How times change: on the Bloomery Pike from Paw Paw, West Virginia, towards Winchester, Virginia.

When we Export Ridouts first explored Appalachia in 1963, naively unaware of the practice of chewing tobacco, we were amused to see ancient and decrepit barns, freshly painted and exhorting “Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco — treat yourself to the best.” Gareth’s comment this week: “Eschew Mail Pouch Tobacco?” Commissioned photo by Jan G, at speed, looking backwards from side window. More about Bloomery and bloomeries.