‘Valley So Low,’ Climbing Crafts And Vegan Cooking, Inside Appalachia

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A new book looks into the toxic legacy of a huge industrial disaster in Tennessee.

Also, rock climbing gear wears out. But it can still live on as art.

And, an Eastern Kentucky pharmacist serves vegan food for the holidays.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

A Coal Ash Spill And A Labor Justice Fight

A black-and-white image of a dam. — Tennesse Valley Authority’s Norris Dam, circa 1936, near Andersonville, Tennessee.
*Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, LC-USW33-015709-C*

Just before Christmas 2008, Appalachia became the site of the largest industrial spill in U.S. history. A dam holding back coal ash at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant ruptured. The break released over a billion gallons of toxic coal ash slurry.

The spill — and what came after — are the subject of a recent book, Valley So Low: One Lawyer's Fight for Justice in the Wake of America's Great Coal Catastrophe. Inside Appalachia Host Mason Adams spoke with its author, Jared Sullivan.

Crafter Turns Climbing Gear Into Cozy Crafts

A woman in grey shows off an elaborate flower crafted from recycled climbing rope. — Shelby Treichler stands smiling holding a wall hanging she’s made out of the inner core pieces of old climbing rope. The wall hanging, artfully designed to look like a bright red flower encircled by sage green leaves, is about the size of a placemat.
*Photo Credit: Rebecca Williams/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Over time, outdoor gear wears out. Boots lose their tread. Kayaks and canoes spring leaks. Climbing rope frays. Most of it has to be thrown away.

In Western North Carolina, though, there’s a climber-turned-crafter who keeps old climbing gear out of the landfill. And finds new life for worn out equipment. Last year, Folkways Reporter Emily Chen-Newton brought us this story.

The Modern Mountain Cookbook

When you think of “Appalachian cooking,” what comes to mind? For a lot of folks, it’s savory comfort foods like biscuits with sausage gravy, crispy fried chicken and mashed potatoes loaded with butter. But, what about folks who want that comfort food, without involving animals?

Jan Brandenburg is a pharmacist and poet in Eastern Kentucky. Over the last 30 years, she’s collected and perfected recipes that take a plant-based approach to the Appalachian table. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Brandenburg about her new book The Modern Mountain Cookbook.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Erik Vincent Huey, Larry Rader, Jeff Ellis, Tim Bing and Blue Dot Sessions.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. We had help this week from Folkways Editor Jennifer Goren.

You can send us an email: [email protected].

You can find us on Instagram, Threads and X @InAppalachia. Or here on Facebook.

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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