Fire engines, faces covered in chocolate cream pie and draft horses will be the main attraction at the 14th annual Wheat Harvest Festival in King Ferry.
Dan Utter, the event's organizer, said more than 500 people would be expected at this year's event, which kicks off with an hour-long parade and features an old-fashioned wheat harvest exhibit, as well as a free pie eating contest.
“It's all volunteers too,” Utter said. “The Genoa Historical Association, the New York State Draft Horse Association, the donations from local businesses and the items for the cake wheel - we do it all with volunteers.”
Even an adjacent field owned by Scott and Eugene Shaw is donated, ensuring there is wheat that needs to be harvested, Utter said.
Chuck Minturn, a member of the draft horse association, said he and other club members would be using horses such as Belgians and Percherons to cut and harvest the crop.
“We show people how (farmers) used to do the wheat before they had combines like they have today,” Minturn said.
Minturn, who has been a farmer for most of his life, said he uses his horses every chance he gets instead of using more modern technology.
“The horses aren't noisy, they don't use diesel fuel, which is getting very expensive, and it's more enjoyable for me,” Minturn said. “I am 68 years old now, and I have never been without horses. And I have been farming for a better part of that time.”
And depending on who else signs up for the parade, Minturn's team of horses may be strutting their stuff down Route 90.
“Our parade will have antique cars, fire engines, floats, animals and hopefully a couple of bands,” Utter said. “It's just your general parade.”
But perhaps the most anticipated and exciting event is the pie eating contest.
“The pie eating contest is always a big hit, and people can win prizes from Wilcox's Cream at the Top,” Utter said. “There will also be kids games, crafts, music and a chicken barbecue. Last year, we had 350 chicken halves, and they sold out in just more than an hour.”
This year's festival will also have a relatively new tradition: A small concert that will take place the night before.
“This will be our fourth year for the concert, and people seem to enjoy it,” Utter said. “Hopefully it will be a nice summer night under a tent with some nice music to listen to.”
The concert and the festival have been such a success that Utter said he always has people coming up to thank him or to ask about next year's event.
“The festival is a big thing around here,” Utter said. “I know a lot of people who will schedule their vacations around it so they can come back and meet old friends.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
If you go
What: Wheat Harvest Festival and Parade
When: Concert is 6 to 9 p.m. Friday; parade starts at 11 a.m. Saturday; festival is noon to 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Rural Life Museum, Route 34B, King Ferry
Cost: Free
Info: Call 364-8202
“It's all volunteers too,” Utter said. “The Genoa Historical Association, the New York State Draft Horse Association, the donations from local businesses and the items for the cake wheel - we do it all with volunteers.”
Even an adjacent field owned by Scott and Eugene Shaw is donated, ensuring there is wheat that needs to be harvested, Utter said.
Chuck Minturn, a member of the draft horse association, said he and other club members would be using horses such as Belgians and Percherons to cut and harvest the crop.
“We show people how (farmers) used to do the wheat before they had combines like they have today,” Minturn said.
Minturn, who has been a farmer for most of his life, said he uses his horses every chance he gets instead of using more modern technology.
“The horses aren't noisy, they don't use diesel fuel, which is getting very expensive, and it's more enjoyable for me,” Minturn said. “I am 68 years old now, and I have never been without horses. And I have been farming for a better part of that time.”
And depending on who else signs up for the parade, Minturn's team of horses may be strutting their stuff down Route 90.
“Our parade will have antique cars, fire engines, floats, animals and hopefully a couple of bands,” Utter said. “It's just your general parade.”
But perhaps the most anticipated and exciting event is the pie eating contest.
“The pie eating contest is always a big hit, and people can win prizes from Wilcox's Cream at the Top,” Utter said. “There will also be kids games, crafts, music and a chicken barbecue. Last year, we had 350 chicken halves, and they sold out in just more than an hour.”
This year's festival will also have a relatively new tradition: A small concert that will take place the night before.
“This will be our fourth year for the concert, and people seem to enjoy it,” Utter said. “Hopefully it will be a nice summer night under a tent with some nice music to listen to.”
The concert and the festival have been such a success that Utter said he always has people coming up to thank him or to ask about next year's event.
“The festival is a big thing around here,” Utter said. “I know a lot of people who will schedule their vacations around it so they can come back and meet old friends.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
If you go
What: Wheat Harvest Festival and Parade
When: Concert is 6 to 9 p.m. Friday; parade starts at 11 a.m. Saturday; festival is noon to 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Rural Life Museum, Route 34B, King Ferry
Cost: Free
Info: Call 364-8202
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