HARVEST OF HAPPENINGS

• When: September 29 & 30, 2012

• Location: (Map It) Throughout Darke County near Greenville, Ohio

• Phone: 1-800-504-2995 or 937-548-5158

• Web: VisitDarkeCounty.org

America’s heritage is centered on the fall harvest. It has been a time of celebration from the pioneers to present. So it is with this spirit that so many treasures across Darke County offer everything autumn.  

Prairie Days at Shawnee Prairie brings an entire community from 1780 – 1810 to life, including blacksmith, candle makers, living encampment, storytellers, traveling musicians, ladies at spinning wheels and lessons on loading a musket and rifle, plus fresh apple butter and corn being shred and ground. Pioneer games are being played and men are at work carving a canoe out of tree trunk Wares are for sale, include jewelry, pottery and other pieces from the 1700 - 1800’s. Kettle corn, ice cream and other tasty treats fill bellies in time for a leisurely tractor or horse-drawn wagon ride.

Over at Bears Mill, the French Buhr millstones are busy grinding flours and meals just as they have since 1849. This working historical landmark is a destination for artists and photographers. Sitting on the banks of Greenville Creek, the hand hewn timber framework stands four stories against the wooded backdrop, which offers lovely fall hiking trails. Inside, tours of all four floors reveal a storied history. There’s also an art gallery featuring locally handmade pottery, paintings and other original works.

A stone’s skip from the ole mill is Brumbaugh Fruit & Fun Farm. It features an orchard that has grown into a diverse family destination for people to come play and shop at the same time. Get lost in the Kinda Kooky Korn Maze or set the kids loose on the Human Hamster Wheels. Hayrides to the pumpkin patch learning to feed and groom the farm animals are kids’ favorites. Storybook characters wait in an enchanted forest and hiking throughout the orchards teaches about the many varieties of apples grown on the farm. Behind the scenes tours reveal the cider press room and cooler.

A Harvest of Happenings also features the Ohio Gourd Show at the Darke County Fairgrounds in Greenville. Artisans bend them, shape them and paint them to make masks, bowls, and musical instruments. Many of the specimens are for sale. In addition, there are workshops, food, entertainment and crafts.

In downtown Greenville’s quaint, shopping district, the streetscape is buzzing with activity! There’s even a tractor cruise. The harvest is celebrated with festive scarecrow displays, chili cook-off and tasting, story time on the Courthouse lawn, fashion show, Farmers’ Market and a salsa cooking demonstration at KitchenAid Experience Center.

Hours, admissions and more details on these events, as well as many others are available at VisitDarkeCounty.org.