Kaitlyn McConnell - Ozarks Alive

SW Missouri has experienced several fires in recent days. They remind me of real MVPs: Rural volunteer firefighters who risk their lives and livelihoods to protect their friends and neighbors. Please support them (and, if you’re in certain parts of the Ozarks, please don’t anything burn right now)!

We are living in a time of rapid change, and it’s unclear where things will settle. But regardless of those actions, I know Ozarkers to be kindhearted. I urge us to use those tendencies as filters in how we observe moments, to dig deep to examine biases, and to speak up for the value of humanity.

Regardless of a person’s background, they do not deserve to be hated, made fun of, or pointed to as the reason behind society’s challenges.

It distresses me that people - human beings created just like us - are being dehumanized.

There are issues on which we can compromise. But to me, having care for others is not one.

I’m not saying our world should continue without change. I’m not condoning illegal activity. The Ozarks has significant poverty; we can’t support everyone. I know that not everyone who wants to live in the US can do so.

But despite these realities, where is our compassion for our fellow humans?

Some of you might think I shouldn’t write about any of this. That it doesn’t relate to Ozarks culture and I should stay in my gravel lane, one that leads far from these topics and into a wooded forest escape. But it feels weird to only post about positivity when these issues affect the Ozarks, too.

Our changing world has filled my mind as of late. I suspect it has been for many of you, too.

Some of us are ecstatic; others are scared. Some are boggled and bewildered. Outrage versus optimism have divided us more than I’ve ever experienced in my lifetime. And it has me deeply distressed.

Given that today is National Seed Swap Day, I wanted to share a story I wrote about Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company in 2023. This huge Ozarks-based business has made a massive impact on heirloom seeds -- locally and around the world.

www.ozarksalive.com/stories/bake...

Supporting art’s creation is so important. Look at these gorgeous pieces I just saw at Lucky Star Handmade, a new arts co-op in Yellville, Arkansas. They’re beautiful, but so is the time and talent that brought them to completion. We need more of this in our world today.

Few historical suspension bridges exist in Arkansas. One that remains is Haggard Ford Swinging Bridge near Harrison, which was finished in 1941. It closed in the ‘60s; today, it’s pedestrian-only.

I stopped by today. I’m not sure who owns or maintains it, but it appeared that visitors were welcome.

Papaw’s Kookies & Kream a sweet Route 66 stop in Strafford — Ozarks Alive Denis George and his wife, Clydie, own Papaw’s Kookies & Kream, a shop along Route 66 in Strafford.

Papaw's Kookies & Kream in Strafford wants folks to know it's not closing even though the adjacent coffee shop is shutting its doors. The mom-and-pop ice cream shop, run by Denis and Clydie George, is located along Route 66 and serves ice cream, milkshakes & more.
www.ozarksalive.com/stories/papa...

Ozarks Notebook: The evolving relevance of Missouri mills in today’s world — Ozarks Alive Rural Ozarks mills once transformed corn and wheat into meal. Long shuttered for their traditional purposes, these landmarks instead create something else: a sense of nostalgia.

It's interesting to me when parts of culture evolve to mean new things to society. Just one example are Ozarks mills, which have gone from centers to cultural icons. I explore this in January's Ozarks Notebook column, which was first published in the Daily Yonder.
www.ozarksalive.com/stories/ozar...