appalachian lifestyle

Appalachin lifestyle is all I know. I’ve grown up around people who are independent, self-reliant, proud, neighborly, humble, modest, patriotic, and share a good sense of humor. Others may call these same people, hicks, rednecks, or hillbillies. I will always enjoy running barefoot through the yard, catching crawdads in the creek, and four-wheeling every weekend, and I can’t forget my great grandma’s soup beans and cornbread. The pantry was always filled with canned beans and homemade applesauce that was out of the garden and from my favorite apple tree. There’s nothing better than getting all the family, friends, and neighbors together for a weenie roast and a game of crocket and horseshoes. Growing up, I’ve thought if there is any more to life than this; and there’s not. There are some pros and cons to this lifestyle and differences in culture styles. The main advantage as a bill payer, is the lower cost of living. We have lower taxes and gas prices then larger areas. You have your pick of heating sources, whether it be a wood stove, or natural gas. The water can come from a well or a spring. Housing and repairs are cheaper also. People are a little handier so furniture and other structures get built with reclaimed wood. Many people build their homes out of logs and rough cut lumber. Schools are smaller, not a lot of kids per classroom. In my opinion, this would mean better learning because there’s not a lot of students all sharing one teacher. Education didn’t exist in the first few generations of Appalachia. It has definitely improved. The Appalachian area is still stereotyped to be under-educated because of their accents, made-up words, and mispronunciations. Back in the day, this happened because education wasn’t offered. People just concentrated on surviving. Men and women had to live off the land. Growing food, hunting, and inventing their own projects are just a few ways. The first day of hunting season is reserved for students as a day