618 Hometown Magazine October 2021

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(618) MAGAZINE HOMETOWN OCTOBER 2021

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from the

EDITOR

EDITOR Andrea Howe ahowe@mtcarmelregister.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Maegan Saalwaechter

CONTRIBUTORS Kim Bayless

October, ah! It’s the month of crisp mornings, sunny Saturdays and sweaters in the evening. Our monthly calendar opens with activities across the (618) Hometown neighborhoods, ranging from the still kicking’ 100th Enfield Mule Day celebration to chili cook-off action at Beall Woods and a city-wide yard sale in Albion. It just gets better, as the month progresses. Mona Warrick details all the activities in this year’s Carmi Kiwanis Corn Days celebration, and I’ve got the low-down on the very popular White County Farm To Table event. Corey Woolsey checks in with the folks at Wabash County’s version of “Rock Ridge,” where plans are in the works for a haunted hayride and more. Erin Zinzilietta-Pennington’s column takes a look into the American Girl doll craze, and how much fun it can be for families. Kim Bayless offers up some wonderful Oktoberfest-themed recipes that make my German genes happy. Who wouldn’t love a blueberry kuchen, German skillet and potato pancakes? And then, we have an extra special treat. Years ago, I dreamed of working on a magazine that could feature the work of some of my favorite writers in the area. In this issue, one of them — retired journalist Barry Cleveland — shares the story of how his grandpa turned a worn-out ornery $55 auction horse into the continent’s fastest double-gaited trotter. Be sure to check out the story of Guy Cleveland and Ouster Volo! A special note of thanks is in order to each reader who offers up a story idea, or shares a word of encouragement for our work. We love sharing the stories of our communities! Be sure to thank the advertisers which make it possible for us to bring these stories to your mailbox every month! Until November, happy reading — and thank you for allowing us to share your stories!

Andrea Howe Editor

Barry Cleveland Tim Martin Mona Warrick Corey Woolsey Erin Zinzilieta-Pennington

TO ADVERTISE Courtney Shuttle courtney@pdclarion.com 812-220-4861

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Mt. Carmel IL 62863 618-263-1005

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Carmi Kiwanis Corn Days (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021 1


STRAIGHT OUTTA

Corn-antine

Carmi Corn Days to be held Oct. 6-9

concert, they remembered, and told me they were going to be back for this year’s Corn Days. Such great memories!” Corn Days events begin Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. with “Carmi’s Got Talent,” to be held at the First United Methodist Church. On Thursday, Oct. 7 at 6:30, White County Farm to Table will be held. (Please see Andrea Howe’s related story for more information on this event.) The 12th annual Cor n Days cor nhole tournament will be on Friday, October 8, in the First Mid Bank drive through parking

WRITER: MONA L. WARRICK

lot. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. The first games will begin at 6 p.m. Entr y fee is $20

“Someone’s always saying that there ain’t

travel back to the 1970s and sing “Never Been

per team, with cash prizes going to the top

no place like home.” Oft used, there are no

Any Reason,” with one of the region’s favorite

three teams and to the consolation champions.

truer words. The legendar y, midwest band,

rock bands. They will headline, on the main

The tournament will be limited to the first 32

Head East, even opens a 1976 song with this

stage, Friday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m.

teams to sign up. Call or text Clint Taylor, 618-

Most locals, of a cer tain age, remember

sentiment.

383-4206, to sign up.

If the global pandemic has taught us any-

Head East’s first Carmi gig. Rare is the con-

Saturday’s events kick off with the Candy

thing, it’s that family, friends, and home are

versation, about the late, great Carmi Teen

Corn Run. Sponsored by the Guardian Center,

among life’s greatest treasures.

Town, without mention of their memorable

proceeds benefit the organization. Registra-

visit in the 1970s.

tion is open until 8 a.m. Oct. 7. For more

Since the late 1920s, Corn Day has been the perfect opportunity for Carmians and fel-

Former Grayville resident, Mike Swee-

information, contact the Guardian Center at

low White Countians to come home. However,

ney, hasn’t lived in this area for decades,

618-382-8247. A pageant, pet parade, cake

in 2020, the pandemic prevented the sojourn

but plans to come “home” for Corn Days. “I

walk, chili cook-off, and more are slated for

as the celebration was canceled.

wouldn’t miss the Head East concert,” he said.

Saturday.

That was then… “Corn-antine 2021” is on!

Sweeney saw them when they performed at

A highlight of Corn Days is the coronation

If you haven’t already, mark your calendars

Carmi Teen Town. “I remember standing in

of the Corn Days Queen and King. This will

for October 6-9; you don’t want to miss this

the balcony area, looking down at the stage

take place at noon Saturday, Oct. 9 on the

year’s event! Hosted by the Carmi Kiwanis

and watching everyone go nuts on the dance

main stage.

Club, Kiwanis President Justin Dartt said the

floor. The band members were always friendly

A wide variety of musical acts are sched-

organization is excited to be able to host Corn

and visited with ever yone when they were

uled throughout the day on Saturday. (See

Days this year.

on break.” Sweeney, who now lives in New

schedule of events).

A jam-packed schedule of events of fers

Baden, recently attended a Head East Con-

Lovers of countr y music won’t be disap-

something for everyone, including an encore

cert. “I held up a sign that said ‘Remember

pointed with this year’s lineup. Clayton Mann

performance by Head East! It will be fun to

Carmi Teen Town?’ I talked to them after the

performs at 7 p.m. on the main stage. Mann,

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an entertainer/singer/songwriter from Chi-

Women,” “Queen of Memphis,” and many

Days and they do a great job. Everyone comes

cago, now lives in Nashville. He is known

more.

home for Corn Days. It’s always been a week-

for his hard-charging, rock-inspired music.

The band, formed in the mid-1980s, has

He injects rock-n-roll into countr y music by

released six studio albums. Eighteen of their

blending traditional and contemporar y coun-

singles have entered the Billboard Hot Coun-

try, all while adding the melodic riffs and fills

try Songs charts.

of guitar-charging rock.

end set aside for getting together with family and friends.” Pollard hopes ever yone has a chance to check out the city’s newest park. Located

Kiwanians and city officials are thrilled to

where the theater once stood, the park fea-

Countr y fans won’t want to miss Confed-

welcome ever yone back to Carmi this year.

tures a playground, picnic areas, and you’ll

erate Railroad’s per formance on the main

Mayor Jeff Pollard said, “Last year, it was sad

notice a very familiar piece of neon displayed

stage at 8 p.m. Saturday. Fans will enjoy their

not being able to celebrate. The Kiwanis Club

on the brick wall. He said, “We can’t wait to

hits including “Jesus and Mama,” “Trashy

works so hard preparing and hosting Corn

see everyone again!”

TENTATIVE CORN DAY 2021 SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, OCT. 6 6 p.m.

Carmi’s Got Talent (First United Methodist Church)

THURSDAY, OCT. 7 6:30 p.m. White County Farm to Table

FRIDAY, OCT. 8 5:30 p.m. Pageant (Car Show Stage) 5:30 p.m. Corn Hole Tournament (First Mid Bank Parking Lot) 7 p.m.

Head East (Main Stage)

7 p.m.

High School Football Game @ Eldorado

SATURDAY, OCT. 9 8 a.m. Guardian Center Candy Corn Run – Starts at First Christian Church (Registration: 7 a.m.) 10 a.m. Pet Parade (Downtown) – Line up at First Mid Bank & Trust 10:30 a.m. The Appetizers (Car Show Stage) 11 a.m. Cake Walk (Main Stage) 11a.m. Chili Cook-off – Veteran’s Park Noon King and Queen Coronation (Main Stage) 1 p.m. Luke Simon (Main Stage) 2 p.m. Bringing Home – Christian Band (Main Stage) 3 p.m. Carmi’s Got Talent Winners (Main Stage) 4 p.m. 2021 Corn Day Parade 7 p.m. Clayton Mann (Main Stage) 8 p.m. Confederate Railroad (Main Stage)

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Try these Oktoberfest favorites WRITER: KIM BAYLESS

PHOTOS: TIM MARTIN

** CORRECTION ** Our September issue inadvertently included photos from a previous month’s recipe. We apologize for the oversight.

Oktoberfest is usually a 16-18 day folk festival held annually in Munich, Germany. More than 6 million people from all over the world attend the festival. It began in 1810 as a celebration of the marriage of the Crown Prince of Bavaria. There are many traditional foods that Oktoberfest is celebrated with.

BLUEBERRY KUCHEN 1 ½ cups flour

1 egg, beaten

¾ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

2 cups blueberries

Roast chicken, roast pork, roasted ham hock, sausages, pretzels, and pota-

1 ½ tsp lemon zest

to dumplings to name a few.

½ tsp nutmeg

TOPPING:

¼ tsp salt

¾ cup sugar

2/3 cup milk

½ cup flour

¼ cup butter, melted

¼ cup butter, melted

Whether you are of German heritage or not, please give the German Skillet, German Potato Pancakes and Blueberry Kuchen a try. They are super simple and will give you a taste of German festival foods.

GERMAN SKILLET 16 oz. pkg Kielbasa, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

2 onions, quartered

2 Tbsp butter

2 tart apples, sliced

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, nutmeg and salt; stir in milk, butter, egg and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into a greased 13x9 pan. Sprinkle with blueberries and topping. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Makes about 24 servings. Combine ingredients in a small bowl; toss with a fork until crumbly.

Place sausage in skillet sprayed with non-stick spray; heat until browned around edges. Add onion, apples and pepper; heat until tender. Add butter and brown sugar; stir until mixture coats sausage and vegetables. Makes 4 servings.

POTATO PANCAKES 2 eggs

6 potatoes, peeled & shredded

2 Tbsp flour

½ cup onion, finely chopped

¼ tsp baking powder

¼ cup oil

½ tsp salt

Garnish with applesauce or sour cream

¼ tsp pepper

Blend together eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in potatoes and onion; set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. In batches, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of potato mixture into the skillet. Press to flatten and cook about 3 minutes on each side until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels. Makes 6 servings.

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(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021 5


CONTINENT’S

FASTEST TROTTER DOUBLE-GATED

Guy Cleveland and Ouster Volo own a piece of harness racing history WRITER: BARRY CLEVELAND

The consensus was that the horse was washed up. The consensus was wrong. It was the late 1930s, and Guy Cleveland of Carmi “was in Indianapolis monkeying around at an auction sale of worn-out harness horses,” wrote correspondent Frances S. King for an article in the Aug. 24, 1946 edition of The Evansville Courier. “He was there because he loved horses and had been doing harness racing all his life.” Guy — my grandfather — didn’t come home to Carmi empty-hand-

“No matter how fast he is, if he won’t mind you, he won’t win very often,” the veteran horseman said.

ed. He bought a 7-year-old gelding — Ouster Volo--for $55 and hauled him home to Carmi. Ouster (sired by Outsider, out of Dot Volo) had

Teaching Ouster to mind was a big job, for the horse was, as Guy said, “on the contrary side, all right.”

done well as a 3-year-old in Ohio, but his success was apparently all

But whatever Guy did worked. Aaron detailed his training regimen

in the past. Guy was convinced that Ouster wasn’t “worn out,” but he

in a 1958 column, noting that the horseman arose well before dawn,

didn’t race him right away. Instead, he put Ouster and another race

even in the dead of winter, to jog his horses, and took them to the

horse (Scott Lincoln) to work, helping plant corn and do other “light

Fairgrounds in nearby Carmi a couple of days a week to train at the

farm work” on his farm near McHenry Church, east of Carmi, newspa-

half-mile oval there. (I remember riding along on the jog cart along the

per accounts said.

east-west dirt lane dividing Guy’s 160-acre farm in half, and I’m sure my

Another Courier writer, Joe Aaron, said Guy told him that Ouster

sister Cathy rode along, as well, there and at the track.)

spent “many a weary day pulling a corn planter in the field” after he was

And then, after the crops were planted and cultivated, Guy and his

brought to White County. In itself, that wasn’t enough to turn a “worn-

horses went on the county fair circuit, starting in July. He raced not only

out” horse into a star. But Guy told him, Aaron added, that he succeed-

in Illinois but also in Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas in those

ed due to patience, experience and horse sense. And he tried to teach

days. And sometimes a season was capped by racing at Nashville, Ten-

the horse “good manners,” meaning that he must be taught to mind.

nessee or Lexington, Kentucky.

6 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021


The latter venue proved to be the springboard to Ouster’s eventual fame in 1945, when he raced well at the Lexington Trots.

by March 30, when Guy wrote to his daughter, Dorothy, and her husband, Loy Barbre.

As the industr y weekly newsmagazine “The Horseman and Fair

“We are getting along all right, not much work to do,” he wrote. ”The

World” reported in September 1945, “Horse of the Meeting without a

horses are getting along good. It has been raining here for two days and

doubt was the veteran double-gaited gelding Ouster Volo. Starting three

two nights and is still raining but we don’t have to get out in the rain.

times as a trotter and once as a pacer, he won all four of his starts.

We have nice rooms to stay in, we have electric heat, hot and cold water

But his claim to fame came in a race that he didn’t win outright — but then again, no one did. “Then he started as a trotter again and narrowly missed a complete

and good lights and plenty of oranges to eat, and the race track never gets muddy. We sure have good neighbors and I know a lot of people out here.

victory but in doing so turned in a world’s championship performance

“We had a nice trip coming out here with the horses,” Guy added,

as the dead heat is the best on record,” the magazine said. Ouster and

speaking of the drive of more than 2,000 miles. “[I] done most all the

Earl’s Moody Guy finished the mile in 2:05, best ever at the time in a tie

driving in day time so could see the country. The mountains was lovely

on the trot.

to look at, a little up grade for a Ford but we made it OK. Some time we

And Ouster did it at the age of 14, when many other race horses

would go up from 10 to 20 miles, lots of it in low gear and then down the

were long since retired. He was believed to be the oldest trotter at the

same way in second gear and shut off the motor. Some times we would

meeting.

have to go through tunnels but our breaks [brakes] was good when we

The triumphs at Lexington could have capped a career in which Ouster had won 44 races over the course of six years for Guy, with a record of 2:03 ¾ on the trot. But he wasn’t finished.

wanted to use them. The motor run fine all the way. Didn’t add any oil, changed oil two or three times. “Mr. Dixon (?) and I drove up on the mountain one afternoon; it

The Red Mile performance may have convinced Guy to set his sights

seems too high to be (?). Journey (?) made my head and ears hurt for

even higher, for in the winter of 1946, he and Ouster (accompanied

a while, then as we came back I stopped and picked some oranges and

by an aide and perhaps one other horse) set out for California and the

then one evening before he took me over to see the ocean, it looked like

Grand Circuit tracks of Santa Anita and Bay Meadows.

a lot of water to me. I would like to go fishing if I get time. They tell me

The group had settled in at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California

that anyone that knows how to fish with hooks and line can catch 75 to

(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021 7


100 lbs. of fish in one evening.

he did win eight of nine heats in July and August at Rockport, Indiana,

“Dorothy, you must take good care of yourself and get well so you

Benton and Carmi.

can go home soon,” he wrote, referring to her recent spell in the hospi-

Guy and Ouster showed up, as promised, on Sept. 25, 1946 (the 24th

tal. “And tell Mom not to work too hard in the garden and potato patch.

birthday of his newly-married son, Charles, who had been left in charge

Write when you feel like it. Love to all from Dad.”

of the farm during his father’s prolonged absence on the West Coast).

Not all Ouster’s 18 California starts were auspicious (in fact, he won only four heats).

It took three heats, but Guy drove Ouster to victor y in the trotting portion of the challenge. A week later, however, “Ouster got a fit of

In a letter dated Sunday, April 28, 1946, Guy’s wife, Vera, wrote to

temperament” and gave less than his all in the pacing challenge “and

him. “Got your letter yesterday…awfully sorry you are having such bad

lost resoundingly to the Canadian cayuse,” Aaron wrote 12 years later.

luck. But your time will come — just you wait and see!”

(I was not familiar with the word “cayuse,” but Wikipedia defines it as

On Friday, May 3, 1946, Vera wrote that Guy had just one more week to get Ouster ready for the big race. “Tell him if he don’t do better it’s back to corn planting for him!” she wrote.

an archaic term used in the American West, originally referring to a small landrace horse, often noted for unruly temperament.”) I don’t know the particulars, but it was well known that an irritated

Well, he “did better.” On May 4, he started from the 6-hole in the

Ouster wouldn’t cooperate with his driver. So in the days before the

3-year-old and up trot at Santa Anita, took the lead before the quarter

starting gate was mounted on an automobile that gradually acceler-

and led the rest of the way to win in 2:04 ½ on a fast track, tops in a

ated as it moved from the top of the stretch to the starting line, other

field of eight. The race summary said Ouster “was sent into the lead going to the first turn, set all the pace and, under a well rated drive in the final furlong,” held on for the win, earning $450 for his owner. Vera had written earlier, “Sorry old Ouster hasn’t forgotten his old tricks! He may be sorr y this winter–but I guess he is wanting to come home and put in crop.” But on May 8, having learned the “good news” from Santa Anita, she responded with good news of her own: another of Guy’s successful reclamation projects, a mare named B.B., had given bir th to B.B.’s Baby, in Guy’s absence. By May 19, she was writing to ask when Guy and the horses would move on to the Bay Meadows track near San Francisco. He did move north to race at the San Mateo track, winning one race (June 12, a trot, in 2:08) before eventually heading home. Meanwhile, Guy had received an official invitation

drivers would occasionally cause false star ts to

The triumphs at Lexington could have capped a career in which Ouster had won 44 races over the course of six years for Guy, with a record of 2:03 ¾ on the trot. But he wasn’t finished.

to take par t in an extraordinar y event. In a letter

aggravate Ouster and gain an advantage. Maybe that’s what happened at Lexington that September day; maybe not. But the two horses took part in just one heat on the pace, with Tracey Hanover winning in what the yearbook described as “declared finished.” In any event, Guy brought home some cash and a trophy symbolic of Ouster’s title as the continent’s fastest double-gaited trotter. I gave the trophy (a silver platter) a much-needed cleaning and polish just the other day. By 1960, Guy (who was now 70 and hampered by broken bones suf fered in two harness racing accidents) was winding down his career, though not quite done. I was privileged to watch him and Charles (my dad) compete with Scotty Truax and Rosegay on a number of area tracks in the late ‘50s and 1960. And while their performances never approached those of B.B. and Ouster Volo, there were enough victories to thrill me and enough

dated April 16, 1946, the Lexington Trots Breeders Association invited

praise from the spectators for my grandfather and father to warm my

him to bring Ouster back to the Red Mile that fall to race against Trac-

heart as I watched from the sidelines.

ey Hanover, the 14-year-old, double-gaited champion of Canada, in the

I believe Grandpa Guy gave up the sport that he loved when the

International Double-Gaited Match Race. The challenge was issued

woman he loved — Grandma Vera — died in April 1963. He lived for

on behalf of the Harness Horsemen of Canada, Nova Scotia and the

four years, four months and three days longer, dying just after the

Maritime Provinces (which were separately governed at the time). The

birth of his first grandson, Woodie L ynn Puntney. And while I got to

match races were set for Sept. 25 (on the trot) and Oct. 2 (on the pace),

spend a lot of quality time with him (I was 16 when he died), my heart

with $600 to go to the winner and $400 to the runner-up. Trophies were

is sad when I realize that I didn’t ask enough questions or listen close-

also to be presented to the winner(s).

ly enough when he talked about his racing experiences or the other

In order to win, a horse had to capture two heats. The first heat was to be a mile, the second 1 1/8 miles and the third (if needed) 1 1/16 miles. Guy formally accepted the challenge on May 3 — the day before Ouster’s big win at Santa Anita. I don’t know when Guy and his entourage returned to White County from the West Coast, or how he prepared Ouster for the big race. But

8 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021

facets of his life. In retrospect, however, he probably didn’t talk much about his exploits. As Aaron wrote in that 1958 column, Guy was “quiet, almost shy, and unassuming. And most of all, he doesn’t want to sound like he’s bragging. “Sure, he’s proud of his luck with horses,” Aaron added, “but he’d rather die than brag about it.”


American Girl Doll Mania WRITER AND PHOTOS: ERIN ZINZILIETTA-PENNINGTON If you have a little girl, she might have fallen

both wonderful and maddening.

prey to the American Girl Doll epidemic. My daugh-

Taylor read most of the books, which taught

ter caught the American Girl bug when she was

her a lot about history. She would sit and play with

eight. She received her first doll, named Kit, and a

her dolls for hours. She talked to them, fed them,

love affair/addiction started.

brushed their hair and changed their clothes.

“American Girl is an American line of 18-inch

Wherever we went, a doll was sure to tag along.

dolls released in 1986 by Pleasant Company. The

Usually Bitty Baby, also known as “Baby Kather-

dolls portray eight– to eleven–year–old girls of a

ine,” with her one eye that stuck shut, went with

variety of ethnicities. They are sold with accompa-

us. We had her carrier, car seat, receiving blanket,

nying books told from the viewpoint of the girls.

baby powder, rattle, and even birthday cake. It was

Originally the stories focused on various periods

like dragging around another child.

of American history, but were expanded in 1995 to

I have to admit, that the contagion rubbed off.

include characters and stories from contemporary

When a catalog came out, I sat in awe of the market-

life. Pleasant Company was founded in 1986 by

ing genius that went into making these dolls. The

Pleasant Rowland, and its products were originally

play food and small scale furniture was historically

purchasable by mail order only. In 1998, Pleasant

accurate. I found myself in a make believe wonder-

Company became a subsidiary of Mattel.” (www.

land, where I never wanted to leave. Who wouldn’t

wikipedia.com) Hence, a phenomena was born.

like to have a picture perfect life?

Once an American Girl Doll is purchased, so is

The American Girl Doll spell broke when Taylor

the desire to obtain more. You are not just buying

was 12. She was ready to move on to other things

a doll, but a collector’s addiction. My Taylor is the

and I was sad to see it all go. While having these

only child, of an only child, on her father’s side, so

dolls was costly, it was so wonderful seeing a child

Grandma Dorothy came to the rescue. Between my

learn and play and use their imagination. I was

Mom and her paternal grandmother, Taylor ended

happy that she was happy. I missed sitting for hours

up owning all of the original set of American Girl’s

making her clothes for her dolls. I missed her little

including: Kit, Molly, Felicity, Samantha, Kirsten,

friends coming over for doll day. I missed Bitty

Addy, Josefina, and Kaya. Then she received special

Babies birthday parties that happened on a regular

dolls like Lindsey and three Bitty Babies. Basically,

basis. Most of all, I missed my little Taylor.

she owned over $1,500 worth of dolls, not including

I’ve been told that having a little boy is equally

all the extras that you have to buy separately. I’m

as expensive with die cast tractors, video games,

not saying this to brag, I’m saying this to show how

super hero figurines, and matchbox cars. While

out of hand it can get. With each birthday and each

that may be true, nothing can compare to American

Christmas a doll was sure to arrive, as well as the

Girl mania. It’s a wild wonderful ride that ends all

doll’s pet and favorite articles of clothing. It was

too soon.

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Farm-to-table dining under the stars Oct. 7 WRITER: ANDREA HOWE Our neighbors in the 618 area know a

Scates. Money raised from the dinner will

at the grocer y store or gas station, maybe

thing or two about farm to table dining. Our

benefit White County Future Farmers of

they’re no longer a stranger.

gardens and our produce stands dot the

America clubs.

countr yside, and the fruits of our labor come

“A number of people asked why we were

to our dinner table regularly during growing

doing the event, or what it was for,” Scates

season.

“Our hope is that this dinner helps narrow that divide that’s going on in the world right now,” he said.

said of the first dinner. “Of course, we are

Tickets for the Oct. 7 event can be pur-

And yet, few farm-to-table dining experi-

raising money for dif ferent organizations

chased by phoning Scates Valley Irrigation

ences in this area can compare to the White

like 4-H and FFA, but it’s more to celebrate

at 618-968-2471 or stopping by the People’s

County Farm To Table Dinner. The 5:30 p.m.

agriculture in our communities and county —

National Bank Carmi branch. Sponsorships

Oct. 7 meal takes place right in the middle

while also hopefully bringing our community

are also available at those locations, and

of the 100 block of South Main Cross Street,

closer,” he explained.

sponsor names will be on banners displayed

under the lights, with a view of the historic

“We are all guilty of staying in our own

Webb Hay House and Carmi’s oldest home,

circles, at work, churches, clubs, etc. Maybe

at the event. The organizing committee for the White

the Robinson Stewart House Museum.

this helps join some of those circles,” he

County Farm To Table meal includes Patrick

This year’s event follows the inaugural

suggested. “With one table set up down the

H. and Tim Scates of Scates Valley Irrigation,

2019 Farm to Table dinner that drew great

middle of the street, you never know who

Carmi-White County school teacher Bethany

feedback, with par ticipants asking organiz-

you might be seated across from, or next to.

Scates, and Malinda Nelson and Jill Fowler of

ers to make it an annual event, said Patrick

Then, the next time you run into that person

Peoples National Bank.

10 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021


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(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021 11


Community Events GET ON THE CALENDAR Want to see your event on the (618) Hometown Magazine Event Calendar? Send us an email at:

news@mtcarmelregister.com * Event listings are on a first-come, first-served basis

OCT. 7

Farm to Table Carmi

OCT. 8-9

Carmi Kiwanis Corn Days Carmi

OCT. 9

Albion City-wide Yard Sale Harvestfest 2021

Berryville Vineyards – Claremont – 12 p.m.

OCT. 2

100th Mule Days Celebration

Candy Corn 5K

Enfield

Carmi – 1 p.m.

Second Annual Oktoberfest Rotary Park – Olney

OCT. 30

Brawl in the Fall (Pickleball)

Market St., Mount Carmel – 1 p.m.

Riverview Ramble Half Marathon

Olney Tennis Courts – 8 a.m.

Chili Cook Off

OCT. 31

Hogwarts Halloween

Beall Woods – Mount Carmel – 8 a.m.

Olney Public Library – 5 p.m.

(618) GET TO KNOW YOUR HOMETOWN Follow us on Facebook @618HometownMagazine 12 (618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021


Halloween fun and scares in Southern Illinois WRITER: COREY WOOLSEY The Christmas season is a time where people can drive down local streets and see the decorations placed by their neighbors. But some locals celebrate and decorate for other holidays as well, including Halloween. Jay Hillyard built a his version of “Rock Ridge,” a small area in rural Wabash County named for the fictional village made famous in the Mel Brook’s classic ‘Blazing Saddles.” “We do outdoor movies in the summer, but our main thing is Halloween,” Hillyard said. “We cook chili, we do a haunted hayride, we have a lot of decorations including animated stuff on the hayride. One of the big things we do is we have a collection of power wheels so the kids can sit in front of the movies screen like they are at the drive-in.” The tradition at Rock Ridge started in 2014 for Hillyard, and they have hosted around 60 people at the site at one time. “We don’t collect any money for anything, it’s just something to do that isn’t like anything else in the area,” Hillyard said. According to Hillyard’s girlfriend, Tracy Moler, Rock Ridge star ted in a fairly small area, but expanded over the years. As for the hayride, the first year the vehicle was a four-wheeler and a two-wheeled trailer. Now, Hillyard uses a tractor and found an old trailer that looks similar to an old stagecoach. Events at Rock Ridge are sometimes a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing, but typically a plan is in place.

patch,” he said. “We did a plant your own

“We tr y to plan it out and do it a little

pumpkin patch a couple of years ago. I went

before dark for people who haven’t been out

out and plowed part of the field and we had

there,” said Moler. Hillyard said that he does

150 pumpkins planted, but the boll weevils got

invitations to the event nights, and tells those

them.”

invited to bring their friends — but sometimes

However, in the process, over $300 was

random people just show up because they are

collected and donated to the Wabash County

curious.

Lunch Wagon.

“We tell people that if they don’t know the

Hillyard said that they usually get things

place, to invite some friends so they kind of

together around late September to celebrate

have their own group to mingle with,” Hillyard

the Halloween season.

said.

Rock Ridge has its own page of Facebook

Of all the things to see and do at Rock

where interested residents can check out pic-

Ridge, one thing Hillyard said was a work in

tures of the area and contact Hillyard about all

progress was a pumpkin patch.

the events they host. The venue is located at

“We kind of flopped on the pumpkin

17639 East 700 RD, Wabash County.

(618) HOMETOWN MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2021 13



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