Tucked away in a gentle bend of a placid river near Iron Duff, Smoky Mountain River Ranch has weathered economic downturns, floods, hurricanes and silent, ceaseless development pressure — all while raising a very special animal those who know call a delicacy.

Often, I hear terms like “buy local” and “eat local foods”. But what does “local” mean? There is no legal definition of “local”, and it may depend on who is using this term and their personal opinion of what “local” means. 

You need a sweet treat but don't want to add too many calories or carbohydrates/sugar to your meals ...what can you do?

Here are 10 ideas to satisfy that craving without going overboard and that contain nutrients that will contribute to health more so than just having candy or a pastry: 

In the seven months since Hurricane Helene ravaged the mountains and valleys of Western North Carolina, there’s been one constant thought rolling through the mind of Guy Smith. 

“In memorializing Helene’s savagery, the agony it caused, the grief and loss, but also the resilience and charity,” Smith said. “I’d like people to internalize that when things are the worst, people are the best.”

Shortly after a wildfire broke out in the Lower Alarka region of Swain County, Southwestern Community College’s Megan Nicholson made arrangements to help firefighters and emergency management teams set up their temporary command center at SCC’s Swain Center. 

Do you have celiac disease or do you follow a gluten-free diet for another health condition?

Did you know there is a Facebook group for that? I set up this group over 10 years ago and it now has over 1000 members. Look for “Gluten-Free Asheville and WNC” on Facebook. 

It’s mid-afternoon and the seats are starting to fill up at the Junction Pub in Sylva. Located along Skyland Drive near downtown, the old-style railroad depot structure is now entering its next chapter. 

Thursday, April 17th • 3pm-6pm

Complimentary Samples
(Limited Availability) 

Question: My mother-in-law is elderly and doesn’t want to cook at all and only wants to microwave food for herself. What are some ways I can make sure she’s still eating healthy? 

Lately there’s a lot of noise about buying products with fewer ingredients or ingredients you can pronounce. This isn’t the first time over my 30 years as a dietitian I’ve seen this sort of rhetoric.