By Ryan Applegate
Individuals’s Defender
The seventeenth Annual Wheat Ridge Olde Thyme Herb Truthful and Harvest Competition is about to return Friday, October 10 by way of Sunday, October 12, bringing three days of fall enjoyable, household traditions, and handcrafted allure again to Adams County Amish Nation. The pageant will as soon as once more happen at 817 Tater Ridge Highway in West Union, the working farm of Herb and Kim Erwin, and might be open each day from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Guests can count on a nostalgic, old school honest ambiance crammed with the scent of harvest spices, the sound of stay music, and rows of tents that includes distinctive handcrafted items. “It’ll be enjoyable for the entire household,” Kim mentioned. “There’s one thing for everyone, whether or not you’re purchasing, selecting a pumpkin, or simply hanging out with good folks.”
This yr’s pageant will showcase a number of new distributors and particular options, highlighted by what Kim calls “the Nice Pumpkin,” an enormous pumpkin perched atop a classic 1947 Ford truck. “We’ve had the outdated truck for eight years,” she mentioned. “Herb noticed the pumpkin and mentioned we needed to have it.” The attention-catching show has already develop into a success on-line after being featured on the pageant’s Fb web page.
Among the many new sights, guests will discover demonstrations from a mother-daughter workforce who function a woolen mill close to Lucas Grove. They are going to be displaying conventional methods like carding and getting ready wool, providing a glimpse into old-time craftsmanship. A brand new blacksmith will even be a part of the pageant lineup, together with a number of vintage distributors and a tea vendor making their Wheat Ridge debut.
Kim mentioned she can be excited to welcome again some acquainted faces, distributors who needed to step away for just a few years on account of well being or household causes. “It’s at all times good to see them again,” she mentioned. “They’re a part of what makes this pageant particular.”
The honest will once more function stay music all through the weekend, together with the return of in style native performer Bryce Thompson, identified for his Elvis tribute act. “He’s a great child,” Kim mentioned. “Individuals actually get pleasure from him, and he has a bunch that follows him all over the place.”
The pageant grounds might be adorned with colourful fall shows, together with a whole bunch of vibrant mums, with greater than 500 anticipated this yr, together with rustic picture alternatives round each nook. Between the decorations, music, and pleasant ambiance, the occasion captures the perfect of small-town autumn allure.
Distributors are anticipated to fill the grounds, providing all the pieces from handmade crafts and jewellery to antiques, dwelling décor, and natural merchandise. Meals distributors might be serving a big selection of savory and candy pageant favorites. “Meals, pumpkins, good distributors, that’s what folks love,” Kim mentioned. “We’ve received Miller’s Kettle Corn coming again, and that’s at all times a crowd-pleaser.”
As at all times, the honest maintains its roots in pure residing and handmade artistry. Many distributors will function natural merchandise, soaps, oils, and treatments that align with the honest’s namesake theme.
Admission stays simply $5 per carload, making the occasion inexpensive for households on the lookout for a enjoyable weekend outing. The spacious farm format permits loads of room to discover, and organizers are optimistic concerning the climate forecast, which is predicted to be gentle and fall-like, a welcome change after current heat weeks.
“This might be yr quantity 17,” Kim mentioned. “It will get a bit simpler yearly, however there’s at all times a lot to do proper earlier than it begins. As soon as it’s all arrange and the music begins enjoying, although, it’s value each bit of labor.”
With a mixture of new and acquainted sights, stay demonstrations, and the unmistakable allure of Wheat Ridge Farm, the 2025 Olde Thyme Herb Truthful and Harvest Competition guarantees one other unforgettable weekend of group, creativity, and celebration of the harvest season.
