Tim Barnwell Photography

05/08/2026

I’m excited to share a brand-new YouTube episode of The Face of Appalachia with you all! Titled, “Before Amazon: The Peddler Trucks of Appalachia,” this one looks back at something many folks around Southern Appalachia still remember fondly — the old peddler trucks, sometimes called “rolling stores,” that traveled the back roads bringing groceries and supplies to remote mountain families. Before Amazon, UPS, or DoorDash… the store came to you.

In this episode we hear memories from mountain elders who remember trading eggs, chickens, herbs, black walnuts, butter, and other goods to the peddler in exchange for things families couldn’t produce themselves like sugar, coffee, flour, and kerosene for lamps.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch and help us continue preserving these mountain stories and traditions. And if you enjoy the episode, I’d really appreciate you sharing it with friends and family. Thanks so much for following along and supporting this project. It means a great deal to me.

The Face of Appalachia: EPISODE 53Before Amazon… before DoorDash… before delivery apps and online shopping… the store came to the mountains. In this episode ...

04/26/2026

Found numerous trillium along the Cat Gap Trail in Pisgah National Forest. Not as many as usual but lots of white and red colors. Love this time of year when wildflowers are in bloom before tree canopy fills in for the summer.

04/25/2026

Went to Montreat College this week to photograph a large group of folks and spent time at Lake Susan while waiting. Beautiful evening. Lovely stone buildings.

04/24/2026

Spring has a way of showing up quietly in the mountains… and sometimes, you can smell it before you ever see it. I’ve been exploring the world of ramps over the past few weeks, attending the Cherokee Rainbow & Ramps festival and spending the day with my friends Phillip and Donna Parker in Madsion County, NC, digging and preparing a meal with ramps.

We’ve just released a new episode on our YouTube channel, The Face of Appalachia, about ramps and hope you’ll take a look. In it, we follow a tradition that’s been passed down for generations—digging, preparing, and sharing ramps. What starts as a simple outing in the woods becomes something much bigger… a meal shared with family, a gathering of friends, and a connection to the past that still holds strong today.

From a hillside in Madison County to the Cherokee Rainbow and Ramp Festival, this episode explores how one short season brings people together across Appalachia—whether around a kitchen table or serving hundreds at a community celebration.
And if you believe stories like this are worth preserving, we’d appreciate you subscribing to The Face of Appalachia and sharing this with someone who remembers ramp season.
https://youtu.be/QWJaifwJ0SU

04/23/2026

Every year we hike to this spot where Pink Lady Slippers bloom. Usually mid April. This year's are nice but maybe not as good as some years past, probably due to drought conditions. But still beautiful to see this many in one location! In Pisgah National Forest near Brevard.

04/12/2026

The azalea garden at the Biltmore Estate is perfect right now. Stunning display with a wide variety of types and colors. Busy day but big space so very pleasant and perfect weather.

04/10/2026

Hey. If you are like me and have some old cast iron pans passed down through your family and want to learn about how to season, clean and cook with them, I think you’ll enjoy our latest episode (insert title) on our YouTube channel, The Face of Appalachia. In it, we follow the story of three cast iron skillets that once belonged to Martha Parker—used for years in her kitchen, then later left hanging quietly on a back porch at her husband Ken Parker’s home.

Her daughter, Kim, grew up with those pans… watching meals being made and family life unfolding around them. Now, she’s chosen to restore them and pass them on to the next generation. We begin by hearing the story behind the pans and the role cast iron played in their lives. From there, we follow the restoration process—bringing these pieces back from years of use and time, without losing the history they carry.

Along the way, we hear from others who help us understand why cast iron mattered so much in Appalachian life—from cooking on wood stoves to the craft of restoring and seasoning these pans for another lifetime of use. We’ll explore popular brands of cast iron and how to identify what might be in your home. And in the end, we return the skillets to Kim… where they begin their next chapter. This one is about more than cookware. It’s about family, memory, and the things that were made to last. I hope you’ll take a look.

The Face of Appalachia: EPISODE 51In the mountains of Appalachia, some things are made to last. In this episode of The Face of Appalachia, we follow a journe...

04/06/2026

Dogwood are out everywhere right now, both white and some pink. Found this pretty tree at a rest area on the drive back from Raleigh. Much greener down there in woods but it's starting to fill out around Asheville. Beautiful time of the year!

03/30/2026

Great day at the Cherokee Rainbow and Ramps festival on Saturday. Over 550 lunches served with Rainbow trout, ramps, potatoes, slaw, and cornbread along with music and clogged. Kickoff to spring and first day of their fishing season. #

03/29/2026

Walking around downtown Charleston after dinner as sun was setting and saw this scene to the west. Great way to end the day!