+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: FoxFire Books

  1. Link to Post #1
    United States Avalon Retired Member
    Join Date
    13th February 2010
    Location
    Handbasket
    Age
    72
    Posts
    1,818
    Thanks
    185
    Thanked 1,628 times in 390 posts

    Default FoxFire Books

    No, FireFox is a browser, FoxFire is a series of books on all manner of folklife practices..

    I believe there are 12 books in the original series. I have collected 9 of them, so far.
    Foxfire books by Elliot Wigginton.
    To motivate his students, Wigginton began an oral history project, asking his students to collect oral histories from local residents. Topics included all manner of folklife practices and customs associated with farming and the rural life of southern Appalachia, as well as the folklore and oral history of local residents.
    From making soap, to carving water wheels from tree stumps, to... gee, the mind boggles. He sent his students out to record the folk knowledge of the generation before mine. The people who lived through the last turn of the century, while their minds were still fresh. Most of what they are passing on is stuff they learned from their parents, and grandparents.

    These books are like Gold, in my opinion. One place you can still find them is on eBay. Go there and type in Foxfire and do a search. With a little hunting you can find them at a great price.

    From FireFox.org
    Quote "Foxfire" is the name of a series of books which are anthology collections of material from The Foxfire Magazine. The students' portrayal of the previously-dismissed culture of Southern Appalachia as a proud, self-sufficient people with simple beliefs, pure joy in living, and rock-solid faith shattered most of the world-at-large's misconceptions about these "hillbillies."
    Here is a "quick" description of just part of what is in the first 5 books:

    These are all circa 1970's to 1980.
    Volume 1: c1972. Log cabin building, planting by the signs, moonshining, etc.
    Volume 2: c1973. Ghost stories, mid-wifery, burial customs, wagon making, etc.
    Volume 3: c1975. Animal care, banjos & dulcimers, wild plant foods, etc.
    Volume 4: c1977. Fiddle making, horse trading, gardening, etc.
    Volume 5: c1979. Iron making, blacksmithing, bear hunting, etc.

    Note: If you dig around re. the author, you will find that in later years he ran into some very ugly trouble with the law. I can only suggest keeping the work he did separate from that. What he and his students produced is incredible.

    Fred

    PS: This weekend I am passing on my collection to my daughter, and her family.

  2. The Following User Says Thank You to Fredkc For This Post:


  3. Link to Post #2
    Avalon Member Jenny's Avatar
    Join Date
    16th March 2010
    Posts
    37
    Thanks
    4
    Thanked 10 times in 4 posts

    Default Re: FoxFire Books

    Are these books converted to PDF as well?

    Or maybe as just text to be found online?

    Thanks Fred!

  4. Link to Post #3
    Avalon Member MorningSong's Avatar
    Join Date
    17th March 2010
    Location
    Lombardy, Italy
    Posts
    2,786
    Thanks
    9,162
    Thanked 10,488 times in 2,183 posts

    Default Re: FoxFire Books

    Yes! Absolutely a must have for your survival library!

    My grandmother (born in 1897 and passed away in 1992), having grown up in the NC mountains, loved these books. My mom and aunt have all of the collection..11 volumes, I think. (edit: there are 12 volumes)

    I found Fox Fire One: http://www.scribd.com/doc/8961411/Foxfire-One

    Two: http://www.scribd.com/doc/8961376/Foxfire-Two

    Three: http://www.scribd.com/doc/8961322/Foxfire-Three

    Five: http://www.scribd.com/doc/6476078/Th...Book-Volume-05

    Anybody find any others, even on other sites? ...seems you have to join scribd to download.
    Last edited by MorningSong; 26th March 2010 at 18:05.
    "Vision without action is merely a dream.
    Action without vision just passes the time.
    Vision with action can change the world." Joel Arthur Barker

  5. Link to Post #4
    Avalon Member Jenny's Avatar
    Join Date
    16th March 2010
    Posts
    37
    Thanks
    4
    Thanked 10 times in 4 posts

    Default Re: FoxFire Books

    You found them Morningsong!

    Thank you.

    Hug, Jenny

  6. Link to Post #5
    United States Avalon Retired Member
    Join Date
    13th February 2010
    Location
    Handbasket
    Age
    72
    Posts
    1,818
    Thanks
    185
    Thanked 1,628 times in 390 posts

    Default Re: FoxFire Books

    Holy cow, MorningSong !

    Ya finded sum!

    Already d'loaded those, and sent copies to the Ex; who,
    mentioned that the set we have would be something our daughter would go nuts over.

    Was nice to be able to say, that daughter was coming here Saturday to pick them up.
    Always healthy to stay one step ahead of the ex-wife, ya know.

    Thanks again,
    Fred

  7. Link to Post #6
    United States Avalon Retired Member
    Join Date
    13th February 2010
    Location
    Handbasket
    Age
    72
    Posts
    1,818
    Thanks
    185
    Thanked 1,628 times in 390 posts

    Default Re: FoxFire Books

    Ok!
    Did some nosing around and also found Book Four:

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/8961243/Foxfire-Four

    Which contains, amung other thaings...



    Fiddle Makin'!

    Fred
    Last edited by Fredkc; 26th March 2010 at 19:14.

  8. Link to Post #7
    Avalon Member MorningSong's Avatar
    Join Date
    17th March 2010
    Location
    Lombardy, Italy
    Posts
    2,786
    Thanks
    9,162
    Thanked 10,488 times in 2,183 posts

    Default Re: FoxFire Books

    Book Four: http://www.scribd.com/doc/8961243/Foxfire-Four

    It looks like you can download Volumes 1-11 here:

    http://www.librum.us/

    Just scroll down 'til you find them listed and click on DEMO... I tried and because I have a Dail-up connection, it said it would take 11+ hours....guess they are the books (?).

    Lots of other interesting stuff there, too!

    I'm loving doing it, Fred! (edit: you beat me to posting, Fred!) You're very welcome, Jenny! hug-hug
    "Vision without action is merely a dream.
    Action without vision just passes the time.
    Vision with action can change the world." Joel Arthur Barker

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to MorningSong For This Post:

    SHAPE (21st June 2011)

  10. Link to Post #8
    Avalon Member 5thElement's Avatar
    Join Date
    16th March 2010
    Location
    USA
    Age
    57
    Posts
    64
    Thanks
    142
    Thanked 55 times in 20 posts

    Default Re: FoxFire Books

    I remember reading those books as a kid - always had a hold on one of them at the library it seemed

    Thanks Fred and Morningstar for the links
    5th
    "In spite of everything I still believe that people are good" Anne Frank

  11. Link to Post #9
    Avalon Member Kari Lynn's Avatar
    Join Date
    26th March 2010
    Posts
    900
    Thanks
    88
    Thanked 1,855 times in 566 posts

    Default Re: FoxFire Books

    Saw Foxfire in the title, and had to take a looksie! lol. when I was trying to rebuild horse drawn buggies, wagons, etc.... I borrowed these books from the library. Very interesting read, and wouldn't mind finding them to purchase and add to my library.

    I also have joined/volunteer (or used to, never seem to have time lately) for a historic civil war village. these such places have learned and keep old skills alive as well as teach!
    Soap making, planting, animal care, cooking, making thread, linen,
    I also found a journal from a man back in the 1800's in which he described how to make a fire in your fireplace that actually put heat out instead of up the chimney. (anyone that's ever burned a wood burning fireplace that doesn't have the blowers, knows what I'm talking about. Makes a draft of your entire house!
    hint: do NOT split all those big 8 to 10 inch logs, they are the base for your "backlog" and get rid of those Basket grates, and get firedogs. Baskets will not hold up to the heat generated if you build your fire right. I burned through two of them in the space of 2 weeks. Litterally!
    You place the large 8 to 10 inch log against the back wall of the fireplace on the firedogs. This does two things. Reflects heat back out into the room, and protects the brick of the fireplace from cracking from the heat. (also creates a slower burning fire, that produces more heat.)
    A smaller 4 to 6 inch log placed at the front of the firedogs, will be the "Frontlog"
    About 6 to 8 inches in the middle is where your fire will be.

    Lately I've been researching natural medicines from plants and such.
    One of the ladies at Missouri Town 1855, has grown a medicinal garden. While she was showing me around her garden, I found out my youngest son paid closer attention than I did. lol.
    She had pointed out that lambs ear is natures bandaid.
    I have it growing along the fence line all over my place.
    One day I happened to cut my hand on some sheet metal, and my youngest raced to the fence line, picked a leaf of lambs ear, and said "Here Mom" So I laid it on my hand. (Isn't that what you normally do with a bandaid?)
    He says "No, you rub it!" so he started gently rubbing the leaf on my cut, and it stopped bleeding immediately! I was amazed! lol
    (pst, maybe organic, or herbal medicines could also be another subforum, as if things go awol, medications might be hard if not impossible to get? Just a thought.)

    I love the foxfire books, but one thing I would recommend if anyone has the chance: Go to a historical village, where people actually make things and show how it was done back then. (not just looking through a glass at the antiques) Hands on is the best way to learn!

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to Kari Lynn For This Post:

    Marianne (20th August 2011)

+ Reply to Thread

Similar Threads

  1. Free Audio Books
    By Studeo in forum Movies, TV, Books, and Popular Culture
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 31st July 2019, 22:50
  2. Top 5 Books that have Impacted you the most
    By Gestalt in forum Movies, TV, Books, and Popular Culture
    Replies: 133
    Last Post: 29th December 2011, 00:28
  3. Self Sufficiency Books On-line
    By MorningSong in forum Living off the Grid
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 17th May 2011, 23:39
  4. Where There Is No Doctor (Survival Books)
    By Grizzom in forum Movies, TV, Books, and Popular Culture
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 9th August 2010, 23:30
  5. some good books to download
    By john.d in forum Movies, TV, Books, and Popular Culture
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 15th April 2010, 07:50

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts