Barbara Nichols Mulder Knihy

Settled as a maritime and agricultural colony, North Carolina's history has always been intertwined with agriculture and farming. After the Civil War, North Carolina became the nation's top grower of tobacco, and one of the country's largest tobacco companies--the American Tobacco Company--flourished from the huge quantities of Eastern North Carolina-grown tobacco that was purchased. With the growing success of cotton farming and other crops and livestock--including corn, peanuts, and hogs--the region was particularly rich in subsistence farming. Over the course of the 20th century, farming and agriculture went through tremendous change. The familiar landscape of cotton and tobacco began to shift and include more varied crops, such as soybeans and sweet potatoes. At the same time, hand tools were exchanged for tractors and combines. Eastern North Carolina Farming showcases the rich history of this agriculturally dynamic region while telling the individual stories of farmers who grew for families, markets, and distribution.

North Carolina holds a special place in the history of moonshine. For more than three centuries, the illicit home-brew was a way of life. NASCAR emerged from the illegal moonshine trade as drivers such as Junior Johnson, accustomed to running from the law, moved to the racetrack. A host of colorful characters populated the state s bootlegging arena, like Marvin Popcorn Sutton, known as the Paul Bunyan of moonshine, and Alvin Sawyer, considered the moonshine king of the Great Dismal Swamp. Some law enforcement played a constant cat-and-mouse game to shut down illegal stills, while some just looked the other way. Authors Frank Stephenson and Barbara Mulder reveal the gritty history of moonshine in the Tar Heel State."