sept 2012 mast

Monarch Butterfly Quiz

monarch alt

 Monarch Butterfly

 

Click here to take our newest quiz about Monarch Butterflies.

 

The first person to answer all 12 questions correctly will win a monarch butterfly pin and earring set.

Harp Singing 

New Video by Valerie Polk

shape note singing valerie polk Shape note singing at the Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church by Valerie Polk

 

Click here to watch Valerie Polk's latest video about shape note singing. An old tradition that is alive and well in the Great Smoky Mountains, shape note or "Old Harp" singing blends a unique singing style with tunes from the old world.

 

The technique was created around 1800 to instruct singers how to read music and improve congregational singing, but has held on as a spiritual practice and a time of fellowship for singers in the area.  

Look Up!

New Video by Gary Wilson

cub cherry tree gary wilson Bear in cherry tree by Gary Wilson

 

Click here to see Gary Wilson's newest film about the black bears' month long feast in the cherry trees.

Free Old-Time Sorghum Making Demonstration 

Sorghum Mule

See sorghum molasses being made in Cades Cove at the Cable Mill historic area halfway around the Cades Cove Loop Road on September 1-3, 14-16 & 23-24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

You can see a demonstration at Oconaluftee on September 15 and a Saturday in October (date not set yet). 

 

Click here to watch a short video by Valerie Polk showing the sorghum making process.

Upcoming Events

 

Kephart Days

September 6-9. Visit www.horacekephart.com for more information.

 

Mountain Life Festival

Mountain Farm Museum adjacent to Oconaluftee Visitor Center, NC

Saturday, September 15

10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Join park staff and volunteers as we celebrate the fall harvest.  

The Mountain Farm Museum will be alive with history as demonstrators provide visitors with a glimpse into the past as they make soap, apple cider, sorghum molasses, hominy, music and more.

 

Evening on the Mountain Farm

Mountain Farm Museum adjacent to Oconaluftee Visitor Center

Friday, October 12

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

The farm comes to life as park staff and volunteers provide an evening of demonstrations, stories, and more on the Mountain Farm.  

Come share stories and cider on the farm. Duration: 1.5 hours

Accessible

 

Back Porch Old-Time Music

Porch of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center

Saturdays - September 15, October 20 & November 17

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Bring an acoustic instrument and join in on this old-time jam.   

Or just sit back and enjoy the sights and sounds as others play traditional Appalachian music.

Accessible

 

Click here for more information on upcoming events.
 
ERRATA:  Sorry for the error in the date for Sparky and Rhonda Rucker's performance.  It was actually August 11.  There will be no performance at Sugarlands on September 1.  There are no further performances scheduled. 
Official Park Store

Shop from Home

    

Sorghum Molasses  

sorghum  

Ecothrow Blanket 

650728   

DVD GSM Video Sampler

Winner of a national award in 2012 - 14 short films totaling 60 minutes of DVD footage of the park including elk, waterfalls, wildflowers, and much more.  

DVD Mountain Farm Museum 

27 minutes of DVD footage of the Mountain Farm Museum including the historic structures, heirloom vegetable gardening, apple orchard, and much more.

dvds for sale

Business Members

mtn laurel chalet logo  

Mountain Laurel Chalets

440 Ski Mountain Road 
Gatlinburg TN 37738 
865.436.5277  

[email protected]  www.mountainlaurelchalets.com 

  

Mountain Laurel Chalets is a premier chalet rental company nestled in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. Over 140 hideaway chalets and cabins to chose from all located on the mountain high above the village of Gatlinburg, TN. 

 

Offering cozy one, to spacious twelve bedrooms, we have something for everyone. Mountainside homes offer a wide variety of amenities including indoor or outdoor hot tubs, pool tables, arcade games, internet access, screened porches, and much more. 

 

Honeymooners love our small chalets. Business groups and family reunions come back year after year. 

 

All chalets are conveniently located on Ski Mountain near the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort.  Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are also close by. 

 

The office can be contacted at 1-800-626-3431 seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  

All GSMA members in good standing will receive a 10% discount. 

 

You can see all of GSMA's Business Members by clicking here.

 

To see the discounts offered to GSMA members, click here.

 

If you own a business and would like to be included in this newsletter and our website, contact Westy Fletcher at 423.487.3131 or [email protected]

 

Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

773 West Main Street 
Sylva NC 28779
800.962.1911  

 

Shops at Carousel Gardens

458 Parkway 
Gatlinburg TN 37738
865.430.7334

If you'd like to receive 1 online newsletter a month from us, click on the icon above.  

 

We never share your address with anyone and we never send any spam.

  

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GSMA Members: Last Chance to Register 

Registration Ends September 7 

douglas mcpherson sunrise Sunrise by Douglas McPherson

 

The weekend of September 14, 15, and 16 is fast approaching! Don't miss out on a fun and educational weekend with great programs, food, and entertainment!

 

All members should have received their invitations by now. If you haven't called (865-436-7318, ext. 222 or 254) and made your reservations yet, you have until September 7th to do so.  

 

Consider bringing a guest and making it an extra-special weekend. If you would like a program schedule e-mailed to you in advance, just call the number above and we'll be glad to send one.

  

If you'd like to request information on the Bryson City, NC area call the Swain County Chamber of Commerce toll free, 800-867-9246, or check out their website at www.greatsmokies.com  

 

Hope to see you there! Safe travels!

Grab a Butterfly Net and Help Tag 

Cades Cove, Saturday, September 29, 9:30 a.m.

monarch  

You can help in some scientific research on the monarch butterfly! Will the monarch you tag be found in its travels to Mexico? Join naturalist Wanda DeWaard on a monarch tagging venture in Cades Cove on Saturday, September 29. Light-weight long pants and a broad-brimmed hat are strongly recommended, as well as some insect repellent. Pack a light lunch and water. A limited number of butterfly nets will be available to share, but if you have one, bring it along. A hand lens is always helpful, too. Butterfly field guides and reference books will be available to help identify other species that may end up in your net.

 

Remember, butterflies don't dance in the rain, so this program is "weather permitting". Meet Wanda at the orientation shelter at the beginning of the Cades Cove loop road at 9:30 a.m. for an introduction to the program prior to car-pooling into the Cove for tagging. The program will end around 2:00 p.m.

 

Don't wait too long to register! This is always a popular event and registration is limited to 20 and must be made by calling 865-436-7318, ext. 222 or 254. A nominal fee of $5 will be charged for GSMA members, $10 for non-members. Children under 12 are free and welcomed! This is a fun and educational program for kids of all ages!

 

For more information on monarchs check out www.monarchwatch.org

Here Comes the Elk Rut

elk fight cristin still kirkland Photo by Cristin Still Kirkland 

 

The dramatic elk rut begins in the Smokies in September and continues into October. This annual mating ritual is marked by bulls parading their majestic antlers, bugling to attract females, and locking antlers to spar with rivals.  

 

The best places to witness this spectacle are Cataloochee Valley and the environs around Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Keep in mind that fall weekends can get very busy in Cataloochee.

 

The park's elk population continues to grow slowly. This spring at least twelve cows gave birth to calves. However, three elk were illegally shot outside the park this year and four have died from collisions with vehicles.

 

There are 140 elk known to be in the park now. 

2012 Fall Color Season Begins 

fall mt ash gary wilson  

An American mountain-ash tree on the trail to Andrews Bald is already showing its fall colors.  Photo by Gary Wilson. 

 

This year's fall color season may be one of the most difficult in recent memory to predict. Due to an unusually warm winter, most spring wildflowers were about three weeks early this year and many trees leafed out earlier than usual. Most experts believe that the biggest factors affecting the timing of leaf changes are: length of day, soil temperature, and soil moisture. This year we had a blistering hot July followed by a cooler than average August. Precipitation has been plentiful throughout the year.

 

Thus far fall colors appear to be progressing at a normal or slightly earlier-than-average rate. Witch hobble and American mountain-ash have begun to turn crimson at the higher elevations. Some sourwood and blackgum trees have started to turn on south slopes at the lower elevations. Stay tuned for one of the greatest shows on earth!

Researchers Monitor Fir Survivors 

larry sossamon clingman

Fraser Firs at Clingmans Dome by Larry Sossamon 

 

Biologists in the Smokies continue to keep a hopeful eye on small populations of mature Fraser fir trees that have yet to succumb to the balsam woolly adelgid. The non-native insect has killed most of the mature firs in the southern Appalachian Mountains, though many fir seedlings survive until they grow to the point that their bark begins to crack. The small pockets of Fraser fir survivors may have some type of natural resistance that could be passed along to offspring. Mature firs produce cones every 3-5 years.

18,000 Species Recorded in the Park 

evan mariah pettit huckleberry sphinx Huckleberry Sphinx Moth (Paonias astylus). Photo by Evan Mariah Pettit 

  

The park's ongoing All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) conducted by Discover Life in America has now tallied 7,391 types of plants and animals that were previously not known to exist in the Smokies. Of these, 922 are new to the science books. This brings the list of total known species in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to 17,797, an incredible diversity of life for an 800 square mile area!

Chef Heather's Local Foods Recipes

Summer Treats

chef heather

Chef Heather demonstrating wild edibles in the woods 

 

Decadent Whole Wheat Brownies 

 
1 c butter
2 1/3 c sugar
1 1/3 c dutch cocoa
1 t salt
1 t baking powder
2 T vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c Foods of the Smokies Whole Wheat Flour
1 c pecans (optional)


Preheat oven to 350, and lightly spray a 9" x 13" pan with nonstick spray. In a medium sized bowl, microwave the butter to melt it, add the sugar, and blend well.  

 

Heat the butter/sugar mixture in the microwave an additional 30 seconds. Combine cocoa, salt, baking powder, vanilla, and eggs. Whisk until smooth, and add these to the butter and sugar. Slowly add the flour, while whisking, and mix until smooth. Stir in the pecans. Pour batter into prepared pan.  

 

Bake 25-28 minutes. Allow the brownies to cool before cutting. Enjoy these warm, with whipped cream, ice cream, or just a cold glass of milk!
 

Hearty Molasses Beer Bread


3 c self-rising flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c Foods of the Smokies Sorghum Molasses
pinch of salt
1 12 oz beer (cold)
3 T soft butter

Preheat the oven to 350. Use 1 T of the butter to grease a medium to large loaf pan. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Slowly add beer and continue stirring. Add molasses and mix to combine.  

 

Stir additionally as needed just to remove any remaining lumps in batter. Pour batter into waiting loaf pan. Melt remaining butter and drizzle over the top of the loaf.  

 

Bake 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes, and invert pan on cutting board to remove loaf. Serve this great traditional bread warm with butter as an amazing accompaniment to soups, stews, and chilis. Also note, the darker the beer you use, the more flavorful your final resulting loaf will be!

big bear brian shults  Big black bear by Brian Shults 

Answers to Last Month's Quiz on Artifacts of the Smokies
    1. There were many glass manufacturers in pre-park days, but when it came to canning and preserving, these two were the most popular:
  1.     Kerr and Atlas
  2.     Drey and Globe
  3.     Knox and Mom's
  4.     Ball and Mason
  5.     Golden Harvest and Anchor
    2. Surplus cream was turned into butter by use of a churn. What is the long stick called that has wooden crosspieces at its bottom and fits through the hole on the churn's flat lid?
  1.     Agitator
  2.     Dasher
  3.     Muddler
  4.     Beater
  5.     Whip
    3. This species of wood was favored over all others for making bread bowls because it was easy to work and it resisted splitting.
  1.     Maple
  2.     Poplar
  3.     Oak
  4.     Elm
  5.     Buckeye
    4. This wood was favored when making rolling pins because of its density, hardness and tight grain.
  1.     Sycamore
  2.     Walnut
  3.     Maple
  4.     Ash
  5.     Hickory
    5. Basket making was a good example of form following function. While many were made of split oak, when it came to berry picking the common "berry basket" was made of:
  1.     Leather
  2.     Willow switches
  3.     Yarn
  4.     Tree bark
  5.     Honeysuckle vines
    6. Farmhouse floors saw mud and other messes tracked in during the course of a busy day. Though manufactured mops could be purchased, it didn't cost anything to make a homemade one. Drill a few holes in a board, tie in some of these (pick one of these choices), attach the board to a handle, and voila! Instant mop!
  1.     Pine cones
  2.     Yucca leaves
  3.     Cornshucks
  4.     Sweetgum balls
  5.     Cedar branches
    7. This was a common furnishing in rural homes. Made of wood, it had tin-plated panels in the doors, pierced with nail holes to provide ventilation.
  1.     Dresser
  2.     Pie safe
  3.     Jelly cabinet
  4.     Cotton gin
  5.     Blanket chest
    8. When it came to grain and hay harvesting, this tool was a big improvement over its predecessors. Next to its blade were several wooden tines, which, when stalks were cut would layer and drop them neatly, saving time and energy.
  1.     Cradle
  2.     Hayknife
  3.     Sickle
  4.     Paddle
  5.     Scythe
    9. Prior to the Civil War this weapon was the most common and popular among mountaineers.
  1.     Winchester rifle
  2.     Double-barrel shotgun
  3.     Colt rifle
  4.     Smith carbine
  5.     Kentucky rifle
    10. This instrument was used to wind yarn.
  1.     Shuttle
  2.     Niddy Noddy
  3.     Skein wheel
  4.     Hackle
  5.     Bobbin
    11. Mountain homes were not lacking in various medicinal cures. Personal hygiene was not at its best and livestock and chickens could produce intestinal worms and parasites. Chances are a bottle of this was close at hand in such situations.
  1.     Turner's Remedy
  2.     Scalf's Indian River Medicine
  3.     Retonga
  4.     Vermifuge
  5.     Dewee's Carminative
    12. Watermelon, Pineapple, Hearts and Flowers, Tulip, and Double Wedding Ring are examples of patterns for these:
  1.     Shawls
  2.     Quilts
  3.     Fiesta Ware
  4.     Chair bottoms
  5.     Rugs

The winner of this quiz is Tina Shadden, GA! 

Any Questions?For questions about online purchases, click here and the Mail Order department will help you.

For questions about membership, click here and Judy or Marti will help you.

For questions about business membership, click here and Westy will help you.
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