Down in a leafy “holler” in the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia stands an old shed, a solitary remnant of a past lifestyle that serves as inspiration for a storyline in my next novel.
In the book, one of my characters, like many Americans in the 1970s, is disillusioned with numerous aspects of “modern” life. Buffeted by the reverberations of the Vietnam war and the high unemployment, urban crowding, and rampant crime that were hallmarks of city life, my character heads west in search of a simpler, more elemental way to live. Part way into the journey, he ends up in rural West Virginia and discovers a communal farm that is part of the “Back to the Land” movement.
An often overlooked cultural phenomenon of that time, the Back-to-the-Land Movement of the 1960s and ‘70s spurred the migration of nearly a million people who left big cities in search of a self-sufficient, rural lifestyle. These homesteaders sought out remote areas across the country where they could find cheap land and plenty of space, grow their own organic food, pool resources, and rely on each other’s handyman skills to make do.
California was still a “dream” destination at that time, and those leaving the densely populated cities of the northeast headed west along new interstate highways like Routes 66, 70, and 80. Yet there are estimates that tens of thousands dropped out of this westward journey before reaching California, settling in rural places not far from the interstates.
The beautiful rolling hills of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and the mid-Atlantic’s long growing season, would have appealed to these counterculture pioneers. Once great producers of apples, tomatoes, and other produce, many of West Virginia’s large family farms were declining as profitable operations in the 1950s, and by the 1970s, farmers were eager to sell their land to new buyers. Another cultural phenomenon of the time was the proliferation of folk life festivals. The large celebrations that dotted the country during this decade painted an idealized portrait of mountain life; not only its arts, crafts, and music, but also its traditions and values.
These new homesteaders soon learned that living off the grid on remote hillsides and the surrounding hollows — or “hollers” as the locals call these valleys — is a hardscrabble existence that requires hard, physical labor on a daily basis to survive. As someone who has actually worked on a small-scale farm in this part of West Virginia, I know first-hand how difficult it is to cultivate the poor, rocky mountain soil, adjust crop choices in response to the mercurial weather, and outsmart the wildlife that competes for the fruits of your labor. I also know the feeling of accomplishment when those first crops start coming in, and you can finally prepare meals from food you’ve grown.
I have to confess that I was drawn to this part of West Virginia for reasons similar to that of the homesteaders—as well as my novel’s character—that is, to escape the rat race of a big city and enjoy the peace and tranquility this lovely place offers. Which character makes this westward move? I’m sure readers of Virgin Snow can guess, but you’ll have to read the next book to know for sure!
Moxie Gardiner is a writer, gardener, and traveler who grew up on the West Side of Buffalo, NY. In a previous life she was a journalist, magazine editor, speech writer, and policy wonk. Back in the day she made three solo parachute jumps, flew in an F-15 fighter jet, and crawled through mud pits at the Jungle Operations Training Course in Panama. She now meditates, grows tomatoes, and enjoys a good online Zumba routine at home on winter evenings. Virgin Snow is her first novel and she is currently working on Book Two in the Buffalo trilogy.