News
Time to bust out the umlaut
Oktoberfest coming to Garlo PreserveBy Vicki Johnson, outdoors@advertiser-tribune.com
BLOOMVILLE — Wagon tours, a wildlife display and lots of German food are among the activities on tap for the third-annual Oktoberfest at Garlo Heritage Nature Preserve.
The free family event, sponsored by the Friends of the Seneca County Park District, is taking place noon-5 p.m. Sunday.
One of the largest draws in the past two years has been the German food people can enjoy while listening to the Deutschmeisters Band, said Karin Brown, who is chairing the event with preserve Manager Dan Mason.
“In order to cut the waiting time for the delicious food, we will have several individual foods and drink booths for our visitors’ food shopping convenience,” Brown said. In past years, the food was in one place, and lines were long.
People can choose from bratwurst, with or without sauerkraut, “made the German way,” or leberkaes — vealoaf or fried bologna — sandwiches.
Hot German potato salad is to be served, as well as potato pancakes hot off the griddle. They can also find huehnersuppe (chicken soup) with homemade noodles cooking in a kettle over an open fire.
To top off the meal, visitors can try German torte (cake) and homemade pies, as well as hot cider and other drinks.
Recipe booklets of the foods at the festival, along with other German recipes and anecdotes, are to be on hand for purchase.
The Deutschmeisters, a 25-member German band, plan to play German tunes and invite people to polka.
New this year is to be a silent auction inside the Nature Center. Visitors can bid on nature-related and other items donated by merchants and members of the Friends organization.
Three wagons are planned for giving tours this year to help alleviate the lines of last year. Anybody who would rather walk than ride can join Mason on a walking tour of the preserve’s wetlands.
People can visit the original blacksmith shop that was moved to the park and see a blacksmith working. They can step back to the Middle Ages by watching armed warriors from the Society for Creative Anachronism practice fighting one another to prepare for the next tournament.
Children can participate in a pedal tractor pull and family members can try their hand at fishing in Alma Pond.
Mona Rutger from Back to the Wild wildlife rehabilitation center, Castalia, is planning a wildlife display.
Rutger, who last year won the “Hero of the Year” award from TV’s Animal Planet, rescues and cares for sick or injured wild animals until they can be returned to their natural habitat. She has a bald eagle, several other types of raptors and other animals to display for educational purposes that would not survive if returned to their native habitat.
“The Oktoberfest was started three years ago to raise funds to continue a path which had been started for handicapped folks and people who can’t walk on uneven ground,” Brown said. “Since the first Oktoberfest, it has grown in leaps and bounds with visitors doubling each year. It enables the Friends to continue their plans for eventually having a paved walkway encircle all of the ponds.”
The handicapped-accessible walkway is one of the many improvements that have been made to the park since the property was donated to the park district in 1999 by the family of the late Olgierd and Maria Garlo, two Tiffin physicians.
The 292 acres of natural areas include walking trails, woodlots, wetlands, grasslands, bluebird trails, a 37-acre lake, three one-acre ponds, picnic and observation shelters, a nature center and a restored blacksmith shop.
“So come on out,” Brown said. “Bring the children, mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, have some good food, meet your friends and have a good time.”
Garlo park is on SR 19 two miles south of Bloomville and just north of CR 6.
On the Net:
Seneca County Park District:
www.senecacounty.com/parks.
The free family event, sponsored by the Friends of the Seneca County Park District, is taking place noon-5 p.m. Sunday.
One of the largest draws in the past two years has been the German food people can enjoy while listening to the Deutschmeisters Band, said Karin Brown, who is chairing the event with preserve Manager Dan Mason.
“In order to cut the waiting time for the delicious food, we will have several individual foods and drink booths for our visitors’ food shopping convenience,” Brown said. In past years, the food was in one place, and lines were long.
People can choose from bratwurst, with or without sauerkraut, “made the German way,” or leberkaes — vealoaf or fried bologna — sandwiches.
Hot German potato salad is to be served, as well as potato pancakes hot off the griddle. They can also find huehnersuppe (chicken soup) with homemade noodles cooking in a kettle over an open fire.
To top off the meal, visitors can try German torte (cake) and homemade pies, as well as hot cider and other drinks.
Recipe booklets of the foods at the festival, along with other German recipes and anecdotes, are to be on hand for purchase.
The Deutschmeisters, a 25-member German band, plan to play German tunes and invite people to polka.
New this year is to be a silent auction inside the Nature Center. Visitors can bid on nature-related and other items donated by merchants and members of the Friends organization.
Three wagons are planned for giving tours this year to help alleviate the lines of last year. Anybody who would rather walk than ride can join Mason on a walking tour of the preserve’s wetlands.
People can visit the original blacksmith shop that was moved to the park and see a blacksmith working. They can step back to the Middle Ages by watching armed warriors from the Society for Creative Anachronism practice fighting one another to prepare for the next tournament.
Children can participate in a pedal tractor pull and family members can try their hand at fishing in Alma Pond.
Mona Rutger from Back to the Wild wildlife rehabilitation center, Castalia, is planning a wildlife display.
Rutger, who last year won the “Hero of the Year” award from TV’s Animal Planet, rescues and cares for sick or injured wild animals until they can be returned to their natural habitat. She has a bald eagle, several other types of raptors and other animals to display for educational purposes that would not survive if returned to their native habitat.
“The Oktoberfest was started three years ago to raise funds to continue a path which had been started for handicapped folks and people who can’t walk on uneven ground,” Brown said. “Since the first Oktoberfest, it has grown in leaps and bounds with visitors doubling each year. It enables the Friends to continue their plans for eventually having a paved walkway encircle all of the ponds.”
The handicapped-accessible walkway is one of the many improvements that have been made to the park since the property was donated to the park district in 1999 by the family of the late Olgierd and Maria Garlo, two Tiffin physicians.
The 292 acres of natural areas include walking trails, woodlots, wetlands, grasslands, bluebird trails, a 37-acre lake, three one-acre ponds, picnic and observation shelters, a nature center and a restored blacksmith shop.
“So come on out,” Brown said. “Bring the children, mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, have some good food, meet your friends and have a good time.”
Garlo park is on SR 19 two miles south of Bloomville and just north of CR 6.
On the Net:
Seneca County Park District:
www.senecacounty.com/parks.
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