10-31-09 Clayton Farm and Community Market Newsletter

Written by Amber Southerland Polk and edited by the CFCM Board
Final Week of 2009 Season

Email claytonmarket@earthlink.net with any questions, comments, article contributions or to get your own weekly copy delivered to your inbox. The Clayton Market is located at the Clayton Town Square at the corner of Main and O’Neil Street in Downtown Clayton. We are open every Saturday, April-October 31 8am-1pm.

Thank you: I would like to extend a local thank you to everyone who helped make this first season of the Clayton Farm and Community Market a success. Thanks to all the vendors, board members, financial contributors and customers we have learned so much this season, and I look forward to all the possibilities that next season holds. Our email account will remain open and checked often throughout the winter so contact us with any questions you may have. THANK YOU!

Toad Song Farm- Mary will bring lavender heat packs, dried lavender, lavender baskets, lavender wands and lots of other lavender stuff! All of these items make wonderful Christmas gifts. Toad Song Farm is also taking orders for poinsettias for Christmas. Red, white and dark pink/burgundy are available. Each plant is foil wrapped with a bow and Mary even offers free delivery within 25 miles of the farm for orders of 10 or more. So this year buy your poinsettias local!

Stock up for Christmas on Nancy’s Candles: In addition to her usual candles, Nancy has developed several new scents for Christmas. Stop by and smell her sweet cranberries, fraser fir, mulberry and holly berry candles. Nancy will be running a special promotion on all her scents, large $12 candles will only be $10 for Clayton Market customers. So let this year be the year you actually start that holiday shopping early.

Mushroom Man at the Market: David the Mushroom Man will bring his shiitake mushrooms to the market this week. He has both dried and fresh for winter soups. Daivd says it is time to plant your garlic for next year, and he can set you up with garlic bulbs or “acorns” so you can grow your own. However, if you are better at making winter sauces and stews then you are growing a garden, he also has fresh garlic ready for use today.

Heart Felt by Keiko- My favorite product from Keiko is a soft and squishy ball that has a little bell buried inside. Keiko said she learned with her son that a lot of the baby products out there were so loud they drove her crazy! That is why she developed this ball for newborns with just a little bell. Much better for baby and mommy! Come out Saturday to see all Keiko’s baby and mommy products and be the envy of the baby shower.

Costume Contest for Dogs and Children- At 10:00 CFCM will be hosting a costume contest for dogs of all sizes. Prizes will be given out including homemade dog treats from Shamrock’s Buzzy Bees. The children’s costume contest will begin at 11:00. Prizes will be awarded to the winners and everyone who enters will get an early start on their candy collecting. Bring your own pre-carved or decorated pumpkin to display at noon for our 2009 final market celebration!

2010 Johnston Local Fresh Food Fair: Mark your calendars now, friends! The CFCM Board will host the first ever Johnston Local Fresh Food Fair at the Clayton Center on February 27, 2010. We'll be showing FRESH, the Movie (www.freshthemovie.com), but the main feature of the evening will be our local farmers and ranchers. Many will be present for you to talk to and get to know. Come find out who your local farmers are, where they are, what they grow and how they grow it. If you'd love to be involved in the planning or promotion of this event, we'd love to have you on board. Send me an email and let me know you are interested in helping out with this market fundraiser.

About the movie:
FRESH, the Movie celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.
Among several main characters, FRESH features urban sustainable farmer, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; rural sustainable rancher, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and independent supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

Upcoming Events:
Johnston Local Fresh Food Fair at the Clayton Center on February 27, 2010

Tickets Still Available for Taste of Carolina Cuisine on November 6

The Taste of Carolina Cuisine
Presented by The Woman's Club of Clayton
Friday, November 6, 2009
6:30 P.M. - 11:00 P.M.
Cost: $30 per person
The Clayton Center

Enjoy tastings from seventeen restaurants; a silent and live auction (over 100 items for bid!); 50/50 raffle provided by The Jr. Woman's Club of Clayton; a special appearance by a surprise Raleigh entertainer; dancing to your favorite tunes by a live Disc jockey. Master of Ceremonies: Mayor Jody McLeod.

For tickets or more information, please contact Margaret Lee at 919-359-6003

Clayton High Band Booster Chicken Dinner November 13

from the Flipside...

Lunch Specials for the week

We've got $5.00 burgers and 2 Carolina Packer hotdogs for only $3.00

Dinner Features

Pasta Fettuccini - tossed in a pink vodka sauce and served with bread and a side salad

BBQ steak Sandwich - 8oz's of prime, center cut, sirloin with sauteed peppers, onions, mushrooms with BBQ sauce and pepper jack cheese. Your choice of a side

Brats - 2 brats with kraut and a side of potato salad for only $8.00

!!!1/2 price, by the glass, Wine special tonight!!!
!!!Also, receive 15% OFF your entree' or feature selection, dine in only, from 5:00 to 6:30 tonight!!!

Friday's Music - Wrecked at Breakfast

Saturday - Halloween Costume Party - Prizes - Drink Specials
Music by The Fifty/50 Band

Hey, you want to figure out a way to honor your employees, or maybe entertain friends with an affordable, special meal...contact us about catering the event for you!553-0123 or morgone@mindspring.com

Halloween Parade Through Downtown Friday

The sight of pumpkins and an unusual number of black cats around town can mean only one thing---Halloween is almost here.

The annual Halloween Parade through town is planned for Friday, Oct. 30. Trick-or-treaters in costume will descend on downtown, seeking treats from participating merchants, in an annual ritual that has been quite a spectacle in previous years.

It will begin at the large parking lot on Main Street at 2:30 pm and end about 4 pm on the Town Square, which will be set up for games, activities and treats.

For more information, please call the Parks & Recreation Department at 553-1555.

Bald Was Beautiful Here Saturday Afternoon

Hundreds of people crowded into downtown Saturday to watch their friends--and several community leaders--lose their hair and raise more than $50,000 for childhood cancer research in Clayton's first St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraising event.

The line of bald heads included bankers, businessmen, sports figures, firemen, policemen and public officials, including Councilman Michael Grannis and Town Manager Steve Biggs.

"I don't look so bad bald," Grannis said, though he donned a baseball cap after a few minutes. "What great fun this has been, and what a great crowd out here watching. And what a great cause."

Comets Football Coach Gary Fowler, seeming a little jumpy as the clippers hovered above his head, was the first in line at 3 pm, followed by several dozen more as the cutting continued into the evening hours. Rain threatened the event all day long and once caused a short break, but the shearing continued as the pile of hair on the ground grew larger and larger.


Downtown Development Coordinator Bruce Naegelen had his head shaved the day before the event due to family emergency out of state.

Clayton's fundraising goal of $35,000 had already been reached days ago, but more and more contributions came in all day long.

"I'm very proud of the people of Clayton," Grannis said. "For us to raise so much money for cancer research is teriffic. I'm very proud to be a part of this community."

The event was the idea of local businessman Rob Baker, whose son Bo was diagnosed in February with a form of kidney cancer. He said being thrust into the world of cancer treatment and research "has been quite an eye opener" and led him to take more of an active role in helping children stricken with the disease. MORE

Town Seeks Local Artist for Public Art at Library

The Town of Clayton has begun a search for a local artist to paint a mural at the Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library downtown in what would be the town's second major public art project in a year.

An official "Request for Qualifications" asking for proposals is going out to all artists who live in and around Johnston County. The document says town officials want a painting "that will acknowledge and celebrate the library as a historic point connecting past and present."

The proposed site is a hallway adjacent to the Library's Reference Room. The hallway is part of the spine connecting the primary collection, the History Room and the south wing.

The project will have a budget of $12,000.

The deadline for proposals is Nov. 13. Officials want to have an artist selected by mid-December and a proposed design by Jan. 15, with work completed by June. (more details)

10-24-09 Clayton Farm and Community Market Newsletter

Written by Amber Southerland Polk and edited by the CFCM Board

Email claytonmarket@earthlink.net with any questions, comments, article contributions or to get your own weekly copy delivered to your inbox. The Clayton Market is located at the Clayton Town Square at the corner of Main and O’Neil Street in Downtown Clayton. We are open every Saturday, April-October 31 8am-1pm.

Shamrock’s is Officially Dog Approved: Shamrock’s Buzzy Bees will be at the market this Saturday for the last time this year! To help you stock up for the winter they are even bringing honey in 5lb containers. While you are at it, you might want to stock up on the homemade dog biscuits with honey, apples, oatmeal, and whole wheat as well. They will be bringing candles, regular sized honey, honey soap and molded beeswax. The beeswax is used for fixing tight drawers in dressers and other things that need to be slicked up. If you are not sure what to do with 5lbs of honey, see the recipe at the bottom Al sent us this week.

Nancy’s Fall Candles: Nancy has developed several new scents just for Fall. Stop by and smell her pumpkin soufflé, sweet cranberries, fraser fir, mulberry and holly berry candles. Nancy will be running a special promotion on all her scents, large $12 candles will only be $10 for Clayton Market customers.

Mushroom Man at the Market: David the Mushroom Man will bring his shiitake mushrooms to the market this week. David uses no chemical on his mushrooms and loves telling people about the health benefits of fresh shiitake mushrooms. Stop by and pick up a package and browse his hand made crafts as well.

2010 Johnston Local Fresh Food Fair: Mark your calendars now, friends! The CFCM Board will host the first ever Johnston Local Fresh Food Fair at the Clayton Center on February 27, 2010. We'll be showing FRESH, the Movie (www.freshthemovie.com), but the main feature of the evening will be our local farmers and ranchers. Many will be present for you to talk to and get to know. Come find out who your local farmers are, where they are, what they grow and how they grow it. If you'd love to be involved in the planning or promotion of this event, we'd love to have you on board. Send me an email and let me know you are interested in helping out with this market fundraiser. About the movie:
FRESH, the Movie celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.
Among several main characters, FRESH features urban sustainable farmer, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; rural sustainable rancher, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and independent supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

Where Do You Get Your Local Food Info?: Since next week is the last day of the 2009 Clayton Farm and Community Market season (don’t worry, we will be back next year) I will probably not send you an email every week for a while. However, I would like to compile a list of local food resources to hold you over the winter. Please send me information on some cool places or websites you know about and I’ll put them in next week’s newsletter. Here are a few I know off the top of my head to get your brain turning…

Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS)- www.cefs.ncsu.edu CEFS develops and promotes food and farming systems that protect the environment, strengthen local communities, and provide economic opportunities in North Carolina and beyond. They are also the job that pays me and allows us to use their email system to get this newsletter out every week. Check out the Sustainable lecture on November 9th featuring Will Allen from the movie FRESH.

Green Planet Catering - www.greenplanetcatering.com “The staff and management team at Green Planet Catering are focused on delivering high quality catering services that feature foods that are locally grown, pesticide and hormone free, and meet our high standards of quality.” They are also wonderful to work with.

Cook For Good – www.cookforgood.com Linda Watson has a philosophy that lets you feed your family homecooked meals that fit your budget and time constraints. She posts seasonal menus and recipes featuring local foods. I cooked a pot of black eyed peas last week for the first time in my life thanks to her convincing arugment that it is ½ the cost of the canned ones and twice the nutritions and flavor…and she was right.

So who do you know that promotes or uses local foods? I want to recgonize their contribution to the local food economy so we can stay energized over the winter and return next spring ready to buy local.

Al from Shamrock’s Buzzy Bee’s favorite honey recipe (he says it is really simple):
Honey and Peanut Butter Rice Krispies
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 to 3 cups puffed rice cereal (or Kellog's Rice Krispies)
- Small rectangular cake pan lined with wax paper or sprayed with non-stick spray

Heat peanut butter until it is not stiff (just to relaxed form).
Heat honey just a little (DO NOT BOIL)
Mix honey and peanut butter into a serving bowl.
Start adding rice cereal until it is desired thickness.
Put into a lined cake pan and smooth out the mixture and put into the refrigerator to set up.
Once cooled, cut squares out and eat.
*** This is a healthy alternative to marshmallows for Kellog's Rice Krispies Treats. The honey is more fluid than marshmallows, so if they get too warm, they could start falling apart.

Upcoming Events
October 31- Costume contest for 2 legged children and 4 legged children. Pumpkin carving and Pumpkin decorating contest for children of all ages!

DDA Seeking Nominations for "Downtown First Awards"

The Clayton Downtown Development Association is seeking nominations for the inaugural "Downtown First Awards" which will be presented on November 9 at the DDA's Awards Dinner.

DDA President, Ed Knight said, "This is our opportunity to publicly recognize the people and businesses that are making a difference in downtown Clayton,"

The awards include: Outstanding Downtown Business; Outstanding New Downtown Business; and Outstanding Individual within a Downtown Business or Organization.

Nominations must be received by the DDA no later than Tuesday, October 27.

Nomination forms are available online and at The Clayton Center (reception desk), 111 E Second Street; Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library, 100 Church Street and the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, 301 E Main Street.

Tickets are available for the DDA Awards Dinner November 9 at the Clayton Steakhouse.

Highlights will include a review of the year's accomplishments and recognition of outgoing DDA members.

A social time with a cash bar will begin at 5:30 pm and time to bid on Silent Auction items. A guest speaker and musical guest will also be featured. Tickets are $20.00 per person which includes dinner, beverage and dessert, with proceeds to benefit CDDA projects.

The DDA will announce the 2009 NC Main Street Champion, who will also be recognized at the NC Main Street Annual Awards Dinner in New Bern on January 28. Past recipients have been Barry Woodard and Joyce Blackley.

All DDA board members and committee members will have them for sale and they are available at these locations:

Blackley's Printing, 229 E Main Street; Clayton Steakhouse, 307 E Main Street; Fancy That, 120 E Main Street. For more information please contact Downtown Development Coordinator Bruce Naegelen at bnaegelen@townofclaytonnc.org or 553-1545.

Oktoberfest

A couple waltzing to the music of the Foothills OomPah Band at Clayton’s first Oktoberfest this past weekend. The event attracted fewer people than anticipated, due to cold temperatures and the State Fair, but there was still a strong turnout that generated a lot of interest for next year. (Photo by Linda Adams)



Authentic German pastries by Annelore's German Bakery







Click here for a short video of The Foothills OomPah Band and another!



And some great volunteers!

St Baldrick's Head Shaving Event for Childhood Cancer Research This Saturday

We are shaving heads in Clayton to raise money for childhood cancer research! Sign up today to shave your head for donations or donate to someone who is shaving their head. It's going to be a big time on October 24th, so come on out and watch our brave shavees raise money to help cure childhood cancer!

Close to 90 people will get their heads shaved!

3pm The Flipside opens early and the party begins! A portion of the food and beverage sales will be donated to St. Baldrick's Foundation!

3pm Head Shaving Begins! Our emcee for the evening, Mark Thomas from 99.9FM The Fan will begin calling out our shavees, starting with CLAYTON COMETS HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, GARY FOWLER!

3pm Kids Zone Opens. There will be lots of cool games and prizes and 100% of the proceeds goes to St. Baldrick's!

8pm After Shave Party Begins with Live Music by JB and Jason!

Town Council Candidates Meet the Public Oct. 22

Candidates for the three Town Council seats to be filled at the upcoming town election will be available to meet the public and answer questions this Thursday, Oct. 22 at a public meeting hosted by the Clayton News-Star newspaper.

The meeting will be held at 7 pm in the Council Chambers of the Clayton Center.

Absentee voting in the Nov. 3 election has already begun. The three expiring Council seats presently belong to Bob Satterfield, Michael Grannis and Bob Ahlert, who also serves as Mayor Pro Tem. All three are seeking reelection.

They are being challenged by Steve Agbayani, Michael Carrothers, Russell Cotten, Brooks Remencus and Art Holder.

Here are important dates to remember:


• Oct. 15 - One-Stop Absentee Voting begins at Johnston County Elections Office in Smithfield from 8 am to 5 pm

• Oct. 27 - Last day to request an absentee ballot

• Oct. 31 - Last day for One-Stop Absentee Voting

• Nov. 3 - Election Day


Here is a list of the voting sites in Clayton:

• Precinct 09 East Clayton - Clayton Fire Station #2 on 42

• Precinct 10a North Clayton 1 - Clayton Fire Station on Horne Street

• Precinct 10b North Clayton 2 - American Legion Building

• Precinct 11a West Clayton 1 - Mount Calvary Baptist Church

• Precinct 11b West Clayton 2 - Clayton Middle School

• Precinct 36 South Clayton - The Church at Clayton Crossing

• Precinct 29a Archer Lodge - Archer Lodge Middle School

Downtown Façade Grants Approved for 130 & 424 E Main Street

The Clayton Downtown Development Association recently approved the first Downtown Façade Improvement Grant applications of the new fiscal year for projects at the former Little Shop at 130 E Main Street and Olde Town Supply at 424 E Main Street. “Each of these projects will have a major visual impact in their blocks,” according to Jeme Avent, Co-chair of the DDA’s Design Committee, and she said, “Add to the continued improvements in downtown Clayton.” Both properties are owned by Doris Parker.

424 E Main Street, Olde Town Supply Co













The existing canopy will be removed and no awning or canopy will replace it. The exterior wall will be repaired above the existing canopy. The front, west façade and east facing wall along the driveway will be repainted. The window and door trim will be painted and the existing vinyl fencing samples will be removed and not replaced.

The upper cornice will be repaired and replaced as necessary and extended above the front doors and to the western side of the building. This will all be painted the same color as window and door trim. Gutters will be installed to replace the existing system to keep water from draining onto the sidewalk.

The DDA’s Design Committee recommended planting several Sky Pencil Japanese Hollies along the eastern side of the wall to break up the expanse of the wall. They also recommended painting a new Olde Town Supply sign directly to the building wall, which will provide an interesting look to the sign and help break up the expanse of the wall.




130 E Main Street, formerly The Little Shop / Linda’s













The existing aluminum canopy will be replaced with a standard, black canvas awning over the transom windows. The existing transom windows will be replaced with clear glass (no mullions or dividers) and wood or aluminum framing. The exterior front façade brick will be repainted an Ashley Gray and the trim around the windows and cornice will be painted black. The west brick wall will be cleaned and treated and left unpainted. The signboard will be prepared for new signage installation and signboard lights will be installed above.

Black, wrought iron flowerboxes will be installed in front of each window. They will be less than 12” deep and not exceed the height of the bottom of each window. A matching wrought iron fence will be installed from the west corner of the building along the front of the property adjacent to the building.

According to Ms. Avent the application process is fairly simple: Complete the application, in which the property/business owner describes the proposed improvements, provides at least two cost estimates, with color and material samples and submit it to Downtown Development Coordinator Bruce Naegelen, who is also available to help complete the application. He will review it to make sure the application is complete and then the DDA Design Committee reviews the application. Once a project is approved the applicant has 6 months to complete it. The Downtown Façade Improvement Grant Program is funded by the Town of Clayton.

Click here to review the application and process, visit www.townofclaytonnc.org and go to the Business Development page under Downtown. For more information, please contact Bruce Naegelen at (919) 553-1545 or bnaegelen@townofclaytonnc.org.

Pier 33 Seafood & Bar to Open in Downtown Clayton Friday

Downtown Clayton is ready to have restaurant number seven open this week . Pier 33 Seafood & Bar will open Friday at 312 E Main Street offering Calabash-style seafood. The new restaurant will be open for dinner from 4:30 pm to 9:00 pm Tuesday – Saturday. Pier 33 is opening in the location formerly occupied by Main Steak Restaurant.

Calabash-style seafood is freshly-breaded with different seasonings and fried, but a broiled menu will also be offered. Owner and chef, Vickie Davis, is not a newcomer to the business, she owned and operated the popular Vicky’s Calabash Pier at Southhills in Cary from 1987 to 2002.

“We are excited the Davises chose to open their restaurant in downtown Clayton,” said Ed Knight, President of the Clayton Downtown Development Association. “There are now 7 locally-owned, independent restaurants in downtown and each has a different cuisine.” He added, “it’s another example that good things are happening in Clayton.”

Pier 33 Seafood & Bar will offer beer and wine and eventually a full bar, but it will provide a family-oriented environment since her son, Billy Davis, is the manager and other family members will be working there, too. The new restaurant will have a casual atmosphere, according to Mrs. Davis, because, “We’re hometown people, just come as you are!”

The restaurant phone number is (919) 550-0093.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder Make Second Clayton Appearance

14-Time GRAMMY Winner to Open Palladian Series at The Clayton Center

The seventh Palladian Series opens on Saturday, Oct. 17, with two shows by bluegrass icon Ricky Skaggs and his band Kentucky Thunder. They will appear at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Known affectionately as bluegrass music’s official ambassador, Skaggs continues to do his part to lead the recent roots revival in music.

Throughout the late 1970s and ’80s, Skaggs’ musical journey led him to enormous success and popularity in the mainstream of country music. In 1982 he was made the youngest member of the Grand Ole Opry, and he counts 12 number one singles on the Billboard Country charts and 12 Top 20 Country albums among his accomplishments.

However, Skaggs career came full circle when he returned to his bluegrass roots and launched his own record label in 1997. Since then, he and his all-star band Kentucky Thunder have recorded 10 consecutive Grammy-nominated classics, including the recent album Honoring The Fathers Of Bluegrass: Tribute To 1946 and 1947. The latest honor for Skaggs and the band is their nomination in the 2009 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards Instrumental Group of the Year category – an award they’ve won eight times since Skaggs’ return to full-time bluegrass 12 years ago.

The Clayton Center appearance brings home Raleigh native and Kentucky Thunder banjo player Jim Mills. Mills is a six-time winner of the IBMA Banjo Player of the Year Award. Other members of Kentucky Thunder are Tennessee fiddle master and 2009 IBMA nominee for Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year Andy Leftwich; lead guitarist and former National Flatpicking Champion Cody Kilby; tenor vocalists and rhythm guitarists Mark Fain and Paul Brewster; and IBMA nominated bassist Darrin Vincent.

Heidi Stump, executive director of The Clayton Center, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Ricky back to Clayton and to start our seventh season off with such a stellar ensemble.”

The Skaggs performance is part of a busy weekend in downtown Clayton. Clayton’s first Oktoberfest is scheduled for October 16-17 from 5-11pm Friday and 11am-11pm Saturday. Also on Saturday, Clayton Visual Arts presents “ArtalaCarte House Walk and Historic Homes Tour” from 10am to 3pm. “Visitors can make an entire day of activity in Clayton,” said Stump, “we hope people will participate in the art walk, attend the Skaggs show and hang out for brats and beverages in our downtown.”

Tickets for Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder are $25 for the 4 p.m. show and $29 for the 8 p.m. show. Season tickets to each of the six shows in the Palladian Series also are available. Season ticket packages are $125.

Tickets may be purchased by phone at 919-553-1737, at The Clayton Center Box Office, 111 E. Second Street in downtown Clayton, from 10 a.m. until noon and from 1 until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.theclaytoncenter.com.

The Clayton Center also will offer a special Sunday afternoon family event – The Spencers: Theatre of Illusion – on Nov. 15. Tickets are $15 adults, $12 children 12 and under, and $50 for a family four pack.

Big Weekend in Downtown Clayton!

A full weekend of great events are planned in Clayton:

Friday

BBQ Chicken Dinner, Clayton Firefighters Association, 11:00 am - 7:00 pm Fire Station 1 at 325 W Horne Street. The plates include half a chicken, boiled potatoes, string beans, and a dessert. The plates are $7.00 and you can eat-in or take-out.


Oktoberfest 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm featuring German beers, sausages and Bavarian pretzels and pastries from Annalore's German Pastries! Kettle corn, softdrinks and more. The Foothills OomPah Band plays Friday & Saturday evenings. Friday's raffle is a pair of Ricky Skaggs concert tickets for Saturday night at the Clayton Center! Behind 312-336 E Main Street.

Saturday

Clayton Farm & Community Market 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
Town Square at 100 W Main Street in downtown Clayton


Art ArtalaCarte, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm an artwalk and historic homes tour sponsored by Clayton Visual Arts, will premier Saturday, Oct. 17, in downtown Clayton. Seven homes, five now converted to businesses, will be toured, and local artists will display and offer their work for sale at the houses. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and begins at the Robertson Mule Co. on Lombard Street. A free ArtalaCarte “taxi” will be available for those who have difficulty getting around. Tickets are $15 per person. Full information


Oktoberfest 11:00 am - 11:00 pm featuring German beers, sausages and Bavarian pretzels and pastries from Annalore's German Pastries! Kettle corn, softdrinks and more. The Foothills OomPah Band plays Friday & Saturday evenings. Saturday's raffle will include several items brought back from Germany this week! Behind 312-336 E Main Street.


Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder in Concert 4:00 pm & 8:00 pm at The Clayton Center, 111 E Second Street. Known affectionately as bluegrass music’s official ambassador, Skaggs continues to do his part to lead the recent roots revival in music. Box office 553-1737 Tickets online

Clayton Firefighters Annual BBQ Chicken Dinner

The Clayton Firefighters Association is conducting their annual BBQ Chicken Dinner tomorrow, October 16th, from 11:00am – 7:00pm. Please feel free to come by Station 1 on W Horne Street and join us for lunch or dinner. The plates include half a chicken, boiled potatoes, string beans, and a dessert. The plates are $7.00 and you can eat-in or take-out.

Banjo's, Bavaria & Old Houses

Here's an article from this week's Garner-Clayton Record about the downtown activities this weekend!

Candidate Town Hall Meeting Oct 22 Sponsored by Clayton News-Star

On Thursday, Oct. 22, The Clayton News-Star will hold a town-hall meeting with Town Council candidates in the Council Chambers at The Clayton Center (111 E. Second St.) at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Please come with questions for the candidates.

Tickets Available for DDA Annual Awards Dinner

Businesses, volunteers and others will be recognized at the Clayton Downtown Development Association’s Annual Awards Dinner on Monday, November 9 at the Clayton Steakhouse.

Highlights will include a review of the year’s accomplishments and recognition of outgoing DDA members. A social time with a cash bar will begin at 5:30 pm and time to bid on Silent Auction items. A guest speaker and musical guest will also be featured. Tickets are $20.00 per person and will include dinner, beverage and dessert, with proceeds to benefit CDDA projects.

The DDA will announce the 2009 NC Main Street Champion, who will also be recognized at the NC Main Street Annual Awards Dinner in New Bern on January 28. Past recipients have been Barry Woodard and Joyce Blackley.

DDA President, Ed Knight said, “This is our opportunity to publicly recognize the people and businesses that are making a difference in downtown Clayton,” adding that, “they are all volunteers. Without the volunteers, it would be a lot tougher to accomplish anything.”

Several new awards will be presented on November 9. According to CDDA Organization Committee chair, Betsy Grannis, this will be the inaugural year of the “Downtown First Awards,” in which nominated businesses and individuals who “place Clayton first” will be recognized. These include, Outstanding Volunteer; Outstanding Downtown Business, Outstanding New Downtown Business, and Outstanding Individual within a Downtown Business or Organization.

Nominations must be received by the DDA no later than Tuesday, October 27.

Click here for the nomination form and criteria. Nomination forms are also available at The Clayton Center (reception desk), 111 E Second Street; Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library, 100 Church Street and the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, 301 E Main Street.

Guest speaker will be Gina Moreland, chair of the Clayton Public Art Advisory Board. Ms. Moreland will discuss the role of the board and how they relate to downtown Clayton.

There will be live music with the vocal trio, C3/Cho-Zen. A silent auction will also take place with some great items, such as a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. racing jacket, a limited edition golf bag and a baseball signed by Andruw Jones.

All DDA board members and committee members will have them for sale and they are available at these locations:
Blackley’s Printing, 229 E Main Street; Clayton Steakhouse, 307 E Main Street; Fancy That, 120 E Main Street.

For more information please contact Downtown Development Coordinator Bruce Naegelen at bnaegelen@townofclaytonnc.org or 553-1545.

Oktoberfest Update - Raffles Added!

Two raffles have been added to the Clayton Oktoberfest this weekend. On Friday night, the Clayton Downtown Development Association will raffle a pair of Ricky Scaggs tickets, who will perform Saturday night down the road at The Clayton Center at 8:00 pm. Saturday’s raffle will include some items being brought back from Germany this week.

Raffle tickets are just $1 each and $5 for six. Winners will be selected at 9:00 pm both evenings.

Event: Clayton Oktoberfest

Sponsor: Clayton Downtown Development Association, Inc.

Date: October 16 & 17, 2009

Time: Friday: 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm & Saturday: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm

Admission: $5.00 general / $1 for designated drivers

Location: 312-336 E Main Street (Behind Hometowne Realty)

Detail: German beers, brats, franks, and other sausages. Bavarian pastries, Foothills OomPah Band and more!

Contact: www.downtownclayton.org or email bnaegelen@townofclaytonnc.org or call (919) 553-1545.

Johnston County Visitors Bureau Awards $14,750 in Special Event Grants

(photo: Left to right seated: Natalie Norris, Ed Knight, Heidi Stump. Left to right standing: Jessica Meadows Hammett, Lee Jackson, Donna Bailey-Taylor)

The Johnston County Visitors Bureau awarded $14,750 in Special Event Grants to 40 recipient events from around the county and checks were distributed at the September 2nd Tourism Authority board meeting.


“For over 20 years, the Johnston County Visitors Bureau has been supporting organizations that host events and festivals, performing arts, and sporting events in the county. Marketing grants help these organizations with advertising and promotional brochures which helps to bring thousands of visitors to Johnston County each year”, said Donna Bailey-Taylor, Executive Director, Johnston County Visitors Bureau.

Ed Knight, President of the Clayton Downtown Development Association, recieved grants for this weekend's Oktoberfest and the 2010 Millstock Music & Art Faire.

List of 2009-2010 Special Event Grant recipients are:

Archer Lodge Family Fun Day 4th - $250
Ava Gardner Museum – Ava Festival - $250
Benson Chamber of Commerce – Mule Days - $1,000
Benson Chamber of Commerce – Sundown in Downtown - $250
Benson Downtown Development – Benson Stroll - $250
Benson Parks & Recreation – 4th of July - $250
Benson State Singing Convention - $500
Bentonville Battlefield 145th Anniversary Reenactment - $1000
Clayton Chamber of Commerce – Harvest Festival - $750
Clayton Area Development Association – Oktoberfest - $250
Clayton Area Development Association – Millstock - $250
Clayton Cultural Arts Foundation – Destino - $250
Clayton Cultural Arts Foundation – John Pizzarcelli - $250
Clayton Youth Theatre – Once On This Island - $250
Clayton Youth Theatre – Pippin - $250
Celebrate Cleveland – July Event - $250
Cleveland Chamber of Commerce – Strawberry Festival - $500
Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation – Ham & Yam - $1,000
Downtown Smithfield Development Corporation – Ava Film Festival - $250
Four Oaks Chamber of Commerce – Oaktober Fest - $250
Four Oaks Chamber of Commerce – Acorn Festival - $500
Johnston Community College – Arboretum Southern Symposium - $250
Johnston Community College – Country Music Showcase - $500
Keep Johnston County Beautiful – Festival of Trees - $250
Kenly Chamber of Commerce – Krusin’ Kenly - $500
McGee’s Crossroads Ringing of the Bells, 4th of July - $250
Neuse Little Theatre – A Few Good Men - $250
Neuse Little Theatre – The Diary of Anne Frank - $250
Selma Development Partnership – East Coast Antique Show - $250
Selma Development Partnership – Selma Car Classic - $250
Selma Parks & Recreation – Railroad Days - $750
Selma Parks & Recreation – All American Fest July 4 - $250
Smithfield Parks & Recreation – 4th of July - $250
Southern Johnston Baseball Association
Tarheel League District V Tournament - $250
Southern Johnston Baseball Association
Southern Johnston Invitational - $250
Tobacco Farm Life Museum – Fall Heritage - $500
Tobacco Farm Life Museum – Anniversary Event- $500
Town of Pine Level – 4th of July - $250
Town of Princeton Veteran’s Day - $250

The NC Division of Tourism recently released the 2008 statewide tourism expenditures numbers and spending in Johnston County was $179.26 million which reflects a 3% increase over 2007 numbers in a very challenging economic climate. Johnston County is the third largest tourism destination along the I-95 Corridor behind Fayetteville and Rocky Mount, and the third largest in the Triangle after Wake and Durham Counties.

Festivals and event promotion is only one part of the Visitors Bureau overall marketing objectives to attract and serve visitors to the county. The mission of the Visitors Bureau is to market the destinations throughout the county, thereby, encouraging utilization of accommodations, retail outlets, restaurants, heritage sites, museums, entertainment, and recreation venues for the community’s economic benefit.

For more information on events around the county and the mission of the Visitors Bureau, visit the bureau’s web site, www.johnstoncountync.org

Pittman Jewelers Retiring After 62 Years

After 62 years in business, Elton Pittman is retiring after Christmas, closing Pittman Jewelers. Mr. Pittman opened the jewlery store at the corner of Main and Lombard in 1947. He is a founding member of what has become the Downtown Development Association, on which he is winding down his last term, and was involved in the formation of the Clayton Area Chamber of Commerce. He says there are no retirement plans right now other than a "honey-do" list. Pittman's Jewelers is located at 400 E Main Street and is holding a close-out sale on all inventory!

From the Flipside...

Lunch Specials

Cuban Sandwich - Center cut pork on a kaiser with pickles, swiss cheese and ham

$5.00 Lunch Special - Chicken parmesan sandwich on a kaiser - two chicken tenderloins breaded and fried with marinara and provolone cheese
with French Fries

$6.00 Chili and Grilled Cheese - small bowl of chili and grilled cheese sandwich. Your choice of bread and cheese


Dinner Feature

Pasta - Angel hair pasta with Dijon shrimp sauce with a side salad and bread

Steak Feature - 8oz. Blackened center cut Sirloin with bleu mac & cheese and a veggie
________________________________________

!!!!!!! Tuesdays and Wednesday !!!!!!!
5:00 to 6:30
Early Bird Special
15% off any Entree' (including the above dinner features)
Dine In Only
Wednesdays - 1/2 price wine by the glass night!
________________________________________

Tonight Open Mic with Tracy Wiebeck
Everyone is welcome!!

Thursday - Karaoke
Yes, even you can sing.....wink!

Friday - Mister Mustard

Saturday - The Soul Providers

Hey, you want to figure out a way to honor your employees, or maybe entertain friends with an affordable, special meal...
contact us about catering the event for you!
553-0123 or morgone@mindspring.com

The Flipside is at 408 E Second Street in downtown Clayton.

10-10-09 Clayton Farm and Community Market Newsletter

Written by Amber Southerland Polk and edited by the CFCM Board

Fall Goodies Are Here!

Email claytonmarket@earthlink.net with any questions, comments, article contributions or to get your own weekly copy delivered to your inbox. The Clayton Market is located at the Clayton Town Square at the corner of Main and O’Neil Street in Downtown Clayton. We are open every Saturday, April-October 31 8am-1pm.

Smith’s is Bringing The Fall Spirit: Smith’s Nursery will be at the farmers market this Saturday with fall plants, pumpkins, gourds, collards, sweet potatoes, mustard and turnip greens and hot peppers. No word on how hot the hot peppers are, but if you are brave enough to try one, email us and let us know. Remember to buy local for all your fall decorating and cooking needs.

Nancy’s Fall Candles: Nancy has developed several new scents just for Fall. Stop by and smell her pumpkin soufflé, sweet cranberries, fraser fir, mulberry and holly berry candles. Nancy will be running a special promotion on all her scents, large $12 candles will only be $10 for Clayton Market customers. So come by and stock up because Christmas is right around the corner.

Keiko’s Handmade items: Keiko will have all her hand made baby items and purses this week. She will also be returning with more passport cases, perfect for a cool weather get away. Stop by to see this and all her other cute products.

Mushroom Man at the Market: David the Mushroom Man will bring his shiitake mushrooms to the market this week. David uses no chemical on his mushrooms and loves telling people about the health benefits of fresh shiitake mushrooms. Stop by and pick up a package and browse his hand made crafts as well.

Cranberry Chicken:
Nancy from Nancy’s Candles sent in this simple, yet yummy fall recipe. I think I will try it with a side of Smith’s fresh collards.

Brown 4 boneless breast of chicken in a skillet with butter.
Once browned on both sides, add a whole can of cranberries and let simmer until chicken is done
You can add a splash of red wine if you like to add some zing, but this is a healthy, low fat, quick and easy recipe for this time of year.

Now Accepting Applications for 2010: Hopefully you have been following us throughout our first year and have seen the hard work and dedication put into getting the Clayton Market off the ground. We are committed to providing a place for local farmers and crafters to sell their items to Clayton and the surrounding community. I would like to invite anyone interested in becoming a vendor in 2010 to send me an email with any questions you may have. The application process is easy, and we sure look forward to having you out next year.

Upcoming Events
October 17- Clayton Oktoberfest
October 24 – Pumpkin Carving Contest
October 31- Costume contest for 2 legged children and 4 legged children

Town Hall Meeting SUNDAY with Clayton Town Council Candidates

“A Conversation with the Community”

The Clayton Leadership Group (CLG) will be sponsoring a town hall meeting with the candidates for Clayton Town Council titled “A Conversation with the Community.”

This meeting will allow for the town council candidates to introduce themselves, speak on issues affecting the town, and for residents to ask the candidates questions.

This meeting will be moderated by WRAL-TV reporter Dan Bowens and will be held on Sunday October 11, at 2:30pm in the Clayton Town Council Chambers. (111 E. Second St. Clayton, NC)

The CLG consists of several religious, social, and cultural organization leaders from the Clayton area. The group came about as a result of a need for the affiliated parties to communicate more frequently and be more organized on social, economic, and cultural issues that are of mutual concern to the groups that these leaders represent.

We encourage all residents and stake holders to attend this meeting. Bring your questions and ideas for the future of the Town of Clayton.

If you have any questions or need further details about the CLG or this communication e-mail us at: claytonleadershipgroup@yahoo.com

FANCY THAT! Biggest Sale of The Year!!!

Fancy That, located at 120 E Main Street in downtown Clayton, is having the biggest sale of the year! Almost the entire store is on sale between 25% and 40% off! This is a great time to get started on that Christmas list!

Our Fall and Winter Colonial Candles are in and included in the sale at 25% off!

We are also doing an introductory sale to welcome Mandy Bagwell Pottery (serveware) to Fancy That! We have some great Halloween pieces and it’s all on SALE and much, much more!!!

While you are here be sure to check out the clearance items in our back porch room!

We have got to make room for Christmas so you will not want to miss this sale!
Sale starts today and ENDS this Saturday! 550-2946

From The Flipside...

Lunch Specials

$5.00 Special - Shrimp Po Boy...on a kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato with chili aioli and french fries

$7.00 Open Faced meat loaf sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy. Choice of bread.

Soup of The Day - French Onion Soup with crustinis and Swiss cheese

Dinner Features
Pasta Special - Bleu Cheese mac and cheese with buffalo chicken served with side salad and bread

Steak Special - Sirloin steak sandwich - tender center cut sirloin grilled with peppers, onions, mushrooms and melted provolone cheese.
Served on a sub roll with your choice of a side.
________________________________________
Tuesdays and Wednesday
5:00 to 6:30
Early Bird Special
15% off any Entree' (including the above dinner features)
Dine In Only
Wednesdays - 1/2 price wine by the glass night!
________________________________________

Friday
Acoustic Highway
Rock n' Roll...unplugged

Saturday
D Martini & The Highballs
rockabilly...yeah!!!!!!!!
________________________________________

Don't forget to mark your calendars for "THE" event of the month (maybe even the year) in Clayton. October 24th - starts at 3:00p.m.
St. Baldrick's Foundation
We are shaving heads in Clayton to raise money for childhood cancer research! Sign up today to shave your head for donations or donate to someone who is shaving their head. It's going to be a big time on October 24th, so come on out and watch our brave shavees raise money to help cure childhood cancer!

RE3.ORG Event Promotes Recycling & New Plastic Bottle Ban

The environmental group RE3.org (reduce, reuse, recycle) was at the corner of Main and Lombard Streets today with a plastic bottle display that's been described as "unique, inspiring and creative." They were promoting the state's new law that bans plastic bottles from your trash, and from the state's landfills. The law, which went into effect Oct. 1, also mandates the recycling of motor oil filters and wooden pallets. Already, state law mandates the recycling of aluminum cans and corrugated cardboard.

Kelley Denning spoke about why they were in Clayton:

Creation Station is accepting new students for fall art classes.

Registration is underway for Creation Station fall art classes. Community Artists (grades K-5th) is offered weekly on Thursdays from 6:15-7:15pm. The fee for the 8-week series is $85. Classes are held at Eye of the Eagle Art center located at 131 East 1st Street in Clayton. New classes begin October 22. Limited spaces are available; enroll early to ensure participation. Call Creation Station at 550-8135 or email creationstation3@aol.com to register or for details about class.

Downtown Display Tuesday Promotes Recycling

It might be fun to drop by downtown Tuesday, Oct. 6 about noon even if you don't need to go shopping.

The environmental group RE3.org (reduce, reuse, recycle) will be at the corner of Main and Lombard Streets with a plastic bottle display that's been described as "unique, inspiring and creative."

They'll be promoting the state's new law that bans plastic bottles from your trash, and from the state's landfills. The law, which went into effect Oct. 1, also mandates the recycling of motor oil filters and wooden pallets. Already, state law mandates the recycling of aluminum cans and corrugated cardboard.

The group is supported by the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance.

The Town of Clayton intends to help promote the new law with inserts in utility bills and informational materials in public places and at public events. Town employees are already setting an example by stationing additional recycling containers throughout public buildings and checking their office waste baskets for banned materials.

Plastic containers banned from landfills include drink bottles, juice bottles, salad dressing bottles, condiment bottles, laundry and dishwashing detergent bottles, shampoo and conditioner bottles, liquid soap bottles, mouthwash bottles, cough syrup bottles and more. Bottles that contain motor oil or pesticides are excluded, as are plastic tubs, which are made with a different formula.

Plastic bottles are recycled into a number of different materials, including new bottles, carpet, furniture, toothbrushes, fleece jackets, handbags, construction timber, hats and even cell phones.

For answers to frequently asked questions about plastic recycling, please check out the following link:
http://www.p2pays.org/BannedMaterials/PlasticBottles/docs/FAQs.pdf

Oktoberfest - October 16-17

On Friday, October 16, an area just behind the 300 block of East Main Street will be transformed into an Oktoberfest complete with the aromas and tastes of Germany, including bratwurst and frankfurters, sauerkraut, pretzels, and pastries with a Bavarian flair. Of course, German beers and wines will be offered along with domestic favorites and soft drinks. To add to the authenticity, the Foothills Oom-Pah Band will perform Friday and Saturday evenings.

Hours will be Friday from 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm and Saturday from 11:00am to 11:00 pm. General admission is $5. Admission for designated drivers will be $1.00 and receive a special wristband.

Plans include the food, beverages, music, and even some children’s activities to keep the younger set interested. DDA member Jeme Avent said, “We really envision this as a family-type event to experience and enjoy some different types of food and music.”

According to CDDA President, Ed Knight, “It’s going to be an active weekend, with the ArtWalk and Ricky Scaggs in town at the same time as Oktoberfest.” Knight said, “Clayton is fast becoming recognized as a place for arts and events and downtown Clayton is becoming the hub of that social and cultural activity.”

Oktoberfest is part of a busy weekend in downtown Clayton. Also on Saturday, Clayton Visual Arts presents “ArtalaCarte House Walk and Historic Homes Tour” from 10am to 3pm and country music star Ricky Skaggs will bring his popular show to The Clayton Center for two performances at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

For more information and updates about Clayton Oktoberfest visit www.downtownclayton.org or email or call (919) 553-1545.

Community Hall Meeting "Yes We Can Coalition" October 15

The "Yes We Can Johnston County Coalition" will hold its second of five Countywide Regional Community Hall Meetings on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at The Clayton Center, Town Council's Meeting Room, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Among the topics discussed will be the H1N1 pandemic by the JC Health Director, school reassignment plans, and needed social services for the poor and unemployed.

All are Invited! Come join us and share information and resources.

YES WE CAN Johnston County Coalition, Inc.
Post Office Box 1016
Clayton, North Carolina 27528-1016
919-550-0614
Email: information@yeswecanjccoalition.com
http://www.yeswecanjccoalition.com

From the Flipside...

Weekend Dinner Features

Pasta - Linguini with a pesto, sundried tomato cream sauce. Served with a side salad and bread

Meat Loaf - mix of lamb, veal and beef with cabernet mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes, with fresh steamed green beans

Tequila Lime Shrimp - shrimp sauteed in a lime pepper butter sauce flamed with tequila and served over basmati rice. Served with a side salad and bread.
________________________________________

Tonight we've got a favorite hitting our stage.
They've played several "big time" stages all over the place, but they love
coming back to our stage when they can.

Johnny Orr and SouthStation

________________________________________

Don't forget to mark your calendars for "the" event of the month (maybe even the year) in Clayton.
October 24th - starts at 3:00p.m.
St. Baldrick's Foundation
We are shaving heads in Clayton to raise money for childhood cancer research! Sign up today to shave your head for donations or donate to someone who is shaving their head. It's going to be a big time on October 24th, so come on out and watch our brave shavees raise money to help cure childhood cancer!
http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/event_info.php?EventKey=2009-2327

Hey, you want to figure out a way to honor your employees, or maybe entertain friends with a special meal...
contact us about catering the event for you!
553-0123 or morgone@mindspring.com

Sidewalk Trip Hazards Grinding to a Halt

Work has begun to "smooth" out some of the uneven sidewalks on Main Street to reduce trip hazards. The Town of Clayton has contracted with Precision Sidewalks to grind down about 150 identified sections of the sidewalks. They began Wednesday at 7 am and will be working on Main Street for about 5 - 7 days, depending on the weather.

They will be grinding all the trip hazards ½ inch or greater in size.



An added bonus is that all the grindings are recycled. Not sure what it's recycled into, but they are recycled!

10-3-09 Clayton Farm and Community Market Newsletter

Welcome to October!

Email claytonmarket@earthlink.net with any questions, comments, article contributions or to get your own weekly copy delivered to your inbox. The Clayton Market is located at the Clayton Town Square at the corner of Main and O’Neil Street in Downtown Clayton. We are open every Saturday, April-October 31 8am-1pm.

Keiko’s Newest Product at the Market this week: Keiko will introduce passport cases to the Clayton Market this week. Perfect for a cool weather get away. Stop by to see this and all her other cute products.

Mushroom Man at the Market: David the Mushroom Man will bring his shiitake mushrooms to the market this week. David uses no chemical on his mushrooms and loves telling people about the health benefits of fresh shiitake mushrooms. Stop by and pick up a package and browse his hand made crafts.

Master Gardeners Making Master Rain Barrels: The Master Gardeners group will send a few rain barrels to us this Saturday from 10-12:30 that they've put together. The barrels will be for sale for $45 each (a reduced price from most retail rain barrels). It will also be a great opportunity for people to come by and have a look to see how they're made if they want to make one of their own.

Animals Have Returned to the Museum: We are happy to report the big snake and all the other animals returned safely with Martha Fisk, Educational Outreach Coordinator to the NC Museum of Natural Science. We would like to thank her for taking the time to teach us amphibians can be cuddly too. Stop by the NC Museum of Natural Science to visit our first cold blooded Market Friends.

Now Accepting Applications for 2010: Hopefully you have been following us throughout our first year and have seen the hard work and dedication put into getting the Clayton Market off the ground. We are committed to providing a place for local farmers and crafters to sell their items to Clayton and the surrounding community. I would like to invite anyone interested in becoming a vendor in 2010 to send me an email with any questions you may have. The application process is easy, and we sure look forward to having you out next year.

Anyone Have an Extra Van? The market needs a running van for storage and to move the market items around. Any donations would be tax deductible. The catch? It has to run on its own power and not leak oil or any other substance. We figure those are probably two good rules for a van in general. Please let us know if you know of anyone willing to donate a van type vehicle to the Market.

Looking for a Place to Advertise Your Local Business? Want to advertise your local business to Clayton residents, but don’t have a large advertising budget? That’s ok, neither do we. However, we do have a 500+ and growing following of the Clayton Farm and Community Market Newsletter and would like to offer you the opportunity to be our Newsletter Local Business Sponsor of the Week. For a very low price our newsletter readers could have been reading about your local business in this very spot. Email Claytonmarket@earthlink.net anytime throughout the market year if you would like to support the market while advertising your business to local residents. All proceeds will go to support the upkeep of the Clayton Farm and Community Market.

Upcoming Events
October 17- Clayton Oktoberfest
October 24 – Pumpkin Carving Contest
October 31- Costume contest for 2 legged children and 4 legged children

ArtalaCarte to premier Oct. 17,featuring artwalk, historic homes

ArtalaCarte, an artwalk and historic homes tour sponsored by Clayton Visual Arts, will premier Saturday, Oct. 17, in downtown Clayton.

Seven homes, five now converted to businesses, will be toured, and local artists will display and offer their work for sale at the houses.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and begins at the Robertson Mule Co. on Lombard Street. A free ArtalaCarte “taxi” will be available for those who have difficulty getting around.
Tickets are $15 per person.

An added attraction of ArtalaCarte is a raffle for a set of 6 posters of Clayton scenes, duplicates of the ones that hang in The Clayton Center. Other prizes in the raffle are dinners for two at the Clayton Steakhouse, Mulberry on Main and Skylines restaurants. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.

Local groups participating in ArtalaCarte are Clayton Historical Society, the Woman’s Club, Team Karen, and others.

The artwalk/house tour is part of a weekend of activities in Clayton. OktoberFest makes its debut Friday evening, Oct. 16, and continues through Saturday, Oct. 17. In addition, country music star Ricky Skaggs will bring his popular show to The Clayton Center for two performances Saturday, Oct. 17, at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

So far, these local artists will show their works in the 1st annual ArtalaCarte Artwalk and Historic Homes Tour: Gail O’Neil, Janie Prete, Kathy Nobles, Carolyn Howard, Sandra Honeycutt, Penny Evans, John McFadden, Pam Douglas, Toni Murgas, Mary Brown and Thomas E. Krasowski.

The seven houses chosen for the tour are:
• Historic Smith House, 507 E. 2nd St., now Morning Glory Inn.
• Historic Barbour House, 475 E. 2nd St., now the Silverman residence.
• Historic Robertson House, 304 Lombard St., now the Atchison residence.
• Historic Cox-Honeycutt House, 131 E. 1st St., now Eye of the Eagle.
• Historic Hinton House, 121 E. 1st St., now Archaeological Consultants.
• Historic Barnes House, 115 E. 1st St., now Paint It Red.
• Historic Yelvington House, 104 Fayetteville St., now HTR Realty.

Members of the Clayton community will act as “docents” at each house and present historical information and personal reminiscences.

Here are tidbits about the houses:
• The Smith House was built around 1907 by Oscar Green Smith, who founded a wholesale grocery business. It is two stories with 6,400 square feet.
• The Barbour House was built in 1925 by Julian Dwight Barbour, president of J.G. Barbour & Sons mercantile business. It is a two-story brick dwelling and features an ornate mantel rescued from the 1890s Horne-Gower Mansion.
• The Robertson House is a two-story white dwelling in the Colonial Revival style. It features two massive columns flanking the front door and was built in 1925 by Battle Moore Robertson, a mule dealer and businessman.
• The Cox-Honeycutt House is Clayton’s oldest house, built either in 1818 or in 1856. It was owned by Wiley W. Cox until the 1870s, when it was bought by David Tilden Honeycutt. The one-story structure is on the National Register of Historic Places.
• The Hinton House next door was built by Ernest Linwood Hinton, who was mayor of Clayton for 20 years, around 1900 and is also on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a small example of Queen Anne-style residences in Johnston County.
• The Barnes House, next door to the Hinton House, is a two-story frame dwelling built by John S. Barnes Sr. in 1911. He owned a general-merchandise store on Main Street and later worked as a bookkeeper for Ashley Horne & Son in the 1920s.
• The Yelvington House was built by Benjamin H. Yelvington, who died in 1900. He operated a licensed distillery. The Italianate-style structure is a 2 ½-story, L-shaped house with 2,849 square feet.

Tickets may be obtained from ArtalaCarte chairman Dianne Carroll, 553-8818, and from any member of Clayton Visual Arts.
Tickets also will be available at Clayton Visual Arts’ free meet-the-artist reception Oct. 8. The 6-7:30 p.m. reception at The Clayton Center will honor artists Barbara Blaisdell and Marina Bosetti, whose work will be on display during the month of October.