Children enjoyed a petting zoo at Sawyer’s Little Orchard Fall Festival. The zebu on the left, an ancient Indian breed of cattle, was a favorite along with donkeys.
Courtesy | Jen Trainer
The eighth annual Sawyer’s Little Orchard Fall Festival took place Oct. 7-8. The festival is put on by John and Samantha Walker in remembrance of their son, Sawyer Walker, who they lost in 2015 when he was 3 years old.
“The purpose of the festival is to give kids in the community the opportunity to enjoy some of the farm experiences that Sawyer would have enjoyed,” John Walker said.
Sawyer’s grandmother, Janet Walker, described the event, which was attended by several hundred on the Walker farm in Mount Gilead. She said some of the things the kids liked best were the swimming pools with shelled corn in them, the bounce houses, and the corn maze. There was also a pumpkin patch where kids picked their own pumpkins, along with face painting, cookies, hot dogs, chili and fresh squeezed cider.
While at the festival, kids had the chance to shell ears of corn on an antique hand sheller, help stir apple butter in a kettle, and turn the crank to squeeze cider from a hand press. There was also a basketball wagon and chain saw exhibition.
While attendees were able to purchase raffle tickets and T-shirts, everything else was paid for by John and Samantha Walker and donations from the community and family.
The family said the festival depends on volunteers and donations to keep going from year to year. This year, Osborne Orchard donated apples for the apple butter and cider. Last year, Lawrence Orchards donated apples. Dean Redmond, Zak and Emily Smith (Smith’s Country Corner), and Kristin Redmond (Leaping in Faith Mums) donated totes of pumpkins to supplement the pumpkin patch. The First Presbyterian Church in Mount Gilead donated money from its monthly breakfast. The Presbyterian ladies baked dozens of cookies as did lots of other women in the community, making sure there was enough for both days.
Janet Walker said one of the family’s main volunteers, John’s friend Tony Sidoti, takes the entire week away from his job to help them get everything set up. Angie Bush makes extra pumpkin cookies because she knows everyone gets into them while they are setting up the festival. There are several others who lend their time and talents to help get ready.
“Having this festival helps the family get through this difficult time of year. Grief is hard, but our family now has a relationship with God like never before,” said Janet Walker.
Alberta Stojkovic is a correspondent for The Morrow County Sentinel.
