Sunday, July 31, 2011
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 3
Annual Farmers Day Celebration Promises Fun for the Whole Family BY JARIUS GARNER Robbins Farmers Day Chairman
PHOTOS BY GLENN M. SIDES/The Pilot
The annual Robbins Farmers Day Parade attracts participants of all ages.
Come join us Thursday, Aug. 4, for the 56th annual Farmers Day celebration as gospel music fills the air in downtown Robbins with a night of great entertainment, featuring The Webbs, Keith Plott and The Jacobs Family from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Stroll down the streets of Robbins Friday, Aug. 5, as events kick off at 6 p.m. with foot-stomping bluegrass bands and cloggers kicking up their heels. Don’t miss the exciting 20th annual Pottery Auction at 7:30 p.m. to see who wins the unique Farmers Day pottery pieces. Friday, we will feature our exciting firemen competition with various fire departments participating in timed agility events for top rankings and the coveted best overall award. Country music and Nashville recording group Ross Coppley and The Ross Coppley Band will rock the main stage from 9 p.m. to 12 midnight. Friday night
at 10:15 p.m., look up as the sky explodes with the largest fireworks display in the history of the event. Friday and Saturday, the streets of Robbins fill with artisans and crafters, horse tack, pony rides, pottery turning and train rides. Food booths with their great aromas from such festival favorites as blooming onions, funnel cakes, hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue, baked potatoes, cotton candy, candy apples, homemade ice cream, frozen lemonade and kettle corn should not be missed. Saturday morning, Aug. 6, Robbins is bursting with excitement as the 56th annual Farmers Day parade begins. See a variety of more than 400 horses, mules and wagons parade up Middleton Street starting at 11 a.m. with more than 30,000
spectators cheering them on. The parade will include Miss North Carolina Hailey Best and Miss Moore County Blair Puleo, with trophies presented to the proud winners in 21 different categories. As the parade ends, the town will be jumping with entertainment as the Special Forces Association parachute team brings in the American flag. Carnival and kiddie rides, rock wall climbing and a moonwalk are enjoyable for the children. Enjoy watching guitar makers, gunsmithing, metal engraving and blacksmithing. The Carolina Mule Association will present a mule show with 10 classes of competition, with ribbons and trophies presented in
see CELEBRATION, page 4
PAGE 2
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
56TH ANNUAL ROBBINS FARMERS DAY SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Thursday, August 4
Saturday, August 6
The Railroad Stage
Middleton Street
6:30 p.m. to 7:10 p.m.
Jacobs Family Ministry, High Point, N.C.
7:20 p.m. to 8:10 p.m.
Keith Plott, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
8:20 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Webbs, High Point, N.C.
11 a.m.
Farmers Day Parade
4 p.m.
Parade of Tractors
The Fidelity Bank Stage 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Friday, August 5 7 p.m.
Kason Layne Band, Douglas, Ga.
8 p.m. to midnight
The Sand Band and Terri Gore, North Carolina
Fourth Annual Fire Fighter Challenge
10:15 p.m.
Special Entertainment
Hale Artificer Fireworks
The Railroad Stage
12:30 p.m.
South Atlantic Woodsmen’s Association Lumberjack Competition
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Fine Blue Line Bluegrass Band
12:30 p.m.
Special Forces Association Parachute Team
7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The 20th Annual Pottery Auction Auctioneer: Ted Beane
12:45 p.m.
Mule Show –10 Classes, Carolina Mule Association
9 p.m. to midnight
Ross Coppley Band, Atlanta, Ga.
Middleton Street 7:30 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Quicksilver Cloggers, Robbins, N.C. Southern Express Cloggers, Albemarle, N.C.
The Fidelity Bank Stage 8 p.m. to midnight
Everett Lilly and the Lilly Mountaineers, West Virginia
The Post Office Stage 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
6 p.m.
Lawn Mower Pull, East Coast Pullers
Antique Tractor and Farm Equipment Show 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tractors and Antique Farm Equipment Display and Demonstrations
The Railroad Stage 12 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Welcome, Prayer and National Anthem
Recognition
Miss Moore County 2010 Blair Puleo Wagonmaster Odell Hussey
Southern Justice, Denton, N.C.
Carnival Rides and Midway Friday 6 p.m. until midnight
Presentation
Parade Trophies
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WIlliam Willard, Seagrove, N.C.
Saturday noon until midnight
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
• Train Rides on Main Street • Horse Tack • Pony Rides • Rock Climbing Wall
• Various Arts and Crafts • Food Booths • Pottery Turning
SATURDAY • Mechanical Bull • Kiddie Rides • Demonstrations by Guitar Makers, Metal Engravers, Gunsmiths
Ross Coppley Band, Atlanta, Ga.
Tractor Parade Trophy Presentation
Phil Cross, Chattanooga, Tenn. Sisters, Greer, S.C. The Pfeifers, Washington Court House, Ohio
The Post Office Stage 8 p.m. to midnight
Almost Perfect, Seven Lakes, N.C. Johnny and The Cadillacs, Robbins, N.C. Ross Coppley Band, Atlanta, Ga.
PAGE 4
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Celebration From Page 3
each class, including our traditional crowd-pleasing mule jump competition. Horses will demonstrate log pulling and log stacking. Saturday, we present our fast-growing Antique Tractor Show with an antique tractor parade beginning at 4 p.m., featuring more than 100 entries. Many pieces of antique equipment will be on display and demonstrated during the day. BEST Our crowd-pleasing lumberjack competition put on by the South Atlantic Woodsmen’s Association will be back this year as lumberjacks display their skills with axes, crosscut saws and more. Don’t be late as the wood and sawdust hits the PULEO air, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Music blasts throughout the streets from three stages located within the town with new bluegrass, gospel, light rock, beach and country-western bands. Hold on to your hats as the dirt starts to
GLENN M. SIDES/The Pilot
From the parade to the entertainers, the annul Farmers Day parade attracts more than 30,000 spectators each year. fly when our lawn tractor competitors let loose for a great Saturday night of lawn tractor pulling. Also Saturday night, several spectacular national gospel groups will perform, featuring The Pfeifers, from Washington Court House, Ohio.
Cover Design Martha J. Henderson, Special Sections Editor Cover Photograph Glenn M. Sides Supplement Design/Layout Martha J. Henderson, Special Sections Editor Sunday, Ju ly 31, 2011
On the Cover
The Robbins Farmers Day parade is a long-standing tradition.
About This Issue The Pilot publishes the Robbins Farmers Day special section annually.
Contributing Writers Tom Embrey, Jarius Garner, Summer Hennings, Leigh Pember, Allison Russell, Andrew Soboeiro and Kate Smith Contributing Photographers Glenn M. Sides, Johnsie Tipton, Hannah Sharpe and Shelley McLain For advertising information, contact Johnsie Tipton at (910) 693-2515.
145 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Southern Pines, NC 28387 (910) 692-7271 • thepilot.com
Copyright 2011
Come and enjoy the great family entertainment. Don’t miss the many unmentioned special events and attractions for the 56th anniversary. All entertainment is provided at no charge except for rides, thanks to all our
great sponsors. The 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day has been voted one of the Top Twenty Events by the Southeast Tourism Society. For more information, visit our website at www.robbinsfarmersday.com.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 5
Evening of Gospel Music Opens Farmers Day BY ANDREW SOBOEIRO Newsroom Intern
The 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day parade will feature a number of intriguing performances and attractions. At the forefront will be Gospel Music night, a two-and-a-half hour evening of gospel performances on the Railroad Stage, Thursday, Aug. 4. It will feature three native North Carolinian bands: the Jacobs Family Ministry, Keith Plott and the Rick Webb Trio.
Jacobs Family Ministry The first act, performing from 6:30 to 7:10 p.m., will be the Jacobs Family Ministry, a quintet of musicians of all ages. The Ministry describes itself as a “a Southern gospel ministry involved in spreading the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.” Each member is a devout Christian with a personal conversion story. “I’ve always liked music, period,” explains the leader, Glenn Jacobs, “but I didn’t travel and sing until I got into the ministry.” The Jacobs Family Ministry has won a number of awards and recognitions for its
music, including first place at the Angelband Gospel Music Competition. Performing for the first time at Robbins Farmers Day, the band hopes to use its music to bring people to Christ and give glory to God.
Keith Plott The second act, performing from 7:20 to 8:10 p.m., will be Keith Plott. Plott is a bass singer from Kannapolis. He has worked with two quartets in the past, but prefers to sing as a soloist. He has received many awards for his work, including the Southern Gospel Music Association Dove Award, multiple Southern Gospel Music Fanfare awards and frequent No. 1 rankings on the Country Gospel charts. His most important feedback as a musician is the reaction of his audiences; the idea that people are made happier by his work motivates him to continue singing. A devout Christian, Plott sees his music as a medium for “the Lord to work in people and change their lives.” This will be his second time at Robbins
CONTRIBUTED
see GOSPEL, page 6
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The Jacobs Family Ministry brings its Southern gospel ministry to Farmers Day.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 7
Spinning Wheels Farmers Day Pottery Auction Showcases Area’s History BY SUMMER HENNINGS Newsroom Intern
Local potters are spinning their wheels in preparation for the Farmers Day Pottery Auction. The annual auction, in its 20th year, takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5, on the Railroad Stage after the Fine Blue Line bluegrass band’s performance. Every year, potters from the west Moore County and Seagrove areas donate pieces to raise money for the Robbins Volunteer Fire Department. Jarius Garner, Farmers Day organizer and Robbins fire chief, says the funds raised allow the fire department to buy equipment they normally could not purchase without raising taxes. So far almost 30 potters will participate in this year’s auction but more will likely sign up. Each donates individual pieces showcasing distinct styles, and some design a piece specifically for the event. “Each piece is unique each year,”
Garner says. about who made the plate as much as the piece to the auction every year. They Original Owens Pottery always conartwork.” focus on traditional, functional dinnertributes a commemorative plate ware, such as pieces used in the kitchen painted with the official Farmers Day as opposed to decorative work. logo to the auction. Jane Demay, who Although she has not decided paints pottery at Original Owens, what piece to send this year, Jean designs the plate every year. says she likes to send a large “The plate corresponds to that cerpiece that will earn more money tain year so it’s going to be different for the fire department. In the every year,” Demay says. “That way past, most people enjoy each plate has its own character.” Frogtown’s pottery designed with Demay says Original Owens is one six colors or glazes in a pinwheel of the few places that still paints shape. designs on pottery. She tries to Jean believes the auction and match the colors and design used in Farmers Day provide an opportunithe Farmers Day T-shirts to the ty to spread awareness about potplate. Original Owens began making tery. With so many people coming the plate because it wanted to go a to Robbins for the festival, she HANNAH SHARPE/The little further and create a piece that Pieces from Origi thinks someone new will hear about Pilot na l Owen would raise more money for the during the Pottery Auction s Pottery will be available the pottery shops. at Robbins Farmers Day. fire department. “It does advertise for us,” Jean “(Demay) puts a lot of time into says, “but the fact that it helps the (making the plate),” potter Boyd Owens Jean and Fred Teague, of see POTTERY, page 8 says. “That’s devotion on her part. It’s not Teague’s Frogtown Pottery, also donate a
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PAGE 6
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Keith Plott
Gospel From Page 5
Farmers Day, but his first time to actually perform. He was scheduled to perform last year, but the event was rained out.
The Webbs
Last on the itinerary will be The Webbs, performing from 8:20 to 9 p.m. The Webbs will be dropping into Farmers Day as the latest stop of its long tour of the South. A family band, The Webbs, like its predecessors, has deeply religious convictions and seeks to use its music as a ministry. Over the past 14 years, the band has collaborated efforts with countless pastors and musicians to spread its message throughout the country.
Gospel Tradition Considering the history of Robbins, the religious nature of these performances would seem appropriate. The people of Robbins have always held deeply religious convictions, and have tied those convictions to their town’s culture and economy. In the early 20th century, when Robbins was just beginning to develop as a town, local citizens were concerned with providing a Christian education to their children. In 1904, Elise Academy was established to accomplish this goal, but funds were scarce. Many local entrepreneurs opened new businesses just to support the Academy. This led to the economic development of the town, allowing it to become one of the most prosperous communities in the South and to weather the Great Depression without issue. It is clear that Robbins’ history is uniquely tied to its Christianity; it is only natural that the citizens of Robbins would pay tribute to this with an evening of gospel music at its annual Farmers Day event.
CONTRIBUTED
Rick and Phyllis Webb, along with their daughter, Hannah, and oldest son, Parker, are popular performers at Farmers Day.
The Webbs Set to Perform Again BY MARTHA J. HENDERSON Special Sections Editor
Strains of good ol’ Southern gospel music will fill the air Thursday evening as the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day gets under way as some of the genre’s best take the stage. Performances by the Jacobs Family Ministry, Keith Plott and The Webbs will set the tone for the first-rate entertainment offered throughout the three-day, fun-filled event. The final group of the evening, The Webbs, will perform from 8:20 to 9 p.m. Based out of Colfax, Va., The Webbs include Rick and Phyllis Webb with their daughter, Hannah, and oldest son, Parker. Rick and Phyllis Webb got their start in professional music in 1978, as part of the internationally acclaimed vocal group ReGeneration. Under the direction of vocal orchestrator Derric Johnson, ReGeneration traveled 100,000 miles, reaching more than a million
lives in more than 500 live performances each year. The group was showcased annually at Disney World. In 1983, the singers became The Voices of Liberty, the host group for Epcot Center’s American Pavilion. During this time, Rich and longtime friend Kevin Miles began the male duo ministry of Miles and Webb. As Miles and Webb, they traveled throughout the United States and Canada, accompanying some of the leading pastors and ministries of today. In addition to performing as Miles and Webb, Rich began singing more than 100 dates a year with Phyllis. They have shared the platform with outstanding speakers and pastors throughout the United States. In addition to their concert schedule, Rick and Phyllis participated in the Radio Bible Class-sponsored TV music ministry, Day of Discovery, for 10 years; the Wesleyan Hour international radio ministry sponsored by the Wesleyan Church for 20 years; and
numerous guest appearances with pastors such as Dr. Charles Stanley, Dr. Charles Colson, Dr. David Jeremiah, Dr. Mac Brunson, Dr. D. James Kennedy and more. The Webbs’ music ministry has grown with the addition of their children, Hannah and Parker. Through Song Garden Music Group, The Webbs have released a recording, “Faithful.” Produced by David Staton and Gus Gaches, “Faithful” includes 10 heartstirring songs of hope, faith, heaven and commitment. The Webbs have been honored by The Southern Gospel Music Awards and were nominated to the Top 10 list of groups in Southern gospel music by the Southern Gospel Music Awards in the best mixed group category. Check out more information on The Webbs online at www.rickwebbtrio.com.
Contact Martha J. Henderson at mjhenderson@thepilot.com.
PAGE 8
Pottery
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
support the auction because the money goes to a good cause,” Mary says. “It’s going to the fire department … and not From Page 7 just in Robbins. If there’s a big fire, (all the local departments) help out.” Seagrove’s history goes back to the early 1700s when potters immigrated to firemen is the reason we like to (particithe area because of the high-quality, natupate) because we never know when we ral clay deposits in the might need them.” area. Early settlers used Mary Farrell, of the clay to make utilitarian Westmoore Pottery, agrees. pieces for their families As potters, she and her and neighbors. husband, David, know they Today, that history has need a fire department evolved into the “Pottery because they always work Capital of North Carolina.” with fire. More than 100 potters now “We haven’t had a fire live and work along N.C. yet,” Mary says. “We did at 705, better known as the one point help put out a pottery highway. The area neighbor’s fire.” draws thousands of visiMary usually tries to subtors every year looking to mit a piece to the auction purchase a piece of history that has a style traditional that has been passed down to the area — Westmoore through centuries. Pottery’s specialty. She and With such deep roots in her husband make pieces the area, potters see the made or used in the 18th or pottery auction as a way to 19th centuries. Many musegive back to the communiums use their pieces as ties in which their families replicas of original works. HANNAH SHARPE/The Pilot have lived for generations. This year, she plans to subHowever, with the present mit either a butter churn or economy, the auction has taken in less a sauerkraut jar. money. “I wish everyone would come out and
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Fred Teague has noticed that the pottery business itself has been hit hard by the recession and changing times. Like many local potters, including Owens, Fred’s trade has been passed down through his family. He still has the ledger book his grandmother kept with dates from the 1800s. “Back then, everybody used pottery,” Fred said. “Pottery was a big thing. Everyone had to have it. Now everyone doesn’t have to have it.” Seagrove and West Moore pottery may face a rough future, but the population can look to their past to find solace. Industrialization at the turn of the century
caused people to pass over handmade pottery for the cheaper, mass-produced kind. Rather than close, many potters adapted, and pottery became an art form. The art of pottery making now draws shoppers and new potters to the area. Those challenges allowed the area’s pottery to grow to encompass a wide variety of forms, glazes and artists. The Farmers Day Pottery Auction showcases the mix of styles now evident in Seagrove and west Moore pottery. To prepare for the auction, potters will simply keep doing what they do best — throwing, spinning and molding the clay they grew up with or grew to love.
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SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 9
Almost Perfect Band Releases Its First CD; Farmers Day Headliner BY ALLISON RUSSELL
Cecil Monroe, the studio drummer who recorded the CD with the band. “Robert writes from his life, which is what The fans of the band Almost Perfect you’re supposed to do. It’s not perfect: get what they want. When they called for the release of the What you see is what you get.” Almost Perfect began three years ago local band’s first CD, the four members when Enloe and Kuhn, the band’s bassist, found a studio and spent the next eight met in Seven Lakes. They played months recording songs for their CD, together for their friends as an acoustic “You Asked For It.” band called House Call. Shortly after, “It’s pretty cool, because back in the they met day when I was Singletary and growing up, you formed Almost couldn’t just make Perfect. a CD,” says Robert As their name Enloe, a Robbins suggests, the native and the members of group’s guitarist Almost Perfect are and lead vocalist. Almost Perfect will bring the not making music The group, which sound its fans are asking for to the with the goal of includes Enloe, 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day attaining perfecMatt Kuhn, Andy entertainment stage Saturday, tion. Roberts and August 6, from 8 p.m. to midnight. “We have a Robbie Singletary, Joining Almost Perfect on the bunch of guys celebrated the Post Office stage will be Johnny looking to get release of “You and the Cadillacs and the Ross together to have Asked For It” Coppley Band. fun,” Enloe says. Friday, June 17, at “Having fun is The Bell Tree much more imporTavern in Southern tant than perfection.” Pines. “It’s just real people having fun,” Family and friends, as well as fans and Monroe says. “It’s simplistic, down-home anyone else who wished to celebrate, music that everyone can relate to, and joined the band. that’s what I like about it.” Enloe says the CD is a “hodgepodge,” Until several months ago, the group and it spans the genres of country, rock played mainly in local venues, singing and blues. He wrote all of the songs, cover songs and occasionally adding an some of which he had “tucked away” for several years. see HEADLINER, page 10 “It’s music right from the heart,” says Newsroom Intern
Almost Perfect On Farmers Day Stage
CONTRIBUTED
Almost Perfect band members spent eight months recording songs for their CD, “You Asked For It.” The band will be playing on the Post Office stage at Farmers Day.
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PAGE 10
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
ing the entire band in a single take. This method is similar to the way Enloe learned how to play the guitar. From Page 9 “As a guitar player, when you’re coming up, you just focus on the instrument,� says Enloe, who began playing the guitar original song to the set list. When the popularity of the original songs, such as “I when he was 15. Now, more than two decades later, the Told Myself,� began to grow, the band members of Almost Perfect have harmoknew it was time to record a CD. nized their talents and played in They chose to record at Lazy Ridge Greensboro, Fayetteville and Music LLC in Concord, a place Charlotte, among other cities. that Enloe says “rescued us Enloe says his most memofrom disaster.� rable venue was the Beaver They initially produced 100 Bar at the Myrtle Beach Biker CDs, mainly for friends and Rally earlier this year. family. In addition to hard Despite the out-of-town gigs, copies, the band has made Enloe says the band most “You Asked For It� available enjoys playing locally. on iTunes, CDBaby.com and “It’s the most satisfying and Amazon.com fulfilling with family and “I like playing in the studio friends there,� Enloe says. because I can hear everything Robert Enloe “The real cool thing is when perfectly,� Monroe says. “You you meet someone you don’t almost lose some of the feeling know, and they keep showing of playing live [when you play up to the shows.� in the studio], but you can hear things so The band’s emphasis on playing locally differently.� reflects its down-to-earth approach to The group recorded its album by trackmusic. ing, a process that requires each part of a As Monroe puts it, “It’s real music by song to be played one at a time. The real people.� pieces are then layered on top of each other to complete the song. This process Allison Russell, a student at UNC-Chapel allows each musician to focus on his own Hill, was a summer intern at The Pilot. part of the song, as opposed to orchestrat-
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THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 11
Quicksilver Cloggers Will Kick Up Their Heels at Event BY LEIGH PEMBER Newsroom Intern
Pleasant imagery does not come to mind when one thinks of something getting clogged, but clogging as a dance is entertainment at its finest. The Quicksilver Cloggers will perform with the Southern Express Cloggers from 7:30 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, on Middleton Street during the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day. The Quicksilver Cloggers have been together for more than 15 years, although only two of its seven members have been with it since the beginning: Aileen Garner and Jennifer Garner, who are unrelated. The other five members are Bonnie Hanham, Brenda Ritter, Lou Smith, Pam Kennedy and Sarah Daffron. The group is Robbins-based, but its members are spread across the area in Robbins, High Falls, Vass, Pinebluff and Greensboro. Aileen Garner is the leader of the team, but Daffron, who is a certified clogging instructor, also plays an important role. “I do most of the teaching and choreographing,” Daffron says. “But all of us go to workshops, and we practice once a week.” The Quicksilver Cloggers have established themselves in several different festivals over the years. They go to many on a recurring basis, including a pig pickin’ in New Bern, a Fourth of July celebration in Denton and, of course, Farmers Day in Robbins. “We’ve done lots of different festivals,” Daffron says. “We go many places, and we have fun doing it.” The cloggers participate in both competitive and noncompetitive events. The two competitions that they focus on are at the North Carolina State Fair and the North Carolina Senior Games. “For the competitions, we have to have perfectly matching costumes and synchronized steps,” Daffron says. “Competitions have a lot of pressure, but
CONTRIBUTED
The Quicksilver Cloggers, including (front row, left to right) Lou Smith, Brenda Ritter, Bonnie Hanham, (back row) Jennifer Garner, Sarah Daffron, Aileen Garner and Pam Kennedy, will perform during the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day. we like staying to that standard for all of our performances, anyway. The only difference is if something is messed up, no one gets fired.” However, they really have nothing to worry about, as they are capable cloggers and have triumphed on several occasions. The Quicksilver Cloggers have gotten second- and third-place finishes at the fair,
and have advanced from the county level to the state level in the senior games. “Those of us who are old enough compete in the senior games. Pretty soon, all of us will be old enough,” she joked. “But we have won before and gone to Raleigh for the state competition in the performing arts category.” Even with their distinguished record, the
Quicksilver Cloggers do not have any kind of predetermined price that they charge for their performances. “We do not have a set fee,” Daffron says. “We have to buy the music, the costumes, and pay for our travel. It comes out of our pockets, but we happily accept donations.”
see CLOGGERS, page 13
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THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
FRIED BROWNIES TO PATIO LANTERNS
Farmers Day Vendors Have Something for Everyone BY SUMMER HENNINGS Newsroom Intern
With a selection to rival that of the state fair, this year’s Farmer’s Day begs for shoppers to take their time and tour all the wares vendors have to offer. Farmers Day booths will sell traditional selections and some new, exotic items such as fried brownies and cider slushies. There will be hot dogs, funnel cakes, snow cones, lemonade, Greek food, Mexican food, sausages and country fried pies. The festival will feature jewelry, pottery, Tshirts, face painting and more. Vendors will be open Friday from 6 p.m. to midnight and Saturday from 9 a.m. to midnight. “We try to take everyone we can,” says Jarius Garner, Farmers Day organizer, “but we try not to duplicate ourselves at the same time. We want everyone to make some money and to have a lot of variety in our show.” Farmers Day attendees will experience that variety in a different way this year. The Farmers Day booths will not be organized based on wares.
“We’ve tried to have a mix of food and crafts up and down the midway so that wherever you are in town, you don’t have to walk a mile to find any food or drinks,” Garner says.
Tasty Temptations In the past, attendees have complained about the distance between the base of the midway booths to the area where food was located. Now, you can find food around any corner, but there are some items you must make a point to find — particularly some new desserts. Of those, the fried brownies and banana pudding will tempt the taste buds of many people’s sweet tooths. India Foy of The Snack Wagon says to look for an artsy, red-and-white tent if you want to try the brownie. “It’s a chocolate chunk fudge brownie that we put in a funnel cake batter and then deep fry,” Foy describes. “It’s like a chocolate fudgy doughnut cake. It’s super tasty and, oftentimes, we sell out very,
see VENDORS, page 15
GLENN M. SIDES/The Pilot
The food vendors at Robbins Farmers Day have plenty of tasty temptations available.
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Cloggers From Page 11 Daffron encourages people who are new to the dance to try it if it’s something that interests them. “Dancing is fun, but clogging is twice as fun,” Daffron says. “If you see the dance, and you fall in love with it, the first step is to find somewhere to dance. If there’s not a group in your area, then get one together. If it’s something that you love, you’ll find someone to dance with.” One great aspect of clogging is that you do not need a partner to be able to clog, and it can be done at any age. This is not to say that it is easy, as the cloggers’ performances usually last at least 30 minutes, with little to no break time between songs. However, the long performance time does not stop these women from doing what they love. “For this group of ladies, clogging is their passion,” Daffron says. “Mostly we do it for fun, and of course it is good exercise. I don’t do other exercises. I feel like clogging is the exercise for me.” While clogging helps them stay active, the members of the team do not clog solely for fun and exercise. Their participation has helped them form lifelong friendships with their teammates.
PAGE 13 “People who dance together form very strong bonds,” Daffron says. “I would say I and the other girls on the team are closer than blood sisters.” This is not surprising, as the current team has been dancing together for more than a decade. During that time, they have created and memorized many routines with the help of Daffron’s talent for choreography. The experience she gained while earning her certification makes her more than capable of creating clogging routines. “To become a certified clogging instructor, it takes a certain number of hours of teaching, going to workshops and choreographing routines,” Daffron says. “I also had to go to the national convention that they have every Thanksgiving, but if you love it, getting it doesn’t feel like work. The certification really helps people who teach in studios, but I just did it for my own personal experience.” Earning the certificate is just part of the lifelong process associated with learning to clog. Initially, people learn the basic steps. From there, they keep adding to those steps as they become better dancers. According to Daffron, learning to clog is not hard if you have rhythm, instinct and a love for clogging. “You can always keep learning,” Daffron says. “You can always find something to add to a step to make it more interesting or fun.”
PAGE 14
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Fire Fighter Challenge Heats Up Farmers Day BY SUMMER HENNINGS Newsroom Intern
In a competition sure to stump the average man, firefighters from across the county will showcase their strength and skills at Robbins Farmers Day. The fourth annual Fire Fighter Challenge, hosted and run by the Robbins Fire Department, offers a different entertainment opportunity for Farmers Day attendees. Teams of firefighters will participate in five tests to prove that their department has the toughest and most able members. Jefferey Chriscoe, a lieutenant at the Robbins Fire Department, says that although the competition is difficult, it keeps firefighters in shape and is fun for viewers and participants. This year’s event will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, in front of the City Hall. With participants from Moore and other surrounding counties, the competition is sure to be tough. “It’s anybody’s ball game,” Chriscoe says. “It’s going to be interesting to see.” Chriscoe has set up and officiated the Fire Fighter Challenge since it began four years ago. Robbins Fire Department created the event
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because it was looking for something new to contribute to the Farmers Day festivities. They used their own experiences as inspiration. The Robbins Fire Department has participated in similar challenges in Moore, Randolph and Brunswick counties.
Five Part Competition The Farmers Day Challenge consists of five tests: the Rescue Randy Drag, the Hammer Sled, the Hose Advance, the Quick Dress and the Truck Connect. Each competition mimics real-life situations that firefighters face during a crisis. They are designed to test their skills and fitness levels under extreme circumstances. In the Rescue Randy Drag, participants will drag a 200-pound dummy 100 feet, similar to rescuing someone from a building. The Hammer Sled prepares firefighters to forcefully enter a structure — they must drive a sled with about 75 pounds of weight forward and back by hitting it with a 10pound sledge hammer. The Quick Dress tests how
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Vendors From Page 12 very quickly.” The Snack Wagon specializes in making everything from scratch. It offers Greek pitas, fried pickles, hand-battered mozzarella cheese sticks and a grilled pork chop sandwich and platter. For the kids (or the kids at heart, as Foy says) it has a grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich. If you are on a dessert tour or brownies aren’t your thing, head to B G’s Fun Food. Brothers Steve and John Barfield just started their stand but are excited to sell their signature dessert. “We have a fried banana pudding,” Steve says. “It’s a little unusual.” The brothers fry a banana, then top it with banana pudding, powdered sugar and other toppings. If you make your way over to Ward’s Nuts and Honey, William Ward will sell you his sugarroasted nuts (pecans, almonds, peanuts and cashews), honey straws and cider slushies. “I make (slushies) about out of anything,” Ward says. “The biggest seller I have is muscadine grape. I also have peach, blackberry and blueberry.” Ward can only offer two flavors at a time on Farmers Day, but both will be a hit.
Handmade Goods
After you have tried the many foods available, begin strolling through all of the booths that sell original handmade goods. If you have been to the Cameron Antiques Fair you may see at least one familiar face among the booth owners. Charlie
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. Rawls of Charlie’s Barn will sell his birdhouses and feeders at Farmers Day. Charlie traditionally makes each piece from old barn wood. This year’s selection includes wood from an old barn, country store and house. “It may have the original paint on it,” Charlie says. Charlie makes each piece unique. Some of his most popular products are a frame birdhouse for a bluebird and another that looks like an old tobacco barn. He has also designed a feeder that looks like the Bald Head Island lighthouse. Over at Green Willow Gifts, you can find more outdoor merchandise. Their newest items are patio lanterns made out of wine bottles. The bottles have a hook for hanging and a tea light inside. Some are painted with designs, and owner Alice Lambert says when the wind blows the lanterns sound like a wind chime. For something more personal, Hawthorne Leather out of South Carolina offers a range of products that can be personalized while you wait. “Our booth is large,” Robert Hawthorne says. “There is no way you can miss us.” Hawthorne says he and his brother are carrying on the business his parents started. They offer belts, bracelets, purses, hats and key chains. Many of the belts have designs such as flowers and horses for women and special designs for truck drivers, motorcycle riders, fishermen and police officers. They even make belts for kids. These vendors are only a few of more than 80 sellers who come to Farmers Day. Beat the heat and arrive early to spend a day shopping and exploring all that Farmers Day has to offer.
PAGE 15
Challenge
Bullard says. “It’s got a nice social aspect to it.”
‘Be Prepared’
From Page 14 fast firefighters can put on all of their gear. In the Hose Advance, participants must drag 150 feet of line, charged and pressurized with water, 100 feet and then shoot at a target. The Truck Connect times how fast firefighters can hook the hose up to the truck and then drag it 75 feet. All competitions are done while wearing full gear, which weighs around 40 to 50 pounds. “I think they’re all pretty tough,” says Brian Tyner, Carthage Fire Department chief. “They test your skills as far as being a fireman.” Tyner has competed in similar events and says that Carthage will participate at the Robbins Fire Fighter Challenge. Other participants include fire departments from Whispering Pines, Eagle Springs, Pine Bluff, Asheboro and Seagrove. Departments have until the end of July to sign teams up for the challenge.
All-Female Team Whispering Pines Fire Department will send the competition’s first allfemale team. “I think they’ll get some eyebrows raised, but I think that adds a psychout factor for some of their competitors who aren’t used to competing against women,” Whispering Pines Chief Scott Bullard says. Bullard adds that the high number of women in his department signifies a major step forward for emergency response services and for women in general. He believes his team will compete well in the challenge and looks forward to seeing members of other departments. “I see (the competition) as a chance to get together with people you don’t see very often,”
Both the Whispering Pines and Carthage fire chiefs say their teams have been training or practicing for the competition, something Chriscoe believes is a necessity. “You’ve got to be prepared for it,” Chriscoe says. “We’ll train for a couple of months in advance to try to get everything down pat (for other competitions).” Chriscoe does not anticipate the heat being an issue for participants. They will have plenty of water and Gatorade available as well as paramedics on the scene “just in case.” He says he will make the firefighters take their gear off immediately after competing. “That stuff gets really hot quick,” he adds. “It puts a big strain on your body.” Chriscoe adds that at other departments where firefighters are paid (as opposed to volunteer departments), members train regularly for these events and some compete at the national level. The Firefighter Combat Challenge began in 1991 after a group of scientists conducted a study measuring the physical demands of firefighting. The study based a lot of research on a series of tasks that formed the base for the original Firefighter Combat Challenge. Since then, the event has grown through local events and televised coverage. ESPN has shown the World Challenge Championships for the past 10 years. Locally, the challenge serves as an opportunity for fun and amusement — while the firefighters do the work, we average folks can gape in awe and cheer them on. “If I could ask for anything,” Bullard says, “we would like more spectators from the general public.”
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PAGE 16
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Hale Artificer Fireworks Display Will Light Up The Night at Farmers Day BY KATE SMITH Newsroom Intern
Bouncing from astronaut to farmer to veterinarian in the natural “what-I want-to-be-whenI-grow-up” stage must have bypassed Jeff Hale. “I almost burned my daddy’s house down when I was 9 years old,” he laughs. A “natural pyro,” Hale received an unpleasant trip to the woodshed and, soon after, a license to do what his fingers itched for — build fireworks. “I’ve loved fireworks all my life,” says Hale. “I started out doing fireworks shows while a general manager at an outdoor campground, did professional fireworks displays as an independent contractor and worked with a lot of larger worldwide companies before 1997, when I incorporated my own company.” That’s a total of 28 years filled with playing with powdered colors, powerful propellants and flame for a living. Jeff Hale now heads Hale Artificer, a fireworks company based in Lexington that trucks to venues in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Hale laughs and points out that “a lot of people mispronounce [the company’s name]. It’s ‘ahr-tif-iss-air,’ a 17th-century French word for fireworks maker. Even still, on some of the fireworks I bring in, there is an ART number, short for artificer.” The abbreviation is appropriate. “It is a true art form that encompasses all your senses,” he says. “You can see it and you can hear it and you can feel it and you can smell it. I pick the palette of colors myself, so to speak. The operators use their own creativity to control the presentation and the order. It’s pretty exciting to have the freedom in this great country to exercise our own art form.” Although the Robbins Farmers Day weekend is a smaller event, Hale has been working since the winter months to piece together the permits, license and shells for the celebrated show on Friday, Aug. 5, at 10:15 p.m. “Since the beginning, I felt like North Carolina needed a local representation of the fireworks industry,” Hale says. “It makes a lot of people happy. When there’s a crowd of 20,000 to 30,000 people saying ‘Wow!’ at the same time, that’s really neat.” The party is rumored to reach that number, as last year, more than 30,000 people attended
the three days of festivities. Regardless of Robbins’ modest size and the state’s considerations of budget cuts and taxes, Hale Artificer hopes to commission another fiery show worth remembering. “We try to make use of all the unique effects, from the smallest displays to the largest choreographed pyro musicals,” Hale says. “We try to create as large a variety of fireworks as we can. “Fireworks are relatively expensive. We work with many small town displays that big companies wouldn’t touch because they’re not as profitable. Small town displays are so important, though.” He continues to explain a noticeable pattern in communities’ inclusion of the discretionary fireworks expense in their budgets, and a heightening attendance. “There’s not only the loyalty I have had with Robbins for many years, but people aren’t making that extra trip to the beach or the mountains because they can’t afford it,” Hale says. “Small fairs, festivals and concerts are still happening for the local folks. It brings the community together, and we like being a part of what’s happening.” Hale’s involvement will begin in the early afternoon on Friday when precautions are taken to ensure the safety of folks, along with the tradition. “We are a highly regulated industry because we’re dealing with energetic materials,” Hale says. An approved road flare, safety cap and time device are used to ensure a systematic production, while protective equipment and a secured area mandated for the safety of the operators and the public, which Hale affirms is of paramount importance. The second goal, of course, is to produce a brilliant show to close or kick off the night, satiating the taste of audience members. Attending the wide-eyed children and loveheady couples beneath handpicked splashes of light is the soaring relief of the daily grind. The “oohs and ahs” are a reflection of the release from a work week’s stress into the night sky. “We need to give back to our people because everybody is hurting right now,” Hale says. His contribution is an untraditional but merry art form — where “the sky is canvas and fire is paint.”
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 17
Hussey Says Annual Parade Will ‘Be Just as Good as It Ever Was’ BY KATE SMITH Newsroom Intern
The Robbins Farmers Day parade has, for the past 55 years, personified the poignant longings of locals and strangers for an enduring hometown. In the midst of a startling war and the irrevocable backlash of anti-war protests and music, Robbins stood by quietly, strong and silent. Resilient, even as its young boys heaved their bundles of patriotism over their shoulders and vowed to protect peace. Robbins favors many small towns, but is distinct in its stable unique traditions. In 1957, local farmer Curtis Hussey proposed to organize a Main Street parade, a cheery relaxed festival where diligent farmers could take pride in their featured horses and buggies. The parade donated
free time for socializing and the honest competition between horses and mules for a $2 prize. In 10 years, parade entries boomed from 65 to 330, multiplying the attendees as well. In 1992, Curtis Hussey passed away and left his son, Odell Hussey, to accede his place from second in line to the head of the parade. On Saturday, Aug. 6, the late Curtis’ son Odell Hussey will again take his father’s place as wagonmaster. Hussey says that when the tradition began, he was only a little boy patiently guiding his own pony through the crowd, eyes on his father ahead. “My daddy would lead and the mayor of Robbins would ride right up there with him. He was the leader and I was No. 2, GLENN M. SIDES/The Pilot
see PARADE, page 18
Robbins Incorporated 1935
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Farmers Day parade wagonmaster Odell Hussey waves during last year’s event.
PAGE 18
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Parade From Page 17
right in behind him. All the politicians would ride with me in the No. 2 spot.” That’s how it has always been, Hussey says, not surprising in a town staunchly dedicated to respect and family. “There was always an election coming up and it didn’t matter whether they were Republicans or Democratic candidates; they would ride together with me. I’d spend all year taking care of my horses and cleaning up the wagons, get them all looking nice, so they could ride with me.” During that time, entertainment consisted of the homegrown. “That was the farmers’ vacation. They had done all the laying seed and prepping crops. Whenever Farmers Day was over with, they went home and they would start cutting the hay, getting the corn, sowing wheat and getting ready for fall harvesting and the winter.” The industrious farmers were selfsufficient. “Women would do their part of the canning to get ready. Whenever winter got too hard, they didn’t ponder going to the store. You went to the pantry or cellar GLENN M. SIDES/The Pilot
see PARADE, page 19
More than 400 horses, mules and wagons will parade up Middleton Street Saturday, Aug. 6, starting at 11 a.m.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Parade From Page 18 to get your canned green beans and tomatoes.” Time and innovation have whisked the outside world away, but only nudged Robbins along in expected areas of television sets, cars and electrically powered factories while leaving its values unchanged. “I’ve worked hard all my life,” Hussey says. In addition to heavy labor at the local lumber mill, Hussey was devoted to his first wife during her struggle with bone cancer, and his second during Alzheimer’s. “My good friend Johnny and I finished at the lumber yard, finished sawing wood, and quit in 2007.” Hussey says that since then, he’s looked forward to the Farmers Day parade more than ever. “Because of this change in weather,
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. people may not stay out in the hot sun all day like they used to, but I’m still expecting to see a crowd of people and am looking forward to everything to be great and everybody to have a good time. “We have a lot of singers and sponsors,” says Hussey. “The way it’s looking to me, it’s going to be just as great as it ever was.” Seventy years ago, Robbins was given its name honoring the Russian immigrant who validated prosperity in town with his silk mill. Hussey is encouraging the continuation of values that support the community as a whole with comfort and stability. The parade is no exception. “My daddy had it [the parade directions] all written down on paper and my mother stood by and wouldn’t let it be changed,” says Hussey. “As far as I’m concerned, I’ll be doing the same thing, and not let anybody change it. It’s right good the way it is.” For more information on the parade or other Farmers Day events, visit www.robbinsfarmersday.com.
PAGE 19
PHOTOS BY GLENN M. SIDES/The Pilot
The 2010 Robbins Farmers Day Parade works its way down Middleton Street.
PAGE 22
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Carnival Rides and Midway Big Draws During Farmers Day BY TOM EMBREY Senior Writer
CONTRIBUTED
The Rolo Plane is a popular ride at Robbins Farmers Day.
When Ronnie Turner first brought amusement rides to Farmers Day some years ago, he needed only one area for six rides. In years since, the growth of Robbins Farmers Day has necessitated the expansion of the rides. Now, the total number of rides has doubled, and there are two areas dedicated to rides. “When we first came, it was very apparent to me that this festival was going to grow each year, and we realized we could have brought more,” Turner says. “And, over the years, we have kinda grown the ride area with the festival.” This year, Turner’s company, Fun Rides in Sanford, will have rides for all ages. There will be rides at both ends of town. The rides will be open from 6 p.m. until midnight on Friday and noon to midnight Saturday. And maybe
CONTRIBUTED
The carnival rides at Robbins Farmers Day appeal to all ages. even later. “We won’t close down until all the people have ridden the rides,” Turner says. Riders will have to purchase tickets for each ride. Small rides take one ticket, while later rides require two tickets. Tickets cost $2 each. There will be discounts available for those who buy tickets in bulk, Turner says.
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“And, we will have quite a variety of rides,” Turner says. There will be a giant slide, a whirling dervish known as The Tempest, a merry-go-round, the Tubs of Fun, a bounce house, a Ferris wheel and the most popular ride, Rola Plane. “Rola Plane is a big hit with the
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PAGE 23
Midway From Page 22 teenagers,” Turner says. “They line up early and pretty soon you can’t see the end of the line.” The draw of the ride, Tuner says, is the fact that Rola Plane takes the riders 30 feet in the air and then turns them upside down before finally returning them to the ground. But if that isn’t quite your speed, Turner says there are plenty of rides for the younger children too, including one new
ride, the Frog Hopper. It takes kids 25 feet in the air and drops them. “It’s really all about good, clean, family entertainment for people of all ages,” Turner says. Turner and his brother, Robert, operate Fun Rides in Sanford. Their company provides rides for events all across North Carolina, as well as other states, but he said there is something special about Robbin’s Farmers Day that makes it an event he and his brother look forward to each year. “It’s the people of the area,” Turner says. “They really come out each year and support the event really, really well. It is a great community effort.”
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PAGE 24
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
The Sand Band Is Bringing Beach Music To Farmers Day
BY SUMMER HENNINGS Newsroom Intern
Carolina beach music fans can shag dance through the night when The Sand Band takes the stage at the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day. The band will perform on the Fidelity Bank stage Saturday, Aug. 6, from 8 p.m. to midnight. Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame artist Terri Gore accompanies The Sand Band in their 10th appearance at Farmers Day. Fans of dance rhythms and beach vacations will enjoy The Sand Band’s classic sounds. The local
band has performed with notable beach music artists and at an eclectic mix of venues, including the Alabama Theatre at Myrtle Beach, private events, festivals and clubs. Farmers Day brings a dedicated group of fans. “We have a great crowd,” says member Daryl Lemonds. “We’ve actually had them stand in the rain to listen to us,” Steve Lapping describes. “It was a light rain, but they stood in the rain and got soaked to listen to us.” Such devotion stems from a wide beach music following across the
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011 Carolinas. Lemonds describes “beach people” as a family. “We can’t go anywhere without meeting someone that we know,” he says. The shagging crowd flocks to wherever beach music plays — whether it’s the local Farmers Day or one of the few remaining beach clubs. The Sand Band has gained notoriety among these fans, particularly in the Myrtle Beach area. Lapping, Lemonds and Rick Martin founded the band almost 18
see SAND BAND, page 25
CONTRIBUTED
The Sand Band, including Steve Lapping (left), Daryl Lemonds and Rick Martin with Tim Short on drums, is growing in popularity, particularily with fans of beach music.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 25
Sand Band From Page 24
years ago. Since then, it has evolved into one of the premier beach music bands of the Carolinas and now includes David Kellis, Henryl Baldwin and Tim Short. The Sand Band’s founders bounced between country and rock-and-roll bands before settling on the beach music style. “I think it’s just something that we liked,” Lapping says, “and we figured there would be a wider audience.” “It’s something you get more recognition out of,” Lemonds adds. Since its founding, The Sand Band has been nominated for three beach music awards, and one of their songs held the No. 1 slot at a Myrtle Beach radio station for 17 weeks. That song came in second for the entire year after the station broke a five-criteria tie for first — pretty successful for a band that considers playing music their weekend job. The members have families and jobs outside of The Sand Band and some perform in multiple groups. They consider themselves lucky to be based out of an area where they have numerous opportunities to perform. Members of The Sand Band credit part of their success to their relationships with each other. In 18 years, they have only changed two musicians. Combined with their good humor and fun-loving attitudes, it is no wonder these men get along so well. They admit to simply having fun. “We really have a good time,” Lapping says. “We pick at one another all the time.” The Sand Band’s performances display how well they know each other. Lapping describes how they can play three or four songs in a row without breaking in between. At a recent rehearsal, the cohesion appears when two members practicing a song evolves into the whole band playing without discussion. Lapping’s wife, Rebecca, says that the
CONTRIBUTED
The Sand Band will be performing their classic sounds on the Fidelity Bank stage Saturday, Aug. 6, from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Henryl Baldwin
Tim Short
David Kellis
band’s rehearsal is not an unusual occurrence at her house. “We have a house of music,” she describes. “We practice here a lot. There’s a guitar in every room. Our 15year-old plays the saxophone, clarinet, piano, guitar, bass and mandolin. (Steve) plays guitar, bass and mandolin. There’s never a night when it’s quiet.” As the band practices, Rebecca contributes her own voice to the songs
and dances to the music. Even the members tap their feet in time, unable to resist the beach music’s rhythms. Carolina beach music has roots in many genres. Blues, jazz, country and rock and roll have all influenced its sound. The Sand Band plays a variety of songs reflecting the influence, including original works and many classic songs such as “I Love Beach Music,” a song Lemonds describes as the beach music
anthem. They have also performed numbers by Garth Brooks, Percy Sledge, the Supremes, and songs from the disco era. Each song the band performs has one thing in common: You can dance to it. With more than 30,000 people coming to Farmers Day annually, it will not be hard to find a partner. “What’s really nice about beach music is it’s really danceable music,” Lapping says. “It’s happy music.”
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PAGE 26
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
PHOTOS BY GLENN M. SIDES/The Pilot
Delores Thomas (center) and her sons, Carl and Dean, walk in the 2010 Robbins Farmers Day parade. Left: The Thomases pose for a family shot with Delores’ mother, Beatrice Stutts, before a Farmers Day Parade several years ago.
Thomas Family A Farmers Day Parade Tradition BY LEIGH PEMBER Newsroom Intern
ho would have thought the annual Farmers Day parade has the power to bring together cowboys and Indians? Well, they may not really be cowboys and Indians, but brothers Carl and Dean Thomas do occasionally dress like them for the parade. Every year for more than a decade, Carl, Dean and their mother, Delores Thomas, have dressed up in different costumes and carried farm animals through the parade,
W
which starts at 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 6, on Main Street. They usually walk the entire parade but, depending on the weather, they may only go from the post office to R and R Auto Supplies CARQUEST. “It used to be that we would go the whole circle,” Delores says. “It gets hotter each year, and now by the time we get to Ron’s CARQUEST, the animals start to get hot. Hopefully, it won’t be so hot this year.” Despite the heat, the Thomas family consistently brings their livestock through the
see THOMAS, page 27
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
Thomas From Page 26 parade. Delores’ mother, Beatrice Stutts, has been to every Farmers Day so far. “I haven’t missed a Farmers Day since they started,” Stutts said in a written statement. “It’s like a family reunion, and you get to see friends that you haven’t seen in a while. It’s good Southern fun and fellowship for everyone.” Delores has a rich history with Farmers Day, too. Growing up, she regularly attended the event with her parents. Once Delores had children, the family decided to make the switch from riding through to walking through the parade. “My mom and dad used to always go through with me on the wagon and buggy rides,” Delores says. “So we just decided that since it’s Farmers Day, we would do something different and bring the farm animals through. My mom was also one of the major influences for us doing this.” Although the extended family goes to the parade with them, Dean, Carl and Delores are the only ones that go through. They usually carry birds, but they are also planning on getting an emu or an alpaca one year. “We’ve taken goats, different kinds of chickens, turkeys and geese, and a duck through,” Delores says. “We took a pig through one year. They’re pretty much like pets.” The animals behave surprisingly well considering the bustle and noise that accompany the parade. However, Pilot e S/Th SIDE PHOTOS BY GLENN M. the Thomases still make sure
PAGE 27 to take precautions prior to walking. “We usually take a bandanna and wrap it around them,” Delores says. “That usually covers what needs to be covered if ‘something’ happens.” The animal’s weight can also be an issue, especially in the August heat. Delores says a fully grown turkey can weigh up to 30 pounds. “You have the turkeys resting on your arm, and your arm is usually numb by the time you get through,” she says. According to Carl, the animals usually stay pretty tame. However, they have had a few issues in the past with certain animals. “We took an African goose through one year,” Delores says. “We had just got him. He flapped his wings going through one time, and he would pinch you and make bruises. We named him Demon.” Dealing with unruly animals is not a problem for Dean or Carl, as they are more concerned with winning one of the many Farmers Day awards. “I’m going to try to get a trophy for best dressed man because I haven’t gotten one yet,” Dean says. “They usually give it to the people on the horses,” Carl adds. While the boys are concerned with PHOTOS BY JOHNSIE TIPTON/The Pilot the awards, Delores returns year after year because of the fellowship and because it is a family tradition. In fact, the trio has been walking through for so long that they have become local Farmers Day celebrities. “We might not win the trophy,” she says, “but a lot of people have told us they look forward to seeing what we do different each year.”
PAGE 28
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Tractor Parade and Show Showcase Robbins’ History BY KATE SMITH Newsroom Intern
Tractors are an emblem of the South. Texas is known for its wheaty bales of hay and stately pumpers. South Carolina drawls with cotton crops and family market chats. Moore County back-road drives hum with the sounds of crickets and tractors, both cultivating the fields that flash on either side. At the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day Parade, Saturday, Aug. 6, a show and parade of tractors will be an allotted part of the festivities, a commemoration of the farmer’s prized possession. “Farming has been the backbone of this part of the country,” says Shorty Brown, the parade’s organizer and owner of Shorty’s Service Center, a farm equipment repair station. Seventy years ago, Karl Robbins brought to the town its name and the resilient Pinehurst Silk Mill that stumbled safely through the Great Depression. Karl Robbins has been remembered as devoted to the small town, encouraging each sect of beneficial industry. Children of farming generations would toil daily in the mills before returning to their crops and, gradually, their self-sufficient raisings became Robbins’ stake. Robbins Farmers Day is now a welcoming of proud family heritage and hours of storytelling around the equipment. “I’ve seen as many as four generations being operated,” Brown says. “We of course have Internationals that go through John Deere, Ford, Allis Chalmers, Oliver. The kids like to ride on those. But we also have very unique stuff like Silver Kings. So this parade is for everybody.” What began in the earliest years of 1900 were mammoth machines called gas traction engines, a hybrid of the locomotive and a massive buggy. Tractor history progressed from steam to gasoline power and from haulage to plowing. Though Brown says that it’s impossible
JOHNSIE TIPTON/The Pilot
An entry in the Tractor Parade during last year’s Robbins Farmers Day. to adequately define the parade, due to the variables in entries, usually there are several aged tractor ancestors present. “We really like the antique stuff,” he says. “Most of the stuff you will find in our show is from 1960 and back.” Leading the tractor grandparents are kids under the age of 13 riding pedal tractors, what Brown says “has been one
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of the favorites of the crowd.” “We’re getting large enough that there’s something new every year that excites you.” You and the judges, as at the close of each tractor parade, first- and secondplace trophies are awarded to each tractor category, as well as trophies for Best of Show, Best Antique Farm Rig and Best
Modified Lawn Mower. “This parade is a very family-oriented event,” Brown says. However, the Southern hospitality of the founding families has invited entries from all over the state, and each year has happily garnered drivers that “come from
see TRACTOR, page 29
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 29
PHOTOS BY JOHNSIE TIPTON/The Pilot
Participants in the annual Tractor Parade during Farmers Day come in all sizes and of all ages. The parade of tractors begins at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6.
Tractor From Page 28 several miles away,” Brown says. “No longer is this a strictly local event. It’s turned out to be pretty statewide, which is fantastic. The more the merrier. I have no idea what it’ll be this year.” Preceding the parade will be the
Antique Tractor and Farm Equipment Show, held at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, on Fousher Street until the beginning of the parade at 4 p.m. There is no preregistration or entry fee for those who want to display their antique farm equipment or be including in judging. For viewing, equipment should be brought to Fousher Street at 9 a.m. and to be judged must be on display by 2 p.m. The Parade of Tractors will begin at 4
p.m. on Main Street, with the trophy presentation following around 5 p.m. Brown is anticipating the events, and sends thanks to all of the families, particularly Vance Auman, who have assisted in the continuance of the parade. “Vance heads VA Transport out of Seagrove, and has helped me tremendously with this thing,” Brown says. “He’s got a big wheel out of the early ’50s that runs just great, and he leads the parade with that old tractor
every year.” Robbins’ farmers and business people alike will reunite for the 56th time on the first weekend of August. “They’re pretty close-knit people, which all farm people are,” Brown says, “and they’re again welcoming guests to be a part of the festivities and be a part of the family.” For more information about Farmers Day and the Tractor Parade, visit www.robbinsfarmersday.com.
PAGE 30
HE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
M ULE J UMPING
JOHNSIE TIPTON/The Pilot
For more than a decade, the Mule Show has been a popular event at the annual Robbins Farmers Day. Hosted by the Carolina Mule Association, the event draws competitors and spectators of all ages and from all parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. The event will be held at 12:45 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, and will showcase 10 classes, including halter, western, pleasure, driving, log skidding and obstacle driving. One of the most talked about events is the coon jump or mule jump.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 31
Strength and Agility Combine in Lumberjack Competition BY LEIGH PEMBER Newsroom Intern
If anyone “ax,� at least you can say you “saw� the lumberjack competition. The South Atlantic Woodsmen’s Association will hold its lumberjack competition at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6, for the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day. The event will feature several different competitive events as well as presentations on forest management and preservation. The six events are the standing block chop, the underhand chop, the STIHL stock saw, the hot saw, the ax throw and the single buck. Essentially, the competition is a mixture of ax chops, gas saw cuts and traditional saw cuts. Surprisingly enough, the events of the show relate to how real-life lumberjacks operate, or used to operate. The standing block chop simulates the chopping down of the tree, while the underhand chop relates to how the tree was cut into pieces after it was felled. Both of these actions are now done using modern gas chain saws, but the competition is reminiscent of the days when these SHELLEY MCLAIN/Special to The Pilot
see LUMBERJACK, page 32
Wayne Loya and Mike Slingerland compete in the 2009 lumberjack competition at the Robbins Farmers Day.
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PAGE 32
HE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
Lumberjack From Page 31
luxuries did not exist. People are often unaware of the history of lumberjacks and how they have evolved over the years, but SAWA venues provide teaching opportunities to help people learn more about timbersports and lumberjacking. “We’re a nonprofit,” says Jimmy Lawrence, president of SAWA. “A lot of what we do is educational.” SAWA was established in 2003 by Daryl Weakland and Mike Slingerland, who are both competitors in the STIHL Timbersports series, to educate people on the sport and provide a venue in which people can compete. “Basically the reason SAWA got started was because Mike and Daryl noticed they were meeting lumberjacks farther south, in the Midwest and in the northeast, but not in this region,” says Wayne Louya, vice president of SAWA. “They wanted to bring the lumberjack sport to the backyard of the people who live in North Carolina and the surrounding states.” Another reason for the founding of SAWA was the effect it would have on college competitors. According to Lawrence, more than 75 percent of the competitors started out at the college
JOHNSIE TIPTON/The Pilot
A competitor in last year’s lumberjack competition at Robbins Farmers Day level. Lawrence is the lumberjack coach at Haywood Community College, but there are programs at other schools, including Montgomery Community College. “People would compete in college, but they didn’t know how to get into the sport on a national level,” Louya says. “So, Mike and Daryl thought if they could get established here, then the SAWA would be a great recruiting tool for the STIHL Timbersports series. It also opens the door
for people to have the opportunity to get into the sport and see if it’s really like what they thought it was.” The public’s exposure to timbersports is limited, with most of the television coverage coming from ESPN during the STIHL Timbersports championship. This means that SAWA venues provide a great opportunity for people to see how their perceptions compare with the reality of the sport. They also provide an opportunity for competitors to gain experience they can use at the STIHL competition. “We have changed some of the events since the beginning of the series because we’re trying to host events that the STIHL series has,” Louya says. “We felt like if we want to get people ready for that level, then we need to be hosting the same events.” Aside from competing in events similar to those of the STIHL series, SAWA lumberjacks usually do some kind of training to prepare for the competitions. Lawrence follows a simple plan. “I just try to lift two days a week and practice two days a week,” he says. Louya takes a different approach. His seems to be effective, as he was the 2009 SAWA series champion. His lack of physical training shows how important technique is when competing. “I’ve been in it long enough to where I can mentally run over the technique of the chops or the sawing events,” he says. “I
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011 just think about the position or angle and keep going over it in my head. I won championship with that being the only kind of training I did. I didn’t go out there and dominate everyone, but every show I went out to, I was consistent in.” The SAWA series usually has between eight and 10 venues, and points are tallied across all of them. This means that someone who is consistent has the ability to beat someone who performs really well at one venue, but does poorly at the next. As it is with any sport, having a good coach is essential to finding consistency and becoming a good competitor. “It pays to know someone with experience because you’ll only be as good as the person coaching you,” Louya says, “but not just anyone is willing to train someone. I competed for three or four years before some of the veterans of the sport would even speak to me. Most of them don’t want to be associated with someone who goes out there and doesn’t know what they’re doing.” While the lumberjack community may be rather exclusive, people of all ages can come out and enjoy and learn from the show. The strength and agility needed to cut timber as fast as these men and women do is sure to please the crowd. “It’s really kind of an elite group of people,” Louya says. “It’s not every day that you meet someone who says they’re a lumberjack.”
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
PAGE 33
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Endurance is the name of the game in lawn mower-garden tractor pulling. And plenty will be on show during the Lawn Mower Pull at the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day Saturday, Aug. 6. The East Coast Pullers get the fun under way at 6 p.m.
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PAGE 34
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
Southern Justice Coming to Farmers Day Stage BY LEIGH PEMBER Newsroom Intern
Justice will be served, or, at the very least, heard. Southern Justice, a band from Denton, N.C., will play from 9 to 11:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5, on the Post Office stage at the 56th annual Farmers Day. The band has six members: Wayne Simmons, Danny Simmons, J.R. Peacock, Denny Scott, Charlie Mowery and Byron Charles. Three of the members are from Denton and the other three are from Concord. Southern Justice’s members are all lifelong musicians and play either guitar, bass guitar, drums or keyboard. All members of the band are involved with some portion of the vocals. “I started playing guitar when I was about 6, and I’ve been playing ever since,” Wayne Simmons says. Like many of the bands performing at Farmers Day, Southern Justice has a decidedly country feel, but it is not confined to any one song type. Among its inspirations are George Strait, Toby Keith and Lynyrd Skynyrd. “We play classic, Southern, country, beach and blues,” Wayne Simmons says. “We’re basically a variety band. We try to please everybody.” The band has been together for 12 years now, and it began in classic, garage-band fashion. “Four of us were basically garage jamming,” Wayne Simmons says. “We called some other guys over, then we got booked for a few shows, and it snowballed from there.” The name “Southern Justice,” while obviously inspired by the band’s country roots, does not carry any kind of special significance. According to Wayne Simmons, it was just something they came up with. “We were just sitting around kicking names around, and everyone liked it,” he says. “It was a group decision.”
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Southern Justice’s members are all lifelong musicians and play either guitar, bass guitar, drums or keyboard. The band will be performing on the Post Office stage on Friday, Aug. 5, from 9 to 11:30 p.m., during the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day. So far, the band has not had enough exposure to cause the members to quit their day jobs. “We all have jobs,” Wayne Simmons says. “We’re just kind of weekend musicians, and if we’re playing every weekend, we normally won’t practice.” However, the band has recently seen more success, as it was nominated and selected to play at an upcoming Charlotte Music Awards event. Wayne Simmons describes it as a “big step” for the band. They have not yet released an album,
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but they have recorded several of their songs, most of which can be heard on the band’s Myspace website. “We do our own originals as well as covers,” Wayne Simmons says. “We usually do both.” With all of the music that it has recorded, the band is considering releasing an album sometime in the future if they are picked up by a label. “We’re not signed with a record label,” Wayne Simmons says. “That’s something we wouldn’t mind doing in the future,
though. I guess that’s what everybody hopes for.” Southern Justice is performing all over North Carolina this summer, with Farmers Day being only one of their venues. This will be their first performance in Moore County. “This’ll be our first time performing at Robbins,” Wayne Simmons says. “It’s kind of like our maiden voyage to Moore County because we’ve never been there before. We’re really looking forward to it.”
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
PAGE 35
2010 PARADE W INNERS
JOHNSIE TIPTON/The Pilot
The 55th annual Robbins Farmers Day parade featured more than 400 horses, mules and wagons. Trophies were awarded to winners in more than 20 categories, ranging from best rig, best mule, best work horse to best country horse rider, best dressed girl and best dress man. Some of the winners are pictured above.
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PAGE 36
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
All Eyes to the Sky Special Forces Parachute Jump Team Drops Into Farmers Day BY LEIGH PEMBER Newsroom Intern
There is an old saying about parachuting, but the Special Forces Association Parachute Team just disregards it. The team will jump out of a perfectly good airplane for a Farmers Day demonstration at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6. Five of its members will jump: Bo Kinnison, Brad Tript, John Weldon and husband and wife Bill and Brenda Gatter. Kinnison is the leader of the team, and every member of the team is either active-duty or retired military. Based out of Fort Bragg, the SFAPT is the only team of its kind in the nation. It started as a government-funded jump club in 1958. At the time, it was an MWR, or Morale, Well-Being and Recreation, activity. “The founding members were specialoperations soldiers who had a great desire to free fall, but who could not get enough during their normal parachuting duties for the Army,” Kinnison says. When the club was shut down, Kinnison asked the Special Forces Association to sponsor the team, and it agreed. The team has made appearances all across the country. They have jumped into a number of high school football games, the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, and several NFL games. They have also jumped in plaques for special ceremonies and done tandem jumps with various VIPs. All members of the team are volunteers and purchase and maintain their own equipment. This includes reserve repacks, uniforms and “assorted air items.” According to Kinnison, this usually costs about $150 to $200 a year. They do not receive funding from the Army or the Special Forces Association,
CONTRIBUTED
Members of the Special Forces Association Parachute Team will jump into the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day Saturday, Aug. 6, at 12:30 p.m. so a small fee must be paid for them to jump. “They pay for the use of the aircraft,” Kinnison says, “but we jump for free because we love what we’re doing.” Every person on the team has a passion for parachuting, and they are all highly qualified for the work they do with the team.
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“All of our jumpers hold professional licenses,” Kinnison says. “All the jumpers on the team also have well over 500 jumps and 10 to 15 years of experience.” Practice has made the parachute team especially adept at pulling off a variety of maneuvers. However, they have not yet decided what routine they want to go through at Farmers Day.
“It just depends on the weather and altitude,” Kinnison says. “We can run several different maneuvers. It depends on what we decide.” Among the possible maneuvers they could perform is the “bomb burst.” In this maneuver, a member of the team deploys a cloud of smoke. The team members are in a circle surrounded by the smoke, then they simultaneously do a quick turn outward. This gives the visual effect of a bomb exploding. Another potential demonstration is a flag jump. Both Kinnison and Weldon are flag jumpers for the team. For this routine, the parachutists deploy a large, weighted American flag that is anywhere from three by five feet to 20 by 30 feet. Because of the forward motion of the jumper, the flag stretches out and waves in the wind as he descends. Over the years, the parachute team has had the opportunity to perform many different routines. Though they cannot do it at Farmers Day, the team even uses pyrotechnics that can be seen from the ground for night demonstrations. According to Kinnison, this will be about the 10th time they will jump for Farmers Day. “We’ve been going out there for a long time,” Kinnison says. “The community is so receptive and so gracious in every aspect.” While all Farmers Days attendees will experience the demonstration, certain members of the community have a special relationship with the team and meet them at their take-off site. “They’re waiting because they want to talk trash,” Kinnison says. “We know them by name. It’s great. It’s a very familyoriented thing.”
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JOHNSIE TIPTON/The Pilot
Robbins Mayor Theron K. Bell (front, left) and the Robbins Board of Commissioners, including Lynn M. Loy (left), A.H. Davis Jr., George Hayfield and Joey Boswell, extend a hearty welcome to the more than 30,000 people expected to attend the 56th annual Robbins Farmers Day parade, Aug. 4-6.
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PAGE 38
THE PILOT — SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011
CONTRIBUTED
Johnny and the Cadillacs will take the Post Office stage at Farmers Day from 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, Aug. 6.
Johnny and the Cadillacs Returning to Farmers Day BY KATE SMITH Newsroom Intern
When Mr. Curtis Hussey proposed the original Farmers Day Parade, entertainment consisted of 65 clopping horses pulling buggies or hoisting proud riders, each participant hoping for the $2 cash prize, redeemable at local shops. Now, 56 years later, more than 30,000 attendees amble through Robbins’ bewitching, aged streets on Farmers Day weekend. Multiple Best of Show trophies are awarded to horses, mules, buggies and wagons that swagger through the streets. Bands with varying backgrounds and genres will be taking the stage throughout the three days;, each one setting their own vintage Carolina mood. One such band revives the strains of oldies rock, blues and beach music with classics such as “Mustang Sally” and
“Johnny B Goode” in a polished way that makes their stomping ground proud. Exhaling the classics is the band Johnny and the Cadillacs, an eight-year-old entourage of friends and family. Johnny and the Cadillacs will be rocking the Post Office stage at Farmers Day from 8 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, Aug. 6. They’ll be sharing the time slot with fellow bands Almost Perfect and the Ross Coppley Band. The group’s name, Johnny and the Cadillacs, is a fitting anachronism on streets that, not long ago, saw only walking boots and wagon wheels. “The name just kind of fit,” says Robert Enloe, Johnny’s nephew, the guitarist and vocalist of the band. The music is reminiscent of a time when classic Cadillacs and Buicks were as common as drive-in movies and Kennedy
presidential election posters. Other band members include Johnny Enloe, the band’s head and lead vocalist, known for his charisma and liveliness, and Matt Kuhn and Cecil Monroe, who embellish the prime sound with drums and bass. Since their amiable beginnings in 2002, Johnny and the Cadillacs have snagged gigs at the Greensboro Coliseum, the Robinson County Fair, Carthage Buggy Festival, the Stoneybrook Steeplechase at Carolina Horse Park, Relay For Life, nightclubs and other varying venues. Robbins is a soft spot in the heart of Johnny and the Cadillacs, as Johnny and Robert Enloe and Cecil Monroe were all born and raised in the town with deep roots alongside Robbins’ castle-like oaks. “We’ve played around for the last few years,” Robert Enloe says, “but we always look forward to this special event in
Robbins.” Johnny and the Cadillacs are prone to making friends with folks, as chums and sprawling families mingle seamlessly in the crowds that gather in homey Robbins. “Everybody goes to Farmers Day,” says Enloe. “You haven’t seen people in a year, and then you reunite. It’s like Christmas, when you know your family but haven’t seen them awhile, and you meet again over Christmas dinner.” Many natives of Robbins feel likewise as they anticipate the event that brings locals and first timers together for a few convivial evenings. “It really is homecoming for us,” Enloe says, as he and the band prepare for Robbins, their homestead that invites company in for quintessential music, shared memories and a glass of sweet iced tea.
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WNCA 1570 AM SITUS COMPANIES HARRIS PRINTING CO., INC. SLAGEL FIRE EQUIPMENT PROGRESS ENERGY HUSSEY OIL COMPANY CAROLINA CARRIAGE OF PINEHURST TOTAL POWER PRODUCTS, LLC-BISCOE WYLIE’S GOLF CARTS MCDONALD BROTHERS (SO.PINES, SANFORD, SILER CITY, DURHAM) CLAPP BROS. IMPLEMENT-TRACTOR CO., INC. NATIONWIDE-UNITED INSURANCE PINEHURST TOYOTA QUIK CHEK HOBBS & UPCHURCH GENTLE TOUCH HOMECARE JAMES RIVER EQUIPMENT COMPANY PHILLIPS MOTOR COMPANY LAURA BRADY INCOME TAX SERVICE MES (Municipal Emergency Services, Inc.) JOHNNY O’S AWARDS SPEER CONCRETE, INC. WYLIE’S IGA
Carolina Fried Chicken & House of Pizza
Eat In or Carry Out
(910) 948-2398 281 Middleton Street • Robbins, NC Mon-Sat 10am-10pm Sun 11am-10pm
Thank you for your business!