HEARTS Harvest

What did harvest mean to the people in our region throughout the ages? Join us for Harvest, the October 15th HEARTS happening at Huntersville’s historic Cedar Grove and Hugh Torance House and Store, where Dr. Ashli Stokes will explore our local foodways and traditions from the Paleo-Indians through the 21st century.

Dr. Ashli Quesinberry Stokes (PhD, University of Georgia) is a Professor of Communication Studies and former Director of the Center for the Study of the New South at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. A 2020-21 Fulbright scholar, her research about communicating identity in the Southern food movement has been described as “a call to action." She recently edited City Places, Country Spaces: Rhetorical Explorations of the Urban/Rural Divide (Peter Lang), and co-authored Consuming Identity: The Role of Food in Redefining the South with Wendy Atkins-Sayre. Stokes’ research exploring intersections between food, identity, and regions has been featured in leading academic outlets such as the Southern Communication Journal, and she also contributes to local and national media such as the Smithsonian/Zocalo Public Square and NPR. Stokes teaches courses focusing on Southern foodways, rhetoric, and public advocacy.

Local music is a tradition at every HEARTS happening and this month our special guest is David Childers and The Serpents. Born and raised in Mt. Holly, NC, David Childers has written hundreds of songs and recorded nearly 20 albums on various record labels. David and his band, The Serpents, have played extensively in NC, Virginia, and Tennessee, for more than 20 years. They have played numerous festivals such as MerleFest, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Americana Fest, Albino Skunk Fest, McMenamins Great Northwest Music Tour, Avetts at the Beach, Mountain Stage, and more. Don’t miss this chance to hear a local legend in this intimate and engaging venue. The Cedar Grove parlor opens at 2:00 for HEARTS Harvest. Dr. Stokes’ presentation will begin at 2:30, followed by the musical performance at 3:30.

Next door, the historic Hugh Torance House and Store will be open from 1:00-6:00 selling snacks, beer, wine, sundries, and more. Plan to come early and/or stay late to enjoy the historic grounds and take a tour of the oldest standing store in NC. The Hugh Torance House and Store is one of Mecklenburg County’s few surviving 18th-century structures and is adjacent to Cedar Grove, the 1831 Greek Revival home of James Torrance, son of Hugh and Isabella Torance.


HEARTS happenings are monthly community gatherings featuring music, visual arts, and lectures exploring local history, nature, and our shared sense of place. HEARTS Harvest is a free community event with RSVPs requested on the Events page at Click for Details. All guests registering online become eligible for door prizes announced at the event throughout the day.

This event is made possible by dedicated volunteers, HEARTS Circle members, Lake Norman Realty, and community donations. All proceeds benefit HTHS’s efforts to further the HEARTS mission of historic preservation, ecological conservation, and forging community connections in our region.

The Store and HEARTS events are operated by the Hugh Torance House and Store (HTHS), a private 501c3 nonprofit. Group tours and volunteer opportunities for stewardship, preservation, and conservation are available. For more information, visit Click for Details, email info@hughtorancehouseandstore.org, or call (704) 920-9931. The historic Hugh Torance House and Store is located at 8231 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC 28078.