WNC Heartbeat Podcast

What does it look like to grow up with your hands in the soil, your heart in the mountains, and a community rallying around you? In this episode, co-hosts Anna Rose and Ali sit down with Misty Varnell (4-H Extension Agent, Madison County NC) and the Carter family — mom Shanna and teen participant Ace — to pull back the curtain on one of rural America's most enduring youth programs. From dairy judging and the Pullet Project to embryology in second-grade classrooms and homeschool curriculum kits, this conversation covers it all. Whether you're a parent, a local business, or someone who just loves this mountain community — this one's for you. 🌱

In this episode, Susan Garrett of WNC Communities discusses the critical role community centers play in building trust, resilience, and long-term sustainability in rural Western North Carolina. A powerful conversation on listening-led leadership, local investment, and strengthening communities from the ground up.🎧 Watch the full conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iLm0MB8-B2k

In this episode of WNC HeartBEAT, we sit down with Bill Downey for a clear, behind-the-scenes conversation about how tourism actually functions in Madison County, North Carolina. Bill plays a key role in local tourism strategy through the Tourism Development Authority, and he brings valuable clarity to a topic that often feels opaque to residents, business owners, and community leaders alike.We discuss how tourism funding is structured, what the TDA is responsible for (and what it isn’t), and how decisions are made around marketing, outdoor recreation, and long-term economic development. Bill also explains how local businesses, nonprofits, and community initiatives can engage with tourism efforts, while balancing growth with sustainability and quality of life for residents. From outdoor assets like Bailey Mountain to the realities of seasonality in Western North Carolina, this conversation offers context, transparency, and practical insight into how tourism can support — rather than overwhelm — rural communities.Whether you’re a resident, small business owner, nonprofit leader, or simply someone invested in the future of Western North Carolina, this episode provides an informed look at tourism as a tool for thoughtful, community-centered growth.Follow WNC HeartBEAT for more expert interviews and conversations exploring the people, policies, and projects shaping Western North Carolina.Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DE4LYN8YPq8Learn more: https://wncheartbeat.substack.comFollow us on social: @wncheartbeat

In this episode of WNC HeartBEAT, we’re joined by Marisha MacMorran, Executive Director of The Food Connection, to unpack how food rescue operates across Western North Carolina and why it has become a critical component of hunger relief in rural and mountain communities. Marisha shares the origin of The Food Connection, how their team rescues surplus fresh and prepared foods from farms, grocery stores, and restaurants, and redistributes it to neighbors experiencing food insecurity throughout Madison, Buncombe, Haywood, and surrounding counties. The conversation explores the logistics of food rescue, the dignity-first approach to food access, the role of community partnerships, and how food rescue supports seniors, farm workers, and individuals navigating health crises. This episode offers an inside look at a scalable, community-centered solution to food insecurity and food waste — rooted in local relationships and human connection.Follow WNC HeartBEAT for more in-depth conversations with nonprofit leaders, community builders, and changemakers shaping Western North Carolina.Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUvK2B3OuWcLearn more: https://wncheartbeat.substack.comFollow us on social: @wncheartbeat

Madison County, NC is facing a growing challenge: limited food access, long travel distances, and barriers that leave many families struggling to meet basic needs. In this powerful interview, we sit down with Ashly and Matt from the MadCo Food Coalition to discuss the realities of food insecurity in rural Western North Carolina — and what it truly takes to build sustainable, community-driven solutions.Ashly and Matt share how MadCo’s programs work, why community needs assessments directly impact grant eligibility, and what residents can do right now to ensure these essential services continue. Their work highlights the importance of grassroots collaboration, rural resilience, and collective action across the county.If you care about Western North Carolina, community health, or strengthening rural support systems, this is a must-listen conversation.Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RfzI1o7OloY Support MadCo Food Coalition:Fill out the community needs assessment: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9gZLrBBxkVQkxDiAbeo0n2lXEIqThH3H38fzIuyUxMbGB-g/viewformDonate to WNC Grassroots Media (add a note that it is for MadCo Food Coalition): https://givebutter.com/wncmtnreporterAttend the MadCo Food Coalition community food distribution event on December 13: ​​https://facebook.com/events/s/free-community-meal/2629399107424314/Learn more about MadCo Food Coalition:Website: https://www.madcofoodco.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/61578348551553Learn more about WNC HeartBEAT: https://wncheartbeat.substack.comFollow us on social @wncheartbeat

Pre-order the book: Madison County, NC - Vol 01: Spring Creek https://www.millionmemoryproject.org/spring-creek8th-generation Madison County ballad singer Donna Ray Norton joins WNC HeartBEAT to explore how music preserves family history and why the Appalachian Memory Project (AMP) is gathering oral histories across Western North Carolina. Donna Ray traces her lineage in Sodom Laurel, reflects on Cecil Sharp’s 1916 song collecting, and explains how AMP’s Spring Creek Book and digital archive capture authentic local voices—stories of school days, pine-tree “zip lines,” the bookmobile, and the work songs that stitched community together. We discuss the craft of ballad singing, the neuroscience-friendly link between music and memory, honoring elders, and how communities can host Memory Days or support future volumes. If you care about Appalachian culture, mountain music, oral history, or place-based storytelling, this conversation shows how remembering can build a stronger future.Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wNCKPtwuMAw Learn more: https://wncheartbeat.substack.comFollow us on our socials @wncheartbeatFollow AMP on their socials @appalachianmemoryprojectFollow the show for more expert interviews, community stories, and deep dives into Western North Carolina’s culture and creativity!

In this episode of WNC HeartBEAT, hosts Anna Robas and Ali Tisdall talk with Alice McVey, one of the driving forces behind the new Spring Creek Office for Rural Economic Development (SCORED!).Alice shares how years of community collaboration, grant partnerships, and vision turned a rural school building into a modern business hub — complete with coworking spaces, private offices, tele-health booths, and an education-ready classroom. This project represents a new chapter for Western North Carolina’s rural economy, connecting people, resources, and opportunity right here in Spring Creek.Follow WNC HeartBEAT for more interviews with the people shaping the future of WNC — from local leaders and educators to entrepreneurs and artists.Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/90twlJsXj3Q Follow WNC HeartBEAT:📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wncheartbeat📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wncheartbeat📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wncheartbeat📍 Substack: https://wncheartbeat.substack.com📍 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/109071691/admin/dashboard/Follow SCCC:📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/springcreekccnc📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/springcreekccnc📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@springcreekccnc📍 Website: http://springcreek-nc.org 

In the folds of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a quiet revolution is underway. What was once a forgotten schoolhouse in Spring Creek, North Carolina, is becoming something extraordinary — a living, breathing heartbeat of a rural community reinventing itself. In this episode, hosts Ali Tisdall and Anna Robas pull back the curtain on what it really takes to bring new life to an old place — where grit, vision, and mountain time collide.Inside this episode:A schoolhouse reborn as the beating heart of a rural townHow a single storm united neighbors — and sparked a movementThe hidden power of volunteers and visionariesWhy Spring Creek might just be a blueprint for rural revivalFollow WNC HeartBEAT for more immersive stories of resilience, reinvention, and the people keeping Western North Carolina alive.Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wncheartbeatLearn more: https://wncheartbeat.substack.comFollow us on social @wncheartbeat

When Hurricane Helene struck Hot Springs, NC, it wasn’t just the streets and homes that were washed away — entire memories were at risk of being lost. In this powerful WNC HeartBEAT episode, host Ali Tisdall sits down with Kevin Reese, community organizer and founder of Rebuild Hot Springs, to uncover how a town rebuilt itself one story at a time.Kevin recounts the day Helene overtook Bridge Street in broad daylight, the urgency of daily 11 a.m. recovery meetings, and how neighbors became lifelines when the outside world was cut off. He also shares the creation of Through Our Eyes, a community photo book that documents the disaster and resilience of Hot Springs, and the major strides made since — from grassroots organizing to securing a $10M infrastructure grant.This episode is more than a local story — it’s a blueprint for small-town recovery, memory preservation, and the power of community in times of crisis.🎧 Follow WNC HeartBEAT on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for more inspiring interviews and first-hand stories from across Western North Carolina.📖 Support the recovery by getting your copy of the book here: http://rebuildhotsprings.org/book

In this episode of WNC Heartbeat, Barbie and Ed Johnson share the incredible story of Mission Sheds. What began in Western North Carolina as a way to help families after disaster has grown into a worldwide volunteer movement. From the first shed delivered in Marshall to global teams of helpers, Mission Sheds shows how ordinary people can create extraordinary impact.To help support Mission Sheds, please visit: https://givebutter.com/9AcYL0 Follow us on:📍 YouTube: http://youtube.com/@wncheartbeat 📍Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wncheartbeat📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wncheartbeat📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wncheartbeat📍 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/wncheartbeat📍 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wnc-heartbeat/idwncheartbeat📍 Substack: https://wncheartbeat.substack.com

Among the ridges and valleys of Western North Carolina, the land doesn’t just shape the view — it shapes the people. In our debut episode of WNC Heartbeat, Ali and Anna peel back the layers of small-town resilience, where every story holds both beauty and hardship.✨ In this episode, you’ll hear:The night Hurricane Helene changed everything — and the unexpected place where neighbors gathered.How two strangers became friends in the middle of chaos.Why living in Spring Creek means learning to endure, adapt, and build together.The hidden strength of mountain communities that outsiders rarely see.🔊 Subscribe to WNC Heartbeat on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for more immersive stories of resilience, ingenuity, and heart from Western North Carolina.FB SHARE🌄 Our very first episode of WNC Heartbeat is live!From the quiet valleys of Spring Creek to the chaos of Hurricane Helene, this debut conversation between Ali & Anna dives deep into what it means to live, rebuild, and find community in Western North Carolina.In this episode, you’ll hear:✅ Memories of Hurricane Helene and the first steps toward recovery✅ Stories of resilience, neighbors helping neighbors, and finding connection in crisis✅ Why the mountains shape not just the landscape — but the people who call them home👉 Watch the full episode on YouTube now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZbTO1f3rusNext week, don’t miss our interview with Mission Sheds, sharing the incredible work they’re doing as part of the rebuild after Helene.