Plant sale to be featured in Fairfield Bay activities

Eleanor Hilsenrath, left, and Cynthia Lacken prepare plants for the Van Buren County Master Gardeners
Eleanor Hilsenrath, left, and Cynthia Lacken prepare plants for the Van Buren County Master Gardeners

FAIRFIELD BAY — Residents and visitors alike are invited to celebrate spring at two festivals in one on Saturday — Bloomin’ in the Bay and Blues and BBQ in the Bay.

Bloomin’ in the Bay will kick off at 8 a.m. Saturday and continue until 1 p.m. in Ed Leamon Park, 522 Dave Creek Parkway at Fairfield Bay. Blues and BBQ will also be held in the park, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bloomin’ in the Bay will feature the 14th annual Van Buren County Master Gardeners Plant Sale.

“The Master Gardeners are really excited about this year’s event,” said Maud Huber of Fairfield Bay, president of the local group. “We’ve worked really hard to provide beautiful plants, expert tips and lots of options for home gardeners to create their own piece of heaven at home.”

Cynthia Lacken, publicity chairman, said the plant sale will feature locally grown perennials, annuals, shrubs, herbs and vegetables, as well as top arts and crafts vendors, kids’ events and hot-grill cuisine.

“We will sponsor a special presentation at 12:30 p.m., Lacken said. “Linda Pratt of Fairfield Bay will talk about Keyhole Vegetable Gardening, which is one of the latest trends in gardening.”

Lacken said the sale will feature special handmade garden sculptures.

“We have a butterfly garden here in the park,” Lacken said. “A bazillion butterflies are here in the summer.

“Janet Carson (horticulture specialist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service) saw the butterfly garden and noticed a sculptured butterfly on the gate,” Lacken said.

“She said, ‘You ought to sell butterflies like this at your plant sale.’ So that’s what we are doing this year,” Lacken said, laughing. “Eleanor Hilsenrath of Fairfield Bay is a potter and a member of the Van Buren County Master Gardeners. She has cast butterflies in stoneware and adhered the finished products to pieces of driftwood found here in Fairfield Bay to make these garden sculptures.

“We will have eight of these handmade garden sculptures for sale.”

Hilsenrath said two other Master Gardeners helped her craft the sculptures; they were Marguerite Dory of Bee Branch and Dianne Percefull of Edgemont.

“Other master gardeners glazed them,” Hilsenrath said.

“All Master Gardeners contribute plants for the sale, as do members of the community,” Hilsenrath said. “We have an additional plant source this year — Clinton High School. They have a hot house and a greenhouse, and the students helped us raise some plants for the sale. It’s nice to have community support for our sale.”

Lacken noted that the plant sale is a rain-or-shine event.

Fairfield Bay Mayor Paul Wellenberger said he is always appreciative of what the Master Gardeners do in Fairfield Bay.

“For the city of Fairfield Bay, what they have accomplished at Ed Leamon Park, the Fairfield Bay Conference Center and the [Hippe Recycle Education Center] are the products of people who love where they live and put their hearts into what they have accomplished,” Wellenberger said. “It not a job for them; it is artistic creation. I often get asked, ‘Who does your landscaping?’ It is that awesome.”

Lacken said the plant sale is the group’s biggest fundraiser.

“Part of the proceeds go to the Janet Carson Scholarship,” Lacken said. “Proceeds also go to our beautification and education projects in Van Buren County.”

In addition to projects in Fairfield Bay, the local Master Gardeners also maintain flower beds at the Van Buren County Annex and at the historic Van Buren County Courthouse in downtown Clinton. They also work at the Van Buren County Fair, where they maintain a public-education booth.

“They donated approximately 2,188 hours of service time to the county last year,” said Danny Griffin, agent and staff chairman of the Van Buren Cooperative Extension Service, as well as adviser to the local Master Gardeners. “We have approximately 47 members.”

Assisting Huber in leading the Van Buren Master Gardeners are Kathi Owens of Fairfield Bay, vice president; Karen Mulder of Shirley, secretary; and Linda Yarman of Edgemont, treasurer.

Visitors to Blues and BBQ will have an opportunity to sample the creations of both local and out-of-town barbecue chefs. The Best BBQ will be chosen by a vote of the people.

The Sean Sikes Band will provide entertainment during the Blues and BBQ festival. There will also be a bouncy house for kids, as well as arts and crafts vendors.

The Cruisin’ the Bay Car Show will also be part of Saturday’s activities. The event, hosted by the Fairfield Bay Chamber of Commerce, will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Village Mall Parking Lot, near the clock tower.

Other activities will include a book sale at the Fairfield Bay Library and an art show, hosted by the North Central Arkansas Foundation for Arts and Education, at the Fairfield Bay Conference and Visitor Center.

All events are free and open to the public.

For more information on Saturday’s events, visit the website visitfairfieldbay.com, and click on “calendar.”

For more information on the Master Gardeners program, call the Van Buren Cooperative Extension Service at (501) 745-7117.

Upcoming Events