Backwoods Witchcraft

Conjure & Folk Magic from Appalachia

By: Jake Richards, Starr Casas - foreword

Narrated by: Ian Andrews

Length: 7 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's Summary

In Backwoods Witchcraft, Jake Richards offers up a folksy stew of family stories, lore, omens, rituals, and conjure crafts that he learned from his great-grandmother, his grandmother, and his grandfather, a Baptist minister who Jake remembers could "rid someone of a fever with an egg or stop up the blood in a wound." The witchcraft practiced in Appalachia is very much a folk magic of place, a tradition that honors the seen and unseen beings that inhabit the land as well as the soil, roots, and plant life.  

The materials and tools used in Appalachia witchcraft are readily available from the land. This "grounded approach" will be of keen interest to witches and conjure folk regardless of where they live. Listeners will be guided in how to build relationships with the spirits and other beings that dwell around them and how to use the materials and tools that are readily available on the land where one lives.  

This book also provides instructions on how to create a working space and altar and make conjure oils and powders. A wide array of tried-and-true formulas are also offered for creating wealth, protecting one from gossip, spiritual cleansing, and more.

©2019 Jake Richards (P)2020 Tantor

Take me Home Country Roads

If you are Pagan like me, you may not able to separate the valuable knowledge in this book from the highly Christian tradition it comes from. If you are wanting some type of wild mountain witchcraft with no mention of the bible this is not the book for you. The bible is deeply rooted in everything offered in this book and that's going to be hard for many of you to get over. But if you can, then I think its definitely worth your time. I think plenty of the charms and such in the book can be applied to any tradition with a bit of reworking if you are so inclined. Just as a read it's an important book simply on the merits of documenting and sharing the magics of Appalachian communities who are so often looked over in all facets of life.
Reading or listening to this book for those of us from the south Pagan or not will feel like sitting down with your more wild relatives and hearing all the yarns they loved to spin. It feels very familiar, homey. To sum up my rambling I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Appalachian Memories

A worthy read offering practical guidance. I enjoyed listening to the book. Born, raised and still living in East Tennessee, this book brought back fond memories of my childhood. I spent every weekend at Granny's house. I enjoyed hanging around the Elders more than playing with my cousins. I listened, watched and learned many of our Hill Folk beliefs and ways of life and this book had me reminiscing through the things I've watched Granny and others do.

We don't hear of these old ways and beliefs much anymore. I'm thankful the author has preserved some of them in this book. To an outsider, this form of witchcraft may sound crazy, but I grew up watching it work. And, I would love to be apart of keeping the Appalachian ways alive. I've been journaling down the memories of what I saw Granny do, since listening to the book. It's time to carry the tradition forward for my ancestors and the generations to come...

This is so good!

Absolutely captivating from the start. Could not stop listening until finished. Listening to it again! So rich in folk magick, so well narrated. Jake shared with us amazing old time magick cherished by generations. Thanks so much!

She touched my soul!

From someone who grew up with the stories of West Virginia and their ways, she spoke to my soul. Both sets of grandparents knew these ways. I used to chalk it up to old superstition until I would see them do their work and see the outcome. Momma Casas touched on every bit and more and I thank you. If you want to be steeped in tradition and learn what really works, listen to this book. I promise, it won’t disappoint.

A must read!

My family is from those mountains in which have all passed away without sharing its magic. Thank you for sharing this has touched me and connected me with my ancestors and our families lost ways. Gratitude!

Very Authentic

Best book !!! I was sold as soon as I saw Starr Casas wrote the forward. I've been a fan for a long time of hers and Jake Richards seems just as authentic. Really enjoyed this book and it's wealth of knowledge.

Uniquely informative!!!

A rare collection of information that’s hardly talked about. I would highly recommend this to practitioners and anthropologists.

backwoods witchcraft

this was a great story of the way Appalachian folks lived and what they believed in. there ways was so much like the ways of some of my ancestors and grandparents believed in.

Backwoods Witchcraft

I’m an Asheville, NC native long ago transplanted up north in the midst of my parents divorce. My greats, and grands, were lifelines to me as a child. My great grandparents used many of the remedies in this book. Listening was like taking the hands of the distantly departed for a little while. Thank you, Mr Richards.

Bravo!

Start to finish interesting! Finished in 2 days. I love hearing about the lifestyles of mountain people and Appalachian folklore. More please!!