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Historic Johnson Farm Festival Set for April 25


The 19th Annual Johnson Farm Festival kicks into gear once more on Saturday, April 25, 2009.

The air will fill with the sweet sounds of bluegrass music, the tapping feet of dancers, the braying of farm animals, and the squeals of youngsters on wagon rides. As always, the crowd celebrates spring and our mountain heritage at this annual event. Both young and old will enjoy the 35 exhibits and demonstrations of skills and crafts.

Come hungry and purchase a slice of homemade pound cake. Take home a whole one if your heart desires. Lunch, beverages and snacks provided by school volunteers from the Henderson County Public Schools will be for sale as well. Special entertainment and games will be in a children�s activities area. House tours, the barn loft museum of farm memorabilia, and nature trails complete the fun-filled day.

There is another reason to celebrate this year, as the farm was one of 19 recipients of the coveted Blue Ridge National Heritage Area grants designed to preserve and promote Western North Carolina�s heritage. The farm will receive a $20,200 matching grant to restore the vintage boarding house which is currently not winterized. A new stage, with cost projections of $16,000, is part of the farm committee�s improvement plans as well.

Both will enable the farm to offer more year-round programs and demonstration of old-time skills. The spring festival proceeds will go towards these two projects, educational and children�s activities, and animal care.

Community donors are encouraged to help meet the matching grant by sending their tax-deductible donations to Historic Johnson Farm/HCEF, 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville, NC 28791 (phone:891-6585.)

A variety of new crafts, exhibits and skill demonstrations come to the festival this spring. Chair caning will be demonstrated for the first time by David Raley and John Molthen of Jonny Poindexter�s Closet in Bat Cave. Like baskets, chair caning played an important part in household crafts and furniture-making in our region. Natural materials such as split oak or cat-tail bulrushes were used.

Joining the regular Civil War Encampment group who attend the festival will be the MacBeth Light Artillery. The group has an interesting local history connection to share, according to re-enactor Warren Scott. The group plans to exhibit a real Confederate bronze rifle named �Annie Lee� that was made by Noble Brothers in Rome, Georgia. Though this artillery unit was largely from Laurens and Union County SC, the group was stationed near Battery Park at the corner of Cherry and Flint Streets in Asheville towards the end of the Civil War. The armory in Asheville stationed them there because the area needed extra protection. When they were given permission to leave after Lee�s surrender, they headed towards Hendersonville. About 14 miles from Hendersonville on Howard Gap Road, they were met by Union soldiers. Some of the Confederate soldiers were captured; others went back to SC.

Also attending will be the Art League of Hendersonville doing Plein Air Painting. Local author Leanne Saine of Zirconia will be on hand to greet festival attendees and autograph her book �Gone to Nowhere�. Steve Longenecker will attend to show his Raptors and Snakes. �Pot Buddies� will be shown by potter April Pace. �Wooden Things� demonstrated by Cary Pace and �Woodworking� by AW Ruff are both new this year. Jamie Hafner, a retired educator, will be on hand for songs and stories in the children�s activities area.

Festival hours are from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Historic Johnson Farm, 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville, NC 28791. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for students K-12, preschool free. Lunches, drinks and snacks are for sale at food booths. This event will be held rain or shine.

The historic farm is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 1880s-era farmhouse is believed to be the oldest brick home in Henderson County. The entire structure was hand-built. The brick were fired on site from French Broad River clay that was hauled in by oxen. One outstanding feature of the home is the quarter-turn three story staircase with its hand-turned spindles � fashioned by Riley Barnett, a talented local craftsman. The farm was originally a tobacco farm, but became popular with summer visitors seeking relief from the heat. During its heyday, a room with three mouth-watering meals cost $5 a week.

The farm features 10 historic buildings including a barn, clapboard boarding house, granary and smokehouse; other features are donkeys and Jacob�s sheep, nature trails and 15 acres of forest, fields and streams. The property was a gift to the schoolchildren of Henderson County from the late Johnson brothers. Vernon and Leander Johnson with their mother Sallie ran the farm as a summer tourist retreat during the Depression years. The children who were summer boarders learned firsthand about farm life, gathering eggs and vegetables and helping with farm chores. Many returned season after season.

It was the Johnson brothers� wish that their property be used as a heritage education center, and they bequeathed it to the Henderson County Board of Education. Today, it is managed by the non-profit Henderson County Education Foundation. Area schoolchildren come to the farm for field trips. Historic Johnson Farm is one of three farms nationwide owned by a public school system. Tours for the public are given at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm Tuesdays through Fridays.

Call (828) 891-6585 or visit www.historicjohnsonfarm.org.

(Images provided by Johnson Farm.)



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