eBook PRE-ORDER Spring 2026 (Digital Copy, Releasing January 27th)

On the cover of our Spring 2026 issueis the home of Hannah Speaks of Surgoinsville, Tennessee.

“The Grit is in the Details: Where dirt, patriotic roots, and early American values meet.”
Nestled on a parcel of land that has belonged to her family for generations, the log home of Hannah Speaks is filled with the primitive antiques collected since she was 26 years old. These pieces echo the grit and strength of the people who shaped her and the early American values she now strives to pass on to her children.

Inside this issue, you’ll find four additional home tours that dive into antique collections and the stories behind them, including the homes of Cory and Stephenee David of Mickleton, New Jersey; Melvin and Delores (Dee) Collier of Yuma, Virginia; Jean Salisbury-Elden & Ray Baker of Upstate New York; and Barbara Taylor of San Tan Valley, Arizona.

New to this issue, we introduce Collector’s Corner, a dedicated section within each home feature. In this section, we focus on one corner of the home, examining each object within it—where it came from, how it was used, and the story behind acquiring it. It offers a closer look at the layers that make a collection meaningful.

Standout features include:

White Man’s Flies and the History of the Bee Box: An exploration of early American beekeeping that traces how honeybees signaled colonial expansion, how bee hunters followed a “beeline” to feral hives, and why surviving bee boxes, with fragile hand-blown glass panes, are rare witnesses to early rural life.

A Picker’s Heart: Hayley Walsh’s Journey into Early American Antiques

This feature spotlights 33-year-old Hayley Walsh and emphasizes her collector’s discipline: studying construction details (like square-forged nails), oxidation and wear, and layered original paint—using knowledge and trusted sources to avoid paying antique prices for reproductions.

How to Build a Primitive Twig Garden Fence – A how to guide inspired by early rural fencing methods using natural materials.

Antiques Sold at Auction: What Did It Sell For? – Featuring notable examples such as a Rose of Sharon appliqué quilt, a distinctive dry sink with an “x” base, a moss green checkerboard, and a produce sorting table.