The Foxfire Book Series: Appalachian Wisdom in Your Hands

If you've ever wanted to learn how to build a log cabin (or even make handmade wooden furniture), make a gourd banjo (or just grow the gourds), hunt for morels and sassafras, or cook and preserve food the old mountain way — the Foxfire book series was made for you, but also for just anyone who wants to preserve and protect Appalachian culture and the "old ways" which seem to be fading. 

Born in the late 1960s from a high school journalism project in Rabun Gap, Georgia, the Foxfire series became one of the most beloved collections of Appalachian folk knowledge ever published. Students interviewed their elders, documented dying traditions, and preserved a way of life that might otherwise have been lost forever. Decades later, these books remain essential reading for anyone who loves the mountains.

When I was a young child, decades ago, I practically learned to read with these books. I was initially drawn to them because my mother had such an interest, and I loved the covers and the way she would read the stories. I began to follow along, and lo and behold, I was reading soon later, pouring over all those old tales of spooks and haints, handmade toys, and mountain spirits. 

At Appalachian Collections, we carry a curated selection of the Appalachian-themed books we LOVE and have read over and over. Of course, we have to include the Foxfire series, so here's what we have in stock: 

Watch for more added every single week! 

The Foxfire Book (Vol. 1) — The one that started it all!  Hog dressing, log cabin building, mountain crafts, planting by the signs, snake lore, faith healing, and moonshining. A true Appalachian time capsule.

Foxfire 2 — The series continues with more deep dives into mountain living, crafts, and the wisdom of Southern Appalachian elders.

Foxfire 4 — Fiddle making, spring houses, horse trading, sassafras tea, berry buckets, and gardening. A volume for the homesteader at heart.

Foxfire 5 — Ironmaking, blacksmithing, flintlock rifles, and bear hunting. The craftsmanship of the mountains, documented in stunning detail.

Foxfire 6 — Shoemaking, 100 toys and games, gourd banjos, song bows, wooden locks, and a water-powered sawmill. Equal parts practical and magical.

Foxfire 11 — The old home place, wild plant uses, food preservation, hunting stories, fishing, and more affairs of plain living. A love letter to Appalachian daily life.

The Foxfire Book of Appalachian Women — Stories of landscape and community from the women of the Mountain South. A powerful, often overlooked perspective in the series.

Whether you're a lifelong Appalachian, a newcomer to the mountains, or simply someone who believes that old ways deserve to be remembered, these books belong on your shelf. They have a place on ours, permanently. 

👉 Browse our full Foxfire collection at Appalachian Collections.