We might well speak of the great state of North Carolina, because it is surely that. But we’re making a motion to swap that “great” for “grape,” because isn’t it about time the muscadine got its due? The Outer Banks’ Mother Vine has been around for more than 400 years, after all, and elsewhere in the state, artists and booksellers have turned to grapevines and their fruit for inspiration. The South’s famed scuppernong grape was named for a river here in North Carolina. We already knew these sweet, substantial fruits make good wine. And as it turns out, they make a great pie, too — skins (surprise!) and all. Or so we’ve heard through the — well, you know.
On Roanoke Island, in the care of a vigilant couple, a piece of our history still grows.
Grapevines join bark and kudzu in an Asheville artist’s unique take on baskets.
At Greensboro’s independent bookstore, good reads are ripe for the picking.
Grape skins in a pie? It used to be commonplace, and with good reason. Let’s bring it back.
In Columbia, the river that gave its name to our grape is a lifeline and a family tie.
A new mobile museum helps visitors understand the deep history of the country’s first incorporated African American town, its faith born of resilience, and, most important, its hopes for the future.
Satisfy your curiosity by visiting some of our state’s wild, wonderful, and yes, sometimes (lovably) wacky museums, big and small.
Western North Carolina is at its most stunning when autumn arrives and the leaves burst into color. Before you head out leaf-peeping this fall, check in weekly to see what colors our experts are seeing at 22 of our favorite mountain spots.
When the threads of life get tangled, there’s one place where North Carolina knitters go to get advice, share joys and sorrows, and create something together: the couch at their favorite yarn shop.
