In 1981 my wife Roberta and I moved to the mountains of eastern Kentucky for her to study midwifery at the Frontier School of Nursing (FNS). The partner of one of her professors, Lorre Jaffe, had a son about three years old. Their story had a profound impact on us because they were the first people we knew of who had used homemade donor insemination. Leslie County was the scariest place I’d ever lived. When we were driving up Short Creek Holler in our pickups carrying a double bed, the husband of a midwife stopped us. He told us to be more discreet, that a lesbian had just had their cabin burned down. That turned out to be Lorre.

          When I started this project I searched for Nina, Roberta’s professor. I contacted former classmates, reached out to the FNS alumni association, and searched the web before I gave up. Later I went hiking. When I saw two women with children, I asked them if they were a two-mom family and told them about my project. One of them said she had a friend in Oregon whose moms had birthed him in Kentucky in the 1980’s. After some confusion about names, I said that the mom I knew, Lorre, was a professional diesel dyke. Their friend turned out to be Lorre’s son, Josh! I’m not superstitious but I am spiritual.  I know grace when I experience it, and I understood that these stories are meant to be told.

          In her interview Lorre talks about how she and her partner Gail came to the mountains, working at FNS, mountain culture, their relationship with the community, building the cabin, the process of conceiving Josh, and his early years. She goes on to describe their breakup, losing the cabin, leaving Hyden for Portland, coparenting after their separation, breaking up with Nina, and parenting and grandparenting with her current partner as Josh became an adult. Lorre said the interview was a wonderful experience and that she thought about it constantly afterwards.

          In 1981 my wife Roberta and I moved to the mountains of eastern Kentucky for her to study midwifery at the Frontier School of Nursing (FNS). The partner of one of her professors, Lorre Jaffe, had a son about three years old. Their story had a profound impact on us because they were the first people we knew of who had used homemade donor insemination. Leslie County was the scariest place I’d ever lived. When we were driving up Short Creek Holler in our pickups carrying a double bed, the husband of a midwife stopped us. He told us to be more discreet, that a lesbian had just had their cabin burned down. That turned out to be Lorre.

          When I started this project I searched for Nina, Roberta’s professor. I contacted former classmates, reached out to the FNS alumni association, and searched the web before I gave up. Later I went hiking. When I saw two women with children, I asked them if they were a two-mom family and told them about my project. One of them said she had a friend in Oregon whose moms had birthed him in Kentucky in the 1980’s. After some confusion about names, I said that the mom I knew, Lorre, was a professional diesel dyke. Their friend turned out to be Lorre’s son, Josh! I’m not superstitious but I am spiritual.  I know grace when I experience it, and I understood that these stories are meant to be told.

          In her interview Lorre talks about how she and her partner Gail came to the mountains, working at FNS, mountain culture, their relationship with the community, building the cabin, the process of conceiving Josh, and his early years. She goes on to describe their breakup, losing the cabin, leaving Hyden for Portland, coparenting after their separation, breaking up with Nina, and parenting and grandparenting with her current partner as Josh became an adult. Lorre said the interview was a wonderful experience and that she thought about it constantly afterwards.