A fun fall day at the mill

By Katie Nichols (Contact) | Selma Times-Journal

Published Sunday, November 8, 2009

SELMA — The refurbished mill was churning out grits and cornmeal as fast as it could possibly make it and it still wasn’t enough.

Kenan’s Mill Bluegrass Festival opened up at 9 a.m. Saturday and throughout the day saw a steady increase of traffic.

“We’ve had a pretty good crowd,” Ken Smith, Kenan’s Mill chairman said. “I think people waited for it to warm up a little before they came out, but there has been a good amount of people here all day.”

Kenan’s Mill was filled not only with people, but activities to fill up their entire Saturday.

The festival boasted more vendors this year and the first timers said it was an enjoyable day for them.

“I love it here,” Mary Oliver, who was selling her crocheted goods, said. “It is so beautiful and everyone is really friendly.”

The other vendors who have been to the festival before also experienced a good day at the mill.

Charlie “Tin Man” Lucas sold out of his latest book and then sold a good bit of his artwork. Robert Gordon’s handmade chopping blocks were going fast too.

While the parents were shopping amongst the vendors, kids were jumping on inflatables, learning about pottery made from local clay and of course playing on the swinging bridge.

Jared McKinney, 9, has been to the festival before and this year his friend Will Hatfield, 10, came along. It wasn’t hard for them to pick their favorite parts of the festival.

“I like the bridge and the bluegrass music,” McKinney said. “The bridge is cool to run on and look at the creek from.”

Hatfield agreed that the bridge was a high point.

“The swinging bridge is one of my favorite things and of course the mill,” he said.

John Hoomes, Alabama Cooperative Extension System Regional Extension Agent for 4-H and Youth Development, showed kids how to make potter from clay he found out of his yard in Montgomery County. The kids learned how to dig for clay, select the different kinds and then test them to see which one works best in pottery.

Everyone at the festival got a chance to weigh in on their favorite cornbread.

In the end Gay Bannerman and Laura Grossman won the judge’s award and the crowd favorite respectively.

No matter what a festival goer decided to do first, they could always hear the bluegrass music.

First up was 8 year-old fiddler Caleb Bryant, who literally plays well beyond his age. He has competed at the fiddler’s competition in Athens, Ala. for three years in the 10 year olds division. Every year he has come home with first place. When he returns as a 9 year-old he will have to move up another division to play against even older competition.

“I’ve been playing since I was 4 year-old,” he said. “I don’t know what made me want to play the fiddle, but I did.”

His grandfather, Charles Bryant, accompanies Caleb while he plays. He talked about how much his grandson wanted to play the fiddle.

“When he was 4 he would pick up stuff all the time and play it like the fiddle,” Charles said. “He always wanted to play the fiddle.”

Caleb’s passion and obvious natural talent for the instrument has not waned.

“My favorite thing about the fiddle is just playing with people,” he said.

After the Bryant’s left the stage Hurricane Creek started their set. The Decatur, Ala. musicians drew an enthusiastic crowd.

“This is what the festival is about,” Steven McCarroll said as he held up a bag of Kenan’s Mill grits.

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