Storytellers Podcast

Southerners possess a particular passion and proclivity for using mayo … in pretty much everything. While food writer Sheri Castle won't reveal her preferred brand (too dicey), she does celebrate this do-all ingredient and its ability to hold foods (and people) together.

Despite their name, spoil islands are hardly a wasteland. These man-made islands offer remote and protected nesting habitats for birds and wildlife — and for our Ramblin' Man, a reminder that the beach is meant to be shared.

On the easternmost edge of North Carolina's Outer Banks, the waves off Hatteras hold their power longer than anywhere else on the East Coast. In this episode, Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice meets surfer and waterman Pat O'Neal, who helps her understand this natural phenomenon and the fun and fury the tides bring.

In the shallow waters of Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico sounds, a waterman's best insurance is a long, wooden shove pole used to propel boats and small skiffs from duck decoys to their destinations.

A blue crab sandwich reminds our editor in chief that North Carolina's delicate coastline fuels the journey from water to hand — creating a seasonal flavor that brings us back time and again.

From sunset to dawn, avian travelers cross North Carolina's skies at night, leaving behind a trail of fleeting chirps and trills that mesmerize Our State contributor T. Edward Nickens. 

Poured from pharmacy taps and chilled in icy chests, North Carolina soft drinks have long sweetened memories and sparked a legacy of local pride.

On a recent spring morning in Asheville, our editor in chief reflected on the mountains' beauty during the season of awakening.

North Carolina is home to more than half of the nation's meat-hungry plants. In the Sandhills Gameland, Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice learns more about how these green assassins survive — and thrive — across our state's landscapes.

In 1917, the town of Hot Springs, North Carolina, transformed into a shared landscape of craftsmanship and culture after 2,000 German officers, sailors, and civilians carved out a community along the banks of the French Broad River.

As the country's 250th birthday nears, our editor in chief reflects on the way star-spangled sightings across North Carolina provide her with a moment to pause and appreciate the place she calls home.   

In the South, we happen upon fatback in our stores and well-seasoned sides. This month, fatback finds its way, finally, into columnist Sheri Castle's kitchen.

It takes more than April showers to bring on the beauty of spring. As waves of yellow coat everything in sight, our Ramblin' Man stocks up on tissues and allergy medicine. Welcome to pollen season.

While nature might seem competitive, mature pine forests offer a lesson in coexistence — a natural phenomenon known as crown shyness.

In Iredell County, one of North Carolina's state historic sites provides a window into pre-Revolutionary War life at the edge of North Carolina's western frontier.

Writer T. Edward Nickens examines how prescribed fires clear out overgrown forests and make way for new life.

In a season known for cleaning, Sheri Castle welcomes a freshly picked mess into her kitchen.

Tendrils of Spanish moss may evoke Southern Gothic allure, but in their habitats, the epiphyte shares a symbiotic relationship with its fellow flora and fauna.

In the heart of North Carolina, the state's largest privately owned short-line railway is rekindling an appreciation for railroads and "slow travel" with a glittering fleet of restored train cars.

Beyond commercial jingles, Our State's editor in chief remembers the way her mother and grandmother turned cleaning into an act of care.  

Wherever he travels, T. Edward Nickens finds comfort in a cup of joe.

In 1942 at UNC Chapel Hill, young musicians marched into history as the Navy's first all-Black unit band.   

When food writer Sheri Castle discovers her grandfather's old mill, she and her family set out to revive a Southern tradition fueled by grits and grist.

A paleontologist uncovers the ancient lives still hidden in North Carolina's rocks and coastline.

 In a state shaped by kindness and hospitality, our editor in chief reflects on how simple gestures, from pound cake to a warm welcome at the door, imbue North Carolina with a sense of home.   

 Food writer Sheri Castle gives thanks for the Atlantic's seasonal bounty of oysters and how it gives those in the snow-capped Appalachian mountains a taste of Christmas on the coast.

At the end of another year of travels, writer and adventurer T. Edward Nickens reflects on what roots him to North Carolina.

Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice explores how North Carolina's "tree thief" nourishes a surprising community of wildlife, from cedar waxwings to great purple hairstreaks, during the winter months. 

For nearly 90 years, Winston-Salem's Industries for the Blind Solutions has been a beacon of opportunity for individuals with vision impairments.

As Christmas draws near, our editor in chief takes a moment to reflect on the spirit of giving and sense of gratitude it nurtures.

Listen as the pages of the magazine come to life in the Storytellers podcast, a new series featuring the voices of six Our State writers, including Editor in Chief Elizabeth Hudson. Each podcast episode features a writer reading their column aloud, allowing each distinct voice to shine. You can experience Our State wherever you go — in the car, on your walk, or while cooking dinner.

From pocosins to hollows, black bears shape North Carolina's wild places — with persistence, silence, and strength. Listen as the pages of the magazine come to life in the Storytellers podcast, a new series featuring the voices of six Our State writers, including Editor in Chief Elizabeth Hudson. Each podcast episode features a writer reading their column aloud, allowing each distinct voice to shine. You can experience Our State wherever you go — in the car, on your walk, or while cooking dinner.

The sizzle in a skillet, the scent of toasting flour, the taste of I savory victory: Gravy-making engages the senses to honor of the humble glory that Southern cooks find in grease. Listen as the pages of the magazine come to life in the Storytellers podcast, a new series featuring the voices of six Our State writers, including Editor in Chief Elizabeth Hudson. Each podcast episode features a writer reading their column aloud, allowing each distinct voice to shine. You can experience Our State wherever you go — in the car, on your walk, or while cooking dinner.

A painter, a poet, a novelist, a middle school student, and many others have played a role in revealing the story — and the lessons — of the all-Black Pea Island Life-Saving Station. Listen as the pages of the magazine come to life in the Storytellers podcast, a new series featuring the voices of six Our State writers, including Editor in Chief Elizabeth Hudson. Each podcast episode features a writer reading their column aloud, allowing each distinct voice to shine. You can experience Our State wherever you go — in the car, on your walk, or while cooking dinner.

Everywhere in North Carolina, deer walk among us, mostly unnoticed. A glimpse of these quiet creatures reveals how closely the natural world mirrors our own. Listen as the pages of the magazine come to life in the Storytellers podcast, a new series featuring the voices of six Our State writers, including Editor in Chief Elizabeth Hudson. Each podcast episode features a writer reading their column aloud, allowing each distinct voice to shine. You can experience Our State wherever you go — in the car, on your walk, or while cooking dinner.

More than 20 years ago, writer T. Edward Nickens found a hairstylist and a kindred spirit — and discovered the transportive power of a well-told story.

In this episode of Hidden History, Brad Campbell shares the story of a Presbyterian minister and the lasting impact he made in Banner Elk, NC, and the surrounding communities.

Writer Sheri Castle muses on in-season apples fill more than our pastries and pies. They're forever baked into our family trees and tales.

Entomologist Dr. Eleanor Spicer Rice travels to Asheville to learn about the endangered gray bats species as the local population recovers after Hurricane Helene.

One year after Hurricane Helene, Our State's editor in chief finds awe in the resilient spirit of North Carolinians that arose amidst the devastation.