From Left to Right: Back Row: Wesley, Julie, Wendy, and Jason. Front Row: William, Hudson, and Hadley

The Turner family has called Floyd their home for many decades, and though Turner Family Farms only became an LLC in 2020, the family has been farming in the area for much, much longer.
In the mid 1950’s, Sam and Gertrude Turner purchased a stretch of farmland on Franklin Pike where they started a dairy farm. They also grew a variety of produce. Both Sam and Gertrude were originally from Floyd and wanted to carry on their families’ farming heritage. It wasn’t long till their sons, Marvin and CW, joined them in the barns and the fields, continuing the legacy and making it a true family effort.
Sam and Gertrude continued working on the farm and milking the cattle until the late 1980’s. That’s when Marvin and CW took over. Continue reading →

The Floyd Country Store

This September, the Floyd Country Store will begin an exciting new chapter. For the first time in almost two decades, it will have a complete logo and marketing refresh. The move is motivated by owners Dylan Locke and Heather Krantz’s mission to use storytelling for sharing the magic of Floyd and the Country Store, as well as traditional Appalachian music and dance. To further this goal, Locke and Krantz are launching Floyd Country Store TV: a streaming platform that will make the Country Store and its events accessible around the world.
Since purchasing the Country Store from Jackie and Woody Crenshaw eight years ago, Krantz says, “We’ve been real careful to keep as much as we can the same for our customers and community over the last eight years.” The Floyd Country Store has been a beloved music venue and community center for generations, and Krantz and Locke have taken care to preserve its warm atmosphere and musical traditions. Continue reading →

The historic Farmer’s Supply building, located at 101 East Main Street, is one of the oldest buildings in Floyd. Throughout its lifetime, it has been mainly used for dry goods and hardware and has been the home of Farmer’s Supply since the 1940’s. For roughly the last hundred years, the building has been owned by the Lawson family, and is currently owned by Jack Lawson.
Farmer’s Supply was founded by Jack’s grandfather, Harry Leland Lawson, and for over seventy years, it was a valuable resource for Floyd’s predominant farming community. In more recent years, however, large chain stores, as well as an uncertain economy and supply issues, have made operating the supply store less and less viable. In 2021, long-time manager, Janice Patton, was also ready to retire. Janice started working at Farmer’s Supply in the 1970’s when her father was manager. She was such a fixture that many who didn’t know better assumed she was the owner.
Considering the uncertain economic viability of continuing to operate Farmer’s Supply, as well as facing the task of finding a replacement for the irreplaceable Janice, Farmer’s Supply closed its doors in December of 2021. Continue reading →

By A. Lee Chichester

Andrew Carnegie once said, “A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never-failing spring in the desert.”
And so it can be said by many who have found themselves travelling all over America. No matter how far they roam, and no matter how remote the area they visit, noting the location of the nearest library can often mean the difference between being disconnected, or being able to reach out to loved ones. Using a library’s free wi-fi, or even their computers, allows many travelers to rest in comfort while reassuring their loved ones that all is well.
Within communities, these same services are crucial to impoverished families and individuals who may need to connect digitally with utilities, special services, and medical facilities. Whether travelling or exploring closer to home, a public, community library is so much more than books.
Now called the Jessie Peterman Memorial Library (JPML), Floyd’s local public library would not exist if not for the members of the 1969 Floyd Woman’s Club who first explored the pros and cons of creating a library to serve the county. Mrs. Homer Robinette chaired the committee, appointed by Woman’s Club President, Mrs. Warren Lineberry. Continue reading →

Mary Hadden and Judy MacPhail

Just half a block from the traffic light in Floyd, across from the Visitors’ Center, can be found one of Downtown Floyd’s newest art galleries! The Little River Gallery, which features a variety of items handmade by local artists, was recently opened by owners Mary Hadden and Judy MacPhail.
Before even crossing the threshold, the pleasant exterior communicates the inviting nature of Little River Gallery. The unassuming little white building features a lovely garden of blooming flowers in the front, watching over a bowl of water lovingly provided for Floyd’s thirsty fur-babies. There’s even a bench where folks cat ‘sit a spell’.
With such a modest façade, many may be surprised to find an array whimsical, locally crafted pottery, baskets, batik quilting fabric, gifts, cards, and so much more inside!
Opening an art gallery had been Mary’s dream for many years. Mary grew up in southern Ohio, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Later in life, however, she found herself at home in Texas. When her son began an internship near Asheville, North Carolina, Mary came to visit and fell in love with the climate, the atmosphere, and the lush terrain that reminded her of her childhood.
During the visit, she drove along the Parkway and found herself near Floyd. FloydFest was just getting started, so she stayed on for the festival. After getting to know the area and the people, Mary returned to Texas, longing to get back to the green beauty and coolness of the mountains. A vision began to form of a life she wished to live.
That vision brought her permanently to Floyd in 2003. Mary came with her two children, Lurena and John, and bought a farmhouse outside of town. There, her garden abounds with flowers and vegetables, and in the farmhouse’s primitive kitchen, she prepares the food she has produced.
Adding a greenhouse to her homestead has allowed Mary to extend the growing season for her crops, affording her the opportunity to be even more independent, a major lifestyle choice that Mary embraces.
Also on the homestead is a studio that houses Mary’s clay and kiln. The workspace has many windows so that it almost feels like the outside is coming in. In her studio, Mary produces her famous fairies, as well as the many other wonderful pieces that can be found at Little River Gallery.
Always whimsical, her art uses soft pastel glazes, blues, greens, and pinks. If a piece of pottery has a small bird on it, it was most likely made by Mary Hadden!
Mary’s technique for clay work is to roll out the clay into thin slabs, then cut and build the pieces she creates. The legs move on her fairies. The bells tinkle on the wind chimes, and birds sit on tree branches that hang on the wall. Mary’s three-dimensional clocks and wall hangers for plants, as well as lovely vases, all adorn the walls of Little River Gallery.
Through a mutual friend, Mary Hadden met Judy MacPhail. The two women became fast friends, so when Mary mentioned she needed a partner for her new gallery business, Judy was happy to join her.
Judy spent her career in the newspaper business, working as a circulation director for McClatchy Newspapers in Raleigh, North Carolina. Like Mary, Judy also dreamed of retiring in the mountains, but she imagined her retirement years would be spent in Asheville. After just one afternoon visit to Floyd, however, she knew the farms, the hills, and town of Floyd was exactly where she wanted to be.
In 2009, she made an offer on a wonderful home on three acres of land near the Blue Ridge Parkway. For the next five years, Judy came to visit in Floyd, but still lived in her Raleigh home near her family and her four grandchildren. In 2014, however, Judy’s husband, Bob, retired from the Environmental Protection Agency. That’s when the MacPhails moved to Floyd full time.
In the 1990’s, Judy had the opportunity to apprentice with a North Carolina Heritage Award winning basket maker named Thurman Strickland. He taught the old ways of finding the perfect oak or ash tree in the woods, as well as the process involved with turning it into a strong, functional basket. For many years, MacPhail made and sold her baskets in local shops and galleries, and now displays her collections proudly at Little River.
In 2007, she was scheduled to take a basket weaving class at the John C. Campbell Folk School but got a call that the class had been canceled. While refunding the class tuition, the registrar asked Judy if there was any other class being offered week that would be of interest. Though Judy was very disappointed that she would not be in a basketry class, she reluctantly agreed to sign up for the Cotton Spinning and Dying Class. What started as a disappointment quickly became a new passion!
For the past fifteen years, Judy has created gorgeous skeins of wool, alpaca, silk, and just about any fiber she can spin into yarn. With plenty of local farmers raising sheep and alpaca, her supply of raw fiber is plentiful. For her roving and more refined fibers, she shops with Paradise Fibers in Spokane, Washington, where she was born many years ago. Her beautiful spun creations are also available at Little River Gallery.
Little River Gallery includes the works of other local artists as well. There are succulent planters created by hypertufa artist Linda Hearn, as well as beeswax luminaries by Anita Brandon. Stained glass pieces by Joanna Huff are perfect for decorating any garden while the colorful, joyous barn quilt paintings by Kathleen Dawe can be displayed indoors or out.
The Gallery also features lovely prints and cards made by Mary’s daughter Rena Violet. The wonderful ‘Birds on a Wire’ pieces are by Robin Sydow, who also sews attractive bags and baskets. There is so much to explore and discover, all while enjoying the sweet aromas of the handmade soaps from Sun and Spruce Soap out of Roanoke.
Little River Gallery is also a working studio. While shopping, visitors are likely to find Mary rolling out her clay or Judy spinning her yarn. Both women are happy to talk about the art and answer questions for the curious.

Little River Gallery • Mary Hadden and Judy MacPhail
111 West Main Street, Floyd, VA • 540-230-4884
Thursday and Friday, 11am – 4pm
Saturday, 10am – 5pm; and Sunday 12pm – 4pm
www.instagram.com/littleriverstudiogallery

Old picture of the Floyd Country Store

Since 2016, the Handmade Music School has been an essential force in preserving and spreading excitement around traditional Appalachian music. Best known for its private and group classes in old time and bluegrass, as well as traditional Appalachian music and dance, the 501(c)3 non-profit has a core mission of spreading the joy of traditional music to as many people as possible, regardless of income and ability. Following this goal in 2018, the school started its Share the Music scholarship program for music lessons, classes, workshops, and camps. This year, the Handmade Music School is excited to announce its latest project, an online interactive history of Appalachian music called “Music of Our Mountains.”
Music of Our Mountains is a free educational resource that explores the rich, disparate roots of traditional Appalachian ‘mountain music’ as well as the characters, cultures, and conditions from which it emerged. The project website, musicofourmountains.com, is a living document made up of recordings, photographs, stories, scholarly texts, and maps. (left: Alfred Reid and fellow musicians) These resources work together to provide an exciting and vivid understanding of the music that the Handmade Music School strives to preserve. Continue reading →

Olivia Helms Simmons Keesee

Beginning in 1875, the Oxford Academy was established as a coeducational school by Rev. John Kellogg Harris and his wife, Chloe Bigeloe Harris. Located at 428 East Oxford Street in Floyd, across the street from Floyd Baptist Church, the current Oxford Academy building was erected in 1901 by the Reverend John Kellogg Harris after an 1898 fire destroyed the previous log school. While the school taught elementary age students, it was more widely known as a college preparatory school, recognized by the University of New York State as being equal to or above the New York high schools.
As a true co-educational facility in an era of increasing but still limited educational opportunities for women, the Academy offered an advanced line-up of courses for all students, both female and male. This attracted students from Floyd and surrounding counties. The courses taught in the school included Greek, Latin, higher mathematics, and music. Continue reading →

Annie Armistead and Abby Reczek

Troika Contemporary Crafts Gallery, located in The Station at 203 South Locust Street in Floyd, has been evolving and growing ever since Abby Reczek and Annie Armistead became the new owners in 2019. Inheriting a crafts gallery that was already a discerning and unique collection of fine crafted pottery, glass items, wood items, jewelry, textiles, and mixed media art, the new owners first enhanced Troika by adding their own, distinctive creations.
Annie is a jeweler who crafts unique, wearable art inspired by nature. Abby is a potter who makes functional pottery inspired by Floyd’s rolling green hills, blue skies, and the subtler colors of the natural world. In addition to their own creations, Annie and Abby also created a monthly event and reception that celebrated a featured, contributing artist.
In 2020, the ladies also signed a lease on another space, just down the hall. They wanted to expand to add gift and home items that were not specifically crafts, but the existing space was already filled. The new space would be called Troika Home, and it would be a companion space to Troika Contemporary Crafts. Unfortunately, they signed the lease just before the lockdown’s happened. (Troika Home located at the back of the Station) Continue reading →

 Located atop the magnificent Blue Ridge Plateau in southwestern Virginia, Floyd is a haven of natural beauty, where the people are renowned for their hospitality.  Floyd has a vibrant culture of music, arts, local foods and wines, and outdoor recreation.  With nearly forty miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway running through it, Floyd is a wonderful place to visit during the Fall and Winter months.  For more information about below and other events, go to VisitFloydVA.com  or call Visitor Center at 540-745-4407.

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Pat Sharkey, former Floyd County Tourism Director, is refocusing on her love of rocks and gems! After retiring from Floyd tourism in Fall of 2021, she didn’t imagine a return to her past would be her next step forward. However, right before holidays, a small retail space became available in The Station downtown Floyd. When she stepped into the space, she just knew it was right. She signed the lease immediately and Earth Dance was reborn.
Pat had originally created Earth Dance in the mid 1980’s and managed the business full or part-time for decades prior to formal tourism work. “After retiring from tourism, I was looking for just a temporary pop-up holiday market space – thinking I could do such for the holidays and then figure out my next employment step. I had not thought I could get back full-time into gems and jewelry because prior with Earth Dance I had done shows – and lots of them. At this stage of my life, shows with continual travel and constant booth set up and tear down is not a great fit.” Continue reading →