I inherited the land where we live from my grandfather, it has been in the family since 1947. I was born in Texas & was sent here every Summer since I was 10; 2 weeks with my grandparents & a month on the rez in Cherokee, NC with my grandmother's people. My grandfather always told me that one day this land would be mine. The only other people that live on my road are the Stokely's. Due to "Right of Way Laws" in Tennessee, I can't cut off their access to their land, even though I own the road. It's a good law. When my grandfather passed, my wife & I began the process of having our house built. I would see the Stokely's pass by, they would wave, I would wave & that was it for about a year. One afternoon, the elder Stokely stopped & asked if he could speak to me. After the "official" introductions were over he asked if I was related to the previous owner. The same last name surprised him. Then I mentioned that I remember him from my visits throughout my childhood. He had no idea who I was, he thought I just bought the place after my gramps died. He said he was having a tough go & asked if he could have permission to harvest wild ginseng & moss on my land. Said he would split the money with me. I gave him & his 2 sons written permission to be on my land & told them to keep what they get & if they see anyone else on the land, make them gone. The sons later asked me for hunting privileges & I gave that to them as well, on 2 conditions: 1: Just them, no friends or anyone else, no exceptions. 2: Anyone you catch on the place, make them gone. The old man noticed that I hired a guy to bush hog a bald top mtn at the rear of my land, usually 3x a season. He asked if he could plow it & put in a crop of sweet potatoes. I said that would be fine & they have a deal with a produce business in town now to sell their crop. Those people live by mountain rules. Since they have legal rights to the things on this property that I have allowed, they treat anyone they catch like a robber stealing money from them. You won't have any detailed political, philosophical discussions, or anything involving high math with these people but, they are decent, honest, & loyal like its a religion. About an hour ago, one of the sons stopped by & gave me a large spring gobbler & this: Just a piece of oak firewood turned into something cool! As well as the fine meal of Wild Turkey I'll soon have. The old man has some real talent. I was going to hang it in my den but, my wife is a big fan of folk art & a total sucker for handmade quilts. I got to own the old oak hombre for 15 minutes. What did all of it cost me?....Nothing. Not one damn penny. I actually saved money because I don't hire that bush hog guy anymore. The best things in life are freely given
The old man's wife makes a relish that the locals call Chow-Chow. It's good on everything & I have 6 mason jars of it in our pantry. They are always doing things like that. All I did was share some things that I wasn't ever going to use. That ginseng is worth some cash but it's a lot of work getting it. Those guys are all over it when it's ready for harvest. They told me that they are selling it to a dealer in North Carolina, that way none of the locals find out they have a ginseng honey hole. Couldn't ask for better neighbors.