As dry as it has been here recently in Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley, native plants bearing fruits and nuts in this corner of Appalachia have managed to survive - and even thrive - for generations.
Ken Chance collects and cultivates them, with help from volunteers.
He's president of Appalachian Foothills Fruits and Nuts, which runs the Appalachian Foothills Orchard in Etowah.