Big news! Mac has finally got a decent website about his business Mac's Custom Banjos Cabinets and More. It was designed by our son Ben who is professional graphic designer in the DC area. Check it out www.mactraynham.com when you can. It is a better explanation
of just who Mac is and what he does on a regular basis. Let us know what you think.
Jenny has very recently joined Facebook and has had many friend request since so many of our friends and family are on Facebook. She intend to show her art and summer flower and vegetable gardens that she has worked so hard for. It will be interesting to see how having Facebook will affect our lives. Maybe we won't be such hermits anymore.
We finally got our farm fixed up for beef farming and Mac got the opportunity to run some steers to eat up our grass in a management technique known as strip grazing. 35 grass eaters are something to see devouring up a new break of fresh grass. These beeves belonged to alternative Floyd County's grazier supreme Larry Bright who is Mac's mentor in the effort to be a true grass farmer. We intend to cooperate more in the future. Anyone interested in buying pure natural all grass finished beef from Floyd county should get in touch with Larry or me ASAP.
Mac was again on the staff of Augusta October Old-time Week having a class of ten students for intermediate/advance level of traditional claw hammer banjo. It was great fun with lots of good jams with staff and students. The end of the week was the annual Augusta Fiddler's gathering which drew in some of the best players of West Virginia rich traditional fiddle music. I even sold a banjo to wonderful lady Pat Wilcox.
In June 2012, Mac will be on the staff of Blue Ridge Old-time week at Mars Hill College once again. Shay Garriock, our long time fiddle buddy who Mac has recorded with will be there also. I haven't updated the calendar yet.
December has found us again trying to finish of some building projects on the farm while working on cabinets and banjos for old and new customers. Our Rock Springhouse is shaping up nicely and represents several tons of rocks, sand and gravel moved over the last year and a half onto a resting place that will preserve our water. The spring is one of several on our property that was developed into a water source for our house by previous owners. An ancient roadbed is beside it and word has it that it was known in the old days as one of the best springs in our part of Floyd county which is reputed to have over 1000 springs.
We hope to get the roof on it next week. Photos will be on Facebook.
Musically, Mac has been laying down some tracks at Windfall Studios for a future project involving our area's traditional string music style, ie, Old-time clawhammer banjo and fiddle duets and trios. Hanna, who resides in Seattle, Washington recorded 8 tracks of rare banjo tunes with Mac playing fiddle in a traditional duet fashion before she left. So stay tuned for more about how these tracks get mixed and fixed for a final sound.
Jenny and I hope to learn new songs in 2012 and share them when we can. Check the calendar for an update soon.
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