October 22, 2003

Harvest festival ode to old-fashioned farming

Rolling Centuries Historical Farm holds second annual fund-raiser for GT Commons Barns

By Gretchen Murray
Special to the Herald

The warmth of autumn that blanketed Traverse City last weekend gave area farmers some extra time to gather in their harvest.
But a few local farmers took time off on Saturday to reminisce about the "good old days" of farming during the Rolling Centuries Historical Farm's second annual Harvest Festival at the Barns on the Old State Hospital grounds.

Herald photo by Gretchen Murray
Ashley Vanderlinde, 4, of Kingsley, is pleased with her entry in the pumpkin painting contest Saturday at the Rolling Centuries Farm Harvest Festival.

Those who attended the festival took advantage of several vintage horse-drawn farm wagons from which they enjoyed the sunshine and fall colors while touring the Grand Traverse Commons. The festival also featured music and a pumpkin painting contest that kept many of the youngsters engrossed.
But most of the children's attention was focused on the guided pony rides. The chance for a ride on a real pony was what brought three-year-old Georgia Bolek to the event.
"She's obsessed with horses," said her mother, Barb Bolek of Traverse City. "Yesterday was her third birthday, and going for a horsy ride was all she wanted to do."
The book sale drew the attention of Kinsley Eley, 3 1/2, of Traverse City who dug through boxes of books with her grandmother, Julie Kincannon of Traverse City.
"I've lived here 22 years and was curious about what's going on with the Barns, and it's a nice way to spend the day," Kincannon said.
While most people found the festival a nice way to enjoy the fall afternoon, farmers participating in the event were there because of their interest in preserving the historical aspects of the Barns.
"This stuff needs to be saved," said Jim Breithaupt, who farms 250 acres in Buckley. "Everybody's too quick to get rid of our heritage. People need to remember that this was a working farm that made the hospital self-sufficient," he said.
The Barns area, an intricate part of the former Traverse City State Hospital, was once a thriving farm maintained in part by the hospital residents. Due to increased costs, lack of patient help and other circumstances, the farm operations were discontinued in 1957.
Presently, The Rolling Centuries Historical Farm Committee has been raising funds to restore and preserve the Barns - something area farmer Bill Hoxie talked about while waiting for his wagon to fill up with riders.
"I worked here as an electrical foreman for 34 years," said Hoxie, who retired from the State Hospital in 1984. "I would like to see the property used for the people of Traverse City." Hoxie suggested that the Barns be used for a community center or dances. He thinks moving the city zoo to the property also would be a good idea.
That idea along with several others will be up for discussion soon noted Mike Groleau, a member of the newly formed Garfield Township and Traverse City Recreational Authority, who attended the festival with his family.
Groleau said that the group would be looking into ideas for development of the Commons area along with Oleson's Field and the Smith Barney Building when the board meets for the first time next Tuesday.
"We hope to be able to form a plan for the voters in 2004," Groleau said. "The Rolling Centuries group promotes farms and there has been mention of moving the farm market out here," he said.
Groleau also said that several other plans related to the Barns would be discussed.
"There's the concept of making this into an educational center and discussion about moving the zoo out here, he said. "We keep hearing these suggestions while attending events like this, so those are the things we plan to address."