Not many folks have owned a business in downtown Waynesville as long as Patricia Miller, who was joined for this episode by her sister, Roseann. Listen to the dynamic duo as they recall their fond memories of Haywood County back to the 1970s and what they love so much about Affairs of the Heart, all with the great sense of humor that keeps their customers coming back. 

The leaves are gone, and it's ski season here in the NC Smokies. Chris Bates, manager of the Cataloochee Ski Area, joins the Hay Now Podcast to talk about how much snow to expect this winter, how things have changed in over two decades on the job and why the mountain is a thrill for skiers of all skill levels. He even takes a few moments to encourage our host to strap on the bindings, regardless of his unending clumsiness. 

It's only been months since catastrophic flooding ravaged the town of Canton and surrounding areas. But as with previous hardship, the residents stiffened their spines and overcame. Listen to Mayor Zeb Smathers and Kevin Sandefur, owner of BearWaters Brewery, one of the town's most popular attractions, as they explain what it was like on the night of the flood, what it took to recover and what's on the horizon for Papertown. 

In our first episode, Haywood County's own Tim Surrett and Darren Nicholson of the world-famous bluegrass band Balsam Range talk about a variety of topics, from their recent IBMA awards to the upcoming Art of Music Festival. You'll also hear about the musicians' influences, some of which may come as a surprise, as well as individual projects each have been working on. If you listen closely, you may even catch Darren slip in a shoutout to the woman of his dreams.