From Press Reports

Make your plans to attend the French Camp Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 11.

The events will begin around 9:30 at the French Camp Academy gymnasium. An old-fashioned auction of handmade items, along with a Country Store lasts all day. At noon, join in the grand dinner-on-the-grounds. Other activities for the whole family including horseback riding, sorghum molasses making at the Historical District, will fill the day.

Harvest Festival is a great day to come to French Camp. It is living history, and has been held every year since 1952, when the first "Lord's Acre Harvest Festival" was held on October 25.

According to the Men's Club (the original French Camp Community Club) minutes of that year, all articles donated had to be home grown or handmade. Some of the early contributions included bales of hay and cotton, canned goods, quilts and other handmade items, goats, horses, pigs, dogs, and produce from "the Lord's Acre."

Many of the farmers set aside an acre and called it "The Lord's Acre." All that came off that plot would belong to the Lord, and was designated to go to any worthy cause." Of course, worthy causes were the county churches, and eventually French Camp Academy.

The first Harvest Festival was a success. The next year, the Men's Club further defined its purpose:

1) That each man, woman, boy and girl ... may bring some articles or object which he or she has made or grown and place on exhibit for a donation 2) That we may be drawn closer to each other and to our Creator, since it is based on faith in God - cooperative labor is our method, support of the churches in the community is our goal, sacrifice and giving is our motive, Christian fellowship will be our regard.

From the very first, Billy Tinsley, a cattle auctioneer from Livingston, AL, gave his day to French Camp without charge. Known as "Mr. Harvest Festival," Billy conducted the auction every year until 2006, when Tony Thomas took the gavel.

All items in the auction are donated and must be handmade or home grown. Designate individual items to benefit French Camp Academy, the French Camp Community Club or any of the following churches: Berea Baptist, Bethsaida Baptist, Covenant Baptist, French Camp Baptist, French Camp Presbyterian, and Huntsville Presbyterian.

For more information on donating items, contact Janice Jones at (662) 547-9464.

Come to Harvest Festival in French Camp, MS on Saturday, October 11. Wander the grounds of French Camp Academy, tour the Natchez Trace historical area. Whether you go home with sorghum molasses or an heirloom quilt, or just become part of the history of French Camp, you will be glad you came to Harvest Festival 2008.