Added on August 4, 2014 Sara Swanson

Black Sheep Festival to Celebrate Agricultural Heritage

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Manchester is planning a new festival celebrating its agricultural past and present. The Black Sheep Festival on Thursday, August 14 will bring farm adventure to the Village. Occurring in conjunction with the Manchester Farmers Market on Adrian Street, there will be sheep shearing demonstrations by David Roehms at 5 and 6pm, on-going wool spinning demonstrations by Lorrie Green, and a produce and flower contest open to everyone — farmers and gardeners alike. Wild Acorn and Worth Repeating will be open for business during the event and Frank’s Place will serve a “Black Sheep”menu at their restaurant with lamb gyros and more.

The produce and flower contest is loosely based on the produce competition at the fair. Everyone is invited to bring their entries to the farmers market between 4 and 5 pm. Everyone entering will be assigned a number which will be displayed with the produce. The panel of judges will begin deliberations at 5:30pm. Prizes will be announced at 6:45pm. First, Second and Third place ribbons will be awarded as well as $3, $2 & $1 prizes in each category. All prize money will be awarded in “farmers market bucks” which can be used at the farmers market like cash. Farmers market-goers will receive coupons with with every purchase of produce. They will then get to vote for their favorite entry. The “public’s choice” winner will receive a larger prize and will be announced last.

There are 25 fruit and vegetable categories. These are most perfect tomato, biggest tomato, most unusual tomato, “most perfect”, “biggest” and “most unusual” pepper, corn, bean, leafy green, carrot and fruit. The other categories are largest zucchini, largest melon, and largest other squash and fruit plate with the most colors. There are 7 flower categories which include most beautiful single flower, most beautiful bouquet, largest single flower, largest bouquet, most unusual single flower, most unusual bouquet, and best bouquet with maroon and gold colors. Click HERE for an entry form or pick one up at the festival. It is free to enter to the contest.

In spring 2014, in conjunction with applying for and receiving a tourism grant, a community group met to discuss how to promote tourism in Manchester. One idea that came out of this meeting was agri-tourism. It was both feasible and relevant as well as unique tourism focus for our area. The Black Sheep Festival at the Farmers Market is an early foray into promoting Manchester through agri-tourism.

The festival is being organized by Ruth VanBogelen, Susan Gistinger, Carolyn Dyer, and Kathy Austin, all part of the agri-tourism group. VanBogelen explained how they came up with the name “Manchester and Washtenaw County have always been active in raising sheep. Plus the Black Sheet Theatre and restaurants have been a tourist attraction in the past.”

The organizers plan to conduct tours of farms next year. They’ve set up a survey to determine what people would like to have included to make a great farm tour. You can take the survey HERE.

For more information, email farmersmarket48158@gmail.com.

Correction: This article originally stated that organizers plan to incorporate farm tours into the festival next year. The farm tours will actually be their own events unaffiliated with the Black Sheep Festival.