Crowder’s Forge

Posted on November 21, 2013 by bbantley

By Noah Manneville, 2013

Warren Crowder is a local- not a native- to Columbia, North Carolina. Though he went to high school in Columbia, he is a self-proclaimed nomad who spends most of his time traveling around the state to improve his metallurgy skills. A blacksmith by trade, Crowder has been working with metal for the past four years but has had an interest in the art of metalworking all his life. He takes particular pride in his tools — he keeps a plethora of hammers of all sizes, tongs, calipers, and other tools— none too complex, but all necessary. A self-proclaimed pyromaniac, Crowder says, “It isn’t fun unless it’s at least 1400 degrees.”

Crowder began his official training at the College of Albemarle in Manteo, North Carolina. He studied welding technology under enamellist Catherine Osgood and blacksmith Randy Hodges, a member of the Kill Devil Hills Cooperative. When asked why he chose metalworking, Crowder replied “It’s a passion. I just hope I can eat off it these days.” Though he wasn’t forging anything at the time I met him, Crowder is constantly reexamining and reworking his old items, and pens new ideas on paper before even lighting a fire.

Unlike other artists, Crowder does not focus on any specific region with his art. He is inspired by myths from all over the world, and his work reflects this interest — most of his pieces are based on mythology. An impressive work of Crowder’s is an intricately formed wolf’s head, meant to represent a kamui, an ancient Japanese god worshipped by the ancestral inhabitants of the Japanese islands. Crowder explained that the original worshippers of the nature gods were small, hairy, blue-eyed residents of the northern Japanese islands, much different in stature and culture from the current Japanese majority. Crowder has also formed a magnificent bust of Odin, the most powerful character in the Norse pantheon of gods. True to myth, Crowder’s Odin has one eye, and on the back of the head, ancient runes spell out Odin’s name. Crowder has also drawn from African and Arabian myths, which have inspired him to create a bust of a legendary Benin king and a sculpture of the Eye of Ra. Nowadays Crowder is expanding his repertoire to encompass enamel work, including shell enameling (much harder than pure metalwork because of the delicacy of the shells) and jewelry. He posts photos of his work online, and works in conjunction with other architects at the Kill Devil Hills Cooperative, though he is not a member. His work is a labor of love, one that he has made into a career.

When I met Crowder at the Scuppernong River Festival in Columbia on October 12, 2013, he was seated behind a small, unadorned table with his works on display. When I asked him about the story behind a certain piece, he would jump into the tale with enthusiasm and vigor. He seemed to take great pride in the fact that his art was keeping the tale of these displaced people alive. I realized that this was not just the case for the kamui; Crowder’s art is helping keep the very skill of blacksmithing alive. In an age where factories produce everything we rely on, the idea that forging something out of metal with no purpose other than beauty is an idea that we, the products of an electronic age, rarely comprehend. Crowder is one of the few who understands the beauty in a solid piece of raw metal, and by extracting that beauty with fire and hammer, he proves himself an innovator.

Scuppernong River Festival

Posted on November 21, 2013 by bbantley

By Dannie Cooper, 2013

Columbia’s 22^nd Scuppernong River Festival was something to behold. From Route 64, Columbia looked sleepy, and perhaps on an average day, most people would just drive past and not look back. However, on the day of the festival, there were cars packed everywhere. I walked down one of the festival streets, enticed by the dozens of food stands and trucks. The smell of barbecue, tacos, and funnel cakes filled the air.

As I made my way down the street, I found the information tent, where I met Rhett White, who has been the county manager for nine years. White was kind enough to talk to me about the history of the Festival. Twenty-two years ago, J.D. Brickhouse, the county administrator; Carlisle Harrell, the town manager; and Francis Voliva, the 1st woman in the U.S. to be director of the county extension office, decided to host a festival centered around Columbus Day for the town of Columbia and the county. The festival was named “Scuppernong” after the river the town sits beside, as well as after the Scuppernong grape that the local vineyard grows. The town & county hosted festival picked up about seven to ten years ago, and has been a huge event ever since.

On festival day, the small town of 871 residents turns out a surprising crowd of nearly 8,000 people. White says that a lot of the attendees are returning town members or family of town members. He described it as “a big family reunion.” He also noted that many of the vendors are from the county, but, since the festival has grown, they’ve gotten some vendors from outside the county and even outside the state.

The growth of the festival becomes obvious as you walk around. The festival features a parade, local music, a helicopter tour, kid’s rides, and a Civil War era ship replica – the Ram Albemarel. White proudly stated that the Elizabeth II used to come as well. The festival also featured three streets of various vendors, ranging from local craftsmen, including a wreath-maker and a blacksmith, to food-related salesmen, including a barbeque rubs seller and a local beekeeper.

The atmosphere of the festival was warm and fun. People stopped to talk to one another, and vendors would called out to their friends as they passed. The Methodist and Baptist churches in Columbia passed out free water bottles throughout the festival with smiles. Everyone I talked to was friendly, and I was even called ‘dear’ and ‘sweetheart’ a few times. I could see that White was right about one thing: it did feel like a family reunion. “The Festival is about celebrating the river, the grape, the culture, and the community,” White said. After experiencing it for myself, I have to agree.

Vineyards on the Scuppernong

Posted on November 19, 2013 by hdooley

By Dannie Cooper, 2013

The Vineyards on the Scuppernong sit right on Route 64 in Columbia. The large grape-shaped sign along the highway makes the Vineyards store stand out, yet the real appeal of the shop is on the inside. When I entered, the first thing I noticed was decor. Pictures of the vineyards hang along the walls. The natural look of the wooden wine tasting station and small coffee shop contrast with the brick walls. Natural light floods the room, leaking in from the second story skylight. The shop is quaint, unique, and undeniably beautiful.

I headed over to the tasting counter where I met Gail, who has been an employee of the Vineyards for four years. She offered me a tasting of their wines as part of their free tasting policy, in which anyone can taste their wines within the shop. As I sampled the Vineyard’s Girls of Summer, a white muscadine wine, Gail told me of the history of the Scuppernong grape. In 1584, Sir Barlow and Sir Armadas, members of Sir Walter Raleigh’s expedition, discovered muscadine grapes along the Scuppernong River. The men praised the grapes for their taste.

There are 250 varieties of muscadine grapes – the Vineyards grows 16 types – which are known for having 40% more antioxidants than the average grape, as well as an extra chromosome that is responsible for their sweet taste. The scuppernong grape is one variety of white muscadine grapes. The taste of the grape might account for the name of the Scuppernong river, which translates to “plain where the sweet bay grows” in the Algonquin dialect.

I could taste the difference in their wine. Girls of Summer tasted clean and crisp, with a nice grape flavor. Being a fan of white wine, I can honestly say Girls of Summer is my –thus far – favorite. I also sampled Simply Scuppernong, which is their scuppernong grape wine; Jack Ass Red, which is a sweet red muscadine wine; and The Vineyard’s White Zinfandel, which has a white raspberry accent. All of these wines shared the clean, crisp taste of muscadine grapes.

Gail also told me about the history of the building. Built in 1912, the building originally served as a fire station, followed by a fire station-town hall for several years. In 1940, during World War II, people used the second story skylight to spot German planes. After being abandoned for several years, Jack and Grace Bishop, a builder and real-estate broker, purchased the property along with the 300 acre property along the Scuppernong river to renovate and resell it. However, their plans changed, and, in 2008, the Vineyards produced its first wine.

Since then, the Vineyards have taken great care in creating their award winning wines. The Vineyards have had seven award winning wines, including a Bronze medal from the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association for their Simply Scuppernong label. I share the enthusiasm for the Vineyards’ wines, and even purchased three bottles.

Vineyards on the Scuppernong is a charming winery. Its decor is attractive and its friendly atmosphere is welcoming. Their label is good, and their various awards speak for themselves. But most importantly, the Vineyards are full of history, a history it shares with Columbia and with North Carolina, and that is what truly makes the Vineyards unique.

For more information, please visit the Vineyards on the Scuppernong website: vineyardsonthescuppernong.com