Ketner's Mill Country Fair grows, keeps focus on homemade

photo Alexander Moyer shoots a toy rubber band gun Sunday during the Ketner's Mill arts festival in Whitwell, Tenn.
photo Angela Hart paints a dragon breathing fire on Candy Overby's face Sunday during this year's Ketner's Mill arts festival in Whitwell, Tenn.
photo Craig Cox draws a design on his crossbow Sunday at the Ketner's Mill arts festival in Whitwell, Tenn.
photo Ashlynn Wimberly looks at jars of canned fruits and vegetables Sunday at the Ketner's Mill arts festival in Whitwell, Tenn.

Cars traveled with their windows down on an unpaved road under a canopy of changing leaves on their way to the 38th annual Ketner's Mill Country Fair on Sunday afternoon.

The gentle fall sun reflected off a sea of white tents, which were lined up in scattered rows, where more than 100 vendors proudly displayed their wares.

Dream catchers blew in the wind, engraved wood walking sticks lined a table, handmade pottery lined shelves, and colorful quilts were being unfolded and folded as shoppers admired the patterns. All the wares at the country fair in Whitwell, Tenn., were homemade.

"I was here 10 to 15 years ago," said Reba Layne, from Sequatchie County. "The size of the fair has doubled since then."

People wandered about with children in strollers and dogs on leashes as they browsed the vendors and ate country fair staples.

The smell of boiled peanuts, fried pickles and the occasional funnel cake filled the air. Two separate stages were set up and a variety of live bluegrass and gospel music was performed.

Charley and Priscilla Corvin, from Dayton, Tenn., were not new to the country fair. They have been selling their handmade birdhouses from the same booth for 13 years.

"We needed something to do once we retired," Priscilla Corvin said. "So my husband started building these birdhouses."

Charley makes each birdhouse at home in his workshop. The birdhouses are made of oak, cedar, maple, cherry, mahogany and walnut, and range in size and design.

"It is just something to keep me busy," he said. "I guess you could say we enjoy doing this."

Yuteva Mashburn had a booth set up near the Sequatchie River, which flows through the fairgrounds, where she sold her homemade jams.

Mashburn's business is called Belly Good Jellies and is located out of her home on Lookout Mountain in Georgia, where her husband owns a cattle ranch.

"I started this business three years ago so that I could work from home," Mashburn said.

Each jam that she makes is from scratch, and she said it takes over 24 hours to make some batches.

"Everything is bought local and is straight off the vine or tree," Mashburn said. "It's hand-peeled, fresh picked, and nothing is rushed."

By Sunday afternoon she had sold out of a lot of favorite flavors, but told people that her jams can be found in local stores across the region.

Holly Carver and her husband brought their two sons with them to the fair from McDonald, Tenn.

"We come every year, or every other year," Carver said. "It has become a little tradition."

She stood with one son in a stroller listening to the music, while her husband and 5-year-old son threw rocks into the river.

"We don't always buy a lot, but we definitely love the food and experience. The boys usually each find some toy to take home with them," she said.

Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6592.

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