Home Care In Saxapahaw, NC

Of the 11 sites tested in the state, it found the presence of forever chemicals at four of them – including downtown Cary and along the Orange-Alamance county line near Saxapahaw.

Katy May is director of community engagement for the Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS

“The more we learn about them, the more we realize they’re everywhere in our environment,” May said. “They’re in our drinking water, in our soil, in the air, and then they end up in our bodies.”

The Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS looks at different ways PFAS get into the environment, health impacts and way to remediate PFAs. May said she’s been researching the topic since about 2017.

“The biggest source of exposure to PFAS is through contaminated drinking water," she said. "The study that was released highlights just how widespread PFAs in drinking water can be.”

U.S. Geological Survey research marks the first time anyone has tested for and compared PFAS in tap water from both private and government-regulated public water supplies on a broad scale throughout the country. Those data were used to model and estimate PFAS contamination nationwide.

“This USGS study can help members of the public to understand their risk of exposure and inform policy and management decisions regarding testing and treatment options for drinking water,” according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

PFAS have a persistence in the environment and prevalence across the country, making them a unique water-quality concern.

“It’s causing health problems,” Ron Ross said.

Ross lives in Cumberland County, where PFAS were found after Chemours was letting the forever chemicals seep into the air, water and soil.

“The chemicals they dropped into the water are poison,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ed Buchan, Raleigh Water’s senior communications analyst, says the city has been monitoring its water supply for years.

“It’s not surprising to see that it has made it’s made its way into drinking water system all across the country, and all around the world,” he said. “The USGS study confirmed what we thought would be the case.”

The Environmental Protection Agency announced its first-ever drinking water standard for PFAS this year. It’s a proposed standard and it’s unclear if and when it will become final.

“It puts us in a waiting pattern,” Buchan said. “In terms of keeping people safe, we feel like our tap water is very safe.”

I WAS polishing off a steaming bowl of coconut curry soup when a server appeared bearing a plate of plump pan-seared diver scallops atop creamy applewood-bacon succotash and braised asparagus. The food was befitting a candlelit restaurant, but I had a view of gas pumps outside and, a few steps from my table, fluorescent-lighted aisles packed with workaday necessities — toilet paper, motor oil, sauerkraut juice (aids digestion, according to the label).

This jarring contrast of farm-fresh food and service-station atmosphere is part of the appeal of the place where I was dining: the Saxapahaw General Store (1735 Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road; 336-376-5332; saxgenstore.com), a no-frills convenience store and restaurant that has sparked a revival in the former mill town of Saxapahaw in central North Carolina.

When its cotton mill closed in 1994, the town of Saxapahaw — a name that begs to be pronounced (sax-ah-puh-HAW) with an exaggerated Southern drawl — began to fade as well. After all, this tiny rural town on the banks of the Haw River is barely a blip on the map (and as far as my confused GPS was concerned, as easy to locate as Faulkner’s fictional Yoknapatawpha County).

“When we first came, people thought we were kind of nuts, because it seems like it’s in the middle of nowhere,” said Jeff Barney, the cook (and a former butcher) who, together with his partner, Cameron Ratliff, took over the general store in 2008. Working with nearby farmers, the pair stocked the shelves with local products and started serving freshly prepared meals.

As word spread about the unusual setting of Mr. Barney’s ambitious seasonal cuisine, Saxapahaw began attracting curious foodies from surrounding cities like Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

And now, the Saxapahaw General Store is no longer the sole attraction in town.

Last May, the Haw River Ballroom (1711 Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road; 336-675-2440; hawriverballroom.com) opened in the former dye room of the historic mill. Now a soaring, three-story music venue, the Ballroom also hosts a variety of interesting events and has a first-floor cafe called Cup 22, which serves pastries and locally roasted coffee.

Across the street is Saxapahaw Artists (1610 Jordan Drive; 336-525-2394; saxapahawartists.com), a two-story art gallery showcasing works from 50 regional artists. And nearby is the site of the town’s popular summertime farmers’ market.

“It was probably about 50 people a weekend the first year,” recalled Heather LaGarde, an owner of the Haw River Ballroom and a founder of Saxapahaw’s farmers’ market, which began in 2005. “Now it’s about 1,000 to 2,000 people that come out to that,” she said.

But the busiest place in town is now the Eddy Pub (1715 Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road; 336-525-2010; theeddypub.com). Building on the success of the Saxapahaw General Store, Mr. Barney and Ms. Ratliff partnered with another couple to open this gastropub — not a description often used around here — in a second-floor space in the former mill in December 2010.

It’s a step that has been well received.

On a bitterly cold weekday evening in November, the cozy, wood-beamed pub was packed. As bartenders poured pints of North Carolina-brewed beers (the only type on tap), servers bustled among tables carrying cheese plates, juicy bratwursts and platters of fish and chips — traditional pub grub tweaked to emphasize local fare. By 6 p.m., a small crowd had formed in the doorway, waiting for tables.

“It was sort of a sleepy town, not much going on,” Mr. Barney said. “Now we’ve turned into a bit of a destination.”

Welcome to the very first edition of “Alamance Awaits,” an exploration of the beautiful outdoor spaces offered throughout Alamance County, made possible by Alamance Parks! I’m Ali Evans, and in addition to being a member of the 97.9 The Hill & Chapelboro.com team, I’m also a resident of Alamance County. In each edition of Alamance Awaits, I will share my personal experience visiting these places, some for the first time, and highlight the unique features of each place. As if that weren’t exciting enough, I’ll also share pictures of my hiking buddy, my husky mix Cameron.

My first Alamance Awaits adventure was to visit Saxapahaw Island Park. Living in Mebane, I have visited the lovely Saxapahaw Rivermill community several times – my husband and I really enjoy the unique and interesting menu at the General Store (order the Duck Jam Burger and thank me later) as well as Freehand Market and of course, The Haw River Ballroom. I haven’t done much exploring around the area, so I was excited for the chance to enjoy a little fresh air and check it out!

There are two ways to access the trails and relaxing outdoor spaces at Saxapahaw. First, if you want to enjoy a riverside walking trail perfect for pups and picturesque views, park when you first arrive at the community shops and restaurants. (For GPS purposes – 6079 Swepsonville-Saxapahaw Road.) If you want to access the Island Park, turn left on Church Road after you pass the Saxapahaw shops and once you cross the first bridge, turn left. (For GPS purposes – 5550 Church Road)

I started by walking Cameron along the Haw River, which we accessed by a set of stairs behind the outdoor amphitheater. Heads up dog moms and dads – the steps aren’t very dog friendly. I took a picture so I could show you what I meant, but I did not take the time to photograph myself carrying my 55-pound dog-down these steps. It’s best for all of us.

When you first get down the stairs, there are several picnic tables on an old fireplace patio. Even if you aren’t in the mood for a hike, this would be a great place to bring your lunch and enjoy a beautiful, shady view!

If you are looking for an easy hike, this trail is simply wonderful. It’s nice and flat, perfect for a leisurely walk by the flowing water of the Haw River. There were several places to walk down to the water, but because I was with Cameron, I found them to be somewhat steep, so use caution if you decide to venture down and dip your feet in. There are a few benches placed in perfect viewing spots so you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the river while you relax, meditate, or even read!

I’m an annoying Millennial, so I took plenty of pictures, especially of all the turtles sunbathing on the rocks in the water. I have since learned that there is a species of fish in this section of the Haw River that isn’t found in any other part of the world. I would recommend this part of the area for anyone who wants a slow moving, shady walk.

Across the water on the Island, you’ll find more walking and running trails, a playground, an open meadow, and the most unique slide I’ve ever seen, all spanning across 30 acres of the beautiful North Carolina outdoors. If you are interested in going in the water (and you aren’t renting a kayak from Haw River Canoe & Kayak) I would recommend visiting the Island side of the park. It’s much easier to access the water with out the fear of not being able to climb back up!

If you are looking for something fun to do outside with your little ones, the Saxapahaw Island Park is ready for you! Not only is there a giant fish slide and other nature themed playground equipment to play on, but there’s something I’ve never seen before – a Fort Creation Station! Kids of all ages can exercise their bodies and their minds during an afternoon in Saxapahaw. I didn’t get to spend much time exploring the Island Park because I had Cameron with me – and despite what she might try and tell you, she doesn’t need to go down a slide.

I am so excited to share more of my Alamance adventures in this fun new column, Alamance Awaits! As someone who drives from Alamance County to Chapel Hill every day, I am here to tell you that these awesome places to walk, exercise, explore, and learn are not as far as you think. North Carolina is full of beautiful people and places – it’s what makes us so special!

You can learn more about the people, places and events at Alamance Parks by visiting their website, or by following along on their Instagram. Cameron and I will see you next month for another stop on our journey through Alamance Parks!

When Brian and Caroline Setliff of Raleigh began planning a weekend home on 10 acres of land in Saxapahaw, they knew it would be something small, to fit both their budget and their desire to get their young sons outside as much as possible.

The couple’s 450-square-foot get-away house up a hill from the Haw River is what has become known as a “tiny house,” dwellings that aren’t just small but are thoughtfully designed to optimize the use of space.

In thinking about the house, the couple drew from a number of sources of inspiration.

Brian, a lawyer with a solo practice, remembers seeing cool trailers and camping pads in Outside magazine and seeing how a friend converted a storage shed into a livable space in his backyard in Durham. Caroline, a sales representative for Merck, recalls a friend going to a “tiny house convention” and telling her about how cool some of the houses were.

Now the Setliffs are in a position to inspire others. The story of their house was featured in an episode of the cable TV show “Tiny House Nation,” which aired on Saturday and can be found online at www.fyi.tv/shows/tiny-house-nation.

Whether as a lifestyle or simply a way to avoid a mortgage, the “tiny house” is a counter movement to a prevailing trend toward bigger and more. The median size of a single-family home completed in the United States in 2014 was 2,453 square feet, up from less than 1,500 square feet in the 1960s, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

To make a comfortable and functional living space of less than 500 square feet requires some clever design, which attracts builders looking for a challenge.

Carpenter Jim Valesey of High Point says he has worked on plenty of big houses over the years, but the Setliffs’ is his first tiny one. Among other things, Valesey made the cabinets for what serves as a kitchen, in the corner of the house’s main room, fitting in a sink, a mini-fridge and microwave oven.

“It’s definitely a different perspective,” he said. “But it’s more creative, because you have to use your space more efficiently.”

In the end, though, the “tiny house” movement is less about the house and more about living with less. Less appliances in the kitchen, but also less stuff in general. Watching people decide what they can do without makes for good TV, said Tennessee Edwards, the executive producer of “Tiny House Nation.”

“If you’re building a tiny house, you have to sacrifice something,” Edwards said. “That’s part of the adventure of it – figuring out how building a house like this fits your lifestyle.”

The TV show is one of several media sources for information and inspiration on going tiny. There are websites like thetinylife.com and the Tiny House Blog (recent posts: “Choosing a wardrobe fit for the tiny house life,” and “Tiny Floating Homes,” which is another way of saying living on a boat).

Tiny is perhaps the most extreme wing of an older, broader movement to slow down and simplify our lives whatever the size of our house. Raleigh architect Sarah Susanka emphasized quality in design over quantity in her 1998 book “The Not So Big House,” from which she has built a career on preaching mindfulness. Her 2007 book “The Not So Big Life” is a sort of psychological version of letting go of stuff.

And William Powers, who wrote a book about living in a 12-by-12 cabin off the grid outside Siler City, followed up with “New Slow City,” a book about how he and his wife rid themselves of 80 percent of their stuff and left a 2,000-square-foot townhouse to live in a 350-square-foot apartment in Greenwich Village.

The Setliffs aren’t doing anything that extreme. After all, the house in Saxapahaw is a weekend one; they still have their 2,700-square-foot home in Raleigh.

But the idea behind the house included giving up stuff, most notably the electronic gadgets that can keep kids and their parents from getting off the couch. The couple wanted their sons, Jack, 7, and Rivers, 10, to get outside on their bikes and on foot, to explore the 10-acre property and the village of Saxapahaw.

The “Tiny House Nation” crew ran with the idea. When the family mentioned the possibility of a zipline, the show arranged for Beanstalk builders, a zipline and treehouse company out of Morganton, to donate one that runs from the back porch to a platform in the woods, about 200 feet.

Zack Giffin, one of the show’s two “renovation experts” and co-hosts, built a mountain bike trail with ramps and jumps around the house, as well as a wall between the boys’ bunk beds in the loft that folds down into a ping-pong table.

Most of the work was done, though, by the Setliffs’ builder, Paul Young of Greensboro, who designed the house and with his crew built it in 10 days under the constant watch of GoPro cameras mounted on the trees and a drone camera overhead.

Young’s touches include an aluminum garage door that opens the main room onto the back porch, which wraps around the side of the house under a 20-foot cantilevered roof that makes the house feel much larger than it is.

Young said the demands of maximizing the use of space dictates a modern, innovative design.

“They’re very fun to build,” Young said. “You can do a lot of fun stuff with them.”

The Setliffs can easily think of things that would have been nice in their weekend house. A full kitchen. A big-screen TV for watching sports. A bath tub.

But so far, the house is working as a launching pad for outdoor activities for their sons.

“They love being here and riding their bikes and going into town,” Caroline said. “People know them now.”

Could the couple live in a tiny house full time? In the future, with the boys grown and gone, “I could live out here, absolutely,” Brian said.

Then turning to his wife: “Could you live without an oven and all that?”

“Yeah,” she replied emphatically.

The challenge, the couple agrees, is getting rid of “your stuff” and the memories it holds.

Brian mentioned a box of trophies he won as a kid that had been at his parents’ house in Reidsville until recently, when his father brought it to Raleigh. Now they’re in the Setliffs’ basement.

There would be no place for them in a tiny house.

Richard Stradling: 919-829-4739, @RStradling

This story was originally published August 23, 2015, 4:02 PM.

Construction is planned to start this year on the Saxapahaw General Store location at Transfer Co. Food Hall.

"It will be the anchor grocery tenant in the building," Transfer Co. co-founder Jason Queen said on this week's WRAL Out and About Podcast.

Saxapahaw General will be on the middle floor, adjacent to the spacious outdoor courtyard.

"You'll be able to see straight through the food hall or vice versa. It kind of completes the overall food experience on the site," Queen said.

The food hall, which opened in 2019, occupies a 50,000 square-foot space at 500 E. Davie St. in downtown Raleigh. Saxapahaw General's flagship location is at 1735 Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road in Saxapahaw.

The grocery will be joining 11 other food and drink vendors, including Burial Beer and Benchwarmer Bagels, at the hall. Although the hall has faced challenges due to the pandemic, Queen said the hall is committed to keeping customers and vendors safe.

"It's been a balancing act for sure, trying to keep the public safe, keeping our vendors safe, working with our tenants...making sure that our entire team understands our methodology and they feel good about coming to work every day," Queen said.

The large capacity of the building and its spacious outdoor patio have helped the hall deal with requirements for reduced capacity.

"We have the benefit of a large dining space and an amazing patio area that work within those guidelines," Queen said. "There could be 150 people in our food hall and it looks empty."

Transfer Co. Food hall is located in the historic Carolina Coach Garage and Shop, which used to be a bus transfer hub.

"Food halls in old buildings make a ton of sense. And it is part of the experience of being in the food hall. And there's something there that's pretty unique that you can't replicate with new construction," Queen said. "It just takes time for that feeling and that vibe to occur."

When the space became available, Queen said at the time food halls weren't nearly as popular.

"Back then, nobody knew what a food hall was, including myself, but we knew what true production hubs were in food related businesses and we knew the neighborhood. I live in the neighborhood," he said. "We really wanted to make sure that whatever we created had a sense of community, where the community had a sense of ownership in it."

In addition to food vendors, there is a ballroom space for event rentals and co-working space.

Transfer Co. Food Hall's outdoor courtyard has been popular with pop-up markets as well, with many using the space for weekend events.

Transfer Co. Food Hall is open for dine-in, take-out and delivery.