Tony and Terri Fisher operate the Candler Feed And Seed Store on Smoky Park Highway in Candler, North Carolina...

But their store is so much more than pet, garden and farm supplies; they truly operate a ministry out of the store which is always filled with laughter and joy...   even on the Christmas Eve night that they sent Santa to jail.

I chat with Tony and Terri about having Santa arrested, how they met in an untraditional fashion at the time, and all the blessings they bring to the Candler community.

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Deep inside the DuPont State Recreational Forest is hidden stories of family tragedy, forgotten places and community unity through it all.

Western North Carolina Author and Historian Patty Stahl shares these amazing stories in this episode of Explore with RWD.

Each National and State Forest or Park has its own unique history of how it was created.  However, the story of the DuPont State Forest is lined in kindness and some outrage together.  In this episode we chat with DuPort Forest : A History author Danny Bernstein on how the forest that so many love with it's eight waterfalls, multiple lakes and miles of trails came to be.

Purchase DuPont Forest : A History

Visit The DuPont State Forest online

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I believe the quote "From humble beginnings come great things..." sums up our guest this episode, Natural World Photographer, Entrepreneur, and Conservationist Benjamin Walls.  He has dedicated his life to connecting you with the natural world and that driving passion has been challenging at times.  From struggling as a starving artist, to achieving five exhibits in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, and risking his life for his art when he faced down a roaring grizzly, Walls has overcome at every pivotal point in his journey to push his boundaries and reach new levels of success.

He is as inspiring as he is charming, and he is our guest in this episode of Explore With RWD.  Listen now.

Benjamin Walls Galleries

WALLSabout Luxury Travel

Northern White Rhinos Project

Sunburst Falls is beautiful to visit, but the town which it was named after gave African Americans of the early 1900's the opportunity to achieve the American Dream long before social justice came into play.  Sadly, that town has been "washed" away in history.   

Join Nature Photographer and Journalist Roger W. Downes as he talks with Smoky Mountain News Staff Writer and Contributor to Asheville's NPR Radio Blue Ridge Public Radio Cory Vaillancourt about the forgotten history of Sunburst, North Carolina.

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High in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina stands the Pretty Place, the Fred W. Symmes Chapel .  Offering amazing views of the valley below  the Pretty Place is a popular venue for weddings, funerals, prayer and photographers.

Join Roger W. Downes as he shares his experience there and explores the history of the Chapel with Director of Camp Operations for the YMCA Greenville Nicholas Patton.

Directions to the Pretty Place

Visitation Schedule for the Pretty Place

Summer Camp at the Pretty Place

See the photos and videos of the Pretty Place at ExploreWithRWD.com.  

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Two cultures collide in amazing symmetry in this award winning Native American Flutist and Cherokee storyteller.  Join me as Matthew Tooni (Tune-eye) shares his story of music, being nominated for a Native American Music Award and his calling to the Christian faith.  It is an amazing and inspiring story of dancing faith and culture.

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I had always believed in Bigfoot, but doubt lingered in my mind for a long time if my beliefs were accurate.  But then one early evening along the Blue Ridge Parkway my doubts were completely dosed.  

I'll share my encounter with you and chat with the head of Bigfoot 9-1-1 and event organizer for the WNC Bigfoot Festival, John Bruner.  John will share some other sasquatch stories and all the details of how you can attend the 2021 WNC Bigfoot Festival in Marion, North Carolina.

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If local historian Bill Carson and his sister hadn't purchased The Orchard at Altapass, the Blue Ridge Parkway would look much different today.  Roger W. Downes chats with Bill about this story and how America putting a man on the moon plays into it as well.  

Then Bill dives into the story of how the settlers of Western North Carolina turned the tide in the American Revolutionary War due to their grit and determination to keep the British out of the mountains. 

Read our blog about the Orchard at Altapass

Learn more about the Historic Orchard at Altapass when you visit www.altapassorchard.org.

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The Pisgah National Forest hosts an amazing assortment of waterfalls, but Catawba Falls takes it to a whole new level.  When you arrive at the foot of the falls you feel as if you have just walked into a fantasy movie.  The beauty is stunning.  However, many of us would have never been able to enjoy this waterfall if it hadn't been for the efforts of the Foothills Conservancy.

We visit with Foothills Conservancy Land Protection Director Tom Kenney about the role he and the conservancy played in making the falls available to all of us.

Read our blog about Catawba Falls

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