About this Episode:
We’re joined by Ed Sharpe, Owner, and Operator of Medicine Man Crafts in Cherokee N.C.The business, founded by Tom Underwood in 1963, and later sold to Kay Sharpe—Ed’s late mother – is one of the oldest and most prestigious purveyors of authentic Cherokee crafts on the Qualla Boundary. Ed is also an avid hiker and nature photographer –is proud to carry on the great legacy of true Cherokee culture created by Tom Underwood and Kay Sharpe.
In our conversation with Ed, he discusses the history of Cherokee crafts and how the tradition has been passed down to him.
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SHOW NOTES:
SEGMENT 1
Joseph starts talking about the Meadowlark Motel which is also a sponsor for the show as well as upcoming events. Some upcoming events include a mountain heritage book series happening in Maggie Valley at the motel. He also mentions a fly fishing camp weekend to bring like-minded people together through fishing, songs, campfire, and more. Joseph also talks about the Cherokee’s origin story for the Smoky Mountains. He introduces his guest, Ed Sharpe, Owner and Operator of Medicine Man Crafts in Cherokee N.C. The business, founded by Tom Underwood in 1963, and later sold to Kay Sharpe, Ed’s late mother, is one of the oldest and most prestigious purveyors of authentic Cherokee crafts on the Qualla Boundary. Ed is also an avid hiker and nature photographer. Ed talks about his family’s story of how they ended up in Cherokee, North Carolina. He also discusses with Joseph about Medicine Man Crafts and what he knows about Tom Underwood who was the founder.
SEGMENT 2
Ed speaks more about growing up and being around Tom Underwood who was “a part of the family” and an influence on him and his mother. He recalls certain pieces of art growing up as well as playing at the Oconaluftee River. Ed talks about Medicine Man Crafts and their relationship with crafters who have known the store for years. Joseph asks Ed about him leaving for college and getting into a musical career in Asheville. He studied music composition and was also a voice major. Ed found a passion in sound engineering and was in the country music scene where he worked with a lot of people. He also moved into live sound. With his success in his sound engineering career, he decided to make a change as the pandemic came along. His mother was retiring and asked if he would like to take over Medicine Man Crafts, which of course he did. His mother passed away in 2020. Joseph and Ed share a lot in common like growing up in a business and mourning the loss of their mothers around the same time. Ed also talks about the history of the location where the store lives.
SEGMENT 3
Ed talks with Joseph about selling books about herbs and the history of Cherokee and the language. Tom, he says, wrote books about crafting and more. His father and Tom had a business called Cherokee Publications. Things like medicinal herbs are something that Ed has been working on expanding more in the store; he mentions teas, soaps, as well as ceremonial traditions as things people can find in the store. When talking about craft, he sells handcrafted items like wood, pottery, baskets, and stone carvings as well as weaponry items. Ed also mentions crafts from great artists that he carries in the store spanning from generations. Ed and Joseph discuss pottery and stonework. They talk about the culture and traditions revolving around things like wedding pottery, baskets, and Cherokee masks.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00:33.420 –> 00:00:36.270 Joseph McElroy: Welcome to the gateway to the smokies podcast.
00:00:36.930 –> 00:00:51.960 Joseph McElroy: This podcast is about America’s most visited National Park, the great smoky mountain National Park in the surrounding towns, this area is filled with ancient natural beauty a deep storied history in which mountain cultures that we explore weekly.
00:00:53.460 –> 00:01:03.660 Joseph McElroy: I’m Joseph Franklyn McElroy, a man of the world but also with deep roots in these mountains my family is living in great smokies for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.
00:01:04.500 –> 00:01:13.620 Joseph McElroy: Today we’re going to talk about traditional Cherokee crafts and iconic craft stores, but first I got a few little sponsor message events and things coming up.
00:01:14.430 –> 00:01:23.610 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past, modern and vibrant with a Chic Appalachian feel, a place for adventure for relaxation.
00:01:24.180 –> 00:01:32.820 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain heritage trout stream grill the catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine wines or craft beer.
00:01:33.600 –> 00:01:45.510 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place and old-time music world cultural sound, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel, in Maggie Valley, North Carolina your smoky mountain adventure starts with where you stay.
00:01:48.030 –> 00:01:59.970 Joseph McElroy: The smoky mountains and surrounding areas of vacation destination for all seasons some of the nation’s best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and family entertainment can be found, right here.
00:02:00.750 –> 00:02:12.690 Joseph McElroy: start your adventure by using the smokies adventure.com that’s smokies plural adventure singular .com to explore all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountain National Park.
00:02:13.170 –> 00:02:25.920 Joseph McElroy: trails, waterfalls, cades code, and more than check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment during the time your entire family can enjoy if you want you to do things like weddings in the mountain
00:02:26.940 –> 00:02:37.740 Joseph McElroy: To go on a honeymoon and other romantic adventures, the goal of smokies adventures is to become the leading information for portal for adventures and experiences and the great smoky mountains.
00:02:38.940 –> 00:02:40.410 Joseph McElroy: So upcoming events.
00:02:42.270 –> 00:02:50.820 Joseph McElroy: Meadowlark Smoky Mountain heritage Center has a heritage book series.
00:02:51.450 –> 00:03:00.630 Joseph McElroy: or your presentation heritage books about the smokies upcoming one is a presentation of the legendary hunters of the southern highlands.
00:03:00.990 –> 00:03:13.200 Joseph McElroy: A century of sport and survival, the great smoky mountains from the heyday of the Cherokee nation on through the 20th century, the great smoky mountains of nurtured seller this most celebrated hunters in American history.
00:03:13.890 –> 00:03:24.390 Joseph McElroy: predicting changes in weather and almost telepathically sensing animal Haber these outdoor doors been released in an extremely with the plan that sustainable.
00:03:25.410 –> 00:03:33.750 Joseph McElroy: Local author and general manager of the Meadowlark smoky mountain heritage Center but I love to read will lovely recall the tales.
00:03:34.080 –> 00:03:45.000 Joseph McElroy: write with characters like artist John the bear is having a killing only enough livestock to eat and one sitting granted him a reputation at once chivalrous and menisci.
00:03:45.510 –> 00:03:55.170 Joseph McElroy: And little George Plott the legendary marksman during World War Two and a hero that lingers among the region’s hardwood floors and misty fulfills.
00:03:55.800 –> 00:04:05.490 Joseph McElroy: the rediscovered era of self-sufficient mountain living with folks labored in logging camps Bruton chided how did for survival and fraught with that, for what they believe.
00:04:06.450 –> 00:04:18.630 Joseph McElroy: it’s on April 9 Saturday, April 9, 4 PM and it’s followed by a book signing by Bob Plott and a Barbecue and music acoustic music at the Meadowlark Motel.
00:04:19.410 –> 00:04:30.780 Joseph McElroy: guest in Heritage Club Members are getting free and others can come for 10 just $10 a person again that’s April 9th at 4 pm at the Meadowlark Motel upcoming in April, also as a fly fishing camp
00:04:32.130 –> 00:04:47.130 Joseph McElroy: the Meadowlark motels are offering a fly fishing camp weekend on April 15 through the 17th and the smoky mountains, our goal is to bring like-minded people together to fly fishing food, drink songs and stories and a campfire.
00:04:48.330 –> 00:04:57.330 Joseph McElroy: Led by Charles Humphrey the third, who was previously on this podcast and is not only a grammy award-winning songwriter who might.
00:04:58.080 –> 00:05:07.470 Joseph McElroy: might be persuaded to break into a few songs around the campfire but he’s also an accomplished expert fly fishing guide and he has a compadre.
00:05:08.250 –> 00:05:19.770 Joseph McElroy: A few compadres are also great fly fishing experts so there’ll be a Friday night fishing tales presentation, and there will be some food there’ll be lodging.
00:05:20.250 –> 00:05:30.990 Joseph McElroy: Saturday night w breakfast and they’ll be a half a day of instruction and four or five hours of intense fishing it will be additional fishing just dinner, or we have a mountain heritage stream in the backyard.
00:05:31.320 –> 00:05:41.880 Joseph McElroy: Barbecue dinner live musical entertainment campers a lot so call 8289261717 to find out more about this fantastic weekend.
00:05:43.200 –> 00:05:51.030 Joseph McElroy: Now I like to try to tie in a little bit of story of poetry or something into the guest’s content that’s coming up.
00:05:51.480 –> 00:06:00.000 Joseph McElroy: And I thought it’d be interesting to talk about the Cherokee’s origin story for the smoky mountains according to legend a long time ago.
00:06:00.750 –> 00:06:14.760 Joseph McElroy: Before selfishness came into the world the Cherokee people were happily sharing the hunting and fishing places with their neighbors all this changed when selfishness came into the world and man began to call.
00:06:16.140 –> 00:06:24.120 Joseph McElroy: The Cherokee Indian quote tribes, and finally the Chiefs of several times tribes met encounter we’re trying to settle the dispute.
00:06:24.840 –> 00:06:37.410 Joseph McElroy: They smoke the pipe and continue to call for seven days and seven nights this displeased the great spirit because people are not supposed to smoke the pipe until they make peace.
00:06:38.130 –> 00:06:54.990 Joseph McElroy: As he looked upon the old men with heads bowed he just decided to do something to remind people to smoke the pipe only at the time they make peace, the great spirit turned the old men into these grayish flowers now called in invites and he made.
00:06:57.210 –> 00:07:06.720 Joseph McElroy: Were friends and relatives had closed he made the smoke hanging over these mountains until all the people all over the world, learn to live together in peace.
00:07:08.460 –> 00:07:17.490 Joseph McElroy: So a man there’s a little bit about the Cherokee and the stories and the folklore and traditions is it guiding Ed Sharpe.
00:07:18.150 –> 00:07:25.530 Joseph McElroy: Ed, he’s the guest tonight ED Sharpe grew up in Swain County is a graduate of Swain County High School and Warren Wilson College.
00:07:26.250 –> 00:07:35.730 Joseph McElroy: After a 25-year career as a musician songwriter, it sounds engineer in Nashville Tennessee Ed and his wife moved back to Swain county in 2018.
00:07:36.060 –> 00:07:41.610 Joseph McElroy: They took over the renowned medicine man craft shop in Cherokee North Carolina.
00:07:42.330 –> 00:08:00.180 Joseph McElroy: The business, founded by Tom Underwood in 1963, and later sold to Kay Sharpe—Ed’s late mother – is one of the oldest and most prestigious purveyors of authentic Cherokee crafts on the Qualla Boundary. hello Ed, how are you doing?
00:08:01.350 –> 00:08:05.040 Ed Sharpe: Hi, I’m doing good Thank you thanks for having me.
00:08:05.730 –> 00:08:15.990 Joseph McElroy: Oh sure thing, so you know yeah there’s a little bit of you know your story is a little bit reminiscent of what I’m doing I grew up in the Maggie Valley.
00:08:16.470 –> 00:08:24.150 Joseph McElroy: Right and lived in my parents ran a motel you know traditional motel and Maggie Valley, starting in the early 70s.
00:08:24.600 –> 00:08:32.370 Joseph McElroy: I grew up there, and then I will offer a career and I still have that career, because I got a business, but I came back and I.
00:08:33.300 –> 00:08:43.290 Joseph McElroy: took over the motel in 2018 and have been renovating along with my wife, and you know and putting in a lot of things like the ventures and.
00:08:43.800 –> 00:08:57.150 Joseph McElroy: Events and stuff like that we’re doing so, we don’t have a far December path you are music, I was a little bit, the arts, but I mostly a computer and a marketing guy now, but so you know my family.
00:08:58.230 –> 00:09:14.820 Joseph McElroy: You know why I were originally from this area they did go off for a little while then came back in around 6668 something like that to the after about three-four years away so your family came back came into swain county 1966 right.
00:09:15.750 –> 00:09:17.580 Ed Sharpe: that’s right yeah.
00:09:18.360 –> 00:09:19.740 Joseph McElroy: where’s the originally come from.
00:09:21.540 –> 00:09:26.070 Ed Sharpe: We were originally from Greensboro North Carolina and.
00:09:27.540 –> 00:09:38.250 Ed Sharpe: My dad is going to seminary in New Orleans so I spent my preschool years in New Orleans Louisiana and
00:09:39.540 –> 00:09:49.680 Ed Sharpe: it’s a funny story because back in 1958 my dad and mom were married and they honeymooned in Cherokee North Carolina.
00:09:51.000 –> 00:10:01.800 Ed Sharpe: there’s the story that dad saw an old check on the side of the road, and he said man I’d love to live here if I could live in that little dilapidated check.
00:10:04.560 –> 00:10:05.850 Ed Sharpe: As fate would have it.
00:10:06.870 –> 00:10:23.940 Ed Sharpe: When he graduated seminary in New Orleans 66 they placed in Cherokee badness church in the Center of charity and, believe it or not, they put him in a house directly across the road from that little shack.
00:10:26.940 –> 00:10:27.690 Joseph McElroy: Oh that’s great.
00:10:29.610 –> 00:10:36.510 Ed Sharpe: Little shack loves us but, so I think it was meant for my family to be here yeah.
00:10:36.570 –> 00:10:43.260 Joseph McElroy: that’s amazing well your mom was Kaye Sharpe she and that same year, she started working for the medicine man craft right.
00:10:44.640 –> 00:10:46.650 Ed Sharpe: Then or soon after yeah.
00:10:46.710 –> 00:10:48.300 Joseph McElroy: yeah now.
00:10:48.360 –> 00:10:50.910 Joseph McElroy: Tom has a fairly famous guy.
00:10:50.970 –> 00:11:06.540 Joseph McElroy: In these parts, he was the founder of the business, but he was a pretty interesting character and his father was a sort of a well-known guy he was a principal of the school there was highly regarded by the tribe almost an ordinary travel right.
00:11:07.680 –> 00:11:08.910 Ed Sharpe: that’s right yeah.
00:11:09.240 –> 00:11:20.310 Joseph McElroy: yeah and then Tom was was instrumental in getting the outdoor drama onto these hills, as well as the kind of lucky in the village started in the late 50s and early 60s, is that right.
00:11:21.720 –> 00:11:22.590 Ed Sharpe: that’s right.
00:11:22.890 –> 00:11:26.010 Joseph McElroy: yeah, what do you know about that story that sounds interesting to me.
00:11:27.420 –> 00:11:32.340 Ed Sharpe: You know I don’t know a whole lot about his time there was before my time, but.
00:11:33.510 –> 00:11:48.270 Ed Sharpe: He grew up, as you said, is that was a teacher prominent teacher in the area, so he grew up with the Cherokee people and friends and peers, and so I think his experience that.
00:11:49.260 –> 00:12:05.730 Ed Sharpe: The outdoor drama and the village, especially he really got to know them as crafters and their work and probably the business side of things, you know so eventually opened his own business, where I.
00:12:05.730 –> 00:12:08.850 Ed Sharpe: was naturally incorporated with the craftsman.
00:12:11.100 –> 00:12:18.600 Joseph McElroy: So yeah so I guess he got a lot of trust, with the prospect of getting them to give you their wares sell is not easy.
00:12:18.630 –> 00:12:23.370 Ed Sharpe: yeah thanks, so I think it was just connected that way, through his experience.
00:12:23.430 –> 00:12:27.330 Joseph McElroy: Yes, I restarted both the craft store and the motel that time right.
00:12:29.610 –> 00:12:31.650 Ed Sharpe: He did not have the hotel but.
00:12:31.680 –> 00:12:32.520 Ed Sharpe: Our current and.
00:12:33.330 –> 00:12:34.350 Ed Sharpe: They were working.
00:12:35.550 –> 00:12:37.530 Ed Sharpe: On the ground floor of the motel
00:12:38.910 –> 00:12:47.880 Joseph McElroy: Okay cool all right yeah, of course, you know I’m I’m always intrigued by motel what they did back in the day right so yeah.
00:12:47.940 –> 00:12:51.390 Ed Sharpe: yeah it’s an interesting one around Cherokee as you know.
00:12:51.570 –> 00:12:57.720 Joseph McElroy: Oh, my goodness well there’s interest all these mountains have all these motels and they’re starting to be.
00:12:58.800 –> 00:13:04.320 Joseph McElroy: starting to be a number of them are renovated and becoming interesting again right, just like the meadowlark yeah.
00:13:04.410 –> 00:13:05.670 Ed Sharpe: Man yeah.
00:13:05.730 –> 00:13:08.190 Joseph McElroy: yeah alright, so we got to take a break.
00:13:09.420 –> 00:13:16.860 Joseph McElroy: And then we’ll come back and find out more about the history of your medicine man crafts store.
00:13:18.060 –> 00:13:18.810 Ed Sharpe: And so they.
00:15:33.960 –> 00:15:46.530 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast my guest Ed Sharpe, so Ed I guess you know of growing up your mom working in you know.
00:15:47.550 –> 00:15:54.750 Joseph McElroy: Getting to meet Tom Underwood you know he had probably a good quite an influence on you and your mother right.
00:15:56.520 –> 00:16:00.000 Ed Sharpe: He did yeah he really became part of our family.
00:16:01.230 –> 00:16:12.270 Joseph McElroy: Did he set the tone of the shop, you know why it’s so so well known today is that authentic Cherokee cultural artifacts.
00:16:14.220 –> 00:16:24.270 Ed Sharpe: He certainly did yeah his relationships with the local people and the tribal members, you know, and all their wares.
00:16:25.350 –> 00:16:28.710 Ed Sharpe: It was fascinating as a young kid to see that.
00:16:29.880 –> 00:16:44.640 Joseph McElroy: Do you have you know I guess you know, like like like me, you grow up you know when your parents are involved in the business you grow up in the business right, you have some really great wonderful culturally rich memories of that time.
00:16:48.690 –> 00:16:51.180 Ed Sharpe: I do with a lot of the art.
00:16:52.320 –> 00:17:03.480 Ed Sharpe: For a long time, we had a piece by John Well called the Eco band I don’t know if you saw that, but it was a statue type of wood carving.
00:17:04.050 –> 00:17:19.260 Ed Sharpe: That was just beautifully done and in a case there and it kind of became the icon of the medicine man that piece, so I remember that well and aside from that a lot of playing in the River out back after school.
00:17:20.970 –> 00:17:22.380 Joseph McElroy: What river, with it, you remember.
00:17:23.160 –> 00:17:25.080 Ed Sharpe: That oh comma lefty run the.
00:17:25.080 –> 00:17:25.350 Right.
00:17:26.640 –> 00:17:27.960 Joseph McElroy: All right, great yeah.
00:17:29.490 –> 00:17:30.870 Ed Sharpe: Through hideous down.
00:17:32.910 –> 00:17:36.270 Joseph McElroy: To do you work at the did you work in the shop is a boy.
00:17:38.040 –> 00:17:44.250 Ed Sharpe: I did not, but I was around it a lot I’m sure my mom had me doing some jobs here and there.
00:17:47.190 –> 00:17:49.800 Joseph McElroy: I I had to clean room.
00:17:52.200 –> 00:17:52.950 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:17:53.790 –> 00:17:54.840 Joseph McElroy: Well, that was about it.
00:17:56.190 –> 00:17:56.610 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:17:58.890 –> 00:18:01.320 Joseph McElroy: So, so you know the business.
00:18:03.090 –> 00:18:12.480 Joseph McElroy: You know it, you know, I have some memory of it, and you know, a more recent to do I’ve been I’ve gone to the museum many times you’re right there.
00:18:14.130 –> 00:18:32.280 Joseph McElroy: And it’s you know it’s not like one of those tourist traps right, it has trinkets from overseas and rubber tajbakhsh and now what while there’s always a place for that the world it’s not for people that want to get into the real authentic Cherokee Preston’s.
00:18:34.110 –> 00:18:43.140 Joseph McElroy: Can you elaborate a bit on your commitment and the difference in how you achieve that sort of authenticity.
00:18:44.940 –> 00:18:54.240 Ed Sharpe: yeah so that’s been the focus of the medicine man for years in it it’s all in the relationships with these crafters.
00:18:54.720 –> 00:19:14.280 Ed Sharpe: That known the medicine man for years and generations, you know so that was really one of my biggest goals when I took over a few years ago, was to maintain those relationships, some of the people I knew, even from childhood and others I would need.
00:19:15.360 –> 00:19:26.190 Ed Sharpe: And had met through mom so yeah I took great care to keep those relationships going with the local people in the local crafters.
00:19:27.060 –> 00:19:43.620 Joseph McElroy: wow Well, yes it’s interesting that you came back you know, I was you know you you you left for a while, you went to college, then you got into a musical career in Nashville tell me about that what were you doing.
00:19:44.790 –> 00:19:45.240 Ed Sharpe: yeah.
00:19:47.760 –> 00:19:51.120 Ed Sharpe: I went to Warren Wilson, which is right outside of Asheville.
00:19:52.500 –> 00:20:00.240 Ed Sharpe: and studying music composition and voice, I was a singer so I was a voice major as well
00:20:01.440 –> 00:20:11.520 Joseph McElroy: there’s a Warren Wilson was sort of interesting school right it’s got its got to like you have to work on projects around the school right yeah.
00:20:11.700 –> 00:20:21.360 Ed Sharpe: yeah they have a work program there are a few other schools in the country that way, but if you stay on campus you work for your room and board.
00:20:22.080 –> 00:20:29.520 Ed Sharpe: Well, everyone works 15 hours, I was lucky enough to work in the music library, which is very beneficial.
00:20:31.170 –> 00:20:31.650 Joseph McElroy: Though.
00:20:31.950 –> 00:20:36.990 Ed Sharpe: So yeah actually moved to Nashville and pursued music.
00:20:37.080 –> 00:20:50.640 Ed Sharpe: And did a lot of songwriting and a lot of writers and writers rounds playing the broken spoke and the bluebird and that whole thing, while working odd jobs, you know waiting tables.
00:20:51.900 –> 00:20:59.790 Ed Sharpe: But eventually, I needed to pay the bills, so I got into sound engineering which I’m very much into as well.
00:21:01.290 –> 00:21:04.080 Joseph McElroy: You have a passion for sound engineering right.
00:21:05.460 –> 00:21:08.910 Joseph McElroy: yeah did you get to work with who did you get to work with you got the name dropping do.
00:21:11.100 –> 00:21:18.000 Ed Sharpe: Well, I was in the heart of the country music scene, so I met and worked with a lot of people.
00:21:19.770 –> 00:21:36.600 Ed Sharpe: I had gone to recording engineering school briefly to get my certification and they placed it in a Jingle studio, which was a national Jingle studio of the law they worked with a lot of people in my
00:21:37.650 –> 00:21:41.850 Ed Sharpe: first month there I think Dolly Parton was recording her.
00:21:42.990 –> 00:21:47.940 Ed Sharpe: stuff for darling so I met her right away and fell in love, as everyone does.
00:21:49.530 –> 00:21:59.760 Ed Sharpe: And through that experience, they were connected with contemporary Christian and country, so you know work with any brand Michael W and.
00:22:01.290 –> 00:22:06.630 Ed Sharpe: Another one was Martin Sheen I’m a big Apocalypse Now fan I got to meet Martin Sheen.
00:22:06.720 –> 00:22:08.490 Joseph McElroy: Oh wow that’s great yeah.
00:22:09.330 –> 00:22:23.010 Ed Sharpe: From thereafter that experience, I’ve moved into live sound, which I fell in love with, and work for Opryland productions which has the grand Ole opry and the hotel and rhyme and.
00:22:24.240 –> 00:22:34.500 Ed Sharpe: So yeah a lot of met a lot of my heroes their morale Loretta and Tanzania and all those people, a lot of fun.
00:22:35.100 –> 00:22:39.540 Joseph McElroy: Oh that’s great you know Dolly Parton is actually I’ve never met her but she’s a cousin of mine, she.
00:22:40.290 –> 00:22:56.310 Joseph McElroy: actually used to come up and define good Gary and then drive my great grandfather grocery stores what people told me, I never, never got to see it I got to know her but it’s kind of nice to know there’s a cousin like that.
00:22:58.350 –> 00:22:58.800 Ed Sharpe: sweet.
00:22:59.970 –> 00:23:06.720 Joseph McElroy: yeah she’s a treasure, the United States true absolutely.
00:23:08.040 –> 00:23:10.290 Joseph McElroy: Yes, everything right every time just about.
00:23:11.730 –> 00:23:14.730 Ed Sharpe: And I ended up working with Brenda Lee if you.
00:23:16.440 –> 00:23:18.600 Ed Sharpe: Did rocking around the Christmas tree.
00:23:18.930 –> 00:23:19.710 Joseph McElroy: Right yeah.
00:23:20.400 –> 00:23:28.410 Ed Sharpe: sweetheart just a beautiful beautiful lady, and so our sound guy for over 10 years you know she kind of just a few years.
00:23:29.730 –> 00:23:47.400 Joseph McElroy: So you have this wonderfully successful sound and during we’re getting them, you know interact with all your idols and you decide to come back to Swain County and take over the shop well what what what was the inspiration for that was a shocker across from Richard.
00:23:51.330 –> 00:24:09.750 Ed Sharpe: Well, it just the time was worked out, you know Cobra came along, so all the Games and the touring kind of dried up, and my wife and I were both wanted to be closer to our family our parents, you know.
00:24:11.670 –> 00:24:23.940 Ed Sharpe: her parents live close by as well, our homes are like two miles apart here, so it just felt right and mom was ready to retire and asked me if I’d be interested and I said yeah.
00:24:25.170 –> 00:24:31.110 Ed Sharpe: I absolutely love that store, you know grew up with it and I’m loving every minute.
00:24:32.310 –> 00:24:34.800 Joseph McElroy: How hard, was it for you to take back and take it oh.
00:24:36.810 –> 00:24:37.890 Ed Sharpe: Well, I tell you.
00:24:39.060 –> 00:24:42.750 Ed Sharpe: there are two ladies that have been there for over 20 years.
00:24:43.470 –> 00:24:44.700 Ed Sharpe: Thank goodness to them.
00:24:44.700 –> 00:24:47.880 Ed Sharpe: you know I couldn’t have done it without them, they pretty much trained me.
00:24:49.680 –> 00:24:57.660 Ed Sharpe: Je n Fe are still there, right now, today, and with their health yeah.
00:24:58.830 –> 00:25:07.560 Ed Sharpe: My mom you know I had a couple of years of her coaching me I got back into that I really do love it I’m passionate about it and now.
00:25:10.320 –> 00:25:17.880 Joseph McElroy: Your mom died 20 which I’m sorry about my mom died 21 yeah so it’s like we sort of have this sort of the trajectory here.
00:25:19.140 –> 00:25:19.410 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:25:20.040 –> 00:25:21.030 Ed Sharpe: A lot in common.
00:25:21.450 –> 00:25:27.330 Joseph McElroy: yeah a lot of common we’re gonna be we’re gonna make million-dollar successes out of these businesses so.
00:25:27.930 –> 00:25:29.730 Joseph McElroy: You better hold up your end of that all right.
00:25:32.820 –> 00:25:33.450 Ed Sharpe: challenge.
00:25:36.720 –> 00:25:40.980 Joseph McElroy: So you know running this kind of business you.
00:25:42.360 –> 00:25:47.610 Joseph McElroy: You really had to get you had to really take over the relationships with the crash people how did you do that.
00:25:50.940 –> 00:26:04.770 Ed Sharpe: just talking and you know at I had some connections because I’ve been in and out of Cherokee my whole life and I had some friends from when I went to school here, you know so a lot of people.
00:26:05.250 –> 00:26:23.820 Ed Sharpe: In- Cherokee here are related family-wise, you know and so yeah just everyday people coming in and making friends and they knew who, I am a lot of them in building those relationships yeah.
00:26:25.980 –> 00:26:31.500 Joseph McElroy: The old-timers are Community that the people, the Community accept you back pretty much with open arms now.
00:26:32.340 –> 00:26:47.070 Ed Sharpe: Oh yeah, of course, yeah it was a very loving environment always has been and that’s a testament to my mom to you know she wanted that shot to be a place where people can just come hang out and feel the love.
00:26:48.510 –> 00:26:53.040 Joseph McElroy: You have a pretty good location right it’s right across some of that wonderful.
00:26:54.120 –> 00:26:55.470 Joseph McElroy: Cherokee museum, is it.
00:26:56.400 –> 00:27:08.910 Ed Sharpe: that’s right yeah we’re in the historical district they’re kind of set apart from all the other shops really where we’re in a little shopping center by ourselves.
00:27:10.410 –> 00:27:16.470 Ed Sharpe: But yeah it’s kind of a unique place but it’s always been there, so people know that well.
00:27:17.100 –> 00:27:18.930 Joseph McElroy: So how to get there, how did you get that look.
00:27:21.840 –> 00:27:37.260 Ed Sharpe: Well, I mean this from the very start, when Tom it was connected to right next door and an 82 they had a fire which was very tragic because it the whole place Burnt
00:27:37.830 –> 00:27:43.950 Ed Sharpe: And I started from ground zero at that point next to the Brahma in the motel
00:27:44.550 –> 00:27:45.420 Joseph McElroy: And, but.
00:27:45.480 –> 00:27:48.600 Ed Sharpe: The building we’re in now was an old laundromat that Tom.
00:27:49.890 –> 00:27:55.470 Ed Sharpe: And they refurbished it so that the crash stop could have space there.
00:27:56.430 –> 00:28:00.810 Joseph McElroy: And that was you predated the museum and the other nice craft stores right really.
00:28:02.280 –> 00:28:13.500 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah that’s great all right, we have to take a break, when we come back let’s talk about you know the products of the things that you sell interesting adventures people might have with your store.
00:28:14.850 –> 00:28:15.780 Ed Sharpe: Great sounds good.
00:30:20.640 –> 00:30:29.340 Joseph McElroy: Howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with a Gateway to the Smokies Podcast and my guest Ed Sharpe, so Ed.
00:30:29.850 –> 00:30:42.390 Joseph McElroy: You know I took a look at your site, you know there’s a lot of things yourself your website and I noticed that you have a lot of books is that a big area of your here so sales.
00:30:44.070 –> 00:30:58.140 Ed Sharpe: yeah we do carry out a lot of books on Cherokee history and language and as well as herbs the herbals ceremonial and this one, been a big part of our business.
00:30:58.740 –> 00:30:59.430 Joseph McElroy: So you.
00:31:00.540 –> 00:31:01.050 Ed Sharpe: know the thing.
00:31:01.710 –> 00:31:10.560 Joseph McElroy: That I noticed the most calm under would you had some titles and you add details in there, what kind of books to the Tom write.
00:31:12.330 –> 00:31:22.260 Ed Sharpe: yeah Tom wrote informative books about Cherokee you know store, as well as just cracking kind of thing.
00:31:23.280 –> 00:31:24.270 Ed Sharpe: And my dad.
00:31:26.700 –> 00:31:27.090 Ed Sharpe: said.
00:31:29.040 –> 00:31:30.630 Joseph McElroy: Oh, your dad wrote the books.
00:31:32.580 –> 00:31:35.520 Ed Sharpe: My books I’m a junior so.
00:31:35.820 –> 00:31:38.130 Ed Sharpe: With our good with Tom closely.
00:31:38.220 –> 00:31:43.530 Ed Sharpe: On writing and yeah they had a business called Cherokee publications and.
00:31:43.590 –> 00:31:45.120 Joseph McElroy: A really lot of there.
00:31:45.420 –> 00:31:48.210 Ed Sharpe: As well as others that are still out there yeah.
00:31:48.930 –> 00:31:52.200 Joseph McElroy: wow that must be pretty nice to read you the words of your dad right.
00:31:53.610 –> 00:31:54.450 Ed Sharpe: yeah.
00:31:54.690 –> 00:31:55.590 Joseph McElroy: yeah cool.
00:31:55.620 –> 00:31:56.580 Do you still maintain that.
00:31:58.980 –> 00:32:00.690 Joseph McElroy: You still maintain that publishing company.
00:32:02.370 –> 00:32:03.780 Ed Sharpe: I know it was so.
00:32:05.070 –> 00:32:12.600 Ed Sharpe: decade or so ago I just before my dad passed so we sell around Cherokee publications.
00:32:12.960 –> 00:32:14.550 Joseph McElroy: But you know what is.
00:32:15.870 –> 00:32:18.060 Joseph McElroy: what’s the best selling book in your store.
00:32:19.830 –> 00:32:33.990 Ed Sharpe: Oh wow that’s a difficult one, we sell a lot of languages but there’s a Cherokee dictionary it’s very popular, you know as well as genealogy types.
00:32:35.580 –> 00:32:39.450 Joseph McElroy: wow now you mentioned herbal stuff what kind of herbal things to do.
00:32:40.590 –> 00:32:48.120 Ed Sharpe: yeah that’s become a big part of our business, it was always there but I’m really been expanding on it since I’ve been there.
00:32:48.930 –> 00:33:02.970 Ed Sharpe: A lot of medicinal herbs with tinctures and Brian T soaps and sass and then we have another section that ceremonial that goes back to the ancient Cherokee traditions and native American.
00:33:04.080 –> 00:33:08.310 Ed Sharpe: sage and lavender and sweetgrass and that type thing.
00:33:10.020 –> 00:33:15.120 Joseph McElroy: Well, and you carry them in the store so people just come there and get them but.
00:33:15.330 –> 00:33:16.860 Ed Sharpe: We did yeah.
00:33:17.520 –> 00:33:17.940 Joseph McElroy: We don’t know.
00:33:19.980 –> 00:33:22.470 Joseph McElroy: Do do do source of locally.
00:33:24.840 –> 00:33:37.890 Ed Sharpe: Not everything some things we do we have a lot of yellow routes that are harvested locally and our main herbalist does harvest, a lot of her stuff for the teachers and aunties and that kind of thing.
00:33:39.000 –> 00:33:42.420 Joseph McElroy: So yeah these are pretty big things now right.
00:33:43.770 –> 00:33:44.010 Ed Sharpe: With.
00:33:44.790 –> 00:33:47.610 Joseph McElroy: Our t’s a pretty big item they usually are.
00:33:48.330 –> 00:33:50.370 Ed Sharpe: yeah yeah.
00:33:50.400 –> 00:33:54.660 Joseph McElroy: what’s a good Cherokee tea what’s a good tea that people work with.
00:33:56.640 –> 00:34:00.210 Ed Sharpe: Well, we have some blends that are really good you know.
00:34:01.410 –> 00:34:13.380 Ed Sharpe: Green tea is a big thing, but people will come, for they may have certain ailments or they’ll come for accepted for digestion or something for joint pain, you know and so.
00:34:13.800 –> 00:34:24.180 Ed Sharpe: A lot of these teas and then sabz our old old medicinal recipes you know from the pioneers really plant medicine.
00:34:24.750 –> 00:34:37.680 Joseph McElroy: Right well you know the Scotch Irish settlers came in and they had a tradition of herbalism too and but they changed it all based upon will herewith base upon the Cherokee traditions right.
00:34:38.730 –> 00:34:39.120 Joseph McElroy: So.
00:34:39.930 –> 00:34:44.670 Joseph McElroy: I think that’s very interesting there was this cross-cultural tradition exchange of
00:34:45.930 –> 00:34:55.920 Joseph McElroy: Information that really made the smoky mountains, one of the top areas for herbal and natural remedies, I think.
00:34:57.750 –> 00:35:02.580 Joseph McElroy: Of course, the whole story is not the whole story is that none of it works, unless you have a shot of moonshine with it.
00:35:07.440 –> 00:35:08.160 Ed Sharpe: Absolutely.
00:35:09.300 –> 00:35:20.880 Joseph McElroy: yeah I was surprised to see, aside from the herbals of the TVs and books, you have a lot of crafts there right what are some of the most popular craft categories.
00:35:22.530 –> 00:35:31.980 Ed Sharpe: yeah we sell a lot of baskets and pottery that are locally made you know wood and stone carvings.
00:35:34.050 –> 00:35:40.200 Ed Sharpe: A lot of those as well as weaponry stuff like old blowguns and bows.
00:35:42.780 –> 00:35:51.300 Ed Sharpe: Tomahawk that kind of thing we have a lot of musical stuff the 10 practice to flutes and rattles yeah.
00:35:52.770 –> 00:35:53.280 Joseph McElroy: And who were.
00:35:54.570 –> 00:35:56.160 Joseph McElroy: Who were some of your top artists.
00:35:59.070 –> 00:36:15.810 Ed Sharpe: Well, we have a lot we have some young people Kevin Watney Johnny Bradley is a fantastic painter as well as low a swimmer who paints on feathers very popular you know.
00:36:17.160 –> 00:36:33.510 Ed Sharpe: We have pottery from the great Amanda Swimmers family her children Don Swimmer and Melvina Swimmer will bring in traditional pottery as it’s been made for years and years, you know who.
00:36:35.910 –> 00:36:39.390 Ed Sharpe: You know a lot of generations, down from some of the greats.
00:36:40.530 –> 00:36:58.740 Ed Sharpe: John Willnote, he, of course, was a great one and recently we lost Fred his son, who, who was a fantastic stone Carver we have a lot of his work and his son third-generation Freddy Barry Kaufman.
00:37:01.200 –> 00:37:05.160 Joseph McElroy: wow yeah stove carving yo is tremendous.
00:37:06.210 –> 00:37:16.710 Joseph McElroy: You know, skill, you know my not just the carving but actually doing things like just building beautiful stone walls, like my father, you know is high end.
00:37:17.580 –> 00:37:28.710 Joseph McElroy: construction company here for a long time in the mountains and he would work with the Cherokee Indian stonemasons because they knew that they had had had their own tradition.
00:37:29.520 –> 00:37:34.650 Joseph McElroy: For a long time of doing stonework and then you know when the.
00:37:35.280 –> 00:37:44.700 Joseph McElroy: Appalachian trail came through and the partner parkways and all that the state and the government brought in tallying stonemasons to do a lot of that right.
00:37:45.000 –> 00:37:52.380 Joseph McElroy: And so, then the Cherokee Indians work with them and they gave so they also have their own tradition, they gained experience of working with.
00:37:52.770 –> 00:38:08.400 Joseph McElroy: European traditions of stonemasons so they become some of the best in the world, and you know I think it’s fascinating to look at these rock walls and you see that each one of them has a little signature in there, like a diamond or turtle or an arrowhead that’s great yeah.
00:38:10.920 –> 00:38:15.990 Ed Sharpe: yeah I love, looking at the step there’s some fantastic stonework in Syria.
00:38:19.080 –> 00:38:35.250 Joseph McElroy: No it’s pretty cool out the pottery you know, do they do you have to carry that what is it, though the wedding pottery, the wedding pot so ones are the two handles the tooth spouts of that and then at the end they break it carry those.
00:38:36.000 –> 00:38:39.690 Ed Sharpe: yeah yeah major piece.
00:38:40.050 –> 00:38:54.150 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know it’s kind of interesting but there’s the same tradition in Jewish weddings I think it’s fascinating I don’t have that happen to have this same similar tradition and they break it at the end, the same way right yeah.
00:38:59.190 –> 00:39:17.730 Joseph McElroy: No, I actually went out and saw a video you mother and put together, I think it was from you know, maybe it was a mother, I think it was your mother, but she was talking about that sort of thing I thought was a very interesting the video from like 2012 you know and then.
00:39:17.760 –> 00:39:19.020 Ed Sharpe: yeah yeah.
00:39:19.860 –> 00:39:28.200 Joseph McElroy: And you have those baskets that cut that you know, there you have these baskets like they have to take very large trees and save them or something like that.
00:39:29.730 –> 00:39:31.110 Ed Sharpe: Yes, yeah.
00:39:31.470 –> 00:39:33.600 Joseph McElroy: The one of those oh yeah.
00:39:33.750 –> 00:39:35.130 Ed Sharpe: like this.
00:39:35.190 –> 00:39:47.640 Ed Sharpe: yeah river cane baskets light up and then honeysuckle a lot of people do work with mine but that work that’s hard work.
00:39:48.150 –> 00:40:00.210 Joseph McElroy: Oh, my gosh I mean that’s an incredible amount of work, and but yeah I think that there’s some of the most highly sought-after set up sought after baskets in the world right.
00:40:01.230 –> 00:40:01.590 Joseph McElroy: yeah.
00:40:01.800 –> 00:40:02.760 Ed Sharpe: yeah yeah.
00:40:03.570 –> 00:40:23.670 Joseph McElroy: cool now I’m a particular fan of masks you know I went to have been to a few places in the world and seen some tremendous masks and I’ve collected a few by the Cherokee mask or you know we’re studying that means that the features and a lot of these master haunting right.
00:40:24.960 –> 00:40:27.720 Joseph McElroy: There so well crafted I mean they’re.
00:40:29.130 –> 00:40:33.960 Joseph McElroy: they’re both a caricature and a human face, at the same time.
00:40:35.160 –> 00:40:49.320 Joseph McElroy: And I really don’t know how they capture that right, and then they use all these natural you know fibers and grasses and things like that you know, to make them into yeah who’s your tap who’s your top mask artists there now.
00:40:51.990 –> 00:40:55.860 Ed Sharpe: wow we have a gentleman named Richard Out.
00:40:56.220 –> 00:40:57.690 who’s fantastic.
00:40:58.830 –> 00:41:06.450 Ed Sharpe: He does a lot of masks or there’s the booger mask you know medicine mass that is traditional.
00:41:07.320 –> 00:41:24.450 Ed Sharpe: But I’m with you I’m always been fascinated with that and since I’ve been back here I’ve learned a lot about the museum had a fantastic showing a year or so ago on mask there’s a lot of history and culture in that yeah.
00:41:25.140 –> 00:41:27.480 Joseph McElroy: Oh, oh yeah I mean it’s.
00:41:28.560 –> 00:41:39.660 Joseph McElroy: it’s you know a lot of ways to study achievement I’m yeah I’m not sure if it is prevalent in Cherokee culture, but a lot of mask indigenous mask makers around the world.
00:41:40.050 –> 00:41:57.150 Joseph McElroy: would always make the outside that mask be really wonderful, but then on the inside, they would make some sort of private declaration that they only knew about they only see it was their mystery right and that was the essence of the character, do they do that with the Cherokee mask.
00:41:57.840 –> 00:41:59.820 Ed Sharpe: i’ve seen that yeah yeah.
00:42:01.740 –> 00:42:02.190 Ed Sharpe: yeah.
00:42:03.270 –> 00:42:04.110 Ed Sharpe: fascinating.
00:42:04.590 –> 00:42:05.610 Joseph McElroy: Oh, my gosh.
00:42:06.150 –> 00:42:11.880 Joseph McElroy: Well, artists do live things to inspire themselves so who would be younger artists coming up.
00:42:14.460 –> 00:42:22.230 Ed Sharpe: Well, you know there’s not a whole lot of them really you know it takes a special person to carry on, but.
00:42:23.280 –> 00:42:33.480 Ed Sharpe: Like I mentioned that it’s Kevin Whitey who does mask and woodcarvings very and it has his own style, as well as
00:42:34.770 –> 00:42:38.400 Ed Sharpe: the lowest swimmer who I mentioned does the feather paintings.
00:42:41.160 –> 00:42:55.290 Ed Sharpe: it’s always interesting to see people come in and some of them will pass it down, you know in teach their children so it’s a learning process constant learning process.
00:42:56.040 –> 00:43:05.790 Joseph McElroy: Well, since your business has been in business, what for 15 years it, you must work with, often with generations right, how do you keep the generations involved.
00:43:09.090 –> 00:43:17.040 Ed Sharpe: I just everyone that comes in, I find out their story and it seems like they’re all related everyone.
00:43:17.700 –> 00:43:18.330 From one day.
00:43:23.640 –> 00:43:23.850 Joseph McElroy: As.
00:43:26.220 –> 00:43:29.850 Joseph McElroy: All the counties in North Carolina and Western North Carolina are a little bit like this.
00:43:33.180 –> 00:43:36.630 Ed Sharpe: Hello you’re selling so brother I got it.
00:43:38.130 –> 00:43:48.240 Joseph McElroy: All right, well we’re going to take another break and come back and finish up with you know some odds and ends and some things that visitors might like to learn and and and shout out, alright.
00:43:49.110 –> 00:43:49.770 Ed Sharpe: Great good.
00:44:52.680 –> 00:44:53.820 owning all got lovers.
00:45:51.510 –> 00:45:59.970 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies podcast my guest Ed Sharp.
00:46:00.870 –> 00:46:09.780 Joseph McElroy: Ed, you know where we too are very passionate about the perpetuation of Appalachian history at Cherokee culture at the.
00:46:10.440 –> 00:46:18.360 Joseph McElroy: Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center Resort, and we, you know we’re going to feature several charities being programs this year with artists like Davey Arch and very.
00:46:19.050 –> 00:46:26.430 Joseph McElroy: Much involved and we love your commitment to perpetuate the legacy of these artists, as well as your beloved mother and Tom on.
00:46:27.630 –> 00:46:34.320 Joseph McElroy: My wife, is doing the same thing and Maggie Valley at the motel my parents may take this for half a century, as well as the creation of this heritage said.
00:46:34.890 –> 00:46:43.560 Joseph McElroy: However, with that passion for passing also comes responsibility for building the future So what does the future hold for the medicine man crafts?
00:46:46.410 –> 00:46:56.790 Ed Sharpe: I’m working every day on growing there you know, at first, it seemed like a big issue probably felt a big responsibility to carry on such a.
00:46:58.110 –> 00:47:14.520 Ed Sharpe: legacy, you know, in the area, but even before I moved back home, I started a website and started getting some social media together so since I’ve been there.
00:47:15.480 –> 00:47:32.880 Ed Sharpe: I’ve been growing the business that way just online, we have a website where you can order it’s an e-commerce site now, as well as social media channels and that kind of thing so yeah as well as the herbal business we’re growing.
00:47:34.980 –> 00:47:49.740 Joseph McElroy: cool now, I would reverse be remiss for my kids because I, you know, I have an I have no I’ve been around for a while, I have three and a half-year-old twins and I noticed, you have a kid section on your website what’s the most popular kids item that’s craft.
00:47:52.890 –> 00:47:57.720 Ed Sharpe: we’ve got little mini logans and pea-shooters that I love.
00:48:03.270 –> 00:48:12.210 Ed Sharpe: yeah all kinds of things from you know traditional little dolls and clothing and.
00:48:13.290 –> 00:48:16.020 Ed Sharpe: Tomahawks and all that fun stuff.
00:48:16.410 –> 00:48:27.990 Joseph McElroy: Oh-oh, I remember Tomahawk I remember also coming back I think slingshots from the craft stores back in the day, but I don’t know what that I have no idea what that did with that related to the culture here.
00:48:31.710 –> 00:48:32.070 Joseph McElroy: But.
00:48:32.160 –> 00:48:33.330 Joseph McElroy: They had little things.
00:48:33.360 –> 00:48:35.190 Joseph McElroy: on them so that that made them authentic.
00:48:39.720 –> 00:48:41.040 Joseph McElroy: yeah so.
00:48:42.300 –> 00:48:45.570 Joseph McElroy: yeah so so aside from being in business for half a century.
00:48:46.800 –> 00:48:54.000 Joseph McElroy: And all your great stable of craftsman what sets apart the medicine man carfts from the other local shops.
00:48:56.160 –> 00:48:56.970 Ed Sharpe: Well, I think.
00:48:58.230 –> 00:49:17.490 Ed Sharpe: Just the time that it’s been there and the relationships we’ve developed, but our focus really is on local handmade stuff and just creating an atmosphere where people can come and really feel the culture and feel at home, you know.
00:49:18.840 –> 00:49:34.530 Ed Sharpe: it’s funny we talked about generations of crafters, but we also now have generations of visitors, you know that come by year after year, a lot of people will come in and say, man, I remember being here as a little kid and.
00:49:35.670 –> 00:49:37.620 Ed Sharpe: producing this this place.
00:49:39.870 –> 00:49:40.890 Ed Sharpe: it’s a joy.
00:49:42.000 –> 00:49:48.660 Joseph McElroy: Yeah and you know I like to because you know we’re pitching you’re talking about two people hope they’ll come to visit.
00:49:49.260 –> 00:50:00.510 Joseph McElroy: You know, besides your store what else would they visit there you don’t let me see of course that is pushing it what would be a good place safer go get some really good food near your business.
00:50:01.500 –> 00:50:19.260 Ed Sharpe: yeah there’s a several family places there’s a POs restaurant, which does family traditional meals like trout and fry bread and stuff like that there’s a brand new brewery restaurant up the street.
00:50:20.400 –> 00:50:22.080 Ed Sharpe: that’s doing well and.
00:50:23.580 –> 00:50:27.540 Ed Sharpe: As well as you know, the Mexican and Asian.
00:50:29.220 –> 00:50:33.900 Ed Sharpe: there’s a great little local Deli called sassy sunflower.
00:50:34.980 –> 00:50:35.490 Joseph McElroy: This.
00:50:35.700 –> 00:50:38.220 Ed Sharpe: Real well it’s run by locals you know so.
00:50:39.240 –> 00:50:45.630 Joseph McElroy: cool and is there any other entertainment near there that you would recommend people to see.
00:50:47.340 –> 00:50:52.590 Ed Sharpe: Well, I always point people to the drama, you know, and to these hills and.
00:50:54.330 –> 00:50:59.520 Ed Sharpe: And, and the old kind of left the village it’s been there.
00:51:00.630 –> 00:51:06.930 Ed Sharpe: Did the test of time and it’s very educational and great for people to visit you know
00:51:07.890 –> 00:51:18.240 Joseph McElroy: cool, and you’re an avid hiker right so and photographer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park so you’re working on the 900 milers certificate certification.
00:51:19.530 –> 00:51:19.860 Ed Sharpe: Yes.
00:51:21.300 –> 00:51:23.370 Ed Sharpe: we’ll see how long it takes to.
00:51:26.460 –> 00:51:30.840 Joseph McElroy: go through all the 900 miles of trails of the smoky mountains right yeah.
00:51:31.410 –> 00:51:33.150 Ed Sharpe: that’s the goal yeah.
00:51:33.210 –> 00:51:33.720 Joseph McElroy: And how long.
00:51:35.970 –> 00:51:41.280 Ed Sharpe: Well, I think I’ve covered about 60% and the three years I’ve been here so.
00:51:43.050 –> 00:51:49.380 Ed Sharpe: Indication, of course, I left the hardest trails last it could take me a while.
00:51:51.150 –> 00:51:51.570 Joseph McElroy: So what.
00:51:53.070 –> 00:51:57.690 Joseph McElroy: What so far what’s your favorite hike you’ve done in the Smoky Mountain National Park.
00:51:58.650 –> 00:52:09.570 Ed Sharpe: Oh wow Mount Le Conte is something special you know there are five different trails they go up there and they’re all just breathtaking you know.
00:52:11.670 –> 00:52:13.830 Ed Sharpe: Maybe my favorite place to go.
00:52:14.850 –> 00:52:18.360 Joseph McElroy: I would spray it’s about springtime now what’s the best place for the wildflowers.
00:52:20.190 –> 00:52:25.020 Ed Sharpe: Oh, the park is is full of them, you know there’s a lot of trails.
00:52:27.180 –> 00:52:29.370 Ed Sharpe: I was just on I’m trying to think of.
00:52:31.620 –> 00:52:33.090 Ed Sharpe: Losing losing.
00:52:34.170 –> 00:52:36.930 Ed Sharpe: Now it’s parsons branch maybe are.
00:52:36.960 –> 00:52:45.990 Ed Sharpe: our Greek wonderful wildflowers, I was there a week or so ago and they’re already on their little heads out so.
00:52:46.530 –> 00:52:48.120 Ed Sharpe: Great it’s.
00:52:48.330 –> 00:52:49.020 Ed Sharpe: So wrong.
00:52:49.530 –> 00:52:51.660 Joseph McElroy: You figure go wrong right so.
00:52:52.740 –> 00:52:58.380 Joseph McElroy: What what’s your website, social media address so people know where to reach out to you.
00:52:59.310 –> 00:53:03.360 Ed Sharpe: Sure, the website is medicinemanandcrafts.com
00:53:05.970 –> 00:53:13.620 Ed Sharpe: And, as I say, we have a lot of our herbals and crafts on there, not everything in the store of course.
00:53:14.970 –> 00:53:20.790 Ed Sharpe: But that’s our website we’re on Facebook and Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter
00:53:21.180 –> 00:53:25.470 Joseph McElroy: Just search for medicine man crafts, with those are all those.
00:53:26.460 –> 00:53:29.820 Joseph McElroy: cool and do you have any personal.
00:53:30.960 –> 00:53:34.380 Joseph McElroy: media that you send out or is it all just related to medicine and crafts.
00:53:36.690 –> 00:53:39.360 Ed Sharpe: are related they’re pretty much that’s not good enough.
00:53:40.140 –> 00:53:41.520 Joseph McElroy: yeah alright cool.
00:53:42.900 –> 00:53:46.710 Joseph McElroy: And so any other shoutouts, you want to do.
00:53:48.420 –> 00:53:56.790 Ed Sharpe: Oh man, thank you for having me it’s a wonderful opportunity, and thanks again to Judy and the team for
00:53:58.230 –> 00:54:00.780 Ed Sharpe: Being there I couldn’t do it without them so.
00:54:03.090 –> 00:54:21.540 Joseph McElroy: Alright, great So this is the Gateway to the Smokies podcast you can find out more about us@facebook.com/gatewaytothesmokiespodcast or you go to smokiesadventure.com and you’ll see a link to all the episodes of top of the menu.
00:54:22.770 –> 00:54:38.160 Joseph McElroy: We are involved in a network called talkradio.nyc which features a lot of live podcasts and one of which we are one of the ranges from self-help to
00:54:38.880 –> 00:54:50.760 Joseph McElroy: To this small business to travel-centric to you know dealing with pets it’s a bass range was very interesting network and I appreciate everybody just go out there and check out some of the other.
00:54:51.330 –> 00:54:59.370 Joseph McElroy: programs are going on, I actually have another program called wise content creates wealth, it is a podcast about.
00:54:59.850 –> 00:55:15.000 Joseph McElroy: Modern marketing with content and things like AI and behavioral science and things like that happen to be my expertise which I, you know used to raise the money that’s helping rebirth revive the Meadowlark motel renovated.
00:55:16.170 –> 00:55:20.040 Joseph McElroy: And that airs on Fridays from.
00:55:21.240 –> 00:55:33.090 Joseph McElroy: noon until one and I have some of the top people in the business digital marketing, especially in content marketing SEO, AI, behavioral science things like that come.
00:55:35.580 –> 00:55:40.170 Joseph McElroy: to mind with this podcast is every Tuesday from
00:55:41.520 –> 00:55:47.430 Joseph McElroy: Six until seven and I look forward to having you see you next week and listening.
00:55:48.540 –> 00:55:54.720 Joseph McElroy: To what we have to say about the smoky mountains, a great place to come visit and thank you very much.
