Today's Feature

Annual Maple Leaf Festival To Offer Wide-Range of Activities

News release

The 38th Annual Maple Leaf Festival, hosted by the Carthage Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled for October 8-16. The annual event, which brings over 40,000 visitors to the local community, is being sponsored by The Carthage Press, KMXL/KDMO, KSNF-TV, Leggett & Platt, Inc., Southwest Missouri Bank, Hometown Bank, Carthage Chamber of Commerce, McCune-Brooks Hospital, Grundy’s Body & Frame, Fair Acres Family YMCA, Four Corners Quilter’s Guild and the Carthage Humane Society.

In early summer, the Maple Leaf Planning committee solicited the community of Carthage for Maple Leaf Parade Grand Marshall nominees. Nearly a dozen Carthage residents were submitted for this honor. After reviewing each nominee, the committee selected Laural Rosenthal, principal of Mark Twain Elementary School in Carthage to help lead this year’s parade. Laural has a lengthy history as an active supporter of the youth of Carthage and willing volunteer within the community.

The theme for this year’s festival is The Colors of Carthage. The festival design, which will be featured on the festival promotions and event shirts, was created by Carthage artist Lowell Davis. The design incorporates a variety of colors and depicts Emeff (pronounced MF), a leaf painting tree nymph.

Festival promotions, which include both an English and Spanish translated brochure and 11 x 20 poster, are available at the Chamber office. Both pieces include a complete lineup of all events scheduled during the week-long celebration.

This year’s festival will kickoff with a Maple Leaf Showcase on the 7th, followed by the Night of Gospel Music with the Lesters on the 8th. An Old Time Bazaar and the Maple Leaf Little Miss and Mister and Junior Miss Pageants sponsored by the Carthage Chamber and Maple Leaf Queen Pageant sponsored by Hometown Bank will be the highlights of Saturday the 9th.

Sunday the 10th will feature the annual Family Fun Walk sponsored by Fair Acres Family YMCA, followed by artCentral’s "Palettes and Palates" that evening. A Dessert Auction will be held on Monday the 11th just before festival participants will see a brief break in the event lineup.

Events will resume on Wednesday the 12th with the Maple Leaf Gospel Sing followed by the 3rd Annual Three Minutes of Fame Lip-Sync Competition sponsored by Grundy’s Frame & Body Shop held on Thursday, October 14. Friday will be full as the Brats On The Square , Maple Leaf Baby Contest sponsored by McCune Brooks Hospital, BBQ Pork Dinner and "Pink Leaf Ball" get underway.

The all-day celebration on Saturday, October 16th will feature craft booths and food vendors plus lots of live entertainment around the square. Some of the key events planned for the 16th include a Pancake Feed, Maple Leaf Auto Show, Maple Leaf Parade sponsored by Leggett & Platt and Southwest Missouri Bank, Marching Band Competition and the annual Maple Leaf Dog Show sponsored by the Carthage Humane Society.

In addition to the normal daily activities, this year’s festival will also feature the Maple Leaf Quilt Show sponsored by Four Corners Quilter’s Guild which will run Wednesday through Saturday, October 13-16 at Powers Museum.

Applications for many of this year’s festival events are available at the Chamber office or can be found by logging onto www.CarthageChamber.com under the Maple Leaf Festival listing within the calendar of events link.

For more information or to inquire about an event application, contact the Chamber at 358-2373.

The Courthouse itself used ta have a fence around it with steps goin’ over it for pedestrians. The fence was built to keep out stray cows, horses, pigs, goats and other critters that typically ran loose in town.

‘Fact onea the first ordinances in Carthage was makin’ loose animals illegal on the Square. There was even an animal jail constructed for offenders. The story goes that one fella opened the pen and let the animals loose. Although there was a law that allowed the jailin’ of offenders, there was no ordinance preventing someone from breakin’ ‘em out. ‘Course, you can never have too many ordinances.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Oak Street Health & Herbs

Natural Nutrition

By Mari An Wills

With fall fast approaching and gardens coming to an end, it is the time when many of us turn back to sprouting. Sprouts are considered a "living food" full of enzyme activity and nutrition. They are delicious in salads, blended with your protein drinks, or on sandwiches. Sprouts are easy to grow and when my children were young they were almost an in home science project you could eat! Throughout the years a great variety of sprouts have turned up in the school science fairs.

There are several methods, but a sprouting jar and lid have always been the easiest way for my family. As far as seeds, almost any whole natural untreated seed will sprout. Do not use treated seeds of any kind. There are sprouting seeds available in health food stores which are non-genetically engineered nor treated.

Radish seeds are very mild and have a delicious flavor. Mustard seeds are rather tangy and quite fun to watch grow. Alfalfa seeds have been among the most commonly found pre-sprouted seeds and make a delicious sandwich with cucumber and other veggies. Radish and alfalfa make a great blend. A variety may include lentils, mung beans, soy, rye, red wheat, red clover. If you choose to blend seeds for sprouting keep them the same size and sprouting time.

Although there may be many methods, the principle of sprouting remains the same. Soak seeds(usually overnight). Drain and rinse thoroughly using your sprouting jar with appropriate sized draining lid and place on rack or sideways away from direct sunlight. Rinse seeds a couple times daily in warm weather gently distributing seeds. Most are ready for harvest when they are 1/4 to 1/2 inch or so. After sprouting you may put in sunlight to turn a bright green.

It is important to keep plants well washed and drained. One may add ascorbic acid for extra safety.