Remembering events from past

1968 - Paper articles mention Walt Wheeler and “Greiners”, farm tours, price buying asparagus, farmer planter and harvester inventions

1974 - “Oceana CountyWhere the Nation’s Quality Asparagus Grows.” NAF Bake-Off champion was Sukiyaki, MIchigan Style, an asparagus beef casserole served over rice.

Board of Directors - Maxine Huggard (Chairwoman); Shirley Beachum (Bake-Off), Betty Field (Bake-Off), Ed Balcom, Ed Strong and Ersula Hanes (Ticket Committee); Ed Bauer, Ben Scholl, Ray Wybenga, Howard Goerbig, Nick Elliott, Dick Lound (Promotion); Lowell Rinker, Linda Olson (Publicity); Betty Near (Dining Room Decoration); Barb Burmeister (Serving); Winston Lewis, Pete Daly, Melvin Greiner (Clean up); Bill Fitz, Jack B Griffin, Tom Greiner, Max Kokx, Howard McDonald, Eric Ray, John Curtis (Finance); Joanne & Jack Cheever (Activities); Jean & Tom Loughmiller (Parade); Alice Lewis, Marge Greiner, Sally Balcom (Princess); Phyllis Steen (Secretary)

March Herald Journal article proclaiming OC as Asparagus Capital of Michigan? With between 8000-9000 acres in asparagus (36%?); next closest MI county was VanBuren with 5700 acres.

Bake-off (at Paige Building next to Brown’s Thrift-T, smorgasbord, free recipes offered.

Maxine Huggard was the Chairwoman of the Committee

Muskegon Chronicle article

- Mike McGovern was Oceana County’s National Asparagus

Bake-off winner with Asparagus

Tidbits and Asparagus Nut Bread

1975 - Joanne Cheever brings fresh asparagus to Mercy Hospital in Muskegon where it was served to over 1000 people - patients and staff.

-First Mrs. Asparagus - Maxine Huggard, Festival events in Hart; Asparagus Banquet and Queen Pageant featured the first Asparagus Kids debuting their “Asparagus Song” written by Ray Dempsey of Whitehall Public Schools.

-Parade featured combined Hart & Shelby bands, Governor Miliken, trophies were awarded to winning parade entries,

-Jaycees gave out “Asparagus Bucks” which could be redeemed at a special auction

-Events included a bike race (Shelby Optimist Club), square dancing, art fair, quilt show at Shelby UCC sponsored by Shelby Ladies Literary Club and Shelby Women’s Club, fireman’s water battle, airplane glider rides, golf and bowling tourneys, kite flying contest, teen street dance.

- Bert Petrie NAF logo

- NAF placemats, brochures, stickers, recipes were given

away/used

Events alternated between two towns until 2009; main events remained in Hart until 2024.

1976 - 3rd Festival; Mrs. Asparagus, Joan Cheever, brings fresh asparagus to Lansing, paraded through downtown Lansing in horse and buggy distributing brochures and fresh asparagus; County’s Bicentennial Parade, Festival in Shelby; Committee members included Shirley Beachum, Sam Bucher, Mike McGovern, Judy Barecki (corresponding secretary). Martha Wentzloff winner of Bake-off with Asparagus Sausage-Filled Crepes; “Asparagus Times” becomes the “Asparagus Advocate”; Events on Friday: 4-H Road Show, Golf Tournaments, Salad Luncheon and Vintage Quilt Show (Shelby Ladies Literary Club), Bowling Tourney, Bicycle Race (Oscar Lehman oldest cyclist age 76), Carnival, Square Dance, Teen Street Dance; Events on Saturday: Farm and Processing Plant Tours (visitors rode in dune scooters, Walsworth brothers tour guides), Bake-Off (State Street Gym), Tennis Tournament, HorseShoe Tournament, Art Fair, Hang Gliding, Chicken Barbeque, Royale Parade, Smorgasbord, Talent show sponsored by Shelby Rotary Polka & Square Dance Party; Sunday: Skeet Shoot, Softball Games, Polka Dance, Asparagus Bucks and Auction sponsored by the Shelby & Hart Jaycees, Heritage Exhibit (Antiques), Bicentennial Heritage Show; Scottville Clown Band, Honky the Clown, Young Americans Baton Group, Combined HS bands playing National Anthem; Asparagus Ball held at Eagles Hall Joan wore long gown to bowl;

1977 - 4-Hers display at fairgrounds; Mears Museum Complex open; -Karl Henrickson winner of Bake-off with Hawaiian Asparagus; Article about county has right to title; Photos of family picking crews, Stan irrigation experiment; Talent show on Thursday night (sponsored by Shelby Women’s Club); ice cream social, kite flying contest, 4-H road show, tournaments, dance-a-thon in Hart, square dancing in Shelby , Asparagus Ball in Rothbury, talent show, farm tours, glider rides by Frankfort Soaring Club.

1978 - Talent Show; Kite Contest; Sports tournaments, Historical Society Open; Model Airplane exhibition; Shelby Pavilion had a skating entry in the parade; Many alternate ways to harvest were discussed.

- Bill Field, Foxes, Sledding, Mechanical Harvester (retrofitted hydraulic-driven haybines), Hand-picking; Airstream Trailer group visits during May - tours Silver Mills.

1979 - Events were happening all across the county in every