Submitted by Dan Buchanan
If you love the cooler weather, and we all do, you start thinking about October and November. You also think about autumn and the leaves changing, and there being a nip in the air. The Fall of the year has always been Harvest time on our counties’ farms.
With October, we also think about Fall Festivals and at Hickory Grove, we automatically think of Founder’s Day. This year marks our 21st consecutive year of celebrating the “Fall Season” and our early pioneers in the Hickory Grove Community. It seems like only yesterday that we had Mr. Julian Andrews, Randall Buchanan, Mr. Gene Poole and a whole slew of others at Hickory Grove, working hard, preparing for the huge day. Many of those hard working members of the church have gone on to Heaven, and our working numbers are small, but we are still trying to continue the great heritage of Founder’s Day at Hickory Grove.
This year, Founder’s Day will take place on Saturday, October 15th, beginning a about 8:00 a.m., and we will conclude with a Worship Service at 2:00 p.m. promptly. Our brand new minister, Rev. James Howes, will arrive on horseback to deliver the Annual Founder’s Day Message, just like the preachers did some 125 to 150 years ago. They were known far and wide, as Circuit Rider Preachers, and they mostly traveled by horseback, or mule, or horse and buggy. Rev. Howes most likely will arrive via horse and buggy this year.
The highlight of Founder’s Day is getting to see old friends and neighbors that you most likely have not seen since last year at Founder’s Day. But, we will certainly have the cane mill running, and the fresh home-made syrup will be flowing once the cane juice has been cooked down. This activity of “Syrup-Making” is almost a lost art, and very few folks do this activity any more. Nowadays, you just go to the local grocery store and buy Log Cabin, or other varieties of syrup.
Another highlight will be all the boiled peanuts you can possibly eat. Make sure you go see Eugene Williams and Charles Wooten and get a bag or two. Our thanks really need to go to Willie Agner and his family for growing all the peanuts for our church. We picked them off about three weeks ago, and they are stored in a freezer, getting ready for Founder’s Day.
And don’t forget the chicken pileau, the collard greens and hoe cakes, and the absolute best bar-b-que you can find anywhere. Stephen Williams has a knack for smoking and then pulling the Boston Butts, and just thinking about the pulled pork makes your mouth water.
Hopefully, we will be able to let you know more about what will be happening at Founder’s Day via the local newspapers. SO, be watching for additional activities that you will enjoy at Founder’s Day at Hickory Grove, which will take place on Saturday, October 15.
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