A common question from those considering a move to our corner of the world: Can I make a living in Floyd County?
Good question. The answer depends on a number of other questions:
- What do you consider "a living?"
- Do you have other sources of income?
- Do you have other resources?
- Have you won the lottery?
- Do you have a spouse who’s lucky at bingo? I do. It helps.
I used to tell people that working in Floyd meant working twice as long to earn half as much. These days, with the economy going to hell, the current equation is working at least three times as long to earn — at best — a third as much.
Floyd County is a place where couples not only both work but may each hold two jobs or more. It’s a county where more than half the residents cannot afford health insurance and where few employers provide health benefits, even to full-time employees.
Most residents of Floyd County work elsewhere, if they can find work. With Volvo laying off and closing out its Mack Truck operations and other companies cutting back or closing, work in Roanoke or the New River Valley just isn’t there.
The Floyd County Store sells a bumper sticker that reads: "Bluegrass musician. Driver has no cash." It’s not a joke. Most musicians in this county known for its music have day jobs. We have a lot of artists but few make a living with their art. Those who do manage by going to shows around the country or selling their wares elsewhere.
So why do so many people flock here? Because most of them realize that there’s a lot more to life than making money. It’s those who worship at the alter of financial success who get fed up and leave.
As a person that does make a meager living working in the traditional industries (agriculture and forestry) of our county this is an interesting question.
First the context of why people come (flock) here is clear to have multiple answers, probably a unique one for each individual that now calls Floyd home. It would also seem obvious that the natural beauty of this piece of the edge of Appalachia is a primary attraction.
Since technology, such as the internet, is becoming common in many places that alone will only contribute to a certain influx of population. It is important, just as this computer types on this comment page.
However the common values of this “place” are still more about the natural world than any other single feature, therefore that is the focus of my comment.
Given that the greatest percentage of the landscape in Floyd County is forested, that would seem the biggest
piece of our natural world that provides a natural beauty that is appealing to anyone interested in being in such a setting.
My work is about “restorative forestry”. This means actively managing the forest in such a way that extracts for human needs while preserving, protecting and enhancing the natural beauty, ecological and economic integrity of the forests and community as a whole.
The current changes in the attractions of the Town of Floyd are culturally based in music and art. These are good things in that they do attract tourist to the county that spend their money and go home elsewhere. These changes are beneficial to a certain segment of the populace and are a positive contribution to many that are working to “make a living” in Floyd County.
I would submit that the actual overall natural beauty of the county as a natural place that provides the fresh air of a higher elevation than most of the surrounding area, clean water and a uniquely beautiful place remains the counties greatest asset.
The forested landscape and pastoral beauty of the tended small farms that are seen in route to the town as well as up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway are an underlying attractive feature of our county that should be protected, preserved and enhanced for all the benefits these general conditions provide for all that see this place. This environment is the source of our great drinking water, our fresh cool air as the wind passes through the forests and the fertile soil that grows the forages for our animals and the crops for our own direct human consumption.
It would seem appropriate that the general rural nature of our county be recognized, preserved and enhanced as the foundation or the counties attractiveness now and growing appeal in the future.
Yes, it is hard to make a living off the land up here and anywhere else in this country. That cultural expression is of great value to our county and earns a normally unquantified value to this place. It is the same as the unquantified value of the ecological services provided by the forests everywhere.
These aesthetic values are much more important than given credit for, although they surely are a contributor to the general attractiveness of our community. So anything we invest into keeping those characteristics as the core of our regions beauty will be the framework for all interested in living here, now and in the future.
The preservation of the natural beauty of our communities forests is a core goal and objective of our local non-profit Public Charity – Healing Harvest Forest Foundation. Everyone is welcome to visit our web site (which I have requested a link from this site too)
and read more about what we do.
http://healingharvestforestfoundation.org
Great discussion Doug.
Sincerely,
Jason Rutledge
President, BOD HHFF
Biological Woodsman
Consulting Forester