OH THE PLACES WE SHOULD GO ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF OCTOBER

(Writing and photography by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

There's something special happening every October in Harpersville, Alabama  at 
Baker Farm's Fall Festival.

  

All through the month of October people are milling in and out of Baker's Farm and enjoying some wonderful Fall events. 

School kids get the week day mornings at the farm all by themselves (except for their teachers); so unless you are with a school group, you would do well to go on Saturday or Sunday afternoons when everything opens up to the general public.  

You really do not want to miss this! 

There is no better way to enjoy an outdoor fall adventure.   

The festival is for all ages.  You will enter from the parking lot through an amazing collection of old antique tractors, each one unique in its own way, and each one with a historical story from the owner. 

A tractor parade is held each year.

 

You will soon find yourself stepping into an outdoor market place of vivid colors, delicious smells and the unique surprises.  
There are lots of booths with authentically dressed exhibitors selling their original works of art and wonderful homemade food.  
You can watch the blacksmith work in his trade, or see how brooms are made by hand, or experience the weaving of a basket, or watch the making of homemade soap.  
Vendors and exhibitors come from all over the south for this event.  
You're bound to do some Christmas shopping here.  
There is something for everyone on your list.

If you get tired of shopping you can take a walk through the corn maze. 

 Hopefully you will be one of the lucky ones who arrives on the other side, eventually.  
You might want to join the crowd picking cotton.  
There is a story to tell here at this large cotton patch by the owner of the farm.  
You can take what you pick home with you.

If you get tired, just sit down in front of the old barn 

and hear some good ole bluegrass music.  

You might hear a little gospel too. 

Please don't miss the hayride!  
You will get a detailed tour of the farm, plus you will make a stop at the pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin for your own front porch. 

There are trail rides if you are a horseman, 
and if you want you can help your child to a guided pony ride.  

Be sure to visit the Indian Village. 
 There is a lot of history to learn here.  
Watch them do their native dances and hear their stories.   

 There is a very realistic Civil War reenactment happening at this farm.  
Walk through the camp and learn the military drills.  
Experience the stories of the flags and learn the history of the south. 

Fiddlers and banjo pickers are everywhere, both young and old. 

There are livestock in the pens and plenty of them want to be petted by the children.  
There are bunnies, turtles, lambs, goats, cows, horses and pigs, and pretty much any other animals you can think of.  If you look hard enough you will see Charlotte's Web somewhere on the property. 

Should you work up an appetite, there are tasty treats around every corner.  
You will not leave hungry, but you might gain a few pounds.

Different weekends of the month have different themes.  
During the Cowboy Weekends you can come dressed as a cowboy and just blend into the landscape that will be filled with gun slingers and shootouts in the street.   
Your very likely to meet some famous outlaws in the crowd.   
Western music abounds on these days, 
and Hay Mountain becomes a busy place. 

Another weekend involves Living History Days where you can meet living historians who will tell you their tales of The Civil War.  
You can participate in the infantry marching drills, or meet the cavalry, 
or learn how to make soap.  
You have a realistic glimpse into what a soldier's life was really like during these times. 

 

This is simply a lot of old fashioned down home fun for the whole family. 

I hope to see you there!
1041 Farmingdale Road, Harpersville, AL
205-672-7209

FUN UNDER THE SUN - HOMESTEAD HOLLOW, SPRINGVILLE, ALABAMA

(Writing and photography by Sheila Gail Landgraf)


I've been going to the craft festivals at Homestead Hollow for years.  They started up when I was just out of high school and now I'm a grandmother!  I've never known a local community event to have such substance or last so long.  I've pondered why this is so; perhaps the quality of the wares the craftsmen have been selling here for years, perhaps the beauty of the recreated little pioneer town, perhaps the delicious food or simply the feeling that you have stepped into a time machine and gone back a few centuries.   All I can tell you is it is a special place and I enjoy it more each time I go. 

My daughters seem to share in this love for Homestead Hollow events.  I took them there when they were growing up, and now they call me up and invite me to go with them!  One daughter took me there as a present for Mother's Day about four years ago (remembering what fun she had enjoyed there while growing up) and she treated me to the delicious homemade food and some of the handmade jewelry.  We had a blast!   Not to be outdone, her twin took me for Mother's Day the next year!  We had so much fun, especially since we decided to take my Mother along with us, which along with my new granddaughter, gave us four generations of our family enjoying Homestead Hollow's treats in one day.  Homestead Hollow is a great place for your family to make memories.  Be sure to put their events down on your list of things to do this year.  There are festivals scheduled every May, October and November.

The next event will be in October of 2015.  You have plenty of time to fit it into your schedule if you write it on the calendar now.  Gates are open from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.  Why not arrive early and get your Christmas shopping done?  You will be amazed at the crafts on display.

You can also rent the area when the festival is closed for weddings and special events.  It is a great venue to enjoy!

There is a lovely, quaint, down-home beauty about this open air crafter's market.  Maybe it is the history associated with it all that fascinates me, or maybe it is the unique crafts that are displayed, or maybe it is a combination of a million sounds, smells and visions that come alive in this little dot on the map called Springville,  Alabama, but I love this festival held in the small town valley nicknamed "the hollow."

Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for those under 12 and those under 2 get in free.  Parking is free.  Expect to be delighted!  Every pioneer demonstration imaginable will be taking place. 

There will be whiskey making, quilting, gardening, blacksmithing, iron-working and carving in the pioneer village.  You can take a tour of an authentic log cabin and see how people lived in this valley years and years ago.  I especially enjoyed the doll making and the spinning.

You will find local bands and entertainment all along the banks of the winding little brook that runs through the lovely wooded land.  You might want to take the buggy ride offered, it is lots of fun. 

There are pony rides, a moonwalk and a petting zoo for the kids.  Even the grown up kids will enjoy the sweet little lambs in the petting zoo!  Use the setting as a live history lesson and they won't even notice that they are learning.  Teach them how honey is made by showing them the bee farm.  Teach them about how medicine was first made at the root cellar.

Don't waste a minute worrying about getting hungry.  No problem here.  The General Store is open with it's fried pies and homemade jellies and jams.  The peach fried pies are my favorite!  There are sandwiches, including smoked BBQ and corn on the cob.  How about a candied apple?  Or maybe some homemade fudge?  Why not taste some of the freshly churned homemade ice cream?  Whatever you are craving, you will more than likely find it on your journey through this hollow.

Can't make it in October?  It happens all over again in November!

Y'all come!