June Sale 2013

The annual June sale, now called Community Festival, is a combined bake sale, quilt sale, food sale, yard sale, and entertainment, all done in the name of charity. Mennonites, mostly, bake pies, Zwiebach, ‘platz’ or whatever, deliver them to the booth at the crack of dawn and, when there is a bit of a pause between selling them to customers, have a snack of their own baked stuff, (pay for it of course) and go back selling more pastry.

Arriving at the sale. — People arrive from everywhere, parking their vehicles in a hurry so that they will be first in line
at the food booths.

Coffee and platz. — Customers line up beside a booth offering a cup of coffee, (decaffeinated for those who don’t want regular coffee). Then they will choose their favorite piece of the renowned Platz, (squares) which is to die for, if done right. (The Platz sign is left of the picture of the cup). Every Mennonite woman hopes to bake the world’s best Platz. Platz consists of a fruit (might be apple, cherries, rhubarb, peaches, you name it) stuck into a very particular kind of dough, baked at precisely the right temperature, for exactly the right length of time.

Buns are buns unless a smaller bun is stacked up on top of another one in which case it is called Zwiebachs.

Zweibachs is another delicacy to die for and the lady who bakes them watches anxiously for your reaction: Will it pass the test of perfection?

Borscht is a Mennonite soup (more like a stew containing chunks of meat, cabbage, and tomatoes) made from a recipe that comes from the Ukraine (but is VERY flexible). It seems that you can throw almost anything into the pot, depending on what your spirit moves you. It involves work to accomplish and requires the use of every pot, dish, and utensil in the kitchen. The cook has been known to collapse on her bed after the soup is finished. The husband returns, from wherever, when all is quiet in the kitchen and he smells the aroma of Borscht. It is truly the king\queen of soups.

Verenekes’ are pirogues filled with cottage cheese, perhaps cherries or other fruit, meant to be eaten with a special gravy (the recipe of which is also ‘bendable’).

Cabbage rolls might be thought of as wraps: cabbage leaves filled with ground beef or pork perhaps, rice added and then baked. (Recipe varies considerably and the name is unpronounceable since the dish may have been imported from goodness knows where, perhaps Holland which is where Mennonites came from in the first place.

Visiting and eating — After having found a suitable table , either inside or outside as you prefer, you enjoy your favorite food together with friends and acquaintances.

Outdoor entertainment — If you happen to sit at one of the tables shown here you will be entertained by some musicians, because Mennonites like music. The guitar player may seen way at the back.

You might even find something more to eat if you are outside. The sign reads ‘Rollkuchen’
Rollkuchen are associated with water melons, by Mennonites, but are also quite frequently eaten with jam.

Ladies have spent many an hour making quilts.

Buying quilts. — If you want to buy a quilt you will find a ticket booth at the front of the big auditorium.

Children Rides — Barrels on wheels loaded with children.

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