We’ve all heard the old adage, “Take time to stop and smell the roses.” Well, it’s never been easier to embrace nature than with a trip to Alpharetta, Georgia. Nearby Alpharetta Outfitters recently opened their doors to eager customers seeking the best quality gear and supplies for adventures of all shapes and sizes: from fly-fishing to rock-climbing, hiking to camping. And, the equally-accessible Chattahoochee Nature Center only just underwent a multi-million dollar renovation, providing endless potential for outdoor adventure. Plus, there are more than 13 trails within a 20-mile radius …

The Fifth Annual Hemlockfest Music Festival will be held November 6-8 at Starbridge Retreat near Dahlonega, Ga.  Festival organizers are celebrating this grassroots benefit held to combat parasites which are killing  the native hemlock trees of the Blueridge Mountains.
It’s like a story from a classic 1930’s movie: some regular people discover a serious problem that affects their hometown. Their passion drives them to do something about it.  In this case, the people were a loosely-organized group of outdoors types, environmentalists, and just average citizens who called themselves the Lumpkin Coalition.  …

If you’ve been reading food lit lately or saw the movie Food, Inc., you’re aware of the environmental and healthful advantages of eating wild seafood from U.S. waters versus those farm-raised on the other side of the globe.  Naturally, Whole Foods Market, the world’s largest organic grocery store, has linked up with Savannah’s Ambos family of shrimpers to make sure we can get our fill of sweet Georgia shrimp.  The Ambos family has been bringing fresh seafood from Georgia’s coast to Southeastern tables for five generations.  Ambos shrimpers pack their …