Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-12-20
The FARM FESTIVAL
HOW LOvELAND, COLO, ENTICES
PEOPLE TO TOWN.


Thousands Partake of Towns Hos
pitality-Unique Advertising Plan.
What denominate farm festival
is a modern innovation. 1t has no ge-
neric name. The name have used is
my own invention, says a correspond
ent of Breeders Gazette. 1t Is common
ly called day" Grand Junction has
her peach day." Rocky Ford her incl
on day." Carson City her grape day."
Boulder her strawberry day." Long
mont her pumpkin pie day" and Gree
ley her potato day." On these several
festive occasions the leading product
of the particular section, whether repre-
senting Agricola or Pomona, is made
the special feature of a grand out of
doors feast, with all accessories-that
is. Grand Junction serves with her
peaches an ample supply of sandwiches,
pies, cakes, doughnuts, pickles, coffee,
and so on, and everything Is free and
in unlimited supply for all who may
come from far or near. Such portions
of the edibles making up the feast as
are not contributed by farmers and
fruit growers free of cost are bought
by the merchants of the town and turn
ed over to the general commissary. The
railroads join in and by getting up ex-
cursions at cheap rates carry immense
crowds to and from the scenes Of fes-
tivity.
These occasions furnish excellent
play days for the people. Old and
young start out on them in the morn
ing, but soon there are no old. All are
young. The pleasurable excitement of
getting ready, the journey, the chang
ing scenes, the freedom from care, the
outdoor life, the novelty of the cookery
and the feast, the change of air and
scene and diet awaken in all keen ap-
petite and a zest for enjoyment. 1t
puts every one on good terms with his
neighbor and with the home of his
adoption. 1t shows how generous are
nature and man, and everybody returns
home the better for having taken such
an enjoyable holiday fraught with so
much wholesome and invigorating
pleasure.
But unique among this variety Of ru-
raj assemblageS Is the Loveland corn
roast" LOveland Is q f1ourishing and
an ambitious town in the fertile valley
of the Big Thompson, in the southern
part of Larimer county. By her indom-
table energy and perseverance she is
about to receive reward In the shape
of beet sugar factory to cost $780,
600, for the consumption of which TO-
600 acres of sugar beets were planted
this season. Loveland was wise in Sc
Letting the corn roast for her festival
characteristic, knowing the strong hui
man weakness for that succulent and
toothsome commodity. 1t has proved
great attraction and has gathered thou
sands to her charming precincts. On
three sides roll away the verdant
whcatfields, alfalfa fields, cornfields
and orchards until they end in the
common ranges beyond. To the west
sleeps the mountain range, with
Longs peak holding ward and watch
over the lesser eminences OF a pleas
ant day it is dream of scenic beauty.
Great and mOmentous preparations
form the prelude to Loveland corn
roast" At first an immense trench Is
dug in the ground at a point cOnven-
lent to the proposed scene of the COM
ing feast. 1t Is so large that forty dead
giants might be decently buried in it.
There is gathered great quantity Of
dry wood, cordwood, railroad ties,
fencepOsts or poles-in fact, anything
In the shape of wood that is inflamma-
ble-and this is piled with care into the
trench. When all is ready, the match
is touched. and the whole mass gradu-
ally becomes ablaZe. For a whole day
the trench represents miniature in
fernO, and at last, when the wood has
all been burned down to cnders, 1t
gives forth a powerful radiation Of
heat.
Upon the glowing embers sprn-
king of moist earth Is thrown in order
to cOnfine the heat and reduce it below
the burning point. In the meantime
carloads and carloads Of roasting
ears have been gathered from the
neighboring cornfields and are thrown
freshly picked upon the already steam
ms cal III thtI INV PiNcS ueuteu
pit. The ears are laid in an even layer,
with not a single husk removed and
when all is ready another coat of
earth is spread over the top, and the
roasting process Is under full Roadway.
Presently steam begins gently to is
sue from the huge mass and rise into
the upper air like vapor from some hid
den geyser, and as it greets the olfacto-
ries the sweet odor of roasting ears
whets the appetite for the feast that is
to be. In the meantime great array
Of rough tables has been erected in the
shade of neighboring grove, a large
accumulation Of edibles gathered and
cauldrons Of boiling coffee mingle their
fragrance with the roasting corn. When
all is ready, the crowd is seated, and
corps of townsfolk serve the food to
the hungry multitude.
Loveland is also celebrated for her
street fairs, which haven a large meas
ure supplied the place of the old coun-