Fall festival truly rocks, without rolling your wallet

'Mr. and Mrs' was created by another Mr. and Mrs.: Bob and Sue Mazer of Manchester. It won second place. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Order this photo]

I don't often use my column to plug commercial ventures -- Godiva chocolate not withstanding -- but I've really got to, this time. Take your kids to the Cedar Rock fall festival!

I took Buzz with me briefly last Saturday on opening day because I was one of the judges for the scarecrow contest. When owner Steve Smith called and asked if I were interested, I jumped at the chance. The photo spread I did at last year's event netted me several press awards last spring, including the top Associated Press in Tennessee's photojournalism award in our category.

Anything I can do to help, I will!

It was a lot of fun. I shared the wagon with Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray, County Clerk Kathy Prater and Property Assessor Rhonda Clanton. Buzz got to sit in the front and play point man, searching out the scarecrows before we could find them. There were 18 entries -- not bad at all for the first year's contest.

"I'm hoping we can get even more in the future," said Steve.

We took a quick drive past the entries first, just to get a quick idea of what we were up against. Then, on the trip back, we stopped by each entry and judged it on creativity and other categories.

Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray grades the third place winner, "Kitten," made by Susan Page of Westmoreland. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

"I'm going to give them all a 10," said Eugene. "They're all good!"

He was right. They were all delightful. I loved the first one we came to, with scarecrows riding a wooden horse, done by the 4-H saddle club. Another one had .... nope. I'm not going to be the spoiler. You're going to have to go out yourself to see the punk rocker or the hockey player ...

It was both harder and easier to pick the winners than I thought it would be. Harder, because they were, as the mayor said, all so good. Easier because we actually came to unanimous decision on all three places. First place went to Marie Lane of Shelbyville for her "Old Farmer" scarecrow. Second went to Bobby and Sue Mazur of Manchester for their "Mr. & Mrs." Scarecrow, and third went to Susan Pugh of Westmoreland, whose scarecrow was holding a scarecrow kitten.

It was opening day, and the workers were still scrambling to get a few last minute details out of the way -- a sign put up here and there, the landing space for the Zip line sectioned off, and the calves put in their petting pen. Buzz ate it up, even playing in the corn trough. Apparently, even a sophisticated, almost-11-year-old isn't too cool to resist plunging his hands into mountains of hard, shiny corn kernels. Then again, neither is his 46-year-old mom.

We didn't get to stay long, but while were there, he got to ride the Zipline. He was on it while I was conferring with my fellow judges (don't you love how stuffy that sounds?), and as I came out, he, well, zipped past me, shouting.

"I'm Jaaaammmeeezzz Bonnnnndd!"

He got eye-ball to eyeball with a couple of buffalo, and warned the 10-foot-tall rather menacing scarecrow not to mess with his mother. A gardener like his dad, he was goggle-eyed over the variety of pumpkins and gourds the farm has for sale, including some that look like props for a science fiction movie about farm life on alien worlds.

Buzz Reeves finally finds someone taller than his big brother Ben. (T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

We're going back this weekend, weather permitting, with big brother Ben in tow (if he doesn't have to work.) Then, we'll have time to get lost in the corn maze and maybe pan for precious gems (or semi-precious, anyway) at the Cedar Rock Mining Company, a new feature down by the river.

"We try to add something new every year," said Steve's wife, Kim.

When we got home, I checked out Facebook to see what my friends were doing. Tullahoma's schools are on their long fall break (two weeks! Sheesh) so my friends' entries were along the lines of Disney World, Maine, Virginia Beach and Gatlinburg. I confess to twinges of envy -- if by twinges you mean gnashing of teeth, growling and throwing dirty looks at the stack of bills on my desk -- because elaborate family trips are not on the budget for the next, oh, decade or so.

My oldest son surprised us with a visit later that day and he spent some time with Buzz. When he'd gone and we were doing the bed, bath and brush-your-teeth routine, Buzz gave me a big hug.

"This has been the best day!" he said.

From the mouths of babes...

It was only a couple of hours at a farm in Bedford County, not a weekend at Universal Studios. Instead of costing a year's tuition, it didn't cost me anything but gas, and when we do go back, it will only cost $5 a person. And it was the best day.

Thank you, Cedar Rock, for offering an inexpensive way to have fun with my family outside in the sunshine, away from video games, televisions, and Facebook Disneyland patrons who don't know what they're missing.

-- Mary Reeves is a Times-Gazette staff writer. She can be reached at mreeves@t-g.com.

If you go

Cedar Rock fall festival

Saturdays: 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.

Sundays: Noon-6 p.m.

Weekdays and nights by reservation

1326 Warner Bridge Road

cedarrockfallfest.com