is that you contribute non-perishable food items to the on-site food drive. Make plans now to visit on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, or Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 16, and help a worthy cause while enjoying a day among the fish. To learn more, call 252-2474003 or visit www.ncaquarium.com.

The Big Easy Down East

Get Schooled

Want to learn from the best about how to snag the big ones?

The Crystal Coast is known for its abundant fishing opportunities and winter fishing schools are sure to keep anglers reeling in the big ones. The Hands On Saltwater Fishing School, hosted by the Fisherman’s Post. The program is scheduled for 7:30am-5pm on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017 at the Crystal Coast Civic Center, Morehead City.

The school is staffed with more than a dozen local captains covering a range of topics, including techniques, equipment, strategy, locations, terminal tackle, electronics and bait.

Throughout the day the school will present main seminars and several rigging stations operating concurrently so guests will always be able to find a session that interests them. The main seminars are lead by three captains working together to cover their particular subject material and give different perspectives on what works best for them.

The cost is $100 and includes a fish school T-shirt, breakfast, snacks, drinks, a chicken and barbeque lunch, rigging materials, goodie bags and door prizes. Tickets are available at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors andWest Marine in Morehead City, by calling 910-4526378 or at www.fishermanspost.com/fishing-school/morehead.

Gloucester brings the traditional Mardi Gras celebration to Down East each February with the annual Gloucester Mardi Gras. Started by the Cajun Zydeco band Unknown Tongues, this event has grown to draw throngs of people to the community center. Focused more on the community and family aspect of Mardi Gras, Gloucester’s event supplies plenty of food, fun and music for all who attend. Traditional Mardi Gras celebrations include a parade. In a similar fashion, donations for food and supplies are collected throughout the year and gumbo, along with fried turkey and other local variations of Cajun favorites, is prepared for spectators to enjoy. Live music is provided all day

by Unknown Tongues and the feast is announced with a Fool’s Procession. Costumes are highly encouraged. For dates, watch www.unknowntongues.com.

Feast on Oysters in New Bern

WinterFeast is coming to Tryon Palace with a bounty of oysters, brews and comfort foods. Join the chefs from favorite New Bern restaurants for a down home buffet of steamed oysters, shrimp and grits, sandwiches, hearty soups and of course, Eastern North Carolina barbecue. No matter what your taste buds prefer, this traditional North Carolina surf and turf is sure to leave you feeling full and happy. WinterFeast is held at the NC History Center from 5:308:30pm on Friday, Jan. 27, 2017. This indoor/outdoor event gives guests the freedom to sit down and stay warm inside, or socialize outside on Bate Commons with food, drinks and gorgeous views of the Trent River. Tickets are $40 if purchased before Jan. 1 and $45 after. Cost includes admission to WinterFeast, food and soft drinks.

A cash bar is available for beer and wine. Tickets may be purchased online at www.tryonpalace.org, by phone at 252-639-3525 or at the Tryon Palace ticket desk.

Calling All Chocolate Lovers

There will be enough chocolate to keep you happy all year at the Carolina Chocolate Festival, Feb. 3-5, 2017. The Crystal Coast Civic Center houses myriad booths for one weekend each February with vendors offering all things chocolate. Expect goodies in all varieties, including a chocolate fountain, chocolate-covered fruit, cakes, truffles, tortes, bars, ice cream and cocoa beans. Sample and shop at a variety of vendors all with one common denominator – chocolate. The festival gives you the opportunity to delve a little deeper into the sweet stuff with extra events and competitions. A pudding eating contest and a chocolate bake-off are two of the events that allow visitors to show off a special set of skills. Special outside events include a road race, chocolate spa and others. Local charities benefit most from this event. Volunteers from community nonprofits are invited to participate and assist during the event. In turn, the agencies they represent receive a portion of the event’s proceeds. For a full list of events, visit www.carolinachocolatefestival.com. nccoast.com

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How About Oceanfront?

The Crabs Claw Oceanfront Caribbean Restaurant

The Only Oceanfront Restaurant on the Crystal Coast Fresh Local Seafood & Mouthwatering Steaks Margaritas, Cold Beer, & a Great View Next to the Beach. We are the Main Attraction

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