February Story Finds - Wine, Pots and Alternative Fuels

I'm working in 22 counties on various projects in North Carolina. My blog showcases some of the interesting stories I find along the way. February's stories come from Alamance, Orange, Randolph, Lee, Catawba, Cleveland and Alexander counties.

A few hundred years ago, potters came to a land full of rich clay suitable for making utilitarian pieces. Today, those potters work in studios throughout the greater Piedmont and mountain regions of our state. And, because there are so many of them, there is also a growing number of festivals. Sometimes the success of those festivals will either "make" or "break" a potter's business for the year in Seagrove, Sanford, Hickory, Shelby....

There's always been a connection between politics and "spirits," the kind that can be poured in a mug or glass. However, since North Carolina has the "local option" law regarding sales and distribution of such, vineyards and wineries often have to jump through all kinds of hoops to be able to have commerce. One winery, located in dry Alexander County, has not only an award-winning wine, but a story to tell about jumping through political hoops to be able to manufacture, sell and distribute their wine - in a dry county....

And speaking of corn squeezin's... the Bio Bus in Hillsborough is a 16-passenger bus that hauls you around for a tour of Orange and nearby counties. It's perfect for spouse tours for conventions or for families who need a break from lengthy hospital visits. Get this - the bus runs on alternative fuels that it gets from a distribution point at Saxapahaw, in Alamance County, near Burlington....