Latest News
The Secret Life in your Soil
Beneath the rolling hills of the Piedmont in North Carolina, a secret world thrives, right here in Montgomery County. This world is the soil, a complex ecosystem teeming with life that's often overlooked. In the Piedmont's clay-rich soils, an unseen community of...
Back to school
John B. Marek is a writer, farmer, outdoorsman and recovering economic developer. You can find his books at johnbmarek.com. The window on the mountain is frosted over this morning. The radio mentions snow flurries a few miles to the west, but it's just cold and damp...
PaperWorks’ closing explained
By Kyle Poplin One of Mt. Gilead’s biggest employers, PaperWorks, announced it’s closing at the end of March and 74 people will lose their jobs. Emily Granholm, senior human resources manager at PaperWorks in Mt. Gilead, explained the decision: “Mt. Gilead is a great...
It hasn’t always been easy to stay dry
John B. Marek is a writer, farmer, outdoorsman and recovering economic developer. You can find his books at johnbmarek.com. The window on the mountain is being lashed today with heavy rain and wind gusts of 50 mph. It is dry inside, but I'd hate to be out in those...
New Year’s financial resolutions
Now that we’ve reached 2024, you might be thinking about your goals and hopes for the new year. But in addition to whatever personal resolutions you might make — volunteering, going to the gym more, learning a new language and others — why not make some financial...
Mall Rat
John B. Marek is a writer, farmer, outdoorsman and recovering economic developer. You can find his books at johnbmarek.com. The window on the mountain is absolutely closed today as more seasonal winter temperatures spread across the Blue Ridge after a pleasantly mild...
Creating Seasonal Splendor in the Garden.
Gardens change costumes with the seasons, offering a year-round spectacle. Creating year-round garden interest is about understanding the cycle of seasons and choosing plants that will bloom in succession, providing constant color and texture. To begin, envision your...
Building Your First Garden Bed is Easy!
If you want to start a garden bed and never have before, it’s not as hard as you might think. First, location is paramount. Your new garden bed will need a spot that receives ample sunlight (at least six to eight hours a day) unless you plan to plant something that...
Time: A key element of investing
Who knows where the time goes? We’ve reached the end of another year, so it’s appropriate to reflect on the nature of time and how it affects us. And time certainly is a key element in the pursuit of your financial goals. As an investor, time can be your greatest...
What Charlie Brown tried to teach us
John B. Marek is a writer, farmer, outdoorsman and recovering economic developer. You can find his books at johnbmarek.com. The window on the mountain is presumably closed and locked. I am actually in The 'Ville (Statesville) today, spreading a little last-minute...
Garden Fitness Turns Gardening into a Workout
Gardening might seem like a serene, leisurely activity, but anyone who's spent a day weeding, planting, or turning compost knows it can also be a rigorous workout. In fact, for those looking to boost their fitness regimen, the garden offers a gym's worth of exercise...
Time for tax-loss harvesting?
It’s been a bumpy year for the financial markets — which means that some of your investments may have underperformed or lost value. Can you use these losses to your advantage? It’s possible. If you have some investments that have lost value, you could sell them to...