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SUMMER 2017
Long history of success at Bonnell Industries Festival organizers prepare for ninth year A look back at this year’s Petunia Festival d i x o n
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SUMMER 2017
Publisher Don T. Bricker Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman Editor Jeff Rogers Magazine Editors Lucas Pauley Rusty Schrader Page Design Lucas Pauley Published by
Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Dixon Living Magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.
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More inside 4 Sink Hollow Farm
23 Bonnell Industries
Couple finds joy in a good challenge at their farm
Family shows what decades of hard work can create
9 Petunia Festival
29 Dixon City Market
Take a look back through the lens at this year’s festival
Wednesday market continues to grow in its fourth year
31 Gardenstock Art and Music Festival
15 Cademon Brewing West Pub
A lot of hard work goes into fundraiser for local at-risk youth
More growth on tap for new establishment at Plum Hollow
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Love runs
DEEP Cathe, 49, and Randy Harvey, 51, run Sink Hollow Farm outside of Dixon.
Couple cares greatly for animals at Sink Hollow Farm STORY & PHOTOS BY ANDREW HEY FOR DIXON LIVING
W
hile driving down Sink Hollow road, near the airport, you might notice a field full of goats. But these are not just any goats – they’re fainting goats. Cathe, 49, and Randy Harvey, 51, had always wanted to live in the country and start their own farm. From this desire sprouted Sink Hollow Farm. It all started when they saw a video of fainting goats – so named because the critters freeze and fall on their side when panicked, appearing to faint. They were intrigued and wanted own some of the silly creatures, so they bought a few. Today, the couple owns 45 goats, more than any other animal on their 7-acre farmette. It’s not all goats, though. The Harveys’ animals also include Icelandic sheep, royal palm turkeys, emu, Flemish giant rabbits, English spot rabbits, and honey bees.
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The Harveys have many different animals including Icelandic sheep, royal palm turkeys, emu, Flemish giant rabbits, English spot rabbits, and honey bees.
For more information
Go to sinkhollowfarm.com or call 815-499-1374 for more information on Sink Hollow Farm, 1781 Sink Hollow Road. They truly love all their creatures, great and small, said Cathe, who names each one and can tell you something unique about each animal. The couple also caught the bug when it comes to beekeeping. Even though they’ve been doing it for only about a year, they’re already up to five hives. “We haven’t gotten much honey yet, but enough to keep the family content and they still want more,” she said. They recently caught a swarm of honey bees from White Pines Park.
The park was going to spray them, but the couple decided to take them in and they are doing well. They planted six apple trees about 5 years ago, which the bees will help pollinate. “They are still young and small, but are growing,” Cathe said. The Harveys go up to the forest preserve in Byron once a month and stay on their toes with beekeeping workshops. Continued on page 7
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Beekeeping is the latest journey the Harveys are taking at Sink Hollow Farm.
Continued from page 5
Cathe shed some insight on how to protect bees and catch a swarm if they are getting away. “We get a box and hang it up in the tree, and hopefully we can attract some of the swarm in that location,” she said. “We provide them with two options – the first is that they could leave and swarm somewhere else and the second is to choose the box. Thankfully [at White Pines
State Park] they chose our box and we were able to catch them.” But what made them decide to start beekeeping in the first place? “We had talked about it for some time, and one day we just said, ‘Let’s do it, why are we waiting?’,” she said. So, they decided to order bees online, and even as they went to pick up the bees, they
were unsure of how the whole process worked. But that’s part of the fun. Whether it’s a stroll on a first date or a place to bring the kids, anyone will be able to find fun at this home away from home. The Harveys have a true love for every animal they own and welcome anyone to come and enjoy the animals, too. But don’t forget your boots! s
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Come in once a day for a chance to win Free Play & other prizes. Grand Prize Drawing for $100 Visa Gift Card on 7/31/17.
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The Big Wu performs on the Bud Light main stage July 1 during the Dixon Petunia Fest.
Petunia playback T
he 53rd annual Petunia Festival was again anchored by an impressive lineup of live music. It included all sorts of activities – new and familiar – for the whole family to enjoy. More information can always be found at petuniafestival.org or by finding Dixon Petunia Festival on Facebook. Take a look back at some of the festival highlights through page 13.
PHOTOS BY ALEX T. PASCHAL, MIKE KRABBENHOEFT AND PETER BALSER FOR DIXON LIVING Steve Catron of The Dirty Beet Brothers plays July 1 at the festival.
Too White Crew performs June 30 on the Bud Light main stage.
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The Dirty Beet Brothers play a blend of bluegrass, blues and rock ’n’ roll. Find them on Facebook for more information.
A lot of work goes into the festival. Workers are shown here setting up carnival rides in front of Dixon High School.
Drew Baldridge performs July 3 on the Bud Light main stage during the festival.
Crazy Louis makes a splash during a dog jumping demo July 3.
Dixon High School cheerleaders march July 2 during the parade.
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Members of the Dixon High School marching band joined forces with the Dixon Municipal Band for the parade.
A Petunia Festival volunteer hands out beads during the parade.
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Brandon Hall, head bartender at Cademon Brewing West Pub, is excited about being part of the company’s growth.
Bringing beer here T
he popularity of craft brewing has been growing for years, with businesses across the country and world offering a variety of unique flavors and style. Cademon Brewing, which recently opened a tap room in Plum Hollow in Dixon, finds
Dixon pub offers drinks from growing Genoa brewery
STORY & PHOTOS BY ANDREW HEY FOR DIXON LIVING
inspiration from the steampunk style. The company is based in Genoa, and opened in December 2015. It began packaging its craft beers in January 2016. Andrew “Cad” Nordman, 29, of Sycamore, is the son of Al Nordman, Plum Hollow’s owner.
Andrew’s brewing habit began as a hobby in 2009. After finding out how many people enjoyed his flavors, he thought it was something worth pursuing. Continued on page 17
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The beers
Continued from page 15
Andrew wants to expand and plans to move to DeKalb in the future. The company has created 52 different beers and 6 sodas. Andrew thought it would be a good idea to expand and open a tap room in Dixon. At his dad’s business, there is also bowling, rock climbing, sand volleyball and more. Brandon Hall, head bartender at the Dixon bar, is excited about being part of the company’s growth. The 30-year-old enjoys the beer, too, and one of his personal favorites is Demonic Stout. The employees are always listening to the people and seeking out feedback on what’s most popular. Andrew “did not like the taste of beer so he wanted to add flavors to make them taste better and more drinkable,” Hall said. If you’re new to craft beer or can’t decide what you want, Cademon Tap Room offers a sample flight for $6. With this special, customers can choose any four craft beers that appeal to them. s
Make us your ! p o h S p o t S e n O
Here’s a look at one of the sample flights customers can order at Cademon: • Cademon I <3 Ruby (Fruit Beer, 4.8% ABV 12 IBU) The ruby had a strawberry zesty flavor with sweet undertones. • Cadmon Tipsey Bee (Blonde Ale, 6% ABV 20 IBU) Features a light and smooth lemon taste. • Cademon IndyRef (Scotch Ale, 8.8% ABV 40 IBU) Strong malt caramel with hints of walnut and oak. • Cademon A Latte Brown (Brown Ale, American 5.9% ABV 35 IBU) Bubbly cream soda sensation, with an aftertaste of bubble gum.
For more information
Go to cademon.com, find Cademon Brewing Co., or Cademon Brewing West Pub on Facebook for more information. More information about the brewery’s products can be found on the Untappd app. The bar, 1933 state Route 26, can be reached at info@cademon.com or 815-827-6145.
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AN
OBSESSION
Jack Bally of Dixon spent 45 to 50 hours a week for nearly the past 18 years to build his own B-17G bomber that is onethird the size of the World War II aircraft. It has been certified as flight-ready by the Federal Aviation Administration.
TAKES TO THE SKIES
Vietnam veteran puts nearly 18 years into building B-17 bomber STORY BY RACHEL RODGERS & PHOTOS BY ALEX T. PASCHAL FOR DIXON LIVING
J
ack Bally reached new heights when his creation, nearly 18 years in the making, took flight in November. The 76-year-old Dixon native built a B-17G bomber one-third the size of the World War II aircraft, which dropped more payloads than any other U.S. plane during the war. Pegged the “Bally Bomber,” the project was born from an ambition to create something different, something unique. Others have built single-engine and twin-engine replicas, but Bally wanted to tackle a four-engine challenge. “I didn’t want to build the same one everyone else was building,” he said. “There are no four-engine ones that I know of in the world.” He spent 45 to 50 hours a week, for 17 years and 10 months, working on the bomber before the Federal Aviation Administration certified it as flight-ready.
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The plane is housed in a hangar at Walgreen Field in Dixon.
Friends and family told Jack he was obsessed with building the plane, so he named it “Obsession.” The name appears on two decals on the sides of the plane. BELOW: The original B-17G was built for a 10-person crew. Bally’s plane is made to hold only a pilot.
Online extras
Find Bally’s Bomber on Facebook or go to theballybomber.com for more information. Go to saukvalley.com to see video of the plane.
“I worked on it so much that it began to be called an obsession,” he said. He took that term to heart and named his B-17 Obsession, which appears on two decals on the sides of the plane emblazoned across a bomb accompanied by a pin-up girl. It wasn’t the first plane the retired carpenter built – his collection also boasts a Kitfox Model 3, a Georgia Special and ultralight Sky Pup – but it’s likely his last. “It ain’t happening,” he said when asked what’s in store for his next project. “At least, not another airplane, anyway.” Bally started building planes in 1965, after serving as an Army specialist 4 from 1962 to 1964, during the Vietnam War. He was stationed at Fort Gordon in Georgia, where he worked in mobile telephone communications. Two semitrailers full of equipment could be set up within 2 or 3 hours with 60 field lines reaching across the globe. Continued on page 21
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The plane has a wooden frame with an aluminum skin.
Continued from page 19
Prior to being drafted, Bally received his commercial pilot license and started flying in 1960. “I’ve always been working on airplanes, it seems like,” he said. His passion for planes sprouted early on – he would walk or ride his bike over to the Dixon Municipal Airport when he was 8 to watch the airplanes come and go. He doesn’t fly the Bally Bomber, though. “I’m too shaky to fly it,” he said, adding that other pilots have taken the bird up twice. The 1,564-pound plane is mostly aluminum and contains more than 25,000 rivets. Its wingspan is about 103 feet and it runs 74 feet from nose to tail. It’s made to hold one person.
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The original aircraft weighed about 35,000 pounds empty and could take off with a maximum weight of 65,000 pounds. It was built to hold a 10-man crew. Bally also built the tools he needed to build the B-17, like crimpers, rivet squeezers and a metal roller. He used designs for a one-ninth scale model and made a mock-up out of wood and Styrofoam. The entire process is documented in three large photo albums showing the work from start to finish. Bally decided to make the plane one-third scale because that was the only way it would fit at his hangar workshop at home, where he also has a private airstrip about 1.5 miles from the airport.
Perfecting the landing gear, originally fitting a Piper Cherokee 180, presented a considerable challenge. It took a year to get it right. The plane’s tail has a triangle with a B inside; the B is for Bally, but that same symbol was found on one of the first WWII squadrons to fly into Germany. By the end of the mission, three bombers returned of the 23 that left, he said. In addition to Bally, who goes to the airport almost every day, the B-17 receives groups of visitors wanting to see the creation come out of the hangar. Bally and his wife, Carolyn, have been married for about 4 decades and have three sons, Jack, Jeff and Jaimie. s Serving the Sauk Valley Area for Over 35 Years!
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The Bonnell family poses with the portrait of Jesse Bonnell, the founder of Bonnell Industries.
Building a legacy R
Through family’s history of hard work – spanning decades – Bonnell Industries continues to grow from humble beginning
Story By Dana Francis & Photos By Peter Balser For Dixon Living
oot around in the origins of any successful business and what you will often find is not a person’s grand vision of becoming a decades-long mainstay in a specific industry, but a man or a woman with a marketable talent and a solid work ethic. For Bonnell Industries’ founder Jesse Bonnell, that talent was welding, which he did for his clients out of the back of his pickup truck. Started in 1960, the business has continued to grow and prosper since those early days. One
More information
Address: 1385 Franklin Grove Road Phone: 815-284-3819 Website: bonnell.com can’t help but wonder if even Jesse could have foreseen what it would one day become. “We are currently at 78 employees in our Dixon facility,” marketing manager Jessica Bonnell, great-granddaughter to Jesse, said. Her siblings, Joey, Jacob, and Jon – though they
work in different capacities – are all part of the family business. Beyond Illinois, Bonnell has dealers in – among other places – Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Vancouver, Canada. Its employees include welders, fabricators, truck installers, manufacturers and a sales staff. Bonnell manufactures and sells its own and others’ products, such as snow plows, spreaders, road drags and leaf vacuums. Continued on page 25
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“We Care For Loved Private Suites Available Ones Like Family” Formerly Coventry Living Center 612 W. 23rd St Street, et St Sterling, li IL 61081 • 815-626-9020 • www.regencycaresterling.com st li Visit medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare to see how we rate.
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Continued from page 23
Despite Bonnell’s devoted family involvement, Jessica herself, who has a fine arts degree, did not envision that she would one day be a part of the family business. “I came here just to intern,” Jessica said. “But I found out there’s a lot more to do than I thought there was.” She has been with the company for just over a year and a half. Besides marketing, Jessica is in charge of the product catalog design, the website design, and coordinating events such as the recent equipment expo on the grounds of the Dixon facility. For 2 days in early June, Bonnell hosted approximately 40 vendors, including Air Services, from which Bonnell purchases its air compressors; Ferri Motors, which sells commercial boom mowers; and Force America, “which does our controls and hydraulics for our trucks,” Jessica said. “My great-grandfather used to hold the expo every 5 years,” Jessica said. “When my dad [Joe] took over the business in 2009, he began doing it every other year.” The popularity of the event spurred that changed. Continued on page 27
The history
It all began when Jesse Bonnell, then a driver with a road construction contractor, saw a need for portable welding services dedicated to repairing the axles on heavy-duty trucks. Seth VanBuren puts the finishing In October 1960, he touches on a plow for the Dixon opened J.L. Bonnell’s Township at Bonnell Industries. Welding Service in his shop at his Dixon home. In 1972, he moved his growing business to its current location on more than 4 acres at 1385 Franklin Grove Road, where he had an 8,700-square-foot shop, a 1,400-square foot office, and later, a warehouse. In 1980, he added snowplows to his line, and 2 years later doubled his shop space. Bonnell retired in 1984, and sold the business to his son, Bob. The company became a full-time truck equipment distributor in 1985. The original office building was demolished in 1997, making way for new offices and a 2,000-square-foot display showroom. A 4,600-square-foot warehouse was added for product storage and shipping. Now Bob’s son, Joe, and his wife, Cindy, run the company, which is one of the leading truck equipment distributors in northern Illinois, making and selling snow and ice control equipment, truck equipment, road maintenance equipment, power equipment and municipal contractor equipment and supplies.
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Andrew Hallquist (above) and Kyle Floto (right) work on projects at Bonnell Industries. Continued from page 25
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“This was a decision based mostly on demand,” she said. “Every time that we put it on we get larger numbers of people coming.” Some small business owners attend the event, but it’s mainly officials responsible for making purchases for their municipalities. When asked about the success of Bonnell Industries, Jessica said unequivocally that it’s about quality – and customer loyalty. “Last year, we had just launched our website and we have a button where someone can ‘request a quote’ on a product. A client of ours from Florida wanted three road drags, one of which we no longer make,” she said. “They had bought this road drag from us about 50 years ago. They told us that the equipment still works great, but that it just looks bad. So that shows just how well it lasts.” Bonnell offers sandblast and re-painting services, but the equipment as a whole often lasts decades. Bonnell is more than willing to showcase its products to a potential client, Jessica said. “We encourage people to come here to see product demonstrations.” Bonnell Industries will display its products at the summer seminar Aug. 7-8 in Peoria, through its involvement with the Township Highway Commission of Illinois. It’s not hard to see that Bonnell Industries has come a long way from J.L. Bonnell’s Welding Service – a humble business started out of the back of a pickup truck. s
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Snapshot of Dixon City Market
PHOTOS BY BREANNE HUNTER FOR DIXON LIVING
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he Dixon City Market runs from 5 to 8 p.m. each Wednesday from August on River Street off of Peoria Avenue. The weekly market features live music, specialty items, ready-to-eat food, baked goods, produce, kids activities, beer and wine. Contact Lauren Mills about becoming a vendor at 815-2882308 or riverfrontdixon@gmail.com. Go to dixonmainstreet.com or find it on Facebook for more information.
TOP: Nestled amongst handcrafted mosaic vases and candle holders, Cady Whitaker, 4, of Dixon, checks out her new face painting. The handiwork was done by Crystal Collinson of Sterling, who owns Crystal Blue Artistic Expression and attends all the local farmers markets with her handcrafted goods. ABOVE: The jam-grass band Peteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sake, which hails from Polo, perform at the Dixon City Market. LEFT: Aimee Celestine of Sterling dishes out authentic deep-south Louisiana cuisine at the market each week.
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A labor of peace and love
The photo illustrations throughout this feature, created with current and file photos, show just how much work goes into transforming Distinctive Garden into a venue for the Gardenstock Art and Music Festival. Even more so, how much the festival has changed through the years.
Story By AvaLynda Casey & Photos By Alex T. Paschal For Dixon Living
Organizers gearing up for Gardenstock Art and Music Festival
P
lanning for the next annual Gardenstock Art and Music Festival began almost as soon as tents were taken down and tables were folded up last year. The annual event, set for Aug. 19 at Distinctive Gardens in Dixon, is a true labor of love. It’s exhausting, but an event that makes a difference. All proceeds benefit Sinnissippi Center’s Youth Gardening program. Bud and Lisa LeFevre, owners of Distinctive Gardens, started the festival in 2008 on the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Even though Woodstock is remembered for its music and other goings-on, art was a large part of the original gathering in August 1969. Bud, 58, and Lisa, 52, style their festival around all sorts of arts and crafts in a family-friendly setting. Continued on page 33
Bud (center) and Lisa Lefevre hold a meeting July 6 on plans for this year’s Gardenstock. There will be no parking on the grounds this year; shuttles will take people to the property.
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“The community can see who we are supporting. Sinnissippi does a great job with the kids,” Bud said. “I know of a couple who have absolutely had their life turned around, ... and we love to be a part of helping these kids. Gardenstock gives these kids the opportunity to see that someone cares, and that they can be productive and have positivity in their life.” Through the program, the kids plant seeds, water and weed, harvest, and learn to cook with vegetables. They donate the produce to the Dixon Community Food Pantry. Sinnissippi originally asked Bud to do a short talk on gardening, because he didn’t look like the average gardener. “Once we saw a way we could help, we jumped at the chance,” he said. “The program helps at-risk youth, and provides them practical life skills.” Lisa keeps a list of annual arts and crafts vendors and adds only a few new ones each year. “After the first year, with 7 vendors, it all worked so well. ... The community had a great time, the vendors were awesome, and the music is always outstanding,” she said. “This is a grass-roots effort. We are up to 40 artists, ranging in style from ceramic, painting, live art, murals, henna, and others.” A core team of twelve and volunteers in the hundreds meet and plan each part of the festival months in advance. Parking, ticket sales, food sales, vendor support, security, grounds clean-up, shuttle transport, raffle team, video promos, and many other pieces go into making sure the event runs as smoothly as possible. Volunteers come in groups, too. Members of the graduating class of 1977 from Newman High School, families, Sterling Main Street Music Fest volunteers, and friends all return every year to join in the work. When it comes to the music, Bud finds some on social media and some bands message him. “We have the best music,” he said. “We want people to play and sing their own original songs.” Continued on page 35
This year’s rundown
Nashville artist Sugar Lime Blue will headline this year’s Gardenstock Art & Music Festival at Distinctive Gardens, 2020 Lowell Park Road. The festival, which benefits Sinnissippi Center’s Youth Gardening program, features nine bands from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and an art festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The music lineup: • 11 a.m.-noon: My Unknown Brother • 12:15-1:15 p.m.: 7th Hour • 1:30-2:30 p.m.: Solar Pulse • 2:45-3:45 p.m.: Pete’s Sake • 4-5 p.m.: Waking Robots • 5:15-6:15 p.m.: Justin Edmondson • 6:30-7:45 p.m. Kerry Hartman Band • 8-9:15 p.m.: Sugar Lime Blue • 9:30-11 p.m.: The Mississippi Stranglers The art festival showcases more than 40 of the region’s best artists, featuring a variety of unusual art and fine crafts. Mama Cimino’s, Baker Street Café, Kokomo’s, and Hey Brother’s Ice Cream will sell food from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Raffle and 50-50 tickets and the tie-dye contest will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This year, there will be no parking allowed on site. A shuttle service will run from 10 a.m. to midnight. Public parking is available in the south end of the Shopko/County Market parking lot and the back parking lot of CGH Dixon Clinic, both near the corner of Galena Avenue and Lowell Park Road. No drop-offs will be allowed at the gate, and carpooling is highly encouraged. Signs will be posted on Lowell Park and Timber Creek roads. The event is picnic style, which means guests can bring their own cooler, chair or blanket. Admission is $10 online or $13 at the gate for adults 13 and older, and $1 for children 12 and younger. Limited tickets are on sale distinctivegardensinc.com. Bringing your own tent or large table is not allowed. Close-to-the-ground tables are allowed. Go to the website or facebook.com/gardenstock for more information.
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Continued from page 33
Jodi LeFevre, 56, works in the office and runs the garden shop. She’s been spending her time laminating maps, building artist info packs, food vendor prep sheets, and taking care of customers who come into the shop. “The day is not expensive,” Jodi said. “It’s meant for the community to come and enjoy. We are expecting 2,000 this year.” Distinctive Gardens puts its landscape and maintenance work on hold the last few weeks before the event so that the staff can install temporary fences, prepare the grounds, and plan for the ever-growing festival. As the numbers increase, security becomes even more important. The group is led by kilt-wearing Stuart Corsa, 66. “We all wear kilts, and it’s fun,” he said. “I’ve got 8 people for security – 9 if I have to do anything.” Lisa said they always have to adapt. “Every few years we double in attendance,” she said. “Even when Mumford and Sons were here in 2012, we doubled.” Andy Jackson, Sinnissippi’s marketing coordinator, works closely with Bud and Lisa. “If Distinctive Gardens weren’t here, with our budget concerns, we couldn’t offer the youth gardens,” he said. Shannon Nelson, 40, licensed therapist at the Sinnissippi Center, directs community services and child/family cases. She oversees the garden and loves the advice Bud gives them. “We give kids ages 14 to 18 real-world experiences, pay them minimum wage, applied life skills, teach them to be on time and responsible,” she said. “We tie-dye shirts to sell at Gardenstock and the kids work the booth. Kids return even after graduation to work in the garden. Gardenstock is a huge part of our program. ... We couldn’t do it without them.” s
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