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sat10AM - 8PM
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What is a passport? In short, a passport is merely a few leaves of paper marked with photos and stamps. In modern legal terms defined by U.S. Department of State, it is “a request to foreign governments to permit you to travel or temporarily reside in their territories and have access to lawful local aid and protection.” While extending us welcome to a new place, passports also offer their holder the services of the U.S. embassy or consulate as a sort of diplomatic home-away-from-home. ...read more
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In the days after September 27, 2024, highway information signs were emblazoned with a message... Do Not Travel in Western North Carolina. That sounds ominous, but its message was not overstated. Because of the tireless work by state and federal employees, local folks, and thousands and thousands of volunteers, the mountains are OPEN – including two lanes of Interstate 40 – and we invite you to vacation... And volunteer! ...read more
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Have you ever thought you had a pretty good idea how something came about only to find out that, well, it’s complicated. That is the story of bluegrass music – which, by the way, wasn’t even referred to as “bluegrass” until well into the 1940s. This music, most associated with the Appalachian Mountains and the working class, is a long tale of shared influences, forks in the road, and happy reunion gatherings. ...read more
At Home | Inspiration
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In the days after September 27, 2024, highway information signs were emblazoned with a message... Do Not Travel in Western North Carolina. That sounds ominous, but its message was not overstated. Because of the tireless work by state and federal employees, local folks, and thousands and thousands of volunteers, the mountains are OPEN – including two lanes of Interstate 40 – and we invite you to vacation... And volunteer! ...read more
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... Our favorite foods! Food is universal because everybody’s got ta eat! And the last two months of the year are filled with more than their fair share of family meals, work gatherings, special outings to favorite restaurants, tins filled with homemade cookies and fudge, and the anticipation of food traditions handed down from generation to generation ...read more
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Even before we bought the Mast General Store, we were taken by the beauty of Valle Crucis. We’ve heard people describe the drive out Broadstone Road as traveling through a time portal. In the 1970s, fields in the river bottoms would be filled with tobacco, cabbage, or high with hay to feed cattle that were grazing in the summer pasture. ...read more
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John Muir said, “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” That sentiment is even truer today in our fast-paced, stressed-out, move-move-move world. We need, we require, the healing touch of nature for mind, body, and soul. But not everyone has access to green spaces and undeveloped land.
If you live in apartments, cities, or even suburbs, where is your unfettered green space? Where do you go when you don’t have access to nature? The answer, parks, trails, and places set aside to serve the public. These places offer folks a way to enjoy nature when they have no other outlet. And many of these public areas are available because of Land Trusts.
Land Trust Day means a lot to me as it gives us the ability to support local organizations and make a difference in our communities.
~ Lisa Cooper, president of Mast Store
Land Trusts are non-profit organizations that operate on land that an owner puts “in trust” for whatever stipulated use, whether it be parks, preservation, trails, or development. The land in a trust is voluntarily offered by the landowner, and that generosity and foresight is much needed and much appreciated.
Land trusts are vital to our communities. They ensure that our children have opportunities to spend time in nature, playing in forests, rivers, and fields and enjoying fresh air and quality time away from screens and concrete. Land Trusts make family excursions outdoors safe and easy to access, and it’s important that such spaces be available in our communities. That’s why we partner with deserving organizations to keep these spaces open, clean, and thriving. Mast Store holds Land Trust Day to show our appreciation and support for all they do for us now and will do in the future. Giving back 20% of our sales on Land Trust Day allows us to contribute to this worthy cause.
Lisa Cooper, president of Mast Store, notes, “Land Trust Day means a lot to me as it gives us the ability to support local organizations and make a difference in our communities. I am so very proud of what these organizations do for all of us by protecting the land for future generations. Highlighting our partnerships on this day enhances awareness of how land trusts work for all of us.” This year, the store is inviting guests to round up their purchases on that day to make an even bigger impact.
Land Trust Day partners include the New River Conservancy and Blue Ridge Conservancy in the Boone and Valle Crucis area, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy in Asheville and Waynesville, Conserving Carolina in Hendersonville, Upstate Forever in Greenville, the Foothills Land Conservancy in Knoxville, the Congaree Land Trust in Columbia, and the Piedmont Land Conservancy in Winston-Salem.
Stop by any Mast Store on Saturday, June 1st to learn more about land trusts and to support conservation efforts in the local area. AND don't forget. Your purchase on June 1st matters-- 20% of the day’s sales are donated to our partners to continue the amazing and vital work serving us all.
* The image of the Virginia Big-Eared Bat is by Michael Durham, DurmPhoto.com and comes to us via the Blue Ridge Conservancy. You can watch an interesting documentary video about how a road-widening project in the High Country brought together many local, state, and federal agencies - as well as local landowners - to protect the habitat of this rare and endangered bat. Here's a LINK to the video.
* The waterfall photo is from a recently protected piece of property in Grundy, Tennessee and is courtesy of the Foothills Land Conservancy.