Lowdown on the Hoedown

By Bob Ferris
My older brother had his wedding videotaped by a rather intrusive photographer.  And then after the wedding and before the honeymoon they rushed home and watched the video.  I never understood that until this week when I was going through the Hoedown videos and images.

Putting on an event like this puts you into a blur and you miss so much.  Certainly I had fun at the event and it was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones, but I didn’t realize how much fun we all had until I looked the videos and checked out the pictures.
Now I will freely admit that when board member Paul Kuck and I were unloading tables at 2AM after hauling and bucking straw to the good folks at Aprovecho by moonlight, I was a little less optimistic about doing the event again next year.  But when I looked at the images of happy faces and dust kicking cowboy boots, all of my weariness and misgivings evaporated.

I also realized how grateful I was to all who attended and made it the event that it was.  And also how thankful I was that the band, Blue Flags & Black Grass were spectacular and that Pedal Power Music jumped in at the last second with a sustainable sound option that we hope to use next year too.
I was also grateful for our sponsors like Ninkasi who along with Oakshire provided quality social lubrication for the event.  And the food was simply amazing too and we are so appreciative of our in-kind donors.
But most of all it was the people.  Board members like Paul Kuck, Sarah Peters and new board member Anne Dorsey who kicked it into high gear to make this happen.  The staff too from gimpy Josh Laughlin who served as a Chester-like limping emcee and Nick Cady who turned teamster to help haul truckloads of materials and Kaley Sauer who t-shirted, flasked us and bumper-stickered us in style.  Francis Eatherington was there welcoming and there was spanking-new staffer Carolyn Candela plying us with coffee, tea and lemonade.

And then there were the volunteers like Misha English, Jessica Southwick, Carlene Ramus, Steve Witten, Max Coslow and cast of unnamed folks from hither and yon.  Big thanks too to Janine Nilsen at Avalon Stables for providing the venue (and dancing above with Sheriff Dan Kruse).  All of you were essential just like the trees we work so hard to save and the wolves we labor to protect.
THANK YOU All!