Podcast appearances and mentions of nancy bruns

Nancy Bruns is a seventh-generation member and current Chairman of the Board for a 210-year-old family business in West Virginia. In today's episode of Safe Space, Nancy explains how she learned to cope with her unexpected inheritance following the death of her father, and how she became an advocate for transparency, open dialogue. Nancy's passion for change and her belief in the importance of fostering a deep sense of connection and shared purpose, is testament to the longevity and continued success of her family business. Nancy provides valuable insights and strategies for family business owners on how and why strengthening family relationships is critical to the health and wealth of the family business. You can learn more about Nancy and J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works by visiting: https://www.jqdsalt.com/ Connect with me here: https://veritage.ca/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesco-lombardo-fea-496a7966/ https://www.facebook.com/VeritageFamilyOffice https://www.youtube.com/@VeritageInternational  

Nancy Bruns is the 7th generation family member and owner of J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works located in Malden, West Virginia. Production for the original company started in 1817, moved to their current location in 1832, and they produced salt until 1945, before restarting again in 2013. The history, the business model, the process, it's all fascinating! Where you can find J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works:- Website: https://www.jqdsalt.com/- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jqdsalt/- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jqdsalt- Physical location: 4797 Midland Drive, Malden, West VirginiaMentions from the show:- Iapetus Ocean: https://wvtourism.com/theres-400-million-year-old-ocean-beneath-west-virginia/- Porkopolis: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/porkopolis- Small Business Development Center (SBDC): https://americassbdc.org/Stay in touch with People, Place, & Purpose on Instagram and stay tuned for a new episode every Monday!

“You are not a drop in the ocean; you are the entire ocean in a drop.” - Rumi. Salt is not just a seasoning on your table - it is the currency of cells, the crystal of life. This podcast unfolds in two parts. At the beginning is a mini-dive into salt with Kate. Why does salt matter so much? From history, to our biology, salt has an important place at the table. In the second part, an interview with Nancy Bruns of JQ Dickinson Salt-Works in West Virginia. Nancy shares the story of her 7th generation salt operation in the Kanawha valley in Appalachia where they make salt by hand using the power of the sun and the briny waters of an ancient underground ocean. We explore the process of making salt and how it connects us to the land, to our bodies, and to history. The salt-making process The importance of trace minerals The difference between JQD salt and sea salt A brief history of salt & so much more Resources: Instagram: @jqdsalt https://www.jqdsalt.com Further Reading: Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky The Salt Fix by James DiNicolantonio Current Discounts for GW listeners: 10% off Hama Hama Oysters using code: GroundWork10 through 5/31 15% off Farm True ghee and body care products using code: KATEKAV15 Join the Ground Work Collective: Instagram: @groundworkcollective Find a Farm: nearhome.groundworkcollective.com More: groundworkcollective.com Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: groundworkcollective.com/disclaimer Episode Webpage

Salt is essential! Whether it's to enhance flavors or get necessary minerals into our diets, salt cannot be divorced from cooking. But should salt and pepper—often thought of going together—be split up? We're getting salty on this episode of Smidgen, with Anne heading off to the salt mine (so to speak.) JQ Dickenson Salt-Works has been producing salt in West Virginia (you read that right) for over 200 years. Nancy Bruns is a chef and along with her brother Lewis Payne are continuing the family tradition of harvesting salt in Malden, West Virginia. Nancy joins Smidgen host and owner of Red Stick Spice Company Anne Milneck to discuss how salt is made in a land locked area, and what kinds of flavors home cooks can expect to experience when trying different unrefined salts.  Then to put some of this salty knowledge into action, Anne heads to the kitchen to make Rosemary Focaccia with Finishing Salt.  Mentioned on the show: - The JQ Dickenson Salt-Works website is a wealth of information and an attractive showcase of their offerings. Visit JQDSalt.com to learn more. Want to know how salt is made? Interested in how a modern salt-works can harvest salt in a sustainable way? Watch the JQ Dickenson Salt-Works videos here.   - What is unrefined salt?  - Make your own batch of No-Knead Rosemary Focaccia. Take Anne's tip and try different salts on top of this delicious bread to get a sense of the variety of qualities and textures that can be found in various salts.  - Start your salty exploration by peeking at Red Stick Spice Company's selection of salts on our website. Red Stick Spice Company has dozen of salts to choose from.  - Should salt and pepper get a divorce?  - Throwback to Rosemary Gill talking spices (and revealing the origins of the salt/pepper divorce question) on Smidgen, Season 2. Listen to the episode here.  - What's the problem with recipes saying salt and pepper to taste at the end of the recipe? - How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.  Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.  Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app.  Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

In this episode Will and Neil sit down with Nancy Bruns of JQ Dickinson Salt-Works.  Nancy discusses the history of salt in Appalachia and what it takes to bring back an entire industry to the region!  Listen for the history, stay to hear about the amazing products of JQ Dickinson Salt-Works.  Also, should you salt your food before you taste it?  Will and Neil's answer might surprise you...or not. JQ Dickinson Salt-Works: www.jqdsalt.com/

Nancy Bruns of J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works We visit with our neighbor from West Virginia - Nancy Bruns of J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works. We'll hear about her family's land, history, and how they produce salt from their farm. Nancy and her brother Lewis Payne are partners. They are the 7th generation salt makers since 1832 to produce this agricultural product from her family's land. Nancy spent 25 years in the food industry before becoming a salt maker. And this company is an essential component of the W.V. sustainable food system community. Lisa Rolen from Food History 360, who makes her home in Johnson City, Tennessee shares a segment on Turkey Craw Beans. Beau Branton shares details on the opening day of the Sevierville, Tennessee Farmers' Market, which takes place Saturday, May 22nd, 2021. Tennessee seed saver John Coykendall shares information on 2 heirloom gourd varieties, the Tennessee spinning gourd and the nest egg gourd. I (Amy) have nest egg gourd seed. If you would like to get some, just email me. And Sow True Seed sells Tennessee Spinning Gourd seed. A link to John's book is found below, along with a link to Sow True Seed.

In this week’s Inside West Virginia Politics, we discuss how stopping the Atlanta Coast Pipeline's construction will directly impact the state, why one local business decided to convert to solar energy and why some believe solar energy makes sense for Mountain State businesses.In segment one, Charlie Burd, the executive director of the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia, explains why he believes the halting of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is disappointing, why all may not be lost with construction and why he thinks the construction will be good for the state.In segment two, Karan Ireland with the West Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club, explains why she believes the decision to halt the Atlanta’s Coast Pipeline’s construction was the best decision, how several organizations vowed to continue to fight the construction and how the pipeline would negatively impact the Mountain State.In segment three, Nancy Bruns, co-owner of J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works, explains why the company is converting over to solar energy, why they believe it’s so important to have a low carbon footprint and how they expect to make their large investment back within 5-7 years.In segment four, Zach Drennan, co-owner of Revolt-Energy, who is converting J.Q. Dickinson Salt-Works to solar energy, explains how exciting the project is for the Mountain State, why he believes solar energy makes economic sense for West Virginia businesses and how the solar energy industry will positively impact the job market for the state.

Nancy Bruns is an innovative thinker and an implementer of an industry that was 200 years in the making for her family. She decided to shelf her chef knife and partner with her brother Lewis to start JQ Dickinson Salt-Works in the Kanawha Valley of West Virginia. She broke down the entire economic and passionate journey as well as the ins and outs of drilling into an ancient ocean located under the hills of Appalachia. Learn more about the show at AppalachianStartup.com.

Nancy shares the history of her family's 200 year old farm and her experience hand harvesting sea salt from an ancient ocean trapped below the land in the majestic Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia.

William Dickinson first drilled for brine in 1817, in western Virginia, using a hollowed-out tree trunk for piping, The town soon became the "salt capial of the east." Today, two 7th generation descendants of Dickinson, siblings Nancy Bruns and Lewis Payne, have reinvented this storied tradition, transforming the process by using natural and environmentally friendly concepts to produce small-batch finishing salt. On the very same family farm where William Dickinson lived and made salt, Nancy and Lewis have recaptured salt from this pristine 400 million year old ancient sea below the Appalachian Mountains. Nancy joins Linda to tell the story. A Taste of the Past is powered by Simplecast.

#Golfanyone? Well, sort of. Max and Matthew ventured out to to experience the These two episodes paint a picture of an ideal Pinehurst weekend. The evenings and afternoons consist of serious culinary treats and seminars, Posh cocktails, beer and wine but before all that, in the morning you play golf. During this culinary extravaganza we were able to catch up with a few culinary superstars; first up who explains the process of working with the chefs to create thought provoking delicious dishes. After Thierry we talked with The Godfather of Charlotte cuisine . The interview with Mr. Verica took place days before the opening of his new restaurant . Nonetheless, Chef Paul was as cool, calm and collected as only a “Don” could be. On part two we learned about the existence of an ancient that is providing some of the best sea salt in the country. Nancy Bruns of revived her family’s business and is helping chefs across the south Season their food. Finally, we got around to golf. We played golf with the #spiritguide of , Mr. . Esteban is an intriguing character, we sat down after our round at and discussed how he went from a career in the military, to finance and then co-owning a true North Carolina #graintoglass distillery.   Listen, learn, golf, eat and drink!   Find us on Instagram @NCFBPOD Facebook: Detailed Show notes @   Friends & Sponsors: and   Hosts: & Producer: Announcer/House Voice: Music: Marketing Management:  

#Golfanyone? Well, sort of. Max and Matthew ventured out to to experience the These two episodes paint a picture of an ideal Pinehurst weekend. The evenings and afternoons consist of serious culinary treats and seminars, Posh cocktails, beer and wine but before all that, in the morning you play golf. During this culinary extravaganza we were able to catch up with a few culinary superstars; first up who explains the process of working with the chefs to create thought provoking delicious dishes. After Thierry we talked with The Godfather of Charlotte cuisine . The interview with Mr. Verica took place days before the opening of his new restaurant . Nonetheless, Chef Paul was as cool, calm and collected as only a “Don” could be.   On part two we learned about the existence of an ancient that is providing some of the best sea salt in the country. Nancy Bruns of revived her family’s business and is helping chefs across the south Season their food.   Finally, we got around to golf. We played golf with the #spiritguide of , Mr. . Esteban is an intriguing character, we sat down after our round at and discussed how he went from a career in the military, to finance and then co-owning a true North Carolina #graintoglass distillery.   Listen, learn, golf, eat and drink!

Nancy’s passion for food began at a young age. Growing up in a large family, her best memories occurred in the kitchen and around the dinner table. Her parents allowed their children to participate in the kitchen, instilling a lifelong passion for cooking. After graduating from Bucknell University, Nancy enrolled at the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. She embarked on a career that would explore many facets of cooking. She owned and operated a small restaurant and catering business in Highlands, North Carolina, allowing her to discover the importance of food sourcing and the connection of family farming to a healthy food system. She sold her restaurant in 2008, and has since sought to marry her love of food and deep family heritage with a meaningful business. Reviving her family’s salt enterprise in Malden, West Virginia was the perfect fit. For her, salt is the most essential cooking ingredient, and she particularly loves to experiment with meat and fish curing. She has 2 children, Lisle and Carter, who both love to cook.

A 7th generation salt-making family harvests an all-natural salt by hand, from an ancient ocean trapped below the Appalachian Mountains of the Kanawha Valley in West Virginia. One could say salt-making runs in their blood. They are seventh-generation salt-makers, brother and sister Nancy Bruns and Lewis Payne. They share a common love of food, farming and family. Their salt is completely organic and naturally derived. They are family owned, and they believe that treating the earth and our environment with care will allow their family and yours to live off the land for many years to come.   Continue reading Episode 12: Appalachian Salt-Making Runs in Their Blood: J.Q. Dickinson Salt Works at Positively West Virginia.

The crafters and products at the Good Food Mercantile are the cream of the crop in terms of sustainability, innovation, and quality. At the end of their day in D.C., Caity and Jack chat with producers of salt, fine oils, cheese and gelato, and a panel of chocolate makers who agree that being part of the Good Food Awards means being in good company! Sarah Hartman of Harper Macaw, Alak Vasa of Elements Truffles, and Robert Norman of Raaka Chocolate share their favorite chocolate pairings and their experiences educating customers about the broad world of chocolate. Next, Nancy Bruns of JQ Dickinson Salt-Works tells about the history of West Virgina's salt industry and the value of thinking of salt as an agricultural product. Then guest host Jennifer Isham of Union Market talks with Paul Bower of Zingerman's Creamery about all things cheese and gelato. Finally, the day wraps up with Clay Oliver, who produces exceptional oils on his 5th generation family farm.

Writing Work. Victuals Love. Sorghum and Salt. Welcome to the third in a series of FOUR podcasts celebrating the Virginia Festival of the Book! From March 16th-19th you will hear from the country's best and brightest when it comes to food writing. Today's episode? Food writer Ronni Lundy whose newest creation, Victuals, is a celebration of Appalachian foodways, one ingredient at a time. Victuals just won the 2017 IACP award for American Cookbook of the Year and is a finalist for the James Beard award in American Cooking. Seed saver Bill Best has called Victuals, "The 67th book of the bible!" and I agree wholeheartedly. This volume is going all the way baby! Ronni will be appearing at three events as part of the festival, including a talk I'm moderating, "Save Room! Cookbooks With a Sweet Tooth!" Event details are listed below. This episode is a re-airing of the lovely talk I had with Ronni at the tail end of the 2015 Appalachian Food Summit. Can you really get a sense of a region's history through one ingredient? This food writer and Appalachia advocate knows you can. Her books, Victuals, and Sorghum's Savor do just that. While both contain recipes, a good portion of the books talk about ingredient history, what each is and isn't, and the fascinating stories behind the folks who bring that food to your table. As one of the founders of the Appalachian Food Summit, Ronni knows such stories are integral to understanding the evolution of a culture. Which is why we begin this episode's discussion around the history of salt. At the 2015 gathering, we were fortunate enough to have Nancy Bruns of JQ Dickinson Salt Works, a 7th generation salt farmer. Nancy considers salt an agricultural ingredient because in her words it is harvested from the ground and ripened by the sun. The history and evolution of this ingredient relate well to Appalachia's history as a land of extraction, as well as providing a base camp for all sorts of stories and anecdotes related to its history, harvest, and use. Appalachia is a storytelling culture, and Ronni deftly uses this to incorporate important lessons into her tales. Because the purpose of the summit is to not only preserve but to move Appalachia into the growing, abundant, thriving, economically and environmentally productive region we all know it can be. It's an heirloom that just needs a little spit shine. It's time for a revival. The fellowship from food gatherings is one of the hallmarks of Appalachia. Food as communion. Food as revival. Not food as performance where chefs come out after sweating their butts off in a kitchen just to receive a smattering of applause. There's a reason people crave the homemade meals from their upbringing. Food grown from heritage seeds taste better, keep longer, are better for the environment, and preserve history. We discuss The Appalachian Food Summit, its goals, and how Facebook helped get it started, Why was it important to serve the meal at the 2015 gathering cafeteria style? What exactly does Chef Travis Milton mean when he called this dinner a "fancy-ass Picadilly"? You're in for a treat guys. Ronni Lundy is a kick-ass broad. You're going to learn a lot. But these lessons are mixed in with great stories. Or as Ronni's says, "A little sugar before your medicine." Enjoy this episode then head out to all three events! See you there! BONUS LISTENING BELOW! JUST HIT THE DOWNLOAD BUTTON! Hear Ronni's talk at the 2016 Appalachian Food Summit: The Biscuit Love Rocking Chair Keynote: The Magical Mammy & the Granny Woman: How Malinda Russell’s Journeys Break the Chains of Myth Toni Tipton-Martin, author of the James Beard Award-winning, The Jemima Code and Ronni Lundy of Victuals discuss how exploring foodways can give voice to people and cultures otherwise ignored or misrepresented in history, and how that changes our ideas of where we come from and who we are. [button color="dark" link="http://traffic.libsyn.com/edacious/066_BONUS_Ronni__Toni_SS_at_AFS.mp3" width="200" id="Download"] Download Episode[/button]   Save Room! Cookbooks with a Sweet Tooth Wed. March 22, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Barnes & Noble, Barracks Road Shopping Center, Charlottesville Cookbook authors Sheri Castle (Rhubarb) and Ronni Lundy (Sorghum’s Savor) will discuss their work. Cooking Demos Thu. March 23, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM The Charlottesville Cooking School, Meadowbrook Shopping Center, Charlottesville Join Sheri Castle (Rhubarb), Shane Mitchell (Far Afield), and Ronni Lundy (Victuals), as they each give a cooking demonstration of recipes from their cookbooks. Food Traditions and Women Chefs Thu. March 23, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, 233 4th St NW, Charlottesville, Virginia Join Ashley Christensen (Poole’s Diner), Shane Mitchell (Far Afield), and Ronni Lundy (Victuals) as they discuss traditional food and cooking methods and their experiences as female chefs. SHOW NOTES – Links to resources talked about during the podcast: Rally for Ally - help out one of our own, a chef who recently suffered a debilitating accident. Help Polina Recover - help out one of our own, a baker, who recently suffered a debilitating accident. Help Scotty Recover - my best friend has Stage 3B Colorectal cancer. Bills are piling up. He can't work. Can you help? Virginia Festival of the Book - Head out to the food writing events among tons of others. Yes, I'm biased. Subscribe to This Podcast. Stay Edacious! - Come on, after this episode? You know you want to ;) Subscribe to Edacious News - Never miss a food event in our area! Learn about regional and national food stories so you can stay edacious! This episode is sponsored by Teej.fm and listeners like you who donated their support at Patreon, who wants every creator in the world to achieve a sustainable income. Thank you.

GO TO HTTP://EDACIOUS.CO/053 TO PURCHASE THIS EPISODE! Revival Work. Welcome to Sounds of the Summit, a compilation of stories, music, oral histories, and regional food studies collected during the 2016 Appalachian Food Summit in Berea, Kentucky. Back in 2013 or thereabouts, an interesting discussion developed on Facebook. Did cornbread have sugar in it? Or not? There were enthusiastic supporters on both sides, so much so a few enterprising folks decided to create a Facebook group dedicated to Appalachian Foodways. Then someone, maybe food writer Ronni Lundy, suggested we meet and discuss this important issue. Maybe over food. And fellowship. And bourbon. And more food. With those words the first Appalachian Food Summit was born. That first year at Hindman Settlement School we had a church potluck, talked about heirloom seed saving, recorded oral histories, and listened to incredible bluegrass music. The following year saw us in Abingdon, Virginia at beautiful Heartwood, where Chef Travis Milton created a gourmet cafeteria-style meal he deemed "The Fancy Ass Picadilly" and Nancy Bruns of JQ Dickinson Salt-Works taught us all about the origins of salt mining in West Virginia. Just to name a few. Because Appalachian lessons? Stories? There were a lot. It must have been quite something because the Southern Foodways Alliance awarded AFS its John Egerton Prize in 2015. GO TO EDACIOUS.CO TO PURCHASE THIS EPISODE! This year found the summit in Berea, Kentucky where the college has given us a home base in which to explore themes around regional identity, myths, and the culture of extraction for the next few years. The theme was "Routes and Roadways" and over two days dozens of authors, scholars, and foodways enthusiasts presented their findings. Appalachia is a traveled region, whether you're headed up the hill, through the holler, or just a traveler passing through. It's been that way for hundreds of years. What has changed? What hasn't? The 2016 summit attempted to find out. And find out it did. In this episode I present seven summit speakers intertwined with my own thoughts after attending. It's a unique episode and one I had great joy creating. As they say in the movies I laughed. I cried. And in the end it reminded me why the Appalachian Food Summit remains the food cause closest to my heart. Because although I'm not always sure of my connection to the region, I always know I'm welcome to the table. Thanks so much for your support of this effort. By listening, you donate $1 to ensure the 2017 summit will be the best ever. Cheers. FABULOUS PRIZES! Listen and win. Starting next Monday, November 14th, I'll choose one winner per week for the next five weeks. Thank you to these local business for donating: $50 gift certificate - Splendora's Gelato (Episode 008) $50 gift certificate - ThreePenny Café (Episode 051) $50 gift certificate - Cicchetti Bar at Tavola (Episode 026) 3-month pie club membership - The Pie Chest One dozen free apple cider doughnuts - Carpe Donut (Episode 043) Summit Speakers - There were SO many great ones. Please check out the full lineup here. And thank you to the following musicians, storytellers, and scholars for offering up their art for this episode: Matt Parsons, musician. Robert Gipe, author of Trampoline. Courtney Balestier is a West Virginia writer whose interests focus on Appalachian food and culture, particularly issues of identity, belonging, and class (Episode 52). Silas House is a nationally bestselling writer and serves as the NEH Chair in Appalachian Studies at Berea College. Dr. Alicestyne Turley is the Director of the Carter G. Woodson Center for Interracial Education and is an Assistant Professor of African and African-American Studies at Berea College. Toni Tipton-Martin is an award-winning food and nutrition journalist and community activist who is busy building a healthier community through her books, classes, and foundation. Toni is the author of the James Beard Award-winning book, The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks. Ronni Lundy has long chronicled the people of the hillbilly diaspora as a journalist and cookbook author. Lundy can currently be found behind the wheel of her trusty Astrovan, touring the country with her newest critically-acclaimed book, Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes. Special thank you to Amy Campbell Rochelson of The Tennessee Farm Table podcast, who graciously lent me her recording of Robert Gipe's reading when my own bit the big one. Thank you Amy! Special thank you to our head organizer Lora Smith, without whom none of this would have been possible! You're a rockstar Lora. Thank you. This episode is sponsored by YOU.  That is, if you listen. It's only $1 and all proceeds benefit the 2017 Appalachian Food Summit. Thank you. GO TO EDACIOUS.CO TO PURCHASE THIS EPISODE!

The 11th program in the ORIGINS series is about locally made items for your pantry – salt, vinegar and cooking oil. All three makers are working in the Chesapeake watershed area. We are pleased to welcome Paige Payne from JQ Dickinson Salt Works. Paige, along with her husband Lewis and sister-in-law Nancy Bruns are 7th generation salt makers. Their brine source is the 400-600 million year old ancient sea, the Iapetus ocean. Sarah Conezio and Isaiah Billington, former pastry chef and chef de cuisine, accordingly, of Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore, Maryland, recently founded Keepwell Vinegar. They use locally-sourced grains, fruits, and vegetable to fuel their fermentation process. Josh Leidhecker is the owner of the Susquehanna Mills Company in Montoursville, Pennsylvania. Josh provides locally grown, non GMO food oils that are mechanically pressed to create healthier oils that maintain higher level of nutrients.

Saturday, October 17th at 9:00 A.M. on The Tennessee Farm Table subject is "SALT". We visit with Nancy Bruns of the J.Q. Dickinson Salt Works. This 7th generation salt-making family harvests an all-natural salt by hand, from an ancient ocean trapped below the Appalachian Mountains of the Kanawha Valley in West Virginia. We bring this to the show to serve as an example of a progressive, Appalachian, agricultural enterprise with an eye on sustainability. More information at: http://www.jqdsalt.com/ We also will feature the art of Amy Cameron Evans. She illustrated the stories found in the "Saltville" Cookbook and was Artist in Redidence at the Appalachian Food Summit. Connect with Amy on Instagram and Twitter from her website http://www.amycevans.com. She has a large assortment of prints and paintings to choose from. Amy Evans Art. View the work from the Saltville Cookbook on her Instagram page.

Part of the Appalachian Food Summit Series. Part 1 of 4. Can you really get a sense of a region's history through one ingredient? Food writer and Appalachia advocate Ronni Lundy knows you can. Her book, Sorghum's Savor does just that. While it contains recipes, a good portion of the book talks about sorghum's history, what it is and isn't, and the fascinating stories behind the folks who bring it to your table. As one of the founders of the Appalachian Food Summit, Ronni knows such stories are integral to understanding the evolution of a culture. Which is why we begin this episode's discussion around the history behind another ingredient, salt. At this year's gathering we were fortunate enough to have Nancy Bruns of JQ Dickinson Salt Works, a 7th generation salt farmer. Nancy considers salt an agricultural ingredient because in her words it is harvested from the ground and ripened by the sun. The history and evolution of this ingredient relates well to Appalachia's history as a land of extraction, as well as providing a base camp for all sorts of stories and anecdotes related to its history, harvest, and use. Appalachia is a storytelling culture, and Ronni deftly uses this to incorporate important lessons into her tales. Because the purpose of the summit is to not only preserve, but to move Appalachia into the growing, abundant, thriving, economically and environmentally productive region we all know it can be. It's an heirloom that just needs a little spitshine. It's time for revival. The fellowship from food gatherings is one of the hallmarks of Appalachia. Food as communion. Food as revival. Not food as performance where chefs come out after sweating their butts off in a kitchen just to receive a smattering of applause. There's a reason people crave the homemade meals from their upbringing. Food grown from heritage seeds taste better, keep longer, are better for the environment, and preserve history. We discuss The Appalachian Food Summit, its goals, and how Facebook helped get it started, Why was it important to serve this meal cafeteria style? What exactly does Chef Travis Milton mean when he called this dinner a "fancy-ass Picadilly"?* You're in for a treat guys. Ronni Lundy is a kick-ass broad. You're going to learn a lot. But these lessons are mixed in through great stories. Or as Ronni's says, "A little sugar before your medicine." Enjoy! This episode is sponsored by In A Flash Laser Engraving. *Look for his interview in Episode 21, up October 16th.

This week on The Farm Report, Erin interviews Nancy Bruns and Lewis Payne, founders of JQ Dickinson Salt-Works, located in Malden, West Virginia. Nancy and Lewis tell us about how their company was founded over 200 years ago, and how the aquifer below the land in Malden is essential to the production of their product. This program has been sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. Images from JQ Dickinson Salt-Works “It’s a very bold flavor, yet balanced. It’s delicious, as we call it!” [8:50] “If you salt your own food rather than eating processed foods, you’re going a long way to being a healthier person.” [30:30] –Nancy Bruns on The Farm Report