By Stephen Smoot
Earlier this year, the Town of Wardensville decided that people love Fallfest so much that two such events would be twice as nice.
And officials were absolutely right. Despite temperatures and rain that felt more like Thanksgiving than May, a number of vendors still came to town to set up shop. Thousands turned out from locally and also from far away to buy, sell, or just enjoy the day, chilly though it was.
Those who came in midafternoon got a reprieve from the soaking rain showers dominating the weekend, though the ground in some places did get a bit squishy. Springfest brought in a number of vendors offering a wide array of products. A few offered on the spot services, such as the very popular face painting booth, surrounded by a multitude of excited children ready to get transformed.
Vendors came from just down the road, from over the mountain, and from across state lines to sell their wares and enjoy engaging with all who came.
Many came to sell food and food products, but one of the area’s favorite food trucks, Gettin Piggy With It, was on site and parked near the pavilion where Electric Petting Zoo was rocking out with attendees.
A major part of the event lies in the wide variety of vendors coming in from near and far.
“We are from Moorefield and this is the closest show we do,” shared Zach Baker.
The company’s website describes its origin in a pair of business-minded brothers. “Brothers Zach and Dillon Baker founded Baker Co. Leatherworks,” states their website, “on the ideas of faith, family, and entrepreneurship while providing their customers with high quality handcrafted leather goods.”
Zach Baker stood behind a workbench, giving visitors to his booth an idea of what goes into quality crafted leather products. His mother stood by the opening, answering questions and guiding people to where they could watch Zach or peruse some of the goods for sale.
“It started as a hobby four or five years ago,” he explained. Baker shared that “I’m always really rough on my wallets and shoes” and at one point, endeavored to learn how to make his own. “I watched a YouTube video on how to make a wallet… got a couple of tools and made a wallet.” His brother saw and liked the wallet so much that he said “I want one. I need it!”
Once the brothers saw how well the leatherwork came out, they saw the opportunity and created a business with a full sales website. Baker explained that “we’re used to traveling three hours to trade shows.”
The hobby-turned-business allows Baker to achieve another aim, maximizing time with his two children. “I get to work for myself and stay home with my kids.” he noted.
Baker explained that he only uses top quality leather from the most respected tanneries, but also understands that his work in a way brings back a type of business long ago practiced in the area.
Quality takes no shortcuts, as Baker said “this takes time, but it lasts a lifetime.”
As festival goers made their way from booth to booth, they could listen to the classic rock sounds of Electric Petting Zoo. They interspersed fun sounds of bands such as the Beatles and Mountain with enjoyable interaction with an appreciative crowd.
A little farther afield from the home base of Springfest and across the county line lies Wild and Wonderful Homestead, a farm just outside of Augusta that offers an unusual line of products for the region. They sell jams and other products derived from naturally growing elderberries.
Ellen Mills, who owns the farm along with her husband William, explained that “it goes back to my roots. I’m originally from England.”
England has a rich and deep history with elderberries that extends back to when the island was known as Britannia. As the British paper The Guardian explains, elder trees had supernatural connections with witchcraft, natural healers, and other countryside legends. Christian England sometimes asserted that the Holy Cross was made of its wood.
Mills’ love of elderberries comes from a more recent source. She shared that “my Dad would take my sister and myself out to pick elderberries.” She then said that the family would distill them into syrup. Those family techniques crossed the Atlantic with Ellen Mills to Hampshire County, though at first she had no thought of making a business out of them.
Then she and her husband bought their Hampshire County land. Lo and behold, large numbers of the berry bearing plants were already growing naturally. At first “we just made the syrup for our friends.” When word got out, so did demand and a business was born. This year, they are clearing more land to grow more elderberries and bring more jams, syrups, and other products to the area.
The Mills both emphasized that everything they sell comes from their land.
Also handcrafted from 100 percent natural ingredients, but not quite as edible were products made and sold by Elle and Rae. Lindsay Long from Edinburgh in Virginia crossed the state line to bring a broad selection of scents and body products. All are geared to use natural ingredients to give pleasant aromas to both people and their surroundings.
“I specialize in making home fragrances and beauty care products,” she said. Long explained all products are hand made “from scratch with natural ingredients.” Some of these include shay butter, coconut oil, oat oil, and other similar products. A non toxic oil is one of the last ingredients in many products.
Long described the labor-intensive process behind each product. “You have to melt all this down, then cool it all down,” she stated, then added “then you have to beat it, whip it up. It’s a process, nothing about this is easy.”
“This is our second time here,” Long added, saying they had come to Fallfest previously and “we’ll be back to that again this year.”
That also goes for the event as a whole. It could not have taken place without work from the Town of Wardensville, generous donors and sponsors, and also those who show up to buy, to sell, or just enjoy the day.
