Fall Festival day at Maple Crest (Sept. 29,) was full of several events.

By 10 a.m. a colorful array of 31 tractors, 8 engines and one corn shredding machine was lined up ready to be examined.

MORE PHOTO AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY!

Maple Crest residents got a big kick out of riding up and down the rows of machines in a sulky pulled by TR Steiner’s tractor. For all who participated, the experience was a reminder of our agricultural heritage, and for many, it was an opportunity to relive farming moments in their personal histories.

Thirty-three children, ages 12 and under, took the tractor show to another level by testing their strength in the Kiddie Tractor Pull. 

Parents and fans cheered the efforts of each class (determined by weight) as the children strove to accomplish a “full pull.”  Winners each received a home-made wooden tractor created by Wayne Shafer, a duplex resident at MHCO. 

Kiddie Pull Tractor winners

In Class #1 (the lighter-weight class), Lane Wildermuth won first place with a pull of 18’4”; Gavin Kruse was second with a pull of 14’5”; and Carson Kruse was third with a pull of 14’3”. 

In Class #2, four competitors each managed a “full pull” and had to do a tie-breaker round with an additional 10 pounds of weight added to the tractor.  

Nicholas Jebsen won first place with another “Full Pull”; Matthew Horton was second with a pull of 23’8”; and Taelor Miller was third with a pull of 23’7”.  Troy Wildermuth is to be congratulated for his original “full pull” before that final elimination round.
 

Fishing Derby

Around 80 adults and children enjoyed the sunny comfortable afternoon, but the fishing experts felt that the sunshine kept some fish from biting. 

The best fish story of the day came from Arlene Allison, the wife of John Allison’s grandson, who caught the longest fish at 22 inches. At the last Maple Crest Fishing Derby, Arlene won the prize for the “Biggest Fish that Got Away,” claiming that she really had a big one on her line before the line broke.

When Arlene reeled in her winning catch on Saturday, she discovered that the fish had a second hook already in its mouth – it was her “fish that got away.”  Arlene was vindicated.

Luther Shetler officially ended the Derby with a warbling blast of sound from a horn created out of an African antler. At the next Derby, Luther plans to follow an African tradition of blowing the horn at the start of the Derby to “welcome” the fish.  Maybe that missing factor accounted for fewer fish biting…

Prizes of the day at the Fishing Derby included:
• One of the first persons out to the Derby – Kira Osborn and Bryan Zimmerman
• First Maple Crest resident actually out fishing – Hazel Rodabaugh
• Caught the first fish – Caity Zimmerman
• Caught the 2nd fish – Timmy Betts
• Wore a “cool” hat – Shyla Algeri (with glittery sequins); Karson Hauenstein (camouflage cap)
• Wore a great fishing outfit – Connor McKean (camouflage pants)
• Brought a bunch of guests – two-way tie – residents Jo Ann Hilty and John Allison at 9 guests each
• Caught the longest fish – Arlene Allison (22”)
• Caught the 2nd longest fish – Rory Motter (17”)
• Caught the 3rd longest fish – two-way tie – Melina Meza and Sydney Motter (12 ½”)
(Note: shortly after the official ending of the Derby, Emerson Meza caught a 14” fish, which would have been the 3rd longest of the day)
• Caught the shortest fish – Sebastian Baker (3 ½”)
• Caught the 2nd shortest fish – Caleb Mikesell (4 ¼”)
• Caught the 3rd shortest fish – Timmy Betts (5”)
• Caught the most fish – two-way tie – Cameron Hilty and Sebastian Baker at 3 each
• Caught the 2nd most fish – three-way tie – Timmy Bates, Melina Meza and Arlene Allison at 2 each
• Came the farthest – Jon Szabo (son of Jean Szabo) and his son Jack  from Columbus
• The newest resident at the Derby – Claude Campbell
ª The official horn blower for the Derby – Luther Shetler

While all the outdoor activities were in progress, guests indoors were treated to the professional jazz sounds of the “Don Hurless Trio.”  Bringing a “New York-like” ambiance to the Maple Crest halls were Don Hurless on piano, Gary Spradlin on the bass guitar, and Jerry Szabo on drums. 

The up-beat atmosphere was perfect for dining on the traditional Maple Crest Fall Festival fare of jumbo hotdogs with home-made apple crisp and home-made cinnamon ice cream.

In another form of “The Arts,” resident Genevieve Fast was honored for her “Fine Art” oil painting on canvas called “Desert Moon.”  Fast’s 2008 painting of a yucca plant under a full moon was inspired by a night-time trip through the desert.  “Desert Moon” also won Fast a second-place ribbon at the West Regional competition hosted by LeadingAge of Ohio.     

Resident Floyd Hartman summed up the feeling with the statement, “Could we do it again next week?”  To see more photos from MHCO’s involvement with the Bluffton Fall Festival, please visit facebook.com/MHCOhio.

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